14/09/2019

An Evening with Steve Kilbey & Amanda Kramer will enchant you with old songs, new songs, borrowed songs, blue songs. The show will feature Church and solo songs by Kilbey as well as eclectic interpretations of other songwriters, plus storytelling from their combined 70 years of touring the world.

Steve Kilbey is the lead singer, bass guitarist and principal songwriter of Australian band The Church, who have been together 38 years, released 26 albums and sold 2 million records worldwide. Their 1988 album Starfish went Gold in the US and featured the hit Under the Milky Way which featured in Donnie Darko. Steve has released numerous solo albums and collaborations including Isidore, Speed of the Stars, Jack Frost (with Grant McLennan), Kilbey Kennedy and more. He has written and published over 1,000 songs. Steve is also the subject of a recent art house film ‘Something Quite Peculiar’.

Keyboardist Amanda Kramer’s first band Information Society, also had a Gold record in 1988, with their debut album. She has been the keyboardist in the Psychedelic Furs for the last 15 years and also played with The Golden Palominos, 10,000 Maniacs, Siouxsie Sioux and more.

Kilbey and Kramer met when The Church » Continue Reading.

A PR who contacts me occasionally tells me that there is a John Wetton box set in the pipeline following his passing a couple of years ago. As there is a lot of affection for the great man here – a terrific singer as well as bass player. Info is:

Since John Wetton’s passing in January 2017, his family, friends and management have been working on finding a fitting tribute to such a remarkable man and iconic artist. The result of this labour of love is a box set entitled “An Extraordinary Life”, dedicated entirely to John’s solo career. The project has the full support of John’s wife, Lisa, and his son, Dylan, who are wholly involved with compiling the contents.

The set will include definitive, remastered editions of each of his six solo albums, with bonus tracks and artwork selected by John towards the end of his lifetime, and in some cases expanded to two discs:

1. Caught in the Crossfire 2. Battle Lines 3. Arkangel 4. Sinister 5. Rock of Faith 6. Raised in Captivity An Extraordinary Life will also feature a lavish hardback “coffee table” book written by one of John’s friends, the journalist Nick » Continue Reading.

30/06/2019

Queen’s Greatest Hits (the UK’s best-selling album) played from half-speed mastered vinyl on a top-flight hi-fi in the Courtyard Café, Papworth Everard.

Home-roasted coffee, loose-leaf tea, locally-sourced cakes, full bar including microbrewery ales.

2:30-4:30pm, free entry. Well-behaved kids and dogs welcome.

26/05/2019

OMD’s Architecture & Morality, The Human League’s Dare, Soft Cell’s Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go 12″ and a handful of other 1981 pop singles played from vinyl on a top-flight hi-fi in the Courtyard Café, Papworth Everard.

Home-roasted coffee, loose-leaf tea, locally-sourced cakes, full bar including microbrewery ales.

2:30-4:30pm, free entry. Well-behaved kids and dogs welcome.

A new issue of my magazine Barmcake is out now.

It features interviews with the director of Being Frank, Tjinder Singh from Cornershop, Adelle Stripe, A Certain Ratio, Bernard Wrigley, and the MD of Talking Pictures TV.

There is also an extract from a new book by Ian Clayton, as well as features on Nick Cave, Stephen Morris, Gentleman Jack, Mekons, Helen Mort, AA Dhand, James Bentley, Fur Clemt, plus the only listings for northern and middle-aged people.

A limited number of free copies is available in 45 pubs and shops in and around Leeds, Manchester, and Sheffield.

Copies are also available by post. For UK residents, please send a minimum of £1 to barmcakemag.tumblr.com. For people outside the UK, please add postal charges to the donation.

Thanks for the donations. They help keep the magazine going.

I started the magazine five years ago because I felt there was nothing out there to cater for a person of a certain age who likes particular music, comedy, pubs, plays, exhibitions and books. Most entertainment magazines tend to target the under-40s and ignore many interesting performers.

I was also fed up of reading beautiful-looking magazines full of flabby features and boring » Continue Reading.

Hey folks. Myself and StevenC have started a new podcast about, are you ready for this, THE BEATLES. We are launching today and in future weeks will cover such topics as Help! & Magical Mystery Tour – the forgotten albums, January 3rd 1970, Beatle Books and more! So here’s a list of links to all the usual podcast-y places. Enjoy!

APPLE PODCASTS https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nothing-is-real-a-beatles-podcast/id1462587848

SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bbngJK9Vhf3evaJaaGx48?si=L7KdGjgsSnW0rWOpbhX30A

WEBSITE http://beatlespod.libsyn.com/website

RSS FEED http://beatlespod.libsyn.com/rss

STITCHER https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=400396

OVERCAST https://overcast.fm/+R-acTxxl0 While your enjoying your elevenses, what not listen and subscribe to Nothing Is Real, out now!

APPLE PODCASTS https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nothing-is-real-a-beatles-podcast/id1462587848

SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bbngJK9Vhf3evaJaaGx48?si=L7KdGjgsSnW0rWOpbhX30A

WEBSITE http://beatlespod.libsyn.com/website

STITCHER https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=400396

OVERCAST https://overcast.fm/+R-acTxxl0

PODBEAN https://www.podbean.com/media/share/dir-bcf44-61bbce3

PODCAST ADDICT http://podplayer.net/?podId=2368655

‘Unpentangled: The Sixties Anthology’, from Cherry Red at a mere £23, is a 6CD set collecting John Renbourn’s three 1966-68 solo LPs, his two LPs with Dorris Henderson (1965 & 1967) and 1966’s ‘Bert and John’, with Bert Jansch, under one roof. It includes the handful of bonus outtakes that were previously added to Sanctuary CDs of ‘John Renbourn’ and ‘Sir John Alot’ and the three Dorris/John singles sides, plus ‘Lucky Thirteen’ appended to ‘John Renbourn’ and ‘The Waggoner’s Lad’ appended to ‘Bert and John’ (both of these being Renbourn/Jansch instrumental collaborations originally found on Jansch LPs of the period).

Progressive small-group jazz of the Horace Silver/Charles Lloyd variety was a big influence on Renbourn in this period, alongside other influences such as medieval music, British and Celtic folk song, and blues. These albums show together how John assimilated all of these influences into the style he brought to the Pentangle and later refined as a solo artist in the 70s.

David Wells has written and excellent essay and I supplied a load of period ads, pics and reviews to the 24-page booklet. Oli Hemingway did the mastering, which is excellent, and I asked him how he felt the » Continue Reading.

13/04/2019

Hey Glasgow! Loads of bands, Glasvegas at 3, Tom McGuire at 3:30, Beat Poets at 4

26/04/2019

I am double-booked for a gig on Friday 26th April, at The Shepherd’s Bush Empire, with Mott The Hoople ’74. I am gutted at having to make the choice but, The Tedeschi Trucks Band calls. The ticket is a designated seat in the first tier, 5 rows back. Ticket price is £63.15, I’ll take £30.

28/04/2019

Are You Experienced, Electric Ladyland and Jimi Plays Monterey played from vinyl on a top-flight hi-fi in the Courtyard Café, Papworth Everard. Guest speaker (and Hendrix expert) Chris the Brewer.

Home-roasted coffee, loose-leaf tea, locally-sourced cakes, full bar including microbrewery ales.

2:30-4:30pm, free entry. Well-behaved kids and dogs welcome.

My friend Lonesome Chris Todd’s solo debut ‘Dark Horses’ EP was released digitally yesterday – two originals, two blues classics: the former recorded in studio luxuriance, the latter in ‘field recording’ style (one mic, one home recording gadget).

Here’s the amazon download link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Lonesome+Chris+Todd&i=digital-music&search-type=ss&ref=ntt_srch_drd_B07P5G7XWN

31/03/2019

Two hours of 1972-era David Bowie and related – Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Lou Reed’s Transformer, Mott The Hoople’ All The Young Dudes, Lulu, possibly the Stooges’ Raw Power if there’s time. Played from vinyl on a top-flight hi-fi in the Courtyard Café, Papworth Everard.

Home-roasted coffee, loose-leaf tea, locally-sourced cakes, full bar including microbrewery ales.

2:30-4:30pm, free entry. Well-behaved kids and dogs welcome.

24/02/2019

Two hours of classic Fleetwood Mac on vinyl – Polydor Greatest Hits, Rumours and Tango In The Night. Played on a top-flight hi-fi in the Courtyard Café, Papworth Everard.

Home-roasted coffee, loose-leaf tea, locally-sourced cakes, full bar including microbrewery ales.

Guest presenter @Twang will explain the history behind the music.

2:30-4:30pm, free entry.

09/02/2019

https://youtu.be/_uCqWky8DgM

The wonderful Jarrod Dickenson is playing Oslo in London this Saturday night (9th Feb) and, due to illness, I have 2 tickets (on e-mail) going spare. They are £16-80 each but I’ll do the 2 for £20.

02/04/2019

I have a spare for Ryan Adams at the Royal Albert Hall. Good seat, just behind the mixing desk. Face value + fees is £63.96 but I’ll take £50.

27/01/2019

Two hours of classic Aretha Franklin on vinyl with Otis and Dusty providing support. Played on a top-flight hi-fi in the Courtyard Café, Papworth Everard.

Home-roasted coffee, loose-leaf tea, locally-sourced cakes, microbrewery ales, artisan gins.

Watch as I attempt to bluff my way through a history of Southern Soul music.

2:30-4:30pm, free entry.

22/02/2019

Sometimes these days I write long essays in reissue/archive CD booklets, but more often (not least because it’s easier) I get involved in the background of such projects – putting audio source holders in touch with appropriate labels, recommending other (better) people to do the notes, digitising audio if required, rummaging around for period adverts to scan for the booklet from my vintage magazine collection, etc.

I was delighted to do all of the above for a terrific release coming up next month on the Turtle imprint (part of the Cherry Red group): ‘Honesty: The Unreleased 1963 Studio Session’, a 2CD set and the very first album ever by the Fat John Sextet.

The release came about, really, via Facebook. I’m a member of an FB group that celebrates 1950s–70s British jazz and among its other members are a couple of fabulous musicians who passed through the ranks of Fat John’s band back in the day (versions of the band spanned 1962–66). I posted something there about Fat John, being one of those names that crops up relatively frequently when scouring period copies of the ‘Melody Maker’ for other research purposes, yet who left little trace on record (just » Continue Reading.

30/12/2018

By popular request, a double headliner this month of Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and Thriller, all played off vinyl on a £12,000 hifi. And a bit of scene-setting nerdery from me.

Coffee, cake, gin and micro-brewery beers on tap.

2:30-4:30pm on Sunday Dec 30th.

The Courtyard Cafe, CB23 3UY.

Free entry with donations going to Eddie’s music therapy charity.

25/11/2018

Musician, producer, author and Neil Young expert Sam Inglis reads from his 33 & 1/3 book on Harvest.

I play the recent Archive remaster of Harvest on 180g vinyl, on a £12,000 hi-fi borrowed from the lovely people at Criterion Audio.

Steph serves freshly-ground coffee, loose-leaf tea, locally-brewed ales and home-made cakes.

2:30-4:30pm at the Courtyard café, Papworth Everard, CB23 3UY