The Joe Jackson Interviews

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Print and broadcast interviews from my thirty-plus year career working for all major media outlets in Ireland. I am a journalist, author, and IMRO-award nominated radio presenter and producer. The interviews cover all fields from music to politics to cult

Joe Jackson Productions


    • Jun 14, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 20m AVG DURATION
    • 530 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Joe Jackson Interviews

    Mike Love on Brian Wilson , Good Vibrations and Pet Sounds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2025 8:54


    Really saddened by the death of Brian Wilson. I will post a podcast based on an interview we did. In the meantime, here is Mike Love - falsely claiming since Brian died, that he himself "co-created all The Beach Boys music" - and who was not a particularly pleasant guy when I interviewed him in 1989. Judge for yourself. 'Love' is a funny surname in this context!

    What if the U2 story is a lie? Eamon Dunphy on Bono 1996

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 8:22


    Bono makes magnificent self-promo videos. The latest is on Apple. However, most Irish journalists are aware that he has never told the whole story. Dunphy and I talked about this 30 years ago. He wrote their bio

    Father Karl Wallner on Chant: Music for Paradise. (In Memory of Pope Francis).

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 31:55


    While watching the funeral of Pope Francis on TV, I was transported by the hymns being sung. It brought me back to my roots. I dedicate this podcast to the memory of Pope Francis

    The Kennedy Assassination (1) Anthony Summers 1990 responds to Oliver Stone's movie JFK

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2025 38:14


    As I say in the intro to this podcast, made March 22, 2025, the week of the Trump dump of JFK assassination papers that still didn't tell us conclusively who killed Kennedy, I have been fascinated by JFK and the murder of the man since I was a child. Hence, circa 1990, when I got to interview Anthony Summers, Oliver Stone, and later Sam Giancana, I was entranced by talking with them all. This is the first of a series of podcasts based on those interviews. 

    Father Ted at 30. Dermot Morgan. The Joe Jackson Interview 1995 part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 38:28


    It does not seem like thirty years since I sat and chatted with Dermot before he was forced to leave Ireland to go to the UK to get a TV station to back Father Ted. I'm rerposting this and will repost part two. 

    Ronan Keating 2002. "Why I broke up Boyzone. Louis Walsh told us it would all end in tears."

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 15:54


    Boyzone No Matter What, the Sky documentary being screened globally, originated in The Joe Jackson Archive of 1,400 tapes of celebrity interviews. It uses my tapes and photographs, but there is far more material in my archive that was unused because of time restraints, such as this clip from a 2002 interview with Ronan Keating. 

    Kris Kristofferson on drink, drugs, Elvis, A Star Is Born. "The death scene saved my life."

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 6:21


    I loved Kris Kristofferson's music since a girlfriend gave me his first LP. So you can imagine what a joy it was to meet and interview the man for the first of four times in 1993. We had a two-hour chat backstage at a Johnny Cash gig in Dublin. Check my website joejacksoninterviewer.com for articles

    Kris Kristofferson talks about Johnny Cash and Sunday Morning Coming Down

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2025 3:22


    Kris has died since I first posted this podcast. I love the song, was thrilled ot be able to talk to him abiut its geneisis and about Johnny Cash Enjoy

    Pete Seeger 1998 tells Joe Jackson What happened when Dylan went electric at Newport. A Podcast single

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 4:15


    I wrote a book called Nanci Griffith's Other Voices: A Personal History of Folk Music. For it, I did a half-hour phone interview with Pete Seeger - from Ireland to America – hence the sound ain't great - and for a few minutes, we discussed Dylan's legendary gig at Newport. Pete says he got pissed simply because the crowd couldn't hear the words of Maggie's Farm!

    Sinead O' Connor. "Louis Walsh can really do damage with his mouth." A Podcast Single

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 4:18


    While digitising my Boyzone interview tapes that led to the Sky documentary Boyzone No Matter What, I came across this short clip at the end of an interview, I was taping on the phone with Sinead. She had read and loved my Keith Duffy interview and had choice words to say about Louis Walsh - in 2001.

    Keith Duffy: "Louis Walsh stabbed Boyzone in the back to promote Westlife." Tapes from The Joe Jackson Archive, used in Boyzone No Matter What

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2025 12:07


    Another uncut clip from the audio tapes that led to Boyzone No Matter What. The revelation of the series to many viewers seems to be that manager Louis Walsh was the "villain" of the story. I believe there is more to it than that. But these tapes were part of the research for the series, and here's Keith in 2001, ripping into Louis, whom he says he loves nonetheless. Keith told me the same thing at the premiere of the series recently. 

    Keith Duffy: "Ronan loved to play God. He broke my heart. " Boyzone No Matter What. The Joe Jackson Tapes uncut.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 14:52


    The tensions between members of Boyzone may be new and news to the millions of people watching the Sky Documentary Boyzone No Matter What, but they are not to me. The documentary originated in my archive of tapes. Here's a clip that didn't make the final edit. Me and Keith back in 2001. 

    From Boyzone Our Story to No Matter What, the Sky Documentary. The Jackson Tapes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 47:23


    The new Sky Arts documentary No Matter What originated in my archive of 1,400 celebrity interviews. I also wrote the book Boyzone Our Story and interviewed the lads in-depth from 1994-2002. Here is the first set of interviews I did with lads when all, apart from Mikey, were still in their teens. I warmed to some more than others from the start, and when I met Shane, Ronan and Keith at the recent premiere of No Matter What, my feelings remained the same. Fame changes people, sadly

    Marianne Faithful R.I.P. Memories of Marianne and a remarkable 1989 phone interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 23:35


    As I say in the intro to this podcast, hastily put together on 'the evening of the day' I heard Marianne had died, she was one of the most fascinating women I met, in, or beyond the world of celebrity interviewing. She also was an infinitely superior artist to certain rock stars with whom she was endless compared and who I won't name.  

    Leonard Cohen light-heartedly mocks Bono for getting wrong the words of Hallelujah

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2025 3:24


    I love this phone chat I had with Leonard. It was our third interview and showed me and - when published in The Irish Times - that Cohen had a great sense of humour. But I am guessing that Bono doesn't like what he said. Lighten up, man!

    Leonard Cohen 1985 talks about Love and Hate. The first Joe Jackson Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2025 7:12


    It's coming up to forty years since I, as a Cohen fan, and writer, not journalist, conned my way into meeting Cohen by getting a commission to interview him for a rock magazine. It left me feeling so transcendent I decided to become an interviewer! Incidentally, the editor in question said it was crap and that I should have asked Leonard more about "sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll." Yawn! Cohen told me he thought it was "a great interview" then added, "Thank you, man." I was only a kid!

    Joan Baez 'Don't Talk About Dylan and We'll Get On Fine."

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 25:32


    It's been. more than thirty years since I did this phone interview with Joan Baez. I'm reposting it because of the release of the movie A Complete Unknown. I'd prefer to listen to the real Joan Baez, telling her own story and touching on her time with Bob

    Boy George. "I always fancied Larrry Mullen Jr." A fun exchange with Joe Jackson

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 42:52


    Boy George telling me to tell Bono that if he still hadn't found what he was looking for, he should look behind the drum kit, was just a quip. But the quote made it around the world thanks to MTV news. It's just a bit of fun. We talked abut it years later

    Tommy Tiernan. "I am a dour, bearded, penitent Russian Monk."

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 16:41


    Tommy Tiernan is now an interviewer who aspires to do in-depth interviews on TV. I commend his aspiration. Here is part of an in-depth interview he did with me.  Am I kidding about any of this?  You decide!

    Richard Harris tells Joe Jackson about recording Macarthur Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024 6:54


    Imagine falling love with a song when you are 16, the, later in life meeting the guy who sang it and who asks yo uto write his life story! This is a tiny section from the chapter about Macarthur Park, from my book Richard Harris: Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven.  

    Elvis's Santa Clause is Back in Town. "It's not a filthy blues song" its writers tell Joe Jackson!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024 4:54


    Its that time of year again. I've loved Elvis's Christmas album since I was a kid. That;s why it was such a joy to interview in LA in 2004, the writers of its opening track, Santa Claus Is Back in Town. 

    Phil Lynott remembered by Skid Row leader Brush Shiels. The Joe Jackson archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2024 14:42


    This was recorded in my kitchen at home, hence the echo. I love getting on tape the memories of someone like Brush about "Philo" or anything else. 

    Nancy Sinatra talks about Elvis and her Father Frank. The Joe Jackson archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2024 5:17


    I grew up listening to my Dad's Sinatra LPs, and was an Elvis fan, so it was surreal to have this chat on the phone with Nancy. Even more so to see we agreed about Elvis's gospel songs

    Shana McGowan 1994 from The Joe Jackson Archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 18:43


    This time thirty years ago, Shane and I sat in the Shelbourne Hotel and had this chat. We also, as he says, met each other a lot while drinking late at night in clubs in Dublin. Shane is gone. I'm reposting this to try in my small way to ensure he is not forgotten  

    Where Do You Go To My Lovely. Peter Sarstedt on his Classic Song

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 5:31


    A song loved by millions of people, still, and by me since it was released and because I knew a woman like its subect. It was a delight to talk with its creator, a lovely guy.

    "I tried every drug to try stay sane" Elvis told Tom Jones in 1969. The Joe Jackson Archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2024 8:30


    As a kid I argued against anyone who said Elvis used drugs. But later i life I got to interview the likes of Tom Jones and got to know more about Elvis's use of drugs. 

    The 1988 James Taylor Interview from The Joe Jackson Archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2024 49:25


    I always loved Taylor's music and was delighted that he turned out to be such a provocative thinker and interviewee. 

    Frank Zappa "The Chieftains make more timeless music that U2!"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2024 17:05


    Imagine the scene. It's a morning after the Grammy Awards show, I'm sitting in Frank Zappa's studio in LA, watching Tom Jones record with The Chieftains. Zappa, who rarely gives interviews, is told that U2 are more appreciated in Ireland than The Chieftains, gets angry, and gives me one of his rare interviews. It was also one of his last 

    David Gray on Dylan, Morrison and Springsteen

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2024 21:57


    Gray was at the peak of his popularity in Ireland when we did this interview in his home. He talks with great passion about Dylan, Morrison and Springsteen. It's a team of solicitors! Kidding

    Damien Dempsey on Phil Lynott, Christy Moore and Sinead O Connor.

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2024 29:35


    I love celebrating the music of the Irish in particular, because I am a proud 'Paddy"! Here I am in 2004 discussing some Irish great with Damien Dempsey.

    Joe Elliot on David Bowie, Marc Boland and Thin Lizzy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 37:18


    We all remember the music that first moved us. I did a series of interviews with musicians about just that. This is a chat I had with Mr Elliot, from Def Leppard.

    George Benson remembers playing for Sinatra on the LA Is My Lady L.P.

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 3:48


    I bought that Sinatra album when it was released. It has been reissued this month. It isn't Sinatra at his best vocally, but he's still bnuiriong it up and the band is fantastic, including Benson

    Dermot Morgan Uncensored and Enraged Dublin 1993

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 38:28


    I have many reasons for reposting the podcast from The Joe Jackson Archive.  One is that it has Dermot, a man I very much admired, angry at the fact that he was driven out of his homeland and ours in order to make Father Ted.  Sometimes, a country scatters its finest to the furthest shores.   

    Christy Dignam 2004. "Heroin is Satan's semen." A soul-searchng interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 23:41


    A relative of mine died from a heroin overdose. My Dad died addicted to drugs. Being anti-drugs in the Irish rock music scene worked against me for years. I don't care. Drug use is on the rise again, in Ireland, and elsewhere Christy's story is more relevant than ever

    Kris Kristofferson tells Joe Jackson the story of Sunday Morning Coming Down. A Tribute

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 5:56


    I became an interviewer to track down and talk with my music heroes. Kris Kristofferson was one of them. He influenced me greatly. This is my tribute to one of the greatest songwriters in any genre, who died yesterday. Kris R.I.P. 

    Neil Diamond Soul-to-Soul with Joe Jackson

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2024 6:58


    As part of a radio interview we did in his recording studio, Diamond and I talked about the roots of one of his most resonant songs, I Am; I Said.  He even joked about the talking chair! 

    Sinead O' Connor 2000 Talking About the music that made her.

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2024 16:30


    I like reposting this to remind people of Sinead's love of music. When all the the stories are forgotten about Sinead, her music will be remembered. In this podcasts she talks about her early influences

    Joe Jackson celebrates the artistry of Aznavour.

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2024 11:04


    I am reposting this to go with the upcoming movie. I remember Bono telling me in 1994, 'I discovered Aznavour." I was too cool to tell him, so did I, 20 years earlier!

    Riverdance: Jean Butler and Michael Flatley. Clash of the Dancers

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2024 12:40


    I interviewed Flatley once, he wasn't happy with the interview. So? I interviewed Jean twice. She was. Here is the backstory of their clash.

    Richard Harris: "My Last pub Brawl." From The Joe Jackson Archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2024 5:45


    My final interview with Richard took place in the Savoy Hotel in London a year before he died. It lasted nine hours, and forms part of my book, Richard Harris: Raising Hell and Reaching for Heaven.  This is a fun story

    Scott Walker on drinking, Johanna, and sexual tensions in his work

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 5:32


    It wold have been inappropriate of me to ask Scott Walker if he was gay. This is as close as we came to discussing the subject

    The Monkees Revisited with Mickey Dolenz. The Joe Jackson Archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 32:11


    As a child I loved The Monkees TV show, It was a delight to interview Mickey and it shows! Great chat about, among other things, the 'postmodern deconstruction of The Monkees' that was the movie Head!

    Noel Gallagher 1995 Part 1. "Don't disrespect me on stage"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2024 10:16


    Let's go back to the glory days with Oasis. Here, in an interview we did in Dublin the morning after an Oasis gig I attended, Noel discusses gigs, fans, songs and his music heroes such as John Lennon and Burt Bacharach. It fades at his claim,'I am a romantic" which we will discuss in our next podcast!" Is he? 

    Scott Walker discusses the Songs of Jacques Brel

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2024 7:53


    During the 1970s, I discovered those 1960s Walker recordings of Brel's songs. In the 1990s we got to talk about them 

    Clashing with Van Morrison. A Monty Python sketch, of sorts

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2024 7:10


    Summer re-run of the fun, and fractious encounters I had with my fellow Irishman, the moody Van Morrison

    A Golden Half of Conversation with Larry Gogan 2002. JJ Archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2024 30:22


    Broadcasters are rarely remembered after they die. Larry Gogan should not be forgotten. He brought great joy in generations of Irish radio listeners. 

    k..d. Lang talks about Joni Mitchell, Roy Orbison and Leonard Cohen

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2024 27:43


    k.d. one of the great singers, talks about here heroes Joni Mitchell, Roy Orbison and Leonard Cohen. Four amazing talents 

    Elvis: Remember Him This Way: Bono on Elvis

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 13:01


    I am the Elvis fan who, on the day he died felt disillusioned but the lies being told about Elvis and the lies he told about himself.    I went in search of the truth about the King and interviewed many who knew him

    Elvis: Remember Him This Way 2. Nick Cave on Elvis

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 22:18


    I am the Elvis fan who, on the day he died felt disillusioned but the lies being told about Elvis and the lies he told about himself.    I went in search of the truth about the King and interviewed many who knew him

    Elvis: Remember Him This way. The Memphis Sessions 1969

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 24:15


    I am the Elvis fan who, on the day he died felt disillusioned but the lies being told about Elvis and the lies he told about himself.    I went in search of the truth about the King and interviewed many who knew him

    Eamon Dunphy U2 biographer. "What if History shows that the U2 story was a lie?"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2024 8:22


    U2 tried to "mincemeat" Dunphy in terms of aspects of his book he once told me. If they did, why, one wonders?  

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