Articles by: John Aizlewood

As well as Classic Rock, John Aizlewood currently writes for The Times, The Radio Times, The Sunday Times, The i Newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and Mojo amongst others. He’s written four books and appears on television quite often. He once sang with Iron Maiden at a football stadium in Brazil: he wasn’t asked back. He’s still not sure whether Enver Hoxha killed Mehmet Shehu…

Articles by: John Aizlewood

Def Leppard: Drastic Symphonies cover art

Def Leppard's Drastic Symphonies: You know the songs, but you’ve never heard them like this

By John Aizlewood published 20 May 23

Def Leppard go orchestral on Drastic Symphonies: treading water has never sounded so legacy-enhancing

Liniin Park - Meteora 20th anniversary artwork

The 20th anniversary edition of Linkin Park's Meteora is pure nu metal catnip

By John Aizlewood published 6 April 23

Linkin Park's second album Meteora has been lavishly expanded in celebration of its 20th birthday

We all share music we adore. Why shouldn't Saxon?

By John Aizlewood published 24 March 23

More Inspirations is the follow-up to 2021's Inspirations and finds Saxon covering Kiss, The Who, Alex Harvey and more

Bernie Marsden: Big Boy Blues And Green cover art

Bernie Marsden: a fair case for career reappraisal?

By John Aizlewood published 24 February 23

Four-CD set Big Boy Blues And Green examines the solo career of former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden

Nickelback's Get Rollin’: it sizzles, it pumps, it's more of the same

By John Aizlewood published 18 November 22

Nickelback's 10th album Get Rollin' is the sound of a band playing to their strengths, again

Libertines: Up The Bracket (20th Anniversary) cover art

The Libertines' expanded Up The Bracket is an 85-headed reminder of their greatness

By John Aizlewood published 22 October 22

Lavishly expanded 20th-anniversary edition of The Libertines' first album Up The Bracket

Gun's The Calton Songs: a rum affair indeed

By John Aizlewood published 16 October 22

Scots rockers Gun re-record some of their hits on The Calton Songs, with varied results

Red Hot Chilli Peppers: Return Of The Dream Canteen cover art

Red Hot Chilli Peppers continue red hot creative streak

By John Aizlewood published 14 October 22

Red Hot Chilli Peppers lay out a tasty musical banquet on Return Of The Dream Canteen, their second album in six months

Some people still don't take Bush seriously and it's their loss

By John Aizlewood published 7 October 22

The Art Of Survival is the ninth album by Bush, that band from here who are big over there

Creedence Clearwater Revival: At The Royal Albert Hall cover art

Creedence Clearwater Revival's legendary London choogle can finally be heard

By John Aizlewood published 16 September 22

At The Royal Albert Hall finds chooglin’ chart-toppers Creedence Clearwater Revival at the peak of their powers

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Singles packshot

Finally: proof that Emerson, Lake & Palmer were actually a singles band

By John Aizlewood published 27 August 22

ELP releases from as far away as Japan and Angola compiled into a set of seven-inch singles and presented in a nice box

Fantastic Negrito's visionary White Jesus Black Problems sounds like everything else and nothing else

By John Aizlewood published 3 June 22

White Jesus Black Problems is Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz’s fifth album as Fantastic Negrito, and surely his finest

Every Scorpions album ranked from worst to best

By Malcolm Dome last updated 11 May 22

UPDATED From cult psychedelic warriors to global rock superstars, these are the Scorpions 19 studio albums, ranked from woeful to wonderful

Robin Trower: No More Worlds To Conquer cover art

If Robin Trower's No More Worlds To Conquer proves anything, it's that he's no more worlds to conquer

By John Aizlewood published 29 April 22

76-year-old Robin Trower is on admirably sparkling form on 12th studio album since the turn of the century

Scorpions' formula remains gleefully intact on the defiant Rock Believer

By John Aizlewood published 25 February 22

On Rock Believer, Scorpions' first album in seven years, fires are still burning

Beth Hart - A Tribute To Led Zeppelin cover art

Beth Hart pays tribute to Led Zeppelin on exhilarating labour of love

By John Aizlewood published 25 February 22

Blues singer Beth Hart battles with the songs of Led Zeppelin, and mutual honour is preserved

The Black Keys: El Camino (10th Anniversary) cover art

The Black Keys celebrate El Camino's 10th birthday with a whopping great expansion

By John Aizlewood published 5 November 21

The Black Keys have released a massively expanded version of their seventh album El Camino

Radiohead's Kid A Mnesia: astonishing then, astonishing now

By John Aizlewood published 5 November 21

Kid A Mnesia: exploring further what Radiohead did after OK Computer

Santana: Blessings And Miracles cover art

Santana's Blessings And Miracles: successfully continuing the search for singers

By John Aizlewood published 15 October 21

Santana's back with Blessings And Miracles and he’s brought some new friends with him. And Rob Thomas

Roger Taylor achieves unexpected solo career high on the moving Outsider

By John Aizlewood published 1 October 21

Outsider is Queen drummer Roger Taylor’s sixth solo album, and the first one he’s really got right

Eric Clapton: Eric Clapton (deluxe edition)

Eric Clapton's self-titled debut album: now expanded, but not essential

By John Aizlewood published 20 August 21

Eric Clapton releases a massively expanded version of his self-titled 1970 solo debut

Common Ground sounds like the album Big Big Train have been meaning to make all along

By John Aizlewood published 30 July 21

Prog-leaning collective Big Big Train hit a creative and likely commercial peak on Common Ground

Toto - With A Little Help From My Friends

Toto's 15th line-up finds its feet amidst smatterings of applause

By John Aizlewood published 25 June 21

Out now: Toto's With A Little Help From My Friends is live from North America

Review: Billy F Gibbons has a ball on Hardware's riff-strewn feast of scuzz

By John Aizlewood published 4 June 21

Out now: ZZ Top leader Billy F Gibbons' dirty third album Hardware proves he’s getting the hang of this solo lark

Kansas: Point Of Know Return Live & Beyond

Kansas are musically impeccable on Point Of Know Return Live & Beyond

By John Aizlewood published 28 May 21

Out now: Wayward sons Kansas still carrying on to the Point Of Know Return Live & Beyond

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