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Andrew Means

Andrew Means

Andrew Means wrote extensively for Melody Maker from 1970 to 1973 with primary responsibility for folk coverage. Subsequently, after several years flitting back and forth across the Atlantic, he settled in the American Southwest and was the music writer for The Arizona Republic newspaper in Phoenix. As a freelancer, he has written for Sing Out!, Billboard, Jazziz, Rhythm and Songlines among other publications. These days he mostly confines himself to writing fiction, which some might say represents no great change.

16 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Hotlegs — Hotfoot To The Top

Interview by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 25 July 1970

FOR SO LONG London has been the undisputed capital of Britain's music industry, that it is almost unthinkable to suggest that its position could be ...

Jo Ann Kelly, T. Rex: T. Rex, Jo Ann Kelly: Lyceum, London

Live Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 25 July 1970

Magical Marc! ...

Fairport Convention, The Incredible String Band: Incredible String Band, Fairport Convention: Palladium, London

Live Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 1 August 1970

Incredible night of string bands ...

Supertramp: Tramp hits the road

Interview by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 5 September 1970

LIKE A thousand other relatively unknown groups, Supertramp are trying hard to make a name for themselves. But unlike most groups in a similar position, ...

Rab Noakes: Making it down South

Interview by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 17 October 1970

AT A TIME when complex guitar work is attracting a tide of admirers it's invigorating to hear the contemporary material of Rab Noakes, a young ...

Nick Drake: Bryter Later

Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 13 March 1971

THIS IS A particularly difficult album to come to any firm conclusion on. For one thing the reaction it produced depends very much on the ...

The Groundhogs: Split (Liberty LBG 83401)

Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 20 March 1971

FROM THE stern inhuman, irrational bloodymindedness of war which served as the subject for Thank Christ For The Bomb, Tony McPhee has turned to anarchic, ...

The Groundhogs: A Hog For You Baby

Interview by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 8 May 1971

KEN PUSTELNIK is always ready to point out that Tony McPhee, Pete Cruickshank and he are quite ordinary people, and not so long ago there ...

Lindisfarne, Gillian McPherson , Unicorn: Lindisfarne, Unicorn, Gillian McPherson: Royal Festival Hall, London

Live Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 15 May 1971

THE HARSH, throbbing music of Lindisfarne generates a degree of immediacy that's uncommon. They are professional and yet there is an inherent roughness that never ...

Al Stewart: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Live Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 18 September 1971

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE to consider Al Stewart without including his lovelife. In those familiar with his songs he has invested his own deeply-felt emotions and something ...

Pink Floyd: The Dome, Brighton

Live Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 29 January 1972

NOBODY WHO'S involved in present day music is going to deny that the Pink Floyd have contributed some classics. But having become accustomed to them ...

Rita Coolidge, Kris Kristofferson: Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 20 May 1972

Kris the casual pro ...

The Carter Family, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, The Statler Brothers: Johnny Cash, Carter Family, Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins: Royal Albert Hall, London

Live Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 7 October 1972

FOR ONE reason or another, Johnny Cash has a rather fearsome image. It's been tempered in recent times by some of the songs he's written ...

Wizzard: The Wonderful Wizzard of Wood

Profile and Interview by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 10 February 1973

ROY WOOD is one of those rare musicians who has never lost sight of the excitement and imagination that make rock worthwhile. ...

Bert Jansch: Moonshine (Reprise)

Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 24 February 1973

BERT JANSCH'S music has matured into predictable shapes. The combination of traditional and self-composed songs which makes up the major proportion of his repertoire, the ...

John Martyn: Solid Air (Island)

Review by Andrew Means, Melody Maker, 3 March 1973

HOW DO you begin to describe a guitarist as sensitive and accomplished as John Martyn? Every new album expands one's appreciation of his ability. ...

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