Author:Eddie Read, Andrew Wild

I do have a long standing love of the twin guitar sound of Wishbone Ash. This entertaining and well researched book covers the years from their 1970 self titled debut through to 1982’s Twin Barrels Burning, although for me their imperial period ended with 1974’s There’s The Rub. Even that short period produced five superb studio albums plus the classic in concert set Live Dates. There aren’t too many books around on the band as far as I know, Martin Turner’s No Easy Road and the collaboration between Andy Powell and our very own Colin Harper, Eyes Wide Open, being the only ones that spring to my mind, and both are from some time ago now. In that light, it’s good to have a fresh look at their work, and the author provides a detailed look at the dozen studio albums plus various live releases, incorporating bonus material that appeared on reissues over the years. There’s plenty of historical research about the band’s musical journey combined with the writer’s own original interpretation as he delves into each album track by track. Overall, a very enjoyable in depth read for fans of the band and their classic » Continue Reading.

Author:Joe Banks

Peter Hammill’s career now stretches back over almost sixty long years, during which he has made over twenty albums with VDGG and more than thirty solo records. This weighty volume, clocking it at over five hundred pages, takes an in depth look at the work of this visionary musician, providing an intimate portrait of both the artist and the man himself. In this assiduous examination, the author dissects the work of this maverick who very rarely repeats himself, delving into the underlying inspiration for the music as well as the end results on record. The book focuses primarily on his years on the Charisma label in the 70s, but does include a brief look at the following years, along with many previously unseen photographs. It’s certainly an impressive and immersive read, with plenty of interviews with collaborators and contemporaries, and the fact that the whole thing is beautifully presented on top quality glossy paper is the icing on the cake. This thoughtful study, very detailed and yet still highly readable, is a fitting tribute to this imaginative far sighted artist, a true musical pioneer and iconoclast, and provides a thorough and nuanced critical appreciation of his work.

Length » Continue Reading.

Author:Stuart Bailie

I vaguely recall reading Belfast journalist Stuart Bailie’s articles in the NME back in the nineties, but his work had long gone from my memory until this new collection of his writing over the past forty years reached me. He begins with an interesting and quite detailed look back at his overall career, before presenting a series of his best pieces culled from the various outlets his journalism appeared in between 1985 and 2025. This superb collection gives us some first hand insights in to what it was like to be a music writer in the heady days when the music press was in its pomp and far beyond, with encounters with the likes of Tom Waits, Oasis, The Manic Street Preachers and Radiohead. I feel though that the very best of his writing, the cream of the crop, is reserved for Irish musicians such as U2, The Pogues, The Waterboys and Van Morrison, all of whom he seems to share a great deal of empathy with. This is a really good read, which I’d highly recommend to connoisseurs of music journalism, and as the more recent pieces amply illustrate this wordsmith has lost none of his skill » Continue Reading.

Author:Derek Shulman

The former Gentle Giant vocalist and indeed founding member, and latterly record company executive, takes us through the journey of his life in this autobiography, co-authored with music journalist and author Jon Wiederhorn. He leads us from his childhood days through to life on the road with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and on to the formation of Gentle Giant, a band whose complex intricate music still holds its own today despite being recorded in the heyday of prog over fifty years ago. He has some interesting recollections of the recording of their albums and the inner politics of the band, although they eventually seemed to call it a day on amicable enough terms. Managing the band gave him a good insight into the workings of the record industry, so after its dissolution it was quite an easy and natural transition to move over to the other side of the fence to begin work as an A&R man. Spotting and snapping up an unsigned young band called Bon Jovi got him off to a flying start in his new career, and he was soon climbing the ranks, along the way signing up artists such as Dream Theater » Continue Reading.

Author:Steve Pilkington, George Haffenden, Joe Matera

This is a revised edition of a book on Maiden that originally appeared in 2020, which has been updated to include their most recent album, 2021’s Senjutsu, as well as for an overall polishing up. As the years go by, the band seem to get bigger and better, both in terms of albums and their epic live shows, although like many of the biggest metal bands these days, such as Metallica, they seem to spend more time on the road than in the studio. This is a really first class telling of their tale, from humble beginnings as part of the NWOBHM, right through their long career, As well as looking at each album track by track, the author gives some interesting background as to what was happening behind the scenes in the band, and also takes a look at their iconic artwork. This very readable entertaining book makes for an informative companion for both the diehard fan and the more casual listener, mixing facts and analysis with anecdotes and opinion, and is certainly well worth seeking out.

I don’t know an awful lot about The Temptations other than the obvious singles such as » Continue Reading.

Author:Ross Montgomery

The year is 1910 and Halley’s Comet is in the sky. At a stately home on World’s End, a tidal island off the Cornish coast, the Viscount is convinced this heralds a series of natural disasters and has accordingly ordered the house to be completely sealed from the outside world, with all his extended family, guests and servants inside. Alas, his elaborate precautions prove to be in vain as he is found murdered in his study the next morning. It falls to a newly appointed butler, fresh out of Borstal for a crime he didn’t commit, and an irascible 80 year old foul mouthed family matriarch, to investigate, alongside an incompetent detective from Scotland Yard who is more hindrance than help. This is a classic ‘locked room’ mystery, but the plot, which at times resembles a giant game of Cluedo, is liberally infused with humour, which sometimes borders on farce, as this undynamic duo dig into the family’s secret past in a race against time before the killer can strike again. This is an unusual but irresistible novel, a gleeful adventure with some unique characters and a sprinkle of wickedness, which will appeal to lovers of the whodunit » Continue Reading.

Author:Sophie Hannah

Sophie Hannah continues her excellent series of Poirot mysteries with this new title, the sixth in the series. It is New Year’s Eve of 1932, and Poirot and his good friend Inspector Catchpool, a sort of fusion of Hastings and Japp, arrive on the Greek island of Lamperos for a supposed post-festive break. They are guests of the founder of a quasi religious new age type group, whose core belief is that true enlightenment can only be achieved when all past misdemeanours are forgiven. When each guest anonymously writes a new year’s resolution, one is revealed to be a plan to murder one of the other guests. Sure enough, the house is awoken by screams in the early hours of New Year’s Day and it seems the resolution has been all too quickly fulfilled. Poirot and Catchpool investigate in this ingeniously plotted thriller, which is full of red herrings and misdirections, although the clues are all there if your little grey cells can spot them. The persona of Poirot is superbly recreated, and indeed the book is full of sharply drawn character sketches, in this cleverly executed evocation of the Golden Age of Crime. A vintage Christie style » Continue Reading.

Author:Peter James

A new instalment in the long running Roy Grace series of police procedural thrillers sees the detective move outside his usual manor of Brighton. Instead, the action is set mainly in and around Buckingham Palace with King Charles and Queen Camilla both unusually appearing as characters. The action begins when the Royal Train is derailed in Sussex in an apparent attempt to assassinate the Queen. As Grace attempts to track down the plotters, he gradually realises there is far more going on that it originally appears on the surface. James has certainly done a lot of research into how the Royal Household operates and the inner workings and layout of Buckingham Palace, and this fast paced classic thriller really delivers the goods. There’s more focus on the actual investigation itself and rather less than usual on Grace’s family life, which makes it easy to read as a standalone novel, and would make it a good entry point for a newcomer dipping into this series for the first time. As well written as ever, with all the usual cast of now familiar supporting characters, and painstakingly researched, this is a super addition to this series which at times in » Continue Reading.

Author:Frederick Forsyth with Tony Kent

I remember reading The Odessa File when I was a teenager, having previously recently finished his only other novel at the time, The Day of The Jackal. Almost unbelievably that was fifty three years ago, but, inspired by the rise of the far right in the USA and Germany, Forsyth, who sadly passed away earlier this year, decided the time was right to revisit the story but bring it right up to date. He is ably assisted by thriller writer Tony Kent, who I haven’t come across previously – I’m not sure who wrote what, or if perhaps Forsyth came up with the plot and overall structure and Kent did the legwork of the bulk of the writing, but it doesn’t affect the quality of the novel at all. The grandson of the hero of the original book is a journalist living in Berlin, and joins the dots to connect a terrorist attack on a German football stadium with the murder of an old man in the dementia ward of a local hospital. The plot spreads across the Atlantic to encompass the suspicious death of a leading US senator, and it soon appears Odessa was » Continue Reading.

Author:Bob Mortimer

Comedian, angler and Middlesborough supporter Bob Mortimer returns with this super new standalone novel, showcasing once again his wacky sense of humour alongside his skill at creating a good plot. Once again, he uses the template of an ineffectual male hero paired with an energetic go-getting girlfriend. Matt has recently lost his job and his cat, and it seems his girlfriend has left him too just as they are about to be made homeless. However, it’s always darkest before the dawn, and out of the blue he is offered a new job, which comes with accommodation in a luxurious apartment. He hopes this new development will tempt his girlfriend to return, but it seems she may not actually have left of her own accord after all. The plot, as they say, thickens as the story gradually unfolds, and it seems the old adage that ‘if something appears too good to be true then it probably is’ may be about to be borne out. I really enjoyed reading this story with its engaging characters and droll dialogue, and the ending certainly took me by surprise. This is a really well put together novel, so if you like a good » Continue Reading.

Author:Dan Brown

The author’s first novel in eight years sees the welcome return of long standing character Robert Langdon. Accompanying his partner, a celebrated academic, to a lecture in Prague, events suddenly spiral out of control when she disappears without trace from their hotel room. His investigations lead him into the depths of a city steeped in mystery and ancient folklore, a city dominated by its castles, churches and labyrinthine catacombs. As you’d expect, there are plenty of arcane puzzles, hidden clues and cryptic codes to work out as he seeks to solve the mystery while fighting not just for his own life but also for the future of humanity itself. This is an entertaining and enthralling read where every chapter seems to end on a cliffhanger, imploring you to read just a few more pages before putting out the bedside light. Brown certainly knows how to keep the tension and excitement building, with the pages virtually turning themselves, and if you enjoyed his previous novels you’ll find lots to like here in what will undoubtedly be one of the year’s best sellers.

Length of Read:Long

Might appeal to people who enjoyed…

Earlier books in the series, thrillers.

One thing » Continue Reading.

Author:Andrew Darlington, Brian J Robb

With the recent passing of Chris Dreja, it seems somehow appropriate that this detailed look at the career of The Yardbirds has coincidentally appeared. They are to be honest a bit before my time, so I’m only really familiar with the hit singles such as For Your Love and Shape of Things. Of course, they were the launchpad for the careers of Page, Clapton and Beck, but there was a lot more to their music than being a proving ground for up and coming ace guitarists, as this deep dive into their career, which leaves no stone unturned, amply demonstrates. An interesting read for fans of the band, and pleasingly one that doesn’t just focus solely on the height of their career when they were in their musical ascendancy.

Around the time of Infected and Mind Bomb, I followed Matt Johnson;s music quite closely, as he really seemed to have his finger on the pulse. I must confess my attention waned after those albums, as indeed seemingly did his as their records become more sporadic as the years passed, with him appearing to have retired from music for good after 2000’s Naked Self set. To » Continue Reading.

Author:Robert Galbraith

This is now the eighth volume in this long running series, which as I’m sure everyone knows by now is authored by JK Rowling. Although it’s by no means the longest book in the series, it still clocks in at a hefty 900 pages, but despite its length, the reading time seems to pass remarkably quickly as one is quickly caught up in the events of the unfolding narrative. A man is found dead, his corpse dismembered, in the vault of a silver shop which is located next to a Freemason’s Hall and which specialises in Masonic silverware. The police are convinced they know the deceased’s identity, but out of the blue a woman who is convinced the body is that of her missing partner contacts Strike. As investigations progress, it soon becomes apparent that there are other missing people who would also fit the bill, and before long four potential murders are being investigated. As the labyrinthine case evolves, circumstances become more dangerous for Strike and his partner, Robin Ellacott, and alongside this he must also confront his unspoken feelings for her as she becomes increasingly committed to her own boyfriend. This is another excellent read in » Continue Reading.