VRP Rocks - Classic Rock Interviews

Dave Brock has been the driving force behind legendary space rockers Hawkwind for over half a century! Although he's now 80 years old, he's steered the group to their 34th studio album release "Somnia" which superbly adds to the back catalogue which already includes 15 records that have made the UK Top 40! Hawkwind's career is a twisting tale and they count among their alumni legends such as Ginge...

John Lodge is a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer as part of the legendary British group, The Moody Blues. With sales of more than 70 million records worldwide 'The Moodies' broke new ground with their iconic "Days of Future Passed" album, one of the first successful concept albums. With big hits like 'Nights in White Satin', 'Ride My See-Saw', 'Your Wildest Dreams', 'Go Now' and 'I'm Just A Singer (In A...

Something a little different this week, I've been asked a few times to include some new wave or synth - so here you go! With platinum selling albums and multiple top 10 hits in the UK, US, Canada and Ireland plus playing at Live Aid Wembley Stadium, Howard Jones has had a great career so we'll hear some of his stories. Plus - we get an update of our fabulous VRP Rocks Artists Choice playlist, whic...

(Don't Fear) The Reaper is a masterpiece Blue Oyster Cult created in the mid-70's and almost half a century on it's still loved and played on the radio today. Albert Bouchard was a founding member of the group and tasted all the highs including hit albums Agents of Fortune and Fire of Unknown Origin as well as the hit singles Godzilla, Burning For You and the previously mentioned (Don't Fear) The...

This weeks show features one of my favourite interviews to date! My guest is an absolute legend, Carmine Appice! He's known as one of the true innovators of the heavy rock scene, in fact John Bonham learnt from him, as did many of the worlds greatest drummers.  In this extensive interview you'll hear Carmine tell some incredible and crazy stories about legends like Rod Stewart, Led Zeppelin, Ozzy...

Dave Mason is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee with his band Traffic, but there's so much more to his story! As well as a successful solo career in America, Dave also played and recorded with legends like The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac and his good friend, Jimi Hendrix! It's an incredible career for a man born in rural Worcest...

With 9 'Top 10' albums and 23 'Top 40' singles in the UK, Marillion are one of the most successful and enduring bands of the prog genre - and that's despite launching in the 80's, when prog was apparently dead following the punk and new wave movements! Their mix of prog, hard rock and AOR with distinctive lyrics and vocal styles has kept them on top of the game. Founding member and ever present gu...

The legendary, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame drummer who's worked with some of the biggest names in the business, shares his stories on this episode of Vintage Rock Pod! With his early band he cut his teeth as the opening act for The Beatles and the Rolling Stones before joining Midlands supergroup THE MOVE. The story of The Move is incredible with some huge records and a number 1 single, their song wa...

STYX garnered a huge following in the 70s and 80s with a fusion of hard rock, prog and acoustic styles that saw them sell more than 50 million records worldwide and have a string of hits with songs like "Babe", "The Best of Times", "Mr Roboto" and "Show Me The Way". Following Dennis DeYoung's departure in 1999, Lawrence Gowan has been lead vocalist and keyboard player with the band, joining after...

Slow Ride is a rock classic and Roger Earl from the band Foghat talks all about the hit and more on this weeks show! Roger is an Englishman who moved to the US in the early 70s and tells tales about the difficult early days, auditioning for Jimi Hendrix, breaking big in America and the current bands new live album "8 Days on the Road", US tour and their exclusive wine range! Plus a Mick Jagger mee...

On this weeks show I’ve got a Scottish singer who’s worked with some real legends of rock! He was part of Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow and sang for many years with Yngwie Malmsteen and Michael Schenker, toured with Graham Bonnet on many occasions and was recently confirmed as the new lead singer of Alcatrazz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Carrack has had an incredible career with so many hits on both sides of the Atlantic for a huge number of incredible groups. He's the main man behind Ace’s 1974 hit “How Long”, vocalist on the Squeeze song “Tempted”, lead singer in Mike + The Mechanics, he’s also toured with Eric Clapton for a decade or more, played Roger Waters famous The Wall show in Berlin singing "Hey You", been part of R...

Jorma Kaukonen is not only a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee but with his band Jefferson Airplane he was awarded a lifetime achievement award from the Grammy’s too while Rolling Stone magazine ranked him in the top 100 guitarists of all time. In this interview Jorma talks all about the burgeoning psychedelic scene in San Francisco in the 60s, performing with Janis Joplin before they were both fa...

This weeks Side 2 features an interview with Cutting Crew frontman NICK VAN EEDE! (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight was a worldwide hit for the band and the man behind it has a great story to tell which includes touring behind the iron curtain with Slade, being championed by Chas Chandler of the Animals, being Richard Branson's first success with Virgin Records in America, Branson's famous partie...

Steve Lukather is the legendary ever-present guitarist in Toto. In this fun interview we talk all about Toto's big records, including (of course) Africa, plus his stories of working with so many of music's greatest names including Paul McCartney, George Harrison & Ringo Starr, Lionel Richie, Bob Dylan & Jeff Beck and about working on every track on the worlds biggest selling album of all time; Mic...

Jeff Pilson rose to fame as an integral member of DOKKEN in the heady days of 80s. 3 platinum albums and 10 million record sales in 5 years put the group at the top of the scene, but the tumultuous balance in the group meant it wasn't to last. Jeff talks openly about his time in DOKKEN, how he felt when they broke up and more.  He also talks of his admiration for his friend RONNIE JAMES DIO, whom...

He rocked the Sunset Strip during the decade of decadence as frontman of one of the leading metal bands of the era. 4 multi-platinum albums, 20 million record sales and a string of hit singles puts RATT at forefront of the hair metal/glam rock movement. Stephen Pearcy talks to me all about the 80s in L.A., his friendship with Eddie Van Halen, the sad passing of Tawny Kitaen, his hit records and ab...

As founder and ever present member of FREE and BAD COMPANY, Simon Kirke has had an incredible career! In this extensive interview he talks openly about many things including his friendship with Paul Rodgers, regrets over what happened to Paul Kossoff, addictions, the stories behind one of the most played rock songs of all time, his honest thoughts on the Brian Howe era of Bad Company, playing live...

Rat Scabies, a name synonymous with the 70's punk scene was an integral part of punk pioneers, The Damned! Hear him talk all about those early formative years of the movement with stories about Malcolm McLaren, Sid Vicious and the Anarchy in the UK tour, the bands transition into the darker goth rock scene, the relationships in the band, the planned reunion for the 2022 tour and about his cigar bo...

Ten Years After shot to worldwide fame with their blistering set at the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969. Platinum albums, hit singles and more followed with new music on the cards more than 50 years on. RIC LEE tells the story of the band, Woodstock, sharing a room with Janis Joplin and her band, the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, getting a standing ovation in a French pub and much more!  Learn...

On this episode you will find out directly from some legendary musical stars, what their own favourite songs are from their own back catalogue. You'll hear Joe Lynn Turners favourite Rainbow track, Geoff Downes favourite ASIA track, Doug Cosmo Cliffords choice from Creedence Clearwater Revival, the favourite Uriah Heep song from Mick Box, which song meant the most to Lee Aaron, Jim Peteriks favour...

Doug 'Cosmo' Clifford has just turned 76 and is battling the effects of Parkinsons disease - but that's not stopping him from releasing another album! As part of Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of the worlds biggest selling groups of the late 60s/early 70s, Cosmo kept the beat as they released hit after hit, selling millions of records, performing at the legendary Woodstock Festival of 1969 and...

Live music is slowly returning! On this weeks 'VRP Side 2' we speak to Chris Sumby, an organiser of the Stonedead Festival in the UK about the challenges of organising a music event during these difficult times. We also speak to a big concert fan from the US and get the latest classic rock news with from Tim Peacock, an author and music journalist with Record Collector Magazine and Universal Music...

Having a hit song at 15, partying with Led Zeppelin at 19, a brush with death, the call from Sylvester Stallone that led to The Eye of the Tiger and so much more - Jim Peterik tells some incredible stories from his life and times with bands like Ides Of March, Survivor, Pride of Lions and more with a few songs played on guitar along the way!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

Thunder's latest album crashed into the UK Album Chart at number 3 on its first week of release and the bands frontman stopped by this week to talk all about it! Thunder are one of the biggest English hard rock bands of their generation, formed in the late 80's, they saw off the alternative and Britpop movements to consistently produce music that sold into the 90s and beyond. I caught up with lead...