Oh… Dear. The Damned have always been a huge source of joy and affection for me, as they were the first live band I ever saw, back in their ‘Phantasmagoria’ era. They were great, even though they were already past their best by then. And I love the original version of this by Pink Floyd,Continue reading “Bad Cover Versions: The Damned- See Emily Play”
Category Archives: Profile
Legacy Acts
At the end of last year , I was unfortunate enough to hear the most recent single from David Byrne, ‘T Shirt’. It’s made of thin material indeed, and I say that as someone who likes some Talking Heads work and his projects with Eno and St Vincent. Likewise Kylie and her insipid Christmas single,Continue reading “Legacy Acts”
Lost In Music: Alt Blk Era
Nottingham sisters Nyrobi and Cheya Becket-Messam are kicking a hole through musical genres and expectations. The dynamic pair make music that straddles EDM, indie and metal, and their sparky debut album ‘Rave Immortal ‘,which was released last year, earned much critical and fan acclaim. Their outspoken attitude on issues like Black culture and disability, cheekyContinue reading “Lost In Music: Alt Blk Era”
The Film Surprise Of 2025
Yet again, I’m in the minority, it seems. Most sequels, albeit with a few exceptions, are not very successful. The recent Todd Phillips ‘ Joker sequel and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice weren’t blazing triumphs, although I liked the former very much, as I felt it explored the nature of celebrity earned through notoriety very well, and IContinue reading “The Film Surprise Of 2025”
The Gentle Subversion of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’
People often misunderstand Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film It’s A Wonderful Life. Released in 1946, it didn’t do very well initially in the United States. People found it too dark. Nowadays, many people find it too sentimental. I think both of these appraisals are a little wide of the mark. It’s both dark and sentimental,Continue reading “The Gentle Subversion of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’”
Farewell, Our Scottish Goddess
Pam Hogg has passed away. England had Dame Viv Westwood, Alexander McQueen was half Scots and half English, but Pamela was a true Scottish fashion goddess. It’s extremely sad news. Hogg was a true icon, a trailblazer of style. She has a lasting iconoclastic legacy and unique sensibility, v punk rock and sexy. She reinventedContinue reading “Farewell, Our Scottish Goddess”
Lucifer Over Lanarkshire: Wet Leg
Look at this clip. Are Wet Leg for real? I had the misfortune to recently review their latest album, Moisturizer, for The Wee Review, and gave it two stars. The music is incredibly watered down indie, with vapid, adolescent lyrics. And the way they present themselves is cloying, as insincere as the sound they make.Continue reading “Lucifer Over Lanarkshire: Wet Leg”
Accessing The Fringe
Navigating the Edinburgh Fringe can be a Sisyphean task at the best of times, as the population of Edinburgh doubles and almost every available space transforms into a venue or site specific performance space. So it can be an altogether different kind of nightmare for disabled people, in terms of accessibility. Old buildings generally haveContinue reading “Accessing The Fringe”
The Rise- But Not Quite Fall- Of The People’s Pervert
A still from the film Pulp: A Film About Life,Death And Supermarkets Once again, Pulp find themselves positioned as the indie outsiders. While their recent reunion and album garnered much enthusiasm (despite being a little disappointing) it’s Oasis who yet again get the headlines, playing to thousands. I wonder how Jarvis, Candida, Nick and MarkContinue reading “The Rise- But Not Quite Fall- Of The People’s Pervert”
Happy 80th Birthday, Debbie Harry!
How’s it possible? How can it be? Angela Trimble, better known as Debbie Harry, turned 80 on the 1st of July. Belated birthday greetings to a true icon, the NYC goddess with sun in her hair, fiery attitude, intelligence and an incredible voice. She has it all, and she’s influenced countless artists. We’re always touchedContinue reading “Happy 80th Birthday, Debbie Harry!”
Hit The North 