Just received Rock Candy’s Latest Issue (#5) in the mail and its a scorcher of an read!
All 5 Issues so far have been excellent but this latest one is just stellar! First of all love the old cover shot of Ozzy & The late Randy Rhoads taken in 1981 by Mark Weiss and the Rhoads feature is 14 pages long. Sure millions of pages have been written about Rhoads since he died tragically in that plane crash back in 1982 but the fourteen pages of articles spin different scenarios than what I have read about Rhoads in the past!
Interviews with Rhoads’ first guitar tech Howard Friedman. An unreleased article from former Sounds Writer Gary Bushell and the real score an interview with Bernie Torme who was drafted in right after Randy’s death (Before Brad Gillis took over the 6 string duties) to replace Randy to keep the Diary of a Madman tour moving. Even wilder is there’s a live shot from those few weeks that Bernie was onstage with Ozzy that is printed as well! I call that picture the Money Shot!
A great article on Cheap Tricks Budokan release is featured with a current interview with Rick Neilsen & Robin Zander. Also of interest is a throwback late 80’s Hair Metal article on White Lion and a current interview as well with White Lion vocalist Mike Tramp who details in full what the hell happened as White Lion came as fast as they went! One of the most interesting comments that Tramp speaks about is when he announced to White Lion Guitarist Vito Bratta that he was finished with White Lion after an upcoming show in Boston (1991). Bratta’s response was a simple “Ok!” They played that final show and Vito walked away never to be seen or really heard from again!
Bev Bevan as well is interviewed! Who is Bev Bevan? Well I will fill you in as he manned the drum stool on Black Sabbaths Born Again album/tour back in 1983 that for all intent and purposes is either one of the most liked Sabbath albums or the most disliked. Eight pages are featured here on the album and as well Bevan gives some real great insight on the albums sound and the tour that followed it. Great read!
Bostons debut album is featured in the regular monthly Artist Graphic feature where an artist describes in detail what goes into his vision of what the artist wanted as there cover for the record buying public to see! (On a personal note I hope to see Derek Riggs featured at some point perhaps Powerslave or Somewhere In Time can be examined. How about it Hojo?!)
Jesse Fink who wrote the fantastic book on Bon Scott’s last three years of his life(1977-80) titled Bon Scott ‘The Last Highway’ explains his journey on how he went about putting together this brilliant look at AC/DC’s late frontman!
I could go on but seriously this is such a great magazine that has one foot on the past while the other foot is on the present in relation to speaking to artists/bands that were there back in the hey day!
Thanks again to Hojo/Derek Oliver/Malcolm Dome and John Nicholson for getting this mag out! Speaking of which it should be stocked in Canada now at Chapters (book store) so if you’re cruising through the aisles check it out. Better yet………
BUY THE DAMN THING and support this Mag!
What’s a magazine?? I thought those died out some time last century?? 🙂
Seriously though, looks pretty cool. I might need to look into that.
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It’s the only magazine I buy…It’s so worth it! This issue is a mindblower!
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Still need to pick up issue 4. Wasn’t going to bother but you can buy this in the shops here now so I reckon I’ll stick with it. Good toilet read haha
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Sounds like a solid read – I like that past/present foot visual Deke!
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Thanks Geoff!
It’s a great balance of stories from yesteryear but new interviews with the cast of characters that were involved whether it was the bands themselves or perhaps the artists rendition’s of the album covers…
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This magazine really does look pretty impressive. Benefits from having a focus, eh? Rather than being scattershot and trying to appeal to everyone.
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The writers stick with what they know….plus all the great Metal Mag writers came from England and Kerrang back in the 80s as they would write the story with a loose writing style whereas the North American Mag writers were record company handlers except for maybe the Creem writers …
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Wow, these sound super-cool. Right on, Rock Candy!
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