Harry Doherty

Harry Doherty

Harry Doherty began his career at the Derry Journal in Ireland before moving to London in the mid-1970s, relaunching his career as a music journalist and writing extensively for the Melody Maker. Later he became editor of Metal Hammer and founded the video magazine, Hard’n’Heavy. He also wrote the official Queen biography 40 Years Of Queen, published in 2011 to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary. He died in 2014.

Articles by: Harry Doherty

Kate Bush posing for a photograph in the late 1970s

“You see people who are into the glamour and ego of it. Music has nothing to do with ego. Music is like being a bank clerk – it’s work”: How Kate Bush smashed the barriers and became a star like no other

By Harry Doherty published

In 1978, Kate Bush had just released her debut single Wuthering Heights – and one journalist was there to watch it all take off

Queen and Paul Rodgers posing for a photograph in 2008

“When Paul pitched into We Are The Champions, it wasn’t anything like Freddie would have done yet it carried the spirit of the song”: How Queen + Paul Rodgers resurrected one of rock’s most iconic bands

By Harry Doherty published

The story of Queen + Paul Rodgers’ one-and-done album The Cosmos Rocks

Horslips posing for a photograph in the early 1970s

“We were young and excitable and we wanted to do something different. We wanted to wrest Irish music away from its custodians”: The inspirational story of Horslips, Ireland’s original Celtic Rock band

By Harry Doherty published

Horslips put celtic rock on the map and paved the way for U2

Tony Visconti with T.Rex’s Marc Bolan in 1972

“I thought Bowie was talented even though he lacked direction. I could hear the star quality in his voice”: Tony Visconti’s tales of David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Phil Lynott and U2

By Harry Doherty published

Bowie, Bolan, Thin Lizzy – producer Tony Visconti has worked with them all

Queen posing for a photograph in 1975

“People have slammed Bohemian Rhapsody but who can you compare it to? Tell me one group that’s done an operatic single?”: The epic story of A Night At The Opera, the album that turned Queen into superstars

By Harry Doherty published

Status Quo posing for a photograph in 1974

“Punk didn’t ride over the top of Quo, because we rock harder than any of ’em. This band seems invincible somehow”: The epic story of Status Quo, the greatest British boogie band never to break America

By Harry Doherty published

Drugs, denim and 12 bar boogie – the story of one of the UK’s most successful rock bands 

Thin Lizzy in the street in Copenhagen in 1979

“I don’t think we’re a band that will last forever. We could break up any time”: On the road with Thin Lizzy in America in the late 1970s

By Harry Doherty published

Thin Lizzy hit their stride between 1977 and 1979 – and journalist Harry Doherty had a front row seat for their American tours

Electric Light Orchestra with their hands and faces pressed against glass

“I was very pretentious. On the early albums I was writing things I thought I should write. But all I ever wanted to do was write pop songs”: how ELO conquered the planet with mini-symphonies and giant spaceships

By Harry Doherty published

UFOs, violins and killer songs – this the epic story of Electric Light Orchestra

Phil Lynott looking towards the sky in a London street

"I sat down on the stairs of my basement and just cried. It killed me that he wasn’t going to be there any more": The final struggle for the life of Phil Lynott

By Harry Doherty published

The final year of Phil Lynott's life saw him try to get his career back on track. Instead, it was 365 days of missed opportunities, lost passports and crazy deals

AC/DC in 1977

AC/DC interview: Angus Young and Bon Scott on booze, sex and rock’n’roll

By Harry Doherty published

When they came back to the UK in ’77, AC/DC had already made a name for themselves and were intent on laying waste to the country... as Bon Scott and Angus Young proved

Ten Classic Quotes From Phil Lynott

By Harry Doherty published

On August 20 2014, Phil Lynott would have been 65. To commemorate this, here are ten quotes from him taken from the pages of Classic Rock

Alex Harvey: Every Clown Has A Serious Lining

By Harry Doherty published

On February 4, 1982, Alex Harvey died. In 2005, Classic Rock looked back at his career with SAHB

Thin Lizzy: Road Danger

By Harry Doherty published

Thin Lizzy tore up the touring circuit at the end of the 1970s. Classic Rock looks back on the Lizzy live experience at the time