Talks
John Robb: Do You Believe in the Power of Rock n Roll
Standard: £14
Concessions: £12
John Robb talks about a life in music, his bestselling Art of Darkness book, being the first person to interview Nirvana, inventing the word Britpop, adventures on the post punk frontline and much more…including how those low budget “Talking Heads “ Channel 5 pop shows are made?
John Robb is a many-faceted creature. Not just a well-known face from TV, he is also a best-selling author, musician, journalist, presenter, pundit, music website boss, publisher, festival boss, eco-warrior, vegan behemoth and talking head singer from post-punk mainstays The Membranes.
Having grown up in Blackpool before punk rock came along and saved his life, Robb formed The Membranes, the highly-influential post-punk band whose current albums have attracted critical acclaim and continue to push forwards with added choirs and musical textures.
One of the leading post-punk fanzine writers in the UK with Rox before he went on to write for the rock press with Sounds throughout the ‘80s, Robb was the first person to interview Nirvana, coined the expression ‘Britpop’ and was instrumental in kick-starting and documenting the Madchester scene. His website Louder Than War is currently the fifth most-read music and culture site in the UK, and is at the forefront of diverse modern culture. A talking head on Channel 5 music documentaries and a regular TV and radio pundit, Robb’s is renowned for his commentary on music, culture and politics. One of the UK’s leading in-conversation hosts, he has his own successful YouTube channel and the Louder Than Words book and music festival which runs in Manchester every year.
John Robb will be joined by drummer Terry Chambers for a 30-minute interview in the second half of the show.
Terry Chambers, the driving force that was at the centre of XTC, is one of the world’s most celebrated drummers. Terry was the original drummer for XTC and was with the band at its incarnation in the early ’70s until they stopped touring in 1982. Terry’s distinctive drum sounds powered tracks like Senses Working Overtime and Making Plans for Nigel. After XTC, Terry joined the popular Australian-New Zealand band, Dragon. He was also involved in session drumming. In 2017, he reconnected with ex-XTC band member, Colin Moulding and collaborated on an EP with the short-lived project TC&I
He has also written countless best-sellers ‘Punk Rock – an Oral History’ and ‘The Stone Roses and the Resurrection of British Pop. 2021 also saw him write a book on leading eco-energy boss Dale Vince titled ‘Manifesto’, and 2023 is set to see further new releases including his own autobiography and a collected works of journalism.
Running times: 2 x 45 mins sets with a 20 mins interval in between
