Thunder: 'RIVER OF PAIN (Official Live Video)'; 'LIVE' (Out 16th January 2026).
- Rock Metal Machine
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
British rock institution THUNDER, known for their charismatic stage presence and distinctive sound, originally released ‘LIVE’ in 1998 - a work that marked a significant turning point in the band’s history. Now it is being re-released for the first time in a remastered version on vinyl, digitally, and as an exclusive digipak – a true rock document that revives the raw power of the original recordings in a contemporary sound.
Since their formation in the late 1980s, THUNDER have been one of the defining forces in British hard rock. The band combines classic rock riffing with bluesy undertones and stadium-ready hooks – a distinctive style that has thrilled fans worldwide for decades. At the heart of their sound is not only the distinctive voice of Danny Bowes, but also the songwriting and guitar talent of Luke Morley. THUNDER embodies authentic rock music with soul – versatile in the studio, rousing on stage.
The recordings from 1997 were made during a period of transition: bassist Chris Childs joined the band just before the recordings and has been a permanent member of the line-up ever since. The shows from this period are raw, energetic and full of enthusiasm - with extended solo passages, spontaneous moments and intense interaction with the audience. You don’t just feel like a listener, you feel like you’re right in the middle of the action.
In 2025, the album was carefully remastered to reproduce the untamed live energy in modern sound quality. With this release, earMUSIC honours an important moment in the band’s history – and offers both long-time fans and newcomers the opportunity to relive the authentic live feeling of the late 90s in impressive quality.
The 22 songs deliver a wealth of hits such as ‘Love Walked In’, ‘Dirty Love’, and many other classics. The bonus versions include additional acoustic and studio recordings of popular fan favourites. ‘THUNDER – LIVE’ will be released on 16 January 16 2026 on CD, vinyl, and as a digital download and streaming.
Thunder Live (1998)
Release: 16 January 2026
Formats:
Digital / 2CD / 3LP Gatefold / Ltd. 3CD
(inkl. Bonus) / Ltd. 4LP (inkl. Bonus)
Tracklisting:
CD / Vinyl
1. Welcome To The Party
2. Higher Ground
3. Don’t Wait Up
4. Low Life In Hight Places
5. Gimme Some Lovin’
6. Empty City
7. Until My Dying Day
8. A Better Man
9. Does It Feel Like Love?
10. Dance To The Music
11. She’s So Fine
12. Backstreet Symphony
13. An Englishman On Holdiday
14. I’ll Be Waiting
15. Laughing On Judgement Day
16. Like A Satellite
17. Moth To The Flame
18. Living For Today
19. The Only One
20. Love Walked In
21. River Of Pain
22. Dirty Love
Bonus
23. New York, New York
24. Pilot Of My Dreams
25. Everybody Wants Her
26. Lazy Sunday Afternoon
27. Stand Up
28. The Only One (Studio Version)
29. Too Bad (Studio Version)
30. Something About You
(The Nomis Session)
31. This Forgotten Town (Acoustic)
“Live” (1998) Line-up:
Daniel Bowes – Lead Vocals
Luke Morley – Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica
Ben Matthews – Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Chris Childs – Bass Guitar, Vocals
Gary “Harry” James - Drums
Pre-order our forthcoming issue:
Chris Hewlett PR
