For this episode we're joined by the immensely respected Alexis Petridis, The Guardian's principal pop critic since September 2001.
Our guest tells us about his childhood in Yorkshire, his teenage years in Buckinghamshire and his initiation into the Acid House scene while at Cambridge University. Work experience at MixMag in the mid-'90s led to his becoming that dance/clubbing monthly's Features Editor – and then to a slightly less felicitous eight months as editor of Select.
A short digression on "Britpop nostalgia" leads us to discussion of the changing role of music journalism and to our guest's near-quarter-century tenure at "the Graun". Jasper quizzes him about his encounters with Daft Punk and we bring matters up to date by discussing the fabulous Irish singer CMAT, whom Alexis interviewed this summer.
The episode concludes after Mark introduces clips from Mat Snow's 1992 audio interview with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, 50 years after the double album Alive! made them a '70s rock phenomenon.
Many thanks to special guest Alexis Petridis. Find his writing in the pages of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/alexispetridis">the Guardian</a>.
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/02/alexis-petridis-music-critic-guardian-q-and-a">Alexis Petridis: 'I used to dream about owning every record in the world'</a>, <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/01/how-music-criticism-lost-its-edge">How Music Criticism Lost Its Edge</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/aug/22/why-britpop-nostalgia-just-wont-go-away-robbie-williams-blur-oasis">Britpop nostalgia</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/suede-roll-over-jimmy-dean">Suede: Roll Over, Jimmy Dean</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/why-daft-punks-new-album-has-given-new-life-to-the-music-business">Why Daft Punk's New Album Has Given New Life To The Music Business</a>, <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/one-long-wtf-a-celebration-of-prince-musics-most-electrifying-least-understood-star">A Celebration of Prince</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/ng-interactive/2025/jun/06/cmat-pops-gobbiest-gaudiest-star-everyone-else-in-music-needs-a-kick-up-the-hole">CMAT interview</a> and <a href="https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/kisss-gene-simmons-and-paul-stanley-1992">KISS audio</a>.

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E210: Alexis Petridis on Acid House + The Guardian + CMAT + KISS

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