Category Archives: Music

David Baddiel – My Family: Not the Sitcom, Lancaster Grand (Nights at the Theatre, pt.1)

Contemplating chronicling two nights out this past week in one review, I wondered if I was dovetailing for the sake of it. Both involved theatres in Lancashire starring London solo acts, each reflecting on the links between their public and … Continue reading

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A class act – the Tom Williams interview

Blokes aren‘t supposed to be capable of multi-tasking, but Tom Williams has pulled off something of a highwire balancing act while juggling spectacularly this past couple of years. There are definitely no regrets at turning his back on the music … Continue reading

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Power to the M People – the Heather Small interview

“Stop barking! It’s like, ‘Take notice of me!’ I’ve had to be away from her for the morning. I’ve only had her two years, and I wouldn’t be without her. She’s absolute sunshine.” That’s Heather Small, talking about her beloved … Continue reading

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Getting by in time – back in touch with Rick Buckler

To misquote A Town Called Malice, I’ll start by apologising for the things I’ve never done. On a family taxi duty the Sunday before last, I cut my eldest daughter short as she told me what she’d been up to … Continue reading

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Don’t worry ’bout a thing – back in conversation with Mark Steel

Have a chat with stand-up comic Mark Steel and it won’t be long before cricket, football or politics come up in conversation. And in my case all three, with geography and history thrown in. The 57-year-old Kentish comedian, broadcaster, writer … Continue reading

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The Levellers, for folk’s sake – the Mark Chadwick interview

Three decades ago, a conversation in a pub in a busy South coast resort led to the newly-introduced Mark Chadwick and Jeremy Cunningham discovering they had plenty in common, not least their political world-view and taste in music. As guitarist … Continue reading

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From the sound of sirens to Larks in Transit – back in touch with Bill Bailey

As I was thinking of questions for Bill Bailey the morning he called, I heard a proper ‘nee-nah’ pass the front of my house. And for once I thought not of Eric Morecambe’s classic ‘They’ll never sell ice cream travelling … Continue reading

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Eggland expects – The Lovely Eggs interview

If you’re passing through Lancaster late at night, wondering where that glorious racket’s coming from, it could be Holly Ross (vocals/guitar, ex-Angelica) and David Blackwell working on new songs at their place, while their four-year-old lad sleeps through. Don’t get … Continue reading

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Skankin’ and rockin’ to a Skabilly beat – the Roddy ‘Radiation’ Byers interview

While no one could reasonably argue against the notion that Jerry Dammers was the architect and conceptual mastermind behind The Specials and the 2 Tone movement, his bandmates Roddy ‘Radiation’ Byers and Lynval Golding played a big part in establishing … Continue reading

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July to December 2017 – the writewyattuk review: the second six months

Former Status Quo ‘frantic four’ drummer John Coghlan on the key moments that will always stay with him: “Those six weeks at Butlin’s were an eye-opener, doing it – in a sense – professionally, getting to play to people and … Continue reading

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