Classic Rock Features

Classic Rock's Tracks Of The Week: March 23, 2026

By Polly Glass published 23 March 26

Eight songs you need to hear right now, from Muse, Crown Lands, the Black Keys and more

The British blues boom band who went prog, with help from John Lennon, heatstroke and weed

By Joe Banks published 23 March 26

They may have existed on the periphery of the prog world, but their influence is a fascinating example of cultural cross-fertilisation

Bill Bruford’s first and best drum lesson as King Crimson recorded Larks’ Tongues In Aspic

By Mike Barnes published 23 March 26

He’d left Yes to join Robert Fripp in the hope of growing and learning. He didn’t expect it to happen the way it did

Ana Popovic on fixing world craziness, getting Bruce Springsteen's approval and turning funky

By Dave Ling published 23 March 26

Ana Popovic is about to bring her fiery, guitar-laced blues to London

How London’s famous clock tower and a flirtatious groupie inspired Jimi Hendrix's last great song

By Bill DeMain published 23 March 26

A story of Hawaiian volcanoes and Mick Jagger's bloody finger

How Metallica went to the edge and made one of the greatest documentaries ever

By Eleanor Goodman published 22 March 26

Metallica’s Some Kind Of Monster remains the benchmark for heavy metal documentaries

“Genesis said they liked the track, which was ironic. It was one of the reasons I’d left”: Steve Hackett’s risky solo move

By Mike Barnes published 22 March 26

A fateful Jaco Pastorius show, a run-in with LA cops, rebuilding a Genesis song… Please Don’t Touch! aimed to tackle the unanswerable question, ‘What is prog?’

How Iron Maiden rose above a press backlash and accusations of “hype” to deliver their classic Killers album

By Dave Ling published 22 March 26

The story behind Iron Maiden’s classic second album, Killers

How The Cult’s Electric album helped make hard rock cool again – with help from Rick Rubin

By Mick Wall published 22 March 26

The story of the Cult’s classic Electric album

How one Canadian punk band turned a life-altering diagnosis into an anthem of resilience

By Simon Young published 22 March 26

Billy Talent drummer Aaron Solowoniuk told fans he was the subject of the song, This Is How It Goes

How Black Sabbath almost accidentally ruined the Eagles’ Hotel California

By Classic Rock published 22 March 26

Eagles were trying to record Hotel California – but Sabbath were in the next studio

Phil Collins comes clean about wanting to join The Who and Led Zeppelin at Live Aid

By Mark Ellen published 21 March 26

A candid interview with Phil Collins from 2016

Yngwie Malmsteen compares himself to Beethoven – and loves being rock’s most controversial guitarist

By Nick Hasted published 21 March 26

When they made Yngwie J Malmsteen, they broke the mold

Janis Joplin broke away from her band to make a solo album that divided the critics. A year later she was dead

By Bill DeMain published 21 March 26

Janis Joplin’s I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama would be the last album she released during her lifetime

Bloody Well Right! Breakfast In America might have had the bangers, but it was Crime Of The Century that truly saved Supertramp's bacon

By Daryl Easlea published 21 March 26

Facing the harsh reality of their first two albums being commercial flops, Supertramp were staring into the abyss when they came to make third album, Crime Of The Century

How Bad Company rose from the ashes of Free to write one of rock’s greatest outlaw anthems

By Michael Hann published 21 March 26

How a damaged teenage drug dealer channelled black days into platinum records

By Paul Brannigan published 20 March 26

"I knew how to fail, but I didn’t know how to win"

"We jokingly called the album Commercial Suicide while we were making it." Why one of the world's biggest rock bands had to go back to "ground zero" on their riskiest and darkest record

By Paul Brannigan published 20 March 26

"Some reports said that it was a great record, but we should consider changing our name"

My chaotic life as Phil Lynott's girlfriend

By Mick Wall published 20 March 26

Gale Claydon met Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott when she was 18 years old and spent the next five years with him, through thick and thin