The correspondence – dated September 29, 1971 – is eight pages long and sees the Beatle ask the legendary guitarist to start a new band with him.
While the up-for-auction draft features multiple edits and deletions by Lennon, the full version which Clapton received has never before been seen by the public.
It begins with Lennon telling Clapton how he has been meaning to contact him for several weeks, before he proposes his “revolutionary” plans for the project.
Though Clapton never accepted the Beatle’s proposition, they did briefly collaborate in 1969 alongside Yoko Ono for the Plastic Ono Band.
“You must know by now that Yoko and I rate your music and yourself very highly, always have”, the musician says. “You also know the kind of music we’ve been making and hope to make.
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He continues, “We have many ‘revolutionary’ ideas for presenting shows that completely involve the audience – not just us ‘superstars’ up there – blessing the people – but that’s another letter really.”
Lennon then goes on to list other musicians who he has pitched the project to, including Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, and Phil Spector.
Sharing some of his ideas, the Beatle says how Clapton’s partner Pattie Boyd – and other wives/girlfriends of the band – would be welcome to join them.
“In the past when Nicky was working around (Stones etc.) bringing your girl/woman/wife was frowned on – with us its the opposite, Nicky’s missus – will also come with us – on stage if she wants (Yoko has ideas for her!) – or backstage.”
Seeming to allude to Clapton’s heroine addiction issues at the time, Lennon also makes a case for prioritising wellbeing within the band. “Our uppermost concern is to have a happy group in body & mind”, he says. “Nobody will be asked to do anything that they don’t want to, no-one will be held to any contract of any sort (unless they wanted to of course!)”.
Elsewhere, pitching to Clapton more directly, he proposes: “Both of us have been thru the same kind of shit/pain that I know you’ve had — and I know we could help each other in that area — but mainly Eric — I know I can bring out something great — in fact greater in you that has been so far evident in your music.
“I hope to bring out the same kind of greatness in all of us, which I know will happen if/when we get together.
“I consider Klaus (Voormann), Jim (Keltner), Nicky (Hopkins), Phil (Spector), Yoko (Ono) [and] you could make the kind of sound that could bring back the balls in rock ‘n’ roll”. Later, he signs off the letter with his name, and Yoko Ono’s.
During a recent interview with NME, the bassist was questioned on what he thinks of the excitement surrounding Oasis’ highly-anticipated reunion tour.
In response, Matlock explains, “If you’re a fan, [the excitement is] understandable. They’ve got lots of fans.
“I’ve always seen Oasis as a bit Status Quo. [With Quo], to hear one song once was enough. It’s a bit like that with Oasis: to hear one song once is enough.”
Though clearly not intending on starting beef with the loud-mouthed Mancunian, Matlock even describes Oasis as “nice blokes”, and adds, “I think Liam is fantastic. He sings great – he’s like Johnny Rotten but can carry a tune. He’s got a magnetic stage personality: he can just stand there and it’s riveting.”
Returning to the shade however, he continues, “The rest of the guys? No. I think they’re boring live. I’d never go to see ‘em.”
The musician then reveals that he was not only once invited to work with Oasis in the 90s, but left their show halfway through due to how “boring” he found it.
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“There was a bit of talk about me helping them out with bass a long time ago – in ’95, ’96 – and then they sorted out the problem they had with the bloke who was doing it,” he says. “I got invited to see ‘em at Earl’s Court. I left. It was boring. I went again to see ‘em in upstate New York with [Blondie’s] Clem Burke. Nah – I couldn’t wait to go.”
When questioned about what he thinks of Matlock’s words on X by a fan, who writes: “Why was Glen Matlock being silly yesterday saying Oasis were boring but you are nice fellas. Glen needs his head testing”, Liam gives the response: “Fuck him. Sid was the Pistols,” referring to Sid Vicious, the bassist who replaced Matlock in the legendary punk band in 1977.
Next summer, the Gallagher brothers will head out on the road for a globe-spanning run of reunion dates, starting off in July with two shows in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. Check out the full schedule below, that is, unless your Glen Matlock…
Jul 04: Cardiff Principality Stadium, UK Jul 05: Cardiff Principality Stadium, UK Jul 11: Manchester Heaton Park, UK Jul 12: Manchester Heaton Park, UK Jul 16: Manchester Heaton Park, UK Jul 19: Manchester Heaton Park, UK Jul 20: Manchester Heaton Park, UK Jul 25: London Wembley Stadium, UK Jul 26: London Wembley Stadium, UK Jul 30: London Wembley Stadium, UK Aug 02: London Wembley Stadium, UK Aug 03: London Wembley Stadium, UK Aug 08: Edinburgh Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, UK Aug 09: Edinburgh Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, UK Aug 12: Edinburgh Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, UK Aug 16: Dublin Croke Park, Ireland Aug 17: Dublin Croke Park, Ireland
Aug 24: Toronto Rogers Stadium, ON Aug 25: Toronto Rogers Stadium, ON Aug 28: Chicago Soldier Field, IL Aug 31: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ Sep 01: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ Sep 06: Los Angeles Rose Bowl Stadium, NJ Sep 07: Los Angeles Rose Bowl Stadium, NJ Sep 12: Mexico City Estadio GNP Seguros, Mexico Sep 13: Mexico City Estadio GNP Seguros, Mexico
Sep 27: London Wembley Stadium, UK Sep 28: London Wembley Stadium, UK
Oct 21: Goyang Stadium, South Korea Oct 25: Tokyo Dome, Japan Oct 26: Tokyo Dome, Japan
Oct 31: Melbourne Marvel Stadium, Australia Nov 01: Melbourne Marvel Stadium, Australia Nov 04: Melbourne Marvel Stadium, Australia Nov 07: Sydney Accor Stadium, Australia Nov 08: Sydney Accor Stadium, Australia
Nov 15: Buenos Aires Estadio River Plate, Argentina Nov 16: Buenos Aires Estadio River Plate, Argentina Nov 19: Santiago Estadio Nacional, Chile Nov 22: São Paulo Estadio MorumBIS, Brazil Nov 23: São Paulo Estadio MorumBIS, Brazil
Why was Glen Matlock being silly yesterday saying Oasis were boring but you are nice fellas. Glen needs his head testing.November 26, 2024
Liz works on keeping the Louder sites up to date with the latest news from the world of rock and metal. Prior to joining Louder as a full time staff writer, she completed a Diploma with the National Council for the Training of Journalists and received a First Class Honours Degree in Popular Music Journalism. She enjoys writing about anything from neo-glam rock to stoner, doom and progressive metal, and loves celebrating women in music.
US prog metal legends Savatage have announced that they will play some European Festivals next year, with appearances at Holland’s Into The Grave, Belgium’s Graspop and Barcelona’s Rock Fest confirmed and more likely to be announced.
The band will play their first shows in a decade in South America at Monsters Of Rock in both Brazil and Chile in April. Music website Blabbermouth reports that the line-up will feature Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Chris Caffery on guitar, Al Pitrelli on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals.
Founding member and songwriter Jon Oliva has been diagnosed with both Multiple Sclerosis as well as Ménière’s disease and so will not be taking part in the live shows.
Oliva has recently posted the following statement on social media: “Hello Savatage fans, this is Jon Oliva. I want to set a few things straight for everyone. First of all, I am very excited for Johnny, Chris, Zak, Jeff and Al to play again. I feel it’s important for the fans to enjoy our music live, and believe me these guys will kick ass.
“As far as I go, I was going to do these shows but unfortunately, I’ve run into more health issues. I want you all to know that if there was any way I could do these shows I would, but my health issues are more serious than I originally thought.
“As most of you know I fractured my spine in 3 places and have recently been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis as well as Ménière’s disease. My doctors are working with me to get healthy again.
“I am working closely with the guys and will be involved in every other aspect of the show. I am 100 percent behind the guys doing this and I promise I will return [as soon as possible]. In the meantime, I am working in the studio on new material.
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“I love you all and thank you for understanding my situation, I know my brothers will deliver the goods.”
You can see the full list of confirmed dates below. More are expected to be added.
Savatage 2025 Tour Dates
Apr 19: BRA São Paulo Monsters Of Rock Apr 23: CHI Santiago Masters Of Rock Jun 13: NED Leeuwarden Into The Grave Jun 19-22: BEL Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting Jun 26: SPA Barcelona Rock Fest
Returning from a week of shows in France, plus an appearance at last weekend’s Ruinfest, Seattle extreme metal band Lacabra return with a second single/music video. “Human Quilt” comes from the group’s full-length debut planned for release next spring.
“‘Human Quilt’ is about a psychic attack that creates a purposeful mental assault on lost and vulnerable human beings,” explains vocalist Lance Neatherlin. “The sheer terror of will bending atrocities brought to these unfortunate people and their families is one of the saddest things I can imagine. Bad things happen to good people.”
The live video was shot by fans at the Funhouse in Seattle, showcasing the band’s frenzied live attack, with interspersed cult scenes driving the lyrics home, which were edited together by Jason Frost.
Lacabra rose from the ashes of Locisteller, whose promise fell apart during Covid-19 pandemic, but Lance Neatherlin (vocals) and Eric Snyder (guitar) recruited Eric Weber (bass), Michael Anthony (guitar), and Richie Sather (drums) transforming into Lacabra. Neatherlin and Snyder (also key members) While Lacabra takes a more straightforward and punishing approach with their music, and it’s fair to say that in Lacabra they’ve caught lightning in a bottle.
The band’s eclectic influences range from traditional heavy metal, dark wave, black metal as well as 1990’s melodic death metal, which they interweave seamlessly throughout their songs in a unique and purely original way. Their live shows are crushingly heavy and intense with dueling lead guitars and stage presence that rival any band out there today.
Their performances and unique sound have garnered them a reputation as a must-see band in the Pacific Northwest (US) and beyond, having shared the stage with bands such as Goatwhore, Crypta, Destruction, Swallow The Sun, Abigail Williams, Nervosa, and more.
“Human Quilt”:
“Fractured”:
Lacabra live:
February 20 – Vancouver, BC – Glacial Mutilation Metal Festival
Montreal, Canada’s Tumbleweed Dealer, the enigmatic musical project led by Sebastien Painchaud, is set to make a triumphant return with their fourth studio album, Dark Green. After an eight-year hiatus, the band is ready to unveil their most ambitious and genre-defying work to date, scheduled for release on February 7, 2025. Dark Green represents a significant evolution in Tumbleweed Dealer’s sound, pushing the boundaries of their bluesy, desert-rock roots into uncharted territories.
They comment on this evolution:
“Our first two albums created the color palette with which we paint. The third album showed that these colors can paint very different pictures. We didn’t need to be a stoner/psychedelic rock to still sound like us. On this latest album, we took all these different directions and pushed our music even further. We streamlined it into a unique experience that still maintained the original spirit of the band’s sound.”
The album’s artwork, revealed today, captures the essence of the Dark Green experience. This visual representation sets the stage for the album’s themes of nature, introspection, and the blurring lines between reality and imagination.
To give fans a taste of what’s to come, Tumbleweed Dealer has released a tantalizing teaser for Dark Green. This brief audio-visual snippet offers a glimpse into the lush, atmospheric soundscapes and intricate compositions that await listeners. Fans can expect an intricate blend of blues, math rock, post-rock, and various other influences, all woven together into a cohesive and immersive musical tapestry. It is recommended for fans of Camel, Toe, and Opeth.
Cover art by Glenn Le Calvez:
Tracklisting:
“A Distant Figure In The Fog” “Sparks Adrift In The Louisiana Nightsky” “A Plant That Thinks It’s Human” “Becoming One With Bayou” “Dragged Across The Wetlands” “Dark Green” “Ghosts Dressed In Weeds” “Moss On The Mind” “Body Of The Bog” “A Soul Made Of Sludge”
Guest Musicians: Antoine Baril – Mellotron, Hammond Organ & Keyboards on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 & 10 Guillaume Audette – Wurlitzer, Rhodes and Church Organ on tracks 8 & 10 Jocelyn Couture – Trumpet & Flugel Horn on tracks 4, 5, 7 and 9 Loïc Roy-Turgeon – Trombone on tracks 4 and 5 Zach Strouse – Saxophone on track 6 And special guest star Ceschi Ramos as himself on track 7
Announcing their partnership with Thunderflix earlier this November to showcase their full live performance at this year’s Hellfest Open Air (Temple Stage) in Clisson, France, Italian melodic death-doom force Shores of Null are sharing their next clip from the festival for the song “My Darkest Years” off their latest and fourth record The Loss of Beauty released on Spikerot Records during March 2023.
Vocalist Davide Straccione adds:
“Hellfest was the culmination of an intense promotional cycle during which we had the privilege of taking The Loss Of Beauty far and wide. Stepping onto that stage was an incredibly powerful experience, rewarding us for years of relentless hard work, dedication, and a deep love for what we do. We felt the energy of the crowd resonating with us, and in that moment, it truly felt like we were exactly where we were meant to be. On a personal level, it was a dream come true, and I believe I can speak for the entire band when I say it was the highlight of our career so far.”
The full set can be viewed on Thunderflix, the world’s premier on-demand video streaming service dedicated exclusively to heavy metal music.
Live Video Credits: Live Sound Tech: Nikos Giagkoudakis Video Recording: Sombrero & Co
Shores Of Null’s delivered a powerful performance at Hellfest in France this past summer as part of the band’s extensive touring in support of their new album The Loss Of Beauty. This fourth album follows the acclaimed Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying), unanimously considered by fans and critics as one of the doom-metal gems of recent years. Both albums were recorded between 2019 and early 2020, and although The Loss Of Beauty was initially conceived as the band’s third album, Beyond The Shores took its place as it better reflected the doom and gloom sentiment of the ‘annus horribilis’ 2020.
Barcelona-based power metal frontrunners, Kilmara, have unleashed the epic title track from their upcoming studio album Journey To The Sun, slated for release on January 31 via ROAR! Coming as a CD jewel case, limited to 300 copies “Mediterranean Aura” marbled vinyl and digital streaming/download, the album pre-sale is now available here.
About their first single release, guitarist John Portillo reveals: “This song was born when we started putting ideas together for this new album. Carles had just joined the band at that time and it was exciting to see that we were walking together in the same musical direction. It was a lot of fun creatively since it finally became a song that gives concept to the cover and is the title of the album.”
Carles Salse adds: “‘Journey To The Sun’, preceded by its introduction, is probably the most epic song on the album and serves as a link to the fans who are familiar with the previous album Across the Realm of Time. In addition, it presents representative ingredients of this new stage such as the incorporation of many more orchestrations, retro synthesizers as well as more prog elements.”
“This story can relate to everyone in many different levels,” says vocalist Daniel Ponce. “It can make you feel empowered to reach difficult goals in your life. It can take you on an intergalactic adventure. It can be a metaphor of the passing of life. It can be about friendship or your family… Whatever you wish to imagine, it’s all possible here!”
Stream “Journey To The Sun” on all digital services here. The accompanying 80s retro music video can be viewed below.
On Journey To The Sun, Kilmara sounds more current, more powerful and heavier than ever, thanks to an excellent and careful production. With the aim set on finding the best and most current sound possible, Kilmara put the recording of the album in the hands of Carles Salse in his Sureau Studio, and they also teamed up with world-renowned and award-winning producer Seeb Levermann (Orden Ogan, Rhapsody Of Fire, Riot V). Conceptually, Journey To The Sun is set in the Arcade halls of the late ’80s, where first loves, unbreakable friendships, rivalries, defeats and victory celebrations took place. Kilmara pick up the baton as heirs of the heroes of Power Metal and bring back the singer of the legendary and sorely missed swedish band Lost Horizon, Daniel Heiman, one of the best voices of the genre who will undoubtedly overwhelm you with his performance as a special guest on “Take Me Back”.
After the additions of Eric Killer, a real steamroller on drums, and guitarist, producer and composer Carles Salse, the band is renewed in every way and presents their new work Journey To The Sun, an adventure of epic proportions that transcends the limits explored up to this point by the band from Barcelona. With this new chapter in their career, Kilmara tells us about the power and strength that all human beings are capable of gathering when we are united by the same purpose. They also tell us about the struggle to discover the path to truth and freedom. All of this in a journey to the impossible, crossing borders beyond this very dimension to finally reach contact with the Sun.
Tracklisting:
“Point Of No Return” “Journey To The Sun” “Alliance Of The Free” “Chances” “Liberticide” “Wildfire” “An Even Whole” “Power Of The Mind” “Take Me Back” “Journey To The Sun” (8 Bit Version)
With their new single “Stahl auf Stahl”, Subway To Sally combine their signature sound with the driving power metal of Warkings, forging a true masterpiece together. The track seamlessly blends Subway To Sally’s heavy riffs with a captivating chorus and vocals that reach new heights, offering a taste of their upcoming studio album, Post Mortem, set to release on December 20 via Napalm Records.
“Stahl auf Stahl” is an anthem of resistance and strength. With lines like “Hämmern wir, so laut wie es nur geht, die Welt soll von uns hören” (“We hammer as loud as we can, so the world will hear us”), the song ignites a fire of courage that pushes the limits of what’s possible. It’s not only a hymn of bravery but also one of rebirth—like a phoenix rising from the ashes, escaping the darkness, and heralding a new day for us all.
This impressive collaboration between Subway To Sally and Warkings is reflected in the dual vocals, emphasizing themes of invincibility and an unbreakable sense of unity. But this won’t be the last time the bands join forces—both acts will take the stage together this December on the Eisheilige Nacht-tour.
Subway To Sally about the new single: “Warkings are our co-headliner for this year’s Eisheilige Nacht! Their intense touring activities caught our attention some time ago, and we’re confident they will ignite a true metal firestorm and make the Eisheilige Nacht an unforgettable experience with their show. This collaboration quickly led to the idea of a joint song, which we wrote and, of course, performed together. ‘Stahl auf Stahl’ is a powerful medieval metal banger and an exciting experiment for both Warkings and Subway To Sally – one that can truly be called a success!”
Warkings add: “Joining the legendary Eisheilige Nacht-tour with Subway to Sally is like marching into battle with the mightiest warriors by our side! And to make it even more epic, we forged ‘Stahl auf Stahl’, an anthem of steel and fire that will echo through the halls of Valhalla—and every stage we conquer together. Bring your helmets, folks—this is gonna be wild!“
Not even two years have passed since the release of their previous record Himmelfahrt in 2023, and initially, the band had secretly planned for it to be their last album. With a symbolic title, the genre-defining force from Potsdam, Germany intended to close their over 30-year career with dignity. But things took a different turn. Subway To Sally undeniably struck a chord with the times, and the response to Himmelfahrt was overwhelmingly positive from both fans and critics alike. After a tour with many sold-out shows, it became abundantly clear that their 14th album was not the final chapter. The album’s release unleashed an unstoppable sense of lightness and energy that sparked their creativity to such an extent that Subway To Sally are now ready with their brand-new masterpiece, Post Mortem, following the fastest creative process in the band’s history.
The new masterpiece begins with the explosive track “Phönix”, which celebrates the creative rebirth of the folk metal institution. On Post Mortem, Subway To Sally neither look back nor into the future, but rather deliver a sharp analysis of the present. Songs like “Wunder”, “Nero”, “Lumpensammler”, and “Die Erde bebt” offer the band’s signature soundscape while exploring socially critical themes without moralizing. This serious side is contrasted by captivating tracks that celebrate life and the simple joy of music. The anthemic title track “Post Mortem”, the rousing “Unter dem Banner”, and the poetic ballad “Herz in der Rinde” unleash an uncanny joy of playing. All songs unite the band’s familiar trademarks of great melodies and profound lyrics but never feel redundant. The haunting “Atlas” melancholically draws on Greek mythology, while the folk metallers showcase a heavier yet melodic side on “Stahl auf Stahl”. For this piece, they enlisted their labelmates Warkings as guest performers, whose power metal adds a unique flavor to the track. With English lyrics in the chorus, Subway To Sally return to their roots. With “Kummerkind”, the septet tackles mental struggles that many people cannot escape, once again proving their precise grasp of the zeitgeist.
Subway To Sally comment: “In this world of contradictions and changes, finding a voice seems difficult. But upon closer inspection, one finds parallels in history and art. What do Putin and Nero, Oppenheimer and Prometheus have in common? What rises from the ashes of Rome? Does history truly repeat itself – once as tragedy, the other time as farce?”
Subway To Sally skillfully explore this tension between past, future, and present, art and political reality with their music, making it clear with Post Mortem that they are more alive than ever before.
Post Mortem will be available in the following formats:
– 1 LP Gatefold Liquid Black (Napalm Records mail order only – strictly limited) – 1 LP Gatefold Splatter (Napalm Records mail order only – strictly limited) – 2 CD with 24 pages mediabook + goblet (Napalm Records mail order only – limited) – 1 CD Jewel Case + goblet (Napalm Records mail order only – limited) – 1 LP Gatefold Black + goblet (Napalm Records mail order only – limited) – 1 LP Gatefold Black – 2 CD with 24 pages mediabook – 1 CD Jewel Case – Digital Deluxe Album – Digital Album
As Classic Rock wrote this story in mid-March 2005, Paul Rodgers had been rehearsing with Queen stalwarts guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor for a little over a month. But by the time anyone read it, the new band – officially dubbed ‘Queen + Paul Rodgers’ – had played their first show, an Aids Awareness Concert in South Africa on March 19, and kicked off a European tour.
So, what should fans expect when the British leg kicks off officially, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne Metro Arena on May 3 2005?
“I’m not supposed to tell you,” laughs May. “It’s still slightly fluid, to be honest. We’ve rehearsed more songs than we’re actually going to be playing. But if you really want to know, I suppose it’s about 65 per cent Queen and, and… erm, hang on a minute… 35 percent Paul,” he says, doing the maths. “Something like that. But really we haven’t solidified the set yet. It’s close.”
Rodgers: “It’s largely Queen, I think people will expect to see that. Brian and Roger tell me they’ve always been big fans of Free. They want to do particular songs in the set that I wrote with Andy Fraser in Free, and a couple of the numbers I wrote with Mick [Ralphs] in Bad Company. There’s going to be a sprinkling of my songs throughout.”
Rodgers refers again to Freddie Mercury, who – incredibly – had been dead for 14 years that following November. “I think Freddie would be happy,” Paul insists, “because I feel his spirit throughout the music. I’ve been listening to so much of Queen generally, and Freddie’s singing specifically. Just studying his vocal style, really. Getting into the spirit of the man. And I feel, actually, quite close.”
It’s easy to be critical about May and Taylor linking up with Rodgers. (The other surviving member of Queen, bassist John Deacon, is retired from the stage.) But the fact is, the tickets for their tour sold out like stone-cold-crazy. The band had recently announced a massive outdoor show at London’s Hyde Park on July 8.
Paul Rodgers, Roger Taylor and Brian May visit the George Child and Family Welfare Society Hostel, a hostel for HIV/AIDS suffers in Cape Town, South Africa, ahead of their first show together (Image credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Rodgers, in particular, was amazed by the turn of events – particularly as that summer marked the 35th anniversary of when Free played the Isle Of Wight festival, in 1970.
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“I was thinking today that I’ve lived about eight lifetimes. Here I am, I’m 55 years old, and I feel like I’m 17 again, starting a brand new career. It is quite incredible. We put the Hyde Park show in because the UK tour had sold out so quickly. A lot of people didn’t get the opportunity to buy tickets; it took them – and us – by surprise. It’ll be a great thrill; it’ll be the first time I’ve played Hyde Park.”
Talking to Rodgers and May, Classic Rock had little doubt that this alliance was for real. Yes, there were probably truckloads of money to be made by all parties. Yes, fervent Freddie fans might be sceptical about the entire shebang. And yes, it remained to be seen if Bohemian Rhapsody would be included in the band’s set. (Let alone songs from The Firm, Rodgers’ collaboration with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page.)
But May, for one, remained defiant: “I’m not in the business of persuading anybody – if it doesn’t suit their palate, if they don’t like the idea, then that’s fine. I’m perfectly comfortable with that. To be truthful with you, we’ve dealt with cynicism our whole career. There’s always been people grousing and sniping. I don’t really have anything to say to the cynics except, fine, just stay away. I won’t say the negativity doesn’t affect you, but in a way it also makes you stronger.”
Rodgers urges: “Just come and see us play. The only way you’re going to know if this works or not is to go and see it. Quite honestly, I don’t think people can pre-judge anything at all.”
The whole Q+PR (calm down, Loftus Road fans) thing kicked off when Brian May and Paul Rodgers appeared together on stage in September 2004, at the Fender Stratocaster 50th anniversary show in London.
May: “We’d just finished playing All Right Now, and we both realised that it felt incredibly right. The chemistry was there, and there were sparks flying. Paul and me looked at each other and we went: ‘Hmmm…’ We both had the same thought in our minds. Then Paul’s girlfriend, Cynthia, said: ‘All you need is a drummer, don’t you?’ And I said: ‘Well, I might know a drummer…’
“That’s kind of where it came from. I got the tape of our performance and sent it to Roger, and he said: ‘Why didn’t we think of this before?’”
The trio’s relationship was cemented when Rodgers, May and Taylor played together at the UK Hall Of Fame Awards, belting out Queen’s We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions, and finishing off with another version of Free’s All Right Now.
“Roger has always been the one who’s been keen to get back out on tour, “ May reveals. “It was me who was holding things back, because I didn’t think things felt right. There was no one on the horizon who I thought could do the job of singing with us. And then suddenly we’re looking at this man [Rodgers], who can not only do the job, he can do a lot more besides – he brings something completely new to it, and that’s what turned me around.
“To be honest with you, if you’d spoken to me even nine months ago, I would’ve said no, I’m never going out again – as far as Queen is concerned, that’s it.”
May speaks a lot about the ‘chemistry’ between him and Taylor, and Rodgers. Can he be more specific?
“There’s a reason for it, insofar as we both really grew up with Free’s music. Paul Rodgers is a very big influence on us, because Free were out there while we were still at college. Free’s Fire & Water album is one of our real inspirations and influences. Paul has been part of our history all along – and Freddie was a huge fan of Paul’s; he was one of the few singers he really looked up to.”
May adds: “Freddie used to give me a hard time if I wrote something that didn’t really suit him, and he’d say: ‘Look, Brian, you’re fucking writing this for Paul Rodgers, I can’t do this.’ It became a joke between us, because Paul had that blues edge and Freddie was something different – something very exceptional, as we know. So yes, Paul and Freddie might be poles apart, but there is an overlap because they can both sing Tie Your Mother Down, and it suits them both down to the ground – as we’ve discovered.”
Queen + Paul Rodgers kick off their first European tour at London’s Brixton Academy on March 28, 2005 (Image credit: Louise Wilson/Getty Images)
Did Rodgers ever meet Freddie?
“Not properly,” Paul says, his Middlesbrough accent still very much in evidence. “I passed him on the stairs once – I passed the whole band on the stairs – when Queen were auditioning managers one time, and they went to see Peter Grant [who used to manage Rodgers and well as Led Zeppelin]. I happened to be visiting Peter as well. And we just said a quick hello, hey, how’re you doing… and that was it, really. But I got a very nice vibe from Freddie indeed. He seemed really, really cool.”
Rodgers has an active solo career. How does this collaboration with Queen fit in?
“I must say my solo band have been incredibly nice and understanding about it all. Howard Leese from Heart and the guys, they’ve just been great about it. There will be some solo dates in the future but for the moment I’m putting that to one side.
“I recently worked with the Four Tops. They made a DVD for their 50th anniversary in Detroit, and they invited me up. Aretha Franklin was there, and Sam from Sam & Dave, The Temptations were there as well… and I was actually the only white guy on that stage. Which was a real compliment. I didn’t even know that the soul family, if you like, had heard of me. So it was a terrific thing.”
Rodgers continues: “As a result of that, the company that was making the DVD, Omni Broadcasting, asked me to do my own DVD along the same lines. But I’ve had to put that on hold as well because this is a huge learning curve for me. I’ve got to learn pretty much the entire Queen catalogue in a short space of time, and well enough to be able to deliver it on stage. So it’s been my total focus.”
These are, obviously, extremely hectic times for May and Rodgers. We spoke to the duo separately: May was on the car phone in the back of a limo, speeding off to God-knows-where; Rodgers was holed up in a posh hotel in Bray, Berkshire, close to Queen’s secret rehearsal location.
The Queen + Paul Rodgers project – which was originally mooted as just a couple of isolated dates in London – had now taken on a seemingly unstoppable momentum, which had taken both May and Rodgers by surprise. The last full set of Queen shows, after all, was the Magic Tour way, way back in 1986.
May: “We’re already at the point of signing on the line for a tour in America, which we plan to do in the autumn. It makes me nervous. Well, being on stage doesn’t make me nervous, but it makes me nervous to realise that I am now in the process of giving away my life again. Being in hotel rooms, flying on planes here, there and everywhere… it’s quite tough, and I know Paul feels the same way. We’ve had lots of home time to enjoy in recent times… and this involves a sacrifice.”
Rodgers: “From my point of view, I hadn’t really planned on doing any full-on major tours whatsoever this year. In fact, the only reason I can actually do this venture with Brian and Roger is because I planned to pull back from my own shows in 2005, and just take it easy. So I didn’t quite realise this was such a huge undertaking. It’s taken my breath away.”
Prior to their encounter at the Fender Stratocaster anniversary show, May and Rodgers had collaborated sporadically in the past.
May: “We did a record together called Reaching Out, which was written by Andy Hill and Don Black, for the Rock Therapy charity. I’ve also played on one or two or Paul’s solo records. I played on a track called I’m Ready, which is on his blues album, and the other time when we worked together significantly was when I did this concert in Seville [Spain] called The Guitar Legends.
“I was hired to do the rock night and we had some of the world’s greatest guitarists there. But I didn’t want to have them all up there widdling on stage the whole time, so I rang up Paul and he came down. Of course, guitarists love to do all this highly technical stuff, but give them a chance to do the riff to All Right Now and they’re in seventh heaven. So Paul and me have been loosely in contact since then. It goes back some years.”
So, is Queen + Paul Rodgers a short- or long-term thing?
May: “It’s too early to say. We’re enjoying ourselves an awful lot, I have to say, so the signs are that we might want to take it further. But equally, we may have had enough of it after we’ve done this fairly intense tour. It’s a pretty serious tour, I have to say. It’s not the sort of thing I envisioned myself doing at this time of life, ha-ha!”
Rodgers: “We’re going along with how it feels – at the moment it’s wide open. We’re all songwriters, we’ve three pretty good songwriters in the band, so the chances are that we’ll start writing, given the opportunity. There are other things I’d like to do, obviously – I’d like to do that DVD, and I’ve been asked to do a solo album of acoustic material, which interests me too – but one can only do so much at a time.”
So is there, potentially, is the prospect of a Queen + Paul Rodgers album some time in the future?
“I wouldn’t say it was out of the question but it’s early days yet,” stresses Rodgers. “Really, the live shows are the main focus right now.”
Even though the spirit of Freddie Mercury still looms large, May has no qualms about teaming up with Rodgers: “I’m absolutely sure Freddie would love it. You might think it strange for me to say that, but I feel very tuned in to Freddie every day of my life. He was virtually a family member, and that’s partly why I haven’t wanted to do something like this up until now – I’ve never felt comfortable about any of the ideas that people came to us with.
“But I know that Freddie would be so happy to hear we’re doing something with Paul. I know Freddie would be very excited, and the other thing I know is that his mum’s excited, which means a lot to me. I’m in touch with her quite often. We’ve got the Bulsara family seal of approval. Absolutely. She said to me that she knows we’ll make her proud. That’s lovely. That’s all I can ask for.”
Brian May’s Favourite Paul Rodgers Track
“Apart from All Right Now, obviously, Can’t Get Enough by Bad Company has always been a big favourite of mine. They’re all favourites, to be honest. The entire Fire & Water album has never left me. We’ll be doing some of that on tour, and it’s a joy beyond compare. Every time we come to play one of Paul’s songs, everybody starts smiling. We just love it – it’s a sort of recreation for us.”
Paul Rodgers’ Favourite Queen Track
“There’s a song called The Show Must Go On, which is incredibly dramatic. In my early years as a singer, I listened a lot to Otis Redding. I still do, in fact. Otis has a great spirit and a great soul to his voice; his whole approach to music is very soulful. I’m trying to apply those things – that heart and that soul – to The Show Must Go On. Even though it’s early days, it’s sounding just monstrous.”
Geoff Barton is a British journalist who founded the heavy metal magazine Kerrang! and was an editor of Sounds music magazine. He specialised in covering rock music and helped popularise the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) after using the term for the first time (after editor Alan Lewis coined it) in the May 1979 issue of Sounds.
The ashes will reach their final resting place at the venue on December 18, where they’ll be kept in an urn shaped like Lemmy’s trademark cavalry hat. Their arrival will be celebrated in a ceremony attended by Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell.
In 2016, The Hollywood Times asked Lemmy where he enjoyed spending time when he wasn’t on tour.
“Stringfellows in London,” he responded. “It’s a high-end strip club. There’s a big welcome there always. I’ve known the owner, Peter, since 1964.”
“Stringfellows always held a special place in Lemmy’s heart,” says Motörhead manager Todd Singerman. “He loved the rock’n’roll spirit Peter brought to the club, he loved the relaxed environment, and he certainly loved the view. I know he’s relieved he can get back to enjoying one of his favourite places on the planet!”
Lemmy’s ashes have also been scattered at the German metal festival Wacken Open Air, and some were enshrined at the Rainbow Bar & Grill in Los Angeles earlier this year. In addition, the ashes held at Rock City will be displayed at the nearby Bloodstock Festival annually.
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