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The Times

Times, The

The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785.

1,105 articles

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Brian Jones: Obituary: Mr Brian Jones

Obituary by uncredited writer, The Times, 4 July 1969

Former guitarist with the Rolling Stones ...

Pentangle: Four plus one

Profile by Karl Dallas, The Times, 14 March 1970

FOR A WHILE NOW there has been something of a quiet backlash in pop music. It started long before Crosby, Stills and Nash began charming ...

Nick Drake, Fotheringay, The Humblebums: Fotheringay, Humblebums, Nick Drake: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Karl Dallas, The Times, 1 April 1970

Group of promise ...

Fairport Convention, Fotheringay, Matthews' Southern Comfort, Steeleye Span: Fairport Convention et al: Electric folk

Overview by Karl Dallas, The Times, 18 April 1970

IT IS EASY to forget that pop, nowadays, has become an organic process. The music industry is still mostly in the hands of people whose ...

Fairport Convention, Matthews' Southern Comfort: Matthews Southern Comfort and Fairport Convention: The Roundhouse

Live Review by Karl Dallas, The Times, 25 April 1970

If A PROMENADE CONCERT, in the traditional Royal Albert Hall manifestation, is an event allowing for direct comparisons between related but differing musics, then Thursday ...

Leonard Cohen: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Karl Dallas, The Times, 11 May 1970

THE GREATEST achievement of modern pop has probably been its renewal of respect for the word in popular music: compared with the moon-and-June inanities of ...

The Who: Live At Leeds

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 18 May 1970

THE IMPORTANCE of The Who lies not only in their excellence, but in the crucial attitude of their leader, Pete Townshend. ...

Delaney & Bonnie, Flying Burrito Brothers, John Phillips: Delaney & Bonnie & Friends: On Tour; Flying Burrito Brothers: Burrito Deluxe; John Phillips: Wolfking of LA

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 20 June 1970

THAT DELANEY AND BONNIE have been instrumental in reshaping a considerable part of the ethos of modem pop music is indisputable. Eric Clapton, the charismatic ...

Eric Clapton, The Everly Brothers, Grateful Dead: New Albums from the Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton and the Everly Brothers

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 12 September 1970

Myth and music ...

Jack Bruce, John McLaughlin, Tony Williams: Jack Bruce: Royal Court, London

Live Review by Karl Dallas, The Times, 3 November 1970

WHEN JACK BRUCE played bass guitar with Cream, he extended what had until then been the instrument's limited range into nearly equal status with Eric ...

Sun Ra: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 11 November 1970

THE VISUAL element of jazz has always been notoriously conservative, ever since Chick Webb stopped painting jungle sunsets on his bass drum. At the Queen ...

King Crimson: Reincarnation of King Crimson

Report by Richard Williams, The Times, 2 December 1970

IN THE PAST, pop music has taken it for granted that its groups would stay together; when a musician has left a band, or the ...

Burning Red Ivanhoe, The Byrds, MC5: The Byrds: (Untitled); MC5: Back in the U.S.A.; Burning Red Ivanhoe

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 12 December 1970

BESIDES BEING ONE of the seminal rock and roll bands, the Byrds also possess perhaps the music's oldest case-history. Of the group which came out ...

Laura Nyro

Profile by Richard Williams, The Times, 5 January 1971

THE CURRENT STATE of pop music allows its performers to make the most naked personal statements. Only an artist with considerable character, though, can keep ...

Laura Nyro: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 8 February 1971

LAURA NYRO treads a path the width of a knife edge, between stark reality and empty histrionics. Placing herself at a distance from her audience, ...

Tim Buckley, The Faces: The Faces: Long Player (Warner WS 3011, £2.15); Tim Buckley: Starsailor (Straight STS 1064. £2.19)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 13 March 1971

Hot strong rock in the mod tradition ...

Carol Hall, Carole King, Carly Simon, Ronnie Spector: New Albums from Carole King, Carly Simon et al

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 29 May 1971

King and friends Carole King: Tapestry (A&M AMLS 2025); Carly Simon: Carly Simon (Elektra EKS-74082); Carol Hall: If I Be Your Lady (Elektra EKS-7407R); Ronnie Spector: ...

The Beach Boys: Surf's Up (Stateside SSL 10313, £2.15.)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 2 November 1971

Old heroes are best ...

The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 25 May 1972

IN A VERY few days from now, the Rolling Stones begin their massive tour of America. And with the tour comes a new album, Exile ...

David Bowie, Roxy Music, Rod Stewart, T. Rex: Albums from David Bowie, T. Rex, Rod Stewart and Roxy Music

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 2 September 1972

Stars of rock: T. Rex: The Slider; Rod Stewart: Never A Dull Moment; David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars; Roxy Music: Roxy ...

Bob Marley & the Wailers, The Wailers: The Wailers: Catch A Fire (Island)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 29 March 1973

SOME TIME during the coming summer, Reggae will become a vital force in pop music — perhaps, for a while at least, the force. For those who ...

Bruce Springsteen: Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ (CBS 65480, £2)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 14 April 1973

Springsteen is special ...

Iggy Pop, The Stooges: Iggy & the Stooges: Raw Power (CBS)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 2 July 1973

Teenage insanity ...

Ann Peebles: The Biba Rainbow Room, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 5 October 1974

APPLAUSE IN this sybaritic cafeteria is always a little suspect, being related to how far the performer can corroborate the Biba audience's good opinion of ...

Cockney Rebel, Ike & Tina Turner: Ike and Tina Turner: Hammersmith Odeon, London; Cockney Rebel: Rainbow Theatre, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 21 October 1974

THE IKE AND Tina Turner revue is the most constant reminder of what a debt we owe to Phil Spector. Had Specter not produced Tina ...

Badfinger, Johnny Winter, Man: Johnny Winter: the New Victoria Theatre, London; Man and Badfinger: the Adelphi, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 27 October 1974

JOHNNY WINTER inspires one of Rock music's more curious secret societies. ...

Horslips: Rainbow Theatre, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 12 November 1974

IT IS PLEASANT to report the existence of a band deserving more, rather than less, recognition. Horslips are an Irish quintet whose fondness for the ...

Queen: The Rainbow, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 21 November 1974

THAT REAL music should issue from a band named Queen – featuring a singer named Freddy Mercury – is sufficiently intriguing. ...

Freddie King: Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 2 December 1974

AN IMPRESSIVE crowd awaited Freddie King at the Roundhouse last night, wound about its cylindrical structure or massed on its inhospitable boards for several hours ...

Bryan Ferry: Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 20 December 1974

MUCH TROUBLE had been taken in order that Bryan Ferry's Albert Hall concert should be numbered among historic recitals. A handsome orchestra was engaged and ...

Labelle, Suzi Quatro: Suzi Quatro: Rainbow Theatre, London; Labelle: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 10 March 1975

LIFE HAS changed for Mickie Most since he appeared as one half of The Most Brothers, "England's answer to the Everly Brothers". Forsaking the duet ...

John Martyn, Procol Harum: Procol Harum, John Martyn: Rainbow Theatre, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 18 March 1975

Joyless: Last Concert at the Rainbow ...

Lou Reed: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 26 March 1975

IN THE case of Lou Reed I must confess – why shouldn't I – a prejudice. ...

Barry White: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 13 May 1975

RESIGNED AS we are to the gradual dilution and destruction of American soul music, there remains something unearthly in the success enjoyed by Barry White. ...

Link Wray: The Lyceum, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 7 June 1975

LINK WRAY was – I should say, is – an American guitarist who, somewhere around 1960, recorded an instrumental tune called 'Rumble'. ...

Bob Marley & The Wailers: Lyceum Ballroom, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 18 July 1975

BOB MARLEY and the Wailers reached the Lyceum two nights ago, in some style. By early evening, long before they were due to appear, the ...

Maria Muldaur: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 23 July 1975

MARIA MULDAUR makes her first appearance in London with a week at Ronnie Scott's club — an unusual, even modest debut, one might think, for ...

Manhattan Transfer: Biba Rainbow Room, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 21 August 1975

EVEN AS the bright entrails of Biba are being picked over by sale crowds, its Rainbow Restaurant offers Manhattan Transfer, the newest fashionable rock group, ...

Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan: Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan: Palladium, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 15 November 1975

THE EMERGENCE of Frank Sinatra from retirement has become as regular a ceremony as when Lloyd George or Churchill used to be wheeled out on ...

Weather Report: New Victoria, London

Live Review by Philip Norman, The Times, 28 November 1975

MENTION "JAZZ rock" to me in the normal way, and I yawn. The two elements, apparently so close, seem mutually inimical: the fire tends to ...

Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Kate and Anna McGarrigle: Victoria Palace, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 26 July 1976

BY THE manner in which they presented their London debut last night, one imagines that Kate and Anna McGarrigle spent much of their childhood around ...

Brand X: Ronnie Scott's Club, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 3 September 1976

UNTIL SEPTEMBER 11th, there is a chance to see, nightly, a man who is arguably the most interesting electric bassist working in popular music. His ...

Kool and the Gang: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 18 September 1976

THE PAST couple of years have seen the needs of the discotheque exerting ever greater influence on the prevailing direction of much popular music. The ...

James Booker: 100 Club, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 27 October 1976

IT CAN BE argued, with, some conviction, that popular music of this century has had no true main stream, simply a complex network of tributaries ...

Talking Heads: Rock Garden, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 16 May 1977

TWO ROCK bands from New York, both conveniently accepted as constituents of the current New Wave, are actually proposing a fresh and promising direction for ...

Elvis Presley: The King is Dead

Obituary by Philip Norman, The Times, August 1977

ELVIS PRESLEY will be remembered as the first and the greatest exponent of Rock and Roll music, whose recordings of 'Blue Suede Shoes', 'Hound Dog' ...

George Benson: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 30 January 1978

A BLACK AMERICAN musician, the leader of a band which sold several million records in 1977, told me last week that the blues are dead. ...

Millie Jackson: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 1 February 1978

ONE IS SO accustomed to the sexual boastfulness of male rock and soul singers that it comes as an instructive change to witness the same ...

Television: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 17 April 1978

TELEVISION, THE New York rock group that scored notable triumphs a year ago with records and concerts which mixed ferocity and charm in unusually well-balanced ...

Marvin Gaye: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 16 June 1980

MARVIN GAYE'S music, which in his early days epitomized the high-octane energy so consistently produced by that greatest of all pop factories, Motown Records, moved ...

Art Pepper: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 19 June 1980

The jazzman personified ...

Pink Floyd: Earl's Court, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 5 August 1980

PINK FLOYD'S The Wall, which has already achieved enormous success as a set of two long-playing records, is first and finally an elaborate vehicle for ...

The Stray Cats: Stray Cats: Dingwall's, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 9 August 1980

SOMETIMES IT seems a shame that pop promoters long ago abandoned the old-fashioned style of rapid-fire package shows, in which seven or eight singers or ...

Ultravox: Lyceum, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 18 August 1980

IN THE SEARCH to perfect a commodity which is being touted as White European Dance Music, Ultravox now occupy the ground between Gary Numan, who ...

Aswad: Dingwall's, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 22 August 1980

FOR ALL its enjoyable effects, the ska-punk blend of 2-Tone music may have done lasting damage to another, potentially even more valuable fusion: local reggae, ...

Gary Numan: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 18 September 1980

IF YOU choose to sow in the field of fashion, you must expect to reap a brief harvest. There were empty seats at Gary Numan's ...

Brothers Johnson: Dominion, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 26 September 1980

"JAZZ IS the teacher", runs an aphorism recently coined by the avant-garde guitarist James Ulmer, "and funk is the preacher". What he meant was that ...

Cliff Richard: Apollo, Victoria, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 2 October 1980

THE LAST time I went to see the principle boy of the British music industry, some pop-crazed teddygirl poked her umbrella in my eye. That ...

Kid Creole & the Coconuts: Le Palace, Paris

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 23 October 1980

POP MUSIC may have been born free, but it was quickly enslaved by commercial interests; perhaps we should not be surprised that genuinely original vision ...

Chico Freeman, James "Blood" Ulmer: James "Blood" Ulmer, Chico Freeman: Camden Jazz Week, the Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 3 November 1980

JAMES "BLOOD" Ulmer put the cat among the pigeons with gratifying forthrightness at the Camden Jazz Week on Friday evening. An American guitarist who appeared ...

Sheena Easton, Gerard Kenny, Dennis Waterman: Sheena Easton, Dennis Waterman, Gerard Kemmy: Dominion, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 3 November 1980

SHEENA EASTON'S present success might be seen as reassurance that, even in this post-Sex Pistols age, the British mainstream pop audience refuses to give up ...

Talking Heads: Hammersmith Palais, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 3 December 1980

TALKING HEADS opened with 'Psychokiller', their early anthem which contains the line: "Say something once, why say it again?" One may justifiably express certain reservations ...

Spandau Ballet: Heaven, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 31 December 1980

SPANDAU BALLET are the house band of the Blitz Kids, a collection of young peacocks who fancy themselves as this month's leaders of London's post-punk ...

Crystal Gayle: Apollo, Victoria, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 6 March 1981

EVER SENSITIVE to shifting tastes, and spurred on by furious competition for the advertising dollar, American pop radio stations change their formats with disconcerting frequency. ...

John Martyn: Dominion, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 26 May 1981

WITH A NEW four-piece band and a new record contract behind him, John Martyn is clearly hoping to translate his loyal cult following into something ...

Grace Jones: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 9 October 1981

AN AMAZONIAN former mannequin of Jamaican extraction, Grace Jones has become the toast of the jeunesse dorée lately arisen from the ashes of late-Seventies punk ...

Randy Crawford: A soul saved from the church

Profile and Interview by Richard Williams, The Times, 19 October 1981

IN A POP music market fuelled more obviously than ever by fad and fashion, the recent British success of Randy Crawford has been taken in ...

Aswad, Linx: Linx and Aswad: Shades of Black

Profile and Interview by Richard Williams, The Times, 26 November 1981

THERE IS A special role in British life for young black pop musicians, involving a task more serious than could ever be demanded of their ...

The Pointer Sisters: Pointer Sisters: Dominion, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 26 November 1981

AS DELIVERED by the Pointer Sisters, 'Slow Hand' is not merely a memorable recent hit single but perhaps the best women's song written by men ...

The Beatles, Paul McCartney: The Times Profile: Paul McCartney

Profile and Interview by Richard Williams, The Times, 4 January 1982

In the year of his 40th birthday Paul McCartney, the world's most successful pop musician, adjusts the record ...

Barry Manilow: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 12 January 1982

The pink panther ...

Machito: The Venue, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 3 February 1982

IF THE utterly spurious salsa boom has achieved nothing else, at least it brought Machito to London for a performance on Monday night which presented ...

A Certain Ratio, Pinski Zoo: A Certain Ratio: Lyceum, London; Pinski Zoo: The Venue, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 19 February 1982

WHO WOULD have thought, after it had been received into the White House and on to the Parkinson show, that jazz could ever again become ...

Art Ensemble of Chicago: Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 17 March 1982

IT MAY BE impossible for the outsider to decode the arcane rituals which accompany a performance by the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and which the ...

Maze featuring Frankie Beverly: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 25 March 1982

ONE COOL dude, in shiny black from boots to leather baseball cap, Frankie Beverly was plainly the most surprised man in Hammersmith this week. Without ...

Haircut 100: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 2 April 1982

ALREADY THERE are plastic combs, button badges, scarves, key fobs and sweat shirts, available via an order form stapled to their concert programme. Haircut 100, ...

Tom Browne: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 5 April 1982

TOM BROWN proves on his most recent album, with treatments of two tunes by John Coltrane, that he has the equipment to be an above-average ...

Gil Scott-Heron: The Venue, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 12 April 1982

Cause for concern ...

Slim Gaillard: The Canteen, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 6 October 1982

SLIM GAILLARD'S season in Covent Garden, and his subsequent appearances around the country, will attract not only those nostalgic lor the 32nd Street era but ...

Kool and the Gang: Kool & The Gang: Apollo, Victoria

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 16 October 1982

SINCE THEY possess in general less of an all-consuming respect for their own genius than their contemporaries in white rock music, black soul groups often ...

Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decoding Society: Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 18 March 1983

AS THE ONLY drummer to have appeared on record with Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman, three of the grand masters of the jazz ...

Malcolm McLaren: Proud Pirate of Punk

Profile and Interview by Michael Watts, The Times, 27 May 1983

Malcolm McLaren was dismissed as a distasteful maverick when he managed the Sex Pistols, but there is more to him than an outrageous gift for ...

Robert Palmer: Dominion, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 1 June 1983

Shaken not stirred ...

Curtis Mayfield: Commonwealth Institute, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 27 June 1983

A TRIUMPH OF experience over environment, Curtis Mayfield's return to London on Friday night was a tribute to the enduring worth of the generation of ...

Echo & the Bunnymen: The Gathering Hall, Portree, Isle of Skye

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 7 July 1983

THE GATHERING Hall, Portree, has resounded to many a meeting of the clans in the last 100 years but it can seldom have witnessed such ...

Dire Straits: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 25 July 1983

FEW ROCK GROUPS depend as heavily for success on an intimate engagement with the emotions of the listener as Dire Straits, so it is a ...

Dr. John: Dr John: Dingwalls, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 5 August 1983

DESPITE AN unfortunate illness, rumours of Dr John's early retirement have been greatly exaggerated. As if to emphasize his recent recovery New Orleans's favourite white ...

Barry Manilow: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 29 August 1983

IN ONE OF the season's most outrageous pieces of theatre Barry Manilow, the boy from Brooklyn, played his weekend concert before forty thousand people at ...

Carmen McRae, George Shearing, Mel Tormé: Mel Tormé, George Shearing, Carmen McRae: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 13 September 1983

IT SEEMS probable that not many of those who gathered last night to hear Mel Tormé and George Shearing at the first of their five ...

The Everly Brothers: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 23 September 1983

You had to half-close your eyes, but then it all came back: 1958, The Perry Como Show, two boys with strange faces, perfectly greased quiffs ...

Culture Club: Brighton Centre

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 27 September 1983

SUCCESS STORIES abound in the fickle pop world, but the rise of Culture Club is genuinely deserved. The band and their androgynous singer Boy George ...

Tom Jones: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 27 September 1983

The Cojones Boy ...

Clarence Clemons, Billy Joel, Tom Waits: Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones (Island ILPS 9762); Billy Joel: An Innocent Man (CBS 25554); Clarence Clemons: Rescue (CBS 25699)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 1 October 1983

Piercing fragments from the gutter ...

Clarence Clemons, Billy Joel, Tom Waits: Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones (Island); Billy Joel: An Innocent Man (CBS); Clarence Clemons: Rescue (CBS)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 1 October 1983

Piercing fragments from the gutter ...

Wham!: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 31 October 1983

WATCHING WHAM! perform live confirms the suspicion that 1983 has marked the return of the teenybopper. Wham! fans, the majority young girls, possess all the ...

Culture Club, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Paul Haig, John Hiatt: Culture shock as Bob Dylan is outshone by the Boy Wonder

Review by Max Bell, The Times, 5 November 1983

Culture Club: Colour By Numbers (Virgin V2285); Bob Dylan: Infidels (CBS 25538); John Hiatt: Riding With The King (Geffen GHS4017 Import); The Doors: Alive, She ...

Duran Duran: Apollo, Manchester

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 8 December 1983

Trapped in idolatry ...

Imagination: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 13 December 1983

THE FIRST surprise was the discovery that, although the members of Imagination may have black skins, they are not what is crudely known in the ...

Einstürzende Neubauten, Prefab Sprout: ICA, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 9 January 1984

THIS YEAR the I.C.A.'s excellent and well-established Rock Week event went under the banner "Big Brother Is Watching You". He certainly got value for his ...

The Smiths: Lyceum, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 14 February 1984

DESPITE THEIR PROSAIC NAME, the Smiths are very much the band of the moment. Six months ago this Mancunian four-piece were breaking out of the ...

Genesis: NEC, Birmingham

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 28 February 1984

WHEN GENESIS first came to prominence, some 12 years ago, they were regarded as leaders in the rock-as-theatre movement. The combination of their former vocalist ...

Dire Straits: Graceful Strengths

Interview by Richard Williams, The Times, 26 April 1984

By most of the yardsticks of pop music in 1984, Dire Straits are so conventional as to be practically invisible. No exotic dancing, no men ...

Gregory Isaacs: Lyceum, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 31 May 1984

SUCH IS the flexibility of Gregory Isaacs's vocal prowess that he does not deserve to be typecast to a particular style. Isaacs is first and ...

Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen: Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA (CBS 38653); Elvis Presley: 'I Can Tell' and Other Great Hits (RCA PL 89287)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 2 June 1984

Green grass and parables of the badlands ...

Billy Joel: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 7 June 1984

IT IS, OF course, too easy to say that once you've seen the video, the real thing can only be a disappointment. Indeed, there were ...

Bob Dylan: On Common Ground: Bob Dylan live in Rome

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 23 June 1984

Richard Williams gets a taste of Dylan as his tour makes its way towards Britain ...

James King & the Lone Wolves, Orange Juice, Jonathan Richman: Orange Juice, Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers, James King & the Lone Wolves: Hammersmith Palais, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 23 June 1984

WHILE THE big names are sweating it out at the annual round of festivals, beginning with Glastonbury this weekend, the main event of midsummer night ...

Stevie Wonder: London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 2 July 1984

PERHAPS ONE DAY Stevie Wonder will recognize that inviting a British audience to sing along with him does not evoke the kind of ready response ...

Sade: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 2 August 1984

SADE IS CURRENTLY the hottest new voice in town. Her Diamond Life album has been highly praised and her jazz diva's image, allied to a ...

Bobby Womack: Apollo, Oxford

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 21 September 1984

AS A PROMINENT member of soul music's most impressive dynasty, and with a performing career stretching back more than 20 years, it would be surprising ...

Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Welcome To The Pleasuredome (ZTT IQ1)

Review by Max Bell, The Times, 3 November 1984

Frankie say pleasure can pay ...

Floy Joy: Wag Club, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 5 November 1984

JUDGING BY the packed house for Floy Joy's debut London date, the word is already out on this charming new jazz funk outfit. Though they ...

Billy Mackenzie: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 12 December 1984

The odd twist ...

Culture Club: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Max Bell, The Times, 20 December 1984

OF ALL THE SUPERGROUPS currently vying for public attention Culture Club and their lead singer Boy George seem the most vulnerable. The title of their ...

Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Relax, It's Only A Rock Group: Frankie Goes To Hollywood

Profile and Interview by Max Bell, The Times, 14 February 1985

CARL GUSTAV JUNG, in one of his lighter moments, once wrote: "Liverpool is the pool of life". A year after Jung's death his words were ...

Roy Buchanan: Dominion, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 7 March 1985

TO THE majority of rock enthusiasts, Roy Buchanan may be remembered as little more than an American guitarist who achieved one minor British chart success ...

Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five: Oxford Polytechnic

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 12 March 1985

"WHEN YOU leave the ghetto, you gotta figure a way of walking out in style", drawled the lean Grandmaster of New York rap, Melle Mel. ...

Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 1 April 1985

HAVING TENACIOUSLY eschewed the medium of live performance as a factor in their rise to ministardom, Frankie Goes to Hollywood now find themselves hoist by ...

Howard Jones: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 18 April 1985

HOWARD JONES, a successful pop star for about 18 months, has become the doyen of the new breed of singer-songwriters who, with their electronic keyboards ...

Pat Metheny Group: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 4 May 1985

A touch of class ...

Nina Simone: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 6 May 1985

IT WAS A fair measure of Nina Simone's ability that, in, the bustling thoroughfare of Ronnie Scott's, she was able, to command close attention with ...

Ashford & Simpson: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 22 May 1985

SINCE THE SONGS they wrote in the 1960s for Marvin Gave and Tammi Terrell put a patent on the genre, it was not surprising that ...

Prince: Around The World In A Day

Review by Max Bell, The Times, 1 June 1985

PRINCE, THE CURRENT court jester of American hippy soul, once wrote a song called 'Ronnie, Talk To Russia', a good message number that indicated this ...

Bruce Springsteen: Perfect Mastery Of The Beat

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 June 1985

Bruce Springsteen: Slane Castle, Dublin ...

Gil Scott-Heron: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 4 June 1985

ALTHOUGH HE does not like being labelled, particularly as a "protest singer", Gil Scott-Heron may fairly be described as a radical black poet and jazz-funk ...

Bruce Springsteen: A Promise Fulfilled — But What Next?

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 5 July 1985

Bruce Springsteen: Wembley Stadium, London ...

Daniel Ponce: Shaw Theatre, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 11 July 1985

SALSA, THE modern form of what was once know as Afro-Cuban music, has been threatening to catch on with a wider audience since the middle ...

The Blasters: Electric Ballroom, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 11 July 1985

WITH THE energy and precision that is now the recognizable hallmark of the bands engaged in the current American roots music invasion of Britain, the ...

The Lords of the New Church: Lords of the New Church: Hammersmith Palais, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 13 August 1985

NEARLY TEN years after the punk rock "revolution", the genre is slipping into a quiet middle age. In common with heavy metal, punk is now ...

Einstürzende Neubauten: Einstürzende Neubaten: Heaven, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 4 September 1985

THE FIRST visitors to the garish Heaven club on Monday night were GLC safety inspectors, alerted perhaps by reports of Einstürzende Neubaten's previous London performance ...

Womack and Womack: Womack & Womack: Dominion, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 17 September 1985

Songs written with soul ...

Chaka Khan, Third World: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 30 September 1985

Not her moment ...

Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 15 October 1985

ON HIS third visit to Britain, and with his current album So Many Rivers making modest inroads on the charts, Bobby Womack seems to have ...

Tom Waits: Dominion, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 18 October 1985

Saloon bar ballads ...

Judie Tzuke at the Hammersmith Odeon

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 21 October 1985

DESPITE HER GREATEST CLAIM to fame still being her one British hit single in 1979,'Stay With Me 'till Dawn', Judie Tzuke has released seven albums ...

The Neville Brothers: Neville Brothers: Shaw Theatre, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 5 November 1985

NEW ORLEANS has Nevilles like Washington has Kennedys and Kent has Cowdreys. Notwithstanding claims on behalf of the Marsalis clan, the four brothers Neville represent ...

Joni Mitchell: The Travailer's Tale

Review and Interview by Mick Brown, The Times, 10 November 1985

AT 41, JONI MITCHELL remains, to all appearances, very much the idealistic woman who embodied an era of pop music at its most wistfully self-absorbed ...

Anthony Braxton: Bloomsbury Theatre, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 15 November 1985

Ironic improvisations ...

Charlie Watts: The Charlie Watts Orchestra: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 20 November 1985

YOU AND I probably dreamt of opening the batting for England or commanding the footplate of the Flying Scotsman. Charlie Watts yearned for the driving-seat ...

Chet Baker: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 27 November 1985

Languid invention ...

Sade: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 3 December 1985

FOR ALMOST an hour, Sade Adu and her musicians reproduced the chic minimalism of their records with such detached precision and consistency that the songs ...

Cameo: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 9 December 1985

DESPITE CAMEO'S low media profile, they boast a distinguished history of 11 album releases yielding estimated sales of 20 million records. It is but one ...

Bob Dylan, Sandy Denny: Bob Dylan: Biograph; Sandy Denny: Who Knows Where The Time Goes

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 28 December 1985

NOTHING AS simple as a "greatest hits" collection from the Bob Dylan of 1985, of course. ...

Sting: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 22 January 1986

WHEN A million-seller rock singer breaks away from his usual band and hires instead a bunch of hot-shot American jazz musicians, what is he trying ...

Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Robert Cray, Microdisney, Yma Sumac: Microdisney: The Clock Comes Down The Stairs; Albert Collins et al: Showdown!; Yma Sumac: Legend Of The Sun Virgin

Review by Max Bell, The Times, 1 February 1986

Irish quirkiness and venom ...

ZZ Top: Civic Center, Lake Charles LA

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 4 February 1986

ALTHOUGH A low-profile start to their lengthy American tour, ZZ Top's performance at this small lakeside township in Louisiana was anything but understated. With a ...

Mötley Crüe: Hammersmith Odeon, Odeon

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 17 February 1986

SINCE FORMING in Los Angeles in 1981, Mötley Crüe have assiduously cultivated a hard-living bad-boy image, diligently indulging in the traditional macho pursuits of drinking, ...

Rosanne Cash, The Judds, George Strait: The Judds: Rockin' with the Rhythm (RCA); Rosanne Cash: Rhythm and Romance (CBS); George Strait: Something Special (MCA)

Review by Max Bell, The Times, 1 March 1986

Leaving the old wagon wheels behind ...

Cherrelle, Alexander O'Neal: Alexander O'Neal, Cherrelle: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 March 1986

ALTHOUGH THE two artists performed separately, their recent hit as a duet, 'Saturday Love', and other common features of their careers, made this a sensible ...

Liza Minnelli: Palladium, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 10 March 1986

IT WAS OF course a coincidence that Liza Minnelli opened her British season the same week that Frank Sinatra's version of Kander and Ebb's 'Theme ...

Jeff Beck: Ambitious in his artistry

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 22 March 1986

The reclusive Jeff Beck is back with a new single, released on Monday. Interview by David Sinclair ...

Billy Cobham's Glass Menagerie: Dingwalls, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 21 April 1986

WITH HIS explosive playing style and highly developed technique, Billy Cobham earned the dubious accolade among rock audiences, unused to such an advanced jazz playing ...

Drum Theatre, Nik Kershaw, Belouis Some, Kim Wilde: Nik Kershaw, Kim Wilde, Belouis Some, Drum Theatre: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 23 April 1986

Yielding to the star machine ...

The SOS Band: SOS Band: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 26 April 1986

Squelchy sensuality ...

Chet Baker: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 13 August 1986

LOOKING A good deal more fragile than on his last visit to Frith Street, when for an entire week he played what sounded like the ...

Stevie Ray Vaughan: Hammersmith Palais, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 4 October 1986

A COUPLE OF minutes before the lights came on were almost worth the price of admission. Already steaming with the sweat of an audience that ...

Loose Tubes, McCoy Tyner: McCoy Tyner: Ronnie Scott's; Loose Tubes: Logan Hall, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 17 October 1986

NO ONE who ventured abroad in London on Wednesday night could have been in much doubt about the current health of the jazz scene. At ...

Miles Davis: Wembley Conference Centre, London

Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 19 November 1986

Struggling to turn the clock back ...

Michael McDonald: LA's hi-tech soul singer: Michael McDonald

Profile and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 1987

THE PREVIEW in Thursday's Independent said it all: "Placid white soul-funker, conservative stuff even by Los Angeles standards." You could not hope to find a ...

Elkie Brooks: No more the has-been

Profile and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 21 March 1987

"I HOPED I was going to retire when I was 40, but unfortunately I wasn't rich enough to be able to do that," is how ...

Steve Earle & the Dukes: Mean Fiddler, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 26 March 1987

IF ANYONE has given substance to the idea that there is something more to "New Country" than a handy promotional slogan, then it is Steve ...

The Beastie Boys, Run-DMC: The Beastie Boys: Just nice boys at heart

Report and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 23 May 1987

"THERE'S A certain virtue in negative publicity, and a lot of it has come from us just being ourselves, particularly on stage; but there's a ...

Tammy Wynette: Just a country girl at heart

Profile and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 27 May 1987

David Sinclair talks to American singer Tammy Wynette, in Britain as part of her long-awaited European tour. ...

Tina Turner: A smile and a song

Report and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 17 June 1987

David Sinclair meets the resilient rock star Tina Turner, playing at Wembley Arena until tomorrow night ...

Terence Trent D'Arby, Jill Jones, Jennifer Warnes: Terence Trent D'Arby: Introducing The Hard Line According To; Jill Jones: Jill Jones; Jennifer Warnes: Famous Blue Raincoat

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 18 July 1987

Exciting find ...

Bruce Springsteen: Tunnel of Love (CBS)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 5 October 1987

Simple gains: Richard Williams on Bruce Springsteen's new album Tunnel of Love, released today ...

Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers: Astoria, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 19 October 1987

AT 9.10 ON Friday night a lean young man called Milton Smith sat down behind a white Sonor drum-kit and began teasing out a gritty, ...

Aretha Franklin: Power from the pulpit — Aretha Franklin: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (Arista 303178, 2 discs)

Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 12 December 1987

Aretha Franklin has returned to her gospel roots. Richard Williams hears the result ...

The Pogues: If I Should Fall From Grace With God (Pogue Mahone NYR 1)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 23 January 1988

Rip-snorting triumph ...

Ry Cooder: Timing it right

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 13 May 1988

David Sinclair meets American guitarist Ry Cooder, in London to prepare for a six-city British tour ...

Randy Travis: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 21 June 1988

Timeless voice ...

Robert Palmer, The Power Station: Robert Palmer: Vinegar into champagne

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 24 June 1988

Robert Palmer, the rock singer whose 20-year career has included associations with Elkie Brooks, Gary Numan and Duran Duran, talks to David Sinclair about his ...

Michael Jackson, Prince: Match of the Fey: Prince and Michael Jackson

Essay by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 13 July 1988

PRINCE BEGGED an interviewer seven years ago: "Just don’t compare me to Michael Jackson." Few could then have guessed there would ever be a need ...

Public Enemy, Muddy Waters: Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Def Jam DEF 462415); Muddy Waters: Hoochie Coochie Man (Epic 461186)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 16 July 1988

Fast and furious ...

Paul Oakenfold, Danny Rampling: From Acid House to the Balearics

Report by David Toop, The Times, 18 August 1988

What is the link between acid and House, between Ibiza and a music that does not exist? ...

Mica Paris: So Good (4th & Broadway BRLP 525)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 27 August 1988

Mica has arrived, right on time ...

John Zorn: The master of mixture

Interview by David Toop, The Times, 5 November 1988

John Zorn, whose group Naked City makes a rare appearance in London tomorrow, has turned sheer eclecticism into an art form. David Toop did some ...

Aswad: The genial face of reggae

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 23 December 1988

Having recognized that music is a business, Aswad have at last won the recognition they deserve, David Sinclair writes. ...

Fishbone: Town & Country Club, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 7 January 1989

Punk with brains ...

Buck Owens: Myths of the honky-tonker

Profile and Interview by David Toop, The Times, 25 March 1989

On the eve of the Wembley country, festival, Buck Owens tells David Toop of the horrors of assembly-line music ...

Kym Mazelle, Ten City: Ten City, Kym Mazelle: Town & Country, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 27 March 1989

Beyond the beat ...

Luther Vandross: What A World For The Lonely Kind: Luther Vandross

Profile and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 28 March 1989

LUTHER VANDROSS is the pre-eminent mainstream soul performer of the 1980s. As a singer, songwriter and producer he is – with the possible exception of ...

The Cure: The Curious Case Of The Cure

Interview by Johnny Black, The Times, 24 April 1989

IF ANY ROCK millionaire other than Robert Smith claimed not to know the chart position of his latest single, it would be impossible to believe. ...

Wendy And Lisa: Wendy & Lisa: Town & Country Club, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 29 April 1989

Ladies in waiting ...

Bobby Brown: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 26 June 1989

Trying too hard ...

Bobby "Blue" Bland: Malaco: Soul’s Retirement Home

Report and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 10 July 1989

"BLUES SINGERS don't retire", said the late Howlin' Wolf, and Bobby "Blue" Bland might well agree with him. After thirty seven years virtually nonstop on ...

Etta James: Mama tells us all about it

Interview by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 26 July 1989

WHEN ETTA JAMES was a 17-year old glamour puss with drug-store-peroxide blonde hair and a lewd rock 'n' roll hit called 'Roll With Me Henry' ...

Island Records: The man who sold the world?

Report by David Toop, The Times, 2 August 1989

Chris Blackwell, the idiosyncratic founder of Island Records, has sold out to one of the music industry giants, Polygram. David Toop asks whether the spirit ...

Georgie Fame, Billy Fury, Malcolm McLaren, Tommy Steele, Marty Wilde: Larry Parnes: The past master in idol speculation

Obituary by David Toop, The Times, 7 August 1989

David Toop on how Larry Parnes, who died last week, invented the British pop music star as a result of a meeting in a coffee ...

Bros: The only way is where?

Profile by David Toop, The Times, 18 August 1989

Bros, Britain's favourite pop group, play Wembley Stadium tomorrow. David Toop asks whether this sets the seal on their success or marks the beginning of ...

Babyface, N.W.A, Saw Throat: Babyface: Tender Lover; NWA: Straight Outta Compton; Various artists: Grind Crusher; Saw Throats: Indestroy

Review by David Toop, The Times, 26 August 1989

Conventional Black ...

Adeva, Kool and the Gang, Van Dyke Parks: Kool and the Gang: Sweat (Phonogram 838233-1); Van Dyke Parks: Tokyo Rose (Warner Bros 925968-1)

Review by David Toop, The Times, 2 September 1989

Moving forward to the past ...

Gloria Estefan: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 26 September 1989

Salsa rhythms propel the Havana beat ...

John Lee Hooker: Nothin' shakes a true blue legend

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 27 October 1989

David Sinclair talks to rugged, illiterate bluesman John Lee Hooker, at 69 sounding like a man who breakfasts on iron filings. ...

Tracy Chapman: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 17 November 1989

A glum, tedious sing-along ...

The Stone Roses: Alexandra Palace, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 20 November 1989

Failing the acid test ...

John Zorn: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 30 November 1989

Art of musical autopsy in reverse ...

David Byrne: A Composer of Pleasure

Profile and Interview by Steve Turner, The Times, 1 December 1989

What do you think you are best at? David Byrne, neat in a blue button-down collar shirt and college athlete’s haircut, looks nervously into the ...

Alexander O'Neal: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 4 December 1989

Tenderness to spare ...

Eric Clapton: Eric Suits Himself: Clapton At Birmingham NEC Arena

Live Review by Michael Gray, The Times, 1990

ERIC CLAPTON IS a complex man – or, expressed in the terms his image encourages, he's an odd bloke, old Eric. ...

Barry Manilow: Palladium, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 1 February 1990

Falling for the master of charm ...

Bob Dylan, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois, The Neville Brothers, U2: Daniel Lanois: Let the music speak

Interview by David Toop, The Times, 2 February 1990

David Toop meets Daniel Lanois, the hit producer of albums for U2, Peter Gabriel and Bob Dylan, now a performer himself on record and visiting ...

Youssou N'Dour, Ryuichi Sakamoto: Ryuichi Sakamoto: Dominion, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 27 March 1990

Dissolving the borders ...

Beats International: Let Them Eat Bingo (Go Beat 842196-2)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 6 April 1990

Light beats from a bright cook ...

Lee "Scratch" Perry: Lee Perry: Man, myth and magician

Profile and Interview by David Toop, The Times, 13 April 1990

Jamaican musician Lee Perry, re-emerging after a long period of semi-retirement, talks to David Toop ...

Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet (Def Jam 466281 1)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 13 April 1990

THERE HAS been an all-round upping of the ante in the rap stakes since Public Enemy released the classic, It Takes a Nation of Millions ...

Sonny Sharrock: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 18 April 1990

Brash display of showmanship ...

Ali Farka Touré: Ronnie Scott's Club, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 26 April 1990

A modern primitive ...

John Lennon: Dead Aid/Instant Bad Karma By The Mersey: The John Lennon Memorial Concert, Pier Head, Liverpool

Report by Michael Gray, The Times, 7 May 1990

IT HAS TAKEN the music industry five years to transform the rock-stars-for-charity mega-event from Bob Geldof's coherent effort to ameliorate a real tragedy to this ...

k.d. lang: Back to the emotional basics

Profile and Interview by David Toop, The Times, 25 May 1990

A WOMAN who favours the use of lower-case letters for her name rather than capitals, k.d. lang claims to have given up intellectualizing country music. ...

Anita Baker: Live at Wembley Arena

Live Review by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, June 1990

ANITA BAKER remains a remarkable phenomenon: an intimate, improvisatory jazz-soul songstress who gigs in vast, impersonal hangars such as Wembley Arena. She should be appearing ...

Robert Plant: Zeppelin Man Takes the High Road to Nirvana

Interview by Steve Turner, The Times, June 1990

This month’s tour by Robert Plant, which reaches England tonight, has been his first European jaunt since his days with Led Zeppelin, the band which ...

Sun Ra: Not-so-lucky old Sun shines on

Profile and Interview by David Toop, The Times, 8 June 1990

David Toop talks to Sun Ra; supremely idiosyncratic veteran US bandleader ...

New Kids On The Block: Step by Step (CBS 466686 1)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 22 June 1990

CONCERNED PARENTS may be anxious to discover what exactly has precipitated the recent bouts of querulous mass hysteria among our nation's six to 12 year-olds. ...

Frank Sinatra: London Arena

Live Review by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, July 1990

VOGUE once said of Frank Sinatra that "the Voice is leading cool moderns back to emotion". Looking around at the well-heeled sentimentalists and legend-seekers at ...

Cliff Richard, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Pink Floyd, Robert Plant, Status Quo: Lunching with the Elder Statesmen of Charity Rock: The Nordoff-Robbins Concert, Knebworth

Review by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 2 July 1990

WHEN QUINCY JONES gathered together his USA For Africa superstars to record 'We are the World' five years ago, he pinned a sign outside the ...

Madonna: Wembley Stadium, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 21 July 1990

Rock à la Hollywood ...

John Hiatt: Bottom Line, New York

Live Review by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, August 1990

A SKINNY troubadour with a throaty, abrasive growl of a voice, John Hiatt slides in to the American rock dream somewhere between Ry Cooder at ...

Billy Idol: Mobile sneer and ultimate throb makes Idol rich

Profile and Interview by David Toop, The Times, 20 August 1990

Fame in America but indifference at home: the strange fate of the textbook rock 'n' roller Billy Idol told by David Toop. ...

Burt Bacharach: Back to the Brilliance of Bacharach

Profile by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 22 August 1990

Anyone who has a heart, including a new generation of British youngsters, is still falling for the magical Sixties music of Burt Bacharach, says Barney ...

MC Hammer: Hammer delivers several sharp hits

Interview by Steve Turner, The Times, 4 September 1990

Steve Turner talks to MC Hammer, whose rap album has topped the US charts for 13 weeks ...

The Pixies: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, October 1990

WATCHING THE Pixies in a rock venue as mainstream as the Hammersmith Odeon seemed wrong, and they were as surprised to be there as anyone ...

Youssou N'Dour: Hammersmith Palais, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 20 November 1990

YOUSSOU N'DOUR has been described as the first World Music superstar; as meaningless titles go, this is hard to beat and offers the remarkable Senegalese ...

Laurie Anderson: Rebel from Decade of Greed

Interview by Steve Turner, The Times, 22 November 1990

Laurie Anderson’s first big work since United States, the two-part, eight-hour show she took on the road in 1983, is Empty Places. Shorter (ninety minutes ...

The dB's, Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey: A Crafty Couple: Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple

Interview by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 1991

AN INEVITABLE side effect of any domestic pop explosion in Britain is that the best American rock should be overlooked by radio stations and the ...

Eric Clapton: Blues God Without An Axe To Grind

Profile by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 2 February 1991

WHEN THAT crazed blues fanatic scrawled the words "CLAPTON IS GOD" on a London wall in 1966, he ushered in the cult of the guitar ...

Gloria Estefan, Roger McGuinn: Gloria Estefan: Into the Light (Epic 4677821); Roger McGuinn: Back From Rio (Arista 261 348)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 8 February 1991

Breezy blend with a Cuban flavour ...

Joni Mitchell: Conversation with a wandering dreamer

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 11 February 1991

Joni Mitchell, artist, photographer and grande dame of rock, talks to David Sinclair. ...

Joni Mitchell: Conversation with a Wandering Dreamer

Review and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 11 February 1991

WITHIN 60 SECONDS of setting eyes on me, Joni Mitchell has started telling me about her dreams. I am spared details, but she insists that ...

Ronnie Spector: Exorcising Phil's Spectre: Ronnie's Return

Interview by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 16 February 1991

THE SNOWBOUND metropolis of London holds many memories for Ronnie Spector. When she was riding high in the mid-'60s with The Ronettes, that vampy girl ...

The Rolling Stones: Rolling into Discord with a Single Song

Interview by Steve Turner, The Times, 25 February 1991

With the release next month of the song ‘High Wire’, The Rolling Stones will become the first big rock act to refer directly to the ...

David Lee Roth: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 5 March 1991

AN IRREPRESSIBLE showman, David Lee Roth has got where he is primarily by dint of athletic energy, brass neck and sheer force of personality. His ...

Freddie Jackson: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 6 March 1991

FREDDIE JACKSON has lost the initiative in recent years, which is a great shame. In the mid-Eighties it looked as if he was poised to ...

808 State, Jellyfish, Morrissey: Jellyfish: Bellybutton (Charisma); 808 State: ex:el (ZTT); Morrissey: Kill Uncle (His Master's Voice)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 8 March 1991

Musical literacy makes sound sense ...

Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Kravitz, Living Colour, Prince, Public Enemy, Roachford, Sly & the Family Stone: Ebony, Ivory and the Blues

Comment by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 20 May 1991

Barney Hoskyns on the continuing power struggle between black and white influences in popular music ...

INXS at Wembley Stadium: All the aces but little heart

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 15 July 1991

QUITE BY coincidence INXS mount their London summer spectacular on the sixth anniversary of the Live Aid concert at this same venue, In so far ...

Kraftwerk: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 23 July 1991

FOLLOWING THIS year's release of a remix album, a greatest hits by any other name, Kraftwerk fans have been forced to ask themselves whether this ...

The Band, Robbie Robertson: Robbing America for a storyline thread

Interview by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 28 October 1991

ROBBIE ROBERTSON should be used to jetlag. He spent 16 years on the road as a member of The Band and knows only too well ...

Madonna: The Billion Dollar Lady's New Deal

Comment by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 13 November 1991

THE NEWS THAT Madonna has just clinched a deal making her the highest-paid performer in the history of the pop industry only confirms what we ...

Garth Brooks: Ropin' the Wind (Capitol CDESTU 2162)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 5 February 1992

All blown down ...

Manic Street Preachers: Generation Terrorists (Columbia 471060 2)

Review by David Toop, The Times, 15 February 1992

Genuinely hopeless? ...

Barry White: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 13 March 1992

In the name of love ...

k.d. lang: Hammersmith Odeon

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 11 May 1992

Capital of her country ...

PJ Harvey: Town & Country, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 June 1992

P J the pacesetter ...

Lyle Lovett & his Large Band: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 16 June 1992

Journey into odd country ...

Michael Jackson: Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 1 July 1992

Europe cheers Jackson ...

Super Cat: Don Dada (Columbia 471570 2);

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 25 July 1992

A quick 'toast' to reggae tradition ...

Bobby Brown, Ephraim Lewis: Bobby Brown: Bobby (MCA MCD 10695); Ephraim Lewis: Skin (Elektra 7559- 61318)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 22 August 1992

From US slick to British snooze ...

Sheila Chandra: Voicing her own identity

Interview by David Toop, The Times, 25 September 1992

Sheila Chandra, a singer drawing on Asian, African and European sources, talks to David Toop ...

Suede: Stroking Suede's ego

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 3 October 1992

Caitlin Moran discovers it's hard to be humble when you're the coolest Best Band in Britain ...

EMF: Nice boys with epic talent

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 10 October 1992

EMF have left behind their teeny-bop image for something more meaningful, writes Caitlin Moran ...

Guns N' Roses, Izzy Stradlin: Izzy Stradlin: Happy to be fretting out on his own

Report and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 12 October 1992

Izzy Stradlin, lead guitarist with Guns N' Roses, has left the band he helped to create. Now, as he tells David Sinclair, he plays to ...

Dancing king in a neon vest

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 17 October 1992

Caitlin Moran gives a morning-after report on a steamy Friday all-nighter at a students' club ...

Madonna: Erotica (Maverick/Sire 9362-45031-2)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 17 October 1992

Madonna may find her role as Venus in furs a turn-on. But for the rest of us her new album is less than erotic. ...

Saint Etienne: St Etienne: Drop the stuffed tiger

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 24 October 1992

St Etienne vs. Top of the Pops — Caitlin Moran referees a mis-match ...

Betty Boo, Neneh Cherry: The raw and the cooking: albums from Neneh Cherry and Betty Boo

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 24 October 1992

Two rap divas unveil new albums, with mixed success ...

Omar: Town & Country Club, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 30 October 1992

IN WHAT is becoming an oddly familiar scenario, a new wave of British soul singers is offering a young, credible alternative to the over-stylised dominance ...

Baaba Maal: Jazz Café, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 4 November 1992

Riveted by the rhythm — African sounds are sheer joy ...

Big gig let-down

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 7 November 1992

Caitlin Moran explains why intimate venues rule over anonymous 'Enormous-O-Drome' rock-out stadiums ...

En Vogue: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 11 November 1992

A lot of heart, but not much soul David Sinclair is charmed, if not wholly convinced, by the British debut of a vocal group that has ...

Pavement: Watch your step on Pavement

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 12 December 1992

Caitlin Moran lends an ear to music to heal the mind or mince the brain cells. ...

The Lemonheads: Story-teller with a zest for life

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 30 January 1993

Caitlin Moran meets the charismatic leader of the Lemonheads ...

Elvis Presley: The god of rock, warts and all

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 13 February 1993

"Dead Elvis is the western world's new Christ figure" — discuss ...

The Beloved: The love that revived the Beloved

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 20 February 1993

Waxing lyrical, Jon Marsh explains the Beloved's three-year absence ...

The Cranberries: Crisps with the Cranberries

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 6 March 1993

The Irish band tells what it's like to be canonised by the press ...

Arrested Development, Da Lench Mob, Ice Cube: Da Lench Mob, Ice Cube, Arrested Development: Looking for a reason in rhyme

Report by David Toop, The Times, 12 March 1993

The angry sound of inner-city America is giving way to a stronger, more reflective and more commercial rap. David Toop reports ...

Stone Temple Pilots: Underworld, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 15 March 1993

Already on the runway ...

Belly full of love and compassion

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 20 March 1993

Fame, birth, temptation and dead cats are all grist to Belly's mill. ...

American Music Club, Mark Eitzel: American Music Club: Humour with an anguished howl

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 27 March 1993

Mark Eitzel insists that he is just telling stories ...

Levitation, Spiritualized: Spiritualized, Levitation: Hackney Empire, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 6 April 1993

Drifting together ...

Dina Carroll, Monie Love, Alexander O'Neal: Warming up at last — Alexander O'Neal, Dina Carroll, Monie Love: Alexandra Park, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 29 June 1993

SOUL IN THE PARK: David Toop at a north London gathering of night owls in the sunshine ...

Paul Westerberg: Borderline, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 5 July 1993

Grunge godfather or master melodist? ...

Gloria Estefan: Spanish is the loving tongue

Interview by David Toop, The Times, 9 July 1993

For her latest album, Gloria Estefan went home — metaphorically — to Cuba. David Toop talked to her ...

Cypress Hill: Black Sunday (Columbia 474075 2)

Review by David Toop, The Times, 30 July 1993

The days of whine and razors ...

Radiohead: The Garage, London

Live Review by Adrian Deevoy, The Times, 6 September 1993

IF THE success of a concert can be gauged by the number of moist and flailing bodies flung ceilingwards during the performance, then Radiohead's only ...

Michael McDonald: Jazz Cafe, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 29 September 1993

McDonald's nuggets ...

Silk, U.N.V. : Silk, U.N.V.: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 29 September 1993

Smooth and sassy ...

The Lemonheads: Come On Feel The Lemonheads (Atlantic)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, October 1993

IT SEEMS A quaint idea now, but there was a time when being a "serious" rock band didn't necessarily mean carting a ton of attitude ...

War: Jazz Café, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 15 October 1993

MANY OF the audience at this first of five London shows would have been at primary school when War last came to town. The Rainbow, ...

Snoop (Doggy) Dogg: New Waves — The insider's guide to the Next Big Thing: Snoop Doggy Dogg

Comment by David Toop, The Times, 29 October 1993

SOMETIMES A musician is so obviously the next big thing that hailing the fact in advance seems like cheating. Only a small sample of Snoop ...

Bryan Adams: He's a megastar, he's Bryan who?

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 5 November 1993

Adams. You know, the 'I Do It For You' one, 16 weeks at No 1 and so on. David Sinclair meets the unknown hero ...

Teenage Fanclub: Teenage kicks all through the night

Report and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 12 November 1993

Caitlin Moran sits quietly in Teenage Fanclub's dressing-room and is blinded by the delights. ...

LTJ Bukem, Coldcut: A step ahead of fashion — and the law

Report by David Toop, The Times, 26 November 1993

The hottest sounds buzzing around our cities are frequently also illegal. David Toop reports on the wild and wilful world of pirate radio, and its ...

Guns N' Roses: The Spaghetti Incident? (Geffen GED24617)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 26 November 1993

These we have loved to death ...

Ice Cube, Snoop (Doggy) Dogg: Muthas of invention — Snoop Doggy Dogg: Doggystyle (Death Row/Interscope); Ice Cube: Lethal Injection (Priority/4th & Broadway)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 December 1993

Must we fling this filth at our pop kids? ...

Wet Wet Wet: Too big for their own good — Wet Wet Wet: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 8 December 1993

Paul Sexton sees Scotland's gift to blue-eyed soul sell themselves short. ...

Kristin Hersh: Burnt up but not burnt out

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 21 January 1994

CAITLIN MORAN MEETS KRISTIN HERSH, the world's most intense 19-year-old songwriter. ...

Carleen Anderson: Forum, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 2 February 1994

God-daughter with an offer you can't refuse ...

Kenny G: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 2 February 1994

Safe and smooth as skimmed milk ...

Kirsty MacColl: Raging Against the Machine

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 25 February 1994

There are many ways to describe Kirsty MacColl, but "female singer-songwriter" is not one of them, she tells Paul Sexton ...

M People: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 1 March 1994

THE SELECTION of M People as Best Dance Act in the 1994 Brit Awards was proof that success does come to those who wait. Probably ...

R. Kelly, Zhané: Apollo, Hammersmith, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 15 March 1994

The bard of bed and bawd ...

Hole: If you know a better Hole, go to it

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 8 April 1994

Caitlin Moran prostrates herself before the godlike genius of rock's angry young woman Courtney Love (Mrs Cobain to the rest of us) ...

Garth Brooks: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 13 April 1994

Tip of the hat ...

Kurt Cobain, Nirvana: Kurt Cobain: Nirvana just wasn't enough

Obituary by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 15 April 1994

What do you do when your dreams come true, and they're not quite like you planned? For Kurt Cobain, the pain of fame became too ...

Ride: A journey that's really necessary

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 22 April 1994

Ride were a hit, then they weren't, now they are again. No wonder Caitlin Moran still can't work out why she loves them so much. ...

Des'ree, Sounds of Blackness: Sounds of Blackness, Des'ree: Apollo, Hammersmith

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 25 April 1994

Songs of praise and passion ...

Townes Van Zandt: Union Chapel, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 26 April 1994

Return of a rambler ...

Aphex Twin, µ-ziq, Daniel Pemberton: Up to something in the bedroom

Report and Interview by David Toop, The Times, 29 April 1994

They're hot in the clubs, but low in social skills. David Toop meets techno's bores with attitude ...

The Grid, Us3: Us3 and the Grid: Could Ludwig Van be techno's main man?

Report and Interview by David Toop, The Times, 20 May 1994

Sampling jazz rarities on to dance tracks could become old hat, now musicians can concoct raves from the grave. David Toop reports ...

Indigo Girls: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 7 June 1994

Warmed by the campfire ...

Carleen Anderson: Only too willing to surrender

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 10 June 1994

For years Carleen Anderson thought she had avoided giving in to music. But the tunes in her head proved just too strong to resist ...

General Levy: Jungle fever — hot heavy and here

Report and Interview by David Toop, The Times, 24 June 1994

Rap, reggae, ragga and soul have combined in a heady brew. David Toop talks to toastmaster General Levy ...

Natalie Cole: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 13 July 1994

Natalie's art still belongs to daddy ...

Vic Chesnutt, Guy Clark, Dan Penn, Joe South, Allen Toussaint: Dan Penn, Allen Toussaint, Guy Clark, Joe South, Vic Chesnutt: Southern Songwriters' Circle, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 27 July 1994

A southern heaven ...

Jeff Buckley: Man with the child in his eyes

Report and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 26 August 1994

Jeff Buckley had to become an adult before his time. What he learnt helped to make him a special one ...

Snap!: In tune with pop's crackle and Snap

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 2 September 1994

Record sales of more than 15 million and a growing reputation for trend-setting have made two German former DJs a global sensation. Paul Sexton met ...

M People: Elegant slumming now a low dive

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 16 September 1994

The Mercury Music Prize was intended to reward and foster innovation. For a couple of years, all went well — and then M People came ...

David McAlmont: A year in the life of a future star

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 30 September 1994

Twelve months ago, David McAlmont recorded the songs that will make him one of those overnight successes you're always reading about. ...

Elastica: Bring on the stretch limos

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 14 October 1994

Elastica, dating agency to the stars, are about to hit paydirt themselves ...

Green Day: Astoria, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 26 October 1994

Let's go scurfin' USA — Punk strikes a power pop chord ...

Diamanda Galás, John Paul Jones: Diamanda Galás and John Paul Jones: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Live Review by David Toop, The Times, 4 November 1994

Monster mosh ...

George Benson, Buddy Guy: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 15 November 1994

Blues for Guy as Benson frets ...

Live! On tap! Primal screen!

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 18 November 1994

Despair not: I have seen the future of rock'n'roll, and its name is Internet ...

Sheryl Crow: Wide-eyed and egoless

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 25 November 1994

Paul Sexton meets Sheryl Crow, awed but unspoilt by her international success ...

Eternal, Michelle Gayle: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 9 December 1994

Funk for all the family ...

Blackstreet, the Whitehead Brothers: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 21 December 1994

Magpie raiders ...

Jodeci: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 17 January 1995

Unknown heroes ...

Sleeper: And so to Sleeper, perchance to dream

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 20 January 1995

When you have just seen your new single go in at No 16, and the world is your prairie oyster, it's nice to get together ...

The Black Crowes: God gave rock'n'roll to them

Report and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 20 January 1995

The Black Crowes are not just a rock band; they're claiming their birthright, as lead singer Chris Robinson tells David Sinclair ...

Kristin Hersh, Throwing Muses: Kristin Hersh: Strength in numbers

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 3 February 1995

That Kristin Hersh, she's a one. Actually, she's two — leader of Throwing Muses and deeply sensitive solo singer-songwriter — and three if you count ...

Morrissey: This Charming Mandroid

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 10 February 1995

Back on tour, back in the sights of those who would destroy him, Morrissey talks to David Sinclair about love, hate and fame ...

Kurt Cobain, Manic Street Preachers: A word to the wise: stay away

Essay by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 3 March 1995

The remarkable thing about Richey Edwards's disappearance is not that he's gone, but that more pop stars have not followed him ...

Luscious Jackson: Stand by your mantra

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 10 March 1995

Luscious Jackson believe in the Gaia Theory, New York, strong men and cutting a rug ...

Kirsty MacColl: At home with Lauren, margarita and me

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 17 March 1995

Still after that elusive No 1, Kirsty MacColl is the most dangerous of party animals: genius that drinks ...

Radiohead: Wired up for better reception

Report and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 17 March 1995

David Sinclair meets a band tuning in to tomorrow's wavelength ...

Dodgy: Astoria, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 21 March 1995

Thumbs up for thumbs down ...

The Boo Radleys: Boo Radleys: Fab — and that's not just the Boos talking

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 24 March 1995

So how did a, let's face it, pretty morose bloke such as Martin Carr manage to come up with Wake Up!, which is, let's face ...

Tindersticks: All chill mist and chocolate liqueurs

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 7 April 1995

The Tindersticks go for a slow burn, creeping up on you with a hefty dose of tidy understatement ...

Kurt Cobain, Manic Street Preachers: Cries that won't go away

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 21 April 1995

When a pop icon disappears or kills himself, teenagers recognise that their own despair is being mirrored. ...

Jeff Buckley: Hero of the midnight hour

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 5 May 1995

Caitlin Moran tries to find out why Jeff Buckley has dreams about having his skin flayed by a mad sculptor ...

McAlmont & Butler: Hanover Grand, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 12 May 1995

Camp in a field of intensity ...

Teenage Fanclub: Wild and crazy guise

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 12 May 1995

There is a time when Teenage Fanclub stop making jokes. Luckily, it coincides with making music ...

Radiohead: Carve their Nayims with pride

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 19 May 1995

Radiohead had scored with 'Creep'; but it took a thriller of a long-player to fill their cup in extra time ...

The Boo Radleys, Bros, McAlmont & Butler, Menswear, Pulp: A simply divine madness

Memoir by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 2 June 1995

How an obnoxious teenager, revelling in the obscurity of her pop passions, met Bros in the supermarket aisle to Damascus ...

Teenage Fanclub: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 6 June 1995

Wonderful formula won ...

Sophie B. Hawkins: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 7 June 1995

Tongues, tails and torch songs ...

Elvis Costello: Rebuilt to Last: Elvis Costello's Meltdown

Report and Interview by Robert Sandall, The Times, 11 June 1995

Music cannot be divided into the old artificial groups. Elvis Costello has always known this, and now he is paving the way to a more ...

Boyzone, Whigfield: Grand, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 14 June 1995

Quick, nurse the screams ...

Jools Holland: The Later, greater joanna ace

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 23 June 1995

Jools Holland, the man who gave Bands Playing Their Stuff on the Box a cool name, talks to Caitlin Moran ...

The Boo Radleys, Jeff Buckley, The Cure, PJ Harvey, The Prodigy, Pulp: Pulp, PJ Harvey, the Cure et al: Glastonbury Festival, Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset

Live Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 30 June 1995

City of 100,000 dancing lights: Caitlin Moran on a Glastonbury weekend that will be remembered chiefly for the coming of Pulp ...

Incognito: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 12 July 1995

Travelling under an assumed fame ...

Black Grape: Grape expectations are happily fulfilled

Profile and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 21 July 1995

Shaun Ryder's new band have made a brilliant album, but it won't impress the Pope. Caitlin Moran explains ...

Steve Earle: Train A Comin' (Transatlantic/Castle Communications TRA 111)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 21 July 1995

HAVING ALLOWED a promising career to be blighted by delusions of grandeur — remember those four-hour, son-of-Springsteen shows? — and latterly a stretch in prison ...

Brian Jones, Bill Laswell, The Master Musician of Jajouka, The Rolling Stones: Master Musicians of Jajouka: Stoned on the best Moroccan

Retrospective by David Toop, The Times, 22 July 1995

Rolling Stone Brian Jones was intoxicated by the music of the Master Musicians of Jajouka, says David Toop. Now they are in London. ...

George Michael, Take That, Robbie Williams: Robbie Williams: Gain the world, lose your soul

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 28 July 1995

Why did Robbie Williams turn his back on
 fame, fortune and Take That? Because he had to ...

Björk, The Boo Radleys, Delicatessen, Foo Fighters, Hole, Teenage Fanclub, Tricky: The glory days of 1995 — Teenage Fanclub, Björk et al: Glastonbury Festival, Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset

Live Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 1 September 1995

Britpop may be bland, but the Reading Festival shows we are over the dark days of last year ...

Blur: The Great Escape (Food/Parlophone 8 35235)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 8 September 1995

Blur put the grate in Britain ...

Take That split (if you say so)

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 8 September 1995

The most remarkable thing about the teen scream dreamboys is they know exactly how disposable they are. ...

Blur: The great escape — live!

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 22 September 1995

Caitlin Moran catches up with Blur's whimsical tour of unlikely seaside resorts ...

Mary J. Blige, Jodeci: Jodeci, Mary J. Blige: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 22 September 1995

Invitation to the dance ...

Ornette Coleman: In perfect harmolodics

Interview by David Toop, The Times, 30 September 1995

Jazz giant Ornette Coleman would like to teach the world to sing — if it understood him. David Toop reports ...

Ruby: Sparks that glow in the murk

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 6 October 1995

There are hidden depths to Ruby's Lesley Rankine — as Caitlin Moran discovers ...

Dubstar: Starlight excess

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 13 October 1995

Dubstar want to set your world on fire, says Caitlin Moran ...

Pulp: Different Class (Island 524 165)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 27 October 1995

Louche canon finally on target Jarvis Cocker's lowlife lyrics have come of age on a Pulp classic, says David Sinclair ...

Eternal: Power Of A Woman (1st Avenue/EMI 8 36354)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 November 1995

HAVING SLIMMED to a trio since their million-selling debut. Always & Forever, London-based vocal group Eternal continue to fly the flag for British soul with ...

Saint Etienne: Trapped by a tongue twister

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 3 November 1995

...or why the St Etienne lads may become Spud for a spell — while Sarah goes solo ...

Radiohead: A band so big you never hear them

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 10 November 1995

Everyone loves Radiohead — or at least they would if this was a just, intelligent and discerning world ...

Guru's Jazzmatazz: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 24 November 1995

Rap on the knuckles ...

Steve Gullick: Suitable for framing

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 24 November 1995

You can do anything to photographer Steve Gullick, but lay off his blue suede head ...

R. Kelly: R. Kelly (Jive CHIP 166)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 1 December 1995

TRADITIONALLY, soul sex gods have tended to be avuncular characters with film-trailer voices, people such as Barry White and Isaac Hayes. But 26-year-old R. Kelly ...

Ace Of Base: The Bridge (London 529 655)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 8 December 1995

THEY MAY have sold 19 million copies of their debut album, Happy Nation, but the Swedish boy-girl quartet is still a long way from justifying ...

Blur, Oasis, Pulp: After Oasis, the desert

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 8 December 1995

Unless the music business pulls its finger out, we'll have nothing to look forward to once Britpop dies. ...

East 17: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 11 December 1995

The music of merchandise ...

Gerald Levert and Eddie Levert: Gerald Levert & Eddie Levert, Sr: Father & Son (Eastwest America 7559-61859)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 22 December 1995

TWO SOUL smoothies who bridge the generation gap as seamlessly as the sky stretches to meet the sea, Eddie Levert, Sr and Gerald Levert look ...

Oasis, Robbie Williams: No sign of peace at the Oasis

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 22 December 1995

Caitlin Moran says blood will prove thicker than water between the battling Gallaghers ...

The Mike Flowers Pops, Oasis: The Mike Flowers Pops: From Oasis, a golden syrup

Report and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 22 December 1995

Warning: don't view Mike Flowers's 'Wonderwall' as mere easy-listening Yuletide No 1 fun. He means it, man. ...

Rocket From the Crypt: Garage, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 10 January 1996

IT BEGAN with a James Brown-style fanfare of horns and an unlikely promise: "Are you ready for one of the best shows of your damn ...

The Mavericks: Wild horses drag rock into the country

Profile and Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 12 January 1996

Paul Sexton meets those hard-blasting, easy-listening, award-winning Nashville twangers, the Mavericks ...

G. Love & Special Sauce: Electric Ballroom, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 13 January 1996

A whiter shade of blues ...

Joan Osborne: A cowgirl gets the blues

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 26 January 1996

Joan Osborne has gone from bluegrass country to R&B heaven, says David Sinclair ...

Tortoise: Millions Now Living Will Never Die (City Slang EFA 04972)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 26 January 1996

THE "POST-rock" conceptualist ensemble from Chicago, Tortoise, do not travel on the fast track. Exhibiting a lofty disregard for conventional song structures, their wholly instrumental ...

Tortoise: Carapace at the gates of dawn

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 26 January 1996

Tortoise don't write tunes or sing songs. Instead, they make me cry ...

Edwyn Collins, Orange Juice: Edwyn Collins: Don't call me popular

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 16 February 1996

Arch-outsider Edwyn Collins is a hit at last. David Sinclair finds him unrepentant ...

The Mike Flowers Pops: Forum, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 19 February 1996

In praise of light entertainment ...

Michael Jackson, Oasis, Pulp: A word from our censor

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 23 February 1996

In with the old, out with the true. How the Brit Awards were turned into a TV farce ...

Alanis Morissette: Flashing the peace-sign

Profile and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 23 February 1996

David Sinclair is pleased to report that Alanis Morissette is no jagged little pill ...

Joan Osborne: Relish (Blue Gorilla/Mercury 526 699)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 23 February 1996

A Pelé of the blues ...

Oasis, Take That: Take That: Sex pistols will fill pretty vacancy

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 8 March 1996

Think of Take That as a magic bus — another, bigger and brasher, will be along in a minute ...

Eternal: Fairfield Halls, Croydon

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 11 March 1996

Here today at least ...

Afghan Whigs: Gentleman of the Apocalypse

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 15 March 1996

Greg Dulli of the Afghan Whigs is a thoroughly good egg first, and the pain-racked spawn of Satan second ...

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Best all-rounder since Botham?

Interview by David Toop, The Times, 22 March 1996

David Toop meets Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, ubiquitous superstar of world music ...

Garbage: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 27 March 1996

Why the charts are a load of rubbish ...

American Music Club: Godlike genius, or what?

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 29 March 1996

Mark Eitzel's got something. Caitlin Moran, for a start ...

Denim: Felt? Denim? Suits you, sir

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 5 April 1996

Lawrence should be a huge star, he has such great ideas. Trouble is, he has them at the wrong time ...

Steve Earle: New habit for Earle of excess

Profile and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 5 April 1996

Country-rocker Steve Earle switched tracks, and feels all the better for it. David Sinclair reports ...

Paul Westerberg: Too fast to live, too old to die

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 12 April 1996

David Sinclair talks to rehabilitated rock'n' roller Paul Westerberg about drugs, death, hellraising and the joys of a quiet evening in ...

Strangelove: The white heat of technophobia

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 12 April 1996

Strangelove are a band with a future. Which is great for their lead singer Patrick Duff, a man with quite a past ...

Presidents of the United States of America: The Presidents of the USA: Astoria, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 17 April 1996

Monster raving loony party ...

k.d. lang: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 11 May 1996

Ingénue no longer ...

Ash, Bis: Forum, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 29 May 1996

Never mind the Pistols... ...

Bis: is it Zitpop?

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 31 May 1996

Talent scouts eye the playgrounds in the search for new Britpop ...

Charlie Watts: Take me back to Birdland

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 7 June 1996

David Sinclair meets Rolling Stone Charlie Watts in his other incarnation — as a jazzman ...

Gabrielle: Jazz Cafe, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 7 June 1996

Dreaming in public ...

Mariah Carey: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 25 June 1996

Top notes that come in wads ...

Gabrielle: The mother of invention

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 5 July 1996

In which the mystery of what happened to Gabrielle, 1993's brightest young thing, is solved ...

Prince: 0(+>: The man with no name has no label

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 6 July 1996

The slave we know as Prince tells David Sinclair why his new album is his last (for Warners, anyway) ...

Herb Alpert: It's long way to Tijuana

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 10 July 1996

POP MUSIC. The mid-1960s. The era when Britannia apparently ruled the airwaves. Yet consider the American album chart of 30 years ago this week. The ...

Gary Barlow, Take That, Robbie Williams: Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams: New Labour v Militant

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 12 July 1996

IT IS HARD to believe, but there are children young enough not to remember last year's Blur v Oasis wars. Children who will have to ...

Screaming Trees: Dust (Epic 483980)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 12 July 1996

IT IS being talked up in the music press as the "rock masterpiece" of the year, and there is indeed something special about Dust, the ...

Oasis: Knebworth, Herts — Big is beautiful as Oasis take their place in the record books

Live Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 12 August 1996

One in 20 Britons applied for tickets to see Oasis in concert at Knebworth. Caitlin Moran joined the crowd on Saturday. ...

Kenickie: Laverne and shrilly

Profile and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 23 August 1996

Kenickie bless the beats, the beasts and the children ...

The Stone Roses: This is, that was, the Stone Roses

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 30 August 1996

At Reading, the band that wanted to be adored took our love and broke it into little pieces ...

Alison Limerick: Jazz Cafe, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 23 September 1996

Fine talent lost in the remix ...

Baby Bird: Greatness lurks in the wings

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 27 September 1996

Caitlin Moran on Baby Bird, the band that tries to leave nothing to chance ...

The Lemonheads: Car Button Cloth (Tag Recordings/Atlantic 7567-92726)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 27 September 1996

HAVING CRACKED up (and I use the term advisedly) in the wake of 1993's breakthrough album, Come On Feel the Lemonheads, Evan Dando returns to ...

Suede: Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 October 1996

Step aside, Oasis, the hard men are back ...

Van Morrison: Verses I'm versus

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 4 October 1996

Pop lyrics should be sung, not read out on the radio for pseuds to sneer at ...

Horace Andy: Subterania, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 9 October 1996

Massive respect ...

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Astoria, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 9 October 1996

Out of the blues, onto the rack ...

Cast: Power of positive thinking

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 11 October 1996

Paul Sexton talks to — no, listens to — Cast's motormouth front man on the eve of their biggest tour. ...

Ed Kuepper: A man totally untainted by success

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 11 October 1996

How can you release 21 albums of divine songs and still be unknown? Ed Kuepper, this is no life for you ...

Spice Girls: Wannabe in their gang? Oh, yeah — Spice Girls: Spice (Virgin 7243 8 42174)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 1 November 1996

Spice Girls follow up two smash hit singles with a debut LP that has David Sinclair joining their fan club ...

Alexander O'Neal: Alexander the grateful

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 8 November 1996

Finding God helped soul survivor Alexander O'Neal to straighten up and fly right. Paul Sexton reports ...

Kula Shaker: Mystic mug goes pop

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 8 November 1996

What have cosmic Kula Shaker and reality got in common? Blowed if Caitlin Moran knows ...

Snoop (Doggy) Dogg: Snoop Doggy Dogg: Tha Doggfather (Death Row/Interscope INTD- 90038 £13.49)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 22 November 1996

DEDICATED "in loving memory" of rap star Tupac Shakur, shot dead in September, Tha Doggfather is another loathsome celebration of the black American thug lifestyle ...

Blackstreet, The Isley Brothers, SWV, Tony! Toni! Toné!: Venus fires and retro rockets

Report and Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 29 November 1996

Graphic sex is out and good, old-fashioned lurve is in for America's latest soul stars. Paul Sexton meets some of them ...

Blackstreet, Snoop (Doggy) Dogg, SWV: Snoop Doggy Dogg, Blackstreet, SWV: Super Jam 1,
 Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 6 December 1996

Beauty and the beast ...

Aerosmith: Anatomy of a Rock Biography

Interview by Simon Witter, The Times, 1997

While the rich and famous broker deals to keep their lives private, rock hellraisers Aerosmith decided that if there’s cash to be made from dirt, ...

Oasis, Spice Girls: Larging it? I should zigah-zigah

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 10 January 1997

Those who live their lives by the vocabulary of pop music are fated to repeat it. Sounds fair to me ...

Daft Punk: Homework (Virgin CDV 2821 £14.99)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 17 January 1997

ONE OF the intriguing side effects of the techno revolution is the way it has re-trained the ears of the pop market to accept instrumental ...

David Bowie: Time to Bowie out

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 17 January 1997

Cool in the Seventies, tiresome by the Nineties: Caitlin Moran debunks a famous 50-year-old ...

Suede: Welcome back, Brettpop

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 24 January 1997

Suede were mammoth, then they were rubbished, and now they're hot again. David Sinclair takes to their leader ...

Michelle Gayle: Sweet soul with a hard centre

Profile and Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 31 January 1997

Michelle Gayle is back, with a new album and, of course, the same old determination. Paul Sexton reports ...

The Divine Comedy: Miked flowers

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 7 February 1997

Neil Hannon — or, if you prefer, the Divine Comedy — turns sex and violins into the perfect Valentine present ...

Us3: Jazz Cafe, NW1

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 7 February 1997

Rapping out a new note ...

ABC: Pop Groups Should Not Make Comebacks

Comment by Fiona Russell Powell, The Times, 7 March 1997

FOR THE PAST MONTH, posters have been plastered all over London advertising tonight's comeback gig at the Shepherds Bush Empire of the 1980s pop group, ...

Lewis Taylor: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 19 March 1997

Saving our soul ...

The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death (Bad Boy/Arista 78612-73011; two discs £15.99)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 28 March 1997

...

Supergrass: It's alright to get serious, lads

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 4 April 1997

David Sinclair discovers a new heavyweight image being brewed by that ebullient trio Supergrass. ...

Eternal, Human Nature: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 7 April 1997

The sound of a well-oiled machine ...

Beth Orton: Union Chapel, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 15 April 1997

Finger in the ear to the ground ...

Robbie Williams: The devil in the teen angel

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 18 April 1997

Basically, Robbie Williams should not have been in Take That. He was much better suited to Bad Boys Inc ...

Blackstreet, Brownstone: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 24 April 1997

Street life of Riley ...

Prefab Sprout: Paddy McAloon: In God's Prefab are Many Mansions

Profile and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 25 April 1997

Paddy Mcaloon once trained to be a priest. Now he's a Prefab Sprout, but he still has his faith. ...

The Fugees: Fugees: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 8 May 1997

Street-smart and user-friendly ...

Alison Krauss: The fiddler on the riff

Profile and Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 16 May 1997

Alison Krauss is a little bit country, but she's a lot more rock'n'roll. Paul Sexton reports ...

Heroin: Pop's killing fields

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 16 May 1997

Heroin abuse is gaining depressing and dangerous ground among music's super-famous ...

Paul Thorn, Zucchero: Zucchero, Paul Thorn: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 28 May 1997

Italy wins again ...

Boyzone: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 9 June 1997

One for the girls ...

En Vogue does not mean fashionable

Profile and Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 13 June 1997

Paul Sexton meets the trio that found success by the old-fashioned route — via talent, hard work, charm, that sort of stuff ...

Radiohead: OK Computer (Parlophone 7243 8 55229 £13.99)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 13 June 1997

Modem life is rubbished ...

Radiohead: It's true, things can only get better

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 13 June 1997

Radiohead's Thom Yorke looked around, saw what a mess we're in, wrote about it on an album called OK Computer... ...

Maxwell: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 25 June 1997

Romance in his soul ...

Motown put the soul in sold

Report by Paul Sexton, The Times, 11 July 1997

Paul Sexton on the sell-off that saw a generation of classics change hands ...

Faith Evans, The Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy: Puff Daddy & Family: No Way Out (Puff Daddy/Arista 78612 73012, £11.99)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 25 July 1997

Elegy for a rapper ...

Shola Ama: Jazz Cafe, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 1 August 1997

She still needs some body ...

Bentley Rhythm Ace: A bad back won't stop a good man

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 29 August 1997

The really interesting story about the irrepressible lads of Bentley Rhythm Ace is the gruesome accident that you don't get to see on their promotional ...

Boyz II Men: Motown's saviours?

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 29 August 1997

If Boyz II Men's new album fails, a once-great record label is in deep trouble. Paul Sexton reports... ...

Roni Size and Reprazent: Roni Size & Reprazent: Against the current and in the mainstream

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 5 September 1997

For Roni Size and his drum and bass army, winning the 1997 Mercury Music Prize is a means to an end, writes David Sinclair ...

Chris De Burgh, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Spice Girls: Humbug in the wind

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 12 September 1997

Elton John aside, pop's tributes to the Princess seem to be rather lacking in sincerity ...

Mariah Carey: In bed with my career

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 12 September 1997

Mariah Carey's marital breakdown has led to a highly personal album. Paul Sexton meets a determined diva ...

The Braxtons, Toni Braxton, Mint Condition: Toni Braxton, The Braxtons, Mint Condition: Wembley Arena

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 16 September 1997

Hollywood says hello ...

Dannii Minogue, Kylie Minogue: The Minogues: Just like sisters, only much weirder

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 26 September 1997

First there was Kylie Minogue, says Caitlin Moran, then there was Dannii, now there's, er... ...

The Verve: Urban Hymns (Hut/Virgin 7243 8 44913 £14.49)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 26 September 1997

Faith, hope and even clarity: David Sinclair applauds the bittersweet symphonies of the suddenly huge Verve ...

Janet Jackson: The Velvet Rope (Virgin V2860 £15.99)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 October 1997

Ballad on the dancefloor: Janet Jackson shows her more sincere side to David Sinclair on The Velvet Rope ...

M People: Fresco (BMG 74321 52490 £14.49)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 10 October 1997

Listen without prejudice ...

Coolio: Fairfield Halls, Croydon

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 20 October 1997

Fantastic voyage of rap to suburbia ...

Spice Girls: The Spice Girls: Spiceworld (Virgin V2850, £13.99)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 31 October 1997

More girl power to their elbows ...

Mary J. Blige: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 18 November 1997

Mary not so contrary ...

All Saints: All Saints (London 828979 £13.99)

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 21 November 1997

Spice up your soul food ...

Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Spice Girls, Suede: Rejoice! Rejoice! Britpop is dead

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 28 November 1997

The jig is up, the hype exposed, and now Oasis, Pulp and the rest will have to do a proper job ...

Beth Orton: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 17 December 1997

Unplugged and unvarnished ...

Louise: Brighton Centre, Brighton

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 18 December 1997

Pretty girl, likes a melody ...

Blur, Oasis: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, and Damon

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 19 December 1997

Look boys, it's Christmas — time to kiss under the mistletoe and call off the damaging Blur-Oasis wars ...

Air: Moon Safari (Source/Virgin CDV 2848 £13.99)

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 16 January 1998

NICOLAS GODIN and Jean- Benoit Dunckel, the youthful duo better known as Air, come from Versailles and have mysteriously acquired a fashionable cachet not normally ...

Shania Twain: Mark Twain as the face of new country

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 13 February 1998

Nashville hates her, but millions of record buyers can't be wrong about Shania Twain. Paul Sexton reports... ...

Spice Girls: The Spice Girls: As they say, all you need is positivity

Profile and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 24 February 1998

If the Spice Girls are past it, no one told them, the fans fighting for tickets for their first tour, or David Sinclair. ...

The Beatles, George Martin, The Prodigy: The backroom boys who wield a big stick

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 20 March 1998

Sir George Martin talks to Paul Sexton about the power of the producer ...

Gary Barlow: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 24 March 1998

Ready to Take That and party on ...

Billie Myers: Billie's big adventure

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 3 April 1998

Paul Sexton meets a Coventry lass short on sang-froid but reassuringly long on singer-songwriting talent ...

The Handsome Family, Tom Leach, Whiskeytown: Pretty boys in big hats need not apply

Report and Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 14 May 1998

Forget the Nashville pin-ups. Country music is taking a turn for the darker, as Paul Sexton reports ...

Beverley Knight: Ronnie Scott's, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 20 May 1998

Taut — a lesson ...

Robbie Williams: Apollo, Manchester

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 22 May 1998

Take That's black sheep back for good ...

Shania Twain: Arrowhead Pond Arena, Anaheim CA

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 25 June 1998

Point proved, Shania ...

Kylie Minogue: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 31 July 1998

SHE MAY HAVE spent most of the Nineties pursuing different musical directions with mixed results, but Kylie Minogue can still sell out three nights at ...

Spice Girls: Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 14 September 1998

Cooking without Ginger ...

Tina Arena: Tickled by the fickle finger of fame

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 25 September 1998

Tina Arena isn't fooled by people being nice to her now that she's a pop star, she tells Paul Sexton ...

112, Faith Evans, Puff Daddy, Total: Puff Daddy, Faith Evans, 112, Total: Sound Republic, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 19 October 1998

King of the bad boys ...

Faith Evans, The Notorious B.I.G.: Faith Evans: Faith healed

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 31 October 1998

The most famous widow in R&B? Not anymore. Faith Evans, singer, mother and survivor, has come to terms with Notorious B.I.G.'s death, is making her ...

Lauryn Hill: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 8 February 1999

The real hip hop mother ...

Dru Hill: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 23 February 1999

Tears or cheers ...

Britney Spears: Single of the Yearn

Profile and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 26 February 1999

Who is Britney Spears, and why should the world be grateful that TLC are missing in action? Read on ...

All Saints: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 3 May 1999

Party night for the holy rollers ...

Brandy: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 2 June 1999

Selling a heady spirit by the tot ...

The Dixie Chicks: Country's bad girls

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 11 June 1999

They broke all the rules in Nashville and now they're heading our way. Paul Sexton meets the Dixie Chicks ...

Backstreet Boys: Earls Court, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 18 June 1999

Good, and over here ...

The Fugees, Lauryn Hill: Miss Education: Lauryn Hill

Interview by Simon Witter, The Times, 19 June 1999

With five Grammies on her mantelpiece, two children and a charity to her name, singer Lauryn Hill has achieved an awful lot at the tender ...

Scritti Politti: Return Of An Eighties Enigma

Profile and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, July 1999

AS DISAPPEARING TRICKS go, the strange case of Green Gartside is not quite up there with those of Richey Edwards or blues hero Peter Green, ...

Shania Twain: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 13 July 1999

Fun for all the family ...

Whitney Houston: An audience with the diva

Profile and Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 6 September 1999

On the eve of a European tour, Whitney Houston gives Paul Sexton a little of her precious time. ...

Shelby Lynne: A country girl at heart

Interview by Paul Sexton, The Times, 4 October 1999

Nashville may have sold out, but Shelby Lynne stays true to her roots. ...

Steps: In search of shocking revelations

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 15 October 1999

Steps may know all about stardom, but what about the darker side of life? Caitlin Moran grills them ...

Cher, Michael McDonald: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Paul Sexton, The Times, 18 October 1999

EVEN THE wags who bang on about Cher's supposed season ticket to the body parts workshop must have a grudging respect for her extraordinary staying ...

Charlotte Church: Angel with a wicked sense of humour

Interview by Barbara Ellen, The Times, 16 November 1999

Charlotte Church insists that she's no saint — and her poor Dad agrees, says Barbara Ellen ...

Ace of Base, Michael Bolton, Captain Beefheart, Mike Oldfield: Albums from Michael Bolton et al

Review by Barbara Ellen, The Times, 26 November 1999

Bolton 1, Redding 0 (after tons of extra time) ...

Primal Scream, Simon & Garfunkel: I wanna be Bobby's grrl

Review by Barbara Ellen, The Times, 21 January 2000

SUGGESTING THAT you might like the new Primal Scream album, Exterminator (Creation £14.99) is a bit like saying that you might enjoy having a helicopter ...

Mariah Carey: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 28 February 2000

IF PROOF were needed that sex sells, Mariah Carey would be a Class A exhibit. Since shelving her sugary image for skintight clothes and raunchy ...

Shelby Lynne

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, April 2000

SPRAWLED ACROSS the lunar desert floor in the sun-baked heart of Southern Calfornia, Palm Springs is the last stop before paradise for rich, wrinkled Americans. ...

Ricky Martin: Earls Court, London — All mouth and tight trousers

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 15 May 2000

The set for Ricky Martin's show looked great — just a shame about the music, says Lisa Verrico ...

Britney Spears: Oops!… I Did It Again (Jive) — She was born to make us happy

Review by Barbara Ellen, The Times, 19 May 2000

For £15 you can enjoy Britney all night long — and still have change for a Big Mac and twirly fries. Barbara Ellen gets stuck ...

Lou Reed: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Barbara Ellen, The Times, 21 May 2000

IN THE BAR, the bets were on for what would be Lou Reed's token "old one" encore number. We know he's going to be mainly ...

Phoenix: It’s hip hop to be square

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 23 June 2000

Phoenix are French and funky and like some very uncool records indeed, says Lisa Verrico ...

Lewis Taylor: Hanover Grand, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 9 October 2000

IF ADORATION always equalled wealth, Lewis Taylor would be living in a Regent's Park penthouse rather than a first- floor flat in the North London ...

Britney Spears: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 13 October 2000

ROBBIE WILLIAMS may believe he has no competition. But the day after he began his latest tour, the American superstar Britney Spears arrived to play ...

Mel B: Melanie B: Hot

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 October 2000

FROM THE bustin'-out-of-her-bikini-top shot on the cover to the comments about her former husband Jimmy Gulzar on the current single 'Tell Me', Mel B.'s debut ...

Guru: Goodbye to all that Jazz: Guru's Jazzmatazz

Report and Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 October 2000

LATE LAST YEAR Guru, the rapper from Gang Starr, compiled a wish-list of artists he wanted to work with on his upcoming Jazzmatazz album. ...

PJ Harvey: Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 October 2000

HEARING P J Harvey's new album, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (Universal) is like coming home to find your studious little sister ...

Shea Seger: Borderline, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 October 2000

THANKS TO THE likes of Liz Phair, Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette, the '90s saw strong but emotionally fragile, female singer-songwriters become big business. ...

The Fall: Mark E. Smith: Just Who Does Mr. Grumpy Think He Is?

Retrospective and Interview by Tom Cox, The Times, 24 November 2000

Mark E. Smith, leader of the Fall, is captain of the awkward squad. That didn't deter Tom Cox. ...

Kirsty MacColl

Profile and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, Spring 2000

One of our finest singers is also one of our finest writers, and has been for all of 21 years. Caitlin Moran meets the never ...

Resolution — New Year's Eve concert: Alexandra Palace, N10

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 2 January 2001

BLIZZARDS, BLACK ICE and freezing fog meant that, for millions of Britons, the first New Year’s Eve of the millennium was spent tucked up at ...

Alabama 3: The Brixton Connection

Interview by Simon Witter, The Times, 13 January 2001

The theme tune for the hip gangster drama The Sopranos is set to shoot into the UK charts this month and catapult the band behind ...

Top of the Itpops

Guide by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 19 January 2001

IF YOU want to know what most people think of Italian music, look no further than the Internet. One English language site dedicated to Italian ...

Papa Roach: Astoria, WC2

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 2 February 2001

IT WAS easy to spot the Papa Roach fans striding through Soho. They travelled in packs — mainly males, but with the odd tomboy babe ...

Orgy, Spooks, Teddy Thompson: Teddy Thompson: Teddy Thompson; Spooks: S.I.O.S.O.S. Vol 1; Orgy: Vapour Transmission

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 2 February 2001

Teddy Thompson has inherited his dad's folk flair, says Lisa Verrico ...

Grandaddy: Bristol University

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 5 February 2001

EMERGING from the California hinterlands four years ago, Grandaddy embody a diversion from prevailing trends in America's so-called alternative rock community. Not for songwriter Jason ...

Dido: Scala, London N1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 12 February 2001

WHEN DIDO scheduled her first British tour since becoming a star in America, opening at a small London club must have seemed like a smart ...

Jane Birkin, Serge Gainsbourg: Jane Birkin: A Legend In Her Own T'aime

Profile and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 12 February 2001

In 1969, Jane Birkin shocked the world. Now her heavy breathing is back. ...

LeAnn Rimes, Shaggy: Lure of Mr Lover Lover

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 30 March 2001

Shaggy's breathless tales of sexual conquest will beguile pop fans who enjoy the simpler pleasures, says Lisa Verrico. ...

Table manna

Comment by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 27 July 2001

Everyone is clamouring for CDs brought out by hip restaurants and bars, says Lisa Verrico ...

Robbie Williams: Nobody Someday (dir. Brian Hill)

Film/DVD/TV Review by Barbara Ellen, The Times, 3 January 2002

Let him entertain you ...

Whitney Houston, OutKast: Whitney Houston: Houston, still a problem

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 4 January 2002

Troubled superstar Whitney Houston overdoses on sugar, says Lisa Verrico ...

Faith Evans, Christina Milian, Pink: Bubblegum to chew over: Christina Milian, Faith Evans, P!nk

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 January 2002

A teen diva can't compete with maturing talent, says Lisa Verrico  ...

The Chemical Brothers: Chemical Brothers: Popping to the Chemist's

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 18 January 2002

The Chemical Bros are just what the doctor ordered, says Lisa Verrico ...

No Doubt, P.O.D., Chuck E. Weiss: No Doubt: Rock Steady; P.O.D.: Satellite; Chuck E. Weiss: Old Souls & Wolf Tickets

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 18 January 2002

California's No Doubt stay up with the pack, while P.O.D. have seen God. David Sinclair is awed ...

Alanis Morissette: King's College, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 28 January 2002

SOMEONE IN Alanis-Iand has a plan. Rather than announce her imminent return to the charts with a sell-out stadium show or a celebrity-studded party, the ...

Shaggy: Mr Lover Lover (Virgin)

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 1 February 2002

A 14-track compilation of Shaggy tunes is more than a sensible girl can handle, says Lisa Verrico ...

The Hives: Astoria, WC2

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 5 February 2002

THE SCANDINAVIAN rock'n'roll invasion is gathering pace. Indeed, the industry joke that in the past the Vikings came in longboats, but now they're coming back ...

Shakira: Soft rock and the hard sell

Profile and Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 8 March 2002

Shakira sells millions of records in her native Colombia, has just conquered America and now has her sights on Britain. Lisa Verrico met her ...

Busta Rhymes, Beverley Knight: Busta Rhymes: Genesis/Beverley Knight: Who I Am

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 15 March 2002

Busta Rhymes is back on song, Lisa Verrico is pleased to report — and Beverley Knight never left it ...

Terry Callier: An Interview

Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, April 2002

IT'S JUST another rainy night in April, and the Green Mill, a bar on Chicago's north side, is hosting its regular Monday resident. Opening with ...

Damon Albarn, Afel Bocoum, Toumani Diabaté & Friends: Mali Music (Honest Jon's)

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 13 April 2002

YOU HAVE to admire his nerve, if nothing else. In between existing musical commitments to Blur and Gorillaz, Damon Albarn is going global with his ...

Lisa Lopes, TLC: Lisa Lopes: Rollercoaster career of a troubled star

Obituary by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 27 April 2002

THE POP world lost one of its most colourful characters yesterday with the death of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. ...

Ant and Dec: Ant & Dec: Sing When You're Winning

Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 29 May 2002

Angus Batey meets the men behind the official England song, Geordie funsters Ant and Dec ...

Junkie XL, Elvis Presley: Junkie XL: The King is dead cool

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 17 June 2002

Elvis is back at No 1 with a soccer song. Lisa Verrico meets the DJ responsible ...

Bryan Ferry: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 8 October 2002

WITH CLASSY CROONERS back in fashion, the Roxy Music reunion could not have been better timed. It was perfect for Bryan Ferry, the band's suave ...

LeAnn Rimes, Saint Etienne, Holly Valance: Holly Valance: Footsteps/LeAnn Rimes: Twisted Angel/Saint Etienne: Finisterre

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 October 2002

BEFORE BOY BANDS began breeding it was singing soap stars who were the plankton of pop. ...

Christina Aguilera, Las Ketchup: Las Ketchup: Hijas del Tomate/Christina Aguilera: Stripped

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 18 October 2002

CURRENTLY TOP of the charts not only in their native Spain but right across Europe and — as of Sunday — in Britain as well, ...

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 19 October 2002

IN THE MID-'90s Beth Gibbons could have pulled a crowd just by reading names from a phone book. She was one of the hippest singers ...

JJ72: The Forum, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 26 October 2002

WITH THE resurgence of rock and a thriving nu-metal scene, there hasn't been much mention of indie music recently. Once the staple of student unions ...

Asha Bhosle: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 28 October 2002

POP STARS who complain about their workload might care to ponder the achievements of Asha Bhosle. Since she first stepped into a studio, aged ten, ...

Craig David, Romeo, Justin Timberlake: Justin Timberlake: Justified; Craig David: Slicker than Your Average: Romeo: Solid Love

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 1 November 2002

MICHAEL JACKSON may be all but written off, so there's a vacancy for a King of Pop. Having once been betrothed to Britney Spears, the ...

Wyclef Jean, Tom Jones: Tom Jones: Soul mates

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 2 November 2002

What do you get if you cross hip-hop superstar Wyclef Jean with the voice from the Valleys? The most soulful record of Tom Jones's career, ...

TLC: Reheated Left Eye leftovers

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 8 November 2002

RATHER THAN spell the end of TLC, the death of Lisa Lopes earlier this year in a car accident has meant a bit of a ...

Aqualung: Playhouse, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 9 November 2002

IT HAS BEEN A SWIFT and unexpected rise to the surface for Aqualung, and there were times during their debut live performance on Wednesday when ...

Sugababes: Music profile: Sugababes

Profile and Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 9 November 2002

Sassier than Atomic Kitten, classier than Mis-Teeq, the new Sugababes are the girl group it’s OK for grown-ups to like, claims Lisa Verrico. ...

Xzibit: Forum, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 12 November 2002

FOR THE PAST few years, Xzibit has been tipped to become a hip hop superstar. Yet despite teaming up with Dr Dre on his last ...

A Chocolate Biscuit Beats The Pop Charts These Days

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 14 November 2002

The Top 20 of old has ceased to be, we have to invent lots of replacements. ...

Pink: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 15 November 2002

THERE WERE TWO types of female fan at Pink's Brixton Academy gig. ...

Rod Stewart: It Had To Be You ... The Great American Songbook

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 15 November 2002

IN BRITAIN, Rod Stewarthasn't a hope of ever being hip again. Like Elton John, he can still sell out shows, but only if he stuffs ...

Dolly Parton: Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 16 November 2002

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN the big boobs and blond wig that have come to define Dolly Parton lies one of music's business brains. ...

Suede: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 16 November 2002

NO BAND STAYS hip for ever and Suede have been falling out of favour for a few years now, but the tepid reaction to their ...

Missy Elliott, Hil St. Soul, Shania Twain: Shania Twain: Up!; Missy Elliott: Under Construction; Hil St Soul: Copasetik & Cool

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 22 November 2002

Why settle for the pleasantly inoffensive tunes of Shania Twain when Missy Elliott and her posse are busy rewriting the hip-hop rulebook. ...

Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Martine McCutcheon: Jennifer Lopez: This is Me… Then/Mariah Carey: Charmbracelet/Martine McCutcheon: Musicality

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 29 November 2002

ON HER NEW album, Jennifer Lopezhas cannily mixed her real life romance with her music. So listening to This is Me… Then feels a little ...

Jay Z: Jay-Z: The Blueprint 2

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 December 2002

DESPITE HAVING THE biggest forehead in hip hop, Jay-Z would never name an album after anything cerebral. His follow-up to last year's triple platinum The ...

Talib Kweli: Quality

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 December 2002

COMPARE JAY-Z's clumsy raps with his fellow New Yorker Talib Kweli's flowing rhymes and you imagine the two would be poles apart. ...

The Roots: Phrenology

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 December 2002

ON PAPER, 2002 has been a bumper year for hip hop. Eminem was man of the moment again, Ashanti appeared out of nowhere and shot ...

Badly Drawn Boy: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 14 December 2002

ON HIS arrival in 1997, Badly Drawn Boy was feted as a Beck-style musical polymath, but was then embraced as a traditional singer-songwriter. Lately though, ...

Shakira: Latin Chancer

Profile by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 December 2002

Shakira should forget the political posturing, says Lisa Verrico, and stick to what she does best — making music and looking good. ...

Shakira: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 17 December 2002

NO MATTER where you sat in Wembley Arena on Monday night, you were never far from open-mouthed men trying not to drool at this year's ...

Altered Images, Five Star, The Human League, Kim Wilde: Human League/Kim Wilde/Altered Images et al: Cardiff Arena

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 December 2002

YOU CAN LOOK back as fondly on the '80s as you like, but the truth is the music back then was as hit-and-miss as it ...

Music profile: The Christmas No 1

Retrospective by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 21 December 2002

For the first time in years, there are no Christmas novelty singles battling it out for No 1. Yet stars from Elvis to Kylie can't ...

Röyksopp: Bristol Academy

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 21 December 2002

NINE MONTHS AGO, the Norwegian electronic duo Röyksopp were the cultish darlings of the style press, their debut album Melody AM hailed as an esoteric ...

Youssou N'Dour: The Forum, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 24 December 2002

YOUSSOU N'DOUR has much to thank his mother for. On her advice, this year, the Senegalese superstar stopped trying to please the pop audience that ...

Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Sophie's World

Profile by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 4 January 2003

Having established herself as a pop star with her own agenda, Sophie Ellis Bextor is ready to take on America. ...

The Beatles: Fandom of the pop era

Retrospective by Bob Stanley, The Times, 14 January 2003

As we bid farewell to Beatles Monthly, our writer discusses how fanzines come and go - but they have always been vital to the music. ...

The Roots: Jazz Café, NW1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 17 January 2003

Someone should have taken Kim Howells to see The Roots live in London, a black hip-hop band fronted by two frantic rappers playing to a ...

Billy Fury: Billy was my hero

Retrospective by Bob Stanley, The Times, 20 January 2003

Billy Fury, who died 20 years ago, was a perfect but vulnerable pop star, says this lifelong fan. ...

Busta Rhymes: It Ain't Safe No More

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 24 January 2003

BUSTA RHYMES is another artist obsessed with September 11, partly because his home was just streets away from the twin towers and partly because he ...

Kelly Rowland: Simply Deep

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 31 January 2003

WHEN DESTINY'S CHILD SPLIT to go solo last summer, no one would have bet against Beyoncé leaving her sidekicks standing. But Beyoncé's solo debut, the ...

Daft Punk: French Pop: A Long Way From Françoise Hardy To Daft Punk

Overview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 1 February 2003

IT IS no surprise that France has only just got around to its own equivalent of Top Of The Pops. In a country where philosophy ...

Massive Attack: He used to be massive

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 February 2003

Massive Attack have just one original member left. Robert Del Naja tells our critic about the struggle to create a fourth album alone. ...

Clipse, Melanie C, Moloko, Spice Girls: Melanie C: Reason/Moloko: Statues/Clipse: Lord Willin'

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 21 February 2003

Melanie C has too much going for her to rejoin the Spice Girls. ...

Kylie Minogue: The Brits: Early night for wild things at alco-less pops

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 21 February 2003

THE DEPARTMENT for Work and Pensions has been plugging this year's Brit Awards with the happy promise "anything can happen at the Brits", but then ...

Evan Dando, The Go-Betweens: Evan Dando: Baby I'm Bored/The Go-Betweens: Bright Yellow Bright Orange

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 28 February 2003

A DECADE AGO, Evan Dando was pretty much the perfect pop star. He was a tousle-haired, scatterbrained blond who posed for teen magazines with his ...

Johnny Hallyday: Vive Johnny

Profile and Interview by Robin Eggar, The Times, March 2003

THERE IS something reassuringly dissolute about Johnny Hallyday. He may be 59, but he inhabits one of those undernourished frames, all angles and sharp edges, ...

Mira Calix, Vivian Green, Norah Jones, Terri Walker: After Norah

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 10 March 2003

Norah Jones's Grammy-grabbing success has opened the floodgates for young, female singer-songwriters like Terri Walker, Vivian Green and Mira Calix ...

Dollar: The Van Day Today

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 21 March 2003

Dollar's David Van Day continues to entertain — but not by singing ...

Bearded Lady, The Glitter Band, Iron Virgin, Mud, Slade, Brett Smiley, Sweet: Glam rock shines again

Retrospective by Bob Stanley, The Times, 21 March 2003

Thirty years on, the forgotten stars of glam rock are shining again. ...

Robin Guthrie: Out of the Shadows

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 21 March 2003

Why has the limelight-shy former Cocteau twin Robin Guthrie gone solo? ...

India.Arie: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 22 March 2003

WHERE India.Arie is concerned, the journey to enlightenment will stop at nothing – not even hair. Shorn of her customary dreadlocks since her last British ...

Liberty X: Hammersmith Apollo

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 24 March 2003

SOMETIMES it really is the taking part, not the winning, that counts. Liberty X — the five former Popstars contestants who just missed out on ...

Jurassic 5: Brixton Academy, London SW9

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 25 March 2003

EMINEM MAY have the biggest British hip-hop shows of the year coming up, but he'll have a hard time keeping the crowd as entertained as ...

The Faces: Booze Brothers: The Faces

Retrospective by Bob Stanley, The Times, 28 March 2003

The Faces liked their fun, but our correspondent discovers a darker side. ...

Vashti Bunyan: The Folk Myth

Interview by Bob Stanley, The Times, 15 April 2003

Cult singer Vashti Bunyan vanished 30 years ago — now she's back ...

Neil Young: Still a Young Man's Game

Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 23 May 2003

HE CALLED one of his albums Rust Never Sleeps. But does Neil Young ever sleep? In the 12 months since he last played in Britain, ...

Glastonbury: It's a kind of magic

Memoir by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 27 June 2003

THE FIRST TIME I went to Glastonbury, I was 18. I drank a bottle and a half of Malibu a day, ran around barefoot trying ...

Kraftwerk: Return of the Robots of Rock

Comment by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 4 July 2003

Kraftwerk are about to release their first album in a decade — probably. Stephen Dalton examines the mythical status of the men from Düsseldorf.  ...

Jane's Addiction: Is this the band that saved rock?

Profile and Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 30 July 2003

Groundbreaking rock band Jane's Addiction are back to inspire a new generation of fans. ...

The White Stripes: White Stripes Or Shite Hype?

Comment by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2003

NEXT WEEK the White Stripes release their latest single, a highly distinctive reading of the Burt Bacharach standard 'I Just Don't Know What To Do ...

50 Cent: Wembley Arena

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, September 2003

JUST HOURS after winning an impressive trio of MOBO awards at the Royal Albert Hall, gangsta rap superstar 50 Cent played his biggest UK show ...

So Solid Crew: Urbane Warriors

Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 19 September 2003

So Solid Crew are back to give us hip-hop with a social conscience, says Angus Batey  ...

David Sylvian: Festival Hall, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 30 September 2003

AN ACQUIRED TASTE at the best of times, David Sylvian did not make life easy for himself or his extraordinarily loyal following at the Festival ...

Jamie Cullum

Profile and Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 4 October 2003

THE BRIGHTEST and most controversial new star to appear in the British jazz firmament in years is explaining how he first became interested in the ...

Elbow: Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 7 October 2003

THERE WAS an air of resignation when the fire alarm went off at the Queen Margaret Union in Glasgow on Thursday night and the splendidly ...

Vibe: the Hip-Hop Years

Retrospective and Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 23 October 2003

For more than 20 years, hip-hop culture has shaped the face of popular music, fashion, even political debate. And for the past decade, Vibe magazine ...

David Bowie: All The Old Dude Had, He's Still Got

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 18 November 2003

David Bowie: MEN Arena, Manchester ...

Eminem, DJ Kool Herc, Vanilla Ice: How to get hip to rap

Guide by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 21 November 2003

EMINEM IS in trouble again, this time over lyrics he wrote a decade ago. The owners of the American hip-hop magazine The Source have outed ...

Nelly Furtado: Looking back to go forward

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 December 2003

Pressured by the expectations for her new album, Nelly Furtado dug into her Latin roots for inspiration, she tells Lisa Verrico. ...

Scissor Sisters: Cut to the New York dolls

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 2 January 2004

Our critic goes to the cutting edge of glam as she meets Scissor Sisters, the band most likely to in 2004 ...

Busted, The Darkness: Brit awards: Yanks cannot raise a ripple

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 18 February 2004

WHAT the Brits really needed was a Nipplegate. ...

Tortoise: Shell unsuited: Tortoise

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 February 2004

The ever-uncommercial Tortoise ...

Brian Wilson Presents Smile: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 21 February 2004

HE MAY HAVE taken more drugs than anyone else in the 1960s, but Brian Wilson is still a handsome man. At his best, grooving away ...

Zero 7: When It Falls (Ultimate Dilemma)

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 27 February 2004

Out in the cold: Chilled-out Zero 7 need to thaw ...

Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand

Review by David Sinclair, The Times, March 2004

AH, THE FIRST HYPE OF SPRING. In media watering holes from Camden to Sauchiehall Street, the tastemakers began sniffing the wind as long ago as ...

The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players

Interview by Stevie Chick, The Times, March 2004

"STOOSH OVER, DADDY!""I am stooshing! I'm stooshed over as far as I can... I don't have any more room to stoosh!" ...

Gram Parsons: In His Hour Of Darkness: Gram Theft Auto and the Road Mangler Deluxe

Retrospective and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 6 March 2004

IT IS THE midsummer of 1973. Two men stand together amidst a throng of mourners at the graveside of Clarence White, former Byrd and the ...

Hole, Courtney Love, Nirvana: It's True, I Did Kill Kurt Cobain

Memoir by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 5 April 2004

It is ten years since the rock icon shot himself. This critic recalls meeting with his wife, Courtney Love, shortly before his death ...

Jill Sobule: The sweeter the bitter

Profile and Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 9 April 2004

Beneath the pop veneer, Jill Sobule's songs carry a subversive sting. ...

The Rasmus: Dead Letters

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 9 April 2004

Can Helsinki's brand of retro rock conquer our charts? ...

Bebel Gilberto: Joao And Bebel Gilberto

Profile and Interview by James Maycock, The Times, June 2004

IT WAS IN THE summer of ‘64, 40 years ago this month, that Joao Gilberto’s ‘A Girl From Ipanema’ was released. A huge global ...

Sparks: Talkin' About My Generator

Interview by Bob Stanley, The Times, 11 June 2004

SPARKS PUT the fear of God into preteens with their debut Top of the Pops appearance. As pretty boy Russell Mael flashed his baby blues ...

Glastonbury: The Garden of Eavis

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 25 June 2004

Back in the mud again, our correspondent longs for her own en suite festival to avoid the wet clothes and cartwheeling tents. ...

Oasis: It's judgment day in the oasis of trendiness: Oasis at Glasto

Live Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 26 June 2004

ONE OF THE best things about Glastonbury is the way that it serves as a giant sun-burnt exit poll on the cultural developments of the ...

"£50 Man" is music to ears of dying industry

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 29 June 2004

FIVE years ago, prominent figures in the music industry began proclaiming that downloading would kill the music industry. ...

Bryan Ferry: Kenwood House, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, July 2004

THE ATMOSPHERE was more Glyndebourne than Glastonbury when Bryan Ferry brought his impeccably groomed lounge-soul floorshow to the leafy grounds of Kenwood House on Saturday ...

Dogs Die in Hot Cars: Hotter dogs

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 2 July 2004

Scotpop it may be, but Dogs Die in Hot Cars are in a league of their own ...

Gil Scott-Heron: Chasing The Heron

Report and Interview by James Maycock, The Times, 16 July 2004

"I'M ADDICTED to creating," mutters a grizzled, slightly stoned Gil Scott-Heron. "I use other things from time to time." It's late afternoon on Friday 3rd ...

Basement Jaxx, Goldie Lookin' Chain: Basement Jaxx/Goldie Lookin' Chain: Bristol Canons Marsh

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2004

AFTER A SLUGGISH start, the finale of Bristol's Grolsh Summer Set shows felt like a largely triumphant affair on Wednesday. Local acts featured on the ...

Jah Wobble

Report and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2004

THE LAST time Jah Wobble got into a public punch-up was half a decade ago, squaring up to a street gang on his East End ...

Madonna : Manchester Evening News Arena

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2004

PARTS OF MANCHESTER almost ground to a halt this weekend as the European wing of Madonna’s Reinvention Tour opened with two nights at the city’s ...

Nick Cave: "I Wasn't Sid Vicious": Nick Cave

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, September 2004

FOR A HIGH-MINDED musical elder statesman like Nick Cave, cultural credibility comes in many forms. The 47-year-old Australian export has hosted London's Meltdown festival, been ...

Pet Shop Boys: The Pet Shop Boys: Pop-aganda

Report and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 3 September 2004

Potemkin and the sound of a Pet Shop Boy ...

Tom Waits: Well Worth the Waits

Report and Interview by David Sinclair, The Times, 22 October 2004

NEXT MONTH Tom Waits will make his first British concert appearance for 17 years. And if the word filtering back from Vancouver and Seattle, where ...

John Peel: Pied Piper for Four Generations

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 27 October 2004

IF YOU WANT to know what influence John Peel had, and what he stood for, listening to Radio One in the hours after his death ...

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Hastings Pier

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, November 2004

MANY ROCK STARS would recoil at the notion of playing an end-of the-pier ballroom in a shabby South Coast retirement town, but Nick Cave appeared ...

Peter Cincotti: Shooting the pianist

Interview by Robin Eggar, The Times, 28 November 2004

Jazz sensation Peter Cincotti plays to the camera ...

The Darkness: SECC, Glasgow

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, December 2004

IN POP, last year's underdog can so easily become this year's one-trick pony. The Darkness ended 2003 as the former rank outsiders who triumphed over ...

Snow Patrol: Brixton Academy

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 1 December 2004

A NONDESCRIPT bunch of blokes from Scotland, they spent several years fine-tuning an unremarkable indie-rock formula until they eventually started to sell albums in the ...

Bob Dylan, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams: The Holy and Sacred thoughts of His Bobness

Book Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 11 December 2004

THE GREATEST music book this year, of course, is Bob Dylan's Chronicles, Vol. 1 (Simon & Schuster, £16.99; offer £13.39) — a cultural event so notable ...

Babyshambles, Pete Doherty, The Libertines: Babyshambles: Grow up, for Pete's sake

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 17 December 2004

Fans deify Pete Doherty for his 'old school' hedonism. Actually, he's a tragic junkie du jour ...

Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz: Lil Jon: Time to crunk it up

Report and Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 15 January 2005

He's crazy. He's drunk. He is "crunk". Angus Batey meets Lil Jon ...

Happy Mondays: It's a very happy Monday for Bez

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 24 January 2005

Victory for the man who tried to escape Celebrity Big Brother. ...

The Chemical Brothers: Dancing To The Death: The New Club Culture

Report and Interview by Sheryl Garratt, The Times, 28 January 2005

CLUB CULTURE is over so no music coming out of the dance arena can be interesting. It's not usually put so bluntly but I've read ...

Ashanti: Concrete Rose (Def Jam)

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 29 January 2005

BACK IN 2002, Ashanti could do no wrong. The first R&B signing to Irv Gotti’s controversial hip-hop label, Murder Inc, the sweet-sounding singer had huge ...

The Game: The Documentary (Interscope)

Review by Angus Batey, The Times, 29 January 2005

JACEYON TAYLOR, aka the Game, is keen to point out to his listeners that rap was not his first calling. The 25-year-old turned to music ...

Aberfeldy, David Kitt: David Kitt/Aberfeldy: Lock 17, NW1, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 31 January 2005

THEY MAY SHARE a hip record label in Rough Trade, but the young Scots popsters Aberfeldy and the seasoned Irish singer-songwriter David Kitt were an ...

Tiny Pop TV: Get the kids on the right tracks

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 31 January 2005

Children need more than Disney power ballads. So why not try your own record collection? ...

Rammstein: Brixton Academy

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, February 2005

A GRAND theatrical spectacle to rival any West End show, the industrial rock carnival that is Rammstein thundered into Brixton on Thursday to kick off ...

Razorlight: Manchester Apollo

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, February 2005

AS IF TAKING their cue from their friends, The Libertines, Razorlight have spent much of 2005 rocked by public tantrums and rumours of imminent disintegration. ...

Black Eyed Peas: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 2 February 2005

CAN IT ONLY be 18 months since the Black Eyed Peas were jostling each other for space on the tiny stage of the 400-capacity Jazz ...

Snoop (Doggy) Dogg: Snoop Dogg: Hammersmith Apollo, W6

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 February 2005

"YOU GOTTA love Snoop," a teenage boy in a backwards baseball cap told me as we waited for the rap star Snoop Dogg to show ...

Harmonia's Hans Joachim Roedelius: The man music tried to forget

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 18 February 2005

Before Kraftwerk, there was Hans-Joachim Roedelius. Meet the neglected pioneer of German electronica. ...

Doing justice to Smash Hits

Report and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 21 February 2005

The once-great tongue-in-cheek music press has gone, but its spirit lives on. ...

Jessica Vale: Symphony for Moans and Rampant Rabbit

Report and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 28 February 2005

Jessica Vale's album is made up entirely of samples of people having sex. So what exactly was that sound? Or that one? ...

The Chemical Brothers: Chemical Brothers: Apollo, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 14 March 2005

FOR MUCH of the past decade, the Chemical Brothers seemed indestructible. They topped the charts, broke audience records at Glastonbury, and even won a Grammy ...

Daft Punk: Human After All

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 19 March 2005

THE THIRD album from Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manual de Homem Christo, the self-styled cyborg rulers of Parisian disco-pop, was initially trailed as a harder and ...

Dido, KT Tunstall: Dido et al: Music to Watch Girls Buy

Overview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 25 March 2005

Our correspondent casts a weather eye over the fleet of female singer-songwriters floating their sonic pedalos in the wake of Dido's mighty MOR steamship ...

Out of tune: Customers suffer in the music download war

Report by Angus Batey, The Times, 26 March 2005

This month, a group of unnamed people became the first casualties of the UK music industry's war on internet piracy, when the British Phonographic Industry ...

The Smiths: So tell me, what was that all about? A Smiths Symposium

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 29 March 2005

THE VIDEO for the Smiths' 1987 single 'I Started Something I Couldn't Finish' shows hundreds of faux-Morrisseys descending on the streets of Manchester — cardigans frayed, quiffs ...

Einsturzende Neubauten: The Forum, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, April 2005

WHAT HAPPENS when enfants terribles of avant-garde industrial noise grow into comfortable middle age? In the case of Einsturzende Neubauten, the former godfathers of Berlin's ...

The Features: The Garage, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 23 April 2005

ADMITTEDLY, the Arsenal v Chelsea match taking place at the same time was tough competition, but it was still a surprise to see a small ...

Faith Evans: Time To Try Again

Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 30 April 2005

Two UK No 1s have not made the former Mrs BIG a household name in this country. Faith Evan's new album might just do it ...

Moby In Vegas

Report by Stephen Dalton, The Times, May 2005

YOU DO not need to travel too far from the Hard Rock Hotel to find the tacky glamour that earned Las Vegas its reputation as ...

Kraftwerk

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2005

FEW BANDS in pop history are quite as mysterious, elusive and maddeningly eccentric as Kraftwerk. But few remain as enduringly influential either. In 2005, even ...

Saint Etienne: Lives Of The Saints (And Their Kids)

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 3 June 2005

Saint Etienne have produced a concept album and a set of children's songs. But they aren't Yes ...

Dinosaur Jr: The Forum, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 10 June 2005

IT MAY tell us something about the sorry state of contemporary rock, but at least one semi-legendary cult band from the 1980s seems to reform ...

Casualties Of War

Comment by Pete Paphides, The Times, 11 June 2005

Songs about conflict and warfare are guaranteed to destroy a musician's credibility ...

U2: City of Manchester Stadium

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 16 June 2005

STILL THRILLING huge audiences more than 25 years into their career, U2 become ever more impressive in their longevity, integrity, capacity for reinvention and willingness ...

Rutles.The: The Rutles: Rock Café 2000, Stourbridge

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 18 June 2005

A COMEDY sketch that grew into an cult, the Rutles may be a joke that delivered its punchline almost three decades ago, but 200 or ...

Audioslave: Brixton Academy, London, SW9

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 22 June 2005

OF ALL THE SINGERS to emerge from Seattle's grunge scene, Soundgarden's Chris Cornell looked the least likely to sustain his stardom. His band — which ...

Pete Doherty: Glastonbury: Rubbing shoulders with stars after noodles and chips

Report by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 27 June 2005

It is not Cannes, but our correspondent says she could have done with a yacht. ...

Kaiser Chiefs: Hail to the Chiefs, as Americans say

Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 1 July 2005

The only British act appearing in Philadelphia will be Leeds lads, the Kaiser Chiefs. Caitlin Moran traded bons mots ...

Oasis: Hampden Park, Glasgow

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 1 July 2005

THESE DAYS, the Zeitgeist might prefer to be seen on the town with the likes of Coldplay – but for a band shadowed by past ...

Snoop (Doggy) Dogg: Snoop Dogg: Cardiff International Arena

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 6 July 2005

HE MAY have caused a minor rumpus with his expletive-laden lyrics at Live 8, but the dapper rapper Snoop Dogg was in unruffled mood on ...

Charlotte Church: Tissues and Issues (Sony BMG)

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 9 July 2005

DID YOU see her on Jonathan Ross the other week? Didn't she do well? Quick-witted, funny and worldly in the face of her interlocutor's ceaseless ...

Circulus, The Incredible String Band: Nowt so queer as acid folk

Report and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 15 July 2005

In a parallel world alongside mainstream rock lies a folk revival. Pete Paphides enters the zone ...

Editors: The Back Room

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 16 July 2005

THE EDITORS' rapidly growing legion of fans sent the group's recent single, 'Munich', into the Top 30 — and by the time you read this, its ...

Roisin Murphy: Scala, London

Live Review by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 22 July 2005

WHEN YOU GO SOLO after spending eight years in a duo, how do you fill that nagging gap beside you on the stage? Easy: take ...

King Creosote, Tunng: Luminare, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 3 August 2005

TUNNG'S percussionist has a range of shells, chimes and beaded items of Middle Eastern persuasion available to him. But for their second song, 'Kinky Vans', he ...

Editors: The Scala, London, N1

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 11 August 2005

THE STUDENTS and indie cubs near the stage won't be unduly troubled by any feelings of dejà vu on this night. With formative musical memories ...

Sonic Youth: Kim Gordon

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, September 2005

BACKSTAGE AT V Festival, the queen mother of punk rock shelters from the punishing sun. With her dirty-blonde hair and boho-bag-lady chic, Kim Gordon cuts ...

Kim Gordon, Sonic Youth: Punk's Queen Mother: Kim Gordon

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, September 2005

BACKSTAGE AT V Festival, the queen mother of punk rock shelters from the punishing sun. With her dirty-blonde hair and boho-bag-lady chic, Kim Gordon cuts ...

Rave On… But Be Careful

Comment by Sheryl Garratt, The Times, 3 September 2005

IT IS EASY TO forget how grey and grim Britain seemed in the late 1980s. The Tories had been in power for ever; young men ...

David Gray: Shepherds Bush Empire, London W12

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 27 September 2005

FOR A SOLO SINGER-SONGWRITER kind of guy David Gray favours a reassuringly cluttered performing environment. There was so much equipment, set at odd angles here ...

Franz Ferdinand: You Could Have It So Much Better (Domino)

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 30 September 2005

WHAT WOULD you give for a tenth of the confidence with which Alex Kapranos carries himself? With five singles taken from Franz Ferdinand's eponymous debut ...

Ms Dynamite: Judgement Days

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 1 October 2005

FUNNY WHAT mainstream appeal can do to an artist. Ms Dynamite has never sounded like someone who strived too hard to achieve it, but her ...

Robbie Williams, Part 1: A Dark Star Shines Brightly

Profile and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 20 October 2005

HERE IS Robbie Williams's penthouse, on the 15th floor, overlooking Chelsea Harbour. To be fair, it's not a vast space — with a pool table, ...

Robbie Williams: Man with the Child in his Eyes

Profile and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 21 October 2005

In part two of our exclusive interview, Caitlin Moran finds the mixed-up Robbie Williams she once knew a changed man. ...

a-ha

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, November 2005

IN 2005, there are few cooler pop names to drop than a-ha. Coldplay and Travis are not just avowed fans but sometime collaborators with the ...

Gorillaz: Opera House, Manchester

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 3 November 2005

AS IF IT HADN'T escaped the attention of the Gorillaz co-creator, we're in the Oasis heartlands. And in the city where more than anywhere else ...

Madonna: Famous for being more famous than famous: Madonna and other icons

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 4 November 2005

Our writer muses on the qualities that separate the icon from the merely great. ...

Babyshambles: Down in Albion

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 11 November 2005

HOW TONY PARSONS delighted in playing the contrarian on last Friday's Newsnight Review. Having lived with Babyshambles' long-awaited debut album for a week, the Mirror columnist took ...

Madonna: Koko, London

Live Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 16 November 2005

THE LAST TIME Madonna played this venue was, as she reminded us, 22 years ago. Then, she was just another struggling blond singer/dancer/actress living on ...

Ed Kuepper: This is the Magic Mile (Hot Records)

Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 16 December 2005

...

Rosanne Cash's Cadillac

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, January 2006

ROSANNE CASH has already been to church by the time we meet for breakfast. As dawn broke on this wintry Parisian morning, the singer-songwriter slipped ...

Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 13 January 2006

GIVEN THAT there probably isn't a guitar-wielding teenager who wouldn't swap with them right now, it might seem strange to suggest that we should feel ...

Richard Ashcroft: Keys to the World (Parlophone)

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 20 January 2006

HE MAY BE "a million different people from one day to the next", but if recent form is anything to go by, only one of ...

Coldcut: Cargo, EC2

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 23 January 2006

LONG BEFORE Basement Jaxx or Fatboy Slim, Matt Black and Jonathan More were Britain's original kings of big beats. ...

The Feeling: That loving Feeling

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 27 January 2006

Soft rock is the new punk and the Feeling are its Sex Pistols, reports Pete Paphides. ...

Editors — You're holding the front page

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 3 February 2006

LEFT ALONE IN EDITORS' dressing room for a couple of minutes, it's hard not to fear the worst. A well-thumbed copy of George Orwell's 1984 ...

Farewell, Smash 'Makes Mash' Hits

Obituary by Pete Paphides, The Times, 3 February 2006

Paying tribute to the mag that had its finger on the pulse, but now has no pulse at all ...

Sway: This Is My Demo (Dcypha)

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 3 February 2006

IF THIS is the moment that Derek Asafo — aka Sway — crosses over, you can hardly blame him for exercising a little caution. For ...

Katie Melua: Apollo, London W6

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 February 2006

THE AUDIENCE stayed in their seats all evening, applauded politely at the end of each song and, despite the occasional invitation, refused to join in ...

The Kooks: University of London Union

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 16 February 2006

"I DIDN'T GET ANY VALENTINE'S CARDS," pouted the Kooks singer Luke Pritchard on Tuesday night, surveying a crowd heavy on screaming young girls, two of ...

Corinne Bailey Rae : Corinne Bailey Rae: Corinne Bailey Rae

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 24 February 2006

LEST WE FORGET, this isn't the first time that a new artist has been propelled into the spotlight to massed cries that she's the new ...

The Thick of Hip: Touré's Never Drank the Kool-Aid

Book Review by Angus Batey, The Times, 25 February 2006

WRITING ABOUT MUSIC, Elvis Costello once remarked, is like dancing about architecture. If that were true, writing about hip hop, with its inherent wordiness, its ...

David Gilmour: On An Island

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 3 March 2006

OUT IN CYBERSPACE reunion rumours swirl with niggling persistence, but David Gilmour's perpetual half-smile masks an unyielding nature. Asked about a putative Pink Floyd re-formation ...

Gogol Bordello: Careful with that act, Eugene

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 10 March 2006

The name of Eugene Hütz's band is only part of his Ukrainian whimsy, Pete Paphides discovers ...

Ozzy Osbourne: Sharon Osbourne: Is Sharon "Loved"? Everyone I Know Can't Stand Her

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 13 March 2006

NEWS OF great note to stay-at-home mums, students, "freelancers", resting actors, members of indie rock bands, pensioners, columnists, people who work night shifts in factories ...

Prince: 3121 (Universal)

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 17 March 2006

IN THE SIXTIES, when record companies thought nothing of squeezing two albums a year from their artists, the music industry benefited rampantly productive artists. As ...

Candi Staton's Dandy, Liquor's Licked

Profile and Interview by Martin Aston, The Times, 24 March 2006

THERE ARE TIMELESS songs, and then there are timeless songs, those that chart across time itself. Take the Righteous Brothers' revered 'You've Lost That Lovin' ...

Amadou & Mariam: Here's the case for global warming

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 31 March 2006

The blind Malian couple Amadou and Mariam will be the toast of the World Music awards next week, Pete Paphides met them ...

Embrace: Hear we go!

Comment by Pete Paphides, The Times, 31 March 2006

We get the football anthems we deserve, says Pete Paphides. Can Embrace score a winner? ...

Morrissey: The Lowry, Salford

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, April 2006

THE SENSE OF feverish anticipation that Morrissey still generates before each live performance, record release and even interview is a remarkable testament to the cult ...

The Streets: The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 7 April 2006

DOES IT SIGNAL the beginning of the end when an artist casts around for inspiration and can think of nothing to write about other than ...

Placebo: Birmingham Academy

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 April 2006

A DECADE ON FROM THEIR CHART DEBUT — and almost as long since they were hip — Placebo have a renaissance on their hands. Their ...

The World's Greatest Indoor Festival: Julien Temple's Glastonbury

Review by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 13 April 2006

THERE IS NO Glastonbury Festival this year — a fact that will, to be frank, be making the lives of about 120,000 people fairly bleak ...

Snow Patrol: Koko, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 April 2006

WHATEVER Snow Patrol spent the earnings from their last, two-million-selling album on, it wasn't their wardrobe. Or a personal trainer. In this warm-up for a ...

Erasure: Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 18 April 2006

WITH BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN dominating the recent Academy Awards, 2006 is shaping up to be a vintage year for camp cowboys. ...

Arctic Monkeys: Magna Centre, Rotherham

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 24 April 2006

SPEND AN hour in the company of Britain's hottest young band and an inescapable irony heaves into view. How is it that a frontman with ...

Hilary Duff: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 1 May 2006

THE TEXAN teen queen Hilary Duff is much more than a pretty pop star. An actress since the age of 6, she found fame playing ...

The Streets: Colston Hall, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 8 May 2006

FAME, ACCLAIM and sudden wealth can be terrible burdens for a young pop star. Such is the overriding theme of The Hardest Way to Make ...

Craig David: Hammersmith Apollo, London W6

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 15 May 2006

CRAIG DAVID IS THE ONLY R&B SUPERSTAR this country has produced. His debut album, Born to Do It, sold eight million copies, while the "flop" ...

Cortney Tidwell: ICA, SW1

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 16 May 2006

CROUCHED BEHIND an acoustic guitar on a pocket-sized stage, Cortney Tidwell struggled to be heard above the chatter of the late-night drinkers who crowded her ...

David Gilmour: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 31 May 2006

THE PINK FLOYD REUNION at Live 8 last year was not enough to revive the group. But it has propelled David Gilmour’s solo career to ...

The Beastie Boys: Awesome Welles: The Beastie Boys' Home Movie

Report and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2006

THE WAY Beastie Boys rapper turned movie director Adam "MCA" Yauch tells it, the idea to film the band's sold-out homecoming gig at Madison Square ...

Bob Dylan: International Arena, Cardiff

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2006

THE CULT OF Bob Dylan stands at its highest point for decades, bolstered by the singer's highly regarded US radio show and superb memoir Chronicles. ...

Fatboy Slim

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2006

THE SUN DECK of Norman Cook's seafront Brighton home juts out over a stony stretch of supposedly private beach. But it is not that private, ...

Muse: Black Holes and Revelations

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2006

COMPARED TO the mighty cosmic thunder of Muse, the undernourished hipsters of the current Britrock scene sound like puny little insects. Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme ...

Shirley Bassey: Cardiff International Arena

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2006

SHE MAY BE OLDER than John Prescott and camper than Liberace, but Dame Shirley Bassey's sold-out homecoming show in Cardiff on Tuesday was greeted with ...

Nerina Pallot: The Bloomsbury, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 1 June 2006

YOU CAN'T WALK ROUND A CORNER in West London these days without bumping into Nerina Pallot. The billboard campaign for her second album, Fires, suggests ...

The Futureheads: Manchester Academy

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 7 June 2006

PACKING OUT the Manchester date of their latest British tour, the Futureheads played with just enough wit and grit to defy the formulaic mannerisms that ...

Paul McCartney: Lady Madonna: In defence of Heather Mills-McCartney

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 15 June 2006

IN THE WEEK in which Lady McCartney has been accused of being, quite literally, a lying whore, I hope it is of some small comfort ...

Plan B: Who Needs Actions When You Got Words

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 16 June 2006

AS EUREKA moments go, Ben Drew's was so obvious it seems perverse that he didn't think of it before. ...

Johnny Cash: American V

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, July 2006

MORE THAN THREE YEARS after his death, the Man In Black is still enjoying the kind of final-act career resurgence that artists half his age ...

Midlake

Interview by Jim Irvin, The Times, July 2006

YOU HEAR A rolling figure on electric piano, a melody recalling Fleetwood Mac's 'Rhiannon' and the 'Theme From MASH', a chugging groove reminiscent of 'Don't ...

Peaches: Impeach My Bush

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 7 July 2006

MIX THE rudest bits of Madonna, Goldfrapp, Pink, Lil’ Kim and Princess Superstar and — arguably — you get Peaches. ...

Razorlight: Cut throat Razorlight

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 14 July 2006

They're riding high, but this triumph of Anglo-Swedish discord is still looking daggers. ...

Spice Girls: The Spice Girls: It Was a Power Trip

Retrospective by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 14 July 2006

Ten years after the release of the first Spice Girls album, our writer argues that the social legacy of "girl power" is still with us. ...

The Who: Talking 'bout our Laptop Generation

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 17 July 2006

THE WHO ARE embarking on a 66-date world tour this year. ...

The Neptunes, N.E.R.D., Pharrell Williams: Pharrell Williams: Sorry, laydeez, he's booked

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 21 July 2006

Music is my one true love, says blingtastic baron of beats, Pharrell Williams ...

Muse: Ready For Blast Off

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 29 July 2006

IN KEEPING with his reputation as Britrock's reigning maestro of overblown melodrama, Matt Bellamy lives in a grand old villa overlooking Lake Como in northern ...

Kanda Bongo Man, Konono No. 1: Womad: Rivermead, Reading

Report by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 1 August 2006

THE MOST relaxed and family-friendly festival of the summer season, Womad again transformed a quiet corner of the Thames Valley into a bustling global village ...

Fun-Da-Mental: Angry in the UK: Fun-da-mental

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 4 August 2006

Fun-Da-Mental's new album gives voice to Muslim rage, says its creator Aki Nawaz ...

Audio Bullys: Electric Gardens festival: Mount Ephraim, Kent

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 9 August 2006

IT MAY BE a reaction to the vacuum left by the dormant Glastonbury, but there has been an unprecedented explosion in small-scale boutique festivals this ...

Akala: Exploding on to the scene

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 18 August 2006

Mobo nominee MC Akala is more than just Ms Dynamite's little brother. ...

Bob Dylan: Modern Times (Columbia) ***

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 26 August 2006

ARRIVING IN THE afterglow of Martin Scorsese's laudatory No Direction Home, Dylan's first album in five years carries the burden of great expectations. But behind ...

R.E.M.: Michael Stipe: An Interview

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, September 2006

THE ROOF TERRACE alone in Michael Stipe's ultra-deluxe Knightsbridge hotel suite is bigger than most luxury flats. Boasting its own sauna and dining hall, the ...

Adam & The Ants: Stand And Deliver by Adam Ant (Sidgwick & Jackson)

Book Review by Bob Stanley, The Times, 16 September 2006

STUART GODDARD attempted suicide, aged 21, in 1975. He woke up in Friern Barnet hospital and discharged himself. When he got home to his wife ...

Badly Drawn Boy: Born in the UK (EMI)

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 6 October 2006

JAMES BLUNT may have recently been voted Britain's fourth-biggest irritant, but he's found an unlikely ally in Damon Gough, the man who trades as Badly ...

Missy Elliott: NIA, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 6 October 2006

IT IS an inspiring testament to the broad church of pop that a comically eccentric, musically adventurous, downright surreal figure such as Missy Elliott can ...

Girls Aloud: The Trojan Horses of Pop

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 20 October 2006

Girls Aloud can't write songs. So what? They turned pop on its head ...

Where Were You In C86?

Retrospective by Bob Stanley, The Times, 20 October 2006

THE EIGHTIES HAVE – like the stack-heeled Seventies before them – been repackaged and filed away as an era of Duran Duran, Dynasty and mobile ...

Madonna tackles her critics head on

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 2 November 2006

HAD ONE CONSIDERED, five years ago, which controversy Madonna would next be embroiled in, it is unlikely that many of us would have guessed "something ...

Amy Winehouse: She's Class with a Glass: Amy Winehouse

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 3 November 2006

Cockney chanteuse Amy Winehouse thinks rehab is for wimps. But will her battles with her addictive personality deprive her of her rightful place in musical ...

The Feeling: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 6 November 2006

IT HAS BEEN less than a year since the Feeling released their first single, but in that time the London quintet have chalked up several ...

Mary Gauthier: The Roundhouse, London NW1

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 7 November 2006

IN ITS CONTINUING BID to corner every must-see gig in town, the refurbished Roundhouse has incorporated the Freedom Studio, a 180-capacity "multi-form" room, buried in ...

Courtney Love: Love, Actually

Profile and Interview by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 9 November 2006

Courtney Love was rejected by her parents at 9, raised in institutions and grew into the wild woman of rock. Our correspondent spent the weekend ...

Faithless: To All New Arrivals

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 24 November 2006

FAITHLESS have abandoned big rave anthems, but they'll still bite your legs ...

Pete Doherty: For Pete's Sake, Let's Hope There's No Snow At Christmas

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 27 November 2006

I WONDER what Pete Doherty will be doing for Christmas? I know you're wondering, too. It is a poser. While it's difficult enough being a ...

Snow Patrol: NIA Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 30 November 2006

THIS IS a big week for Snow Patrol. On Sunday their fourth album, Eyes Open, was certified as the bestselling UK release of 2006, with ...

Tenacious D: MEN Arena, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 15 December 2006

NO ORDINARY BAND could have made their Manchester debut by packing the city's largest rock venue. But Tenacious D pulled off this impressive feat, thanks ...

Ghosts: Water Rats, London WC1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 January 2007

IF GHOSTS had intended to start a scrum by playing a venue much too small for their rapidly expanding fanbase, they succeeded. At the first ...

Just Jack: Bar Academy, London N1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 12 January 2007

HE BOUNDS on stage like a kid on Christmas morning — eyes saucer-sized, smile a mile wide and body like a beanpole. If Jack Allsopp ...

The Twang: KOKO, London NW1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 16 January 2007

THEY HAVE yet to release a single or record a debut album, but the Twang are already being hailed the saviours of real rock'n'roll. In ...

Belinda Carlisle: In a Provence hideaway, Belinda goes native

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 9 February 2007

'80s pop star Belinda Carlisle loves France so much she's gone native, she tells Sophia Heawood. ...

Bloc Party: Party people turn political

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 10 February 2007

Their fiery mix of pop and passion is turning Bloc Party into a key band. Our writer met them. ...

The Killers: MEN Arena, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 20 February 2007

BRINGING A dash of Las Vegas flash to the future home of Britain's first supercasino, the Killers crowned last week's Brit Awards win for best ...

Philip Glass' Satyagraha at the ENO

Report and Interview by John Lewis, The Times, March 2007

A MAN DRESSED as Gandhi, in a loin-cloth and Alf Garnett specs, is curled up on the floor as twenty men brandish chairs and throw ...

The Fratellis: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 6 March 2007

THEY FOUGHT OFF Lily Allen, Corinne Bailey Rae and James Morrison to win the British Breakthrough Act Award at the Brits. Their first album, Costello ...

Amy Winehouse: Booze and cheers

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 8 April 2007

AMY WINEHOUSE sings like an angel, drinks like the devil and loves her festivals. ...

Marillion: How To Thrive On A Fish-Free Diet

Profile and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 21 April 2007

THERE ARE no goblins guarding the gates to Marillion's secret lair in the rolling depths of Middle England. No cackling old crones casting spells on ...

The Noisettes: In with a shout

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 21 April 2007

ARMED POLICE can't stop the Noisettes from making themselves heard. ...

Blondie, Debbie Harry: Debbie Harry: Never Fade Away

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 28 April 2007

BEFORE Madonna, before Courtney Love and Shirley Manson, before Karen O and Beth Ditto, there was Debbie Harry. ...

Damon Albarn: The serious side of monkey business

Report and Interview by John Lewis, The Times, 25 May 2007

Author's note: The completed version was edited down and most of Damon Albarn's quotes were removed. This 1600-word version, below, features many more quotes from ...

R. Kelly: Happy People / U Saved Me

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 29 May 2007

IF ANYONE in pop has a Teflon-coated career, it's R. Kelly. In 12 years as an R&B star, the singer, songwriter and producer has seen ...

Motorhead: Lemmy: The Oldest Rocker In Town

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 9 June 2007

THE SUN hammers down on the French Riviera like a vengeful Old Testament god. With temperatures topping 90 degrees, the beach at Nice is heaving ...

Calvin Harris: Scala, London N1

Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 June 2007

CALVIN HARRIS can't quite believe his luck. The lanky lad in the gaudy tracksuit top may have called his debut album I Created Disco, but ...

Suzanne Vega — Still in the spotlight

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 16 June 2007

IT'S 20 YEARS SINCE Tom's Diner, but Suzanne Vega sounds as contemporary as ever. ...

Editors: An End Has a Start

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 22 June 2007

THROUGHOUT 2005 there were few more ubiquitous young indie bands than Arcade Fire and Editors. Now, in 2007, both have been faced with the job ...

Grinderman: The Forum, London ****

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 22 June 2007

NICK CAVE turns 50 this year. As far back as a decade ago, he protested that rock and roll is no job for a middle-aged ...

Soweto Kinch: Absolute Beginners: Lyric Theatre, London

Report and Interview by John Lewis, The Times, July 2007

COLIN MACINNES'S 1959 novel Absolute Beginners remains a landmark in post-colonial literature, a brash, idealistic voyage through the Notting Hill race riots, seedy jazz dives, ...

New Young Pony Club: Fantastic Playroom

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 7 July 2007

REMEMBER HOW REFRESHING all those indie-rock boy-bands sounded when they first rediscovered the slanted angles and spiky rhythms of postpunk four or five years ago? ...

Gym Class Heroes: The Forum, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 24 July 2007

THAT GYM CLASS Heroes owe their sudden success to a Supertramp sample should tickle parents of their predominately teenage fans. ...

Interpol go mammoth

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 27 July 2007

Frozen moments is how Interpol sees its intelligent, dark-edged brand of rock. Sophie Heawood met the quirky quartet. ...

Scissor Sisters: O2 Arena, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 30 July 2007

SCISSOR SISTERS' last hurrah before retreating to New York to start work on album No 3 should have been a camp carnival. ...

Laura Veirs: Bush Hall, London W12

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 August 2007

LAURA VEIRS EXISTS in a universe that runs parallel to the mainstream music industry, if not directly counter to it. With six studio albums to ...

Kate Nash: Made of Bricks

Review by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 4 August 2007

YOU WOULD THINK that Richey Edwards from the Manic Street Preachers carving "4 real" into his arm, in 1991, might have ended the British fascination ...

Black Eyed Peas: Will.i.am: Peas In Our Time

Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 10 August 2007

The Black Eyed Peas' frontman Will.i.am tells our correspondent how "happy" music took him from the ghetto to the Top Ten ...

Kanye West: Corn Exchange, Edinburgh

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 20 August 2007

HE MAY be a royally approved rapper after his appearance at the Diana memorial concert, but Kanye West recently took issue with Princes William and ...

Passenger: Barfly, London NW1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 26 September 2007

NOTHING IS quite as it seems with the Brighton band Passenger. ...

Underworld: the Guildhall, Southampton

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 12 October 2007

THERE WERE MORE grey-haired Disco Dads than fresh-faced Nu Ravers in evidence when Underworld began their first British tour in five years. Karl Hyde and ...

Siobhan Donaghy: Sugababe for Rent: Siobhan Donaghy

Report and Interview by John Lewis, The Times, 13 October 2007

She might have a starring role in a big West End production of Rent, but ex-Sugababe Siobhan Donaghy is a bit worried about her parents ...

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: Raising Sand

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 26 October 2007

OUT OF THE BLUE, Jo Bartlett, the co-organiser of the small folk festival, Green Man, received a phone call one day from someone purporting to ...

Alicia Keys: The Ascent Of Alicia Keys

Interview by Angus Batey, The Times, 10 November 2007

A family death hit her hard but Alicia Keys found inspiration to go on — on top of the Great Pyramid ...

Amy Winehouse: NIA, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 15 November 2007

EVEN BY HER normal soap-opera standards, this last fortnight has been unusually turbulent for Amy Winehouse. ...

Kings of Leon: Wembley Arena

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 December 2007

HOW THE heck did Kings of Leon wind up at Wembley? ...

Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse: I need a break, what shall I have: heroin or a baby?

Comment by Caitlin Moran, The Times, 20 December 2007

As Amy Winehouse's problems mount, and Lily Allen announces that she is pregnant, Caitlin Moran explains that the two young singers are under the same ...

M.I.A.: Coronet Theatre, London SE1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 22 December 2007

SHE IS LESS well-known than Amy Winehouse's hair and her sales to date wouldn't fund Beyoncé's laundry bill, yet Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, aka M.I.A., has ...

Adele ation starts here

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 28 December 2007

Universally tipped for stardom in the coming year, Adele has a mouth on her and she's not afraid to use it. ...

Radiohead: 93 Feet East, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 17 January 2008

IT STARTED AT 10am yesterday and by mid-afternoon reached epidemic proportions. Radiohead fans all over London complained that they felt unwell — well, that's what ...

Dashboard Confessional: Scala, London NW1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 23 January 2008

PARENTS WHO FEAR the effects of emo should spend some time with Chris Carrabba. Under the guise of Dashboard Confessional, the South Florida-raised singer, songwriter ...

Amy Winehouse: Why Amy Winehouse is On The Rocks

Essay by Nick Kent, The Times, 24 January 2008

As troubled singer Amy Winehouse is filmed smoking crack cocaine, our writer, a veteran of the 1970s music and drug culture, explains why we view ...

Lenny Kravitz: Justifying his lack of love

Report by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 25 January 2008

THERE ARE DRY PATCHES, there are droughts, and then there are deserts — and it seems that Lenny Kravitz is living through his own personal ...

Linkin Park: O2 Arena, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 30 January 2008

IF YOUNG ROCK ACTS are struggling to sell albums, someone forgot to tell Linkin Park. Seven years since their debut, Hybrid Theory, won a Grammy, ...

Hot Chip: Made in the Dark

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 1 February 2008

Chips with everything ...

Mika: Hammersmith Apollo, W6

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 27 February 2008

TO CRITICISE a performer for making too much effort seems absurd, yet Mika's surfeit of ideas and eagerness to impress overshadowed the songs in his ...

Camille

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, March 2008

ON THE EVE of Nicolas Sarkozy's state visit to Britain, another French export is already launching her latest cross-channel charm offensive in London. ...

Duffy: Rockferry ***

Review by Bob Stanley, The Times, 1 March 2008

BEHIND THE BLONDE BANGS, you get the feeling there might have been more than the odd moment of self-doubt for Duffy. You can almost see ...

The Hoosiers: Shepherds Bush Empire, W12

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 March 2008

"DID YOU know you are in the presence of an award-winning band?" teased the singer Irwin Sparkes, before dedicating a defiantly ELO-influenced new number, 'Swear ...

The Kills: Midnight Boom, madness, Mosshart and Kate Moss

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 7 March 2008

THE ACHINGLY HIP BAND have made a surprisingly solid album, while many of their trendy peers have fallen by the wayside. ...

Pegi Young Follows Husband Neil Into The Spotlight

Profile and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 8 March 2008

ONSTAGE IN Berlin, Pegi Young makes a monumental high-tech concert hall feel like a dusty back porch in some sleepy truck-stop town. Opening for her ...

Josh Ritter: An unlikely candidate for a rock god

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 15 March 2008

THE MUCH-ADMIRED SINGER-SONGWRITER owes his creativity to reading, walking and narcoleptic cats. ...

Sugababes: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 22 March 2008

THEY COULD easily sell out arenas. Instead, Sugababes’ current tour — at 30 dates over eight weeks, the longest in their seven-year career — takes ...

Lost Highway becomes an opera

Preview by John Lewis, The Times, 28 March 2008

David Lynch’s enigmatic film Lost Highway has become an opera ...

Goldfrapp

Profile and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 11 April 2008

JUST BECAUSE Goldfrapp's new single is a sunny pop tune that goes by the name of 'Happiness', it doesn't mean that Alison Goldfrapp holds any ...

Elbow: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 18 April 2008

WHAT A LONG, hard slog it has been for Elbow. Eighteen years in the pop trenches and still only on their fourth album. They have ...

The Kooks: Brixton Academy, SW19

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 5 May 2008

They took some getting there, but The Kooks eventually managed to show what they are capable of ...

Adele: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 8 May 2008

IS AN ADELE backlash in the air? Outside the first of two sold-out shows at Shepherds Bush Empire, touts were trying to offload tickets for ...

Lightspeed Champion: Meet the Lightspeed Champion Devonté Hynes

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 17 May 2008

Wacky tunes, specs and furry hat? Our correspondent meets an unlikely new champion of indie cool. ...

The Zutons open up with their third album You Can Do Anything

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 30 May 2008

The Zutons wrote 'Valerie' about a friend. Now their new album is based on other personal stories. ...

Foo Fighters: Manchester City Stadium

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2008

FOURTEEN YEARS and six albums since the demise of Nirvana, Dave Grohl continues to smooth down the spiky edges of his former band's indie-metal sound. ...

Leonard Cohen: Opera House, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2008

MORE THAN 15 YEARS have passed since Leonard Cohen last graced a British stage, but the 73-year-old poet-turned-crooner was on suave form at the start ...

Neil Diamond: Hampden Park, Glasgow

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2008

AFTER A MONTH of freakishly dry weather over Scotland, the heavens opened on Thursday just in time to soak more than 30,000 fans gathered at ...

Alanis Morissette: "I'm the smartest stupid person you'll meet"

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 14 June 2008

NOW SHE'S DONE with growing up, the million-selling confessional singer can relax and even laugh at herself. ...

Beth Rowley: from backing singer to Top Ten star

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 21 June 2008

At school she sang behind Ronan Keating; now the retro-chanteuse from Bristol is a solo smash hit. ...

Madonna: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff ***

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 25 August 2008

HOURS BEFORE Madonna launched her Sticky & Sweet world tour in Cardiff on Saturday, the phenomenal pulling power of history's biggest ever female pop star ...

George Michael: Earls Court, London ***

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 26 August 2008

THE FIRST of George Michael's two sold-out London mega-shows on Sunday was big on bling but low on spark. ...

R.E.M.: International Arena, Cardiff ***

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 27 August 2008

MICHAEL STIPE and his fellow Athenians were on punchy, persuasive form in Cardiff on Monday. In between rowdy tracks from the latest R.E.M. album, Accelerate, ...

Anohni (Antony & the Johnsons): Antony and the Johnsons

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, October 2008

ONSTAGE AT Harlem's fabled Apollo Theatre, Antony Hegarty cuts an imposing figure. Swept along by a 20-piece orchestra, New York City's reigning demi-monde diva sobs ...

Tony Christie: Cadogan Hall, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, November 2008

THIS HAS BEEN a vintage year for triumphant comebacks by veteran singers, from Leonard Cohen to Neil Diamond. Now Tony Christie, who turned 65 in ...

Beyoncé: Shy Big Sister by Day, Wild Girl by Night

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 14 November 2008

Her partner wowed Glastonbury, her music sells millions and her private life keeps everyone guessing. We talk to an unusually demure superstar. ...

Jesca Hoop's musical magic

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 29 November 2008

JESCA HOOP is gleefully pulling a wad of vintage lace out of her shopping bag. Layer after layer appears — is a grandmother somewhere being ...

Kings of Leon: Brighton Centre, Brighton

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 3 December 2008

CALEB FOLLOWILL was in an expansive mood as Kings of Leon began their biggest British tour yet. "This has been one of the best years ...

Blur Are Back

Report and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 10 December 2008

SIX YEARS AFTER they last played together, 13 since their epic chart duel with Oasis and almost three decades after the band's dominant figures met ...

The Hold Steady: Carling Academy, Oxford

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 10 December 2008

ON THE FACE OF IT, the Hold Steady are upholders of a classic rock tradition. A five-man, New York group who craft their songs out ...

The Prodigy: Glasgow Academy

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 10 December 2008

IN 1996, WHEN Keith Flint – the face that soonest springs to mind when people think of the Prodigy – shovelled on the kohl and ...

Paul McCartney, the Fireman and the smokescreen

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 19 December 2008

Paul McCartney has made his most experimental album in years, so why the pseudonym? ...

Little Boots is the big sound for 2009

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 10 January 2009

She's Blackpool's answer to Kylie and a fan of unhinged escapism — Little Boots is a hot prospect ...

Grace Jones: Grace under pressure

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 23 January 2009

The rigours of the road do nothing to cool the unexpected warmth of Grace Jones, says Sophie Heawood ...

Shontelle is the feisty feminist Rihanna

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 25 January 2009

R&B artist and Barbados-born singer Layne is female Sean Paul with fame within her grasp, after single, 'T-Shirt', proved a hit ...

Akon: Indigo, O2, Greenwich, SE10

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 28 January 2009

"ARE YOU ready for Akon?" cried a DJ in comedy glasses, a kilt and tartan waistcoat. An hour on, he was still posing the same ...

John Martyn: May we never forget the genius of John Martyn

Obituary by Pete Paphides, The Times, 30 January 2009

FOR MANY MUSIC fans, one lingering image of John Martyn, the British singer-songwriter who has died at the age of 60, remains preserved in the ...

Frankmusik, Keane: Keane/Frankmusik: MEN Arena, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, February 2009

KEANE HAVE SPENT much of their decade-long career as critical whipping boys, derided for their public school poshness and sweet, soppy, wholesome power ballads. Even ...

Candi Staton: How tragedy makes the diva

Retrospective and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 13 February 2009

WHAT IS CANDI Staton doing on Valentine's Day? With hindsight, it seems an indiscreet question to ask a single 65-year-old woman. ...

U2: How I Learned To Love U2 (Almost)

Comment by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 14 February 2009

LIKE MOST right-thinking people, I grew up hating U2. ...

David Byrne: Colston Hall, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, March 2009

LIKE SOME KIND OF vaguely sinister religious cult, David Byrne and his band kicked off their latest British tour dressed in pristine white from head ...

Keane are cool at last: touring Brazil with the boys

Report and Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 27 March 2009

ONCE OUR GUILTIEST PLEASURE, Keane are now openly admired by their peers. Our correspondent went on tour with them. ...

ABC, The Klaxons, Radiohead, The Stone Roses: Second Comings: The Klaxons and the Struggle to Follow Up a Hit Debut Album

Comment by Pete Paphides, The Times, 27 March 2009

IT TAKES SOME doing to instigate a backlash from your fans without actually releasing a record. Yet this month, by revealing that their record company, ...

Funeral Music

Report and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, April 2009

CHOOSING THE soundtrack for your own funeral is every modern music fan's dilemma. How much simpler things used to be when religious and classical pieces ...

Dusty Springfield: The Legacy of Dusty Springfield

Retrospective by Bob Stanley, The Times, 3 April 2009

The greatest girl singer of the Sixties would be 70 this month, but her legacy is evergreen ...

Goldie Lookin Chain: Goldie Lookin' Chain on their career highs

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 4 April 2009

IF ONLY THE NOVELIST Julie Myerson had realised that, instead of kicking her son out of the house for smoking weed, she should have encouraged ...

Iron Maiden: Britain's biggest heavy metal export

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 11 April 2009

Long a byword for uncool, Iron Maiden are now our biggest musical earners abroad after the Police and ahead of Coldplay. With a Brit in ...

The Specials: O2 Academy, Newcastle****

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 24 April 2009

THE PAST three decades seemed to fall away when the Specials began their comeback tour with this explosive and exciting performance in Newcastle upon Tyne. ...

Girls Aloud: Sheffield Arena

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 27 April 2009

SOULLESS THEY may be, but modern leisure hangars are efficient places when it comes to meeting the needs of those who come to see their ...

Bob Marley & the Wailers: Island Records turns 50

Retrospective and Interview by Rob Fitzpatrick, The Times, 3 May 2009

NOTE: This is the original "director's cut" version of the piece that ran in the The Times ...

Island Records: A History of Cool

Report by David Sinclair, The Times, 30 May 2009

From Nick Drake and Roxy Music to Mika and McFly – David Sinclair charts 50 years of Island Records. ...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2009

AS HE HEADLINED the Hard Rock Calling weekend in London last night, the pressure was on Bruce Springsteen to match his triumphant Glastonbury debut on ...

Anvil, Faith No More, Mötley Crüe: Download: Donington Park

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2009

IF HEAVY METAL is the working man's opera, to paraphrase Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, then Download is its Glyndebourne. ...

Florence and the Machine: What's Haunting Florence and the Machine?

Report and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 19 June 2009

Florence Welch, of Florence and the Machine, was a macabre child. Now she's haunted by other fears — of success, mainly. ...

The Dead Weather: Boston Arms, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 25 June 2009

EIGHT YEARS AFTER I first saw the White Stripes play in the back room of the Boston Arms pub in Tufnell Park, North London, Jack ...

Michael Jackson: The Musical Appreciation

Overview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 26 June 2009

You didn't just like his music. You believed in him, whatever the distance between musical legacy and personal strife. ...

Michael Jackson: Child star Michael Jackson became a man with a rebel "Yeow"

Retrospective by Pete Paphides, The Times, 27 June 2009

THE FOOTAGE is grainy and has been replayed a million times, used on every programme ever made about Michael Jackson's life. ...

The Eagles: NIA, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, July 2009

THE BABY BOOMER rockers of the 1960s and 1970s will clearly never die — they just become more popular and more profitable every year. ...

Spinal Tap: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 2 July 2009

THE BIZARRE blurring of the lines between comedic fiction and showbusiness reality continued apace with the staging of Spinal Tap's "One Night Only World Tour" ...

Alice In Chains: Scala, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2009

CONTEMPORARIES OF Nirvana and Pearl Jam during the Seattle grunge boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Alice In Chains returned from a long ...

Arctic Monkeys: Humbug (Domino)

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2009

MATURITY IS THE poisoned chalice that all rock bands must sup from eventually. Arctic Monkeys sounded strikingly sharp and vital on their 2006 debut, Whatever ...

Pearl Jam: Shepherds Bush Empire

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2009

ONE OF THE LAST surviving bands from the Seattle grunge goldrush that revitalised American rock two decades ago, Pearl Jam played a rare London club ...

U2: Wembley Stadium

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2009

WRITING ABOUT pop music, as some wag once famously remarked, is like dancing about architecture. Maybe so, but U2 spent more than two hours dancing ...

David Byrne: Speaking in Tongues

Profile and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 1 August 2009

THE SUN HAS just melted into the distant purple mountains on a sweltering Italian night when David Byrne starts speaking in tongues, throwing his arms ...

Frankmusik: The World according to Frankmusik

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 1 August 2009

The world as listed by the new star of British pop ...

Jay Z: Jay-Z: The Blueprint 3

Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, September 2009

IN 2001, SHAWN "Jay-Z" Carter released The Blueprint, a critical and commercial smash which set a standard the Brooklyn-born rap mogul has struggled to match ...

Coldplay, Jay Z: Coldplay/Jay-Z: Lancashire Cricket Ground, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 14 September 2009

THEY MAY BE one of the most successful bands in the world, but Coldplay still really, really want us to love them. ...

David Gray: The Roundhouse, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 16 September 2009

ON THE DAY HIS NEW ALBUM, Draw the Line, was released, David Gray began a short run of UK shows with a workmanlike performance. Four ...

Kraftwerk: The Elusive Kings of Digital Pop

Report and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 25 September 2009

AFTER FOUR DECADES spent standing guard over one of the most secretive and enigmatic bands on the planet, it seems that Ralf Hütter is loosening ...

Roni Size and Reprazent, Speech Debelle : Speech Debelle/Roni Size & Reprazent: Colston Hall, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 28 September 2009

Speech Debelles's challenge is to translate the pleasures of her terrific album into something that works on a big stage ...

Tom Jones: Cardiff International Arena

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, October 2009

AT THE START of a three-night stint in his native Wales, Tom Jones began his latest British tour in swaggeringly confident mood. ...

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Profile and Interview by Paul Lester, The Times, 11 October 2009

Paul Lester remembers the two years when the band ruled the world ...

Franz Ferdinand: Sheffield Academy, Sheffield

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 19 October 2009

FRANZ FERDINAND'S reputation as arty, stylish, witty and literate rockers precedes them, but it was wearing very thin in Sheffield last week. ...

Snow Patrol: "We're not ready for greatest hits"

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 30 October 2009

Though their music may be ubiquitous, Snow Patrol are relatively anonymous pop stars — much to the modest band's relief. ...

Cluster, Tortoise: Tortoise / Cluster: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, November 2009

CURRENT DEFINITIONS of jazz are clearly somewhat flexible, judging by the avant-rock double bill that closed this year's London Jazz Festival on Sunday night. The ...

Rihanna: Rated R

Review by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 21 November 2009

MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T, but it's impossible to listen to Rihanna's new record without hunting for clues about her feelings towards Chris Brown, the former boyfriend ...

Julian Casablancas: Ritz, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, December 2009

SURPRISINGLY TALL and strapping for a man who made size-zero indie-rock credible again this decade, Julian Casablancas shrugged and lolloped through an hour-long set in ...

Pet Shop Boys/Bad Lieutenant: NIA, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, December 2009

FIRST SEEN in Britain six months ago, the Pandemonium world tour feels even more dazzling second time around. Even though every pre-programmed note and choreographed ...

Public Image Ltd: Academy, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, December 2009

EVEN IN A YEAR overstuffed with middle-aged rockers milking cash-in comebacks, the return of Public Image Ltd feels like a genuine cultural event. ...

Regina Spektor: Academy, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, December 2009

IT APPEARS REGINA SPEKTOR has finally crossed over from word-of-mouth cult to left-field star, judging by her rapturous reception at a packed Birmingham show on ...

Snoop (Doggy) Dogg: The new mellow Snoop Dogg still has bite

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 4 December 2009

Snoop Dogg: "Now that I'm more concerned and caring and a father and a husband — it seems the less respect I get" ...

Little Boots: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 14 December 2009

AT SOME POINT, research will surely show that certain people are more genetically predisposed to impulse buys on eBay than others. Anyone who has charted ...

Miley Cyrus: O2 Arena, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 16 December 2009

WHEN JIM MORRISON sang, "The men don't know but the little girls understand," on the Doors' 'Backdoor Man', whatever he had in mind all those ...

Haircut 100: Cadogan Hall, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 21 December 2009

Nick Heyward wore his guitar as high as ever and tore into the finger-shredding funk of 'Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)' ...

The decade in pop

Comment by Pete Paphides, The Times, 21 December 2009

AS A SOURCE of theoretically endless music, the iPod — launched in 2001 — was an immaculately designed microcosm of the shift in our music ...

John Mayer: Is John Mayer a rock god — or just a celebrity boyfriend?

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 2 January 2010

He's deadly serious about his music career — just ask Jennifer, Jessica and Cameron. ...

Grizzly Bear: Follow The Bear

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 14 January 2010

Grizzly Bear, the vocal harmony group beloved of the hip-hop elite, talk about touring with Radiohead and the truth behind the Brooklyn scene. ...

Delphic: Why Delphic are music's Next Big Thing

Profile and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 15 January 2010

Green tea, genre-defying dance music and the band who have re-invented the Manchester sound for a whole new generation ...

Carl Barât, The Libertines: Carl Barât: from Libertine to theatre actor

Interview by John Lewis, The Times, 18 January 2010

Pete Doherty's old sparring partner is turning his hand to acting in Sam Shepard's Fool for Love. ...

John Mayer: Hammersmith Apollo, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 20 January 2010

GREETED BY a tumultuous wave of adulation, John Mayer arrived on stage looking like an all-American college freshman; pale trousers, trainers, clean-cut, preppy hairstyle. Halfway ...

Laura Veirs: Union Chapel, London N1

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 29 January 2010

A set dominated by music from her latest album July Flame did not disappoint fans of the Oregon folk singer-songwriter ...

The Maccabees: The Maccabees May Yet Become Greats

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 29 January 2010

The NME tour's latest headliners may be the next big thing, but they remain modest enough to doubt their No1 potential ...

Sade Emerges From Her Country Retreat

Interview by Robert Sandall, The Times, 31 January 2010

She's Britain's most successful female solo artist but has remained a glamorous enigma — until now. Sade emerges from her country retreat to tell how ...

Ne-Yo: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 16 February 2010

IF YOU wanted a Valentine’s Day show with all the trimmings, then Ne-Yo on Sunday night was your man. There was champagne and fireworks, bunches ...

Paolo Nutini: Paisley's Own Caped Crusader

Profile and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 16 February 2010

SEVERAL MONTHS have elapsed since Paolo Nutini got the idea for his performance at the 2010 Brit Awards. If he remembers the moment well, that'll ...

Joanna Newsom: The Conversation: Joanna Newsom

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 20 February 2010

She is a homebody who models for Armani, a harpist and possibly the best composer of her generation ...

Billy Bragg, Alex Chilton, Flying Lotus, Hole, Muse, The xx: South by Southwest: Where The Weird Get Going

Report by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 26 March 2010

The freaks were out in force in Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest festival. Stephen Dalton revels in the music ...

Lou Reed: Back On The Road At 68

Interview by Mark Paytress, The Times, 10 April 2010

In a rare interview, the rock icon is as challenging as the album he is re-releasing. ...

Grace Jones: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 28 April 2010

FOR ALL OF its high production values, perhaps the most surprising thing about this one-off show was just how little it took to derail it. ...

Gorillaz: Roundhouse, London NW1

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 30 April 2010

NOT LONG AGO, Damon Albarn's reaction when asked about his involvement with Gorillaz was coyly to keep his counsel. At the concert that launched them ...

The National: High Violet

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 7 May 2010

SPARE A THOUGHT for the hapless hack who had the temerity to ask the National: "How does a totally unknown band like you sell out ...

The Dead Weather: Sea of Cowards

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 8 May 2010

TWO ALBUMS in ten months from the second of Jack White's "other" bands, featuring the Kills singer Alison Mosshart, would have been impressive anyway. Factor ...

Damon Albarn, Gorillaz: Monkey see, monkey do, monkey tour: the Gorillaz are back

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 10 May 2010

"I SAY! They're fancy!" exclaims Jamie Hewlett when Damon Albarn strides into the pair's West London headquarters. The object of his fascination? Albarn, his sidekick ...

Rihanna: LG Arena, Birmingham

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 10 May 2010

IF 2008 WAS the year in which Rihanna consolidated her status as a global pop phenomenon and 2009 the year that she came back stronger ...

Jamie Cullum: Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 11 May 2010

JAMIE CULLUM’S blend of jazz, pop and anything else that comes to hand may not be to everyone’s taste, but he certainly knows how to ...

Pavement: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 12 May 2010

IT'S A LITTLE odd to dispense your first thank-you, as the Pavement percussionist Bob Nastanovich did, within seconds of walking on stage. However, in the ...

Paul Weller: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 26 May 2010

WITH WILD WOOD, in 1993, Paul Weller rediscovered his mojo just in time to soak up a few plaudits as Britpop's tribal elder. In snobbier ...

The Divine Comedy: Bang Goes the Knighthood

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 29 May 2010

NOW THE DIVINE COMEDY have left EMI, the band's sole member, Neil Hannon, is putting out albums himself and needs to sell a fraction of ...

Devo: The Return of Devo

Report and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, June 2010

FOUR DECADES SINCE Devo first donned their matching overalls and began their assault on the pop mainstream, America's original disco-rock Dadaists are back. ...

Christina Aguilera: Bionic

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 4 June 2010

Sounding older and more confident than early, effortful works such as 'Genie in Bottle', the singer puts the X in Xtina. ...

Rage Against the Machine: Finsbury Park, London, N7

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 8 June 2010

THE MOST POPULAR T-SHIRT at the merchandise stands depicted a scoreboard that read "Rage 1 Cowell 0." As a means of explaining why Rage Against ...

Devo: Something for Everybody

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 11 June 2010

LOVING THE BAND as much as they loved themselves could be hard work. Not so now, thanks to a focus group. ...

Supergrass: Brixton Academy, London SW9

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 11 June 2010

EVEN FANS WHO FOLLOWED Supergrass over the years would have to agree that the group, best known for their early Britpop-era hits such as 'Alright' ...

The Chemical Brothers: Further

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 12 June 2010

LIKE DICTAPHONE-WIELDING Dorothys reporting back the news that, actually, the Wizard was just, like, this bloke, the Chemical Brothers' interviewers still struggle to contain their ...

Midlake get set to take Glastonbury

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 18 June 2010

MIDLAKE'S TIM SMITH is hunched over the small sink beside his Bristol dressing room. Possibly because an overnight trip from Belgium has left him bereft ...

Eminem: Recovery

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 19 June 2010

AS DECLARATIONS OF INTENT go, there are few less stirring than Eminem's when asked last year why he had cut short his retirement with Relapse. ...

Broken Bells: the surprise supergroup

Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 25 June 2010

Danger Mouse and the bloke from the Shins are set to seduce Glastonbury with their wistful lyrics and uplifting choruses. ...

Kylie Minogue: Aphrodite

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 2 July 2010

With a new single and album that mark a return to form and after her Glastonbury debut, Kylie is more loved than ever. ...

Roky Erickson: The Roky Erickson road to greatness

Profile and Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 7 July 2010

The pop musician has survived madness and drugs — if only just. His rocking tunes still make sense to the kids. ...

Janelle Monáe: The ArchAndroid

Preview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 9 July 2010

Another girl, another planet, another experience ...

M.I.A.: Maya

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 10 July 2010

"I WANT TO be an outsider," she said, eating a truffle-flavoured French fry. A feature in the New York Times on the Sri Lankan-born, London-raised ...

Example, Professor Green, The Streets: Professor Green and Example are Streets ahead as rap stars

Profile and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 13 July 2010

With the two young London rappers enjoying mainstream success, they explain how they outgrew their mentor, Mike Skinner. ...

R.E.M.: Fables of the Reconstruction

Retrospective by Pete Paphides, The Times, 16 July 2010

THE MYTH SURROUNDING THE ALBUM is itself being reconstructed as Peter Buck dispels the myth that the band members didn't like it. ...

Tired Pony: Forum, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 16 July 2010

AT THE MAIDEN show by the new group formed by Gary Lightbody, Snow Patrol's frontman, it was bound to happen: if anything, the surprise was ...

Plan B on overcoming his anger

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 17 July 2010

His hit 'She Said' is the song of the year so far, and half a million people have bought his critically acclaimed album. But if ...

Biffy Clyro on their moment in the Mercury sun

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 23 July 2010

The builders' sons discuss their award nomination, a disastrous support gig for the Rolling Stones, and marital rows. ...

Jedward: Planet Jedward

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 24 July 2010

WHEN ASKED WHAT he does for a living, Simon Cowell says his job is to "guess what's going to be popular". In fact, the strange ...

Emerson Lake & Palmer: Emerson Lake and Palmer: Victoria Park, London

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 26 July 2010

"WE'VE ONLY been away for 12 years — you can make more noise than that!" said the drummer Carl Palmer towards the end of this ...

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 31 July 2010

"I WOULD LIKE to think that in ten years' time, if people were to greet a new Arcade Fire album with that sort of build-up, ...

The Faces: British Music Experience, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, August 2010

SO MUCH FELT wrong about the first official comeback show by 1970s Britrock veterans the Faces on Wednesday. Ominously held at the O2 Arena's new ...

Los Lobos: Tin Can Trust

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 6 August 2010

Another quality offering from the L.A. outfit who once styled themselves "just another band" – but are definitely not. ...

Fool's Gold: Komedia, Brighton

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 10 August 2010

BEFORE THEY EVEN PLAYED A NOTE, you figured that Fool's Gold must be doing this for the love. When an eight-piece group of Los Angeles-based ...

Chuck Berry, Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, Grace Jones, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Stock Aitken Waterman: Is Lady Gaga corrupting our kids?

Comment by Pete Paphides, The Times, 12 August 2010

Modern pop stars are corrupting the young, says pop veteran Mike Stock. But isn't that what they've always done? ...

Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga: Is Lady Gaga Corrupting Our Kids?

Comment by Pete Paphides, The Times, 12 August 2010

Modern pop stars are corrupting the young, says the pop veteran. But isn't that what they've always done? ...

Iron Maiden: The Final Frontier

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 13 August 2010

Apocalyptic portent, three-pronged guitar attack and hefty hooks... This is EMI's most loyal act at their best. ...

Alasdair Roberts & Friends: Too Long in This Condition

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 14 August 2010

The folk musician, Alasdair Roberts, has a preoccupation with death. ...

Phil Selway: Radiohead's Philip Selway strikes out alone

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 14 August 2010

It's tough going solo when you're in one of the biggest bands in the world — Radiohead — and a drummer to boot ...

Katy Perry: What Katy Perry did next

Comment by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 27 August 2010

For a moment Lady Gaga looked to have outgunned her, but the singer is back on top. We look at what drives her ...

Muse: Manchester LCCC

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, September 2010

NEARING THE END of an epic world tour which has transformed them into Britain 's biggest band, Muse brought their sense-swamping carnival of baroque 'n ...

Scissor Sisters: "Being on stage is some sort of revenge"

Report and Interview by Sophie Heawood, The Times, 11 September 2010

Scissor Sisters talk supporting Lady Gaga, breaking the no-clowns rule at Bestival and their filthy new live show ...

Manic Street Preachers: Postcards from a Young Man

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 17 September 2010

ANYONE WANTING TO HOLD the Manics to account on the basis of what they believed in their early twenties may struggle with this album. ...

Ben Folds/Nick Hornby: Lonely Avenue

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 24 September 2010

WHEN IT WORKS the clever lyrical conceits glow like the criminals you see on helicopter cameras, but it's an uneven affair. ...

Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse: Record Shopping with Mark Ronson

Report and Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 24 September 2010

He may have fallen out with Amy Winehouse but the A-list producer finds a soulmate in a fellow vinyl obsessive ...

I Am Arrows: 100 Club, London, W1

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 26 September 2010

EVEN FOR A DRUMMER, Andy Burrows's timing really cannot be faulted. In 2009 he announced his departure from Razorlight just as their stock seemed to ...

Tom Jones: Union Chapel, London N1

Live Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 27 September 2010

The Welsh heartthrob brings his gospel to the London stage as his popularity never seems to flag. ...

Flying Lotus: Koko, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, October 2010

CURRENTLY THE hottest rising star of electronic music on both sides of the Atlantic, Steven "Flying Lotus" Ellison played his biggest London show so far ...

The Rise Of Dubstep

Overview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, October 2010

THE FIRST THING that hits you, quite literally, is the sledgehammer bass sound. Walk into any dubstep club and these gnarly, spine-twisting shudders almost knock ...

Carl Barât, Fran Healy: Carl Barât: Carl Barât, Fran Healy: Wreckorder

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 1 October 2010

THE TRAVIS AND LIBERTINES sometimes frontmen have released laudable solo efforts, but there can be only one winner. ...

Tinie Tempah, The Prince Of Grime, Hits The Big Time

Interview by Pete Paphides, The Times, 2 October 2010

Tinie Tempah, our new rap superstar, talks music, fashion and royal hobnobbing ...

Bees, The (Isle of Wight): The Bees: Every Step's A Yes

Review by Pete Paphides, The Times, 9 October 2010

Love sets the tone for the band's fourth, and most direct, album to date ...

Heaven 17: Penthouse and Pavement Revisited

Retrospective by Stephen Dalton, The Times, November 2010

"SHEFFIELD HAS ALWAYS had a bit of a maverick attitude," says Martyn Ware of evergreen electro-pop veterans Heaven 17. "It's the natural bolshiness of the ...

Motörhead: Colston Hall, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, November 2010

AS EMPIRES CRUMBLE, civilisations teeter and whole economies implode, only Motörhead remain comfortingly changeless in an ever-changing world. ...

Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem: LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip: Alexandra Palace, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 12 November 2010

LIKE AN indie-rock version of the Special Relationship, the New York disco-punks LCD Soundsystem and their London electro-pop soulmates Hot Chip are on a joint ...

Deadmau5: O2 Academy, Bournemouth

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 9 December 2010

JOEL "DEADMAU5" ZIMMERMAN has turned facelessness into a brand, elevating his polished electro-trance anthems into a dazzling audio-visual spectacle that owes more to Kraftwerk or ...

Cee Lo Green: Academy, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 29 March 2011

SHOWMANSHIP was top of the bill when Cee Lo Green brought his first full British solo tour to Manchester. Born Thomas DeCarlo Callaway, the super-sized ...

Laura Cantrell: St. Bonaventure's, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 4 May 2011

Moonlighting from her unlikely day job as a Wall Street consultant, the country-folk singer embarks on a low-key UK tour. ...

Amy LaVere: The Borderline, W1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 12 July 2011

THREE YEARS AGO the Memphis-based Amy LaVere was tipped to break Britain. Her second album, Anchors & Anvils, had received rave reviews, while the petite ...

Black Country Communion: Victoria Park, London E3

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 26 July 2011

THE ANGLO-AMERICAN "SUPERGROUP" Black Country Communion began their British tour with a muscular performance towards the end of the closing day of the High Voltage ...

The Ting Tings: King's College, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 23 November 2011

Ting Tings singer Katie White brings news from Nowheresville ...

Childish Gambino: The Basement at the Camp, EC1

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 27 January 2012

IT IS ABOUT time someone challenged the "get rich or die trying" stereotype that has dominated hip-hop music on its journey from ghetto art to ...

Neil Cowley Trio: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 19 March 2012

NEIL COWLEY was 10 when he last played here. Now 39, he plays keyboards with acts ranging from the Brand New Heavies to Adele (on ...

Pulp: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 1 April 2012

FOR ALL our faults, it says something great about this nation that Jarvis Cocker remains the best-loved survivor of the Britpop boom, a man so ...

The Futureheads: Colston Hall, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 5 April 2012

UNVEILING THEIR new unplugged direction at the start of a national tour, the Futureheads brought an agreeable blend of close harmonies, deadpan jokes and unlikely ...

McFly: HMV Apollo, London W6

Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 10 April 2012

MCFLY HAVE never paid much attention to the traditional boyband script. It is eight years since their first single, '5 Colours in Her Hair', reached ...

Lana Del Rey: Jazz Cafe, London ****

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 12 April 2012

BEING pop's latest It Girl clearly has its downsides. ...

Frank Turner: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 15 April 2012

FRANK TURNER'S inexorable rise from folk-punk busker to Wembley headliner has been a triumph of hard-gigging slog and astute anti-marketing over musical originality. The 30-year-old ...

Keane

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 20 April 2012

A RAINY NIGHT in Zurich. These streets may be paved with Nazi gold, but tonight they are also alive with the sound of music. On ...

Rufus Wainwright: Lyceum Theatre, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 2 May 2012

PERFORMING ON A West End stage normally reserved for The Lion King, Rufus Wainwright turned his glitzy London album launch into an intimate, emotionally charged ...

Happy Mondays: Manchester Arena, Manchester **

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 8 May 2012

LIKE a musical version of a Civil War re-enactment society, the elder statesmen of Manchester's fabled 1980s rock scene are returning to relive their youthful ...

Elvis Costello: SECC Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 15 May 2012

LOOKING AND SOUNDING like Eric Morecambe's impish rock-star nephew, Elvis Costello revealed his hitherto untapped talents as a music-hall comedian at the debut British date ...

Pearl Jam: Manchester Arena

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 21 June 2012

PLAYING THE FIRST of two Manchester shows ahead of their Isle of Wight festival appearance this weekend, Pearl Jam once again pulled off the impressive ...

Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds: Got Dem Ol' Home Counties Blues Again, Mama: How the Surrey Delta shaped British rock from the early Stones to Led Zeppelin

Retrospective by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 3 September 2012

RIPLEY... EPSOM... WALLINGTON. The names hardly resonate in the way that Clarksdale or Greenville or Natchez do. Yet in their way these Surrey towns are ...

Damon Albarn: Africa Express: Ritz, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 7 September 2012

DAMON ALBARN has had a busier Olympic summer than even Lord Coe, juggling multiple Games-linked projects including his Doctor Dee opera and Blur’s mammoth Hyde ...

Johnny Hallyday: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 17 October 2012

A MERE HALF century into his career, France's biggest rock star finally made his London live debut this week. After 110 million album sales, four ...

Lionel Richie: LG Arena, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 28 October 2012

BIRMINGHAM IS Lionel Richie's idea of a party town. We know this because the veteran crooner repeatedly stressed his fondness for Britain's second city during ...

World Party: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 6 November 2012

AS COMEBACKS GO, playing the Albert Hall after more than a decade away makes quite a bold statement. Never mind that this iconic venue was ...

Soundgarden: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 11 November 2012

A HOT TICKET and a guaranteed sell-out, this rare intimate show by recently reformed Seattle veterans Soundgarden was essentially a launch party for the band's ...

The Noisettes: Koko, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 16 November 2012

THEIR COMMERCIAL fortunes may have dipped a little since their hit-packed 2009 album Wild Young Hearts, but Noisettes still put on a glamorous pop spectacle ...

Rosanne Cash: Union Chapel, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 3 December 2012

A HOST OF FACTORS, including brain surgery, have conspired to keep Rosanne Cash away from London for the last six years. Returning to a full ...

the xx: Civic Hall, Wolverhampton

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 14 December 2012

MODESTY, UNDERSTATEMENT and tasteful restraint have no place in pop music, an art form tailor-made for dysfunctional drama queens. Yet somehow the xx have backed ...

ABC: Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 20 December 2012

MARTIN FRY clearly has a hideous self-portrait lurking in some dusty attic, because the 54-year-old appeared spookily ageless at this glitzy London show. Still as ...

Cowboy Junkies: Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 25 January 2013

ON ANY LIST of cool rock-star accessories, an old-fashioned tea trolley will rank somewhere near the bottom. But when Toronto's alt-country veterans Cowboy Junkies played ...

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five: Grandmaster Flash: Dogstar, Brixton, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 29 January 2013

IT FEELS oddly incongruous to witness one of the legendary founding fathers of a billion-dollar musical genre playing to 300 people in a modest pub-style ...

Four Tet: Heaven, London WC2

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 5 March 2013

HALFWAY BETWEEN a cult figure and an underground superstar, Kieran Hebden has been forensically crafting haute-couture electronic music under his Four Tet alias for 15 ...

Peaches: IndigO2, London SE10

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 29 April 2013

The Berlin-based provocateur's orgy of hypersexualised party-pop is midway between a DJ set and soft-porn cabaret show ...

Wu-Tang Clan: Brixton Academy, London SW9

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 28 July 2013

In more than 25 years, I have never before witnessed an entire Brixton Academy audience bounce along in sweat-soaked unison ...

Silibil n' Brains: Rap stars straight outta Dundee

Report and Interview by James Medd, The Times, 17 August 2013

THEY SHOULD HAVE been huge. Silibil n' Brains arrived in the UK in 2004, a pair of white Californian rappers: a double Eminem or two ...

Savages: Forum, London NW5

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 8 November 2013

A MANIFESTO-LIKE poster hung from the doorway when Savages played their biggest London show to date. "Our goal is to discover better ways of living ...

Esperanza: Tragedy, but the band played on

Report and Interview by Peter Ross, The Times, 13 April 2014

Esperanza were playing Glasgow's Clutha bar when a helicopter crashed through the roof. They tell Peter Ross how music helped them and their fans. ...

Fuck Buttons: F*** Buttons: The Barbican, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 28 April 2014

FEW BANDS can combine punishing volume, discordant drones and blood-curdling screams quite so joyously as F*** Buttons. Andrew Hung and Benjamin Power, the main attraction ...

Lykke Li: Village Underground, EC2

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 13 May 2014

IN LYKKE LI's poetically gloomy world view, love is a dark rainbow of despair with a big pot of bitter disappointment at the end. At ...

Flying Lotus: Colston Hall, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 10 June 2014

"BRISTOL, IT'S been a while," beamed the electronic explorer Flying Lotus, aka Steven Ellison, as he welcomed an excitable young crowd to one of his ...

Franz Ferdinand: Somerset House, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 18 July 2014

AS THE millennium dawned Franz Ferdinand were hailed as the saviours of British rock. Cheekbone-sharp and catwalk-cool, these angular Anglo-Scottish aesthetes were arty smarties who ...

Chilly Gonzales: Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 31 July 2014

BILLED AS a "masterclass" by a self-styled "musical genius", this unorthodox cabaret-style show by rapper, composer and piano virtuoso Chilly Gonzales wavered uneasily between motivational ...

Sleaford Mods: Hairy Dog, Derby

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 1 September 2014

A BRACING BREATH of foul air from the rumbling guts of the East Midlands music scene, Sleaford Mods have graduated from obscure cult act to ...

The Pharcyde: Fleece, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 3 September 2014

ONE OF several early 1990s hip-hop acts who seemed to confirm F Scott Fitzgerald's maxim that there are no second acts in American life, the ...

Lauryn Hill: O2 Academy Brixton

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 22 September 2014

READY OR NOT, here she comes, only an hour late. No one seemed surprised when Lauryn Hill kept us waiting long after her advertised arrival ...

Lenny Kravitz: Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 30 September 2014

LENNY KRAVITZ's iTunes Festival show, a packed and sweltering affair, was effectively the launch party for his new album Strut, which is big on raunchy ...

FKA Twigs: Studio, Brighton Dome

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 6 October 2014

THE RISING avant-pop diva FKA Twigs, the stage alias of Tahliah Debrett Barnett, has grabbed headlines for much of the past 18 months, not always ...

John Legend: Eventim Apollo, London W6

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 15 October 2014

EARLY IN THIS sickly-slick show, John Legend started to tell his life story. Talking and tinkling the ivories, supper club-style, wearing a cream blazer over ...

Professor Green: Roundhouse, London NW1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 15 December 2014

THAT BRITISH kids briefly believed that British rap was where it's at is starting to seem like a dream. The days when Dizzee Rascal and ...

Jessie J: Brixton Academy, SW9

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 30 January 2015

Jessie J’s show felt more like an X Factor final than a proper gig ...

Hozier: O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, W12

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 2 February 2015

PERHAPS EVERY Hozier show now starts with the audience screaming for so long that the wild-haired Irishman has to wait awkwardly, a grin frozen to ...

Brandi Carlile: Union Chapel, London N1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 18 February 2015

IN THE United States, Washington-born Brandi Carlile is sufficiently established to make whatever sort of music she pleases. Her five albums to date — one ...

2CELLOS: Shepherds Bush Empire, W12

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 19 February 2015

TAKE A COUPLE OF tousled-haired, classically trained Croatians; mix in Michael Jackson, AC/DC and a dash of Il Divo's cheesy charm; simmer on YouTube. The ...

Chic, Nile Rodgers: Chic featuring Nile Rodgers: Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 25 March 2015

THE RETURN of Chic to public prominence has been one of the more uplifting comeback stories of recent years, particularly as Nile Rodgers, the band's ...

Nicki Minaj @ O2 Arena

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 31 March 2015

Nicki Minaj delivered tongue-twisting raps with spectacular ease. ...

Olly Murs: O2 Arena, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 May 2015

CONFIRMED LAST MONTH as The X Factor's new co-host (alongside Caroline Flack), Olly Murs need not fear his star falling any time soon. In fact ...

Ariana Grande: 02 Arena, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 3 June 2015

WERE MILEY CYRUS a comic-book baddie, Ariana Grande could be her nemesis. The two TV child stars turned successful singers stand on either side of ...

Nerina Pallot: Scala, N1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 22 September 2015

IF ALL WERE FAIR in folk and pop, Nerina Pallot would be one of Britain's most celebrated singer-songwriters and her extraordinary new album The Sound ...

Bring Me the Horizon: "When I started on melodies, it was horrible"

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 4 October 2015

At last, heavy rock you can sing along to. Britain's Bring Me the Horizon rule. ...

Dionne Warwick: SSE Arena, Wembley

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 5 October 2015

AFTER A half-century rollercoaster ride through the music industry, from multiple Grammy-winning stardom to her recent tax troubles and bankruptcy, Dionne Warwick can still command ...

Peace: Brixton Academy, London SW9

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 13 October 2015

ARE PEACE more than a Britpop pastiche? The answer probably depends on your age. ...

Rudimental: Alexandra Palace, NW1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 October 2015

JOHN NEWMAN turned up unannounced, did some daft dancing and instructed fans to "make some f***ing noise".  ...

Tileyard Studios: The Hit Factory

Report and Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 1 November 2015

Mark Ronson is among the leading acts flocking to a north London studio complex. What's the big draw? ...

Ella Henderson: O2 Empire, London W12

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 November 2015

THE CONVEYOR-BELT culture of modern pop makes slipping off the radar a risk. Hence it could have been foolish for Ella Henderson to take more ...

Joanna Newsom: Eventim Apollo, W6

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 12 November 2015

IT WOULD make sense to assume that it's because Joanna Newsom plays harp that audiences sit and watch her in silence. Her music may be ...

Average White Band: Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 23 November 2015

AVERAGE WHITE BAND always were an anomaly. A group of funksters from Dundee inspired by James Brown, Bobby Womack and BB King, they sounded so ...

Mumford & Sons: O2 Arena, SE10

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 December 2015

Having disappointed by going electric on their third album, the Mumfords issued a powerful reminder of their folk-hero status ...

Caravan Palace: O2 Academy, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 15 December 2015

Caravan Palace jived and jitterbugged through a sanitised 90-minute mix of sassy hot jazz and contemporary electronics ...

Caro Emerald: Eventim Apollo, W6

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 21 December 2015

CARO EMERALD was due to release her third album this year. That she didn't hasn't halted her rise. Songs from the Dutch star's platinum-selling first ...

Future: O2 Academy, Brixton

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 12 January 2016

No matter how fast he rapped, or how randomly he switched between snippets of songs, the crowd howled along ...

Jason Derulo: Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 26 January 2016

The Miami-born sex symbol produced a show that was more visual than musical feast, dynamic but devoid of depth ...

Lianne La Havas: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 16 March 2016

In her headline debut, the south London singer was at her best on numbers that featured just her voice and a guitar ...

Father John Misty: Roundhouse, NW1

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 20 May 2016

Despite some soft-rock padding, Misty’s signature brand of darkly funny lounge-singer archness came to the fore on slower numbers ...

Leonard Cohen, Coldplay, Ian Dury, Florence and the Machine, Shaun Ryder, Rod Stewart, Paul Weller: Dad, I wanna be a rock star

Special Feature by Ted Kessler, The Times, 21 May 2016

Rod Stewart's dad gave him football lessons; Chris Martin's joins him on tour; Shaun Ryder's broke his nose on stage; Leonard Cohen is funnier than ...

Beyoncé: Stadium of Light, Sunderland

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 30 June 2016

Queen Bey ruled, switching from glamazon goddess to line-dancing Texan rodeo star, and streetwise hip-hop sexbot to devoted wife and mother ...

Emeli Sandé: Òran Mór, Glasgow

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 4 October 2016

The Scottish singer was on spellbinding form, singing a cappella and reworking old hits and new into a spectacular show ...

James Blake: O2 Academy, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 1 November 2016

JAMES BLAKE has had a bumper year, guesting on Beyoncé's Lemonade album and releasing his own sublime third long-player, The Colour in Anything. ...

The Lumineers: Eventim Apollo, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 7 November 2016

Accused in the past of charisma-shortage, singer Wesley Schultz proved his critics wrong and his band had to play out of their skins to keep ...

Metallica: House of Vans, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 21 November 2016

The world's biggest metal band returned to their club roots with a tight, super-loud show that sent the sweat-soaked crowd into meltdown. ...

Loyle Carner: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 February 2017

The south Londoner's heartfelt rapping had the crowd on their feet and singing from start to finish ...

Marc Almond: Roundhouse, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 24 March 2017

"I'VE STILL GOT it," purred Marc Almond, midway through this fabulous show, as much to himself as to the audience. The rowdy response that greeted ...

Stormzy: O2 Academy, Leicester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 5 April 2017

With just a laptop DJ as accompaniment, the south London grime star commanded the packed room like a whirling typhoon of kinetic energy ...

Sting: Eventim Apollo, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 11 April 2017

On the faux-raunchy rock numbers he simply lacked conviction: antiseptic, anodyne and asexual. The blond leading the bland. ...

John Grant's North Atlantic Flux festival, Hull

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 3 May 2017

The American singer-songwriter played a rapturously received selection of barbed ballads at his own boutique festival. ...

Leftfield: O2 Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 16 May 2017

Steam rose from a crowd determined to rave, whatever their age. By the finale, soaked bodies littered the floor of the foyer ...

Elton John: Twickenham Stoop Stadium, TW2

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 5 June 2017

The singer was back where he feels at most home – on stage, in sparkles, sitting sideways on a stool. ...

Gorillaz: Dreamland, Margate

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 13 June 2017

Damon Albarn's one-time cartoon band should have been spectacular, but too often the songs amounted to less than the sum of their parts ...

Justin Bieber: Hyde Park, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 4 July 2017

Despite having a heavy cold, the bad boy of pop strutted, sauntered and delivered a mesmerising set. ...

Bad Religion: O2 Academy, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 4 August 2017

BAD RELIGION are living proof of the old adage that punk rockers never die, they just turn into greying, balding, bespectacled Vince Cable lookalikes. ...

Bros: O2, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 21 August 2017

NOSTALGIA IS A powerful drug. One of the joys of witnessing former teen-pop idols re-form in middle age is the extra emotional depth, knowing hindsight ...

Salt-N-Pepa, Vanilla Ice: I Love the '90s: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 3 October 2017

It may have been a carnival of naff nostalgia, but thousands of middle-aged ravers came to party like it was 1995. ...

Mura Masa: O2 Academy, Bristol ★★★☆☆


Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 20 October 2017

A smorgasbord of musical styles from the young electro-pop producer made for a pleasant but ultimately forgettable show ...

Prince: My Name Is Prince: O2, London

Review by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 27 October 2017

I HADN'T anticipated the sudden pang of sadness as I walked in and saw all those gaudy, gloriously naff outfits. My eyes went straight to ...

Daryl Hall & John Oates: O2 Arena, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 30 October 2017

FOR THE PAST decade, Daryl Hall & John Oates have been enjoying a revival. In 2009, the teen film (500) Days of Summer turned a ...

The War On Drugs: Alexandra Palace, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 16 November 2017

Adam Granduciel, the Philadelphia band's main man, took ignoring the audience to ludicrous levels, yet the songs oozed extraordinary warmth. ...

Amanda Palmer: Union Chapel, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 21 November 2017

The mood at this show by the singer-songwriter was warm, communal and interactive, but the set was overstuffed with bloodless cover versions. ...

Adam Lambert, Queen: Queen and Adam Lambert: Echo Arena, Liverpool

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 30 November 2017

The real star is the high-tech production which distracts when formerly lithe, lusty hits show their creaky jointed age. ...

Dave: Koko, NW1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 8 December 2017

This extraordinary, eloquent teenager is as adept at educating his audience as he is at entertaining them. ...

Robert Plant: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 11 December 2017

This grandfather of rock's voice may have lost its high register, but the former Led Zeppelin singer's raw power remains. ...

Hot Chip, Scritti Politti: Green Gartside and Alexis Taylor: West End Centre, Aldershot

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 12 December 2017

The blended vocal harmonies of the founder of Scritti Politti and the Hot Chip frontman made even the weaker songs shine. ...

The Kills: Soho Revue Bar, London W1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 18 January 2018

THE REVAMPED Revue Bar, formerly a famous strip club, couldn't have been more perfect for the Kills and their painfully trendy fans. Sexual tension is ...

Shawn Colvin: Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow

Live Review by Peter Ross, The Times, 23 January 2018

The folk veteran's rendition of her 1997 album A Few Small Repairs was full of polish, with great cover versions, but lacked a vital spark. ...

Asian Dub Foundation play La Haine: Anson Rooms, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 31 January 2018

ADF erupted into fiery bursts of energy during the film's kinetic scenes of rowdy celebration, violent confrontation and police brutality. ...

Elbow: SSE Hydro, Glasgow

Live Review by Peter Ross, The Times, 7 March 2018

Long stretches strained for effect, but at their best Guy Garvey's band make the creation of beauty appear effortless. ...

Stefflon Don: The Forum, NW5

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 13 March 2018

An imperious rapper with a fierce flow, a bootylicious body and a stripper's wardrobe, she had brashness, self-belief and raw sex appeal ...

Bryan Ferry: St David's Hall, Cardiff

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 11 April 2018

The post-Roxy solo material drifted into polished blandness at times, but there were standout beauties too. ...

Plan B: Colston Hall, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 4 May 2018

He may have a new-found mellow maturity, but even his softer songs still had an off-putting edge of boorish, hectoring aggression ...

Rita Ora: O2 Academy, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 22 May 2018

THE POP POLYMATH Rita Ora doesn't distinguish between selling music or make-up, pants or perfume. Hence it was no surprise that this fun, fast-paced, high-energy ...

Camila Cabello: O2 Academy Brixton, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 June 2018

Her style is mostly stripped-back confessional pop, but here, beefed up by a rocky backing band, her songs became arena-friendly anthems ...

Tommy Steele: How Tommy Steele, Britain's biggest pin-up, was savaged by the teenage mob

Retrospective and Interview by Bob Stanley, The Times, 16 July 2018

Post-traumatic stress forced Tommy Steele to pass his rock'n'roll crown to Cliff Richard, he tells Bob Stanley. ...

Natalie Merchant: Komedia, Bath

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 18 July 2018

The singer drew on her early work fronting the folk rockers 10,000 Maniacs and revealed an unexpected flair for improvised comedy. ...

Britney Spears: Preston Park, Brighton

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 6 August 2018

WHAT HAPPENS IN Vegas no longer stays in Vegas, as Britney Spears confirmed when her hugely successful, long-running Las Vegas residency show Piece of Me ...

Princess Nokia: O2 Forum, London

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 22 August 2018

PLAYING HER BIGGEST British headline show to date, Princess Nokia came across as a highly energetic, slightly chaotic, hot mess of molten superstar potential. ...

Ezra Furman: O2 Academy Brixton

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 September 2018

Ezra Furman and his band played an explosive show, a dazzling display of high-energy rock'n'roll and high-camp theatre. ...

Dionne Warwick: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 September 2018

The singer still oozes stage presence, but age has reduced her range to such an extent that many of her songs are sketches of their ...

Halsey: Eventim Apollo, London, W6

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 24 September 2018

DESPITE UNRELENTING RAIN, fans had queued outside the Hammersmith Apollo since the morning for the first of Halsey’s two sold-out shows at the west London ...

U2: How do U2 fill the O2? They send for Stufish

Report and Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 15 October 2018

Stufish Entertainment Architects has made spectacular sets for the rock band, as well as Elton and Beyoncé. Stephen Dalton sees how ...

Bad Company, Led Zeppelin: Mark Blake: Bring It On Home – Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin and Beyond (Constable)

Book Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 20 October 2018

The manager of Led Zeppelin was a giant with giant appetites, says Stephen Dalton. ...

Slayer: SSE Arena, Wembley

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 6 November 2018

This was an extraordinary farewell gig from the kings of thrash metal — they totally slayed it ...

Roger Daltrey: Thanks a Lot Mr Kibblewhite – My Story

Book Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 10 November 2018

The recollections of the most sober member of the Who are distinctly hazy, Stephen Dalton finds. ...

Boy George, Culture Club: Boy George & Culture Club: Bournemouth International Centre

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 14 November 2018

The singer's soul-infused, reggae-inflected vocals have deepened and ripened in middle age, acquiring a jazzy sophistication. ...

Orbital: O2 Academy, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 18 December 2018

Few bands of this vintage could get away with so much new material, but their formula is so well-honed that they can carry an audience ...

The 1975: SSE Hydro, Glasgow

Live Review by Peter Ross, The Times, 14 January 2019

IN BLUE BOILER suit and red Converse, like some hipster Winston Smith, Matty Healy appeared more 1984 than 1975 as he took the Hydro stage. ...

Young Fathers: Albert Hall, Manchester

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 25 January 2019

As they proved in this pounding, whooping, sense-blitzing spectacle, the rap trio are fast becoming one of Britain's most exciting live bands ...

Hot Chip: Trinity Centre, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 8 April 2019

This London band are likeable crowd-pleasers live, but they need to step out of their cosy pyjama-clad comfort zone more often. ...

Mac DeMarco: From Coachella to Dreamland

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 17 May 2019

The Canadian indie rocker is curating a one-day festival in Margate ...

Foals: SWG3, Glasgow

Live Review by Peter Ross, The Times, 19 June 2019

Why did this show feel undercooked? There were issues with pacing, but the main problem was the choice of an outdoor venue. ...

New Order: Harbourside Amphitheatre, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 22 July 2019

AFTER A VERY long wait, Bristol was rewarded with two legendary bands for the price of one when New Order played their first show in ...

Lewis Capaldi: Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 15 August 2019

EVERY LEWIS Capaldi gig has a gag — OK, several, but typically one that runs. At Glastonbury it was the singer's Oasis-baiting attire. In Glasgow ...

Caravan Palace: Every woman, every man, join the Caravan Palace love-in

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 19 August 2019

The eccentric electronica band have become a festival favourite and online hit — despite being completely useless at social media. ...

Elvis Presley: Live 1969: How Elvis Presley redefined Las Vegas

Review by Bob Stanley, The Times, 21 August 2019

A new 11-disc box set marks the 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley's shows at the Las Vegas International Hotel. ...

Anderson .Paak: O2 Academy, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 26 August 2019

High levels of crowd-pleasing showmanship ...

Little Mix: SSE Hydro, Glasgow

Live Review by Peter Ross, The Times, 21 October 2019

WHAT DOES a feminist look like? The question flashed up in huge letters behind the stage before a performance of 'Joan of Arc', one of ...

Little Simz: Mama Roux’s, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 24 October 2019

LAUNCHING HER latest nationwide tour with a cosy sold-out show in Birmingham, Little Simz radiated easy confidence, musical dexterity and enormous charm. ...

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 6 November 2019

IN THESE uncertain times it feels oddly reassuring that Andy McCluskey remains the most cheerfully preposterous dancer in pop. As Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark ...

Catfish and the Bottlemen: SSE HYDRO, Glasgow

Live Review by Peter Ross, The Times, 11 November 2019

Catfish and the Bottlemen review — mediocre material, but they sell it well ...

Celeste: Omeara, London SE1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 November 2019

PERHAPS THE ONLY PERSON at this concert not convinced that Celeste Waite is about to become a star was the singer herself. The 25-year-old arrived ...

Sampa the Great: Rough Trade, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 19 November 2019

RADIATING THE kind of energy that could power a small city, the rising Afro-soul star Sampa the Great played to a rapturous crowd in Bristol. ...

Björk: O2 Arena, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 20 November 2019

IS IT A concert, theatre or an avant-garde work of art? A futuristic, flute lovers' nature show, perhaps, with heavenly Icelandic choir, multiple environmental warnings ...

Skepta: Olympia Exhibition Centre, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 2 December 2019

Skepta turned Olympia from home of horse shows to rave venue ...

Texas: SWG3, Glasgow

Live Review by Peter Ross, The Times, 17 December 2019

SHARLEEN SPITERI had a question. "Does everyone remember 1989?" The cheer suggested that, yes, the Glasgow crowd did. Which was just as well. Texas were ...

Krept and Konan: Academy, Bristol

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 27 January 2020

Krept and Konan played a lively set in Bristol that was global in scope ...

Caravan Palace: O2 Brixton, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 3 February 2020

IF YOU WANT TO ANNOY CARAVAN PALACE, call them electro-swing. When the French band launched in the late Noughties, they were leaders of a scene ...

Max Raabe: Life is a postmodern cabaret for Germany's cult singer

Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 10 February 2020

Max Raabe brings the music of 1920s Jazz Age Berlin to Britain next month. Stephen Dalton meets him ...

Midge Ure: Forum, Bath

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 17 February 2020

Behind the New Romantic mask, he remains an old romantic at heart ...

Sam Fender: Virgin Money Unity Arena, Newcastle — the return of live music, at a distance

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 14 August 2020

Sam Fender was the first to perform at the socially distanced Virgin Money Unity Arena music venue ...

Joni Mitchell: Kind of Blue: Joni’s masterpiece track by track

Guide by Barney Hoskyns, The Times, 21 June 2021

1 'All I Want' For all the rapturous words bestowed on Blue, it's rarely remarked that it starts with two bars of uncomfortable dissonance: Joni's strummed ...

Caribou: O2 Academy Brixton

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 25 October 2021

A dazzling feast for the senses, but ultimately a little formulaic ...

Caroline Polachek: Roundhouse, NW1

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 29 October 2021

Spooky singalongs from a cult indie star ...

Glass Animals: The Oxford band that made it to No 1 in America

Interview by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 March 2022

THE GROUP has topped the US charts with a song they released two years ago. ...

Michael Kiwanuka: O2 Academy, Glasgow

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 9 May 2022

MICHAEL KIWANUKA began this tour two years and two months ago. Just three dates in, acute laryngitis forced him off stage in Bournemouth before Covid ...

Kendrick Lamar: OVO Hydro, Glasgow

Live Review by Peter Ross, The Times, 3 November 2022

A grand spectacle but a muddled message ...

Lil Nas X: Eventim Apollo, London

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 14 November 2022

LIL NAS X will for ever be famous as the first pop star to spring from TikTok. It was there, in 2019, that his country-meets-trap ...

The Damned: Great Hall, Cardiff University

Live Review by Stephen Dalton, The Times, 3 April 2023

These punk pensioners need to loosen up ...

Burna Boy: London Stadium

Live Review by Lisa Verrico, The Times, 4 June 2023

A historic, spiritual experience that didn't skimp on sex ...

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