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Miles

 Miles

Miles, born 1943, spent four years at Gloucestershire College of Art before moving to London in 1963. In 1966 he was the co-founder of Indica Books and Gallery where John Lennon first met Yoko Ono. That same year Miles was co-founder of INTERNATIONAL TIMES (IT), the first European underground newspaper where his first four interviews were with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Mick Jagger and Pete Townshend. He specialises in writing about the Beat Generation and is the author of, among other books, Allen Ginsberg: A Biography (Simon & Schuster, NYC,1989), William Burroughs: El Hombre Invisible (Hyperion, NYC, 1992), Jack Kerouac: King of the Beats (Holt, NYC, 1998), and Beat Hotel (Grove, NYC, June 2000). His bestselling Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now (Holt, NYC, 1997) was written in close collaboration with McCartney. Miles' latest book is a biography of Frank Zappa.

161 articles

List of articles in the library

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Ike & Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones/Ike & Tina Turner: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Miles, International Times, 14 October 1966

I ATTENDED the Stones' concert at the Albert Hall which was fun though it turned out to be almost more of a happening than a ...

The Beatles, Paul McCartney: A Conversation with Paul McCartney

Interview by Miles, International Times, November 1966

THIS WAS recorded at Paul's house in Cavendish Avenue, Saint John's Wood in November 1966 for  International Times, known as  IT, the London Underground newspaper. ...

The Deviants: Ptooff! (Deram)

Sleeve notes by Miles, Deram, 1967

FROM THE DEPTHS of London's secret UNDERGROUND headquarters, fully equipped with complex electronic machinery, a 20th century bohemia illicitly recorded, furtively edited at great cost ...

MILES: UFO and the Underground

Column by Miles, International Times, 30 January 1967

UFO in Tottenham Court Road affords us a unique opportunity to examine the London "Underground" generations. ...

The Who: Miles Interviews Pete Townshend

Interview by Miles, International Times, 13 February 1967

WHO? Pete Townshend, that's Who. Lead guitarist, song-writer, destructivist for this off-number-oned-pop group. He walks, he talks, he smashes. The WHO is the most popular ...

The Beatles, George Harrison: The Way Out is In: A George Harrison Interview

Interview by Miles, International Times, 19 May 1967

GH: If you could just say a word and it would tell people something straight to the point, then you take all the words that ...

The Fugs, Grateful Dead, The Mothers Of Invention: Miles' Trip: New York

Report by Miles, International Times, 30 June 1967

"Two persons were shot dead and several others injured in a gun battle between shoplifters and store detectives in a Bronx supermarket today." ...

Frank Zappa's Comments on The Mothers of Invention's album  Absolutely Free

Interview by Miles, International Times, 31 August 1967

When Zappa arrived in London in the summer of 1967, he naturally looked to the underground press for support, just as he did in Los ...

Report from swinging London town

Report by Miles, Los Angeles Free Press, 26 January 1968

LITTLE HAS happened since winter came upon us and forced London's underground underground. The organisation called RELEASE has become one of the most valuable community ...

UFO Is Dead – Long Live UFO

Report by Miles, International Times, 19 April 1968

The UFO idea first began in February 1966 when Steve Stollman (front the ESP avant-garde jazz record label in New York – then still in ...

Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones: Street Fighting Stone: Mick Jagger Talks

Interview by Miles, International Times, 17 May 1968

This conversation was taped over cups of tea at my house on Lord North Street one afternoon a few days after the famous anti-Vietnam war ...

The United States of America: The United States of America (Columbia CS 9614)

Review by Miles, International Times, 28 June 1968

THE UNITED States of America are an electronic rock group and represent the greatest advance yet made in this field. ...

Frank Zappa: Francis Vincent Zappa & The Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra And Chorus: Lumpy Gravy (Verve)

Review by Miles, International Times, 12 July 1968

WITH THE guile and cunning of a Zaptieh, Zappa presents his first 'solo' record: a ballet, an opera, a collage of all the elements then ...

Pink Floyd: A Saucerful Of Secrets (Columbia)

Review by Miles, International Times, 26 July 1968

THE FLOYD have developed a distinctive sound for themselves, the result of experiments with new 'electronic' techniques in live performance, however the result of most ...

Spooky Tooth: It's All About (Island ILPS 9080)

Review by Miles, International Times, 9 August 1968

Luther Grosvenor — lead guitar; Mike Harrison — harpsichord and vocals; Mike Kellie — drums; Reg Ridley — bass guitar; Gary Wright — organ and ...

The Doors: The Doors (Elektra); Strange Days (Elektra); Waiting for the Sun (Elektra)

Review by Miles, International Times, 6 September 1968

Jim Morrison (Vocal); Ray Manzarek (Organ, Piano, Bass); Robby Krieger (Guitar); John Densmore (Drums). ...

The Rolling Stones: 'Street Fighting Man' (London 45-909)

Review by Miles, International Times, October 1968

CHE GUEVARA'S band were all poets, Buckminster Fuller writes his architectural papers in poetry, The Rolling Stones sing Revolution! ...

Big Brother & The Holding Company: Cheap Thrills (CBS)

Review by Miles, International Times, 4 October 1968

Janis Joplin (lead voc); Peter Albin (bass, voc); San Andrew (lead & rhm gtr); James Gurley (lead & rhm gtr); David Getz (Drms, voc). ...

Deep Purple: Shades Of Deep Purple (Parlophone)

Review by Miles, International Times, 4 October 1968

Rod Evans (voc); Jon Lord (voc, org); Nic Simper (bass gtr); Ritchie Blackmore (lead gtr); Ian Paice (drms). ...

Fever Tree: Fever Tree (UNI)

Review by Miles, International Times, 4 October 1968

Rob Landes (pno, org, et al); Dennis Keller (voc.); Michael (gtr); E.E. Wolfe III (bass); John Tuttle (drms). ...

Captain Beefheart, Dr. John: Dr. John, The Night Tripper: Gris Gris (Atlantic)/Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Strictly Personal (Blue Thumb)

Review by Miles, International Times, 28 November 1968

THE ALBUM of huge underground word-of-mouth reputation in the States these days, an album far removed from the fashion changing ladder of the high chart ...

The Beatles: The Beatles (White Album)

Review by Miles, International Times, 29 November 1968

WELL, THE new Beatle album's here with 30 catchy little numbers for you to whistle on your way to work, glide around the Mecca to, ...

Grateful Dead: The Grateful Dead: Anthem Of The Sun (Warner Bros WS1749)

Review by Miles, International Times, 29 November 1968

Jerry Garcia (ld. gtr.); Bob Weir (rhm. gtr.); Ron McKernan (org.); Micky Hart, Bill Kreutzmann (drms. perc.); Tom Constanten (prep, pno.) ...

Soft Machine: The Soft Machine: The Soft Machine (ABC)

Review by Miles, International Times, 29 November 1968

SEVERAL exotic people were sitting on the floor at an Indica Gallery opening in 1966, the tall one with the Dr Strange cape was called ...

The Mothers of Invention: Cruising with Ruben and the Jets (Verve V6 5055S)

Review by Miles, International Times, 13 December 1968

The 1955 Zappa ...

James Taylor: James Taylor (APCOR 3)

Review by Miles, International Times, 1 January 1969

TAYLOR'S FIRST ...

Crosby Stills and Nash: Supergroup: Stills-Nash-Crosby

Interview by Miles, International Times, 1 January 1969

ONE SUNDAY before Christmas we went to a flat in Moscow Road to hear what Graham Nash had described on the phone as 'one of ...

The Deviants: Disposable

Review by Miles, International Times, 1 January 1969

THE DEVIANTS are at their best when not imitating other groups. On this, their second album, it would be best to disregard a number of ...

Buddy Miles Express: Expressway To Your Skull (Mercury SR61192)

Review by Miles, International Times, 31 January 1969

A COMBINATION of heavy soul backing with overlay of modern blues — like taking the Electric Flag a bit further, this album is of great ...

Spirit: The Family That Plays Together (Ode)

Review by Miles, International Times, 14 February 1969

From The Ergot Fields ...

Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield: The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper (CBS KGP6)

Review by Miles, International Times, 28 March 1969

Recorded September 26-28, 1968, San Francisco. ...

Judy Collins: Who Knows Where The Time Goes? (Elektra EKS74033)

Review by Miles, International Times, 11 April 1969

THOUGH GLITTERING ecstatic static runs through Hendrix Fudge USA Touch, there's nothing but boring old feedback, too loud for subtlety, in MC5 & Blue Cheer ...

The Nice: Two Thirds Nice

Interview by Miles, International Times, 25 April 1969

This interview is transcribed from a tape recorded conversation done at my house in Westminster. It has been edited for grammer and coherence only. Lee ...

Bob Dylan: Nashville Skyline (CBS)

Review by Miles, International Times, 9 May 1969

PART THREE of the new-style Dylan saga Is a direct continuation from the previous two albums: Kenny Buttrey (drums) and Charles McCoy (bass) have both ...

The Who: Tommy (Track)

Review by Miles, International Times, 9 May 1969

THIS ARTICLE on the Who's new LP, Tommy, appears in place of an interview with Pete Townshend which could not be prepared in time to ...

The Who: Pete on Tommy #1

Interview by Miles, International Times, 23 May 1969

THIS INTERVIEW is the edited result of a two hour tape recorded Sunday May 4 at Miles's house. The story of The Who's two volume ...

The Who: Pete on Tommy #2

Interview by Miles, International Times, 13 June 1969

M: IS THERE any musical influence on this album at all? Outside of the WHO itself I suppose the nearest thing is The Mothers, except ...

Frank Zappa, The Mothers Of Invention: Frank Zappa Interview

Interview by Miles, International Times, 29 August 1969

FRANK: There are some things I'd like to clarify about my editing technique. The editing technique is an extension of the composition because, as I ...

John Lennon, Yoko Ono: John Lennon/Yoko Ono Interview

Interview by Miles, unpublished, September 1969

These tapes were made on September 23rd and 24th, 1969, at Apple. When Allen Klein fired Ron Kass, the head of Apple Records, John and ...

The Band, Bob Dylan, Richie Havens, Tom Paxton: Bob Dylan, The Band: Isle of Wight Festival

Live Review by Miles, International Times, 12 September 1969

VISITORS to the 2nd Isle of Wight Music Festival at Godshill near Ryde more than doubled the population of the Island, outnumbered the 130 local ...

Iron Butterfly: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (Atco SD 33-250, Import)

Review by Miles, International Times, 26 September 1969

A SECOND album, Darryl DeLoach no longer with them, which is a significant loss as he wrote most of the lyrics on Heavy (SD 33- ...

Captain Beefheart is Alive in Hollywood

Interview by Miles, ZigZag, October 1969

IT’S THE BLIMP, IT’S THE BLIMP ...

The Deviants: The Deviants (Transatlantic)

Review by Miles, International Times, 10 October 1969

FIRST CAME PTOOFF!: an album of outrageous London Underground freakery, soggy nostalgia and general-purpose nastiness – as English as potting sheds and The Goon Show ...

The Flock: The Flock (Columbia CS 9911)

Review by Miles, International Times, 10 October 1969

DESCRIBED BY John Mayall as "The best band I've heard In America", the Flock are a group without a leader or a contrived image: "We ...

The Beatles: Abbey Road: The Beatles Come Together

Report and Interview by Miles, Oz, November 1969

ON INITIAL hearing I thought that the isolated life led by The Beatles had at last begun to show in their work: that they lacked ...

Delaney & Bonnie And Friends: Accept No Substitute (Elektra)

Review by Miles, International Times, 21 November 1969

THE ALBUM that Apple wanted to get so much because George liked them so much and so for that matter did Derek Taylor which might ...

Sam Apple Pie: Sam Apple Pie (Decca)

Review by Miles, International Times, 21 November 1969

FROM THE depths of London's East End, the old Liberties, comes another underground group – a real one this time. ...

The Byrds: Preflyte (Together Records)

Review by Miles, International Times, 21 November 1969

THEY'RE CUTTING ACROSS BARRIERS WHICH MOST PEOPLE WHO SING ARE NOT EVEN HIP TO. THEY KNOW IT ALL. IF THEY KEEP THEIR MINDS OPEN THEY'LL ...

Al Kooper: You Never Know Who Your Friends Are (Columbia CS 9855)

Review by Miles, International Times, 5 December 1969

NO LONGER standing alone Al Kooper has found some friends. Now he is less self-conscious, more self-confident and it shows because this album is nice. ...

The GTOs: Permanent Damage (Straight/CBS)

Review by Miles, International Times, 27 February 1970

IT'S NOT TOO difficult to reject the spectacle of Hollywood, to drop out, find yourself, re-evalue your ideas, unless you LIVE in Hollywood. What if ...

John and Beverley Martyn: John & Beverley Martyn: Stormbringer! (Island)

Review by Miles, International Times, 27 March 1970

J & B LAY IT DOWN AND STOMP ON IT ...

Frank Zappa: Zappa Press release, on disbanding Mothers, 1970

Report by Miles, International Times, 9 April 1970

"The Mothers of Invention, infamous & repulsive rocking teen combo, is not doing concerts any more." ...

The Who: From the Marquee to the Met: Watching The Who

Interview by Miles, Crawdaddy!, September 1970

SAY THE WORD. "Who". Who did you think of? Pete Townshend, great underrated rock guitarist adrift in a Sargasso sea of eulogies to Clapton and ...

The Mothers Of Invention, Frank Zappa: The Mothers Of Invention: Weasels Ripped My Flesh (Reprise MS 2028)

Review by Miles, Strange Days, 23 October 1970

"IT'S WEIRD, I like it" said Denise after hearing Weasels Ripped My Flesh. It is very important that you too should know about this latest ...

Frank Zappa: An Interview with Frank Zappa

Interview by Miles, unpublished, November 1970

This interview recorded at Rattner's on 2nd Ave, New York City, on the 14th November 1970. After we'd eaten we escaped the rude noisy waiters ...

Frank Zappa: Film: Zappa On 200 Motels

Interview by Miles, International Times, 28 February 1971

Interview with Frank Zappa – recorded at Rattner's on 2nd Ave. New York City November 14th 1970. Interview continued in an empty dressing room, backstage ...

Wayne County & The Electric Chairs, New York Dolls: They Simper At Times: New York Dolls, Wayne County: The Mercer Arts Center, New York City

Live Review by Miles, New York Dolls/Glam Rock, 1972

"It’s a fact that LA soft rock has been stomped on by glittering lurid day-glo platform shoes worn by a female impersonating, posturing hard-rock singer... ...

Kevin Coyne: New London Theatre, Drury Lane

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 1973

Without doubt one of the most powerful presentations I’ve ever attended. When it was over Kevin was drained, his band was drained, the audience was ...

Jimi Hendrix: Crash Landing

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 18 October 1975

THE SLEEVE of this album, unhelpfully enough, doesn't give the history of these tracks, which are taken from the 500 plus hours of 16-track tape ...

Gong: Imperial College, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 22 November 1975

THE HALL was packed. It was the kind of audience that likes to jostle like mad for the first half of the set, blast a ...

Héctor Lavoe Orchestra: The Nashville, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 22 November 1975

And you thought Latin music meant Edmundo Ros... ...

Tangerine Dream

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 29 November 1975

YOU WON'T GET all sweaty or break a leg while listening to Tangerine Dream, but you will not be unmoved. You see, they haf vays ...

Bob Dylan: DYLAN does his first radio interview in eight years, and still manages to say nothing

Report by Miles, New Musical Express, 27 December 1975

THE NEWS OF A RADIO interview with Bob Dylan, who rarely does such, caused Dylanologists, fans and degenerates to take up their trannies recently to ...

Linda Lewis: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 27 December 1975

IT WAS A cold foggy night and there was a brass monkey sheltering in my hallway as I went in search of a Hansom to ...

Carole King: The Definitive Carole King Story...

Retrospective and Interview by Miles, unpublished, 1976

...and touching on the Phil Spector Story and the James Taylor Story as well. * ...

Brian Eno's Discreet Music

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 3 January 1976

EXPERIMENTAL AND AVANT-GARDE music, by its very nature, exists mainly in the fringe area of private pressings, such as the Musica or George Avakian productions ...

Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa: Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart: BLLLAAAaaaaahhhhh

Memoir by Miles, New Musical Express, 3 January 1976

Actually, it didn't work. However, something that did work was the re-uniting of THE CAPTAIN and FRANK ZAPPA a few months ago for a tour ...

The Strawbs: New Victoria, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 3 January 1976

AFTER AN ABSURDLY dramatic entry, this much loved male sextet took their places with a white suited Dave Cousins in the limelight. ...

Van Dyke Parks: Clang Of The Yankee Reaper

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 3 January 1976

VAN DYKE PARKS is one of those people who are usually regarded as either genius or idiot. ...

The Kinks: Schoolboys In Disgrace

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 17 January 1976

I LIKE THE KINKS a lot, but have to say that this album is a pretty uninspired collection of product. ...

Decameron: Greenwich Borough Hall, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 24 January 1976

THE GREENWICH BOROUGH Hall is on Peyton Place, and inside Decameron, have a problem. ...

Kraftwerk: Exceller-8, Radio-Activity

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 31 January 1976

EXCELLER 8 IS a 'best of album taken from the three Vertigo albums that Kraftwerk have released in this country and it's a good selection ...

Ron Geesin: Cockpit Theatre, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 31 January 1976

DRESSED IN RED shorts and jersey with white sneakers, Ron Geesin looks like a combination of Elton John and Alexander Solzhenitsyn but has the crazed ...

The Fania All Stars: Live

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 31 January 1976

A TERRIBLE HANGOVER and a record comes under the front door. I pluck up the courage to put it on (the cover has such loud ...

Carole King: Thoroughbred

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 7 February 1976

I DON'T UNDERSTAND it. Carole has gone back to recording demo discs again. ...

Henry Cow: London School of Economics, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 7 February 1976

SOMEHOW HENRY Cow all seem slightly amused to be on stage. This is one of the many communications going on between them, but mostly they ...

Julie Tippetts: Sunset Glow

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 14 February 1976

IN 1970 Julie Driscoll married Keith Tippett, the modern composer, and entered the mysterious other world of contemporary music. ...

The Fania All Stars: The Fania All-Stars: It's Skinny [OLÉ] It's Dangerous [OLÉ OLÉ] And It Drinks Cheap Spanish Wine...

Overview by Miles, New Musical Express, 14 February 1976

With a rose clenched between his teeth, the man they call EL MILES infiltrates the heady, exotic world of the Strand Lyceum, where trousers are ...

The Salsoul Orchestra: The Salsoul Orchestra (Epic)

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 14 February 1976

I ASKED Paul Atkinson, who decides these things at CBS, why he was releasing this album here. ...

Maria Muldaur: Sweet Harmony (Warner Brothers)

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 28 February 1976

"BECAUSE OF the eclectic nature of her thing Maria goes through a lot of different styles – that's her thing, that's what she does, that's ...

National Health: LSE, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 28 February 1976

I LIKE GOING to concerts at L.S.E. because the audiences there are such fanatics. Such was the case with National Health, the audience being exceedingly ...

Gong: Shamal

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 6 March 1976

THE LINEUP CHANGES have been so substantial and the musical direction has altered so drastically since their last album (You), that Gong might have changed ...

Julie Tippetts, Isaac Guillory: Kings College, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 6 March 1976

"I'M NERVOUS." ...

Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Kate and Anna McGarrigle: Kate and Anna McGarrigle (Warner Brothers)

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 6 March 1976

"THERE’S A song of Kate McGarrigle’s, which Maria Muldaur sang on her first LP, called ‘Work Song’, which is about all the old songs that ...

Kevin Ayers - Revived 35

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 10 April 1976

Headline contributed by the Mediterranean boatman lui-meme. Actually he was born in 1944. Fascinating, isn’t it? ...

Kevin Coyne: New Theatre, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 1 May 1976

WITHOUT DOUBT ONE of the most powerful presentations I've ever attended. When it was over Kevin was drained, his band was drained, the audience was ...

Pink Floyd: Games For May

Retrospective by Miles, New Musical Express, 15 May 1976

TEN YEARS AGO THE PINK FLOYD were a semi formed idea in the mind of one SYD BARRETT. Nine years ago they were the darlings ...

Caravan: Blind Dog at St. Dunstan’s (BTM/Arista)

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 22 May 1976

WHEN THE members of Caravan pulled down their trousers, bent over, and revealed the name of their last album spelt out on their white English ...

Patti Smith: At Last, The Lower Manhattan Show

Report and Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 22 May 1976

Patti Smith at the Roundhouse, facing fans, friends, fungoids and straightforward weirdos – Britain's first live chance of checking out the 'legend'. MILES went as ...

Steve Winwood, Stomu Yamashta: Winwood & Yamashta: GO GO GO

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 12 June 1976

MILES, our resident Grand Master of cosmic funk, unscrews the inscrutable and accompanies STEVIE WINWOOD and STOMU YAMASHTA into the infinite as they discuss, rehearse ...

Genesis: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 19 June 1976

IF YOU take the trouble to embroider "Genesis" in fancy letters on the back of your pressed denim jacket, or if you are prepared to ...

Tangerine Dream: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 26 June 1976

T-DREAM HAVE BEEN described as everything from 'the most advanced development of progressive rock' to 'electronic muzak'. The band generates controversy probably because people are ...

Kevin Ayers: Yes, it's make it or break it time again...

Report and Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 3 July 1976

This week: well known pataphysician KEVIN AYERS — Fortune teller: MILES ...

The Outlaws: Southernly Last Summer...

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 3 July 1976

I'M SITTING in a dressing room at Celtic Park football ground. In the distance the Glasgow crowd is rootin' for Alex Harvey, but as the ...

Soft Machine: The Soft Machine: Hammersmith Palais, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 3 July 1976

IT WAS a surprise to see so many people in the heat and the gloom of the Hamersmith Palais to see Soft Machine, because in ...

James Taylor: In My Pocket

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 17 July 1976

MOST OF US drift into comfortable mediocrity; in the end it's hard to avoid, particularly if your career had dumped wads and wads of money ...

Back Street Crawler: Leaving Coffins Outside Dressingrooms is Sick

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 24 July 1976

Just one of the problems Back Street Crawler have had to contend with since the death of Paul Kossoff. Terry Slesser explains. ...

Automatic Man

Profile and Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 31 July 1976

Something with Integrity has descended among us (from California as it happens). It's AUTOMATIC MAN. It landed in the Marquee. MILES was there ...

Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Kate And Anna McGarrigle: Kiss Me Till My Mouth Gets Numb

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 31 July 1976

The harrowing tale of two sisters who narrowly missed getting typecast as nuns when their real thing is foolin’ around in bathrooms... Seriously though, we ...

Linda Ronstadt: Hasten Down The Wind (Asylum)

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 21 August 1976

LINDA RONSTADT has taken a tip from Carly Simon and taken off her bra for an album sleeve – not that she ever did wear ...

Can: Unlimited Edition

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 11 September 1976

CAPITOL RADIO are blitzing Can's top-40 commercial rock number 'I Want More' right now; it is typical that the band would choose to issue it ...

Kevin Ayers, Soft Machine: Kevin Ayers/Soft Machine: Edinburgh Playhouse

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 18 September 1976

AN INTERESTING booking, Kevin Ayers – one of the founding members of Soft Machine – playing on the same bill as their present, 14th, line-up ...

Be-Bop Deluxe: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 9 October 1976

AT £2.50 a ticket I was expecting to hear the words, particularly from a group whose lyrics are so important, but the thousand or so ...

Hawkwind: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 16 October 1976

TIGER OPENED to a leaden audience who failed to be moved even by big Nicky Moore, twisting and turning through the vocals like a giant ...

Kraftwerk, National Health: Krautwerk: This is what your fathers fought to save you from...

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 16 October 1976

Kraftwerk, National Health: The Roundhouse, London ...

The Clash: Institute of Contemporary Arts, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 6 November 1976

A ROW OF PARKED Vivas, Consuls and Zephyrs indicated that the ICA had an audience a little different to the usual. It was "A Night ...

Aphrodite's Child, Vangelis: Vangelis: The Moans And The Stares, An Ouzo And Thee

Profile and Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 6 November 1976

I THOUGHT I was in for a real treat. ...

Lol Coxhill, Henry Cow: Henry Cow, Lol Coxhill: Lindisfarne Centre, Southend

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 13 November 1976

THIS WAS only the fourth concert that Cow have done in this country all year — they have been touring Europe all through the summer. ...

Captain Beefheart: Beefheart Discovers “World's Greatest Band” Sensation

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 20 November 1976

I CALLED Captain Beefheart the other day. His huge voice came booming down the phone even though I'd probably woken him up. ...

Brian Eno, David Bowie: Eno: "Zing!" Go the Strings of My Art...

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 27 November 1976

...as Thin and Serious People gather to make music. The luscious but committed BRIAN ENO has been in recording with the skinny and deranged ...

John Otway: Live in Dunstable

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 27 November 1976

IT WAS a delight to witness those old school chums John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett play Dunstable on Thursday night. ...

Frank Zappa: Any Resemblance is Purely Conceptual

Report and Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 4 December 1976

MILES SCOOPS THE POOP ON UNCLE FRANK ...

Jess Roden Band: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 4 December 1976

RIDE ON RODEN: MILES finds the JRB in fine form ...

Tangerine Dream: Palais Des Sports, Paris

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 11 December 1976

T-DREAM had no support and so they started cold, but soon as the lights dimmed the Palais Des Sports audience roared and cheered and lit ...

The Clash: Eighteen Flight Rock...

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 11 December 1976

...AND THE SOUND OF THE WESTWAY ...

Santana: God Flows from Every Mouth

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 18 December 1976

AND THAT DON'T MEAN GOBBIN' ON PEOPLE, WARNS SANTANA ...

Split Enz: Live in Brighton

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 18 December 1976

A TRIP to the sea end of Wardour Street is always fine by me, so Tuesday found me on the Chrysalis bus to Brighton to ...

Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias: Not Only The Whole Story Of Rock But A Killer Whale Too…

Report and Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 22 January 1977

"DA HIPPY Church" is what my Dutch cab driver calls it. As regular readers will know, the Paradiso is a converted church in the centre ...

Gong, Allan Holdsworth: Gong: Gazeuse! (Virgin); Allan Holdsworth: Velvet Darkness (CTI import)

Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 5 February 1977

THE PRESENT Gong lineup includes only three of the members of the line up on the last album Shamal. They are Didier Malherbe, Mireille Bauer ...

Frank Zappa: Torture Mama & Open Brain

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 19 February 1977

Frank Zappa: Hammersmith Odeon, London MILES gets his time organised ...

Roger McGuinn: Bottom Line, New York City

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 26 March 1977

A FLURRY of movement on a darkened stage then a sudden hit of déjà vu – that voice and the song and the long jangling ...

Alex Chilton: CBGBs, New York NY

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 2 April 1977

ALEX CHILTON is known for two things: 'The Letter', which he did when he was with The Box Tops, and his work with the legendary ...

Flying Hearts, Arthur Russell: Flying Hearts: Other End, New York NY

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 2 April 1977

WHEN JONATHAN Richman went acoustic, the other members of The Modern Lovers tried really hard to play with him but it just didn't work out. ...

Talking Heads: CBGBs, New York NY

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 2 April 1977

Yes, but who nicked the bog door? ...

Mumps: Max's Kansas City, New York

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 9 April 1977

...meanwhile MILES catches THE MUMPS New York style – and enjoys it ...

Blondie: Max's Kansas City and The Palladium, NYC

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 16 April 1977

MAX'S KANSAS CITY has become a tourist rip-off joint – $5 admission and no way to see anything unless you booked a table. ...

Talking Heads: This Is A Minimalist Headline

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 23 April 1977

...for MILES' neo-structuralist look at New York hotshots Talking Heads ...

John McLaughlin & Shakti: The Bottom Line, NYC

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 30 April 1977

"McLAUGHLIN LOOKS GOOD with long hair," said Nancy. ...

The Dead Boys: UK in the USA '77

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 30 April 1977

The Dead Boys: CBGBs, NYC ...

David Peel, John Lennon: Beatle Freak: Lennon Talks

Report by Miles, New Musical Express, 21 May 1977

DAVID PEEL and the Apple Band have released an album dedicated to that all-American cause of re-uniting The Beatles. ...

Bob Dylan: For Dylanologists Only (Otherwise v Boring)

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 2 July 1977

LAST YEAR Thrills (NME's news pages – RBP Ed) ran a transcript of Bob Dylan's first interview. It was done by Billy James of Columbia ...

The Rolling Stones: Advance Warning of New Meisterworks Department

Report by Miles, New Musical Express, 16 July 1977

Stones: Got Duff Chord Changes If You Want THE ROLLING STONES — even Bill and Charlie — have all been in New York this ...

Edgar Froese, Peter Baumann, Tangerine Dream: The 120 Decibel Dream - Warning: This Page is Heavy

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 16 July 1977

TANGERINE DREAM have released an album — Stratosfear — written a movie score for Friedkin, completed a successful American tour and two members have released ...

Pink Floyd: Madison Square Garden, NYC

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 23 July 1977

THE FLOYD sure picked a fine week to appear in New York. Not only was it the eve of July 4th, but also it was ...

Mink DeVille: Willie the Mink: Street Elite, Just Cruisin’ on the Neat Beat

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 23 July 1977

Mink DeVille: Bottom Line, NYC ...

Patti Smith: Roll Over, Rimbaud (tell Marc Bolan the news)

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 6 August 1977

Patti Smith: The Village Gate, NYC ...

Mink DeVille: Just Another Tough'n'Tender Street Poet Outta New Yawk

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 13 August 1977

Now Spanish music plays in my hallway And the wind blows through my door And my mind is out on the corner And my eyes ...

Johnny Winter, Nils Lofgren: Nils Lofgren, Johnny Winter: University of Texas, Dallas

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 27 August 1977

THE UNIVERSITY of Texas auditorium was packed and standing with 3,300 big people. Some were seven foot tall, wearing Stetson hats, cowboy boots and chewing ...

Ash Ra Tempel: Regents Park, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 3 September 1977

IT WAS a warm, moist evening — ideal for sitting on damp grass and peering at laser beams through your wineglass. A perfect bring-along-the-doggie-and-the-kids hippie ...

Bob Dylan: Renaldo Zimmerman and the Cubist Movie

Report by Miles, New Musical Express, 10 December 1977

WHEN THE ROLLING THUNDER Revue ended two years ago, Bob Dylan took the 400 hours of film footage that had been shot during the tour ...

Johnny Winter: Dis Man am de Saviour of de Blues. An’ Dis am no Joke...

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 24 December 1977

Live from Fort Worth, Texas: JOHNNY WINTER talks to Miles ...because it seems like the world's whitest blues player is really getting it together after ...

Joan Baez: Joanie returns as Bobby: Joan Baez at the Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 7 January 1978

JOANIE BROUGHT the audience right up on stage with her at the Odeon – two rows of them, mostly her guests, sitting rather self-consciously behind ...

Rush: Is Everybody Feelin' all RIGHT? (Geddit...?)

Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 4 March 1978

The gist of this being that H.M. tourist RUSH are all RIGHT-er than most, as MILES discovers ...

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band: Palladium, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 11 March 1978

How the old wave is coming to terms with post-"77 existence. Meeting the challenge of '78: Alex Harvey hired an orchestra, a pipe and drum band, ...

Cheap Trick, Johnny Moped, The Stukas: The Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 8 April 1978

ON SUNDAY night at the Roundhouse, Cheap Trick showed how it should be done. ...

Jefferson Starship: Grace Slick's Superstarship

Report and Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 17 June 1978

Planet minders turn platinum miners ...

The Adverts: The Marquee, London

Live Review by Miles, New Musical Express, 5 August 1978

Gobba Gobba On Gaye ...

Ultravox: Vee Hav Vays Of Makink You Experiment

Report and Interview by Miles, New Musical Express, 2 September 1978

Unfortunately, this piece is not about Germans. It's about ULTRAVOX. However, it does take place in Germany. Will that do? ...

The Clash: A Clash Of Interests

Profile and Interview by Miles, Time Out, 15 December 1978

Will success spoil Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon and Joe Strummer? Miles chronicles the decline of a movement and the rise of a rock ...

Frank Zappa: Surreal Anarchy From The Mother Superior

Retrospective by Miles, The History of Rock, 1983

Frank Zappa was born a composer. Had he been born in a different time or place, he would probably have become a 'serious' composer. But ...

New York Dolls: The New York Dolls: A retrospective

Retrospective by Miles, The History of Rock, 1983

ALTHOUGH THEY WERE one of the most influential bands of the early Seventies, the New York Dolls remain one of the least known. The ...

Dazed and Infused: The Summer of Love

Retrospective by Miles, Vox, August 1992

"You had to be there" Barry Miles travels back in time. IT'S 25 years since the Summer of Love freaked its way into the ...

Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa: Captain Beefheart: Dropout Boogie

Retrospective by Miles, MOJO, December 1993

IT WAS 2am, September 1969, and I was having a cup of styrofoam coffee with Don Van Vliet in the 24-hour automated snack-bar of TT&G ...

John Lennon, Elvis Presley: Albert Goldman: Double Fantasy?

Obituary by Miles, MOJO, 1994

The late Albert Goldman wrote two vicious character profiles, of Elvis and Lennon, and was crucified for his pains. He claimed their fans simply couldn't ...

Frank Zappa: Dr Zircon's Secret Lab

Memoir by Miles, MOJO, March 1994

I FIRST MET FRANK Zappa in July 1967, outside the Garrick Theater at 152 Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village. He was standing on the sidewalk, ...

The Damned: Eternally Damned: The Very Best Of (Music Collection)

Review by Miles, MOJO, July 1994

THE DAMNED WERE THE FIRST PUNK band to release a single ('New Rose') and to get an album out and in the charts, but it's ...

Ruben and the Jets: Ruben & The Jets: For Real, Con Safos

Review by Miles, MOJO, May 1995

WHEN FRANK ZAPPA released his 1968 Cruising With Ruben & The Jets album of parodies of '50s R&B and doo wop, a number of radio stations mistook ...

The Move: The BBC Sessions

Review by Miles, MOJO, May 1995

THE MOVE CAME from Birmingham but got their start at the Marquee in 1966. The band – Roy Wood (guitar/vocals), Bev Bevan (drums/vocals), Carl Wayne ...

The Beatles, John Lennon: My Blue Period: John Lennon

Interview by Miles, MOJO, November 1995

WE DID THESE interviews on September 23 and 24, 1969, at Apple. When Allen Klein fired Ron Kass, the head of Apple Records, John and ...

Allen Ginsberg 1926-1997

Obituary by Miles, MOJO, June 1997

ALLEN GINSBERG and I were friends for over 30 years, and even though I am his "official" biographer, it is hard to sum up so ...

Paul McCartney, Wings: Linda McCartney

Obituary by Miles, MOJO, June 1998

Rock photographer turned legendary other half ...

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