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Damon Wise

Damon Wise

Currently with Deadline as Film Editor, Awards, I began my career as a freelance writer with Sounds in 1987, before moving onto NME as a sub-editor and then to Vox. From there I went to the short-lived film magazine Neon, followed by a stint at Empire. As a freelancer, my features and reviews have been published in Mojo, Uncut, The Guardian, The Times and The Financial Times, and I'm a regular attendee at international film festivals. In 1998 I published my first book, Come By Sunday (Sidgwick & Jackson), a biography of British film star Diana Dors. The follow-up, about William S. Burroughs and cinema, is still in the works. 

19 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Eric B. & Rakim: Eric B & Rakim: Paid In Full (4th & Broadway BRLP 5I4/CD)

Review by Damon Wise, Sounds, 19 September 1987

CENTS, NICKELS, dimes, quarters, dollar bills... if the ringing of the cash till is truly the sound of the American heartbeat, then no one can ...

Cameo: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Damon Wise, Sounds, 10 October 1987

THE MAN WITH THE FULL METAL CODPIECE ...

JM Silk, Darryl Pandy, Joe Smooth and Full House: Darryl Pandy, JM Silk, Joe Smooth and Full House: The Chicago Jackmaster House Tour, Town And Country Club, London

Live Review by Damon Wise, Sounds, 28 November 1987

TWO UP, TWO DOWN ...

Boogie Down Productions: By All Means Necessary (Jive HIP 63)

Review by Damon Wise, Sounds, 4 June 1988

FIRING FROM THE LIP ...

EPMD, Stetsasonic: Stetsasonic, EPMD: International II, Manchester

Live Review by Damon Wise, Sounds, 1 October 1988

First winter chills ...

EPMD: These Men Mean Business

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 10 December 1988

EPMD — Erick and Parrish Making Dollars — know they're the hottest US rap act to hit the decks this year. But in Europe, they ...

Cash Money and Marvelous, Kariya, Todd Terry, T La Rock: T La Rock, Kariya, Cash Money & MC Marvelous, Todd Terry: The City Never Sleeps

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 14 January 1989

Rap is being squeezed out of the clubs, but in New York the scene is still vibrant and growing. At its forefront is the hugely ...

Eric B. & Rakim: Eric B & Rakim: Chain Reaction

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 18 February 1989

They're picked on for wearing gold and singled out by samplers, but Eric B & Rakim don't mind — so long as their positive message ...

De La Soul: The Daisy Chain Gang

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 5 August 1989

De La Soul say it with flowers — and they're demonstrating the joys of rap to people who didn't even know they liked it. Damon ...

EPMD: Doing The Business

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 9 September 1989

EPMD get voted Young Moneymakers Of The Year. They tell Damon Wise how their second LP earned them little critical favour but lots of dough ...

Schoolly D: D for Delinquent

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 23 September 1989

Schoolly D has given up on his gangster past to direct his rap at the problems facing black America. Damon Wise asks what happened to ...

A Tribe Called Quest, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, Solid Posse: The Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, Solid Posse: Town And Country Club, London

Live Review by Damon Wise, Sounds, 24 March 1990

BUNGLE IN THE JUNGLE ...

Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.: Tribal Warfare

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 7 April 1990

Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. only became a musical force two years ago but they've been together all their lives. Unperturbed by the fate of the previous journo, ...

Curlew, Marc Ribot: Marc Ribot's Rootless Cosmopolitans, Curlew: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by Damon Wise, Sounds, 28 April 1990

MARC RIBOT'S fretwork was perhaps the most startling feature of the Lounge Lizards. Almost buried beneath the brass-heavy bursts of occasional melody it worked against ...

N.W.A.: Keep On Running

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 2 June 1990

With their debut album's tales of "everyday life", L.A.'s Niggers With Attitude succeeded in taking gangster rap to new levels of outrage. N.W.A.'s Eazy E ...

Primal Scream: Scream of Consciousness

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 4 August 1990

Primal Scream broke out of the indie mould with 'Loaded', and 'Come Together' should blow the gaffe. Bobby Gillespie talks to Damon Wise about music, ...

Ice Cube: Kill At Will (4th & Broadway) ****½

Review by Damon Wise, Sounds, 23 February 1991

IN COLD BLOOD ...

Professor Griff, Public Enemy: Public Enemy and Professor Griff: Divide and Conquer

Interview by Damon Wise, Sounds, 31 March 1991

Public Enemy have long been regarded as the most innovative band on the rap scene, a band whose all-important attitude has often verged on destruction. ...

HMV: Going out of style

Retrospective and Interview by Damon Wise, MOJO, May 2000

After nearly 80 years, HMV's flagship store is closing down. Damon Wise bids farewell to shellac discs, fancy uniforms and free smokes. ...

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