My First 'Proper' Phone Interview (1971)...and a few quotes from the archives!

My 60th soul music anniversary reminiscences...many more to follow!

Apr 18, 2025

I began ‘celebrating’ my 60th year in the world of soul music this week in earnest. Reflecting back on all the many amazing (and a few challenging) conversations I’ve been blessed to have since 1965.

At 17, my first in-person with interactions were with Nina Simone (in June, when she arrived in Britain for her first ever performances in Europe) and a 30-year old Esther Phillips, in London (also for the first time) at the special request of The Beatles for a television show in which she sang her soulful rendition of “And I Love Him.” Esther was quite something and was delighted to learn that she had been ‘named’ as the runner-up in our first Nina Simone Appreciation Society newsletter poll. Of course, being diplomatic, I did not share that we only had 30 members of the Nina fan club at the time!

I started my (initially unpaid) endeavours as a passionate scribe for Britain’s “Blues & Soul” magazine in 1967 and August 1970, I got my first ‘cover’ story, a feature culled from a personal conversation with ‘Queen Of Soul,’ Aretha Franklin which was not planned as an interview.

My name didn’t appear as a coveted editorial contributor to the magazine until a few months later when a review of The Voices Of East Harlem with Esther Marrow in live performance merited my inclusion, albeit as as the lowest on the totem pole of esteemed columnists and writers!

By October 1971, I had climbed the 'editorial’ ranks from fifth to second place (behind the esteemed Dave Godin, whose regular column for the magazine had included the very first reference in print to ‘Northern Soul’). In issue No. 69, a review of the “Diana!” (as in ‘Ross’) television special prompted my movement up the ladder - but not quite to the roof (note The Supremes’ reference!).

I didn’t realise until I looked at the back issues of “Blues & Soul” from the time period that my very first proper interview - and certainly my first one as phone conversation with an artist in the US - was with…drum roll…Valerie Simpson! It appeared in No.72, the November 1971 issue.

In the world of no coincidence, today (as in April 18, 2025!) I had an Facebook exchange with Valerie about how much I loved her solo Tamla albums and had conducted the first conversation she ever did with a British publication, not aware that it was also my ‘proper’ full length interview!

Valerie’s classic “Silly” is ‘in rotation’ on the playlist of music I listen to during my regular walks (for excercise and fresh-and-often-not-so-fresh-air) in London along with the masterpiece “Gone Away” by the iconic Roberta Flack, co-written by and magnificently arranged by Donny Hathaway; and a couple of essential Luther Vandross perennials, “Make Me A Believer” (forever a favourite of mine) and “Once You Know How.”

Going through my somewhat massive (!) archives, reflecting on how incredible the opportunity to spend time with and chronicle the work and careers of Roberta and Luther (among dozens and dozens of other brilliant creators of music from the soul for the soul) has been, I ‘happened’ upon seldom-seen quotes from interviews I conducted with them.

ROBERTA FLACK (March 1978) on song selection…

“My basic criteria for choosing material is based on several things: good lyrics, they've got to make sense without necessarily always being profound; and a good melody which allows room for creativity. Basically, I need to be able to relate to a song either through my own experience or through something that I can have empathy with. There are many different things you can do with songs to have them suit your own style — things like changing tempos and so on. I must say that everything I've recorded I've cared for when I did it. I've never done anything I really didn't like. Believe me, there are a lot of songs out there that I really dig but what's essential is that I can add something to them.”

LUTHER VANDROSS (June 1985) on working with Aretha, Dionne and Diana…

"You know, I used to dream of working with my idols, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and Diana Ross. Well, I've done albums with Aretha and Dionne — so Diana's the one left for me to do. She and I have talked about working together…"

As he’s talking about the possibility of working with Ms. Ross, Luther says he can't help reflect that "10 years ago, I'd never have guessed that I could pick up the phone and have Aretha or Dionne on the other end of the line! I've been real lucky in having my dreams come true."

To ensure that his three favourite ladies remain ever present for him, Luther's had a special piece of computerised artwork done for the living room of his plush New York penthouse apartment which features Messrs Franklin, Warwick and Ross — all wearing boxing gloves!

He explains: "The way it works is that each of the puppets is in a contest with the others. It starts out with Diana as the champion and 'Baby Love' is on the board. When she begins fighting Dionne and Dionne wins, 'Baby Love' is replaced by 'Alfie'. When Aretha goes at it with Dionne, 'Alfie' goes down and 'Jump To It' pops up.

"When I told Aretha about it, she thought it was hysterical! She told me to have one scene where both Diana and Dionne take her on and when I told Dionne that she laughed and told me that was one tough lady!"

Well….

The British Ambassador Of Soul, David Nathan

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