St Cuthbert’s Parish Church has seen a few things in its time: infamous body snatchers Burke and Hare were regular visitors to its churchyard, the watchtower built to protect against them and other “resurrectionists” still stands; Sir Thomas De Quincy, author of Diary Of An Opium Eater, and John Napier, inventor of the logarithm, are […]
In 1980, the weekly music paper Melody Maker declared Talking Heads’ Remain In Light album to be its Album Of The Year, citing its innovative African rhythmic influences as a key part of the album’s appeal. Two years later in the summer of 1982, rival paper NME was featuring four-page articles about African bands such […]
It’s not easy being a support act. You have thirty minutes to make an impression. On a good night, ninety five percent of the people in the room won’t know who you are, will have never heard any of your songs and have probably only turned up early to secure a decent seat for the […]
Having just recovered from listening to the amazing binaural Espana and Mozart offerings from Chasing The Dragon – yes, they really are that good especially in vinyl form – Janine Elliot was invited back to Air Studios for what was yet another great production from the duo of Mike and Francoise Valentine.
It doesn’t seem that long ago that the idea of rock stars in their seventies seemed ridiculous; rock and roll was a young man’s (and occasional woman’s) game. The boring old farts that punk had come to blow away in 1976 were barely in their thirties, and the punks themselves are now pensioners. Over the […]
Martha Wainwright is a songwriter. Her father, Loudon Wainwright is a songwriter. Her mother, Kate McGarrigle was a songwriter. Her brother, Rufus Wainwright and half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche are songwriters. Her aunts, Anna McGarrigle and Sloane Wainwright are songwriters. Her cousin Lily Lankin is a songwriter. There is a picture developing here; although not so […]
The brilliant Scott Wainwright at this years North West Audio Show at Cranage Hall in Cheshire. Feel free to subscribe to our Hifi Pig Television You Tube channel. Full report on the show to follow shortly.
The first time I saw Robert Cray was on The Old Grey Whistle Test in the early 1980s. Actually, that’s not true. The first time I saw Robert Cray was when he played bass in the soul review band Otis Knight And The Days who featured in the National Lampoon’s Animal House film that was […]
“Sometimes it seems unimaginable that you were ever any other way” sings Al Stewart on his song Carol. Sometimes it seems unimaginable that Stewart could have been anything other than a singer/songwriter. Moving from Glasgow to Dorset as a child, he went on to buy his first guitar from future Police man Andy Summers, took […]
Steve from Ultimate Stream who we announced were opening a retail business in the South East of England has been in touch to tell us they are offering free Roon lifetime membership with all UK purchases of the Merging Technologies NADAC player during May and June 2017 (T&C’s apply).
Alongside their regular albums, The Unthanks have released a series of “Diversions”; albums that focus on a particular theme or style. The latest of these is How Wild The Wind Blows – The Songs And Poems Of Molly Drake. Molly was the mother of legendary folk-rock singer songwriter Nick Drake and actress Gabrielle Drake. Molly […]
Lyn Stanley spoke to us about her work and love of Reel 2 Reel tape, just as she was about to start recording her latest album, now named ‘The Moonlight Sessions Volume One’. The album will be given a preview at the upcoming Axpona show in Chicago and is due for release in May.
A photo of Sinatra alongside Davis Jr and Dean Martin adorns the walls. The wallpaper is patterned with the Statue of Liberty and James Dean. Where you’d expect to see a domesticated rockabilly band or an alcoholism-riddled crooner onstage in this schlock ‘Merica-themed venue, there will soon be three of Ireland’s finest bands treading the boards […]
Both musicians and music critics are responsible. Musicians make the music, critics give it a name. When Slint released the seminal Spiderland in ’91, they had no idea that what was already a love/hate genre in the eyes of many a music fan (post-rock/math-rock) would fuse with other love/hate genres (emo).
Good jazz is like a good movie; every time you experience it, you notice something new. A line of dialogue you missed the first time, a new saxophone phrase, an interesting shot, or a creative harmonic. Bitches Brew is a perfect example; where there are so many musical ideas in just one piece of music that you […]
Hifi Pig’s James Fleming heads up to Dublin and the salubrious surroundings that are The Workman’s Club to see and speak to Strength NIA.