Rock's Backpages is an excellent resource for music lovers, containing full text articles and interviews from the most influential music publications, dating back to the 1960s. From Aaliyah to ZZ Top, this database has you covered.
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Recommended reading
1980s Smash Hits! Fantastic British pop writing in its prime. Who else would use the phrase “lightly stroking a tabby tum” as an interviewee strokes a cat? Browse this publication for a hilarious interview with Morrissey on vegetarianism. Or try this guide to hip hop, circa '83.
Here's an interview with the Ramones, from Punk magazine.
Anything from Creem magazine – it’s pretty hard to find. There’s articles on T.Rex, Cheap Trick, Patti Smith, Talking Heads, and lots more 70s stuff. There’s tonnes of record reviews too.
Key content
Rock’s Backpages is the largest database of rock writing, that boasts a diverse range of text interviews and reviews from well-known music journalists, as well as many MP3 audio files of the original resource interviews. It’s also great for record reviews – find out what they thought at the time!
Publications include:
- Uncut
- NME
- The Wire
- and the more obscure, such as Who took the bomp fanzine
Check the links down the side of the page for new articles in the database – there’s usually something worth reading – and down the the bottom for the most read articles.
Search tips
Quick search
If you’re looking for articles on a particular artist/band, use the drop down menus under Search by ARTIST to find them. You can also use the same method to search by writer, subject/genre or media.
Detailed search
Use this text box to create a narrower search
Advanced search
Using advanced search you can look for combinations of writers, bands, genres and publications, ie articles on Blondie from Melody maker.
Practice your search skills with our Rock's Backpages quiz. |
