Cameron and Marc Bolan. Photo courtesy of Neal Preston
Today marks the anniversary of Marc Bolan’s death. The T. Rex singer was lost in a car accident back on September 16, 1977. We’d like to honor him with this Cameron penned interview from the July, 1973 issue of Creem magazine. As usual, the 20th Century Boy was his outspoken self and never shy or afraid to share his feelings.
Cameron shared his #1 Album of All Time in the December 2003 issue of Rolling Stone. BTW, Cameron loves the mono and the stereo version as long as he gets to listen…
My Number One – Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys
I was thirteen, and I wanted to buy a Jackson 5 cassette. The knowing geek behind the counter shook his head and advised me to get Pet Soundsinstead. Desperate for his cool-guy validation, I bought it. It sounded weird, introverted, not that melodic. And what about that cover? Odd-looking guys dressed like Elizabethan-period accountants feeding animals at the zoo? I thought the album sucked and I stashed it in a drawer. Within a year, Linda Alvarado (not her real name) savagely broke my heart. For some fateful reason, I gave Pet Sounds another chance. Suddenly, music was more than just confection. Those strange guys feeding animals at the zoo understood; even the music sounded like I felt. When you find songs so personal that they feel like someone’s been reading your diary, you tend to study the album credits to find out who the hell wrote this stuff. And that leads you to the heartbreaking genius of Brian Wilson. Pet Sounds is the high-water mark of songwriting and production so meticulously rendered that you ache hearing these songs; they’re filled with secret cries for help disguised in baroque and candy-coated harmonies, the sound of Brian Wilson’s universe coming together and falling apart. The album was a flop in its day, unappreciated in a world addicted to Wilson’s Beach Boys hits. Just three years ago, it finally went platinum. For me, Pet Sounds is a souvenir, a masterwork, an underdog story and a record that takes you gently by the lapels and says, “Here’s what it feels like to be alive.”
Courtesy of Rolling Stone #937 – Cameron Crowe – December 11, 2003
Here’s a blast from the past. This is Cameron’s least promising interview openers as told for The Book of Rock Lists. Enjoy!
THE LEAST PROMISING INTERVIEW OPENERS CAMERON CROWE HAS ENCOUNTERED
1. “This gun is loaded.” – Buddy Miles
2. “Let’s do it in the bar.” – Stephen Stills
3. “Hold on, aren’t you the one who called me the Liberace of Rock?” – Elton John
4. “You’re too young to grasp my complete musical scope.” – Steve Miller
5. “I changed my mind.” – Pete Townshend
6. “We don’t believe in tape recorders.” – ZZ Top
7. “Is there any way you can write nice things about me without talking to me per se?” – Richard Dreyfuss
8. “There’s nobody here except a few ghosts and I don’t care. Let’s rap.” – Bob Weir
9. “I think I just saw a body drop right outside that window. Did you just see a body drop? Let’s go outside and see. I know I saw a body drop.” – David Bowie
Courtesy of The Book of Rock Lists – Dave Marsh/James Bernard – Fireside/Simon & Schuster
Cameron interviews Roger McGuinn for the June, 1973 issue of Creem magazine. Topics include The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons and much more. Happy Sunday reading!
Cameron chats with singer/songwriter/guitarist Joe Walsh in this February, 1975 for Rolling Stone. This was just ten months before Walsh would join the Eagles (replacing Bernie Leadon). They discuss Joe’s history, his early exit from Kent State, The James Gang and much more.
Can you believe it’s been more than 11 years since Vanilla Sky was released? We thought it we be fun to revisit Cameron’s Journalism piece from the Guardian, which includes an unlikely connection to Mr. Elvis Presley. Enjoy…
Cameron sits down for a lengthy discussion with the Who’s Pete Townshend from this 1974 issue of Penthouse magazine.
Cameron shares his thoughts about actor/writer/producer/director Ernst Lubitsch for the Trouble in Paradise Criterion DVD.
