Rock's Backpages

In the first episode of 2020, Mark, Barney & Jasper celebrate the 40th birthday of James Blood Ulmer's startling Are You Glad to be in America? Pringle waxes lyrical about seeing Ulmer live and about the man's influence on his own guitar-playing – and then, with his colleagues, discusses the "punk-jazz" scene that coalesced around JBU, James Chance, Defunkt and others.

RBP's power trio then considers amusing interviews with Billy Idol, Gerry [and the Pacemakers] Marsden and Solomon Burke by New Zealander and former Rip It Up editor Chris Bourke. (Honorary mentions, along the way, to Nik Cohn, Nick Lowe and Jürgen Klopp.)

Mark intros a discussion of the week's new audio interview — with Joan Baez in 1992 — by playing a clip of America's folk queen describing how she's (temporarily) let go of her political activism. Baez's significance and legacy are considered after a second clip about learning how hard it is to write songs when you're not Bob Dylan.

Mark also talks us through his highlights of the week's new library additions, including a report on hanging out with Madeline Bell in swinging '60s London that reads like a scene from Austin Powers; Sounds' Dave McCullough bemoaning the joyless postpunk of the Raincoats and the Mekons in 1979; and Police man Stewart Copeland and others on the art of drumming in 1988…

By contrast, Jasper revisits the return of avant-funk postpunks 23 Skidoo in 2000, a probing biog of Beyoncé from 2015 and the musings of Panic! at the Disco's Brendon Urie in 2016…

Pieces discussed: James Blood Ulmer and Ornette Coleman, James Blood Ulmer, Punk Jazz, Billy Idol, Gerry Marsden, Solomon Burke, Joan Baez audio, Plonk Lane of the Small Faces, Madeline Bell, Jimi Hendrix R.I.P., Weather Report, Simon Frith, The Raincoats, Tony Wilson, Drummers, Black Box, Speed, Lucinda Williams, 23 Skidoo, White Stripes, Beyoncé, Panic! at the Disco and Lizzo live.

The RBP podcast is part of the Pantheon Podcasts network.

In this week's episode – the last of 2019 – Mark, Barney & "Jazzbo" see out the year by celebrating the sheer majesty of Aretha Franklin and the posthumously-released Amazing Grace documentary.

Featured writer Tom Cox provides the perfect segue: a 1999 piece about the Queen Of Soul and her Atlantic Records producer/mentor Jerry Wexler. Your hosts also enjoy a chuckle as they revisit Tom's 2004 piece on Apple's new GarageBand "workstation".

Attention then turns to a 2007 audio interview with uptown funkateer and retromaniac producer Mark Ronson. We hear a clip from Maureen Paton's back-of-a-cab conversation with Ronson, after which RBP's three amigos discuss his subsequent career and his work with Amy Winehouse.

Marks talks us through new additions to the RBP library, including Keith Altham in the studio in 1968 with the Rolling Stones (and Jean-Luc Godard!); a 1971 Roy Carr rendezvous with the skinhead edition of Slade; and Joe "Mr. C" McEwen profiling the splendidly eccentric Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams in 1975. Jasper rounds matters off with quotes from David Toop's 2001 Wire interview with the brilliant Björk … and a brief chat about Boris Johnson's new nemesis Stormzy.

Oh, and to prove we're not just about yesteryear, we've compiled a playlist of our favourite tracks of 2019: beautiful & thrilling music by the likes of Lizzo, Foals, Brittany Howard, Bon Iver, Nilüfer Yanya, Rustin Man, Billie Eilish, Vampire Weekend, Joan Shelley... and of course Amyl & the Sniffers! 

Pieces discussed: Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace film, Amazing Grace album, Rev. James Cleveland, Jerry Wexler, Garageband, Sloan, Mark Ronson audio, Stones set studio on fire, Lionel Hampton, Sly & the Family Stone, Slade, Carl Palmer, Swamp Dogg, Culture Club, Pavement, De La Soul, Björk, Jamie Cullum and Stormzy.

The RBP podcast is part of the Pantheon Podcasts network.

On the day after the UK's Tory landslide, Mark & Barney ask the legendary Kris Needs to look back at the legacy of ultimate agit-rockers the Clash on the 40th anniversary of their classic London Calling.

Needs reminisces about key music venue Friar's in Aylesbury and his involvement with (and subsequent stewardship of) Pete Frame's seminal ZigZag magazine. His hosts ask about Just a Shot Away, Part 1 of his memoir of the pivotal rock year of 1969, and then discuss his integral involvement with his mates Mick Jones, Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon. Spinning off from the Clash, the trio hear a brief audio clip of tireless politico Billy Bragg talking about the Tories in 1990 – and then discuss free RBP pieces on "revolutionary rock" and "the greening of Planet Pop".

Mark introduces the week's new audio interview, a 1989 conversation with the much-missed Kirsty MacColl. After we hear a clip of the singer talking to John Tobler about an unreleased album she made for Polydor, there's an appreciation of MacColl as a songwriter and all-round good egg (and, later, a clip of her talking about her timeless contribution to the Pogues' Yuletide classic 'Fairytale of New York'). 

Finally, Mark talks us through his highlights among the week's new library articles, including pieces on Chuck Berry playing live in Lewisham in 1965, Sweet playing the Rainbow in 1973, and Donna Summer riding the "dark horse" of disco in 1976… 

Many thanks to special guest Kris Needs, whose new book Just a Shot Away: 1969 Revisited is out now and published by New Haven.

Pieces discussed: The Clash, The Clasher, The Clashest, Political pop, Billy Bragg audio, Eco-pop, Kirsty MacColl audio, Mike Berry, Chuck Berry, Donna Summer, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Sheena Easton, Def Leppard and Carl Cox.

The RBP podcast is part of the Pantheon Podcasts network.

Mark & Barney invite writer and fearless musical improviser David Toop to reminisce about his work and his long and fascinating career.

Toop talks about the impact of an aunt returning from New York with a stack of rhythm & blues 78s – and how this instilled a lifelong love of black American music. After he describes his early adventures in free and improvised music, his hosts ask how a man who's collaborated with Brian Eno and Max Eastley came to profile Bros for The Face – by way of his pioneering 1984 book The Rap Attack, the first serious study of the East Coast hip hop scene. The three men then discuss the cult "disco auteur" Arthur Russell, whom Toop interviewed.

Toop also pitches in on the subject of the week's free feature, cult dubstep star Will "Burial" Bevan, with Barney waxing ecstatic about the man's noughties albums and subsequent Hyperdub tracks – and Toop making slightly more sceptical noises.

Mark intros the week's new audio interview, with the late Joe Smith, and we hear a clip of the veteran West Coast executive discussing Joni Mitchell, one of the many artists he worked with at Warner Brothers and Elektra/Asylum. After considering Smith's role in the rise of acts like the Grateful Dead, Toop confesses to a surprising penchant for Crosby, Stills & Nash, prompting a more general discussion of dismantling musical hierarchies.

Finally, Mark talks us through his highlights among the week's new library articles, including pieces on the Four Tops (1966), Mott the Hoople, with David Bowie on backing vocals (1972) and the late Luther Vandross (1985) – another artist Toop interviewed for The Face.

Many thanks to special guest David Toop; Inflamed Invisible is out now, and you can visit his blog at davidtoopblog.com.

Pieces discussed: Rap, Arthur Russell, Arthur Russell by Frank Owen, David Toop, Burial, Burialer, Burialest, Joe Smith audio, The Four Tops, Flower Power reader's letter, Mott the Hoople, Luther Vandross and YMCA.

The RBP podcast is part of the Pantheon Podcasts network.

In this week's episode, Mark & Barney welcome music scribe turned PR legend Barbara Charone into the RBP "cupboard" (© David Hepworth) and ask her about moving to London from her native Chicago in 1974 – along with her experiences of interviewing the Who, the Stones and other superstars of the '70s.

"BC" talks about befriending Keith Richards and writing his biography while staying at his Sussex home, Redlands, then reminisces about her move into PR and her decades-long association with such clients as Madonna and Robert Plant. Finally, Mark & Barney ask Barbara how she came to support the team they all three (and Jasper!) adore: Chelsea FC. (Spurs fans may wish to fast-forward at this point.)

The conversation segues seamlessly into a discussion of the week's fascinating new audio interview, in which John Tobler asks Pete Townshend about his 1993 solo album Psychoderelict – and all about the Who, Tommy and Pete's childhood traumas.

After semi-skirting around the week's free feature on Coldplay – an act for whom none of the three can muster much enthusiasm – Mark takes the reins and talks us through his highlights of the week's new additions to the RBP library – including a report of the 1966 scrapping of seminal TV pop show Ready, Steady, Go!, a review of the opening date of Led Zeppelin's 1975 tour of America, and a 1977 Rolling Stone interview with the 'Clean-Up Woman' woman Betty Wright.

Pieces discussed: Keith Richards, The Who, Linda Ronstadt, Pete Townshend audio, Coldplay, Coldplayer, Coldplayest, Ready Steady Go, Traffic, Temptations, Led Zeppelin, Betty Wright, The Doors and Joy Division, Stan Getz and CDs. 

The RBP podcast is part of the Pantheon Podcasts network.

In this week's episode Mark, Barney & Jasper discuss the work of American music writer Peter Guralnick, with reference to the three free interviews featured on Rock's Backpages this week. They talk about the impact of Guralnick's books about southern soul and Elvis Presley, along with his earlier profiles of Howlin' Wolf and Charlie Rich.

RBP's power trio then turns its attention to super-diva Céline Dion, subject of the week's free feature. Barney defends the empress of pop shlock against his colleagues' scorn and draws support from interviews with her by David Sinclair and Ian Gittins.

The week's new audio offering is Adam Sweeting's 1997 interview with John Fogerty, who — in the episode's featured clips — recalls the origins of his Creedence Clearwater Revival and the bitter acrimony of their eventual split. Mark, Barney & Jasper put Creedence in context and hear Fogerty reminisce about his unhappy experiences under contract to Fantasy's Saul Zaentz.

New library highlights considered by your hosts include Cilla Back "in her own words" in Disc, the Guardian's Geoffrey Cannon lambasting Led Zeppelin in 1970, Michigan State News man Bill Holdship dissing disco in 1978, Police manager Miles Copeland declaring himself to be "a nasty S.O.B." in Musician and NME's Steven Wells introducing Suffolk metalheads Cradle Of Filth to the chairman of the Campaign for Courtesy …

Produced by Jasper Murison-Bowie

Enter the giveaway at rocksbackpages.com/giveaway for a chance to win an RBP subscription or book.

Pieces discussed: Pieces discussed: Peter Guralnick by Maud Berthomier, Peter Guralnick By Don Waller, Peter Guralnick's Sam Phillips, Céline Dion, Céliner Dion, Célinest Dion, John Fogerty audio, Cilla Black writes for Disc, Percy Sledge, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Led Zeppelin: Lead Balloon, George Harrison, Iggy and the Stooges, Disco sucks, Kurtis Blow, Miles ‘Nasty S.O.B.’ Copeland, Warren Zevon, Prince, Cradle Of Filth, Destroy All Monsters, Robbie Williams, Afropunk and Steely Dan.

In this week's episode, Mark & Barney invite the marvellous Mick Brown to reminisce about his journey from editing mid-'60s fanzine Soulbeat to feature-writing for the Guardian and the Telegraph, via stints at Sounds and Street Life.

Mick recalls his encounters with Marvin Gaye, Mac Rebennack and Phil Spector, subject of his seminal 2008 biography Tearing Down the Walls of Sound. He also weighs in on Gene Clark's cult classic No Other, of which he was an early champion on its 1974 release. He joins Mark and Barney in an extended appreciation of the troubled "Byrd Who Wouldn't Fly".

The three hombres then hear clips from Maureen Paton's 2009 audio interview with Mick Hucknall, in which the Simply Red frontman holds forth on Manchester, the Iraq war, The X-Factor and plenty more besides. 

New library additions highlighted by Mark include '60s pieces on the Troggs and the Yardbirds, plus interviews with Barry Manilow and Public Enemy's Chuck D.

Many thanks to special guest Mick Brown; find more of his writing on his Telegraph writer’s page at telegraph.co.uk/authors/mick-brown/.

Enter the giveaway at rocksbackpages.com/giveaway for a chance to win an RBP subscription or book.

Produced by Jasper Murison-Bowie

Pieces discussed: Marvin Gaye, Dr. John, Phil Spector, Gene Clark, Gene Clark’s Return, Gene Clark’s Last Stand, Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall audio, Yardbirds, Troggs, Sly and the Family Stone, The Nice, Val Wilmer, Def Leppard, Barry Manilow and Public Enemy’s Chuck D.

In this week's episode Mark & Barney welcome special guest Caroline Sullivan and hear all about her journey from New Jersey to the republic of Brightonia, discussing in the process her poptastic pieces about Girls Aloud, Adele and Courtney Love's optioning of her classic Bay City Rollers book.

Jasper then rejoins the band as Caroline, citing "artistic differences", splits the crazy scene and heads back to Brighton. Talk turns to the week's other free pieces, which mark the 40th anniversary of postpunk legends the Pop Group's incendiary debut album Y.

The week's new audio offering is John Tobler's 1977 interview with the great Bonnie Raitt, 70 years young next week. After hearing a clip in which Bonnie talks about how she got into blues, Mark, Barney & Jasper pay tribute to her voice, her slide-guitar playing, and her soulful interpretations of songs by Eric Kaz, Jackson Browne & friends.

New library highlights considered by your hosts include Disc's Caroline Boucher chatting with Marc Bolan in 1972, Trouser Press' Jim Green tagging along with Elvis Costello in Belfast, The Wire's David Stubbs going into Battles and Lisa Verrico seeing M.I.A. in live action in 2007.

Caroline Sullivan's Bay City Rollers book is available on Amazon; follow her on Twitter @TheCSullivan.

Enter the giveaway at rocksbackpages.com/giveaway for a chance to win an RBP subscription or book.

Produced by Jasper Murison-Bowie

Pieces discussed: Courtney Love, Girls Aloud, Adele, The Pop Group, The Popper Group, The Poppest Group, Bonnie Raitt audio, Dusty Springfield, Marc Bolan, Linda Ronstadt, Elvis Costello, Durutti Column, British synth-pop, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Battles, M.I.A. and Dagmar Krause.

In this week's episode (the 50th, no less), Mark, Barney & Jasper pay tribute to the late Nick Tosches, discussing pieces by him on Captain Beefheart (1981) and his great biographical subject Jerry Lee Lewis (1982).

They then discuss the week's other free pieces, which concern the annus metallibis that was Motörhead's 1979 – the year of both Overkill and Bomber. They also lament the passing of original 'head guitarist Larry Wallis, who last month departed the stage for the final time.

The week's new audio offering being a 1993 conversation with Long Beach OG Snoop (Doggy) Dogg, lost trios paranoias hear clips from Steven Daly's fascinating interview and reminisce about the impact of Dr. Dre's languid beanpole prodigy.

New library highlights considered by your hosts include Disc's Rosalind Russell on Sweet's Brian Connolly, Glenn O'Brien on the (temporary) shuttering of NYC landmark Max's Kansas City and Susan Corrigan on her abiding love affair with Madchester. After Jasper samples some Señor Coconut from 2002, the RBP "team" bows out for another week.

Produced by Jasper Murison-Bowie

Enter our great giveaway at rocksbackpages.com/giveaway for a chance to win an RBP book or subscription.

Pieces discussed: Pieces discussed: Jerry Lee Lewis, Captain Beefheart, Hail, Hail Rock'n' Roll, Motörhead, Oy Lemmy, Larry Wallis, Pink Fairies live (YouTube), Snoop Doggy Dogg, Plizzanet Earth, Rick Laird, West Bruce & Laing, Sweet, In Memory of Max's Kansas City, Duran Duran, Van Halen, Cher, Michael Jackson, Madchester, Terry Riley, Señor Coconut, Blick Bassy, glenn mcdonald, All rock stars have a price and Bob Dylan turns 70.

In this week's episode of the RBP podcast, cocktail-lounge trio Mark, Jasper & Barney kick things off by discussing Oz rockers INXS. Ahead of the release of new documentary Mystify, they consider the tragic death of frontman Michael Hutchence.

The week's featured writer is Tim Riley, whose articles on roots rock, 2 Live Crew and Buddy Holly's influence on John Lennon spark discussion of the intersection between nostalgia and authenticity, the disproportionate censorship of black voices... and Lennon's inner geek.

The trio then listen to excerpts from Andy Gill's 2003 conversation with Jonny Greenwood about the Radiohead guitarist's first film soundtrack Bodysong – and early electronic instrument the Ondes Martenot. 

Finally, they each pick highlights from the articles added to the RBP library this week – among them a Brian Case interview with tenor-sax great Sonny Rollins and Jamiroquai's Jay Kay, a.k.a. "the prat in the hat", plus a piece from the early days of the internet and an interview with Charles Mingus' son Eric.

Pieces discussed: INXS: The Sound of SUXS, INXS: The Lizard of Oz, Michael Hutchence obituary, Roots rock, 2 Live Crew, John Lennon's inner geek, Jonny Greenwood audio, Jonny Bluewood, Bodysong, The Animals in America, Roberta Flack, Fripp and Eno, Sonny Rollins, Bruce Springsteen, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Jamiroquai, Brainwashed.com, Eric Mingus, Jennifer Lopez, Eric Carmen