Articles, interviews and reviews from John Morthland: Rock's Backpages.

John Morthland began in music journalism as a record reviewer for Rolling Stone in San Francisco in the summer of 1969, and became an associate editor there later that year through late 1970. In 1974-5, he was editor of Creem in Detroit. For most of the 1970s and '80s he was a freelance writer who contributed to the full range of music magazines as well as to various other daily, weekly and monthly publications. His critical history The Best of Country Music was published by Doubleday/Dolphin in 1984. In the 1990s, his writing expanded to such other areas as food, travel, baseball and pop and regional culture. Since 1984 he has lived in Austin, Texas, where he is a writer at large for Texas Monthly and contributes freelance to a variety of other print and online publications. He is the editor of Mainlines, Blood Feasts and Bad Taste: A Lester Bangs Reader, published by Random House/Anchor in 2004.

Archie Bell and the Drells Still Dance All Night
Profile and Interview by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, April 1976

Elvin Bishop : The Elvin Bishop Band: Hometown Boy Makes Good! (Capricorn)
Review by John Morthland, Creem, March 1977

Blind Faith: Blind Faith (Atco)
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, September 1969

Brinsley Schwarz: Despite It All
Review by John Morthland, Creem, October 1971

Roy Buchanan : Johnny Winter: Saints and Sinners/Roy Buchanan: That's What I Am Here For
Review by John Morthland, Phonograph Record, April 1974

Captain Beefheart
Interview by John Morthland, Music & Sound Output, May 1981

Captain Beefheart: The Number One Weirdo Comes Back To Earth
Interview by John Morthland, Gig, February 1978

Jimmy Cliff: Follow My Mind (Island)/Toots And The Maytals: Funky Kingston (Island)
Review by John Morthland, Creem, January 1976

George Clinton: Putting On The Atomic Dog
Interview by John Morthland, Creem, July 1983

Ry Cooder: Chicken Skin Music
Review by John Morthland, Creem, November 1976

Country Joe & The Fish: Here We Are Again
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, August 1969

Steve Cropper: With A Little Help From My Friends/Steve Cropper, Pop Staples, Albert King: Jammed Together (Stax)
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, August 1969

Dr. Feelgood: Malpractice
Review by John Morthland, Creem, July 1976

Electric Flag : Intimations of the Electric Flag
Interview by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, April 1970

Faces, The : Rod Stewart: In Conversation
Interview by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, December 1970

Fleetwood Mac: Then Play On (Reprise)
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, December 1969

J. Geils Band: Howlin' At The Moon
Live Review by John Morthland, Creem, February 1975

Grand Funk Railroad: Caught In The Act (Capitol)
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, November 1975

Hawkwind: Hawkwind (United Artists)
Review by John Morthland, Creem, November 1971

Jimi Hendrix: A Funeral In His Home Town
Report by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, October 1970

Millie Jackson: Still Caught Up
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, September 1975

Etta James
Interview by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, August 1978

Waylon Jennings: Waylon Live
Review by John Morthland, Creem, April 1977

Speedy Keen: Y'Know Wot I Mean?
Review by John Morthland, Creem, May 1976

King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, December 1969

Jerry Lee Lewis: The Killer Staggers On
Report by John Morthland, Creem, March 1974

Little Feat: The Valley Of The Punks
Profile and Interview by John Morthland, Creem, September 1975

Delbert McClinton: Second Wind (Capricorn)
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, May 1978

Steve Miller : The Steve Miller Band: Brave New World (Capitol)
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, July 1969

Van Morrison: A Period Of Transition and The Story Of Them
Review by John Morthland, Creem, August 1977

Johnny Otis : Doin' That Hand Jive With His Feet
Interview by John Morthland, Creem, November 1971

Jimmy Page : The Yardbirds: Live Yardbirds Featuring Jimmy Page
Review by John Morthland, Phonograph Record, November 1971

Carl Perkins' Family Affair
Interview by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, February 1979

Alan Price: O Lucky Man! and This Price Is Right
Review by John Morthland, Phonograph Record, October 1973

Bonnie Raitt: Home Plate
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, December 1975

R.E.M.: Murmur
Review by John Morthland, Creem, July 1983

Charlie Rich: Silver Linings
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, May 1976

Boz Scaggs: Moments
Review by John Morthland, Creem, June 1971

Bob Seger Conquers The World (And About Time!)
Interview by John Morthland, Creem, July 1977

Slade: Slade in Flame
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, September 1975

Sly & The Family Stone : Sly Stone & the Family Stone: There's A Riot Goin' On (Epic)
Review by John Morthland, Creem, February 1972

Gary Stewart: Steppin 'Out
Review by John Morthland, Creem, May 1976

Gary Stewart: You're Not the Woman You Used to Be
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, September 1975

Rod Stewart : Rod Brings It All Back Home: A Night On The Town
Review by John Morthland, Creem, September 1976

Rod Stewart: Atlantic Crossing
Review by John Morthland, Creem, December 1975

Rod Stewart: In Conversation
Interview by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, December 1970

Stephen Stills : Stills-Young Band: Long May You Run
Review by John Morthland, Creem, February 1977

Swamp Dogg : Rat On! – Swamp Dogg
Review by John Morthland, Creem, June 1971

Billy Swan: Rock 'n' Roll Moon
Review by John Morthland, Creem, January 1976

Them : Van Morrison: A Period Of Transition and The Story Of Them
Review by John Morthland, Creem, August 1977

Big Mama Thornton: Stronger Than Dirt (Mercury)
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, November 1969

Toots & The Maytals : Jimmy Cliff: Follow My Mind (Island)/Toots And The Maytals: Funky Kingston (Island)
Review by John Morthland, Creem, January 1976

Allen Toussaint: Feel Like Staying Home
Profile and Interview by John Morthland, Creem, September 1975

UB40: 1980-83
Review by John Morthland, Creem, December 1983

Hank Williams Jr.: Hank William Jr. and Friends
Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, April 1976

Lucinda Williams: Happy Woman Blues
Sleevenotes by John Morthland, , 1990

Lucinda Williams: Ramblin'
Sleevenotes by John Morthland, , 1991

Johnny Winter: Johnny Winter And Live
Review by John Morthland, Creem, June 1971

Johnny Winter: Saints and Sinners/Roy Buchanan: That's What I Am Here For
Review by John Morthland, Phonograph Record, April 1974

Peter Wolf: Lights Out
Review by John Morthland, Creem, November 1984

Yardbirds, The : The Yardbirds: Live Yardbirds Featuring Jimmy Page
Review by John Morthland, Phonograph Record, November 1971

Neil Young : A Statement of a Single Man
Live Review by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, April 1970

Neil Young : Stills-Young Band: Long May You Run
Review by John Morthland, Creem, February 1977

List of genre pieces

Nashville: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (MCA)
Review by John Morthland, Creem, 1975

Back to LIBRARY