The Joe Jackson Interviews

Gabriel Byrne 1988 . ”The first totally honest, soul-searching interview I gave.

My Ebook Gabriel Byrne: The Joe Jackson Interviews Plus, remains very popular. Here, for those who read it, is part of one of the interviews in the book 

Remembering Phil Lynott. Bob Geldof 1989. Repost.

There are those who say Bob let Phil down by not asking him to take part in Live Aid. Here, Bob remembers Phil fondly

”Elvis did not peddle speed at Sun Records.” Sam Phillips to Joe Jackson 1993

Circa 1993, a rumour circulated that Elvis was discovered at Sun Records because he supplied musicians his mother's diet pills - speed - which he was using, it was claimed. To me, the rumours were bs perpetrated by a Britsh rock journalist called Roy Carr, so I phoned Sam and asked him and that. This is from my eBook, Elvis, Sam Phillips and Sun Records Revisited. 

Paula Yates Soul Searching in 1993 part one. A repost.

This is one of my most popular podcasts. I am reposting it to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the interview .

Having the craic with Leo Moran of the Sawdoctors 1992

A repost because the boys are back on tour. And I stand over my support for the band thirty years ago. I said their songs would be timeless and they have turned out to be. 

Elvis tells Tom Jones in 1969 ”I tried every drug to stay sane.”

Anyone who loved the Baz Luhrmann movie about Elvis needs to listen to this. Especially in terms of the lie that Elvis used only prescribed drugs to get high. As a kid, when the King was alive, I defended Elvis against any suggestion that he used drugs. Many fans still can't accept this truth about the man. The truth shall set you free. This is the third of my Elvis podcast reposts to mark the anniversary of his death.  

Nick Cave and Joe Jackson discuss Elvis, Scott Walker and Leonard Cohen

After this interview, Nick Cav e chased me down the stairs of a hotel while other people were waiting to interview him. He wanted to talk some more about my having met Sam Phillips. That says it all.  This is the second of my three Elvis podcast reposts to mark the anniversary of his death

Bono, Sinead O’ Connor, Sam Phillips and others celebrate Elvis Presley

It's coming up to August 16th, a date in 1977 when the lives of every Elvis fan, including musicians such as Dylan, were upended after the King died. This is a repost of a radio tribute I made in 2018

Robbie Robertson R.I.P. Robbie Robertson 1994 on his Native American heritage

To some rock fans, it is heresy to say that missing from The Band, one of the greatest roots records in rock, is the influence of Native American music but in 1994 the late Robbie Robertson agreed with me that it is. I repost this chat in memory of Robbie

Sinead O’ Connor: The Healer. The Music That Made Me Part Two.

Sinead was a healer. In this 2000 interview, part two of my podcast about her music, we talked about that. Her funeral is tomorrow. She is deeply missed but forever present. And her music still heals. R.I.P. Sinead