An array of classic rock all-stars came together for one of the most anticipated concert events of the summer, Hippiefest. Chris Long braved hurricane conditions to attend the ’60s throwback spectacular.

The 7th annual Wanee Festival, hosted by The Allman Brothers Band, brought icons of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s past to idyllic Live Oak, FL. Phillip Haire soaked it all in before staggering to his campsite each night.

Eric Clapton and the 1960s – Carl F Gauze thinks that’s the epitome of Classic Rock.

11:11 (Rubyworks Records/ ATO Records). Review by Tim Wardyn.

Too young to be fully cognizant of the more embarrassing excesses of Gothic music over the past twenty years, the young Turks of NYC’s own Blacklist are, perhaps unwittingly, the best hope of redeeming Goth-metal. Fresh from a European tour complete with horned hotel antics, Blacklist frontman and provocateur Josh Strawn told Ink 19 all about how he learned to stop worrying and love Motorhead and Scott Walker equally.

Fans of cutting-edge electronic music most likely have Michael Rother to thank. Rother was one of the prime movers in a German music scene, dubbed krautrock, that still sets the standard for exciting, weird, and groovy music. Ink 19 had the pleasure of chatting with Rother, who seems as comfortable with creating new music as he is with being a careful archivist of the music and legacy of his previous bands.

In Session (Concord Music Group / Stax). Review by Carl F Gauze.

This expanded edition of Elliot Landy’s rock photography collection Woodstock Vision has Matthew Moyer thinking of heading up north to chop firewood with Garth Hudson.

Gail Worley gets the definitive interview out of Secret Machines’ feisty drummer Josh Garza. She calls them a grunge Be Bop Deluxe, but in a good way.

A mind-boggler - not one, but two bands from Tacoma have been performing almost as long as rock ‘n’ roll has been on the radio. Is Pacific Northwest drinking water a fountain of youth? Steve Stav ponders such longevity in his review of the Fabulous Wailers and the Ventures.

William Weikart , the mastermind behind the band Obscured by Clouds , is one literate and surprising person. Tim Wardyn unveils Weikart’s impressive cast of influences (including Chris Cornell and Baroque music), how ex-girlfriends contributed to one of the best songs on their album Psycheclectic, and how his bandmate Thee Slayer Hippy got his name.

Have you ever heard a guitar sing? If so, you’ve never heard anything like Eric Johnson’s guitar. A 2006 performance in Anaheim had Tim Wardyn so fixated that he could’ve sworn Johnson had about 12 fingers on his left hand.

The guitar is the iconic symbol of rock music’s sex, rebellion, and power. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat is a new book about one of Dave Gilmour’s primary instruments – his black Stratocaster. S D Green explores whether the book conjures any of the instrument’s magic by uncovering its underpinnings.

This deluxe anniversary edition of Dave Zimmer’s exhaustive CSN (and Y!) history offers a good many clues as to what exactly killed the hippie dream, thinks Matthew Moyer.

Out Here + False Start (Collectors’ Choice). Review by Jessica Whittington.

A review of Projekt Revolution 2008, presented by Linkin Park.

I hope I die before I get old? Not a chance, sez Carl F Gauze , after seeing a chorus of retirees give their all belting out numbers by Talking Heads, James Brown, and the Ramones.

Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson (Range). Review by Jen Cray.

Brave New World (In Music We Trust). Review by Tim Wardyn.

Fumbling With the Covers (Oglio Records). Review by Carl F Gauze.