Page 104 - Classic Rock (February 2020)

“Being in
a band is not
like working
in a factory.
It ain’t
strenuous. It’s
an enjoyable
occupation.”
Magnum
A new album means another tour for the much-loved Brummie veterans.
part from a short hiatus at the end of
the noughties, Midlands-based pomp-
Arockers Magnum have been a staple of
this country’s rock scene since 1972. Previewing
a 14-date British tour, guitarist, songwriter and
producer Tony Clarkin talks to CR about the band’s
twenty-first studio album, The Serpent Rings.
The Serpent Rings is another album of
unmistakable, vintage-sounding Magnum.
Thanks. I’m real pleased with the way that things
are going. I don’t know when it will all stop.
The song titles are very evocative. For example
what inspired The Archway Of Tears?
It’s a real place in Winson Green [Birmingham].
Archway Of Tears was a poor house in Victorian
days, and there are lots of sad stories about it. My
daughter told me about it, saying it might be good to
write about. I think they’ve knocked it down since
I wrote that song about a year ago, but I’m not sure. record, but further down the line I don’t see why
Is that an orchestra we hear on some tracks?
Yeah, there’s an orchestra on Where Are You Eden?
and The Serpent Rings.
Bassist Al Barrow, who joined a reunited
Magnum 18 years ago, recently stepped down
from the band. That must be saddening?
It is. But that was Al’s choice, because he had moved
104 CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM
MAGNUM YEAR-
BY-YEAR
Magnum’s first
single, in 1975, was
a cover of The Searchers’
produced the band’s
Sweets For My Sweet.
Queen’s Roger Taylor
1986 album Vigilante.
Their biggest-selling
album was 1988’s
Wings Of Heaven.
to the States. Al still does things for us, though. He The travelling must be gruelling, surely?
put the artwork together for the album and he does Nah, not really. We come off stage sweaty, pile on
our Facebook page. to a bus, and the driver does all the hard work. We
watch a movie or have some drinks, and wake up at
How did his replacement, Dennis Ward, perhaps the next gig. People talk about the stress involved.
best known as a co-founder of the German What crap. That said, it is much harder on Bob than
band Pink Cream 69, come to join Magnum? me, in a physical sense. The guy sings his butt off
I wanted somebody that could really sing as well every night.
as play bass. Bob [Catley, Magnum singer] had
worked with him on a solo album years earlier, Over the past few years Bob’s voice has
and he was just what we needed. The strange attracted some criticism.
thing was, Dennis sent his parts via the internet I hear that and, like I say, touring is much harder on
– I didn’t even meet the guy until we did the photos him. On record he does absolutely great. On stage
for the album. Bob still does a good job.
Ward is also an in-demand producer, and This UK tour begins with four consecutive
a songwriter. You are very hands-on with shows – that’s hard for a singer.
producing, but would you consider having No it ain’t [laughs].
another hand on the faders in the future?
Dennis’s ability [as a producer] didn’t affect this Kingdom Of Madness, the band featuring
Magnum’s keyboard player Mark Stanway, are
not. And if he comes up with a great song, I’d have now on the circuit playing material neglected
to be crazy not to listen to it, wouldn’t I? by Magnum. These are your songs. Are you
cool with that?
Magnum are heading off on another lengthy I haven’t really got a view on it. Aren’t they
tour – twenty-two headline gigs across Europe, playing to maybe a hundred people? It all ended
followed by a tour with Gotthard. You and Bob acrimoniously [with Stanway], so I’ve got bigger
are in your seventies now, it must be tough. and more important things to worry about. DL
Being in a band is not like working in a factory. It
ain’t strenuous. It’s an enjoyable occupation. The tour begins in Glasgow on March 19.