Library Rock's Backpages

Neil Perry

Neil Perry

Neil Perry wrote for Sounds from 1985 until 1989 before moving on to write for Melody Maker, Select and Kerrang. Following a short-lived foray into PR at Southern Studios, where he looked after press for the Jesus Lizard, Babes In Toyland and Big Black among many others, he worked for NME and Vox. In 1995 he joined Volume, which he maintains was the most fun anyone could ever have in an office situation, and remained there until its sad demise in 1997. In 1998 he joined the staff of the fledgling Guardian website, eventually becoming Night Editor on the news desk. He spent almost a decade there before moving to Oslo, Norway, in 2007. He is now making a return to freelance journalism.

53 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Malcolm McLaren: Formula McLaren

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 24 August 1985

Back from the land where crucifixes bang against bellies, Malcolm McLaren — punk progenitor and down to present that ill-fated Tube Special — pushes back ...

Gene Tryp, Icicle Works: Icicle Works/Gene Tryp: Marquee Club, London

Live Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 26 October 1985

AMERICAN. Guitar. Psychedelic. These are words that have been uttered in the same sentence as Gene Tryp. ...

Black Flag: Damaged (SST 007) ****/In My Head (SST 045) *****

Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 16 November 1985

THE ELECTRIC box in the corner is getting as tedious as the night is getting chilly. Cold comfort indeed, and time to slip on something ...

Rush: …Cashing In

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 23 November 1985

What do you do when you're late for the bus? RUSH, that's what. NEIL PERRY did it, like a tortoise. And DOUGLAS CAPE followed, like ...

AC/DC: Who Dares Wins

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 12 July 1986

Meet AC/DC, terror monarch Stephen King's favourite band and the bane of America's moral majority. NEIL PERRY takes his hat off to them ...

Psychic TV: A Star Reborn

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 13 September 1986

From his bizarre explanation of tattoos to his obsessive faith in causes, PSYCHIC TV's Genesis P-Orridge is the very definition of complexity. As willing disciple ...

Cameo: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 4 October 1986

THE CODFATHER ...

Metallica: At The Mercy Of The Master

Report and Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 11 October 1986

Something sad and inexplicable has happened to METALLICA, a band who were in full flight until bassist Cliff Burton was tragically killed in a road ...

Crass: a Militant Tendency?

Interview by Hugh Fielder, Neil Perry, Sounds, 25 October 1986

Two years ago CRASS couldn't decide whether to blow up the country or grow cabbages — fortunately for the Tory Tyrants, they chose the latter. ...

Killing Joke: The Fatal Curse of Killing Joke

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 22 November 1986

With the release of KILLING JOKE'S new LP, NEIL PERRY finally gets the chance to do what no sane person would volunteer for — that ...

The Leather Nun: The Vikings Are Coming

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 9 May 1987

THE LEATHER NUN are going to rape your houses and pillage your women. NEIL PERRY looks forward to the event. ...

Big Black: Songs About F****** (Blast First BFFP 19/CD)*****

Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 12 September 1987

INTO THE BLACK HOLE ...

Metallica: Battle Hymns Of The Metal Warriors

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 12 September 1987

They've stomped on the rotting corpse of heavy metal and moved from cult status to world acclaim, and now METALLICA have crashed into the singles ...

The Mission, Sisters of Mercy: Sisters Of Mercy: The Man Who Told The World

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 19 September 1987

Two years in the twilight world, ANDREW ELDRITCH hits back with the 1987 SISTERS OF MERCY. In this interview with NEIL PERRY he discusses his acrimonious split ...

Anthrax: Palatrussardi, Milan

Live Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 7 November 1987

DROKK 'TIL YOU DROP ...

Anthrax: 'Thrax of Life

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 14 November 1987

Metal stars ANTHRAX take NEIL PERRY on the Italian Job — and present the sober philosophy of their growing success ...

Sinead O'Connor: Skinhead And Scum-Stampers; A Short Sharp Shock

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 2 January 1988

That's how emancipated Irish singer SINEAD O'CONNOR dealt with a record company suggestion that she should 'tart herself up'. NEIL PERRY comes to terms with ...

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

Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 16 January 1988

THE UNDERDOG BITES BACK! ...

Faith No More: Whistle Down The Wind… Hear My Train a'Comin'

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 23 January 1988

The dancefloor heavy metal of FAITH NO MORE makes them one of the prime contenders for '88 and the lyrics of vocalist Chuck Mosely penetrate ...

The Mission: The Maturing of The Mission

Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 6 February 1988

Following a hectic and often hair-raising year, including four months spent aboard a bus touring the States, THE MISSION are propelling themselves into 1988 with a new ...

Pulp: Falcon, Camden, London

Live Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 5 March 1988

IN AN ideal world Pulp would already be serenading kings and queens, taking up residencies on Broadway and returning their OBEs; world domination takes time, ...

Gaye Bykers on Acid: Hail Mary and Three How's Your Fathers!

Report and Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 14 May 1988

GAYE BYKERS ON ACID might hove dug a hole for themselves with their debut LP, but their new material, showcased on tour in the USA, unearths bykerdelia ...

Megadeth: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 28 May 1988

SO FAR, SO BAD... SO WHAT'S WRONG? ...

Psychic TV: The Genesis P-Orridge stitch up — Is This Man Sick?

Report and Interview by Neil Perry, Sounds, 13 August 1988

NEIL PERRY goes behind enemy lines to discover the truth behind The People's expose off Psychic TV's GENESIS P-ORRIDGE ...

Fields Of The Nephilim, Jane's Addiction, Under Neath What?: Jane's Addiction, Fields of Nephilim, Under Neath What: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 1 October 1988

The winds of change ...

Metallica: ...And Justice For All (Vertigo VERH 61/CD)

Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 24 December 1988

September ...

The Mission: Sands Centre, Carlisle

Live Review by Neil Perry, Sounds, 13 May 1989

The misters of mercy ...

Faith No More: Charge Of The Fright Brigade

Interview by Neil Perry, Melody Maker, 5 May 1990

DESPITE DRINKING, SCREWING, BEATING THE CRAP OUT OF EACH OTHER AND ENJOYING THEMSELVES FAR MORE THAN IS SAFE AND HEALTHY, FAITH NO MORE ARE ON ...

Megadeth: Rust In Peace

Review by Neil Perry, Select, October 1990

WITH ALL the charm of a graduate from the Pol Pot school of tact and diplomacy, hardcore outlaw Dave Mustaine limped away from Megadeth's last ...

24-7 Spyz: Gumbo Millennium

Review by Neil Perry, Select, November 1990

HAILING FROM New York's South Bronx, 24-7 Spyz occupy a space midway between Bad Brains and Living Colour, and a damn good space it is ...

Iron Maiden: No Prayer For The Dying

Review by Neil Perry, Select, November 1990

CONSIDERING THAT Iron Maiden are Britain's most successful homegrown HM act — Def Leppard had to ship out to the States and then return like ...

Slayer: Seasons In The Abyss (Def American) *****

Review by Neil Perry, Select, November 1990

ALL THE BIG BOYS have come out to prove themselves this year. Following recent triumphant reaffirmations of metallic prowess from Anthrax and Megadeath, a sledgehammer ...

The Vaughan Brothers: Family Style

Review by Neil Perry, Select, November 1990

SIX WEEKS ago, after making his regular tour-guest appearance at an Eric Clapton gig in Wisconsin, Texan blues guitar genius Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed ...

King's X: Faith, Hope, Love

Review by Neil Perry, Select, December 1990

STRETCHING FOR a tag to pin on offbeat Texan trio King's X, impressed but bemused hacks settled uncomfortably for New Age Metal. Which conjures up ...

Public Image Ltd: Public Image Limited: Life's A Beach

Interview by Neil Perry, Select, December 1990

In Public Image Limited's 12 years at pop's outer limits — a career now highlighted on a compilation LP — John Lydon's lifestyle has become ...

Cinderella: Heartbreak Station

Review by Neil Perry, Select, January 1991

A LOT of people have probably been put off by the name, expecting a super-tacky hairspray 'n' lip-gloss LA glam outfit, but Cinderella are among ...

David Lee Roth: A Little Ain't Enough

Review by Neil Perry, Select, February 1991

IT'S BEEN a long time coming, this third solo LP from the Peter Pan of rock. Was it worth the wait? ...

Jesus Jones: Doubt (Food/Parlophone)

Review by Neil Perry, Select, February 1991

SO FAR, so good. Jesus Jones have done all the right things — or at least all the right things have happened to them — ...

Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine (Island)

Review by Neil Perry, Select, March 1991

TWO YEARS ago, Trent Reznor locked himself in a studio and took a long, hard digitally-sequenced look into his soul. Pretty Hate Machine was the ...

Sepultura: The Lost Boys

Interview by Neil Perry, Select, March 1991

With their new LP, Arise, Sepultura are poised to gatecrash the major metal league. And with their raucous mix of rage and rock the boys ...

Anthrax, Public Enemy: Anthrax: Bohemian Rapsody

Interview by Neil Perry, Melody Maker, 22 June 1991

When metal meets rap in the form of ANTHRAX and CHUCK D, there's bound to be some trouble. NEIL PERRY hears about the fight for ...

AC/DC, The Black Crowes, Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Queensrÿche: AC/DC, Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Queensrÿche, Black Crowes: Monsters of Rock, Castle Donington, Leicestershire

Live Review by Neil Perry, Melody Maker, 24 August 1991

METAL FATIGUE ...

Slayer: Always Crashing In The Same Carnage

Interview by Neil Perry, Melody Maker, 9 November 1991

Are SLAYER Satanic High Priests who revel in gore or misunderstood philanthropists to a nihilistic generation? NEIL PERRY joins them in the London Dungeon and ...

Fugazi, The Jesus Lizard: Fugazi, Jesus Lizard: Brixton Academy, London

Live Review by Neil Perry, Melody Maker, 16 May 1992

THE 'GAZI STRIPPED ...

Napalm Death, Obituary: Obituary, Napalm Death: Astoria, London

Live Review by Neil Perry, Melody Maker, 16 May 1992

LIVE EXCITEMENT this constant, this direct, this feral is the stuff of legend. Napalm Death were, are, frigging superb, and there's no other way to ...

Primus: Pork Soda (Interscope 7567922572) KKK

Review by Neil Perry, Kerrang!, 1 May 1993

THREE Ks, BUT a warning; hardened fans of what we shall call Traditional Metal would rather feed their family pets to Glen Benton than sit ...

Kyuss: Sky Valley (Elektra)

Review by Neil Perry, Vox, August 1994

HAILING FROM THE golf-crazed, blue-collar Californian oasis of Palm Springs, the almost surreally heavy Kyuss apparently honed their ferociously stoned metallic vibe with "generator parties", ...

Offspring: Go Ahead, Skate Punk…

Interview by Neil Perry, Vox, December 1994

A post-Grunge street revolution or just a flash in the pan? Either way, Offspring are the kids' choice... ...

Kyuss: ...And The Circus Leaves Town (WCA 7559-618112)

Review by Neil Perry, Vox, August 1995

STONED CALIFORNIA bass freaks Kyuss have done it again: they've created an album that's as different from last year's Sky Valley as that was from ...

Insane Clown Posse: Anarchy In The UK!

Interview by Neil Perry, Kerrang!, 29 November 1997

Straight outta Detroit — the most violent city in America — the INSANE CLOWN POSSE are coming to Britain. Prepare to be drowned in fizzy ...

Green Day: Hero Of the Bay

Interview by Neil Perry, Kerrang!, 24 January 1998

These days, when Billie Joe Armstrong's band do a hometown show, it's a triumphant, equipment-trashing affair for which all of San Francisco and its dog ...

The Deftones: The Accidental Hero

Interview by Neil Perry, Kerrang!, 14 February 1998

Chino Moreno isn't your typical rock star. The DEFTONES frontman didn't have a dysfunctional childhood, hasn't cultivated a heroin habit, and he still gets scared ...

Cradle of Filth: The Lust Highway

Interview by Paul Elliott, Neil Perry, Kerrang!, 2 May 1998

Experimental sex, necrophilia, decadence, fetishism, three-day clubbing binges, pornography, occultism, misanthropy and vampirism. Welcome to the world of CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth… ...

back to LIBRARY

COPYRIGHT NOTICE