Related
Interviews
Interview
UK garage punk band the Flaming Stars have two of their old John Peel sessions out on vinyl for the first time. Frontman Max Décharné talks about the importance of John Peel for the band, its high output career, and the impact of early MP3s on small bands and labels.
Interview
Guitarist to the stars - and Ringo Starr - Hamish Stuart brightens Eoghan Lyng’s night with some great anecdotes from the rock era.
Interview with Ian Broudie
Lightning Seeds' frontman Ian Broudie talks to Fiona Hutchings about his band's new album 'See You in the Stars' and vinyl.
Interview
John's Children, Jet and Radio Stars' frontman Andy Ellison talks to Andrew Twambley about his new autobiography 'Stunt Rocker'', getting thrown off a tour by The Who and leading his bandmate Marc Bolan astray.
Hollywood Stars
Interview
Kimberly Bright talks guitarist Ruben De Fuentes and drummer Terry Rae from the early ‘70s LA glam band the Hollywood Stars about reuniting and finally releasing their early work.
Dave Philpott
Interview
Dave Philpott speaks to John Clarkson about 'Dear Mr Pop Star', the second volume of letters that he has written with his father Derek to pop and rock stars questioning their lyrics, and for which they have received equally comical replies.
Burning Ferns
Interview
Anthony Gray of rising Welsh stars Burning Ferns talks to Kimberly Bright about the band's influences and songwriting ethic and about the Newport scene.
Sarah Cracknell
Interview
John Clarkson speaks to Sarah Cracknell from seminal indie electronic indie/dance pop act Saint Etienne about 'We Look at the Stars', her new single collaboration with Portugese duo Lisbon Kid; the recent reissue of Saint Etienne's 1991 debut album 'Foxbase Alpha' and their forthcoming new album
Charlie Big Time
Interview
John Clarkson speaks to Matthew Pendlebury from Bolton-based indie pop duo about why his band have always proved more popular in America than Britain and their forthcoming appearance at a Pennyblackmusic Bands Night in Manchester on February 18th in support of the Chesterfields and Karen
Fairport Convention
Interview
Fairport Convention violinist Ric Sanders speaks to Nick Dent-Robinson about this year Fairport's Cropredy Convention, which will include sets from Madness and rising stars Sound of the Sirens, and the recent death of former member Dave Swarbrick
Self Help Group
Interview
Mark Bruce, front man of Brighton’s the Self Help Group, discusses the making of their new album, ‘Dead Stars’ and shares the dramatic stories that strongly influenced the songwriting
Marianne Faithfull
Interview
In this interview which was originally published in 1990, Marianne Faithfull speaks to Nick Dent-Robinson about her romance with Mick Jagger and her role as one of the 60's major stars
Monster Magnet
Interview
Lisa Torem chats to Dave Wyndorf, the front man with New Jersey rockers, about their new album 'Milking the Stars: A Reimagining of Last Patrol', which features alternative versions of songs from their previous album
Death Valley Rally
Interview
John Clarkson speaks to Ralph Bautista from American indie/shoegaze band Death Valley Rally about their six-song debut EP, ‘The Stars Shine Bright After Midnight’
Nada Surf
Interview
Jamie Rowland speaks to Matthew Caws, the front man with New York-based alternative rock act Nada Surf, about their extensive career and latest album, ‘The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy‘
Terry Edwards/'Dora Suarez'
Interview
John Clarkson speaks to Gallon Drunk's Terry Edwards about his musical interpretation of Derek Raymond's brutal crime novel, 'I Was Dora Suarez', which recorded with Raymond and his bandmate James Johnstone in 1993, has just been reissued on CD
Trembling Blue Stars
Interview Part 4
In the fourth and last part of his extensive interview with Bobby Wratten and Beth Arzy from Trembling Blue Stars, Anthony Strutt talks to them about the reissue of their entire back catalogue and why they have decided to abandon live work
Profiles
Time Catching Up with Ageing Rock Stars
With the news that Marianne Faithfull has moved into a retirement home, Nick Dent-Robinson reflects on the growing amount of ageing rock stars.
Hollywood Stars
Profile
Kimberly Bright reflects on the career of the ill-fated and now reformed ‘70s Los Angeles glam rock group the Hollywood Stars, whose lost second album 'Sound City' has been finally released after 43 years.
Ryan Adams
It’s Time We Torpedoed Rock Mythology
With the recent allegations against Ryan Adams, Mark Rowland says that it is finally time to stop forgiving our rock stars for their abusive behaviour.
Saint Joan/Dakota
Interview
Literary Nottingham post rockers and Pennyblackmusic Bands Night stars Saint Joan have recently self-released their debut mini album, 'One at Twilight', on their own Dakota label. They speak to Dominic Simpson about it and changing direction
Live
Institut Francais, London, 21/6/2023
Steev Burgess enjoys a rare opportunity to see one of the rising stars of French music, Lisa Ducasse at the Institute Francais in London.
(With the Mock Turtles), Hare and Hounds. Birmingham, 17/11/2022
Hayley Clark enjoys an eclectic might of indie/punk pop from rising Welsh stars The Bug Club. Photographs by Robert Hadley.
Bluedot Festival
Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, 20/7/2019...21/7/2019
At the last two days of the Bluedot Festival Shirley Procter watches sets by Easy Star All Stars, Omar Souleyman, Jarvis Cocker, Kraftwerk and She Drew The Gun.
Lewis and Leigh
Cafe 9, Sheffield, 11/2/2017
Nicky Crewe watches rising Americana stars Lewis and Leigh play a magical set at a sold out gig in the tiny Cafe 9 in Sheffield
NME Awards Tour
Ritz, Manchester, 26/2/2015
Melanie Smith witnesses an exceptionally superb night of music with sets from rising stars Palma Violets, Fat White Family, Slaves and the Wytches at an NME Awards Tour gig at the Ritz in Manchester
Desperate Journalist
Lexington, London, 22/1/2015
At the Lexington in London, Dastardly watches rising indie stars Desperate Journalist come of age at a launch gig to promote their eponymous debut album
Rubberbandits
Soho Theatre, London, 24/1/2012
Tom Fogarty is impressed by cult TV stars and muscal comedy duo the Rubberbandits' pecuiar brand of irreverence and intellectualism at the Soho Theatre in London
Dean and Britta
Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline, 8/7/2009
In the unusual setting of the Dunfermline Carnegie Hall, John Clarkson watches former Luna stars Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips play the UK premiere of '13 Most Beautiful...', a haunting live music soundtrack to the rarely seen 'Screen Tests' of Andy Warhol
Easy Star All Stars
KOKO, London, 28/4/2009
Reggae act Easy Star All Stars play covers of songs by bands such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Radiohead. Ben Howarth enjoys their show at the London KOKO, but finds it marred by some ramshackle and over-the-top encores
Big Pink
ICA, London, 23/4/2009
At a gig at the London ICA to promote their forthcoming debut album, Anthony Strutt is impressed by 4AD's latest signing and rising stars of indie rock, the Big Pink
Glasvegas
Night and Day, Manchester, 5/2/2008
Rising stars Glasvegas marry the Jesus and Mary Chain’s squalling feedback fetish and Phil Spector’s 60's wall of sound. Dixie Ernill at the Night and Day in Manchester finds them a stunning as an aural and visual spectacle.
Kelman and Joe Gideon and the Shark
Albany, London, 11/10/2007
At a show at the Albany in London organised by the Uptight club, Ben Howarth watches one-time Pennyblackmusic Bands Night stars Kelman and Joe Gideon and the Shark play high quality sets
Harvey Williams and the Dreamers
Luminaire, London, 10/8/2007
Anthony Strutt finds a set at the Luminaire from former Field Mice and Trembling Blue Stars Harvey Williams worth making the trip across London for, but is equally impressed by support band the Dreamers who were playing their first gig
Stars of Aviation
Good Ship, London, 8/5/2007
With nine people and a variety of instruments cramped on to the same stage, Anthony Dhanendran is impressed by Stars of Aviation's quietly forceful blend of indie pop
Taste of Chaos
Brixton Academy, London, 18/11/2006
Taste of Chaos is an all day show which supports some of the biggest and fastest rising stars of the punk and emo scene. At the London date of the tour, Andy Vincent watches performances from Taking Back Sunday, Anti Flag, Underoath, Alexisonfire, Senses Fail and Saosin
Jolie Holland with David Dondero
Barrymore's, Ottawa, 14/10/2006
One of Canada's up-and-coming stars, Andrew Carver watches Jolie Holland play a good, if slightly chaotic set at Barrymore's in Ottawa, but finds she doesn’t have the voice or presence to replace Neko Case as the sweetheart of the alternative country set
Albums
John Peel Sessions 17.10.96 and 19.02.02
Dave Goodwin reviews a pair of delightful John Peel sessions from The Flaming Stars , beautifully packaged by Precious Recordings of London in this vinyl release.
Speed of the Stars
Steve Kinrade is impressed by a reissue the reissue of the eponymous 2016 debut album from Speed Of The Stars, the project of The Church's Steve Kilbey and Cactus World News' Frank Kearns.
Heavy Metal Kids
Kitsch
In our 'Re: View' column, in which our writers examine albums from the past, Tom Fogarty reflects on 'Kitsch', the 1977 third album from the Heavy Metal Kids, whose singer the late Gary Holton was one of the stars of the classic television series, 'Auf Weidersehen, Pet'
Features
Comment
Interviewing Rock Bands and Stars
Nick Dent-Robinson reflects on interviewing major rock stars and bands and how that has in recent times changed.
Photoscapes
Truck Festival 1
In the first part of a two part Photoscape new Pennyblackmusic photographer Steve McDermott photographs Dreaming Spires, Gruff Rhys and the Truck All Stars at the Truck Festival in Oxfordshire...
Hitting the Right Note
Censorship
Jon Rogers examines the slippery issue of censorship and finds that those rock stars who claim to be serious musicians rather than just pop stars have a very different set of limits
Rock Salt Row
September 2009
In 'Rock Salt Row', Lisa Torem will be debating each month with another writer about a different issue in rock. In its third episode, she looks at the self-sabotaging nature of rock stars and debates with Jeff Thiessen about whether men and women see heartbreak differently
Trembling Blue Stars
A Certain Blue Light
The Trembling Blue Stars are about to consolidate their position "as The Great Nineties Pop Band That Never Happened’ with a Best Of or Greatest Near-Hits. David McNamee looks back over their career and finds an odd resemblance in it to Kylie Minogue's
Magoo
Can't Get Off the Ground Today/Expansion Ride
Find out about the latest single from forthcoming Pennyblackmusic Bands Night stars, Magoo