2 days Ago
Happy New Year! Welcome to the first issue of 2025. (I can’t believe I’m typing that!) And to kick off what we’re hoping will be a very good year – and seriously, there’s a shedload of excellent stuff to look forward to, just check out our preview over the next few pages – we collared Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson to look back over the last 50 years of their band, and find out just what they have planned to celebrate the occasion. This issue we also revisit Metallica’s as it celebrates its silver jubilee, take a deep dive into the post-Jim Morrison albums of The Doors, sit down with Sweet’s Andy Scott, hang out with Mark Tremonti, Andy Fairweather Low, Joe Satriani, DeWolff and so much more.
Until next month...
Celebrating half a century since their debut, in a exclusive, we sat down with Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson at the end of 2024 to talk about their 50-year journey from there to here – and whether the Canadian prog rock legends will ever return to the studio or stage. The death of Jim Morrison in 1971 looked like it marked the end of the road for the band. But his bandmates had other ideas.
It was sweet home Alabama when the retro-rock flag bearers recorded their new album at two legendary studios there. Guitarist Andy Scott looks back at good times and bad, and hints that it’s not over for the ers yet. Take care of business.
Quit your comfort zone. Don’t listen to rock journalists. Never forget you could still be washing cars.
These are among the things that shape his world view. How did the world’s leading metal band come to team up with – shock, horror – an orchestra to make an album? For more exclusive Scott Gorham artwork, make sure you check out his website at , where prints, premium posters and T-shirts are available. Jeff Beck’s guitars up for auction; Metallica and Judas Priest among Grammy nominees, Sammy Hagar “wants to be friends” with Alex Van Halen; Welcome back Night Flight Orchestra and Benjamin Booker; Say hello to Lions In The Street and Stephen Wilson Jr; Say goodbye to Shel Talmy, Pete Sinfield.
A song about being picked up and taken away by aliens, gave the band a career boost and eventually took on a life of its own. The virtuoso’s virtuoso on G3 pranking, handling Yngwie Malmsteen, and the Halloween costume he’d rather forget. We look at some of the essential new tracks you need to hear and the artists to have on your radar.
This month they include The Struts, Orianthi, Himalayas, Dirty Blonde and more. New albums from Manic Street Preachers, DeWolff, Tremonti, Pete Townshend & Rachel Fuller, White Denim, Lambrini Girls, Julian Cope, Franz Ferdinand, FaithNYC, Cosmic Room 99. Reissues from Twisted Sister, Bush, King Crimson, Rival Sons, Sparks, Band Of Skulls, John Wetton, T.
Rex, Pitchshifter, War. DVDs, films and books on or by Rush, Slade, Paul McCartney, Placebo, Dave Barbarossa and more. Live reviews of Deep Purple, Wildhearts, Big Country, Von Hertzen Brothers, Michael Monroe, Anthrax and more.
He’s best known as the guitarist with Rage Against The Machine, but there’s much more of his playing to marvel at than that. We preview tours by Brothers Osborne, Bullet For My Valentine and Cutting Crew. Plus gig listings – who’s playing where and when.
The Struts frontman Luke Spiller on his records, artists and gigs of lasting significance. * Copies of the new issue of can be purchased online * is on sale in the UK in shops . * In North America, is available is branches of Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million, although new issues do not go on sale until a couple of weeks after they're published in The UK.
* An easy option is to go digital. for six months. Individual issues and subscriptions are also from the , , , and .
* Save money by buying a physical subscription. . Classic Rock editor Siân has worked on the magazine for longer than she cares to discuss, and prior to that was deputy editor of Total Guitar.
During that time, she’s had the chance to interview artists such as Brian May, Slash, Jeff Beck, James Hetfield, Sammy Hagar, Alice Cooper, Manic Street Preachers and countless more. She has hosted The Classic Rock Magazine Show on both TotalRock and TeamRock radio, contributed to CR’s The 20 Million Club podcast and has also had bylines in Metal Hammer, Guitarist, Total Film, Cult TV and more. When not listening to, playing, thinking or writing about music, she can be found getting increasingly more depressed about the state of the Welsh national rugby team and her beloved Pittsburgh Steelers.
.
