Rock

When we celebrate Monsters of Rock 1985, we not only pay tribute to the incredible bands who took the stage at Donington that year, but also to the legends who—according to John Tucker’s Monsters of Rock: The Official Illustrated History 1980–1996—were considered,...

What was your first legendary venue gig? For every fan, there’s that one place — the sticky-floored, sweat-drenched hall where music hit harder, louder, and somehow felt like it was meant for you. These weren’t just buildings. They were temples of noise, shrines to...

When Ink and Attitude Ruled the Scene Before blogs, before YouTube, before algorithms served you soundbites, there was the printed page — loud, glossy, opinionated, and essential. Rock magazines didn’t just report on music. They curated culture. They made heroes,...

Before the internet turned everything into algorithms and autoplay, rock fans had to hunt for their heroes. They tuned in religiously, flipped through creased magazines, and stayed up late hoping for a glimpse of their favourite bands on telly. If you were part of the...

Before Amazon wishlists and algorithmic playlists, discovering music was a ritual. For rock fans in the UK during the 1980s, that ritual often began at the local record shop — equal parts treasure trove, social hub, and rite of passage. This post dives into the vinyl...

The supergroup has been a staple of rock since the mid-60s – there have been great ones, good ones, and ones that should never have gotten out of the rehearsal room.   A supergroup is a very fragile thing. Balancing oversized egos from the get-go it can lead to huge...

It’s a familiar story. Band announces farewell tour. Tickets go on sale. Fans pack arenas thinking it’s their last chance to see the band. Merch sales go through the roof as fans want the souvenir. A few years later they’re back again.  Farewell tours are one of the...

Films about concerts and musicians are essential viewing for any respectable rock fan. The mix of genius and absurdity that comes along with pop stardom makes musicians a natural subject for filmmakers. And at least since the 1980s, music’s been almost equally a...

The music biopic is a notoriously difficult genre to nail, in part because using one medium to capture the magic of another is never an easy task.  It’s no secret many musicians secretly want to be actors — and most actors (not-so-secretly) want to be musicians. The...

The UK tribute festival market has been growing steadily over the past few years. As of recent reports, the UK tribute band and tribute festival scene is a substantial part of the live music market. It’s estimated that the live music industry in the UK contributes...

Judging by the poster alone, this year was a more attractive lineup than 1981 for the fan of heavier rock. Guitarists would have been pleased to see both Gary Moore & Michael Schenker on the bill.  The headliners themselves were more prestigious too and would even...

Top “Heavy” Tracks – Celebrating Sounds magazine and the Friday Rock Show Discovering and listening to new music these days is just a few clicks away. Back in the late 70’s in the UK it was considerably more difficult. If you were into niche genres like Metal and Prog...

With their first two albums Van Halen set the tone for Hard Rock and Metal in the 80s. This lead to a wave of flamboyant singers and technically proficient guitarists which rapidly polarized into Glam Metal and Shred. Many more serious fans were embarrassed by both...

As Halloween looms nearer, it's time for us Rockers and Metalers to take control and remind everyone that OUR music is the best fit here. We love Halloween but sometime the music can be a bit lame.  You’ll need something with a little more BITE. Heavy metal and...

Catchy, concise and flamboyant, adorned with leather, lace and spandex, and designed to get the party started, it can only be one thing………..Glam Metal! Inspired by British glam-rock and popularized by Eighties MTV, Glam Metal (aka hair metal) was an unadulterated...

Well the first thing to point out is that The 'Monsters of Rock' tag was actually dropped for some reason. Instead we got 'ZZ Top - Rockin' The Castle'. The lineup when announced looked a bit lame, but actually turned out solid. Four of the bands on the bil  went on...

The modern vinyl revival began in the mid-2000s, with steady growth starting around 2006. Those of us that grew up with it were used to the tactile experience of holding an album, flipping through liner notes and the ritual of playing a record. While I had always kept...