AOR’s latest front cover celebrates the 25th anniversary of the release of Bon Jovi’s career-defining Slippery When Wet album.

The year is 1986 – and it’s make-or-break time for Jon and his band, following the disappointing sales of their second album, 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit. In an epic 12-page feature, Malcolm Dome recalls how New Jersey’s most ambitious met Desmond Child and aimed for the sky…

Elsewhere in the issue:

Ultimate Power – Join us as we visit the hot new club-night where nothing’s cooler than a Meat Loaf power ballad…

Warrant – Following Jani Lane’s untimely death, we revisit happier times for the group who gave us classics like Cherry Pie and Down Boys.

America – How a trio of ex-pat Yanks based in England managed to evoke the epic American West and confuse a bunch of Neil Young fans in the process.

Coney Hatch – Named after a notorious mental instituion, we retrace the Canadians’ story, in advance of their Firefest appearance.

Firefest – Providing a showcase for the world’s greatest melodic rock music and reuniting some of the scene’s most dearly-missed groups, the people behind the festival (the latest of which is due to take place this October in Nottingham) are true AOR heroes. Meet them…

Bai Bang – Stalwart Swedish sleazers with a melodic twist, Bai Bang went from supporting Bros at a Polish festival to delivering glam-rock brilliance.

Diane Warren – We get to know the woman with a legitimate claim to having penned the world’s greatest power ballads.

Franke & The Knockouts – Franke Previte was Jon Bon Jovi’s favourite singer, but true success eluded him – until the producers
of the Dirty Dancing movie came a-calling.

All this, plus additional features on FM, Toby Hitchcock, Newman, Lionville, Kimball-Jamison, Peter Beckett, House Of Lords and Mark Slaughter.

The latest albums from Foreigner, XorigiN, Sebastian Bach, Work Of Art, Issa and White Widdow are reviewed. Plus reissues from Stan Bush, Riggs, REO Speedwagon and more. Not to mention live reviews of Toto, Chicago, Cinderella, Night Ranger and Motley Crue.

As if that’s not enough, there’s a free CD called Get Your Wings featuring 15 hot tracks from FM, Issa, White Widdow, Kimball-Jamison, Riverdogs, Serpentine, House Of Lords, Newman, Sebastian Bach, Fergie Frederiksen, SEKS, Soley Mourning, Hercules, GURU and Knock Out Kaine.

AOR issue 4 is in the shops now.

Or you can order it online here.

With its usual lavish wallet featuring Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson in classic pose, the issue looks at the relationship between prog rock and folk music, with brand new interviews with Ian Anderson, Renaissance, Roy Harper, Pentangle, Comus and Mostly Autumn. There’s a look at the life and times of John Martyn too.

Elsewhere there’s an exclusive round-table Progressive Nation interview with Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy, Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt and Bigelf’s Damon Fox discussing the state of prog music today, and interviews with Oceansize, Within Temptation, Katatonia, 3, The Devil’s Blood and a seasonal look at Xmas prog tunes.

All this, plus a free 12-track CD featuring the likes of Transatlantic, Nosound, 3, Within Temptation, Big Big Train, Mostly Autumn and many more.

You’ll find all your progressive desires catered for in Classic Rock Presents Prog issue 5, on sale from tomorrow.

Ian Anderson (plus codpiece) on the wallet.

Prog Nation protagonists on the cover inside.