Dedicated to the Music & Stars of 50s to 80s
Tony Christie gets behind Dementia Charity
Following his own diagnosis of the condition, singer Tony Christie is hopeful there will be a cure for dementia one day... By Ian Woolley The 80-year-old singer is to help raise money with a cover of Andrew Gold's song featuring Sting and Chic's Nile Rodgers as part of a dementia campaign on behalf of Music for Dementia....
News Beat ➧
55 Years In The Pop Business – Chris Norman
"Me having a croaky voice or something was made up once in a magazine article or something way back when and it never happened...it just wasn't true". Smokie lead singer Chris Norman dispels the rumours that his distinctive voice was due to a freak throat infection......
Back Beat ➧
Motown to Northern Soul Legend – Sidney Barnes
For as long as he can remember, Sidney Barnes's life in music was clearly mapped out from a young age. Singing with schoolmates including a certain Marvin Gaye... By Ian Woolley As a singer, songwriter, and producer, Barnes wrote songs for all the talented artists...
Review Beat ➧
Hadley Swings The Classics On His New Tour
A recent leg operation didn't deter the 63-year-old former Spandau Ballet frontman from pulling out his latest UK tour which kicked off in Portmouth last night... REVIEW By Ian Woolley PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL TONY HADLEY BIG SWING TOUR Recently, I asked what his fans can...
Obituaries ➧
Female Folk Pioneer Melanie Has Died
One of only three female performers at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, Melanie Safka went on to record over 28 studio albums in her long career and was reported working on a new album at the time of her death... OBITUARY By Ian Woolley Her three children released the...
Tony Christie gets behind Dementia Charity
Following his own diagnosis of the condition, singer Tony Christie is hopeful there will be a cure for dementia one day... By Ian Woolley The 80-year-old singer is to help raise money with a cover of Andrew Gold's song featuring Sting and Chic's Nile Rodgers as part of a dementia campaign on behalf of Music for Dementia....
Print Issues ➧
Trending
News Beat ➧
55 Years In The Pop Business – Chris Norman
"Me having a croaky voice or something was made up once in a magazine article or something way back when and it never happened...it just wasn't true". Smokie lead singer Chris Norman dispels the rumours that his distinctive voice was due to a freak throat infection......
Back Beat ➧
Motown to Northern Soul Legend – Sidney Barnes
For as long as he can remember, Sidney Barnes's life in music was clearly mapped out from a young age. Singing with schoolmates including a certain Marvin Gaye... By Ian Woolley As a singer, songwriter, and producer, Barnes wrote songs for all the talented artists...
Review Beat ➧
Hadley Swings The Classics On His New Tour
A recent leg operation didn't deter the 63-year-old former Spandau Ballet frontman from pulling out his latest UK tour which kicked off in Portmouth last night... REVIEW By Ian Woolley PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL TONY HADLEY BIG SWING TOUR Recently, I asked what his fans can...
Obituaries ➧
Female Folk Pioneer Melanie Has Died
One of only three female performers at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, Melanie Safka went on to record over 28 studio albums in her long career and was reported working on a new album at the time of her death... OBITUARY By Ian Woolley Her three children released the...
Back issues, subscriptions, pre-orders, etc.
News Beat
Where The Followers Of Fashion ‘Jam’ – The Kinksfan Kollektiv
Every November in various venues around London fans the world over get together to celebrate one of London's favorite bands... By Ian Woolley There’s a lot of love around this planet for the Kinks. The songwriting genius of Ray Davies described perfectly the English...
Will Abba finally win a Grammy?
Amazingly one of pop's most successful pop groups in history has never won a Grammy. Will they achieve it this time around? This time they may succeed as they have 4 nominations. Record of the Year and best pop duo for Don't Shut Me Down and with Voyage, nominated for...
One Long Love Affair with Steve Ellis
"But when it kicked into this sort of mania with the girls, you couldn’t hear anything. That's when I decided to quit the Love Affair." By Ian Woolley So the rumours in the past about not wanting to stay with the band because they wouldn't tour the States were fake...
A Tribute to Carlos Marín – Sébastien Izambard
After seeing the three tenors at one of their special performances, it sowed a seed in entrepreneur Simon Cowell’s mind. To create a singing group in the same classical style. Three years later that dream became reality when that seed became Il Divo. On their latest...
Stars band together for Music 4 Ukraine charity single
Music 4 Ukraine Launches Star-Studded Charity Single ‘Heal This Broken Land’ to Raise War Relief Aid for the Families and Animals in Ukraine... Music 4 Ukraine is releasing the charity single ‘Heal This Broken Land’ on Friday 30th of September 2022, accompanied by an...
From Dead End Street to Village Green (on the Kinks trail)
For all the dedicated followers... By Ian Woolley Being a big Kinks fan for longer than I can remember, one can easily take in a few hours to revisit the band's early haunts around North London. To start this nostalgic trip, you need to head on the Northern Line to...
Kinks drummer will please their fans
Kinks fans look forward to the upcoming November weekend when they see former members of the London pop group perform on stage at the Boston Arms. The Kinks drummer Mick Avory joins other members of the Kast Off Kinks for an afternoon of bringing those Kinks favorites...
New Woman To Woman tour promises some great voices
Beverley Craven, Judie Tzuke & Julia Fordham announce Woman To Woman autumn 2022 UK tour (with special guest Rumer) Individually they’re icons of music, together they’re one of the strongest female fusions ever seen on the global music stage. Now, following the...
60’s Gold Tour adds Gary Puckett
US singer Gary Puckett flies over from the states to join the latest 60's Gold tour... The new UK 60's Gold tour kicks off on October 11th in Weymouth with 6 acts confirmed. Tremeloes features Chesney Hawkes, Herman's Hermits, Marmalade, Spencer James and the...
Coming Out Of The Wilderness – Hugh Cornwell
The former Stranglers frontman is coming out of the wilderness... By Ian Woolley Widely regarded as the poet laureate of the punk era (from his early career fronting the Stranglers to his transition as a solo artist), Hugh Cornwell has built a substantial and singular...
Music Stars That Loved to Gamble and Enjoy the Casino
Most people love to learn about what their favourite musicians get up to in their spare time. Yes, they are known for their singing abilities and their hit songs. But, fans want to dive into their personal lives and see what they really enjoy. Well, there are a lot of...
Growing up in Dundee – Ricky Ross’s new intimate tour
The Deacon Blue frontman reveals the hardships of growing up the Scottish way... By Ian Woolley Ricky Ross, songwriter and lead singer for Deacon Blue, one of Scotland's best-loved and most successful bands, returns to the stage in September & October 2022 with...
Just Happy To Be Back – Go West’s Peter Cox
With the release of his first solo album in 10 years, the Go West frontman is just happy to be back performing... By Ian Woolley His first album in 10 years, ‘Seaglass’ is the new album from Peter Cox, vocalist and frontman of Go West. Peter’s seventh album sees him...
Are Some Stately Home Concert Organisers Ageist?
With many planned bespoke outdoor events involving some of the biggest names in pop music, seems most fans of a certain age must now stand for hours or miss out completely on seeing their idols... By Ian Woolley In these troubled cash-strapped times, some of the...
Ralph McTell celebrates 60 years Of The Famous Putney Venue
60 years ago, Ralph McTell made history by being the first act to perform at the famous Half Moon. Now he's back again at the famous Putney venue to honour that memory with a five-date residency... By Ian Woolley I reminded him that it's also been an astonishing 55...
Setting His Spirit Free – Daniel James
The former Yell! singer believes in getting a positive message out to his fans despite today's challenges. If the re-release of his single Set Your Spirit Free 2023 is anything to go by, he might be getting the word out finally... By Ian Woolley The original version...
Entertainer Sings On Charity Single For Mental Health
Local Vocals, a choir community based across Lancashire, have teamed up with Tommy Cannon (one half of the infamous Cannon and Ball) to create a charity single in aid of local mental health charity, Lancashire Mind... The choir, made up of over 200 local people from...
ABC’s Greatest Album Gets The Symphonic Makeover
The 1982 debut chart-topping album from ABC, "The Lexicon Of Love" spawned five hit singles. Now the celebrated album gets a full symphonic makeover... REVIEW by Ian Woolley The Lexicon of Love defined a decade, a widescreen pop classic that gave ABC their...
An Irishman With A Real Pop Story To Tell
One of the world's greatest music agents and promoters Paul Charles is coming to The Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith to launch his new autobiography "Adventures in Wonderland"... By Ian Woolley Irishman Paul Charles is one of the leading music agents on the...
A New Tour from the New Song Man
Today, legendary singer, songwriter and keyboardist Howard Jones has announced a major UK tour for October to celebrate 40 years of his incredible career and the release of his revolutionary debut single “New Song” from the Human’s Lib Album. By Ian Woolley The tour...
Back issues, subscriptions, pre-orders, etc.
Back Beat
Share a cuppa tea with Jackie DeShannon
By Jane Quinn Jackie talks songwriting, martial arts and the cherished letter from screen legend Bette Davis... Share a cuppa tea with Jackie DeShannon as she chats about Bruce Lee, Secrets, and Isla! our paths first crossed on September 3, 1964. Jackie DeShannon...
Debbie Harry – Blondie’s Fashion Icon
BY Amber Roy Blondie's Sunday Girl always made her own fashion statement on stage... Debbie Harry's delight is dressing with her own sense of fashion so here we look back at her top 10 Iconic fashion looks. Before becoming the new wave punk band Blondie, Debbie Harry...
Dolly Parton – The first lady of country music
By Ron Tennant Distinguished Dolly can play twenty different instruments and in her lifetime has written over 3,000 songs. That’s pretty amazing... Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in a tiny cabin in Pittman Center, rural Tennessee, USA, and was the...
Judge Smith – The Spiritual effect of Glastonbury
By Ian Woolley Judge Smith, songwriter, composer, and performer, has been making innovative, unusual, and entertaining music since the late 1960s when he co-founded the influential band Van der Graaf Generator with Peter Hammill. “It really is my real name,” Judge...
Ray Charles – A shining light who could not see
By Derek Mead The blind 'genius' who gave the world his own unique style... Ray Charles was an American singer-songwriter pianist and composer. He was born Ray Charles Robinson on September 23, 1930, in Georgia, and died June 10, 2004, in Beverley Hills California...
Remember when…The Kinks
By Derek Mead Where does one start with The Kinks? Probably not at the beginning! The rock band was formed by the Davies brothers in 1964 in Muswell Hill, and soon became prominent as an influential rock band of the 60s. At the height of British Rhythm and Blues and...
Share a Cuppa Tea with Jane and Johnny Tillotson…
By Jane Quinn Johnny chats about noodles, Hopalong Cassidy, and his grandfather... The year was 1960: JFK was elected to be the new USA President, bread cost 10p a loaf, a first-class stamp was just over 1p, I was 10 years old, and the UK No.1 record was Poetry in...
The Bucks Fizz days – Cheryl Baker
By Ian Woolley Now in her 66th year Cheryl Baker, part of today's trio of Eurovision winners Bucks Fizz is looking forward to next year as it’s 40 years since that day they conquered Europe. With Jay Aston and Mike Nolan, the Fizz as they are now known, have seen many...
Share a cuppa tea with Jackie DeShannon
By Jane Quinn Jackie talks songwriting, martial arts and the cherished letter from screen legend Bette Davis... Share a cuppa tea with Jackie DeShannon as she chats about Bruce Lee, Secrets, and Isla! our paths first crossed on September 3, 1964. Jackie DeShannon...
Debbie Harry – Blondie’s Fashion Icon
BY Amber Roy Blondie's Sunday Girl always made her own fashion statement on stage... Debbie Harry's delight is dressing with her own sense of fashion so here we look back at her top 10 Iconic fashion looks. Before becoming the new wave punk band Blondie, Debbie Harry...
Dolly Parton – The first lady of country music
By Ron Tennant Distinguished Dolly can play twenty different instruments and in her lifetime has written over 3,000 songs. That’s pretty amazing... Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in a tiny cabin in Pittman Center, rural Tennessee, USA, and was the...
Judge Smith – The Spiritual effect of Glastonbury
By Ian Woolley Judge Smith, songwriter, composer, and performer, has been making innovative, unusual, and entertaining music since the late 1960s when he co-founded the influential band Van der Graaf Generator with Peter Hammill. “It really is my real name,” Judge...
Ray Charles – A shining light who could not see
By Derek Mead The blind 'genius' who gave the world his own unique style... Ray Charles was an American singer-songwriter pianist and composer. He was born Ray Charles Robinson on September 23, 1930, in Georgia, and died June 10, 2004, in Beverley Hills California...
Remember when…The Kinks
By Derek Mead Where does one start with The Kinks? Probably not at the beginning! The rock band was formed by the Davies brothers in 1964 in Muswell Hill, and soon became prominent as an influential rock band of the 60s. At the height of British Rhythm and Blues and...
Share a Cuppa Tea with Jane and Johnny Tillotson…
By Jane Quinn Johnny chats about noodles, Hopalong Cassidy, and his grandfather... The year was 1960: JFK was elected to be the new USA President, bread cost 10p a loaf, a first-class stamp was just over 1p, I was 10 years old, and the UK No.1 record was Poetry in...
The Bucks Fizz days – Cheryl Baker
By Ian Woolley Now in her 66th year Cheryl Baker, part of today's trio of Eurovision winners Bucks Fizz is looking forward to next year as it’s 40 years since that day they conquered Europe. With Jay Aston and Mike Nolan, the Fizz as they are now known, have seen many...
Back issues, subscriptions, pre-orders, etc.
Review Beat
The Science of Casinos: Which Genre of Music Is Most Appropriate for Players?
Visiting an online casino is an exciting experience, regardless of whether it’s your first time or you are a frequent visitor. Part of the appeal of casinos is the atmosphere of excitement, anticipation and thrill that comes with playing table games and slots. This...
Still Flying The Flag For Kinks Fans – Mick Avory
Although rumours of a Kinks reunion have been around for a long time, only one member of the original band still regularly tours in the UK... REVIEW by Ian Woolley That member is drummer Mick Avory whose been there from the very start when he joined the Davies...
4 Easy Ways to Win the Biggest Online Slot Jackpot
Slot online is no longer a social taboo because hundreds of thousands of people play online slots every day. This makes sense since anyone who plays free slots without registration and deposit can get a lot out of it. Everyone who plays slots can win a slot jackpot...
Merrill’s Last UK Gig? – Merrill Osmond
You're only as good as your last gig or so the saying goes. Well, if that's true then the Osmond's former lead singer has left the UK with a belter... REVIEW by Ian Woolley Sometimes you have to pinch yourself that it was over fifty years ago that America's favourite...
How to Choose a Reliable Cable TV Package
Choosing the right cable TV package shouldn’t be a very tough job, but trust us, it really is. Why do you think we are saying this? Well, the answer is quite simple. We are living in a digitally advanced world. Thanks to the advancement in technology, we have access...
The Sweet Sound Of Rock
The former glam-rock's lead guitarist is still belting out the hits with his new band... REVIEW by Ian Woolley On what must have been one of the coldest nights of 2022, it was in the Somerset town of Frome that we descended, scarf and all, to see one of glam-rock's...
Non-Animal Test Methods for Predicting Skin Sensitisation And Dermal Toxicity
A growing number of people are reporting skin reactions to substances. Currently, around 15-20% of the population suffers from a contact allergy, and the number of people reporting some form of skin reaction to chemical contact is increasing. Chemical products,...
Spreading The Love – Woman To Woman Tour review
Halfway through their third successful Woman To Woman UK tour, Beverley Craven, Judie Tzuke, and Julia Fordham have invited another singer to join them - Rumer. REVIEW by Ian Woolley Even though Bob Dylan was in town up the road, an almost sold-out Pavilion Theatre in...
The Science of Casinos: Which Genre of Music Is Most Appropriate for Players?
Visiting an online casino is an exciting experience, regardless of whether it’s your first time or you are a frequent visitor. Part of the appeal of casinos is the atmosphere of excitement, anticipation and thrill that comes with playing table games and slots. This...
Still Flying The Flag For Kinks Fans – Mick Avory
Although rumours of a Kinks reunion have been around for a long time, only one member of the original band still regularly tours in the UK... REVIEW by Ian Woolley That member is drummer Mick Avory whose been there from the very start when he joined the Davies...
4 Easy Ways to Win the Biggest Online Slot Jackpot
Slot online is no longer a social taboo because hundreds of thousands of people play online slots every day. This makes sense since anyone who plays free slots without registration and deposit can get a lot out of it. Everyone who plays slots can win a slot jackpot...
Merrill’s Last UK Gig? – Merrill Osmond
You're only as good as your last gig or so the saying goes. Well, if that's true then the Osmond's former lead singer has left the UK with a belter... REVIEW by Ian Woolley Sometimes you have to pinch yourself that it was over fifty years ago that America's favourite...
How to Choose a Reliable Cable TV Package
Choosing the right cable TV package shouldn’t be a very tough job, but trust us, it really is. Why do you think we are saying this? Well, the answer is quite simple. We are living in a digitally advanced world. Thanks to the advancement in technology, we have access...
The Sweet Sound Of Rock
The former glam-rock's lead guitarist is still belting out the hits with his new band... REVIEW by Ian Woolley On what must have been one of the coldest nights of 2022, it was in the Somerset town of Frome that we descended, scarf and all, to see one of glam-rock's...
Non-Animal Test Methods for Predicting Skin Sensitisation And Dermal Toxicity
A growing number of people are reporting skin reactions to substances. Currently, around 15-20% of the population suffers from a contact allergy, and the number of people reporting some form of skin reaction to chemical contact is increasing. Chemical products,...
Spreading The Love – Woman To Woman Tour review
Halfway through their third successful Woman To Woman UK tour, Beverley Craven, Judie Tzuke, and Julia Fordham have invited another singer to join them - Rumer. REVIEW by Ian Woolley Even though Bob Dylan was in town up the road, an almost sold-out Pavilion Theatre in...
Back issues, subscriptions, pre-orders, etc.
Obituaries
The Chariots of Fire Composer – RIP Vangelis
OBITUARY by Ian Woolley Oscar-winning Greek composer Vangelis has died... Born Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou in1943 in the Greek coastal town of Agria, it was at the age of six when he first gave his first public performance. He was self-taught and during the 60's...
Albert King’s protégé – RIP Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Thomas
Popular Northern Soul and Blues singer Jimmy 'Popeye' Thomas has died... OBITUARY By Ian Woolley Born in Osceola, Arkansas, Thomas was raised by his aunt and uncle. Surrounded by the Blues influence, It was the regular visits by family friend Albert King who played...
The Original Bachelor Boy – RIP Con Cluskey
OBITUARY By Ian Woolley Former Bachelors lead singer Conleth Cluskey has died... As one-third of the famous Irish trio The Bachelors, Con along with his brother Declan and John Stokes had chart success in the 60s during the time that beat groups came to prominence. No...
The American Teen Idol – RIP Bobby Rydell
American teen idol Bobby Rydell had died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley In the early 60's, Bobby Rydell enjoyed major chart success in the US with songs like Volare, Swingin' School, We Got Love, and Wild One (the latter also a UK top ten hit). He was versatile too. From...
Procol Harum’s Shining Light – RIP Gary Brooker
Procol Harum's Gary Brooker MBE has died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley On the group's Beyond The Pale website, Roland Clare announced "With the deepest regret we must announce the death on 19 February 2022 of Gary Brooker MBE, singer, pianist, and composer of Procol...
One of Rock & Roll’s finest drummers – RIP Sandy Nelson
One of the finest drummers to make his mark on early Rock 'n' Roll, Sander Nelson has died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley Sander Lloyd Nelson, better known as 'Sandy', carved a successful career as both a session musician and as a soloist. Nelson was born on December 1st,...
He could play so many instruments – RIP Ian McDonald
Ian McDonald, founder member of rock groups King Crimson and Foreigner has died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley The multi-instrumentalist had huge success with both bands he co-founded. With King Crimson initially, he played keyboards and saxophone on their debut album....
Larger than life – RIP Meatloaf
Bat out of Hell singer Marvin Lee Aday, better known as Meatloaf has died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley The actor and singer, born Marvin Lee Aday but later legally known as Michael, died on 20th January with his wife Deborah Gillespie by his side his agent confirmed....
The Chariots of Fire Composer – RIP Vangelis
OBITUARY by Ian Woolley Oscar-winning Greek composer Vangelis has died... Born Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou in1943 in the Greek coastal town of Agria, it was at the age of six when he first gave his first public performance. He was self-taught and during the 60's...
Albert King’s protégé – RIP Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Thomas
Popular Northern Soul and Blues singer Jimmy 'Popeye' Thomas has died... OBITUARY By Ian Woolley Born in Osceola, Arkansas, Thomas was raised by his aunt and uncle. Surrounded by the Blues influence, It was the regular visits by family friend Albert King who played...
The Original Bachelor Boy – RIP Con Cluskey
OBITUARY By Ian Woolley Former Bachelors lead singer Conleth Cluskey has died... As one-third of the famous Irish trio The Bachelors, Con along with his brother Declan and John Stokes had chart success in the 60s during the time that beat groups came to prominence. No...
The American Teen Idol – RIP Bobby Rydell
American teen idol Bobby Rydell had died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley In the early 60's, Bobby Rydell enjoyed major chart success in the US with songs like Volare, Swingin' School, We Got Love, and Wild One (the latter also a UK top ten hit). He was versatile too. From...
Procol Harum’s Shining Light – RIP Gary Brooker
Procol Harum's Gary Brooker MBE has died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley On the group's Beyond The Pale website, Roland Clare announced "With the deepest regret we must announce the death on 19 February 2022 of Gary Brooker MBE, singer, pianist, and composer of Procol...
One of Rock & Roll’s finest drummers – RIP Sandy Nelson
One of the finest drummers to make his mark on early Rock 'n' Roll, Sander Nelson has died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley Sander Lloyd Nelson, better known as 'Sandy', carved a successful career as both a session musician and as a soloist. Nelson was born on December 1st,...
He could play so many instruments – RIP Ian McDonald
Ian McDonald, founder member of rock groups King Crimson and Foreigner has died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley The multi-instrumentalist had huge success with both bands he co-founded. With King Crimson initially, he played keyboards and saxophone on their debut album....
Larger than life – RIP Meatloaf
Bat out of Hell singer Marvin Lee Aday, better known as Meatloaf has died... OBITUARY by Ian Woolley The actor and singer, born Marvin Lee Aday but later legally known as Michael, died on 20th January with his wife Deborah Gillespie by his side his agent confirmed....