Library Rock's Backpages

Steven Wells

Susan Williams is a pseudonym for Steven Wells
Steven  Wells

Steven Wells, aka Swells, aka Seething Wells, aka Susan Williams, aka aka aka, was one of the truly great comedians working in rock prose - a sit-down comic if ever there was one. He wrote for NME, Philadelphia Weekly and other rags, and appeared frequently on the telly. Swells died in his adopted Philadelphia in June 2009.

RBP writers pay tribute to Swellsy

178 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Steve Wright: Radio Ga-Gagging

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 September 1985

Mister Angry from Bradford, STEVEN WELLS, paints a colourful portrait of hip, sensitive Radio One DJ STEVE WRIGHT. ...

Butthole Surfers: The Butthole Surfers: Beach Bums

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 26 October 1985

Taller than Jesus, ferociously noisy, militantly gay and quite probably off their trolleys, THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS are coming to get ya, ready or not. Blubbering ...

Garry Bushell Ate My Hamster

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 22 March 1986

Soaraway Sun scribe GARRY BUSHELL finds himself on the other side of the fantastic fact-finding fence. STEVEN 'Scoop' WELLS digs a grave. ...

Julie Burchill: Woolly Bully

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 3 May 1986

It's point and counterpoint in this bout of champions; in the camel pen, bile scribbler JULIE BURCHILL, defending her high-profile prose against the red trunks ...

Pop Will Eat Itself, Stump, That Petrol Emotion: Stump, That Petrol Emotion, Pop Will Eat Itself: Bay 63, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 13 September 1986

SWAMP THINGS ...

Smiley Culture: Word Party, Y'all

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 22 November 1986

Rabbit on, SMILEY CULTURE! STEVEN WELLS ties tongues wiv the mouf movin' fast frew the language barriers. ...

The Beastie Boys: Beastie Boys: Licensed To Ill (Def Jam)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 29 November 1986

SLOW AND LOW AND SICK AND FAB ...

The Beastie Boys: Rap Around The Cock

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 January 1987

THE BEASTIE BOYS take a long, slow ride into the sewers of their minds, accompanied by a fascinated hack, one STEVEN WELLS. They do it ...

Slayer: Cash from Genocide

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 2 May 1987

OK, SLAYER. So you're the world's top death-metal thrash outfit, and you're playing to thousands all over Britain. But now you must justify your appalling ...

Gaye Bykers On Acid: Camden Palace, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 16 May 1987

THO' THEY dilly dally mightily with the inherently sloppy imagery of psychedelic flip-foppery, the Bykers are in reality as hard and as disciplined as a ...

Chumbawamba, Class War, Conflict, Crass, Flux of Pink Indians: Anarcho-Punk: Veg Wedge

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 23 May 1987

With Crass, Poison Girls and Flux in either retirement or a state of change, and Conflict in trouble, the anarcho-punk movement is in tatters. STEVEN ...

Terence Trent D'Arby, Prince: Terence Trent D'Arby: Storm in a T-Shirt; Prince: Prince of Darkness

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 1 August 1987

"RACIST" D'ARBY T-SHIRT ROW... DEMONIC PRINCE IS "SATAN'S TOOL"... STEVEN WELLS INVESTIGATES ...

Anthrax, Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Dio, Metallica, W.A.S.P.: Bon Jovi, Dio, Metallica, Anthrax, W.A.S.P., Cinderella: Monsters Of Rock, Castle Donington

Live Review by Steven Wells, Simon Witter, New Musical Express, 29 August 1987

THRASH TRASH ...

Eric B. & Rakim, LL Cool J, Public Enemy: LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Eric B & Rakim: Hammersmith Odeon, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 7 November 1987

SOFA, SO GOOOOOOD! ...

Fields Of The Nephilim: The Marquee, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 16 January 1988

NEPHI-PHLEGM ...

T'Pau: Crystal Tipps, Kicks to Kill

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 March 1988

All hail t'purveyors of t'power and t'glory that is T'PAU. STEVEN WELLS meets up with Caz Decker in Berlin. Swoon. ...

Janice Long: The Long Goodbye

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 23 April 1988

From presenting the only four nights a week show to play the Primitives next to Prince, JANICE LONG has felt the cold shoulder from the ...

Salt-N-Pepa: Salt 'N' Pepa: Scratching with Thatcher

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 9 July 1988

SALT 'N' PEPA and Spinderella, those crazy female purveyors of the street beat meet Mrs T for tea in Downing Street. STEVEN WELLS asked them ...

Tiffany: Trouble At T'mall

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 6 August 1988

Thrill to the Ultimate Confrontation as Teen Queen TIFFANY kills The Acne Ridden Rotter of T'Pennines STEVEN WELLS. Watch in horror as Swells is eaten ...

Living Colour: Astoria, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 September 1988

"IF YOU'RE black, it's OK to be two things, a crooner in a fairisle sweater or a bad ass B-Boy... look at the history of rock music, ...

Anthrax: State Of Euphoria (Island LP/Cassette/CD)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 24 September 1988

LAD TIMING ...

Gary Numan: "I'd love to carry a gun. If some nutter comes at me with a gun I'd like to be able to shoot him."

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 15 October 1988

"IT'S COLD outside" sang GARY NUMAN nine years ago during 'Are Friend's Electric''s wintery grip on the charts. None of Gaz's more recent attempts have ...

Pop Will Eat Itself: Brielport, Dienze, Belgium

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 22 October 1988

RAP OVER THE KNUCKLEHEADS ...

Pop Will Eat Itself, Public Enemy: Pop Will Eat Itself (and Public Enemy): Scrapping With Rap

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 29 October 1988

AS DEF JAM'S happy rap panto rolls through Europe, Pop Will Eat Itself and Public Enemy are getting on fine. Unfortunately the hordes of Belgian ...

Derek B, Pop Will Eat Itself, Public Enemy: Pop Will Eat Itself: Scrapping With Rap

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 29 October 1988

As DEF JAM'S happy rap panto rolls through Europe POP WILL EAT ITSELF and PUBLIC ENEMY are getting on fine. Unfortunately the hordes of Belgian ...

Acid Crackdown: Get Right Off One Chummy

Report by Paolo Hewitt, Sean O'Hagan, Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 November 1988

With the hysteria now reaching fever pitch and questions being asked in the (non-Acid) House, NME calls a time out to assess the damage in the tab-mad ...

Yazz: The Benetton Skeleton Gets It On

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 3 December 1988

Who is this seaweed munching ex-clothes-horse YAZZ person? And why am I covered in bark? asks STEVEN WELLS. ...

Rick Astley: Apollo, Manchester

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 24 December 1988

IS RICK merely a driplet of festering pus oozing from a seeping SAW inflicted on the slashed side of the crucified pop-christ by the very ...

Bryan Ferry: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 February 1989

SENT TO review a man who looks like the squinting lion out of Banana Splits, who sings like a garrotted donkey and dresses like a total ...

Bolt Thrower, Extreme Noise Terror, Napalm Death: Napalm Death, Extreme Noise Terror, Bolt Thrower: ULU, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 11 March 1989

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" ...

Ozzy Osbourne: Big Oz I Love You

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 13 May 1989

Why does MR OSBOURNE bite the heads off small animals? Ozzy can. Get it? Is Oz a fat geriatric bastard who'd be better off playing ...

Jesus Jones

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 1 July 1989

THERE IS a sound where pop meets chaos and rides its fury and when I heard it I fall in love... ...

Cynthia Plastercaster: This Woman Has Handled The Biggest Things In Rock

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 8 July 1989

Twenty years ago The Plastercasters of Chicago were the most infamous groupies in America. Now, hardened professional CYNTHIA PLASTERCASTER is back with tales of naked ...

Barry White: King Shag Is Back

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 9 September 1989

Bombing around The Riveria in a convertible BMW screaming abuse at the rich are STEVEN WELLS and lensman KEVIN 'O'GRADELY' CUMMINS. The soundtrack that roars ...

N.W.A: Niggers With Attitude: Straight Outta Compton (4th And Broadway LP/Cassette/CD)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 9 September 1989

PAINT IT BLACK ...

He Bans The Drums — This Man Thinks You Are A Moron!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 13 January 1990

Rock is bad for you — OFFICIAL! According, that is, to DENIS VAUGHAN, top classical conductor and author of a virulently anti-pop blast in this ...

Phil Collins: Ugly Bald Bastard Speaks (to Phil Collins)

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 3 March 1990

• He leaves the toilet seat up! He does stuff in the privacy of his own house! He's worth 22 million! He's not a rich ...

Guns N' Roses, Frankie Knuckles, Tone Lōc: Friend or Phobic?

Comment by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 March 1990

STEVEN WELLS investigates American rock's backlash against gays ...

Professor Griff: 100 Per Cent Prof.

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 31 March 1990

Accused of anti-Semitism, dissing the President, condoning Idi Amin and generally being a bit of a foam-flecked Rottweiler, Public Enemy's Minister Of Information PROFESSOR GRIFF ...

Billy Idol: This Charming Ham

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 28 April 1990

BILLY IDOL has got plastered! He's got God! He's got dead! Rumours about the blond Bromley bombshell blast through the ether of Transatlantic rockgossip! Is ...

N.W.A.: Some Muthas Do 'Ave 'Em

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 2 June 1990

Rubbing white America's nose in its own racism or blagging big bucks by glorifying gangsterism, NWA are not the FBI-pigs' favourite people. STEVEN 'Wild West' ...

Mudhoney: Dweeb Will, Dweeb Will Rock You!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 7 July 1990

Diseased drugvom and dogs! MUDHONEY cut through STEVEN WELLS' spunk encrusted C60 to give us the bald and rotting bare facts about the inadequacy of ...

The Rolling Stones: Wembley Stadium, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 14 July 1990

AS THE Stones plodded through crap recent album track after crap recent album track we became restless. We started shouting abuse at the fans. They ...

Napalm Death: Harmony Corruption (Earache LP/CD)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 1 September 1990

WHAT DO you do when you've reached the outer limits of the known universe? That's the question that haunts the makers of the Star Trek ...

Soul II Soul: Brighton Centre

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 22 September 1990

SOUL LAAAARGAAAAH! ...

Londonbeat: Mammal We're All Crazy Now

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 13 October 1990

Rubberwear! Snorkels! Four-foot sexual organs! Real chart acts! We aim to please... Gasp in astonishment as LONDONBEAT give STEVEN WELLS a sense of porpoise and ...

Killing Joke: I Came, I Warsaw, I'm Bonkers!

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 27 October 1990

Push! Struggle! They're living in the '90s!! Steven Wells joins Killing Joke as they storm Poland, and finds Jaz Coleman recovering from playing with "chaotic ...

Betty Boo: Bootiful Mouth

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 November 1990

Luscious, pouting, loud-mouthed, lambasting BETTY BOO is asking 250 million screaming teen hordes 'Where Are You Baby' in her day-glo, bobbed and blushered bid to ...

Manic Street Preachers: Manic On The Streets Of London

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 5 January 1991

"SMASH HITS is more effective in polluting minds than Goebbels ever was…" ...

ZZ Top: We Are Beard

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 5 January 1991

From out of the Texan desert they came, with recycled riffs, "ironic" sexism and grotesque amounts of facial hair… the Middle Aged Mutant Guitar Heroes! ...

Combat Rock

Retrospective by Steven Wells, Vox, March 1991

From protest to punk, rock'n'roll has provided the soundtrack to every conflict since World War II. Reaching its climax in Vietnam. Steven Wells gets up ...

Johnny Cash: Old, Gifted And Black

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 27 April 1991

A C&W star for longer than most people have been alive, you'd expect JOHNNY CASH to be a down home, redneck good ol'boy. Hell no! ...

Tad: Tub Pop

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 11 May 1991

Tubby, or not tubby? Erm...tubby actually. TAD may not be the biggest band around, but they're certainly the biggest band around (the middle). In full combat gear, STEVEN ...

John Zorn: There's John Zorn Every Minute

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 18 May 1991

Zorn to boogie! From his New York avant-garde garret, JOHN ZORN is busy invigorating the slumbering corpse of jazz with hardcore shock therapy. STEVEN WELLS ...

Anthrax, Public Enemy: Anthrax and Chuck D: Noise From The Black Stuff

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 22 June 1991

Five years after Run DMC's groundbreaking rap reworking of Aerosmith's 'Walk This Way', rock is finally repaying the compliment with ANTHRAX'S astonishing take on Public ...

Cher: Love Hurts (Geffen/All formats)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 6 July 1991

STRONG POP-women ditch bastard men to make it big time. Mad Donna slung out stroppy Sean to become Number One Rock Goddess whilst mighty hewed ...

Professor Griff: Kao's II Wiz 7 Dome (Luke/All formats)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 10 August 1991

GRIFF IS the liberal's worst nightmare. A young black radical who is something of a lyrical and musical whiz and who's made anti-Semitic and anti-white ...

Orbital: Corn Circle Jerks

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 7 September 1991

Techno-slaphead alert! Bow-tie-wearing aliens with enormo-ears from planet Proper Dance Music are writhing in our cornfields and masquerading as ORBITAL. Beam me up, Rotty, screams ...

Nine Inch Nails: Bierkeller, Bristol

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 September 1991

NINE DANKE! ...

Robert Wyatt: Wheelie Saying Something

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 September 1991

Beardy-weirdy radical ROBERT WYATT may have ended up in a wheelchair pursuing rock 'n' roll Nirvana with '70s experimental cases Soft Machine, but he refuses ...

The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood Sugar Sex Magik (Warners/All formats)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 12 October 1991

TOOLS YOU CAN TRUST ...

2 Live Crew: Sports Weekend (As Nasty As They Wanna Be Part II) (Luke Records/All formats)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 26 October 1991

YO! DIDDLEY! ...

The Adverts, The Clash, Sex Pistols, X-Ray Spex: Jon Savage: "I Remember Punk Rock..."

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 26 October 1991

He was a bored public schoolboy, then JON SAVAGE heard the Pistols and the Clash and the strings of his heart went ping. He's now ...

Lush: Tubular Belles

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 26 October 1991

Are LUSH the new Mike Oldfield? Does the old Mike Oldfield reckon his fans are "twats"? Is STEVEN WELLS picking on their gurly petal rock ...

Mötley Crüe: Decade of Dickheadedness

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 26 October 1991

Grand old dames of Heavy Metal MÖTLEY CRÜE have just signed a record deal worth a cool £35 million. Not bad for a band that ...

Happy Mondays: Working Class Zero

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 16 November 1991

1990 was the year HAPPY MONDAYS could do no wrong. But this year they've made more headlines than records — Ronnie Biggs, editing Penthouse, the ...

Hole: The Berlin Independent Days Festival: Don't Mention The Wall!

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 23 November 1991

Swells Uber Alles! STEVEN WELLS takes his war on Jingly Jangly Wank to the Berlin Independent Days festival, where he shouts at Indie Kids, Europop ...

2 Live Crew, Skid Row: Skid Row and 2 Live Crew: Let's Shock!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 30 November 1991

So just who is the most outrageous of them all? Is it SKID ROW'S SEBASTIAN BACH — banned from Wembley Stadium for life for using ...

Babes in Toyland, Bitch Magnet, Boss Hog, Cows, Crust, The Didjits, Drunks With Guns, Dwarves, Fudge Tunnel, God Bullies, Halo of Flies, Helios Creed, Helmet, Hole, The Jesus Lizard, King Snake Roost, L7, The Membranes, Mudhoney, Nirvana, Pain Teens, Pavement, Pigmy Love Circus, Poison Idea, Skin Yard, Slowjam, Steel Pole Bath Tub, Superchunk, Surgery, Tad, Tar, Therapy?, The Thrown Ups, U-Men, Unsane, Urge Overkill: Grunge Hell

Overview by Keith Cameron, Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 January 1992

It's the dawning of a new earache! Jakki Brambles is playing Daisy Chainsaw! Your parents have heard of Nirvana! Geffen are chasing Mudhoney! Madonna's into ...

Manic Street Preachers: The Junction, Cambridge

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 January 1992

THE MANIC kampfwagen rolls on, picking up speed, one album to total oblivion, wannabe girl-boys with Welsh haircuts and purple scarves and blue blouses and ...

Napalm Death: End of an Earache

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 January 1992

Two weeks ago STEVEN WELLS parachuted into Moscow to witness first hand the mega f— off potential of born-again frash warriors NAPALM DEATH. Today, the ...

Daisy Chainsaw: Drivin' Miss Daisy

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 11 January 1992

In less than eight years, Daisy Chainsaw will be crushed to death by a giant rock from outer space. So shut up! Listen! We haven't ...

Silverfish: Acid Louse Revival

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 1 February 1992

Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, punk rock and sex. SILVERFISH have snogged everyone in pop music, and dreamt that they've snogged everyone else. STEVEN WELLS ...

The Cult: Bill and Ian's Excellent Adventure

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 15 February 1992

Free-wheelin' through the Deep South, peddling their Bible Of Dangerous Rawk to innocent kids and getting chased by magnum-toting sheriffs...Yeah, THE CULT are still up ...

Cowboy Junkies: Steers Beers and Pointy Ears

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 7 March 1992

Q: Who killed John Wayne?A: Burt Lungcancer.– Cowboy drug joke, trad. ...

Pearl Jam: New Oyster Cult

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 14 March 1992

PROBLEM: A man knocks on the door of a Manchester hotel room and hands me a note which says: "Band been held up at knife-point. ...

The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Red Hot Chili Peppers: See You Later Ejaculator

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 March 1992

THINK OF one word to sum up the Red Hot Chili Peppers. COME ON! COME ON! Sex, right? Right. ...

Groupies: Stars In Their Thighs

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, David Quantick, New Musical Express, 28 March 1992

NME'S LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT GO HUMP IN THE NIGHT ...

The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy: Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy: Telly It Like It Is

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 18 April 1992

Prime your remote controls for the anger and eloquence of powerful San Franciscan panthers of polemic rap, THE DISPOSABLE HEROES OF HIPHOPRISY, telling it like ...

Metallica, Queen: Metallica: Het's Induction Hour

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 2 May 1992

JAMES HETFIELD likes weapons, Queen, women who aren't brain-surgeons, hates rap and looking like Lemmy, doesn't know all the words to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' but feels ...

L7: Strip Sleaze Artists

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 30 May 1992

Ranting, shouting, swearing, spilling conspiracy theories, spitting food in faces — L7, that is, not STEVEN WELLS (for once)! Gag, vom and die laughing as ...

Earth, Green Magnet School, Sick & Wrong, Six Finger Satellite, Supersuckers: Sub Pop: Espresso Way To Your Skull

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 18 July 1992

Smells like (oh yes) caffeine spirit! Brash, thrashy, bursting with attitude, irony and a shameless desire to make a mint out of countless 'intellectual redneck' ...

The Fall, I, Ludicrous: Mark E. Smith and I, Ludicrous: Notebooks! Lout! Plagiarists!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 12 September 1992

• Which scabrous, sarky interviewer could give Fall-derivatives, football-obsessive and all-round smart alecks I, LUDICROUS a good going-over as their Idiots Savants LP sneaks out? ...

Sister Souljah: Empire, Liverpool

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 12 September 1992

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE Bill Clinton wants to be President of the world's only superpower — a nation capable of swatting any other off the globe at ...

EMF: I've Got You Under My Foreskin

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 10 October 1992

Once they were young, pretty and sexy pop stars riding on the frenzied rock-shag monster with a diet of dangerous drugs and sex. Now EMF ...

Right Said Fred: This Ain't Rock'n'roll...This is Spermicide!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 31 October 1992

Oo-er! Sex rears its ugly Fred this week, as those saucy HEAVENLY artistes release a charidee EP of rubber soul classics, namely RIGHT SAID FRED ...

Shonen Knife: Dagger Dagger Hey!

Profile and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 November 1992

Do SHONEN KNIFE have some sinister masterplan to conquer Planet Pop or are they just a happy freakshow? STEVEN WELLS pulls on his combat fatigues ...

ABBA, Bjorn Again: Bjorn Again: You Saab Bastards!

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 December 1992

Are BJORN AGAIN the camp, knowing, so-bad-it's-good good-time covers band it's OK to like? Or the malignant cancer eating away at real rebellious new rock ...

Apache Indian: Big Bhangra Theory

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 23 January 1993

He's been called the voice of Asian youth, the pop Gandhi and a politician but, according to APACHE INDIAN, his music just reflects the sound ...

Seven Year Bitch: Smashed!, Islington, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 6 February 1993

BOYS ARE BORING. The tedious parade of middle-class white males desperately trying to persuade us that they 'hurt', that they 'suffer' ...YAWNO YAWNO! But listen ...

Rage Against The Machine: Livid In The Material World

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 13 February 1993

From Comershop to Consolidated, politics is most emphatically back on the pop agenda. And throwing up the high-wire act between semtex and spandex to beat ...

Huggy Bear: Ready, Teddy, Go!

Special Feature by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 6 March 1993

You've seen HUGGY BEAR smash up mainstream complacency on The Word, you've been baffled by a load of biased ranting on some kind of new ...

Stereo MCs: Birch Placidy and the Fun Dance Kids

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 15 May 1993

Beaut mutants THE STEREO MCs, the first great British rap band, are making cowboys clench their buttocks in the achy-breaky Texas heartland and dispensing mellow ...

The Velvet Underground: Velvet Underground: Some Velvet Moaning...

Comment by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 5 June 1993

  TRUE STORY: I'm at the Smash Hits Christmas party, the disco is blamming out non-stop teeny-pop fun stuff and the joint is bopping with the ...

Bad Boys Inc: Naughty By Nurture

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 3 July 1993

It's easy to be cynical about 'manufactured' Pop Stars, how it's all so easy for talentless young upstarts to get fame and fortune beyond their ...

Buju Banton: Young Slack Teenager

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 14 August 1993

Two years ago, BUJU BANTON caused a furore with his single 'Boom Bye Bye', advocating the killing of homosexuals, a controversy further fuelled when his ...

U2: Welcome to Empty-V: U2's Zoo(ropa TV)

Comment by Stephen Dalton, Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 August 1993

Is Zoo(ropa/TV) a subversive, ironic multi-media bombardment and situationist statement or a two-hour post-modernist Pot Noodle advert made by politically naive, culturally unaware squares with ...

Bad Boys Inc, Take That: Take That and Parody

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 9 October 1993

Pop is being manufactured like never before — especially cute-white-boy pop. As the war between champs TAKE THAT and challengers BAD BOYS INC hots up, ...

Sepultura: Rio Speedwagon

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 December 1993

With Nirvana and Metallica now deemed radio-friendly, someone had to supply a new soundtrack for rebellion — and Brazilian rockers SEPULTURA have taken up the ...

Fool Britannia

Essay by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 15 January 1994

Is the current wave of Little Englandism just a mask for the fact that Brit rock is becoming increasingly irrelevant? STEVEN WELLS looks at the ...

Sister George: Queercore: Come Out Feel The Noise!

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 5 February 1994

Alienated by the white, middle-class, mostly male gay scene and spurred on by riot grrrl, the exponents of QUEERCORE are young, working class, politically motivated ...

Elastica, John Lydon, S*M*A*S*H, These Animal Men: Speed: Sinus Of The Times

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 March 1994

Hey, you! Are you trying to coat your lungs with a half-pound bag of baking soda mixed with industrial-strength heroin and dealer's dandruff? STEVEN 'Just ...

Erasure: I Say I Say I Say I Say (Mute/All formats)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 May 1994

DURING THE recent furore over the homosexual age of consent, nobody saw fit to introduce into the debate the on-going 30-year-old love affair between straight ...

Napalm Death: Fear, Emptiness, Despair (Earache/All Formats)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 May 1994

WHAT CAN you say about a band who defined the very genre of which they are a part? ...

The Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill, Rage Against the Machine: Rage Against The Machine, Cypress Hill, Beastie Boys: Los Angeles Velodrome, CA

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 28 May 1994

SHIRT UP AND DANCE ...

Rage Against the Machine: Marx Out Of Tension

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 18 June 1994

All festival trails lead to Glastonbury. At least they do for RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, stall angry, still shouty and still not talking about their ...

East 17: C'mon Feel The Boys

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 September 1994

Hard-lad hoodlums in a world of antiseptic pop fodder, EAST 17 are the credible alternative to the usual pec-flexing pin-ups that try to storm the ...

Spearhead: Don't Spear the Rapper

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 24 September 1994

MICHAEL FRANTI, the man behind The Beatnigs' post-industrial clatter and key shouter with agit-rappers Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy, has adopted a mellower vibe for his ...

Transglobal Underground: Trans-Global Underground: 24 Hour Liberal Party People

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 22 October 1994

TRANS-GLOBAL UNDERGROUND are the ultimate in multi-ethnic, politically correct entertainment and they've never been guilty of thinking non-PC thoughts about anyone. Ever. At least, not until STEVEN ...

Fun-Da-Mental: Bummer Holiday

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 8 July 1995

The last time FUN-DA-MENTAL took a journalist to Pakistan, the writer came home a jibbering wreck and the band split. A return trip anyone? Bribes/blackmail/strict ...

Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine: Carter USM: Tattoo Little Boys

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 November 1995

CARTER USM have been held back by their following's anti-pop element — a minority who can't accept that their heroes don't want to kill pop. ...

Ash: Turn Up, Check In, Rock Out!

Report by Steven Wells, Vox, December 1995

These days, most teenagers leave school and sign on. But not ASH – they play loud punk rock, trash hotels and party till they puke. ...

Garbage: Litter from America!

Interview by Steven Wells, Vox, April 1996

SAN FRANCISCO: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is being projected onto the fire curtain while the stage is being prepared for Garbage. The soundless ...

Rancid: Blast of the Mohicans

Profile and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 8 June 1996

Punk's not dead, kids! Not real stinking-mohawk-gobbing punk rock anyway, because that's alive and spitting with RANCID, America's coolest (and richest) revolutionaries. So stuff yer ...

Skunk Anansie: Skin Complaints

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 September 1996

Skunk Anansie are a rock band with a difference because the 'Nansie are a rock band who actually ROCK! Like a bastard, in fact… and ...

The Power Station: Power Station: British* Nuclear Fools (*er, well one of them's American, actually)

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 12 October 1996

One of THE POWER STATION used to be in Duran Duran and one of them is Robert Palmer. It's not a promising start, is it? ...

No Way Sis, Oasis: No Way Sis: Faker Makers!

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 7 December 1996

• Tipped for the Christmas Number One spot, besieged by groupies, plagued by demented fans — yup, Oasis copyists NO WAY SIS have made it ...

Symposium: Pogo! Discs

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 11 January 1997

Feisty teen poppers SYMPOSIUM may've pelted NME with snowballs in the past, but we forgave them. Hey, we're professionals (stop sniggering!). So professional that we've ...

Offspring: The Offspring: Spawn To Be Wild

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 1 February 1997

• Californian punk rockers THE OFFSPRING are hated by the American 'underground'. Why? Well, they love 70s disco, one of them is saving for his ...

Mansun: Rocket From The Cryptic

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 8 February 1997

It's a mighty strange world that MANSUN inhabit — stripping vicars, bend-your-brains surrealism, anti-religious ranting and, of course, songs about chickens. STEVEN WELLS takes the ...

Eels: The Freak Shall Inherit The Earth

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 1 March 1997

The EELS are the band currently treating Britain to the joys of geek power with their hit single, 'Novocaine For The Soul'. And leading their ...

Ash: TFI Friday, Saturday, Sunday...

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 8 March 1997

They've been on the rock'n'roller coaster since they were bagging off school to play gigs but there's just the little matter of five sell-out shows ...

Kenickie: Socialist Smirkers Party

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 10 May 1997

Tory-bashing, loads of shouting and plenty of swearing. Enough about STEVEN WELLS, 'cos here's KENICKIE. And they've brought their cracking debut LP At The Club ...

Alabama 3: Testament Department

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 7 June 1997

Yea, verily, it is written. Theatrical preacher types ALABAMA 3 will meet STEVEN WELLS in a Brixton restaurant. They will shout at him about about ...

Ash: Staying Out Of It For The Summer

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 28 June 1997

As the world prepares to get ripped to the tits on cheap cider and mung bean noodle bake at GLASTONBURY, NME indulges in a series ...

Super Furry Animals: Scream! Latvia! Scream!

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 July 1997

 ...that's right, Latvia, 'cos SUPER FURRY ANIMALS are heading your way, and they've got new single 'The International Language Of Screaming' and STEVEN WELLS with ...

Marilyn Manson: The Afterlife Of Brian

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 30 August 1997

You may think that MARILYN MANSON (or Brian to his mum) is just a spooky goth who smokes human bones and sings about scabby angels ...

The Chemical Brothers: Octagon Theatre, Sheffield

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 13 December 1997

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: A couple of girly-haired posho Oxbridge medieval language student chancers who claim that their 'big beat' mobile disco can knock any rock ...

Spice Girls: The Spice Is Right: The Spice Girls: Spiceworld: The Movie

Film/DVD/TV Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 3 January 1998

DIRECTOR: Bob Spiers STARRING: Sporty, Posh, Ginger, Scary, Baby, Richard E Grant, Roger Moore, Michael Barrymore ...

Insane Clown Posse: Coco Pop!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 January 1998

Politicians hate them, Christians hate them and, since they beat him up, Thom Yorke probably does too. But those bonkers kids in America just love ...

Press Officers: Trying to Keep the Customer Satisfied

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, Vox, February 1998

When you're the PRESS officer for a rock group, life's about fending off the scum press, nannying drug-addled lead singers... and punching out the odd ...

Catatonia: Feds And Rockers!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 7 February 1998

Mulder & Scully. Horses' heads in people's beds. Selfish genes. Blimey what are those crazy cats CATATONIA singing about? Well, don't bother asking the band. ...

Garbage: Return of the Muck!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 March 1998

Take some scary spiders, a few mad mutts, a sound akin to the Pet Shop Boys on downers and, er, eye of Shirley Manson, and ...

Garbage: Return of the Muck!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 21 March 1998

Take some scary spiders, a few mad mutts, a sound akin to the Pet Shop Boys on downers and, er, eye of SHIRLEY MANSON, and ...

Busta Rhymes: The Temple, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 18 April 1998

AND WHAT sort of name is 'Busta Rhymes' anyway? Sounds like a character from the Whizzer & Chips comic circa 1978. No, but seriously, the ...

Shed Seven: The Great White Shack Hunt

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 9 May 1998

So you thought SHED SEVEN were boring? Hah! Well that was before the band's first ever interesting interview. Hold on to your seats, you're in ...

Underworld: The Rocket, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 27 June 1998

WE GOT NO 'Born Slippy' with its killer "lager lager lager" chorus tonight because sensitive artist Darren Emerson is "fucked off with it". Well excuse ...

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, theaudience: theaudience: Sophie's Choice

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 29 August 1998

First she was a grunge slacker, then an Adidas-clad Britpopper, but nowadays it's not so clear. Is THEAUDIENCE's glamourpuss Sophie Ellis Bextor "showbiz royalty" or ...

Burzum, Darkthrone, Mayhem: Varg Vikernes: This is the Most Evil Man in Rock

Overview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 5 September 1998

STEVEN WELLS reports on the BLACK METAL scene, where various bands have been linked to church burnings, neo-Nazism and even murder. ...

Korn: This is Hard Skin

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 September 1998

OK, Yank metalheads Korn might not be named after a foot complaint, but they are definitely hot-blooded hetero rawk muthas, right?! Why else would they ...

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Blast Rites

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 October 1998

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. They're a blues band, right? Wrong! They're the living, breathing embodiment of fizzing rock'n'roll. And soul. AND blues. And if ...

Cradle Of Filth: This Is My Uncouth

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 December 1998

It was a meeting made in hell — quite literally. A gathering of the forces of evil — namely Cradle Of Filth — and the ...

3 Colours Red: Revolt (Creation)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 6 February 1999

OVERTHROWING MUSES ...

Gene: Beast Boys

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 6 February 1999

Gene — bunch of weedy, sensitive fops, right? Wrong! For they have returned and this time they are a no-nonsense, well-hard fighting machine. So just ...

Sleater Kinney: Sleater-Kinney: The Hot Rock

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 20 February 1999

The Ember Strikes Back ...

Eminem: The Slim Shady LP (Aftermath/Interscope)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 April 1999

MMM, LET'S TALK about sweeties! M&M's are the grey squirrels of the confectionery world, driving the indigenous British Smartie to the verge of extinction. A ...

Cast: Calm Down, Calm Down!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 24 April 1999

Cast's John Power may be older, cutting down on the 'chong' and, um, less frantic but, don't worry, he can still talk bollocks for England... ...

Reef: Bad Rock!: Reef: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 15 May 1999

"I LIKE TEQUILA!/It mek me happy!"No, sorry, that's Terrorvision. This is Reef — the other mighty-biceped bunch of lantern-jawed provincial troglodytes who bring us lumps ...

Jah! Glastafari!

Report by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 26 June 1999

When the Glasto Green Field vibes work their magic, we all come over a bit hippy. But for the good folk of Glastonbury, being a ...

Megadeth: Risk (Capitol)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 September 1999

SCIENTISTS SEEM to be forever discovering hideously ugly living examples of supposedly extinct prehistoric animals. One experiences a similar frisson of excitement upon discovering that ...

Robbie Williams: Slane Castle, Dublin

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 September 1999

OVER 80,000 people stand for hours in the baking sun wearing alternately flashing red devil horns, KISS make-up and the occasional latex Homer Simpson mask. ...

Idlewild: Arts Theatre, Kirkwall

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 25 September 1999

ORKNEY LOVE ...

Mortiis: "Boy. I'm really nervous!"

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 25 September 1999

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the real Mortiis ...

Idlewild: Where the Idlewild Things Are

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 2 October 1999

And where are Idlewild? In the bleedin' Orkneys, as far away from the cynical London music biz as possible, honing their new 'acoustic' direction in ...

Kid Rock: At Last! Could Kid Rock Be The Saviour Of Rock? Oops. Sorry.

Report and Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 9 October 1999

"HEY, SCATLAND! R U ready for some medal!? How many of you guyz are gonna getta 'shag' tonite!?" ...

Travis: Barrowlands, Glasgow

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 16 October 1999

THE MAN POO! ...

Asian Dub Foundation: Forum, Kentish Town, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 30 October 1999

PUNK IS DEAD! LONG LIVE, ERM, PUNK! ...

Chicks on Speed: International punky art rockers: Chicks On Speed

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 8 January 2000

Three Chicks On Speed stand statue-still onstage dressed in leather rags while a giant robo-voice intones "CHICKS ON SPEED" over a demented dustbin techno loop. ...

Slipknot: Sinister Masked Rap-Metallers

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 8 January 2000

JOEY (No 1): "We have enough hatred and anger to fucking fuel fucking ten fucking records!" Shawn (No 6): "We're pretty angry." ...

The Bluetones: Bolt From The Blue

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 19 February 2000

Take one top Rottweiler, introduce it to an indie band, throw in some irresponsible comments about the "dilution of English culture" and await the inevitable ...

Tommy Lee, Methods of Mayhem, Mötley Crüe: Tommy Lee: Tommy Knockers…

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 March 2000

…well we were, but now we're willing to give former Mötley Crüe drummer and lo-fi porn star Tommy Lee the benefit of the doubt. 'Cos ...

The Bloodhound Gang: A Question of Sportz

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 11 March 2000

Juvenile and offensive, do Bloodhound Gang represent the bona fide arse end of sportz meddle? ...

Belle And Sebastian: Belle & Sebastian: The Lo-Fi Who Came In From The Cold

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 20 May 2000

After years of refusing to speak to the press, Belle & Sebastian mainman Stuart Murdoch finally faces up to his fiercest critic. ...

Bon Jovi: Don't Mention The Hair!

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 17 June 2000

Tousled, crimped and teased to perfection, how can NME not mention poodle rock's most celebrated barnet? So Bon Jovi, hair we go! ...

Daphne and Celeste: Daphne & Celeste: "If you stick your tongue out, after a while it tastes like a condom!"

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 2 September 2000

Daphne & Celeste — social commentators, teen girls bringing a breath of fresh air to the testosterone-charged air of the Carling Weekend. Of course not ...

Limp Bizkit: Mardy Gras!: Limp Bizkit: Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water (Interscope)

Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 14 October 2000

ARSE AND PISS. Gerrit? Crap, innit?  ...

Amen: "I don't know if I'll be around in five days, let alone five years"

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 18 November 2000

Don't put your son on the stage, Mrs Chaos. Not unless you want him to form the most vile, heathen, nihilistic, hedonistic rock 'n' roll ...

Dr. Dre: Doctor At Large

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 16 December 2000

Straight outta Compton, Dr. Dre shaped the future of gangsta rap with NWA and lived to tell the tale. Now, the man responsible for giving ...

Papa Roach

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 6 January 2001

They're Yanks, they rock, but, dude, this infestation of ass-kickers aren't jumping on any bandwagon — they're pissing all over it. ...

Shaggy

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 24 February 2001

He's boombastic, totally fantastic, he'll do anything for love but he won't do that. Re-introducing Shaggy, the '90s pop dancehall king whose rude rhymes are ...

Steps: Wembley Arena, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 22 December 2001

EXACTLY 70 PER cent of this audience are fluffy pink deely-boppered weeny-poppers. About 20 per cent are benignly smiling mums and dads. And the remaining ...

Simon Cowell: "The White Stripes? Heard of them. Wasn't blown away."

Interview by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 26 January 2002

He makes kids cry, hates fat people and he gave us Westlife. Now Pop Idol villain Simon Cowell turns his evil gaze on some NME ...

Pink: Go Ahead Pink, Make Our Day!

Comment by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 4 May 2002

Be afraid Britney, Gwen and Kylie: there's only one candidate to be the new Madonna ...

Rammstein: Docklands Arena, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 1 June 2002

WHOOOOMPHF! The mad bastards are wearing 20ft long napalm-flame spewing fuckmasks. This is great! ...

The Sex Pistols: Crystal Palace Sports Centre, London

Live Review by Steven Wells, New Musical Express, 6 August 2002

We Might As Well Be Proud Of Them ...

Why Great Footballers Like Really Crap Music

Essay by Steven Wells, Guardian Unlimited, March 2003

WITH ALL THE current hoo-hah about how all gun crime in the UK is obviously caused by listening to gangsta chaps rapping about ho's and ...

Phil Spector, Radiohead: Steven Wells On Rock Snobs

Column by Steven Wells, playlouder.com, 2 August 2003

The The Stages Of Pop-Man ...

Hanson: Swells Interviews Hanson

Interview by Steven Wells, playlouder.com, 10 March 2004

...

back to LIBRARY

COPYRIGHT NOTICE