New editing line-up is ready to rock

Future’s Classic Rock magazine has appointed a new editor in chief and hired the co-founder of Kerrang! Geoff Barton to be editor at large.

Scott Rowley, previously editor of sister title Total Guitar has become editor in chief and will work alongside Classic Rock editor Sian Llewellyn to refresh the title, capitalising on the recent success of rock bands such as The Darkness and Velvet Revolver.

Rowley edited Total Guitar for four years, overseeing a rise in circulation and the launch of two regular spinoffs, Total Guitar Beginners Special and Total Guitar Bass Special. He is now hoping to strengthen sales on Classic Rock, which fell 7.3 per cent period on period to 40,347 in the last ABCs.

Rowley likened Classic Rock to a sleeping giant, adding: “There’s an assumption that older readers give up rocking and start liking middle-aged pipe-and-slippers music such as Norah Jones or Keane. I want Classic Rock to be the magazine for anyone who loves their music loud.”

Barton has extensive experience in the music industry, having built up contacts from his days on music newspaper Sounds in the 1970s. He is expected to spend a lot of time on the road interviewing bands.