Hugh Fielder

Hugh Fielder

Hugh Fielder has been writing about music for 47 years. Actually 58 if you include the essay he wrote about the Rolling Stones in exchange for taking time off school to see them at the Ipswich Gaumont in 1964. He was news editor of Sounds magazine from 1975 to 1992 and editor of Tower Records Top magazine from 1992 to 2001. Since then he has been freelance. He has interviewed the great, the good and the not so good and written books about some of them. His favourite possession is a piece of columnar basalt he brought back from Iceland.

Articles by: Hugh Fielder

Jefferson Starship in September 1978

“Grace was three sheets to the wind, so Marty sang to her while holding her in an arm-lock so she couldn’t get away”: the epic, drunken and very crazy story of Jefferson Starship

By Hugh Fielder published

Jefferson Starship rose from the ashes of San Francisco’s late 60s hippie movement, but they swapped peace and love for booze, bickering and chaos

AC/DC in 1983 with (inset) Roxy Music's Paul Thompson

"I've always regarded myself as a rock drummer. I mean, John Bonham is my number one hero": What happened when Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson auditioned for AC/DC

By Hugh Fielder published

AC/DC's Journey through the 1980s could have been very different if Brian Johnson had had his way

Jethro Tull - Warchild II album art

The long wait is over: Jethro Tull's Warchild II is finally available on vinyl

By Hugh Fielder published

Ian Anderson had an album’s worth of material left over from War Child and he splattered them across various compilations. Now they're collected on vinyl for the first time

Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Dirt On My Diamonds Vol 1 album art

"There's no denying the impact when Shepherd does let the blues off the leash": Kenny Wayne Shepherd's Dirt On My Diamonds Vol 1

By Hugh Fielder published

Kenny Wayne Shepherd keeps the blues under control on 11th album Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 1

King Crimson: Music Is Our Friend album art

King Crimson: Music Is Our Friend album review

By Hugh Fielder published

King Crimson's final US show, now available as a triple vinyl set

Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1970

"It was a critical mistake, and ultimately it broke up the band": How Creedence Clearwater Revival fell to pieces

By Hugh Fielder published

A slew of acclaimed albums and hit singles, non-stop tours, a ruinous record deal and a singer who couldn't let go. What the hell happened to Creedence Clearwater Revival?

Keith Emerson onstage

"The psychedelic scene was largely over by the summer of 1968, but that spirit of musical adventure was still running rampant": A beginners' guide to the origins of prog rock

By Hugh Fielder published

Where on earth did progressive rock come from?

Peter Gabriel performing with Genesis

“The others realised they couldn’t stop me because it was too close to the show… I got away with it, although it was a close-run thing”: How Peter Gabriel developed his Genesis frontman act

By Hugh Fielder published

It may have caused conflict, but his insistence on sticking with his artistic vision paid off in countless ways

Gary Moore The Sanctuary Years cover art

The Sanctuary Years: a somewhat arbitrary snapshot of Gary Moore’s career

By Hugh Fielder published

All kinds of blues rise to the surface on a collection of turn-of-the-century Gary Moore recordings

Gov't Mule: Peace... Like A River album art

Gov't Mule's Peace... Like A River: no room for noodling, but the pleasures run deep

By Hugh Fielder published

Warren Haynes & Co and their various friends continue to kick out the jams on 13th album Peace... Like a River

Yes: Mirror To The Sky cover art

Yes: a strong start and a lacklustre finish on 23rd studio album Mirror To The Sky

By Hugh Fielder published

Mirror To The Sky is a new set of Yes songs to expand a discography that may go on forever

Jethro Tull: RökFlöte cover art

RökFlöte finds Jethro Tull tackling Norse Gods and somehow reborn as a viable contemporary outfit

By Hugh Fielder published

Jethro Tull forsake the Bible of last year's The Zealot Gene in favour of the paganism of Norse mythology on RökFlöte

Rick Wakeman: A Gallery Of The Imagination cover art

Rick Wakeman: A Gallery Of The Imagination album review

By Hugh Fielder published

Rick Wakeman's latest concept album presents the songs as if they were pictures in a gallery

Transatlantic: The Final Flight: Live At L'Olympia cover art

Transatlantic's unwavering consistency will delight fans: others may find it wearisome

By Hugh Fielder published

Mike Portnoy & Co's live version of Absolute Universe is another album to add to your Absolute Universe collection

Eric Clapton: The Complete Reprise Studio Albums Vol. 2

Eric Clapton's Reprise albums wrapped up with box set number two

By Hugh Fielder published

Eric Clapton's five twenty-first century albums, gathered together in one nifty package, with a bonus disc of rarities

Jeff Beck in 1972

Jeff Beck: My Life In 11 Songs

By Hugh Fielder published

In 2008, Jeff Beck looked back on his stellar career, and talked about his solo work and his music with The Yardbirds, Robert Plant, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder and more

Eric Clapton: The Complete Reprise Studio Albums Vol.1 packshot

What happened when Eric Clapton got sober: the box set

By Hugh Fielder published

The Complete Reprise Studio Albums Vol 1 features remastered versions of Eric Clapton’s first six solo studio albums with Reprise, plus an additional LP of rarities

Hugh Cornwell: Moments Of Madness cover art

Hugh Cornwell: Moments Of Madness album review

By Hugh Fielder published

Stranglers founder Hugh Cornwell plays all the instruments himself on 10th solo album Moments Of Madness

Corky Laing: Finnish Sessions

Corky Laing: still hard rockin' after 50 years

By Hugh Fielder published

The sleighride rolls on as Corky Laing calls upon Michael Monroe, Ian Hunter and more for Finnish Sessions album

Frank Zappa: Zappa '75: Zagreb / Ljubljana cover art

A cultural artefact from Yugoslavia's communist past for the Zappa-ophiles

By Hugh Fielder published

Cunningly constructed from shows in Yugoslavia, Zappa '75: Zagreb / Ljubljana features less than pristine sound and two drum solos

Donovan holding an acoustic guitar

Donovan: my stories of The Beatles, Marc Bolan, Jimi Hendrix and more

By Hugh Fielder published

Brian Jones got him his first big break, he meditates with David Lynch, and he mislaid Jeff Beck's guitar. He's the first star of British folk music, Donovan

Nikki Lane: Denim & Diamonds cover art

Nikki Lane chronicles youthful follies on defiant Denim And Diamonds album

By Hugh Fielder published

Country music's Nikki Lane is alive, kicking and rockier than before on Josh Homme-produced fourth album Denim And Diamonds

Roger Waters onstage, holding his arms aloft

The Roger Waters albums you should definitely own

By Hugh Fielder last updated

A guide to former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters' best albums – picked from the Floyd recordings he dominated and his solo career

Pink Floyd seated on a park bench, covering their eyes

A tour to the Dark Side: how Pink Floyd built their biggest album on the road

By Hugh Fielder last updated

In early 1972 Pink Floyd were lacking direction. A year later they emerged from Abbey Road with an album that would overshadow everything they had done before

Pink Floyd - The 50 Greatest Albums

The 50 greatest Pink Floyd songs ever

By Fraser Lewry, Rob Hughes, Jerry Ewing, Henry Yates, Hugh Fielder, Mark Blake, Daryl Easlea, Tim Batcup, Glenn Povey last updated

From underground clubs to sold-out stadiums, Pink Floyd's path through rock has been revolutionary and stunningly successful. Here are their 50 best songs