Category Archives: Music news

‘Trying Not To Breathe’ fourth single from Little Lore album inspired by Tennessee Williams

americana, Music news, , , , , , , ,

Released: 17th April 2026

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

“Duffy’s first-class writing shines through” – RnR magazine

‘Trying Not To Breathe’ is the fourth single from the warmly-anticipated new album by London-based singer-songwriter, Little Lore aka Tricia Duffy. Inspired by the work of Tennessee Williams, the full album, Being Serafina, will be released in June this year and is named after the central character in Williams’ celebrated play from the 1950s, The Rose Tattoo.

Little Lore: “Being Serafina began as an academic experiment. I wanted to explore whether Method acting techniques could be used as a songwriting device. I signed up for Method acting classes and selected a monologue from a play I loved, The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams. I have been obsessed by Williams’ writing since I was a teenager. I loved and admired his ability to capture such rich female characters. My first song arrived, written from the perspective of the main protagonist in The Rose Tattoo, and so began an intimate love affair of my own with this beautiful, vulnerable, funny and flawed character, Serafina. I had a crazy notion that maybe I could go deeper into character and write an entire album from her perspective. Being Serafina is the result. The album draws on a wide range of genre influences from the folk Americana people know me for along with prog rock, punk and blues peppered into the creative process.”

A burgeoning presence on the UK Americana and singer-songwriter scene, Little Lore has received many plaudits, both for her astute, observational songwriting and for her warm, heartfelt vocals. Add into the mix the lush instrumentation and sumptuous production from her principal musical collaborator, Oli Deakin, and the result is nothing short of magical.

Discussing the new single, the prog-tinged ‘Trying Not To Breathe’, Little Lore explains:

“At this point in the original play by Tennessee Williams, Serafina is off-stage. A necessary device for the momentum of the story because it is here that the audience learns that Rosario, the love of her life, was having a long-term affair for more than a year before he died. The doctor tells her friends that she has lost her baby and is trying not to breathe. He has given her morphine and leaves the group with a syringe to administer more drugs if she tries to get out of bed. As this album is written purely from Serafina’s perspective, I decided that I needed to live her experience of devastated intoxication. The world knows that Rosario was unfaithful, but Serafina remains in the dark. Leaning on prog rock devices to offer the sensation of this drug induced state we hear her loss and confusion unfolding. There is a tension and a back and forth in this song as she goes in and out of her sedated state.”

Renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin,(who records under the name of Lowpines) produced the single and the forthcoming album and, as with previous Little lore releases,  provides much of the instrumentation.

‘Trying Not To Breathe’ is released digitally on 17th April 2026 via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com or https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/littlelore/trying-not-to-breathe?ref=release

Release information ‘Trying Not To Breathe’:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy

Produced by: Oli Deakin

Drums: Morgan Karabel

All other instruments: Oli Deakin

Artwork and Photography: Richard Cranefield

The Being Serafina project is inspired by the character of Serafina from The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams. Presented by special arrangement with The University of the South, Tennessee, USA.

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States. 

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. Two further EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were released in late 2023 and early 2024, followed by the EP River Stories in April 2025. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the UK Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

‘Don’t Speak’ third single from Little Lore album inspired by Tennessee Williams

‘Evil Eye’ second single from forthcoming Little Lore album inspired by Tennessee Williams

‘Fair Weather’ – first single from Little Lore’s new album inspired by Tennessee Williams

River Stories – the new six-track EP from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter Little Lore

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

Wirral teen band Pareidolls release debut single: ‘Jessie’

Live reviews, Music news, Rock music, , , , , ,

Released: 2 April 2026

Pareidolls, a five-piece teenage band from the Wirral, have released their debut single ‘Jessie’. Backed by B-side ‘Give & Take’, it’s being made available digitally and as a limited-edition physical 7-inch via Red Licorice Records.

Blending sharp-edged rock with melodic new wave influences, Pareidolls have quickly built a reputation for songs that balance attitude with pop sensibility. ‘Jessie’ captures the band’s driving energy and hook-laden songwriting, while ‘Give & Take’ showcases a darker, more urgent side of their sound.

Pareidolls are Georgia Attwood (vocals), Freya Wilcox (drums), Bethan Sheldrick (bass), Tabitha Law (guitar) and Biba Russell (guitar). Their sound and style recall the golden age of female-fronted rock bands, drawing comparisons to acts such as The Go-Go’s, The Bangles and L7, while remaining firmly rooted in the present.

Photo credit: Robert Russell

Drummer, Freya Wilcox, says: ‘We’re ecstatic to be able to share Jessie with this release; it encapsulates a lot about who we are musically and we hope it makes people happy!’

Newly established on the Merseyside music scene, the band regularly perform at Liverpool venues including EBGBS, Zanzibar and the O2 Academy. They have already supported notable artists such as The Lounge Society, Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), XGENERATIONX (featuring Steve Norman of Spandau Ballet) and the late Clem Burke of Blondie.

The release of ‘Jessie’ marks an important milestone for Pareidolls, representing their first physical single and the start of their collaboration with Red Licorice Records.

Photo credit: Robert Russell

‘Jessie’ Released: 2 April 2026

Live dates:

London Launch Gig: Water Rats – 2 April 2026 – Tickets

Liverpool Launch Gig: Heebies Tunnel – 5 April 2026 – Tickets

More info via: https://linktr.ee/pareidollsbandofficial

‘Don’t Speak’ third single from Little Lore album inspired by Tennessee Williams

americana, Music news, , , , , , ,

Released: 26th March 2026

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

“Duffy’s first-class writing shines through” – RnR magazine

‘Don’t Speak’ is the third single from the warmly-anticipated new album by London-based singer-songwriter, Little Lore aka Tricia Duffy. Inspired by the work of Tennessee Williams, the full album, Being Serafina, will be released in June this year and is named after the central character in Williams’ celebrated play from the 1950s, The Rose Tattoo. ‘Don’t Speak’ is released on 26th March, to coincide with the 115th anniversary of Williams’ birth.

Little Lore: “Being Serafina began as an academic experiment. I wanted to explore whether Method acting techniques could be used as a songwriting device. I signed up for Method acting classes and selected a monologue from a play I loved, The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams. I have been obsessed by Williams’ writing since I was a teenager. I loved and admired his ability to capture such rich female characters. My first song arrived, written from the perspective of the main protagonist in The Rose Tattoo, and so began an intimate love affair of my own with this beautiful, vulnerable, funny and flawed character, Serafina. I had a crazy notion that maybe I could go deeper into character and write an entire album from her perspective. Being Serafina is the result. The album draws on a wide range of genre influences from the folk Americana people know me for along with prog rock, punk and blues peppered into the creative process.”

A burgeoning presence on the UK Americana and singer-songwriter scene, Little Lore has received many plaudits, both for her astute, observational songwriting and for her warm, heartfelt vocals. Add into the mix the lush instrumentation and sumptuous production from her principal musical collaborator, Oli Deakin, and the result is nothing short of magical.

Discussing the new single, ‘Don’t Speak’, Little Lore explains:

“It is dawn and we find Serafina at her sewing machine, waiting. The table is still laid, but the food untouched. Her husband hasn’t come home. Outside she hears the low tones of the women in her community and the priest discussing how to tell her the news. Rosario is dead. Written as a real time unfolding of events, shock and denial are the primary emotions of this song. The devastating moment she learns that her husband has died but tries to hold back the knowing.”

“Written in a deliberately high key – to offer the sensation of that high pitched quality we sometimes get in our voices when we are trying to deny something. The sparse music is uncomfortably dissonant with an off-key drone in the mix to give that sensation of the blood rushing in our ears as she experiences the shock. This was a harrowing song to write. Using the method acting techniques which includes the use emotional substitutions, I allowed myself to access the most significant and devastating losses of my life. I cried throughout the entire writing process. It was an emotional song to record.”

Renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin, (who records under the name of Lowpines) produced the single and the forthcoming album and, as with previous Little lore releases,  provides much of the instrumentation.

‘Don’t Speak’ is released digitally on 26th March 2026 via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com or via: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/littlelore/dont-speak

Release information ‘Don’t Speak’:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy

Produced by: Oli Deakin

Drums: Morgan Karabel

All other instruments: Oli Deakin

Artwork: Richard Cranefield

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States. 

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. Two further EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were released in late 2023 and early 2024, followed by the EP River Stories in April 2025. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the UK Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

‘Evil Eye’ second single from forthcoming Little Lore album inspired by Tennessee Williams

‘Fair Weather’ – first single from Little Lore’s new album inspired by Tennessee Williams

River Stories – the new six-track EP from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter Little Lore

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Evil Eye’ second single from forthcoming Little Lore album inspired by Tennessee Williams

americana, Music news, , , , , , ,

Released: 25th February 2026

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

“Duffy’s first-class writing shines through” – RnR magazine

‘Evil Eye’ is the second single from the forthcoming new album by London-based singer-songwriter, Little Lore aka Tricia Duffy. Inspired by the work of Tennessee Williams, the full album, Being Serafina, will be released in June this year and is named after the central character in Williams’ celebrated play from the 1950s, The Rose Tattoo. ‘Evil Eye’ is released on 25th February, the anniversary of Williams’ 1983 death.

Little Lore: “Being Serafina began as an academic experiment. I wanted to explore whether Method acting techniques could be used as a songwriting device. I signed up for Method acting classes and selected a monologue from a play I loved, The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams. I have been obsessed by Williams’ writing since I was a teenager. I loved and admired his ability to capture such rich female characters. My first song arrived, written from the perspective of the main protagonist in The Rose Tattoo, and so began an intimate love affair of my own with this beautiful, vulnerable, funny and flawed character, Serafina. I had a crazy notion that maybe I could go deeper into character and write an entire album from her perspective. Being Serafina is the result. The album draws on a wide range of genre influences from the folk Americana people know me for along with prog rock, punk and blues peppered into the creative process.”

A burgeoning presence on the UK Americana and singer-songwriter scene, Little Lore has received many plaudits, both for her astute, observational songwriting and for her warm, heartfelt vocals. Add into the mix the lush instrumentation and sumptuous production from her principal musical collaborator, Oli Deakin, and the result is nothing short of magical.

Discussing the new single, ‘Evil Eye’, Little Lore explains:

“Serafina is superstitious and prone to judgement. She believes that her neighbour is a

‘Strega’ or witch, with an evil eye that can put a curse on her and her daughter. The Strega is often watching throughout the play, offering useful commentary on what is unfolding. In the scene that inspired this song her menace of a goat has got into Serafina’s yard to eat her tomatoes. Serafina instructs her daughter to avoid looking at the Strega and to wash her face in salt water and throw it quickly away to prevent the Mallocchio: the curse of the evil eye. Her daughter, Rosa points out that the neighbour, far from being a witch, has a cataract and crooked hands caused by rheumatism. Musically Oli and I tried to garner a jaunty yet eerie feel, taking inspiration from the likes of Tom Waits. This superstition could be considered silly, but this moment is an indication of things to come. All is not well in Serafina’s world.”

Renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin, (who records under the name of Lowpines) produced the single and the forthcoming album and, as with previous Little lore releases,  provides much of the instrumentation.

‘Evil Eye’ is released digitally on 25th February 2026 via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com or https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/littlelore/evil-eye?ref=release

Release information ‘Evil Eye’:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy

Produced by: Oli Deakin

Drums: Morgan Karabel

All other instruments: Oli Deakin

Artwork: Richard Cranefield

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States. 

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. Two further EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were released in late 2023 and early 2024, followed by the EP River Stories in April 2025. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

The Being Serafina project is inspired by the character of Serafina from The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams. Presented by special arrangement with The University of the South, Tennessee, USA.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

‘Fair Weather’ – first single from Little Lore’s new album inspired by Tennessee Williams

River Stories – the new six-track EP from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter Little Lore

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Fair Weather’ – first single from Little Lore’s new album inspired by Tennessee Williams

americana, Music news, , , , , , ,

Released: 3rd February 2026

“We were spellbound by her ability to highlight unique perspectives with her songwriting” – Maverick magazine

“Duffy’s first-class writing shines through” – RnR magazine

Released on 3rd February, ‘Fair Weather’ is the first single of a brand-new musical project from London-based singer-songwriter, Little Lore aka Tricia Duffy. Inspired by the work of Tennessee Williams, the full album, Being Serafina, will be released in June this year andis named after the central character in Williams’ celebrated play from the 1950s, The Rose Tattoo.

Little Lore: “Being Serafina began as an academic experiment. I wanted to explore whether Method acting techniques could be used as a songwriting device. My initial idea was that I could use the Method to write a collection of songs from multiple different character perspectives, perhaps drawn from fiction or characters of my own invention. But projects have a habit of unfolding in unexpected ways. I signed up for Method acting classes and to start the process purely, from an acting point of view, I selected a monologue from a play I loved. The Rose Tattoo, by Tennessee Williams. I have been obsessed by Williams’ writing since I was a teenager. I loved and admired his ability to capture such rich female characters.”

“My first song arrived, written from the perspective of the main protagonist in The Rose Tattoo, and so began an intimate love affair of my own with this beautiful, vulnerable, funny and flawed character, Serafina. I had a crazy notion that maybe I could go deeper into character and write an entire album from her perspective. Being Serafina is the result. The album draws on a wide range of genre influences from the folk Americana people know me for along with prog rock, punk and blues peppered into the creative process.”

A burgeoning presence on the UK Americana and singer-songwriter scene, Little Lore has received many plaudits, both for her astute, observational songwriting and for her warm, heartfelt vocals. Add into the mix the lush instrumentation and sumptuous production from her principal musical collaborator, Oli Deakin, and the result is nothing short of magical.

Discussing the first single, ‘Fair Weather’, Little Lore adds:

“Serafina is a central part of a close Sicilian community; she is the local seamstress. Williams describes the opening scene of the play with children playing, excitedly talking about the flags flying at the coast guard that indicate the weather will be fine. He describes the mothers calling the children home tenderly and musically. Serafina has set the table for a romantic dinner; she plans to tell her husband that she is pregnant with their second child. Her 12-year-old daughter is catching firebugs, and the scene is quite perfect.”

“The song includes backing vocals from Bella Collins and Ella Tobin in the harmonies to enhance this sense of community. And introduces the use of a clarinet, a musical device used to characterise Rosario – Serafina’s husband. Attentive listeners may notice that the clarinet always pans to the right. A deliberate decision drawn from traditional pantomime, where the ‘baddies’ always enter from the right (or stage left). A simple song that seems positive but with minor arrangement that offers a sense of foreboding and hints at what will unfold.”

Renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin, (who records under the name of Lowpines) produced the single and the forthcoming album and, as with previous Little lore releases,  provides much of the instrumentation.

‘Fair Weather’ will be released digitally on 3rd February 2026 via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com or https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/littlelore/fair-weather

Release information ‘Fair Weather’:

Written and performed by: Little Lore AKA Tricia Duffy

Produced by: Oli Deakin

Backing vocals: Bella Collins and Ella Tobin

Drums: Morgan Karabel

All other instruments: Oli Deakin

Artwork: Richard Cranefield

About Little Lore:

Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States. 

Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. Two further EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were released in late 2023 and early 2024, followed by the EP River Stories in April 2025. Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.

An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and a member of Ivors Academy  and the Americana Music Association UK. She is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters.

The Being Serafina project is inspired by the character of Serafina from The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams. Presented by special arrangement with The University of the South, Tennessee, USA.

Website: https://littlelore.uk

X: https://twitter.com/littleloremusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleloremusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleloremusic

Related posts:

River Stories – the new six-track EP from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter Little Lore

Seven Stories (parts one and two): the new project from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter, Little Lore

The gripping tale of Little Lore: interview with Americana singer-storyteller, Tricia Duffy

Little Lore: the magical new project from UK Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy

‘Not Good Enough’ – the ‘glamtastic’ new song featuring late Glitter Band founder, John Rossall

Glam rock, Music news, Rock music, , , , , ,

Five years on from the release of his critically-acclaimed glam comeback album, The Last Glam in Town, and four years on from his tragic passing, new music from Glitter Band founder, John Rossall, has recently been hitting the airwaves.

The stream of glowing reviews for Last Glam in Town were a surprise even to Rossall. When I interviewed him back in 2020, he told me: “It’s like I’ve written them myself almost! It’s a surprise. The reviews everywhere – it’s been beyond my wildest dreams really.”

What people may not know, however, is that before he died John Rossall recorded a follow-up album to Last Glam In Town. John’s close friend and former PR, Anne Street, has worked tirelessly to get that final album released and made available to fans. While that wish so far remains unfulfilled, a track from the album and an accompanying video has been officially launched via You-Tube and has also been picking up enthusiastic airplay on Heritage Chart Radio and many other stations, including Kim Smith’s show on Radio Northwich and Jan Bjerrum’s show on Sunshine Radio.

The single ‘Not Good Enough’ is a collaboration between John Rossall, David Philp and Mark Standley. The video celebrates John’s Blackpool heritage – with colour and black and white segments marking a nod to both his 1970s Glitter Band heyday and his 1960s early career in the Boston Show Band. The video was created by Dave Forward of Manchester band, The Cathodes, who posted the video to his own YouTube channel.

Anne Street explained the background to both the single and the unreleased final album in a recent announcement on Facebook:

“When John was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in March 2021 he set about spending all his remaining time writing and recording a final glam album. He hoped to see it released before he died, but his record label procrastinated over the final mixes and this delay has continued. A renowned Dutch DJ and  producer more recently offered to do the final mix free and for the benefit of John’s family, but record label would only agree if paid!

Meanwhile, John had collaborated with David Philp on one track, and Mark Standley was credited too. David as co-writer was eventually allowed to bring out his final mix which John had approved in 2021.

I met up with David at his home in Beverly Hills, L.A., June 2024, and we discussed the importance of getting this song out for John’s fans and as a tribute to John’s memory. It features both John Rossall and David Philp. However, David  had to overcome all sorts of publishing hurdles and it’s finally ready.”

While the song is yet to receive an official release so that fans are able to purchase it through the main digital platforms, Anne Street remains hopeful that this can happen in the near future.

“It’s a fab, glamtastic song and hoping you’ll enjoy it,” she added.

The track entered Mike Read’s Heritage Chart Radio in the Top 40 following release. Currently at No. 38, it is expected to rise higher. The You-Tube video is also featured on Mike’s Heritage Chart TV Show for Talking Pictures.

Voting link here: www.heritagechart.co.uk

The track is also No 9 in Pete Seaton’s Chart of Gold Hot 100 on www.appleradio.co.uk

Album review: Rossall – The Last Glam In Town

Glitter, glam and Blackpool rock: interview with glam rock legend John Rossall

Tribute to John Rossall: Glitter Band founder passes away peacefully following cancer battle

Folk rock legends Fairport Convention embark on Autumn 2025 UK Tour

Folk music, Music news, Rock music, , , , ,

Following a triumphant sold-out Cropredy festival this summer (see my review here), folk rock legends Fairport Convention embark on an Autumn 2025 UK tour.

Playing as a stripped back four-piece, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Ric Sanders and Chris Leslie will take to the road in October with 23 dates across England, Scotland and Wales, rounding things off in Liverpool on November 2nd.

Interviewing Dave Pegg earlier in the year, he emphasised how important playing live still was to the band:

“We still enjoy touring enormously and treading the boards has always been what Fairport is good at. We’ve had more success playing live than we’ve had making albums.”

You can read my full interview with Dave Pegg here.

Dave Pegg at Cropredy- Photo: Simon Putman

2025 marks 40 years since the Gladys’ Leap album – the first of the reunited Fairport Convention, featuring Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg and the first contributions from Ric Sanders.

Interviewing Ric Sanders ahead of this summer’s Cropredy, we discussed the Gladys’ Leap album, and how Sanders thought he was merely being asked to contribute to a Dave Pegg side project when he first got the call:

“Peggy had this offshoot group – a fun outfit it was – and they were called Dave Pegg’s Cocktail Cowboys, of which Chris was a member as well. At this time, around about ‘85, I was just doing jazz gigs around the Midlands. Just going out, playing with different rhythm sections, like jazz musicians used to. And it wasn’t hugely lucrative, but I got by. Peggy sent me this tape and I thought he was asking me to play on a Cocktail Cowboys record because I had no idea that Swarb had decided that he didn’t want to carry on with Fairport. And so when the tape arrived and I listened to it, I thought, hello? Well, that’s Peggy playing the bass, obviously. That’s Dave Mattacks on drums. And that guitar I could tell straight away. And yeah, it turned out to be Gladys’ Leap. And I went along and my first day was just recording those three tracks that I did on the album. The standout track for me, and the one that stayed in the repertoire, is ‘The Hiring Fair’.”

You can read my full interview with Ric Sanders here.

Ric Sanders – Photo Kevin Smith

Fairport Convention’s Autumn Tour runs from 8th October to 2nd November, with some shows already sold out. Tickets are available to purchase now on the links below.

Fairport Convention – Autumn 2025 UK Tour

Wed, 8th Oct 2025
The Green Hotel, Kinross – TICKETS

Thu, 9th Oct 2025
The Green Hotel, Kinross – TICKETS

Fri, 10th Oct 2025
Byre Theatre, St Andrews – SOLD OUT

Sat, 11th Oct 2025
Lemon Tree, Aberdeen – TICKETS

Sun, 12th Oct 2025
St Lukes Church, Glasgow – TICKETS

Tue, 14th Oct 2025
Crookes Social Club, Sheffield – TICKETS

Wed, 15th Oct 2025
The Witham, Barnard Castle  – TICKETS

Thu, 16th Oct 2025
Victoria Hall, Settle – TICKETS

Fri, 17th Oct 2025
Town Hall, Masham – SOLD OUT

Sat, 18th Oct 2025
The Met, Bury – SOLD OUT

Sun, 19th Oct 2025
The Mill, Banbury – TICKETS

Tue, 21st Oct 2025
The Exchange, Twickenham – TICKETS

Wed, 22nd Oct 2025
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Fields of Redemption – new album from guitarist, Joe Hodgson – released 20th June

Music news, Rock music, Uncategorized, , , , ,

“The album is about the quest to right wrongs, the search for inner peace, and the reconnection with the land of my birth.” – Joe Hodgson

While firmly grounded in the rock and blues influences of his youth, Fields of Redemption sees Irish guitarist Joe Hodgson encompass a myriad of musical styles, which he blends and moulds to stunning effect. The result is an almost entirely instrumental album that is insanely diverse and refuses to fit neatly into any musical genre.

Hodgson explains: “You’ll find all my influences in there: rock, blues, jazz, classical, country, and even Irish traditional music. I also recorded two acoustic tracks, which was a first for me.”

Feelings of introspection and soul-searching pervade the record, but it also radiates brighter, less angst-ridden melodic explorations than its predecessor, Apparitions. The inspiration for the album came from an extended journey around his native Ireland with his new wife and his trusty Gibson Les Paul, soaking up the land of his birth.

Hodgson adds: “The album is fundamentally about reconnecting with my roots, reconciling with and embracing the past, while steadfastly looking to the future. It’s also about a journey to find inner peace, which for me is punctuated by laughter and a whole lotta fun. Overall, I think it’s a very uplifting record.”

The album is co-produced by Hodgson and Chris James Ryan (Keith Urban, Go West, The Church), and it features the Austrian rhythm section of Philipp Groyssboeck on drums and Vinzenz Benjamin on bass, both currently members of Go West and Cutting Crew. The nucleus of the band is completed by Otger Garcia on Hammond organ, Kelly O’Donohue on horns, João Paulo Drumond on percussion, and All-Ireland Champion bodhrán player, Paul McClure. Recording sessions took place in Ireland, England, Germany, Canada, the USA, and the Czech Republic.

For Joe, the most memorable recording session took place in Prague with the Czech Philharmonic, who appear on one of the album’s flagship tracks, “You I Think Of”. He describes this as “a spine-tingling moment”. Another highlight comes with the guest appearance of Irish singer Glen Harkin on “Since You Had a Hold on Me”. The album was mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Will Bowden (Gotye).

Fields Of Redemption is a big-sounding record, but not an over-produced one. It covers a wide range of emotions, moods, and styles, and it takes the listener on an epic journey. It is ambitious and brave, and the frequent twists and turns will keep listeners constantly on their toes. Despite the blending and blurring of musical genres, Fields of Redemption has a truly cohesive feel to it, and it is an album that is meant to be listened to from start to finish.

Read my feature-length interview with Joe Hodgson here

About Joe Hodgson:

Guitarist Joe Hodgson hails from the village of Ballymagorry in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. His music, shaped by his upbringing during The Troubles, mirrors the fierce rain and winds of the Emerald Isle. It is both sweeping and intense, boldly blending rock, blues, jazz, and Irish traditions into finely crafted instrumentals, which reveal a multifaceted, emotive, and diverse performer.

After many years of playing and recording with London-based bands and touring throughout Europe, Joe returned to his birthplace in 2018. In 2020, he released his debut solo album Apparitions to wide critical acclaim. Guitar World called his playing “elite”. Prominent Canadian music journalist Steve Newton said he is “the best guitarist you’ve never heard of”. ANR Factory, meanwhile, described the album as “a modern-day masterpiece”.

On June 20th, 2025, Hodgson is set to release his second solo album, Fields of Redemption, an almost entirely instrumental collection of tunes which, in typical style, straddles, blends and bends musical genres. The album also features a guest appearance by Irish singer Glen Harkin. Three singles from the album have been released to date, garnering glowing reviews.

Website: https://joehodgsonmusic.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joehodgsonmusic

X: https://x.com/joehodgsonmusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joehodgsonmusic

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Irish guitarist Joe Hodgson ‘You I Think Of’ – new single and video out 6th June

Irish guitarist Joe Hodgson ‘You I Think Of’ – new single and video out 6th June

Music news, Rock music, , , , , ,

“The best guitarist you’ve never heard of” “a brilliantly adventurous player, right up there with the likes of Satriani and Vai” – Steve Newton, Ear Of Newt

After a four-year hiatus, spent travelling, writing and recording, Irish guitarist Joe Hodgson returned to the scene in March 2025 with a double A-side instrumental offering, ‘The Grass Is Greener’ and ‘Shapeshifting’. This was followed in May by another double single, ‘Since You Had A Hold On Me’ featuring Glen Harkin on vocals, and the instrumental ‘Stick Or Twist’.

The third single of 2025, an instrumental ballad titled ‘You I Think Of’, is released on Friday 6th June and features a guest appearance by the world-renowned Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

Hodgson explains the origins of the track:

‘In early 2021, I was working on an acoustic arrangement of the Irish folk song, “Molly Malone”. It’s the unofficial anthem of Dublin City, one of my favourite places in the world. While I was working on the track, I started envisaging this story in my head of meeting and falling in love with a woman from Dublin. As the story gathered pace in my mind, I started playing melodies of my own over the same underlying chord sequence, and before I realised I had a complete piece of music composed. It had a beginning, a middle, and, thanks to the Molly Malone refrain, an end too’.

To fully complement the melodies of the new song, Joe decided to use strings, and he approached the Czech Philharmonic. He describes the resulting recording session in Prague as ‘a spine-tingling moment; the most memorable of the whole album’. But the story didn’t finish there. Joe did, in fact, meet his fantasy woman from Dublin, and in July 2022, they married. Most poignantly of all, though, she walked up the aisle to the string arrangement of ‘You I Think Of’.

The music itself is indeed a love story, and the track overflows with poignant melodies and hooks. Stylistically, Hodgson’s playing is a mixture of delicacy and intricacy, as his blues, jazz and rock-infused runs freely roam and colour the track. In combination with the orchestral strings, the purity of the guitar sound gives a lush and distinctly dream-like quality to the music. This track, taken from his forthcoming album, Fields Of Redemption, captures feelings of introspection, hope and inner peace, and comes from a guitar player who is certainly not afraid to expand his sound and take chances in pursuit of his art.

About Joe Hodgson:

Guitarist Joe Hodgson hails from the village of Ballymagorry in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. His music, shaped by his upbringing during The Troubles, mirrors the fierce rain and winds of the Emerald Isle. It is both sweeping and intense, boldly blending rock, blues, jazz, and Irish traditions into finely crafted instrumentals, which reveal a multifaceted, emotive, and diverse performer.

After many years of playing and recording with London-based bands and touring throughout Europe, Joe returned to his birthplace in 2018. In 2020, he released his debut solo album “Apparitions” to wide critical acclaim. Guitar World called his playing “elite”. Prominent Canadian music journalist Steve Newton said he is “the best guitarist you’ve never heard of”. While ANR Factory described the album as “a modern-day masterpiece”.

On June 20th, 2025, Hodgson is set to release his second solo album, Fields Of Redemption.

Website: https://joehodgsonmusic.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joehodgsonmusic

X: https://x.com/joehodgsonmusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joehodgsonmusic

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This week’s featured artist: guitarist Joe Hodgson – new single out 28th March

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This week’s featured artists: Eilidh Shaw & Ross Martin – new album ‘ Stay Here All Night’

Folk music, Music news, , , , , , ,

Eilidh Shaw (fiddle and vocals) and Ross Martin (guitar) are best known for their work with two leading Scottish traditional bands. Shaw for her work with The Poozies and Martin with Daimh. Between them they have spent over two decades touring with both their own bands and as guest artists with an vast array of top performers, including Julie Fowlis, Bonnie Prince Billy, Tony Christie and Arnaud Ciapolino.

Performing under the name Birl-Esque, Stay Here All Night is their second album as a duo. Born out of the long musical winter of lockdowns and cancelled gigs, the obvious choice faced by many couples was to either order another case of wine or build a home studio. Eilidh Shaw and Ross Martin did both of these things. The resulting album is a festival of creativity, full of the style and character that the duo has become known for.

Eilidh Shaw’s fiddle takes the lead on the instrumentals, such as ‘Swimmy Tunes’ above. The duo comment: “Two tunes written by Eilidh after a glorious west coast summer swimming in the sea around Arisaig. No swimming in this video as, although still very beautiful, it was a very cold day in January. The beautiful islands of Eigg and a snow-capped Rum in the background.”

New compositions such as this sit alongside old Highland classics like the ‘Thief of Lochaber’ and ‘Paddy’s Waltzes’, a set of Gaelic waltzes taken from her father’s home-made music book.

The four songs on the album include covers of contemporary Scottish writers such as ‘Stoned Again’ by Sandy Wright and ‘Better Off Dead’ by Willie MacAskill while the title track ‘Stay Here All Night’ showcases Shaw’s own songwriting.

Ross Martin’s consummate guitar arrangements tie the album together while the whole project is further decorated by a star-studded list of guest musicians that happened to be either passing the duo’s Highland home in Morar or had made the same decision during the dark days of covid and contributed from their own home studios.

With a combined total of 74 years of gigging experience and over 100 album appearances between them this dazzling duo seamlessly blur the lines between the traditional and the contemporary with a uniquely mischievous style.

Released: 21 June 2025 https://eilidhshawrossmartin.com/

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