Category Archives: Books Films, TV & Radio

Be Stiff: The Stiff Records Story by Richard Balls – a writewyattuk review

Posted on December 19, 2014 by writewyattuk

When it comes to music biographies, Richard Balls doesn’t go for easy options, and his latest subject matter couldn’t have been the easiest to research. He’s managed to pull it off though, as you might expect from the author of … Continue reading →

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The fairy godmothers of swing-pop drop by – The Puppini Sisters interview

Posted on December 11, 2014 by writewyattuk

Marcella Puppini and Kate Mullins are sat by the phone, the two founding members of The Puppini Sisters well and truly in the festive spirit. They’re clearly looking forward to their Christmas tour, those eight dates including visits to The … Continue reading →

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Glam rock, glam role model – the Katherine Ryan interview

Posted on December 11, 2014 by writewyattuk

Katherine Ryan’s Glam Role Model show completes a 53-date UK tour this week, with nights at Lancaster’s Dukes Theatre (December 11) and Preston’s 53 Degrees (December 12) followed by a double-finale at Reading’s South Street Arts Centre (December 13/14). And … Continue reading →

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Still Stiff, after all these years – the Richard Balls interview

Posted on November 28, 2014 by writewyattuk

Right now, the chief organ-grinder at writewyattuk is tackling Richard Balls’ Be Stiff: The Stiff Records Story, a compelling biography of the legendary and ground-breaking indie label. A review will follow on these pages, but until then here’s an interview with … Continue reading →

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Here She Comes (again) – The Hazel O’Connor interview

Posted on November 28, 2014 by writewyattuk

Hazel O’Connor has lived ‘up in the hills’ of County Wicklow for around 25 years now, based just under an hour from Dublin. She has Irish roots, Hazel’s Dad having left Galway for Coventry, where he worked at a local … Continue reading →

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Desperately Seeking the Mad Cat Lady – the Susan Calman interview

Posted on November 24, 2014 by writewyattuk

Barely half-way into a mammoth 100-date tour – from a month of Edinburgh Fringe summer dates right through until May – you’d think Susan Calman would be getting a little jaded by now. But this lawyer-turned-comic remains her characteristic bubbly … Continue reading →

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The Eve of the Final Tour – the Jeff Wayne interview

Posted on November 15, 2014 by writewyattuk

More than 35 years after Jeff Wayne’s first musical adaptation of HG Wells’ classic 1897 science fiction tale, it appears that there’s still plenty of life in The War of the Worlds. But while Jeff is about to embark on … Continue reading →

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Going Overground – In conversation with Damian O’Neill

Posted on November 14, 2014 by writewyattuk

This week saw the release of a new solo single from one of my musical heroes, a certain Damian O’Neill. I’m tempted to not even bother with an introduction, but this Derry-raised, London-based guitarist made his name alongside brother John … Continue reading →

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Living the Good Life – the Martina Cole interview

Posted on November 10, 2014 by writewyattuk

Martina Cole is a publishing phenomenon, having made a habit of smashing sales records with each of her 21 novels. Her hard-hitting, uncompromising writing is in a genre all of its own, and as her publisher puts it, ‘no one … Continue reading →

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Really Glad You Came – a re-appraisal of the Ian Dury record collection

Posted on October 22, 2014 by writewyattuk

I finally got around to seeing 2010 Ian Dury bio-pic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll a couple of weeks ago. I’d resisted before, having read Richard Balls’ 2000 excellent Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll: The Life … Continue reading →

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