FEATURE – Earplugs: A Guide to Hearing Protection

Hearing protection is important for music lovers, and high-quality solutions are increasingly stylish and affordable. To find out more, I took recommendations from friends, spoke to a lecturer in audiology at the University of Manchester, and trawled the internet, with Hearing Advisor’s rankings Best Concert Ear Plugs in 2024: Lab Tested being a great resource. This article […]
“I think we just wanted to make a record like the ones we love.” Jamie Staples, drummer in the solo project turned band, shares just how Wunderhorse went from Cub finding its feet to beast with eight legs and a thirst for the good old days of grunge. Midas represents the second album under the […]

INTERVIEW – WUNDERHORSE

INTERVIEW: MANCHESTER’S NOW WAVE PROMOTERS / MANCHESTER PSYCH FEST

Now Wave have been promoting gigs in our city for over a decade, and have grown from a few small gigs in independent venues, to owning their own venue (Yes) as well as organising the brilliant annual Psych Fest. We caught up with Now Wave’s Gareth Butterworth to find out about the inner workings of […]
After writing a review for ‘Afraid of tomorrows,’ the opportunity to speak to Lia Metcalfe and Paul Crilly came about which I could not turn down. Coming up with questions is an easy bout even in unfamiliar territory, like a zoom call. Sitting in the room on zoom, I get in a few minutes early […]

INTERVIEW: THE MYSTERINES

FEATURE – CAMENS INTERVIEW & LIVE REVIEW AT NIGHT AND DAY CAFE

Motorbikes and car horns fill the air as we converse. The flint and steel of a lighter sparks a flame of opportunity in front of a cigarette, smoke trailing and lingering in the light of Night And Day Café’s neon glow. “Really good bands come and go but you have to just stick at it, mistakes […]
Joe Matera is an Australian journalist and musician who has been demystifying the life of the touring musician with his new book ‘Louder Than Words – Beyond The Backstage Pass’. Using interview quotes gained from several decades in journalism, along with his own experiences as a musician, ‘Louder Than Words – Beyond The Backstage Pass […]

FEATURE: JOE MATERA – DEMYSTIFYING THE LIFE OF THE TOURING MUSICIAN WITH NEW BOOK FROM MANCHESTER PUBLISHERS – EMPIRE PUBLISHING

INTERVIEW: AJAY SAGGAR (BHAJAN BHOY)

Assiduous Silent Radio readers will have noticed numerous reviews referencing Ajay Saggar over the past couple of years. In addition to releases under his solo guise, Bhajan Bhoy, there have been collaborations as Chela and Volksempfänger. Prior to his April tour of Scotland and northern England, we asked him about his life in music. In […]
Comprising of former members of The Fall, plus other noted musicians from Lancashire and Yorkshire, Imperial Wax create a heady post punk sound which brims with both angst and optimism, resulting in an astounding second album, ‘Transquiliser’. We caught up with  Sam Curran (guitars/vocals)  Pete Greenway (guitars), Kieron Melling (drums) and Shane Standrill (bass) to […]

INTERVIEW: IMPERIAL WAX

INTERVIEW – THE K’S

“People have been waiting for it for so long… it’s hopefully gonna explode.” There’s an animated anticipation to Ryan Breslin, lead guitarist and founding member of The K’s, as he sketches his hopes for the band’s upcoming debut album and accompanying UK tour. Frenzied fans, frenetic festival sets and a fateful night out – Breslin […]
There is something inspirational about the room with a view. Numerous songs over the years have been written with the writer looking wistfully through a window.  It helps if that view is one of the most beautiful in the world. If it has associations with fondly remembered family members that’s all the better. It is […]

INTERVIEW – COLIN MCINTYRE (MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY) DISCUSSES HIS ALBUM COLLABORATING WITH AUTHORS INCLUDING NICK HORNBY, IAN RANKIN & JACQUELINE WILSON