J. Kordosh
J. Kordosh was born in 1950, in Detroit, Michigan. He began writing for Creem magazine in 1980; his first published piece was a review of the then-defunct CBS comedy, Green Acres. As a freelancer, he interviewed many prominent musicians of the 1980s, and eventually joined the editorial staff under Sue Whitall, Dave DiMartino and Bill Holdship. When Sue and Dave left the magazine, he and Bill co-edited. He also wrote for Musician and BAM.
Something of a humorist, Kordosh wrote a weekly blog for Yahoo! Music called "Framed", combining still pictures from music videos with what he contends are witty captions.
Kordosh was a research chemist who held 10 U.S. patents. He and his wife of 37 years, Alice, lived in California. He died in October 2017.
rockcritics.com interview with Kordosh
52 articles
List of articles in the library
Dire Straits: Nine Or Ten Unbelievably Interesting Facts About Dire Straits
Report and Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, February 1981
Plus The Usual Unsubstantiated Opinions, Speculations, And Outright Inventions ...
The Beatles, John Lennon: John Lennon 1940-1980: Nothing To Do To Save His Life
Obituary by J. Kordosh, Creem, March 1981
"...Laurel and Hardy, that's John and Yoko. And we stand a better chance under that guise 'cause all the serious people like Martin Luther King ...
The BusBoys' Equal Opportunity Interview
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, March 1981
THE BUSBOYS shuffled into the nation's consciousness late in 1980 on their debut album. Minimum Wage Rock 'n' Roll. Five black guys and a chicano ...
The Police: Interrogating The Police
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, April 1981
'TWAS THE day before Christmas and like a lot of good Americans I was watching All My Children as part of my holiday bonus. (Hey, gotta keep ...
Rush: But Why Are They In Such A Hurry?
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, June 1981
THURSDAY: KORDOSH has been roused from his afternoon nap by Sherry Ring, publicist for Mercury Records. Ring is calling from New York to firm up connections ...
Judas Priest: Hell-Bent For Eagle Scout-Hood?
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, August 1981
I'M SITTING in the bar of the Marriott Pavilion Hotel in downtown St. Louis. It's — what? — about 2a.m. With me are Rob Halford ...
Krokus and the Chocolate Dilemma
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, September 1981
SWISS CONSPIRACY CONTINUES UNABATED! ...
Van Halen Gets Even With Everyone!
Report and Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, October 1981
DAVID LEE ROTH: It becomes more fun with each season. Each tour that we make, each record that we make — we know how to do ...
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, November 1981
A COUPLE OF months ago, one of the editors noticed that the typeface on my typewriter looks like a computer print-out. I guess I might ...
Fear: Not Just Another L.A. Send-up: the Flying of Fear
Report and Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, July 1982
LIKE MOST people, I'm afraid of lots of things. High on my care-list are new Rush albums, pointy sticks, and my kids growing up to ...
John Mellencamp: John Cougar & The Fooling Of America
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, September 1982
I'D NEVER listened to any of John Cougar's records before American Fool, although I saw him open for the Kinks a couple of years back. ...
Joe Cocker Visits My Hometown! Wow!
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, November 1982
THE W'S: Joe Cocker grew up in Sheffield, which is north of England way. I grew up in Livonia, Michigan, which is like most of ...
Billy Squier: Is Articulate Rock The Perfect Formula, And What About The Supermarket Disaster?
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, December 1982
THE SALES OF Emotion In Motion were in the neighborhood of 425,000 during the first 10 days it was available to the public. Someone told me that ...
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, December 1982
DETROIT — Bad news, Metal fans and cryds: things are turning ugly. Mean, rotten, and — in general — no good. I'm deadly serious about ...
The Stray Cats: The Complete History Of The Stray Cats, Part One
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, January 1983
ROCKABILLY PROPER started and ended in Sam Phillips' Sun Studio in Memphis. It was a short-lived and vaguely-defined phenomenon, revolving around dirt-poor Southern white musicians ...
Adam & The Ants: Where's Your Head At, Adam Ant?
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, March 1983
THE ROOM WAS full of balloons. A bouquet of balloons, sold nowadays like helium-filled, high-tech clusters that cling to the ceiling. A bundle of mail ...
Phil Collins, Genesis: Phil Collins Does Everything Better Than Everyone Else
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, May 1983
THINGS SEEM to be going poorly for drummers of late, what with Buddy Rich undergoing bypass surgery earlier this year and a regular series of ...
Culture Clubbing With George And The Boys
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, June 1983
Suddenly...Mount Rushmore had changed! ...
Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, June 1983
MEET THE Premise. Rock 'n' roll has been banned from this good green Earth by your usual bunch of hypocrites. Woe is everyone. Along comes ...
Ultravox: The Half-Dozen or so Moods of Ultravox
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, July 1983
ONSTAGE, THE amazing Ultravox. Right in front, on the edge of the area called the pit — not, unfortunately, in my honor — myself and ...
Molly Hatchet: Anybody Here Seen My Old Friend Molly Hatchet?
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, August 1983
JUST BEFORE Molly Hatchet went onstage, Keith Johnson — their road manager — escorted me to an unusually good seat. I was three, maybe four ...
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, October 1983
YES, THEY still look strange. In 1977, Robert Hull said "Sparks is just plain weird," but I believe he was referring to their music as ...
Quiet Riot: Cum on Top the Chartz: a Quiet Riot Goin' On
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, March 1984
ROOM 287 at the Holiday Inn in Southfield, Michigan is pretty much like any room at any other Holiday Inn. Towels and occupants are changed, ...
AC/DC: And Nothing Can Harm Them!
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, April 1984
ARE THEY SUPER? My God, they're immense. They're gigantic. They're Jabba the Hutt on the Elvis Diet. They're so big that they're invulnerable to criticism ...
George Clinton: You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish (Capitol)
Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, May 1984
I LIKE FISHING almost as much as I like music. Dealing with dumb, slimy creatures can get to be a way of life. George Clinton ...
Ozzy Osbourne: Now It Can Be Told! I Was A Monk For Ozzy Osbourne!
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, June 1984
My Secret Shame… By J. Kordosh ...
Queen: Royal Gum-Up: Queen: The Works (Capitol)
Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, June 1984
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH — a thing I'm not addicted to, by the way — I've been a professional liar when it comes to ...
Was (Not Was): I Love This Band, I Hate This Band
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, July 1984
THIRTY MONTHS ago, John Neilson did a story on Was (Not Was) for CREEM. (It's the issue with Pat Benatar on the blue cover — I ...
Berlin, Missing Persons: Berlin: Love Life (Geffen); Missing Persons: Rhyme & Reason (Capitol)
Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, August 1984
I'VE HAD this idea that women are — by and large — pretty lousy singers when it comes to rock music. Especially nowadays, when about ...
Prince, The Time: Prince's Purple Rain: 'Scuse Me While I Get Some Popcorn
Report and Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, September 1984
PRINCE...IT'S A great name, isn't it? It's a great name for a dog. It's a great name for spaghetti on Wednesday night. It's a great ...
Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul: Little Steven: Voice Of America (EMI America)
Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, October 1984
EARLY SUMMER, and Billy Altman — the metropolitan sportswriter — calls. How would you like to review Little Steven's new album, he says from faraway ...
Huey Lewis and the News: Huey Lewis and All The News That Fits
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, December 1984
GOSH, HOW we love Huey Lewis. Not only here in my sensationally average town of Garden City, Michigan, but all over these United States. This ...
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, June 1985
HERE'S A thumbnail sketch of Blackie Lawless: his real name is Steve Duran, he's 28 years old, getting paunchy, sings and plays bass for W.A.S.P. ...
Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, August 1985
OUCHLESS BAND-AID ...
Howard Jones: Words Of Wisdom, Moos Of Peace
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, October 1985
HOWARD JONES doesn't like to do interviews. He believes eating meat is the last remaining barbarism in Western society. And that the universe is perfect. ...
Mötley Crüe: Psychic Gruel and Mötley Crüe
Report and Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, April 1986
CONSIDER SUITE 619 at the Park Hyatt in Chicago. The floor plants in wicker baskets. The liquor cabinet. The glass coffee table, with fresh flowers ...
The Cult, Barbra Streisand: The Cult: Love (Sire); Barbra Streisand: The Broadway Album (Columbia)
Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, April 1986
STONEY END ...
Stryper: The Newest Testament Yet!
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, June 1986
And a crowd did gather outside a great hall in El Paso, but not to hear of Stryper, but to rebuke them mightily with picket ...
The Rolling Stones: Exiles On Wall Street: The Rolling Stones: Dirty Work (Rolling Stones)
Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, July 1986
IF I KNEW exactly how the Rolling Stones lost their sense of song structure, explaining this boring rip-off might make for an interesting lecture. But ...
Pepe Willie, Prince: Pepe Willie: "See, Me And Prince Had A Deal..."
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, July 1986
IN THE MID-'70s, Pepe Willie — a New York writer, musician and producer — went into the Cook House Studio in Minneapolis with two teenaged ...
Prince: Thinking Of Babylon, Dreaming Of Prince
Essay by J. Kordosh, Creem, July 1986
TO SOME, HE is The Kid. To others he is The Minneapolis Genius. To others still, he's That Guy Who Ripped Me Off On That Last Tour Playing Condensed Songs ...
Belinda Carlisle, The Go-Go's: Belinda Carlisle: Be Lovely, Be Lucky, Belinda
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, October 1986
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, Belinda Carlisle's life was everything it wasn't supposed to be. ...
Prince & The Revolution: Cobo Arena, Detroit
Live Review by J. Kordosh, Creem, October 1986
I'LL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY ...
Peter Case: Do You Want A Man Of Steel?
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, December 1986
BACKSTAGE, AFTER a show, Peter Case is talking baseball. The game is one of Case's passions: he tells of his recent visit to Cooperstown and ...
Robyn Hitchcock: One Night in November with Robyn Hitchcock
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, March 1987
AT SCHOOLKIDS Records in Ann Arbor, Bill Holdship, Robyn Hitchcock and myself are looking through the records. It's the evening of the day the Bruce ...
Fleetwood Mac Return Without Leaving
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, September 1987
UP IN THE hills of Bel Air is Lindsey Buckingham's house, Lindsey Buckingham's croquet-perfect lawn, Lindsey Buckingham's pool, Lindsey Buckingham's radio-controlled toy submarine that's busted, ...
The Beatles, George Harrison: Fab! Gear! The George Harrison Interview (part 1)
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, December 1987
IN A PLUSH Warner Bros, office, Bill Holdship and I listened to George Harrison's first album in over five years, Cloud Nine. "I wracked my brains ...
The Beatles, George Harrison: Fab! Gear! The George Harrison Interview (part 2)
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, January 1988
DID YOU ever see that show in London: John, Paul, George, Ringo & Bert? ...
David Lee Roth: Climbs Big Rock! Lives, Tells All, Eventually Tours
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, March 1988
HOW TO GET A COVER STORY: I was sitting at my desk, wondering who would have an album out in a couple of months. Someone ...
Johnny Cash: A Little Farther... Down The Line
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, June 1988
ONSTAGE, JOHNNY Cash likes to joke about his daughter Rosanne's recording of 'Tennessee Flat Top Box': "She played it for me and I said, 'That's ...
The Thompson Twins: Double Or Nothing? It's The Thompson Twins
Interview by J. Kordosh, Creem, August 1997
Question: "So do you get a thrill out of hearing your records on the radio?" Answer: "Thrill? We get a check!" Alannah: "Thomas!" ...
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