E197: Siân Pattenden on Select + the Bangles + David Johansen

For this episode we're joined in person by the delightful Siân Pattenden, author of the Agatha Bilke and Magical Peppers children's book series.

We start by asking our guest about her early years as a child actor and teenage playwright before she describes the fanzines she published with her pal Nicky Fijalkowska. We hear how these helped to get her foot in the door at Smash Hits, the million-selling pop bi-weekly she joined in 1989. Quotes from classic Hits pieces she wrote are interspersed with hilarious recollections of working alongside Tom Doyle and Sylvia Patterson. 

From "Ver Hits" we move on to the more indie-tastic Select and Siân's part in the Britpop wars – with special attention to Elastica, Jarvis Cocker and a pulped July 1994 issue that contained her guide to "legal highs". After reminiscences of a stint teaching music writing at the London School of Journalism, Siân explains the genesis of her 1998 book How to Make It in the Music Business.

Mention of a 2007 Guardian Blogs piece bemoaning the "boy-rock" template established by the Beatles leads into reflections on the all-girl Bangles, subject of a new authorised biography by two-time RBP podcast guest Jennifer Otter Bickerdike.

The desperately sad passing of David Johansen prompted us to dig out and digitise a 1994 audio interview with the sometime New York Dolls frontman. We hear three clips of David talking very amusingly to Q's Mat Snow – and in the process pay tribute to the singer and his fellow Dolls. 

After Jasper marks the 70th anniversary of the death of Charlie Parker with quotes from the late Richard Cook's magnificent 1995 piece about the bebop genius, we pay additional tribute to jazz-funk vibraphonist Roy Ayers and neo-soul queen Angie Stone.

Many thanks to special guest Siân Pattenden. Visit her website at sianpattenden.co.uk for more info on her books, art and music.

Pieces discussed: En Vogue: Dawn! Maxine! Terry! Cindy!, At Home in L.A. with Paula Abdul!, This is the Future: Elastica — the Bash Street Kids, Meet the Sheatles, The Bangs: Not Just Another Girl Group, The Bangles: a Female Fab Four?, The Bangles: Globe Trotters, The Bangles: Eternal Flame, The New York Dolls' David Johansen (1994), Charlie Parker: The Prince of Wails, Roy Ayers, Angie Stone: Precious and Pure, Dancing in New York Emmylou Harris: Emmylou on the Verge and The Swede Smell of Success.