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Classic Rock Magazine - December 2025

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In this issue

Iron Maiden
Fifty years in, Steve Harris looks back at band building, Bruce Dickinson recalls how he came to join, and a book extract takes us back to the birth of The Number Of The Beast.

Stephen Dale Petit
His new album Be The Love burns with the urgency and creativity of a cancer-stricken man living on borrowed time

Whiskey Myers
Distancing themselves from the trappings and demands of the music business, they're a band for themselves and their fans

Massive Wagons
The British rockers play a hometown show for kids as well as advocating for anti-bullying and mental health campaigns

SCAN TO GET OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Funny how things pop into your mind at the most random of moments.

1 mins

"Life is full of surprises"

Rush return with a new drummer, Anika Nilles.

4 mins

Chris Dreja November 11, 1946 - September 25, 2025

Chris Dreja, a founding guitarist and sometime bass player with The Yardbirds, and the only musician to have performed on all of their records, has died at the age of 79 following years of bad health.

2 mins

John Lodge

The bass player and a vocalist with British group The Moody Blues for more than 50 years has died at the age of 82.

2 mins

Holly Golightly

After seven years, the cult favourite resurfaces with a new album steeped in southern alt.blues flavour.

2 mins

Iron Maiden run to Knebworth!

Plus: their classic live album celebrates its 40th in style.

1 mins

Film Of Bowie's Berlin Years

BBC preps documentary on his art-rock era.

1 mins

Die Spitz

They hate being touted as the next big thing. They hate interviews. But they love rock.

2 mins

Magnum Keep Their Night Light Burning

New album of Tony Clarkin songs in the works.

1 mins

Foos SurpriseRelease Live EP

Six-tracker recorded at recent low-key dates.

1 mins

Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram

A triple-threat blues prodigy channels the ghosts of the past on his new album.

2 mins

ACE FREHLEY April 27, 1951 - October 16, 2025

He went from teen wannabe to global superstar as the founding guitarist with Kiss, with whom he toured the world and sold millions of albums. In a career blighted by problems often caused by substance abuse, as a guitarist the Space Ace was unique and an inspiration to many.

7 mins

Levellers

During an era of post-grunge, the Levellers were derided as obsolete crusties, but one of their biggest hits was influenced by classic 70s rock.

4 mins

Ian Gillan

His pole vaulting days may be behind him, but even at the age of 80 the Deep Purple singer is still in demand.

4 mins

IRON MAIDEN STEVE HARRIS FORGING THE IRON

As Iron Maiden's driving force, bassist and main songwriter, Steve Harris has steered the band from pub gigs and demos to the world's biggest stadiums and multimillion-selling albums.

7 mins

IRON MAIDEN BUILDING THE BEAST

By 1981 Iron Maiden had made a name for themselves, and second album Killers was a powerful statement of intent. But one cog in the momentum-gathering machine was a little loose and needed replacing. The replacement was Bruce Dickinson, and the result was transformative, as our exclusive extract from the band's Infinite Dreams explains.

6 mins

INTO THE FIRE

Becoming a band's new singer is never easy. But when he saw Maiden play, Bruce Dickinson knew they were the band he needed to be in - and that he was the singer they needed.

8 mins

MAN ON FIRE

Heartbroken and stricken with cancer, Stephen Dale Petit found his masterpiece in the shape of Be The Love, an album that burns with the urgency and creativity of a man on borrowed time.

5 mins

QUIET RIOT

On his third Mammoth album, Wolfgang Van Halen raises his playing, singing and songwriting game, in the process channelling recent tours with A-listers, meeting legends and years of personal demons.

10+ mins

'KILLER ON THE LOOSE

This classic encounter from 1990 finds Judas Priest bruised from poorly received albums, on edge just before the notorious lawsuit that delayed the release of their classic comeback Painkiller - a vindication that returned them to the top.

10+ mins

Outriders

The term 'keeping it real' is a comfortable fit for Whiskey Myers. Unimpressed by and distancing themselves from the trappings and demands of the music business, they are for themselves and their fans. As singer Cody Cannon says: “I don’t really think about status. We just do what we do.”

7 mins

SCHOOL'S OUT

British rockers Massive Wagons return to Lancaster for a hometown throwdown by playing a show for kids as well as advocating for anti-bullying and mental health campaigns.

8 mins

FREE SPIRITS

Despite playing around the countryside for decades, Solstice are the best-kept secret in British prog. This year they celebrate their 45th anniversary with a new album. Welcome to the Clann!

4 mins

The HOT LIST

THE ESSENTIAL NEW ROCK TRACKS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH AND THE BANDS TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR

5 mins

Bon Jovi Forever (Legendary Edition). ISLAND

Jon Bon Jovi gets by with a little help from his friends on this revised version of their latest.

2 mins

Cheap Trick All Washed Up BMG

Illinois past masters relight the flame on swaggering 21st.

2 mins

Creeper Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death SPINEFARM

British goth rockers outdo themselves on fangtastic fourth album.

2 mins

Spock's Beard The Archaeoptimist MADFISH

Still proud to be prog, and still pushing prog's boundaries.

2 mins

The Jimi Hendrix Experience Bold As Love - The Axis: Bold As Love Sessions EXPERIENCE HENDRIX/LEGACY

Up to the skies: Jimi's giant-steps second album, upgraded with bonus tracks.

2 mins

The Beatles Anthology 4 APPLE

The bottom of the Abbey Road barrel approaches.

2 mins

Bob Dylan The Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window 1956-1963

A legend ascends in the latest forensic deep dive into Dylan's back pages.

1 mins

Last Rites

The final words of John Michael Osbourne.

2 mins

Wings: The Story Of A Band On The Run

The story of the 70s post-Beatles project as told by the band and those close to them.

2 mins

The Cramps

Celebrating the finest in American trash and kitsch culture, The Cramps played rock'n'roll at its delinquent, B-movie best.

2 mins

Asia ft John Payne & Foghat

With new album Aviana en route, Asia ft John Payne play London this month with Foghat too.

3 mins

Parker Barrow

Southern blues rock band's UK tour: not to be missed

2 mins

Dave Hill's Slade

Cum on, there's still time to feel the noize...

3 mins

The Soundtrack Of My Life

Deep Purple's longest-serving guitarist Steve Morse on the records, artists and gigs of lasting significance to him.

3 mins

Read all Stories from Classic Rock

Classic Rock Magazine Description:

Publisher: Future

Category: Music

Language: English

Frequency: Monthly

The trusted voice of the rock community since 1998, Classic Rock is your all-access pass, taking you backstage with exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes insights into rock's biggest names, from living legends to the new generation.