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David Hancock

David Hancock

David Hancock (snapped with Harry Nilsson) possessed an arcane mastery of the matrix numbers on Motown singles that got him a job as the R&B and soul writer on Record Mirror in 1974. "Do what you gotta do," they told him. "The Four Tops TMG 710," he replied.

David was trained as a journalist on a local Midlands newspaper before taking the hippie trail overland to India and back, arriving in London when music papers were big business and sold in hundreds of thousands a week. He quickly moved from specialist R&B writer to features writer and news editor on Record Mirror before being poached by an upstart magazine called National RockStar.

Unfortunately for David, the title closed within five months, but after a stint writing rock biographies for top PR Keith Altham he was hired by the London Evening News to join the first celebrity gossip column in the country – "Ad Lib" – and write showbiz features. He remembers Bob Dylan, David Bowie and an hilarious encounter with Viv Stanshall as some of the more memorable moments. But with one foot in the door of Fleet Street it was suddenly slammed in his face when the Evening News closed in October 1980. (Have you noticed a certain pattern emerging here?)

But undeterred he was soon back with a stint on the Sun’s pop column "Bizarre" before joining the Daily Mirror where he was a showbiz feature writer and later editor of the ground-breaking internet and video games column "Power Up". "I thought it was the new music biz," he explains. "There was so much money in technology they would fly you to New York just to play a game."

In recent years he has turned his hand to writing books including two about South London gangsters, a children’s book, and the world’s first book about medical tourism, The Complete Medical Tourist.

Asked if he would like to interview today’s fast-moving slew of techno, hip-hop and rap artists, he replies: "Of course I would, but have they got anything to say?"

Nowadays he divides his time between his home in Highbury, North London, and an apartment in Spain.

81 articles

List of articles in the library

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Billy Preston: I Wrote A Simple Song (A&M AMLH 63507, £2.29)

Review by David Hancock, Disc, 15 January 1972

SOLO BILLY AT HIS FUNKIEST ...

Mason Williams: Sharepickers (Warner Brothers K46120, £2.29)

Review by David Hancock, Disc and Music Echo, 15 January 1972

IT SEEMS Mason (the 'Classical Gas' man for those with short memories) has stopped throwing typewriters out of Greyhound buses and other 'pop-art' pursuits and ...

Ken Boothe ...On the Kingston Line

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 2 November 1974

UNLESS YOU'RE a committed reggae freak you probably think Ken Boothe is a bit of an overnight sensation. ...

The Chi-Lites — too good to be ignored

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 23 November 1974

EVEN FIVE years ago a few "oohs and "aahs" and a bit of harmony would have got any soul record branded as specialist. But things ...

The Chi-Lites... too good to be ignored

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 23 November 1974

EVEN FIVE years ago a few "oohs and aahs" and a bit of harmony would have got any soul record branded as specialist. But things ...

Barry White: The Bear is Back

Profile and Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 7 December 1974

THE BEAR is elusive... that's what they're saying of ex-roadie Barry White who in two years has carved a name for himself as the world's ...

Rufus: Going Below The Belt With Rufus

Profile and Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 14 December 1974

YOU KNOW the feelin' — worn out by too much funk, and sweet soul don't make it for you anymore. Well don't despair, Krudde music ...

Pilot: And Now for a Sad Story of... Flying Too High

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 21 December 1974

PILOT ARE in limbo. They've scrapped their headlining tour after only one gig and their immediate plans are very much up in the air. ...

George McCrae, Sweet Sensation, The Three Degrees: Soul Single of the Year: 'Rock Your Baby'

Guide by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 25 January 1975

IT WAS the year's summer sound — a sort of black funk Lovin' Spoonful — which for a short time wholly captured the imagination of ...

Queen: The Very Fabulous Freddie Was Born To Rule

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 1 February 1975

THE QUICK SILVER Girl has style, but it's not just cultivated, it stems back to those balmy days in East Africa. ...

Hamilton Bohannon: South African Man from Georgia: King Hamilton of Discoland

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 22 February 1975

His Majesty Bohannon grants Our Hancock an audience ...

LaBelle: La Belle Revolution

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 15 March 1975

LABELLE ARE fashionable. They have a top ten single and album in the States, yet in Britain — nothing. As I said Labelle are fashionable. ...

Ann Peebles: "You Never Stop Paying Your Dues," Husband Don tells David Hancock

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 29 March 1975

ANN PEEBLES IS UNCONCERNED ABOUT HER LACK OF RECOGNITION HERE ...

Barry White: Not Just A Pretty Voice

Profile and Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 17 May 1975

IF YOU ever meet Barry White, don't mention Gene Page. Things could get a little rough. Barry, weighing in at somewhere near 20 stone, is ...

Disco-Tex and his Sex-O-Lettes: Disco Tex: Boogoo Boogoo to Choo

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 24 May 1975

Sir Monti talks to David Hancock ...

Kilburn & The High Roads: The Kilburns' Freak Show

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 5 July 1975

They are not exactly... handsome. ...

Showaddywaddy: Not Just a Rock 'n' Roll Band

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 13 September 1975

MALCOLM ALLURED, also known as "The Duke" is looking for his band. ...

The Trammps: "All You'll Ever Be Is A Bunch Of Trammps"

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 22 November 1975

TRACKING DOWN the Trammps: you'd think a group who had three big hits this year would be easy to find, right? ...

David Bowie: The Return of the Thin Man

Report by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 6 December 1975

If you live in London, you probably saw it. If you don't you probably heard about it. But if you haven't done either here's the ...

Van Dyke Parks: Clang Of The Yankee Reaper (Warners K 5 6161)

Review by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 17 January 1976

THE REAL genius behind the best of the Beach Boys makes a much more commercial statement than he did on the surprising Song Cycle or ...

Donna Summer: Long Hot Summer

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 7 February 1976

AS THE purring of the telephone becomes a definite ring Donna Summer reaches blindly across crumpled sheets to silence the damn thing. ...

The Fatback Band: Fatback Band: Keep On Dancing

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 21 February 1976

YOU CAN be forgiven for thinking the Fatback Band would come on as pure street — y'know gettin' down with it, plenty of jive talk, ...

Vangelis: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 21 February 1976

WELL IF you've got to take it seriously you can't take it much better than Vangelis Odyssey Papathanassiou, the gent who has taken the gimmickry ...

Biddu, Tina Charles: Tina Charles: Tina's Six Year Itch

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 28 February 1976

TINA CHARLES to Rubber Duck: "He's probably prevented me from getting to No. 1 which is a bit disappointing. I was looking forward to the ...

Eddie Drennon, The Fatback Band, M & O Band, Van McCoy: The Hustlers

Report by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 6 March 1976

TAKE A WALK down New York's bustling "barrio" and the chances are that some Puerto Rican will start hustling you. They can't help it, they've ...

Bobby Womack: Who Loves Ya Bobby?

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 27 March 1976

HE'S HUNG out with the Stones, the Faces, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, oh you name them... the point is, Bobby Womack has never been outside ...

Billy Ocean: The Other Side of the Ocean

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 3 April 1976

BILLY OCEAN doesn't drink, well at least he didn't, but you know what they say day trips to Holland can be like. ...

The Eagles: Sky's the Limit

Profile by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 10 April 1976

THE EAGLE, sorry, the bald-headed eagle, is America's national symbol. Carrying an olive branch and a sheath of arrows it sums up all that is ...

David Essex, The Real Thing: The Real Thing haven't souled out

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 5 June 1976

HOW MANY British black groups can you name? Still counting on one hand eh? Well you can now add the Real Thing to that list ...

James and Bobby Purify: James & Bobby — The Pure Truth

Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 12 June 1976

JAMES AND BOBBY Purify aren't really James and Bobby Purify. ...

Vangelis: Hairy Greek finds Cosmos

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 23 October 1976

LIKE EVERYTHING else, it depends on how you look at it. Some people, for instance, see it all as a Chaos — everything rushing around ...

Melba Moore: Have You Met Miss Moore?

Profile and Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 30 October 1976

NOT IF ALL YOU'VE HEARD IS HER DISCO SMASH, SAYS DAVID HANCOCK ...

Nona Hendryx, Labelle: Labelle: Lady Songwriter Thinks She's God

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 6 November 1976

MORE THAN any other vocal group, CBS's Labelle have thrived on that old cosmic image. They deal with grand themes as deftly as if they ...

The Sons Of Champlin: Frisco Acid Heads Won't Compromise

Profile and Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 6 November 1976

SAN FRANCISCO'S psychedelic boom of the 60's rocketed some bands like the Dead, Airplane and Quicksilver sky-high. It also left plenty of others in the ...

Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page: Jimmy Page: Lucifer's Rising

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 13 November 1976

OO-EE-OO. Strange magic. Plunging into the occult and locked into an Aleister Crowley trip. Marked down on a snuff list; to be rubbed out by ...

The Bay City Rollers: We Could Call 'Em Haggis Punk, But You'd Still Suss The Rollers

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 13 November 1976

LIKE IT OR not over the past few years the Bay City Rollers have generated the kind of adulation usually associated with the Mersey boom ...

Boz Scaggs' Second Bite of Cake

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 20 November 1976

DAVID HANCOCK sips champagne with U.S. chart top ...

The Bay City Rollers: Sixteen Rollers in Nine Years

Comment by David Hancock, National RockStar, 20 November 1976

Loathe 'em or like 'em, there's something wrong with the Scotty boppers. It's being plastic, says DAVID HANCOCK ...

Gladys Knight and the Pips: A Knight in Las Vegas Or: Africa Calls, Gladys Answers

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 4 December 1976

If politics and music don't mix, how come in the U.S. you have to be a top r 'n' b seller to get AM radio ...

Mud: More Mature Mud has a Flop and Plays Colleges

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 25 December 1976

But Les Gray tells David Hancock confidentially 'We haven't changed anything' ...

Warren Zevon: Looking For Links In L.A.

Profile and Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 25 December 1976

Warren Zevon explains patiently to David Hancock ...

Todd Rundgren, Utopia: Dear Reader, Todd Rundgren (Genius) Thinks You're Thick

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 8 January 1977

....or at least reading this won't educate you. Now if you saw hint on telly or, even better, in concert.... well, you'd be all the ...

Donna Summer: They're Gonna Put Me In The Movies

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 15 January 1977

Donna Summer reveals all to David Hancock ...

David Bowie: Low (RCA PL K12030)

Review by David Hancock, National RockStar, 22 January 1977

WELL IF IT'S the right speed maybe it's the wrong artist. Nope. This is David Bowie. And it's different. And it's excellent. ...

David Bowie: King Queen or Joker?

Overview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 22 January 1977

David Bowie is the Black Paper Between the Mirror. ...

Marc Bolan, T. Rex: Marc Bolan (with a lot of effort and no help from any stimulants) Pulls It Together

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 29 January 1977

featuring DAVID HANCOCK on handbag ...

The Eagles: Eagles Get The Bird

Comment by David Hancock, National RockStar, 5 February 1977

'A cheap sold-out group ten years behind the times' bristles DAVID HANCOCK ...

Maxine Nightingale: "A Rich Hippie"

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 19 February 1977

MAXINE NIGHTINGALE describes herself as "a rich hippie". That's how honest she is. ...

Eddie Kendricks: Kendricks To Quit Motown

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 26 February 1977

EDDIE HENDRICKS is quitting Tamla Motown. ...

The Rubettes: Rubettes Bounce Back

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 26 February 1977

DAVID HANCOCK meets teen dreams at TOTP, screams gently, then talks to them seriously ...

Uriah Heep drama: the final act?

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 26 February 1977

Heavy rock 'n' roll is old, tired stuff. Ken Hensley says so and DAVID HANCOCK stares in amazement. Can this be the end of civilisation ...

Manhattan Transfer: Battling Against Nostalgia

Interview by David Hancock, National RockStar, 5 March 1977

DAVID HANCOCK dons his gloves and his satin shorts, and goes a few brutal rounds with Alan Paul ...

Mike Batt, The Wombles: Mike Batt: I'm Weary Of The Wombles...

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 6 August 1977

...says the man who gave them voices ...

Elvis Costello: It's Elvis... Pop's New Anti-Hero

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 3 September 1977

ANYONE WHO dares to cross Elvis Costello is in for big trouble. He always takes revenge. ...

David Bowie: Punk, Politics, Religion And War... By A Superstar

Report and Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 20 September 1977

Britain is ready for a new Hitler, says Bowie ...

Yes: Chris Squire: Yes, it's Great to be Home

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 15 October 1977

BEING BASS player with the best rock band in the world has its rewards. ...

Maggie Bell: At last the Blues pay off for Maggie

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 6 May 1978

MAGGIE BELL is currently enjoying her first hit single, which is surprising for someone voted Britain's top female singer in 1972, 73 and 74. ...

Bob Dylan: The Man Behind the Image

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 13 May 1978

BOB DYLAN will be pocketing over £500,000 for the six shows he'll perform before more than 90,000 people at Earls Court next month. ...

Elvis Costello: Elvis Has It All Figured Out

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 20 May 1978

ELVIS PRESLEY'S death shook many people, but none more so than Elvis Costello's management. ...

Bob Dylan: Earls Court, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 16 June 1978

Dylan finds the key to success in the 70s ...

Jefferson Starship: Starship Aim To Stay On Course

Report and Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 24 June 1978

FOR MANY fans the most disappointing news today is that legendary rock singer Grace Slick will not perform with the Jefferson Starship. ...

David Bowie: Earls Court, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 30 June 1978

Boxing Bowie's the champion of rock ...

John Cooper Clarke: The Punk Poet

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 9 September 1978

JOHN COOPER Clarke is often mistaken for Bob Dylan. ...

Yes Please

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 23 September 1978

"THEN YOU'LL wanna smoke some of this," said the New York taxi driver as he offered me a joint of grass. I'd just told him ...

The Ramones: Ramones: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 3 October 1978

Pow! It's the punk kings. ...

Vivian Stanshall: The Urban Submarine Man

Interview by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 7 October 1978

I WAS JUST about to plunge fully clothed into the swimming pool, notebook and pencil in hand, when it crossed my mind that it might ...

Santana: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 31 October 1978

Soaring sound of Santana ...

Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Dominion Theatre, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 20 December 1978

Hot rock from little Elvis ...

The Osmonds: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 26 January 1979

All good clean fun, but oh, for some emotion ...

Earth Wind and Fire: Earth, Wind and Fire: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 5 March 1979

Down to Earth... the Fire is dying ...

Elton John: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 3 April 1979

Elton is still way ahead of the rest ...

Gloria Gaynor: Palladium, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 6 April 1979

Oh no Gloria .... you won't survive ...

Marc Bolan, T. Rex, Tyrannosaurus Rex: As Fans Worship At The Tree Where Bolan Died... T. Rextacy lives

Retrospective by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 7 June 1979

THERE'S ONE guaranteed way to make sure any party is a dancing success — keep playing T. Rex hits. ...

Ian Dury & the Blockheads: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 6 August 1979

Back to front for Dury's six ...

Patti Smith: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 6 September 1979

Miss Smith misses out ...

Steve Forbert: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 24 March 1980

This boy's no clone ...

Genesis: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 28 March 1980

Victims of the British disease ...

The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 15 May 1980

Valli-Victory! ...

Odyssey: The Venue, Victoria, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 22 August 1980

Cute Odyssey ...

Stevie Wonder: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 2 September 1980

Stevie's still casting that black magic ...

Daryl Hall & John Oates: Hall and Oates: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Hancock, Evening News, London, 23 September 1980

The Rock of Gold ...

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