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David Hughes

David Hughes

After five or so years drifting, after his 'A' level passes failed to secure a university place, David Hughes, MBE, was offered the job as a reporter on the Gravesend edition of the Kent Messenger. His previous fanaticism for the pirate radio ships and forts gave him an immediate niche – Gravesend being the port for tenders to the estuary forts – and his accumulated cuttings file secured him five years of fun at Disc and Music Echo from 1967-1972.

From there he jumped the fence into PR, working at Polydor for six years and then EMI, where he began by running the UK end of the Tamla Motown label and ended as Corporate Public Relations head for the company, from 1978-1998. Since 1998 he has enjoyed EMI's pension every bit as much as he enjoyed his working life!

20 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Pink Floyd: Freak out comes to town

Profile and Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 22 July 1967

MUCH HAS been written, and even more said, of the whys and wherefores of the Pink Floyd. ...

The Beatles: Down in Deepest Beatle-land, All John Gets is Love

Report by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 5 August 1967

DOWN IN the prosperous community of St. George's. Hill, Weybridge, in Surrey, something stirred. It wasn't a bird – it was a caravan, John Lennon's ...

Tom Jones: The Champagne World of Tom Jones

Profile and Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 5 August 1967

'The doctor says champagne is good for the throat' ...

The Herd, Marmalade, Traffic, The Tremeloes, The Who: The Who, Traffic, the Tremeloes, Marmalade, the Herd, the Dream: City Hall, Sheffield

Live Review by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 4 November 1967

TREMELOES IN top form; Pete Townshend having another "smashing" time; Herd's Peter Frampton a solo smash; still screams for Traffic's Stevie; impressive debut for the ...

Amen Corner: David Hughes reporting from... Amen Corner, where seven stars are poster crazy!

Report and Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 10 February 1968

Andy Fairweather-Low takes us on a tour of a hit group's house ...

The Hollies, Paul Jones, The Scaffold: The Hollies, Paul Jones, Scaffold, the Mike Vickers Orchestra: Lewisham Odeon, London

Live Review by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 1 June 1968

HOLLIES tour — puts life into live shows ...

Whatever Happened To All The Christmas Hits?

Report and Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 30 November 1968

REMEMBER THAT golden oldie from the King Presley, 'Blue Christmas'? 'Twas something of a hit four years ago, and in 1968 just about sums up ...

Jethro Tull: Why It's Wrong To Judge Jethro Tull By Looks

Report and Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 14 June 1969

HEREWITH A MESSAGE to all dubious parents who are still of the opinion that every hairy and strangely attired pop group — like the one ...

The Herd, Humble Pie, The Small Faces: Helpings of Humble Pie

Interview by David Hughes, Disc, 9 August 1969

IF THERE'S one particular impression of Humble Pie that sinks deeper than any other, it's the name. ...

Jethro Tull: "The Only Thing We Have In Common Is Our Music"

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 8 November 1969

IT'S QUITE possible that John Peel — let's face it, the creator of Britain's underground scene — does not like Jethro Tull. John was praising ...

Emerson Lake & Palmer: 'ELP is on the way

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 6 June 1970

IN THIS age of musical complexity, of musicians caring and playing more for themselves and their personal satisfaction than for their hard-working, hard-paying audiences, 'ELP ...

Clarence Carter: Am I A Bit Of A Fraud?

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, October 1970

CLARENCE CARTER is beginning to think perhaps he's a bit of a fraud! So many people are rushing out to buy his first British hit ...

Marmalade: Marmalade May Become Even Tastier

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 20 March 1971

HUGHIE NICHOLSON is fairly small, very handsome, likeable, unassuming, smart and – so they tell me – a more-than-adequate guitarist, singer and writer. ...

Osibisa Swing From the Jungle

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 29 May 1971

OSIBISA – the name is now on the lips of everyone just as we prophesied. The criss-cross rhythms are exploding with happiness right across the ...

Rick Wakeman, The Strawbs: Rick Wakeman: The Down To Earth Star

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 5 June 1971

RICK WAKEMAN has been described as the saviour of the Strawbs, a musical genius, the great white wonder of progressive music and numerous other pretentious ...

The Pioneers: A high-class comeback for the Pioneers of reggae

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 28 August 1971

'LET YOUR Yeah Be Yeah' marks the return of the Pioneers to the chart after a two-year absence. It was in 1969 they came into ...

Hotlegs, The Moody Blues: Hotlegs are on the rood again... at last!

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 4 December 1971

IF YOU were among the lucky audiences on the recent Moody Blues tour you can't fail to have been impressed by the surprise live debut ...

Patto's Royal Command Performances

Report and Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 25 December 1971

MIKE PATTO and his friends like to be known as the last of the raving bands – and they may well be right. Meeting them ...

Steamhammer's Fight for Survival

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 15 January 1972

STEAMHAMMER... ah, yes, they weren't a bad blues band were they? ...

Yes: The Squire Of Notting Hill Gate

Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, 15 January 1972

...talks to David Hughes ...

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