PRESS...
Jeff Wayne (War Of The Worlds) - “stunning, passionate music, wonderful singing... ”
Geoff Barton - Classic Rock Magazine - "In fact, Joker In The Pack and Strange Days might just be the two best commercial-sounding prog tunes written in the last 10 years. No kidding....!!!"
Rick Wakeman - Yes - Planet Rock Radio - “Really great new band and great tracks...”
Jerry Ewing - Editor Classic Rock Presents Prog - “Touchstone were the ideal band to kickstart High Voltage this year. Bright and breezy and packing a healthy punch, they’re definitely a band going places.”
John Wetton - ASIA - “Very Good”
Jeremy Irons - Actor and prelude narration on Wintercoast - “incredible piece of music ”
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Name check in THE GUARDIAN - PROG AWARDS - click here
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We are very proud to have been nominated in the "New Blood" category in the inaugural Progressive Music Awards :-)
As you'll see, we're in some great company and all of us have achieved a lot in our fledgling careers, so it's an honour to be recognised and nominated, so thank you to all concerned!!
Obviously, you all have your favourites, but if you should wish to cast a vote our way, that would be very kind and we'd appreciate it...Elkie will also make truffles for everyone that votes for us :-))
Cheers y'all & we look forward to seeing you on the road soon!!
Lots of love,
Moo, HenPen, Elkie, Hodgie & Lord Cotters xxx
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CLASSIC ROCK - 9/10 - The City Sleeps - album review by Geoff Barton - issue 167 - Click Here
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Classic Rock Online - Gig Of The Week - York - Click Here
Classic Rock Online - Track Of The Day - Free Download for re-issue release - Click Here
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KERRANG - Dec 2012 - KKK review - Click Here
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GITARRE & BASS - major german musician magazine - The City Sleeps album review - Click Here
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“Critics Choice Albums Of The Year" - Classic Rock presents PROG - Top 20 albums 2011 - Click Here
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“Critics Choice Albums Of The Year Best Of Prog” Classic Rock magazine issue 166 - Click Here
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www.rockrebelmagazine.com - 5 STAR REVIEW - The City Sleeps - Click Here
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www.seaoftranquility.org - reviews for the re-issues -Click Here
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www.rockencuba.com - reviews for the re-issues - Click Here
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www.rockpages.gr - Rockpages Web Magazine in Greece- The City Sleeps album review - Click Here
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www.progarchives.com - The City Sleeps album review - Click Here
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www.metalkaoz.com - The City Sleeps album review - Click Here
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www.metalreviews.com - The City Sleeps album review - Click Here
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Classic Rock issue 166 – fantastic live review of The City Sleeps album launch tour The Borderline, London by Malcolm Dome - Click Here
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The City Sleeps enters the UK Official Rock Album Charts in the TOP 40 at Number 36 - week w/c 17th Oct 2011 – click here
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www.rushonrock.com - The City Sleeps album review - Click Here
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www.rocktopia.co.uk - The City Sleeps album review - by Gary Marshall - Click Here
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www.ytsejam.com - Interview with Adam by Tommy Hash - Click Here
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hardrockhaven.net - The City Sleeps album review - Click Here
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Classic Rock Society - Interview with Adam on the launch of The City Sleeps + album review and advert - Click Here
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Classic Rock presents PROG - issue 21 - Live review of Borderline covermount CD - Click Here
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www.femmemetal.net - The City Sleeps - Album review by Tony Cannella - Click Here
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POWERPLAY - The City Sleeps album review and Live review of Borderline concert by Chris Kee - Click Here
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www.seaoftranquility.org - The City Sleeps - Album review by Kim Jenson - Click Here
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www.dangerdog.com - The City Sleeps - Album review by Craig Hartranft - Click Here
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www.progrockmusictalk.com - The City Sleeps - Album review by Dana Wright - Click Here
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www.ytsejam.com -The City Sleeps - Album review by Tommy Hash - Click Here
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www.midlandsrocks.co.uk - Interview with Kim and Rob by Paul Quinton - Click Here
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www.progarchives.com - Interview with Rob by toroddfuglesteg - Click Here
Progarchives - The City Sleeps - Album review - Click Here
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SPV Homepage - to announce charts - Click Here
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www.highwiredaze.com - USA music site announce US release for The City Sleeps - Click Here
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The City Sleeps gets in the “recommended” listening stations in UK HMV stores - click here
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The City Sleeps - in HMV - CD section - Click Here
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Get Ready To Rock - Live review - Bilston Album Tour - Click Here
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Where Worlds Collide - Live review - Bilston Album Tour - Click Here
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www.annularmedia.net - Live review - Bilston Album Tour - Click Here
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Live Review - Newcastle Legends, October 15 2011 - Calum Robson - Click Here
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The City Sleeps - onsale in Japan - Click Here
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DPRP - Dutch Progressive Rock Page - The City Sleeps Review - Jim Corcoran - Click Here
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Liverpool Studant Media - The City Sleeps Review - Ian D. Hall - Click Here
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Metal Temple - The City Sleeps Review - Click Here
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Metal Underground Webzine Austria - The City Sleeps Review - GERMAN - Click Here
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Touchstone name in LIGHTS - Click Here
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Classic Rock presents PROG - Aug 2011 - advert and news items for SPV signing - Click Here
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CLASSIC ROCK presents PROG - 2009 - Readers Poll - Click Here
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Get Ready To Rock - SEPT - Featured Artist - links to all feaures - Main Feature
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RockTheNorth Magazine - Interview with Adam Hodgson and Matt Cohen (The Reasoning) - on PROG and other things - Link to Page - Click Here
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Press Item - featured in Oct CRS - Album Deal - Click Here
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For Immediate Release - August 1st, 2011
TOUCHSTONE
SIGN WORLDWIDE DEAL WITH SPV/STEAMHAMMER - "THE CITY SLEEPS" DUE OUT 10th OCTOBER
Touchstone the five-piece rock band with prog/rock/alternative influences have signed an exclusive long term World Wide deal with SPV Records covering new recordings and three back catalogue recordings.
Their much-anticipated new album, The City Sleeps, is due to be released on 10th October 2011 on SPV's Steamhammer label.
The release of the new album will be supported by a UK tour in October 2011 with European dates to be announced and a US Tour planned for the second half of 2012.
Founding band member, Rob Cottingham, said in a statement: "TOUCHSTONE are delighted to be signed to SPV's Steamhammer label for the release of our new album, The City Sleeps. SPV/Steamhammer has a long tradition of highly successful rock bands and for the band we see this as the next natural step up for us to reach a broader rock market, across a more global geography. We are very grateful to Frank Uhle, Del Taylor and the SPV team for their fantastic support and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship".
In this exciting new album, the band venture into familiar 'Touchstone Rock' territory with the dynamic, moving epics: The City Sleeps, and When Shadows Fall. The City Sleeps is a sequel to the title track of Touchstone's previous album, Wintercoast and we can exclusively reveal that Anna-Marie Wayne, actress and daughter of Jeff Wayne, adds her substantial voice-over talent to the title track. When Shadows Fall is a sequel to the track Shadow from Touchstone's first album,
Discordant Dreams, and picks up a few decades later. There are also some exciting departures for the band venturing into the more melodic rock areas. And then there is the downright crazy in Good Boy Psycho, where the mental twists and turns of this psychotic rollercoaster of a track leave you gasping for breath!
All the music is written by Touchstone, with lyrics by Rob Cottingham and Kim Seviour, and the City Sleeps concept and narrative written by Adam Hodgson, who also designed the album artwork.
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Classic Rock News Page - SPV deal - Click Here
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PROG - Review for PROG TOUR London Date - The New Breed - by Natasha Scharf - Click Here
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Musical Discoveries - female vocal and band feature by Jeff Perkins in Northern France and Russ Elliot in New York- Click Here
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www.metaltalk.net - ReviewDUTCH MICHAELS' GIG OF THE WEEK
TOUCHSTONE, O2 ISLINGTON ACADEMY, 5th March 2011
- CLICK HERE
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Classic Rock - GIG OF THE WEEK - PROG New Breed Tour gets the top slot with Touchstone HEADLINE - Click Here
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Background Magazine NL - Live In The USA review by Cor Smeets (edited by Peter Willemsen) 4star - Click Here
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TOTAL ROCK RADIO - Kim interviewed on the Jerry Ewing show - 15/12/2010
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HIGH VOLTAGE 2011 Trailer - Kim features on the 2001 TV trailer among some legends - GREAT PR...!!! - See Here
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DaMusic Belguim - Feature on British Prog featuring Touchstone - Click Here for web link - Click Here for English Translation
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ROCKTOPIA - - Live In The USA review by Gary Marshall - Click Here
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DPRP - Dutch Progressive Rock Page - Live In The USA review by Geoff Feakes - Click Here
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www.musicinbelgium.net- Review of Live In The USA - by Eric Piettre (French) - 4STARS - Click Here For Link - Click Here for French to English
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PROG - Review and feature comps for LIVE IN THE USA - Click here for review - Click here for COMP
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Blogcritics - Live In The USA review by Marty Dodge - Click Here
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POWERPLAY - SEPT 2010 - Live In The USAstunning 10/10 review by Andrew Haunt - Click Here
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Classic Rock SEPT 2010 - Live In The USA review by Geoff Barton - Click Here
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Classic Rock SEPT 2010 - post High Voltage - mini live review, Kim and Moo on the photo comp, half page advert - Click Here
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Classic Rock ONLINE - 1st bands review from High Voltage by Geoff Barton - Web Link - Review Pic
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Classic Rock ONLINE - mini-review of Live In The USA by Geoff Barton - Web Link - Review Pic
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Classic Rock presents PROG June 2009 - Wintercoast Reveiw - Click Here
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Liverpool Student Media - Review of Live In The USA by Ian D Hall - Click Here
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Get Ready To Rock - Live Review - The Borderline Sept 2010 - Review Mark Taylor, Photos Noal Buckley - Click Here
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iO Pages - Review from High Voltage - by Bert Treep - Click Here
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High Voltage Live review - barefootmusicnews.com - by mark Taylor - Click Here
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FANZEYVIEW - Review of Live In The USA by Roger Allen - Click Here
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TOUCHSTONE are delighted to announce that they will be appearing on Sky News 21st-22nd July
On 14th July 2010, at their rehearsal rooms in Hemel Hempstead, the band were recorded, and Kim interviewed, by none other than Steve Hargrave, Sky News Entertainments Correspondent. Steve is preparing a piece about the resurgence of progressive rock, in anticipation of the High Voltage festival on 24th & 25th July, where Touchstone will be the first band to play a note at this new festival.
Steve had earlier interviewed festival headliners, ELP and Jerry Ewing. - Click Here for Screen Shot
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Classic Rock presents PROG May 2010 - Great live review - News Item - Half Page Advert - Click Here
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Classic Rock presents PROG May 2010 - Strange Days News Item - Click Here
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iO Pages - Review of Mad Hatters Enhanced by Monica Meijer - Click Here
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www.progwereld.org - Review of Mad Hatters Enhanced by Govert Krul - Dutch - Click Here
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FANZEYVIEW - Feature / Interview with Rob by Roger Allen - Click Here
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iO Pages - Feature / Interview with Adam by Bert Treep - (Dutch) - Click Here
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Get Ready To Rock - Live Review - Wintersend Festival 2010 - by Andrew Lock - Click Here
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Classic Rock Magazine Apr 2010 - Fantastic Mad Hatters Enhanced EP review by Geoff Barton 8/10 - Click Here
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CRS - Mad Hatters Enhanced EP review by Miles Bartaby - Click Here
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Classic Rock presents PROG - Gabriel Cover - back of wallet - Trevor Rabin and Touchstone - Click Here
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Classic Rock presents Prog - Readers Poll and Critics Choice 2009
Readers Poll 2009
Wintercoast 4th Best Album – out of 5, along side bands, Porcupine Tree and Dream Theatre
Kim 2nd Best Female Singer – with the likes of Annie Haslam (Renaissance) and Christina Booth (Magenta)
Touchstone 2nd Best Unsigned Band 2009
Cambridge Rock Festival, we were 3rd on bill to ASIA & Focus, 3rd Best Event of 2009
Critics Choice Top 20 Albums 2009
No19 for Wintercoast along side such albums by Muse, The Mars Volta and Dream Theatre, this is amazing as most of the other bands are pretty much major signed acts....
Geoff Barton – Editor of Classic Rock – 4th out of 20 for his critics choice for 2009 albums...!!!
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www.backgroundmagazine.nl - Mad Hatters review by Henri Strik - cool review- Click Here
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Progwereld - Wintercoast review by Govert Krul (Dutch) - very good review - (Google Translate) - Click Here
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CRS Awards 2009 - Wintercoast was 2nd Best Album (very cool), Wintercoast title track was 5th Best Track, Kim was 5th Best Female Vocalist, Moo was 3rd Best Bass Player, CRS Maltby gig was 4th Best CRS Gig, 5th Best Band overall.
MAD HATTERS ENHANCED - great review on Get Ready To ROCK by Pete Whalley - Click Here
STRANGE DAYS gets to No.4 in EUROPEAN KLASSIK ROCK (EKR) - Track of the Year mega poll Top 100 – Strange Days has reached number 4 out of a 1000+ tracks voted for by EKR forum users - Click Here
BBC News - Touchstone @ Winter's End - new items about the festival - Click Here Image - Web Link
TOUCHSTONE - Top Ten Best Progressive Rock Albums in 2009 - Wintercoast has been voted in as one of the top ten Best Progressive Rock Albums in 2009 in the popular American E-zine 'usaprogmusic.com'. Please see the Reader Poll results attached. Click Here
TOUCHSTONE OPENING UP PROG PROCEEDINGS AT HIGH VOLTAGE FESTIVAL, LONDON - JULY 2010 - The organisers are expecting some 35000 festival-goers for what will be an awesome experience, featuring amongst others, ZZ Top, Foreigner, Uriah Heep, Pendragon, Asia, Marillion, Steve Hackett, The Reasoning + others and rounded off by the mighty ELP on Sunday night, who have specially reformed for this event. Click Here
TOUCHSTONE - Headline Winter’s End Festival - 13/14th March 2010 at The Space in Stroud, Gloucestershire, Click Here
Sat 19th Dec 2009 - Touchstone play The Peel, Kingston, to a SOLD OUT crowd with guests Magenta - thanks to all our fans for a fantastic gig and round off to the year....!!!
Strange Days is being featured in the 'Track of the year' poll for the European Klassic Rock - Click Here
Powerplay Magazine Oct 2009 - Featured on the covermount CD - Click Here
Dominion Magazine - cool review in this new Goth Metal Mag - Click Here
Progarchives - 5/5 album review by Chriz - Click Here
Back Ground Magazine NL - album review by Henri Strik - Click Here
Classic Rock PROG Magazine - Oct 2009 - Cambridge Rock Fest Live review by the legend Dave Ling - Click Here
Fireworks Magazine - Fantastic "red boxed" album review in Oct 09 edition - review by Gary Marshall - Click Here
Melodic Hard Rock Today - Very cool album review by Arne Asbolmo - 100/100 - Click Here
Strange Days Official Video - filmed at RoSFest USA May 2009 - Click Here
Touch The Sky - Great live review and pictures by Bo Hansen, The Peel, Sat 19th Sept 2009 - Click Here
Powerplay Magazine Aug 2009 - Double page feature & interview with Adam Hodgson by Chris Kee - Click Here
Powerplay Magazine Aug 2009 - STUNNING Album review by Andrew Hawnt - 9/10 - Click Here
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire play Strange Days - The Audio Files show run a feature on the band to promote the Peterborough Festival.
Rick Wakeman plays Strange Days on Planet Rock - on his Saturday radio show and comments- “this is a band that is causing a lot of interest" - Click Here
Classic Rock Presents PROG Magazine - On The Threshold feature & interview with Moo by Richard Thompson - Click Here
Press Article Herts Advertiser Aug 2009 - Cambridge Rock Festival Review by Charlotte Morgan - Click Here
Classic Rock Magazine July 2009 - Fantastic album review by Geoff Barton and No. 6 on Heavy Rotation listing - Click Here
Classic Rock PROG Magazine - Track 2 on the cover CD & great album review - Click Here
STRUTTER - review written by Gabor Kleinbloesem - 8.8/10 - Click Here
BlogCritics - review written by Jeff Perkins for blogcritics.org - Click Here
Ravenheart - 9.5/10 Review by Philip Wooldridge - Click Here for review - Ravenheartmusic.com
USA Prog Music.Com - 9/10 - Review written by Mike Flavin - Click Here
Rock and a Hard Place - Interview with Rob Cottingham, YouTube link - Click Here
Press Article St Albans Review June 2009 - Interview and feature with Adam Hodgson by Rachel Wakefield - Click Here
Album review on Silhobbit - Review written by Charlie O'Mara - Click Here
Album review on Get Ready To Rock - Review by Pete Whalley - Click Here
Just For Kicks - Our German distributors Home Page featuring new the album - Click Here
Strange Days on Total Rock - Single was played on Jerry Ewing's radio show - Click Here
Classic Rock Society review for Wintercoast - Review by By Miles Bartaby - Click Here
ROS review on USA Prog Music - Review by By Mike Flavin - Click Here
Paul Baker ARFM - Wintercoast comment - Click Here
Press Article Herts Advertiser May 2009 - Interview and feature with Adam Hodgson by Aimée Brannen - Click Here
Online Forum Comments - The Horn Apr 2009 - Click Here
Online Forum Comments 1 - Rites of Spring Festival in Glenside, PA, May 09 - Click Here
Classic Rock Online April 2009 - Track Of The Day feature, Zinomorph (Radio Edit) - 400 downloads in less than 3 days - Click Hear for the web page graphic - Online Feature
Classic Rock Magazine November 2008 - interview and feature by Geoff Barton - Click Here
REVIEW - melodichardrocktoday.tk - 98/100 stunning review - Click Here
REVIEW - POWERPLAY Magazine 100th edition - 8/8 stunning review - Click Here
REVIEW - Fantastic review written by Jeff Perkins for blogcritics.org - Click Here
HMV Oxford St, London - store point of sale - July 2008 - Click Here
Touchstone track on cover CD and feature in August Classic Rock Magazine.
The August edition of Classic Rock is due out in the shops from 23rd July and will feature the track 'Shadow' on the cover CD, as well as a write-up with photo. Click Here
REVIEW - Classic Rock Magazine July 2008 - review by Geoff Barton - Click Here
"Tremendously accomplished" John Shrapnel, Actor, member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Film roles include Senator Gaius in Gladiator; Nestor in Troy and recently in Chemical Wedding.
REVIEW - France - www.progressive-area.com - Click Here
REVIEW - Belgium - www.musicinbelgium.net - Click Here
REVIEW - Mexico - eufonia.wordpress.com - 4/5, Click Here
AWARD - USA - Best New Progressive Rock Indie Artist in the Progressive Hall of Fame 2008 Awards, Click Here
LIVE REVIEW - Touchstone & Tinyfish at The Peel in Kingston, 2/2/8 by Blacksword © 2008, published in Progarchives, Click Here
REVIEW - Holland - DPRP - Dutch Progressive Rock Page - Discordant Dream Album Review. Click Here
REVIEW - SEPT 8th/9th CHARITY GIG FOR "KIDS COMPANY", Kings Head, Aylesbury. Click Here
Winner Best New Band – Classic Rock Society 2007. Click Here
Nominated Best Album – Classic Rock Society 2007
REVIEW - Germany - www.rocktimes.de - November 2007 - German Language. Click here.
REVIEW - SONICBOND - SEPTEMBER 2007. Click here.
REVIEW - Germany - www babyblaue-seiten.jpg - German language - November 2007. Click here.
REVIEW - Poland - ALFA FM Radio - Discordant Dream Album Review - November 2007. Click here.
REVIEW - Progressive World - September 2007 - By John Morley - www.progressiveworld.net. Click here.
REVIEW - Classic Rock Society - Montgomery Hall, Rotherham - 8th September 2007 - By Steve Petch. Click Here.
REVIEW - Classic Rock Society - Discordant Dream Album Review November 2007. Click here.
REVIEW - Mad Hatters - By Kev Roland. Click Here
Jerry Ewing – Classic Rock Magazine - “like prog but with real bite”