Classic Rock June 2018

WELCOME Have you ever watched that BBC quiz show called Only Connect? It’s fiendishly tough. As its title suggests, the contestants are tasked to figure out the connections between seemingly disparate things – be it people, places, chemical equations or other tricky stuff. Well, I was reminded of it when we were putting this issue together. Our premise is simple: classic rock music owes so very much to Deep Purple. Without Purple, we wouldn’t have had Rainbow or Dio or Whitesnake or Hughes/Thrall or… The list just goes on and on. Seriously, the Purple family tree is so extensive that there’s no chance we could cover all the ways that band’s branches sneak into the fabric of rock (in manners obvious and otherwise) in a single issue. But we’ve covered…

This month’s contributors ROB HUGHES Rob has been a regular contributor to Classic Rock for the past 10 years. This month he talsk to Italian prog legends PFM about their extraordinary career and recent comeback (p56). When not scribbling for CR, Rob is a weekly guest of BBC 6Music presenter Marc Riley, with whom he also currently hosts a successful podcast, The A-Z of David Bowie. IAN FORTNAM Long-standing Damned disciple Ian first heard New Rose at an Eddie And The Hot Rods gig in ‘76, skipped off school and bunked the trains to see the band in ‘77, and by the year’s end had even bagged a priceless autograph (‘Sensible Says Anteater’). This issue (p68) he profiles Vanian, Gray and Captain and discovers what goes on beneath the beret.…

INSIDE THE WORLD OF ROCK the DiRT Sambora and Such rejoin Bon Jovi at Hall Of Fame GETTY IMAGES X 5 Moodies, Cars and Dire Straits also inducted, but Mark Knofler is a no-show. BON JOVI, THE Moody Blues, Dire Straits and The Cars were this year’s inductees into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. All five members of the best-known Bon Jovi line-up attended the ceremony in Cleveland, including guitarist Richie Sambora, who left the band in 2013, and former bassist Alec John Such, who walked away in 1994. Current bass player Hugh McDonald was also honoured. Jon Bon Jovi’s difficult relationship with the Hall Of Fame is well documented – the frontman has claimed one of its key figures had “made it their personal mission to fuck…

the DiRT RIP Thank you and good night. Mike Harrison September 3, 1945 – March 25, 2018 Carlisle-born Mike Harrison, once hailed as ‘the white Ray Charles’, was a founding member of Spooky Tooth and their lead singer at various periods throughout their history. He was 72 at the time of his passing. Cause of death has yet to be revealed. Mars Cowling Died March 20, 2018 Peter ‘Mars’ Cowling, the bassist who played on the biggest hits by the Pat Travers Band, has died at the age of 72. Born in England, he joined Canadian guitarist Travers in 1975. Later he played with Gypsy Queen. Cowling was diagnosed with leukaemia in February. Martin Cockerham August 27, 1950 – April 5, 2018 Vocalist/guitarist Martin Cockerham was a member of noted…

NEWS Ronnie Wood says he’s been given the all clear after his recent cancer scare. The Rolling Stones guitarist, who turns 71 in June, underwent keyhole surgery last year to remove a lesion on his left lung, but doctors have now told him: “Go and enjoy life.” L7 are preparing their first album in almost 20 years. The band, who reunited in 2015, play Castle Donington Download Festival June 9, Glasgow Garage 10 and London Electric Ballroom 12. The Quireboys will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their album Homewreckers & Heartbreakers with a show at London’s Forum on September 14. Support comes from H.e.a.t. and Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics. Former Judas Priest guitarist KK Downing has opened a new concert venue in Wolverhampton. KK’s Steel Mill is situated…

Lindsey out of Mac Neil Finn and Mike Campbell in as replacements. GETTY x3 IN A SHOCK MOVE, Lindsey Buckingham is out of Fleetwood Mac, and has been replace by two guitarists: Crowded House’s Neil Finn, and Mike Campbell from Tom Petty’s band the Heartbreakers. Fleetwood Mac have yet to explain the move. Rolling Stone claim Buckingham was sacked over a disagreement to do with the band’s upcoming tour, although apparently his departure had been on the cards for some time. The band’s official statement stressed that Fleetwood Mac “has always been about an amazing collection of songs that are performed with a unique blend of talents”, with drummer Mick Fleetwood adding: “We jammed with Mike and Neil and the chemistry really worked and let the band realise that this…