Features
A Life in Music (2021)
In her series 'A Life in Music', in which she talks to Pennyblackmusic writers about the personal impact and influence of music on them, Cila Warncke, discusses with Mark Rowland his changing musical tastes, the importance of solid music journalism and the hypocrisy of rock mythology.
Related
Interviews
Interview
Sea Power guitarist Martin Noble talks to Mark Rowland about the band’s new album ‘Everything Was Forever’ and the challenges of finishing an album in lockdown.
Interview
Mark Rowland, the frontman with South London indie band The Volunteered, talks to John Clarkson, about its debut album 'We Fall Apart', which has expanded from an EP into a vinyl LP, and the change in its line-up from a duo into a five-piece group
Interview
Hamish Hawk’s latest album, ‘Heavy Elevator’, is making an impression and gaining national airplay. He speaks to Mark Rowland about his need to mix things up, making songwriting an everyday habit, and managing expectations.
Volunteered
Interview
John Clarkson speaks to Mark Rowland, the frontman with London indie band The Volunteered, about his band's growing line-up and sound and their second EP ‘We All Fall Apart’.
Volunteered
Interview
John Clarkson speaks to London-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Rowland about his new indie-folk project The Volunteered and its debut EP, 'We Don't Listen'.
Death
Interview
Mark Rowland chats to long lost 70's Detroit garage rock outfit Death about their sudden emergence from obscurity to cult act and their recently released third retrospective
Pere Ubu
Interview
Mark Rowland talks to David Thomas, the front man with influential alternative rock act Pere Ubu, about his band’s new ‘dance’-influenced album, ‘The Lady From Shanghai'
Thomas Newman
Interview
Mark Rowland chats to American film composer Thomas Newman about his soundtrack for the new James Bond film, 'Skyfall'
Cosmo Jarvis
Interview
Mark Rowland chats to London-based singer-songwriter and filmmaker Cosmo Jarvis about his low budget new film, 'The Naughty Room', which is about to receive its first television showing
Laetitia Sadier
Interview
Ex-Stereolab front woman Laetitia Sadier speaks to Mark Rowland about the strong and angry political nature of 'Silencio', her new solo album
Busdriver
Interview
Mark Rowland and Jamie Rowland speaks to Los Angeles-based rapper Busdriver at a show in London about the internet's influence on rap and his own musical history
Meat Puppets
Interview
Mark Rowland speaks to Curt Kirkwood, the front man with seminal country/ psychedelic/punk rockers the Meat Puppets, about his band's unusual songwriting influences and style of recording
Monroe Transfer
Interview
Epic and dramatic-sounding seven-piece London-based group the Monroe Transfer talk to Mark Rowland about about their entirely instrumental and unclassifiable brand of rock
Plumtree
Interview
Catriona Sturton, the bassist with the now disbanded Canadian indie group Plumtree, chats to Mark Rowland about the renewed interest in her group after it provided the inspiration for the 'Scott Pilgrim' comic books and film
A Certain Ratio
Interview
In our second interview with him, Mark Rowland speaks to Jez Kerr, the bassist with pioneering Mancurian post-punks A Certain Ratio about his group's first album since the 90's, 'Mind Made Up', and Sum Ratios, his new offshoot group which consists of several ex-members of the band
Yeasayer
Interview
Mark Rowland speaks to Ira Wolf Tuton, the bassist with New York-based art rock band Yeasayer, about his band's acclaimed second album 'Odd Blood' and how it has both translated and also developed on stage
Television Personalities
Interview
Mark Rowland speaks Dan Treacy, the front man with influential C86/punk group the Television Personalities about his return to making music, his much publicised mental and physical health battles, and the band's new album which is due out next year
Yo La Tengo
Interview
One of the most innovative bands of the last 25 years, Yo La Tengo have just released their latest new album, 'Popular Songs'. Mark Rowland speaks to the band's front man Ira Kaplan about it and adaptable and constantly changing nature of his band
Pere Ubu
Interview
Pere Ubu frontman David Thomas speaks to Mark Rowland about the problems he and his band faced making their latest album ‘Long Live Pere Ubu’, which is a musical adaption of Alfred Jarry’s absurdist drama, ‘Bring Me the Head of Ubu Roi’
Luke Morris
Interview
Luke Morris, the producer of the new 'All Tomorrow's Parties' film talks to Mark Rowland about its making and the initial reaction towards it
Profiles
Dinosaur Jr
Profile
Mark Rowland examines Dinosaur Jr's four 1990's albums, which have just been re-released in expanded and remastered editions on Cherry Red.
Green River
Profile
Mark Rowland examines the career of grunge pioneers Green River, whose 1987 EP 'Dry as a Bone' and 1988 posthumous album 'Rehab Doll' have recently both been re-released.
Ryan Adams
It’s Time We Torpedoed Rock Mythology
With the recent allegations against Ryan Adams, Mark Rowland says that it is finally time to stop forgiving our rock stars for their abusive behaviour.
This Mortal Coil
Profile
This Mortal Coil’s three albums are being remastered and reissued in new deluxe editions on CD and vinyl. Mark Rowland, a This Mortal Coil novice, digs into their back catalogue.
Television Personalities
Profile
With the first four Television Personalities LPs set for a reissue, Mark Rowland takes a look at their legacy
Big Star
Thank You, Friends: Big Star's Third Live ... And More
Mark Rowland enjoys DVD tribute concert 'Thank You, Friends: Big Star's Third Live ... And More' which features Big Star members Jody Stephens, Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer and also guests including REM's Mike Mills, Robyn Hitchcock and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy
Wag Club
Profile
While the original 80's club could be horrendously snobby, Mark Rowland finds that a new four CD Wag Club compilation BOX SET digs out some long forgotten gems
Wedding Present
Profile
Mark Rowland reflects on the first decade of the Wedding Present's career, who are about to have their first six albums, from 1987's 'George Best' to 1996's 'Saturnalia', reissued in deluxe three CD and DVD boxsets
Rocket Girl
Interview with Vinita Joshi
Mark Rowland talks to Vinita Joshi, the owner of Rocket Girl, which now has released over a hundred records, about her long-standing London-based label which she has run since 1997
Book-Rob Jovanovic
Big Star: The Story of Rock's Forgotten Band
Mark Rowland examines Rob Jovanovic's revised and updated biography 'Big Star: The Sory of Rock's Forgotten Band' while tells of the frequently tragic story of Memphis-based band Big Star
Profile
Small Faces
Mark Rowland looks back on the career of 60's mod outfit the Small Faces, whose four albums have just been been re-released in double CD editions
Comment
The Decline and Fall of the NME
With circulation figures at a low, Jon Rogers, Mark Rowland and John Clarkson discuss the reasons for the decline and fall of the UK's only surviving music weekly, the 'NME'
Rocket Girl
Interview with Vinita Joshi
Label boss Vinita Joshi talks to Mark Rowland about her early musical influences and career and the impact they have had on her London-based label Rocket Girl, which she first formed in 1997
DVD
Oil City Confidential
Mark Rowland is impressed by new DVD 'Oil City Confidential', which tells the story of still under-rated, but influential 70's Canvey Island-based pub rock act, Dr Feelgood
Alex Chilton
1950-2010: “I think Slade records are good, too”
Mark Rowland looks back and reflects upon the life and career of the Big Star front man and solo artist, Alex Chilton, who died in March at the age of 59
Profile
Daniel Johnston
Frail musical genius Daniel Johnston's albums will be reissued gradually over the rest of this year. Mark Rowland reflects upon the first of these reissues, his 1983 album, 'Yip/Jump Music', and a compilation, 'Welcome to My World'
Book
Punk Fiction
Mark Rowland examines 'Punk Fiction', a charity collection of short stories, in which assorted writers including Nicholas Hogg, Martin Lloyd Edwards,John Niven, Kate Jackson, Billy Bragg and Billy Childish write short stories based on punk rock songs
Film
Sounds Like Teen Spirit
Mark Rowland finds refreshing and oddly moving British filmmaker Jamie J. Johnson's new light-hearted documentary about a Junior Eurovision song contest forchildren aged between 10 and 15
Ron Asheton
1938- c.2009
...while Mark Rowland looks back over his life
Film
Ben X
The affecting, but somewhat erratic debut of Belgian director Nic Balthazar, Mark Rowland finds new film 'Ben X', the story of a teenager with Asperger's syndrome who is only truly comfortable when playing a fictional online role playing game, to be an intriguing mass of ideas
Live
Scala, London, 5/2/2023
Mark Rowland at The Scala in London watches rising singer-songwriter Hamish Hawk play an exuberant post-punk set to promote his new album ‘Angel Numbers’.
Idles
Abbey Road Studios, London, 29/8/2020...30/8/2020
Mark Rowland watches Idles play a remarkable three set lockdown session over two days at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto
Roundhouse, London, 13/5/2011
Mark Rowland at the Roundhouse in London watches Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and electronic artist Alva Noto play a show of tense, but enormous emotional impact to promote 'Summvs', their fifth collaborative album
Pere Ubu
Blackheath Halls, London, 27/2/2010
Mark Rowland watches an enjoyably different and visually striking show from Pere Ubu in which they merge music, theatre and animation at a gig to promote their 'Long Live Pere Ubu' album at Blackheath Halls in London
Passion Pit
KOKO, London, 28/10/2009
Mark Rowland discovers Massachusetts-based electronic band and former bedroom act Passion Pit to have an increasingly comfortable stage presence at a gig at ther KOKO in London
Deerhunter
Scala, London, 18/5/2009
At the Scala in London, Mark Rowland watches Atlanta punks Deerhunter play an impulsive, yet charismatic and powerful set
Animal Collective
Forum, London, 24/3/2009
At a keenly anticipated, strikingly visual show at the Forum in London, Mark Rowland watches pioneering electro act Animal Collective play a set which completely splits its audience
Of Montreal
KOKO, London, 16/10/2008
At the London KOKO, Mark Rowland finds Athens, Georgia-based band Of Montreal's eccentric form of orchestral rock and stage theatricals occasionally becoming too pretentious for their own good, but overall totally riveting
Radiohead
Victoria Park, London, 26/6/2008
At a gig at London's Victoria Park to promote their 'In Rainbows' album, Mark Rowland watches Radiohead play an enthusiastic, eco-friendly set to an ecstatic crowd
Bob Mould
KOKO, London, 27/5/2008
In front of an appreciative crowd at the KOKO in London, Mark Rowland watches former Husker Du and Sugar front man Bob Mould prove that he is still able to carry a rock show like a man half his age and play a fiery, rapid fire set of Greatest Hits and new songs
Sebadoh
KOKO, London, 7/5/2008
Sebadoh are not known for being a dynamic live force, but Mark Rowland finds the reformed American indie rockers compelling at a Don't Look Back gig at the KOKO in London in which they revisited their 1993 album, 'Bubble and Scrape'
Wedding Present
Manchester Academy 3, Manchester, 21/2/2005
At an audience largely dominated by over excited middle aged men, Mark Rowland watches the reformed Wedding Present play a flawless set to an exuberant crowd, but sees David Gedge's Cinerama songs go down less well
Move Festival
Old Trafford , Manchester, 9/7/2004...10/7/2004
At the Move festival in Manchester Mark Rowland enjoys sets by the Cure and former James frontman Tim Booth, but finds himself totally enthralled by the Pixies, back together after an absence of more than a decade
Million Dead
Brickyard, Carlisle, 18/4/2004
One of the rising punk bands , Million Dead recently toured Britain. Mark Rowland watches "one of the better new rock bands in Britain at the moment" put on a rabble-rousing show at the Carlisle Brickyard
Trumans Water, Ten Grand, I'm Being Good
Camden Underworld, London, 3/6/2003
Mark Rowland's dislike of London's Camden area was recently intensified when he was robbed in the street there, but, despite this, he still manages to forget temporarily his troubles at a post-punk night at the Underworld
Candies
Garage, London, 30/5/2003
Since interviewing frontman Giulio Calvino for the first time, Mark Rowland has waited almost two years to see Italian post-punk trio the Candies, but finds the experience well worth the wait at the London Garage
Reading Festival
Reading Festival, 23/8/2002...25/8/2002
Always an experience, the Reading Festival probably had the best line-up of all the British music festivals this year. Mark Rowland has an an exhausting, but exciting three days
Sonic Mook Showcase 2
London Dingwalls, 7/8/2002
...but Mark Rowland at the same gig , despite finding much of its emphasis on fashionablity unbearable, in contrast enjoys the experience much more
D4
London Garage, 12/7/2002
In the second of our D4 live reviews of this month, Mark Rowland at a show in London finds the New Zealand punks to be the ultimate live experience
Alec Empire
London Mean Fiddler, 30/4/2002
The missing link between hard dance and punk metal, Alec Empire and his Digital Hardcore label now have a legendary cult following. Mark Rowland watches the Atari Teenage Riot frontman play a "spectacular" solo show at the Mean Fiddler
Albums
Cardiacs
Sing to God
In our 'Re: View' section, in which our writers look back on the albums from the past, Mark Rowland reflects on English art rockers the Cardiacs' recently reissued 1996 album. 'Sing to God'
V/A
Roots of Rap
In the latest in our 'Re : View' section, in which writers look back at albums from the past, Mark Rowland writes about 'The Roots of Rap, a flawed, but funky 2005 compilation of early rap hits
Re : View-Pere Ubu
The Modern Dance
For our 'Re : View' slot, in which we look back on old albums, Mark Rowland writes about Pere Ubu's 1976 classic debut album 'The Modern Dance', which has recently been reisssued
Re : View-Miles Davis
Kind of Blue
In the latest in our 'Re : View' series. in which our writers reexamine great albums from the past, Mark Rowland looks back on Miles Davis' 50's jazz classic 'Kind of Blue'
Re-view : Dillinger Escape Plan
Miss Machine
Mark Rowland explains why Dillinger Escape Plan's ' recently released second album 'Miss Machine' takes punk and metal into new places and will have an impact on the indie scene for years to come
Re : View-Pavement
Wowee Zowee
There were few better indie rock bands in the 1990's than Pavement. 'Wowee Zowee', their 1995 third album, was their most experimental record. Mark Rowland explains why in the long-term he also believes that it is their most rewarding
Features
Discography Hagiography Part 2
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,
Bandcamp Explorer
In ‘Bandcamp Explorer’ Mark Rowland looks at the best of video game music on Bandcamp.
Bandcamp Explorer
Mark Rowland tries out Bandcamp’s ‘artist recommended’ function in ‘Bandcamp Explorer’.
Discography Hagiography Part One
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,
Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
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.
Bandcamp Explorer
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.
Bandcamp Explorer
In 'Bandcamp Explorer' Mark Rowland examines some of the best Christmas songs available through Bandcamp.
Bandcamp Explorer
In his 'Bandcamp Explorer' column Mark Rowland examines the best of dream pop and shoegaze currently available on Bandcamp.
Bandcamp Explorer
Mark Rowland examines in his 'Bandcamp Explorer' column the best of the much maligned pop punk genre.
Bandcamp Explorer
In ‘Bandcamp Explorer’ Mark Rowland looks at some of the best music on Bandcamp that puts you in a summer mood.
Bandcamp Explorer
In his 'Bandcamp Explorer' column Mark Rowland examines some of the best music that is currently available on Bandcamp from the Ukraine.
Metal
Mark Rowland in 'Bandcamp Explorer' examines the best releases on Bandcamp of recent metal recordings.
The Best of ‘The Best of Bandcamp’
In 'Bandcamp Explorer' Mark Rowland looks at some of the best releases on Bandcamp of the last year.
World Tour
Mark Rowland in 'Bandcamp Explorer' goes on a continent-by-continent trip around the world.
Fuzz Fancies
Inspired by own search for a fuzz pedal for his own band The Volunteered, Mark Rowland in 'Bandcamp Explorer' looks for the best fuzz-influenced bands on Bandcamp.
:Digging into Obscure Electronic Genres
In 'Bandcamp Explorer' Mark Rowland searches on Bandcamp for electronica and discovers some of its more unusual genres and subdivisions.
Envelope-Stretching Soul
In 'Bandcamp Explorer' Mark Rowland examines some of the best soul records available on Bandcamp.
Golden Lo-Fi Nuggets
In his ‘Bandcamp Explorer’ column Mark Rowland examines some of the best lo-fi bands and albums that are available on Bandcamp.
Cracking Compilations
Bandcamp Explorer - Feb 2021
This month's Bandcamp Explorer column is an ode to the compilation album, with six great examples to be found on Bandcamp. Let Mark Rowland be your guide.
Alternative Alternatives
Bandcamp Explorer - Dec 2020
Mark Rowland takes a deep dive into the fare on offer this month on Bandcamp, a site that has become established as a melting pot of nascent talent. Taking on the genre formerly known as indie, here is his guide to 'alternative alternatives'.