Classic Pop

Classic Pop magazine is the ultimate celebration of great pop and chart music - featuring both the stars of yesteryear and the classic pop-inspired acts breaking today, Classic Pop brings you closer to the genre and music you love. Each issue – with 80s pop at its core – brings you the very best exclusive artist interviews, in-depth features, music news and reviews celebrating the finest acts from the late-70s post-punk scene through to the pop, synth-pop, New Romantic, ska, indie, electronic and guitar greats of the 80s and chart stars of the 90s – plus the best new acts that embrace our classic pop heritage.

WELCOME

Classic Pop

SOUNDBITES

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

SIMPLE MINDS KEEP THE FAITH ON NEW ALBUM

DURAN’S ROYAL STAMP OF APPROVAL

OASIS ‘FIT FOR PURPOSE’ AS ‘27 TOUR UNVEILED

Shiiine On in Skeggy

SIMPLY RED SET TO HEADLINE SOMERSET EVENT

SUMMER’S CASABLANCA YEARS BOXED UP

KIM CARNES • KIM CARNES’ DISTINCTIVE VOICE IS TO BE CELEBRATED IN UNIVERSAL SONGS: THE A&M, EMI AMERICA & MCA YEARS, A 10-DISC SET WHICH HIGHLIGHTS HOW THERE’S MUCH MORE TO THE ACCLAIMED SINGER-SONGWRITER THAN MEETS THE (BETTE DAVIS) EYES

HUGH CORNWELL • AS THE FORMER STRANGLERS SONGWRITER TURNS 77 AND GEARS UP FOR ONE LAST SOLO ACOUSTIC JAUNT AROUND THE UK, HE TELLS CLASSIC POP WHY HE’S NOT READY TO SLOW DOWN YET AND HOW HE’S BEEN INSPIRED BY THE WOMEN OF HIS DREAMS

1-HIT WONDER

GILLIAN GILBERT REVEALS CANCER DIAGNOSIS

Midge collection revisits 80s

LOST & FOUND

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE WITH NEW BOXSET

Cyndi shows her True Colors

BANSHEES’ B-SIDES WILL RISE AGAIN

Ian Peel’s A to Z of POP • ALMOST ANYONE CAN WHISTLE… HOWEVER, NOT EVERYONE CAN TURN IT INTO A MEMORABLE POP MOVE. BE IT A HOOK LINE OR TEARJERKER

This month in POP NOVEMBER 1980 • ADAM AND THE ANTS GO WILD, VISAGE OPEN THEIR ACCOUNT WHILE ABBA TROUNCE THE CHART COMPETITION

“OUR IMAGE WAS PART OF THE PROCESS OF OVERCOMING OUR NERVES. A BLUES BAND IN DENIMS: THAT WAS NOT US.” • Alongside Kraftwerk and David Bowie, Roxy Music were one of the 70s acts who paved the way for everything that followed in pop. As a lavish new boxset celebrates the band’s monumental second album For Your Pleasure, Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay reveal all to CP about one-fingered genius, an awkward meeting with Salvador Dalí and the exit of Brian Eno…

SAINT ETIENNE SO TOUGH • BOLSTERED TO A TRIO BY THE PERMANENT ADDITION OF SINGER SARAH CRACKNELL, THE INDIE DANCE GROUP’S 1993 SECOND ALBUM OFFERS AN OPTIMISTIC SLICE-OF-LIFE JOURNEY THROUGH THE BUSTLING CITY OF LONDON – BLENDING 60s-INDEBTED DREAM-POP, WITH COSMOPOLITAN LIFE AND 90s RAVE CULTURE…

THE SONGS

THE MEAN STREETS OF CAMDEN • As Madness’ 1981 feature film Take It Or Leave It gets a welcome 4K re-release, frontman Suggs and its director Dave Robinson tell Classic Pop about the making of a lost docudrama classic

TEARS FOR FEARS • FORMED IN BATH BY ROLAND ORZABAL AND CURT SMITH, TEARS FOR FEARS RULED THE WORLD IN THE MID-80S WITH A MASTERFUL BLEND OF SYNTHS, GUITARS AND EXISTENTIAL ANGST BEFORE EXPANDING THEIR MUSICAL HORIZONS, INTERMITTENTLY, THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING 40 YEARS.

“I DON’T MIND BEING LABELLED GOTH. JUST DON’T ASK ME TO DRESS IN BLACK.” • As The Mission prepare to reissue their first three albums and celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary with a four-night residency in London, frontman Wayne Hussey reflects on a career in music and tells Classic Pop why it feels good to be alive

Give a gift that lasts all year

MUSICAL YOUTH • Precocious young pups equally at home on breakneck punk and string-soaked epics, Ash’s debut album 1977 is worthy of its 30th anniversary expanded reissue and tour. The trio tell us about its chaotic...