Latest articles by Malcolm Dome
“I reckon Ritchie Blackmore might have thought we’d made a mistake having them open for Rainbow, as we just couldn’t match them”: When AC/DC blew Rainbow off stage
Warning: never, ever let AC/DC open for your band
The story of Jane’s Addiction’s Ritual De Lo Habitual, the debauched masterpiece that changed music
Forget Nirvana’s Nevermind – it was Jane’s Addiction's game-changing second album Ritual De Lo Habitual that ushered in the alternative rock decade
Toto, “that Africa band,” on their prog credentials
They were inspired by prog heavyweights and their records have always contained surprising depth
“It wasn’t me trying to be sexy”: Sonja Kristina’s highs and lows with Curved Air
The singer on influencing Kate Bush and Siouxsie Sioux, her relationship with Stewart Copeland, prog versus punk and why she didn’t like her band’s mid-70s output
How Angela Gossow saved Arch Enemy and became an extreme metal trailblazer
Arch Enemy were making waves in the metal underground, but they needed someone special to take them forwards
The British thrash metal icon who adores prog eccentrics Gentle Giant (and he’s not the only one)
They may have bewildered some listeners in the 70s, but several leading lights of other genres happily confirm they were a massive influence
When eccentric proggers Gryphon acquired Sex Pistols connections, they knew their time was up
They made five albums in the 70s, each very different from the other, and toured the US with Yes. Then they were gone – only to return in the 21st century
How Metallica turned a song from a Clint Eastwood movie into the greatest intro music in history
No Metallica show is complete without The Ecstasy Of Gold as its intro tape
How stoner-doom kings Electric Wizard made the classic Dopethrone album
Electric Wizard frontman Jus Osborn on the making of the weed enthusiasts’ classic third album Dopethrone
How Zakk Wylde launched Black Label Society with the booze-fuelled chaos of Sonic Brew
In the late 1990s, Zakk Wylde formed Black Label Society during time away from Ozzy’s band. Cue lawsuits and a lot of alcohol
Cozy Powell didn’t mind replacing Carl Palmer in ELP. Neither did Carl Palmer
Supergroup’s mid-80s alternative line-up made one album together then went their separate ways – but their brief career paid dividends to the original band’s legacy
“People didn’t want to admit we had a sense of humour.” How Blue Öyster Cult really feel about More Cowbell
Their 1976 hit (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – inspired by Romeo And Juliet – found a new lease of life on TV 24 years later, and it’s still doing the rounds today. Are they happy with how the world sees them?
Nine Steve Hillage albums to listen to and one to avoid
Guitarist and producer Steve Hillage is a true progressive visionary whose albums cover a spectacular range of styles
How Metallica turned a song from a Clint Eastwood movie into the greatest intro music in history
No Metallica show is complete without The Ecstasy Of Gold as its intro tape
They played alongside Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Blind Faith and Keith Chegwin. Then they were gone
Rumours of alchemy, magick, war heroism and Van Gogh’s ear surrounded the “bonkers, eclectic and free-thinking” group earlier known as The Giant Sun Trolley, National-Balkan Ensemble and Hydrogen Jukebox
"We didn’t talk to each other for three months." Haunted houses, fallouts and a drunken singer: inside Slipknot's experimental masterpiece, Vol. 3
After the phenomenal success of Iowa, Slipknot took a break. But where there had once been unity, there was now conflict. Yet they produced something that defied any expectations...
After a long slog, a ballad made stars of REO Speedwagon - and their die-hard fans didn't like it
In the 1970s, REO Speedwagon were the Midwest rock band everyone was rooting for - until they actually had a hit
The genre that refuses to die: A history Of Southern rock In 40 songs
From the late 60s until today, here are 40 songs that show why Southern rock continues to thrive
5 insanely obscure 1980s rock albums that are a perfect 10/10
From cult pomp rock to Metallica-approved hair metal, these are five connoisseur-approved albums everybody should know about
“What I did was appalling. I hope that’s all behind me”: When Robert John Godfrey rebooted The Enid
In 2011 the symphonic prog rock progenitors staged a comeback bid, with their leader expressing a new drive to reclaim a leading position – while retaining all his eccentricity
How Nightwish merged science and music with Richard Dawkins
Thomas Holopainen studied biology before a career in music came calling, but never forgot his passion for the subject, or his admiration for the evolutionary biologist
“A triumph in prog, and a masterclass in storytelling”: Members of Dream Theater, Nightwish, Gentle Giant and others on the power of Jethro Tull’s Aqualung
The 1971 masterpiece is hailed by Jordan Rudess, Troy Donockley, Derek Shulman, Arthur Brown, Roine Stolt, Sonja Kristina and more
Without the support of two American DJs, Thin Lizzy's signature song might never have been released
Had Thin Lizzy's manager not had an ear for a good tune and some American DJs not picked up on it, Phil Lynott & Co. might never have released their signature song
