Articles by Mick Wall

Mick Wall is the UK's best-known rock writer, author and TV and radio programme maker, and is the author of numerous critically-acclaimed books, including definitive, bestselling titles on Led Zeppelin (When Giants Walked the Earth), Metallica (Enter Night), AC/DC (Hell Ain't a Bad Place To Be), Black Sabbath (Symptom of the Universe), Lou Reed, The Doors (Love Becomes a Funeral Pyre), Guns N' Roses and Lemmy. He lives in England.

Articles by: Mick Wall

Bad Reputation: The real beginning and the real end of Thin Lizzy

By Mick Wall published 3 October 17

In 1976, Thin Lizzy were just another rock band. Then they released Jailbreak, and the boys weren’t so much back in town as running it. But after a disappointing follow-up, the pressure was on

What's it like when Axl Rose calls you out in a song?

By Mick Wall published 28 August 17

Mick Wall achieved worldwide notoriety via his namecheck in Guns N’ Roses’ legendary Get in The Ring, and years later people still ask him why

1987: The year hard rock struck back

By Brian Boyd, Malcolm Dome, Dave Everley, Ian Fortnam, Polly Glass, Rob Hughes, Hugh Fielder, Dave Ling, Sian Llewellyn, Luke Morton, Paul Rees, Mick Wall, Henry Yates published 21 June 17

1987 saw classic album releases from Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, U2, Whitesnake, Anthrax, Heart, Motley Crue, Marillion, The Replacements and more...

Ready to knock ’em dead. Backstage at the Bath Festival, June 28, 1970

Is Led Zeppelin III the band's most important record?

By Mick Wall published 25 May 17

When the reigning kings of rock holed up in the Welsh countryside to write a new album, no one expected the folky pastoral results. But it became one of the band's essential albums...

Bullet For My Valentine's Matt Tuck: My Life Story

By Mick Wall published 13 December 16

The Bullet For My Valentine frontman revisits his former life as a Welsh sports prodigy

Izzy Stradlin: Life And Death, Sex And Drugs And Guns N' Roses

By Mick Wall published 7 November 16

Ex-GN'R guitarist (and founding member) Izzy Stradlin looks back on Axl as childhood friend turned egomaniac, how drugs turned his band into zombies and how and why he left it all behind...

Status Quo’s Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt and Alan Lancaster live on stage in 1977

Status Quo: the story behind Quo Live!

By Mick Wall published 10 July 16

One of the greatest live albums of the 1970s, Status Quo’s Live! is the sound of British boogie rock at its rawest and best. So why does Quo frontman Francis Rossi hate it so much?

Dio singer Ronnie James Dio standing in front of a chain link fence

Dio: the acrimonious story behind Holy Diver

By Mick Wall published 10 July 16

Dio’s Holy Diver was the third classic heavy metal album Ronnie James Dio had been involved in. But it stirred up bad blood that would last until his death

AC/DC: The Final Salute – Back In Black & For Those About To Rock We Salute You

By Mick Wall published 15 April 16

With Bon suddenly gone, few expected AC/DC to come back in such an explosive way with their next two albums.

The Irish Rover: The best of Phil Lynott, 1971-74

By Mick Wall published 31 December 15

Prime cuts from Lynott's early years.

RHCP: "Music and sex is the same to me, I mix them up all the time"

By Mick Wall published 4 December 15

Reeling from the death of their guitarist, it's make or break for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Luckily, they're about to make Mother’s Milk...

Q&A: Edgar Winter

By Mick Wall published 27 November 15

The multi-instrumentalist music lover on jazz, brother Johnny, growing up as an albino and the hit that made him famous.

50 Years Of Pink Floyd: Gilmour vs Waters

By Mick Wall published 12 August 15

Poles Apart: 1985 to The Split

Welcome Back: Richie Furay

By Mick Wall published 17 April 15

Former Buffalo Springfield/Poco man returns with “heartfelt” solo LP, and he's ready for the road

“He was a musical force”: Free's Andy Fraser remembered

By Mick Wall published 17 April 15

Free's Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke pay tribute to their ex-bandmate

The Doors: the making of Morrison Hotel

By Mick Wall published 5 November 14

By the end of 1969 The Doors were in disarray. But in the midst of the darkness, they dredged up a true return to form with their new album

Let There Be Rock! The AC/DC Story

By Mick Wall published 19 August 14

Through punk’s 70s heyday, metal’s 80s dominance, the grunge onslaught of the 90s and well into the new millennium, one musical force has remained true and untarnished. Its name is AC/DC.

Opinion: In Defence of St. Anger

By Mick Wall published 9 June 14

Metallica biographer Mick Wall reveals the truth behind Metallica's most controversial, and least-loved, album.

Bad Company: The Bad Old Days

By Mick Wall published 28 May 14

Time to look back at Bad Company's good times, bad times...

The Story Behind The Song: Virginia Plain By Roxy Music

By Mick Wall published 28 April 14

Roxy's glam-era debut broke all the rules: no chorus, a fade intro and a stop-dead ending. So just what was Bryan Ferry's exercise in coolly-aloof style all about?

The Slash Interviews: The Making Of The Debut Solo Album

By Mick Wall published 1 March 14

Slash on how he came up with the idea of making an album with some very good friends – both old and new.

AC/DC: The Making Of Highway To Hell

By Mick Wall published 6 November 13

A make-or-break album, Highway To Hell proved to be the fast-track to superstardom for AC/DC, but recording it pushed the band to their limits, as Classic Rock discovered in 2013

Deep Purple: The Orient Express

By Mick Wall published 12 September 12

One of the great live albums, Made In Japan happened during a turbulent time in Deep Purple's career, as the line-up Mk II was falling apart. This is the inside story of what really happened.