Monthly Archives: September 2014

Consequentially speaking – the Fish interview

Remember Marillion’s 1980s heydays, with the band led by a compelling Caledonian performer and singer-songwriter going by the name of Fish? While his old band remain a thriving concern – with 17 albums to the name – their former vocalist … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Lisbee Stainton / Glyn Shipman – Ribchester Village Hall

Having fallen foul of weekend gridlock on English motorways many times between the South-East and North-West, my heart went out to Lisbee Stainton on Friday night. After an eight-hour stop-start drive from London to rural Lancashire, she had barely half … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Northern Soul icon back and raring to go – Judy Street’s UK return

Four months ago, it was announced that Judy Street – the subject of a feature on this blog barely a week earlier – had been turned back on arrival at Manchester Airport ‘due to an inadequate work permit’. That scuppered … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Phil Cool, John Foxx and the Swing Park Incident

To coincide with my recent John Foxx and Phil Cool interviews on this blog, here’s the part of the jigsaw that links those features – the true story of that broken nose incident, or at least Phil Cool’s version of … Continue reading

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre, Music | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

End of an impressionable era – the Phil Cool interview

Forty years after swapping the electrical trade for the comedy circuit, Phil Cool is all set for his final shows back in his native Lancashire. And it’s perhaps rather apt that there’s been no great fuss about the former TV … Continue reading

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre, Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

alt-J – This Is All Yours – a writewyattuk album review

From the spiralling choral introduction that sees us on our way, we’re clearly back in alt-J country on This is All Yours. But that’s not to say this is An Awesome Wave pt. II. The celebrated quartet – who won … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From unmade beds to living room word games – the Lisbee Stainton interview

Rising singer-songwriter Lisbee Stainton is going places, even if that list of locations still involves the odd living room and village hall. This ‘English rose with the eight-string guitar’ is barely 26 but already has four albums behind her and is … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

From Mary, Mel and Sue to motorbikes and binned Baked Alaskas – the Paul Hollywood interview

Grown women get excited at the mere mention of his name, and it’s fair to say this island nation has risen to the charms of celebrated master baker Paul Hollywood these past few years. The one-time sculpture student from the … Continue reading

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thirty years in the business – the David Gedge interview

It’s never easy preparing to interview someone whose music has played such a big part of your life. It was a similar tale with my recent That Petrol Emotion three-parter. Sometimes you know too much and overlook the obvious questions. … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments