Library Rock's Backpages

Penny Kiley

Penny Kiley

Penny Kiley began her freelance career as the Melody Maker's token punk rocker (and Liverpool correspondent) in the late 1970s and also wrote for Smash Hits during the early '80s. 

She was pop columnist for the Liverpool Echo for several years, during which she tried hard to avoid mentioning the Beatles.

She is retired from the music business (for now) and currently makes a living as a web editor. She enjoys the occasional rant about music here and shares her musical memories here.

41 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Penetration: Mountford Hall, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 5 May 1979

Pauline in the safety zone ...

Wayne County & The Electric Chairs: Wayne County: Eric's, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 19 May 1979

...and then he was she ...

pragVEC: Eric's, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 26 May 1979

pragVEC'S THIRD visit to Liverpool, and a quiet Thursday night at Eric's. A handful of people were scattered around the club to watch Penetration (playing ...

The Cramps: Hoodoo Rhythm

Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 9 June 1979

"To see in rock and roll something other than immediate obsolescence demands faith and patience." PENNY KILEY draws a bead on the Cramps, America's rockabilly ...

The Teardrop Explodes: Teardrops Rising

Report and Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 21 July 1979

Are Teardrop Explodes the best thing to come out of Liverpool since… (oh, you know who)? And where do Echo and the Bunnymen fit in? ...

Buzzcocks, Joy Division: The Buzzcocks, Joy Division: Mountford Hall, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 12 October 1979

OF IMAGES AND IDOLS ...

The Passions: Eric's, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 26 January 1980

THE PASSIONS' return to Liverpool was a pleasant surprise after their last visit, when inauspicious circumstances had clouded their performance. And another contrast was provided ...

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Eric's, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 23 February 1980

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES are going to be big. It's the opening night of an important tour, on home ground (almost), and the message is there. It's there ...

Nightmares in Wax: Eric's, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 1 March 1980

IT'S THE Nightmares in Wax's second gig after a long break. The previous week's appearance (at Liverpool's Everyman Bistro) was a disappointment, marred by alcohol ...

Nightmares in Wax: Bravado and Porn

Profile and Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 22 March 1980

FOR ALL those who saw the Police on tour last summer and hated the support band because they weren't tasteful, here's another band you'll hate: ...

Eric's: An Undignified Death

Report by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 29 March 1980

PENNY KILEY on the demise of Liverpool Eric's — the city's rock 'n' roll heart. ...

Ultravox: Vienna (Chrysalis)

Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 5 July 1980

HERE'S the first Ultravox album since signing to Chrysalis, and the first since Midge Ure filled the space left by John Foxx. The new lead ...

Ultravox

Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 2 August 1980

Penny Kiley uncovers a smile on the face of the robots, and discovers that synthesizers are just rock'n'roll hardware. ...

Buzzcocks: A problem in communication

Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 4 October 1980

PENNY KILEY talks to the Buzzcocks ...

Delta 5, Gang of Four, Pere Ubu: Gang of Four, Pere Ubu, Delta 5: Mountford Hall, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 21 March 1981

Firing on all Four ...

Rip Rig And Panic: Warehouse, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 23 January 1982

That's entertainment ...

Pigbag: Warehouse, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Smash Hits, 1 April 1982

PIGBAG ARE 'HOT' at the moment and so are the audience — very hot. The Warehouse Club (originally a real warehouse and cosily underground like ...

Everything But The Girl, Marine Girls, Tracey Thorn: Marine Girls: On the beach

Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 3 April 1982

Penny Kiley gets in the swim with the Marine Girls and discovers fishy goings-on in Hatfield. ...

Frantic Elevators: Adam's Club, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 10 April 1982

Glad tune rising ...

Gang Of Four: Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Smash Hits, 24 June 1982

THE GANG OF Four are one of the few groups who are almost always better on stage than on record. After a sticky patch last ...

Nikki Sudden: The hippest prince

Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 10 July 1982

Nikki Sudden discusses hero worship with Penny Kiley ...

Prince Far I & Creation Rebel: Dingwalls, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 19 February 1983

Enough is enough ...

Spear Of Destiny: Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Smash Hits, 17 March 1983

SPEAR OF DESTINY are not just Theatre Of Hate by a new name. In fact, pretentious names, a guitarist and a bass player are all ...

The Farm, The Style Council: Style Council, The Farm, The High V: Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 7 May 1983

NEW SOUNDS, NO STYLE ...

The Smiths: Liverpool Polytechnic

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 5 November 1983

WHAT ARE you to think when the group come on stage and start throwing flowers into the audience? On this occasion, a practical response seems ...

Tears For Fears: Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 10 December 1983

THE LIGHT show was the best thing about it. But then a "computerised lighting display" is something to compete with. And if Tears For Fears ...

Jayne County: The Pink Palace, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 8 September 1984

THE FIRST thing Jayne County has to say is "It's a bit short, can't you make it any longer?" And she was only talking about ...

Aswad, The High Five, Wah!: The Mighty Wah!, Aswad, High Five: Liverpool People's Festival, St George's Hall, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 29 September 1984

The People's Poet ...

Aswad, Wah!: The Mighty Wah!, Aswad, High Five: Peoples Festival, St George's Hall, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 29 September 1984

"THIS IS the first Liverpool gig I've ever enjoyed," announced Pete Wylie at the end of the set, and it was probably the one that ...

Depeche Mode: Empire, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 6 October 1984

SOFT SELL ...

Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Royal Court, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 5 January 1985

HOMETOWN BOYS ...

Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers: Rockin' And Romance (Rough Trade)

Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 29 June 1985

IF JONATHAN RICHMAN'S single, 'That Summer Feeling', isn't a hit this year, you can only blame it on the Met Office. Richman, eternal cult figure, ...

Half Man Half Biscuit: TV And Biscuits

Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 4 January 1986

'The Continuous Cremation Of Hattie Jacques' is a song by Birkenhead phenomenon HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT, championed by Peel and already local celebrities. Penny Kiley ...

The Icicle Works: In At The Deep End

Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 18 January 1986

Have THE ICICLE WORKS suddenly become hip? Do they actually have something to say? Penny Kiley thinks so. ...

Sandie Shaw: Liverpool University

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 5 July 1986

A GIRL CALLED SANDIE ...

Howlin' Wilf & The Vee-Jays: Cry Wilf! (Big Beat)

Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 23 August 1986

YOU COULD be mistaken into thinking this record is a joke. From the name, the nearly-trendy old-fashioned line-up (guitar and skirt, stand-up bass and cap, ...

Frank Chickens: Educating Frank

Interview by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 6 September 1986

Mixing kimonos with pink socks, FRANK CHICKENS are the ultimate culture shock. Now they sometimes forget they're not English and are firmly intent on changing ...

The Communards: Royal Court, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 29 November 1986

YOU KNEW as soon as you saw the big vases of flowers on each side of the stage that this wasn't going to be a ...

Microdisney: Liverpool Polytechnic

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 7 May 1988

HAVING RECOVERED from Edward Barton screaming at us that he's got no chicken but he's got five wooden chairs, seeing Microdisney was yet another shock. ...

The Primitives: The Royal Court, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 7 May 1988

IN MY FAR off youth, I was once most insulted when a friend dismissed 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker' as "Bubblegum". The good thing about ...

The Quireboys, Burning Tree: Royal Court, Liverpool

Live Review by Penny Kiley, Melody Maker, 5 May 1990

ON STAGE, support band Burning Tree are exhibiting the mellow, melancholy side of heavy rock and hints of the pop-rock crossover potential that the Quireboys ...

back to LIBRARY

COPYRIGHT NOTICE