
Emma Johnston
Emma has been writing about music for 25 years, and is a regular contributor to Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog and Louder. During that time her words have also appeared in publications including Kerrang!, Melody Maker, Select, The Blues Magazine and many more. She is also a professional pedant and grammar nerd and has worked as a copy editor on everything from film titles through to high-end property magazines. In her spare time, when not at gigs, you’ll find her at her local stables hanging out with a bunch of extremely characterful horses.
Latest articles by Emma Johnston

It’s Steven Wilson versus Jeff Bezos on The Future Bites
By Emma Johnston published
On The Future Bites Steven Wilson takes a pessimistic but powerful look at humanity's self-made shopping prison

The 10 greatest conspiracy theories in rock
By Emma Johnston last updated
In a world where fake news runs rampant, rock'n'roll is not immune to the lure of the conspiracy theory. These are 10 of the most ludicrous

Here Lies Man mesmerise on genre-melding album Ritual Divination
By Emma Johnston published
Here Lies Man's invention of Jazz Sabbath gains further traction on album four, Ritual Divination

50 years on, The Kinks' Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround still shines bright
By Emma Johnston published
The Kinks bundle up rarities and live takes for Lola’s 50th birthday on Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part 1

Greg Puciato: ‘Dragging the dying corpse of Dillinger Escape Plan across the world was not healthy’
By Emma Johnston published
Panic attacks, drug binges, the end of his old band – Greg Puciato wasn’t in a good place three years ago. But with his new solo album, he’s rediscovered himself

Skunk Anansie's Skin: Mandela, the Masked Singer, and youth as an act of rebellion
By Emma Johnston published
Your youth should be a time of rebellion. The man-made part of religion is disgusting. Don’t be afraid of a challenge. Star quality can’t be acquired. These are among the things that shape Skin's world view

Joni Mitchell grows from tomboy folkie to master musician on Archives Vol.1: The Early Years
By Emma Johnston published
Great Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell digs deep for Archives Vol.1: The Early Years, the first in a series of rarities

“Amerika ist wunderbar!”: how Rammstein conquered the USA
By Emma Johnston published
Only a fool would have put money on a bunch of German industrial-metal perverts becoming one of the biggest bands in America. But this is how Rammstein did it

Songhoy Blues deliver 2020's most joyous album with the essential Optimisme
By Emma Johnston published
Optimisme is the spectacular third album from Mali’s greatest rock band Songhoy Blues

Biffy Clyro interview: "We’re as good a live band as any fucker in the world"
By Emma Johnston published
Fuelled by personal disappointment and betrayal, Download Festival headliner Biffy Clyro’s album A Celebration Of Endings is a masterful triumph in the face of adversity

Low Cut Connie tells frayed stories of all-American fuck-ups on Private Lives
By Emma Johnston published
Soul-drenched rock’n’roll with a soft centre on Low Cut Connie's Private Lives

Bob Mould's Distortion: 1989-1995 is littered with treasures
By Emma Johnston published
Bob Mould's Distortion: 1989-1995 gathers solo gems and Sugar’s brilliance together in a beautiful box set of vinyl magic

Mastodon - Medium Rarities: A trawl through 20 years of long-lost sonic mayhem
By Emma Johnston published
Mastodon's new compilation Medium Rarities is a breakneck trawl through the cobweb-strewn corners of their archive

Fantastic Negrito's Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?: brilliant music for a broken world
By Emma Johnston last updated
Funk, soul, and social justice are the orders of the day from the Cali singer-songwriter Fantastic Negrito on third album Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?

Dee Snider's For The Love Of Metal Live! is brash, bullish and maniacal
By Emma Johnston published
Dee Snider's soundtrack to single household lockdown back-garden festivals has arrived

Bush's The Kingdom: ambitious, confident, passionate
By Emma Johnston published
British radio-rock stalwarts Bush let their guard down on album number eight, The Kingdom

The World According To William DuVall: “Alice In Chains’ reincarnation was not out of the blue”
By Emma Johnston last updated
William DuVall looks back on his journey from punk brat to becoming the man who helped bring Alice In Chains back from the dead

Paradise Lost's Obsidian: turning bleakness into beauty
By Emma Johnston last updated
Power and beauty from Halifax’s finest Paradise Lost with 16th album Obsidian

Greg Dulli's Random Desire: a master class in mining the musical spectrum
By Emma Johnston published
Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli stretches his wings on debut solo album Random Desire

The Cadillac Three's Country Fuzz: drinkin', hell-raisin' and more drinkin'
By Emma Johnston published
Crack open a cold one and celebrate the Cadillac Three's fourth

PJ Harvey albums: your essential, chronological guide
By Emma Johnston published
PJ Harvey's albums have marked her out as a remarkable talent in British alternative music – here, we guide you through each of her albums in chronological order

Nick Cave's best albums: your essential, chronological guide
By Emma Johnston published
Over the last 40 years, Nick Cave's albums have marked him out as a singular talent in alternative music – here, we go through his most significant musical moments

The Holy Bible at 25: an anomaly, an education and a warning from history
By Emma Johnston published
As Manic Street Preachers' masterpiece The Holy Bible reaches 25, we look back on an album that opened the minds of a generation
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