Guess who just got back today?
That wild-eyed pop culture journalist who'd been away...
So, yeah, fun news this morning: Q Magazine, my employer since August 2023 (even though I had to keep it under my hat until several months after that), sent me a letter saying that it was ceasing publication as of today, which means so goes my first full-time employment in a dozen years.
It was a business decision, as all these things inevitably are, but it must be said that I never doubted it was anything but that. There was no way it could’ve been anything but that, because all six of us - that’s right, there were only ever six full-time writers for this new incarnation of Q - worked our goddamned assess off from the start of our employment until this morning.
We worked our shifts, worked before and after our shifts, and delivered consistently top-shelf content that was, to our way of thinking, exactly the sort of thing that a new incarnation of Q Magazine should offer. Everyone was amazing, because we all loved what we were doing, and we all want to make it the best possible publication we could. I can’t say that I’ve never been in such a mutual admiration society of a work environment before, but that’s definitely what this was. We had an instant camaraderie and an instant appreciation of each other's efforts.
Because I was doing anywhere from two to four news stories a day (depending how many interviews I might be conducting or transcribing throughout the rest of the day), I won’t post all of my interview links here, but I will give you a quick rundown of everyone I talked to, just in case you missed any of them. And, yes, I have a lot of content that never actually ended up on the site, so rest assured you’ll be seeing that here. I might have to put some of it behind a paywall, because I have a kid in college now, y’know, but I hope you’ll help support me - and her, and obviously my wife as well - as you’re able.
And, hey, why not buy a copy of my book?
In the meantime, though, here’s every interview I did for Q…
WILL HARRIS: THE Q INTERVIEWS
Stephen Duffy: Still Enthusiastic After All These Years
Peter Frampton on His Latest Live Album, the State of His Health and the Best Bit About Being on The Simpsons
Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub on the Band’s Ironically-Titled New Album, Nothing Lasts Forever, and More
Nick Heyward on the 40th Anniversary of North of a Miracle and Other Efforts from His Solo Catalogue
Graham Parker Still Makes Records Because He Still Writes Songs - Simple As That
Robert Fripp on 50 Years of (No Pussyfooting), Working With Brian Eno, the Future of King Crimson, and More
Madness’ Suggs on the Band’s First No. 1 Album, Covering Supergrass, and the Importance of Norton Folgate
Phil Manzanera Has Put Roxy Music Back on the Shelf, But He and Andy Mackay Are Still Together
John Douglas of the Trashcan Sinatras Reflects on the Sudden Top 10 Success of Cake After 33 Years
Martin Fry of ABC on Beauty Stab Turning 40 and Surviving Critical Slings, Arrows, and Accusations of a Sophomore Slump
Billy Idol on Making a Concert Film at the Hoover Dam, Collaborating with Miley Cyrus, and Almost Playing the T-1000 in Terminator 2
Jason Isaacs on Transforming Into Cary Grant for Archie, Children Not Recognizing Him as Lucius Malfoy, and His Love of Bob Marley
Rosanne Cash on Re-Releasing The Wheel, Starting Her Own Record Label, and Working With the National
def.fo on Combining “Folk, Psychedelic, Indie, Trip-Hop, and Whatever Else” to Create His Debut Album, Eternity
The Record That Changed My Life: Alex Winter on John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme
Gary Clark on His Journey from Danny Wilson to John Carney and Getting Oscar Short-Listed for His Songs for the Film Flora and Son
Wesley Stace Prepares to Embark on His First UK Tour in 15 Years
Jon Cryer on Extended Family, the Original Ending of Pretty in Pink, and How My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade Changed His Life
Jonathan Banks on His New Apple TV+ Series Constellation, Working With Noomi Rapace, and His Love of Hoagy Carmichael
John Lurie on the Soundtrack to Painting With John, Selling the Lounge Lizards on Late-Night TV, and His Friendship With Flea
Pete Wylie on His New Compilation, Teach Yself Wah!, His Early Days in Liverpool With Ian McCulloch and Julian Cope, and So Much More
Fishbone Makes a Major Lineup Change: A Chat with Chris Dowd
Darn, that sucks -- media industry is just so messed up these days. (although tiny silver lining for me, I missed the Courtney Taylor-Taylor interview and I *love* the Dandy Warhols (once went to Toronto to see them) so thanks for the list)
I'm sad Q is folding.
But I'm also glad to see you're back! And thanks for the interviews!