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Jack Barron

Jack Barron

Between 1982 until 1996, Jack Barron wrote for Sounds, Zig Zag, NME, the Guardian and Volume. In 1998 he wrote features and reviews for Melody Maker.

Other than writing pieces for music magazines, Jack has worked as a TV Director and editor making various television documentaries and children's programmes which have been broadcast on Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV and Discovery.

121 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Clint Eastwood & General Saint: Bishops Park, Fulham, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 18 September 1982

Fruit for thought ...

Explainer: Man From The Ghetto (Sun Burst SB/LP05)****

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 2 October 1982

SOCA it to me ...

Dennis Brown: Hornsey Town Hall, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 16 October 1982

THE PARANOID inside can't help wonder if there is some kind of conspiracy going on... ...

Michael (Mikey) Smith: Michael Smith: Mi Cyaan Believe It (Island)

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 13 November 1982

Keep on believing ...

Eek-A-Mouse: A Mouse's Tale

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 20 November 1982

CONTRAST: "Biddy-biddy bong-bong, biddy bong-bong, biddy bong-bong, biddy men. Bong bong, biddy bong-bong, biddy bong-gong, biddy geng, biddah-men ahwooy biddy-men. Ehyaaah!" (Rough translation of intro ...

Gregory Isaacs: Gregorian Rants

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 4 December 1982

The elusive Mr Isaacs tracked down by Jack Barron ...

Culture: University Of London Union, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 11 December 1982

HAVING RUPTURED with cultural brothers Walker and Paley, and with a new album Lion Rock booming out from the city's more select record shops, Joseph ...

The Fall: I Don't Know What's In There

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 13 August 1983

"AS A kid I used to be obsessed that like I was reincarnated from the trenches of the First World War. I used to think ...

Big Country, Eurythmics, Simple Minds, Steel Pulse, U2: U2/Simple Minds/Eurythmics/Steel Pulse/Perfect Crime/Big Country: Phoenix Park, Dublin

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 20 August 1983

DATELINE DUBLIN: 3.30am Monday. There will no doubt be some measured reports of U2's home-coming gig. But I really hate measured reports. ...

UB40: Fortified Wine

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 10 September 1983

I WAS STILL trying to figure out what UB40 had done with all the money they'd earned – there just had to be an interesting ...

Chic: Believer (Atlantic Records) *½

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 1984

ANYONE FOR aural necrophilia? Like all dead boring musical activities, there is little mutual satisfaction to be gained here. ...

Papa Levi: Levi-tation

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 19 May 1984

Philip Levi chats up Jack Barron ...

New Model Army: Re-Make Re*Model

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 16 June 1984

"IT'S STRANGE, pop music, isn't it? You've got men dressing up as women and women dressing up as men. Don't you think there's something sinister ...

Tina Turner: Private Dancer (Capitol)

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 23 June 1984

AM I the only person who thinks Tina Turner looks, um, more sensual when she's fully clothed rather than parading acres of well preserved flesh? ...

Black Uhuru: International Anthem

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 7 July 1984

SO...WHAT is life? A location and time? Hardly. We could be almost anywhere, but... ...

Hugh Masekela

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 14 July 1984

"THIS IS really embarrassing, we've come thousands of miles and now this happens," sighed Hugh Masekela looking at the vast blue tent-balloon Espace Balard venue ...

The Skatalites: Return Of The Big Guns (Island White Label)****.5

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 14 July 1984

KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM. Ka-boom. This is where it all began and has now returned to, more or less. ...

Play Dead: Dead Certs

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 11 August 1984

"WE'RE ABOUT as gothic as goldfishes," pin-points bassist Pete, pulling on his can of Special Brew, deep within the bowels of Blackwing Studios. ...

Aswad: Rebel Souls (Island)****

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 27 October 1984

GETTING A sense of perspective on Aswad is difficult at the best of times, and it's even worse with the release of this elpee because ...

Julian Cope: Tear For Fears

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 15 December 1984

HIS BOTTOM lip trembles as he bites his fingernails. Beneath the familiar lazy flop of a frizzy blond fringe, his eyes are filmed with liquid. ...

Art of Noise: Noise Annoys

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 5 January 1985

HOT TOWN, it's summer in the city. Basing Street, West London to be exact, the pleasure dome of ZTT records. The Art Of Noise have ...

Smiley Culture & Bobby Boom: Dingwalls, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 5 January 1985

THE INTERPRETER of reggae mirth who says he MCs not for treasure but for pleasure inverted frowns to dental crowns, sore feet to blue beat, ...

The Special AKA: Jerry Can

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 19 January 1985

JERRY DAMMERS cut himself with a razor this morning. A short tear of paper covers the wound just below his equally brief right sideburn. ...

Newtown Neurotics

Profile and Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 29 January 1985

"LAYDEEZ AND gentlemen, will you please take your seats for Dick Whittington now, the show starts in five minutes," wheezes a voice from the Tannoy ...

Dennis Bovell, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Gasper Lawal, Orchestra Jazira: Linton Kwesi Johnson, Dennis Bovell Dub Band, Gasper Lawal, Orchestra Jazira: Hammersmith Palais, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 9 February 1985

DUB CRAWL ...

New Model Army: Between the Wars

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 27 April 1985

Are New Model Army really as ugly as they say? Jack Barron flutters his eyes and confesses. ...

Tuxedomoon: Bad Moon Rising

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 4 May 1985

"HEY! LOOK at this weird architecture," enthuses Peter Principle, surveying the sight he's just stumbled across by opening the curtain in my hotel bedroom. I ...

Dire Straits: Brothers In Arms (Vertigo)

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 18 May 1985

ON TWO consecutive nights last week, I sat in a park in Tel Aviv and sometimes winced as I watched Dire Straits play. What amazed ...

Rain Parade: Dingwalls, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 18 May 1985

ACID RAIN ...

Rain Parade: Hit Parade

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 1 June 1985

THE ONLY kind of sex I can imagine performing to the exquisite, perfumed garden noise of Rain Parade is tender. Maybe this is why Matt ...

Bruce Springsteen: The Great Smell Of Bruce — Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band: St James Park, Newcastle

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 15 June 1985

Most wanted man Brute Springsteen sweats it out in his rock 'n' roll cell. Jack Barron swallows the key ...

Billy Bragg, Ian Dury, Echo & The Bunnymen, Green On Red, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Poison Girls, The Style Council: Echo & The Bunnymen, Ian Dury et al: Glastonbury CND Festival, Pilton, Somerset

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 29 June 1985

"JESUS WEPT," from St Mark's Gospel is, I'm assured, the shortest verse in The Bible. That his Divinity did so over this event when 40,000 people decamped ...

The Blasters: Blaster Charge

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 27 July 1985

All aboard The Blasters' American Express, en route to the heartland of rock 'n' roll '85 style. "That'll do nicely," exclaims an impressed Jack Barron ...

Saxon: A Dog Day Afternoon

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 7 September 1985

SATAN IN a shitlake, I'm here on serious medical business and I've left the pliers on the anvil at home after cuffing the slave-girls. ...

The Woodentops: Wag Club, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 14 September 1985

PLENTY SMILES and plenty frowns, the Woodentops were dancing on the feet of salesmen and women tonight, stubbing their toes but keeping their shoes clean ...

The Jesus & Mary Chain: Psychocandy (Blanco Y Negro BYN7 pre-release tape)*****

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 2 November 1985

CHRIST! THE crucifixion of preconceptions on the Calvary of pop. ...

Crime & The City Solution: Crime and Punishment

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 9 November 1985

"I KNOW THE worst joke I've heard all week," begins Harry Howard, cheerfully. Crime's bass player is about to provide me with a solution to ...

Sigue Sigue Sputnik: Abbey Road Studio, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 4 January 1986

SPUT THE DOGS ...

The Redskins: Acne In The UK

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 18 January 1986

Kicking and screaming into '86 against injustices to the oppressed and themselves come THE REDSKINS. JACK BARRON explores the left side of their collective brain ...

Jeffrey Lee Pierce: impurely an entertainer

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 25 January 1986

JEFFREY LEE PIERCE is a nice man when he's sober but when he's got three fingers in his mouth he's a scream. JACK BARRON held ...

Augustus Pablo: Rising Sun (Greensleeves GREL 90)***⅝

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 29 March 1986

IN THE Chinese puzzle box of sound that comprises reggae's radiological dubstream, there are two types of artist: Augustus Pablo and The Rest. ...

New Order: Oxford

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 12 April 1986

THE IMPERFECT kiss. Tonight I should have stayed at home and played with my pleasure zone. ...

Lydia Lunch: Daddy's Girl

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 7 June 1986

Defender of the Filth. Talking dirty or sex therapy? JACK BARRON gets his beret unscrewed by New York's first lady of sleaze, LYDIA LUNCH. ...

Queen: A Kind Of Magic (EMI) **½

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 7 June 1986

TO DISMISS this out of hand would be as thoughtless as giving a cigarette to a man dying of cancer. There must be something to ...

George Clinton: Electric Spankatizer Yeah

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 1 August 1986

SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER OR THE GAP BETWEEN GREEN POINTY EARS? ...

Paul Simon: Graceland (Warner Brothers)***

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 6 September 1986

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE ...

Run-DMC: Run DMC: Hit And Run

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 20 September 1986

As the RUN DMC tidal wave breaks over the British coastline and the country reels to its knees, it's maybe time to ponder the principles ...

Cameo: Word Up! (Phonogram/Club Records)***2/3

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 11 October 1986

WORDS UPSIDEDOWN: Because you're not the only one whose heart has been broken and Blackmon's approach will serve to remind you of this – and ...

Iron Maiden: Apollo Theatre, Oxford

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 18 October 1986

ON THE opening night of the British leg of their world tour to promote an album called Somewhere In Time, Iron Maiden play like pirates, ...

The Pretenders: Get Close (WEA)***

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 25 October 1986

JUST LIKE nectar poured over old scars, one of rock's most distinctive vocalists, Chrissie Hynde, comes out of hibernation with a miasma of sentimentality, cynicism ...

Furniture: The Wrong People

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 15 November 1986

IF SUCCESS in the pop game is partly dependent on timing, then Furniture must be one of the unluckiest groups I've come across. After years ...

Elvis Costello: The Royalty Theatre, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 29 November 1986

CROCODILE SMILES ...

Pop Will Eat Itself: Would You Let Your Sister Date One Of These Guys?

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 6 December 1986

Brash, wild and loudmouthed, POP WILL EAT ITSELF may be the rock noise of 1986 but are they ideologically sound? JACK BARRON looks behind their ...

Sound Of Silence: The Rise Of The Compact Disc

Report by Jack Barron, Sounds, 13 December 1986

You don't have to be a classical fanatic or yuppie stadium rock lover to appreciate compact disc – the quiet revolution has hit the indie ...

Swans: Blubber, Blood & Bucks

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 17 January 1987

No other group creates such extreme reactions as SWANS. For some, they are a bunch of American charlatans making the worst noise in the world; ...

Fats Comet, Mark Stewart, Tackhead: Fats Comet, Tackhead, Mark Stewart: Astoria, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 16 May 1987

AS MARK Stewart, seven foot of laconicism, sang quoting Burroughs, tonight was the time to "Play it all, play it all, play it all back. ...

The Beastie Boys: Burden of the Beasties

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, The Guardian, 23 May 1987

WHEN THE Beastie Boys step on stage in Brixton tonight at the start of their British tour everyone – the media, authorities, and fans alike ...

The Beastie Boys: Keep Taking The Tabloids

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, James Brown, Sounds, 23 May 1987

Must they keep flinging this filth at our pop kids? No, not the brilliant BEASTIE BOYS but the British national press attempting to stir up ...

Cookie Crew, Schoolly D, The Three Wise Men: Schoolly D: University Of Essex, Colchester

Live Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 30 May 1987

ANOTHER SATURDAY night. The Cookie Crew have already pushed sensuality into the cause of women MCs, Three Wise Men have re-freshed us with the politics ...

Bad Brains: Brain Drain

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 6 June 1987

Ten years down the road and thousands of gigs on, BAD BRAINS are still chasing the goal of a mass audience. JACK BARRON measures their ...

Wire: Victims of Time

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 6 June 1987

Or timeless as ever? Only time will tell, say WIRE, back with An Ideal Copy and not a hint of retrogression anywhere. Seconds clocked by ...

The Replacements: Replacing Lost Energy

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 27 June 1987

For a group whose songs are so openly confessional, THE REPLACEMENTS' public image remains a closed book. JACK BARRON attempts to penetrate the facade of the Minneapolis boogie ...

Mantronix: 'Tronik Boom!

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 11 July 1987

More than merely another hip hop outfit, Manhattan's MANTRONIX are breaking new ground with their brand of hardcore confusion. JACK BARRON meets CURTIS "MANTRONIK" KAHLEEL ...

Big Black, Head of David: Big Black: You Got It All, Dad! We're Gonna Hit! (Sound Of Impact) (Brace NOT 2 BUT I)*****; Head of David: Ultramont (Brace NOT 3)***

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 18 July 1987

THE 'OFFICIAL bootleg' is an interesting development in deception. Several have already sneaked out from beneath the Mute umbrella but this pair, including Head Of ...

Einstürzende Neubauten: Five On The Open Ended Richter Scale (Some Bizzare BART 332/CD)*****

Review by Jack Barron, Sounds, 18 July 1987

GOOD VIBRATIONS ...

Depeche Mode: The Dire Straits Of The Synth Generation?

Interview by Jack Barron, Sounds, 5 September 1987

THE SUN RISES just after five in the morning. As a freshly finished glitter-mix booms, "Everyone's looking for a reason to live/If you're looking for ...

Einstürzende Neubauten, Showaddywaddy: Kilburn National, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 19 September 1987

SAY WADD? ...

Cameo: Empire Pool Wembley, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 10 October 1987

TRAPPED BY THEIR UNDERPANTS ...

Public Image Ltd: John Lydon: I Cry Alone

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 10 October 1987

DAY-GLO PINK mini-dreads erupt from his scalp like antennae made of candyfloss. Iceberg blue eyes stare from cigarette ash skin. A smirk. A belch of ...

Guns N' Roses: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 17 October 1987

"THIS SONG is my favourite," screams part-man-mostly-dog guitarist Slash, Guns N'Roses' mascot pimple. "It's for all you thrashers out there and it's dedicated to BLOW-jobs ...

Loop: Paradise Postponed

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 12 December 1987

With A R Kane and Dinosaur Jr, Croydon noiseniks LOOP are busy reviving indie white rock fortunes. JACK BARRON asks how long before these bands ...

The Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (EMI America Import LP only)

Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 16 January 1988

EXPLODING PARTY PEPPERS ...

Spoonie Gee: The Wag Club, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 30 January 1988

UNDER PLAIN RAPPING ...

The Mighty Lemon Drops: World Without End (Chrysalis/Blue Guitar LP/cassette/CD)

Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 13 February 1988

WITHOUT BEING patronising I kind of feel sorry for this lot. Anybody who was fortunate enough to be involved in C86 — the 'movement' that ...

Gladys Knight: All Our Love (MCA)

Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 27 February 1988

SINCE WINNING the Ted Mack Amateur Hour TV show at the age of eight and picking up $2000 for her rendition of Nat 'King' Cole's ...

Rick Rubin: The Devil's Disciple

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 16 April 1988

Beelzebub or Midas? Def Jam supremo RICK RUBIN walks the fine line between brilliance and stupidity. JACK BARRON joins him on the tightrope and enters ...

James Blood Ulmer: Pied Bull, Islington, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 30 April 1988

DRUNK ON BLOOD ...

Boogie Down Productions, KRS-One: KRS-1, Boogie Down Productions: By All Means Necessary (Jive US Import)

Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 30 April 1988

LOVE AND BULLETS ...

Public Enemy: Too Black Too Strong

Interview by Jack Barron, James Brown, New Musical Express, 21 May 1988

PUBLIC ENEMY — simply the most creative rappers around? Or a dangerous game with the politics of race? JAMES BROWN and JACK BARRON lay it ...

Gary Glitter, The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu: The JAMS: Wizards of Scam

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 25 June 1988

While hundreds of hippies besieged Stonehenge, three mysterious cloaked figures slipped through the security net to pay their own strange homage to the Summer Solstice. ...

Bros: "Bros Not Dross" Shock: Bros: City Hall, Sheffield

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 2 July 1988

WHAT IS IT about Bros? ...

Nick Cave, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Nick Cave: The Needle And The Damage Done

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 13 August 1988

NICK CAVE – the voice of desperation; singer, writer, actor, junkie! JACK BARRON, branded by the Bad Seed a "filthy little prick", gets to grips ...

The Jungle Brothers: Burning Bright

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 13 August 1988

Fearing the worst JACK BARRON penetrated the steaming undergrowth of New York to reach THE JUNGLE BROTHERS and finds not red-eyed monsters but fresh-faced missionaries. ...

Ciccone Youth: Youth Programming (Bastards)

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 10 September 1988

THE LAST THING I remember before unconsciousness descended like a gun-butt to the head was Thurston Moore's evil grin and his instruction, "Relax, nothing bad ...

The Jungle Brothers: Zap Club, Brighton

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 17 September 1988

BUNGLE BROTHERS ...

EPMD, Stetsasonic: Stetsasonic, EPMD: International 2, Manchester

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 1 October 1988

SONIC BOOM BOYS ...

Derek B, EPMD, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, Stetsasonic: Run DMC, Public Enemy et al: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 15 October 1988

LONDON BRIDGE is falling down, Big Ben has struck one minute to midnight and had his hand's burned. And all is not well in this ...

The Wedding Present: Town And Country Club, London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 20 October 1988

DAVID GEDGE, six foot plus of gangly manhood in a vile paisley shirt, steps through the balloon infested stage and grabs the microphone with a ...

U2: 'In Ireland People Are Scared of Success...'

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 20 October 1988

THE FULFILLMENT of any U2 project will always set tongues a-wagging in Dublin. Aside from being one of the country's major industries, the quartet are ...

My Bloody Valentine: Dream Demons

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 10 December 1988

THE JOURNALIST, immobilized by a massive student demonstration in Central London, is late. A couple of miles up the road in a Kentish Town bar ...

The Cold Crush Brothers: Cold Crush Brothers: Troopers (B-Boy/Westside LP/Cassette/CD)

Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 17 December 1988

SQUASHED OFF in the opposite direction are the Brothers. While hip hop in general is surfing on a newfound musical sophistication, with crews like The ...

Ice-T and the Rhyme Syndicate: The Pink Toothbrush, Rayleigh

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 11 February 1989

GUNS AND BOZOS ...

The Beastie Boys, Slayer: Def Jam: Def On The Rocks?

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 11 March 1989

Formerly the most formidable crossover label in existence, DEF JAM has been out of the limelight since a split in the ranks saw Rick Rubin ...

The Stone Roses: Stone Roses: Stone Roses (Silvertone)

Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 29 April 1989

THIS IS Rain Parade at ease after the storm. This is Dream Syndicate going through a recurring nightmare. This is an aural Big Mac laced ...

A Guy Called Gerald: Journey To The Centre Of House (In Search Of A Guy Called Gerald): High On Hope, MFI, The Jayne Parade, Sin; London

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 20 May 1989

HOUSE SEARCH ...

Neneh Cherry: Ma Cherry Amour

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 3 June 1989

NENEH CHERRY is a different style of woman, a popstar determined to be real, not plastic, positive and above all herself. With her single 'Manchild' ...

Chaka Khan, D Mob: D Mob: Mixing With The Mob

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 24 June 1989

From DJ to A&R man, to the mixmaster behind D MOB's summer of '88 hit 'We Call It Acieed', DANNY D has moved on to ...

Boogie Down Productions, KRS-One: KRS-1: We Are 1

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 22 July 1989

Metaphysics... conspiracy theories...the harmony of the Universe...and YOU thought KRS-1 was just a hot rapper! JACK BARRON gets philosophical with the boss of Boogie Down. ...

Spacemen 3: Spacemen E

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 29 July 1989

THE TRAIN TO Rugby rattles down the track. On my lap lies an inch-thick collection of press on Spacemen 3. One quote in particular leaps ...

Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, W.A.S.P.: The Decline of Western Civilization Part Two: The Metal Years (Dir: Penelope Spheeris)

Film/DVD/TV Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 5 August 1989

NEON NIGHT, LA. Clad in leather and flashing skull'n'dagger tattoos, Chris Holmes of WASP — the Peter Sutcliffe of heavy metal — is lounging on ...

Boy's Own Party: East Grinstead

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 2 September 1989

BY THE time we got to Grinstead we were... oops! Wrong summer of love...No wallowing in mud here, no bad acid, no teds and no ...

Andrew Weatherall: Terry Farley, Danny Rampling, Dave Dorrell, Andy Weatherall: Boy's Own Party, East Grinstead

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 2 September 1989

BY THE time we got to Grinstead we were...oops! Wrong summer of love...No wallowing in mud here, no bad acid, no teds and no people ...

Happy Mondays: Thieves Like Us (and so do the police)

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 16 September 1989

Just back from their first trip (sic) into the Satan-worshippin' heart of Amerika, HAPPY MONDAYS tell JACK BARRON how they proved more than a match ...

Inner City: Paradise Postponed

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 23 September 1989

I CAME TO see 'Paradise'. I heard it, looked at it, sniffed it, and thought that I was in Kentish Town. In short, I was ...

Ecstasy: Easy Does It

Report by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 30 September 1989

This week NME devotes its Dance/Club page to a cool and unsensational look at the drug Ecstasy. Report by JACK BARRON ...

Breaks For The Border

Report by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 25 November 1989

In search of Die Neue Deutsche Tanz (New German Dance) JACK BARRON travelled to Berlin to meet the artists behind the Teutonic Beats label — ...

Trevor Miller: Tripping Yarns

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 2 December 1989

I FIRST meet novelist Trevor Miller at 5am outside a London rave called Method Air after a night of dancing so manic and intense it ...

The Beloved: They Wanna Be Loved

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 27 January 1990

THE BELOVED may have started life as dodgy New Order copyists with that ubiquitous Peel session under their studded leather belts, but now they're Dance ...

They're Raving Mad!

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 10 February 1990

Rave promoters gathered with Dance fans in London's Trafalgar Square last week to protest against proposed legislation to outlaw all-night parties. JACK BARRON joined the ...

Happy Mondays: Homage to Catatonia

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 31 March 1990

It's just another manic HAPPY MONDAYS, as the Manc scuzz bags-made-good wreak havoc in a nab-it-all frenzy through Europe on their way back to a ...

The Farm: Ibiza '90!

Live Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 14 July 1990

IBIZA THE ACTION ...

Anthrax: Persistence Of Time (Island LP/Cassette/CD)

Review by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 1 September 1990

TICK TOCK, tick tock begins this album. Predictable or what? Then the bowels of the earth open up and you are farted via geetars and ...

KISS 100 FM: The Embrace Is On

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 1 September 1990

WHEN KISS 100 FM starts broadcasting legally on September 1, sending the freshest of dancebeats into the ether around London, it will be the final ...

Pop Will Eat Itself: Canoe Dig It?

Report by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 6 October 1990

All Hands on Dick as Dave 'Chippolata' Harper of RCA goes canoeing with Pop Will Eat Itself done up in rubber in downtown Staines, home ...

Julee Cruise: Cruise's Peak

Interview by Jack Barron, New Musical Express, 1 December 1990

"Sometimes a wind blows/And the mysteries of love come clear" – 'Mysteries Of Love', Julee Cruise ...

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 ...

Andrew Weatherall: Rimini: Let's Take a Trip!

Report by Jack Barron, i-D, September 1991

Damned by the Pope as the "most debauched area in Italy", Rimini is fast becoming a Euro-clubber's hedonist mecca. And when hundreds of Brits touched ...

David Byrne, Morcheeba: Morcheeba: Calm before the storm

Interview by Jack Barron, Vox, April 1998

They were quietly successful with their dark, hip-hop textures and Skye-scraping vocals. Now, with their genre-defying second LP, Big Calm, MORCHEEBA are quietly heading for ...

Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, The Stone Roses: The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays: What The World Is Still Waiting For?

Retrospective and Interview by Jack Barron, Melody Maker, 13 March 1999

It was the scene that produced some of the best bands the world had ever seen. Now, with the Happy Mondays reforming end The Stone ...

Happy Mondays: 192-Hour Party People

Report and Interview by Jack Barron, Melody Maker, 15 May 1999

The Kings of hedonism HAPPY MONDAYS have just completed their triumphant eight-date comeback tour. We joined them on the road to hear about their slightly ...

Gong: The Gong Remains The Same

Retrospective and Interview by Jack Barron, Record Collector, October 2010

Jack Barron celebrates the 40-year celestial trip of "Europe's Grateful Dead". ...

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