Robyn Hitchcock: From 'Self-Centred Horror' to Nashville Musician
Robyn Hitchcock, the esteemed 73-year-old musician, has released his latest album, "The Confuser," a collection inspired by "dead English blokes." Speaking with Stewart Lee, Hitchcock discusses his songwriting process, including writing "nasty songs" about his neighbors, and his eventual success in Nashville.
The opening track of "The Confuser," a vibrant, Lennon-esque power-pop song titled "I Am This Thing," begins with a provocative line: "I owe a lot to a dead man's cock." The album was recorded in Nashville by a skilled group of session musicians. Hitchcock, who now resides in Nashville with his wife, Australian singer-songwriter Emma Swift, runs a boutique record label there.
Unprompted, Hitchcock defends his presence in Nashville, stating, "I'm not just some sort of old public school dilettante floating around the South Bank or whatever." He emphasizes that succeeding in Nashville, a renowned hub for musicians, validates his status as a "real musician songwriter." He adds, "And I think, 'OK, I actually did do this!' I wanted to go to Nashville when I, as a 13-year-old boarding school boy, heard those Dylan records he made here. And a mere 60 years later, here I am!"
Fresh materials — Society news
Esther Rantzen, TV Presenter and Childline Founder, Dies at 86
Esther Rantzen, the Bafta-winning television presenter and creator of the charity Childline, has died at 86. Her family described her as “the most wonderful mother” and “cherished grandmother,” whose “legacy of compassion and understanding will live on in her charities Childli
How Zach Cregger's Resident Evil Captures the Game's Essence
Some Resident Evil fans have voiced dissatisfaction online with Zach Cregger’s film adaptation, calling it "not a real Resident Evil movie." Yet, despite the absence of iconic heroes like Leon or Claire, familiar villains, and well-known settings, Cregger's interpretation stands out a
Questions for Michael Winterbottom
The 90s are currently in vogue, but they wouldn't have happened without the 80s. Michael Winterbottom's 2002 film, 24 Hour Party People, explores Manchester's music scene from the Sex Pistols' 1976 gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall, through Factory Records, Joy Division, New Order, an
Mighty Sparrow, Trinidad and Tobago's 'Calypso King of the World,' Dies at 91
Slinger Francisco, known on stage as the Mighty Sparrow and hailed as the “calypso king of the world,” has died at 91. His family confirmed his peaceful passing surrounded by loved ones in New York on Sunday, stating it followed a brief illness. Francisco rose to prominence in calypso music
Korea review – a nirvana of wild beauty shattered by the 20th century
Can they replicate the success? The British Museum's blockbuster Bayeux Tapestry exhibition has set a high bar. Now, they follow with "Korea," an exploration of "2,000 years of creativity" from a land that, prior to the 20th century's hardships, experienced millennia of peace, as refl
Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore": A Human Glimpse Amidst Bitter Love Songs
Taylor Swift's decision to release an expanded version of her album, "The Life of a Showgirl," titled "The Encore," has sparked speculation. Many fans believe it's a strategic move to influence Grammy voters or to disrupt chart records. This follows Swift's earlier statement that "