Articles by Dave Ling

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.

Articles by: Dave Ling

"It's lovely to wake up in the morning and be able to remember why you got punched in the head the night before": Pete Agnew and the continuation of Nazareth

By Dave Ling published 19 June 24

With Dan McCafferty gone and their glory days behind them, Nazareth's last surviving original member, Pete Agnew, cannot imagine life without the band

Wishbone Ash's Argus was voted album of the year in 1972: Its standout track went on to influence Steely Dan, Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden

By Dave Ling published 13 June 24

With a riff claimed by both of the band’s guitarists and lyrics inspired by a summer romance, Blowin' Free became Wishbone Ash’s signature song and a rock classic

Deep Purple during the recording of Machine Head

"The freedom and joy we had, and the confidence in each other, is remarkable": Ian Gillan looks back at Deep Purple's Machine Head era

By Dave Ling published 11 June 24

With Deep Purple’s original plans for their sixth album having literally gone up in smoke, Machine Head was a triumph snatched from the jaws of disaster

Avenged Sevenfold under a blue sky in 2007

“There are five million disgraceful heavy metal bands. What’s the point of being just another Metallica imitator?”: how Avenged Sevenfold took on the haters with their epic fourth album

By Dave Ling published 8 June 24

Avenged Sevenfold’s self-titled fourth album found them ripping up their own blueprint - with brilliant results

“We had our pockets stuffed with $16,000 in $100 bills, and there were 8,000 kids in front of us in Bangkok. We caused a riot at the airport coming home”: the rise and fall of Girl, the cult glam rock band who should have been huge

By Dave Ling published 8 June 24

Swaggering and arrogant, NWOBHM-era glam rockers Girl were the biggest band in the world – at least in their own heads

"There was almost a Mafiosi-style meeting about me joining them": Richie Kotzen looks back on life in Poison, Mr Big, the Winery Dogs and more

By Dave Ling published 7 June 24

Richie Kotzen has just arrived in Europe for a lengthy tour, with UK dates in July

Scott Gorham studio portrait and his illustration 'Curiosity'

"His work can be quite disturbing. God alone knows what's going through his mind when he draws": For years Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham kept his art secret, but all is now revealed

By Dave Ling published 5 June 24

It can only be a matter of time before a band commissions Scott Gorham to produce their album artwork

From viral sensations to superstar support: Meet Mexico’s latest rock export, The Warning

By Dave Ling published 4 June 24

Sister act The Warning have played with Foo Fighters, GN’R, Muse and more, and they're just getting started

"When I'm not interested or unavailable, I believe that Yes should carry on": Steve Howe on the future of Yes and his new version of Tales From Topographic Oceans

By Dave Ling published 31 May 24

Steve Howe on the future of Yes, the band's next leader, and why an Avatar show isn't out of the question

"Ya gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em": Deap Vally are about to play their final shows, but they've got some great memories to look back on

By Dave Ling published 31 May 24

Once described as having the scuzz of the White Stripes and Led Zeppelin’s power, Deap Vally are nearing the end

"My father had an extramarital affair with a woman from another planet": The gospel according to Arthur Brown

By Dave Ling published 23 May 24

The future looks bleak. Money isn’t everything. Embrace getting older. Simple pleasures are the best. These things and more shape the real God Of Hellfire’s world view

"Lots of careers have been made from regurgitating the same record. If I'd made millions, I'd be making jazz records": A spiky interview with Gary Moore

By Dave Ling published 21 May 24

After three spells with Thin Lizzy', the late Gary Moore turned solo artist, ditching hard rock for the music of his childhood, the blues

"I'm picking this one just to annoy Ian Paice, who doesn’t like it": Ian Gillan's five favourite Deep Purple deep cuts

By Dave Ling published 20 May 24

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan picks some personal favourites from the band's bulging catalogue

"The five of us wrote that song together in the castle’s crypt… it felt magical": Glenn Hughes' six favourite Deep Purple songs

By Dave Ling published 16 May 24

Six personal favourites from Deep Purple's other bass player

"I'd never been able to see what other people liked about us. Suddenly I understood": Roger Glover's seven favourite Deep Purple songs

By Dave Ling published 13 May 24

Roger Glover's seven favourite Purple patches, including the one that was "like rap before rap"

"There's no better catharsis than being at a thrash-metal show, screaming along with the band and banging your head": Scott Ian on why you should still go and watch Anthrax

By Dave Ling published 9 May 24

One of thrash metal’s Big Four bring the noise – plus Kreator and Testament – to Europe in November

"It's almost like a template of how a hard rock band playing a rock'n'roll tune should be": Ian Paice's eight favourite Deep Purple songs

By Dave Ling published 8 May 24

Eight personal favourites from Deep Purple's only ever-present member, drummer Ian Paice

“Fast Eddie was a great example of what this business can do to you, good and bad”: Toby Jepson has some stories to tell

By Dave Ling published 30 April 24

A word with former Little Angels and Fastway frontman Toby Jepson as he prepares to go on the road alone

They share the same influences as Jimmy Page, but one of them is a New Orleans vampire: Meet Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse

By Dave Ling published 24 April 24

If "a modern-day vaudeville circus act creating music" sounds like your thing, catch Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse live

"Jimi Hendrix lived a block from me in New York. We jammed together a lot": Al Kooper's stories of the Rolling Stones, The Who, Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh and more

By Dave Ling published 19 April 24

He freaked out Lynyrd Skynyrd, produced The Tubes and more, hung out at Keith Moon’s house and had George Harrison hang out at his. He's the legendary Al Kooper

The Judas Priest album title that became heavy metal's definitive statement of intent

By Dave Ling published 7 April 24

Where do you go once you’ve crafted one of the finest heavy metal albums of all time?

"Our contract with EMI allowed us complete control. When we signed, they had to make a donation to the Miners' Strike": Fired up by frustration, New Model Army's Vengeance is as relevant now as it was 40 years ago

By Dave Ling published 6 April 24

New Model Army's debut was fired up by the frustrations of growing up in Smalltown England, the Falklands War and, in the case of its powerful title track, World War II criminals

“It’s been a blessing to have been underdogs for so long. It’s kept us hungry. I’m ravenous”: the late ’80s fall and early ’90s rise of Motorhead

By Dave Ling published 6 April 24

Motörhead struggled through the second half of the 1980s - but there was no way that Lemmy was going to give up

"I play the drums like I drive - crazy": The epic life and tragic death of Cozy Powell

By Dave Ling published 5 April 24

Drum legend Cozy Powell passed away on April 5 1998 at the age of 50. This is his story, by the people who knew him best

A line-up photograph of Queensryche in 2006

“Anyone with an alternate viewpoint is liable to get burned at the stake”: Queensryche made an 80s metal classic with Operation: Mindcrime. Nearly 20 years later, they tried to match it with a sequel

By Dave Ling published 4 April 24

The sequel to Queensryche’s Operation: Mindcrime was released in the US on April 4, 2006. This is how they made a follow up to a landmark album

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