20 posts
General features
Top Of The Pops transformed itself into a non-stop party showcase for the 1980s pop explosion. Those who were there, including Heaven 17’s Martyn Ware and DJ Janice Long, look…
Sawmills Studio Interview: They came, they Saw, they conquered
It’s an idyllic recording space in the middle of nowhere that can only be reached by boat or foot, yet the Sawmills Studio in Cornwall has attracted everyone from XTC…
Rise Of The Machines: Pioneering music devices of the 80s
Introducing the pioneering devices that shaped 80s pop. Members of The Human League and Landscape reveal the true story behind the electro revolution, from blowing up drum machines to prank-calling…
Patience Is A Virtue: James Jackman Interview
George Michael’s working methods have always been a source of mystery. Just how much music did he make in addition to his five solo albums? How much of it will…
My Life In Vinyl: Stephen Street
The music producer Stephen Street is best known for his work with The Smiths, Morrissey and Blur. He tells an attentive Ben Wardle about the 10 albums he’s worked on…
My Life In Vinyl: Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn, the legendary producer and erstwhile Buggle, casts a chronological eye back over the albums that made an indelible mark on his glittering career… If anyone could be said…
Top Twenty: Ones That Got Away
We lift the lid on an alternate pop universe to tell the story of how these top twenty hits could have turned out very differently if fate hadn’t intervened… Creating great…
Andy Wright Interview: Orchestral Manoeuvres
Andy Wright started his career as a synth and drum machine programmer in the 80s, and is now both Simply Red and Simple Minds’ regular producer. There was simply only…
Steve Barron Interview: Sound & Vision
Steve Barron was one of the titans of the 80s music video scene, a visionary director who came to define the decade with a series of scorchingly iconic promos. Classic…
2 Tone Records Interview: 40 Years of 2 Tone Records
With its message of unity, 2 Tone burned bright as the embers of punk faded and offered hope to a generation lost. Forty years on from its inception, Classic Pop…