
Ian Fortnam
Classic Rock’s Reviews Editor for the last 20 years, Ian stapled his first fanzine in 1977. Since misspending his youth by way of ‘research’ his work has also appeared in such publications as Metal Hammer, Prog, NME, Uncut, Kerrang!, VOX, The Face, The Guardian, Total Guitar, Guitarist, Electronic Sound, Record Collector and across the internet. Permanently buried under mountains of recorded media, ears ringing from a lifetime of gigs, he enjoys nothing more than recreationally throttling a guitar and following a baptism of punk fire has played in bands for 45 years, releasing recordings via Esoteric Antenna and Cleopatra Records.
Latest articles by Ian Fortnam

Procol Harum - There’ll Still Be More: An Anthology 1967-2017 album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Glorious collection from orchestral prog prime movers

Suzi Quatro: I haven’t seen many people walk my path, even after all these years
By Ian Fortnam published
The only Penthouse centrefold ever to be allowed to keep her clothes on, Suzi Quatro was “a pin-up for the guys and a hero to the women”

The Yardbirds - Yardbirds ’68 album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Plant-free proto-Zep. What wonders might have been, eh, readers?

XTC - Black Sea album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Prog-pop, post-punk, art-rock hybrid receives a well-deserved expanded reappraisal

Atomic Rooster - Sleeping For Years: The Studio Recordings ’70-’74 album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Four-disc encapsulation of undervalued prog pioneers

The Enid And Robert John Godfrey - The Music Of William Arkle... album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Not yet ratedMystic-inspired classical ambience

A tribute to the Sex Pistols, by Duff McKagan, Phil Collen and Billy Duffy
By Ian Fortnam published
The new album by The Professionals features Sex Pistols' alumni Steve Jones and Paul Cook... and a cast of other familiar faces

Dhani Harrison - In///Parallel album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Not yet ratedDebut solo album from Grammy-winning son of George Harrison

The Professionals: "We didn't want to do this as a nostalgia trip"
By Ian Fortnam published
After the Pistols dream ended as a nightmare, Steve Jones and Paul Cook eventually returned with The Professionals. Now the latest line-up are giving it another go and “having a bit of fun”

How The Beatles Changed The World by Tom O’Del book review
By Ian Fortnam published
The World At War with catchier tunes

Lou Reed: A Life by Anthony DeCurtis book review
By Ian Fortnam published
The waiting’s over... here’s the man

Sweet - Sensational Sweet album review
By Ian Fortnam published
They could kill you with a wink of their eye

The Pretty Things - Greatest Hits album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Underground stalwarts’ 60s encapsulated

The Rolling Stones - On Air album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Off-the-leash early-60s radio work from the band that ensnared the hearts of the insolent

Ramones - Rocket To Russia 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition album review
By Ian Fortnam published
“One-two-three-four…” now goes up to 11

Richard Hell And The Voidoids - Blank Generation album review
By Ian Fortnam published
He coulda been a contender...

Electric Eye - From The Poisonous Tree album review
By Ian Fortnam published
The great taste of original sin...

Bootsy Collins on playing with James Brown, learning from Hendrix, and LSD
By Ian Fortnam published
Interview: Funk master Bootsy Collins on James Brown and Jimi Hendrix, supernature and The One

Nik Turner - Life In Space album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Not yet ratedIndefatigable ex-Hawkwind front-liner’s search continues

King Crimson - Live In Chicago album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Not yet ratedProg exemplars regenerate in style

Pink Floyd - Vinyl Reissues album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Not yet ratedPink Floyd’s vinyl reissues approach the end of the line

Jeff Lynne’s - ELO Wembley Or Bust album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Visually draining, sonically stunning

The Faces - Ooh La La album review
By Ian Fortnam published
Rod’s lapsed mods’ glorious wreckage
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