E133: Jason King on Queen + Sylvester + Boy George + Beyoncé

Rock's Backpages - A podcast by Barney Hoskyns, Mark Pringle, Jasper Murison-Bowie - Mondays

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In this episode, we invite Jason King to tell us about his multi-faceted career, from his Canadian upbringing to his chairmanship of Brooklyn's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Along the way, Jason talks about his writing on LGBTQ icons from Sylvester and Luther Vandross to Queen's Freddie Mercury, of whom he is writing a major biography. Jason recalls writing for Vibe and the Village Voice in the Noughties, listens to clips from Bill Brewster's 2002 audio interview with Boy George and discusses the brilliant career of — and new album by — Beyoncé. After Jason and his co-hosts pay homage to revered Warner-Reprise chief Mo Ostin, Mark quotes from newly-added library pieces about John Lennon, the Jam, AC/DC and Primal Scream. Jasper rounds things off with remarks on a 1998 interview with Mo Ostin signing Prince, then known as "The Artist Formerly Known as..." Many thanks to special guest Jason King. Find him on Instagram and Twitter @jasonkingsays. Pieces discussed: Little Richard, Queen, Pop's great awokening, Gay soul, Boy George audio, Destiny's Child, Beyoncé, Beyoncé in the movies, Mo Ostin, John Lennon, The Jam, Joan Jett, Primal Scream, Newport Folk Festival, Tim Buckley, AC/DC, Radiohead and Prince.