Kieron Tyler
Kieron Tyler has contributed to Britain's MOJO magazine since 1999 and is the author of Smashing It Up: A Decade Of Chaos With The Damned, the critically-acclaimed and definitive biography of the first decade of the pioneering British punk rock band. His writing has also appeared in Billboard (America), The Guardian, i (the newspaper), The Independent, Les Inrockuptibles (France), Music Week, Q, Rumba (Finland) and Ugly Things (America). He lives in North London.
75 articles
List of articles in the library
Duane Eddy, Lee Hazlewood, Nancy Sinatra: The Very Special World of Lee Hazlewood
Interview by Kieron Tyler, Record Collector, February 2000
He sings, produces, writes and arranges, and had no. 1 hits with Nancy Sinatra. Kieron Tyler meets the legendary genre-straddling icon. ...
Review by Kieron Tyler, Record Collector, March 2000
IN AUTUMN 1999, Rhino launched Rhino Handmade, a new label dedicated to issuing CDs via the internet (www. rhinohandmade,com). All Rhino Handmade CDs are limited, ...
Buzzcocks, Howard Devoto: Howard Devoto talks about Punk's Year Zero
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, Record Collector, May 2000
"I'M TIRED OF noise and short of breath. I'm sick of having to address people out of breath and under my breath." That was how ...
Top of the Pops albums: Better than the real thing?
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, September 2000
Bikini models, Kraftwerk covers and dodgy Mick Jagger impersonators. Kieron Tyler examines the 95p world of the Top Of The Pops album phenomenon. ...
Vince Taylor: The Leper Messiah
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, November 2000
Black leather, bike chains, orange make-up, a Christ complex: Vince Taylor was the ultimate nut rocker. Kieron Tyler tells the tragic tale of a '60s ...
The Kinks: Larry Page: Kinky Music
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, RPM Records, December 2000
KINKY MUSIC was originally issued on June 18, 1965, by Decca Records. The album included twelve instrumental interpretations of songs composed by Kinks Ray and ...
Esquivel, Arthur Lyman, Ken Nordine: Adventures in Stereo
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, January 2001
Whatever happened to the days of the Teldec stereophonic systems and orthophonic sound? Kieron Tyler winds up the victrola and trips hack into a world ...
Del Shannon: Buried Treasure: Del Shannon's Home And Away
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, February 2001
US pop singer hits London, meets Andrew Oldham, makes psych classic. ...
The Electric Eels, The Mirrors, The Styrenes: Electric City
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, Record Collector, March 2001
The Cleveland punk scene exposed — starring the Electric Eels, the Styrenes and the Mirrors. ...
Jimmy Page, The Yardbirds: Jimmy Page: Educating Jimmy
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, May 2001
Before Jimmy Page became a rock god, he was a sonic apprentice par excellence. ...
Michel Polnareff: Buried Treasure: Michel Polnareff: "Polnareff's" (Disc AZ Stec LP 81 France only)
Review by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, August 2001
This month in our series of forgotten classics: a temperamental Frenchman sculpts "genius" soundscape ...
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, Castle Music, September 2001
TONY MACAULAY and John Macleod had the Midas touch. When their 'Baby Now That I've Found You' hit number in November 1967 it was replaced ...
Aphrodite's Child: The Fabulous Furry Greek Brothers
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, Mojo Collections, Fall 2001
The apocalyptic rock of Aphrodite's Child spawned Demis Roussos and Vangelis. ...
Lou Reed: The Velvet Evolution
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, Mojo Collections, Fall 2001
Even the coolest stars had to learn their craft at some point and Lou Reed was no exception. Kieron Tyler picks the dark one's early ...
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, Ugly Things, 2002
ALTHOUGH EATER were at the centre of the great British punk rock storm of 1976, they've never been treated with the cap-doffing respect granted to ...
John Leyton: Remembering John Leyton
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, Sanctuary Records, February 2002
ONCE HEARD, 'Johnny Remember Me' is never forgotten. It was atmosphere itself, the first time British pop had distilled the essence of drama onto vinyl. ...
Mike Sarne: Come Outside with Mike Sarne
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, RPM Records, June 2002
THERE'S NOTHING else quite like Mike Sarne's 'Come Outside'. It hit number one in June 1962 with a massive bang. This was English pop in ...
Petula Clark, Tony Hatch, The Searchers, Jackie Trent: Call Me: The Songs Of Tony Hatch
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, Sanctuary Records, July 2002
WHEN PETULA Clark hit number one in America with 'Downtown' in January 1965 she became the first British solo singer to top the US charts. ...
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, January 2003
They invented symphonic rock, wrote the world's dumbest riff and excelled in lunacy, greed and very long solos. Kieron Tyler charts the stop-start metal excess ...
Harmony Grass: Buried Treasure: Harmony Grass' This Is Us (RCA)
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, May 2003
This month, Tony Rivers and the making of the great lost UK sunshine pop album. ...
Kim Fowley, Tomorrow, Keith West: A Teenage Opera: Testing… Testing…
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, February 2004
Brainchild of German Phil Spector wannabe Mark Wirtz and UK psych hopefuls Tomorrow, A Teenage Opera promised to be the grandest psychedelic production of the ...
Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, April 2004
The blue-eyed soul voice behind the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic on jamming with Jimi Hendrix, the madness of Viv Stanshall and the problems of ...
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, July 2004
Unearthed! The French punk bands that gave The Damned a run for their money. Kieron Tyler offers a belated "Salut!" ...
The Knack: One Hit Wonder: The Knack — 'My Sharona'
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, September 2004
Date: July 14,1979 Chart position: 6 Available: My Sharona (Capitol) ...
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, RPM Records, October 2004
Aim High is the soundtrack to a film that was never produced. ...
The Saints: It Came From Down Under
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, November 2004
The Saints were punk before punk, four Australian rebels with a paint-peeling sound and the ultimate screw-you attitude. Kieron Tyler charts their short, sharp startling ...
The Clash: Flogging A Dead Horse: The Clash's Cut the Crap
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO Collectors' Series, 2005
Mick and Topper are gone. Bernie Rhodes is producing and penning songs. This was never going to be the sign-off the Clash deserved. ...
The 101'ers, The Clash, Joe Strummer: Joe Strummer: The Man Who Would Be King
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, 2005
The 101'ers were about to hit the big time. But then Joe Strummer found punk. ...
The Roxy London WC2 — A Live Punk Box Set
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, Sanctuary Records, February 2005
Every musical movement has a club at its heart. Merseybeat had The Cavern. Mods gravitated towards The Scene and The Flamingo. British psychedelia will always ...
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, March 2005
FROM '50S TEEN idol to '60s folk singer, Bobby Darin never stopped packing a handful of startling singing careers into 15 short, debauched years. Not ...
The Clash, Sex Pistols: We're the daddies: Ladies and Gentlemen, We're the Fabulous Stains
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, Spring 2005
Anyone remember the legendary "lost" film featuring the Clash, Pistols and, erm, Ray Winstone? ...
Slaughter and the Dogs: Leper Messiahs
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, Q Classic, 2006
Formed by two young Bowie fans, Slaughter & the Dogs' bark was worse than their bite. But, as Kieron Tyler reveals, that was before they ...
Au Pairs: Stepping Out of Line
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, March 2006
THE MIDDLE OF the first decade of the 21st century has seen a reappraisal of the music which followed punk. Not an academic, clinical exercise, ...
Chrissie Hynde, The Pretenders: The Pretenders: Notes on 15 singles
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, 'Pirate Radio' (Rhino), March 2006
'STOP YOUR SOBBING' The debut single, produced by Nick Lowe, hot from his solo records, work with Elvis Costello and live outings with Dave Edmunds' Rockpile. ...
Martha and The Muffins: One Hit Wonders: Martha and the Muffins' 'Echo Beach'
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, April 2006
MARTHA AND the Muffin's moodily reflective 'Echo Beach' is a new wave perennial, but somehow the Toronto band failed to score a follow-up British hit, ...
Serge Gainsbourg: Behold The Dirty Old Man
Report and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, May 2006
Fifteen years after he smoked his last Gitanes, Serge Gainsbourg goes international. ...
Jackie DeShannon: Jackie de Shannon: Majestic DeShannon
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, June 2006
Jackie Deshannon — Folk Rock Pioneer, Chart Artist and Songwriter of Renown ...
The Clash, The Damned, Sex Pistols, The Vibrators: Punk File #1: The First Anarchic Year
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, June 2006
'76 WAS PRETTY hairy. The anniversary headlines might read "1976, The Year Of Punk", but for most kids flares and long hair (still a sign ...
Charlotte Gainsbourg: Born Again Gainsbourg
Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, October 2006
Serge's girl Charlotte returns with her first album since 1986. ...
Guide by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, December 2006
The revolutionary, still-smokin' independent. ...
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, Atlantic Records, September 2007
LULU'S 1970 ALBUM New Routes has long been recognised as a landmark soulful classic – the album that finally provided the showcase Lulu's voice deserved. ...
X-Ray Spex: Germfree Adolescents (Deluxe Edition)
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, Sanctuary Records, August 2008
ALTHOUGH X-RAY Spex split up close to thirty years ago, their music remains timeless and vividly fresh. The band might have been birthed during 1977's ...
Aswad, Jah Shaka: Franco Rosso's Babylon
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, The Guardian, 4 October 2008
Kieron Tyler celebrates that rare thing – a British movie about reggae ...
Review by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, 2010
'Jig-A-Jig' was an unexpected hit for East Of Eden. Although the band's funky, jazz-influenced chops were to the fore on the break, pop fans picked ...
The Flying Lizards: The Fourth Wall (RPM)
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, RPM Records, September 2010
THE PUNK BOOM opened doors and ears, allowing the off the wall, the experimental and the challenging a platform. Much of what leaked out has ...
Thunderclap Newman: One Hit Wonder: 'Something In The Air'
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO '60s, 2011
Thunderclap Newman's ethereal anthem nailed 1969's rebel Zeitgeist. Then the rows started... ...
Noel Harrison: One Hit Wonder: 'The Windmills of Your Mind'
Retrospective by Kieron Tyler, MOJO '60s, 2011
Noel Harrison teased out the dark, wistful beauty of Michel Legrand's epic film song, then fell off the map. ...
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO '60s, 2011
Their record company wanted the new Monkees, but guitarist Todd Rundgren had bigger plans for THE NAZZ, his ill-fated Philadelphia powerpop dandies. ...
Live Review by Kieron Tyler, The Independent, 8 February 2011
THE ARRIVAL of Vanessa Paradis, partner of Johnny Depp, actress, model and face of Chanel, in Camden Town is an event. As a singer, she's ...
Björk Brings Her Biophilia Concert Extravaganza to Iceland
Live Review by Kieron Tyler, Billboard, 13 October 2011
REYKJAVIK, Iceland – Two days after the release of Biophilia, her new multi-platform project, Iceland's foremost sonic auteur Björk took the stage in her hometown ...
Review by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 27 February 2013
The return of the Thin White Duke after a ten year silence does not disappoint ...
One Direction: Crazy About One Direction, Channel 4
Film/DVD/TV Review by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 16 August 2013
Lazy and shallow look at the fan phenomenon surrounding the world's biggest boy band ...
Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, March 2014
Heavy sorrow and the revealing light of Los Angeles combine on the third album from emotional Swede. ...
Lykke Li: Village Underground, London
Live Review by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 9 May 2014
A bold night of new songs from Sweden's sorrowful singer-songwriter ...
Guide by Kieron Tyler, Q Classic, 2015
Author's note, 2020: The Harder They Come, conspicuous by its absence from this list, was not included, since it was the subject of a feature ...
Vashti Bunyan Beguiles Estonia
Live Review by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, April 2015
Timelessness and continuity mesh as fabled folkstress plays Tallinn Music Week, hints at second retirement. ...
Paul McCartney Live: Still Transcendent At 73
Live Review by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, 15 July 2015
Macca magic touches every stage he steps on – as evidenced at this year’s Roskilde Festival. ...
Françoise Hardy: Françoise Hardy
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, Light in the Attic Records, October 2015
ANY MENTION of the name Françoise Hardy conjures images of Gallic sophistication, an attitude to lyrics and music informed by a literate sensibility and a ...
Ezra Furman: MOJO Rising: Ezra Furman
Profile and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, October 2015
The "gender-wobbly", weirdo Springsteen talks doo wop, fearlessness and Judaism. ...
Howe Gelb, Giant Sand: Sands of time — Way Too Much Light: Howe Gelb And Friends
Live Review by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, December 2015
Thirty years of Giant Sand celebrated with guests aplenty at Danish arts festival. ...
John Grant and the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra: Harpa Eldborg, Reykjavik
Live Review by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, February 2016
JOHN GRANT does not take the easy route. After the release of his third solo album, he could have relaxed and soaked up the warm ...
Judy Henske & Jerry Yester: Farewell Aldebaran (Omnivore)
Review by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 28 August 2016
The mystical Farewell Aldebaran gets its first-ever legal reissue. ...
John Foxx, Ultravox: Q&A: John Foxx
Interview by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 2 September 2016
The leader of the original Ultravox on challenging the punk era's orthodoxies and the band as an art project ...
Interview by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 15 October 2016
The Danish singer-songwriter opens up about her third album Citizen of Glass ...
The Doors: The Soft Parade/Dance on Fire
Film/DVD/TV Review by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 4 June 2017
Jim Morrison and Co.'s confusing visual legacy suffers from lack of upgrades ...
The Residents: Q&A: Homer Flynn, spokesman for The Residents
Interview by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 28 October 2017
A revealing face-to-face conversation with the man closest to the eyeball-headed musical outsiders ...
First Aid Kit: MOJO Working: First Aid Kit
Report and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, November 2017
Sweden's Soderberg sisters return, with electric guitar, more keyboards, members of Midlake and Wilco, and Peter Buck. ...
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, unpublished, December 2017
WATERPISTOL WAS meant to be Shack's second album. Although work towards completing the follow-up to March 1988's Zilch had begun in 1990, nothing went to ...
Sleeve notes by Kieron Tyler, unpublished, December 2017
SHACK'S DEBUT album Zilch was originally issued by a label expressly set up to promote the talents of the band's leader Mick Head, the former ...
Johnny Hallyday: Bye Bye Johnny: 1943–2017
Obituary by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, March 2018
Much more than the Gallic Elvis, French rock'n'roll icon Johnny Hallyday died on December 6. ...
Patty Waters: Jazz from the abyss: Patty Waters' Sings
Retrospective and Interview by Kieron Tyler, MOJO, September 2018
This month's communique from the haunted dancehall: intense, free vocalisations which sustained the young Patti Smith. ...
Shirley Collins: "There was no way I could ever sing to be popular"
Interview by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 25 January 2019
Ahead of next week's Roundhouse concert, the voice of traditional English music reveals some unexpected musical likes and much more. ...
Review by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 3 November 2019
Deep-digging revisitation of one of the pre-punk 70s' best albums ...
Book Excerpt by Kieron Tyler, unpublished, Spring 2020
ASTONISHINGLY, Bear Family Records celebrates its 45th year in business in 2020. During that time, the label has never stopped producing the ultimate in reissues ...
Various Artists: Jon Savage's 1972-1976 – All Our Times Have Come
Review by Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk, 28 March 2021
Tracking the route to punk without stating the obvious ...
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