Tom Robinson
@gladtobegay
Followers
7,073
Following
328
Media
562
Statuses
2,800
First Tom Robinson Band formed 1977. Early supporters of #RockAgainstRacism . Known for #2468Motorway #PowerInTheDarkness #WarBaby . Current lineup formed 2003...
London
Joined August 2009
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Great poster in tonight's gig at the Georgian hotel in Coatbridge...
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Just turned 69 today - and on this sunny June morning you can almost hear the ghost of
@marycigarettes
sniggering “not for the first time, dear”. Have a lovely weekend, Twitter chums.
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A HIGH NOTE??? WTF planet is the
@Guardian
on ? The shift from buying to streaming may be great for Big Business but it's catastrophic for 99% of the people who actually MAKE the music, at a time when Covid has wiped out 99% of their live income.
@IvorsAcademy
have you seen this?
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EMI have just released the new social distancing remix of Abbey Road...
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Thinking of the brothers and lovers long gone but never forgotten… Missing you guys
#WorldAidsDay
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Petition for the Houses of Parliament to follow best business practice and minimise alcohol consumption by MPs when taking part in debates or votes. Alcohol (and drugs) impair judgement - not desirable in those who make our laws. The limits should be the same as for driving a car
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This Saturday night on
@BBC6Music
- a 90 minute career retrospective with folk legend Norma Waterson chatting to us from Robin Hood's Bay in the company of her equally legendary husband and daughter Martin and Eliza Carthy from 9.30pm.
#folk6music
RTs warmly appreciated...
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Tom Robinson Band and
@TheUndertones_
backstage at Leamington last night. A total pleasure to share a stage with these gents for the last three nights...
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When the UK left the European Union, musicians lost the ability to tour without restriction in Europe. Travelling with backline, performing & selling merchandise became massively more complicated and expensive. Can you sign this petition & RT if poss?
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Very sorry to ask this. Very sorry anyone even needs to ask this, but in light of the new lockdown please support this urgent call to protect early years carers and teaching staff like my daughter by closing nurseries & other early years settings NOW:
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FUCK FUCK FUCK - not Richard Wayne Penniman as well!!!! Even miming in a movie he was electrifying: Little Richard was truly one of the founding fathers of modern music. To be black, gay & playing The Devil's Music in 1950s America was gobsmackingly brave.
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TONIGHT on
@BBC6Music
from 2100-000 I'll be sitting in for
@gidcoe
for one last show. Our featured album is Spare Ribs by
@sleafordmods
plus archive sessions by
@ADFofficial
(2020)
@stealingsheep
(2010) &
@RoddyFrame
(1983) + a live concert by
@corneliusjapan
at the RFH in 2003
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#Save6Music
tube ads displayed on the up escalators at Oxford Circus in 2010 a month before the BBC Trust met to decide
@BBC6Music
's fate. Trust members would have seen them when travelling to BBC HQ by tube. Obviously funded by some rich fan of the station, but nobody knows who.
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On the 1st Friday of every month since March 2020,
@Bandcamp
have waived their revenue share, to support artists whose livelihoods have been disrupted by Covid. Over those Bandcamp Fridays, artists & labels have received $52m so far. The next one is a week today: Aug 6th. Pls RT?
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Causes of death in traditional folk songs. The sombre facts...
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*THE BONZO DOG DOODAH BAND have had their name stolen* Whaaat? How is this even possible - sinice they had it first and used it on certified UK hit records? A ludicrous UK legal loophole is how. Musicians - let's help the band get their won name back !!
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This is so lovely to hear. From day one TRB had a policy that our badges were always free - given away at concerts & by post. These little buttons (& the bigger yellow/black fist ones) were cheap to produce in bulk & free advertising for the band, so we never charged for them.
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It's going to be heard enough for musicians to scrape a living in the coming years. Let's try and get at least some of the unneccessary barriers to that removed...
Petition: Seek Europe-wide Visa-free work permit for Touring professionals and Artists
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"SOPHOMORE" Why do UK press releases and record reviews so often use this obscure word from US college life that nobody here *ever* uses in conversation - what's wrong with "second" for goodness sake?
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Ovaltine at bedtime = wake up GAY in the morning. Certainly worked for me...
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Danny Kustow's family have composed this beautiful epitaph for his gravestone...
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Time to update the old profile pic to something a bit more current
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GLASTONBURY AVALON STAGE 2022. Blimey - an honour to be part of this lineup !
For the first of our Glastonbury 2022 area / venue announcements, here's the amazing
@FieldofAvalon
's line-up poster for this year's Festival!
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Too right! Red Wedge at City Hall 31st Jan'86 was one *hell* of a night. Great how
@billybragg
used to go out & do the opening set. Johnny Marr was already with us but that night he got the actual Smiths to come and play unannounced, using borrowed gear: audience went APESHIT.
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By now the Tom Robinson Band would've been halfway through its May tour. This week we're missing out on playing some of my favourite places on earth: Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Newcastle. Even now I can't bring myself to delete the shows from my calendar...
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TRB's "Power In The Darkness" lyrics have evolved constantly over the last 45 years. Hear the very latest version in Leeds on Sunday 8 October at our final band gig of 2023 at Farsley
@oldwoollen
with special guest
@jack_rutterer
...
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Such a loss. Rest In Power, Lee
#legend
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, visionary master of reggae, dies aged 85
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BACK TO THE 80s all day on
@BBC6Music
... Back then I was in my 30s and rocking a mullet with highlights just like everybody else...
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STAY THE F*CK AT HOME: genius song in the style of Tom Lehrer that’s been doing the rounds uncredited on WhatsApp. It’s by Bob E Kelly (
@REKording
) can be found on his YouTube channel - please RT and give Bob a follow!
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TOM ROBINSON BAND are on tour in the UK, May 2020. If you come to any of the shows, Twitter chums, please drop by and say hello... See for full list...
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I worked hop picking all summer to save up £69 to buy my Epiphone Texan secondhand in 1970. Moved to London in 1973 and sold it the following year when short of cash. Not the worst decision I ever made, but f***ing close...
Original 60s
#Epiphone
Texan players. Clockwise from top left:
@PaulMcCartney
, Tom Robinson, Al Stewart, Wizz Jones
@alstewartinfo
,
@freshnet
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The UK government promised in July 2018 to ban the unethical - and actively harmful - practice of LGBT+ conversion therapy. 3 years later they've yet to honour that promise. Please, Twitter chums, sign & RT
@PeterTatchell
's petition at
#StopDithering
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BANDS! SONGWRITERS! After getting played by
@BBCintroducing
you may receive an email or two from pluggers saying how much they like your music, and offering their paid promo services. Please proceed with caution - and read my Warning For Artists first:
Tonight my
@BBCIntroducing
MIXTAPE
includes:
@somehappything
@Flint_Moore
@dannyjstarr
@neo101thetruth
@iseerivers
@Bethlehem_C
@plasticglass1
@marcushamblett
@auralcandyband
@warmpth
@fig_by_four
@JamesKStone
@jettaofficial
@rlewiscomposer
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Bandcamp has been taken over by the corporation Songtradr, which announced “50% of Bandcamp employees have accepted offers to join Songtradr”. As Bandcamp editorial contributor Marc Masters noted, this is “quite a way to say you laid off half your staff”.
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My tribute to our late great TRB guitarist Danny Kustow, given at his funeral in 2019
See him at work and hear his the original stem of his guitar part on 2-4-6-8 Motorway here: ... Gone but not forgotten.
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Cherry Red Records
@CherryRedGroup
are release a 2xCD TRB compilation in July covering 1977-79. It includes detailed liner notes, clippings, memorabilia and bonus tracks. Pre-order here:
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MAKE INSTAGRAM INSTAGRAM AGAIN. Petition started by
@illumitatiana
... If you agree, pls RT and sign her petition at . The only thing Zuck & co ever take notice of is numbers...
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Some of the artists we'll be playing on tonight's
#LGBTHM
#LGBTHistoryMonth
special on
@BBC6Music
from 9pm tonight...
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GIVING UP THE DAY JOB: a talk given by Tom Robinson as a final session for the
@BBCIntroducing
Live 2019 event in London on 2 November. Some advice and suggestions for music artists on possible ways to develop a paying audience for their work. Please RT
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SACHA BARON COHEN: "The ultimate aim of society should be to make sure that people are not targeted, not harassed and not murdered because of who they are, where they come from, who they love or how they pray."
Video extract here:
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Rare snap of entire TRB touring party explaining a joke to me outside the Glasgow Premier Inn last night...
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My Christmas Stocking edition of the
@BBCIntroducing
Mixtape contains 30 miniature sonic delights handwrapped by Tom Robinson. It drops this Monday (Xmas Day) across all podcast platforms including
@BBCSounds
- and on
@BBC6Music
. See for full tracklist.
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TRB 1977-79: the detailed history of the original Tom Robinson Band is now back online at Written by Steve Gardner from NKVD magazine for the 2004 reissue of Power In The Darkness and TRB TWO...
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STOPPING BORIS will take a f*cksight more than a petition - or even putting our feet on the street in the coming weeks. But that’s no reason not to do both those things. If you don’t think Dominic Cummings should be running our country, the link is here:
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Best. Larson. Cartoon. Ever. You come across "wings fall off" buttons a lot in music technology. You'll be trying to achieve some simple task like turning down the volume, when your screen suddenly goes black with the message "your entire project has been successfully deleted..."
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OH. MY. GOD. A recording of that time I played Glastonbury in 1979 with Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Nona Hendryx, Alex Harvey & Steve Hillage. We were massively underrehearsed & musically I was way out of my depth. Haven't actually dared to listen....
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Tonight (Saturday 16 Jan) on
@BBC6Music
my guest is Kate Stables of
@thisisthekit
who talked with me from Paris earlier this week about her life, career and extraordinary music. Whole show runs 9pm-midnight. See attached graphic for full playlist...
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Some people are attracted to cats – others prefer dogs. But over the years I've found there's no reason why you can't enjoy both…
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Wonderful piece by
@Okwonga
on how the England squad have already won: Like the man says, in the end it was all about love.
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Hey
@deeptanyeah
@alesserversion
@helloskilift
@benanddom
@ameliaunity
@maekarthauser
@geraintrhys1
@ALTBLKERA
@KidScaramouche
@cruushband
@energyfool
@boredatmygrans
@CroslandPiano
@amelia_coburn
@huweddy
@pecqband
@Bharatkatha
You're on 6 Music tomorrow!
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My next
@BBCIntroducing
Mixtape drops this Monday: subscribe via
@BBCSounds
Featuring 0400-0430
@cucamarasband
@pecqband
@_avenhue
@Polarized_Eyes
@lowislandmusic
@iamcarriebaxter
@peteguy_1
@pentireband
@hellochrisryan
@middle3ngland
See for tracklist
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IF YOU HAVE 3 MINS TO SPARE
@harrybakerpoet
has just blown my mind with this performance
of his poem Paper People...
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TRB arriving st SBE for tonight's show...
@SlimJimSim
@theleegriffiths
,
@freshnet
@AndyTreacey
,
#AdamPhillips
. I'm on stage with opening acoustic set from 7.35, followed by
@emilybarkerhalo
+
@LukasDrinkwater
,
@empiresend
,
@LisaKnappMusic
&
@gerrydiver
then
#TVSmith
. Band 9.20pm
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A 1978 snapshot featuring many legendary hitmakers + one or two chancers, of whom I was easily the chanciest. (My only Top 5 hit had been 2-4-6-8 Motorway in 1977). But this photoshoot was how I got to meet & work with Elton John - also my boyhood idol Paul Jones, which was nice.
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My New Year's Day edition of the
@BBCIntroducing
Mixtape drops on Monday 1st January across all podcast platforms including
@BBCSounds
- and on
@BBC6Music
- showcasing 19 artists we look forward to hearing more from in 2024. See for full tracklist...
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Brilliant cartoon by
@BrendanLoper
for
@NewYorker
magazine. Scientist staggering dazed from his time machine: "I went back to warn them, but they already knew and didn't seem to care."
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Fantastic pic of the young (1994)
@steve_lamacq
and
@jowhiley
in today's
@guardian
(see ) The pair of them have a new 8-part podcast on
@BBCSounds
called The Rise & Fall Of Britpop...
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Why thankyou
@BBC6Music
chums !!! xxx
Happy Birthday Tom Robinson (
@freshnet
)!
Sing if you're glad to be gay 💚
📻 Loud and Proud Playlist | Thursday 2nd June
📱 Listen on
@bbcsounds
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Any idea where this dystopian graphic (currently doing the rounds) originated, Twitter chums? It'd be good to give it a credit...
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SAVING MEN'S LIVES BY TALKING “I made that phone call to CALM and I thank them with all my heart because they saved my life." Please pass link on to anyone you know - male or female - who may be struggling.
The CALM web chat is now open, 5pm until midnight. Pls RT if you know anyone who may need it.
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An advert on Instagram has just asked me if I am sick of struggling with my ordinary mirror every day.
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Many were amused by Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg's reaction to the news that Esther McVey had been made the minister for common sense. He was unimpressed by the title. "I don't believe in tokenistic phrases for government posts," said the former minister for Brexit opportunities.
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Great band name, perfect song title and a top tune: "Stop Being Dickheads To Each Other" by Those Fucking Snowflakes. Lyrics may not be considered compliant enough for airplay on BBC radio but hey - please share and enjoy by Any Means Neccessary :-)
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A pleasant surprise to see the
#BlackLivesMatter
logo on a prominent banner outside Westminster School's Boat Club on the Thames in Putney. Right next to "Stay Home, Protect Hospitals, Save Lives" in Latin...
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ARTISTS! BANDS! MUSIC FANS! Can you spare time over the weekend to help us choose & promote the most interesting tunes from this week’s inbox? If so, have a skim through & choose your 5 faves at Big love & warm thanks if you’re able to help x
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That
#FaceApp
schtick works better for some people than for others.
@billybragg
and I don’t need any digital trickery to make us look old, quite the contrary. So I tried the “younger” setting for us both to see if improved matters…
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My
@BBCIntroducing
Mixtape drops on Monday. Subscribe at or on any podcast app
0400-0430:
@slyhandband
@trunkyjuno
@gmartinmusic
@mcnels0n
@666wychelm
@bingo_fury
@grandmashouseuk
@jxehaynes
@gglum_
@Lachtoday
See for full tracklist
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LONDON BANDS!!! URGENT!!! Brixton Hill Studios (near the legandary
@WindmillBrixton
) are in imminent threat of closure & THE PETITION CLOSES TOMORROW. Funky, friendly modestly-priced rehearsal studios are the lifeblood of live music in LDN PLEASE RETWEET!
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My
@BBCintroducing
Mixtape podcast drops Monday on
@BBCSounds
&
@BBC6Music
. Thanks to
@jjiszatt
@MelitaRadio
@natalieeveradio
@DJ_Roesh
@DaveGilyeat
@deanjacksondj
@JerichoKeys
@nickyrob
@shakkmusic
@Dave_Monks
@MrCarlisle
and their teams for finding & forwarding these tunes...
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Just spotted Mustang Sally alive, well & living on a street in Suburban London.
#mint
#convertible
#fordmustang
#1965model
#wilsonpickett
#classiccars
Not quite a Dagenham-built MkII 1600e Silver Fox Cortina, but then you don't see many of those around these days, either.
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Hey
@talkshowband
@diving_station
@ODDDITI
@hotwaxbandd
@HENSBENS
@pigeonstill
@thevirginmarys
@divorce_hq
@myfriendmezanmi
@mmandtdn
@wrn_jacobs
@cltdrp3
@projector_UK
@theearlypurple
@astlesmusic
You're going to be on
@BBC6Music
on Mon. See
for list...
My
@BBCintroducing
Mixtape podcast drops Monday on
@BBCSounds
&
@BBC6Music
. Thanks to
@jjiszatt
@MelitaRadio
@natalieeveradio
@DJ_Roesh
@DaveGilyeat
@deanjacksondj
@JerichoKeys
@nickyrob
@shakkmusic
@Dave_Monks
@MrCarlisle
and their teams for finding & forwarding these tunes...
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Interesting thread here, and a fair point well made. So do we think there any viable route for music makers to build a paying fanbase *outside* the clutches of the music industry - can anybody think of any examples?
@Benefitstheband
?
@eli1ah
?
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY'S BIG LIE | A THREAD 🔴
The music industry is predicated on the idea of small bands believing in
one Big Lie: that if you work hard enough, for long enough, your reward will come.
This lie gets repeated, to the point that it becomes romanticized as gospel.
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My next
@BBCIntroducing
Mixtape drops this Monday: subscribe via
@BBCSounds
Featuring 0430-0500
@bigfatbig_
@luke_royalty_
@superamorza
@nadedjamusic
@helloskilift
@Nelunlit
@wassailerfm
@floglenmusic
@ParrisRobbo
See for tracklist
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Early this Monday morning 0430-0500 on
@BBC6Music
my
@BBCIntroducing
Mixtape features
@georgemoirmusic
@lobjectifband
@lowgirllowgirl
@jaycmcr
@prettyhappyband
@HaystackMono
@lavalarue
@hello_operator
@bloodwizrd
See: for full tracklist & timings.
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Really interesting conversation between Jason (
@fit_as_fuc
) from
@sleafordmods
and
@OliDugmore
on the
@PoliticsJOE_UK
Youtube channel:
[Thx to
@GaslightTroubs
for the heads-up]
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WEST YORKS, SUNDAY 8 OCT. Come catch the Tom Robinson Band playing a rare Northern show in FARSLEY
@OldWoollen
. Tickets: [Video is of "Merciful God" featuring TR,
@theleegriffiths
& the mighty
#TVSmith
, produced by
@gerrydiver
& shot on video by
@kdeban
]
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YOU MUST WATCH this video for Kevin Rowland's version of "Rag Doll", from his album My Beauty due to be reissued for its 21st birthday in Sept.
This Saturday from 2130 we'll be repeating Kevin's candid full-length 2014 interview for my show on
@BBC6Music
.
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Tonight's final playlist is on Instagram at
Sad day when the mighty
@freshnet
has his last Saturday night show!
But what a show it's going to be. Another epic eclectic playlist! Radio shows should take note, master at work! x
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In case you've been following the story, twitter Chums, here's a clip from the actual show...
benedict cumberbatch singing in the simpsons is everything to me
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ALEXEI SAYLE is on blistering form right now - no other comic or commentator I’ve heard comes close. His barnstorming Imaginary Sandwich Bar from
@bbccomedy
is an object lesson in surreal, vitriolic standup. 4 episodes available via Listen Again at Enjoy!
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Wise words. I certainly couldn't have got through the last 20 years solely as a songwriter/performer. Getting a day job at
@BBC6Music
in 2002 was a massive & unexpected blessing. Founding Fresh On The Net and joining
@BBCIntroducing
have been small ways of paying it forward...
@gladtobegay
@Benefitstheband
Every commercial success is an anomaly. I say to artists get jobs or work where it can give you the space to live ok and time to create.
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This week's
@BBCIntroducing
Mixtape drops in the small hours of Monday morning (16 Oct) as a podcast, via
@BBCSounds
, and on
@BBC6Music
from 4-5am. Tracklist: . Featuring 17 tunes uploaded by independent artists direct to their local BBC Introducing shows.
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My next
@bbcintroducing
Mixtape drops Monday on
@BBCSounds
& on
@BBC6Music
. See for playlist. Thanks for tips to
@DaveGilyeat
@BethanElfyn
@adamwalton
@jjiszatt
@threlfalljames
@deanjacksondj
@DJAndrewMarston
@kianboylephotos
For playlist see Alt Text
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My last
@BBCIntroducing
Mixtape for 6 weeks drops in the small hours of tomorrow morning (30 Oct) as a podcast, via
@BBCSounds
, and on
@BBC6Music
from 4-5am. See for full tracklist.
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