PAUL SEXTON EPISODE TWO

Paul Sexton — Music Journalist, Author and Broadcaster

Paul Sexton is a British music journalist, author and broadcaster whose career spans almost five decades. He began writing about popular music while still a teenager, contributing to the weekly music paper Record Mirror in 1977. From those early beginnings, he established himself as one of Britain’s most respected music writers, combining journalism with broadcasting, documentary work and authorship.

Over the years, Sexton has written for virtually every major British quality newspaper, most notably The Times and The Sunday Times, as well as The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and Radio Times. His international work has included regular contributions to Billboard, Music Week and numerous music publications. He has also written extensively for Universal Music’s uDiscoverMusic, covering artists and recordings across a remarkably broad musical spectrum.

A particularly important strand of Sexton’s career has been his long association with The Rolling Stones. For around three decades he has interviewed the band’s members extensively, building an unusually close knowledge of their history and personalities. His work has included sleeve notes and historical material for the Stones and other major artists.

Sexton’s broadcasting career has been equally significant. He has presented and produced numerous documentaries and programmes for BBC Radio 2, bringing his extensive knowledge and contacts within the music industry to a wider audience. His interviews and documentaries have encompassed artists from across generations and genres.

He is also an accomplished author. His books include Prince: A Portrait of the Artist in Memories & Memorabilia (2021) and the authorised biography Charlie’s Good Tonight: The Life, the Times, and the Rolling Stones (2022), based on extensive interviews with Charlie Watts’s family, friends and fellow Stones.

In 2026, Sexton’s Rock Goes to College further explored Britain’s 1960s and 1970s university and polytechnic music circuit, drawing on his extensive network of musicians and industry figures. His career consequently represents not simply music journalism, but an important body of contemporary oral history documenting British popular music.

Paul is Chair of the Board of The Sound Lounge in Sutton.
He is also a patron of the venue and has a much more active role than simply lending his name: he curates and hosts events, presents his Live Archive series, brings established artists to the venue and supports emerging musicians.

www.thesoundlounge.org.uk