Record Collector Issue 526 (Christmas 2021)

Record Collector Issue 526 (Christmas 2021) Queen

Note: This issue comes packed with a 2022 Calendar!

This month, our front cover article focuses on rock megastars Queen; or rather, they focus on RC: this month, our special Christmas issue has been edited by none other than Brian May and Roger Taylor. Not only are they interviewed at great length in the magazine – about their incredible 50-plus-year career, about fame, fear, Freddie and their amazing trove of acetates – but they’ve also been involved in deciding much of the content, from the Editor’s letter to the News, Reviews and Feature pages.

It’s not all prog-rock pomp and majesty this month. Elsewhere, there are interviews with “the UK Madonna” Kim Wilde and lovers rock queen Carroll Thompson. We salute Gene Vincent, the original punk, and the none-more-quirky Trunk Records. We go back to Manchester 1981 and remember an era of hothouse invention for Britain’s second city. Gary Numan tells us about his new singles box set and we investigate pirate cassettes. Our four columnists take a Christmas view of pop matters. We pick the Best of 2021: New Albums and Reissues. There are also new reviews of albums by Bowie, Nirvana, The Doors, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Neil Young, books about Prince and Christmas singles, while Ian McCann picks the singles of the year. Finally, at the back of the mag, there’s our usual Live reviews pages, an opportunity to win vinyl, bundles and box sets in Crossword & Competitions,and there’s an article on 10 Of The Best pseudonymous acts.

We visit London’s latest new record shop, owned by none other than Jack White, where you can find some of his rarities along with thousands more for sale in our Listings pages. We’re already working hard on the first issue of 2022/RC 527, which comes out on 30 December and features on the front cover the story of The Rolling Stones in the 80s, when they were much-maligned. Also in the issue are the usual varied array.