Lou Ottens

WELCOME

On the day that I’m typing this, the

This month’s contributors

SIMON HARPER Making his ClassicRockdebut this month is

FANTASTIC PLASTIC!

Record Store Day 2021 to go ahead despite covid uncertainty, and there are gems to pre-order

RIP

Thank you and good night

Edward Van Halen “disrespected”

Late guitar icon appears fleetingly in Grammy tribute

Journey/Valory/Smith Feud Over

“Amicable settlement” wraps up lengthy battle of writs

Reg The Lightning?

Elton John and Metallica in mind-boggling team-up

NEWS

Look out for the new eight-part online comedy Heavy

Trucker Diablo

With lyrics that are “social commentaries on the times we live in”, don’t expect songs about beer and girls

Twisted Illusion

Expect colossal prog epics and punchy pop rock notes with Manchester’s DIY contrarians

FLOWER TRAVELLIN’ BAND

Anywhere. Philips, Japan, 1970. £1,800 (if complete with Obi, £900 without)

‘Japanese underground rock from the early 70s… So much fun.’

On paper, it appears to be merely an

NEWS

Steve Jones and Paul Cook are suing their

The Datsuns

The Kiwi rockers on the demons, psychedelia and “word salads” behind their first album in seven years

L.A. Edwards

Meet the rising Americana crew with roots in farmyard brawls and a Heartbreaker on side

Otis Redding

(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay

Paul Stanley

The Kiss legend on his new soul album, deafness, feelings of inadequacy and loneliness, and Kiss playing Download 2022

Dirty Honey

In a world over-sweetened with pop syrup, Dirty Honey tell stories from the darker side of Los Angeles

The HOT List

THE 12 ESSENTIAL NEW ROCK TRACKS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH AND THE BANDS TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR 

This Or That?

Purson mastermind-turned-solo artist Rosalie Cunningham takes on the most intimidating quiz known to man

Who are… J Lee & The Hoodoo Skulls

We get the lowdown from frontman Jason Lee Barratt

THE HARD STUFF

ian.fortnam@futurenet.com GETTY CLASSIC ROCK RATINGS

Royal Blood

Typhoons WARNER BROS

ROUND-UP: MELODIC ROCK

Robbie LaBlanc: exquisite vocals. Robbie LaBlanc Double

Myles Kennedy

The Ideas Of March NAPALM

ROUND-UP: BLUES

William The Conqueror: an album that deserves a

Electric Boys

Ups!de Down MIGHTY MUSIC

ROUND-UP: SLEAZE

The Devils: dirty, gnarly, sexdrenched rock’n’roll JESSICA

Gary Moore

How Blue Can You Get PROVOGUE

BEST OF THE REST

Other new releases out this month

John Lennon

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band: The Ultimate Collection  CAPITOL/UMC

The Mars Volta

La Realidad De Los Sueños CLOUDS HILL

Paul & Linda McCartney

Ram EMI

Jethro Tull

A CHRYSALIS

Hendrix 1969: Day By Day

WWW.JIMIHENDRIXBOOKS.COM Revelatory forensic diary of Jimi’s pivotal year.

Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl took his one-man project to one of the world’s most commercially successful bands while retaining credibility

Essential Classics

The Colour And The Shape ROSWELL, 1997 By

Superior Reputation cementing

There Is Nothing Left To Lose ROSWELL/RCA, 1999

Good Worth exploring

Avoid

Essential Playlist

I’ll Stick Around Foo Fighters This Is A

Tour Dates

BLONDIE It’s gold-plated pop-etched rock when Debbie Harry

­Stoner

Livestream

Dropkick Murphys

St. Patrick’s Day Stream… Still Locked Down

Crowded House

Dunedin Town Hall, New Zealand

Danko Jones

Bridgeworks, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Thunder

All The Right Noises TV Special

Joe Bonamassa

Austin, Texas

The Soundtrack Of My Life

The keyboard maestro  Rick Wakeman on the records, artists and gigs that are of lasting significance to him

TALKING LIFE BY THE HORNS

On a remote Scottish farm in 1971, as he escaped the harrowing post-Beatles darkness that threatened to consume him, Paul McCartney created an album that would save his soul -even if it meant severing ties with John Lennon in the process. Fifty years on, this is the liberating story of his solo album Ram.

WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

A track-by-track look Paul & Linda McCartney’s Ram

"HE SEEMS TO HAVE GONE STRANGE!"

The experimental, out-there ripples of Paul & Linda McCartney’s Ram.

ON THE WINGS OF A DOVE

Forty years ago, Stevie Nicks stepped out from the chaos and control of Fleetwood Mac with a hit-laden debut solo album that showed she could fly just as high on her own

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MYLES KENNEDY

Always be yourself. Heaven is “right now, this moment”. Hard work takes you to another realm. We all crave the truth. Later-life success is good… These are just some of the things that shape his world view. 

RUNNING UP THAT HILL

Seattle guitar ace Ayron Jones is channelling a tough upbringing into a big, bad, grungy, bluesy rock noise, all the while battling racial stereotypes. 

MAIDEN VOYACE

Former band members Paul Di’Anno and Dennis Stratton look back at the early days of Iron Maiden and the self-titled debut album that changed the face of heavy metal

NUMBERS OF THE BEAST

A look at Iron Maiden, track by track

THE POWER OF THREE

Country-rock superstar and Country Music Association Entertainer Of The Year Eric Church returns with a new triple-album, optimism for future gigs and thoughts on the controversial interview that landed him in hot water three years ago. 

An Eric Church Six-Pack

The EC songs you really ought to hear

CAN YOU SEE ME?

The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s debut album, Are You Experienced, was pieced together over six frantic months in London. A future classic and a shop window for his genius, it put Jimi on the path to superstardom

For The RECORD

We all love to put on a favourite album, switch off the lights and just totally tune in. So does Colleen Murphy, and with her Classic Album Sundays she’s taken the experience further