The countercultural legend Thom Yorke loves
The Radiohead frontman has drawn on a wide range of influences, but one figure proved especially formative.
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The one key factor that makes AC/DC resonate, according to Angus Young
Angus Young believes one defining quality explains why AC/DC have connected with listeners for decades.
Frank Zappa's beef with The Beatles
Frank Zappa never subscribed to the reverence surrounding The Beatles, and made his views clear.
The unavoidable 'elephant in the room' for Pink Floyd: Syd Barrett
Even after their global success, there was always one presence hanging over Pink Floyd.
Jimmy Page once named his favourite Led Zeppelin song
Jimmy Page once admitted that one Led Zeppelin track stands above the rest for him.
The one guitarist who made Brian May feel inferior: 'I couldn’t play'
Even Brian May once admitted that one guitarist’s playing left him feeling completely outclassed.
The surprising artist who called Bob Dylan 'a plagiarist'
Aside from The Beatles, Bob Dylan is probably the only musician from the classic period whose venerated status is unquestionable. It was he who kicked...
David Bowie’s favourite Velvet Underground album
The Velvet Underground’s 1967 debut left a profound mark on David Bowie’s artistic world.
The classic Deep Purple track Tony Iommi called 'hard to beat'
Tony Iommi once revealed his favourite Deep Purple album and the track he believes is “hard to beat.”
The one big “myth” about The Police, according to Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland insists the story of constant warfare within The Police is exaggerated.
Why people loved the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis, according to Phil Collins
According to Phil Collins, the magic of early Genesis lay in Peter Gabriel’s cultivated mystique.
When Steely Dan’s perfectionism overwhelmed Mark Knopfler
It’s safe to say that listeners often take for granted the amount of painstaking hard work that goes into getting a song recorded. With tracks often r...
The band Josh Homme said 'set the bar so high'
Josh Homme once admitted that one band “set the bar so high” he deliberately avoided sounding like them.
How Ian Curtis wanted Joy Division to be 'extreme'
Ian Curtis did more than front Joy Division, he shaped their sound with an uncompromising vision.
'Obviously disturbed': Kurt Cobain's named his favourite Beatles member
Kurt Cobain admired The Beatles deeply, and he was clear about which member resonated with him most.
The hit band who 'embarrassed' Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix admired originality above all else, and one chart-topping band represented everything he rejected.
How Janis Joplin inspired a Tom Petty classic
Tom Petty often acknowledged his influences, and one offhand remark by Janis Joplin proved unexpectedly transformative.
The pioneering pop star John Lydon loves
John Lydon built his reputation on tearing down the past, yet one pioneering pop artist has long earned his admiration.
The Beatles album that changed it all, according to Nick Mason
For Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, one Beatles album fundamentally reshaped what a band could be.
'The greatest who ever was', according to Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry rarely spoke in superlatives, but when he did, his praise carried the weight of rock ’n’ roll history.
How AC/DC hired Bon Scott
Bon Scott’s path to joining AC/DC was as unconventional as the man himself.
'I would shoot fingers off': The moment Waylon Jennings brought a revolver into the studio
Waylon Jennings’ war with the Nashville establishment reached a breaking point inside the studio.
Keith Richards once named his favourite Chuck Berry song
Keith Richards has often spoken about his debt to early rock ’n’ roll, and one Chuck Berry song stands above the rest for him.
Phil Collins once named his 'favourite' Genesis song
For Phil Collins, one late-era Genesis song arrived fully formed and remains his personal favourite.
Why Bob Dylan hated Woodstock
Bob Dylan lived at the heart of the counterculture, yet he remained deeply sceptical of Woodstock and what it came to represent.
The classic rock band Tom Petty called 'punk'
Long before punk had a name, Tom Petty saw its attitude reflected in one classic rock band.
The Jimi Hendrix song that 'excited' a teenage Angus Young
Long before AC/DC took shape, a single Jimi Hendrix song left a young Angus Young completely transfixed.
Why George Harrison loved The Band
George Harrison admired restraint and authenticity, qualities he felt were embodied perfectly by The Band.
The Police song Stewart Copeland wishes he wrote
Amid years of tension and creative rivalry, Stewart Copeland singled out one Police song he openly wished he had written himself.
Why David Bowie said Bob Dylan hated him
David Bowie once suggested that Bob Dylan actively disliked him, and his explanation was as revealing as it was self-aware.
