The new issue of AOR magazine celebrates 40 years of Kanas. From the very heartlands of America came a band with the skill and vision to fuse AOR with prog rock, delivering a majestic sound all their own – and even scoring hit singles Carry On Wayward Son, Dust In The Wind and Fight Fire With Fire along the way. But once money started rolling in, disputes over direction and religion tore Kansas asunder…
Also in this issue:
Chicago Jason Scheff (son of Elvis Presley bassist Jerry Scheff) stirs up the excitement for Chicago’s newest release, Chicago XXXVI: Now. Worth the wait?
Saga After a break from the band, founder and lead singer Michael Sadler is back and rather chuffed to be talking about music past, present and future.
Baby Animals Singer Suze DeMarchi escaped becoming a Stock, Aitken & Waterman popstrel to create Baby Animals. As the revered Australian group re-form after two decades, they tell all about Van Halen orgies, divorce and how life’s too short for bitterness.
Toto Guitarist Steve Lukather discusses Toto’s new in-concert DVD, how he dislikes the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and what the deal is with a new album.
**New England ** They were on the verge of the big league… then they received more encores than Kiss and everything went to hell. Intrigued?
That Metal Show We talk to the guys behind VH-1 Classic’s longest-running series. They reveal which artists like them (and which ones don’t).
Femme Fatale Lorraine Lewis looks back on her frankly rather bonkers career, from hair-metallers Femme Fatale to modern-day reality TV success.
Now & Then We take a look back at a truly groundbreaking label that helped launch some truly original AOR acts.
Vega The Man did his best to screw Vega over, but these nu-AOR overlords have got Joe Elliott on their side. Just don’t call them ‘80s throwbacks’.
Plus 15-track CD
Class Acts – the best new melodic rock songs with Vanity Blvd, Loverboy, Houston, The Treatment, Work Of Art, Night By Night, Helix, Chicago, Kjetil By (with Robin Beck), Skyscraper, Hot Fire, Superdirt, Audio Nation, Gasoline Stars and Wicked Faith.
And…
Q&AOR – Loverboy Guitarist Paul Dean on why he loved the 80s, the joy of recording new music – and how it’s weird to be accused of miming when you’re, er, not.
Retro Perspective – White Lion We look back at White Lion’s 1985 wonder album Fight To Survive.
**Hi Infidelities – Ryan Roxie ** Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper, Casablanca and Roxie 77) spills the beans on a few naughty secrets.
Buyers Guide – Westcoast The work of session aces and angelic voices, Westcoast offered AOR with extra polish. We identify the genre’s must-have albums.
Album Reviews Loverboy, Mike Tramp, American Hi-Fi, Kix, Miss Behaviour, Houston, Tempt, Robin George, Adrenaline Rush, Moon Land, KXM…
**Reissues ** Toto, Ambrosia, Fortress, Victory, Ratt, Lynch Mob, Heart, Rick Springfield, Fiona, Vandenberg…
Live Reviews Monsters Of Rock Cruise, Winery Dogs, Space Elevator, Steelhouse Festival, Night By Night, Foreigner, Styx, H.e.a.t, Extreme, Boston, Cheap Trick, Heaven & Earth…
**All this and more in issue 12 of AOR magazine – on sale now. **
