Rock's Backpages

The ultimate archive of music journalism. Over 45,000 classic articles and 700 audio interviews with artists from Aaliyah to ZZ Top, on all genres from rockabilly to hip hop, by the finest music writers of the last 60 years. Visit the library at www.rocksbackpages.com

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New on Rock’s Backpages this week

ON RBP this week we're marking the release of Duran Duran's first new album in six years with three great pieces by the gal who discovered the "Beau Brummies" in late 1980: New Romantic champion Beverly "Betty Page" Glick recalls her first enounter with Simon, Nick, John et al., plus we're running her 1982 Sounds piece on the jet-setting video pin-ups.

Also free for a week are pieces about Radiohead's radical self-reinvention at the dawn of this century: two great interviews with Thom, Jonny et al., plus reviews of Kid A and Amnesiac – expanded versions of which are released as Kid A Mnesia on November 5th. And you can read three pieces that reference departed legends Alan Hawkshaw, Ronnie Tutt & Dee Pop... The week's new audio interview finds Don McLean talking to John Tobler in 1989 about his folkie years, the Weavers, recording in Nashville, and the American Pie album, which is 50 years old this week. Subscribers can also dive deep into the 50+ articles we've added to the RBP library this week, including...

Robert Shelton reviewing Johnny Cash at Carnegie Hall n 1962;

Lillian Roxon introducing her fellow Ozzies to T. Rex in 1971;

Ed Jones interviewing Elton John's manager John Reid in 1977;

John Morthland reporting on the Parents Music Resource Center in 1985;

John Harris hanging out with Suede in 1993;

Angus Batey revisiting DJ Kool Herc's first-ever block party;

and Bud Scoppa paying homage to Neil Young's legendary manager Elliot Roberts in 2019.

Don't miss the latest episode of the RBP podcast, with special guest Paul Morley talking about Joy Division, Factory's Tony Wilson and krautrockers Faust. Straddle the line in discord and rhyme I'm on the hunt down, I'm after you...

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Bidding farewell on RBP

THE CHAMP — Remembering revered British composer/sessionman Alan Hawkshaw, 1937-2021, interviewed about Serge Gainsbourg in 2001... and bidding farewell to drummers Ronnie Tutt, 1938-2021, who recalls playing with Elvis in Vegas in 2002, and Dee Pop, 1956-2021, interviewed as a Bush Tetra in 1980.

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New audio for RBP subscribers

PIE CHARTS — Don McLean talks to John Tobler about the American Pie album (50 years old this week), his early folk years... and the importance of keeping your copyrights (1989).

Jimi Hendrix to Kate Bush: the complete RBP Audio library

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Free for a week on RBP

OK COMPUTERISED — How Radiohead reinvented themselves with the radical electronica of 2000's Kid A and 2001's Amnesiac: Devon Powers reviews Kid A for Pop Matters and Andrew Smith interviews the band for The Observer. Plus Chris Ingham applauds Amnesiac in MOJO and Simon Reynolds talks to Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood about life after OK Computer in The Wire… and don’t miss our Radiohead “compendium” Present Tense, choc-full of great interviews & reviews.

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Free for a week on RBP

BEAU BRUMMIES — Beverley "Betty Page" Glick recalls her 1980 encounter with Birmingham's New Romantic dandies Duran Duran and recalls "the day I discussed the meaning of life" with frontman Simon Le Bon. Plus Betty interviews the jet-setting video pin-ups for Sounds in May '82…

Pages more Betty on RBP

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New for RBP subscribers this week

“I told social security to give the jobs to those that want them. I’d rather stay at home listening to music…”

— The Cure's Robert Smith (NME, 1981)

PLUS pieces on...

• Johnny Cash live (1962) • Beatles in USA (1966) • Tomorrow (1967) • Brenton Wood (1968) • Jack Bruce's Tailor (1969) • Leonard Cohen live (1970) • T. Rex (1971) • James Brown (1972) • Gladys Knight & Pips (1973) • Jackson Browne live (1974) • Little Feat (1975) • Frank Zappa's Allures (1976) • Elton John's manager (1977) • Penetration live (1978) • The Selecter (1979) • The Stones' Rescue (1980) • Oingo Boingo (1982) • The Fixx (1983) • Beat Street OST (1984) • The P.M.R.C. (1985) • L.L. Cool J's Radio (1986) • Paul Johnson (1987) • Stevie Wonder (1987) • David Lee Roth live (1988) • Dusty Springfield (1989) • Loop's Eternity (1990) • Lunachicks (1991) • Omar @ Town & Country (1992) • Suede (1993) • Nirvana's Unplugged (1994) • Kirsty MacColl (1995) • Flying Saucer Attack (1995) • Merle Haggard live (1996) • "Jump Up" jungle (1997) • Metallica's Re-Load (1998) • Nigel Godrich (1999) • The Crescent @ 100 Club (2002) • Jim O'Rourke (2003) • Johnny Cash's Life (2004) • Velvet Revolver/Datsuns (2005) • The Knife live (2006) • The Killers' Town (2006) • Kaiser Chiefs (2007) • Dee Dee Sharp (2007) • Robert Wyatt's Misses (2010) • DJ Kool Herc (2011) • D-Train (2012) • Kraftwerk (2013) • Lita Ford (2016) • Elliot Roberts (2019) • Paul McCartney's Pie (2020) • Eric B & Rakim (2020)

• Subscribe and become an RBP member

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The RBP Podcast

In the new episode of our podcast, the legendary Paul Morley joins us to talk about his native Manchester, Joy Division and his epic new biography of Factory Records founder Tony Wilson.

Paul recounts his early pop epiphanies and discovery of the UK's music press, culminating in the one & only issue of his 1976 fanzine Out There — not to mention his first reviews for the NME in 1976. The conversation then turns to "Anthony H." Wilson and the formation of Factory, taking in Paul's championing of Joy Division before leading into a discussion of Martin Aston's 1986 audio interview with New Order's Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris.

From there we consider the week's featured act Faust, spinning off from pieces about the German enigmas by Ian MacDonald, Andy Gill and David Stubbs, and prompting general thoughts on "Krautrock" from both guest and hosts. After saying goodbye to chief Chieftain Paddy Moloney, and to three veteran RBP writers on soul and R&B (Pete Grendysa, Bob Fisher and Roger St. Pierre), Mark leads us through his personal favourites among the 100+ articles added to the RBP library over the past fortnight, including pieces about the Stones' pad in Edith Grove, Lorraine Ellison's volcanic single 'Stay With Me' and Charlie Watts on drummers & drumming. Finally, Jasper talks us out with his thoughts on pieces about Primal Scream's 2000 XTRMNTR and John Sinclair taking The Wire's "Invisible Jukebox" text in 2003.

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New on RBP

It's a Manchester special this week – with a bit of Krautrock and Celtic tradition added for good measure. To celebrate the imminent publication of his epic Tony Wilson biography From Manchester With Love, we've made Paul Morley writer of the week and made three of his classic NME pieces free on the home page. All touch on the triumph and tragedy of Joy Division... and the endurance of New Order, whose Bernard Sumner & Stephen Morris are (from 1986) the week's featured audio interviewees.

The act featured in the Free On RBP section is the radical German kollectiv that was early '70s Faust. Interviews by Ian MacDonald (1973) and Andy Gill (1997) tell the wild and crazy story of Uwe Nettelbeck and friends, while Krautrock chronicler David Stubbs describes his teenage Faustian pact. We're saying goodbye to chief Chieftain and beloved Irish rover Paddy Moloney via interviews from 1998 and 2010, plus we've also lost three of RBP's veteran specialists on rhythm 'n' blues and soul: Bob Fisher, Pete Grendysa & Roger St. Pierre, pieces by all of whom we're spotlighting on the home page. RBP subscribers can enjoy almost 60 new additions to the library, including:

Dusty Springfield getting personal with Penny Valentine in 1967;

Rob Partridge visiting Atlantic's London offices in 1974;

Bill Holdship bidding farewell to Del Shannon after the latter's 1990 suicide;

Andrew Smith talking to techno magus the Aphex Twin in 1992;

Former MC5 manager John Sinclair taking The Wire's invisible jukebox test;

Kandia Crazy Horse questioning the New Afrophilia of Vampire Weekend et al.;

and Nick Cave bearing his soul to GQ's Chris Heath in 2017.

If you could just see the beauty, These things I could never describe, These pleasures a wayward distraction, This is my one lucky prize...

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Don't Fear the Reaper

Chris Smith meets chief Chieftain Paddy Moloney, 1936-2021 (Performing Songwriter, 1998) and David Burke looks back with Paddy in 2010. Plus we bid farewell to three veteran RBP specialists on Black American music: Pete Grendysa explains the "making" of Rhythm & Blues in 1985, Bob Fisher reports on "Soul Style" in the midlands for NME in 1975, and Roger St. Pierre chats backstage at Hammersmith with the newly liberated Stevie Wonder..

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New audio for RBP subscribers

Manchester special, Pt. 2: Martin Aston discusses new album Brotherhood and the late Ian Curtis with New Order's Bernard Sumner (left) and Stephen Morris (1986).

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Free for a week on RBP

Manchester special, Pt 1:  Paul Morley (pictured in 1977) reports on the rise of Manchester's music scene for NME in early 1979. Plus Paul sees Joy Division live at the city's Band On The Wall in 1978, witnesses New Order's 1981 "haunting" of London's Heaven after Ian Curtis' suicide, and pens the Guardian obituary for Factory Records founder Tony Wilson, the subject of his remarkable new biography From Manchester with Love…

Much more Morley on RBP

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New for RBP subscribers this week

“Groups like the Who and the Stones are revolting. They have nothing to offer the kids anymore…”

— Johnny Rotten (1976)

PLUS pieces on...

• Elizabeth Cotten (1965) • Lorraine Ellison et al. (1966) • Dusty Springfield (1967) • James Brown live (1968) • Eddie Holland (1970) • Janis Joplin's Pearl (1971) • The Jackson 5 (1972) • Bruce Springsteen live (1973) • Atlantic Records (1974) • Steely Dan's Katy Lied (1975) • Pink Floyd @ Wembley (1977) • Steel Pulse (1978) • Peabo Bryson (1979) • B.B. King (1980) • Kraftwerk live (1981) • The Go-Go's (1982) • New Edition (1983) • Was (Not Was) (1984) • Rubén Blades à Montreux (1985) • Rain Parade live (1985) • Bon Jovi (1986) • Meet Danny Wilson (1987) • Voice of the Beehive (1988) • Gloria Estefan live (1989) • Del Shannon R.I.P. (1990) • Vanilla Ice (1991) • Aphex Twin (1992) • Velvets in Edinburgh (1993) • The Lemonheads (1994) • Des-ree et al. (1995) • Baby Bird (1996) • Supergrass in Leeds (1997) • k.d. lang (1997) • The Flamingo Club (1998) • Master P (1998) • Buena Vista Social Club (1999) • Primal Scream et al. (2000) • Autechre (2001) • Ash's Angels (2002) • John Sinclair's jukebox (2003) • Mamas & the Papas (2004) • Bryan Ferry's Mamouna (2005) • Atari Teenage Riot (2006) • Absolute Beginners (2007) • Vampire Weekend et al. (2008) • Steve Winwood (2010) • Destroyer (2011) • Leila's U&I (2012) • Zola Jesus (2013) • Yellowman/Dillinger (2014) • Mica Levi (2015) • Lady Gaga's Bowie (2016) • Nick Cave (2017) • Meg Baird/Mary Lattimore (2018) • Tal Wilkenfeld (2019) • Zappa's Rats (2020) • Sam Fender live (2020)

• Subscribe and become an RBP member

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New on RBP

THIS WEEK's Rock's Backpages home page is a San Francisco Special, with free pieces about so-called "Latin-rock" pioneers Santana (plus an audio snippet of Carlos in conversation in 1977); a wonderfully discursive audio interview with Quicksilver's John Cipollina from 1984; and free pieces by the great Gene Sculatti, including his 1966 report on the S.F. underground for Greg Shaw's trailblazing fanzine Mojo-Navigator.

For subscribers there's a wealth of fascinating additions to the RBP Library, including:

David Griffiths lunching with Pink Floyd's Nick & Roger in 1967

Lon Goddard discussing drums with Charlie Watts in 1969

Stephen Demorest hearing about Patti Smith's hallucinations in 1978

Graham K. Smith's dream date with Sade in 1984

John Harris wallowing in the mud of 1994's "Woodstock II"

Bill Holdship on Guns N' Roses' cancelled tour in 2002...

and Mark Rozzo meeting legendary pop scribe Nik Cohn in 2011...

We're also saying goodbye to Barry "Eloise" Ryan, saxophonist/bandleader Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, and eccentric Jazz Butcher frontman Pat Fish. Oh, and don't miss the new episode of the RBP podcast, with special guest Miles Marshall Lewis talking about Kendrick Lamar, Wynton Marsalis & Bob Marley... For those who come to San Francisco Summertime will be a love-in there...

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Bidding farewell to RBP

RYAN'S BROTHER — NME's Keith Altham meets sibling duo Paul and Barry Ryan, 1948-2021 in summer of '66, two years before Barry's melodramatic smash hit 'Eloise' (written by Paul). Plus Dan Nooger recalls the role played in Esther Phillips' career by bandleader Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, 1941-2021 and Sounds' Robin Gibson meets Creation signing the Jazz Butcher's eccentric frontman Pat Fish, 1957-2021...

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Free for a week on RBP

ROCK OF THE BAY — The great Gene Sculatti reports on the San Francisco underground for Mojo-Navigator R+R News in 1966 and looks back on Greg Shaw's trailblazing fanzine in 2000. Plus Gene delivers the story of Quicksilver Messenger Service (Fusion, 1972) and "reassesses" the legacy of California's psychedelic capital for RBP in 2010…

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New audio for RBP subscribers

HAPPY TALES — Quicksilver's brilliant John Cipollina reminisces wonderfully about the Bay Area, Dino Valenti, the Charlatans... and, naturally, the mighty QMS... in the company of San Francisco Nights co-authors Gene Sculatti and Davin Seay (1984).

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Free for a week on RBP

LATIN PRIMERS — Philip Elwood sees pioneering "Latin rockers" Santana at San Francisco's live crucible the Matrix in November 1968 and Crawdaddy!'s Vernon Gibbs takes stock of the fusion superstars following the release of 1972's Caravanserai. Plus a brief audio clip of Carlos speaking to Steven Rosen in 1977…

See all free RBP articles!