NAME AND SHAME
Readers ? solve my pop riddle and name the star!
This man, sinfully ugly though possessed (his friends later said) of a strange charm, rose to prominence in the 1960s with a succession of novelty hits, and quickly established himself […]

NAPALM DEATH
If you ask anyone it the music business about Napalm Death you will invariably get just the one response. “Lovely chaps” – they will say, almost as if they were the Kray Twins. You would expect them to then extoll upon […]

COMPASS OF CRIME – NORTHSIDE
If there is one band whose I Hate Music entry is self explanatory, self-reflexive and damnit just one word it is Northside. Northsides one word to describe them would be “Northside” a term of abuse so pr[…]

COMPASS OF CRIME – THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH
I rejoice when a band splits up. To me its like Christmas and my birthday all on the same joyous moment. Especially when a band as rancidly unambitious as The Housemartins called it a day. Apart from appro[…]

COMPASS OF CRIME – GO WEST
No – not the godawful paean to that homosexual homeland (or homoland I suppose) San Fransisco by the Village People. Not even the ironic – yet not – yet still rubbish version by the Pet Shop Boys (wh[…]

Ah – the east. The mysteries of old China, the lure of exotic spices, the charms of the orient. Or alternatively my old china, smelling of Old Spice and supporting the charming Leyton Orient – why if it isn’t those charming young ch[…]

TANYA HEADON’S COMPASS OF CRIME
There is nothing I like better than getting away from it all into the countryside, tramping with map and compass by my side – escaping the bustle and cacophony of city life. Actually there is one thing I li[…]

IHM LYRIC WATCH:
XTC: Mayor Of Simpleton
?Never been near a University?
So was it some sort of XTC tribute band (Ex-TC maybe) that played the following gigs:
April 21 1979 – University College, Dublin
April 22 1979 – Queen’s Univer[…]