E52: Gene Clark + Mick Hucknall + Mick Brown on Spector & Soul

In this week's episode, Mark & Barney invite the marvellous Mick Brown to reminisce about his journey from editing mid-'60s fanzine Soulbeat to feature-writing for the Guardian and the Telegraph, via stints at Sounds and Street Life.

Mick recalls his encounters with Marvin Gaye, Mac Rebennack and Phil Spector, subject of his seminal 2008 biography Tearing Down the Walls of Sound. He also weighs in on Gene Clark's cult classic No Other, of which he was an early champion on its 1974 release. He joins Mark and Barney in an extended appreciation of the troubled "Byrd Who Wouldn't Fly".

The three hombres then hear clips from Maureen Paton's 2009 audio interview with Mick Hucknall, in which the Simply Red frontman holds forth on Manchester, the Iraq war, The X-Factor and plenty more besides. 

New library additions highlighted by Mark include '60s pieces on the Troggs and the Yardbirds, plus interviews with Barry Manilow and Public Enemy's Chuck D.

Many thanks to special guest Mick Brown; find more of his writing on his Telegraph writer’s page at telegraph.co.uk/authors/mick-brown/.

Enter the giveaway at rocksbackpages.com/giveaway for a chance to win an RBP subscription or book.

Produced by Jasper Murison-Bowie

Pieces discussed: Marvin Gaye, Dr. John, Phil Spector, Gene Clark, Gene Clark’s Return, Gene Clark’s Last Stand, Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall audio, Yardbirds, Troggs, Sly and the Family Stone, The Nice, Val Wilmer, Def Leppard, Barry Manilow and Public Enemy’s Chuck D.