Music’s Not Dead are delighted to welcome Tony Fletcher to launch his new book “POW! When UK Punk Went Pop, 1980-84. A Memoir By Tony Fletcher“.

Tony will be reading and in conversation with James Endeacott, followed by the debut live outing for The Dear Boys (Acoustic) featuring Tony Fletcher and Tony Page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Before authoring eleven books, including bestselling biographies of the Who drummer Keith Moon, R.E.M. and the Smiths, Tony Fletcher was a teenaged music magazine publisher in his native England. But, with a degree of industry that sounds absolutely exhausting, he also ran a record label, interviewed rock stars, led a band, promoted concerts, worked as an on-air TV interviewer — and still found time for romance.

Fletcher chronicled the early days of his life and career in Boy About Town (2013) but had enough extraordinary experiences left over for this colourful and engaging memoir. 1980–’84 was an explosive time in British rock, as the disruptive energy of bands like the Clash and Sex Pistols gave way to more sophisticated and chart-friendly genres and bands.

Fletcher was on the front lines, running a record label with the Jam’s Paul Weller, attending all the important concerts and meeting the top acts, many of whom became MTV regulars: Madness, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Wham!, Echo & the Bunnymen, Killing Joke, Adam and the Ants, the Smiths and more. Then there’s the time he interviewed Paul McCartney… This is a coming-of-age story, the tale of a naïve young man in a cultural whirlwind who learns some hard lessons about business, journalism, love and sex – all the while trying to get his own band a record deal

London’s The Hanging Stars return with their sixth album, Just A Day – a dazzling collection of four-part harmonies, shimmering twelve-string guitars and chiming songs, touching on themes of longing, new beginnings and the fragility of the everyday. Recorded at Edwyn Collin’s legendary Clashnarrow Studios in the Scottish Highlands, the album marks a bold new chapter for the band, produced with the invaluable guidance of Teenage Fanclub’s Gerard Love.

A line-up change at the end of 2024 proved to be a galvanising moment for The Hanging Stars. “We needed to rethink things,” says guitarist Patrick Ralla. “A new leaner approach – bass, drums, guitars, four-part harmonies. Certainly worked for The Byrds, Big Star and Teenage Fanclub.” The result is a wonderfully energising record full of catchy hooks and a renewed vision. The songs are designed to take the listener away from it all… even if it’s just for a little while.

Central to the record’s new direction was the involvement of Gerard Love – one third of Teenage Fanclub’s celebrated songwriting trio and the artist behind Lightships. Starting from demos exchanged between Glasgow and London, Love helped the band strip things back to their essence, ever so gently guiding them toward their finest work to date. He also joined the band for a week of recording, contributing vocals, arrangement ideas and by all accounts a mean vegan curry.

Miki Berenyi Trio head to the De La Warr Pavilion for a special, up-close performance in our Café Bar.

Miki Berenyi Trio (aka MB3) are Miki Berenyi on vocals/guitar, Kevin ‘Moose’ McKillop on guitar and Oliver Cherer on bass/programming. The three musicians (whose former/other bands include Lush, Moose, Gilroy Mere and Aircooled) first worked together during Piroshka’s 2021 tour – Miki and Moose being founder members, Ollie joining to play bass.

MB3 was originally formed to promote Miki’s memoir – Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me From Success (published Sept 2022) – playing a few songs to accompany her live book events. However, with three songwriters in the band, it wasn’t long before a full live set came together, and the nimble setup of a trio has allowed them to tour extensively in the UK, Ireland, Europe and the US, playing over 100 shows to date.

April 2025 saw the release of the trio’s debut album ‘Tripla’, released via Bella Union, which garnered critical acclaim, including Rough Trade’s Album of the Month. Subsequent releases include the Lol and Gray Tolhurst collaboration ‘Stranger’, followed by ‘Doldrum Days (Sept 2025) and ‘Island of One’ (March 2026).

Miki Berenyi Trio are currently writing and recording their next album.

Poor Performer will be singing songs of joy, melancholy and biting satire from his new album and extensive back catalogue in a free Sunday afternoon session at Music’s Not Dead in the foyer of DLWP.

SIMON RIVERS has a long history of great, unheralded releases, probably in partly due to his penchant for self-releasing his work back when finding a label to do that for you was de riguer for any ambitious performer . . . now everyone does it, which is possibly why Simon stopped! Through a long string of records as leader of The Bitter Springs, founder of Oldfield Youth Club and popping up on an odd release here or there – Band Of Holy Joy springs to mind, in fact we met him when he jumped onstage at one of their shows to sing a tune with Johny Brown.

Si‘s gone solo, more or less, as Poor Performer. His last release, Like Yer Wounds Too, was four long years ago and if you’ve been wondering what he’s been doing, the answer is here . . . 17 songs (one of ’em a “mystery” track”) adding up to more than an hour’s worth of new music, all on one CD + booklet package, like those we’ve done with HOUSE Of ALL, Phil Shoenfelt & Southern Cross and Entracte.

This new opus is confoundingly great . . . odes to pub friends and Andy Williams are among our favourites, and Simon’s association with Vic Godard really shines through in lyrics that are weirdly touching, bitingly cynical and truly romantic, not to mention a drama and production that helps explain the lengthy birthing of this fine work! It’s smart, funny, and stunning.

This marvelous work is a strictly limited edition package with the CD featuring a full-colour sleeve and the booklet is an A5 stapled full-colour one (on every page) with all sorts of art and text and lyrics, and it looks like Simon will be playing some dates around the UK throughout the year.