Paul Mathur
Paul Mathur (with Liam Gallagher on the left) wrote for Melody Maker, Blitz, Spin and other magazines. The first journalist to write about Oasis, he penned their biography Take Me There, as well as ghost-writing Pete Waterman's autobiography I Wish I Was Me which was voted one of the 50 Best Rock Books Of All Time by Q magazine.
101 articles
List of articles in the library
Dead Or Alive: Return of the Alien
Interview by Paul Mathur, New Musical Express, 29 May 1982
Mummy's boys beware — Pete Burns has resurrected Dead Or Alive and he's gunning for your chart positions. PAUL MATHUR reckons he's on target at ...
Microdisney: Paul Mathur discovers that in Microdisney... everybody is, well, um, relatively ok!...
Interview by Paul Mathur, New Musical Express, 13 October 1984
IF JAMES Joyce had been in a pop group, he would have been in Microdisney. That is, if he'd come over from Cork to spend ...
The Pointer Sisters: Pointer Sisters: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 18 May 1985
INTO THE HOT ...
Scritti Politti: Green: The Word Boy
Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, June 1985
The Barest Of OutlinesScritti Politti. The Italian for political writing, you could say, a political music group. Or you could say, cack, my Scritti just ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 1 June 1985
TWO STATE of the art soul releases beckoning the consumer in time for the inevitable summer boom. ...
The Style Council: Brixton Academy, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 15 June 1985
Top Shop ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, July 1985
SHRIEKBACK are one of those groups who inhabit alternative pop's netherworld. Always there, a name in the new releases column, but never the one that ...
The Communards: Heaven, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 6 July 1985
GAY'S THE WORD ...
Mathilde Santing: Water Under The Bridge (WEA)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 27 July 1985
Waltzing Mathilde ...
Bernard Fowler, Sly & Robbie: Sly & Robbie: Hand in Glove
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 10 August 1985
Paul Mathur, scribe about town, ambles on down to the Kensington Hilton to meet Jamaica's supreme rhythm team, SLY DUNBAR and ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE. Rock, reggae ...
The Membranes: Gift Of Life (Creation)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 14 September 1985
MORE SPUNKY misdemeanours from the oddest thing to have come out of Blackpool since the road to Morecambe. Newly signed to Creation, this trio seem ...
Bronski Beat, The Communards: The Communards: Turning Pink into Red
Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, October 1985
A step forward, both emotionally and politically, from Bronski Beat, Jimmy Somerville's new project, the Communards, promises to take an even harder political line. ...
Penelope Spheeris: The Hollywood Killers
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 18 January 1986
Director PENELOPE SPHEERIS has worked in music video and on Saturday Night Live and made the L.A. punk movie The Decline Of Western Civilisation. Her ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 1 February 1986
SIX RATHER burly black men dressed in tattered wealth and screaming about the street. Awesomely unpleasant haircuts, little sense and yet... ...
Cherrelle: Cherelle: High Priority (Tabu)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 22 February 1986
MID-EIGHTIES Soul-By-Numbers can be so tiresome. You'd have to be a dolt to think that more than 20 per cent of today's claptrack claptrap merchants ...
Mantronix: Mantronix: The Album (10)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 22 March 1986
NOISE NEVER never never annoys you know. Mantronix go for the paintstripper approach, burning away electro's lesser indulgences and leaving hard core hip hop of ...
Art of Noise: The Art Of Noise: In Visible Silence (China Records)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 19 April 1986
SO it's THE Art Of Noise now is it? Addition of the definitive article does not hide an alarming slump into powerpop abandon and things ...
Last Exit: Bill Laswell's Last Exit: Paradiso, Amsterdam
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 31 May 1986
SUCH IS Fourth World Funker Bill Laswell's anonymity that few of us know which of this combo was actually him. It turned out to be ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 31 May 1986
Pulp are from Sheffield and make rather outrageous records. Paul Mathur talks to them of dogs, wheelchairs, Nazis and baked beans. ...
World's Famous Supreme Team: Rappin' (Virgin)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 31 May 1986
LIKE Old Mr Grace being wheeled in at the end of Are You Being Served? World's Famous Supreme Team are something of the grandaddies of ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 14 June 1986
VANITY BELONGS to The Tribe Of Diana, that growing band of performers kneeling at the feet of Ms Ross and wondering how it is that ...
James: London School of Economics
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 5 July 1986
A HALL THE size of our front room, dug deep in a warren of classrooms. It brought an evening of quippy po stutter, some smallish, ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, September 1986
There is more to Dieter Meier, the conceptual half of Yello,than meets the eye. Former professional gambler, member of the Swiss National Golf Team, expert ...
Run-DMC: Run DMC: Serious Rap Attack
Report and Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 13 September 1986
With their Raising Hell tour putting the frighteners on many a major American town and their Rapping Metal single, 'Walk This Way' scaring the pants ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 22 November 1986
THE CANKER & THE CURE ...
Bodines,The, New Order: New Order, The Bodines: Verdun Auditorium, Montreal
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 13 December 1986
CANADIAN CLUB ...
A-ha: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 10 January 1987
WHEN 3,000 prepubescent girls scream, pop analysis tends to gust into the dumper. Really, the scream is the only important thing, the moment when puffballs ...
The Gap Band: Aerobic Ancestors
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 10 January 1987
THE GAP BAND have been doing it since the year dot. Paul Mathur seeks the secret of eternal success ...
Berlin, Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Berlin: G-Mex Centre, Manchester
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 17 January 1987
MR HOLLY Johnson is right, shooting stars never do stop, more's the pity. Instead they tumble entropically to the back of beyond, hollering, hooting and ...
The Valentinos, Womack and Womack: Womack & Womack, The Valentinos: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 24 January 1987
WOMACK AND WOMACK AND WOMACK ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 21 February 1987
ASYLUM OF NUMBERS ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, March 1987
Paul Mathur talks to The Bodines about life in Glossop and their new single, 'Therese'. ...
Curiosity Killed The Cat: Filthy Rich These Cat Chaps
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 18 April 1987
Too naughty to be teeny-boppers, CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT are nonetheless attracting attention for all the trad reasons – goodlookers, dressers, er mates of Paula ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 18 April 1987
BLUR. The boys from Happy Mondays skitter past us on the rob down the Arndale. Loose limbs and flares kick dust into everybody's eyes. ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, May 1987
Paul Mathur talks to Mel & Kim, whose debut album is released this month. ...
Schoolly D: Saturday Night (Rhythm King)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 16 May 1987
ENGLAN' y'say? Meldy Maka? Well, I don't know if I rilly wanna get involved in alla this... how much?... ah, maybe I gotta coupla minutes. ...
The Beastie Boys, Run-DMC: Run DMC/The Beastie Boys: Brixton Academy, London/Brighton Centre
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 6 June 1987
PHALLUS & FALLACY ...
The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu: 1987 — What The F**k Is Going On (The Sound Of Mu)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 20 June 1987
LICENSED TO THRILL ...
The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu: Physical Graffiti
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 4 July 1987
THEFT, NOISE, FUN, SEX... UH... THEFT... THE JUSTIFIED ANCIENTS OF MU MU HAVE JUST PUT OUT AN ALBUM WITH A SWEAR WORD IN THE TITLE ...
Guns N' Roses: Appetite For Destruction (Geffen)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 25 July 1987
OF COURSE they're dreadful. What's more surprising is that so many members of the press, who on most other days of the week could be ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 1 August 1987
Wide-eyed and reckless, Kim Wilde has discovered sex. At least, she writhes a bit on the vid of the new single. Paul Mathur talks dirty ...
Prince, Wendy And Lisa: Wendy & Lisa: Revolt Into Style
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 15 August 1987
WENDY & LISA USED TO BE PART OF PRINCE'S REVOLUTION. NOW THEY'RE STORMING THE BARRICADES WITH A SOLO CAREER. PURPLE RAIN OR JUST A DAMP ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, September 1987
Paul Mathur talks to LLOYD COLE, who is about to return from his self-imposed exile with a brace of new songs. ...
Pet Shop Boys: Actually (Parlophone)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 5 September 1987
ACTUALLY BRILLIANT ...
The Jesus & Mary Chain: Rock City, Nottingham
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 19 September 1987
ONCE IN a while, a band produce a performance that glows with pop's heady desire, thrills to the core and makes you reconsider all your ...
Leonard Cohen: Crocodile Tears
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 2 January 1988
LET'S TALK misconceptions. Like the one about Cleopatra being Egyptian (she was Greek), Christmas being a time for giving (take take take), Ben Elton and ...
Report and Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 9 January 1988
THE TRIFFIDS HAVE GRABBED CRITICAL ATTENTION WITH THEIR CALENTURE ALBUM AND A REPUTATION FOR REINVENTING ROCK IN ALL SORTS OF WIGGLY WAYS. PAUL MATHUR GRABS ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 6 February 1988
AND IT SEEMS like they never went away. The Pere Ubu revival has burst through like mushrooms in your airing cupboard, and somehow, this re-release, ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 13 February 1988
Aztec Camera have just completed their first tour for four years and are gradually steering their way back into the nation's heart and soul. Paul ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 12 March 1988
LOOPHOLES AND repression being what they are, an Alabama county recently admitted that according to local legal dictates, it was illegal for any baby in ...
Throwing Muses: Storm Troupers
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 19 March 1988
THROWING MUSES' REBUILDING OF POP'S DARK SIDE IS WINNING THEM LOTS OF NEW FRIENDS. PAUL MATHUR AMBLED ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO TALK TO SINGER KRISTIN ...
Prince: Lovesexy (Paisley Park)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 14 May 1988
LEXICON OF LOVE ...
Melissa Etheridge: Places in the Heart
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 2 July 1988
AMID THE PRESENT GLUT OF FEMALE SINGER-SONGWRITERS, MELISSA ETHERIDGE IS PROVING HERSELF ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE PACK. PAUL MATHUR COMES OVER ALL ACOUSTIC AND ...
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 16 July 1988
WIRE HAVE probably not played to 100,000 people in total as they've skimmed their precious stones across the edges of a strange pop history. And ...
Depeche Mode: California Screaming
Report by Paul Mathur, Blitz, September 1988
In Britain, they're known as just another plinky plonk band. But in the USA, the boys from Basildon are megastars. Paul Mathur visits California during ...
David Lee Roth: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 10 September 1988
A DAVID Lee Roth concert is perhaps the only place on the face of the earth where boys who look like traffic accidents can get ...
Report and Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, February 1989
Over the last ten years, New Order have achieved an astonishing commercial success despite maintaining a personal profile so low as to be almost invisible. Anyone familiar ...
Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians: The Marquee, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 4 February 1989
THE MESSY BEAT Angels were well and truly bushed after a week of post-Dali wassailing, but the sight of Edie Brickell's band was as startling ...
Mel & Kim, Pet Shop Boys: Phil Harding and Ian Curnow: Production Lines
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 4 February 1989
PAUL MATHUR TALKS TO PHIL HARDING AND IAN CURNOW, KEYWORKERS IN THE SAW HIT FACTORY ...
Essay by Paul Mathur, Spin, April 1989
Success and failure are both difficult to endure. Along with success come drugs, divorce, fornication, bullying, travel, medication, depression, neurosis and suicide. With failure comes ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Spin, August 1989
Seventeen years ago Labi Siffre was a British R&B star who sang nothing but love songs. Today he's once again a star, singing about struggle ...
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 24 March 1990
IT'S LIKE stumbling back in time. As yet another rap package rolls across the land of the Mounties, De La Soul find themselves in the ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Blitz, July 1990
Following her second solo album, Rapture, Anita Baker was acknowledged as possibly the best female vocalist in the world. Now she's back with a new album which leaves the opposition standing ...
The Orb, Primal Scream, Andrew Weatherall: Primal Scream: The Haçienda, Manchester
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 3 August 1991
KNOCKED OUT LOADED ...
Pulp: Interview With Jarvis Cocker
Interview by Paul Mathur, Volume, November 1991
IN THE EARLY '80s, a deeply disturbed Sheffield pop group called Pulp crafted a brace of lovably awkward pop classics, most notably the "controversial" 'Little ...
EMF: Camden Underworld, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 2 May 1992
TEENAGE KICKS ...
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 2 May 1992
IT'S, UH, KINDA TRAGIC ...
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 16 May 1992
WHILE DAVID "Headhunter" Mellor is never likely to draw himself away from rucking at footy and quaffing at the opera for long enough to acknowledge ...
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 15 August 1992
THE TEE-SHIRT READS "Madstock"; the reality sporadically veers from such cheery celebration. Somewhere in the fun and the frolics, the grubbiness of moronicism smears the ...
Blur: Modern Life Is Rubbish (Food)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 15 May 1993
CONTEMPORARY FAULT – ADJUST YOUR MIND-SET ...
M People: M-People: La Villette, Paris
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 17 July 1993
THE 20TH anniversary party for Europe's premier radical newspaper, Liberation, and even Pepe Le Punk would have been silenced by the fun. ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 28 August 1993
The very mention of THE THE inspires visions of musical doom, fretful soul-searching and a general air of unreconstructed gloom. But does MATT JOHNSON really ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 22 January 1994
ONE DOVE perfectly sum up the New Eclecticism — they're a dance band who love C&W. This is why they are now poised to make ...
Autechre, L.F.O.: LFO, Autechre: Leisure Lounge, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 3 December 1994
IN PURSUIT OF ABANDON... ...
Blur: The Return Of The Fab Four
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 12 August 1995
That rumble at the earth's core can only mean one thing — BLUR are back! With new single, 'Country House', out in ten days and ...
Blur: The Return Of The Fab Four: Part Two
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 19 August 1995
Last week, BLUR talked long and hard about, well, everything, really. Everything, that is, except new LP The Great Escape, the R.E.M. date at Milton ...
Charlatans, The (UK): The Charlatans: Fake That and Party!
Report and Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 16 September 1995
THE CHARLATANS are Number One! That's not a value judgement — it's a fact! This week, the band many had written off as ex-baggy no-marks ...
Menswear: Nuisance (Laurel 828 676-2 12 tks/50 mins/FP)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 7 October 1995
YOU SWE@R IT WELL Skinny f***ers. Scenesters. Suits. Star Trek. Trainers. Cheekbones. Aggro. Sex. Drugs. Rock. Roll. Menswear. No wonder PAUL MATHUR loves them ...
Coldcut: Journeys By DJ (Music Unites JDJCD8 29tks/74mins)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 21 October 1995
THE SLICE IS RIGHT Their dazzle may have been eclipsed by newer brilliant stars, but Coldcut never left the party, they just went off on an ...
Oasis: Where Were You... When We Were Getting High?
Report by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 11 November 1995
Last weekend at London's Earl's Court, OASIS played the biggest indoor concerts ever held in this country. PAUL MATHUR brings us all the backstage gossip ...
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 18 November 1995
IT'S A GREAT NAME, obviously. Daft Punk are a young French duo who support the Chemical Brothers and come as close as is feasibly possible ...
Report and Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 16 March 1996
Ever been to a CAST gig? Total entertainment. Ever been to Amsterdam? Druggy hedonism meets sensual abandon. So what happens if you put Cast and ...
Oasis: Liam Gallagher: The Man Behind The Myth
Profile and Interview by Paul Mathur, Esquire, February 1997
To the tabloids he's "The Wildman of Pop'. Or "Boozy Liam". Or "Lout Liam". He's the one who drinks and swears and hits journalists. But ...
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 22 February 1997
...here they come! REPUBLICA, that is, the UK post-punk techno-pop band who are currently taking America by storm ...
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 17 May 1997
96 REASONS WHY ...
Travis: It's Getting Better Manhattan!
Report and Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 13 September 1997
They're Noel's favourite band and are soon to support Oasis on their tour. We traveled to New York to see what makes people love TRAVIS... ...
Robbie Williams: University of East Anglia, Norwich
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 10 October 1997
WELL, I'd shag him. And if you believe the tabloids, I already have. And been indicted in the hedonistic disruption of a man who lives ...
The Verve: The Boston T-Shirt Party!
Report by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 29 November 1997
Welcome to the beauty of the new soul rebels. We join THE VERVE in America and discover the Wigan warriors are ready to take on ...
Natalie Imbruglia: Shredded Treat!
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 13 December 1997
Why NATALIE IMBRUGLIA? Because her debut single 'Torn' is f***in' brilliant, and she's gorgeous and she drinks! Wahey! We invite Nat out for a beer ...
Campag Velocet: Dingwalls, London
Live Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 3 January 1998
WELL, YOU can sack your Skunk Rock epithets for starters. Sure, there's a movement going on, a rumble that takes in not only the band ...
Report and Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 12 September 1998
The original Bratpoppers, ASH, are back! We meet them in Sweden and hear about Ian Paisley, the nuclear-tastic new album and Charlotte's death-threats ...
Fun Lovin' Criminals: Mob Rule!
Interview by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 3 October 1998
Supermodels on their Ds, Norweigan brandy parties, British pop star girlfriends "kickin' Swedish ass": it's all part of the Fun Lovin' Criminals' life on the ...
Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Columbia) ****
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 3 October 1998
IF, SAY, Embrace were to sit around in the studio talking about paper rounds and puberty and stuff, they'd never dream of recording snippets and ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 1 May 1999
IMAGINE, IF you will, "The Bible" performed in rhyme by young men in baseball hats. Breakdancing. It would have gone something like this. ...
Ben Folds Five: The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner (Epic)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 8 May 1999
I.D. HIGH! ...
The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin (WEA)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 15 May 1999
THIS IS WEIRDCORE ...
Atari Teenage Riot: 60 Second Wipeout (DHR)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 19 May 1999
YOU'D BE well advised to fasten any seat belts before listening to this one. There is a quiet bit... but then the record starts. And ...
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 22 May 1999
SO SECOND ALBUMS are supposed to be difficult, then? Maybe someone ought to tell Travis, because The Man Who sounds like a thundering triumph. ...
Pavement: Terror Twilight (Domino)
Review by Paul Mathur, Melody Maker, 5 June 1999
TO BE both catchy and unhummable takes some doing. Indeed, only the Brookside theme tune has previously approximated the concept. Pavement, however, are the dons. ...
The Creatures, Siouxsie & The Banshees: Siouxsie Sioux: An Interview
Interview by Paul Mathur, This is not Retro, May 2002
I GUESS THE OBVIOUS QUESTION IS WHY ARE THE BANSHEES BACK, AND HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? ...
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