19 47 – 20 17
19 6 4 – 20 17 th e li fe a
n d ti m es o
f
c ta n t THE r e lu s r o c k ta r
Sayin g Go od by e To
Th e So u th er n Ro ck Pi o n ee r
TRUCK BACK! THE YEAR ROCK S
SUMMER 2017 issue 238
Features 12 Gregg Allman
Classic Rock looks back on the life and legacy of a southern rock legend, who died last month.
35 1987: The Year In Music
It was the year of the era-defining album, the generation soundtracking debut, the career-defining mega-hit and the career-saving belter-on-a-budget. With these and many more, it was also the year that delivered some of the greatest music of the 80s. Including…
36 Whitesnake: 1987
The album that took David Coverdale from Redcar to Rodeo Drive and, with Tawny Kitaen at his side, MTV stardom.
36 The Cult
Down and looking at out, in 1987 they delivered out-and-out rock album Electric and sparked off a revolution.
44 Marillion: Clutching At Straws
Marillion were never supposed to be pop stars. But then along came Clutching At Straws…
46 Helloween
With Keeper Of The Seven Keys they were poised to be metal’s Next Big Things. But they split, and the bitterness lasted for decades. So what brought them back together?
52 Def Leppard: Hysteria
Vega vocalist Nick Workman on the monster album that came to define Leppard and helped define the 80s.
54 Midnight Oil
The fiercely political Aussies have been sorely missed. Now they’re back with a slew of reissues and a huge world tour.
58 Guns N’ Roses: Appetite For Destruction
“They don’t sound like any other band. It’s just timeless.” Manic Street Preachers’ James Dean Bradfield looks back at the debut album that soundtracked a generation.
60 Metallica
At the start of 1987, they were on the edge of a crisis. Then they saved their career with $5.98. What a bargain!
66 Kiss: Crazy Nights
“Any album that produces a song like Crazy Nights is good for me!” Paul Stanley talks about Kiss’s UK breakthough.
68 Chris Cornell
Even as Soundgarden were beginning to break out of the Seattle scene, he stood apart from his peers. Classic Rock charts the rise and tragic death of a true star.
76 Eric Gales
He’s the guitar world’s best-kept secret, praised by A-listers, who lost decades to drugs and trouble with the law. Now Eric Gales is back on the right side of the tracks.
78 Todd Rundgren
He says he’s a hard-worker more than a genius, that timing is everything and that music has been devalued. These things and more shape his world view.
Gregg Allman
December 8, 1947 – May 27, 2017
Lynn Goldsmith/camera press
12
Regulars
SUMMER 2017 issue 238
12 The Dirt
New Cheap Trick album being prepared… Brian Johnson returns to the stage; Vince Gill joins the Eagles; Aerosmith have second thoughts about calling it a day… Say hello to Blackwater Conspiracy and Blacktop Mojo, Welcome back Roger Waters, Bash & Pop and Stone Sour, say goodbye to Chris Cornell, Gregg Allman, Bruce ‘The Colonel’ Hampton…
23 Raw Power
Has the Moon 888 hi-fi amp reached the audio holy grail?
28 The Stories Behind The Songs Bad Company
“Basically a spaghetti western set to music” Bad Company gave the band their theme song and gave rock a classic.
30 Q&A Jake Burns
The Stiff Little Fingers frontman on punk, politics, SLF’s re-formation and how he’d happily go to a Kiss show.
32 Q&A Benjamin Booker
Six things you need to know about this singer, songwriter and guitarist who’s making soulful music and turning heads.
83 Reviews
New albums from Joe Bonamassa, Royal Blood, Status Quo, Styx, Rancid, Mr. Big, Benjamin Booker, Royal Trux, Gov’t Mule, Stone Sour… Reissues from ZZ Top, Glenn Hughes, Nirvana, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, David Bowie, Patto, Dr. Feelgood, Prince… DVDs, films and books on Queen, Yes, David Bowie/Mick Ronson, Kraftwerk, Plasmatics… Live reviews of Kiss, Starcrawler, Download: Aerosmith, System Of A Down, Biffy Clyro, Alter Bridge, Slayer, Rob Zombie and more…
98 Buyer’s Guide Red Hot Chili Peppers
How to come out of the record shop with the best albums from one of the best bands to come out of LA.
104 Live Previews
Must-see gigs from Wilko Johnson, UFO, Touchstone, Dan Baird & Homemade Sin and Rock Goddess. Plus full gig listings – find out who’s playing where and when.
130 Heavy Load Steve Earle
The singer-songwriter on school daze, lost years, Nashville, politics, survival and supporting Arsenal.
Subscrib e! and save money
68
p92
Chris Cornell
getty
July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017
Classicrockmagazine.com
RAINBOreW years cordings in 20
RS FOO FIGrpHrisTeEnew single
1,966,393
Get social, debate and interact with Classic Rock
su Check out their
st new Rainbow
Blackmore’s fir
RE…
EXCLUSIVE
H MO S & SO MUC W IE V R E T RES, IN
FEATU
DEEP PURPLE
MIKE PORTNOY
AC/DC
FOR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS, LIVE SETS AND MORE VISIT
www.youtube.com/ classicrock
MICHAEL SCHENKER
MYLES KENNEDY
Available at WWW.TEAMROCKMAGS.COM
Welcome
n an old episode of The West Wing, President Bartlet’s Chief Of Staff Leo McGarry states: “There’s two things in the world you never want to let people see how you make ’em: laws and sausages.” Well, I’d like to add magazines to that shortlist. But this month I think it’s only right that I let you into our process. Our original intention was to celebrate the 30th anniversary of 1987 – one of the finest years in rock, the 12 months that gave us Appetite For Destruction, Hysteria, Permanent Vacation and a huge stack more. And then about a week into our production cycle the shocking and tragic news broke about the death of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell. And then it only seemed right that we rethink our plans and opt to celebrate his life by putting him on our cover. So the plan was that we’d honour Chris on half of our issues and celebrate 1987 on the other half. Then, just a few days shy of finishing the issue, we were hit with the awful news that southern rock legend Gregg Allman had passed away. And, frankly, there was no way we weren’t going to honour him with a cover as well. So we shuffled and rejigged and rethought, and that’s the reason why we have three covers for Classic Rock this month. And I’m not gonna lie, two of them I really wish we hadn’t had to do. Rest in peace, gentlemen, and thank you so much for the music…
THE COVERS Gregg ALlman: david gahr/Getty Chris Cornell: steve pyke/contour by getty
Siân Llewellyn, Editor
Subscribe!
Save money, get your issues early and reap exclusive subscriber benefits. Visit www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk for our latest subscription offers.
This month’s contributors Paul Lester
Paul once got chastised by a fellow journalist at Melody Maker for “liking every second of recorded sound, ever”. It’s not true – space doesn’t permit his list of loathes – but he does have broad tastes. Perhaps that’s why he interviewed pop polymath Todd Rundgren (p78) and blues-rock guitarist Eric Gales (p76) for this issue.
Everett true
In 1989, Dr Jerry Thackray, aka Everett True, was flown over to Seattle to write about Sub Pop Records. His resultant report is credited with helping create grunge. This month he shares his memories of Chris Cornell (p68). He currently lives in Brighton, where he runs a book company, Rejected Unknown. For more info visit rejectedunknown.tumblr.com
ROSS HALFIN
Readers of Classic Rock will be very familiar with the brilliant photography of Mr Halfin. This month we raided The Master’s archives as we celebrate the year 1987 with his shots of Metallica, The Cult, Whitesnake, Mötley and more. On a sombre note, Ross also supplied some fantastic shots of his friend Chris Cornell, to whom we pay tribute (p68).
Stereo Can also be played on mono equipment
SIR K 66 087 (2SRK 1987)
Germany: Z France: WE 666
LC 2112
5150
Established 1998
Editor
Siân Llewellyn
Art Editor
Playing this month: Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger
Production Editor
Paul Henderson Radiohead, OK Computer
Features Editor
Darrell Mayhew
Polly Glass
Depeche Mode, Spirit
Reviews Editor
Online Editor
News/Live Editor
Amplifier, Trippin’ With Dr. Faustus
Inglorious, Inglorious II
Ian Fortnam
Jah Wobble & The Invaders Of The Heart, The Usual Suspects Contributing writers
Marcel Anders, Geoff Barton, Tim Batcup, Mark Beaumont, Max Bell, Essi Berelian, Mark Blake, Simon Bradley, Paul Brannigan, Rich Chamberlain, Stephen Dalton, Johnny Dee, Malcolm Dome, Lee Dorrian, Mark Ellen, Claudia Elliott, Paul Elliott, Dave Everley, Jerry Ewing, Hugh Fielder, Gary Graff, Michael Hann, John Harris, Nick Hasted, Barney Hoskyns, Jon Hotten, Rob Hughes, Neil Jeffries, Emma Johnston, Dom Lawson, Paul Lester, Ken McIntyre, Lee Marlow, Gavin Martin, Alexander Milas, Paul Moody, Grant Moon, Kate Mossman, Charles Shaar Murray, Kris Needs, Bill Nelson, Paul Rees, Chris Roberts, David Quantick, Johnny Sharp, Sleazegrinder, Terry Staunton, David Stubbs, Jaan Uhelszki, Mick Wall, Philip Wilding, Henry Yates, Youth Thanks this issue to Johnny Goddard (design), Mark Wheatley (production)
Steven Wilson, To The Bone
Fraser Lewry
Dave Ling
Contributing photographers
Ami Barwell, Adrian Boot, Dick Barnatt, Dave Brolan, Alison Clarke, Zach Cordner, Fin Costello, Henry Diltz, Kevin Estrada, James Fortune, Jill Furmanovsky, Herb Greene, Bob Gruen, Michael Halsband, Ross Halfin, Mick Hutson, Will Ireland, Robert Knight, Marie Korner, Barry Levine, Jim Marshall, John McMurtrie, Gered Mankowitz, David Montgomery, Kevin Nixon, Denis O’Regan, Barry Plummer, Ron Pownall, Neal Preston, Michael Putland, Mick Rock, Pennie Smith, Stephen Stickler, Leigh A. van der Byl, Chris Walter, Mark Weiss, Barrie Wentzell, Baron Wolman, Michael Zagaris, Neil Zlozower.
Cover photos: Chris Cornell: Steve Pyke/Contour By Getty; Gregg Allman: David Gahr/Getty
Email addresses: firstname.lastname@futurenet.com commercial Commercial Sales Director Clare Dove clare.dove@futurenet.com Group Advertising Director Mark Wright mark.wright@futurenet.com Advertising Manager Kate Colgan kate.colgan@futurenet.com Account Director Anastasia Meldrum anastasia.meldrum@futurenet.com Account Director Lee Mann lee.mann@futurenet.com Digital Digital Publisher Briony Edwards PRODUCTION Production Controller Keely Miller Production Manager Mark Constance
MANAGEMENT Creative Director Aaron Asadi Art & Design Director Ross Andrews Editor-in-Chief Scott Rowley Senior Art Editor Brad Merrett LICENSING
Classic Rock is available for licensing. Contact the International department to discuss partnership opportunities
International Licensing Director Matt Ellis Matt.Ellis@futurenet.com +44 (0)1225 442244 PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK ISSUES
Web: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Email: contact@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Tel: 0344 848 2852 International: +44 (0) 344 848 2852 Head of subscriptions Sharon Todd
Classic Rock, Future Publishing plc, 1-10 Praed Mews, London W2 1QY classicrockmagazine.com classicrock@futurenet.com Printed in the UK by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd on behalf of Future. Distributed by Marketforce, 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU.
Next iss ue on sale JuLY 20
All contents © 2017 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.
A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations
We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future Publishing and its paper suppliers have been independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
for m or en ew
he ck t e o d inslid of r wor 8E 072
m o .c
icrockm lass ag w.c az w in w e s:
06 603
:#238 cat no
ÂŽ190
:#238 cat no
12 classicrockmagazine.com
getty x3
7 01 e2 tur t fu copyrigh