My first thought when I heard Classic Rock wanted me as a Guest Editor was: “Hell yeah, I’m gonna ask my favourite guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore, to do an interview with me.” I managed to get in touch and we had some good email conversations, but alas we didn’t do an interview. I did, however, offer my services to be the lead singer for his next incarnation of Rainbow if he ever toured Japan again. He said: “I might take you up on that.”
Classic rock, hard rock, metal, hair bands, whatever you want to call it, is the backbone of some of the best and most innovative music and lyrics ever made, and I’m happy to discuss or argue that with any of you – especially if you disagree!
The long road to the top of rock’n’roll isn’t an easy one. All of the musicians you know and love in this genre of music will have struggled to get there, and many would have been ripped off by record companies and managers, and had loads of in-fighting with band members. And many sadly are no longer with us. But let’s look at the sunny side: the music lives on and bands are going on the road; and those of us that know, know.
We know who we are as classic rock fans, we know we are different from the rest, and that if there isn’t a guitar on it it’s not gonna make it. So let’s tip our hat to the forefathers of classic rock: Elvis, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, and everyone that got us to this place that we love so much. Long live classic rock.
Get the new issue of Classic Rock, guest-edited by Bryan Adams
Features
Bryan Adams
These days he says he’s “a photographer moonlighting as a singer,” but before that came decades of making high-grade classic rock – and one of the biggest-selling records ever.
Robbie Robertson
We remember the songwriter and lead guitarist whose highly influential group The Band gave birth to Americana.
Paul Rodgers
One of rock’s all-time great vocalists looks back at his life and times with Free, Bad Company, The Firm and Queen, his solo career and much more in the Classic Rock Interview.
Max Webster
They never quite took off outside their native Canada. Years after it all came to a sad ending, their legacy lives on through frontman Kim Mitchell.
Bryan Adams Interviews Rod Stewart
Rod tells Bryan about his music, being on tour, his model-railway passion, being “one of the lucky ones”, and more.
Peace Songs
From pleas for equality to anti-war sentiments and social commentary, we look at some of the greatest peace songs.
Bryan Adams Gallery
When Adams isn’t busy with his day job as a musician, you will invariably find him behind a camera. We present an exclusive gallery of his amazing portraiture.
Black Stone Cherry
With BSC it’s a case of a band that stays together plays together, rather than the other way round.
Exclusive Black Stone Cherry Bundle
Black Stone Cherry fans can order an exclusive bundle variant of our latest issue, featuring a special, bespoke Black Stone Cherry cover, Screamin' At The Sky patch and exclusive, autographed lyric sheet signed by the whole band. Order yours now here - there are only 350 available worldwide!
Regulars
The Dirt
Say hello to Dirty Honey and Fred Abbott And The Wild Unknown, welcome back to Screaming Eagles and The Glorious Sons, news about Nicko McBrain and Guns N' Roses.
The Stories Behind The Songs: The Zombies
Inspired by the summer of love, it’s still the British psychedelic pop rockers’ biggest hit. So it’s strange to think that it nearly sank without a trace, as Rod Argent reflects over fifty years later.
Six Things You Need To Know About… Grace Potter
One of the roots world’s most interesting, commanding storytellers returns with her most powerful set of songs yet.
Ever Meet Lemmy? Corey Taylor
Ozzy Osbourne asked to join his band, he heard the world’s dirtiest joke from Lemmy, hung out with Björk at the Astoria, battled Dave Grohl at table tennis, raided Metallica’s fridge, talked ‘weirdness’ with Mike Patton and almost joined Anthrax. He’s also one of 21st-century rock’s biggest stars. This is Corey Taylor.
Reviews
New albums from Pretenders, Black Stone Cherry, Paul Rodgers, Ash, Corey Taylor, Danko Jones, Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons, Steve Hackett, Royal Blood, Electric Boys. Reissues from The Who, Hawkwind, Slade, Jethro Tull, Robin Trower, John Fogerty, Runaways, Cardiacs, Neil Young, Headcat, Beastie Boys. DVDs, films and books on Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie Dio, David Bowie, Stooges, Pauline Murray. Live reviews of Rammstein, The Struts, Måneskin, Airbourne, Those Damn Crows, The Vintage Caravan and more.
Live
We preview tours by John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest, Ash and Black Spiders. Plus gig listings – who’s playing where and when.
The Soundtrack Of My Life: Susan Tedeschi
Soul-blues queen Susan Tedeschi picks her records, artists and gigs of lasting significance.
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