Paul Gambaccini is known as the Professor of Pop. It’s a title he’s earned well. At 19, the New York born rock and roll fan was having his hit picks published in Billboard. In 1973 he interviewed future lifelong friend Elton John for his first cover of Rolling Stone. While studying at Oxford he took up a job with the BBC, one of the few dependable hands at the corporation fit for presenting across Radio 1, 2, 3 and 4 throughout a loyal 40 year service. He delivered reviews on GMTV, performed annual hosting duties at the Ivor Novello Awards and worked prolifically on countless volumes of The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles. Even the most distinguished pop academics bow to the wisdom of Professor Paul.
It is for this wealth of musical knowledge that I have occasionally reached out to him for quotes for Attitude features. In July 2014 I approached Paul for comment on a feature I was writing about The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, knowing he was on bail, after being arrested as part of Operation Yewtree. Unfounded accusations had been made against him. Paul expressed both surprise and gratitude at hearing his encyclopaedic knowledge was still warranted and explained sadly that he had been dropped by almost all his professional colleagues and allies in the media. I met him on London’s Southbank for a coffee and a chat, and he strongly proclaimed his innocence and depicted the months of personal hell he had been put through as a result of his arrest.