I had considered some sort of even more long-winded and pretentious title for the article, including making some reference to his undoubted musical genius, but luckily opted against that route. Neil Finn has fully been a part of my life since 1988, when I first fell in love with the second Crowded House album, Temple of Low Men. I had heard one or two tracks on the radio and then seen a bit of an interview with them on some long forgotten Channel 4 show or other. I was hooked

This edition of The Essential 10, our quickfire introduction to a wide range of my favourite artists, features everyone's favourite musician who's also an expert on neolithic history and paganism, Julian Cope; an act that has managed almost 40 solo albums so far, over a career that goes back into the late 1970s. As the front man and principle songwriter for the Teardrop Explodes, we will also be taking their brief 2 album foray at the forefront of the British post-punk scene

Once in a while, I hear a song I either haven't ever heard before, or haven't heard in ages - and I think to myself - 'I really need to put that in a playlist'. Since all of our playlists have to be themed (it's the law), it is then a process of contriving something that fits the chosen song. Our Geography series of playlists has spawned many songs relating to actual countries and cities (and towns), but the song in question this time was about a non-specific city. Now, in th

I can't even remember how I latched onto this little bit of narrative. It's a story about the intersection between the worlds of new wave music and academia, and in this case, the title reference is for one and the same person. And yes, I know it is not unheard of for musicians to later become academics, especially with the visual arts connection, but in this case I found it interesting as it is a person you may well have never heard of... On The Beach: Martha Ladly was study