Northern Soul

 November: the season for fireworks, bonfires, toffee apples and the latest edition of the  Northern Soul Podcast.  Presenter and Producer Lucy McNamara is back with another ear-pleasing episode which sees her chatting to  El Whaeko . A lone wolf in years previous, Lee Atkinson aka Elwhaeko (a hybrid of nick-names applied to Atkinson throughout his life) assembled a p...

Hurrah! Lucy McNamara is back with another ear-pleasing episode of the brilliant Northern Soul Podcast. This month she chats to Young Jack , a ‘family of funk’ hailing from Kingston-upon-Hull. Young Jack are now touring with their dedicated horn section – The Horny Brass. With their latest Double A-Side single Move/Mojo , released on independent Hull label Warren Records , the band offers sp...

It’s July which means only one thing. That’s right, it’s this month’s The  Northern Soul  Podcast. Presenter and Producer Lucy McNamara is back with another sonorous episode which sees her chatting to The Lottery Winners – a four-piece indie pop band from Leigh, Greater Manchester. The band was formed by Thom Rylance (vocals/guitar), Robert Lally (guitar/voca...

It’s May which means only one thing: The Northern Soul Podcast. Presenter and Producer Lucy McNamara is back with another euphonious episode which sees her chatting to ex-Kaiser Chief, Nick J.D. Hodgson . He was one of the founding members and lead songwriters of the Chiefs but split in 2012 to write songs for the likes of Mark Ronson, Hurts and even Shirley Bassey. This year, he release...

It’s April which means just one thing – Spring has finally sprung. Well, sort of. The nights are getting lighter, the daffodils are popping up and the mood is getting sunnier. And why wouldn’t you be happy when the new month brings with it another brilliant  Northern Soul Podcast? Presenter and Producer Lucy McNamara is back with another ear-pleasing episode which sees her chatting to Steal t...

It’s the beginning of March which can only mean one thing – it’s time for this month’s  Northern Soul Podcast.  Presenter and Producer Lucy McNamara is back with another ear-pleasing episode which sees her chatting to Kinder Meccano. Based in Salford, Kinder Meccano creates immersive high energy performances with tape machines, modified keyboards, home-made instru...

Hurrah and huzzah – the Northern Soul Podcast is back! Presenter and Producer Lucy McNamara returns to Northern Soul  (yay!). After a hiatus, Lucy is back and this month she chats to The Blinders . Originally from Doncaster, The Blinders and their visceral punk rock are giving it their all. Oh, and Lucy’s playlist consists of, among others,  Ghostpoet , Fleet Foxes , Air...

Ah, the Manchester Literature Festival . It’s proper good. On this month’s Northern Soul Podcast, Laura Brown joins the festival’s Working Class Writing Tour around Manchester city centre and talks to seasoned tour guide Anne Beswick . Main image: John Cooper Clarke by Chris Payne   You can get in touch with Laura via Twitter @MsLaura_Brown or via Northern Soul @Northern_Sou...

Hurrah! It’s the September Northern Soul Podcast. In Laura Brown ’s second podcast for Northern Soul , she delves into the wonderful and fantastic world of the Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia, taking place later this month. Among her interviewees are Psych Fest organiser Craig Pennington, Super Furry Animals illustrator Pete Fowler, and Liverpool’s Phil Charnock . The L...

Hurrah and Huzzah! The Northern Soul Podcast is back! In Laura Brown’s first podcast for Northern Soul , she chats to  Barney Farmer , one of the co-creators of the  Drunken Bakers strip cartoon in Viz  magazine, as well as freelance arts editor Laura Robertson  about Liverpool Biennial , and  HOME ‘s director of film Jason Woods about Jazz on Film and  Manchester Jazz Festival . You c...

Some good and bad news this month…. The good news is that it’s time for the Northern Soul Podcast. Lucy McNamara chats to author Paul Du Noyer who, for more than 30 years, was also a music journalist. His interviewees have ranged from Madonna to Pavarotti , David Bowie to Mick Jagger and nearly everyone with a connection to The Beatles, not least Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr . Born i...

Hurrah and huzzah! It’s the April  Northern Soul Podcast. This month Lucy McNamara chats to James Holt , a singer/songwriter from Bolton who is receiving attention and praise from music industry giants and the listening public alike for his unique blend of folk and alternative rock. Following our chat with James a couple of years ago, his fans now include music legend Brian Eno and BBC 6 Music &#8...

Hurrah and huzzah! It’s the March Northern Soul Podcast. This month Lucy McNamara chats to Michelle Hussey and Natalie-Eve Williams from  BBC Introducing in Manchester . The two presenters have established an impressive track record of spotting and promoting music talent in Manchester. Over Easter weekend they are part of Radio Manchester’s BBC Radio 1 takeover. On Lucy’s playlis...

Hurrah! It’s the February Northern Soul Podcast. This month, Lucy McNamara chats to MALKA , former 6 Day Riot front-woman Tamara Schlesinger’s new alt-pop project which, according to Clash magazine is “uproariously inventive music”. Also on Lucy’s playlist are, among others, Kurt Vile ,  Steve Mason ,  Field Music , Viola Beach , Jasmine Power ,  Mavis Staples and  Buena Vi...

Christmas Eve ghost stories used to be as important a festive tradition as a mince pie. On this month’s Northern Soul Podcast, Laura Brown talks to four Northern horror writers about Christmas, ghosts, M.R. James and TV specials. She hears from John Reppion and Leah Moore , a husband and wife team from Liverpool who write comics. They have just published Ghost Stories of an Antiquary ,...

Hurrah and huzzah! It’s time for the  Northern Soul Podcast. This month  Laura Brown  asks, are we snobbish when it comes to art? She explores the concept of ‘threshold phobia’ – the physical act of walking into a room when you don’t know what to expect. After all, the unknown is incredibly daunting and ‘art’ can sometimes come with an elitist label. Are we unintent...

Hurrah and huzzah! It’s the January Northern Soul Podcast. On this month’s podcast, Lucy McNamara chats to The Mantells . This three-piece indie collaboration was described as ‘Manchester’s most exciting new band’ in 2014. Since then the guys have gone from strength to strength. Also on Lucy’s playlist this month is, among others, David Bowie , Vashti Anna , Nat...

On December’s Northern Soul Podcast, Lucy McNamara chats to The Slow Readers Club,  a Manchester-based four piece who specialise in dark and brooding indie electro.  Their music has drawn comparisons with Interpol, The Killers and The National. Northern Soul  met them at Ramsbottom Festival  earlier this year – you can watch the video here . Meanwhile, Lucy’s playlist features  O...

This month  Lucy McNamara chats to Easy Kill , a four-piece alternative rock band from Manchester, over a cuppa in The Art of Tea , Didsbury. This week’s playlist by Lucy features, among others, Depeche Mode ,  Ruby and The Rib Cage ,  Natasha Kmeto , Be Good Tanyas , Ought , Jordan Allen , The Slow Readers Club and Black Rivers . You can get in touch with Lucy via Twitter @Lucy_McNamara or via No...

It’s September, a month of uncertainties. Is it Summer, is it Autumn? Is it a season for jumpers or for t-shirts with optional cardigans? Decisions, decisions. What is certain is the quality of the monthly Northern Soul Podcast . This September Lucy McNamara chats to  Ivan Madeira , director of a short film called Child in Their Eyes which shows the struggle newcomers have in the music indus...