Ultimate-Guitar recently caught up with with renowned British rock journalist and author Mick Wall, known for a string of books, as well as his work with several prominent metal publications. Wall shared his brutally honest opinion about the state of rock during the interview; an excerpt is available below:

"I'm good friends with all of Def Leppard - very good friends - we're all about the same age. They're a great band to go and see live still, but the last time that they did a record that you could hold up with any kind of spotlight would be Hysteria. They've done some nice records since, but nothing that matters, nothing that's gonna be number one. Having said that, who cares what's number one? Did you see, about a year ago there was a thing about Judas Priest's new album going in straight at number seven in the US charts? I looked at it and I figured it out. I realized that they'd sold a third of the amount in that first week than they sold in the first week Turbo, which only got to number 30 or something." 

"Black Sabbath went straight in at number one (with comeback album, 13) - they still haven't even had a gold record for that album in America, or here, or anywhere that gives a shit. They've had gold records in Finland, where if you sell three and a half copies you get a gold record. It's just bullshit. Any record that any of these rock guys put out now - look on Wikipedia - it's number one in every country in the world and the total sales are about 50,000 worldwide, no one gives a fuck except to go and see them live. If you went to see Black Sabbath tomorrow and they played the whole new album and none of the classics, boy would you be fucking fed up. But if they play one or two tracks from the new album just to make everybody feel like it matters and then do 'Paranoid' and 'War Pigs' and 'Children of the Grave,' now you've seen a Black Sabbath show."

"So I think rock is dead. I think we're in the age of 'last chance to see.' They're all dropping like f--king flies. Chris Squire is the latest, Malcolm Young's got dementia. So many rock stars as well have guys singing in the wings. Do you know about this stuff?"

"Aerosmith have a guy who sings in the wings. Steven Tyler, bless his heart, is pushing 700 at the moment and can't f--king sing a high note to save his life. But same with all of them - old Dave Coverdale getting his knickers in a twist a few years ago because he got caught out using 'technology.' Euuurggghh!

"So to me, rock I dead. It doesn't mean innovation doesn't exist in music and that there isn't beautiful music being made. I think music is thriving. But in rock... Listen, people talk about KISS now as if they're something special just because they're still around. I've never owned a KISS record in my life, and the ones I've heard I wouldn't wipe my arse on because I grew up with all these great bands, and KISS weren't one of them." 

Click here for the complete interview.