Out on Thursday June 8, the bumper 40th Birthday Collectors’ Issue of Hot Press finds us looking back at the records, books, movies, TV shows, news stories and other cultural happenings that have shaped our lives.

Also in the issue, we hook up with those other birthday boys, U2, and report from the start of their Joshua Tree Tour in Seattle. Olaf Tyaransen joins all four members of the band for an epic 6 page interview which catches them on the cusp of their truly historic tour.

In our Hot Press interview, we hear the extraordinary, and, at times, utterly chilling, story of victim of the State, Ian Bailey and his 20-year battle to clear his name in the face of what’s all the appearances of an attempt to frame him for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in 1996 – and the renewed attempts to extradite him to France.

Plus, we welcome back former Hot Press columnists, including the President Michael D. Higgins, who delivers a timely two page opinion piece for the delectation of Hot Press readers. Other columnists making a reappearance include the pioneering gay columnist Bootboy; Lorraine Freeney; Tara McCarthy; Barry Glendenning and the World’s Greatest Rock Journalist, Sam Snort.

As well as this, old friends and new join in the action to help us reflect on the musical, cultural and political events of the past 40 years, including Declan Lynch, Celina Murphy, Shilpa Ganatra.

We also shoot the rock ‘n’ roll breeze with Joe Elliott, Steve Van Zandt, Royal Blood and Steve Wickham of In Tua Nut and The Waterboys; we relive the David Bowie golden years with his former wife Angie, and we give the live verdict on a memorable Forbidden Fruit festival.

It's a jam-packed, once-in-lifetime, bumper edition that celebrates 40 years of keeping Ireland safe for rock'n'roll...

Buy our Hot Press 40th Birthday Special issue on racks across Ireland now. You can also Buy 41-10: The 40th Birthday Special direct from hotpress.com, or download the iOS app for iPad.