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.

Three decades beyond 10 – having words with Hugh Cornwell

Posted on November 7, 2019 by writewyattuk

Almost 30 years after leaving The Stranglers, the legendary punk band with whom he made his name and managed more than 20 UK Top-40 singles and 14 Top-20 LPs over barely a dozen years, Hugh Cornwell remains a force to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged A Multitude of Sins, Alan Winstanley, Alexandra Palace, Beyond Elysian Fields, Clitheroe, Golden Brown, guildford, Hugh Cornwell, Jet Black, Lou Reed, Meninblack, Monster, Pat Hughes, Robert Williams, The Raven, The Star, The Stranglers, Totem and Taboo, Windsor McGilvray | 1 Comment

Understanding Vinny Peculiar – in conversation with Alan Wilkes

Posted on November 5, 2019 by writewyattuk

It would be all too easy to point out that Alan Wilkes, the inspiration behind Vinny Peculiar, has flirted with indie stardom but never quite attained that elusive crossover fame. But don’t think for one moment this Worcestershire-born and bred … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Alan Wilkes, Bonehead, Bromsgrove, Che Beresford, David Bowie, Duke Special, Elbow, glam rock, Manchester, Parlour Flames, Return of the Native, Rob Steadman, Silver Meadows, The Smiths, The Wedding Present, Vinny Peculiar, While You Still Can, Wishbone Ash | 1 Comment

Stone Foundation – Manchester Gorilla

Posted on November 3, 2019 by writewyattuk

The idea was to take the soul train to Manchester on Friday night, but Northern Rail shenanigans put paid to that, the state of the nation’s railways more ‘What’s Going On?’ than ‘People Get Ready’ right now, discussions over whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Curtis Mayfield, Everybody Anyone, Gorilla, Graham Parker, Hamish Stuart, Manchester, Neil Jones, Neil Sheasby, paul weller, Stone Foundation, Street Rituals, Style Council | 1 Comment

Still on The Vapors’ trail – back in touch with Dave Fenton

Posted on October 25, 2019 by writewyattuk

This time 40 years ago, The Vapors were about to set out on tour with The Jam on their biggest adventure to date, invited along for the ride on the latter’s Setting Sons tour by their co-managers, Jam bass player … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Brighton, Bruce Foxton, Ed Bazalgette, From The Jam, guildford, Howard Smith, John Weller, Lost 80s, Magnets, Michael Bowes, Mike Hedges, Mike Jordan, New Clear Days, Portmeirion, Rob Kemp, Setting Sons, Shalford, Steve Smith, Surrey, The Jam, The Prisoner, The Stranglers, The Vapors, Turning Japanese | 1 Comment

Sleevenotes by David Gedge (Pomona, 2019) – a review

Posted on October 22, 2019 by writewyattuk

This is the first example I’ve seen of Pomona’s Sleevenotes series – where musicians choose favourite tracks from their back-catalogue and provide insight into their creation, meaning and mood – and on this evidence it’s a simple concept that works … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Bob Stanley, David Gedge, John Peel, Leeds, Mark Hodkinson, Pomona, Richard Houghton, Sleevenotes, Sometimes These Words Don;t Have to be Said, Steve Albini, The Wedding Present | 1 Comment

From The In Crowd and onwards – talking Boys Dreaming Soul and Stone Foundation with Neil Sheasby

Posted on October 17, 2019 by writewyattuk

After successive UK top-30 albums, it’s fair to say Midlands soul collective Stone Foundation are on a high, the success of 2017’s Street Rituals followed by last year’s Everybody, Anyone, another long player recorded at Paul Weller’s Black Barn Studios … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Atherstone, Boys Dreaming Soul, Curtis Mayfield, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Edwin Starr, Graham Parker, Hammy, Hinckley, Kevin Rowland, Madness, Mod, Neil Jones, Neil Sheasby, Northern Soul, Paul Hanlon, Paul Speare, paul weller, Phil Ford, Richard Barnes, Stone Foundation, The Jam, Van Morrison | 2 Comments

Four decades of Daylight with The Selecter – back in touch with Pauline Black

Posted on October 14, 2019 by writewyattuk

Celebrated 2 Tone legends The Selecter, up there at the forefront of the late ‘70s UK ska revival, are going down a storm in Europe right now, their 40th anniversary tour drawing closer to home. Led by Pauline Black and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged 3 Minute Hero, Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, Coventry, Daylight, Emily Capell, Jerry Dammers, Neville Staple, On My Radio, Pauline Black, Ranking Roger, Rhoda Dakar, ska, The Beat, The Selecter, The Specials, Too Much Pressure | Leave a comment

The Icicle Works – Clitheroe, The Grand

Posted on October 12, 2019 by writewyattuk

I’ll start with a confession. When Ian McNabb mentioned in our recent interview that those coming along to his forthcoming shows were in for something approaching a three-hour dose of rock’n’roll, I wondered if he might be outstaying their welcome. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Christopher Kearney, Clitheroe, Cold Shoulder, Hollow Horse, Ian McNabb, Melanie Still Hurts, Nick Kilroe, Richard Naiff, Roy Corkhill, The Icicle Works, Understandig Jane | Leave a comment

Richard Hawley – Mountford Hall, Liverpool Guild of Students

Posted on October 11, 2019 by writewyattuk

For five months now, Richard Hawley’s Further has provided a fitting soundtrack to my travels north, south, east and west, the amount of personal playbacks fast approaching those previously afforded the artist’s landmark Coles Corner, Lady’s Bridge and Truelove’s Gutter … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Coles Corner, Further, Lady's Bridge, Liverpool, Mountford Hall, Open Up Your Door, Richard Hawley, Sheffield, Shez Sheridan, Standing at the Sky's Edge, Tonight the Streets Are Ours, Truelove's Gutter | 1 Comment

Turning up the Voltage – the Jeffrey Lewis interview

Posted on October 2, 2019 by writewyattuk

I’m guessing cult US indie singer-songwriter and comic book artist Jeffrey Lewis is back home in New York right now, after a recent run of UK dates with his band, The Voltage. And again, he picked up plenty of new … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged bad wiring, Ben Ayres, Cornershop, Daniel Johnston, Geoff Travis, Jeffrey Lewis, Jonathan Richman, LPs, Moshi Moshi, New York, Preston, Rough Trade, The Ferret, Violent Femmes | Leave a comment