December 10^th, 2022 was a memorable night when British rock band Magnum played the final show of their European tour at KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton and, as they had done on all previous nights, wowed their fans from the first to the last note. The concert was recorded by a number of video cameras and state-of-the-art audio equipment, which later turned out to be a real blessing because it was – as we know with hindsight – the last official live recording starring Magnum founder Tony Clarkin. The guitarist and main songwriter died unexpectedly on January 7^th, 2024, just a few days before the release of Magnum’s studio album ‘Here Comes The Rain’ (review here), including a bonus DVD featuring the Wolverhampton show.

Due to the huge demand and to mark the first anniversary of Clarkin’s passing, ‘Live At KK’s Steel Mill’ will be available on Steamhammer/SPV from 10 January 2025, for the first time on double CD, triple LP and for digital download. The album presents Magnum as an enthusiastically celebrated act whose repertoire of hits, classics and newer material could hardly be more varied. “It was the perfect evening,” recalls singer Bob Catley. “We finished our The Monster Roars tour in Wolverhampton, KK’s Steel Mill was packed out and the promoter was a passionate Magnum fan. I couldn’t imagine a more worthy farewell to Tony than those recordings.”

‘Live At KK’s Steel Mill’ consists of a total of sixteen tracks, including the lead singles ‘Kingdom Of Madness (live)’ and ‘Days Of No Trust (live)’. Catley: “The title track ‘Kingdom Of Madness’ from our 1978 debut album is one of the most frequently played songs of our career, an absolute fan fave and typical of the music we wrote back then,” explains the Magnum vocalist, adding: “A true classic and the perfect encore at every show for almost fifty years. A Magnum gig wouldn’t have been complete without this number.” Talking about the second single ‘Days Of No Trust (live)’, the Magnum frontman says: “As we all know, Tony wrote this song for our 1988 album ‘Wings Of Heaven’ and it’s a political statement that is still valid today – that people worldwide deserve better than vagabonds, crooks and corrupt politicians.”

To pay tribute to their late bandleader, Magnum are set to play an exclusive series of ‘Tribute to Tony’ shows in the UK in January 2025. As a special gesture, Clarkin’s daughter Dionne will contribute two of her father’s favourite instruments to the concerts – his red Telecaster and his white custom guitar, hoping that Clarkin will be watching from heaven. “My father was an extremely modest and humble man who would probably be surprised at how much the large Magnum community continues to love him to this day. He always believed that few people would really care if one day he would no longer be with us. As it turns out, the exact opposite is the case: We all miss him, his huge artistic achievement and his great empathy as a father, friend and musician!” Which is why ‘Live at KK’s Steel Mill’ is undoubtedly one of the most emotional albums in Magnum’s longstanding career!

Tracklist:

CD1

1. Days Of No Trust
2. Lost On The Road To Eternity
3. The Monster Roars
4. The Archway Of Tears
5. Dance Of The Black Tattoo
6. Where Are You Eden?
7. The Flood
8. The Day After The Night Before

CD2

1. Wild Swan
2. Les Morts Dansant
3. Rocking Chair
4. All England`s Eyes
5. Vigilante
6. Kingdom Of Madness
7. On A Storyteller`s Night
8. Sacred Hour

‘Tribute To Tony’-Shows:
21.01.25 UK-London – O2 Kentish Town Forum
22.01.25 UK-Manchester – Academy 1
24.10.25 UK-Glasgow – The Garage
25.01.25 UK-Wolverhampton – KK`s Steel Mill
26.01.25 UK-Wolverhampton – KK`s Steel Mill

Line-Up:
Tony Clarkin – Guitar
Bob Catley – Vocals
Rick Benton – Keyboards
Dennis Ward – Bass
Lee Morris – Drums

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