I spent about 30 years interviewing musicians the old-fashioned way: Talking on the telephone, transcribing the tape (or, eventually, the digital recording) and turning it all into a story or Q&A. Then Zoom came along. Now I can actually see the people I’m talking to — and I can just slap the video up on YouTube and be done with it. Yeah, I know: I have a face made for radio, a voice made for mime, and no broadcasting skills whatsoever. Thankfully, many of you have been willing to put up with all that to see and hear these artists. Of the interviews I did this year, here are the ones that got the most attention (based on the total number of page hits and YouTube views):
1 | Peter Holmström of The Dandy Warhols
Life is fine for Dandy Warhols guitarist Peter Holmström these days. And no wonder.
He and his Portland bandmates released their dozenth album Rockmaker — a dark, heavy and claustrophobic outing that marks another artistic rebirth for the creatively restless psychedelic rockers. That rejuvenation goes double for Holmström, who wrote, engineered and produced most of the album one-on-one during the pandemic with singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor — the most creative input he’s ever had in the band, he says. And he’s not the only one getting a slice of the spotlight — Rockmaker also features high-profile guests like Slash, Frank Black and Debbie Harry, making it a true landmark in the long-running band’s catalogue. A couple of weeks before Rockmaker rolled out, Holmström Zoomed in from his home studio to talk about riffs, returning to the fold, cover tunes, the band’s longevity and more.
2 | Frank Turner
I caught up to Frank Turner on an eventful week in his life — for better and very possibly worse.
On the upside: The folk-punk singer-songwriter and veteran road dog was enjoying himself while touring the U.S. and Canada for his 10th studio album Undefeated — and putting the finishing touches on plans for his ambitious multi-night festival Lost Evenings, which was being held in Toronto for the very first time. On the downside: His wife Jessica Guise was about to announce that she plans to end their 10-year partnership over what she cryptically referred to as his “actions” on the road. So I guess maybe he was enjoying a few too many lost evenings. Thankfully, because that unfortunate news didn’t break until a couple of days after I caught up to him over Zoom before a show in Ohio, we didn’t discuss it. But we did talk about Undefeated, politics, touring, what qualifies as a show in his books and plenty more.
3 | Chris Ballew
Life is still peachy for Chris Ballew.
It’s been three decades since the Seattle musician led The Presidents Of The United States Of America to the top of the charts with hits like Lump and Peaches — and almost 10 years since they quietly disbanded. But Ballew remains as prolific and productive as he’s ever been. He released Power Trip, his sixth solo album in three years — and part of an ongoing series of LPs that arrive like clockwork every six months. Mixing psychedelic pop-rock with impressionistic lyrics, his new songs echo the quirkiness and individuality of the Presidents, but from an older, wiser and more mature perspective. And that’s just his latest post-Presidents project — beore this, he released nearly 20 albums by his kids’ music alter-ego Caspar Babypants. On the same day as the Presidents turned up as a clue on Jeopardy!, Ballew got on Zoom from his in-laws’ house to talk about songwriting, kids music, being roommates with Beck, getting high with Mark Sandman and plenty more.
4 | Will Kimbrough
There’s an old saying: Jack of all trades, master of none. Clearly, whoever coined it never met Will Kimbrough.
This Alabama singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer obviously has an impressive musical skill set — and he’s second to none in all respects. His songs have been covered by Jimmy Buffett, Little Feat, Todd Snider, Jack Ingram, Gretchen Peters and many others. He’s produced albums for Buffett, Snider, Rodney Crowell, Shemekia Copeland and more. He’s been a member of Emmylou Harris’s band for years, and worked with a who’s who of Nashville talent from Rosanne Cash and Steve Earle to Buddy Miller and John Prine. And between all those jobs, he releases his own albums — including his latest LP For The Life Of Me, a topical album that finds him diving deep into our dark, divided times while maintaining hope for the future and faith in his fellow man. From his Nashville home, the hard-working Kimbrough got on Zoom to talk about his new record, famous friends, songwriting with soldiers and much more.
5 | Michael Azerrad
Everybody wants a do-over. It’s true in life. It’s true in rock. And it’s the driving force behind Nirvana: The Amplified Come As You Are, writer Michael Azerrad’s absorbing, admirable and personal sequel to his acclaimed 1993 bio Come As You Are: The Story Of Nirvana.
He wrote that book at the urging of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, who claimed they wanted him to “just tell the truth.” Azerrad now believes they saw him as a sympathetic, easily led novice who could help whitewash their damaged reputation. And he admits he unknowingly did their bidding by being too trusting, failing to fact-check their claims due to a tight deadline — and even ignoring negative stories to stay on their good side. In his new book — a labour of love crafted with 20/20 hindsight and brutal honesty — he re-examines and rewrites the whole story, pulling no punches when it comes to Cobain or himself. With The Amplified Come As You Are (plus the e-book and audiobook The Amplifications, which focus on the new material) in stores — and the 30th anniversary of Cobain’s death looming — Azerrad Zoomed in to discuss the book, Nirvana, his current musical tastes and more.
BONUS: My Favourite Chat Of The Year
Pearl Harbour
There are great albums that everyone knows. And there are great albums almost no one has heard. Singer Pearl Harbour’s second full-length Don’t Follow Me, I’m Lost Too belongs in the latter group.
It’s certainly not for lack of talent — along with Pearl’s powerhouse vocals, the 1980 release boasts an all-star British backing band featuring members of The Clash, The Blockheads, Dr. Feelgood, The Rumour and others. And it’s definitely not the songs — in addition to her own lighthearted rockabilly ditties, the disc features her unforgettable take on Wanda Jackson’s Fujiyama Mama. Simply put, this is an album you should own. And now you can: It’s been refurbished and reissued in an expanded edition. A couple of weeks before it arrived, Pearl got on Zoom from California to talk about her eventful life — including a stint dancing with The Tubes, her first band The Explosions, her marriage to Paul Simonon and tons more.
