Sylvie Simmons

Sylvie Simmons

Sylvie Simmons is a renowned music journalist and award-winning writer. A Londoner, she moved to LA in the late seventies where she began writing about rock music for Sounds, Creem and Kerrang!, then Rolling Stone, the Guardian and MOJO. She is the author of fiction and non-fiction, including books about Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Johnny Cash and Serge Gainsbourg. She currently lives in San Francisco, where she plays ukulele and still writes for MOJO. 

Latest articles by Sylvie Simmons

Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (studio portrait)
Aerosmith look back over two decades of chaos, heavy addiction and their triumphant sober comeback

By Sylvie Simmons Published

In this archive interview, Aerosmith look back over their career and celebrate Permanent Vacation and Pump, the two albums that saved the band

Bands & Artists
Small Faces studio portrait, 1966
Some of Small Faces’ greatest songs - and a managerial battle – documented on Decca Singles 1965-1967

By Sylvie Simmons Published

Still small but perfectly formed after all these years

Albums
The Clash backstage
America Calling: What happened when The Clash arrived in the USA

By Sylvie Simmons Published

It's early 1979, punk is building, and The Clash arrive in the US to play their first shows there. We were on the road with them and witnessed events first-hand

Bands & Artists
Judas Priest standing on rocky ground with a mountain behind them
An encounter with Judas Priest as they prepare to unleash the album that saves them

By Sylvie Simmons Published

With a notorious court case looming and an untested new drummer, Judas Priest retreated to Spain as they steeled themselves for the release of one of their greatest albums

Bands & Artists
Motorhead in 1986
At home with Lemmy: A classic Motörhead interview

By Sylvie Simmons Published

With a two-guitar line-up instead of the usual trio, Motörhead's Orgasmatron album signalled a decibel-driven new start

Bands & Artists