It’s been a difficult time for heavy metal of late. We knew he was sick but Ian Fraser Kilmister, with that indomitable spirit, wouldn’t let us, his fans, down. Recording albums and playing live right up until the end, it’s as if we knew the day would come but neither he, nor us, would accept that crushing fate.

For weeks there seemed like an outpouring of collective grief. Even when the godlike Bowie and then the rock of which so much of heavy metal is built, Jimmy Bain, passed away it all got caught up in this exhausting wave of despair.

Doing a new issue of Iron Fist felt meaningless; we were named after a Motörhead song and now Motörhead was no more. While every other magazine poured over the details of Lemmy’s life, we wanted to mourn the band as well as the man and through our haze turned to the only person we could think of, Jase Of Spades from the blog 366 Days Of Motörhead to help us both with our office playlists and tribute. In this issue he reminds us of the many albums, live recordings and rare tracks that the ‘Head have left as their … Read More

I’ve said this before, when starting Iron Fist I had a dream list of interviewees. It’s been astounding to have the honour of ticking these off the list, from Girlschool to Rock Goddess to Bruce Dickinson and Scott Gorham. Michael Schenker was high on the list, but it’s always nerving to predict which Michael Schenker you’re going to get. Notoriously spiky about his art being at the centre of his world, turning down high profile gigs with Aerosmith and Ozzy, he’s not always been the willing interviewee, but as he’s prepares to embark on a new Temple Of Rock tour, starting today in Bilston, he’s accommodating, chatty and charming. What’s so obviously clear from our conversation is that the former Scorpions, UFO and MSG mastermind has found a new lease of life and of art with his latest project Temple Of Rock.

What started as a solo project in 2011 with friends Pete Way on bass (UFO), and Herman Rarebell on drums (ex Scorpions), with guest vocals from Robin McAuley (ex MSG) and Doogie White (ex Rainbow/MSG etc), Temple Of Rock has become a band in its own right, with Herman, Doogie and Michael joined by formed Scorpions colleague Francis … Read More

Any Judas Priest gig is special but when the defenders of the faith announce a show in their native county of the West Midlands, England, you know the air is going to be charged that wee bit more. Tonight, Wolverhampton Civic Hall gets the honour of hosting the Metal Gods, and there’s a lot to live up to with the memory of 2011’s stellar appearance in the same venue still fresh in this scribe’s mind. However, we have to question how long the old gods can realistically rage on, but while they are still here they continue to bring new meaning to Halford’s own words: “You realise you’re getting old and no one seems to care”. The fans are out in force tonight and they are certainly not put off by the fact that Halford and co. are pushing nearly 70 years old. Priest are sharing the road with Michael Schenker’s Temple Of Rock on this tour, and even though the group is made up of Scorpions/UFO alumni they appear at first to serve as a backdrop to chatting and beer-ordering with little interaction or even acknowledgment from the crowd. But as their set rolls on and as the sound improves, … Read More