Jools Holland

Rainbow's formative years are set to be documented in unprecedented detail with the announcement of Rainbow The Temple Of The King 1975-1976, a lavish 9CD boxset arriving on March 6th 2026 via Edsel Records. Covering the opening chapter of the band's history, the collection stands as the most comprehensive archival release yet devoted to the early vision of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore following his departure from Deep Purple.

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band will be celebrated with Good Evening Boys & Girls, a major new archival release documenting the group at full flight on stage. The comprehensive 21 CD box set brings together concert recordings spanning the band's most vital years, capturing the performances that built their formidable reputation across the UK, Europe and beyond.

Classic Canadian rock will be front and centre in 2026, with April Wine confirmed as special guests on Triumph's long awaited North American tour. For fans of homegrown hard rock, it is a rare double bill that brings together two bands whose histories have been intertwined for almost five decades.

Wanstock will deliver a genuine first in 2026, with Canadian hitmakers Loverboy confirmed to play their debut Australian shows when the festival returns to Sydney and Melbourne in March. The long-running rock event has grown steadily since its beginnings in 2018 and now stands as one of the most reliable gatherings for classic rock devotees, with next year's line-up built around an unprecedented mix of Australian and international acts.

It is with total sadness that I have to tell you that Skyhooks legend Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie has passed away at the age of 73.

Nearly half a century after KISS marched through the streets of Manhattan in borrowed business suits, the band's third studio album Dressed To Kill has returned in a lavish 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have produced an unboxing video of new set, revisiting the frantic early years that forged the record and ultimately launched KISS toward global domination.

Ian Gillan has revealed that worsening eyesight may soon bring his long career with Deep Purple to a close. Gillan, now 80, continues to perform with the band he first joined in 1969, yet he admits that time is catching up. He completed a major run of shows late last year, then committed to a smaller set of dates for 2025. He described his vision as limited, with only thirty per cent remaining. He said he must now read screens through peripheral vision, which makes daily tasks difficult. He added that he adapts when needed and prefers to keep working while he can.