STARS IN THEIR EYES
Classic Rock|August 2023
Greta Van Fleet, prodigious guardians of rock's eternal flame, have emerged from the darkness and uncertainty of the last few years with Starcatcher, a retrofuelled blast of cosmic light and love that feels like it's one for the ages.
Bill DeMain
STARS IN THEIR EYES

‘I m singin’ in the rain, just singin’ in the raaaiiiin…’ Greta Van Fleet lead vocalist Josh Kiszka, sporting a buzzed undercut and colourful southwestern print shirt, is singin’ in a mock movie-musical voice. And it is raining. Well, actually just sprinkling a bit on this muggy June afternoon. Not enough to make us leave the rooftop terrace at the members-only Soho House in the band’s adopted home town of Nashville, Tennessee. It’s Josh, twin brother guitarist Jake, younger brother bassist/keyboard player Sam and honorary brother drummer Daniel Wagner, all cheekbones and rock-star casual attire, chatty and constantly ribbing each other, the way brothers do.

Before we settle in, Josh tells the story of the happy accident that led to Malcolm McDowell singing Singin’ In The Rain in that memorable scene from the film 1971 film A Clockwork Orange. The Greta guys are serious music and pop-culture nerds, and during our hour-long conversation we’re joined by Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Eric Idle, Pete Townshend, Peter Sellers, Blind Faith, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Led Zeppelin.

“It’s all part of ‘The Infisonicosm,’” Jake reveals with a grin. “We’re so nerdy that we’ve invented our own term for the Greta Van Fleet universe.”

“It’s short for infinite sonic cosmos,” Josh clarifies. “It’s kind of based on this Hindu idea of many worlds inside of many worlds.”

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM CLASSIC ROCKView all
Joan Armatrading
Classic Rock

Joan Armatrading

The singer-songwriter on her new album, inspirations, being a 'band', what her key was about, meeting Nelson Mandela...

time-read
4 mins  |
December 2024
Meat Loaf: I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
Classic Rock

Meat Loaf: I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)

It was the power ballad to end all power ballads, and 30 years later people still ponder what the it’ is that the singer wouldn't do.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
Kris Kristofferson: June 22, 1936 - September 28, 2024
Classic Rock

Kris Kristofferson: June 22, 1936 - September 28, 2024

Kris Kristofferson, the iconic, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor who played a key role in advancing a strand of country music into a more raw and confessional direction now recognised as outlaw country, has died peacefully at his home in Maui, surrounded by family. He was 88 years old.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
"I have come a very long way in the last two-and-a-bit years"
Classic Rock

"I have come a very long way in the last two-and-a-bit years"

Back from the brink: the Thunder vocalist who survived major medical trauma returns.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 2024
EVER MEET LEMMY?
Classic Rock

EVER MEET LEMMY?

He's heard Lemmy's unreleased solo album, had dinner with Chris Holmes, told Paul McCartney to get a round in, been told gangster Reggie Kray wanted to have a word with him... He is Dogs D'Amour frontman Tyla 7 Pallas, and these are some of his stories.

time-read
7 mins  |
December 2024
"LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT HAVING FUN"
Classic Rock

"LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT HAVING FUN"

With their ninth studio album In Murmuration, Finnish rockers Von Hertzen Brothers have replaced their erstwhile prog epics for a more honest approach to songwriting reflecting their personal lives.

time-read
10 mins  |
December 2024
IN THE BEGINNING
Classic Rock

IN THE BEGINNING

With previously unseen photographs from their early days as featured in the new Queen | Collector's Edition, Sir Brian May talks us through sights of the band in the early seventies.

time-read
8 mins  |
December 2024
BASS-IC INSTINCT
Classic Rock

BASS-IC INSTINCT

Plucked from obscurity in 1975 to be in David Bowie's band, then unceremoniously out of the picture five years later, bassist George Murray looks back on his time with the Thin White Duke.

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 2024
High Rollers
Classic Rock

High Rollers

When Ronnie Wood, the Stones and some A-list mates holed up at his house to help with his solo album, it sparked a days-long party, a Rolling Stones hit and the last album by arguably their finest line-up.

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 2024
THE NAME OF THE GAM
Classic Rock

THE NAME OF THE GAM

When ABBA-mad Opeth leader Mikael Akerfeldt met one of their singers, he lost it”. She didn’t sing on their new concept album, but some other, perhaps unlikely, big names did.

time-read
8 mins  |
December 2024