Articles by Ian Winwood, Freelance Writer

Barnsley-born author and writer Ian Winwood contributes to The Telegraph, The Times, Alternative Press and Times Radio, and has written for Kerrang!, NME, Mojo, Q and Revolver, among others. His favourite albums are Elvis Costello's King Of America and Motorhead's No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith. His favourite books are Thomas Pynchon's Vineland and Paul Auster's Mr Vertigo. His own latest book, Bodies: Life and Death in Music, is out now on Faber & Faber and is described as "genuinely eye-popping" by The Guardian, "electrifying" by Kerrang! and "an essential read" by Classic Rock. He lives in Camden Town.

Articles by: Ian Winwood

"Alcohol is a depressant, so I got depressed": A poignant interview with the late Chris Cornell

By Ian Winwood published 22 November 24

Classic Rock's final interview with Chris Cornell

Soundgarden pose on a New York street in 1994

"I don't like the production of that record. I don't like how it sounds. I don't like how it looks": Soundgarden look back at their breakthrough album Superunknown

By Ian Winwood published 8 March 24

Grunge‘s founding fathers, Soundgarden watched the bands they inspired shoot past them. But with their mighty fourth album, Superunknown, they would help define the 1990s

A posed studio shot of Lacuna Coil in 2006

“10 years ago no one in the US would bought an album by an Italian metal band. The idea doesn’t seem so strange now”: how Lacuna Coil served up a 2000s classic with Karmacode and went global in the process

By Ian Winwood published 2 March 24

In this classic interview from the Metal Hammer archive, Lacunca Coil look back on how they became Italy’s biggest ever metal band

“The teacher’s hatred of my guitar probably goes a long way to explaining why I persevered with it”: How Genesis’ Mike Rutherford survived boarding school

By Ian Winwood published 18 October 23

His early days were full of challenges, but he had the unwavering support of his dad

M Shadows on stage at Madison Square Garden

Avenged Sevenfold's first ever show at Madison Square Garden is a mixed bag for a band with such lofty ambitions

By Ian Winwood published 26 June 23

Dodgy sound, strange lighting choices and a misfired attempt to integrate their new music undermines an otherwise solid showing at the world's most famous arena

The covers of Rainbow’s Rising, Lou Reed’s Transformer, Meat Loaf’s Bat Out Of Hell and Foo Fighters’ The Colour And The Shape

20 bands whose second album is the best thing they ever did

By Classic Rock published 15 June 23

The bands who defied the sophomore slump to deliver the greatest albums of their career

The enduring power of guitars, drums and desperate poetry: Frank Turner lights up New York City

By Ian Winwood published 16 May 23

The Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls / The Interrupters co-headline tour hits NYC. There was only ever going to be one winner

Randy are the greatest rock 'n' roll group you've never heard. But you can change that right now

By Ian Winwood published 12 May 23

The music business, like life, isn't just and fair. If it was, Randy would be bigger than Jesus

Time For Livin': How Check Your Head brought Beastie Boys back from the dead

By Ian Winwood published 21 April 23

Released on April 21, 1992, the kaleidoscopic, irreverent Check Your Head saw the Beastie Boys tap into their punk roots, silence haters and become kings of their own ultra-cool universe

Enter Shikari's A Kiss For The Whole World: the electrifying, genre-smashing sound of the future

By Ian Winwood published 20 April 23

St. Albans quartet stake their claim as one of the 21st century's greatest bands with their finest work yet

The story behind The Offspring's Smash: How a school janitor, a college nerd, a $5000 video and 11 million album sales turned the music industry upside down

By Ian Winwood published 6 April 23

Released on April 8, 1994, The Offspring's third studio album is the biggest-selling rock album ever released by an indie label. Here's how Dexter Holland, Noodles and co. Smash-ed it

"In Minor Threat we had zero expectations... it was an after-school activity": why punk rock guitar hero Brian Baker is down for life

By Ian Winwood published 3 March 23

From Minor Threat and Dag Nasty in the '80s to Bad Religion and Fake Names now, Brian Baker's faith in the power of punk rock remains unwavering

Fake Names' Expendables: members of Refused, Bad Religion, Fugazi and Girls Against Boys unite for a righteous racket

By Ian Winwood published 2 March 23

Fake Names' second album is punk rock nirvana from scene lifers who still value, and believe in, the power of three chords and the truth

Why a gig featuring no hit songs whatsoever is heaven for Elvis Costello super-fans

By Ian Winwood published 15 February 23

On the eve of Valentine's Day, Elvis Costello feels the love at New York's Gramercy Theatre

Fat Mike won't bullshit you on why he's killing off NOFX: "I don't enjoy it like I used to... I don’t need to be onstage hearing people applaud"

By Ian Winwood published 1 December 22

NOFX's Fat Mike is breaking up his band after 40 years, but he's not walking away from punk rock. He tells Ian Winwood why

Every Arctic Monkeys album ranked from worst to best

By Ian Winwood last updated 8 November 22

The seven studio sets from Sheffield's stadium-rocking superstars rated and ranked

The Police in a room, photographed in black and white

Sex workers, solitude, suicide: How The Police spun black thoughts into platinum hits on Outlandos d’Amour

By Ian Winwood published 3 November 22

Released on November 2, 1978, The Police's debut album Outlandos d’Amour helped pushed 'new wave' past punk rock and into the mainstream

"It was ugliness personified": How anarchy, acrimony and apathy killed the Sex Pistols just 78 days after the release of Never Mind The Bollocks

By Ian Winwood published 27 October 22

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols was released on October 28, 1977. Just 78 days later, the band who gave us that thrilling debut was finished. "All of us had been cheated," says John Lydon

"We are the rock Muhammad Ali”: how punchy Swedes The Hives delivered a knockout with Your New Favourite Band

By Ian Winwood last updated 22 October 22

As it turns 21, here's how Your New Favourite Band made Swedish garage punks The Hives genuine contenders

Elvis Costello: a guide to his best albums

By Ian Winwood published 1 September 20

Over the course of 30 studio albums, Elvis Costello has journeyed from the most unsettling of angry young men through terrains that include country music, jazz, soundtrack work and even opera

Scott Gorham: Ballad Of A Hard Man

By Ian Winwood last updated 17 March 20

When Scott Gorham joined Thin Lizzy in 1974 it opened up a world of opportunity – and regret: the joys of playing with Phil Lynott were tempered by a hunger for heroin