Matters (Jason Curtis)

In the world of thrash metal influence, it doesn’t get bigger than Metallica. On October 15, 1999, I had the privilege of interviewing the band’s bassist, and my namesake, Jason Curtis Newsted.  

On September 27, 1986, during the European leg of the Damage, Inc. Tour, Metallica's bassist Cliff Burton tragically died as a result of a road accident. Following Burton's death, the band began the arduous task of finding his replacement.  

After auditioning more than 50 possible replacements, Jason got the gig that same year and went on to play with the band until January 2001.  In his tenure, Jason contributed playing and writing parts to no less than 11 Metallica albums, including …And Justice for All, Load and Reload.   I got to him on the eve of Metallica’s highly anticipated S&M release. 

The band, along with a 90-piece symphonic orchestra, under the baton of the extraordinarily gifted Michael Kamen, delivered the goods. A mammoth undertaking that delivered a colossal soundscape, captured over two nights, all of which Jason labelled, “magnificent!”. 

 #michaelkamen #s&m #jasonnewsted #jasoncurtisnewsted #metallica #algreene #benharper #chemicalbrothers

Pete Doherty was out, having formed Baby Shambles, but The Libertines remained gracious and welcoming should he have cleaned up his act. While they got on with it, drummer Gary Powell and the the remaining band kept their self-titled, second album in the spotlight, regardless of it all.

Through the personal and professional mayhem that haunted them, the band persevered and cleaned up their act to become one of the world’s most impressive acts focused on all about the music.

Now and again, you stumble upon a quiet, unassuming genius. 

Lloyiso is one such soul we all need to pay attention to. 

He's young, astute, and above all, gifted.  I had the joy of spending a little time with the soon-to-be global hitmaker at the point in his career that's beyond foundational; it's defining. Enjoy.

In 1998, Culture Club was all things reunited, something that became somewhat of a theme from then on out.

This interview, captured in 1998, at the start of the band’s first official re-start after disbanding, is something special and a snapshot worthy of capturing for posterity.

Culture Club made up and informed our pop culture and music landscape right through the 1980s, 90s and comfortably into the nulls – a fact no one can or should deny.

If you want to get a sense of who these creatives were back then and where their original motivations lay all those years ago, this is one for you. Enjoy.

Culture Club, Boy George, Karma Chameleon, I Just Wanna be Loved, Church of the Poison Mind, Virgin, Virgin Records

Bring It On was the debut album by English indie rock band Gomez, released in April 1998 by Hut Records. Recording sessions for the album began in late 1997, during which time Gomez also toured the United Kingdom with Embrace.  I spoke to the band and the very start of their rather stellar journey into the world of popularity. The first single, "78 Stone Wobble", was released in March 1998, while "Get Myself Arrested" and "Whippin' Piccadilly" were later released as singles.

The year 1999 was momentous on many levels, especially in music. David Sylvian, the unforgettable voice that illustrated “Forbidden Colours”, composed by Ryuichi Sakomoto for the motion picture’s soundtrack, Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, was about to release a remarkable collection of new material.

You may know him as the ex-Japan singer or recall his collab work with the legendary Robert Fripp? This interview presents a man worthy of tremendous applause beyond the indie world he’s spent the better part of his music career percolating in.

David Sylvian is, arguably, one of the best singer/ songwriters of his age. Listen to this unedited interview, stream or replay, Dead Bees on a Cake, and then tell me otherwise. His ability to conjugate and articulate the elegance of his compositions and layer introspective, heartfelt, and confident lyrics makes him extraordinary. Enjoy.

Doing what he was always programmed to do, in April 1998, I got to spend time with Steve Newman, one part of Tanana’s and equally critically acclaimed solo artist.

When we hooked up between SAMA run-ins and new album releases, this time round, we were talking all things retrospectively, Tananas, The Collection, their greatest hits collection. A great giving, humble, gifted human being, listen and learn a little more about the magic-maker behind the music.

Steve has gifted the world with so much fantastic music; some 24-odd years later, it’s our turn to reciprocate in support and love.

While the world was catastrophising over Y2K, Supergrass, made up of Mickey, Danny and Gaz, smartly busied themselves with producing their ‘mature’ third, self-titled album.

This is another CD-interview disc for ‘Promotional Use Only’, which this is, so please enjoy the band unpacking all the hoopla around the attention they richly attracted at the time.

In 2006 I had the privilege of sitting with the late great Chris Cornell in Cape Town at the height of Audioslave’s global modern rock domination. What I was not able to do, however, was capture a voice recording, I was a print journalist at the time, after all, and the record label scoffed at my request. 😉

Rewind four years earlier, November 2002, the month Audioslave released their seminal self-titled debut album. The phone rang, and their label offered me an interview with Chris, the caveat being it had to be in person in Los Angeles. What to do? Call a friend, which I did, the founding member of The Outsiders, Drikkie Botha, who just so happened to live in California. I told him of the golden opportunity, and he graciously recommended fellow musician and scribe Sander Verlaan. He agreed and recorded the interview, sharing it with me for publication in South Africa. I wrote up his interview and published it for the long-defunct Pulse magazine for Musica.

Then, life happened, and the voice recording he did was lost, saved on some stiffy or CDROM, not retrievable by me. What to do? Call a friend, which I did once again. Drikkie again delivered, connecting me to Sander some 20 years later.

Here’s his reply to my recent Messager request: “Drikkie has told me about you over the years. I have a recording from the Chris Cornell interview I did in your place for the first Audioslave record. Drikkie told me about your podcast, and I immediately said I had an interview I did for you. I know I was a bit of a fanboy interviewing him but let me know if you want the file, and I will be more than happy to look for it.”

Sander was a massive fan of Chris’ work and set off to meet with him at Sony Music’s LA offices in late 2002. Here’s some context from Sander to what you’re about to hear.

“Disclaimer: I was a bit of a fanboy of CC, ha-ha!” wrote Sander. “I was the first one of the day to interview him, super nervous and had arrived in Santa Monica early, having missed the listening session the night before. That said, the Sony contact at the time was a fellow Dutch guy, and because we met early, he drove me to the Sony office and put me in a fancy listening room so I could listen to the record before meeting Chris. They know how to pack you in with a high-quality system like that, so I remember walking into this room feeling impressed with the record, ha-ha! Anyway, some background info.”

Thank you, Drikkie Botha, as always. Sander, you are a gentleman and a man of many talents. Thank you for taking the time to help me resurrect this critical piece of legacy footage – much love and respect to you both.

And now for something completely different.  

When I spoke to Kåre Wanscher in 1997, one of the four people who made up Michael Learns To Rock (MLTR), new territories like South Africa were hearing their infectious pop for the very first time. 

They became one of this county’s most significant late 90s, early nulls, favourites.

After this interview, multiple tours to the country followed, and album sales went through the roof.  

 I was fortunate enough to tour with the band during my time at EMI and followed their career for a good few years. A lovely bunch of humans that reminded me that all that pop is essential, as it was for the groups that came before them and since.

Tried & True: The Best of Suzanne Vega is a greatest hits album by the American singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega. The album was first released on 28 September 1998 and includes two songs ("Book & a Cover" and "Rosemary") that were not available on her earlier studio albums.

Three months into the new millennium, I got offered an interview with Jude Abbott, one-eighth of the English rock band Chumbawamba. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to discover how they intended to replicate or surpass the success of their previous album, Tubthumper.

Their eighth album, WYSIWYG (an abbreviation of What You See Is What You Get), and its 22 tracks, sadly did not chart anywhere in the world. Still, they did get to land their multi-layered, overtly politically driven messages. A year after capturing this recording, the band left EMI and headed off to blaze new trails for the rest of the decade.

It’s an interview that contextualises their sudden global appeal after having been around for some 15 years before that. Enjoy.

The Seduction of Claude Debussy broke Art of Noise’s 10-year-long musical drought. I was fortunate enough to interview Paul Morley at the beginning of the collective’s next exciting chapter.

Besides being a journalist for the NME and co-founding the legendary record label ZTT, he was also a member of Art of Noise, along with Trevor Horn, Anne Dudley, and Lol Creme.

Harvested from a decaying C90 cassette, this interview has Paul talking through the group’s hiatus and subsequent return to Art of Noise fold after more than a decade away.

Fun fact: The album, the group’s 5th, was initially only released on CD and Minidisc.

Captured on the eve of her debut South African promotional tour, in August 1997, this interview with Janet Jackson unpacks more than just The Velvet Rope. A very introspective album, “finding myself is where I find myself,” she declared.

This time around, Janet was focusing on her R&B roots. She spoke to me about exposing her inner, sensual self. “If it’s too much, I apologise,” she confessed at the time. “I have desires, just like the next person. It’s very unsettling. We’re not alone in our feelings.” Most artists would not touch the subject matter, yet Janet embraced it. “I have to do it for myself,” she insisted.

When discussing “Got ’til it’s Gone” – in this interview Janet talks through how the Joni Michelle-inspired track came together. And with Q-Tip in residence, the two made magic. “He has a peacefulness about him,” she said at the time.

“Tonight’s the Night”, Rod Stewart’s classic made it onto the album too… At the point of this recording, he’d yet to hear and endorse it.  “I hope it helps people,” she said, “and that they get something from it. That’s most important.”

It was a difficult album to make, where Janet went back into her past to realise it. Six months committed and multiple revisits saw The Velvet Rope come to life. Working with the original team, all egos were left at the door. “I hate arrogance,” she insisted. Cathartic, unsettling, as time passed each day after the album was released, Janet got her strength, courage and artistic conviction confirmed with the album’s success.

Here she also speaks of her friendship with Harvey Weinstein in 1997, the same year she received the Lina Horn Award. “I felt so honoured!” she recalls. Janet discusses racism, emotional battles and her inner struggles. More motivated then as ever, Janet, for the first time since Control, Ms Jackson was doing it for herself, no matter what.

#janetjackson, #rhythmnation, #thevelvetrope, #harveyweinstein, #thejacksonfive, #thejackson5, #control, #sidneypollack, #gwnethpaltrow, #slidingdoors, #rodstewart, #q-tip

This is a very candid, unedited interview with Goldfish, made up of Dominic Peters and David Poole, making waves throughout the better part of the early nulls. On the cusp of releasing Perceptions of Pacha, I got to sit with the group to deep dive into what made them tick at the time. Enjoy.

Throwing Muses did not form to be famous, they got together to make the music they wanted. 

I had the honour of speaking to the late band’s lead singer and respected solo artist at the time of the release of her second solo album, Strange Angels.   

The year was 1998, late February, when the two of us first connected. What followed in our 20 minutes together was her speaking of a fundamentally enlightening time for her as an act of one.  

She labelled Strange Angels a very positive and sweet record, filled with a lot of respect for happiness. “We should all be trying for joy”, she said. Truer words, in these troubled times, could not be more apt.  

Kristen grew up listening to underground music. “I fell in love with music, not to be successful, I couldn’t make the shift to a more commercial reality,” she recalled. Few fans, but each more passionate and less fickle than the pop populous.  A 4AD veteran, she celebrated the labels mantra, music matters. A label with fans, before picking an artist to favour.  

She rightly pointed out, then, what is so true today – Generations will not hear their sound because Top 40 radio and overall streaming is so bad. Throwing Muses, and Kristen in her solo right, we're all about the experimental, paving a further path and an active feeding ground that keeps underground music alive and thriving to this day.  

Kristin has never aimed to trick her audience. Her motivation is personal, free of expectation. She’s not intentionally obscure. “I just like music,” she said on the day.  #Hips&Makers #Michaelstipe, #hips&makers #strangeangels #4AD

Ollie Jacobs and James Barnett formed an electronic/ rock act that punched a hole in the sky with their Reprise debut, Fresh Meat, an album that came out of a journey that began at the tender age of 16.

This interview is a slice in time when the band was coming into their own, circa 1997, when I got to spend time with James.

·  Yes, the quality of it all is less than great (Mother Nature wants it back), for the best part, but I dare you to stay faithful, and you’ll be rewarded towards the end, promise.

It may have taken more than 42 years to get Mike Scott and his motley crew of genius talent to our shores. Still, thanks to Breakout Events, The Waterboys will finally be setting sail to play live at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens on Friday, 25 November, and in Johannesburg at Casalinga on Sunday, 27 November.

If you happened upon the British-Irish indie folk rock back in the early to mid- 1980s, you’re probably old enough to have heard them on the then Radio 5, courtesy of the DJ who championed their genius, one Chris Prior – the self-proclaimed ‘Rock Professor’.

How he first stumbled upon their unique blend of Celtic, gospel and country music remains a mystery to this writer. Still, South African fans were no less grateful for his single-handed obsession to have their music heard. Their This is the Sea; A Pagan Place and Fisherman’s Blues albums sold out upon release and continue to sell to this very day.

Over the years, seminal tracks, the likes of “The Whole of The Moon” and “How Long Will I Love You”, have found their way onto TV shows the likes of Ray Donovan and The Affair, while the late-great Prince, U2, War On Drugs and Ellie Goulding have performed their music live too.

In 2020, the music that Mike Scott (vocals, guitar, piano), Steve Wickham (electric fiddle), Memphis keyboard great “Brother” Paul Brown, British ace drummer Ralph Salmins and funky Irish bass player Aongus Ralston performed around the world, continues to resonate with audiences right across the globe.

While fluffing and folding his live performance wardrobe, lead singer Mike Scott reveals a little of what four generations of fans can look forward to when the collective finally hits African terra firma.

You’ve been making beautiful music since 1983 and have performed everywhere except South Africa. What took you so long?

“It’s something we’ve always wondered about. We almost came several years ago, but it’s expensive when you want the musicians to get paid well. We do things properly, with a good crew, and now we’re able to do that, so we’re happily on our way now.”

It’s coming up 42 years since The Waterboys first formed, and you’re the one constant in the band throughout that time. What, in your mind, do you think it is that has carried these songs for as long as they have?

“[Laughing] I don’t carry our entire work with me. I want to have a great time when we get up on stage and play songs that get my rocks off, as it were. Our sets in South Africa will be rather special, if only because we have never performed live there. So, the classics will certainly be in there, as will be a few rare treats.”

To what do you owe your longevity and relevance?

“Most likely due to many players that have come through The Waterboys over the years. Each permutation and combination had me working hard to explore all the possible surprising changes and keep it fresh. Each new player that has come in, you feed off them, and they feed off of you. The chemistry remains quite electric.”

So, what can South Africa expect from The Waterboys’ sets?

“Well, I like to improvise, but it will be a magical mix of old and new, of that fans can rest assured. Playing to new audiences is always exciting, so we’ll bring our A game. If only because it’s long overdue.”

Frontman Huey Morgan in the room, dropping the dirt on what made 100% Colombian, great!

Tim, Jules and Ben, Up Close and personal, circa May 2021.

In mid-2006, I sat with the Australian singer-songwriter, musician, actress, and activist, Missy Higgins. Her confidence, self-belief and passion for her craft was palpable, please enjoy!

In early August 2004, a wonderful time in my life and music in general, I got to chat with Badly Drawn Boy for a second time. This interview caught him on the release of his fourth, highly anticipated release, One Plus One Is One.

Badly Drawn Boy, whose real name is Damon Michael Gough, is a British singer-songwriter and musician who gained popularity in the early 2000s for his unique blend of indie rock, folk, and electronic music.

For context

In August 2004, Badly Drawn Boy had just released his fourth studio album, One Plus One Is One, which received generally positive reviews from critics. The album departed from his previous works with a more polished and cohesive sound and featured tracks such as "Year of the Rat" and "Nothing's Going to Change Your Mind".

Around this time, Badly Drawn Boy was known for his quirky personality and eccentric fashion sense, often sporting a distinctive beanie hat and unkempt hair. He had recently completed a successful tour of the United Kingdom and was gearing up for a tour of the United States in the autumn of 2004.

Overall, August 2004 was a busy and exciting time for Badly Drawn Boy as he continued to make a name for himself in the music industry with his unique style and sound.

Music that makes people happy in every sense of the word; on 1 October 1997, I had the chance to speak to A Reminiscent Drive’s creator Jay Alanski at the time his Mercy Street album dropped.

Reminiscent Drive was born on the F Communications label, and between 1995 and 2001, four EPs, two albums and remixes were born.

If you are a fan of ambient, electronic music and don’t know Jay’s work, give this interview a listen, and you’ll get to understand how this soundscape artist built an album with not a single computer in sight.

The year was 2002, 22 years into his career when I first got to speak to the one-time Hüsker Dü and Sugar lead singer and equally successful solo artist, Bob Mould. 

Over that year and the next, Bob delivered no less than three albums. I caught up with him just after the release of the first of the three, Modulate.  

* Disclaimer: Due to the poor sound quality on this one, it's intended for the die-hard fans, if only due to a buzz on the line I simply don't have the tech to remedy, and for that, I apologise.   

Nonetheless, I loved the interview and thought it only right to share it with those of you who can listen past the buzz and enjoy this rich, humble and engaging artist at a critical stage of his music career.

This is me in full fan-boy flight. Michael Brook is lesser-known, but no less a critical musician; celebrated solo artist, producer and inventor of the Infinite Guitar, famously played by both U2’s The Edge and Daniel Lanois.

Short, but no less sweet, I caught up with 4AD multi-talent to talk about his 1997 soundtrack produced for Albino Alligator, Kevin Spacey’s directorial debut.

Here, Michael talks about his role, that of technology and briefly chats about the movie’s closing cover of “Ill Wind (You’re Blowing Me No Good)”, featuring Flea, Michael Stipe and Jimmy Scott.

Today he’s produced an eye-watering 30 seminal soundtracks, including the likes of Into the Wild, An Inconvenient Truth, Brooklyn, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. So yes, you do know his work after all [wink].

Coming through the fire that was 1996’s First Band on the Moon, today, The Cardigans remain one of those bands that became suddenly popular with their third life-changing album. Of its many celebrated singles, “My Favourite Game” made them instantly famous, thanks to MTV – today’s Twitter/ Instagram reality, all of which threw them into a vortex of pop mayhem. “Erase/Rewind” swiftly followed while the hurricane raged on. Fast forward to album four, 1998’s Grand Turismo – that was when I got to spend 10 precious minutes with keyboard and guitar player Lars-Olof Johansson. We spoke about the journey, part four for Sweden’s favourite band of their generation, one of a six-part rollercoaster ride we know and love to this day.

Jeremy Loops has been Trading Change since 2014, and along with his commitment and obvious talent, he’s attracted an army of followers.

In this, my first ever interview with the roving raconteur, recorded on the eve of his highly anticipated third album, Hear You Got Love, Jeremy waxes lyrical about his journey to here and his ongoing investment in paying it forward.

2018’s Critical as Water album cemented his reputation as an artist worthy of international acclaim with sold-out shows in the US, UK, and Europe.

Four years in the making, Jeremy’s done anything but rest on his laurels to deliver a stellar set of new songs, all a further notch up or three from where his last album left off.

Yes, it took a while to make, but Jeremy’s third album is well worth the wait. Featuring collaborations with Ladysmith Black Mambazo (“This Town”) and Ed Sheeran (“Better Together”) and heavyweight producers famous for their work with the likes of Adele, Lewis Capaldi and George Ezra, expect to hear pure sunshine in song.

Australian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist Xavier Rudd returns to South Africa in February 2024.
Before launching his solo career, Rudd began playing music as part of the band 'Xavier and the Hum'. He drew inspiration from artists such as Leo Kottke, Ben Harper, Natalie Merchant and multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, as well as music from diverse sources such as Hawaiian and Native American music.
Rudd's songs incorporate socially conscious themes, such as spirituality, humanity, environmentalism, and the rights of Indigenous Australians.

My relationship with The Smashing Pumpkins goes back to their debut Gish, but this interview was recorded a good few years later when, in mid-1998, Adore landed. Not by me, sadly, but captured nonetheless, thanks to my working at EMI and an advance CDR recording of the interview landing on my desk, and I was ready to tell anyone who cared.

I shared the interview on The Cutting Edge, a weekly show I hosted at the time, along with the inimitable Tiene van den Berg, back in May 1998. Yes, it’s all mono and analogue horrible, but it remains a slice of modern rock history worthy of resharing.

Yes, there are poorly captured mono recordings on this session, which copyright oddly allows, but which make my heart gratefully happy for past and future generations to appreciate, so enjoy and, more importantly, go dig out or purchase the rich catalogue that exists. If this band doesn’t move you, consider yourself already dead.

Smashing Pumpkins, Adore, Billy Corgan, Gish, Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, The Cutting Edge, Tuksfm, Tuks FM, Virgin, Flood, Ava Adore, James Iha, D’arcy Wretzky, Virgin Records

In 2006, José Gabriel González, the Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from Gothenburg, arrived in Cape Town to promote and play a record released three years before.  I sat with him in a small club in Observatory, Cape Town to talk through the journey to Veneer, his debut studio album.

González is also a member of the band Junip, along with Tobias Winterkorn.

In early 1998, 12 March to be exact, I got less than 10 minutes with Marcy Playground, an American alternative rock band consisting of three members: John Wozniak (lead vocals, guitar), Dylan Keefe (bass), and Shlomi Lavie (drums). The band is best known for its 1997 hit "Sex and Candy" from its debut self-titled album. These interviews are always unedited, captured from decaying analogue cassettes. John sounds fine on this one, which is the most crucial part, despite my calling him Mark for the better part of the interview. I put it down to nerves ;-). For some odd reason, my vocal is a tad faint, however. Please enjoy, regardless 😊.

The year was 1998, Oremi had just been released and I got the opportunity to talk to its maker. What a wonderful woman and equally brilliant, trail-blazing musician. 

The Chemical Brothers make music that’s not been made yet. Whether they were working with Mercury Rev or Mazzy Star, they had an ear for what works.

Remixing wise, they’re legendary, only because they have a lot of ideas. ’94. ’95 was a great way of getting their music out there. As they became a band, they focused on themselves, for no less than 14 months. They wanted their own voice and Surrender was it.

Surrender needed explaining and Tom was happy to unpack it, here.

Thirty years into his career, since his first 1976 hit, Johnny Clegg was very much in control of his destiny when I had another rare opportunity to speak to this late-great icon in late 2006.

Celebrating but still pointing fault at legacy politics, Johnny spoke to the past but always looked forward. The juxtapositions are jarring, but it shows a level of grit that made him an extraordinary narrator.

One Life was the album, 17 tracks long, filled with Zulu chorus that took more than a year to produce. Mandisa was front and centre; I urge you to listen to this interview to the end. There are some great surprises in here.

Described as the album that brought Mercury Rev back from the edge by guitarist Sean "Grasshopper" Mackowiak, 1998’s Deserter’s Dreams went on to become one of the last millennium’s more critical listens. Fast forward 23-years and the album’s subject matter could not be more relevant given our collective current reality.

I chatted to the band’s Adam Snyder to unpack the backstory and explore their reverential indie-fringe appeal.

Finding the sandcastle inside of yourself. Spontaneity is key, Yello’s Dieter Meier spoke to me about his and Boris’ journey in music – not as pioneers, but as authentic artists making music that matters, circa 2 May 1997.

Influenced by the sounds of nature, diesel engines and the music Boris heard, it’s a conglomerate of the planet’s sounds.

"We are who we are." Yello never tried to fit a format.

Each week, give or take, I post an interview I have conducted, either legacy or current. This week’s contribution comes kind courtesy and hot-off-the-press (as it were) from creative agitator, initiator, serial entrepreneur, and extraordinary all-around human being David Chislett. I count him as a dear, dear friend and equal inspiration.

What David has not poked, questioned, or contributed to in the arts, corporate business, training, workshops, or keynote addressing over decades is extraordinary.

Finding his ‘voice’ and realising his contribution has seen him go down many a rabbit hole to where he finds himself successfully installed today. As we close out 2022, this is where David’s at.

It’s apparent, upon listening, why his contribution to the world at large is so significant and his role invaluable in unlocking what each of us carries, known or otherwise. As a Change Pilot, he holds the key.

To find out more and engage, plug in here:

https://davidchislett.com

https://www.patreon.com/davidchislett

YouTube: @DavidChislett or https://www.youtube.com/c/DavidChislett

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidchislettcreativity/

In 1998, Paula Cole was already a Grammy award-winner and respected artist, post cutting her musical teeth with the likes of Peter Gabriel. He features on This Fire, her second album I got to unpack with her, 18 months after its initial release.

If her music is not known to you, think the very best of Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Melissa Etheridge and Sarah McLachlan, and you’ll be in ballpark she owned for the latter part of the ’90s. The big hit off that record was, “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone” – go listen.

A vital voice you should listen to if you are a fan of passionate, lyrical wizardry.

Meet Marc Marot, ex-Island Records Managing Director and today an artist in his own right.  

This is a two-part interview that unpacks a journey that saw him promoted to the youngest Managing Director of a major record label at 29.  

Amongst the artists signed and developed by his team while at Island Records were Pulp, PJ Harvey, The Stereo MCs, P.M. Dawn, The Cranberries, Elbow, Chaka Demus and Pliers, NWA, The Orb, Ice Cube, Talvin Singh, Tricky and Nine Inch Nails. 

Marc also guided U2’s career throughout the 1990s, from the release of Achtung Baby to just before the release of All you Can’t Leave Behind, selling close to 60 million albums in the process.  

To date, acts discovered or managed by him have notched up 38 Top Ten singles, including 18 Number One singles in the UK charts alone.  In one form or another, Marc has been responsible for more than 100,000,000 album sales, including his ten years of direct international responsibility for U2’s marketing and sales. Listen, learn, and most importantly, enjoy 😊   @ISLAND RECORDS   @Island Records UK   @U2   @Nine Inch Nails   @Jarvis Cocker   @elbow   @Guy Garvey

The very first media interview Radiohead conducted in support of the release of OK Computer. 

The interview with Colin, Ed, Johnny and Phil, on a hotel rooftop garden in Barcelona - 22 May 1997, marked the beginning of what was to become of the the most important and revered albums of all time. 

The recording was reclaimed from the original cassette used on the day and the interview, as with all Matters interviews, is unedited, captured as it happened. Watch the documentary Meeting People is Easy for greater context.

In 1997 Jon Bon Jovi was in a good place, but had something to say as a solo voice was ready to deliver his second chapter.   

New beginnings, fine collaborations and serendipity, AKA Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) producing, this is Jon's story of that time. USA meets UK, Jon knew how to make records and Dave knew how to experiment, together they were strong.

Going through my trunk filled with legacy interviews I captured, I found a few interview CDs for promotional purposes that I thought needed to be heard and not lost in time.

This one is with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, recorded in 1998 on the eve of the two music icons releasing, Walking into Clarksdale.

Again, this is not my interview to claim; I used it to craft a printed editorial at the time, courtesy of Universal Music. I just thought you’d like to hear it before Mother Nature reclaims it.

This interview, captured nine months before the group landed in ZA (circa 2004), saw me chatting with the founder member of Basement Jaxx, Felix Buxton. 

Kish Kash was the group’s third delivery, a significant album for them, as much as it was for their fans. Listen and enjoy how this album came together.

Basement Jaxx, Basement Jacks, Felix Buxton, Independiente, Simon Ratcliffe, Goldie, LTK Bukem, XL, Interscope, PIAS, Daft Punk, OMG, Kish Kash, Oh My Gosh, Crazy Itch Radio, Scars, Glastonbury, Glastonbury Festival Basement Jaxx, Glastonbury Festival, Glastonbury Festival Kylie Minogue, Yoko Ono, Santigold, Hush Boy, JC Chasez, Lisa Kekaula, Me’shell Ndegeocello, Dizzee Rascal

In 2004 Basement Jaxx was the hot ticket when it came to filling dancefloors right around the world. Disclaimer: This interview is noisy, thanks to it being captured in a hotel lobby during the group's South African debut tour, post Kish Kash's success. That said, it's worthy of your time if you're a fan of the BJ.

1996’s Different Class took its toll on the band, almost splitting Pulp for good. Mental health and physical strain came to a head with the band fractured.

Fast forward two years, Pulp restored as a now five-piece, reinvigorated and ready the band embraces it all again. Describing themselves as a rugged bunch of misfits, drummer Nick Banks retells tales from the last album’s close and the road to This is Hardcore, their 1998 return. In that same year, Pulp headlined The Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival along with the Britpop “big four”, along with Suede, Blur and Oasis.

I was gifted a rare opportunity to speak to the American singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and actor Lenny Kravitz on the eve of his 2000 Greatest Hits album release.

In the 10 minutes I was given, we spoke about how he successfully melded rock, blues, soul, funk, reggae, folk, and everything psychedelic in-between to become one of the biggest and most respected names in popular music. Enjoy.

Chatting to Steven Hewitt – album two for Placebo was a collective success. Without You I'm Nothing was the second studio album recorded in mid-to-late 1998 and released on 12 October 1998 by record labels Hut and Virgin Records.

The album went platinum in the UK and gold in France and has sold over one million copies. The album spawned five singles, including "Every You Every Me", "Pure Morning", and "You Don't Care About Us".

Embrace began life as a band in 1990. I was privileged to get to lead singer Danny McNamara in September 1998, three months after the band’s seminal Hut/ Virgin Records debut, The Good Will Out rocked the world.

Since then, they’ve released no less than six more albums, each one brilliant. If you’re curious about what and where their earliest motivations came from, this one is for you. Enjoy.

Disclaimer – Remember, all Matters’ interviews are unedited, ripped from ageing analogue cassettes. Hence, the sound quality is less than perfect due to their age and the rescue method employed.

No, I did not interview Madonna. I did interview William Orbit, but that’s another story for another day.

Instead, this is another of those promotional CDs journalists, the likes of me were generously sampled back in the day to help promote albums during a different time in music PR.

In this case, it was 1998, and Warner Music was sitting on gold. This interview was shared with me to write up an article, which I recall I did at the time, but I believe, 24 years later, Madonna’s voice needs to be heard, not only read about, if only because it’s a piece of pop history. Here’s hoping the algorithm agrees.

This is another two-parter; next week, you’ll hear mastermind William Orbit unpack his journey in realizing a piece of history until now, confined to a promo-only CD.

Madonna, Ray of Light, Warner Music, William Orbit, Maverick, Bedtime Stories, Warner Bros, Words + Music

In 2006, Richard E. Grant was in town, Cape Town, to share the story behind the making of Wah Wah, his self directed life story, along with a stellar cast of actors.

Having just released their latest studio album, Bauhaus Staircase, I was gifted a rare opportunity to speak to both Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys of Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) on the eve of the most extensive world tour in 45 years.

The best part is the synth pioneers will be heading to South Africa in April 2024, the third time we get to welcome them back, eager to hear new music and a wall of evergreen classics, too.

While we wait, give this two-part interview a whirl, dust off those seminal records and prepare to be blown away. Thursday, 18 April 2024 - Green Point A-Track, Green Point, Cape Town Saturday, 20 April 2024 – Marks Park Sports Club in Emmarentia, Johannesburg For all the details, head to Breakout Events for tickets and more information.

Circa 2001, I finally got to chat to one of my childhood idols, Ian McCullough - he being the much lauded and rewarded lead singer of Echo & The Bunnymen. What a gentleman.

Wilco multi-instrumentalist, John Stirratt in May 2007 spoke frankly and openly about the Chicago-based band’s journey to Blue Sky Blue’s release.   

Six albums in and still riding on the coattails of 2001’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and 2004’s A Ghost is Born, listen to an interview that sheds light on a journey filled with being overly self-aware, lacking objectivity and the joy of being in a band that could have happily coexisted alongside Pink Floyd, Dylan or Jonathan Richmond.

I had the privilege of speaking with Violent Femmes’ gracious frontman Gordon Gano in February 2000, at the time Freak Magnet arrived. Since 1983, this group has claimed a space that remains entirely relevant some 38-odd years on.

The Washington Post called the album "stuck in the Reagan decade," writing that "the Femmes still play punky hootenanny-rock with occasional potty-mouthed lyrics to assure frat-boy appeal.

This may be a legacy interview, but in listening back its subject matter remains entirely relevant, some 20+ years later.

Moby in interview with me, 6 July 2021, talking through his journey in music and more especially his lush retelling of his greatest hits, orchestrally.

In October 2000, I got 15 minutes with Nine Days’ founder member, guitarist, and vocalist Brian Desveaux.

This is an interview that highlights the fact that time-in pays dividends. Nine Days took ten years to achieve success with The Madding Crowd, an album that’s a testament to a commitment to the belief in what later became and remains a critical modern rock statement.

In 2003 Jack and Megan White released their fourth White Stripes, Grammy Award-winning, album, Elephant. This is another of my candid, unedited telephonic interviews - this time with none other than the rarely interviewed Jack White himself.

Disclaimer: My journey with this band does not extend back to their humble beginnings, but when I reported on their first three albums, catching them live in 2018 fundamentally changed my life. The Lumineers remain trailblazers, be that now or 17 years ago when they first arrived.

I dodged dodgy Wi-Fi and multiple repeat calls to capture this 30-minute session with co-founder, songwriter, and all-around lovely human Wesley Schultz. If you are a fan, please endure; what he delivers is fundamental to understanding his journey here. It’s a beautiful thing, but you decide, right?

Thank you, @roshika and @sam at Universal Music, for your committed investment. I love you guys.

Scott 4 may be a band you missed in the late 1990s, but one that most certainly left its mark on the UK indie music scene that’s still felt today.

After the critical success of their debut album, Recorded in State, in 1998, Scott 4 secured a record deal with V2 and headed into the studio to build on its success.

With lead singer Scott Blixen, this interview unpacks the band’s musical journey to deliver a remarkable body of work, titled Works Project.

If Scott 4 is a new name to you, I challenge you to explore their catalogue, if only because, as they did back then, it will help fill in indie bridge gaps of the day and, more importantly, fill your heart joy.

Three-and-a-half years into their career, Sugardrive were ready to release their second, high anticipated album, Sand Man Sky.

In September 1997, I had the chance to speak with the band’s lead singer, Paul Flynn, to talk through their journey at a time when South African modern rock was coming into its own.

When we spoke, the band was suffering huge frustration due to their label at the time missing a massive beat.

I loved this interview and am still in love with this band today.

The Norwegian electronic music duo, Röyksopp, enjoyed a certain level of success until their debut studio album, Melody A.M.  What happened after its September 2001 release by Wall of Sound turned Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland into global stars.   

I had the privilege of talking to Svein nearly two years after the record first exploded and continued to find new audiences. It was an interview filled with reflection and pondering how success found them and what it meant to them both.

Laying the beast to rest, albeit only for five years. Big shoes to fill and a global audience to win over, Blaze Bayley rose to the occasion and spent five years actively evolving one of the most important and relevant British rock bands of its age.

Eleven studio albums in, Virtual Eleven arrived in 1998, and I had the opportunity to speak to Bruce Dickenson lead-singer-replacement, Blaze Bayley. We spoke about football, the soccer World Cup, and just how integral the game is in appealing and landing their music.

We spoke firsts – Israel, South Africa, video games, online, but the music was where the main focus lay. Clocking in with eight tracks, close on 60 minutes, Iron Maiden kept it tight and tidy. Iron Maiden is an album, not a singles band, free to express themselves; and Blaze managed to have his voice heard and where he, arguably, pushed the needle for this seminal force in music.

#ironmaiden, #brucedickenson, #virtualeleven, #blaizebayley, #playstation

Fin de Siècle is the sixth studio album by the Northern Irish band, The Divine Comedy, released in 1998. Before its release, someone thought it a good idea that frontman Neil Hannon got to tell me all about it, and this is that analogue, 1998, recording, warts, and all (apologies), but do enjoy it.

The album received critical acclaim and was a commercial success, reaching the Top Ten in the UK album charts.

The album features lush orchestral arrangements and witty lyrics, typical of The Divine Comedy's style. It includes the hit single "National Express," a humorous song about a coach trip around the UK. Other standout tracks include "Generation Sex," which satirizes modern society's obsession with sex and youth, and "The Certainty of Chance," a melancholy ballad about the fleeting nature of life.

Fin de Siècle showcases Neil Hannon's songwriting skills and unique vocal style, often compared to that of Scott Walker and Jacques Brel. The orchestral arrangements by Joby Talbot complement the songs perfectly, adding to the album's lush, cinematic sound.

This remains a highly regarded album by The Divine Comedy, showcasing the band's signature sound and Hannon's songwriting talent.

In conversation with Gary Kemp, he of Spandau Ballet and acting fame, playing one part of the Cray Twins, a 10 year journey summarised in a 20-minute chat.

We are all time poor, but we’re rich in expertise and compelling service offerings, so why not use your time smartly by installing your voice where your market plays?

Yes, podcasts are anything but new, but they are a mature content type every business should consider as part of their overall marketing and PR strategy.

Why? Well, for one thing, today, the barrier to entry, cost-wise, makes podcast production affordable if carefully managed.

Where to start

Seek out a trustworthy full-service podcast agency to create successful programming based on a concept that’s steered by a content plan and podcast strategy.

The amount of information (products, services, topical industry-related themes etc.) you wish to share over time will determine the frequency at which you post. What’s a non-negotiable, however, is frequency consistency.

Whether that’s once a week, twice a month, once a month or once a quarter, stay true to your content calendar. If content is king, then consistency is right alongside it as queen. Do that, and you have a perfect podcast marriage.

Next, decide on what content you are comfortable with (interview-based, narrative or story-driven, or a mixture of the two). I can even take existing written case studies and white papers and turn them into synthetic voice narratives.

Having worked in the content marketing space for over two decades, I have acquired the expertise and experience to create, host and help amplify your work and interrogate, improve and evolve it.

My bottom line is that I love nothing more than helping unlock and promote people, products, businesses and innovation. What I love equally is producing and publishing podcasts.

Besides offering data-rich feedback, podcasts are a content type that, at minimal cost, can deliver impressive engagement.

With little or no exposure and the opportunity to start building a legacy archive that can be shared across all of your owned media platforms, why not run a short trial with me? Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

One size does not fit all

Diving in and establishing a profile can be daunting and expensive, but it needn’t be.

If you already have a hosting platform, great. If not, I can help set these up for you.

These are the hosting platforms I use:

YouTube Studio account set-up cost to you: R1 500 – once-off
YouTube Studio hosting – monthly cost to you – none

Spotify and Apple Music account set-up  cost to you: R1 500– once-off
Spotify hosting – Monthly cost to you – none

Base fee per podcast recording, pre and post-production (including capturing, editing, 2 x reverts and uploading to YouTube Studio, Spotify and Apple Music – R2 500 per episode *

*This fee may change once the scope of work has been assessed, and based on frequency, tiered discounts may apply.

If you’d like to know more and chat through the options available, drop me an email: jason@matters.co.za

The Jayhawks lead singer, Gary Louris, waxes lyrical about what makes the band Smile, after a far-to-long hiatus between recordings. Yes, this is another of my legacy cassette-recorded archive interviews intended for the committed – There are nuggets in there if you’re willing to dig deep. Enjoy, regardless.

On the 21st of November 2000, I reconnected with Buffalo Tom’s guitarist and founder member Bill Janovitz. This session captured a decade into the band’s career, is an interview all things retrospective, post-Smitten’s success.

For the unincubated, Buffalo Tom is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1986. Its principal members are guitarist Bill Janovitz, bassist Chris Colbourn, and drummer Tom Maginnis.

Enjoy!

Milky Chance recently announced their long-awaited return to South Africa with their “Living In A Haze” tour in February 2024 which will see them perform in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. I chatted to the German duo in December to talk about their rise to fame ahead of their South African return. Their 2019 single “Life Without Fantasies” reached the top of the South African viral charts amassing millions of streams in 2021 during Lockdown. The band connected with tens of thousands of fans online which led to their first sold out headline tour. They have continued to cement themselves in the industry here, having toured the country a number of times over the past few years and return in February 2024 to share the stage with Milky Chance in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Sean Koch is one of SA’s most-loved indie-folk artists who brings a mixed bag of African and western, influence alongside messages of home, a connection to nature, the ocean and the people around him; to his storytelling, feel-good music. While rooted in his flowing-folk style, his music is diverse. From dance infused songs like ‘Lift You Up’ the standout single from his collection (including the Double MZK & G DOM remix) to the dreamier songs like ‘Feel the Energy’ that carry deeper messages of connection to the natural world and the people that surround us. There is something for everyone in Sean’s catalogue. Tickets are on sale from https://breakoutevents.co.za/ and are selling fast, so get yours now! Milky Chance “Living In A Haze” South African Tour Dates: 15 February 2024 – Green Point A-Track, Cape Town (supported by Neon Dreams and Sean Koch) 17 February 2024 – Marks Park in Emmarentia, Johannesburg (supported by Neon Dreams and Sean Koch + final opening act to be announced) 18 February 2024 – Durban Botanic Gardens uMphafa Field, Durban (supported by Neon Dreams + final opening act to be announced) Milky Chance “Living In A Haze” South African Tour 2024 details: For more info, go to: Ticketing link: https://breakoutevents.co.za/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abreakoutevent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abreakoutevent Twitter: https://twitter.com/abreakoutevent

The year was 1997 when I got on the phone with Amersham lead singer Adam Lomas on the eve of their first official full-length album, Wearing Thin.

It was a time of extraordinary possibility and promise; Adam took me through the journey of its creation after the success of their BMG first reveal EP, Pickled.

Enjoy this trip down memory lane about an album filled with clever artwork, phenomenal production, and plenty of happy mistakes.

The best part is that Amersham is still alive and well, some 25 years from when this was first captured. Check out their new music on all good streaming platforms, and you’ll be blown away as we all were when we first heard these wonderful Wombles dropping their genius on us for the first time.

Disclaimer: Excuse the quality of the recording; as with almost all my legacy interviews, I rip them from my ageing analogue cassettes.

This interview, captured in early 2023, has taken 30 years to realise.

For context, Frederick Botha, AKA Drikkie to those who know and love him, formed a band in the late 1980s called The Gathering in Pretoria, South Africa, a country coming out of the State of Emergency brought on by the then Nationalist Party and government of the day. So, not a convenient time to be unconventional; everything The Gathering was, in the very best way. This is that untold back story.

I will hand it over to Drikkie to explain best. “Recording the first versions of “Perfect Souls” and “Wooden Walls” was not a nice experience. Out-of-step engineers and a shitty record company typical of the time. “Lamb Stricken” was, however, more pleasant.

“We could play the song how we wanted, without the producer trying to change it. They probably didn’t understand what we were doing in the first place, which was funny. Recording the final single was great. We could do exactly what we wanted, and it was fun.

“The fifth band member will always be Charl; he ensured the image was always taken care of, designed all the posters, and even helped with the live shows. I think he was sadder when the band broke up than I was 😉”

thegathering, thegatheringsa, perfectsouls, woodenwalls, drikkiebotha, frederickbotha, theoutsiders, lambstricken

The Prodigy’s fourth studio album, Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, was released on August 23rd 2004, and I was lucky enough to chat with Liam Howlett on July 13th of that year. This is that brief encounter.

Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned marked a significant departure from the group’s earlier work. It featured no live vocals from frontman Keith Flint or other guest vocalists, instead relying solely on samples and instrumentals.

The album was primarily the work of Liam Howlett, who produced, arranged, and played most of the instruments on the record. He was joined by guest musicians such as guitarist Jim Davies, Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, and actress Juliette Lewis, who provided vocals on the track “Hotride”.

Musically, Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned continued to push the boundaries of electronic music, incorporating elements of rock, hip-hop, and even country into the mix. The album’s opening track, “Spitfire”, featured a guitar riff reminiscent of the Rolling Stones, while the track “Girls” used a sample from the Beastie Boys’ “It’s the New Style”.

Overall, the album received mixed reviews from critics and fans, with some praising its experimental approach and others criticising its lack of live vocals. Nevertheless, Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned remains an important and influential work in The Prodigy’s discography, showcasing Liam Howlett’s versatility as a producer and willingness to take risks and try new things.

Thievery Corporation made up of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, had the world sitting up and paying attention when they released their debut album, Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi.

The year was 2000, four years after the album was first released by the band independently. 4AD called the duo up and rereleased the album at a time when remix culture abounded, so getting to chat with Rob to discuss their journey to then was such a pleasure.

Mere months later, they dropped The Mirror Conspiracy, one of the most critical chillout, downtempo, dub and chillout records that still sounds fresh and relevant more than decades later.

Hugely talented, warm, and humble – if you don’t know the music Rob and Eric continue to make some 20-odd years later – commit an hour to any of their ten studio albums and multiple compilations, and you’ll quickly realise their genius. Enjoy.

This interview with the one-time member of Savage Garden and celebrated solo artist in his own right, Darren Hayes, was captured in December 2001 and focused on the release of his debut solo album, Spin.

Fast forward some 22-odd years later, and he’s back with a new album, his fifth, titled Homosexual, validated by longstanding fans, the LGBTQIA+ community and everyone in between.

Give this interview the time, if only to get a sense of this man’s complete professionalism and absolute commitment to his craft, and perhaps you’ll understand his 2023 intent even better. 

Darren Hayes, Savage Garden, Homosexual, Darren Hayes Homosexual, Insatiable, Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Roadshow Music Pty Ltd, To the Moon and Back, I Want You, Truly Madly Deeply, Affirmation, The Animal Song

In October 1997, I had the opportunity to talk to violin prodigy Vanessa-Mae. 1995’s The Violin Player sold more than two million copies by the time Storm arrived. In-between, she released The Classical Album 1 in 1996 and China Girl: The Classical Album 2 just before she delivered Storm, collectively showcasing all the colours of her musical rainbow.  

Her talent and ability to bridge the gap between classical and pop turned her into a worldwide phenomenon. With that, an entirely new audience embraced the violin in a whole new way. Crossover or classical, Vanessa remains curious and keen to push boundaries to this very day.

Before the turn of the new millennium, I was fortunate enough to spend a few precious minutes with one of dance music’s true pioneers, Carl Cox.

House and techno are where he continues to confirm his mark as a name worthy of attention. In this interview, captured 22-plus years ago, much has changed, but so much remains the same. Deep listen and take the learnings.

In this unedited cassette-recorded interview captured in May 2005, British composer, musician and lyricist, Jeff Wayne takes the listener on his 27-year journey with his classic and timeless The War of the Worlds score.

What would Jeff Wayne have changed about his original 1978 The War of the World score? Listen here and enjoy more funny tales, working with Sir Richard Burton, and just how he created one of the last century’s most important and referenced scores that triggered the imagination of audiences right around the world, all while staying true to H.G. Wells science-fiction original.

“We’re very happy with what’s happening, but we’re aware it could disappear in a heartbeat.” Humble, yes, but oh so wrong! Circa March 1998, Matchbox 20’s Paul Doucette took time to talk me through the very early days of the band’s success with their then debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You. Today it stands as one of the most successful albums of its era.
#matchbox20, #pauldoucette, #robthomas

This was the second of many interviews I was privileged to host throughout Faithless’ lifespan. 

Having first spoken to Maxi Jazz while he was ordering a pint in a busy London pub on the eve of Reverence’s release in 1996, two years later, a few million albums sold subsequently and tours aplenty, Maxi and I reconnected again.  

It was hard to listen back to this while converting it from its original cassette recording, if only because the great oral disseminator recently and unexpectedly left us. The world has lost a true gentleman, a humble soul, a respected producer, and a spoken word lyrical genius.   

Enjoy and keep their music alive with multiple replays of “God is a DJ” and all that Sunday 8pm and the rest of their glorious emotional rollercoaster ride offers that will forever be faith-filled, Faithless.

Post the influential, The Wedding Album, an interview opportunity with Duran Duran guitarist Warren Cuccurullo was forced into an interview with me in July 1997 to talk through all things Medazzaland.

The album’s first single was also a track included on the soundtrack to The Saint. “Out Of My Mind” took Duran Duran to new heights, even though John Taylor had recently and finally decided to leave the band.

During an emotional time, Simon, Warren, and Nick became the core of what the group continued to evolve into, unabated and in a very positive way.

The second album’s single, “Electric Barbarella”, did equally well, and cemented their ongoing legacy, some 24-odd years later.

Duran Duran love music, armed with a need to make new forms of it, meaning their finest hour keeps gloriously shifting.

No, I did not interview Madonna. I did interview William Orbit, but that’s another story for another day.   

Instead, this is another of those promotional CDs journalists, the likes of me were generously sampled back in the day to help promote albums during a different time in music PR.   In this case, it was 1998, and Warner Music was sitting on gold. 

This interview was shared with me to write up an article, which I recall I did at the time, but I believe, 24 years later, Madonna’s voice needs to be heard, not only read about, if only because it’s a piece of pop history. Here’s hoping the algorithm agrees.   

This is another two-parter; and in this second segment you'll hear mastermind William Orbit unpack his journey in realizing a piece of history until now, confined to a promo-only CD.  ® 1998 Warner Bros Records Inc.

This is the second Sugardrive interview I conducted with lead singer Paul E. Flynn. Of the five albums this seminal band released, I somehow managed to convince the band to head out to Pretoria and perform, ‘unplugged’ on a little show I did each week on @tuksfm back when Noah imagined his ark.

Here we joked a lot and didn’t get much work done, but it was a glorious one-of-a-kind night, huddled in a small studio, one I will treasure forever.

My relationship with the band began in 1994, and over the years, I would like to think that, in some small way, I was pushing the needle in trying to get the world to pay attention. I miss their gigs and their self-deprecating humour.

Sugardrive was a band always a year ahead of their peers, a lot like The Outsiders, which, if you know anything about this business, is entirely unhelpful when it comes to being in the right place at the right time.

·  Disclaimer – there is music played that’s not cleared for broadcast. Still, due to the nature of my mono-captured cassette sessions, the Universe will allow us all to rekindle a memory and perhaps cajole Paul to reform the band sans the sadly departed and much-loved and missed Garth McLeod.

Singer, songwriter, musician, actor, philanthropist and record producer, Josh Groban is all that you see, and some.  In this interview, captured weeks before the release of his ninth studio album, Harmony, I had the honour and privilege to spend 20 minutes with a man whose music and presence carries extraordinary weight.  Harmony was captured and curated pre and through the very worst of the 2020 global pandemic. 

What this interview does (my first Zoom and most recent recording) is present a man, regardless of his station, openly share his innermost thoughts, hopes and aspirations. All of which adds a richness to the beautiful music he continues to make and that, in many cases, actively brings us little closer and helps us all heal.   

If this interview doesn’t strike a chord with you on some personal level I would be very, very surprised. After all, with all we’ve been and are going through, I think we, as Josh put it, “could all do with a little harmony in our lives right now.”

Chatting to the lead singer of Australia’s Midnight Oil, Peter Garrett, was a personal highlight for me, if only because we [unbeknownst to him] shared a certain level of empathy and awareness of, and with, the world around us.  

In this unedited interview, you’ll get to hear a pivotal voice unpack the perpetual creative struggle real creatives grapple with, regardless of their station.

Not one of life’s great planners, I caught up with New Order and Electronic frontman, Bernard Sumner on the eve of the release of the latter group’s third and final 1999 album, Twisted Tenderness.  

He never wanted to be a singer, only write and play guitar, but then tragedy struck, and everything changed. Bernard goes back to the untimely passing of Joy Division’s lead singer, Ian Curtis, and just how the remaining three members survived and unexpectedly thrived, reinvented, as New Order, Electronic and Monaco.  

As a reluctant frontman, Bernard pointed out, “You’ve got to do something in life. 

There was no alternative, I had to keep going, if only because I’m not any good at anything else.”  Years passed, fame and fortune followed and post-Republic’s 1993 release, the band split and the famed Factory Records declared bankrupt.   

Five years would pass before New Order reunited. Theirs was a very personal relationship, a bond that’s kept them united to this day, bar Hookie. 

“We never thought we’d get back together again, Bernard declared. “Thankfully, the time apart cleared the air.”   Evolution for New Order was important, so breaking away and finding new influences and learning new things refreshed Bernard’s musical database.”   As Electronic, Bernard Sumner was one of only two players only, each participating differently. 

“New Order is democratic and we all compromise, with Electronic I could do whatever I liked, and visa versa for Johnny,” he recalled at the time.  This interview tells that story and a whole more about a group of Manchester-born musicians blessed more than cursed and loved the world over. 

 #chemicalbrothers #primalscream #electronic #neworder #johnnymarr #thesmiths #thieveslikeus #manchesterbands #factory #factoryrecords #neiltennant #chrislowe

I resurrected this unedited archive interview with the extraordinary Kylie Minogue from a cassette interview conducted on 21 January 1998. 

Here, Kylie talks through her relationships with the late-great Michael Hutchence and Nick Cave and how she intended to stay relevant. Twenty-two years later, she's done just that, and some!

The acclaimed trumpeter & composer returns with an album of music written & inspired by jazz legend Wayne Shorter. Featuring Blanchard’s band E-Collective with pianist Fabian Almazan, guitarist Charles Altura, bassist David Ginyard & drummer Oscar Seaton, and the Turtle Island String Quartet.

Picture it, 4 June 1997, at a time when clearly opinionated Springbok Nude Girls (fresh out of Stellenbosch and surrounds) was cementing grown-up, First World, modern rock made in ZA. This is a playful, in-the-moment, interview with a band on the cusp of global domination, all whilst hanging on the coattails of INXS.

In interview with celebrated UK author, Tony Parsons, circa 2004.

In 1998, Birmingham-born reggae supergroup UB40 decided to drop Labour of Love III, the band’s twelfth and third covers album, released on DEP International.

To celebrate the highly anticipated covers collection, I got on the phone with percussionist Norman Hassan to share what motivated the band’s selection of classic tracks.

The early nulls were a time filled with rich re-invention of what had become a rather tired modern rock model. Hoobastank was one of the few that led the charge to reimagine the genre.

Hoobastank is an American rock band formed in 1994 in Agoura Hills, California, by lead vocalist Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen. They were signed to Island Records from 2001 to 2012 and have released six albums and one EP thus far.

My journey with the band began when I was privileged enough to be offered an interview with the band’s lead guitarist, Dan Estrin; at the time the anthem “The Reason” was blowing up worldwide.

Enjoy.

Years before "Stacy's Mom" was realised - this is FOW and the very start of their career as once of modern rock's more subtle influencers.

Speaking to Simple Mind’s frontman, Jim Kerr on the back of filming the promo video for “War Babies” from the album Néapolis, shot in Cape Town in April 1998.

Directed by Michael Geoghegan, the video gave the band an excuse to return to the country and talk through their then 20-year music career.

Yes, Matters caters to a broad church, yet this one is a little different from what I usually share.

In going through my many cassette interviews, many incorrectly labelled, I stumbled upon an interview I hold very dearly.

In mid-2007, after two years of negotiating, I was finally afforded an audience with the late great Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. This is it, an unedited insight into a man who shaped modern-day South Africa for the better.

In a near attempt at getting William Orbit to Cape Town, South Africa, just before the pandemic hit, this is our conversation around a road well-travelled and adventures ahead, some of which are still to be realised.

But just who is William?

William Orbit is an English musician, composer, and record producer who has been active in the music industry since the 1980s. He has had a successful career, working with a range of high-profile artists, and producing innovative and influential music in electronic, dance, and pop music.

In 2023, William Orbit continues to be a respected and influential figure in the music industry. He is known for his unique and experimental approach to music production, influencing many other artists in the electronic and dance genres.

Over the years, Orbit has collaborated with various musicians, including Madonna, All Saints, Britney Spears, and Blur. He is particularly well-known for his work with Madonna, producing some of her most iconic albums, including Ray of Light and Music.

In recent years, Orbit has continued to produce music, collaborate with other artists, and release his solo work. He has also embraced new technologies and trends in the music industry, experimenting with virtual reality and incorporating new digital tools into his production process.

Overall, William Orbit remains a significant and influential figure in the music industry, whose legacy and contributions to electronic and dance music inspire new generations of musicians and producers.

William Orbit, Ray of Light, Blur, electronica, dance, pop, Britney Spears, All Saints, Blur, Ray of Light, The Painter, Music

On any given Friday, I tend to celebrate the promise of the week by it all resolving well. This one did that when I got the rare chance to chat with X Ambassador’s lead singer, Samuel Harris.

If you’re new to their music, they’re anything but an overnight sensation, having plied their trade for the better part of 15 years!

This 14-minute snapshot should give you a glimpse into what’s possible when commitment, self-belief and indifference meet circa 2022.

X Ambassador, Sam Harris, Casey Harris, Adam Levin, Jungle, Renegades, Unsteady, VHS, Orion, The Beautiful Liar, Interscope, X Ambassadors Interscope

In 1999, Stereophonics were knocking the lights out with the arrival of their highly anticipated second album, Performance and Cocktails. I had the honour of chatting to the now sadly late drummer, Stuart Cable, who unpacked the journey the band had taken to realising global, well-deserved, success.

In October 2004, one-time Baby Spice, Emma Bunton, was celebrating the release of her second solo album, Free Me. This is she, in conversation with me, talking about her Spice World journey, finding her voice, and teasing out what she intended attempting next.

Recorded in late 1997, I got the opportunity to speak to the jazz crossover legend Abdullah Ibrahim.   

An interview, a mere three years into our young democracy, Abdullah lived through the thick of the apartheid mayhem, and here he runs his hands over the scars it left. He spoke frankly about his journey from leaving South Africa and establishing himself abroad, all of which was not easy by any stretch of the imagination.

 Abdullah is probably best recognised for his "Mannenberg" composition, a jazz piece that remains a highly revered anti-apartheid anthem to this day.  Cape Town Flowers, a trio setting, was the album he’d just released at the time. His second trio release – the format was the link between the solo piano compositions and his other groups and symphony pieces. 

Here he talks through the flexibility that the trio offered and its formula. Not just one groove, a capturing of a mood that traversed the country – improvising abounded.  Based in New York and Cape Town, Ibrahim’s mainstay fuel came from live performance across Europe and the United States. “We can play anyway, and people respond to it in the same way." His music appeals to people from all walks of life and always will.   He speaks of settling, but not slowing down. 

At the time he had five more albums ready to go!  Personal aspiration and focused on the people who survived the struggle alongside him, Abdullah Ibrahim remains one of South Africa's finest exports, still.  

#abdullahibrahim, #mannenberg, #capetownflowers, #dollarbrand, #theloniousmonk, #dukeellington

Kula Shaker, a band that bloomed and faded – all in record time.  

 I got to the band in early 1999, at the beginning of their sophomore album, Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts’ journey. Never an easy album to make for any band or artist, and in the case of Kula Shaker, this sadly proved to be the case.   

I had the privilege of speaking to the then bass player, Alonza Bevan when neither of us knew what lurked mere months away, ultimately causing the band to split in September of that same year.  No less brilliant and a critical piece of the incredible music history made in England at the time, this interview is lovely to listen to, some 23-odd years after its capture.

On the 12th of July 2000, I had the honour of sitting with Tanana’s, Wired to the Floor and a plethora of other collaborations’ pianist and composer Paul Hanmer.  

Playola was the album we were aiming to unpack in our time together. Apologies as always for the ambient distraction. This cassette recording is raw and entirely unedited if only to give you a sense of the moment we shared.  

A critical thread in the rich jazz fabric of South Africa, this album, and everything else Paul's recorded before and since, each captures a space in time. His gift remains to create a place to claim as your own.  #playola #Paulhanmer #tananas #wiredtothefloor #abrandnewworld