Dave Ling

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

Downes Braide Association

“There’s a tendency for people to cherry-pick tracks or create playlists… we prefer our music to be listened to from the opening track to the final notes”: Downes Braide Association on the album as art form

By Dave Ling published

Geoff Downes and Chris Braide argue the case for storytelling, collaborating, and carrying on the legacies of John Wetton, Greg Lake, Chris Squire and Keith Emerson

Whitesnake in 1979

"We are bathing in innuendo": Whitesnake's Lovehunter artwork was knee-jerk response to their critics, but the album itself was a game-changer

By Dave Ling published

In 1979 Whitesnake starred three members of Deep Purple’s Mk III line-up, but Lovehunter would set them on a defiant path towards standalone superstardom

A portrait of mike portnoy at his drums

"I learned that any innocent little comment can be twisted to make it seem something that it isn’t": Mike Portnoy on his departure from Dream Theater

By Dave Ling published

Returned Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy looks back on regret, alcoholism, and choosing between Rush and Paul McCartney

Warren Haynes onstage

"In the last five-to-ten years I’ve seen more promising new bands and artists than in a very long time": Gov't Mule's Warren Haynes is hopeful about the future of rock music

By Dave Ling published

We talk to mainman Warren Haynes ahead of Gov't Mule's European tour next month

Yngwie Malmsteen surrounded by Statocasters and Marshall amps

Yngwie Malmsteen: "Each night on stage I play songs that I wrote forty years ago, and I challenge myself to play them differently. I’m not a jukebox. And that’s what makes things exciting"

By Dave Ling published

Controversial guitar hero Yngwie Malmsteen on playing live, why he doesn't need singers, and why you can never have enough Marshall amps

The Zombies in 1967, next to a composite picture of Time Of The Season 7" singles

"We resisted the offer of a million pounds to reunite": the magical Zombies' song that was only a hit after they broke up

By Dave Ling published

Inspired by the summer of love, Time Of The Season is still the British psychedelic pop rockers’ biggest hit. So it’s strange to think that it nearly sank without a trace

Philip Seth Campbell studio portrait

"The days of Iggy Pop and Lou Reed being dark and wayward and fascinating are long gone": Philip Seth Campbell on the Temperance Movement, sobriety, and being broken

By Dave Ling published

Former Temperance Movement and occasional Byson Family frontman Phil Campbell is now flying (almost) solo

Damian Wilson and Adam Wakeman

“Adam's wife cottoned on that we would work for maybe 20 minutes then climb over the wall to go to the pub”: The world of Damian Wilson and Adam Wakeman

By Dave Ling published

The Likely Lads of prog on their commitments, their motivation - and being grassed up by Wakeman’s mother-in-law when they escape from their studio

Vega group shot

"Let's face it, getting somewhere in this business has become so difficult": Vega on the perils of being in a band, losing key members, and the love of the road

By Dave Ling published

Thumbing their noses at those who said the band were finished, Vega have returned with a new album and a UK tour

Trevor Rabin

“There was quite a lot of pressure. Those demands have bordered upon insult – largely from my wife”: Trevor Rabin’s return to action with Rio

By Dave Ling published

Former Yes man didn’t think about pleasing the band’s fans with his first vocal-led release since 1989

It Bites

“Iron Maiden? Don’t make me laugh. We were light years ahead of everyone”: It Bites have no regrets about their 80s arrogance

By Dave Ling published

Francis Dunnery maintains his band went over the heads of music journalists of the era – “they all work at Sainsbury’s now”

Girlschool in 1981

"Had somebody predicted we would still be around 45 years later, I’d have told ’em they were stupid:" how Girlschool silenced the doubters, including themselves

By Dave Ling published

Coming to prominence when “Girls can’t play rock” prevailed, Girlschool have long since proved otherwise

Europe in 1987

"I used to dread putting on those spandex pants. The eighties were just the worst time": Europe look back at the creation of their other classic, Rock The Night

By Dave Ling published

Given wings by producer Kevin Elson when they recorded it a second time, Rock The Night proved that there was more gold in the band’s catalogue than just The Final Countdown

Cliff Burton in 1986

"I could hear James down on the street, drunk. He was screaming, 'Cliff! Cliff! Where are you?'": What happened the night Metallica's Cliff Burton died

By Dave Ling published

On the night of September 27, 1986, a tragic accident took the life of much-loved Metallica bassist Cliff Burton

Duane Betts studio portrait

"It's all a matter of perception - Southern soul music is what I like": Duane Betts on his debut album, a famous dad, and the term 'southern rock'

By Dave Ling published

Allman Betts Band guitarist/singer Duane Betts' debut solo album Wild & Precious Life is out now

Arjen Lucassen

“All of my albums are pretty exhausting," laughs Arjen Lucassen as he tells the story of Ayreon's Transitus

By Dave Ling published

Gothic horror, prog metal and Doctor Who all come together on Ayreon's Transitus album, a love story with a difference

Ash studio portrait

Ash's Tim Wheeler on looking back, Led Zeppelin, and learning every note of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird

By Dave Ling published

Expect songs new and old on Ash's upcoming tour to celebrate new album Race The Night, and see if you can spot the Maiden influences

Dream Theater

"I felt that we were becoming stagnant, too controlled and led into areas that I didn’t feel too connected with." How Dream Theater continued their renaissance with their self titled 2013 album

By Dave Ling published

The story of Dream Theater's self-titled second album with drummer Mike Mangini

John Lees onstage

"I want to quit while I’m ahead": John Lees is taking Barclay James Harvest to Huddersfield for two final UK shows and he's bringing an orchestra

By Dave Ling published

Veteran proggers John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest play a pair of concerts this weekend backed by an 80-piece orchestra

Gong

“Gong is like a boat – people can get on and off again if they wish. It just keeps on floating down the river.” How Steve Hillage and Daevid Allen reunited after 35 years

By Dave Ling published

In 2009 the classic line-up of Gong reunited – and recorded a brand new album 2032. This is the story

Graham Nash onstage

"Someday I would love to sing Yesterday with McCartney, just an acoustic guitar and our two voices": Graham Nash may be 81, but he still has unfinished business

By Dave Ling published

On his current tour Graham Nash will be rolling back the years with songs from throughout his lengthy career as his "amazing journey" continues

Fates Warning

“I loaded a truck with a bed and other household items… If the cops had pulled us over I’d have been busted”: The law-stretching story of what could be Fates Warning’s last album

By Dave Ling published

2020’s Long Day Good Night was completed during lockdown, with singer Ray Alder pushing his luck to track his parts

Ray Alder

“The band didn’t break up. It’s just that there won’t be any more new music. And I need an outlet; music has been my life for over 30 years”: Fates Warning’s Ray Alder looks ahead

By Dave Ling published

Singer explains why he gets involved in so many projects

Kansas onstage

“From that day on, wherever we were we turned on the radio and heard ourselves": the song that sought truth and meaning and turned Kansas into superstars

By Dave Ling published

A last-minute songwriting golden moment that might have had help from ‘above’, Carry On Wayward Son took Kansas – a band on the brink of success – to major stardom

Asia taking a bow onstage

“Prog still lived deeply inside the four of us, but with Asia we sliced away the fat": How Heat Of The Moment turned Asia into a lean, mean, multi-million selling machine

By Dave Ling published

By the early 80s, in the wake of new wave and disco fever, supergroup Asia coined a pared-down version of the prog-rock sound