31 min listen
E74: Chris Blackwell's Island Records + Sparks + Remembering Phil May
FromRock's Backpages
ratings:
Length:
65 minutes
Released:
May 25, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
In this week's episode, Mark, Barney & Jasper talk extensively about one of the great record labels — a hallowed home to such groundbreaking acts as Jimmy Cliff, Nick Drake, Roxy Music, (Bob Marley and) the Wailers and, yes, U2. Listening to clips from John Tobler's 1989 audio interview with Island founder Chris Blackwell, RBP's power trio reflect on what made the label such a powerhouse for non-mainstream genres like folk and reggae. Blackwell talks of its transformation after 1967, as well as his first encounter with Marley in 1972.A neat segue via Lenny Kaye's 1975 overview of the label leads "the team" into a discussion of Sparks, the American art pop duo who've just released their new album, A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip. Mark & Barney reminisce about the Mael brothers' Island years in the '70s, commencing with Kimono My House and its astonishing hit single 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us'. We stay in the '70s, moreover, as the RBP troika considers great Disc pieces — about Lou Reed and Chinnichap — by the splendidly-named Ray Fox-Cumming.Mark rounds matters off by talking us through new library pieces about Santana, Hamilton Bohannon, John Fahey (1977), Joni Mitchell and N.W.A., while Jasper adds his tuppenceworth on articles about British folk institution Topic Records, the death of the album and Busta Rhymes. And we go out with a clip from Johnny Black's 1995 audio interview with Pretty Things frontman Phil May, who sadly passed away last week...The Rock's Backpages podcast is proud to be part of the Pantheon podcast network.Pieces discussed: Chris Blackwell audio, Island Records, Sparks, Ron Mael, Lou Reed, The Sweet, Queen, Santana, Hamilton Bohannon, John Fahey, The Pretenders, Sheena Easton, Roxanne Shanté, NWA: Straight Outta Compton, Robert Johnson, Mark Ronson, The T.A.M.I. Show, Cecil Sharp, Folk field recordings, Death of the album, Busta Rhymes and Phil May audio.
Released:
May 25, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
E1: Freddie Mercury talking about Bohemian Rhapsody + Joni Mitchell at 75 + the Wu-Tang Clan: Hear an excerpt from a 1976 interview between Freddie Mercury and Robert Duncan of Creem about 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (among other things). Your hosts Barney Hoskyns and Mark Pringle then consider this week's additions to the Rock's Backpages archive, including pieces on Joni Mitchell, Lionel Richie, Randy Newman and the Rolling Stones at the height of their devilish mythology. While discussing Neil Kulkarni's rave review of Wu-Tang Clan's Forever, Barney and Mark recall the time they met Wu-Tang's U-God at San Francisco airport. Produced by Jasper Murison-Bowie Pieces discussed: Queen's Freddie Mercury, Keith Moon, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, The Runaways, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Randy Newman, Wu-Tang Clan, Boybands, Larry Leblanc with Toby Mamis by Rock's Backpages