Together with special guest (and RBP co-founder) Martin Colyer, Mark Pringle and Barney Hoskyns consider soul giant Curtis Mayfield and his enduring influence. They hear a snippet of Julian Henry's 1985 audio interview with the absurd Sigue Sigue Sputnik – and talk about how Tony James and co. crashed down to earth despite their stratospheric ambitions. There's a brief discussion of pieces by featured writer Mac Randall on Robert Wyatt & Bill Nelson, Linda Thompson and Beck, leading on to a rundown of what's new in the archive for the subscribers, led by chief archivist Pringle: specifically, articles on Del Shannon, Diana Ross, Keith Richards, Viv Stanshall, Joy Division, Andrew Weatherall and Missy Elliott, as well as a lengthy feature on the drug Ketamine from 1976. Martin, Mark and Barney then take a journey back in time to the origins of Rock's Backpages, explaining how the idea for the archive came to be and what steps they took together to make it a reality.

Martin Colyer's blog can be found at https://fivethingsseenandheard.com and the book, Five Things I Saw & Heard This Week, Volume 1: Dispatches from the everyday world of music is available on Amazon.

Hosted by Mark Pringle and Barney Hoskyns

Produced by Jasper Murison-Bowie

Pieces discussed: Curtis Mayfield: Life with the Impressions, unsigned Curtis Mayfield, Curtis Mayfield after his paralysing accident, Sigue Sigue Sputnik audio, Bill Nelson & Robert Wyatt, Linda Thompson, Beck, Del Shannon, Diana Ross, Keith Richards, Ketamine, Viv Stanshall, Joy Division live, Andrew Weatherall, Missy Elliott, Harlan Howard and Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham...