he world of rock is full of unique characters and
From page 8 of Classic Rock Magazine June 2011
this month's stories celebrate three of its most complex: Roger Waters, Ritchie Blackmore and Johnny Thunders.
For our cover story, Hugh
Fielder travelled to Portugal for a unique look behind the scenes of Waters’s latest off-the-scale version of The Wall – due to hit the UK this month – while, in conversation, the former Floyd driving force proves to be both more at ease (with performing, with David Gilmour) but happily still at odds with authority. A rock icon with his integrity left intact, as stage designer Mark Fisher says: “Roger is unambiguously about alienation, discrimination, anti-war. You’d be hard put to know what the fuck Lady Gaga is about.” Peter Makowski’s story on the making of Rainbow’s Rising (or Rainbow Rising , if you prefer) reveals Ritchie Blackmore’s drive for hard rock perfection – the kind of ambition, dedication and ruthlessness that leads to the kind of benchmarks the guitarist has been responsible for several times in his career.
Ian Fortnam’s remarkable Johnny Thunders story, meanwhile, reveals a man damaged by his upbringing, ruined by heroin, destroyed by trying to live up to his image –and harbouring a secret he took to his death...
Scott Rowley, Editor In Chief


