I love things like this - shortly after signing power pop greats Shoes, but before they remembered that one of the defining features of power pop is that it inexplicably doesn’t sell, Elektra records made a handful of these Shoes badges. I found one on eBay and it has finally made it to me

Today on @outsideleft.bsky.social I’m interviewing the wonderful Shane Embury of Napalm Death about his new solo album, his work with ND and his autobiography outsideleft.com/main.php?sto...

Today in Jonathan Aesthetics #SuperFurryAnimals #FountainsOfWayne #ArkadyandBorisStrugatsky #UrsulaLeGuin #SubPop

Sunday morning listening: Mouth By Mouth by His Name Is Alive, on glorious vinyl!

Followed by their second album Home Is In Your Head!

Obviously in this week’s Week In Music I have to talk about the miraculous return of the Durutti Column… and discovering Morphine’s music for the first time @outsideleft.bsky.social outsideleft.com/main.php?sto...

Saturday morning vibes: His Name Is Alive’s classic debut Livonia on glorious vinyl!

Obligatory post-gig band t selfie

Sugar were absolutely incredible last night! Amazing to see Bob Mould doing his thing

Moments that make you feel like you’ve Made It as a music journalist - when 4AD send you the vinyl reissues of the first three His Name Is Alive albums to review!

Weather’s nice, time to listen to Skylarking

Today on @thefantasyhive.bsky.social I’m interviewing the wonderful Leigh Radford about her brilliant debut One Yellow Eye fantasy-hive.co.uk/2026/05/inte...

Followed by Morphine’s Cure For Pain

Yesterday’s record fair meant that I was finally able to track down one of my unicorns - Jellyfish’s brilliant power pop debut Bellybutton on vinyl, first edition no less! Also picked up Morphine’s Cure For Pain on vinyl. Almost made up for the tape selection being rubbish

Sunny Monday bank holiday morning listening - Jellyfish’s Bellybutton on glorious vinyl!

I know what you’re all thinking - did I get a band t? I didn’t - because they had this awesome badge set!

Super Furry Animals were great last night! I love going to concerts with B

Today in Jonathan Aesthetics #XTC #Badfinger #Strugatskys #UrsulaLeGuin #SubPop

Today in Jonathan Aesthetics #XTC #MilkNCookies #DellAbyss #UrsulaLeGuin #SubPop

Obligatory post-gig band t selfie

Cowboy Junkies were transcendental last night, what a treat to witness them playing songs from across their brilliant discography

Sunday morning listening - one of the all-time greats

Followed by the Soul Jazz Power Pop compilation!

Saturday morning vibes: The Lemon Twigs’ Go To School on glorious vinyl!

Picked up a couple of bargains this week - Loop’s Fade Out and The Lemon Twig’s Go To School on vinyl, 25 quid all in!

XTC badge!

I just really love XTC

Today on @outsideleft.bsky.social I’m interviewing modern power pop heroes The Lemon Twigs about their brilliant new album! outsideleft.com/main.php?sto...

FROGGY BEST FRIEND! He has moved into the pond in our garden, I hope he likes it

Had an amazing evening seeing ExTC live at the Cavern with my dad. Never thought I’d get to see these songs performed live, so to get to see them with the original drummer was so lovely

Nina Winder-Lind of the New Eves returns with a new solo single! Read more at @outsideleft.bsky.social outsideleft.com/main.php?sto...

Today on @outsideleft.bsky.social I’m interviewing Stephen Lawrie, the visionary behind psychedelic noise heroes the Telescopes outsideleft.com/main.php?sto...

Today on @thefantasyhive.bsky.social I’m interviewing the wonderful @dancoxon.bsky.social about his second short story collection Come Sing For The Harrowing fantasy-hive.co.uk/2026/04/inte...

B and I loved Deadloch, a tv show about two policewomen, a desperately organised lesbian and an utterly chaotic drunk bisexual, failing to solve increasingly grisly murders in Tasmania and Australia 1/2

And I got a Sister Ray Davies shirt as well!

Obligatory post-gig T-shirt selfie

Support act Sister Ray Davies were brilliant too!

Chapterhouse were transcendent last night. What a privilege to see them in such an intimate venue

Followed by the Bangles’ classic debut album All Over The Place

Saturday morning listening!

Finally got my Telescopes tshirt

Today on @outsideleft.bsky.social I’m interviewing the legendary Tom Greenhalgh of post-punk heroes the Mekons! outsideleft.com/main.php?sto...

YES! Put it straight into my veins!

Plus I got to meet the awesome Stephen Lawrie - and interview him for OL! - and he signed my cassette of the Telescopes’ second album

There were no t shirts sadly, but I did manage to pick up the new radio sessions compilation on vinyl!

The Telescopes were transcendental last night! Not sure my hearing will ever recover

Today in Jonathan Aesthetics #TheRecords #FlaminGroovies #SubPop #UrsulaLeGuin #DellAbyss

Sunday morning vibes

Me and my new bestie Andrea from The Darling Buds

Plus Andrea signed my cassette of Pop Said…!