Fuelled by hard drugs and righteous anger, his incendiary prose shook America. Could I channel his spirit by spending a night at the typewriter where it all happened? (The Guardian) Continue reading
Over 100 years since pioneers struck it rich in Canada’s Yukon the remote territory remains home to those who answer the call of the wild. (Lonely Planet Traveller) Continue reading
Joining the thousands of fans from West Africa who flock to Baaba Maal’s annual Blues du Fleuve festival in Podor (The Guardian) Continue reading
Pablo Escobar’s old estate is now a weird Jurassic Park-themed zoo (Vice) Continue reading
In the Ngiri-Ngiri district of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, volunteers have to take sanitation into their own hands (The Guardian) Continue reading
Five female porn stars have died within the last three months. At the AVN Awards, there was a strange mix of acknowledgment and carrying on with business as usual. (Vice) Continue reading
Investigatory Powers Tribunals are where you complain if you think the government is spying on you. They’re usually held behind closed doors but this year a few select public hearings have taken place, so I went to check one out. (Vice) Continue reading
Protecting the rights of women who work as prostitutes is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of HIV. And in Orissa, India, that approach is working – even amid deep-rooted taboos. (The Guardian) Continue reading
The LA-based trio bring together gospel, soul and progressive electronics on beguiling debut album ‘Angels & Queens’. Singer Jacob Lusk talks to me about leaving his ‘American Idol’ experience behind, life lessons from G-Funk icon Nate Dogg and supporting Harry Styles. (The Independent) Continue reading
Before his death in 2019, the master of the voodoo groove fulfilled his lifelong dream of recording a country and western album. I get the lowdown on disagreements with the artist’s estate from producer Shane Theriot, and finds out why the funk and blues icon turned to Hank Williams and Johnny Cash in his final hour. (The Independent) Continue reading
With her electrifying new thriller ‘Double or Nothing’, the 33-year-old becomes the first female author to pick up Ian Fleming’s mantle. She talks to me about Britishness, the power of myth, and test-driving sports cars. (The Independent) Continue reading
It’s been 50 years since the reggae pioneer helped bring Jamaican culture to the world with his starring role in ‘The Harder They Come’. He talks to me about new album ‘Refugees’, convincing Cat Stevens to let him record ‘Wild World’ and why he’s still singing ‘rude songs’ at 78. (The Independent) Continue reading
The Prince of Darkness has recruited Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and his old Black Sabbath partner Tony Iommi for new album ‘Patient Number 9’. He talks to me about being shy, moving back to England, how love saved him from booze and drugs, and his determination to finish his farewell tour. (The Independent) Continue reading
The last leader of the Soviet Union, who has died at 91, enjoyed an unusual second act as a spokesperson for Western brands. I look back at how Mikhail Gorbachev came to embody the triumph of capitalism. (The Independent) Continue reading
After finding fame with comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, the New Zealander is leaving the laughs behind on his debut solo album ‘Songs Without Jokes’. He talks to me about winning an Oscar with The Muppets, pissing off Morrissey with The Simpsons, and Taika Waititi’s detachable penis. (The Independent) Continue reading
On new album ‘Lifetime Achievement’, the 75-year-old troubadour weighs his accomplishments. He talks to me about love, death and why being covered by Johnny Cash is worth more than his Grammy. (The Independent) Continue reading
As his globe-hopping goodbye tour nears its climax, 81-year-old Clinton is still causing chaos while enjoying his victory lap. (The Independent) Continue reading
A decade after she was sent to a Russian penal colony for protesting Vladimir Putin with punk rock in a church, the musician and activist talks to me about the revolutionary potential of pop, how she fights depression, and her debut mixtape ‘Matriarchy Now’. (The Independent) Continue reading
The Emmy, Grammy and Tony-winning actor and singer talks to me about navigating social media, his movie musical ambitions and directing his first film, the groundbreaking trans romcom ‘Anything’s Possible’. (The Independent)
This synthetic opioid, 100 times stronger than morphine, is now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45. I investigate how misinformation and panic have exacerbated the crisis and what people can do to stay safe. (The Independent) Continue reading
A century after the poet’s birth, Larkin’s friend and biographer Andrew Motion talks to me about his controversial prejudices, his keen sense of mortality and why he continues to deserve a place on the national curriculum. (The Independent) Continue reading
Michael Pollan’s new Netflix series ‘How to Change Your Mind’ makes a convincing case for the medicinal value of psychedelics. If they have so many health benefits, shouldn’t we all have access to them? (The Independent) Continue reading
The groundbreaking guitarist talks to me about reuniting the iconic band with his brother, relationships with men and women during the swinging Sixties, and his viral tweet about pubic hair. (The Independent) Continue reading
As her semi-autobiographical comedy bows out after five superb seasons, the actor, writer and director talks about the joys of filming in London, discovering her Ukrainian heritage and gently changing the world. (The Independent) Continue reading
The former Allman Brothers pianist and honorary Rolling Stone talks to me about inadvertently giving ‘Top Gear’ its theme tune, celebrating 40 years with the world’s greatest rock’n’roll band, and the ‘big loss’ of Charlie Watts. (The Independent) Continue reading
Thirty years on from the flop that ended his Hollywood career, underground animation legend Ralph Bakshi talks to me about casting an unknown Brad Pitt, his friendships with Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola and the wildest adult cartoon you’ve never heard of. (The Independent) Continue reading
On the eve of their UK tour, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of the seminal Eighties pop rockers sit down for an emotional conversation about grief, primal therapy and finding catharsis on stage. (The Independent) Continue reading
New documentary ‘This is National Wake’ tells the story of an outlaw group whose very existence was an act of defiance. Guitarists Ivan Kadey and Steve Moni, along with director Mirissa Neff, talk to me about banned tours, police harassment and saying ‘f*** you to the system’. (The Independent) Continue reading
As their electrifying second album ‘Supernova’ is released, the game-changing British alt-rock duo talk to me about representation, redefining rock stardom and why the Grammys need to get with the times. (The Independent) Continue reading
It’s been three decades since Jurassic Park made Jeff Goldblum a blockbuster star: a role to which he’s now returning. Meanwhile, he’s become a bona fide style icon and, more importantly, the most ‘living your best life’ human on the planet. I join him for breakfast. (ES Magazine) Continue reading
As the legendary director’s exercise in poor taste ‘Pink Flamingos’ turns 50, the Pope of Trash talks to me about his preferred royal pronouns, groundbreaking ‘Simpsons’ appearance and why his films still have the power to shock. (The Independent) Continue reading
Led by the charismatic Father Yod, The Source Family grew to fame in the Seventies with their radical commune, psychedelic music and star-studded health food restaurant. Family member Isis Aquarian and director Jodi Wille tell me about plans to publish the group’s fascinating archives. (The Independent) Continue reading
The late stand-up’s new work is the first Netflix comedy special to come from beyond the grave. This poignant and hilarious goodbye from the master of the shaggy dog story is a must-watch. (The Independent) Continue reading
The ‘Game of Thrones’ creator sits down with me at the Santa Fe Literary Festival to discuss toxic fans, the enduring influence of Marvel’s Stan Lee, and the new HBO series ‘House of the Dragon’. (The Independent) Continue reading
The Mexican-born, New York-based author talks to me at the Santa Fe Literary Festival about finding herself as a writer, her work with unaccompanied children seeking asylum and her ongoing project to capture the borderlands in a sonic essay. (The Independent)
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At the Santa Fe Literary Festival the bestselling crime writer tells me about what mobsters have in common with classical mythology, social media skirmishes and why the left needs to reclaim patriotism. (The Independent) Continue reading
Fourteen years after his death, the iconoclastic comedian’s material regularly goes viral on social media. I talk to Carlin’s daughter Kelly, his manager Jerry Hamza and director Judd Apatow about new documentary ‘George Carlin’s American Dream’ and why the taboo-busting stand-up is still having the last laugh. (The Independent) Continue reading
The Nashville-based singer-songwriter speaks to me about writing protest music for modern times, dreamy new single ‘Purple Haze’ and becoming the ‘black Bruce Springsteen’. (The Independent) Continue reading
As the Michael Mann-directed ‘Tokyo Vice’ arrives in the UK, I look back at the ground-breaking Eighties series which inspired it, from its super-chic aesthetic and unprecedented budget to its rock’n’roll guest stars. (The Independent) Continue reading
At LA’s SoFi Stadium, the 79-year-old breathes fresh life into the classic tunes that established him as the planet’s greatest living songwriter. (The Independent) Continue reading
Ahead of his appearance at the Santa Fe Literary Festival, the bestselling author talks to me about the real-life moment that inspired ‘A Time to Kill’, why innocent people are still being locked up, and what aspiring thriller writers need to get right in chapter one. (The Independent) Continue reading
On a new live album, the 80-year-old living legend and former Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young troubadour revisits his Seventies solo records. He talks to me about being dumped by Joni Mitchell, pulling his music from Spotify, and military madness in 2022. (The Independent) Continue reading
The iconic Sixties trumpeter talks to me about his hit-filled career with the Tijuana Brass, writing ‘Wonderful World’ for Sam Cooke, signing the Carpenters to his record label and releasing a new album with his wife of 49 years, Lani Hall. (The Independent) Continue reading
Backstage at Coachella, the Italian band tell me about their first impressions of the festival, their urgent new protest song for Ukraine, and what it means to be a rock star in 2022. (The Independent) Continue reading
The 20-year-old pop sensation showed composure beyond her years at the California festival, delivering a performance of power and verve that made smart use of cameos from artists including Blur’s Damon Albarn and R&B star Khalid. (The Independent) Continue reading
Danny Elfman’s booking was undoubtedly a gamble, but it’s one that pays off many times over as the ‘Simpsons’ composer delivered a multi-faceted, unusual Coachella debut. (The Independent) Continue reading
After headlining the festival in 2014, Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire returned to Coachella this year for a surprise performance, which delivered both profound joy and healing. (The Independent) Continue reading
Twenty-five years ago this week, a band of blond brothers from Oklahoma released a single that took the planet by storm. They tell me about scary fans, collaborating with punk rockers, and how the iconic ‘MMMBop’ is actually a ‘really depressing’ song. (The Independent) Continue reading
As bulldozers move in on the infamous Sunset Strip venue, I look back at the eventful history of Johnny Depp’s former club, where Tom Petty played, the Pussycat Dolls were born, River Phoenix died and Jason Donovan almost did the same. (The Independent) Continue reading
As Josh Tillman prepares to release his fifth Father John Misty album, he’s declining interviews and keeping a low profile online. I explore why the former internet prankster turned off and dropped out. (The Independent) Continue reading
The former ‘Saturday Night Live’ star talks to me about growing up obsessed with British punk, plans to reunite with ‘Portlandia’ collaborator Carrie Brownstein and filming Judd Apatow’s pandemic comedy ‘The Bubble’ in Berkshire. (The Independent) Continue reading
As Willis hangs up his blood-stained vest for good, I pay tribute to a star who could always be counted on to save the world with a wisecrack. (The Independent) Continue reading
Having appeared in everything from ‘Chinatown’ to ‘Friends’, Hong is one of Hollywood’s most prolific and recognisable character actors. He brings all that experience to bear in the mind-bending new film ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’. (The Independent) Continue reading
The comedy great sits down with classical cellist Jan Vogler and talks to me about the pandemic being this generation’s ‘most challenging time’, his cure for depression and shooting a majestic concert movie at the Acropolis of Athens. (The Independent) Continue reading
As Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway bring their portrayal of WeWork founder Adam Neumann and wife Rebekah Paltrow to the screen, I talk to screenwriters Lee Eisenberg and Drew Crevello about the scandalous rise and fall of the $47bn tech start-up. (The Independent) Continue reading
As the musician and artist’s cult TV series ‘Painting With John’ returns, he tells me about going viral in Russia, New York in the Eighties and how he hopes to inspire his viewers with his unorthodox art show. (The Independent) Continue reading
The Collected Works of Kevin EG Perry 