We join the Classic Rock team as they tell us their best gig of 2008, the worst news of 2008 and the album that surprised them the most in 2008.

Scott Rowley (editor in chief)

Most Surprisingly Good Album of 2008: I suppose the standard answer to thatshould be Chinese Democracy – but to me the biggest problem was that it wasn’t surprising enough, what with all the really killer tracks having been leaked across the net years ago. Biggest surprise for me was liking Diagonal: I’m not a prog fan, so to like an album full of 10 minute tracks and crazy time signatures was just plain weird. And maybe wrong.

Best Gig of 2008: Clutch at Hard Rock Hell. Just blazing. A total surprise.

Worst News of 2008:  The continuing decline of the music industry; the loss of Woolworths and Pinnacle and a million record shops. (And the fact that someone from Primal Scream brought a friend to the Classic Rock Awards, stealing my seat and meaning I never got to talk to Wayne Kramer. Cheeky fuckers.)

Sian Llewellyn (editor)

Most Surprisingly Good Album of 2008:
The Gaslight Anthem ­ The ‘59 Sound.

Best Gig of 2008:
Kid Rock @ Shepherd¹s Bush Empire.

Worst News of 2008:
No Led Zep tour. After seeing the O2 gig, I’m desperate for more!

Geoff Barton (editor at large)

Most Surprisingly Good Album of 2008:
Surprise! Surprise! – The Cilla Black Collection

Best Gig of 2008:
Kiss at Download

Worst News of 2008:
Death of Trapeze guitarist Mel Galley

Brad Merrett (art editor)

Most Surprisingly Good Album of 2008:
Metallica

Best Gig of 2008:
Kiss at Download

Worst News of 2008:
My hard-drive crashed with ALL my music on.

Paul Henderson (production editor)

Most Surprisingly Good Album of 2008:
Scott Weiland’s ‘Happy In Galoshes’

Best Gig of 2008:
Police in Hyde Park

Worst News of 2008:
The death of Mitch Mitchell

Ian Fortnam (reviews editor)

Most Surprisingly Good Album of 2008:
Glenn Hughes – First Underground Nuclear Bunker/Motley Crue – Saints Of Los Angeles

Best Gig of 2008:
Primal Scream, Hammersmith Apollo

Worst News of 2008:
Death of Reg Varney/Existence of Eoghan Quigg.