Mick Wall
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Articles by Mick Wall
"Tony took all his clothes off and was hitting his guitar strings with the crosses that he wore around his neck." The chaotic birth of Black Sabbath's Vol 4, the dark masterpiece that almost destroyed the band
Metallica's James Hetfield Says No Guitar Player Inspired Him Like Tony Iommi: 'He Is The Riff Lord' "He is the one that has inspired me the most out of any guitar player for my rhythm guitar playing and songwriting."
Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills
O knize Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills Iron Maiden se proslavili po celém světě svými bouřlivými koncerty, skvělou podívanou a vyprodanými koncertními šňůrami. Na svém kontě mají přes 60 milionů prodaných alb a stanuli až na samém vrcholu hudebních žebříčků. Pro mnohé umělce nové generace se skupina stala vzorem, který významně ovlivnil jejich vlastní vývoj.
“Here’s their one hit single. I take it home, and I’m going: ‘What the hell is this?’ I took an instant dislike to it”: The song that gave Thin Lizzy their first hit – and nearly became an albatross around their necks
Thin Lizzy posing for a photograph in 1973. Scott Gorham flashed that famous California-sun smile as he recalled his audition for Thin Lizzy in 1974. “The whole thing was wild and raucous, with the guitars out front,” he said. “Phil asked me to join that night, and gave me their records, because I’d never heard anything they had done. And here’s their one hit single, Whiskey In The Jar. I take it home, and I’m expecting to hear what I heard at rehearsal, right?
"He only became a heavy metal guy after he’d spent time touring with Deep Purple and started in Rainbow." What happened when Ronnie James Dio met Ritchie Blackmore
Before Ritchie Blackmore worked with Ronnie Dio, the guitarist had envisaged what eventually became the first Rainbow album as little more than a side project; a one-off solo escapade inspired by Purple’s rejection of a new Blackmore piece he titled 16th Century Greensleeves – the kind of stomping pomp-rock hauteur that Purple had once considered their music fortress, but now, in the wake of the white-soul groove Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale were more keen on exploring, was distinctly old...
"He only became a heavy metal guy after he’d spent time touring with Deep Purple and started in Rainbow." What happened when Ronnie James Dio met Ritchie Blackmore
9 hours ago When ‘America’s Sweethearts’ star Reece Weaver quit the Dallas Cowboys squad, fans blamed her marriage When cheerleader Reece Weaver showed up on Netflix’s “America’s Sweethearts” with her babydoll voice and swivel-hipped moves, she became a breakout star. Then the ingénue from the Dallas Cowboys …
“We said we’d only do it if it only came out in Japan. Then when we listened back, we thought, ‘Hang on, we’ve got something here’”: In 1972, Deep Purple were falling apart. And then they made the album that accidentally changed rock music
GK: If Mango Is The 'King', Which Fruit Is Known As The 'Queen' Of Fruits? Everyone knows mango is the ‘King of Fruits’, but very few know which fruit is called the ‘Queen of Fruits’. Here's all you need to know mangosteen …
"I had women with babies they said were his, women stripping their clothes off on the doorstep." My chaotic life as Phil Lynott's girlfriend
Phil Lynott studio portrait. A decade ago, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his death, I interviewed the only woman the young Philip Lynott ever really loved: Belfast-born Gale Claydon. Gale had always refused requests for interviews about her relationship with Phil. Her name rarely appeared in any Thin Lizzy biographies, except Phil’s mum Philomena Lynott’s My Boy.
"I had women with babies they said were his, women stripping their clothes off on the doorstep." My chaotic life as Phil Lynott's girlfriend
1 hour ago Ireland's men are to face India in two Twenty20 internationals at Stormont in June, Cricket Ireland has confirmed. The sides previously met at Malahide in 2023 in a three-match series won by the recently crowned T20 world champions. It is anticipated that 5,000 seats will be installed to accommodate …
My chaotic life as Phil Lynott's girlfriend
Gale Claydon shares intimate details of her relationship with Phil Lynott, revealing his insecurities and jealousy despite his own infidelities. Phil Lynott's deep-seated fears and determination stemmed from his difficult childhood in the Dublin ghetto, where he faced poverty, racism, and stigma. Despite the challenges, Gale fondly remembers the early days with Phil Lynott, highlighting his hard work, commitment to his music, and relentless pursuit of his dreams.
"One guy brought a homemade metal blade to a fight. It lasted about 25 seconds. Phil completely laid the fella out. Phil was tough. You didn't mess." From teenage fan to first-name pals - The Phil Lynott I knew
It was November 1976. Lizzy had just headlined their third night of three at London’s Hammersmith Odeon. Still one of the greatest concerts I ever witnessed. The first night had been recorded, the bulk of which would appear 18 months later as the instant-classic live double album Live And Dangerous. I was Pete’s astonished plus-one. When he then took me to the aftershow party I couldn’t believe my eyes. These were the filthy-rich golden years of the rock biz – free bar serving anything you fancied.
From teenage fan to first-name pals - The Phil Lynott I knew
Philip Lynott, the charismatic frontman of Thin Lizzy, was a larger-than-life figure in the rock music scene of the 1970s, known for his captivating performances and wild partying lifestyle. Lynott's influence extended beyond music, as he was also a complex individual with a deep knowledge of Irish history and politics, a romantic poet, and a generous friend to those in his inner circle.
"One guy brought a homemade metal blade to a fight. It lasted about 25 seconds. Phil completely laid the fella out. Phil was tough. You didn't mess." From teenage fan to first-name pals - The Phil Lynott I knew
8 hours ago George Kittle made his thoughts known about the San Francisco 49ers' decision to bring back fellow tight end Jake Tonges. After the team re-signed Tonges on a two-year, $8 million deal, Kittle took to Instagram to post his praises. "@jaketonges big dawg!!!" Kittle posted on his Instagram story, with …
“Our first logo was a couple of witches throwing stuff into a cauldron. It was mystical - hobbits and the Bible and the Koran. We didn’t know what we were doing”: The cult band who made one of the greatest albums of the 70s - but struggled to match it | F
1 day ago Some leaders are celebrated, quoted, and taught, while others are feared, condemned, or remembered for the chaos they left behind. Most sit uncomfortably in between, because throughout history, leadership and damage have often been separated by a thin, invisible line. Looking at these famous figures …
"The jams that turned into songs on the album began with us playing out in the woods at night. Crazy spirit." Meet Ever Age: The 21st-century power trio whose debut album might just be a once-in-a-generation record
Ever Age standing amongst vegetation. Mysterious souls in an era where elusiveness can feel all but dead, Ever Age appeared out of nowhere in August 2025 with an album so accomplished it made us think of classic debuts like Out Of The Silent Planet by King’s X. Not because it sounds the same, but because it wasn’t until that once-in-a-generation record that anyone had heard of the Texan trio. It’s the same for Ever Age and their self-titled debut. Most people still have no clue.
“I had the door slammed in my twice. I decided I’d make damn sure it never happened again”: The iconic singer who rose from the ashes twice to make one of metal’s greatest ever debut albums | Flipboard
10 hours ago The first lady is trapped, and she doesn’t seem to know it. Fans of the Melania Cinematic Universe may wonder what has happened to the protagonist of Melania (the memoir) and Melania (the creator of the Cursed Red White House Christmas Forest) since her last foray into entertainment. Bad news! The …
Mick Wall
Mick Wall is the best-known rock journalist in the world. Author of numerous best-selling books, including most famously: When Giants Walked The Earth, Two Riders Were Approaching, and Last Of The Giants, he is also an award-winning broadcaster and producer. The former editor-in-chief of Classic Rock, his work has appeared in The Times, Mojo, Rolling Stone, and many other newspapers and magazines around the world.
"It was weird just being in the same room as him": The story of the Ronnie James Dio classic assembled from other bands' spare parts
Dio publicity photo. As Ronnie James Dio told me a year before he died in 2010: “To be in one world-famous band is more than most musicians can ever dream. To be in two is almost being greedy.
The Ronnie James Dio classic assembled from other bands' spare parts
Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. L-R Ronnie James Dio, Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain, Viv Campbell. | Credit: Pictorial Press Ltd As Ronnie James Dio told me a year before he died in 2010: “To be in one world-famous band is more than most musicians can ever dream. To be in two is almost being greedy.
"It was weird just being in the same room as him": The story of the Ronnie James Dio classic assembled from other bands' spare parts
13 hours ago Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, is involved in Paramount’s $108 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, tying Trump family interests to a major media battle. Kushner’s involvement in the deal has raised concerns that the president’s influence could be pivotal to its outcome. In a final effort to outbid Netflix and create a media powerhouse, Paramount Skydance launched a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.
“We were absolutely convinced we were gonna just kill in the US. Then Phil gets hepatitis and – boom! – the tour just stopped there”: A metal fan’s guide to Thin Lizzy, the hellraising 70s rock icons who inspired Metallica and Megadeth
“Can you fight?” their poet-warrior leader Phil Lynott would ask prospective roadies. Not ‘Have you done the job before?’ It was assumed that no one who wasn’t already tip-fucking-top at their shit would be foolish enough to apply for a gig with The Big Fella. Just: “Can you fight?” And if the answer was in the negative the interview ended there.
A metal fan’s guide to Thin Lizzy, the hellraising 70s rock icons who inspired Metallica and Megadeth
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns Thin Lizzy may not exert the same influence on subsequent generations of metal bands as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, but their outlaw cool has trickled down. Everyone from Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax to Mastodon, The Smashing Pumpkins and Vader have covered their songs. All the greatest rock bands through history have cultivated a wild, outlaw image.
“I thought no one’s gonna buy this because it’s too long. I thought our label would say, ‘Sorry boys, you’ll be hearing from our lawyers’”: How Genesis wrote one of prog’s wildest epics –with help from a rumoured exorcism
Genesis posing for a photograph in the early 1970s. “I don’t think it’s crazy, no,” says Steve Hackett.“I wouldn’t say it’s particularly misunderstood, either. Though it is hugely open to interpretation.” The former Genesis guitarist is talking about Supper’s Ready, the 23-minute-plus opus that runs for almost the entire length of side two of his old band’s 1972 breakthrough album Foxtrot.
How Genesis wrote one of prog’s wildest epics -with help from a rumoured exorcism
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images “I don’t think it’s crazy, no,” says Steve Hackett.“I wouldn’t say it’s particularly misunderstood, either. Though it is hugely open to interpretation.” The former Genesis guitarist is talking about Supper’s Ready, the 23-minute-plus opus that runs for almost the entire length of side two of his old band’s 1972 breakthrough album Foxtrot.
“I thought no one’s gonna buy this because it’s too long. I thought our label would say, ‘Sorry boys, you’ll be hearing from our lawyers’”: How Genesis wrote one of prog’s wildest epics - with help from a rumoured exorcism | Flipboard
The five greatest guitarists of all time, according to Neil Young “Nobody cares if you know how to play scales,” Neil Young once said. “Nobody gives a shit if you have good technique or not. It’s whether you have …
Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers’ 80s supergroup should have been huge. The reality was very different
Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
“Jimmy was up and running and in great shape - he was in fantastic form. I thought, ‘Job done’”: Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers’ 80s supergroup should have been huge. The reality was very different | Flipboard
Meet the Newest Addition to the S&P 500. The Stock Has Soared 200% Since Early Last Year, and Is Still a Buy Right Now, According to 1 Wall Street Analyst. One of the newest additions to the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.13%) soared long before joining the index, but this could just be the beginning of a long bull …
"He'd argue with me till six in the morning - he'd do whatever was needed": How Jeff Lynne built the Electric Light Orchestra
Album-wise, it’s equally dispiriting. Among the year’s biggest sellers are Perry Como’s 40 Greatest Hits, The Best Of The Stylistics, and 40 Golden Greats by Jim Reeves. Although Floyd, Zep and Queen release landmark albums in ’75, they can only muster one greatest hit between them: the six-minute mock opera Bohemian Rhapsody. Kids – you wanna know how punk rock started, back in ’76? Pass the amphetamine sulphate. Or, alternatively, grab some busty cellos and livewire violins and uncork a decent red.
How Jeff Lynne built the Electric Light Orchestra
Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. ELO in 1975: (l-r) Melvyn Gale, Hugh McDowell, Bev Bevan, Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy, Kelly Groucutt, Mik Kaminski. | Credit: Michael Putland/Getty Images Thursday, June 5, 1975. Following an overwhelming vote in favour at the referendum, Prime Minister Harold Wilson takes Britain into the European Economic Community, aka the Common Market.
“We weren’t looking for peaceful – we were looking for horrid. We gave people fits. Locked the doors and pointed strobes at the crowd, wocka-wocka-wocka”: From falling together to falling apart, Hawkwind’s early era was no hippie dream
Characterised too often throughout their career as the poor man’s Pink Floyd, derided for their dearth of recognisable hits and seeming inability to keep a steady line-up (changing almost album by album), history tends to overlook the contribution Hawkwind made to the story of rock in the early 70s – in particular what became known retrospectively as the Ladbroke Grove scene.
“We weren’t looking for peaceful - we were looking for horrid. We gave people fits. Locked the doors and pointed strobes at the crowd, wocka-wocka-wocka”: From falling together to falling apart, Hawkwind’s early era was no hippie dream | Flipboard
Plus, they estimate how much the diamond cost. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged after two years of dating, and she has the ring to prove it. Swift posted a series of engagement photos on Aug. 26. Slide 3 of the carousel is a close-up of the diamond ring itself. The old mine diamond is set in …
From falling together to falling apart, Hawkwind’s early era was no hippie dream
Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images Space rock pioneers Hawkwind, who formed around Dave Brock in the late 60s, pursued a ramshackle course round the cosmos as luminaries Lemmy, Nik Turner, Robert Calvert and Michael Moorcock came and went. By the mid 70s the band appeared to have imploded, as those who were there told Prog in 2011.
The epic, ego-fuelled story of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath’s Live Aid reunions
Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Ebet Roberts/Getty Images A groggy 9am on Saturday, July 13, 1985. The JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. It’s the morning of Live Aid, the global charity event – arranged hastily by Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof after an epiphany watching TV reports of famine in Ethiopia – now regarded as the defining musical moment of the 1980s.
“As soon as Jimmy Page came on, the roof came off the place! Afterwards, Plant was absolutely fuming”: The epic, ego-fuelled story of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath’s Live Aid reunions | Flipboard
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 24: (L-R) Amy Berg, Mary Guibert and Ben Harper attend the "It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley" Premiere during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival at Ray Theatre on January 24, 2025 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Getty Images The Nineties had a lot of …
Gitarrenheld: Rory Gallagher
(Archiv: CLASSIC ROCK 06/2021; aus „Die 100 einflussreichsten Gitarrenhelden“) Vergesst das Geld, den Ruhm, die Anerkennung. Rory Gallagher war nur an einem interessiert: der Musik. Und wenn dieser irische Magier an der Gitarre sie spielte, war er einer der Besten darin.
The riotous story of Aerosmith’s Pump, the album that turned them into superstars all over again
Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images Aerosmith‘s late 80s resurgence saw them become even bigger than they were in their 70s heyday – and 1989’s Pump sealed their return to superstar status. This is the story of the album that turbo-charged their unlikely second act.
Elton John: Phantastische Tierwesen (und wo sie zu finden sind)
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY wurde schon vor seiner Veröffentlichung mit Goldstatus ausgezeichnet – der Lohn harter Arbeit. Doch das Album sollte auch das Ende des Höhenflugs von Elton John markieren. Und das Ende seiner Band. 1975 war Elton John der größte Rockstar der Welt. Seine letzten vier Platten hatten alle sowohl in Großbritannien als auch in Amerika Platz eins erreicht und er hatte ein Dutzend US-Top-10-Singles verzeichnet, darunter drei Nummer-eins-Hits.
"Ritchie Blackmore gave me a wave as he fell backwards. That was my cue to do a ten-minute keyboard solo": Don Airey on Rainbow, Deep Purple and his awesome solo album Pushed To The Edge | Flipboard
1 day ago What Ritchie Blackmore said about other Deep Purple guitarists Ritchie Blackmore was one of the co-founders of Deep Purple back in the late 60s and their original guitarist, who was part of the most successful records they released. He became one of the biggest guitar heroes of the history of music but the band continued when he decided to leave them.
Don Airey on Rainbow, Deep Purple and his awesome solo album Pushed To The Edge
Generate Key Takeaways When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Franz Schepers It’s very likely that Don Airey appears on several of your most treasured albums. The original keyboard kingpin, that’s Don on all the best post-Dio Rainbow albums. That’s Don on Ozzy’s Blizzard Of Ozz. That’s Don on Whitesnake 1987, some albums by Gary Moore, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and, for the past three decades, Deep Purple’s.
How Bon Jovi hit the jackpot with Slippery When Wet, the album that turned them into the hottest hard rock band of the 80s
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. It’s July 1990 and hotter than hell in New York City. Jon Bon Jovi and I are perched on the first-floor veranda of his manager’s Manhattan offices, gazing out at the taxi cabs crisscrossing Central Park South. Jon explains this is the very spot he and the rest of Bon Jovi first met to plot the seeds of a success story none of them really believed possible. All except for Jon, of course.
How Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and a modern blues icon came together to form Black Country Communion
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Featuring ex-Deep Purple bassist/co-vocalist Glenn Hughes, blues guitar star Joe Bonamassa, keyboard king Derek Sherinian and drummer Jason Bonham, Black Country Communion have established themselves as one of the greatest supergroups of the last two decades.
“This is my first band since Deep Purple. It’s out of this world - I’m back in a rock band, a real rock band”: How Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and a modern blues icon came together to form Black Country Communion | Flipboard
Now RIO DE JANEIRO — Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career. "Tonight, we're making history. (...) Thank you for making history with me," Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd. The Mother Monster, as she is …
The story of Elton John's favourite Elton John album and the calamitous stadium show that followed
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Terry O'Neill / Iconic Images In 1975, Elton John was the biggest rock star in the world. His last four albums had all gone to No.1 in both Britain and America and he’d notched up a dozen US Top 10 singles, including three No.1s.
"People started to leave. I was terrified": The story of Elton John's favourite Elton John album and the calamitous stadium show that followed
The Beatle George Harrison never wanted to work with again: “It’s nothing personal” During their career, The Beatles were famed for being one of the more unifying bands around, managing to bring together a whole nation to support …
The story of how Metallica got themselves an orchestra - and the album that followed
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Clay Mclachlan/Getty Images For Metallica, the 90s were just like the 80s – only in reverse.
AC/DC: Adieu Bon Scott...
Nachdem sie endlich den internationalen Durchbruch geschafft hatten, fing das neue Jahrzehnt für AC/DC auf die schlimmste vorstellbare Art an – mit dem Tod ihres talismanischen Sängers Bon Scott. Bon Scotts Tod am 19. Februar 1980 in London traf seine Bandkollegen von AC/DC wie eine Bombe. Der Sänger war mehr als nur ihr Frontmann – er war eine Mischung aus unberechenbarem großem Bruder, Chef-Krawallmacher und, eher seltener, die Stimme der Vernunft.
"When I met him he was this hippie dude, living up in the hills taking magic mushrooms." The making of Bon Scott: AC/DC frontman, sun-worshipper and night-crawler | Flipboard
9 hours ago A$AP Rocky dives into Rihanna's arms as not guilty verdict is read at felony assault trial LOS ANGELES (AP) — A$AP Rocky dove into the arms of Rihanna Tuesday as a clerk read the not guilty verdict at his trial on two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
The rebellious making of Bon Scott: AC/DC frontman, sun-worshipper and night-crawler
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo At the height of AC/DC’s Australian success in the mid-70s, before they’d cracked it in Britain, let alone America, Bon Scott was already a star in his own mind.
How Mötley Crüe cleaned up and made their biggest album
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. By 1988, rude dudeness (tattoos included) was an established fact of life on Sunset Strip. What had begun a few years before as the scum also rising in sleazy Hollywood flea havens like the Starwood and Gazzarri’s was now the mainstream. Millions were being made out of what these days is called hair-metal.
"Being sober was a real different experience from a band that was always wrecked": How Mötley Crüe cleaned up and made their biggest album
13 hours ago The Red Clay Strays: Tiny Desk Concert Ann Powers | January 17, 2025 The Red Clay Strays is a big band with a future that keeps expanding. In the past few years the Mobile, Ala.-born five-piece has rocketed from club gigs to major stages like Colorado's Red Rocks and Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on the strength of its joyful interplay and soaring Southern rock sound. It wasn't a given that the Strays could rein in the grandeur that its fanbase relishes to fit the modest Tiny Desk.
"The whole evolution of electric guitar-driven, album-oriented music can be traced directly back to him": The Bob Dylan albums you should definitely listen to | Flipboard
9 hours ago Mark Zuckerberg will cohost reception with Republican billionaires for Trump inauguration WASHINGTON (AP) — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is cohosting a reception with billionaire Republican donors next week for Donald Trump’s inauguration, the latest sign of the Facebook founder’s embrace of the president-elect.
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