Sarfraz Manzoor

Martha Reeves reflects on her career with Motown and the Vandellas, including William Stevenson’s discovery of her, Berry Gordy’s assembly-line-inspired management model and Marvin Gaye’s role in bringing her into Dancing in the Street. She praises the Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team, explains how personal experience shaped performances of Heat Wave and Jimmy Mack, and recalls friendships with Dusty Springfield and fellow performers. Reeves also describes touring the segregated Jim Crow South, the civil rights significance of Dancing in the Street, her dislike of cover versions, and her later work as a Detroit city councillor before the release of her new album, Searching.

Wendy James reflects on Transvision Vamp’s rapid rise to UK chart success, the media hostility and sexism she experienced, and the band’s collapse after its poorly received third album. She discusses uncomfortable encounters in television and film, her unsuccessful collaboration with Elvis Costello, and the decade she spent developing as a songwriter before returning to music. James has now reclaimed the Transvision Vamp name with bassist Dave Parsons and plans an Australian and European tour, viewing the reunion as an exciting creative adventure rather than a financial necessity.

David Sancious recalls joining Bruce Springsteen’s emerging band in 1971, contributing keyboards and piano to its early sound, and inspiring the E Street Band’s name through his Belmar address. He left shortly before Born to Run made Springsteen a global star, choosing a CBS solo contract and an independent musical path. Sancious says he felt genuine happiness about Springsteen’s success and has no regrets, citing his later work with Peter Gabriel, Sting, Eric Clapton and Santana. He and Springsteen have remained close collaborators, reuniting for recordings and live performances decades after Sancious’s departure.

Sarfraz Manzoor defends middle-aged and older fans attending Taylor Swift concerts, drawing on his own experience as a “Swiftie dad” at two Eras Tour shows. While concerts by Oasis, Pulp, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan mainly reconnect him with the past, Swift’s performances gave him a fresh sense of euphoria and connection with younger audiences. He argues that musical enjoyment should not be constrained by age or ideas of what is considered cool, and says his daughter Laila has broadened his tastes by introducing him to contemporary artists.

While spending Christmas with his new girlfriend Bridget’s family in the Scottish Borders, Sarfraz Manzoor prepared his mother’s saag aloo to share his Pakistani Muslim heritage. Despite being warned to use very little spice, he added several chillies, leaving Bridget’s family in tears and struggling to speak. The meal was a culinary disaster but did not damage the relationship: Manzoor and Bridget married two years later, though he now generally leaves Christmas cooking to his in-laws.

Sarfraz Manzoor describes how his daughter Laila’s intense love of Taylor Swift helped them understand each other and brought them closer. Although Springsteen was the defining musical passion of his youth and initially created distance between him and his own parents, sharing concerts and discussing songwriting has allowed him and Laila to exchange musical worlds. Their experiences at Swift and Springsteen concerts become a symbol of familial connection, cultural inheritance and the emotional bridge between generations.

Jon Bon Jovi reflects on his rise from a New Jersey musician recording “Runaway” at the Power Station studio to the global success of Bon Jovi and albums such as “Slippery When Wet.” He says he often failed to enjoy fame because he felt responsible for protecting the band, but now feels more content with his career, marriage to Dorothea and family life. His new album, “Forever,” revisits his roots and is described as his most personal work in two decades. A damaged vocal cord has made sustained touring unlikely because he cannot currently meet the demands of multiple two-and-a-half-hour shows each week, although he remains determined to write and record music. The interview also covers his philanthropy through Soul Kitchen, his regret at not meeting Frank Sinatra, and his concerns about the U.S. political climate and the threat to democracy.

Suzi Ronson recounts how she transformed David Bowie’s hair into the red, spiky style associated with Ziggy Stardust and became part of his touring entourage. Her memoir describes the intoxicating but troubling sexual culture surrounding Bowie, including her role in introducing female fans to the band and her regret over facilitating access for an underage girl. She also criticizes Bowie’s ruthless treatment of the Spiders from Mars, particularly his decision to end Ziggy Stardust without warning Mick Ronson, Woody Woodmansey or Trevor Bolder, while emphasizing Mick Ronson’s major creative contributions and poor pay. After leaving Bowie’s circle, Suzi worked with Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder tour and later wrote her memoir after performing her story for The Moth.

Iranian-American filmmaker Maryam Keshavarz discusses how her childhood experiences between New York and Iran shaped The Persian Version, a playful film about family, identity and cultural hybridity. After 9/11, she entered filmmaking to challenge negative portrayals of Muslims and Middle Eastern people in US media. The film was also inspired by dismay over Donald Trump’s Muslim ban and reflects her desire for comedy, empathy and an unapologetically American Iranian-American identity.

Natalie Merchant discusses recovering her singing voice after emergency spinal surgery, which temporarily left her unable to sing. During her enforced silence and the pandemic, correspondence with poet Robin Robertson helped rekindle her engagement with language and inspired songs for Keep Your Courage, her first album of original material in nearly a decade. The interview also covers her early years with 10,000 Maniacs, her solo career, motherhood, community organizing, campaigning against fracking, experiences of sexism in the music industry and plans for renewed touring and creative projects.

Director Saim Sadiq discusses Joyland, his debut film about a married Pakistani man who falls in love with a transgender performer. The Cannes Jury Prize winner was briefly banned across Pakistan and remains prohibited in Punjab, with religious objections cited by authorities. Sadiq argues that the controversy is driven less by Islam than by discomfort with sexuality, gender nonconformity and the threat these pose to patriarchal binaries. He describes the film as a personal exploration of masculinity, desire and shame, rooted in Lahore and Pakistani society.

Timothy Hutton discusses his London stage debut in Terry Johnson’s The Sex Party, a farce about characters at a sex party who try not to have sex. He reflects on winning an Oscar at 20 for Ordinary People, working with major directors and actors, and rejecting the idea that he belonged to Hollywood’s fabricated “brat pack.” The interview also examines the changing reception of Beautiful Girls, including its treatment of a relationship between an adult and a 13-year-old character, and Hutton’s decision to work with Roman Polanski. Hutton addresses a rape allegation that led to his removal from the Leverage revival, saying he was officially cleared and wants to continue working. He also expresses acceptance of his career choices, including turning down Risky Business for Daniel.