Alan Smith
List of articles in the library by artist
Report and Interview by Alan Smith, NME, August 1962
Acker's Happy With His Vocal Success ...
Beatles, The: Beatles Almost Threw 'Please Please Me' Away
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, March 1963
THE BEATLES opened a copy of the NME and gazed proudly at the Charts when 'Please Please Me' hit the top recently. It was a ...
Beatles, The: John Lennon: 'A Subconscious Urge To Get Above People'
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, July 1966
Beatle Dreams by Alan Smith ...
Beatles, The: Newcomers To The Charts: Liverpool's Beatles Wrote Their Own Hit
Profile by Alan Smith, NME, October 1962
MAKING THEIR NME Chart debut with 'Love Me Do' this week are the Beatles, a vocal-instrumental group who hail from Liverpool, the birthplace of such ...
Beatles, The: Paul McCartney: 'I Get Caught Out In Street In Underwear!'
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, July 1966
Beatle Dreams by Alan Smith ...
Beatles, The: The Beatles: Let It Be (Apple)
Review by Alan Smith, NME, May 1970
NEW LP SHOWS THEY COULDN'T CARE LESSHave Beatles sold out? asks NME's Alan Smith ...
Beatles, The: The Beatles: John Lennon Slams The Critics
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, August 1965
JOHN LENNON shouted for food, then turned to me in the vast, near-deserted auditorium of Blackpool's ABC theatre. In two hours he and the rest ...
Beatles, The: The Beatles: My Broken Tooth — by Paul McCartney
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, June 1966
I HAVE interviewed Paul McCartney travelling in a car at speed. Battling up a crowded flight of stairs. In a smoky billiards room. On the ...
Beatles, The: Throat Sweets Keep Us Going Say Beatles!
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, April 1963
A NEVER-ENDING supply of throat sweets is one of the secrets behind the continued success of the Beatles, who come crashing into the NME Chart ...
Beatles, The: You've Pleased-Pleased Us Say The Beatles
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, February 1963
THINGS ARE beginning to move for the Beatles, the r-and-b styled British group which crashed back into the NME Chart this week at No. 17. ...
Live Review by Alan Smith, NME, April 1963
MIKE BERRY burst into the second half to the throbbing beat of 'La Bamba'. Close on its heels came his current release 'My Little Baby' ...
Beatles, The, Paul McCartney: Close-Up on Paul McCartney, a Beatle
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, August 1963
I WENT roof-climbing with the Beatles – up a rickety wooden ladder, over drainpipes, and past the huge chimney-pots of London's plush Washington Hotel. The ...
Beatles, The, Moody Blues, The: The Beatles, The Moody Blues: Odeon, Glasgow
Live Review by Alan Smith, NME, December 1965
Beatles terrific... and rest of bill ...
Bob and Marcia: 'Why Marry? Our Way's Okay' says Bob Smiling While Marcia Frowns
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, March 1970
Reggae stars in London ...
Pat Boone: Why I Became A Beatnik
Report and Interview by Alan Smith, NME, March 1962
PAT BOONE fans who saw last week's NME pictures of him at the Royal Film show won't see him looking so clean-cut in his latest ...
Glen Campbell – Former Beach Boy and Elvis Guitarist!
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, June 1970
IT MAY NOT be generally known that Glen Campbell is a former member of the Beach Boys... that he was once a brilliant session guitarist ...
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, April 1962
PUZZLING, isn't it, that no one has thought of an award for the wives of hit parade stars — to be presented when they inspire ...
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, May 1971
NME's Alan Smith endeavours to interview this week's chart toppers ...
Crosby Stills and Nash: Crosby Stills & Nash: Splitting Holly Graham Forms Group That Isn't
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, December 1968
TO THE MOSCOW Road, London W.2., where Mr. Graham Nash had news and views and also the company of Mr. David Crosby and Mr. Stephen ...
Crystals, The, Phil Spector: The Crystals: New to the Charts — Six Girls With Two Names!
Profile by Alan Smith, NME, December 1962
SO VAST is the American disc scene that quite often an artist or group can get high into the charts without anybody here knowing much ...
Equals, The: 'Black Skins' Could Be Equals' Biggest In The States
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, February 1971
LEADER-SONGWRITER Eddie Grant lives and breathes the Equals, whose fat, pumping 'Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys' single is at No. 19 in this week's NME ...
Equals, The: Equals Stunned By No. 3 Hit
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, June 1968
EVEN THE Equals can't believe an old half-forgotten track like 'Baby Come Back' could have boosted them from nowhere right up into the big money-earning ...
Everly Brothers, The: Phil And Don Everly Put Up A Fight
Report and Interview by Alan Smith, NME, June 1963
NOBODY could say the fortunes of the Everly Brothers have been at their highest just lately, but the boys are determined to put up a ...
Foundations, The : Alan Smith Finds Foundations An Unusual 'Bunch'
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, February 1968
THE BEATLES had it. So did Gerry "Engelbert Humperdinck" Dorsey, the Four Tops and Tom Jones. I'm talking about faith — an artist's faith in ...
Four Tops, The: NME Chart News Woke Up The Four Tops In Record Time!
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, October 1966
THE PHONE rang eleven times in Room 3055 at New York's Hilton Hotel before Lawrence Payton roused himself from his slumbers and dragged it towards ...
Connie Francis: Connie Will Rock For Britain!
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, August 1962
THERE'LL BE no more weepie-weepie songs from Connie Francis once her current hit 'Vacation' leaves the charts... for Connie is to record special future releases ...
Judy Garland: Judy Cried At Herself
Report and Interview by Alan Smith, NME, March 1963
"BRITAIN IS A home from home to me," said Judy Garland recently. "I remember my career was at a low ebb back in 1950 and ...
Gerry & The Pacemakers: Gerry And The Pacemakers Reveal Their Success Secret: 'We Let Go!'
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, April 1963
"UND JETZT," said Gerry (of the Pacemakers), "ein wünsche für..." The rest of his announcement was drowned by a burst of good-natured jeering from the ...
Gerry & The Pacemakers: New to the Charts: Gerry, Pacemakers from Beatle-land!
Profile by Alan Smith, NME, March 1963
CRASHING into the NME Chart this week comes another beat name from Beatle-land, Liverpool's Gerry and the Pacemakers. Gerry is featured vocalist on 'How Do ...
Lesley Gore: The Singing Rebel
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, June 1963
IT'S THE BEATLES' favourite disc of the moment and it's sung by a 17-year-old American girl who had a genteel upbringing in the sedate neighbourhood ...
George Harrison: All Things Must Pass (Apple)
Review by Alan Smith, NME, December 1970
Loads of talent, and yet... ...
John Leyton Phones Alan Smith From Munich To Say: Filming In Germany Is Dangerous
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, July 1962
(But It Could Make Me A Star In America) ...
Live Review by Alan Smith, NME, May 1962
NEW SHADOW MAKES LONDON DEBUT ...
Billy J. Kramer: Singing Was Forced On To Me!
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, May 1963
BILLY J. KRAMER sat back in his manager's London office and looked thoughtful as the bubbles settled on top of his cup of hot tea. ...
Billy J. Kramer, Beatles, The: Billy J. Kramer Adds To Liverpool Chart Invasion!
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, May 1963
FIRST THE BEATLES, then Gerry and the Pacemakers. Now a new Liverpool name, Billy J. Kramer, looks set to take the NME Chart by storm ...
Review by Alan Smith, NME, September 1971
JOHN SINGS LONG TRACK ABOUT PAUL ...
Report by Alan Smith, NME, March 1971
Why Beatles ended in a sordid mudbath.It isn't coincidence that these solo singles have just been released, says Alan Smith ...
John Lennon, Yoko Ono: John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Doing The Rounds For Publicity
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, July 1971
He knows it, I know it – the next Lennon album is the greatest says Alan Smith ...
Ketty Lester: New to the Charts: Ketty Lester Sang 'As Herself' To Notch Hit
Profile by Alan Smith, NME, April 1962
A SUDDEN decision to sing "in my own style" has brought instant success for chart newcomer Ketty Lester, whose 'Love Letters' stands at No. 27. ...
Little Eva: Alan Smith Says 'Welcome, Little Eva'
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, February 1963
THE GIRL who put a new twist into the twist – Little Eva – arrives in London today (Friday) for her first tour of Britain. ...
George Martin, Beatles, The: The Beatles: Ringo Played Cards As Others Sang 'Paperback'!
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, June 1966
...reveals GEORGE MARTIN, the Beatles' recording manager, in an interview with Alan Smith. ...
Paul McCartney: Paul And Linda McCartney: Ram (Apple)
Review by Alan Smith, NME, May 1971
Alan Smith assesses the McCartney Ram album and sums up with... PAUL, WHAT A MESS YOU'VE MADE OF IT! ...
McCoys, The: The McCoys: McCoys Are America's Wildest Group
Profile and Interview by Alan Smith, NME, September 1965
...says ALAN SMITH ...
Rick Nelson: Ricky Nelson: Now Ricky's Name Change Is Official!
Profile and Interview by Alan Smith, NME, April 1962
'YOUNG WORLD' is probably the last disc by Ricky Nelson you'll see in the NME Charts but don't panic. At 21 Ricky has no ...
Anthony Newley: I'm Worried About My Discs: I Still Need Hits admits Tony Newley
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, July 1962
ANTHONY NEWLEY smoothed out a crease in the trousers of his tuxedo suit, sipped from a large mug of Shepperton film studio tea and looked ...
Yoko Ono, John Lennon, Paul McCartney: At Home With The Lennons, Part 2
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, August 1971
In which John burns down the Beatles 'cause he loves 'em ...
Elvis Presley: Paradise Hawaiian Style
Film/DVD Review by Alan Smith, NME, July 1966
Presley's usual (Hawaiian) style ...
Elvis Presley: Elvis, Usually Surrounded By Girls, Is Now Encircled By Controversy
Report by Alan Smith, NME, July 1966
SOME Of Elvis' staunchest British fans want to boil me in oil again. Another suggests I lower myself into a spin-dryer and turn it on. ...
Procol Harum: I Knew Procol Would Be A Success
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, July 1967
says KEITH REID the man who created the group to ALAN SMITH ...
Otis Redding: Otis New Hit His Greatest Tribute
Comment by Alan Smith, NME, March 1968
DURING HIS all-too-brief lifetime, Otis Redding was respected by the world of music — and virtually ignored in his own home town of Macon, Georgia. ...
Searchers, The: The Searchers: Searchers Paid £40 To Make LP
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, July 1963
THE SEARCHERS might not be in the NME Top Ten this week – making an amazing jump from No. 24 to No. 5! – if ...
Tommy Steele, Tornados, The: Alan Smith On Film Sets With The Tornados and Tommy Steele
Report and Interview by Alan Smith, NME, February 1963
A HAUNTING theme-tune echoed across the stage of a dingy London theatre on Tuesday morning, as film cameras turned on that "Globetrotting" hit group, the ...
Andy Williams Explains Why He Didn't Do A Palladium TV
Interview by Alan Smith, NME, May 1963
ANDY WILLIAMS settled back into a deep armchair at London's Dorchester Hotel. "I couldn't appear on Sunday Night At The Palladium," he said, "because of ...
back to LIBRARY
Best Databases: RBP is Runner-up in Best Niche category
Video: Johnny Marr talks about Rock's Backpages
RBP on Spotify: The Very Best of 40-year-old Virgin
RBP Album Club, June 13th: Miki Berenyi and Lucy O'Brien celebrate a Blondie classic
Essential Listening: Green Day grilled by Roy Trakin
RBP Album Club, July 11th: Nick Hornby and Nick Coleman celebrate Southside Johnny's debut
Essential Reading: Bud Scoppa's 1971 Byrds classic