THE results of a decade-long study by an Australian university into the emotional effects of music were published this week and the results make pretty interesting reading.

One of the conclusions revealed that death metal fans, despite being aficionados of music devoted to death, destruction, mutilation, murder, cannibalism and other such horrors, are not desensitised to violent imagery.

“Death metal fans are really nice people,” says Professor Bill Thompson of Macquarie University in Sydney. “They’re not going to go out and hurt someone.”

He added: “The dominant emotional response to this type of music is one of joy and empowerment.”

So don’t be too surprised if you see Prof Thompson body-slamming in the mosh pit at Finns in Weymouth next Saturday, March 23, as he joins other metal heads for an evening dedicated to the sonic rearrangement of your internal organs.

There’s a hugely impressive line up next Saturday, with London-based classic rock outfit The Heretic Order bringing their gut-wrenching riffs and sense of the theatrical.

As you can see from the picture on this page, they’re not averse to a bit of dressing up and greasepaint.

Also appearing are six-piece progressive/tech metal monsters Red Method.

“We are Red Method and we are coming to make our mark,” they tell me, ominously.

If that’s not enough to tickle your fancy, four-man thrashing machine Bull-Riff Stampede return to Finns for another set of pure metal venom, with local hero James Perry thumping seven shades of shizzle out of the drums.

James will have arms like Popeye afterwards as he’ll also be drumming with London rockers This Is Endless next Saturday.

It’s bound to be another sweat-soaked occasion of joy and empowerment so get there early, okay?

Moving on, and by way of complete contrast, Clare Grogan’s Altered Images are riding the tsunami of Eighties nostalgia with shows at the Let’s Rock and Rewind festivals.

The lovely and fragrant Clare was a fixture in the Top 40, as we used to call it back in the day, with songs such as Happy Birthday, Don’t Talk to Me about Love and I Could Be Happy.

Since then she’s gone on to blaze quite a trail on telly, appearing in just about everything from Father Ted, where she played a feminist rock icon not remotely based on Sinead O’Connor, and EastEnders, where she played Ian Beale’s love interest, possibly her toughest gig ever.

She’s also in demand as a film actress and TV and radio presenter and a successful children’s novelist.

Somehow, she’s managed to find time to get the band back on the road and they’re at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton next Saturday, March 23.

Tickets are £21.50 from the box office on 01258 475137.

Till next time…

FRIDAY 15

Crocodile Rock: Elton John tribute (Weymouth Pavilion)

Glass Spiders (Finns, Weymouth)

Regulation 9 (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Elvis (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Steve Payne and Billy (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Brian Harris (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Elijah Wolf (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Revolution (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Pretty Lustful (Waterloo, Weymouth)

The Undecided (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Darryl Rushby (No 10, Bridport)

Darren H (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Kelly Lorraine (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Leanne Jackson (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

SATURDAY 16

Beatlemania (Weymouth Pavilion)

TBC (Finns, Weymouth)

Miranda Sykes (Osmington Village Hall) Tickets £12 from 07816 832554.

Vinyl Monkeys (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

The Dolmen (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Katz (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Quinns Quinney (Drax Arms, Bere Regis)

George Hall Trio (1652, St Alban St, Weymouth)

Old Dogz New Trix (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Neil Wale (Weymouth Conservative Club)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Suited and Booted (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Studio 55 (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Komakino (Market House, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Karen (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Mark Davis (Boot, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Black Dog, Weymouth)

All Funked Up (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

SUNDAY 17

Groove Rush (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 4.30 and 8.30pm.

Nat Kardas and folk session (Convivial Rabbit, Dorchester) 5pm.

Folk and Country evening (Old Town Hall Weymouth) 7pm.

Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, Weymouth)  From 3pm.

Frankie Finn (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Strings and Reeds (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-7pm.

Duke and the Broad Rat Pack Show (Park, Weymouth) 3-6pm.

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) 8pm

Gut and Steel (Bakers Arms, Dorchester) 3pm

MONDAY 18

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymout)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY 19

Erja Lyytinen  (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Folk Night (Drax Arms, Bere Regis) With Kitty and Vernon, Pam Denith and John Meriton.

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Martin Freed’s Open Mic Night (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY 20

Tom Jones and Shades of the 60s (Weymouth Pavilion)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return,  Weymouth) Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)

THURSDAY 21

Sid Lawrence Orchestra (Weymouth Pavilion)

Open Mic (Drax Arms, Bere Regis)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, ChiswelI, Portland

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return,  Weymouth) Strum on down from 8pm.

FRIDAY 22

Dead Man’s Clique (Finns, Weymouth)

Bring Me the Pistols (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Mi3 (Ship, Wool)

BBs Whiskers  (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Mike Robbins (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Danny Adams (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Tequila Mockingbird (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)