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 – REBELLION FESTIVAL – LOUD WOMEN BRING THE NOISE TO BLACKPOOL 1ST-4TH AUGUST 2024

Rebellion Festival has been an annual feature on the festival calendar since 1996 (then known as The Holidays In The Sun Festival), now the family run, all ages festival returns to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens 1st-4th August with another outstanding line-up of punk and new wave heavyweights including The Stranglers, Stiff Little Fingers, The Alarm, Toyah, […]
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 […]

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

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

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 […]
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 […]

INTERVIEW: AJAY SAGGAR (BHAJAN BHOY)

FEATURE: WHO ARE YA? – BEANS

Boots N Cats, the latest album from Melbourne’s Beans, released this March, captured the attention of our writers with its organ-driven garage-rock wig-outs, breezy psych-pop and groovy funk instrumentals. We needed to know more and via the wonders of the internet, here is our essential guide to the band: Who are you? Vincent Clementson, Bass Player […]
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