Planet Rock

Don’t know what you got till it’s gone, Cinderella’s Tom Keifer sang on the Philadelphia glam rockers’ biggest hit single. That’s a thought that’s entered my head more than once since ‘lockdown’ was implemented across the planet. In the past, we’ve all turned down nights out with mates in favour of a quiet night in, or skipped out early on work parties, or decided not to bother going to see one of our favourite bands because they’d be back around in 18 months anyway. What wouldn’t you give right now to have options like that? Fortunately, we’ll always have music, and while gigs are on hold, we’ve been revisiting our favourite concert recordings, which has ultimately led to the issue you’re holding right now. If we can’t attend festivals in…

Pat Gilbert is a former editor of MOJO magazine, Planet Rock’s Associate Ed, and author of Passion Is A Fashion: The Real Story Of The Clash. His solo album, The Tragedy Of Dirk Munro, will be released in August. He writes about The Who’s Quadrophenia LP on page 38. Bob Mehr is the New York Times bestselling author of Trouble Boys: The True Story Of The Replacements. A 17-year MOJO veteran, he resides in the birthplace of rock’n’roll, Memphis, Tennessee. His interview with Jeff Lynne was conducted in Beverly Hills. Lois Wilson is a regular contributor to MOJO, Planet Rock and Record Collector. She was the deputy editor of the late MOJO Collections and founded both People Powered concerts and the @NHS1000Maestros campaign. Dahren Davey has worked as a lecturer…

GUNS N’ROSES confirmed on May 11 that their summer 2020 European tour, due to begin in Lisbon, Portugal on May 20, would not be taking place, amid on-going concerns about the spread of COVID-19. Though the LA band have made no follow-up statement, Ticketmaster’s UK website states, “Guns N’Roses will be rescheduling these shows with new dates still to be confirmed.” Tickets are on-sale now for shows at Tottenham Hotspur’s London stadium and a Glasgow Green date ‘TBA’. Find out more at WWW.GUNSNROSES.COM…

ALICE COOPER’s forthcoming album, Detroit Stories, will feature guest appearances from Joe Bonamassa, MC5’s Wayne Kramer and Grand Funk Railroad’s Mark Farner in addition to the surviving members of his original band. “We finished the record before this whole plague came down,” Alice tells Planet Rock. “[Producer] Bob Ezrin has mixed it, and we’re now good to go as soon as we get the all-clear.” A follow-up to Cooper’s 2019 cover versions EP, Breadcrumbs, which saw the 72-year-old singer revisit his Detroit garage rock roots, Detroit Stories is earmarked for a late summer/early autumn release via earMUSIC. “It’s all about Detroit, and so I wanted Detroit players on there,” Alice explains. “So we have Wayne, Mark, Johnny Bee [Badanjek], from the Detroit Wheels, plus of course the guys from my…

One of the architects of ’50s rock’n’roll and the man who taught The Beatles how to go “whoooo!”, the great Little Richard left us, age 87, on May 9. He’d devoted his last years to his Christian faith. Phil May, singer with Brit R&B bad boys The Pretty Things, died on May 15 following a cycling accident. His LSD-inspired lyrics were key to the Pretties’ ’67 psych masterpiece S.F. Sorrow. The Stranglers’ keyboard maestro Dave Greenfield passed away on May 3 from COVID-19. His Doors-y organ parts distinguished the group from other punk acts, and included the jazzy riff to their 1982 smash Golden Brown. Brian Howe, who replaced Paul Rodgers as Bad Company’s singer in 1986, passed away on May 6. His CV also featured NWOBHM group White Spirit…

1 In 1970, Steve Hackett placed an ad in Melody Maker, “seeking musicians determined to strive beyond existing stagnant musical forms”. It landed him an audition with Genesis. 2 At an early concert at Eton public school, the band members were invited to sign the wing collars of the pupils/future Conservative MPs and captains of industry. 3 Genesis’s 1972 song, The Fountain Of Salmacis, based on the Roman myth of Hermaphroditus, an androgynous being, was banned by Italian radio for being “too sexy”. 4 Genesis’ theatrical lead singer Peter Gabriel was an early pioneer of crowd surfing. He once broke his ankle when the crowd parted just after he’d dived off stage. 5 The band recorded part of their 1974 album, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, at Headley Grange, a…