The Joe Jackson Interviews

As a kid I argued against anyone who said Elvis used drugs. But later i life I got to interview the likes of Tom Jones and got to know more about Elvis's use of drugs. 

I always loved Taylor's music and was delighted that he turned out to be such a provocative thinker and interviewee. 

Imagine the scene. It's a morning after the Grammy Awards show, I'm sitting in Frank Zappa's studio in LA, watching Tom Jones record with The Chieftains. Zappa, who rarely gives interviews, is told that U2 are more appreciated in Ireland than The Chieftains, gets angry, and gives me one of his rare interviews. It was also one of his last 

Gray was at the peak of his popularity in Ireland when we did this interview in his home. He talks with great passion about Dylan, Morrison and Springsteen. It's a team of solicitors! Kidding

I love celebrating the music of the Irish in particular, because I am a proud 'Paddy"! Here I am in 2004 discussing some Irish great with Damien Dempsey.

We all remember the music that first moved us. I did a series of interviews with musicians about just that. This is a chat I had with Mr Elliot, from Def Leppard.

I bought that Sinatra album when it was released. It has been reissued this month. It isn't Sinatra at his best vocally, but he's still bnuiriong it up and the band is fantastic, including Benson

I have many reasons for reposting the podcast from The Joe Jackson Archive.  One is that it has Dermot, a man I very much admired, angry at the fact that he was driven out of his homeland and ours in order to make Father Ted.  Sometimes, a country scatters its finest to the furthest shores.   

A relative of mine died from a heroin overdose. My Dad died addicted to drugs. Being anti-drugs in the Irish rock music scene worked against me for years. I don't care. Drug use is on the rise again, in Ireland, and elsewhere Christy's story is more relevant than ever

I became an interviewer to track down and talk with my music heroes. Kris Kristofferson was one of them. He influenced me greatly. This is my tribute to one of the greatest songwriters in any genre, who died yesterday. Kris R.I.P. 

As part of a radio interview we did in his recording studio, Diamond and I talked about the roots of one of his most resonant songs, I Am; I Said.  He even joked about the talking chair! 

I like reposting this to remind people of Sinead's love of music. When all the the stories are forgotten about Sinead, her music will be remembered. In this podcasts she talks about her early influences

I am reposting this to go with the upcoming movie. I remember Bono telling me in 1994, 'I discovered Aznavour." I was too cool to tell him, so did I, 20 years earlier!

I interviewed Flatley once, he wasn't happy with the interview. So? I interviewed Jean twice. She was. Here is the backstory of their clash.

My final interview with Richard took place in the Savoy Hotel in London a year before he died. It lasted nine hours, and forms part of my book, Richard Harris: Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven.  This is a fun story

It wold have been inappropriate of me to ask Scott Walker if he was gay. This is as close as we came to discussing the subject

As a child I loved The Monkees TV show, It was a delight to interview Mickey and it shows! Great chat about, among other things, the 'postmodern deconstruction of The Monkees' that was the movie Head!

Let's go back to the glory days with Oasis. Here, in an interview we did in Dublin the morning after an Oasis gig I attended, Noel discusses gigs, fans, songs and his music heroes such as John Lennon and Burt Bacharach. It fades at his claim,'I am a romantic" which we will discuss in our next podcast!" Is he? 

During the 1970s, I discovered those 1960s Walker recordings of Brel's songs. In the 1990s we got to talk about them 

Summer re-run of the fun, and fractious encounters I had with my fellow Irishman, the moody Van Morrison

Broadcasters are rarely remembered after they die. Larry Gogan should not be forgotten. He brought great joy in generations of Irish radio listeners. 

k.d. one of the great singers, talks about here heroes Joni Mitchell, Roy Orbison and Leonard Cohen. Four amazing talents 

I am the Elvis fan who, on the day he died felt disillusioned but the lies being told about Elvis and the lies he told about himself.    I went in search of the truth about the King and interviewed many who knew him

I am the Elvis fan who, on the day he died felt disillusioned but the lies being told about Elvis and the lies he told about himself.    I went in search of the truth about the King and interviewed many who knew him

I am the Elvis fan who, on the day he died felt disillusioned but the lies being told about Elvis and the lies he told about himself.    I went in search of the truth about the King and interviewed many who knew him