Cathi Unsworth
Cathi Unsworth is a novelist, writer and editor who lives and works in London. She began her career on the legendary music weekly Sounds at the age of 19 and has worked as a writer and editor for many other music, film and arts magazines since, including Bizarre, Melody Maker, Mojo, Uncut, Volume and Deadline.
Her first novel THE NOT KNOWING was published in 2005, followed the next year with the award-winning short story compendium LONDON NOIR, which she edited, and in 2007 with the punk noir novel THE SINGER. Her third novel, BAD PENNY BLUES, inspired by the unsolved 'Jack the Stripper' murders of 1959-65 was published in 2010 to great critical acclaim. Her fourth novel WEIRDO, was published in 2012. This tale of female transgression and teenage trauma set on the Norfolk coastline was shortlisted for the EDP-Jarrolds East Anglian book of the year, made Book of the Year in Loud & Quiet magazine and on Crimesquad.com and is currently longlisted for the New Angle Prize for Literature. Cathi is the co-author of punk icon Jordan's 2019 autobiography Defying Gravity.
As well as working on her books, Cathi has appeared on TV and radio including reviewing for BBC2's The Culture Show. She regularly takes part in live events, including screen talks at The Barbican in London and spoken word gigs organised by Tight Lip and The Sohemian Society. She has also presented her work as live readings with music and audio accompaniment.
All her books are published by and available from Serpent's Tail. For more see www.cathiunsworth.co.uk
Cathi Unsworth on the RBP podcast
54 articles
List of articles in the library
Overview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 23 September 1989
It's been the decade of the goth — but, somewhere along the line, the innovation of the Birthday Party, the Banshees and the Sisters gave ...
Marc Almond: Beauty and the Beast: Marc Almond: Enchanted (Some Bizzare) ***½
Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 9 June 1990
SO IT SEEMS the men in black have changed their colour to red this year. After Nick Cave's heaven scented Good Son, the romantic trickser ...
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 7 November 1987
POP INDIGESTION ...
Band of Susans: The Band Of Susans: Wake Up! It's The Susans
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 21 November 1987
THE BAND OF SUSANS kick started in New York and kicked prick in Berlin. CATHI UNSWORTH discovers that they're a blessing in disguise ...
The Birthday Party, Nick Cave, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Nick Cave: Worshipping The Son
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 24 November 1990
For the second of our special Fan Files, we look at Nick Cave, the singer who's so damn slinky and shaggable that even women want ...
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 3 September 1994
READING.It's like acid; once you've tried it you swear you'll never be back for more, and yet you always are. Perhaps it's because this festival ...
Bushwick Bill: Phantom Of The Rapra (Rap-A-Lot/Noo Trybe V0SS91)
Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 22 July 1995
"Honky can't stop what honky started/A ghetto is what you made" — 'Mr President' ...
Chapterhouse: Grooves in the house
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 15 September 1990
CHAPTERHOUSE have been denied their rightful place at the top of the Wah Wah Gods league by the likes of Ride and Swervedriver. But they'll ...
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 15 October 1994
The Arch-Uberfuhrers of Satanic Rockabilly Camp aka The Cramps are back! With their best album for eight years! Talkin' 'bout the ejaculatory properties of rock'n'roll! ...
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 25 March 1995
DICK DALE, man. Dick f***ing Dale. He's the King Of Surf Guitar. He taught Hendrix everything he knew. He breeds lions. They played his music ...
Bo Diddley, Ronnie Wood: Bo Diddley & Ron Wood: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 9 July 1988
AND WHAT a delightful pair they made, Bo 'Jesus' Diddley and Ron 'Not Exactly Picasso' Wood. The main difference between them, I suspect, is that ...
Melissa Etheridge: Never Enough (Island)
Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 16 May 1992
OH OH. Bare flesh alert. In an unintentional but uncanny facsimile of PJ Harvey's NME cover shot, Melissa Etheridge stands on her album sleeve in ...
Fields Of The Nephilim: See Ya Later, Terminator
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 23 February 1991
What do you do with a dusty, chaotic rock star who looks like the Grim Reaper? Why, cast him as himself in your movie and ...
Fields Of The Nephilim: Apocalypse Now (or maybe next week)
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 10 June 1989
Their latest single is about Armageddon and Fields Of The Nephilim mainman Carl McCoy reckons that the end is nigh. Cathi Unsworth listens to his mystical musings and gets a few survival ...
Gallon Drunk: Tonite... The Singles Bar (Clawfist)
Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 16 March 1992
ONE FOR THE ROAD ...
Gallon Drunk: Pissed as Beauts
Profile and Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 24 October 1992
They've put quiffs and Hawaiian shirts back on the map. They've been compared favourably to the mighty Birthday Party. They like making one mutha of ...
Gallon Drunk, PJ Harvey: PJ Harvey, Gallon Drunk: Bristol University
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 22 May 1993
HARVEY'S BRISTOL SCREAM ...
Mick Harvey: Alta Maria & Vaterland (Mute)
Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 8 May 1993
MICK HARVEY once claimed that he "didn't know how to play". A typically modest aside from a man who's played a major part in three ...
Lee Hazlewood, Nancy Sinatra: Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood: The Limelight, New York NY
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 24 June 1995
HOW DOES this grab you, darling? Nancy Sinatra, in her infamous black leather boots and a perfect blonde bouffant, centre stage for the first time ...
Jane's Addiction: Marquee Club, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 16 March 1991
THERE WERE rumours abounding this morning that Led Zeppelin were going to play a secret gig at the Marquee two days after Jane's Addiction. Had ...
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 29 August 1992
In last week's Great Metal Debate, L7 just couldn't f***en believe there are people out there so moronic that they can't tell these gals from ...
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 15 January 1994
MARK LANEGAN, singer with Screaming Trees, America's premier country-grunge act, has just made a solo record which is even better than his band's stuff. Which ...
The Levellers: The Marquee, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 27 April 1991
EVERY TIME this band set foot on a stage they turn into more of a revelation. No mean feat, considering The Levellers spend their life ...
Loop: The Feedback of the 5,000 Volts
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 8 December 1990
LOOP have long been associated with a wall of sound that is guaranteed to play havoc with the senses. CATHI UNSWORTH learns exactly what it ...
Report and Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 2 May 1992
Ever since 'Enter Sandman' crashed into Top 10s around the world, Metallica have been reaping the dividends of a decade of scorched earth-style metal. CATHI ...
Peter Murphy: Town And Country Club, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 26 May 1990
"I WAS walking down the high street/When I heard footsteps behind me/And there was a receding blonde goth/In various shades of black and grey/Posing away." ...
Nine Inch Nails: The Story Behind The Song: 'Head Like A Hole'
Retrospective by Cathi Unsworth, RAW, September 1995
"Synth faggot," that was how Nine Inch Nails mainman Trent Reznor attempted to describe himself to a bewildered press when he first appeared supporting Guns ...
Nitzer Ebb: Re-Pressing The Start Button
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 17 March 1990
The jackboots are off and Nitzer Ebb have loosened up into a cool pumping rock mode. But do they long to strut afront a Marshall stack letting ...
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Kerrang!, 8 February 2003
Critics call her a spoilt brat. The tabloids think she's out of control. US radio claims she's not "for real". Kelly Osbourne couldn't care less… ...
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 25 January 1992
Inspired by the boundless, new American rock of Nirvana and Soundgarden, PEARL JAM explain to CATHI UNSWORTH why their primitive approach is the way to ...
Iggy Pop: Empire States: Iggy Pop: American Caesar (Virgin)
Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 11 September 1993
WHERE THERE ARE the glowing embers of a fire to be stirred, you can trust Iggy Pop to be first with the gasoline. ...
The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Red Hot Chili Peppers: Lost In Spice
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 21 March 1992
CATHI UNSWORTH travelled to Liverpool to join the Peppers on their current UK tour and found out just how the band's mammoth jaunt around the ...
Reverend Horton Heat: The Reverend Horton Heat: Lynn Eusan Park, Houston; Emo's Lounge, Houston
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 15 May 1993
A DAY ON THE ROAD WITH… ...
Ride: Riding The Crest Of A Wave
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 16 March 1991
After a year as top indie kids, RIDE have crossed into the mainstream and are now steaming into the Top 20 and selling-out all their gigs. ...
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 22 December 1990
At the beginning of the year, RIDE were almost unheard of but a series of brilliant records and an old fashioned slog around the country has ...
Frank Sidebottom: Would You Marry This Man?
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 12 November 1988
Frank Sidebottom reckons he's the world's most eligible bachelor. Cathi Unsworth succumbs to his charms and checks out his prolific vinyl output. ...
Sisters of Mercy: The Sisters of Mercy: Leeds University
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 23 February 1991
Mission accomplished ...
Sisters of Mercy: The Sisters of Mercy: Wembley Arena, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 24 November 1990
Masterful release ...
Sisters of Mercy: The Sisters of Mercy: Wembley Arena, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 24 November 1990
Masterful release ...
Smashing Pumpkins: Cardiff University
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 2 October 1993
BILLY, DON'T BE A HERO ...
Smashing Pumpkins: Pumpkin Iron
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 21 September 1991
SMASHING PUMPKINS look set to continue the trail-blazing guitar magic first pioneered by Jane's Addiction. CATHI UNSWORTH discovers why the Chicago-based band think Prince should ...
Soundgarden: Horticulture-Shock
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 6 June 1992
Soundgarden provide proof positive that you can be a successful metal band without being sexist and racist dickheads. Seattle's finest have already conquered the US ...
Spacemen 3, the Wishing Stones, the Pop Icons, the Low Gods: Dingwalls, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 9 April 1988
ENTERING DINGWALLS tonight is a similar experience to falling through Lewis Carroll's rabbit hole and coming out in 1963. As the evening progresses, so does ...
Spear Of Destiny: Kirk Brandon — Come On Down
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 29 October 1988
Kirk Brandon has spent the last year counting the cost of being confined to sick-bay. Cathi Unsworth hears how he's now recovered his health, revamped the Spear Of Destiny line-up and aims ...
David Sylvian: Hammersmith Odeon
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 11 June 1988
BENEATH SOFT, subtle lights stands David Sylvian. Shadowed by his keyboards, he's an inconspicuous figure. His shoulder length hair is knotted loosely in a pony ...
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 11 January 1992
The terrible trio from Belfast tell CATHI UNSWORTH all about their new Pleasure Death LP and why they are fascinated by the sound of vacuum ...
Johnny Thunders: Town And Country Club, Kentish Town, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 12 December 1987
RETURN OF The Living Dead — Part 97. ...
Tindersticks: Camden HQ, London
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 29 May 1993
INTO THE WOODS ...
Tool: The Boathouse, Norfolk, Virginia
Live Review by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 5 March 1994
RARELY HAVE a band been as misunderstood by their audience as Tool playing provincial America. If the seething, drunken mass of dubious humanity that turn ...
Wolfsbane: Every Witch Way And Loose
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 29 September 1990
As predicted by a white witch, WOLFBANE's career has been shaped by a series of fantastic events. CATHI UNSWORTH listens to the unlikeliest of flower ...
List of genre pieces
Letter Of The Week: The Beauty of Words
Readers' Letters by Neil Kulkarni, Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 9 October 1993
Letter of the Week ...
Savage Pencil: With Lead In His Pencil
Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Sounds, 3 September 1988
SAVAGE PENCIL has turned his art to original biker movies. CATHI UNSWORTH savours his hellraising Angel Dust ...
Toerag Studios: 'Rag Against The Machine
Report and Interview by Cathi Unsworth, Melody Maker, 17 June 1995
If you dig the sound off an unfettered rumble — be it Jon Spencer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dick Dale or The Sex Pistols — then ...
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