Failed bands of my past: east London soul/funk hustlers, Apartment
Here’s another glimpse into one of the long and many ‘lean’ years of my music career. This time it’s June 1983, and I can be seen youthfully posing at the …
Read MoreTag: the Monochrome Set
Tokyo photos: street scenes, signs, architecture, a beer cocktail and the Monochrome Set
Here’s my final selection of photos from my trip to Tokyo a while back. This time I was taking pictures of the architecture, street signs and people plus some scenes …
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Newcastle and Gateshead photos: Millennium and other bridges, River Tyne, rain and night time street scenes
Newcastle is a bloody great city, and The Monochrome Set always get a particularly raucous welcome when we visit, so it was a pleasure to be back this weekend, despite …
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Dundee photos: Desperate Dan, street scenes, architecture, Tunnock’s and salt shaker seediness
Last weekend, I headed up north to Dundee, a Scottish east coast trading port once known as the city of “jute, jam and journalism” and – of course – the …
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Glasgow photos: rainswept roads, street scenes, urban art and winter sun, Feb 2020
I was up in chilly and wet Glasgow over the weekend playing a show with The Monochrome Set – here’s some photos from my brief stay.
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In photos: the fabulous Gravity Rock bar in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Tucked away in a Shinjuku alley and up a flight of stairs is the wonderful Gravity rock bar, a diminutive venue which wedges in a fully stocked bar and a …
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In photos: A drinking night out in Liverpool – Jimmy’s, The Grapes and the Motel Bar
On the weekend, I was back up in one of my favourite UK cities, with the Monochrome Set playing a show at Jimmy’s in Liverpool. Here’s some photos from my …
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Coimbra, Portugal: 100 photos of night scenes, street art, architecture and Christmas lights
Last weekend, I was in the beautiful historic riverfront city of Coimbra in central Portugal, and managed to grab these 100 photos as I wandered through the narrow cobbled streets …
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In photos: Paris, street art, architecture and The Monochrome Set
I was back in Paris a few weekends ago, playing a show with The Monochrome Set at the Petit Bain, a floating 45-meter-long floating cultural venue. Here’s some pictures from …
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Bristol photos: street art, station, gigs, pubs and rain
I was back up in Bristol playing a show on the weekend, and although my time in the city was brief, I managed to grab some photos on my travels:
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The Monochrome Set and support at the Lexington in Islington, Sat 28th Sept 2019 – photos
Fresh from a BBC6 radio session in Maida Vale on Thursday, the Monochrome Set played a sold-out album launch party at the Lexington in Islington, north London. We were launching …
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In photos: Another look around the BBC’s Maida Vale studios with The Monochrome Set, Sept 2019
The Monochrome Set were back recording in the BBC’s wonderful studios in Maida Vale, west London yesterday. I first visited the studios back in September 2016, where we performed in …
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In photos: Exarchia, Athens at night – street scenes, bars, street art and rooftop views
Last weekend, I was wandering around the Athens Exarchia neighbourhood late at night, enjoying some of the bars and taking in the sights. Here’s some photos from my nocturnal travels:
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In photos: The Griffith Observatory and Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California
On the last day of our US tour, the band’s driver – the ever-accommodating Steve Michener – took us up to Griffith Park, where we were able to enjoy commanding …
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On tour in America: road signs, street lights, snow, wires and traffic signs in 100 photos
Here’s a set of photos of road signs, street lights, wires and traffic signs from the east and west coasts of America. I grabbed the pictures as I toured with …
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Tour diary – The Monochrome Set on the west coast of the USA
In March this year, The Monochrome Set embarked on a breakneck USA tour, packing in nine gigs in ten days on both the East and West coasts of America. Merchmeister …
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In photos: The Monochrome Set at the BAM festival, Barcelona, Sept 2018
Last September, The Monochrome Set played the main stage at the BAM Festival in Barcelona and had a brilliant time of it. We were playing in front of thousands of …
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Lost London: photos of The Astoria, 12 Bar Club, Denmark St and street scenes, Nov 2008
Here’s a selection of London scenes photographed over a decade ago. Above, you can see the much-missed Astoria Theatre which was cruelly flattened to make way for CrossRail. Read more …
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A damp and grey day in Sheffield – with high-level flasher, main roads and The Monochrome Set, Feb 2019
Last weekend, I paid my second visit to Sheffield in recent times and once again failed spectacularly to see anything of what I know is a most excellent city.
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Stockton-on-Tees photos: street market scenes, rain, walking barrels and bargain hunters, Dec 2018
A market town in County Durham, Stockton-on-Tees is famous for its associations with the friction match and the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which operated the world’s first steam-hauled passenger train in …
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Zaragoza photos: Colours, life, street art, signs, architecture and The Monochrome Set
The capital of northeastern Spain’s Aragon region, Zaragoza overlooks the Ebro River and is famous for its Islamic and Gothic architecture. However, my attention was more taken by the vivid colours, …
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Hamburg photos: signs, stickers, street art, street markets and The Monochrome Set
Here’s a selection of photographs taken around Hamburg earlier this year. Once again, I was back in the city with my band, The Monochrome Set, although this time it was …
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P’tit Faystival – where a tiny village in Belgium goes crazy for music, July 2018
Located in the tiny village of Petit-Fays, near Bièvre, in the south of the province of Namur in Belgium, the P’tit Faystival is one of the most unlikely places to stumble …
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The fabulous La Ferme Electrique festival, Tournan en Brie, France, with The Monochrome Set, Fri 6th July 2018
La Ferme Electrique is a fabulously friendly small musical festival in Tournan-en-Brie, some 25 minutes from Paris via train, that runs over two nights in July. Small scale, alternative, fiercely …
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Mainz in photos: architecture, tasty train meals, street scenes and The Monochrome Set, May 2018
Located on the River Rhine, Mainz was founded as a military post by the Romans in the late 1st century BC and is famous as the home of the movable-type printing …
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