Steve Appleford

Steve Appleford

Writer

Steve Appleford is a Los Angeles music journalist who has also written for Rolling Stone, Revolver and the Los Angeles Times. Over the years he's interviewed major artists across multiple genres - including Black Sabbath, Slayer, Queens of the Stone Age, System of a Down, KISS, Lemmy, the Who, Neil Young, Beastie Boys, Beyonce, Tom Jones, and a couple of Beatles. 

Articles by: Steve Appleford

Papa Roach on the cover of Metal Hammer

‘The Hu didn’t speak a lick of English, but we both knew the language of rock. It’s a tribal warrior call!”: The greatest Papa Roach collaborations, in their own words

By Steve Appleford published

From The Hu and Within Temptation to Carrie Underwood and Pharrell, Papa Roach are the kings of the collaboration – and here are the most memorable

Kittie holding some cats

"I've got poop on me!" We took Kittie to a cat cafe (obviously) to ask them about their amazing comeback, the nu metal nostalgia train and surviving the music industry as a band of young women

By Steve Appleford published

What happened when we took Kittie to a cat cafe in LA to talk life, music and fur babies?

Tool 2024

"I can't be Dave Grohl or Ryan Reynolds." We spent the day with Tool and, can we shock you? They're still weird as hell.

By Steve Appleford published

Like the rest of us, Tool are hoping they can get it together enough to record another album before somebody dies

Jonathan Davis in his home studio

“I would do meth in the private bathroom in the back. At the time, I was out of my mind”: the dark confessions of Korn’s Jonathan Davis

By Steve Appleford published

In 2018, Korn’s Jonathan Davis invited Metal Hammer into his private lair in Bakersfield, to talk addiction, rehab and his debut solo album Black Labyrinth

Chelsea Wolfe

"The path of witchcraft has brought me so much joy." We explored LA's weirdest and most wonderful book store with goth-doom queen and practising witch, Chelsea Wolfe

By Steve Appleford published

Bewitching singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe accompanies us on a browse through one of LA's most unique spots

Twin Temple at home

"The neighbours are a little weirded out by us. They’re wary of the neighbours who moved in and painted the house black." I spent an evening at the fascinating secret home of Twin Temple, the Satanic couple who make doo-wop for the Devil

By Steve Appleford published

You've never been inside a home quite like this

Avenged Sevenfold on the cover of the new issue of Metal Hammer

"We want to give people anxiety": how Avenged Sevenfold made 2023's strangest, most divisive heavy metal record with Life Is But A Dream...

By Steve Appleford published

Avenged Sevenfold shocked many fans with their eighth studio album. As the band themselves tell us, however, it was simply the record they had to make

Avenged Sevenfold on the cover of the new issue of Metal Hammer

Avenged Sevenfold found angry reactions to the band's new material hilarious: "we were just laughing"

By Metal Hammer published

Avenged Sevenfold aren't a band afraid to cause a stir, even if it's in their own fanbase

Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold’s Life Is But A Dream… – the ultimate track by track breakdown

By Steve Appleford published

Avenged Sevenfold talk us through their upcoming new album Life Is But A Dream… track by track

Evil never dies: the resurrection of King Diamond

By Steve Appleford last updated

Ten years ago, Mercyful Fate frontman King Diamond was on the verge of death. In 2020, the metal legend finds himself facing the most important 12 months of his career

Five Finger Death Punch: "We thought Ivan was going to f**king die"

By Steve Appleford last updated

After years of turbulence, Five Finger Death Punch are finally all on the same page again. Now, they’re setting their sights on becoming the biggest metal band in the world