Category Archives: Music

Beyond the ceiling with Blancmange – the Neil Arthur interview

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

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Taking the low road to success – the Thea Gilmore interview

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

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The Puppini Sisters/Hollie Stephenson – Lowther Pavilion, Lytham

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

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

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

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Ever get The Feeling? Eponymous tales with Dan Gillespie Sells

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

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Singing the praises of Reef’s return – the Gary Stringer interview

Gary Stringer was at home in Somerset earlier this week, making last-minute preparations ahead of Reef’s latest UK and Irish tour, which commences tonight (February 25th) at The Hub in Plymouth. The 42-year-old vocalist is joined by Jack Bessant (bass), … Continue reading

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High Life, high fidelity – back in touch with The Puppini Sisters

The past decade has proved a blast for The Puppini Sisters, this close harmony trio amassing gold and multi-platinum discs, and enjoying famous collaborations with everyone from Cyndi Lauper and Michael Bublé to The Manhattan Transfer. There have been lots of … Continue reading

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The Everlasting Yeah – The Lexington, Islington

I’d waited two and a half long years to catch The Everlasting Yeah (four-fifths of That Petrol Emotion, for those out of the loop) live, but there was a worry at one stage last weekend that I wouldn’t even get … Continue reading

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Meeting Himself, coming back – the Gilbert O’Sullivan interview

According to my battered copy of British Record Charts 1955-1979, Gilbert O’Sullivan sold more UK singles than any other solo male artist in 1972, seeing off the likes of fellow top-10 acts Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Donny Osmond, David Cassidy … Continue reading

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Reliving The Kinks’ golden years – the Mick Avory interview

He may have been outside The Kinks for three decades now, but Mick Avory was there when it mattered, overseeing a happening 20-year period with this most quintessential English outfit. While it was his difficult relationship with guitarist Dave Davies … Continue reading

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