Throughout the 80s, Magnum were one of the great hopes of British AOR. Their mid 80s releases ‘On A Storytellers Night’ and the Roger Taylor produced ‘Vigilante’ gained the band critical acclaim, and remain beloed by fans. 1988’s ‘Wings of Heaven’, arguably, represented a career peak, and a show from Hammersmith captured on that tour formed an essential VHS release. Unfortunately ‘On The Wings of Heaven Live’ languishes in a VHS limbo, now unlikely to gain an official DVD release.
Tag Archives: tony clarkin
MAGNUM – Live At KK’s Steel Mill
In January 2024, much loved British rockers Magnum released their twenty third studio album ‘Here Comes The Rain’. The record captured a typical sound for the veteran band, but mixed the huge pomp sounds of later releases like ‘The Serpent Rings’ with more of the commercial AOR elements of their late 80s work, making it feel a little more well rounded than some of the latter day Magnum releases. The record, although hugely enjoyable, was surrounded by sadness: just a few days before release, founding guitarist and songwriter Tony Clarkin passed away, effectively making ‘Rain’ a poignant swansong.
The deluxe edition of the album was packaged with a full length live DVD – ‘Live At KK’s Steel Mill’ – featuring what was to be Clarkin’s final gig with the band. Fans, naturally, loved this show, but many hoped for an audio release to fill out their already extensive collections. In January 2025, they would get their wish.
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.
MAGNUM – The Monster Roars
Following the release of their ‘Princess Alice & The Broken Arrow’ album in 2007, Magnum settled into a vein of huge, sometimes bombastic melodic rock that carried a little more of a European flavour than the sounds of their eighties peak. The songs became bigger, longer, even more narrative, and although the hooks weren’t always as immediate as the best parts of the beloved ‘On A Storyteller’s Night’ or ‘Vigilante’, at their heart, there was always something “distinctively Magnum”. Obviously, this had much to do with Tony Clarkin’s song writing, having written the lion’s share of everything since the 70s, but Bob Catley’s friendly vocal presence could never be undervalued. Over the years, other band members came and went – each one bringing something great and different to the Magnum sound – but it was often the work of these two creative friends that kept the heart of the band pumping, much to the delight of fans.