Luther Vandross was an in-demand backing singer who went on to sell more than 35 million records worldwide and win eight Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Vocal Performance four times.…
Mick Hucknall interview: “I feel politically homeless at the moment”
In 2019 Mick Hucknall (and Simply Red) released his 12th studio album, Blue Eyed Soul. We spoke to him about how, for a time at least, he was giving firebrand…
The Lowdown – UB40
Named after an unemployment benefit form, UB40 started out with a social conscience before claiming commercial riches on the back of 70 million-plus sales worldwide, including no.1 singles in the…
Gloria Estefan interview: “We stuck to our guns!”
In 2019, the musical On Your Feet!, about the life and career of Gloria Estefan, arrived in the UK. That year, we talked to the singer about how she became…
The Lowdown – Squeeze
South Londoners Squeeze were chart regulars from the late 70s to the late 90s, with songwriters-in-chief Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook labelled “the new Lennon and McCartney”. Apparently, their ex-keyboardist…
Paul Young interview: “I was taking on the responsibility of being a pop star”
In 2018, Paul Young celebrated 35 years of his debut album No Parlez. We chatted to him about this blue-eyed soul classic… Of all the good-time bands on the circuit…
My Pop Life – Robin Askwith
The Confessions… and Carry On… actor talks us through his music obsessions What’s your all-time favourite album? My absolute favourite, for personal reasons, is Wish You Were Here by Pink…
Johnny Hates Jazz interview
Johnny Hates Jazz burst onto the scene with their hugely successful debut album, but an impatient frontman led to a parting of the ways. In 2018 they reunited and we…
Can you believe your ears? Stars that weren’t what they seemed
For decades, pop has been littered with acts whose performances or recordings received a little help behind the scenes. From Boney M. to Milli Vanilli and Black Box to Technotronic,…
Stephen Hague interview: The Hague summit
His productions are some of the defining moments from the last four decades of pop which launched – and relaunched – the careers of some of our most treasured…