The Joe Jackson Interviews

Tom Jones talks about Van Morrison, taking amyl nitrate thinking it was Vicks, toning down his bad language and God.

This is part two of a trilogy of Tom Jones podcasts I am uploading to mark the release of his new album, Surrounded by Time. Here, during this interview we did to mark the release of his album Carrying a Torch, Tom talks about working with Van Morrison - "he's a searcher" - taking the drug amyl nitrate, thinking it was a cold decongestant, toning down his language and God. Part three will follow later today May 8th 2021

Gabriel Byrne versus Eoghan Harris 1988. Referee: Joe Jackson

The 1988 interview I did with Gabriel Byrne was the focus of an earlier podcast I posted, and it is one of the two major interviews, and a backstory, that makes up my eBook, Gabriel Byrne. The Joe Jackson Interviews Plus. However absent from the previous podcast and the eBook is the story I tell in this podcast. After Gabriel and I did that 1988 interview in Hollywood, Eoghan Harris, an Irish newspaper columnist, claimed, in a letter, that Byrne had phoned him and said he felt "manipulated" by me. It was all but...t as it transpired and here is the chat I had about it all with Gabriel, on an admittedly not-so-clear phone link up! Enjoy

Francis Rossi, Status Quote, The Music that Made Me. Talks about the Everly Brothers, copying Hendrix, coke, Bono, Van Morrison and God

A wide-ranging interview I did with Francis Rossi, who talks, a lot, about The Every Brothers, early Fleetwood Mac, Pictures of Matchstick men, In My Chair, cocaine nearly ruining his voice, Bono, Van Morrios and God, in that order. Great fun overall. 

Eamon Dunphy the 1996 definitive interview. On shyness, George Best being boring, brothel creeping, lesbian sex and a threesome.

This is a section from my eBook Conversations with a Loudmouth. The Eamon Dunphy Tapes. Eamon has since told me he never gave an interview like this before and hasn't since. He likened it to being grilled by Anthony Clare for In the Psychiatrist's Chair. I promise you, this is "Eamo" as you never heard him in public

Tom Jones on sex appeal and the "talismanic aspect of knickers" - being thrown during his concerts! I kid you not!

Actually, I am kidding, to a degree, about the subject matter of this, the first of three podcasts I am making to mark the release of Tom's latest album, Surrounded by Time, on which he looks back over a life that has lasted 80 years. But during this 1991 interview, in which I run by him that comment about the "talismanic" aspect of those knickers being thrown - a phrase I stole from a BBC TV documentary - we do discuss the subject and his attempt, at the time, to move the focus from his groin to his voice! Have fun with this one. I did. 

Michael D Higgins Uncensored. 1993. On cultural politics, drugs, Dylan, Eamon Dunphy, Gerry Adams and the Sunday Independent

This was the first programme in my 2016 radio series, The Joe Jackson Tapes Revisited. RTE Radio 1  promoted it as 'A previously unheard interview with President Michael D Higgins.' The press release - included on the YouTube version of this podcast - also read:

'In tonight's episode, acclaimed journalist Joe Jackson takes a revisionist tilt on his controversial 1993 and view of the now president of Ireland Michael D Higgins, in which “we learn a lot more about the man in his politics than he usually revealed, “ according to Joe.

During the four and a half-hour interview conducted over a two day. Joan Michael D discussed subjects such as cultural politics third world politics Bob Dylan drugs Eamon Dunphy and Gerry Adams.

“My abiding memory of the interview,” says Joe, “is of how formidable, ferocious and funny Michael D Higgins could be when defending himself against his critics."

Father Brian D'arcy 1996. A soul searching interview with a priest, about sexual abuse, his "life-denying" spiritual training and re-learning a 'version of goodness.'

 

During this staggeringly honest and truthful and timely interview Father Brian D'Arcy, an Irish priest, gave me in 1996, he basically ended up deconstructing Catholicism and admitting that the spiritual training he had was "life-denying" and that he had to "re-learn a vision of goodness." A hugely provocative conversation. 

 

The Night Tom Jones wanted to punch-out his "rival" singer PJ Proby.

This is a clip from a 1990 interview I did with Tom. PJ Proby, whom I had previously interviewed, claimed that Tom stole his act after Proby was banned from performing on stage as a result of splitting his trousers during performances! Tom took his place on the tour. Here he tells me about calling Proby out for a fistfight!

 

Kiss. Gene Simmons 1996 on sex, not using drugs - "I'd beat the ass off Axel Rose" - being an "outcast" as a Jew, and why Morrissey's music lacks sexual energy and isn't rock 'n' roll

This interview - and if you are looking for Hi-Fi sound you came to the wrong place, it's a not-so-clear phone interview - is pretty much a monologue from Gene Simmons, who focuses far and wide on subjects such as sex being at the core of rock 'n' roll, why he thinks Morrissey lacks that energy, being a Jew, Jesus Christ, U2, money, and more. A Kissorama of an interview!  

Bob Geldof 2001 'Sex, Age and Death' and Paula Yates. 'I do not feel guilty about her death."

This is an edited section from a longer podcast I made last year. I am separating this section and making it a stand-alone podcast simply because literally thousands of people have listen to, and watched on YouTube my recent podcasts based on a 1993 interview I did with Paula. Here, yes, I put Geldof, whom I knew, to whatever degree - mostly socially - since we were teenagers, under pressure in relation to Paula, and songs on his latest album at the time, Sex, Age and Death.' He later complained to an editor that I was "a bit rough on" him and we haven't spoken since. This podcast is not for the weak of heart!