Innehållsförteckning för December 2022 från Classic Rock

Had the world not lost him at the ridiculously young age of 27 in 1970, Jimi Hendrix would have celebrated his 80th birthday this month. I don’t think there’s a rock guitarist… scratch that… a rock musician alive who doesn’t owe some sort of debt to Jimi. Whether in terms of sonics, playing skills or showmanship, we really haven’t seen another of his like. This month, ahead of the release of a brand new book and a live album, we celebrate his songs and his influence, in the company of some of his star admirers, collaborators and contemporaries. That’s not all, though. This issue we also reunite – on paper, at least! – the surviving members of Creedence Clearwater Revival to discuss their glory days and being bigger than The…

John Hartman March 18, 1950 – December 29, 2021 The Doobie Brothers have belatedly revealed the passing of their co-founding original drummer, who died last December at the age of 72. John Hartman was a band member from the band’s debut in 1971 until the Grammy-winning Minute By Minute, before retiring in ’79. He then returned for the albums Cycles and Brotherhood. Hartman was also a part of the Doobies’ induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2020. The group described him as a “wild spirit, great drummer and showman”. David Malachowski January 16, 1955 – September 29, 2022 The members of American progressive rockers Pavlov’s Dog were “heartbroken” by the loss of guitarist David Malachowski. The 67-year-old joined Pavlov’s Dog in 2018, and also played with…

“On our album we’ve got country rock, metal, some indie-type rock too.” THINGS ARE HAPPENING for Kira Mac. The band’s first three singles all made it on to the A-list of Planet Rock radio. In July they were a hit at the Steelhouse Festival (their biggest show to date by far). Pre-orders are healthy for their debut album Chaos Is Calling, due later this month. Additionally in November they’ll embark on their first UK tour, and will also support The Sweet. And this is all without a label behind them, all off their own back and out of their own pocket. “My mum’s our accountant,” says singer Rhiannon Kira Hill, aka Kira Mac. “None of us five can be trusted with money!” The band are completed by guitarist/songwriter Joe Worrall,…

E levenyears after the dissolution of R.E.M., their former songwriter-guitarist Peter Buck appears to be more in demand than ever. Aside from busying himself with forthcoming albums for supergroups Filthy Friends, The Baseball Project and The No Ones, he has just released All The Kids Are Super Bummed Out, his second collaboration with ex-Auteurs leader Luke Haines. The pair conspire to make an often spectacular racket, featuring some of the most ferocious guitar work of Buck’s career, wonky synths and Haines’s deeply surreal, comic-sinister wordplay. Regular contributors Scott McCaughey and Linda Pitmon are on board too, as is legendary Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye. Was there always a plan to make a second album with Luke? Oh yeah. The first one was so easy. We just did it over the…

There’s a standard descriptor for Marcus King, and it’s been used consistently since people started writing about him at all: he’s an “old soul”. I’m not here to break that chain. Sitting across from me in his vintage cowboy gear in some tiny office in some obscure wing of the House Of Blues in Boston, the guitar prodigy doesn’t just look like some long-lost Flying Burrito Brother, he feels as worn-in and well-travelled as his old western shirt. Like he’s been doing this forever. But he’s only 26. “My old days weren’t even that long ago,” he says with a laugh. They do stretch a good decade, at least. Born to a musical family in Greenville, South Carolina, King formed his band when he was a teenager, playing the sort…

Joanne Shaw Taylor Nobody’s Fool KTBA After a covers album and a live record, Nobody’s Fool should quell any fears that JST has forgotten how to write ’em. And whether you put it down to inspiration or ambition, her songcraft has never flirted so hard with the mainstream. The route-one chunk of Then There’s You is the only thing here tooled for a Dutch blues fest. Elsewhere the honky-tonk title track could be Sheryl Crow with a vocal pitched a few fathoms deeper. With a chimed lick pirouetting throughout, Won’t Be Fooled Again feels distinctly mid-period Mac (see also the burbling, sugar-sweet Runaway). Venomous breakup ballad Bad Blood sounds like surf music, slowed down and embittered. Hooks seem like her priority, with Just No Getting Over You’s horn lick cycling…

Lindsey Buckingham London Palladium Ex-Mac man going his own way. In contrast to the celebratory “Where were we when we first heard-this?” carnival of his former band’s shows, Lindsey Buckingham’s solo concert is a cavalcade of beguiling pop hooks and astounding guitar-playing technique, overlaid by a compelling intensity. Since being fired by Fleetwood Mac in 2018, Buckingham has released his finest solo album yet (last year’s Lindsey Buckingham), and had open-heart surgery, a cancer scare and marital troubles. But, these days rock-star-thin in skinny jeans, he’s still determined to do it his way. Not even his conventional-looking band are what they seem. There’s no bassist until late on, when the rhythm guitarist moves over, although there has been plenty of low, atmospheric tones from the keyboard player, and the drummer…

FOR MORE NEWS: WWW.C LASSIC ROCKMAGAZINE.COM INSIDE THE WORLD OF ROCK the DIRT cat no:#308 cat no:#308 COPYRIGHT FUTURE 2022 A COLLECTION OF previously unseen photographs of the Rolling Stones taken by the band’s associate ‘Spanish’ Tony Sanchez has been discovered in a loft by his grandson Matthew Dominguez. The collection is of photos from the Stones’ heyday from the mid- 60s until the late 70s, up to when Sanchez left the band’s employment following the publication of his infamous book Up And Down With The Rolling Stones. “The photos are mainly shot from the point of view where Tony was working for Keith Richards and Anita Pallenberg,” says Dominguez. “There are shots of their son, Marlon, as well as the band and all of their friends and associates. There…

JUDAS PRIEST HAVE confirmed that former members KK Downing and Les Binks are both set to be a part of the band’s induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (which will have taken place in Los Angeles by the time you read this). Perhaps surprisingly given the war of words caused by guitarist Downing’s exit from Priest more than a decade ago, both sides seem happy to approach the event in as gentlemanly a way as possible. “It’ll go by in a flash, won’t it?” Downing told Ultimate Classic Rock. “I think we’ve probably got eight or nine minutes. It’ll be quite something to look forward to, just to get up there and crank the amps up and just do it once again, for that short moment in…

“We’re a bit silly, I suppose, when it comes to playing live. We want to bring a smile to people’s faces.” BRODIE MAGUIRE GETS hurt a lot. Broken legs. Cracked ribs. A busted ankle once kept the guitarist off his feet – that is until a big festival show came up and he carried on regardless, climbed the scaffold, jumped down and broke the joint again. His bandmates have a similarly generous collection of war wounds. It’s kind of…well, what they do. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” says Maguire, a smiling, softly-spoken presence over Zoom. “We just want people to come and have fun. We’re a bit silly, I suppose, when it comes to playing live. We want to bring a smile to people’s faces.” Since forming “properly” in…

The best advice that Gavin Rossdale has ever received came when his band Bush were supporting David Bowie in the mid-90s. At the time, Bush were riding high. Their 1994 debut album Sixteen Stone, with its frenzied riffs and angsty, singalong choruses, had made the London quartet the latest grunge stars in a decade teeming with them, but there was a catch: bad reviews. Lots of bad reviews. It seemed that wherever Rossdale looked, someone was giving Bush an almighty kicking, each one making him want to throw himself out of the nearest window. One night, he asked Bowie about it, enquiring: “How do you deal with this shit?” and the icon calmly imparted three words that became a mantra for the Bush frontman: “Outlive your critics.” Rossdale tells that…

Chez Kane Powerzone FRONTIERS Powerzone is the followup to the self-titled debut from the Welsh singer who along with her two sisters fronts the band Kane’d. With the help of Crazy Lixx singer Danny Rexon, the album’s writer, arranger and producer, Chez Kane rocketed on to the scene, finding her way on to many ‘best of 2021’ lists. Her more vociferous followers dismissed yours truly as miserly for awarding that record a mere seven out of 10, but its considerable strengths were diluted by a handful of filler tracks. Once again masterminded by the Swede Rexon, Powerzone had to be more consistent. And it is – although, being superpicky, room for improvement remains. It’s delivered with warmth and skill, and Kane still sounds like she can’t believe her good luck.…

Kavus Torabi, hand-picked by the late, great Daevid Allen as his successor to lead Gong before losing a battle with cancer in 2015, sets the scene for a 15-date British tour. Do you feel like live music is finally getting back to fairly close to ‘normal’? Back in March we did twenty-six shows with Gong and I’ve been busier with that band than ever before. Post-Brexit, touring in Europe is a nightmare. With so many forms to fill in it feels like being back at school. And in the UK the audiences actually seem to be getting younger, which is confusing but makes me happy. Were you able to be creative during lockdown? I think so. I wrote a book with [former world snooker champion and prog nut] Steve Davis…

Suede London Electric Ballroom Triumphant set draws largely from the here and now. Few words strike terror into the hearts of fans as much as: “Here’s another one from the new album”, not least when uttered from a band with the same vintage as Suede. And yet here they are, into their third decade, playing their ninth album Autofiction in its entirety. It’s a ballsy move, but one that makes perfect sense given the album’s back-to-basics feel. And the pay-off is evident as the eager audience sings along lustily with songs from a record that’s barely three weeks old. Belying his 55 years, whippet-thin singer Brett Anderson alternately prowls the stage, whips his mic lead and frequently stands on the monitors to exhort his constituency. With Neil Codling stepping away…

The White Buffalo, aka American singersongwriter Jake Smith, has made seven albums that blend grizzled Americana and feisty folk-rock, but for his conceptual eighth, Year Of The Dark Horse, he wanted to expand his sound. “The songs are still there, but it’s sonically elevated,” he says. “Not that the whole country thing disturbs me, but I’ve never been into those boxes, and didn’t really think I fit in anyway.” As you’ll see from his choices here, his influences range far and wide, whether he’s sticking on some ELO to kick-start his day, or enjoying a spate of country classics while playing darts in his garage. THE FIRST MUSIC I REMEMBER HEARING My first memory of listening to music was up in Oregon. I was born in Oregon and raised in…

Ray Edenton November 3, 1926 – September 21, 2022 Born in Virginia, Ray Edenton was a noted session guitar player whose work can be heard on many vintage recordings, including 1957’s Wake Up Little Susie by the Everly Brothers, and songs by Elvis Presley, Leon Russell and Neil Young. No cause of death has been announced for the 95-year-old. Steve ‘Ze Suicide’ Roberts Died October 13, 2022 The drummer with UK Subs, who played with the band at their commercial peak during the late 70s, took his own life, according to his wife Jude. Although he suffered from lifelong depression, Roberts took his nickname from Bowie’s song Rock ’N’ Roll Suicide. He was 68. Tom Springfield July 2, 1934 – July 27, 2022 The songwriting brother of Dusty Springfield and…

Queen are to release a new, previously unheard single featuring Freddie Mercury on vocals. Face It Alone was recorded during the sessions for their 1989 album The Miracle. It’s also included in an eight-disc box set edition of The Miracle, released on November 18, the same day as the single. US authorities believe that Jon Schaffer, the former Iced Earth frontman, has gone into hiding following his part in the 2021 Capitol building insurrection. Schaffer was arrested and charged with a number of crimes, including attacking police officers with bear spray. Joe Bonamassa says preparation for a fifth album from Black Country Communion, the supergroup featuring guitarist Bonamassa, bassist/ vocalist Glenn Hughes, keyboard player Derek Sherinian and drummer Jason Bonham, is under way. New deluxe editions of the Ronnie James…

In the annals of 20th-century history, Sunday September 18, 1983 will go down as being about as uneventful as it gets. The Caribbean islands of St Kitts and Nevis finally gained their independence after two centuries of British rule. Long-distance walker George Meegan completed a six-year-trek across the western hemisphere… But in a small studio in MTV’s New York HQ, something monumental was happening. There, the four members of Kiss – those pansticked titans of glitter-metal – were about reveal their faces to the world for the first time in their 10-year-career. Stripped of warpaint and under unforgiving studio lights, these great American icons were ready for their close-up. Watch the footage on YouTube now, and it’s a strangely solemn experience. In the hushed studio, MTV ‘VJ’ JJ Jackson introduces…

It’s our last Hot List of 2022, and we’re closing out with a global swoop from Texas to Lancashire, Sweden to Peterborough and beyond. There’s new music from Wolfgang Van Halen (fresh from celebrated appearances at Dave Grohl’s Taylor Hawkins tribute shows), The Hot Damn! (the most colourful pop-rock gang in the North West) and a heads-up from The Answer’s hotly anticipated comeback record. And a whole eclectic spread of others. It’s a damn fine selection of songs, if we say so ourselves. Until next time (“and there will be a next time,” to quote Mr Joe Elliott at the end of every Leppard gig), get your fix of hot-off-thepress rock’n’roll every week at classicrockmagazine.com (including your chance to vote for your favourite in our regular Tracks Of The Week…

Deep Purple / Blue Öyster Cult London O2 Arena Veterans deliver a hit-packed, hard rock master class. With only Buck Dharma and Eric Bloom remaining from their classic line-up, New York’s slightly less direct answer to Black Sabbath can still deliver a machismo-sweetening vocal harmony when roused. Ultimately garnering an enthusiastic response for a short ’n’ sweet set packed with absolute monsters: Godzilla, Hot Rails To Hell, Cities On Flame With Rock ’N’ Roll. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper could have done with more cowbell, but hey, when push comes to shove, what couldn’t? Opening with Highway Star, Ian Gillan doesn’t make life easy for himself. There’s nowhere for a vocalist to hide as the iconic Machine Head powerhouse pinwheels from timber-shivering climax to pounding crescendo, but Gillan rises to the…