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Jim Green

Jim Green

Jim Green has written for Gig, International Musician & Recording World, Hit Parader, Circus, Musician, Guitar World, Crawdaddy!, Creem, Sounds and Record Mirror, among others, and most recently The Big Takeover, but nowhere more prolifically than for Trouser Press, a magazine of which he was a co-owner, columnist and editorial staffer. He now lives in Los Angeles.

59 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Gentle Giant: Acquiring the Giant Taste

Retrospective by Jim Green, Trouser Press, April 1976

Following in the footsteps of GENTLE GIANT ...

Gong, Steve Hillage: Steve Hillage: Hillage Rising

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, October 1976

A former Gongster spills the karmic beans ...

AC/DC, Little River Band, Sherbet: Little River Band, Sherbet, AC/DC: Up Starts

Profile and Interview by Toby Goldstein, Jim Green, Circus, 14 February 1977

Three Australian Bands Hit The U.S. ...

Thin Lizzy: Bad Reputation (Mercury SRM-1-1186)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, November 1977

WELL, IT'S happened. I thought Thin Lizzy would be established in the front lines of hard-rock's elite, and hoped this would be the album to ...

Cheap Trick: Stone Pony, New Jersey

Live Review by Jim Green, Sounds, 10 December 1977

Cheap Trick hit hick city ...

Eddie & The Hot Rods: Cruising with Eddie & the Hot Rods

Report by Jim Green, Trouser Press, January 1978

THE NEW Eddie and the Hot Rods album cover is black and white. It's got this geezer, lead singer Barrie Masters if you must know, ...

Dave Davies, The Kinks: Dave Davies: He Ain't Heavy, He's Ray's Brother

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, June 1978

HORNSEY IS a sleepy working class neighborhood in the northeast of London, far removed from the teeming heart of the city. Not as far away ...

Elvis Costello: Close Encounters of the Irish Kind – Belvis in Elfast

Report by Jim Green, Trouser Press, June 1978

THESE DAYS it's a big deal for me to take a train down to CBGB and a major odyssey to get into a record company ...

Wire: Sounded for Wire

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, July 1978

YOU CAN: tie up your plastic garbage bag with a wire, send a message on a wire, connect broken bones with a wire, strangle your ...

XTC: The Agony and the XTC

Report and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, August 1978

TELL A LONDONER you're going to Swindon on the weekend and you get the same reaction as if you told a New Yorker you were ...

Squeeze: Putting On The (UK) Squeeze

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, October 1978

"HEY, YOU guys are great! Now which one of you is Bill Bruford?" That's the kind of reception UK Squeeze got on their American tour. ...

Big Star: Third (PVC 7903)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, January 1979

AT LAST, THE third chapter of the Big Star story comes to light. In fact, it comes in two editions, US and UK, but for ...

Wire: Chairs Missing (Harvest SHSP 4093)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, January 1979

WIRE ARE disconcerting, laconic yet eloquent in fragmented visions, jarring even at their most accessible. They disdain cliché, pushing out the limits of rock; the ...

The Police: Police Lean To America...

Report and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, February 1979

IT'S SMOKY and crowded in that dusty old shoebox they call CBGB, and there's a band called the Police onstage – so what else is ...

Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers: Max's Kansas City, New York NY

Live Review by Jim Green, Record Mirror, 3 March 1979

DURING WHAT was billed as the Heartbreakers' "237th Farewell Performance" (truth in advertising?), Johnny Thunders announced that Tony Machine, who'd drummed for the Thunder-less '76 ...

The Only Ones: Only the Lonely

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, May 1979

ONCE UPON a time, there were four individuals who felt out of synch with the Great Rock'n'Roll Circus. Amid varying degrees of alienation from it, ...

Horslips: Sham-Rock 1979

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, July 1979

HORSLIPS AND the new wave? An unlikely topic on the face of it, but Horslips, recently touring here in support of their latest album, The ...

The Ramones Finish High School

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, July 1979

"D-U-M-B, everyone's accusing me..." The Ramones don't wanna be pinheads no more. ...

Motörhead: Bomber (Bronze BRON523)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, March 1980

LISSEN, HOW the b'jeezus can these guys be considered hip by anyone besides a Hell's Angel (and an English one at that)? I mean, look ...

The Records: Changing Records

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, March 1980

"Nothing's been inflated and nothing's been enlarged/What you're looking at, baby, is the original model..."— Will Birch, 1977 ...

Pink Floyd: Floydian Analysis

Discography by Jim Green, Trouser Press, May 1980

PINK FLOYD is pretty weird. And not just the band, but the way they've been viewed by the rock world. ...

The Motors Roar Back

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, July 1980

THE INNER sleeve of the current Motors album, Tenement Steps, boldly states "The Motors are Andy McMaster [and] Nick Garvey." A demarcating "with" adds a ...

Gang of Four's Great Leap Forward

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, August 1980

"THE IRONY of our name," says guitarist Andy Gill of Gang of Four, "is the idea that four essentially middle-class English musicians would dare to ...

Secret Affair: A Thoroughly Modern Affair

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, August 1980

IAN PAGE, 19, is the smooth-talking, trumpet-tooting singer/co-writer/producer of Secret Affair, the first and foremost band to emerge from London's neo-mod explosion. He is also ...

The Residents, Snakefinger: Ralph Records: Surrealism a Go Go

Retrospective and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, September 1980

Waiting for art talent scouts? There are no art talent scouts. Face it, no one will seek you out. No one gives a shit. — ...

Dennis Bovell, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Matumbi, Sugar Minott, Steel Pulse, Toots & The Maytals: Reggae from Home and Abroad

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, September 1980

Linton Kwesi Johnson: Bass Culture (Mango); Blackbeard: I Wah Dub (UK, More Cut); Matumbi: Point of View (EMI America); Sugar Minott: Black Roots (Mango); Toots ...

Gary Numan Remains in Contact

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, January 1981

CONTRADICTIONS, contradictions. (Sigh.) Gary Numan is not a simple proposition. Most people think he's simply wonderful – the electrono-pop tunesmith who's ever so cute – ...

Ultravox

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, January 1981

HEY BUNKY, are ya feelin' low because the whirlwind East Coast tour you were promised turned out to be two weeks at Vinnie's Peppermint Lounge ...

Motörhead, Rainbow, Saxon, The Scorpions: Monsters Of Rock (Polydor PD-1-6311); Motorhead: Ace of Spades (Mercury SRM-1-4011)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, February 1981

HEAVY METAL at its stalest has few rivals in the all-time tedium stakes. Monsters of Rock, recorded live at Castle Donington in Britain, is not ...

Secret Affair: Behind Closed Doors (I Spy 2)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, February 1981

SECRET AFFAIR has a knack for getting up people's noses. Those you'd expect to be sympathetic to the band's aims react to their name with ...

Simple Minds, Visage: Visage: Visage (Polydor PD-1-6304); Simple Minds: Empires and Dance (Zoom SPART1140)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, February 1981

BOTH THESE records explore the musical turf of brave new pop swathed in synthesizers and studio effects. Neither is quite a paradigm of such experimentation; ...

Spandau Ballet, Visage: Blitz Night: Hurrah, New York NY

Live Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, May 1981

ARE THE futurists a spin-off of the Star Trek fanatics? Nope, they're just the newest British cultists of individuality, using make-up and dress that amalgamates ...

Steve Winwood: The Steve Winwood Autodiscography

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, May 1981

Steve Winwood's work defies pigeonholing; his distinctive "blue-eyed soul" vocals grace an impressive blend of rock, soul, jazz and folk. He's responsible for a wealth ...

Colin Newman, Wire: Colin Newman

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, June 1981

"YOU CAN'T forcibly solve contradictions; you've got to allow them to work themselves out," says Colin Newman. What's a Colin Newman? Good question; he himself ...

The Small Faces: The Steve Marriott Autodiscography

Retrospective and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, July 1981

As told to Jim Green ...

The Plimsouls

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, August 1981

AH YES. The ringing guitars, simple rocking beat — definitely American but with a twist of Limey-philia. The Plimsouls are from Los Angeles, and you ...

Humble Pie, Steve Marriott, The Small Faces: The Steve Marriott Autodiscography Part Two

Retrospective and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, August 1981

As told to Jim Green ...

The Boys, The Members: The Members, the Boys: Privates, New York NY

Live Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, October 1981

MANAGERIAL problems, identity crises, record companies' loss of faith — not a pretty picture, but that's what both the Members and the Boys have faced ...

Marc Bolan, John's Children, The Yardbirds: The Music Game as Played by Simon Napier-Bell — Label Owner, Songwriter, Producer, Manager

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, October 1981

"THE OTHER day I was discussing doing a new kind of record deal for the States. The record companies are going to hate it, but ...

Bill Nelson: Triumph of the Bill

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, November 1981

The admirable Nelson returns ...

The Cure

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, 1 November 1981

THE CURE is this kind of rock band that encourages a blurring of distinctions between journalism and criticism. They simply must be considered subjectively; dealing ...

Lene Lovich

Report and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, January 1982

"MANY PEOPLE have said to me, 'You must have changed your style, because you now have a popular record with 'New Toy'," says Lene Lovich. ...

The Police: Ghost in the Machine (A&M SP-3730)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, January 1982

THE POLICE are stars. What with the worldwide mega-success of 'De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da' and Zenyatta Mondatta, maybe they figured they ...

U2: October (Island ILPS9680)

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, February 1982

IT'S EASY to criticize October; just call it "Son of Boy" and trash the band. What this line of thought fails to consider is that ...

Blue Oyster Cult: Why You Should Care About Blue Oyster Cult

Comment by Jim Green, Trouser Press, February 1982

Action conforms to preexistent imagery.– Sandy Pearlman, The History of Los Angeles, 1965-1969 ...

Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Soft Cell: Depeche Mode: Speak & Spell; Soft Cell: Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret; Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Architecture & Morality

Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, March 1982

PUNK BANDS made up in sheer energetic vitality and charm what they lacked in technique. The young electronic bands now taking the British charts by ...

Laurie Anderson: William Burroughs, John Giorno, Laurie Anderson: The Ritz, New York NY

Live Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, March 1982

AH YES, culture. Not rock — two-thirds of this bill wasn't even music. But my doubts that a novelist, a poet and a multimedia performance ...

U2: Pluck Of The Irish

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, 1 March 1982

PEOPLE HAVEN'T asked U2 if they're the future of rock. They've told them. ...

The Go-Go's, The Police: The Police, Go-Go's: Spectrum, Philadelphia PA

Live Review by Jim Green, Trouser Press, April 1982

IT WASN'T the same seeing the Police at the Spectrum, Philadelphia's pro sports arena, as it was back at CBGB or even the midsize Palladium. ...

The Police Have More Fun

Report and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, May 1982

HELLO, SPORTS fans! We're in the 76ers' dressing room at the Spectrum in Philadelphia – but that tall, gangly fella slumped on the end of ...

Fun Boy Three

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, June 1982

"EQUALITY AND democracy were what we preached. That's how it was when we started, but it didn't last. When we started making $2,000 a night ...

Joan Jett: Selling Records Is The Best Revenge

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, June 1982

"I LOVE ROCK'N'ROLL" has to be one of the corniest, old hat, lowest-common denominator clichés of all, right? The phrase conjures images of barechested, bluejeaned ...

Blondie: Pumping Vinyl

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, September 1982

BLONDIE IS the new wave success story, from Bowery boys-and girl-to glamorous chart-toppers. Yet the band has never felt it had to toe any musical ...

Captain Beefheart: In Search Of Captain Beefheart

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, February 1983

The elusive Don van Vliet tracked to his lair ...

Dexys Midnight Runners: This Man Believes

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, May 1983

The back of Dexys Midnight Runners' 'Liars A to E' single sleeve bears a message to the world. In general terms it explains the Dexys ...

Culture Club Comes Clean

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, June 1983

The End of the World is Nigh ...

Musical Youth: Out Of The Mouth Of Babes

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, June 1983

IT'S A BITTERLY cold and gusty February day that finds me scampering through the remnants of New York's blizzard of '83 on my way to ...

Buzzcocks, Pete Shelley: Peter Shelley

Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, August 1983

Back when the much-saluted bywords of British punk were "rebellion," "relevance" and "gritty realism," Manchester's Buzzcocks brought something fresh, pithy and even humorous to their ...

Madness

Profile and Interview by Jim Green, Trouser Press, December 1983

THE TRANSATLANTIC telephone line is dominated by the muffled distortion and hiss common to calls made across a thousand leagues of water; the voice at ...

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