Features
Is Vinyl Too Expensive?
Dave Goodwin in 'Vinyl Stories' dives headfirst into a debate about the cost of new records, via a detour on the number 52 bus
Graham Nash
In her ‘Raging Pages’ book column Lisa Torem assesses legendary singer-songwriter Graham Nash’s 2014 memoir ‘Wild Tales’.
Beat, General Public and the Fine Young Cannibals
Fiona Hutchings reflects on a new book from Sonicbond on The Beat and also General Public and The Fine Young Cannibals, which featured many of the same members.
Beck
Kimberly Bright finds Sonicbond’s new book on Beck to be beautifully researched and totally compelling.
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
In the third part of his four part series, Steve Miles continues his interview with Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, putting his writing process under the spotlight, and looking at how focus on mental health plays a key role in the band’s bond with the audience.
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
In the fourth and final part of his series on music and mental health, Steve Miles talks to Heavenly’s Amelia Fletcher, on the band and the tragic death of her brother in 1997.
Spirit
Meticulously researched, the On Track series connects us to the bands we know and love. In ‘Raging Pages’ guest reviewer Nicky Crewe finds this exploration and celebration of the music of Spirit is a reminder of just how innovative and influential they were .
Suede
In the our series ‘Discography Hagiography’, in which we provide a disc-by-disc evolution of music’s greats, Cila Warncke reflects on the career of Suede.
Chris Bade
Dave Goodwin in ‘Vinyl Stories’ talks to New Jersey music fanatic about his discovery of a long-lost acetate of the 1967 only album by New York Latin band The Nitty Gritty Sextet.
Rick Wakeman
Author Geoffrey Feakes takes a deep dive into the 1970s, when keyboardist/composer Rick Wakeman was at the height of his creative career, in the Sonicbond DECADES series. Lisa Torem in her 'Raging Pages' book column examines it
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
In this special article spread over four parts, Steve Miles discusses the role of intimacy and belonging in music. He begins by remembering encounters with Joy Division and New Order, and starts to conduct an extensive and wide-ranging interview with The Hold Steady frontman, Craig Finn.
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
In the second part of this four part article Steve Miles examines the links between religion and fandom with The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, and ponders the effect of gigs by The Smiths, The Libertines and The Dandy Warhols as he continues to find an answer to the question of why and how music matters so much.
David Bowie
In the second in our series ‘Discography Hagiography’, in which we will be providing a disc-by-disc evolution of music’s greats, Mark Rowland begins by reflecting upon the post 1970’s career of David Bowie,
Bill Wellwood
In 'Vinyl Stories' Dave Goodwin chronicles the start of a beautiful friendship based on a love of vinyl records.
Suzi Quatro
In her 'Raging Pages' book column Lisa Torem leafs through a new and fascinating biography of rock pioneer Suzi Quatro
Is Bandcamp's Videos Any Good?
In ‘Bandcamp Explorer’ Mark Rowland looks at the best of video game music on Bandcamp.
Roy Bond
In his ‘Vinyl Stories’ column Dave Goodwin chats to acclaimed close up magician and Las Vegas performer Roy Bond about the records that have shaped his life
Do Bandcamp's Artists Know What THey're Talking About?
Mark Rowland tries out Bandcamp’s ‘artist recommended’ function in ‘Bandcamp Explorer’.
Frank Sinatra
In her ‘Raging Pages’ book column Lisa Torem examines James Kaplan’s book ‘Frank: The Voice’, which explores the first forty years of Frank Sinatra’s complicated life
Harry Styles
Nick Dent-Robinson reflects upon the meteoric rise of former One Direction star Harry Styles.
Cila Warncke
Over the last two years Cila Warncke in her 'A Life in Music' column has talked to her fellow contributors at Penny Black about their musical tastes, background and aspirations. Now in what is the last one in the series Nick Dent-Robinson talks to Cila about her 'Life in Music'.
David Bowie
In the first in our new series ‘Discography Hagiography’, in which we will be providing a disc-by-disc evolution of music’s greats, Mark Rowland begins by reflecting upon the 1960’s and 1970’s career of David Bowie,
Tom Verlaine
In ‘Ten Songs That Made Me Love…’ Mark Rowland reflects on his favourite ten songs by Tom Verlaine with Television and in his solo work.
Richard Barone
In her ‘Raging Pages’ book column Lisa Torem enjoys the depth and precision of Richard Barone’s latest book, ‘Music & Revolution: Greenwich Village in the 1960s.’
It's Time for a Jazz Odyssey
Leading recording artists, such as Takuro Okada, have discovered that there are many iterations within the genre of jazz. Mark Rowland looks at some of them in his 'Bandcamp Explorer' column.
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
In 'In Dreams Begin Responsibilities' Steve Miles assesses and talks to Marlody about her extraordinary debut album. ''I'm Not Sure At All'.
Beatles
In 'Raging Pages' guest reviewer Eoghan Lyng contends that author Dafydd Rees ‘apes the lexicon of the era’ when focusing on the Beatles history in his new book ' The Beatles 1963: A Year in the Life'.
Pennyblackmusic
Our writers and photographers reveal their albums of the year for 2022.
Vinyl Stories
In his 'Vinyl Stories' column Dave Goodwin talks to several members of the Pennyblack team about their vinyl purchases of 2022 and some of the issues associated with it.
Christmas Crackers?
In 'Bandcamp Explorer' Mark Rowland examines some of the best Christmas songs available through Bandcamp.
Donovan
Lisa Torem finds Jeff Fitzgerald’s new book about Donovan’s work in the 1960s an enjoyable read.
John Clarkson
In her series, 'A Life in Music', in which she speaks to Pennyblackmusic staff about how music has affected and influenced them, Cila Warncke talks to Editor John Clarkson.
Living The Dream Pop
In his 'Bandcamp Explorer' column Mark Rowland examines the best of dream pop and shoegaze currently available on Bandcamp.
Jay Bergen
In her 'Raging Pages' book column, Lisa Torem examines Jay Bergen's new memoir 'Lennon, the Mobster and the Lawyer', which tells of his experiences representing John Lennon against Morris Levy, the Mafia-connected owner of Roulette Records, for the rights to his 1975 LP, Rock ‘n’ Roll’.
Steve Miles
In her series, 'A Life in Music', in which she speaks to Pennyblackmusic staff about how music has affected and influenced them, Cila Warncke talks to Steve Miles.
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
‘In Dreams Begin Responsibilities’ Steve Miles looks at the world of work, and with reference to Lou Reed, The Ramones, The Fall, Generation X, 999 and Patrik Fitzgerald, asks why so few songs have otherwise been written about it.
Sheffield
In 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' Fiona Hutchings pays tribute to her hometown with ten of the best from the Steel City
Liverpool
Andrew Twambley and Nick Pinto recall ten of the gigs that most inspired them especially at the infamous Eric's during their student years in the late 1970s in Liverpool.
Is Pop Punk Good Now?
Mark Rowland examines in his 'Bandcamp Explorer' column the best of the much maligned pop punk genre.
Jimmy Webb
In her ‘Raging Pages’ book column Lisa Torem examines Jimmy Webb’s 2017 memoir ‘The Cake and the Rain'.
Nick Dent-Robinson
In her series, 'A Life in Music', in which she speaks to Pennyblackmusic staff about how music has affected and influenced them, Cila Warncke talks to Nick Dent-Robinson.
Evidently Spencertown
In his 'Evidently Spencertown' poetry column Spencer Robertshaw pays tribute to a friend who has recently passed away.
Kraftwerk
In our column 'The Image That Made Me Weep', in which our writers write about the impact of a particular photo or image on them, Tommy Gunnarsson writes of a rare photo that finds Kraftwerk smiling.
It's Summertime, Let's Have Some Pop
In ‘Bandcamp Explorer’ Mark Rowland looks at some of the best music on Bandcamp that puts you in a summer mood.
George Harrison
George Harrison surpassed expectations as a songwriter after initially being regarded as "the quiet Beatle". In her 'Raging Pages' book column Lisa Torem discovers that Eoghan Lyng's new book explores many facets of the British songwriter's career.
Felix Cavaliere
In 'Raging Pages' Lisa Torem finds that The Rascals' Felix Cavaliere shares insights regarding the American band's hits and challenges, as well as his spiritual growth in his new autobiography, 'Memoir of a Rascal'.
Evidently Spencertown
In his regular 'Evidently Spencertown' poetry column Spencer Robertshaw writes of Pennyblackmusic's latest recruit, his new dog Norman.
Tommy Gunnarsson
In her series, 'A Life in Music', in which she speaks to Pennyblackmusic staff about how music has affected and influenced them, Cila Warncke talks to our Swedish writer Tommy Gunnarsson.
Deep Purple
In our column 'The Image That Made Me Weep', in which our writers write about the impact of a particular photo or image on them, Dastardly writes about how the sleeve of a Deep Purple 'Greatest Hits' album made him fall in love with the Fender Stratocaster guitar.
The Decline of the Rock Group
Nick Dent-Robinson examines why in the current musical landscape bands have become something of the past.
Ukraine
In his 'Bandcamp Explorer' column Mark Rowland examines some of the best music that is currently available on Bandcamp from the Ukraine.
Radiohead
In her 'Raging Pages' book column series, Lisa Torem reflects on Willam Allen's 'Radiohead On Track: Every Album, Every Song', which, published at the end of last year, is one of the latest books from the excellent Sonicbond Publishing.
Ben Howarth
In her series, 'A Life in Music', in which she speaks to Pennyblackmusic staff about how music has affected and influenced them, Cila Warncke talks to our writer Ben Howarth.
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
In this special edition of ‘In Dreams Begin Responsibilities,’ Steve Miles continues his insightful exploration of the relationship between music and mental health by looking in depth at just one artist, the fascinating and fantastic unsigned Life In Mono, and meditating on the meaning of resilience.
Boomtown Rats
Eoghan Lyng selects ten favourites from Dublin pioneers The Boomtown Rats, moving from punk into New Wave, Eighties pop and the recent comeback album
Evidently Spencertown
In his 'Evidently Spencertown' poetry column Spencer Robertshaw looks with his usual humour at contradiction.