
Paul Rees
Paul Rees been a professional writer and journalist for more than 20 years. He was Editor-in-Chief of the music magazines Q and Kerrang! for a total of 13 years and during that period interviewed everyone from Sir Paul McCartney, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen to Noel Gallagher, Adele and Take That. His work has also been published in the Sunday Times, the Telegraph, the Independent, the Evening Standard, the Sunday Express, Classic Rock, Outdoor Fitness, When Saturday Comes and a range of international periodicals.
Latest articles by Paul Rees

“If it hadn’t been for music, I’d have ended up killing myself”: the epic life and turbulent times of Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler
By Paul Rees published
An epic career-spanning interview with Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler

The 50 greatest Guns N’ Roses songs ever, and the stories behind them
By Dave Everley published
Guns N' Roses changed the shape of rock'n'roll when they emerged in the mid-eighties. Here's a half-century of their very best, and the stories behind them.

“Ozzy did a great big turd on his car”: how Ozzy Osbourne got his revenge on a promoter who refused to pay him after a disastrous gig
By Classic Rock published
Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler looks back on his disastrous first gig with Ozzy Osbourne – and the ‘dirty protest’ that followed

“He overdosed and was saved by an adrenalin shot”: How Urge Overkill went from being Steve Albini’s pet project to year-long parties and accidentally re-enacting that famous scene from Pulp Fiction
By Paul Rees published
Urge Overkill were just “a scrappy punk rock band that played too fast”: How did they up touring with Nirvana and jet-setting with Chrissie Hynde?

Andy Summers on The Police: "We could have gone on and played for years"
By Paul Rees published
The unfeasibly young-looking 80-year-old Andy Summers talks about conquering the world in The Police, the reunion, his long-time passion for photography, and much more

The story behind Metallica's 72 Seasons: "We love what we do, and we love each other"
By Paul Rees published
Metallica have gone from being a cult metal band to a commercial juggernaut and a household name. But even with new album 72 Seasons storming charts worldwide they’re still figuring out what it's all about

Chase The Dragon: the true story of Magnum's magnum opus
By Paul Rees published
Enduring Brummies Magnum recall the making of the classic Chase The Dragon: flash bombs, Ozzy Osbourne, and how the ‘ELO factor’ nearly scuppered everything

Leaving Las Vegas: the story of John Entwistle's last hours
By Paul Rees last updated
What happened the night The Who's John Entwistle died

Blackfield - V album review
By Paul Rees last updated
Not yet ratedAviv’n’Steve in perfect harmony once again

Sex, cars and videotape: how ZZ Top’s Eliminator conquered the world
By Paul Rees last updated
ZZ Top were a boogie-blues band barely known outside the US – until they recorded Eliminator, slammed into fifth gear and took over the world

How Bruce Springsteen's The Rising helped America heal after 9/11
By Paul Rees published
As America mourned in the wake of 9/11's terrorist attacks, Bruce Springsteen made The Rising, an album that offered comfort and light in the cruellest, most impenetrable darkness

How Mick Jagger made the greatest blues album he's never released
By Paul Rees published
In the early 90s, Mick Jagger teamed up with LA blues band The Red Devils for what could have been a return to his roots

The 100 greatest rock songs of the century... so far
By Malcolm Dome, Paul Elliott, Dave Everley, Polly Glass, Dom Lawson, Fraser Lewry, Dave Ling, Sian Llewellyn, Luke Morton, Paul Rees, Johnny Sparks, Philip Wilding, David Stubbs, Henry Yates published
Many were longlisted, but this is the final selection – the best rock songs of the 21st century thus far, as voted for by you

Getting it together in the country. The story of Traffic
By Paul Rees published
From their faltering, psychedelic beginnings, Traffic finally managed to weave a path through the hedonistic early 70s and create three albums of groundbreakingly original progressive music. This is their story.

Rickey Medlocke: The story of Southern rock's brightest star
By Paul Rees last updated
Playing in both Blackfoot and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rickey Medlocke is the very definition of a southern rocker. He looks back on an eventful life filled with triumphs and tragedies

Remembering Gerry Rafferty, rock's most reluctant star
By Paul Rees last updated
From folk roots to Stealers Wheel to solo success, Gerry Rafferty seemed to move through eras of popular music with ease. In truth, the star was struggling with fame – and his own demons

The Top 10 Best Dire Straits Songs
By Paul Rees last updated
From Dire Straits' big hits to deep cuts, these are the 10 greatest tracks from the biggest British band of the 80s.

Traffic's Chris Wood: Gifted, troubled and perpetually overlooked
By Paul Rees last updated
A musician best known for his work with Traffic, Chris Wood’s real gift was his ability to inspire and gild the work of other others - while he himself remains a mere footnote in rock history

Blues, drugs, fights, cops, jail, death: the incredible story of The Red Devils
By Paul Rees published
The greatest American blues band of the early 90s, The Red Devils were as short-lived as their frontman, Lester Butler, was mortally fated

Fallen Angel: The Life And Death Of Chris Whitley
By Paul Rees published
The cult Texan singer took the blues to strange new places. But he never had a chance to conquer his demons.

Nils Lofgren interview: the ultimate ice cream dish revealed
By Paul Rees published
Veteran sideman guitarist and solo artist Nils Lofgren on back-flips, culinary skills, crying, sugar and more sugar

The War On Drugs: "I've only just scratched the surface of what's possible"
By Paul Rees published
With his latest album A Deeper Understanding, Adam Granduciel has borrowed from some of the greats of the 80s and fashioned a record filled with bittersweet melodies and enveloping drama

"I was a huge King Crimson fan and, I have to say, a teenage devotee of Blue Öyster Cult." Mike Scott on his progressive influences
By Paul Rees published
Whether he was leading The Waterboys or going solo, this Scottish musician has always been unafraid to hold back, so now we have to ask: how prog is Mike Scott?
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