Profiles
Idiot Son
We preview the next Pennyblackmusic Bands Night which will take place with Idiot Son, Morton Valence, The Volunteered and Simon Bromide at The Water Rats in London on the 29th January 2022.
Charlie Watts
Nick Dent-Robinson pays tribute to Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts who died on August 24th.
Lee "Scratch" Perry
Maarten Schiethart looks back on the life and career of Jamaican producer and musician Lee "Scratch" Perry who died in August.
Aztec Camera
Aztec Camera’s five albums for the WEA label are being compiled in a massive nine disc box set 'Backwards and Forwards', with four discs of extras! But even though he enjoys it, Tommy Gunnarsson misses their amazing debut album, 'High Land, Hard Rain'.
Blues and Gospel Train
Neil Swift investigates the groundbreaking, one-off Granada TV showcase 'Blues and Gospel Train'.
Lucy in the Sky....
Nick Dent-Robinson gives a thumbs-up to Annie Nightingale’s ‘Hey Hi Hello’ – a 'rewarding read' which includes 'fascinating back-stories spanning her five decades of interaction with the biggest names in music and culture.'
Per Nilsen
Adrian Janes examines Swedish academic Per Nilsen's new book which provides a gig-by-gig account of The Stooges' chaotic career.
Doug Hoekstra
John Clarkson examines Nashville-based singer-songwriter and author Doug Hoekstra's haunting new collection of short stories.
Michael Stuart Ware
Nicky Crewe reviews Michael Stuart Ware’s must-read for fans of Love and their music, written by one who was there and who has lived to tell the tale with insight and understanding.
Lewes Ripple
Kimberly Bright examines The Lewes Ripple, a community of musicians from the small town of Lewes in Sussex, who after a planned week-long multi-venue festival was cancelled there due to the pandemic, have set up an inventive YouTube channel to promote their music.
Folk/Country/Americana in Liverpool
Steve Kinrade profiles the growing Folk/Country/Americana scene in his native Liverpool.
Cliff Richard
Bob Nicholson reflects on the parallels and contrasts between the careers of original rock and rollers Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley.
Attila the Stockbroker
Fiona Hutchings generally finds poetry a bit hit or miss and now she has Attila The Stockbroker in her sights.
Richard Thompson
Nicky Crewe finds that the eagerly anticipated memoir from Fairport Convention co-founder Richard Thompson is a beautifully written and evocative reminder of a memorable time in his life.
Neil Anderson
Nicky Crewe reads this rollicking tale of The Limit, the legendary Sheffield club.
Reg Meuross
Including discs which have been out of print for some time, a new six CD set of Somerset singer-songwriter Reg Meuross’s output from 1996 until 2013 brings all of his work together. Malcolm Carter reviews.
Doug Hoekstra
Pennyblackmusic is proud to premiere the video for 'Wintertime', the third single single from Nashville-based singer-songwriter and writer Doug Hoekstra's forthcoming first album in ten years, 'The Day Deserved'.
Production Crew Confront Covid
Last April Cila Warncke for an article at Pennyblackmusic spoke to several people who worked in production and behind the scenes in music about the devastating impact that the Coronavirus crisis was starting to have on them. A year on she revisits them and others in the same situation to find out where they are now.
Keith How
Nicky Crewe pays tribute to her friend and Pennyblackmusic writer Keith How who died unexpectedly in January.
Stephen McLaren
Pennyblackmusic is proud to premiere the video for 'Put Me On The Television', the debut single from Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Stephen McLaren's forthcoming dream-pop second album 'They Don’t Put Any Money in Your Pocket'.
Miscellaneous
Nicky Crewe finds that Andrew Wild's new book in Sonicbond Publishing’s 'On Track' series is a definitive guide to Crosby, Stills and Nash not forgetting Neil Young’s contributions.
Gerry Marsden
Nick Dent-Robinson reflects on the career of Gerry Marsden, the frontman of the record-breaking 1960s Mersey Sound band, Gerry and the Pacemakers, who died in January.
Miscellaneous
Nick Assirati sets out to make the music of The Clash accessible to newcomers and/or younger fans. Fiona Hutchings investigates whether he succeeds.
Nirvana
Malcolm Carter examines 'Songlife', a new vinyl box set from 1960's pop/psychedelic act Nirvana, which combines five albums plus a previously unreleased musical.
Pink Floyd
Recorded during their longest ever tour, a reissue of 1988 concert film The Delicate Sound of Thunder sees Pink Floyd attempting to adapt their pioneering psych/ prog rock for a new generation. Richard Lewis reviews
Miscellaneous
Our writers and photographers list their favourite albums of the year.
Miscellaneous
Maarten Schiethart highlights some of his favourite 7 inch and 12 inch releases of the year.
Cliff Richard
Bob Nicholson explores the misguided perspective that rock icon Cliff Richard is ‘risk adverse’.
Common
Chicago-raised rap artist, Common, lays bare his spiritual growth in his sophomore book, ‘Let Love Have the Last Word’ in 'Raging Pages'.
Toots Hibbert
Maarten Schiethart reflects upon the life of pioneering reggae artist Toots Hibbert, who died in September.
Miscellaneous
Keith How finds Georg Purvis' account of Pink Floyd’s history through the 1970s not only fascinating but a compulsive read even for a know it all fan!
Alison O' Donnell
Malcolm Carter examines folk legend Alison O'Donnell's two new digital releases, a compilation of her 50-year career in music and a new set of songs with Head South By Weaving.
Silent Boys
Dixie Ernill examines the career of under-rated Richmond, Virginia indie-pop band The Silent Boys.
Bruce Springsteen
Nick Dent-Robinson assesses Bruce Springsteen's extraordinary latest album, 'Letter to You'.
Fontaines DC
Dastardly finds the second LP from Dublin 5-piece Fontaines D.C. splices hypnotic lyrics with rhythmic driving passion
Tuts Chicago
Philamonjoro reflects on short-lived but influential Chicago music venue Tuts in its 40th anniversary year.
John Howard
Returning with the second volume of a three-part autobiography, John Howard takes Ben Howarth and John Clarkson on a compelling guided tour of the fringes of the late-70s, early 80s music industry, while also navigating an increasingly complex personal life in the shadow of the Aids crisis.
CP Lee
Nicky Crewe reflects on the life of her friend, Mancunian musician, writer and Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias frontman CP Lee, who died in July.
Miscellaneous
The news that Q magazine was closing this year after a 34-year run due to Covid-19 sent shock waves through the music community. Ex Q editorial assistant Cila Warncke talks to other former work colleagues about their fond memories of the influential magazine.
Stuart Moxham
Tommy Gunnarson examines two new albums by former Young Marble Giants mastermind Stuart Moxham, the first of which 'Interior Windows' is a compilation of unreleased recordings by his project the Gist, and the second 'The Devil Laughs' on which he has teamed up with Louis Philippe once again.
Fairport Convention
Thirty albums in, Fairport Convention finally get a book dedicated to every song on every album. Tommy Gunnarsson is impressed.
Roger Waters
Richard Lewis watches a highly impressive document of Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters’ huge 'Us + Them' tour, which sees the musician in typically uncompromising, fiery form.
Little Richard
Lisa Torem reminisces about one of her favourite rock ‘n’ roll heroes, Little Richard, who died in May.
Miscellaneous
After talking to comic Jimmy Tarbuck about his recollections of Tom Jones and Elvis, Nick Dent-Robinson reflects upon his own memories of seeing Elvis live.
Aurlus Mabele
Maarten Schiethart looks at the career of Soukous' star and Le Groupe Loketo singer Aurlus Mabélé who died in March.
Dave Haslam
Nicky Crewe takes us through the first three titles of Dave Haslam’s 'Art Decades' series, which are a captivating taste of more to come
Hollies
Bob Nicholson revisits the history and legacy of The Hollies, and ponders how the band have managed to go the distance.
Florian Schneider
Maarten Schiethart reflects on the groundbreaking career of the late Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider
Dave Greenfield
Long-term fan Denzil Watson pays tribute to Stranglers’ keyboard player Dave Greenfield, who died on the 3rd May.
Cliff Richard and The Shadows
In his second feature for Pennyblackmusic on Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Bob Nicholson reflects on their career post the summer of 1963 and up against Beatlemania.
Miscellaneous
Nicky Crewe examines how the music community in her home city of Sheffield is coping with the challenges presented by the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.
JB Morrison
Following the success of his memoir last year, JB Morrison, the former frontman of Carter USM, is back with his fifth novel. Fiona Hutchings ponders whether 'Stranger Things coming to Brixton' is a good thing.
Karen Dalton
Keith How reflects on the rediscovered career of 60's folk artist Karen Dalton and new box set, 'Recording is the Trip'.
Production Crew Confront Covid
Cila Warncke writes of the devastating impact of the Coronavirus crisis on those behind the scenes in music.
Madonna
With Madonna having just completed a fifteen night residency at the London Palladium, Nick Dent-Robinson recollects seeing an early preview of her current 'Madame X' tour in New York last summer.
Neil Innes
Nick Dent-Robinson reflects on the career of Neil Innes, who died in December, and, as well as forming creative alliances with top 1960's performers, became legendary for creating catchy melodies and contributing greatly to 'Monty Python'.