HARD ROCK'S CALLING - STEVIE WONDER, PEARL JAM AND PAUL MCCARTNEY TAKE OVER HYDE PARK

HARD Rock Calling is days away and we’re praying for the beautiful climes of last year as we prepare to head to Hyde Park for three days of glory  from giants Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney and the like.

Taking place from June 25-27, Hard Rock Calling is generally aimed at the more mature crowd – you probably won’t have to worry about being caught up in crushing mosh-pits or frantic raves.

You probably will, however, see more than one generation jointly nodding along in shared appreciation of the fact that there’s at least something they can agree on – a musical bonding session for parent and child/grown-up offspring.

This year’s highlight has to be Stevie Wonder (pictured), whose Saturday show is expected to be heralded by a mass rendition of Happy Birthday, to mark the singer’s 60th birthday.

This is a rare chance to catch him in full glory, and Wonder’s was naturally the first night to sell out.

Supporting will be Jamiroquai (more recently seen lending his talents to a Japanese noodle advert), James Morrison and Corinne Bailey Rae, while Melissa Etheridge, Alejandro Escovedo, Florence Rawlings, Rox, Rumer, Diane Birch and Maria Mena play the Pepsi Max stage.

Last year we had Seasick Steve’s joyous veranda anecdotes, The Killers’ messianic conversion of Hyde Park, some wholesome stonewashed rock from the Boss, and Neil Young being a bit dull.

To be fair, the last observation was thanks to my own prejudices and Young attracted all sorts of praise at the time.

This year, Friday’s line-up – headlined by Pearl Jam – should have included Wolfmother, who mysteriously cancelled due to illness some time back – a real loss as they were one of the must-see picks of the weekend.

In those years of being part of the pack of grungy teens in DMs and cardigans riddled with holes, I never got to see either Nirvana or Pearl Jam live, so this could be the resolution of some unfulfilled youthful dream.

But now Eddie Vedder’s cut his hair, will he still have his powers?

Supporting the “Jam” are Ben Harper & Relentless 7 (last year’s performance was a little too worthy), The Hives, The Gaslight Anthem and Robert Francis.

No stranger to Hyde Park appearances, McCartney headlines on Sunday. Last year, he helped double the dad-rock factor when he joined Bruce Springsteen on stage for the finale. This year, he’s keeping the spotlight to himself.

Supporting are Crosby, Stills & Nash, Crowded House and Elvis Costello.

Over on the second stage are Joshua Radin, Tiffany Page, Little Steven’s Underground Garage Revue featuring The Breakers, The Cocktail Slippers, and The Len Price 3, hosted by Little Steven Van Zandt.

HOT WATER MUSIC - THE IDYLLIC LIFE OF CHUCK RAGAN

LISTENING to Chuck Ragan describe his idyllic rural life – early mornings, gardening and DIY – you wouldn’t guess he’s the frontman of one of America’s leading punk bands. 

Ragan, whose band Hot Water Music has recently reformed, is up well before 8am, landscaping the gardens of the cosy home he shares with his wife in the small goldmine town of Grass Valley, California. 

(Hot Water Music - Chuck Ragan second from left)

At one time, Hot Water Music were blazing the way for punk fans in the States, but they spent too much time together, went a bit stir crazy and split for a while. 

Ragan has since carved out his own solo career, and has been recording with Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem and touring with Frank Turner.

But now the pressure’s off and the boys are missing each other, Hot Water Music’s back together and ready to tour the hell outta the UK.

They’re coming to the 02 Academy Islington on June 21 and by the sounds of it, they’re relishing every second.

Ragan said: “We’ve been having a blast. We don’t have the pressure we used to. For the longest time we made a massive amount of sacrifices. We came to a point where we decided are we going to do this for real and make a living out of it or keep bouncing back and forth? We were touring so much that we weren’t able to hold down any decent job. We had quite a few years where we were coming back homeless or something wasn’t right. We decided to go for it but by doing that we immediately found ourselves with all these pressures. They can really add up and it was just massive. If you don’t keep a handle on it and diversion in your life anything can become old and stagnant.”

He added: “I enjoy touring but it tends to make a person soft. You don’t eat well, sleep well and come back a little twisted. Now we’re free agents and all of us have our own thing going on and it’s complete and utter fun now we’re not worrying about record deadlines. It feels like it did in the beginning. Other than some injuries we feel like we’re 18 again.”

He believes there’s still room for punk in the music scene: “Punk will always be relevant but always ever-changing. What it is today isn’t what it was I was a kid.

Punk was always an underground scene and ethic. The beauty of underground music is that it’s always going to be there in one form or another. Even though the music styles may change, a lot of the ethics and ideals seem to stay and continue to resonate.”

In between tours it’s home life that keeps him sane: “As of lately we’ve been so busy on the road that when we’re home we just shut out the rest of the world. We’ve been landscaping. I’ve been digging, building, planting grass and moving stone. It feels good. I’m a worker.”

And now he’s got to go clean up – the in-laws are coming later and even a punk rock legend has to be presentable.