Record Mirror
Launched as a competitor to New Musical Express in 1954, Record Mirror was a British weekly music newspaper. After a number of changes of ownership and the absorption of Disc and Music Echo in 1975, it closed in 1991.
1,478 articles
List of articles in the library
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 29 April 1961
Bad Manners At Beat Show ...
Marty Wilde: Shakespeare Swotting — that's For Me Says Marty Wilde
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 29 April 1961
PETER JONES REPORTS ...
Lonnie Donegan: Star Of The Week — No. 7: Lonnie Donegan
Profile by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 29 April 1961
LONNIE DONEGAN'S new single — to be released on May 3 — is 'Take a Drink On Me'. It is an adaptation of an old ...
Clinton Ford, The Temperance Seven: Temperance Seven, Clinton Ford: Old-Fashioned Approach
Interview by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 29 April 1961
The Temperance Seven At No. 1; Clinton Ford A Hit On Easy Beat ...
Shane Fenton & the Fentones: Shane Fenton: Leyton, Kane And Now Shane
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 7 October 1961
I'M NOT BOASTING BUT I SPOT A NEW BOY ...
The Drifters, Ben E. King: The Inconsistent Drifters
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 7 October 1961
IN AMERICA, TWENTY-ONE HITS. IN BRITAIN — THREE! NORMAN JOPLING FOCUSES ON... THE INCONSISTENT DRIFTERS ...
Del Shannon: Mix-Ups and Mr. Shannon
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 10 March 1962
BY NOW, mix-ups seem to be an integral pact of DEL SHANNON'S recording career. ...
Lonnie Donegan: What Lonnie Needs Now
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 10 March 1962
— A FOLLOW-UP TO 'DUSTMAN' ...
Gene Vincent: The Secret Fear of Gene Vincent
Comment by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 31 March 1962
GENE VINCENT flies back to London on March 28. Great news for his myriad fans, including me, who regard him as a truly great rock ...
Gary US Bonds: "DJs Have To Play R&B," says U.S. Bonds!
Interview by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 28 April 1962
GARY ANDERSON arrived last week. He is small, about 5 ft 6 ins., very very quiet, almost reserved. Under his professional name U.S. Bonds, which ...
Gene McDaniels... On Those Cover Discs
Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 28 April 1962
GENE McDANlELS is, in a way, a "singer's singer". He goes for the quality material. But he has also come to terms with himself with ...
Frank Sinatra: The Sinatra Fans Hit Back
Readers' Letters by Fred Dellar, Record Mirror, 28 April 1962
ALTHOUGH there is a fair amount of truth in Peter Jones's article "Standard Slipping, Mr. Sinatra?" I'm afraid be is in the position of a ...
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 12 May 1962
TOP TWENTY status, in which he jostles for space with the Elvis Presleys and Cliff Richards, has softened 52-year-old show business all-rounder Burl Ives in ...
Duane Eddy: Can Duane Get Out Of The Doldrums?
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 12 May 1962
DUANE EDDY switched labels quite recently. His first single release under the new deal with RCA-Victor is 'Deep In The Heart Of Texas' — and ...
Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Jerry Lee Lewis: 'Dig My Killer Hair?' — Asked Jerry Lee Lewis
Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 12 May 1962
THE TIME BOMB WITH THE FOUR YEAR OLD FUSE ...
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 12 May 1962
'NUT ROCKER' IS IN THE CHARTS ...
Mel Blanc, Pat Boone: Boone Changes Style Again
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 28 July 1962
IT LOOK A bit of the old rock 'n' roll, a screaming female, and a voice that takes you back to the sordid cartoon theatres ...
Della Reese In London: Gospel Is Very Big Business
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 28 July 1962
MOST PEOPLE in Britain think of DELLA REESE as a Gospel singer. But the truth is that she'll sing ANYTHING, working on the theory: "If ...
Bobby Darin: Take It Easier, Mr. Darin
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 28 July 1962
IT WENT on, and on, and on, and on... for months Rumour, counter-rumour, denial, counter-denial... and finally the bouncy young man, who just can't help ...
Vince Taylor: The Black Leather Suits Controversy: Vince Taylor as Elvis!!
Report and Interview by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 28 July 1962
IT COULD HAPPEN, SAYS THE ROCK SINGER BRITAIN DIDN'T WANT ...
Beat Group Names from America and Liverpool
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 August 1962
IS THE Liverpool area the rockingest part of the great British Isles? A publication, Mersey Beat, just arrived, makes me think this is the ...
Chubby Checker: Chubby Checks In
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 8 September 1962
'TWIST' KING HERE FOR TOUR ...
Jet Harris & Tony Meehan: Following His Solo Stage Debut Jet Harris Talks To The NRM's Peter Jones
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 8 September 1962
PROGRESS report on: JET HARRIS. Since he left the Shadows to plough his solo way through show business, he has three packed-out, lifting-the-roof audiences deciding ...
Rolf Harris: The Zany 'Kangaroo Man' Is Back
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 8 September 1962
TWO YEARS ago, 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport' hit the British charts with all the fury of an aboriginal war dance. So did Rolf Harris, ...
Chet Atkins, Floyd Cramer: Floyd Cramer and Chet Atkins: The Quiet Men from Nashville, Tennessee
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 15 September 1962
THE TWO most dominant figures in the Nashville, Tennessee, music scene – a scene noted for loud noises – are QUIET men. Chet Atkins, we ...
Del Shannon Digs 'Nutty' Sounds
Interview by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 22 September 1962
THE 'RUNAWAY' SINGER WANTS TO SEE SOME FOOTBALL ...
Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Little Eva: Four Careers & Carole King
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 22 September 1962
FOUR CAREERS? At twenty? How come you may well ask. In CAROLE KING'S case it comes naturally. ...
Brenda Lee: The Strain Of Being Brenda Lee
Report and Interview by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 29 September 1962
TWICE ILL IN HOSPITAL! FATIGUE AND COLLAPSE! ELVIS FILM TURNED DOWN ...
The Beatles: "We made sure of applause — we took our fans with us" reveal The Beatles
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 24 November 1962
"WHEN WE played outside Liverpool, as often as not we would hire a couple of coaches and take an audience with us," said a Beatle. ...
Overview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 15 December 1962
THE STORY OF THE BRITISH RHYTHM AND BLUES RIOT-RAISERS... ...
Brook Benton: Disappointed Brook
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 12 January 1963
Peter Jones looks at the Million-Selling Ex-Truck Driver... ...
Fats Domino: The Man Who Sang Rock Before Haley
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 12 January 1963
HIS first million-seller was named after himself. Until last year he had more million-sellers than Elvis, who finally caught up with him after a hard ...
The Shirelles: The Neglected Shirelles
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 12 January 1963
"I MET HIM on a Sunday" sang Addie, Doris, Shirley, and Beverly. They were heard by a class-mate at Passiac high school during a rehearsal ...
Report and Interview by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 2 February 1963
WHETHER YOU like them or not, you've got to admit that the Beatles are just about the most talked-about group on the British beat scene. ...
Chris Montez: Give Me The Flamenco
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 2 February 1963
"I REALLY like Spanish dancing best." Chris Montez told me over the transatlantic phone, "And 'though I jive and twist a lot I guess it's ...
The Springfields: Colder In Nashville Than Even Here Says Tom Springfield
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 February 1963
MIKE PICKWORTH is the "new boy" of the Springfield's. He's the 21-year-old who took over when Tim Feild left to set up in the antique ...
The Limeliters: They're in the Limelight
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 February 1963
PETER JONES welcomes the LIMELITERS to Britain ...
The Limeliters: They're in the Limelight
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 February 1963
PETER JONES welcomes the LIMELITERS to Britain ...
Brian Hyland: They Said I Was a One-Hit Boy Says Brian Hyland to Peter Jones
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 February 1963
DISTINCTLY FUNNY, not to mention odd, is the disc career of the personable young Brian Hyland. It's been up-and-down with the persistence of a yoyo. ...
Billie Davis: No Nerves From Billie
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
HIT DISC, first go. That's Billie Davis, who has held off opposition from Alma Cogan and the American 'Tell Him' grouping the Exciters. And a ...
Johnny Mathis: Comment — The Mathis Chart Mystery...
Profile by Keith Matthews, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
DID JOHNNY Mathis burn his boats when he appeared on Juke Box Jury? A question which arises because of his recent lack of hits in ...
The Bachelors: 'Don't Call Us Paddy' Begged The Bachelors
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
"WHENEVER we talk to anyone they call us 'Paddy'," complained the three Bachelors. "We've got names you know." ...
The Marcels: Fallen Idols No. 13: The Marcels
Retrospective by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
EVER SINCE the big beat came in it has been the custom to re-hash the standards into the mood fashionable at the time. ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
Sinatra-Basie in Depth: Peter Jones highlights a Great New Album from Sinatra and The Count ...
Jet Harris & Tony Meehan: "Mad and Misguided"
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
THAT'S WHAT WAS SAID WHEN JET HARRIS AND TONY MEEHAN LEFT THE SHADOWS — 'DIAMONDS' PROVED THEM ALL WRONG... ...
Joe Brown: Shakespeare Helped Pen Joe's New Disc!
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
THE LATEST chapter in the crazy life of Joe Brown started with him whistling to me across busy Shaftesbury Avenue, in London's West End. He ...
The Beatles: New Album and Single
Report and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
THERE'S been a lot of stuff written on the Beatles lately. Rightly, too, for they happen to be in the class of the rarest performers ...
Cliff Richard, The Shadows: The Unseen, But Not Unheard Side Of The SHADOWS
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 February 1963
THE SHADOWS: top instrumental group; world travellers; hit disc-makers; theatre packers-in; fan-forming personalities. But while they've strummed and struck their way to fame, they've been ...
Del Shannon: 'I Can't Wait To Get Back' Says Del Talking About His British Tour
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 23 February 1963
DEL SHANNON, fast becoming a contender for the "Mr. Consistency" department of pop, took time off from a session on his new L.P. to scatter ...
Connie Francis: Strictly For The Boys — That's Connie!
Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 9 March 1963
CONNIE TELLS US ABOUT FOLLOW THE BOYS... ...
Heinz, Joe Meek, Outlaws, The (UK), The Tornados: Heinz — Is He Right?
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 9 March 1963
HAS HEINZ Burt done the right thing in leaving the Tornados? Or would he have been wiser to stick with the group until they had ...
Jerry Lee Lewis: Rockin' Split Personality
Profile by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 9 March 1963
SHY JERRY LEE LEWIS GOES WILD... ON STAGE ...
Cliff Richard, The Shadows: The Secret That Cliff Can't Tell!
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 9 March 1963
CLIFF RICHARD is, for sure, the most successful pop entertainer in Britain right now. But could it be that he is becoming more popular abroad ...
Timi Yuro: Her Middle Name Is Soul
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 9 March 1963
"SOUL" — what is it? In a word, it's "indefinable". It's a sort of total involvement in the music one is expressing, whether by voice ...
Overview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 March 1963
EVERYONE IS talking about the Rhythm and Blues revival that's going on. But we wondered whether in fact there was a revival. ...
Bobby Rydell: Twenty Years Plus Bobby
Profile and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 23 March 1963
A SIGNIFICANT thing happened to Bobby Rydell when he was five years old. His father took him to see a stage show. And another stage ...
Dick Dale: They've Spent A Fortune
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 23 March 1963
On The Lad They Call "The New Presley" In The US ...
Mark Wynter: Missing — One New Goffin-King Song. And I Lost It, Says Mark Wynter
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 23 March 1963
ONE AMBITION of Mark Wynter's was to meet up with Gerry Goffin and Carole King during his recent trip to New York. He achieved that ...
Discography by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 March 1963
EVERYONE KNOWS the old story about Chubby Checker and the Twist. ...
Screaming Lord Sutch: Two Sides Of Sutch
Report and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 23 March 1963
ROCK SINGING, horror, comedy – and now politics. Such are the interests, professional and personal, of Screamin' Lord Sutch. ...
Buddy Knox: The Great Unknowns No. 2: Buddy Knox
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 March 1963
SEVERAL MONTHS ago a disc entered the top fifty by an artist who hadn't seen the light of the charts for many years. It was ...
The Beatles, Dave Berry: The Hamburg Scene: An NRM Special Report
Report and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 6 April 1963
WHERE, WOULD you reckon, is the greatest training ground for British beat singers and groups? ...
Dusty Springfield, The Springfields: The Springfields: The White Negress
Report and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 6 April 1963
"THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL ME" – DUSTY SPRINGFIELD ...
Report by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 20 April 1963
By BILL HARRY, Editor of MERSEY BEAT ...
Andy Williams: Picasso Originals!
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 20 April 1963
ANDY WILLIAMS DOESN'T HOARD RECORDS — HE COLLECTS ...
Cyril Davies, Alexis Korner: Cyril Davies: The Soul-Beat Revival...
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 April 1963
MR. CYRIL DAVIS, purveyor of R&B is currently the white hope of Pye's new R&B campaign. With his new single, the scintillating, exciting 'Country Line ...
Sammy Davis Jr.: Palladium, London
Live Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 20 April 1963
SAM'S A WHAM! ...
The Drifters, Ben E. King: The Great Unknowns No.4: Ben E. King
Discography by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 April 1963
The Latin-Tinged Balladeer Who Never Quite Made It! ...
Bo Diddley: The Man With A Hundred Guitars... Diddley the Great
Retrospective by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 April 1963
ABOUT EIGHT years ago, a sound called Rock and Roll started to penetrate the music scene in a big big way, taking over completely from ...
Chuck Berry: When Chuck Shocked Jazz Fans
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 April 1963
THE PROOF of the pudding is in the eating, they say. But the proof of the R&B pudding is in the after effects. How many ...
The Rolling Stones: Genuine R&B!
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 May 1963
AS THE TRAD scene gradually subsides, promoters of all kinds of teen-beat entertainment heave a long sigh of relief that they have found something to ...
The Big Three: "They All Copied Us," Said The Big Three To NRM's David Griffiths
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 1 June 1963
THE FIRST thing you notice about them is that they are quite normal size — three average-height lads. But when they start to play — ...
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 ...
Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans, The Crystals, Darlene Love, Phil Spector: The Crystals Mystery
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 29 June 1963
Rumour Has It That The Crystals, Bob B. Soxx And The Blue Jeans, And Darlene Love Are In Fact One Group. Here Are The Facts... ...
Ray Charles: What Else is Left for Ray?
Profile by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 13 July 1963
Has The Genius Any More Fields To Conquer? ...
The Beach Boys, The Chantays, Dick Dale, Jan & Dean: Let's Go Surfin'...
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 20 July 1963
Peter Jones takes a close look at the latest U.S. craze to hit the scene ...
Nat King Cole: Great Jazzman To Great Businessman
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 20 July 1963
SOFT LIGHTS, a smoke-hazed atmosphere, gentleness, smooth (and, if you're a susceptible girl, spine-tingling) singing. ...
Brenda Lee: A Brenda Bargain – Re-Issue Collection on Ace of Hearts
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 17 August 1963
LITTLE MISS NEWLY-MARRIED has had, believe it or not, no less than SEVEN years in the music business. And that's seven years making discs too. ...
Chubby Checker: Dance Crazes? "They're Out" Says Chubby Checker
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 17 August 1963
CHUBBY CHECKER emerged from the bathroom in his London hotel. He'd showered and shaved. Light blue shirt, dark mohair slacks, open sandals. And a limp. ...
Heinz, Joe Meek: Faith Plus Enthusiasm: Heinz' Success Story
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 17 August 1963
SO HEINZ crashes handsomely into the charts. After the false start of his debut solo disc, 'Dreams Do Come True', his "heartfelt" tribute to Eddie ...
Report and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 17 August 1963
JOE BROWN has really put his foot in it this time. ...
Profile and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 24 August 1963
Frank Ifield had all the Star Qualities – Good Looks, Good Voice, Charm, etc., but it took him three years to hit the top, because ...
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 24 August 1963
A ROOM in a plush London hotel. The centre of the attraction is an American Negro, 48 years old, his face leathery and worn. Dark ...
Lonnie Mack: The Instrumental Influence and Hit Star
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 24 August 1963
BEAT instrumentals are probably at a higher degree of popularity in the States than ever before. Discs like 'Wipeout', 'Tips Of My Fingers', 'Pipeline', 'Hot ...
Howlin' Wolf: The Great Unknowns No. 11: Howlin' Wolf Burnette
Profile by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 31 August 1963
WHEN PYE records launched their second R & B campaign, one of the artists involved was a gentleman by the strange name of Howlin' Wolf. ...
Cliff Richard: How Cliff Rose To Fame
Profile by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 7 September 1963
David Griffiths spotlights the early days of Cliff's career... ...
The Hollies: A Hit Despite Juke Box Jury
Profile by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 7 September 1963
AFTER A long-drawn-out success with their 'Just Like Me' hit, the popular Hollies, Manchester's second-biggest chart group, seem to have another of the same calibre ...
Gerry & The Pacemakers: Gerry And The Pacemakers Too Busy For Recordings!
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 14 September 1963
IT'S BEEN a bit quiet on the recording front for Gerry and the Pacemakers — and the main reason is that the effervescent Mr. Marsden ...
Roy Orbison: An Unexpected U.S. Hit For Roy
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 14 September 1963
But although he's clicking with a rocker, he's recording with 'Those Great British Strings' ...
The Tremeloes: The Tired Tremeloes..!
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 14 September 1963
In the charts with 'Twist And Shout' and with 'Do You Love Me' crashing in at No. 33, Brian and the boys begin to feel ...
Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers: I'm Much Happier Says Cliff Bennett
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 28 September 1963
"A GROUP'S group" is just one of the apt descriptions tagged on to Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, the highly rated London team just ...
Profile by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 5 October 1963
CHUCK BERRY, born on October 18th, 1931, has now become an almost legendary figure to many people in this country. ...
Report by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 5 October 1963
EVERY NOW and again a song is written that is so excellent that many artists rush to make their versions of it. A battle usually ...
Billy J. Kramer: Life With Billy J.!
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 5 October 1963
BILLY J. KRAMER lashed back his second entire French loaf, whooshed amiably through a large crab salad — and talked about the trials, tribulations and ...
Mickie Most: Do-It-Yourself Mick!
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 5 October 1963
AFTER A MINOR record success with his 'Mr. Porter', Mickey Most looks all set for a far bigger success with the follow-up 'The Feminine Look', ...
Trini Lopez: Pop-Folk Is Here To Stay — Like It Or Not
Profile by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 5 October 1963
SOME SAY IT'S TOO COMMERCIAL, IMPURE, PHONEY, ETC., BUT WHATEVER THEY SAY ABOUT IT... ...
Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Williams: Big Blues Tour
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 12 October 1963
WITH R&B getting a deep hold in this country, many of the former fans of this type of music seem to be switching to the ...
Live Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 12 October 1963
WHEN LARRY Parnes puts out a touring show, he puts out a big 'un. He slams in plenty of acts, plenty of variety, plenty of ...
Del Shannon on The British Scene
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 12 October 1963
PETER JONES TALKS TO DEL SHANNON AND GETS SOME INTERESTING VIEWS ...
Muddy Waters: Great Unknowns: No. 15 Muddy Waters
Profile by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 12 October 1963
MUDDY WATERS was born McKinley Morganfield, at Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on April 4th, 1915. ...
Cliff Richard, The Shadows: Cliff Richard & The Shadows: Cliff's New Film and Hank's New Guitar!
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 19 October 1963
IT WAS BUSY-ness as usual for birthday boy Cliff Richard this week. On Sunday night he cut his next record (out in about three weeks) ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 26 October 1963
ALTHOUGH IT'S billed as "The Greatest Record Show Of 1963", the first performance at Finsbury Park Astoria last Sunday didn't exactly bear witness to that. ...
Quincy Jones: One Of The Greatest!
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 26 October 1963
SITTING IN a deserted recording studio at Philips, listening to the playback of a just-completed session by the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra, Quincy Jones – trumpeter, ...
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 2 November 1963
THAT FESTIVAL ...
Johnny Burnette: 'No Dance Discs From Me'
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 9 November 1963
THE MAN who has had many U.S. and British top 20 hits is over here again in Britain — and no-one seems to know anything ...
The Beatles: With The Beatles (Parlophone)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 9 November 1963
WITH THE BEATLES IS THE TITLE OF THE FANTASTIC NEW BEATLES ALBUM. HERE'S A DETAILED REVIEW BY PETER JONES ...
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 ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 16 November 1963
THE OPENING night of the Duane Eddy/Little Richard/Shirelles tour was a lot better than most people expected at the Regal Edmonton, 2nd performance on Saturday. ...
Chuck Berry: I Can't Wait To Meet My Friends In Britain
Interview by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 30 November 1963
THE RECORD MIRROR TELEPHONES CHUCK BERRY IN MISSOURI ...
The Crystals, The Ronettes, Phil Spector: The Ronettes hit and Phil's flips
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 7 December 1963
BACK IN 1958 Estella & Ronnie Bennett bought a disc between them called 'To Know Him Is To Love Him'. So did their cousin Nadra ...
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates: Johnny Kidd: It's The Song, Not My Name Which Sells
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 14 December 1963
Johnny Kidd's Latest Success Was Quite A 'Sleeper' ...
The Beatles' views on Juke Box Jury
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 14 December 1963
WELL, NOW we KNOW what the Beatles really like, loathe, love and feel "nowt" about on the pop scene. Their take-over job on the panel ...
The Dave Clark Five: Do-It-Yourself Dave
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 14 December 1963
NO AGENT, no A&R man, no manager, not even professional status. ...
1963: Rhythm And Blues Made The News
Overview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 21 December 1963
THIS HAS been THE year for rhythm and blues fans. There is no doubt about it. At the beginning of the year the R & ...
Helen Shapiro: Will Helen Make Her Comeback in 1964?
Report and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 21 December 1963
From child prodigy to star of stage, screen etc. That's the career of young Helen Shapiro. She has a talent way ahead of her years. ...
The Beatles: Backstage at the London Palladium
Report and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 21 December 1963
The Man Who Guides The Stars Behind The Scenes ...
The Paramounts: The Southend Sound Presented By The Paramounts
Profile by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 21 December 1963
NOW IT'S the Southend Sound. The Paramounts, to be precise. A four-handed group who've made considerable noise already with their 'Poison Ivy' debut release — ...
1963: Year Of Rhythm & Blues #2
Overview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 28 December 1963
Part two of a series spotlighting all the important events in the R & B world this year. ...
Heinz: I Won't Rest Until I Hit The Charts Jackpot
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 4 January 1964
HEINZ HAS TWO BEST SELLERS TO HIS CREDIT NOW, BUT REFUSES TO SIT BACK AND TAKE THINGS EASY ...
Bert Weedon: I'm All For Contrast Says Bert Weedon
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 4 January 1964
IN ANY OUT-and-out pop disc show during the last year, about 10 out of a dozen records would be full of twang and beat, says ...
Mort Shuman: The Man Who Writes Hits For The U.S. Stars
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 January 1964
IF ANYONE bothers to look just under the titles of their records, they'll see a name or names in brackets. Those names are the songwriters. ...
Gene Pitney, The Rolling Stones: Gene Pitney: Why 'Tulsa' Made The Charts
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 January 1964
NORMAN JOPLING SUPPLIES THE ANSWER TO A CURRENT CHART SURPRISE ...
The Ronettes: Wrong Phone Number Brought Success
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 11 January 1964
TALK ABOUT a coincidence! A thundering great coincidence — a flash of fate which virtually launched the swinging Ronettes, one of the most successful girlie ...
Brenda Lee: Her Marriage and Career...
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 January 1964
Brenda Lee is back in the charts again. Her mother talks about Brenda and marriage. ...
Chuck Berry: New Discs From Chuck
Report by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 1 February 1964
SENSATIONAL news for all R & B fans is that Chuck Berry's new record 'Nadine' is to be released over here on February 4th, prior ...
The Tornados: Hamburg — Where The Big Beat Reigns
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 1 February 1964
CLEM CATTINI TALKS TO PETER JONES ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 8 February 1964
ONE OF the mystery men of the U.S. recording scene is currently here in Britain following the interests of his artistes. His name is Phil ...
The Drifters, Ben E. King: Ben E. King — 'The Drifters and I'
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 15 February 1964
A MUSIC reporters life is not an easy one. But a big consolation is when instead of having to report on music and artistes which ...
Millie, Prince Buster: It's the Blue-Beat Craze
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 15 February 1964
A LOOK AT THE LATEST CRAZE TO TAKE THE RECORD INDUSTRY BY STORM ...
Eden Kane: I Thought I Was a Has-Been
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 22 February 1964
EDEN KANE TALKS TO DAVID GRIFFITHS ABOUT HIS CHART COMEBACK ...
Joe Brown, The Crystals: The Crystals, Joe Brown: Coventry Theatre, Coventry
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 22 February 1964
WHAT A wealth of talent the Crystals have, and how the four young American gals displayed it to their first-ever British audiences at the Coventry ...
The Crystals' Story: Their Sound, Their Career And Their X-Certificate Disc
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 29 February 1964
Norman Jopling talks to the group with the hottest U.S. hit sound ...
Tony Sheridan, Kingsize Taylor: Tony Sheridan and Kingsize Taylor: The Forgotten Kings of Beat
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 29 February 1964
AS HAS possibly been observed before, it is all happening in Hamburg. There is more big beat per square yard on the Reeperbahn, with its ...
The Joy Strings: Invasion By The Unexpected Army
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 7 March 1964
EVERY NOW and then, something happens which astounds and astonishes everybody in the disc biz. ...
The Applejacks: Here Come The Applejacks!
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 21 March 1964
WELL, AT least it is finally settled! Those three schoolboy members of the chart-climbing Applejacks have decided to give up school and concentrate full-time on ...
Peter, Paul & Mary: Peter Paul & Mary To Top Palladium
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 28 March 1964
THINGS change... especially in the music business. For example, America's top folk group Peter, Paul and Mary visited here in September last year, when folksy ...
Sammy Davis Jr.: 'Me and the Beatles'
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 28 March 1964
SAMMY DAVIS TALKS TO DAVID GRIFFITHS ...
The Beatles, John Lennon: A Beatle In His Own Write!
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
John Lennon Talks About His New Book ...
Chuck Berry, Little Walter: Chuck Berry Tells Guy Stevens About "How I Write My Songs"
Report and Interview by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
MY FIRST MEETING with Chuck Berry proved to be as exciting and interesting as I had expected. I met him in the offices of Chess ...
Cliff Richard: Cliff Off The Cuff
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
ALWAYS CHARMING, always straightforward in his replies to Press questions, Cliff was chosen by the Record Mirror to be the opening interviewee of an occasional ...
Jackie Lynton: When Jackie Threw In The Towel...
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
THE LABOURERS on the building site toiled. Cement was mixed. Bricks were carried. Planks were transported. And a portable radio blared out 'Housewife's Choice'. One ...
Jimmy Reed: Talks Like He Sings
Interview by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
JIMMY REED is perhaps the most successful blues singer on the American scene today, for his music has found wide acceptance among both the white ...
Larry Williams: Heir To Little Richard
Profile by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
IN OCTOBER 1958, Little Richard decided, in the words of the late Chuck Willis, to "Hang up his rock'n'roll shoes" and enter the Church. Many ...
Millie: A Blue Beat Bombshell!
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
A DARK-SKINNED very feminine ball of fire named simply, Millie. A Jamaican-born bombshell who is an old trouper at the age of 16... and could ...
The Trashmen — What's In A Name?
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
A LOOK AT THE CRAZIEST NEW GROUP ON THE U.S. SCENE ...
Live Review by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 4 April 1964
ON STAGE WITH THE R&B LEGENDS ...
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 11 April 1964
Cliff's Tour — A Knock-Out!! ...
Cassius Clay, Kenny Lynch: Kenny Lynch: Cassius Could Lose This Fight
Report by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 11 April 1964
NEXT TO show business, Kenny Lynch's chief interest has long been boxing. Needless to say, there's never been much connection between the two interests. Since ...
Peter and Gordon: Jane Asher Speaks...
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 11 April 1964
EXCLUSIVE STORY ABOUT ACTRESS JANE ASHER AND HER BROTHER PETER, OF PETER & GORDON ...
Mickey Finn & the Blue Men: Peter Jones's New Names: Mickey Finn's East End Image
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 18 April 1964
SOME GROUPS get dozens of big hits, but never manage to put an image, or at least an atmospheric image over to the public. But ...
The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones (Decca)
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 April 1964
GREAT NEW L-P FROM STONES ...
Chuck Berry: Chuck — King of Beat
Report by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 25 April 1964
THE STORY OF CHUCK'S CAREER AND COMEBACK, BY GUY STEVENS ...
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 ...
Manfred Mann: Meet The Manfreds
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 2 May 1964
PART ONE OF A NEW SERIES — MIKE HUGG AND TOM McGUINESS ...
Jan & Dean: Now Jan & Dean on the Banned Wagon
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 May 1964
THEY SOLD over a million copies of 'Linda' and 'Surf City' in the first six months of 1963. And they produce all their disc sessions ...
The Pretty Things: Peter Jones' New Names: Look At These Pretty Things!
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 May 1964
IN LONDON'S West End, there are a number of night clubs that deal almost exclusively with beat music — but always jazz tinged beat. These ...
Band of Angels: Peter Jones's New Names: Band of Angels
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 May 1964
FORGET "THE OLD SCHOOL TIE" ...
Manfred Mann: More of the Manfred Men
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 9 May 1964
ONLY 18 months ago. Mike Vickers and Manfred Mann were eking out meagre existences as scuffling would-be jazz musicians. Both were fervent modern jazz enthusiasts. ...
Dusty Springfield: My Adventures Abroad — Dusty
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 9 May 1964
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD'S smoky-toned voice came through loud and clear on the trans-Atlantic phone. "That you, Peter? Boy, what a trip this is turning out to ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 9 May 1964
SLOW TALKING, deep thinking Roy Orbison – our first American to be featured in Off The Cuff – made an ideal interviewee. Following is a ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 16 May 1964
CHUCK'S HERE AT LAST ...
Long John Baldry, Rod Stewart: Long John Baldry: The Walking Skyscraper
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 May 1964
IT IS NOT often that you see a skyscraper actually walking around the streets of London. ...
Manfred Mann: The Paul Jones Mann
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 16 May 1964
"UH-HU, IT'S THE Manfreds" yells Paul Jones, who is, to use the most overworked cliché in the book, last but not least in our series ...
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 May 1964
PETER JONES TAKES A LOOK AT THE SUDDEN INFLUX OF THE BIG HIT GIRLS ...
Report by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 16 May 1964
Norman Jopling and Peter Jones take a look at the pros and cons of pop star marriages ...
The Swinging Blue Jeans: The Blue Jeans Ordeal
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 23 May 1964
The Swinging Blue Jeans talk to R.M's David Griffiths about the R&B fanatics who spoilt their act ...
Dionne Warwick: Going Shopping With Dionne!
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 May 1964
DIONNE WARWICK is tall and willowy — a shapely frame built on the curviest of legs. The dark eyes smoulder. The whiter-than-white teeth flash a ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 30 May 1964
WHAT'S behind the New Look Juke Box Jury? ...
Elvis Presley: The Facts About Elvis
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Keith Matthews, Record Mirror, 30 May 1964
FROM JIMMY SAVILE ...
The Yardbirds: The Blueswailers With The Mod Appeal
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 30 May 1964
ALTHOUGH THE Sunday Telegraph insisted that the Yardbirds were called the Yardsticks, and also claimed they were public school boys it doesn't seem to have ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 6 June 1964
BILLY FURY – who's likely to be footsore and weary by the time you read this – was a worried man a few days ago. ...
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Mary Wells: Motown: Will 'HITSVILLE U.S.A.' Hit Britain Now?
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 June 1964
THEY SAY that there's not much chance for American hits here now. But nevertheless the multi-million dollar American label Tamla has scored its FIRST hit ...
John Lee Hooker, Long John Baldry: Long John meets John Lee Hooker
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 27 June 1964
THEY COULD hardly have been a bigger contrast in background and appearance: the young, very tall, bright white Englishman Long John Baldry, and the mature, ...
The Honeycombs: Have they the right to take chart honours?
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 4 July 1964
HONEY LANTREE really wanted to be a hairdresser — but she also had the unusual hobby for a girl of being a talented beat drummer. ...
The Beatles: A Hard Day's Night (Dir: Richard Lester)
Film/DVD/TV Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 11 July 1964
It's a Great Day's Night! ...
The Beatles: A Hard Day's Night (Parlophone)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 11 July 1964
AND THEIR NEW LP... ...
The Who: The High Numbers: How High Will These Numbers Go?
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 11 July 1964
HAILED AS "the first authentic mod record," four hip young men called the High Numbers are out right now with 'I'm the Face', backed with ...
The Merseybeats: We Love Mad Fans!
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 18 July 1964
say those Merseybeats Off the Cuff to Peter Jones ...
The Nashville Teens: We're just COMMERCIAL! Say the Nashville Teens
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 25 July 1964
HOW MUCH more room at the top is there for groups? Sooner or later the big beat bubble is bound to burst, which means that ...
Inez & Charlie Foxx: The Pounding Breakthrough
Profile and Interview by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 1 August 1964
ONE OF THE biggest and most interesting breakthroughs in the record industry here in recent months is the appearance of Inez Foxx with 'Hurt By ...
Andrew Loog Oldham, The Rolling Stones: Andrew Loog Oldham: Secrets Of The Stones' Man
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 15 August 1964
The Stones are no longer a challenge... they need no pushing... the Andrew Oldham Orchestra doesn't exist ...
Jim Reeves: "We just come through here once..."
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 15 August 1964
JIM REEVES, only a few weeks off forty but looking much younger, relaxed In the garden of his beautiful new home at Madison, Tennessee. He ...
The Honeycombs: The Haphazard Hit
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 15 August 1964
THEY'VE BEEN professionals less than six weeks, they all came together and formed a group in the most haphazard and casual way, they made a ...
The Kinks: They Livened Up The Champagne Circuit
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 15 August 1964
LOOKS LIKE the Kinks are on the way to the charts at last — with, incidentally, a chance to make impact on the American scene. ...
Chad & Jeremy: They lapped up our accents in America!
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 22 August 1964
AMERICAN VASTNESS, drive, power and commercial pop know-how: these things continue to produce varying reactions from the now-numerous British show biz stars who have toured ...
Cilla Black: Cilla — She'll Stay Here, Says Brian
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 22 August 1964
WHAT NEXT for Cilla Black? Only one man really knows the way to develop her career... and that man Is Brian Epstein, guv'nor figure of ...
The Rolling Stones: Five by Five (Decca EP)
Review and Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 22 August 1964
'Our EP, the inside story' ...
The Zombies: The group with the brainpower
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 22 August 1964
ALREADY IN the charts with their first sensational release 'She's Not There', the Zombies must be one of the most different groups on the scene. ...
Interview by Dave Godin, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 September 1964
by DAVE GODIN as told to Norman Jopling ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 4 September 1964
SAYS BRIAN EPSTEIN TO DAVID GRIFFITHS IN THE FIRST OF OUR NEW 'STARMAKERS' SERIES ...
Burt Bacharach, Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick: Burt Bacharach: "Time Is My Enemy"
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 September 1964
"I JUST DON'T get enough time to cram everything in," top U.S. songwriter, arranger and producer Burt Bacharach told me, during a two-day visit last ...
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 4 September 1964
IT LOOKS AS if the Tamla-Motown group have their second big hit in this country with their Supremes discing 'Where Did Our Love Go'. After ...
The Kinks: 'You Really Got Me' Was a Jazz Song! Say the Kinks
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 September 1964
'YOU REALLY Got Me', the Kinks third disc and first hit is now number 2 in the charts. But the story behind it is strange ...
Jack Nitzsche, The Righteous Brothers: Jack Nitzsche: Disc Producer To Film Gerry...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 3 October 1964
HAVE YOU heard about Electronovision? If not, you soon will. For American composer-arranger Jack Nitzsche is in London this week lining up appearances in the ...
The Beatles: Brian Epstein: A Cellarful Of Noise (Souvenir Press)
Book Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 10 October 1964
The night George got a black eye… ...
The Hollies: Chat Time With the Hollies
Interview by Keith Matthews, Record Mirror, 10 October 1964
THE CYNICS are going to say: "Oh not again...!" For the consistent chart riding Hollies are echoing Manfred Mann like phrases. ...
Report and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 10 October 1964
Long John Baldry talks to RM's David Griffiths about the Folk-Blues Festival ...
Heinz's Hat, Some Surfing, & The Sharks!
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 31 October 1964
THE FACT that Heinz has just visited Australia stuck out the proverbial mile when I met him last week, after an exhausting two week tour ...
The Shangri-Las: Shangris' Sensational Seagull Sounds
Profile and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 31 October 1964
THE LATEST gimmick in pop discs: sound effects! ...
Jackie DeShannon: Jackie Jumps For Joy
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 7 November 1964
RIGHT NOW, let's stop messing around. Let's not keep the delectable Jackie de Shannon in suspense any longer... just one good heave-ho and her first-rate ...
The Dave Clark Five: Of Course I'm No Krupa
Interview by Keith Matthews, Record Mirror, 7 November 1964
"IS YOUR image slipping," I enquired of Dave Clark during our chat prior to his colossal American tour. There is an impression around that Dave ...
The Rolling Stones: 'Little Red Rooster'; 'Off The Hook' (Decca F 12014)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 7 November 1964
Way-out Sound from Stones ...
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas: Martha's Mad On Fashion
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 14 November 1964
NEXT TO music, probably the most important thing to Martha, of the Vandellas, is fashion. When I saw her in her room at the Strand ...
The Beatles, Elvis Presley: Ringo Talks About El
Interview by Keith Matthews, Record Mirror, 14 November 1964
ALTHOUGH the Beatles are continually quoted and misquoted, interpreted and misinterpreted, they don't really mind what is said about them. ...
The Animals: The Animals (Columbia)
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 14 November 1964
BLUESY NEW ANIMALS LPREVIEW IN DEPTH by NORMAN JOPLING ...
The Fourmost: "Why We Copied The 4 Tops"
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 21 November 1964
THE MAJORITY of Juke Box Jury panellists — that is, three out of the four — hammered the Fourmost's new single 'Baby, I Need Your ...
Brenda Lee: Brenda And Her Baby
Interview by Keith Matthews, Record Mirror, 28 November 1964
WHEN SHE isn't rocking up a storm "on stage", Mrs. Charles Shacklett nee Brenda Lee — or Miss Dynamite if you prefer, is rocking the ...
Marvin Gaye: Marvin — He Never Forgets A Face
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 28 November 1964
PETER JONES TALKS TO AMERICA'S SMOOTH-VOICED BLUESMAN, MARVIN GAYE, THE LATEST OF THE TAMLA-MOTOWN STARS TO HIT BRITAIN ...
Downliners Sect, Jimmy Reed: The Downliners Quiz R&B King Jimmy Reed...
Report and Interview by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 28 November 1964
JIMMY REED sat back into his chair and contemplated the five long-haired boys sitting opposite him. A group called the Downliners Sect. The subject of ...
The Honeycombs: 'Our Image Needs To Change'
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 28 November 1964
"WE WANT TO change our image" were the first words of Honeycomb Dennis D'Ell, lead vocalist. Dennis was worried, not only about their records, but ...
The Yardbirds: 'We Nearly Packed It In' said The Yardbirds to Peter Jones
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 28 November 1964
"WE WERE as low as we could be. Our lead singer was desperately, dangerously, ill — in fact, he nearly died. When we heard he ...
James Brown, The Rolling Stones: James Brown: The Stones Can't Stop Talking About King James
Interview by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 19 December 1964
EVERY NOW and then, a rhythm and blues artist in America breaks through the confines of his own field of music and becomes a giant ...
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 19 December 1964
WITH THE DEATH of Sam Cooke in Hollywood last Friday, the RCA-Victor label lost one of its most consistent hit recording artistes. ...
Dusty Springfield: Dusty — There Were Threats
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 26 December 1964
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD flew home on Friday morning to a heroine's welcome. Half of Fleet Street waited at London Airport to greet her on her return ...
The Moody Blues: Moody Blues: The Moody Gimmicks
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 26 December 1964
IF THE POSTMAN rat-tat-tats on your front door during the next few days and delivers a round parcel, and you should happen to be a ...
The Searchers: Strings and Searchers!
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 26 December 1964
THERE THEY were — four Searchers in a Pye recording studio. Said Chris Curtis: "We're doing a new album, an elaborate one using strings." ...
James Brown: Sue Hit with 'Night Train'!
Report by Guy Stevens, Record Mirror, 2 January 1965
FIRST STOP No. 1 IN THE CHARTS FOR JAMES BROWN CLASSIC! ...
Sandie Shaw: Sandie — 'I'm No Rebel'
Interview by Keith Matthews, Record Mirror, 2 January 1965
IF THERE ARE any contenders for the title of: "Quickest Success of the Year" (the past one) — I'm certain Sandie Shaw would be well ...
The Animals: U.S. Violence for Animals
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 2 January 1965
ALAN PRICE huddled in an armchair, shivering despite being wrapped in a huge blanket. His fellow Animals were their usual sympathetic selves. For instance, John ...
The Shangri-Las, Twinkle, J. Frank Wilson & the Cavaliers: The Death Disc Race
Report by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 9 January 1965
HOW DO you feel about death? In pop music, I mean. Death is inevitable for all of us, that's certain. But there's a great deal ...
The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones No. 2
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 9 January 1965
"WE THINK IT'S a lot better than our first one... there's a more varied selection of songs... no instrumentals... we cut it at three different ...
Betty Everett: At Last Betty Hits Our Charts
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 15 January 1965
BETTY EVERETT lounged decoratively, elegantly dipping into a bowl of Indian food — her first Press reception on her first visit to Britain. Her trip ...
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 16 January 1965
Chuck goes down a bomb on R & B tour ...
Cilla Black: Why Cilla Waited So Very Long
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 16 January 1965
WILL IT be fourth time lucky for Cilla Black? ...
Billy Fury: Billy's Horse — A Film Star Now!
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 23 January 1965
AS STANLEY Holloway would say, "Wiv a little bit of luck" Billy Fury should be better off by quite a few quid in three months' ...
Del Shannon: 'My Success Changed My Friends'
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 January 1965
ONE OF THE chief attractions about Del Shannon is his own individual style of singing and guitar playing. So it'll come as a shock to ...
The Honeycombs, Peter and Gordon, The Rolling Stones: Death of a Dynasty
Comment by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 30 January 1965
Norman Jopling takes a hard, cynical look at the declining beat boom and makes some frank comments ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 30 January 1965
"WHAT do we think of Cilla's version of 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling'?" said America's Righteous Brothers when I posed them the question. "Well, we ...
The Rockin' Berries: The 'Accidental' Sound
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 30 January 1965
The Rockin' Berries explain how they found their sound to David Griffiths ...
Sue Records: Not So Much A Label
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 6 February 1965
STORY OF BRITAIN'S STRANGEST RECORD LABEL ...
Goldie & The Gingerbreads: Goldie and the Gingerbreads: Four Tough Birds...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 February 1965
THERE ISN'T much that scares Goldie And The Gingerbreads. Being an all-girl group in a male dominated scene tends to toughen up the so-called weaker ...
Screamin' Jay Hawkins: Flamingo Club/Bromley Court Hotel, London
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 13 February 1965
STARS AND showbiz personalities rubbed shoulders with mods and even some rockers in Soho's Flamingo last week to witness a fantastic display by Screamin' Jay ...
The Bachelors: Shel Talmy: "British records lacked feeling"
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 13 February 1965
THE INTERNATIONAL boom in British pop music produced few stories as strange as that of the independent record producer Shel Talmy. He's a 26-year-old American ...
The Ivy League: Songwriting Hit-Makers
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 13 February 1965
FROM INSIDE the music publisher's office came the familiar sounds of creation, Tin Pan Alley style — tentative chords being hammered out on a piano ...
Del Shannon: The Unseen Side of Del Shannon
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 February 1965
THE IMAGE of Del Shannon is probably one of the most one-sided in the business. The man who in the last four years has built ...
The Pretty Things: The Things Hit Back!
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 February 1965
ONE ACCUSATION that can't be levelled against the Pretty Things is that they're dull. In fact this wild-sounding, and equally wild-looking group are one of ...
Ray Charles: Ballad In Blue, Ray Charles (Ardmore Pictures)
Film/DVD/TV Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 27 February 1965
Ray's singing makes this film worthwhile ...
Johnny Rivers Tries His Rhythm Here
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 27 February 1965
AFTER EIGHT years in and out of show business, Johnny Rivers has finally struck gold – In USA. During the last year he's been packing ...
Marianne Faithfull: Is Marianne Kidding?
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 27 February 1965
IS MARIANNE Faithfull kidding? A lot of people have been asking that question since she had a hit with 'As Tears Go By', starting doing ...
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 27 February 1965
SO HIGH is the esteem in which Roy Orbison's fans hold him that they made him do an encore of 'Running Scared' and 'Goodnight' at ...
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 6 March 1965
DEL'S MAGIC ...
The Animals: The Flamingo Club, London
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 6 March 1965
THE ANIMALS claim not to have played to much less than capacity crowds since Christmas and at Soho Flamingo last week they pulled over a ...
Profile by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 6 March 1965
FOUR YOUNG Mods caused a disturbance in a Soho club the other night in which several hundred people were involved. The police were not called ...
Eric Clapton, The Yardbirds: Yardbird Leaves Group
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 6 March 1965
ERIC CLAPTON played his last date as lead guitarist with the Yardbirds last night. After a gig at Bristol Corn Exchange, he left the group. ...
The Rolling Stones: Regal Theatre, Edmonton, London
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 13 March 1965
STONES FIRST NIGHT — AN EAR-SHATTERING SUCCESS! ...
The Walker Brothers: The Boy Scout Group
Profile and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 13 March 1965
A FORD Thunderbird hot rod and an Austin Healey smashed into each other in Hollywood — and that was the beginning of the Walker Brothers. ...
Andrew Loog Oldham: What Has Truth Got To Do With Pop?
Comment by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 13 March 1965
ROLLING STONES DISCOVERER ANDREW OLDHAM SLAMS AT RSG's NEW POLICY ...
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 March 1965
IN RETALIATION to the British craze sweeping the States, America launches its biggest-ever campaign to bring back the Yanks into the British charts in the ...
The Yardbirds: 'We'll Play More Pop'
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 20 March 1965
"RHYTHM AND blues is becoming what trad became and we are going to change some of our numbers." ...
The Honeycombs: The Honeys Have Changed!
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 27 March 1965
ALTHOUGH THEY'VE only notched up one big hit here, the Honeycombs are certainly one of the most successful groups on the international scene. In the ...
Unit 4+2: Unit With The Crazy Nicknames
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 27 March 1965
UNIT FOUR Plus 2. A bit cumbersome as a title? Ah, but remember the man who pioneered ball point pens in America just after World ...
Larry Williams: "I'm No Rock 'N' Roller"
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 3 April 1965
LARRY WILLIAMS talks to Norman Jopling ...
Chuck Jackson: "White Artistes Don't Have The Soul For Blues"
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 3 April 1965
says CHUCK JACKSON to RICHARD GREEN ...
The Drifters: Lyceum Theatre, London
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 3 April 1965
DESPITE THE attraction of the Queen at an Aldwych theatre and the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon at Covent Garden Opera House, a ...
The Drifters: The Big Daddy Group
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 3 April 1965
THE MOST interesting thing about the Drifters isn't the fact that they've been singing for ten years, that they've sold millions of records, that they've ...
The Who: The Group That Slaughters Their Amplifiers...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 3 April 1965
WITH A name like The Who, any group is bound to attract a certain amount of attention. But anyone who has watched The Who at ...
Marianne Faithfull, The Nashville Teens: Marianne Faithfull: The Battle Over A Bird
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 8 April 1965
SAID MARIANNE: "The trouble with having a record called 'The Little Bird' is that I don't like birds. I'm being involved in publicity situations where ...
The Moody Blues: "How the Beatles Helped Us" say the Moody Blues
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 10 April 1965
IT WAS time for a little straight-from-the-shoulder-type talking when the Moody Blues sat down. They had a few things they wanted to get off their ...
Doris Troy: The Alias Entertainer
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 10 April 1965
DORIS HIGGINSON, alias Doris Payne, alias Doris Troy, was tugging happily at a king-size cigarette and wondering if it was possible to get a cup ...
Burt Bacharach: 'Money Means Nothing To Me' says Bacharach
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 17 April 1965
ISN'T IT weird how people who make a living out of a particular talent often have personalities quite different from that you might expect? A ...
Cilla Black, Randy Newman: Cilla Black: "The Song My Mum Doesn't Like"
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 1 May 1965
WHAT I asked Cilla Black was what she thought of the controversy surrounding her latest single, 'I've Been Wrong Before'. And a Liverpool accent which ...
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 1 May 1965
Manchester's musical conquest of the States, by Peter Jones ...
John Hammond: Folk And Blues Friends
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 1 May 1965
"DYLAN — WELL, let's say he gave me confidence when I needed it most." The speaker was John Hammond, 22 years old blues singer from ...
Otis Redding: The Two-Sided Bluester
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 1 May 1965
VERSATILITY is often the sign of greatness on the music scene. The same applies to the blues, and one of its most popular modern exponents ...
The Everly Brothers: Rock 'n' Soul (Warner Bros. WM 8171); Gone, Gone, Gone (Warner Bros. WM 8169)
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 1 May 1965
2 wild albums from Everlys ...
Them: The Session That Started It All...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 1 May 1965
ONE RECORDING session. Approximately four or five hours work. That was all it took to produce two smash hits for Them. ...
The Animals: What the Animals found in America
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 1 May 1965
THE BIG thing that struck the Animals during their recent brief visit to the States was the heat. Especially in the deep south, where they ...
Burt Bacharach, Manfred Mann: Bacharach helps the Manfreds
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 8 May 1965
RICHARD GREEN TALKS TO THE MANFRED MEN ...
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 8 May 1965
DYLAN NOW is big business! He ambles and shambles (apparently) through a business that needs his sort of way-out personality. He parries questions, mumbles inconsequently, ...
Screaming Lord Sutch: Sutch — The First Of The Long Hairs Keeps On Rocking
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 8 May 1965
DAVID, LORD Sutch. Third Peer of the Realm of Rock. Profession: Horror singer. Interests: Monsters, werewolves, torture, rock 'n' roll. Ambitions: To star in a ...
The Animals, Alan Price: Animal Change — Full Story
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 15 May 1965
WHILE ALAN Price was relaxing at home in Newcastle, Dave Rowberry, the man who is taking his place with the Animals, was working hard rehearsing ...
Bob Dylan, Donovan: Bob Dylan: Bringing It All Back Home
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 15 May 1965
DONOVAN REVIEWS NEW DYLAN ALBUM! RM Exclusive by Richard Green ...
The Beatles: How The Beatles Spend An Evening
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 15 May 1965
IT WAS A typical quiet evening at London's Savoy Hotel. Quiet that is until the Beatles turned up to see Bob Dylan. They all trooped ...
The Everly Brothers: The Everlys and Those Anti-Pop People
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 15 May 1965
I WAS SITTING in the hotel lobby reading some holiday travel brochures when Don Everly joined me. "Hey — where's that?" he exclaimed. "Corsica? Sure ...
Larry Williams: The Return of Rock
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 15 May 1965
SUDDENLY, ROCK 'N' ROLL isn't a dirty phrase any more. ...
The Artwoods: "We Aim To Excite!" ...Say the Artwoods
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 5 June 1965
JUST FOR the record, the Artwoods aren't a part of Epping Forest. In fact they're a group of five interesting young men, named after the ...
Elvis Presley: David Griffiths recalls Elvis' days as the King of Western Bop
Retrospective by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 5 June 1965
PARDON US while we do a little boasting but, after all, it IS the RM's birthday and we HAVE got something to celebrate. For we ...
Joan Baez, Carolyn Hester: Two Queens of Folk
Profile and Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 5 June 1965
FIRST OF all, you SHOULD pronounce it "By-ezz"... Joan Baez. Though it's been twisted around a little as this folk-singing name is bandied about more ...
The Drifters, Ben E. King: LP's from Ben E. King & Drifters
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 5 June 1965
THE DRIFTERS — The Good Life — 'Quando Quando Quando'; 'On The Street Where You Live'; 'I Wish You Love'; 'Tonight'; 'More'; 'What Kind Of ...
Screamin' Jay Hawkins: King of Rock and Horror
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 5 June 1965
EVERY ONCE in a while someone different comes along. In January, none other than the legendary Screamin' Jay Hawkins entered Britain, and established himself as ...
The Rolling Stones: We Want The Stones (Decca EP)
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 5 June 1965
STONES EP – EXCITING & DIFFERENT ...
Cliff Richard: The Truth From Cliff
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 5 June 1965
TODAY'S POP scene is far more vibrant than it was when I came into the business about six years ago. The Shadows and I were ...
Solomon Burke, Bob Dylan: Solomon Burke: Can Dylan Be Beaten?
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 12 June 1965
The answer is probably no — but all the stops are being pulled out for Solomon Burke's version of the Dylan number 'Maggie's Farm'. ...
The Who: 'Their Pop-Art Disc is like Fly Paper!' says WHO manager KIT LAMBERT
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 12 June 1965
IT NOW seems that whenever a solo singer, pop group, orchestra and what have you decides to do something a bit different, that is taken ...
Spencer Davis Group: When The Spencer Davis Group Was Accused...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 12 June 1965
POOR OLD Bob Dylan's coming under fire for using an electric guitar on 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'. "He's gone all commercial," is the pathetic cry. ...
John Lennon: A Spaniard In The Works (Jonathan Cape, price 10s. 6d.)
Book Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 26 June 1965
THOSE CHARACTERS IN JOHN'S SECOND BOOK! ...
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 26 June 1965
BUDDING songwriters, your troubles are over! No longer need you sweat and toil with difficult words and lyrics. Stop sending letters to John Lennon now. ...
James Brown, Solomon Burke: Solomon Burke: The Burke v. Brown Feud
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 3 July 1965
"TELL ME," I said, "all about you and James Brown. There was a two-second hush, and then Solomon Burke, king of rock & soul, launched ...
The Pretty Things: Why The Things Like Their Hair...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 17 July 1965
PRETTY THING Dick Taylor was gazing out of the window of his flat in Kensington, London, recently when a group of girls happened to look ...
Marianne Faithfull: Marianne's World Of Dreams
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 24 July 1965
SMUGGLING WINE and cigarettes into England, a pirate TV and radio station, houses in Italy and the Greek Islands. What a strange combination, but all ...
The Beatles: Help! (Parlophone)
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 24 July 1965
THIS ALBUM could easily be titled "The Many Moods Of The Beatles". Showcased in fourteen tracks are ballads, rock and roll, folk, country and western ...
Sonny & Cher: A Day With Sonny & Cher
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 14 August 1965
"I'M SHATTERED, man," drawled Sonny as he shuffled into the hall of his Knightsbridge flat a 9.30 a.m. "What did I have to get up ...
The Dave Clark Five: Dave Clark Five: Films, Racing And Dave
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 14 August 1965
DAVE CLARK and I were having a quiet chat. Nothing sensational in that? Well, you may not know how hard it is these days for ...
Georgie Fame: After many years Georgie realises an ambition...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 14 August 1965
GEORGIE FAME'S latest hit ('Like We Used To Be') represents an important step forward in the career of this 22-year-old singer-bandleader-pianist-organist. It's his first composition. ...
Live Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 14 August 1965
RICHMOND RAVE-UP! ...
Comment by Jerry Wexler, Record Mirror, 21 August 1965
by JERRY WEXLER, Manager of Atlantic Records ...
The Byrds: 'That Criticism Is Fair!'
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 21 August 1965
...say the Byrds to David Griffiths ...
The Rolling Stones: Out Of Our Heads (Decca)
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 21 August 1965
The Moodies talk about the Stones ...
Nico Leads Andrew's Off Beat Company...
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 28 August 1965
PETER JONES REPORTS ...
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 28 August 1965
SONNY & CHER — THEIR FIRST GREAT L.P.! ...
Zoot Money: "We're The Greatest"
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 11 September 1965
SAYS ZOOT MONEY TO RICHARD GREEN ...
The Honeycombs: 'I Lead A Double Life' Says Honey
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 18 September 1965
"I'M GETTING quite used to being Honey Lantree now," said Honey Lantree. For when I met this most charming of drummers a year ago she ...
Jonathan King: X-Certificate Jonathan King
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 September 1965
JONATHAN TALKS TO NORMAN JOPLING ABOUT THE LYRICS HE WAS FORBIDDEN TO USE... ...
The Yardbirds: Yardbirds 'Phone from a Raving Party
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 18 September 1965
THE YARDBIRDS call Richard Green from the States ...
Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited (American Columbia)
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 September 1965
THOUGHT I'D jump the gun and tell you all about this LP, just issued in the States but not here. Side one starts off with ...
The Pretty Things: Viv — "It's All Lies"
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 September 1965
'I could sue them' says Viv Prince, about newspaper articles which appeared about him in New Zealand. Norman Jopling reports...' ...
Live Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 21 October 1965
WHEN EIGHT blues artistes leap about a stage, blowing harmonicas, thumping drums and piano, playing guitars and singing and shouting their song, it is impossible ...
Barry McGuire Talks About Protest And His War On Evil
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 30 October 1965
WE WERE talking about protest and folk music. I suggested to Barry McGuire that so many of them are fundamentally silly because they either protest ...
The Moody Blues: Moodies Lose Out To Brian Epstein!
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 30 October 1965
MEXICAN PETE the Bad Bandit last made an appearance in Britain a few years ago via the television screens. But it could well be that ...
Live Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 30 October 1965
THE GREAT LET DOWN or what happens when a top group don't turn up... ...
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 6 November 1965
HERE IT IS — the start of another great Record Mirror series! The idea is simple enough: highly-respected R and B star Georgie Fame becomes ...
The Who: "The Guy Who Sings 'My Generation' — Well, He's Supposed To Be Blocked"
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 6 November 1965
THREE WEEKS, two cancelled photo sessions, one broken lunch date and half an hour late, Pete Townshend pushed his nose round the door of my ...
The Sir Douglas Quintet: Sir Douglas Rave-Up With Dylan & Jones!
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 13 November 1965
THREE O'CLOCK in the morning in New York and most of the inhabitants were asleep in their beds. Down in Greenwich Village, a night club ...
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 4 December 1965
It's Rubber Soul Time... ...
The Beatles: Rubber Soul (Parlophone)
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 11 December 1965
(Pssst... here's someone who actually DISLIKES the new Beatles LP. It's RM's Richard Green...) ...
Zoot Money: How Zoot & Paul Cure a Cold the Easy Way...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 25 December 1965
WHAT A GHASTLY spectacle! Two broken-down men, their bodies racked with pain, their brains addled with hangovers, staggered into the bar pleading for preferential treatment. ...
Goldie & The Gingerbreads: Goldie Tells What's Wrong With British Record Buyers!
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 1 January 1966
"I'M TOLD that alcohol isn't good for the voice," said Goldie, sipping an exotic looking snowball which had taken about ten minutes of careful preparation ...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 1 January 1966
Said Barry Ryan about Jonathan King ...
Report by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 1 January 1966
THE LAST time I saw — no, not Paris — but Brian Poole and Gary Farr, they were huddled round a tea stall on Euston ...
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 ...
Frank Sinatra: A Man And His Music (Reprise R 1016); My Kind Of Broadway (Reprise R 1015)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 15 January 1966
3 from Frank ...
Nina Simone: Pastel Blues (Philips BL 7683) ****
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 22 January 1966
Nina goes back to blues on her new LP Pastel Blues ...
Otis Redding: Otis R.: The Man Who Sings As Though He Means It
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 22 January 1966
EVERY SINGER, no matter how good or bad, has one dominating thought in mind when making a record. Simply, will this be the record to ...
Live Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 22 January 1966
Gospel joy at Fairfield ...
Nancy Sinatra: Nancy — 'Why I'd Like To Give Up Singing'
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 5 February 1966
AN EXCITED Nancy Sinatra talked animatedly on the long distance phone from America. I'd phoned to offer congratulations on the sudden, but massive, success of ...
Stevie Wonder: Stevie Credits Stones For His Hit...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 5 February 1966
THOUGH THEY may not know it, the Rolling Stones are getting a large share of the credit for the success of Stevie Wonder's 'Uptight'. It ...
Otis Redding: Otis Blue (Atlantic ATL 5041) ***
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 12 February 1966
Final R&B acceptance for the STONES? (Yes, Otis has recorded 'Satisfaction') ...
Brian Jones, The Rolling Stones: Rolling Stones: Brian Wants To Swap His Rolls For A Mini!
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 12 February 1966
A SHRILL whistle cut down a Chelsea mews and Brian Jones appeared at the door of his house. I parked my Volkswagen next to his ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 12 February 1966
...BUT IT'S hard to say how much has been caused by the pop life and how much by the fact that we are three years ...
Bob & Earl: Bob and Earl Unmasked!
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 19 February 1966
PREPARE yourselves for the most complicated R&B feature of all time! It's the story of the Bob & Earl record 'Harlem Shuffle', currently revived for ...
The Yardbirds: Folk Fan Sam hopes to Convert other Yardbirds!
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 26 February 1966
ALMOST EXACTLY a year ago, Keith Relf told me that the Yardbirds would play more pop music and less of the r-and-b that had made ...
The Small Faces: Small Talk with the Small Faces
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 26 February 1966
Steve and Plonk say some 'nice' things to the RM ...
Film/DVD/TV Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 5 March 1966
James Brown arrives In England next week for a couple of concerts and to perform, with his entire troupe, throughout the March 11 Ready Steady ...
James Brown, Tom Jones: Tom Jones: Brown's LP Lacks Live Excitement
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 5 March 1966
Opines TOM JONES in this exclusive feature ...
Dave Berry: Dave in the lion's cage
Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 12 March 1966
THE HUGE roar was not the sound of the Spion Kop, it was the sound of Stevie Winwood tearing his way through a crowd of ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 12 March 1966
WHEN A pop artiste has that certain Something to make him into a hitmaker then the most vital ingredient in his success or failure is ...
James Brown: Brown's A Super-Spectacle: James Brown: Walthamstow Granada, London
Live Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 19 March 1966
OUT INTO THE cold streets of Walthamstow, ears ringing and apparently not working properly; eyes definitely out of focus; legs a trifle shaky. ...
James Brown: Ready Steady Go! (Rediffusion Television)
Film/DVD/TV Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 19 March 1966
AND TELE VIEWER RICHARD GREEN SAYS... ...
James Brown: James Earns $20,000 a Day in U.S.
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 19 March 1966
THE RECEPTION laid on for the purpose of meeting up with America's James Brown was timed for 6 p.m., to finish at 7.30 p.m. James ...
James Brown: The Soul Of Mr. Brown
Interview by Dave Godin, Record Mirror, 26 March 1966
JAMES BROWN has at last been to Britain. His all too brief stay had just about the maximum impact that it could have had. It ...
Eddy Arnold: "Eddy's son digs Beatles not C&W!"
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 April 1966
EDDY ARNOLD — we know all about him. The soft-singing country and ballad singer... deep brown voice and old country guitar and the straight and ...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 2 April 1966
"...used to think we were purists when we smashed guitars. But we were more commercial then than we are now" (Keith Moon) ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 9 April 1966
SIPPING A CUP of coffee and looking out over the wilds of Shaftesbury Avenue, it was very hard to get Irma Thomas to talk about ...
The Zombies: The Next 'In' Group
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 9 April 1966
SAID ROD ARGENT: "It's a funny thing the way it all works out. All of a sudden we seem to be an 'in' group — ...
Mick Jagger, Scott Walker: Mick versus Scott & John — the Truth
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 16 April 1966
IT'S DIFFICULT — no, IMPOSSIBLE! — to find out exactly how this mud-chucking, insult-flinging bit all started between Rolling Stone Mick Jagger and the Walker ...
The Rolling Stones: Aftermath (Decca)
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 16 April 1966
The smash LP of the year? ...
Lee Dorsey, Allen Toussaint: Lee Dorsey: Things You Don't Know About Lee
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 30 April 1966
FOR A LONG time Lee Dorsey has been the golden boy of the in-most R&B hippies. His first couple of American hits were 'Ya Ya' ...
Lee Hazlewood, Nancy Sinatra: Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood: Love
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 April 1966
'Everything about Nancy and her Mother is love, love, love' says 'Boots' writer Lee Hazelwood ...
Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel: Paul Simon: 'I Thought I Was a Has-Been at 19'
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 30 April 1966
PAUL SIMON is the composer of 21 songs, most of which have been put to work for him very profitably. ...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 30 April 1966
IF THE WHO are still the leaders of fashion that they were a few months ago, Henry V hairstyles look like coming back — Pete ...
Trini Lopez: How Money Changed Trini...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 30 April 1966
TWO AND a half years ago, a catchy, singalong number of no great distinction went on sale. It was called 'If I Had A Hammer', ...
Jim Reeves: Kimberley Jim (RCA Victor)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 14 May 1966
WHEN JIM Reeves last visited London, he and I talked long and earnestly about what he wanted to do with his career. He had hit ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 14 May 1966
Plenty of tips, including a new Stones. Many follow-ups which aren't marvellous, and some outsiders, including Percy Sledge and Jimmy James and the Vagabonds ...
Bob Dylan: You Name Something, and I'll Protest About It Said Bob Dylan
Report by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 14 May 1966
BOB DYLAN stuck his head through the window, placed his foot on the window ledge and — from outside — asked: "Is anyone in here?" ...
Johnny Cash — The C&W Legend Also Beloved By Rockers
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 21 May 1966
JOHNNY CASH has become almost a country and western legend in the twelve years that he's been recording. Rock 'n' roll fans in this country ...
The Animals: Animalisms (Decca)
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 21 May 1966
A ROCKIN' ANIMALS LP! ...
The Band, Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 June 1966
With A Mixture Of Folk, Rock And Comedy, Dylan Shows He Can Take Every Insult But Not A Compliment ...
Crispian St. Peters: Chelsea (The Football Team) versus Crispian St. Peters
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 11 June 1966
STRANGE BLEATING noises from the rear of a Comet, vague attempts to chat up the stewardess and an almost non-stop barrage of olives and pieces ...
The Yardbirds: Guess What! "I Can't Play a Sitar Properly" says Jeff Beck
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 11 June 1966
NOW THAT Mr. Ravi Shankar is actually in the country, all those funny little Indian shops that flog sitars are in for a good time. ...
Phil Spector, The Teddy Bears, Ike & Tina Turner: More Spector Magic out of the Hat
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 June 1966
PROBABLY, PHIL SPECTOR was the only person in the world who could have produced a record for Ike and Tina Turner that could make the ...
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 June 1966
KIM FOWLEY sat in the Angus steak house munching buttered toast and drinking milk, happily unable to communicate with the waiters. He was wondering — ...
The Creation — their hit produced by the man who was responsible for hits by the Kinks and the Who.
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 18 June 1966
IF THE CREATION are going to create a big impact on the pop scene they've got a few difficulties to overcome: their first record is ...
Crispian St. Peters: Follow Me (Decca)
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 25 June 1966
IF IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY, THEN JUDGING BY HIS FIRST LP CRISPIAN ST. PETERS MUST BE ELVIS' BIGGEST FAN... ...
The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (Capitol)
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 2 July 1966
AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE BEACH BOYS' WIDELY-PRAISED NEW ALBUM PET SOUNDS ...
The Animals: Insight: Chas Chandler
Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 16 July 1966
I TRY TO be as basically honest as I can be... but because of the business I have to tell some lies and I always ...
Report and Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 16 July 1966
AS FAR AS I'm concerned, JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE and RINGO are friends of mine. We've worked together and helped each other in the past and ...
The Yardbirds: The Yardbirds (Columbia)
Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 23 July 1966
THE YARDBIRDS wrote all the numbers themselves, so they've got the right kind of material here. All the tracks have been produced well and there's ...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 30 July 1966
AND IN THE beginning there was Georgie Fame. At least, that more or less how it was for Rik Gunnell. Disregarding the seventh day of ...
The Beatles: Revolver (Parlophone)
Review by Richard Green, Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 July 1966
WELL, THIS is it! The latest Beatle LP, aptly called Revolver. The production that blokes like RM's Tony Hall, having been granted advance whispers of some of ...
The Temptations — They're The Group With All Lead Singers!
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 July 1966
THE TEMPTATIONS, someone once said, look like football players (American style) but they neither sing nor dance like footballers. Instead, they have the coordinated grace ...
Solomon Burke: America the Brave...
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 6 August 1966
...crashes back with half of the top fifty and some of the most advanced musical ideas. Now soul King Solomon tells of a seamier side ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 6 August 1966
Wonderful new Beatles, and 2 versions of America's 'Napoleon' hit. Very good Small Faces & old Righteous Bros & Ike and Tina. Slower Nancy and ...
Bob Dylan: Blonde On Blonde (CBS)
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 August 1966
"GUILTY UNDERTAKERS sighed..." sings Bob Dylan, somewhat prophetically on his latest folk-rock-rhythm-blues-smash-top-twenty hit. And now, as Bob is lying in hospital with a broken neck, ...
The Beach Boys: Brian Tells About His Music, & Why The Beach Boys Stopped Surfing...
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 13 August 1966
Brian Wilson never appears, nowadays, with the Beach Boys — but he couldn't stamp his individuality more strongly on them if he was up there ...
Cream: Eric Clapton: 'I'd Say George Harrison Was Good But I Feel It's Paul Telling Him What To Do'
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 13 August 1966
ERIC CLAPTON was walking down the Charing Cross Road, carrying a copy of Revolver and heading for a restaurant used as a hangout for musicians ...
The Troggs: Larry Page — The Man Who Fights In Pop Without Being Nasty
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 13 August 1966
LARRY PAGE used to be a recording artist — and his exploits were headlined in national newspapers. Now he's on the management-production side and his ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 August 1966
THE VOICE OF Napoleon XIV didn't crackle across the transatlantic 'phone. In fact, it sounded as though he was talking from the other side of ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 August 1966
RACE RIOTS and pop music don't mix. If you buy records by a coloured artiste and you happen to be white, it's difficult to be ...
Musicassettes — a Revolution in the Recorded Music Field
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 27 August 1966
LET'S TALK about musicassettes! Might just as well get in early on this revolutionary form of prerecorded music because like it or not, there's going ...
The Walker Brothers: Portrait (Philips)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 27 August 1966
Quality LP from Walkers shows no permanent decline in standards ...
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 10 September 1966
AT LAST TAMLA'S wonder boy Junior Walker, alias Autrey DeWalt, has made our charts, after eighteen months of records which have been revered and worshipped ...
Phil Spector, Ike & Tina Turner: Ike & Tina Turner: Ike...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 8 October 1966
...tells, among other things, why he wants to change the act's name, and why he dislikes 'River Deep' ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 8 October 1966
Scott Was The Hit On Walker Tour First Night ...
Kim Fowley, The Mothers Of Invention: Freak Out!
Report and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 22 October 1966
The latest West Coast way of life — rebels with a cause, & their music ...
Live Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 22 October 1966
HYSTERIA FOR HOLLIES ON TOUR ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 29 October 1966
Lee Dorsey and Marshal Sehorn talk about their definition of soul… ...
Cream: If You're Puzzled Why The Cream Did 'Wrapping Paper' Read This >
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 5 November 1966
"WE DID IT because we didn't want people to put us into a category straight away. We play soft numbers on stage, maybe we'll change ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 19 November 1966
UNIQUE ATMOSPHERE AT TOPS SHOW ...
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 10 December 1966
NOW hear this — and kindly hear it good! Are you one of the fans who think there's nothing much new happening on the pop ...
Jimmy Ruffin: Jimmy Talks of the Tamla Family, Church and Blues Influences, and His Hit
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 10 December 1966
ALL RATHER gangling, eager to listen and talk... Jimmy Ruffin meandered into London this week for television appearances, showing not one iota of the "Brokenhearted" ...
The Dixie Cups: Dixie's Dream City is Manchester
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 10 December 1966
RAINY OLD Manchester may not be everybody's idea of adream town but it is the favourite British city of The Dixie Cups — at least, ...
Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett: Atlantic '67
Report and Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 24 December 1966
FRANK FENTER is a tall, tanned, talkative South African who has a way of expression with his hands that would do credit to an Italian. ...
The Walker Brothers: The Reluctant American: Some Interesting Opinions from Scott Walker
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 31 December 1966
"I DIDN'T like it in America, and I'm not going back to live there. When I did live there it was terrible – once I ...
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 7 January 1967
WE WERE talking about Billy Fury, Larry Parnes and I. Recalling, first of all, Bill's record of success over eight years, involving at the last ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 7 January 1967
Mamas and Papas next single on their new LP ...
Report by Miranda Ward, Record Mirror, 7 January 1967
PAUL MCCARTNEY went to see them twice. As did BILL WYMAN, BRIAN JONES, KEITH MOON and many others. Them? THE YOUNG RASCALS. ...
Jimi Hendrix: Sex, Gimmicks, And Jimi
Report and Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 14 January 1967
TWO ELECTRIC guitars continued happily emitting sounds as Jimi Hendrix left the stage at Bromley Court Hotel last week. Considering the number of indignities the ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 14 January 1967
GOODIES THIS WEEK INCLUDE A MUCH-BETTER ROLLING STONES, SIMILAR, BUT DISTINCTIVE SOUND FROM TOPS, AND A PLAINTIVE PAUL JONES, NOT-SO INSTANT VAUDEVILLE BAND, AND A ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 14 January 1967
Rhythm & Blues galore! ...
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Bag O'Nails, London
Live Review by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 21 January 1967
Club scene ...
Don Covay: Quotes by Don Covay
Profile and Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 21 January 1967
DON COVAY burst on the music scene as a singer in the U.S. in 1964 with a self-penned smash hit called 'Mercy Mercy'. As a ...
The Koobas Give The Reasons Why They Revived The Gracie Fields' Oldie 'Sally'
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 21 January 1967
THE KOOBAS, sometime trendsetters in exotic stage wear, are 'trendy' again with their new single, 'Sally' — a novel version of the Gracie Fields' hit ...
The Rolling Stones: Between The Buttons (Decca)
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 28 January 1967
'Yesterday's Papers'; 'My Obsession'; 'Back Street Girl'; 'Connection'; 'Cool, Calm and Collected'; 'All Sold Out'; 'Please Go Home'; 'Who's Been Sleeping Here?'; 'Complicated'; 'Miss Amanda ...
Jimi Hendrix, The Who: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 February 1967
GLOOMY SAVILLE ...
Cream, Edwin Starr: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 February 1967
AFTER LAST week's unfortunate non-happening at the Saville, almost everything that happened this Sunday seemed to be in contrast. ...
Obituary by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 11 February 1967
SO JOE Meek is dead. Dead in tragic and rather sordid circumstances. While the enquiries go on, while the circumstances are fully investigated, it is ...
Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 11 February 1967
A peep into the studio where The Easybeats are cutting the follow-up to 'Friday On My Mind' ...
Live Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 February 1967
Pitney tour — a birthday triumph for first night ...
Jimi Hendrix: Jimi doesn't think he's a big name yet
Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 25 February 1967
HIS APPEARANCE is striking. Heads turn as he passes. Tall, black military jacket with ornate braid, wild and shocking black hair, Dylan-like. A face hewn ...
Maxine Brown: "John Lennon stopped my hit"
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 25 February 1967
MAXINE BROWN has been one of the all-time raves of the Soul Set, both here in Britain and in the States. ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 25 February 1967
NEW US SOUNDS INCLUDE Soul (Joe Tex & Aretha), Cool (Andy Williams) Beat (Shangri-Las, Love) Jazz (Mose Allison) ...
Sandy Posey: Sandy's a Single Girl who goes for R&B
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 25 February 1967
"SHE'S DIFFICULT to interview — she's very quiet and she's only interested in music and people concerned with music." That was the advice I was ...
The Beatles, Chuck Berry: Saville Riots Row
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 25 February 1967
OVER 1,000 Teddy Boys wearing their 1950 zoot suits, winkle pickers and beetle crushers (we are told) rioted last Sunday at the Saville Theatre in ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 March 1967
...especially it seems, at the Saville. Chuck Berry talks to RM's Norman Jopling for this in-depth interview ...
Chuck Berry: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 March 1967
Rockers Dominate Saville Again ...
Live Review by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 11 March 1967
ORBISON THE STAR ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 March 1967
ANY DR. ZHIVAGO "gear" seen in the Savllle last Sunday was not due to a 'fab fad' but to the nippy draughts which whistled through ...
Kathy Kirby: Kathy And The Problems Of Being A Girl Singer
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 18 March 1967
KATHY KIRBY loves her work but it happens to be one of the commercial facts of life that a highly paid entertainer sometimes gets in ...
The Hollies, Paul Jones, Spencer Davis Group: Granada, Mansfield
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 18 March 1967
HOLLIES JONES DAVIS TOUR ...
Cat Stevens, The Walker Brothers: The Walker Brothers: Images; Cat Stevens: Matthew & Son
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 March 1967
Moody Walkers L.P. and a great debut L.P. from Cat Stevens ...
The Monkees: Davy Jones: Davy Jones (Pye NPL 18178)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 March 1967
Davy — What's his singing voice like? Here's the answer... ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 March 1967
Catchy debut solo from Jeff Beck, and a typical but powerful Four Tops. Better showcase for Jimi Hendrix on his newie, and best yet from ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 25 March 1967
STAX SHOW REVIEW — & THE FIRST LP'S ...
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, ...
Readers' Letters by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 1 April 1967
RECORD MIRROR'S Norman Jopling went to the very first performance of the "Hit The Road Stax" tour in Britain — first house at Finsbury Park. ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 1 April 1967
FATS TRIUMPH AT SAVILLE ...
Harry Secombe: Hearty Harry Talks Of His First Big Hit...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 1 April 1967
POOR OLD Harry Secombe! ...
Fats Domino: "I Should Have Been Here Years Ago"
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 8 April 1967
FATS DOMINO had, at last, come five thousand miles from home to visit Britain, be cheered by delirious audiences, and meet devoted fans who knew ...
Pink Floyd: Ladies Clothes, Free Form Music, Anarchy and the Pink Floyd
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 8 April 1967
WHEN YOU talk about controversy in pop music these day, you obviously have to talk about the Pink Floyd. ...
The Monkees: More Of The Monkees (RCA)
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 8 April 1967
IT'S A STRANGE thing to review an LP which you know will go to the top of the LP charts and sell a load of ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 15 April 1967
Remarkable sincerity on El's How Great Thou Art album. ...
Otis Redding: The Stax Controversy
Readers' Letters by Norman Jopling, uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 15 April 1967
THE FACTS are these. Record Mirror columnist Norman Jopling reviewed the Stax show. Frank Fenter, manager of Atlantic Records replied. Then, Record Mirror readers wrote, ...
AIR — The Top Men Behind The Hits...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 22 April 1967
BACK IN the old days of show business (until the early Fifties) an artiste never got to make a record unless he was already established ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 22 April 1967
Orbison Gibson album — a fine LP but could be depressing... ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 22 April 1967
Top class, dramatic newie from Bee Gees, and a not so commercial Tremeloes — slow soul from Sam & Dave, & delicate new P. P. ...
Donovan: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 29 April 1967
DONOVAN AT THE SAVILLE — A PSYCHEDELIC TROUDADOR ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 6 May 1967
The tender story of a love-hate relationship ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 6 May 1967
A multitude of newies this week including Presley, Dylan, & Beach Boys ...
James Last: Top Band Man ISN'T Saying 'Big Bands are Coming Back'
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 6 May 1967
JAMES LAST sounds rather a British name. In fact, this talented musician, composer, arranger and orchestra-leader is German and it shows through in his struggles ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 6 May 1967
Some sophisticated new Motown albums ...
Geno Washington: The Geno Chant
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 6 May 1967
GENO WASHINGTON bounced in for a chat with all the energy of a peak-conditioned gymnast. Which isn't surprising as he WAS a gymnastic instructor in ...
1-2-3, Jimi Hendrix, Garnet Mimms: Jimi Hendrix, Garnet Mimms, 1-2-3: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 13 May 1967
I ALWAYS get the impression that the American Soul Singers visiting this country are graduates of the 'National Soul Factory of America'. Garnet Mimms at ...
The Isley Brothers, The Supremes: Singles from the Supremes and Isley Brothers
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 May 1967
The Supremes: 'The Happening'; 'All I Know About You' (Tamla Motown TMG 607). ...
The Beach Boys, Helen Shapiro: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 May 1967
Happy Beach Boys sing the single they don't like ...
The Yardbirds: Bill Harry's Pop Talk: The Yardbirds
Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 20 May 1967
KEITH RELF, Chris Dreja and Jimmy Page are quite angry about the continuous, almost hysterical attacks the pop world has been receiving from all directions ...
The Monkees: Empire Pool, Wembley, London
Live Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 8 July 1967
CERTAINLY THE best-produced pop-music presentation I've ever seen — that's a summary of the Monkees in concert at the massive 10,000-seater Wembley Pool. Constant changes ...
Pink Floyd: The Pink Floyd: "Even fans don't always understand what we're trying to do"...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 8 July 1967
LUNCHEON WITH two members of the Pink Floyd — Roger Waters and Nick Mason — plus their two managers (Andrew King and Peter Jenner) got ...
The Beatles, Cilla Black: AIR: George Martin — 700 Hours To Complete Sgt Pepper
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 22 July 1967
IF I WERE a recording manager, I'm sure you'd never catch me on the hop if you asked how many number ones, or top ten ...
Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You (Atlantic)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 22 July 1967
IT'S TAKEN time for Miss Franklin to break through here, though her reputation has been boosted by such as D. Springfield. But this satisfying set ...
Stevie Wonder: "John Lennon has soul," says Stevie Wonder...
Profile by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 5 August 1967
FOR SOME strange reason, Tamla Motown have suddenly started calling Stevie Wonder "The Prophet Of Soul" which seems to be a somewhat corny catch-name for ...
The Action, The Koobas, Sharon Tandy: Bill Harry's Pop Talk: Sharon Tandy, the Action and the Koobas
Report and Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 5 August 1967
SHARON TANDY SOUTH AFRICAN female artiste SHARON TANDY had been singing with a band in S.A. for a few years when she was discovered by FRANK ...
Charley Pride — America's Coloured Cowboy
Profile by John Abbey, Record Mirror, 5 August 1967
ASK ANYBODY who knows anything about Country Music to name an artiste with a bright future in this field and you'll hear the name Charley ...
Georgie Fame, Denny Laine, The Moody Blues: Denny Cordell: The Man...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 5 August 1967
...behind Procol Harum, the Move, Georgie Fame and Denny Laine talks about why he is a record producer ...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 5 August 1967
THOSE ONE-time gangsters, Carl, Trevor, Chris, Bev and Roy are MOVE-ing in on us again, with a single due for release in a week or ...
Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall: Fleetwood Mac: Peter Green – The Guitarist Who Won't Forsake The Blues
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 19 August 1967
ANYONE WHO in a year has built up the reputation of being Britain's best blues guitarist, must have some interesting things to say, and therefore ...
Jeff Beck: "I Don't Suppose I'll Get Married — All I Want Is My Music" Says Jeff Beck
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 26 August 1967
WHAT ARE the rewards of two years as one of the top guitarists in the pop business? ...
Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones: Aftermath: Mick Jagger Answers Some Questions
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 26 August 1967
WHEN I SPOKE to Mick Jagger everything was "nice" and "groovy" with him, so don't believe everything you read in the papers. And he's happy ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 September 1967
Scott LP in depth ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 9 September 1967
OUR (guaranteed GENUINE) Mitch — the one who plays drums as part of the Jimi Hendrix Experience — went over to USA with the Experience ...
James and Bobby Purify: The Soul Difference in the USA — by James Purify...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 September 1967
STROLLING into EMI's James and Bobby Purify reception clutching an EMI handout on the duo, I bumped into James P. who came out with some ...
The Flowerpot Men: Flowered, Belled and Beaded
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 23 September 1967
"I WAS strolling casually through the dining-car of a British Railways choo-choo train the other day, flowered belled and beaded, as befits a Flowerpot Man, ...
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 September 1967
Vanilla Fudge LP – even more dramatic than the hit single ...
The Beatles, Manfred Mann, Klaus Voormann: Klaus Voorman: Mann Talk
Interview by Richard Green, Record Mirror, 30 September 1967
EVER SINCE the days of '5-4-3-2-1', Manfred Mann has been improving. Until it has now reached the stage where it can either change it's style ...
Procol Harum: The Harum Troubles
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 30 September 1967
WHEN FIVE individuals come together to experiment with music and ideas, and produce a collection of individual sounds blended together to create one of the ...
Traffic: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 30 September 1967
TRAFFIC GREAT AT SAVILLE ...
Laurel Aitken, Bees, The (Jamaica): Bluebeat!! A New EMI Label For Blue Beat Devotees
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 14 October 1967
BLUE BEAT, Ska, West Indian sounds generally — if the pundits of pop are right, we'll be getting more and more of it in the ...
Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 14 October 1967
AT THE moment Cat Stevens could no doubt walk around the West End for hours and not be recognised. Not that he doesn't have a ...
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 14 October 1967
Hendrix and Brown triumph at the Saville Theatre... ...
The Beach Boys: Smiley Smile (Capitol)
Review by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 14 October 1967
BEACH BOY fans will be delighted with the new LP Smiley Smile. At least, that is if (a) the record is released in the American ...
The Beatles: The Times Of India and Sgt. Pepper
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 14 October 1967
IN THE POP column of a recent edition of the Times of India, critic Z. H. has his first listen to Sgt Pepper. Here's his ...
Timebox: Big Time for the Timebox
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
WHEN IT comes to musicianship, as opposed to glamour, some of the new groups don't really rate. Chug-chug and bang-bang and that's about it. But ...
Jefferson Airplane: The Fantasy World of Grace Slick...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
THE WONDERS of modern science never fail to leave me gasping for breath. I find it absolutely incredible to think that I could, for example, ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
IT WAS A 'soul show' at the Saville last Sunday, in the very widest sense of the term. Jimmy Cliff started off, and when he ...
Bobbie Gentry: Ode to Bobbie Gentry
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
AND STILL Bobbie Gentry won't let on. Pestered persistently at a reception in her honour (it took up a fair whack of her 36-hour stay), ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
ALL SOUL CAN sometimes be a little too much for one whole show. But the Soul Explosion package tour going around at the moment manages ...
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
MARVIN GAYE AND TAMMI TERRELL: 'Your Precious Love'; 'Hold Me Oh My Darling' (Tamla Motown TMG 625). What a beautiful record this is. A medium-pace, ...
Vanilla Fudge: The Vanilla Fudge and their Fantastic Sound
Interview by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
WITH THE sounds of their first LP blasting my eardrums to fragments, I talked — or rather shouted — to one of the Vanilla Fudge ...
The Rascals: The Young Rascals' Peace Tour...
Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
HAD A CALL from Felix Cavaliere, organist with The Young Rascals during his recent short visit here. He told me: "I'm only here for forty-eight ...
Pink Floyd: 'We Feel Good' Say The Pink Floyd
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 21 October 1967
LITTLE DID Mike Leonard know, during the second half of the nineteen-forties, that the experiments he was making in a new art form he was ...
Arthur Conley: The Prince Of Sweet Soul Music
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 28 October 1967
THE WORLD of Pop is pretty crazy. And it's pretty crazy when a twenty-one-year-old singer is 'discovered' twice in his twenty-one-year-old life by two of ...
John Mayall: The Interesting Story of John Mayall
Profile and Interview by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 28 October 1967
MOST BLUES stars have interesting stories to tell about their life and career — and most of them have the ability to tell it in ...
Vanilla Fudge, The Who: The Who, Vanilla Fudge: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 28 October 1967
OH MY GOODNESS yes. It was definitely an ear-splitting, mind-blowing, supersonic-sounding sensation at the Saville last Sunday. ...
The Foundations: Before This Record, We Were Just What You'd Call 'Bums' Say The Foundations
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 11 November 1967
IT'S ENOUGH to make psychedelia and Flower Power turn in its grave. I mean, how dare a group like the Foundations have the effrontery to ...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 11 November 1967
A DOUBLE Dynamite Duo with a tradition to live up to. That's Sam and Dave – and their tradition is hit records. Hits like 'Soul ...
Lee Dorsey: Soul Explosion! Lee Dorsey
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 November 1967
LEE DORSEY is a very interesting looking singer. He looks like a brown Bing Crosby and the effect of Lee's new teeth (which he pointed ...
Bonzo Dog Band: The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band: The Bonzo's Humanoid Machines
Profile and Interview by Bill Harry, Record Mirror, 11 November 1967
THE HUGE starship from Alpha Centuri entered the Solar System and Computer XII directed it to the third planet from the sun. The expedition scanned ...
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 November 1967
AMERICA AWAKES, INCORPORATING 'ROCK-SOUL-BLUES REVIEWS' BY NORMAN JOPLING ...
Dusty Springfield: Where Am I Going? (Philips)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 November 1967
WHERE IS DUSTY GOING? HER NEW ALBUM IN DEPTH ...
Miriam Makeba: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 25 November 1967
Cat-like Miriam at the Albert Hall... ...
The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 1 December 1967
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR is another example of a subject in which the Beatles have been able to exercise their vivid imaginations. ...
Jimi Hendrix: Axis: Bold as Love (Track)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 2 December 1967
A vivid listening experience — that's Axis: Bold as Love — the latest album from Jimi Hendrix ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 2 December 1967
ARRIVING at the Hilton Hotel to talk to Murry Wilson, I phoned his room to enquire as to whether I could go up and start ...
Roger Miller: In The Red For Eight Of His Ten Singing Years
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 2 December 1967
ROGER MILLER – both on and off record – has a quiet, relaxed, uncomplicated approach to his music and to life. Yet he's had 10 ...
The Tokens: Suddenly it's Happening for the Tokens
Report and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 2 December 1967
THE BACK-ROOM boys of pop music, such as record producers, arrangers, engineers and managers, seem to be getting as much fame and fortune as the ...
Gladys Knight, Alan Price: Gladys Knight & the Pips, Alan Price Set: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 December 1967
Alan Price and Gladys Knight & the Pips — Saville triumph ...
The Band, Bob Dylan: New Dylan
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 9 December 1967
Ten New Songs (RBP Editor's note: these songs would later be bootlegged, then released, as The Basement Tapes) ...
Traffic: Psychedelics Out for Traffic
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 23 December 1967
Jim Capaldi talks to David Griffiths ...
Obituary by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 23 December 1967
The life and music of Otis Redding — and some tributes... ...
Aretha Franklin: A History Of Soul Queen Aretha Franklin
Profile by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 30 December 1967
WELL, WHAT'S going to happen in 1968? New faces? New stars? Of course. But as we step gingerly over the threshold into the new year, ...
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 6 January 1968
UNLIKE DAVID Griffiths, I have no really clear-cut LP choices of last year. I've narrowed the field down to three records which I've written about ...
The Beach Boys, The Beatles: Records of the Year: The Beatles, The Beach Boys
Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 6 January 1968
The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band THIS ONE has historical value as a milestone in pop music, and in the art of recording, so ...
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 January 1968
THE BIG R & B companies have a habit of LP release lists which make mouths watery with anticipation. Of course the omnipresent financial problem ...
The Herd: Paradise Lost (Fontana)
Review and Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 13 January 1968
HERD—A PARADISE LOST L.P. ...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 20 January 1968
'We think our version is best' say the Love Affair... ...
The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Supremes: Tamla's Miracles Break Through At Last!
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 January 1968
THE FIRST of the Tamla Motown groups, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, have finally made it big in the British charts with their runaway transatlantic ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 27 January 1968
From the U.S.A. there are West Coast goodies by Love and Herb Alpert. U.K. albums include first Herd, second Equals and an L.P. by Des ...
Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding (U.S. Columbia)
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 27 January 1968
BOB DYLAN'S LATEST LP JOHN WESLEY HARDING – A REVIEW IN DEPTH BY NORMAN JOPLING ...
Captain Beefheart: The Magic Music from the Desert
Profile by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 3 February 1968
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART (real name Don Van Vliet) and his Magic Band are a group of 'progressive blues' musicians, whose unusual rock-blues format is starting to ...
The Supremes: Supremes Mobbed at EMI
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 3 February 1968
RM's PETER JONES TRIES TO INTERVIEW THE TRIO'S RETURN ...
Edwin Starr, Brenton Wood: Edwin Starr and Brenton Wood in Britain
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 10 February 1968
"AND NOW, ladies and gentlemen, back in Britain for the eighth time... Edwin Starr." ...
Bert Kaempfert: Massive Kaempfert LP Release
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 17 February 1968
ONE BATCH of LP's which, altogether, may slightly be beyond the reach of your pocket — no less than FIVE LP's by BERT KAEMPFERT and ...
The Scaffold: Scaffold: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 17 February 1968
AN HILARIOUSLY comedic and subtly intimate evening sparsed with a few soft-core implications was to be had at the Queen Elizabeth Hall during the appearance ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 17 February 1968
WILSON PICKETT: The Best Of Wilson Pickett 'In The Midnight Hour'; 'I Found A Love'; '634-5789'; 'If You Need Me'; 'Mustang Sally'; 'Don't Fight It'; ...
Report and Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 2 March 1968
THERE'S A great song around at the moment — a song that was number one in the U.S. charts. A song that's been recorded by ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 2 March 1968
Staunch British blues fans will dig Mayall's Diary LP set ...
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 9 March 1968
IN AN EFFORT to smash the Tamla domination of the LP market, the rival R&B giant Atlantic have put out a batch of soul and ...
Fleetwood Mac: Rock'n'Blues Via Peter Green
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 9 March 1968
THE BIG BEAT BUG BITES BLUESMAN PETER ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 9 March 1968
MANFRED MANN: Up The Junction (Fontana TL 5460). HOW FORTUNATE it is for the Manfreds that this LP of film music — never strictly commercial ...
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 March 1968
LEE HAZLEWOOD is the 38-year-old one-man army and musical talent who turned Nancy Sinatra into one of the world's most popular recording artistes — and ...
Ten Years After: The Fastest Guitarist Alive!
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 30 March 1968
I'VE RECKONED Ten Years After since I first saw them, months ago, down at the Marquee club, where they were busy playing their own kind ...
The Animals: Did you EVER think Eric was a Folk Artiste? Well, he IS! Read why here
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 March 1968
THE EXCELLENT Eric Burdon flew into London for a brief break in his American activities. We talked long about the scene. What emerged was a ...
The Supremes: Live at London's Talk Of The Town (Tamla Motown 11070)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 March 1968
Sensational Supremes at Talk Of The Town ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 6 April 1968
Some interesting LP's — a new and an old Orbison, powerful Move, brilliant Byrds, but a let-down from Jefferson Airplane, and an unexpected goodie by ...
The Bee Gees: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 6 April 1968
The BIG Bee Gees sound! ...
Tony Bennett: 'Paul McCartney Has a Spirit That Moves Me'
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 6 April 1968
THOUGH THE MUSICAL approach of Tony Bennett – and the bands he works with, such as Buddy Rich – is not usually treated with adulation ...
Scott Walker: Scott 2 (Philips)
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 12 April 1968
Scott's LP in depth ...
Otis Redding: Otis' Ambition Was To Replace Sam Cooke...
Obituary by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 April 1968
ABOUT THREE years ago I wrote a feature on Otis Redding as part of a series called "Great Unknowns". It was based on four records ...
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 April 1968
TIM BUCKLEY is a vague, interesting folksinger who doesn't know how many copies his records have sold or which of his songs have been put ...
Madeline Bell: "America is Behind the Times"
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 20 April 1968
Leather-miniskirted Madeline Bell talks to Record Mirror ...
Andy Williams: The Andy Williams Cult
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 20 April 1968
AND SUDDENLY, or so it seems to me, there is Andy Williams. Always rated in the top handful of ballad-sellers at international, there is now ...
The Small Faces: At Last The 1948 Cockney Show...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 20 April 1968
I WAS DIGGING the sounds of this record called 'Lazy Sunday', and grooving along gently thinking I was listening to Tony Newley singing with a ...
The Move: Ace Kefford Splits With The Move
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 27 April 1968
THERE WERE rumours flying thick and fast: "Ace Kefford has left the Move", "the Move have left Ace Kefford", "Bristow is Superman", and "Ace Kefford ...
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap: Enter General Puckett and the Union Gap...
Profile by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 27 April 1968
AT LAST the General and his men have made progress in the charts here. Stories of the musical ability of the Union Gap have seeped ...
The Herd: Small Audiences Bring Down Herd
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 27 April 1968
WHEN YOU'RE tired, exhausted, and in the right mood for a few weeks holiday, it must be pretty depressing not to be able to see ...
Jimi Hendrix: We're Bridging the Gap Between Pop and Jazz, Says Mitch Mitchell
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 27 April 1968
IT'S 4 P.M. on a cold summer afternoon at London Airport. ...
The Shadows, Tom Jones: Tom Jones, The Shadows: Palladium, London
Live Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 4 May 1968
ANATOMY OF AN ACT: THE FANTASTIC WELSHMAN COMMANDS THE PALLADIUM... ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 May 1968
ETTA JAMES Tell Mama — 'Tell Mama'; 'I'd Rather Go Blind'; 'The Love Of My Man'; 'I'm Gonna Take What He's Got'; 'The Same Rope'; ...
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 May 1968
The Great Leap Backwards! ...
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 11 May 1968
DAVE DEE ON STAGE — WHAT FORMS THE BASIS OF A GOOD STAGE ACT? ...
Johnny Cash: 'Dylan — He's The Best Songwriter Around Now...' said Johnny Cash
Profile and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 11 May 1968
IN THE YEAR 1956, one of the most formidable of the small American labels was Sun records, owned and run by Sam Phillips who was ...
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 May 1968
SOME PEOPLE are going around saying that Aretha Franklin is the Queen Of Soul, many people are buying her records, and one person (show compère ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 May 1968
Loads of R&B albums including Otis' great Dock Of The Bay LP ...
The Byrds, Gram Parsons: The Byrds: Middle Earth, London
Live Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 18 May 1968
HIGH FLYING BYRDS TRIUMPH WITH A BRITISH AUDIENCE... ...
Henry Mancini, Andy Williams: Andy Williams, Henry Mancini: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 25 May 1968
ONE OF America's true men of song, Henry Mancini lays proud claim to a remarkable list of musical credits, sprinkled with the occasional academy award. ...
The Hollies, Paul Jones, The Scaffold: The Hollies, Paul Jones, Scaffold: Granada, Shrewsbury
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 25 May 1968
HOLLIES, PAUL, SCAFFOLD ON STAGE! ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 May 1968
THE ROLLING STONES: 'Jumpin' Jack Flash'; 'Child Of The Moon' (Decca F 12 782). Back to their famous rhythm and blues oriented sound here from the ...
Captain Beefheart: People Talk About BEEFHEART!
Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 1 June 1968
MOST PEOPLE who play pop music and seem to be successful (judging by the conventional criteria of success) seem to have a little musical talent ...
Traffic and the US Underground
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 1 June 1968
THE "UNDERGROUND" in England is a collection of dark damp platforms and jostling crowds and miles and miles of tube trains weaving in and out ...
Bobbie Gentry: 'I'll Never Tire Of Billy Joe'
Profile and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 8 June 1968
STANDING around, waiting to meet Bobbie Gentry, I glanced through the two press handouts about her. ...
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 8 June 1968
FOCUS ON 2 GIANT LPs ...
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 8 June 1968
Cockney Rock LP puts Small Faces in West Coast bracket ...
The Equals: Everyone Should Be Drafted Into Pop...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 15 June 1968
THE GROOVY Francis Bacon, sixteenth century writer extraordinary, once said: "There is little friendship in the world, least of all between Equals". But the groovy ...
Report by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 22 June 1968
the dear sweet ageless hippy... ...
Rosetta Hightower, Joe E. Young & the Toniks: Vicki Wickham: Leap to Toast
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 22 June 1968
VICKI WICKHAM, back in the days of Ready, Steady Go, had to keep at least one finger on the pulse of the pop-music scene. The programme ...
Esther and Abi Ofarim: The Dance That Lasted A Hundred Years...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 29 June 1968
RM's MULTI-LINGUAL DAVID GRIFFITHS TALKS TO ESTHER AND ABI OFARIM ABOUT THEIR NEW SINGLE ...
Manfred Mann: Mighty Garvey! (Fontana TL5170)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 20 July 1968
MANFRED MANN'S new album Mighty Garvey! introduces a new character in the form of various styles. Garvey is a multiple combination at every outstanding type ...
The Moody Blues: In Search Of The Lost Chord (Deram Stereo SML 711)
Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 3 August 1968
THERE IS somewhere a lost chord. Some people call that chord "God", some people call it "the truth", some people call it "Om". And for ...
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 17 August 1968
PLAGUED BY DISASTER AND COUNTLESS SETBACKS, THE SUNBURY FESTIVAL PRESENTED SOME OF THE BEST MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT EVER SEEN. RM WAS THERE. ...
Timebox: Keep One Eye On The Charts Say The Timebox
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 17 August 1968
JUST ABOUT one year ago a group was born. Christened Timebox. One of their first appearances together was at last year's Windsor Jazz Festival — ...
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 17 August 1968
LEONARD BERNSTEIN IS NOT PLEASED WITH 'AMERICA' ...
Sly & the Family Stone: "The Topless Came In So I Quit, Says Sly.."
Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 24 August 1968
IT’S NOT every group that can boast a girl trumpeter, but Sly and the Family Stone can — and do. An unusual feature in what ...
Fleetwood Mac: Mr. Wonderful (Blue Horizon 7-63205)
Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 31 August 1968
WONDERFUL FLEETWOOD MAC ...
Sly & the Family Stone: Sly To Put a Core in the Apple
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 31 August 1968
TO STAMP OUT MUSICAL DEFICIENCY COME SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE ...
The Doors: Jim Morrison's Presley Scene
Report and Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 21 September 1968
IT WAS worrying enough to be asked to go along and interview Jim Morrison of the Doors. Worrying because stars who make a speciality of ...
Harry Nilsson: Computers to Composer
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 28 September 1968
SOMETIMES – not very often – but sometimes. What? Sometimes exciting things happen in pop music. Talents emerge that are new, refreshing. A shot in ...
The Band: Music From Big Pink (EMI Capitol C015559)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 5 October 1968
AT LAST, THE BAND ...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 12 October 1968
Cat's back. Dogs and Matthew and his offspring and guns and things and now his wife. Not that he has a wife – but here ...
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 October 1968
NO MORE BREL SONGS FOR SCOTT ...
Traffic: Traffic (Island Stereo ILPS 908IT) *****
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 October 1968
TRAFFIC DITTIES ON THEIR NEW ALBUM ...
Joe Cocker: They Said... It Couldn't Be Done But... Joe Did It!
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 19 October 1968
THEY SAID it couldn't be done... couldn't be done... couldn't be done. But Joe Cocker's done it. ...
Joe Cocker: I'm Such a Funny Item To Try and Sell, says Joe Cocker
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 November 1968
AT THE time of writing, Joe Cocker is threatening the long standing Mary Hopkin and vying with menace for that number one chart position. The ...
Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland (Track 613008/613009)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 9 November 1968
NEW DOUBLE SET HENDRIX LP! ...
The Nazz: Rock N' Roll New Term For Last Year's Mistakes — Say Nazz
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 9 November 1968
STEWKEY ANTONI, Todd Rundgren, Carson Van Osten and Thom Mooney, the four members of Nazz — incidentally, a word discovered by the group while trying ...
The Incredible String Band: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 9 November 1968
THREE PEOPLE came from nowhere with patterns of melodies collected while travelling many countries. Their styles were born in other cultures, thus rendering their musical ...
Live Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 9 November 1968
ONCE UPON a time in the land of the Charity, a concert was given in aid of all the boys' clubs all over the country. ...
Tyrannosaurus Rex: Tyrannosaurus: Poetry And Music
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 9 November 1968
POLYGONAMOUS pop. Let me explain — pop has many sides to it, thus polygonamous. All this stuff that comprises the majority of the charts and ...
Jethro Tull: This Was (Island Stereo Ilps 9085.)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 16 November 1968
JETHRO TULL LP SETS FANS ON FIRE ...
The Beatles: The Beatles (White Album) (Apple)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 16 November 1968
THE BEATLES ALBUM TRACKS IN DEPTH strange vibrations from John... ...
The Nice: Ars Longa Vita Brevis (Immediate)
Review by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 16 November 1968
"THAT'S NICE". "That's Nice". That is the new LP from the Nice, Ars Longa Vita Brevis, and whichever way you say it, it's very good. ...
The Deviants: From the Underground: The Deviants
Profile and Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 23 November 1968
IT'S BEEN SAID of the Deviants that they are the only real underground group. Like roots of the underground perhaps – because Mick Farren, first ...
Simon & Garfunkel: Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. (CBS 63370)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 23 November 1968
AFTER 3 YEARS OF WAITING WEDNESDAY MORNING, 3 A.M. ...
Aphrodite's Child: 'Rain & Tears' 300 Yrs Old!
Profile and Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 30 November 1968
ONCE UPON a time, about three hundred years ago as the crow flies, a German organist with nothing better to do sat down at his ...
Dusty Springfield: Dusty... Definitely (Philips SBL 7864)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 30 November 1968
WHEN DUSTY goes she really goes... and on the first side of this magnificent album she is going even more than somewhat. This is, if ...
The Rolling Stones: Beggars' Banquet (Decca)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 30 November 1968
'Sympathy For The Devil'; 'No Expectations'; 'Dear Doctor'; 'Parachute Woman'; 'Jig-Saw Puzzle'; 'Street Fighting Man'; 'Prodigal Son'; 'Stray Cat Blues'; 'Factory Girl'; 'Salt Of The Earth' ...
Cream, Yes: Goodbye To The Cream
Live Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 7 December 1968
THE CREAM delivered all that was expected of them, and a little more, at their final, farewell-type Albert Hall concert last week. Of course, the ...
Jeannie C. Riley: 'Harper Valley' Characters Come To Life via Jeannie C. Riley
Profile by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 7 December 1968
VISIONS OF the Mississippi Delta again grace the charts as does a rather lovely face while 21-year-old Texas-born Jeannie C. Riley nips at the top ...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 7 December 1968
RECIPE FOR nice sounds: take John Sebastian, Dave Crosby, Steve Stills, and Graham Nash. Add the occasional Mama Cass or Al Kooper or Mike Bloomfield, ...
Tom Jones: Help Yourself (Decca Stereo SKL 4982)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 7 December 1968
"HELP YOURSELF" to the EXUBERANCE OF A GENIUS... TOM JONES ...
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 December 1968
'LIVE' LPs FROM CREAM & OTIS. ...
Richard Harris: The Yard Went On Forever (Stateside SS 5001)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 14 December 1968
'The Yard Went On Forever'; 'Watermark'; 'Interim'; 'Gayla'; 'The Hymns From Grand Terrace'; 'The Hive'; 'Lucky Me'; 'That's The Way It Was' ...
Sandie Shaw: The Sandie Shaw Supplement (Pye Mono NPL 18232)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 14 December 1968
ONCE AGAIN, it's my pleasure to announce that Sandie has come up with a gem of an album. There are those who disparage, in these ...
Donnie Elbert: Soul Singer in the Suburbs... Donnie Elbert
Profile and Interview by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 14 December 1968
EDGWARE, MIDDLESEX, in the vibrant heart of London'ssuburbia isn't quite where you'd expect to find a soul singer who has had hits all over the ...
The Rolling Stones: Stones Pie Brawl!
Report by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 December 1968
R.M.'S LON GODDARD was there... ...
John Peel: "It's Very Scary This Whole Personality Cult" — Number One Disc Jockey John Peel
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 21 December 1968
IT'S IRONIC that the top number one ace disc-jockey of the year in our poll is one of the few people in the business who ...
The Beach Boys, Charles Manson, Dennis Wilson: Dennis Wilson: 'I Live With 17 Girls'
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 21 December 1968
SAID DENNIS WILSON, a bemused frown on his face: "I don't know why I'm telling you all this..." Well, whatever Dennis's reasons (if any), the ...
Easy Rider: The Rock Generation Takes Over
Film/DVD/TV Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 1969
Songs by Steppenwolf, the Byrds and the Band underline the message of EASY RIDER ...
Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox: Buddy Holly and Buddy Knox: Texas Buddies
Discography by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 1969
LIKE THE rest of society, pop music isn't fair. The most successful singers earn more than they know what to do with, and the majority ...
Amos Milburn, Fats Domino: Jump Boogie and Shuffle
Retrospective by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 1969
IT WOULD BE nice to be able to point to a man, a record, a year, and say, "There! Rock and roll started with him, ...
Reggae: A Night at Count Suckle's and Reggae
Film/DVD/TV Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 1969
JUST WHEN all hope had been abandoned, the ITV Network surprised us. ...
Bonzo Dog Band: The Doughnut In Granny's Greenhouse (Liberty)
Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 4 January 1969
ONLY JUST received this one, so can't claim much familiarity, but I like it well enough already to want to include it anyway. ...
Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band: Strictly Personal (Liberty)
Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 4 January 1969
APTLY TITLED. The unique Beefheart outfit have thoroughly fulfilled the promise of their first album. ...
The Beatles: The Beatles (White Album) (Apple PCS 7067 & 8)
Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 4 January 1969
LAST YEAR'S obvious standout LP was Sergeant Pepper and now we have its unbelievable, impossible, out-of-sight successor. It's no feat of critical perception to pick ...
The Moody Blues: In Search Of The Lost Chord (Deram)
Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 4 January 1969
THERE ARE some sumptuous sounds on this LP, all of them made by just the five Moodies. No session musicians, simply (?!) the group's instrumental ...
Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, The Supremes, The Temptations: Albums from the Supremes and Marvin Gaye
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 11 January 1969
THOSE TAMLA GOODIES ...
Love Sculpture: How to follow an old Russian tune: what now for Love Sculpture?
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 11 January 1969
TRYING TO find a suitable follow-up for a 'pop' version of an old Russian tune is no mean feat. This, however, is the problem facing ...
Sergio Mendes: What Exactly Is Brazil 66? Sergio knows...
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 11 January 1969
IN IPANEMA, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, a pianist-singer-arranger-composer named Sergio Mendes conceived what is known today as Brasil '66. A hotter-than-hot recording sound ...
Dusty Springfield: I Fell Flat On My Face — Dusty
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 18 January 1969
WHEN AN artiste of her stature confesses "I fell flat on my face" it sounds like a major catastrophe. But I'm here to report that ...
Fat Mattress, Jimi Hendrix, Noel Redding: It's Getting Boring Says Noel The Red
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 18 January 1969
A SLIGHTLY haggard Noel Redding staggered into the tavern and eased himself into a chair. Of course, it immediately crossed my mind that the poor ...
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles: Special Occasion (Tamla Motown Stereo STML 11089)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 18 January 1969
'Yester Love'; 'If You Can Want'; 'Special Occasion'; 'Everybody Needs Love'; 'Just Losing You'; 'Give Her Up'; 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine'; 'Yesterday'; 'Your ...
The Beatles: Yellow Submarine (Apple Records, Stereo PCS7O70)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 18 January 1969
'Yellow Submarine'; 'Only A Northern Song'; 'All Together Now'; 'Hey Bulldog'; 'It's All Too Much'; 'All You Need Is Love'; 'Pepperland'; 'Sea Of Holes'; 'Sea ...
The Four Tops: Yesterday's Gone (Tamla Motown Stereo ST ML 11087).
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 18 January 1969
SOME UNEXPECTED selections on this long awaited 4 Tops collection. The Tops are classics of The Male Motown list and have certainly put some brilliant ...
Deep Purple: From The Underground: Deep Purple
Profile and Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 25 January 1969
AND WHILE the rain falls in Britain, Deep Purple look out of their windows in America and the sun is shining a spotlight upon them ...
Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus: Pop Music Does Not Damage The Brain Cells — Kasenetz Katz
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 January 1969
NO PARTICULAR pretensions about the quality and progressiveness about the music created by the Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus. Just "sing-along, dance-along stuff with no hidden ...
Randy Newman: Hit-Maker Randy Can't Stand His Voice!
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 25 January 1969
THE BEATLES are steadfast admirers of the songwriting talents of Randy Newman. Other artistes have reason to be grateful for his songs — like Cilla ...
Ten Years After: Tricks of the recording studio on new Ten Years After L.P.
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 1 February 1969
CHICK CHURCHILL, organist with Ten Years After, devoured a chicken sandwich and explained: "We've been working very hard lately and now that we're back in ...
Geno Washington: "Underground Music Is Dead" — Geno
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 8 February 1969
THE LAST time we met, Geno Washington was looking forward to a chart entry with 'Bring It To Me Baby', and contemplating the changes that ...
Simon & Garfunkel: The Wizards
Profile by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 8 February 1969
SOME YEARS ago, in the days of pop's infancy, the fickle finger of fate (thank you Dick Martin and Dan Rowan) struck a golden combination. ...
Terry Reid: Dynamite — Comes in Three's
Profile and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 15 February 1969
SLOWLY BUT more than surely, a new cult is building under our noses on both sides of the Atlantic. Centre of the exclusive attraction is ...
Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 22 February 1969
The Wicked Pickett's Diet ...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 1 March 1969
A ROARING log fire and its reflection in the pine-panelled walls gave the whole room a cosy reddish glow all ankle-deep in carpet and large ...
1910 Fruitgum Company, Ohio Express: Buddha's Artie Ripp: You Don't Chew It Play It!
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 1 March 1969
WHO WAS the man with the enormous ten-gallon hat? Why did he always chew gum? ...
Glen Campbell: Wichita Lineman (Ember STEREO NR5043)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 1 March 1969
'Wichita Lineman'; '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay'; 'If You Go Away'; 'Ann'; 'Words'; 'Fate Of Man'; 'Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife'; 'The Straight ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 1 March 1969
WHAT WAS Moby Grape? Some thought it was yet another hold-over from the battery of 'grape' jokes that sprang out of the American college pun ...
Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 8 March 1969
'I'm So Glad'; 'Politician'; 'Sitting On Top Of The World'; 'Badge'; 'Doing That Scrapyard Thing'; 'What A Bringdown' – Polydor Stereo 583 053. ...
Jimi Hendrix: Mitch: Different Line-Ups Are Like Different Women
Report and Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 8 March 1969
THE AFTERNOON before the second Albert Hall concert for Jimi Hendrix and the Experience. The scene is set with amps piled high and roadies bustling ...
Jimi Hendrix: "Western Movie For Jimi" Says The Man Himself
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 15 March 1969
AFTER SPENDING some time trying to track Jimi Hendrix down, I finally found myself sitting in his rooftop pad drinking tea with Jimi and girlfriend ...
Jimmy Webb, Richard Harris: Richard Harris: 'He Still Wants To Be A Pop Star..!'
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 15 March 1969
Richard Harris Talking Of His Boy Jim Webb ...
Amen Corner: A Day In The Life Of... Amen Corner
Report and Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 22 March 1969
AFTER A slap up Indian meal hosted by Terry Slater our small contingent of journalists and friends sped towards Tottenham in two chauffeur driven cars. ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 26 March 1969
'It's Raining Today'; 'Copenhagen'; 'Rosemary'; 'Big Louise'; 'We Came Through'; 'Butterfly'; 'Two Ragged Soldiers'; '30 Century Man'; 'Winter Night'; 'Two Weeks Since You've Gone'; 'Sons ...
Keith Moon, The Who: Keith Moon: College Cheques Don't Bounce!
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 29 March 1969
AFTER MISSING our first arranged meeting due to an unexpected Radio One Club appearance, the highly effervescent Keith Moon burst into the bar to meet ...
Tony Joe White: Music Millionaires
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 29 March 1969
TONY JOE WHITE has a sleepy southern Louisiana accent, looks and sounds a lot like American heavy actor Claude Akins, and plays a fast guitar. ...
Desmond Dekker: The New Testament Goes 'Soul'..
Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 5 April 1969
LAST TIME he was in the charts visions of James Bond were conjured up. This time: visions of the New Testament perhaps. Quite a difference ...
Joe South: Joe Tells of the Games People Play...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 5 April 1969
GET UP, GO over to the window and look out. Up and down that pavement outside every day walk People, some for pleasure, some going ...
Joe South: Joe Tells Of The Games People Play...
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 5 April 1969
GET UP, GO over to the window and look out. Up and down that pavement outside every day walk people, some for pleasure, some going ...
Janis Joplin: The Wildest Girl-Creature?
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 12 April 1969
THEY CALL her: "The new American talent-character; the wildest girl-creature to burst on the in-person and disc scene yet." They call her: "a kind of ...
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin (Atlantic) *****
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 12 April 1969
'Good Times Bad Times'; 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You'; 'You Shook Me'; 'Dazed And Confused'; 'You're Time Is Gonna Come'; 'Black Mountainside'; 'Communication Breakdown'; 'I ...
Dusty Springfield: Dusty In Memphis (Philips) *****
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 19 April 1969
WITH THREE producers throwing in their varied talents — Messrs. Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin — Dusty Springfield was clearly in happy mood ...
Bob Dylan: Nashville Skyline (CBS STEREO 63601)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 26 April 1969
'Girl Of The North Country' (with Johnny Cash); 'Nashville Skyline Rag'; 'To Be Alone With You'; 'I Threw It All Away'; 'Peggy Day'; 'Lay Lady ...
Glen Campbell, Jimmy Webb: "Jimmy Webb Is A Country Boy", Glen Campbell tells R.M.'s Lon Goddard
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 3 May 1969
"JIMMY WEBB," explained smooth voiced Glen Campbell, somewhere south of Wichita, but still on the line, "is a likeable easy going country boy. One of ...
The Kinks: Kinks' 'Bum' & The BBC!
Interview by Derek Boltwood, Record Mirror, 10 May 1969
I MET FOUR disconsolate Kinks last Thursday. Disconsolate because they'd just been told that a film for their latest record 'Plastic Man' was not going ...
Desmond Dekker, Errol Dixon: Reggay: Son of R & B
Overview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 10 May 1969
THERE WERE two kinds of reaction when Desmond Dekker's 'Israelites' started up the hit parades in March: blimey, I heard that before Christmas; and, the ...
The Who: Ronnie Scott's, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 10 May 1969
FROM TWELVE o'clock onwards, an influx of journalists, publicists and assorted ravers were to be seen conglomerated in deepest Soho, preparing themselves with liquid medication ...
Joe South Introspect: 'I Look For Warmth And Vibrations In People And I Look For God...'
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 17 May 1969
"JOE SOUTH is a boy from the roots of this country (U.S.A.), a whole bed of human suffering throughout the history of this fine land ...
John Lennon, Yoko Ono: John Lennon and Yoko Ono: Life With The Lions (Apple)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 17 May 1969
JOHN AND YOKO DO THEIR OWN THING (Part 2) ...
Bob & Earl: The real Bob & Earl finally stand up...
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 17 May 1969
I ARRIVED at the Mandeville Hotel rather harassed after having spent twenty minutes in a taxi for a journey that would normally take five! I ...
Junior Walker & the All Stars: 'We're Not Part Of The Tamla Sound' Says Junior Walker
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 17 May 1969
OKAY, THE story has been told before. But here goes once again... so this guy Autry deWalt was a school-kid and he walked everywhere. Everyone ...
Overview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 24 May 1969
THERE WAS a time, not so long ago, when almost all the writing about popular music was descriptive or informative. ...
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 24 May 1969
'Overture'; 'It's A Boy'; '1921'; 'Amazing Journey'; 'Sparks'; 'The Hawker' (A); 'Christmas'; 'Cousin Kevin'; 'The Acid Queen'; 'Underture'; 'Do You Think It's Alright?'; 'Fiddle About'; ...
Gordon Lightfoot: "Bob Dylan Gets Uptight If He's Bent Around" — Says Gordon Lightfoot
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 June 1969
CAN YOU imagine someone becoming a well known poet and singer, yet never cutting a record? ...
The Who: Born to Sing The Blues
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 14 June 1969
COLLECTORS of rhythm and blues music are doomed to perpetual frustration, as they witness one white singer after another plundering the culture they love. Occasionally, ...
Max Romeo: This Is The Record That Will Give The BBC Troubles — If It Reaches The Top...
Report by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 21 June 1969
HOVERING AROUND the lower end of the charts is a record that has had no plugs, and certainly no air plays – nor is it ...
Procol Harum: Back to the Classics?
Report and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 21 June 1969
"No," says Procol's Gary Brooker. "We don't copy classical music: Robbie doesn't know one ancient composer from another." ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 21 June 1969
IF YOU WERE free to choose your position in pop today; if you had your choice of any groups... "I'd choose The Rolling Stones anyway," ...
The Foundations: Ups and Downs of the Foundations in America
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 21 June 1969
YOU'VE HEARD of the Original this and the Fabulous that — cases of established names being lifted from top U.S. groups and used on imitation ...
Overview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 28 June 1969
ROCK AND roll was the victory of regional locality over the world, of precise beliefs over general theory, of particular feelings over universal philosophies. ...
Bobbie Gentry Explains The Trouser Suit Scene
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 5 July 1969
BOBBIE GENTRY has written so many songs she's lost count. Maybe around two hundred. Since she's constantly travelling to various countries (as well as moving ...
Interview by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 5 July 1969
MORE THAN twenty years ago, when he was 19, Vic Damone was one of the top hitmakers. He had four or five massive sellers in ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 5 July 1969
"WE DO NOT want anyone in this country to think we are skipping off to America and forsaking our British fans," explained organist and showman ...
Overview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 5 July 1969
THIS ARTICLE mentions a lot of singers you've never heard of. Why haven't you heard of them? (They're all very good, very important, and have ...
The Beach Boys, Charles Manson, Dennis Wilson: The Continuing Story Of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 5 July 1969
...and his house of seventeen women. RM'S Lon Goddard reports from the loo!!! ...
Brian Jones, The Rolling Stones: Brian Jones — The Musician
Obituary by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969
THE DRUGS, THE GIRLS, THE HANG-UPS ARE SUPERFLUOUS TO THIS OBITUARY. LET US REMEMBER HIM FOR WHAT HE WAS... ...
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969
ALL THE HAPPENINGS REVIEWED... ...
The Rolling Stones: Hyde Park, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969
the good, the bad & the ugly... ...
Plastic Ono Band: Who Are The Plastic Ono Band?
Report by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969
WHO ARE the Plastic Ono Band? More than likely, you were unable to remove that insidious little question from your minds these past few days. ...
"I'm a Fairly Normal Person" — John Peel
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 19 July 1969
FEW PEOPLE in this day and age can understand or accept a man who does not wish to sell himself; who will try to employ ...
The Rolling Stones: One Plus One aka Sympathy for the Devil (Dir. Jean Luc Godard)
Film/DVD/TV Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 19 July 1969
Stones Long Awaited Film Retitled Sympathy For The Devil. R.M.'s Lon Goddard Gets Special Preview... ...
The Rolling Stones: Keith Richard: "Acting Is For Mick, Not Me!"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 26 July 1969
THE SILENT one speaks. In these times, words from Keith Richard are as rare as cobras in Essex, but the Rolling Stones' lead guitarist, who ...
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 26 July 1969
New Sly & Family Stone LP begins where other R&B LP's leave off ...
The Lovin' Spoonful: The Urban Villagers
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 26 July 1969
POPULAR music is sentimental, trivial or melodramatic, and therefore need never be listened to by people who care about real feelings. ...
Fairport Convention: Unhalfbricking — Is This Word Pornographic?
Profile and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 2 August 1969
Lon Goddard from the Underworld ...
Lonnie Mack, Tony Joe White: The Real White Blues: Tony Joe White/Lonnie Mack
Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 2 August 1969
TONY JOE WHITE may well be the most sympathetic man making music today. His records show a man who cares about people, a Southerner with ...
Crosby Stills and Nash: Crosby, Stills and Nash: Crosby, Stills and Nash (Atlantic Stereo 588189)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 August 1969
'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes'; 'Marrakesh Express'; 'Guinnevere'; 'You Don't Have To Cry'; 'Pre-Road Downs'; 'Wooden Ships'; 'Lady Of The Island'; 'Helplessly Hoping'; 'Long Time Gone'; ...
Crosby Stills Nash & Young: CS&N (&Y)
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 August 1969
I THOUGHT I'D be hearing a good old north country accent when I picked up the phone, but Graham Nash, it seems, is now forbidden ...
Humble Pie: Ronnie Scott's Club, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 16 August 1969
CHAMPAGNE, CHICKEN AND THEN A SMALL PORTION OF HUMBLE PIE ...
Nik Cohn: Pop; Paul Oliver: The Story of The Blues
Book Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 23 August 1969
Charlie Gillett reviews two books on music: Pop by Nik Cohn, and The Story of The Blues by Paul Oliver ...
Bob Dylan: "My Friend Bob", as told by Marc Ellington
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 30 August 1969
"I REMEMBER him as a very nervous person," he said, looking into space and recalling the times he'd shared with the young Bob Dylan. ...
Overview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 30 August 1969
ON STAGE at the Apollo, Harlem: standing at one microphone, an immaculately dressed man dramatically insists his love. At the second mike, four men bend ...
The Band: The Boys in the Band...
Profile by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 30 August 1969
LON GODDARD SPOTLIGHTS DYLAN'S BACKING GROUP ...
Jeff Beck: The Jeff Beck Group: Beck-Ola (Columbia SCX 6351 stereo)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 30 August 1969
Beck up-dates Elvis oldies ...
The Band, Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan & the Band: Isle of Wight Festival
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 6 September 1969
Love is all there is...Wesley Laine & Lon Goddard report from the Isle of Wight ...
Jack Bruce: Songs For A Tailor (Polydor)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 6 September 1969
Bruce bridges the jazz-pop gap.... ...
James Brown: Telling The Natural Truth
Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 6 September 1969
'SAY IT LOUD – I'm Black and I'm Proud' sold 20,000 copies in Britain, although the BBC played it only once. Is James Brown surprised? ...
Joni Mitchell: Clouds (Reprise RSLP 6293)
Review by Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 6 September 1969
Beautiful new Joni Mitchell LP – but it's an acquired taste ...
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 13 September 1969
THE DOORS: The Soft Parade — 'Tell All The People'; 'Touch Me'; 'Shaman's Blues'; 'Do It'; 'Easy Ride'; 'Wild Child'; 'Runnin' Blue'; 'Wishful Sinful'; 'The ...
The Band, Bob Dylan: The Band: Working With Bob
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 13 September 1969
JAMIE ROBBIE Robertson, Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson and Rick Danko are privileged to be five of the closest people to Bob Dylan. They ...
Little Milton and The New Black Blues
Overview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 20 September 1969
THROUGH THE 1950's, men with loud voices, amplified guitars and a few noisy accompanists made a modest but sufficient living out of singing the blues ...
Gene Vincent Cuts A New LP: John Peel’s Label Gets A New Version of ‘Be-Bop-a-Lula’
Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 27 September 1969
ROCK'N'ROLL, WHICH HAS NEVER been far away since it made its first appearance in the early fifties, is without much doubt about to become all-powerful ...
The Beatles: Abbey Road (Apple Stereo PCS 7088)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 27 September 1969
John Lennon: "you can feel his disease..." Strange lyrics from Beatles ABBEY ROAD album... ...
The Flamingos, The Jive Five: The Jive Five: Where Are You Now
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 27 September 1969
To the editor, R 'n' B World, New York. ...
Review and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 4 October 1969
LAST Wednesday's Fairport Convention concert at the Royal Festival Hall contained additions to the great prospect of Sandy and the bunch live on stage. Fairport's ...
Live Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 4 October 1969
Jamaica triumph ...
Van Dyke Parks: Song Cycle (Warner WS 1727 stereo)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 4 October 1969
PARKS HAS been around the pop scene for quite a time — his name cropped up in connection with the Byrds and later with the ...
Duke/Peacock: 20 Years of Don Robey's R&B Empire
Report by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 16 October 1969
1969 Is the Twentieth Anniversary of Duke/Peacock Records of Houston, Texas, one of the best R & B Soul companies. ...
Charlie Watts: "The One-Off Merchant"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 18 October 1969
"I'M BASICALLY lazy," said Charlie. “I've never found something I really wanted to do outside the Stones. I know it must sound boring, but it's ...
Jane Birkin, Serge Gainsbourg: Jane Birkin: That Was The Week That Was...
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 18 October 1969
JANE BIRKIN: the inside story of what happened when the BBC found her at Number One... and the BBC-TV programme that played the record with ...
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates: Johnny Kidd: 3 Years Ago This Month
Retrospective by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 18 October 1969
HE WAS BORN plain Fred Heath. He changed his name to Johnny Kidd and became one of our finest rock 'n' rollers. And he was ...
Slade: "Clapton was the first skinhead!" say Slade
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 25 October 1969
THEY LOOKED wrong. There they were, four merry little skinheads sprawled across deep Georgian chairs in one of those plush offices off Oxford Street. ...
Delaney & Bonnie: Clapton, Jagger, Harrison and Lennon Rave Over Them
Profile by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 25 October 1969
REPUTATIONS travel, Delaney And Bonnie's travel via Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger and George Harrison. ...
King Crimson, The Nice: The Nice, King Crimson: Fairfield Hall, Croydon
Live Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 25 October 1969
THE NICE are an incredible band. At every one of their concerts there's always something new; something which only the Nice can do. ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 25 October 1969
"THE STONES have been lucky — or clever in that we have done some records that have lasted longer than a week," said Charlie. ...
The Moody Blues: To Our Children's Children's Children (Threshold THS 1)
Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 1 November 1969
A PORTENTOUSLY voyagistic 2001-style opening, with whooshing sound effects, leads into a "Heavenly choir", then solid beat music and a bit of narrative with strong ...
Live Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 5 November 1969
THE HERO of our times is a man who plays blues guitar, and the hero of heroes is Albert King. Huge, gentle, he holds his ...
Albert King: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 5 November 1969
THE HERO of our times is a man who plays blues guitar, and the hero of heroes is Albert King. Huge, gentle, he holds his ...
Desmond Dekker, The Pioneers: Ska's Mysterious Lyrics Explained
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, Record Mirror, 5 November 1969
Desmond Dekker talks to Roger St. Pierre ...
Johnny Otis: The New Johnny Otis Show
Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 12 November 1969
"I'm gonna lay right here on this wall, And drink this beer, And watch her walk. You heard me call a while ...
Live Review by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 15 November 1969
Youth Power at Stones show ...
Owen Gray, Pat Kelly: Various Artists: Reggae Convention, Lyceum, London
Live Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 15 November 1969
FOLLOWING up the great success of last month's Caribbean Festival at Wembley, the first Reggae Convention at the Lyceum promised to be at least as ...
Humble Pie: Town and Country (Immediate Stereo IMSP 027)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 19 November 1969
Much improved Pie ...
The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed (Decca Stereo)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 29 November 1969
LET IT BLEED, or let it rip they did. From the first track it is apparent that production scale on the latest Stones LP has ...
Eric Clapton, Delaney & Bonnie: Delaney & Bonnie and Friends: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 6 December 1969
AND A GOOD TIME was had by all at London's Royal Albert Hall on Monday. It was the first British appearance of Delaney & Bonnie ...
Engelbert Humperdinck: Engelbert Humperdinck (Decca SKL 5030)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 6 December 1969
Warmth sells Engels voice ...
Scott Walker: Scott Engel: Scott 4 (Philips SBL 7913)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 6 December 1969
Best yet from Scott ...
The Rolling Stones: Stones Free Gig In US.
Report by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 6 December 1969
NEW YORK — Into the Rainbow Grill, home of the smart set, wining and dining 65 floors above Manhattan, trooped the Rolling Stones for their ...
The Moody Blues: To Our Children's, Children's, Children (Threshold THM 1)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 6 December 1969
Moody Blues: rock group or mini-orchestra ...
Chicago: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 13 December 1969
CHICAGO ARE one of the great groups. We knew about them from their fine debut album, Chicago Transit Authority, released three months ago, but their ...
Donovan: Royal Festival Hall, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 13 December 1969
EVENINGS WITH Donovan just aren't the same any more. In the days of yore, there were always stage attempts to shroud Donovan in the mystery ...
Percy Sledge: The Best Of Percy Sledge
Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 13 December 1969
PERCY SLEDGE is here for a three-week tour, and to coincide with it Atlantic have released a single, 'True Love Travels On A Gravel Road', ...
Arlo Guthrie: Alice's Restaurant (Dir. Arthur Penn; United Artists)
Film/DVD/TV Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 20 December 1969
THE FILM of Alice's Restaurant lacks the whimsical outlook that made the LP track of the same name. On the LP, Arlo Guthrie seeks to ...
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 20 December 1969
TO REFUTE some of the idiotic ravings of national press reviewers, the Rolling Stones had no trouble stirring up the atmosphere at London's Saville Theatre ...
Fairport Convention: Liege and Lief (Island Stereo ILPS 9115).
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 27 December 1969
RELEASED AFTER Sandy and Tiger left the group, this LP would appear to be the last by the Fairports in their most famous line-up, with ...
Wilbert Harrison: Bring Back The Fifties
Column by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 1970
EVERY YEAR, the manager of the Apollo Theatre in Harlem stages an 'oldies' show, in which almost forgotten stars of R&B relive their past for ...
Jerry Lee Lewis: The Start of It All
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 1970
I PLAYED 'Great Balls Of Fire' to some college students last week. And while it played, and while they listened, I closed my eyes and ...
Crosby Stills Nash & Young, The Hollies: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Nash — The Broadest Grin
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
HEADLINES SCREAMED: "Hollies split" — and it turned out that it was Graham Nash who had actually left. That was all. But the cynics decided ...
Donovan: Meditation Is Like A Miracle Cure
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
IT IS A FAR CRY from 'Catch The Wind' to songs like 'Winking Blinking and Nod' or 'A Poke At The Pope' but then Donovan ...
Fairport Convention: Partings and Laments
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
THE FAIRPORTS' newest LP Leige And Leif is by far the best thing they've done in the eyes of the Crawling. In the eyes of ...
How to Build a Bridge Backwards: Life as a Part-time Disc Jockey
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
I HAD A STRANGE TIME the other day, playing records at a college party. ...
Janis Joplin: I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again, Mama (CBS Stereo 63546)
Review by David Griffiths, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
'Try'; 'Maybe'; 'One Good Man'; 'As Good As You've Been To This World'; 'To Love Somebody'; 'Kozmic Blues'; 'Little Girl Blue'; 'Work Me, Lord' ...
Lulu: New Routes (Acto 228 031)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
THERE HAS to come a time when Lulu is properly assessed for her part in pop. Maybe this American produced Atlantic sound album will do ...
Quintessence: Notting Hill Gate – a Single, a Group, and a Place
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
LONDON WEST Ten is the Grove. It is that part of Notting Hill straddling Ladbroke Grove, where, over the past few years, a whole new ...
The Pioneers: 'Longshot' Never Let Them Down. Will 'Ramases' Do The Same?
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
'Long Shot, Kick The Bucket' brought pop fame and a trip to Britain for the Pioneers; 'Poor Ramases' is their latest disc and to give ...
Mott The Hoople: Mott & The Name Game...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 10 January 1970
SOME BANDS try harder. Like Mott The Hoople for instance. You try walking around with a name like that. ...
Bonzo Dog Band: The Bonzo Dog Band: 'We Were Unsexual, Unattractive And Musically Unexciting'
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 10 January 1970
VIV STANSHALL TALKS TO KEITH ALTHAM ABOUT THE BONZO BREAK-UP ...
Joni Mitchell: The Crawling Eye: Protest peace... and Joni Mitchell
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 10 January 1970
JONI MITCHELL is ever such a nice person. ...
The Dave Clark Five: The Dave Clark 5's Mike Smith
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 10 January 1970
NOT UNLIKE 'old man river' the Dave Clark Five keep rolling along and just when the critics are about to re-write their obituaries – missing ...
Anne Nightingale: "I don't intend to start screaming 'Hello darling' down the microphone"
Report and Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 24 January 1970
TO BE the first anything is exciting. So it is not at all surprising that Anne Nightingale looked extremely nervous at her Press conference this ...
The Move: Moving back to roots
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 24 January 1970
THE MOVE arose amidst the pioneers of a newer progressive kind of music. Perhaps the 'underground' of its time. Yet now they find themselves entertaining ...
Badfinger, Paul McCartney: Thumbs up for Badfinger
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 24 January 1970
WHEN THE gates of Apple were first thrown open to the talented public at large, many ambitious artists turned to the newly appointed 'Mecca' and ...
The Rolling Stones: "After about five numbers there seemed to be fights everywhere. I was numbed"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 31 January 1970
MICK TAYLOR ON THE STONES BLOODBATH ...
Black Widow, Myth and MAGICK...
Report and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 7 February 1970
BY THE GOAT, it was in the cards. Malcficium extends it's demonic fingers in the the sleeping bones of pop music and the Black Arts ...
Simon & Garfunkel: Simon and Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water (CBS Stereo 63699)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 7 February 1970
A long wait for S and G album — but well worth it! ...
B.J. Thomas: Those raindrops keep falling — like four times!
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 February 1970
SO NATURALLY, American singer B.J. Thomas has some cause for concern. Because three other artists have covered his original record before it could be released ...
Smokey Robinson: "The old ideas are dying just like Vaudeville did"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 February 1970
Smokey Robinson on the current pop scene. ...
Led Zeppelin: Jimmy Page: Superstar
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 21 February 1970
JIMMY PAGE is the phoenix who has arisen from the ashes of the Yardbirds to emerge amongst the electric guitarist gods, through the meteoric success ...
Bill Justis, Booker T & The MGs: Bill Justis: The Baldest Rock'n'Roll Star
Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 7 March 1970
THE PRESS reception is for Booker T and the MG's. They introduce themselves through the mike on a stage at one end of the room, ...
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 7 March 1970
THE FIRST thing you notice about them is why they're not "The Small Faces" anymore. Rod Stewart, the new vocalist, is head and shoulders above ...
The Deviants, Mick Farren, Steve Peregrin Took: The Devious Thoughts of Mick Farren
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 21 March 1970
ONCE UPON a time, Mick Farren was a social deviant. Then he became a Deviant. Not satisfied, young Mick decided to deviate and dispensed with ...
Bob and Marcia: Young & Gifted
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 28 March 1970
HARRY J., THE man who together with his All Stars, helped greatly to promote the reggae boom, as far back as October last year, is ...
Don Gibson: Lonesome Number One: Profile of Don Gibson
Profile by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 28 March 1970
DON GIBSON is the most original country and western singer of the past 15 years, and that's been his problem. While everybody else has been ...
Status Quo: The Consistent Status Quo
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 28 March 1970
SINCE THEY first entered the charts with 'Pictures of Matchstick Men' and later followed this success with 'Ice In The Sun' Status Quo have consistently ...
The Doors: Morrison Hotel (Elektra EKS 75007 American copy) ****
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 28 March 1970
POSSIBLY THE best LP the Doors have made, this is split up the middle in it's musical categories. Side one is hard rock from the ...
T. Rex, Tyrannosaurus Rex: Tyrannosaurus Rex: Two Heads Are Better Than One
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 28 March 1970
TYRANNOSAURUS REX are one again. The double-headed animal has happily been put together again after it had split two ways last year. ...
Black Widow: White Witch Warns Black Widow
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, April 1970
A Crawling Eye special by Lon Goddard ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 4 April 1970
S.W.6 IS NOT exactly the celebrated home of the hip, but this piece is not designed to specify popular vicinities of London. Nor is it's ...
The Hollies: "I didn't like it at first," says Allan Clarke of the Hollies
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 18 April 1970
ALLAN CLARKE, though far removed from the patter of clogs and constant to-ings and fro-ings of the shift workers heading for t'mill, still remains very ...
Brinsley Schwarz: The Lost Weekend
Report by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 18 April 1970
Charlie Gillett's impressions of Brinsley Schwarz, the Fillmore East, and night life in New York ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 18 April 1970
PEOPLE ARE too serious in this business is the conclusion presented by Elton John. Elton and Bernie Taupin composed 'Border Song', which is receiving wide ...
Paul McCartney: McCartney (APPLE PCS 7102).
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 18 April 1970
'The Lovely Linda'; 'That Would Be Something'; 'Valentine Day'; 'Every Night'; 'Hot As Sun'; 'Glasses'; 'Junk'; 'Man We Was Lonely'; 'Oo You'; 'Momma Miss America'; ...
The Beatles, Paul McCartney: Paul McCartney: Let It Be
Interview by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 18 April 1970
Your own dossier on The McCartney Affair: Paul replies ...
Report by Derek Taylor, Record Mirror, 18 April 1970
DEREK TAYLOR, THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE McCARTNEY AFFAIR (AND WHAT BETTER PLACE TO BE?) TELLS THE INSIDE STORY ...
Frank Sinatra: Watertown (Reprise 1031 American copy)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 May 1970
Bloodshot emotion and cool nonchalance ...
Is Pop Music Putting The Boot In For Bovver?
Overview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 9 May 1970
Robert Partridge argues that violence has taken on a different meaning ...
Joe Cocker, Leon Russell: Leon Russell — Super Group?
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 16 May 1970
THERE ARE GROUPS, super-groups and super-super-groups. But there must be a new name for a combination of Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, ...
Leon Russell: Leon Russell (A&M AMLS 982)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 16 May 1970
A GRAND OLD rave-up featuring Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watt, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Stevie Winwood, Delaney and Ronnie Bramlett, Chris Stainton, Joe Cocker ...
Norman Greenbaum: Spirit In The Sky (Reprise RSLP 6365)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 16 May 1970
'Junior Cadillac'; 'Spirit In The Sky'; 'Skyline'; 'Jubilee'; 'Alice Bodine'; 'Tars Of India'; 'The Power'; 'Good Lookin' Woman'; 'Milk Cow'; 'Marcy'. ...
Sacha Distel: Recognized At Last
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 16 May 1970
MUCH OF Sacha Distel's early publicity was based on speculation over his relationship with Brigitte Bardot. But as Sacha says, he never wanted to become ...
The Moody Blues: When Is A Single Not A Single?
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 23 May 1970
WHEN IS a single not a single? Apparently when it is the Moody Blues. The Moodies have broken into the Seventies with every indication of ...
Crosby Stills Nash & Young: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Déjà Vu (Atlantic 2401001)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 30 May 1970
A BEAUTIFULLY produced album. All the immaculate four-part harmonies, pretty guitar parts and relevant arranging are there. ...
The Who: Live At Leeds (Track)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 30 May 1970
'Young Man'; 'Substitute'; 'Summertime Blues'; 'Shakin' All Over'; 'My Generation'; 'Magic Bus'. ...
Grateful Dead: English Audiences Puzzle The Grateful Dead
Report and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 6 June 1970
DE GRATEFUL DEAD, Man. Everybody lowered their heads and peered from a dark veneer of mystery at the very mention of the name. An eyeball ...
Fleetwood Mac: Falling Victim To An Epidemic
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 6 June 1970
GROUP SPLITS have become the foot-and-mouth disease of pop. And this year the splits have become almost endemic with British bands. ...
Joe South: The Other White South
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 6 June 1970
MOST WHITE people in the American South like country and western music. ...
Led Zeppelin: "Long hair almost got us shot!"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 27 June 1970
John Bonham of Led Zeppelin tells RM's Lon Goddard ...
Overview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 27 June 1970
I'M NOT sure why, but I'm more often moved by men singing than by women. Somehow I can identify with a much larger range of ...
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
BONUS TRACKS ON WOODSTOCK GIANT ...
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 — ...
Cat Stevens: A Bottle A Day Kept Cat Away
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
THERE WAS a time, a time, almost four years ago now, when the young Cat Stevens would rush into a theatre, down a vodka, and ...
Free: Fire and Water (Island ILPS 9120)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
'Fire and Water'; 'Oh I Wept'; 'Remember'; 'Heavy Load'; 'Mr Big'; 'Don't Say You Love Me'; 'All Right Now'. ...
Soft Machine: Third (CBS 66246)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
'Facelift'; 'Slightly All the Time'; 'Noisette'; 'Slightly All the Time'; 'The Moon in June'; 'Out-Bloody-Rageous'. ...
The GTOs: Girls Together With Groups Outrageously
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 4 July 1970
YUP, IT was going to be one of those days. Miss Pamela and Miss Cynderella were in town. Which must be worth a quick Wow! ...
Report by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 18 July 1970
A front row view of how Swindon got FREED ...
Ray Stevens: Everything Is Stevens
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 18 July 1970
SOUNDS OF laughter seem to be a constant surrounding to Ray Stevens. Although it was four in the afternoon and Ray was wading through a ...
Bob Dylan, Randy Newman: Hyped By Your Heroes: Bob Dylan, Randy Newman
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 25 July 1970
THE SUMMER of 1970 will go down in the history books as the time when the music of the period finally let loose the truth ...
Delivery, Carol Grimes: Carol Grimes: Whole World Blues
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 1 August 1970
FOR YEARS, girl singers were expected to conform to the pop music rules. Summed up: thou shalt not stomp around, rave, rampage or scream. Thou ...
Retrospective by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 22 August 1970
THE MOST influential singer of the last 25 years was Roy Brown. ...
The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! (Decca Stereo SKL 5065)
Review by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 5 September 1970
MICK AND THE BURST BUTTON ...
Black Sabbath: It's All Word Of Foot
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
THE BLACK SABBATH album Paranoid, slipped into your record shops a couple of weeks ago. No ballyhoo. The release was as quiet as it was ...
Isaac Hayes, Sly & the Family Stone: Coke-and-lemon beat and smiles for one whole hour
Live Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
Having moaned so long about the failure of British radio, TV, and record buyers to give the due recognition to black singers, I suppose I ...
Deep Purple: Rock Is Where We're At
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
ORGANIST JON Lord asserts triumphantly that with Deep Purple In Rock the group have finally found their true musical identities following their early 'success' as ...
Hot Chocolate: Hot — Bet Yer Life They Are!
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
HOT CHOCOLATE'S 'Love Is Life' looks like the third giant hit for Mickie Most's new Rak label — and one of those three nearly went ...
The Monkees, Michael Nesmith: Mike Nesmith: No Monkee Business
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
EX-MONKEE Mike Nesmith has withdrawn from the bubble gum stakes to regain his country and western identity with the First National Band. ...
Rod Stewart: How Rod's Old Raincoat Didn't Let Him Down
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
ROD STEWART is a walking synopsis of British rock music. He's been in there from the golden days of CND, through the Rod The Mod ...
Eric Burdon, Jimi Hendrix, War: The last Hendrix interview
Report and Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
RECORD MIRROR EXCLUSIVE BY KEITH ALTHAM ...
Profile and Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
JACK BRUCE described Lifetime as simply the best band in the world. Jack, as quarter of Lifetime, might of course be a little biased. But ...
Report by Ian Dove, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
EDWIN STARR was back in New York after his 16th trip to England and with the news that 'War', a Motown mover by the Norman ...
The Moody Blues: Why Do People Get Moody About The Moodies?
Profile and Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 10 October 1970
THE MOODY BLUES – trick or treat? Their talent and ability to produce their unique sounds on live appearances is undeniable but a hard core ...
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: Do You Really Know What Soul IS?
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 24 October 1970
I BELIEVE that the sudden rash of hit records by black singers is a flash in the pan, and doesn't mean anything in the long ...
Chairmen Of The Board, Mary Wells: Motown: Still Making It?
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 28 November 1970
FOUR years ago, there were a lot of people who made a point of going into their local record shops and asking, can I hear ...
Randy Newman: In Praise of the Ten Second Song
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 19 December 1970
THE MOST influential record of 1970 was the Edwin Hawkins' Singers' 'Oh Happy Day', which came out in 1969. It takes a while for people ...
Rufus Thomas: Push and Pull That Funky Dog
Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 1971
REHEARSALS at Top of the Pops. A man who looks close to 50 years old goes up to a taller, younger man in dark glasses. ...
Sly & the Family Stone, Ike & Tina Turner: Soul reviews
Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 1971
Ike and Tina Turner: Hammersmith Odeon, LondonSly and the Family Stone: Greatest Hits (Epic) ...
Eric Burdon, War: Eric Burdon & War: U.S. campaign to "Curb the Clap!"
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 2 January 1971
THAT WELL known Transatlantic commuter Eric Victor Burdon was in town last week with the news that a little light is entering the heavy world ...
Keith Moon, Vivian Stanshall: Viv Stanshall: If it's not the S.S. it's bleedin' campers...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 2 January 1971
THE ABSURD strikes back. This time it's the Fuhrer and his faithful SS attendant dancing in one of London's Beer Kellers. Before that, it was ...
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 9 January 1971
THERE must be about four generations of pop music fans reading this paper, and to each of them Carole King means something different. ...
McGuinness Flint: McGunness Flint: My Goodness, McGuinness!
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 16 January 1971
TOM McGUINNESS has been upon us now for many, many years, peering through little circular windows in a kindly and benign manner at the journalese ...
Report and Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 16 January 1971
'GI-NORMOUS' is the only word to describe the Moody Blues present status in America. They have reached the kind of heights there which are only ...
The Moody Blues: Now I Know How McCartney Felt…
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 16 January 1971
FLAUTIST RAY Thomas is now ensconced in the Moody Blues new "Threshold" HQ in Surrey after the group's pre-Christmas run across the States, shattering attendance ...
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 23 January 1971
STAN WEBB is Chicken Shack. And at the moment he's quite literally the whole band – the rest of the original members left when the ...
Frank Zappa: Was this the real Ruben Sano standing up at last?
Report and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 23 January 1971
FRANK ZAPPA sauntered in, poured himself into the chair at the front of the room, folded his arms, crossed his legs and assumed the appearance ...
Black Sabbath: Nobody But The Public Digs Sabbath
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 30 January 1971
THERE WOULD seem to be a lot of unnecessary resentment over Black Sabbath's success in this business. And even outside it by those bastions of ...
Grand Funk Railroad: Grand Funk — Or Bunk?
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 6 February 1971
RESENTMENT from the critics is something that Grand Funk Railroad are having to live with in the United States, but the pill is made the ...
Pete Townshend, The Who: Pete Townshend
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 13 February 1971
WHITHER the Who? you might ask, for despite their Live At Leeds album and Pete Townshend's recently announced plans for "musically computerised character analysis" we ...
Linda Ronstadt: Get That Ronstadt Message
Report and Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 20 February 1971
WELL, MY lady took the message, and she wrote it on the wall: "Linda Ronstadt, EMI Press Reception, 4 o'clock tomorrow." ...
Led Zeppelin: Jimmy Page: Zep Come To The People
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 27 February 1971
"WHAT DO YOU want if you don't want Money?" was the lyrical question once put but never answered by a certain Adam Faith nee Terence ...
Emerson Lake And Palmer: ELP Is On The Way…
Report and Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 27 March 1971
DESPITE PROTESTATIONS to the contrary, there is no such thing as an instant group – super or otherwise – and ELP are a testimony to ...
Jethro Tull: God Is Alive and Starring On…
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 27 March 1971
AQUALUNG is undoubtedly Jethro Tull's most significant album to date and although comparisons are often odious to the artist concerned, the highest compliment I feel ...
Tony Orlando: The Last Of The Teenage Idols
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 3 April 1971
THE ODEON, Kingston-upon-Thames. Or maybe it was The Granada. It's 9.20 p.m. on the 15th February 1962 and Clarence 'Frogman' Henry has just boogied his ...
Marc Bolan, T. Rex: Marc Bolan: Energy Is What It's All About
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 17 April 1971
MARC BOLAN is ready to take on the world following his incredible success with two maxi singles, 'Ride A White Swan' almost indecently closely followed ...
The Rolling Stones: 'Brown Sugar'; 'Bitch'; 'Let It Rock' (Rolling Stones Records RS 19100)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 17 April 1971
SUPERB ROCK and roll again from the best exponent of the stuff going. Great value with the three tracks on this maxi-single, beginning with the ...
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 1 May 1971
THE CRY most likely from the touchline as Deep Purple rocket on from standing ovation to standing ovation in the next few weeks is "bring ...
Overview by Martin Hawkins, Record Mirror, 1 May 1971
MUCH HAS been written recently about the influence of Sam Phillips' Memphis Sun label on rock 'n' roll, especially since its British releases of recent ...
David Bowie: Rudi will be the new Mick Jagger' said David Bowie. Rudi blushed
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 1 May 1971
Who will be the first male to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine? Rudi Valentino, says spaced oddity David Bowie. David has big plans ...
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 8 May 1971
FAMILY ARE something else, that is they are not immediately classifiable into a particular bag – blues, rock, folk or progressive. ...
Rory Gallagher: Fresh Taste For Rory
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 8 May 1971
WHAT WERE the real reasons for the break-up of the late lamented Taste at a time when it appeared they were THE live band and ...
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 15 May 1971
It's a night with C,S,N&Y ...
East of Eden: Jig a Jig up the chart
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 15 May 1971
TAKE A listen to 'Jig A Jig' and it does seem to have that simple "glad-to-be-alive" sound, much the atmosphere created by Mungo Jerry with ...
James Taylor, Jimi Hendrix: James Taylor: On The Road With Sweet Baby James
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 15 May 1971
AMONG THE very few road managers who have put their heads, hearts, hands and feet into their work is Super-Scot Eric Barrett who hit the ...
The Groundhogs: The Hogs Kept Clean And Still Made It
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 15 May 1971
IF IT had not been for a clever piece of intuition on the part of Liberty Record's knowledgeable young A&R director Andrew Lauder the Groundhogs ...
Van Der Graaf Generator: The Generator Are Staying Very Content On The Continent
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 29 May 1971
PERHAPS THE most obvious band of our times are Van der Graaf Generator who without any publicity hype – hit single or ballyhoo – have ...
The Band, Bob Dylan: Bob, The Band and basement bootleg
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 5 June 1971
A VERY strange thing happened in a basement somewhere in North America; Bob Dylan recorded with the Band — on a home tape recorder. ...
Cat Stevens: The Honest Way For It To Happen
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 5 June 1971
MR STEVENS is, one might suppose of a young man who has survived the horrors of being initially conceived as a teen idol at 18 ...
Steve Alaimo, Eddie Bo, Isaac Hayes, George Kerr, Allen Toussaint: Producer's soul
Overview by Tony Cummings, Record Mirror, 5 June 1971
ISAAC HAYES has really turned the world of soul production upside down. ...
Jimmy C. Newman: Cajun: Swamp Pop
Overview by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 12 June 1971
COUNTRY music does not accept outside influences as readily as r&b and r&b doesn't lap them up as greedily as pop music. ...
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 19 June 1971
THE BYRDS have flown leaving behind them a few thousand satisfied customers and a liberal sprinkling of Her Majesty's Musical Trade Press impressed with their ...
Deep Purple: "The Stones Are Out Of Date" — Ian
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 10 July 1971
DEEP PURPLE are the band who made it in spite of the critics, the press and most of the mass media and, for that alone, ...
Slade: Now Slade Can Laugh Last
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 17 July 1971
THE BOOTS and braces, brawn and bovver image, worked fine for a time, but now Slade are loath to talk about their Skinhead image. But ...
T. Rex: Marc's science fiction film
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 24 July 1971
WITH THE surge or phenomenal interest that has arisen for T. Rex, Marc Bolan has become infinitely aware of the difficulties facing some fans who ...
The Doors: LA Woman (Elektra K 42090)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 24 July 1971
MORE HEAVY organ rock with dripping sex from the cultured voice of the late Jimmy Morrison. ...
Comment by Martin Hawkins, Record Mirror, 31 July 1971
"DID YOU EVER HEAR A TENOR SAX, SWINGING LIKE A RUSTY AXE?" ...
Report and Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 31 July 1971
AMONGST THOSE still waiting for D'Abo I count myself still waiting for the real man to stand up and declare himself. ...
John Lennon, Yoko Ono: John and Yoko: The Apple and the Grapefruit
Report and Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 7 August 1971
A VISIT TO THE LENNONS WITH VAL MABBS ...
Mott The Hoople: Mott — Give The People Rock
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 7 August 1971
MOTT THE Hoople have never had a single or an album in the charts but they rank in the top five of Britain's best paid ...
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 14 August 1971
"THESE PAST two years have been very heavy," Yoko told me earnestly. "We've been having the Paul thing and the Kyoko thing going on for ...
Conway Twitty: The Lonely Country Blues Boy
Overview by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 14 August 1971
WHEN discussing the history of rock 'n' roll, a number of writers have recently implied that the attention paid to black influences has long obscured ...
Carly Simon Quits The Family Commune
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 4 September 1971
IT SEEMS ENTIRELY possible that Carly Simon (with one highly successful album high in the American charts, following a top ten single) might well be ...
The Who: Who's Next (Track Deluxe 2408 102)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 4 September 1971
Who's here with biggest ever ...
Dawn, Tony Orlando: Tony Orlando & Dawn: Tony And Those Bogus Dawns
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 11 September 1971
Dawn's Tony Orlando gives Val Mabbs some straight answers ...
Jethro Tull: Ian Anderson Is No Rock Hitler
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 18 September 1971
THAT BEARDED prankster Ian Anderson is amongst us once more with his reshuffled ensemble now featuring Barrie-More Barlow on percussion in place of Clive Bunker ...
The Carpenters: "I've Got a Problem Here"
Profile and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 18 September 1971
THE CARPENTERS were into jazz for a while — Richard and Karen and a bassist. Then they went into rock — Richard and Karen and ...
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 18 September 1971
HAVE YOU HEARD the one about the Englishman, the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholic in a pub at lunch time? And – the first ...
The Who: Keith Moon: Pitch And Bowl For A Pig!
Report by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 25 September 1971
THERE WAS a Moon landing in Lyne, Surrey last week when the Who's very own 'lunar-tick' did his bit for his new community by putting ...
Smokey Robinson, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Miracle of Smokey Robinson
Profile and Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, 25 September 1971
ABOUT twelve years ago, Berry Gordy told Smokey Robinson how to write songs: "Every song should have an idea, tell a story, mean something." Smokey ...
The Coasters: Lecherous, Indolent, Stupid…and Comical: The Coasters
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 2 October 1971
THERE IS A passage in the Coasters' 'Sweet Georgia Brown' where the lead baritone flies off on the immortal line "she gotta walk that make ...
Heads Hands and Feet, Albert Lee: Heads, Hands & Feet: Dear mother, we love Albert
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 9 October 1971
Ray Brown of H, H & F talks to Val Mabbs ...
T. Rex: Marc Bolan: I Am The Cosmic Dancer
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 9 October 1971
I DO BELIEVE I am in grave danger of becoming a pleb! For example, in the opinion of a number of eminent musical critics Marc ...
Report and Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 16 October 1971
THEIR MUSIC is both uncompromising and aggressive but like most musical hard men they have their other side and their latest album Fearless is likely ...
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 23 October 1971
'THE FASTEST Guitar in the West', 'The Elvis Presley of the Woodstock Generation', 'King Guitar' (Bert Weedon would dispute that – rock on Bert) – ...
Freddy Fender, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, The Sir Douglas Quintet, Ritchie Valens: Chicano Rock
Special Feature by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 30 October 1971
ON 3 February 1959 Richard Valenzuela died in a plane crash along with Buddy Holly whose final recordings foretold the Beatless sixties; a more pop ...
Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, Junior Parker: Memphis Blues: Sun Rise
Overview by Colin Escott, Record Mirror, 13 November 1971
IN 1950 WHEN Sam Phillips gave up his job as band promoter for the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and opened the studio of the Memphis ...
Comment by Tony Cummings, Record Mirror, 20 November 1971
...the feud that rages between North and South ...
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 20 November 1971
AFTER WATCHING and listening to Yes there are many passages and musical experiences that remain in the mind, but not least of all the fascinating ...
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 4 December 1971
JEFF BECK has called him 'The greatest living guitarist in the World' and whatever you think of the American band Mountain there is no ignoring ...
Mott The Hoople: Mott — An Enigma
Profile and Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 4 December 1971
"THE PLOT thickens" as they used to say in all the best detective stories and the mystery as to why Mott the Hoople cannot break ...
Isaac Hayes and The Platinum Pirates
Report by Roger St. Pierre, Record Mirror, January 1972
BOOTLEG RECORDS have become a familiar part of the music scene in the past few years but a far more serious problem for record companies ...
Overview by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 1 January 1972
THERE'S A HOT SEAT in my house. Right by the record player. Victims are required to sit in it and hazard a guess at the ...
Frank Zappa: Rude, Pompous…And Frank
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 1 January 1972
EVERY ONE has a right to an opinion but there are some who believe he has no right to express it in public. There are ...
Lindisfarne: Selling Newcastle
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 22 January 1972
LONG AGO AND far away when Hyde park was just a flower pot and underground meant the Bakerloo line to me I was given to ...
Curved Air: A Little Rift In Curved Air?
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 12 February 1972
IT WAS SCOTT Fitzgerald who held to the theory that the test of a first rate intelligence was to hold two opposed ideas in the ...
The Cadillacs: Speedo's Back In Town
Interview by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 26 February 1972
EARL CARROLL is still a rocker. The other Coasters wear Afros but Mr. Earl's hair is black, shiny and slickered back. Thumbing through a copy ...
Chelsea F.C.: Chelsea FC: Singing With The Feet
Report and Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 11 March 1972
"LET'S HOPE in Europe they think they are just a new group called Chelsea and I might get an international hit," said Penny Farthing's label ...
Jerry Lee Lewis: Echoes: Jerry Lee Lewis
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 11 March 1972
ON 22nd MAY 1958, an immigration officer manning the desk for TWA flights from New York to London Airport North scratched his head, sighed, picked ...
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 11 March 1972
DEFINING Lindisfarne's success is rather like pulling the wings off a butterfly at present but there seems little doubt after having seen them on stage ...
Mahavishnu Orchestra: "All My Music Becomes An Offering To God"
Interview by Rob Partridge, Record Mirror, 11 March 1972
MAHAVISHNU JOHN McLAUGHLIN talks to Rob Partridge ...
Rick Nelson: The Dirty Rock & Roll Smile
Retrospective and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 11 March 1972
RICK NELSON tells how he grew from being America's cute kid brother to rock 'n' roll teenage rage... and what happened after that ...
Honey Cone: The Honey Cone: Three Gals with a Past!
Interview by Pete Wingfield, Record Mirror, 11 March 1972
EX-MOTOWN men Holland, Dozier and Holland may have fallen short in their aim of making a second Diana Ross out of Freda Payne, but their ...
Seals and Crofts: Faith The Music
Interview by Keith Altham, Record Mirror, 18 March 1972
NICE PEOPLE – Jim Seals and Dash Crofts. A couple of less unlikely Texans I have yet to meet, currently residing somewhat ironically in the ...
The Beatles, Captain Beefheart: Come Out, Paul... Beefheart's Here!
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 1 April 1972
UNDERGROUND hero Captain Beefheart surfaced in London with a plea: "Where are you, Paul McCartney?" and being a helpful sort of diary page, we echo: ...
Judee Sill Leaves Out the Juicy Bits
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 8 April 1972
"WHERE WOULD you like me to start? Past, present or future?" exclaimed the cat-like figure that swooped in and instantly slid on to the sofa. ...
Captain Beefheart: Love Over Gold: Captain Beefheart Talks To RM Readers
Report and Interview by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 8 April 1972
FIVE YEARS ago, the magic name of Captain Beefheart was no more than an imported LP in the window-display of clique-ey One-Stop Records. There ...
Harry Nilsson: Nilsson's New Album
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 8 April 1972
Producer Richard Perry talks to Lon Goddard ...
Grateful Dead: Join The Dead Men in One Huge Organism
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 29 April 1972
Grateful Dead's lead guitarist JERRY GARCIA talks to Lon Goddard ...
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 May 1972
Maybe if you're young enough, from a dreary home environment with nothing but a soul destroying future, then maybe you could enjoy a festival like ...
Michael Jackson: Got To Be There (Tamla Motown STML11205).
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 May 1972
Are Tamla stretching Michael? ...
Stevie Wonder: Music Of My Mind (Tamla Motown STM A 8002)
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 13 May 1972
Stevie matures — and he did it all himself ...
Vinegar Joe: They Want To Be Top Of The Pops
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 13 May 1972
Val Mabbs talks to Vinegar Joe and finds that they want to be Top of the Pops ...
Fats Domino: Walking To New Orleans
Profile by Martin Hawkins, Record Mirror, 20 May 1972
IN RECENT years the music of New Orleans in the 50's has been well documented on albums, but maybe now is the time to be ...
Acappella: The Rise And Fall Of Acappella
Guide by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 4 June 1972
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, 1954. Five young men stood around a tape recorder in a church cellar and gang. They couldn't afford a band but wouldn't ...
Little Willie John: Willie John: A Soul Who Died In Jail
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 17 June 1972
THE DEATH of Little Willie John is chronicled in the June 8th 1968 edition of Billboard. Datelined Walla Walla, Washington, May 27th, the notice reads: ...
Richard Berry: Echoes: Richard Berry
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 15 July 1972
"They took me to see that friend of mineyeah District court-room two-twenty-ninethe judge said 'your payments are way behind'I said 'Don't worry Daddy it won't ...
Johnny Otis: The Godfather of R&B
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 29 July 1972
I THOUGHT Johnny Otis was suffering from over-exposure Dave Wolf who has drained his life savings to bring over Johnny's entire package thinks not. So ...
Discography by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, 12 August 1972
"ULTIMATELY there was Charlie Rich. Rich was a Georgia cotton farmer and he was into his thirties, he had grey hair and a paunch. Still ...
The Jackson 5: Jacksons Fly In
Report by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 4 November 1972
"AH KISSED Jer-a-maine three times," cried the tall girl as she ran into me, almost pushing me to the ground. "I saw Michael! I saw ...
The Osmonds: They're Here! Amen — it's the Osmonds
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 4 November 1972
VAL MABBS REPORTS FROM HEATHROW ...
The Jackson 5: On Tour With The Jackson 5
Report by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 11 November 1972
Robin Katz goes behind the scenes to report on America's top soul group. ...
The Jackson 5: Don't Treat Them Like Children!
Report and Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 18 November 1972
Robin Katz continues her inside story of the Jackson Five with a frantic interview at the Churchill ...
Gladys Knight: Gladys v Motown
Report by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 5 December 1972
Robin Katz on the likely outcome of a forthcoming battle over contracts ...
The Jackson 5 et al: Saving the Children
Report by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 15 December 1972
AS I MENTIONED last week, the Jackson Five are currently appearing in a movie in the States. They're not the stars, and the film is ...
The Rolling Stones: Stones In Jamaica: "Less Freaky And More Melodic"
Report and Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 13 January 1973
THE ROLLING Stones have recorded now for more than 10 years, and they've operated under the most extreme chaos, but all has been well. But ...
Focus: "People think we're a rock band, but we laugh about it"
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 3 February 1973
VAL MABBS undertakes a concentrated interview with unlikely hit-makers, the classicly-orientated Focus. ...
The Jackson 5: How NOT to interview the Jackson 5!
Report and Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 3 February 1973
NOW, FOR the express purpose of this article, let's assume you've already interviewed the J5 in a serious press call. Like the other journalists, you ...
The Animals, Jeff Beck, Donovan, Herman's Hermits, Mickie Most: The Starmakers: Mickie Most
Interview by Val Mabbs, Record Mirror, 3 February 1973
Starting today, The Starmakers, the men behind the image, the men in control. This new Record Mirror series probes the lives and feelings of the ...
Diana Ross: Lady Sings The Blues (Tamla Motown TMSP 1131)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 24 March 1973
Diana hits the big one ...
The Jackson 5: Papa Joe's Family Music Plan...
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 2 June 1973
HOW MUCH does your father influence you? How would you feel if he insisted that you spend at least four hours everyday after school learning ...
The Jackson 5, Diana Ross: The J Five Slot: Diana Ross opens the door...
Retrospective and Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 9 June 1973
WHEN LAST I left you the J5 had been formed (in 1965; the other date was my mistake) and the group had played an impressive ...
The Jackson 5: The J Five Slot: Kimonos and a tea ceremony as the Jacksons tour Japan
Report by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 23 June 1973
SOME GROUPS cause pandemonium the moment they come on stage, but it seems that the J5 are one of pop music's few groups who cause ...
Peters and Lee: Lennie's not just a flash guy in dark glasses
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 7 July 1973
ROLLING STONES' drummer Charlie Watts is quite a talent spotter. His prediction that his uncle would make it one day in pop music has finally ...
Eddie Kendricks: Success is a Temptation
Profile and Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 24 November 1973
IT TAKES a lot of courage to leave a successful group and go solo. Sitting on top of the American charts with the year's hottest ...
The Carpenters: My little sister, the big star
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 19 December 1973
RICHARD CARPENTER SPILLS THE BEANS ON HIS SISTER KAREN ...
The Three Degrees: The Three Degrees (Philadelphia Int PIR 65858)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 9 February 1974
Degrees of heat ...
Paper Lace: Smiling Through The Bitchiness
Interview by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 31 August 1974
The knockers can get knotted say top-selling Paper Lace ...
Minnie Riperton, Stevie Wonder: Minnie Riperton: From a whisper to a scream
Profile by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 26 October 1974
WHEN A RECORD company brings the release date of an album forward by almost three months it's a sure sign that the artist involved is ...
Ken Boothe ...On the Kingston Line
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 2 November 1974
UNLESS YOU'RE a committed reggae freak you probably think Ken Boothe is a bit of an overnight sensation. ...
The Three Degrees: Higher and higher with the rising Degrees
Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 9 November 1974
HAVING EXPERIENCED the full force of thelr dynamic and sensual stage act only a few days before, I half expected to find the Three Degrees ...
The Chi-Lites — too good to be ignored
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 23 November 1974
EVEN FIVE years ago a few "oohs and "aahs" and a bit of harmony would have got any soul record branded as specialist. But things ...
The Chi-Lites... too good to be ignored
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 23 November 1974
EVEN FIVE years ago a few "oohs and aahs" and a bit of harmony would have got any soul record branded as specialist. But things ...
Profile and Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 7 December 1974
THE BEAR is elusive... that's what they're saying of ex-roadie Barry White who in two years has carved a name for himself as the world's ...
Toots & The Maytals: Fundamental reggae... that's Toots and the Maytals
Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 14 December 1974
"THE REAL meaning of reggae is that the roots come from the heart — if you don't have love you can't play reggae." Thus spake ...
Rufus: Going below the belt with Rufus
Profile and Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 14 December 1974
YOU KNOW the feeling — worn out by too much funk, and street soul don't make it for you anymore. Well don't despair, Krudde music ...
Rufus: Going Below The Belt With Rufus
Profile and Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 14 December 1974
YOU KNOW the feelin' — worn out by too much funk, and sweet soul don't make it for you anymore. Well don't despair, Krudde music ...
Pilot: And Now for a Sad Story of... Flying Too High
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 21 December 1974
PILOT ARE in limbo. They've scrapped their headlining tour after only one gig and their immediate plans are very much up in the air. ...
Graham Central Station: "By Graham Central station I got up and got funky"
Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 25 January 1975
YOU HAVE to admit it, Graham Central Station are just about the meanest, toughest, tightest funk outfit in the whole wide world. ...
George McCrae, Sweet Sensation, The Three Degrees: Soul Single of the Year: 'Rock Your Baby'
Guide by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 25 January 1975
IT WAS the year's summer sound — a sort of black funk Lovin' Spoonful — which for a short time wholly captured the imagination of ...
Queen: The Very Fabulous Freddie Was Born To Rule
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 1 February 1975
THE QUICK SILVER Girl has style, but it's not just cultivated, it stems back to those balmy days in East Africa. ...
Kool and the Gang: Kool & the Gang: Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 8 February 1975
HAVING BEEN informed in advance that the concert was being recorded for a forthcoming live album, coupled with the fact that it was their first ...
Minnie Riperton: Following The Perfect Angel... Minnie's adventures in paradise
Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 15 February 1975
IT'S A WARM and very happy voice that reaches across the Big Puddle from a warm California afternoon to a decidedly chilly London evening. ...
Tower of Power: Confessions of an East Bay greaser
Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 15 February 1975
Tower of Power vocalist spills the beans on those big bad boys from Oakland. ...
Hamilton Bohannon: South African Man from Georgia: King Hamilton of Discoland
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 22 February 1975
His Majesty Bohannon grants Our Hancock an audience ...
Labelle: Nightbirds (Epic 80566)
Review by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 8 March 1975
RELEASED TO coincide with their English tour, this is the album that should establish Labelle as the world's leading female vocal group. ...
Rufus: Raising the Rufus in Stoke...
Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 8 March 1975
RUFUS KICKED off their first British tour last weekend high on the news that they'd just been given a Grammy award for their single, 'Tell ...
David Bowie: Young Americans (RCA RS 1006)
Review by Ray Fox-Cumming, Record Mirror, 15 March 1975
IT CONTAINS eight tracks and 40 minutes 6 seconds of music, which is all that should be said until you've given it a lot of ...
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 15 March 1975
LABELLE ARE fashionable. They have a top ten single and album in the States, yet in Britain — nothing. As I said Labelle are fashionable. ...
Ann Peebles: "You Never Stop Paying Your Dues," Husband Don tells David Hancock
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 29 March 1975
ANN PEEBLES IS UNCONCERNED ABOUT HER LACK OF RECOGNITION HERE ...
The Fatback Band — Bringing Home The Bacon
Profile by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 12 April 1975
BEANS AND fatback... It's as American as Kentucky chicken. And fatback, in case you didn't know, is the rich, thick bacon that comes, as the ...
Little Feat, Allen Toussaint: Little Theatre, New York NY
Live Review by Penny Valentine, Record Mirror, 10 May 1975
LITTLE THEATRE — once a rather seedy showcase home for acts that couldn't make the bigger circuits — has undergone a recent facelift and is ...
Barry White: Not Just A Pretty Voice
Profile and Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 17 May 1975
IF YOU ever meet Barry White, don't mention Gene Page. Things could get a little rough. Barry, weighing in at somewhere near 20 stone, is ...
Disco-Tex and his Sex-O-Lettes: Disco Tex: Boogoo Boogoo to Choo
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 24 May 1975
Sir Monti talks to David Hancock ...
Interview by Ray Fox-Cumming, Record Mirror, 24 May 1975
A FEW MONTHS ago Queen were the band everyone was talking about and the only reason why their name hasn't been on everyone's lips just ...
Kilburn & The High Roads: The Kilburns' Freak Show
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 5 July 1975
They are not exactly... handsome. ...
Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 12 July 1975
A DRUM beat knock on the door rings out. ...
Betty Davis: Betty and the Boops
Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 25 July 1975
"I'M SCHIZOPHRENIC!" says the voice on the end of the transatlantic cable. ...
Interview by Ray Fox-Cumming, Record Mirror, 26 July 1975
SWEET ARE busy — or, as Brian Connolly puts it: "For the past nine months we've been going like the clappers." ...
Bob Marley & the Wailers, Third World: Lyceum, London
Live Review by Giovanni Dadomo, Record Mirror, 26 July 1975
Trenchtown Experience ...
Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 23 August 1975
George McCrae breaks that barrier ...
Eddie Kendricks: Kendricks, the hit man
Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 13 September 1975
TAMLA MOTOWN have dubbed him "The Hit Man" and it's no misnomer. For while 'Keep On Truckin'' is the only cut to have made the ...
Showaddywaddy: Not Just a Rock 'n' Roll Band
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 13 September 1975
MALCOLM ALLURED, also known as "The Duke" is looking for his band. ...
Overview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 27 September 1975
You either love it or hate it. It's either boring, and all the same, or the most exciting thing you've ever heard. No other current ...
Grover Washington Jr.: Mister Magic (Kudu KU20)
Review by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 4 October 1975
POLYDOR HAVE been a little slow in putting this album from jazz-funk maestro sax-man Grover Washington into the marketplace. ...
Roxy Music, Sadistic Mika Band: City Hall, Newcastle
Live Review by Ray Fox-Cumming, Record Mirror, 18 October 1975
THE EARLY part of Roxy's British tour has been a succession of 'welcome homes' for members of the band. ...
Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music: Bryan Ferry: So Ferry Stylish
Report and Interview by Ray Fox-Cumming, Record Mirror, 25 October 1975
POST-CONCERT meals with Roxy Music are relaxed and refined affairs. The group change for dinner, sip pre-prandial drinks in their hotel bar, then dine with ...
The Temptations: Moving With The Times
Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 25 October 1975
IT'S SURE tough work being a Temptation. Before replacing Damon Harris in soul music's top fivesome, Glenn Leonard not only had to learn the group's ...
The Trammps: "All You'll Ever Be Is A Bunch Of Trammps"
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 22 November 1975
TRACKING DOWN the Trammps: you'd think a group who had three big hits this year would be easy to find, right? ...
Chuck Jackson: Chuck's Foot Is Back On The Throttle
Report and Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 6 December 1975
CHUCK JACKSON, one of the major R&B artists of the '60s, had 23 pop chart entries during his spell with Scepter/Wand Records. He then switched ...
David Bowie: The Return of the Thin Man
Report by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 6 December 1975
If you live in London, you probably saw it. If you don't you probably heard about it. But if you haven't done either here's the ...
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas: Martha Reeves: Our Martha Aims Higher And Higher
Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 6 December 1975
"IF I won any fans over here on my first trip I still have them. They're so much more devoted than the people back home, ...
Smokie: Smokie Rising — 11 Years to Take Off!
Profile and Interview by Ray Fox-Cumming, Record Mirror, 3 January 1976
MOST BRIGHTEST hope contenders in any year tend to be fairly new bands, but Smokie, although the name is newish, had their beginnings over 11 ...
Dionne Warwick, Thom Bell: Dionne Rings The Changes
Report and Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 10 January 1976
SINCE IT was the arranging/production and inspiration of Thom Bell which took Dionne Warwick (no final "e" these days) back into the charts after a ...
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 17 January 1976
IT'S NOT often you come across a small group of girls lying on their stomachs on a pavement on a cold, damp day. But if ...
Van Dyke Parks: Clang Of The Yankee Reaper (Warners K 5 6161)
Review by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 17 January 1976
THE REAL genius behind the best of the Beach Boys makes a much more commercial statement than he did on the surprising Song Cycle or ...
Captain and Tennille: Togetherness Tennille-style
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 31 January 1976
CAPTAIN AND Tennille have the kind of wholesomeness that we once thought the Osmonds had sole proprietary rights to. They are both non-smokers, both vegetarians ...
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 7 February 1976
AS THE purring of the telephone becomes a definite ring Donna Summer reaches blindly across crumpled sheets to silence the damn thing. ...
Comment by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 14 February 1976
JUST ONE glance at the pop charts over the past decade is sufficient to indicate the domination of black music in general and soul music ...
The Fatback Band: Fatback Band: Keep On Dancing
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 21 February 1976
YOU CAN be forgiven for thinking the Fatback Band would come on as pure street — y'know gettin' down with it, plenty of jive talk, ...
Mary Hopkin: Mary Had A Little Jam...And Now She's Got A Single!
Interview by Ray Fox-Cumming, Record Mirror, 21 February 1976
MARY HOPKIN has at least one good reason for being glad to be back at work "It gives me an excuse to get a maid. ...
Mud: Reading University, Reading
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 21 February 1976
MUD'S PERFORMANCE at Reading University on Thursday evening completely demolished all preconceived ideas I had about university audiences. Where was the laid back reaction we'd ...
Vangelis: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 21 February 1976
WELL IF you've got to take it seriously you can't take it much better than Vangelis Odyssey Papathanassiou, the gent who has taken the gimmickry ...
Biddu, Tina Charles: Tina Charles: Tina's Six Year Itch
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 28 February 1976
TINA CHARLES to Rubber Duck: "He's probably prevented me from getting to No. 1 which is a bit disappointing. I was looking forward to the ...
Eddie Drennon, The Fatback Band, M & O Band, Van McCoy: The Hustlers
Report by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 6 March 1976
TAKE A WALK down New York's bustling "barrio" and the chances are that some Puerto Rican will start hustling you. They can't help it, they've ...
Bobby Womack: Who Loves Ya Bobby?
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 27 March 1976
HE'S HUNG out with the Stones, the Faces, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, oh you name them... the point is, Bobby Womack has never been outside ...
Detroit Emeralds: Bailey's, Watford
Live Review by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 27 March 1976
WHEN YOU'VE pulled a big crowd out on a Monday night, as the Emeralds did at Bailey's, Watford, you've got to give 'em something special ...
Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Johnny Guitar Watson: Beware The Guitar Gangster
Profile and Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 27 March 1976
SUPERSTAR? MAYBE not. But despite a lack of any major hits, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson has long been acknowledged as a super-talent of the black American ...
Billy Ocean: The Other Side of the Ocean
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 3 April 1976
BILLY OCEAN doesn't drink, well at least he didn't, but you know what they say day trips to Holland can be like. ...
Brook Benton: Brook's No Hero Of The Past
Report and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, Record Mirror, 3 April 1976
LIKE RAY CHARLES, Fats Domino and precious few others, Brook Benton's pulling power as one of the father figures of black American music continues despite ...
Profile by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 10 April 1976
THE EAGLE, sorry, the bald-headed eagle, is America's national symbol. Carrying an olive branch and a sheath of arrows it sums up all that is ...
The Three Degrees: Three Degrees: Palladium, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 17 April 1976
THREE DEGREES UNDER ...
Ashford & Simpson: Perfect Harmony
Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, 24 April 1976
A COUPLE OF years ago the names Ashford and Simpson meant little more to British soul fans than credits in the small print on Diana ...
Gloria Jones, Marc Bolan: Gloria Jones: Keeping Up With The Joneses
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 8 May 1976
GLORIA JONES is the sultry lady sprawled across the sheets who screams through T. Rex's 'Get It On'. Very Tina Turner, and judging from all ...
Steely Dan: The Royal Scam (Anchor ABCL5161)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 29 May 1976
STEELY DAN have made it in the way Poco should have done. After all, their music is similar. 'Don't Take Me Alive' is one of ...
David Essex, The Real Thing: The Real Thing haven't souled out
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 5 June 1976
HOW MANY British black groups can you name? Still counting on one hand eh? Well you can now add the Real Thing to that list ...
James and Bobby Purify: James & Bobby — The Pure Truth
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 12 June 1976
JAMES AND BOBBY Purify aren't really James and Bobby Purify. ...
The Runaways: The Runaways (Mercury SRM 1 1090)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 25 September 1976
THIS ALL girl American group are the female version of the Ramones. They have one more redeeming feature — they're more tuneful. They're rebels, they ...
Wild Cherry: White boys play that fruity funk
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 16 October 1976
LOOKING AT the title you'd think 'Play That Funky Music' by Wild Cherry was just another danceable disco record — off that never-ending factory line. ...
Jackson Browne: The Pretender (Asylum K53048)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 13 November 1976
IF YOU'RE into anything a little deeper than pop get this album. ...
Jerry Butler: The Ice Man cometh
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 13 November 1976
JERRY BUTLER, throughout his career, has consistently sung with a mollasses smooth voice that's deep, sensitive and sincere. ...
The Chi-Lites: Top Rank, Brighton
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 13 November 1976
EIGHTEEN YEARS on... and the Chi-Lites can still do the seaside shuffle. ...
AC/DC: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 20 November 1976
Just acting satchelly ...
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 26 November 1976
The guitar hero's guitar hero ...
Brian Jackson, Gil Scott-Heron: Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson: It's Your World (Arista AL 5001)
Review by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 27 November 1976
GIL SCOTT Heron is the black Rob Dylan. What he has to say is important, eloquent and unusually effective in making everyone else sound trite. ...
Joni Mitchell: Hejira (Asylum K53053)
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 27 November 1976
JONI More blues ...
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 4 December 1976
MARSHALL TUCKER and co. had a hot time in the old town last Saturday night. They blazed the trail west with some fierce ten gallon ...
The Eagles: Hotel California (Asylum K53051)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 11 December 1976
EAGLES' FAWLTLESS TOWERS! ...
Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols: Johnny knows he's not mad. Can you say that?
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 11 December 1976
Barry Cain talks to the band everyone's talking about, the Sex Pistols ...
Dana Gillespie: Dingwalls, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 25 December 1976
THIS DANA is certainly no fairtytale. ...
Dr. Feelgood: Dr Feelgood: Hammersmith Palais, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 25 December 1976
THE FEELGOODS DO IT AGAIN ...
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 1 January 1977
NORMAN WHITFIELD has always been a ghost-like character in terms of his presence to music. As a producer and writer he has always been a ...
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass: Teddy Pendergrass: Teddy's not so blue
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 5 February 1977
AMUSINGLY RELEVANT to this week's Soul Mirror is an old song by the Cadillacs. ...
The Damned: Damned, Damned, Damned (Stiff Records)
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 19 February 1977
LADIES AND Gentlemen — welcome to the world's first 78 rpm album. At last, a recording that gives credence to the claim that punk does ...
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 19 February 1977
THE DESERT sand burnt holes in his feet. The sun's rays were spears piercing the top of his head. Three days and no sign of ...
Bobby Womack: Bobby Sox It To Ya
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 26 February 1977
"HELLO LONDON, it's Bobby Womack on the line." Hello Bobby, you friendly soul. How good to hear your voice again. ...
Eddie & the Hot Rods: Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 26 February 1977
HOT — IT WAS SHEER HELL (in the nicest way) ...
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 26 February 1977
FUNNY WHAT rave reviews can do. ...
Eddie Kendricks: Kendricks Tempts The Mind And Body
Profile and Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 5 March 1977
EDDIE KENDRICKS, I'm sorry to say, is not the man he used to be. Thirteen years ago he was one of the Temptations, and was ...
Television: Marquee Moon (Elektra K52046)
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 12 March 1977
Screen gems ...
The Saints: (I'm) Stranded (EMI Import EMC 2870 Code 304)
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 12 March 1977
St. Stranded ...
The Clash: Coliseum, Harlesden, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 19 March 1977
THE CLASH Somewhere west of Karachi ...
Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols: Notre Dame Hall, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 26 March 1977
CRUCIFIED! High priest Rotten takes up the cloth ...
The Clash, Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers: A Storm Is Coming
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, April 1977
Last week Clash jumped 60 places in the chart and Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers packed out London's Marquee. New Wave is now Big Wave. ...
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 2 April 1977
OBVIOUS BAND for the slag-off merchants this. ...
The Clash: The Clash (CBS 82000)
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 9 April 1977
Clash lead black vinyl riot ...
The Motors: Marquee Club, London
Live Review by Peter Silverton, Record Mirror, 9 April 1977
No motorvatin' ...
Sex Pistols, The Slits: The Sex Pistols, the Slits: Screen on the Green, Islington, London
Live Review by Sandy Robertson, Record Mirror, 9 April 1977
LIKE THE Pistols' last gig. this was an unpublicised, word-of-mouth affair where you just had to turn up at the door and take your chances. ...
The Damned, The Dead Boys: The Damned: The Fantastic Four versus the Big Apple
Report by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 23 April 1977
The story so far: Barry Cain and The Damned have journeyed to New York in pursuit of the evil CBGB... ...
Brass Construction, The Spinners: Detroit Spinners, Brass Construction: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 7 May 1977
A FIASCO is when you put too much showbiz into soul biz. ...
The Clash, The Subway Sect: The Clash, Subway Sect: Palais des Glaces, Paris
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 7 May 1977
Beware Les Français: C'est la Guerre! The Clash return to the scene of the May 68 riots and whip up a storm. Barry Cain reports... ...
Joe Tex: Back to the grind for a bump man
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 28 May 1977
"WHEN I had a hit with 'Skinny Legs And All' I had a lot of hassles from women's libbers," recalled a hoarse Joe Tex on ...
Johnny "Guitar" Watson: A Real Mother (DJM DJF20505)
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 28 May 1977
AWARD NO One: the worst album cover of the year so far. Mr Watson thumbs up in Cadillac BABY CARRIAGE! and guitar sticking up with ...
Television: A Bite At The Big Apple
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 28 May 1977
FIVE FLOORS above the deranged contours of Glasgow a dismembered light in the three am thickness. ...
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 28 May 1977
WOKING CLASS heroes with Union J-J Jack tenacity. The J-J-Jam. ...
Blondie, Television: Television, Blondie: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 4 June 1977
AH, THE Watusi. ...
Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols: Enemies of the World
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 11 June 1977
• FACT. Simply by stating 'No Future' the Pistols are creating one • FACT. Their music outshines, outflanks and outclasses much of the jetlagged ineptitude ...
Heatwave: Birth of the Doodle Boogie
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 18 June 1977
THERE'S A fascinating relationship that goes on behind the scenes between Heatwave's founder Johnnie Wilder Jr. and the group's resident songwriter and keyboard player Rod ...
Archie Bell and the Drells: Archie Bell & the Drells: Good time Bell
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 25 June 1977
ARCHIE BELL doesn't leap on to his feet, jump around or give you a 'hip' rap as you walk into a room. ...
Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers: Bring a freezer, you're gonna need it
Report by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 25 June 1977
THE HEARTBREAKERS (make that THE JUNKIES), St Albans and Birmingham ...
The Saints: Saints or sinners?
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 25 June 1977
THINK OF Australia. Think of Bondai Beach. Think of Fosters lager. Think of big butch lifeguards sunbathing on their surf boards. Ned Kelly. Botany Bay, ...
The Jacksons, Michael Jackson: The Jacksons: In Town Tonight
Report and Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 2 July 1977
On the last night of The Jacksons visit to London, Michael Jackson realised he hadn't seen the sights. Robin Katz (an American of all people) ...
The Only Ones: The Speakeasy, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 2 July 1977
(A SELF Indulgent 'I'm In Love' piece. Apologies) ...
The Cortinas, The Stranglers: The Stranglers, the Cortinas: The Roundhouse, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 2 July 1977
What more can Barry Cain say about the Stranglers. He's just...LOST IN SPACE ...
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 20 August 1977
Richman: hearing is believing ...
Latimore: Benny Knows Where He's Going
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 3 September 1977
"IF MY MUSIC is suggestive, it's a coincidence," says Benny Latimore with a silken smooth voice. "I don't aim to be too explicit. ...
The Only Ones: The Speakeasy, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 3 September 1977
IF THE graffiti in the ladles' toilet of the Speakeasy is anything to go by the Only Ones are already the subject of attention. But ...
Thin Lizzy: Bad Reputation (Vertigo 9102 016)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 3 September 1977
ONE SIDED VIEW ...
New Hearts, XTC: XTC: Hope and Anchor, London; New Hearts, The Models: Speakeasy, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 3 September 1977
Is this what was intended? ...
Buzzcocks: Rafters, Manchester
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 10 September 1977
BUZZCOCKS — a Manchester miasma causing GBH to the nostrils? Or one of the best damned bands the rainy city has ever produced? ...
Roogalator, the Yachts: Nashville, London
Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 10 September 1977
THIS LEAD singer, John Joe Janies Campbell, looks ridiculous. Not because he's got green pubes or anything, he just moves funny onstage and grins all ...
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 10 September 1977
SHAZAM 77! The antediluvian ideals of the pig-gutted swirl are in the process of a distortion that any bleach-eyed chameleon would be proud of. Like ...
Review by Tim Lott, Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 17 September 1977
He says there are... ...
Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: Dr Hook bare their souls
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 24 September 1977
And Rosalind Russell closes her eyes ...
Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 24 September 1977
And we don't careThe message: punk's now a business ...
Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 24 September 1977
RICHMAN MORE MAN ...
Marc Bolan, T. Rex, Tyrannosaurus Rex: Marc Bolan: Glam Rock Is Dead
Obituary by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 24 September 1977
Even people who didn't care for his records acknowledged his charisma ...
David Bowie, Eddie & The Hot Rods: The Thin White Duke Has Gone. Here's The New David Bowie
Report and Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 24 September 1977
THE TONE is final. This negative is as impenetrable as it is predictable. "No." ...
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 1 October 1977
"I'VE BEEN singing 'Telephone Man' for years," explained a very chatty Meri Wilson in a flirtatious southern lilt. ...
Ian Dury: New Boots And Panties (Stiff SEEZ4)
Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 1 October 1977
Dury's Verdict ...
999, The Adverts, Motorhead: Is Gaye Well Equipped? Will These Boys Show You Their Equipment?
Report and Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 1 October 1977
How easy is it to start your own band? How much does it cost? Rosalind Russell looks at 999's equipment and goes round the shops ...
Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 1 October 1977
Tell Laura I love her ...
David Bowie: 'Heroes' (RCA PL 12622)
Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 8 October 1977
Bowie and blind faith ...
Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 8 October 1977
A stiff undertaking ...
Jonathan Richman: If I Were A Richman...
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 8 October 1977
Does Jonathan still love the modern world? TIM LOTT finds out — or does he? ...
Brothers Johnson: The Brothers Johnson: Johnsons Baby Power
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 8 October 1977
"WE ALWAYS have enough material lying around to complete another seven albums," asserted George Johnson, the senior member of the funky, guitar-toting twosome. ...
ABBA: Case No 584938657 (B) The Imperial State of Newave vs Ulvaeus
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 15 October 1977
Presided by Judge JoepublicCounsel for the Prosecution: Anne R. Quay, QCCounsel for the Defence: Joecon Sumer THE ABBA TAPES Transcription by TIM LOTT ...
Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer: Giorgio Moroder: Donna und Blitzen!
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 15 October 1977
GIORGIO, Ms Summer's producer, gives the low-down on their sessions in the studio. ...
Rose Royce: In A Class Of Their Own
Profile and Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 15 October 1977
HOW DO you make an album into a collectors' item only weeks after its release? ...
The Saints: Music Machine, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 15 October 1977
THE SAINTS opened their new British tour at the Camden Music Machine — that was their first and I hope only mistake. It's fine booking ...
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 15 October 1977
TIM LOTT meets Iggy Pop/The Ig/James Newell Osterburg/Idiot/Genius the man of many tangents ...
Amanda Lear: Blood Sex and Lears
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 29 October 1977
IN 1973 I fell in love. She was a photograph, a blue-black animal with a panther on a leash. She was with another, a man ...
Report by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 29 October 1977
BARRY CAIN gets struck down by the crazy past and present of THE HEARTBREAKERS ...
R.I.P.: Calendar of Death in Rock
Special Feature by Michael Gray, Record Mirror, 29 October 1977
WE'VE HAD heavy rock, blues rock, folk rock, glam rock and punk rock. And now, in 1977, it's... snuff rock. ...
Dr. Feelgood, Wilko Johnson: Wilko Johnson: Would You Go And See The Relentless Kings Of Terror?
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 29 October 1977
WILKO JOHNSON wouldn't. But TIM LOTT we're not sure about ...
Rod Stewart: Would you pay 1,000 dollars for Rod Stewart's heart?
Report and Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 29 October 1977
Rosalind Russell finds out the hard way ...
XTC: An Everyday Story Of Country Punks
Report and Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 29 October 1977
TIM LOTT visits them at The Manor ...
Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe: Dave Edmunds: Roundhouse, London
Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 5 November 1977
SOME PEOPLE said it was too loud, but I wanted it louder, LOUDER, LOUDER. This is rock 'n' roll fury. ...
Adam & The Ants, Siouxsie & The Banshees: Siouxsie & the Banshees, Adam & the Ants: Vortex, London
Live Review by Jane Suck, Record Mirror, 5 November 1977
"WE ARE not human..." Support band The Ants are bizarre. More at home on Mars than the bondage mag they look like they just fell ...
Report by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 12 November 1977
TIM LOTT battles with Joe Strummer's boys and comes out dazed. ...
Crystal Gayle, Kenny Rogers: Kenny Rogers, Crystal Gayle: National Stadium, Dublin
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 12 November 1977
COUNTRY SINGERS make me puke. ...
Lamont Dozier: Lamont's Laments
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 12 November 1977
Songwriter, producer and now singer LAMONT DOZIER tells his heart-rending story to ROBIN KATZ ...
The Motors, Wishbone Ash: Souped-Up Motors
Report by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 12 November 1977
TIM LOTT takes off with THE MOTORS ...
X-Ray Spex: Poly Puts The Kettle On!
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 12 November 1977
IT WAS just another press conference. Poly Styrene looked surprisingly radiant, showing no signs of the traumas she had suffered over recent months. ...
Cheap Trick, The Motors: The Spectrum, Philadelphia PA
Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 16 November 1977
WASN'T IT W.C .Fields who had on his tombstone — "Things could be worse. I could be in Philadelphia." ...
Barry White: On The White Line To Barry
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 19 November 1977
Barry cools down a heavy breathing Rosalind Russell, a bit more than arms length away ...
Live Review by Sylvie Simmons, Record Mirror, 19 November 1977
A Right Pair Of Jokers ...
Allman And Woman: Two The Hard Way (Warner Bros.)*
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 26 November 1977
HARD ON THE HEARING ...
Dr. Feelgood: CBGB's, New York NY
Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 26 November 1977
GET THIS straight before we go one word further. This review is not going to be interesting. There is so little to be said about ...
Gary Glitter: Silver Star (Arista SPAR-TY 1020)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 26 November 1977
Gary's growing ...
Gloria Jones, Marc Bolan: Marc Bolan: My Life Alone by Gloria Jones
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 26 November 1977
WHAT WERE you doing on the morning of September 16 this year? Were you, like me, numb with the shock of hearing that Marc Bolan ...
Weather Report: Joni Mitchell? Clark Gable?
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 26 November 1977
What have they got to do with JOE ZAWINUL ? ROBIN KATZ finds a connection ...
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 3 December 1977
SHE'S SIX feet of slinking black tigress, a red hot property amid the beautiful jet-setting people and a smart cookie to boot. Her name is ...
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 3 December 1977
...Are The Damned splitting up? Why is Captain Sensible embarrassed? What's the name of Rat's new band? All this and more is revealed by ROSALIND RUSSELL ...
Frankie Miller: Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 10 December 1977
Frankie blows it ...
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 10 December 1977
Gen Xcellent ...
Earth, Wind & Fire: Earth, Wind and Fire: All 'n All (CBS 80051)
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 7 January 1978
Smooth as their sequined shirts ...
Parliament: Funkentelechy Vs the Placebo Syndrome (Casablanca CALH 2021)
Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 7 January 1978
I GUESS you could describe Parliament as an ethnic funk band if indeed such an animal exists. Apart from the occasional extra-terrestrial skullduggery which no ...
Millie Jackson: Stand up for the Queen
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 14 January 1978
MILLIE JACKSON is eating away at my defences again. On her album Feelin' Bitchy Jackson is once more dealing with the cause and consequences of ...
Sex Pistols: The Great South-East Music Hall, Atlanta, GA
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 14 January 1978
Johnny leaves his heart in Finsbury Park Barry Cain reports on the start of the Sex Pistols' American tour ...
Dire Straits: Rock Garden, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 21 January 1978
THE SUPPORT band at the Rock Garden sweatshop were new wavers Cheap Stars. One of their songs, all of which lasted the statutory two minutes, ...
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 21 January 1978
PATTI AUSTIN tells why she prefers shoe polish to the bright lights ...
Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols: Magical mystery tour
Report by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 21 January 1978
BARRY CAIN goes to America to say hullo to the Pistols. They say hullo back ...
Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols: Winterland, San Francisco
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 28 January 1978
London's pride take over USA – The Pistols' last gig? ...
Talking Heads: David Byrne: Talking Off The Top Of His Head
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 11 February 1978
I HAVE THIS talking head in front of me. In his talking mouth he is spooning scrambled eggs and bacon. So much for input. The ...
Earth, Wind & Fire: How does he do it?
Report and Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 18 February 1978
Barry Cain doesn't know either ...
Be-Bop Deluxe: Ol’ Bill: Be-Bop Deluxe’s Bill Nelson
Interview by Sylvie Simmons, Record Mirror, 25 February 1978
"THE AMERICAN interviewers have been saying, 'Hey, are you going to wear the suits again this time?' and I say, 'We've worn them the last ...
Sham 69: Sham v Them. Referee: Barry Cain
Report and Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 25 February 1978
JIMMY PURSEY talks. Jimmy Pursey talks corks out of bottles. Talks forks out of mouths. Talks porks out of pigs. Talks hawks out ...
Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious: Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen: Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 8 April 1978
When SID VICIOUS was at the height of fame with the Sex Pistols, be was supporting an £80 a day heroin habit. His fix cost ...
Randy Edelman, Fairfield Halls, Croydon
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 22 April 1978
THIS GUY really is the archetypal singer-songwriter. I write that with no malice, because he gives a lot of people a lot of pleasure. But ...
The Saints: Tiffany's, Edinburgh
Live Review by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 22 April 1978
THE SAINTS GROW HORNS ...
Wilko Johnson: Thames Polytechnic, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 22 April 1978
Lookin' for a climax ...
Kraftwerk: The Man Machine (Capitol EST 11728(1)
Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 6 May 1978
KRAFTY KRAUTS REALLY WERK! ...
Blondie: Starwood, Los Angeles CA
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 13 May 1978
They still don't know who Blondie is in LA ...
Blue Öyster Cult: Apollo, Glasgow
Live Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 13 May 1978
Smokey Blue ...
Fabulous Poodles, UK: UK, Fabulous Poodles: the Odeon, Edinburgh
Live Review by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 13 May 1978
"NOT AS bad as expected" seemed to be the general consensus of opinion on the yet to be acknowledged supergroup, UK. This sentiment summed up ...
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 27 May 1978
Blond hair, blue eyes and a tan send Rosalind Russell swooning homeward after talking to David Soul before the premier of his new film ...
Ronnie Biggs, Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols: Biggsy
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 15 July 1978
Ronald Biggs, one of the Great Train Robbers, speaks to TIM LOTT from Rio. Biggs under his new guise as punk poet talks about his ...
Joan Armatrading: Girl On A Wild Goose Chase
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 29 July 1978
Barry Cain finds out about Joan Armatrading's dark past. ...
Kraftwerk: You're never alone with a clone
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 29 July 1978
Tim Lott observes the kraft of Kraftwerk ...
The Commodores: Do these men look like black Beatles?
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 2 September 1978
Barry "Phoner" Cain gets a Commodore connection with Walter "Sweet" Orange in Tuskegee, Alabama ...
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 7 October 1978
The rock and roll business usually brings up its fair share of prima donnas, ready to grab what they can and cast off their friends ...
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 7 October 1978
I THOUGHT I TAW A PUDDYTAT A creepin' up on me. I DID! I TAW A PUDDYTAT As plain as he can be. ...
Sylvester: Step II (Fantasy FT549)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 October 1978
I'LL BET Sylvester loves being called outrageous, but that description fits his appearance far better than his music. Not that his album is unremarkable; it ...
The Jacksons: No Signs Of Any Slackening
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 October 1978
'Blame It On The Boogie' may not be the Jacksons most exciting single, but it's doing the trick again. PAUL SEXTON talks to Michael Jackson. ...
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 21 October 1978
TIM LOTT examines the French disco machinery of Cerrone ...
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 21 October 1978
Ros Russell spends a night in Germany posing with David Lee Roth, Van Halen's front man ...
Crown Heights Affair: Vice on Ice
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 28 October 1978
Drink, drugs. Who needs them, say Crown Heights Affair ...
John Cooper Clarke: Disguise In Love (CBS 83132)
Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 28 October 1978
Disguise in sane ...
Public Image Ltd: Images of Public Image
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 4 November 1978
Donning his sardonic mask, BARRY CAIN lurches into Sloane Ranger territory (Chelsea to you) and tracks down one J. Lydon and his mate Jah Wobble; ...
Blondie, The Shangri-Las: Blondie and Beyond
Report and Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 18 November 1978
BARRY CAIN threads his way through the decaying labyrinth known as New York, finds the other faces behind Debbie Harry, unearths two of the "fabulous" ...
Bruce Springsteen: Capital Centre, Largo, MD
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 18 November 1978
Listen and be born again ...
Dan Hartman, Edgar Winter: Hartman's Heartland
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 18 November 1978
BARRY CAIN meets former Edgar Winter Band member Dan Hartman — the man who made 'Instant Replay' one of the most instant of this year's ...
Heatwave: Heating Up the Disco Crowd
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 18 November 1978
TO COME back from a very successful American tour to see your new single shoot into the chart at No 36 while making healthy strides ...
X-Ray Spex: Maturity Is Next: X-Ray Spex: Germ Free Adolescents (EMI)
Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 18 November 1978
SOUNDS FOR sophisticated head-bangers, noises for Nembuthal nights. X-Ray Spex carry the standard of 1977 (which reads fun) on the flagpole of 1979 (constructed from ...
Report and Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 25 November 1978
BARRY CAIN catches a glimpse of heaven ...
Rod Stewart: Blondes Have More Fun (Rlva RVLP8)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 25 November 1978
MORE LIVE THAN DYED ...
Boney M: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 8 December 1978
THE CIRCUS IS HERE ...
Boney M: Babylon on a Thin Wire
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 16 December 1978
TIM LOTT meets the lead voice of Boney M, Liz Mitchell ...
Sylvester: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 16 December 1978
WHAT A DRAG ...
Chaka Khan: Chaka (Warner Bros.) ****
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 23 December 1978
NOW THEN, an album which the whole team involved has obviously spent a good deal of time thinking about. Chaka Khan needs songs which exploit ...
Tavares: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 23 December 1978
TAVARES SEEM assured of fairly attentive, appreciative concert audiences for some time to come because they've managed to compile quite a sizeable catalogue of hits ...
Cameo: Ugly Ego (Casablanca CAL 2038)
Review by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 3 March 1979
CAMEO, ACCORDING to my tattered old Webster's, in the literary sense is — quote — "a piece of detailed writing in polished style." In the ...
Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 3 March 1979
Polite Elvis ...
Jean Michel Jarre: A Jarre With Bottle
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 3 March 1979
OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A LOUT TO HAVE CLOUT ...
Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers: Max's Kansas City, New York NY
Live Review by Jim Green, Record Mirror, 3 March 1979
DURING WHAT was billed as the Heartbreakers' "237th Farewell Performance" (truth in advertising?), Johnny Thunders announced that Tony Machine, who'd drummed for the Thunder-less '76 ...
Peabo Bryson: Crosswinds (Capitol ST-11875)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 3 March 1979
THE NAME doesn't mean much to you, does it? Peabo Bryson's been in this game for quite a while and he's been digging his way ...
Axis, Judas Priest: Judas Priest, Axis: Starwood, Los Angeles CA
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 21 April 1979
Judas wants you for a sunbeam ...
Profile and Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 28 April 1979
EVER HEARD the one about New Yorkers in Los Angeles? Well there's more than one, as Woody Allen knows, and Blondie have a few on ...
Review by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 5 May 1979
THE ARTFUL LODGER: TIM LOTT exclusively reviews the new David Bowie album, Lodger ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 30 June 1979
Anita Ward rings PAUL SEXTON'S bells ...
Blondie: Have you seen your lover, baby?
Interview by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 30 June 1979
RONNIE GURR, standing in the shadows with Chris Stein ...
Charles Mingus, Joni Mitchell: Joni Mitchell: Mingus
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 30 June 1979
IF YOU WERE to point an accusing finger at me and say I'd no qualifications to review a jazz album, I'd agree with you in ...
Yellow Magic Orchestra: Yellow Magic Orchestra (A&M)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 30 June 1979
THE ONLY REAL SURPRISE about Yellow Magic's emergence into Western pop music is that they took such a long time coming. ...
McFadden and Whitehead: Startin' 'N' Stoppin'
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 July 1979
PAUL SEXTON winds up old phillybusters McFadden and Whitehead ...
Sham 69, the Valves: Apollo, Glasgow
Live Review by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 7 July 1979
The Cockney Cowboys ride again ...
Ashford & Simpson, Diana Ross: Diana Ross: The Boss (Motown STML12118)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 14 July 1979
Ross stops the rot ...
Jennifer Warnes: Shot Through The Heart (Arista SPART 1097)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 14 July 1979
HOT SHOT ...
Profile and Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 14 July 1979
SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN the hype and the hit, when the noise has died down before it lives again, there's a spell of anticipation when the ...
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 14 July 1979
TIM LOTT flies with the B-52s ...
Minnie Riperton: Minnie (Capitol) ****
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 4 August 1979
THIS WAS going to be a happy, triumphant comeback album... ...
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 18 August 1979
A spiv, a brat, a clown. No we're not talking about BARRY CAIN. That's Ian Dury's own description of himself. ...
Siouxsie & the Banshees: "They said they couldn't take the pressure"
Interview by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 15 September 1979
Siouxsie and the Banshees split. RONNIE GURR was on the spot ...
Earth, Wind & Fire: Earth, Wind and Fire: When you feel the feeling you're feeling
Interview by Barry Cain, Record Mirror, 29 September 1979
BARRY CAIN gets that feeling when he meets Earth, Wind and Fire's Maurice White ...
Ellen Foley, Hunter-Ronson: Who the hell is Ellen Foley?
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 29 September 1979
Don't ask, just listen. Go into your friendly, neighbourhood record store and make them play her album. You won't ask any more, you'll buy it. ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 15 December 1979
DOWN AT Acquarius Records an assistant keeps rushing out to put out more copies of 'One Step Beyond'. He's kept pretty busy. They're being bought ...
Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Marseille, Squeeze, Whitesnake: Are You A Whore For Rock 'N' Roll?
Report by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 20 December 1979
ROSALIND RUSSELL thinks most of you are ...
Japan: Ryerson Theatre, Toronto
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 5 January 1980
WEST OF JAPAN ...
The Sugarhill Gang: Beat The Rap
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 January 1980
SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA, and the Parliafunk crowd are watching three ex-DJs performing 15 minutes of the hippest tongue twisting in town. "Said a hip-hop, the hippie ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 12 January 1980
MARK COOPER sinks his teeth in ...
Blondie: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 19 January 1980
YOU'LL HAVE realised by now, if you're a regular reader of RM, that the reporters rarely agree on anything. And I certainly don't agree with ...
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 2 February 1980
Now we can get back to those sexist headlines. Debbie Harry knows you need that to front a band, but don't forget the music and ...
Dan Hartman: Relight My Fire (Blue Sky) *
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 16 February 1980
DAN HARTMAN has obviously learned all he knows from listening to TV theme music. Shame he didn't pay more attention to the master — Aaron ...
Pat Benatar: Old Waldorf, San Francisco
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 23 February 1980
PAT BENATAR is on her way — American style. She is exactly the kind of performer who points to the huge difference between English and ...
Pink Floyd: Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 23 February 1980
WALL OF SECRETS ...
Siouxsie & The Banshees: Siouxsie And The Bitter Pill
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 23 February 1980
Siouxsie isn't just concerned about being a rock musician, she has strong feelings on other matters as well. Interview by ROSALIND RUSSELL ...
The Tourists: It's Good To Be Back
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 23 February 1980
Not that the Tourists have been away. Rosalind Russell talks to Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart about why they don't want to be just a ...
Ellen Foley: The Venue, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 1 March 1980
APART FROM a brief appearance on Ian Hunter's London concert, this was Ellen Foley's debut In the UK. And judging by the reaction, she could ...
Shalamar, The Whispers: Sex and the Solar People
Report and Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 1 March 1980
TIM LOTT goes to LA to watch the glitter and tinsel of the biggest thing happening in black music at the moment ...
The Specials: Stanford University, California
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 1 March 1980
THE SPECIALS' mini-tour of California has, predictably enough, been full of incident. Three sold-out nights at the Whisky in LA, the club all decorated in ...
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 15 March 1980
LENE LOVICH'S premiere performance in San Francisco takes place unscheduled at the tiny X's. a drink dry new wave disco. Lene joins Fingerprintz on stage ...
Interview by Tim Lott, Record Mirror, 15 March 1980
They don't all wear hats and they're not all mad but The Beat definitely admit to being reds. ...
XTC: Old Waldorf, San Francisco
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 15 March 1980
XTC HAVE toured the East Coast a few times now, but this is their San Francisco debut. Incredibly, Drums and Wires is their first release ...
Gary Numan: Warfield Theatre, San Francisco
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 22 March 1980
Frozen Robots ...
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 22 March 1980
THE EAGLES on home turf in California, even if it does rain more here in the north. ...
Public Image Ltd.: Lydon The Exorcist
Report by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 29 March 1980
John Lydon's back in America, as cynical as ever. He wants to forget the memories, do away with the past and rock 'n'roll. MARK COOPER ...
The Pretenders: Talk Of The USA
Profile and Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 10 May 1980
LAST YEAR'S "next big thing" rarely succeeds in becoming "This year's model" with the ease with which the Pretenders have performed the feat in Britain. ...
Jermaine Jackson: Let's Get Serious (Motown STML 12127)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 17 May 1980
MEANWHILE, BACK at Motown... as Michael Jackson prepares to take over the cosmos with his Epic epic, big brother Jermaine launches his counterplot. ...
The Human League: Human League: The Kids Are Alright
Interview by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 24 May 1980
IT'S A BRAVE new world for young moderns and, current events considered, The Human League, look like suitable candidates for the apocalyptical Titanic dance band. ...
Public Image Ltd: Market Cultural Center, San Francisco
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 24 May 1980
PUBLIC IMAGE in a cultural centre — sounds arty enough to make you wonder if they've gone over the top. ...
Janis Ian: Theatre Royal, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 31 May 1980
LONDON'S THEATRE ROYAL is one of the city's few large venues which maintain anything like a convivial atmosphere. ...
Average White Band: Picking Up The Pieces: Average White Band: Shine (RCA)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 31 May 1980
TWO OR THREE years ago, if the Average White Band had said, "Let's go round again", the vast majority of Britain's record-buying public would have ...
Joan Jett, The Sweat: Joan Jett and the Black Hearts, The Sweat: Marquee, London
Live Review by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 7 June 1980
CLIVE CULBERTSON, pugnacious bass player/singer with The Sweat leaves a half-full Marquee audience with these words: "We're The Sweat and we're gonna be the biggest ...
Motörhead: Must We Fling This Filth At Our Pop Kids
Interview by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 7 June 1980
RONNIE GURR thinks we should and MOTÖRHEAD want to get even dirtier. ...
The Tourists: Tourists But Not Exiles
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 7 June 1980
HERE WE are with the Tourists in Los Angeles at the end of their first sightseeing tour of America, 40 dates to promote their debut ...
Marvin Gaye: Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 21 June 1980
MARVIN GAYE'S show on Sunday was pure class. A bit schmaltzy in places, but still classy. When he arrived onstage in a conservative dark jacket, ...
Teena Marie: Lady T (Motown STML12130)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 28 June 1980
IT MUST be a while since Motown Records had two singles in the same Top 10, but Jermaine Jackson and Teena Marie cracked it for ...
The Rolling Stones: Emotional Rescue (Rolling Stones Records CUN 3911)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 28 June 1980
LAUNCH THE LIFEBOATS ...
Judas Priest: The Empire Strikes Back
Report and Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 5 July 1980
MARK COOPER encounters JUDAS PRIEST under a pile of volcanic ash of the third kind ...
The Three Degrees: Wembley Conference Centre, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 July 1980
IF YOU'VE got it, flaunt it, someone once said. The Three Degrees flaunt it, but I'm not sure they've got it. Well... if you like ...
Paul McCartney, Wings: Paul McCartney: Once Nipped, Twice Shy
Interview by Paul Gambaccini, Record Mirror, 12 July 1980
PAUL McCARTNEY tells PAUL GAMBACCINI how he avoided going to pot in a Jap jail ...
The Mo-dettes: Moonlighting Mo-dettes
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 19 July 1980
IT MUST be some consolation to Mick Jagger, that when he's old and grey and his hips have seized up, he'll never be short of ...
Siouxsie & the Banshees: Kaleidoscope (Polydor 2442 177)
Review by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 26 July 1980
Siouxsie at the sharp end ...
Queen: Oakland Auditorium, Oakland CA
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 2 August 1980
HALF WAY through this show, Freddie Mercury finds a pack of disposable razors that someone has lobbed on stage, a fairly unsubtle hint as to ...
Siouxsie & the Banshees: In From The Cold
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 2 August 1980
ROSALIND RUSSELL INTERVIEWS; SIOUXSIE AND STEVE SEVERIN WARM UP ...
The Only Ones: Old Waldorf, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 2 August 1980
THE ONLY Ones are in grave danger of remaining a cult in England and obscure in America. This is their second appearance at the Waldorf ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 9 August 1980
PAUL SEXTON gets worn out by ODYSSEY. ...
Sheena Easton: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Well, Almost)
Interview by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 9 August 1980
EMI. WHAT gods in human form have passed through those hallowed Manchester Square portals? The tall cuboid-like lump of concrete and glass sits benignly in ...
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 16 August 1980
BLONDIE will head for the hills if there's a nuclear attack. ROSALIND RUSSELL will whitewash the windows and wrap her head in a towel. What ...
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 23 August 1980
DEREK GREEN tells ROSALIND RUSSELL the writing's on the wall for the record industry ...
Grace Jones: The Devil in Ms Jones
Interview by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 23 August 1980
GRACE JONES asked for a massage. RONNIE GURR warmed the leatherette. ...
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 30 August 1980
SOME WORDS of praise, late in the day, for a Warner Brother and a Warner Sister. 1980 is already George Benson's year, his commercial breakthrough. ...
Tape It or Levy It: Home Taping Survey Results
Report by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 30 August 1980
Who's to blame for the slump in the record industry? ROSALIND RUSSELL gets the answers ...
The Go-Go's: I-Beam, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 20 September 1980
THEY BURST on stage as bubbly as cheap champagne with a resounding "pop". Their clothes are swinging teenage sixties, miniskirts and tights, Mary Quant boots ...
Dead Kennedys: The Dead Kennedys: Anarchy American Style
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 27 September 1980
On the eve of the Dead Kennedys British tour MARK COOPER talks to Jello Biafra who says: "Our live shows are basically ways of torturing ...
Stewart Copeland, The Police: The Police: Turning Tables
Interview by Ronnie Gurr, Record Mirror, 4 October 1980
Cub reporter STEWART COPELAND grills RONNIE (the star) GURR ...
Christopher Cross: Fox Warfield Theatre, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 18 October 1980
CROSS MAKES ideal radio music, faceless and bland with a touch of a story to it and trinkling piano riffs to hook into your gills. ...
Bruce Springsteen: The Man, The Myth, The Magic
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 25 October 1980
MILWAUKEE IS up by the Great Lakes in the industrial badlands. Concrete freeways, steel chimneys, cloudy skies and breweries. The kind of place "where Mister ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 15 November 1980
THE BEAT are beginning again at the beginning. Here they are in Chicago, four or five weeks into their first American tour — much of ...
Profile and Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 15 November 1980
THE DARK and mysterious Notting Hill Gate tube station, one cold and rainy night. Outside it stands an equally dark and mysterious stranger, armed with ...
Gladys Knight and the Pips: Gladys Knight & the Pips: Wembley Conference Centre, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 22 November 1980
IT MUST be the most pertinent observation that Gladys Knight and the Pips have made on record for a long time: "Everybody wants to be ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 29 November 1980
STEVE STRANGE, chief of the new clan of the beautiful people has made a record. MARK COOPER talks to him about the concept ...
Judy Mowatt: Black Woman (Island ILPS 9649)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 6 December 1980
THIS ALBUM is an explicit statement of spirituality and of strength — a black woman's survival. The title offers the record as a statement and ...
Obituary by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 13 December 1980
WHEN WE were growing up, my brother and I, he loved John Lennon especially. Our parents used to give us a Beatles album every Christmas. ...
The Stray Cats: On The Tiles With The Stray Cats
Profile and Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 20 December 1980
Your storyteller: MARK COOPER (MA, DFC, VD and Private Bar) ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 10 January 1981
MARK COOPER joins the AU PAIRS' campaign trail ...
Interview by Chas de Whalley, Record Mirror, 10 January 1981
You ain't seen nuthin' yet reckons CHAS DE WALLEY about KATE BUSH ...
Interview by Rosalind Russell, Record Mirror, 24 January 1981
The queues of A&R men are stretching round the block to sign Jane Kennaway on a long term deal. Her single, 'IOU' has pricked their ...
Freeez: Southern Freeez (Beggars Banquet EL PEE 1)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 14 February 1981
"NEW WAVE jazz funk, play loud." So says the liner, and it's almost all you need to know. Except perhaps that it's British, it's in ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 March 1981
ONCE YOU'VE licked the label, it's pretty hard to peel it off. It was Freeez themselves who called their music "new wave jazz funk". Now ...
The Jacksons, Michael Jackson: The Jacksons: Off The Cuff
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 21 March 1981
Stevie Wonder's rival? The black Bambi or just James Bond's scuba diving companion? Mark Cooper looks at the mystery behind Michael Jackson's shades… and finds ...
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 25 April 1981
THE CULMINATION of Culture's brief tour of Britain that features only flashes of the old Cultural genius and falls somewhere between showbiz and a testifying ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 2 May 1981
'We've got to get out and we've got to fight back' is still the message from SLF and their commitment hasn't evaporated since the heady ...
The Beat: Wha'ppen? (Go Feet) ****
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 9 May 1981
IN WHICH the Beat define their sound over a whole album, realise their strengths (most notably the individuality of each performer) and, in general, settle ...
The Cure: Swaying with the Cure
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 16 May 1981
READING ON a rainy Sunday afternoon is about as cold and empty as an English town can get. There's no one on the street and ...
Tenpole Tudor: A King Without A Clown
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 23 May 1981
Tenpole Tudor march into the heartland of England (well, Sheffield actually) carrying their proud banner of scruffy English eccentricity. MARK COOPER watches the march of ...
Randy Crawford: Secret Combination (Warner Bros K 56904)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 13 June 1981
CURIOUS THE way the music public keeps on discovering Randy Crawford and then losing her again. You'd have thought that having once chanced upon such ...
Yoko Ono: Season Of Glass (Geffen K99164)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 13 June 1981
SINGLE FANTASY ...
Pink Floyd: Earls Court, London
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 20 June 1981
PINK FLOYD'S The Wall is the ultimate rock concert, more a funeral than a celebration. ...
Odyssey: I Got The Melody (RCA LP5028)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 4 July 1981
'USE IT Up And Wear it Out' for number one? Not on your life, John. (The record tops the chart). Well, alright, it was a ...
Wah!: Nah-Poo-The Art Of Bluff (Eternal Classic 1)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 4 July 1981
WAH! WARS ...
Was (Not Was): Was (Not Was) (Ze ILPS 7015)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 4 July 1981
WAS (NOT WAS) are as good an example of post-Vietnam paranoia as you're going to get. While all around them are losing theirs, Was (Not ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 18 July 1981
RANDY CRAWFORD is talking and laughing. She rarely does one without the other, even with the hay fever that Britain's presented to her. ...
The Human League: Beautiful Dreamers
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 8 August 1981
Start with pop with a capital P, add a touch of glamour, stir with a generous helping of amateur enthusiasm and you've got the new ...
The Teardrop Explodes: We Can Be Heroes Just For One Day
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 12 September 1981
Christ, Warhol, Arthur Lee (who?), Scott Walker, JULIAN COPE. Are these the immortals of the next century and beyond? Julian Cope hopes so, after all ...
The Rolling Stones: Rolling Stones — An Exclusive
Report and Interview by Chris Welch, Record Mirror, 19 September 1981
Invited as a special guest to the farm in Massachusetts where legendary rock 'n' rollers the ROLLING STONES are rehearsing for their first US tour ...
The Crusaders: Standing Tall (MCA MCE 3122)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 19 September 1981
COCKER? YES, Joe Cocker, well-loved throat of the late sixties cum early seventies now looking as if he's in his early seventies but, on this ...
Aretha Franklin: Love All The Hurt Away (Arista SPART 1170)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 3 October 1981
DOES IT strike you as a little odd that the Queen of Soul (as I believe she likes to be called), the woman who we're ...
Carlene Carter: Blue Nun (F-Beat XXLP12).
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 3 October 1981
WHEN IT comes to being blue, Carlene's a natural, a belle of the ball with a ballbreaker's wit. Carlene looks like an angel but underneath ...
John Martyn: Glorious Fool (WEA k99178)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 3 October 1981
JOHN MARTYN'S twelfth album, his first with Warners and his first with a band. The glorious fool continues to go his own way with little ...
Tom Tom Club: Tom Tom Club (ILPS 9686)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 10 October 1981
GIRLS IN THE CLUB ...
Donald Byrd and 125th Street, NYC: Love Byrd (Warner Bros K52301)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 17 October 1981
IT'S NOT just love that's come around for Donald Byrd. It's the music scene too, to the healthy state of affairs where he can have ...
Richard Thompson: Strict Tempo (Elixir LP I)
Review by Chas de Whalley, Record Mirror, 17 October 1981
ALBUMS LIKE this are comparatively rare these days. Strict Tempo simply presents good music for its own sake, showcasing the style and skill of a ...
The Human League: A Soap Opera
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 17 October 1981
An everyday story of human life starring the HUMAN LEAGUE. Script MARK COOPER ...
U2: October (Island ILPS 9680)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 17 October 1981
PURGATORY IN MOTION ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 31 October 1981
MARK COOPER talks to the 'cool ruler', Gregory Isaacs ...
The Slits: Return Of The Giant Slits (CBS 85269)
Review by Chas de Whalley, Record Mirror, 14 November 1981
LONG TERM Slits fans can relax. Just because the girls' latest album appears on the CBS label doesn't mean they've sold out, gone soft or ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 21 November 1981
Martin Fry spells out the ABC manifesto to MARK COOPER ...
Tenpole Tudor: University College, Dublin
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 21 November 1981
CAVALRY TRILL ...
The Teardrop Explodes: Club Zoo, Liverpool
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 21 November 1981
Escape from Tinseltown ...
Aswad, Creation Rebel: Creation Rebel: Psychotic Jonkanoo (STAT IP4); Aswad: New Chapter (CBS 85336)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 28 November 1981
Aswad — home grown Roots ...
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 28 November 1981
GASPER LAWAL'S track record might suggest that he is a music business hack. He is not. He has played with many who are anyone, from ...
Olivia Newton-John: Cream Of The Crop
Interview by Robin Eggar, Record Mirror, 28 November 1981
The front of the chocolate box has changed forever. Or has it? OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN has cut her hair, shed her old image and entered the ...
Soft Cell: Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (Some Bizzare BZLP 2)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 28 November 1981
SYMPATHETIC SYNTHESIS ...
Spandau Ballet: A Day In The Life Of Gary Kemp
Interview by Chas de Whalley, Record Mirror, 28 November 1981
Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet talks to Chas De Whalley sbout one of his working days. ...
Scritti Politti: Suspicious Minds
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 5 December 1981
Making their way from the margins to the mainstream SCRITTI POLITTI have discovered the beauties of pop. But what took them so long? "Professor" MARK ...
Duran Duran: Rum Runner, Birmingham
Live Review by Chas de Whalley, Record Mirror, 12 December 1981
THERE WASN'T a lot to see, for a start. When Duran Duran returned to their old stamping ground in Birmingham's trendy but tiny Rum Runner ...
Report and Interview by Chas de Whalley, Record Mirror, 19 December 1981
DURAN DURAN find life a gas in more ways than one. Eternally intrepid CHAS DE WHALLEY takes it all with a pinch of salt (or ...
A Certain Ratio: Sextet (Factory Fact 55)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 16 January 1982
A CERTAIN JE NE SAIS QUOI ...
Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus: Disarmament (Trojan)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 16 January 1982
DISARMAMENT IS a surprise – perhaps the first reggae album to openly confront the threat of nuclear warfare with the power of Jah Love while ...
Rhoda Dakar: Being Boiled – Rhoda Dakar
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 23 January 1982
2-Tone's follow up to 'Ghost Town' is equally timely and a good deal more controversial. The single is 'The Boiler' and its subject is rape. ...
Talking Heads: Wembley Arena, London
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 24 January 1982
Joining the stadium set ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 6 February 1982
"I'm not nuts," says RALF HÜTTER of mighty Germanic megastars KRAFTWERK. "Blimey," gasps MARK COOPER (PHD Engineering and Knitting) in disbelief. Well, is he or ...
Haircut 100: The Young Ones, Darling We're The Young Ones
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 13 February 1982
Young is beautiful, say HAIRCUT 100. MARK COOPER gets nostalgic with the band every mother wants her daughter to love. ...
Shakatak: Easier Done Than Said
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 27 February 1982
PAUL SEXTON shacks up with SHAKATAK ...
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 27 February 1982
IT WASN'T that Shalamar don't have their own distinctive sound. It wasn't that they didn't make their presence felt on their first ever British live ...
Tom Browne: Bepopafungi, He's My Baby
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 27 February 1982
BEBOPAFUNKADISCOLYPSO is bad enough. But Fungi Mama? Say Whaaat? ...
Shalamar: Friends (Solar K52345)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 6 March 1982
AN ALBUM to establish Shalamar as LP artists and not just the final part of another disco assembly line churning out three-minute pounding product, not ...
The Jam: The Gift (Polydor POLD 5055)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 6 March 1982
MAN'S GIFT... ...
Pigbag: Dr Heckle and Mr Jive (Y 17 LP)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 13 March 1982
BLOW ME down and shake me round, here comes Pigbag, a tornado in your town. Yes, yes a breath of fresh air designed to move ...
The Fall: Hex Enduction Hour (Kamera KAM 005)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 20 March 1982
What the hex ...
Bill Drummond, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes: A Life In The Day Of Bill Drummond
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 3 April 1982
Bill Drummond, manager of The Bunnymen and The Teardrops, talks to Mark Cooper ...
Altered Images: On a Clare Day!
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 10 April 1982
Silly Billy MARK COOPER on the Grogan trail (PS: Who are ALTERED IMAGES anyway?) ...
Motörhead: The Rank Organisation!
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 10 April 1982
MARK COOPER probes beneath the scum on the surface of rock's greasy snipers. MOTÖRHEAD An interview that squeezes the spots other music papers can't reach. ...
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: I Love Rock And Roll (Epic)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 24 April 1982
JOAN JETT is 23 years old. She's been in rock and roll for the last 10 years. It shows. ...
Echo & The Bunnymen: Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline, Scotland
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 8 May 1982
COME FEEL THE NOISE! ...
The Clash: Combat Rock (CBS) ***
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 15 May 1982
Gonna write a Clashic ...
Girlschool: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 22 May 1982
THE SPECTACLE is always the same – blinding flashes and smokebombs, loud guitar and pounding drums. The band dedicate the songs to the crowd, the ...
Jonathan Richman: The Venue, London
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 29 May 1982
JONATHAN RICHMAN made his name by singing about the modern world in a style that belonged to the cityscapes of the Velvet Underground. Then he ...
The Blasters, Nick Lowe: Nick Lowe and his Noise to Go, the Blasters: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Chas de Whalley, Record Mirror, 29 May 1982
THE BLASTERS set a standard of gritty excitement which even Nick Lowe and the loosely professional Noise To Go might have found difficult to sustain. ...
The Human League: A Life In The Day Of Martin Rushent
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 5 June 1982
MARTIN RUSHENT, producer of the Human League and Altered Images, talks to MARK COOPER. ...
Siouxsie & the Banshees: Stare Case
Report and Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 12 June 1982
Siouxsie raises eyebrows in Sweden ...
Soft Cell: Non Stop Erotic Dancing (Some Bizarre) **
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 19 June 1982
I'M NOT dancing, I'm sulking. Here we have a copy of Soft Cell's dance-mix album, a supposed treat, and I'm rooted to the floor. Church ...
Dennis Brown: Dennis the Menace
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 26 June 1982
DENNIS BROWN talks high finance with MARK COOPER ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 3 July 1982
Mark Cooper throws a few questions at the brand new Pigbag ...
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 17 July 1982
IT'S PERHAPS not every day that you go to a gig at St Paul's Cathedral introduced by Rod Steiger and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. It's not ...
Scritti Politti: The Sweetest Boy
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 17 July 1982
I'm not arrogant, just good, says Scritti Politti's Green Gartside ...
The Jam: Whine, Women and Song
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 17 July 1982
One man and his misery — Paul Weller of The Jam by Mark Cooper ...
The Clash: Doubt and desperation on the edge of town
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 24 July 1982
From Garageland to hell with Joe Strummer of the Clash ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 7 August 1982
MARK COOPER puts a fatherly arm round ANNABELLA'S shoulders ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 7 August 1982
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN discipline and fierce spontaneity lies the storm that is Carmel. ...
Everything But The Girl: Cole Minors
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 7 August 1982
THE NAME comes from a furniture store in Hull, the tune from the songbook of the master, Cole Porter. Everything But The Girl's version of ...
Profile by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 August 1982
HE'S BEEN around longer than you'd suppose and done things that might surprise you... in other words, he isn't the Burke you think he is. ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 21 August 1982
Mark Cooper explores boffin chic with electro popper Thomas Dolby ...
Gregory Isaacs: Night Nurse (Island ILPS 9721)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 28 August 1982
FOLLOWING A brief sojourn on Pre, the 'Cool Ruler' now elects Island to release the latest fruits of his labours. A change of label does ...
Pete Wingfield, The Sugarhill Gang: The Sugarhill Gang: Sweet Talking
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 28 August 1982
Rap? No, actually the Sugar hill Gang are pretty good, says Paul Sexton ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 28 August 1982
Phew, what a scorcher! Mark Cooper takes an Away day to the sizzling south coast with saucy songsters Tight Fit ...
Profile and Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 4 September 1982
JIM KERR is sitting in the bay window of a hotel in Portobello, his head surrounded by a halo of sunlight Jim is smiling and ...
Report and Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 6 November 1982
THESE THREE men belong to neither pavement nor penthouse. Instead they've grown comfortable by the fireside. Heaven 17, Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh and Glenn ...
Blancmange: Hammersmith Palais, London
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 8 January 1983
Tea's company ...
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 8 January 1983
TERRY HALL reckons the Funboy Three have grown up into a real group. The proof is threefold. First, the release of one of this year's ...
Vince Montana: Montana Climbing
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 8 January 1983
"WE'VE GOT an 18 lb turkey in the oven, the whole family's coming over." Is this a heavy vibe or is someone giving Vince Montana ...
Rip Rig and Panic: The Ace, London
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 8 January 1983
CHOOSING TO take the Ace by storm, Rip Rig and Panic ran headfirst into their own arrogance, particularly that of brat-of-the night, Gareth Sager. ...
Brothers Johnson: Brothers Rock
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 15 January 1983
SO WHAT did happen to the Brothers Johnson? Just a couple of years ago, they took 'Stomp' to the highest reaches of the charts and ...
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 15 January 1983
FOR FIVE fresh-faced fellows from Leighton Buzzard 1983 will mean treading very carefully through the minefield that confronts any new band with a strong visual ...
Prince: 1999 (Warner Bros 1-223720)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 15 January 1983
Royal Flush ...
Strawberry Switchblade: Every Witch Way But Loose
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 15 January 1983
ROSE AND JILL of Strawberry Switchblade may look like Macbeth's weird witches but sisters they aren't. "We actually think we dress quite differently," complains Jill, ...
Depeche Mode: Modes to Freedom
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 22 January 1983
A YELLOW PLASTIC watering can rests idly on the floor, haying just recovered from a bashing the previous night in the name of 'percussive effects'. ...
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 22 January 1983
THE GAP BAND 'Outstanding' (Polygram) Yet another soul concerto from The Gap Band with a monstrously hard-hitting handclap from the engine room and a vocal ...
Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (RCA 6063)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 29 January 1983
YET ANOTHER compact duo making studio music for the age of video, Eurythmics lack that vital edge of character. This, their second album in a ...
Linx: Last Linx (Chrysalis CHR 1409)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 29 January 1983
The missing Linx ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 February 1983
"I WAS ROUND at the house of a friend of mine, and his sister was supposed to have a date. But she was stood up ...
The Belle Stars: The Belle Stars (Stiff SEEZ 45)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 5 February 1983
Swinging on the Stars ...
Daryl Hall & John Oates: Hall & Oates: One Upmanship
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 12 February 1983
HALL & OATES have taken up permanent residency in the world's Top Tens. The American duo have spent the last decade and more making albums ...
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 ...
52nd Street, The Commodores: The Commodores, 52nd Street: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 12 February 1983
Hoarses for courses ...
Rockers Revenge: Revenge is Sweet
Interview by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 19 February 1983
THE MANAGEMENT of Brooklyn's Music Factory have more on their minds than their dayjobs. They have to explain that the silver discs on the wall ...
Angela Bofill: Too Tough (Arista 205 273)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 March 1983
ANGIE BOFILL is one of those ladies who looks different in every picture; always pretty, but in changing ways. The comment fits her work as ...
Spandau Ballet: True or waltz? — Spandau Ballet: True (Chrysalis CDL1403)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 5 March 1983
YOUNG MEN AT C&A SPECIAL! ...
Blancmange: The Ritz, New York
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 12 March 1983
AMERICANS HAVE never heard of Blancmange: they can't buy it in shops and they can't pronounce it. If Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe are to ...
Fun Boy Three: Leeds University, Leeds
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 12 March 1983
Ain't what you do... ...
The Thompson Twins: Thompson Twins: Hammersmith Palais, London
Live Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 12 March 1983
FORMER DOGS, currant diamonds, the Thompsons are the last of their class to turn from frogs to princes. Former darlings of student halls, the Twins ...
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 19 March 1983
Oz is forgiven ...
Soft Cell: Hammersmith Palais, London
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 19 March 1983
The hard Cell ...
Janet Jackson: Janet Jackson (A&M AMLH 64907)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 26 March 1983
ALMOST AS if someone had said "Follow that", Mom and Pop Jackson have. Again. Sister Janet is gingerly testing the water with her first album. ...
Aztec Camera: High Land, Hard Rain (Rough Trade 47)
Review by Mark Cooper, Record Mirror, 9 April 1983
Height of fashion ...
Culture Club: Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 9 April 1983
The Boy in the band ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 9 April 1983
"MANNY'S FINE" says Man Parrish when I ask how he should be addressed. And so begins a conversation with the hippest of the hip-hop — ...
Smokey Robinson: Touch The Sky (Motown STML 12175)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 9 April 1983
IT'S ALWAYS struck me as unfortunate that one of the greatest black soul writers of the past 20 years has one of the weediest voices. ...
The Whispers: Love For Love (Solar E0216)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 9 April 1983
BRITAIN'S TENDED to prefer loud Whispers to soft Whispers in the past, which means we've majored on their dance tunes rather than their ballads. Which ...
Spandau Ballet: Pavilion, Bournemouth
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 16 April 1983
AFTER A softly-softly approach to playing live, the Spands have now successfully developed their stage personas to match their technical skills. Now, they play as ...
The Alarm, Big Country: Big Country, The Alarm: Lyceum, London
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 23 April 1983
I WONDERED where all the sweaty postpunk pogoers had hidden themselves. They all came home to roost with a vengeance at the Lyceum for a ...
A Flock Of Seagulls: Listen (Jive HIP4)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 30 April 1983
Pigeon English ...
Joe Sample: The Hunter (MCA MCF 3164)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 30 April 1983
THE SOLO crusades count for just a little more now that drummer Stix Hooper has apparently fought his last battle with the Crusaders. Joe Sample ...
Man Parrish: Man Parrish (Polydor Deluxe POLD 5101)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 30 April 1983
OUR MAN offers up a tune here called 'Man Made' and despite the possible pun, 'Machine Made' might be more accurate, because the Parrish debut ...
The Mary Jane Girls: Mary Jane Girls: Candy Girls
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 14 May 1983
WHEN RICK James auditions hopefuls for a new all-girl group, it's the look that counts. In other words, he uses a tape measure, not a ...
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 21 May 1983
75% OF THIS Kajaudience measured less than 5ft 2ins and looked like the walking personification of Top Shop. Hundreds of young girls in crisp, virginal ...
Freeez: Two's Company... Freeez A Crowd
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 2 July 1983
PROFOUND STATEMENTS of our time, number 23. Let me introduce you to Freeez's John Rocca, who says assertively: "If you want a loaf of bread, ...
Duran Duran, Robert Palmer, Prince Charles & The City Beat Band: Villa Park, Birmingham
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 30 July 1983
A whisper to a scream ...
Gary Byrd, Stevie Wonder: Gary Byrd: Crown topper
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 6 August 1983
TELEPATHY, THAT'S the only way of explaining the relationship between Gary Byrd and his friend Stevie Wonder. ...
Herbie Hancock: itches and Herbie
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 6 August 1983
(yeah, it's all that scratchin'!) ...
Herbie Hancock, Material: Herbie Hancock: Future Shock (CBS 25540)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 20 August 1983
AS IT is written on the single, so it shall be on the album... and Herb shows enough courage of his convictions to 'Rockit' right ...
New Edition: Candy Girl (London/Streetwise SH8553)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 20 August 1983
EDITIONS OF YOU ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 27 August 1983
We release New Edition on an unsuspecting London ...
Gwen Guthrie: Portrait (Island ILPS 9758)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 3 September 1983
SAY GWEN ...
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 3 September 1983
ANDY PARTRIDGE predicted a return to acoustic neo-folk at least two years ago, well before our new pop explosion. Thus, only the few will be ...
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 8 October 1983
PETER MAAS is excited. Quite right too, you might say, what with the rebirth of his first love Freeez — written off by all after ...
Donna Summer: Sermon chanted evening
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 15 October 1983
DONNA SUMMER is a star. ...
André Cymone, Prince: André Cymone: I Taught Prince Everything
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 12 November 1983
Saucy bass player's shock story ...
Lionel Richie: Join Our Millionaire's Club
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 12 November 1983
"MAN, YOU'RE talking about wonderful!" In the showbiz world of Lionel Richie, that's the kind of remark you hear all the time. And who's saying ...
The Smiths: Strictly Shrub-wise
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 12 November 1983
MORRISSEY IS a bit of a saucy fellow. ...
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 19 November 1983
RODDY FRAME may be a fresh faced youngster of a mere 19 years but his exquisite stitches in rock's rich tapestry already far outweigh the ...
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 19 November 1983
HARRY HOUDINI, escapologist, died on Halloween. This fact will undoubtedly amuse Jalil and Ecstasy, the two main protagonists of Whodini, who on 31 October had ...
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 10 December 1983
"1983 FOR me has been a nightmare..." asserts Steve Strange, a presumably ashen visage hidden by a delicate ivory foundation and shocking pink lipstick. ...
Everything But The Girl: Eden (bianco y negro BYN 2)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 9 January 1984
Quiet riot ...
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 14 January 1984
HEARD OF Boo-Ski?... or Shahiem?... or perhaps Godfather KC?... or maybe even Pin or King? No? You will, you will. Bossed by ace turntable rhythm ...
Womack and Womack: Womack & Womack: Love Wars (Elektra 96-0293-1)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 28 January 1984
WHEN BACKROOM boys decide it's time they had some of the limelight for themselves, the results are unpredictable to say the least. Cecil and Linda ...
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 4 February 1984
BARBARA MASON wants another man! "I'm in love with the idea of being in love. I always write about my experience with men — they're ...
The Smiths: The Smiths (Rough Trade}
Review by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 25 February 1984
"A COMPLETE signal post in the history of popular music." Little Stevie Morrissey's verdict on his own work bears his usual stamp of camp immodesty ...
Prefab Sprout: Sprout's honour
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 3 March 1984
IN THE beginning, I wasn't convinced. With a name like that they just had to be jokers, or terminally dour, or both, and cursory (I ...
Live Review by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 10 March 1984
A COUPLE of years back, in a dingy West London jazz-funk room, the seeds of this review were sown. The event was the debut appearance ...
Silent Running, Simple Minds: Simple Minds, Silent Running: Barrowlands Ballroom, Glasgow
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 17 March 1984
BARROWLANDS, THOUGH tacky and well-worn, certainly has a sense of history about it. Twenty years ago. The Stones played here on a minuscule stage. Ten ...
Daryl Hall & John Oates, Wembley Arena, London
Live Review by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 24 March 1984
WHATEVER IT is, Daryl Hall appears to possess it in more than average proportions. Damn him! For although the Hall and Oates experience is artfully ...
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 31 March 1984
Remember those glorious early days of Stiff, 2-Tone, Postcard, and the like? — heady times when copping the latest labels' latest carried more clout than ...
DeBarge: In A Special Way (Gordy ZL 72004)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 April 1984
LORDY, MISTER Gordy, your funk family DeBarge sure need a big British boost. So far the impression is that if I stood outside RM Mansions ...
Dennis Edwards: Anyone For Dennis?
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 April 1984
IT WAS very nearly the combination of the year. Dennis Edwards and Chaka Khan. But hold on: Dennis Edwards and Siedah Garrett – maybe it ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 28 April 1984
The selling of soul, by our financial staff, Paul Sexton ...
Bobby Womack: The Poet II (Motown ZL72205)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 May 1984
JUST SO'S brother Cecil and sister-in-law Linda don't get all the crossover kudos... the love wars in the Womack family start here, and Bobby's gonna ...
Howard Jones: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 5 May 1984
"YOU'D BETTER give this a good write-up," quoth my 18-year-old brother, veritably frothing at the mouth with raw aggression, halfway through giving Howard Jones a ...
Dazz Band: The Dazz Band: Joystick (Motown ZL72003)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 May 1984
WHEN THE Dazz Band head out on 'To The Roof' with the line "Let's all act a little crazy", you've a strong feeling that they ...
Sade: Graham K. Smith makes a dream date with... Sade
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 12 May 1984
EVERY DREAMER'S favourite dreamgirl has arrived! Every fantasist's perfection personified, every hardy pop soul who ever believed in the beauty of simplicity has been amply ...
Madonna: "l wanted to be a nun... then I discovered boys"
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 19 May 1984
CLUBLAND MOURNS! Hang on to your hats, nightpeople — Doyenne of post-midnight dance developments, Madonna, has some bad news. The brand new Queen of disco, ...
The Rock Steady Crew: Ready For Battle (Charisma RSCLP 1)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 9 June 1984
IN THEIR 15 minutes of marketability, you get the feeling that breakdance visuals (the myriad films, mainly) have a few more minutes of life; but ...
Brass Construction: Renegades (Capitol EH 244 0160 1)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 30 June 1984
WHERE THERE'S Brass, there's muck. Sorry fellas, I couldn't resist it. ...
David Sylvian: Brilliant Trees (Virgin V2290)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 30 June 1984
Hi ho Sylvian ...
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 30 June 1984
Film break ...
Spandau Ballet: Parade (Chrysalis/ Reformation CDL 1473)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 30 June 1984
BLAND SPANDS ...
Cyndi Lauper: Would You Wrestle With This Girl?
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 21 July 1984
Fun loving Cyndi Lauper pins Paul "Giant Hack" Sexton to the ropes — time after time ...
The SOS Band: Sending Out an SOS
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 28 July 1984
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier... the SOS Band are out on manoeuvres. Paul Sexton discusses tactics with one of the hardest working soul squads ...
Brothers Johnson: The Brothers
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 11 August 1984
FEMINISTS, GET ready to fill the fountain pen with a good supply of vitriol. George Johnson, one half of the back-in-business Brothers Johnson, says: "Wives ...
Shakatak: Down On The Street (Polydor POLD 5148)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 15 September 1984
Mean Streets ...
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 22 September 1984
Billy Idol introduces Betty Page to an exciting new phenomenon called 'punk rawk' ...
Thelma Houston: Qualifying Heat (MCA MCF 3243)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 19 January 1985
'YOU USED To Hold Me So Tight' came desperately close to putting that fine Houston voice back in the Top 40, but if that can't ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 2 February 1985
In our fascinating profile of Mr Glenn Gregory, crooner of this parish, we discover what Heaven 17 and toilet paper have in common. And there's ...
Teena Marie: Starchild (Epic EPC 26315)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 16 February 1985
WHAT SHE wants to do, and what singles buyers want her to do, are many miles apart for Teena Maria. She wants to get artistic ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 2 March 1985
The Grandmaster Flashes about Melle Mel, Sugar Hill, and his total entertainment concept. Paul Sexton gets the message ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 2 March 1985
From downtown Croydon to uptown Philadelphia: Loose Ends star in a heart-warming crumbs-to-charts story. Screenplay: Paul Sexton ...
Narada Michael Walden: The Nature Of Things (Warner Bros 925 176-1)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 23 March 1985
YOU OPEN the package and wonder if Narada will still have the same pretensions of grandeur and artistry about his tunes. Before long he's spouting ...
The Gap Band: Gap Band VI (Total Experience FL89476)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 23 March 1985
CONTAINING, SORRY to report, about the same degree of inspiration that they used for the album title. Ask the Wilson Brothers about this album and ...
Go West: Go West (Chrysalis CHR 1495)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 6 April 1985
HOLD ME down. I'm going to get excited here... rippling muscles, meaningful stares... black leather... finely-chiselled features... none of this clouds my critical faculties where ...
Luther Vandross: The Night I Fell In Love (Epic EPC 26387)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 6 April 1985
YOU EITHER think he's the saviour of soul or a lump of lard, Luther Vandross. And while his writing and singing skills have never been ...
Phyllis Nelson: Nelson's Column
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 6 April 1985
Phyllis Nelson celebrates the return of the smooch with Paul Sexton ...
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 6 April 1985
GOTTA SAY Yes To Another Excess was quite categorically one of my favourite elpees of the recent past. A definite eargasm. This picks up where ...
DeBarge: Rhythm Of The Night (Gordy ZL72340)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 27 April 1985
THEY HAD to plagiarise Lionel Richie to do it, but at least the streetparty sound of 'Rhythm Of The Night' has finally brought the DeBarge ...
The Mary Jane Girls: Mary Jane Girls: Only Four You (Gordy ZL 72341)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 27 April 1985
THE MARY Jane Girls are like the girlfriend who invites you back for coffee and just gives you the coffee. Plenty of hints but no ...
Prince and the Revolution: Around The World In A Day (Paisley Park 925286-1)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 27 April 1985
PRINCE HAS Found God in a big way — and for God read Prince and his Search For Inner Peace. Clock the sleeve and you ...
Steve Arrington: Robes to Freedom
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 4 May 1985
STEVE ARRINGTON SAYS NO MORE FORNICATING. PAUL SEXTON SAYS PSALM GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK... ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 11 May 1985
Could DeBarge be subtitled 'The Richie Family'? Is there any fraternal rivalry? Surely not, says Paul Sexton ...
Maze: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 11 May 1985
STILL A minority soul group? Seven full houses at Hammersmith is some minority... Maze's continued absence from the crossover crew makes it easy for the ...
Daryl Hall & John Oates, The Temptations: Hall & Oates: The Fall + Rise of Hohl + Oates
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, June 1985
How Daryl Hall (né Hohl) and John Oates became the most successful duo in recording history. New York interview by Graham K Smith ...
Loose Ends: This Soul Heart of Mine
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 1 June 1985
Soul becomes a permanent top 40 fixture — cue a Loose Ends/Paul Sexton celebration. Jane, Macca and Steve look forward to poaching fans from Max ...
Philip Bailey, Phil Collins: Philip Bailey: View to a Phil
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 1 June 1985
WATCH OUT — PHILIP BAILEY IS AN ANGRY YOUNG MAN. PAUL SEXTON PUTS DOWN THE ARGUMENTS IN BLACK AND WHITE. ...
Womack and Womack: Womack & Womack: No more Love Wars
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 29 June 1985
THE MR AND MRS OF SOUL DON'T LIKE REHASHING OLD MATERIAL. BUT THEY DO LIKE HAVING HITS. PAUL SEXTON RECONCILES THEIR DILEMMA ...
Generation X, Billy Idol: Billy Idol: I was the clean punk
Interview by Graham K. Smith, Record Mirror, 6 July 1985
So pleads Billy Idol, latest bad boy of yank rock. Graham K. Smith listens to the curled lip and reckons the man is sincere ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 6 July 1985
Hmm... it's not exactly kissy kissy time in the DeBarge family camp these days. Paul Sexton sniffs inter-sibling rivalry beneath the ultrawhite smiles ...
Rick James, The Mary Jane Girls, Process & the Doo Rags: Rick James: "I Was Having Seizures"
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 13 July 1985
...this is a public admission by Rick James, naughty boy of soul who up till now has been getting high on more than the charts, ...
Paul Hardcastle: The Hardcastle Dossier
Profile by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 13 July 1985
Trumpet blowing dept: In January RM predicted Paul Hardcastle would be one of the successes of '85. Now, the career overview by Paul Sexton ...
Whitney Houston: Whitney Houston (Arista 206 978) **
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 13 July 1985
WHITNEY HOUSTON'S had fantastic US and European success with this debut album but I could pick out at least three stronger first LPs by similar ...
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 7 September 1985
So what have RM's best-loved rugged duo been up to of late? Betty Page whispers transatlantic sweet nothings in Peter Cox's ear and gets him ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 14 September 1985
Larry Blackmon, the man with a lead role in Cameo, doesn't like his music labelled funky. He also has these Rambo fantasies. Paul Sexton decides ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 14 September 1985
The family history of Colonel Abrams probed by Paul Sexton. NB: this feature mentions Spandau Ballet and Stevie Wonder ...
Anne Pigalle: Everything Could Be So Perfect (ZTT)
Review by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 26 October 1985
ANNE PIGALLE has a pout that would stop a tank at 50 yards, and a dodgy French accent. ZTT have billed her as one of ...
Isley Jasper Isley: Caravan Of Love (Epic EPC 26656)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 26 October 1985
IF NOTHING else, these Isley boys give me 'n' Betty a good chuckle with their album sleeves. They do like dressing up. Poor old Ernie ...
The Valentinos, Bobby Womack: Bobby Womack: All in the Family
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, November 1985
Bobby Womack on his brothers, on Paul Young and on the Rolling Stones. Story: Paul — soul shoes — Sexton ...
The Isley Brothers, Isley Jasper Isley: Isley Jasper Isley: 3 Go Wild Between The Sheets
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 December 1985
BACK IN 1973, the Isley Brothers brought out an album called 3+3. You might remember it, 'specially if you were partaking of all the soul ...
Whitney Houston: Hello... Hello... Houston Calling
Profile and Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 December 1985
Whitney Houston is 21, she never had acne in public and Dionne Warwick is her favourite cousin. Read on... Story: Paul Sexton ...
Cameo: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 21 December 1985
LET'S RESIST the churlish temptation to start wondering how many of Cameo's crowd were there when they last funked the hell out of Hammersmith 18 ...
Full Force: Young Business People Of The Year?
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 18 January 1986
Well, they have created the biggest 12 inch record in CBS history and they are going to feature on a new tribute to Martin Luther ...
Cherrelle: "Cheryl Is Boring... Cherrelle Has More Spunk To It"
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 25 January 1986
New name gets you into top 10 shock! Cherrelle name drops her men friends (Alexander, Jimmy, Terry...) to Paul Sexton. ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 25 January 1986
That's LL Cool J, possibly the best rapper ever and main thrust of Def Jam Recordings, possibly the coolest label this decade. They're both here ...
Live Review by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 25 January 1986
I WAS ALL for getting snotty about Sting's past, and his current pretensions. I wanted to grouse about the megastar menopause. You know, when our ...
The Beastie Boys: Don't Be A Faggot
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 1 February 1986
Why anyone should want to be a small meatball in gravy we don't know, but this is (supposedly) the title of the Beastie Boys' forthcoming ...
Big Audio Dynamite: Porchester Hall, London
Live Review by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 22 February 1986
THE BEST thing that ever happened to Big Audio Dynamite was the Clash releasing Cut The Crap last autumn. Compared with the retarded yelpings of ...
The Smiths: Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 22 February 1986
"FROM MANCHESTER WITH LOVE", it was billed. But love was the last thing in the air on this freezing cold Saturday night at Liverpool's Royal ...
Cabaret Voltaire: Town & Country Club, London
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 1 March 1986
ONE instinctively feels that a Cabs show can't be approached in the usual manner. They don't run on stage in dry ice, rib the audience, ...
Alexander O'Neal, Cherrelle: Cherrelle, Alexander O'Neal: Fairfield Halls, Croydon
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 15 March 1986
THEY PACK 'EM in down Croydon way. A brace of shows by the Tabu twosome, no less, proving that Saturday love really stretches this far ...
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 15 March 1986
THE ELEGANT tea rooms at Fortnum And Mason's in London's Piccadilly may not seem like an obvious location for a meeting with someone as gloriously ...
Culture Club: From Luxury To Heartache (Virgin C2380)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 5 April 1986
THE BOY has a new Mireille Mathieu haircut, a conscience and an album that, on first hearing, is soothing in the extreme. But the aural ...
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 5 April 1986
THERE'D BEEN rumours circulating all day that trouble was brewing. The police were outside, people were being searched on the way in... but I needn't ...
James Brown: Wembley Arena, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 3 May 1986
"IT WAS just like watching Gary Glitter," said one voice on the way out, not in the least discontentedly. He wasn't far off, either. You ...
The SOS Band: The Sweetest Tabu
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 3 May 1986
Have the SOS Band stood the test of time, or are they sticking to the same old Jam 'n' Lewis formula? Paul Sexton asks Mary ...
Bobby "Blue" Bland, Denise LaSalle, The Rose Brothers: Saenger Theatre, New Orleans
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 31 May 1986
THE DEEPER you go into the heart of them ol' United States, the deeper the soul, and way down yonder in N'awlins this kind of ...
Eurythmics: Revenge (RCA PL71050)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 5 July 1986
I HOPE I won't hove to eat my words again, because Be Yourself Tonight did not impress me initially, and took months to worm its ...
The Real Roxanne: The Woman Who Put Bugs Bunny Top Forty
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 July 1986
She's not got a kind word to say about her rival, Roxanne Shanté; she wants to sing like Sade; but more importantly, she's immortalised Bugs ...
Shirley Murdock, Zapp: Zapp, Shirley Murdock: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 12 July 1986
ZAPP'S UK debut was always going to be a bit of a circus, bearing in mind that the man at the controls is Roger Troutman, ...
Audrey Hall: One Hit Won't Do!
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 26 July 1986
Yup, it's get out your history books time again. This here is the story of how Audrey Hall became the first female reggae singer to ...
Anita Baker, Nat Augustin: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 9 August 1986
BEING THE warm-up at one of the most hotly anticipated soul shindigs of the year was a double-edged sword for Nat Augustin, the former Light ...
Anita Baker: Antita Baker: Has This Woman Made The Best Soul Album Of The Year?
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 16 August 1986
Well, according to the experts, Anita Baker's Rapture LP is the business. But did anyone know that the lady shelled out some of her own ...
Prince & the Revolution: Wembley Arena, London
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 23 August 1986
ANY SELF-RESPECTING pop pundit at least had to try and witness the return of the Stiletto-Heeled Sex Dwarf — beg, borrow, blag, or like one ...
Smiley Culture: Confessions of a Reformed Used Car Salesman
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 23 August 1986
SMILEY CULTURE is still one of the flyest blokes south of the Thames... But he's got a bit serious with it as well ...
Art of Noise, The Fountainhead: The Art Of Noise, Fountainhead: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 30 August 1986
FOUNTAINHEAD ARE having a problem selling themselves. They don't want to wear poncey clothes, or go for all that 'Hammersmith, howya doin'?' blarney. But there's ...
Cutting Crew: Cutting The Crap?
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 6 September 1986
Well, would you trust a man in pink plastic trousers singing saucy songs about orgasms? The Cutting Crew blush nicely. Sartorial eloquence: Stuart Bailie ...
David Sylvian: Gone To Earth (Virgin VDL1)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 6 September 1986
MR SYLVIAN has always been refreshingly transparent when it comes to influences. But no matter — he still produces gentle, reflective, delicate but painstakingly crafted ...
Dead Or Alive: Fame And How To Survive It — By Pete Burns
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 6 September 1986
This includes: (1) Not getting out of bed before noon; (2) Not having a fan club; (3) Being a recluse; (4) Staying out of the ...
Floy Joy, Carroll Thompson: Carroll Thompson: Life After Joy
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 13 September 1986
Weren't Floy Joy s'posed to be Big In '85? Well, erm, yes... but now they're no more and singer Carroll Thompson's doing very nicely on ...
Paul Young: Between Two Fires (CBS 4501501)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 25 October 1986
ON THE first day, it drifted past. On the second day, it became pleasant BGM with a couple of hooks protruding. And on the third ...
Kurtis Blow: The Super-Ego Rules, From The Bronx To Kingdom Blow
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 1 November 1986
In short, Kurtis Blow thinks an awful lot of himself. An awful lot. His new LP is called Kingdom Blow. The line-up on it includes ...
Ronnie Laws: Mirror Town (CBS 4S0068 1)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 1 November 1986
ISN'T IT great sometimes when an artist you'd given up for dead comes back to life (almost) as good as before? Ronnie Laws had several ...
Freddie McGregor: "The ladies tend to have a very close relationship with my love songs"
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 8 November 1986
That's Freddie McGregor speaking. You probably haven't heard of him, but at the moment he's the sweetest crooner on the reggae scene. And he's something ...
Lone Justice: Shelter (Geffen WX73)
Review by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 8 November 1986
THERE'S STILL some mileage to be gotten from those old traditions of rock and country music, all it takes is a little imagination and instinct. ...
Stump: Quirk Out (Stuff STUF/U2)
Review by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 8 November 1986
LISTEN ONCE, and perhaps you'll disregard this as a dreadful racket. Listen again though, and you might well become enamoured with the inspired, intelligent mayhem ...
Womack and Womack: Womack & Womack: Keeping It All In The Family
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 8 November 1986
The next Womack and Womack LP is produced by the pair themselves, and features Cecil's three brothers and his ex wife (Mary Wells). Family ties? ...
Ultravox: Barrowlands Ballroom, Glasgow
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 15 November 1986
THERE WERE no Gothic monstrosities on stage. No pompous gestures, no frills, no Warren Cann. This was the new, lean version of Ultravox, and they ...
The The: Infected (Epic EPC 26770)
Review by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 22 November 1986
WITH ALL the ballyhoo surrounding the return of Matt Johnson, and the grand claims that are made about his artistic standing, coming to any judgement ...
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 7 February 1987
Hot House is one of the best new soul acts in Britain. Hot House was signed before their record company had even seen a picture ...
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 21 February 1987
From a back porch in East Kentucky to the top of the US country charts, mother and daughter duo Naomi and Wynona Judd have come ...
Erasure: Westminster Central Hall, London
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 25 April 1987
IT WAS A night full of juicy contradictions. Fancy having a pop show in a Methodist hall next to a statue of John Wesley! Fancy ...
Simply Red: The Life and Loves of a Red Devil
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 23 May 1987
Mick 'footloose' Hucknall has done his fair share of living in the fast lane, but don't underestimate him; he can be a sensitive young man ...
Mel & Kim: The Eliza Doolittles of Pop
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 4 July 1987
Only there ain't no Professor 'iggins needed for Mel & Kim; fings is well and truly goin' like the clappers, they're looking forward to their ...
The Kane Gang: Watching The Wheels Go Round
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 4 July 1987
'Motortown' marks the return of Geordie outfit the Kane Gang after an absence of two years. During the interval, they've been reflective, have become more ...
Terence Trent D'Arby: Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby (CBS 450911 I)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 18 July 1987
TERRY TRENDY D'Arby is the kind of artists most record companies only dream of signing. He's pretty; he's charming, but arrogant; he's smooth; he's sexy; ...
Jill Jones: "Prince is better as a friend"
Interview by Edwin J. Bernard, Record Mirror, 25 July 1987
Jill Jones, latest protégée from the small purple one, tells a perspiring Edwin J. Bernard all about evenings spent listening to Everything But The Girl ...
Paul Johnson: Paul Johnson (CBS 450640 I)
Review by Edwin J. Bernard, Record Mirror, 25 July 1987
THE BEST thing about Paul Johnson is that you understand exactly what he means just by the sound of his voice. And the best thing ...
Los Lobos, Ritchie Valens: Los Lobos: The Company Of Wolves
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 8 August 1987
It's Tex-Mex, tortilla chips with everything and a large helping of Mexican folklore with Los Lobos, who reached numero uno in the charts with a ...
Transvision Vamp: Children of the Revolution
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 5 September 1987
Yes, it's time to get into the sonic groove once more as glam terrorists Transvision Vamp get to bashing out their shiny, high-tech sounds. But ...
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 12 September 1987
Hot House are only on their second single, yet they already possess a soulful maturity and an "emotionally intense" singer who's been compared to Aretha ...
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 24 October 1987
From juvenile delinquent to writer, producer, performer and now mother, Sinéad O'Connor is about to become a name on everyone's lips. Stuart Bailie falls under ...
Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 7 November 1987
British reggae's freshest star, Maxi Priest, gets stylish with Stuart Bailie, and confesses that he wouldn't mind ending up in Phil Collins' shoes ...
Interview by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 21 November 1987
STEP INTO CAROL Decker's parlour and she'll greet you with a firm but welcoming handshake. This is characteristic of this forthright, intelligent and sharp young ...
Freddie McGregor: Town and Country Club, London
Live Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 December 1987
THE SECOND of three Town-and-Countries for Freddie had the upstairs closed and a definite spot of sparseness in the crowd downstairs, which suggested that he'd ...
Report and Interview by Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, 19 December 1987
But no one thinks the Pogues are really like that, surely? To celebrate the hit status of 'A Fairytale In New York', Stuart Bailie legs ...
Interview by Edwin J. Bernard, Record Mirror, 23 January 1988
CONSIDERING JOYCE Sims has made her mark forging a co-operation between soul and hip hop, her upbringing and lifestyle could hardly have prepared her for ...
Thomas Dolby and the Lost Toy People: Town & Country Club, London
Live Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 7 May 1988
LOOKING LIKE a cross between Elton John and Tom Petty, dressed in top hat and duster coat, Thomas Dolby sauntered onstage like the homecoming hero. ...
Fields Of The Nephilim: Leeds Polytechnic
Live Review by Dave Simpson, Record Mirror, 4 June 1988
AND IT CAME to pass that a fog did descend upon the earth, and out of the mist there did come... a RIFF! ...
Bruce Springsteen: Madison Square Garden, New York
Live Review by Tony Fletcher, Record Mirror, 11 June 1988
AS WOULD BE expected, given his return to a more mellow sound on record, the current Bruce Springsteen show is a far cry from the ...
Sam Brown: Stop! (A&M AMA 5195) ****
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 18 June 1988
FORGET YOUNG girlies, this is more like it — red-blooded, strong women with the courage of their convictions. Eddie Reader, Julia Fordham and now Sam ...
Interview by Jeff Lorez, Record Mirror, 30 July 1988
"I'm talking about the facts of life," explained the ebullient Shirley Murdock when discussing her stunning new A Woman's Point Of View album. ...
Talk Talk: Spirit of Eden (Parlophone)
Review by Betty Page, Record Mirror, 17 September 1988
ONCE UPON A TIME Talk Talk were a "pop" band, now they're a law unto themselves, unconstrained by narrow ideas of "what will sell". Lead ...
The Feelies, Lou Reed: Lou Reed, The Feelies: St James' Theatre, New York NY
Live Review by Tony Fletcher, Record Mirror, 8 April 1989
PROOF MAY no longer be needed that Lou Reed's former group the Velvet Underground are the most influential band in the field of rock 'n' ...
The Go-Betweens: Warehouse, Leeds
Live Review by Dave Simpson, Record Mirror, 17 June 1989
THIS IS getting a bit ridiculous y'know! For years now virtually every pop scribe in the country has been telling you, the public, how wonderful ...
The Who: Giants Stadium, New Jersey
Live Review by Tony Fletcher, Record Mirror, 12 August 1989
THOUGH THEY haven't released a new album in seven years — and a good one for a lot longer — the Who's 25th anniversary reunion ...
S'Express: S'exual Intercourse
Interview by Jack Barron, Record Mirror, 30 March 1991
Having learnt to expect the unexpected from S'EXPRESS it comes as no surprise to hear that Mark Moore and his Amazonian partner Sonique have covered ...
Review by Steve Pafford, Record Mirror, April 2009
FRESH FROM THEIR Brits accolade (the only electronic act to receive the industry's highest honour, natch), the dynamic disco duo seize the momentum with their ...
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