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.

Celebrating Shellshock Rock, four decades down the line

Posted on June 16, 2020 by writewyattuk

Seeing as our TV sets were seemingly full of depressing images from the aftermath of bomb damage and troops patrolling streets at the time, it’s good to have a celluloid reminder of something more positive going on in late-1970s Northern … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Barry McIlheney, Belfast, Cherry Red, Clive Culbertson, Derry, Good Vibrations, John T. Davis, New York, Northern Ireland, Rod Vey, Rudi, Ruefrex, Shellshock Rock, Starjets, Stiff Little Fingers, Stuart Bailie, Terri Hooley, The Idiots, The Moondogs, The Outcasts, The Undertones, XDreamysts | Leave a comment

How we got there – talking Together with The Vapors’ Dave Fenton

Posted on June 4, 2020 by writewyattuk

Four decades to the week of the release of their debut LP, The Vapors delivered a new album, and it’s one that proved beyond doubt the staying power of a band that were always about so much more than one … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Bruce Foxton, Crazy, Dan Fenton, Dave Fenton, Ed Bazalgette, From The Jam, guildford, Howard Smith, Lewis Carroll, Magnets, Michael Bowes, Midnight Oil, New Clear Days, paul weller, Portmeirion, Steve Levine, Steve Smith, The Feeling, The Jam, The Vapors, Together, Turning Japanese | 1 Comment

West Coast aspirations, dreams and realisation – the Karima Francis interview

Posted on May 27, 2020 by writewyattuk

There’s a new single out from Karima Francis, 11 years beyond feted debut LP, The Author. And it signals a welcome return for this acclaimed Blackpool singer-songwriter, currently based in London after a spell in Los Angeles. ‘Orange Rose’ is … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Blackpool, COVID-19, Dan Austin, Flood, Get it Loud in Libraries, Hugh Cornwell, John Robb, Karima Francis, Katie Von Schleicher, Ken Nelson, Las Vegas, Orange Rose, Phoebe Bridgers, Sharon Van Etten, Shelf Life, The author, The Stranglers, Tim Carr, Venice Beach | Leave a comment

Return to Orkney – back in touch with Erland Cooper

Posted on May 18, 2020 by writewyattuk

We’ll have to wait a while before we see acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Erland Cooper and his ensemble live again, but can at least transport ourselves to his spiritual neck of the woods in our imaginations through latest … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Band on the Wall, Bryan Ferry, Edwyn Collins, Erland Cooper, Hannah Peel, Hether Blether, John Burnside, Kathryn Joseph, King Creosote, KT Tunstall, London Contemporary Orchestra, Lottie Greenhow, Manchester, Orkney, paul weller, Peedie Breeks, Scotland, Simon Tong, Solan Goose, Sule Skerry, The Magnetic North, Tony Allen, Will Burns | 4 Comments

Exploring Badly Drawn Boy’s Pocket Guide To A Midlife Crisis – back in touch with Damon Gough

Posted on May 11, 2020 by writewyattuk

It was almost six years since I’d last spoken to Damon Gough, and a lot had happened since in his life. On that occasion I cocked up, putting the lead in the wrong jack (which sounds like some obscure late-‘80s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Badly Drawn Boy, Banana Skin Shoes, Chorlton, Cold Feet, Damon Gough, Gethin Pearson, James Nesbitt, Joe Strummer, John Thomson, Keir Stewart, Michael Buble, Mick Jones, Pete Mitchell, Seadna McPhail, The Hour of Bewilderbeast, Tony Wilson, Youth | 2 Comments

Remembering Brian Pilkington, and Burnley’s 1959/60 title win

Posted on May 3, 2020 by writewyattuk

This weekend 60 years ago, Burnley were crowned league champions after a last-day victory at Manchester City, just the excuse needed to finally post about former Clarets star and England international Brian Pilkington, a near-neighbour and old friend who died … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Football | Tagged Barrow, Brian Pilkington, Burnley, Bury, Chorley FC, dementia, Eamonn Andrews, Football, Hamburg, Harry Gregg, Jimmy Robson, lancashire, Leyland, Leyland Motors, Manchester City, Manchester United, Matt Busby, National Service, Northern Ireland, Preston North End, RAF, Sporting Memories, Tom Finney, Trevor Meredith | Leave a comment

Lockdown life, Dublin style, and Under Moving Skies – the Eileen Gogan interview

Posted on April 30, 2020 by writewyattuk

If you’re looking for something a little different to listen to right now, perfect for these challenging times we’re living through, I’d heartily recommend Eileen Gogan’s second LP, Under Moving Skies. This talented Dublin-based singer-songwriter, backed by her band The … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Cathal Coughlan, Damian O'Neill, Dublin, Eileen Gogan, Fairport Convention, John Bradshaw, John Peel, Kirsty McColl, Louis Armstrong, Maria McKee, Microdisney, Natalie Merchant, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, Press Play Studios, richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, Sean O'Hagan, Stephen Ryan, Terry Edwards, The Drays, The Spirit of Oberlin, the Stars of Heaven, The Would Be's, Under Moving Skies | 3 Comments

Feeding The Ferret …. and the grassroots music and arts scene

Posted on April 25, 2020 by writewyattuk

While Danny Morris’ day-job is with a Bristol-based music promoter, he’s never lost touch with his Lancashire roots, in recent times giving over his spare hours to the independent music and arts venue in Preston where he gained his first … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre, Music | Tagged A Certain Ratio, Blossoms, Danny Morris, Ed Sheeran, Evil Blizzard, Girls in Synthesis, Glastonferret, Idles, Jeffrey Lewis, Nigel Clark, Preston, Sue Culshaw, The Blinders, The Continental, The Ferret, The Lovely Eggs, Working Men's Club | Leave a comment

Chance would be a fine thing – the Baxter Dury interview

Posted on April 15, 2020 by writewyattuk

“I went for a walk this morning and found this incredible deli that was open, serving food outside, and couldn’t resist buying some ridiculously-overpriced pizza pie. So my son and I could eat this delicious kind of apocalypse meal. We’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Baxter Dury, BED, Charley Charles, Chiswick, Coronavirus, Craig Silvey, Delilah Holliday, Heavenly Recordings, Ian Dury, London, Madeline Hart, New Boots and Panties, Norman Watt-Roy, Paul Cook, Prince of Tears, Rose Elinor Dougall, Shaun Paterson, The Night Chancers | 1 Comment

Perilous Beauty – from Vampish past to touching presence and future intent – the Wendy James interview

Posted on April 13, 2020 by writewyattuk

As another week of UK lockdown against the coronavirus pandemic gets underway, I’m certainly not the only one reflecting on just how much there was about our old everyday lives that we took for granted. And high on my own … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Coronavirus, Elvis Costello, Glen Matlock, Iggy pop, James Jameson, James Sclavunos, Mick Jones, Nick Sayer, Norway, Perilous Beauty, Queen High Straight, The Clash, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Psychedelic Furs, The Stooges, Top of the Pops, Transvision Vamp, Velveteen, Wendy James | 2 Comments