08/08/2026

I have two tickets for this going spare.

Due to recovery from some minor surgery we are now unable to attend. Playback with visuals at The National Space Centre, LECEISTER.

If anyone can make use of them, please PM me.

My band The Long Version have had quite the six months, steadily gigging and plugging the album I mentioned a few months back. This album track is one of my songs – normally they’re like pulling teeth but this almost wrote itself, which took our drummer by surprise when we finally worked out the verses are in 7/4 (Prog-Americana, anyone?).

The video is shot up the road from where I live in south east London, during the golden hour of evening, by the Emmy-winning Matt Barker. Hope you like. Video, as is tradition, in the first comment.

10/07/2026

Due to a happy confluence of events involving a redundancy payment, a subsequent tax rebate and the fee from a weekend’s stage managing at Maverick, I’ve been able to become a record company A&R man, record producer and featured performer all in one go. I did get someone else to write the press release, mind…

One of the first questions most people ask when you mention that you are in a band is, “What sort of music do you play?” – and if you don’t do covers (or at least, not covers people might actually have heard of), it can be quite tricky to come up with a useful answer. What folk really want to know is, of course, will they like what you do? And the way they tend to predict that, is by checking whether you sound like a band they already know they enjoy.

The thing about HatND, though, is that the answer depends entirely on which song we are playing at the time. Nelson is modern Celtic folk; Heaven is stompy country rock; Where We Are is a lullaby. And so on (none of those three is on Anything That Moves, by the way). We » Continue Reading.

10/10/2026

Well, this looks interesting… from the Cambridge Corn Exchange FB.

“A Tribute to Syd Barrett – Official 80th Anniversary Celebrations – 10 October 2026 Syd Barrett is being celebrated for what would have been his 80th birthday at Cambridge Corn Exchange, the site of his final performance in 1972. On 10 October, a special concert features Kula Shaker, Soft Machine, Men on the Border, Diana Silveira & The Psychedelic Circus, Radhika and Pünk Floyd, with additional surprise guests still to be announced. A commemorative double album is released on 9 October 2026, alongside a 3–9 October exhibition exploring Barrett’s life, art and legacy. Find out more: https://www.cornex.co.uk/events/a-tribute-to-syd-barrett-official-80th-anniversary-celebrations Tickets go on sale on 19 June 2026, 10AM.”

17/07/2026

MARTIN CARTHY – ALONG THE ROAD FOREVER: LIVE AT THE BBC Released: 17th July 2026 MARTIN CARTHY – ALONG THE ROAD FOREVER: LIVE AT THE BBC

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE MARTIN CARTHY COLLECTION EVER ASSEMBLED – 20 CD SET WITH LIVE AND SESSION PERFORMANCES RECORDED FOR THE BBC OVER A 57 YEAR PERIOD

INCLUDES 80-PAGE HARDBACK BOOK WITH AN ESSAY BY CELEBRATED BIOGRAPHER CLINTON HEYLIN, COVERING MARTIN’S WHOLE LIFE IN MUSIC

WITH UNSEEN PHOTOS, MANY FROM MARTIN’S PERSONAL ARCHIVE, SEPARATE SESSION NOTES BY RENOWNED CARTHY CHRONICLER KEVIN BOYD AND A PHOTOGRAPH SIGNED BY MARTIN

The troubadour, the folk-rocker, the guitar hero, the acapella master, the champion of songs from the people, the voice of history, the wit and raconteur, Martin Carthy seemingly walked the road forever, never strayed far from the folk clubs and never sold out. This limited edition set – lovingly curated by Colin Harper – includes a lavishly illustrated 80-page hardback book with essays by Clinton Heylin and Kevin Boyd, a 1971 Keith Morris photograph signed by Martin and 20 discs of audio magic mastered by Pete Reynolds. With your hosts John Peel, Suzy Klein, Andy Kershaw, Jim Lloyd and further denizens of Broadcasting House, » Continue Reading.

28/05/2026

Help us get this music back to those who made it, and get it heard by a new generation

Almost the entire catalogues of Bill Leader’s twin Trailer and Leader imprints and also the Rubber Records label from the same era – catalogues all claimed currently by the same entity – have been unavailable for many years, most never available on CD let alone digitally.

These catalogues contain joyful, powerful, and beautiful music – but audiences have been unable to legally buy it other than through second-hand LPs on eBay, and artists and their heirs have been unable to earn royalties or see their work enjoyed by new generations.

Now, thanks to Cliff Richard (yes really!) some of the pioneering artists of the 1960s and 1970s have a clear-cut legal route to regain access to their work – including the rights to re-release it and to ensure session musicians get a share of the payment.

We’re fundraising, collectively, to cover the legal fees for a group of artists to hire the expert solicitor they need. To get more specific: if we raise the full target (outlined in more detail below) it will allow these artists active in the early » Continue Reading.

04/09/2026

“Dexys Midnight Runners have today announced details of their new album, ‘LOVE’ on Heavenly Recordings, Friday 4th September 2026. The first single and video from the album ‘My Life In England Pt.1’ is OUT NOW across streaming platforms and available to watch on Youtube. ‘LOVE’ is a deeply personal and emotionally rich album that may mark the final chapter in Dexys Midnight Runners extraordinary musical journey. Their first release under the Dexys Midnight Runners name since 1985’s Don’t Stand Me Down, LOVE gathers stories spanning Kevin Rowland’s life – from his 2nd generation Irish childhood and family relationships to late-life romance, loss and reconciliation. Built around themes of love in all its forms, the album moves beyond traditional romance to explore ageing, memory and emotional connection. Produced by Belfast musician / DJ David Holmes and with additional contributions from long-time collaborators Sean Read, Mike Timothy, Jim Paterson and string arranger Brian Irving. ‘LOVE’ is available to pre-order on vinyl, CD and digitally. Across the UK there are record store events taking place → https://dexysofficial.lnk.to/LOVE_RecordShopTour Check the link in the bio for formats via the Dexys music store and retail links → https://dexysofficial.lnk.to/love Official Store https://dexysofficial.com/ Released September 4th via » Continue Reading.

30/11/2026

Record label Last Night From Glasgow is re-releasing both albums by late-80s/early-90s nearly-rans The Fat Lady Sings.

To mark the occasion, Nick Kelly and the Johnson-era lineup (i.e. not including founding member Robert Hamilton on the drums) are playing one Monday night in late November at Oran Mor.

Once in a while, I’ve posted on here about some music or other I’ve been involved in – either my previous band Neil Gowans and the Winos, my (mainly design) involvement with ace blues trio Jimmy Regal and the Royals, or my clear-the-decks solo album Strum Und Twang. After that, I went a bit quiet. And then…

A couple of years ago, I was at the birthday party of Tricia Davies Nearn, a wonderful American singer and musician who I’d long thought should front a band of her own. My drummer friend David nudged me at said party: “You know Tricia’s forming a band with me?” When I immediately blurted “Do you need a bass player?” he replied, “Nah, she’s singing and playing the bass herself”. My face fell. I’m a pretty decent bass player, but although guitar isn’t really what I’m known for, I found myself saying “Do you need a guitarist?…”

Some time later, we have a core trio, with other players on the periphery propping up the Long Version sound at gigs. Tricia is the main songwriter, bringing songs saved up from her time in other bands. I’m the ‘George’ of the band in terms » Continue Reading.

06/03/2026

A public service share of info about an beautiful sounding album homage to Bert Jansch by an Australian duo, about whom I know nothing. It can be heard – and bought – via Bandcamp, and heard via YouTube.

Here is the blurb…

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Guitarist & producer Shane O’Mara, and singer Jac Tonks, announce their tribute to the songs of Bert Jansch – ‘Sorrow Hides The Longing To Be Free’, out March 6 via Cheersquad Records & Tapes.

The brilliant Bert Jansch pioneered a “folk baroque” style that blended traditional British folk with elements of blues and jazz. His innovative fingerstyle guitar technique was one that redefined the instrument’s role in the 1960s British folk revival.

Long before his passing in 2011, Jansch was famed as an inspiration to acolytes as gifted in their own rights as Paul Simon, Jimmy Page, Neil Young, Donovan, Mike Oldfield, Nick Drake, and Johnny Marr.

Add to that list guitarist virtuoso Shane O’Mara, who, with singer Jac Tonks, channels the great Scottish folk stylist’s lyrical melodies and ethereal chord voicings like an uncanny mist forever suspended beyond the madness of modern times.

With a deft balance of masterful technique and disarming empathy, the duo » Continue Reading.

20/02/2026

The campervan show at the NEC starts tomorrow and ends on Sunday. Live performers include “Graeme Hall, best known as ‘The Dogfather’”. Erm, if you say so.

Mrs F and I are going on Friday if anyone would like a mini-mingle over an over-priced cup of lukewarm tea or an over-priced lukewarm bottled beer in an aircraft hangar.

I’ll be the middle-aged bloke wearing jeans, a fleece and sturdy walking boots. You can’t miss me.

07/11/2025

As some may know around here, I’ve had the great pleasure of being involved in creating a Dick Gaughan box set this year, with tremendous crowdfunding support.

But as well as that forthcoming box set (for general release in February 2026), we’ve created a cheaper offering (on LP/CD/DL) available to the general public – ‘Live at the BBC: 1972-79’.

The vinyl version is available for pre-ordering at Last Night From Glasgow. And as of today, the CD version of the release is available – stock is in – from Talking Elephant Records, run by my good pal Malcolm Holmes, prog-rock panjandram and doyen of the East Anglian Morris Dancing scene.

The album comprises 10 songs from BBC master tapes – a fabulous snapshot of Dick’s work in the 70s – taken from the ‘R/evolution: 1969-83′ box set but mastered and pitch corrected exclusively for this LP & CD by Eroc Ehrig. Both formats include essays by myself and guitar legend Martin Simpson, no less, plus rare 70s photos. The LP version includes in an insert a near-facsimile reproduction of Fred Woods’ 1974 ‘Folk Review’ interview with Dick.

Talking Elephant will also be making the album available for » Continue Reading.

22/10/2025

‘General release’ copies (in addition to those ordered via Kickstarter in April) of the Dick Gaughan box set I’ve been organising is now available to pre-order exclusively from Last Night From Glasgow – ahead of release in February. Exciting… 🙂

‘True And Bold: A Night for Dick Gaughan’ – a tribute show with several legends booked – is also now out there for booking, on January 18 in Glasgow. Link to both LNFG and show tickets in the comments.

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Description

In March–April 2025, a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign ran with the twin goals of: (1) creating the 7CD+DVD box set R/evolution: 1969–83; (2) raising some funds for Dick Gaughan himself, retired and visually impaired. With active and generous endorsement from fellow artists including Barbara Dickson, Karine Polwart, Billy Bragg, Patsy Seddon, Chris Brain and Andrew Cronshaw, the campaign was an unmitigated success.

900 copies were pre-ordered through Kickstarter; 1,500 have been manufactured – thus, 600 are being made generally available. Various factors mean that this is a one-off pressing – when they’re gone, they’re gone.

In February / March 2026 we will be thrilled to bring this box set to the masses. The remining items will be distributed » Continue Reading.

17/10/2025

Northumbrian Blues: The Lost World of Big Pete Deuchar Vol. 1 (1933–60) by Colin Harper

Peter Deuchar (1933–88) was the biggest character on the Tyneside jazz scene of the mid-50s – a fearless personality who made things happen, a black sheep from the upper classes, a ladies man, a leader, an adventurer, the heir to millions, the founder of a band that outlived him. On the cusp of 40, in 1972/73, Deuchar cycled the world entirely solo, ‘because it’s there’ – a two-wheeled George Mallory breaking records and keeping his demons at bay.

That same year, his protégé Mahavishnu John McLaughlin was conquering America with a sound light years away from the music they’d once played together in the Professors of Ragtime while still being some sort of jazz. John would fondly recall his old band in interviews. The name, he said, tells its own story. Deuchar’s story has never been told before now – a singular human interest tale, from Dickensian beginnings in a dysfunctional mansion in deepest Northumberland to founding a jazz club on Newcastle’s seediest street and undertaking a pilgrimage to the source of the music, when it was still possible to meet on the » Continue Reading.

15/10/2025

Sensational news – vintage jazz / folk / psych music mogul (books, records, everything) Richard Morton Jack is running a crowdfunder towards a reprint of his epic volume ‘Labyrinth: British Jazz on Record 1960-75’, which sold out its first run in 2023 and now fetches silly money on eBay if copies come up. I have a copy – it’s a thing of beauty. Heartily recommended!

At £65 it’s actually great value for money – a huge sized volume containing reproductions of impossible to find albums (front and back covers) and rare press and promotional materials from the period, plus Richard’s penetrating notes on the music. It is, in my view, a stunning testament to the photography, iconography and graphic design of the 60s lets alone the informational and aesthetic value.

The crowdfunder is offering (if the target sum is met) either (1) a reprint of the book (with poster) or (2) the book (with poster) + art cards + an EXCLUSIVE LP featuring unreleased Rendell-Carr Quintet recordings on vinyl from 1969, authorised by surviving member Dave Green and the estates of Don Rendell and Ian Carr, for only £95.

Hats off to Richard! He explains more – with » Continue Reading.

11/10/2025

Sensational stuff – CM Radio presenter Hugh Taylor plays songs from the soon-forthcoming Dick Gaughan vinyl LP ‘Live at the BBC: 1972-79’ and interviews Dick at a vibrant pavement café in Edinburgh about his career.

Here’s the blurb (link to the show in comments):

He is folk music royalty and widely regarded as one of Scotland’s leading songwriters with many protest songs featuring in a distinguished career.

Dick Gaughan’s limited issue album, Live at the BBC 1972–79, contains ten songs from the box set R/evolution: 1969–83, which is due for release in January.

The songs have been drawn from archive performances at BBC Sessions and cover the ‘lost period’, where Dick’s historically and culturally significant early albums – No More Forever, Kist O’ Gold, and Songs of Ewan MacColl – are missing due to disputed rights.

Dick suffered a stroke in 2016 which forced him to retire.

Enter Colin Harper, a music biographer and journalist, who launched a Crowdfunder to raise enough money to produce the box set.

It was a huge success, breaching its initial target in less than a week and raised over £84,000. Colin was then able to expand the content and to make a substantial » Continue Reading.

11/10/2025

As the Half Moon’s blurb puts it:

Let’s go Pentanglin’ with our afternoon Listening Party celebrating the remaster and two-CD reissue of Solomon’s Seal, Pentangle’s final folk-jazz statement, originally released in 1972.

Prog magazine’s Jo Kendall and Mike Barnes will be in conversation with vocalist Jacqui McShee who will shed some light on her favourite Pentangle album, before we settle in for a playback of the record in its entirety, also hearing selected bonus tracks from the new Cherry Red reissue.

There will be a chance for the audience to ask questions, and to have items signed by Jacqui, too.

Tickets are £12 in advance, £8 concessions, and £15 on the door on the day. Each customer will get a Solomon’s Seal button badge memento.

25/09/2025

The fourth and final part of Shane Kirk’s critically acclaimed trilogy of reminiscences. Over in name-drop corner – BJ Cole, Gretchen Peters, Jason Ringenberg, Jon Langford, Mark Olson, Mary Gauthier, Melanie Safka, Police Dog Hogan, Neil Innes, Rich Hall and Robyn Hitchcock among many others. We are firmly of the opinion, however, that he does not feature in any of *their* memoirs… “The incomparable Shane Kirk has released another book! This one is all about his Maverick adventures, and it’s an absolutely gorgeous read. It’ll make you wish you’d been there – and then, realise that you absolutely could be next time…” Quote/Unquote.

You should pay attention to my editor Helen, she has read it very carefully. Carefully enough to suggest all of the typo and punctuation corrections, indeed. All and any of the errors you think you’ve spotted will be where I ignored her for dramatic effect.

23/09/2025

18/10/2025

National Album Day is back and, like Viz, not as good as it used to be. What started as a celebration of the long-playing format has turned into yet another RSD, with a plethora of inessential coloured vinyl.

This year’s theme is Rock, hence the inclusion of, er… Amy MacDonald, Mozart Estate, T’Pau. List includes albums by both Kasabian and Stereophonics.

Although I might buy a copy of the Hole LP if I see it cheap later.

14/08/2025

U N I T E D B I B L E S T U D I E S

New album – STRANGE IS THE COASTLINE (from 5th September) LP / CD / Digital

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New Single ‘In The Arms of Lewes’ 14th August Digital

Rotating Irish / International collective United Bible Studies (UBS) release its 28th album, Strange Is The Coastline (LP / CD / Digital), this Autumn from 5th September on Talking Elephant Records / Hobby-Horse.

The album will be preceded by the single ‘In The Arms of Lewes’ which will be available on all digital platforms from 14th August.

Strange Is The Coastline is a collection of original folk-rock songs written by current core members David Colohan (co-founder of UBS) and Alison O’Donnell (Mellow Candle / Flibbertigibbet) in the company of multi-instrumentalist Steven Collins (The Owl Service). Melding and meshing classic folk, contemporary pop and passionate tune-smithery in an inspiringly complementary way disparate, yet delightfully cohesive, themes glide from Albion myth and legend to Victorian-era murder ballad via chilling contemporary stalker tales and climate chaos. Artwork is penned by occasional collective contributor Dom Cooper.

United Bible Studies was » Continue Reading.

11/07/2025

I’ve been helping retired/disabled Scottish folk legend Dick Gaughan towards a box set (a mock-up pack shot is pictured above) and further planned releases, in part inspired by the unavailability of much of his recorded canon. That unavailability of catalogue shares some space in a Venn diagram with an entity known as Celtic Music. Not a criticism – just a statement of fact.

Dick Gaughan (not me, Dick himself) has now engaged serious solicitors to seek the retrieval of seven albums and two tracks from this entity. Those solicitors have thoroughly vetted the video script and accompanying text used in this GoFundMe campaign – just launched. There is nothing defamatory therein. I don’t encourage defamatory statements here – this is purely a business matter, and I’m confident that some, at least, of the albums and PRS registrations in question will come back to the artist…

If you believe in it, and you are able to throw something in, please do – and please share. With luck, it may establish precedents that can help other folk artists whose works are claimed by the same people to begin the process of retrieval, if they wish.

We are blessed to have » Continue Reading.

14/11/2025

A spin-off from the 7CD+DVD box set-in-progress ‘R/evolution: 1969-83’, this single-vinyl ‘Live at the BBC: 1972-79’ will be released in a limited edition in November/December via Last Night From Glasgow distribution. I’ll post a link in the comments. Below is the back cover text and tracks list.

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Dick Gaughan was professionally active from 1970–2016, retiring on health grounds and living now quietly in Edinburgh. While Handful of Earth (1981) remains his most lauded single body of work, it marked, for the artist himself, the end of an era – the absolute best that he could do within traditional music. From that point on, contemporary songwriting, often in service to social commentary, became more prominent. For reasons most easily described as the vicissitudes of rights ownership and the consequent absence from the marketplace of several early albums, ready access to the ‘first phase’ of Dick’s career – the ten years preceding Handful of Earth – has long been difficult.

This album – and its parent set, the 7CD/DVD R/evolution: 1969–83 – retrieves that ‘lost era’ in abundance, revealing the magnificence of Dick Gaughan’s early music for the twenty-first century listener. An insert contains a new appreciation of Dick » Continue Reading.