Simon Witter's guest appearances

Simon Witter

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Lisa Verrico

In this week's episode of the RBP podcast, we pay tribute to Kraftwerk cofounder Florian Schneider, along with Afrobeat linchpin Tony Allen and Stranglers keyboardist Dave Greenfield. The excellent Simon Witter joins us to offer essential expertise on Schneider's vital part in making Kraftwerk the hugely influential group they were, with discussion revolving around our guest's epic MOJO retrospective on the electronica godfathers.RBP's regular triumvirate consider pieces by the week's featured writer Lisa Verrico, commencing with a hilarious 1994 diatribe from the Fall's Mark E. Smith. More-up-to date are her great Sunday Times profiles of cutting-edge stars Billie Eilish and Christine &amp; the Queens, prompting passionate endorsements by "our Jasper" Murison-Bowie. Being a tiny bit older than "our" Jasper, Mark Pringle &amp; Barney Hoskyns steer the conversation towards the week's new audio interview. Clips from John Tobler's 1973 chat with Rick Nelson trigger musings on TV teen Idol Ricky's metamorphosis into a credible rock and roller – and then into the trailblazing L.A. country rocker whose Stone Canyon Band backed him on his wry Top 10 hit 'Garden Party'. Finally, Mark walks us through the new library additions that most tickled his interest this week, including Jamie McCluskey III (a.k.a. Eden, a.k.a. Nikki Wine) chatting to the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson in 1965, David Keeps in conversation with Detroit's Was (Not Was) in 1983, and RJ Smith anticipating Trump's America in a prescient 1991 piece about Guns N' Roses. Barney pics Carol Clark's lovely 2001 lament for the inimitable Joey Ramone, while Jasper focuses on – among other items – John Calvert's 2015 dissection of problematic lyrics by Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye… Many thanks to special guest Simon Witter.The Rock's Backpages podcast is part of the Pantheon podcast network.Pieces discussed: Kraftwerk, Kraftwerker, Am Kraftwerksten, Mark E. Smith, Billie Eilish, Christine and the Queens, Rick Nelson audio, Brian Wilson, The Band, Was (Not Was), The D.O.C., Guns N' Roses, Hip Hop in 1998, Joey Ramone, Neil Cowley Trio, The Weeknd and Tame Impala's Slow Rush. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of the RBP podcast, we pay tribute to Kraftwerk cofounder Florian Schneider, along with Afrobeat linchpin Tony Allen and Stranglers keyboardist Dave Greenfield. The excellent Simon Witter joins us to offer essential expertise on Schneider's vital part in making Kraftwerk the hugely influential group they were, with discussion revolving around our guest's epic MOJO retrospective on the electronica godfathers.RBP's regular triumvirate consider pieces by the week's featured writer Lisa Verrico, commencing with a hilarious 1994 diatribe from the Fall's Mark E. Smith. More-up-to date are her great Sunday Times profiles of cutting-edge stars Billie Eilish and Christine &amp; the Queens, prompting passionate endorsements by "our Jasper" Murison-Bowie. Being a tiny bit older than "our" Jasper, Mark Pringle &amp; Barney Hoskyns steer the conversation towards the week's new audio interview. Clips from John Tobler's 1973 chat with Rick Nelson trigger musings on TV teen Idol Ricky's metamorphosis into a credible rock and roller – and then into the trailblazing L.A. country rocker whose Stone Canyon Band backed him on his wry Top 10 hit 'Garden Party'. Finally, Mark walks us through the new library additions that most tickled his interest this week, including Jamie McCluskey III (a.k.a. Eden, a.k.a. Nikki Wine) chatting to the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson in 1965, David Keeps in conversation with Detroit's Was (Not Was) in 1983, and RJ Smith anticipating Trump's America in a prescient 1991 piece about Guns N' Roses. Barney pics Carol Clark's lovely 2001 lament for the inimitable Joey Ramone, while Jasper focuses on – among other items – John Calvert's 2015 dissection of problematic lyrics by Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye… Many thanks to special guest Simon Witter.The Rock's Backpages podcast is part of the Pantheon podcast network.Pieces discussed: <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/kraftwerk-synthetic-rockers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kraftwerk</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/kraftwerk-deutsche-disko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kraftwerker</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/kraftwerk-paranoid-android" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Am Kraftwerksten</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/mark-e-smith-whats-your-problem-hippies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mark E. Smith</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/billie-eilish-the-teenage-pop-sensation-who-soundtracked-i13-reasons-whyi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Billie Eilish</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/christine-and-the-queens-a-new-french-revolution" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christine and the Queens</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/rick-nelson-1973" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rick Nelson audio</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/head-beach-boy-brian-wilson-turns-serious" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brian Wilson</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-band-sons-of-champlin-ace-of-cups-winterland-san-francisco-sf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Band</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/was-not-was-back-come-the-freaks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Was (Not Was)</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-doc-ino-one-can-do-it-betteri-ruthless" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The D.O.C.</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/guns-n-roses-the-last-angry-white-man" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Guns N' Roses</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/tribal-movement-hip-hop-in-1998" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hip Hop in 1998</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/joey-ramone-hey-ho-lets-go" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joey Ramone</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/neil-cowley-trio-queen-elizabeth-hall-london" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Neil Cowley Trio</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/overview-of-a-vampire-a-closer-look-at-the-weeknds-lyrics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Weeknd</a> and <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/tame-impala-ithe-slow-rushi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tame Impala's Slow Rush</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Rock's Backpages Ep. 72: Simon Witter on Kraftwerk + Rick Nelson audio + Lisa Verrico

In this week's episode of the RBP podcast, we pay tribute to Kraftwerk cofounder Florian Schneider, along with Afrobeat linchpin Tony Allen and Stranglers keyboardist Dave Greenfield. The excellent Simon Witter joins us to offer essential expertise on Schneider's vital part in making Kraftwerk the hugely influential group they were, with discussion revolving around our guest's epic MOJO retrospective on the electronica godfathers.RBP's regular triumvirate consider pieces by the week's featured writer Lisa Verrico, commencing with a hilarious 1994 diatribe from the Fall's Mark E. Smith. More-up-to date are her great Sunday Times profiles of cutting-edge stars Billie Eilish and Christine &amp; the Queens, prompting passionate endorsements by "our Jasper" Murison-Bowie. Being a tiny bit older than "our" Jasper, Mark Pringle &amp; Barney Hoskyns steer the conversation towards the week's new audio interview. Clips from John Tobler's 1973 chat with Rick Nelson trigger musings on TV teen Idol Ricky's metamorphosis into a credible rock and roller – and then into the trailblazing L.A. country rocker whose Stone Canyon Band backed him on his wry Top 10 hit 'Garden Party'. Finally, Mark walks us through the new library additions that most tickled his interest this week, including Jamie McCluskey III (a.k.a. Eden, a.k.a. Nikki Wine) chatting to the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson in 1965, David Keeps in conversation with Detroit's Was (Not Was) in 1983, and RJ Smith anticipating Trump's America in a prescient 1991 piece about Guns N' Roses. Barney pics Carol Clark's lovely 2001 lament for the inimitable Joey Ramone, while Jasper focuses on – among other items – John Calvert's 2015 dissection of problematic lyrics by Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye… Many thanks to special guest Simon Witter.The Rock's Backpages podcast is part of the Pantheon podcast network.Pieces discussed: Kraftwerk, Kraftwerker, Am Kraftwerksten, Mark E. Smith, Billie Eilish, Christine and the Queens, Rick Nelson audio, Brian Wilson, The Band, Was (Not Was), The D.O.C., Guns N' Roses, Hip Hop in 1998, Joey Ramone, Neil Cowley Trio, The Weeknd and Tame Impala's Slow Rush.

In this week's episode of the RBP podcast, we pay tribute to Kraftwerk cofounder Florian Schneider, along with Afrobeat linchpin Tony Allen and Stranglers keyboardist Dave Greenfield. The excellent Simon Witter joins us to offer essential expertise on Schneider's vital part in making Kraftwerk the hugely influential group they were, with discussion revolving around our guest's epic MOJO retrospective on the electronica godfathers.RBP's regular triumvirate consider pieces by the week's featured writer Lisa Verrico, commencing with a hilarious 1994 diatribe from the Fall's Mark E. Smith. More-up-to date are her great Sunday Times profiles of cutting-edge stars Billie Eilish and Christine &amp; the Queens, prompting passionate endorsements by "our Jasper" Murison-Bowie. Being a tiny bit older than "our" Jasper, Mark Pringle &amp; Barney Hoskyns steer the conversation towards the week's new audio interview. Clips from John Tobler's 1973 chat with Rick Nelson trigger musings on TV teen Idol Ricky's metamorphosis into a credible rock and roller – and then into the trailblazing L.A. country rocker whose Stone Canyon Band backed him on his wry Top 10 hit 'Garden Party'. Finally, Mark walks us through the new library additions that most tickled his interest this week, including Jamie McCluskey III (a.k.a. Eden, a.k.a. Nikki Wine) chatting to the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson in 1965, David Keeps in conversation with Detroit's Was (Not Was) in 1983, and RJ Smith anticipating Trump's America in a prescient 1991 piece about Guns N' Roses. Barney pics Carol Clark's lovely 2001 lament for the inimitable Joey Ramone, while Jasper focuses on – among other items – John Calvert's 2015 dissection of problematic lyrics by Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye… Many thanks to special guest Simon Witter.The Rock's Backpages podcast is part of the Pantheon podcast network.Pieces discussed: <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/kraftwerk-synthetic-rockers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kraftwerk</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/kraftwerk-deutsche-disko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kraftwerker</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/kraftwerk-paranoid-android" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Am Kraftwerksten</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/mark-e-smith-whats-your-problem-hippies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mark E. Smith</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/billie-eilish-the-teenage-pop-sensation-who-soundtracked-i13-reasons-whyi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Billie Eilish</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/christine-and-the-queens-a-new-french-revolution" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christine and the Queens</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/rick-nelson-1973" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rick Nelson audio</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/head-beach-boy-brian-wilson-turns-serious" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brian Wilson</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-band-sons-of-champlin-ace-of-cups-winterland-san-francisco-sf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Band</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/was-not-was-back-come-the-freaks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Was (Not Was)</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-doc-ino-one-can-do-it-betteri-ruthless" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The D.O.C.</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/guns-n-roses-the-last-angry-white-man" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Guns N' Roses</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/tribal-movement-hip-hop-in-1998" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hip Hop in 1998</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/joey-ramone-hey-ho-lets-go" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joey Ramone</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/neil-cowley-trio-queen-elizabeth-hall-london" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Neil Cowley Trio</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/overview-of-a-vampire-a-closer-look-at-the-weeknds-lyrics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Weeknd</a> and <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/tame-impala-ithe-slow-rushi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tame Impala's Slow Rush</a>.

E72: Simon Witter on Kraftwerk + Rick Nelson audio + Lisa Verrico

Robbie Robertson

In this week's episode of the RBP Podcast, Mark Pringle and Jasper Murison-Bowie are joined by Mr. Simon Witter to talk about his career in music journalism, from Zapp to acid house by way of Cameo and his forays into the early days of Chicago house with pioneering DJs Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy. Simon's interviews with Larry Blackmon and Roger Troutman inform conversation about afro-futurist funk and D.C.'s go-go music. The trio also discuss what kinds of powders taste better dissolved in cream soda and the impact of said powders (and other drugs!) on the second summer of love in 1988.Mark, Jasper and Simon briefly talk about the week's featured artists the Pixies and pay tribute to the late Daniel Johnston, before moving on to the new audio interview, a 1991 conversation with The Band's Robbie Robertson conducted by Tony Scherman. Robbie talks about his pre-Band days with Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, how they weren't allowed to have steady girlfriends... and getting kicked out of a barbecue joint with Sonny Boy Williamson by racist Arkansas cops. In the archive section, Mark picks the week's highlights – including an interview with Marc Bolan of T(yrannosaurus) Rex plus the Village People doing their damnedest to remain ambiguous about their sexual preferences, while Jasper picks a review of Burial's Untrue and an interview with Anderson "best teeth in the game" .Paak.Many thanks to special guest Simon Witter.Produced by Jasper Murison-BowiePieces discussed: Cameo, Zapp, Clubbing in Chicago with Frankie Knuckles &amp; Ron Hardy, Acid House, Pixies, Pixier, Pixiest, Daniel Johnston, The Band's Robbie Robertson audio, Heinz, T(yrannosaurus) Rex, Jackie Wilson, Village People, Donna Summer, Johnny Cash, Stone Temple Pilots, Dusty Springfield, Burial, The xx and Anderson .Paak.

In this week's episode of the RBP Podcast, Mark Pringle and Jasper Murison-Bowie are joined by Mr. Simon Witter to talk about his career in music journalism, from Zapp to acid house by way of Cameo and his forays into the early days of Chicago house with pioneering DJs Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy. Simon's interviews with Larry Blackmon and Roger Troutman inform conversation about afro-futurist funk and D.C.'s go-go music. The trio also discuss what kinds of powders taste better dissolved in cream soda and the impact of said powders (and other drugs!) on the second summer of love in 1988.Mark, Jasper and Simon briefly talk about the week's featured artists the Pixies and pay tribute to the late Daniel Johnston, before moving on to the new audio interview, a 1991 conversation with The Band's Robbie Robertson conducted by Tony Scherman. Robbie talks about his pre-Band days with Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, how they weren't allowed to have steady girlfriends... and getting kicked out of a barbecue joint with Sonny Boy Williamson by racist Arkansas cops. In the archive section, Mark picks the week's highlights – including an interview with Marc Bolan of T(yrannosaurus) Rex plus the Village People doing their damnedest to remain ambiguous about their sexual preferences, while Jasper picks a review of Burial's Untrue and an interview with Anderson "best teeth in the game" .Paak.Many thanks to special guest Simon Witter.Produced by Jasper Murison-BowiePieces discussed: <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/cameo-debunking-the-funk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cameo</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-house-of-zapp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zapp</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/time-to-jack-the-house-sound-of-chicago" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Clubbing in Chicago</a> with <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/1986-clubbing-in-chicago-with-frankie-knuckles--ron-hardy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Frankie Knuckles &amp; Ron Hardy</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/acid-crackdown-sunrise-iii-greenwich" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Acid House</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-pixies-speaking-in-tongues" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pixies</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-pixies-democracy-cuban-style" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pixier</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/hello-goodbye-joey-santiago--the-pixies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pixiest</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/an-outsiders-songs-of-pain-and-longing-daniel-johnston" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Daniel Johnston</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-bands-robbie-robertson-1991" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Band's Robbie Robertson audio</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/disc-success-cut-heinzs-boat-holiday-by-10-days" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Heinz</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/rex-is-reborn-" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">T(yrannosaurus) Rex</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/im-a-singer-not-a-writer-says-jackie-wilson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jackie Wilson</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/village-people-people-are-strange" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Village People</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/donna-summer-a-disco-queen-is-born-again" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Donna Summer</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/johnny-cash-southern-comfort" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Johnny Cash</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/stone-temple-pilots-peace-love-and-understanding" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stone Temple Pilots</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/dusty-springfield-englands-lady-soul" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dusty Springfield</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/burial-iuntruei-hyperdub-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Burial</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/earthy--complicated-the-xxs-icoexisti-track-by-track-" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The xx</a> and <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/andersonpaak-people-are-like--damn-how-are-you-not-on-crack-cocaine-right-now" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anderson .Paak</a>.

E44: Simon Witter on Cameo, Zapp & House + Robbie Robertson audio