Classic Rock Features

Martin Barre was as surprised as Metallica when Jethro Tull won a Grammy

By Chris McGarel published 22 February 26

Prog giants weren’t there when controversial 1989 moment came, because they were certain they wouldn’t win. So the guitarist’s wife concocted a last-minute midnight party to celebrate

The legendary album Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt wishes he had made – and the rock band he thinks are a “joke”

By Ali Cooper published 22 February 26

Metal classics, slasher movie soundtracks and Satanic rituals – this is the soundtrack to Mikael Akerfeldt’s life

How Aerosmith scored their first No.1 single – with help from Bruce Willis and a giant killer asteroid

By Rich Chamberlain published 22 February 26

The time an Aerosmith power ballad helped save the planet

How Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne and half a million insane Brazilians introduced metal to an entire continent

By Rich Hobson published 21 February 26

Members of Sepultura, Scorpions and Faith No More tell the story of the epic Rock In Rio series of festivals

The second solo album from rock’s greatest entertainer divided fans. Forty years on, it sounds like an underrated masterpiece

By Ed Mitchell published 21 February 26

Ex-Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth’s second solo album is crying out for reappraisal

“We were like, ‘We can’t record this! Oh, wait a minute…’”: The Stranglers’ Golden Brown started as a prog suite

By Jerry Ewing published 21 February 26

As JJ Burnel dispelled myths about the alleged prog-punk wars of the 70s, he revealed a fascinating fact about his band’s highest-charting single

The life and death of Gerry Rafferty, the singer who couldn’t escape his biggest hit – or his demons

By Paul Rees published 21 February 26

There was much more to late Scottish singer Gerry Rafferty than Baker Street

“I think I have 11 counts of breaking and entering on my criminal record": How Nickelback's nostalgic Photograph spawned a flood of memes and the unwanted attention from a soon-to-be-impeached American President

By Simon Young published 21 February 26

This 2005 Nickelback hit single just won't go away, so you may as well read about it

“I wish we’d had the skills to help him”: The tragedy of Spirit prodigy Randy California

By Chris Roberts published 20 February 26

Respected by Jimi Hendrix and signed at 17, the mercurial guitarist’s heart was broken by the relative failure of his best album, says bassist

Heavy Pettin: The Next Big Thing whose career was killed by a soppy power ballad

By James McNair published 20 February 26

Heavy Pettin toured with Ozzy and Mötley Crüe. Then their entry for 1987’s Eurovision misfired and killed their career, and they’ve regretted it ever since. But now they're back and gunning for glory

Black Stone Cherry's Chris Robertson on the creative inspiration of dogs and battling Darth Vader

By Henry Yates published 20 February 26

Black Stone Cherry's new EP Celebrate is out next month – and includes a very unlikely cover version

10 garage rock albums you absolutely need to hear

By Johnny Sharp published 20 February 26

Our pick of the must-have long-players from the golden age of garage and beyond.

Motörhead's Ace Of Space: How to create a classic while intoxicated

By Dave Everley published 19 February 26

It’s one of the instantly recognisable songs in rock'n'roll. But how did Ace Of Spades come about?

It’s one of the biggest-selling singles ever. So why did this band leave it off their debut album?

By Chris Roberts published 19 February 26

Their 1967 epic would go on to be hailed as a genre-changing song, although they just regarded it as modern blues

The story of the social justice anthem inspired by a police raid on a Stonehenge beanfield

By Rob Hughes published 19 February 26

Fired by social injustice, The Battle Of The Beanfield remains an enduring classic and more relevant than ever

Steely Dan: The band who don't like rock'n'roll but have sold 50 million records to people who do

By Mark Blake published 19 February 26

Steely Dan: An enigma in search of perfection

How a comedy legend ended up singing on a Kate Bush and Prince collaboration

By Paul Brannigan published 18 February 26

"I sang my heart out. I couldn’t believe it. I was performing on a song with two of my heroes"

He may have been around for nearly 60 years, but David Gilmour’s return to form was inevitable. Here’s why

By James McNair published 18 February 26

While the ex Pink Floyd leader is a world-class guitarist and vocalist, his attitude to family, social issues and collaborations make him even bigger than that

Ho99o9's Yeti Bones: 10 records that changed my life

By Matt Mills published 18 February 26

From the "black metal version of hip hop", to original shock rocker Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Sepultura and the Mr. Bungle track that "gets him horny" these are Yeti Bones' all-time favourites