Tom Russell with Alex and Eddie Van Halen (1995)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
Release Date: 07/28/2025
Tom Russell with Bruce Dickinson (1988)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
Next up on AAA, and the final episode of Season 1, is an archive interview with Bruce Dickinson, recorded in 1988 as Iron Maiden were touring Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. The album was recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich and produced by the late Martin Birch, whose work also included Rainbow Rising and large parts of the Queen catalogue. The interview captures Dickinson at his most articulate and focused, talking through the writing and recording of what remains one of Maiden’s most discussed albums. Tom Russell and Bruce go through Seventh Son of a Seventh Son track by...
info_outline
Tom Russell with Alter Bridge (2019)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
Tom Russell’s next rummage turns up an interview with Scott “Flip” Phillips, drummer with Alter Bridge. The interview focuses first and foremost on drumming and life on the road. Phillips talks about the craft and the role of the drummer, with discussion ranging from Neil Peart and John Bonham to Ted McKenna of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a name that causes some surprise in the room. McKenna’s influence and Scotland’s place in rock history become part of the broader conversation. Phillips also recalls how Scotland was one of the first places to properly take to Alter...
info_outline
Tom Russell with Airbourne (2010)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
Episode 8 of AAA brings together two sides of rock life in 2010: Airbourne, the Australian hard-rock band firing up stages across the UK, and a memorable encounter at one of metal’s biggest annual events. You will need to watch the pod on YouTube to understand why Scott and Andy are laughing at Tom's antics at the start of the show! This week, we feature two archival interviews with Airbourne. The first was recorded in Edinburgh, where the band were promoting their then-recent album, No Guts No Glory" and making a mark on the UK rock scene. The second interview was recorded at T in the Park...
info_outline
Tom Russell with Shinedown (2019)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
For Episode 9 of AAA, Tom Russell’s latest rummage through the archive turns up a backstage interview with Shinedown, recorded at the Hydro in Glasgow, with drummer Barry Kerch front and centre. The conversation was recorded around two years into the life of Attention Attention, an album that marked a shift for the band, both musically and personally. By this point, Shinedown were established, road-hardened, and thinking carefully about what it means to keep a modern rock band alive in a changing industry. Tom introduces the interview and sets the scene before the tape rolls. Backstage,...
info_outline
Tom Russell with Tony Iommi (2009)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
The interview was recorded as Iommi was preparing to tour with Heaven and Hell, the Sabbath lineup featuring Ronnie James Dio on vocals. It captures a specific moment in time, before the final Ozzy-era Black Sabbath show and before Dio’s death, when multiple versions of the band’s legacy were still active. Iommi comes across exactly as those who have met him describe him: quiet, thoughtful, and unfailingly polite. There is no grandstanding here. He talks calmly about the band, the music, and the practical realities of keeping Sabbath moving forward. For someone so central to the creation...
info_outline
Tom Russell with Angus Young (1986)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
In this episode, we hear one of the many classic interviews Tom Russell recorded with AC/DC’s Angus Young. A native of Glasgow and a regular visitor to Scotland, Angus reminisces about his experiences in Glasgow and beyond, sharing recording and road stories from life with one of the world’s most successful rock bands. At the time, AC/DC were in the middle of a massive world tour promoting their self-produced Fly On The Wall album, and Angus and the lads were about to play the first of two nights at Edinburgh Playhouse. From this point on, the band would rarely perform in traditional...
info_outline
Tom Russell with Ozzy Osbourne (1991)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
It's 1991 and Tom is in rural England enjoying tea and cake with one of rock musics most dynamic and influencial front men, none othr than Ozzy Osbourne. In this interview we hear of Ozzy's process for writing his latest album, 1991's "No More Tears". Ozzy is in top form as he remembers writing with Lemmy of Motorhead fame and describes his life as the Lord of the Manor. A brilliantly funny interview that reveals Ozzy's true character and laser sharp wit. Poor Tom hardly gets a word in!
info_outline
Tom Russell with Alex and Eddie Van Halen (1995)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
The year was 1995, and Van Halen were in the UK for a rare tour. We’re back in London as Tom sits down with the legendary Van Halen brothers, right in the middle of their run promoting the band’s new album with Sammy Hagar, "Balance". In this candid and often funny interview, Tom draws out insights into the band’s creative process—from writing riffs to finding that signature Van Halen sound. It’s a window into the studio and the stage that fans rarely get to peek through. And the stories don’t stop when the mics are off. After the interview, Tom, Scott and Andy dive into some...
info_outline
Tom Russell with Fish (1989)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
In this episode, we are backstage with, Derek Dick AKA Fish from 1989 just after he had left progressive rock band Marillion. Fish is clearly very comfortable to chat with legendary Scottish rock DJ, Tom Russell, about his time with Marillion, his new music and what is next for him in the turbulent music industry of the day. This is a frank and personal conversation in which we hear the truth about how Fish felt about leaving Marillion at their commercial peak.
info_outline
Tom Russell with Neil Peart (1983)
Access All Areas (The Tom Russell Tapes)
Episode 2 – Neil Peart In this episode, we are backstage at the infamous "coo shed" that is Ingliston Show Ground on the outskirts of Edinburgh in Scotland. Legendary Scottish rock DJ, Tom Russell, was a wee bit nervous as he sat down with one of rock's greatest drummers and storytellers, the enigmatic Neil Peart of Canadian prog rockers, Rush. The band had just finished playing, and it's fair to say that Neil was not impressed by the venue's sound or the layout for the fans. What follows is a fascinating discussion about touring, venue choice and the rigours of being in one of the...
info_outlineThe year was 1995, and Van Halen were in the UK for a rare tour. We’re back in London as Tom sits down with the legendary Van Halen brothers, right in the middle of their run promoting the band’s new album with Sammy Hagar, "Balance".
In this candid and often funny interview, Tom draws out insights into the band’s creative process—from writing riffs to finding that signature Van Halen sound. It’s a window into the studio and the stage that fans rarely get to peek through.
And the stories don’t stop when the mics are off. After the interview, Tom, Scott and Andy dive into some incredible backstage tales, from Van Halen to Rick Rubin to moments that shaped the sound of an era.
Whether you're a lifelong fan or just love hearing how music gets made, this one’s for you.
Let’s go backstage.
Tom, Andy and Scott
If you enjoyed this episode of AAA, then we would love you to subscribe to us permanently. So, hit subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from.
Watch the video of the show on the AAA YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@AAA-TheTomRussellTapes