Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)

Next up on AAA , and the final episode of Season 1, is an archive interview with  Bruce Dickinson , recorded in 1988 as Iron Maiden were touring Seventh Son of a Seventh Son . The album was recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich and produced by the late Martin Birch , whose work also included Rainbow Rising and large parts of the Queen catalogue. The interview captures Dickinson at his most artic...

Tom Russell's next rummage turns up an interview with Scott "Flip" Phillips , drummer with Alter Bridge . The interview focuses first and foremost on drumming and life on the road. Phillips talks about the craft and the role of the drummer, with discussion ranging from  Neil Peart and John Bonham to Ted McKenna of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a name that causes some surprise in the room. McKe...

Episode 8 of AAA brings together two sides of rock life in 2010: Airbourne , the Australian hard-rock band firing up stages across the UK, and a memorable encounter at one of metal's biggest annual events. You will need to watch the pod on YouTube to understand why Scott and Andy are laughing at Tom's antics at the start of the show! This week, we feature two archival interviews with Airbourne . T...

For Episode 9 of AAA , Tom Russell's latest rummage through the archive turns up a backstage interview with Shinedown , recorded at the Hydro in Glasgow , with drummer Barry Kerch front and centre. The conversation was recorded around two years into the life of Attention Attention , an album that marked a shift for the band, both musically and personally. By this point, Shinedown were established,...

The interview was recorded as Iommi was preparing to tour with Heaven and Hell , the Sabbath lineup featuring Ronnie James Dio on vocals. It captures a specific moment in time, before the final Ozzy-era Black Sabbath show and before Dio's death, when multiple versions of the band's legacy were still active. Iommi comes across exactly as those who have met him describe him: quiet, thoughtful, and u...

In this episode, we hear one of the many classic interviews Tom Russell recorded with AC/DC's Angus Young. A native of Glasgow and a regular visitor to Scotland, Angus reminisces about his experiences in Glasgow and beyond, sharing recording and road stories from life with one of the world's most successful rock bands. At the time, AC/DC were in the middle of a massive world tour promoting their s...

It's 1991 and Tom is in rural England enjoying tea and cake with one of rock musics most dynamic and influencial front men, none othr than Ozzy Osbourne. In this interview we hear of Ozzy's process for writing his latest album, 1991's "No More Tears".  Ozzy is in top form as he remembers writing with Lemmy of Motorhead fame and describes his life as the Lord of the Manor. A brilliantly funny inter...

The year was 1995, and Van Halen were in the UK for a rare tour. We're back in London as Tom sits down with the legendary Van Halen brothers, right in the middle of their run promoting the band's new album with Sammy Hagar, "Balance". In this candid and often funny interview, Tom draws out insights into the band's creative process—from writing riffs to finding that signature Van Halen sound. It's...

In this episode, we are backstage with, Derek Dick AKA Fish from 1989 just after he had left progressive rock band Marillion. Fish is clearly very comfortable to chat with legendary Scottish rock DJ, Tom Russell, about his time with Marillion, his new music and what is next for him in the turbulent music industry of the day.  This is a frank and personal conversation in which we hear the truth abo...

Episode 2 – Neil Peart In this episode, we are backstage at the infamous "coo shed" that is Ingliston Show Ground on the outskirts of Edinburgh in Scotland. Legendary Scottish rock DJ, Tom Russell, was a wee bit nervous as he sat down with one of rock's greatest drummers and storytellers, the enigmatic Neil Peart of Canadian prog rockers, Rush.  The band had just finished playing, and it's fair to...

Episode 1 – David Coverdale Our journey begins in London in 1989. At the EMI offices at Manchester Square, legendary Scottish rock DJ, Tom Russell sat down with one of rock's most charismatic frontmen, David Coverdale of Whitesnake. The band was riding high on the success of their multimillion-selling album, "1987," and their follow-up, "Slip of the Tongue," and Coverdale was in full flight, charm...