artist interviews
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INXS
I interviewed the band’s Tim Farriss as part of an extensive eight-page cover feature to tie in with the release of the Michael Hutchence documentary Mystify and the reissue of band’s legendary 1991 Wembley Stadium show.
all saints
The world’s coolest girl group spilled the beans on the pressures that drove them apart, their latter-day career renaissance as well as the story behind slinky fifth studio album, Testament.
happy mondays
It was a real joy to speak to one of my favourite bands of the last 30 years, baggy legends Happy Mondays. I met frontman and national treasure Shaun Ryder plus the wonderful Rowetta and secret weapon, guitarist Mark Day, for an expansive chat that concentrated on their musical legacy rather than the notorious tabloid headlines.
belinda carlisle
I sat down with Belinda Carlisle to trace a remarkable life in music from her early days on the LA punk scene, her breakthrough with The Go-Go’s, through global pop superstardom, addiction issues and finding inner peace via kundalini yoga.
Louise redknapp
20 years after first interviewing Louise as a fledgling reporter, I caught up with the singer once again as she relaunched her solo career with the studio LP,
Heavy Love, and uncovered an unexpected feistier side to the star.
bananarama
To Soho, for a summit meeting with Keren and Sara. Cue tales of Terry Hall’s shyness, their DIY punk principles, Top Of The Pops dance routine debacles and new album, In Stereo.
rick astley
One of the good guys… Rick talks about the importance of family life to keep on an even keel in
the music business and also reveals his heavy metal
alter ego.
massive attack
Just one of many interviews with the Bristolian soundsystem after covering the city’s music scene for a decade. In this piece, Robert Del Naja – always good value – holds court on the making of their Heligoland album, inter-band dynamics and hometown politics.
john lydon
The most intimidating interviewee on the rock circuit? Not a bit of it. During this in-depth chat as PiL returned to the road, I bonded with Lydon over family matters and had him singing Arsenal terrace songs down the blower.
al green
What a privilege it was to interview one of the greatest soul singers of all time. Al was such a gent he even recorded a special message to be played at my wedding before the first dance.
Ian hunter
The Mott the Hoople frontman is a former journalist himself. The epitome of rock’n’roll cool, he called he ‘son’ throughout our interview. Top dude.