Meadies Musical Marconi

 When mentioning Hammond organ players, names that roll off the tongue as being in the legendary category might include Booker T Jones, Ian McLagan and Jimmy Smith, to name but a few in a long line who have taken up the white and black whirling keys. However, there is one name that might not feature in many peoples lists that is all too easily forgotten but has provided a definitive soundtrack to a generation of teenagers in the early 90’s plus I’m sure new fans are constantly finding his timelessly created music. That name is Rob Collins, a key player and keyboard player in the 5 headed beast that is The Charlatans, the band formed in the late 80’s and have gone onto phenomenal success around the world. But that success would not have been as evident would it not have been for the seriously talented Collins. Heralding from the small town of Rowley Regis in Staffordshire, Collins was not your typical pop/rock star, he showed total commitment to his instrument and was vital to the...

Steve Harrison was at the very heart of the Madchester scene, managing one of thee great bands of the era, The Charlatans, helping them and other bands achieve worldwide success. Starting up his own music shop, going onto seeing bands he managed play at the biggest venues in the world, to seeing band members sadly lose their lives, Steve has seen and done it all. With all this and so much more in his memory tank Steve has decided now is the time to release his stunning book Here Are The Young Men…Life In Music, scheduled to be released by  Unbound Books  next year. Matt Mead catches us with Steve for this exclusive interview. A book of insider stories drawn from the music scene of the North West in the days of punk, Madchester and acid house. The music scene of North-West England from the late seventies through the nineties is the stuff of legend: written about, argued over, praised and disparaged, it still exerts a powerful influence on anyone who writes, thinks about or play...

 Jon Baker was and still is one of my musical heroes from the early 90’s. I was looking for an identity whilst still being in my teens plus being a fan of bands like The Charlatans, Jon’s blonde basin haircut was what I was looking for, someone I could relate to?!, even though I didn’t know him personally. Anyways, I got in contact with Mr Baker to discuss his time in The Charlatans and the real reasons for his departure. Originally published on Louder Than War 23.11.16: Jon Baker was the guitarist in indie mainstays The Charlatans as they rose to success in the early 1990’s. When he was with the band he helped record some of their most iconic and memorable songs including singles The One I Know, Then, plus their debut album Some Friendly. Not much has been heard from Jon since his departure from the band in 1991, but his guitar playing and the songs that he helped to write with the band at that time have made his legacy and whereabouts all the more intriguing. Here’s a interview...