Goth Rock Nostalgia says, "Welcome Back, Simon!"

So, when I was a teenage guitarist, we were all supposed to want to be Eddie Van Halen. Or, if you were of a bit more cerebral bent, Joe Satriani.

I will admit to spending my fair share of time poring over the tablature for "Eruption" and fumbling along to "Satch Boogie". But if you'd asked me who I really wanted to be as a guitarist, the honest heartfelt answer would have been one of three names: Jimmy Page, Kim Thayil, or Simon Hinkler.

( Simon Who? )

Anyway, circumstances have changed, and Simon Hinkler is back in England, and was recently coaxed back on stage with his old bandmates for a series of concerts for The Mission U.K.'s 25th anniversary. Even more excitingly, The Eden House invited Hinkler to record guitar parts on a few songs with them. The first of these tracks, "Neversea", is out now on the group's Timeflows EP. I think that this is an awesome song, but I must confess that I am not entirely sure, because I may be too busy bouncing up and down at hearing the first brand-new Simon Hinkler guitar solo that I have heard in 20 years to really listen properly. Tell me what you think.

If you like what you hear, you can buy the entire Timeflows EP as a high-quality download. Or wait for the CD, which comes out next week.

Gallifrey 2012: Big Finish Roundup

Here's my usual round-up of Big Finish news from this year's Gallifrey One convention. Not as news-heavy a year as some have been, but I do have a few exciting tidbits to pass along.

( You will be unsurprised to hear that there are audios planned for 2012 )