10 Songs That Changed Everything

I’ve just started reading ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ by John Harris and was immediately inspired to start jotting down my own list of songs that have meant something extra special to me. Of course, that then became a million songs and a million words which I’ve now tried to condense into a Top 10 of sorts (the order these are placed in is largely irrelevant) of songs that simply MATTER. Changed my life? Maybe. Inspired me? Definitely. But all of them have had a big old impact one way or another, and I’d recommend you check them out (after reading my accompanying blurb).

1 Guns N’ Roses: Sweet Child O’ Mine

I don’t recall the year but I can still remember the moment that I was gifted a cassette copy of Appetite For Destruction by my uncle and it put me on a musical path I’ve never really looked back from. Up until that point I’d listened to a load of pop music, chart-bothering Stock, Aitken & Waterman classics, American hits that had found their way to our shores, but never had I heard a sound like Gn’R. 

Attitude, snarl, big hair and leather trousers, what more could an impressionable teen be looking for in life? And then the delicious irony that the best track on the album was a cute little love song to Axl’s girlfriend. What a way to combine metal and lurvvvve. The parents weren’t to know what Mr Brownstone was all about so Appetite got regular outings on the death deck back then and I quite fancy revisiting it again soon. Fun fact, I’ve still never seen Gn’R live. Maybe one day…

2 Manic Street Preachers: Motorcycle Emptiness

On the flip side, the first band I ever saw live waaaaay back in January 1994 was Manic Street Preachers and I’ve potentially seen them more times than any other artist up to this point.

Although The Holy Bible is in my top three favourite albums of all time, it’s Motorcycle Emptiness that really changed the music I listened to. And if you need an intro into the Manics, this is it; anti-capitalism, anti-consumerism, anarchy, oppression, it’s all right here. And that ‘Under neon loneliness…’ line is so beautifully evocative; the bright urban lights with the quiet anguish beneath them – utterly stunning.

With a lot of the bands I like it’s got to a stage where ‘The Popular Song’ is the one I’ve heard so much that I could do with never playing it again, but Motorcycle Emptiness is timeless and I’ll happily sit and listen to all six minutes of it each and every time.

3 Carcass: Heartwork

Here we go then, proper music eh? The finest purveyors of metalgore had been about for eight years before unleashing their melodic death classic Heartwork, and the title track is arguably still their finest hour.

The ironic use of the word ‘magniloquent’ in only the second line immediately hit this vocabulary nerd right in the feels and from there it’s just a maelstrom of melodic, screeching dual guitar insanity. Jeff Walker’s undead growl is beautifully violent and I lost count of the amount of times we’d request this song to mosh to at The Full Moon in the late 90s. A song that brings back so many good memories it couldn’t be left off this list.

4 Therapy?: Diane

I can’t do this list without at least one song from Nick’s Favourite Band ™ can I, but a cover?!? How very dare you! Well there is a reason, and it’s that this version of the Hüsker Dü song is so delightfully unhinged, falling as it did during Therapy?’s ahem, ‘moustache’ era, that I couldn’t possibly omit it. Featuring on 1995’s Infernal Love, the song proper only starts after 60 seconds of pulsing beats and car horns until the cello finally kicks in and a hauntingly maniacal melody ensues.

Telling the tale of the abduction, rape and murder of 19 year old Diane Edwards in 1980, the song is deliberately sung from the perspective of her killer to make the track uneasy, but you can’t ignore the majesty of it and Therapy? just made it all the more haunting by stripping it back.

This entry is dedicated to, and with apologies to, all who lived with me at Uni in 1998/1999 and had to listen to me belting it out every night with a Foster’s and a whole heap of regret.

5 Frank Turner: Be More Kind

There are a lot of emotionally-charged songs by Frank that I adore but the poignancy of Be More Kind is something else. The fact that it was released in 2018 and yet it’s STILL so needed and relevant is, quite frankly, disgraceful, but as a song it shows hope, togetherness and reminds us that we don’t know what the future holds but we’ve all got the power to impact it.

And when the ‘But when you’re out there floundering, like a lighthouse I will shine’ line comes along, it reminds me that I’m blessed with friends I can always turn to whenever I need them. I’ve done so in the past and there’s times when people have just been there without me asking. You’re not alone. It WILL be okay.

6 Dave Hause: Damn Personal

The shitty thing about life is that we all have to experience grief. The inevitability sucks, but it’s there, hanging over us as we navigate through our little lives. Or as Dave Hause puts it, “If you’re lucky, you live long enough to start losing people you love.” And Damn Personal is the pint in the air celebration to all those we’ve loved and lost. From those initial ‘Woah-oh-ohs’ to the closing bars it’s a song that celebrates what once was, whilst thinking, agnostically, about the spirit living on. Live, I’ve heard this song both acoustic and in its full band version and it never fails to tear me up immediately, but not necessarily in a sad way. It makes me think. Of Paul, of Vicky, of Patch. Of the people I’ll see again down the road.

7 Type O Negative: Love You To Death

Type O might have hit the big time thanks to MTV rotation of Black No. 1 and Christian Woman but with October Rust they redefined modern, dark music.

Look, I’m an old romantic and a cheeky goth at heart, so combine the two along with big Pete Steele’s bellowing vocals and fuzzy bass, mix in Josh Silver’s keys and you’ve got me hook, line and sinker. Love You To Death is a sprawlingly sexy seven minutes of vampiric devotion but it also questions self-belief, proving no matter the bravado in us all, there’s always a little doubt tucked away too.

8 Alice In Chains: Nutshell

I’ve tried to only pick one from the grunge heavyweights and it’s been a tough call but I’ve plumped with this because I reckon if there were all time stats of my ‘most played’ it would beat all the others. Nirvana probably influenced my listening habits as much as Guns N’ Roses, Soundgarden always got me charged up on a night out whilst I fell in and out and back in love with Pearl Jam over the past 30+ years, but AIC just offered that intangible, next level aura.

Nutshell is a heartbreakingly honest and vulnerable song and if released today, it might have saved Layne Staley’s life. Instead, the scrutiny, the addiction and the loneliness continued and we ended up losing one of the finest songwriters of their generation. Quite simply, it’s a beautiful song and proved that heavy bands could still strip it all back and be successful.

9 Ash: Girl From Mars

Another example of not becoming sick of ‘the big song’, Girl From Mars always puts a smile on my face every single time. A lot of stuff on this list is quite serious, so it’s only right we throw in a cheeky, straightforward, timeless, pop rock song about intergalactic teen lust. 

Ash at the time were so young (about the same age as me) so I found myself relating to them as they went out to prove that you could simply enjoy music, it didn’t have to be too serious or dark. It cost me a fiver to get into their gig in 1995 and I had a blast listening to stuff that was a bit softer than the metal I’d been getting into around then. Turns out in later life I’ve got to meet them and they’re a great bunch of lads too. Top stuff.

10 The Empty Page: When The Cloud Explodes

I couldn’t do this list without one of my more recent faves now could I, although the band have been going for a decade now…nevertheless , this song is arguably the one I relate to the most on this list.

I might not be Mancunian born and bred but the idea behind this track, the battle between monotony, boredom, the everlasting grey and creativity, positivity and inspiration really resonated with me the first time I heard it and still does today. It might not have been the rain that used to trap me indoors as a youngling, more the real struggle with TORRENTIAL hayfever, but it still meant I had to create my own fun, and that’s what this song celebrates. It’s about resilience, it’s about finding your own spark and I find it inspiring every single time I hear it. They’re the reason I’m writing this today.

11 Creeper: Black Rain

What Top 10 is complete without a No 11? Look, it’s my article, my rules, so we’re having it, okay? Black Rain introduced me to Creeper and quickly made them my 21st century Type O.

Did it also make me feel old? Damn right! There was already a bunch of lore out there that the ‘kids’ were balls deep in and it took some catching up, whilst trying not to look like a dad picking his daughter up at their shows, but Creeper just KNOW what it means to create something special out of being in a band on top of the music. Through multiple eras they’ve reinvented themselves and crafted a whole cult, whilst simultaneously being some of the best modern songwriters out there.

12 JOKES lol

There were loads of other songs I could’ve put in here so I’m going to give a few quick additional shoutouts; Black Spiders got me properly enjoying live music again with their first album whilst Tropical Contact and Eureka Machines have both succeeded in finding me a new Gig Family that I get up to all sorts of japes with. 

The Wildhearts, Terrorvision and Baby Chaos continued what the Manics started from the mid-90s onwards, whilst Paradise Lost and Cradle Of Filth have continued to reinvent themselves and kept me interested over the years. Turbowolf got me back doing music journalism again and how could we forget those that started it all, the legendary Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden?

In conclusion, keep supporting live music, keep listening to your old favourites, but find some new stuff too. There’s so much out there and you might just find something that really resonates, like I’ve done time and time again.

The Best Manchester Gig Venues In The World…EVER – Your 2026 Guide

The Lottery Winners @ The Albert Hall, Manchester

As ever, the best ideas stem from pub conversations, so now I’ve had time to consider things a bit more since last Friday’s discussion that caught me on the hop, here’s my guide to the best music venues in Manchester.

Katacombs @ the Rat & Pigeon, Manchester

Best for… upstairs room of a pub

Manchester (and neighbouring Salford) have long been home to a burgeoning grassroots scene, utilising every nook and cranny of their old-school boozers to host bands before they hit the big time. But the one that currently feels like the right blend of classic pub and quality gig venue is the Rat & Pigeon. Hidden in the backstreets of the Piccadilly end of the Northern Quarter, the upstairs venue is only able to accommodate 80-90 people but something about the place just feels inclusive, easy-going and fun. Admittedly not the most accessible, the L-shaped venue does have its own bar to prevent spillage on the stairs and although compact, it never feels over-full. Sound is surprisingly good for a small venue and the staff are always super-friendly too; hard to believe the place used to be the notorious Mother Mac’s with its tales of murder, ghosts and suspect clientele.

Top tip; try the scratchings, they’re the best in town. And the pineapple cider… ooft. Just a single minus point for R&P’s online gig listings being pretty out of date, but that’s easily rectified.

Honourable mentions: Gullivers, The Castle Hotel (certainly the best downstairs upstairs room of a pub), Star & Garter.

Marmozets @ The Deaf Institute, Manchester

Best for… dedicated small venue

If you’re looking for somewhere capable of hosting up to 500 people, you’d do a lot worse than The Deaf Institute. At one point during the pandemic it was looking like the place might not survive so it’s a pleasure that we can say in 2026 that’s it not only still standing but has expanded to offer smaller gigs in its ‘Lodge’ area which used to be its main bar and eatery.

The 260-capacity Music Hall upstairs features an iconic stage backdrop and the small balcony and tiered seating offer some different gig-watching options you wouldn’t normally see in a venue this size. The stage is high enough for great views from any part of the floor and the long bar down the right hand side stays serving throughout the show (which can be a touch distracting during more mellow gigs). Bonus points here for sister venue Gorilla (which has double the capacity) allowing some shows to be easily upgraded if needed.

Top tip; watch out for the slightly uneven stairs on the way down to the gents in the basement!

The Darkness @ New Century, Manchester

Best for… established bands

If you’re looking for somewhere that keeps the limit to less than 2,000 punters, then The Ritz arguably had this sewn up for years. With its handy location, large balcony and legendary sprung dancefloor, it served as a great place for established bands with loyal followings or larger bands doing one-off smaller events.

More recently though a couple of fresh contenders have muscled in and for me, the crown’s now been taken by New Century. Reinvigorated as part of the NOMA area regeneration, the large food hall downstairs is complimented by the music venue on top, with its stunning ceiling, retro wood-panelled walls and large bar serving local favourites. Soon to be redesigned again to create the additional 450 cap ‘Locker’ venue downstairs, having so many facilities in one space has been a real boon for the area.

The other newer contender, The Albert Hall, serves up a different type of beauty with the restored former Wesleyan Chapel creating some amazing visuals by itself during a show, but due to the age of the building and labyrinthine interior it can often feel over-sold and claustrophobic.

Top tip; if the queue upstairs in New Century is big, just nip downstairs for a pint – there’s more choice and you can usually get out of the main venue and into the foodhall downstairs.

First Aid Kit @ Apollo, Manchester

Best for… the big lads

Getting into soulless warehouse territory now, there’s one big venue that retains a bit of character and that’s the nearly 90 year old Manchester Apollo. Offering space for 3,500 people across its floor and balcony areas, the wide, sloping floor means you can see proceedings pretty well wherever you perch. As it was originally designed as a theatre, the facilities are a little small and sparse (turns out the Georgian folks didn’t anticipate two pint cups or the British ability to drink), but staff do their best to keep things moving. It’s also relatively handy for Piccadilly, making last trains a bit easier than dashing back from Academy 1 or getting home from the awful Victoria Warehouse.

Top tip; go to the upstairs bar. It’s much bigger and you don’t need a balcony ticket to get up there. There are loads more toilets up there too.

Paul Heaton @ Co-op Live, Manchester

Best for… if you HAVE to go to a cavernous venue

This is a tough one. Personally I try to veer away from anything too massive gig-wise; it’s expensive, a lot of hassle and usually not the right kind of experience for me, but you’re obviously only ever going to be able to see certain artists in arenas and at least Manchester is well-positioned for that. Of the biggest indoor venues, the newer Co-op Live takes it; its self serve-shops speed things up a bit and the sound is far better than the vacuous AO Arena. The configuration makes it feel easier to get around once in too whlst getting there in the first place is straightforward enough, even if it is a little out of town, with an army of staff there to assist on event days.

Top tip; there’s a good walking route down the canal to and from central Manchester. Saves waiting for crammed trams, if you’re able-bodied and the weather’s holding up.

So what are your favourite Manchester venues? Which ones have I missed? And yeah, I know that places like The Peer Hat and YES are missing off this list but a girl’s only got so many hours in the day and I’ve not been to a gig in either yet, strangely). Which venues of yesteryear do you miss? Are you still mourning Sound Control, Ruby Lounge and the Roadhouse? Which of the newer places in town have the most potential for the future? Answers on a postcard or on the back of a self-addressed envelope, if you please.

A Commuter’s Dictionary – Crime & Punishment

Okay, so this time we’re back to help all those fellow commuters out there with some definitions of regular offenders they might encounter and suggested punishments for public transport crimes.

Bell Boy

The toddler who insists on constantly pressing the button on the bus.

The Parent Crap

The child’s companions who fail to stop the tyke from doing so.

Punishment: a broadband salesman rings their doorbell at home every time they sit down in front of their favourite ‘soap’.

Here Comes The Cold Stepper

The person who rings the bell but fails to get to the door in a suitable amount of time, thus delaying everyone else.

Punishment: keep it simple, shut the door in their face and set off at pace.

Thomas Tapper

The irritant, always male, who insists on hammering the train or tram ‘open’ button before it has come to a halt.

Punishment: tap them on the shoulder every time they’re at a urinal.

Ring Doorknob

The amateur athlete who attempts to highlight their powers by using the circular handholds to perform pull ups.

Punishment: get them to get out and push the tram if they’re that hard.

The Age Of Aquarium

The individual who is carrying more water than a mule in the desert, in a variety of giant bottles and tanks. They will not have considered that liquids are available outside of the home.

Punishment: just pour it down the drain like you would if you spotted a teen sneaking vodka into a festival.

Aromatic Ducks

The travellers who deemed it acceptable to drown themselves in their favourite fragrance before leaving the house.

Home Sweat Home

On the flip side, those who should’ve had a good wash before stepping outside

Punishment (for both): water cannon.

The Yawnmower Man

The mouth breathing loon who refuses to cover their trap when showing how exhausted they are to all and sundry.

Punishment: A tube of tomato purée squeezed into their mouth every time they open it.

Quizzy Rascal

The passenger who insists on asking the driver all manner of questions about ticket types, the route, the weather etc rather than just transacting and sitting down.

Punishment: Ask them a series of increasingly difficult geography questions and don’t let them leave the bus until they have achieved at least nine out of 10.

We hope you’ve found these useful and will be enacting some of these punishments when out and about yourselves!

A Commuter’s Dictionary – Urgent 2026 Revisions

It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these but I know regular fans have always found them useful, so here’s your latest guide to popular terminology to use on public transport!

Tourniquiet

The feeling of wanting to wrap a tight ligature around someone’s gob who insists on making and taking phone calls at 6.30am.

Nigel Barrage

The idiot who insists on piling onto the train or tram before people have disembarked.

Tyrannosaurus Next

The seemingly able-bodied person who takes public transport a single, walkable stop due to abject laziness.

Gibber Me Timbers

The local ‘character’ who insists on sitting next to you and speaking to you despite there being plenty of free seats and you having your headphones in.

Braking Stevens

The trainee driver who causes the whole bus to go arse over tit at every stop with his maverick driving.

Spread and batter

Wanting to use your umbrella to lamp a man who is taking up two seats because he can’t keep his legs less than two metres apart.

Moves Like Fagger

The surreptitious vapist who thinks people can’t see him smoking on-board as he palms his e-snout like prime Paul Daniels.

Power Stranger

The kind soul who will let you dangle your charging cable intimately across their lap to get to the socket on the wall of the train.

Emergency On Planet Derp

The unawareness of the backpack brigade who keep pressing the alarm with their bags.

Back For Good

Related to the above, the same knapsack nightmares who refuse to take their bags off their backs despite the train being busier than a bee that is PARTICULARLY hectic.

We hope you find these useful and look forward to hearing them when we’re out and about!

Where am I? You’re in a room!

When you say you’re back writing and then you don’t write… awkward that isn’t it?

I guess the beauty of my blog is that I can write whenever I want and whatever I want but in 2026 it’s all about the constant, constant content. So I guess here we go…

For those new to these parts I’m Nick. Always have been, for my sins, can’t change it now. Used to be in Bristol, now I’m basically a Manc. I run the Internet, forgot to turn it off tonight, don’t sue me.

Affs is a weird name for a blog innit! Yeah, I set it up based on my childhood nickname years ago and it stuck and now it means absolutely nothing hahaha. Basically I was called ‘afroman’ as I grew my hair out in my quest to be a True Metaller (™) and it stuck. So here we are. Soz!

Anyway, what you’ll find in these hallowed online pages is a right old mix of gig and album reviews, old school public transport hatred, long-form missives on life, pubs, video games, films, all manner of nonsense. To be honest it’s been going that long I’ve forgotten what’s in the depths, so delve, AT YOUR PERIL.

I’ve been a goddam writer for ages, whether that’s been for myself or for the Church Newsletter, the Parish Magazine, Peacebreaker, Daily Dischord, Pure Rawk, and now, maybe, Joyzine (exciting). So sit back, relax… after all, music soothes even the savage beast…

The Empty Page / Goo / Down In Autumn @ Hope & Anchor, Islington – 25th July 2026

It’s a bit of a rare occurrence that I pop to the big smoke these days as there’re fewer pals down there and not as many big events or occasions that take my fancy either. But when The Empty Page announced a date with up-and-coming faves Goo I couldn’t say no to a jaunt on the old Avanti West Coast rattler.

So, here we are at the Hope & Anchor in Islington, the pub renowned for hosting Dire Straits, Joy Division and U2 amongst others once upon a time and it’s a beautiful day today, even if the 28-or-so degrees we’re experiencing seems to have melted a few train lines, making the journey across town a bit of a bind. Nevertheless, it’s a relief to be able to grab a pint and head to a dark and most importantly, air conditioned basement for the show ahead.

Down In Autumn – Happier in summer

First up tonight are three-piece Down In Autumn. Often Northern Irishman Thomas McCann’s solo effort, they’ve expanded for this live outing and the trio all pitch in during their pop-punk set, creating some great harmonies. Each member of the band also gets to take the lead on a song they’ve written themselves and they look to be having a great time performing for a crowd that seems half new punters and half friends and family. It’s a top start to the night with a packed room attentive throughout.

Next on stage are Goo, the West Yorkshire four (and sometimes five) piece that are fresh off the release of their debut record Oh Wow, Oh Well which has seen them support Marmozets as well as headline up and down the country themselves. Led by guitarist/vocalist Tanisha Badman, Goo are grungy, fuzzy fun but also brilliantly poignant and relatable, bringing some insanely catchy 90s indie rock vibes along with moments of veering pace that catch you off-guard. Most importantly, they look they’re having a blast doing it, exchanging shit-eating grins throughout their set. And those CHORUSES. Oh my. Take Slow Morning, with its epic ‘Why should I try? Why should I care?’ yell and electronic wibble; it’s positively soaring despite the nature of the lyrics and makes you feel like you’re on cloud nine as you scream along.

Goo – I like THEIR style

Tiny Dinosaur That Only I Can See, an ode to Tanisha’s sadly departed friend, is a celebration of childhood innocence and immortality with its harmonised crescendo creating a beautiful tribute, whilst Go! lures you in with its quirky bop before launching full throttle into a pounding urgency. Payday meanwhile wouldn’t be out of place on an Asylums record, taking a truly mundane cycle (of working for ‘the man’ only to spend everything as soon as your wage lands) and once again making it eminently danceable.

I Like Your Style is a cracking paean to misfit culture, Miso comes over like the band’s very own Heart-Shaped Box and Call In Sick is a joyous slacker anthem with the clonky cowbell an extra cherry on top. And if Goo keep going like this, they’ll soon be the icing on many a festival cake themselves.

It’s insane to think that it’s already been a decade since The Empty Page released their debut Unfolding, but here we are, older, wiser(?), present and correct to hear the trio only getting better and better. There’s certainly a focus on newer material tonight, with their three most recent singles all getting an airing as well as new song Sad Emoji, described by vocalist/bassist Kel as being about the endless doom scrolling we’re all guilty of doing and the only response we have to so much of what happens in the world being that little weeping symbol.

The Empty Page giving London everything

Of the other newer songs aired tonight, Death On Our Side, sounds especially potent live. A darkly hedonistic track that could’ve comfortably sat alongside The Cure et al on The Crow soundtrack, it celebrates the fact that if you don’t have a retirement plan at least you can rely on death. Can’t rain all the time though, eh? Despite the gloomy subject matter there’s a dream-like swirl to it that makes it so atmospheric you get lost in its pulse.

Similarly, When We Gonna Run? focuses on escaping the mundane but with slightly more hope and romanticism and tonight it sees guitarist Giz pirouette to its melody as drummer Steve battles brilliantly to pound away as the aircon struggles to cope with the increasing heat in the room.

Kel – continuing to fight the good fight.

Following a typically venomous He’s Very Good At Swimming, Kel is particularly captivating on A Feminine Ending, snarling her way through the song as she raises a middle finger to the beauty industry that supposedly defines the ‘standards’ expected of women. All three of the band’s most recently-released tracks show a darker edge to The Empty Page, taking us into shoegaze-y, darkwave territory whilst retaining the band’s brutally honest take on modern society and attitudes.

Of course we still get earlier songs too and it’s always a treat to hear Big Wheel, Cracks In The Surface and A Life Saving Operation, the latter’s punky attitude feeling particularly authentic around these parts of old London town. But it’s when spellbinding tracks like I’m A White Hot Blade (Witches Are Wicked) emerge that the show receives an extra intensity, as Kel seems to be staring down misogyny as if it’s floating around the room.

The green shoots of When The Cloud Explodes is always an inspiration and a joy to hear, pointing out that we can find creativity through the most mundane things in life, whilst Dry Ice is a perfect closer. An ode to sweaty clubs and gigs of yore where you’re rewarded for making the effort to get out by receiving one of the best nights of your life? Well, this has well and truly been one of those occasions.

Album of the Year – Part Two: The Top Five

Strap in kids, it’s the Official Top Five Albums of the Year courtesy of me! DEFINITIVE.

5 – The Darkness: Dreams On Toast

The Darkness have always been a band that are well-appreciated in these parts but had yet to really trouble our album of the year lists, but by being a little bit more experimental with Dreams On Toast they’ve earned their place on the countdown in 2025. Veering from glam rock sleaze on Rock And Roll Party Cowboy and AC/DC rock stomp on Walking Through Fire to country banjos on Cold Hearted Woman, the band are still shamlessly tongue-in-cheek but add a touch more sincerity and self-deprecation this time out.

Their Queen and ELO influences are happily still as prevalent as ever, as witnessed by the boppy, piano-driven The Longest Kiss whilst The Battle For Gadget Land proves to be a surprise punk number that still fits nicely in the record’s flow. The album closes with the touching and unexpected ballad, Weekend In Rome, featuring Stephen Dorff on spoken word duties and makes Dreams On Toast the most inventive and fully-realised set of Darkness tunes since Permission To Land.

4 – Eureka Machines: Everything

After nearly two decades and five records, it was looking like album number six, Everything, could be the band’s swansong, but as the cheeky Back In the Back Of Beyond attests, this might not be true, and we should be well and truly thankful for that. Everything sees all the usual themes Chris Catalyst and co are known for, the fight for a musical spotlight, turning negatives into positives and being typically British about insecurity, failure and rebirth. Only this time out they’re older, wiser and less likely to care what others think. This shines through with a study into the paranoia of the humble flag shagger that is They’re Coming To Get You as much as it does on ode-to-the-pub, The Great Indoors.

After the genuinely moving Home, it’s good to see the band couldn’t end things there, instead raising a friendly middle finger on We Don’t Have Much, But It’s Ours and closing with the swirling and majestic Beautiful Day. This is another life-affirming collection of great British rock from one of the most talented bunch of underdogs around. Ace.

3 – Dinosaur Pile-Up: I’ve Felt Better

The most joyous comeback of the year definitely fell to DP-U with the cathartic I’ve Felt Better blasting out of the blocks following a period of ill-health in the band. Backed by the bounciest, most insane live shows of the year, each song on the album feels like catching up with an old friend. Picking up where Celebrity Mansions left off six years ago, the band’s new record is catchy, angry, happy, groove-ridden and absolutely irresistible.

‘Bout To Lose It is a statement of intent as euphoric as any opener this year, whilst Big Dogs has proven an instant live favourite with its huge singalong chorus. Love’s The Worst starts as a tender ballad before launching into another head banging crowd-pleaser and Quasimodo Melonheart builds into a touching ode to the support of others when you’re as low as you can go. It’s great to see DP-U have lost none of their honesty, wit or genius during their extended absence and the band have truly never sounded better.

2 – Ghost: Skeletá

Love him or loathe him, Tobias Forge continues to write ridiculously catchy, stadium-sized pop rock that makes Ghost worthy of their giant rituals in arenas across the globe. Having previously covered the return of the antichrist, global plague, the fall of empires and a godless future for mankind, Skeletá is certainly more introspective, yet it doesn’t shy away from some big uninhibited singalong numbers too. Singles Lachryma and Satanized are incessantly hummable, whilst the chugging Marks Of The Evil One is impossible not to yell along with.

The band’s most 70s and 80s-inpsired record to date,  Skeletá is awash with homages to Def Leppard, Status Quo and Journey among others, but it’s also Ghost‘s most seductive and brooding offering. Touching ballads Guiding Lights and Excelsis snuggle up nicely next to the balls-to-the-wall satanic romps and although there’s one slight mis-step with the high-camp silliness of Missilia Amori, Ghost’s sixth album is a tantalising triumph.

1 – Creeper: Sanguivore II – Mistress Of Death

Southampton punks turned 80s pomp-gothers Creeper obviously knew they were onto a good thing with their recent foray into vampiric rock opera, opting not to completely reinvent themselves with latest opus Sanguivore II – Mistress Of Death. Instead, the band have released a straight sequel to 2023’s Sanguivore, this time telling the tale of a vampiric rock band running roughshod over 80s America; picture the Lost Boys speeding into the moonlight with Meatloaf and Jim Steinman riding shotgun as the band’s fourth full-lengther turns the synthy vibes up to 11. Bona fide bangers like the riffy lead single Headstones and the anthemic Prey For The Night are brilliantly aided by Tom Dalgety’s trademark clean-as-a-whistle production and we’re also treated to bonus gospel bursts courtesy of Chantal Lewis-Brown from much missed afro-doomsters Vodun.

Parasite pulls from Bon Jovi as much as it does from Ghost whilst things get sultry and sexy on the Alannah Myles-esque Razor Wire complete with slinky sax solo. The Black House is what happens when Pete Steele starts rolling in the hay with Bauhaus before moving into a monstrous Sisters Of Mercy chorus and The Crimson Bride sneaks in a cheeky Iron Maiden gallop to close out the record. With Sanguivore II it simply FEELS like the full realisation of this incarnation of Creeper, more mature, more rounded, yet no less fun, and infinitely dark and powerful. The horniest of Dracula music indeed.

Album of the Year 2025 – Part One

It’s that time of year again isn’t it? The turkey’s been taken down, the decorations are just about all eaten and no-one’s got a cock in hell’s chance of knowing what day it is. Well LET ME TELL YOU, it’s time for my almost-annual review of the great and the good from the world of popular music! And WHAT a year it’s been. Before we get into the Bruno Brookes countdown section, let’s quickly run through the best of the rest…

The Scaramanga Six knocked out not one but TWO albums this year and Sleep Like The Tollund Man from Dearth may just be one of my favourite songs of the year. Those guys continue to surpass themselves, and prove that British music is fighting fit. They’ve been ably supported in this via cracking efforts from The Wildhearts, Bush, Ash, James And The Cold Gun, Vukovi, Black Spiders, Penfriend, Panic Shack, Cradle Of Filth, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Ricky Warwick and Margarita Witch Cult.

Metal proved that it was in the rudest of health too with cracking long players from Machine Head, Volbeat, Pupil Slicer, Messa, The Halo Effect, Castle Rat, and Orbit Culture and it was great to see Beastmilk supremo Mat McNerney back with his new outfit Scorpion Milk.

Lady Gaga also made it onto frequent death deck rotation with her return to electro-pop form on Mayhem and Jo Quail put out another stunning orchestral effort with Notan.

Now, onto the main event as we count down from 10 to six in our Albums Of The Year 2025…

10 – The Lottery Winners: KOKO

If you were worried the band’s new-found friendship with Robbie Williams would see them lose some of their down to earth, everyman qualities, you’d be sorely mistaken as with KOKO (Keep On Keeping On for the uninitiated) The Lottery Winners swiftly pulled together another album of irresistible, relatable ear worms. Roping in a bunch of friends once more, the radio hit You Again (with Reverend and the Makers’ Jon McClure) as well as the upbeat Dirt And Gold (with Frank Turner) and epic rock ballad Ragdoll (with Chad Kroeger) are all brilliant in their own right but it’s in tender biographical songs such as UFO that the band truly capture the heart-warming magic.

9 – Witch Fever: FEVEREATEN

I first saw Witch Fever years ago in a small upstairs room in Manchester and this year had the privilege of watching them stalk the stage of the huge AO Arena. It’s testament to their violently brutal songwriting and on-the-money rage that they’re being picked for tours such as that one with Volbeat and Bush, giving them the opportunity to get the intensity in songs such as Dead To Me! and the bass-driven Northstar over to more and more people. Gargantuan, bowel-loosening riffs punctuate the entirety of Fevereaten and if this is only album number two, the future is only going to get better and better for the band.

8 – The Hyena Kill: Collapse

It’s been four years since previous outing A Disconnect and serious personal trauma in the band has helped to shape Collapse into an absolute monster. THK have always been a band who can effortlessly veer from dark shoegaze to brutality at the drop of a hat but this time out their visceral power is bigger and better than ever. Porcelain in particular (featuring False Advertising‘s Jen Hingley) is atmospheric, brooding and ultimately beautiful.

7 – The Last Dinner Party: From The Pyre

Perhaps a bit of a Marmite band, From The Pyre really puts The Last Dinner Party on the map as brilliant songwriters, super-talented musicians and future festival headliners. The biting satire, bold feminism and theatrics are this time backed by darker tales of fame and revenge whilst keeping that melodic, Kate Bush-esque whimsy. This Is The Killer Speaking is bop-worthy brilliance whilst Rifle is a fuzzed-up monster making this an album that’ll smile sweetly in your direction whilst kicking you repeatedly in the shins.

6 – Paradise Lost: Ascension

I’m not sure you can have a return to form when you’ve been as consistently good as PL have for decades, but just when you think they can’t possibly have anything left up their miserable sleeves, the riff on Serpent On The Cross blasts out and all is right with the world once more. Silence Like The Grave almost gives off an Eastern vibe whilst Tyrants Serenade veers between melody and gruffness with aplomb. Taking cues from the classic Icon as well as being a natural continuation of the Obsidian sound, Ascension is a brooding, windswept masterpiece.

But who could possibly better this lot I hear you ask! Well, maybe I’ll tell you…in a little while.

Ghost – Manchester AO Arena – 15th April 2025

Ghost frontman Tobias Forge, during a phone-allowed performance

The music business is a strange land. There are so many great bands plugging away at pubs and clubs despite the obstacles thrown at them that it’s to be commended they still persevere. The rising cost of living impacts attendances at shows, whilst in a post-pandemic world people simply aren’t out and about as much as they used to be. Coupled with Spotify nullifying the ability to actually make money from your bread and butter, the music, it’s a tough old slog.

But then you have the big boys, the ones capable of filling an arena with hordes of suddenly affluent gig-goers and hawk merchandise at massively inflated prices. And here we find ourselves, metal titans Ghost have arrived at Manchester’s AO Arena once more to perform to a ‘sold out’ crowd (some tickets became available on the day), but it isn’t completely without risk despite the grandeur of the occasion…

Firstly, the show is a ‘phone-free performance’ meaning your phone is inserted into a magnetised pouch just after you’ve had your ticket scanned and then you pop it into your pocket for the night. When first announced there was uproar from those claiming everything from “what if I need to take a call?” to “I monitor my medical condition using it.” There were certainly a couple of valid points, but overall the scheme is designed to make the whole experience fairer and more immersive, and it certainly succeeds in that – the process of pouching is quick and easy, staff are friendly and efficient, and not seeing a single screen around you at such a big show is SO refreshing. Yes there are times you instinctively reach to take ‘that quick photo’ when you see something suitably spectacular, and it does make it a little harder for those trying to find their friends mid-gig after a trip to the toilet or bar, but overall, it only helped keep the audience more attentive and enthralled in the show.

The next risk is possibly less of one, but in a world where bands make so much of their income from merch it isn’t exactly a surprise that prices are ramped up for an arena show (where presumably the venue is taking a significant cut too). Simple t-shirts are £45, plush dolls £40, batwing hoodies an eye-watering £100… after paying nearly £100 for a ticket already, it’s a big ask, but looking at the huge queues, it was a risk worth taking.

Another interesting thing about this show is the lack of support bands. Last time here, Ghost brought along Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats and Twin Temple to entertain us early doors, but tonight is a straightforward doors – 6.30pm, show – 8pm, hometime – 10pm plan. It certainly means people are locked in their places earlier than usual and anticipation isn’t quelled. Hopefully this isn’t the new norm, as smaller bands NEED these big support slots to reach new audiences, but as a one-off, on a Tuesday night, it wasn’t a terrible idea.

And now, onto the show itself. More risky business! As the first night of a new album-promoting world tour, no-one knows what to expect, especially when said new record isn’t actually released until next week (a bit of a scheduling faux pas). So far, we’ve heard two new singles, but that’s it, and as we wait for the shrouded stage to be revealed you wonder whether the band will risk focusing too much on new, unfamiliar material. Well, this certainly doesn’t seem to be something they’ve considered, because when the drapes fall, the band launch into new album opener Peacefield followed swiftly by Skeletá’s second track Lachryma whose video we received only the previous week.

Fortunately the latter’s catchy chorus immediately gets the crowd singing although some bemused faces don’t appear to be completely up to date with the band’s latest work. And it’s no real surprise that it takes a little while to click when there’s so much to take in – a throbbing grucifix dangles tantalisingly over us and the band of nameless ghouls have new clobber too, bedecked in shiny stormtrooper nun habits and steampunk top hat and tails respectively. It’s a vision in black and chrome, with the light playing off their masks as they prowl the stage and swap solos.

Oh and then there’s the small matter of the ‘new’ frontman too. Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge has introduced new personas for himself on most album cycles and now we’re treated to the debut of Papa V Perpetua. Gone is the full wibbly prosthetic, replaced by a Phantom Of The Opera half-mask with black and white jaw paint. It’s certainly Tobias’ most ‘human’ creation to date, giving him the freedom to show more expression, but he seems somewhat subdued compared to his predecessors. This might just be the direction he wants the character to take but it’s night and day compared to the flamboyant Cardinal Copia.

Also distancing things from what has gone before is the relative lack of familiar songs from their last album. Only Darkness At The Heart Of My Love makes an appearance from 2022’s towering Impera, and even that is getting its first-ever live outing. That’s right, there’s no Spillways, no Kaisarion, no Call Me Little Sunshine, not even a cheeky Hunter’s Moon. It’s certainly one way to kick off a new era and it largely works as space is given to older songs and deeper cuts even if it leaves newer fans a little befuddled.

The other big risk taken is the amount of time and money that has obviously been spent on giving the fans a spectacle worthy of them locking their precious mobiles away for 120 minutes. After the initial stage set we’re treated to a giant bunch of stained glass windows with appropriate demon slap bang in the middle, but this set abruptly ‘shatters’ before He Is, with a new set of windows growing during the song, including a suited Jesus who blasts off into space at the end. Yes, you read that sentence correctly.

The final backdrop is a fiery post-apocalyptic wasteland and it’s appropriately soundtracked with Rats (both of which will no doubt go down well in Birmingham next week). The ensuing finale hits brilliantly with the bouncy Kiss the Go-Goat followed by the riffy Mummy Dust and returning classic Monstrance Clock in quick succession. As the closing “come together…” refrain rings out, we’re left sated but expectant – are we really not going to get anything else from Impera? What about Faith? Where is Absolution? Fortunately after a short break we get the closing salvo of Mary On A Cross, Dance Macabre and Square Hammer and we head home via the phone unlocking stations joyous at what we’ve witnessed.

Was it a spectacle? Most definitely. Were there surprises? 100%. Will this new era stand up to what has come before? I think so. It’s certainly going to be different, and there were times where the band and Tobias felt like they were finding their feet which was only to be expected on night one of a massive global tour. The new Papa is less seedy and seems more accommodating and respectful of his ghouls and the change in schtick is welcome. He did at one point fluff his lines, forgetting to re-emerge from backstage for an additional vocal during new song Umbra. And the less said about asking an audience in Manchester Arena of all places if they “like things that go boom” the better. These mis-steps aside, dropping the more familiar spiel helped to quicken the pace of the set and fit more songs in (21 in total). A promising start which only served to whet the appetite of those eager to get their corpse painted hands on the new record next week.

And if phone-free gig experiences are the future, I certainly won’t be too upset either.

Hail Satan!

The centre of attention – how can we save our cities?

The other day I spotted an interesting article from the Manchester optician and eyewear retailer Seen on the draw of a UK city centre in 2024. They outlined their surprise that people hadn’t ventured into Manchester for quite some time and it got me thinking; how has the face of a city centre changed in 2024 and what can be done to overcome all the challenges faced in getting people out and about?

As we all know, the world is a very different place post-pandemic. In 2019 and early 2020 I had bus and tram season tickets, I was in a city centre office five days a week and I was a regular visitor to numerous city centre pubs, bars, cafes and shops. Fast forward to 2024 and I’m in the city centre once a week, midweek and maybe twice a month over weekends. I buy flexible transport tickets and sometimes I’ll get an Uber solely for convenience (well, and because I’m not spending £150 a month on other transport). The city centre landscape has certainly changed because of many of us altering our habits like this.

Things I used to take for granted, albeit some arguably old fashioned behaviours, simply aren’t possible anymore, such as picking up a magazine from WH Smith on Market Street now that it’s closed, along with many other typical high street retailers. Banks disappeared from the city centre but then re-opened as faux-coffee shops, trying to create a more open and relaxed environment rather than a purely transactional experience, whilst bubble tea and vapes are now filling every other unit rather than clothes and homewares.

But why such massive change? With WH Smith, the writing was probably on the wall some time ago; their core business of books and stationery had been undercut first by supermarkets and then by online retailers, and they couldn’t ever have survived solely on increasing Haribo stocks in the hope of drawing people in. Wilko’s disappearance was perhaps a little more surprising as it seemed to be a popular place for people to search out cheaper homewares, but when people are up against it financially (or being told they are by the media), they’ll start to look elsewhere, with pound shops and online once again coming to the fore.

Hospitality has also taken a hit. With rises in rates, utilities, wages and produce, the December “boom” of yore which used to see pubs, bars and restaurants through the more fallow new year months hasn’t been enough, with Black Dog Ballroom already shutting this year (after a slew of others in 2023) and places like Cottonopolis and Sud adapting their concepts to bring in a different demographic. Some businesses appeared to see this coming, Beautiful Drinks for one slimmed down their operation recently, disposing of the Home Sweet Home brand and focusing on the two core city centre Almost Famous restaurants instead.

The Northern Quarter’s first major closure of 2024 – Black Dog Ballroom

So, what’s causing these closures? Are we simply in traditional “boom and bust” territory? It wouldn’t be a new thing, the “dirty burger” scene in Manchester went crazy in the mid to late Noughties but portion sizes reduced at the same pace as the restaurants selling them when the pinch hit. It was great while it lasted, but times and tastes change.

Customer comments after closures can also be telling. Black Dog’s announcement was met with shouts of “good riddance” by many citing over-zealous door staff and a bad vibe. My own experience of the place also changed over the years, going from a regular on a Friday night to a “maybe if it’s the only place open in the Northern Quarter late at night” visit. I can even pinpoint when this change happened to one Friday when bouncers came over, picked up our pints and poured them without warning into plastic glasses when the clock struck a certain hour. Not exactly a relaxing experience, even if it was caused by licencing restrictions that had been imposed by the authorities…

As well as the knock-on effect of rising costs on hospitality, you also need to consider HOW people get to a city centre. If you want them to drink, public transport needs to be reliable and frequent enough, but instead trains have been beset by strikes, trams are getting more unpleasant by the day with anti-social behaviour and buses are in perma-gridlock. Driving is pricey, even more so with the city council collecting over £10m in bus lane fines down Oxford Road in 18 months. Car parks in Manchester can also be expensive for the non-drinkers, and some bars such as Brewdog have actually introduced free alcohol-free drinks to encourage Dry January practitioners and tee-totallers alike.

Don’t forget that we’ve all become a few years older too and as well as the pandemic forcing the issue a bit, people’s priorities are now with family, kids, pets and property rather than Friday drinks and meals out. There doesn’t appear to be a younger demographic coming through to replace the old guard either, with a recent study showing that two in five under-25s don’t drink.

Attitudes seem to have changed in other ways too. Driven by the rise in the cost of living, people want things for free more than ever, even feeling that they are entitled to it. They’re not buying music when they can get it for free or for one small subscription payment. They’re not as bothered about the cinema when they’ve invested in their TVs and streaming services which have become their closest companions whilst stuck at home for so long. And if they’re not cooking, they’re less likely to travel out for food when such a vast array can be motorbiked to their door. People even seem reluctant to pay for public transport despite singles on Manchester’s buses being reduced to £2 indefinitely, and various other subsidies, as proven by over 55,000 fines being handed out on the Metrolink tram network between January and September 2023.

So what can a city centre business do about it all? The rising cost of just about everything means diversification is key and it’s a real balancing act. Northern Quarter restaurants are now inundated with Deliveroo and Uber Eats drivers, sometimes to the detriment of those who have bothered to turn up to eat in person, so places really need to make sure they’re sufficiently staffed for both which can’t be an easy task at all.

Steak, eggs and crispy potatoes from Tallow @ New Century

It’s not all doom and gloom though. Many bars are surviving the storm and battling through. Northern Quarter stalwart Pie & Ale continues to be a great place for sport watching and socialising and the awesome fit-out of New Century featuring impressive food by Tallow among others has been a great new addition to the city centre food and drink landscape. Breweries themselves have been hit by rises in costs but taprooms such as Track are becoming more and more popular and have become a great, relaxed, spacious environment for friends to meet with the option for casual eats if required. Elsewhere, Northern Monk have done a great job with the former Kosmonaut, offering a chilled out vibe and great drinks on tap, with Squawk doing similarly with Pelican (the former Beatnikz NQ), Pomona Island with North Westward Ho and Vocation with Society.

Tasty pizza from Slice Culture @ Track Taproom

Yes, the price of some pints may now be £6-£7 but if there’s a decent experience to be had, there are still people out there with the money to spend on it. Manchester can and will still get busy but we need the places to be there ready for it – on a random Saturday in October 2023 myself and a friend tried seven different venues to get some food, with all being fully booked. It certainly didn’t look like a cost of living crisis was in operation on that day and with more city centre accommodation being built all the time, the situation can only get busier.

Finally, it’s down to the city’s leaders to ensure they’re doing their bit. They should be doing everything they can to keep the streets clean and push crime to a minimum, ensuring the city centre is a place that people want to see and be seen in. Places like Bristol, Leeds and Sheffield have seen some great, sustainable redevelopment whilst Manchester is starting to look like its lagging behind with its delayed Town Hall/St Peter’s Square redevelopment and increasingly lacklustre Christmas Markets. Andy Burnham and Sacha Lord are often in the news pushing for an end to homelessness and help for hospitality but they need to look closer to home to see what they and the departments they work with are doing to get the basics right for the city, so that businesses and customers are all encouraged to get back together there like it’s 2019 all over again.