Ep012: Frank Zappa 1991

When I asked Frank Zappa if he had any regrets about the first 25 years of his career, he was blunt, as he always was. “There are certain things I might have said in a different way,” he said. “But basically, there it is.” And that’s why Frank Zappa was and is still revered by […]

Ep011: Dweezil Zappa 1994

In the story I wrote in 1994 based on this interview with Dweezil Zappa, the lead paragraph summed up the conversation pretty well: “His father treated life as if it were a wave of stupidity he could somehow contain. Dweezil Zappa prefers to smirk and ride the tide.” “There’s not much use in being negative 24 […]

Ep010: Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon from 1995

When I spoke to Shannon Hoon in September 1995, he and his band, Blind Melon, were on the verge of stardom. Their first album yielded the massive hit single “No Rain,” they had played Woodstock ’94, and they were excited about their new album, “Soup.” We talked about the new album and how different it […]

Ep008: Jeff Tweedy of Wilco 1997

Jeff Tweedy is often described as a reticent interview subject, but I found him to be relaxed and easygoing when we spoke in 1997. At the time, Tweedy and his band Wilco were touring behind their second record, “Being There,” and he was learning to balance the responsibilities of career and fatherhood. Our talk is […]

Ep007: Neil Peart of Rush 1990

I interviewed Neil Peart several times over the years and thoroughly enjoyed every conversation. In addition to being a great drummer, he’s a smart, thoughtful, articulate gentleman whose worldview extends well beyond rock ‘n’ roll. This interview, recorded in 1990, was the first of our talks. Nearly 30 years later, I’m still amazed by his […]

Ep006: Rick James 1997

When I spoke to Rick James in 1997, he had already been a megastar, a prisoner, and a recipient of royalties for the use of his “Super Freak” bassline in MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.” At the time, he was about to start a tour to promote his first album in nine years, “Urban […]

Ep004: Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull 1993

I was a devoted Jethro Tull fan growing up, so I relished every chance I had to speak to founder and leader Ian Anderson. In this conversation, which took place during the 1993 tour celebrating the band’s 25th anniversary, Anderson, then 46 years old, talked about Tull’s legacy (“almost an important band”), the best Tull […]

Ep003: Trey Anastasio 1993

I have a long, strange history with Phish. I’m an admirer—nobody dares do what Phish does routinely, which is to play a completely different show and challenge its audience—and a skeptic, because sometimes, they step on their dicks. In 1997, after the August 10 Phish concert at Deer Creek Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana, I […]

Ep002: Billy Joel 1994

I don’t own any Billy Joel records, but I’m a huge fan of the man—especially his work ethic. Whether or not you like his music, there’s a good reason why he has continued to sell out Madison Square Garden every month for more than five years—he leaves it all onstage. At the time of this […]