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ISSUE 8 UK£5.00 US$9.99 CAN$11.99

Raising Hell In The City Of The Dead...

56 The Cult Get your motor running DV ,DQ $VWEXU\ īSLFWXUHGĬ DQG %LOO\ 'Xɲ\ ORRN EDFN DW WKH PDNLQJ RI (OHFWULF

Contents

Issue 8

July 2018

F E AT U R E S

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70 Whitesnake %HIRUH +ROO\ZRRG KDLU PHWDO DQG 7DZQ\ .LWDHQ VHGXFHG 'DYLG &RYHUGDOH :KLWHVQDNH ZHUH RQH RI WKH 8.·V Ã&#x20AC;QHVW KDUG URFN EDQGV 0LFN\ 0RRG\ %HUQLH 0DUVGHQ DQG 1HLO 0XUUD\ ORRN EDFN RQ WKH HDUO\ \HDUV

76 Rudolf Schenker 6FRUSLRQV· IRXQGLQJ ULɲ ORUG WXUQV ]H VSRWOLJKWV RQ WKH VHPLQDO URFN·Q·UROO SODWWHUV ZKLFK LQVSLUHG KLV RZQ HYHQWIXO PXVLFDO MRXUQH\

80 T H E C O V E R S T O RY

Ozzy Osbourne 3ODQHW 5RFN KLWFKHV D ULGH RQ 2]]\·V SULYDWH MHW DV 7KH 3ULQFH 2I 'DUNQHVV YLVLWV 0H[LFR DQG &KLOH 3OXV 2]]\ UHYLVLWV WKH WULXPSKV DQG WUDJHGLHV RI WKH Ã&#x20AC;UVW GHFDGH RI KLV VROR FDUHHU PLANET ROCK

ROSS HALFIN

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3

July 2018

U P F R O N T

30

Alice In Chains Seattle grunge giants tease forthcoming â&#x20AC;&#x153;heavy, ugly, trippyâ&#x20AC;? new album.

Download Festival Download boss Andy Copping shares the secrets behind the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest rock festival. Plus, the nine bands you should see at DL18.

10

34

Metallica Clear your diaries, the Four Horsemen are coming backâ&#x20AC;Ś

The Dead Daisies How a love of David Bowie set this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Planet Rockstock headliners on the road to glory.

14

20

24

Brothers Osborne Outlaw country siblings share their path to success.

Plus Thundermother, The Rocket Dolls and more in our New Rock special.

Buckcherry +RZ D OLIHÄŚFKDQJLQJ OLQH RI Âś7KH 'HYLO¡V 'DQGUXɲ ¡ inspired the LA rockersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; debauched party anthem.

Letters Your correspondence on Thin Lizzy, the greatest live album ever, Iron Maiden and other matters of national importance.

22

18

Spirit Of Radio Planet Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presenters share their favourite Ozzy stories and culture tips.

Plus My First Gig and Pocket Money Pick.

Black Stone Cherry BSC mainman Chris Robertson lays out his ingredients for a blissful night in.

U P

T H E

96

116

25 Albums You Must Hear Right Now! Includingâ&#x20AC;Ś Ghost, Howlin Rain, Paul Rogers and more.

The Buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide Iron Maidenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back catalogue rated.

112 Books & DVDs Led Zeppelin, Bruce Dickinson and more.

4

3O

Class act: AC/DCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Angus Young.

PLANET ROCK

114 Unsung 7KRVH JUHDW OHVVHUÄŚ heralded albums. This issue: Wolfsbaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Massive Noise Injection.

Great Britons: Gary Reef, Tony Terrorvision and Ginger Wildheart, p.120.

36 Joe Bonamassa An education in British blues from the Black Country &RPPXQLRQ JXLWDUÄŚVOLQJHU

38

28

Glenn Danzig Your government is lying to \RX VD\V WKH 0LVĂ&#x20AC;WV 'DQ]LJ frontman. This, and other pearls of wisdom, are shared in Mr Danzigâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide To Life.

Alice Cooper The Coop recalls tripping the light fantastic with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;King of the Hoofersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Fred Astaire.

B A C K

118

124

129

Live Wire Live spectacular with The Rolling Stones, BritRock Must Be Destroyed! and DesertFest.

Showtime Your guide to June and Julyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest rocking nights out.

Crossword Win vintage vinyl signed by The Prince Of Darkness.

130 Who The Hell Are These Guys?

Big smiles, bigger hair, but who are they?

PAUL HARRIES, MARCO VIT TUR, GET TY

8

SPECIAL GUEST

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Crazy

Train. Bark At The Moon. Mr Crowley. I Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t .QRZ 2]]\ 2VERXUQH LV VXFK DQ LFRQLF ÂżJXUH WKDW LWÂśV VRPHWLPHV SRVVLEOH WR IRUJHW KRZ PDQ\ VROLGÄĽJROG URFN DQWKHPV KHÂśV UHFRUGHG DV D VROR DUWLVW 1RW KRZHYHU ZKHQ \RXÂśUH VWDQGLQJ RQ KLV VWDJH ZDWFKLQJ 0H[LFDQ PHWDOKHDGV ORVH WKHLU PLQGV ZKLOH KH SHUIRUPV VDLG VRQJV +LWFKLQJ D ULGH RQ 7KH 3ULQFH 2I 'DUNQHVVÂśV 1R 0RUH 7RXUV GDWHV LQ 6RXWK $PHULFD ODVW PRQWK ZDV D JHQXLQH SULYLOHJH DQG DQ LPSRUWDQW UHPLQGHU WKDW WKLV QDWLRQDO WUHDVXUH ZRQÂśW EH RQÄĽVWDJH IRUHYHU &DWFK KLP ZKLOH \RX FDQ $VLGH IURP RXU H[FOXVLYH 2]]\ WRXU UHSRUW WKLV LVVXH DOVR IHDWXUHV LQÄĽGHSWK SLHFHV RQ 7KH &XOW Îź7KH &ODVVLF :KLWHVQDNHÂś DQG %RQ -RYL SOXV D UHYLHZ RI IDVWÄĽULVLQJ (QJOLVK URFNHUV 7KH 5ROOLQJ 6WRQHV 2QHV WR ZDWFKÂŤ 6R KHUH FRPHV WKH VXPPHU (QMR\ IHVWLYDO VHDVRQ DQG ZHÂśOO VHH \RX EDFN KHUH IRU LVVXH LQ HDUO\ $XJXVWÂŤ

Firing shots in the dark this issue areâ&#x20AC;Ś

6

PLANET ROCK

M USIC & CON T E N T DIR EC T OR

Ric Blaxill EDIT OR

Paul Brannigan A RT DIR EC T OR

Russell Moorcroft CON T R IBU T I NG EDIT OR

Mark Blake A S SOCI AT E EDIT OR

Pat Gilbert DEPU T Y A RT DIR EC T OR

Tan Doan PIC T U R E EDIT OR

Matt Turner CON T R IBU T OR S Phil Alexander, Matt Allen, Paul Anthony, Jason Arnopp, Steve Beebee, Stevie Chick, Alice Clark, Sam Coare, Ian Danter, George Garner, Caren Gibson, Ross Halfin, Paul Harries, James Hickie, Mark Jeeves, David McLaughlin, James MacKinnon, James McNair, Andrew Perry, Darren Redick, Dave Reynolds, Nick Ruskell, Amit Sharma, Sandra Sorensen, Cathi Unsworth, Marco Vittur, Chris Welch, Paddy Wells, Wyatt Wendels, Lois Wilson, Ian Winwood, Simon Young Group Managing Director, Advertising Abby Carvosso Music Director Joel Stephan Classified Sales Executive Philip Nessfield Production Manager Carl Lawrence Ad Production Controller Helen Mear

PAU L B R A N N I G A N , E D I T O R

THIS ISSUE OF PLANET ROCK MAGAZINE HAS BEEN CREATED WITH THE FOLLOWING STIMULANTSâ&#x20AC;Ś

Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DJ Email: mail@planetrock.com

Billy Bogiatzoglou aka Billelis is a 3D Illustrator and Animation Director residing in the UK. Billelis is an artistic alias originating from his younger years of grafďŹ tiing and wall tagging as a teen. Find out more by searching @billelis and www.billelis.com.

Today a Contributing Editor at MOJO, in 1989 Keith Cameron was working at Sounds when Wolfsbaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blaze Bayley telephoned to take his beer requests for an upcoming interview.

In this issue he hymns the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s live album Massive Noise Injection.

Marshall Tidrick is a native of Austin, Texas and a freelance photographer. Marshall shoots a wide variety of subjects, but has long been a music-lover and rarely attends a concert without his camera in hand. Check him out on Instagram at @marshalltidrickphoto.

Mark Riddick is an illustrator known for his contributions to the underground death metal scene.

Riddick launched his career as a teenager in 1991 when he began illustrating logos, demo covers, 7-inch EPs, etc. See his original artwork at www.riddickart.com.

VIP nights out with The Rolling Stones and Amyl And The Sniffers, pints of Trooper ale in the Earl Of Camden, The Darknessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ranger pantyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shorts, bank holiday sunshine, a visit to Salvador Allendeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grave, half-term in Croatia, #MerciArsene, GDPR mailing list opt-out bliss, nights in reading Surrender Of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack â&#x20AC;&#x201C; King Of The Bohemians, mounting festival excitement, making birthday dreams come true in Chile (left) and getting our arses handed to us by PokĂŠmonâ&#x20AC;Ś

Chief Executive Paul Keenan Group Managing Director Rob Munro-Hall Managing Director Patrick Horton Managing Editor Danielle Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell Head of Marketing Fergus Carroll Marketing Manager Hope Noel Head Of Marketing (Planet Rock) Jon Norman Digital Manager (Planet Rock) Kevin Hingley Web/Social Media Ed (Planet Rock) Brendan Appleton Digital Content Ed (Planet Rock) Scott Colothan Direct Marketing Manager Julie Spires Direct Marketing Executive Olivia Caouki Head of Communications Jess Blake

MOJO (ISSN 25144626) is published by Bauer Consumer Media Ltd. Bauer Consumer Media Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 01176085, registered address Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA For subscription queries, please contact CDS Global on Bauer@subscription.co.uk Š All material published is copyright of Bauer Consumer Media Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher. Planet Rock accepts no responsibility for any unsolicited material.

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NOVEMBER 2018 SAT 3 LONDON THE SSE ARENA, WEMBLEY MON 5 CARDIFF MOTORPOINT ARENA WED 7 BIRMINGHAM ARENA FRI 9 MANCHESTER ARENA SAT 10 NEWCASTLE METRO RADIO ARENA MON 12 GLASGOW THE SSE HYDRO

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Upfront NEWS, V

THOUG M O D N A R IEWS AND

HTSâ&#x20AC;¦

Unchained: Alice In Chains on-stage at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend, Indiana, May 16, 2018.

The Ones We Know THE BIG PICTURE

Alice in Chains tease comeback with new single and US theatre tour.

SCOT T DACKROEDEN

WILLIAM DUVALL promises that the forthcoming Alice In Chains album, their sixth, will contain â&#x20AC;&#x153;interesting twists and turns that we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t explored beforeâ&#x20AC;?. Described by guitarist Jerry Cantrell as â&#x20AC;&#x153; heavy, ugly, beautiful and trippyâ&#x20AC;?, and previewed in May by new single The One You .QRZ WKH DVÄĽ\HWÄĽXQWLWOHG DOEXP ZLOO HPHUJH ODWHU this year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This might be my favourite one that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done,â&#x20AC;? says frontman DuVall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re stoked on it and really excited to see peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reactions.â&#x20AC;?

Find out more at AL I C E I N C HAI N S.CO M PLANET ROCK

9

Upfront

Power to the people: Metallicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s James HetďŹ eld.

Lords of Summer

IN BRIEF

Metallica plot summer 2019 European tour return.

M E TA L L I C A are to play a series of summer stadium VKRZV LQ 8SRQ FORVLQJ out the European leg of their RQÄĽJRLQJ :RUOG:LUHG WRXU LQ )LQODQG RQ 0D\ WKH TXDUWHW revealed theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be returning to the continent next year for VKRZV IURP 0D\ WR $XJXVW Details will be announced on metallica.com in September.

The WorldWired tour grossed IJ PLOOLRQ LQ

Figures of MĂśtley CrĂźe are now available to pre-order from the Knucklebonz â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rock Iconzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; range. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cool to see a homage to this classic era of the band,â&#x20AC;? says Nikki Sixx.

Former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider releases a new solo album on July 27. The singer will preview For The Love Of Metal at European festivals in July.

Def Leppard have launched their own Pale Ale, with Seattle craft brewery Elysian.

This is the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second bespoke brew, following the 2014 launch of Joe Elliottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Louder Banginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Strong Ale.

Black Sabbath box up rare 7-inch singles vinyl collection.

F O L L OW I N G T H E release of the lavish The Ten Years War studio albums vinyl box set last year, Black Sabbath have turned their attention WR SDFNDJLQJ XS WKHLU œ V VLQJOHV &RPSULVLQJ RI ļLQFK VLQJOHV LQ UDUH H[FOXVLYH VOHHYHV WKH OLPLWHGļHGLWLRQ 6XSHUVRQLF <HDUV Č 7KH 6HYHQWLHV 6LQJOHV %R[ 6HW LQFOXGHV ¿YH UDUH VLQJOH HGLWV ,URQ 0DQ 6DEEDWK %ORRG\ 6DEEDWK $P , *RLQJ ,QVDQH Ī5DGLRč +DUG 5RDG DQG 6\PSWRP 2I 7KH 8QLYHUVH 6XSHUVRQLF <HDUV ħ 7KH 6HYHQWLHV 6LQJOHV %R[ 6HW LV RQ VDOH QRZ WKURXJK %0*

10

PLANET ROCK

Clutch have released Gimme The Keys, the ďŹ rst single from their forthcoming 12th album Book Of Bad Decisions. The album is due on September 7 via the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Weathermaker Music label.

GETTY

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PERFORMED IN ITS ENTIRETY

& MORE SPECIAL GUEST DECEMBER 201 8 UK AND IRELAND

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Upfront

10 Things Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Just Learned About Wishbone Ash Bad to the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;bone: (from left) Andy Powell, Steve Upton, Martin Turner and Laurie Wisefield, 1977.

New box set The Vintage Years has a 156-page book which will blow your mind with its twin-guitar trivia.

5

Wishbone Ash hung out with the Eagles in Miami while recording

6

The bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sixth album, Locked In, is widely regarded as a

7

The blokiest band of all time

8

They really, really loved ZZ Top: MXVW

1974â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Rub. Its producer, Bill 6]\PF]\N ZDQWHG -RH :DOVK WR MRLQ WKH $VK and claimed Wishboneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duelling guitars directly inspired Hotel California.

VWLQNHU ([ÄĽEDVVLVW 0DUWLQ 7XUQHU ÂłFXUOHG XS´ RQ WKH VWXGLR Ă&#x20AC;RRU ZKHQ KH KHDUG LW %XW itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that bad. Honest.

group open for Deep Purple. But he never said a word to them after watching their set.

2

Forget Judas Priestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s KK Downing and UFOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Michael

3

Original guitarist Ted Turner quit the band in â&#x20AC;&#x2122;74 to

4

Wishboneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former manager, Miles Copeland, came from a

Schenker. Wishboneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Andy Powell pioneered his trademark Gibson Flying V before those two copycats.

family of spies and lawmen: his dad was in the CIA; his mum worked for British intelligence; and his brother Stewart played drums in The Police.

12

PLANET ROCK

MotĂśrhead have collaborated with skater Riley Hawk, son of the legendary Tony Hawk, to produce a new range of skate shoes. Available in three designs, the Riley 2 x MotĂśrhead shoes are on sale from lakai.com

listen to Engine Overheat from 1982 album Twin Barrels Burning. But the FRPLF GUDJVWHU RQ WKH /3 FRYHU SUHÄĽGDWHG WKH Topâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic Eliminator sleeve by six months.

9

The original Wishbone Ash line-up reunited for 1987â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Nouveau Calls DQ DOOÄĽLQVWUXPHQWDO ambient album, created with future Madonna producer William Orbit.

undertake a spiritual trip to Peru. He travelled the world and became a devotee of American VSDFHÄĽDJH WKHRULVW %XFNPLQVWHU )XOOHU 7XUQHU UHÄĽMRLQHG WKH $VK for a time in 1987.

Want to co-own 136 Judas Priest songs? Financial services group FRP Advisory are selling K.K. Downingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights to the songs he co-wrote as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;unique investment opportunityâ&#x20AC;?.

Contact kdl-royalties@ frpadvisory.com for details.

Therapy? will release their 15th studio album, Cleave, via new label Marshall Records this autumn. The trioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new single, Callow, is out now.

Producer Derek Lawrence tried to stop Planet Rock radio favourite Blowinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Free going on Argus, as he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think it

10 Girl trouble: non-bloke Claire Hammill.

ÂżWWHG WKH /3ÂśV YLEHÂŤ 7KHUH DUH no less than 12 versions of the song on The Vintage Years.

W I S H B O N E AS H : T H E V I N TAG E

is out now on 0DGĂ&#x20AC;VK 6HH UHYLHZ RQ SDJH

YEARS 1970-1991

Inglorious, Dirty Thrills and Mason Hill are among the rising UK rock bands featured on a free Frontiers Music compilation. Download New Breed Sampler Vol.1 from www.frontiers.it

GETTY, ALAMY

1

Ritchie Blackmore recommended Wishbone Ash to MCA Records, after seeing the

had a female lead singer for about 10 minutes in 1981. Claire Hamill sang on the Number Of The Brave and Just Testing albums and then toured with them. But it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work out.

IN BRIEF

SATURDAY 16 JUNE

SUNDAY 17 JUNE

ARENA STAGE

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FULL PRODUCTION: ONLY UK SHOW

+ SPECIAL GUEST

+ SPECIAL GUESTS ONLY UK SHOW

INDIGO AT THE O2 STAGE

INDIGO AT THE O2 STAGE

WARRIOR SOUL • TRIGGERFINGER • THE PICTUREBOOKS PETE SPIBY & THE BEAT ALLS AFTERSHOW: SHOT THROUGH THE HEART

TYKETTO • GINGER WILDHEART

ORANGE AMPS STAGE

JareD James Nichols • Godsticks

AARON BUCHANAN & THE CULT CLASSICS DAXX & ROXANE • DIRTY THRILLS • ANCHOR LANE KILLIT • NITROVILLE

SPEAK EASY STAGE TIFFANY STEVENSON • ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN FIN TAYLOR • GARRETT MILLERICK MC LORD SINCLAIR'S KLASSIC ROCK QUIZ METASOMA • KATY HURT • TY HARRINGTON

ORANGE AMPS STAGE T H E B A D F LO W E R S • T H E R I S I N G S O U L S F i r e R e d E m p r e s S • Va m b o • S to n e W i r e

CINEWORLD AT THE O2 WAY N E ’ S W O R L D

SPEAK EASY STAGE GLENN WOOL • CHRIS BETTS • BEC HILL GARRETT MILLERICK MC JACK LEATHERBARROW • HARRY PANE TAXI JOE • CHLOE LEIGH • JUST LIKE FRUIT • TIM BROOKS

MAIN ENTRANCE VIP RECORD FAIR

CINEWORLD AT THE O2 BARBARELLA

TAKING OVER THE O2 FROM MIDDAY

THE O2, LONDON DAY T I C K E TS & V I P AVA I L A B L E F R O M S TO N E F R E E F E S T I VA L . C O M / T H E O 2 . C O . U K / A X S . C O M / M Y T I C K E T. C O . U K A KILIMANJARO LIVE & THE O2 PRESENTATION

Upfront

Brothers Osborne Rising Ramblin’ Men

MARCO VIT TUR

NEW ROCK

14

Heartfelt outlaw country from straightshootin’ Planet Rockstock-bound Maryland siblings. W O R D S : A L I C E C L A R K

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OLJKWQLQJ LQ D MDU ´ PLANET ROCK

On the road again: siblings TJ (left) and John Osborne.

Upfront

Sight for Thor eyes: Thundermother, with Filippa Nässil (second right).

16

ONES TO WATCH Three more Wyatt Wendels-approved acts to keep an eye on.

Skam Skam are no raw novices, their debut album emerged in 2011, but with 2017â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high-concept, time-travellerthemed The Amazing Memoirs Of Geoffrey Goddard, the Leicester trio have truly come of age. Already conďŹ rmed for Planet Rockstock in November, chances are theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be in your town before then.

Find out more at: skamuk.com

Thundermother

O W E L I N G VA L L

NEW ROCK

16

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I discovered AC/DC LW ZDV OLNH ÂżQGLQJ *RG ´ VD\V Nässil of her main inspiration. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just loved how great their music was. I was in music college, which was pretty nerdy. :H KDG DOO GLÉąHUHQW JHQUHV â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had already been in touch in the school, and would have with festivals and venues to let a week for each one, like jazz them know that we would be week. I was like, We should continuing, even though everyÄĽ have AC/DC week! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best one had quit,â&#x20AC;? Nässil explains. music ever made, and it makes â&#x20AC;&#x153;I said, If you want to cancel, PH KDSS\ , ZDQW WR ÂżJKW IRU now is the chance. But this music!â&#x20AC;? they said they still That even exÄĽ ZDQWHG XV ÄŚ , DP â&#x20AC;&#x153;I WANT WHQGV WR ÂżJKWLQJ IRU Thundermother! a ballad on the new TO FIGHT That was a big album. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all motivation for me FOR THIS part of the masterÄĽ to continue.â&#x20AC;?

MUSIC!â&#x20AC;? plan to make ThunÄĽ Buoyed by this dermother huge. show of faith, 7KXQGHUPRWKHU ÄŚ ZLWK 1lVVLO â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some people complain that joined by new members ZH KDYH D EDOODG ÄŚ but I think *XHUQLFD 0DQFLQL ÄŞYRFDOVÄŤ itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time now,â&#x20AC;? she says of Fire 6DUD 3HWWHUVVRQ ÄŞEDVVÄŤ DQG In The Rain. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have many (POHH -RKDQVVRQ ÄŞGUXPVÄŤ ÄŚ KLW ballads, but now we have the the studio quickly after the guts to release it. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t festival season. Not only did wanna get stuck in a corner.

WKH QHZ OLQHÄĽXS ÂżW 1lVVLOÂśV I want to take this to vision, they were so good toÄĽ another level!â&#x20AC;? gether the whole album was recorded live. The result is a LISTEN TO: EDQJLQJ UHFRUG RI XOWUDÄĽFRRO ROG T H U N D E R M O T H E R DeaDHeads: (ALBUM, 2018) VFKRRO KLJKÄĽYROWDJH URFNÂśQÂśUROO

Elemental, high-voltage rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll from Sweden. Wimps and posers leave the hall!

WORDS: NICK RUSKELL

THUNDERMOTHER are a testament to the undefeatable spirit of rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll. Last sumÄĽ mer, with a full diary of touring and festival appearances, guitarist and bandleader Filippa Nässil suddenly found herself a solo artist after the rest of her band quit at once. But not for one second did she let it stand in her way. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I felt like, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wanna give up what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve built for so many years, since 2009,â&#x20AC;? she states today, following the release of Thundermotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s H[FHOOHQW QHZ VHOIÄĽWLWOHG DOEXP â&#x20AC;&#x153;It never crossed my mind to quit.â&#x20AC;? $IWHU D WZRÄĽZHHN KROLGD\ WR Mexico where she â&#x20AC;&#x153;didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think about the band at allâ&#x20AC;?, Nässil returned to Stockholm to discover her Facebook inbox full of messages from people wanting to join Thundermother 2.0. The band, after all, still had a full summer diary.

PLANET ROCK

The Rocket Dolls.

Ryders Creed Drawing inďŹ&#x201A;uences from AC/ DC, Clutch and Monster Truck, Ryders Creed formed just one year ago, but sound ready to take on the world on their just-released self-titled debut album. The Stafford quintet have lined up a number of UK festival appearances in June and July, so go lend your support.

Find out more at: facebook. com/RydersCreed

The Rocket Dolls Brighton trio The Rocket Dolls deal in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;post-grunge riff-rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and their second album, DeaDHead, is one of the most passionate and poised collections of the year. Catch the band live in June at the WildďŹ re festival (June 23) or Ramblinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Man Fair (June 30).

Find out more at: facebook. com/therocketdolls

Upfront mashed potato or macaroni cheese on the side and it is absolutely delicious.

Black Stone Cherryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s frontman on resurrecting Jimi Hendrix and sipping whiskey on an evening of down-home Southern hospitality.

What food would you cook on a good night in?

My wife and I both cook. If sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s out working, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do something quick for me and my son like a pizza or a steak, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got this chicken and green bean casserole I like to make for a special occasion. It tastes awesome.

7R PDNH LW \RX JHW VRPH IUHVKÄ¥FXW

green beans, layer the bottom of a dish with them and add a little bit of butter. Then you get some chicken breasts, cut them into strips and then layer them. Then to make the sauce, you put mayonnaise, cream of chicken soup and some spices into a bowl and mix them together. You cover the whole thing with that and then sprinkle on some parmesan cheese and put it in the oven. It takes DERXW PLQXWHV 2QFH LW¶V FRRNHG LW¶V NLQG RI DQ DOOĥLQĥRQH PHDO EXW \RX can serve it with bread and some Southernbaked: the Cherry, with Robertson (second right).

Ingredients for chicken and green bean casserole: parmesan cheese, cream of chicken soup, mayo, green beans, chicken breasts, a plate.

Who would be your dream guests for a night in?

No vegetarian friends as they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the meal! Getting Jimi Hendrix round the table would be awesome, we could just talk music and guitars all night. Then some family members that I used to have dinners with. If I could bring them back from the past, that would be awesome too. Then maybe Matthew McConaughey, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be great to hang out with, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s from Texas, a Southern dude so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d connect on that. And Jennifer Lawrence, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome too, from Kentucky.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best night in youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever had?

Anytime I get to be home on my wife or sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday is awesome.

So it would have to be my sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last birthday. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an only child so we WHQG WR JR DOOÄ¥RXW :H KDG IULHQGV and family round. I grilled out, made clam chowder, hamburgers, hotdogs, we had his cake with the candles, then we sat round playing acoustic guitar.

Present on Sunday PRUQLQJV IURP DPĦ SP 5HSHDWHG HYHU\ 7XHVGD\ QLJKW IURP SP B L AC K S TO N E C H E R RY â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new album )DPLO\ 7UHH LV RXW QRZ RQ 0DVFRW T H E H A I RY B I K E R S

T H E H A I RY R O C K S H OW

18

PLANET ROCK

I L L U S T R AT I O N : PA N I K

ROCKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ROLL COOKERY WITH CHRISROBERTSON

What music would you listen to?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a huge Adele fan. I love the honesty in the music, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not one of these bubblegum pop princesses, but sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a woman doing her thing who writes beautiful songs and sings the shit out of them. There would also be some Lynyrd Skynyrd playing at some point, some Nirvana, maybe From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah, a FROOHFWLRQ RI WKHLU OLYH VWXɱ WKDW¶V pretty intense. Then some classic rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll, you know, Hendrix, Cream, the Allman Brothers.

I N T E RV I E W : A L I C E C L A R K

The Hairy Bikers Present...

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;M A HUGE ADELE FAN. SHEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOT ONE OF THESE BUBBLEGUM POP PRINCESSES.

What would you drink?

When I do drink, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a bourbon guy, but that wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go with the meal.

So after weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d eaten weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d maybe have a Woodford Reserve or a Blantonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the back porch.

Giddy up: Buckcherryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Josh Todd and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Upfront

HOW I WROTE...

LIT UP

DreamWorks

20

PLANET ROCK

THE LABEL WANTED ME TO CHANGE THE LYRICS TO â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I LOVE THE PROPANEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;...

7HUU\ KDG SURGXFHG Ĭ6RXQGJDUGHQ¶V DOEXPÄ­ %DGPRWRUÃ&#x20AC;QJHU and I said, How did Chris Cornell record his vocals on it? He pointed to a spot in the control room and said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;He sang it right there with me.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; So I sang the vocals standing right next to Terry, with Steve lying on the couch behind me.

We did it in three or four takes.

We were supporting Kiss in Europe when it started to blow up. When we got home, we found weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d sold out all these gigs and then we got to Number ĬRQ WKH %LOOERDUG 0DLQVWUHDP 5RFN FKDUWÄ­ ,W IHOW DPD]LQJ We still do it live and every night LQ WKH PLGÄ¥VHFWLRQ , YDPS RXW ZKDW LW LV DOO DERXW %\ WKH WLPH ZH UHFRUGHG LW , ZDV VREHU Ħ , VWLOO DP Ħ EXW , JRW loaded from 13 to 23 and for a lot of that time it was real good. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s those times I revisit in my mind with this song.

B U C KC H E R RY SOD\ WKH S TO N E F R E E IHVWLYDO DW /RQGRQ·V 2 $UHQD RQ -XQH

I N T E RV I E W : A L I C E C L A R K

My friend Frank, every time we got fucked up, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Josh, what am I?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know, Frank. What are you? Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m lit up like a fucking light bulb!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where the song title I T WA S our debut comes from, and the lyrics are about single and it came WKDW ¿UVW FRFDLQH H[SHULHQFH together really fast. I We started opening our shows with remember walking into it. Then our A&R guy Michael the rehearsal room we used in north Goldstone put it forward as a single.

Hollywood and the band were playing 7KH ODEHO Ĭ'UHDP:RUNVÄ­ WULHG WR JHW ĬWKH ULɱĭ , MXPSHG RQ WKH PLF DQG me to change the lyrics. They said, started scatting and the melodies â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Instead of I love the cocaine, can you came out. I had a digital recorder and sing I love the Coltrane?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I said, Are got it all on that. Listening back, it you kidding me? Then they suggested, felt like a party song. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I love the propaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. I was like, Listen, When I was in high school I was cocaine isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t profanity, why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we friends with a lot of drug dealers. One get it on the radio? I refused to change of them had an apartment next to the the lyric so they did some research school and he had these parties, and it and came across Eric Claptonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ZDV DW RQH RI WKRVH WKDW , ¿UVW GLG Cocaine, which got a lot of radio play, cocaine. I was 16 and it was a so then it was, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We love it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; momentous occasion because We wanted to get a live feel WRITERS not only did it feel amazing, so the band did it live. It was Josh Todd, but I learned I could drink SURGXFHG E\ 7HUU\ 'DWH DQG Keith Nelson PRUH Ħ , ZDV VR VNLQQ\ , 6WHYH -RQHV IURP WKH Ĭ6H[Ä­ RELEASED February 1999 couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold my alcohol, I Pistols. We knew Steve from LABEL ZDV D EODFNÄ¥RXW GULQNHU the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;hood and he liked us.

PHOTO: GETTY

Buckcherry frontman Josh Todd reveals how a teenage drug experience inspired the LA rockersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; party anthem.

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UTA & SIREN ARTIST MANAGEMENT

Upfront

OZZY AND ME...

PAUL ANTHONY The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently:

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Saint Joe WKH QHZ DOEXP IURP %URWKHUV 2VERUQH 7KH\ UHFHQWO\ FRPSOHWHG WKHLU ¿UVW KHDGOLQH WRXU RI WKH 8.

DQG DUH EDFN LQ 1RYHPEHU 'HFHPEHU LQFOXGLQJ DQ DSSHDUDQFH DW 3ODQHW 5RFNVWRFN My favourite Ozzy memory:

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PLANET ROCK

IAN DANTER The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently: 6WLOO

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Radio rockers: Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde and Wyatt Wendels.

MARK JEEVES The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently: The

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ICONICPIX

SPIRIT OF RADIO

A selection of Planet Rock presenters share their latest hot tips and Ozzy memories.

My First

gig

Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy Kilmister backstage at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 5 May, 1989.

My favourite Ozzy memory: One RI WKH ÂżUVW VRQJV , HYHU SOD\HG ZLWK D EDQG ZDV %DUN $W 7KH 0RRQ , ZRXOGQÂśW LPDJLQH LW ZDV YHU\ JRRG EXW LW GRHV VKRZ KRZ ODUJH 2]]\ ORRPHG LQ P\ WHHQDJH OLIH 6WLOO KDYHQÂśW PHW WKH PDQ EXW KH ZDV WKH JRÄĽWR URFN JRG IRU PH DQG P\ VXEXUEDQ URFNÄĽFUD]HG IULHQGV EDFN LQ WKH GLP DQG GLVWDQW SDVW

WYAT T WENDELS The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently: Nickelback on

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Their satanic majesties request: Ghost.

WHO: Iron Maiden WHERE:

Monsters Of Rock, Donington Park WHEN: August 20, 1988 While Iron Maiden travelled the world in the 1980s, they inexplicably failed to make it across the Irish Sea. For this Belfast teenager, this meant years of begging my parents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in vain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to take me to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Mainlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; so that I too could be targeted by Steve Harrisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fender Precision. Turning 18 in the summer of 1988, I resolved matters by booking a seat on a coach trip from local music store, Makinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard recently: , ORYH WKH QHZ

+LJKWRZQ 3DUDGH VLQJOH 6LOKRXHWWH 6R FDWFK\ DQG LW VRXQGV OLNH D EULOOLDQW $OWHU %ULGJH :LOGKHDUWV K\EULG My favourite Ozzy memory:

DARREN REDICK The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently: I

WLFNHG 1LFNHOEDFN RÉą P\ EXFNHW OLVW 7KH\ ZHUH YHU\ JRRG :RXOG KDYH OLNHG VRPH S\UR EXW KH\ÄĽKR $OVR VDZ D JURXS FDOOHG 4 7KH 0XVLF ZKR SHUIRUP RQO\ -DPHV %RQG VRQJV 7KH\ ZHUH H[FHOOHQW The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard recently: , DP WRWDOO\ GLJJLQJ

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Tracks, to see the band at the Monsters Of Rock festival.

Seeing Guns Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roses in the afternoon was a bonus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hear about the two on-site fatalities until later â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but this day was all about Maiden.

With six songs from my new favourite album, Seventh Sonâ&#x20AC;Ś, in the set and a stage stacked with icebergs, I was in heaven. We were later banned from boarding our ferry home when Stranraer cops took issue with one of our number taking a drunken slash against the side of another coach, but even this didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spoil the day.

Patrick Hinton, Belfast 6HQG \RXU œ0\ )LUVW *LJ¡ PHPRULHV WR M A I L @

Danny Bowes Presents

POCKET MONEY PICK The first record you bought with your own money.

This month: PR listener Matt Tibbits on Ted Nugentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Double Live Gonzo!.

Seriously uncool, but my pick would be Ted Nugentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Double Live Gonzo! which I bought from a great little independent record shop, actually called The Record Shop, in Kingstonupon-Thames with my ďŹ rst-ever wage packet (ÂŁ30), working for my sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boyfriendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dad as a labourer just after my 16th birthday. My sister had bought me his eponymous classic the previous Christmas (â&#x20AC;&#x2122;79) and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen him at Hammersmith Odeon in the spring, where he nodded with approval at my headbanging and knowledge of his songs! Double Live Gonzo! was pure, unadulterated Nuge of the time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thunderous-riffed, feedback-drenched, howling-guitar excess. Wild, cocky and exuberant but with a sense of fun. All of which appealed hugely at 16. Oh, how heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s let me down since!

Sticking with Detroit, I must have bought Kick Out The Jams by MC5 around the same time at the same shop.

The sheer energy and excitement surging through the grooves was utterly electrifying!

Hear T H U N D E R frontman DA N N Y B OW E S on P L A N E T R O C K HYHU\ 6XQGD\ IURP ÄŚ SP 2U WKH UHSHDW RQ 7KXUVGD\ IURP ÄŚ SP (DFK ZHHN KH EULQJV \RX a P OCKET M ON EY PICK

PLAN ETROCK.COM

PLANET ROCK

23

Upfront

LETTERS

BARK AT THE POSTMOON

Y O U R L E T T E R S P R I N T E D : I N C L U D I N G P H I L LY N O T T ’ S S W E A T, D E B A T E O N T H E G R E A T E S T L I V E ALBUM EVER AND THE DEATH OF ROCK’N’ROLL MISBEHAVIOUR… MAIL@PLANETROCK.COM

I particularly enjoyed the last issue and the Thin Lizzy lowdown, but I think you may have made a slight error saying Johnny The Fox was the “third set to feature the twin guitars”. You may have forgotten Nightlife, easily done as it’s a fine album that never got the plaudits it deserved. Talking of which, I can concur with Scott Gorham’s observation of Philip’s mic stand sitting in a pool of sweat during live sets. I had the good fortune to first see the four-piece Lizzy touring the aforesaid Nightlife album. Being a fit, fanatical 16-year-old, I battered my way to the front of the stage where I was standing directly under Phil. I will never forget being hit on a few occasions with sweat droplets that were coming off his chin – you don’t get much closer to the band (without being a groupie), I thought to myself. To add icing to a brilliant Lizzy memory cake, I saw Scott on the way out, shouted over that the gig was brilliant, and he replied by inviting me to the after-gig party in a hotel up the road, where I ended up drinking gin and orange [squash] with Brian Downey all evening. One of my first and best gig memories ever!

Michael ‘Dino’ MacLennan, Aghadowey, N. Ireland

FIRST-CLASS MAIL

YOU’RE HEARING WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR I strongly disagree with James McNair re: the greatest live album in rock history. Thin Lizzy’s Live And Dangerous is good, I admit, but the best live album is Strangers In The Night by UFO, always has been and always will be. For me there was just too much studio overdub polishing on Live And Dangerous, along with Judas Priest’s ‘Unleashed In The Studio’, LOL. I really hope Phil Mogg and Michael Schenker can see eye-to-eye just for a few weeks to maybe do a mini 40th-anniversary tour and play the full Strangers… set list. We can all live in hope for that. Also, please try to get Schenker and Pete Way together for a big Strangers In The Night retrospective/interview. If anyone can pull this off, it’s you guys!

Shaun Freeman, Creswell

SOMETHING’S MISSING… I’ve been reading your magazine since the very first issue. I think it’s great, with very well-written

24

PLANET ROCK

articles and good reviews. There is one thing missing, however: an Iron Maiden cover feature! It’s now 30 years since Seventh Son… was released and 30 years since I began listening to Iron Maiden.

Even my bulldog Bronson likes Iron Maiden: I’ve attached a picture of him with his mate Eddie. Yours in all sincerity, Ryan Spier, via email P.S. Doesn’t Alice Cooper make a great radio DJ? I think he’s really funny. I’m really looking forward to seeing him play with The Hollywood Vampires.

Ninety per cent perspiration: Lynott midst evaporative cooling.

I FEEL THAT THUNDER SHAT TERING MY BRAIN You guys are great at spotlighting young talent. Just caught up with the Planet Rock article on Greta Van Fleet and checked them out – simply awesome. Had to watch the videos three times before realising I had to get back to work! A real rock sound, unbelievable vocals and tight riffs.

A real breath of fresh air from such a young set of lads. Great shout Planet Rock.

Kev Bond, Sunderland, via planetrock.com

Number of the beasts: Eddie and Bronson.

THE HIDDEN THINGS THAT NO ONE SEES I realise that, for better or worse, times have changed in rock’n’roll but after reading your recent stories on Led Zeppelin (issue 6) and Thin Lizzy (issue 7), I feel a bit sorry for the likes of Stone Broken and Inglorious given that their wildest nights on the road seem to revolve around paid meet-and-greets with fans, a cold-meats

platter and energy drinks. No one wants to see rock bands behaving like barbarians, but what stories are these bands going to have when they grace the cover of your magazine in 20 years’ time? Live a little, guys, rock’n’roll is supposed to be fun!

Sharron Elden, via email

YOU THINK YOU KNOW IT… Re: Who The Hell Are These Guys?

The guy in the middle is definitely Steve Zodiac, which makes the band Vardis. I saw them at the Ayr Pavilion, ‘The Piv’ as it was known, on Sunday May 17, 1981; I still have the ticket on my wall. This was back in the days when Steve used to put talcum powder in his hair for visual effect!

Their gig was two weeks after the ‘Metal Mayhem’ gig at the Piv with Tygers Of Pan Tang, Magnum and Alcatraz. Halcyon days indeed!

Martin Gallagher, via email Thanks to Miika Grönrros, Richard Simons, Rob Chambers, John Tucker, Richard Wesley, William Gainford, Chris Wood, Howard Thorpe, Graham King, Graham Philpott and more who answered correctly.

GETTY

WE’RE BECOMING THE CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT

PRESENTS

T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E AT M Y T I C K E T. C O . U K

Upfront

FULL METAL JACKET

Planet Rock listeners show us their colours.

UFO

DAT E O F B I R T H : 1978

“I used to buy a lot of live albums and [1979’s] Strangers In The Night is unbelievable: I still get shivers up my spine when I play it. Michael Schenker is such a great guitarist.”

W H E R E F O U N D : Oswestry, Shropshire

“There weren’t many metal fans in Oswestry when I was growing up,” says Dennis Jarman, now resident in Crewe, “but Birmingham Odeon, Wolverhampton Civic and Manchester Apollo were great places to see bands. I got the bug for music when I ZDV DIWHU KHDULQJ Ĭ6ZHHW¶Vĭ %ORFNEXVWHU DW a primary school disco and it’s a way of OLIH IRU PH , VWLOO ZHDU WKH MDFNHW and people stop me at gigs WR WDON DERXW LW ´

M A N OWA R “I got these Manowar autographs at Manchester Apollo on the Spectacle Of Might tour in March 1984. I saw them three times on that tour. Before the Birmingham Odeon show [bassist] Joey DeMaio came out and brought us backstage and showed us their gear, which was cool.”

TE D N UG E NT

MARCO VIT TUR

RUSH “This was the first name I embroidered on the jacket: I’m sure I was listening to Hemispheres as I did it. I didn’t get to see Rush until 1982 on the Moving Pictures tour and then they lost me for quite a few years after Signals.

They got back on track with [2012’s] Clockwork Angels, but I’d discovered lots of heavier bands in between.”

26 P L A N E T R O C K

VA R D I S “I put this on after buying [1980 album]100 M.P.H. back in the day. It takes a lot of balls to make your debut album a live album. Vardis weren’t really a heavy metal band, more a boogie band. I saw them with Motörhead on the Ace Up Your Sleeve tour in 1980, and again in 1982 with Hawkwind. After they reformed, I saw and met them at the Brofest festival in Newcastle in 2014.”

“I embroidered Ted’s face from the Scream Dream album at the top of the jacket, but that didn’t turn out so well.

This one is Ted’s autograph, which I got after he played in London in 1984 on the Penetrator tour. I actually have that album cover tattooed on my back. I have about 400 live Ted gigs on tape, and all his vinyl.”

Don’t be shy. Raid that wardrobe, cellar or loft and email us a photo of your old colours to appear in the next issue of Planet Rock.

Contact: mail@planetrock.com.

Upfront

WHO:

Fred Astaire

WHERE:

The Beverly Wilshire hotel, Los Angeles

I N T E RV I E W : DA R R E N R E D I C K

I L L U S T R AT I O N S : C W B

WHEN:

28

May 17, 1974

W H E N YO U go to a lot of these Hollywood galas, like I do, you get to meet everybody. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have dinner with Elizabeth Taylor one night and Rita Hayworth another and then Groucho Marx the next night, people like that from the old crowd.

It was actually Groucho who brought Fred Astaire to our Welcome To My Nightmare show. Groucho loved what we did. He loved that it had comedy, but was rock and was powerful. He told Fred, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re gonna love this dance thing! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what you would have done back in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;40s!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Fred was always interested in all kinds of dance, that was his entire world. He had heard that the Nightmare show was unique and so he came along.

The show featured two guys and two girls who were serious Broadway dancers: my future wife, Sheryl, was one of them. Now, you can imagine, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a dancer, for Fred Astaire to come and watch you dance would be the highest compliment you could JHW ,W ZRXOG EH OLNH LI , ZDV RQÄ¥VWDJH and The Beatles were on the side of the stage watching. You know, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get better than that! So having him in the house made everyone perform at the top of their game.

At the end of the show, we did this one number on Some Folks PLANET ROCK

where the whole back of the costume was black. So they disappeared RQÄ¥VWDJH DQG DV VRRQ DV WKH\ WXUQHG around they had phosphorescent skeleton bones on their front. All of a sudden these dancers would just show up, skeletons dancing with top hats, canes and spats, which of course was very much what Fred used to wear.

At the end of the show he came backstage and said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Alice, that was unbelievable! I wish I would have seen that earlier. I would have used that kind of thing in my movies.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; He proceeded to compliment all of our dancers, which was so nice for them. Once when someone told Michael Jackson that he was the PRGHUQÄ¥GD\ )UHG $VWDLUH KH responded with, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Well, no one can touch Fred Astaire.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Fred used to love doing special HɱHFWV <RX UHPHPEHU KH XVHG WR dance on the walls and ceilings, in , WKLQN LW ZDV Ĭ PXVLFDO FRPHG\Ä­ Royal Wedding. I mean heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d dance with a hat rack or a mop, so he loved seeing us putting dance into a GLɱHUHQW IRUP )RU PH JHWWLQJ D picture with Fred Astaire was one RI P\ DOOÄ¥WLPH JUHDW PRPHQWV This was taken at a Hollywood ball celebrating MGMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s WK DQQLYHUVDU\ ,W¶V RQH RI P\ IDYRXULWH pictures that I have.

Listen to N I G H TS W I T H every weeknight on Planet Rock. Monday nights at SP 7XHVGD\Ħ)ULGD\ SP

ALICE COOPE R

FRED SAID, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I WISH Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D SEEN THAT EARLIER. I WOULD HAVE USED THAT STUFF IN MY MOVIES...â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Marry me!: the Coop with future wife Sheryl.

All right, said Fred: Cooper woos dancemad Astaire.

Upfront

The UK’s biggest rock festival, Download, returns to Donington Park on June 8-10. Festival booker Andy Copping looks back on 15 years of Download memories, shares his behind-the-scenes secrets and tells us exactly why we’re unlikely to ever see the Monsters Of Rock festival resurrected.

Plus:

30

PLANET ROCK

TH E

N I N E

BAN D S

YOU

M U ST

S E E

AT

D OWN LOAD!

PAUL HARRIES, GET TY

THE INSIDER

Upfront

ANDY COPPING is a music LQGXVWU\ OLIHU )URP '-ĥLQJ LQ D SXE LQ his hometown of Lincoln in the early ¶ V WR SXWWLQJ RQ VKRZV DW 1RWWLQJĥ KDP 5RFN &LW\ LQ WKH ¶ V WKURXJK WR KLV FXUUHQW UROH DV /LYH 1DWLRQ¶V 3UHVLGHQW RI 8. 7RXULQJ WKH DɱDEOH SURPRWHU KDV QHYHU ORVW KLV SDVVLRQ DQG HQWKXVLDVP IRU EULQJLQJ URFN music to the masses. On the eve of WKLV \HDU¶V 'RZQORDG IHVWLYDO GXH WR EH KHDGOLQHG E\ $YHQJHG 6HYHQIROG *XQV 1¶5RVHV DQG 2]]\ 2VERXUQH 3ODQHW 5RFN VDW GRZQ ZLWK &RSSLQJ WR JHW WKH WUXH VWRULHV EHKLQG WKH 8.¶V ODUJHVW GHGLFDWHG URFN ZHHNHQGHU You founded Download festival in 2003: what was the original impetus for doing so? ,Q WKHUH ZDV DQ 2]]IHVW VKRZ DW 'RQLQJWRQ DQG LW ZDV UHDOO\ VXFFHVVIXO VR ZH WKRXJKW ³7KDW¶V GRQH UHDOO\ ZHOO 32

PLANET ROCK

ZH VKRXOG ORRN DW GRLQJ DQ DQQXDO HYHQW ´ 2EYLRXVO\ 'RQLQJWRQ KDV DOO WKH KLVWRU\ KDYLQJ EHHQ WKH KRPH RI the Monsters Of Rock festival, so the LGHD ZDV DOPRVW WR EULQJ 0RQVWHUV 2I 5RFN NLFNLQJ DQG VFUHDPLQJ LQWR WKH PRGHUQ GD\ EXW DOVR WR GR WKLQJV D ELW GLɱHUHQWO\ Ħ PXOWLĥVWDJHV PXOWLĥGD\ FDPSLQJ HWF Many Planet Rock readers have cherished memories of the Donington site hosting the Monsters Of Rock festival: was resurrecting that franchise ever an option?

I have fond memories of Monsters Of Rock too. I ZDV DW WKH ¿UVW

Top dog: Andy Copping at work on Download â&#x20AC;&#x2122;18; (below, from left) Greta Van Fleet, Kid Rock, AC/DCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Angus Young.

For those who recall the Monsters Of Rock events, the idea of a single-stage, six-to-12 artist festival remains appealing: is such a model workable now? :HOO , WKLQN LW¶V D VWUXJJOH DW D ODUJH OHYHO 7KHUH¶V D QXPEHU RI RWKHU URFN IHVWLYDOV RXW WKHUH Ħ 5DPEOLQ¶ 0DQ 6WHHOKRXVH +DUG 5RFN +HOO DQG REYLRXVO\ 3ODQHW 5RFNVWRFN WRR Ħ ZKLFK DOO GR DPD]LQJO\ ZHOO EXW WR JHW WR ĥ SHRSOH DQG EH\RQG LV D UHDO VWUXJJOH ZLWK WKDW JHQUH ,W¶G EH KDUG WR JHW WKDW ROG 0RQVWHUV 2I 5RFN PRGHO Rɱ WKH JURXQG IRU SHRSOH ZH NQRZ EHFDXVH ZH¶YH WULHG LW The main stage headliners this year have all headlined Download before: are you concerned about a lack of new headline-worthy acts coming through? :HOO VWULFWO\ VSHDNLQJ 2]]\ KDVQ¶W KHDGOLQHG EHIRUH KH¶V GRQH LW WZLFH ZLWK %ODFN 6DEEDWK EXW not as a solo artist. But LI , ORRN DW SRWHQWLDO Download headliners that KDYHQ¶W SOD\HG already, there is still quite a QXPEHU RXW WKHUH %RQ -RYL *UHHQ 'D\ 3HDUO

PAUL HARRIES, GET TY

THE IDEA WAS TO BRING MONSTERS OF ROCK KICKING AND SCREAMING INTO THE MODERN DAY.

one in 1980. The name has actually EHHQ EURXJKW EDFN EHIRUH ZH GLG D Monsters Of Rock tour in arenas, and we did a Monsters Of Rock show at 0LOWRQ .H\QHV ĬLQ ZLWK 'HHS 3XUSOH KHDGOLQLQJ DERYH $OLFH &RRSHU 7KXQGHU -RXUQH\ DQG PRUHĭ ZKLFK GLG 2. LQ WHUPV RI DXGLHQFH QXPEHUV EXW GLGQ¶W GR JUHDW 6R ZH KDG WR WKLQN DERXW ZKDW NLQG RI OHYHO ZH FRXOG GR 0RQVWHUV 2I 5RFN :LWK WKH JUHDWHVW UHVSHFW WR WKDW EUDQG ZH ZHUH QHUYRXV DERXW JRLQJ LQ DQG KDYLQJ D UHDO SXQW DW LW EHFDXVH WKHUH MXVW GLGQ¶W VHHP WR EH D VWURQJ HQRXJK PDUNHW 'RZQORDG WRXFKHV DFURVV DOO JHQUHV RI URFN LQFOXGLQJ FODVVLF KHULWDJH URFN DQG ZH¶YH KDG WKH OLNHV RI $HURVPLWK %ODFN 6DEEDWK 0HWDOOLFD DQG 'HI /HSSDUG KHDGOLQLQJ IURP WKH FODVVLF URFN HUD VR WR VSHDN DQG REYLRXVO\ ZH¶YH JRW *XQV 1¶5RVHV DQG 2]]\ WKLV \HDU :H¶UH H[SHFWLQJ D JUHDW IHVWLYDO

Jam, Van Halen, Foo Fighters and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s before you get into the likes of Queens Of The Stone Age, Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon, Volbeat, Alter Bridgeâ&#x20AC;Ś When you actually dig deep into the well of bands you could choose from, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still a lot of options. Even with someone like Black Stone Cherry, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing as special guests to Guns Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roses this year, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to say that they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a potential KHDGOLQHU LQ WKUHH IRXU ÂżYH \HDUV" Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m aware of, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not something Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m worried about.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re inevitably going to encounter some hiccups across 15 years of staging a festival.

What were the most problematic situations youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve faced?

Other than the weather, which has been a nightmare on a few occasions, there can sometimes be issues with artists. Like the year Kid Rock came RQÄĽVLWH DQG GHFLGHG KH ZDQWHG WR OHDYH without playing. Like Metallica in 2004 ZKHQ /DUV ÄŹ8ULFK 0HWDOOLFDÎźV GUXPÄĽ PHUÄ­ GLGQÂśW DSSHDU 7KHUHÂśV D QHZ challenge every year, some potentially more catastrophic than others! But weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always managed to come through. The spirit of Download is such that everyone pulls together, and nothing is going to stop the rock.

Since Download launched, a number of other high-proďŹ le festivals have come and gone.

To what do you attribute Downloadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continued success?

I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the loyalty of the fans, which weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never taken for granted and never will. We made a big point right from the beginning of letting the fans have a say about how they want the festival to be, not just with the EDQGV WKDW SOD\ EXW ZLWK WKH OD\ÄĽRXW DQG WKH GLÉąHUHQW WKLQJV ZH KDYH RQÄĽVLWH DQG WKH DIWHUÄĽKRXUV DFWLYLWLHV Download belongs to the fans, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s their festival, not mine. Lots of the fans treat Download like their annual holiday, their annual pilgrimage: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen it with fans streaming in when we RSHQ WKH GRRUV VD\LQJ Âł:HÎźUH KRPH ´ Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re unbelievably lucky to have a site with all that history and all that heritage and a festival thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carrying on that spirit. As long as they remain loyal to the festival, the festival will remain loyal to them.

Looking back over the past 15 years, is there one particular booking youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re particularly proud of, one you consider a real coup?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have to say AC/DC in 2010. They hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t done a festival in nearly 10 years, and they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t looking to play festivals, but I convinced them to play.

Yes, they brought their own stage, yes, they brought a whole load of demands, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AC/DC, and I would do the same again. It was an important part of Downloadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth that we got a band like AC/DC and it was an incredible day: we had over 100,000 people in that year. I feel that was my biggest, most inspired and best booking.

Is there one dream booking you keep chasing and havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t landed for Download yet?

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a few, actually: Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Van Halenâ&#x20AC;Ś weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been unbelievably close on all of those acts.

In fact, Pearl Jam and Van Halen have ERWK FRQÂżUPHG SUHYLRXVO\ EXW KDG WR SXOO RXW IRU GLÉąHUHQW UHDVRQV $QG ZLWK Foo Fighters we thought we had them DQG WKHQ 'DYH ÄŹ*URKOÄ­ EURNH KLV OHJ If Led Zeppelin ever decide to reform, ,ÂśOO GHÂżQLWHO\ EH VHHNLQJ WKHP RXW Could you select three acts playing Download 2018 that Planet Rock readers should see this year, come hell or high water?

Greta Van Fleet for a start. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have read about them, and this is a chance to see what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all about. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pick Thunder and Black Stone Cherry together, because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing before Guns Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roses, and I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be pretty special. And then obviously *XQV WKHPVHOYHV 6ODVK 'XÉą DQG $[O back together at Download with a WKUHHÄĽDQGÄĽDÄĽKDOIÄĽKRXU VHW 7KDWÂśV JRLQJ to be the ultimate rock show. Even before they did their shows at the 2O\PSLF 6WDGLXP LQ /RQGRQ ODVW \HDU ÄŚ playing to 150,000 people across the WZR QLJKWV ÄŚ WKH SODQ ZDV WR KDYH WKHP at Download this year. They desperately wanted to play, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great tribute to what we do. It was quite heartwarmÄĽ ing when they insisted they had to play, and I welcomed them with open arms. will be held DW 'RQLQJWRQ 3DUN RQ -XQH ÄŚ

D OW N L OA D F E S T I VA L

Nine Bands You Must See At Download 2018

1

Ozzy Osbourne

2

Guns Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roses

3

Black Stone Cherry

This issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cover star needs no introduction.

As youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll read on page 80, we witnessed Ozzyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent shows in Mexico and Chile and, trust us, this set is all killer, no filler. When the sun sets on June 10, the Prince Of Darkness will own Donington Park.

Some 30 years on from their Donington debut, Axl, Slash and Duff return to metalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most hallowed turf as part of their phenomenally successful Not In This Lifetimeâ&#x20AC;Ś tour. Expect all the hits, and some intriguing left-field covers.

Andy Copping reckons that the Kentucky rockers could be future Download headliners, so letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consider their June 9 set their audition for the top slot. The quartetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new album Family Tree certainly boasts enough Southern-fried anthems to hold the largest of crowds enrapt.

4

The Temperance Movement

5

Thunder

With this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sterling A Deeper Cut album, TTM proved that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re among the finest hard rock bands on these shores. Download 2018 could be the moment where they truly come of age.

The Londoners opened the 1990 Monsters Of Rock bill, returning to Donington two years later to play beneath headliners Iron Maiden and main support Skid Row. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the same slot on June 9, and will light a fire under Axlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

ass with their classy, very British, hard rock.

6

Shinedown

7

Inglorious

8

Greta Van Fleet

9

Babymetal

One of modern rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most unassuming yet popular live draws, Shinedown last graced Downloadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main stage in 2016. The Jacksonville, Florida quartetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new album, Attention Attention, debuted in the UK Top 10 in May, so they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be short of fans on June 10.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I hear one more of these old c**ts talking about how rock is dead, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to lose my shit!â&#x20AC;? So said Ingloriousâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ever-quotable frontman Nathan James in Planet Rock issue 4. Opening the main stage on June 10 will give the feisty frontman the perfect opportunity to back up his belief that rock is entering a new golden era.

The new Led Zeppelin?

The weight of expectation has crushed many promising bands, but GVF continue to soar, seemingly unburdened by constant comparisons to the most successful hard rock band of all time. See for yourself why the Michigan kids are 2018â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most hyped stars-in-waiting.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be honest, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t promise that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll like, much less understand, Babymetal. But we can 100 per cent guarantee that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never have seen anything like these three Japanese girls and their insanely energetic, mind-warping mash-up of J-Pop and thrashing heavy metal. Consider yourself warnedâ&#x20AC;Ś

Unleashed from the East: Babymetal.

Upfront

In bloom: John Corabi on-stage with The Dead Daisies, Oslo, April 21, 2018.

Seeds Of Change D E A D DA I S I E S F R O N T M A N John Corabi has revealed to Planet Rock that he owes his mother a debt of thanks for setting him on the path to rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll stardom. The ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG VLQJHU ZKRVH &9 LQFOXGHV VWLQWV LQ 0|WOH\ &U H DQG 5DWW WHOOV :\DWW :HQGHOV WKDW D EXPSHU KDXO RI YLQ\O JLIWHG WR KLP DV D &KULVWPDV SUHVHQW GXULQJ KLV WHHQV SURYLGHG KLP ZLWK D SULFHOHVV URFNÂśQÂśUROO HGXFDWLRQ DQG a lifelong love of David Bowie. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As I started getting really LQWR PXVLF , ZDV OLNH , ZDQW WR JURZ P\ KDLU ORQJHU DQG , VWRSSHG JRLQJ WR &DWKROLF VFKRRO VR , FRXOG ´ KH UHFDOOV Âł0\ PRP VDZ 2. KHÂśV REVHVVHG ZLWK JXLWDU VR VKH MXVW ZHQW RXW WR VRPH PXVLF VWRUH DQG VKHÂśV OLNH Îź0\ VRQÂśV LQWR WKLV URFN VWXÉą , ZDQW WR JHW KLP VRPH UHFRUGV IRU Christmas.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; She ERXJKW PH *UDQG â&#x20AC;&#x153;I STOPPED )XQN 5DLOURDGÂśV Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re GOING TO An American Band CATHOLIC 'HHS 3XUSOH Machine Head ÄŹ/HGÄ­ Zeppelin SCHOOL SO I IV -LPL +HQGUL[ Are COULD GROW You Experienced Three MY HAIR.â&#x20AC;?

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T H E D E A D DA I S I E S

PLANET ROCK

TERJE DOKKEN/PHOTOSHOT

ON PLANET ROCK

How a generous Christmas gift of vinyl helped spawn The Dead Daisies.

35

Upfront

Riff raff: Joe Bonamassa.

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4

BLUESBREAKERS All Your Love

(on Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton, 1966)

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5

J EFF BECK Let Me Love You (on Truth, 1968)

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3

J OHN MAYALL & THE

BLUESBREAKERS So Many Roads

(B-side to Looking Back single, 1966)

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36

PLANET ROCK

I LIKE THINGS TOUGH AND ANGRY, NOT TAME...

RORY GALL AGHER I Wonder Who (on Irish Tour â&#x20AC;&#x2122;74, 1974)

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6

LED ZEPPELIN How Many More Times (on Led Zeppelin, 1969)

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His British Blues Explosion Live album is out now on Mascot.

J O E B O N A M AS SA

C O U R T PA L AC E F E S T I VA L

PHOTOS: RICK GOULD, GETTY

1

J OHN MAYALL & THE

(on Wheels Of Fire, 1968)

WORDS: PAUL BRANNIGAN

THE BRITISH BLUES EXPLOSION 2

Crossroads

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Six songs from...

Joe Bonamassa selects half-adozen fretboard-scorchers from Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and other guitar magi.

CREAM

VMS Live and Neil O’Brien Entertainment present

& friends feat. very special guest Billy F. Gibbons

Wednesday 4th July 2018 • O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire vmstickets.co.uk • o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk VMS Live Presents

plus guests

Friday 26th October 2018 ULU Live at Student Central Doors 7.30pm • Curfew 11pm • Tickets £15 adv • 14+ Tickets: www.ulu-live.co.uk www.snakecharmer.org

Upfront

MY GUIDE TO LIFE

GLENN DANZIG THE MISFITS AND DANZIG LEGEND SHARES HIS HARD-WON WISDOM ON THE ART OF BRUCE LEE, THE “ V I C I O U S ” N E W YO R K P U N K S C E N E , G OV E R N M E N TA L C R I M E S A N D W O R K I N G W I T H J O H N N Y CA S H …

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38

PLANET ROCK

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PHOTO: GETTY

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American nightmare: Glenn Danzig in 1981.

To Russia with love: Richie Sambora with obliging frontovik at the Moscow Peace Festival, August 13, 1989.

THE PLANET ROCK INTERVIEW AS GUITARIST WITH US SUPERSTARS BON JOVI,

RICHIE SAMBORA

LIVED OUT EVERY ROCK

FANTASY IMAGINABLE. BUT IN A SEARINGLY HONEST INTERVIEW, HE REVEALS HOW FAME CAME AT A COST – BEFORE LOVE SAVED HIM… INTERVIEW

BY

ALICE CLARK. PORTRAIT

BY

GEORGE CHIN BOR N

July 11, 1959 Perth Amboy, New Jersey OCCU PATION

Guitarist Vocalist Songwriter Producer YEAR S ACTIVE

1977-present ASSOCIATE D ACTS

ICONICPIX

Bon Jovi RSO

PLANET ROCK

41

MAN

What are your earliest musical memories?

My mom letting me stay up late to see The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. That was 1964, I was ďŹ ve, and as I sat in the front room watching them on TV Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m thinking, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I want to do.â&#x20AC;? You could get 45s for 45 cents or even a quarter if they were on sale, so I started going out buying records: The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, lots of Motown, R&B. Seeing The Beatles had made me fall in love with songwriting, and this is the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;60s, so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got so much to feed from: Hendrix, Cream, Simon & Garfunkel, the Allman Brothersâ&#x20AC;Ś I have always been a natural musician with a good ear and I understood the language of music, so I was able to play many different instruments at school. Believe it or not, I started playing the accordion at six. The guitar was the last instrument I learned.

At the still tender age of 13?

Yeah. My dad got me a guitar for 10 bucks, a Japanese one, which someone had ordered but not picked up from the shop. So I sat down with all my favourite records â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter, blues, Led Zeppelin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and I started playing the guitar along to them. Then I applied myself to learn chords and within six months I was in a band playing blues covers. It was a quick burn. I played all day and all night. My mom insisted I had a guitar in my hands constantly and I still do.

That band was Shark Frenzy wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it? Who were they?

42

PLANET ROCK

It was Bruce Foster â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who I still write with and is a very good friend of mine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and a couple of session guys and they brought me into their fold. They were older guys, seasoned, and I was a 19-year-old reprobate. They were a very important band for me because they got me in on sessions they were doing and they taught me a lot, such as how to learn to play what solo was appropriate for what song and what lyrics. They were called Frenzy, as it was an improvisational frenzy; we would just go crazy and say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like a group of sharks feeding.

Then there were the bands Mercy and Message, the latter signed to Led Zeppelinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swan Song Records, but never releasing an album. Was it frustrating for you as an artist to have success just beyond your fingertips?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen Kiss when they played with the New York Dolls at Maxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kansas City. I was more of a blues-based fan but I got them, and I was excited as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never been in California before. But when I got out there I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what the hell I was doing so I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just kind of jam.â&#x20AC;? They were like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No!â&#x20AC;? They really wanted someone who worshipped their whole trip, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what they were looking for and they got that with Vinnie Vincent. He did a great job. I stayed over in California for a couple more weeks, picked up a couple of gigs, made some new friends.

You got to see Bon Jovi play before you actually joined the band: Jon was obviously the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leader and driving force. What did you make of him/them?

Al [Alec John Such, bassist], who was in Message with me and was moonlighting with Jon, said I should come and see them. He said that Tico [Torres, drummer], who was in Message with us, was also playing with them as well. This was at a club called the Fountain Casino. It was clear Jon was the star of the band and I liked the songs but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is it!â&#x20AC;?, when I joined them. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect fame and riches.

What are your memories of those very early years?

We worked and worked our asses off with those ďŹ rst two records [1984â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bon Jovi and 1985â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 7800Ë&#x161; Fahrenheit] and we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ nd our sound, we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ nd our songwriting vein and I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the records we were making. People liked what we were doing but I knew our potential was a lot more than that. For me, once Slippery When Wet happened, then we really became a band.

Was there a certain amount of pressure for the band to deliver with Slippery When Wet?

HIGHWAY STAR Sambora has a street named after him in New Jersey. Richie Sambora Way is close to the guitaristâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former high school in Woodbridge.

It was really frustrating. I had had three record deals that had all failed. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like this: if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any clout in the record company you have to get on the right release schedule, so you better ďŹ t in the slot. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, you get a week of marketing money and if it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ&#x201A;y you are toast. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the way it was back then and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worse now (laughs).

In 1982 you were flown out to LA to audition for Kiss: what are your memories of that experience?

Yeah. We were in debt to the record company. I was paying myself $350 a week which I had to recoup every week.

My guitar roadie was making more than I was. Before I joined I was rolling in it! I had my own record company [Dream Disc Records], I co-owned a night club.

That album is a huge leap forward in terms of songwriting. How did the shift come about?

Jon always had in his mind that Bon Jovi was just him, a frontman, no band, and I kept telling him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dude, American rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll, we need to be an American rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll band.â&#x20AC;? So we were up against it and I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let me in this time, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s have a good shot at it.â&#x20AC;? When we played the demos in the studio it sounded like a band, we sounded like we were the guys in the statements we were singing. I felt we had something way different from those ďŹ rst two albums and that it was going to erupt. Wanted Dead Or Alive was a very important song for us,

ROSS HALFIN, GET TY

I DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T NEED ANY MORE RECOGNITION,â&#x20AC;?

Richie Sambora laughs down the phone to Planet Rock. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seriously if I ever ask for more recognition, come on over and stab me in the eye with a pencil. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had more than enough to last a lifetime.â&#x20AC;? +HÂśV JRW D SRLQW $V WKH FRÄĽVRQJZULWHU DQG JXLWDULVW LQ Bon Jovi for 31 years, Sambora has sold over 130 million albums worldwide and penned some of hard rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recognisable anthems, becoming a poster boy for the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s KDUG URFN JHQHUDWLRQ Âł,WÂśV JUHDW WR ZLHOG WKDW LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFH ´ he says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing now is totally liberating. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a chance to get experimental and push myself artistically. Because people monitor you, they give you a label. They see that guy who played guitar with Bon Jovi and they think they know how I sound. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.â&#x20AC;?

With his new musical and romantic partner Orianthi, formerly Michael Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guitarist DQG PRUH UHFHQWO\ WKH ÂżUVW IHPDOH PHPEHU RI $OLFH &RRSHUÂśV EDQG WKH IRUPHU %RQ -RYL PDQ KDV IRUPHG 562 ÄŞ5LFKLH 6DPERUD 2ULDQWKLÄŤ 7KHLU VXSHUEO\ FUDIWHG GHEXW Radio Free America, fanfares a mature, accomplished sound that draws on blues, pop, R&B, country, rock, and URFNÂśQÂśUROO 3URGXFHG E\ %RE 5RFN LW IHDWXUHV D VWHOODU OLQHÄĽXS RI JXHVWV WRR LQFOXGLQJ &RRSHU and Robby Krieger from The Doors.

6DPERUD PHW $GHODLGHÄĽERUQ 2ULDQWKL LQ ZKLOH SHUIRUPLQJ LQ +DZDLL 7KH\ÂśYH VLQFH VHW up home together and, at the instigation of Rock, built a studio there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The kitchenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the main hub,â&#x20AC;? he enthuses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where all the action takes place. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got speakers, keyboards, computers, mics in there. Then in the dining room weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the amps, in the living room weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got racks of guitars and the home theatre is the drum room. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect.â&#x20AC;?

After the tour of the house, Sambora takes Planet Rock on a tour of his musical life, from JURZLQJ XS LQ 1HZ -HUVH\ WR JOREDO PHJDÄĽIDPH DQG WKH SODFH KHÂśV DW QRZ ZLWK 2ULDQWKL Âł,WÂśV LQJUDLQHG LQ XV DV VRQJZULWHUV ÄŚ WKDW GHVLUH WR WUDQVFHQG ODQJXDJH DQG JHQUH WR SOD\ IRU SHRSOH entertain them, and write songs that can be the soundtrack to their livesâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

Wanted: (clockwise from top left) Bon Jovi in â&#x20AC;&#x2122;87 (from left) David Bryan, Tico Torres, Jon BJ, Richie Sambora, Alec John Such; with Cher, â&#x20AC;&#x2122;89; rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with Jon; flanked by daughter Ava and Orianthi at BJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2018 Hall of Fame induction; saluting 9/11 heroes; with ex-wife Heather Lockyear; posing; â&#x20AC;&#x153;What can I say?!â&#x20AC;?

It actually yielded two Number 1 singles in the US and a two-month residency atop the Billboard album charts. In what ways did you notice your life changing as it took off?

It was like riding a rocket ship. Our work rate was unparalleled. We did every interview in every city in every country. We covered more ground and more stuff than any other band did. We became the MTV darlings and you couldn’t get us off there. Suddenly there was all that adoration which was totally different to before, and then there was the aspect of money, which you had to deal with and grow up about. I was single, put everything safely away, bought my mum and dad a house and retired them, and went back to work.

As an artist always taking music seriously, did becoming a pin-up sit easily with you?

I didn’t mind it. If a guy had a picture of me playing guitar on his wall that was cool. I had pictures of Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton in my room when I was growing up and the girls having you up in their room – there’s nothing wrong with that. Fast-forward a couple of years and I’m at the Golden Globes or something like that and Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow come up to me and go, “We had pictures of you on our walls when we were 15.” I’m like, “Great, that makes me feel, like, really young!”

But it’s very flattering that we were able to influence a generation of people. When someone says you’re the biggest band on the planet right now, it doesn’t matter how long it is for, it’s a big deal.

For a three-year period we did more damage than any other band. But then Michael Jackson came along and blew everyone out of the water.

Given that you had to follow-up such a hugely successful album, and were probably viewed in certain quarters of the music industry as a flash-in-the-pan, was New Jersey a difficult album to make?

“JENNIFER ANISTON AND GWYNETH PALTROW CAME UP AND SAID, ‘WE HAD PICTURES OF YOU ON OUR WALLS WHEN WE WERE 15...’”

We started with a conversation. Each song had to have a purpose, like, “This song is going to do this for this – so what are we going to say to bring people together? Or what are we going to say to stick to your guns? Or what are we going to say to have fun?” I was going through a shitty relationship and Bad Medicine was exactly what that relationship was.

While everyone else in the band had some kind of settled life I was single and wild, so a lot of the time we would write about my life, because it was always colourful. It was an exciting record and we had our second US Number 1, five Top 10 hits, including two Number 1s, and our first Number 1 in the UK. There were rumours towards the end of the New Jersey cycle that you’d quit the band: was there any hint of truth to that or any private thoughts where you felt like stepping away from the group?

There might have been a hint of truth but it was a bluff, it had nothing to do with the guys or the music.

It was a business thing I had to get done because of the weird nature of my record contract. Let’s leave that there. No one wants to read about that stuff.

You released your debut solo album in 1991, Stranger In This Town, with a guest cameo from Eric Clapton. What are your memories of working alongside Clapton, a long-time hero?

It felt pretty damn good, come on! It was a triumph, singing again and being out front, and having Eric Clapton on there CHER HEART was a dream come true. It was funny ATTACK because me and Bo Diddley gave him RSO released a cover an award at some ceremony [the of Sonny And Cher’s Yeah, both of us felt pressure. Because, International Rock Awards, June 1990] 1965 hit I Got You for me, Slippery When Wet was the and we soundchecked together and Babe on Valentine’s beginning of our career so the sophotalked and I got this company to make Day. Sambora used more jinx was our next record. Everyhim this beautiful acoustic guitar to date Cher, and cothing before Slippery When Wet was inscribed from me. I wrote him a heartwrote two songs for a sketch. Like da Vinci would do a her in the ’80s. felt letter and told him about the song sketch before a painting and we did Mr Bluesman, which I wrote about him and all the genuine bluesmen, and I said I would be three years of fucking sketches before we did the honoured if he would play a solo on it. And he said, painting. Also while everyone else got a bit of time “Yeah!” Just like that! I never expected a “yeah”, not off, Jon and I had to spend that time writing, then even close to one because I really didn’t know him, he we’re demoing together, recording together, but from had no obligation. But he was playing the Royal that embryonic writing stage to the mastering Albert Hall in London and he called me up and we I learned everything from those guys. I watched recorded that and it was a dream night. everything going on.

The Bon Jovi that emerged with Keep The How did the writing relationship work with Faith in 1992 seemed, from the outside, like you and Jon? a very different proposition, in terms of 44

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sound as well as presentation. What were the discussions that led to that stylistic shift?

The interesting thing about doing solo records is that you get to learn a whole new skill set. Neil Dorfsman, who co-produced Stranger In This Town, had just won a Grammy for [Dire Straits’ 1985] Brothers In Arms, I had Tony Levin on stand-up bass from [Peter] Gabriel’s band, and I started to switch on lyrically. It did start to be serious. When I wrote Ballad Of Youth I felt I had a message. I’d grown up somehow and was 28 (laughs), I had some wisdom to share. It’s interesting if you watch the video now, how relevant it still is. Keep The Faith was a much more sophisticated record both musically and lyrically, like with If I Was Your Mother, which is the craziest title ever, and it is heavy stuff. We were going through a metamorphosis, everyone was growing up. We survived the grunge period, and people thought we would never survive that.

Were you a fan of any of those grunge bands – Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, etc?

Yeah, Pearl Jam, definitely. I went to Lollapalooza every year, even went to the first one in 1991.

Bon Jovi took a proper hiatus after 1995’s These Days album, and returned with Crush in 2000. You’d just completed touring that album in 2001 when the 9/11 attacks happened. Obviously, you’d still got family and friends in New York and New Jersey, so what were your memories of that day and the immediate aftermath?

I was at Jon’s house the morning of [the attacks] as we were going to start writing what would be the next record. Jon and I were the first guys to do a PSA [public service announcement] for the Red Cross, and we sang on the steps of the firehouse in tribute to the first responders. I mean, this is what you have to do. You have to show up and give support. It was a tough time for everyone.

Later on in the decade, you spoke candidly about personal issues with alcohol and prescription drugs: looking back now, can you see where those problems started and when exactly it started to become an issue you couldn’t ignore?

I was having a tough time. My dad was dying of cancer. I was getting a divorce [from actress Heather Locklear]. I was a single father, and I’m in this huge band about to do this huge tour. On the first day I’m separated I’m in this huge house I’d bought for my mom and dad and I woke up, slipped on some stupid rug I didn’t know was there as it was the first night in this house, and I broke my shoulder in three places. In two and a half weeks we had 28 dates to play and I couldn’t move my arm at all. I went to physiotherapy and the pain was excruciating so I had to go on painkillers or I wouldn’t have survived the pain.

But the tour went ahead?

The tour goes off without a hitch, no one really knows what I did and I got through it. That was the addiction part of it and I was drinking too, and that was a double whammy. I was never a pill guy, I didn’t know anything about this shit so I thought I’d just give

ICONICPIX

because it brought in a male audience and we needed that. Then there’s Livin’ On A Prayer, absolutely nothing needs saying about that one, it’s a song everyone understands. I thought maybe we can go platinum or double platinum.

Livinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on a prayer: Sambora at the Monsters Of Rock festival, Castle Donington, August 17, 1985.

it up one day, just stop. So I stopped, and I started shaking like a leaf, and I said to myself, “Do I have Parkinson’s?” No, I was coming off the synthetic heroin pills I’d been taking for the pain the last six months. I was an idiot. Unfortunately, it happened in the middle of a performance. I started shaking, I couldn’t really play. So then there was time off, so I said, “OK, I’ve got to get off this stuff.”

Was that a difficult process?

duelling guitars going on. Orianthi is amazing. She’s a great songwriter, arranger, producer… but what’s so great is despite her being younger we’re on the same page, we’re in tandem. We have the same influences and we know who we are.

Together, as RSO, you released the Rise EP last year and now you’ve got your debut album Radio Free America: it’s a diverse set, so what was your vision for the album and how did it come together?

It wasn’t hard. After a week and a half I was back and The vision was let’s experiment and see how then I went to rehab sober! I’m serious! It was much we can cover genre-wise, and not lose interesting. There were great psychologists the continuity of the sonic perspective. The there and I’m one of those weirdos who doesn’t record still sounds like us, it’s not going mind therapy, I want to know what the to upset the applecart, and that’s hell’s going on and songwriting for me is because we own it. That’s the differtherapy. So that’s what went down. It ence between a pro and an amateur. A was a blip on the radar screen and I had pro owns it. An amateur doesn’t. You’ve to deal with one of life’s little tragedies, got to feel it in your heart, then you can because humanity is on both sides of transfer that spirit to the audience. We the street. We share a lot of the same could take time to do that and it’s been stuff, everybody goes through heartSTAYING ALIVE an incredible experience. We’ve ache, grief, loss, joy, pain – and that’s A teenage Richie finished 25 songs, that’s two-and-awhat I tap into as a songwriter.

Sambora plays guitar half albums, and we’ve got 50 songs in a band in a nightclub You walked away from Bon Jovi waiting. Lyrically, I explore relationships scene in Staying Alive, in 2014, which must have been more than on the past records I’ve the 1983 sequel to a huge decision to take. What made, but then there are liberating Saturday Night Fever. were your motivations for quitting songs like Rise and Making History, Don’t bother watching the band? it, it’s rubbish.

We had the worst road schedule in the world. The Rolling Stones and U2 and these other big bands, they take two years off and do nothing.

We were never that band, and my daughter was in teen mode and missing me. Her mum was having a hard time and I just needed to be a dad and a normal human being and, quite frankly, I wanted to get back to my thing, to sing, to write, to creatively go to different places. When you are in a huge organisation like Bon Jovi, and on the road for 16 months, you’re in a cocoon, but life continues, there are marriages, divorces, births, deaths. As a musician there is no room for artistic growth if you are on the road all the time. So I came home and played and played. I’ve never played more piano than then.

“AT THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME CEREMONY YOU SEE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE SCREWED YOU OVER...” which are tough-ass party songs that are going to rock the house and people can have fun with.

This is your musical focus now, but you did reunite with Bon Jovi in April for the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. How was that evening for you?

It was a great thing for everyone to get back together again. It sounded like us again and the place went shithouse. My mom was there, my daughter was there, my beautiful girlfriend was there, it was a great night. It’s interesting when you are in a room like that when you have been in the business for 40 years.

You see so many people out there who have helped you and so many that have screwed you over, and you’re like, “I see you, I forgive you all, I know who you are, it’s all good, we won’t start no shit today.”

Is the door open for you should you decide that you’d like to go back to Bon Jovi?

Oh God, I don’t know. That’s an impossible question.

Jon’s got to want to do it, I’ve got to want to do it, it’s got to be the right time. And the thing is, I like the way things are going in my life right now. I’m very happy with the music I make and I get to play on other people’s records and produce other people’s records, and I get a chance to be with my family. I can say, “I’m taking three days off, and just take the kids and go off somewhere.” That makes me happy.

R S O ’s debut album, Radio Free America, is out now on BMG. The album is reviewed on page 103.

In 2013, you began dating your girlfriend and musical partner in RSO, Orianthi: how did that partnership develop, romantically and musically?

Happy days: with Orianthi in RSO.

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ALAMY

We worked it out on the road for two years. We were writing the whole time and our voices were getting closer together, and now we have this unique sound when we sing and then we have the

FEATURING DISTURBED I SLIPKNOT I AVENGED SEVENFOLD I MOTORHEAD I MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND I PANIC! AT THE DISCO I BIFFY CLYRO I ROYAL BLOOD AND MANY, MANY MORE

OUT NOW ON CD, VINYL & DIGITAL

Gibson explorer: The Darkness’s Justin Hawkins meets his ‘people’ at Emo’s, Austin, Texas, May 1, 2018.

ON THE ROAD

FRONTIER Once Britain’s favourite band, T H E D A R K N E S S have survived cocaine addiction, tabloid scandals and a nasty break-up to reclaim a spot in rock’s top division. Planet Rock joins the quartet in Texas to hear tales of partying, rehab and accidental nudity. “We deserve to be popular,” insists Justin Hawkins, “because we’re fucking great.”

WORDS

PHOTOGRAPHY

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Lone Star statement: (main pic) Dan Hawkins, Rufus Taylor, Justin Hawkins, Frankie Poullain; (below, from left) a customised Barbie from Canada, Dan rocks out, personalised candles from Philadelphia, Frankie on cowbell.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;IN AMERICA WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;VE ALWAYS BEEN A PRECIOUS THING, A CULT BAND, AN ODDITY.â&#x20AC;?

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ride to stardom seems almost unÄĽ imaginable today. Then again, LW VHHPHG SUHWW\ XQLPDJLQDEOH back in the day. An unsigned EDQG ZLWK ÂłQR LQWHUHVW´ IURP WKH 8. UHFRUG LQGXVWU\ LQ WKH IRXUÄĽSLHFH ÄŚ WKHQ IHDWXULQJ RULJLQDO GUXPPHU (G *UDKDP ÄŚ hawked their record collections to fund their ÂżUVW WULS WR $XVWLQ 7KHLU WDUJHW WKH PXVLF LQGXVWU\ IHVWLYDO 6RXWK %\ 6RXWK :HVW WKHQ D NLQG RI VSHHGÄĽGDWLQJ FRQIHUHQFH IRU HPHUJLQJ EDQGV LQ QHHG RI UHFRUG ODEHO ORYH 3OD\LQJ WR D FURZG RI VL[ SHRSOH ÄŚ IRXU RI WKHP PHPEHUV RI DQRWKHU EDQG ÄŚ WKH NHHQÄĽWRÄĽLPSUHVV %ULWV LQLWLDOO\ XQGHUZKHOPHG DQ\ SRWHQWLDO VXLWRUV â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had A&Rs walking out after two VRQJV ´ VD\V )UDQNLH Âł7KH\ ZHUH SHRSOH ZKR didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll, shaking their KHDGV WKLQNLQJ Îź7KLV LV MXVW D MRNH ϫ 8QGHWHUUHG DQG QRZ RSHUDWLQJ RQ ÂłD GLÉąHUHQW OHYHO´ 7KH 'DUNQHVV UHWXUQHG WR $XVWLQ LQ LQÄĽGHPDQG DQG LQFUHDVLQJO\ K\SHG EXW VWLOO unsigned. This time around, one or two ODEHOV RÉąHUHG GHDOV RQ WKH VSRW Âł,W IHOW OLNH ZH ZHUH UHDOO\ LPSRUWDQW IRU WKH ÂżUVW WLPH ´ VD\V -XVWLQ H E DA R K N E S S â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S R O C K E T

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Permission to land?: Austin, we have a problemâ&#x20AC;Ś

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%LOOERDUG 7RS *XHVW OLVW UHTXHVWV IURP $ÄĽ/LVW FHOHEULWLHV ÄŚ VRPH FXULRXV VRPH DOUHDG\ FRQYHUWHG ÄŚ LQHYLWDEO\ IROORZHG â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steve Coogan, Dave Grohl, Tilda SwinÄĽ WRQ -LP -DUPXVFK´ VD\V 'DQ FLWLQJ WKH names to have popped up on their guest list in /$ DORQH VLQFH Âł6WHYH -RQHV RI WKH 6H[ 3LVWROV /HPP\ ÄŚ KH ZDV DW RXU VHFRQG /$ VKRZ ÄŚ -DFN %ODFN .\OLH 0LQRJXH -DFN :KLWH 'DYH /HH 5RWK´ ,Q OLWWOH RYHU PRQWKV 7KH 'DUNQHVVÂśV imprint on the fabric of rock music had VWUHWFKHG ZD\ EH\RQG WKHLU H\HÄĽFDWFKLQJ FDWVXLWV )RU D WLPH DYRLGLQJ WKHLU DUHQDÄĽVL]HG ULÉąROD IHOW OLNH D PLVVLRQ LPSRVVLEOH $QG IRU WKH QHZO\ÄĽIDPRXV EDQG DYRLGLQJ WKH 8. tabloid press quickly became an equally inesÄĽ capable certainty. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was in the papers once for having got RÉą ZLWK D VWULSSHU ´ VLJKV 'DQ DV WKH EDQG SUHSDUH IRU D PHHWÄĽDQGÄĽJUHHW ZLWK D OLQH RI IDQV ZDLWLQJ RXWVLGH (PRÂśV Âł1R ´ LQWHUMHFWV KLV EURWKHU TXLFNO\ Âł)RU having a boner in front of a stripper.â&#x20AC;? Âł<HDK IRU KDYLQJ D ERQHU ´ 'DQ ODXJKV Âł, FRXOGQÂśW EHOLHYH LW 0\ JLUOIULHQG DW WKH WLPH and her family all opened the papers, but it ZDVQÂśW PH ÄŹ$ PHPEHU RI WKH EDQGÂśV URDG FUHZÄ­ KDG WROG WKH VWULSSHU WKDW KH ZDV PH , was straight on to my lawyer.â&#x20AC;?

The truths of their private lives, however, VHHPHG HYHQ PRUH LQFUHGLEOH ,Q -XVWLQ checked into rehab facility The Priory with

D ÂżYHÄĽJUDPVÄĽDÄĽGD\ FRFDLQH KDELW WKDW FDPH ZLWK DQ HVWLPDWHG DQQXDO ELOO RI ĸ â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a good time,â&#x20AC;? says Dan of the party mood surrounding their touring schedule. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But it was very stressful because we were going like the clappers. We were getting so fucked up.

We spent every day desperately hungover, tryÄĽ LQJ WR JHW RXU VKLW WRJHWKHU IRU WKH QH[W JLJ 7KHQ KDOIZD\ WKURXJK WKH QH[W VKRZ ZHÂśG ÂżQDOO\ JHW SDVW RXU KDQJRYHUV DQG WKH EDFN HQG RI JLJ ZDV QRUPDOO\ KDOI GHFHQW 7KHQ ZHÂśG FRPH RÉą VWDJH DQG VWDUW WKH ZKROH WKLQJ DJDLQ ,WÂśV D UHFLSH IRU GLVDVWHU ZKHQ \RX GR WKDW HYHU\ VLQJOH GD\ )XFN PH ZH KDG VRPH FUD]\ WLPHV I just wish I could remember them.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being in the newspapers was something , UHVHQWHG ´ VD\V -XVWLQ Âł,W ZDV VRPHWKLQJ ZH endured and it made our lives so much busier. , GRQÂśW QHFHVVDULO\ PLVV EHLQJ IDPRXV EXW ZH GHVHUYH WR EH SRSXODU ÄŹQRZÄ­ EHFDXVH ZHÂśUH fucking great. We love doing what we do and ZHÂśUH DFH DW LW ´ H E S E DAYS , The Darkness opÄĽ erate in a much less decadent environment. Throughout the TXDUWHWÂśV FKDW ZLWK 3ODQHW 5RFN -XVWLQ VLSV RQ D JUHHQ vegetable juice. A yoga mat stands curled up in one corner of the dressing room, a set of dumbbells in the other. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes you can come in here and everyone will be working out in some shape of form,â&#x20AC;? says Dan.

T

MARSHALL TIDRICK

A bidding war escalated until the quartet eventually elected to sign to major label heavyweights Atlantic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was still the JHQHUDWLRQ RI ÄŹ-RKQ 1LYHQÂśV VFDWKLQJ PXVLF LQGXVWU\ QRYHO DQG VXEVHTXHQW ÂżOPÄ­ .LOO <RXU Friends,â&#x20AC;? says Frankie. â&#x20AC;&#x153;CDs were being sold in such massive quantities and we caught the WDLO HQG RI LW 7KHUH ZHUH PLGGOHÄĽDJHG JX\V LQ $UPDQL VXLWV ÄŹIURP UHFRUG ODEHOVÄ­ MXVW FRPÄĽ SOHWHO\ DUURJDQW DQG FRNHG RÉą WKHLU KHDGV ´ Whatever money was spent on The DarkÄĽ ness paid dividends. While the mainstream PXVLF SUHVV IDZQHG RYHU D VW\OHÄĽRYHUÄĽ substance â&#x20AC;&#x153;new rock revolutionâ&#x20AC;? comprising EDQGV VXFK DV 7KH 6WURNHV -HW DQG 7KH Datsuns, The Darkness began winning over arena audiences via tours with the likes of Deep Purple and Def Leppard. Classic rock IDQV LPPHGLDWHO\ XQGHUVWRRG WKH EDQGÂśV UHIHUÄĽ HQFHV ÄŚ 7KLQ /L]]\ 4XHHQ $& '& ÄŚ ZKLOH beyond the rock heartland Permission To Land felt like a breath of fresh air. In the summer of LW UHDFKHG WKH WRS RI WKH 8. DOEXP chart, where it would remain for four weeks.

That same summer, over the course of just three nights the quartet performed to 375,000 music fans as main support to Robbie WilÄĽ OLDPV DW .QHEZRUWK ,Q )HEUXDU\ WKH group collected three BRIT Awards, winning the Best British Album, Best British Group and Best British Rock Act categories at the music industry awards ceremony. The followÄĽ ing month, Permission To Land cracked the

Meanwhile all four appear in admirably athletic condition as they strip to their pants GXULQJ FRVWXPH FKDQJHV Âł,WÂśV FDOOHG WKH 'ÄĽ Plan,â&#x20AC;? says Justin, referencing his nutritional URXWLQH Âł, XVHG WR EH LQWR WKH %ÄĽ3ODQ ZKLFK LV EXOLPLD DQG WKDW DOZD\V NHSW WKH ZHLJKW RÉą %XW , ÂżQG LWÂśV D ELW EDG IRU WKH YRLFH ´ 7KH VLQJHUÂśV ĸ ÄĽDÄĽZHHN FRFDLQH KDELW is now a distant memory. His lifestyle, he says, LV ÂłYRLFHÄĽFHQWULF´ 7RGD\ KH RSHUDWHV D QRÄĽ ERR]H QRÄĽFLJDUHWWHV SROLF\ EXW RQO\ IRU KLPÄĽ self. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really enjoy watching their little faces ZKHQ WKH\ÂśUH KDYLQJ D JRRG WLPH ´ KH VD\V JHVWXULQJ WR KLV EDQG PDWHV Âł:KHQHYHU HYHU\ERG\ÂśV LQ QRW WRR PXFK RI DQ LQWROHUDEO\ ORXG HQYLURQPHQW ,ÂśOO MRLQ LQ YLFDULRXVO\ ÄŚ LWÂśV D VQLɡQJÄĽWKHÄĽIXPHV DSSURDFK ´ 7KH 'DUNQHVV KDYH VWUXFN VRPHWKLQJ RI D KDSS\ PHGLXP LW VHHPV 5HMXYHQDWHG DQG D 7RS EDQG LQ WKH 8. RQFH PRUH WKHVH GD\V their status allows them to pack out such JUDQG YHQXHV DW KRPH DV /RQGRQÂśV +DPPHUÄĽ smith Apollo, which played host to the UHFRUGLQJ RI D QHZO\ UHOHDVHG OLYH DOEXP ÄŹLive At Hammersmith UHYLHZHG RQ SDJH Ä­ (OVHZKHUH WKHLU SUHYLRXV FKDSWHUV RI WDEORLG QRWRULHW\ PHDQ WKH\ÂśYH UHPDLQHG D QDWLRQDO curiosity: in December last year the Hawkins EURWKHUV HYHQ DSSHDUHG RQ WKH %%& 79 TXL] VKRZ 3RLQWOHVV &HOHEULWLHV â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true,â&#x20AC;? laughs Justin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But we were shit on it, werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;You got the most points,â&#x20AC;? says Frankie.

Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the idea to score the least points? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes,â&#x20AC;? sighs Justin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No one told us that.â&#x20AC;?

7KH DUULYDO RI 5XIXV 7D\ORU VHHPV WR KDYH FRLQFLGHG ZLWK WKH UHYLYDO RI WKH EDQGÂśV IRUWXQHV IROORZLQJ D VRPHZKDW GLɡFXOW SHULRG ZLWK EHDWÄĽNHHSHUV ,Q IRXQGLQJ member Ed Graham departed the group due to â&#x20AC;&#x153;health reasonsâ&#x20AC;?. His replacement, Emily 'RODQ 'DYLHV OHIW ZKHQ VKH ZDV XQDEOH WR ÂżW with The Darknessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demanding schedule. :KHQ LW ZDV UHYHDOHG WKH EDQG ZHUH VHHNLQJ D replacement, it was Brian Mayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guitar tech who suggested Rufus Taylor. The appointÄĽ PHQW ODWHU GUHZ DSSURYLQJ UHPDUNV IURP Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drummer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Yeah, they know KRZ WR SDUW\ \RXÂśOO KDYH IXQ ϫ ODXJKV 5XIXV 5RJHU 7D\ORU KDG DOUHDG\ UHFHLYHG ÂżUVWÄĽ hand experience of The Darknessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s then hedonistic streak when the two bands were VODWHG WR SOD\ WRJHWKHU LQ WKRXJK WKH WHUURULVW DWWDFN LQ /RQGRQ ZRXOG HYHQWXDOO\ scupper their planned tour. In preparation, the two bands rehearsed together, with The 'DUNQHVV HQGLQJ XS LQ 7D\ORUÂśV KRXVH RQH HYHÄĽ QLQJ Âł7KH UHKHDUVDOV EHFDPH D PDVVLYH SDUW\ ´ says Justin. With the band â&#x20AC;&#x153;really pissedâ&#x20AC;?, 7D\ORU ZDYHG IDUHZHOO WR KLV QHZ WRXULQJ mates as they left, and retired to bed. ApproxÄĽ LPDWHO\ PLQXWHV ODWHU KH KHDUG VRPHRQH playing his piano downstairs. Guess who?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;F**K ME, WE HAD SOME CRAZY TIMES. I JUST WISH I COULDD REMEMBER THEM.â&#x20AC;?

H AN

AWKINS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;He went down and was like, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh, hello guys,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? laughs Rufus. Âł:H HQGHG XS OHDYLQJ DW WHQ WKH QH[W PRUQLQJ ´ FRQÂżUPV -XVWLQ Âł,W ZDV JORULRXV ´ DA R K N E S S â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S good times YLEHV KDYH VWRRG WKH WHVW RI WLPH ,Q D PRGHVWO\ ÂżOOHG Emoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, they will surge through D WZRÄĽKRXU VKRZ RI ERPEDVWLF PHWDOÄĽVFRUFKHG JURRYHV DQG FDOOÄĽDQGÄĽ response anthems. Dressed in a leopardskin RQHÄĽSLHFH WKHLU LUUHSUHVVLEOH IURQWPDQ GURSÄĽ kicks from the drum riser during set starter Open Fire before aiming plectrums towards the skull of a follicly challenged fan in the IURQW URZ 'UDZLQJ XSRQ WKHLU ÂżYH DOEXPV the likes of Black Shuck, All The Pretty Girls, 6ROLG *ROG DQG WKH VWLOOÄĽDVWRQLVKLQJ *HW <RXU +DQGV 2Éą 0\ :RPDQ IROORZ Returning for an encore, the band emerge ZLWK WKHLU 7H[DV UDQJHU SDQWLHV \DQNHG H\HÄĽ wateringly high. Dan Hawkins rips into the Âś V WKURZEDFN FKDUJH RI , %HOLHYH ,Q $ 7KLQJ &DOOHG /RYH WKHLU LQVWDQWO\ PHPRUDEOH EUHDNÄĽRXW DQWKHP DV -XVWLQ JHWV XS FORVH DQG personal with his audience. Around him, a deÄĽ lirious crowd spirals into a sweaty, steamy mass. :LWK WKH VKRZ ÂżQLVKHG EDFNVWDJH ZH ÂżQG WKH TXDUWHW VXUURXQGHG E\ SL]]D ER[HV their clammy shorts stashed away for safeÄĽ NHHSLQJ Âł<RXÂśYH UHYROXWLRQLVHG RXU VKRZ ´ says Dan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not kidding.â&#x20AC;?

HE

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$KHDG RI WKHP VWDQGV D FOXWFK RI 8.

GDWHV LQ VXSSRUW RI 7KH +ROO\ZRRG 9DPSLUHV the release of Live At Hammersmith and, LI PRYLH ZHEVLWH ,0'% LV WR EH EHOLHYHG D GRFXPHQWDU\ ÂżOP FKHHNLO\ WLWOHG 7KH /RQJ Mince Home, apparently set to feature a cast of The Darkness, pop phenomenon Taylor 6ZLIW DQG SUR ZUHVWOHU &KULV -HULFKR â&#x20AC;&#x153;What?â&#x20AC;? says Dan in surprise as the title is put to him. He looks at his brother accusingly. Âł:KDW KDYH \RX GRQH QRZ"´ Âł, KDYHQÂśW GRQH DQ\WKLQJ ´ VD\V WKH VLQJHU GHIHQVLYHO\ DV WKH FRQIXVLQJ SUHPLVH RI WKH QDPH LV HYHQWXDOO\ XQUDYHOOHG DV EHLQJ D ZRUNÄĽ LQJ WLWOH IRU D ÂżOP FRPSULVLQJ ÂłIRXU \HDUV RI VWXÉą ´ LWV UHOHDVH GDWH \HW WR EH FRQÂżUPHG The name, chosen by the directors, is a referÄĽ HQFH WR DQ LQÄĽMRNH GDWLQJ EDFN WR â&#x20AC;&#x153;It came from glam rockers,â&#x20AC;? explains )UDQNLH Âł:KHQ \RXÂśUH ÂżQLVKHG WKH OLJKWV JR up and you walk away, glammed up, doing the long mince home. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something tragic and poignant about it.â&#x20AC;? ,WÂśV DQ LPDJH HQWLUHO\ ÂżWWLQJ ZLWK 7KH Darknessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seaside postcard humour. And GRXEWOHVV WKH IRUWKFRPLQJ ÂżOP ZLOO VKHG IXUÄĽ WKHU OLJKW RQ H[DFWO\ KRZ WKH\ÂśYH PLQFHG DZD\ from fame and the wreckage of rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll RYHUÄĽLQGXOJHQFH DQG HPHUJHG ZLWK VPLOHV RQ WKHLU IDFHV DQG WKHLU ORYH RI WKH JDPH LQWDFW For the newly energised Darkness, the road ahead looks wide open. This time, hopefully, their cocks and balls will remain hidden from YLHZ 7KHQ DJDLQ LQ WKRVH VKRUWVÂŤ release their Live At HammerÄŚ smith album on June 15 through Cooking Vinyl.

T H E DA R K N E S S

Last of their kind: The Darkness, back on the rails.

PLANET ROCK

53

FRIDAY 8 JUNE

DR

AF

SATURDAY 9 JUNE

SUNDAY 10 JUNE

THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT THE STRUTS MONSTER TRUCK WHISKEY MYERS • THE PINK SLIPS

BLACK VEIL BRIDES IN THIS MOMENT HATEBREED CRADLE OF FILTH • INGLORIOUS

T

MARMOZETS DRAGONFORCE AVATAR BOSTON MANOR

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JONATHAN DAVIS • ANDREW W.K. CKY • NOTHING MORE MISS MAY I • CULTURE ABUSE

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THE BRONX • CANCER BATS STICK TO YOUR GUNS STRAY FROM THE PATH • DED EMPLOYED TO SERVE • WOES

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8-10 JUNE 2018, DONINGTON PARK

DOWNLOADFESTIVAL.CO.UK

Twin towers: Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury, New York City, January 1987.

When The Cult ditched moody Gothic post-punk in favour of AC/DC-inspired balls-to-the-wall hard rock on their Rick Rubinproduced third album, many longtime fans were horrified. But, as Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy tell Planet Rock, the irrepressible Electric is the sound of true liberation...

Words Andrew Perry Portrait Tom Sheehan PLANET ROCK

57

O N E FAT E F U L N I G H T I N E A R LY F E B R UA RY 1 9 8 5 ,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTHING WORSE THAN DIET ROCK. IF YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE GONNA ROCK, THEN ROCK.â&#x20AC;?

B I L LY D U F F Y propel The Cult to join the likes of Guns Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roses, Metallica DQG 1LUYDQD LQ GHÂżQLQJ QHZ SDUDPHWHUV IRU KHDY\ URFN LQWR WKH Âś V DQG EH\RQG B E F O R E T H E C U LT got into recording mode, there was friction.

2Q WKH ÂżQDO (XURSHDQ OHJ RI WKH Love WRXU VD\V 'XÉą\ WKHUH ZDV ÂłDQ LQFLÄĽ dent, maybe in Rimini, where Ian went a bit mental, and ripped up all his lyrics for the new songs weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d written, and was doing handstands on WKH EDOFRQ\ RXWVLGH KLV KRWHO URRP´ 'XÉą\ EUHDNV RÉą DQG ODXJKV KHDUWLO\ Âł,W VRXQGV OLNH D &DUU\ 2Q ÂżOP EXW KH WKHQ UDQ RÉą LQWR WKH RFHDQ LQ WKH PLGGOH RI WKH QLJKW DQG RXU VHFXULW\ JX\ DW WKH WLPH -RKQ 0LOOHU ÄŚ WKH PDQ ZKR NLGQDSSHG 5RQQLH %LJJV ÄŹLQ Ä­ ÄŚ KDG WR JR DQG UHVFXH KLP´ )RU 7KH &XOWÂśV PHUFXULDO IURQWPDQ WKHLU ZKLUOZLQG VXFFHVV SDUWLFXÄĽ ODUO\ 6WDWHVLGH ZDV D PRUH FRPSOH[ DÉąDLU WKDQ VLPSO\ RQH RI Îź1RUWKHUQ ODG PDGH JRRGÂś $IWHU VSHQGLQJ KLV HDUO\ \HDUV LQ /LYHUSRRO $VWEXU\ÂśV fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work took the family to Hamilton, Ontario in Canada, where, EHWZHHQ WKH IRUPDWLYH DJHV RI DQG KH GLJHVWHG D ZD\ EURDGHU GLHW RI PXVLF WKDQ KH PLJKW KDYH LQ SRVWÄĽSXQN %ULWDLQ ZKHUH D 6WDOLQLVW SDVWÄĽDQQLKLODWLQJ <HDU =HUR DWWLWXGH SUHYDLOHG WRZDUGV SUHÄĽSXQN URFN Âł+DPLOWRQ ZDV D VWHHO FLW\ PLOHV IURP WKH 86 ERUGHU DQG URFN ZDV UHDOO\ SRZHUIXO WKHUH ´ KH VD\V JRLQJ RQ WR UHFDOO ZLWQHVVLQJ RQ -XQH WKH ÂżQDO GDWH RQ 3LQN )OR\GÂśV Wish You Were Here tour from RXWVLGH ,YRU :\QQH 6WDGLXP ÂłSHHULQJ LQ WKURXJK WKH FUDFNV LQ WKH fence, just feeling the spectacle of itâ&#x20AC;?.

6XFK H[SHULHQFHV RQ KLV UHWXUQ LQ Âś WR *ODVJRZ DQG WKHQ Bradford, were probably things he initially kept quiet about. But once The Cult broke through on to the international stage, $VWEXU\ÂśV YLVLRQ ZDV QRW WR EH UHVWULFWHG E\ SRVWÄĽSXQN KDQJÄĽXSV ,Q %LOO\ 'XÉą\ ZKRÂśG MRLQHG FLUFD Âś LQ WKH slimming down from Southern Death Cult to the VE N

E

TOM SHEEHAN, GETTY

Ian Astbury was patrolling the darker corners of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hammersmith Palais with his pal Wayne Hussey, frontman with The Mission.

2QÄĽVWDJH .LOOLQJ -RNH ZHUH ZKLSSLQJ XS DQ DSRFDO\SWLF JRWKLFÄĽURFN VWRUP 0DQ\ DW WKH WLPH ZRXOGÂśYH consigned Astburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own band, The Cult, to a similarly dark and doomy, SRVWÄĽSXQN SLJHRQKROH ,Q WKH VKDGRZV $VWEXU\ DQG +XVVH\ VSRWWHG -LPP\ 3DJH ÄŚ DQ XQPLVWDNDEOH LFRQ IURP D E\JRQH DJH VWLOO REOLYLRXVO\ VSRUWLQJ WKH FROODUÄĽOHQJWK KDLU RI KLV Âś V KH\GD\ LQ /HG =HSSHOLQ DQG YHU\ PXFK WKH ZRUVH IRU ZHDU 7KH WZR JRWK DFHÄĽIDFHV ORRNHG DW HDFK RWKHU LQ GLVEHOLHI WXUQHG LQWR IDQÄĽER\V DQG GXO\ ERXQGHG RYHU WR WKHLU KHUR â&#x20AC;&#x153;He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in great shape,â&#x20AC;? Astbury recalls today, down the line from his home in Santa Monica, CaliÄĽ fornia, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and neither were we. He was wearing a YHOYHW VXLW DQG LW ZDV DQ LQFUHGLEOH PRPHQW IRU XV WR PHHW KLP ULJKW WKHQ ÄŚ OLNH D KDQGLQJ RI WKH EDWRQ Talking to him, like a lot of these guys, he felt that punk had pushed him to the side. I was saying to him, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;No, no, no, absolutely not, the music you guys made is incredibly powerful, and it really touches me.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Within three months, Astburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s star was on the rise, as 6KH 6HOOV 6DQFWXDU\ ÄŚ KLV VRDULQJ RGH WR ORYHÄĽDVÄĽUHVSLWH ÂżWWLQJO\ HQVFRQFHG LQ %LOO\ 'XÉą\ÂśV );ÄĽHFKRLQJ JXLWDU ÄŚ KLW WKH 8. 7RS $IWHU ÂżYH \HDUV RI FRPSOLFDWHG QDPHÄĽFKDQJLQJ SUHÄĽKLVWRU\ LQ 1RUWKÄĽ HUQ (QJODQG VXGGHQO\ 7KH &XOW ZHUH RÉą DQG UXQQLQJ ERXQG IRU D \HDU WUDYHOOLQJ WKH ZRUOG LQ VXSSRUW RI WKH DWWHQGDQW Love album. Âł:H ZHUH XQOHDVKHG RQ WRXU ´ UHFDOOV 'XÉą\ IURP KLV QHZ JDÉą LQ WKH +ROO\ZRRG +LOOV ÂłDQG ZH KDG WKDW ZLOGÄĽDQLPDO \RXQJÄĽPHQÄĽRQÄĽWRXU energy. We went around the States and got totally inspired by that, so when we got back, we wanted to take the music on, and make LW KHDYLHUÄĽVRXQGLQJ ´ What followed through the latter half of 1986 was D FUHDWLYH UROOHUFRDVWHU RI UHFRUGLQJ VHVVLRQV ZKLFK Electric ultimately ended in triumph with Electric ÄŚ IRU dreams: VRPH RQH RI WKH PRVW GLYLVLYH DOEXPV RI WKH (opposite) V RQH ZKLFK VRXQGHG WKH GHDWK NQHOO IRU Ian with then girlfriend WKH IUHHÄĽH[SHULPHQWLQJ SRVWÄĽSXQN HUD )RU Renee RWKHUV E\ FRQWUDVW LWÂśV D OLIHÄĽFKDQJLQJ UHFRUG Beach; (left) FUHDWHG DPLG WKH PLQGÄĽZDUSLQJ VRXQGÄĽFODVK RI producer KLS KRS DQG WKUDVK PHWDO LQ SUHÄĽJHQWULÂżFDÄĽ Rick Rubin tion New York City, a collection which would takes a seat.

58

PLANET ROCK

Careful with that axe, Billy: Duffy with newly acquired Les Paul, live in 1987.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;IAN WENT A BIT MENTAL. HE RIPPED UP HIS LYRICS FOR THE NEW SONGS AND WAS DOING HANDSTANDS ON THE BALCONY OUTSIDE HIS ROOM.â&#x20AC;?

ROSS HALFIN, GET TY

B I L LY D U F F Y

more svelte Death Cult, he found a like mind fully embroiled in punk, but whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d also attended gigs by verboten acts such as AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thin Lizzy, Free and Bad Company. ,Q WKH IXOOQHVV RI WLPH $VWEXU\ DQG 'XÉą\ ZRXOG EHFRPH OHJHQGDU\ DV D 0LFNÄĽÂśQœļ.HHI VW\OH VSDUULQJ SDUWQHUVKLS ÄŚ Âł+H\ WKHUHÂśV QR Îź,Âś LQ WHDP ´ TXLSV 'XÉą\ ÂłEXW WKHUH LV LQ %LOO\ DQG ,DQ´ ÄŚ DQG DV WKH\ FKLFDQHG from the Love tour, without a holiday, into the initial Electric sessions, the cracks were starting to show.

On the back of their success, their label, Beggars Banquet, then a small indie concern, splashed out on installing them in The Manor, a palatial residential studio in rural Oxfordshire owned by Richard BranÄĽ VRQ &DFNOHV $VWEXU\ Âł,W ZDV SUREDEO\ D PLVWDNH SXWWLQJ D EXQFK RI ÄĽ ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROGV LQ D ORYHO\ WKÄĽFHQWXU\ FRXQWU\ KRPH ZLWK D FKHI DQG a fully stocked wine cellar, which we had the keys to. Actually, I WKLQN ZH PD\ÂśYH HYHQ NLFNHG WKH ORFN RÉą ´ There was a certain logic at work, though, as the WRXULQJ OLQHÄĽXS FRPSOHWHG E\ EDVVLVW -DPLH 6WHZDUW DQG drummer Les Warner, were reunited with producer Steve Brown, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d helped them crack the winning formula with Love ÄŞKLV RWKHU &9 KLJKOLJKWV LQFOXGH Wham!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut and Manic Street Preachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; GeneraÄŚ tion TerroristsÄŤ 7KH LGHD ZDV WR PDNH D PRUH KLJKÄĽ budget job of She Sells Sanctuaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heavily textured sound, but from the beginning, the Manor sessions didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go well. Âł,DQ MXVW FRXOGQÂśW ÂżQG KLPVHOI LQ LW ´ VD\V 'XÉą\ ÂłDQG KH ORFNHG KLPVHOI DZD\ +HÂśG JRW D QHZ JLUOIULHQG DQG ZH ZHUH FDOOLQJ LW D <RNRÄĽ6SXQJHQ WKLQJ EHFDXVH WKH\ ZHUH LQVHSDUDEOH :HÂśG VWDUW ZRUN DW DP DQG ,DQ ZRXOGQÂśW HYHQ FRPH GRZQ IURP KLV URRP WR sing till after dark. So weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be beavering away all day on the music, which LV ZK\ LW EHFDPH WRR PXOWLÄĽOD\HUHG DQG RYHUEORZQ ´ &RXQWHUV $VWEXU\ Âł, IHOW ZHÂśG FXW RXU WHHWK DV D OLYH EDQG DQG WKDW energy was in the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DNA, and we just needed more ammunition, more fuel for that.â&#x20AC;? ,Q KLV IUHVKO\ SHQQHG O\ULFV $VWEXU\ FDVW RÉą DOO LQKLELWLRQV DERXW adopting the classic rock vernacular heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been absorbing on FM radio ZKLOH WRXULQJ $PHULFD ÄŚ PXFK DV DQ H[FLWHG 0LFN -DJJHU KDG RQ VRQJV OLNH +RQN\ 7RQN :RPHQ LQ D NLQG RI IDQWDV\ SURMHFWLRQ RI 6WDWHVLGH URFN FXOWXUH 6WXÉą OLNH :LOG )ORZHU ÄŞVDPSOH O\ULF Âł,ÂśP D ZROI FKLOG JLUO KRZOLQÂś IRU \RX´č DQG KLV QHDUÄĽPDQWULF XVH RI WKH ZRUG ÂłEDE\´ ÄŞ3HDFH 'RJ /RYH 5HPRYDO 0DFKLQH HWFÄŤ WUDFHG D OLQHDJH EDFN WKURXJK /HG =HSSHOLQ WR WKH GHOWD EOXHV $QRWKHU WUDFN .LQJ &RQWUDU\ 0DQ HYHQ IRXQG KLP H[SORULQJ WKH P\WK RI Âś V EOXHVPDQ 5REHUW -RKQVRQ VHOOLQJ his soul to the devil at the crossroads. Âł)LQDOO\ JRLQJ WR WKH 'HHS 6RXWK WR SOD\ ´ KH UHFDOOV Âł\RX FRXOG VHQVH the essential energy and vitality of that music, and how important it was.

I was really feeling it.â&#x20AC;?

'HVSLWH D VSLULWXDO GLVFRQQHFW EHWZHHQ 'XÉą\ÂśV RUQDWH PXOWLÄĽWUDFNÄĽ LQJ DQG $VWEXU\ÂśV EDOOVÄĽRXW O\ULFLVP WKH\ SUHWW\ PXFK ÂżQLVKHG D YHUVLRQ of Electric ZLWK 6WHYH %URZQ ZKRP 'XÉą\ FUHGLWV ZLWK VKDUSHQLQJ WKHLU SRS KRRNV DQG GULOOLQJ WKHP WR VSHHGÄĽZULWH RQH H[WUD UDGLR KLW ZKLFK

VSDZQHG WKH SXQFK\ ÄĽPLQXWH /LOÂś 'HYLO 7KH\ JRW DV IDU DV PL[LQJ DW Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Townhouse, and even sending Love Removal Machine to be worked over at Wessex by Bill Price, overseer of the Sex Pistolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Never Mind The Bollocks. &ORVH WR WKH ÂżQLVKLQJÄĽWRXFKHV VWDJH EXW QRW FRQYLQFHG LW ZDV ULJKW $VWEXU\ DQG 'XÉą\ MHWWHG RÉą WR 1HZ <RUN WR DFFHSW &0-ÂśV -RKQ Lennon Award for She Sells Sanctuary. At the ceremony, they met Rick 5XELQ ÄŚ WRGD\ NQRZQ DV WKH VXSHUÄĽSURGXFHU ZKR DPRQJ PDQ\ DFFRODGHV PDVWHUPLQGHG -RKQQ\ &DVKÂśV WZLOLJKWÄĽ\HDUV UHFRUGV EXW EDFN WKHQ MXVW D ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG PDYHULFN ZKRVH SURGXFWLRQV RI // &RRO - DQG %HDVWLH %R\V ZHUH GHÂżQLQJ WKH XQGHUJURXQG VRXQG RI UDS 'XÉą\ UHFDOOV D '- SDO LQ 7RURQWR WXUQLQJ WKHP RQWR WKH %HDVWLHVÂś GHEXW VLQJOH &RRN\ Puss on the Love tour, and both were so enthused to meet the trioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s producer in person that they invited him on the spot to remix Love Removal Machine. on New York City, Rubin installed The Cult at Electric Lady, the studio constructed beneath the bustling streets of Greenwich 9LOODJH E\ -LPL +HQGUL[ &DQQLO\ WKLV NH\HG LQWR Astburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fascination for the psychedelic period of the ODWH Âś V DQG HDUO\ Âś V ZKLFK KH IHOW ÂłKDG EHFRPH WDERR DIWHU SXQN´ +H DGGV Âł2QH RI WKH ÂżUVW WKLQJV ZH GLVFXVVHG ZLWK 5LFN ZDV %OXH Cheer.â&#x20AC;? So, they were on the same page. ,Q WKH ZHHNV VLQFH &0- LW KDG EHHQ GHFLGHG WKDW 5XELQ ZRXOG UHPL[ the whole of Electric EXW RQ DUULYDO VD\V 'XÉą\ ÂłKH LQVLVWHG KHÂśG GR WKDW if he could cut one track with us, from the ground upâ&#x20AC;?. So the EDQG KDG Ă&#x20AC;RZQ RXW VSHFXODWLYHO\ DW ÂżUVW ZLWKRXW WKHLU S WI NT E R â&#x20AC;&#x2122;86 D E S C E N D E D

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Howlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for you: Astbury at the Ritz, NYC, June 2, 1987.

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PLANET ROCK

BEYOND ELECTRIC! Tune in to PLANET ROCK PLAYS IT IN FULL

every Monday at 11pm when we bring you a classic album every week, broadcast in all its glory, played sans interruption.

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TOM SHEEHAN, GETTY

For those about to rock: Duffy and Astbury with Rick Rubin at Electric Lady studios, Greenwich Village, January 1987.

H E D I R E C T I M PAC T RI 5XELQ¶V PHWKRGRORJ\ ZDV VRRQ IHOW DV 7KH &XOW XQOHDVKHG WKH UHPRGHOOHG Electric on the ZRUOG LQ $SULO ¶ DQG GXO\ WRXUHG LW UHOHQWOHVVO\ IRU WKH HQVXLQJ PRQWKV Ħ SDUWLFXODUO\ LQ 1RUWK $PHULFD ZKLFK WKH\ WUDYHUVHG RQ QR OHVV WKDQ ¿YH VHSDUDWH YLVLWV ,QLWLDOO\ WKH\ ZHQW RXW DV PDLQ VXSSRUW WR %LOO\ ,GRO DQG WKHQ UHWXUQHG WR KHDGOLQH FOXEV ZLWK DQ XQUXO\ \RXQJ KHDY\ URFN EDQG IURP /RV $QJHOHV LQ WRZ ³,¶G VHHQ *XQV 1¶5RVHV DW WKH 0DUTXHH ĬDW WKHLU GHEXW 8. UHVLGHQF\ LQ -XQH ¶ ĭ ´ $VWEXU\ PLVWLO\ UHFDOOV ³DQG ZDV MXVW EORZQ DZD\ E\ WKHP VR , VDLG WR RXU PDQDJHU :H¶YH JRWWD JHW WKHVH NLGV WR RSHQ IRU XV :KHQ LW FDPH WR LW ZH ZHUH KHOOLRQV :H MXVW HQFRXUDJHG HDFK RWKHU and egged each other on.” $VWEXU\ LQ SDUWLFXODU JDYH D IXOOĥEORRGHG SHUIRUPDQFH RQĥVWDJH HYHU\ QLJKW ³7KHUH ZHUH D ORW RI VWDJH LQYDVLRQV ´ KH VD\V ³DQG ,¶G VSHQG D GHFHQW DPRXQW RI HYHU\ VKRZ LQ WKH DXGLHQFH 7KH ZKROH WKLQJ ZDV OLW 0RVW QLJKWV ZH¶G WRWDOO\ GHPROLVK WKH JHDU Ħ WKDW ZDV SUHWW\ FRPPRQĥ SODFH Ħ EXW WKHUH ZDV RQH QLJKW ZH SOD\HG ZLWK %LOO\ ,GRO PD\EH LQ 3KLODGHOSKLD ZKHUH WKH GUXP NLW HQGHG RQ WKH IURQW EDUULFDGH ,GRO KHDUG DOO WKH FRPPRWLRQ DQG KH FDPH RXW WR LQVSHFW WKH GDPDJH ZLWK RQO\ D WRZHO RQ , WKLQN WKDW ZDV WKH QLJKW KH WULHG WR SXOO GRZQ KLV OHDWKHU SDQWV DQG WKH\ JRW VWXFN DQG KH KDG WR JHW VRPH DVVLVWDQFH WR SXOO KLV SDQWV EDFN XS´ 0DQ\ FULWLFV VDZ RQO\ 6SLQDO 7DSĥHVTXH FRPHG\ LQ WKH QHZĥPRGHO &XOW ZLWK WKHLU GDIW OLQJR OHJVĥVSUHDGĥZLGH ULɷQJ DQG FRYHUV RI 6WHSSHQZROI ¶V %RUQ 7R %H :LOG $VWEXU\ SDURGLHG LQ WKH HDUO\ ¶ V IRU KLV 1DWLYH $PHULFDQ LQWHUHVW DV /LWWOH 3OXP ĪD FKDUDFWHU IURP WKH %HDQRī ZDV QRZ PRFNHG DV WKH :ROIFKLOG DQG DFFXVHG RI PLGĥ$WODQWLF GLOHWWDQWLVP Ħ D WULÀH KDUVK JLYHQ KLV 7UDQVDWODQWLF XSEULQJLQJ <HW Electric ZHQW 7RS LQ WKH 8. DQG GHQWĥ HG WKH 7RS 6WDWHVLGH ,WV UHYHUVDO RI SXQN GLNWDWV DJDLQVW FODVVLF URFN ZDV D VHLVPLF VKLIW RQ ERWK VLGHV RI WKH $WODQWLF ³,I \RX ORRN DW JUXQJH ´ 'Xɱ\ SURXGO\ PDLQWDLQV ³WKDW DOEXP¶V TXLWH SRVVLEO\ WKH 1XPĥ EHU LQÀXHQFH Ħ \RX¶OO VHH -Hɱ $PHQW RI 3HDUO -DP ZHDULQJ RXU 7ĥVKLUW DOO WKH WLPH ´ 6XEWO\ EXW LQFRQWURĥ

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“I’D SEEN GUNS N’ROSES AT THE MARQUEE AND WAS BLOWN AWAY. I SAID, ‘WE’VE GOTTA GET THESE KIDS TO OPEN FOR US.’” IAN ASTBURY YHUWLEO\ LW EHFDPH RQH RI WKRVH JURXQGĥEUHDNLQJ FODVVLFV ZKRVH LQLWLDO sales bore scant resemblance to its popularity over time. %DFN WKHQ WKDW UDQNOHG 6D\V 'Xɱ\ ³*XQV 1¶5RVHV VXGGHQO\ ZHUH VHOOLQJ D NDĥMLOOLRQ UHFRUGV DQG ZH¶G RQO\ JRQH JROG LQ $PHULFD VR EHLQJ a careerist, I really pushed for the next record to go bigger”. To that end, 'Xɱ\ EXGGLHG XS ZLWK SURGXFHU %RE 5RFN ZKR YRZHG WR UHLQVWDWH KLV EHORYHG JXLWDU WH[WXUHV DQG ¶V DUWIXOO\ VFXOSWHG Sonic Temple duly VFRUHG SODWLQXP ,Q WKH HQVXLQJ PDQLD KRZHYHU $VWEXU\ QHDUO\ ORVW KLV PLQG DQG VSHQW WKH QH[W WZR GHFDGHV VSOLWWLQJ DQG UHIRUPLQJ 7KH &XOW 3URSHUO\ EDFN LQ EXVLQHVV VLQFH ¶V Born Into This, they only KDOIĥMRNLQJO\ YLHZ Electric DV LQ $VWEXU\¶V ZRUGV ³WKH JLIW WKDW NHHSV RQ JLYLQJ´ 7KH\ WRXUHG D OXFUDWLYH DOEXPĥLQĥIXOO VKRZ LQ ¶ DQG ZKHQ WKH\ SOD\ 5DPEOLQ¶ 0DQ )DLU LQ .HQW QH[W PRQWK IROORZHG E\ D /LYH 1DWLRQ 86 SDFNDJH ZLWK %XVK DQG 6WRQH 7HPSOH 3LORWV WKH\¶OO EH SDFNLQJ WKH VHW ZLWK Electric favourites. ³7KRVH VRQJV WKH ZD\ 5LFN JRW WKHP WKH\ FRPPXQLFDWH RQ D YHU\ YLVFHUDO OHYHO ´ 'Xɱ\ DGPLWV ³<RX GRQ¶W HYHQ QHHG WR NQRZ 7KH &XOW RU WKH VRQJ Ħ ZKHWKHU \RX¶UH HLJKW RU \RX¶UH JRQQD XQGHUVWDQG LW´ ³:LWK DOO WKH LQJUHGLHQWV IURP WKDW HQYLURQPHQW LQ 1HZ <RUN WKDW ZHQW LQWR WKRVH VRQJV ´ DGGV $VWEXU\ HYHU PRUH SRHWLF WKDQ KLV VLGHNLFN ³ZH FDSWXUHG WKDW OLJKWQLQJ LQ WKH ERWWOH ,W¶V WKHUH LQVLGH WKH VRQJV DQG ZH FDQ VWLOO DFFHVV LW DW ZLOO ´ T H E C U LT

headline Ramblin’ Man Fair on July 1.

Cross of iron: Astbury in full rock regalia, ’87.

PLANET ROCK

63

GETTY

Starship trooper: Steve Howe goes into orbit for Tales From Topographic Oceans, during “a disturbing night for a Yes fan”.

64

PLANET ROCK

Prog rock pioneers debut daring, divisive Tales From Topographic Oceans. CHRIS WELCH was caught in the swell.

RAINBOW THEATRE, NOVEMBER 20, 1973

EYEWITNESS

PLANET ROCK

65

GETTY

Drowned in sound (left): an ocean-bound Yes (from left) Steve Howe, Alan White, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Rick Wakeman, Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rainbow Theatre, November 20, 1973.

66

PLANET ROCK

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H E N, 1973,

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Yes announced the reÄĽ lease of a new album, whose songs would be unveiled at a special concert at Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prestigious Rainbow Theatre, nobody was more excited than one of their greatest fans. He had already coined the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Progressive Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to describe the kind of music they had pioÄĽ neered, a genre that held the world entranced in the 1970s. That fan, dear reader, was me.

While colleagues at Melody Maker cheerÄĽ fully championed Reparata And The Delrons or Moby Grape, I had put my faith in the \RXWKIXO DPELWLRXV JURXS , KDG ÂżUVW VHHQ supporting Cream at their farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall on November 26, 1968.

A miniature rock orchestra, Yes gave us memorable melodic songs and imaginative DUUDQJHPHQWV PDWFKHG E\ WHUULÂżF LQVWUXPHQÄĽ WDO ÂżUHSRZHU :KDW ZDV WKHUH QRW WR OLNH" $OO their collective ideas and ambitions would surely be brought to a satisfying climax on this promised sixth studio album, Tales From Topographic Oceans 2U ZRXOG WKH\" 7KH XQYHLOLQJ RI WKLV PXFKÄĽDQWLFLSDWHG HSLF DW WKH

Rainbow, the former Astoria cinema in Finsbury Park, where the Beatles had once SOD\HG DQG -LPL +HQGUL[ VHW ÂżUH WR KLV JXLWDU in 1967, was certainly memorable.

It was a challenging experience to hear so much intense, unfamiliar music played live IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH DKHDG RI WKH DOEXPœV release. In fact, sitting in the stalls, where VHDWV FRVW DOO RI ĸ LW EHJDQ WR IHHO OLNH drowning in a roaring tsunami, as the Topoļ graphic Ocean swept over our ears for one hour and 23 minutes. ,Q DOO KRQHVW\ , ZDVQœW WKH ¿UVW PXVLF journalist to discover Yes. Melody Maker writer Tony Wilson wrote the sleevenotes for WKHLU VHOIļWLWOHG GHEXW DOEXP DIWHU encountering them in a London disco. Fellow MM critic Royston Eldridge, who today manļ ages rapper/actor Ben Drew, aka Plan B, was also a fan.

It was a December 1969 trip to SwitzerÄĽ ODQG ZLWK WKH EDQG WKDW ÂżUVW JDYH PH a chance to see Yes at work, rest and play. Flying into Basle airport on a BEA Trident in a blizzard was scary enough to cement our friendship. During the secÄĽ ond attempt to land the

bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song Survival certainly took on extra VLJQLÂżFDQFH It was an entertaining jaunt. The original Yes team of vocalist Jon Anderson, guitarist Peter Banks, keyboard player Tony Kaye, drummer Bill Bruford and bassist Chris Squire snaked around the Swiss Alps in the snow, laughter and brandy keeping them sane.

We skidded down mountain roads in a pair of Cadillac limos, and gigs in small venues were dutifully performed whatever the weather.

I recall Chris Squire playing his bass wearing huge mittens when the temperature dropped below zero.

I would accompany the band on further trips, to Germany, Holland and Ireland, where we had fun times alongside The Nice DQG 7KH %RQ]R 'RJ 'RRÄĽ'DK %DQG :KHQ they tried to set up their gear at a festival in Cork, the power supply failed and the PA died. No audience turned up, and Yes chased their managers across the empty football SLWFK WU\LQJ WR WHDU RÉą WKHLU WURXVHUV URDULQJ Âł'HÄĽEDJ WKH URWWHUV ´ There were many such strange gigs, and several changes of personnel, before Yes arrived on the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s

Chairman of the bored: Rick Wakeman weighs up ordering a curry.

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T WAS A N EW-LOOK YES GUHDP WHDP ZLWK $QGHUVRQ 6TXLUH +RZH :DNHPDQ DQG QHZ GUXPPHU $ODQ :KLWH ZKLFK GHVFHQGHG RQ WKH 5DLQERZ RQ 1RYHPEHU WR SUHYLHZ WKH DVĥ\HWĥXQUHOHDVHG Tales… IRU D FDSDFLW\ FURZG 7KH VRXQG RI -RQ¶V IDYRXULWH FRPSRVHU 6WUDYLQVN\¶V SRUWHQWRXV )LUHELUG 6XLWH ¿OOHG WKH DLU DV WKH TXLQWHW ¿OHG RQWR WKH VWDJH 6WUDYLQVN\ KDG FDXVHG ULRWV DW WKH GHEXW SHUIRUPDQFH RI KLV YLROHQW DQG FKDRWLF HSLF 7KH 5LWH 2I 6SULQJ LQ 3DULV LQ 7KDQNIXOO\ DW WKH SUHPLHUH RI Tales… WKH DXGLHQFH ZDV UDWKHU PRUH UHFHSWLYH DQG EHWWHU EHKDYHG

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PLANET ROCK

“IT WAS CHALLENGING TO HEAR SO MUCH INTENSE, UNFAMILIAR MUSIC PLAYED FOR THE FIRST TIME.” Close To The Edge¶V FORVLQJ WUDFN 6LEHULDQ .KDWUX VHW WKH HYHQLQJ LQ PRWLRQ DQG ZH DOO UHOD[HG DQG FKHHUHG DV WKH EDQG VWRUPHG WKURXJK $QG <RX $QG , DQG WKH ĥPLQXWH &ORVH 7R 7KH (GJH WR FRPSOHWH WKH ¿UVW VHFĥ WLRQ RI WKH HYHQLQJ 7KHQ FDPH WKH QHZ ZRUN« 3UHVHQWHG LQ IRXU VHFWLRQV 7ales From Topographic Oceans ZDV XQGHQLDEO\ EROG LQYHQWLYH DQG RYHUSRZHULQJ WKH DSH[ RI \HDUV RI VWUXJJOH IRU SHUIHFWLRQ %XW WKH PHWLFXĥ ORXVO\ UHKHDUVHG WKHPHV VWDUWLQJ ZLWK 7KH 5HYHDOLQJ 6FLHQFH 2I *RG DQG IROORZHG E\ 7KH 5HPHPEHULQJ 7KH $QFLHQW DQG 5LWXDO SURYHG RYHUĥORQJ DQG ODFNLQJ VSRQWDQHLW\ 6WHYH +RZH SOD\HG SRZHUIXO JXLWDU SDUWLFXODUO\ RQ 5LWXDO ZKLOH $ODQ :KLWH SURĥ YLGHG H[WUD SHUFXVVLYH SRZHU DQG FRKHVLRQ

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Academy Events present

ACADEMY EVENTS & FRIENDS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH T.K.O. PRESENTS

A C A D E M Y

E V E N T S

&

T I D A L

C O N C E R T S

P R E S E N T

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

STONE TRIGGER

AUGUST 2018 31 LONDON O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON SEPTEMBER 2018 01 SHEFFIELD HRH SLEAZE 02 NEWCASTLE RIVERSIDE

04 05 06 08 16

BILSTON ROBIN 2 MILTON KEYNES CRAUFURD ARMS MANCHESTER REBELLION BUCKLEY TIVOLI HULL HAIR METAL HEAVEN MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST FEATURING MICHAEL SCHENKER + 3 LEGENDARY MSG VOCALISTS:

GARY BARDEN I GRAHAM BONNET I ROBIN McAULEY + DOOGIE WHITE CHRIS GLEN (BASS) I TED McKENNA (DRUMS) I STEVE MANN (GUITAR/KEYS)

RESURRECTION TOUR NOVEMBER 2018 05 GLASGOW O2 ABC 09 NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY 06 BIRMINGHAM O2 INSTITUTE 10 LONDON O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN 08 NORTH WALES HARD ROCK HELL FESTIVAL 11 MANCHESTER ACADEMY

PLUS VERY SPECIAL GUESTS

MICHAELSCHENKERHIMSELF.COM N E W

A L B U M

R E S U R R E C T I O N

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I N

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N O W

P R E S E N T S

celebrating the 10th Anniversary of their classic album PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

L I V I N G

T H E

D R E A M

2 0 1 8

WED 12 DEC MANCHESTER, O2 RITZ THU 13 DEC GLASGOW, O2 ABC FRI 14 DEC LONDON, O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE SAT 15 DEC NOTTINGHAM, ROCK CITY SUN 16 DEC HULL, CITY HALL URIAHHEEP.CO.UK

For one night only!

PLAYING THE ALBUM IN FULL!

FRIDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2018 · O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN, LONDON O F F Y E R R O C K A . C O M

ACADEMY EVENTS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH SEASIDE TOURING PRESENTS

PRESENTED BY THE ACADEMY MUSIC GROUP, WRECKING BALL PROMOTIONS AND DHP FAMILY

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THURSDAY 13TH DECEMBER 2018 O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN LONDON

SEPTEMBER 06 GLASGOW O2 ABC 07 BELFAST LIMELIGHT 2 08 DUBLIN VOODOO LOUNGE 11 BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY2 13 LONDON O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON

NEWMODELARMY.ORG AN ACADEMY EVENTS PRESENTATION

TICKETMASTER.CO.UK | ROSETATTOO.COM.AU | GIRLSCHOOL.CO.UK

TICKETMASTER.CO.UK & ALL USUAL AGENTS

THE CULT HEROES

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‘THE CLASSIC WHITESNAKE’ WERE ONE OF THE UK’S MOSTCHERISHED HARD ROCK ACTS. T H E N A M E R I C A C A M E CALLING…BERNIE MARSDEN, MICKY MOODY AND NEIL M U R R AY J O I N M A R K B L A K E T O R E L I V E T H E R AW E A R LY D A Y S . P O RT R A I T B Y F I N C O S T E L L O

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Walking in the shadow of the blues: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Classic Whitesnakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in rehearsals at the Rainbow Theatre in London, March 25, 1981.

WAS W H I T E S N A K E â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S roadie, John â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Magnetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ward, who acquired WKH RɱHQGLQJ LWHPV ,Q VXPPHU 'DYLG &RYHUGDOH¶V JURXS ZHUH RQ WKH FDPSDLJQ WUDLO LQ /RV $QJHOHV :KLWHVQDNH ZHUH VWD\LQJ DW WKH 6XQVHW 0DUTXLV KRWHO DQG ZHUH VFKHGXOHG WR PHHW UHFRUGÄ¥ODEHO ELJZLJV EHIRUH PDNLQJ WKHLU 86 GHEXW DW WKH 8&/$ $ORQJVLGH H[Ä¥'HHS 3XUSOH YRFDOLVW &RYHUGDOH :KLWHVQDNH QRZ LQFOXGHG WZR PRUH 3XUSOH UHIXJHHV NH\ERDUG SOD\HU -RQ /RUG DQG GUXPPHU ,DQ 3DLFH 7KLV KDGQ¶W JRQH XQQRWLFHG E\ WKH JURXS¶V IRRW VROGLHUV JXLWDULVWV 0LFN\ 0RRG\ DQG %HUQLH 0DUVGHQ DQG EDVV SOD\HU 1HLO 0XUUD\ 2U WKHLU URDGLH ³0DJQHW WXUQHG XS ZLWK 7Ä¥VKLUWV IRU PH %HUQLH DQG 1HLO ´ UHFDOOV 0RRG\ WRGD\ (PEODÄ¥ ]RQHG DFURVV WKH FKHVW ZHUH WKH ZRUGV μ1R , :DV 1RW ,Q Fucking 'HHS 3XUSOH¶ ³:H SXW WKHP RQ EXW 'DYLG ZDV QRW LPSUHVVHG ´ 7KH LQFLGHQW HQFDSVXODWHV WKH \LQ DQG \DQJ DW WKH KHDUW RI ZKDW PDQ\ RU SHUKDSV MXVW 3ODQHW 5RFN VWLOO FDOO μ7KH &ODVVLF :KLWHVQDNH¶ 'DYLG &RYHUGDOH ZDV D QDWXUDO URFN VWDU KLV EDQGPDWHV OHVV VR )RU 0RRG\ DQG 0DUVÄ¥ GHQ HVSHFLDOO\ D GHHS DSSUHFLDWLRQ RI DOO WKLQJV URFN¶Q¶UROO ZHQW KDQG LQ KDQG ZLWK VFKRROER\ KXPRXU DQG D FKHHU\ GLVGDLQ IRU SRPSRVLW\ DQG JUDQGHXU ,Q WKH HDUO\ ¶ V KLW VLQJOHV VXFK DV )RRO )RU <RXU /RYLQJ DQG WKH ¿QH DOEXPV Ready Anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Willing and Come Anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Get It Ī:KLWHVQDNH ZHUH ELJ RQ GURSSLQJ WKHLU μG¶VÄ« VZDP DJDLQVW WKH WLGH RI EXWWRQÄ¥SXVKLQJ V\QWKÄ¥SRS VWUDLJKW LQWR WKH 8. 7RS 7KHQ &RYHUGDOH KDG KLV PLGÄ¥GHFDGH +ROO\Ä¥ ZRRG PDNHRYHU UHERRWHG WKH EDQG DV 079 SRS WDUWV DQG ODXJKHG DOO WKH ZD\ WR WKH EDQN T

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Sweet talker: David Coverdale at Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hammersmith Odeon, June 1980.

Fang club: Whitesnake in 1978 (from left) Neil Murray, Bernie Marsden, David Coverdale, Micky Moody, David â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Duckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Dowle, Jon Lord.

Trouble seeker: Bernie Marsden on-stage at the 1981 Monsters Of Rock festival.

â&#x20AC;&#x153; I S H O U L D H AV E M A D E A TON OF MONEY FROM WHITESNAKE, AND I D I D N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; T. â&#x20AC;? N E I L M U R R AY

Moody met Coverdale in their hometown of Middlesbrough when he was 17. Micky was SOD\LQJ ZLWK EOXHVÄĽURFNHUV 6QDIX LQ ZKHQ David was plucked from obscurity to replace Ian Gillan in Deep Purple. After meeting up again in Munich in spring â&#x20AC;&#x2122;76, Coverdale invitÄĽ ed Moody to Purpleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show at the Wembley Empire Pool. Micky saw a band in disarray.

1RERG\ ZDV VSHDNLQJ WR HDFK RWKHU DQG SRVWÄĽ JLJ HYHU\ERG\ VSHG RÉą LQ VHSDUDWH OLPRXVLQHV Deep Purple imploded soon after, and 0RRG\ ZDV LQYLWHG WR SOD\ RQ &RYHUGDOHÂśV ÂżUVW solo album, titled White Snake. He enjoyed it so much he stuck around for the next one, ÂśV Northwinds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Besides my playing, I think David needed someone who could take him back to the good old days. Being in Deep Purple sounded horÄĽ rendous at the end, with the drug problems.â&#x20AC;?

Moody was happy with a beer, a joint and KLV JXLWDU 7KHQ &RYHUGDOH Ă&#x20AC;RDWHG WKH LGHD RI a new band: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I said to David, I want WZLQ JXLWDUV ÄŚ EHFDXVH , ZDVQÂśW RQH RI WKRVH H[WURYHUW SOD\HUV ZLWK D ÄĽ watt Marshall. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Ritchie Blackmore or Tommy Bolin.â&#x20AC;?

Enter Bernie Marsden. The %XFNLQJKDPÄĽERUQ JXLWDULVW KDG EHHQ D Âż[WXUH RQ WKH EOXHVÄĽURFN circuit, with Babe Ruth and Cozy Powellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hammer. Marsden was waiting to hear if heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d landed a job with Wings when Coverdale PDGH KLP DQ RÉąHU :KLOH Moody is reserved and cautious, Marsden cheerfully GHVFULEHV KLPVHOI DV ÂłD JODVVÄĽ KDOIÄĽIXOO NLQGD JX\´ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every time I phoned WKH 0DFFD RɡFH , ZDV WROG Paul was still in America and would call me when he came back,â&#x20AC;? he laughs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This went on for weeks, then I bumped into David at a gig. He said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I GRQÂśW WKLQN , FDQ RÉąHU \RX what McCartney canâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; I said, You can, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no RÉąHU RQ WKH WDEOH´

When Coverdale asked Marsden to help audition drummers, he roped in bass player 1HLO 0XUUD\ H[ÄĽ&R]\ 3RZHOOÂśV +DPPHU EXW DOVR MD]]ÄĽURFNHUV 1DWLRQDO +HDOWK Âł,ÂśG FRPH from playing obscure, complicated music, but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t where my heart lay,â&#x20AC;? insists Murray now. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Plus there was no money in it and I was working in the Virgin Records shop at Marble Arch.â&#x20AC;?

Murray has a schoolmasterly eye for detail DQG DQ XQĂ&#x20AC;DSSDEOH PDQQHU KH ZDV VKRFNHG DW KLV ÂżUVW :KLWHVQDNH UHKHDUVDO KRZHYHU WR VHH &RYHUGDOH SRVLQJ DV LI KH ZDV DOUHDG\ RQÄĽVWDJH at Hammersmith Odeon. â&#x20AC;&#x153;David was most inspiring,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It worked from day one,â&#x20AC;? concurs MarsÄĽ den. â&#x20AC;&#x153;David and I wrote the song Come On within a week of being together.â&#x20AC;?

Whitesnakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut tour commenced in 0DUFK 7KH EDQG ÄŞFRPSOHWHG E\ NH\ERDUG player Brian Johnstone and drummer David Îź'XFNÂś 'RZOHÄŤ VTXHH]HG RQ WR WLQ\ VWDJHV DW the Redcar Coatham Bowl and Harrogate PJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

It was a comedown after arenas with Purple.

But Marsden insists Coverdale didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d had such a traumatic time at the end, he just wanted to be around people he knew, playing great rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We never felt like Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backing band,â&#x20AC;? insists Moody. â&#x20AC;&#x153;David was intelligent and very witty. I assume he still is. We respected him, but he was still one of the lads.â&#x20AC;?

That summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Snakebite EP included a version of soul man Bobby Blandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t No Love In The Heart Of The City, soon to EHFRPH DQ DXGLHQFH VLQJÄĽDORQJ DW HYHU\ Whitesnake show. Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t No Loveâ&#x20AC;Ś embodied WKH JURXSÂśV GLYHUVH LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFHV Âł:H ZHUH DOO into Little Feat, the Allman Brothersâ&#x20AC;Ś,â&#x20AC;? recalls Moody. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Personally, I was aware of Deep Purple. But I always compared Whitesnake to %RE 6HJHU $QG 7KH 6LOYHU %XOOHW %DQG ´ And all this while punk rock was raging outside the door. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never gave it a thought,â&#x20AC;? he shrugs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just coasted along.â&#x20AC;?

Jon Lord also found Whitesnakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blues roots and camaraderie appealing after the WUDXPD RI ODWWHUÄĽGD\ 3XUSOH +H PDGH KLV Whitesnake debut on Trouble.

PLANET ROCK

73

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Snake charmers: (from left) Marsden, Murray and Moody at Shepperton Studios, 1978.

,Q $XJXVW :KLWHVQDNH VZXQJ WKHLU ZD\ LQWR D KHDGOLQH VORW DW WKH 5HDGLQJ )HVWLYDO MXVW DIWHU 5DLQERZ WRSSHG WKH ELOO DW WKH ÂżUVW &DVWOH 'RQLQJWRQ 0RQVWHUV 2I 5RFN EDVK Âł7KHUH ZDV D IULHQGO\ ULYDOU\ ZLWK 5DLQÄĽ ERZ ´ QRWHV %HUQLH Âł'DYLG ZDQWHG WR VKRZ 5LWFKLH %ODFNÄĽ PRUH KH FRXOG KDYH D VXFFHVVÄĽ IXO EDQG RXWVLGH 'HHS 3XUSOH ´ &RYHUGDOHÂśV RQÄĽVWDJH SHUÄĽ sona was also blossoming. He played up to his lothario imÄĽ age: twirling his mic stand and dispensing blokey introducÄĽ tions: â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a song for ya!â&#x20AC;?

(YHU\WKLQJ ZDV GRQH ZLWK D Four choice â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Snake bites.

NQRZLQJ ZLQN %XW QRW HYHU\ÄĽ one shared the joke. An AmerÄĽ Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t No Love In The ican tour opening for Jethro Heart Of The City 7XOO ÄŚ ÂłQRW DQ LGHDO SDLULQJ ´ (Snakebite EP, 1978) XQGHUVWDWHV 0RRG\ ÄŚ FRPÄĽ Bobby Blandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SRXQGHG &RYHUGDOHÂśV JURZLQJ 1974 hit frustration. Whitesnake ruled reworked; %ULWDLQ EXW QRW WKH 86 a favourite $W KRPH ÂśV Come Anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Whitesnake Choirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at live Get It was Whitesnakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bigÄĽ dates forever more. gest yet. But songs such as the KRQN\ÄĽWRQN ERRJLH :LQH Walking In The :RPHQ $QG 6RQJ ZHUH DV Shadow Of The Blues British as crap weather and (Lovehunter, 1979) bangers and mash. Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coverdale ELJJHVW URFN /3V WKDW \HDU pleads blues-driven LQFOXGHG 5(2 6SHHGZDJRQÂśV insanity for +L ,QĂ&#x20AC;GHOLW\ and Journeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s his inability Escape. Come Anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Get It only to embrace UHDFKHG 1XPEHU RQ WKH regular nine-to-five living.

Billboard chart.

Gentleman Jon Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organ roars. Âł7KH FUDFNV VWDUWHG WR appear,â&#x20AC;? sighs Moody. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d Fool For Your Loving sold all these records at home, (Ready Anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Willing, 1980) but we were not making any Whitesnakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s money.â&#x20AC;? Moody quit, but was breakVZHHWÄĽWDONHG EDFN IRU ÂśV through hit duked it Saints & Sinners. out on the 6RPH RI :KLWHVQDNHÂśV chart with ÂżQDQFLDO ZRHV VWHPPHG IURP Rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All Night Long.

WKHLU PDQDJHU 'HHS 3XUSOHÂśV But only one had Neil former handler, the late John Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabulous slinky bassline. &ROHWWD Âł7KH PDQDJHPHQW contract was so bad, the only Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Gonna Cry No way out was to break up the More (Live) band,â&#x20AC;? explains Marsden. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We (Liveâ&#x20AC;Ś In The Heart Of The City, VKRXOG KDYH KDG D JRRG URZ 1980) DQG D ÂżJKW EXW ZH GLGQÂśW ,W The â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Snake ZDV MXVW 2K 2. JRRGE\H ´ swagger subtly on â&#x20AC;&#x153;We found out later, when this Micky, Bernie and I were on Zep-tinged ĸ D ZHHN -RQ DQG ,DQ ZHUH rocker, with getting a huge amount more,â&#x20AC;?

Bernie on jangling twin-neck adds Murray. guitar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lord I know the

â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Song For Ya!â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jon was an absolute gentleman and my hero,â&#x20AC;? states Marsden.

Trouble has been rather eclipsed by later Whitesnake albums. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a bit too muso,â&#x20AC;? suggests Murray. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lots of busy tempos.â&#x20AC;? But 0DUVGHQ DOVR WKLQNV LWÂśV XQGHUUDWHG ÄŚ Âł/LVWHQ WR 1LJKWKDZN ,WÂśV RXWUDJHRXV´ ÄŚ DQG UHVHUYHV VSHFLDO SUDLVH IRU GUXPPHU 'DYLG Îź'XFNÂś 'RZÄĽ le: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Whitesnakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forgotten man.â&#x20AC;? +RZHYHU DIWHU ,DQ 3DLFH EHJDQ VKRZLQJ XS EDFNVWDJH WKH LQHYLWDEOH KDSSHQHG Âł:KDW GR \RX GR ZKHQ \RXÂśYH JRW RQH RI WKH ZRUOGÂśV JUHDWHVW URFNÂśQÂśUROO GUXPPHUV DVNLQJ Îź&DQ , join your band?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t much of a decision.â&#x20AC;?

3DLFH MRLQHG LQ WLPH WR WRXU :KLWHVQDNHÂśV second album, Lovehunter ÄŞ ÄŤ 7KH SUHVHQFH RI WKUHH H[ÄĽ3XUSOH PHPEHUV IXHOOHG UXPRXUV RI D UHXQLRQ DQG LQVSLUHG URDGLH 0DJQHWÂśV 7ÄĽVKLUW SUDQN 7KH IDFW 'HHS 3XUSOHÂśV H[ÄĽSURGXFHU 0DUWLQ %LUFK ÄŞÂłWKH VHYHQWK PHPEHU RI :KLWHVQDNH ´ FODLPV %HUQLHÄŤ ZDV DOVR LQYROYHG only reinforced the connection. Âł:H FDOOHG -RQ DQG ,DQ ÎźWKH EUDVV VHFWLRQÂś as they were the ones with money,â&#x20AC;? says MarsÄĽ GHQ Âł7KHUH ZHUH D ORW RI VFKRROER\ MRNHV IURP 0LFN\ DQG , ÄŚ :KHUHÂśV \RXU GULYHU" ,V \RXU FRRN FRPLQJ WRGD\" ÄŚ EXW UHDOO\ ZH ZHUH DOO LQ it together.â&#x20AC;? ÂśV Ready Anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Willing ZDV WKH ÂżUVW Âś6QDNH DOEXP WR JR 7RS 7KH VLQJOH )RRO )RU <RXU /RYLQJ UHDFKHG 1XPEHU Âł, DOZD\V UHPHPÄĽ EHU &R]\ 3RZHOO FDPH GRZQ WKH VWXGLR KHDUG WKH EDFNLQJ WUDFN DQG VDLG Îź7KDWÂśV D KLW ϫ UHFDOOV 0DUVGHQ Âł&R]\ XVHG WR VD\ WR PH Îź7KLV band really swings.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

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PLANET ROCK

Âł'DYLG KDG D JRRG HDU IRU commercialising a song,â&#x20AC;? says FRÄĽZULWHU 0RRG\ ZKR FODLPV KH borrowed the chord sequence IRU )RROÂŤ IURP +HQGUL[ÂśV 6WRQH )UHH Âł%XW %HUQLH ZLOO WHOO \RX LW VWDUWHG DV D % % .LQJ WKLQJ´ â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wrote it with B.B. King in mind,â&#x20AC;? says Marsden as if on cue.

But the press were quick to SLOORU\ &RYHUGDOH IRU KLV PDFKR O\ULFV Âł$ KDUG ORYLQÂś ZRPDQ OLNH \RX MXVW QHHGV D KDUGÄĽORYLQÂś PDQ ´ KH FURRQHG RQ )RRO )RU <RXU /RYLQJ ,Q IDFW PRVW :KLWHVQDNH VRQJV IRXQG &RYÄĽ erdale serenading a harem of â&#x20AC;&#x153;sweet talkersâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;bad daughÄĽ tersâ&#x20AC;? and sounding like a man QXUVLQJ D ÄĽKRXU HUHFWLRQ â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know it sounds bad but , QHYHU WRRN D ORW RI QRWLFH of the lyrics,â&#x20AC;? insists Marsden. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do wince at some of them QRZ %XW , DOVR KDYH WZR JURZQÄĽ XS GDXJKWHUV ZKR ORYH Whitesnake.â&#x20AC;? Âł7KH PRUH FULWLFLVP 'DYLG got, the more he played up to LW ´ EHOLHYHV 0XUUD\ Âł, DP QRW \RXU W\SLFDO 0U +HDY\ 5RFN Bloke and I did cringe. But the fact the band became so popuÄĽ lar negated the criticism.â&#x20AC;?

sunshine but I feel the tears of rain,â&#x20AC;? croons DC.

When Moody was lured back to tour Saints & Sinners, only he and Jon Lord remained from WKH FODVVLF OLQHĥXS &R]\ 3RZHOO SOD\HG GUXPV DQG H[ĥ7UDSH]H JXLWDULVW WKH ODWH 0HO *DOOH\ UHSODFHG %HUQLH 0DUVGHQ ³0HO ZDV D WDOHQWHG JX\ ´ VD\V 0DUVGHQ ³%XW KH WROG PH DOO 'DYLG XVHG WR VD\ WR KLP ZDV μ2K %HUQLH GLG LW OLNH WKLV %HUQLH GLG LW OLNH WKDW«¶´ Marsden saw the new Whitesnake headĥ OLQH ¶V 'RQLQJWRQ IHVWLYDO ³$QG LW ZDV VWUDQJH EHFDXVH , ZDV ZDWFKLQJ D PXFK SRRUHU YHUVLRQ RI ZKDW ZH XVHG WR GR ´ ³,W¶V VRPHWKLQJ ,¶G SUHIHU WR IRUJHW ´ VD\V 0LFN\ 0RRG\ +H GLVFXVVHG KLV ¿QDO H[LW IURP Whitesnake in his 2016 memoir, Snakes & /DGGHUV 'XULQJ :KLWHVQDNH¶V SHUIRUPDQFH DW D *HUPDQ IHVWLYDO LQ 2FWREHU ¶ 0RRG\ VSRWWHG *HɱHQ 5HFRUGV¶ $ 5 JXUX -RKQ .Dĥ ORGQHU WDNLQJ QRWHV DW WKH VLGH RI WKH VWDJH ,Q WKH KRWHO EDU DIWHUZDUGV &RYHUGDOH FULWLFLVHG 0RRG\¶V VWDJH PRYHV LQ IURQW RI 7KLQ /L]]\¶V EORQGH JXLWDU KHUR -RKQ 6\NHV ³,W ZDV D FXQW¶V WULFN DQG , QHYHU IRUJDYH KLP ´ 0RRG\ ZURWH 0LFN\ DQQRXQFHG KH ZDV OHDYLQJ DQG 6\NHV WRRN KLV SODFH UHĥUHFRUGLQJ WKH JXLWDU SDUWV RQ Whitesnake’s latest album, Slide It In ³-RKQ ZDV D JUHDW JXLWDULVW ´ LQVLVWV 0RRG\ ³%XW , FRXOG VHH ZKHUH LW ZDV JRLQJ ´ 7KHUH ZDV QR SODFH IRU 0LFN\¶V WLWIHU DQG PRXVWDFKH LQ WKLV QHZ UHJLPH ³,W ZDV DOO very /RV $QJHOHV YHU\ VHULRXV ´ &RYHUGDOH KDG SUHYLRXVO\ DFFXVHG 0RRG\ DQG 0DUVGHQ RI QRW WDNLQJ WKHLU FDUHHUV VHULRXVO\ ³%HUQLH DQG 0LFN\ ZHUH YHU\ IXQQ\ ´ VD\V 0XUUD\ ³%XW VRPHWLPHV WKLQJV ZHUHQ¶W WDNHQ DV VHULRXVO\ DV WKH\ VKRXOG KDYH EHHQ ´ 0XUUD\ ZKR KDG ³KLV IRRW LQ ERWK FDPSV´ ZDV UHĥKLUHG DQG SOD\HG RQ WKH UHERRWHG :KLWHVQDNH¶V VHOIĥWLWOHG DOEXP NQRZQ E\ DOO DV 1987 ,W ZDV D IDU FU\ IURP Trouble 7HOOLQJO\ WKH DOEXP LQFOXGHG UHYDPSHG YHUVLRQV RI WZR ROG :KLWHVQDNH VRQJV &U\LQJ ,Q 7KH 5DLQ DQG +HUH , *R $JDLQ 0XUUD\ KXQJ RQ XQWLO WKH DOEXP ZDV FRPSOHWH ³7KHQ WKH PRQH\ UDQ RXW DQG LW ZDV HDVLHU IRU 'DYLG WR GLWFK PH DQG JHW QHZ SHRSOH LQ IRU WKH YLGHRV ZKR EHFDPH KLV OLYH EDQG ´

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Lovehunter: A smug-looking DC with Tawny Kitaen at the MTV Music Awards, 1987.

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MY PLANET ROCKS

Heavyĥduty British EOXHV DVVĥNLFNLQJ URFN¶Q¶UROO QDVW\ DFLGĥLQIXVHG 5 % DQG /HG =HS¶V WKXQGHURXV RSHQLQJ VDOYR« SCORPIONS GUITARIST AND FOUNDING FATHER RUDOLF SCHENKER SELECTS THE SONGS THAT ROCK HIS WORLD. I L LU S T R AT I O N

BY

COREY BRICKLEY

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I N T E RV I E W : JA M E S M C N A I R

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LITTLE RICHARD

Jenny Jenny

(on Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Little Richard, 1957)

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be 70 in August, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll VWDUW ZLWK WKH ¿UVW VRQJ that really kicked my ass. Little Richard playing the piano with his feet and singing like the devil coming out of the graveyard really woke me up. It was very GLɱHUHQW WR WKH WHUULEOH *HUPDQ VFKODJHU ĬOLJKW LQVWUXPHQWDO DQG YRFDOÄ­ PXVLF P\ SDUHQWV ZHUH listening to. Before that I was only really interested in playing football with my friends, but when I heard Little Richard I started tuning into Radio Monte Carlo so that I could hear rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll.

THE BEATLES

Twist And Shout (on Please Please Me, 1963)

When I was about 13 I went to summer camp in 6DQNW 3HWHUÄ¥2Uding in Northern *HUPDQ\ 7KH ROGHU NLGV WKHUH told me about this band called 7KH %HDWOHV WKDW KDG DFWXDOO\ EHHQ WR *HUPDQ\ DOUHDG\ DQG SOD\HG LQ +DPEXUJ 7KH\ SOD\HG PH 7ZLVW $QG 6KRXW RQ WKHLU portable record players, and when I heard John Lennon go, Ä«VLQJVĬ â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shake it up baby now!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;, I WKRXJKW 7KLV LV IRU PH , ZDQW to be in a band! I loved the way WKDW 7KH %HDWOHV¶ PXVLF FKDQJHG ZLWK HYHU\ DOEXP 7KH\ WDXJKW me and every other band a lot about songwriting.

THE PRETTY THINGS

L.S.D.

GETTY

(Single B-side, 1966)

'LFN 7D\ORU IURP 7KH 3UHWW\ 7KLQJV VWDUWHG RXW SOD\LQJ EDVV IRU 7KH 5ROOLQJ Stones, who had that yin and \DQJ WKLQJ JRLQJ RQ ZLWK 7KH Beatles. I loved the Stonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; KDUGHU GLUWLHU VWXɱ HYHQ PRUH WKDQ , ORYHG 7KH %HDWOHV DQG

IRU PH 7KH 3UHWW\ 7KLQJV ZHUH D bit like the Stones. Before Klaus Meine joined Scorpions on vocals, we used to play L.S.D. live and I used to love singing it.

It was dark and nasty and it had this strange sense of adventure and discovery in it. Nobody really talks about them anymore, EXW IRU PH 7KH 3UHWW\ 7KLQJV were very underrated.

LED ZEPPELIN

.HLWK 2OVHQ DQG -RH JDYH KLP that guitar to apologise for being a bad boy. Keith had been wondering why Joe was in such a good mood, you see, but then one day Keithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife asked him to bring home some nice bottles of red wine from the cellar he had at the studio, and Keith noticed that a lot of the bottles were empty. Joe had drank the wine and put the corks back in.

WISHBONE ASH

Good Times Bad Times

Blowinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Free

(on Led Zeppelin, 1969)

(on Argus, 1972)

I was a fan of Spooky 7RRWh and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d gone to see WKHP SOD\ DW WKH 6WDUÄ¥&OXE LQ Hamburg. But while we were waiting for them to come on we heard Ä«KXPV RSHQLQJ SRZHU FKRUGV RI *RRG 7LPHV %DG 7LPHVĬ come over the PA and it was like a thunderbolt. I said to my friend, 7KLV LV LQFUHGLEOH *R DQG DVN the DJ who it is. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d already heard Deep Purple, but =HSSHOLQ NQRFNHG PH RXW 7KH production, the sounds, Robert Plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice and these four outstanding musicians playing blues and folk and world music Ħ LW ZDV XQEHOLHYDEOH :KHQ , met Jimmy Page at an awards FHUHPRQ\ LQ 7RN\R D FRXSOH RI years ago, I told him that I FRXOGQ¶W KDYH ZULWWHQ Ĭ6FRUSLRQV FODVVLFÄ­ 6WLOO /RYLQJ <RX ZLWKRXW 6WDLUZD\ 7R +HDYHQ +H VDLG μ7KDW¶V JUHDW 5XGROI Ħ ,¶P JODG , inspired you!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

I always liked Wishbone Ashâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s style and sound, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen them play many times.

For me, they were a little bit like Mountain. Whenever I hear $UJXV it always reminds me of Andy Powell, because he sold me a couple of guitars. He called me and said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rudolf, I have two *LEVRQ )O\LQJ 9V WR VHOO RQH from 1958 and one from 1964.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I UHPHPEHU , Ã&#x20AC;HZ LQWR +HDWKURZ with the money in cash in my pocket, and they searched me and thought that I was a drug dealer. I told them, No, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only pocket money for buying JXLWDUV 7KH\ VDLG μ2. QR problem. We love rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

THE EAGLES

Hotel California (on Hotel California, 1976)

Joe Walshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rhythm guitar playing with the Eagles is exactly how I think music should be, and his soloing is wonderful too. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a funny VWRU\ EXW WKH Ä¥VWULQJ acoustic guitar that I SOD\HG RQ :LQGV 2I &KDQJH LV the same one that Joe used on the start of the song Hotel &DOLIRUQLD 7KH SURGXFHU RI our album &UD]\ :RUOG was

Bad boy: the Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Joe Walsh.

1RZ , KDYH WZR )O\LQJ 9V IURP Andy and one from Nancy :LOVRQ ĬRI +HDUWĭ

FLEETWOOD MAC

The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (Single, 1970)

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not the only one who loves this song, right? Judas Priest did a pretty good cover version. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just so heavy and powerful and it has such a great feel. Everybody knows that 3HWHU *UHHQ ZDV D JUHDW JXLWDULVW and that he had a wonderful vibrato, but he was also a great VLQJHU <RX FDQ KHDU WKDW RQ VRQJV OLNH 7KH *UHHQ 0DQDOLVKL DQG 0DQ 2I 7KH :RUOG

QUEEN

We Are The Champions (on News Of The World, 1977)

7KDW VRQJ LV D PDVWHUSLHFH Freddie Mercury was such an amazing frontman and a brilliant singer, and the rock songs he wrote were very GLɱHUHQW IURP HYHU\WKLQJ HOVH , met him a few times when Queen were recording in Munich and he was always a lot RI IXQ WR EH ZLWK <HDUV ODWHU when the Queen exhibition came to Munich, I said to Brian Ĭ0D\Ä­ ,I ZH VDQJ VRPHWKLQJ OLNH :H $UH 7KH &KDPSLRQV KHUH LQ *HUPDQ\ SHRSOH ZRXOG JR FUD]\ 7KH\ ZRXOG WKLQN LW ZDV WRR nationalist and the song would probably get banned from the UDGLR LI LW ZDV E\ D *HUPDQ EDQG %ULDQ VDLG μ<RX FRXOGQ¶W WHOO )UHGGLH ZKDW WR GR Ħ KH would just do whatever he wanted to do, even if it was a bit controversial.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; &KHFN RXW 0\ 3ODQHW 5RFNV ZKHUH WKH ZRUOG·V JUHDWHVW DUWLVWV SOD\ WKH PXVLF WKDW LQVSLUHG WKHP HYHU\ 6XQGD\ DW SP RQO\ DW 3ODQHW 5RFN 5DGLR S C O R P I O N S KHDGOLQH WKH S TO N E F R E E F E S T I VA L DW /RQGRQ·V 2 $UHQD RQ -XQH

PLANET ROCK

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Portrait by

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PLANET ROCK

GETTY

When his best friend, guitarist Randy Rhoads, died in a tragic accident, wanted to quit music. Four years on, the former Black Sabbath singer was the biggest name in metal. In the first part of our cover story, Ozzy reflects on grief, madness, death and resurrection in the decade that made him a superstar.

Words: FIN COSTELLO

Beast unburdened: Ozzy Osbourne in carefree mood at Shepperton Studios for the Bark At The Moon cover shoot, September, 1983.

Killer of giants: (main pic) Ozzy backstage at Hammersmith Odeon on the Ultimate Sin tour, February 19, 1986; (below, clockwise) Sharon and Ozzy in Hawaii on their wedding day, July 4, 1982; doting dad Ozzy with daughter Kelly, June 15, 1986.

Moon unit: (below) the BATM-era band at Ridge Farm Studios, August 1983; (above) a Memphis mugshot, May 15, 1984.

A Madman in the canâ&#x20AC;Ś and then he gets killed. I said to Sharon, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m done, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fucking take this.â&#x20AC;?

His redoubtable girlfriend refused to let him countenance the idea.

Her response was unequivocal. Âł6KH JRHV Îź1R ZHÂśUH QRW ϫ 2]]\ UHFDOOV ³ΟZHÂśUH JRLQJ WR ÂżQG VRPHÄĽ one, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to carry on.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? . . . T H E E V E N TS O F M A R C H 1 9 ,

1982 are still evidently raw, painful and vivid for Ozzy Osbourne. His voice shakes with emotion as he revisits the day he lost his best friend. As dawn broke on that fateful morning, WKH VLQJHU ZDV DVOHHS RQ KLV WRXU EXV IROORZLQJ DQ DOOÄĽQLJKW GULYH IURP Knoxville, Tennessee, where he and his band had played their 46th show on the American leg of the Diary Of A Madman tour. Unbeknown to Osbourne, and his girlfriend/manager, Sharon Arden, curled up in the bunk beside him, they had parked at the bus company headquarters at the Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida. Their driver, Andrew Aycock, wanted to pick up some spare parts before heading to Orlando, Florida for Ozzyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearance alongside Bryan Adams, UFO and headÄĽ liners Foreigner at the Rock Super Bowl XIV festival on March 20.

Some time between nine and 10am, Aycock, a licensed pilot, FRPPDQGHHUHG D VLQJOHÄĽHQJLQH %HHFKFUDIW %RQDQ]D ) DLUSODQH SDUNHG LQ D KDQJDU RQ WKH HVWDWH DQG RÉąHUHG WR WDNH HDUO\ ULVHUV DPRQJ 2]]\ÂśV HQWRXUDJH for a spin. Guitarist Randy Rhoads and Rachel <RXQJEORRG WKH JURXSÂśV VHDPVWUHVV PDNHÄĽXS artist, accepted the invitation. Three times the small aircraft made low passes above the WRXU EXV DW VSHHGV EHWZHHQ ÄĽ PSK On the fourth run, Aycock misjudged his trajectory. The plane clipped the rear of the vehicle with its left wing, sliced through a pine tree and exploded upon impact with the garage of a nearby house. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were awoken by a huge bang and the bus was rocking backwards and forwards,â&#x20AC;?

Sharon Osbourne would later recall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ozzy and I had no idea where we were or what had gone on. Try to imagine it: you wake up to an almigKW\ FUDVK DQG ÂżQG \RX DUH LQ WKH PLGGOH RI D SULYDWH ODQGLQJ ÂżHOG Everybody was screaming, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Randy! Randy!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; People were on their knees on the landing strip crying, their hands clasped to their heads. It was a waking nightmare.â&#x20AC;?

At the crash site, the bodies of Aycock, Youngblood and Rhoads were burned beyond UHFRJQLWLRQ 7KH ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG JXLWDULVW FRXOG RQO\ EH LGHQWLÂżHG E\ KLV MHZHOOHU\ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every time I talk about Randy, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m there in my head,â&#x20AC;? says Ozzy quietly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The fucking house LV RQ ÂżUH WKH SODQHÂśV LQ SLHFHV DQG ZHÂśUH DOO looking at it like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something out of a horror movie, in total shock.â&#x20AC;?

Traumatised, Ozzyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initial instinct was to quit the business. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My father had died, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been ÂżUHG IURP 6DEEDWK ,ÂśG VWDUWHG DJDLQ ZLWK Randy, and got Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of

had become a sorry shambles long before they ÂżUHG WKHLU IURQWPDQ LQ $SULO 'UXJÄĽVLFN MDGHG DQG exhausted by interminable legal battles, the quartet had spent almost six months in LA preparing a ninth studio album ZLWKRXW FRPPLWWLQJ D VLQJOH ÂżQLVKHG VRQJ WR WDSH 7KHUHÂśV D GHJUHH RI understatement then to Ozzyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recollection that, ahead of the decision to cut him loose, the four friends from Aston had â&#x20AC;&#x153;lost the sparkâ&#x20AC;?. Âł7KH\ ÂżUHG PH ´ KH DFNQRZOHGJHV ÂłEXW ,ÂśG DOUHDG\ OHIW EHIRUH ÄŹLQ Ä­ :KHQ , ÂżUVW OHIW , IHOW OLNH D ÂżVK RXW RI ZDWHU DQG WKDWÂśV ZK\ , went back, even though I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really get into the vibe anymore. Later, I saw that Tony said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ozzy wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t into it,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true. I was just sick of it.â&#x20AC;?

(MHFWHG IURP WKH EDQG DQG HVWUDQJHG IURP KLV ÂżUVW ZLIH 7KHOPD 2]]\ VSHQW WKH HDUO\ PRQWKV RI KLV SRVWÄĽ6DEEDWK OLIH LQ D +ROO\ZRRG KRWHO URRP XQHQWKXVLDVWLFDOO\ HPEUDFLQJ GUXJVÄĽDQGÄĽERR]H REOLYLRQ ,W ZDV KHUH 6KDURQ $UGHQ WKH GDXJKWHU RI 6DEEDWKÂśV KDUGÄĽ QRVHG PDQDJHU 'RQ $UGHQ PHW KLP LQ WKH VXPPHU RI DQG KHOSHG ÂżJXUDWLYHO\ DQG RIWHQ OLWHUDOO\ WR VFUDSH KLP RÉą WKH Ă&#x20AC;RRU DQG LQWR D VROR FDUHHU 3DUWQHULQJ WKH VLQJHU ZLWK KRWÄĽVKRW &DOLIRUQLDQ guitar ace Randy Rhoads was a masterstroke: â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I met Randy, everything changed,â&#x20AC;?

Ozzy told this writer in 2014. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every band Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever been in, the early days are fucking fun, because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve everyÄĽ thing to gain and nothing to lose,â&#x20AC;? he recalls today. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Randy was part of my family, a great person, a true musician and a fucking great rock star.â&#x20AC;?

And yet cruel fate would dictate that when Osbourne headlined New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Madison Square *DUGHQ DUHQD RQ $SULO ÄŚ D ODQGPDUN gig, setting the seal on the success of his solo debut Blizzard Of Ozz DQG LWV IROORZÄĽXS Diary Of A Madman ÄŚ LW ZDV ZLWK IRUPHU Gillan guitarist Bernie TormĂŠ, not Rhoads, by his side. Though eager to launch his own VROR FDUHHU WKH XQDVVXPLQJ 'XEOLQHU KDG agreed to help Ozzy out for one month.

Such was the turmoil following Rhoadsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; death that, on the afternoon of the MSG show, Ozzy was auditioning IRUPHU 'DYLG %RZLH JXLWDULVW (DUO 6OLFN ÄŚ PHDQLQJ 7RUPp didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even get to soundcheck ahead of the biggest show of his life. Within a week, to Lifesaver: Bernie his considerable relief, the Irishman was TormĂŠ with Ozzy released. Night Ranger guitarist Brad Gillis at MSG, New York, April 5, 1982.

ZDV WKHQ GUDIWHG LQ WR ÂżQLVK WKH WRXU EHIRUH he too returned to his own band.

Given the circumstances, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underÄĽ standable that Ozzy didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really bond with either guitarist. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was having a really

Â

L AC K SAB BAT H

ROSS HALFIN, GET TY, ICONICPIX

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I SAID TO SHARON, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;M DONE, I CANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T F**KING TAKE THIS...â&#x20AC;?

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O’ in 1986.

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ROSS HALFIN, GET TY

“SABBATH WAS A BAND OF BULLIES. TONY IOMMI INTIMIDATES THE F**K OUT OF ME.”

Goodbye to romance: (from left) Phil Soussan, Ozzy, Randy Castillo and Jake E. Lee take a bow at the Poplar Creek Music Theater, Chicago, July 13, 1986.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was a monumental gig,â&#x20AC;? Ozzy recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The night before, I got fucked up in the hotel and one of the guys from Vandenberg said to me, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You are very silly, you have a show tomorrow!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; But I did one of the EHVW VKRZV RI P\ FDUHHU , UHPHPEHU ÄŹWKH SURPRWHUVÄ­ VD\LQJ WR 6KDURQ Îź+HÂśV JRWWD JHW RÉą Âś $QG 6KDURQ VDLG ÄŤPLPHV VKUXJÄŹ Îź%H P\ JXHVW \RX JHW KLP RÉą ϫ H E F O L LOWI N G S U M M E R, on July 13, 1985, some of the biggest names in music gathered at Wembley StaÄĽ dium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia IRU ZKDW ZDV WKH PRVW DPELWLRXV RQHÄĽGD\ GXDOÄĽYHQXH FRQFHUW HYHU VWDJHG 7KH :KR UHÄĽIRUPHG IRU /LYH $LGÂśV /RQGRQ VKRZ ZKLOH /HG Zeppelin, with Phil Collins and Tony Thompson sharing drum duties, reunited specially for the US event. So too, to the surprise of all involved, GLG %ODFN 6DEEDWK IRU ZKDW 2]]\ QRZ UHPHPEHUV DV ÂłD ELWWHUÄĽVZHHW UHÄĽ unionâ&#x20AC;?.It's like if you have a relationship with a woman and you go, Fuck WKLV ,ÂśP RXWWD KHUH ´ KH H[SODLQV Âł$QG WKHQ \RX JR EDFN DQG \RX JR 2K yeah, I remember why I left. I was riding high with my own career and 6DEEDWK ZDVQÂśW D EDQG OLNH PLQH LW ZDV D EDQG RI EXOOLHV ,WÂśV D GLÉąHUHQW FKHPLVWU\ 7RQ\ ,RPPL LQWLPLGDWHV WKH IXFN RXW RI PH ÄŚ KH VWLOO GRHV WR this day! Backstage you had the Stones and Led Zeppelin and egos were Ă&#x20AC;\LQJ DURXQG OLNH IXFN ´ 6DQGZLFKHG EHWZHHQ %LOO\ 2FHDQ DQG 5XQÄĽ' 0 & 6DEEDWK NLFNHG RÉą DQ XQGHUÄĽUHKHDUVHG WKUHHÄĽVRQJ VHW DW DP ÄŞ(67ÄŤ ÄŞÂł:KR ZDQWV WR ZDWFK %ODFN 6DEEDWK DW LQ WKH PRUQLQJ"´ 2]]\ DVNV ÄŤ 7KH LGHD RI D SHUPDQHQW UHXQLRQ ZDV QHYHU GLVFXVVHG EXW RQ WKH RɹļFKDQFH LW PLJKW

Â

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OZZY SLAYS SOUTH AMERICA

TURN THE PA G E . . .

PLANET ROCK

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Portrait by

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ROSS HALFIN

When invites you aboard his private jet for a flying visit to South America to launch his farewell world tour, it’d be rude to refuse. Buckle up as The Prince Of Darkness shares stories of voodoo offerings, cemetery visits, night terrors and potty-mouthed demons…

Words: ROSS HALFIN

Honey, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m home: Ozzy Osbourne raising hell at Santiagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cementerio General, May 7, 2018.

On that occasion, Ozzy recalls, he was booked for a photo session by D ULYHU LQ 5LR GH -DQHLUR DORQJ WKH EDQNV RI ZKLFK ORFDOV KDG ODLG RXW FDQGOHV DQG SODWHV RI IUXLW 'XULQJ D OXOO LQ SURFHHGLQJV WKH VLQJHU UHFDOOV SLFNLQJ XS DQ DSSOH DQG WDNLQJ D ELWH WR WKH LPPHGLDWH DQG YHU\ YLVLEOH FRQVWHUQDWLRQ RI KLV KRUUL¿HG KRVWV ³(YHU\RQH ZDV OLNH μ1R 1R 1R ¶´ KH ODXJKV ³,W ZDV D YRRGRR RɱHULQJ DQG VR HYHU\RQH IUHDNHG ´ %\ KLV RZQ DGPLVVLRQ 2]]\ LV D YHU\ VXSHUVWLWLRXV PDQ +H PD\ QR ORQJHU ZHDU WKH VLOYHU PHWDO FURVV KLV IDWKHU -DFN KDQGĥFUDIWHG IRU HDFK PHPEHU RI %ODFN 6DEEDWK WR ZDUG Rɱ HYLO VSLULWV EDFN LQ WKH ¶ V EXW KH UHPDLQV UHOXFWDQW WR PHGGOH ZLWK IRUFHV KH does not understand. And with just three GDWHV RI KLV ¿QDO ZRUOG WRXU WLFNHG Rɱ WKH GRFNHW WRGD\ KH¶V WDNLQJ VRPH FRQYLQFLQJ that his freshly launched long farewell FDPSDLJQ LVQ¶W FXUVHG

“IF I CAN’T DO IT ONSTAGE, I GET F***ING ANGRY WITH MYSELF.”

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Ozzy’s intuition KHUH ZH PXVW UHZLQG D IHZ GD\V WR WKH HYHQLQJ RI )ULGD\ 0D\ 7KH WUDYHOOLQJ SDUW\¶V SULYDWH MHW LV GHVFHQGLQJ WRZDUGV D 0H[LFR &LW\ DLUVWULS ZLWK MXVW PLQXWHV UHPDLQLQJ RI D IRXUĥ KRXU ÀLJKW IURP /RV $QJHOHV ZKHQ 6KDURQ Osbourne leans across to her husband and JHQWO\ VD\V ³2]]\ ,¶YH JRW VRPHWKLQJ WR WHOO \RX ´ ³, JR :KDW¶V WKDW GDUOLQJ"´ VD\V 2]]\ UHSOD\LQJ WKH VFHQH ³6KH JRHV μ, KDYHQ¶W EURXJKW P\ SDVVSRUW ¶ $QG , JR <RX¶UH IXFNLQJ MRNLQJ«´ 8SRQ WRXFKLQJ GRZQ LQ 0H[LFR ZLWK SURPLVHV EHLQJ PDGH WKDW WKH DEVHQW WUDYHO GRFXPHQW ZLOO EH FRXULHUHG LQ RQ WKH QH[W VRXWKERXQG ÀLJKW IURP /$ LW LQLWLDOO\ DSSHDUV WKDW LPPLJUDWLRQ RɷFLDOV DW WKH DLUSRUW ZLOO WDNH D FRPPRQVHQVH LI ODZĥEHQGLQJ YLHZ RI 0UV 2¶V PLVIRUWXQH ZLOO FRQFOXGH WKDW WKH LQWHUQDWLRQDOO\ IDPRXV ZLIH RI RQH RI WKH SODQHW¶V PRVW UHFRJQLVDEOH URFN VWDUV LV SHUKDSV XQOLNHO\ WR UHSUHVHQW a serious threat to the security of the state. %XW LQ WLPHV RI KHLJKWHQHG SROLWLFDO UKHWRULF DFWV RI PHUF\ FDQ EH interpreted as signs of weakness and, as negotiations at the airport conĥ WLQXH ZRUG LV SDVVHG GRZQ WKH FKDLQ RI FRPPDQG WR WKH HɱHFW WKDW WKLV SDUWLFXODU YLVLWRU IURP 1RUWK $PHULFD Ħ FLWL]HQ RI WKH 8QLWHG .LQJGRP RI *UHDW %ULWDLQ DQG 1RUWKHUQ ,UHODQG DV VKH PLJKW EH Ħ ZLOO QRW EH SHUPLWWHG WR RɷFLDOO\ HQWHU WKH FRXQWU\ ,QVWHDG WKH RUGHU GHFUHHV 0UV 2VERXUQH PXVW VSHQG WKH QLJKW DERDUG WKH MHW RQ WKH DLUVWULS DQG ZLOO EH FOHDUHG WR UHWXUQ WR /RV $QJHOHV DW GDZQ 2]]\ 2VERXUQH LV LQ¿QLWHO\ VKDUSHU WKDQ \RX PLJKW UHDOLVH 7KLV EHLQJ WKH FDVH KH¶V HQWLUHO\ PLQGIXO WKDQ FRPPHQWV PDGH LQ DQJHU Ħ OHW¶V say, for the sake of DUJXPHQW FRPPHQWV SHUWDLQLQJ WR WKH FXUUHQW

O U N D E R S TA N D

ROSS HALFIN, GET TY, PAUL BRANNIGAN

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Pray as you go: Ozzy counts his blessings in Chile; (below and top) Ozzy onstage at the Movistar Arena in Santiago, May 8, 2018.

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ROSS HALFIN

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PLANET ROCK

Viva Mexico: Ozzy Osbourne rocks the Heaven And Hell festival, Mexico City, May 5, 2018.

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F A N YO N E I S T E M P T E D

Dreamer: Ozzy, chilling in Chile, May 7, 2018.

ROSS HALFIN, GET TY, SHUT TERSTOCK

“I WOKE UP WITH MY WIFE STABBING ME IN THE CHEST WITH A F**KING DINNER FORK.”

“EVERY TIME I SING THIS SONG NOW I THINK OF LEMMY...”

Ozzy’s South American set list, in his own words.

I originally had the Mr. Crowley melody line for Black Sabbath. The reason I did it about Crowley was that at that time Jimmy Page had bought an [occult] bookshop and bought Aleister Crowley’s house and people in rock’n’roll were always talking about Crowley. I’d heard the name so many times, but I didn’t know what he was about.

Bark At The Moon was like a Halloween thing. I had a drummer called Tommy Aldridge and he was always saying, “Eat shit and bark at the moon!” I thought that was a really interesting expression, but I couldn’t put Eat Shit in a song title! Bob Daisley wrote the lyric.

It suited my image at the time.

Soulmates: Ozzy and Lemmy at the Heavy Metal Holocaust festival, August 1, 1981.

When people get successful they start becoming back street philosophers. I’m not that kind of a guy, I’m a dyslexic fucking rock’n’roller, so I Don’t Know is me saying, “Don’t ask me questions, I don’t know.” People would come to me, like, “My cat keeps pissing on the lawn, what do you think I should do?” Kill it! Don’t ask me, I don’t know! I don’t even know how much a pint is now!

[Producer] John Purdell wrote the No More Tears lyrics, and I came up with the melody line. It brought me into the ’90s. I remember in the ’80s, when everything was all glitzy, I said to Sharon, “This is fucking great, we’ve set ourselves up here”, and she said, “Wait until it turns to 1990, everything will fucking change.” Sure enough, as soon as January first came, about 500,000 bands went down the toilet!

Suicide Solution was about me drinking myself to death, with a solution of alcohol. I was drinking a vast amount of booze then. In 24 hours I’d get through four bottles of Hennessey cognac, and I’d wake up with my liver hanging out of my ass! It was fucking killing me.

Road To Nowhere is about me. It’s about how you get on the crest of a wave and you don’t know where you’re going: it could be a long journey on a surfboard, or you could fall off and get eaten by a shark. There’s a lot of AA in that song – “The wreckage of my past keeps haunting me” – because they go on about how you must clean up the wreckage of your past.

Flying High Again is about me and my drugs years. Sharon would be saying, “You’re doing too much of this, you’re fucking talking to yourself, you’re running around the streets naked.” (Laughs) I was a bad boy for a long time. But everybody would love to have been that mad guy for a weekend. I didn’t give a fuck. But you can’t live that lifestyle forever.

[Bob] Daisley did a lot of the lyrics on Crazy Train. I probably did “I’m going off the rails like a crazy train”, and “Crazy, but that’s how it goes”, but then I’d get stuck and he’d help me. And Randy was brilliant, he was the first guy in my life who was like, “Try doing this here, and this here…” When we did Crazy Train I knew we had something good. It was a magical time.

Every time I sing I Don’t Want To Change The World now I think of Lemmy. That was a Lemmy lyric, apart from, “I don‘t want to change the world, I don’t want the world to change me”. There’s one line, “Tell me I’m a sinner, I’ve got news for you/I spoke to God this morning and he don’t like you”. That’s so Lemmy, tongue-in-cheek. If anybody asks, “Who would you say was the [ultimate] metal band?”, it would be Motörhead. The Lemmy documentary is fucking great.

Shot In The Dark started as almost a disco song, from one of [former Ozzy bassist] Phil Soussan’s other bands, and me and Jake [E. Lee] transformed it into a metal thing: we completely stripped it down and rewrote the fucking thing. And then he said we stole it from him!

Devious fucker!

Lovebirds: Ozzy and Sharon, in March 1982.

Everyone thinks Mama I’m Coming Home is about my mother, but it’s not: I call my wife, Sharon, Mama.

Lemmy wrote this too. I have fond memories of Lemmy. You’d go into his apartment and it was like walking into Steptoe’s fucking war museum, with his daggers and Nazi memorabilia. He was an educated man. I had the title for this and he wrote the lyric in about three hours.

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Flying high again: Ozzy on his private jet, en route to Mexico; (below) Chilean Ozzy fan Carolina Peñaloza.

Ozzy record this decade, the singer is OHVV FRQ¿GHQW WKRXJK UHYHDOV WKDW KH KDV “10 songs ready to go, really strong ideas, PHORGLHV O\ULFV HYHU\WKLQJ«´ ³%XW D QHZ UHFRUG" 7KHUH¶V QR SRLQW ´ KH VD\V EOXQWO\ ³,W FRVWV \RX WKLV PXFK WR PDNH DQG WKHQ WKH\ VWHDO LW :K\ GR , ZDQW WR VSHQG P\ PRQH\ RQ WKDW"´ 7DON UHWXUQV WR KLV ¿UVW 6RXWK $PHULFDQ WULS 2]]\ UHPHPEHUV PHHWLQJ *UHDW 7UDLQ 5REEHU 5RQQLH %LJJV Ī³SDWKHWLF DQG VDG´ī WKH VPHOO RI WKH &LW\ 2I 5RFN EHLQJ ³IXFNLQJ XQEHOLHYDEOH´ DV PLOOLRQ SHRSOH XVHG WKH VLWH DV DQ RXWGRor toilet for 10 days, and KRXUV RI HQWHUWDLQPHQW VLWWLQJ RQ WKH KRWHO URRIWRS ZDWFKLQJ IHDUOHVV ORFDO NLGV VZLSLQJ FDPHUDV IURP MHWĥODJJHG IRUHLJQ SDSDUD]]L ³, UHPHPEHU JHWWLQJ RQ WKLV ELJ PLOLWDU\ KHOLFRSWHU DQG RQ RQH VLGH WKHUH ZDV FDUGERDUG RYHU WKH ZLQGRZV , WKRXJKW :KDW WKH IXFN LV WKDW DOO DERXW" 6R , SHHOHG Rɱ WKH FDUGERDUG 7KH JX\ JRHV μ1R OHDYH LW DORQH ,W¶V D EDG UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ RI %UD]LO ¶ :KDW LW ZDV ZDV WKDW \RX FRXOG VHH WKH VKDQW\ WRZQV DQG WKH\ ZHUH HPEDUUDVVHG DERXW LW ,W¶V IXFNLQJ QXWV WKHUH \RX¶UH HLWKHU ZHDOWK\ RU \RX¶UH GLUW SRRU ´ 7KHUH¶OO EH QR RSSRUWXQLW\ IRU VXFK VLJKWĥVHHLQJ WKLV WLPH DURXQG KRZHYHU ,Q 6DQWLDJR 2]]\ ZLOO RQO\ OHDYH KLV KRWHO VXLWH ZKHQ GXW\ FDOOV ³,¶G EH ZDONLQJ DURXQG OLNH D IXFNLQJ VFUDS\DUG ZLWK DOO WKLV MXQN RQ ´ KH VD\V MDQJOLQJ WKH FKXQN\ JROG MHZHOOHU\ RQ KLV ULJKW ZULVW IRU DGGHG HɱHFW ³,¶G JHW NLOOHG IRU D ZDWFK ´

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PLANET ROCK

headlines the closing night of D OW N L OA D festival on June 10. For further details on his No More Tours 2 world tour check out www.ozzy.com.

OZ ZY OSBOU R N E

ROSS HALFIN, PAUL BRANNIGAN

“WHEN I’M ON-STAGE IT’S MY WORLD. NO ONE CAN GO, ‘WEAR THIS, DO THIS, SAY THAT.’”

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. . .ALBUMS YOU NEED TO HEAR RIGHT NOW! Your hand-picked selection of essential releases… Ghost, Howlin Rain, The Darkness, Paul Rodgers, RSO, Demob Happy, Graveyard, Mark Tremonti, Here Lies Man, Orange Goblin, Pantera, Spock’s Beard, Biffy Clyro, Lucifer, Graham Bonnet Band, Mos Generator, Head With Wings, JCM, Mr. Big, Guns N’Roses, Wishbone Ash, Def Leppard, The Gaslight Anthem, Sepultura, NWOBHM PLUS BOOKS & DVDS Led Zeppelin, Bruce Dickinson, Anthrax, Marillion, Mick Ronson AND SOME HOT LIVE ACTION. . .

The Rolling Stones, Britrock Must Be Destroyed!, Desertfest p98

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PLANET ROCK

97

Albums

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to imagine a more compelling or audacious metal album...

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;?

B Y PA U L B R A N N I G A N Prequelle, then, comes laden with expectations, I T â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S E N T I R E LY understandable that Ghost ERWK FRPPHUFLDO DQG DUWLVWLF %XW JLYHQ WKDW WKH DOEXP confuse many rock fans, given that obfuscation has ZDV FUHDWHG DW D SRLQW ZKHQ WKH EDQGÂśV YHU\ H[LVWHQFH been an integral component of their modus operandi was at stake, external pressures are unlikely to phase IURP GD\ RQH 7KH JURXS HPHUJHG IXOO\ÄĽIRUPHG LQ 7RELDV )RUJH *KRVWÂśV ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG PXVLFDO PDVWHUPLQG their predilection for arch, macabre theatrics immediÄĽ Prequelle ÂżQDOO\ RɡFLDOO\ ÎźXQPDVNHGÂś LQ OHJDO GRFXPHQWV ÂżOHG E\ ately evident in the manner in which they were SPINEFARM GLVJUXQWOHG IRUPHU FROOHDJXHV LQ introduced to the world, with a blindfolded music jourÄĽ While Prequelle is informed by cataclysmic events nalist taken into Swedish woodlands and confronted by KLVWRULFDO ÄŞWKH %ODFN 'HDWKÄŤ FRQWHPSRUDU\ ÄŞHVFDODWLQJ D WURXSH RI VLOHQW FORDNHG FRZOHG ÂżJXUHV LQWHUQDWLRQDO WHQVLRQVÄŤ DQG HPRWLRQDOO\ FKDOOHQJLQJ Their leader, caked in dichromatic panstick and ÄŞWKH SDVVLQJ RI /HPP\ %RZLH DQG 3ULQFHÄŤ LWÂśV HDV\ WR sporting clerical vestments and a papal mitre, declared LQWHUSUHW LWV GRRPÄĽODGHQ WKHPHV DV EHLQJ URRWHG LQ )RUJHÂśV RZQ ÂżHUFH that he, Papa Emeritus, and his Nameless Ghouls intended to make GHWHUPLQDWLRQ WR HQVXUH *KRVWÂśV VXUYLYDO LQ WKH IDFH RI KRVWLOH HQHPLHV music in the service of Lucifer and to â&#x20AC;&#x153;disgust, arouse and enlightenâ&#x20AC;?

6XFK VSHFLÂżFV PLJKW QRW EH DSSDUHQW LQ PrequelleÂśV RSHQLQJ WUDFN WKH PDVVHV *LYHQ WKDW SUHYLRXV 6DWDQÄĽZRUVKLSSLQJ 6FDQGLQDYLDQ VRQJÄĽ $VKHV EXW WKH DOOXVLRQV WR NLOOHU SODJXHV LQ LWV XQVHWWOLQJ FKLOGUHQÂśV smiths had expressed their devotion for The One With Horns by FKRUXV RI 5LQJ $ 5LQJ 2Âś 5RVHV DUH FOHDU HQRXJK 6R WRR LV WKH VHQVH RI torching historic churches, this promised to be an intriguing prospect.

IRUHERGLQJ LQ 5DWV Č ³1RZ DOO \RXU ORYHG RQHV DQG DOO \RXU NLQ ZLOO 7KH ¿UVW WUXH LQGLFDWLRQ WKDW WKHUH PLJKW EH UDWKHU PRUH WR *KRVW VXɹHU SXQLVKPHQWV EHQHDWK WKH ZUDWK RI *RG´ Č ZKLFK FKDQQHOV ERWK WKDQ WKHLU FRUSVHļSDLQWHG SHHUV FDPH LQ WKH IRUP RI D VWULNLQJ PLQRU 2]]\œV &UD]\ 7UDLQ DQG ,URQ 0DLGHQœV 7KH &ODLUYR\DQW NH\ ĪLQčYHUVLRQ RI 7KH %HDWOHVœ +HUH &RPHV 7KH 6XQ VTXLUUHOOHG DZD\ From here, though, Forge deviates spectacularly from heavy metal DV D ERQXV WUDFN RQ WKH -DSDQHVH YHUVLRQ RI WKHLU GHEXW DOEXP orthodoxy. Pro Memoria, all orchestral swells, tinkling piano runs and Opus Eponymous. A subversive deconstruction, it suggested sharp minds soaring guitars, is the prettiest of waltzes, its beauty undercut by a bruļ at work beneath those pointy hoods, and drew praise from scene WDOO\ XQDPELJXRXV FKRUXV ³'RQœW \RX IRUJHW DERXW G\LQJ ´ FURRQV elders. Metallica and Iron Maiden took Ghost on tour ahead of the )RUJH LQ KLV QHZ LQFDUQDWLRQ DV &DUGLQDO &RSLD UHOHDVH RI WKHLU VHFRQG DOEXP œV Infestissumam, while Dave Grohl ³'RQœW \RX IRUJHW DERXW \RXU IULHQG 'HDWK produced and drummed on their If You Have Ghost EP before booking 'RQœW \RX IRUJHW WKDW \RX ZLOO GLH ´ them to open stadium dates for Foo Fighters in Europe.

Miasma is something else entirely, a driving $QG *KRVW ZHUHQÂśW PHUHO\ JHWWLQJ LQ SHRSOHÂśV IDFHV LQ WKH\ &DSWDLQ %H\RQGÄĽYLDÄĽ&ROWUDQH LQVWUXPHQWDO DOVR UHOHDVHG WKH *KRVW 3KDOORV 0RUWXXV 5LWXDO %R[ 6HW IHDWXULQJ +HOYHWHVI|QVWHU LV D ÂżYHÄĽPLQXWH LQVWUXPHQWDO a black dildo moulded to look like their Evil Pope frontman and a WRR RSHQLQJ OLNH D WKÄĽFHQWXU\ EDURTXH PDGÄĽ EHVSRNH EURQ]H EXWW SOXJ KRXVHG LQ D YHOYHWÄĽOLQHG Îź%LEOHÂś (TXDOO\ ULJDO PXWDWLQJ LQWR DQ DSRFDO\SWLF VFLÄĽÂż UDYHÄĽ SHQHWUDWLQJ ZDV WKH PXVLF RQ ÂśV Meliora, not least the perversely up and closing like an Ennio Morricone score.

EHDXWLIXO %HDFK %R\VÄĽPHHWVÄĽ%OXH g\VWHU &XOW VDWDQLF K\PQ +H ,V DQG 0RUH FRQYHQWLRQDO DUH WKH SLDQRÄĽOHG EDOODG OHDG VLQJOH &LULFH ZKLFK HDUQHG WKH EDQG D *UDPP\ $ZDUG LQ IRU Life Eternal and the AOR of Dance Macabre, %HVW 0HWDO 3HUIRUPDQFH DIWHU Meliora EUHDFKHG WKH %LOOERDUG 7RS TRACKS which boasts an anthemic chorus which makes Quite a journey, all told, one previously unimaginable for an act Ashes %RQ -RYL VRXQG OLNH &DSWDLQ %HHIKHDUW (YHU\ÄĽ spawned in the European extreme metal underground. That, en route, Rats ZKHUH WKHUH DUH LUUHVLVWLEOH MR\RXV GHYLOÄĽLQÄĽ 3DSD (PHULWXV ZDV VXFFHHGHG DV EDQG OHDGHU ÂżUVW E\ 3DSD (PHULWXV ,, Faith WKHÄĽGHWDLO VRQLF WULXPSKV OXVK FKRUDO YRFDOV DQG WKHQ E\ 3DSD (PHULWXV ,,, ÄŚ HDFK YRFDOLVW VRXQGLQJ GLVFRQFHUWLQJÄĽ See The Light GRXEOHÄĽWUDFNHG JXLWDUV DQG SRUWHQWRXV V\QWKV O\ VLPLODU RQ UHFRUG ÄŚ RQO\ IXUWKHU PXGGLHG WKH ÄŞXQKRO\ÄŤ ZDWHU Miasma lovingly layered by producer Tom Dalgety. $QG \HW *KRVWÂśV PLQLVWU\ FRQWLQXHV WR H[pand. One month ahead Dance Macabre ,WÂśV KDUG WR LPDJLQH D PRUH FRPSHOOLQJ RU of the release of Prequelle, the Swedes put on sale shows at Pro Memoria DXGDFLRXV PHWDO DOEXP EHLQJ UHOHDVHG LQ /$ÂśV ÄĽFDSDFLW\ )RUXP DQG 1HZ <RUNÂśV ÄĽFDSDFLW\ %DUFOD\V KDUGHU VWLOO WR SXW D FDS RQ *KRVWÂśV SRWHQWLDO Witch Image &HQWHU D TXLWH UHPDUNDEOH VWDWHPHQW RI LQWHQW JLYHQ WKDW QR PHWDO band since Metallica has dared book HelvetesfĂśnster B E ST TRACKS: Pro Memoria, Miasma, See The venues of this scale. One can only admire Life Eternal I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y Light, HelvetesfĂśnster, Life Eternal their chutzpah.

MARK RIDDICK

GHOST

+++++

PLANET ROCK

99

Perfect storm: Howlin Rain on the edge of greatness.

A tribute to the glories of cosmic Americana...

“

Cult Californian rock star-in-waiting Ethan Miller delivers his magnum opus.

”

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BY STEVI E C H I C K

HOWLIN RAIN ++++

K I R S T Y WA L K E R

Albums Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an album soaked in Southern soulfulÄĽ ness but never merely apes the Allmans et al; one that has a looseness and an edge like 6WLFN\ FingersÄĽHUD 6WRQHV EXW QHYHU IHHOV OLNH WKH EDQG DUH SOD\LQJ GUHVVÄĽXS LQ VW\OHV DQG VZDJJHU WKDW donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t belong to them. It helps that Miller is an H[SHUW VWRU\ÄĽWHOOHU SRHWLF EXW QHYHU Ă&#x20AC;RZHU\ spinning yarns of lives hitting the skids and the thrills that can still remain before the screen TRACKS turns black. It helps that his careworn croon Rainbow Trout DQG O\VHUJLF JXLWDUÄĽSOD\ DUH WRSÄĽQRWFK WKURXJKÄĽ Missouri out, and that his band play with the joyful Speed simpatico of vagabonds and outlaws.

The Wild Boys The songs play out like wild road movies Alligator Bride ÂżOPHG RQ WKH ZURQJ VLGH RI WKH WUDFNV ÄŞOLNH In The Evening 0LVVRXUL ZLWK LWV LPDJHV RI QHÂśHUÄĽGRÄĽZHOOV Coming Down shying away from sunlight and â&#x20AC;&#x153;ice water runÄĽ ning through our veinsâ&#x20AC;?, its plot twists scored E\ VFUHDPLQJ WZLQÄĽJXLWDU Ă&#x20AC;DUHÄĽXSVÄŤ RU PRPHQWV RI EXUQHGÄĽRXW LQWURVSHFWLRQ UDLVHG LQWR UHYHULHV ÄŞ6SHHG DOO DERXW EHLQJ ÂłZUDSSHG XS LQ WKH PRWHO GUDSHV ZDLWLQJ IRU WKH VXQ´č 2QH RI LWV HSLFV 7KH :LOG %R\V LV DV O\ULFDO DQG YDOLDQW DV DQ\WKLQJ RÉą The Bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second album, but with added desert rock cojones, its FUHVFHQGRÄĽKHDY\ FRGD UDJLQJ DW ÂłUDWV IDOOLQJ RÉą WKH HGJH RI WKH ZRUOG´ RYHU IXULRXV DQG VXSHUÄĽDUWLFXODWH JXLWDUV WKH NLQG RI MR\RXV UHDFKÄĽIRUÄĽ WKHÄĽVN\ LQWHUSOD\ WKDWÂśOO KDYH \RX ZLVKLQJ \RX SRVVHVVHG IRXU DUPV WR SOD\ GRXEOHÄĽDLUÄĽJXLWDU So bold is The Alligator Bride that it boasts not one but two perfect FORVLQJ WUDFNV WKH EXUQHGÄĽRXW EDVHPHQW ORQHOLQHVV RI WKH SHQXOWLPDWH In The Evening setting the stage for the remarkable Coming Down, a sublime conclusion. Millerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spinning more visions, conjuring â&#x20AC;&#x153;a distant diamond railroadâ&#x20AC;?, its heroes â&#x20AC;&#x153;burning up, Amped up: burning outâ&#x20AC;?, until The Darkness do â&#x20AC;&#x153;only the shadows reÄĽ some cocklewarming. mainâ&#x20AC;?. The band plays loose, just behind the beat, in no desire to hurry the ragged glory or the credits that will role at their movieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s end, MillÄĽ er and Dan Cervantes scoring the elegiac unravelling with the last and greatest of the albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s JXLWDU GXHOV ÄŚ QR PHUH IUHWÄĽIURWWDJH IRU LWV RZQ sake, but stirring the draÄĽ ma, and sending it soaring. ,WÂśV WKH ÂżQDO ERZ RI DQ DXGDFLRXVO\ ÂżQH VHW RQH that takes elements lesser artists might play as pasÄĽ tiche, and investing them ZLWK Ă&#x20AC;HVK DQG EORRG KHDUW and soul. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the album that should make Miller the star he deserves to be.

0LVVRXUL 7KH :LOG %R\V &RPLQJ 'RZQ B E ST TRACKS:

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to imagine the catsuits and star jumps...

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

BY S I M O N YO U N G

THE DARKNESS

â&#x20AC;?

Justin Hawkins and co unleash their hits in the temple of rock.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE DARKNESS cannot be caged,â&#x20AC;? says Justin Hawkins. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some very clever recording engineers have discovered a way to capture its essence; all that remains is for us to release it back into the wild.â&#x20AC;?

2Q -XQH /RZHVWRIWÂśV JUHDWHVW PXVLFDO H[SRUW ÄŚ VKXW \RXU IDFH %HQMDPLQ %ULWWHQ IDQV ÄŚ ZLOO DOORZ WKHLU ODWHVW EHDVW WR URDP WKH UHFRUG shops and digital stream outlets, and about time too. After all, it was the buzz surrounding the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formidable reputation as a live act that led to them signing a major label deal. At the height of their fame, they incorporated props like an oversized white tiger and what can only be described as a boob FKDULRW LQWR WKHLU VKRZ ERWK RI ZKLFK DÉąRUGHG Hawkins the opportunity to perform high above their audiencesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heads. $V WKLV OLYH FROOHFWLRQ ÄŚ WDSHG DW +DPPHUÄĽ smithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eventim Apollo last December in TRACKS support of their latest LP, Pinewood Smile ÄŚ LV Open Fire a purely auditory experience, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to Love Is Only imagine their chutzpah, catsuits A Feeling DQG VFURWXPÄĽWKUHDWHQLQJ VWDU Southern Trains jumps. But what this release Black Shuck does is satisfyingly distil One Way Ticket WKHLU PXVWÄĽVHe live experiÄĽ Givinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Up ence into an electrifying set All The Pretty that gathers the highlights Girls Barbarian RI WKHLU ÂżYHÄĽ/3 FDWDORJXH Buccaneers Of Black Shuck is sublime, Hispaniola %DUEDULDQÂśV SLOHÄĽGULYLQJ Friday Night ULÉą LV DSWO\ VDYDJH ZKLOH Makinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Out the Yuletide singalong of Every Inch Of You &KULVWPDV 7LPH ÄŞ'RQÂśW Solid Gold /HW 7KH %HOOV (QGÄŤ ZLOO Stuck In A Rut warm the cockles of even Get Your Hands Off the meanest hearts. The My Woman only real gripe here is Growing On Me that they surely missed a trick Japanese Prisoner Of Love by not naming this Christmas Time â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;No Sleep â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Til Lowestoftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Live At Hammersmith COOKING VINYL

++++

(Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Let the Bells End)

B E ST TRACKS: Barbarian, *HW <RXU +DQGV 2ɲ 0\ :RPDQ I Believe In A Thing Called Love

I Believe In A Thing Called Love

P L A N E T R O C K 101

Albums

Thrilling to hear the songs in their rightful hands...

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;?

Paul Rodgers is canny enough to realise that, KHQFH WKLV OLYH SDFNDJH DYDLODEOH RQ &' '9' DQG YLQ\O ÄŞWKH ÂżOPHG UHFRUGLQJ IHDWXUHV RSHQLQJ SHUIRUPDQFHV IURP -DVPLQH 5RGJHUV DQG 'HERUDK EVERY ONCE in a while, a band comes along that %RQKDPÄŤ GHGLFDWHG VROHO\ WR WKH VRQJV RI )UHH transcends the sum of its parts, the chemistry 5HFRUGHG GXULQJ WKH WRXU DW D VROGÄĽRXW VKRZ DW between the individual players creating something WKH 5R\DO $OEHUW +DOO LW IHDWXUHV WUDFNV VSDQQLQJ timeless, mercurial and irreplaceable. Free were one WKHLU FDUHHU LQFOXGLQJ VRPH OHVVHUÄĽSOD\HG IDQ VXFK EDQG ,I WKH %ULWLVK EOXHVÄĽURFNHUV GLGQÂśW TXLWH Free Spirit: Celebrating IDYRXULWHV DORQJVLGH WKH XELTXLWRXV KLWV achieve the dizzying heights of success they surely The Music Of Free 2SHQLQJ WUDFN /LWWOH %LW 2I /RYH VRXQGV SXQFK\ GHVHUYHG LQ WKHLU Âś V KH\GD\ WKHQ WKHLU UHSXWDWLRQ QUARTO VALLEY DQG HQHUJLVHG DV JXLWDULVW 3HWHU %XOOLFN ZUHQFKHV WKH has only loomed ever larger in the intervening years. ÂżUVW RI PDQ\ VRORV WKH WLJKWQHVV RI WKH EDQG LPPHGLÄĽ It was something to do with that lean sparseness DWHO\ HYLGHQW DV WKH\ VHJXH LQWR WKH ORSLQJ IXQN RI in their sound, a lithe and soulful groove that set Ride On A Pony. Faithfully and adroitly performed, them apart from their more leaden counterparts. A these songs perhaps inevitably show that the elastic VWULQJ RI DOEXPV ÄŚ WKHLU GHEXW Tons Of Sobs VSDFH FUHDWHG E\ WKH RULJLQDO UK\WKP VHFWLRQ RI 6LPRQ .LUNH DQG $QG\ UHFRUGHG ZKHQ DOO PHPEHUV ZHUH VWLOO LQ WKHLU WHHQV ÄŚ VKRZFDVHG WKHLU Fraser is impossible to replicate; but they still sounds undeniably great.

VLQJXODU WDOHQW EHIRUH LQÄĽÂżJKWLQJ GUXJ LVVXHV DQG LQFRQVLVWHQW UHFRUG The magical spirit of the band is admirably recalled on Woman and sales eventually led to their demise. The tragic and untimely death of Be My Friend, the former retaining its edgy soulfulness, the latter as WKH ODWH JUHDW 3DXO .RVVRÉą LQ HQVXUHG WKH EDQG ZRXOG QHYHU DJDLQ KDXQWLQJO\ EHDXWLIXO DV HYHU 8QOLNH PDQ\ RI KLV SHHUV DW 5RGJHUV perform in its original incarnation, but their stature among fans as one has retained his rich, bluesy timbre and most of his upper register, even RI WKH EHVW EOXHVÄĽURFN RXWÂżWV RI WKH ODVW \HDUV KDV QHYHU ZDQHG LI LW RFFDVLRQDOO\ VRXQGV OLNH KHÂśV ÎźGRLQJÂś 3DXO 5RGJHUV ÄŚ WKH VXEWOH YRFDO FKDUDFWHULVWLFV RI KLV \RXWK DPSHG XS IRU HÉąHFW 7KH DXGLHQFH FOHDUO\ UHYHO LQ KHDULQJ WKHVH VRQJV EURXJKW EDFN WR All right now: Paul OLIH /RYH <RX 6R ÄŚ QHYHU SHUIRUPHG OLYH E\ WKH Rodgers does RULJLQDO EDQG ÄŚ HYRNLQJ WKH JKRVW RI .RVV ZLWK himself proud. its wistful restraint and soaring guitar line. Mr Big, perhaps a song which showed the musical ingenuity of the young band more than any RWKHU FDSWXUHV VRPH RI WKH RULJLQDOÂśV VZLQJ DQG PHQDFH $QG\ )UDVHUÂśV YLUWXRVLF EDVV VROR EHLQJ deftly handled by Ian Rowley alongside a WRZHULQJ EDFNEHDW IURP 5LFK 1HZPDQ TRACKS The live favourites are all present and corÄĽ rect, The Stealer and Fire And Water sounding Little Bit Of Love lean and tight; and if most of us have heard the Ride On A Pony OLNHV RI 7KH +XQWHU $OO 5LJKW 1RZ DQG :LVKÄĽ Woman ing Well repeatedly murdered in pubs across Be My Friend WKH ODQG LWÂśV WKULOOLQJ WR KHDU WKHP LQ WKHLU My Brother Jake ULJKWIXO KDQGV (QFRUHV DUH ZHOO VHOHFWHG :DON Love You So In My Shadow referencing where it all started Travellinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; In Style on their debut album, while Catch A Train Magic Ship ZDONV WKH OLQH EHWZHHQ OLOWLQJ SKUDVLQJ DQG Mr Big WKUXVWLQJ JURRYH LQ TXLQWHVVHQWLDO )UHH VW\OH The Stealer ,I WKLV VOLFN DQG SROLVKHG SHUIRUPDQFH Fire And Water QHYHU TXLWH FDSWXUHV WKH UDJJHG LQWHQVLW\ RI WKH The Hunter \RXQJ TXDUWHW LWÂśV D ZHOFRPH UHPLQGHU RI WKRVH All Right Now superlative vintage years.

Wishing Well Veteran vocalist revisits the legendary band that made his name.

B Y PA D D Y W E L L S

PAUL RODGERS +++

Walk In My Shadow B E ST TRACKS: Be My Friend, Mr Big, Fire And

Water, Walk In My Shadow 102 P L A N E T R O C K

Catch A Train

I got you babe: Sambora and Orianthi making sweet music.

Way too many radio-tuned power ballads drenched in studio effects...

VRXQG 7KH &DQDGLDQ SURGXFHU LV QR VWUDQJHU WR 5LFKLH ÄŚ KH ZRUNHG RQ Keep The Faith %RQ -RYLÂśV FDUHHUÄĽVDYLQJ FRPHEDFN ÄŚ EXW 6DPERUDÂśV a bluesman at heart, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a factor painfully overlooked here. ,W VWDUWV ZLWK 0DNLQJ +LVWRU\ D JUXQJ\ ULÉą OHDGLQJ WR D VKDUHG YRFDO DV WKH VRQJ EORVVRPV LQWR D FHOHEUDWRU\ URFNHU :H $UH 0DJLF RSHQV ZLWK D EXUVW RI WDON ER[ DV IDPRXVO\ XVHG E\ 5LFKLH RQ /LYLQÂś 2Q $ 3UD\HU EHIRUH 5LVH KLWV RXW ZLWK GDUNHU GLUWLHU ULÉąV LWV shouty verses and anthemic hooks making it one RI WKH DOEXPÂśV URZGLHU WUHDWV $OLFH &RRSHU JXHVWV RQ WKH 2ULDQWKLÄĽIURQWÄĽ HG 7RJHWKHU 2Q 7KH 2XWVLGH DQG HOVHZKHUH WKHUH DUH WKLJKÄĽVODSSLQJ FRXQWU\ GXHWV LQWURÄĽ VSHFWLYH UHWURÄĽVW\OHG SLHFHV DQG ZD\ WRR PDQ\ UDGLRÄĽWXQHG SRZHU EDOODGV GUHQFKHG LQ VWXGLR HÉąHFWV ,WÂśV OHIW WR QLQHÄĽPLQXWH FORVHU

BY ST E V E B E E B E E +HOOERXQG 7UDLQ WR VLJQDO ZKDW Former Bon Jovi guitarist finds happiness TRACKS this album could have been. on new projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inconsistent debut.

Making History %OXVWHU\ DQG UHYHUEÄĽGUHQFKHG We Are Magic WKH JXLWDUV EHOORZ PD\GD\ DV AFTER THEIR richly deserved induction into Rise Sambora ruminates on past torÄĽ the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year and Radio Free America Take Me PHQWV ,WÂśV ODGHQ ZLWK WUHPEOLQJ a brief reunion performance, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not impossible to see BMG Masterpiece fear, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also very much the a future for Bon Jovi that includes Richie Sambora. The Walk With Me VRUW RI GULYLQJ URRWV\ URFN ZH JXLWDULVW KDV KDG KLV SUREOHPV ÄŚ WZR VWLQWV LQ I Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Want To Have ZDQW WR KHDU IURP WKLV VRPHÄĽ UHKDE DQG DQ DUUHVW IRU GULQNÄĽGULYLQJ DPRQJ WKHP ÄŚ EXW To Need You Now times troubled but profoundly the contribution his talent made to the sales of 130 Truth gifted artist. million albums cannot be overlooked.

Together On The Outside Even in his Bon Jovi days, +DYLQJ GULIWHG DZD\ IURP D VSRWOLJKW WKDW ZDV PDNLQJ Good Times 6DPERUD ZDV VRPHRQH \RX IHOW \RX FRXOG ODXJK him unhappy, Richie has found solace in both artistic and personal terms ZLWK ÄŚ D WZLQNO\ÄĽH\HG ZLVHÄĽFUDFNHU ZKR NQHZ Forever All The Way ZLWK 2ULDQWKL D EULOOLDQW VLQJHU DQG JXLWDULVW KHUVHOI ZLWK $OLFH &RRSHU KRZ WR ZHDU D FRPHG\ KDW %HWWHU VWLOO KH ZDV ÄŚ among her many previous employers. Radio Free America LV WKH ÂżUVW IXOO I Got You Babe DQG LV ÄŚ DQ LQFUHGLEOH PXVLFLDQ DQG VLQJHU )RU DOO OHQJWK DGYHUWLVHPHQW IRU WKH FRXSOHÂśV V\QHUJ\ IROORZLQJ WZR ÎźWHDVHUÂś (3V One Night Of Peace its charms, Radio Free America sells him short.

As the 15 tracks here veer from rock to R&B to country, the chemisÄĽ Blues Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Leave Me WU\ DQG LQWHUSOD\ EHWZHHQ WKH WZR LV LQVWDQW REYLRXV DQG OLNHDEOH :KDW Alone B E ST TRACKS: Making History, Together On prevents it from truly caressing the emotions is Bob Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supersized Hellbound Train The Outside, Rise, Hellbound Train production, something that coats each song in sticky layers of synthetic

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;?

RSO

JOSEPH LLANES

+++

P L A N E T R O C K 103

Peace makers: Graveyard, utterly thrilled to be back.

impressive pliability throughout, whether curling around the chiming psychedelia of See 7KH 'D\ RU EHOORZLQJ RYHU DOOÄ¥RXW URFNHUV VXFK DV 3OHDVH 'RQ¶W DQG :DON 2Q ZLWK IHUDO LQWHQVLW\ %LUG 2I 3DUDGLVH KLQJHV RQ D ¶ V JURRYH Ħ WKLQN -LPL +HQGUL[ IURQWLQJ 7KH $QLPDOV Ħ EHIRUH WKH O\VHUJLF RXWUR RI DOEXP closer Low seemingly warns against the brown acid. All over the place, then, but consistently dripping with attitude and intent. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good to have them back.

PADDY WELLS B E ST TRACKS:

It Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Over Yet, Walk On,

Bird Of Paradise

MARK TREMONTI A Dying Machine NAPALM

++++

DEMOB HAPPY Holy Doom SO RECORDINGS

++++ Brilliantly unhinged psych-pop from the South Coast.

Are you the kind of person who spends time asking yourÄ¥ VHOI WKH ELJ TXHVWLRQV" /LNH ZKDW ZRXOG %Lɱ\ Clyro sound like if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d grown up on the 13th Floor Elevators and not, say, Nirvana? :HOO %ULJKWRQÄ¥EDVHG 'HPRE +DSS\ DQG their second album Holy Doom LV PRUHÄ¥RUÄ¥ less, what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d expect the answer to be. This is a delighful set of yearning and extremely poppy, yet ultimately very strange, songs. Be <RXU 0DQ LV ODWWHUÄ¥GD\ %HDWOHV ZLWK D IX]] SHGDO )DNH 6DWDQ LV 'RFWRU $QG 7KH 0HGLFV meets Sonic Youth. And while this may all sound like a bad idea, the result is a record that is never predictable, always a trip.

JAMES MCMAHON B E ST TRACKS: Be Your Man, Runninâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Around, , :DQQD /HDYH Ä«$OLYHĬ

104 P L A N E T R O C K

Alter Bridgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talismanic guitarist returns with propulsive fourth solo outing.

You could be forgiven for being a little sceptical about the latest Mark Tremonti record. For one, this solo endeavour LV KLV ¿UVW FRQFHSW UHFRUG *XOS )RU DQRWKHU LW WLHV LQ ZLWK D QRYHO KH FRÄ¥SHQQHG VHW LQ D world â&#x20AC;&#x153;where humans and fabricated beings called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;vesselsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are trying to cRÄ¥H[LVW´ 'RXEOH gulp. Add to this the rapidity of his recent Peace RXWSXW Ħ $OWHU %ULGJH LQFOXGHG WKLV NUCLEAR BLAST marks his sixth album in seven years Ħ DQG WKH FKDQFHV RI YDQLOOD PDWHULDO seems high. The good news is that Swedish rockers back not only is Tremontiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well not runÄ¥ from the dead.

QLQJ GU\ LW¶V DFWXDOO\ RYHUÃ&#x20AC;RZLQJ Just 18 months after anÄ¥ ZLWK EULOOLDQW ULɱV 7KH SURSXOVLYH nouncing their split, groove of Throw Them To The Graveyard are back /LRQV UHDÉ·UPV KLV FUHGHQWLDOV with a new drummer and their DV D PRGHUQÄ¥GD\ JXLWDU KHUR ¿IWK IXOOÄ¥OHQJWK /3 0XVLFDOO\ EXW LW¶V WKH FRQ¿GHQFH RI they continue to be a his vocals that impresses VKDSHÄ¥VKLIWLQJ EXQFK ZLWK most. The anthemic D UDQJH RI HFOHFWLF LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFÄ¥ chorus of From The Sky es seeping into their RɱHUV HPphatic proof potent brew of classic that he isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reliant on hard rock. Fittingly titled his Alter Bridge buddy opening track It Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Over Myles Kennedy to send Yet resembles a scrap beÄ¥ his music into the WZHHQ 'HHS 3XUSOH DQG Alter boy: the stratosphere. prolific Mark Black Sabbath, while the GEORGE GARNER Tremonti.

ORZÄ¥VOXQJ ULɱDJH RI &ROG Love recalls the gritty biker B E ST TRACKS: URFN RI ¶ V DOVRÄ¥UDQV &LUFXV Bringer Of War, From The 2I 3RZHU )URQWPDQ -RDNLP Sky, Throw Them Nilssonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pipes display an To The Lions

GRAVEYARD

++++

Albums

HERE LIES MAN

You Will Know Nothing RIDINGEASY

++++ LA-based five-piece bring hard rock to Afrobeat on follow-up to 2017 debut.

Ploughing an admirably unique furrow, Here Lies Man are the soundtrack to that fabulous dream you had about Fela Kuti joining Blue Ã&#x2013;yster Cult.

7\SLFDOO\ HPSOR\LQJ V\QFRSDWHG JQDUO\ ULÉ·QJ and ecstatically chanted lyrics comprising litÄ¥ WOH PRUH WKDQ WKH VRQJ WLWOHV Ī³6XPPRQ )LUH ´ ³1R 0HPRU\ *DPHV ´ī WKH\ FRPH RQ OLNH a weird biker cult that got stranded in rural 1LJHULD FLUFD /HG E\ PXOWLÄ¥LQVWUXPHQWDOÄ¥ LVW 0DUFRV *DUFLD DQG IRUPLGDEOH SOD\HUV WR D man, they mostly recorded You Will Know Nothing RQ DQ ROG 7DVFDP Ä¥WUDFN VR WKHUH¶V DUWIXO ZRZ Ã&#x20AC;XWWHU DQG ZDUPWK KHUH DV ZHOO DV ZHLUGQHVV 7KHLU MD]]Ä¥SV\FK GDEEOLQJV Ħ VHH You Ought To Know and the ending of Taking 7KH %ODPH Ħ DUH WDVW\ WRR DQG DV EH¿WV WKH DOEXP¶V WLWOH WKH\ UHPDLQ VXSUHPHO\ HQLJPDWLF WKURXJKRXW 2QO\ DIWHU +HOO Ī:RRO\ 7DLOÄ« HQGV ZLWK VSRRN\ NLGV¶ YRLFHV LQYLWLQJ XV WR ³ORRN LQ WKH PLUURU´ GRHV WKHLU VSHOO EUHDN JAMES MCNAIR B E ST TRACKS: Animal Noises, Blindness, You Ought To Know

D EDU ¿JKW VRXQGWUDFNHG E\ ULɱV WKDW ZRXOG PDNH 7RQ\ ,RPPL¶V H\HV ZDWHU ,W¶V D FHOHEUDĥ WLRQ RI HYHU\WKLQJ \RX ORYH DERXW 0RW|UKHDG DERXW 6DEEDWK DERXW /L]]\ HYHU\ EDQG ZKR excite you with roaring electric guitars.

NICK RUSKELL

representing the period at which Pantera were at the peak of their powers, here one needs to take it on trust that there was anything special about them at all.

IAN WINWOOD

Sons Of Salem, Renegade, Ghosts Of The Primitives

Fucking Hostile

B E ST TRACKS: B E ST TRACKS:

PANTERA

Live At Dynamo Open Air 1988 CAROLINE

++ Cowboys from Dallas captured live from a field in Holland.

During the summer in which Live At Dynamo Open Air 1998 ZDV UHFRUGHG 6OD\HU JXLWDULVW .HUU\ .LQJ UHFDOOV VKDULQJ D Ã&#x20AC;LJKW ZLWK 3DQWHUD WKDW OHG WR D KDQJRYHU VR DFXWH WKDW KH SOD\HG D VKRZ WKH next day dressed in white tennis shoes, a fashÄ¥ ion faux pas as unlikely as wearing roller skates. More than any other group of their kind and time, Pantera bore a feral edge that QRW HYHQ WKH PHPEHUV WKHPVHOYHV FRXOG WDPH and which burned bright from their music. As heard here, though, this energy is at war with D VRXQGÄ¥GHVN UHFRUGLQJ SURGXFWLRQ WKDW GRHVQ¶W KDUQHVV LWV FUHDWRUV¶ VWUHQJWKV DW DOO ZHOO 7KH UHVXOW LV WKDW GHVSLWH '\QDPR ¶

Walk, Mouth For War,

SPOCKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEARD Noise Floor INSIDE OUT

+++ Californian prog rockers rein it in.

1RZ WZRÄ¥DQGÄ¥DÄ¥KDOI GHFDGHV LQ 6SRFN¶V %HDUG KDYH EHFRPH ZHOOÄ¥HVWDEOLVKHG SXUYH\RUV RI QHRÄ¥SURJUHVVLYH URFN 7KHLU WK IXOOÄ¥OHQJWK VHHV RULJLQDO GUXPPHU 1LFN '¶9LUJLOLR UHWXUQ WR WKH IROG Ħ WKRXJK XQDEOH WR FRPPLW WR DQ\ OLYH DFWLYLW\ Ħ DQG GHOYHV WKURXJK D Ã&#x20AC;XUU\ RI DFRXVWLFV NH\ERDUGV YLROLQV FHOORV DQG KRUQV in its quest for musical wizardry. The music IHHOLQJ DV H[SDQVLYH DV HYHU \HW DOVR GLVDUPÄ¥ ingly concise, unfolding with a sense of pace LQVWHDG RI OXPEHULQJ DQG HFKRLQJ LQWR LQ¿QLW\ OLNH SURJ YHWHUDQV VR RIWHQ FDQ AMIT SHARMA B E ST TRACKS: What Becomes Of Me, Have We All Gone Crazy Yet, So This Is Life

ORANGE GOBLIN

The Wolf Bites Back SPINEFARM

REZA BAHRAMI

++++ Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stoner rock vets rock hard, rock heavy, rock animal!

An absence of Motörhead in the world does not mean that 0RW|UKHDG¶V VSLULW LV GHDG :LWK D VLPLODU DWWLĥ WXGH WRZDUGV YROXPH ĪORDGV RI LWī EXOOVKLW ĪQRQH RI LWī DQG ERR]H ĪDOO RI LW WKDQN \RXī 2UDQJH *REOLQ¶V QLQWK DOEXP LV D FRPIRUWLQJO\ IDPLOLDU EODVW RI KHDY\ VOHHYHVĥUROOHGĥXS URFN WR GULQN ¿JKW DQG IXFN WR %XW KDYLQJ KHDUG 2UDQJH *REOLQ EHIRUH \RX DOUHDG\ NQRZ WKDW before you hit play. And when you do, and Joe +RDUH¶V VHLVPLF ULɱV DQG %HQ :DUG¶V EHOOLFRVH YRFDOV ¿UVW URDU RXW LW¶V VLPSO\ IDQWDVWLF MXVW like their last album, and no doubt the next RQH WRR 6RQV 2I 6DOHP LV DQ XOWUDĥKHDY\ EDUQĥ VWRUPHU ZKLOH 7KH 6WUDQJHU JRHV GRZQ a bluesier route, and the excellent Renegade is

Enigmatic: Here Lies Man dream up a Fela-meets-BÃ&#x2013;C fusion.

P L A N E T R O C K 105

Albums

BIFFY CLYRO

MTV Unplugged: Live At Roundhouse London 14TH FLOOR

++++ Arena-stomping trio turn down the riffs for relaunched MTV Unplugged series. %Lɱ\ &O\UR IUHHO\ DGPLW WR SRULQJ RYHU WKH 079 8QSOXJJHG VSHFLDOV RI WKHLU \RXWK Ħ 3HDUO -DP $OLFH ,Q &KDLQV Ħ DV SUHSDUDWLRQ IRU WKHLU RZQ DFRXVWLF WXUQ ODVW 1RYHPEHU ,W¶V FOHDU KHUH WKH\ VWXGLHG ZHOO ³,W¶V QRW DQ 079 8QSOXJJHG ZLWKRXW RQH RI WKHVH ´ TXLSV IURQWPDQ 6LPRQ 1HLO JLYLQJ D TXLFN EODVW RQ D KDUPRQLFD EHIRUH WKH FUHDN\ JROGHQ VWUXP RI 'URS ,W (OVHZKHUH D FHOOR DGGV D ZLVWIXO VHQVH RI RFFDVLRQ WR DLUERUQH EDOODG 2SSRVLWH VWULQJ RUQDPHQWDWLRQ EHLQJ WKH RWKHU 8QSOXJJHG KDOOPDUN +HOO HYHQ 6PDOO :LVKHV¶ UDJWLPH SLDQR PDNHV VHQVH LQ WKLV LQWLPDWH FRQWH[W ZKLVWOH VROR DQG DOO 7KH HDUQHVW UHQGLWLRQ RI 7KH %HDFK %R\V¶ *RG 2QO\ .QRZV LV SUHWW\ KRZHYHU EXW DOVR IDLUO\ XQUHPDUNDEOH )DU PRUH VSHOOELQGLQJ DUH WKHLU RZQ WXQHV WKHLU QRUPDOO\ MDJJHG HGJHV VDQGHG GRZQ WR UHYHDO WKHLU GHOLFDWH ERQHV JAMES MACKINNON B E ST TRACKS:

GRRPÄ¥ODGHQ GLVWUDFWLRQV WKHUH DUHQ¶W DOZD\V HQRXJK IUHVK LGHDV WR VXJJHVW /XFLIHU DUH WUXO\ HPXODWLQJ UDWKHU WKDQ PHUHO\ FKDQQHOOLQJ WKHLU REYLRXV LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFHV JAMES HICKIE B E ST TRACKS:

Dreamer, Reaper On Your Heels,

Before The Sun

GRAHAM BONNET BAND

Meanwhile, Back In The Garage FRONTIERS

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still no parole from rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll for former Rainbow and Alcatrazz frontman.

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LUCIFER

Lucifer II CENTURY MEDIA

+++

106 P L A N E T R O C K

B E ST TRACKS: Meanwhile Back In The Garage, Long Island Tea, Sea Of Trees

+++

Drop It, Machines, Bubbles

The devil has the most familiar tunes on nostalgic hard rockersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; second album.

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DXWKHQWLF WKDQNV WR HUVWZKLOH $OFDWUD]] NH\Ä¥ ERDUG PDHVWUR -LPP\ :DOGR¶V HɱHUYHVFHQW HOHFWURQLF VKDGHV DQG HVSHFLDOO\ KLV FRÄ¥ SURGXFWLRQ VNLOOV %RQQHW KDV QHYHU EHHQ D FODVVLF KDUG URFN VLQJHU EXW KH SRVVHVVHV D GLVWLQFWLYH YRLFH DQG LV FOHDUO\ HQMR\LQJ KLPVHOI KHUH $W WUDFNV LQ OHQJWK Meanwhileâ&#x20AC;¦ LV D OLWWOH RYHUGRQH EXW LW¶OO FHUWDLQO\ VDWLVI\ DQ\RQH ZKR FRYHWV WKH $OFDWUD]] EDFN FDWDORJXH HYHQ LI WKH LQFOXVLRQ RI D FRYHU RI 7LQD 7XUQHU¶V :H 'RQ¶W 1HHG $QRWKHU +HUR LV TXLWH EDɹLQJ DAVE REYNOLDS

Come on lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;il devil: Lucifer do some channelling.

MOS GENERATOR Shadowlands LISTENABLE

+++ No-frills Washington rockers pillage the sounds of the desert rock scene.

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2017 career retrospective, Nomads, could almost be the full stop to one volume of their Ä¥\HDU KLVWRU\ EHIRUH VWDUWLQJ D QHZ PRUH LQYLJRUDWLQJ WRPH Abyssina, released in 2016, VDZ IRXQGLQJ PHPEHU JXLWDULVW YRFDOLVW DQG FKLHI VRQJZULWHU 7RQ\ 5HHG MRLQHG E\ DQ HQWLUHO\ QHZ UK\WKP VHFWLRQ ZKLFK E\ KLV RZQ admission, opened the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sound up to D ZKROH QHZ ZRUOG RI SRVVLELOLWLHV DGGLQJ SURJUHVVLYH Ã&#x20AC;RXULVKHV DQG SV\FKHGHOLF JURRYHV WR EROVWHU WKHLU FODVVLF URFN IRXQGDWLRQV ,I 6ZHGLVK VWRQHU URFNHUV 'R]HU LV WRR REVFXUH D UHIHUHQFH SRLQW Ħ IRU LW LV WKH\ WKDW Shadowlands EHDUV DQ XQFDQQ\ VLPLODULW\ WR Ħ WKHQ WKLQN HDUO\ 4XHHQV 2I 7KH 6WRQH $JH ZLWKRXW WKH FRPPHUFLDO HGJH WKHQ DGG Clutchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unselfconscious inventiveness and D KLQW RI JDUDJH URFN +HUH 0RV *HQHUDWRU have found their sonic lane and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a path PDUNHG μGHVHUW URFN¶ CAREN GIBSON B E ST TRACKS: Shadowlands, Stolen Ages, The Wild & Gentle Dogs

HEAD WITH WINGS From Worry To Shame

JCM

Heroes REPERTOIRE

++++ Power rock trio launch impressive debut album. *XLWDULVW &OHP &OHPSVRQ KDV WHDPHG ZLWK VLQJHU DQG EDVVLVW 0DUN &ODUNH DQG LQVSLUDWLRQDO GUXPPHU -RQ +LVHPDQ RQ D SURMHFW GHVLJQHG WR SD\ WULEXWH WR PXVLFDO KHURHV QRZ SDVVHG DZD\ QRWDEO\ *DU\ 0RRUH /DUU\ &RU\HOO *UDKDP %RQG DQG -DFN %UXFH 7KH UHVXOW LV D VXFFHVVLRQ RI WLJKWO\Ä¥SURGXFHG VRQJV DOWKRXJK there is room for Clempson in particular to XQOHDVK Ã&#x20AC;HHWĥ¿QJHUHG VRORV RQ WKH VWRUPLQJ RSHQLQJ WUDFN 7KH .HWWOH IDPLOLDU WR &RORVVHÄ¥ XP IDQV DQG WKH EOXHV\ )RXU 'D\ &UHHS D +XPEOH 3LH IDYRXULWH 0DUN &ODUNH¶V VRXOIXO YRFDOV SHUPHDWH VRQJV OLNH 6WUDQJHKHU DQG WKH 3HWH %URZQ -DFN %UXFH VSRRN\ DQWKHP :HLUG 2I +HUPLVWRQ +LVHPDQ¶V GUXPV GULYH PRUH IXQN\ WXQHV OLNH <HDK <HDK <HDK *UHDVH 7KH :KHHOV DQG VROH LQVWUXPHQWDO 7KH ,QTXLVLWLRQ CHRIS WELCH B E ST TRACKS:

Prog rock duo spin sumptuousness from sadness on excellent debut.

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SHORT CUTS Church Of The Cosmic Skull SCIENCE FICTION KOZMIK-ARTIFACTZ

++++

MR. BIG

Live From Milan FRONTIERS

++ Late â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s pop metal supergroup struggle. :KHQ 0U %LJ DQQRXQFHG WKDW GUXPPHU 3DW 7RUSH\ KDG EHHQ GLDJQRVHG ZLWK 3DUNLQVRQ¶V GLVHDVH LQ WKH JURXS DOVR FRQ¿UPHG KH ZRXOG VWLOO EH DSSHDULQJ ZLWK WKHP RQ WKHLU FRQVHFXWLYH ZRUOG WRXUV Ħ SHUIRUPLQJ RQ VHOHFW WUDFNV ZKLOH KDQGLQJ RYHU WKH UHLQV WR $FH )UHKOH\ VWLFNVPDQ 0DWW 6WDUU ZKHUH QHHGHG 7KLV Ä¥&' DQG %OXÄ¥UD\ OLYH UHOHDVH FDSWXUHV RQH RI 7RUSH\¶V ODVW RXWLQJV EHIRUH SDVVLQJ DZD\ HDUOLHU WKLV \HDU DQG IUXVWUDWLQJO\ WKH JURXS GRQ¶W TXLWH PDWFK WKHLU IRUPHU JORU\ :KLOH WKH WHFKQLFDO ZL]DUGU\ EHKLQG JXLWDULVW 3DXO *LOEHUW DQG EDVVLVW %LOO\ 6KHHKDQ HQVXUHV FRQVLVWHQF\ VLQJHU (ULF 0DUWLQ VWUXJJOHV WR KLW WKH QRWHV WKDW KH GLG VR HɱRUWOHVVO\ LQ KLV WZHQÄ¥ WLHV Ħ UHQGHULQJ FODVVLFV OLNH 'DGG\ %URWKHU /RYHU /LWWOH %R\ DQG $OLYH $QG .LFNLQ¶ VOLJKWO\ defunct compared WR SUHYLRXV OLYH RɱHULQJV AMIT SHARMA

A self-described â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;spiritual organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, this septetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chalice brims with the elixir of ELO and Deep Purple, delivering a potent blend of psych, prog and pop.

B E ST TRACKS: Temperamental, Just Take My

+HDUW 7DNH &RYHU *UHHQĦ7LQWHG 6L[WLHV 0LQG

Khemmis DESOLATION NUCLEAR BLAST

++++

The Smokinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Prophets DECEIVED DISEASED

This Denver quartetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s six-track follow-up to 2016â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hunted is a thundering blend of NWOBHM riffs shot through with sternumshuddering doom.

SELF-RELEASED

+++

If this Southampton trio lived on the Sunset Strip in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be megastars, with elements of hard-edged hair metal and raw rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll.

Devin Townsend Project OCEAN MACHINEâ&#x20AC;¦

Goodbye Sky, In Memoriam, In Dark Motel Rooms B E ST TRACKS:

Last year, Hevy Devyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s band performed 1997â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ocean Machine with the Orchestra and Choir of Plovdiv State Opera â&#x20AC;&#x201C; here in full glory on CD/DVD.

The Kettle, Weird Of Hermiston

SELF-RELEASED

++++

Heavenly: Church Of The Cosmic Skull.

INSIDE OUT

++++

Ash ISLANDS INFECTIOUS

+++

Northern Irish indie rock trioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seventh is rich in big hooks and even bigger choruses.

SIMON YOUNG P L A N E T R O C K 107

Reissues

The deal was to check the drugs and surrounding chaos at the door...

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;?

For a band who even today shoulder a reputaÄĽ tion for tardiness, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ironic that this celebration of Appetite For Destruction arrives some 12 months late to its own 30th birthday party. Perhaps that time THE TASK of bottling the lightning that had KDV EHHQ VSHQW DWWHPSWLQJ WR DQVZHU WKH TXHVWLRQ struck across LAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sunset Strip scene for much of Appetite For Destruction of how to improve upon perfection. The facts 1986 was one thing; keeping a leash on the junkies Super Deluxe Edition surrounding Appetite are well known and for good and streets rats responsible for such pyrotechnics GEFFEN/UME UHDVRQ DW PLOOLRQ VDOHV LW VWDQGV DV WKH ELJJHVWÄĽ was another entirely. Seven months of searching for VHOOLQJ ÄŚ DQG OHWÂśV QRW TXLEEOH EHVW ÄŚ 86 GHEXW a producer to helm Guns Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rosesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attempts at a album ever. Yet its legacy goes beyond just numbers debut album had, until Mike Clinkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrival in early ÄŚ &OLQNÂśV ZRUN LV WR WKLV GD\ KHOG XS DV SHUKDSV WKH 1987, proved fruitless, yielding only a list of names PRVW SHUIHFWÄĽVRXQGLQJ KDUG URFN UHFRUG HYHU who were either deemed unsuitable by the band, or, as true a facsimile of a bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spirit as can be captured on tape. more commonly, themselves deemed the band to be untamable. $QG VR IRU LWV ÂżUVWÄĽHYHU UHPDVWHULQJ WKH DOEXP WKDW VSDZQHG &OLQN WKRXJK ZDV GLÉąHUHQW D IDQ RI WKH EDQG IURP EHLQJ D ÂżUVWÄĽ D WKRXVDQG SUHWHQGHUV ÂżQGV LWV LQWHJULW\ WKDQNIXOO\ OHIW LQWDFW D GHJUHH hand witness to their undeniably ferocious live show, the cool, of extra warmth the only noticeable takeaway from what amounts to FDOPÄĽKHDGHG \RXQJ SURGXFHU KDG ZRQ WKH TXLQWHW RYHU DW D 'HFHPEHU PRUH RI D GXVWLQJ RÉą WKDQ D UHZRUNLQJ %XW LWÂśV LQ WKH GHWDLO RI WKLV 1986 test session by simply letting them be. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He did a playback and VSUDZOLQJ UHLVVXH ÄŚ ZKLFK ZLOO GHQW \RXU ZDOOHW WR WKH WXQH RI DQ\WKLQJ VDLG Îź7KLV LV KRZ , WKLQN \RXU UHFRUG VKRXOG VRXQG ϫ EDVVLVW 'XÉą IURP ĸ WR ĸ DQG DGRUQ \RX ZLWK DOO PDQQHU RI DUWZRUN SKRWR McKagan would later recount. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was basically us live, and I immediÄĽ ERRNV PHUFK DQG PRUH ÄŚ WKDW REVHVVLYHV ZLOO ÂżQG SOHQW\ WR GHOLJKW LQ ately thought, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly right.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Alongside reissues of the GNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;R Lies/Live?!*@ Like A Suicide EP And so, as Appetite For Destructionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recording sessions clicked into ÄŞVKRUQ RI WKH O\ULFDOO\ XQIRUJLYHDEOH 2QH ,Q $ 0LOOLRQÄŤ UHOLFV IURP gear at the beginning of 1987, Clink set out to translate the band he saw early recording sessions are piled high. In the setâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most expanded RQÄĽVWDJH RQWR WDSH +H ZRXOG PHWLFXORXVO\ KHOS 6ODVK REWDLQ WKH VRXQG form, these weigh in to the tune of 49 unreÄĽ the guitarist heard in his head, going over each solo, note by note. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d leased numbers, with early acoustic and piano SXW 'XÉą DW WKH KHDUW RI WKH VRQJV H[DFWO\ ZKHUH WKH \RXQJ EDVVLVW sketches of the epic November Rain the ZDQWHG KLV LQVWUXPHQW +HÂśG JLYH KLPVHOI RYHU WR ÄĽKRXU UHFRUGLQJ XQGRXEWHG KLJKOLJKW 7KH WUDFNV IURP 1D]DÄĽ sessions to hone the broad, erratic vocal talents of Axl Rose. And heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d do it all with the patience of a saint, asking for only one thing in return: reth guitarist Manny Charltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summer 1986 check the drugs, and your surrounding chaos, at the door. sessions at Sound City Studio include QRQHÄĽPRUHÄĽVOHD]\ WDNHV RQ +HDUWEUHDN Destructible: backstage in +RWHO DQG -XPSLQÂś -DFN )ODVK ÄŞHOHFWULF DQG LA, August DFRXVWLF ZLWK SHUVRQDOLVHG O\ULFVÄŤ WKRXJK 1986.

TRACKS thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no place, mercifully, for the

BY SAM C OAR E

GUNS Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ROSES +++++

infamously juvenile Cornshucker.

A demo of ShaGRZ 2I <RXU /RYH LV WKULOOÄĽ ingly opened by Axl screeching a somewhat familiar â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wake up! Time to play!â&#x20AC;? That track is elsewhere restored in its full glory too, polished up into a form never previously heard from &OLQNÂśV 'HFHPEHU Âś WULDOÄĽE\ÄĽÂżUH Âł+LV VHFUHW was simple,â&#x20AC;? said Slash, never a man to mince his words. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fuck with our sound.â&#x20AC;?

'RLQJ VR ZRXOG EH VDFULOHJH DIWHU DOO B E ST TRACKS: Welcome To The Jungle, Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s So Easy, Paradise City, Rocket Queen

108 P L A N E T R O C K

CD1 Appetite For Destruction: Remastered CD2 B-sides Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; EPs: Remastered CD3 1986 Sound City Session CD4 1986 Sound City Session Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; More Blu-ray Audio Appetite For Destruction plus Bonus Tracks & Music Videos

GETTY

One of rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest albums gets the 30th anniversary box set treatment a year late.

Young and hungry: Slash and Duff at the 109 Troubadour, LA, February 28, 1986.

Reissues

DEF LEPPARD Volume One UMC

++++ The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pete Willis And Bubble-Perm Yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; remembered on CD and vinyl box set.

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Let It Go, Photograph,

Foolinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Animal

VARIOUS

Winds Of Time: The New Wave Of %ULWLVK +HDY\ 0HWDO Ħ CHERRY RED

++++ Another NWOBHM comp. Boom!

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WRJHWKHU E\ GHYRWHG PHWDO PDQLDFV DGGV WR LWV FKDUP MXVW DV PXFK DV EHOWLQJ KHDGEDQJLQJ WXQHV E\ )LVW 6ROGLHU :LWFKI\QGH DQG 5RFN *RGGHVV 'R ZH UHDOO\ QHHG DQRWKHU 1:2%+0 FRPSLODWLRQ" <HDK DFWXDOO\« NICK RUSKELL B E ST TRACKS: 'LDPRQG +HDG ħ 7KH 3ULQFH :LWFKI\QGH ħ 7HWHOHVWDL 6DWDQ ħ 3XOO 7KH 7ULJJHU

SEPULTURA Arise

ROADRUNNER

+++ Sao Paulo starsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fourth album gets the full reissue treatment. ,Q WKH SUHÄ¥GLJLWDO DJH WKH LGHD WKDW D PHWDO EDQG PLJKW FRPH IURP %UD]LO ZDV DERXW DV H[RWLF DV LW ZDV SRVVLEOH WR EH 5HOHDVHG LQ Arise ZDV WKH ¿UVW RI 6HSXOWXUD¶V DOEXPV WR UHFHLYH WUXH ZRUOGZLGH DWWHQWLRQ ZKLFK LV QRW EDG JRLQJ FRQVLGHULQJ WKDW HYHQ WRGD\ LWV VHWWLQJ KRYHUV VRPHZKHUH EHWZHHQ WHHQDJH EHOOLJHUHQFH DQG IXOOÄ¥RQ VWURS 6XUSULVLQJO\ WKLV UDQWLQJ DQG EDUNLQJ KDV DJHG UDWKHU ZHOO LI QRW LQGLVSHQVÄ¥ DEO\ VR ZKLFK RQH FDQ DWWULEXWH WR WKH EDQG¶V GHFHQW VRQJV DV ZHOO DV 6FRWW %XUQV¶ XQIXVV\ SURGXFWLRQ $V SUHVHQWHG KHUH Arise FRPHV DV D ODYLVK UHLVVXH WKDW IHDWXUHV WKH RULJLQDO DOEXP DQG PRUH WKDQ WZR GR]HQ GHPRV UDULWLHV DQG OLYH WUDFNV 6R LI \RX OLNHG WKH EDQG EDFN WKHQ \RX¶G EHWWHU OLNH WKHP HYHQ PRUH QRZ :LWK Arise 6HSXOWXUD KDG \HW WR WDNH WKH H[SDQVLYH VWULGHV WKDW ZRXOG SURSHO WKHP RQWR WKH XQPDSSHG VSDFHV RI WKH Chaos A.D. DQG Roots DOEXPV DV VXFK WKLV RXWLQJ RɱHUV D SRUWUDLW RI WKH DUWLVWV DV DQJU\ \RXQJ PHQ :KLOH LW¶V QRW D FODVVLF LW¶V IDU IURP EHLQJ D IRRWQRWH HLWKHU IAN WINWOOD B E ST TRACKS:

Arise, Murder, Orgasmatron

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM The â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 6RXQG 6HVVLRQV SIDEONEDUMMY

+++ Demos and rarities released to mark 10th-anniversary of TGAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest hour.

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++++ (Most of) Brit guitarrockersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work in a limited-edition box. :LWK GLVFV ĪLQFOXGLQJ SUHYLRXVO\ XQUHOHDVHG OLYH DOEXPVÄ« DQG D Ä¥SDJH ERRN DQG UHWDLOLQJ DW DURXQG ĸ The Vintage Years LV QRW IRU WKH IDLQW RI KHDUW Ħ RU ZDOOHW :LWKRXW GDPQLQJ WKUHHÄ¥TXDUWHUV RI WKH PXVLF WKH :LVKERQH VRXQG Ħ GH¿QHG E\ WKRVH GXHOOLQJ GLYHÄ¥ERPEÄ¥ LQJ WZLQ JXLWDUV ODWHU EHORYHG E\ 7KLQ /L]]\ DQG ,URQ 0DLGHQ Ħ ZDV QHYHU EHWWHU WKDQ RQ WKHLU ¿UVW IRXU DOEXPV )LYH SHHUOHVV OLYH YHUVLRQV RI Wishbone Four¶V 'RFWRU GULYH WKH SRLQW KRPH %XW WKHUH DUH DOVR JHPV RQ WKH ODWHU OHVV YHQHUDWHG New England DQG Front Page News /3V ZKHQ WKH WUDQVSODQWHG %ULWV ZHUH OLYLQJ WKH /$ KLJK OLIH DQG FRXUWLQJ $PHULFD \RX MXVW KDYH WR ORRN KDUGHU IRU WKHP )RUWXQDWHO\ ZKHQ PXVLFDO GLɱHUHQFHV DQG RXWVLGH GLVWUDFWLRQV WDNH WKHLU WROO RQ WKH ODWHU ZRUN GLHKDUGV FDQ GLVWUDFW WKHPVHOYHV ZLWK WKRVH OLYH GLVFV DQG WKH EXPSHU ERRN +HUH $VK PHPEHUV SDVW DQG SUHVHQW SLFN RYHU WKHLU VKDUHG KLVWRU\ DQG SROLWHO\ GLVDJUHH OLNH H[Ä¥VSRXVHV PDGH WR VLW WRJHWKHU DW D IDPLO\ ZHGGLQJ MARK BLAKE B E ST TRACKS: Blowinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Free, The King Will &RPH 'RFWRU 0RWKHU 2I 3HDUO

Academy Events present

LIVE IN LONDON

2018 THE LEGENDARY JAPANESE GUITARIST RETURNS TO LONDON

SAT 20th OCT O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE VIP / PREMIUM SEATS AVAILABLE NEW ALBUM PARADOX AVAILABLE NOW HOTEI.COM An academy events presentation by arrangement with Neil O’Brien Entertainment and DADA Music ACADEMY EVENTS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH FRESH START AGENCY PRESENTS

ACADEMY EVENTS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH DRAGON PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS

“Rockin”

presents

Dave Krusen (Pearl Jam)

“THE WORLD’S GREATEST PEARL JAM TRIBUTE”

NATIONAL TOUR 2018 FRI 09 NOV SHEFFIELD O2 ACADEMY2 FRI 16 NOV BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY3 SAT 17 NOV LEICESTER O2 ACADEMY @ THE SCHOLAR FRI 23 NOV NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY2

SAT SAT FRI SAT

24 01 07 08

NOV DEC DEC DEC

LIVERPOOL O2 ACADEMY2 GLASGOW O2 ABC2 OXFORD O2 ACADEMY2 LONDON O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON

pearljamuk.com

WEDNESDAY 10TH OCTOBER O2 ACADEMY2 ISLINGTON, LONDON HOGJAWMUSIC.COM

SATURDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 2018 O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON, LONDON

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

presents

KERRANGIN

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by arrangement with CITI & United Talent Agency presents

ROCK SOOND

FACEBOOK.COM/SHIRAZLANE | TOXICROSE.ORG | FALLING-RED.COM | DAMNDICE.COM

METAL HAMSTER

SOME GUY

FEATURING ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAMER

STEVEN VAN ZANDT

SEPTEMBER 2018 SAT 15 LEEDS O2 ACADEMY FRI 21 GLASGOW O2 ABC SAT 22 NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY THU 27 BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY2 OCTOBER 2018 FRI 05 LONDON O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON

OF THE E STREET BAND, THE SOPRANOS, LILYHAMMER, AND LITTLE STEVEN’S UNDERGROUND GARAGE!

SHEFFIELD O2 ACADEMY2 LIVERPOOL O2 ACADEMY2 MANCHESTER O2 RITZ BOURNEMOUTH THE OLD FIRE STATION FRI 19 BRISTOL O2 ACADEMY THU FRI SAT THU

11 12 13 18

THE SOULFIRE TEACHROCK TOUR EUROPE 2018

SAT 30 JUNE I O2 ACADEMY LIVERPOOL SAT 6th OCT 2018

GLASGOW O2 ABC2 SAT 13th OCT 2018

SUN 28 OCT 2018 I 2PM TIL MIDNIGHT I O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN, LONDON

plus special guests

TICKETMASTER.CO.UK & ALL USUAL AGENTS

LONDON O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON

A Tribute to LEMMY

“It’s all rubbish!”: a shell-shocked Zep after reading Hammer Of The Gods.

Full of filthy, voyeuristic pageturning thrills...

Updated 50th-anniversary reissue of the book that fuelled the myth.

EVERYTHING ABOUT Led Zeppelin was larger than life: not least, the stories. Rolling Stone correĥ spondent Stephen Davis’s Hammer Of The Gods was ¿UVW SXEOLVKHG LQ EHIRUH WKH LQWHUQHW EURXJKW LWV PRVW LQIDPRXV WDOHV LQWR WKH PDLQVWUHDP Back then, the world was Davis’s oyster. Or, to UHIHUHQFH WKH HSLVRGH ZKHUH =HSSHOLQ¶V WRXU PDQDJHU μSOHDVXUHV¶ D JURXSLH ZLWK D GHDG ¿VK KLV PXG VKDUN 2Q SXEOLFDWLRQ WKHUH ZHUH URDUV RI SURWHVW IURP WKH EDQG DQG WKHLU ODWH PDQDJHU 3HWHU *UDQW %XW QRQH RI WKHP VXHG :K\" %HFDXVH WKH\ NQHZ WKDW FKURQRORJLFDO GLVFUHSDQFLHV DVLGH LW ZDV EURDGO\ WUXH 7KHLU UHDO EXJEHDU ZDV WKDW VRPH RI WKHLU RZQ Ħ QRWDEO\ =HSSHOLQ¶V ORQJĥVHUYLQJ WRXU PDQDJHU DQG NHHSHU RI VHFUHWV 5LFKDUG &ROH Ħ KDG EURNHQ WKH FRGH RI WKH URDG DQG EODEEHG 1RZ DV =HS¶V WK DQQLYHUVDU\ DSSURDFKHV D TXRWH IURP 5REHUW 3ODQW DSSHDUV RQ WKLV XSGDWHG HGLWLRQ¶V EDFN FRYHU ³, ZDQW WR EHOLHYH +DPPHU 2I 7KH *RGV EHFDXVH LW¶V GRQH XV KXJH IDYRXUV LQ WHUPV RI DXUD ´ 112 P L A N E T R O C K

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Books & DVDs

BRUCE DICKINSON

Scream For Me Sarajevo EAGLE VISION

++++ Hair-raising rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll adventure from behind the real frontline.

In 1994, Bruce Dickinson, on an unpaid sabbatical from Iron Maiden and singing with his new band Skunkworks, SOD\HG D JLJ LQ EDWWOHÄĽWRUQ %RVQLD +RZ DQG ZK\ LV WROG LQ WKLV SRLJQDQW GRFXPHQWDU\ ,WÂśV OHVV WKH WDOH RI D SULYLOHJHG URFN VWDUÂśV IRUD\ into a warzone; more what Dickinson symÄĽ bolised for his beleaguered teenage audience DQG WKHLU UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWLRQV ÄĽRGG \HDUV ODWHU 'LUHFWRU 7DULF +RG]LF UHXQLWHV 'LFNLQVRQÂśV EDQGPDWHV ZLWK WKH FRQFHUWÂśV RUJDQLVHU WKH relentlessly cheery Major Martin Morris RI WKH 81 3URWHFWLRQ )RUFH %UXFH LV LQWHUÄĽ viewed at home, but his former rhythm section, bassist Chris Dale and drummer Alex Elena, return to the country to meet their IRUPHU KDQGOHUV DQG IDQV 7KH SDLU RÉąHU ZLWW\ heartfelt recollections and convey the fear and bloody reality a little better than their old ERVV GRHV 6RPH JUDLQ\ JLJ IRRWDJH GRHV LWV MRE EXW WKH MRXUQH\ ÄŚ ZLWK LWV VQLSHUV JXQÄĽWRWLQJ KLWFKÄĽKLNHUV DQG ODQGPLQHV ÄŚ LV PRUH LPSRUWDQW WKDQ WKH GHVWLQDWLRQ MARK BLAKE

ANTHRAX

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MARILLION

All One Tonight

BESIDE BOWIE: THE MICK RONSON STORY Dir: Jon Brewer CARDINAL RELEASING

RACKET

+++ The prog magiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s October 2017 show at the Royal Albert Hall.

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Kings Among Scotland NUCLEAR BLAST

+++ East Coast metal pioneers bring the noise north of the border.

When it comes to thrash PHWDOÂśV RULJLQDO Îź%LJ )RXUÂś LW is the contribution made by Anthrax that has been PRVW RYHUORRNHG :KLOH 0HWDOOLFD FRQÄĽ quered the mainstream, Slayer laid claim to the lunatic fringe, and Megadeth owned WKH ÂżHOG LQ ZLOG LQYHQWLRQ WKH JHQUHÄĽVKLIWLQJ PXOWLFXOWXUDO PLQRU partners from New York invented QXÄĽPHWDO ÄŚ MXVW LQ FDVH \RX ZHUH ZRQÄĽ dering where to send that letter of WKDQNV ,I WKLV DOO VHHPV OLNH D ORQJ WLPH ago, this is because today Anthrax are a metal band designed more to defend the faith thaQ SXVK WKH HQYHORSH )LOPHG here at a dependably boisterous Barrowland

probably best viewed through D JUDY\ÄĽĂ&#x20AC;HFNHG OHQV LQ WKH DIWHUPDWK RI D PDVVLYH 6XQGD\ URDVW RQ WKH VRID %XW IRU those who can get in tune with it, All One Tonight is further proof that Marillion are still D PDMRU SURJ IRUFH NICK RUSKELL

Catsuits you: Ronno and Dave.

+++ Film documentary of glam rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s splendiferous guitar hero. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you think we would have had the David Bowie we knew without Mick Ronson?â&#x20AC;?

PXVLF PDQDJHUÄĽWXUQHGÄĽÂżOPÄĽ maker Jon Brewer asks the likes of Glen Matlock and Rick Wakeman at the climax of a documentary going to great lengths to VXJJHVW WKH DQVZHU LV ÎźQRÂś <RX FRXOG DUJXH RI course, that even someone with only a cursoÄĽ ry knowledge of British rock history would recognise the pivotal part the guitarist played LQ %RZLHÂśV FDUHHU EXW WKLV ÂżOPÂśV 02 LV WR UHYHDO MXVW KRZ PXOWLÄĽIDFHWHG WKDW UROH ZDV 7KH PDQ DÉąHFWLRQDWHO\ NQRZQ DV Îź5RQQRÂś ZDV the axeman who â&#x20AC;&#x153;rocked upâ&#x20AC;? Ziggy Stardust; WKH 7RQ\ 9LVFRQWLÄĽVFKRROHG FRPSRVHU ZKRVH ÂżUVW VWULQJ DUUDQJHPHQW ZDV RQ /LIH 2Q 0DUV" WKH 5LFKDUGV WR %RZLHÂśV -DJJHU ZKR FRXQWHUHG KLV EDQGPDWHÂśV PLPHÄĽLQVSLUHG movements with something more akin to WKRVH RI ÂłD EULFNOD\HU´ ,W DOO VWDUWHG LQ HDUO\ ZKHQ %RZLHÂśV then drummer John Cambridge returned to +XOO WR UHFUXLW 5RQVRQ KLV IRUPHU FROOHDJXH in The Rats, who was then painting the lines RQ UXJE\ SLWFKHV ÄŚ RQH RI PDQ\ ZHOOÄĽZRUQ tales, alongside that of the infamous â&#x20AC;&#x153;guitar fellatio shotâ&#x20AC;?, trotted out early on, accompaÄĽ QLHG E\ D VSRUDGLF EH\RQGÄĽWKHÄĽJUDYH YRLÄĽ FHRYHU IURP %RZLH KLPVHOI 3HUKDSV LWÂśV UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWLYH RI WKH FHQWUDO SRLQW EHLQJ PDGH EXW 5RQVRQÂśV VWRU\ JHWV a little lost during these formative \HDUV ,WÂśV RQO\ ZKHQ WKH WZR PHQÂśV orbits eventually uncouple and we JHW RQ WR WKH ÂżQDQFLDO ZRHV PLVÄĽ ÂżULQJ VROR ZRUN WRXUV ZLWK Dylan, album with Morrissey, and his death aged juVW WKDW 5RQQR WUXO\ FRPHV WR WKH IRUH ,WÂśV WKHQ WRR WKDW %HVLGH %RZLH becomes an important docuÄĽ PHQW LQ LWV RZQ ULJKW JAMES HICKIE P L A N E T R O C K 113

Unsung

Loco: Shitheadstirrer-in-chief Blaze Bayley.

No Sleep â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Til Tamworth Showing some love to those underrated albums.

This time: raw power from the Midlands with glorious failure stamped into its DNA.

By Keith Cameron.

WOLFSBANE

Massive Noise Injection

A S U N DAY A F T E R N O O N in the East Midlands during the summer of 1989. Possibly the sun had combined with the Newcastle Loose Down At Little Kathy Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place, when Bayley laughs and Brown Ale, but Blaze Bayley seemed entirely serious as he compared GHFODUHV Âł7KHUH ZH JR ´ DV LI KHÂśV ÂżQDOO\ KHDUG KLV EDQG SURSHUO\ UHSÄĽ the creative processes of his band Wolfsbane to Beethoven and Mozart.

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WKH PDQ ZKR KDG ÂżOOHG KLV VKRHV IRU ÂżYH \HDUV 7RGD\ ,URQ Jase Edwards (guitar), Thereafter, Wolfsbane were always struggling to recover Jeff Hateley (bass), Steve Maiden are bigger than ever, while Blaze Bayley grafts out a PRPHQWXP 7ZR IXUWKHU UHFRUGV ÄŚ VLJQLÂżFDQWO\ PLQXV 5LFN VROR FDUHHU VWLOO UROOLQJ RQ 'HVSHUDWLRQ 6WUHHW â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dangerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ellett (drums) 5XELQ EXW ZLWK IXWXUH 3HDUO -DP DQG $& '& SURGXFHU 2FFDVLRQDOO\ KH JHWV WRJHWKHU ZLWK -HÉą -DVH DQG 6WHYH PRODUCERS %UHQGDQ 2Âś%ULHQ EHKLQG WKH GHVN ÄŚ PRUH YLYLGO\ FRQYH\HG to play as Wolfsbane too: everyone is, he recently observed, Simon Efemey, WKH JURXSÂśV DSSHDO 7KHUHÂśV D EHDXWLIXO PRPHQW RQ 3DLQW WKH ÂłVDPH LGLRW´ WKH\ ZHUH \HDUV DJR <RX ZRXOGQÂśW ZDQW Wolfsbane 7KH 7RZQ 5HG IURP ÂśV PLQLÄĽDOEXP All Hellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Breaking it any other way.

114 P L A N E T R O C K

GETTY

BRONZE, 1993

TO ADVERTISE TEL: Ross Willett on 01733 363201 Ross.Willett@bauermedia.co.uk

T h e B u y e r sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; G u i d e

116

PLANET ROCK

THE SNOTTY DEBUT. THE HIGH CONCEPT SET. THE KILLER LIVE COLLECTION. BUT WHICH IS MAIDENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MASTERPIECE? Simon Young reckons the number of the beast, for it is a human numberâ&#x20AC;Ś

T H E L E G E N DA RY statesman Benjamin Franklin once famously observed, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.â&#x20AC;? Had Franklin been born two centuries later, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have almost certainly added Iron Maiden to that list, for there are few things in life as dependÄĽ able as Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier metal band.

Since forming the band on Christmas Day 1975, bassist Steve Harrisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unwavering vision has helped steer Maiden to become one of the most successful rock groups ever, with more than 100 million global album sales. Their DNA is embedded in modern metal and they continue to inspire and excite.

From humble beginnings on the East London pub circuit to stadiums worldwide, their reputation as a formidable live act has not dissipated. Polymath vocalist Bruce Dickinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s range has not faltered over the years, and in Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers, Maiden possess an elite trio of QLPEOHÄĽÂżQJHUHG ULÉąRORJLVWV %DQG OHDGHU +DUULV

usually photographed with one foot planted on a ZHGJH PRQLWRU KLV )HQGHU 3UHFLVLRQ EDVV VWUDÂżQJ the crowd, has an unmistakable tone and style, while DW WKH EDFN 1LFNR 0F%UDLQ DGGV D Ă&#x20AC;DVK\ SXPPHO and tumble to their signature sound.

0DLGHQÂśV VWDJH VHWV DUH WKH VWXÉą RI OHJHQG WRR accompanied by animatronic renderings of their ORQJÄĽVXÉąHULQJ PDVFRW (GGLH ZKR Rver the last four decades has scrapped with the devil, been sectioned, fought in wars, given birth and risen from the dead.

His sneering, demonic face has featured on every VLQJOH PHWDO IDQÂśV 7ÄĽVKLUW GHQLP MDFNHW RU EHGURRP wall at one stage in his or her life. :LWK WKHLU ÄĽGDWH /HJDF\ 2I 7KH %HDVW WRXU now underway, some 42 years after their debut gig at St Nicholasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; church in Poplar, Maiden show no signs of slowing down. Their most recent release, 2015â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Book Of Souls HDUQHG WKH JURXS D ÂżIWK 1XPEHU chart placing in the UK, and vividly illustrated that time has not dulled their ambition. Up the Irons!

GETTY

IRON MAIDEN

Scream team: Maidenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris at Rock In Rio, January 11, 1985.

Brave New World

Iron Maiden

(EMI, 2000)

(EMI, 1980)

The Book Of Souls

Killers

Piece Of Mind

(EMI, 1981)

(EMI, 1983)

(PARLOPHONE, 2015)

For album two, Maiden brought in producer Martin Birch, who immediately captured their essence. Strengthened by Adrian Smith’s arrival, the quintet sounded unbeatable: Wrathchild, Murders In The Rue Morgue and Purgatory are thrilling highlights. It was to be Di’Anno’s final album with the band, with substance abuse problems leading to his dismissal in the summer of 1981. Bruce Dickinson made his Maiden debut on October 26, 1981, his recruitment steering the band to greater heights.

7

Maiden’s fourth album marked Nicko McBrain’s recording debut with the band.

The highlights on this album are bountiful, with the furious gallop of The Trooper, the deliberate groove of Flight Of Icarus and the build and release of Revelations. Let’s not forget Still Life, a Dave Murray co-write with Steve Harris tucked away on Side Two, and To Tame A Land – inspired by Frank Herbert’s novel Dune – which sees Harris further explore his prog influences in an ambitious seven-minute album closer.

6

The Number Of The Beast

Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

(EMI, 1982)

(EMI, 1988)

The addition of Bruce Dickinson in 1981 blew the band’s possibilities wide open, and the new boy stamps his authority all over their third album with a masterful vocal performance. The album boasts bona fide classics in Children Of The Damned, The Prisoner, Run To The Hills and Hallowed Be Thy Name. The title track, however, stands head and shoulders above the rest; inspired by a hellish nightmare Steve Harris had after watching Damien: Omen II, it remains an integral highlight of Maiden’s live set to this day.

“You can’t play heavy metal with synthesizers,” Dickinson once told a Polish fan at a wedding Maiden crashed in 1984.

But four years later, the addition of synths helped the band explore new, proggier territory on a Harris-conceived concept album loosely based on Orson Scott Card’s novel Seventh Son. The idea of a mystical character burdened with clairvoyancy also reignited Dickinson’s creativity; he contributed to four of the album’s eight tracks including the singles Can I Play With Madness and The Evil That Men Do. A stone-cold classic.

Maiden’s 12th studio album was their first as a six-piece unit, after Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith returned to the fold in 1999. From opener The Wicker Man to the reflective Blood Brothers (written by Steve Harris in tribute to his late father) and the thunderous title track, the rejuvenated sextet sounded hungrier than ever.

Following two so-so albums with Blaze Bayley (1995’s The X Factor and 1998’s Virtual XI), Brave New World is the sound of a legendary band reborn.

After expanding to a five-piece, with Dennis Stratton joining Dave Murray on guitar, Maiden recorded their debut album in January 1980. Their aggressive, snotty delivery – typified by Paul Di’Anno’s rough-hewn vocals – led to certain music journalists suggesting they had a leaning towards punk, regardless of the band’s denials. Wil Malone’s reed-thin production cannot mask the quality of the musicianship and songwriting here and this established Maiden as the leaders of the emerging NWOBHM pack.

Somewhere In Time

Live After Death

Powerslave

(EMI, 1985)

(EMI, 1984)

(EMI, 1986)

The gargantuan World Slavery Tour saw Iron Maiden perform 187 shows over the course of 331 days in 1984 and 1985. With a set list cherry-picked from eight nights recorded at Long Beach Arena, California and Hammersmith Odeon, London, their electrifying set is free of clandestine studio overdubs. Prefaced by a recording of Winston Churchill’s stirring “We shall fight on the beaches…” speech, Live After Death set the standard by which all their future live offerings would be measured and remains one of the greatest live albums of all time.

Upon completion of the World Piece Tour, the quintet headed to Compass Point Studio in Nassau, Bahamas with Martin Birch in tow. Their fifth album explored themes of conflict (Aces High), the threat of nuclear war (2 Minutes To Midnight) and death (Powerslave), peaking with a 13-minute epic based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1797 poem The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner. Maiden were on top of their game here; the release of Powerslave and the subsequent world tour elevated them to godlike status in the eyes of metal fans around the world.

I0 9

Following their gruelling World Slavery Tour, Bruce Dickinson feared that the band might stagnate creatively and wrote several semi-acoustic songs for their sixth album. These were rejected by Harris, who thought his singer had “lost the plot”. Adrian Smith, meanwhile, hit his creative stride, penning the album’s two singles, Wasted Years and Stranger In A Strange Land. Released one week before Slayer’s vicious Reign In Blood album shifted metal’s boundaries, Maiden’s use of guitar synths here reinvigorated their sound.

5

4

The band’s 16th studio album was delayed following Bruce Dickinson’s cancer diagnosis, but there were many reasons to be cheerful once his oncologists gave him the all-clear.

A double album – with a running time of 92 minutes and featuring their longest-ever song, Empire Of The Clouds, a Dickinson-penned piano-led track which lasts over 18 minutes – this is one of Maiden’s most assured sets. Upon release, it topped the charts in 24 countries.

8

3

2

I

P L A N E T R O C K 117

Satisfaction: Ronnie, Mick Charlie and Keef take on Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s East End.

Live Wire

This Could Be The Last Time...

Fifty years after Street Fighting Man captured Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revolutionary spirit, Mickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Keef are back in town and on bellicose form. But is the end nigh?

THE ROLLING STONES T U E S D AY, M AY 2 2 , 2 0 1 8

GETTY

London Stadium

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B E ST MOM E NT:

P L A N E T R O C K 119

Coming back brighter: Reefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gary Stringer.

Live Wire

Rovers Return he Britrock Must Be Destroyed! tour hits the Midlands, with three co-headliners who lit up the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s. But can they still cut it in 2018?

REEF/THE WILDHEARTS/ TERRORVISION S AT U R D AY, M AY 5 , 2 0 1 8

Digbeth Arena, Birmingham A S R E E F â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headlining set approaches its climax, frontman Gary Stringer draws us in IRU D PRPHQW RI UHÃ&#x20AC;HFWLRQ +LV ZRUGV DUH spoken with what sounds like awe: â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we JRW KHUH ZH KDG D FXS RI WHD ,¶YH KDG D WRWDOO\ EULOOLDQW GD\ DQG , PHDQ WKDW ´ 7KH UHPDUN QRW RQO\ VXPV XS WKH JRRGÄ¥ WLPH YLEH RI WKLV %ULWURFN 0XVW %H 'HVWUR\HG VKRZ EXW DOVR SURYLGHV DQ DPXVLQJ VXPPDU\ RI GLVWDQFH WUDYHOOHG :KHQ WKH %ULWURFN PRYHPHQW SHDNHG WZR GHFDGHV DJR LW¶V OLNHO\ that stronger stimulants than tea were being LPELEHG Ħ DQ LGHD XSKHOG E\ 7HUURUYLVLRQ VLQJHU 7RQ\ :ULJKW ZKR FODLPV WR KDYH SLQÄ¥ sharp memories of getting on a tour bus in IROORZHG E\ OLWWOH HOVH RI FRKHUHQFH Wrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s joking, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a more serious VLGH WR WKLV WRXU DQG RQH WKDW LV Ã&#x20AC;HFNHG ZLWK

Party starters: Bradfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Terrorvision.

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PAUL HARRIES

Geordies 121in wonderland: the reunited Wildhearts.

Following The Wildhearts is a big ask, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one the bohemian West Country rockers rise to with surprising ease. Their intensely packed sound is bolstered by the addition of backing singers Gerri Cunningham and Lynne Jackaman, the latter formerly of Saint Jude.

As a result, the hard rock hallelujah that is Place Your Hands sounds even bigger, and JRVSHOÄĽLQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFHG QHZ VRQJV 0\ 6ZHHW /RYH and How I Got Over sound exactly as their creators intended.

7LPH KDV PDGH UHODWLYHO\ OLWWOH GLÉąHUHQFH to Gary Stringerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice. That leonine roar in

I Would Have Left You and Come Back Brighter is every bit as powerful as it was 20 \HDUV EDFN ÄĽ WKRXJK KLV WRQHV DUH PRUH QXÄĽ anced, and he sings Consideration and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Got Something To Say as if the emotional wounds that inspired them were freshly cut.

Unlike the rest of the Britrock pack, Reef â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music was inspired by classic rock.

They stripped away some of the fat it acquired in the late â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s and injected what ZDV OHIW ZLWK \RXWKIXO OLELGR 7KHLU ÂżUVW 7RS KLW ZDV ÂśV 1DNHG ÄŚ WKH\ FORVH WKH PDLQ VHW ZLWK LW WRQLJKW DQG LWÂśV SXUH ÂżOWK

Stringer stomps, glaring, shoulders hunched, from one side to the other, crouching and OHDSLQJ KLV PRYHPHQWV DPSOLÂżHG E\ KXJH shadows on the walls.

Reef leave the stage as heroes on whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a fabulous night. Best of all, this feels more like a start than an ending. STEVE BEEBEE Reef â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turbulent encore, Yer Old. The irony of lyrics like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re \HVWHUGD\¡V QHZV DQG QR ORQJHU WKH Ă DYRXUÎź are lost on nobody thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s followed rock music this longâ&#x20AC;Ś

B E ST MOM E NT:

P L A N E T R O C K 121

Live Wire

Weed All About It North London gets high on trippy stoner rock over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

F R I D AY - S U N D AY, M AY 4 - 6 , 2 0 1 8

Camden Town, London T H E B U S T L I N G V I B E of Camden is rather at odds with the serene calm of the Californian desert, where musicians from sleepy So Cal towns used to throw generator parties in order for their overloaded SabbathÄĽ ian psychedelia to be heard. It was there, thanks to the likes of Yawning Man, Masters Of Reality and Kyuss providing a soundtrack for the consumption of illicit substances in the late â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s, that a genre was born. All these years later, with the seventh annual Desertfest weekender selling out in advance, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sound that holds up strongly.

Leeds â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mothic Horrorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; troupe Black Moth may be gracing The Underworldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VWDJH LQ WKH PLGÄĽDIWHUQRRQ EXW they play their heavyweight EOHQG RI JDUDJH URFNÄĽLQIXVHG psychedelia to a bigger crowd than most headliners do at this venue. Singer Harriet Hyde sizes up the audience gathered in front of her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every year the gender balance at this festival creeps up and in the right GLUHFWLRQ ÄŚ , VHH PRUH ODGLHV here and this song is for them,â&#x20AC;? she says before introducing Sisters Of The Stone. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be KDUGÄĽSUHVVHG WR ÂżQG D VRQJ more suited to the sentiment.

If thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a theme to the bands topping the bill at Koko, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glorious resurrections. Reunited scene heroes The Obsessed deliver a masterclass, proving why the majority of bands at this festival owe them a debt of gratitude. When Swedish vintage rockers Graveyard announced a hiaÄĽ tus in 2016, it was disappointing. Now reborn with a new drummer, the band sound like WKH\ QHYHU OHIW ÄŚ MDPPLQJ SDWFKRXOLÄĽNLVVHG lullabies that could very well be the modern 122 P L A N E T R O C K

SANDRA SORENSEN

DESERTFEST

Over at the Roundhouse the following night, Nebula treat the crowd to a musical rainbow of Hendrixian fuzz. Arguably more garage rock than most of the bands performÄĽ LQJ WKLV ZHHNHQG WKHLU KRXUÄĽORQJ VHW LV PRUH about being carefree and cool than trying too KDUG ÄŚ ZKLFK ZRUNV IRU WKHP DV PXFK DV LW works against them.

As main support to Monster Magnet, Hawkwind are elder statesmen of psychedelic noise, the headliners themselves having always cited the English space rockers as their SULPDU\ LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFH 7KHLU ÄĽPLQXWH VHW LV nothing short of mesmerising, a handful of long epic tracks blurÄĽ ring into one singular vision of Sister bliss: Black dreamlike ponder. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be calm and Mothâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Harriet Hyde. do not panic,â&#x20AC;? commands frontÄĽ PDQ 0U 'LEV Ă&#x20AC;DQNHG E\ DVWUDO projections and a belly dancer as he replicates the noises of disÄĽ tant spaceships landing. Now ÄĽ\HDUVÄĽROG IRXQGLQJ JXLWDULVW Dave Brock shows no sign of reÄĽ tiring: this is a very good thing.

Opening their set with the WLWOH WUDFN IURP ÂśV Dopes To ,QĂ&#x20AC;QLW\, New Jerseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monster Magnet are on thunderously good form too, with frontman Dave Wyndorf â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice coated in enough delay to make it feel like another layer of drone to add to their trio of guitars. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now this is D VLQJÄĽDORQJ VRQJ ´ KH JULQV introducing 1998 hit Space Lord. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And I want 2000 people to say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;motherfuckerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the same time, JRGGDPPLW ´ 5RXQGLQJ RÉą WKH set with the infectious hooks of Power Trip, an anthem for disenÄĽ franchised youth, based around the mantra of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m never gonna work another day in my life!â&#x20AC;?, the Magnet Electric Ballroom headliners High On EULQJ WKH ZHHNHQG WR D PRVW ÂżWWLQJ HQG Fire burn through their set with the kind of Consider the sands of time well and truly pace that made MotĂśrhead kings of the stage. shifted. AMIT SHARMA At the heart of their rude noise stands Matt 3LNH ÄŚ D WRSOHVV EDUEDULDQ ZKRVH SHQFKDQW IRU TXDNHÄĽLQGXFLQJ ULÉąV PHDQV WKH YLEUDWLRQV B E ST MOM E NT: +DZNZLQG¡V 0U 'LEV UHFLWLQJ from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headline performance with WKH SURIRXQG ZRUGV RI %ODFN &RUULGRU ´6SDFH LV Sleep have only just stopped ringing. Tonight, LQĂ&#x20AC;QLWH LW LV GDUN 6SDFH LV QHXWUDO LW LV FROG 6WDUV thanks to Blessed Black Wings and Bastard RFFXS\ PLQXWH DUHDV RI VSDFH 7KH\ DUH FOXVWHUHG Samurai, he leaves his mark once more.

D IHZ ELOOLRQ KHUH DQG D IHZ ELOOLRQ WKHUHÂŤÎź answer to Cream, while charismatic frontman -RDNLP 1LOVVRQÂśV VLOYHUÄĽWKURDWHG ODPHQWDWLRQV SRVVHVV DOO WKH LQWLPDF\ KHDUW DQG VRXO RI -HÉą Buckley at his best.

At the Electric Ballroom on Saturday eveÄĽ ning, after a stellar performance from Church Of Misery, often labelled as the Japanese Black Sabbath, Weedeater frontman Dave â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dixieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Collins clutches a bottle of whiskey and asks the crowd, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who wants to get fucked up?â&#x20AC;? Pretty much everyone in the room, it seems. The North Carolina trioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s redneck sludge was always going to be a safe bet here.

Space cadet: Monster Magnetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dave Wyndorf.

Showtime

Ramblin’ on: The Cadillac Three.

DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL

The UK’s biggest rock and metal festival returns to the hallowed turf of Donington Park for its 16th staging.

Headlined by Ozzy Osbourne, GN’R and Avenged Sevenfold, with stellar support from Volbeat, Black Stone Cherry, Shinedown, The Hives, The Temperance Movement, Inglorious and many, many more, it promises to be a weekend to remember.

Do: go fucking crazy each and every time Ozzy asks you to. Only polite, isn’t it?

Don’t: throw bottles of piss.

It’s not the 1980s anymore, you savages When: June 8-10

2

RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR

Got more than a passing interest in classic rock, outlaw country, Southern rock, blues or prog? Then there’s really no other place to be on June 30 and July 1 than Mote Park in Kent. The legendary Mott The Hoople (Saturday) and The Cult (Sunday) headline the Planet Rock stage, with back-up from The Cadillac Three, Halestorm, Steel Panther, Gun, Blackberry Smoke and more. File under: Good Times.

Do: prepare to get misty-eyed with nostalgia while linking arms with drunken strangers during All The Young Dudes Don’t: forget to check out the Rising Stage. You might just spot a future headliner When: June 30-July 1

124 P L A N E T R O C K

3

STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL

One of the UK’s finest boutique festivals, Steelhouse has attracted a killer line-up to its mountain-top stage this year. With exclusive UK festival appearances from Glenn Hughes, performing Deep Purple’s greatest hits, and Black Star Riders, plus The Wildhearts, The Dead Daisies, Myles Kennedy, The Quireboys and more, this might just be the best £95 you’ll ever spend.

Do: get there early for Stone Broken and Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons on the Friday night Don’t: be shy. Steelhouse has a reputation as the friendliest festival in the UK, so you’ll make new friends without even trying When: July 27-29

’House party: Black Star Riders.

4

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT

If you checked out the review of Queen + Adam Lambert in our last issue, then, like us, you’ll be drooling with anticipation for the band’s upcoming dates in the UK and Ireland. How bad can a show that starts with Hammer To Fall, Stone Cold Crazy, Tie Your Mother Down and Another One Bites The Dust be? They will (they will) rock you (rock you).

Go ga ga for: the synchronised hand-claps Get down, make love for: please don’t When: July 1-8

5

ERIC CLAPTON

God is among us! Some 49 years after his first appearance at Hyde Park with Blind Faith, ‘Slowhand’ returns to the Royal Park for a British Summer Time festival headline show.

Given that he faced down 120,000 fans in 1969 on what was Blind Faith’s very first show, this one should be a breeze. Support for the sold-out show comes from Santana, Steve Winwood, professional cockneys Chas & Dave and more.

Do: pack an air guitar. And a spare set of air strings, just to be safe Don’t: accuse EC of shooting the deputy. He emphatically did not do that When: July 8

Out for blood: The Hollywood Vampires.

67 MYLES KENNEDY

It’s shaping up to be a busy summer for Alter Bridge’s newly untethered frontman.

Aside from his festival slots at Ramblin’ Man Fair and Steelhouse, the gifted Spokane, Washington-born singer-songwriter has a clutch of headline dates to promote his well-received solo album, Year Of The Tiger. These gigs will see Kennedy swap between solo and full-band shows. Either way, they’ll be special.

Listen out for: a unique version of Iron Maiden standard The Trooper

Don’t ask: what his brothers John Fitzgerald and Bobby are up to these days When: June 30-July 10, plus July 28-29

8

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES

Making their live debut in the UK, the LA supergroup promise to transform sterile arenas into the coolest rock’n’roll dive bars with a show stuffed with timeless anthems. Who knows whether we’ll ever get another chance to see our own Alice Cooper, Mr Joe Perry and Johnny Depp sharing a stage, so this is an opportunity not to be sniffed at.

STONE FREE FESTIVAL

Given how fiendishly unpredictable our summers are, there’s something quietly reassuring about the idea of an indoor festival. The third staging of Stone Free at London’s O2 Arena might be the best yet, with Scorpions, Megadeth, Stone Broken and more on day one, and Yes, featuring Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman, Ginger Wildheart, The Bad Flowers and more on day two.

Do: get in ‘early doors’ to catch support acts The Damned and The Darkness Don’t: attempt to emulate former Hollywood Vampire Keith Moon by turning up in a Nazi uniform. Unless you’re Prince Harry, in which case it’s perfectly OK, apparently When: June 16-20

9

Steady: Eddie.

10

PEARL JAM

Woooaaaaaahhhh yeaaaaaarghhhh, they’re still alive. As part of a 15-date European summer tour, the Seattle superstars hit London for a brace of shows at the 02 Arena in June. One of rock’s most explosive live acts, Eddie Vedder’s band switch up their set-lists at every show, and chuck in random classic rock covers to boot. If you can lay your hands on a ticket, consider yourself as lucky as Charlie Bucket.

Do: pass tumblers of red wine up to Eddie Vedder. The ‘looser’ he gets, the more fun Pearl Jam shows become Don’t: request Smells Like Teen Spirit. Won’t happen When: June 18-19

ROGER WATERS

Named after one of the stand-out tracks on The Dark Side Of The Moon, Roger Waters’ Us + Them tour has grossed some $90 million since kicking off in May 2017. Drawing heavily from Pink Floyd’s back catalogue – including no fewer than eight tracks from Dark Side… – it’s a spectacular, provocative show, which will doubtless ruffle a feather or two, given Waters’ inimitable gift for shit-stirring.

Listen out for: less-thansubtle digs at right-wing UK politicians, given that the US shows depicted Donald Trump in a KKK hood Don’t: expect Dave Gilmour cameos

Do: check out Tiffany Stevenson on the comedy stage. She’s a very funny lady Don’t: wear wellies. For once, Torrential Rain and Six Inches Of Mud aren’t on the bill When: June 16-17

Rockin’ like Harry Kane: Scorpions.

TO ADVERTISE TEL: Ross Willett on 01733 363201 Ross.Willett@bauermedia.co.uk

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Crossword

WIN!

DIARY OF A MADMAN VINYL LP SIGNED

BY OZZY OSBOURNE ENTRIES IN BEFORE AUGUST 7, 2018 How to enter Got a pen? Good. Now fill in the answers in the grid opposite and whack over this page – or a photocopy – by snail mail to Planet Rock Magazine, Ozzy Crossword, Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DT. Don’t forget to include your name and address on your entry!

Terms and conditions One entry per person. Entries must be received before August 7, 2018 or will not be valid. The winners will be selected at random. Competition promoted by Bauer Consumer Media Limited t/a Planet Rock (“Planet Rock”). Planet Rock’s choice of winners is final and no correspondence will be entered into in this regard. The winners will be notified by email seven days after the competition ends. Entrants must be over 18, resident in the UK and not be employed by Bauer Media. The prize is non-negotiable with no cash alternative. Entrants agree to the collection of their personal data in accordance with Planet Rock’s privacy policy: http://www.bauerdatapromise.co.uk/.

Bauer reserves the right to amend or cancel these terms or any aspect of the competition (including the prize) at any time if required for reasons beyond its control. Any questions, please email mail@planetrock.com. Complaints will not be considered if made more than 30 days after the competition ends. Winner’s details available on request (after the competition ends) by emailing mail@planetrock.com. For full Ts&Cs see bauerlegal.co.uk/competition-terms.

ACROSS

DOWN

1 Cannock-born singer who spent time in Deep Purple and Black Sabbath (5,6)

1 Mötley Crüe’s 1997 album (10,5)

5 Northern Irish band whose 1996 debut album was called 1977 (3)

2 These Swedish death metallers took the Left Hand Path (8) 3 Former Skin guitarist, Myke ---- (4)

7 Celtic Frost’s second album, released in 1985 (2,4,7)

4 Lengthy track from Pink Floyd’s 1971 album Meddle (6)

8 Annual UK rock festival, the ------- Man Fair (7)

5 Track from Paradise Lost’s 1992 album Shades Of God, also the title track of an EP (2,1,3)

11 Starship’s We Built This City features the lyric, “It’s just another Sunday in a tired --- ------” (3,6)

6 Georgia Satellites insisted you Keep Your ----- -- -------- (5,2,8)

13 Wheatus scored their biggest hit with ------Dirtbag (7) 16 Surname of metal frontman who sung the likes of Mouth For War (7) 17 Iron Maiden’s Brave New World album saw them encounter the Ghost Of The --------- (9) 20 Black Sabbath fought The --- ---War (3,4) 22 Roger Waters’ 2017 album, -- ---- --- ---We Really Want? (2,4,3,4) 23 Dokken appeared on the soundtrack for 1987’s A Nightmare On --- Street 3: Dream Warriors (3) 24 Monster Magnet frontman (4,7)

9 Track on Megadeth’s 1988 album So Far, So Good... So What! (4) 10 Fates Warning offered this with their 1988 album (2,4) 12 Lyric from Black Sabbath’s Tomorrow’s Dream: “I’ll just go back to pretending I’m living/So this time I’m gonna have to ------” (6) 14 The Race -- --, declared Suzi Quatro in 1978 (2,2)

15 Terrorvision track from the Regular Urban Survivors album, Enter ----- --- (5,3) 18 First word in title of a track on Judas Priest’s classic Sad Wings Of Destiny (6) 19 The US state where 36 Crazyfists formed (6) 21 “So I dub ---- Unforgiven,” crooned James Hetfield (4)

CROSSWORD SET BY: JASON ARNOPP

While Planet Rock was on tour with Ozzy, The Prince Of Darkness put his mark on this vintage LP – which could be yours!

P L A N E T R O C K 129

WHO THE HELL ARE THESE gUYS?

At the risk of giving too much away, one look at that gleaming, million-dollar smile on our pal on the left (above) should indicate that we’re not dealing with a NWOBHM act here.

Chances are this lot never pulled up outside JB’s in Dudley in a splitter van, with a mate called Kev humping gear.

But who in the name of sweet baby Jesus are these glam muthas? Do you know? Better still, was this you, dedicating your life to rock’n’rolling all night and partying every day with your fluffy-haired buddies?

Answers to mail@planetrock. com; see page 24 for last issue’s correct answer.

130 P L A N E T R O C K

ANNAMARIA DISANTO/ICONICPIX

Perhaps nice boys do play rock’n’roll...

W H E R E

R O C K

L I V E S

INSIDE ISSUE EIGHT OF THE ESSENTIAL MUSIC MAGAZINE FROM THE MAKERS OF MOJO AND PLANET ROCK, BRITAIN’S GREATE ST ROCK RADIO STATION

RICHIE SPEAKS!

“We did more damage than any other band!”

REVIEWS OVERLOAD! STARRING

BON JOVI

THE ROLLING STONES GUNS N’ROSES THE WILDHEARTS HAWKWIND DEF LEPPARD a n d m o re. . .

THE DARKNESS

SCORPIONS

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