Tag Archives: Birmingham

Heavenly t-shirts won’t ever let you down – celebrating Brian Bilston, the Catenary Wires, and Sounds Made by Humans

Once upon a time in an era seemingly rife with bands splitting ‘due to musical differences’, my own band started a rumour, then denied it, that we’d split up due to ‘t-shirt differences’. That was in the late ’80s, the … Continue reading

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Fliss against fate: having The Last Laugh with The Nightingales – the Fliss Kitson interview

She’s not likely to say it, so I’ll state (arguably somewhat obviously) that Fliss Kitson has made a mighty impact on The Nightingales’ machine since joining this cherished indie outfit’s ranks in late 2010, not least through her ongoing promotion … Continue reading

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And The Beat goes on – back in touch with Dave Wakeling, talking Birmingham, California, and the joy of dogs

Ahead of my catch-up with The Beat co-founder Dave Wakeling, I dug out an interview he did with Adrian Thrills for the NME, alongside the sorely missed Ranking Roger when the pair were at the helm of The General Public, … Continue reading

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Let me tell you about Sweden (and Denmark, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester …) – catching up with Hugh Cornwell

Early May sees the return of former Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell to the road for three more UK headline dates, celebrating last October’s acclaimed Moments of Madness LP. Following a 23-date nationwide tour late last year, he has shows in … 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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Learning new things with the passing of time – revisiting Never Loved Elvis and The Wonder Stuff with Miles Hunt

You can’t measure a band’s success on chart positions alone, but three decades ago The Wonder Stuff were still on the crest of a mighty wave that had been building since the release of their 1988 debut LP, The Eight-Legged … Continue reading

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The Continuing Adventures of the Desperate Quartet – in conversation with Robert Lloyd

Spring is in the air, and with it the distant promise of a return to live music across the UK. But you’ll forgive Robert Lloyd for being a little guarded about the prospects right now. The legendary Nightingales frontman lit … Continue reading

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Slade’s ultimate rockin’ survivor – back in touch with Don Powell

It was a grey and overcast day in Silkeborg, but Don Powell wasn’t overly bothered about that. “It’s just grey skies here, a bit overcast, but whatever. We’ve been pretty lucky here really, and after spending quite a bit of … Continue reading

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Introducing The Amber List – in conversation with Mick Shepherd

In the 1980s, several independent bands based around Lancashire played a part in an emerging regional scene that ultimately brought wider success for a few North West acts. Of course, not every act involved would end up on the front … Continue reading

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