Mick Wall knows things about Don Arden and Jimi Hendrix that will make your hair curl

Writer, broadcaster, magazine editor and serial rock biographer, Mick Wall has a few stories up his sleeve. His mum sent him to school in a collarless Beatles suit with the trousers cut into shorts. This captivating trawl includes his early days at Sounds and Kerrang!, coach trips with Motorhead, going through Kate Bush’s record collection, Wings' manager’s attempt to fire Linda McCartney, pop press clichés, writing an Ozzy memoir in three weeks, being offered some “fleetwood mac” by Phil Lynott, Don Arden “drilling lighted cigars” into people’s foreheads and compelling reasons why Hendrix might have been murdered. Mick’s done that thing that so many threaten to do but rarely have the nerve: he’s got rid of all his physical music and gone entirely digital - with joyous consequences. And he can tell you the Greatest Record Ever Made.
Steven Wilson’s ‘Limited Edition of One’ …
www.amazon.co....
‘Two Riders Were Approaching: the Life and Death of Jimi Hendrix’ …
www.amazon.co....
Mick’s other rock biographies …
www.amazon.co....
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[@timmeekings3492]

This was a fantastic episode. I've seen Mick Wall on many documentaries and he's always struck me to be the type of person who has loads of stories he'd like to tell given the chance to be completely unexpurgated. How right I was. Please get him on again.

[@TheLoneDranger]

40:30 for Hendrix.

[@stevetwede9901]

Interesting Hendrix stuff. Read an article that said his manager's contract was going to run out a month before he died, he collected 1 million form the life Ins

[@philiphalpenny3783]

" dirty deeds..."

[@bettejohnson7137]

He paid for it , his dirty deeds

[@jameslanclos568]

I always suspected his manager Michael Jeffery, a former covert op for British Intelligence (who during the cold war staged assassinations in Greece, blowing up Russian/Egytian bases in the Suez), as having a lot to do with Jimi Hendrix' death. He was one of those greedy despicable people who was fearful of Jimi firing him and finding another manager. Jimi was very displeased with him because Jeffery was ripping him off blind. Though he may not have pulled the proverbial trigger, he certainly could have had set the stage for one of his thugs do it.

[@GeteP]

Mick Wall, national treasure. End of. "How Black Was My Sabbath?" is one of my favourite books of all time. Thanks, gentlemen! Pete 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@drummiedan]

Mick Wall is rock’s most exciting and interesting writer. Always a great story.

[@martinr7224]

Great ‘get’ guys. What struck a chord was Mick’s start in writing- I read his and other Kerrang stuff more for the travel tales than the subjects. I especially liked the specialisms each Kerrang journo had, I was most often aligned with Mick, but the Southern rock stories nearly guided me into that ghetto- of early ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd of course, Little Feat… My conversion to the music mainly was a rent-a-crowd invitation to my College to see a band called ‘The Smiths’ at the Derby Assembly Rooms, their first televised gig, at which my ‘groupies’ got Morrissey in the eye with a daffodil, delaying the gig. and then grabbing him round the neck n starting a recorded stage invasion- I was a nice boy and just stood in my space being blown away by what I was watching, and no words would capture that experience, the best option being only to try and relive it on KZbin. Still can’t decide if The Queen is Dead (sorry Mick, miraculous Marr matches Slash n Angus), Appetite for Destruction or The Clash is the greatest album of all time. Cheers to you Mick

[@Bambloozled]

Great stories - makes me wonder about the ones he can't tell.

[@stephenpovey4340]

A truly remarkable story/raconteur. Brill, thanks chaps.

[@hinch1775]

Hendrix called An attorney in NYC at 5pm - which was witnessed - while he was in London - firing Michael Jeffries >>> by the next morning Jimi was gone.

[@pommycalva]

Another epic chat.Man I love these stories of the past.Just brought mick’s Book on Led ZEP.Thanks again guys.Cheers !

[@Realhuntedmusic]

Oh man 🤩 I am looking forward to this I used to read Mick Wall religiously in Kerrang when I was just a wee lad,him and Dave Dickson were my faves, proper rock ‘n’ roll journalism, they always manage to bring a lot of their own selves into what ever the interview / review happened to be, at times at the expense of the stars Axle Rose 😅 honestly when i was 14 my total ambition was to be in Kerrang ( as the lead guitarist in a hard rock band ala Van Halen, Randy Rhoads) and to be interviewed by Mick that would have taken care of most of my teenage fantasies( not all of course let's not get into Sally James, Sarah Greene, Jenny Agutter... whoops could worded that a bit better) .. as i'm listening to this and learning about Mick's childhood Beatles fandom and him being a bibliophile, and his love of Guitar Town by Steve Earle, i mean what the hell, if this keeps up i might have to start resenting my heterosexuality haha Love and respect to you Mr Wall, you might well be the last of the Mohicans 🖤🙏🏽

[@igolfjtweetler4097]

That was great. Please have him back

[@davidbowieglamour5477]

Really fascinating. Would love to hear more.

[@neilb224]

I could listen to Mick’s stories all day.

[@SRDhain]

Fantastic stuff. Time to head over to amazon again for more rhetorical fun👍

[@mattiparker14]

Blowbacks...on coach to a Moterhead gig...made me spit my tea out, pissing myself 🤣🤣🤣...hadn’t heard that term for yonks👍

[@thebearsbluesbandsheffield5502]

Hi.... very interesting indeed. Makes me think about how much effort it took to hear music years ago and how that built friendships by lending records and taping stuff. Recorded music was a thing that involved people in a very different way than today. It was a different world I won't say better or worse...just different. Thanks chaps!

[@markedwards4241]

I assume Mark’s reference to Cheapo Cheapo was the shop in Rupert Street. I spent many hours there in my youth and bought many promo copies too! Sadly missed now. The owner and staff were all quite miserable, but somehow it gave the place character.

[@StevieBluenoseScott]

fantastic stories

[@georgeprior-vinylshowtell4934]

Along with David's and Mark's books of course, I think I need to check this guy's work out!

[@maxine2798]

Stick to David and Mark’s. His books have some “old fashioned” views in them. Good stores but there are other authors.

[@philiphaigh8349]

First class thanks,

[@thepartimemusician65]

This was great. ‘Dark side of the moon ‘is the moment I realised my adult life had begun .

[@michaeldunne3379]

Outstanding!

[@VonL]

Devon Wilson. Her death seemed a bit sketchy. I wonder if Mr Wall would ever be interested in attempting to investigate the Brian Jones death.

[@jeffstockton534]

Some dark moments in this one, but excellent, as usual, thank you, gents.

[@operator1717]

Best one yet

[@rolandjgutierrez7737]

This man who is writing abaught Hendix is one of the most intelligent person i have ever listened to he is real a real man no bullshit straight up and that is Adrmrable very few mem are Adrmrable in this day and the times we live in. My hat is off to you sir keep up what you do because your great at it..Wow factor 100%....RocknRollFlat5 .

[@Rockstardust69]

Mick great interview get on to the beatles myth keep speaking the truth

[@Frip36]

“Bands like Zeppelin were still very much blues-based, and Rainbow took it to this very different area of music. And Ronnie was so delighted to be involved in that. It fitted him perfectly.” - Metal Talk. 2021. Mick Wall. Really? Is why Ritchie said "Stargazer" was his attempt at Kashmir?

[@MJEvermore853]

True.

[@rozzgrey801]

That was brilliant, fascinating stuff about Hendrix's death, I always wondered about that.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

42:12 - someone lent me a book by some lass (I want to call Sharon? Cunningham??) And it was really good IMHO and she concluded that it was a suicide where Jimi sort of took a lot of stuff that he knew wouldn’t agree with him and just figured if he woke up then OK but if he didn’t then he didn’t have to EVER deal with all the business & the running around & the crazy tour itinerary or legal crap… I’ve never been able to see find that book since or truly KNOW how accurate it was but it seemed very astute throughout🤷‍♂️

[@televinv8062]

If Mick W. is correct, it couldn't have been suicide. Lungs full of wine? Sleeping tablets as the reason for death? Hendrix got in with bad dudes. They needed their money and he was gonna have to deliver, one way or another.

[@bruceking2068]

Sharon Lawrence. Good read.

[@steveambrose5580]

mick used to drop into Crusts in ealing in the early 80s. far to many musicians in one place at one time. every member of staff was either a musician or an actor.

[@thefilmandmusic]

Why would you kill ‘the goose that laid the golden solo’…

[@atiostefony3760]

Reading the book now

[@douglasanderson8636]

the hendrix theory is indeed more feasible.

[@MrDersuUzala]

Hendrix was actually in the U.S. Army- the 101st Airborne Division, specifically.

[@louistracy6964]

Had to be Bolan or Bowie.

[@ziggypop79]

Mick can you a book book about Brian Jones please? I’m sure he was murdered.

[@lemming9984]

Yeah. I saw a documentary recently (netflix?) about this. His death was VERY suspicious.

[@hugohugo2832]

It’s been done. I’ve read it

[@cavewaller]

I wonder if Don Arden ever tangled with Wilf Pine lol

[@philiphalpenny3783]

Who would have refereed? Margaret Rutherford?!!

[@redpilledpict2747]

Or Morris Levy.

[@lastmatch1111]

Dark Stuff

[@LennyJohnson5]

12 years ago Mick Wall identified a young Chris Buck as the best guitarist to come out of Britain in decades… Chris Buck is now in Cardinal Black who recently supported Myles Kennedy on his UK tour and knocked Noel Gallagher off the top of the Rock Charts with their first release. Mick has a proven eye for talent… Chris is a brilliant guitarist. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kImwgmd5nK2rl6c

[@lamper2]

Hendrix murdered? How SILLY!

[@Smudgie]

That reminds me, must buy some eggs! David is clearly in the dark about "Fleetwood Mac".

[@TimPCasey]

Geldof tells a story about Phil L where a line that was offered turned out to be the old “Fleetwood Mac” rather than the expected Charlie … Some sharp edges to Philo …