Great Adventure: A Beginner’s Guide To Magnum

They might not have ever made it as big as Thin Lizzy or Whitesnake, and they never cracked the American market, but few rock bands have ever been quite as reliable as Magnum. Their journey to becoming one of Europe’s best and most treasured bands wasn’t always smooth, but after years of hard graft, they eventually found fame in the early to mid 80s, becoming a fan favourite both in the live setting and on record. Perhaps more impressive is the band’s consistency in the songwriting department. Guitarist Tony Clarkin (1946-2024) had an ability to write both rousing rockers and thoughtful narratives with equal skill, and his gifts for writing songs with huge, sweeping melodies made him a true giant of melodic rock. Their vast catalogue contains relatively few weak releases, and in many ways, shows why Magnum albums have often felt like one of rock music’s greatest comforts. But…if you’ve never taken the plunge, or perhaps only ever bought the ‘Marauder’ live album and ‘On A Storyteller’s Night’, what have you missed? Here’s the Real Gone guide to the Magnum essentials!

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MAGNUM – Here Comes The Rain

Magnum’s twenty second studio album, 2022’s ‘The Monster Roars’, came as a welcome surprise. Although huge chunks of the record sounded exactly like the latter day Magnum that fans adored, a few of the tracks took a bit more of a bold move, musically speaking. There were moments where the usual pomp gave way to a bigger rock sound, and on the lead single ‘Steppin’ Stones’, Magnum showed off an unexpectedly soulful edge, proving that the veteran rockers – although often working in a comfort zone – still had a couple of newer tricks up their collective sleeve. In addition, Bob Catley’s vocals sounded stronger than they had in a while. Although the global pandemic had set the band back in terms of promotion, the rest from touring had obviously been beneficial.

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SNAKECHARMER – Anthology

In terms of “supergroups”, Snakecharmer’s first line up was hard to beat. Centring around ex-Whitesnake members Micky Moody (guitar) and Neil Murray (bass), the band immediately came with a solid, classic rock sound that would be partially indebted to their formative years with David Coverdale, but – as was proven by their debut album – they relied far less on nostalgia than their earlier vehicle The Company of Snakes. Much of Snakecharmer’s superior sound not only came from stronger songwriting, but also the presence of vocalist Chris Ousey (ex-Virginia Wolf/Heartland), a man blessed with the kind of range capable of tackling almost everything with ease.

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BIG RIVER – Beautiful Trauma EP

The extended periods of pandemic lockdown in the UK took their toll on most bands, but for Kent-based blues rockers Big River, that period of instability between 2020 and ’21 was particularly tough. Despite releasing their debut album ‘Redemption’ in 2019, they were still heavily reliant on regular live work to keep up momentum. Without access to venues and audiences, they were in danger of losing traction. The band suffered a further knock back in March 2021 when it was announced that long-serving vocalist Adam Bartholomew would be leaving the fold. For many, his big presence and big waistcoats had been a vital part of the Big River live experience.

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VARIOUS ARTISTS – Riding The Rock Machine: British Seventies Classic Rock

Ever since the CD boom of the 90s, the market has been flooded with easily affordable and easily accessible rock compilations. These sets, often adorned by artwork showing a guitar or having a car and open road theme have typically been aimed at the undemanding listener – the kind of person wishing to revisit the classic rock singles of their radio filled youth; the kind of person who’d happily listen to Thin Lizzy’s greatest hits in their car forever. You’d think the market would eventually run out of these people as their target market, and yet year after year, cheap comps featuring Thin Lizzy’s ‘Boys Are Back In Town’, Rainbow’s ‘Since You Been Gone’ and Free’s ‘All Right Now’ seem to fill supermarket shelves continually.

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