interview Archive
17 Oct 2012
Nick Lowe Still Has That Old Magic
Note: I saw Nick Lowe twice in concert last week: once at Asheville’s Grey Eagle, doing a full (solo acoustic) set with Chuck Prophet opening; and again the next night […]
10 Oct 2012
Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson: Looking to the Past, Living in the Present
Ian Anderson cuts a memorable figure in the history of rock’n’roll; when his name is mentioned, the image that comes immediately to the minds of rock fans is of Anderson […]
05 Sep 2012
Ask Me Why: A Conversation with ‘1964: The Tribute’ (Part Two)
Continued from Part One… Bill Kopp: Beside the obvious appeal of getting as close as possible to seeing the real thing, what do you think explains the popularity of tribute […]
04 Sep 2012
Ask Me Why: A Conversation with ‘1964: The Tribute’ (Part One)
Tribute bands occupy a fascinating space in the entertainment industry. They clearly fill a need, answer a market demand. But – at their very best – they sure make a […]
28 Aug 2012
Off the Road Yet On the Road: A Talk with Alvin Lee, Part Two
Continued from Part One… Bill Kopp: The title and cover art of your new album Still On the Road to Freedom overtly reference your 1973 collaboration with Mylon LeFevre. Beyond […]
27 Aug 2012
Off the Road Yet On the Road: A Talk with Alvin Lee, Part One
Guitarist Alvin Lee first rose to international prominence with his band Ten Years After. The band’s performance of “I’m Going Home” is a highlight of both the Woodstock film and […]
23 Aug 2012
Tiki-lounging with Merrell Fankhauser
Merrell Fankhauser‘s name is not as well-known as some others from the rock era, but he’s been an important force in the development of both surf and psychedelia. Outside of […]
21 Aug 2012
20 Questions with Van Dyke Parks
In Fall 2011 I got the opportunity to see Van Dyke Parks in a rare concert tour date. The following morning, he and I met for coffee, during which we […]
10 Aug 2012
Zappa Music in the Grand(mothers) Tradition: A Talk with Napoleon Murphy Brock
Yesterday I featured my conversation with Don Preston, keyboardist with The Grandmothers, a group that includes several members of Frank Zappa’s Mothers. Interspersed into that conversation were a couple of […]
09 Aug 2012
Zappa Music in the Grand(mothers) Tradition: A Talk with Don Preston
During his life, Frank Zappa created literally dozens of albums’ worth of original music. That music went through a number of styles, but among the most critically- and commercially lauded […]