Rock's Backpages

E221: Phast Phreddie Patterson on the world's biggest record collection


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In this episode, we talk to Fred Patterson, aka Phast Phreddie, about his work at the ARChive of Contemporary Music, plus his own magazine Back Door Man and his band Thee Precisions.

Beginning with his early musical life teaching classes with Don Waller at UCLA's Experimental College, we hear about how he named Back Door Man after a Howlin Wolf song and wanted to cover "hard core rock n roll". Phreddie remembers how different it was working with R. Meltzer compared to Lester Bangs, who both contributed to the mag.

Next, we hear about where Thee Precisions got their name and how they were intended as a garage rhythm 'n' blues combo that might fit into south central L.A.'s rockabilly scene without doing rockabilly. 

After telling us about moving across the country to help set up a record shop in Albany, Phreddie then takes us back to the ARChive of Contemporary Music's original mission statement to collect two of every record and explains how they operate.

Three clips from a 1977 Mary Wilson audio interview prompt Barney to wonder whether the Supremes are the greatest girl group of all time. To wrap things up, we pay tribute to Sly Dunbar of Sly & Robbie before Mark and Jasper talk us out with highlights from pieces including interviews with Isaac Hayes and De La Soul.  

Many thanks to special guest Phast Phreddie Patterson. Find out more about the ARC at arcmusic.org.

Pieces discussed: Articles, interviews and reviews from Phast Phreddie PattersonThe L.A. Rock ExplosionGun Club: You Can't Go Home AgainPhast Phreddie Finds His CallingBuilding the ARCNot Fade Away: The ARChive of Contemporary MusicCollecting Gone Mad: The ARChive of Contemporary MusicMary Wilson audioSly & Robbie: The Reggae Heartbeat – Freedom Into FormSly and Robbie: Laying Reggae's Bottom LineAlan PriceCat StevensIsaac HayesRonnie & Clyde and De La Soul.

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Rock's BackpagesBy Barney Hoskyns, Mark Pringle, Jasper Murison-Bowie

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