Category Archives: Music

Buzzcocks Going Steady – the Steve Diggle interview

To get the right tone for a feature, I love to find a little footage or play a song that best sets a scene. And with this week’s interviewee, I was spoiled for choice. Would it be rare footage of … Continue reading →

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Calling out around the world – the Martha Reeves interview

It was 10.30am local time in Detroit, Michigan, when I got through to soul legend Martha Reeves, and she still had a little packing to organise before heading to the UK. Within a couple of days she’d be thrilling crowds … Continue reading →

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Status Quo – Symphony at the Tower, Hoghton

The forecasts hinted we might be in for a downpour at Hoghton Tower on Friday night, and the clouds were looming as we waited for the main act. But by the time the mighty Quo were belting out 1976 hit … Continue reading →

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Rollin’ Home with the Quo – the Francis Rossi interview

When you phone a rock’n’roll legend, you don’t expect him to answer within two rings and launch straight into a breezy rendition of a classic from Singin’ in the Rain. “Good morning, good morning!” What’s more, that vast Status Quo … Continue reading →

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Cool as Wonderland – in conversation with Wolf Alice

I’ve admitted before that this blog is occasionally guilty of donning Captain Sensible style New Rose-tinted specs, looking back wistfully on the good old days (whatever the subject matter). But while inspired by so much great music from ‘way back’ … Continue reading →

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Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra – Blackpool Empress Ballroom

If a building really carries social history within its walls, there can be few greater examples in Lancashire than Blackpool’s Empress Ballroom. The ornate decoration throughout the Winter Gardens tells its own stories, and there’s no disguising the magic of … Continue reading →

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Lancashire daytrippers’ Tower of strength – the New York Tourists interview

In the build-up to next week’s Symphony at the Tower concerts, the team at writewyattuk (OK, so that’s just me) follow this blog’s recent feature/ interview with Lucy Kay, a rising star on the classical crossover scene, by talking to an … Continue reading →

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Tripping the Alternative Light Fantastic – the Leftfield interview

Sixteen years after their last album topped the charts, Leftfield have a fresh top-10 hit, inspiring writewyattuk to talk long lay-offs, innovative electronica, dance music, deep space and excessive decibels with the band’s driving force Neil Barnes. Like its Mercury … Continue reading →

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Testing the Big Band theory – the Jools Holland interview

It’s difficult to write about Jools Holland without going down the retro route. He is after all a man who carved out a career celebrating the best in popular music from the past century. His long-running BBC television show Later … Continue reading →

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Rediscovering Alice’s Wonderland – a 150th anniversary celebration

To heed the King’s advice to the White Rabbit, I should begin at the beginning and go on till I come to the end, then stop. But I’m not so sure any appreciation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland books … Continue reading →

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