15 16 17 NO - Louder Than Words Festival

The inaugral Festival will take place over a
weekend at The Palace Hotel, Manchester.
15
16
17
NOVEMBER
The brand new genre-based literary Festival
celebrating words – oral, written and published
- associated with the music industry. Authors,
artists, poets, performers, lyrics and lyricists,
journalists, DJs, bloggers and publishers of
music and popular culture
2 0 1 3
www.louderthanwordsfest.com
Welcome
‘A wave of action speaks Louder Than Words’
so claimed Tina Turner in her debut single with
Ike and in the words of the record that would
become the duos first hit.
Certainly ‘the truest thing that I ever heard’…
In this, our first Louder Than Words Festival - a first for our team, a first of its type
and a first for all involved - I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the
wave of action that has enabled us all to be part of this inaugural weekend and our
exciting longer term venture.
Our Festival brings together authors, artists, academics, poets, performers,
lyricists, journalists, DJs, bloggers, aficionados, publishers, fans, and the intrigued
all under the one roof of the impressive and imposing Palace Hotel for a weekend
that we trust will be informative, insightful, interesting and in-keeping with the
creativity and excitement associated with this great industry.
Our programme brings together some of the greatest established names in the
business alongside new, inspired and inspiring writers and performers. Our setting
gives audiences the opportunity to listen, hear and contribute to the words that
capture their lives, experiences, reflections and suggestions in an intimate and
interactive manner. Whether in conversation, debate, discussion or performance,
our aim is to provide audiences with entertaining opportunities for engagement
in something special.
To go through and list individual thanks in this brief welcome would turn this
brochure into a tome or multi-volume work, so on behalf of the wider Louder
Than Words team – John Robb, Simon Warner, Pete and Peasy and myself - I’d like
to thank everyone who’s reading this introduction, everyone who’s contributed
to getting us here and everyone who’s already thinking of joining us in 2014!
Thank you to The Arts Council England for your trust, support and backing and
to Level Partnerships for drawing together the pioneering partnerships that have
enabled this Festival to come to life and this inaugural weekend to happen!
Here’s to a great weekend!
Dr Jill Adam
Festival Director
Creator and Curator of Louder Than Words.
Contributors
Louder Than Words will include ‘in conversation with…’sessions,
panel discussions, interviews, workshops, performances and casual
opportunities for engaging with associated professionals; each
encouraging interaction and engagement with performers, authors,
editors, publicists, reviewers, press, artists and aficionados.
www.louderthanwordsfest.com
LUKE BAINBRIDGE
DAVID BARKER
LOUISE BOLOTIN
JANE BRADLEY
Luke Bainbridge was one of the
launch editors of Observer Music
Monthly, and ghostwriter of Shaun
Ryder’s autobiography, Twisting
My Melon. He has been a music
journalist since his teens, starting
at Manchester’s City Life, and over
the past 20 years has interviewed
everyone from Jay-Z to Paul
McCartney. He has just finished a
book about the birth of acid house
and a second book with Shaun
Ryder, about his obsession with
UFOs. He is also Head of Arts and
Culture for Festival No.6.
David Barker is Publishing Director
of Bloomsbury Academic in London.
Previously he was Publishing Director
at Continuum in New York, where he
founded and edited the 33 1/3 series
between 2002 and 2012. He has also
edited scholarly books about Van
Morrison, Brian Wilson, Kraftwerk,
and Morrissey.
Louise Bolotin began her career in
journalism in 1978 as a rock writer at
City Lynx, Edinburgh’s weekly listings
magazine, and briefly freelanced for
inkies Sounds and Pop Star Weekly.
Jane Bradley is the founder and
editor of For Books’ Sake (http://
forbookssake.net/), the UK webzine
and community dedicated to
promoting and celebrating writing
by women.
SARAH BEE
Sarah Bee is a writer, journalist and
recovering music critic. She started
writing for Melody Maker 18 months
before it folded but maintains her
innocence. She went on to write for
NME, Bang, PlayLouder, Record
Collector and the BBC.
Her journalism has appeared in
NSFWCORP, the Guardian and the
Independent. She lives in London.
Her picture book The Yes will be
published in March 2014.
SIMON BENHAM
Simon Benham has run his own
literary agency for over 10 years
representing authors and musicians.
His clients include Tim Burgess, Gary
Kemp, Ian McCulloch, Edwyn Collins,
Grace Maxwell, Babyshambles, Pete
Doherty and Sadie Frost.
He is Co Organiser of the Free
University of Glastonbury and
regularly promotes events around
his clients. Simon previously worked
in the music business. He lives in
London with his wife, children
and Whippet.
By 1982, she had moved on to
writing on other subjects, partly out
of disillusionment at how the music
industry treats women. Based in
Manchester, she currently freelances
for a range of publications, but only
rarely covers music now.
She is the co-editor of two short
story collections; Short Stack, an
anthology of the best new pulp
fiction written by women (published
in collaboration with Pulp Press,
2012), and Derby Shorts, a collection
of the best new fiction from the
roller derby track (published in
collaboration with the London
Rollergirls, 2013).
Her journalism has been published
by The Guardian, Bitch and Red,
among others. She obsesses over
riot grrrl and dirty rock’n’roll and has
a hardcore crush on Kathleen Hanna.
Pussycat Johnson is the fiercest
frontwoman she’s ever seen.
a genre-based literary Festival
celebrating words – oral, written and published
TIM BURGESS
ELAINE CONSTANTINE
Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess will
be joining the Louder Than Words
line-up on Sunday 17th November.
Tim will be in conversation with John
Robb, sharing some Telling Stories
of the highs and lows of life in a
rock band, reflecting on coffee with
Tim Peaks, and giving insights to
performing at Festivals, touring and
his latest solo album ‘Oh No I love
You’. Totes Amazeballs for sure!
Elaine Constantine was born in
Bury, Lancashire in 1965. After
studying and teaching photography
in Manchester she moved to London
in ‘92 to become first assistant to
leading British fashion photographer
Nick Knight. After leaving Knight
Elaine became a regular at The Face
and ID magazines with her youthful
and vibrant approach to fashion and
portraiture that summed up the late
nineties rejection of low-fi grunge.
CHARLIE CONNELLY
Charlie Connelly is a bestselling
author and award-winning
broadcaster. He is the author of ten
books, including the bestselling
Attention All Shipping: A Journey
Round The Shipping Forecast, and
In Search of Elvis: A Journey To Find
The Man Beneath The Jumpsuit.
He has written for a number of
publications including The Guardian,
The Times, New Statesman,
Arena, Irish Times, Sunday Times,
Glasgow Herald and - much to
his accountant’s amusement - the
Financial Times. He has also written
comedy scripts for RTÉ and BBC
radio. Charlie joins Louder Than
Words with an invitation to join him
on an entertaining journey In Search
of Elvis...
Elaine was the first fashion
photographer of her generation to
reject the idea of shooting ‘super
models’ and in spite of this became
a regular contributor to Italian Vogue.
Other Condé Nast publications
soon followed and American Vogue
Editor in Chief, Anna Wintour,
named Elaine as the one of the most
talented young photographers of her
generation.
Elaine’s commercial clients have
included Adidas, Nike, Diesel,
Wrangler, Levi’s, Gap, Burberry and
Vivienne Westwood.
2013 she completed her first fulllength feature film, Northern Soul, set
against the highly influential music
scene of the same name in 70s
Lancashire.
The film tells the story of two young
men who’s lives are changed forever
when they discover black American
soul music and the DJ-led club
scene that grew up around it in the
North of England in the 60s and 70s.
Northern Soul is due for release in
early 2014.
HUGH CORNWELL
Hugh Cornwell is one of the UK’s
finest songwriting talents and
accomplished live performers. The
original guitarist, singer and main
songwriter in the British rock band
The Stranglers, he’s enjoyed massive
UK and European success with 10
hit albums and 21 Top Forty singles,
etching himself into the UK and
Europe’s musical psyche with classic
songs, including Peaches, No More
Heroes, Golden Brown, Always the
Sun, Grip, Nice N Sleazy, Duchess
and Skin Deep. Cornwell’s last
studio album, the critically acclaimed
Hooverdam, produced and mixed by
Grammy award winner Liam Watson,
is available as a free download
from his official website - www.
hughcornwell.com Cornwell’s new
studio album, TOTEM AND TABOO,
is available now. Recorded at
Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago,
the album was engineered and mixed
by the legendary Steve Albini.
CHARLOTTE DAVIES
Charlotte Davies is the Editor of
Hooting And Howling Magazine
(hootingandhowling.com). Starting
the website in 2010 when she was
just 15, Charlotte has provided an
online platform for new music to be
heard and for young writers to be
read. She has also contributed to
Disorder, Twenty Two, Warrington
Guardian, and a number of online
music sites. In her spare time she
DJs, and currently manages a band
called The Art Club.
TONY FLETCHER
Tony Fletcher is the author of seven
non-fiction books and one novel.
His biography of drummer Keith
Moon, Dear Boy, has been named in
many a Best Music Book list, and his
biography of R.E.M., updated in 2013
as Perfect Circle, has been published
in over half a dozen countries. His
latest biography, A Light That Never
Goes Out: The Enduring Saga of The
Smiths, was published in the UK by
William Heinemann in September
2012, and by Crown Archetype in the
USA in December 2012. A memoir of
his South London schooldays, Boy
About Town, was published in the UK
by William Heinemann in July 2013.
C e l e b r at i n g 1 0 y e a r s o f
33 1/3 is a series of short books about popular music, focusing on individual albums
by a variety of artists. launched in 2003, the series will publish its 100th book in
2014 and has been widely acclaimed and loved by fans, musicians and scholars alike.
new in 2013
new in 2014
9781623562878 £8.99
9781623569150 £8.99
new in 2014
9781623567149 £8.99
STELLA GRUNDY
CLINTON HEYLIN
Stella Grundy is a singer/song
writer, actress and play write who
fronted the 90’s Manchester Band
Intastella, releasing 3 studio albums
and 1 compilation album. She has
collaborated with many acclaimed
producers: Steven Street, Craig Leon
and has had songs included on the
sound track for the films: Love In
Paris/9 ½ weeks part 2 -Universal
and Alcohol Years -Channel 4 Films.
Writing and starring in the highly
successful multi- media event NICO
ICON PLAY which was nominated for
2 MEN Theatre Awards after its sell
out run at The Lowry Theatre, Stella
is now touring her brand new play
with music The Rise and Fall of a
Northern Star.
Clinton is one of the world’s foremost
Bob Dylan experts, publishing
a string of highly-rated volumes
on the singer-songwriter. But his
range extends beyond that, with
key books on punk, bootlegs and
Van Morrison also featuring on
his extensive CV. His next title,
One for the Money: A Century of
Songstealing & Songwriting Spats,
which tells a long and lively history of
musical borrowing, appropriation and
plagiarism, will appear in early 2014.
STEVE HANLEY
9780826416902 £8.99
9780826427885 £8.99
9781441192806 £8.99
9781441148889 £8.99
9781441194497 £8.99
9781441121004 £8.99
www.bloomsbury.com
•
http://333sound.com
•
www.twitter.com/333books
Steve Hanley is a legendary bass
player best known for his time with
iconic Manchester band The Fall,
a band he was recruited into at
the age of nineteen. His distinctive
and original sound has seen him
acknowledged as one of Britain’s
foremost bassists. Steve’s book,
The Big Midweek, a memoir about
his time in The Fall, will be published
in 2014.
BARNEY HOSKYNS
Barney is one of the UK’s most
authoritative rock historians and an
acclaimed biographer. A one-time
NME writer and later Mojo’s US
editor, he is now editorial director
of Rock’s Backpages, a remarkable
web archive that gathers almost
20,000 articles from the transatlantic
music press online. With a sequence
of major books to his name - on San
Francicso and the LA music scene,
Calfornian singer-songwriters, the
Band and Tom Waits - his latest
volume focuses on the story of
an extraordinary British rock act:
Trampled Under Foot: The Power
and Excess of Led Zeppelin.
ZOE HOWE
CAROL ISHERWOOD
MARTIN JAMES
C P LEE
Zoë Howe is a music author whose
books include the authorised Slits
biography Typical Girls?; ‘How’s
Your Dad?’ Living In The Shadow
Of A Rock Star Parent; Florence
+ The Machine – An Almighty
Sound (Omnibus Press) and she
co-authored and collated former Dr
Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson’s
critically acclaimed memoir ‘Looking
Back At Me’. Her latest book, the
authorised biography of the Jesus
and Mary Chain, will be published by
Polygon in Spring 2014.
Her writing has appeared in The
Quietus, Company, Notion, BBC
Music, Holy Moly, Classic Rock and
NME amongst other outlets. Zoë
also has made music radio series
for stations including the awardwinning Resonance FM, and she
has been heard chatting about rock
‘n’ roll from time to time on BBC 6
Music, Absolute Radio and Planet
Rock. She also plays the drums,
and has played with Kelly Osbourne,
Viv Albertine, Steve Beresford and
others. She is now the drummer
in garage-punk band the Wobbly
Lamps.
Carol is a solicitor in the award
winning Creative Industries team of
UK top 100 law firm Ward Hadaway.
The team provide high quality,
accessible legal advice to the
creative and digital sector. Her clients
include musicians, music managers,
producers and independent
record labels. As well as advising
on contractual matters Carol has
successfully acted in a large number
of high value cases including music
manager disputes and copyright
infringement claims. The team is
recognised as one of the region’s
leading music law practices.
Carol is a regular speaker at music
industry events and has been a
panellist at Liverpool Sound City,
Manchester Music Seminars,
MMF induction days and at events
organised by Generator including
music law clinics.
Music writer, author and academic Dr
Martin James is Professor of Music
Industries and course leader of
BA(hons) Popular Music Journalism
at Southampton Solent University.
Martin is an internationally renowned
music journalist who for almost
twenty years, regularly contributed
to almost every major music and
lifestyle magazine, and numerous
daily broadsheet newspapers in the
UK. He has worked on the editorial
teams of Melody Maker as new
bands editor, Muzik as media editor,
Vox as features editor, and Flipside
(UK) as editor.
CP Lee, founder member of 70’s
iconoclastic rock band Alberto Y Lost
Trios Paranoias, is still performing,
singing, hat collecting, ukulele
playing and being an all round good
egg. He is also a lecturer, writer
and presenter of documentaries
for BBC Radio and TV. His books
include Shake, Rattle and Rain - A
History of Popular Music Making
in Manchester, Like The Night
(Revisited) about Bob Dylan’s 1966
concert at Manchester’s Free Trade
Hall, and Like A Bullet of Light on
Dylan’s film career. CP’s book about
his own music experiences When
We Were Thin was followed for some
strange reason by The Lost World
of Cliff Twemlow, a biography of a
little-known Mancunian film director,
novelist, musician and actor. He is
currently working on his next book,
a cultural journey within Luk Thung
(Thai Country Music).
Prior to becoming a lawyer Carol
was lead singer/songwriter in the
band Pullover, they released three
singles on independent label Fierce
Panda before signing recording and
publishing deals with a bigger label.
When the label entered financial
difficulties, Carol worked in music
management for several years before
returning to college to become a
music lawyer, and the rest as they
say is history.
Martin has also written several
Internationally acclaimed books
about music including State of Bass:
Jungle the Story So Far (Boxtree)
which Select chose as one of the
top twenty books on music from the
20th century. His other books include
the critically acclaimed book about
French electronic music, French
Connections: from discotheque to
discovery (Sanctuary) as well as an in
depth biography of The Prodigy. The
third edition, Prodigy Prodigy Prodigy
will be published in 2014. Also due
for publication in 2014 is Popular
Music Journalism (Routledge), the
first book-length investigation into
the subject.
JOHN McCREADY
MICK MIDDLES
SIMON A MORRISON
ALAN McGEE
John McCready writes, teaches
and plays music in public. He had
long-term associations with NME,
The Face, ID, Mojo, Mixmag and
Word magazines. He has annotated
and compiled significant Stone
Roses, New Order and Detroit
techno releases. He was a Hacienda
resident DJ for five years, a New
Order Tour DJ and helped establish
Manchester club ‘brands’ B Music
and Afficionado. He currently
teaches his own music journalism
course at News Associates in
Manchester and has created
courses, talked and lectured on
music journalism at Leeds College
of Music, RNCM Manchester, John
Moores, Huddersfield, Edge Hill,
Trinity Leeds and Staffordshire
Universities. He worked in TV as
a music consultant and producer
on documentaries about John
Lennon, Abba, The Beach Boys and
The Carpenters. John’s extensive
collection of original material relating
to the situationists and their influence
on pop and popular culture is held at
John Moores University.
Mick Middles has been writing
about - mostly – Manchester music
since the punk wars of ’77. He
was Manchester correspondent for
‘Sounds’ magazine and his work
subsequently appeared in The Face,
Zigzag, Jamming, The Guardian,
Daily Telegraph, Mail on Sunday,
Manchester Evening News, Classic
Rock, Record Collector, Classic Pop,
and many others.
Over the last two decades, Simon
A. Morrison has written for everyone
from The Guardian to Loaded,
with his collected DJmag columns
published as ‘Discombobulated’
by Headpress. Simon lived in Ibiza
for two summers, editing Ministry
of Sound’s Ibiza magazine and
presenting TV and radio. Currently
Senior Lecturer in Music Journalism
at Chester University, he will chair
a panel of club culture writers at
Louder Than Words and lead and
coordinate the Louder Than Words
PR and Marketing campaign via his
company, Pad Communications.
Alan McGee was co-founder of
Creation Records, which he ran from
1983 to 1999, and the Poptones
label. After running Poptones for
a number of years, in 2013 he
set up a new label, 359 Music, in
conjunction with Cherry Red. He has
also managed bands like the Jesus
and Mary Chain, Primal Scream and
the Libertines and is a popular DJ
who pulls in the crowds in cities as
diverse as Liverpool, Mexico City and
Tokyo. Alan will be In Conversation at
Louder Than Words on Saturday 16th
November.
He is the author of 23 books which
include acclaimed works on Factory
Records, Ian Curtis, The Fall, Simply
Red, Stone Roses and cricket legend
Viv Richards.
He is currently working on a
biography of Frank Sidebottom
creator, Chris Sievey.
a genre-based literary Festival
celebrating words – oral, written and published
Pioneering Partnerships
www.levelpartnerships.com
ON YOUR
LEVEL.
THE PALACE HOTEL, MANCHESTER
FRIDAY 15TH NOVEMBER FROM 4PM: ARRIVAL AND CHECK-IN AT HOTEL
Time
The music business is a serious business.
So you’ll be reassured to know we’re a
Top 100 law firm that understands your
business and how to protect you.
And that means whether you need us
to go through a contract with a fine
tooth comb or need sound, precise
advice on licensing or clearance issues,
you’ll be talking to the experts.
Contact:
Carol Isherwood T. 0161 202 1182
E. [email protected]
Laura Harper T. 0161 202 1181
E. [email protected]
15
FRI
PROGRAMME:
For more information visit:
www.wardhadaway.com
Buckingham Suite
6pm
7pm
7.30pm 8pm
8.30pm
10pm
12/1am
Directors Suite
Registration opens
Launch event opens
Introduction Jill Adam
Tony Walsh: and the Dreamers
Performance Poet Tony Walsh
aka Longfella performs his
commissioned poem ‘and the
Dreamers’, recognising not only
the great music and music stories from Manchester, but also
Louder Than Words’ partnership
with the Manchester District Music
Archive. Tony was Glastonbury poet
in residence 2011, Kendal calling Poet
Laureate 2012 and is author of the
recently published ‘Sex & Love &
Rock n Roll’ collection of poems.
Ben Osborne:
Manifesto for an Art of Noise
DJ, author and journalist Ben Osborne will entertain guests with a
Club based, narrated DJ set
celebrating 100 years of electronic
music, further demonstrating the
breadth and reach of Louder Than
Words’ focus and engagement.
John Robb’s
late night music Quiz
John sets the pace, challenge and
levels of fun for the rest of the
weekend. Great prizes, great insights
and a great evening guaranteed!
Director’s Suite closes
THE PALACE HOTEL, MANCHESTER
9-10
Buckingham Suite
10.00 Barney Hoskyns:
11.15 In conversation with Simon Warner.
Barney is one of the UK’s most
authoritative rock journalists and
biographers and editorial director of
web archive Rock’s Backpages. Author
of the acclaimed Led Zeppelin volume
Trampled Under Foot, a celebrated
survey of the LA singer-songwriter
scene in Hotel California, and numerous
other key popular music histories,
Barney offers advice and insight and
anecdotes, in conversation with Simon
Warner.
11.30 Have Academics Killed Rock n Roll?
12.45 John Robb, Clinton Heylin, Lucy O’Brien,
Simon Warner, with CP Lee.
Has rock’s new found respectability
rendered it impotent? Or is the fire of
furious chord too rebellious to be so
easily tamed? Join our panel to hear
the arguments and debates – and
add your own thoughts to this lively
discussion, chaired by the ever-fair and
always insightful, performer, author and
lecturer CP Lee
1.00
2.15
16
SAT
PROGRAMME:
2.30
3.45
Director’s Suite
Club Culture Panel:
Simon Morrison, Jonty Skruff,
Ben Osborne, Luke Bainbridge.
Our Club Culture Writing Panel
investigates how such a colourful and
vibrant cultural movement as the ‘rave’
scene was captured in words. Club
Culture specialists will consider how
writers attempted to describe and
decode the music and mayhem of the
dance-floor - both in magazines and
also fiction forms - and discuss the
resulting stories
.
4.00
5.15
5.30
6.45
Getting Published:
Simon Benham, Jane Bradley, John
Osborne, David Barker.
Join literary agent Simon Benham, For
Books’ Sake Editor Jane Bradley, author
John Osborne and Publishing Director
of Bloomsbury Academic David Barker
for an interactive workshop that leads
aspiring writers and authors on a
journey through the often perceived
dense and tangled jungle of how to get
published
Hugh Cornwell:
A word in your ear with David Hepworth.
Get a Grip on Yourself and join Hugh
Cornwell in conversation with Dave
Hepworth. Go beyond the boundaries
of predictable conversation with
insights and anecdotes from one of the
very best in the business
Wilko Johnson:
Looking back at me with Zoe Howe. In
conversation with John Robb.
In January of this year Wilko was
diagnosed with terminal cancer of
the pancreas. He decided not to
receive any treatment but to use his
remaining period of health to make
a short tour of the UK to say farewell
to his fans. This tour was a massive
success and Wilko’s striking response
to his illness has received attention
from press, radio and television all over
the world. As his health continues to
hold he recently completed a series of
hugely appreciated summer festival
appearances in the UK and Japan, and
Northern Soul:
Elaine Constandine, Gareth Sweeney in
conversation with John Robb.
Following a visit to Manchester in 1970,
Dave Godin coined the term ‘Northern
Soul’. Join Elaine Constantine and
Gareth Sweeney in conversation as
they discuss their acclaimed book, the
pending film release, the music moves
and movement of Northern Soul
Charlie Connelly: In Search of Elvi.s
Best-selling author and award winning
presenter takes us on a humorous and
informative literary trip In Search of
Elvis: A Journey to Find the Man Behind
the Jumpsuit. Our trip will visit places
such as the frozen wastes of Finland to
meet an academic who performs Elvis
songs in Latin and ancient Sumerian
while wearing a kilt; Canada to find the
orthodox Jewish Elvis tribute artist,
Schmelvis; Uzbekistan, where Charlie
ended up performing an Elvis song
live on national television completely
by accident, as well as Scotland, Israel
and Germany, not to mention a Barry
Manilow concert in Las Vegas and
far too many public renditions by the
author of Blue Moon Of Kentucky than
is good for anyone.
THE PALACE HOTEL, MANCHESTER
Buckingham Suite
16
SAT
PROGRAMME:
Director’s Suite
is about to make an album with Who
front-man Roger Daltrey.
What a privilege to join one of rock’s
true legends Wilko Johnson as he
takes a poignant look back at his life
with friend and author Zoe Howe.
‘Looking Back at Me’ is surely a
Festival must for all.
7.00
8.15
8.30
9.45
www.louderthanwordsfest.com
Chris Salewicz:
In conversation with Simon Warner
An NME legend and one of the scribes
in the magazine’s so-called ‘golden
age’, Chris Salewicz talks to Simon
Warner about his interests in punk,
particularly the Clash’s Joe Strummer
and his biography Redemption Song,
reggae, the central role that Bob Marley
played in the Jamaican scene captured
in Bob Marley: The Untold Story, and
also his fascinating forthcoming book
on the 27 Club, an account of that
sequence of major rock figures who
checked out at a tragically young age.
Alan McGee:
In Conversation with John Robb
Alan is co-founder of Creation Records,
which he ran from 1983 to 1999, and the
Poptones label. After running Poptones
for a number of years, in 2013 he set up
a new label, 359 Music, in conjunction
with Cherry Red. He has also managed
bands like the Jesus and Mary Chain,
Primal Scream and the Libertines and
is a popular DJ who pulls in the crowds
in cities as diverse as Liverpool, Mexico
City and Tokyo.
10.00 Memoirs of Music Obsessives:
11.15 Tony Fletcher, Sarah Bee, Mick Middles,
John Robb and Dave Simpson get
together for humorous conversation and
consideration of how identity is shaped
by the music obsessions of youth! In
Boys About Town: Is the ‘Hi-Fidelity’ gene
gender specific? we’re in for a treat…
THE PALACE HOTEL, MANCHESTER
Buckingham Suite
9.30 The Future of Rock Writing:
10.30 Where is popular music journalism
heading as the world of print crashes
into the land of the web? Can magazines
truly survive the net onslaught? Will
tablets take over? Or will there always
be an audience for glossy and portable
reports on the happenings in rock’n’roll?
And where does the good old book
sit in this clash of the media titans? In
‘The Future of Rock Writing’, a wealth
of writing and publishing talent - David
Barker, Sarah Bee, Barney Hoskyns,
Martin James, Mick Middles, Chris
Salewicz and Dave Simpson – shares its
thoughts on the way forward.
10.45 Barbed Wire Kisses:
11.45 John Robb exposes The Story of the
Jesus and Mary Chain with author Zoe
Howe and founding member Douglas
Hart. No fifteen minute concert this
time - more like an hour of insightful
reflection and truth on the ‘fierce,
frank and funny tale’ behind this most
seminal of bands. Zoe Howe’s pending
publication brought to life for Louder
Than Words Festival and we can’t wait!
17
Then something comes along to spoil
all that: the Internet. Post-millennium,
technology takes over, with access to
and use of increasing exponentially
over the years to come. On this panel
we take a peek into the world of music
writing across all platforms. We’ll stir
debate about good writing and bad
writing and explore whether technology
has truly democratised the process,
or simply allowed banal comment and
trite sound-bites to drown out the great
art…and get us all into trouble!
SUN
PROGRAMME:
Director’s Suite
Song Stealing:
Clinton heylin in conversation with
Simon Warner.
Clinton Heylin in conversation with
Simon Warner. Clinton Heylin, a leader
in the field of Dylan studies, has many
more strings to his bow. Praised on both
sides of the Atlantic as one of the most
insightful biographers of Dylan and his
work – Behind the Shades, Still On the
Road, Revolution in the Air – he has also
penned major profiles of Van Morrison
and Bruce Springsteen, and substantial
histories of the US and UK punk scene.
His latest book, It’s One for the Money,
is an outstanding survey of the songs
that were borrowed and stolen and the
fierce legal disputes that have marked
songwriting’s course over the last
century. In conversation with Simon
Warner.
Big Mouth Strikes Again:
Our partners Manchester District Music
Archive have drawn together a panel
of new and established aficionados for
topical debate and conversation:
The ‘rite of passage’ to writing about
your passions used to be simple.
You wrote tons of stuff, most of it
useless, and endlessly sent it into local
magazines and papers in the vain
hope it would be published. Maybe
you’d get the opportunity to become
the next Lester Bangs or Nick Kent,
writing for NME, Melody Maker or
Sounds, or better still, you’d get to
write that revealing biography of your
favourite artist who would handpick
you to transpose their tales of rock
debauchery into print.
12.00 Wilko Johnson Writer’s Award:
1.00 Our inaugural competition invited
inspiring new authors under the age
of 25 to consider the Future of Rock
Journalism in 350 words. Wilko will
award and share in the celebrations
with our prize-winners. In partnership
with Bloomsbury, 331/3 series and
Rocks Backpages.
1.15
2.15
The Fall:
Join our panel of protagonists in
conversation about one of the most
brilliant of bands, the most awkward
of bands, the most complex of bands quite simply, there’s much to talk about!
Mick Middles, Steve Hanley, Dave
Simpson and Si Wolstencroft get
together for insightful discussion and
real life reflections and revelations on
The Fall.
2.30
3.30
Bob Dylan and the Beats:
Four leading authorities join forces for
the panel ‘Bob Dylan and the Beats’
as Clinton Heylin, pre-eminent Dylan
biographer, CP Lee, historian of Dylan’s
famed Free Trade Hall encounter and
expert on the artist’s film output, and
Simon Warner, author of this year’s
Text and Drugs and Rock’n’Roll: The
Beats and Rock Culture, consider the
influence of the Beat writers Jack
Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William
The Rise and Fall of a Northern Star:
Stella Grundy performs her new and
acclaimed one woman play in the ideal
setting of a hotel. Raising pertinent
issues of the role and experiences of
women in rock, Stella brings the Manc
Madonna back to life, setting the
perfect scene for topical debate and
conversation in the session that follows.
Women in Rock Panel:
Building on the context set by Stella
in the preceding performance,
conversations continue in this focused
and specialist panel, drawing together
real-life experiences, reflections and
suggestions by those who have been
there.
The Women in Rock panel provides
topical and pertinent discussion and
debate on one of the obvious but often
THE PALACE HOTEL, MANCHESTER
Buckingham Suite
Burroughs on the greatest singersongwriter of the age. Chaired by
Barney Hoskyns.
17
SUN
PROGRAMME:
Director’s Suite
avoided issues within the industry:
with Stella Grundy, Louise Bolodin,
Zoe Howe, Carol Isherwood and Lucy
O’Brien with live-time, on-line parallel
contributions via our Festival partners
For Book’s Sake.
3.45
4.45
Tim Burgess:
Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess joins
John Robb in conversation, sharing
some Telling Stories of the highs and
lows of life in a rock band, reflecting
on coffee with Tim Peaks, and giving
insights to performing at Festivals,
touring and his latest solo album
‘Oh No I love You’. Totes Amazeballs
for sure!
5.00
6.00
Jah Wobble:
joins John Robb in conversation for
some Memoirs of a Geezer in this
last session of Louder Than Words.
Wobble is an English bass guitarist,
singer, poet, composer and author.
Probably best known as the original
bass player in Public Image Ltd (PiL),
Wobble has since successfully pursued
a solo career and enjoyed acclaimed
success with his band Jah Wobble and
the Modern Jazz Ensemble as well
as collaborations with Marconi Union
and Bill Sharpe (founding member
of Shakatak). Author of Memoirs of
a Geezer – his autobiography that
provides a fascinating look at his life
in rock – our conversation will also
draw on Odds & Sods & Epilogues, a
collection Wobble’s poetry, published
by his company 30 Hertz Records.
6pm
Louder Than Words 2013 will close with words of thanks and acknowledgement,
together with an insight to our next steps and ambitions...
Writing Wrongs
Since 1995...
To contact Simon
& Pad Communications e-mail
[email protected]
www.rocksbackpages.com
BIGMOUTHSTRIKESAGAIN
Blogs vs. Books: e Digital Revolution
Manchester District Music Archive & Louder an Words present
a Sunday morning discussion on music writing in the Internet Age.
Big Mouths:
Tony Fletcher (A Light at Never Goes Out: e Enduring Saga of e Smiths)
Phill Young (Tru Luv)
Shell Zenner (Amazing Radio, Louder an War)
Abigail Ward (Manchester District Music Archive)
John McCready (NME, e Face, ID, Mojo)
Charlotte Davies (Hooting And Howling)
Chair:
Luke Bainbridge (Observer Music Monthly, e Guardian)
10.45 am Sunday 17th November. Directors Suite, Palace Hotel.
LUCY O’BRIEN
JOHN ROBB
Lucy O’Brien is the author of She
Bop: The Definitive History of
Women in Popular Music (which
was published in its Third Edition by
Jawbone earlier this year). She also
published Madonna: Like An Icon
(now translated into 13 languages),
plus indepth biographies of Dusty
Springfield and Annie Lennox.
John Robb is the award winning indie
music mainstay, frontman of punk
rock band Goldblade, music author
of best selling books including the
Stone Roses And The Resurrection
Of British Pop and and Punk RockAn oral History.
She’s worked for the music press
since the 1980s, starting on NME
and contributed to a range of titles
including Q, MOJO, The Sunday
Times and The Guardian. She coproduced Righteous Babes, the
1998 Channel 4 film about rock and
new feminism, and back in the early
80s she was in all-girl punk band
The Catholic Girls. She is currently
Course Leader for Music Journalism
at UCA Epsom.
Journalist, TV presenter, regular TV
and radio pundit as well the boss of
one of the UK’s top 5 music culture
website louderthanwar.com, He was
the first person to interview Nirvana
and the Stone Roses and invented
the term Britpop.
CHRIS SALEWICZ
Chris Salewicz has documented
popular culture for more than
three decades, in print, in film and
television and on radio. A senior
features writer for NME from 1975 to
1981, Salewicz is the author of fifteen
books, including the acclaimed Rude
Boy: Once Upon a Time in Jamaica;
Redemption Song: the Definitive
Biography of Joe Strummer, an
exhaustive, epic biography of the
Clash frontman, a best-seller; and
Bob Marley: the Untold Story,
another best-seller. Chris Salewicz
lives in south London.
DAVE SIMPSON
JONTY SKRUFFF
Dave Simpson is a Guardian
journalist who has written on music
and culture since his days as a
Melody Maker freelance and Avanti!
fanzine editor in the late 1980 and
early 1990s. The author/hurried cutand-paster of The Stone Roses: the
Illustrated Story, his acclaimed first
proper book, The Fallen, in 2008,
was a monumental quest to track
down everyone who had ever played
in Mark E Smith’s legendary group.
He then applied those same forensic
and possibly certifiable skills to his
football team, Leeds United for the
similarly enormously well-received
2012 book The Last Champions - the
story of the ordinary people, future
Hollywood stars and postmen (plus
a certain mercurial Frenchman) who
came together to win the last ever
First Division title in 1992.
Living in Yorkshire, he has been
watching live music for almost as
long as he can remember, and has
seen thousands of bands including
Joy Division and Astral Vortex. bands
including Joy Division and Astral
Vortex.
Jonty Skrufff is a resident DJ at
Sisyphos (Berlin), producer, blogger,
radio presenter & conference curator
(Amsterdam Dance Event) & is
responsible for club & DJ relations
for Pioneer in Berlin. Starting DJing
in London in 2004, he rapidly picking
up residencies at clubs including
London’s Fabric (DTPM) and Pacha
Ibiza, going on to perform in 30
countries including Brazil, Indonesia,
Russia, China and Japan. Leaving
London for Berlin in 2008 he’s
nowadays settled in as a resident
DJ at Sisyphos, where he spins a
uniquely eclectic techno/ house
sound combining driving Berlin style
grooves with fast cut, London energy
and (almost) anything-goes attitude.
As a producer, he’s remixed Kidnap
Kid (Black Butter Records), Motor
(Shitkatapult/ Dim Mak) Yariv
Bernstein (Punch Music) and Arthur
Baker (aka Rockers Revenge) as well
as collaborated with former Radio
1 DJ Judge Jules and acid techno
legend D.A.V.E. The Drummer.
His first ever remix, a brutal techno
version of Motor’s Death Rave,
came out on Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak
Records and T Raumschmiere’s
Shitkatapult Records in 2009 and
won a Qwartz Award (equivalent to
a French Grammy). He also co-
produces the weekly radio show
Germany Calling broadcast on
Pioneer DJ Radio, Underground
FG (France), BLN.FM (Berlin), Kiss
FM (Ukraine) as well as across an
international network of 58 FM
stations.
‘Fabulous stuff…’ Irvine Welsh. ‘He is
the real deal.’ Benjmanin Zephaniah.
‘A call to arms…’ Billy Bragg. ‘Fired
and inspiring.’ John Hegley. ‘Utterly
mesmerising and unforgettable.’
- The Fly www.longfella.co.uk @
LongfellaPoet
As a journalist, he helped pioneer
dance music journalism in the UK,
joining ground breaking British
magazine Muzik from its launch in
1995, founding EMI’s first global
dance music portal Dancesite.com in
1997 and setting up his own agency
Skrufff Media in 2001.
ABIGAIL WARD
TONY WALSH
Tony Walsh, aka Longfella, is
‘one of the UK’s most renowned
performance poets’ for whom music
is both a passion and a recurring
theme. He was website Poet In
Residence for Glastonbury Festival
in 2011 and Poet Laureate for Kendal
Calling Festival in 2012 whilst his
work has been commissioned by
BBC television and radio, most
recently featuring on BBC6Music’s
‘An Audience With The Clash’
programme from Maida Vale studios.
His acclaimed debut collection,
“SEX & LOVE & ROCK&ROLL’, is
published with indie press, Burning
Eye.
Abigail Ward is a freelance writer,
DJ and digital curator with over
twelve years’ experience in the
music industry, Abigail developed
Manchester District Music Archive’s
award-winning website www.
mdmarchive.co.uk in 2006.
She edited 1 Top Class Manager – The
Notebooks of Joy Division’s Manager
in 2008 and launched her own blog
and club night - Pop ‘Til You Drop - a
year later.
She has written for Swell Music,
Red Bull Music Academy and Music
Week. She has curated three online
exhibitions for MDMArchive exploring
LGBT music culture; Moss Side and
Hulme club culture; and the City Fun
fanzine respectively.
SIMON WARNER
JAH WOBBLE
Simon Warner is a writer, lecturer and
broadcaster who teaches Popular
Music Studies at the University of
Leeds. A former live rock reviewer
for The Guardian, he has penned a
number of books with popular music
themes including his latest title, Text
and Drugs and Rock’n’Roll: The
Beats and Rock Culture, published
by Bloomsbury in 2013, a volume
that considers the links between
the US novelists and poets Jack
Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William
Burroughs and the rock generations
that have followed.
Jah Wobble is an English bass
guitarist, singer, poet, composer
and author. Probably best known
as the original bass player in Public
Image Ltd (PiL), Wobble has since
successfully pursued a solo career
and enjoyed acclaimed success
with his band Jah Wobble and the
Modern Jazz Ensemble as well as
collaborations with Marconi Union
and Bill Sharpe (founding member
of Shakatak). Author of Memoirs
of a Geezer – his autobiography
that provides a fascinating look at
his life in rock - in July 2013 Odds
& Sods & Epilogues, a collection
Wobble’s poetry, was published by
his company 30 Hertz Records.
SIMON
WOLSTENCROFT
Simon “Funky Si” Wolstencroft
began drumming in The Patrol with
schoolmates Ian Brown and John
Squire. He left the band that would
become the Stone Roses and also
turned down The Smiths before
joining The Fall for 11 years. He later
re-united with Ian Brown during his
solo career. He is currently drumming
with the band Big Unit and has
written a memoir entitled You Can
Drum But You Can’t Hide.
IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE
INAUGURAL WILKO JOHNSON
WRITING AWARD FOR YOUNG
ASPIRING MUSIC JOURNALISTS
WILKO JOHNSON
When rock’n’roll was shaken from
its pre-punk complacency by the
emergence of Dr. Feelgood, it was
Wilko Johnson who excited most
attention – not only for the startling
violence of his stage performance
but also for his guitar style which
combined the roles of lead and rhythm
in driving riffs and a stuttering machine
gun frenzy. As a songwriter too he has
proved himself one of the most original
exponents of rhythm’n’blues styles this
side of the Atlantic.
As the eccentric and enigmatic
hero of Julien Temple’s film Oil City
Confidential, Wilko is again attracting
much attention. In recent years he has
appeared with Sean Bean in the HBO
Fantasy series Game of Thrones and
released his autobiography ‘Looking
Back at Me’. This year Fender paid
tribute to Wilko by releasing a Wilko
Signature Telecaster.
In January of this year Wilko was
diagnosed with terminal cancer of the
pancreas. He decided not to receive
any treatment but to use his remaining
period of health to make a short tour
of the UK to say farewell to his fans.
This tour was a massive success
and Wilko’s striking response to his
illness has received attention from
press, radio and television all over
the world. As his health continues to
hold he recently completed a series of
hugely appreciated summer festival
appearances in the UK and Japan, and
is about to make an album with Who
front-man Roger Daltrey.
PHILL YOUNG
as well as podcasting for Wichita
Recordings monthly.
Phill Young is a cult figure in the
Manchester music scene - a
prolific promoter, blogger (Tru Luv)
and frontman (Christian AIDS/
Moses Gold) he has become an
important voice in championing
new artists, having worked on 100’s
of events - including shows with
Underachievers, Now Wave, Hey
Manchester! and Sounds From
The Other City. He’s manage The
Louche (SWAYS) co-founded Loomer
Agency (Patterns, Ghost Outfit) and
held legendary secret house parties
with bands like Airship, Weird Era
and Young British Artists.
She supplements her broadcasting
with her monthly column for The
405 and blogs / social networks
feverishly to reinforce her passion
for new music and emerging artists.
A respected tastemaker, Shell was
part of the panel for The BBC Sound
Of 2013 and was nominated for the
AIM Awards Indie Champion award
in 2012.
Promotion and marketing of Louder Than Words connects and draws on networks
and contacts of industry professionals, our database of dedicated music and
music literature fans, and engages the support of local businesses and institutions
including universities, colleges, media partners, legal partners, retailers and
aficionados. Louder Than Words is also promoted through social media, including
direct on-line contact with over 24,000 individuals.
SHELL ZENNER
Shell Zenner is a vintage dress
wearing, cupcake making, vinyl
junkie and new music obsessive.
Living and breathing Manchester,
Salford and the North West, she gets
her kicks from obscure instruments,
flea markets, festivals, gigs and
digging around at the back of venues
for embryonic new talent that she
can talk or write about. A deliciously
chatty interviewer and friendly face
for touring bands, Shell treats her
radio shows as a mutual appreciation
society between musicians, labels
and listeners. She broadcasts weekly
on Amazing Radio and Bolton Fm
PARTNERSHIP AND SPONSORSHIP
All partners of Louder Than Words will gain from:
Pioneering Partnerships
www.levelpartnerships.com
Education Partner
Our targeting of a discerning audience and associated networks
Being associated with a distinctive Festival with
national recognition
Louder Than Words’ commitment to high quality
programming and contributors
Contact with related industry associations and relevant
cross-sector supporters
Branding in and on all Festival copy and print
Links and logos on Louder Than Words web presence
Complimentary tickets to sponsored events
Tailored hospitality opportunities at the venue hotel
For all sponsorship and/or partnership opportunities, please contact:
Craig Thompson
+44 (0) 7783 180 362
[email protected]
Jill Adam
+44 (0) 7803 624 522
[email protected]
We would like to thank Richard Berry for his input into the branding of our event.
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