Harold Hill #WildLondon #Attenbrough

New on RBP: a Thurston Moore special on the first home page of 2026: • archive articles on Sonic Youth • an audio interview with Derek Bailey • the great Brian Case on Cecil Taylor & Archie Shepp • the late Howie Klein on AC/DC & the Cramps • 50 new additions to RBP's library www.rocksbackpages.com

The word is that I’ve a 'movie' out shortly. It's true. My 2022 theatre show The Beatles / Evolver:62 was filmed, and selections from that + new material shot in Liverpool and London comprise a feature that'll be streaming from Feb 2026. More details to follow, sample here vimeo.com/1023543808?f...

Drum is now available as a paperback. Here's the link. Being an independent author means you have to shoulder that boulder up the hill yourself every time. I have no publicity machine. I value every reader because I know that hype hasn't brought them here. Dive in. www.amazon.co.uk/Drum-Rob-Cha...

The very best music books I read this year (not in order of preference).

Other good-to-great non-music books I read this year (not in order of preference).

Happy New Year to everyone here who has amused, diverted, educated and inspired. Thank you, wishing you every joy and happiness for 2026 🥂

Thank you Simon @rnrbook-club.bsky.social - I definitely want to time travel and come round to yours for Subbuteo and I Should Coco! P.s. The Mariah Christmas song came out 1994 but was truly monstering pub jukeboxes by ‘95 - just in case the pop nerds come for me 😬

@nndroid.bsky.social kindred spirit here

You have to see this/won’t believe it.

New MUSIC MAPS PODCAST @annadoble.bsky.social @musicmaps.bsky.social 🔗 rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/episodes/96-...

Pre-order an exclusive signed copy of Mike Pickering's new memoir 'Manchester must dance' publishing April 2026, from @roughtrade1976.bsky.social's website here: www.roughtrade.com/product/mike... From Manchester’s backstreets to global dancefloors – this is the untold story of a musical pioneer.

The excellent Mrs Rock ‘n’ Roll Book Club (Prof. Sarah Hart) explains snowflakes on t’wireless now with Hannah Fry and Dara O’Brien. Curious Cases bbcradio4 Also on BBC Sounds

This I didn't know. Thanks to the offer, it turns out Final Destination is currently the bestselling book of travel writing on Kindle.

🏏 😬

Maybe I'm Amazed: A Story of Love and Connection in Ten Songs by @johnharris1969.bsky.social is a bargain 99p on Kindle today #affiliatelink amzn.to/44GQE3o

Tomorrow evening it’ll be my annual duty to vaguely shepherd the activity on the #duvetknowitschristmas hashtag and urge people to give small sums to charity. 7.30pm? Something like that?

Joyous, defiant & full of sense of the times: here's my end of year op-ed about the amazing CMAT www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

It should become a Christmas tradition watching YouTubers get floored by pro boxers

Quite taken by the bottled water selection at M&S Oxford St. I’ll probably swerve the £10 La Sasse tbh. 💦

What with that Xmas thing looming large how about this for a Fall loving friend. Narrated by Stewart Lee…. 11.5 hours of life inside one of the most bewildering bands to ever have existed. And you don’t even have to turn a page. THE FALL! @stephenhanley6.bsky.social 👇🏼 #thefall

@rnrbook-club.bsky.social @simoncardwell.bsky.social Just enjoying the Paul Morley interview, excellent stuff as always, thanks for the shout out! 😂

Nuts in May is being repeated on BBC4 on Sat 10th Jan at 21:50. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b...

The Merch Market London Sunday January Free entry - live sets, stalls, prizes, on stage interviews, guided tours and more www.nme.com/news/music/s...

In our last edition of 2025... • a Carl Perkins audio interview from 1992 • archive articles on NYC's Bottom Line • Gary Pig Gold meets Dennis Wilson • Stuart Bailie in Manhattan with Shane MacGowan • remembering Lubbock legend Joe Ely • 50+ new additions to the RBP library www.rocksbackpages.com

I read Nige Tassell's Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids this year and that led me to the excellent new album from Wolfhounds' David Lance Callahan. Down To The Marshes very likely to be in my #5albums24

One final announcement before the end of the year... DOCUMENT AND EYEWITNESS: An Intimate History of Rough Trade Neil Taylor's classic story of the label, fully updated for their 50th anniversary and with a new foreword by Morrissey. Coming Feb 2026 geni.us/DocumentAndE...

OUT NOW A #BrokenVeil ghost story for Christmas. Rosie Cavaliero and Carrie Quinlan in TOND pod.link/1745494718/e...

27 Jan @ivyhousenunhead.bsky.social www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1978113593...

Just the 45 years then, for this debut screening of A Certain Ratio live at Hurrah in NYC (1980). The recording is through a single lens which zooms and pans the viewer into a previous life. The life of a fledgling band who through their own admission were still learning their instruments.

Liverpool friends, it would be lovely to see you at my book launch. 5th March, at the British Music Experience, in conversation with Jeff Young @wildtwin.bsky.social. Non-Liverpool friends, we are planning events in London and Oxford too - watch this space. www.britishmusicexperience.com/pennykiley

SELF-PROMOTION POST: trying to make sense of the major labels’ gen AI deals, musicians’ earnings and the war between art and slop. www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...

📻 tune in to @bbc6music.bsky.social at 6pm when @huwstephensdj.bsky.social and I discuss some of this years best music books 📚

‘Be first, be right, be best’. Very good @rocksbackpages.bsky.social episode with @jamesjamesbrown.bsky.social

New podcast episode: James Brown relives his days at Sounds and NME, reflects on the runaway success of loaded, and listens to Andy Gill's audio interview with the KLF. www.rocksbackpages.com/Podcast/Epis...

Find out what persuaded manger Tom Watson to take on East17 and other tales behind their perennial Christmas banger @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social catches up with Tony Mortimer for @talk90stome.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/3QU0...

"Elton John had a crush on me..." Wreckless Eric takes on our Life & Times interview, including tales of Captain Beefheart, Ian Dury, Elton John, drunk driving, getting nicked, the misery of poverty, the majesty of love and much more. It's a free edition: thenewcue.substack.com/p/the-new-cu...

People ask me why I'm publishing on Amazon, who are indisputably evil. They say I should publish via an ethical company. So here's why. I've published 3 Sunday Times Bestsellers through ethical publishers, and made - drum roll - absolutely zero. Literally not one penny. In fact ...

The Big Midweek audio book has made the transition from the punk chart to the hallowed celebrity chart this week. Any Strictly or I'm a Celeb booking agents currently pursuing Steve for 2026, please be in touch here first 😉

Big love to Oasis and Coldplay who have sent lots of goodie bags for us to give away at The Merch Market in London on January 11th Poster by @bentheillustrator.bsky.social

NEW @musicmaps.bsky.social Justin Currie open.spotify.com/episode/4snH...

January Walthamstow Tickets www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1977486173...

Baz Warne (the Stranglers) announces book and talking tour louderthanwar.com/baz-warne-th... via @louderthanwar.bsky.social

NEW 📕 🗣️ 🎶 22 JANUARY @danielrachel.bsky.social 🎟️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1977486173... @whiterabbitbks.bsky.social

The countdown begins We’re a totally independent publication so we would really appreciate you reposting or spreading the word however you can www.drownedinsound.org/drowned-in-s...

Phew! Happily we’ve only ever hosted John to a full house. observer.co.uk/news/columni...

Time to start to recommend books you or your friend might like for Christmas #books #reading #christmas

Unsure about the Swifty element but SUPERCHUFFED and thank you to all our lovely listeners xxxx

Of all the end of year love for Justin’s ‘Tremolo Diaries’ I am particularly delighted and grateful to have this recognition from Alexis and @theguardian.com And on a personal note, gratifying also to see Kate’s book included. Which means ❤️ for our last Nine Eight book and our first New Modern