"THUNDERSTRUCK IS THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN"

WELCOME

If there’s a single band that is the

This month’s contributors

KURT SQUIERS Kurt is the owner of SQUiERS,

CLASSIC Rock

Editor Siân Llewellyn Now playing: Mammoth WVH, Mammoth

THREE-D MERCURY

Brian May’s stereo photos collated for new exhibition.

Tony McPhee

March 23, 1944 – June 6, 2023

RIP

Thank you… and good night.

Mick Hutson

1965 – 2023

Raven

Even after almost 50 years they're sticking to their MO: playing it hot, playing it hard and playing it loud.

Powder Chutes

Three of them might be still at school, but their blending of rock styles is far from just kids’ stuff.

Royal Thunder

For a while it looked like the Thunder would rumble no more, but they’re back with a new album of fresh ideas.

Gráinne Duffy

The guitarist talks about giving birth, AI songwriting, and being compared to a blues-rock legend.

Gallus

Young Scots on the up, they’ve already won a ‘best rock/alternative band’ award.

Rush

Subdivisions 

Lucinda Williams

The singer-songwriter on post-stroke recovery, losing the ability to play guitar, and the thrill of a Bruce Springsteen cameo.

AC/DC/50

50 YEARS OF HIGH VOLTAGE ROCK’N’ROLL

"I PLAYED HIGH VOLTAGE FOR FIVE MONTHS STRAIGHTS"

Saxon’s Biff Byford on how AC/DC’s debut album changed his life for ever.

"THEY'RE THIS MYTHOLOGICAL VALHALLA BAN FROM DOWN UNDER"

Reef frontman Gary Stringer salutes the genius of High Voltage.

"IT WAS A RETURN TO FROM"

The Answer’s Cormac Neeson on Black Ice, and talking Father Ted with Brian Johnson

"BACK IN BLACK IS ON ANOTHER LEVEL"

Kiss frontman and guitarist Paul Stanley celebrates the album that turned AC/DC into superstars.

"I GOT CHILLS THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT"

King’s X frontman Dug Pinnick on the magic of If You Want Blood You’ve Got It – and jamming with Brian Johnson.

"BIG BALLS MADE MY DAD LAUGH SO HARD"

Wolfgang Van Halen on how he bonded with his dad Eddie over Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.

"THEY GOT BACK TO THE ESSENCE"

Stiff Upper Lip is the closest late AC/DC came to a Bon Scott album, according to Warner E Hodges.

"HIGHWAY TO HELL IS THE ULTIMATE 'HOWAY THE LADS!'ANTHEM

Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen on jamming Chuck Berry songs with AC/DC and introducing Bon Scott to Mexican food.

"PEOPLE ASSUMED THEY WERE DONE"

Massive Wagons’ Baz Mills on Power Up, the AC/DC album no one thought we’d get.

"AC/DC HAD BECOME EVERYBODY'S BAND"

Ex-Megadeth bassist David Ellefson on an album that had to follow a monster.

"IT ISN'T ROCKET SCINCE. IT'S PURE ROCK'N'ROLL"

Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott on the genius of AC/DC’s Powerage – and why he still owes Bon Scott a tenner.

"BON SCOTT WAS LIKE A STEINWAY PIANO"

Ugly Kid Joe’s Whitfield Crane bows down before Let There Be Rock.

"I'M PUZZLED WHY PEOPLE SHIT ON IT"

Danko Jones mounts a defence of AC/DC’s least-loved album, Fly On The Wall.

"THEY KNEW PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT AC/DC TO END"

Tyler Bryant of The Shakedown on opening for AC/DC on the Rock Or Bust tour.

"THEY WEREN'T CAVING IN TO TRENDE"

Podcaster and AC/DC expert Kurt Squiers on why you’re wrong to hate Flick Of The Switch and Blow Up Your Video.

A SALUTE TO SONGS

Five decades and so many bangers! Here’s the stars on just a few, but for the complete Top 50 @ 50 check out our full list at classicrockmagazine.com

STARS IN THEIR EYES

Greta Van Fleet, prodigious guardians of rock’s eternal flame, have emerged from the darkness and uncertainty of the last few years with Starcatcher, a retrofuelled blast of cosmic light and love that feels like it’s one for the ages.

Along For The Ride

With more than 30 studio albums to his name, Canadian guitarist Pat Travers really should be better/more widely known. But, he says, our destiny is not something we have control over.

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF

Life isn’t always a bed of roses when you’re following in a famous parent’s footsteps. But with his two albums so far Wolfgang Van Halen is escaping from his father’s shadow and determined to succeed on his own terms.

SMILE LIKE THEY MEAN IT

In their 25 years, by their own admission Skindred have “never been massively commercially successful or super-cool”. But with new album Smile they reckon “our time is now”.

PARADISE CITY

Taking cues from the big rock of the 60s, 70s and 80s (with a particular nod to GN’R), The Dust Coda are hoping their just-released third album Loco Paradise will excite you listening to it as much as it excited them making it.

Eagles

Is the Dark Desert Highway a road worth travelling?

Greta Van Fleet

Starcatcher LAVA/REPUBLIC

Mammoth WVH

Mammoth II BMG

Girlschool

WTFortyfive? SILVER LINING

The Pineapple Thief

How Did We Find Our Way: 1999-2006 KSCOPE

Clutch

Sunrise On Slaughter Beach WEATHERMAKER MUSIC

Eagles: Dark Desert Highway: How America’s Dream Band Turned Into A Nightmare

Mick Wall TRAPEZE

Myles Kennedy

With Alter Bridge, Slash’s Conspirators, solo and more, the vocalist/guitarist has an impressive and still-growing catalogue. 

Glenn Hughes

The bassist/vocalist brings his Glenn Hughes Performs Deep Purple Live tour to the UK in October.

Cats In Space

The Brit rockers reckon their shows will be the Cats’ whiskers.

The Damn Truth

The Canadian rockers undertake a headline tour of UK venues – probably fully clothed – in July.

Tour Dates

Mötley Crüe

London The Underworld

Queens Of The Stone Age

Cardiff Castle

Mystic Festival

Poland Gdańsk Shipyard

Brave Rival / Mike Ross

Hastings Black Box

Peter Gabriel

Antwerp Sportspalais

James Burton And Friends

London Palladium

Jim Jones All Stars

London The Lexington

The Hives

London Highbury Garage

Download 2023

Donington Park, Leicestershire

The Black Keys

London The O2

My Morning Jacket

London The Forum

The Robert Cray Band

Dublin National Concert Hall

Mantra Of The Cosmos

London The Box

The Soundtrack Of My Life

Alice Cooper guitarist Nita Strauss on the records, artists and gigs that are of lasting significance to her

Bare Knuckle Pickups

bareknucklepickups.co.uk

STONEDEAD FESTIVAL

STONEDEADFESTIVAL.CO.UK

BIGBIGTRAIN

BIGBIGTRAIN.COM

My Favourite Magazines

www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk

ALICE COOPER

AEG PRESENTS

AEGPRESENTS.CO.UK AXS.COM TICKETMASTER.CO.UK

AEG PRESENTS

AEGPRESENTS.CO.UK AXS.COM TICKETMASTER.CO.UK

AEG PRESENTS

AEGPRESENTS.CO.UK AXS.COM TICKETMASTER.CO.UK

TICKETMASTER

TICKETMASTER.CO.UK

NVRF

www.NVRF.rocks

LOUDER SOUND

LOUDERSOUND.COM

MADFISH MUSIC

madfishmusic.com/store

ROCK CANDY

www.rockcandyrecords.com

FRONTIERS MUSIC

frontiers.it

NEW RELEASES

SOLID ENTERTAINMENTS

WWW.SOLIDENTERTAINMENTS.COM

Classic Rock

www.magazinesdirect.com/C22Z

future plc

www.futureplc.com .

THE GIG CARTEL

THEGIGCARTEL.COM

Classic Rock

BIT.LY/CROCKTEES

THE SOUND MACHINE

thesoundmachine.uk.com

THE DUST CODA

EARACHE.COM/ THEDUSTCODA