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.

The telling adventures of Saint Etienne – the Sarah Cracknell interview

Posted on September 16, 2021 by writewyattuk

Despite there never being more than a seven-year gap between Saint Etienne LPs over their 31-year existence, when I think about this London-rooted outfit – built predominantly around Sarah Cracknell and co-founders Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – the years … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Alasdair McLellan, Andrew Weatherall, Bob Stanley, Derek Cracknell, Foxbase alpha, Golden Brown, Good Humor, Gus Bousfield, Heavenly Recordings, I've been Trying to Tell You, Jeff Barrett, London, London 2012, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Oxford, Penlop, Pete wiggs, Saint Etienne, Sarah Cracknell, Shawn Lee, So Tough, The Cardigans, Vince Clarke, Windsor, You're in a Bad Way | Leave a comment

2-4-6-8 motorway networking with Pip Blom

Posted on September 8, 2021 by writewyattuk

It was a ‘sunny-ish’ day in Amsterdam (her word, not mine) when I caught up with Pip Blom, lead singer and guitarist of the group of the same name, soon to release their second LP. And let’s face it, chatting … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amsterdam, Big Jelly Studios, Boat, Caesar Edmunds, Danny Griffioen, Darek Mercks, Gini Cameron, Glastonbury Festival, Heavenly Recordings, Isabelle Griffioen, Manchester, National Lottery, Netherlands, Pip Blom, Ramsgate, Revive Live, Sara Elzinga, Tender Blom, Welcome Break | Leave a comment

Hand Built by Isolated Human – back in touch with Newton Faulkner

Posted on August 31, 2021 by writewyattuk

Newton Faulkner is extremely proud of his seventh LP in 14 years, a hands-on project like no other he’s previously crafted. Recorded in his East London studio, Newton ventures into new territory in what he sees as the beginning of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Academy of Contemporary Music, Carly Simon, Dan Smith, East London, Gerry Rafferty, guildford, Hand Built By Robots, Interference (of Light), Newton Faulkner, Noisettes, Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Reigate, Steve Winwood, The Feeling | Leave a comment

Jim Bob’s wake-up call, 2021 style – back in touch with the self-styled Poundland Bono

Posted on August 30, 2021 by writewyattuk

In 2019’s Jim Bob from Carter – In the Shadow of my Former Self, Jim Bob Morrison wrote, ‘I still haven’t written a new song since 2013. But now that I’ve nearly finished writing this, perhaps the songs will come … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 101 Damnations, 1992: The Love Album, 30 Something, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, Cherry Red, Chris T-T, David Icke, Glastonbury, Goodnight Jim Bob, JB Morrison, Jen Macro, Jim Bob, Kilburn National, Les Carter, Lyceum, Mark Reynolds, Mick Jones, Philip Schofield, Pop Up, Ray Davies, Reading Festival, Seasons in the Sun, Song for the Unsung, Steve Lamacq, The Go-Betweens, The Kinks, The Summer of No Touching, Who Do We Hate Today, Wire | Leave a comment

Preston Pop Fest 2021 – The Continental, Preston

Posted on August 25, 2021 by writewyattuk

They came from as far afield as Germany and Spain, Brighton, Glasgow, London, the Midlands, South Wales and South Yorkshire. Even Cleveland, Ohio. And you can only imagine how many Covid tests that involved. To paraphrase Kevin Costner’s Iowa farmer … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 14 Iced Bears, Amelia Fletcher, Barry, Close Lobsters, Dragon Welding, Ginnel, Graham Duff, Great Leap Forward, James King & the Lone Wolves, Jasmine Minks, Jetstream Pony, Michael & the Angelos, Nicholas Blincoe, Potpourri, Preston, Stuart Moxham, Swansea Sound, The Bluebells, The Continental, The Ferret, The Jazz Butcher, The Orchids, The Wedding Present, The Wolfhounds, Tuff Life Boogie, uhr, Vukovar, Walking Seeds, Yeah Yeah Noh, Young Marble Giants | 4 Comments

From George Abbot and Godalming College to the Marquee and the Whisky a Go Go – in conversation with Howard Smith

Posted on August 18, 2021 by writewyattuk

Howard Smith was just back from a family holiday in Suffolk when I called, setting up his children with a Disney classic before chatting about his own golden era. In his case that involved a comparatively short but incident-packed period … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bruce Foxton, Cherry Red, Clem Burke, Daniela Soave, David Fenton, Ed Bazalgette, George Abbot School, Godalming College, guildford, Howard Smith, John Peel, John Weller, Labour Party, Magnets, Michael Bowes, New Clear Days, PRS, Setting Sons, Steve Smith, The Clash, The Jam, The Unthanks, The Vapors, Top of the Pops, Turning Japanese, Waiting for the Weekend, West Hampstead | 1 Comment

Coming to the boil – talking Hot Milk with Han Mee

Posted on August 13, 2021 by writewyattuk

It would be easy to surmise that power punk four-piece Hot Milk are on a high right now, main stage appearances at Leeds and Reading Festivals later this month being followed by the release of second EP, ‘I Just Wanna … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Are You Feeling Alive?, Download Festival, Download Festival reading Festival, Foo Fighters, Han Mee, Harry deller, Hot Milk, I Just Wanna Know What Happens When I’m Dead, Jim Shaw, Longton, Manchester, Preston, Reading and Leeds, Tom Paton, York | Leave a comment

Exploring patterns and connections, riding the Fir Wave – back in touch with Hannah Peel

Posted on August 2, 2021 by writewyattuk

Mercury Prize shortlist nominee Hannah Peel was taking a brief rest from scoring when I called her. And I don’t mean she was watching the cricket from the pavilion at Old Trafford, notebook in hand. Had the phone rung off … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Bill Drummond, Daphne Oram, Delia Derbyshire, Donegal, Dot Allison, Erland Cooper, Fir Wave, Game of Thrones, Hannah Peel, John Foxx, Laura Marling, Lee Miller, LIPA, LUMP, Mercury Prize, Northern Ireland, Para Orchestra, paul weller, Philip Selway, Radiophonic Workshop, Simon Tong, The Deceived, The Magnetic North, William Doyle | 1 Comment

Celebrating the return of live music, non-restricted style

Posted on July 31, 2021 by writewyattuk

Martin Stephenson / The Hellfire Preachers – Preston, The Continental The Amber List/Ivan Campo/Resonate – Preston, The Continental My Twitter feed last weekend was dominated by those having their first taste of live music for Lorde knows how long. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Anna Lavigne, Ivan Campo, lancashire, live music, Martin Stephenson, Preston, Resonate, The Ache of Being, The Amber List, The Continental, The Daintees, The Hellfire Preachers | Leave a comment

You came, you saw, you conquered – the Kim Wilde interview

Posted on July 29, 2021 by writewyattuk

Four decades after her breakthrough hits, Kim Wilde’s stellar pop career is being celebrated through the release of a comprehensive new hits collection, available in special collectors’ five-CD and double-DVD boxset as well as double-CD format. The Cherry Pop boxset … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre, Music | Tagged Cherry Red, Elvis Costello, Hal Fowler, Hertfordshire, Kids in America, Kim Wilde, Lamont Dozier, Linda McCartney, Marcel Rijs, Marty Wilde, Mickie Most, Paul McCartney, RAK, Ricky Wilde, This Day in Music Books, Tommy, Vernons Girls, You Came, You Keep Me Hangin' On | Leave a comment