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Two Covers To Collect!

DEF LEPPARD AC DC VENOM AIRBOURNE MOTÖRHEAD

OF THE YEAR D N !

BA

UK£5.00 US$10.50

Has Been A Strange, Wonderful Dream...”

CAN$12.50

BRIAN MAY “This Yea

108 Motörhead

Revisiting Motörhead’s annus mirabilis, 1979.

December 2019

U P F R O N T

34

8 Ginger Baker Planet Rock pays tribute to Cream’s genius drum man.

28 Full Metal Jacket Another brave Planet Rock UHDGHU GLJV RXW KLV ODJHUĦVWDLQHG GHQLP FXWĦRɲ IURP WKH GHSWKV of the doom wardrobe.

Funtime: Iggy Pop unveils his guide to life.

14

30

Matt Pearce Hail the moonlighting Voodoo Six guitarist, going solo with some hot blues rock.

22

Spinal Tap Smile like a dolphin at this nutty picture of the world ’s greatest spoof rock band backstage at CBGB in ’84.

24

Gun 7KH VDOWĦRIĦWKHĦHDUWK *ODVJRZ lads channelled their early VWUXJJOHV LQWR OLIHĦFKDQJLQJ ELJĦKLWWHU %HWWHU 'D\V

Spirit Of Radio A selection of Planet Rock radio presenters wax lyrical on their current raves and their favourite Queen album.

20

26

Dan Reed 7KH 1HWZRUNĦLQJ URFN veteran aims to heal religious world divisions from his Prague kitchen.

What a guy!

No frills: AC/ DC go back to basics p.114.

U P

96

25 Albums You Must Hear Right Now! Including… Airbourne, Hawkwind, Wayward 6RQV 7KH 'DUNQHVV and more.

112 DVDs & Books Frank Marino! Killing Joke! Other cool shit!

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PLANET ROCK

T H E

114

118

Unsung ,W·V DQG 2] KDUG URFNHUV $& '& DUH UHDOO\ UDFNHG Rɲ &XH Flick Of The Switch.

Live Wire Alice Cooper, The Wildhearts and The Planet Rock 5RDGVWDUV RQĦVWDJH

116

124

The Buyers’ Guide The enigmatic Opeth’s back catalogue dissected and rated.

Showtime Your guide to November and 'HFHPEHU·V KDUGHVWĦ rocking evenings out.

Letters 'LG ZH WUHDG WRR VRIWO\ ZLWK Scott Gorham in our last issue?

Were Slade in their undies really WKDW RɲHQVLYH" $QG ZKDW·V WKDW cool new Sabbath mural in Brum?

32 Alice Cooper The Coop’s only hanging out with Swinging ’60s cockney OHQV PDJXV 'DYLG %DLOH\ DQG a sack load of dosh, innit.

34 My Guide To Life Iggy Pop dispenses sage advice on PDWWHUV VXFK DV ZDWFKLQJ 'HEELH +DUU\ GR D ZHHĦZHH

B AC K Roadstar: Hannah Wicklund, p.122.

129 Crossword Win a blooming tasty deluxe Saxon live box set!

130

Who The Hell Are These Guys?

I mean, really, who the hell are these guys?

GETTY

18

Kris Barras Mixed Martial Arts tough guy WXUQHG VL[ĦVWULQJ EOXHV ZL]DUG salutes six songs that get the blood pumping. Raaarrrh!

THE

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MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR MAR APR APR APR APR

MANCHESTER ARENA** DUBLIN 3 ARENA** NEWCASTLE UTILITA ARENA* GLASGOW THE SSE HYDRO* LEEDS FIRST DIRECT ARENA* CARDIFF MOTORPOINT ARENA* BIRMINGHAM RESORTS WORLD ARENA* NOTTINGHAM MOTORPOINT ARENA* LIVERPOOL M&S BANK ARENA* LONDON THE SSE ARENA, WEMBLEY*

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‘WHO’ THE NEW ALBUM PRE-ORDER NOW

Who

would have predicted that this year’s ‘Saviours Of Rock’ would be a band on the verge of celebrating their 50th anniversary? Thanks to the phenomenal global success of the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, released in October 2018, Queen have enjoyed an incredible 12 months, from becoming the most VWUHDPHG DUWLVW LQ WKH ZRUOG LPPHGLDWHO\ IROORZLQJ WKH ¿OP¶V release to opening the 91st Academy Awards ceremony and ‘Bo Rhap’ claiming no fewer than four Oscars.

We’re delighted to welcome our Band Of The Year back to the cover of Planet Rock magazine, with exclusive interviews with Brian May, Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert. Elsewhere in the issue, we celebrate 20 years of Planet Rock radio and catch up with Venom, Def Leppard, Alice Cooper, Whiskey Myers, and The Wildhearts. Until next time…

Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DJ Email: mail@planetrock.com M USIC & CON T E N T DIR EC T OR

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Matt Turner CON T R IBU T OR S Phil Alexander, Paul Anthony, Jason Arnopp, Steve Beebee, Danny Bowes, Alice Clark, Bernard Doherty, Rob Evans, George Garner, Caren Gibson, Loz Guest, Paul Harries, Ian Harrison, James Mackinnon, James McNair, Darren Redick, Dave Reynolds, Nick Ruskell, Amit Sharma, Cathi Unsworth, Marco Vittur, Paddy Wells, Wyatt Wendels, Ian Winwood 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

CEO Bauer Publishing UK Rob Munro-Hall Managing Director Helen Morris Managing Editor Linda Steventon Head of Marketing Fergus Carroll

This month’s opera-lovers include…

Marketing Assistant Sophie Mulcahy

Simon J Newbury is a professional photographer based in Crewe, Cheshire, as is his wife Tina. In addition to shooting live gigs and festivals across the North-west, Simon has a passion for urban landscape photography. More at simonjnewburyphotography.co.uk

Ian Harrison reviews Spacerock legends Hawkwind’s new album All Aboard The Skylark this issue (here he is with the legendary ’70s bandmember Stacia). He also writes for MOJO magazine and is preparing for the day when Earl Brutus receive global recognition.

Borja Ponafuente Gonzalo is a figurative painter, illustrator, record designer and Beatlemaniac. This Spanish music-lover lives only to find rare vinyl records to add to his collection. In the meantime he spends his time painting. His illustration of Joe Elliott is on page 71.

Samuel Mills aka Defame, who illustrates Airbourne on page 98 is based in Long Beach, California.

Specialising in horror and sci-fi, Defame creates horrific and brutal artwork by hand for bands and brands. Go to www.defameart.com to see more of his work.

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UGH O H T M O D AN IEWS AND R

TS…

Ginger Baker 1939-2019 THE BIG PICTURE

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Mark Blake pays tribute to the unhinged, flame-haired drum genius who propelled Cream and pioneered the ’70s Afro-rock crossover.

8

CELEBRATED DRUMMER Ginger Baker, who died on October 6, aged 80, once said he “loved H[SORVLRQV DQG WKH VRXQG RI ERPEV JRLQJ Rɱ´ ,W ZDV D telling admission from a musician whose childhood was VRXQGWUDFNHG E\ :RUOG :DU ,, DQG ZKRVH ¿HU\ drumming, especially with ’60s power trio Cream, was PDWFKHG E\ KLV XQVWDEOH WHPSHUDPHQW ³*LQJHU ZDV DQWLĥVRFLDO ´ VDLG H[ĥ&UHDP EDQGPDWH (ULF &ODSWRQ ³%XW PXVLFDOO\ KH KDG WKH JLIW WKH ÀDLU DQG WKH SDQDFKH ´ LiNH D ÀDLOLQJ SHUFXVVLYH RFWRSXV *LQJHU %DNHU SOD\HG KLV WZLQĥEDVV NLW OLNH D OHDG LQVWUXPHQW +H invented the concept of the modern rock drummer, LQÀXHQFLQJ FRQWHPSRUDULHV DQG VXFFHVVRUV LQFOXGLQJ Keith Moon, John Bonham, Neil Peart and Roger 7D\ORU %XW KH ZDV DOVR D MD]] D¿FLRQDGR DQG SLRQHHU of African music, and wanted to be thought of as a musician anG DUUDQJHU UDWKHU WKDQ D URFN GUXPPHU

PLANET ROCK

Beat it: Ginger Baker with Cream at Falkoner Teatret, Denmark, 6 March, 1967.

Upfront

10

PLANET ROCK

Top Fela: Baker in tribal robes promoting the BBC doc Ginger Baker In Africa, July 1973.

Creamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UHXQLRQ GDWHV LQ /RQGRQ DQG 1HZ <RUN UHWXUQHG KLP WR WKH SXEOLF H\H 7KH reunion rekindled his feud with Jack Bruce, ZKRP KH DFFXVHG RI SOD\LQJ WRR ORXG 0DUULHG IRXU WLPHV %DNHUÂśV PHPRLU +HOOUDLVHU ZDV JULPO\ HQWHUWDLQLQJ DQG PDWFKHG E\ ÂśV FDQGLG GRFXPHQWDU\ %HZDUH 2I 0U %DNHU LQ ZKLFK *LQJHU ZDV VKRZQ EUHDNLQJ ÂżOPPDNHU -D\ %XOJHUÂśV QRVH with a walking cane.

7KDW VDPH \HDU %DNHU UHYHDOHG KH ZDV VXÉąHULQJ FKURQLF REVWUXFWLYH SXOPRQDU\ GLVHDVH DQG XQGHUZHQW KHDUW VXUJHU\ +H GLHG LQ KRVSLWDO LQ &DQWHUEXU\ OHDYLQJ EHKLQG D PXVLFDO OHJDF\ DV ZLOGO\ unpredictable as the man himself.

GETTY

Peter Edward Baker was born in Lewisham, South London, on August 19, 1939. $V D FKLOG KH ZDV ÂżHUFHO\ LQWHOOLJHQW EXW KDG D ZD\ZDUG VWUHDN DWWULEXWDEOH WR ZKDW KLV sister called â&#x20AC;&#x153;the famous Baker temperâ&#x20AC;?.

Their father, Frederick, a Lance Corporal in WKH 5R\DO 6LJQDO &RUSV ZDV NLOOHG RQ DFWLYH VHUYLFH LQ +H OHIW EHKLQG D OHWWHU addressed to his son, in which he urged him to QHYHU EDFN GRZQ IURP D ÂżJKW ÄŚ DQ DSSURDFK %DNHU ODWHU DSSOLHG QRW RQO\ LQ KLV SHUVRQDO OLIH but to the music business too. *LQJHU GLVFRYHUHG WKH GUXPV DJHG LQ DQG WRRN OHVVRQV IURP WKH %ULWLVK MD]] PXVLFLDQ 3KLO 6HDPDQ ZKRVH SRO\UK\WKPLF V\QFRSDWHG VW\OH ZDV D JUHDW LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFH 6HDPDQ DOVR LQWURGXFHG KLV SURGLJ\ WR KHURLQ DQG Baker battled an addiction until the 1980s. ,Q HDUO\ %DNHU UHSODFHG IXWXUH 5ROOLQJ Stone Charlie Watts in British bluesman Alexis Kornerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blues Incorporated. At the end of the \HDU KH DQG WZR RI .RUQHUÂśV PXVLFLDQV organist Graham Bond and bassist Jack Bruce, quit to form the Graham Bond Organisation, VSOLFLQJ MD]] DQG 5 % ZLWK WKH VHHGV RI SURJ It marked the beginning of Bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fraught relationship with Jack Bruce, which culminated with him pulling a knife on the EDVV SOD\HU ,Q 0DUFK %DNHU QRZ estranged from the Graham Bond 2UJDQLVDWLRQ LQYLWHG H[ÄĽ<DUGELUGV -RKQ 0D\DOO JXLWDULVW (ULF &ODSWRQ WR MRLQ KLV QHZ SURMHFW &UHDP &ODSWRQ DJUHHG ZLWK WKH FDYHDW KH HPSOR\ %UXFH DV EDVV SOD\HU 'HVSLWH D QHYHUÄĽHQGLQJ battle of wills between the UK\WKP VHFWLRQ &UHDP VDZ Baker at his musical peak.

7KHLU SRZHUÄĽWULR IRUPDW promoted his drums to the IRUH Âł*LQJHUÂśV SOD\LQJ ZDV unfettered and beautiful,â&#x20AC;? recalled Clapton, whether SURYLGLQJ D WULEDO SXOVH WR 6XQVKLQH 2I <RXU /RYH D EROHUR WLPH RQ WKH 86 Top 10 hit, White Room, or pioneering the extended drum solo a wDUQLQJ RI VRUWV +LV QH[W JURXS â&#x20AC;&#x153;GINGER WAS on his showcase, Toad. Cream *LQJHU %DNHUÂśV $LU )RUFH IXVHG MD]] ANTI-SOCIAL LPSORGHG LQ E\ ZKLFK WLPH DQG $IULFDQ UK\WKPV EXW BUT WKHLU KDUG URFN VW\OH KDG LQVSLUHG Ă&#x20AC;RXQGHUHG ,Q %DNHU PRYHG D JHQHUDWLRQ RI \RXQJHU ORXGHU MUSICALLY to Nigeria, built a studio, and, later bands. Not that Baker was a fan. made three albums with Baker HE HAD THE Âł+HDY\ PHWDO VKRXOG KDYH EHHQ *XUYLW] $UP\ EXW FRPPHUFLDO GIFT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; THE strangled at birth,â&#x20AC;? he said. success as a solo artist continued FLAIR AND $ \HDU ODWHU %DNHU DQG &ODSWRQ to elude him.

PANANCHE.â&#x20AC;?

UHXQLWHG LQ WKH VKRUWÄĽOLYHG %OLQG In the 1980s and â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s, Baker ERIC CLAPTON Faith but the drummerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drug use OLYHG LQ YDULRXVO\ ,WDO\ /$ DQG FDVW D VKDGRZ RYHU SURFHHGLQJV South Africa, indulged his passion 'XULQJ GRZQWLPH RQ D 86 WRXU *LQJHU ZDV IRU SROR DQG SHUIRUPHG ZLWK VHYHUDO HFOHFWLF URFN DFWV ÄŚ DPRQJ WKHP +DZNZLQG 3XEOLF GULYLQJ WR /$ ZLWK WKUHH JURXSLHV ZKHQ KH ,PDJH /LPLWHG 0DVWHUV 2I 5HDOLW\ DQG %%0 KHDUG RQ WKH FDU UDGLR WKDW KHÂśG MXVW EHHQ with Jack Bruce and *DU\ 0RRUH ÄŚ EHIRUH found dead RI D GUXJ RYHUGRVH LQ D KRWHO URRP

THE NEW ALBUM FROM GUN OUT 29TH NOVEMBER 2019

R

3

L

O

A

D

E

D

"R3L0ADED IS JUST THE BEGINNING… THE START OF A NEW CHAPTER." R3L0ADED, a collection of 10 singles from their first chart hit Better Days in 1989 to Favourite Pleasures in 2017 which includes the award-winning cover Word Up by Cameo. The new album features brand new recordings of cover versions from artists such as Stevie Wonder, The Clash, Blondie, Beastie Boys, Hot Chocolate and Hozier.

ON TOUR

9/12/19 – BRISTOL – O2 ACADEMY • 10/12/19 – SOUTHAMPTON – ENGINE ROOMS 11/12/19 - LONDON – O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE • 13/12/19 – WOLVERHAMPTON – KK’S STEEL MILL 14/12/19 – NORWICH – THE WATERFRONT • 15/12/19 – NOTTINGHAM – ROCK CITY 17/12/19 NEWCASTLE – O2 ACADEMY • 18/12/19 – LEEDS – O2 ACADEMY 20/12/19 – MANCHESTER – ACADEMY 2 • 21/12/19 – GLASGOW – BARROWLAND

www.gunofficial.co.uk

Upfront

I want to ride my bicycle: Planet Rock fundraiser Wyatt Wendels; (below) rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Planet Rockstock.

Slayer will screen Slayer: The Repentless Killogy in cinemas worldwide on November 6.

The ďŹ lm features three interlinked videos promoting their 2015 Repentless album plus the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s August 5, 2017 show at the LA Forum.

More info at slayer.ďŹ lm.

WHEELS OF STEEL

Planet Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wyatt Wendels saddles up for The Road To Rockstock 2 charity rideâ&#x20AC;Ś and all-star single!

P L A N E T R O C K presenter Wyatt Wendels is embarking upon a major charity initiative in November, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love your support in helping him reach his goals!

The popular presenter will be undertaking D ÄĽPLOH WZRÄĽZHHNÄĽORQJ F\FOH ULGH IURP /RQGRQ WR WKH 3ODQHW 5RFNVWRFN IHVWLYDO IRU Mind, the mental health charity. Leaving London on November 22, The Road To Rockstock 2 ride will see Wyatt visiting iconic URFN ODQGPDUNV ÄŞWKH %ODFN 6DEEDWK %ULGJH WKH %RQ 6FRWW 0HPRULDO WKH -RKQ %RQKDP PHPRULDO DQG 6WRQHKHQJH DPRQJ WKHPÄŤ DQG VWRULHG YHQXHV ÄŞLQFOXGLQJ *ODVJRZ %DUURZODQGV DQG ,QYHUQHVV ,URQ:RUNVÄŤ HQ URXWH WR WKH IHVWLYDO VLWH LQ 7UHFFR %D\ 6RXWK :DOHV In addition, Wyatt is recording a single, a FRYHU RI SRZHU EDOODG <RXÂśUH 7KH 9RLFH D 7RS KLW IRU $XVWUDOLDQ YRFDOLVW -RKQ )DUQKDP LQ WR EHQHÂżW WKH VDPH FKDULW\ :\DWW will play drums on the track, which will IHDWXUH YRFDOV DQG JXLWDU FRQWULEXWLRQV IURP PHPEHUV RI :D\ZDUG 6RQV 7KH 7HPSHUDQFH 0RYHPHQW 'HI /HSSDUG %ODFN 6WDU 5LGHUV 7\OHU %U\DQW 7KH 6KDNHGRZQ 'DQ 5HHG Network, The Dead Daisies, The Cadillac 7KUHH %ODFNEHUU\ 6PRNH DQG VHYHUDO RI Wyattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Planet Rock presenter colleagues.

12

PLANET ROCK

Saxon have rescheduled their 40th anniversary Castles & Eagles shows for March, having been forced to postpone the dates due to vocalist Biff Byford requiring heart surgery.

Visit saxon747.com for details.

The single will be available to purchase as a limited edition CD during the ride, and then on all major streaming services 6D\V :\DWW Âł$IWHU ÂśV 5RDG 7R Rockstock, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve spent three years resting and JHWWLQJ UHDG\ IRU WKH VHTXHOÂŤ 7KH 5RDG 7R 5RFNVWRFN /LNH WKH ÂżUVW RQH RQO\ WZLFH DV ORQJ DQG KRSHIXOO\ UDLVLQJ ĸ DQG DZDUHQHVV IRU 0LQG , DOVR WKRXJKW ,ÂśG PDNH P\ RZQ VRXQGWUDFN IRU WKH HYHQWÂŤ OLWHUDOO\ ,ÂśYH URSHG D IHZ IULHQGV LQWR KHOSLQJ PH UHFRUG D FRYHU RI <RXÂśUH 7KH 9RLFH ZKLFK , WKLQN PXVLFDOO\ DQG O\ULFDOO\ SHUIHFWO\ ÂżWV ZLWK WKH charity, and the work Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to do this ZLQWHU ,ÂśP UHDOO\ H[FLWHG IRU SHRSOH WR KHDU LW Now make sure you buy it!â&#x20AC;? <RX FDQ ÂżQG RXW PRUH DERXW :\DWWÂśV IXQGÄĽUDLVLQJ ULGH DQG GLVFRYHU KRZ \RX FDQ donate to this very worthy cause by visiting SODQHWURFN FRP 7KH ÎźLPSDFW GD\Âś IRU WKH DOOÄĽVWDU FRYHU RI <RXÂśUH 7KH 9RLFH ZLOO EH 'HFHPEHU WKH RSHQLQJ GD\ RI 5RFNVWRFN DW which time it will also be made available on all major streaming services.

Find out more about M I N D at mind.org.uk.

has produced a spoken-word poetry album for his girlfriend, Scarlett Sabet.

Recorded at Pageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tower House home, the eight track Catalyst album is available on 12-inch vinyl via JimmyPage.com

While Metallica frontman James HetďŹ eld is in rehab dealing with addiction issues, the band have announced 10 US festival shows for 2020. For full details, visit MetallicaXX.com

AEG PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNITED TALENT AND DUROC MEDIA

NOVEMBER 27 GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL 28 LEICESTER DE MONTFORT HALL 30 CARDIFF ST. DAVID’S HALL

DECEMBER 01 03 05 06

BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL BRIGHTON CENTRE LONDON EVENTIM APOLLO BOURNEMOUTH INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

STATUSQUO.CO.UK | AEGPRESENTS.CO.UK | AXS.COM

NEW STUDIO ALBUM ‘BACKBONE’ OUT NOW

Voodoo chile: Matt Pearce.

Upfront

Matt Pearce

Magical Mystery Tour

NEW ROCK

Organic solo rock and blues from Black Crowes superfan and moonlighting Voodoo Six guitarist.

WORDS: LOIS WILSON

PLANET ROCK

T I N A KO R H O N E N

the moment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was liberating.

A C O U P L E of years ago, They were completely my songs.

Matt Pearce, lead guitarist with I was working with people Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d Voodoo Six, was on tour in never worked with before, so Germany with the band. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We there were no preconceptions. were supporting UFO,â&#x20AC;? he recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was on the bus with my I could literally reinvent myself.â&#x20AC;?

Pearceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandfather was the acoustic guitar and got the ideas VÄĽHUD :HOVK VLQJHU DFWRU for the verse and chorus of this Donald Peers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was nice to VRQJ , SXW LW LQ P\ SKRQH ÂżOHG follow in his footsteps,â&#x20AC;? he says. it away and two years later it 7KH ÂżUVW VRQJ 3HDUFH OHDUQHG WR EHFDPH WKH ÂżUVW VRQJ DQG WLWOH play was Deep Purpleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Smoke track for this album.â&#x20AC;?

2Q 7KH :DWHU DQG WKH ÂżUVW EDQG Gotta Get Home, recorded he really connected with was under the name Matt Pearce & $& '& 7KH 0XWLQ\ LV 3HDUFHÂśV ÂżUVW VROR Originally from Glasgow, UHFRUG DIWHU ÂżYH ZLWK 9RRGRR 6L[ 3HDUFH PRYHG WR /RQGRQ DJHG Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still wholly committed to the band, just using his downtime honed his craft in the Tracie Hunter Band before joining WR WU\ VRPHWKLQJ GLÉąHUHQW Voodoo Six, whom he met Pearceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s album is an intriguing WKURXJK 0HWDOZRUNV D VXSHUÄĽ amalgam of blues, soul and rock. ,WÂśV D OLWWOH ELW %ODFN &URZHV ÄŚ Âł,I collective who have been playing rock covers in a it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, it would be pub in Camden, a bit weird as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve â&#x20AC;&#x153;IT WAS NICE 1RUWK /RQGRQ RQ D been my favourite FOLLOWING Sunday night for the EDQG IRU HYHU´ ÄŚ DQG IN MY GRANDSDVW \HDUV DQG KDV on the title track a FATHER â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S included, at various lot like Ike And Tina FOOSTEPS. â&#x20AC;? times, members of Turner.

Uriah Heep, Saxon, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I told Acantha Alice Cooper, Europe, Judas ÄŹ/DQJ 3HDUFHÂśV FRÄĽVLQJHUÄ­ ZH Priest and Voodoo Six. â&#x20AC;&#x153;WhoevÄĽ needed something special,â&#x20AC;? he says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and she channelled a young erâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in town comes down and gets 7LQD ÄŚ VKH OHW ULS Âł,W ZDV D PDJLF XS RQÄĽVWDJH ÄŚ QR SUHVVXUH QR fanfare,â&#x20AC;? says Pearce. moment watching that.â&#x20AC;?

Making music makes him Other songs, claim Pearce, happy and is also part of his appeared as if by magic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was DNA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who I am,â&#x20AC;? Pearce the strangest thing,â&#x20AC;? he rememÄĽ VD\V ÂżQDOO\ Âł, ORYH EHLQJ LQ bers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would be going to sleep Voodoo Six and I love doing my DQG ZDNLQJ XS ZLWK D ULÉą LQ P\ RZQ VWXÉą ,ÂśP JRLQJ WR ULGH WKH head. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d get up, pick up the train for as far as I can go.â&#x20AC;?

JXLWDU DQG VXGGHQO\ ÄŚ ERRP ÄŚ the whole song popped out.

L I S T E N T O : G O T TA G E T H O M E , Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never happened before.â&#x20AC;?

MUTINEAR RECORDS, 2019 5HFRUGHG LQ (DVW /RQGRQÂśV Soup Studio and utilising their WANT MORE NEW ROCK? HTXLSPHQW ÄŞÂł,W ZDV IXOO RI ROG Check out T H E N E W R O C K gear, Hammond organs, S H OW with W YAT T , every :XUOLW]HUV ZRQGHUIXO ´č LW UHYHDOV Monday at 10pm, exclusively another side to Pearceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music, on Planet Rock Radio. one thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organic, warm and in 15

Upfront

16

The Planet Rock Interview

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

Eastertown Weston-super-Mare quartet Eastertown secured the services of Romesh Dodangoda (MotĂśrhead/Bring Me The Horizon) to produce last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Utopian album.

Their polished indie rock sound will appeal to fans of U2, Radiohead and Stereophonics.

Find out more at: facebook. com/Eastertown Back to black: Eclipse, with Erik Martensson second left.

Eclipse NEW ROCK

ERIK MARTENSSON can put his hand to anything it seems. Not only is he frontman of Eclipse, the Swedish melodic hard rockers who have just recorded their ninth album, Paradigm, he also runs his own Mass Destruction Production recording studio where ParaÄĽ digm was conceived and plays an integral role in W.E.T., fronted by Sons Of Apollo YRFDOLVW -HÉą 6FRWW 6RWR DQG Nordic Union, his project with Pretty Maids singer Ronnie Atkins. Âł, OLNH ZHDULQJ PDQ\ GLÉąHUÄĽ ent hats,â&#x20AC;? Martensson says by way of explanation, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and with W.E.T. and Nordic Union, I ZULWH LQ D VSHFLÂżF PXVLFDO VW\OH W.E.T. are poppy, like a heavier version of Bryan Adams. Nordic Union are darker, more mellow with a miQRUÄĽNH\ VRXQG With Eclipse, though, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a FRPSOHWHO\ GLÉąHUHQW VHWÄĽXS ,WÂśV PH DQG 0DJQXV ÄŹ+HQULNVÄĽ VRQ OHDG JXLWDULVWÄ­ :H ZULWH the songs together and they come straight from the heart.â&#x20AC;?

16

personal struggle; in the IRUPHU FDPS ÂżUVW VLQJOH 9LYD /D 9LFWRULD LV D FDOO IRU FKDQJH via an imaginary uprising; Never Gonna Be Like You deals with IDVFLVP 2U LV DQWLÄĽJXQ violence. In the latter camp are Martensson met Magnus the powerful When The Winter +HQULNVVRQ \HDUV DJR DW Ends and Shelter Me. music school in Stockholm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I â&#x20AC;&#x153;The whole process is fasciÄĽ WKRXJKW , ZDV D EDGÄĽDVV JXLWDU nating,â&#x20AC;? says Martensson in player,â&#x20AC;? says Martensson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But conclusion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You sit down in Magnus was so much better.

The moment I heard him play I the morning with a cup of FRÉąHH DQG \RX SXW WRJHWKHU said, Shall we form a band?â&#x20AC;? some chords and a melody and So Eclipse were born. They suddenly you have released their created something debut, The Truth out of nothing and, And A Little More, â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE SONGS itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like, Wow, that on Z Records in COME feeling is fantastic.

WKHQ Second STRAIGHT You take it into the To None LQ FROM THE studio, you record it, but, says MartensÄĽ HEART.â&#x20AC;? itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real moment of son, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t liberation, and a XQWLO ÄŹ ÂśVÄ­ Are sense of real achievement.â&#x20AC;?

You Ready To Rock that I felt we had found our sound and were LISTEN TO: PARADIGM on our way to being the band we are today. And Paradigm captures that. We have a whisÄĽ tle blowing a few seconds in on the opening track and from there itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just full speed ahead!

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve written some of the best songs of our career and we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for people to hear them.â&#x20AC;?

Those songs are split between social statement and

Multi-tasking Scandinavians add social commentary to the melodic rock mix.

WORDS: ALICE CLARK

PLANET ROCK

Birds of prey: Hawxx.

Salvation Jayne Having recently celebrated their third birthday, Kent alt. rock quartet Salvation Jayne have been recording new material with noted American producer Sylvia Massy (Tool/ Skunk Anansie). If QOTSA or Royal Blood are to your taste, check out this lot at Planet Rockstock in December.

Find out more at: www. salvationjayne.co.uk

Hawxx South London-based, multi-national quartet Hawxx are named after the bird of prey, with the double XX symbolising the double XX female chromosome. The bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s caustic new single, Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re No God, showcases their ďŹ ercely articulate metallic attack.

Find out more at: facebook.

ONLINE SHOP, BAND INFOS AND MORE:

WWW.NUCLEARBLAST.DE WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NUCLEARBLAST.UK

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

@NUCLEARBLASTEU

Upfront

Tap Into America

GETTY

BACKSTAGE

18

Spinal Tap WHERE: CBGB, New York WHEN: May 6, 1984 WHO:

F O L L OW I N G T H E brutal critical pasting given to their 1980 album Shark Sandwich ĪDND μ6KLW 6DQGZLFK¶ī %ULWLVK URFN UR\DOW\ 6SLQDO 7DS FKRVH WR ODXQFK ¶V Smell The Glove ZLWK DQ $PHULFDQ WRXU $V SDLQIXOO\ GRFXPHQWHG E\ ¿OPPDNHU 0DUW\ 'L %HUJL LQ KLV PRYLH 7KLV ,V 6SLQDO 7DS WKH WRXU ZDV QRW HQWLUHO\ GUDPDĥIUHH $ UHĥWKLQN FOHDUO\ ZDV LQ RUGHU %ROGO\ IURQWPDQ 'DYLG 6W +XEELQV DQG JXLWDULVW 1LJHO 7XIQHO FKRVH WR UHĥODXQFK WKHLU EDQG DURXQG WKH UHOHDVH RI 'L %HUJL¶V ¿OP ZLWK D 0D\ μFRPHEDFN¶ VKRZ DW 1HZ <RUN¶V OHJHQGDU\ SXQN YHQXH &%*% ZKHUH D FDSDFLW\ FURZG Ħ ZKLFK LQFOXGHG IHOORZ %ULW *DU\ *OLWWHU Ħ ZHUH WUHDWHG WR XQGHUUDWHG 7DS FODVVLFV VXFK DV +HDY\ 'XW\ 6H[ )DUP %LJ %RWWRP DQG PRUH &XULRXVO\ WKH EDQG ZHUH QRW LQYLWHG WR SOD\ WKH YHQXH D VHFRQG WLPH

PLANET ROCK

In a hell hole: Spinal Tap at CBGB, May 6, 1984; (from left) Derek Smalls, Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, Mick Shrimpton, Viv Savage.

Upfront

Cut loose from his Network, the singer-songwriter attempts to heal religious divisions aided by Otis Redding and vodka on ice.

What food would you cook on a good night in?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m no master chef, but I do cook more than 50 per cent of the meals at homeâ&#x20AC;Ś and I also love doing the dishes, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a double threat! My dish here would be a Thai coconut turkey dish served on fresh pasta. I use hot peppers, onions, soy sauce and

fresh basil in the sauce, and cook it in a wok with the Thai coconut milk, and then the thin slices of the turkey cook in the sauce in three or four minutes. People tend to only eat turkey at Thanksgiving and &KULVWPDV VR , ÂżJXUH WKDW LI , PDNH this dish every couple of months, I can keep the turkey business alive and strong all year around.

What would you drink?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not a wine drinker, so I generally donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t drink during meals, but usually after a dinner party we retire to the

How to make Dan Reedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thai coconut turkey dish: turkey, coconut milk, hot peppers, onions, fresh basil, plate.

Who would be your dream guests for a night in?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to get the leaders of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest religions around the table, and get everyone to talk about what they have in common. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have the Pope, the Dalai Lama, the number one Iman in Saudi Arabia, and the leader of the Jewish community in Jerusalem, and have them all share stories. I think that this being that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to call God is not a man or woman up in the clouds, but rather a collective consciousness and energy force. My main goal is to see how we can all get along on this planet, instead of destroying it.

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

On January 1 we had about 50 people from around the world come join us in Prague for a party after our New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve show. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of H[ÄĽSDW PXVLFLDQV LQ 3UDJXH ZKHUH ,ÂśYH lived for eight years, and we took WXUQV '-ÄĽLQJ DQG VWD\HG XS XQWLO WKH VXQ FDPH RXW ZLWK RXU VHYHQÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG dancing around till 2am and making everyone laugh. That was one of my favourite days of the year.

Present on Sunday PRUQLQJV IURP DPÄŚ SP 5HSHDWHG HYHU\ 7XHVGD\ QLJKW IURP SP DA N R E E D N E T W O R K SHUIRUP WKHLU GHEXW DOEXP 6ODP LQ IXOO RQ WKH %LJ ÄŚ WRXU LQ 'HFHPEHU 6HH WKH 7HQ *LJV SDJHV IRU GHWDLOV 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

Slam rock: Dan Reed (centre) and his Network.

20

PLANET ROCK

I L L U S T R AT I O N : T M A

ROCKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ROLL COOKERY WITH DAN REED

What music would you listen to?

When Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m cooking, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water UXQQLQJ DQG JDV EXUQHUV ÂżULQJ DQG pots and pans clashing, I need music that cuts through the noise, so I go with Otis Redding. During the meal I might go with Sam Cooke, or perhaps some electronic music, like The Orb or Future Sound Of London, because thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no real vocals so you can have conversations over the top of it.

I N T E RV I E W : PAU L B R A N N I G A N

The Hairy Bikers Present...

MY GOAL IS TO SEE HOW WE CAN ALL GET ALONG ON THIS PLANET.

recording studio in my house and drink spirits and maybe smoke a little green. My drink of choice is vodka on the rocks. That way I know Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m drinking; the dangerous drinks are the ones where you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t taste the alcohol, because they sneak up on you.

Upfront

Shooting stars: Gun, with Giuliano â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Joolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Gizzi (far right), 1989.

We played it for the label and our $ 5 PDQ 'DYLG 5RVH VDLG μ:RZ this is a fantastic song. If you can write more songs as good as this, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have an amazing album.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The label thought itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be brilliant introduction WR WKH EDQG VR LW EHFDPH RXU ¿UVW VLQJOH DQG WKH ¿UVW VRQJ RQ WKH ¿UVW DOEXP Ĭ ¶V Taking On The WorldÄ­ And it really worked, it opened so many doors for us.

We were thrilled when it went into WKH 7RS :H ZHUH SOD\LQJ 6KHÉ·HOG Leadmill and we got a phone call from RXU PDQDJHPHQW VD\LQJ μ:H QHHG \RX to come back to London, because \RX¶YH EHHQ RɱHUHG 7RS 2I 7KH 3RSV ¶ B E T T E R DAY S I was gobsmacked. I thought, If it all was written after we goes tits up after this, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t landed our record deal matter, because I have made it! with A&M, but it was I remember my mum and dad saying, inspired by our early days. For years μ:RZ WKLV KDV EHHQ \RXU JRDO ZH ZH¶G VWUXJJOHG SOD\LQJ GHDGÄ¥HQG JLJV always knew you could do itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and making demos which no one listened PH WKLQNLQJ 'LG \RX EORRG\ KHOO to, and wondering if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ever get to ĪlaughsÄ« %XW ZKDW DQ KRQRXU ZKDW achieve our dreams. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d written the a memory.

ULɱ DW KRPH DQG , KDG WKH PHORG\ That whole period around Taking and chorus ideas, but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have On The World was surreal. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d barely O\ULFV VR ZKHQ 0DUN Ĭ5DQNLQ been out of Glasgow, and WKHQ *XQ¶V IURQWPDQÄ­ DQG , suddenly we were touring WRITERS Mark Rankin, talked about what it could be the world, and having all Giuliano about, we thought back to all these unreal experiences. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Joolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Gizzi the hard work weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d put in I remember being halfway RELEASED through an American club over the years and how we June 1989 WRXU ĬLQ Ä­ DQG JHWWLQJ D always hoped for better days.

LABEL A&M

22

PLANET ROCK

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D BE JAMMING BLUES SONGS WITH KEITH RICHARDS AND RONNIE WOOD...

SKRQH FDOO IURP 7KH 5ROOLQJ 6WRQHV¶ SHRSOH VD\LQJ μ'R \RX ZDQW WR FRPH play 30 football stadiums around Europe?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; They loved the record.

7KHUH¶G EH ODWHÄ¥QLJKW SDUWLHV ZKHUH ,¶G EH MDPPLQJ ZLWK .HLWK Ĭ5LFKDUGVÄ­ DQG 5RQQLH Ĭ:RRGÄ­ DQG &KDUOLH Watts, playing old blues songs, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d wake up thinking, Was that a dream?

I think Taking On The World is a pretty timeless album, and we still SOD\ %HWWHU 'D\V OLYH :H SOD\HG Steelhouse Festival this summer, and I wandered out to watch The Temperance Movement, and some fans came over and told me how that album, and the absolute belief in that song, got them through hard times.

2QH JLUO VWDUWHG FU\LQJ DQG VDLG μ, played that album every day of my life, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how much it PHDQW WR PH ¶ ,W ZDV PLQGÄ¥EORZLQJ WR KHDU WKDW :H ZHUH ¿YH JX\V IURP WKH east end of Glasgow who wanted to show the world we had something to RɱHU DQG ,¶P VR SURXG that this song helped make some peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives better.

G U N celebrate the 30th anniversary of 7DNLQJ 2Q 7KH :RUOG RQ WKH %LJ Ħ WRXU in December. The band release a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;best of â&#x20AC;&#x2122; album, R3L0ADED, on November 29.

I N T E RV I E W : PAU L B R A N N I G A N

Guitarist Jools Gizzi recalls how Gunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evergreen debut single scored the band a TOTP slot and jams with The Rolling Stones.

PHOTO: TONY MOTTRAM

HOW I WROTE...

BETTER DAYS

FEBRUARY 2020 UK & IRELAND TOUR WED FRI SAT SUN TUE WED SAT SUN

05 07 08 09 11 12 15 16

BRISTOL O2 ACADEMY LONDON O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY MANCHESTER O2 VICTORIA WAREHOUSE GLASGOW O2 ACADEMY NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY BELFAST ULSTER HALL DUBLIN VICAR STREET

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Upfront

A kind of magic: Wyatt with a 3-D Brian May.

QUEEN AND ME...

PHIL ALEXANDER The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard recently:

7KHUH DUH VR PDQ\ JRRG UHFRUGV RXW WKHUH DW WKH PRPHQW 7KH 0DUN /DQHJDQ DOEXP Somebodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Knocking LV IDQWDVWLF 1LFN &DYH $QG 7KH %DG 6HHGV¶ Ghosteen is DQ DOEXP RI UDUH EHDXW\ DQG ,¶P GHOLJKWHG WR VHH 3KLO &DPSEHOO KDV ¿QDOO\ UHOHDVHG KLV VROR DOEXP Old Lions Roar 6KDPH KH GLGQ¶W FUDP RQ D IHZ PRUH JXHVWV RQ LW The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently

, KDG WKH SOHDVXUH RI VHHLQJ %ULVWRO RXW¿W +HDY\ /XQJV DW 6WHYH /DPDFT DQG KLV ORYHO\ ZLIH -HQ¶V VHFUHW VWDJ DQG KHQ GR Ħ μVKHQ GR¶ LI \RX ZLOO Ħ DW WKH %UL[WRQ :LQGPLOO 7KH\¶UH WKH EDQG OHG E\ 'DQQ\ 1HGHONR Ħ WKH PDQ WKDW ,'/(6 ZURWH D VRQJ DERXW Ħ DQG WKH\¶UH VLJQHG WR -RH 7DOERW¶V ODEHO 7KH\¶UH RQH RI WKH PRVW G\QDPLF EDQGV ,¶YH VHHQ WKLV \HDU 'DQQ\ SRVVHVVHV WKH VDPH LQWHQVLW\ DV ,JJ\ RU HYHQ ,DQ &XUWLV DQG WKH UHVW RI WKH EDQG DUH HTXDOO\ LQFUHGLEOH 24

PLANET ROCK

My favourite Queen album:

My favourite Queen album:

:KHQ SXVK FRPHV WR VKRYH LW¶V SUREDEO\ Sheer Heart Attack Ħ ODUJHO\ EHFDXVH LW LQFOXGHV WKHLU KHDYLHVW WXQH 6WRQH &ROG &UD]\ 3DVV WKH QHFNEUDFH

A Night At The Opera WKH ¿UVW SUHĥUHFRUGHG FDVVHWWH , HYHU RZQHG JLYHQ WR PH DV D &KULVWPDV SUHVHQW E\ P\ 1DQD WR SOD\ RQ P\ DOVRĥQHZĥ WKHĥVDPHĥ\HDU +LWDFKL SRUWDEOH FDVVHWWH SOD\HU )URP WKH RSHQLQJ WUDFN 'HDWK 2Q 7ZR /HJV Ī'HGLFDWHG 7R«ī WKH PDVVLYH KLW %RKHPLDQ 5KDSVRG\ DQG HYHU\WKLQJ HOVH LQ EHWZHHQ , VWLOO QHYHU JHW WLUHG RI OLVWHQLQJ WR LW 6DGO\

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

7KH Black To Blues Volume 2 (3 IURP %ODFN 6WRQH &KHUU\ $IWHU WKH VXFFHVV RI WKH ¿UVW RQH LQ WKH ER\V DUH EDFN ZLWK VL[ PRUH VWXQQLQJ EOXHV FRYHUV LQFOXGLQJ )UHGGLH .LQJ¶V %LJ /HJJHG :RPDQ 5REHUW -RKQVRQ¶V 0H 7KH 'HYLO %OXHV DQG WKH (OPRUH -DPHV FODVVLF (DUO\ 2QH 0RUQLQJ

LOZ GUEST The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard recently:

'LHUNV %HQWOH\ Ī)W %URWKHUV 2VERUQHī DQG D WUDFN FDOOHG %XUQLQJ 0DQ ,W¶V QRW D SDUWLFXODUO\ QHZ VRQJ LW FDPH RXW ODVW \HDU DQG VRUW RI SDVVHG PH E\ GHVSLWH WKH IDFW LW¶V huge 7KDQNIXOO\ , ZDV LQWURGXFHG WR LW UHFHQWO\ E\ D OLVWHQHU WR P\ 6WDWHVLGH VKRZ DQG ,¶YH EHHQ JUDWHIXO HYHU VLQFH

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

6N\ 2QH FRPHG\ GUDPD %UDVVLF ,I OLNH PH \RX HQMR\HG WKH GDUN 1RUWKHUQ KXPRXU RI 6KDPHOHVV \RX¶OO DEVROXWHO\ ORYH WKLV VL[ĥSDUW VHULHV 6WDUULQJ -RH *LOJXQ Ī7KLV ,V (QJODQGī 'DPLHQ 0RORQ\ DQG 0LFKHOOH .HHJDQ LW IROORZV WKH OLYHV RI

The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently: 7KLV LV HDV\ Insane: Guest stars Rammstein.

5DPPVWHLQ LQ 0LOWRQ .H\QHV LQ -XO\ :LWKRXW GRXEW WKH PRVW LQVDQH OLYH H[SHULHQFH \RX¶OO HYHU

GETTY

SPIRIT OF RADIO

Vinnie DQG KLV ¿YH IULHQGV ZKR FRPPLW YDULRXV FULPHV ĪZLWK KLODULRXV UHVXOWVī WR NHHS PRQH\ LQ WKHLU SRFNHWV

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

My First

gig

see. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a total attack on the senses that never fails to make me a little bit hysterical.

My favourite Queen album:

a truly PDJQLÂżFHQW noise!

My favourite Queen album:

It has to be The Works, a purely sentimental choice.

As a child I remember the cassette tape being stuck in my old manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jag, so we listened to it over and over and over again, to the point of irritation, actually! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a nice memory for me all these years later.

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

The new Tool album, Fear Inoculum, is quite the thing, but I am really digging the new Flying Colors album, Third Degree. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prog for people who think they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like prog.

The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently: I went on

the Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea ÄŚ 0HGLWHUUDQHDQ cruise recently and saw some amazing artists, such as Hannah Wicklund and Eric Gales, but Larkin Poe were a bit of a revelation.

Two sisters creating

A Night At The 2SHUD. Top to bottom, this is just the business!

I think Seaside Rendezvous might be the craziest little song on any of their albums. I love the vaudeville/Noel Coward vibe, that still somehow sounds like Queen. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magic!

Ruling the waves: the Med blues cruise.

WYAT T WENDELS The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard recently:

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a little late to this, but I love the new Within Temptation album, Resist. Supernova and 0DG :RUOG DUH WZR JUHDW WUDFNV from a top album.

The best thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just binge watched

Fear The Walking Dead. You MXVW ZRXOGQÂśW VHH KLJKÄĽTXDOLW\ ELJÄĽEXGJHW VWXÉą OLNH WKLV ÄĽSOXV \HDUV DJR Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s moody and miserable, but as a grunger I can relate, and I love it!

My favourite Queen album:

A Kind Of Magic.

Never been a fan of the title track but the fact it has Who Wants To Live Forever and Gimme The Prize, ZKLFK DUH P\ WZR DOOÄĽWLPH favourites, means it has to be this album for me.

H EAR TH E GANG AN D A W H O L E L OT M O R E :

Tune in to Planet Rock Radio $YDLODEOH YLD '$% RQOLQH ÄŤYLD KWWS ZZZ SODQHWURFN FRP OLYHÄŹ RQ 79 YLD 6N\ ÄŤFKDQQHO ÄŹ 9LUJLQ 0HGLD ÄŤFKDQQHO ÄŹ )UHHVDW ÄŤFKDQQHO ÄŹ RU RQ \RXU PRELOH YLD WKH 3ODQHW 5RFN DSS Binge-worthy: Fear The Walking Dead.

VISIT: W W W. P L A N E T R O C K . C O M F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N

WHO: Slade WHERE: Ipswich

Gaumont WHEN: May 28, 1977 My ďŹ rst foray into live music was supposed to be May 11, 1977.

It was Slade on the Whatever Happened To Slade tour at Ipswich Gaumont (now The Regent). I arrived with a mate to be told it was postponed due to Noddy having throat problems. We returned on May 28 for what still stands as one of the best gigs Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen.

The support was Cock Sparrer, who failed to endear themselves to the audience by swearing at them. But from the opening bars of Hear Me Calling, Slade hit the ground running. Noddy was dressed in a sort of Napoleon costume and Dave Hill was shaven completely bald. I remember Noddy taking the piss out of him several times: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Play the solo grasshopper!â&#x20AC;? They did three encores and when before the last one, Noddy said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you lot got fucking homes to go to?â&#x20AC;?

The show was recorded for a possible live LP, and some tracks ended up on Slade Alive Vol Two. As we were leaving, I overheard two girls saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the loudest gig Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever been to.â&#x20AC;? I realised people do this on a regular basis.

I was hooked!

Chris Bowman, Ipswich Send your â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;My First Gigâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; memories to M A I L @

Danny Bowes Presents

POCKET MONEY PICK This issue, PR reader John Hatchard on Rushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Stage.

January 1979, the Saturday morning ritual of descending into the record section of the local department store in Belper, Derbyshire. I had been convincing myself that I must add a double live rock album to my modest collection, but what to choose? Over that Christmas, my ears were turned by Tommy Vance and his listenersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; End Of Year Poll and I heard Rushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2112 for the ďŹ rst time. It blew my mind and transported me into a sci-ďŹ concept rock heaven! So when I went in to purchase Purpleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Made In Japan my eyes were diverted to Rushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Stage. At ÂŁ5.95 I was pushing my budget to the absolute maximum but the label read, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Canadian Import TRIPLE gatefold sleeveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and 2112 consumed nearly a whole side, so it was a no brainer. This space cadet was hooked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Would you please welcome homeâ&#x20AC;Ś Rush!â&#x20AC;? as Alex Lifeson ripped into Bastille Day. Amazing! I knew I had chosen well.

The meek shall inherit the earth and spend their pocket money wisely!

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

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25

Upfront

LETTERS

WRITE MAN

Y O U R L E T T E R S P R I N T E D ! I N C L U D E S A C C U S A T I O N S O F G O I N G S O F T O N S C O T T Y, A R A R E S I G H T I N G OF A COOL SABBATH MURAL AND HORROR AT SLADEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SWIMWEARâ&#x20AC;Ś MAIL@PLANETROCK.COM

IS YOUR CONSCIENCE ALRIGHT?

FIRST-CLASS MAIL

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a huge Thin Lizzy fan, and Scott Gorham, at his best, genuinely had his own unique, signature guitar sound, melodic with restraint and space, never rushed. However, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m probably in the minority of one here, but I was disappointed with the latest Planet Rock interview [PR16], which was way too soft. Scott seems to be allowed by the rock media to not have to justify using the Thin Lizzy name at all. He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a founding member, and I ďŹ nd it abhorrent and tacky. That these recent Black Rose anniversary shows were classed as Thin Lizzy gigs is just plainly wrong, but then later in the interview for Scott to imply that the Sykes/Gorham reunion ďŹ zzled out due to money issues was very crass. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it, using the Lizzy brand generates more notice and more revenue than Black Star Riders or Gorham & co. ever would. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve no issue with Scott playing the songs, with whomever he chooses, but if he wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t record as Thin Lizzy, then he really, really shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tour as Thin Lizzy either anymore.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m with the Rich Snowdon, Astley Bridge brand: Gorham and Lynott, 1981.

VERY VERY FRIGHTENING After reading the writer Nick Sedgwickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reminiscences of a vacation with Roger Waters in 1974 [Shine On You Crazy Diamonds, PR16], it sounds like the perfect

candidate for Channel 4â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Holidays From Hell. The story about Waters in his luxury Greek villa strumming a few chords on a guitar before declaring, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ah well, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another 10,000 quid earnedâ&#x20AC;?, pretty much sums the man up for me. Brilliant lyricist, fairly awful human being.

Thank God for David Gilmour â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and thanks Planet Rock magazine for opening my eyes to the truth about Roger Waters.

S.P. Barker, Hayes

LOVE OF MY LIFE Hello Planet Rock! I happened upon this giant mural [left] in a car park in Brum today, tucked away in a car park on Rea Street, near the coach station in Digbeth. It must be fairly new, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there last time I walked past a month or two ago. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very impressive, heartwarming to see!

Shaun Fulton, Birmingham The mural was painted in September by artist N4T4 to mark Sabbathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th and for the High Vis Street Culture Festival.

26

PLANET ROCK

TAKE CARE OF THOSE YOU CALL YOUR OWN Nice to see your coverage of the Steelhouse festival in PR16. The fact that the event is going from strength to strength is a great tribute to the promoters and their passion for music. Would be nice to see some coverage of some other smaller independent rock festivals too, such as Stonedeaf, or the upcoming Cornwall Rocks weekender, in November, which has The Quireboys, Diamond Head and Massive Wagons headlining, or Call Of The Wild which has booked Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons for 2020. Support real rock festivals for real rock fans!

6DOO\ÄŚ$QQH )HDUQ )OHHWZRRG

OOH, YOU MAKE ME LIVEâ&#x20AC;Ś May I just remark of your Slade feature in PR16 that a) the massive photo of the group in nothing but colourful swimming trunks and stack-heeled boots is one of the most disturbing images Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen

[we aim to please â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ed], and b) the piece is one of the most insightful and entertaining Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever read on the group! Who knew of the inner tensions that dogged what appeared to be the ultimate happy ladsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gang, and that chief music writer Jim Lea felt so put-upon? But then no group could ever produce music that good without there being some creative friction at its heartâ&#x20AC;Ś Malcolm â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Feel The Noizeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Stanhope, North Allerton

AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW The band featured in issue 16â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Who The Hell Are These Guys? is the band She, featuring Tracey Lamb (Rock Goddess, Girlschool), Jackie Bodimead (Girlschool) and Cris Bonacci (Girlschool). Excellent magazine as always!

Richard Simons, Edmonton, London Congrats also to John Barry, Dennis Jarman, Chris Cooper, Pete Hobson, Colin Gladwin, David Isted and Simon Wilkins for correctly identifying She.

Upfront

FULL METAL JACKET

Planet Rock listeners show us their colours.

DAT E O F B I R T H : 1976

SCOR PION S “I fell in love with Scorpions after hearing Taken By Force. Their whole sound and Klaus Meine’s voice was fantastic. I’ve tried to catch them on every tour since: I saw them in July at the American Tours festival in France, and at Bloodstock.”

AC / D C “I got into AC/DC about six months before Bon Scott died.

I remember being in Glossop with my mate Charlie and his dad told us to listen to the news, and that’s how we found out Bon had died. That night me and Charlie and two other guys went to a punk club, and asked the DJ to play a DC song in Bon’s memory.

All the punks gathered around us as we were headbanging, and we thought we were going to get our heads kicked in, but they said, ‘Good on you guys’, and patted us on the back.”

W H E R E F O U N D : The Wirral, Merseyside

“This jacket wasn’t bought for me,” reveals Karl Tullett. “A friend called Janet got given it for Christmas ’76, and I swapped it for my PVC jacket. In 1977, my friend Charles Bowyer from Glossop introduced me to Scorpions, DQG WKH\ EHFDPH WKH ¿UVW QDPH RQ LW Various girlfriends have asked me to get rid of it, because its old and tatty, but it’s part of me, and I still wear it to every gig!”

KISS “I got into Kiss with Alive!, and have seen them live several times since.

I saw them at Wembley Arena on their first tour without make-up [the Lick It Up tour, 1983] and it was, like, No, put your masks back on!

They were brilliant, but when you see Kiss, you want the full package.”

VA N HALE N “I got into Van Halen in the mid’80s. They were great with David Lee Roth, but equally good with Sammy Hagar, whose voice I really love. I wish they’d played more in the UK, because I’ve never had a chance to see them, and wish I had.”

F R A N K Z A P PA

28

PLANET ROCK

“I was introduced to Zappa by some friends in Birkenhead. The first Zappa song I heard was Titties And Beer, a live version on Zappa In New York, and I went out and bought the album the next day. It was so confusing, so different and weird and out-there, but I was just compelled to listen to it over and over.”

“I got into Maiden on their first album, which I bought in 1980 when I was working in a hotel in Wales.

Remember the leggy newsreader Angela Rippon?

She came to the hotel once and she autographed my album. Later I dated a girl called Gail who was one of Maiden’s early groupies and she told me lots of stories. I’m more into Di’Anno-era Maiden, though Bruce is a great frontman.”

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

Contact: mail@planetrock.com.

MARCO VIT TUR

I RON MAI D E N

Upfront

4

SURVIVOR Eye Of The Tiger

(on Rocky III: Original Motion Picture Score, 1982)

, NQRZ WKLV LV D ELW RI D FOLFKpG FKRLFH EXW ZKR GRHVQ¶W ZDQW WR VWDUW SXQFKLQJ WKLQJV ZKHQ WKH\ KHDU WKLV" , JUHZ XS ZLWK WKH 5RFN\ ¿OPV DQG WKLV IHDWXUHV RQ 5RFN\ ,,, ,W¶V VXFK DQ LFRQLF VRQJ $OWKRXJK KH GLGQ¶W VLQJ WKLV RQH ĬODWH 6XUYLYRU IURQWPDQĭ -LPL -DPLVRQ ZDV RQH RI P\ IDYRXULWH VLQJHUV +H DOVR VDQJ WKH %D\ZDWFK WKHPH WXQH ZKLFK ZDV P\ NDUDRNH VRQJ IRU \HDUV

5

GET YOUR BLOOD PUMPING MMA fighter-turned-blues guitar hero Kris Barras selects six hard-hitting shots of aural adrenaline. Pump it up!

1

DISTURBED Down With The Sickness (on The Sickness, 2000)

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2

BL ACK STONE CHERRY Blame It On The Boom Boom

(on Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea, 2011)

%ODFN 6WRQH &KHUU\ KDYH EHHQ RQH RI P\ IDYRXULWH EDQGV IRU \HDUV DQG ,¶YH 30

PLANET ROCK

WHO DOESN’T WANT TO PUNCH THINGS WHEN THEY HEAR EYE OF THE TIGER?

DOZD\V KDG WKHLU VRQJV LQ P\ WUDLQLQJ SOD\OLVWV 0\ ¿JKWLQJ QLFNQDPH ZDV %RRP %RRP %DUUDV EHFDXVH , ZRQ P\ ¿UVW IHZ ¿JKWV E\ NQRFNLQJ P\ RSSRQHQW RXW TXLFNO\ VR WKH LGHD ZDV WKDW ,¶G JR LQWR WKH ULQJ DQG Ħ %RRP %RRP Ħ WKH ¿JKW ZRXOG EH RYHU , WKLQN %ODFN 6WRQH &KHUU\ DUH UHIHUHQFLQJ D YHU\ GLɱHUHQW PHDQLQJ RI μ%RRP %RRP¶ KHUH WKRXJK

3

(on Mezzanine, 1998)

:KHQ , VWDUWHG LQ 00$ , ZDV PDLQO\ OLVWHQLQJ WR KHDY\ PXVLF RQ P\ SOD\OLVWV EXW DV , JRW PRUH H[SHULĥ HQFHG ZLWK ¿JKWLQJ DQG ZDV ¿JKWLQJ DW D KLJKHU OHYHO , EHJDQ OLVWHQLQJ WR PXVLF WKDW KDG D FDOPLQJ HɱHFW DQG SXW PH LQ D PRUH PHGLWDWLYH VWDWH , XVHG WR EH D K\SHUĥDJJUHVVLYH ¿JKWHU DQG , EHDW RSSRQHQWV PRUH VNLOOIXO WKDQ P\VHOI MXVW EHFDXVH ,¶G JR PDG ZKHQ , VWHSSHG LQWR WKH FDJH EXW WKDW GRHVQ¶W ZRUN ZKHQ \RX PRYH XS WKH ODGGHU , XVHG WKLV VRQJ DV P\ HQWUDQFH WUDFN IRU P\ ODWHU ¿JKWV :KHQ \RX ZDON RXW WR VRPHWKLQJ D ELW PRUH FKLOOHG LW JLYHV \RX PRUH RI D FDOP FROG NLOOHU YLEH

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Bat Country (on City Of Evil, 2005)

:KHQ ZH ¿UVW VHW XS RXU RZQ J\P EDFN LQ ZH GLG LW RQ D EXGJHW :H KDG D OLWWOH KLĥ¿ LQ WKH FRUQHU ZLWK MXVW WZR &'V ERWK RI ZKLFK ZHUH $YHQJHG 6HYHQIROG DOEXPV VR IRU DERXW VL[ PRQWKV ZKHQ ZH WUDLQHG DOO ZH OLVWHQHG WR ZDV $YHQJHG 6HYHQIROG 7KLV XVHG WR EH WKH ¿UVW VRQJ RQ P\ UXQQLQJ SOD\OLVW VR ZKHQ , KHDGHG RXW IRU P\ PRUQLQJ UXQ DW DP LW ZRXOG EH ¿UVW WUDFN , KHDUG ,W¶V D JUHDW ZD\ WR VWDUW WKH GD\

AC/DC Thunderstruck (on The Razors Edge, 1990)

I ORYH $& '& DOO WKHLU VRQJV KDYH VXFK JUHDW SRZHUIXO ULɱV DQG VXFK EDQJLQJ GUXP JURRYHV :KHQ \RX VHH DQ $& '& FURZG HYHU\RQH LV ERXQFĥ LQJ DQG WRWDOO\ XS IRU LW :H XVH 7KXQGHUĥ VWUXFN DV WKH VRQJ EHIRUH RXU LQWUR WUDFN DW JLJV DQG ZKHQ ,¶P VLWWLQJ EDFNĥ VWDJH DQG , KHDU LW LW DOZD\V JHWV PH UHDOO\ SXPSHG XS IRU WKH VKRZ

Teardrop

Licensed to ill: David Draiman.

KR I S BAR RAS BAN D ’s new album, Light It Up, is out now on Mascot/Provogue.

A N D R E W K N OW L E S, G E T T Y

Six songs to…

MASSIVE AT TACK

Upfront

WHO:

DAVID BAILEY

David Bailey

WHERE:

, 1 7 ( 5 9 , ( : 3 $ 8 / % 5 $ 1 1 , * $ 1 3 + 2 7 2 7 ( 5 5< 2 ¶ 1 ( , / / * ( 7 7 < , / / 8 6 7 5 $ 7 , 2 1 6 7 0 $

WHEN:

32

London

November 1972

B E I N G A Yardbirds fan, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d gone to see the PRYLH %ORZÄ¥8S ZKLFK was so underground DQG VR FRRO DQG , NQHZ WKDW WKH PDLQ FKDUDFWHU WKH SKRWRJUDSKHU ZDV EDVHG on David Bailey. He was the most IDPRXV IDVKLRQ SKRWRJUDSKHU LQ London at the time, and he was always RQ WKH ORRNÄ¥RXW IRU LQWHUHVWLQJ DQG XQXVXDO SHRSOH WR VKRRW 0DJD]LQHV always want to get the edge on their FRPSHWLWRUV DQG ZH¶G KDG RXU 1XPEHU VLQJOH LQ WKH 8. ZLWK 6FKRRO¶V 2XW in the summer of 1972, so I was the KLS QHZ EDG ER\ RI URFN¶Q¶UROO DV IDU DV (QJODQG ZDV FRQFHUQHG DQG , JXHVV I was on his radar.

His idea was to get something WKDW QRERG\ HOVH KDG VR KH DVNHG WR VKRRW PH QDNHG ZLWK D VQDNH , SUREDEO\ KDG D ERWWOH RI 6HDJUDPV 92 EHIRUH JHWWLQJ QDNHG EXW , GRQ¶W UHPHPEHU EHLQJ WRR KDUG WR SHUVXDGH , NQHZ WKDW WKH LPDJH ZRXOG SLVV Rɱ WKH ULJKW SHRSOH DQG LW ZRXOG VHOO PDJD]LQHV WRR VR LW ZDV JRLQJ WR EH D ZLQĥZLQ VLWXDWLRQ IRU XV ERWK , NQHZ %DLOH\ VRPHZKDW DOUHDG\ IURP VRFLDOLVLQJ LQ /RQGRQ ,¶G JR WR ĬFHQWUDO /RQGRQ QLJKWFOXEĭ 7UDPS wiWK +DUU\ 1LOVVRQ DQG -RKQ /HQQRQ DQG VRPHWLPHV ZH¶G HQG XS VLWWLQJ ZLWK %DLOH\ +H ZDV H[DFWO\ WKH JX\ you wanted him to be, and the models loved him.

PLANET ROCK

:KHQ LW FDPH WLPH WR VKRRW WKH FRYHU RI WKH Billion Dollar Babies album, , DVNHG WR XVH %DLOH\ 2Q WKH ZD\ WR KLV studio the guys in the band were VD\LQJ μ:RXOGQ¶W LW EH JUHDW LI WKH VWXGLR ZDV IXOO RI PRGHOV MXVW OLNH LQ %ORZĥ8S"¶ DQG ZKHQ ZH JRW WKHUH LW ZDV ZLWK JLUOV OLNH -HDQ 6KULPSWRQ DQG 7ZLJJ\ ZRUNLQJ LQ RWKHU URRPV 7KDW VWXGLR ZDV SDUW\ FHQWUDO )RU WKH VKRRW ZH ZHUH SRNLQJ IXQ DW WKH LGHD WKDW ZH ZHUH QRZ ULFK URFN VWDUV :H EURXJKW RQH PLOOLRQ GROODUV LQ FDVK ZKLFK P\ PDQDJHU 6KHS Ĭ*RUGRQĭ KDG ERUURZHG IURP %ULQN¶V LQWR %DLOH\¶V VWXGLR :KDW \RX FDQ¶W VHH LQ WKLV SKRWR DUH WKH WZR %ULWLVK VHFXULW\ JXDUGV ZLWK VXEPDFhine guns standing on either side of us, who were there to ensure WKDW QR RQH ZRXOG EUHDN LQ DQG WU\ WR VWHDO WKH PRQH\ :H DFWXDOO\ KDG WR JHW VSHFLDO SHUPLVVLRQ IURP WKH 86 7UHDVXU\ 'HSDUWPHQW IRU WKH VKRRW EHFDXVH WKHUH DUH ODZV DURXQG SKRWRJUDSKLQJ PRQH\ WR SUHYHQW FRXQWHUIHLWLQJ ,W ZDV D IXQ GD\ 7KRVH VHFXULW\ JXDUGV ZHUH VR QHUYRXV ZKLFK %DLOH\ and I thought was hilarious. Bailey ZRUNHG UHDOO\ IDVW DQG KH NQHZ KRZ WR JHW JUHDW VKRWV :H loved what he did with XV 7KHUH¶V D UHDVRQ WKH guy is a legend.

Listen to N I G HTS WITH AL I C E CO O P E R every weeknight on Planet Rock. Monday QLJKWV DW SP 7XHVGD\Ħ)ULGD\ SP AL I C E CO O P E R â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Breadcrumbs EP is out now on earMUSIC.

WE HAD SECURITY GUARDS WITH SUBMACHINE GUNS WATCHING OVER US.

The million dollar quintet: Alice Cooper with David Bailey and baby Lola Pfeiffer.

Upfront

MY GUIDE TO LIFE

IGGY POP

T H E â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; G O D FA T H E R O F P U N K â&#x20AC;&#x2122; O N A R T, D R U G S , S C A R S , B O W I E A N D H I S T H W A R T E D

You can have too many drugs I once went to a dance music gig in Miami. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3am, and this French chick comes up to me, â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;?Allo, Eeggy Pop!â&#x20AC;? She opens her jacket and she had her drugs arranged in the lining like a tool kit. She had everything ÄŚ MRLQWV 0'0$ SRZGHUHG GUXJV liquid. She was like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is great, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve meet Eeggy Pop! At a rave! This is the perfect place!â&#x20AC;? I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hang around. You have to be carefulâ&#x20AC;Ś Look after your accounts 6FRWW ÄŹ$VKHWRQ ODWH 6WRRJHV GUXPÄĽ PHUÄ­ ZDV RQH RI WKRVH JX\V ÄŚ DW one point in the band he had lost D TXDUWHUÄĽPLOOLRQÄĽGROODU FKHTXH RQ WKH Ă&#x20AC;RRU RI KLV WUXFN )RU VL[ PRQWKV 7KDW PRWKHUIXFNHU ,I ZH JRW RÉą the road, all I had to do was wait for three months and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d get a call ÄŞcroaky whisperÄŤ Âł+H\ -LPÂŤ LWÂśV 6FRWW Can you lend me 50 Gs?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not 50 Gs again!â&#x20AC;? After he passed away, , UHFHLYHG SLFWXUHV RI KLV PLQWÄĽ condition Harley, worth, like, 40 grand!

Scars do fade (eventually) Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been around so long that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gone through these 34

PLANET ROCK

IN ONE FILM SCRIPT I READ SOMEBODY WAS SNORTING COKE OFF MY ASS...

The point of no return: Iggy, 2019.

OLWWOH PLQL FULEÄĽOLVWV RI ZKDW ,ÂśP famous for. There was a period in my life where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d meet some chick, and VKHÂśG VD\ ÄŞKLJKÄŚSLWFKHG VTXHDOÄŤ Âł:KDW do you do? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not Iggy Pop! If you are, show me your scars!â&#x20AC;? Then Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have to show her my chest. Every time theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it? Iggy Popâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scars would be bigger!â&#x20AC;?

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t watch yourself on screen ,ÂśYH QRW VHHQ 9HOYHW *ROGPLQH ÄŹ ÂżOP IHDWXULQJ D WKLQO\ÄĽYHLOHG ,JJ\ 3RS FKDUDFWHU SOD\HG E\ (ZDQ 0F*UHJRUÄ­ I did see a clip of Ewan McGregor performing TV Eye, which I thought was amusing. But I read the script, DQG VRPHERG\ ZDV VQRUWLQJ FRNH RÉą my ass! Did that happen? Nooooo!

What David Bowie wants, David Bowie gets When he was creating Ziggy Stardust, I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say David took much of my character, but elements were probably helpful in creating some of the song content: Moonage Daydream, Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roll Suicide. The main thing would be to use the rhyming name.

Try not to be a lech , VDZ RQH OLWWOH ELW RI ÄŹ SXQN FOXE ELRSLFÄ­ &%*% ZKHUH ÄŹWKH ,JJ\ FKDUDFWHUÄ­ KRUQV LQ RQ 'HEELH +DUU\ on the stage. But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never horned in RQ KHU RQÄĽVWDJH 2ɹļVWDJH" ,ÂśYH WULHG +HU OLQH ZRXOG DOZD\V EH ÄŞbreathy whisperÄŤ Âł0D\EH ZKHQ &KULV ÄŹ6WHLQ Blondie guitarist, and then Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ER\IULHQGÄ­ LVQÂśW DURXQG´ :KLFK ZDV just to get rid of me! I followed her into the bathroom of CBGB once. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Debbie, can I watch you pee?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maybe when Chris isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t aroundâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

Embrace change :RUNLQJ ZLWK 'DYLG %RZLH ÄŹRQ Stooges LP Raw PowerÄ­ ZDV D WUDXPD for the other Stooges because they were hardnuts from Detroit, but I understood that it could be very helpful to us. The music we made before Raw Power was very inchoate and sluggish because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we were living in, the early heroin disintegration of Detroit. We came to England and, Boy, what a breath of fresh air! Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d see Marc Bolan live in Wembley Arena. The Stones were in town. Let It Rock, 0DOFROP ÄŹ0F/DUHQÂśV FORWKHVÄ­ shop, was right up the street. It ZDV D PRUH OLWHUDWH H[DFWLQJ environment. David was a benefactor to me, but also to the band. He jolted all of us.

Speeches are difďŹ cult , ZDV DVNHG ÄŹLQ Ä­ WR GR WKH -RKQ 3HHO /HFWXUH ÄŹ&RPHGLDQÄ­ )UDQNLH Boyle had it right when he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now that David Bowie is giving opinions on the Scottish referendum, I will also respect Iggy Popâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinion on the CERN Particle Accelerator.â&#x20AC;? I FDPH XS ZLWK D VXEMHFW ÄŹ)UHH 0XVLF ,Q $ &DSLWDOLVW 6RFLHW\Ä­ EXW GLGQÂśW understand that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d actually have to write the speech down. Generally, when I write something down it has two lines, repeats over and over lasts three minutes and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out of here!

I G GY P O P ¡V QHZ DOEXP )UHH LV RXW QRZ

I N T E R V I E W: C R A I G M C L E A N

Painting is good for the soul I mean other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paintings, but also, I like to paint. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do it very often: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m gonna paint something and make sure Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still an artist!â&#x20AC;? I can spend more time looking at art and have better feelings than I do from TV, DVDs and all that crap.

PHOTO: GETTY

AT T E M P T S T O WATC H D E B B I E H A R RY P I S S I N G â&#x20AC;Ś

Snap, crackle and Pop: Iggy in Canada, 1979.

INVISIBLE AIR WAVES CRACKLE WITH LIFE 20 YEARS OF PLANET ROCK BY JAMES MCNAIR

36

PLANET ROCK

SU MOORE

ON PLANET ROCK

Another planet: (clockwise from top left) David Jensen with Rick Wakeman; The Hairy Bikers; Darren Redick with Geddy Lee; Alice Cooper; Redick and Brian May; Loz Guest with Brian Johnson and Angus Young; Slash and Myles Kennedy.

AY 2 0 0 8 , A N D S O M E 2 5 Y E A R S

after releasing his Brian May & Friends EP Star Fleet Project, Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic guitarist is leadÄĽ ing another â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;intergalacticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; misÄĽ VLRQ 3ODQHW 5RFN WKH 8.ÂśV ÂżUVW national rock radio station, is in grave danger of closure, but May and his rock star friends Tony Iommi, Ian Anderson, Gary Moore and Fish arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about to let it fall into a black hole.

Together with Planet Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s listeners and presenters, they launch a heartfelt campaign WR NHHS WKH PXFKÄĽFKHULVKHG VWDWLRQ RQ DLU â&#x20AC;&#x153;I regard Planet Rock as rather more than just a radio station,â&#x20AC;? the Queen star tells The

May we present: Planet Rock's star DJs (from left) Sam Hughes, Wyatt Wendels, Paul Anthony, Darren Redickâ&#x20AC;Ś

Guardian. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe this cause is worth supporting, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be doing my best to put my money and expertise where my mouth is!

I grew up with Zeppelin, The Who, Hendrix, 7UDɡF $& '& 9DQ +DOHQÂŤ ZKHUH ÄŹHOVHÄ­ FDQ \RX KHDU ÄŹWKDW NLQG RIÄ­ PXVLF WKHVH GD\V" 'HPDQG \RXU 3ODQHW 5RFN ´ On the face of it at least, the mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GHVFULSWLRQ RI 3ODQHW 5RFN LQ 0D\ as â&#x20AC;&#x153;embattledâ&#x20AC;? seemed a little dramatic. That month, the station would win three prestiÄĽ gious Sony Radio Academy Awards, and DFFRUGLQJ WR RɡFLDO 5$-$5 ÂżJXUHV IRU WKH ÂżUVW TXDUWHU RI WKDW \HDU LWV SDVVLRQDWH and committed audience had already JURZQ WR VRPH ZHHNO\ OLVWHQHUV

The stinger, though, was that Planet 5RFNÂśV WKHQÄĽRZQHUV *&DS 0HGLD KDG FDVKÄĽ Ă&#x20AC;RZ SUREOHPV DQG QHHGHG D EX\HU SURQWR When ardent rock fan and millionaire entreÄĽ preneur Malcolm Bluemel stumped up the UHDGLHV WKH PDJLF ÂżQDQFLDO LQWHUYHQWLRQ WKDW Brian May was considering was no longer needed. The meteor shower was over and Planet Rock continued broadcasting without missing a beat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was before my time here but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say that whole drama demonstrated the collecÄĽ tive power of the rock community,â&#x20AC;? says Planet Rock presenter Wyatt Wendels. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our listeners really identify and connect with the station and the stars love the heritage of it.

You get the sense that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all in it together.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve certainly had our ups and downs,â&#x20AC;? agrees Paul Anthony, current host of the stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s breakfast show, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but since we were WDNHQ RYHU E\ %DXHU ÄŹLQ Ä­ ZHÂśYH JRQH IURP strength to strength. I think the popular misconception was that, if you were a rock IDQ \RX ZHUH D KDLU\ÄĽDUVHG ELNHU OLYLQJ LQ D cave, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a massive and very diverse audience for Planet Rock now and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re up WR PLOOLRQ OLVWHQHUV â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a big female audience,â&#x20AC;? AnthoÄĽ ny adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have surgeons listening, airline SLORWV EDQNHUV $OO WKHVH DÉšXHQW SHRSOH ZKR are suited and booted by day and going to see rock gigs at night. In many ways theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just like the more â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;traditionalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rock audience, for want of a better term.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking real people with real

MARCO VIT TUR

On November 15, Planet Rock, our parent radio station, celebrates its 20th birthday. There have been bumps on the road, but this is the inside story of how the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite rock station has gone from strength to strength, with a little help from our friendsâ&#x20AC;Ś

lives who love their music. Rock is dead? Er, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think so!â&#x20AC;?

A

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.LVVÄŤ LW ZDV *RG ZKR JDYH URFN DQG UROO to you, but for the past two decades Planet Rock has certainly helped too.

When the station launched on November 15, WKH ÂżUVW VRQJ EURDGFDVW ZDV VXLWDEO\ iconic: Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple. Âł7KH '- ZKR SOD\HG LW ZDV 1LJHO )UHVKÄĽ man,â&#x20AC;? remembers Mark Jeeves, the only current Planet Rock presenter who was there DW WKH WLPH Âł:H ZHUH WKH ÂżUVW VWDWLRQ H[FOXÄĽ VLYHO\ SOD\LQJ URFN WR EURDGFDVW QDWLRQDOO\ DQG RQH RI WKH ÂżUVW WZR '$% ÄŞGLJLWDOÄŤ VWDWLRQV LQ %ULWDLQ %XW ZH ZHUH RSHUDWLQJ RXW RI D EURRPÄĽFXSERDUGÄĽVL]HG VWXGLR LQ %ULVWRO ´ $V -HHYHV H[SODLQV 3ODQHW 5RFN UDGLR ZDV WKH EUDLQFKLOG RI 5DOSK %HUQDUG ZKR ZDV FKLHI H[HFXWLYH RI WKH *:5 UDGLR JURXS WKH VWDWLRQÂśV RULJLQDO RZQHUV DQG 6WHYH 2UFKDUG ZKR ZDV *:5ÂśV SURJUDPPH GLUHFWRU Âł7KRVH WZR JX\V KDG WKLV IDYRXULWH SXE LQ :LOWVKLUH ZKLFK KDG D JUHDW URFN MXNHER[ DQG WKH\ WKRXJKW Îź7KLV VWXÉą ZRXOG PDNH IRU D IXFNLQJ JUHDW UDGLR VWDWLRQ Âś 7KDWÂśV EDVLFDOO\ KRZ Planet Rock was born.â&#x20AC;?

2QH RI WKH VWDWLRQÂśV ÂżUVW FHOHEULW\ presenters was Yesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rick Wakeman. His witty way with an anecdote made his Sunday PRUQLQJ VKRZ 5LFNÂśV 3ODFH DQ LQVWDQW KLW 6RRQ FDPH )LVK RI 0DULOOLRQÂśV )LVK 2Q )ULGD\ ÄŞZKDW HOVH"ÄŤ *DU\ 0RRUHÂśV %OXHV 3RZHU DQG

SURJUDPPHV KRVWHG E\ $OLFH &RRSHU ÄŞZKR VWLOO SUHVHQWV RQ 3ODQHW 5RFN WRGD\ÄŤ 7KLQ /L]]\ÂśV 6FRWW *RUKDP DQG 4XRÂśV )UDQFLV 5RVVL DPRQJ RWKHUV Âł$V WKH VWDWLRQ JUHZ DQG RXU DXGLHQFH JUHZ ZLWK XV ZH PRYHG WR VKDUH D VWXGLR ZLWK &ODVVLF )0 LQ 2[IRUG &LUFXV DQG WKHVH GD\V weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re based in Soho,â&#x20AC;? says Jeeves. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I suppose you could call me the John Peel of Planet 5RFN ÄŚ ,ÂśOO EH KHUH XQWLO , GLH ´ 5LF %OD[LOO 3ODQHW 5RFNÂśV FXUUHQW PXVLF and content director, took over from Trevor :KLWH LQ Âł$V D ORQJÄĽWHUP IDQ , IHOW OLNH D WRUFKÄĽFDUULHU IRU DOO WKH IDQWDVWLF VWXÉą WKDW had come before,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never worked at a station that has such a close relationship with its listeners.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;PLANET ROCK IS A PRECIOUS PA R T O F O U R R O C K H E R I TA G E .â&#x20AC;?

BRIAN MAY

Âł6LQFH %DXHU ERXJKW 3ODQHW 5RFN IURP 0DOFROP %OXHPHO ZHÂśYH ZRUNHG KDUG RQ PDNLQJ LW PRUH H[SHULHQWLDO ´ %OD[LOO DGGV Âł:HÂśYH HVWDEOLVKHG KLJKO\ VXFÄĽ cessful music festivals like Planet Rockstock, now in its seventh year, and Winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s End, which is now in its fourth year. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve released compilation CDs and we now even have our own Skull Rocker beerâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? :RUNLQJ ZLWK 3KLO $OH[DQGHU ÄŞIRUPHU HGLWRU RI .HUUDQJ 4 DQG 02-2 DQG WKH KRVW RI WKH SRSXODU 0RMR5RFNV VKRZ RQ 6DWXUGD\ QLJKWVÄŤ %OD[KLOO DOVR KHOSHG RYHUVHH the 2017 launch of the publication you hold in your hands. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was important to us that 3ODQHW 5RFN PDJD]LQH ZDV LQIRUPDWLYH IXQ DQG HQHUJHWLF ´ KH VD\V Âł:H ZDQWHG LW WR UHĂ&#x20AC;HFW WKH SHUVRQDOLW\ RI WKH VWDWLRQ ´ /LVWHQLQJ WR 3ODQHW 5RFN UDGLR RQH notices that the presenters never talk over DQ\ SDUW RI WKH PXVLF IDU OHVV MDEEHU XQWLO WKH YRFDO FRPHV LQ 6RPH WKLQJV DUH VDFUHG DV %OD[KLOO NQRZV ZHOO â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that everybody in the world KDV D IDYRXULWH URFN VRQJ ´ KH VD\V Âł)RUPXÄĽ ODWLQJ WKH VWDWLRQÂśV PXVLF SROLF\ ZH PDGH VXUH WKDW WKRVH IRXQGLQJ SLOODUV RI URFN ÄŚ \RXU =HSSHOLQV 0DLGHQV 6DEEDWKV DQG )OR\GV ÄŚ ZHUH WKHUH :HÂśOO DOZD\V SOD\ WKDW VWXÉą RI course, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that the story has new chapters too. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why PlanÄĽ et Rock has a contemporary playlist as well as a classic

â&#x20AC;Śand Bernard Doherty, Phil Alexander, Murray J, Mark Jeeves, Loz Guest.

PLANET ROCK

39

one. We want to introduce our listeners to as many great new bands as possible.â&#x20AC;?

With listeners responding instantly via email and the stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social media platforms, moreover, Planet Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presenters immediÄĽ ately know when something new appeals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can almost watch a band break in UHDOÄĽWLPH ´ VD\V 3DXO $QWKRQ\ Âł3OXV RXU listeners are so passionate that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll immeÄĽ diately buy tickets to that bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gig and then JHW WKH 7ÄĽVKLUW :HÂśYH UHDOO\ JRW EHKLQG QHZ bands like Stone Broken and the Kris Barras Band. Eighteen months ago Kris was playing to 18 people in a pub, but as we speak his new album Light It Up is at Number 21 in the midÄĽ week national album charts.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Planet Rock isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t audio wallpaper, people are really listening,â&#x20AC;? he adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rock fans like to have that little bit of pride where they can say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I was into that band from day one.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

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Wyatt WenÄĽ dels, who presents the popular New Rock show on Monday nights in addiÄĽ tion to his regular daily show, and the 86ÄĽERUQ SUHVHQWHU RI 3ODQHW 5RFNÂśV ZHHNGD\ afternoons show, Darren Redick, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear that the station has developed a unique ethos. $V HYLGHQFHG E\ :\DWWÂśV GHFHQW 'DYLG &RYHUÄĽ GDOH LPSUHVVLRQ ÄŚ Âł,ÂśP VWLOO KRSLQJ WR LQWHUÄĽ view him with me in character as him!â&#x20AC;? he ODXJKV ÄŚ KXPRXU LV QHYHU IDU DZD\ EXW DOO three of the aforementioned presenters stress the importance of being a knowledgeable, but UHODWDEOH SUHVHQFH RQÄĽDLU â&#x20AC;&#x153;I tend to think of the person on the other end as a bit like me,â&#x20AC;? says Redick, who, to his knowledge, is WKH ZRUOGÂśV RQO\ IRUPHUÄĽSURÄĽEDOOHWÄĽ GDQFHUÄĽWXUQHGÄĽURFNÄĽUDGLRÄĽSUHVHQWHU Âł:KDW ZRXOG , OLNH WR KHDU" &DQ , PDNH P\VHOI ODXJK" $QG ZKDW ZRXOG I want to know about this band or that song?â&#x20AC;?

A L K I N G TO PAU L A N T H O N Y,

Âł1RERG\ÂśV WU\LQJ WR EH 7KH %LJ , $P ´ VD\V $QWKRQ\ Âł:H WDON WR WKH OLVWHQHUV OLNH we might talk to a mate down the pub, and before you know it youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re discussing some gig you both attended at the Bingley Hall in 6WDÉąRUG LQ ´ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeah, everybody listening really knows WKHLU VWXÉą ´ DJUHHV :\DWW ÂłVR DV D SUHVHQWHU you have to have lived that rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll scene IRU D JRRG ÄĽ \HDUV RWKHUZLVH \RXÂśOO EH found out. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not like you can listen to a Bon Jovi album for a day and suddenly have it all GRZQ %XW ZHÂśUH QRW WDONLQJ DW \RX ÄŚ ZHÂśUH RQ your side.â&#x20AC;?

That sense of inclusiveness has been fostered and furthered by various fun innovaÄĽ tions. It was Redick, for example, who devised DIY Day, an annual opportunity for listeners to be a Planet Rock presenter for an hour. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everybody thinks they can do it, of course, but not everybody can,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Other times you think, Hmm, not bad. With a little moulding you could become a proper presenterâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

7KH 0 WOH\ &UHZ D ZDONLQJ FOXE IRU Planet Rock listeners and their pooches in aid of the assistance dogs charity Dogs For Good, is also organised by Redick. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeah, VWXÉą OLNH WKDW LV WUHPHQGRXV IXQ ´ VD\V 5LF Blaxill. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I suppose itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that sense of communiÄĽ ty where we take 1.2 million listeners then VFDOH LW GRZQ WR VRPH OLNHÄĽPLQGHG GRJÄĽZDONÄĽ ers in a park talking about Black Sabbath.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The conversations we have with our listeners at our events are always amazing,â&#x20AC;? he goes on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This guy came up to me at Rockstock and said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Have you heard of the sports commenÄĽ tator Ian Danter?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I said, Yeah, and he goes, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Did you know heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obsessed with Planet Rock and he also plays drums in a great Kiss tribute act?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I emailed Ian on the back of that, and now heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a preÄĽ senter on Planet Rock.â&#x20AC;?

7KH ÂżUVW 3ODQHW 5RFNVWRFN IHVWLYDO ÄŚ KHOG LQ *UHDW <DUPRXWK LQ DQG headlined by The Temperance Movement, Hawkwind and 8ULDK +HHS ÄŚ ZDV PXFK PRUH stressful for Blaxill, largely EHFDXVH RI DQ DODUPLQJ Ă&#x20AC;RRGÄĽ ing risk from a North Sea tidal surge. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember Totally Def: frantically phoning Leppard's Joe the environmental Elliott at work in the PR studio.

40

PLANET ROCK

â&#x20AC;&#x153;ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AN HONOUR AND A PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT ON PLANET ROCK.â&#x20AC;?

JOE ELLIOTT

agency for updates the night before,â&#x20AC;? he says. Âł:KHQ ZH ÂżQDOO\ JRW WKH DOOÄĽFOHDU WKH VSLULW LQ the camp was like, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Yeah, even the sea canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t beat Planet Rock!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; But then Nelson Mandela died and we had to convey that to the crowd.â&#x20AC;?

6LQFH WKHQ ÄŚ ÂśV %ODFN 6WDU 5LGHUVÄĽ KHDGOLQHG 5RFNVWRFN 0DUUDNHVK H[WUDYDÄĽ JDQ]D QRWZLWKVWDQGLQJ ÄŚ 5RFNVWRFN KDV EHHQ held in Trecco Bay, Porthcawl, Wales. Booked by the stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Head of Marketing Jon 1RUPDQ LW KDV SOD\HG KRVW WR VRPH EDQGV RYHU WKH \HDUV LQFOXGLQJ ELJÄĽQDPH KHDGOLQHUV VXFK DV %ODFN 6WRQH &KHUU\ Michael Schenker and Thunder. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about that camaraderie and that VKDUHG ORYH RI WKH PXVLF ´ VD\V 3DXO $QWKRQ\ Âł:H DOZD\V VHOOÄĽRXW ZHOO LQ DGYDQFH EHFDXVH people know weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be bang on the money. The management at Trecco Bay love RXU FURZG WRR 7KH\ÂśUH OLNH Îź$W RXU (OYLV :HHNHQG WKHUHÂśV DOZD\V ÂżJKWV DQG ZKHQ ZH have dance music weekends people are trying to kill each other, but you rock guys and girls DUH DOZD\V YHU\ SROLWH WR RXU EDU VWDÉą ϫ

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X P L A I N I N G T H E AC T UA L M E C H A N I C S O F

Planet Rock, Redick says they use a VWDWH RI WKH DUW FRPSXWHULVHG SOD\ÄĽRXW system called Zetta together with some software called GSelector. â&#x20AC;&#x153;GSelector helps us build each show second by second,â&#x20AC;? he VD\V Âł,WÂśV D PDS PDGH IURP EXLOGLQJÄĽEORFNV RI time, so that we know exactly when we need to go to the news. The playlists have some Ă&#x20AC;H[LELOLW\ EXW WKHUHÂśV PRUH VFRSH WR SOD\ VWXÉą WKDW V ORQJHU RU D OLWWOH PRUH RɹļSLVWH DW QLJKW :H ZRXOGQÂśW SOD\ VRPHWKLQJ OLNH ÄŹHSLF *HQHÄĽ VLV WUDFNÄ­ 6XSSHUÂśV 5HDG\ LQ WKH PLGGOH RI WKH DIWHUQRRQ ÄŚ DQG QRW MXVW EHFDXVH LW ZRXOG EH the wrong mealâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

3DXO $QWKRQ\ SRLQWV RXW WKDW 3ODQHW 5RFN listeners often have more than one radio, and listen as they move from room to room. Like $HURVPLWKÂśV 6WHYHQ 7\OHU WKH\ GRQÂśW ZDQW WR miss a thing. Part of the draw has been Planet Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing policy of employing some of the biggest names in rock as presenters, ZKHWKHU WKDW EH $OLFH &RRSHU ZKR XSORDGV KLV SOD\OLVWV DQG YRLFHRYHUV YLD )73 ÄŞ)LOH Transfer 3URWRFRO QHWZRUNÄŤ IURP ZKHUHYHU KH

happens to be in the world, Thunder frontÄĽ man Danny Bowes or Def Leppardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Joe Elliott, who has helmed over 450 shows since ÂżUVW MRLQLQJ WKH VWDWLRQ EDFN LQ Âł,WÂśV DQ KRQRXU DQG D SULYLOHJH WR EH RQ WKH VWDWLRQ ´ VD\V (OOLRWW Âł, QHYHU WDNH IRU JUDQWHG WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WKDW , ZDV JLYHQ ´ Âł:KHQ , ÂżUVW ZHQW WR $PHULFD LQ I was amazed to discover that there were DW OHDVW WZR LI QRW WKUHH 3ODQHW 5RFNÄĽW\SH VWDWLRQV LQ HYHU\ FLW\ ZH YLVLWHG &DQ \RX LPDJLQH KRZ PLQGÄĽEORZLQJ LW ZDV WR H[SHULÄĽ HQFH WKDW FRPLQJ IURP D FRXQWU\ ZKHUH DW EHVW ZH KDG D FRXSOH RI KRXUV D ZHHN RI URFN music played on the radio? Now we have 3ODQHW 5RFN HVWDEOLVKHG \HDUV QR OHVV EORZLQJ RXU PLQGV KHUH 7DNH LW IURP PH someone whose has seen and heard a bit, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re incredibly blessed to have all this at our ÂżQJHUWLSV KRXUV D GD\ VHYHQ GD\V D ZHHN ´ Âł, VLJQHG XS WR SUHVHQW VL[ VKRZV DV SDUW RI WKH SURPRWLRQ IRU WKH ÂżUVW 'RZQ ÂśQÂś 2XW] DOEXP ´ (OOLRWW UHYHDOV Âł0\ RQH UHTXHVW ZKHQ , VWDUWHG SUHVHQWLQJ ZDV WKDW , EH DOORZHG WR SOD\ WKH VRQJV WKDW , ZDQWHG WR SOD\ VRQJV WKDW WROG P\ VWRU\ DQG UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWHG P\ MRXUQH\ Happily the show has been really popular, and WKH UDWLQJV DUH JURZLQJ DOO WKH WLPH ,WÂśV QRW D MRE LWÂśV VRPHWKLQJ , GR IRU SOHDVXUH VRPH SHRSOH JR JROÂżQJ EXW , SXW D UDGLR VKRZ WRJHWKHU , KDYH ZD\ PRUH IXQ GRLQJ WKDW WKDQ , ZRXOG PLVVLQJ WZRÄĽLQFK SXWWV RQ WKH JROI FRXUVH ´ $V WKH LQYROYHPHQW RI &RRSHU %RZHV DQG (OOLRWW XQGHUOLQHV 3ODQHW 5RFN KDV FDFKHW WKURXJKRXW WKH URFN $ÄĽOLVW Âł:KDW ÄŹ$OWHU %ULGJH IURQWPDQÄ­ 0\OHV .HQQHG\ WROG PH ODVW WLPH , LQWHUYLHZHG KLP ZDV NLQG RI PLQGÄĽEORZLQJ ´ VD\V 'DUUHQ 5HGLFN Âł+H ZDV OLNH Îź'LG \RX NQRZ WKDW DOO WKH EDQGV LQ WKH 86 DOO RI WKH URFN FRPPXQLW\ WKHUH NQRZ WKDW 3ODQHW 5RFN LV WKH JRÄĽWR SODFH ZKHQ ZH FRPH WR WKH 8."ϫ 2Q 5LF %OD[LOOÂśV ZDWFK WKH VWDWLRQ KDV also employed celebrity presenters who arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t URFN VWDUV ÄŚ EXW ZKRVH NQRZOHGJH RI URFN PXVLF LV HQF\FORSHGLF &RPHGLDQ $O 0XUUD\ ZKRVH DOWHU HJR 7KH 3XE /DQGORUG QHYHU PLVVHV DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ WR ELJÄĽXS WKH PXVLF RI 4XHHQ WRRN RYHU 5LFN :DNHPDQÂśV 6XQGD\ PRUQLQJ VORW LQ WKHQ ZDV KLPVHOI UHSODFHG E\ 'DYH 0\HUV DQG 6LPRQ .LQJ DND FHOHEUDWHG 79 FKHIV 7KH +DLU\ %LNHUV ZKHQ KH GHFLGHG WR UXQ IRU 3DUOLDPHQW LQ Âł,ÂśG NQRZQ $O 0XUUD\ IRU DJHV´ VD\V %OD[LOO Âł+HÂśV D IDQWDVWLF GUXPPHU DQG D SURSÄĽ HU URFN IDQ DQG EHFDXVH KH KDV D KXJH IROORZÄĽ LQJ DV D FRPHGLDQ KH KHOSHG EURDGHQ RXU DXGLHQFH 6DPH WKLQJ ZLWK 7KH +DLU\ %LNHUV 'DYH DQG 6L 7KH\ ZHUH OLVWHQLQJ WR 3ODQHW 5RFN ORQJ EHIRUH ZH PDGH FRQWDFW ZLWK WKHP , UHPHPEHU GLVFXVVLQJ D SRWHQWLDO UXQQLQJ RUGHU IRU WKHLU ÂżUVW VKRZ DQG VD\LQJ 6R ZKDW GR \RX NQRZ DERXW these bands?, and they

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PH RI WKH JUHDW URFN VWDWLRQV RYHU WKHUH ´ VD\V 3DXO $QWKRQ\ Âł, QHYHU WKRXJKW ZHÂśG KDYH D JUHDW QDWLRQDO URFN UDGLR VWDWLRQ KHUH LQ WKH 8. LQ P\ OLIHWLPH \HW KHUH ZH DUH ´ $V IRU WKH IXWXUH 5HGLFN KDV WKLV WR VD\ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll play Freebird forever, and so we VKRXOG EXW , WKLQN RXU SOD\OLVWV DUH EHFRPÄĽ LQJ OHVV DERXW HUD DQG PRUH DERXW VRXQG :HÂśUH DOZD\V WKLQNLQJ Îź:KDWÂśV WKH YHU\ EHVW VRQJ ZH FDQ SOD\ LQ WKLV IRXUÄĽPLQXWH VORW"Âś DQG ZKLOH WKDW PLJKW RI FRXUVH EH VRPHWKLQJ FODVVLF ZLWK WKH QHZ VWXÉą LWÂśV D FRQVWDQWO\ PRYLQJ WDUJHW ´ 7ZHQW\ \HDUV RQ DIWHU IRXU ORJR FKDQJHV VKRZV SUHVHQWHG E\ HYHU\RQH IURP *OHQQ A slection of rock +XJKHV WR $& '&ÂśV %ULDQ -RKQVRQ DQG greats pay tribute to FRXQWOHVV KDUGÄĽURFNLQJ FRXSOHV EURXJKW Planet Rock radio.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL ! â&#x20AC;?

Tune in to Planet Rock radio in November for our 2 0 T H B I R T H DAY C E L E B R AT I O N S

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to imagine a world without music; hard to imagine music without radio. They go

hand-in-hand in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instant-access world.

Planet Rock gives new music a platform and also plays the greats.

A world without Planet Rock would be a less happy place.â&#x20AC;?

JOEY TEMPEST

Europe â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I want to ďŹ nd something real and organic, with great expression, melody and power, I tune into Planet Rock. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing a great job at keeping rock music alive and kicking!â&#x20AC;?

SCOTT GORHAM

Black Star Riders/ Thin Lizzy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Planet Rock is the only national radio station that keeps the ďŹ&#x201A;ame of rock alight â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so important to our genre, keeping it moving into the future.â&#x20AC;?

PLANET ROCK

41

THE PLANET ROCK INTERVIEW LO U D E R T H A N M O T Ö R H E A D , S CA R I E R T H A N S A B B AT H ,

VENOM’S

S ATA N I C

SYMPHONIES

H AV E I N S P I R E D L E G I O N S O F H E A D B A N G E R S TO RAISE HELL. FRONTMAN

CRONOS

INSISTS

THIS DEVIL STILL HAS ALL THE BEST TUNES. INTERVIEW

BY

PAU L B R A N N I G A N . P O R T R A I T

BY

TONY MOTTRAM CRONOS BOR N

Conrad Joseph Lant Kensington, London January 15, 1963 OCCU PATION

Singer Bassist YEAR S ACTIVE

1979-present ASSOCIATE D ACTS

TONY MOTTRAM

Venom Cronos Probot

PLANET ROCK

43

People might be surprised to learn that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not a natural-born Geordie, but were actually born in London.

Cor blimey, mate! My parents are Geordies, but things werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going too great in the early â&#x20AC;&#x2122;60s in Newcastle so they decided to try their luck in The Big Smoke, to see if the streets actually were paved with gold. It was pretty brave of them really. So, yeah, I was born in Kensington, and started my school days in London.

I was seven or eight years old, already a Cockney, when my family moved back, so coming up to Newcastle was funâ&#x20AC;Ś You were welcomed with clenched ďŹ sts rather than open arms?

It was ďŹ ghts every day. I was trying to communicate with other kids, talking about music and football, and things Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d experienced in London, but they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a fucking clue what I was talking about. Every time I opened my mouth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Allo, mate!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cockney bastard!â&#x20AC;? then, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Geordie wanker!â&#x20AC;?, and then a punch in the face. There wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a lot of love for Southerners.

It was a different culture, but that enriches you too: all the Geordies I knew were no-nonsense, hard-working people. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve massive respect for them, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the cogs that keep this country running.

When did music enter your life?

My dad was a bit of a crooner, and me mam liked her Country & Western, so there was always music in the 44

PLANET ROCK

teacher found out I was trying to play guitar with my friends heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d take us out of English and maths lessons, making lame excuses to the other teachers, and teach us Beatles or Status Quo songs. That was brilliant.

We were so ďŹ red up, so enthusiastic to learn.

T *

lie in a teenage &RQUDG /DQWÂśV VLOYHUÄĽWRQJXHG VHGXFWLRQ RI a Wimpy waitress. Taken home by the REMHFW RI KLV GHVLUH KH PHW KHU KRXVHÄĽ PDWHÂśV ER\IULHQG -HÉąUH\ 'XQQ D SHWURO SXPS DWWHQGDQW WKHQ SOD\LQJ JXLWDU LQ ORFDO URFN FRYHUV DFW *XLOORWLQH /DQWÂśV RZQ JURXS 'ZDUI6WDU ZHUH JRLQJ QRZKHUH IDVW EXW KLV SDVVLRQ DQG HQWKXVLDVP LPSUHVVHG 'XQQ DV GLG KLV VLQJXODU YLVLRQ WR FUHDWH 1HZFDVWOHÂśV ORXGHVW KHDYLHVW PRVW REQR[LRXV PHWDO EDQG Âł, ORYHG 0RW|UKHDG ´ VD\V &URQRV ÂłWKH\ ZHUH D KXJH LQVSLUDWLRQ EXW , ZDQWHG WR KDYH WKH %ODFN 6DEEDWK VDWDQLF WKLQJ WRR DQG $OLFH &RRSHUÂśV WKHDWULFDOLW\ DQG SXQNÂśV DJJUHVVLRQ , ZDQWHG XV WR EH HYLO ´ %\ WKH WLPH /DQW MRLQHG *XLOORWLQH DV VHFRQG JXLWDULVW WKH JURXS ÄŞFRPSOHWHG E\ YRFDOLVW &OLYH $UFKHU EDVVLVW $ODQ :LQVWRQ DQG GUXPPHU 7RQ\ %UD\ÄŤ KDG FKDQJHG LWV QDPH WR 9HQRP :KHQ :LQVWRQ OHIW /DQW VZLWFKHG WR EDVV DQG EHJDQ H[HUWLQJ D house. I think I was subliminally inďŹ&#x201A;uenced by JUHDWHU LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFH $PRQJ KLV ÂżUVW VXJJHVÄĽ Country & Western music, because if you listen to WLRQV LQVSLUHG E\ -RKQQ\ 5RWWHQ DQG 6LG some thrash metal riffs, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basically speeded 9LFLRXV ZDV WKDW WKH JURXS VKRXOG up country riffs, with the snare and bass adopt stage names. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It made sense drum at breakneck speed (laughs). So, WR FDOO RXUVHOYHV VRPHWKLQJ PRUH yeah, I always had an awareness of KDUGFRUH WKDQ &RQUDG -HÉąUH\ music. In London, The Who parked their &OLYH DQG $QWKRQ\ ´ KH QRWHV QRW transit van outside the mews we lived in, XQUHDVRQDEO\ /DQW EHFDPH &URQRV and when my mam would stop off in the local shop for a newspaper sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d see 'XQQ EHFDPH 0DQWDV %UD\ UHÄĽ Mick Jagger buying cigarettes. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d see HPHUJHG DV $EDGGRQ DQG $UFKHU Jagger jumping around singing when I VHWWOHG RQ WKH QDPH -HVXV &KULVW watched our little black-and-white TV Âł7KH\ÂśUH PRUH WKDQ VWDJH QDPHV and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the guy from the WKH\ÂśUH VWDWHV RI PLQG ´ WKH VLQJHU paper shop!â&#x20AC;?

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SRVVHVVHG EHIRUH D JLJ ´ took his stage name Was that the ďŹ rst music that felt $IWHU PRQWKV RI UHKHDUVDOV LQ D from the Greek god truly yours?

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ALAMY, GETTY

CRONOS

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To hell and back: Venom through the ages, including (top, right), Cronos, Mantas, Abaddon and skulls, Tower Bridge, London, 1984; (bottom, right) with La Rage and Dante, 2015, and (bottom left) musclebound in Nuremburg 1984.

TONY MOTTRAM

Fire and brimstone: Cronos, Hammersmith Odeon, London, October 8, 1985.

Some weeks later, in a review of the VHOIļWLWOHG GHEXW E\ +DUWOHSRROœV :KLWH 6SLULW ďIHDWXULQJ IXWXUH *LOODQ ,URQ 0DLGHQ JXLWDULVW -DQLFN *HUVĭ RQ 1HZFDVWOHœV 1HDW 5HFRUGV %DUWRQ XUJHG WKH QHZO\ ODXQFKHG ODEHO WR UHOHDVH D VLQJOH E\ ³WKH YLUXOHQW 9HQRP´ ,Q )HEUXDU\ 1HDW GLG MXVW WKDW WKH ,Q /HDJXH :LWK 6DWDQ /LYH /LNH $Q $QJHO VLQJOH HPHUJLQJ LQ D EODFN VOHHYH IHDWXULQJ D GHYLOLVK JRDW JODULQJ RXW IURP D SHQWDJUDP 6RXQGLQJ OLNH 0RW|UKHDG WUDSSHG LQ DQ LQGXVWULDO WXPEOH GU\HU DQG IHDWXULQJ WLWOHV VXFK DV :LWFKLQJ +RXU 6RQV 2I 6DWDQ DQG WKH DIRUHPHQWLRQHG ,Q /HDJXH :LWK 6DWDQ 9HQRPœV GHEXW DOEXP Welcome To Hell, IROORZHG LQ 'HFHPEHU œ *HRɹ %DUWRQ ZDV WKULOOHG $ZDUGLQJ WKH DOEXP D ¿YHļVWDU UHYLHZ LQ 6RXQGV KH KDLOHG WKH FROOHFWLRQ DV ³D ULRWRXV QRLVH´ DQG ³DQ DSSDOOLQJ UDFNHW´ Č D FRPSOLPHQW DSSDUHQWO\ ³,WœV WKH VRXQG RI VLQQHUV VFUHDPLQJ LQ HWHUQDO GDPQDWLRQ KHOO¿UH OLFNLQJ DW WKHLU EODFNHQHG OLPEV ´ %DUWRQ UDYHG ³,WœV WKH VRXQG RI D VXFFXEXV PDWLQJ RUJDVPLFDOO\ ZLWK D PRUWDO PDQ ,WœV SRVVLEO\ WKH KHDYLHVW UHFRUG HYHU DOORZHG LQ WKH VKRSV IRU SXEOLF FRQVXPSWLRQ ´ ³+RPH 7DSLQJ ,V .LOOLQJ 0XVLF´ DQ LPDJH RQ WKH DOEXP VOHHYH ZDUQHG ³$QG 6R $UH 9HQRP ´ Tell us about your pre-Venom bands.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;VENOM WERE TOTAL OUTCASTS. WE DIDNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T WANT TO BE IN ANYONEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLUB.â&#x20AC;?

Saxon, but I never saw what we were doing as part of that scene. I wanted us to create our own style. To this day, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never been another Venom, no one has come close to what we did.

What do you remember about making Welcome To Hell?

It was supposed to just be another demo session.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d recorded six or seven songs with our original singer, so once we got rid of him, and I took over on vocals, we needed to re-record our songs with me singing. We did that, and at the end of the session, the guy at Neat goes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Great, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll put this out as an album.â&#x20AC;? I was like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, these are just demos.â&#x20AC;? He dropped the hammer and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fuck off, either we release it like this, or we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t release it at all.â&#x20AC;?

Some of the tunings are off, and there are timing errors, but we thought, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good vibe to this, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new and fresh and it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sound like anyone else, so, fuck it, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just get it out there.â&#x20AC;? I used to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look, if this lasts a year or two, and then Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m back stacking shelves, so be it, at least we had fun doing what we did and we did it our way,â&#x20AC;? to quote Frank Sinatra. It was like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like it, do one. I was proud as fuck of that album, and still am today.â&#x20AC;?

I had two: DwarfStar, a reference to the heaviest substance on earth, a chunk of By the time Welcome To Hell an exploded planet, and Album Graeemerged, Iron Maiden had toured cum, which is Greek for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dehydrated with Kiss and Judas Priest, and dog shitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like the white dog shit you PROBOT Def Leppard had been taken on donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see so much anymore. At school Cronosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; participation tour by AC/DC. Did Venom Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been playing everything from Jethro in Dave Grohlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s receive any such offers? underground metal Tull to Marc Bolan to Bowie with friends. project, voicing With those bands, though, I wanted to Nothing. We never asked and were Centuries Of Sin, do something heavier. When I met the never offered anything. We were a totalintroduced Venom to guys in Guillotine, they were like a ly different entity, and we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to a new audience.

Judas Priest tribute band, but that be in anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s club. We knew from the seemed like a step in the right direction. Venom was kind of mail we were getting that our audience was a combination of our different ideas, but if Jeff had extreme. I recall saying to the lads, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our crowd is gohad his way, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have been like Kiss. ing to be one fucked-up bunch of motherfuckers.â&#x20AC;?

What did your peers on the local circuit make of Venom initially?

We were total outcasts. Because we rehearsed in a church, the other bands couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see what we were up to, so it created an air of mystery, but also animosity. When we eventually got kicked out of the church, as they were renovating, we found it difďŹ cult to book any rehearsal spaces, because as soon as we said the band name, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No! No! No!â&#x20AC;? We ended up booking rehearsals using false names.

Did you feel much kinship with other NWOBHM bands?

I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be part of it. There were bands like Raven and the Tygers [Of Pan Tang] and Maiden and 48

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secoQG DOEXP WKH HTXDOO\ ÂżOWK\ Black Metal, ZKLFK HPHUJHG LQ 1RYHPEHU Âś WR DQRWKHU ÂżYHÄĽVWDU UHYLHZ IURP 6RXQGVÂś *HRÉą %DUWRQ ,WV FORVLQJ WUDFN $W :DU :LWK 6DWDQ ÄŞ3UHÄĽ YLHZÄŤ ZDV D WDVWHU IRU WKH FRQFHSWXDO PDVWHUÄĽ SLHFH &URQRV KDG EHHQ ZULWLQJ VLQFH KLV VFKRRO GD\V D 5XVKÄĽLQVSLUHG ÄĽPLQXWH HSLF LPDJLQLQJ WKH GHQL]HQV RI KHOO FDVWLQJ *RG RXW RI KHDYHQ ,WV IXOO PDMHVW\ ZDV XQYHLOHG LQ DV WKH WLWOH WUDFN RI 9HQRPÂśV WKLUG DOEXP %\ QRZ WKH JURXSÂśV FXOW IROORZLQJ KDG H[SDQGHG WR $PHULFD ZLWK QHZO\ IRUPHG EDQGV VXFK DV 0HWDOOLFD 6OD\HU DQG ([RGXV WDNLQJ LQVSLUDWLRQ IURP WKHLU XQFRPSURPLVÄĽ LQJ DWWLWXGH 7KDW VDPH \HDU 9HQRP FORVHG RXW WKHLU 6HYHQ 'DWHV 2I +HOO (XURSHDQ WRXU ZLWK DQ H[SORVLYH VROGÄĽRXW VKRZ DW /RQGRQÂśV VWRULHG +DPPHUVPLWK 2GHRQ ,W ZRXOG SURYH WR EH 9HQRPÂśV FRPPHUFLDO SHDN LQ WKH 8. :LWKLQ WZR \HDUV JXLWDULVW 0DQWDV KDG H[LWHG WKH JURXS IROORZLQJ ÂśV VXEGXHG Calm Before The Storm D GLVHQFKDQWHG &URQRV ZDONHG DZD\ WRR 7KUHH LQHVVHQWLDO 9HQRP DOEXPV ZHUH UHFRUGHG ZLWK H[ÄĽ$WRPNUDIW YRFDOLVW EDVVLVW 7RQ\ Îź'HPROLWLRQ 0DQÂś 'RODQ ZKLOH &URQRV QRZ UHORFDWHG WR WKH 86 VWDUWÄĽ HG WRXULQJ ZLWK D VROR EDQG ,W ZRXOG EH EHIRUH WKH FODVVLF 9HQRP OLQHÄĽXS UHJURXSHG Were you afforded a little more time to make Black Metal?

I always say we got lazy, because Welcome To Hell took three days whereas Black Metal took six.

Because we had extra time, we were able to experiment more. One day I came into the studio with big buckets full of soil, and some shovels, and the engineer was like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What the fuck?â&#x20AC;? My idea was weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d put microphones on the stone steps leading up to the studio, cover them with an upturned cardboard box, and shovel on the soil, so that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d recreate the sound of a body being buried for the intro to Buried Alive. It worked brilliantly. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen something on telly about how, in horror movies, when they wanted the sound effect of someone getting their head chopped off, they cut into a cabbage. So we did that too. It gives a satisfying crunch.

When you ďŹ nally hit the road, were Venom fans as wild as you expected?

Fuck, yeah. We played in Staten Island with Metallica supporting us in â&#x20AC;&#x2122;83, and when the gig was over and we were packing the gear away, one of the security guys called me over. He pointed at these big metal barrels by the door of the club, and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Check this out.â&#x20AC;? I looked in and they were half full of weapons, knives and clubs theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d conďŹ scated from kids on the way in. We were like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shit the bed! Fucking Hell!â&#x20AC;?

That was the sort of crowd we attracted.

How did Metallica come to support you?

I had a friend who was a bootlegger and he sent me this VHS of Metallica playing in LA or San Francisco, and [guitarist] Dave Mustaine was wearing a Welcome To Hell shirt. And then when I listened to Whiplash, I thought, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wait, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Witching

WELCOME TO HELL! 5

A brief introduction to 40 years of Venom, as chosen by Cronos.

THE EVIL ONE (on Cast In Stone, 1997)

Reunited for their first studio album in 12 years, Venom’s original unholy trinity waste no time proving their mettle with the chunky opening track of their comeback album.

Mantas’ riffs suggest he’s copped a trick or two from long-time Venom fan, Dave Mustaine.

Bass invader: Cronos bringing the noise.

6

STRAIGHT TO HELL (on Hell, 2008)

A fine debut for new guitarist Stuart ‘La Rage’ Dixon. Cronos’s diabolical death grunt at 1:57 is a joy to behold, as is the rhythmic interplay with his drummer brother Anthony, aka Antton, which follows it.

7 1

WELCOME TO HELL (on Welcome To Hell, 1981)

“We’re taking hell as our home,” sings Cronos, setting out Venom’s stall early on the title track to their debut album.

Mantas’s serrated riffing here owes an obvious debut to Priest’s KK Downing and Glenn Tipton, but that delicious growled chorus and Abaddon’s ferocious drum barrage is all Venom’s own work.

GETTY

2

COUNTESS BATHORY (on Black Metal, 1982)

A lusty, enthusiastic tribute to the 16th-century Hungarian noblewoman acclaimed as history’s most prolific female serial killer. One suspects Metallica heard an early live bootleg, given that the main descending riff is uncannily similar to the chorus chords of Seek And Destroy.

3

SEVEN GATES OF HELL

(on Warhead 12” single, ’84) Cronos’ teenage love of Rush is identifiable here in this live favourite’s moody mid-section. Slayer fans, too, will give a knowing smile hearing the “blood rains from the skies” lyric. Each one, teach one, and all that…

4

POSSESSED (on Possessed, 1985) “I drink the vomit of the priests, make love with the dying whore,” gurgles Cronos on this creepy, disturbing tale of demonic possession. The full-tilt thrash section which kicks in at the three-minute mark is gloriously exhilarating.

FALLEN ANGELS (on Fallen Angels, 2011)

Opening with a nifty showcase for Cronos’ inimitable bass rumble, the title track of the band’s 13th album is one of their most dynamic and accessible moments. “With a choice to reign in hell, or serve in heaven’s law, angels did not hesitate to take their chance below,” Cronos bellows. Fair enough, really.

8

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD (on Storm The Gates, 2018)

But for the razor-sharp production, the storming opening track of Venom’s latest studio album could have easily slotted onto Welcome To Hell. Route one riffing, a whinnying guitar solo that sounds like a horse being masturbated, and much heinous, deathly grunting: lovely stuff all round.

It was a strange show. Because we were filming it, we had to turn the lights on to get the crowd shots, which killed the atmosphere a bit. I said to the guys, “Look, we’re just gonna have to put our heads down, play the show, and forget that it’s not like a normal gig.” Usually you can’t see past the first few rows, you just know there’s a massive sea of crazy beasts out there, whereas with that gig we could see the pimples on everyone’s noses. It felt a bit sterile, because there was no darkness. The guys at the back were tearing each other’s heads off, but up front they were just frozen in the spotlights. At the time, it upset us, because this was my home town, but, in retrospect, a sold-out Hammersmith was still a moment.

In America you played with hardcore punk groups and thrash bands. Black Flag seemed utterly bemused by you (vocalist Henry Rollins was scathing about Venom in his acclaimed Black Flag tour diary, Get In The Van), whereas 1985’s Ultimate Revenge Tour with Slayer and Exodus is almost legendary.

Yeah, that tour with Slayer and Exodus was awesome. With Black Flag, I think they were a little lost in time. They had missed the punk explosion, and when they toured with us hardcore was dying out, and that was frustrating them. I’ve read things where that stupid fucking singer [Rollins] was all upset about the gig, and everything was everybody else’s fault but his – which is all a bit silly. Punk was dying out, and metal was on the rise, and Black Flag were jumping on the bandwagon too late. But the metal guys were great.

I’m still good friends with the Slayer and Exodus guys, friends for life.

Mantas didn’t play that tour, because he allegedly had chicken pox, and he ended up quitting the band after 1985’s Possessed.

Had that been brewing for a while?

Hell bent for leather: on the Seven Dates Of Hell tour, Nuremburg, Germany, February 7, 1984.

Hour!” They’re not just wearing our shirts, they’re stealing the fucking music as well! But they were young and enthusiastic, so we invited them to open the Staten Island shows. Those guys had so much energy and we all had a great time. So when we were booking the Seven Dates Of Hell shows in Europe the following year we offered them the tour.

50

What did you make of the Metallica guys?

through, and put talcum powder on his snare drum and pyro underneath his little drum riser. When he started playing, he snapped his sticks, the talc went into the air and nearly choked him, and then the kit exploded underneath him. And then we threw rotten tomatoes at them. It was like, “There’s your initiation, you’ve been Venomized!” But it was all taken in good spirits, considering we were fucking up their gig!

They were good guys, they were cool. I remember Lars [Ulrich] asking for the shirt I had on, and he swapped it for a Metal Up Your Ass T-shirt. We got on well and we had a good laugh. I remember at their last gig, in Belgium, we cut Lars’ drumsticks halfway

Metallica didn’t play the final date of the tour, your headline appearance at Hammersmith Odeon, on June 1, 1984. That show was later released as a live video. Do you remember it as a landmark performance?

PLANET ROCK

Yeah, Jeff had his own private problems. I don’t know if he’s ever talked to the press about it, but he once told me that, before he joined the band, he’d had a breakdown. It was obvious to me and the drummer that… he wasn’t all there. Right before that tour, it was, “Oh, Jeff’s ill, he can’t make it.” I was like (outraged), “What?” I’d have died for this band, a pack of wild horses couldn’t have stopped me walking onstage in New York. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t have the same enthusiasm, as he did in the early days. So then it was, like, “Dude, if you’re not happy, goodbye.” What else can you do if he’s going to drag the band down into the shit? Our fanbase, The Legions, is hardcore, and they deserve to see an equally committed band.

You mention the fanbase: did Venom have groupies back in the day?

It’s rock’n’roll, mate – sex, drugs, rock’n’roll and satanism – so it comes with the territory. You’re young, you’re crazy, you want to live the lifestyle. When we did the Possessed album, we hired a stately home [Moor Hall, Sussex], and lived like kings. We had a different chef fly in every day from different parts of Europe to cook our food. It was obscene and excessive, because that’s rock’n’roll. You’ve got to do it once in your life.

You left Venom after 1987â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Calm Before The Storm, and started a solo career. What was your motivation for walking away?

Once the guitarist left, it seemed to me like the drummer also lost his ďŹ re and energy. We got two new guys in [guitarists Mike Hickey and James Clare] and it was all getting a bit comfortable. Venom had gone from nothing to playing massive gigs, and I missed the hunger. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to enjoy yourself when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re staying in nice hotels and driving around in limousines, but I wanted to know if rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll would still have the same appeal if I was driving the van again, tired, hungry, skint and cold. I wanted that challenge again. So I moved to the US and put Cronos together, and we had three or four years of living like that. We had no money, but it was such great fun. I felt like I was in a rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll band again.

Did you pay any attention to what Venom were doing at that point?

I knew they got another singer in, and I heard that the crowds were shouting, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not Cronos!â&#x20AC;? and he got all annoyed. He did some interview talking about how he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand the satanic thing, and wanted to get away from that, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get away from the satanic thing if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in Venom! How can you sing Welcome To Hell and In League With Satan? Apparently, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a good time for them.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;OUR LIFESTYLE WAS OBSCENE AND EXCESSIVE. SEX, DRUGS, ROCKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ROLL AND SATANISM.â&#x20AC;? tract has been terminated. I was like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Excuse me?â&#x20AC;? (laughs) I said to the record company, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The drummer is being a bit of a megalomaniac and thinks heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to kick me out.â&#x20AC;? And the head of the record label said these eternal words, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take Cronos and any bunch of monkeys â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Venom.â&#x20AC;?

That was all I needed to hear. No one is going to take this away from me. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sorry, but I was the guy who put this together, it was my artwork, my ideas, my songs, my vision. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to be pushed out of something I created.

Your passion for Venom is clearly still intactâ&#x20AC;Ś

BEASTIE BOYS The NYC hip-hop crew sampled Cronos for 1992â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Check Your Head. Dedication, on 1998â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hello Nasty also features a shout-out to Newcastle, â&#x20AC;&#x153;where Venom are fromâ&#x20AC;?.

What Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing now is a progression of the journey: songs like Suffering Dictates or Bring Out Your Dead could have been on Welcome To Hell, just as Long Haired Punks on the last album [2015â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s From The Very Depths] could have been on Black Metal. The biggest difference now is the musicianship and the production. The guys I have playing with me now, Rage [guitar] and Dante [drums], are awesome, they understand black metal, and are really enthusiastic to play early songs that even the original band didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play. Our gigs now are fantastic, as wild as ever. The guys who grew up on Welcome To Hell are my age, so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re standing with their arms folded at the back, but the kids at the front are the ones buying the albums that come out now, and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re screaming for Long Haired Punks or Grinding Teeth as much as Witching Hour or Blood Lust.

Venomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classic line-up reunited in 1995.

What spurred that?

ESTER SEGARRA, ALAMY

Well, I got in with a guy called Mark Wharton, who played [drums] with Cathedral, and he was a massive Venom fan, so heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can we play Burn The Witch? Can we play Countess Bathory?â&#x20AC;? We were playing the classic stuff again, and a little spark went off for me. Leaving Venom helped me really understand Venom, I had more perspective on it, and I realised not just what Venom meant to the fans, but what it meant as a band. I knew the other two guys werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t doing anything, so I wanted to see if the magic was still alive, whatever it was that made Welcome To Hell, Black Metal and At War With Satan special.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s left for you to achieve in music?

Stealing more souls! I love the idea of someone listening to a Venom record and thinking, I want to be in a band, just as I did when I was listening to Status Quo. I feel like thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much more Venom can do. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve so many insane stage-show ideas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lighting rigs which fold down into huge inverted cruciďŹ xes, hydraulic risers with smoking tentacles like a giant evil octopus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and if I can ďŹ nd promoters whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pay me properly, I can put those ideas into practice.

Plus, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got so much music recorded my kids and their kids are going to be able to release Venom albums for the next 200 years. You fuckers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t getting rid of Venom any time soon!

That reunion didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t last, though. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great story about Abaddon trying to ďŹ re you, and you responding with the line, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t kick the devil out of hell!â&#x20AC;?

Correct! We always had a rule from day one that if someone leaves Venom the other guys can continue. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t challenge them on the name when I went off to do Cronos, so once weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d done the Cast In Stone album [1997] and things started going wrong again, as I expected they would, suddenly that idiot starts issuing me with a letter saying, Your con-

I

an obsession for their irrepressible leader. The bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 15th studio album, Storm The Gates, was released to enthusiastic reviews in December 2018 ÄŞWhis magazine noted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Venomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dependably GLDEROLFDO GHPRQÄĽVXPPRQLQJ LQFDQWDWLRQV UHPDLQ UDZ QDVW\ DQG WUXO\ RULJLQDO´č DQG LQ 0D\ %0* UHOHDVHG D IDQF\ VXSHUÄĽGHOX[H YLQ\O ER[ VHW FROODWLQJ WKH JURXSÂśV ÂżUVW IRXU VWXGLR albums, 1986 live album Eine Kleine NachtÄŚ musik, some 1979 church hall rehearsal tapes and their 1980 Impulse Studio demos as In Nomine Satanas 1H[W VXPPHU IRXU GHFDGHV RQ IURP WKH UHOHDVH RI WKHLU ÂżUVW GHPR cassette, the group will perform in front of 80,000 at Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wacken Festival, their SODFH LQ PHWDO KLVWRU\ DVVXUHG ([SHFW Ă&#x20AC;DVK ERPEV SHQWDJUDPV DQG D FDFNOLQJ VKLUWÄĽ OHVV ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG *HRUGLH KDYLQJ WKH WLPH RI KLV fucking life.

N 2019, VE N O M R E MAI N

V E N O M â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Storm The Gates album is out now

on Spinefarm Records. The In Nomine Satanas box set is available on BMG. Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advocate: Cronos, 2019.

PLANET ROCK

51

52

Very ’eavy, very ’umble: the lesser-spotted moustache-less Mick Box, The Rainbow, London, November 25, ’73.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Inspired by mystical dreams, a hectic rock’n’roll lifestyle and a fucked-up Italian séance, Demons And Wizards turned Uriah Heep into global superstars. But they couldn’t have foreseen that its success would also bring a procession of whacked-out occultists

F

in the early 1970s, a sneering review from Rolling Stone magazine was considered VRPHWKLQJ RI D EDGJH RI KRQRXU /HG =HSSHOLQÂśV VHOIÄĽ titled debut album was dismissed as â&#x20AC;&#x153;dullâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;redundantâ&#x20AC;?

DQG ÂłSULVV\´ 7KH ÂłFOXEIRRWHG´ ULÉąV RQ Deep Purple In Rock were seen as evidence that these â&#x20AC;&#x153;quiet nonentitiesâ&#x20AC;? lacked â&#x20AC;&#x153;both H[SHUWLVH DQG LQWXLWLRQ´ %ODFN 6DEEDWKÂśV ÂżUVW ORQJÄĽSOD\HU ZDV ODEHOOHG ÂłLQDQH´ ÂłZRRGHQ´ DQG ÂłSORGGLQJ´ WKH PRVW LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQWLDO EDQG LQ WKH KLVWRU\ RI KHDY\ PHWDO ZULWWHQ RÉą DV Âł-XVW OLNH &UHDP %XW ZRUVH ´ The magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most scathing notice, however, was reserved for Uriah Heepâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut album, 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;ŚVery â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Eavy â&#x20AC;ŚVery â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Umble. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If this group makes it,â&#x20AC;? wrote one Melissa Mills, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to commit suicide.â&#x20AC;? $V KLV EDQG SUHSDUH WR URXQG RÉą WKHLU WK DQQLYHUVDU\ \HDU ZLWK D IHVWLYDOÄĽFORVLQJ KHDGOLQH VORW DW 3ODQHW 5RFNVWRFN JXLWDULVW 0LFN %R[ FDQ DÉąRUG WR ORRN EDFN DQG ODXJK $ FDQGLGDWH IRU WKH PRVW FKLSSHU PDQ LQ URFNÂśQÂśUROO WKH ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG JXLWDULVW FKHHUIXOO\ DGPLWV WKDW KHÂśV ÂłQHYHU been one to listen to critics too muchâ&#x20AC;?. Âł,WÂśV GLɡFXOW WR FDUH DERXW FULWLFLVP DERXW ZKDW \RXU EDQG LV ODFNLQJ ZKHQ \RXÂśUH EHLQJ FDOOHG EDFN RQÄĽVWDJH IRU ÂżYH HQFRUHV HYHU\ QLJKW ´ KH points out with a hearty chuckle.

Inspired by a love of The Kinks, the Small Faces, 7KH :KR DQG -RKQQ\ .LGG 7KH 3LUDWHV :DOWKDPVWRZÄĽERUQ %R[ IRUPHG KLV ÂżUVW EDQG 7KH 6WDONHUV LQ WKH PLGÄĽÂś V ZKLOH Tanks for still a teenager. By the time Bobby the memory: 0RRUH KRLVWHG WKH -XOHV 5LPHW Uriah Heep (from left) Trophy aloft at Wembley Stadium on Gary Thain, WKH DIWHUQRRQ RI -XO\ 7KH Ken Hensley, Stalkers had metamorphosed into David Byron, Spice, who caught the attention of Lee Kerslake, manager/producer/publisher Gerry Mick Box, â&#x20AC;&#x2122;72.

O R B R I T I S H R O C K BA N D S

â&#x20AC;&#x153;WE TRIED TO SUMMON SPIRITS OF THE DEAD. IT GOT A BIT FREAKY...â&#x20AC;?

M I C K B OX

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By their own admission, the young Uriah Heep were â&#x20AC;&#x153;just thrashing DERXW WU\LQJ WR ÂżQG D GLUHFWLRQ´ RQ WKHLU ÂżUVW WKUHH DOEXPV 0L[LQJ IRON blues, jazz and hard rock, the unfairly maligned â&#x20AC;ŚVery â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Eavy â&#x20AC;ŚVery â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Umble was followed by two studio sets from the Londoners in 1971: the progresÄĽ VLYH URFNÄĽLQFOLQHG Salisbury ÄŚ RQ ZKLFK PXOWLÄĽWDOHQWHG NH\ERDUG SOD\HU .HQ +HQVOH\ EHJDQ WR HFOLSVH %R[ DQG IURQWPDQ 'DYLG %\URQ DV WKH TXLQWHWÂśV PDLQ VRQJZULWHU ÄŚ DQG Look At Yourself WKH ÂżUVW UHOHDVH on Gerry Bronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new record label, Bronze Records. ,Q EHWZHHQ WKH WZR UHOHDVHV RQ 0DUFK Âś WKH group made their debut bow on American soil, supportÄĽ LQJ 7KUHH 'RJ 1LJKW LQ IURQW RI IDQV DW WKH 6WDWH )DLUJURXQGÂśV &ROLVHXP LQ ,QGLDQDSROLV ,QGLDQD )RU WKH /RQGRQHUV LW ZDV D ÂżUVW JOLPSVH RI WKH LQÂżQLWH SRVVLELOLWLHV RI URFN VWDUGRP Âł:KHQ ZH JRW there, and saw all the limos and groupies, it was PLQGÄĽERJJOLQJ IRU XV ´ +HQVOH\ ODWHU DGPLWWHG â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was never a feeling of being overawed by it DOO ´ %R[ LQVLVWHG WR EDQG ELRJUDSKHU 'DYH /LQJ Âł:H DOO felt that this is where we should be. The American audiÄĽ HQFH ORYHG XV IURP WKH ÂżUVW PLQXWH RQZDUGV %HOLHYH PH ORWV RI FKDPSDJQH ZDV FUDFNHG RSHQ RQ WKDW ÂżUVW QLJKW ´ :KHQ WKH JURXS UHWXUQHG WR WKH 86 IRU VHFRQG WLPH LQ -DQXDU\ WKH\ ZHUH ERRNHG WR RSHQ IRU 'HHS 3XUSOH WKHLU QRLV\ QHLJKERXUV IURP +DQZHOO &RPPXQLW\ &HQWUH 7KHLU JUHJDULRXV JXLWDULVW PHDQZKLOH ZDV taking advantage of his groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s burgeoning reputation by thumbing through local phone directories and placing calls to random young ladies, inviting them along to gigs and parties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d tell the bird you were in Uriah Heep, and next minute the hotel was full of women,â&#x20AC;? Box cheerfully recalled.

2Q -DQXDU\ XSRQ FRPSOHWLQJ WKH ÂżQDO GDWH RI WKH 'HHS 3XUSOH WRXU LQ %RLVH ,GDKR EDVVLVW 0DUN &ODUNH TXLW WKH EDQG +HÂśG only joined Uriah Heep four months earlier. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mark jumped ship because he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t deal with the stresses of the touring we were doing, which were excessive, I have to say,â&#x20AC;? Box says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a mad, mad, mad time for us all. Mark felt that he just could not NHHS XS ZLWK LW WKDW KH ZDV JRLQJ WR KDYH D IXOOÄĽRQ QHUYRXV EUHDNGRZQ LI he stuck around any longer.â&#x20AC;?

7KRXJK &ODUNHÂśV WLPH LQ WKH EDQG ZDV VKRUW WKH H[ÄĽ&RORVVHXP EDVVLVW GLG PDNH RQH ODVWLQJ DQG VLJQLÂżFDQW FRQWULEXWLRQ WR 8ULDK +HHS writing a striking, harmonised middle eight for a new Ken Hensley composition, The Wizard, based on a fantastical recurring dream which had visited the keyboardist every night for a week. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember Ken playing The Wizard on an acoustic guitar in the EDFN RI RXU YDQ ´ VD\V %R[ Âł,W ZDV WKH ÂżUVW WLPH ,ÂśG KHDUG DQ\RQH SOD\ JXLWDU ZLWK D ÎźGURS 'Âś WXQLQJ +H FRXOGQÂśW ÂżQG D PLGGOH HLJKW VR 0DUN &ODUNH ZURWH WKDW DQG WKH ZKROH VRQJ VRXQGHG VR JRRG WR HYHU\RQH I think we all knew it was something special.â&#x20AC;?

H E L I F E ST Y L E WAS Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T F O R EVE RYO N E.

54

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Shining star: David Byron, 1974.

Easy livinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: Mick Box, Lansdowne Studios, London, spring 1972.

Circle of hands: Uriah Heep live, circa 1973.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;IT GOT HEAVY, VERY DECADENT. WE HAD BODYGUARDS OUTSIDE EACH OF OUR HOTEL ROOMS.â&#x20AC;?

M I C K B OX

Gerry Bron too heard potential in Hensleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whimsical power EDOODG $KHDG RI WKHLU VHFRQG YLVLW WR WKH 86 +HHS ZHUH UXVKHG LQWR /DQVGRZQH 6WXGLRV LQ +ROODQG 3DUN ZKHUH WKH\ WUDFNHG WKH VRQJ ÄŞDQG VLQJOH %ÄĽVLGH :K\ÄŤ LQ D PDWWHU RI KRXUV %HIRUH WKH VHVVLRQ ZUDSSHG 7KH :L]DUGÂśV VHPLÄĽDFRXVWLF LQWUR ZDV EHHIHGÄĽXS ZLWK WKH DGGLWLRQ RI an unusual instrument, the studio kettle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were making a cup of tea, and had the studio door open, and as we were listening back to the intro of the song we heard the whistle, and WKRXJKW Âś$QJ RQ ´ 0LFN %R[ UHFDOOV Âł:H ZHQW LQWR WKH NLWFKHQ UHFRUGÄĽ ed the kettle whistle two or three times to get somebody to it and retuned it into a high C. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the note at the beginning of the song.â&#x20AC;?

While Bronze Records readied The Wizard for an international UHOHDVH +HHS EORRGHG LQ 0DUN &ODUNHÂśV UHSODFHPHQW ZLWK D ÂżYHÄĽQLJKW VWDQG DW WKH :KLVNH\ $ *RÄĽ*R FOXE LQ /RV $QJHOHV LQ )HEUXDU\ Âś 1HZ =HDODQGHU *DU\ 7KDLQ ZDV UHFUXLWHG IURP WKH .HHI +DUWOH\ %DQG DQG FOLFNHG LQVWDQWO\ ZLWK WKH EDQGÂśV RWKHU ÎźQHZ ER\Âś GUXPPHU /HH .HUVODNH ZKR KLPVHOI KDG VLJQHG RQ MXVW WKUHH PRQWKV previously. The pairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obvious chemistry, and superior musical ability, immediately elevated their parent unit to a new level. Âł1RZ ZH ÂżQDOO\ KDG D UHDO VWHDP HQJLQH RI a rhythm section,â&#x20AC;? says Box, admiringly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having those two powerhouses behind us provided a wonderÄĽ IXO IRXQGDWLRQ IRU WKH EDQG /HH ZDV D IDQWDVWLF GUXPÄĽ mer, and Gary would come up with these great bass lines that never got in the way of the melody of the song, but always seemed to enhance it. It was an incrediÄĽ ble knack. It was a real pleasure to work with the pair RI WKHP (YHU\WKLQJ MXVW FOLFNHG LQWR SODFH ´

Box reveals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It all got a bit out of hand, a bit freaky. These things start out as a bit of fun, then you start to get a bit uncomfortable, and then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, %ORRG\ KHOO ,ÂśP JHWWLQJ RXW RI KHUH 7KDW ZDV WKH ÂżUVW DQG ODVW WLPH ZH tried to summon spirits of the dead. We were dabbling where we should never have dabbled!â&#x20AC;?

7KH GRZQÄĽWRÄĽHDUWK JXLWDULVW EURXJKW UDWKHU PRUH JURXQGHG WXQHV WR WKH VWXGLR WKH EOXHV\ =HSSHOLQÄĽHVTXH $OO 0\ /LIH WKH KDUGÄĽULɡQJ 3RHWÂśV Justice, originally conceived as an acoustic track, and the driving 7UDYHOOHU ,Q 7LPH $OO WKUHH VRQJV ZHUH Ă&#x20AC;HVKHG RXW LQ MDP VHVVLRQV ZLWK 'DYLG %\URQ DQG /HH .HUVODNH Âł,ÂśG KDYH ULÉąV NQRFNLQJ DURXQG DQG PD\EH D YHUVH and when I took them into rehearsals, those two would MXPS RQ WKHP DQG VXGGHQO\ ZHÂśG KDYH DQRWKHU VRQJ ´ PDUYHOV %R[ Âł7KH\ FDPH WRJHWKHU YHU\ TXLFNO\ DV ZH were very attuned to one another. It was almost too good to be true. Someone would nip out to the shop DQG FRPH EDFN WR ÂżQG DQRWKHU VRQJ ZULWWHQ ,W ZDV such an easy album to record.â&#x20AC;? Âł7KHUH ZDV QRWKLQJ EHWZHHQ XV DQG WKH PXVLF ´ .HQ Hensley told the Classic Rock Revisited website in 2016. Âł7KLV OLEHUDWHG P\ FUHDWLYLW\ DQG WKH IDFW WKDW )0 UDGLR LQ $PHULFD ZDV SLRQHHULQJ WKH PXVLFDO IUHHGRP WUHQG PDGH LW BEYOND even more inspiring.â&#x20AC;?

N M I D-MAR C H, BAC K I N E N G L AN D, WKH TXLQWHW )RU DOO ÂżYH PXVLFLDQV DQG %URQ +HHSÂśV VHOIÄĽDSSRLQWHG VL[WK UHWXUQHG WR /DQVGRZQH 6WXGLRV WR FRPSOHWH URIAH HEEP! Tune in to PHPEHU WKH FKRLFH RI D VLQJOH ZDV D QRÄĽEUDLQHU :ULWWHQ LQ MXVW work on their fourth album. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyone was PLANET ROCK 15 minutes by Hensley, everything about the rollicking Easy focused,â&#x20AC;? says Box. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were recording in PLAYS IT IN FULL /LYLQÂś D WRQJXHÄĽLQÄĽFKHHN UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWLRQ XSRQ RXWVLGHU SHUFHSWLRQV /RQGRQ ZKLFK ZDV QLFH DQG WKH FKHPLVWU\ LQ every Monday at 11pm when we of the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle, screamed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;radio hitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. the band was bar none. There were no personality clashes, no bring you a classic Âł,W KDG H[FLWHPHQW ZULWWHQ DOO RYHU LW ´ VD\V 0LFN %R[ Âł, IDFWLRQV ÂżJKWLQJ IRU GLÉąHUHQW WKLQJV QR GLYHUVLRQV ´ album every week, WKRXJKW WKH JXLWDU VRXQG ZDV IDQWDVWLF LW ZDV VR XSÄĽIURQW â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was a magic in that combination of people that broadcast in all its and aggressive and pumping like mad. The title came from a created so much energy and enthusiasm,â&#x20AC;? said Hensley later. glory, played sans interruption. conversation we had in the van. We were in the north of â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all wanted the same thing, were all willing to make the (QJODQG GULYLQJ GRZQ WR /RQGRQ WR OLVWHQ WR VRPH UHFRUGLQJV VDPH VDFULÂżFHV WR DFKLHYH LW DQG ZH ZHUH DOO YHU\ FRPPLWWHG ´ in the VWXGLR EHIRUH JRLQJ WR WKH DLUSRUW WR Ă&#x20AC;\ WR $PHULFD DQG VRPHRQH $s he had done on Look At Yourself, the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keyboard player led VDLG Îź7KLV LV HDV\ OLYLQJ LVQÂśW LW"Âś DV D MRNH D SLVVÄĽWDNH %XW LW UHVRQDWHG WKH VHVVLRQV +HQVOH\ EULQJLQJ ÂżYH QHZ VRQJV WR WKH WDEOH $V ZLWK 7KH ZLWK .HQ ,W ZDVQÂśW D VRQJ WKDW ZH RYHUÄĽWKRXJKW ´ Wizard, the albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foundation stone, the songs largely had fantasy Featuring artwork from noted fantasy artist Roger Dean, Demons And WKHPHV 7KH KHDY\ÄĽJURRYLQJ 5DLQERZ 'HPRQ VSRNH RI D ULGHU RQ D Wizards ZDV UHOHDVHG RQ 0D\ SHDNLQJ DW 1XPEHU LQ WKH 8.

FULPVRQ KRUVH ÂłSRVVHVVHG E\ VRPH GLVWDQW FDOOLQJ´ 7KH GHOLFDWH 3DUDGLVH charts on June 10. Initial reviews were positive: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Demons And Wizards WROG RI D KHDY\ÄĽKHDUWHG \RXQJ PDQÂśV TXHVW IRU WUXH ORYH ZKLOH LWV PXOWLÄĽ has got to be the party album of the year so far,â&#x20AC;? Rolling Stone raved. part companion piece, the dramatic hymnal epic The Spell, featured Âł7KH\ PD\ KDYH VWDUWHG RXW DV D WKRURXJKO\ GLVSHQVDEOH QHRÄĽ&UHDN heavenly choral vocals, a stunning Hensley slide guitar solo, and gloriousÄĽ %ORR]H RXWÂżW EXW DW WKLV SRLQW 8ULDK +HHS DUH VKDSLQJ XS LQWR RQH KHOO ly portentous lyrics: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You will never break the spell/Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll summon all the RI D ÂżUVWÄĽUDWH PRGHUQ URFN EDQG ´ ÂżUHV RI KHOO ´ 7KH VSRRN\ +DPPRQG RUJDQÄĽGULYHQ &LUFOH 2I +DQGV ,W ZDV WKH $XJXVW UHOHDVH RI (DV\ /LYLQÂś VLQJOHG RXW E\ 5ROOLQJ 6WRQH meanwhile, was inspired by a brush with the supernatural.

ZULWHU 0LNH 6DXQGHUV DV D ÂłĂ&#x20AC;DWÄĽRXW IX]]ÄĽWRQH SXQN URFNHU´ ZKLFK â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was born out of a sĂŠance we were invited to by some girls in Italy,â&#x20AC;?

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turned the album into a global smash. Though it failed to chart in the UK, the song became a top 20 hit across mainland Europe, and peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at Number 39 on September 23. By the end of October, Demons And Wizards had reached Number 23 on the Billboard 200 album chart. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hearing the song on US radio was immense,â&#x20AC;? says Box. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But you had WR JHW RXW WKHUH DQG ZRUN LW :H VWDUWHG RXW WRXULQJ LQ WKH 0LGÄĽ:HVW WKH VWURQJHVW URFN PDUNHW DQG OHW WKH PXVLF ÂżOWHU RXW WR WKH FRDVWV 7KHQ things started moving very, very fast. A hit single is like a small boulder rolling down a hill, gathering moss, and by the time it gets to the bottom, LWÂśV KXJH ,W ZDVQÂśW ORQJ EHIRUH ZH ZHUH GRLQJ ÄĽVHDWHUV ULJKW across America, and had Lear jets and limos at every airport. It was an absolutely amazing time.â&#x20AC;? a darker side to the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s US success. With tour posters promising that Demons And Wizards â&#x20AC;&#x153;performs mentalingus on youâ&#x20AC;?, Heep began to encounter â&#x20AC;&#x153;freaky peopleâ&#x20AC;? coming out of the woodwork at their shows. In a 1973 NME interÄĽ view, David Byron related a tale of being visited in Detroit, the quintetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest market, by the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PHVVLDQLF XQGHUJURXQG OHDGHU -DJJHUV D VWLFNÄĽWKLQ 0LFN -DJJHUÄĽREVHVVHG LQGLYLGXDO VSRUWLQJ D ORQJ EODFN FORDN DQG ZKLWH IDFHÄĽSDLQW â&#x20AC;&#x153;He came in and shut the door and said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lock it,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Byron recalled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You see the thing is, the people think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m dead, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I dress in black. If anybody asks if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen me, say you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It turned out he was a lunatic. This goes on and on and on in every major town in America.â&#x20AC;? Âł7KHVH ELUGV ZLWK FKHUU\ÄĽUHG OLSVWLFN FRPH XS H E R E WAS, H OWEVE R,

T

58

PLANET ROCK

and say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hey man, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really cosmic. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so heavy. And I really dig itâ&#x20AC;Ś I always listen to your message.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Crap. All these weird birds got hold of our old ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; phone numbers and addresses, and they started doing all these ghostly trips when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re away. We were getting so many weird letters that it was driving us round the bend. It just started to do us in.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It got very, very silly,â&#x20AC;? admits Mick Box. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We got to the point where we had bodyguards outside each of our hotel rooms, particularly in the 0LGÄĽ:HVW ,W JRW KHDY\ DQG YHU\ KHGRQLVWLF WRWDOO\ GHFDGHQW $OO WKH stories you hear about being a successful rock band in America are all true. And I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you any of them! Haha! I enjoyed it for what it was, but I never felt like it would last forever at that level.â&#x20AC;?

7KH JXLWDULVWÂśV FDXWLRQ SURYHG SUHVFLHQW %HIRUH HPEDUNLQJ RQ D WZRÄĽ PRQWKÄĽORQJ 86 tour scheduled to run from October 13 through to December 17, the band were rushed into Lansdowne Studios to record a new studio album. Released in November, The Magicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday UHDFKHG 1XPEHU LQ WKH 8. DQG 1XPEHU LQ $PHULFD EXW LWV VKRUWÄĽ WHUP VXFFHVV FDPH ZLWK ORQJÄĽWHUPV FRVWV .HQ +HQVOH\ KDV GHVFULEHG WKH making of the album as â&#x20AC;&#x153;frustratingâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;the beginning of the endâ&#x20AC;?, FODLPLQJ WKDW D QXPEHU RI KLV VRQJV ZHUH XQÂżQLVKHG UXVKÄĽUHOHDVHG EHIRUH EHLQJ SURSHUO\ VLJQHG RÉą %R[ too was unhappy with the pressure exerted on the band, and looking back, the unassuming guitarist lays the blame squarely at the feet of management. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Doing The Magicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday that quickly was all about capitalising on the success of Demons And Wizards ´ KH UHĂ&#x20AC;HFWV Âł,I \RX ZDQW P\ KRQHVW WUXWK I think that was down to management greed. Gerry Bron was pushing us so hard that there was no attention to anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal life or health, it was, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Go! Go! Go!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I can understand an element of that, because wheQ ZH ÂżUVW VWDUWHG RÉą KH SXW D ORW RI

GETTY

The wizardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sleeve: Lee Kerslake, The Rainbow, London, November 25, 1973.

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HOT SHOWERS COMFY BEDS

QUOTE

PLANET rock

Traveller in time: Ken Hensley, Stockholm, GrĂśna Lund, Stockholm, Sweden, May 17, 1974.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;DEMONS AND WIZARDS MEANS A LOT TO ME. IT WAS THE BAND AT ITS HEIGHT, WITH THAT LINE-UP.â&#x20AC;?

M I C K B OX

money in, taking out full page ads in the music papers, buying us a ORW RI HTXLSPHQW DQG SXWWLQJ XV RQ D ĸ D ZHHN ZDJH 6R KH GLG LQYHVW in us. But by the time we reached Demons And Wizards weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d paid him back tenfold, and he was still pushing for more, more, more. There were demands for another hit single, which got draining, as we always saw RXUVHOYHV DV DQ DOEXPV EDQG $OVR DV .HQ ZDV KDYLQJ JUHDW VXFFHVV ZLWK his songs, management singled him out and started only listening to what KH KDG WR VD\ ZKLFK FUHDWHG DQLPRVLW\ ZLWK WKH UHVW RI XV $QG WKHQ WKH ZKHHOV VWDUWHG IDOOLQJ RÉą ´ Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a measure, perhaps, of the expectations raised by the success of Demons And Wizards, that Uriah Heep are sometimes considered the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;nearly menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of British hard rock. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true that Mick Boxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s band never WKUHDWHQHG WR HFOLSVH WKH VXFFHVV RI /HG =HSSHOLQ 'HHS 3XUSOH %ODFN Sabbath or Queen, and on a statistical level, never again came as close to cracking the mainstream as they did with their fourth studio album. But 45 million worldwide album sales, and a touring presence in 61 countries, are hardly indicators of failure.

Unfailingly honest and unpretentious, Mick Box can concede that, at points in their career, Uriah Heep â&#x20AC;&#x153;didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay true to their platformâ&#x20AC;?, but KDYLQJ UDFNHG XS QLQH 8. 7RS DOEXPV DQG EUHDFKHG WKH %LOOERDUG QR IHZHU WKDQ WLPHV KLV EDQG KDYH HQMR\HG FDUHHU KLJKV WKDW precious few modern rock bands could ever aspire to.

Crucially, Box is still loving life in the band he began writing for 50 years ago. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a great foundation,â&#x20AC;? he says cheerfully, â&#x20AC;&#x153;with a history and songs that have stood the test of time, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still writing new music which the fans are enjoying as much as ever.â&#x20AC;?

But heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not unaware of the esteem in which Demons And Wizards is 60

PLANET ROCK

held, as was evidenced when Uriah Heep performed the album in full in the US for its 40th anniversary. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an album holding bittersweet memoÄĽ ries for the guitarist, not least because two of the musicians who played on it, David Byron and Gary Thain, are no longer alive, with the singer SDVVLQJ DZD\ LQ GXH WR DOFRKROÄĽUHODWHG KHDOWK LVVXHV DQG WKH EDVVLVW succumbing to a heroin overdose 10 years earlier. But Roger Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cover artwork still hangs in the front room of Boxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palmers Green home, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signed enough copies of the album over the past 47 years to be aware RI LWV VLJQLÂżFDQFH WR IDQV â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something on every Uriah Heep album that I can look back on with fondness,â&#x20AC;? he says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but Demons And Wizards means a lot to me.

Where we were as a unit, creatively, it was the band at its height, with WKDW OLQHÄĽXS /LVWHQLQJ EDFN WR WKH DOEXP WKURXJK WKH VSHDNHUV DW /DQVGRZQH EDFN LQ ZH IHOW OLNH ZH KDG VRPHWKLQJ VSHFLDO EXW WKDW ZDV MXVW ZLWKLQ RXU LQQHUÄĽFLUFOH $IWHU WKDW \RX MXVW KRSH WKDW LW PLJKW take on a life of its own. Which, to our immense gratitude, it did. Âł, NQRZ WKDW PXVLF PHDQV VR PXFK WR VR PDQ\ GLÉąHUHQW SHRSOH DQG LWÂśV KXPEOLQJ :LWK WKH 5RJHU 'HDQ FRYHU LW ZDV WKH ÂżUVW WLPH WKDW WKH music and the lyrics and the artwork were intrinsically linked, and I think WKDW FRQWULEXWHG WR LWV VXFFHVV %XW WKHQ LW ZDV (DV\ /LYLQÂś ZLWK QR P\WKÄĽ ical lyrics whatsoever, which was the hit that opened up the world stage to us. If that song taught us anything, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that sometimes in this businHVV LWÂśV EHVW QRW WR RYHUÄĽWKLQN ´ U R IAH H E E P

headline the closing night of Planet Rockstock on December 8.

Rockin’ in Memphis: Whiskey Myers’ Tony Kent and (right) Cody Cannon.

ON THE ROAD

SOUTHERN

COMFORT W H I S K E Y M Y E R S , like their heroes Hank Williams Jr, Waylon Jennings and Lynyrd Skynyrd, want to make pure, heartfelt music that speaks for and to the common man.

Planet Rock joins the Southern country rockers in Memphis.

W O R D S PA U L B R A N N I G A N

PHOTOGRAPHY

KHRIS POAGE

PLANET ROCK

63

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AS H V I L L E ,

TE N N ESS E E

may have bagged for itself the nickname The Music City, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be KDUG SUHVVHG WR ÂżQG DQ XUEDQ PHWURSROLV richer in musical heritage than Memphis, its noisy neighbour 200 miles to the west.

Connected to New Orleans and the MissisÄĽ sippi Delta by the famous Highway 61, the city incubated the Southern blues scene in its juke joints and honky tonks on Beale Street, where the likes of Howlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bessie Smith and Riley â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;B.B.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; King served their apprenticeships.

At 706 Union Avenue stands Sun Studios, The Birthplace of Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roll, where Sam Phillips recorded his Million Dollar Quartet, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. Head south for 40 minutes, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll arrive at Graceland, Elvisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former KRPH ÄŞDQG WKH DSSDUHQW ORFDWLRQ IRU D SLYRWDO hilarious graveyard scene in This Is Spinal 7DSÄŤ (OVHZKHUH LQ WKH FLW\ \RX FDQ YLVLW WKH Stax Museum Of American Soul Music, the Gibson Guitar Factory, the Memphis Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Soul Museum or hear the slave spirituÄĽ als and work songs which provided the founÄĽ dation for rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll at the National Civil Rights Museum.

In their 12 years as a working band, across VHYHUDO YLVLWV WR WKLV FLW\ FRXQWU\ÄĽURFNHUV Whiskey Myers have had neither the opporÄĽ tunity nor availability to visit any of these storied locations, however. In common with so many of their peers, any travelogue compiled by the sextet from Palestine, Texas ZRXOG FRQVLVW ODUJHO\ RI LPDJHV RI JUDɡWLÄĽ FRYHUHG GUHVVLQJ URRPV Ă&#x20AC;RRGHG UHVWURRPV DQG EDUUHG ZLQGRZV LQ WKH NLQG RI VWLFN\ÄĽ Ă&#x20AC;RRUHG GLYH EDUV ZKHUH WKH SDWURQV KDYH more prison tattoos than teeth. Like their friends in Goodbye June, Bishop Gunn and The Cadillac Three, they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have it any other way.

Two weeks ahead of the release of WKHLU VHOIÄĽWLWOHG VHOIÄĽSURGXFHG ÂżIWK album, hailed in these pages as the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GHÂżQLWLYH VWDWHPHQW :KLVNH\ 0\HUV have today made a sixth new song from the LP available on streaming services. :ULWWHQ E\ JXLWDULVW -RKQ -HÉąHUV %LWFK sounds like music to break bones to. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m tired of the radio,â&#x20AC;? the lyric runs, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Same old lyrics, smoke shows/ Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so country we all know, tailgates DQG EDFNURDGV 6DPH VKLW GLÉąHUHQW GD\ ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t nothing ever gonna change/As long as you know that you are still just a bitch in my book.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I might have been a little frustrated DW WKH WLPH , ZURWH LW ´ VD\V -HÉąHUV VLWWLQJ LQ WKH LPSUHVVLYHO\ VSLFNÄĽDQGÄĽVSDQ IURQW lounge of his bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tour bus, parked up

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RXWVLGH 0LQJOHZRRG +DOO WKH ĥFDSDFLW\ FOXE ZKHUH :KLVNH\ 0\HUV ZLOO WDNH WR WKH VWDJH ODWHU WKLV HYHQLQJ ³6RPHWLPHV LW IHHOV OLNH ZKHUHYHU \RX WXUQ WKH UDGLR GLDO HYHU\ĥ ERG\ LV VD\LQJ WKH H[DFW VDPH WKLQJ $QG , ZDV MXVW D OLWWOH SLVVHG Rɱ DW WKDW ,W¶V QRW VSHFL¿ĥ FDOO\ DLPHG DW DQ\ERG\« XQOHVV LW RɱHQGV \RX WKHQ PD\EH LW¶V SRLQWHG DW \RX ´ 2OGĥVFKRRO PXVLF LQGXVWU\ UXOHV ZRXOG GLVFRXUDJH EDQGV IURP WRXULQJ ZKLOH WKHUH¶V QR QHZ μSURGXFW¶ LQ WKH VWRUHV EXW WKH UXOHV RI HQJDJHPHQW KDYH FKDQJHG IRU PRGHUQ EDQGV +DYLQJ ZUDSSHG WKH UHFRUGLQJ RI WKHLU QHZ DEXP WKH IROORZĥXS WR ¶V Mud, at El 3DVR¶V 6RQLF 5DQFK 6WXGLR LQ 'HFHPEHU :KLVNH\ 0\HUV FRPPHQFHG WKHLU 'LH 5RFNLQ¶ ZRUOG WRXU LQ 1DVKYLOOH LQ -DQXDU\ 7KH\ YLVLWHG WKH 8. LQ 0D\ WKLV \HDU DQG FXUUHQWO\ KDYH VKRZV RQ WKHLU GRFNHW WKURXJK WR 0D\ ³:H WRXU DOO \HDU URXQG ZH GRQ¶W HYHU VWRS ´ VD\V EHDUGHG EHVSHFWDFOHG HDV\ĥJRLQJ JXLWDULVW &RG\ 7DWH ³6LWWLQJ RQ RXU DVVHV GRHVQ¶W JHW DQ\RQH SDLG ´ 7R WKLV HQG WKH EDQG KDYH VXSSRUWHG WKH OLNHV RI /\Q\UG 6N\Q\UG 7KH &DGLOODF 7KUHH ĪZLWK ZKRP WKH\ XQGHUWRRN WKHLU ¿UVW (XURĥ SHDQ WRXUī 6KLQHGRZQ DQG 0LUDQGD /DPEHUW 7KHLU KDUG ZRUN KDV EHHQ SD\LQJ GLYLGHQGV

“WHEREVER YOU TURN THE RADIO DIAL NOW EVERYBODY IS SAYING THE EXACT SAME THING.” J J OHN

7R GDWH :KLVNH\ 0\HUV KDYH VROG PRUH WKDQ DOEXPV DQG DFFXPXODWHG PRUH WKDQ PLOOLRQ SOD\V RQ VWUHDPLQJ VHUYLFHV 7KH\¶YH DOVR JDLQHG D FRXSOH RI FHOHEULW\ IDQV QDPHO\ 0LFN -DJJHU ZKR KDQGSLFNHG WKH EDQG WR VXSSRUW WKH 5ROOLQJ 6WRQHV LQ &KLFDĥ JR WKLV VXPPHU DQG JDYH WKHP D VKRXW RXW IURP WKH VWDJH DW 6ROGLHU )LHOG DQG .HYLQ &RVWQHU ZKR KDV IHDWXUHG WKH EDQG ERWK RQ WKH VRXQGWUDFN RI KLV KXJHO\ VXFFHVVIXO 79 VHULHV <HOORZVWRQH DQG LQ DQ RQĥVFUHHQ FDPHR D SUR¿OH ERRVW ZKLFK KHOSHG SURSHO WKHLU HQWLUH EDFN FDWDORJXH LQWR WKH 7RS RI WKH L7XQHV 86 FRXQWU\ FKDUWV ,I DOO WKLV VRXQGV OLNH D PHWLFXORXVO\ H[HFXWHG SURPRWLRQDO SODQ IURP WKH (DVW 7H[DQ JURXS LW SUREDEO\ VKRXOGQ¶W ³:H ZLQJ HYHU\WKLQJ ´ VD\V IURQWPDQ &RG\ &DQQRQ ZLWK D VKUXJ ³:H MXVW OHW WKH FDUGV IDOO ZKHUH WKH\ PD\ ´ $OO VL[ PHPEHUV RI WKH EDQG Ħ FRPSOHWHG E\ EDVVLVW -DPH\ *OHDYHV SHUFXVVLRQLVW GUXPĥ PHU 7RQ\ .HQW DQG GUXPPHU -Hɱ +RJJ Ħ PLANET ROCK

KHRIS POAGE

American outlaws: Whiskey Myers (from left) Tony Kent, Jamey Gleaves, Cody Cannon, Jeff Hogg, Cody Tate, John Jeffers.

EFFERS

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Dead rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: Whiskey Myers at Minglewood Hall, Memphis, Friday, September 13, 2019.

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are seated on their bus as we speak. Friends since their teenage years, they insist upon being interviewed as a collective, a tactic usually only employed by artists whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re suspiÄĽ FLRXV ÄŞRU ERUHGÄŤ RI PHGLD DWWHQWLRQ WKH\ÂśUH QRW XQIULHQGO\ EXW RQH VHQVHV WKDW VSHDNLQJ WR PHPEHUV RI WKH IRXUWK HVWDWH GRHVQÂśW UDQN WHUULEO\ KLJKO\ RQ DQ\RQHÂśV GDLO\ ZLVKÄĽOLVW A handsome, rugged man who wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ORRN RXW RI SODFH LQ D 6HUJLR /HRQH 6SDJKHWWL Western given an extra dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stubble, Cody Cannon narrows his eyes and spits thick tobacco juice into a paper cup as the converÄĽ sation eddies around him, showing little inclination to get involved unless questioned directly. Asked what Planet Rock readers should know about Palestine, he laughs and GUDZOV Âł)LUVW RI DOO WKH\ VKRXOG NQRZ WKDW \RXÂśUH VD\LQJ LW ZURQJ LWÂśV 3DOÄĽHVWÄĽ7((1 ´ Cannon and his bandmates actually grew XS LQ ÂłLWW\ÄĽELWW\´ 5HG 'LUW WRZQV RQ WKH IULQJHV RI 3DOHVWLQH 6ORFXP *UDSHODQG 1HFKHV :HVWZRRG 6RPH RI WKHP DWWHQGHG school or church groups together, some met RQ WKH ORFDO EDVHEDOO GLDPRQG 7RXU PDQDJHU Chris Alexander went to school with John -HÉąHUV WKH JURXSÂśV DÉąDEOH PHUFK JX\ LV &RG\ 7DWHÂśV FRXVLQ *LYHQ WKDW WKH JURXS KDYH racked up well over 2,000 shows in their ÄĽ\HDUÄĽKLVWRU\ LW PDNHV VHQVH WR NHHS WKH WUDYHOOLQJ SDUW\ WLJKWÄĽNQLW

â&#x20AC;&#x153;TOO MANY CELEBRITIES AND MUSICIANS STAND UP ON THEIR SOAP BOX ANDC TALKC SHIT.â&#x20AC;?

O DY

ANNON

IRUHIDWKHUV 5RQQLH 9DQ =DQW DQG *UHJ $OOÄĽ man. For those wondering, the songâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second verse is utterly unapologetic about nailing &DQQRQÂśV 6RXWKHUQ SULGH WR WKH Ă&#x20AC;DJSROH Âł, VWLOO Ă&#x20AC;\ WKDW 6RXWKHUQ Ă&#x20AC;DJ ´ KH VLQJV Âł:KLVWOLQJ 'L[LHODQG HQRXJK WR EUDJ $QG , NQRZ DOO WKH ZRUGV WR 6LPSOH 0DQ , JXHVV WKDWÂśV VRPHWKLQJ \RX GRQÂśW XQGHUVWDQG ´ Asked about this chorus, Cannon simply says,

Âł:HÂśUH MXVW EHLQJ KRQHVW DQG UHDO ´ 7KH &DQQRQÄĽSHQQHG *DVROLQH RQH RI WKH VWDQGÄĽRXW WUDFNV RQ WKH EDQGÂśV QHZ DOEXP VHHPV FXW IURP WKH VDPH FORWK Âł7LPHV JHW KDUGHU ´ UXQV WKH FKRUXV Âł*LYH PH D ÂżUH VWDUWÄĽ HU GUHQFK P\VHOI LQ KRO\ ZDWHU 6SLULWXDO WKLQJV WKH KHDUWODQG EOHHGV , QHHG D %LEOH D JXQ DQG JDVROLQH ´ ,Q WKH VDPH VRQJ &DQQRQ VLQJV Âł, WRLO UHDO KDUG ZLWK QRWKLQJ WR VKRZ , RZH LW DOO WR WKH 6DYLQJV DQG /RDQ 6R EUHDN RXU EDFNV DQG PDNH XV VODYHV DOO IRU WKH ORYH RI WKH 86$´ (OVHZKHUH LQ WKH VRQJ KLV ULJKÄĽ teous, burning anger is even more evident in WKH VFDWKLQJ OLQHV Âł%LWFK DQG PRDQ DQG GDQFH in the street. We would rather have bombs WKHQ IRRG WR HDW ´ Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been told in advance by manageÄĽ PHQW WKDW :KLVNH\ 0\HUV ZRXOG UDWKHU

Guitar picker: John Jeffers sends another solo soaring skywards.

also probÄĽ DEO\ KHOSV H[SODLQ ZK\ IURQWÄĽ man Cannon is reluctant to SUHVHQW KLPVHOI DV WKH FKDULVÄĽ PDWLF ÎźIDFHÂś RI WKH EDQG ZKLFK VSHDNV ERWK WR KLV KXPLOLW\ DQG KLV UHVSHFW IRU KLV IULHQGV 6K\ RI YROXQWHHULQJ D KXJH DPRXQW RI ELRJUDSKLFDO GHWDLO WKLV PXFK KH ZLOO GLYXOJH KHÂśV PDUULHG ÄŞZHGGLQJ KLV ORQJÄĽWLPH VZHHWKHDUW +DOH\ RQ 2FWREHU ODVW \HDUÄŤ DV D NLG KLV KHUR ZDV 'DOODV &RZER\V TXDUWHUÄĽ EDFN 7UR\ $LNPDQ WKH ÂżUVW DOEXP KH ERXJKW ZLWK KLV RZQ PRQH\ ZDV D FDVVHWWH FRS\ RI Hank Williams Jrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1981 album The Pressure Is On IURP :DOPDUW 4XHVWLRQHG DV ZK\ WKLV particular collection piqued his attention, his DQVZHU LV GLɡFXOW WR SDUVH Âł%HFDXVH LWÂśV +DQN IXFNLQJ :LOOLDPV -U ´ KH H[SODLQV WR PXFK ODXJKWHU IURP KLV EDQGPDWHV For a deeper look into Cannonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backÄĽ ground, one might do worse than examine the O\ULFV RI %DOODG 2I $ 6RXWKHUQ 0DQ IURP 2011â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Firewater album, currently Whiskey 0\HUÂśV PRVW SRSXODU VRQJ RQ 6SRWLI\ ÄŞZLWK PLOOLRQ VWUHDPVÄŤ DQG D VRQJ ZKLFK WKH VLQJHU VD\V LV Âł SHU FHQW DXWRELRJUDSKLFDO´ 2SHQLQJ ZLWK WKH PHPRUDEOH FRXSOHW Âł0\ ÂżUVW ULĂ&#x20AC;H ZDV D 7KDW 3DSD JDYH 'DGG\ DQG 'DGG\ JDYH PH´ LWÂśV D VRQJ ZKLFK SODFHV WKH VLQJHU VTXDUHO\ LQ OLQHDJH RI OHJHQGDU\ 6RXWKHUQ URFN IURQWPHQ EHKLQG VSLULWXDO HEIR SHARED HISTORY

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67

not talk about politics, thank you very much. Naturally, this means we feel comÄĽ pelled to ask Whiskey Myers about politics, albeit while employing the cunning journalisÄĽ tic ruse of prefacing the enquiry with a casual mention of the fact that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been told not to bring up the topic. We wonder what exactÄĽ ly is the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aversion to discussing the subject, given that there are explicit referÄĽ ences to taxes and poverty and addiction and ZRUNLQJÄĽFODVV VWUXJJOH OLEHUDOO\ VFDWWHUHG throughout their songs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Too many celebrities and musicians stand up on their soap box and have a lot of shit to say, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really fucking weak,â&#x20AC;? CanÄĽ non explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not that fucking smart, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just lucky, and they are too. The songs speak for us, how about we leave it at that?â&#x20AC;?

So we do, and reach for cold beers instead. following a spirited set from their friend Tennessee Jet, which includes covers of Hank Williamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; I Saw The Light, Leadbellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s In The Pines and Rage Against The Machineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bulls On Parade, Whiskey Myers walk from their modestly sized dressing room to the stage of the Minglewood Hall. Here, facing a capacity FURZG DQG D 6WDUV DQG 6WULSHV Ă&#x20AC;DJ GDQJOLQJ above the bar, the group truly come alive.

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a thrillingly capable live band, playing T 9:15 PM,

A

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;WHEN WE WERE MAKING THE ALBUM, WE COULD ALL FEEL MAGIC IN THE AIR. THE HAIR ON OUR ARMS STOOD UP.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

JOHN JEFFERS

like men who know how to fuck. The likes of *DVROLQH )URJPDQ ÄŞD &RG\ &DQQRQ FRÄĽZULWH ZLWK 7KH 0DJSLH 6DOXWHÂśV 5LFK 5RELQVRQÄŤ DQG Die Rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; go down a storm, while the whole audience take the opening verse of the tender Broken Window Serenade. Later thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fanÄĽ WDVWLFDOO\ HQWHUWDLQLQJ IURQWÄĽRIÄĽVWDJH FRZEHOO solo from Liam Gallagher fan Kent, a huge URDU RI DSSURYDO IRU WKH OLQHV Âł, VWLOO Ă&#x20AC;\ WKH 6RXWKHUQ Ă&#x20AC;DJ´ DQG Âł, SOHGJH P\ DOOHJLDQFH WKH original way/Say Merry Christmas not Happy Holidaysâ&#x20AC;? from Ballad Of A Southern Man, and a fantastically dirty version of ZZ Topâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s La Grange, with Cody Tate on vocals.

By 11:15, with curfew looming, one deliriÄĽ ous fan is waving his crutches in the air, while RWKHUV WKUXVW SRVWHUV RQÄĽVWDJH IRU &DQQRQ WR sign and pass around to his bandmates. If this is a typical Whiskey Myers gig, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to see ZK\ WKH ZRUGÄĽRIÄĽPRXWK EX]] RQ WKH 7H[DQ

EDQG LV TXLFNO\ EHLQJ DPSOLÂżHG IURP D ZKLVÄĽ SHU WR D VFUHDP %DFN RQ WKH EXV SRVWÄĽJLJ FHOHEUDWLRQV DUH UHVWUDLQHG D ÄĽKRXU GULYH WR Lake Ozark, Missouri lies ahead.

Planet Rock enquires whether, two weeks ahead of their album â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;droppingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Whiskey Myers are at all anxious as to how it might perform commercially. With admirable insouÄĽ ciance, Cody Cannon shrugs and says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;PeoÄĽ ple are either gonna love it, or hate it, or think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OK. At this stage that decision isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ours to make for them.â&#x20AC;? In the event, this breeziÄĽ QHVV LV ZHOOÄĽPHULWHG LQ WZR ZHHNVÂś WLPH WKH EDQG ZLOO VFRUH WKHLU ÂżUVW 1XPEHU DOEXP RQ Billboardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top Country Albums chart, with combined â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sales of 42,000, of which, 39,000 were physical album sales. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care about sales ÂżJXUHV EXW LWÂśV QHYHU EHHQ KRZ ZH GHÂżQLWH VXFFHVV ´ VD\V -HÉąHUV Âł:HÂśYH DOZD\V HQMR\HG records where you can press â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and listen WR LW IURP IURQWÄĽWRÄĽEDFN DQG QRW JHW ERUHG ,I we can achieve that with this album, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be happy. When we were making the album, we could all feel magic in the air, because the hairs on your arms stand up. If we can make others feel the same way, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask for more.â&#x20AC;?

W H I S K E Y M Y E R S ¡ VHOIÄŚWLWOHG Ă&#x20AC;IWK DOEXP LV RXW

QRZ YLD 6QDNHIDUP 5HFRUGV

KHRIS POAGE

Calm before the storm: Jamey Gleaves takes a mid-set breather.

MY PLANET ROCKS

Technicolour glam rock, Bowieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cosmic journey, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Germanic vaudevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and punk rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most FRQWURYHUVLDO PRQDUFK\Ä¥ bashing blastâ&#x20AC;¦ DEF LEPPARD/DOWN â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; OUTZ FRONTMAN AND PLANET ROCK PRESENTER JOE ELLIOTT SELECTS EIGHT SONGS WHICH FRIED HIS TEENAGE MIND. I L LU S T R AT I O N

BY

BORJA BONAFUENTE GONZALO

VHW WR WDNH D VL[Ä¥PRQWK EUHDN IURP 1RYHPEHU KDYLQJ FRPSOHWHG D WZRÄ¥\HDUÄ¥ORQJ WUHN FHOHEUDWLQJ WKH WK DQQLYHUÄ¥ VDU\ RI Hysteria -RH (OOLRWW FRXOG EH H[FXVHG IRU EROWLQJ WKH GRRUV RI KLV 'XEOLQ KRPH DQG KLGLQJ DZD\ IURP WKH ZRUOG %XW QR IRU QRZ KH KDV D QHZ DOEXP IURP KLV VLGH EDQG 'RZQ ¶Q¶ 2XW] WR SURPRWH :KHUH WKH JURXS¶V SUHYLRXV VWXGLR VHWV ¶V My ReGeneration and ¶V The Further Adventures Ofâ&#x20AC;¦, were Elliottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tributes to Mott The Hoople, This Is How We Roll IHDWXUHV RULJLQDO VRQJV SHQQHG E\ WKH VLQJHU DORQJVLGH D WDNH RQ 7KH 7XEHV¶ :KLWH 3XQNV 2Q 'RSH ³:H¶YH SDLG RXU UHVSHFWV WR 0RWW DOUHDG\ ´ (OOLRWW VD\V ³EXW WKLV UHFRUG WDSV LQWR D VLPLODU VSLULW ´ 6R WRR GR WKH JODP DUWÄ¥URFN DQG SXQN VRQJV WKH Ä¥\HDUÄ¥ROG <RUNVKLUHPDQ KDV VHOHFWHG IRU KLV 0\ 3ODQHW 5RFNV SLFNV«

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I N T E RV I E W : PAU L B R A N N I G A N

IT H D E F L E P PAR D

MOTT THE HOOPLE All The Young Dudes (on All The Young Dudes, 1972)

My favourite song of all time. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re 12 years old, LQ 6KHÉ·HOG \RX GRQ¶W NQRZ Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple EHFDXVH WKDW¶V ROGHUÄ¥EURWKHU music and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have an older brother, and then this song comes along and changes your ZRUOG IURP EODFN DQG ZKLWH WR FRORXU , ZDV DOUHDG\ DZDUH RI 0RWW , ZDV LQWULJXHG E\ WKHLU name, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d heard their YHUVLRQ RI 'RZQWRZQ ZLWK ĬJXLWDULVWÄ­ 0LFN 5DOSKV VLQJLQJ but this just sounded so GLɱHUHQW WR HYHU\WKLQJ HOVH LQ the charts. I still get excited ZKHQ , KHDU WKLV VRQJ RQ WKH radio, because it means that maybe someone else might be GLVFRYHULQJ LW IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH

T.REX

Get It On (on Electric Warrior, 1971)

7KLV QHYHU JHWV ROG , ZDV \HDUV ROG ZKHQ , KHDUG this, an extremely impresÄ¥ VLRQDEOH NLG ZKR GLGQ¶W NQRZ too much about music, and then I heard that guitar at the EHJLQQLQJ DQG LW ZDV MXVW :RZ 7KHQ WKH FUD]\ O\ULFV EOHZ P\ PLQG 0DUF %RODQ ZDV DEOH WR SDLQW VXFK YLYLG SLFWXUHV ZLWK ZRUGV , GRQ¶W WKLQN %RE '\ODQ could have sung about a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hub cap diamond star haloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, but Bolan could, and that inspired me ZKHQ LW FDPH WR ZULWLQJ O\ULFV

DAVID BOWIE Life On Mars

GETTY

(on Hunky Dory, 1971)

)RU D ZKROH JHQHUDWLRQ RI PXVLF IDQV Ħ LQFOXGLQJ Boy George, Morrissey, Bono DQG P\VHOI Ħ WKH PRPHQW ZKHUH %RZLH GLG 6Warman on Top Of The Pops, on July 6, 1972, FKDQJHG HYHU\WKLQJ 7KDW ZDV RQH RI WKH GH¿QLQJ PRPHQWV RI P\ OLIH 0\ %RZLH MRXUQH\ VWDUWHG ZLWK Ziggy Stardustâ&#x20AC;¦ but

then you realise that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a KRVW RI RWKHU %RZLH DOEXPV WR GLVFRYHU 7KH ¿UVW WLPH , KHDUG Hunky Dory I remember WKLQNLQJ LW ZDVQ¶W YHU\ KHDY\ compared to Ziggy Stardustâ&#x20AC;¦, but the second I heard Life On 0DUV , NQHZ , ZDV OLVWHQLQJ WR D JHQLXV %RZLH KDG ZULWWHQ D VHW RI Ĭ(QJOLVKÄ­ O\ULFV IRU ĬWKH RULJLQDO )UHQFK WXQH WKDW ZRXOG EHFRPHÄ­ 0\ :D\ EHIRUH 3DXO $QND UHZURWH LW IRU 6LQDWUD DQG WKDW¶V ZK\ WKH VOHHYH QRWHV VD\ LW ZDV ³LQVSLUHG E\ )UDQNLH´ ,W¶V just a beautiful piece of music.

techniques, but on Kimono My House, Propaganda and Indiscreet, WKH\ VRXQGHG VR GLɱHUHQW WR everyone else. I remember hearing this on the radio and it sounded as alien as Virginia 3ODLQ RU %RZLH $QG ZKHQ \RX VDZ WKHP ZLWK 5XVVHOO Ĭ0DHOĭ being a pretty boy singer and 5RQ Ĭ0DHOĭ ORRNLQJ OLNH DQ $GROI Hitler/Charlie Chapin hybrid, \RX ZDQWHG WR NQRZ PRUH

the guitar solo Vivian Campbell, ZKR¶G QHYHU KHDUG LW EHIRUH ORRNHG XS DQG VDLG μ+RO\ VKLW ¶ 7KLV ZDV DQ LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFH RQ Goodnight Mr. Jones on the QHZ 'RZQ μ1¶ 2XW] DOEXP

IAN HUNTER

(on The Tubes, 1975)

The Truth, The Whole Truth, Nuthinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; But The Truth

ROXY MUSIC

(on Ian Hunter, 1975)

Virginia Plain (Single, 1972)

/LNH VRPH RI %RZLH¶V material, this has quite a Germanic/vaudeville feel, and it VHHPHG WR FRPH RXW RI QRZKHUH ,I \RX OLVWHQ WR LW VWULSSHG GRZQ LW¶V TXLWH EDVLF WZRÄ¥FKRUG JXLWDU URFN EXW (QR Ħ ZKR¶V ERQNHUV Ħ PDGH LW RWKHUZRUOGO\ DQG VH[\ and mysterious. Brian Ferry isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t D FODVVLF VLQJHU LQ WKH 5REHUW 3ODQW 3DXO 5RGJHUV PRXOG KLV GHOLYHU\ ZDV FORVHU WR VRPHRQH OLNH 0DUOHQH 'LHWULFK DQG O\ULFDOO\ \RX MXVW WKRXJKW :KDW the hell are you singing about?

7KLV NLQG RI DUWÄ¥URFN VKRZHG that you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to tell a simple nursey rhyme story, ZKLFK ZDV VR OLEHUDWLQJ

This is a song that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve JURZQ WR ORYH PRUH WKDQ almost anything Ian Hunter has HYHU GRQH ,W¶V WXFNHG DZD\ LQ the middle of his debut solo album, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a song HYHU\RQH NQRZV EXW LW¶V D masterclass in restraint and feel. ,W¶V DOVR ZULWWHQ LQ D ZD\ WKDW OHWV ĬJXLWDULVWÄ­ 0LFN 5RQVRQ shine too, and it might just have WKH EHVW 0LFN 5RQVRQ VROR HYHU , ZDV OLVWHQLQJ WR WKLV RQ RXU tour bus once, and at the end of

SPARKS

This Town Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Big Enough For Both Of Us (on Kimono My House, 1974)

:KDW D fabulously odd and unique EDQG 6SDUNV ZHUH and are. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the standard voice/guitar/bass/ NH\ERDUGV GUXPV VHWÄ¥XS DQG ĬSURGXFÄ¥ HUÄ­ 0Xɱ :LQZRRG HPSOR\HG 4XHHQÄ¥ style production

THE TUBES

White Punks On Dope 7KLV LV WKH RQH VRQJ ZH FRYHUHG RQ WKH QHZ 'RZQ μ1¶ 2XW] DOEXP 7KH 7XEHV VWDUWHG RXW DV D SDURG\ DFW OLNH an American version of Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias, but they became a spectacular band in WKHLU RZQ ULJKW 7KH FKRUG sequence and arrangement of this is so interesting, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not SURJ EXW LW¶V HSLF DQG ODUJHUÄ¥ WKDQÄ¥OLIH DQG ,¶YH DOZD\V EHHQ D IDQ RI ODUJHUÄ¥WKDQÄ¥OLIH PXVLF , FRXOG WRWDOO\ KHDU %RZLH GRLQJ this circa Aladdin Sane.

THE SEX PISTOLS

God Save The Queen (on Never Mind The Bollocksâ&#x20AC;¦, 1977)

, KDYH WR DFNQRZOHGJH WKH LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFH RI SXQN LQ P\ OLIH 7KH SRZHU RI Never Mind The Bollocksâ&#x20AC;¦ hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t faded one ELW LW¶V RQH RI WKH JUHDWHVW URFN DOEXPV HYHU PDGH -RQHV\ Ĭ6WHYH -RQHVÄ­ KDV WROG PH PDQ\ WLPHV that every guitar part on the UHFRUG LV PXOWLÄ¥WUDFNHG DQG because he played the bass too on every song itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so tight. And WKHQ -RKQ /\GRQ -RKQQ\ 5RWWHQ EULQJV WKH EHVW WDONÄ¥VLQJLQJ HYHU UHFRUGHG +H ZDV D KXJH $OLFH Cooper fan, and he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grasp of melodies, but his GHOLYHU\ ZDV VR H[FLWLQJ 3KLO Collen and I both used to listen to this album day in, day out, all day long and it made such an impact on us both.

God Save The Queen still PDNHV WKH KDLUV RQ P\ DUPV stand on end. release their This Is How We Roll album on October 11, via UMC. The album is reviewed on page 104.

D OW N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; O U T Z

Dude looks like a lady: Ian Hunter.

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73

THE COVER STORY

CHAMPIONS Twelve months ago, the surviving members of were fire-fighting the negative headlines that dogged their “troubled” biopic, . Now, several Oscars later and with the group’s extraordinary story and music appreciated by a whole new audience, and ‘new boy’ look back on Queen’s annus mirabilis…

,

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“One day they'll get it”: Freddie Mercury, Live Aid, July 13, 1985.

Guess who?: Brian May on-stage at the Global Citizen Festival, Central Park, NYC, September 28, 2019.

between Brian May and Roger Taylor initiating discussions with screenwriter Peter Morgan about the possibility of bringing Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story to the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;silver screenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the world premiere of Bohemian Rhapsody at Wembley Arena on 2FWREHU FRXQWOHVV FROXPQ LQFKHV ZHUH GHYRWHG WR WKH ÂżOPÂśV turbulent production.

Asked by Planet Rock whether there were points during the past 10 years when they considered that the movie might never be completÄĽ ed, both Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guitarist and drummer respond today with dry laughs and identical answers: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many, many, many times.â&#x20AC;?

7KH FRQYHUVDWLRQ DURXQG WKH ÂżOP KDV VKLIWHG GUDPDWLFDOO\ LQ WKH \HDU since Bohemian Rhapsody was given its global release. No one now is WDONLQJ DERXW WKH GLUHFWRUV ZKR FDPH DQG ZHQW RU WKH $ÄĽ/LVW actors who walked away from the set, or the tortuous WZHDNV DQG UHÄĽWRXFKHV PDGH WR WKH VFULSW LPPRUWDOÄĽ LVLQJ =DQ]LEDUÄĽERUQ )DUURNK %XOVDUDÂśV WUDQVIRUÄĽ mation into rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultimate showman.

Instead, they focus on the Oscar and %$)7$ DQG *ROGHQ *OREH WURSKLHV which Rami Malek collected for his extraordinary performance as )UHGGLH 0HUFXU\ RU WKH IJ PLOļ OLRQ ĪDQG FRXQWLQJč WKDW WKH ¿OP KDV JURVVHG DW WKH JOREDO ER[ RɡFH or the fact that Bohemian Rhapsody is QRZ )R[œV IRXUWK ELJJHVW WLWOH HYHU EHVWļ ed only by Avatar, Titanic, and Star Wars: (SLVRGH , Č 7KH 3KDQWRP 0HQDFH No less extraordinary is the impact ZKLFK WKH ¿OP KDV KDG RQ 4XHHQ In the immediate aftermath of its release, for one week in November 2018 Queen became the most VWUHDPHG DUWLVW LQ WKH ZRUOG 7KH ¿OPœV VRXQGWUDFN PHDQZKLOH EHFDPH 4XHHQœV KLJKHVWļFKDUWLQJ DOEXP LQ WKH 86 LQ DOPRVW \HDUV SHDNLQJ at Number 3 on the Billboard 200, thereby matching its performance on WKH 8. DOEXP FKDUW In July, the original video for Bohemian Rhapsody reached 1 billion views on YouTube, becoming only the second song from the 20th centuļ U\ ĪIROORZLQJ *XQV 1œ5RVHVœ SURPR IRU 1RYHPEHU 5DLQč WR UHDFK WKDW landmark. In the live arena WRR WKH EDQGœV SUR¿OH ZDV ERRVWHG ZLWK VRPH IDQV VKRZLQJ XS DFURVV GDWHV RQ WKH 1RUWK $PHULFDQ OHJ RI 4XHHQ $GDP /DPEHUWœV 5KDSVRG\ WRXU 5HYLHZV ¿OHG E\ WKH 86 media have been fulsome. ³7KLV ZDV D FHOHEUDWLRQ RI 0HUFXU\ ´ QRWHG )RUEHV LQ LWV FULWLTXH RI WKH EDQGœV WZRļQLJKWļVWDQG DW WKH /$ )RUXP RQ -XO\ DQG ³EXW LW was just as much a celebration of the spirit of Queen, of the incredible WDOHQWV RI /DPEHUW 0D\ DQG 7D\ORU ,W IHOW YLEUDQW DQG YLWDO ´ +RZDUG *HQVOHU RI WKH 3KLODGHOSKLD ,QTXLUHU ZDV HYHQ PRUH HɹXVLYH LQ KLV WDNH RQ WKH EDQGœV $XJXVW VWRS DW WKH FLW\œV :HOOV )DUJR &HQWHU I N T H E D E CA D E W H I C H E L A P S E D

Âł:KHQ )UHGGLH 0HUFXU\ GUHZ D SKRHQL[ ZDWFKLQJ RYHU WKH LFRQLF 4XHHQ EDQG ORJR EDFN LQ WKH HDUO\ V KH PXVW KDYH NQRZQ VRPHÄĽ thing,â&#x20AC;? he mused. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because never in the era of rock music has a band had VXFK D UHELUWK ´ )UHGGLH KLPVHOI FRXOG KDUGO\ KDYH VSRNHQ ZLWK JUHDWHU JUDQGLORTXHQFH Roger Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assessment of Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current fortunes is a little more measured. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re back, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hot,â&#x20AC;? the drummer simply notes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The tour was fabulous, maybe the best tour of America weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever done. And the number of young people there was amazing. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d probÄĽ DEO\ KHDUG RXU PXVLF WKURXJK ÂżOPV RU FRPPHUFLDOV RU DW VSRUWV HYHQWV RU ZKDWHYHU EXW PD\EH ZHUHQÂśW DZDUH ZKR ZH UHDOO\ DUH DQG QRZ WKH ÂżOP has made that all clear.â&#x20AC;? Âł,WÂśV EHHQ DPD]LQJ D ELW RI DQ H\HÄĽRSHQHU ´ %ULDQ 0D\ agrees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I mean, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not like weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been away, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve DOZD\V EHHQ RXW WKHUH ZRUNLQJ EXW WKH ÂżOP KDV been a bridge to a new generation without a doubtâ&#x20AC;Ś maybe to two new generations.

Suddenly people not only know the tunes, but they understand us as well. The audiences are young again, and noisy again, and they want to sing along. â&#x20AC;&#x153;America has always been great for us, but in the old days theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d scream and shout, but they would not sing along, or they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do the handclap thing in 5DGLR *D *D ´ KH FRQWLQXHV Âł$XGLHQFH participation has always been part of Queen, and now suddenly thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been VSUHDG DURXQG WKH ZRUOG 7KH ÂżOP LV a big deal, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brought with it a PDVVLYH LQMHFWLRQ RI D GLÉąHUHQW kind of energy.â&#x20AC;?

G E T T Y , A L A M Y / Q U E E N F I L M S LT D

â&#x20AC;&#x153;FREDDIE GOT TERRIBLE TREATMENT IN THE PRESS. NOW THAT HEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A SAINT, NO ONE DARES SAY ANYTHING.â&#x20AC;?

Rhapsodic: Rami Malek as the on-screen Freddie.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;And the winner isâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?: Brian May and Adam Lambert at the Oscars, LA, February 24, 2019; (right) Ben Hardy, Roger Taylor, Rami Malek, Brian May, Gwilym Lee and Joe Mazzello at the ďŹ lmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s London premiere.

PLANET ROCK

SHUTTERSTOCK, ALAMY

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and although the North American leg of the Rhapsody tour wrapped just one month ago, May, Taylor and Lambert are due back in the United States in one weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time, having accepted an invitation to headline New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2019 Global Citizen festival, an event aimed at generating support for preserving international aid to eradicate poverty worldwide.

7KH EDQGÂśV FXUUHQW VWDWXV LV VXFK WKDW PXOWLÄĽSODWLQXP 5 % VXSHUVWDUV Pharrell Williams and Alicia Keys are set to feature among their supportÄĽ LQJ FDVW LQ &HQWUDO 3DUN %XW IRU DOO WKH SODXGLWV WKURZQ WKHLU ZD\ LQ 2019, all three men are gracious enough to sound charmed and pleased when informed that their interviews today have been arranged to FHOHEUDWH WKHLU FRURQDWLRQ DV 3ODQHW 5RFNÂśV %DQG 2I 7KH <HDU Âł,VQÂśW WKDW ORYHO\"´ VD\V %ULDQ 0D\ Âł$QG DW RXU DJH 7KDQN \RX YHU\ much, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re honoured.â&#x20AC;? $VNHG WR UHFDOO KLV UHDFWLRQ WR ZDWFKLQJ D QHDUÄĽDVÄĽGDPPLWÄĽFRPSOHWH FXW RI %RKHPLDQ 5KDSVRG\ IRU WKH ÂżUVW WLPH WKH ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG JXLWDULVWÂśV answer comes instantly. Âł, EXUVW LQWR WHDUV ´ KH DGPLWV UHFDOOLQJ WKH SULYDWH IULHQGVÄĽDQGÄĽ family screening in London. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all did. It was quite overwhelming, HPRWLRQDOO\ GHYDVWDWLQJ HYHQ WUDXPDWLF DW WLPHV 7KH ÂżOP KDG EHHQ VR long in the making, and then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re watching these young actors tell our story, and our families are captivated and they know how much this means to usâ&#x20AC;Ś It was a remarkable feeling actually, very powerful.â&#x20AC;?

5RJHU 7D\ORU WRR ZLOO FRS WR JHW PLVW\ÄĽH\HG DW WKH VDPH VFUHHQLQJ $W WLPHV GXULQJ WKH ÂżOPÂśV SURGXFWLRQ WKH GUXPPHU VRXQGHG XWWHUO\ H[DVSHUDWHG E\ WKH SURWUDFWHG FUHDWLYH SURFHVV ÄŚ Âł, WKRXJKW WKH PXVLF business was slow, but this has been like swimming in treacle,â&#x20AC;? he told 3ODQHW 5RFNÂśV &RQWULEXWLQJ (GLWRU 0DUN %ODNH EDFN LQ ÄŚ DQG WRGD\ he recalls proceedings inching forward in increments, â&#x20AC;&#x153;two steps forÄĽ ZDUG DQG RQH VWHS EDFN 2IWHQ RQH VWHS IRUZDUGV DQG WZR VWHSV EDFN ´ â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the most part, though, I was fairly relaxed about it,â&#x20AC;? Taylor adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll either happen or it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, and it probably wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t DÉąHFW XV PXFK HLWKHU ZD\ , ZDV FRPSOHWHO\ ZURQJ WKHUH %XW LI LWÂśG KDGQÂśW GRQH WRR ZHOO , SUREDEO\ ZRXOGQÂśW KDYH PHQWLRQHG LW WRR PXFK â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I watched it, it grabbed me, but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily know if LW ZRXOG JUDE RWKHU SHRSOH %XW LWÂśV EHHQ VXFK D PDVVLYH KLW 7KH LGHD ZDV to involve people, and sweep them along, so they felt emotionally involved with Freddie, and also with the music: to touch them, maybe make them shed a tear, and then to uplift them. I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what it did, DQG LWÂśV ZKDW D ORW RI ÂżOPV IDLO WR GR ´ 1RW HYHU\RQH ZKR ZDWFKHG %RKHPLDQ 5KDSVRG\ KDG WKH VDPH UHDFÄĽ WLRQ 7KH *XDUGLDQÂśV WZRÄĽVWDU UHYLHZ RI WKH ÂżOP GLVPLVVHG LW DV ÂłURFN VORJ ZLWK D WURXEOLQJ PRUDOLVWLF VXEWH[W´ 7KH 7LPHV WRR JUDQWHG WKH ÂżOP just two stars, describing it, with impressive condescension, as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the story of the rock band Queen as imagined by a particularly uninterested toddlerâ&#x20AC;?. The Sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s review added one extra star, but cautioned: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you ZHUH H[SHFWLQJ VRPHWKLQJ PRUH WKDQ D URVHÄĽWLQWHG YHUVLRQ RI ZKDW T â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S L AT E S E P T E M B E R ,

79

could have been one of the most interesting and touching biopics RI DOO WLPH Ħ EHZDUH ´ $VNHG ZKHWKHU KH SDLG PXFK DWWHQWLRQ WR VXFK UHYLHZV 5RJHU 7D\ORU ODXJKV DORXG DQG VD\V ³2K QR %XW EDG UHYLHZV XVXDOO\ PHDQ WKDW LW¶V JRLQJ WR EH UHDOO\ VXFFHVVIXO , WKLQN SHRSOH NQRZ D ORW PRUH WKDQ ¿OP FULWLFV DQG WKH ZRUGĥRIĥPRXWK YLD VRFLDO PHGLD LV VR PXFK PRUH SRZHUIXO WKDQ D UHYLHZ IURP D JX\ ZKR SUREDEO\ ZDWFKHV PRYLHV D ZHHN DQG KDV SUREDEO\ ORVW WKH HVVHQFH RI WKH MR\ RI D PRYLH ´ ³7KHUH ZHUH VRPH GHFHQW UHYLHZV ´ KH SRLQWV RXW ³EXW WKHUH ZHUH PDQ\ WKDW ZHUH NLQGD VQHHULQJ DQG VXSHU¿FLDO , WKRXJKW <RX MXVW GRQ¶W JHW LW GR \RX" <RX ZHUHQ¶W PRYHG DQG ZKDWHYHU EXW IXFN \RX DFWXDOO\ )XFN \RX DOO WKH ZD\ WR WKH EDQN DFWXDOO\ ´ ³6RPH SHRSOH ZHUH SUHSDUHG WR MXGJH LW HYHQ EHIRUH WKH\¶G VHHQ LW ´ DGGV %ULDQ ³%XW 4XHHQ QHYHU KDG DQ\ HDV\ ULGH LQ WKH SUHVV SDUWLFXODUO\ )UHGGLH QR RQH JRW D KDUGHU WLPH WKDQ )UHGGLH 1RZ RI FRXUVH KH¶V D VDLQW DQG QDWLRQDO WUHDVXUH DQG QR RQH ZRXOG GDUH VD\ DQ\WKLQJ EXW IRU WKH ORQJHVW WLPH KH received terrible treatment from the media in WKLV FRXQWU\ ´ When it’s suggested to both men that certain sections of the UK media had WKHLU NQLYHV VKDUSHQHG IRU WKH ¿OP IURP GD\ RQH WKH\ UHDGLO\ DJUHH ³7KDW¶V FRPSOHWHO\ ULJKW ´ VD\V 7D\ORU ³7KHUH ZDV NLQG RI D PRRG RI« DQ H[SHFWDWLRQ RI GLVDVWHU :H¶UH D IXQQ\ ROG FRXQWU\ DUHQ¶W ZH" 7KH WURXEOH ZLWK XV LV ZH¶UH WRR IXFNLQJ SRSXODU DQG D ORW RI WKH PHGLD MXVW KDWH WKDW ´ As a resident of Los Angeles for the SDVW \HDUV $GDP /DPEHUW RɱHUV D slightly more sanguine take on the QHJDWLYH SXEOLFLW\ ZKLFK UDQ SDUDOOHO WR WKH PDNLQJ RI WKH ¿OP ³/LVWHQ ´ KH VD\V ³3HRSOH ZHUH WDONLQJ DERXW LW WKDW¶V DFWXDOO\ D JRRG WKLQJ ,I WKHUH¶V D EX]] EHIRUH D PRYLH KDV HYHQ VWDUWHG ¿OPĥ LQJ JRRG RU EDG \RX¶UH GRLQJ VRPHWKLQJ ULJKW ´

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80

PLANET ROCK

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“THE FILM GOT A LOT OF SUPERFICIAL, SNEERING REVIEWS. I THOUGHT, FUCK YOU ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK.”

Big hit: Roger Taylor at Queen + Adam Lambertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Madison Square Garden show, NYC, August 6, 2019.

season, and the behaviour of the media writers surrounding it, deeply disturbing.â&#x20AC;?

Today, the guitarist declines to expand further on those words, but suggests, as he did in his Instagram post, that controversial columnist Toby Youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commentary on the night on The Spectactor website, headlined â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bohemianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rhapsodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oscars win is a triumph over snobby ÂżOP FULWLFVÂś UDWKHU HQFDSVXODWHV KLV RZQ YLHZV â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funny, because immediately the reaction in Britain from some people was, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;How dare they consider Bohemian Rhapsody for Best Picture?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? he laughs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As if they know better than people who DFWXDOO\ ZRUN LQ ÂżOP´ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Something thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been very heartening, though,â&#x20AC;? he says, changing tack, â&#x20AC;&#x153;is that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had so many letters and emails from people who said that they went to see it with their son or their father and mother, and suddenly they were able to talk about things which they hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been able to talk about before, it terms of talking about what it means to be gay, and what it means to be a family. And that made me very happy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s people who would say that we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go far enough ZLWK WKH ÂżOP LQ DGGUHVVLQJ )UHGGLHÂśV VH[XDOLW\ DQG WKH\ KDYH EXW WKH IDFW WKDW ZH JRW VR PXFK DERXW )UHGGLHÂśV SHUVRQDO OLIH LQ WKHUH ZLWKRXW LW EHLQJ D ÂżOP WKDW FRXOGQÂśW JHW WR WKH JHQHUDO SXEOLF ZDV D big step really, and a lot of people have said that. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good piece of DUW DQG LW KDV LQWHJULW\ $QG RI FRXUVH VHHLQJ )UHGGLHÂśV VWRU\ WROG ZDV VR HPRWLRQDO 7R HYHU\RQH HOVH )UHGGLH LV MXVWLÂżDEO\ DQ LFRQ and a poster on the wall, but to us, he was our dear friend.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Queen is a big family at this point,â&#x20AC;? says Adam Lambert, ÂłDQG , WKLQN WKDW WKH VXFFHVV RI WKH ÂżOP H[FHHGHG HYHU\

expectation. As each wave of success has happened, Brian and Roger have been so excited and so proud, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been great to watch. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve EHHQ WKULOOHG WR EH ZRUNLQJ ZLWK WKHVH JX\V IURP WKH JHWÄĽJR DQG ,ÂśP incredibly grateful and incredibly humbled to continue with them.â&#x20AC;? )RU %ULDQ 0D\ KDV EHHQ D ÂłPDVVLYHO\ VSHFLDO´ \HDU Âł, GRQÂśW WKLQN ZH FRXOG KDYH ZLVKHG IRU DQ\WKLQJ PRUH VSHFWDFXODU ´ KH VD\V )RU his part, Roger Taylor admits to being â&#x20AC;&#x153;slightly bemusedâ&#x20AC;? by the pheÄĽ QRPHQDO VXFFHVV 4XHHQ KDYH HQMR\HG RYHU WKH SDVW PRQWKV DQG VD\V WKDW WKH ÂżOP ÂłFRPSOHWHO\ UHYLWDOLVHG RXU ZKROH EDQG´ ,Q D QHDW SRVWVFULSW WR WKH VWRU\ RQ 6HSWHPEHU 5DPL 0DOHN LQWURGXFHG the band ahead of their Global Citizen festival performance in New York, telling the crowd in Central Park, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This music gives us the resolve and strength to be our own authentic self.â&#x20AC;?

There remains only one question: when can we expect the sequel? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gotta say, from my point of view, that is not on the cards,â&#x20AC;? laughs Roger Taylor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done it once and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done it well, and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really see where it would go to be of global interest. So, no, not for me. A sequel would smack of opportunism.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very proud of my band, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been the biggest thing in my life, and in Brianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve realised that this is what we DUH DQG WKLV LV ZKDW ZH GR :HÂśUH UHDOO\ HQMR\LQJ LW ,WÂśV quite good being in Queen right now.â&#x20AC;?

Q U E E N + ADAM L AM B E R T bring their Rhapsody tour to Europe QH[W \HDU ZLWK Ă&#x20AC;YH VKRZV DW /RQGRQ¡V 2 $UHQD ÄŤ-XQH DQG ÄŹ DQG WZR VKRZV DW 0DQFKHVWHU $UHQD ÄŤ-XQH DQG ÄŹ $GDP /DPEHUW¡V QHZ (3 9HOYHW 6LGH $ LV RXW QRZ

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The royal family: Queen, Freddie Mercury's ďŹ&#x201A;at, 100 Holland Road, London W14, 1974.

Note: Brian May's model penguin.

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Rags to riches: Freddie Mercury, Nagoya Castle, Japan, April 22, 1975; (insets) Queen recording A Night At The Opera, Ridge Farm Studios, Rusper, Sussex, summer 1975.

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The management: Norman and Barry Sheffield, Trident Studios; (opposite) Queen, Hotel Pacific, Tokyo, March 21, 1976.

Heathrow airport. “I said, Hi, John, do you remember me? I was an HQJLQHHU IURP 7ULGHQW 6WXGLRV FDOOHG .HQ 6FRWW"´ ³<HV ´ 'HDFRQ UHSOLHG FXUWO\ ³DQG , KDYH DEVROXWHO\ QRWKLQJ WR GR ZLWK DQ\ RI WKDW DQ\PRUH ´ EHIRUH ZDONLQJ DZD\

When news of Queen’s dire manageĥ PHQW VLWXDWLRQ VSUHDG DUWĥURFNHUV 6SDUNV turned up on May’s doorstep. “They said, ‘It’s REYLRXV 4XHHQ DUH ZDVKHG XS ZH¶G OLNH WR RɱHU \RX D SRVLWLRQ LQ RXU EDQG ¶´ UHFDOOHG 0D\ ZKR SROLWHO\ GHFOLQHG 4XHHQ¶V EDVV SOD\HU -RKQ 'HDFRQ ZDV DOVR RXWĥ UDJHG ZKHQ WKH 6KHɷHOGV UHIXVHG KLV UHTXHVW IRU D ĸ GHSRVLW IRU D KRXVH EHIRUH PDUU\LQJ KLV JLUOIULHQG 9HURQLFD $W WKH ZHGGLQJ DOO KHDGV WXUQHG ZKHQ )UHGGLH 0HUFXU\ DUULYHG DW WKH FKXUFK LQ D VWUHWFK OLPR ZLWK D IHDWKHU ERD DURXQG KLV QHFN DQG D ZLOORZ\ JLUO RQ HDFK DUP )UHGGLH ZDV VNLQW EXW GHWHUPLQHG WR NHHS XS DSSHDUDQFHV +DYLQJ EHHQ IrWHG OLNH 7KH %HDWOHV LQ -DSDQ 4XHHQ¶V UHVHQWPHQW RQO\ HVFDODWHG IXUWKHU ZKHQ 0HUFXU\ UHFHLYHG DQ ,YRU 1RYHOOR DZDUG IRU .LOOHU 4XHHQ ³$QG \HW ZH ZHUH VWLOO OLYLQJ LQ EHGVLWV DQG HDUQLQJ ĸ D ZHHN ´ JUXPEOHG 7D\ORU 1RUPDQ 6KHɷHOG ĪZKR GLHG LQ ī PDLQWDLQHG 4XHHQ¶V ELJ SD\GD\ ZRXOG DUULYH LQ 2FWREHU ZKHQ YDVW UR\DOWLHV ZHUH GXH IURP (0, ³, NHSW WHOOĥ LQJ WKHP EXW WKH\ ZRXOGQ¶W OLVWHQ ´ KH FRPSODLQHG Long before then, relations between the band DQG 7ULGHQW EURNH GRZQ FRPSOHWHO\ 2Q WKHLU VSULQJ 86 WRXU 4XHHQ PHW ZLWK %ODFN 6DEEDWK¶V PDQDJHU 'RQ $UGHQ ĪIDWKHU RI 6KDURQ 2VERXUQHī $UGHQ ODWHU DSSURDFKHG 6KHɷHOG ZDYLQJ D FRQWUDFW VLJQHG E\ WKH EDQG ³, VDLG 'RQ SLVV Rɱ DQG ¿QG VRPHRQH HOVH¶V EDQG WR SOD\ ZLWK ´ FODLPHG 1RUPDQ %DFN LQ (QJODQG WKH JURXS GHFLGHG WKH\ GLGQ¶W ZDQW $UGHQ DQG DSSURDFKHG WKH 5ROOLQJ 6WRQHV¶ PDQDJHU 3HWHU 5XGJH FF¶V PDQDJHU +DUYH\ /LVEHUJ DQG /HG =HSSHĥ lin’s heavyweight handler, Peter Grant. Grant supposedly wanted to sign WKHP WR =HSSHOLQ¶V 6ZDQ 6RQJ ODEHO EXW 4XHHQ UHIXVHG 5HDOO\ WKH FKDOĥ OHQJH RI FDWHULQJ WR WKH ZKLPV RI ERWK -LPP\ 3DJH and )UHGGLH 0HUFXU\ ZRXOG KDYH EURNHQ HYHQ D PDQ RI *UDQW¶V VL]H ³, WROG WKHP /DGV , MXVW GRQ¶W KDYH WKH WLPH ´ KH VDLG ODWHU 0HDQZKLOH 4XHHQ¶V ODZ\HU -LP %HDFK RI ODZ ¿UP +DUERWWOH /HZLV VFRXUHG WKH EDQG¶V 7ULGHQW FRQWUDFWV ORRNLQJ IRU D ZD\ RXW /DWHU -LP μ0LDPL¶ %HDFK ĪSOD\HG E\ 7RP +ROODQGHU LQ %RKHPLDQ 5KDSVRG\ī ZRXOG EHFRPH 4XHHQ¶V PDQDJHU Ħ D SRVLWLRQ KH VWLOO KROGV WRGD\ %XW LQ $XJXVW KH KHOSed them sign with Elton John’s manager and boyĥ IULHQG DW WKH WLPH -RKQ 5HLG ,W ZDV D JRRG GHDO (VSHFLDOO\ IRU 7ULGHQW ZKR UHFHLYHG D ĸ SD\ĥRɱ DQG RQH SHU FHQW RI UR\DOWLHV RQ 4XHHQ¶V QH[W VL[ DOEXPV ³,W ZDV QR PRUH WKDQ ZH ZHUH HQWLWOHG WR ´ 6KHɷHOG WROG PH 2WKHUV GLVDJUHHG (QJLQHHU .HQ 6FRWW ZKR¶G ZRUNHG ZLWK %RZLH DQG (OWRQ -RKQ DW 7ULGHQW 6WXGLRV UDQ LQWR -RKQ 'HDFRQ \HDUV ODWHU DW 86

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A day at the races: Queen and WAGS at Kempton Park, September 23, 1976; (inset) Freddie Mercury with Mary Austin and John Reid.

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Scaramouche! Scaramouche!: Queen, Hammersmith Odeon, London, November 29, 1975.

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What happened next has passed into Queen folklore. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The original tape actually wore thin,â&#x20AC;? said May. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this legendary story, but every time the tape went through the heads, more of the oxide was ZRUQ RÉą <RX FRXOG KROG WKH WDSH XS WR WKH OLJKW DQG VHH WKURXJK LW ´ 4XHHQ OHIW 5RFNÂżHOG LQ 6HSWHPEHU A Night At The Opera was from complete, but a new group, MotĂśrhead, had booked the studio after them. Before leaving, Queen agreed on a title for the record. $IWHU D GD\ EOLJKWHG E\ IXULRXV DUJXPHQWV ÄŚ ÂłOLNH IRXU FRFNV ÂżJKWÄĽ LQJ ´ VDLG 0HUFXU\ ÄŚ 5R\ 7KRPDV %DNHU LQYLWHG WKHP WR KLV UHQWHG KRXVH QHDUE\ WR FDOP GRZQ %DNHU KDG D QHZÄĽIDQJOHG YLGHR SOD\HU DQG WKH group shared a few drinks and laughed along to the 1935 Marx Brothers comedy, A Night At The Opera. %DFN LQ /RQGRQ 4XHHQ %DNHU DQG KLV WUXVWHH HQJLQHHU 0LNH 6WRQH EHJDQ D PDUDWKRQ VSUHH RI RYHUGXEELQJ DW 6DUP (DVW DQG 6FRUSLR 6WXGLRV Âł)UHGGLH ZRXOG RQO\ OHDYH ZKHQ %ULDQ PRYHG LQ ´ UHFDOOHG assistant engineer, Gary Langan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The rest of the time heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be sat there, for hours, drumming his SDLQWHG ÂżQJHUQDLOV RQ WKH PL[LQJ GHVN LQ KLV EODFN satin trousers which were so tight he had to keep the WRS EXWWRQ XQGRQH ´ $V D ÂżQDO Ă&#x20AC;RXULVK )UHGGLHÂśV hairbrush had its own designated place on the desk in front of him.

It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until each section of Bohemian RhapsoÄĽ dy was spliced together that everyone realised the magnitude of what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d created. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a red letter GD\ ÄŚ P\ MDZ ZDV RQ P\ FKHVW ´ VDLG /DQJDQ %XW LW left others perplexed. ,Q WKH PRYLH (0, ELJZLJ 5D\ )RVWHU UHMHFWV Bohemian Rhapsody as Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next single, comÄĽ SODLQLQJ LWÂśV WRR ORQJ DQG WRR FRPSOLFDWHG )RVWHU LV D ÂżFWLRQDO FKDUDFWHU EXW LQ UHDO OLIH PDQ\ DW (0, DQG Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contemporaries shared his opinion. When -RKQ 5HLG SOD\HG WKH VRQJ WR (OWRQ -RKQ WKH VLQJHUÂśV reported response was, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you fucking mad?â&#x20AC;?

However, for a group, whom Mercury claimed, ÂłDUJXHG DERXW HYHU\WKLQJ ÄŚ HYHQ WKH DLU ZH EUHDWKH´ 4XHHQ SUHVHQWHG D XQLWHG IURQW WR (0, 7KHLU ODVW single, Now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Here, hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t made the Top 10. The next one had to make an impact and they insisted it had to be Bohemian Rhapsody.

(0, WROG WKHP WKH %%& ZRXOGQÂśW SOD\ D ÄĽ minute track and suggested an edit. Queen refused.

5R\ 7KRPDV %DNHU LQYLWHG &DSLWDO 5DGLR '- .HQQ\ (YHUHWW WR 6FRUSLR 6WXGLRV DV D RQHÄĽPDQ IRFXV JURXS (YHUHWW OLVWHQHG WROG WKHP LW ZDV D JXDUDQWHHG KLW DQG pleaded for a copy. The group agreed, on the KDOIÄĽKHDUWHG SURYLVR KH GLGQÂśW SOD\ LW RQ KLV ZHHNHQG radio show. /\LQJ LQ EHG RQ 6DWXUGD\ PRUQLQJ %ULDQ 0D\ thought he was dreaming when he heard Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new song blasting out of his neighbourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s radio. After WHDVLQJ OLVWHQHUV ZLWK VQLSSHWV (YHUHWW SOD\HG WKH ZKROH VRQJ WLPHV RYHU WKH FRXUVH RI WKH ZHHNHQG Listeners bombarded the station with calls, only to be told the single wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t out yet. :LWK WKHLU KDQG IRUFHG (0, UHOHDVHG %RKHPLDQ Rhapsody on October 31. Ten days later, it had reached Number 9. Realising they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perform the track live, the group approached director Bruce Gowers to shoot a promo for Top Of The Pops. Gowersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; now IDPRXV ÂżOP UHLQYHQWHG WKH SRS YLGHR DQG SUHVHUYHG Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youthful visages and feathercuts for posterity.

(0, 5HFRUGV UHOHDVHG A Night At The Opera on November 21, 1975.

Brian Mayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suggestion that â&#x20AC;&#x153;we wanted it to be our Sgt. Pepperâ&#x20AC;? proved no exaggeration. The LP was recorded in six studios and cost over ĸ WR PDNH SURPSWLQJ WKH XQIRXQGHG UXPRXU LW ZDV WKH PRVW expensive album ever made. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This record combines the outrageousness of Queen II and the good songs of Sheer Heart Attack,â&#x20AC;? Mercury declared. Âł7KH ÂżQHVW VRQJV HYHU ZULWWHQ ´ $PRQJ WKHP ZDV D EULHI UHQGLWLRQ RI the National Anthem. When it rang out during the albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s press playback at Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roundhouse studios, Mercury leapt to his feet, GHPDQGLQJ HYHU\RQH HOVH GR WKH VDPH Âł6WDQG XS \RX cunts!â&#x20AC;? he trilled. +RZHYHU ZKHQ 1RUPDQ 6KHɡHOG KHDUG WKH DOEXP KH ZDV GLVWLQFWO\ XQLPSUHVVHG ,WV RSHQLQJ WUDFN 'HDWK 2Q 7ZR /HJV ÄŞ'HGLFDWHG 7RÂŤÄŤ ZDV FOHDUO\ DLPHG DW 7ULGHQW DQG 0HUFXU\ÂśV VFDWKLQJ O\ULFV ÄŞÂł<RXÂśUH D VHZHU UDW GHFD\LQJ LQ D FHVVSRRO RI SULGH´ HWFÄŤ ZHUH SULQWHG RQ WKH /3ÂśV LQVLGH VOHHYH :LWK QHJRWLDWLRQV VWLOO RQJRLQJ EHWZHHQ WKH 6KHɡHOGV (0, DQG 4XHHQ 1RUPDQ VXHG IRU OLEHO LQVLVWLQJ KH should have been consulted about the lyrics. The matter was settled out of court in his favour.

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wa s dizzyÄĽ ingly eclectic. There was faux YDXGHYLOOH ÄŞ/D]LQJ 2Q $ 6XQGD\ $IWHUQRRQÄŤ URPDQWLF EDOODGV ÄŞ/RYH 2I 0\ /LIHÄŤ VFLļ¿ļLQVSLUHG SURJ ÄŞ7KH 3URSKÄĽ HWÂśV 6RQJÄŤ DQG -RKQ 'HDFRQÂśV ORYH OHWWHU WR 0UV 'HDÄĽ FRQ <RXÂśUH 0\ %HVW )ULHQG ZKLFK 7D\ORU GHFULHG DV â&#x20AC;&#x153;too poppyâ&#x20AC;? and on which Mercury refused to play HOHFWULF SLDQR Âł)UHGGLH WKRXJKW WKH HOHFWULF ZDV YDVWÄĽ ly inferior to the grand piano,â&#x20AC;? explained Roger.

'HDFRQ SOD\HG WKH RÉąHQGLQJ LQVWUXPHQW KLPVHOI By late November, Bohemian Rhapsody was at 1XPEHU LQ WKH 8. DQG KDG FUDFNHG WKH 86 7RS 7KH HUD RI GDPSÄĽULGGOHG EHGVLWV ZDV IRUPDOO\ RYHU ÄŚ though some of Queen made a lot more money than others. Roy Thomas Baker claimed Roger Taylor was so insistent his composition, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m In Love With My &DU EHFDPH WKH %ÄĽVLGH RI %RKHPLDQ 5KDSVRG\ WKDW KH WKUHZ D KLVV\ ÂżW XQWLO KLV EDQGPDWHV DFTXLHVFHG ,Q WKH ÂżOP 4XHHQ DUH VKRZQ PRFNLQJ 7D\ORUÂśV DXWRPRELOHÄĽLQVSLUHG VRQJ Âł:KHQ P\ KDQGÂśV RQ \RXU grease gun ´ VQHHUV *ZLO\P /HH DV %ULDQ TXRWLQJ WKH songâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lyrics. )DFW RU ÂżFWLRQ" (LWKHU ZD\ ,ÂśP ,Q /RYH :LWK 0\ &DU FDXVHG D ULIW Âł$ ORW RI LQMXVWLFHV WDNH SODFH RYHU VRQJZULWLQJ ´ 0D\ WROG PH Âł7KH PDMRU RQH LV %ÄĽVLGHV Bohemian Rhapsody sells a million copies and Roger JHWV WKH VDPH ZULWLQJ UR\DOWLHV DV )UHGGLH EHFDXVH KH GLG ,ÂśP ,Q /RYH :LWK 0\ &DU ´ 0D\ DQG KLV QRZÄĽZLIH &KULVVLH KDG WUDGHG XS IURP WKHLU (DUOV &RXUW KRYHO WR D VHPLÄĽGHWDFKHG LQ Barnes. But a newly monied Taylor invested in a ELJJHU SODFH LQ )XOKDP IROORZHG E\ D 6XUUH\ FRXQWU\ SLOH 6WLOO QRERG\ VSHQW FDVK OLNH )UHGGLH 0HUFXU\ After one spending spree, Gary Langan saw the singer VWUXJJOLQJ LQWR 6DUP 6WXGLRV ODGHQ ZLWK +DUURGV shopping bags while an aide trailed behind holding a SDLU RI UXLQRXVO\ H[SHQVLYH 7LÉąDQ\ ODPSV Âł'DUOLQJV ´ )UHGGLH VLJKHG FROODSVLQJ LQ D FKDLU Âł, FRXOGQÂśW VSHQG another penny more.â&#x20AC;?

A Night At The Opera EHFDPH 4XHHQÂśV ÂżUVW 8.

1XPEHU DOEXP ZKLOH WKHLU QH[W VLQJOH <RXÂśUH 0\ %HVW )ULHQG ZHQW 7RS LQ $PHULFD GHVSLWH N I G HT AT T H E O P E RA

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like a rock star since KLV SUHÄĽ4XHHQ GD\V HYHQ ZKHQ SHUIRUPLQJ WR people in a pub. But his starry persona grew H[SRQHQWLDOO\ ZLWK 4XHHQÂśV VDOHV 2Q WRXU KH VXUURXQGHG KLPVHOI ZLWK D FRWHULH RI DLGHV LQFOXGLQJ D PDVVHXU QDPHG 6WHYHQ DQG LQVLVWHG KLV SHUVRQDO DVVLVWDQW GHÄĽWKRUQ WKH URVHV KH WKUHZ LQWR WKH DXGLHQFH HYHU\ QLJKW $W DQ RXWVLGH IHVWLYDO LQ 6\GQH\ $XVWUDOLD 0HUFXU\ GHPDQGHG KLV FKDXÉąHXU GULYH KLP \DUGV VR KH GLGQÂśW KDYH WR UXE VKRXOGHUV ZLWK WKH DXGLHQFH %DFNVWDJH LQ D ÂżW RI pique, he smashed a hand mirror over his assistantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head, and then made the poor sod sweep up the broken glass. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I seem to have created a monster,â&#x20AC;?

0HUFXU\ DGPLWWHG Âł%HIRUH KH ZHQW RQÄĽVWDJH )UHGGLH KDG WR SLWFK KLPVHOI DJDLQVW DQ LPDJLQDU\ IRH WR JHW WKH DGUHQDOLQH JRLQJ ´ VXJJHVWHG RQH ROG IULHQG Âł6R he would become unbearable.â&#x20AC;? :LWK EDUHO\ WLPH WR XQSDFN DIWHU DQ $PHULFDQ WRXU 4XHHQ DUULYHG DW 2[IRUGVKLUHÂśV 0DQRU 6WXGLRV LQ VXPPHU WR PDNH DQRWKHU DOEXP 5R\ 7KRPDV Baker was absent as Queen wanted to produce, DVVLVWHG E\ *DU\ /DQJDQ DQG FUXFLDOO\ 0LNH 6WRQH Âł$OO WKRVH VWDFNHGÄĽXS YRFDOV RQ 4XHHQ DOEXPV ZHUH 0LNHÂśV ZRUN ´ GLYXOJHG /DQJDQ Âł5R\ %DNHU KDG D ZD\ RI PDNLQJ SHRSOH MXPS WKURXJK KRRSV EXW LW ZDV Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability as an engineer that made it work.â&#x20AC;?

6WRQH ÄŞZKR ODWHU SURGXFHG WKH JORVV\ OLNHV RI -RXUQH\ DQG $VLDÄŤ GLG VRPH RI KLV ÂżQHVW ZRUN RQ 4XHHQÂśV ÂżIWK DOEXP ,W ZDV PRUH VXPSWXRXV VRXQGÄĽ ing than even A Night At The Opera, especially MercuÄĽ ryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contributions. You Take My Breath $ZD\ UHÄĽLPDJLQHG WKH VLQJHU DV D RQHÄĽ man church choir, while The Millionaire Waltz, written by Freddie about John Reid, required Brian May spending weeks SDLQVWDNLQJO\ FUHDWLQJ DQ RUFKHVWUD RI guitar sounds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an incredible piece RI PXVLF ´ 7D\ORU WROG PH Âł3HRSOH GRQÂśW usually talk about that song, but I think LWÂśV RQH RI )UHGÂśV EHVW ´ 6WLOO DFFRPPRGDWLQJ IRXU KHDGVWURQJ musicians and writers was a challenge. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There were huge rows some days,â&#x20AC;?

DGPLWWHG /DQJDQ Âł)UHGGLH FRXOG WKURZ WKH ELJJHVW WDQWUXPV RI DOO ÄŚ SXUH UDJH ÄŚ but it was all about the music.â&#x20AC;?

'HVSLWH WKLV WHQVLRQ WKH IRXU FRPSOHPHQWHG HDFK RWKHU SHUIHFWO\ 4XHHQÂśV QH[W 1XPEHU KLW 0HUFXU\ÂśV JRVSHOÄĽĂ&#x20AC;DYRXUHG 6RPHERG\ 7R /RYH ZRXOGQÂśW KDYH VRXQGHG WKH VDPH ZLWKRXW 0D\ DQG 7D\ORUÂśV EHOWLQJ KDUPRQLHV 7KRXJK VKRZQ FURRQLQJ LQ WKH YLGHR -RKQ 'HDFRQÂśV VLQJLQJ voice was poor DQG KLV RQÄĽVWDJH PLFURSKRQH ZDV PRVWO\ WKHUH IRU

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appearanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sake. Similarly, Mayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swashbuckling rocker, Tie Your 0RWKHU 'RZQ ZDV ZULWWHQ VXEFRQVFLRXVO\ RU RWKHUZLVH IRU 0HUFXU\ÂśV YRLFH DQG WRQJXHÄĽLQÄĽFKHHN SHUVRQD Âł:H IRXJKW OLNH FDWV DQG GRJV ´ DGPLWWHG WKH JXLWDULVW ÂłEXW ZH VWLOO GUDJJHG WKH EHVW RXW RI HDFK RWKHU ´ Inevitably, there were some missteps. Brianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song, White Man, cast him as Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liberal conscience while everyone else was popping FKDPSDJQH FRUNV DQG VKRSSLQJ IRU 7LÉąDQ\ ODPSV EXW QRERG\ QHHGHG WR KHDU )UHGGLH 0HUFXU\ K\PQLQJ WKH SOLJKW RI WKH 1DWLYH $PHULFDQ SHRSOH &RQWLQXLQJ D WKHPH 4XHHQÂśV ÂżIWK ZDV FKULVWHQHG A Day At The Races DIWHU DQRWKHU 0DU[ %URWKHUV PRYLH 4XHHQ SUHPLHUHG <RX 7DNH 0\ %UHDWK $ZD\ DW D IUHH FRQFHUW LQ /RQGRQÂśV +\GH 3DUN RQ 6HSWHPEHU 4XHHQ SOD\LQJ IRU IUHH ZDV XQKHDUG RI EXW WKH IHVWLYDO FRPPHPRUDWHG WKH VL[WK DQQLYHUVDU\ RI 0HUFXU\ÂśV KHUR -LPL +HQGUL[ÂśV GHDWK 2QÄĽVWDJH 4XHHQ IXOÂżOOHG WKHLU SHUVRQDO PDQWUD RI Âł%OLQG ÂśHP DQG OHDYH ÂśHP ZDQWLQJ PRUH´ ZLWK 0HUFXU\ SUHVLGLQJ RYHU LW DOO OLNH D FLUFXV ULQJPDVWHU LQ D UXÉšHG VDWLQ tunic and ballet slippers. But Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set was cut short when they broke D SROLFH FXUIHZ E\ PLQXWHV 0HUFXU\ ZDV WKUHDWHQHG ZLWK DUUHVW LI KH ZHQW EDFN RQÄĽVWDJH )XULRXV DW EHLQJ GHQLHG DQ HQFRUH KH EDFNHG GRZQ DV WKH SURVSHFW RI D QLJKW LQ MDLO ÄŚ ZHDULQJ WLJKWV ÄŚ GLGQÂśW DSSHDO A Day At The Races ZDV UHOHDVHG LQ 'HFHPEHU ODXQFKHG ZLWK D ODYLVK ERR]\ VRLUHH DW .HPSÄĽ ton Park race track. Besides their complementary WLWOHV WKH /3 FDPH ZLWK WKH VDPH RUQDWH FUHVW ORJR and typography as A Night At The Opera. Asked his opinion, a waspish Roy Thomas Baker said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I WKRXJKW LW UHHNHG RI VHTXHO ´ Âł, ZLVK LQ VRPH ZD\V ZH had put A Night At The Opera and A Day At The Races out at the same time,â&#x20AC;? admitted May. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The material IRU ERWK ZDV ZULWWHQ DW WKH VDPH WLPH 6R , UHJDUG the albums as completely parallel.â&#x20AC;?

5HJDUGOHVV RI DQ\ PLVJLYLQJV WKH DOEXP ]RRPHG WR 1XPEHU LQ WKH 8. DQG 1XPEHU LQ $PHULFD 7KH WKHQ ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG *URXFKR 0DU[ VHQW WKH EDQG a congratulatory telegram. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know that you are very VXFFHVVIXO UHFRUGLQJ DUWLVWV ´ LW UHDG Âł&RXOG LW E\ DQ\ FKDQFH EH \RXU VDJH FKRLFH RI DOEXP WLWOHV"´ Both records then and now embody Queen in their most imperial and imperious phase. Early on in their career, Freddie Mercury jokingly told a reporter 4XHHQ ZHUH ÂłPRUH /L]D 0LQQHOOL WKDQ /HG =HSSHÄĽ OLQ ´ +LV VRQJZULWLQJ DQG SHUIRUPDQFH RQ A Night At The Opera and A Day At The Races suggested as much, DOEHLW ZLWK D VRXSFRQ RI 7KH %HDWOHV 7KH :KR &KRSLQ 0R]DUW *LOEHUW 6XOOLYDQ and 1RHO &RZDUG +HUH PRUH WKDQ RQ DQ\ RWKHU DOEXP \RX FDQ KHDU ZK\ QHDUO\ \HDUV ODWHU 4XHHQÂśV OHJDF\ ZRXOG EH FHOHEUDWHG LQ LWV RZQ MXNHER[ PXVLFDO $V WKH PHPRU\ RI FRGÄĽLQÄĽDÄĽEDJ DQG FRPPXQDO EDWKURRPV UHFHGHG LQ OLIHÂśV UHDUÄĽYLHZ PLUURU 4XHHQ URVH WR HYHQ JLGGLHU heights: bigger sales, bigger venues, bigger royaltiesâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;&#x153;We always ZDQWHG WR EH WKH ELJJHVW EDQG LQ WKH ZRUOG QRW WKH IRXUWK ZKDWÂśV WKH SRLQW"´ VDLG 5RJHU 7D\ORU Âł%HLQJ WKH ELJJHVW ZDV DOZD\V WKH REMHFW RI WKH H[HUFLVH ´ 2Q A Night At The Opera and A Day At The Races WKH\ IXOÂżOOHG WKHLU GUHDPV ÄŚ DQG PRUH 6WDUV LQ WKHLU RZQ PRYLH ORQJ EHIRUH WKH ÂżOP RI WKHLU OLYHV ZDV made, Queen would never look back. will bring their Rhapsody tour to (XURSH IURP 0D\ WKURXJK WR -XO\ 7KHLU Ă&#x20AC;YHÄŚQLJKW UHVLGHQF\ DW Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s O2 Arena begins on June 2.

Q U E E N + ADAM L AM B E R T

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Mercury complaining about its â&#x20AC;&#x153;horrible Wurlitzerâ&#x20AC;?. To quote Mick Rock, though, Queen still â&#x20AC;&#x153;wanted the world no later than teatime Fridayâ&#x20AC;?. And that meant they had to keep working. Personal relationÄĽ VKLSV ZHUH VRUHO\ WHVWHG E\ WKH EDQGÂśV FHDVHOHVV PHUU\ÄĽJRÄĽURXQG RI touring, recording and promotion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It did become harder and harder to NHHS \RXU IHHW RQ WKH JURXQG ´ VDLG 0D\ 6XSHUVWDUGRP DOVR PDUNHG D PDMRU FKDQJH LQ 0HUFXU\ÂśV SULYDWH OLIH %\ WKH HQG RI KHÂśG FRPH RXW DV KRPRVH[XDO WR 0DU\ $XVWLQ DQG EHJXQ D UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG UHFRUG H[HFXWLYH 'DYLG 0LQQV 7KHLU DÉąDLU LQVSLUHG WKH VRQJ *RRG 2OGÄĽ)DVKLRQHG /RYHU %R\ RQ 4XHHQÂśV QH[W DOEXP

Spread your wings: Brian May, Hyde Park, London, September 18, 1976.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Albums

Australian rockers return with more of the same. Thankfullyâ&#x20AC;Ś

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BY IAN WI NWO O D made up the second half of that last couplet. But O N E O F the more enjoyable aspects of the you get the point.

Britpop years was AC/DCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to one of There is, of course, something deeply its most famous episodes. As Oasis and Blur did admirable about Airbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s allegiance to the battle for the UK Number 1 spot with the songs enduring ideals of rock music. As expressed on Roll With It and Country House, respectively, Boneshaker the swaggering Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roll For Life, theirs is a Brian Johnson was asked by the New Musical SPINEFARM faith that is as fundamental as it is unshakeable.

Express for his thoughts on the matter. The And what of it? In a world where people are getÄĽ Geordie singer replied that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never heard ting up in each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grills in the pursuit of the either band, but wondered aloud if the question mythical sunny uplands of Brexit, or a caliphate had something to do with a recent item heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen in Syria, or the right to own a gun that can pierce on the news.

D KROH WKURXJK WKH VLGH RI D PRXQWDLQ WKH EHOLHI WKDW ÄŚ JRRGQHVV $LUERXUQH ÄŚ D EDQG VR XQUHFRQVWUXFWHG WKDW WKH\ FDQÂśW HYHQ VSHOO JUDFLRXV JUHDW EDOOV RI ÂżUH ÄŚ URFNÂśQÂśUROO DLQÂśW QRLVH SROOXWLRQ VHHPV OLNH WKHLU RZQ QDPH ULJKW ÄŚ REYLRXVO\ KDYH D IHZ HOHPHQWV LQ FRPPRQ ZLWK a sound and healthy thing on which focus.

AC/DC. Little things such as their sound, their lyrics, their arrangeÄĽ Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only a shame that Airbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talent is so overwhelmingly ments, and their look. But a comparison could be made with Oasis, HFOLSVHG E\ WKHLU REYLRXV FRQYLFWLRQ $V KHDUG RQ WKH SURSXOVLYH VKRXWÄĽ too, or at least with Liam Gallagher, the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former lead singer. In DÄĽORQJÄĽDÄĽGLQJÄĽGRQJ RI %ORRG ,Q 7KH :DWHU RU WKH KDQGVÄĽRQÄĽKLS ERRJLH an interview with The Guardian published last year, Gallagher spoke of RI 6KH *LYHV 0H +HOO ÄŚ LQ WUXWK DQ\ RI %RQHVKDNHUÂśV VRQJV ZRXOG KLV ORYH RI ÂłIXFNLQJ PHDWÄĽDQGÄĽYHJ URFNÂśQÂśUROO´ DQG ÂłVWLFNLQJ WR KLV JXQV´ VHUYH RXU SXUSRVH ÄŚ WKHLUV LV WKH VRXQG RI WKH EHVW SDUW\ LQ WRZQ KHOG LQ Âł,ÂśP QRW KHUH WR IXFNLQJ FKDQJH ÄŹPXVLFÄ­ ´ KH VDLG Âł,ÂśP KHUH WR JLYH a house that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always up to code. In other words, Boneshaker is an people what they want and if thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boring, so be it. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much album that captures the vibe of Powerage while achieving only the qualÄĽ change in the world, and especially in the music business. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ity of Fly On The Wall. nice to know that you can rely on me. I like certain things to stay the Is this enough? In a way, actually yes, it is. Airbourne are a real IXFNLQJ VDPH ´ URFNÂśQÂśUROO EDQG ÄŚ VR UHDO LQ IDFW WKDW ZHUH \RX These same words could well have spoken by either Joel or Ryan to ask them nicely theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d probably play at your 2Âś.HHÉąH WKH WZR EURWKHUV ZKR IRUPHG $LUERXUQH LQ :DUUQDPERRO birthday party, or your wedding, for the price of Victoria, in 2003 as a means of rocking as hard as is humanly possible a bottle of vodka and a family bucket of takeÄĽ while avoiding the calamity of getting A Proper Job. Boneshaker, the out chicken. In other words, they are not a EDQGÂśV ÂżIWK VWXGLR DOEXP FRQWLQXHV WKHLU RQJRLQJ MRXUQH\ IURP 3RLQW brand. AC/DC, on the other hand, have been a $ WR 3RLQW $ ÄŚ RQ D URXWH WKDW WDNHV WKHP YLD 3RLQW $ ÄŚ LQ D PDQQHU WKDW brand for years, so much so that three summers will surprise no one. If nothing else, the Australians can count themÄĽ EDFN WKH\ ZHUH DEOH WR ÂżOO VWDGLXPV WKH ZRUOG selves lucky that the album is a love letter to AC/DC rather than the RYHU ZLWK D OLQHÄĽXS FRQVLVWLQJ RI $QJXV more litigious Kiss. If it were to take its cues from Creatures Of The <RXQJ &OLÉą :LOOLDPV DQG D FRPSOLPHQW RI Night to the extent that it does from Flick Of The Switch -RHO 2Âś .HHÉąH capable surrogates. would be crushed to death by an avalanche of Cease & Desist letters.

TRACKS Sixteen years into the game, Airbourne are Airbourne would probably prefer that their latest release be Boneshaker exactly the same kind of group that AC/DC compared to Powerage, Malcolm and Angus Youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s masterpiece of Burnout The Nitro were when they played at the Red Cow in HFRQRP\ DQG H[HFXWLRQ IURP %XW ZKLOH RQ 6H[ 7R *R ÄŚ WKDW LV This Is Our City +DPPHUVPLWK LQ ÄŚ DQG FUXFLDOO\ WKH\ DFWXDOO\ ZKDW LWÂśV FDOOHG ÄŚ -RHO 2Âś .HHÉąH GHOLYHUV D SDVVDEOH LPSUHVVLRQ Sex To Go always will be. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not as good, but they are of Bon Scott, his patter is more Sink The Pink than Up To My Neck In Backseat Boogie as real. They are precisely the band they want You. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gotta get a little bit of meat on the bun/Supersize, cheese and Blood In The Water to be, and are exactly the same as the audience IULHV DOO , UHDOO\ ZDQW LV \RXU DSSOH SLH ´ KH VLQJV RQ D O\ULF WKDW PD\ RU She Gives Me Hell for whom they play. may not have been written by Sir Les Patterson.

Switchblade Angel And how many other bands can say that?

On Backstreet Boogie, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at again, Weapon Of War this time in a car. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Roll the windows up, get I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y D E FA M E B E ST TRACKS: Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roll For Life, Burnout The the rock rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;Ś donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bother knockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; if Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roll For Life Nitro, This Is Our City Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got my coFN LQ ´ $OULJKW \RX ZLQ ZH

AIRBOURNE +++

PLANET ROCK

99

The green party: Hawkwind, with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Captainâ&#x20AC;? Dave Brock (far left).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

The album bursts forth with canines ďŹ&#x201A;ashing...

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over the decades of highs, tumult and bracing weirdÄĽ QHVV :KLOH WKH HDUO\ Âś V VDZ WKHP HQMR\ VXFK WULXPSKV DV WKH 1XPEHU KLW 6LOYHU 0DFKLQH and the seismic live album and tour Space Ritual WKH\ AS THE undisputed lords of space rock, Hawkwind ZHUH GHVWLQHG QRW WR HPXODWH WKHLU RQFHÄĽSHHUV 3LQN All Aboard The Skylark/ KDYH ORQJ SXW Ă&#x20AC;\LQJ VDXFHUV DQG URFNHW VKLSV RQ WKHLU )OR\G ,QVWHDG WKHUH ZDV WKH ORVV RI VXFK NH\ PHPÄĽ Acoustic Daze DOEXP FRYHUV /DVW \HDUÂśV The Road To Utopia boasted EHUV DV EDVVLVW /HPP\ VD[ YLEHVPDQ 1LN 7XUQHU DQG CHERRY RED D FDUWRRQ VLOYHU PDFKLQH VXSSRVHGO\ SLORWHG E\ ODWH WKH DIRUHPHQWLRQHG &DOYHUW DQG D JUDGXDO GULIW LQWR +DZNÄĽSRHW 5REHUW &DOYHUW DQG ÂśV Take Me To Your adored cultdom. Having captained the ship throughÄĽ Leader SLFWXUHG D FRVPLF PRPHQW RI H[WUDÄĽWHUUHVWULDO RXW 'DYH %URFNÂśV IRUFH RI ZLOO KDV HQVXUHG D SUROLÂżF FRQWDFW :D\ EDFN LQ Âś The Hall Of The Mountain ORQJHYLW\ ÄŚ %X]] $OGULQ :LOOLDP 6KDWQHU DQG 'DPH Grill GHSLFWHG D FUDVKHG VSDFHVKLS JURRYLO\ ODQJXLVKÄĽ 9HUD /\QQ DUH D IHZ RI WKH IHOORZ DVWUDO DGYHQWXUHUV ing in an alien lagoon.

KHÂśV HQFRXQWHUHG DORQJ WKH ZD\ ÄŚ DQG LQ 1RYHPEHU )LIW\ \HDUV VLQFH JXLWDULVW YRLFH DQG VROH FRQVWDQW 'DYH %URFN WKH JURXS SOD\ WKH 5R\DO $OEHUW +DOO 6R ZKDW LI WKH\ÂśYH JRW VRPH PRVV SUHVVHG Îź*RÂś RQ +DZNZLQGÂśV PLVVLRQ WR EROGO\ JR ZKHUH QR IUHDN KDG growing on them?

JRQH EHIRUH WKH LPDJH HPEOD]RQHG RQ WKHLU QG ORQJÄĽSOD\HU All ,Q IDFW DV LW H[DPLQHV WKHPHV DOVR H[SORUHG RQ ÂśV ( 0 Aboard The Skylark DOVR IRUHJURXQGV D IDOOHQ VWDUFUXLVHU 7KLV WLPH LWÂśV D )RUVWHUÄĽLQVSLUHG G\VWRSLD The Machine Stops DQG ÂśV TXDVLÄĽP\VWLF Into ORQJÄĽDEDQGRQHG ZUHFN VLQNLQJ LQWR D PRRUODQG ODQGVFDSH ZLWK JUDVV The Woods, All Aboard The Skylark reveals itself to be among HawkÄĽ growing out of it; not, perhaps, the most auspicious image for a group ZLQGÂśV PRVW FRQFHSWXDOO\ GUDPDWLF DQG VDWLVI\LQJ ZRUNV $GGUHVVLQJ embarking on its sixth decade.

WKH WHQVLRQ EHWZHHQ SODQHWDU\ VXVWDLQDELOLW\ DQG KXPDQ FDSULFH LW <HW LWÂśV DOVR DSW ,WÂśV ZRUWK UHPHPEHULQJ MXVW KRZ PXFK WKLV YHWHUDQ SRUWUD\V QRWKLQJ OHVV WKDQ WKH SURVSHFW RI XOWLPDWH H[WLQFWLRQ +DSSLO\ YHKLFOH RI WKH :HVW /RQGRQ SV\FKHGHOLF XQGHUJURXQG KDV ZHDWKHUHG there are also the trusted Hawkwind staples of driving guitars, Indomitable psych-rockersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; two new albums deliver noise and reflection and should help ensure their immortality.

100 P L A N E T R O C K

BY I A N H A R R I S O N

HAWKWIND ++++

Albums rhythmic vigour and mightily whooshing electronics, and the fact it bursts forth with FDQLQHV Ă&#x20AC;DVKLQJ &RQWUDVW Into The Woodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; jovial culinary Vegan Lunch with this albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PDFDEUHÄĽFRPLF RSHQHU )OHVK )RQGXH IRU H[DPSOH $ VODVKLQJ EXUQLQJ URFNHUÄĽZLWKÄĽ V\QWKV LW ÂżQGV %URFN VLQJLQJ RI LQWHUVWHOODU travellers alighting on Planet Earth and, quite reasonably for them, eating its human inhabiÄĽ TRACKS WDQWV ÄŞKRZ GR \RX OLNH WKDW FDUQLYRUHV"ÄŤ Flesh Fondue Picking deeper threads from the past, Last Nets Of Space Man On Earth revisits the sleeping spacefarer Last Man On Earth theme explored on Space Ritual. Melodious, We Are Not Deadâ&#x20AC;Ś SODLQWLYH V\QWKÄĽIRON LW ÂżQGV D VROLWDU\ FRVPRÄĽ Only Sleeping naut awoken from a millennium of suspended All Aboard The Skylark animation to discover all human life has perÄĽ 65 Million Years Ago ished, though the natural world is preserved.

In The Beginning 7KLV DQG %URFNÂśV 0LOOLRQ <HDUV $JR ÄŞDERXW The Road Toâ&#x20AC;Ś WKH DVWHURLG WKDW ZLSHG RXW WKH GLQRVDXUVÄŤ DUH The Fantasy Of Faldum acute in these days of ecological dread.

Plus nine more Intriguingly, the album addresses these fears on Acoustic Daze with reference to a 1916 fairy tale by German author Hermann Hesse, whose Steppenwolf was the subject of a track on 1976â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music. The )DQWDV\ 2I )DOGXP LV DXWXPQDO IRON ZLWK FKLUUXSLQJ HOHFWURQLFV WKDW baldly observes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everything passes away in time, everything grows oldâ&#x20AC;?, with unsettling frankness. The message of the story, where an artist is JUDQWHG KLV ZLVK WR EHFRPH D PRXQWDLQ DQG LV ÂżQDOO\ IUHHG RI KXPDQ desires when he collapses into the sea, is one of positive resignation to eternity. How reassuring this may be is debatable, but as a closing stateÄĽ PHQW DW WKLV VWDJH RI WKH JDPH LW IHHOV VLJQLÂżFDQW $GGLWLRQDO UHVSLWH FRPHV YLD LQVWUXPHQWDOV VXFK DV WKH PRWRULN WLWOH WUDFN DQG RWKHU KHDGÄĽ VRXQGWUDFNV ZKHUH VSDFHÄĽMD]] DQG 9DQJHOLVÄĽOLNH HOHFWURQLF ZDVKHV PHHW The album is twinned with Acoustic Daze D FROOHFWLRQ RI VWULSSHGÄĽ back versions of songs including picks from 1978â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hawklords album and Brockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prophetic We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago from 1971â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s In Search Of Space. Hawkfans will enjoy, though the largely shared trackÄĽ listing with The Road To Utopia is perplexing, and you wonder whether PRUH VRQJV FRXOG KDYH GRQH ZLWK WKH VXSHUÄĽGLUHFW DSSURDFK KHDUG RQ the live version of Brockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s old busking song Get Yourself Together.

The Captain will carry on doing things his way, of course. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I still have these wonderful ideas,â&#x20AC;? he told this writer in July. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like, OK HYHU\ERG\ ZHÂśYH JRW WKH Ă&#x20AC;DJ XS OHWÂśV IXFNLQJ JR RYHU WKH WRS , DOZD\V like going forward.â&#x20AC;? Still in search of space after all these years, All Aboard The Skylark does exactly that.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Insistent hooks and coruscating guitarsâ&#x20AC;Ś

BY ST E V E B E E B E E

â&#x20AC;?

WAYWARD SONS The Truth Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t What It Used To Be

Ex-Little Angels frontmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new band get serious on spirited second album.

THEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MUCH to admire about Wayward Sons singer FRONTIERS Toby Jepson. Having sold millions of albums with Little Angels, including 1993â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UK Number 1, Jam KH VXÉąHUHG the indignity of a failed solo career. Rather than retreating into nostalgia, he turned to production before slowly easing his way back into performance. Given his studio skills, it was no surprise Wayward Sonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; debut, Ghosts Of Yet To Come, was so enjoyable.

On album number two, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obvious the collective has stepped things up. These 13 compositions are typically assured, but what seals WKH GHDO LV LWV VXEMHFW PDWWHU 7KH WKHPHV ÄŚ GRXEW F\QLFLVP DQG IHHOLQJ FKDOOHQJHG LQ FRQIXVLQJ SROLWLFDO WLPHV ÄŚ PDNHV The Truth Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t What It Used To Be DQ DOEXP IRU WRGD\ GHVSLWH ZDYLQJ LWV FODVVLF URFN LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFÄĽ HV ÄŚ 7KLQ /L]]\ WR (OYLV &RVWHOOR ÄŚ IURP HYHU\ Ă&#x20AC;DJSROH â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not so sure if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an onion or an apple I peeled,â&#x20AC;? laments -HSVRQ RQ WKH WLWOH WUDFN SHUKDSV DOOHJRULVLQJ %UH[LWÄĽDJH XQFHUWDLQW\ Its hook is insistent, as are many here, including Have It Your Own Way, with its coruscating slashes of guitar.

Jokeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On You is almost lairy, like Reef on a ciÄĽ GHU EHQGHU Ă&#x20AC;XWWHULQJ SLDQR NHHSV /RQJ /LQH Of Pretenders partying hard; while the closing 7RWDOO\ 6FUHZHG ÄŞWHFKQLFDOO\ D ÎźKLGGHQÂś WUDFNÄŤ LV almost punk in its execution.

0RUH GLYHUVH DQG WKRXJKWÄĽSURYRNLQJ WKDQ their debut, this second album might require

++++

TRACKS Any Other Way Black As Sin Jokeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On You Little While Lies Feel Good Hit Fade Away Have It Your Own Way Long Line Of Pretenders (If Only) God Was Real The Truth Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t What It Used To Be Punchline Us Against The World Totally Screwed

Angelic upstarts: Wayward Sons.

P L A N E T R O C K 101

Albums

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

They havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sounded this feisty in an age...

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promising it a night itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never forget, is, in fact, a FDSLWDO RÉąHQFH <HV WKH\ DUH LQ SDUW WDNLQJ WKH SLVV DV HYHU %XW in urine veritas: rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll that sucks deserves to die.

Has Justin Hawkins been imprisoned by his own AND ON the third day, the members of The Easter Is Cancelled decree, however? Negative. In fact, on said opening Darkness did sit in front of the television together.

COOKING VINYL track, The Darkness have rarely put Queen so deeply And they beheld a music video, so terrible in its LQ WKH VKDGH ,W LV D VWRQNLQJ ERPEDVWLF VSDUNVÄĽRQÄĽ content and contrivance that there fell a great WKHÄĽIUHWERDUG ZRUN RI URFN WKDWÂśV DV KRWÄĽEORRGHG DQG distaste upon the room. It was thus spoken by Dan 9LDJUDÄĽFKDUJHG DV LW LV WKHDWULFDO Hawkins in response to this egregious display: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rock 6LPLODUO\ OLNH *HW <RXU +DQGV 2Éą 0\ :RPDQ And Roll Deserves To Dieâ&#x20AC;?. And lo! The Darkness the angry, stomping Choke On It is a punky tantrum, did gain themselves an opening track and a mission DQG +RZ &DQ , /RVH <RXU /RYH LV &KHDS 7ULFNÄĽYLDÄĽ/RZHVWRIW PHORGLF statement for their sixth album.

ULÉą\ H[FHOOHQFH (OVHZKHUH 7KH 'DUNQHVV DUH DOO DERXW WKH HQRUPRXV It takes a comical amount of balls to declare such a thing when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s /OR\G :HEEHUÄĽLVK PHORGLHV VXFK DV RQ ,Q $QRWKHU /LIH WKH ULGLFXORXVÄĽ WKH YHU\ SOD\LQJ ÂżHOG RQ ZKLFK \RXU EDQG SHUIRUP %XW GR 7KH O\ WLWOHG :H $UH 7KH *XLWDU 0HQ DQG HYHQÄĽPRUHÄĽULGLFXORXVO\ÄĽWLWOHG Darkness have a point? Yes, they do. Partly because the greatest thing Deck Chair.

DERXW URFNÂśQÂśUROO LQ DOO LWV VWUXWWLQJ GLVJXVWLQJ EDOOVÄĽRXW GUXJVÄĽLQ 7KH\ DOVR Ă&#x20AC;H[ WKHLU QHDUÄĽSURJ PXVFOHV DV ZHOO ,Q EHWZHHQ KRWÄĽ 277 OLIHÄĽDɡUPLQJ JORU\ KDV DOZD\V EHHQ WKDW LW ZDV VDLOLQJ FORVH SLFNLQJ ULÉąV WKH WLWOH WUDFN KDV D PRPHQW RI GDQFLQJ ZLWK D Âś V V\QWK enough to the wind that it could and should capsize at any moment.

ZKLOH +HDY\ 0HWDO /RYHU ÄŚ D VRQJ DERXW QDWXUDOO\ D GHDWK PHWDO %XW DOVR EHFDXVH IURP WKH YDQWDJH SRLQW RI 7KH 'DUNQHVV QRW ZKROHÄĽ IDQDWLF ÄŚ Ă&#x20AC;LWV EHWZHHQ UDJLQJ PHWDOOLF ULÉąV DQG JHQWOH VWUXPV %XW heartedly sidling up to everything that makes rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll amazing, and crucially, wherever they go, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with Sid Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; knowing wink and WKH FRQÂżGHQFH RI 'RQDOG 7UXPS KLWWLQJ ÎźVHQGÂś RQ D WZHHW Is this not what The Darkness always do?

Scrubbing up :HOO \HV EXW WKH\ KDYHQÂśW VRXQGHG WKLV IHLVW\ nicely: The DQG VSULQJÄĽORDGHG LQ DQ DJH %HKLQG DOO WKH Darkness.

KRUVLQJ DURXQG ÄŚ DQG WKHUHÂśV HQRXJK RI WKDW WR power the Grand National from now until the 4XHHQ SRSV KHU FORJV ÄŚ WKHVH DUH VRQJV FUDIWHG to an end thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OTT, but skilfully so.

It takes a tremendous amount of talent and ZLW WR SXOO RÉą URFNÂśQÂśUROO VR JOHHIXOO\ ODUJHUÄĽ WKDQÄĽOLIH 7KH EDQG DUH IXOO\ LQ WKH ]RQH KHUH PRUH VR WKDW RQ ÂśV Pinewood Smile.

TRACKS Often, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a delightful camp panache at ZRUN +HDUW ([SORGHV ÂżQGV WKH VLQJHU Âł6WDQGÄĽ Rock And Roll Deserves To Die ing in the weather/And I can't open the door/ How Can I Lose Then suddenly it hits me/This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t my house Your Love DQ\ PRUH´ 0HDQZKLOH RQ WKH WLWOH WUDFN ZKLFK Live â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Til I Die nods towards Thin Lizzy, he opens with the Heart Explodes declaration that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I die in vainâ&#x20AC;?, before taking Deck Chair a dim view of the future. The miserable git.

Easter Is Cancelled As proud upholders of all that makes Heavy Metal Lover rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll what it is, The Darkness have always In Another Life ZDONHG D QREOH SDWK %XW KHUH WKH IRRWSULQWV Choke On It they smash into the ground beneath them are We Are The Guitar Men ELJJHU PRUH GHÂżQHG DQG GRQH ZLWK PRUH JOHHÄĽ Laylow IXO IRUFH WKDQ LQ D ORQJ WLPH $QG LI WKH (DVWHU Different Eyes %XQQ\ GRHVQÂśW OLNH LW KH FDQ GR RQH Sixth studio album from thrusting Lowestoft rock nabobs restates their original dynamism.

BY N I C K R U S K E LL

THE DARKNESS ++++

ConďŹ rmation Bias B E ST TRACKS: Rock And Roll Deserves To Die, Easter Is Cancelled, Choke On It

102 P L A N E T R O C K

Sutton Hoo

Hats off: The multi-talented PC.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

&DUHOHVV :KLVSHU DQG 6NLQGUHGÂśV %HQML :HEEH GHOLYHULQJ D OLIHWLPHÄĽEHVW SHUIRUPDQFH ÄŚ VWLOO FRPHV DV D ZHOFRPH MROW /HIW )RU 'HDG IHDWXULQJ D powerhouse vocal from former Skin frontman Nev MacDonald and bass courtesy of Level 42â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mark King, may be a more traditional rock power ballad, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another curveball for those anticipating greasy, GHQLPÂśQÂśOHDWKHU ULÉąHUDPD 6R WRR LV WKH DOEXPÂśV HYRFDWLYH HPRWLRQDO FORVLQJ LQVWUXPHQWDO 7HDUV )URP $ *ODVV (\H RQ ZKLFK &DPSEHOO WUDGHV shimmering guitar melodies with Joe Satriani. )HDU QRW Âś+HDGEDQJHUV WKHUH DUH ULÉąV DÄĽSOHQW\ KHUH DOVR 6WUDLJKW 8S ERDVWLQJ D 5RE +DOIRUG FDPHR LV WKH DOEXPÂśV PRVW KDUGÄĽKLWWLQJ URFNHU ZKLOH )DLWK ,Q )LUH ÄŞZLWK 2UDQJH *REOLQÂśV %HQ :DUG RQ YRFDOVÄŤ 6ZLQJ ,W ÄŞIHDWXULQJ $OLFH &RRSHUÄŤ DQG :DON 7KH 7DON ÄŞ1LFN 2OLYHUL DW KLV PRVW EDGÄĽDVVÄŤ GHOLYHU VZLQJLQJ VWRQHU JURRYHV punchy garage rock and JULWW\ WZRÄĽÂżVWHG JXWWHUÄĽSXQN respectively. Old Lions Still B Y PA U L B R A N N I G A N RoarÂśV PRVW DÉąHFWLQJ WUDFN Former MotĂśrhead â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;axemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; serves up though is opener Rocking adventurous solo debut with a little help Chair, which sees The People from his friends.

The Poet frontman Leon Stanford voicing Campbellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EVERYTHING LOUDER Than Everything Else.

Old Lions Still Roar autobiographical lyrics. Over MotĂśrhead may have borrowed the title of their 1991 NUCLEAR BLAST D FRXQWU\ÄĽURFN JURRYH 6WDQÄĽ live video from some stage banter on Deep Purpleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TRACKS ford tells the guitaristâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life Made In Japan album, but the phrase served as an appoÄĽ Rocking Chair VWRU\ IURP KLV ELUWK LQ site mission statement for their lifelong commitment Straight Up through to his stint in MotĂśrÄĽ to scuzzy, outlaw rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll.

Faith In Fire head, while referencing That Phil Campbell, Lemmyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lieutenant for 31 Swing It Persian Risk, Jimmy Page, years, has upheld his commitment to the cause with Left For Dead $FH 2I 6SDGHV DQG KLV RZQ ÂłORYHO\ ZLIH´ HQ his Bastard Sonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gritty biker blues should have surprised no one. But the Walk The Talk route. Campbellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reminiscences deliver a gut ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG :HOVK JXLWDULVWÂśV VROR GHEXW MXVW PLJKW QRW OHDVW EHFDXVH WKH SXQFK ZKHQ 6WDQIRUG VLQJV Âł, MXVW ZDQW P\ EHVW VWDQGÄĽRXW WUDFNV RQ Old Lions Still Roar are those where he steps away These Old Boots friend backâ&#x20AC;?. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a simple, heartfelt lyric which from his distortion pedals. Campbell served notice of his intention to Dancing Dogs (Love Survives) willresonate long after the music has ended.

H[SORUH QHZ WHUUDLQ RQ WKLV VWDUÄĽVWXGGHG VROR YHQWXUH Âł,ÂśP QRW JRLQJ WR Dead Roses attempt to recreate MotĂśrheadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music,â&#x20AC;? he recently told this magazine. +RZHYHU D WUDFN VXFK DV WKH VWULNLQJ VRXOIXO 'HDG 5RVHV ÄŚ IHDWXULQJ WKH B E ST TRACKS: Rocking Chair, Left For Dead, Tears From A Glass Eye guitarist playing piano, a vocal melody redolent of George Michaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dead Roses, Tears From A Glass Eye

A curveball for those anticipating greasy, denimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; leather rifferama...

â&#x20AC;?

PHIL CAMPBELL

JEREMY DANGER

++++

P L A N E T R O C K 103

24-Carat: Austin Gold.

grants the space to hear him at his most raw DQG UHDO DV GRHV WKH GRZQÄ¥WHPSR VRXO of Where The River Ends and instrumental closer Mya, which wraps it all up with one of the most heartfelt solos of his career VR IDU AMIT SHARMA B E ST TRACKS: Tired Of Trying, Skin And Bone,

Where The River Ends, Mya

JOE BONAMASSA

Live At The Sydney Opera House PROVOGUE

+++

AUSTIN GOLD

DANNY BRYANT

JIGSAW

JAZZHAUS

++++

+++

Solid return from â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70sreferencing Brit rockers.

Having received enthusiastic press for their debut album, Before Dark Clouds, in 2017, UK URFNHUV $XVWLQ *ROG UHWXUQ ZLWK D VL[Ä¥WUDFN PLQLÄ¥DOEXP EHIRUH WKH UHOHDVH RI WKHLU VHFRQG IXOOÄ¥OHQJWK UHFRUG 1RZ WULPPHG WR D IRXUÄ¥ piece following the departure of guitarist Jack Cable, the band have created VRPH RI WKHLU VWURQJHVW PDWHULDO WR GDWH %LJ DQWKHPV SRZHUHG E\ FODVVLF URFN ULɱV LV WKHLU MO; the soaring choruses of We Are LightÄ¥ ning and Here To Stay are framed by a guitar and organ combination reminiscent of classic Deep Purple, while Lifelines has the bluesy VWUXW RI %DG &RPSDQ\ ,I WKH LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFH RI 86 rock giants such as Foo Fighters is abundantly cOHDU WKHUH¶V D GLVWLQFWO\ %ULWLVK SRS VHQVLELOLÄ¥ ty to their songs, setting them apart IURP PXFK RI WKH PRGHUQ URFN IUDWHUQLW\ 'H¿QLWHO\ RQHV WR ZDWFK PADDY WELLS

Homegrown bluesman goes back to basics and channels the greats.

For his 11th solo record, 'DQQ\ %U\DQW¶V PHQWRU guitarist Walter Trout encouraged him to ZHDU KLV LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFHV RQ KLV VOHHYH 6R +HUWÄ¥ fordshire bluesman Danny %U\DQW LVQ¶W WU\LQJ WR UHLQYHQW the wheel, and these songs follow some of the most typical and naturally popular chord movements for music RI LWV W\SH 2QH WUDFN VRXQGV like a faithful recreation of Eric Clapton at full pelt in the early â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s, while another revisits the minor swing favoured by Gary 0RRUH 7KLV VHQVH RI IDPLOLDULW\ stretches through much of the /3¶V PLQXWHV ,W¶V QR EDG WKLQJ WKRXJK LQWHUHVWLQJO\ LW¶V %U\DQW¶V deviations from classic blues in the second half where he excels the PRVW 7KH DFRXVWLF FXW 6NLQ $QG %RQH

Austin Gold

B E ST TRACKS: We Are Lightning, You Got

It All, Lifelines 104 P L A N E T R O C K

Means Of Escape

JBo brings his brand of nouveau blues to famed Aussie landmark. ,W IHHOV OLNH EDUHO\ D PRQWK goes by without there being D QHZ -RH %RQDPDVVD UHFRUG 7KLV WLPH LW¶V D live album compiled from his performance at WKH LFRQLF 6\GQH\ 2SHUD +RXVH LQ ,I WKH HLJKWÄ¥PLQXWH RSHQHU 7KLV 7UDLQ VHWV WKH WHPSODWH IRU PXFK RI WKH UHFRUG Ħ EDVLFDOO\ H[WHQGHG JXLWDU VRORV RYHU D WLJKWO\Ä¥GULOOHG DQG KLJKO\ SROLVKHG EDFNLQJ EDQG Ħ WKHUH¶V still plenty of balance and dynamics across WKH DOEXP¶V QLQH WUDFNV 7KHUH¶V D VRXOIXO XUÄ¥ gency to Mountain Climbing, some sultry ORZÄ¥NH\ DWPRVSKHUH DQG MD]] WUXPSHW RQ Drive, while Love Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t A Love Song and 0DLQOLQH )ORULGD¶V IUHQ]LHG IUHWZRUN LV RɱVHW E\ VWULGHQW EUDVV DQG VZLUOLQJ +DPPRQG ,W¶V XQOLNHO\ WR ZLQ %RQDPDVVD PDQ\ QHZ converts perhaps, but if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already a subscriber to his dramatically wrenched but DFFHVVLEOH WDNH RQ WKH EOXHV \RX¶OO ¿QG HQRXJK WR NHHS \RX VDWLV¿HG KHUH PADDY WELLS

Soulful and urgent: Joe Bonamassa.

Albums

THE WILDHEARTS

BLACK STONE CHERRY

GRAPHITE

MASCOT

++++

++++

That Which Preys On The Dead

Furious companion piece to Brit punk-poppersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2019 comeback album.

Having not released any new music in a decade, The WildÄ¥ hearts became a gift that keeps on giving this year. Renaissance Men WKHLU ORQJÄ¥DZDLWHG UHWXUQ VHW WKH EDU LQFUHGLEO\ KLJK 7KLV VL[Ä¥ WUDFN PLQLÄ¥DOEXP IROORZV LW LQ WKH PDQQHU of an unexpected dessert. The title track, D FOXVWHUÄ¥ERPE RI WHQVLRQ DQG PHORG\ ZDV included on the earlier release, while the new songs explore the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heavier side, but never at the expense of tunefulness. God Damn rattles like a jackhammer and has a wild array of ideas, while The First Time and Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s My Girl are based around pop hooks and huge guitars. A Song About Drinking is bawdy and punky, while closer LOCAC, the RɱHULQJ¶V PRVW HOXVLYH WUDFN MXGGHUV DQG stomps in brutal bursts. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all over in 22 minutes but it keeps 2019â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great Wildhearts renaissance going at full tilt. STEVE BEEBEE

Kentucky rockers pay homage to their classic blues heroes.

If Black Stone Cherryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hearts beat rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll then theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the blues running through their veins.

Following BSCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2017 covers EP, Black To Blues, Volume 2 is another celebration of the vintage DUWLVWV WKDW LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFHG WKHP 7KLV KRZHYHU LV not a conventional covers record. What BSC have done is taken the blueprint of their favourite songs and rewritten their own versions around it. So Freddie Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Big Legged Woman is transformed from its SLDQRÄ¥OHG RULJLQDO LQWR IXOOÄ¥EORZQ URFN 0HDQÄ¥ while, Robert Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Me And The Devil Blues and Son Houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Death Letter Blues are WUDQVIRUPHG IURP RQH PDQÄ¥DQGÄ¥KLVÄ¥JXLWDU GLWWLHV WR IXOOÄ¥EDQG UHQGLWLRQV ZLWK NH\ERDUG player Yates McKendree, in particular, adding an extra dimension. Everything here is Black 6WRQH &KHUU\ĥ¿HG RQ DQRWKHU KHDUWIHOW tribute to the blues. CAREN GIBSON

++++ Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a knockout!

Former Tigertailz frontman Kim Hooker steps back into WKH ULQJ ZLWK D QHZ RXW¿W WKDW ¿QGV KLP WHDPHG ZLWK HUVWÄ¥ ZKLOH PLGĥ¶ V HUD ¶7DLO] FROOHDJXHV &\ ĪJXLWDUÄ« DQG $QG\ 6NLQQHU ĪGUXPVÄ« DORQJVLGH H[Ä¥6 ( ; EDVVLVW - - WR SURGXFH D GDUN SULPDO and surprisingly angry album. It also happens to be hugely anthemic and very good. If you OLNH ULɱV DV ELJ DV VN\VFUDSHUV GUXPV WKDW should carry a government health warning DQG VRQJV WKDW VRXQG OLNH D JLDQW PDVKÄ¥XS RI Kiss, Mercyful Fate, Accept and Hammerfall, then this is for you. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also some neatly WH[WXUHG VWXɱ KHUH LQFOXGLQJ WKH DOEXP¶V WLWOH track, while the introduction to the opening 6SLW ,Q <RXU (\H ZLWK LWV 3DXO *LOEHUWÄ¥HVTXH guitar, is on a musical par with Mr Big. This is by far the best thing Kim Hooker has ever done. Miss it at your peril. DAVE REYNOLDS

Diagnosis, God Damn, Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s My Girl, A Song About Drinking

Me And The Devil Blues, Down In The Bottom, Death Letter Blues

Spit In Your Eye, My Image In Thee, Smash It Up

Diagnosis

B E ST TRACKS:

JIMI ANDERSON GROUP I Belong

AOR HEAVEN

,

++++

Black To Blues Volume 2

B E ST TRACKS:

BARE KNUCKLE MESSIAHS DIAFOL

B E ST TRACKS:

Blues for you: Black Stone Cherry.

Hard-grafting Scottish soft-rockerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second LP. Jimi Anderson is largely unknown outside of AOR circles. Getting signed by Wet Wet Wetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management and appearances on TV shows My Kind Of People and Barrymore DUH VRPH RI WKH KLJKOLJKWV RI D Ä¥\HDU FDUHHU that has seen diminishing returns. Releasing a brace of EPs in the last couple of years has now led to him signing a deal with AOR +HDYHQ , %HORQJ LV WKH ¿UVW IUXLWV RI WKHLU union and is packed full of polished AOR gems, from a man blessed with the vocal timbre of Steve Perry and the soul of Lou Gramm. He rarely puts a foot wrong and Andersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uncanny bility to write wonderful melodies sees him excel on what is arguably D PRGHUQÄ¥GD\ $25 FODVVLF ROB EVANS B E ST TRACKS:

Until Then, I Belong, P L A N E T R O C K 105

Albums

DOWN â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; OUTZ

This Is How We Roll UMC

++++ Joe Elliottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mottinspired side project ease off on the cover versions.

With its glam guitars and epic orchestration, heartfelt Bowie eulogy Goodnight Mr. Jones, written after the JUHDW PDQ¶V SDVVLQJ LQ -DQXDU\ Ã&#x20AC;DJV XS This Is How We Rollâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long gestation. Still, as Def Leppardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Joe Elliott notes, it had to be made â&#x20AC;&#x153;whenever our respective motherships DOORZHG´ +LV DOOÄ¥VWDU 'RZQ ¶Q¶ 2XW] EDQGÄ¥ PDWHV Ħ WKUHH RI 7KH 4XLUHER\V SOXV IRUPHU Vixen bassist Share Ross and Wayward Sons GUXPPHU 3KLO 0DUWLQL Ħ SURYH JUHDW HQDEOHUV on 11 brilliantly sung Elliott originals, plus a UROOLFNLQJ WDNH RQ 7KH 7XEHV¶ :KLWH 3XQNV 2Q 'RSH :LWK VKDGHV RI 0RWW 7KH +RRSOH FF and Elton John apparent, a â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s piano/ rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll guitar aesthetic is the thread that ELQGV EXW VRPH RI WKH EHVW WUDFNV KHUH Ħ WKH WKHDWULFDO FLUFXVÄ¥FRPHVÄ¥WRÄ¥WRZQ VWRPSHU &UHDWXUHV WKH FODVV\ JRVSHO YRFDOÄ¥LQIXVHG :DONLQJ 7R %DE\ORQ Ħ WUHDG IUHVK WHUUDLQ IRU Elliott and co. Better yet, they sound like theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having a fabulous time throughout.

JAMES MCNAIR

June have an intuitive creativity that avoids the hackneyed clichés often present in classic rock, and a maturity that belies the fact this is only their second album. CAREN GIBSON Universal Mega Love, Joan & Dylan, I Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Mind

B E ST:

JACK J HUTCHINSON Who Feeds The Wolf?

PSYCHEDELIC STRING

++++ British retro-rocker lives up to the hype on gloriously diverse debut.

Booked for two sets at Planet Rockstock in December to conclude a year that also marks the release of KLV ¿UVW IXOOĥOHQJWK /3 /HLFHVWHUĥERUQ VLQJHUĥ guitarist Jack J Hutchinson will be parting ways ZLWK RQ JRRG WHUPV ,W¶V ZHOO GHVHUYHG Who Feeds The Wolf? delivers on the promise of KLV HDUOLHU VLQJOHV -XVWL¿HG DQG +DXQWHG %RQHV which fused elements of garage, Southern and psychedelic rock into an infectious cocktail.

7KHUH DUH HYHQ RFFDVLRQDO Ã&#x20AC;LFNHUV RI %ULWURFN ZKHUH MDQJO\ FKRUGV DQG /LDP *DOODJKHUÄ¥HVTXH vocal hooks bring in more contemporary Ã&#x20AC;DYRXUV ZKLFK Ħ againVW DOO RGGV Ħ DFWXDOO\

ZRUN ,W¶V H[DFWO\ WKLV NLQG RI EROG WKLQNLQJ which makes Hutchinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s album such a XQLTXH UHIUHVKLQJ OLVWHQ ,JQRULQJ FORVHU 6OHHS $ZDNH 2EH\ ZKLFK QHHGOHVVO\ DWWHPSWV WR crowbar thrash metal into the already diverse mix, Who Feedsâ&#x20AC;¦ is one of strongest debuts from a British artist this year. AMIT SHARMA B E ST TRACKS: -XVWLÃ&#x20AC;HG , :LOO )ROORZ <RX Lucky Man, Peace Of Mind

THE LRW PROJECT

To Love, Repeat & Wonder?

LRW MUSIC

+++ Yorkshire melodic rockerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut album shows deep love of AOR. 6WHHSHG LQ WKH PLGĥ¶ V $25 VFHQH 7KH /5: 3URMHFW LV WKH VROH UHVSRQVLELOLW\ RI <RUNÄ¥EDVHG VLQJHU VRQJÄ¥ writer, Leon Winteringham. A â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s baby, he missed the genreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glory years, but a love of Richard Marx, John Waite and Michael Bolton KDV KXJHO\ LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFHG KLV PXVLF $ ¿QHO\ FUDIWÄ¥ ed album, To Love, Repeat & Wonder? should evoke memRULHV RI VXFK $25 OXPLQDULHV DV %RXOHYDUG DQG *ODVV 7LJHU %XW ZLWK DQ DGGLÄ¥ WLRQDO QRG WRZDUGV FODVVLF ¶ V SRS DFWV

Goodnight Mr Jones, Creatures, Walking To Babylon, White Punks On Dope B E ST TRACKS:

GOODBYE JUNE Community Inn EARACHE

106 P L A N E T R O C K

Never-ending summer: Goodbye June.

© A LY S S E

Nashville blues-rock trio stretch themselves on second outing.

7KH SUREOHP *RRGE\H -XQH IDFH LQ LV WKDW WKH EOXHVÄ¥ URFN PDUNHW LV VR FURZGHG LW FDQ EH GLÉ·FXOW WR stand out. However, these Nashville cousins have a secret weapon in vocalist Landon Milbourn, who has a wail as powerful as Robert Plant or Bon Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Although songs such as Universal Mega Love come straight from the Zeppelin playbook, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a modern HGJH DNLQ WR .LQJV 2I /HRQ RQ 6HFUHWV ,Q 7KH 6XQVHW 7KH\¶UH IHDUOHVV HQRXJK WR SXVK WKH boundaries and eQFRPSDVV (DVWHUQ LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFHV Ī%H <RXUVHOIÄ« FRXQWU\ Ī$Q\ZKHUH 7KH :LQG %ORZVÄ« DQG HYHQ 5 % SRS Ī6ZLWFKEODGH +HDUWÄ« DOO WKH ZKLOH H[XGLQJ WKH ZDUPWK RI D summer youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never want to end. Goodbye

GAFKJEN

++++

Deacon Blue and Climie Fisher, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a rich, varied listen and, aside from a few guests, Winteringham recorded the whole thing himÄ¥ self. Hell & Back, the intricate Day By Day and 9RLFHV 2I 5HDVRQ Ħ ZLWK %RXOHYDUG¶V 0DUN +ROGHQ JXHVWLQJ RQ VD[RSKRQH Ħ VKRZFDVH D young artist with a deep love and understandÄ¥ ing of pure AOR; a rare thing in this day.

ROB EVANS B E ST TRACKS:

Hell & Back, Dream World,

Individual.

GRAND SLAM Hit The Ground MARSHALL

++++ A debut percolating for 35 years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and finally recorded this year.

In 1984, guitar wunderkind Laurence Archer was teamed with a pRVWÄ¥/L]]\ 3KLO Lynott in a tantalising new quintet named Grand Slam. GS wrote songs and gigged, but sadly never recorded a studio debut, partly because industry bods had grown wary of Lynottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crippling drug habit. Other versions of Hit The Ground songs LQFOXGLQJ 0LOLWDU\ 0DQ DQG ZHUH UHOHDVHG back in the day, but not by GS. The former VXUIDFHG DV D *DU\ 0RRUH /\QRWW FROODERUDÄ¥ tion; the latter as Lynott solo. Here, Archer DQG EDQGPDWHV LQFOXGLQJ JLIWHG VLQJHU 0LNH '\HU UHÄ¥UHFRUG WKH VDLG $UFKHU /\QRWW 0DUN 6WDQZD\ RI 0DJQXP FRÄ¥ZULWHV DORQJVLGH VRPH HTXDOO\ ¿QH RULJLQDOV /\QRWW GLGQ¶W KDYH D hand in. The title track in particular is ace; D ZDUPLQJ /L]]\Ä¥HVTXH EDFNZDUG JODQFH HTG UHFODLPV $UFKHU¶V VPDOO EXW QRW LQVLJQL¿FDQW part in the Lynott story while also paying KHDUWIHOW UHVSHFW WR 3KLO JAMES MCNAIR B E ST TRACKS:

Gone Are The Days, Military

Man, Long Road

MICHAEL MONROE One Man Gang SILVER LINING MUSIC

++++ Ex-Hanoi Rocks frontman returns in typically irrepressible form.

He may never have attained the VXFFHVV WKDW KLV WUDLOEOD]LQJ

ZRUN ZLWK +DQRL 5RFNV PHULWHG EXW 0LFKDHO 0RQURH LV D WUXH URFN¶Q¶UROO OLIHU 7KH )LQQLVK vocalistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ninth solo album is a bold, brash and beautiful thing, imbued with swagger, sass and an unshakeable belief in the power of music to elevate and empower. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t walking on water, EXW , NQRZ D WULFN RU WZR ´ 0RQURH SURPLVHV on the title track, a humble brag he delivers on over the course of the 11 tracks which follow.

The Damnedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Captain Sensible and former Hanoi colleague Nasty Suicide both make cameo appearances, with lead guitar on the title track and Wasted Years, respectively, but DV HYHU WKLV LV 0RQURH¶V SOD\JURXQG DQG WKH Ä¥\HDUÄ¥ROG LV LQ LUUHVLVWLEOH IRUP ZKHWKHU SHQQLQJ D ORYH OHWWHU WR -DSDQ Ī/DVW 7UDLQ 7R 7RÄ¥ N\RÄ« FHOHEUDWLQJ LQGLYLGXDOLVP RQ WKH IHLVW\ 7KH 3LWIDOOV 2I %HLQJ $Q 2XWVLGHU RU WKURZLQJ LQ 0DULDFKLÄ¥VW\OLQJV RQ +HDYHQ ,V $ )UHH 6WDWH /RQJ PD\ KH Ã&#x20AC;\ KLV IUHDN Ã&#x20AC;DJ KLJK PAUL BRANNIGAN

Heart and soul: William DuVall.

SHORT CUTS At minimum, Wolf Jawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sturdy, bluesy riff-rock should land the Black Country trio a slot on the Peaky Blinders soundtrack. Further proof that the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grass roots scene is in rude health.

William DuVall ONE ALONE DVL RECORDINGS

++++

One Man Gang, Last Train To Tokyo, Low Life In High Places B E ST TRACKS:

THE MAGPIE SALUTE High Water II PROVOGUE

++++ Rich Robinson revisits his storied past to potent effect.

7KH 0DJSLH 6DOXWH¶V GHEXW album, High Water I, was the Black Crowes revival album we never knew we QHHGHG )ODQNHG E\ IHOORZ %& DOXPQL 0DUF )RUG DQG 6YHQ 3LSLHQ 5LFK 5RELQVRQ GUHZ upon the soul and spirit of his former band to craft a body of work which felt like a new quest into the heartland of America, rather than a retread of old glories. High Water II is even better. The sound of a band growing LQWR WKHLU RZQ VNLQ LW WDNHV LQ IXQN\ 6WD[Ä¥ Ã&#x20AC;DYRXUHG VRXO Ī*LPPH 6RPHWKLQJÄ« PHODQÄ¥ FKROLF FRXQWU\Ä¥EOXHV Ī/RVW %R\ IHDWXULQJ D JXHVW VSRW IRU $OLVRQ .UDXVVÄ« DQG LQ WKH UDXQFK\ 'RHVQ¶W 5HDOO\ 0DWWHU D EDOOVÄ¥RXW rocker which could have slotted in right along %ODFN 0RRQ &UHHSLQJ RQ WKH &URZHV¶ masterpiece, The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion 5RXQGHG Rɱ E\ WKH ZKLVNH\Ä¥VRDNHG burnished blues shimmer of Where Is This 3ODFH High Water II PDNHV D PRFNHU\ RI μGLÉ·Ä¥ cult second albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; clichés to emerge as one of ¶V ¿QHVW KDUG URFN FROOHFWLRQV PAUL BRANNIGAN B E ST TRACKS: Gimme Something, Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Really Matter, Where Is This Place

Tender, intimate and reï¬&#x201A;ective solo debut from Alice In Chainsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; frontman. One voice, one acoustic guitar, one hell of lot of heart and soul.

Chelsea Wolfe BIRTH OF VIOLENCE SARGENT HOUSE

++++

Mars Red Sky THE TASK ETERNAL

No one channels haunting, gothic, desolation blues quite like Chelsea Wolfe. Her superb sixth album is as beautiful as it is bleak.

LISTENABLE

+++

Though they hail from Bordeaux, MRS are spiritual residents of the Californian desert, their spacy, hypnotic, psychstoner jams positioning the trio as the French Nebula.

Hawk Eyes ADVICE DRAKKAR

++++

Wolf Jaw THE HEART WONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T LISTEN LISTENABLE

+++

A welcome return from one of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best underground acts.

Diamond-hard riffs, killer choruses and, on Smokes, a Richard â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Crystal Mazeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien spoken-word intro as a bonus.

PAUL BRANNIGAN P L A N E T R O C K 107

Reissues

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

The uncompromising sound of three speed freaks going at it hell-for-leather...

BY JA M E S M C NAI R

MOTĂ&#x2013;RHEAD ++++

Plus 18 live tracks B E ST TRACKS:

108 P L A N E T R O C K

Overkill, No Class, Bomber

GRAHAM MITCHELL

â&#x20AC;?

,WÂśV HDV\ WR KHDU ZK\ 0DUFK ÂśV Overkill, WUDSSHG LQ DPEHU E\ VRPHWLPH 6WRQHV SURGXFHU -LPP\ 0LOOHU FDXJKW WKH LPDJLQDWLRQ RI HYHU\ SUREOHP FKLOG IURP /DQGÂśV (QG WR -RKQ RÂś*URDWV Âł$ WKRXVDQG QLJKWV ,ÂśYH VSHQW DORQH 6ROLWDLUH WR WKH IN HIS â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s ITV show Clive James On Television, The 1979 Box Set ERQH ´ UDVSV /HPP\ RQ &DSULFRUQ ZKLOH RQ 'DPÄĽ the amiable Aussie liked to introduce clips from BMG DJH &DVH KH FRQÂżGHV Âł,ÂśP RQ WKH UXQ IURP VRPH Endurance, an odd Japanese gameshow in which LQVWLWXWLRQ ´ 'ULYHQ E\ 3KLOWK\ 3KLOÂśV UDSLG GRXEOH contestants might dodge unripe melons, have their EDVV GUXPV WKH\ PLJKW KDYH EHHQ EXW ZLWK WKHLU QLSSOHV VFRUFKHG RU VXÉąHU UDWV VFXUU\LQJ DFURVV VXFFLQFW URXJKO\ KHZQ VRQJV DQG SOD\IXOO\ VQRWW\ WKHLU QDNHG EHOOLHV +HUH LQ WKH 8. FLUFD ÄĽÂś DWWLWXGH 0RW|UKHDG ZHUH HVVHQWLDOO\ SXQN LQ HWKRV WKH ZRXOGÄĽEH PDVRFKLVW VLPSO\ ZHQW GRZQ WKH a lightning rod for oiks.

IURQW DW D 0RW|UKHDG JLJ EUDYLQJ *RG NQRZV KRZ PDQ\ ZDWWV RI WRZÄĽ $V XQGHUOLQHG E\ WKH WLWOH RI WKHLU OLYH DOEXP No Sleep â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Til HULQJ VXEÄĽZRRIHU 7KH SXQLVKLQJ DXUDO DVVDXOW PHWHG RXW E\ /HPP\ Hammersmith WKH\ DOVR KDG DQ LQGXVWULRXV PDQLF PRPHQWXP Bomber .LOPLVWHU Îź)DVWÂś (GGLH &ODUNH DQG 3KLO Îź3KLOWK\ $QLPDOÂś 7D\ORU IHOW came out just six months after Overkill, impresÄĽ ZRUWK LW ,W ZDV D ULWH RI SDVVDJH \RX FRXOG IHHO SURXG RI VXUYLYLQJ sive given that producer Miller had relapsed It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like LOUD hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happened before. Jimi Hendrix and into heroin addiction, and would often arrive at %OXH &KHHU KDG FHUWDLQO\ FUDQNHG LW RXW EXW WKHUH ZDV DQ XQZDVKHG the studio later than our heroes.

DQG XQFRXWK DVSHFW WR 0RW|UKHDG ZKLFK EURXJKW DQ XJO\ÄĽEHDXWLIXO 2Q WKH IDFH RI LW WKH DOEXPÂśV W\SLFDOO\ TXDOLW\ WR WKHLU UDXFRXV LQGHOLEOH KRRNV ,W KHOSHG WRR WKDW WKH WULRÂśV focal point was former Hawkwind bassist and erstwhile Hendrix roadie JXQJÄĽKR RSHQHU 'HDG 0HQ 7HOO 1R 7DOHV FDPH .LOPLVWHU D ZDUWÄĽIDFHG GHVSHUDGR ZLWK D ORQHUÂśV LQGHIDWLJDELOLW\ D EDVV DFURVV OLNH D GDUN WDOH IURP /HPP\ÂśV LPDJLQDÄĽ sound like thunder and a voice like a bulldog chewing a wasp.

WLRQ EXW LW ZDV DFWXDOO\ DQ DQWLÄĽKHURLQ VRQJ 3URGXFHG ZLWK WKH FRÄĽRSHUDWLRQ RI HDFK PHPEHU RI WKH FODVVLF OLQHÄĽ JLYLQJ 0LOOHU VKRUW VKULIW Âł6KRRWLQJ XS $ZD\ TRACKS XSÂśV UHVSHFWLYH HVWDWHV WKLV VHW WDNHV \RX WR WKH VHDP\ KHDUW RI WKH DQG EDFN $ ELW RI JXWV ,V DOO WKDW \RX ODFN ´ OVERKILL EDQGÂśV SXOYHULVLQJ VSHHGÄĽIXHOOHG ZRUOG /LVWHQLQJ QRZ WR Overkillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 0RW|UKHDG ZHUH EDWÄĽVKLW FUD]\ WKHPVHOYHV EXW Overkill KLJKÄĽHQHUJ\ JHP 1R &ODVV ÄŚ Âł6KXW XS <RX WDON WRR ORXG ´ ÄŚ \RX FDQ KDYLQJ VHHQ IULHQGV IDOO WR KHURLQ /HPP\ NQHZ Stay Clean DOPRVW IHHO WKH VWLFN\ EHHUÄĽVDWXUDWHG Ă&#x20AC;RRU RI WKH ROG 0DUTXHH FOXE DQG where to draw the line, even if that line was (I Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t) Pay Your Price /HPP\ÂśV EDVV SXQFKLQJ \RXU JXWV 7KHUH ZDV QHYHU DQ\WKLQJ glamorous D UDLO RI VSHHG FKRSSHG RXW RQ D Ă&#x20AC;LJKW FDVH Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Be Your Sister Capricorn DERXW 0RW|UKHDG EXW WKH\ ZHUH H[FLWLQJ DV IXFN Bomberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s title track, meanwhile, is a Reach for the No Class GHDIHQLQJ VPDVKÂśQÂśJUDE ZLWK /HPP\ sky: Lemmy Damage Case FKDQQHOOLQJ KLV LQWHUHVW LQ DOO WKLQJV 1D]L prepares for Tear Ya Down *HUPDQ\ DV KH HQWKXVHV DERXW WKH DLUÄĽ take-off.

Metropolis SODQH DV Ă&#x20AC;RZQ GXULQJ WKH %OLW] Âł7KH EDG Limb From Limb JX\V PDNH DOO WKH EHVW VKLW ´ KH ODWHU H[SODLQHG Plus 18 live tracks ,ÂśP QRW VXUH LI WKH OLJKWLQJÄĽULJ 0RW|UKHDG BOMBER had designed to look like a Heinkel 111 was up Dead Men Tell No Tales DQG UXQQLQJ ZKHQ WKH EDQG SOD\HG )UDQFH LQ Lawman Sweet Revenge November 1979, but the version of Bomber Sharpshooter WKH\ SHUIRUPHG DW /H 0DQV ÄŚ LQFOXGHG KHUH DV Poison RQH RI ERQXV OLYH WUDFNV ÄŚ ZRXOG KDYH DQ\RQH Stone Dead Forever running for cover. How did MotĂśrhead do that All The Aces QLJKW DIWHU QLJKW" 7KHLUV ZDV D WUXO\ IRUPLGDEOH Step Down UDFNHW WKH XWWHUO\ XQFRPSURPLVLQJ VRXQG RI Talking Head Bomber WKUHH VSHHG IUHDNV JRLQJ DW LW KHOOÄĽIRUÄĽOHDWKHU Merger of 1979â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Overkill and Bomber albums with previously unreleased live tracks, unseen photos, badges and more.

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Head boys: Lemmy, Phil Taylor and Eddie Clarke, 1979.

Reissues

WHITESNAKE

Slip Of The Tongue: 30th Anniversary Remaster RHINO/WARNER

+++ Exhaustive assembly showcasing the MTV-era â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Snakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last stand History isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always kind to Slip Of The Tongue, but for Whitesnake it signalled mission accomÄ¥ plished. A Top 10 success on both sides of the Atlantic, it enabled them to headline Castle Doningtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monsters Of Rock for a second time, despite being unrecognisable from the EDQG WKDW GLG VR LQ 7KLV VL[Ä¥GLVF ER[ VHW revisits the era in forensic detail. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a live DVD of that 1990 Donington show, remasÄ¥ tered versions of the album, plus a deluge of demos and alternate mixes. Some of it has aged well. Frontman David Coverdale sounds gargantuan, and Judgement Day and Sailing Ships remain classy and immersive. However, if Kittenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Claws seemed sexist in 1989, LW¶V D KHDGÄ¥LQÄ¥KDQGV KRUURU QRZ DQG KDUGFRUH ¶6QDNH IDQV ZLOO VKXGGHU DW WKH VRIWÄ¥IRFXV rehash of Fool For Your Loving. Contrasting treats and cringes await those with big wallets. STEVE BEEBEE Slip Of The Tongue, Sailing Ships, Judgement Day

B E ST TRACKS:

PINK FLOYD

7KH /DWHU <HDUV Ħ PINK FLOYD RECORDS/LEGACY

makeover. Numerous extras, including rarely VHHQ ¿OP IURP .QHEZRUWK DQG )OR\G¶V ¿QDO SHUIRUPDQFH DW ¶V 6\G %DUUHWW tribute show, raise the collectability factor.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of Pink Floyd here, but with D 553 RI Ħ GHHS EUHDWK Ħ ĸ WKDW¶V MXVW as well. MARK BLAKE Learning To Fly, High Hopes, Marooned

B E ST TRACKS:

STONE BROKEN All In Time SPINEFARM

++++ Timely reissue of rising Brit rockersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; previously limited-edition debut.

Originally released indeÄ¥ pendently in 2016, the original CD version of All In Time can now go for as PXFK DV ĸ WKURXJK RQÄ¥OLQH VHOOLQJ SRUWDOV Now blessed with six previously unreleased bonus tracks, it also includes a new version, complete with orchestral strings, of the poignant ballad Wait For You, an essential PRELOH SKRQHÄ¥ZDYLQJ IRXU PLQXWHV DQG seconds of anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time. This reissue puts paid to the unfair description of Stone Broken as Nickelback copyists. Alongside the KRQHVWÄ¥WRÄ¥JRRGQHVV KDUG URFN RI ¶V breakthrough album, Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Always Easy, the new All In Time is perfectly time for Stone Brokenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expanding fanbase. DAVE REYNOLDS B E ST TRACKS: Not Your Enemy, Wait For You, This Life

++++ Sixteen-disc box set documenting those difficult post-Waters years.

Commercially, Pink Floyd boomed after Roger Watersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; departure in ¿OOLQJ VWDGLXPV DQG GXNLQJ LW RXW ZLWK Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson on the US charts. Yet, creatively, the three studio albums here, including 2014â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s posthumous KDOIÄ¥ROG KDOIÄ¥QHZ The Endless River, struggled WR PDWFK WKHLU ZRUN IURP WKH ¶ V 6RQJÄ¥ZLVH ¿Ust prize goes to 1994â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stately The Division Bell. Everything here, though, has been ¿QHÄ¥WXQHG ZLWK JXLWDULVW EDQG ERVV 'DYLG *LOPRXU UHPL[LQJ ¶V VHVVLRQ PXVRÄ¥KHDY\ A Momentary Lapse Of Reason, restoring some of bandmates Richard Wright and Nick Masonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original keyboard and drum parts, boosting the voFDOV DQG JLYLQJ LW D PRGHUQÄ¥GD\ 110 P L A N E T R O C K

THE ROLLING STONES Let It Bleed ABKCO

++++ Fiftieth Anniversary edition of the Stonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fin-de-â&#x20AC;&#x2122;60s highlight, with new mono and stereo remasters.

As the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;60s drew to a close, The Beatles UHÃ&#x20AC;HFWHG WKH HUD¶V HQFURDFKLQJ GDUNQHVV Ħ Vietnam, harder drugs, political disillusionÄ¥ PHQW VH[XDO GHFDGHQFH Ħ E\ GHVWUR\LQJ WKHPÄ¥ selves in a series of ugly spats; rivals the Stones, on the other hand, now freed of the encumbrance of doomed founder Brian Jones, DQG SOD\LQJ OLYH DJDLQ DIWHU DQ Ä¥PRQWK

break, would channel the sinister vibrations RI WKH WLPHV LQWR WKHLU ¿QHVW UHFRUGLQJV Let It Bleed, released in the penultimate month of 1969, is without doubt a perfectly formed thing: at the hands of American producer Jimmy Miller, country, blues, rock, gospel and pop were moulded into an exhilarating new musical form, the cathartic Gimme Shelter, rootsy, spasmodic Monkey Man and funky You Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Always Get Want You Want DOO EXW GH¿QLQJ WKH PDWXUH 6WRQHV VRXQG ,W¶V been noted before and is worth noting again: the clever, interweaving guitar overdubs that JLYH WKLV DOEXP LWV WDQJ\ Ã&#x20AC;DYRXU DUH YLUWXDOO\ .HLWK 5LFKDUGV¶ DORQH ĪWKRXJK QHZ ER\ 0LFN 7D\ORU DGGV D FRXSOH RI QLFH WRXFKHVÄ« DQG <RX *RW 7KH 6LOYHU PDUNHG .HHI ¶V ¿UVW Stones lead vocal. Their apogee, 1971â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sticky Fingers ZDV MXVW URXQG WKH FRUQHU PAT GILBERT Gimme Shelter, You Got The Silver, You Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Always Get What You Want B E ST TRACKS:

VAN HALEN

7KH -DSDQHVH 6LQJOHV Ħ RHINO

+++++ Pasadenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest party-rockers, unleashed in the East.

While there remains much uncertainty over Van Halenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FXUUHQW VWDWXV Ħ YRFDOLVW 'DYLG /HH 5RWK UHFHQWO\ LQVLVWHG WKDW WKH ORQJÄ¥GRUPDQW &DOLÄ¥ IRUQLD EDQG DUH ³¿QLVKHG´ Ħ LW¶V DQ LQDUJXDEOH fact that between 1978 and 1984 the quartet were pretty much untouchable as the most FRORXUIXO DQG HɱHUYHVFHQW URFN EDQG RQ WKH planet. The Van Halen brothers never released a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;greatest hitsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; set during DLRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original tenure in the band, so this immacuÄ¥ ODWH ER[ VHW RI WKH JURXS¶V -DSDQHVH VLQJOHV Ħ VRQJV VSUHDG DFURVV Ä¥LQFK YLQ\O GLVFV packaged in replicas of their original sleeve DUWZRUN Ħ LV D IDEXORXV UHPLQGHU RI WKHLU dazzling peak years. More than four decades RQ IURP WKHLU UHOHDVH RQ 9+¶V JURXQGÄ¥EUHDNÄ¥ ing 1978 debut album, Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Talkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Bout /RYH DQG 5XQQLQ¶ :LWK 7KH 'HYLO ĪGLVF WZR KHUHÄ« KDYH ORVW QRQH RI WKHLU MDZÄ¥GURSSLQJ VSDUNOH ZKLOH WKH JRRGÄ¥WLPH YLEHV RI -XPS Panama and Hot For Teacher make a mockÄ¥ ery of the fact that the band were falling apart on . Remember them this way.

PAUL BRANNIGAN B E ST TRACKS: Ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Talkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Bout Love, Unchained, Panama, Hot For Teacher

Academy Events present

ACADEMY EVENTS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH X-RAY PRESENTS

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

26 NOVEMBER SHEFFIELD O2 ACADEMY2 29 NOVEMBER LONDON O2 SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE

PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS

DECEMBER 2019

plus special guests

Sun 5 April 2020 · O2 Academy Islington, London An Academy Events presentation by arrangement with Black Harbour Entertainment

WED 11 LONDON O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN THU 12 BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY2 TUE 17 MANCHESTER O2 RITZ LIVENATION.CO.UK

A LIVE NATION & ACADEMY EVENTS PRESENTATION BY ARRANGEMENT WITH ITB presents

presents

UK TOUR 2019

“THE BEST TRIBUTE BAND I HAVE SEEN” Clint Boon KERRANGIN

SAT 9 NOVEMBER LONDON O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON SAT 16 NOVEMBER BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY3

THU 5 DEC 2019 MANCHESTER GORILLA FRI 6 DEC 2019 LONDON HEAVEN FOR PRE-SHOW UPGRADES GO TO HTTP://SHOP.POETSOFTHEFALL.COM A LIVE NATION & ACADEMY EVENTS PRESENTATION IN ASSOCIATION WITH K2 AGENCY

METAL HAMSTER ROCK SOOND

FRI 22 NOVEMBER NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY SAT 23 NOVEMBER SHEFFIELD O2 ACADEMY2 FRI 29 NOVEMBER LIVERPOOL O2 ACADEMY2

SOME GUY

SAT 09 NOV BRISTOL O2 ACADEMY FRI 06 DEC BIRMINGHAM O2 INSTITUTE FRI 13 DEC LONDON O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN presents

presents

NIRVANA UK WITH SPECIAL GUEST

(MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE TRIBUTE) PLUS WE AREN’T PARAMORE

The Premier Nirvana Tribute Band

AN ACADEMY EVENTS & FRIENDS PRESENTATION

21.11 GLASGOW SLAY 22.11 SHEFFIELD CORPORATION 23.11 BOURNEMOUTH O2 ACADEMY 24.11 LONDON ELECTRIC BRIXTON

SAT 22 FEB 2020 // LONDON O2 ACADEMY2 ISLINGTON SAT 25 APRIL 2020 // LEICESTER O2 ACADEMY2 SAT 16 MAY 2020 // LIVERPOOL O2 ACADEMY2 SAT 23 MAY 2020 // SHEFFIELD O2 ACADEMY2 SAT 13 JUNE 2020 // BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY3 SAT 27 JUNE 2020 // NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY2 SAT 03 OCT 2020 // OXFORD O2 ACADEMY2

TICKETMASTER.CO.UK & ALL USUAL AGENTS

NATIONAL SAT SAT SAT SAT FRI SAT FRI

04 18 02 09 22 30 18

APRIL APRIL MAY MAY MAY MAY SEPT

TOUR

2020

LEICESTER O2 ACADEMY2 OXFORD O2 ACADEMY2 BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY3 LIVERPOOL O2 ACADEMY2 NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY2 SHEFFIELD O2 ACADEMY2 LONDON O2 ACADEMY2 ISLINGTON

Amazing grace: Frank Marino predicting at least one plectrum-loss an hour.

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“A treasure trove celebrating Marino’s uncompromised vision…”

FRANK MARINO ++++

112 P L A N E T R O C K

DVDs & Books

THE CAMBRIDGE COMPANION TO THE ROLLING STONES Edited By Victor Coelho And John Covach CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

++ Disappointing volume of academic essays.

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LONG DRAWN OUT TRIP Gerald Scarfe LITTLE, BROWN

++++ Pink Floydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Wall collaboratorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engaging autobiography. *HUDOG 6FDUIHÂśV JKRXOLVKÄĽORRNÄĽ LQJ 0RWKHU 3LQN DQG 6FKRROÄĽ PDVWHU FUHDWLRQV GHÂżQHG WKH YLVXDO DHVWKHWLF RI 3LQN )OR\GÂśV The Wall VWDJH VKRZ DQG PRYLH %XW DUWLVW 6FDUIHÂśV VWRU\ LV PXFK ELJJHU HQFRPSDVVLQJ VZHHSLQJ VRFLDO FKDQJHV LQ WKH Âś V DQG EHÄĽ \RQG ,WÂśV D Ă&#x20AC;DVKEDFN WR D E\JRQH DJH EHIRUH VPDUWÄĽSKRQH FDPHUDV ZKHQ FDUWRRQLVWV Zere EXVVHG LQWR ZDU]RQHV WR VNHWFK WKH GHDG DQG FRXUWHG E\ )OHHW 6WUHHW QHZVSDSHU HGLWRUV ZLWK WKH SURPLVH RI D VSRUWV FDU DQG IUHH SHWURO :KHQ 6FDUIH EULHĂ&#x20AC;\ MRLQV Whe

URFNœQœUROO FLUFXV KLV RXWVLGHUœV H\H VZLIWO\ QRWHV LWV TXLUNV DQG RXWULJKW PDGQHVV )OR\GœV 5RJHU :DWHUV HPHUJHV DV D JULPO\ KXPRURXV FRQWURO IUHDN DQG F\QLFDOO\ DZDUH RI KLV JRRG IRUWXQH ³,WœV JUHDW WR EH ULFK ´ KH WHOOV 6FDUIH ZKLOH RQ D VNLLQJ WULS )OR\G WULYLD IDQV PLJKW DOVR EH DPXVHG WR OHDUQ WKDW JURZQļXS FKLOGUHQœV DXWKRU 5RDOG 'DKO ZDV DSSURDFKHG WR VFULSW 7KH :DOO PRYLH EXW KLV LGHDV ZHUH UHMHFWHG $Q\RQH IRU 5RJHU $QG 7KH *LDQW %ULFN" MARK BLAKE

RUSH: THE MAKING OF A FAREWELL KINGS: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL David Calcano/Lindsay Lee/ Juan Riera/Ittai Manero FANTOONS

++++ Hefty LP-sized volume fully authorised by the band.

6XUSULVLQJ UHDOO\ MXVW KRZ PXFK WKLV JUDSKLF QRYHO EULQJV QHZ KLJKO\ HQMR\DEOH GLPHQVLRQV WR WKH VWRU\ EHKLQG 5XVKÂśV ODQGPDUN ÂżIWK DOEXP )HDWXULQJ DQ LQIRUPDWLYH IRUHZRUG E\ A Farewell To KingsÂś SURGXFHU 7HUU\ %URZQ DQG QHZ IDFWXDO LQSXW IURP $OH[ /LIHVRQ LW PDSV WKH PDNLQJ RI WKH DOEXP ZLWK KXPRXU QDUUDWLYH GULYH DQG VRPH IUHVK LQVLJKW :KR NQHZ WKDW XSRQ ZHOFRPÄĽ LQJ 5XVK WR 5RFNÂżHOG 6WXGLRV LQ 0RQPRXWK :DOHV WKH IDFLOLW\ÂśV FRÄĽRZQHU .LQJVOH\ :DUG VKRZHG WKHP D VRIW SRUQ ÂżOP RU WKDW WKH EDQG UHFRUGHG WKH UHFRUGÂśV WLWOH WUDFN LQ VKRUWV" 7KH WULDOV RI VHFRQGDU\ FKDUDFWHUV VXFK DV 5XVKÂśV VOHHYH GHVLJQHU +XJK 6\PH DQG WKHLU PDQDJHU 5D\ 'DQQLHOV DUH DOVR WKRXJKWIXOÄĽ O\ VNHWFKHG ÄŞSULRU WR WKH VXFFHVV RI 2112 DQG â&#x20AC;ŚKings 5XVKÂśV IJ GHEW KDG JLYHQ 'DQQLHOV D VWRPDFKÄĽXOFHUÄŤ EXW RI FRXUVH LWÂśV WKH VXSHUKHURÄĽ OLNH GUDZLQJV RI /HH /LIHVRQ DQG 3HDUW LQ DOO WKHLU Âś V SRPS VSOHQGRXU ZKLFK GHOLJKW PRVW $ ORYHO\ VWDUW IURP )DQWRRQV ZKR KDYH IXUWKHU JUDSKLF QRYHOV RQ 5XVKÂśV Permanent Waves DQG 0RW|UKHDGÂśV FRPLFÄĽIULHQGO\ Ace Of Spades LQ WKH Drawn-out: SLSHOLQH JAMES the graphic MCNAIR Alex Lifeson.

KILLING JOKE

Malicious Damage: Live At The Astoria 12.10.03 CADIZ

++++ Jaz Colemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s post-punk crew at full ceremonial intensity.

Currently winding up their 40th anniversary tour in US arenas supporting Tool, Killing Jokeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inďŹ&#x201A;uence on thrash metal, industrial and all subsequent strands of punk remains beyond question. Equally undeniable is their outright excellence since the original quartet reconvened in 2008; on-stage at Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Subterania in August that year, frontman Jaz Coleman was so ďŹ red up he knocked himself out.

Rarely absent or off-form, KJ were still ďŹ ghting to get their dues in the early 2000s, a cause helped immeasurably when 2003â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s self-titled eleventh album saw super-fan Dave Grohl, no less, ďŹ lling the drum stool, although, sadly, he never materialised on the ensuing tour, even at the London date documented here.

However, what Malicious Damage proves is that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never a so-so Killing Joke show. Coleman, in black cowl and camo warpaint, initially performs with a worrying calm which soon reliably crossfades into catatonic fury. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Between now and the next concert, some of you will be dead,â&#x20AC;? he cheerily informs those in the moshpit. In fact, it was glowering bassist Paul Raven who would pass away in 2007.

On paper, this wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t KJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream team, but, completed by ex-Swans drummer Ted Parsons and Geordie Walker conjuring a primordial crunch from his hollow-bodied Gibson, the sight and sound of them piledriving through Wardance, Pssyche, Asteroid, etc in your front room is a uniquely transporting experience.

ANDREW PERRY P L A N E T R O C K 113

Unsung

Cut The Crap!

Showing some love to those underrated albums. This issue: bored of â&#x20AC;&#x153;fannying aroundâ&#x20AC;?, AC/DC go back to basics. By Paul Brannigan.

AC/DC

Flick Of The Switch

I F YO U WANT an insight into where Malcolm and Angus Youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heads were at in 1983, take 10 minutes out of your day to watch the promo videos for the three singles lifted from Rising power: Flick Of The Switch, the title track, Guns For Hire and Nervous Angus Young Shakedown. Actually, life is short, watching any one of the gets a lift, San WKUHH ZLOO VXɡFH EHFDXVH WKH\ÂśUH SUHWW\ PXFK LGHQWLFDO QRÄĽ Francisco, 1982. frills performance clips shot on a single autumn day in an aircraft hangar in Los Angeles. Malcolm Youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s directions to WKH FDPHUD FUHZ DW WKH VKRRW FRXOGQÂśW KDYH EHHQ FOHDUHU Âł:HÂśOO EH SOD\LQJ \RX ÂżOP ´ WKH JXLWDULVW LQVWUXFWHG Âł:DON DURXQG WKH EDQG GR ZKDWHYHU WKH IXFN \RX ZDQW :H MXVW ZDQW LW GRQH WRGD\ ´ WKDW LW WRRN 0XWW /DQJH WR ÂżQG D VQDUH VRXQG RQ For Those About To $& '& ZHUH QHYHU D EDQG WR RYHUÄĽFRPSOLFDWH PDWWHUV Âł:H GRQÂśW Rock DQG SURGXFHG E\ WKH <RXQJ EURWKHUV ZLWKRXW RXWVLGH LQWHUIHUÄĽ IXFN DURXQG PXFK ´ ZDV $QJXV <RXQJÂśV VXFFLQFW DSSUDLVDO RI WKH JURXSÂśV ence, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Powerage RI WKH %ULDQ -RKQVRQÄĽHUD Âś'& VWULSSHG EDFN WR modus operandi from day one. The early â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s, then, was their elemental core. As a result, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the last truly great a challenging time for the quintet. The phenomenal AC/DC LP, and the most underrated in their catalogue. success of Back In Black might not have changed the outÄĽ :KHUH LWV SUHGHFHVVRU ZDV SXUSRVHÄĽEXLOW IRU WKH ORRN RI WKH ÂżYH HDUWK\ PXVLFLDQV ZKR UHFRUGHG LW EXW LW DUHQDV LQWR ZKLFK WKH EDQG KDG QRZ EHHQ HOHYDWHG Flick certainly altered the climate in which they operated.

Of The Switch LV WKH VRXQG RI D EDQG SOD\LQJ LQ RQH URRP ([SHFWDWLRQV IURP WKHLU QHZO\ H[SDQGHG IDQÄĽEDVH again, urgent and antsy. Filled with images of chaos and PDQDJHPHQW DQG UHFRUG ODEHO KDG FKDQJHG 0XFK WR WKH YLROHQFH ÄŚ JXQV Ă&#x20AC;DPHV EUXWDO DUUHVWV ÄŚ DQG VFDWKLQJ groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s irritation, the US division of Atlantic Records GLVPLVVDOV RI DXWKRULW\ ÂżJXUHV ÄŚ SUHDFKHUV DVVKROH FRSV GHPRQVWUDWHG WKHLU ORQJÄĽWLPH GLVGDLQ IRU WKH <RXQJ RYHUEHDULQJ SDUHQWV ÄŚ LWÂśV ÄŞLPÄŤSXUH RXWODZ URFNÂśQÂśUROO EURWKHUV E\ FDVKLQJ LQ RQ WKHLU QHZ VXFFHVV ZLWK WKH LWFKLQJ IRU D FOHDQVLQJ FDWKDUWLF UXPEOH $QJXV DQG ORQJÄĽGHOD\HG UHOHDVH LQ RI Dirty Deeds Done Dirt 0DOFROP DUH RQ ÂżUH WKH ULÉąV RQ *XQV )RU )LUH /DQGVOLGH Cheap DQ DOEXP WKH\ÂśG UHMHFWHG DQG VKHOYHG DKHDG RI LWV DQG %DGODQGV smoke DQG %ULDQ -RKQVRQ FOHDUO\ UHOLVKHV worldwide release in 1976.

WDSSLQJ LQWR %RQ 6FRWWÂśV QDWXUDO EDGÄĽDVV VZDJJHU T R A C K S 3URGXFHU 0XWW /DQJH ZKRÂśG EHHQ WDVNHG ZLWK SROLVKLQJ 1RQH RI WKLV LW VKRXOG EH QRWHG PDGH Flick Of The Rising Power, This XS WKH JURXSÂśV VRXQG IRU 86 UDGLR ÄŚ D FKDOOHQJH KH UHVSRQGÄĽ Switch an easy sell in 1983. From its stark, minimalist cover, House Is On Fire, Flick HG WR PDJQLÂżFHQWO\ ZLWK Highway To Hell and Back In Black, PRUH VXLWHG WR D ERRWOHJ UHFRUGLQJ WKDQ HDJHUO\ DQWLFLSDWHG Of The Switch, Nervous Shakedown, Landslide, was starting to get on Malcolm and Angusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tits too. His new material from an international superstar act, to its Guns For Hire, Deep In meticulous, perfectionist approach had made the recording EUXWDO ERQH GU\ SURGXFWLRQ $& '&ÂśV QLQWK DOEXP ZDV The Hole, Bedlam of 1981â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s For Those About About To Rock D VORJ IRU DOO LQYROYHG GHÂżDQWO\ RXWÄĽRIÄĽVWHS ZLWK WKH WLPHV ,Q WKH \HDU RI WKH VOLFN In Belgium, Badlands, Brain Shake IRU PXFK RI WKHLU ÂżYH PRQWKV LQ WKH VWXGLR Âś'& ZHUH shiny Pyromania and Eliminator LW LQLWLDOO\ VROG MXVW ÂłERUHG VKLWOHVV´ $QJXV <RXQJ DGPLWWHG ZLWK 0DOFROP LQ FRSLHV LQ $PHULFD ÄŞLW GLGQÂśW SDVV WKH PLOOLRQÄĽVDOHV PDUN XQWLO PERSONNEL SDUWLFXODU ZHDU\LQJ RI /DQJHÂśV ÂłIDQQ\LQJ DURXQG´ ÄŤ DQG SHDNHG DW 1XPEHU RQ WKH %LOOERDUG FKDUW Brian Johnson (vocals), Malcolm Young (QRXJK ZDV HQRXJK 0DQDJHU 3HWHU 0HQVFK ZDV ÂżUHG $V ÂżHUFHO\ FRPSHWLWLYH DV WKH <RXQJ EURWKHUV DOZD\V (rhythm guitar), Angus and Lange was informed that his services were no longer ZHUH WKH VWDWV IRU RQFH GLGQÂśW WURXEOH WKHP IRU WKLV DOEXP Young (lead guitar), UHTXLUHG Âł:H MXVW WKRXJKW Îź%XJJHU LW :HÂśYH KDG HQRXJK RI ZDV DOO DERXW WKH SDLU ZUHVWLQJ EDFN FRQWURO DQG VWXEERUQO\ Cliff Williams (bass), Phil Rudd (drums) WKLV FUDS ϫ 0DOFROP H[SODLQHG UHIXVLQJ WR SOD\ WKH JDPH Âł:H ZHUH MXVW WU\LQJ WR EHFRPH D PRODUCER VLPSOH OLWWOH EDQG DJDLQ ´ 0DOFROP <RXQJ ODWHU FODLPHG $QG Shorn of all frippery, then, Flick Of The Switch is the AC/DC LI WKDW PHDQW VD\LQJ D GHÂżDQW ÎźIXFN \RXÂś WR HYHU\RQH HOVH most uncompromising artistic statement AC/DC ever well, wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that always the AC/DC way?

PDGH :ULWWHQ LQ DSSUR[LPately the same amount of time 114 P L A N E T R O C K

GETTY

ATLANTIC, 1983

T h e B u y e r sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; G u i d e Scando noir: Opeth, with Mikael Ã&#x2026;kerfeldt (far right), 2003.

BUCOLIC FOLK. GOTHIC DOOM. EXPANSIVE, EXPERIMENTAL PROG ROCK. BUT WHICH IS OPETHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MAGNUS OPUS? T O S O M E , Opeth have abandoned their metal roots. While itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true that mainman Mikael Ã&#x2026;kerfeldt no longer growls, and these days opts for heaviness of a more Iommian stripe in preference to the death metal of old, this take misses the point.

Even when the Swedesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 1995 debut, Orchid, emerged into a Scandinavian metal underground in which the NH\ SOD\HUV Ħ (PSHURU $W 7KH *DWHV 'DUNWKURQH HWF Ħ FKDPSLRQHG LQGLYLGXDOLW\ DQG FUHDWLYLW\ 2SHWK VWXFN RXW 'HDWK PHWDO ZDV WHFKQLFDO EXW not like this, and the use of acoustic guitar amid the ODE\ULQWKLQH ULɱV QRW WR PHQWLRQ DQ HFKR RI WKH vibes of the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s, even then, made them more than just another band. Ã&#x2026;kerfeldtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professed love of old prog and folk vinyl also played its part, increasingly colouring the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art with each record.

116

PLANET ROCK

Where they stand today, 13 albums in, with a :HPEOH\ $UHQD KHDGOLQH VKRZ LQ IURQW RI diehard fans in their pocket and widespread recogÄ¥ nition as one of the most important metal bands of their generation, is testament to their refusal to UHF\FOH DQG UHSHDW IDPLOLDU WURSHV $OWKRXJK WKH 2SHWK VRXQG LV LQ VRPH VHQVH $ 7KLQJ WKDW D EDQG FDQ KDYH D WKURXJKÄ¥OLQH ZKLFK VWUHWFKHV IURP WKH FUXVKLQJ KHDYLQHVV RI D VRQJ OLNH 'HPRQ 2I 7KH )DOO WR WKH RXWÄ¥DQGÄ¥RXW ¶ V ZRUVKLS RI WKH ZDUP JURRY\ 7KH 'HYLO¶V 2UFKDUG LV D IHDW LQ LWVHOI Because while there are distinct periods of Opeth, their refusal to let the grass grow under their IHHW PHDQV WKHUH LV QR μWUXH¶ SHULRG RI WKH EDQG $QG when there is a catalogue as rich and wonderous as this as a result, that is cause to celebrate indeedâ&#x20AC;¦

*(77<

OPETH

Nick Ruskell gets overwhelmed by metal lords Opethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swede emotion.

Heritage

Morningrise

(Roadrunner, 2011)

(Candlelight, 1996)

The point at which Mikael Åkerfeldt’s well-documented love of deep ’70s prog vaulted the fence and spread all over the place, with the complex explorations of King Crimson, ELP and Jethro Tull extending far beyond mere inspiration to become an integral part of Opeth’s own music.

Arpeggiated organs sit over a much warmer, cosier side of the group, as the growls and metal were buried under a grave marked ‘Rest In Prog’. It’s divisive, but also one of the band’s most important milestones.

“Five tracks in 66 minutes of the best metal you will ever hear!” read the sticker on the cover of the original pressing of Morningrise, which also claimed the title of ‘Swedish Gods’ for Opeth.

Thor may have had something to say about such hyperbole, given that it was only the band’s second album, but already they were showing signs of progression between LPs that can normally be measured in marathons. Which, incidentally, is a word that could be applied to the 20-minute epic Black Rose Immortal.

I0 9

8

7

6

My Arms, Your Hearse

Blackwater Park

Still Life

Orchid

Deliverence

5

(Candlelight, 1998)

Perhaps the darkest Opeth record, My Arms, Your Hearse has a black cloud hanging over it. It’s not necessarily that it sounds angrier in places than its two predecessors but perhaps the band’s increasing live appearances had given them a new energy. And not only did Mikael Åkerfeldt play bass as well as his own parts as a result of line-up shifts, he also made it a concept LP, in which the final word of the previous song is the title of the next. The result was a doomier side to Opeth, while also showcasing bona fide banger Demon Of The Fall.

4

(Music For Nations/Koch, 2001)

The start of what would become an important and long-standing relationship between Opeth and producer Steven Wilson. The Porcupine Tree mainman didn’t just twiddle the knobs, he pushed the band as a creative entity, in the process turning them from a very good progressive metal band into an excellent band in their own right. That the band rehearsed the material only a couple of times ahead of recording had little effect on the outcome, from classy death-metal opener The Leper Affinity, to the twisting Bleak and the beautiful acoustic folk of Harvest.

Ghost Reveries (Roadrunner, 2005)

That Ghost Reveries was released on ultra-successful metal label Roadrunner – absolutely flush from the success of Slipknot, and home to un-Opeth-y bands like Killswitch Engage, Machine Head and, um, Nickelback – spoke both of the band’s rising profile, but also of the changing wind in metal at the time. In the face of any expectation to play safe, Ghost Reveries opened with the 10-minute monolith, Ghost Of Perdition, a song packed with tricky syncopated metal, as well as detours into dreamy prog.

3

(Peaceville, 1999)

A concept album based on a heretic returning to life in a village ruled by a religious iron fist, Opeth’s fourth record is even more of a mouthful at first than its predecessors. Recorded at a time when touring wouldn’t be particularly plentiful, and thus unburdened with worrying how crowds would receive it live, Still Life really doesn’t rush to get anywhere. Opener The Moor is a wonderful piece of haunting death metal that lives up to the sweeping vastness of its title, while Benighted is a genuinely beautiful acoustic track that wouldn’t shame Bert Jansch.

Damnation (Music For Nations/Koch, 2003)

The Deliverance/ Damnation set had originally been conceived as one double album, half metal, half mellow and mostly acoustic.

Problem was the label people didn’t much fancy releasing a single, two-hour album, no matter the growing cult appeal of the band for doing precisely this sort of thing. Thus, the release was split into two, with Damnation following six months after the metallic Deliverance. The way it focuses on just one facet of the band only serves to make it more impressive.

2

(Candlelight, 1995)

It was Ihsahn you can thank for Opeth’s debut, as Candlelight signed the band on the strength of a rehearsal tape the Emperor frontman passed on to them. Even with the death and black metal undergrounds already spreading their artistic wings, however, Orchid immediately stood out as the work of a band untroubled by boundary. Rehearsing six nights a week in the dark – not for mood, but to perfect their playing – had sharpened their progressive take on death metal, while the frequent acoustic guitars among the heaviness heralded a singular vision.

Watershed (Roadrunner, 2008)

The last place you’d hear a death-grunt on an Opeth album, Watershed was also where a proper ’70s prog influence started making itself felt.

While some fans began querying what the hell the band were doing losing their metallic edge (even in the wake of Damnation), Watershed is actually the sound of Opeth spreading their wings to their fullest extent, before taking a different tack on what would follow. Think of it as their…

And Justice For All – more of everything, but taken to the outer limits.

1

(Music For Nations/Koch, 2002)

It’s a photo-finish for Opeth’s finest work, but Deliverance wins by a nose on several fronts. Expanding the band’s creative horizons by pairing it with Damnation, it was a monument to their ambition and abilities, balancing metal and melody more expertly than ever before. Featuring one of the band’s heaviestever moments in the title track, and a true anthem in the mellow-then-massive A Fair Judgement, it was also the record that arguably began to bust the band into wider consciousness, setting a clearer roadmap for how far Opeth could go.

P L A N E T R O C K 117

Timeless swagger: the Coop knocks â&#x20AC;&#x2122;em dead in Greenwich.

Live Wire

The Death And Resurrection Show

Kick Out The Jams and Looking At You with a pulverising urgency that is startling. Back in WKH GD\ WKLV ZDV GDQJHURXV VWXÉą WKH 'HWURLW band advocated violence, and were â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;persons of interestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to federal agencies. Half a century on, this soundtrack to a revolution is going down a storm in a seated venue that sells SLFNÂśQÂśPL[ FKLFNHQ GLSSHUV DQG 7ÄĽVKLUWV for 30 quid a throw. Such is the sensational GHOLYHU\ RI WKH EDQG RQÄĽVWDJH WKDW IRU minutes none of this matters.

The music of The Stranglers is equally confrontational, not to mention weirder. In their younger days the group played with The :KR DQG SHUIRUPHG VRQJV WKDW OHG WR ÂżJKWV between punks and rockers on the terraces of Wembley Stadium. Those days may be gone, but the menace of the music remains.

Olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Black Eyes is back, making mischief in the biggest room in London Town.

ALICE COOPER THE STRANGLERS MC50

T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 0 , 2 0 1 9

PAUL HARRIES

O2 Arena, London

Rock royalty: Cooper atop his ďŹ breglass castle.

AT T H E climax of a set in which he is beheaded by a guillotine, chased by a giant dead baby, and pestered by Frankensteinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monster across a set that looks like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been purchased from the estate of Ronnie James Dio, Alice Cooper pays tribute to a musician whose legacy towers even higher than his own. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rest in peace, Ginger Baker,â&#x20AC;? he says, as his capable band insert a snippet of Sunshine Of Your Love into Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Out, the HYHQLQJÂśV ÂżQDO VRQJ Coccooned within the music, the ÄĽ\HDUÄĽROG ULQN\ÄĽGLQNV DURXQG WKH stage like the Pink Panther, or like a PDQ KDOI KLV DJH 7RQLJKWÂśV ÄĽPLQXWH show is the headlinerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eighth concert LQ QLJKWV ÄŚ LQ WKH VXPPHU LW WRRN Metallica three months WR FRPSOHWH D ÄĽGDWH WRXU ÄŚ D OHYHO RI GXUDELOLW\ WKDW borders on the supernatural. Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;roll will never die, and by the looks of it neither will Alice Cooper.

The same might be said of Wayne KramÄĽ er, also 71, who leaps around the O2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spacious stage as if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a trampoline. Repurposing the VRQJV RI 0& WKH 0& ÄŚ WKH OLQHÄĽXS RI which features Fugaziâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brendan Canty, Faith No Moreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bill Gould and Soundgardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kim Thayil, alongside former Zen Guerrilla frontÄĽ PDQ 0DUFXV 'XUDQW ÄŚ tear into tracks such as

As basVLVW -HDQÄĽ-DFTXHV %XUQHO QDLOV GRZQ the insistent rhythms of songs such as 1LFHÂś1Âś6OHD]\ DQG ÄŞ*HW $ÄŤ *ULS ÄŞ2Q <RXUÄĽ VHOIÄŤ NH\ERDUGLVW 'DYLG 3DXO *UHHQÂżHOG extemporises as if the lives of everyone in the room depend on it. At times The Stranglers sound like a punkish version of The Doors, with the added promise of violence. Golden Brown is poured out with an insouciance that suggests it might actually fall apart, while the dependably loutish Peaches arrives like a version of Watching The Detectives thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

necked too many Stellas. Even the arrival of WKH ZRUVW UK\PLQJ FRXSOHW RI WKH QLJKW ÄŚ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatever happened to all the heroes/All WKH 6KDNHVSHDUHÄĽRHV"´ ÄŚ LQ 1R 0RUH +HURHV cannot derail the momentum. Performing in front of a backdrop that features a painting of a sewer, The Stranglers acquit themselves well in this huge auditorium.

Inevitably, the night belongs to the headÄĽ liner. Wearing a top hat and twirling a silver cane, Alice Cooper looks as much like a memÄĽ ber of Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Royal Family as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to be. As upwards of ten thousand people stare at a chap who once counted Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin as friends, the man himself puts on a show. No More Mr Nice Guy is knocked out early with a mischievous and timeless swagger. Two songs on, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s singing about ÂżQGLQJ KLPVHOI QDNHG LQ WKH PLGGOH RI 0H[LÄĽ co after being violated by a sexual predator.

The fact that these days Alice Cooper is more OLNHO\ WR ÂżQG KLPVHOI VWUDQGHG RQ WKH WK KROH GRHVQÂśW PDWWHU ÄŚ 5DSHG $QG )UHH]LQÂś sounds as convincing as it did in 1973.

Not everything is quite so well judged.

'XULQJ WKH ORYHDEO\ KRNH\ +HÂśV %DFN ÄŞ7KH 0DQ %HKLQG 7KH 0DVNÄŤ D ÂżJXUH GUHVVHG DV Jason Voorhees, WKH KRFNH\ÄĽPDVNHG NLOOHU from Friday The 13th, wanders the stage like a man whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lost the reÄĽ mote control to the telly. MomenÄĽ tum is then allowed to drag with the LQFOXVLRQ RI GUXP DQG JXLWDU VRORV ÄŚ the latter performed from the turret RI D ÂżEUHJODVV FDVWOH ÄŚ ERWK RI ZKLFK serve only to give the set a paunch.

But, mostly, the evening is about VRQJV RI VXFK KLVWRULFDO VLJQLÂżFDQFH that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a surprise theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not owned by the National Trust. Johnny Rotten auditioned for the Sex Pistols by singing along to Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Eighteen in a shop on the Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5RDG WRQLJKW RQ WKH RWKHU VLGH RI the city, Alice Cooper sings the same number with a freshness that belies the fact that when he was 18 The Beatles were still together. Poison follows shortly after, a major hit with a clumsy lyric that thousands of people carry home with them on the Jubilee Line. And with only minutes to go before curfew, the eternally adolescent Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Out is garlanded with a response that threatens to collapse the O2 Arena.

As the posters in the corridors say, Olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Black Eyes Is Back. And on a chilly night in London, Alice Cooper hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lost a step.

IAN WINWOOD B E ST MOM E NT: Wayne Kramer showing himself

to be one of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most underrated, not to mention excoriating, guitarists as the MC50 tear through Looking At You. P L A N E T R O C K 119

Faultless job: The Professionals with (from left) McCormack, Spencer and Cook.

Top Of The World!

Gingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s redoubtable renaissance men blast back, bloodied but unbowed. Ariba!

THE WILDHEARTS THE PROFESSIONALS, JANUS STARK S U N D AY, O C T O B E R 6 , 2 0 1 9

Sub89, Reading T H E E XC I T E M E N T of The WildÄĽ heartsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; return to Reading has proved overÄĽ whelming for one unfortunate gentleman.

Sparked out on a bench backstage at Sub89, with paramedics attaching ECG wires to his chest, his friends looking on anxiously and D VWUHWFKHU RQ VWDQGÄĽE\ LW ORRNV OLNH WKH QLJKW is over for our stricken comrade.

Or perhaps not. As The Professionalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; amiable guitarist Chris McCormack walks over to check on the manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s condition, the patieQW VXGGHQO\ VLWV EROW XSULJKW RÉąHUV a cheery â&#x20AC;&#x2122;thumbs upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; signal and says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Great gig Chris!â&#x20AC;?

120 P L A N E T R O C K

,QVLGH WKH VROGÄĽRXW YHQXH DV LV WUDGLWLRQDO upon The Wildhearts completing their main set, the audience is anticipating their immiÄĽ QHQW UHWXUQ RQÄĽVWDJH ZLWK D UDXFRXV VLQJDORQJ FKRUXV RI 'RQÂśW :RUU\ Âś%RXW 0H WKH OLIHÄĽ DɡUPLQJ KLGGHQ WUDFN RQ ÂśV P.H.U.Q. album. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rarely sounded more apt.

Given the chaos which surrounded the EDQG WKURXJKRXW WKH V LWÂśV JHQXLQHO\ astonishing that all four members of The :LOGKHDUWVÂś ÎźFODVVLFÂś OLQHÄĽXS DUH VWLOO DOLYH D fact no one is more aware of, or grateful for, than the musicians themselves. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some thought that we were through,â&#x20AC;? Ginger roars gleefully on the title track of Renaissance Men, WKH TXDUWHWÂśV DVWRQLVKLQJO\ JRRG ÂżUVW DOEXP LQ a decade. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some prayed that we were too. But you need us around. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep a good band down.â&#x20AC;?

6XFK GHÂżDQW VHQWLPHQWV KDYH D UHVRQDQFH for this tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support acts too. Having served time in The Prodigy and UK Subs, Gizz Butt reformed Janus Stark last year, and his band have a new album, Angel In The Flames, due for release in November. New songs such as 6KXÉšLQJ 7KH 3DFN KDYH D UHDO ELWH ZKLOH WKH adrenalised Every Little Thing Counts and )OR\G ÄŞ:KDW $UH <RX 2Q"ÄŤ IURP ÂśV Great Adventure Cigar sound utterly relevant.

The Professionals too have been given a QHZ OHDVH RI OLIH )RUPHG LQ E\ 3DXO Cook and Steve Jones in the wake of the Sex 3LVWROVÂś LPSORVLRQ WKH JURXS UHÄĽHPHUJHG LQ UHOHDVLQJ WKH H[FHOOHQW What In The World album two years later. Very much part of the KHDGOLQH DFWÂśV H[WHQGHG IDPLO\ ÄŚ IURQWPDQ Tom Spencer having played with Wildhearts bassist Danny McCormack in The Yo Yos, Chris McCormack being Dannyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baby brother, and Japanese bassist Toshi Ogawa

also serving as a member of Gingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side EDQG +H\ +HOOR ÄŚ WKH TXDUWHW DUH ZDUPO\ welcomed by the crowd, and turn in a stormÄĽ LQJ ÄĽPLQXWH VHW If the Sex Pistolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Silly Thing is the most familiar anthem on show, infectious new songs such as Good Man Down, Rewind and Monkeys, introduced by Spencer as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a song about cunts like Boris Johnsonâ&#x20AC;?, are equally spiky. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be at the merch stand later,â&#x20AC;? the singer quips, â&#x20AC;&#x153;selling Paul Cookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul.â&#x20AC;?

No stranger to dark days, Ginger WildÄĽ heart, too, is in mischievous form tonight. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve noticed, but all the secuÄĽ ULW\ KDYH IXFNHG RÉą ´ KH SRLQWV RXW DIWHU ÂżUVW encore Greetings From Shitsville. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well,

PAUL HARRIES

Renaissance men: Ginger and his Wildhearts.

thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one still here, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about 12. Not suggesting you might want to invade the VWDJH EXW´ +LV QRQHÄĽWRRÄĽVXEWOH LQYLWDWLRQ LV passed up by the crowd, but then the quartetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set is already an absolute riot from the moment they take the stage with a ferocious Diagnosis, the best song on the best album of the year.

Following Let â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Em Go, which like much of the Renaissance Men album seems to consist of four distinct choruses welded together, Ginger talks up the reception his band were JLYHQ LQ %ULJKWRQ KRXUV HDUOLHU RQ WKH opening date of the tour. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The crowd was really good,â&#x20AC;? he teases. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Really, really good.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect you lot to be as good as them,

but we live in strange times, so you never knowâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

The Reading audience seems to relish the challenge. New songs Fine Art Of Deception and Dislocated are greeted as enthusiastically DV SHUHQQLDO OLYH IDYRXULWHV &DÉąHLQH %RPE Sick Of Drugs and I Wanna Go Where The People Go, and the crowdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy serves to DPSOLI\ WKH LQWHQVLW\ RI WKH EDQGÂśV HÉąRUWV Diehards are rewarded with a couple of rarely aired deep cuts in Mindslide and Action PanÄĽ ]HU WKH ODWWHU VKRZFDVLQJ *LQJHUÂśV OLIHÄĽORQJ love of MotĂśrhead and the Ramones, and the fact that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s among the most underrated songwriters in contemporary music. It all adds up to a fabulous nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entertainment.

The Wildhearts have always been a famously volatile unit, but seeing and hearing *LQJHU DQG &- LQ SLWFKÄĽSHUIHFW KDUPRQ\ ZLWK prodigal son bassist Danny, whose battles ZLWK GUXJ DGGLFWLRQ KDYH EHHQ ZHOOÄĽ documented, and who had a leg amputated in LV JHQXLQHO\ KHDUWÄĽZDUPLQJ â&#x20AC;&#x153;I used to think that bad times lay behind PH ´ *LQJHU VLQJV RQ WKH HYHQLQJÂśV ÂżQDO VRQJ Love U â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Til I Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Maybe, just maybe, his brilliant, rejuvenated band can start to believe the same.

7KH GHĂ&#x20AC;DQW ´<RX¡UH QRW DQ DQLPDO ZH¡UH QRW DQLPDOVÎź OLQH LQ 'LDJQRVLV FU\LQJ RXW IRU EHWWHU XQGHUVWDQGLQJ RI PHQWDO KHDOWK LVVXHV

B E ST B IT:

P L A N E T R O C K 121

Live Wire

Planet Rock Roadstars

HANNAH WICKLUND & THE STEPPIN STONES, PISTON, GORILLA RIOT F R I D AY, O C T O B E R 4

Rebellion Bar, Manchester A S A P L AT F O R M for rising artists in WKH ZRUOG RI EOXHVĥEDVHG URFN WKH 3ODQHW 5RFN 5RDGVWDUV WRXUV KDYH SURYHG EHQH¿FLDO WR WKH FDUHHUV RI %URNHQ :LWW 5HEHOV $DURQ .H\ORFN DQG %DG 7RXFK DPRQJ VHYHUDO RWKHUV 7KLV \HDU LW¶V WKH WXUQ RI +DQQDK :LFNOXQG 7KH 6WHSSLQ 6WRQHV 3LVWRQ DQG *RULOOD 5LRW WR WDNH LW WR WKH PDVVHV DQG WRQLJKW VDZ WKHP OD\LQJ GRZQ WKH ODZ DW WKH DSWO\ QDPHG 5HEHOOLRQ %DU LQ 0DQFKHVWHU %RUQ LQ 6RXWK &DUROLQD +DQQDK :LFNOXQG SXW WKH 6WHSSLQ 6WRQHV WRĥ JHWKHU LQ DW WKH WHQGHU DJH RI HLJKW )RXUWHHQ \HDUV ODWHU VKH FRXOG DOPRVW EH FODVVHG DV D YHWHUDQ 7KH ĥ\HDUĥROG WRSSHG WKH ELOO WKH SUHYLRXV QLJKW LQ &KHVWHU EXW WRQLJKW VKH RSHQV SURFHHGĥ LQJV Ħ GXH WR the tour alternating headĥ OLQHUV Ħ ZLWK D EOLVWHULQJ MDP 6KH ORRNV SHWLWH VOLJKW DQG D EOXU RI KDLU DV KHU GHOLFLRXVO\ YHQRPRXV JXLWDU SOD\LQJ VHWV WKH WRQH IRU WKH UHVW RI KHU VHW ,W¶V HDV\ WR VHH ZK\ -RH %RQDPDVVD UDWHV :LFNOXQG VR KLJKO\ 6KH¶V OLNH D PRGHUQĥGD\ FRPELQDWLRQ RI +HQGUL[ DQG &ODSWRQ VRXOIXO DQG LQYHQWLYH RQ *KRVW DQG EOLVWHULQJ DQG EOXHV\ RQ %RPE 7KURXJK 7KH %UHH]H +HU EDQG LV XQREWUXVLYH \HW RQ WKH PRQH\ PXVLĥ FDOO\ DOORZLQJ :LFNOXQG WR VKLQH OLNH D FUD]\ GLDPRQG 2Q 6KDGRZ %R[HV $QG 3RUFHODLQ )DFHV VKH WDNHV WKH VWDJH DORQH DQG ZDUQV DERXW WKH SHULOV RI VRFLDO PHĥ GLD EHIRUH FKHHNLO\ DGGLQJ ³'RQ¶W IRUJHW WR WDJ XV RQ 7ZLWWHr aQG )DFHERRN ´ 7KH VRQJ LWVHOI LV D KDXQWLQJ DQG SRZHUIXO RGH WR WKH LPSDFW RI VRFLDO PHGLD RQ WRGD\¶V \RXWK +HU ORYH RI WKH ¶ V LV DOO WRR DSSDUHQW RQ WKH OLNHV RI &61<¶V 2KLR DQG WKH ¶ V VWDSOH 0DPD 6DLG WKH ODtter a song that builds and 122 P L A N E T R O C K

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Ripping it up: Pistonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rob Angelico.

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B E ST MOM E NT:

S I M O N J . N E W B U RY

Our parent radio stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rowdy live revue goes rollinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and tumblinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Manchester, as the City gets the Blues.

Blistering sister: 123 the extraordinary Hannah Wicklund.

TEN GIGS TO SEE THIS MONTH 4 3 5

FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS GO TO PLANETROCK.COM

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PLANET ROCKSTOCK

Six years young and going strong, our very own Planet Rockstock returns to Trecco Bay, South Wales. Raucous headline spots by Skid Row and The Temperance Movement will be bolstered by The Quireboys, Kris Barras Band, JOANovARC and many more, before hard-prog wizards Uriah Heep close proceedings on Sunday. A bloody brilliant weekend, basically.

Young blood: check out the New Rock stage. You may find tomorrow’s headliners playing there Old blood: somehow, Uriah Heep turn 50 this year. Help them celebrate in style When: December 6-8

THE DARKNESS

Easter may be cancelled – at least, according to the title of The Darkness’s latest album – but Lowestoft’s ribald rockers have Christmas in the bag with an extensive tour of the UK and Ireland.

Expect your stockings to be stuffed with single entendres, sensational theatrics and a slew of modern rock’s finest crackers. But only if you’ve been naughty this year…

Do: believe in a thing called love, even though it’s only a feeling, apparently

Expect hippyish dashikis and jams longer than bellbottom jeans. The only thing you shouldn’t expect in Greta Van Fleet’s company is a dull moment. With a Grammy under their belts and support slots with Metallica beckoning, their star is unquestionably in the ascendant. This run may be your last chance to catch them in theatres before they go supernova.

Lighters at the ready for: Peaceful Army anthem You’re The One and fresh ballad Always There Dashiki facts: A white version of the garment sometimes worn by GVF frontman Josh Kiszka is popularly worn by grooms at many West African wedding ceremonies When: November 3-10

Don’t: be afraid to sport your most outrageous leotard.

If you’ve got it, flaunt it When: November 25December 20 Supernovas: GVF’s Josh and Jake Kiszka.

124 P L A N E T R O C K

RIVAL SONS

AIRBOURNE

6 GHOST

Purple patch: Glenn Hughes.

Papa don’t preach, but fortunately Cardinal Copia does. The gospel according to Tobias Forge has spread far and this November arena tour is set to be his ghoulish metal messiahs’ most elaborate yet. Joined by hoodoo rockers All Them Witches and Swedish metal institution Tribulation, this will be a mass you won’t want to sleep through.

10 9 78 HALESTORM

GLENN HUGHES PLAYS CLASSIC DEEP PURPLE

spellbinding run in 2018, Glenn Hughes returns to unearth tunes from Deep Purple’s mid-’70s purple patch of Burn, Stormbringer and Come Taste The Band.

Medical treatment curtailed the planned tour in May, but “the Voice of Rock” is reportedly in fine fettle and these rescheduled dates will roll back the years to a time when gods walked the earth.

Shout for: Sail Away. Might

GUN, FM & DAN REED NETWORK

ALTER BRIDGE

Like crows coming home to roost, Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti have reconvened with Alter Bridge after pursuing solo ventures last year. These will be the band’s first UK shows since they fulfilled their S&M fantasy (no, not that kind) with two full orchestra shows in 2017. This arena tour promises to be no less of a spectacle, though, from these modern rock titans.

Three bands. Three landmark albums. One mammoth tour.

Celebrating 30 years of their respective individual releases, Glaswegian bruisers Gun will play Taking On The World in full, while FM muscle their way through Tough It Out. Finish with some sizzling grooves, courtesy of rejuvenated funkateers Dan Reed Network grooving through Slam, and that beats 30 candles on a cake.

Halestorm’s first UK arena tour has been a long time coming. Since issuing their self-titled debut a decade ago, the Pennsylvania hard rockers have repeatedly proved themselves to be a much-loved live force on this side of the Atlantic, and in bona-fide, take-no-shit rock star. Get down there and prepare to be blown away.

Halestorm trivia: Singer Lzzy used to hide Halestorm guitar picks in Walmart in the hopes of being discovered. How things change…

Hailstone trivia: The heaviest hailstone on record landed in Bangladesh,

T

Feel spectre: Ghost.

Blown away: Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale.

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1 A long-tongued Demon (4,7)

1 First name of Judas Priest guitar legend Tipton (5)

4 Marillion offered A --- Words For The Dead (3)

2 As ---- As Yesterday Is, mumbled Humble Pie (4)

6 Survivor’s contribution to the soundtrack of Rocky III (3,2,3,5)

3 Shinedown guitarist, Zach (5)

9 Ronnie James Dio introduced these Knights on Heaven And Hell (4)

5 Little Angels serenaded the fairer sex with this single (9)

11 Molly Hatchet, Mountain and Quiet Riot each released albums called ----- Hits (5)

7 New York Dolls’ 2009 album Cause I Sez So saw them conduct an -------- Of Despair (8)

13 Home ---- Home, a track on Faith No More’s Album Of The Year (4)

8 From Screaming Trees’ 1987 track You Know Where It’s At: “An unspoken claim/In your ---- it rings” (4)

15 Noted ivory-tinkler and former Planet Rock presenter (4,7)

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17 Anthrax noted the Persistence Of ---- (4)

non-negotiable with no cash alternative. Entrants agree to

19 Boston and Orion The Hunter frontman, Fran ----- (5)

14 All Systems Go and Euphoria were albums by the Vinnie Vincent -------- (8)

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21 Track six on King’s X’s debut album Out Of The Silent Planet (4) 24 This band showed us the Spine Of God (7,6) 25 What Motörhead wanted to do to The Rich (3) 26 Complains Bob Mould in his 2019 track Sunny Love Song: “It’s a long, long way from California to Berlin/So filled with -----------” (11)

15 First and last words in title of 1990 Megadeth album (4,5) 18 In 1996, Rush decided to Test For ---- (4) 20 Iron Maiden soundtracked Daley Thompson with Phantom Of The ----- (5) 22 ----- Be Somebody, insisted Nickelback (5) 23 Surname of the man who sang Slave To The Grind (4) 24 Wish You Never --- Me, said Papa Roach (3)

CROSSWORD SET BY: JASON ARNOPP

With 40 classic tracks recorded live over the last decade or so, The Eagle Has Landed 40 is a real doozy. We have one up for grabs…

P L A N E T R O C K 129

WHO THE HELL ARE THESE gUYS?