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Pennyblackmusic: March 2024


Interviews


Rain Parade


Matt Piucci and Steven Roback from Rain Parade chat with Kimberly Bright about their creative process, history, and enduring legacy.



Anthony Phillips
X Ray Spex
Autumn 1904

Founder member of Genesis, guitarist Anthony Phillips chats to Eoghan Lyng about his long, eclectic solo career and recent reissue of 1970s works.
Andrew Twambley speaks to Paul Dean, the bassist with iconic punk act X-Ray Spex about the vinyl reissue of their lost second album, 'Conscious Consumer'.
Keyboardist Allan Dumbreck talks to John Clarkson about his Edinburgh-formed post-punk outfit Autumn 1904's return forty years after they broke up and the recent release of their album. 'Tales of Innocence'.



Beat Featuring Ranking Jnr
Megon McDonough
Shaw's Trailer Park
Oldfield Youth Club

Ranking Jnr talks to Philamonjaro about carrying on his late father Rankin’ Roger’s legacy with the Beat.
Lisa Torem speaks to one-woman musical institution Megon McDonough about her long career, from working with John Denver, Harry Chapin and John Prine, to her latest project doing jazz covers of the Burt Bacharach and Hal David songbook.
Julie Cruickshank talks to Brighton psychedelic/prog collective Shaw's Trailer Park abut their self-titled debut album and their creative process and influences.
Bitter Springs frontman Simon Rivers speaks to John Clarkson about his latest project Oldfield Youth Club and their debut album, ‘The Hanworth Are Coming’.


Mark Vennis And A Different Place
Red Eye Pariah
Bathers
the black watch

Portsmouth-born but now London-based singer-songwriter Mark Vennis talks to Andrew Twambley and John Clarkson about his band A Different Place’s new mini-album ‘Small Town Vampire’, which reflects on the boredom of small town life.
Rising Northern Irish band Red Eye Pariah talk to Eoghan Lyng about their unusual influences, touring and eventual plans for an album.
Chris Thomson, the frontman with acclaimed Scottish act The Bathers, speaks to John Clarkson about their first album in 24 years,, 'Sirenesque'.
John Andrew Fredrick, the frontman with LA cult band the black watch, talks to John Clarkson about his book trilogy, 'The King of Good Intentions', which is about a 90's indie rock band, and his group's two forthcoming albums, 'The Morning Papers Have Given Us the Vapours' and 'Weird Rooms'.

Steve Hackett
James Whild Lea
Johny Brown
Jane Duffus

Prog guitar legend Steve Hackett talks to Eoghan Lyng about his new album ‘The Circus and the Nightwhale’ and his years with Genesis,
Slade violinist and multi-instrumentallst James Whild Lea with his brother Frank Lea talks about his career with the 70's rockers, working with legendary manager Chas Chandler and his and Frank's underrated other band The Dummies.
Band of Holy Joy frontman Johny Brown talks to John Clarkson about his group's latest album 'Fated Beautiful Mistakes' and his forthcoming debut solo album 'Gut Feels'.
Writer Jane Duffus speaks to John Clarkson about her new book on Sarah Records, 'These Things Happen'.



Visitor Comments

Editorial







Profiles



We preview our next London Bands' Night which will feature The Band of Holy Joy's Johny Brown, Hector Gannet and Idiot Son's Andy Thompson.




Lulu
Mad Cool Festival
Harvey Lee
David Hamilton Golland

Nick Dent-Robinson looks back on the career of Scottish singer Lulu, who has recently announced that her forthcoming 'Champagne for Lulu' tour will be her final tour.
Philamonjaro previews this year's big names Mad Cool Festival in Madrid in Spain.
Eoghan Lyng enjoys entrepreneur Harvey Lee's book about his business experiences in rock.
Eoghan Lyng reflects on a new book by David Hamilton Golland about piano balladeering 1970's/1980's American rock band Journey



Live Reviews





Mull Historical Society
London Afrobeat Collective
Miles Kane

Paul Clark enjoys an engaging night of music combined with literature as the Mull Historical Society play tracks from both their debut album 'Loss' and latest LP 'In My Mind There's a Room' at YES in Manchester.
Philamonjaro enjoys a sublime set from the London Afrobeat Collective at 16 Toneladas in Valencia
With Marie Hazelwood providing photos, Harry Sherriff watches Miles Kane put on a classy show despite a lack of atmosphere at the O2 Academy in Oxford.



Most Viewed (articles)







Favourite Albums




Heavenly
Difford and Tilbrook
Cuban Boys

In our Re:View section, in which we look back at albums from the past, Tommy Gunnarsson finds that iconic indiepopsters Heavenly's 1994 third album, ‘The Decline and Fall of Heavenly’, which has just been re-released on on vinyl, still stands the test of time.
Julie Cruickshank finds that the only album released by ex-Squeeze songwriters Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, this self-titled 1984 album stands as a bridge between the end of the band and the solo careers of the two members.
English electronic group and production team, The Cuban Boys, get high marks from iDave Goodwin for this release on Precious Recordings of London for their 1999 John Peel session..



Features




Small venues pack a big punch when it comes to supporting live music. They are important for audiences and essential for musicians. Nicky Crewe examines one of the best, Cafe No. 9 in Nether Edge in Sheffield.
In 'Vinyl Stories' Northeastern Pennsylvanian singer-songwriter Chris Hludzik talks to Dave Goodwin about his work in a recording studio led to his obsession with vinyl.



Pete Berwick
Pennyblackmusic
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities
Best of Vinyl 2023

In her 'Raging Pages' book column Lisa Torem enjoys fellow Midwesterner Pete Berwick’s biker band tribute book, 'Too Wild to Tame: The Story of the Boyzz'.
Our writera provide their albums of the year for 2023.
Steve Miles talks in his 'In Dreams Begin Responsibilities' column to Illinois musician and former Beauty Shop frontman John Hoeffleur about the empathy behind the songs that he has started publishing on Bandcamp under the moniker of Green Boots.
Rounding up what Pennyblack contributors have been spinning on the turntable this year, Dave Goodwin brings us his own list and commentary on a eclectic selection of vinyl purchases



Photography




In the first of two photo galleries, Andrew Twambley takes photos of James at the 02 Apollo in Manchester,
Andrew Twambley, in the second of two galleries, takes photos of James at the 02 Apollo in Manchester.



Rob Hadley takes photos of Britpop act My Life Story at a gig at the Hare and Hounds in Birmingham.



Miles Kane
Brooke Combe
Low Red Moon

Marie Hazelwood takes photos of Miles Kane at the 02 Oxford Academy.
Andrew Twambley takes photos of Scottish indie/soul songwriter Brooke Combe at a gig at the New Century Hall in Manchester.
Robert Hadley takes photographs of Birmingham-based collective Low Red Moon at at gig at the Hare and Hounds in Birmingham.






Most Viewed (reviews)




Reviews



Ian M Bailey
Loves
Autumn 1904
Paul McCartney and Wings

Spellbinding and highly original new album from British singer-songwriter Ian M Bailey
Overdue detailed retrospective of The Loves’ 11-year career from 2000-2011 over three dozen tracks.
Excellent vinyl-only album from lost Edinburgh post-punk seven-piece Autumn 1904`, who have returned after an absence of forty years with this offering, which contains a John Peel Session, demos and old songs recorded for the first time.
Enjoyable 50th anniversary reissue in various formats of Paul McCartney and Wings' groundbreaking LP


Smile
Brittany Howard
Serious Sam Barrett
Last Dinner Party

Cinematic second studio album from The Smile. the new project of Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood
Experimental and gripping second solo album from ex-Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard
Wonderful live performance from Yorkshire’s acclaimed folk maestro Serious Sam Barrett
Fantastical and theatrical debut album from much acclaimed London indie rock quintet The Last Dinner Party


Paloma Faith
Green Day
Sleater-Kinney
Roberta Flack

Powerful, rock-influenced break-up album from Paloma Faith, which was inspired by the collapse of her nine-year relationship
Accomplished and energetic latest album from San Francisco punks Green Day
Discordant and bleak but powerful eleventh album from Olympia-formed veteran alternative rock outfit Sleater-Kinney
Enthralling collection from Roberta Flack which brings together the 1968 demos which made up her debut album ‘First Take’


Marika Hackman
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland
Jennifer Lopez
Banter

Melancholic and brooding combination of piano ballads and indie folk on latest album from multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Marika Hackman
Enjoyable new album from Rod Stewart and Jools Holland which celebrates the big band sounds of the 1930s and 1940s
First album in a decade from Jennifer Lopez released to accompany a new autobiographical film
Excellent fourth album from acoustic folk band Banter, who pay tribute on it to their own musical heroes


Posey Hill
Reytons
Herds
Shaw's Trailer Park

Eclectic Americana and bluegrass on latest album from Arkansas family band Posey Hill
Powerful and anthemic guitar rock on third album from Rotherham band The Reytons
Epic and diverse second album from acclaimed Nottingham-based band Herds, who were previously known as The Amber Herd
Exciting debut album from neo-prog/progressive Brighton band collective Shaw’s Trailer Park


Nick Cave And Warren Ellis
Richard Hawley
Cult Figures
Melenas

Exhilarating latest album from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis recorded over three nights ar the Sydney Opera House
Double CD collection from Richard Hawley spans over twenty years of the now legendary Sheffield musician and songwriter’s career, and proves a real treat for fans as well as a wonderful introduction for those only just discovering his music
Excellent post-punk on third album from Midlands-formed band Cult Figures
Splashing dream-pop on third album which proves a change of direction for Spanish group Melenas






Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors