Tag Archives: Los Angeles

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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Up on the roof – scaling the heights with Brick Briscoe and the Skinny

When US singer-songwriter, filmmaker, TV and radio producer Brick Briscoe played a rooftop launch show for his latest LP in Indiana with his band last autumn, surely no one could have expected such a dramatic finale. His shows tend to … Continue reading

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Creating soundscapes, drawn from life at home and abroad – the Brick Briscoe interview

Brick Briscoe was editing his TV show at his home studio in Petersburg, Indiana, when I called last week, needing it submitted by Sunday night ahead of an air date of February 11th. “I’m almost done – get off my … Continue reading

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The further rise, beyond The Fall with Brix Smith

Brix Smith has a defining year ahead of her, having made best use of her pandemic downtime, despite personal loss and heartache, like so many of us. The Los Angeles-born singer-songwriter and guitarist – her moniker in tribute to a … Continue reading

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On the right track for sound and vision – in conversation with Saunder Jurriaans

It’s likely you’ve already heard some of Saunder Jurriaans’ music. Over the past decade, not only has he released records with groups Tarantula, Tarantula A.D. and Priestbird, but he’s also one half of an award-winning duo with Danny Bensi, creating … Continue reading

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The Resurrection of Giant Drag – in conversation with Annie Hardy

‘Is that the good doctor?’ There’s my opening question. Not to my interviewee though, but Dr Kiko, the London-based Italian tour-managing a quickfire UK and Dutch jaunt by cult US indie rock duo Giant Drag. He very quickly hands over … Continue reading

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The best of Friends with Shalamar – the Howard Hewett interview

Howard Hewett had only been in the UK a couple of days when I called, and was alternating between press calls and rehearsals with fellow stalwart Jeffrey Daniel and more recent Shalamar addition Carolyn Griffey. But if my interviewee had … Continue reading

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Returning to Heaven on Earth – the Belinda Carlisle interview

I already had a decade and more than 200 live shows under my belt by the summer of 1990, yet never got to see a headline gig in the North West until that June at Manchester Apollo, out with my … Continue reading

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The enduring appeal of Sparks – in conversation with Ron Mael

  Many of us of a certain age will recall the first time we heard American art-pop-rockers Sparks, a band that properly appeared on the UK chart radar around the time of the glam movement, sitting pretty comfortably amid an … Continue reading

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The Time Has Come – the P.P. Arnold interview

‘I’m doing fine! I have to go out this morning and see a tailor who is hemming a dress for me. We’ve had two days off organising all this luggage I’m carrying around. I am the original bag lady! I’ve got … Continue reading

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