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James Johnson

James Johnson

James Johnson (top left with David Bowie in 1976) wrote for the NME between 1970 and 1974. He then worked as the Evening Standard's music writer for six years and later contributed to other newspapers including the Daily Mirror and Daily Express. He now enjoys peace and quiet in the English countryside where he is converting and living in an 18th century former ginger beer factory.

63 articles

List of articles in the library

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Arthur Brown: Marquee Club, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 4 April 1970

ARTHUR BROWN MAD AS EVER! ...

Charles Aznavour: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 3 October 1970

BROODING AZNAVOUR ...

Grand Funk Railroad: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 23 January 1971

AMERICA'S Grand Funk Railroad were virtually unknown in Britain until a few weeks ago and let's hope they revert to this former state. It was ...

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder: Stevie Wonder, Martha & the Vandellas: Finsbury Park Astoria, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 30 January 1971

THE MAGIC Motown formula, an amalgam of glamour, professionalism and good, driving music brought excitement to dark and dreary Finsbury Park last week when the ...

Free: Fairfield Hall, Croydon

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 13 February 1971

A HUNDRED or so enegetic dancers had surrounded the stage by the end of Free's concert at Croydon's Fairfield Hall on Saturday but I don't ...

Stevie Wonder: Stevie: British Audiences Prevented Me From Giving Up Singing

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 13 February 1971

"IN THE PAST I've occasionally thought about giving up singing," said Stevie Wonder. "But what happened at Hammersmith last week was something I'll never forget. ...

Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Elvis Presley: Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup: No Payment For My Elvis Songs Says Crudup

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 20 February 1971

SIXTY-FIVE year old blues-man Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, whose songs 'That's Alright Mama' and 'My Baby Left Me' were hits for Elvis Presley back in ...

Ray Stevens: 'Bridget The Midget' Man Says Religious Lyrics Will Be Next Big Thing

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 20 March 1971

People are getting sick to death of the 'put-the-world-to-rights songs' ...

Osibisa: Meet the Band: Osibisa

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 27 March 1971

AS AUDIENCES get cooler — almost listening to music has now become a kind of intellectual exercise — it is good to see a group ...

The Groundhogs: After Stones, Back To The Grind

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 27 March 1971

AFTER THE excitement and ballyhoo of the Rolling Stones tour the Groundhogs, the supporting group, now have to go back to playing the draughty halls ...

Family, Sam Apple Pie: Roundhouse, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 8 May 1971

ON A GOOD night at the Roundhouse there is always a nice, free and easy atmosphere in the air. It was like that on Saturday ...

John Kongos: Point Blank Refusal To Cash-In On Hit

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 19 June 1971

YOU'RE NOT going to find John Kongos suddenly rushing around the country on a quickly arranged, nationwide tour just because his single 'He's Gonna Step ...

Wishbone Ash: Colston Hall, Bristol

Live Review by James Johnson, Sounds, 19 June 1971

THERE IS NO doubt about it, over the last six months Wishbone Ash have developed into one of the finest loud, fast, rock bands currently ...

The Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter (Dir: Albert and David Maysles, Cinema V)

Film/DVD/TV Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 31 July 1971

STONES' FILM TERROR ...

Medicine Head, Status Quo: Lyceum, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 7 August 1971

THE RIGHT MEDICINE ...

David Bowie: The Space Oddity Comes Down To Earth

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 14 August 1971

AT ONE TIME singer/songwriter David Bowie used to write songs because, "I truly believed we songwriters were going to change the face of the world." ...

East of Eden, Phillip Goodhand-Tait: East Of Eden, Philip Goodhand Tait: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 11 September 1971

IT WAS a shame to find London's Queen Elizabeth Hall not completely full for East of Eden's concert on Monday. The band really do deserve ...

America: If We'd Spent Years Playing Clubs, Our Music Could Hardly Be Fresh

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 22 January 1972

AMERICA talk to James Johnson ...

T. Rex: Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincs.

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 22 January 1972

REXMANIA At the Boston Gliderdrome on Saturday, T. Rex turned the musical dock back to the early sixties. In scenes of hysteria and confusion unparalleled since ...

America: "Stale" America Need A New Act — And They May Extend Their Line-Up

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 5 February 1972

IMPERIAL COLLEGE, London, was America's last gig before their current tour of the States. Backstage it was more than a little chaotic, with the dressing ...

Can Can... And They Will

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 5 February 1972

OF ALL the heavy German bands Can are perhaps the most interesting and could prove the most influential. Next month they tour Britain and, judging ...

Hawkwind: The Truth About Hawkwind

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 5 February 1972

LIKE THEM or not, you must admit that Hawkwind are honest. Guitarist Dave Brock is not loath to admit that most of the band's musicians ...

The Archies, Carole King, The Monkees: Don Kirshner: I Discovered Carole King

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 12 February 1972

THEY MOST often call Don Kirshner the King of Bubble-gum. But he's not worrying. Sitting high in his suite at the Dorchester he has the ...

MC5: The MC5 on Shock Rock

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 19 February 1972

OF ALL THE groups who have dabbled in politics over the last few years, the MC5 seem to have gained the reputation as one of ...

Chicory Tip: Progressive and Pop Narrow the Gap — Chicory Tip

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 4 March 1972

Chart's No.1 pop band ...

America, Judee Sill: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 25 March 1972

America — simply so successful ...

Brinsley Schwarz: Silver Pistol (United Artists)

Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 1 April 1972

THIS CAPTURES much of the easy-going feel that makes this band such an entertaining outfit on stage. Recorded at their home in Northwood, London, the ...

Judee Sill

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 8 April 1972

ACCORDING to Judee Sill: "Out of the mud grows a lotus". In other words something beautiful comes from something unpleasant. The phrase applies well to ...

T. Rex, Tyrannosaurus Rex: Took Talks! about T.REX

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 15 April 1972

SINCE HE LEFT T. Rex, Steve Took says he's spoken to Marc Bolan just twice. The last time was about three months ago at Boston ...

America: Following a Remarkable Year, America Take Stock

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 6 May 1972

THE LAST THREE weeks have been something of a resting point for America. After returning from the States each of them split for a holiday, ...

David Bowie: The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (RCA)

Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 10 June 1972

Bowie at his best ...

David Bowie & the Spiders From Mars: City Hall, Sheffield

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 17 June 1972

THE LAST time I saw David Bowie was six months ago when he was playing a purely acoustic set. And although I'd heard his new ...

The Flamin' Groovies, Man: Man, The Flamin' Grooves: Lyceum, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 1 July 1972

IT'S EASY TO sympathise with the aims of the Flamin' Groovies. All they want to do is play rock and roll and get people dancing. ...

Joe Cocker: Cocker: When The Strain Begins To Show

Report by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 8 July 1972

JAMES JOHNSON reports on the EUROPEAN TOUR ...

Todd Rundgren: Todd the Whizz Kid

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 29 July 1972

EVEN THOUGH his name may not mean much to the general public, Todd Rundgren is undoubtedly a success. ...

Roberta Flack: Young Gifted and Black

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 5 August 1972

James Johnson talks to the reluctant Queen of Soul ...

Procol Harum with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Rainbow Theatre, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 7 October 1972

IF THERE'S ONE band with the class and elegance to successfully combine on equal terms with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra then it has to be ...

10cc, Hotlegs: 10cc: a Hot Property from Old Hotlegs

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 21 October 1972

BY NOW YOU probably know that 10 c.c. are more or less a reincarnation of Hotlegs, who scored a hit around two years ago with ...

Tim Hardin (1972)

Interview by James Johnson, Rock's Backpages audio, Spring 1972

The vibrato in his body, the band in his head and the drugs in his veins: the legendary singer-songwriter in revealing, if somewhat dazed conversation.

File format: mp3; file size: 29mb, interview length: 31' 37" sound quality: ****

Tim Hardin (1972) [transcript]

Audio transcript of interview by James Johnson, Rock's Backpages transcripts, Spring 1972

This is a transcript of James's audio interview with Tim. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...

Deep Purple: Sometimes I Feel There's a Conspiracy Against Us...

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 27 January 1973

IAN PAICE talking to JAMES JOHNSON ...

The Faces: Natty Mac, Incidentally

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 17 February 1973

IAN McLAGAN talks to JAMES JOHNSON ...

Emerson Lake & Palmer: Lake the Strongman

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 31 March 1973

EVERY SO OFTEN, Greg Lake refers to the music of Emerson, Lake and Palmer as art. He chooses the word quite deliberately. Everything he speaks ...

The Faces: Private Lives, Public Faces

Report and Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 7 April 1973

JAMES JOHNSON DROPS IN ON A FACES PARTY, AND FINDS THE BAND ITCHING TO GO ...

Led Zeppelin: Jimmy Page, the Mild Barbarian

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 21 April 1973

JIMMY PAGE'S slightly timid, mild-mannered exterior is of course, deceptive. There's no need to explain how Led Zeppelin come across on stage, while in between ...

Dory Previn: Madness, Fear and the Demons Inside

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 5 May 1973

AT THE END of the Dory Previn concert at Carnegie Hall, a couple of New Yorkers are standing near the exit, one whispering to the ...

Dada, Vinegar Joe, Geno Washington: Pete Gage, The Man Who Drives Vinegar Joe

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 12 May 1973

WHEN VINEGAR JOE are on stage Pete Gage is probably the last person you notice. He stands towards the back, almost out of sight, adding ...

Gladys Knight & The Pips: A Day With Miss Knight

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 2 June 1973

IF GLADYS Knight took time off to reminisce there's no doubt she could come up with a few interesting tales about the record business. Simply ...

Loudon Wainwright III: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 2 June 1973

PERHAPS THE most refreshing thing about Loudon Wainwright's concert at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall last Monday was that there was a songwriter who was more ...

Cat Stevens And A Revolution In Athens

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 23 June 1973

THE shining white block of the King George Hotel stands imposingly on Constitution Square, Athens. It's dauntingly grand in the true sense of the word: ...

Gladys Knight and the Pips: Gladys Knight & the Pips: Neither One Of Us (Tamla Motown)

Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 23 June 1973

SINCE GLADYS Knight and the Pips have now joined the Buddah label this will be their last album released on Motown, unless the company chooses ...

The Faces, Nazareth: Strangely missing that barrow boy stagger: in Frankfurt with the Faces

Report and Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 4 August 1973

IT'S EARLY Sunday evening and three large Mercedes limousines are skimming through the outskirts of Frankfurt in rather regal convoy. In one, Keith Moon reclines ...

Carly Simon, James Taylor: Carly and James: The Taylors in Paris

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 18 August 1973

WITH CARLY MAKING OLE LONESOME JAMES SMILE (WELL ALMOST) — IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF TRUE LOVE GUARANTEED TO THREATEN THE DEFENCES OF THE MOST HARDENED ...

Sweet: Queens of the Hop

Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 29 September 1973

THE SWEET'S BALLROOM BLITZKRIEG GOES ON. BUT BEHIND THE ONSTAGE MINCING AND MAKE-UP, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE IN THE AIR. IN FACT, THE ROCK PARIAHS NOW ...

Thin Lizzy: Civic Hall, Gravesend

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 27 October 1973

THE GRAVESEND Civic Hall is a remarkable institution featuring a different event nightly — everything from wrestling to old time music hall. Sunday night is ...

Carly Simon: Hotcakes (Elektra)

Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 26 January 1974

SINCE SHE recorded her No Secrets Carly Simon has been through a huge change in status, becoming widely recognised and appreciated through 'You're So Vain' as well ...

Brian Eno, The Winkies: Eno, the Winkies: Greyhound, Croydon, London

Live Review by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 2 March 1974

IN THE CAR travelling back to London, Eno was making some excuses. The acoustics of the hall were terrible, he said, and the heat put ...

Emerson Lake And Palmer: Welcome Back, My Friends, To The Show That...

Report and Interview by James Johnson, New Musical Express, 27 April 1974

… requires 40 tons of equipment, 18 humper/loaders, seven personal roadies, six sound crew, five trucker/drivers, four spot manipulators, three heavy musicians two outside coordinators and (we guess) a man to make the ...

Tom Robinson Band: Tom Robinson: Rock Voice Of '78?

Profile and Interview by James Johnson, Evening News, London, December 1977

MUSIC WITH a hard-core political bias could soon become a regular feature of the Top ten if a singer called Tom Robinson continues his sudden ...

Keith Moon, The Who: The Who's Keith Moon (1978)

Interview by James Johnson, Rock's Backpages audio, August 1978

With RBP mainstay Keith Altham cackling in the background, the daft Who sticksman talks about the rise of punk; the Who's investment in Shepperton Studios; the recording of Who Are You; his thoughts on marriage, and his Wild Man of Rock image.

File format: mp3; file size: 41.9mb, interview length: 45' 48" sound quality: ***

Kate Bush: Bringing It Back Home

Interview by James Johnson, The Evening Standard, 26 September 1978

THE feverish quality of the pop world barely intrudes into the calm atmosphere of the large comfortable family house on the edge of the Kent ...

Kate Bush: The Things Kate Doesn't Tell Mother

Interview by James Johnson, The Evening Standard, 5 September 1980

KATE BUSH would be less than human if she did not sometimes marvel at the attention she has received over the last three years. ...

Crosby and Nash, Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, The Hollies, Graham Nash: Graham Nash (1981)

Interview by James Johnson, Rock's Backpages audio, September 1981

The sweet-voiced Mancunian on his relationship with the Hollies and their reunion; meeting Stills and Crosby and the start of that whole thing; his relationship with Joni Mitchell, and his new healthy lifestyle!

File format: mp3; file size: 17.8mb, interview length: 19' 25" sound quality: ****

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