When the Irish band were a folksy blues three-piece, it was Eric Bell who defined Thin Lizzy on their 1971 self-titled debut and early 70s follow-ups, Shades Of A Blue Orphanage and Vagabonds Of The Western World

From Ken Kesey’s Acid Tests to extended residencies at Las Vegas’s hi-tech phenomenon the Sphere – and, soon, the storied stage of the Royal Albert Hall – it’s been a long, strange trip for BOBBY WEIR . But the guardian of the GRATEFUL DEAD ’ s legacy still has further to go. “Am I still on the bus now? Yeah, I am,” he tells Nick Hasted

Reeling from illness and uncertain times, Skunk Anansie ’s future hung in the balance. But with new album The Painful Truth, they “stood on top of the cliff, held hands and jumped into the clouds”.

The PiL frontman and former Sex Pistol on losing loved ones, living near the California fires, spoken-word gigs, underpants…

With a two-guitar line-up instead of the usual trio, and on their own label after the split from Bronze, the Orgasmatron album signalled a decibel-driven new start for Motörhead . We turn back the clock to 1986 with this classic interview.

Jo Whiley has been at the centre of popular music for 30 years, interviewing the biggest stars and discovering the hottest new talents. It’s made the Radio 2 favourite an oracle on bands, beats and be