Arun Starkey

Howard Stern considers The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Led Zeppelin II to be the strongest candidates for the greatest album ever, with Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Are You Experienced receiving an honorable mention. He dismisses The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and criticizes Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell as an album whose individual hits outweigh the full record. The piece also recalls Stern’s awkward, overly enthusiastic interview with Robert Plant, which Stern later admitted he mishandled.

Ritchie Blackmore revealed during a 2024 Instagram Q&A that ABBA is probably his favourite band of all time. He recalled that, while recording Rainbow’s 1978 album Long Live Rock 'N' Roll with Ronnie James Dio and Cozy Powell, all three musicians admitted they loved ABBA, turning a bored evening into a memorable one. Blackmore praised the group’s melodies and acknowledged that calling ABBA his favourite was considered “uncool” in some rock circles.

Joe Walsh still considers the closing guitar solo in the Eagles' “Hotel California” a challenge, despite having performed it thousands of times. The article explains that the difficulty lies less in remembering the notes than in maintaining the phrasing, feeling and emotional balance of the dialogue between Walsh and Don Felder. The two guitarists recorded individual musical statements before joining together at the finale, creating one of the Eagles' defining moments. Walsh regards the 1976 album Hotel California as a career-changing artistic high point whose success exceeded the band's wildest expectations.

The Beatles’ experimental work, especially Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, helped inspire King Crimson and the broader progressive-rock movement. The article examines the theory that King Crimson’s 1970 song “Happy Family,” written by Peter Sinfield and released on Lizard, allegorically portrays the acrimonious break-up of The Beatles through characters representing John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. Its lyrics, including references to “Jude” and the refrain “four went on, but none came back,” are interpreted as commentary on the band’s fractured relationships and the lasting effects of fame.

John Lennon was famously critical of his own Beatles compositions and performances. Although he disliked “Run for Your Life,” he felt particularly ashamed of his vocal performance on “Twist and Shout,” recorded in two takes during a 12-hour session while he was ill. Lennon later said the performance damaged his voice and believed he could have sung it better, even as the song became one of the Beatles’ most enduring recordings.

Geddy Lee identifies Chris Squire of Yes as the greatest progressive-rock bassist, praising his imaginative, technically inventive playing and influential basslines. Squire’s work on songs including “Roundabout” and “No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed” helped convince Lee that bass could serve as a defining and highly active component of a band’s sound. The article argues that Squire’s influence was crucial to Lee’s development and to Rush’s technically ambitious direction, including on Caress of Steel, while also acknowledging Lee’s broader inspirations from Paul McCartney, James Jamerson and John Entwistle.

Pink Floyd’s “In the Flesh?” was deliberately written by Roger Waters as a loud, monolithic parody of dumb stadium rock rather than a straightforward celebration of arena-rock excess. The opening track of 1979’s The Wall uses bombast, theatricality and swagger to introduce the troubled rock star Pink and explore spectacle, celebrity, isolation, societal pressure and the dangerous relationship between performers and audiences. The song marked a shift from the subtler symbolism of The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here toward a more overtly theatrical and politically charged style.

Paul McCartney’s criticisms of Madonna, Oasis, The Rolling Stones, Phil Collins and Michael Jackson are presented as evidence of a competitive side beneath his friendly public persona. He reportedly resented Madonna’s immense success, objected to Oasis’s claim that it would surpass The Beatles, dismissed The Rolling Stones as more narrowly blues-based, offended Phil Collins through a condescending interaction, and was angered when Michael Jackson acquired the publishing rights to much of The Beatles’ catalog after McCartney had advised him to invest in music publishing. The article also notes that McCartney later softened his view of Oasis and that Mick Jagger remained gracious about the Beatles-Stones rivalry.

Brian May selected Rainbow’s 1979 hit “Since You’ve Been Gone,” written by Russ Ballard and featuring Graham Bonnet on vocals, as an exemplary pop-rock guitar track. He praised its combination of accessible pop writing and uncompromising rock energy, while highlighting drummer Cozy Powell and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. May’s admiration for Blackmore’s speed, precision, passion and innovative use of the electric guitar is presented as a significant influence on Queen’s genre-defying sound.

Yard Act discuss their forthcoming album, You're Gonna Need A Little Music, which was recorded between Leeds and Los Angeles and shaped by both California optimism and the band's everyday life in West Yorkshire. James Smith, Sam Shipstone and Ryan Needham explain why the group has resisted relocating to London or the United States, arguing that Leeds and regional grassroots scenes remain central to their identity and creativity. They criticize the London-centric, increasingly viral and oversaturated music industry, while Smith insists that artists should not let audience expectations dictate their work. The new album aims to evoke moods and emotions more instinctively than the band's earlier, more overtly social or autobiographical songwriting.

David Crosby regarded Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane as an unparalleled vocal and stage presence, praising her intensity and influence alongside Janis Joplin in shaping female rock performance. He emphasized her transformative impact on the 1960s counterculture era and argued that later artists such as Stevie Nicks could not match her power. The piece highlights Slick’s defining role, her artistic inspirations and her lasting legacy within rock history.

Cream’s Jack Bruce recalled that the band looked down on Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, believing its fusion of blues, jazz and R&B represented a more serious form of musicianship. The article links this attitude to the intense egos and feud between Bruce and Ginger Baker, while acknowledging Cream’s innovation, instrumental virtuosity and influence on psychedelic rock. After Cream broke up, Led Zeppelin moved into the space it had helped create and pushed rock in even more expansive directions.

The Eagles’ “The Best of My Love,” released on the 1974 album On the Border, became the band’s first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit in 1975. Although often interpreted as a breakup song, Don Henley said the lyrics emerged from the band members’ observations of women and relationships while drinking at a Los Angeles restaurant, reflecting their state as “typical, frustrated, young men.” The song’s ambiguity and emotional universality helped give it lasting appeal, while its creation also illustrates the Eagles’ self-aware approach to songwriting.

Paul Weller’s song “When Your Garden’s Overgrown,” from his 2012 album Sonik Kicks, was inspired by Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett. Weller imagines an alternative life in which Barrett could have pursued art away from the pressures and damaging effects of rock-star fame. The psychedelic track features Noel Gallagher on bass and includes lyrical references to Barrett, including “Roger’s off on holiday” and “Syd’s unflinching stare.”

David Gilmour regarded Pink Floyd’s 1969 album Ummagumma and its three-part track “The Narrow Way” with considerable skepticism. He said the composition emerged from desperation because each band member had to create an individual piece after Syd Barrett’s departure. Although Gilmour and Roger Waters later criticized Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother, the article argues that these experimental albums helped Pink Floyd develop the sound that eventually produced Meddle, The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall.

George Michael regarded Wham!’s 1983 hit ‘Bad Boys’ as his most regretted song, believing its intended parody failed and was misinterpreted as sincere. While Wham!’s early work carried socio‑political themes, Michael felt ‘Bad Boys’ was overly formulaic and lacked the irony that defined their earlier singles. He later described the track as a burden, reflecting the high artistic standards and self‑criticism that shaped his evolution into a respected solo artist.

Jimi Hendrix’s early struggles and development as a musician culminated in a pivotal audition with The Isley Brothers, who quickly recognised his exceptional talent. Their support, including housing him and providing the white Stratocaster he would become famous for, gave him the stability needed to advance his career. His work with the group helped refine his style before he moved to London to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience, marking the beginning of his rise as one of rock’s most influential guitarists.

Sting’s accidental piano chord and laughter at the start of The Police’s 1978 single Roxanne occurred when he sat on a piano during recording, and the band chose to keep the mistake, believing it added personality and immediacy to the track. Initially unsuccessful in the UK, the song gained traction in North America and later became the group’s breakthrough hit, helping establish their international success. Its blend of reggae rhythms, jazz influences and empathetic storytelling cemented its status as one of the band’s most enduring classics, with the accidental chord becoming an iconic part of the recording.

Jimmy Page reflects on his long creative partnership with Robert Plant, describing their contrasting strengths as the foundation of Led Zeppelin’s artistic power. Highlighting Plant’s emotive performance on the 1969 track Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Page explains how their complementary approaches created a chemistry that shaped the band’s legacy. Despite occasional personal and creative tensions and the unlikelihood of future collaborations, their partnership remains regarded as one of rock’s most enduring and influential.

Tony Iommi’s innovative, necessity-driven approach to guitar playing shaped the sound of heavy metal and influenced generations of musicians. His friendship with Eddie Van Halen reflected a mutual respect rooted in originality rather than imitation, with Iommi admiring Van Halen’s virtuosic techniques while acknowledging they didn’t suit his own style. The piece highlights how both guitarists redefined rock in distinct ways, contributing to the evolution of modern guitar music.