Rock's Backpages - Jon Savage



Jon Savage Born in the Chinese year of the water snake, Jon Savage self-published the punk fanzine London's Outrage in late 1976 before being snapped up by Sounds a few months later. His first task to was to do Wire's first ever press interview. After writing about all matters Punk and Electronic for 18 months, he jumped ship to Melody Maker and then, in early 1980, to The Face, where he remained for eight years. At the same time, he wrote for New Society and the New Statesman about pop culture and ran the Observer's first pop music page. At the end of the 1980's, he turned inward to write England's Dreaming: Sex Pistols and Punk Rock, the award-winning and still definitive history of UK Punk. The television programme based on the book, "Punk and the Pistols", aired on BBC2's Arena in 1995, directed by Paul Tickell. England's Dreaming has remained in print constantly since 1991, with a revised edition published in 2001. It will be republished again by Faber and Faber this spring. A CD based around the book, England's Dreaming: Before During and After Punk, was issued by Trikont Records, Germany, in autumn 2004, and is still in print. During the 1990s, Jon Savage published a collection of journalism from 1977 to 1995, called Time Travel: from Sex Pistols to Nirvana. He worked as writer on the BAFTA award winning BBC2 Arena documentaries "The Brian Epstein Story" (transmitted 1998) and is currently finalising a book on 20th century youth culture. He still writes about music for MOJO and his most recent production, Meridian 1970: Protest, Sorrow, Hobos, Folk and Blues - a compilation of psych rock break beats and acid folk - is currently out on Heavenly Records/ EMI. List of articles in the library by artist 801 : Mainstream avant-garde turns MOR Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, October 1977 ABC: Past Imperfect, Future Tense Interview by Jon Savage, The Face, January 1984 The Beatles: Live At The BBC Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, January 1995 The Beatles: The Outtakes Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, November 1995 Björk : The Always Uncjorked Björk Interview by Jon Savage, Interview, June 1995 David Bowie: The Gender Bender Comment by Jon Savage, The Face, November 1980 Bow Wow Wow Interview by Jon Savage, The Face, October 1980 The Buzzcocks : The Clash, The Jam, The Buzzcocks: The Rainbow Theatre, London Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, May 1977 Cabaret Voltaire: Something strange is going on in Sheffield tonight Interview by Jon Savage, Sounds, April 1978 Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band: Grow Fins Review and Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, June 1999 *The Chemical Brothers : Heeeere* we go!** Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, July 1999 The Clash, The Jam, The Buzzcocks: The Rainbow Theatre, London Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, May 1977 Elvis Costello: This Year’s Model Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, 1978 Devo: Are We Not Ready? Interview by Jon Savage, Sounds, March 1978 The Electric Eels : The Hate Parade: The Electric Eels Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, May 1998 Bryan Ferry Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, October 1994 Gang of Four : Entertainment At A Price Review by Jon Savage, Melody Maker, October 1979 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci : Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci: Aberconwy Centre, Llandudno Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, October 1995 *Grateful Dead : The Grateful Dead: Europe ’72,* Hundred Year Hall, Grayfolded 1969-1996 (with John Oswald)** Review and Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, December 1995 The Heartbreakers : Billy, Walter and Johnny: The Heartbreakers Interview by Jon Savage, Sounds, October 1977 The Jam : The Clash, The Jam, The Buzzcocks: The Rainbow Theatre, London Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, May 1977 The Jam: London Hammersmith Odeon Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, December 1977 Jefferson Airplane: Return Flight Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, March 1998 Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures Review by Jon Savage, Melody Maker, July 1979 Joy Division: Someone Take These Dreams Away Retrospective and Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, July 1994 *John Lennon: Imagine* (Apple/EMI)** Review and Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, April 2000 Magazine Article! Interview by Jon Savage, New York Rocker, 1982 Manic Street Preachers : A Design For The Future: Manic Street Preachers Interview by Jon Savage, Dazed and Confused, 1996 Hank Marvin : Four-Eyes, One Vision Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, February 1995 *MC5 : The MC5: The Big Bang* (Rhino)** Review by Dave DiMartino, Jon Savage, Mojo, February 2000 Moby Grape: Vintage: The Very Best Of Moby Grape Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, November 1993 My Bloody Valentine : Feedback to the Future: My Bloody Valentine Interview by Jon Savage, 20/20, Spring 1991 Nirvana (USA) : Kurt Cobain: The Lost Interview Interview by Jon Savage, Guitar World, 1997 Nirvana (USA) : Sounds Dirty: The Truth About Nirvana Report and Interview by Jon Savage, The Observer, August 1993 Nirvana (USA) : The Death of Kurt Cobain Report by Jon Savage, The Observer, July 1994 Pere Ubu: Dub Housing Review by Jon Savage, Melody Maker, November 1978 Pere Ubu: The Modern Dance Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, February 1978 Iggy Pop : James Williamson: Real Time Musician From Kill City Interview by Jon Savage, Sounds, February 1978 Elvis Presley : Love Him Tender, Love Him True Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, December 1994 *Public Image Ltd : Public Image Limited: The Flowers Of Romance* (Virgin)** Review by Jon Savage, The Face, April 1981 The Red Krayola : Psych Out! 13th Floor Elevators and the Red Krayola Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, October 1978 R.E.M.: Post-Yuppie Pop Interview by Jon Savage, The Observer, May 1989 Cliff Richard : The Great Pretender Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, February 1995 *The Saints: Wild About You* (Raven/Hot)** Review and Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, December 2000 The Screamers Profile and Interview by Jon Savage, Melody Maker, January 1979 Seefeel: Quique Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, January 1994 The Sex Pistols : Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, November 1977 The Sex Pistols : Jamie Reid Interview by Jon Savage, The Face, October 1983 The Sex Pistols: The Screen on the Green, London Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, April 1977 The Sex Pistols : What Did You Do On The Jubilee? Report by Jon Savage, Sounds, June 1977 The Shadows : Four-Eyes, One Vision Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, February 1995 Helen Shapiro: Cloud 95 Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, February 1995 The Smiths: Deliberately Interview by Jon Savage, Sunday Times, January 1984 Soft Cell : Tainted Pop: An Interview with Marc Almond Interview by Jon Savage, The Face, January 1982 Saint Etienne: Foxbase Alpha Sleevenotes by Jon Savage, Mantra Records, 1989 The Stone Roses : Flaring Up: The Stone Roses at Spike Island Report and Interview by Jon Savage, The Observer, July 1990 The Stooges : James Williamson: Real Time Musician From Kill City Interview by Jon Savage, Sounds, February 1978 The Subway Sect : Leaders Of The Opposition Review and Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, December 1995 The Subway Sect : Subway Sect: Life Underground Interview by Jon Savage, Sounds, July 1978 Suede: Dream On Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, January 1994 13th Floor Elevators : Psych Out! 13th Floor Elevators and the Red Krayola Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, October 1978 Throbbing Gristle : The Tape Decays: Throbbing Gristle Sleevenotes by Jon Savage, , 1981 Johnny Thunders : The Heartbreakers: L.A.M.F. Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, October 1977 Tricky: Maxinquaye Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, 1994 The Who: 30 Years Of Maximum R&B Review by Jon Savage, Mojo, July 1994 Marty Wilde : The Blackheath Jungle Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, February 1995 The Worst Interview by Jon Savage, Sounds, February 1978 List of genre pieces "The Agora of the Wayward": A Quarter Century of Rough Trade Sleevenotes by Jon Savage, Mute Records, March 2001 Sniffin' Glue: The Essential Punk Accessory Retrospective and Interview by Jon Savage, Mojo, August 2000 Blitz Culture Essay by Jon Savage, The Face, April 1981 Kiss & Make-Up: The Perfect Glam Rock Soundtrack Guide by Jon Savage, Mojo, November 1998 Odysseys and Oddities: Jon Savage compiles the definitive Space-Rock Tape Guide by Jon Savage, Mojo, March 1995 Psychedelia: The 100 Greatest Classics Guide by Jon Savage, Mojo, June 1997 Punk Five Years On Overview by Jon Savage, The Face, November 1981 Rock Before Beatles Overview by Jon Savage, Mojo, February 1995 *Various: The Roxy London WC2 (Jan-Apr 77)* (Harvest)** Review by Jon Savage, Sounds, June 1977 Vivienne Westwood Interview by Jon Savage, The Face, January 1981 Young Lovers: ’60s Pop TV Retrospective by Jon Savage, The Face, March 1982 Go to LIBRARY CONTENTS page COPYRIGHT NOTICE