Rephonic
Artwork for Rock's Backpages
Music Journalism
Tom Hibbert
Smash Hits
Nine Eight Books
Punk Rock
Rock's Backpages
Sylvia Patterson
Mark Ellen
The Decline Of Western Civilization
Steely Dan
Val Wilmer
Michel Faber
Rock Journalism
This Is Spinal Tap
New York Rocker
Wayne's World
Heavy Metal
HIP HOP
Rock Music
Hip Hop Journalism

Tales from the world's largest archive of music journalism: entertaining interviews with luminaries such as Neil Tennant, Billy Bragg, Pamela Des Barres, Gary Kemp, Vashti Bunyan, Midge Ure, Nick Hornby and Robyn Hitchcock. Thoughtful and informative conversations about all aspects of popular music history, interspersed with clips from exclusive audio interviews that date back to the mid-'60s. The... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes213Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Music InterviewsMusic HistoryMusic

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Artwork for Rock's Backpages

Latest Episodes

In this episode, the great R&B/hip hop writer Michael A. Gonzales joins us online from Baltimore to look back on his long career.

We start with our guest's formative musical memories, from hearing Isaac Hayes' 'Theme from Shaft' and meeting Little A... more

In this episode, we ask one of the greatest music writers of the rock and roll era to talk about Mystery Train as he celebrates its 50th anniversary with a brand-new edition of his classic book.

Talking to us from Oakland, 6,000 miles away in his na... more

For this special "bonus" episode of the Rock's Backpages podcast — fittingly number 211 (geddit?) — we're joined once again by The Guardian's Alexis Petridis for a discussion of timeless rock mockumentary This is Spinal Tap and its breathlessly-await... more

For this episode we're joined by the immensely respected Alexis Petridis, The Guardian's principal pop critic since September 2001.

Our guest tells us about his childhood in Yorkshire, his teenage years in Buckinghamshire and his initiation into the... more

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Recent Guests

Michael A. Gonzales
Music journalist and co-author of 'Bring the Noise'
Episode: E213: Michael A. Gonzales on TLC + The Source + DJ Kool Herc
Greil Marcus
Music journalist and author known for his work on American music.
Author of Mystery Train
Episode: E212: Greil Marcus on Mystery Train + Sex Pistols + Jamie Reid
Alexis Petridis
The Guardian's rock and pop critic
The Guardian
Episode: This Episode Goes 2 11: A Spinal Tap special with Alexis Petridis
David Nathan
British Ambassador of Soul, journalist, music expert
Episode: E209: David Nathan on Dionne Warwick + the Bee Gees + Michael Lydon R.I.P.
Byron Coley
Legendary music journalist known for his work on non-mainstream rock
Episode: E208: Byron Coley on Beefheart + Lydia Lunch + Terry Reid R.I.P.
Val Mabbs
Former features editor at Record Mirror, interviewed iconic musicians
Record Mirror
Episode: E207: Val Mabbs on Record Mirror + Jimi Hendrix + Walker Bros. + Ozzy R.I.P.
John Niven
Author and former music industry professional
Episode: E206: John Niven on rock fiction + Bobby "Blue" Bland + Lou Reed audio
Tony Cummings
Legendary soul writer and music journalist
Episode: E205: Tony Cummings on soul music + The Sound of Philadelphia
Chris Bohn
Music writer and editor, formerly at NME and currently working with The Wire.
The Wire
Episode: E204: Chris Bohn in Europe + Sly Stone & Brian Wilson R.I.P.

Hosts

Barney Hoskyns
Host of the Rocks Backpages podcast
Mark Pringle
Co-host of the Rocks Backpages podcast
Jasper Murison-Bowie
Co-host and producer of the Rocks Backpages podcast

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 186 ratings
  • Good conversations and insight

    Brilliant. Covers lots of genres and eras. Good guests, funny, insightful. I am working my way through these. Fantastic listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Albowlie
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • I first started listening to these chaps to block out the sounds of moans, gasps, squeals, ect. while I was watching elbow fetish videos so that the neighbors would not think I'm a weirdo. Gradually, the words began to filter through the soundtracks of "Funny B*ner," "Roll Up Yer Sleevez!," "Elbow Grease," ect and I was transfixed! They may look like a pack of tossers, but I assure you their product is Top-Notch. I eagerly await each new show and, except for the times they spew a load of tommyro... more

    Podchaser
    5
    So, you want to be a stylite?
    6 months ago
  • Rocks back pages with Barney Hoskins

    Hi Barney- just love the podcast- right up my street -informative and funny in equal measures.

    I especially like listening to stuff about artists that have not crossed my radar- I also like the healthy and at times heated disagreements about certain bands and records. Each podcast goes by effortlessly seeming to last about 15 minutes.

    Recent highlights have included Joe Boyd, Chris Salewicz and Barbara Ellen. Shout out to Jasper MB for bringing the average age down considerably and at times bein... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Moby Daf
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Auld white fellas talking to each about the Music Press

    It’s like a less cranky, less reactionary version of the “Word in your Ear” podcast. S’good.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Joe O’Donnell
    Irelanda year ago
  • Careening rapidly downhill

    This was a great podcast. Unfortunately post pandemic it’s gotten away from what made it great—interviews with great writers who told interesting stories. That combined with cohost Mark “Yeah Yeah” Pringle makes it now unlistenable for me.

    Cohost Barney Hoskyns is quiet when a guest is talking. Cohost Jasper Murrison-Bowie is quiet as well. Both afford the pod’s guests the respect they deserve. But not Pringle. You can almost envision him breaking into hives if he doesn’t say “sure” or”right” o... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Yankee Doodle 30
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The mix of humor and nostalgia resonates well with audiences seeking a connection to music storytelling.
The podcast features thought-provoking guests and insightful discussions on music history.
Comments highlight the informative nature of the conversations, although some critique the style and pacing of discussions.
Listeners appreciate the depth of knowledge of the hosts and the eclectic range of guests presented.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

E213: Michael A. Gonzales on TLC + The Source + DJ Kool Herc
Q: Can you talk just for a moment about the Jackson Five and the impact of seeing them?
It was thrilling, and they were the first kids on my radar, which was a phenomenon at the time.
E212: Greil Marcus on Mystery Train + Sex Pistols + Jamie Reid
Q: What role does Elvis play in today's America?
Marcus expresses uncertainty about Elvis's current role in America but emphasizes that the power of his music remains influential.
E208: Byron Coley on Beefheart + Lydia Lunch + Terry Reid R.I.P.
Q: Can you give us a quick overview of your early influences and how you got into music writing?
I started writing about getting in fights in bars and stuff like that.
E208: Byron Coley on Beefheart + Lydia Lunch + Terry Reid R.I.P.
Q: Byron, hearing Don speaking in those clips, does it take you back to your 1978 encounter with him?
Yes, I met him other times too, but the thing is, in interviews, what he really wanted to do was share cigarettes.
E203: Jonathan Gould on Talking Heads + Otis Redding + Richard Manuel
Q: What do you feel the influence of being a musician is on writing about music?
It's critical because I try to approach the music by putting myself in that head space, which takes a lot of the fluff away from it.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Rock's Backpages

What is Rock's Backpages about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast features insightful interviews and discussions centered around music journalism and popular music history. Hosts engage with notable figures, including established musicians, critics, and authors, exploring their experiences and contributions to the music landscape. With a unique blending of engaging narratives, it highlights pivotal moments and influential artists from the mid-1960s onward. The format often includes significant archival audio clips, enhancing the context and depth of conversations. This unique approach to storytelling in music journalism is likely to draw in listeners with a passion for both music history and critical analysis.

Where can I find podcast stats for Rock's Backpages?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Rock's Backpages. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Rock's Backpages and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Rock's Backpages get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Rock's Backpages, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Rock's Backpages?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Rock's Backpages, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Rock's Backpages have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Rock's Backpages has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Rock's Backpages?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Rock's Backpages:

1. Word In Your Ear
2. Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt
3. Sodajerker On Songwriting
4. THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST
5. The Bob Lefsetz Podcast

How many episodes of Rock's Backpages are there?

Rock's Backpages launched 7 years ago and published 213 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Rock's Backpages?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Rock's Backpages?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Rock's Backpages from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Rock's Backpages?

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What guests have appeared on Rock's Backpages?

Recent guests on Rock's Backpages include:

1. Michael A. Gonzales
2. Greil Marcus
3. Alexis Petridis
4. David Nathan
5. Byron Coley
6. Val Mabbs
7. John Niven
8. Tony Cummings

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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