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 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
A century after the ‘On The Road’ author’s birth, Kerouac’s close friend and collaborator David Amram talks to me about their ‘stoned-out’ parties, his misunderstood Catholic faith and his work’s enduring relevance. (The Independent) Continue reading
After 30 years as the ‘Cheech and Chong of hip-hop’, rappers B-Real and Sen Dog talk to me about calling time on traditional record releases, how modern rap has lost its edge and, of course, weed. (The Independent) Continue reading
Speaking to Ron Finley about his garden in South Central Los Angeles, teaching his community how to grow fruit and vegetables for themselves and advocating for social change. (Us & Our Planet) Continue reading
As his band release twelfth album ‘Oochya!’, frontman Jones talks to me about their controversial pandemic show in Cardiff, touring with Bowie and the Stones and the small town negativity that left him questioning their success. (The Independent) Continue reading
Patrick Haggerty became the first out gay artist to release a country album in 1973. He talks to me about putting out a follow-up almost half a century on, his rural childhood and inspiring a new generation of queer musicians. (The Independent) Continue reading
Early footage from Amazon’s wildly expensive new fantasy series ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ suggests CGI demons have already stolen its soul. (The Independent) Continue reading
Three decades after the Sultans of Schwing first partied on to the big screen, director Penelope Spheeris talks to me about on-set rivalries, Rob Lowe’s controversial casting and why she wasn’t invited back for the sequel. (The Independent) Continue reading
Exploring the culinary history of New York on a tour of some of the city’s most enduring restaurants. (Good Place) Continue reading
‘Tupac Shakur: Wake Me When I’m Free’ is a new touring exhibit dedicated to the rapper’s life, and a reminder of his activist mother’s extraordinary legacy. (The Independent) Continue reading
After a career spent playing vampires, cowboys and Jack Bauer, the hell-raising actor has established himself as a real-life country singer. He talks to me about his activist mother, his time behind bars and why ‘24’ is unfairly maligned. (The Independent) Continue reading
As the ‘Bodyguard’ showrunner reveals the tricks of his trade in a new online course, I learn why Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein are his unlikely storytelling gurus. (The Independent) Continue reading
The Ronettes singer, who recorded the immortal ‘Be My Baby’ and survived an abusive marriage to producer Phil Spector, has died at 78. Her voice will live forever. (The Independent) Continue reading
Alfonso Cuarón’s 2006 dystopian masterpiece, with its themes of anti-immigrant paranoia, humanity in crisis and a planet on the verge of collapse, has never felt more timely. Screenwriter Timothy J Sexton tells me why it’s more hopeful than you remember. (The Independent) Continue reading
After the death of the author and journalist at 87, I pay tribute to a singular writer blessed with staggering powers of perception. (The Independent) Continue reading
Over two and a half hours in Los Angeles, the K-pop superstars demonstrate how and why they’ve become the world’s biggest band. (The Independent) Continue reading
The bestselling author talks to me about teaming up with Dolly Parton, what really happened to Jeffrey Epstein, and how close Idris Elba came to playing his hero Alex Cross. (The Independent) Continue reading
As he prepares for his band’s farewell tour, the flamboyant frontman talks to me about the Scout photo that got him the job of vocalist for Deep Purple, the misery behind his biggest hit, and the tragic recent death of ex-wife and music video star Tawny Kitaen. (The Independent) Continue reading
The Grammy-nominated artist created his new album to complement psychedelic therapy. He tells me about making music in a remote Ecuadorian cave and listening to what plants have to tell us. (The Independent) Continue reading
Half a century after ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ was first published, I investigate what the gonzo journalist’s masterpiece owes to his collaborator, Oscar Zeta Acosta. (The Independent) Continue reading
Research from Johns Hopkins and NYU suggests that psychedelic drugs can significantly reduce pain and distress for those with terminal illnesses. As the British government faces calls to reschedule these substances, I talk to some of those who’ve already chosen to take the trip. (The Independent) Continue reading
As his hit animated coming-of-age series returns, the comedian talks to me about going from adolescent growing pains to working with his idol Mel Brooks. (The Independent) Continue reading
The man who brought Jamaican dancehall to the world has spent lockdown working on a star-studded new album. He tells me about following up mega-hit ‘Cheap Thrills’ with Sia, the time his father crashed a ganja plane in the Everglades, and weeping over the death of Toots Hibbert. (The Independent) Continue reading
As his Grammy-winning band prepare to release new album ‘I Don’t Live Here Anymore’, Adam Granduciel tells me how the record was shaped by fatherhood, fame and memories of Bob Dylan. (The Independent) Continue reading
A new documentary, ‘Tom Petty: Somewhere You Feel Free’, delves into a record the late artist considered his finest work. I talk to The Heartbreakers’ Benmont Tench and Steve Ferrone, as well as director Mary Wharton, about the making of a masterpiece. (The Independent) Continue reading
A full six decades after Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first laid eyes on each other, their partnership remains in rude health. (The Independent) Continue reading
The ‘New Girl’ star talks to me about the benefits of hypnotherapy, hanging with Prince and recruiting Susan Sarandon for his heartfelt indie comedy ‘Ride the Eagle’. (The Independent) Continue reading
As their glammed-up docuseries ‘We’re Here’ returns, Shangela, Bob the Drag Queen and Eureka O’Hara talk to me about queer visibility and whether road-tripping around the States has filled them with hope or fear for their country’s future. (The Independent) Continue reading
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is finally set to open this week, after almost a century in the works. I head inside to see what its vast collection of stories and artefacts say about the history of film. (The Independent) Continue reading
On falling for the City of Angels. (Good Place) Continue reading
The Collected Works of Kevin EG Perry 