Published by The i paper (30th June, 2025)
Arts / Music
Britain’s music is being silenced by ministerial failure
Published by The Times (20th July, 2022) Britain does not have many world-leading industries but our music business is most definitely one, relentlessly churning out hits and stars […]
Arts / Covid19 / Music
Musicians deserve a helping hand
Published by The i paper (25th January, 2021) Seventeen years ago, I spent a day in Pimlico with Paul Weller. We met by the Tate Gallery at a time of […]
Arts / Music
Whitney’s back from the dead. But is her hologram tour a joyful tribute or ghoulish exploitation?
Published by The Mail on Sunday (16th February, 2020) Whitney Houston will soon be back on stage. Tickets are being sold for what is billed as the first […]
Arts / Music
Why grandad rock still rolls
Published in The Guardian (June 29th) Two of the most powerful brands in popular culture merge on Saturday. The Rolling Stones, creators of perhaps the most efficient money machine […]
Arts / Music
The term ‘world music’ is outdated and offensive
Published in The Guardian (March 23, 2012) Life’s a mashup these days, isn’t it? Not just online but in the real world too. From arts to science, from […]
Arts / Music
Another top ten albums of 2011 list
Published on The Spectator website (December 18th, 2011) Picking my favourite albums this year reminded me of three things about the current state of music. First, the obvious […]
Arts / Immigration / Music / Policy
We must stop treating world-class artists with such routine contempt
Published in The Observer (July 10th, 2011) Idrissa Soumaoro should have been rehearsing with the celebrated Malian musicians Amadou & Mariam for a show at the Manchester international […]
Arts / Music
Spotify Sunday: Shuffle…
Published on The Spectator website (April 16th, 2011) Like many music fans, I could spend months pondering a playlist and coming up with dozens of variations. Since I […]
Arts / Economics / Music
British music can still star as rock finds a new role
Published in the London Evening Standard (February 15th, 2011) Let’s get the party started. Tonight it is the Brits, that annual orgy of champagne and back-slapping that has […]
Arts / Economics / Music
Record sales plummet but the music plays on
Published in The Times (October 22nd, 2010) The deeply wonderful Elvis Costello has a new record out. It is available as a download, on CD, on vinyl and […]