Rock's Backpages

Welcome to the world's largest archive of music journalism, featuring over 50,000 articles on artists from Aaliyah to ZZ Top, with a new edition every Friday. Enter the library...

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Featured artist

Right thru me: The Guardian's Paul Lester profiles rising hip hop star Nicki Minaj in summer 2010 and Kate Allen applauds the "reloaded" version of Minaj's 2010 debut Pink Friday in April 2012. Plus, in 2014, Evelyn McDonnell asks if Minaj & co. are glorifying their bodies or merely objectifying them.

Featured writer

I'll be seeing you: Melody Maker legend Max Jones (1917-1993), left, interviews Billie Holiday months before her death in 1959, meets Bob Dylan at London's May Fair Hotel in May 1964 and speaks to Muddy Waters backstage at the New Victoria in November 1976. Plus Brian Case's obituary for his old Maker colleague...

The Long Goodbye

Gone now: Max Jones' son Nick sees former Moody Blue Denny Laine (1944-2023) live at London's UFO in July 1967 and Guitar World's Bill DeMain hears about Wings in Laine's last interview in January this year.  Plus audio of Shane MacGowan (1957-2023) speaking to Mat Snow in February 1986; Gavin Martin meeting the Pogues in 1983; and Mick Brown talking to MacGowan in 1997.

The Long Read

Make it with you: Michael Lydon witnesses Aretha Franklin's landmark encounter with the hippies at San Francisco's Fillmore West (Boogie Lightning, 1974).

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Audio interview

Bigger than both of us: Martin Aston asks Daryl Hall and John Oates about the '80s, their ex-manager Tommy Mottola and their new album Change of Season (September 1990).

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The RBP Podcast

Episode 166

New episode: in a Merry Xmas special, Daryl Easlea discusses his Slade book, listens to a Peter Gabriel audio interview and pays tribute to the Pogues' Shane MacGowan.

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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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