Classic Rock

Every month Classic Rock is packed with exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes features on rock’s biggest names, from Led Zeppelin to Deep Purple, from Guns N’ Roses to the Rolling Stones, from the Sex Pistols to AC/DC and beyond. Each issue plays host to the heftiest rock reviews section on the planet. In an average issue, you’ll find over 150 albums reviewed, all from the ever-varied, multi-faceted world of rock - whether it’s hard rock or heavy metal, prog or punk, goth rock or southern rock, we’ve got it covered.

WELCOME

This month’s contributors

CLASSIC ROCK

“AN ALBUM ON VINYL IS A BEAUTIFUL THING”

Damo Suzuki

RIP

Brit Turner

Bobby Tench

Paul Martinez

Steve Wright

Dave Myers

Alex Van Halen Breaks Silence

Foreigner’s Mick Jones Confirms Parkinson’s

NEWS

Billy Morrison

Ferris & Sylvester

FIVE DAY RAIN • Five Day Rain, acetate-only album, 1970. £4,000.

NEWS

Dion

Honeymoon Suite

Lemmy Statue Approved

NEWS

Slayer Return!

Gen & The Degenerates

The Waterboys • A song whose key line its writer Mike Scott says “floated into my mind as if by magic”, it’s still The Waterboys’ signature track and a magic moment live, and has inspired many covers.

Kris Barras • The blues-rocker on getting heavier, top advice from Billy Gibbons, and being a “ Poundshop version” of Richie Kotzen.

DIGGING DEEP • With Deep Purple’s original plans for their sixth album having literally gone up in smoke, Machine Head was a triumph snatched from the jaws of disaster. Plus: band members and other rock stars talk about their favourite Purple patches.

SHERYL CROW • Artist. Activist. Grammy winner. Superstar. Cancer survivor… As she airs her most socially charged songs yet on twelfth album Evolution, she looks back on the battles, triumphs, hardships, hopes and achievements that mark out her winding road.

BAD BAYS RUNNING WILD • With two members “smashed after touring”, in early 1983 the Scorpions‘ career was wobbling. Then the following year’s Love At First Sting album turned them into global superstars.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL • Continuing after the death of their frontman was an emotional struggle, but with their first album without him Big Big Train have something he would have been proud of.

ON TARGET • Their debut album Taking On The World was a killer. After that, while circumstances have conspired to see them shoot wide occasionally, Gun’s aim has been true, and with new album Hombres they’ve hit the bullseye again.

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE • Having broken through with 2019’s This Land, with his new album Gary Clark Jr. has thrown off the labels and delivered a musically diverse record while still hitting hard with social commentary.

The HOT LiST • THE ESSENTIAL NEW ROCK TRACK YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH AND THE BANDS TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR

Pearl Jam • There’s vim and vigour aplenty from the Seattle survivors on album number 12.

REVIEWS

Hawkwind • Space ace.

ROUND-UP: BLUES

Gary Clark Jr • A career high from the Texan electric blues multi-instrumentalist.

ROUND-UP: MELODIC ROCK

Liam Gallagher John Squire • First fruits of the two-man collaboration, and hugely enjoyable.

BEST OF THE REST • Other new releases out this month.

Deep Purple • Three-CD reissue adds remixes, Montreux and BBC live sets, audio fairy dust and more.

Bon Jovi • (Not so) fab at 40.

Manic Street Preachers • The Manics’ least popular album makes a worthy return.

BEST OF THE REST • Other reissues out this month.

Revolución To Roxy • From peripatetic...