Category Archives: Personal Histories

“I’ll listen to anything except thrash” – Umm, a common complaint amongst music enthusiasts. Ive heard this several times when opening up a conversation on musical preferences. I usually answer by telling them that, with me, its the other way around. Continue reading →

I discovered Frank Sidebottom on Piccadilly Radio around the time of the World cup in Mexico 1986. Id finished my studies and in the months between leaving college and starting work in London I listened to the radio a lot usually Mark Radcliffe who had Franks Radio Timperley on each day. There was just something hilarious about Frank more his turn of phrase than anything else. Mark was reviewing the new Fall LP whilst Frank was in the studio reading the sleeve notes “Brix Smith! Is that Mark E Smiths mum?! I wouldnt let my mum make a record shed make a right pigs ear of it!” Continue reading →

I first saw ACR in Feb 1981 at Fagins in Manchester with my cousin Digger After bus fare and entrance fees, we had enough money for half a pint of lager between us. They were a mysterious band who played weird rhythms that I found alien but exciting. They were part of the Factory scene which I loved so I guess I tried a little harder to like them than I would most bands, but it paid off. A series of classic 12″ singles and albums that started as avant garde then mutated into funk/acid/disco/hard to pin down. When they were accused of making Thinking mans dance music they countered “We’d rather people dance than think”. Continue reading →

My happiest times in London were when I lived in Finchley. London has a reputation for being unfriendly and uncaring, but for someone whod grown up in a place where everyone knew who you were and what you were up to to suddenly be somewhere where no one knew you and frankly didnt care, was quite exhilarating. Continue reading →

Nipper (so called because he was a short arse) and I were alter boys way back when I was into punk and he was into soul nothing in common and that was that. Continue reading →