Liz and Michelle reminisce about the music and tv of the 70s as they talk to Jan and Sandie, 2 of the 8 magazine girls who interviewed some of the most famous musicians in the world including Marc Bolan, Elton John and ABBA! Jan and Sandie talk about their most standout interviews and share many anecdotes including interviewing Michael Jackson with his overbearing and controlling father, spilling a bloody mary over Donny Osmond and even sharing a spliff with Bob Marley! They also talk about the casual and sometimes dangerous side of the culture in the 60s and 70s and share the process of writing their recent book The Magazine Girls.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Sandie and Jan were just 16 when they started working as journalists, they look back now at the life they lived and the musicians they interviewed in awe!
• Although they did get into some tricky situations, they felt like they could handle anything and this belief in themselves kept them safe, they were resilient and knew how to look after themselves.
• The dark side of the 60s and 70s was surrounding a lot of drug taking, especially among the youth. Heroin and other drugs ruined so many lives which Jan and Sandie saw first-hand.
• When interviewing Bob Marley, Jan struggled with her nerves and how to approach him and his ways, she ended up sharing a spliff with him! Jan says everything was a lot more laid back in those times, you didn’t have people always looking over your shoulder.
• In the book, Jan talks about interviewing Michael Jackson and how overbearing, controlling and paranoid his father was during the process.
• Jan and Sandie’s age tended to disarm many of the musicians, they were seen as either non-threatening or as peers.
• For 50 years, all 8 of the magazine girls have stuck together, they grew up together and have gone through life as a group. They nurtured one another and weren’t competitive, supporting one another.
• Some of the reputations of the people they interviewed have come into dispute, Jan and Sandie note that it’s complex and in the modern world there are a lot more opinions and rules compared to the world they were interviewing in.

BEST MOMENTS 

“We were the gogglebox of the past, in person”

“I was the youngest journalist ever to interview Elton John”

“We were 17 and interviewing Rock Gods”

“Everything was a lot more chill and laid back, you didn’t have the thought police looking over your shoulder”

“You found something about each other that your loyal and your friendship outweighs everything”

“Our kids love all the music we grew up with”

“It was a different world them, people, whether for good or bad, accepted peoples ways”

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, and review it on your podcast platform. We read every email sent to us at [email protected] so please get in touch! Check out our supporting blogs on this topic at www.twowomenchatting.com.

EPISODE RESOURCES 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magazine-Girls-1960s-1980s/dp/1803136200

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