Category Archives: Books Films, TV & Radio

Still winning Hearts and Minds – in conversation with Carl Hunter

Posted on July 5, 2019 by

Carl Hunter was stir crazy at the airport when I tracked him down, delayed an hour and condemned to sit around talking to me while drinking Yorkshire tea, his days of rock’n’roll excess with The Farm possibly behind him. He … Continue reading →

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Sex Pistols / The Clash, The Black Swan, Sheffield, July 4th, 1976 – an extract from This Day in Music’s Guide to The Clash

Posted on July 4, 2019 by

‘Things went wrong during the evening, and Mick had to come over and tune my guitar, but it didn’t bother me. I just wanted to jump around, but Mick wanted it to be in tune.’ (Paul Simonon, The Clash: Strummer, … Continue reading →

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Just past the crossroads – back in touch with Mark Radcliffe

Posted on June 29, 2019 by

When much-loved BBC radio and TV broadcaster, musician and writer Mark Radcliffe announced on air he was receiving treatment for cancer, I think we all feared the worst. Boltonian Mark, this weekend co-presenting TV coverage of the 2019 Glastonbury Festival, … Continue reading →

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Charmed to meet ya – in conversation with Paul Hanley

Posted on June 21, 2019 by

Some books come your way with elaborate press releases. Others arrive on your desk in a more convoluted fashion. And the latter was certainly the case with Paul Hanley’s Leave the Capital. It was broadcaster Pete Mitchell who lent me … Continue reading →

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Always have the bus fare hame – going wisely with Eddi Reader

Posted on June 15, 2019 by

Eddie Reader already had two Brit awards and had topped the singles charts by the end of the 1980s. But if you suspect this story’s merely a retro affair centred on big hit, ‘Perfect’, think again. The Glasgow-born singer-songwriter has … Continue reading →

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Fylde under nature – talking The Membranes’ new record and much more with John Robb

Posted on June 5, 2019 by

It’s 35 years since music writer, Louder Than War founder and Membranes/Goldblade bass player/vocalist John Robb left the ‘Tatty Seaside Town’ later celebrated on 1988’s Kiss Ass … Godhead! LP. But he clearly still has plenty of time for his … Continue reading →

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The Rutles – The Continental, Preston

Posted on June 1, 2019 by

At the risk of patronising several accomplished acts, there have been some quality Beatles copyists treading the boards or taking to the studio to emulate the Fab Four over the past five decades, and I’ve a lot of respect for … Continue reading →

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Out of the shadow of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine – the Jim Bob interview

Posted on May 25, 2019 by

Don’t expect hyperbole when talking to Jim Morrison. Despite that rock star name, this was never an artist seemingly at ease at being on pop’s top table. In fact, he’s been known throughout his career as plain Jim Bob; not … Continue reading →

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All Night Party People – in conversation with A Certain Ratio’s Jez Kerr

Posted on May 19, 2019 by

It promises to be a busy year for industrial punk-funk pioneers and indie-dance survivors A Certain Ratio, currently playing a series of UK dates to coincide with new Mute collection, ACR:BOX. After 2018’s acr:set compilation and their LP reissue campaign, the … Continue reading →

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Top of the world, looking back on Creation – the Alan McGee interview

Posted on May 9, 2019 by

  When I got through to Alan McGee, it sounded like he was having his flat trashed by Dr Who monsters, possibly in the process of drowning him in a bubble bath. Either that or it was just another day … Continue reading →

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