Neil Jeffries

Neil Jeffries

Freelance contributor to Classic Rock and several of its offshoots since 2006. In the 1980s he began a 15-year spell working for Kerrang! intially as a cub reviewer and later as Geoff Barton’s deputy and then pouring precious metal into test tubes as editor of its Special Projects division. Has spent quality time with Robert Plant, Keith Richards, Ritchie Blackmore, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore – and also spent time in a maximum security prison alongside Love/Hate. Loves Rush, Aerosmith and beer. Will work for food.

Articles by: Neil Jeffries

Aerosmith posing for a photograph against a bright green background in 1984

“When I read stories about guys who snorted everything they had, I said, ‘That‘ll never happen to me.’ But in the end I blew 20 million”: The wild story of Aerosmith’s spectacular 1980s fall and rise

By Neil Jeffries published

They started the 80s in drug-addled disarray and ended it bigger than ever

Aerosmith posing for a photograph in the mid-70s

“We drank a lot because of the blow and we got blown a lot because we drank a lot”: The wired story of Aerosmith’s drug-fuelled classic Rocks

By Neil Jeffries published

The drugs really were working for Aerosmith on 1976’s classic Rocks album

The best 50 albums of 2024 montage

The 50 Best Rock Albums of 2024

By Classic Rock Magazine published

A-listers, established artists, up-and-comers, previously unknowns and more

UFO Obsession cover art

"They took cocaine in the studio while making it, but Obsession didn't suffer" The deluxe edition of UFO's final studio album with Michael Schenker still functions highly

By Neil Jeffries published

The one with the balls. Michael Schenker's Last stand. And a masterclass from all five of them

Bryan Adams: Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2024 cover art

Album review: Bryan Adams - Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2024

By Neil Jeffries published

Bryan Adams reinvents his wheels again

Forever Blue cover art

"For blue-eyed soul fans, there are treats a plenty": Terry Wilson Slesser and friends successfully conjure up the ghost of Paul Kossoff on Forever Blue

By Neil Jeffries published

Back Street Crawler singer Terry Slesser sang on Pyromania and auditioned for both AC/DC and Iron Maiden. Now he's finally made a solo album

Steve Howe - Guitarscape cover art

"Although synth lines were the starting point, this remains a guitarist's album at heart": Steve Howe ranges far and wide on Guitarscape

By Neil Jeffries published

Instrumental solo album from Yes/Asia guitarist Steve Howe

Brian Johnson in London, with the London Eye in the background

"What's the difference between a Lada and a sheep?": Brian Johnson on the worst and best cars he's ever owned

By Neil Jeffries published

In 2009 AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson joined the ranks of celebrity authors - but forget the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, it was all about cars

Pete Townshend: Live In Concert 1985-2001 cover art

"The beauty here is how far he strays from The Who": Pete Townshend finds new ways to play old songs on Live In Concert 1985-2001

By Neil Jeffries published

Live In Concert 1985-2001 comprises 14 discs of live recordings from The Who guitarist Pete Townshend

Black Country Communion: V cover art

"Seven years on from their previous album, BCC still remember what they're good at": Black Country Communion stick to a winning formula on V

By Neil Jeffries published

V is the fifth album from the retro-styled supergroup featuring Bonham, Bonamassa, Hughes and Sherinian

Grand Slam: Wheel Of Fortune cover art

"This is a hard album to love": Grand Slam's lack of originality tires on second album Wheel Of Fortune

By Neil Jeffries published

Phil Lynott's old band are back for a second spin

A portrait of David Coverdale in 1978

“I have to prove that I’m capable of doing it, and I wasn’t just being done a favour by Deep Purple”: the two forgotten David Coverdale solo albums that sowed the seeds for Whitesnake

By Neil Jeffries published

David Coverdale’s late 70s solo albums, White Snake and Northwinds, are overlooked – but without them, Whitesnake wouldn’t exist

Def Leppard: Pyromania 40th anniversary edition packshot

The 40th anniversary edition of Def Leppard's Pyromania: Come for the originals, stay for the "utterly fierce" unreleased live album

By Neil Jeffries published

Def Leppard's difficult third album, which lit the blue touch-paper for the band, now expanded with demos and live albums

Rush’s Neil Peart, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson onstage in the 1980s

“Keyboards were the new thing. There was this attitude: ‘They sound big and they sound cool’”: how Rush swapped guitars and kimonos for synths and mullets in the 1980s

By Neil Jeffries published

A deep dive into Rush’s divisive 80s period, when side-long epics were out and synths came in

Gun: Hombres cover art

"Sounds like a band remembering where they buried the treasure": Gun have stalled in the past, but on Hombres they sparkle

By Neil Jeffries published

Cocky and reloaded, Gun are firing on all six cylinders again on album number nine, Hombres

Rush shooting the video for The Body Electric

"It was a pretty low time. We weren't sure of the kind of band we wanted to be": How time took its toll on Rush as they worked on the follow-up to Signals

By Neil Jeffries published

For 1984's Grace Under Pressure, Rush brought in Supertramp producer Peter Henderson: It was not a good fit

Deep Purple - Machine Head Super Deluxe Edition packshot

That mix that made Deep Purple great was never stronger than on Machine Head, and never clearer than it is now, on its 50th anniversary edition

By Neil Jeffries published

This reissue of Deep Purple's 1972 album Machine Head adds remixes, Montreux and BBC live sets, audio fairy dust and more

Rick Wakeman: Live At The Palladium 2023 cover art

"Wakeman's genius-level playing and careful modernising have given the music legitimate new life": Rick Wakeman reinvents his past on Live At The Palladium 2023

By Neil Jeffries published

Live At The Palladium 2023 is a four CD set that revisits Rick Wakeman's classic solo works and Yes

Steve Hackett: The Circus And The Nightwhale cover art

"His thirtieth studio album outside of Genesis, it's as wide-ranging as the catalogue that precedes it": Steve Hackett voyages to multiple ports on The Circus And The Nightwhale

By Neil Jeffries published

Prog maestro and former Genesis man Steve Hackett extends his catalogue on wide-ranging solo album The Circus And The Nightwhale

Steve Clark studio portrait

"Calm and casual at the soundcheck, electrified and electrifying once the venue is full": nine videos to celebrate the humble genius of Def Leppard's Steve Clark

By Neil Jeffries published

Remembering Steve Clark: April 23, 1960 – January 8, 1991

Bernie Marsden: Working Man album art

"Two discs, 22 songs, one very worthy epitaph": Bernie Marsden's Working Man

By Neil Jeffries published

Working Man is the final album by blues aficionado and former Whitesnake star Bernie Marsden

Rainbow in 1976

Every Rainbow album ranked from worst to best

By Neil Jeffries published

Rainbow took Ritchie Blackmore away from Deep Purple, introduced Ronnie James Dio to a wider audience, then went in search of America: these are their albums, ranked

Dirty Honey: Can't Find The Brakes cover art

"Like mid-70s Aerosmith with a dash of Led Zeppelin": Dirty Honey's Can't Find The Brakes

By Neil Jeffries published

Dirty Honey successfully navigate the ‘difficult second album’ corner without crashing on Can't Find The Brakes

The Cadillac Three: The Years Go Fast cover art

More heartache than hell-raising: The Cadillac Three have tampered with their hard-drinkin', southern-rockin' template

By Neil Jeffries published

Album number six The Years Go Fast finds The Cadillac Three sounding all-growed up

UFO in 1976

The UFO albums you should definitely own

By Neil Jeffries published

Hard rock institution UFO may have been dogged by unsettled line-ups and an appetite for drugs 'n' booze, but they should have been huge: these are their best albums