Category Archives: Books Films, TV & Radio

Taking the Westway to the sea with Graham Jones – talking Haircut One Hundred, Boys Wonder, and more

Haircut One Hundred are back, celebrating their 40th anniversary with a live show and special edition of Pelican West, the debut LP that saw them on their way all those years ago. And that was all I needed by way … Continue reading

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Missing You – a tribute to Terry Hall and Iain ‘Tempo’ Templeton

“Love, there was so much love, enough to last a hundred years. Laughs, we had so many laughs, how come they turned into tears?” I wasn’t sure it was common knowledge when I got the sad message from Iain ‘Tempo’ … Continue reading

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A Christmas gift for you from Swansea Sound – back in touch with Rob Pursey

This time last year, Swansea Sound were reflecting on a happening few months, this indie-pop supergroup of sorts, founded remotely mid-lockdown, not even having met in person until their late August 2021 debut at Lancashire’s Preston Pop Fest, yet soon … Continue reading

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Blancmange / Alice Hubble – Lancaster, Kanteena

Admittedly, I should have got this review together a while back … but sometimes life gets in the way. Instead, consider this as much a heads-up to two of my long-playing highlights of 2022, each deserving proper recognition. Besides, with … Continue reading

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Still walking in the sunshine – celebrating five decades of Bad Manners with Buster Bloodvessel

Ska legends Bad Manners are out and about again this month, veteran vocalist Buster Bloodvessel and his band bringing their stage prowess and hits catalogue to 27 UK venues, allowing himself just five nights off before New Year’s Day’s Glasgow … Continue reading

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First-class return to Holly Head, and beyond – the Kate Rusby interview

After a successful 2022 on the back of her most recent LP, 30: Happy Returns, Kate Rusby is rounding off the year with her latest festive tour, hailed as the start of Christmas for many. The ‘Barnsley Nightingale’ will be entertaining audiences … Continue reading

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Moving Inside Out with The Mighty Lemon Drops – the David Newton interview

A look at my (mostly trusty) list of live shows attended reminds me it was 37 years ago this week (November 17th, 1985) that I first chanced upon The Mighty Lemon Drops, supporting That Petrol Emotion at The Agincourt in … Continue reading

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What we still do on our holidays – talking Fairport Convention, Cropredy, and much more with Dave Pegg

Legendary bass player Dave Pegg marked his latest big birthday in style recently, turning 75 with lots of good friends at Dudley Town Hall, a date that also marked 53 years’ involvement with British folk-rock legends Fairport Convention. “It was … Continue reading

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Tally Ho to your New Modern Homes – The Chesterfields / The Amber List: The Talleyrand, Manchester

A new venue for me, and a cracking one at that. Initially set up as a bar with in-house art gallery and performance space, The Talleyrand – around four years on as a venue, give or take the odd break … Continue reading

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Star treatment – back in touch with Ian Broudie, talking Lightning Seeds

It seems a negative way to start this feature, but other than reaching No.1 in the UK singles chart three times with David Baddiel and Frank Skinner with ‘Three Lions’ (in 1996, 1998, and 2018, for a song seemingly everywhere … Continue reading

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