Peter Makowski

New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain flashed a leg for John Lennon, nearly joined the Sex Pistols, and had a problem with Kiss. These are just a few of his stories

Todd Rundgren on his public bust-up with a Beatle, the "freaking circus" of the New York Dolls, and why he doesn't pay much attention to Bon Jovi

In 1982 a feature by a Classic Rock writer and photographer changed the life of a London schoolboy, leading ultimately to the creation of Anvil: The Story Of Anvil, one of the great rock movies

Jeff Beck almost recorded an album with Sly Stone, “pissed Eric Clapton off big time”, used to get mistaken for Mick Jagger, and that's not all

In the late 70s, Riot were the Great White Hopes of American rock. But that was before the public ignored them, their label disowned them, and their singer quit. And then things got really bad…

Grand Funk Railroad sold out New York’s 50,000-seater Shea Stadium and headlined London’s Hyde Park. Blue-collar America adored their no-nonsense rock’n’roll music, but the band were despised by the critics

On December 10, 2007, Led Zeppelin took to the stage at London’s O2 Arena for one night only. Jimmy Page explains how they got there

Late Pretty Things frontman Phil May talks John Bonham, Iggy Pop, Nancy Spungen, Judy Garland, Rudolph Nureyev and more

Drugs don’t work? No one told Aerosmith, whose use of stimulants and undoubted talent helped them go stellar

Robin Trower talks about his lengthy career, from pop success with Procol Harum to Hendrix clone claims and solo success

With Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver the singer helped make some of the best hard rock albums of the early 21st century

Rehab, retribution and in-fighting. After an acclaimed multi-million selling debut, the wheels quickly started coming off for Velvet Revolver and their estranged and troubled singer...

Church goer, golf addict, former alcoholic, Alice Cooper has been ploughing his gore-drenched heavyrock B-movie furrow for more than 40 years, and is still showing no sign of slowing down

Sneaking out to Texan blues joints, playing bum notes with Chuck Berry and carrying Jimmy Reed’s bottle – all part of ZZ Top’s musical schooling.

Deep Purple’s teenybopper rock irked critics and failed to conquer the charts. Then came the transformation: enter leonine singer Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Blackmore's screaming Strat...

“There’s people that love me and there’s people that probably think I’m a prick” - Scott Weiland, Classic Rock, 2008

Dio’s Sabbath story wasn’t over when he left after 1992’s Dehumanizer. He would return for one final hurrah...

It wasn’t all about dragon-slaying, you know. On tour, Dio’s humour always shone through, whether it involved wearing a gorilla mask or being mistaken for a Mafia hitman.

On May 12, 1975, 10cc released the famed single I'm Not In Love. To commemorate this, here's a feature that first appeared in Classic Rock issue 111

The NOWOBHM luminary is still leading his Saxon horde. After a decade-long eclipse during the grunge-fixated 90s and a reality TV show, he says things have never been better...

The former Spencer Davis/Traffic frontman and R&B veteran speaks about adapting to a music industry in meltdown.

In his early 60s and still a fixture on the summer festival circuit, the Motörhead mainman dispels some favourite rumours about drink, drugs and death.

Rainbow Rising was hailed as an instant classic upon its release in 1976. Ritchie Blackmore and his band reflect on that album and their rise and fall...