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.

Faces Before During and After – Had Me A Real Good Time by Andy Neill (Omnibus Press)

Posted on April 12, 2016 by writewyattuk

This book’s heavy. Not in a deep way – it’s a weight thing. Ever tried reading such a colossal tome late at night, propped up in bed? Of course, the Faces in their pomp would probably have suggested that bedtime … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Andy Neill, Billy Gaff, Faces, Faces Before During and After, Had Me A Real Good Time, Ian McLagen, Kenney Jones, Pete Townshend, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, Ronnie Lane, Russ Schlagbaum, Slim Chance, Small Faces, Steve Marriott, Tetsu Yamauchi | 1 Comment

The Path Master- in conversation with Graham Nash

Posted on April 7, 2016 by writewyattuk

I couldn’t help but feel nervous listening to singer-songwriting legend Graham Nash’s recent guest spot on Simon Mayo’s Radio 2 show. The Crosby Stills Nash and Young and Hollies star came over a little direct … abrupt maybe … and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Allan Clarke, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, David Crosby, David Gilmour, Ewan MacColl, Graham Nash, Hollies, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, Levon Helm, Manchester, Neil Young, Pete Maclaine, Rick Rubin, Salford, Shayne Fontayne, Simon Mayo, Stephen Stills, This Path Tonight | 8 Comments

Reimagining The Blow Monkeys – the Dr. Robert interview

Posted on March 31, 2016 by writewyattuk

Robert Howard, aka Dr. Robert, lead singer, guitarist and main songwriter with The Blow Monkeys, spends a fair amount of time visiting Andalucia, Spain these days. Born in Scotland, he’s certainly got around, having initially formed a band on returning to … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged Andalucia, Animal Magic, Curtis Mayfield, Digging Your Scene, Dr. Robert, Flatlands, If Not Now, Lancaster, Limping for a Generation, Lincolnshire, Liverpool, Mick Anker, Neville Henry, Out There, paul weller, PP Arnold, Realms of Gold, The Blow Monkeys, Tony Kiley, When? | 3 Comments

The Human Love story – in conversation with Newton Faulkner

Posted on March 24, 2016 by writewyattuk

It seems that Newton Faulkner has something of an affinity with the inventive cover version. On his chart-topping double-platinum 2007 debut album, Hand Built By Robots, there was a fresh twist on Massive Attack’s Teardrop, with several more inspired covers … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged Academy of Contemporary Music, Battenberg, Cam Blackwood, Cenzo Townshend, David Bowie, Dream Catch Me, Ed Drewett, Empire of the Sun, Eric Roche, Get Free, guildford, Hand Built By Robots, Human Love, John Butler, Newton Faulkner, Oxegen, Party Boy, Rick Wakeman, Sam Farrar, Surrey, Tessa Rose Jackson, Thomas Leeb, Toby Faulkner | 2 Comments

Shout? Let it all out – the Lulu interview

Posted on March 17, 2016 by writewyattuk

It was a long time coming, but Lulu’s been fully in charge of her career for at least a quarter of a century now, making up for lost years after at least two decades letting others make her big decisions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre, Music | Tagged Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, Elton John, Eurovision, French and Saunders, Isley Brothers, James Brown, Jools Holland, Lulu, Making Life Rhyme, Maurice Gibb, Mickie Most, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Shout | 5 Comments

Beyond the ceiling with Blancmange – the Neil Arthur interview

Posted on March 11, 2016 by writewyattuk

As those who read these pages regularly (and I thank you all most sincerely, of course) may already realise, I’m prone to flashbacks these days. I should add though that it’s not some chemically-induced reaction to past demeanours in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Blanc Burn, Blancmange, Brian Eno, Commuter 23, Darwen Lancashire, Harrow, Hillingdon, John Peel, Living on the Ceiling, Neil Arthur, Neu, Nil By Mouth, Preston, Semi-Detached, Stephen Luscombe | 3 Comments

Taking the low road to success – the Thea Gilmore interview

Posted on March 10, 2016 by writewyattuk

It’s been a long time coming, but Thea Gilmore is finally getting true recognition, with her fan-base ever-growing and each album outselling the last – 17 years after her debut. She has admirers in high places too – Joan Baez … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Atkinson Theatre, Billy Bragg, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Burnley Mechanics, Cranberries, Dan Gillespie Sells, Ghosts and Graffiti, Joan Baez, John Cooper Clarke, Lana Del Ray, Lorde, Mike Scott, Nantwich, Nigel Stonier, Sandy Denny, Southport, The Waterboys, Thea Gilmore | 1 Comment

The Puppini Sisters/Hollie Stephenson – Lowther Pavilion, Lytham

Posted on March 6, 2016 by writewyattuk

Never mind the pom-poms … here’s The Puppini Sisters. And they want to talk to you about living The High Life. On the back of a brand new album – their fifth, and most independent yet – the London-based trio … Continue reading →

Posted in Comedy & Theatre, Music | Tagged Amy Winehouse, Dave Stewart, David Bowie, Destiny's Child, Emma Smith, Hollie Stephenson, Kate Mullins, lancashire, Lytham, Marcella Puppini, Meghan Trainor, PattI Page, Puppini Sisters, Sia, The High Life | Leave a comment

Teenage Kicks: My Life as an Undertone by Michael Bradley – a writewyattuk review

Posted on March 4, 2016 by writewyattuk

I’ve waited a long time for Michael Bradley’s band memoirs. Sometimes anticipation leads to disappointment, but I shouldn’t have worried – it’s everything I hoped for. I don’t know how long Mickey – bass player and backing vocalist for The … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | 6 Comments

Ever get The Feeling? Eponymous tales with Dan Gillespie Sells

Posted on March 3, 2016 by writewyattuk

Cool is a word that comes up a lot when you speak to Dan Gillespie Sells, frontman of The Feeling. But he only tends to use it disparagingly. Cards on the table first. Cool or not, his band have always … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Amy Winehouse, Ashmole School, Blur, Boy Cried Wolf, BRIT School, Dan Gillespie Sells, Hackney, I Thought It Was Over, Join with Us, Manchesster, Neil Finn, Queen, Richard Jones, Ruby Lounge, Spiralling, Stonewall, The Feeling, Twelve Stops and Home, Wicked Heart | 6 Comments