Mick Wall

For me there hasn't been one rock star since Prince and before that David Bowie that has consistently produced musical, multi-genre masterpieces across the decades like Steven Wilson. Plus... he's so normal in person. By normal I mean of course he's not normal - who is? - but the only other rock star I got to know well personally that was as real and unaffected by bullshit fame was Ozzy. And because his career was so big, coming from the 70s when rock was the biggest medium of all, Ozzy had the mansion and pool and 24-7 arse lickers. Steven doesn't have any of that. He talked about why in the book we wrote together, Limited Edition Of One. But it still never ceases to surprise me how... normal he is, in person. Though never in the studio or onstage. That's when he sheds his mild-mannered cloak and becomes an Immortal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Concluding part to an extraordinary interview with Rory Gallagher's manager - and brother - Dónal Gallagher. His ace memoir of his life with Rory - EDGED IN BLUE - has just been published and has Xmas prezzie written all over it. If you don't know who Rory was, check out my feature in the next issue of Classic Rock. You can watch the full unedited video of this interview on my patreon site https://www.patreon.com/c/u60531281 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I first met Dónal Gallagher when I was 21 and had recently begun work at Heavy Publicity, which Regular Readers will recall them as the most decadent and depraved PR firm in town at that time - which was 1979. One of my first big assignments was taking the only two music-related journalists I could round up - chick from Superpop, cat from Record Mirror. Neither big Rory readerships but hey this was when punk and new wave had destroyed almost all music weekly interest in this 'type of thing'. It was a gig in Germany. So off we went. You'll learn more in the pod but one of my main memories is of the flight home the next day, sitting next to Dónal regaling me with brilliant stories. Then when we got off the plane at Heathrow, asking me if I'd mind carrying a duty free bag for him through customs for him. Her already ha a big bag and would I mind pretending this other one was mine (you were only allowed one, I think, then) No problem. Then when we got out the other side him opening the bag to reveal bundles of cash - the take from the gig. His bag was also full of spondies. Diffferent days... This is part One. Part Two next weeks. Full video also on my patreon site. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Megadeth he was the only one who never got fired - then walked away. They called him the Mustaine Whisperer because he was the only on the other Dave qwould listen to (usually). He also came up with the greatest bass riff of all time on Peace Sells. These days he's in Metal Church, he's got a solo cazreer, he's in Kings Of Thrash and a whole lotta other good trouble. His name is David Ellefson and he fucking rocks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is one of the most harrowing interviews I've ever done - and I've done too many.
In 1977, Marc B Frank was a Lynyrd Skynyrd road crew member. Today he is a wounded witness to one of the most devastating events in rock history, when on October 20, 1977, the Convair CV-240 passenger aircraft carrying Skynyrd to their next gig, ran out of fuel and crashed in a wooded area near Gillsburg, Mississippi.
Six died - including singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, backing singer Cassie Gaines - and 20 survived in various states of injury, both short- and longterm. Marc was one of them. Please excuse his coughing, he was attached to a mask and oxygen tank as we spoke via zoom from his current home in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
You can see a video of the full unedited interview on my.patreon.com site.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.