You know, it’s quite ironic, but I’ve been trying to get the magazine back to the 56-60 pages it always was at the beginning, for the obvious reason that more pages means more printing costs, more postage costs, more time writing and designing pages. Every issue I tell myself “Next issue we go back to 60 pages,” and last issue was no exception. Issue #28 will have 60 pages I vowed. Well … I’m really going to have to stop lying to myself, because as you can see this is our biggest issue yet – and not only ‘big’ in terms of pages, but massive in terms of content, and I hope that all our readers are happy with what we have managed to cram in this time. Plus another two free CDs!! But to keep up this level of excellence, we really have to expand our readership, so I ask everyone reading Fireworks to help spread the word. Thank you.

Our next step to widen our readership is to offer an online version of the magazine. You see, it costs $7 just to post a single issue to the USA, so total cost is $16. But if someone in the USA could pay $6 and have the magazine and music CDs downloaded straight onto their computer – the same week the magazine is released – then that just has to be an attractive proposition. Now don’t fret – I promise I have no intention of stopping the printed version of the magazine. But everyone who has melodic rock loving friends outside the UK, tell them to look up melodicrock.com and musicbuymail.com and check out the best melodic rock magazine in the world!! :-)

I hope you all have your tickets for Firefest 4, which is shaping up to be another amazing day. I’ve just recently seen the official Bonfire Firefest 3 DVD release, and I have to say it is excellent! And the plans are to have quite a few FF4 releases this time, so start saving your pennies.

Since last issue, we have finalised and announced the line-up for FF4 Day 1, which is as follows:

Threshold
Demon
Soul Doctor
Steve Grimmet Band
Stormzone

My perception of Threshold had always been as a ‘prog rock’ band but their new album has totally blown me away, and I’ve always been a fan of Demon since their debut was released way back in the 80’s. This represents their final show in the UK ever, so be there to witness the passing of history – don’t break the circle!! Full details at www.thefirefest.com (and at time of writing, over 50% of available tickets have been sold).

Finally, I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome Alan Holloway (formerly of Hard Roxx) onto the writing team.

And also thanks to Dawn Irwin for devotion to the cause above and beyond the call of duty!

See you all in two months.

Keep those dials at ‘11’ !!

-- Bruce Mee