Session Musicians
256 articles
Joe Meek, Outlaws, The (UK), Gene Vincent: Rumour About The Outlaws Made Their Disc Company Panic...
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 29 June 1963
THERE WAS a rumour last Christmas that the Outlaws were to break up. It was of course, untrue, but the rumour spread pretty quickly throughout ...
Billy Fury, The Tornados: It Took All Day — It Was Fantastic
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 November 1963
WE WANT BILLY! IS BILLY FURY SINGING THE SONGS HE LIKES TO SING ...
John Paul Jones: Bass With Every Thing
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 April 1964
STRIKING OUT on his own with a new solo disc: John Paul Jones, bass guitarist with the Tony Meehan Group. And the disc which could ...
Jimmy Page: The Session Men No. 1: Jimmy Page
Profile and Interview by uncredited writer, Beat Instrumental, August 1965
Each month B.I. receives letters asking for information on various session men. In fact, last month, we published one from J. Townsend of Wolverhampton, who ...
The Fortunes: Fortunes Admit It: They Use Session Boys!
Interview by Keith Altham, New Musical Express, 29 October 1965
THE FORTUNES go on record as the first group I have met who have had the honesty to admit they use session musicians on their ...
King Curtis: Tempo: King Curtis
Profile and Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, November 1965
One of today's greatest sax-men, the King can sing better than most featured vocalists, putters with electronics and constantly studies, experiments and improves. ...
Dee Dee Warwick, Dionne Warwick: Dee Dee Warwick: 'Dionne encouraged me to go solo' says Dee Dee
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 8 January 1966
TWO SISTERS used to do the backing tracks on other people's records. Then one of them made her own discs and became a star. Her ...
Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, May 1966
When you hear a harmonica wailing in the background on currently popular blues, country, folk or pop recordings, it's probably being played by an ultra-talented guy ...
Chet Atkins, John D. Loudermilk: Nashville: The Town With The "Fresh Sound"
Report by Lillian Roxon, Sydney Morning Herald, the, 19 June 1966
It started with Grand Ole Opry ...
Jimmy Page, The Yardbirds: Jimmy Will Change Yardbirds Sound!
Interview by Kevin Swift, Beat Instrumental, September 1966
JIMMY PAGE, one of our top guitarists, turned his back on the session scene, took up bass for the first time in his life and ...
The Monkees: Monkees Amid Controlled Confusion
Report by Louise Criscione, KRLA Beat, 11 February 1967
WHAT IS THIS, Knock The Monkees Year? Some sort of a giant conspiracy to destroy, devour and flush four people down the drain to wallow ...
Booker T & The MGs, Eddie Floyd, The Mar-Keys, Carla Thomas: Stax Volt
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 25 March 1967
Sometimes, fame comes to a label as well as a star — like Tamla Motown. Now here's Stax Volt from America with hot soul discs, ...
Booker T & The MGs, Steve Cropper: The Stax Story: Steve Cropper (part 1)
Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, September 1967
This Steve Cropper interview begins a series on Stax Records in Memphis. ...
Booker T & The MGs, Steve Cropper: The Stax Story: Steve Cropper (part 2)
Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, October 1967
IN THIS FINAL installment of the Steve Cropper interview, Steve gives some excellent advice to guitarists who want to become studio musicians. We hope you ...
Booker T & The MGs, Booker T. Jones: The Stax Story (part 3): Booker T. Jones
Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, November 1967
BOOKER T. JONES was born in Memphis, Tennessee, November 12, 1944. He started playing the organ professionally at the age of fourteen. During his high ...
Booker T & The MGs: The Stax Story (part 4): Al Jackson
Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, December 1967
BORN NOVEMBER 27, 1935, in Memphis, Tennessee, Al studied drums in high school, and played with his father's band until he formed his own nine-piece ...
Booker T & The MGs: The Stax Story (part 5): Duck Dunn
Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, January 1968
DONALD V. DUNN was born on November 24, 1941, in Memphis, Tennessee and he learned to play the bass in high school. He now resides ...
Bob Dylan, Mike Bloomfield: Impressions of Bob Dylan by Mike Bloomfield
Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, June 1968
As told to Jim Delehant ...
Booker T & The MGs: Booker T. puts hits before tours
Profile and Interview by Richard Green, New Musical Express, 25 January 1969
SOUL is a much maligned word which tends to bring a sneer to the lips of the musical cynics, probably because there has been so ...
Chet Atkins: The Day Elvis Split his Pink Britches
Interview by Alan Walsh, Melody Maker, 8 March 1969
WHEN ELVIS Presley recorded 'Heartbreak Hotel', the record that launched him to adulation level in Great Britain, he really tore the studio apart. ...
Booker T & The MGs, Carla Thomas: Stax Horns Into the Pop Market for Sound Success
Profile and Interview by Pete Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 1969
MEMPHIS — A run-down movie theater in a threadbare black neighborhood is the home of Stax Records, a label whose 40 employees and 10 or ...
Dennis Coffey: Guitarist Dennis Coffey: "No Room for Temperament in Music"
Interview by Mike Gormley, Detroit Free Press, 7 November 1969
WHEN YOU talk to him he impresses you as a confident man. He knows what's going on but chooses to do things his way rather ...
Cold Grits, Eddie Hinton, Sam & Dave, Jerry Wexler: Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Report and Interview by Ritchie Yorke, Hit Parader, 1970
THERE WERE only seven people on Southern Airlines' Boeing 727 flight number 63 from Atlanta to Muscle Shoals, via Huntsville-Decatur on a recent Wednesday afternoon. ...
Jesse Ed Davis, Taj Mahal: Taj Mahal's Band
Interview by Jim Delehant, Hit Parader, January 1970
JESSE EDWIN DAVIS/lead guitar ...
Hamilton Bohannon: Bohannon: "The Band Doesn't Get the Proper Respect"
Interview by Mike Gormley, Detroit Free Press, 2 January 1970
MOST MOTOWN groups don't perform on stage while playing their own instruments. It would be rather difficult for The Temptations to go through their dance ...
Interview by Ann Moses, New Musical Express, 3 January 1970
Special QUESTION-TIME conducted by ANN MOSES IN HOLLYWOOD ...
Steve Cropper: Cropper: The Living Legend from Memphis
Interview by Royston Eldridge, Melody Maker, 21 February 1970
A MELODY MAKER EXCLUSIVE BY ROYSTON ELDRIDGE ...
Interview by Roy Carr, New Musical Express, 14 March 1970
Guitar ace with Booker T, Stax producer and formerly with Otis Redding's show ...
Led Zeppelin: ASK-IN with a LED ZEPPELIN a week: Bassist JOHN PAUL JONES
Interview by Ritchie Yorke, New Musical Express, 4 April 1970
Part one of an exciting New Series by RITCHIE YORKE ...
Glen Campbell – Former Beach Boy and Elvis Guitarist!
Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 6 June 1970
IT MAY NOT be generally known that Glen Campbell is a former member of the Beach Boys... that he was once a brilliant session guitarist ...
Merry Clayton, The Rolling Stones: Merry Clayton: She Was Born on Christmas Day
Interview by Todd Everett, Rolling Stone, 25 June 1970
LOS ANGELES — There is a world of confusion in the music press — not to mention that among record companies — about the identity ...
Booker T & The MGs: Booker T. & the M.G.s: McLemore Avenue (Stax Stereo SXATS 1031).
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
A COVER VERSION of the entire Beatles Abbey Road album — complete with Booker T. and the boys in Beatle-like post on the cover — ...
Jeff Beck: Strange Scene at Tamla
Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 8 August 1970
...reports Mickie Most ...
Joe Cocker, Leon Russell: Leon Russell: King of the Delta Rockers
Interview by Mark Plummer, Melody Maker, 29 August 1970
Top US session man LEON RUSSELL talks to Mark Plummer. ...
Interview by Roy Carr, New Musical Express, 16 January 1971
WHEN IT comes to the subject of owning-up-time, I suppose we've all got to admit to having a dusty, decaying skeleton hanging up in our ...
Booker T & The MGs, Steve Cropper: MM in Memphis: Cropper Soul Picker Supreme
Interview by Richard Williams, Melody Maker, 30 January 1971
Richard Williams with the first of a series of profiles from America's soul centre... ...
Interview by Michael Watts, Melody Maker, 3 April 1971
Michael Watts talks to sessionman supreme NICKY HOPKINS ...
The Byrds, The Kentucky Colonels: The Byrds: Byrd Watching (part 2)
Interview by Richard Williams, Melody Maker, 8 May 1971
THE COUNTRY consonants of Clarence White's guitar have fooled a lot of people — me included — into thinking that the man must have come ...
The Dixie Flyers, Rita Coolidge: The Dixie Flyers
Interview by Roy Hollingworth, Melody Maker, 15 May 1971
THEY'VE BEEN called the best rhythm section in the States — don't ask me who called them that, but I figure the guy who did ...
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 9 July 1971
FREQUENTLY, we receive letters from readers' asking us to write about the people behind the scenes in our music. For example, the features we did ...
Carole King, Danny Kortchmar, The Fugs, James Taylor, Jo Mama: Danny Kootch: Danny Boy
Interview by Roy Hollingworth, Melody Maker, 24 July 1971
YOU GET this sweaty little record company office and you're issued with the regulation afternoon tea or coffee. Danny Kootch looks suitably bloated by both ...
Obituary by uncredited writer, Melody Maker, 21 August 1971
KING CURTIS, whose wailing tenor sax was heard on many hit records over the past decade, was stabbed to death on New York's West Side ...
Obituary by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 27 August 1971
CURTIS OUSELEY – known the world over as King Curtis – was fatally wounded and died on Friday, August 13 only a few yards away ...
Al Kooper: The (Almost) Complete History of Al Kooper
Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1971
Tell me about the first Supersession.Well the concept came from that Grape Jam album (given free with Wow in the States but not released here), ...
Obituary by Michael Lydon, Fusion, 29 October 1971
MAYBE THIS should be a collection of unrelated notes. I’m not sure how the things I’m thinking about fit together. King Curtis is dead. That ...
Paul McCartney, David Spinozza: Paul McCartney: Working with Paul — A Session Musician Speaks
Interview by Vicki Wickham, Hit Parader, November 1971
Paul pays attention to every detail when he records, it all comes out Paul McCartney, says one session musician. ...
Interview by Danny Holloway, Sounds, 6 November 1971
SINCE HIS appearance with John Lennon in Toronto as part of the Plastic Ono Band, Alan White has had a hectic and enjoyable career over ...
Interview by Andrew Tyler, Disc and Music Echo, 4 December 1971
DURING THE NEXT 12 months Nicky Hopkins, the world's best-known anonymous pianist, will be the fourth German on the right no more. After years of ...
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, New Musical Express, 11 December 1971
IF ANY one man personifies the solid beat of Memphis soul then surely it's Willie Mitchell. Not only has he turned out 14 hit albums ...
Billy Preston: Billy's Feelin' Real Good
Interview by Penny Valentine, Sounds, 29 January 1972
A BROOKLYN friend of mine who had this uncanny knack of being able to spot a rising star at 100 yards said to me a ...
Merry Clayton: The Spotlight's on Merry
Profile and Interview by Mike Jahn, Baltimore Sun, 5 March 1972
MICK JAGGER, the satin-pants Satan, is o-o-o-ing ominously through 'Gimme Shelter'. He is doing all right, rocking the boat but not overturning it. But behind ...
Electric Flag, Jimi Hendrix, Wilson Pickett, Santana: Buddy Miles: Big black hunk of funk
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, New Musical Express, 3 June 1972
BUDDY MILES ON SANTANA, HENDRIX ...
Live Review by Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times, 13 November 1972
Mahavishnu Headlines Rock Concert ...
Captain Beefheart, Ry Cooder, Randy Newman: Ry Cooder
Interview by Charles Shaar Murray, New Musical Express, 9 December 1972
On himself, BEEFHEART and RANDY NEWMAN — and backing JAGGER by remote control. ...
Interview by Andrew Tyler, Disc, 30 December 1972
SHARKS KNOW enough riffs to play hard-to-get. If they really wanted to wear Mexican sandals, army socks from Badges and Equipment and be very mysterious, ...
Cornell Dupree, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, King Curtis: Cornell Dupree: "Mean N' Greasy"
Interview by uncredited writer, Beat Instrumental, March 1973
"IT'S HIGH time that session musicians were given greater recognition. After all, it's often their playing which makes a hit record, rather than the singing ...
Timmy Thomas: The One Man Band
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 2 March 1973
MOST PEOPLE probably figure that 'Why Can't We Live Together' is the first time they have heard the hypnotic and highly individualistic style of organ ...
Cornell Dupree: The Boss Guitar of Cornell Dupree
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, New Musical Express, 10 March 1973
CORNELL DUPREE's name will mean nothing to the general public, but those who scan LP sleeve credits will recognise him as one of America's busiest ...
Sharks, Chris Spedding: Chris Spedding: Confessions Of a Top UK Session Guitarist
Interview by Andrew Bailey, Rolling Stone, 29 March 1973
LONDON — Chris Spedding flicked his eyes anxiously down to his wrist-watch. It was coming up to 10 PM. The three-hour session, Chris' second of ...
Heads Hands and Feet, Jerry Lee Lewis: Jerry Lee Lewis: The Session Men
Report and Interview by John Pidgeon, Let It Rock, May 1973
"WHAT HAPPENS when some of today's great pop stars put a session together in London with a rock 'n' roll legend?" asks the ad for ...
Nicky Hopkins: Sixth Stone Rolls Alone
Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, 11 August 1973
THE NEWS THAT the Rolling Stones are to tour next month without their long serving pianist Nicky Hopkins will come as a surprise to those ...
Billy Preston, The Rolling Stones: Billy Preston: The Way Billy Planned It
Interview by Michael Watts, Melody Maker, 1 September 1973
When The Stones hit the road this month BILLY PRESTON goes with them. Here, he talks to MM's MICHAEL WATTS in Los Angeles ...
Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds: Session Star: Jimmy Page
Interview by Nick Kent, New Musical Express, 1 September 1973
JIMMY PAGE is as wary of discussing his formidable past as he is talking to the press in the first place. ...
Interview by Harold Bronson, Zoo World, 25 October 1973
ALTHOUGH NICKY Hopkins' bouts with more than casual illness are no secret, the British pianist has one of the more prolific careers as a session ...
Danny Kortchmar, The Section: Viva Section!
Profile and Interview by uncredited writer, Beat Instrumental, November 1973
"YIKES, WHAT mellow Caballeros," reads the poster for the Section's first album. The British public discovered just how mellow these Caballeros are when they played ...
Carol Kaye's Bass: Solid Gold Hitmine
Interview by Judith Sims, Rolling Stone, 22 November 1973
LOS ANGELES — Carol Kaye is one of the few successful female session musicians, certainly one of Los Angeles' finest and busiest bassists. Her list ...
Interview by Steven Rosen, Zoo World, 6 December 1973
TAKE ONE Oklahoman Indian; stick one guitar in his hand and what you come up with is a singer/songwriter/guitarist more impressive and powerful than all ...
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 26 March 1974
SO, THE time has arrived when we can have anonymous soul artists topping the charts. Already this year, the Love Unlimited Orchestra has topped both ...
Profile and Interview by Bill Millar, Let It Rock, April 1974
THE RAINBOW, July 2nd last. Art Neville saved the show. Didn't he? Dr. John made a gas of an entrance but, from then on – ...
MFSB: set for a smash despite the slagging?
Profile by Roger St. Pierre, New Musical Express, 4 May 1974
A NUMBER one album and single in the American pop charts, with strong chances of rivalling the success of 'Love's Theme' in the UK, make ...
Profile by Tony Cummings, Black Music, August 1974
MFSB GREW as the Philly soul scene grew. As, in the sixties, recording activity escalated in the city, a hard core of musicians, some black ...
Cornell Dupree: Teasin' (Atlantic)
Review by Jonh Ingham, New Musical Express, 7 December 1974
THE COVER sums this one up: a comfy sofa and an old electric fan and a Coke machine that's about fifteen years old, with the ...
Elton John: "It's Not All Down To Elton..."
Interview by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 11 January 1975
...he's just part of a band'. And that's the way Elton John's always wanted it, drummer Nigel Olsson tells CHRIS WELCH, in a rare behind-the-scenes ...
Chris Spedding: Spedding to a Goal
Interview by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 25 January 1975
LIFE CAN GO speeding by as any rock and roller will tell you. When you are as good a musician as Chris Spedding, there is ...
Pacific Eardrum, Big Jim Sullivan: Big Jim Sullivan: Mister Guitar
Interview by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 5 July 1975
From Eddie Cochran to the Bay City Rollers, taking in Tom Jones, the Kinks, the Small Faces and hundreds of others. The career of BIG ...
Review by Max Bell, New Musical Express, 26 July 1975
NAT HENTOFF really should know better. Having, in the past, written liner-notes for the very best (Davis, Trane) he now finds himself eulogising the "scope ...
Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1976
IF ANY OF YOU missed seeing Emmylou Harris and the Hot Band on their recent tour, you were either very unlucky or very foolish. I ...
Report and Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, October 1976
Davitt Sigerson investigates New York's soul music underground ...
Stuff: Bottom Line, New York NY
Live Review by Stephen Demorest, New York Daily News, 1 January 1977
The Stuff stars are made of ...
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 1 February 1977
You Are My Starship was surely one of '76's major albums and earned Norman Connors the big breakthrough. He talks to B&S about his background ...
Interview by Dave Schulps, Trouser Press, April 1977
Sessionman asserts himself ...
Interview by Dave Schulps, Trouser Press, September 1977
A Three-Part Series — Part One: Pre-Yardbirds ...
Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, The Yardbirds: Jimmy Page: Paging the Yardbirds
Interview by Dave Schulps, Trouser Press, October 1977
JIMMY PAGE gives his version Part 2 of a three-part interview by Dave Schulps ...
Jackson Browne, Kaleidoscope, David Lindley: David Lindley: Stringing Together an Aesthetic Sound
Profile and Interview by Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times, 1 January 1978
LOS ANGELES folkies fondly remember David Lindley as the perennial winner of the Topanga banjo-fiddle contest. Some rock fans, among them Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page ...
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 21 January 1978
PATTI AUSTIN tells why she prefers shoe polish to the bright lights ...
Ralph MacDonald: The Sound of a Syndrum
Interview by John Swenson, Rolling Stone, 9 February 1978
RALPH MACDONALD has done for percussionists what McDonald's did for hamburgers. In a short time his collection of congas, bongos, cowbells, shakers, triangles and countless ...
Patti Austin: The Jingle Queen Breaks Out
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 14 February 1978
David Nathan talks to a soulful lady whose dulcet tones can also be heard on numerous American TV commercials ...
Ralph MacDonald: The Percussive Roots Of Ralph McDonald
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 11 April 1978
Ralph's new album traces his musical roots from Africa to the Islands and America. Here he talks about his dual roles as artist and producer, ...
Cissy Houston, Singers' Singer, Steps Out
Profile and Interview by Joe McEwen, Rolling Stone, 29 June 1978
Legendary background vocalist ...
Interview by Richard Grabel, New York Rocker, November 1978
CHRIS SPEDDING — the name that launched a thousand session credits. He's played guitar for everyone from John Cale to the Wombles, including Bryan Ferry, ...
Jerry Wexler: Muscle Shoals Sound Studios: Jerry Wexler on Years in 'Boogaloo Country'
Interview by Sam Sutherland, Record World, 19 May 1979
WALK THROUGH the lobby of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and, hanging near all those gilded singles and albums, you'll see the face of veteran producer ...
Muscle Shoals: A Look at Who Makes It Cook
Profile by Sam Sutherland, Record World, 19 May 1979
THE MUSICAL traits that have earned the Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section the respect and admiration of artists and producers around the world aren't obvious ...
The Brecker Brothers: Brecker Brothers: The Studio And Its Discontents
Interview by Steve Bloom, Downbeat, 21 June 1979
It would be nice if we're going to do this to say some shit. I don't know what, but I'd really like for once to ...
Melissa Manchester, Tower of Power: Tower Of Power: Pro Blowing Section
Interview by Michael Goldberg, Downbeat, February 1980
THE BASIC tracks were cut in Atlanta, Georgia. The strings were arranged and overdubbed by Gene Page, and Melissa Manchester put down the lead vocal ...
Interview by Bill Bentley, L.A. Weekly, 1 May 1980
THE LATE sixties were a time for guitars, and five musicians — fifty fingers — appeared to naturally jump to the center of attention: Jimi ...
Chet Atkins: Custom Of the Country
Profile and Interview by Richard Harrington, The Washington Post, 20 September 1980
Chet Atkins' Guitar Enters the Smithsonian ...
Rico Rodriguez, The Specials, Eddie "Tan-Tan" Thornton: Rico Rocks Tout Soul
Report and Interview by Chris Salewicz, New Musical Express, 4 October 1980
Big day for JA precludes Specials occasion ...
Richard Tee: Natural Ingredients (CBS 84194)
Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 7 October 1980
'What A Woman Really Means'; 'Now'; 'The Nut's Off The Screw'; 'Tell It Like It Is'; 'Us'; 'Back Door Man'; 'Spinning Song' ...
Interview by Sam Sutherland, Musician, January 1981
Songwriter, keyboardist, arranger, member of the Doobies and owner of The Voice reveals himself as a somewhat reluctant superstar. Thrust into pop music's center stage ...
The Blues Brothers, Steve Cropper: Cropper: Into The Spotlight
Interview by Don Snowden, Los Angeles Times, 8 March 1981
POP FANS shouldn't have much difficulty in identifying Wilson Pickett with 'Midnight Hour' or Otis Redding with 'Dock of the Bay' but mention the name ...
The Sex Pistols, Chris Spedding: The No-Frills Attack of Chris Spedding
Interview by Van Gosse, Guitar World, May 1981
Don't ask this guitar star what gauge of strings he uses. He just might punch you in the face. ...
Junie Morrison: The Junie Vibe
Interview by Andy Schwartz, New York Rocker, July 1981
WALTER "JUNIE" Morrison sinks wearily into an armchair in his hotel suite. Not until 3 o'clock this morning did he leave the stage of the ...
Keni Burke, The Five Stairsteps: Keni Burke, One Step Ahead
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 14 July 1981
As a member of the Five Stairsteps in the mid-sixties, Keni worked on a number of Soul gems. Now, with his second solo album, he's ...
G.E. Smith: An Ace Axeman Steps Out Front
Interview by Fred Schruers, Rolling Stone, 6 August 1981
NEW YORK CITY — "All I've ever wanted to call myself is a player," says unsung guitar legend G.E. Smith as we sit down to ...
Change, Luther Vandross: Luther Vandross: The man most likely...
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 3 November 1981
With a wealth of musical experience behind him, via a string of hits with Change, background sessions for a host of Soul's top names and ...
Clarence Clemons, Bruce Springsteen: Clarence Clemons: Born To Rock
Report and Interview by Jim Sullivan, The Boston Globe, 14 January 1982
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," announces a raspy-voiced Bruce Springsteen from the stage of the Capitol Theater in Passaic, N. J. It's the 75th performance of the ...
Darlene Love, Phil Spector: Darlene Hits Local Scene, Reviving an Old Spector
Profile and Interview by Joel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 July 1982
THE FAMOUS sound of Phil Spector will hit Bay Area stages for the next three nights when Darlene Love makes a round of local appearances. ...
Profile and Interview by Richard Harrington, The Washington Post, 21 November 1982
LUTHER VANDROSS is singin' on top of the world nowadays, master of a string of professions: singer, songwriter, arranger, producer. ...
Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, James Burton, Rick Nelson: James Burton
Book Excerpt by Stuart Grundy, John Tobler, 'The Guitar Greats' (BBC Books), 1983
ONE OF THE GREAT rock'n'roll guitarists of the 1950s, but a man who remained virtually unknown to all but the cognoscenti until comparatively recently, is ...
Phil Everly (1983) [transcript]
Transcript of audio interview by John Tobler, Rock's Backpages transcripts, 1983
This is a transcript of John's audio interview with Phil. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...
Joe Cocker, Jennifer Warnes: Jennifer Warnes: With a little help...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 12 February 1983
WHEN JOE Cocker met Jennifer Warnes, he didn't know who she was. She, however, had first seen Cocker's appearance on America's Grammy Awards and been ...
Culture Club, Helen Terry: Helen Terry: Hellenic Culture
Interview by Paolo Hewitt, New Musical Express, 17 September 1983
CULTURE CLUB'S 'BOLSHIE' MEMBER — HELEN TERRY — LETS RIP ...
Carlos Alomar, David Bowie: Carlos Alomar: Hard Driving Anchor Man For The David Bowie Show
Profile and Interview by Gene Santoro, Guitar World, January 1984
IMAGINE THE fairy-tale scene this way, since this is how it actually happened: It is 1973, the setting is RCA's recording studios in New York ...
Heaven 17, Carol Kenyon: Carol Kenyon: Oh Carol!
Interview by Colin Irwin, Melody Maker, 4 February 1984
Could this be love? Almost certainly. Colin Irwin (drooling reportage) and Andrew Catlin (provider of lascivious images) feign maturity in the presence of CAROL KENYON. ...
Carlos Alomar, David Bowie: Who The Hell Is Carlos Alomar?
Interview by J.D. Considine, Musician, March 1984
The Guitar Power Behind Bowie's Thin White Throne ...
Miles Davis, Marcus Miller, Luther Vandross: Marcus Miller Gets Around
Interview by J.D. Considine, Musician, May 1984
THE FUNKY THROUGH-LINE BEHIND LUTHER VANDROSS & ARETHA; THE JAZZY AGITATOR BEHIND MILES, GROVER & SANBORN ...
Jerry Jemmott: Session Bassist — The Groovemaster: Jerry Jemmott
Interview by Gene Santoro, Guitar Player, May 1984
WHILE HIS name may not ring any bells, you've heard his bass before, setting the groove for Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Wilson Pickett, Roberta Flack, ...
Dennis Brown, Sly & Robbie, Yellowman: Sly & Robbie: Night of the Living Dread
Report and Interview by Roy Trakin, Musician, August 1984
The Riddim Twins Celebrate Ten Years ...
The Roots Radics: Roots Radics: Cheque It! (please!!)
Interview by Sean O'Hagan, New Musical Express, 6 October 1984
The ROOTS RADICS — the session trio — talk about run (how they never seem to run into any pay) All ears, SEAN O'HAGAN ...
Chic, Nile Rodgers: Nile Rodgers of Chic: '80s Funk with 60s Roots
Interview by Gene Santoro, Guitar Player, November 1984
GUITARISTS SINCE Charlie Christian have spent a lot of time and effort trying to play guitar like a horn. Nile Rodgers does it differently; he ...
Little Richard, Earl Palmer, Bruce Springsteen: Earl Palmer: Palmer Days
Profile by Bill Bentley, L.A. Weekly, 1 November 1984
WAY BACK when rock & roll radio was first coming into its own, stuffing listener's ears with the likes of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Fats ...
Chuck Berry, Al Green, Willie Mitchell: Willie Mitchell (1985) [transcript]
Transcript of audio interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages transcripts, 1985
This is a transcript of Barney's audio interview with Willie. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...
Interview by Ira Robbins, Rock's Backpages audio, 15 February 1985
The legendary session drummer looks back at his time in Cosimo Matassa's New Orleans studio backing the likes of Fats Domino and Little Richard, through his time in the L.A. studios where he played behind just about everybody!
File format: mp3; file size: 15.2mb, interview length: 16' 36" sound quality: ***
Luther Vandross: Labours Of Love Made Easy
Interview by Paolo Hewitt, New Musical Express, 6 April 1985
LUTHER VANDROSS used to sing jingles for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Now he licks his voice round painful love lyrics. PAOLO HEWITT hears his confessions about ...
Interview by Rob Tannenbaum, Musician, June 1985
Pop Royalty's First-Call Bassist Is Into More Than Keeping Time. ...
Billy Idol: Steve Stevens: The Idolmaker
Interview by Rob Tannenbaum, Musician, July 1985
Billy Idol's Six-Strinq Sidekick Fortifies the Image with Proto-Punk Musical Muscle. ...
Bernard Fowler, Sly & Robbie: Sly & Robbie: Hand in Glove
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 10 August 1985
Paul Mathur, scribe about town, ambles on down to the Kensington Hilton to meet Jamaica's supreme rhythm team, SLY DUNBAR and ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE. Rock, reggae ...
Joan Armatrading, Jimmy Page, Paul Young: Pino Palladino Doesn't Fret
Interview by Rob Tannenbaum, Musician, October 1985
Paul Young's Bassist Shines Through The Screaming Hordes ...
Dee C Lee, The Style Council, Wham!: Dee C. Lee: Lady Day
Interview by Cath Carroll, New Musical Express, 2 November 1985
"Glamorous ex-model", Style Councillor and new single girl, DEE C. LEE talks to CATH CARROLL. ...
Wally Badarou, Grace Jones, Level 42, Robert Palmer: The Producers: Wally Badarou
Interview by Chas de Whalley, International Musician & Recording World, February 1986
Wally Badarou gets together with Chas de Whalley and puzzles over their possible family relationship ...
Interview by Gene Santoro, Guitar Player, February 1986
"IF THERE'S anything worth writing about me, it's that I'm a guy like most of the people who read Guitar Player," insists G.E. Smith. "I'm ...
Chic, Led Zeppelin, The Power Station: Tony Thompson: It Ain't The Meat, It's The Emotion
Interview by J.D. Considine, Musician, March 1986
The Power, the Glory, and the Groove: Our Man from Chic Hits Hard and Hits Big, from Zep to Power Station to Madonna ...
Wally Badarou, Marianne Faithfull, Grace Jones, Level 42: Wally Badarou's All-World Keyboards
Interview by Rob Tannenbaum, Musician, May 1986
The Synthesizer Star of Compass Point on Getting and Keeping International Feel ...
Interview by Gene Santoro, Guitar World, November 1986
LARRY CARLTON could sit on his laurels, coasting on his rep from countless albums and sessions. But he keeps pushing himself — and his guitar — to higher spaces. ...
Interview by Gene Santoro, Downbeat, December 1986
IN THE decade since he first burst into the big-time music world, guitarist Adrian Belew has persistently challenged and reshaped the boundaries of his instrument. ...
Interview by Steven Rosen, Musician, January 1987
"THE GUITAR is a very difficult instrument to get a great sound on. There's no doubt about it — it takes a lot of years." ...
Robbie Nevil: Robbie Nevil (Manhattan Records)
Review by Laura Fissinger, Rolling Stone, 12 February 1987
MY BEEF with Robbie Nevil is such a stock critic's kvetch that it seems only mannerly to preface it with kudos and huzzahs. Which, by ...
Sly & Robbie: Rhythm Killers (Island)
Review by John McCready, New Musical Express, 2 May 1987
BONDED BRILLIANCE ...
Interview by Sean O'Hagan, New Musical Express, 16 May 1987
Legends of world rhythm SLY & ROBBIE have responded to advances in all musics by making a technological masterpiece of an LP. SEAN O'HAGAN meets ...
Curiosity Killed The Cat, Sly & Robbie: Sly & Robbie
Interview by William Shaw, Smash Hits, 20 May 1987
They've played with Curiosity Killed The Cat, Cyndi Lauper, Grace Jones and now they've got their own hit single with 'Boops (Here To Go)'. "You ...
Miles Davis, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn: Marcus Miller: Bass for All Seasons
Interview by Gene Santoro, Guitar World, June 1987
What is it about MARCUS MILLER'S eternal thump that makes him Miles' choice bottom and the Bee Gees' top choice? ...
Marcus Miller, Miles Davis: Marcus Miller: Bass For All Seasons
Interview by Gene Santoro, Guitar World, June 1987
What is it about MARCUS MILLER'S eternal thump that makes him Miles' choice bottom and the Bee Gees' top choice? ...
Sly & Robbie: Popstars and the Strange Things They Own: Sly & Robbie
Interview by John Aizlewood, No. 1, 25 July 1987
"MUSIC IS with us all the time. We don't take holidays. I even dream about music." ...
Sly & Robbie: Can the Riddim Twins Rock the Mainstream?
Interview by Alan di Perna, Musician, August 1987
AS SUPPORTING players, they've become as recognizable and popular as comic book superheroes. Is there anyone who isn't familiar with Sly Dunbar's brightly-colored tams and ...
Carlos Alomar, David Bowie: Carlos Alomar
Interview by Gene Santoro, Downbeat, November 1987
WE'RE SITTING in Bogie's, a neighborhood bar in Chelsea not far from Carlos Alomar's loft. The bartender is putting together a Long Island iced tea ...
Gail Ann Dorsey: Bimbo Backlash — Gail Force
Interview by Sheryl Garratt, The Face, July 1988
THE REIGN of the bimbo over the British charts has been a long one. There's absolutely nothing wrong with pretty faces fronting other people's songs ...
The Memphis Horns: Two-Man Memphis Horns Keep Punching Those Sounds
Interview by Fred Shuster, Los Angeles Times, 27 January 1989
QUESTION: What do recent hit albums by Peter Gabriel, Steve Winwood and Robert Cray have in common with earlier best sellers by Otis Redding and ...
Interview by Ira Robbins, Rock's Backpages audio, April 1990
The much-missed singer-songwriter talks about, well, everything: her love of collaboration and those she has worked with; her family; the UK Poll Tax riots and politics; the epiphany of 'Good Vibrations' and so much more.
File format: mp3; file size: 70.8mb, interview length: 1h 17' 16" sound quality: ****
Marc Ribot: Master of the Sideways Guitar
Interview by Ted Drozdowski, Musician, November 1990
The odd man in is proud of his mistakes ...
Londonbeat: Fine Young Cannibalization?
Interview by Rob Tannenbaum, Rolling Stone, 30 May 1991
Londonbeat hits Number One with a familiar-sounding song ...
Milli Vanilli: The Award Sinners
Report by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 17 August 1991
The Milli Vanilli affair rocked the secretive world of pop. CAROLINE SULLIVAN on the scandal of stars who don't sing — and the judge with ...
Elvis Costello, Phil Spector: Larry Knechtel Emerges
Interview by Alan di Perna, Musician, September 1991
On Phil Spector, waltzing with Elvis Costello and "arm playing" ...
King Curtis: Blow Man, Blow! (Bear BCD 15670)
Sleeve notes by Pete Grendysa, Bear Family, 1992
"BLOW MAN, BLOW!" The big man with the glittering horn sent showers of squeals and shrieks out over the heads of his ecstatic shouting audience, ...
Earl Palmer the Rhythm Bomber, the Funk Machine from New Orleans
Retrospective and Interview by Tony Scherman, Musician, January 1992
From Bessie Smith to Elvis Costello, the Amazing Life and Perfect Time of a Great Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer ...
Jerry Donahue: Taking Tele 'Round The Bend
Interview by Alan di Perna, Musician, September 1992
THE BRASS NUTS OF A COUNTRY FIREBALL ...
Soft Machine: Who Was That Masked Voice?
Report and Interview by Chas de Whalley, Vox, April 1993
So what if Elvis Presley isn't available for commercial breaks these days? Just get someone in who can impersonate him — the Hofmeister bear, for ...
The Faces, Ian McLagan: Ian McLagan: Face the Face
Interview by Alan di Perna, Musician, October 1993
On the finer points of three-chord karate ...
Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Luther Vandross: Marcus Miller: Back to the Future
Interview by Jeff Lorez, Blues & Soul, 12 October 1993
CATCHING UP with Marcus Miller is no easy task. Forget about trying his home in New Jersey because he's hardly ever there. Chances are you'll ...
Blood, Sweat & Tears, Al Kooper: Al Kooper: The Adventures Of Kooperman
Retrospective and Interview by Jeff Tamarkin, Goldmine, 18 February 1994
THE COVER of Rekooperation, Al Kooper's new album, his first in 12 years, is divided into 16 postage stamp-sized photographic portraits of the artist as ...
Report and Interview by Lucy O'Brien, Vox, April 1994
Singing hairdos? Not any longer. Britain's new breed of single black females are feisty, independent and take no prisoners ...
Alex Chilton, Jim Dickinson: Jim Dickinson: Earth Father
Retrospective and Interview by Robert Gordon, MOJO, October 1994
Backwoods, Mississippi. Home to Jim Dickinson, the revered producer and professional redneck whose work spans the story of Southern music from Sun Records to Big ...
Meshell Ndegeocello: Me'Shell NdegeOcello
Interview by Evelyn McDonnell, Rolling Stone, 29 December 1994
WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year makes. Twelve months ago bassist and band leader Me'Shell NdegeOcello's debut album, Plantation Lullabies, had just been released by Maverick. ...
Book Excerpt by Colin Escott, 'Tattooed on their Tongues' (Schirmer), 1996
JAMES BURTON CRADLES a dark red 1953 Telecaster. The finish is cracked in a few places and the fretboard is worn, but it's got ...
Sleeve notes by Vernon Gibbs, Epic/Philadelphia International, 1997
Original contribution to sleevenotes for The Philly Sound: Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff & The Story Of Brotherly Love (1966-1976) (Epic/Philadelphia International) ...
Earl Palmer, Dave Bartholomew and Alvin "Red" Tyler (1997)
Interview by Tony Scherman, Rock's Backpages audio, March 1997
Three giants of New Orleans R&B — bandleader Bartholomew, drummer Palmer and sax player Tyler — look back on the days on the bandstand and NOLA studios: on recording with Fats Domino and Little Richard; on the characters — Lightnin' Slim, the unlucky Smiley Lewis and more; on hassles with the Musicians' Union; on Palmer leaving for L.A.; on squeezing in bebop; on the beloved Dew Drop Inn... and what made the Crescent City sound. [NOTE: The most audibly prominent voice belongs to Tyler, with Palmer's the most distant. Bartholomew's is somewhere in the middle, with the deepest register.]
File format: mp3; file size: 94.7mb, interview length: 1h 38' 35" sound quality: ***
Booker T & The MGs: Memphis Sunset: The Mysterious Death of Stax Heartbeat Al Jackson, Jr.
Retrospective by Andria Lisle, Grand Royal, Fall 1997
JULY 31, 1975 – Booker T & the MGs drummer and Stax session musician Al Jackson, Jr. is shot in the chest with a .22-caliber ...
Interview by Robert Gordon, Oxford American, July 1998
THE FINGER-POPPING, head-bobbing joie de vivre that Dave Myers exudes all over his new CD is not readily apparent when I call him up to ...
Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer: A Vote for the Hired Guns of Rock-and-Roll
Comment by Tony Scherman, The New York Times, 26 July 1998
EVER SINCE the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame gave itself the ticklish job of anointing a rock-and-roll pantheon, one of its stated goals has been to ...
Leon Russell: Even Under the Guise of Hank Wilson, Leon Russell is a Legend in his Time
Interview by Steve Roeser, Goldmine, 11 September 1998
"How many days has it been since I was born/How many days until I die/Do I know any ways that I can make you laugh/Or ...
Interview by Steve Roeser, Rock's Backpages audio, Spring 1998
From the clubs of Tulsa, via Los Angeles, Phil Spector and the Shelter People, to Nashville and a return to country roots — Leon Russell remembers... well, some of it.
File format: mp3; file size: 55.9mb, interview length: 58' 10" sound quality: * (phone interview)
Letter by Jonathan Singer, unpublished, 4 March 1999
Transcribed below is a letter written by Jonathan Singer to David Hinckley of the New York Daily News. The letter led to Mr. Hinckley's article ...
Backbeat — Earl Palmer's Story By Tony Scherman (Smithsonian Institution; 196 pages; $24.95)
Book Review by Joel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 July 1999
Earl Palmer Laid Down the Rhythm of Rock 'n' Roll ...
Glen Campbell: "I could have gone the same way as Elvis"
Interview by Max Bell, The Evening Standard, 17 September 1999
Cleaned-up and born again, Glen Campbell is back in town. MAX BELL talks to him about the drugs and women... and the music that made ...
Hall-of-Fame Hitter: Drummer Earl Palmer gets his due
Retrospective and Interview by Ted Drozdowski, The Boston Phoenix, 31 January 2000
LIKE ANY GOOD GRANDFATHER, Earl Palmer has tried to find interests to share with his grandkids. So far, coin collecting has been a favorite. It's ...
Obituary by Andria Lisle, Living Blues, March 2000
FOLLOWING A STRUGGLE with cancer, legendary saxophonist Fred Ford died on November 26, 1999. He was 69. Ford, a pillar of the Memphis music community, ...
Top of the Pops albums: Better than the real thing?
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, September 2000
Bikini models, Kraftwerk covers and dodgy Mick Jagger impersonators. Kieron Tyler examines the 95p world of the Top Of The Pops album phenomenon. ...
Retrospective by Ian Penman, The Wire, October 2000
Ian Penman celebrates the late Jack Nitzsche, the rogue composer whose soundtrack legacy reads like a rollcall of the Hollywood damned. ...
Book Excerpt by Phil Hardy, Dave Laing, The Faber Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music, 2001
b. 21 August 1939, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA ...
Book Excerpt by Phil Hardy, Dave Laing, The Faber Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music, 2001
b. Jerry Hubbard, 20 March 1937, Atlanta, Georgia, USA ...
Book Excerpt by Phil Hardy, Dave Laing, The Faber Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music, 2001
b. Curtis Ousley, 7 February 1934, Fort Worth, Texas, USA, d. 13 August 1971, New York ...
Book Excerpt by Phil Hardy, Dave Laing, 'Faber Companion to 20th Century Popular Music', 2001
b. 8 October 1932, Augusta, Georgia, USA, d. 29 July 1988, Nashville, Tennessee ...
Ace Cannon: The Best of Ace Cannon: The Hi Records Years
Sleeve notes by Colin Escott, The Right Stuff/Hi Records, 2001
SPARE, FUNKY, and disarmingly simple. Ace Cannon and Bill Black defined a sound. There was never a surplus note or inflection. These were records that ...
Jimmy Page, The Yardbirds: Jimmy Page: Educating Jimmy
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, May 2001
Before Jimmy Page became a rock god, he was a sonic apprentice par excellence. ...
Ian Dury, Chaz Jankel: Chaz Jankel
Interview by Bill Brewster, Faith, 2002
CHAZ JANKEL made his name as Ian Dury's collaborator and founder member of backing band, the Blockheads. As a solo artist, he's most well known ...
Mel Brown: Whaddya Mean You've Never Heard Of… Mel Brown?
Retrospective by James Maycock, MOJO, 2002
"WITH THE GUITAR outselling all other musical instruments today," declared a Down Beat editor confidently in 1967, "it's good to have Mel Brown around to ...
Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant: Robert Plant (2003) [transcript]
Transcript of audio interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages transcripts, 2003
This is a transcript of Barney's interview with Robert. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...
Harmony Grass: Buried Treasure: Harmony Grass' This Is Us (RCA)
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, May 2003
This month, Tony Rivers and the making of the great lost UK sunshine pop album. ...
Larry Carlton: Sounds Familiar
Profile and Interview by Fred Shuster, Los Angeles Daily News, 22 March 2004
YOU'VE HEARD his licks a million times. If you were in the music biz during the '70s, you marveled at his Prince Valiant hairstyle. As ...
Hi Rhythm, Willie Mitchell: Hi Rhythm: Love and Happiness
Retrospective and Interview by Andria Lisle, Memphis Flyer, 2 July 2004
Hi Rhythm, Memphis' other soul house band, made music into a family affair ...
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, RPM Records, October 2004
Aim High is the soundtrack to a film that was never produced. ...
Tower of Power's Emilio Castillo: An Interview
Interview by Carl Wiser, Songfacts, 11 October 2004
The Tower Of Power horn section is one of the best in the business. The group not only performs as a solo act, but is ...
Report and Interview by Chris Campion, Daily Telegraph, 11 December 2004
What happens when veteran soul drummers and top hip-hop DJs improvise together? Chris Campion reports. ...
Interview by Phil Sutcliffe, unpublished, 2 April 2005
On working with a regular session team "A group of people in those days got selected to do a lot of work, which in a way ...
Interview by Lois Wilson, Record Collector, December 2005
Kiki Dee on working with Motown, Elton John and Boots The Chemist. ...
A Swamper Tells the Muscle Shoals Story: An Interview with David Hood
Interview by Carl Wiser, unpublished, 2006
ABOUT TWO minutes into 'I'll Take You There', a sultry bass groove plays while Mavis Staples implores, "Little David, help me out now..." ...
Booker T & The MGs, Booker T. Jones: Booker T. Jones (2006)
Interview by Joel Selvin, Selvin On The City, KSAN 107.7, 2006
The Booker T & The MGs mainman talks about the Stax years, working with the likes of Otis Redding and Albert King, making 'Green Onions', and on to later projects with Santana, Neil Young and Boz Scaggs.
File format: mp3; file size: 25.5mb; Interview length: 27' 5"; sound quality: *****
Booker T & The MGs, Booker T. Jones: Booker T. Jones (2006) [transcript]
Transcript of audio interview by Joel Selvin, Rock's Backpages transcripts, 2006
This is a transcript of Joel's radio interview with the great M.G.s mainmain. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...
Linda Lewis: Turning Bitter Into Sweet
Retrospective and Interview by Terry Staunton, Record Collector, March 2006
Disco diva, Northern Soul icon, hippie singer-songwriter, reluctant stage show brat. Linda Lewis has been all of these and more. Terry Staunton hears tales of ...
Grateful Dead, The Tubes: Vince Welnick, 1951-2006
Obituary by Joel Selvin, SF Gate, 30 June 2006
WHEN VINCE WELNICK signed on to play keyboards for the Grateful Dead, some people said it probably saved his life. He had five good years ...
Big Jim Sullivan: The Man With The Golden Arm
Interview by Jon Stewart, Guitarist, September 2006
Jon Stewart talks about what it takes to make it as a professional musician with Big Jim Sullivan, the legendary UK session guitarist who has ...
Cabaret bands: Working Man's Soul
Retrospective and Interview by Bill Brewster, djhistory.com, November 2006
You can almost smell the crushed velvet. While Led Zeppelin were doing unspeakable things with sharks and glam rock was ubiquitous, thousands of musicians plied ...
Bob Dylan, King Crimson: Ian Wallace, 1946-2007
Obituary by Alan Clayson, The Guardian, 27 April 2007
Drummer with King Crimson and Bob Dylan ...
Booker T & The MGs, Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones: Booker T. & the MGs: Soul Survivors
Retrospective and Interview by Andria Lisle, Memphis Flyer, 3 May 2007
Decades after helping create the Stax groove, no one represents the living legacy of Memphis soul quite like Booker T. & the MGs. ...
Obituary by Nicholas Jennings, The Globe and Mail, 23 June 2007
AMONG BLUES-ROCK soloists and accompanists, he had few equals. An exceptional pianist, organist and accordion player, Richard Bell left his mark on more than 400 ...
Retrospective by Alan Clayson, unpublished, December 2007
ON THE 17th September, 2007, Your Time In Gonna Come: The Roots Of Led Zeppelin 1964-69 was released by Sanctuary Records. Blighted severely by the ...
Michael Jackson, Steve Lukather, Spinal Tap, Toto: Toto: Get in the Van…
Interview by Scott McLennan, Rip It Up (Australia), February 2008
Steve Lukather's resumé over the last three decades not only showcases a prolific musician, it also suggests a wildly divergent talent unafraid of variety. The ...
Profile by Barney Hoskyns, Uncut Legends, December 2008
REGGIE YOUNG is a southern institution: the session guitarist's session guitarist. His inimitable licks and fills, at once clipped and fluid, have graced a zillion ...
Retrospective by Jon Stewart, Guitarist, April 2009
Jon Stewart celebrates the magic of Motown’s multiple guitarists ...
Obituary by Adam Sweeting, The Guardian, 16 August 2009
BEHIND EVERY star there is a great producer, musician or record company A&R man. Barry Beckett, who has died aged 66 after a series of ...
Music's intellectual-property eviction notice
Essay by John Pidgeon, The Guardian, 24 September 2009
What made old singles so great? Session musicians, that's what. So why are those players finding their royalties disappearing? ...
Jim Dickinson: "I'm Just Dead: I'm Not Gone"
Memoir by Bob Mehr, MOJO, November 2009
A Sun Records artist who played with Dylan, the Stones and Aretha and produced key albums by Big Star and Ry Cooder, Jim Dickinson was ...
Barry Goldberg: Barry Goldberg/Soul Riot
Review by Steve Roeser, hollywoodconcerts.com, December 2009
BARRY GOLDBERG has been flying under the radar forever, the man who always seems to be there in the thick of things, quietly, unobtrusively making ...
Phil Spector's Christmas Album
Retrospective by Johnny Black, unpublished, December 2009
GUNS HAVE LANDED Phil Spector in no end of trouble over the years. Usually, as in his confrontations with John Lennon, Leonard Cohen and the ...
Nick Drake: Robert Kirby, 1948-2009
Obituary by David Hepworth, The Word, December 2009
THE SPARSENESS of the three albums Nick Drake released in his lifetime are part of their enduring appeal. On two of those albums, string arrangements ...
Doug Legacy, Van Dyke Parks: Picture Sleeve Archive: The legacy of Doug Legacy and his L.A. Legends
Retrospective and Interview by Stephen M H Braitman, Goldmine, 20 April 2010
Doug Legacy & The Legends Of The West: 'Christmas In Prison' b/w 'Christmas On The Range' (Some Pun'kins Records, 1978) ...
Roben Jones: Memphis Boys – The Story of American Studios (University Press Of Mississippi)
Book Review by Mike Atherton, Blues & Rhythm, 2011
"THOSE SEVEN MUSICIANS, the American rhythm section, are the most creative and innovative studio musicians I know," said Memphis promotion man Marty Lacker, who, having ...
Book Excerpt by Kirk Silsbee, 'A Perfect Haze' (Santa Monica Press), 2011
THE UNTOLD STORY of 1960s rock is the often-uncredited role that studio musicians played in the records that were the soundtrack to the era's youth. ...
Elton John: The Man Who Loved Records
Interview by Rob Fitzpatrick, The Word, March 2011
No downloads for Sir Elton John, thank you. No miming either. And don't get him started on Simon Cowell. Rob Fitzpatrick meets a passionate purist ...
Nashville Cats: David Briggs Reflects at the Country Music Hall of Fame
Report by Holly Gleason, No Depression, 26 March 2011
Nashville Cats: David Briggs at Ford Theatre, Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, TN ...
Dusty Springfield: Southern Harmony
Retrospective and Interview by Lois Wilson, MOJO, April 2011
She was one of the greatest vocalists of all time at the height of her powers but for Dusty Springfield the making of Dusty in ...
Obituary by Richard Williams, The Guardian, 23 May 2011
FOR A TIME in the mid-1960s, the band of the great rhythm and blues tenor saxophonist King Curtis contained two guitarists. The first, Jimi Hendrix, ...
Marc Ribot, Tom Waits: Marc Ribot: Swamp Thing
Profile and Interview by James Medd, The Word, November 2011
The genius fog-filled guitarist who pushed Tom Waits' signature sound off the piano stool. ...
Retrospective and Interview by James Medd, The Word, January 2012
Multi-instrumental session vet Charlie McCoy has a motto: have harmonica, be eternally employable. ...
The Beach Boys: Jeffrey Foskett on the Beach Boys
Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages, February 2012
NOTE: This is a transcript of the phone conversation I had with Jeffrey after interviewing Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David ...
Kent Hartman: The Wrecking Crew – The Inside Story Of Rock And Roll's Best-Kept Secret
Book Review by James Medd, The Word, February 2012
If it's Monday it must be the Beach Boys, Tuesday it's Sinatra. The fantasy life of L.A.'s fabled sessioneers told as soap opera ...
Booker T & The MGs: Duck Dunn and the Stax Attack
Comment by Don Snowden, Rock's Backpages, 15 May 2012
DUCK DUNN was one of the lucky ones – he had a name right from the start. ...
Obituary by Dave Laing, The Guardian, 18 July 2012
One of the last surviving members of the Funk Brothers, the backbone of Tamla Motown ...
Obituary by Richard Williams, The Guardian, 12 September 2012
American singer and songwriter best known for 'Games People Play' ...
Obituary by Dave Laing, The Guardian, 3 October 2012
Session guitarist with more than 50 chart toppers to his name ...
Obituary by Tony Russell, The Guardian, 2 December 2012
Versatile American guitarist who had a million-selling hit with 'Love Is Strange' ...
Van Dyke Parks: "I was victimised by Brian Wilson's buffoonery"
Retrospective and Interview by Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian, 9 May 2013
He co-wrote the Beach Boys' Smile and now works with everyone from Rufus Wainwright to Skrillex. But don't dare to call him quirky, says Van ...
Top 10 Hits from the '60s: Who Played on 'Em
Retrospective by Harold Bronson, Rock's Backpages, 14 January 2014
THE WRECKING CREW, a much-needed documentary about the behind-the-scenes elite crop of studio musicians who provided the instrumentation for many of the hits of the ...
Review by Mick Houghton, Uncut, February 2014
TAKING THEIR NAME from a grocery store, Barefoot Jerry evolved out of Area Code 615, a group of top-notch young sessioneers who saw the light ...
Interview by Jim Sullivan, Boston Rock/Talk, June 2014
The "Wizard of Woo" talks about his hugely varied background in music; his time as part of P-Funk; fond memories of his association with Talking Heads; his current band and activities, and his desire to play music with whales and dolphins!
File format: mp3; file size: 26.1mb, interview length: 28' 28" sound quality: *** (phoner)
Bernie Worrell: "Intergalactic synth-drenched funk" coming to Dennis Port
Report and Interview by Jim Sullivan, Cape Cod Times, 28 June 2014
HE MAY NOT be a household name, but chances are you've grooved to his music over the years. ...
Bobby Keys, The Rolling Stones: Bobby Keys 1943-2014
Obituary by Kris Needs, Classic Rock Online, December 2014
FOR THE LAST 45 years, Bobby Keys was the closest the Rolling Stones got to sporting a sixth member; a larger-than-life force of nature blessed ...
Chris Spedding: 100 Club, London
Live Review by Ian Gittins, The Guardian, 12 January 2015
CHRIS SPEDDING is a rare creature: both semi-legendary and utterly anonymous. One of the most prolific session musicians of all time, this virtuoso guitarist's 50-year ...
Report and Interview by Juliette Jagger, Huffington Post, 19 February 2015
IN THE '60s and '70s, a should-be-legendary group of studio musicians dubbed the Wrecking Crew played on the era's defining songs. ...
Interview by Bud Scoppa, Uncut, March 2015
Recommended this month: a prodigious L.A. multi-tasker, anointed as Chosen One by Jackson Browne, Rick Rubin, Benmont Tench et al. ...
Ginger Baker, Remi Kabaka, The Rolling Stones, Wings: Talking Drummer: An Interview with Remi Kabaka
Interview by Steve Roeser, Rock's Backpages, July 2015
ON A SATURDAY afternoon in late May, I arrive at a large outdoor sports facility on the west side of Los Angeles. There are several playing fields ...
Obituary by Dave Laing, The Guardian, 14 November 2016
IN 2010, ELTON JOHN surprised his fans by releasing an album in collaboration with the pianist, singer and songwriter Leon Russell, whom he described as ...
David Lindley: Behind the Curtain: David Lindley
Profile and Interview by Steven Rosen, Rock Cellar, 9 December 2016
THERE'S AN OLD saying about traveling to the beat of your own drummer. Taking the road less walked upon. Following your own muse. Making up ...
Retrospective by Mitchell Cohen, Music Aficionado, 2017
IF HE'D DONE nothing before or after he dropped by a Bob Dylan recording session in June 1965, sat down at the Hammond organ – ...
Retrospective by Jude Rogers, The Guardian, 7 June 2017
In the early 90s, a trio from south-east England set out to fulfil pop's potential. Nearly 30 years later, they're still making bold, inventive music. ...
Bootsy Collins: Staying on The One: Bootsy Collins' Favourite LPs
Interview by Julian Marszalek, The Quietus, 2 November 2017
Bootsy Collins helped define the sound of funk, working with Parliament and James Brown, who taught him the mysterious concept of The One. In this ...
Elvis Presley: D.J. Fontana, 1931-2018
Obituary by Tony Burke, Record Collector, August 2018
DOMINIC JOSEPH "D.J." Fontana died in Nashville on 13th June. He was aged 87 and was suffering from complications of a broken hip. From 1954 ...
Charlie Daniels, Bob Dylan: In concert, Daniels doesn't mix politics with music
Interview by Jim Sullivan, Cape Cod Times, 16 August 2018
CHARLIE DANIELS is pretty clear about what you will hear and will not hear when he and his five-piece band take the stage Saturday night ...
Retrospective by Mitchell Cohen, Music Aficionado, 2019
SESSION PLAYERS are usually unheralded, often uncredited. If you bought the albums The Who Sing My Generation or the Kinks' Face to Face, or the ...
Obituary by Adam Sweeting, The Guardian, 30 January 2019
WHEN HE topped the US singles chart in 1990 with 'I Don't Have the Heart', it was the first time James Ingram had scored a ...
Obituary by Tony Burke, Record Collector, March 2019
CLYDIE KING, who became one of the leading session and go-to back up singers during the 1970s, died on 7th January, aged 75. ...
Donnie Fritts, 1942-2019; Jimmy Johnson, 1943-2019; Larry "The Mole" Taylor, 1942-2019
Obituary by Tony Burke, Record Collector, November 2019
SINGER, SONGWRITER and piano player Donnie Fritts – a key member of the session musicians who shaped the sound of soul music recorded in Muscle ...
Jimi Hendrix: Philip Norman: Wild Thing – The Short, Spellbinding Life of Jimi Hendrix
Book Review by Bob Ruggiero, Houston Press, 11 September 2020
Wild Thing: the Latest — and best? — look at the Life of Jimi Hendrix ...
Steve Lukather, Toto: Steve Lukather: 33/3rd
Interview by Daryl Easlea, Record Collector, 25 March 2021
STEVE LUKATHER has played on countless records owned and streamed worldwide. For most musicians, just being a founder member and only constant of Toto would ...
Esther Phillips: Pee Wee Ellis' work with Esther Phillips: A tale of the tape
Memoir by Dan Nooger, Soul Source, 29 September 2021
PEE WEE ELLIS, best known for his groundbreaking work with James Brown, had worked as Esther Phillips' bandleader back in the 1970s. In an interview ...
Retrospective by Ian Winwood, Daily Telegraph, 26 November 2021
The revered keyboardist saved Let It Be and put his fingerprints on countless rock classics. But he kept his true self hidden to the end. ...
Obituary by Adam Sweeting, The Guardian, 15 December 2021
Singer-songwriter whose four-octave vocal range made him one of the most sought after backing singers in American music ...
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