Author Archives: writewyattuk

About writewyattuk

This is the online home of author, writer and editor Malcolm Wyatt, who has books on The Jam, Slade and The Clash under his belt and many more writing projects on the go, as well as regularly uploading feature-interviews and reviews right here. These days he's living his best life with his better half in West Cornwall after their three decades together in Lancashire, this Surrey born and bred scribe initially heading north after five years of 500-mile round-trips on the back of a Turkish holiday romance in 1989. Extremely proud of his two grown-up daughters, he's also a foster carer and a dog lover, spending any spare time outside all that catching up with other family and friends, supporting Woking FC, planning adventures and travels, further discovering his adopted county, and seeing as much of this big old world as time allows. He can be contacted at thedayiwasthere@gmail.com and various social media online portals, mostly involving that @writewyattuk handle.

Reigniting the Spark – back in touch with Elliott Morris

Posted on August 19, 2022 by writewyattuk

It was November 2014 when I first chanced upon virtuoso guitarist and singer-songwriter Elliott Morris, his engaging playing and personality during a short set supporting Paul Carrack at Preston Guild Hall (reviewed here) making a big impression. I first interviewed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bevan Morris, Blackheath, Carmarthenshire, Elliott Morris, Henry Webster, Indiegogo, Jack Carrack, Jimi Hendrix, Lee, Llangrannog, Lost and Found, Paul Carrack, Pentre Arms, Skye, Something Worth Fighting For, The Way is Clear | Leave a comment

Cool to be Kind – talking Sunbirds and The South with Phil Barton

Posted on August 13, 2022 by writewyattuk

When The Beautiful South split in 2007 after a highly successful two-decade run, it seemed that the end of the party had come too soon for co-founder Dave Hemingway. Hammy, as he’s known, was there from the outset, joining forces … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Alison Wheeler, Bromley, Cool To Be Kind, Damon Butcher, Dave Hemingway, Dave Rotheray, David Bowie, Gaz Birtles, Ian Dury, Kenny Grant, Laura Wilcockson, Marc Parnell, Paul Heaton, Phil Barton, Ronnie Westrip, Ryan Adams, Strangers Almanac, Sunbirds, Sweet Refrains, The Beautiful South, The Posies, The South, Upminster, Whiskeytown | Leave a comment

Golden Years – celebrating ABBA at 50 with Carl Magnus Palm

Posted on August 4, 2022 by writewyattuk

I considered starting this feature/interview with the line, ‘Ring, ring, I stare at the phone on the wall’ as a build-up to tracking down Carl Magnus Palm, seen as the world’s leading historian for a certain legendary pop quartet from … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ABBA Arena, Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Bright Lights Dark Shadows, Carl Magnus Palm, Eurovision, Fleet Foxes, Mamma mia, Polar Music International, Stockholm, Sweden, The Beatles, Voyage, Waterloo | Leave a comment

Time Flashin’ By – discussing the everlasting allure of the Rolling Stones with People’s History author Richard Houghton

Posted on July 28, 2022 by writewyattuk

On the night Paul McCartney thrilled the crowd and a huge television audience at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival, a few of The Beatles’ celebrated ‘60s arch-rivals were giving it their all elsewhere, rocking Hyde Park, more than half a century … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Andrew Loog Oldham, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, Exile on Main St., Ian Stewart, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Lemmy, Mick Jagger, Mick Taylor, Paul McCartney, Richard Houghton, Robert Frank, Robert greenfield, Rolling Stones, Ronnie Wood | Leave a comment

The Chesterf!elds reveal the fine art of New Modern Homes – back in touch with Simon Barber

Posted on July 19, 2022 by writewyattuk

I do love a catchy indie pop song, and The Chesterfields have come up with the goods again on that front, ‘Our Songbird Has Gone’ released last weekend by Hamburg-based label Mr Mellow’s Music. It’s a fine tribute to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Andy Strickland, Automatic diamini, Davey Goldsworthy, Debbie Lee, Evolver, Gideon Coe, Hamburg, Helen Stickland, Helmut Heuer, James Harvey, John kennedy, John Parish, Kettle, Légere Recordings, Lee Grimshaw, Mark Barber, Mr Mellow's music, new Modern homes, Norway, Our songbird Has Gone, Paul Blow, PJ Harvey, Rob Parry, Rodney Allen, Sherborne, Simon Barber, Somerset, Spinout Nuggets, The Chesterfields, The Go-Betweens, The June Brides, The Loft, Yeovil | Leave a comment

Awakened by the Sound of the Morning – the Katy J Pearson interview

Posted on July 14, 2022 by writewyattuk

Katy J Pearson is powering her way through what’s shaping up to be a huge summer for her, promoting new album Sound of the Morning, out now via Heavenly Recordings. Having already delivered a string of well received record shop … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Alligator, Ardyn, Bristol, Float, Glastonbury Festival, Gloucestershire, Gwenno, Heavenly Recordings, Kate Bush, Katy J Pearson, Later with Jools, Oliver wilde, Orlando Weeks, Paul McGann, Pip Blom, Samantha Crain, Sound of the Morning, Stevie Nicks, Stroud, Talk over Town, The Unthanks, The Wicker Man, Willow's Song, Withnail & I | Leave a comment

Remembering the Bickershaw Festival, 50 years on – back in conversation with Chris Hewitt

Posted on July 8, 2022 by writewyattuk

With Glastonbury behind us for another year, give or take BBC iPlayer highlights, there’s still plenty to savour on the festival calendar, but in this feature I’ll head far further north and back 50 years, to one of the most … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bickershaw, Bickershaw Festival, Bohemian Rhapsody, Captain Beefheart, CH Vintage Audio, Chris Hewitt, Dandelion Records, Deeply Vale, Elvis Costello, Glastonbury Festival, Harry Cohen, Isle of Wight Festival, Jeremy Beadle, Joe Strummer, John Peel, Northwich, Paul Rowley, Peter J Harris, Peter Trollope, Pink Floyd, Pistol, Rivington Pike Free Festival, Rochdale College, rocketman, The Development of Large Rock Sound Systems, The Grateful Dead, The Kinks, Tractor, Woodstock | Leave a comment

Blessed is the Greek – the Tony Michaelides interview

Posted on July 2, 2022 by writewyattuk

It was barely 7am in Florida when I caught up with broadcaster and former music industry promotions high-flier Tony Michaelides. But he’d already walked his dog, still seemingly functioning on Manchester time, 18 years after leaving the North West for … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Blue Monday, Florida, Island, Led Zeppelin, Magic Leap, Manchester, Mark Radcliffe, Moments That Rock, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Peter Hook, Piccadilly Radio, Ray Cooper, REM, Steve Winwood, The Stone Roses, Tony Michaelides, Tony the greek, U2 | Leave a comment

Examining the Pleasure principle – the enduring appeal of Girls at our Best!

Posted on June 26, 2022 by writewyattuk

‘We’re not looking forward and we are not looking backWe’ve lost the warranty, we’ll never get our money backMy baby’s buying me another life, getting nowhere fast.’ One of the most influential bands to emerge in the early 1980s, Girls … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Adrian Thrills, Carl Harper, Cherry Red, Geoff Travis, Gerard Swift, Getting Nowhere Fast, Girls at our Best, Happy Birthday Records, james alan, Jez Pritchatt, Jo Gaffney, John Peel, Judy Evans, Leeds, Leeds Arts Unversity, Leeds Conservatoire, New York City, Pleasure, Rough Trade, Sexbeat, The Butterflies, The Gang of Four, The Mekons, The Wedding Present, Thomas Dolby | Leave a comment

Raising the roof for refugees – with The Amber List, Red Moon Joe, West on Colfax … plus Jah Wobble and The Ukrainians

Posted on June 15, 2022 by writewyattuk

Three Lancashire bands offering their own individual twists on Americana are uniting for Ukrainian relief efforts two weekends from now, hosting a charity fundraiser at a Preston riverside music venue. Meanwhile, across the Pennines, a stalwart Leeds post-punk outfit putting … Continue reading →

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