Related
Interviews
Interview
UB40 frontman Ali Campbell talks to Nick Dent-Robinson about their new album 'Unprecedented', love of touring and the death of founder member Astro.
Interview
Kimberly Bright chats with Simon Love about the themes and inspirations behind his new solo album 'Love, Sex and Death Etc.', who is forbidden to listen to it, and the best parts of Peter Jackson's 'Get Back' Beatles documentary.
Interview
Alternative rock musician and rising talent Freya Beer talks to Andrew Twambley about her new single 'Love Child' and her debut album 'Beast'.
Davey Woodward
Interview
The Brilliant Corners and the Experimental Pop Band's Davey Woodward talks to Dixie Ernill about 'Love and Optimism', his second album under the moniker of Davey Woodward and The Winter Orphans.
Steve Hunter
Interview
Eoghan Lyng talks to influential guitarist Steve Hunter about his new EP 'Covered With Love' and his work with Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel and Lou Reed.
Lightnin' Willie
Interview
In this archival interview from 2010, Nick Dent-Robinson talks to legendary bluesgrass musician Lightnin' Willie about his band the Poorboys, encounters with Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters and Eric Burdon, and his love of touring and the UK.
Jonny Fluffypunk
Interview
Amanda J. Window speaks to Jonny Fluffypunk – a poet in love with the spirit of punk and DIY. He explains why he recently jumped at the chance to 'sell out'.
Elk
Interview
Leeds-based multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Joey Donnelly talks to John Clarkson about his project Elk, touring with the Love Band on their farewell tour and 'Beech', Elk's cassette and download only mini-album.
Louise Aubrie
Interview
Malcolm Carter speaks to London singer-songwriter Louise Aubrie about her new solo album 'When I Don’t Love You I’ll Let You Know’ and the surprising influence of Cary Grant on it.
Simon Love
Interview
Kimberly Bright talks to Welsh singer-songwriter Simon Love about the tales behind his recent songs, the Beatles, classic British television, and the art of holding grudges.
Rita Coolidge
Interview
Rita Coolidge tells Lisa Torem some pre-production back stories, talks about her appreciation for guest artists and explains why true love remains a timeless endeavour
Embrace
Interview
With their seventh album ‘Love Is A Basic Need’ just released and a UK tour due to start in late March, Embrace bassist Steve Firth chats to Richard Lewis about the recording of the new album, live dates and future plans for the quintet.
Band Of Holy Joy
Interview
John Clarkson speaks to London-based alternative rock group the Band of Holy Joy front man Johny Brown about their latest two albums, ‘The Clouds That Break the Sky’ and ‘Funambulist We Love You’.
Granite Shore
Interview
Nick Halliwell found that there was only one way he could vent his anger over the European referendum result - make a new album with his group, The Granite Shore. He tells Malcolm Carter about the influences behind this album, in particular his love of that most European of pop bands, Abba.
Paul Draper
Interview
After more than a decade working behind the scenes in the music industry, Mansun frontman Paul Draper has stepped back into the light with his debut album 'Spooky Action'. He speaks to Denzil Watson about the enduring love for Mansun as a cult act, being older and wiser, and the end of his old band.
Jarrod DIckenson
Interview
After a long wait and a move to a major label, Texas-born singer-songwriter Jarrod Dickenson is ready to unveil 'Ready The Horses' to a growing fanbase. He tells Ben Howarth about his love of recording on 2-inch tape and his desire to reach for the classic sounds of the 50's and 60's.
Profiles
Pegasus Epitaph: The Story of the Legendary Rock Group Love
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.
Common
Let Love Have The Last Word
Chicago-raised rap artist, Common, lays bare his spiritual growth in his sophomore book, ‘Let Love Have the Last Word’ in 'Raging Pages'.
Richard Hawley
Standing At The Sky’s Edge
Nicky Crewe finds Richard Hawley and Chris Bush create a love song to Sheffield with a universal message that will make you reconsider what a stage musical can be.
Theatre Of Hate
Profile
Denzil Watson reflects on a new expanded five-CD box set from 1980's post-punks Theatre of Hate, which as well as featuring the original 1981 and 1982 live albums 'He Who Dares Wins' recorded in Leeds and Berlin, has three additional gigs recorded between 1982 and 2012
Domenic Priore
Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock 'n' Roll's Last Stand in Hollywood
Adrian Janes examines Domenic Priore's book 'Riot on Sunset Strip', which tells the story of the creative explosion in the Los Angeles clubs during the 1960s which nurtured the Byrds, Doors, Love and many others and the greed and politics which shut them down.
DVD
Love, Marilyn
Fiona Hutchings examines new Marilyn Monroe documentary 'Love, Marilyn', which drawing on never before seen papers, letters and diaries is told from the perspective of several contemporary actresses including Glenn Close and Uma Thurman
Profile
Roy Harper
Malcolm Carter reflects on the career of English folk/rock singer-songwriter Roy Harper, who is celebrating his 70th birthday by making his entire 19 album catalogue available online for the first time and also releasing a double CD compilation, ‘Songs of Love and Loss Vols 1 and 2'.
Profile
Godfathers
Andrew Carver reflects upon South London punk/rock 'n' roll band the Godfathers first two major label releases, 1988's 'Birth, School, Work, Death' and 1989's 'More Songs about Love and Hate', which have both recently been reissued
Profile
Frames
Ben Howarth examines the early history of Irish rock band the Frames, who have just had their first three albums, 'Another Love Song', 'Fitzcarraldo', and 'Dance the Devil', reissued on CD in expanded editions
Profile
Captain Sensible
Helen Tipping looks at Damned guitarist Captain Sensible's first two solo albums, 1982's 'Women and Captains First' and 1983's 'The Power of Love', which have both been just been re-released by the Cherry Red label
DVD-All You Need is Love
Volumes 1 and 2
Lisa Torem looks at the first two instalments in British film director Tony Palmer's 'All You Need is Love' 17 part 1970's music history series, which have just been re-released on DVD
Peter Hammill
Profile
Anthony Strutt examines four of former Van Der Graaf Generator front man Peter Hammill's solo albums, Sitting Targets’, ‘Love Songs’, ‘Skin’ and ‘And Close as This', which, as part of an extensive reissue programme of all his catalogue, have just been remastered and re-released
Love Band
Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5/7/2019
Dastardly watches The Love Band featuring original guitarist Johnny Echols play their final gig in the UK.
Theatre Of Hate
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, 12/12/2018
Theatre Of Hate
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, 12/12/2018
Denzil Watson watches reformed 80's post punks Theatre of Hate, despite frontman Kirk Brandon battling a stomach bug, play an impressive set at the Rescue Rooms in Nottingham.
Poptone
First Avenue, Minneapolis, 20/6/2018
Guest reviewer Simon Husbands watches Poptone, the new band of Bauhaus, Tones On Tail and Love And Rockets' Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins, play an excellent set in which they rework songs from their previous groups' catalogues.
Celsi, Bragg and Maitland
Green Man Gallery, Buxton, 16/08/17
Keith How catches Celsi,Bragg and Maitland as their 'Second Summer of Love' tour reaches his neck of the woods and finds them in fine form.
Gigantic Indie All-Dayer
Academy, Manchester, 28/5/2016
After an uninspiring start at 90's and 90's festival Gigantic Indie All Dayer, Billy Seagrave enjoys sets from among others the Wonder Stuff, the House of Love, Jesus Jones and Bentley Rhythm Ace
James
Arena Manchester, 13/5/2016
Billy Seagrave watches James come home at the Manchester Arena for a night of love and passion in their own style
Newton Faulkner
Albert Hall, Manchester, 30/3/2016
Billy Seagrave watches Newton Faulkner play a spellbinding gig at the Albert Halls on the opening night of his British tour to promote his new 'Human Love' album
Foxes
Club Academy, Manchester, 24/10/2015
Writer James Lowther and photographer Melanie Smith head to the intimate Club Academy in Manchester to catch hotly tipped London songstress Louisa Rose Allen, AKA Foxes as she tours her latest album ‘Better Love’
Rumer
Barbican, London, 24/2/2015
Owen Peters watches bestselling singer-songwriter Rumer play a pitch perfect set to an enraptured audience at the Barbican in London
Pete Fij and Terry Bickers
Firebug, Leicester, 6/11/2014
Anthony Strutt watches ex-Adorable front man Peter Fij and House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers play an intimate show to promote their debut album, 'Broken Heart Surgery', at the Firebug in Leicester
Alabama 3
Academy, Manchester, 29/11/2014
At the Academy in Manchester Billy Seagrave watches Alabama 3 play an exuberant yet thought-provoking set
Pop Group
Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, 20/10/2014
Tony Gaughan finds that seminal post-punk outfit the Pop Group have lost none of their abrasive edge in a dynamic show at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh on their first full-length UK tour in over thirty years
Chains of Love, Zebrassieres and the Ketamines
Pressed,Ottawa, 9/6/2013
Andrew Carver at Pressed in Ottawa watches 60's girl group-influenced act Chains of Love, with everything to prove, hold up their weight against the other two acts on a three band bill, explosive garage/new wave bands the Ketamines and Zebrasieres
Albums
VIPS
Need Somebody to Love
Steve Kinrade enjoys new Optic Nerve Recordings retrospective 'Need Somebody to Love', which compiles together all the studio recordings of lost 70's new wave band, the VIPs.
Jefferson Airplane
Sweeping Up The Spotlight: Live at the Fillmore East 1969
Lisa Torem finds that this Jefferson Airplane live album, which was recorded at the Fillmore East in New York in 1969 and features hits and fillers, exemplifies the Summer of Love experience.
UB40
Labour of Love
Erick Mertz reflects upon UB40's 1984 fourth album and covers record 'Labour of Love', which is about to reissued in a three CD extended edition
Microdisney
The Clock Comes Down the Stairs
Paul Waller examines Irish post-punks Microdisney's 1987 album 'The Clock Comes Down the Stairs' which, along with its 1984 predecessor 'Love Your Enemies', has recently been reissued
Shuggie Otis
Inspiration Information/Wings of Love
In our 'Re:View' section, in which our writers look back at albums from the past, Andy Cassidy reflects on soul musician Shuggie Otis' undervalued 1974 album 'Inspiration Information', which has been just been reissued with 'Wings of Love', an album of new songs
House of Love
The House of Love
In our ‘Re:View’ section in which we look back at albums from the past, Cila Warncke examines the House of Love’s seminal 1988 eponymous debut album, which has just been re-released in a three CD edition
Derek and the Dominos
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
In our Re:View section, in which our writers look back at albums from the past, Ben Howarth examines Eric Clapton's final band project Derek and the Dominos' only album, 'Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs', which has just been released in a fortieth anniversary edition
Hefner
We Love the City
In our 'Re:View' series, in which our writers rrflect on albums from the past, Ben Howarth looks at Hefner's 'We Love the City', which originally released in 2000, has just been reissued in a new double CD edition
Leonard Cohen
Songs of Love and Hate
Jeff Thiessen examines Leonard Cohen's raw, emotionally traumatised 1972 album, 'Songs of Love and Hate'
Boo Radleys
C'mon Kids
In the latest in our 'Re : View' series, in which our writers re-examine on albums from the past, Jonjo McNeill writes about the impact on him of the Boo Radleys 1996 avant-garde nasterpiece, 'C'mon Kids'
Re : View-American Music Club
Love Songs for Patriots
Even now over 20 years from first forming the American Music Club remain a secret in many quarters. Anthony Strutt tells why 'Love Songs for Patriots', their first album after an 8 year break, has had a grip on him since its release last September
Re : view-Magnetic Fields
69 Love Songs
Running to three volumes, '69 Love Songs' is the Magnetic Fields masterwork. Emma Haigh says that "nowhere in the history of pop does an album come so close to capturing love’s jaundiced oversights, alienating highs and grateful awe"
Re : View-Dashboard Confessional
The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most
An odd encounter with a Vagrant records sampler plunged Jonjo McNeill into the beginning of a love affair with emo group Dashboard Confessional. He writes about the hold the band's second album 'The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most' has on him
Re : View-Moose
Live a Little, Love a Lot
Moose often find themselves unfairly labelled under the shoegazer tag. Chris Jones, however, writes about their "perfect" third album, 'Live a Lot, Love a Little', "a great album of classic pop songs"
Favourite Album-Orange Juice
You Can't Hide Your Love Forever
In the latest in our Favourite Albums series, in which a different one of our writers writes each month about an album of his or her choice, Gary Wollen describes the long-lasting impact on him of Orange Juice's seminal 'You Can't Hide Your Love Forever'
Features
The Image That Made Me Weep
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.
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' Julie Cruickshank writes of her favourite songs by 70's rock giants Led Zeppelin.
Depeche Mode
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Fiona Hutchings in 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' writes of her favourite songs by Depeche Mode.
Clash
Ten Songs That Made Me Love
Eoghan Lyng selects tracks by punk legends The Clash for this month’s edition of 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' Following the band’s progress, the cuts chart the outfit’s progress from London upstarts to their incorporation of many of the musical trends that came to define the 1980s.
Memphis Soul
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' Cila Warncke reflects on ten of her favourite Memphis soul songs.
Pixies
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In our series in which our writers celebrate ten songs that made them love a favourite band or artist, Fiona Hutchings weaves together love, alt-rock and unsettling subject matter in a tribute to Pixies.
Echo And The Bunnymen
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In our series, in which our writers celebrate ten songs that made them love a favourite band or artist, Cila Warncke raises a glass to Liverpudlian post-punks Echo And The Bunnymen
Brian Eno
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love' Keith How writes of his ten favourite Brian Eno songs between the ten year period of 1973 to 1983,
1967
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...'Keith How reflects on ten of his favourite songs from 1967.
Rock Machine
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' Nicky Crewe writes of two late 1960's 'Rock Machine' compilations - and ten songs from them - that still have a place in her heart and her record collection.
1979
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Fiona Hutchings in 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' takes us on a tour of the records that mean the most to her from 1979, the year of her birth.
1988
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' Dastardly reflects on his ten favourite tracks from 1988.
Robert Forster
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Dixie Ernill, in 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...', writes of his ten favourite songs by Australian singer-songwriter and Go Betweens co-founder Robert Forster.
Miles Davis
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' Keith reflects on ten songs from Miles Davis' massively eclectic catalogue and finds ten reasons to love his music.
Northern Soul
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Dave Goodwin, in our 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' series, reflects on his ten favourite Northern Soul songs.
Graham Parker
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In our series, in which our writers write about ten songs that made them love a favourite band or artist, Kimberly Bright writes about her favourite songs by English singer-songwriter Graham Parker.
Mystery Jets
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Gillian Fish in 'Ten Songs That Made Me Love...' takes us on a personal journey through the music of Mystery Jets.
Pulp
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
In our series, in which our writers write about ten songs that made them love a favourite band or artist, Cila Warncke writes about her favourite songs by Sheffield indie pop iconoclasts Pulp.
Goats Head Soup
Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Dastardly in 'Ten Songs That Made Love...' reflects on all ten songs on the Rolling Stones' 1973 masterpiece, 'Goats Head Soup'.
Pennyblackmusic
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Having begun writing for Pennyblack at the same time as he collected his GCSE results, Ben Howarth has now been writing for the site almost as long as it has been around. As we approach our 20th birthday, he selects in 'Ten Songs That Made Me love...' some of the songs that sum up his experience.