THE WAVE: BEN WARD (SWAYS RECORDS)

THE WAVE –  Silent Radio’s feature where we speak to the city’s venue owners, promoters and new music advocates. The guys (and girls) behind the magic and probably the very people responsible for one of your favourite music experiences… Ben Ward (Sways Records): Meeting Ben Ward, one of three leaders of Manchester/Salford record label Sways […]
Manchester band, Patterns, having released their debut album in January are now on the verge of their biggest show yet. In eerie surroundings with the nocturnal, gothic atmosphere inspired by Salford’s beautiful, St. Philip’s Church, Patterns will expand their debut Walking Lines to widths they are yet to explore. With the support of Manchester Community Choir, Patterns […]

INTERVIEW: PATTERNS

INTERVIEW: HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER

The image of the Sony Warehouse after it was torched in 2011’s London Riots is a lasting one; plumes of black cloud are seen billowing out of the roof, while the right-hand side of the building where the large blue-lettered Sony sign was emblazoned is slumped, like a fallen giant. Around this time, a folk […]
When the Red Hot Chilli Peppers wanted an unconventional setting to record highly acclaimed ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’, they chose the reportedly haunted former residence of magician Harry Houdini. The coolest location to make a record I thought, until I discovered where London natives Breton decided to record their follow up to 2012’s ‘Other People’s […]

INTERVIEW: BRETON

INTERVIEW: BIPOLAR SUNSHINE

Last June, Bipolar Sunshine performed at Soup Kitchen to celebrate the launch of his debut EP Aesthetics. That night, his performance managed to cast an eye-shielding, dazzling light over the somewhat conflicting, dim, grey concrete tiles of the Soup Kitchen basement. Helium balloons soared, and this alluring underbelly of Manchester was infused with a light, […]
From time to time, one of our contributors will recommend an artist/band they think deserves to be brought to your attention. No record labels, PR companies, bands or band’s management will ever have made these recommendations. It is simply one music fan putting their taste on the line in the hope of sharing good music. […]

WHO ARE YA? SITTIN’ PRETTY

THE WAVE: JONNY BOOTH (The Castle Hotel/Gullivers/The Eagle)

Jonny Booth, Manchester Licensee- The Castle Hotel | Business Partner- Gulliver’s, The Eagle & The Parlour | Guitarist- Biederbeck | Top dude & Busy bloke The Wave: In the true spirit of “if you can’t get a job done, do it your fucking self’; the tale of how a bunch of band mates grew tired […]
Ahead of the release of new single ‘Swapping Spit’ and their second UK headline tour, one half of two-piece Big Deal, Kacey Underwood spoke to us about shedding their ‘intimate’ label in favour of a more bullish sound, supported by two additional live band members, and how self-mutilation on-stage might be the only way to […]

INTERVIEW: BIG DEAL

INTERVIEW: TONY WADSWORTH CBE (BIMM BOARD MEMBER/FORMER EMI RECORDS CEO)

This week BIMM officially opened in Manchester; a Hacienda inspired music school, with backing from the ex-boss of EMI. I chat to some of the key players behind the centre, to find out how they’re planning to deliver hot new talent into Manchester’s world-renowned creative scene. With well-known schools in Dublin, London, Brighton and Bristol […]
The Fratellis are back with a much awaited new album ‘We Need Medicine’. The guys have a string of tour dates planned around North America, UK and some of Europe. I spoke to Lead Jon Fratelli about how the band feel about uniting back on stage and playing to a crowd again after a five […]

INTERVIEW: JON FRATELLI