punk
Poly Styrene, 1957-2011Tuesday, 26 April 2011
The death of Poly Styrene (Marianne Elliot-Said) is more than another reminder that the ever-influential punk era is further and further away. It is also genuinely sad as she was always helpful, always approachable and – simply put – a nice... Read more... |
Big Audio Dynamite, Shepherds Bush EmpireSaturday, 02 April 2011
One of my most enjoyable gig-going experiences last year was seeing Mick Jones guesting with Gorillaz at the Roundhouse. The former Clash guitarist was clearly loving every minute of it. So much, in fact, that shortly afterwards he decided to reform... Read more... |
Ether: Killing Joke, Royal Festival HallSaturday, 02 April 2011
Often at gigs by bands of a certain vintage, the fans can look like they're on a special awayday: like they've dug their T-shirts out of the back of the drawer and geared themselves up for one last canter round the paddock. Not so for Killing Joke.... Read more... |
CD: Poly Styrene - Generation IndigoSunday, 20 March 2011
Anyone expecting the 1977-style foghorn-voiced Poly Styrene from Generation Indigo is going to be disappointed. Instead, this album is sweetly delivered, melodic and driving modern pop with a Euro electro-dance sheen. She’s not bellowing “Oh Bondage... Read more... |
CD: The Strokes – AnglesFriday, 18 March 2011
Follow that. It's the inevitable two-word mantra after a band has released a defining debut. The Strokes delivered their seminal statement of intent with Is This It in 2001, proving that a decent leather jacket, attitude and a rock riff will never... Read more... |
theartsdesk in New York: A Dirty Weekend with the New York Dolls and a Jazz PrincessSunday, 13 February 2011
I didn't realise how much I liked dirt. Especially New York dirt. I was going to do a rant about boutique designer hotels, which seem ubiquitous in Manhattan. Major case in point: the Gramercy Park Hotel, where I used to stay in the Nineties and... Read more... |
Q&A Special: Musician Bob GeldofTuesday, 08 February 2011
Bob Geldof only shuts up in the end because a plane he should be on is imminently taking off for India, and he is still in his local South London pub, refusing to let a heavy cold stop him from talking like others drink - with unquenchable relish.... Read more... |
Gang of Four, HeavenWednesday, 02 February 2011
Gang of Four vocalist Jon King remembers the last time he was in Heaven – the venue, not the celestial aftershow party. It was the night of the Great Hurricane of 1987 and as he walked down nearby Villiers Street later that evening two trees blew... Read more... |
Opinion: Iggy's adverts are so very, very wrongTuesday, 01 February 2011
The idea of "selling out" has clung to popular music, and indeed most art forms, for a long, long time. In our postmodern techno-consumerist society it's an increasingly outdated and irrelevant concept. The book Faking It: The Quest for Authenticity... Read more... |
Manic Street Preachers, Brixton AcademySaturday, 22 January 2011
The annals of rock’n’roll are littered with complacency, fading stars, and acts who’ve had it and then lost it, forever. So, after 20 years, what makes the Manics different? How come they’re still turning out hit albums? Possibly it’s their hand-on-... Read more... |
Interview: Andy Gill, Gang of FourThursday, 20 January 2011
If you’ve never heard a Gang of Four track, you probably still know their music. Their influence is all over the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, and R.E.M to name but a few of their fans. And that's just the musical legacy.... Read more... |
Gang of Four return - exclusive video contentMonday, 17 January 2011
A freezing winter of discontent, a Labour party hell-bent on making itself unelectable, controversial warmongering and record levels of inequality. It may sound like yesterday’s papers but these themes were also addressed by iconoclastic post-punk... Read more... |
