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.

Remembering Rick and Status Quo – the John Coghlan interview

Posted on July 6, 2017 by writewyattuk

In the BBC documentary Hello Quo, there’s revealing footage of a jam session at Shepperton Studios featuring the original members of Status Quo, for the first time since drummer John Coghlan left 31 years earlier. That 2012 meeting led to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Alan G. Parker, Alan Lancaster, Andy Bown, Bob Young, Diesel, Dulwich, Eric Clapton, Francis Rossi, Half Moon Putney, Hello Quo, Jackie Lynton, JCQ, John Coghlan, Oxfordshire, Pictures of Matchstick Men, Preston, Rick Parfitt, Shepperton Studios, Status Quo, The Rockers, the Spectres, Woking | 2 Comments

In praise of Paddington’s world – a tribute to Michael Bond

Posted on July 3, 2017 by writewyattuk

In a short piece penned for children’s author Cathy Cassidy’s Dreamcatcher blog in January to mark Michael Bond’s 91st birthday, I talked about my friend Paddy, who came into my life 40 years ago last Christmas. Something of a consolation … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre | Tagged A.A. Milne, BBC, Berkshire, Blue Peter, David Heyman, FilmFair, Ivor Wood, John Betjeman, Karen Jankel, London, Michale Bond, Monsieur Pamplemousse, Mr Gruber, Olga da Polga, Paddington, Paddington Bear, Peggy Fortnum, reading, St Ives, The herbs, Winnie-the-Pooh, World War Two | Leave a comment

The enduring appeal of Sparks – in conversation with Ron Mael

Posted on June 29, 2017 by writewyattuk

Many of us of a certain age will recall the first time we heard American art-pop-rockers Sparks, a band that properly appeared on the UK chart radar around the time of the glam movement, sitting pretty comfortably amid an … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged amateur Hour, Chuck D, Franz Ferdinand, Gilmore Girls, Halfnelson, Hippopotamus, Lil Beethoven, Los Angeles, Morrissey, Pet Shop Boys, Public Enemy, Queen, Ron Mael, Roxy Music, Russell Mael, Sparks, The Marquee, They Might Be Giants, This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both of us, Todd Rundgren | 1 Comment

Championing a little respect, to the sky and back – the Vince Clarke interview

Posted on June 23, 2017 by writewyattuk

When World Be Gone, the 17th studio album from Erasure, crashed into the UK album chart at No. 6 this month, it proved to be this established synth-pop duo’s highest new entry since 1994’s I Say I Say I Say, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Alison Moyet, Andy Bell, Basildon, Brooklyn, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Eric Radcliffe, Feargal Sharkey, Maine, Martin Gore, Martyn Ware, New York, The Assembly, Vince Clarke, Yazoo | 5 Comments

Fingers Crossed for top night with Mott legend – the Ian Hunter interview

Posted on June 15, 2017 by writewyattuk

Ian Hunter was at home in Connecticut when I called, having a few days to himself before returning to the UK with The Rant Band for the latest run of shows to promote last year’s acclaimed Fingers Crossed album. He’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged 2i's Coffee Bar, All the Young Dudes, Bob Dylan, Connecticut, Dandy, David Bowie, Des O'Connor, Ian Hunter, Memphis, Mick Jones, Mick Ralphs, Mick Ronson, Mott the Hoople, Northampton, Rant Band, Shropshire, Sun Studio, The Shadows, The Who | 4 Comments

To the power of 3WW – back in touch with Alt-J’s Gus Unger-Hamilton

Posted on June 10, 2017 by writewyattuk

This week saw the release of the brand new Alt-J LP, Relaxer, coming on the tail of this inventive trio’s Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello Award-winning 2012 debut An Awesome Wave and 2014’s No.1, Grammy and Brit Award-nominated This Is … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged 3WW, alt-J, An Awesome Wave, Blackpool Empress Ballroom, Blue Dot, Boardmasters, Bournemouth Academy, Brighton Centre, Casper Balslev, Charlie Andrew, Coen Brothers, Ellie Rowsell, Fitzpleasure, Glastonbury, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Gwil Sainsbury, Hackney, Hull, Hunger of the Pines, Iggy pop, In Cold Blood, Joe Newman, Leeds, Margate Dreamland, Mercury Prize, Miley Cyrus, Relaxer, Steve Bell, This Is All Yours, Thom Green, University Challenge, Weston-Super-Mare Grand Pier, Wolf Alice, Young Replicant | 4 Comments

Still acting nonchalant with The Searchers – the John McNally interview

Posted on June 2, 2017 by writewyattuk

John McNally was back home in Crosby when I called this week, barely five miles from his Kirkdale roots. It seems like he’s rarely there though, thanks to a punishing tour schedule for his band, The Searchers, one of the leading … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Everly Brothers, Fats Domino, Frank Allen, Hamburg, Jackie DeShannon, Jerry Lee Lewis, John McNally, Liverpool, Mike Pender, Needles and Pins, Paul Du Noyer, Scott Allaway, Spencer James, Star-Club, The Beatles, The Cavern Club, The Iron Door, Tony West, When You Walk In the Room | 1 Comment

Ron Sexsmith / Lori Cullen – Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester

Posted on June 1, 2017 by writewyattuk

Six nights after a horrified world faced the aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing, there was proof of live music’s healing power when Ron Sexsmith and Lori Cullen visited nearby Oxford Road. Barely a mile and a half from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged Canada, Feist, Forever Endeavour, Kurt Swinghammer, Lori Cullen, Manchester, Manchester Arena, Ontario, Other Songs, Ron Sexsmith, Royal Northern College of Music, St Catharines, The Last Rider | 1 Comment

From The Jam – The Cavern Club Live Lounge, Liverpool

Posted on May 31, 2017 by writewyattuk

The hottest night of the year so far, and I was Going Underground. Not as a safe haven from the Sounds From the Street, but to hunker down and resolutely celebrate cultural values increasingly under attack. This was the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged A Town Called Malice, Andy Fairclough, Ariana Grande, Bruice Foxton, From The Jam, Going Underground, In The City, Liverpool, Mathew Street, paul weller, Russell Hastings, The Beatles, The Cavern Club, The Jam | 2 Comments

Kingdom come, beyond Del Amitri – the Justin Currie interview

Posted on May 27, 2017 by writewyattuk

Chances are that you probably still know Justin Currie best for Del Amitri, the Scottish alternative/crossover outfit who enjoyed a dozen top-40 hits over a decade in the wake of 1990’s classic breakthrough single, Nothing Ever Happens. But this Glaswegian singer-songwriter … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Boo Hewerdine, Chris Difford, Del Amitri, Edwyn Collins, glasgow, Iain Harvey, Justin Currie, Kendrick Lamar, Nothing Ever Happens, Orange Juice, Scottish Maritime Museum, Sun kil Moon, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Teenage Fanclub, This is my Kingdom Now, Waking Hours | 1 Comment