Articles by Michael Barron

Describing their music as “Somewhere between Doom, Symphonic and pure Heavy Metal”; this Portuguese four-piece concept is based on “King Solomon’s Lemegeton” (also known as The Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis Regis – […]

The day Brexit was voted for remains tragic for millions. For this post-punk band, that day wasn’t all bad since they got signed to Rough Trade. With drive and good humour (they are named after […]

With his Life in the Stocks podcast now entering its fourth year and notching 180 shows at the time of publication; Stocks decided to celebrate the impressive motley of musicians and comedians featured with their […]

In this chronological autobiography, Sir Cliff positively reflects over his life (80 years) and music career (over 60 years) stating that except for the “sex allegations” made against him, his “life has been a dream!” […]

“Band for Life” tell the story of the fictional five-piece (initially) noise music Chicago based band Guntit, founded, and led by Linda. Linda’s love for her band runs so deep that she even sells her […]

When James Boyle, Jennifer Jenkins & Keith Aoki wrote their graphic novel “Theft! A History of Music”, they begin in 1400 BC in Mesopotamia (Ancient Greece) where they traced the earliest use of musical notation […]

CYR is The Smashing Pumpkins eleventh album and part two to 2018’s Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. Whilst releasing subsequent parts/chapters to LP’s is nothing […]

Affectionately known as “Acca Dacca” in their hometown Australia, this Sydney based act following their 2015-16 Rock or Bust tour were named as the year’s biggest-earning rock band during that period by Forbes Magazine. This […]

Two years ago Hope Larson introduced us to 13-year-old Bina in All Summer Long who has a natural ear for music. Bina goes to her first gig, starts to take up the guitar and is […]

This New York Times best-selling series (completed in 2013) won the hearts and minds of American graphic novel critics. When NPR listed “Hip Hop Family Tree” in their 100 favourite graphic novels (of all genres) […]

“E”, aka Mark Oliver Everett is, unfortunately, no stranger to sadness and heartbreak. At 19 he found his father, Hugh Everett III dead. His sister Elizabeth committed suicide in 1996 and his mother Nancy died […]

As well as being the first time since Born in the U.S.A. that Springsteen and the E Street Band recorded live in the studio; Letter To You is “the only album where it’s the entire […]

From being just a one-man band with a cassette deck boombox in the early nineties, John Darnielle has evolved his band The Mountain Goats into a four-piece whose material has featured in hit series including […]

“Inspired by The Lonely Island and Flight of the Conchords, Ninja Sex Party was initially about “a Jewish superhero who wears a unitard, with his best friend who’s a ninja, and together they sing songs […]

There is a well-known saying to fans in awe of their favourite musicians: “Don’t meet your heroes” or else you will be disappointed.  Thomson’s experience with Joan Baez is a testament that this saying is […]

The lyrics from Public Enemy’s 1989 hit “Fight the Power” has featured in many academic papers. “Elvis was a hero to most, But he never meant shit to me you see; Straight up racist, that […]

Following the release of their acclaimed second LP Joy as an Act of Resistance in 2018, IDLES has gone on to win several awards including two 2019 AIM Awards and dropped a live LP, A […]

Best known as the Arcade Fire frontman and co-founder Win Butler’s little brother (well he is younger and shorter than Win who is 6”4”) who plays synthesizers, bass guitar, guitar, percussion, sitar, amongst other instruments; […]