The Joe Jackson Interviews

Marianne Faithful R.I.P. Memories of Marianne and a remarkable 1989 phone interview

As I say in the intro to this podcast, hastily put together on 'the evening of the day' I heard Marianne had died, she was one of the most fascinating women I met, in, or beyond the world of celebrity interviewing. She also was an infinitely superior artist to certain rock stars with whom she was endless compared and who I won't name.  

Leonard Cohen light-heartedly mocks Bono for getting wrong the words of Hallelujah

I love this phone chat I had with Leonard. It was our third interview and showed me and - when published in The Irish Times - that Cohen had a great sense of humour. But I am guessing that Bono doesn't like what he said. Lighten up, man!

Leonard Cohen 1985 talks about Love and Hate. The first Joe Jackson Interview

It's coming up to forty years since I, as a Cohen fan, and writer, not journalist, conned my way into meeting Cohen by getting a commission to interview him for a rock magazine. It left me feeling so transcendent I decided to become an interviewer! Incidentally, the editor in question said it was crap and that I should have asked Leonard more about "sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll." Yawn! Cohen told me he thought it was "a great interview" then added, "Thank you, man." I was only a kid!

Joan Baez 'Don't Talk About Dylan and We'll Get On Fine."

It's been. more than thirty years since I did this phone interview with Joan Baez. I'm reposting it because of the release of the movie A Complete Unknown. I'd prefer to listen to the real Joan Baez, telling her own story and touching on her time with Bob

Boy George. "I always fancied Larrry Mullen Jr." A fun exchange with Joe Jackson

Boy George telling me to tell Bono that if he still hadn't found what he was looking for, he should look behind the drum kit, was just a quip. But the quote made it around the world thanks to MTV news. It's just a bit of fun. We talked abut it years later

Tommy Tiernan. "I am a dour, bearded, penitent Russian Monk."

Tommy Tiernan is now an interviewer who aspires to do in-depth interviews on TV. I commend his aspiration.

Here is part of an in-depth interview he did with me. 

Am I kidding about any of this? 

You decide!

Richard Harris tells Joe Jackson about recording Macarthur Park

Imagine falling love with a song when you are 16, the, later in life meeting the guy who sang it and who asks yo uto write his life story! This is a tiny section from the chapter about Macarthur Park, from my book Richard Harris: Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven.  

Elvis's Santa Clause is Back in Town. "It's not a filthy blues song" its writers tell Joe Jackson!

Its that time of year again. I've loved Elvis's Christmas album since I was a kid. That;s why it was such a joy to interview in LA in 2004, the writers of its opening track, Santa Claus Is Back in Town. 

Phil Lynott remembered by Skid Row leader Brush Shiels. The Joe Jackson archive

This was recorded in my kitchen at home, hence the echo. I love getting on tape the memories of someone like Brush about "Philo" or anything else. 

Nancy Sinatra talks about Elvis and her Father Frank. The Joe Jackson archive

I grew up listening to my Dad's Sinatra LPs, and was an Elvis fan, so it was surreal to have this chat on the phone with Nancy. Even more so to see we agreed about Elvis's gospel songs