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.

Absolute game on – reconvening the Skids: the Richard Jobson interview

Posted on May 26, 2017 by writewyattuk

While there’s inevitably a sombre undertone bearing in mind guitarist Stuart Adamson’s sad passing 15 years ago, it’s fair to say Richard Jobson is relishing the chance to relive his youth while charting new territory with a reborn Skids outfit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged 16 Years of Alcohol, Big Country, Bill Simpson, Bruce Watson, Burning Cities, Buzzcocks, Coronation Street, Days in Europa, Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Fife, Hamburg, Into the Valley, John Peel, Manchester, Mike Baillie, Rezillos, Richard Jobson, Saddleworth, Skids, St Pauli, Stuart Adamson, The Armoury Show, The Clash | 8 Comments

Delivering the late bloomer’s last rider – the Ron Sexsmith interview

Posted on May 19, 2017 by writewyattuk

The morning I spoke to Ron Sexsmith, he was in the pensive frame of mind I might have expected. Despite leaving his adopted city of Toronto for a new base 90 miles away in Stratford, Ontario, barely a week before, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Bob Rock, Canada, Carousel One, Chris Martin, Don Kerr, Elvis Costello, Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Scott, Leonard Cohen, Michael Buble, Ontario, Paul McCartney, Ray Davies, Rod Stewart, Ron Sexsmith, St Catharines, Stratford, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Last Rider, The Tragically Hip, Toronto | 6 Comments

Exploring the enduring legacy of ABBA – the Carl Magnus Palm interview

Posted on May 11, 2017 by writewyattuk

In the week Lucie Jones flies the flag for the UK in Kiev at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest finals, it seemed apt to feature a recent interview with a Swede whose early memories of the competition centred around his … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Abba, Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Bright Lights Dark Shadows, Carl Magnus Palm, Eurovision, Lucie Jones, Mark Lewisohn, Monica Zetterlund, Polar Music International, Siw Malmkwist, Smash Hits, Stockholm, Sweden, The Beatles, The Hep Stars, The Winner Takes It All, Voulez Vous | 1 Comment

Still touched by Blondie’s presence, past and future – the Chris Stein interview

Posted on May 6, 2017 by writewyattuk

After more than 40 million albums worldwide, six UK and four US No.1 singles, Blondie are back with an 11th studio album and doing the rounds again this side of the Atlantic, their youthful energy belying the ages of their … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Blondie, CBGB, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Debbie Harry, Jimmy Destri, JJ Burnel, Johnny Marr, Leigh Foxx, Matt Katz-Bohen, Misfits, New York, Pollinator, Ramones, Sia, The Stranglers, The Strokes, Tommy Kessler | 2 Comments

Sounds from the Other City – Salford St Philip’s Church

Posted on May 3, 2017 by writewyattuk

As someone who associates the festival circuit with camping fields, lush greenery, damp tents and mud-caked marquees, I struggled to get my head around Greater Manchester’s latest sell-out ‘celebration of new music, performance and art’. But on the evidence of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre, Music | Tagged Family Tree, Fazerdaze, Hannah Peel, Hey! Manchester, Katie Pham, Salford, Sounds from the Other City, St Philip's Church, The Angel Centre, The Golden Dregs, The Lovely Eggs, Tom Williams, Wedding | 2 Comments

Behold the Stone Foundation – the Neil Sheasby interview

Posted on April 28, 2017 by writewyattuk

US broadcaster David Brinkley is quoted as saying, ‘A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her’. And Neil Sheasby knows a fair bit about all that. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Atherstone, Bettye Lavette, Curtis Mayfield, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Dr. Robert, Graham Parker, Isley Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Neil Jones, Neil Sheasby, Ocean Colour Scene, paul weller, Stax, Steve Cradock, Stone Foundation, Street Rituals, Tamworth, the Impressions, The Jam, The Proclaimers, The Specials, The Style Council, William Bell | 1 Comment

Spirit of ’77 – All Around the World with Russell Hastings and From The Jam

Posted on April 20, 2017 by writewyattuk

It was a cheap shot, but when I called Russell Hastings back seven hours after rescheduling our initial 10am date due to a dodgy signal, I couldn’t help but ask him, ‘So, Just Who is the Five o’clock Hero?’ “Ha! I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Andy Fairclough, Belfast, Bruce Foxton, David Moore, From The Jam, In The City, Leo Sayer, Liverpool, Mark Brzezicki, Mike Randon, paul weller, Rick Buckler, Russell Hastings, Sex Pistols, Slade, Suzi Quatro, The Cavern, The gift, The Jam, Tom Heel | 11 Comments

Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker – Preston, The Continental

Posted on April 16, 2017 by writewyattuk

“The fun’s over. Strap yourself in, it’s gonna be a miserable ride”. After upbeat sets from opening acts Tom Hyatt and Sweeney Astray, Josienne Clarke suggested a change of mood was on the cards at this happening River Ribble watering … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Ben Walker, Fairport Convention, folk, Gillian Welch, Jackson C. Frank, Josienne Clarke, Mike Kneafsey, Nick Drake, Nina Simone, Overnight, Preston, Sandy Denny, Something Familiar, Sweeney Astray, The Continental, Tom Hyatt | Leave a comment

Valley high – back in touch with Public Service Broadcasting’s J. Willgoose Esq.

Posted on April 14, 2017 by writewyattuk

Commercial success doesn’t seem to have changed the pseudonymous J.Wilgoose Esq. Unless of course his excuse of not picking up his phone straight away as he was ‘carrying a cup of tea into the studio’ is shorthand for some rock’n’roll … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged 9Bach, Beaufort Male Choir, Camera Obscura, coalmining, Ebbw Vale, Every Valley, Haiku Salut, Inform Educate Entertain, J Willgoose Esq, James Dean Bradfield, Lisa Jên Brown, Manic Street Preachers, miners' strike, Public Service Broadcasting, South Wales, The Race for Space, Tracyanne Campbell | 4 Comments

Boo Hewerdine / The Huers – Wigan Parish Church

Posted on April 11, 2017 by writewyattuk

I’ve encountered some impressive live music settings over the years, and All Saints’ Church, Wigan, must be up there with the best, however unlikely a venue. It was clearly an odd call for Boo Hewerdine too, this Cambridgeshire-based singer-songwriter up … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Acoustic Roots, Andy Marr, Ballads of Child Migration, BBC Folk Awards, Bell Book and Candle, Boo Hewerdine, Cambridgeshire, Chris Difford, David Bowie, Eddi Reader, Emmerdale, Kris Drever, Patience of Angels, Royal Albert Hall, The Bible, The Huers, Tricia Dingle, Wigan, Wigan Parish Church, Wogan | 2 Comments