CLASSIC ROCK

LC 2112 Established 1998 Editor Siân Llewellyn Now

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WELCOME

As Kiss’s official website countdown approached the zero

24 THINGS WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2024

As with all years, 2023 had plenty of great, memorable rock moments. With a new year now upon us, here’s what we’re vibed up for that’s coming along in the next 12 months.

RIP

Thank you and good night.

Denny Laine

October 29, 1944 – December 5, 2023

Shane MacGowan

December 25, 1957 – November 30, 2023

Myles Goodwyn

June 23, 1948 – December 3, 2023

Geordie Walker

December 18, 1958 – November 26, 2023

Plans For Lemmy Statue

Phil Campbell says the honour is “well deserved”.

Rush Without Peart?

“It’s not impossible,” say Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.

NEWS

Lawyers for Axl Rose are “confident” of overturning

Kula Shaker

Still influenced by the colourful 1960s and Asian culture, their new album is “lightning in a bottle”.

Hannah Wicklund

Meet the multi-instrumentalist and vocal powerhouse tipped for great things.

BURIED TREASURE

Riches from the rock underground

NEWS

Ozzy Osbourne took a swipe at his former

TesseracT

The prog-metallers return with a concept album, and have plans to expand it beyond being just a record.

Skinny Knowledge

Meet the Dorset band who channelled lockdown frustration into bursts of pop-punk catharsis.

The Doors

Light My Fire

Biff Byford

Saxon’s frontman on the new album, the band’s new guitarist, extraterrestrial life and what Saxon’s 2024 looks like.

THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT

It’s been coming for a while, but the final show of the final tour by rock icons Kiss finally arrived. And Classic Rock was there to talk to Gene and Paul about the enormity of it all, wallow in the end-ofan-era atmosphere and, yes, rock and roll all (one final) night.

BAND ON THE RUN

They may be firm believers in the ‘fake it until you make it’ motto, but Dirty Honey are out there holding their own in the company of Guns N’ Roses, Kiss and more. No fakers here…

BRUCE DICKINSON

A “mouthy little fucker” who got kicked out of boarding school, he went on to front the UK’s most successful heavy metal band, fence for his country, hold a commercial pilot’s licence, release solo albums, write novels and screenplays, and more. A full life? Not half.

HOW THE BEST WAS WON

It was on Thin Lizzy’s third album, Vagabonds Of The Western World, that “you really get to hear Phil the poet”, says drummer Brian Downey. After that record, the boys really were in town.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Following its 30th anniversary, we revisit Nirvana’s third and final studio album, In Utero, and the band’s troubled, traumatic final months that surrounded it.

AMERICAN STORY BOOK

With his new album Israel Nash is following in the footsteps of the great songwriters for whom the American heartland is a rich inspiration, who re-told tales passed down generations.

TAYLOR MADE

Andy Taylor is still best known for being Duran Duran’s guitarist, but solo albums, records with The Power Station and production work including Thunder’s debut reflect a real rocker at heart.

The HOT LIST

The essential new rock tracks you need to hear this month and the bands to have on your radar

THE HARD STUFF ALBUMS

Saxon Hell, Fire And Damnation SILVER LINING MUSIC

ROUND-UP: SLEAZE

The Hangmen: snarly rockers and hardluck ballads. The

THE HARD STUFF ALBUMS

Magnum Here Comes The Rain SPV/STEAMHAMMER Pomp rock’s

ROUND-UP: MELODIC ROCK By Dave Ling

Jim Peterik: ceaselessly creative. Jim Peterik & World

REISSUES

Yes The Yes Album (Super Deluxe) RHINO Prog

Jethro Tull

War Child II CHRYSALIS War and piecemeal. PRESS

Mott The Hoople

All The Young Dudes MADFISH “Hey you! You

BEST OF THE REST

Other reissues out this month.

Welcome To The Darkness

Director: Simon Emmett Career-spanning documentary, with unavoidable Spinal

Peter Gabriel

In a career that has taken him from prog flag carrier to pop superstardom, he has produced music of depth and originality.

British Lion &Tony Moore

Iron Maiden’s bassist and his former Maiden bandmate get look forward to sharing stages again.

Ashley McBryde

If you want to know why this country-rocker is making waves, get to one of her January shows.

The Almighty

London Kentish Town O2 Forum

Greta Van Fleet

Wembley OVO Arena

His Lordship / Hot Stamp

London Highbury Garage

Empire State Bastard

London Brixton Electric

Teenage Fanclub

London Hackney EartH

Death Cult / Lili Refrain

London Islington Assembly Hall

Corey Taylor

London Eventim Apollo

The Prodigy

Birmingham Utilita Arena

Skam

London Camden The Black Heart

The Sisters Of Mercy / The Virginmarys

Wolverhampton KK’s Steel Mill

The Soundtrack Of My Life

Rock-loving comedian Bill Bailey on the records, artists and gigs that are of lasting significance to him