Vintage Rock

VINTAGE ROCK celebrates a time when music changed the world - 45s, youth culture and the odd thrusting pelvis. Vintage Rock chronicles all the stellar artists and music, the enduring legacy of those early pioneers - and why it’s still the best way to live. Spanning the dawn of the 50s to early Beatles (pre Eastern mysticism!), Vintage Rock covers a time of Mods and Rockers, crinoline skirts and blue jeans, rock star movies and screaming-girl concerts. This special magazine rejoices in the music and verve of Elvis, The Shadows, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent and a host more, and speaks to a contemporary audience that relishes the vitality and flair of the era.

Vintage Rock

VINTAGE ROCK

OBITUARY DOLLY PARTON (19 JANUARY 1946 – 25 AUGUST 2026) • The “Queen of Country” Dolly Parton has died, aged 80

HANK LIVE! • New Official Bootleg DVD captures an intimate live show from The Shadows’ main man

SIX-FIVE SPECIAL TO STREAMING • New book tells the story of rock and pop on British TV

BACK IN BLACK

OBITUARY ARLENE SMITH (5 OCTOBER 1941 – 29 JULY 2026) • Arlene Smith, singer with early girl group The Chantels has died, aged 84

STRAY CATS IN BLUE • With their long-awaited new single long since sold out, the rockabilly revival stars have let loose a brand new collectable 7" on lush blue vinyl

HOUSE OF WILD • Chicano rockabilly stable Wild to release new film

ROCK’N’ROLL IN BRIEF

EVENTS • Vintage Rock’s rundown of the hottest live shows on the scene in the coming months

ON THE RADAR The Too Bad Jims • The dirtiest foot-stomping, head-shaking blues you’ll ever sink your teeth into, The Too Bad Jims were born from a shared passion for the songs of Mississippi bluesman, R.L. Burnside

Q&A The Bitter Lemons • From rockabilly outsiders to embracing psycho blues, creating a platform for female-fronted bands, and storming New York over a holiday weekend, The Bitter Lemons are shaking up genres, attitudes and stages!

Walking Tall • AS JOHNNY CASH’S CROSSOVER MASTERPIECE I WALK THE LINE CELEBRATES ITS 70TH BIRTHDAY, A CAST OF EXPERTS EXPLORE ITS STRANGE POWER AND PAY TRIBUTE TO THE SONG THAT HERALDED THE MAN IN BLACK

THE REEL STORY • A quickfire chat with My Darling Vivian director Matt Riddlehoover

RETRACING HIS STEPS • Cash re-recorded I Walk The Line several times. Why? Expert Michael Streissguth weighs in.

EYES WIDE OPEN • Vintage Rock’s pick of the finest Johnny Cash literature

VINTAGE ROCK Classic album ESQUERITA! • He was the flamboyant star-in-waiting who inspired Little Richard and taught him how to really rock and somehow, Esquerita’s potential never quite led to the superstardom he richly deserved. We revisit the fascinating story of his one and only firecracker LP.

BEFORE AND AFTER • We investigate the early sounds that preceeded Esquerita! and some of the finest collections that have since paid tribute

VIVA LOS SHADS! • IN THIS EXCERPT FROM HIS SUPERB NEW BOOK THE SHADOWS: THE DEFINITIVE STORY, BOB STANLEY FINDS THE BAND AT THE HEIGHT OF THEIR POWERS, RIDING IN THE WAKE OF APACHE AND LOOKING ENVIABLY ACROSS THE ATANTIC…

Ruth Brown • OFTEN DUBBED “MISS RHYTHM”, RUTH BROWN’S UNIQUE STYLE HELPED BREAK R&B TO NEW AUDIENCES IN THE EARLY 1950S

Ruth Brown WHOLE LOTTA SOUL • Coming to the fore after the great female singers of the jazz era and before the soul divas of the 1960s and 1970s, Ruth Brown evolved her own style…

Lloyd Price STAGGER LEE ABC-PARAMOUNT (1958) • OUT OF THE DEPTHS OF US FOLKLORE CAME THE TALE OF A PIMP WHO SUFFERED A MURDEROUS FATE, A STORY THAT EVENTUALLY EVOLVED INTO LLOYD PRICE’S STONKING R&B CHART-TOPPER

Icons of DOO WOP THE PENGUINS AND THE PLATTERS • TWO WEST COAST...