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ZigZag

ZigZag

ZigZag was a British rock music magazine founded in 1969 by writer Pete Frame, and well known for the publication of Pete Frame's "rock family trees". It carried lengthy interviews and features, with a bias towards the newly developing trends in rock music. After a number of changes of editor it ceased publication in 1986.

Wikipedia entry on ZigZag

349 articles

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Captain Beefheart is Alive in Hollywood

Interview by Miles, ZigZag, October 1969

IT’S THE BLIMP, IT’S THE BLIMP ...

Marsha Hunt: an interview

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1969

...

Creedence Clearwater Revival: What's In A Name? Creedence Clearwater Revival

Interview by uncredited writer, ZigZag, October 1969

The Blue Velvets (1958-1963) became the Golliwogs (1963-1967), who became Creedence Clearwater Revival (1967-?) – a name which, according to Time magazine, was contrived to ...

Jethro Tull: Ian Anderson

Interview by uncredited writer, ZigZag, December 1969

Vitamin C tablets are sold in dark glass bottles because exposure to light weakens their effectiveness, oranges with their high vitamin C content are more ...

Paul Butterfield Blues Band: The Butterfield Blues Band

Report and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, January 1970

THE MEMORY WILL never fade for me of a freezing night near the end of 1966. It was a Friday, and a more-joyful-than-Christmas event was ...

The Everly Brothers: An Interview with Don

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, May 1970

THE EVERLY BROTHERS first single 'Bye Bye Love' was released in 1957 and their records have been consistently good since then. Don Everly, now 33, ...

Captain Beefheart

Profile and Interview by Ben Edmonds, ZigZag, August 1970

Beefheart is and always was a Zigzag hero; we get more letter about him than any other artists, I should think – asking for news ...

The Stooges: The Incredible Story

Special Feature by Dave Marsh, ZigZag, December 1970

THERE'S A SAD possibility that people are on the verge of discovering, exploiting and generally going on about the Detroit Sound (like they did with ...

Link Wray

Report and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, 1971

FOR ELDERLY rockers like me, it’s pretty incredible to be able to talk to those who were around at the start of their musical interests. ...

Steve Tilston's An Acoustic Confusion

Interview by Richard Howell, ZigZag, 1971

THERE IS SOMETHING very satisfying about listening to live music in small smoke-filled rooms. It creates an intimacy between artist and audience that cannot exist ...

J. Geils Band: The J. Geils Band

Profile by Ben Edmonds, ZigZag, 1971

If you don't have the J. Geils Band album, don't try to talk to me about what's happening ...

The Groundhogs: Tony McPhee… Groundhog

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, March 1971

ZZ: Can we talk about your new album first? How did it come to be called Split? ...

Allman Brothers Band: Duane Allman

Interview by Jon Tiven, ZigZag, 19 April 1971

ZZ: When did the Allman Brothers decide to be a band rather than just session men? ...

Genesis

Interview by uncredited writer, ZigZag, May 1971

Peter Gabriel talks about the downs and ups of Genesis… ...

Kevin Coyne

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, July 1971

"WHEN I WAS very young, a fat-arsed bingo club manager said: 'You're going to the top, right to the top, and I am going to ...

Al Kooper: The (Almost) Complete History of Al Kooper

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1971

Tell me about the first Supersession.Well the concept came from that Grape Jam album (given free with Wow in the States but not released here), ...

Love: Prelude To Love

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, February 1973

WHILE CHATTING to Jerry Hopkins, Rolling Stone's man in London, at a press reception, I found that he was involved in the early career of ...

Neil Sedaka

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1973

How Neil Sedaka Added An Extra Chin And Sang His Own Songs Again ...

Elton John: The Elton John Story: Final Part

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1973

ORCHESTRA ONSTAGE ...

Judy Collins, Crabby Appleton, Love, Carly Simon: Jac Holzman Then and Now

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, May 1973

IF EVER I've identified with a record company, the nearest thing in my mind to an ideal would be Elektra Records, for many reasons, not ...

The Dillards: Herb Pederson & The Dillards

Retrospective by John Tobler, ZigZag, September 1973

PERCEPTIVE READERS, which I'm sure you all are, will have noticed my enthusiastic reports of a press reception I attended, actually on May 24th this ...

Don Nix: Donald Nix: Of Shoes & Sticks & Donald Nix

Retrospective and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1973

NOW THIS here's the story 'bout the Rock Island Line... no, that's not true at all, because it's actually a story about a legendary figure, ...

Kevin Coyne: From a Crushed Dandelion to a Rampant Virgin — K. Coyne Esq.

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1973

RIGHT, NOW you've got a sensational headline, now bloody read the words. No, much more important, get off your arses and buy the record, because ...

Grateful Dead: The History of the Grateful Dead

Retrospective by Andy Childs, ZigZag, October 1973

"Weird, black satanic weird, white archangel weird. As weird as any thing you can imagine, like some horror comic monster who, besides being green and ...

Van Morrison out of the music

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, November 1973

"YOU COULD FORGIVE him anything after you've listened to his music." (Nicola Hugen-Tobler after first straining to hear the great man's words through the clinking ...

Mighty Baby: From Infancy To Adolescence

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, December 1973

REMEMBER Mighty Baby? Got their records? If the name sounds familiar but you've never heard them, then you've missed out on easily one of the ...

Crazy Horse, Grin, Nils Lofgren, Neil Young: Nils Lofgren: Crazy Horse, Neil Young, Grin All That Mob

Interview by Chris Briggs, ZigZag, December 1973

1973 HAS BEEN the year that saw legendary heroes hit the floor. Bryan Ferry lampooned Bob Dylan in a sordid attempt to establish his own ...

Loggins & Messina: Kenny Loggins (With Jim Messina Sittin' In) Talkin' 'Bout…

Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, January 1974

WHERE BETTER to interview Kenny Loggins and Jimmy Messina that in the crowded restaurant of a good old Holiday Inn, with piped music from the ...

Dave Mason

Interview by Chris Briggs, ZigZag, March 1974

WHAT DO WE really know of Dave Mason – his disagreements with Winwood, ructions with record companies and his move to America is about all. ...

Allman Brothers Band: Macon Georgia

Report and Interview by Ritchie Yorke, ZigZag, March 1974

THIS HUGE OLD Southern mansion has seen much better days. The dozen giant columns which surrounded it are flecked by peeling paint, grimly revealing the ...

Michael Nesmith: 283 Reasons To Like Michael Nesmith

Retrospective by John Tobler, ZigZag, March 1974

THE STORY so far: Michael Nesmith, a Texan singer and guitar player, has left the Monkees, the manufactured group brought together to make television series, ...

David Blue: Rambling through with David Blue

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1974

EVERYONE IN any way interested in rock music and its development knows that Bob Dylan spent some of his formative and pre-star years in Greenwich ...

John Martyn: Talking with John Martyn

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, April 1974

BARD BON-VIVEUR BULLSHITTER DOPER ENTERTAINER EXPLORER GUITARIST HERO HOBO LEGEND LOVER MINSTREL MUSICIAN PATHFINDER PERFORMER PICKER PIONEER PISSARTIST PLAYER POET RACONTEUR RAMBLER RHYMER ROMANCER SINGER ...

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: Dr Hook and The Medicine Show: The Fly-paper Monkey Mafia

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, May 1974

I MUST ADMIT that a couple of months ago the thought of attempting an interview and article on Dr Hook and The Medicine Show was ...

Pete Townshend, The Who: Can You Believe It? Chatting with Pete Townshend

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, June 1974

I bet you'd given up all hope of seeing the second part of this little epic, eh? How many of you even remember the first ...

Nick Drake: In Search Of Nick Drake

Report and Interview by Connor McKnight, ZigZag, June 1974

SIX MONTHS AGO I walked wearily into the office of ZigZag’s production consultant. Weary because it was 1.30 in the morning, and because the then ...

Arthur Lee, Love: Love: Signed Arthur Lee

Interview by Giovanni Dadomo, ZigZag, July 1974

ARTHUR'S NOTHING like you'd expect him to be. No trace of the leather jacketed refugee from Blackboard Jungle high school punkery who lurks under that peculiar edifice ...

Steely Dan: Showbiz Kids: Talking with Jeff Baxter, and a Critical View of Steely Dan

Interview by Chris Briggs, ZigZag, July 1974

INTERVIEWING AN American musician is a unique experience. The inevitable myth preceeds actuality. Three Steely Dan albums and eighteen months of impressions formed within the ...

Jackie Lomax: The History Of Jackie Lomax

Profile and Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, July 1974

WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, one of the sad, inexplicable stories of English rock music is the failure of Jackie Lomax to receive the degree of success ...

10cc: The Worst Band In The World?

Retrospective and Interview by Alan Betrock, ZigZag, August 1974

WHILE MANY of the veterans on the 1960s musical scene are still around, few are creating much in the way of new musical excitement. There ...

Tim Buckley: A Happy Sad Starsailor from Washington D.C.

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, August 1974

BEFORE I ENTERED the glamorous and exciting world of the rock n' roll business on a full-time basis, I used to "work" (a rather loose ...

Bruce Springsteen: It's Hard to be a Saint in the City

Profile and Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, August 1974

ALL DRESSED UP AND NO PLACE TO GO ...

Rick Nelson: The Rick Nelson Story

Retrospective by John Tobler, ZigZag, August 1974

Part 1: The Imperial Years ...

Grateful Dead: A Conversation with Phil Lesh

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, September 1974

Some of you out there probably think that ZigZag has just about OD'd on the Grateful Dead recently, which is a fair criticism considering that ...

Ronnie Wood: Ron Wood: I've Got My Own Story To Tell

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, September 1974

Earlier this month Warner Bros released Ron Wood's first solo album, appropriately titled I've Got My Own Album To Do (K 56065), so we thought ...

Poco: The World Still Hasn’t Caught Up With Poco

Profile and Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, September 1974

WHEN GEORGE GRAHAM, THE quiet member of Poco, opined that a hit single would really get Poco away as far back as the Summer of ...

Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship: Grace Slick Talks

Interview by Rob Bowman, ZigZag, October 1974

Grace Slick, over the last ten years, has attained great notoriety fronting Jefferson Airplane. ...

Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers: The Ballad Of Chilli Willi And The Red Hot Peppers

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, October 1974

SATURDAY, 8th June 1974: NOT EXACTLY the best gig I've seen the Willis play, but one that sticks out in my memory as being one ...

Jesse Winchester: Approximately 286 Reasons Why You Should Listen To Jesse Winchester

Overview by Giovanni Dadomo, ZigZag, December 1974

IF YOU'VE BEEN a reader of Zigzag for as long as I have, i.e., since very early on, you'll recall how at the start there ...

John Sebastian

Profile and Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, December 1974

THE ACTIVITIES OF John B. Sebastian post-Woodstock haven't so much been a mystery as mystifying. ...

Arthur Lee, Love: Love Leftovers: 64 Questions With Arthur Lee

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, December 1974

Who was your first manager then, Herb Cohen? ...

The Butts Band, The Doors: The Life And Death Of The Butts Band

Report and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, December 1974

DEFUNCT GROUPS are not normally my stock in trade, or that of ZigZag in general, but very occasionally the opportunity arises to learn something of ...

Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young: The Neil Young Story Part One: Expecting To Fly

Retrospective by Andy Childs, ZigZag, December 1974

WITHOUT ANY doubt, one of the musical highlights of this year was the memorable concert held at Wembley Stadium a few months back. A day ...

Elton John: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, January 1975

THE SUBJECT OF this piece is a man who could justly be called one of ZigZag's favourite people, Elton John. ...

Eric Clapton: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, January 1975

IT'S ABOUT half past eight, the lights go down, the curtains go up, and we can all see a dimly lit stage, with the drums ...

Loggins & Messina, Poco: Loggins & Messina: Mother Lode; Poco: Cantamos

Review by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, January 1975

INITIALLY THE main difference between these two progeny of the Buffalo Springfield is one of sophistication. While Poco strive desperately to recapture past glories, Loggins ...

Ray Davies

Guide by Alan Betrock, ZigZag, January 1975

KINK RAY DAVIES is a well respected man when it comes to composing, and dozens of his compositions are justly regarded as classics. There really ...

Biff Rose: The Half Live Adventures Of Biff Rose

Retrospective by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, January 1975

"My use of words is just some antics..." A chronoligical analysis of Biff Rose's albums ...

Arthur Lee, Love: Arthur Lee: Yes Folks, Yet Another Arthur Lee Article

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, March 1975

Oh God, please, no!! I thought old Tobler had just about run out of material on Arthur Lee, but it seems he must have a ...

John Martyn: Sunday's Child

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, March 1975

FOR ME, THE release of a new John Martyn album is always among the most noteworthy events of the year. ...

Little Feat: Lowell George: Huge Stars Big Hearts And Little Feat

Profile and Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, March 1975

AFTER THEIR PHENOMENALLY successful visit to this country, the name Little Feat must be on the tip of everyone's tongues and in the heart of ...

Flying Burrito Brothers: Sneaky Pete Kleinow

Interview by Mick Houghton, ZigZag, March 1975

ZZ: HOW DID you come to be part of the whole related family of Los Angeles musicians? You actually come from Michigan? ...

Alan Hull, Lindisfarne: The Lindisfarne Saga

Retrospective by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, March 1975

THREE YEARS AGO it seemed like the end of an era. ...

Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young: The Neil Young Story Part 2: The Lights Turned On And The Curtain Drawn

Retrospective by Andy Childs, ZigZag, March 1975

LAST TIME we traced the stormy, erratic career of the fabulous Buffalo Springfield – up until the time Neil Young left them to be replaced ...

Raspberries: The Raspberries: Starting Over

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, March 1975

APPARENTLY UNKNOWN to most of the British pop press and record buyers alike, the Raspberries have made six highly successful singles (five of them made ...

Billy Joel: Piano Man

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, July 1975

IT'S AN AWFUL confession to make, especially in a normally omniscient rag like this, but up until about nine months ago I was almost completely ...

Dr. Feelgood: Dr Feelgood: Down By The Jetty

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, July 1975

ROCK'N'ROLL LOUD, dirty, mean, raw, vicious rock'n'roll. That's what Dr Feelgood are all about and they never make any pretensions to the contrary. ...

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: Dr Hook: Bankrupt

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, July 1975

IT WAS OUR man at the layout board, Edward Barker, who recently posed the question to me that he in turn had heard elsewhere. It ...

Speedy Keen, Thunderclap Newman: From Out Of The Shadows Comes Speedy Keen

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, July 1975

IF SOMEONE EVER asked me to compile a list of my ten favourite singles of all time I'd have five 'definites' straight away and about ...

Neil Young: Tonight's The Night

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, July 1975

AS I HOPE I've made clear in previous articles, Neil Young ranks in my estimation as THE singer/songwriter...I play his records extensively and regularly for ...

Clancy: The Past, Present And Future Of Clancy

Profile and Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, July 1975

THE MORE DEDICATED readers among you who scrutinise and memorise every last detail in the magazine will doubtless recall several sly mentions I have made ...

10cc: The Original Soundtrack

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, August 1975

IT'S VERY difficult to express a feeling of disappointment in such a medium as this. Like probably many of you, I'd been looking forward to ...

Clifford T Ward: Escalator

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, August 1975

THE FIRST thing to say about Clifford is that it is a crime that he isn't yet the big star he inevitably will eventually become. ...

Dr. Feelgood: Dr Feelgood

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, August 1975

THIS INTERVIEW TOOK place in Wilko's front room. Obviously tired and weary from the extensive Naughty Rhythms Tour, which still had three gigs to run, ...

Emmylou Harris: Pieces Of The Sky

Review by Mick Houghton, ZigZag, August 1975

BUD SCOPPA once described Gram Parsons as the most convincing singer of sad songs he'd heard. Nothing he recorded was more heartrending than 'Love Hurts' ...

Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, August 1975

NOW I SHOULD make clear in this context that I'm not by nature a fan of this band in the same way that I like ...

Keith West, Moonrider: Moonrider's Keith West

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, August 1975

MOONRIDER have had tenuous ties with ZigZag since before they were born. John Weider forecast their birth in ZZ42, the group played a short set ...

Poco: Head Over Heels

Review by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, August 1975

ZIGZAG HAS FALLEN into the habit of reviewing Poco albums with trepidation. With each new Poco release Andy Childs, an old Poco buff himself, passes ...

The Humblebums, Gerry Rafferty, Stealers Wheel: The Gerry Rafferty Interview

Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, August 1975

GERRY RAFFERTY rarely comes up in interviews, seldom works on the road and is in London even less often. And yet when it comes to ...

Tim Buckley: The Candle Died, Now You Are Gone, For The Flame Was Too Bright

Obituary by Andy Childs, ZigZag, August 1975

LESS THAN a month after I started work at ZigZag, I had the privilege of meeting Tim Buckley. I interviewed him at some length and ...

Todd Rundgren, Utopia: Todd Rundgren: The Man Born To Synthesize, or was that a Wizard? a True Star?

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, August 1975

A ZIGZAG interview with Todd Rundgren could get well out of hand if we weren't too careful. Not only has he been around long enough ...

Eric Clapton: There's One In Every Crowd

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, September 1975

A NEW CLAPTON album is a treat at any time, and this is no exception to that personal rule. ...

Ian Hunter: Ian Hunter

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, September 1975

ON THE back page of Sounds dated 12/4/75 there's an ad for this album which includes a quote apparently taken from ZigZag, saying simply "a ...

Lou Reed

Discography by Andy Childs, ZigZag, September 1975

THERE WAS once a time when I thought that Lou Reed was the single most important person working in contemporary American rock 'n' roll. I ...

Nils Lofgren: Nils Lofgren (A&M)

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, September 1975

THE FATE that was thanklessly bestowed upon Grin's fourth album Gone Crazy, is fortunately, and perhaps miraculously, not to apply to this record, i.e. it ...

Richard and Linda Thompson: Richard & Linda Thompson: Hokey Pokey

Review by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, September 1975

THE SINGULAR most remarkable aspect of this album is its manifestation of Richard Thompson's capacity to absorb. And if that sounds a long winded way ...

The Strawbs: Ten Years of the Strawbs: From Donegan to Dali in Five Easy Stages

Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, September 1975

THROUGH A ten-year period that has seen them frequently under-rated, and a time when they probably least deserved it the subject of mass adulation, the ...

Genesis

Profile and Interview by Barbara Charone, ZigZag, October 1975

"I THINK SOME PEOPLE have a rip-off concept of us," Peter Gabriel remarked with a touch of cynicism as if he'd just had a revelation. ...

The Strawbs: Ten Years Of The Strawbs – Part Two 1970-1975

Retrospective and Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, October 1975

THE STRAWBS were the first band to really find commercial success from within a folk environment. Dave Cousins was always clever in his adaptations of ...

The Flamin' Groovies: Sneakers

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, October 1975

BACK IN the heady days of the late sixties when it seemed that for several precious months San Francisco became the rock music centre of ...

Elton John: Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, November 1975

THIS IS PROBABLY the latest review you've read of the record under scrutiny. Having read several other reviews in various weekly and monthly publications, a ...

Kevin Coyne: Matching Head And Feet

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, November 1975

READERS WHO have survived from the Golden Age of ZigZag will probably know that I'm a bit partial to the outpourings of Mr Coyne. However, ...

Robert Hunter: Tiger Rose

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, November 1975

ALTHOUGH IT'S COMMON news by now that the Grateful Dead have ceased their collective activities until the summer of next year, a whole complicated mess ...

The Kursaal Flyers: Chocs Away

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, December 1975

IT ALWAYS happens that whenever the loose ensemble of people who contribute to ZigZag, and their friends, associates, chauffeurs and bodyguards get together for one ...

Eric Clapton: EC Was Here

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, January 1976

TWO THINGS occur to me. Firstly, if I continue to review every Clapton album and concert, maybe one day I'll get the interview. Join me ...

Grateful Dead: Blues For Allah

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, January 1976

AS ONE WHO has been frequently criticised for my unlimited devotion to the Grateful Dead and my continued belief that they are still one of ...

John Cipollina, Man: Man: Maximum Darkness

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, January 1976

ONE OF THE undoubted highlights so far this year for all ZigZaggers has been the long-overdue visit of John Cipollina to these shores, and if ...

Pete Wingfield: The Wheel Goes Full Circle

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, January 1976

IN THE EARLY DAYS of ZigZag, when Frame and I were young lads, Childs wasn't even born, and San Francisco was where it was at ...

The Moody Blues

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, January 1976

SO WHAT DO you think of the Moody Blues? ...

Leo Kottke: The ZigZag Interview: Leo Kottke

Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, January 1976

I'VE ALWAYS dreaded starting so called in depth interviews with 'Go back to your earliest recollections etc and in the case of Leo Kottke I ...

Dr. Feelgood On The Road: Maximum R'n'B

Report and Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, February 1976

THE DRESSING room is a scene of semi-chaos and ordered confusion... packets of half-eaten sandwiches, cans of lager, guitar cases, cigarette remains... the usual décor. ...

Elton John: Rock Of The Westies

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, February 1976

IT DOESN'T SEEM long since the last EJ album, and in fact, it isn't, which I suppose is more fuel for the fire that says ...

Loudon Wainwright III

Profile and Interview by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, February 1976

LOUDON WAINWRIGHT'S biggest paradox is his insistence that his values and lifestyle are no different from any man in the street: but his eccentricities are ...

Quicksilver Messenger Service: Solid Silver

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, February 1976

WELL, THE GREAT name of Quicksilver Messenger Service is resurrected yet again, this time with perhaps more credibility than on previous occasions. A sticker on ...

Steve Goodman: Jessie's Jig And Other Favourites

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, February 1976

I HAVE an uncomfortable feeling that this is almost exactly the sort of record that the great majority of the critics on the weeklies have ...

The Flamin' Groovies: The Re-emergence of the Flamin' Groovies

Profile by Andy Childs, ZigZag, February 1976

ONE OF the many bright ideas that the collective brains at ZigZag have come up with lately is that of updating articles that appeared in ...

The Rowan Brothers: The Rowans

Review by Jerry Gilbert, ZigZag, February 1976

THE ROWAN BROS. have variously been described as the greatest thing since the Beatles (J. Garcia in Rolling Stone) and Clive Davis's Biggest Mistake. A ...

Van Der Graaf Generator: Whatever Would Robert Have Said?

Retrospective and Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, February 1976

"BAND OF A MILLION YEARS," proclaims the decidedly Teutonic-looking poster that is being used to herald the reincarnation of Van Der Graaf Generator. Quite what ...

The Who: Who’s Still The Best Live Rock'n'Roll Band In The World, Then?

Report by Andy Childs, ZigZag, February 1976

IT'S BEEN said often enough over the last month or so, but the fact still remains: The Who are still the best live rock 'n' ...

Yvonne Elliman: Rising Sun

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, February 1976

WELL, IF YOU'RE expecting some kind of Claptonian continuation, you'll very likely be somewhat disappointed in this, the third Elliman album, each, I might add, ...

Barry Melton, Country Joe & The Fish: Barry Melton: The Tale of a Fish

Profile and Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, March 1976

STRANGE AS IT MAY seem to all of you who may imagine me as a contemporary of [Pete] Frame and [John] Tobler, when the early ...

10cc: How Dare They!

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1976

Abbreviations:GG ... Graham GouldmanLC ... Lol CremeES ... Eric StewartKG ... Kevin GodleyHL ... Harvey Lisburgh (manager) ...

James Burton

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1976

IF ANY OF YOU missed seeing Emmylou Harris and the Hot Band on their recent tour, you were either very unlucky or very foolish. I ...

Kevin Ayers: Odd Ditties

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, April 1976

I THINK IT'S QUITE safe to say that Kevin Ayers has spent the greater part of his chequered career trying very hard not to be ...

Peter Frampton: Frampton Comes Alive

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, April 1976

I MUST CONFESS before I go any further that I'm not very familiar with too many of Frampton's previous solo albums (I've only got one ...

Guy Clark: Old No. 1

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, May 1976

THIS RECORD is a positive gem. However, unless some large quantity of record buyers pick up on it, it is destined to languish in the ...

The Flamin' Groovies: Shake Some Action (Phonogram — released very soon)

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1976

I STILL CAN'T believe this album! In fact, I would go as far as to say it will be one of the most important and ...

Bonnie Raitt: At Home with Bonnie Raitt

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, June 1976

ON EXAMINING her albums, of which there are five to date, I drew various conclusions about Bonnie Raitt's recording career. ...

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: Dr Hook: A Little Bit More

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, June 1976

ANOTHER DR. HOOK extravaganza. Another album full of stoned, croaking vocals, infectious giggling, and jokes about dope and sex, right? Wrong. If this new record ...

The Dillards: Finally Catching Up With The Dillards

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, June 1976

THOSE OF YOU who possess that rare back number with Family on the front will perhaps also recall a lengthy treatise of mine about the ...

Ian Matthews: Go For Broke

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, June 1976

I'VE ALWAYS HAD a strong affection for Ian Matthews' music since the Fairports, and just like a lot of other people, I suppose, I've wondered ...

Can: Unlimited Edition

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1976

THIS IS ONE for hardened Can-atics, being basically a collection of snippets which haven't made it onto past Can albums. ...

The Ramones: Ramones (Sire Import)

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1976

PHEW, WHAT A scorcher! From the opening call to action of 'Blitzkrieg Bop' to the last strung-out powerchord of 'Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World', ...

The Flamin' Groovies

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, August 1976

A STUNNING album and a pair of London gigs last month heralded the return of the fabulous Flamin' Groovies, San Francisco legends still crusading for ...

Dion: Born To Be With You, Greatest Hits and Streetheart

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, September 1976

THE THREE most recent albums to come on to the British market, and as a measure of my own commitment to the artist, the 16th, ...

Fairport Convention, Ian Matthews, Matthews' Southern Comfort: Goin' Back With Ian Matthews, part 1

Retrospective and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, September 1976

IT CAME AS no great surprise to me that Ian Matthews should come quite so high in the recent poll concerning who you'd like to ...

Les Dudek: Les Dudek

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, September 1976

FOR THE uninitiated, Les Dudek has been connected in various ways with the Allman Brothers (he was one of the guitarists on 'Ramblin' Man'), Steve ...

The Flamin' Groovies: "We're Just Trying To Bring A Little Innocence Back To Rock'n'roll"

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, September 1976

KRIS NEEDS corners Cyril Jordan, founder and leader of the Flamin' Groovies, in room 315 of the Agnew Hotel, and produces his tape recorder. ...

The Runaways: The Runaways

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, September 1976

OOWHEE!! This platter boasts one of the most fetching sleeves I've had the pleasure to mas...ogle at. On the front the glitteringly attired Cherie casts ...

The Beach Boys: 14 Minutes With Beach Boy Mike Love

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1976

ONE OF THE great omissions of Zigzag's entire life thus far has been a piece on the Beach Boys, who I consider to be the ...

Ian Matthews, Plainsong: Ian Matthews: Goin' Back With Ian Matthews, part 2

Retrospective and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1976

LAST MONTH WE left Ian moaning and groaning about the Best Of Ian Matthews' Southern Comfort album, which MCA chose to thrust upon an unsuspecting ...

The Ramones

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, October 1976

Kris Needs, a rather weird creature whose brain has the capacity to appreciate talents as diverse as those of Tom Rapp and the Runaways, decides ...

Jefferson Starship's Paul Kantner

Interview by Ian Birch, ZigZag, November 1976

LIKE A KANTNER COMPOSITION, this interview was virtually plucked out of the air. I was all set to leave San Francisco but, knowing the Jefferson ...

Jesse Winchester: The Only Fools On The Road Tonight Are The Fools On The Midnight Bus

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, November 1976

"THE NEXT NUMBER is by a songwriter who we really like... his name's Jesse Winchester". (A liberal smattering of applause). "Great... you like him too!" ...

John Hartford: Mark Twang (Flying Fish)

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, November 1976

MULTIPLE CAUSE for celebration – the return of the amazing John Hartford, and the start of the long overdue British outlet for Flying Fish. Both ...

Ry Cooder: Chicken Skin Music

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, November 1976

I'VE BEEN LOOKING forward to this one for ages, same as I do every Ry Cooder album. Apart from the obvious quality of his music, ...

Neil Young, Stephen Stills: Stills Young: Long May You Run

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, November 1976

IF THE music on this album had in any way matched up to the exceptionally heavy vibes surrounding its making then we would surely have ...

Jonathan Richman, The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers/Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers; Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1976

THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE five years between the recording of these two albums, so it comes as little surprise that they're almost totally different in style ...

The Stranglers

Profile and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1976

AMONG THE hordes of bands currently playing London's pub and club circuit, the Stranglers are leading contenders to break out and hit unsuspecting mass audiences ...

Asleep at the Wheel

Profile and Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, December 1976

IF, IN A FLIGHT of fancy, you've ever ventured over to this particular neck of the woods you won't be at all surprised to learn ...

Elton John: Blue Moves

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, December 1976

IN A REVIEW of one of Elton's earlier albums I wrote something to the effect that those who already liked Elton would inevitably enjoy that ...

David Bromberg: How Late'll Ya Play Till?

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, January 1977

AT A TIME WHEN instrumental virtuosity seems to be undervalued, and is to some extent replaced by skull-numbing mindlessness disguised rather shabbily as "revolution", a ...

Graham Parker

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, January 1977

NOW THAT THAT MOST extraordinarily tedious and self-indulgent of rock 'n' roll years has finally stumbled to some sort of half-assed conclusion, I am able ...

David Bowie: Low

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, February 1977

WELL, THIS IS probably the strangest thing Bowie has ever recorded. First listen was a real shock...and I've come to expect surprises from this bloke. ...

Emmylou Harris: Luxury Liner

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, February 1977

A CLASSICALLY CONCEIVED album for one such as myself – two songs by Parsons, one by the Louvin Brothers, a Rodney Crowell, a Mr. Guy ...

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Dirt Silver & Gold

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, February 1977

THE SEPTEMBER 13th 1975 edition of Billboard Magazine, the American music industry's Bible, carried an interesting and revealing supplement on Colorado – "a growing music ...

Ry Cooder Part 1: Into The Purple Valley Of Romance And Adventure

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, February 1977

"Everything I know, I know from records. I don't live in a place where the neighbours are playing fiddles, I live in the city."   ...

Gong, Steve Hillage: Steve Hillage....Electric Gipsy

Profile and Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, February 1977

AS I RECALL, it was the "livin' jukebox" himself, Andy Dunkley, who first assailed my ears with Steve Hillage's album Fish Rising. ...

Nils Lofgren: Concluding A Natter With The Soft Funster Himself, Nils Lofgren

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, March 1977

WHAT ELSE did you do between the breakup of Grin and your first solo album, apart from producing that album for Charlie & The Pep ...

Nils Lofgren: Rock ‘N’ Roll Gymnast

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, March 1977

Friday 25th February: Andy Childs talks with Nils Lofgren during a flying visit to London to hype his new album... which is where we begin. ...

Ry Cooder Part 2: The Prospect Before Us

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, March 1977

SINCE THE first half of this interview was written, there's been an opportunity to see Ry and the Chicken Skin Band in action, which was ...

John Martyn: Up To Date With John Martyn

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, March 1977

ONLY SIX WEEKS or so gone, and already it looks as if 1977 is going to be a cracker of a year for rock music! ...

Clover: Unavailable

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1977

AS FAR AS anticipation goes, this album has been high on my list ever since that memorable Roundhouse gig where Clover were sandwiched between a ...

Iggy Pop: The Idiot

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1977

IT'S TWO O'CLOCK in the morning and I'm playing The Idiot for the fifth time running. Can't stop, it's so compelling...but very VERY strange. ...

Michael Nesmith: Mike Nesmith: From A Radio Engine To The Photon Wing

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1977

NO, I HAVEN'T the faintest idea what it means, but I do feel well chuffed that the task begun in November 1973 has finally made ...

Blondie, Cherry Vanilla, Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, The Ramones, Television, Wayne County & The Electric Chairs: NY Punk

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1977

Well, we got through to the second issue despite opposition from the hippies. Anyway, here we are...and it's about time we went Over The Top ...

The Clash: Konkrete Klockwork

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1977

AT THE MOMENT there isn't a group in the New Wave that comes within spitting distance of The Clash, live or on record. Within a ...

Asleep at the Wheel: The Wheel

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, May 1977

THIS ISN'T going to be a very long review, because I want to play the record again before the pubs open. ...

Patti Smith: Lenny Kaye: New York Nuggets

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1977

IN ISSUE 68 [of ZigZag], Patti Smith talked about a number of things during an account of the first half of her visit to this ...

Michael Nesmith, The Monkees: Michael Nesmith: On The Road To ‘Rio’

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, May 1977

IT WAS INEVITABLE that when Michael Nesmith returned to London recently to promote jet lag and his single, 'Rio', we should meet again. My vibrant ...

Roy Harper: There'll Always Be An England

Interview by Andy Childs, ZigZag, May 1977

As the pound plummets, the economy slumps and the government totters, there is yet hope for the fair isle of Albion… as we get a ...

The Band: Islands

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, May 1977

EVER SINCE I first heard the magnificent 'Acadian Driftwood' and marvelled in particular at Garth Hudson's tasteful use of synthesiser, it has always been a ...

The Saints: I'm Stranded

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1977

HEY! THIS IS a nice surprise! Almost out of nowhere comes this rip-snorter of an album when all we'd had from The Saints before was ...

The Stranglers: IV Rattus Norvegicus

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1977

HERE COME the Stranglers with forty minutes of brain-rapingly original spewings like you ain't gonna hear anywhere else. ...

What The New Wave's Thrown Up — Punk Press Report

Overview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1977

THE RECENT deluge of New Wave fanzines can only be a good thing... they're written and created by fans for the fans, with no sign ...

The Sex Pistols: Sex Pistols: Silver Jubilation

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, June 1977

A Jubilee special from the ever-patriotic Zigzag team in the form of an almost-exclusive interview with those lovable crop-tops from Shepherd's Bush, the Sex Pistols. ...

The Jam: In The City (Polydor 2383 447)

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, June 1977

THE JAM have come a long way since I first saw them supporting the Sex Pistols at Dunstable last October. Then they had an ill-fitting ...

The Ramones: An Aylesbury Affair

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, June 1977

IT'S BEEN about a year since The Ramones made their first hit-and-run visit to England for a pair of storming gigs in London. ...

The Stranglers: IV Rattus Norvegicus (United Artists)

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, June 1977

THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT that while the first batch of British new wave albums were by the more outrageous elements, and somehow seemed to rely on ...

Generation X: We're Not Into The Mindless Drone

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1977

GENERATION X are half way through their soundcheck, and there's a "what shall we play next?" lull in the proceedings. ...

Richard Hell: Hold Off

Essay by Alan Betrock, ZigZag, July 1977

2:39 Richard Hell and the Voidoids glide into take one of 'The Plan', a quirky composition, supported by subtle mood changes. At 2:43 it's finished. ...

The Doors: "I Looked Into Her Eyes And Pretty Much Felt That Jim Was Dead"

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, July 1977

FOR SOME YEARS now, I've had this big problem. One which often leads to incredulity in those to whom I explain it. It concerns my ...

MC5: The MC5: How the Jams Were Kicked Out!

Retrospective by John Sinclair, ZigZag, July 1977

In Britain, the MC5 are now far more popular than they ever were in their heyday – a fact which has prompted the recent re-release ...

Blondie: All Aboard For Funtime!

Profile and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, August 1977

FUN! IT'S A word which keeps coming back when you try and describe Blondie – live or on record. ...

Elvis Costello: My Aim is True (Stiff SEEZ 3)

Review by Danny Baker, ZigZag, August 1977

I COULD NEVER see the attraction in classical music, all that hanging about between notes, I mean what do people with great classic collections play ...

The Slits

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, August 1977

THERE ARE FEW groups I'd rather go and see at the moment than The Slits. They've only been going a few months in their present ...

The Clash: Belgium's Burning! The Clash in Europe

Report by Robin Banks, ZigZag, September 1977

"Be not the first by whom the new are tried/Nor yet the last to lay the old aside." ...

Burning Spear: Dry and Heavy

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, September 1977

DRY AND Heavy indeed. The title says it all. This album is pure magic from start to finish and, in my opinion, his best yet, ...

Iggy Pop: Lust for Life

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, September 1977

WHILE countless young groups do weak imitations of the Ig of five years ago Jimmy Osterburg himself moves on at a rate of revitalised progress ...

Michael Nesmith

Discography by John Tobler, ZigZag, September 1977

It's more than a tragedy that Mike Nesmith’s 'Rio' wasn't a bigger hit single. Not for me, because I've seen the amazing film about which ...

Motorhead

Profile and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, September 1977

Sunrise, wrong side of another day,Sky high, and six thousand miles awayDon't know, how long I been awakeWound up, in an amazin 'state Can't get ...

Sham 69

Interview by Danny Baker, ZigZag, September 1977

THE ROXY CLUB. Week one. The band bottom of the three playing that night played the night's most exciting set to about 20 people. ...

Steel Pulse

Profile by Robin Banks, ZigZag, September 1977

I FIRST SAW Steel Pulse the night Elvis Presley died. I was soaking wet from the pouring rain, couldn't afford a drink, and my equilibrium ...

The Clash, Generation X: Only in ZigZag! The New Clash Single!

Review by Robin Banks, ZigZag, September 1977

THE CLASH: 'Complete Control'/'The City of the Dead' (CBS) ...

David Bowie: Heroes

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, October 1977

BOWIE RECKONS he's discarded the last of his image facades/personality disguises, but as his appearance gets straighter the music gets weirder. ...

Mink DeVille

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, October 1977

THERE'S OVER 1,000 people from kids to hall staff grinning, swaying, dancing and screaming with delight at the stage on which Mink DeVille are playing ...

Link Wray, Robert Gordon: Robert Gordon & Link Wray: Robert Gordon with Link Wray; Various Artists: Don't You Step On My Blue Suede Shoes

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1977

THERE'S MORE similarity between these two albums than the fact that they've both got 'Red Hot' on 'em. They're the opposite ends of the rockabilly ...

Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers: The Heartbreakers: LAMF

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, October 1977

THE HEARBREAKERS are one of my fave live bands. For sheer ecstatic raunch you can't beat 'em. This album has been a long time coming. ...

The Rich Kids

Interview by Robin Banks, ZigZag, October 1977

IF YOU ARE one of the lucky few who have already seen The Rich Kids play, you are going to be bragging about it in ...

Jonathan Richman

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1977

I KNOW IT'S BEEN a hectic year full of surprises but if anything 1977 will go down as the year Jonathan Richman (a) Got in ...

MC5: Rob Tyner: The Secret Life Of The MC5

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1977

ROB TYNER, NOW fronting a new MC5 after about four years away from the stage, was recently in this country to check out what's going ...

Dwight Twilley: The Dwight Twilley Band

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1977

EVEN ACROSS thousands of miles of trans-Atlantic telephone cable and several time zones Dwight Twilley exudes excited confidence. He's sure the time has come for ...

Radio Stars: The Radio Stars STORY!

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, November 1977

GREAT NAME, and both their records so far have also been pretty neat. There's an imminent album, and a third 45 coming out about the ...

The Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1977

THE TITLE SAYS it all really. Ignore the press hysteria, dopey articles in Rolling Stone and cross-country panic/fear/loathing over "those foul-mouthed Sex Pistols". This album ...

Alternative TV: ATV: Is As Wonderful

Profile and Interview by Danny Baker, ZigZag, December 1977

I WAS AT ONE of Steve Mick's bi-annual parties, (baffling, rambling affairs – you want to find your long-lost aunt? Come in and prowl around, ...

Neil Young: Decade

Review by Andy Childs, ZigZag, December 1977

ONE OF the most immediately likeable things about this album besides the very impressive packaging, is that it doesn't purport to be a Best Of ...

The Clash, Lester Bangs: The Clash: Clash City Rockers On Tour

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1977

DERBY KING'S HALL. The thickset geezer with the appearance of a frustrated rugby player – too short to make the scrum but just as tough ...

The Darts: Getting To The Point With The Darts

Profile by John Tobler, ZigZag, December 1977

THIS IS GOING to be a two part feature. This is the first part, as the more astute among you have probably already worked out, ...

The Dictators

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1977

GROSS. LOUD. Fun. Funny. Fast. Flash. All words which can he applied to the Dictators, the New York City bad boys who toured here last ...

Jonathan Richman: The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers Live

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, December 1977

WELL, I think that's the title, but anyway you should know that this is the vinyl result of Jonathan Richman's quite unforgettable concerts here a ...

The Ramones: Rocket to Russia

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1977

WHO DOESN'T LIKE the Ramones? Nobody, that's who – unless they're dead or M. Black of Norwich or something. I've had this LP for three ...

Brian Eno: An Interview With Brian Eno

Interview by Kris Needs, Danny Baker, ZigZag, January 1978

YOU COULD SAY Brian Eno was pissed off on the day the dynamic Zigzag interviewing team were supposed to be interviewing him. Quite the opposite ...

Captain Beefheart: The Return of the Zig Zag Wanderer

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, January 1978

HAAARRRM!!! Captain Beefheart's amazing throat lets out a ferociously powerful blues-roar, which in the "relaxed atmosphere" of the Montcalm hotel bar has a resounding effect ...

David Bowie: Secret Secret Never Seen: An Interview with David Bowie

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, January 1978

THE LAST couple of albums, which is really what you're here to talk about, have been, to some people, somewhat inaccessible. I think you said ...

The Slits: Holland Park School, London

Live Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, January 1978

I BURBLED MY feelings about The Slits for four pages in ZZ75 last July, and happily that resulted in crazed Radio One producer and Zigzag ...

Don Letts: Cramp and Paralize Them and Those Who Worship Babylon

Interview by Robin Banks, ZigZag, February 1978

DON LETTS shares a comfortable flat in Forest Hill with three Rastafarian friends, a ferret named Brian, and various other permanent or transient guests. The ...

Blondie: Plastic Love: A Day with Blondie

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, February 1978

SO SUDDENLY it's in to have fun. The very same self-styled prophets who fell over their spanking new bondage strides last year to tell the ...

The Fall

Report and Interview by Danny Baker, ZigZag, February 1978

AH THE FALL! My mind fell on a quote that was all I knew of the name, something like '...there's hardly another band fit to ...

Richard Hell: To Hell and Back: Richard Hell

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, February 1978

RICHARD HELL had just got up, and one of the first things he focused on was John Tobler, looming over him with a tape recorder. ...

Throbbing Gristle

Profile and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1978

THROBBING GRISTLE: Drop that name in any conversation and watch the reaction. Giggling or nervous laughter, disgust or horror, blankness or a polite "Who?" Yeah, ...

Wire

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1978

WHEN WIRE came out of the Punk No-man's-land with their strikingly different debut album Pink Flag they seemed one of the hottest hopes for lifting ...

Destroy All Monsters

Profile by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1978

DESTROY ALL Monsters hail from the Detroit area and have provided a good home for two of the Motor City's baddest boys – ex-MC5 bassist ...

The Flamin' Groovies: Flaming Groovies: A Thirteen Year Overnight Success Story

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1978

"Right Cyril...left foot forward, two steps back, and then turn around...and when we've finished this old Ike and Tina Turner Review bit we'll go into ...

Generation X: X Cert For A Teenage Opera

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1978

GENERATION X ARE pissed. Legless. Tony James is sprawled in a dressing room armchair, cradling his bass with a glazed-silly grin spread across the face ...

Patti Smith: Horse Latitudes: The Possession of Patti Smith

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1978

This interview with Patti Smith took place last October when she stopped off in London for a day en route for Europe. We were saving ...

Motorhead: Friars, Aylesbury

Live Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1978

JUST GONE 7.30 and the punter queue is already half in. About a thousand punks, bikers, 'Awkwind 'Eadbangers and 48 hour fun-makers have turned up ...

The Subway Sect: Subway Sect: An Eiffel of the Subways in Paris

Report by Robin Banks, ZigZag, April 1978

THE METRO is crowded. Looking strangely at home amidst the Parisian hordes, Vic Goddard reclines in his seat, leisurely drawing on a Gauloise cigarette. The ...

The Sex Pistols: Radio Fun!!

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1978

JUST FOR A CRACK HERE IS ONE OF THE LAST U.K. INTERVIEWS THE PISTOLS DID ...

Patti Smith: High on Rebellion: Patti Smith Speaks, Part 2

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, June 1978

We join Patti Smith and John Tobler mid-conversation one day last October, when Patti was on her way to Europe to do her annual poetry ...

Kraftwerk: The Man Machine (Capitol EST 11728)

Review by Danny Baker, ZigZag, June 1978

Springtime for Kraftwerk ...

Alternative TV: The Image Has Cracked

Review by Danny Baker, ZigZag, July 1978

YOU KNOW them "artists" and "reviewers", they ain't never gonna stop. ...

Bruce Springsteen, Mink DeVille: Bruce Springsteen: Darkness On The Edge Of Town; Mink DeVille: Return To Magenta

Review by John Tobler, ZigZag, July 1978

THE RETURN of the street people, which should be a good thing. First, Springsteen, whose scenario of misfortune has been so well publicised that there's ...

Doll By Doll

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1978

I pushed a penny in the toilet door then I quickly stepped inside to some graffiti and a greyhound paper and the gentle thought of ...

Siouxsie & The Banshees: Siouxsie And The Banshees

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1978

"I CAN'T WAIT to get into Polydor and run wild 'round the secretaries and throw all their typewriting paper and get their ribbons twisted. They ...

Television: T.V. Tube Heart: An interview with Tom Verlaine

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, July 1978

I get the impression that the first album was the album that the record company wanted you to make and the new album is more ...

The Clash: Drug Stabbing Time

Report by Robin Banks, ZigZag, July 1978

CLASH STUDIO REPORT ...

The Flamin' Groovies: Groovy Times On The Road!

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1978

UP AND DOWN the country over the last few weeks wide-eyed audiences have been driven past boundaries of passion they never knew could exist in ...

The Rolling Stones: Some Girls

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1978

AH, THE NEW Stones album. For me the most feverishly-anticipated event between the first album in 1963 and Black and Blue two years ago was ...

Blast Furnace & The Heatwaves: The Best Band In The World!

Profile and Interview by Danny Baker, ZigZag, August 1978

"WE LOVE MUSIC...BUT WE HATE THE DISCO SOUND!!!!"Know what? I'll even forgive this band for saying that. ...

Suicide

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, August 1978

IT IS TO BE hoped that some of you lemmings may have taken a little time out from adoration of the Clash on their current ...

John Otway: The Intimate Secrets of John Otway

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, August 1978

Well go all the way to CornwallTell me baby what do you see?I see a long trip back home 'cos Polydor won't payI say, "Cor ...

Blondie: Back in the UK

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, September 1978

DEBBIE HARRY, teeth bared and eyes blazing, smashes her booted foot into my aching side. Ribs give way like skittles. Through glazed eyes I can ...

Matchbox

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, September 1978

AS MENTIONED in fab Zigzag 85, this is a feature of their very own concerning Matchbox, who I dubbed the best British rock 'n' roll ...

Buzzcocks: The Buzzcocks

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, September 1978

LOVE BITES can be: The vice-like heart-grasp of new love: Embarrassing marks on the neck; Romance with a sting in the tail; THE NEW BUZZCOCKS ...

Patti Smith: 15 Minutes with Patti Smith

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1978

DOUBTLESS, many of you will have noted a small item in NME's scandal section recently, which referred to the fact that Patti Smith had broken ...

Blondie: Parallel Line Fever!

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, October 1978

BLONDIEEEE!!!! IT'S just yards between the stage door and the coach but feels much more as the waiting hordes grab, shout and thrust bits of ...

Mick Farren… Seriously

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, October 1978

ONE of the less predictable events of this year has been the re-emergence of Mick Farren on the productive rather than critical side of rock'n'roll. ...

The Ramones

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, October 1978

COULDN'T you just see it coming? Ever since the Ramones made a follow-up album to their magic formula debut they've been under some fire for ...

Jilted John, Julie & Gordon: The World Of Jilted John

Interview by Jane Suck, ZigZag, October 1978

GORDON IS A morrr-onnnn Gordon is a morrr-onnnn Julie is a pain in the arse burble burble ad infinitum.... ...

Johnny Thunders

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1978

WHEN JOHNNY came swaggering home last month (well, second home), you could safely bet there was no other place I'd be that night than right ...

Television: Life After TV: An Interview with Richard Lloyd

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, November 1978

TELEVISION were one of my ultra-favourite groups of the past couple of years. The music they made has always seemed to me to combine the ...

Chris Bell, Cabaret Voltaire, Capital Letters, The Cars, Gang of Four, The Go-Betweens, Elton John, pragVEC, Public Image Ltd, Queen, Whirlwind, X-Ray Spex: Singles: PiL, Cabaret Voltaire, X-Ray Spex, Chris Bell, The Cars et al

Review by Hugh Jarse, ZigZag, November 1978

PUBLIC IMAGE: 'Public Image' (Virgin) 'ELLO, A LOW-key re-emergence which grows on ya. I know everybody was expecting another anthem but here ya go, this ...

Siouxsie & The Banshees: Siouxsie and the Banshees: The Scream

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1978

FIRST DAY I got it I stunned a full room with this magnificent record...and you should have seen me three hours and four more plays ...

Dennis Brown

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1978

HE'S BEEN ON the stage for twelve years, eight of those rarely out of the Jamaican charts. He's a major reggae ambassador to Canada, the ...

Public Image Ltd, The Sex Pistols: Public Image Ltd.: We Only Wanted To Be Loved

Interview by Robin Banks, ZigZag, December 1978

THE ENIGMATIC Johnny Lydon. Dubbed "The Messiah of Punk" by those who only thought in clichés, he was catapulted into a situation that left him ...

Siouxsie & The Banshees

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1978

AND YOU ALL thought, or have been led to believe, that Siouxsie and the Banshees were nothing but grim-faced, black-clad warriors of doom and disorder, ...

The Clash, The Slits: The Clash/The Slits: Village Bowl, Bournemouth

Live Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1978

IT'S 5.30 in the morning and for some reason I'm stuck on a ledge halfway down a several hundred foot cliff overhanging Bournemouth beach... And ...

The Clash: Give 'em Enough Rope (CBS 82431)

Review by Robin Banks, ZigZag, December 1978

A TRIUMPHANT roar of battles won. This album is a paean to victory than demands instant recognition and then leaves one gasping for breath, exhausted ...

Ultravox

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, December 1978

I HOPE you're sitting comfortably, because this could be quite long... ...

Ian Dury: Where Blockheads Dare…

Report by Danny Baker, ZigZag, January 1979

IN 1979 THE music press could well go the way of The Times. Rock'n'roll is all about crucial exhibitions of art, quiet spoken interviews with ...

Ultravox

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, January 1979

ZZ: THE MATERIAL on your first album strikes me as not being as unconventional as some of your later stuff, it's pretty straightforward. Does that ...

Doll By Doll: Night Of The Psychotic Woodsmen

Profile and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1979

"This band is unquestionably involved in a death trip, and when you're involved in a death trip it ends in one thing alone and that's ...

Simple Minds

Profile by Lindsay Hutton, ZigZag, March 1979

I'VE NEVER BEEN this goddam excited about a rock'n'roll band for ages. The monster media called NEW WAVE is almost finished and the climate is ...

The Doors: Stoned Immaculate

Review and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, March 1979

"The man's been dead for seven years — or gone for seven years — and he's still causing trouble!" — Ray Manzarek ...

Vic Godard, The Subway Sect: Vic Godard: Down the Road on a Stick

Interview by Robin Banks, ZigZag, March 1979

ON THE 'WHITE Riot' tour of early '77, Vic Godard and his band the Subway Sect ('cos they always were his band) confronted the great ...

George Thorogood & The Destroyers: George Thorogood: The Delaware Destroyer!

Profile and Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, April 1979

IF RECENT REPORTS are to be believed, Beserkley Records may be in some kind of difficulties, at least as far as their English office is ...

The Slits

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1979

THE SLITS AND me in an Interview Situation, eh? Well, hardly. We just chat away (it was better when the cassette was off but I ...

Ian Hunter: The Outsider

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1979

FOR THIS naughty mammal, one of the definite chest-expanding events of recent weeks was the storming resurgence of Ian Hunter, with his first album for ...

Robert Fripp

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1979

TO ME, ROBERT Fripp has always meant the nastiest riffs you could wish to cower from. I mean NASTY. Malevolent, grating sounds which fair oozed ...

Buzzcocks: The Buzzcocks: The Other One Speaks!

Interview by Michael Gray, ZigZag, May 1979

WHEN YOU GO and see Buzzcocks, there are four of them. Up at the back, as high on his rostrum as an Old Bailey judge, ...

The Vincent Units: Sex Against Rockism

Profile and Interview by Robin Banks, ZigZag, May 1979

"It's an amazing feeling getting up on stage and knowing that nobody expects miracles... and then sometimes one occurs" — Neal Brown, May 1979. ...

The Clash, Doll By Doll, John Otway, Merger, Siouxsie & The Banshees: ZigZag: The Party (The Pain)

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1979

IT WAS OUR party... the day ZigZag came OUT. An erratic monthly "fanzine" (not owned by IPC or any other gardening clubs) celebrated ten years ...

The Psychedelic Furs: Psychedelic Furs: The Flowers Of Evil Are In Full Bloom...

Profile and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1979

"We're in love with beautiful chaos, we're love with flowers..." ...

The Flamin' Groovies: Jumpin' in the Night

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1979

HOT FROM their sizzling UK tour last June, the Groovies bombed into Eden Studios and laid down 16 tracks in a few days of midnight ...

Patti Smith: 20 Minutes With Lenny Kaye…

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1979

THE PATTI SMITH Group had a day off in London. The night before they'd played to a generally enthusiastic reaction but universal slagging at Wembley ...

ABBA: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1979

JUST FOR that night "ABBA – World Tour 1979" nestled next to Motorhead and the Heartbreakers on my pet leather's lapel. Talk about extremes – ...

Destroy All Monsters: Fighting The DAM-Buster

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1979

DESTROY All Monsters were the first American group to be brought over to the UK by a British small label. ...

Public Image Ltd.: The Metal Box

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1979

FRIDAY EVENING in Chelsea and I'm looking for a house, panning the street on the odd numbers side. Nearly there and a door opens. Down ...

Marianne Faithfull: The Ballad of Marianne Faithfull

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1979

MARIANNE FAITHFULL was the Face of the '60s Fragile, damaged little bird with the voice of an angel, broken on a spike and filled with ...

The Mo-dettes

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1979

"WE DON'T WANT to be a cult," says Kate, the guitarist.It's Mo-dettes. Not Modettes. ...

Ellen Foley

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, January 1980

'UNTER'S BEEN on stage about three-quarters of an hour now. Behind the shades he's revelling in the ecstatic open-armed adulation raining down on the boards ...

Motorhead: The Year Of The Gory Boys

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, January 1980

IT'S STILL ONE of the greatest pleasures known to man: dig out the Motorhead albums, crank every knob, climb every wall and blister blissfully in ...

Talking Heads' Jerry Harrison

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, January 1980

JERRY HARRISON plays keyboards and guitar for Talking Heads. Usually it's David Byrne, ostrich-like singer-songwriter-guitarist, who gets seized on by writers after hot poop on ...

The Professionals: 'We Ain't Gonna Clean Nobody's Kharsi' Say Steve 'N' Paul

Report and Interview by Robin Banks, ZigZag, January 1980

PAUL COOK sits alone in the pub surrounded by an assortment of Friday night tossers, with their tardy, flared, off the peg suits and typist ...

Joan Jett: Return Of The Jett Girl

Profile and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, February 1980

HELLO, hello, she's back again! Joan Jett, the Runaway with the solid gold rock 'n' roll heart has returned, bouncing to a Gary Glitter soundtrack ...

Blondie: The Art Of Class: Behind The Blondie Invasion!

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, February 1980

THREE O'CLOCK on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Debbie Harry and Chris Stein have just got up and the hotel breakfast is being wheeled in. ...

Iggy Pop, James Chance, Lydia Lunch: Lydia Lunch: Queen of Siam; The Contortions: Buy the Contortions (Both Ze); Iggy Pop: Soldier (Arista)

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1980

AMERICA TODAY: the old and the new. Play these in a row... ...

Philip Rambow: The Rebel Kind

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1980

"Some search this world for fameBut fightin' 'gators is my gameFrom the scars upon my handYou know I'm an alligator man..." ...

The Psychedelic Furs: Psychedelic Furs: The Furs Cut Is The Deepest

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1980

"I HATE supporting other bands it sucks." Butler Rep, singer with The Psychedelic Furs, is reflecting on the last few days, which have seen one ...

The Clash: Six Days On The Road And 16 Tons Of Fun…

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1980

THE QUEST GOES ON, HIT THE DECK! ...

The Ramones: Ramonin' In The Moonlight

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1980

AH, THE RAMONES. It's always one of my favourite times when those four are carving up our land with strategic bursts of concentrated sonic Ramonia. ...

The Clash: Rude Boy: Directed by Jack Hazan; Starring Ray Gange and The Clash; Cert X

Film/DVD/TV Review by Robin Banks, ZigZag, April 1980

RUDE BOY CAN FAIL ...

Joe Ely

Report and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1980

SITTING on a curb with a fuming Joe Ely... ...

Killing Joke

Profile and Interview by Pete Makowski, ZigZag, April 1980

MY FIRST sojourn into the pages of this fine mag and what a balls up. Cock up amundo, mate. ...

Suicide: Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev (Ze)

Review by Kris Needs, ZigZag, April 1980

TEN YEARS ago in a dingy New York loft two blokes were whipping up formidable walls of sheer, pulverising sound using just a set of ...

TISWAS: Behind The Cage

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1980

THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT!! ...

Doll By Doll

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1980

"The main thing I've got to emphasise at this time is we're just not going away"– Jackie Leven ...

Linton Kwesi Johnson: Hour Of The Electric Rebel

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1980

Muzik of blood Black reared Pain rooted Heart geared('Bass Culture' by Linton Kwesi Johnson) ...

John Cooper Clarke, Joy Division: Martin Hannett

Interview by uncredited writer, ZigZag, May 1980

(This article was credited to "Worried, Preston". We have no idea who Worried, Preston is. If you do, please get in touch — RBP Ed) ...

Robert Fripp

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1980

A YEAR after Exposure and Robert Fripp is following through on his 80s drive with the combined Frippotronics-Discotronics and a bunch of new theories on ...

Siouxsie & The Banshees: Haul Of Mirrors

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1980

SIOUXIE AND THE BANSHEES MAY CALL THEIR NEW LP KALEIDOSCOPE, REFLECTING THEIR NEW, MULTI-FACETTED STRENGTH. HERE THEY TALK ABOUT THE NEW SONGS AND PLANS... ...

Suicide

Interview by John Tobler, ZigZag, May 1980

NEW YORK'S a lonely town when you've never been there before, and you really don't know too many people (although being there is a problem ...

Kate Bush: Fire In The Bush

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, August 1980

WHAT'S KATE BUSH doing in ZigZag? It's a fair chance that's the thought flitting through your noggin as you espy our rather tasteful cover. ...

Doll By Doll Part 1

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, June 1981

He's an angelHe's a demonHe's a child in the saneHe's a new starHe's a centaurCommanding a bright green field('A Bright Green Field' by Jackie Leven) ...

Doll By Doll Part 2

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1981

SIDE TWO crashes in with the heaviest number on the record. 'The Perfect Romance' is in the old style of Doll By Doll aural agony... ...

Peter Tosh: Tosh

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1981

PETER TOSH was in London for two days to promote his new album, Wanted Dread And Alive. ...

Defunkt

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, August 1981

SCREAM or be screamed at. MOVE or be removed. TAKE what you can or be taken, LOOK out or be looked for. Make them dance, make ...

The Pretenders: Let's Pretend

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, August 1981

Kris Needs talks to Chrissie Hynde about stardom and the new album Pretenders II ...

Tom Verlaine: The Dreams of Tom Verlaine

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, October 1981

TOM VERLAINE was the mysterious force behind Television, the now-legendary outfit who swept to prominence in the New York Invasion of 1977. They captured eyes, ...

The Clash: Clash at the Apocalypse Hotel

Report by Robin Banks, ZigZag, November 1981

"We're just waiting to be melted down .... have you ever seen a burning puma?" (Joe Strummer. 'Clampdown'. Paris. September '81.) ...

Kid Creole & the Coconuts: That Darnell Cat

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1981

THIS MAN swaps heads like Tommy Cooper! Kid Creole — the desert island disco merchant of two bliss-full albums, the live spectacular and soon Broadway. ...

The Congos

Interview by Hugh Jarse, ZigZag, November 1981

CONGO MAN Cedric Myton must be one of reggae's nicest geezers. Ask him a question and he thinks about it, smiles a bit, answers articulately ...

The Slits: Return Of The Giant Slits

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1981

  IN 1977 THE Slits were a noisy, thrashing pupa, slashing at complacent sitcom existences and establishing themselves as an anarchistic, table-turning force. ...

Chic: The Real Chic

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, December 1981

TEAR A STRIP off the sucker. Suddenly everybody's selfconsciously diving for the dancefloor. Most groups have got their 'funky number', even if they're not funky. ...

Defunkt: Too Fierce For Radioland

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, June 1982

Joe Bowie, singer-songwriter-trombonist-leader talked to Kris Needs and Killing Joke bassist Youth. ...

Blondie, Debbie Harry: Blondie: Making Tracks And The Art Of Parties

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, July 1982

THE B2 ART GALLERY is oddly situated in derelict Thameside structures off Wapping's hysterically termed High Street. But no rundown jungle on the other side ...

Sex Gang Children

Interview by Jon Wilde, ZigZag, October 1982

Unrolling, unfolding from Panic Button to unrestrained passion called Sex Gang Children which rigidly refuses to slip and slide conveniently into anybody's scheme of things; ...

Kate Bush: Dream Time in the Bush

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1982

Kris Needs rises with the dawn (Wot?) to talk with the elfin Kate Bush about her new album The Dreaming ...

Cocteau Twins: Two's Company

Interview by Jon Wilde, ZigZag, October 1983

WHEN THE Cocteau Twins narrowed down to a two-piece (Robin and Elizabeth) in June of this year, they settled down for some rethinking and some ...

Flesh For Lulu: A Glimpse of Stocking

Interview by Jon Wilde, ZigZag, December 1983

THE FAINT echo of a song mingled with his rush of black lust as he drew closer, sensing the heavenly, vital air about her. The ...

The Smiths: Glad All Over

Interview by William Shaw, ZigZag, February 1984

William Shaw locks horns with that charming band The Smiths. ...

Holger Hiller: The Hillers Alive

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, March 1984

... and Mick Sinclair found him for you ...

Specimen: The Filth Amendment

Report by Kris Needs, ZigZag, June 1984

IT WOULD take a century of three-foot-thick ZigZags to truly describe the weird scenes, huge fun, turmoils, wobblers, windups, triumphs and downers of nearly three ...

Laurie Anderson, she slipped back in

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, July 1984

THE ARTICULATED LAURIE. OUR SUPERMAN, MICK SINCLAIR, TRACKS DOWN THE ENIGMATIC LAURIE ANDERSON ...

Felt: More Than A Feeling

Interview by Jon Wilde, ZigZag, August 1984

John Scott Wilde in cahoots with Lawrence of Felt ...

The Smiths: Johnny Marr: The Man Who Caught The Common Cold

Interview by Rex Garvin, ZigZag, August 1984

ELVIS WAS NOT MY LOVER claims Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr. A sceptical Rex Garvin fans this latter-day Francis Drake. ...

The Flying Lizards: Flying Lizards: The Final Battle Starts Here

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, September 1984

They came from outer town. They claimed to be our friends. But Mick Sinclair kept his hamsters home regardless. ...

The Gun Club: I Left My Hat In San Francisco

Interview by Richard Kick, ZigZag, September 1984

WE CARRY OUR ANCIENT RELATIVES AROUND WITH US – ...

Tom Verlaine: Far from the Madding Crowd

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, September 1984

TOM VERLAINE is a tall frame clothed unremarkably. He's basically apolitical, carrying the air of a fine artist who's possibly been born into the wrong ...

Twisted Sister: Knights in White Satin

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, September 1984

Crazed rocker Mick Sinclair arm-wrestles and jives with mean Mutha Dee Snider of Twisted Sister who isn't as dumb as he looks. ...

23 Skidoo: Urban Wastelands

Interview by Richard Kick, ZigZag, October 1984

THE THOUGHT was: as a concise introduction into the idea of 23 Skidoo I would write a short piece about Fritz Hamaan. ...

Alternative TV: Mark Perry: After The Storm

Interview by Richard Kick, ZigZag, October 1984

ONE SOMETIMES wonders what ever happened to the original punk rock generation of 1976? Obviously those who have managed to hold onto the limelight we ...

Test Dept.: Metal Gurus.

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, October 1984

Test Dept. Cracked Open. Blow Torch — Mick Sinclair ...

Frank Chickens: Pierced Nippon

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, November 1984

Mickimono Sinclair and the delightful Frank Chickens ...

Kim Wilde: Heir Presumptive

Interview by William Shaw, ZigZag, November 1984

Kim Wilde and William Shaw; Bliss ...

Marc Almond: Ol' Goo Eyes Is Back

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1984

LURCHING ALONG a dark street, hellhound on my trail, underpants on my head...A new life around the corner. ...

The Go-Betweens: Fencing Lessons

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, November 1984

AS THEIR man Robert Foster notes: "There are a small group of people who like the Go‑Betweens intensely. I see the band as having good ...

The Stranglers: The Menin Straits

Interview by Richard North, ZigZag, November 1984

A BAND who, in 1977, I jumped up onstage with at the Queensway Hall Dunstable/I was drunk/I sobered up very quickly/ ...

Feargal Sharkey: Fins Ain't What They Used To Be

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, December 1984

Mick Sinclair and Feargal Sharkey compare inside leg measurements ...

The Alarm: Take A Chant On Me

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, December 1984

Mick Sinclair tears the Guy Fawkes mask off Mike Peters. The Alarm are all set to Explod. ...

Joan Jett, The Runaways: Joan Jett: Jett Black

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, January 1985

Joan Jett finds Mick Sinclair loves rock'n'roll ...

XTC: The Agony and the...

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, January 1985

Contemporary Note: This interview took place at Virgin Records' London HQ during the height of the year-long miner's strike (led by the National Union of ...

Flesh For Lulu: Zulu Nation

Report by Hugh Jarse, ZigZag, February 1985

Hugh Jarse reveals exemplary behaviour following Flesh For Lulu across America. ...

The Jesus & Mary Chain: The Jesus and Mary Chain: Like A Virgin

Profile and Interview by John Robb, ZigZag, February 1985

GLASGOW 1984 AND punk is dead (At last, positive punk had become a coral reef of untold disaster, sinking outfits such as Silly Death Cult ...

Killing Joke: Spare The Rod

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, March 1985

Enjoying greater success than they have for many a moon KILLING JOKE convince MICK SINCLAIR that they're nice girls really. ...

The Gun Club, Jeffrey Lee Pierce: Trigger Happy: Jeffrey Lee Pierce Goes Solo

Profile and Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, March 1985

AND SO the Gun Club was finally laid to rest. That majestic, thrashing animal with its tail in the blues, foot in the garage and ...

Lou Reed, Richard Hell, Robert Quine: Robert Quine: Red Red Quine

Interview by Richard Kick, ZigZag, April 1985

WILD MEN of rock come and wild men of rock fizzle out. Or, rebels don't – their voices just fade away. Robert Quine, mild mannered ...

Strawberry Switchblade: Kick Out The Jams

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, April 1985

MICK SINCLAIR FINDS HIMSLEF IN A JAM WITH JILL AND ROSE OF STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE, BOTH VERY WELL PRESERVED (NO PUNNET INTENDED) ...

Run-DMC: Run DMC: Rabbit Run

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, May 1985

"How did Mel go over here?... They still like Culture Club in England?... Who's Junior?... What about Prince?..." ...

Propaganda: Doctrine In The House

Interview by Mick Sinclair, ZigZag, June 1985

MICK SINCLAIR MEETS THE QUIET TYPES WITH THE ABILITY TO EXPLODE ...

The Fuzztones: Police To Meet You

Interview by Richard North, ZigZag, August 1985

THE FUZZTONES are the type of band who inspire thoughts like, 'Rootless beat, ruthless rhythms, voxed-up twang at maximum volume, magnified beyond belief. Bourbon, drugs, ...

Motorhead: Antiques Roadshow

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, September 1985

Ten years on and Lemmy's still there with a new bunch of salacious characters. Kris Needs plays the generation game ...

Echo & The Bunnymen: Warren Peace

Interview by Dele Fadele, ZigZag, November 1985

WHEN THE CONSCIENCE AND SOUL LIE – A BODY'S GOT NO CHOICE. ...

Jah Wobble

Interview by Richard North, ZigZag, November 1985

STATELY, PLUMP Jah Wobble came from the stairhead, bearing a bottle of lemonade from which the label was peeling. A blue jean jacket, ungirdled, was ...

Kate Bush

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, November 1985

"Since time immemorial the great sea has fascinated mankind, even as he is plucked like a lifeless doll from its creaking shores..." (in BBC2 documentary ...

Buzzcocks, The Clash, The Damned, Generation X, Public Image Ltd, Sex Pistols, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Slits: Punk: Rogues Gallery

Overview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, January 1986

TO PUT EVERYTHING INTO PERSPECTIVE, AS TO WHERE THE ORIGINALS FROM '76 HAVE GONE; BE IT A WAYSIDE DITCH OR A MAJOR RECORD COMPANY WATER ...

Siouxsie & The Banshees: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, January 1986

LAST MONTH WE CAUGHT SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES FIGHTING INJURY AND BOUNCERS IN NOTTINGHAM AND SET THE SCENE FOR THIS INTERVIEW, WHICH HAD TO BE ...

Sigue Sigue Sputnik: This Band Needs No Introduction – They Write Their Own

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, February 1986

...

The Winans

Interview by Kris Needs, ZigZag, February 1986

They may look like everybody's image of bouncers but they are America's hottest gospel act ...

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