🖤 Vale Rob Hirst (1955–2026) 🖤

Michael

🎸 About Michael Michael is the founder, editor and chief riff wrangler of The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock, metal and alternative music publication built by fans, for fans. A lifelong rock and metal fan, Michael has spent years immersed in the music, culture and community that surround the heavier side of life. From discovering new bands and digging through classic albums to standing in muddy festival fields, squeezing into packed venues and spending far too much time near the front of a stage, music has always been much more than background noise — it is a massive part of who he is. That passion eventually became The Riff Report, a publication created to celebrate the bands, artists, venues, festivals, photographers, promoters and fans who keep the rock and metal world turning. Michael spends much of the year covering gigs, festivals, tours, album releases, new singles, interviews and music news, with a camera never too far away and a press pass usually hanging somewhere around his neck. Whether it is a huge arena show, a major outdoor festival or a tiny grassroots venue packed with people discovering their new favourite band, he believes every part of the scene has stories worth telling. For Michael, one of the biggest joys of music journalism is being able to shine a light on artists at every level. The Riff Report is just as interested in the hungry independent band playing to 50 people as it is in the global act headlining to 50,000. Supporting unsigned, independent and grassroots musicians is a huge part of the publication’s identity, because every legendary band started somewhere. Sometimes the next big thing is not on a massive billboard or a major-label playlist — sometimes they are crammed onto a tiny stage in a pub, plugging in their own gear and hoping somebody in the room remembers their name. Michael wants The Riff Report to be one of the places that remembers.