
Paul Brannigan
A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal. Having worked in various editorial roles across Louder since its inception in 2017, Paul was named Contributing Editor in 2022, and is steering Louder's editorial direction to help further establish it as an all-encompassing alternative music, culture and lifestyle brand.
Latest articles by Paul Brannigan

That time My Chemical Romance's "weird ventriloquists’ music" freaked out one of Britain's favourite bands
By Paul Brannigan Published
Not everyone understood My Chemical Romance when they gatecrashed the mainstream

Mastodon reveal the moment they learned of Brent Hinds' death
By Paul Brannigan Published
Mastodon were informed of Brent Hinds' death via a phone call from the guitarist's ex-wife

Slipknot are recording new songs with Faith No More producer Matt Wallace
By Paul Brannigan Published
Work on the follow-up to 2022's The End, So Far has begun

Iggy Pop's resolve to kick drugs in 1975 wasn't helped by David Bowie showing up to his hospital bedside with a bag of cocaine
By Paul Brannigan Published
Iggy Pop's attempts to kick his drug addictions in the 1970s weren't always helped by his famous friends

Ex-Guns N' Roses drummer Frank Ferrer only has good things to say about his old boss Axl Rose
By Paul Brannigan Published
"I knew this thing wasn’t gonna be forever"

Phil Collins opens up about his past struggles with alcohol addiction
By Paul Brannigan Published
"I was very close to dying"

Mick Jagger says John Lennon advised him not to meet Elvis
By Paul Brannigan Published
Rolling Stones frontman expresses regret about never having met Elvis Presley

Queens of the Stone Age return with new single Easy Street
By Paul Brannigan Published
Watch the video for the first new song from QOTSA since 2023

Heart's Ann Wilson on the "devil's bargains" her band were forced to accept in order to survive the '80s
By Paul Brannigan Published
Ann Wilson on how Heart had to sell a little bit of their souls to survive

Twin Temple announce new album Doomed Lovers, share its title track
By Paul Brannigan Published
"Being surrounded by creativity slowly brought us back to life"

Mick Jagger says that a life in rock and roll will "permanently damage" you psychologically
By Paul Brannigan Published
"You always hope that you’re a so-called normal person underneath"

The night Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder partied 'til dawn with Bob Dylan in an Irish bar
By Paul Brannigan Published
Peal Jam's Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready covered a Bob Dylan classic at one of the most star-studded concerts ever staged, then headed out to party with the folk-rock legend

How a mouthy teenage guitarist scored his band a record deal with Britain's coolest indie label, and kickstarted a musical revolution
By Paul Brannigan Published
How the career of one of Britain's most influential bands was launched in a London warehouse

From American thrash to Japanese metalcore: the 8 new metal songs that everyone needs to hear this week
By Metal Hammer Published
Hear these fine offerings from Anthrax, Hanabie, Amon Amarth and more, then vote for your favourite

The night that armed police gatecrashed David Bowie's end-of-tour party
By Paul Brannigan Published
"A bunch of guys broke down the door, shouting with handguns drawn"

The Rolling Stones share their love for late drummer Charlie Watts
By Paul Brannigan Published
"Maybe Charlie is overlooking us and giving us some more inspiration"

Courtney Love has discovered England's "beautiful" football team, and compares them to The Clash
By Paul Brannigan Published
"England, I love you"

How Red Hot Chili Peppers made By The Way, in their own words
By Paul Brannigan Published
Released on July 9, 2002, By The Way proved that the Red Hot Chili Peppers' rebirth with John Frusciante was no fluke, and became the LA band's first UK number one album

Bonnie Tyler dead at 75
By Paul Brannigan Published
News of the powerhouse Welsh singer's death in Portugal has been confirmed on her website

King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard announce EDM album Alien Metal
By Paul Brannigan Published
King Gizzard album number 28 is incoming, and it's a whole new trip

Converge announce UK and European tour dates
By Paul Brannigan Published
US hardcore legends outline details of shows in Germany, Holland, France, and the UK in support of new album Hum of Hurt

Skunk Anansie's Skin on why Amy Winehouse's Back To Black is one of her favourite albums
By Paul Brannigan Published
"I thought it was some old black woman"

Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor on the "life-changing" record which blew his teenage mind
By Paul Brannigan Published
Trent Reznor testifies to the mind-expanding wonders of his teenage record collection
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