Episodios

  • E181: Mark Williams on Knebworth '74 + the underground press + Joan Jett

    E181: Mark Williams on Knebworth '74 + the underground press + Joan Jett
    Jul 22 2024
    In this episode the marvellous Mark Williams Zooms in from mid-Wales to regale us with tales from the heyday of the UK's underground press and his later involvement with the L.A. punk scene. We start in mid-'60s Newcastle – where our guest drummed with beat combo the Jailbirds – and move on to his days at the Birmingham Arts Lab via a flat above London's hallowed 2i's coffee bar. A return to the capital in late '68 brings Mark to the offices of leading underground paper International Times (a.k.a. it) and his irregularly-recompensed stint as the editor of its "Plug & Socket" music section. A weekend in the arms of Janis Joplin is among the highlights of his it tenure before he departs to launch the short-lived Strange Days – for which he was due to interview Jimi Hendrix on the day after the guitarist died. It being 50 years since the first Knebworth festival, we revisit that Allmans-headlined "Bucolic Frolic" and discuss the phenomenon of such gatherings. Jumping forward five years, we hear about our guest's years in Los Angeles and his work with Slash (the publication and the label) – the Germs connection leading into clips from a 1983 John Tobler audio interview with Joan Jett. Finally we hear about the 1981 launch of Felix Dennis' splendidly opportunistic New Music News and Mark's memories of editing his hilarious pal Tom Hibbert. Mark talks us out with quotes from newly-added library pieces about teen heartthrob Bobby Vinton (1962), the broken-through Doors (1967), infamous Stone/Beatles lawyer/manager Allen Klein (1969) and southern-soul Mecca Muscle Shoals (1970)... after which Jasper wraps up the episode with his thoughts on militant (and prescient) rappers Dead Prez (2003) and the enduring influence of Chic (2021). Many thanks to special guest Mark Williams. Pieces discussed: Janis Joplin: Janis, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones: Free Concerts,When the Allman Brothers Band Headlined the First Knebworth, Cancel the inquest: the festival she lives, Knebworth: Great music but a non-event, Letter from Britain, L.A. Punk: Pogo-ing On The Fault Line, Joan Jett audio, It's Tom Hibbert's World, Bobby Vinton, The Doors, Allen Klein, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Dead Prez and The Chic Effect.
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    1 h y 10 m
  • E180: David Toop on Dr. John + Collusion + Scott Walker audio

    E180: David Toop on Dr. John + Collusion + Scott Walker audio
    Jul 11 2024
    In this episode we welcome the esteemed David Toop to Hammersmith – on the UK's General Election day – to discuss his extraordinary new book about (and around) Dr. John's 1968 album Gris-Gris. First we revisit the short-lived but splendidly eclectic Collusion magazine our guest co-founded in 1981: we hear about its inception and mission, as manifest in groundbreaking pieces about rap, surf, salsa, exotica and "paranoid sex in '60s soul". We touch on key points along the journey of David's journalistic career before arriving at The Wire in the '90s. A 2012 Pitchfork piece about Wire icon Scott Walker leads us to David's audio interview for that article: two clips from the conversation prompt discussion of Walker's remarkable career from the Walker Brothers to his new album Bish Bosch. Finally we reach the debut album by Malcolm Rebennack, a.k.a. "Dr. John the Night Tripper", and learn of the long gestation of David's book during lockdown. David discusses the complex themes and issues explored in Two-Headed Doctor, including voodoo, racism, minstrelsy, New Orleans, unreliable mythography, and the unsung brilliance of the album's co-creator Harold Battiste. A gravelly clip from the late Charlie Gillett's 1971 audio interview with the Night Tripper himself provides a capsule backstory to the album's germination. Mark talks us out with quotes from newly-added library pieces about Stan Getz (1973), Fred Wesley (1974), Primal Scream (1997) and Robbie Williams (1999). Many thanks to special guest David Toop. Listening for Ghosts in Dr John's Gris-Gris will be published on August 20th by Strange Attractor. Pieces discussed: ¿Te Gusta La Musica Latina?, Alone in the Dark: Björk on Vespertine, Incredibly Strange and Highly Exotic, Scott Walker audio, Mystic vapour: 'Jump Sturdy' (book excerpt), Dr. John: Shadowy Singer Rises From Bayou, Dr. John In Babylon, Dr. John audio, Harold Battiste, Stan Getz, Fred Wesley, Primal Scream and Robbie Williams.
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    1 h y 23 m
  • E179: Luke Turner & John Doran on The Quietus + Yoko Ono + James Chance

    E179: Luke Turner & John Doran on The Quietus + Yoko Ono + James Chance
    Jun 24 2024
    In this episode we welcome John Doran and Luke Turner to downtown Hammersmith and invite them to talk about their much-loved and newly-revamped Quietus "webzine". (That's Noughties-speak, for all you kids out there.) The intrepid duo look back on the 2008 birth of their baby and reflect on its survival and evolution over the subsequent 16 years. Quotes from pieces they wrote about Kanye West (2008) and Britpop "fakestalgia" (2014) prompt thoughts on such much-missed Quietus writers – and RBP contributors – as S(teven)Wells, Dele Fadele and Neil Kulkarni. Mention of a recent Quietus piece about Yoko Ono leads us to clips from Mark Kemp's 1992 audio interview with the pioneering avant-gardist whose life and work are celebrated in an exhibition at London's Tate Modern (15 February to 1 September, 2024). Ardent fans of Ono's woefully-overlooked solo albums, John and Luke talk about the relentless racist/misogynist abuse she's suffered as "the woman who broke up the Beatles" [sic]. Staying in the demi-monde of downtown New York transgression, we pay tribute to departed jazz-punk No Waver James Chance, another Quietus anti-icon, before Mark winds up the episode with quotes from newly-added library pieces about the Beatles (1963), the Temptations (1970), Kurtis Blow (1981), Jerry Dammers (1990) and Glen Campbell (1999). Finally, Jasper rounds things off with remarks on Atlanta's overshadowed rappers Goodie Mob... Many thanks to special guests John Doran and Luke Turner. Read the Quietus at thequietus.com, and find their books, including Jolly Lad and Men at War in all good bookshops. Pieces discussed: Kanye West: Sensitive Soul, Modern Life Isn't Rubbish: The Trouble With Britpop Nostalgia, Yoko Ono audio, Q: Why Interview James Chance? A: Because He's There, Bow To The Devilish Prince: James Chance Interviewed, Downtown icon James Chance cuts loose, It's the Beatles! Part 5: How To Avoid The Stage Door Crowds... Enter Through The Roof, Temptations: no trouble pleasing their audience, Kurtis Blow: Rap-sody in Blow, Mandela's Day — The Journey To Freedom, Glen Campbell: "I could have gone the same way as Elvis" and Goodie Mob: World Party
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    1 h y 17 m
  • E178: Ann Powers on Joni Mitchell + Tori Amos + Women in Pop

    E178: Ann Powers on Joni Mitchell + Tori Amos + Women in Pop
    Jun 12 2024
    In this episode we're joined from Nashville by acclaimed critic, author and broadcaster Ann Powers for a discussion of her new Joni Mitchell book. Starting in Ann's native Seattle, we hear about her early '80s pieces for The Rocket before moving on to her stints at the San Francisco Weekly and the New York Times. Mention of Piece by Piece, the 2005 book she wrote with Tori Amos, leads us to clips from Steven Daly's 1998 audio interview with Amos and a broader conversation about the wave of female singer-songwriters that engulfed pop music in the '90s. Ann's noughties move to California and the L.A. Times prompts discussion of the "dreamlike" night she spent chez Prince on New Year's Eve, 2008. From there we jump to the life and music of an artist Prince admired more than most: Joni Mitchell, subject of Ann's remarkable new book Travelling. With particular focus of 50-year-old jazz-rock masterpiece Court and Spark, we explore the richness and complexity of Joni's '70s work, her deep engagement with the Black American experience, and the worship she's experiencing in the wake of the recent "Joni Jams". Many thanks to special guest Ann Powers. Travelling: on the Path of Joni Mitchell is published by Harper Collins and available now from all good bookshops. Pieces discussed: Ride the Unicorn: Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Tanita Tikaram, Tori Amos (1998), My Night with Prince, Joni's Jazz-rock and Fusion's Big Bang, A New Canon: In Pop Music, Women Belong at the Center of the Story, Louise: Sheepish in wolverine's clothing, Millie Jackson: The Poor People's Queen and Chvrches: "It only takes two seconds to say: I don't agree with white supremacy."
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    1 h y 16 m
  • E177: Val Wilmer on free jazz + photography + Lesley Gore audio

    E177: Val Wilmer on free jazz + photography + Lesley Gore audio
    May 28 2024
    In this episode — our first-ever "field recording" — we travel up to North London to interview the legendary writer-photographer Val Wilmer. Val takes us back to her earliest musical memories in Streatham, South London, and her immersion in the capital's '60s jazz and blues scenes. We hear about her first pieces for Jazz Journal and her experiences of interviewing (and photographing) the likes of blues singer Jesse Fuller. We also hear about her remarkable DownBeat interview with Jimi Hendrix from early 1968. Val's classic 1977 book As Serious As Your Life — reissued in 2018 — provides the pretext for asking about her passionate championing of the "free jazz" of John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and others. We focus on her 1966 Melody Maker encounter with the extraordinary Albert Ayler and the unsolved mystery of his death in 1970. A discussion of Val's deep involvement in the women's movement leads us to clips from Ira Robbins 1994 audio interview with the late Lesley ('It's My Party') Gore — and in particular her startling photo-feminist classic 'You Don't Own Me', six decades young this year. Jasper talks us out with his thoughts on Alan Light's 1991 Rolling Stone interview with Queen Latifah. Many thanks to special guest Val Wilmer. As Serious As Your Life is published by Serpent's Tail and available from all good bookshops. Pieces discussed: Jimi Hendrix: An experience, Once Upon A Time In Williamsburg, Ayler: Mystic tenor with a direct hot line to heaven?, Memories of Hoppy: An interview with Val Wilmer, The New Jazz Gets With It (That Means With Contemporary Art), Tempo: Coltrane, Shankar and All That Rock & Roll, Coltrane, Davis, Monk, Mingus, Lesley Gore audio and Queen Latifah's New Gambit.
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    1 h y 27 m
  • E176: Simon Day on the Fast Show + Brian Pern + Steely Dan audio

    E176: Simon Day on the Fast Show + Brian Pern + Steely Dan audio
    May 13 2024
    In this episode we welcome Fast Show legend Simon Day to downtown Hammersmith and ask him about his musical passions and the immortal Life Of Rock With Brian Pern. We start with our guest's misspent youth in south-east London, where he frequently saw bands such as Dr. Feelgood and local lads Squeeze and even fronted his own punk combo Simon & the Virgins. We hear about his early days on the standup circuit and his close associations with Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer and the gang that coalesced around The Fast Show. From there we discuss the genesis of his "prog'n'roll" alter ego Brian Pern and his affectionate lampooning of Peter Gabriel. Clips from a 2003 audio interview with Steely Dan prompt an in-depth conversation about Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker. During this, Simon tells us how he first fell for the arch duo and we collectively compare notes on some of the group's greatest songs and albums. After a brief mention of featured writer Dorian Lynskey and his new book Everything Must Go, Mark quotes from newly-added library pieces about Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and Beatles hairdresser Leslie Cavendish before Jasper talks us out with his thoughts on M. People's Heather Small and a particularly cantankerous Van Morrison. Many thanks to special guest Simon Day. Pieces discussed: Genesis Doing The Foxtrot, Genesis: No "Pale" Imitation, Seventies prog rockers Genesis are back, but are they welcomed?, All Apologies: Brian Pern, Steely Dan audio, Wayne Robins on the RBP podcast, Pete Seeger, Kendrick Lamar, Why do pop stars fall for conspiracy theories?, Dorian Lynskey on the RBP podcast, Mötley Crüe, Beatles hairdresser Leslie Cavendish, Elvis, The King Remembered — An oral history, Heather Small: Proud, Los Campesinos!, and A duel with Van Morrison.
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    1 h y 8 m
  • E175: Steffan Chirazi on Metallica + Jack Casady audio + John Sinclair

    E175: Steffan Chirazi on Metallica + Jack Casady audio + John Sinclair
    Apr 15 2024
    In this episode we welcome the splendid Steffan Chirazi to RBP Towers and ask him about his career as a metal/hard rock specialist and his long association with the mighty Metallica. We hear about our guest's lucky break as a 15-year-old Motörhead maniac when the band's frontman Lemmy gave up three hours to Steffan during the sessions for 1983's Another Perfect Day – and became a dear friend for life. Steffan then recounts how he got his foot in the door at Sounds and its enduring HM spinoff Kerrang!. The first of many interviews with Metallica led to Steffan moving to San Francisco, where the band's bassist Cliff Burton showed him around town – only to die, tragically, in a car crash just months later. Clips from Barney's 1996 audio interview with Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield prompt a conversation about our guest's close involvement with the thrashmeisters and his eventual stewardship of their in-house mag-turned-website So What! Following the metallic section of the episode we return to the older San Francisco of Haight-Ashbury and its '60s summer(s) of druggy love. Clips from Gene Sculatti and Davin Seay's 1984 audio interview with Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna bassist Jack Casady – about to turn 80 as we record this episode – give us the chance to ask Steffan about the days of the Grateful Dead and their many hirsute friends. From there we switch to the rather different environment that was late '60s Detroit, paying tribute to poet, political firebrand and MC5 manager John Sinclair. We circle back to Steffan's post-Kerrang! career and hear about his 1999 encounter with David Bowie before Jasper talks us out with his thoughts on newly-added library pieces about LL Cool J and Eels. Many thanks to special guest Steffan Chirazi. Find him on Patreon at patreon.com/steffyspurs and read the Metallica magazine So What! at metallica.com. Listen to the official Metallica podcast at https://metallica.lnk.to/TheMetallicaReport. Pieces discussed: Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister: The Man Behind the Myth, Metallica: Thrash on Delivery, Metallica audio, Jefferson Airplane's Jack Casady audio, Portrait of the Artist: David Bowie, LL Cool J: Time Traveller and Eels: Shootenanny!.
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    1 h y 22 m
  • E174: Sean O'Hagan on Microdisney + The High Llamas + The Beach Boys

    E174: Sean O'Hagan on Microdisney + The High Llamas + The Beach Boys
    Apr 2 2024
    In this episode we welcome revered High Llamas leader (and arranger to the hip and the mighty) Sean O'Hagan to Hammersmith and ask him about his life and times from Microdisney to new album Hey Panda. We hear about Sean's Luton childhood, his family's move back to Ireland, and his 1980 encounter with the late Cathal Coughlan — the Corkonian with whom he formed the brave and brilliant Microdisney. Their path through '80s pop via Rough Trade and Virgin, and their eventual unravelling at the end of the decade, is discussed with reference to the new BBC documentary The Clock Comes Down the Stairs. The birth of the High Llamas involves RBP's own Mark Pringle, who recalls his production work on the 1992 EP Apricots (a.k.a. Santa Barbara). The influence of Brian Wilson on the sound and aesthetic of 1994's Gideon Gaye and 1996's Hawaii leads to Sean's reminiscences of meeting the Beach Boys and (almost) producing them. A side story involves his amusing memories of backing another cult L.A. genius, Love's Arthur Lee, in London. After we've heard clips from Mike Quigley's 1969 audio interview with Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston, we return to the arc of the Llamas' story and ask Sean about the influence of contemporary R&B on the Llamas' Hey Panda. Finally, Mark and Jasper talk us out with quotes from the pieces they've most enjoyed adding to the RBP library over the preceding fortnight. Many thanks to special guest Sean O'Hagan. The High Llamas new album, Hey Panda, is out now; visit highllamas.com or your local record shop to get your hands on it. Pieces discussed: The High Llamas: You Can Call Me Alpaca, The High Llamas: Lo-fi Heaven, The High Llamas: A Different Breed, An Improbable History: Microdisney Interviewed, The Beach Boys audio, Ted Nugent Unleashes His Little Ball of Fire, Leonard Bernstein: Lenny's song and dance in Vienna, Lounging with Mr Williams, So why exactly does David Gray have this effect on women? and Terence Trent D'Arby: Neither Fish Nor Flesh.
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    1 h y 34 m