Articles by 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

Foreigner performs onstage at the Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, November 8, 1981

The Strange And True Story of Foreigner 4

By Neil Jeffries last updated 8 October 20

Over budget, out of studio time, Mutt Lange and Mick Jones locking horns: so how did Foreigner 4 become the band's defining album?

Deep Purple's Whoosh!: confident, mature, and superb

By Neil Jeffries last updated 7 August 20

And still they rise. With Bob Ezrin producing again on Whoosh!, Deep Purple have fun, stretch out and shine brighter

The Story Behind The Song: Mary Long by Deep Purple

By Neil Jeffries last updated 30 July 20

A song with a lyric that merged Mary Whitehouse's infamous clean-up campaign with tensions caused by Ritchie Blackmore.

Vega: Grit Your Teeth - all the hallmarks of vintage Bon Jovi

By Neil Jeffries published 12 June 20

Grit Your Teeth, that difficult sixth album from Vega: sometimes very different, sometimes the same, always good

The Story Behind The Song: Profession Of Violence by UFO

By Neil Jeffries last updated 10 June 20

It's a UFO tradition for the hard rockers to feature a ballad on each album. So for 1981's The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent, Phil Mogg turned to the murderous Kray twins for inspiration.

Rory Gallagher: Check Shirt Wizard - Live In '77

Rory Gallagher's Check Shirt Wizard - a crackling addition to a rich live canon

By Neil Jeffries published 6 March 20

A battered Strat. A check shirt. Rory Gallagher wore them both well, as a new live album recorded in 1977 shows

Ginger Wildheart: a guide to the best albums

By Philip Wilding, Neil Jeffries, Fraser Lewry published 18 November 19

The best of a man with many strings to his bow: brilliantly memorable hard rock with The Wildhearts, bleeding-heart confessionals under his own name, and plenty in between

Michael Monroe's One Man Gang: in any sane world, a hit record

By Neil Jeffries published 18 October 19

Michael Monroe is back on a new label for solo album number nine, One Man Gang

Thunder's Greatest Hits: file next to Bad Company, Thin Lizzy and UFO

By Neil Jeffries published 27 September 19

Thunder milk their 30th anniversary on The Greatest Hits and produce nothing but cream

The Wildhearts' Renaissance Men is dark, heavy... and triumphant

By Neil Jeffries published 2 May 19

The Wildhearts' first album in 10 years, Renaissance Men, ticks all the right boxes – arriba!

Sammy Hagar: Danger Zone Collectors Edition album review

By Neil Jeffries published 19 January 19

Ex-Montrose, pre-Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar seeks solo success

Def Leppard - Volume One album review

By Neil Jeffries published 1 June 18

The first in a series of four boxed sets covering the band’s career to date: the Steve Clark years

Reef - Revelation album review

By Neil Jeffries published 2 May 18

After the blink of an eye that lasted 18 years, Reef are back with their fifth album

Chris Squire - Fish Out Of Water box set review

By Neil Jeffries published 30 April 18

A bells-and-whistles box set of late Yes bassist’s solo album

Rick Parfitt – Over And Out review

By Neil Jeffries published 29 March 18

Postumous first solo album from the late Status Quo guitarist is a fitting sign-off.

Cover art for Michael Schenker Fest - Resurrection album

Michael Schenker Fest - Resurrection album review

By Neil Jeffries published 7 March 18

Ace guitarist overshadowed in yet another second coming

Cover art for Rush - A Farewell To Kings – 40th Anniversary album

Rush - A Farewell To Kings – 40th Anniversary album review

By Neil Jeffries published 27 December 17

In which three Toronto longhairs become the only men ever to emerge stronger from a trip into a black hole...

Cover art for Pretty Boy Floyd - Public Enemies album

Pretty Boy Floyd - Public Enemies album review

By Neil Jeffries published 1 December 17

The Boyz are back – and pretty in places...

Cover art for Jared James Nichols - Black Magic album

Jared James Nichols - Black Magic album review

By Neil Jeffries published 25 October 17

Hard-gigging blues rocker overdoes the rock

The Story Behind UFO's classic No Place To Run

By Neil Jeffries published 17 October 17

With their genius guitarist departed, UFO regrouped, then hired Beatles producer George Martin to record No Place To Run. The one thing that wouldn't come was a hit single...