The Joe Jackson Interviews

U2 tried to "mincemeat" Dunphy in terms of aspects of his book he once told me. If they did, why, one wonders?  

A clip from one of the four interviews I did with Tori that make up my Ebook, Tori Amos Soul Searching and Uncensored.  What she says about gun control still applies

I made a radio documentary about Doris Day and it changed a former girlfriend's opinion of the woman in an hour.   I do think it is time for a rethink abiut the music, movies, persona and person that was DD

I posted this podcast when Christine died. It's always good to listen to her in conversation. It was a joy for me to get to talk with her. 

I dug out our 1992 cassette tape and made this podcast within a half- hour of hearing that Edna O' Brien has died. Id I sound sad in the intro. I was.  Edna O' Brien Rest in Peace. 

I was around when the Beatles broke through, As an Elvis fan I wasn't supposed to like them but as soon as I heard You Can't Do That' I became a fan of at least Lennon. Then I grew to love The Beatles, whose songs formed the soundtrack of my life as pre-teen and teenager. So, meeting George Martin was a total joy

I am writing a memoir, so new podcasts are few. But fellow Bowie fans might enjoy this chat I had on Irish radio in 1997

This is one of the few occasions Neil talked in public about the Mafia. His management weren't impressed that he did. Neil told me he didn't mind. 

I am reposting this because in five days it will be a year since we lost Sinead.  In 2000 she told me the song she'd want played at her funeral. R.I.P. Sinead O'Connor 

I posted this when the movie was released. I stand over all my criticisms of Luhrmann who turned Elvis's life story into, he said "the love story between Parker and Presley" and made him a male Judy Garland because Baz loves Judy. The mov ie is a tissue of lies, to quote Shakespeare. 

This is the section of a tape I used for my Harris biography, Richard Harris Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven. What he says may upset some actors, including those he criticises but I was one of the few journalists to whom Harris told the truth so here it is! Enjoy

At the time of this interview Roy Carr a British journalist claimed that Elvis was discovered at Sun Records because he peddled his moter's diet pills to musicians. Sam told me that was crap!

Mike was my mentor in RTE, and we stepped on a lot of toes with this interview. But neither of us ever worked in the PR business!   Enjoy

That was the headline my Billy Joel interview in an Irish newspaper. We did the interview backstage at Madison Square Garden, I'd never met the guy, but he turned out to be sincere and truthful and free from bs

During our first interview in 1987, Boy Georege said to me, "If you see Bono and he still hasn't found what he's looking for, tell hm to look behind the drum kit" at U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. It was a bit of a laugh. For this Irish Times interview we returned to the subject and much more

I first heard this catchy song when I was a child, so it was a joy to finally meet and talk with tis writer. 

Jon Bon Jovi talking about AIDS, gangs, rock 'n' roll and apologising for his insulting use on stage of the word "faggots." Repost

I'm on holdiay, so here's a repost of a chat I had with Joe Elliot about his music heroes. Enjoy. And thank you to all my listeners 

AS great chat with a fellow music lover. For fellow rock fans.  

On Christy's anniversary I am posting again this staggeringly brave interview he gave to me this time 20 years ago. 

I'm posting this again because it reminds me of the first time I met Dolores, at the start of her career, when she was so young and so innocent, and it shows. 

I used this interview in my Ebook, From Darkness to Light, becuase it is a story that may inspire people who are going through hard times. That's always been my main aim as a writer. 

My father once said to me, 'Joseph, working-class people like us are not supposed to write poetry."  He told a few people that he wrote poetry. I still write poetry and rarely show it to anyone. But 46 years after I found him dead from a fall at the age of 50, I am putting this poem in a podcast to celebrate the love a son can feel for a father. 

It's great when you interview a musician who turns out to be as fanatical about music and certain music heroes, as you are

Richard, as I say in his bio, Richard Harris Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven, hated the idea that all his fans wanted to hear about were his brawling and women and drunkenness, but this is a bit of fun!