Rock's Backpages

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Featured artist

Blues-eyed soul: Robert Duncan tells the "horrifying true story" of the Blues Brothers (Creem, 1979). Plus Richard Cromelin reviews the original soundtrack album for the L.A. Times and Rolling Stone's Dave Marsh observes John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd's "move from the gratuitously racist to the merely patronizing" on their second album.

Featured writer

Hands across the water: Ira Robbins (pictured circa 1978) recalls how Anglophile fanzine Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press was launched in 1974 – and how it became a vital music magazine. Plus Ira interviews Cockney Rebel's Steve Harley in 1975, declares that "Britain's new wave movement" is already washed out in 1977… and asks if anyone still needs record reviews in 2013.

The Long Goodbye

Rebel without a pause: Disc's Ray Fox-Cumming meets the ever-opinionated Steve Harley (1951-2024) in 1974 and the Mail on Sunday's Mal Peachey looks back with the Cockney Rebel star in 1993. Plus Hit Parader's Alan Betrock in conversation with "rock's rejuventated Raspberry" Eric Carmen (1949-2024) in 1976 and Q's Mat Snow meets World Party's Karl Wallinger (1957-2024) in 1990.

The Long Read

Southern companions: Simon Witter hangs out in Dallas and San Antonio with the Black Crowes and hears about the Georgia combo's stonking sophomore album (Sky, 1992).

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Audio interview

At his age: Nick Lowe talks to Ira Robbins about growing older; writing and recording; Chrissie Hynde and Elvis Costello... and his ex-father-in-law Johnny Cash (July 2007).

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The RBP Podcast

Episode 173

New episode: Ira Robbins does the Trouser Press and revisits his audio interviews with Nick Lowe and the late Steve Harley.

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Rock’s Backpages contains over 800 audio interviews with artists from Jimi Hendrix to Kate Bush. Visit the audio interviews page to see the full list.

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