After more than 40 years in Depeche Mode, the sad passing of Andy Fletcher in 2022 left the question he was most often asked largely unanswered: what exactly did he…
Classic Album: New Order – Republic
We remember New Order’s first album release after the demise of Factory Records – the No.1-charting Republic… There are very few people who would nominate Republic as their favourite New Order album.…
Album Spotlight: Depeche Mode – Delta Machine
With echoes of both Violator and Songs Of Faith And Devotion, the mode’s 13th studio album, Delta Machine, would be considered by fans as a late-period classic, even if the…
10 of the best albums on Mute Records
With nearly 500 albums to choose from, there’s debate ahoy here, but here’s our selection of some of the key releases from the mighty Mute Records… Upstairs At Eric’s Yazoo…
New Order – the later years
New Order have been much less prolific in their second 12 years together than in their first incarnation. But, despite the bitter feud between the rest of the band and…
Album Spotlight: Depeche Mode – Ultra
That the ninth album by Depeche Mode, Ultra, exists is somewhat of a miracle given the strife that surrounded its making but the result was one of the band’s best……
Terry Hall and the Fun Boy Three
In December 2022, we lost one of British pop’s most significant figures with the sad passing of Terry Hall. Shooting to fame with The Specials, he also broke the mould…
Album Spotlight: New Order – Get Ready
Having spread their wings via their various solo enterprises, New Order’s first album of the new millenium was a (very) long time coming. Yes, it’s far from a classic, but…
Pet Shop Boys interview – SMASH the system
In June 2023, Pet Shop Boys released what’s possibly their ultimate statement – SMASH, a boxset of all their singles. But, in the 2020s, what is a single? What’s the…
Lloyd Cole interview: King of pain
More closely involved with his fans than ever before after nearly losing his house in lockdown, Lloyd Cole has emerged with On Pain – a stunning album nearer to Talk…