The Tapes Archive

A never before published interview with John Entwistle, bassist for The Who, from 1996. In this episode, we have the great singer-songwriter, John Prine. At the time of this interview in 1997, Prine was 50 years old and was out on tour with Los Lobos. In the interview, Prine talks about his record label, Oh Boy, his Indiana connections, touring, and his yet-to-be-made duet album. In the interview...

In the interview Aykroyd and Belushi talk about: - They talk in-depth about their yet to be made film The Blues Brothers. - How democratic Saturday Night Live is. - The greatness of performing on live tv.  - How they met and Second City days. - How the Blues Brother’s look came to be. - Aykroyd reveals how he came up with the SNL skit the Coneheads. - The inspiration for Belushi’s Samurai characte...

A never before published music interview with Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) from 1993. In the interview Morello talks about: - The diversity of Rage Against the Machine’s audience - The band’s intent not to preach to the converted - The pushing of pushing an anti-censorship agenda - The threat of the PMRC - Boycotting record stores that don't believe in in the first amendment - The Lollap...

A never before published interview with John Mellencamp from 1991. In the interview Mellencamp talks about: - Hows he’s given up on trying to save the world - How big corporations don’t give a shit about your town - In-depth with his album “Whenever We wanted” - Turning 40  - How the world is run by men we never hear of - His thoughts on a friend that loves Ronald Reagan - The movie he directed wh...

A never before published interview with Alex Van Halen from 1980. In the interview Van Halen talks about: • Van Halen days before being signed • Working with Ted Templeman. • The best heavy metal band he ever saw play live • The future of Van Halen • And more... Show Note: In the interview, Marc asks if it's true that Van Halen has in their rider that there are to be no brown M&Ms backstage. It wa...

A never before published interview with Izzy Stradlin from 1993. (Formerly w/Guns N' Roses) In the interview Izzy talks about: • Growing up in Indiana. • If he’s still friends with his ex-bandmates. • How he loves the drums. • Recording with the JuJu Hounds • And more... For transcripts to this episode This episode is brought to you by the award-winning true-crime documentary Dead Man's Line. Watc...

A never before published interview with Ace Frehley from 1994. In the interview Frehley talks about: • What “sucks” about rock’n’roll. • His side gig in computer graphics. • The possibility of a KISS reunion. • Playing while sober. • His influence on other guitars players. • And more... For transcripts to this episode This episode is brought to you by the award-winning true-crime documentary Dead...

A never before published interview with Dave Matthews from 1996 In the interview Matthews talks about: • His fancy footwork • His band’s first live performance. • Why we should teach children varied philosophies. • The making of his album “Crash”. • Why we want freedom. • Whether he cares or not if he makes it into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. And more... For transcripts to this episode This ep...

A never before heard interview with Neal Peart from the band Rush in 1991. In this episode, we have our second of three interviews with drummer Neal “The Professor” Peart of the band Rush. At the time of this interview in 1991, he was 39 years old and was out on tour with Geddy and Alex in support of the band’s 14th studio album Roll the Bones. In the interview, Neil talks about how he has become...

A never before published interview with Frank Zappa from 1991. Transcript for this episode. When I asked Frank Zappa if he had any regrets about the first 25 years of his career, he was blunt, as he always was.  "There are certain things I might have said in a different way," he said. "But basically, there it is." And that's why Frank Zappa was and is still revered by his fans—because he said and...

A never before heard interview with Dweezil Zappa from 1995. Transcript for this episode. In the story I wrote in 1994 based on this interview with Dweezil Zappa, the lead paragraph summed up the conversation pretty well: “His father treated life as if it were a wave of stupidity he could somehow contain. Dweezil Zappa prefers to smirk and ride the tide.” "There's not much use in being negative 24...

A never before heard interview with Shannon Hoon of the band Blind Melon from 1995 one month before he died. Shannon Hoon transcript can be found here. When I spoke to Shannon Hoon in September 1995, he and his band, Blind Melon, were on the verge of stardom. Their first album yielded the massive hit single “No Rain,” they had played Woodstock ’94, and they were excited about their new album, “Sou...

A never before heard interview with comedian Bill Maher from 1994 Bill Maher transcript can be found here. Bill Maher is a huge part of the comedy and talk-show landscape, thanks to his HBO show Real Time, which is now in its 17th season. But in 1994, when this interview was recorded, Maher, then 38, really was just taking off. His Comedy Central show “Politically Incorrect” was about to start its...

A never before heard interview with Jeff Tweedy of the band Wilco from 1997 Jeff Tweedy transcript can be found here. Jeff Tweedy is often described as a reticent interview subject, but I found him to be relaxed and easygoing when we spoke in 1997. At the time, Tweedy and his band Wilco were touring behind their second record, “Being There,” and he was learning to balance the responsibilities of c...

A never before heard interview with Neil Peart of Rush from 1990. Neil Peart transcript can be found here. I interviewed Neil Peart several times over the years and thoroughly enjoyed every conversation. In addition to being a great drummer, he’s a smart, thoughtful, articulate gentleman whose worldview extends well beyond rock ‘n’ roll. This interview, recorded in 1990, was the first of our talks...

A never before heard interview with Rick James from 1997. Rick James transcript can be found here. When I spoke to Rick James in 1997, he had already been a megastar, a prisoner, and a recipient of royalties for the use of his “Super Freak” bassline in MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.” At the time, he was about to start a tour to promote his first album in nine years, “Urban Rhapsody,” and was in...

A never before heard interview with Joan Rivers from 1990. Joan Rivers transcript can be found here. Joan Rivers was a great interview, and quotes like this are the reason why: “I think one of the reasons (people) do like me, those that like me, is because I really never bullshit them. I always say exactly what I truly think and believe, including when Elizabeth Taylor was fat. She was fat!” At th...

A never before heard interview with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull from 1993. Ian Anderson transcript can be found here. For more info please visit our website. The Tapes Archive is part of the Osiris network. For more podcasts and experiences, please visit Osiris. Intro music by the Budos Band Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A never before heard interview with Trey Anastasio from 1993. Trey Anastasio transcript can be found here. I have a long, strange history with Phish. I’m an admirer—nobody dares do what Phish does routinely, which is to play a completely different show and challenge its audience—and a skeptic, because sometimes, they step on their dicks. In 1997, after the August 10 Phish concert at Deer Creek Mus...

A never before heard interview with Billy Joel from 1994. Billy Joel transcript can be found here. For more info please visit our website. The Tapes Archive is part of the Osiris network. For more podcasts and experiences, please visit Osiris. Intro music by the Budos Band Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A never before heard interview with George Carlin from 1989. George Carlin transcript can be found here. At the time of this interview, in 1989, George Carlin was 52 years old, a 30-year veteran of standup comedy, and in the middle of yet another tour. He also had a role that year in the movie “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” and in the subsequent TV show, “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventures...

An introduction to the podcast, and a little bit of background on how and why this podcast was created. The podcast is a collaboration between documentary filmmaker Alan Berry (“Dead Man’s Line”) and his longtime friend, journalist Marc Allan, who conducted and recorded the interviews decades ago. Allan recorded these interviews via phone, and the podcast provides a unique, intimate look into musi...