Albums 2023: Best so far & what’s to come

This isn’t going to be a particularly comprehensive list, as I’m still mostly listening to either classic albums or ones from the very recent past (so many 2022 albums seem to be on my playlist for the first time this year – I promise I’m not going to do a James Acaster-style Perfect Sound Whatever project, […]

Most popular posts of 2022

Unsurprisingly again, in terms of hits 2022 is now the worst year on record – I did have some bursts of motivation at certain points in the year, but at times was definitely more ambitious than I should have been. At least I did manage some challenge weeks, as well as some lengthier film-based projects […]

2022: A few of my favourite things

I think I’m getting much better at doing a wide variety of things these days (I’m not content to just do theatre night after night after night), so I’m back with a bit of a round-up of things other than theatre again. Having become a County Championship/Royal London Cup member at Surrey – and travelled […]

#MindTheBand 2022: round-up

Continuing the tradition of rounding things up in a belated fashion… I’m finally drawing a line under this year’s #MindTheBand! I’m still keeping everything crossed that they might decide to mark the 25th anniversary of Word Gets Around in concert fashion, but I’m well aware that this is quite unlikely; Stereophonics are well booked up over […]

#MindTheBand: “I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio” – Scream Above the Sounds

Performance (& Cocktails)Release date: 27 October 2017UK chart peak: #2Running time: 46:29Singles: All In One Night, Caught by the Wind Scream Above the Sounds had a mixed response from critics, but was still a hit with fans. It had a varied international performance, reaching the top ten in three other countries: Ireland (#9), New Zealand […]

#MindTheBand: “I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio” – Pull The Pin

Performance (& Cocktails)Release date: 12 October 2007UK chart peak: #1Running time: 46:25Singles: It Means Nothing (#12), My Friends (#32) Pull The Pin may not have been a hit with the critics, but it was no less popular with fans in the UK, giving the band their fifth consecutive number one album. It performed less well […]

#MindTheBand: “I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio” – Word Gets Around

Performance (& Cocktails)Release date: 25 August 1997UK chart peak: #6Running time: 42:02Singles: Looks Like Chaplin, Local Boy in the Photograph (original release – #51, re-issue – #14), More Life in a Tramp’s Vest (#33), A Thousand Trees (#22), Traffic (#20) Though Word Gets Around ended up performing incredibly well in the UK, eventually going 3x […]

Stereophonics: Oochya! (The Brighton Centre)

Saturday 26 March 2022 is a date that will live long in the memories of music fans across the world, being the date (for most) that heralded the news of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins’ death at the age of just 50. A desperately sad day, though made incredibly special & poignant as the tributes […]

#MindTheBand 2022: Diary

This time round I’ll be out & about quite a bit each day, whether I’m off to work or on day trips, so I thought it would be worth the effort of the diary post idea for 2022. As always, my daily endeavours will find their way onto my Instagram stories, so do keep an […]

Challenge Week 2022: Mind The Band (Keeping Up With The Joneses)

For once, an idea that I’ve had up my sleeve for a little while – though that doesn’t mean it’s fully formed, by any means. As 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the Stereophonics’ first ever album release, Word Gets Around, I decided that the only possible theme for this particular challenge week was the Phonics […]