Classic Rock

Let’s be honest, it’s a tough ask: when push comes to shove what’s your favourite Guns N’ Roses song? While they don’t have quite the extensive catalogue that many of the bands we cover do, what they do have (across half a dozen studio albums, a couple of EPs, a live album and a few compilations) is a body of work that is packed with absolute bangers and benchmarks in our high-voltage rock’n’roll canon. Earlier in the year we asked you via our website and social media to let us know what you thought their greatest song is. This issue is a celebration of those choices, ahead of Guns’ imminent UK dates at both Glastonbury Festival and British Summer Time in Hyde Park. Obviously that’s not all. This issue we…

CALL IT NUTS, crackers, daft and a variety of other adjectives, but Black Sabbath are getting their very own ballet. Hosted in the band’s home city of Birmingham, the project is the brainchild of Birmingham Royal Ballet company director Carlos Acosta, who is working with an extended creative team of choreographers, composers and designers – alongside a collection of dancers and musicians – to bring the music of Black Sabbath to life like never before. “We’re here to celebrate the legacy of Black Sabbath as a band and the world of rock,” Acosta explains, addressing an audience of ballet patrons and press attending the first public showcase of the project at Birmingham’s Hippodrome Theatre. “I wanted to celebrate all the things this city has brought to the world, to have…

GUITARIST GUY BAILEY, a co-founder of The Quireboys, has died after a short illness. He was 62. The news was confirmed by vocalist and bandmate Spike. “My best friend Guy Bailey passed away peacefully in hospital last night in the arms of his beloved Bianca,” he wrote. “Guy was the kindest, funniest man you could have the pleasure of being around. He was loved by everyone who he ever worked with, all the bands he ever toured with and all the Quireboys fans he ever met. He certainly loved you all more than you will ever know.” Last December Bailey had made a very brief stage appearance along with Spike and vintage-era Quireboys members Nigel Mogg, Chris Johnston and Rudy Richman during their one-off concert at London’s Islington Academy. Bailey…

John Regan October 28, 1951 – April 7, 2023 Bassist John Regan worked with Ace Frehley, Peter Frampton, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie and many other famous names. The New Yorker was 71 when he died of unspecified cause. “I’ve lost one of my closest buddies,” said Frampton. “John enriched my life because of the person and the great player he was.” Lasse Wellander June 18, 1952 – April 7, 2023 Swedish musician Lasse Wellander was ABBA’s longstanding lead guitarist who played on the band’s biggest hits (including their 2021 reunion album Voyage), and toured with them between 1975 and 1980. The 70-year-old died after losing a battle with cancer. Johnny Fean November 17, 1951 – April 28, 2023 Veteran Irish rockers Horslips have said a sad goodbye to their…

ALAN PARSONS HAS paid tribute to Scottish guitarist Ian Bairnson, who has died at the age of 69, describing him as a “musical genius”. Bairnson had waged a long battle with dementia. Besides working with Parsons, he played with Kate Bush, including the iconic lead solo on her smash hit Wuthering Heights, and was a member of the band Pilot whose hits include Magic and January. Born in Shetland, Bairnson was happy to operate in the shadows, although his name appeared on more than 100 albums and he conducted a huge amount of live work with artists including Mick Fleetwood, Eric Clapton, Sting, Al Stewart, Joe Cocker, Jon Anderson, Neil Diamond and many more. “It was a great pleasure that Ian participated on every album by the Alan Parsons Project…

Andrew Laing Died April 3, 2023 Sunderland-born Andrew Laing – nicknamed Lainey – was the drummer with East End punks The Cockney Rejects from 1999 to 2016. The band said: “Our condolences to his wife, children and extended family. RIP, mate.” Ahmad Jamal July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023 The acclaimed jazz pianist, an influence on Miles Davis and winner of a Lifetime Achievement Grammy for achievements in music, Ahmad Jamal has died of prostate cancer at home in Massachusetts at the age of 92. Harry Belafonte March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023 Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn was among the rock musicians to pay tribute to the three-times-Grammywinning American singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte (pictured), who has died of congestive heart failure at 96. Belafonte released 30 studio…