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Peter Silverton

Peter Silverton

A prolific feature writer for Sounds in the ’70s and ’80s and later for MOJO, The Guardian et al., Pete was the author of books such as Essential Elvis, Filthy English and (with Glen Matlock) I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol. He died, after a long illness, in May 2023.

2010 Interview with Pete

160 articles

List of articles in the library

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The 101'ers, The Clash, Sex Pistols: The 101'ers — 1976

Special Feature by Ira Robbins, Peter Silverton, unpublished, 1976

September 21, 2021 introduction by Ira Robbins  (www.trouserpress.com) ...

Can: New Victoria, London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 11 December 1976

DOWN THE stairs and into the hall... and into a time warp. With the powerful aroma of smouldering illicit substances and the subdued, attentive audience, ...

Generation X: Central London College of Art and Design

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 18 December 1976

WITH SIOUXSIE and the Banshees not playing because "they couldn't get it together" and the remaining support act, Eater, being a band that I wouldn't ...

Buzzcocks, The Clash, Sex Pistols, Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers: Pistols, Clash etc.: What Did You Do On The Punk Tour, Daddy?

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 18 December 1976

The Sex Pistols/The Clash/The Heartbreakers /The Buzzcocks: Electric Circus, Manchester ...

Ultravox! New Music From A Doll's House

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 19 March 1977

CONTRARY to what Stranglers' bassist, Jean Jacques Brunel, is reputed to think, Ultravox! are not "a bunch of session musicians put together by Island records." ...

The Clash: The Clash (CBS)*****

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 9 April 1977

If You Don't Like The Clash, You Don't Like Rock 'N 'Roll ...

The Motors: Marquee Club, London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Record Mirror, 9 April 1977

No motorvatin' ...

The Small Faces: Small Faces: City Hall, Sheffield

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 23 April 1977

WAITING FOR the newly reformed Small Faces to take the stage of Sheffield's City Hall, I was probably more nervous than they were (which is ...

Frankie Miller: Be Good To Yourself

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 14 May 1977

THREE YEARS back, Miami soul-singer Betty Wright had a minor hit with 'Shoo-rah! Shoo-rah!'. On his Radio London show, Honky-Tonk, Charlie Gillett has a "who ...

The Saints: Would You Let These Men Tie Your Kangaroo Down?

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 14 May 1977

Watch out, sport, the Saints are coming. PETE SILVERTON gets a buzz from 'em. ...

Boomtown Rats: Club 51, London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 28 May 1977

WATCH OUT. Here come the Boomtown Rats. Over the Irish Sea, into a reputedly hefty recording contract with Ensign and on to the tiny stage ...

Foreigner: Foreigner (Atlantic SD 18215 )*½ .

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 28 May 1977

REMEMBER IAN McDonald? That's right, the geezer who used to mess around something chronic on keyboards for King Crimson back in the early days when ...

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band: Big Hits And Close Shaves

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 28 May 1977

COMPILATIONS ARE generally the occasion for an in-depth reassessment of an artist's career. ...

Boomtown Rats: The Pluck of the Irish

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 2 July 1977

They may have left him stranded in Canterbury, but the Boomtown Rats are plenty good fun says Pete Silverton – now there’s critical objectivity for ...

Motörhead: Pulling Out of the Pits

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 2 July 1977

"GET OUT of the f––––– way. We’ve got a concert to do." ...

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band: Alex Harvey: The Thoughts (?) Of Chairman Harvey

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 9 July 1977

"WOULD YOU like to be a rock'n'roll star?" ...

Dead Fingers Talk: Hull Is For Heroes

Profile by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 30 July 1977

"Have you met Harry yet? He's the new man in the office. There 'something not quite right about Harry. I 'think he's qu-e-e-r… "And I leaned ...

The Boys: The Boys

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 30 July 1977

The Boys ain't no joke ...

The Rich Kids: Back With A Bullet

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 10 September 1977

COMING DOWN from the Harrow Road by bus, Steve New's getting the rise taken out of him by a bunch of kids because he's wearing ...

Geils: Monkey Island

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 24 September 1977

Bungle in the jungle ...

Tom Robinson Band: Up Against The Wall: Life with the Tom Robinson Band

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 24 September 1977

"The British police are the best in the world.I don't believe one of these stories I've heard..." ...

The Small Faces Story

Retrospective by Peter Silverton, Trouser Press, October 1977

IT'S 1968, ALRIGHT. Me and a mate are lounging around in his garden. His parents are out for the day. School's out for the summer. ...

The Stranglers Do The Pose

Comment by Peter Silverton, Trouser Press, October 1977

EXTREME REACTIONS to the Stranglers are not unusual. Take the case of a mate (well, acquaintance) of mine, Dick O'Dell, tour/road manager for Alex Harvey. ...

Generation X: The Marquee, London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 8 October 1977

ROCK ON Indeed.I've finally figured out, after all this time, why, despite the fact that lots of people whose opinions I respect hate them, I ...

The Boys: Boys In Bondage

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 8 October 1977

IF I'D KNOWN what I was letting myself in for when I went to see John Cale at the Roundhouse this Easter, I think I'd ...

The Damned: Top Drummers Get Itchy Feet Dept.: Why I Quit The Damned by Rat Scabies

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 15 October 1977

IT'S COMMON knowledge that all drummers are certifiable nutters but I must admit that when somebody whispered in my ear the other Sunday that the ...

Ultravox!: Ha! Ha! Ha!

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 22 October 1977

FLICKING IDLY through a rack and coming across an album entitled ha! ha! ha!, you'd expect, if not a comic masterpiece, at least a couple ...

Sham 69: Sham 1969/1977

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 29 October 1977

"I'M NOT stupid. I know, however successful I get to be right now, that in two, three, maybe four if I'm lucky, years' time, I'll ...

The Damned: Music For Pleasure

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 26 November 1977

CATCHING SIGHT of the title in a news column, I wondered. 'Music For Pleasure'? Have the dervish-like Damned decided to junk all this credibility rubbish, ...

Sweet: The Sweet: Sweet's Golden Greats

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 26 November 1977

EVERY GENERATION of rock writing throws up its own paper tiger. ...

Tyla Gang: Yachtless At The Nottingham Boat Club

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 3 December 1977

Yacht'less 1. (yot-less) a., having no yacht/s; being in a no-yacht situation; a severe lack of the funds and/or wherewithal with which to purchase same; ...

The Damned: Voyage Of The Damned

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 10 December 1977

A rainy Friday afternoon in Stiff publicist Glen Coulson’s office. Glen ruffles his hair, takes a swig from a can of warm Heineken and expounds ...

Burning Spear: Live

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 17 December 1977

IN WRITING his plays, Bertolt Brecht operated according to a Roamin Rolland maxim: "Pessimism of the intellect; optimism of the will". Burning Spear's music works ...

Little Feat: Waiting For Columbus (Warner Brothers)

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 1978

WHOEVER started the vogue for double live albums (the Band?) has a lot to answer for. Whether pretty good (Bob Seger, J. Geils) or embarrassingly ...

The Flamin' Groovies: "We're No Museum Piece"

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 7 January 1978

SOME BOXERS, if you believe what you see on the toob, just won't quit. Knocked down more times than they've slapped in their gum shield, ...

Kevin Coyne: Black & White

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 21 January 1978

'If I played my cards right, I'd be a gift to the media – chat shows, the lot' ...

The Pop Group: London College of Printing

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 28 January 1978

Introducing eh?! and the enigmas ...

The 101'ers, The Clash: The Clash: Greatness from Garageland

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Trouser Press, February 1978

UNANNOUNCED, TO SAY the least, a kid in boots, suspenders and short-cropped hair clambers through the photographers' pit and up onto the stage of London's ...

Magazine: 100 Club, London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 4 February 1978

Animated Egg head fails to impress ...

Link Wray, Robert Gordon: Robert Gordon with Link Wray: A Modern Elvis And The Missing Link

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 4 February 1978

LINK WRAY finishes off his instrumental street opera, 'Rumble', with an amphetamine-psychosis, note-tumbling-after-note run worthy of any guitar army hero, clambers up from his bent-knee, ...

Sham 69: Tell Us The Truth

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 11 February 1978

"ELLO MUSH...this one's all about getting' yer 'ead kicked in." ...

Kevin Coyne: Beautiful Extremes 1974-1977

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 25 February 1978

KEVIN COYNE is, make no mistake, a major artist. His 'product' might not 'ship' a million 'units' but in every other way he's the superior ...

Nick Lowe: Jesus Of Cool

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 25 February 1978

YOU KNOW how it is. You hear one word and you're tantalised into eavesdropping on the rest. Bars at receptions are a good place for ...

Eddie & The Hot Rods, Radio Stars: On The Road With Hot Rods And Radio Stars

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 25 February 1978

THE LAST, incongruous Beatles' track spirals its way to the end of its grooves. The house lights dip way, way down, instilling in you that ...

Advertising, Blondie: Blondie, Advertising: St. George's Hall, Blackburn

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 4 March 1978

SWEET LITTLE Debbie Harry sure has come on in the world. Only 32 and already she's got a single in the charts and the wish ...

Bob Marley & the Wailers: Bob Marley: T'ings Could Be Worse

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 4 March 1978

"Talking to no-one is strange, Talking to someone is stranger." – Kevin Coyne ...

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band: Zal

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 11 March 1978

THIS IS a singer? You call...this a singer. A monstrous looking creature in an Imperial Startrooper helmet, white paper one-piece jump suit and red, blue ...

Radio Stars: Songs for Swinging Lovers (Chiswick)

Review by Peter Silverton, Trouser Press, April 1978

DESPITE STIFF’S CLAIMS, Chiswick Records has been the most adventurous of the new British storefront labels. While Stiff has relied for the most part on ...

Elvis Costello: Costello Group Therapy

Report by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 1 April 1978

"KNOCK KNOCK.""Who's there?""Elvis.""Elvis who?""Forgotten already, huh?" ...

Fats Domino: Live in London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 1 April 1978

FATS DOMINO is and always has been the most unlikely looking bona fide Fifties rock and roller you can imagine. Where Elvis, Eddie and Gene ...

Television: Adventure

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 8 April 1978

NEW YORK, New York. New albums falling down like rain. La Belle Smith's rock 'n' roll army third wave invasion. Uncle Lou's first street (ha, ...

The Damned: Final Spotlight On The Damned

Report by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 15 April 1978

"OOOOOOOOO CAPTAIN," says Helen from Headingley, "you're so cool these days. That jacket" – indicating his sombre black tuxedo affair and matching multi-colour polka-dotted tie ...

The Flamin' Groovies: The Flamin Groovies: Flamin' Groovies Now

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 15 April 1978

LIKE SO many other people, the first time I caught an eyeful of the Groovies in the flesh was when they were supported by The ...

Steel Pulse: No Jah-Babble In-A Birmingham

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 22 April 1978

REGGAE IS HIP. Punks said it was OK way back and how the parasitic shower of hustlers and sycophants who comprise the music biz are ...

The Gladiators: Proverbial Reggae

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 29 April 1978

LEAFING THROUGH an ancient copy of the once-revered American fanzine Shakin' Street last night I finally chanced on the solution to the difficulties – "it's ...

Lou Reed In Cloning Sensation!

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 6 May 1978

PETE SILVERTON goes to Philadelphia to borrow a book from Lou Reed (That's not what it said on his expenses — Ed.) ...

Black Sabbath: Apollo Theatre, Glasgow

Report by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 27 May 1978

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath ...

Ian Dury

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 27 May 1978

THE FIRST time I met Ian Dury – nearly two years ago in Dingwalls when I was little more than just another wide-eyed and a ...

The Ramones: Goodbye Tommy, Hello Marky

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 27 May 1978

DRUMMER wanted for name NY punk band. Must have own leather jacket and torn Levis. Ability to mumble 'gabba gabba' an advantage. No interlektewals. Apply ...

Nick Lowe: This Is Your Life

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 3 June 1978

Pete Silverton assembles a few views of Basher — man, myth and magic ...

Bruce Springsteen: Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 10 June 1978

LET'S START with the obvious. It's impossible to approach this album without taking into heavy account the fortunes and misfortunes of this Crown Prince of ...

Magazine

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 10 June 1978

I THINK it was the Jesuits of whom it was said they always answer a question with a question. Or maybe it was the Jews. ...

The Rolling Stones: Some Girls

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 10 June 1978

WHICHEVER WAY you look at it, this is an important album of the first order. Important primarily because it's the first album (excluding Love You ...

Jane Aire & The Belvederes, Tin Huey, The Waitresses: Rock in Akron: The Music Of Greater Akron

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 17 June 1978

Is this the avant-garde or the sound of cash registers? Pete Silverton has a pretty good idea ...

The Clash: The 'Serious In-Depth Interview' You've Been Waiting For!

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 17 June 1978

"AAAWOOOEEEUUUOOO, PETE...'ear you bin to the States...how wazzit?" ...

Advertising: Jingles

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 24 June 1978

FEELING RUTHLESS, you could divide the entire spectrum of pop and rock'n'roll into two. ...

Devo: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 26 August 1978

'Monkey men allIn business suitTeachers and criticsAll dance the pootAre we not men?We are Devo!Are we not men?D-E-V-OWe must repeatOK let's go!' ...

The Rich Kids: Ghosts of Princes in Towers

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 26 August 1978

What do you do with what you've got? ...

Blast Furnace & The Heatwaves: The Chord Is Mightier Than The Pen

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 9 September 1978

HEAR THE CLASH OF LEWIS LEATHERS AS PETE SILVERTON MEETS BLAST FURNACE ...

Dr. Feelgood: Dr Feelgood: Private Practice

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 16 September 1978

The Worthington White Shield of Rock ...

Stiff Little Fingers: Electric Ballroom, London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 16 September 1978

Let's give the Fingers a big hand ...

Mick Farren: London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 23 September 1978

"HELLO, MY name's Mick Farren...I wanna drink!" ...

Kate Bush

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 30 September 1978

AN HOUR or so in the company of Kate Bush is rather like being trapped for the duration as an unwitting participant in a very ...

Stiff Little Fingers

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 7 October 1978

IF MY FIRST sight of Jake Burns had been while keeping myself occupied on a bus by speculating on the lives of the other passengers, ...

Siouxsie & The Banshees: The Scream

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 14 October 1978

NO MATTER what anyone may say or think, the success of 'Hong Kong Garden' was neither predicted nor predictable. Despite its obvious instantness (primarily, of ...

The Residents: Not Available

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 11 November 1978

EVEN BEFORE slotting the stylus into the grooves, you're aware that this is one of the most bizarre albums ever to make it a: far ...

Boomtown Rats: This Feature Is Guaranteed Free From Bob Geldof

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 18 November 1978

...THAT'S THE PETE SILVERTON PLEDGE ...

Rod Stewart: Blondes Have More Fun

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 25 November 1978

OR BLOATED egos with lots of money get to see more of the world. ...

Siouxsie & The Banshees: Siouxsie and the Banshees: The Most Elitist Band In The World

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 25 November 1978

'A gig is often an exaggeration of what we feel every day and therefore it can probably seem a bit ridiculous at times maybe. It ...

Julie Covington: Julie Covington

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 2 December 1978

AND SO this is Christmas. ...

Sniff 'n' the Tears: Fickle Heart

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 2 December 1978

DON'T BE misled by the collective title. Sniff 'N' The Tears is no more a real band than Tommy Dunbar's imaginary Psychotic Pineapple. Everything here ...

The Cars: (I Love The Sound Of) Fading Brakes

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 2 December 1978

The Cars: Lyceum, London ...

Public Image Ltd: Public Image (Virgin)

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 9 December 1978

AND THE BOY looked at Johnny. And he shouted: "Look, ma, the Emperor's got no clothes." ...

Thin Lizzy: Joints

Report by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 16 December 1978

"HI, THIS is the Nightbird, Alison Steel, brought to you by the Army Reserve. And tonight my guests in the studio are Scott Gorham and ...

Neil Young: Live Rust (Reprise)

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 1979

THE WORD is, of course, survivor. Just Neil left on the Reprise label and Neil being the only remnant of the sixties still hanging in ...

James Chance & the Contortions, Cristina, DNA, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks: No New York

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 17 February 1979

PETE SILVERTON meets the second generation of New York new wave bands... TEENAGE JESUS AND THE JERKS, THE CONTORTIONS, DNA and other assorted weirdos ...

Velvet Underground: 1969 Velvet Underground Live (Mercury)

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 17 February 1979

BUT LOU REED, Lou’s got real problems. Ever since he started out he’s been trying to wheedle Jehovah into making him Keith Richard (‘Rock And ...

Wreckless Eric Cleans Up His Act

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 24 February 1979

PETE SILVERTON JOINS HIM ON THE WAGON ...

Graham Parker and the Rumour: Squeezing Out Sparks

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 17 March 1979

One current school of thought – represented at our editorial meetings by the capitalist Ruislip reader faction – has it that Graham Parker has well ...

The Pop Group: We Know There’s Something Wrong Somewhere: The Pop Group

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 24 March 1979

This and other astute observations on life, art and the consumer society in THE POP GROUP interview. ...

Buzzcocks: The Buzzcocks: Inside The Hit Factory

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 7 April 1979

"It's really amazing. I can just sit there and go dee-da-dee-da-dee, da-dee-da-dee, put some words to it, teach the other three how to play it, ...

Buzzcocks: The Buzzcocks: Inside the Hit Factory

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 7 April 1979

(PETE SHELLEY'S BACK PARLOUR IN GOSPORT, ACTUALLY, REVEALS PETE SILVERTON) ...

Lou Reed at Hammersmith Odeon

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 21 April 1979

ANOTHER YEAR, another Lou Reed in a different toilet. ...

The Damned, The Specials, UK Subs: The Damned/UK Subs/The Specials: The Lyceum, London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 21 April 1979

WITH ENOUGH police grouped manacingly outside in coaches, in squad cars and standing around to supervise a couple of Manchester United away fixtures, I suppose ...

The Rezillos: Mission Accomplished…But The Beat Goes On (Sire)***

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 21 April 1979

HEY, EVER known what it's like feeling like you're E.J. Thribb? Try reveiwing this album. Phil Sutcliffe got it just right in his 3 plus ...

Wayne County & the Electric Chairs: Things Your Mother Never Told You (Safari GOOD 2) *****

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 12 May 1979

More songs about toilets and marines ...

The B-52s: B-52s: War in the hair

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 26 May 1979

  LAST YEAR was none helluva year for singles. Ones that graced the airwaves like 'Hong Kong Garden' and 'Rhythm Stick'. Ones that were just a ...

Elvis Costello: Accidents Won't Happen: The Premeditated Rise Of Elvis Costello

Essay by Peter Silverton, Trouser Press, June 1979

A COUPLE OF days before Christmas, trying to make it home on the London tube before I dropped the bottle of tequila and the Times ...

Wayne County & The Electric Chairs: The Wayne County Interview

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 2 June 1979

WAYNE COUNTY was already in the car. I was ushered into the front seat, leaving Wayne staring down the back of my neck. That was ...

The Members: Members Only

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 9 June 1979

THE PARTY was catered for two hundred or so guests. You could tell no expense had been spared — there were real bits of shell ...

Robert Gordon: Down And Out In Paris The Robert Gordon Way

Review and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 23 June 1979

Robert Gordon: Palais des Sports, Paris ...

Van Morrison: Belfast to Belfast

Retrospective by Peter Silverton, Trouser Press, July 1979

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO imagine someone further removed than Van Morrison from looking like a pop star or even a rock'n'roll artiste. It's not even like, ...

Ry Cooder: Bop Till You Drop (Warner Bros.)*****

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 21 July 1979

THERE'S PROBABLY a whole bunch of enormous ironies knocking around this world but right now I can't think of a bigger or more slap-happy one ...

Chic: Risqué (Atlantic K50634)****

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 11 August 1979

Chic at twice the price ...

New Barbarians: Knebworth Festival, Hertfordshire

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 18 August 1979

ROCK AND ROLL having as it does sod all to do with music and a whole lot to do with sex and drugs (even to ...

The Pretenders: The Perils of Christine

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 25 August 1979

PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE PICTURE ABOVE. THE PRETENDERS ARE DEPRESSED. MEETING PETE SILVERTON MAKES THINGS WORSE. AND CHALKIE DAVIES DOESN'T HELP MUCH, EITHER ...

Nazareth: Coliseum Rock

Report by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 1 September 1979

ROCK AND ROLL at this level can be a damn luxurious business, I reflected in the air-conditioned comfort of the Nazareth limo sashaying and bumping ...

Siouxsie & The Banshees: Siouxsie And The Banshees: Join Hands

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 1 September 1979

WHADDA YA MEAN, is it extreme? Can you honestly imagine the Banshees doing anything —whether it be throwing shapes for a camera, getting dressed for ...

John Cooper Clarke: Cool for Catholics

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 29 September 1979

John Cooper Clarke makes a good confession to Pete Silverton (lapsed) ...

The Clash Turn Pro (Sort Of)

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 29 September 1979

TUESDAY LUNCHTIME: Cleveland Airport. With a couple of hours to kill before my one-stop-only flight to Minneapolis and the first date on the Clash’s second ...

Various Artists: Pebbles Vols. 1-4

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 10 November 1979

[To be read in a C&A Paisley shirt and matching tie, black lace-up school shoes and a pair of 16" cuff flared trousers re-cut from ...

Marianne Faithfull: Broken English (Island Ml) ***½

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 17 November 1979

NOT SO much a comeback as a c-c-c-comeback. Marianne Faithfull has restarted her career more times than Frank Sinatra's retired. ...

The Jam: Setting Sons (Polydor POLD 5028)****

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 17 November 1979

THE WHO, why and where is of no concern here but someone once said of the Clash that they didn't want to become stars, they ...

The Bodysnatchers: Invasion of The Bodysnatchers

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 22 December 1979

UNDER NORMAL circumstances, the only people paying attention at a band's fifth gig should be a few friends and the cousin who's been roped in ...

Gang of Four: Family Entertainment

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 12 January 1980

The Gang of Four expound a spot of dialectical materialism for PETE SILVERTON. ...

The Beat: Electric Ballroom, London

Live Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 2 February 1980

Ranking dead stop ...

Flying Lizards: The Flying Lizards: The Flying Lizards (Virgin) **½

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 2 February 1980

SOME TIME ago, American journalist and alliterator Tom Wolfe wrote an essay, 'The Painted Word', on the world of post-war American painting. ...

Al Green: Cream Of Al Green

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 9 February 1980

The way I heard it, at the panty-creaming peak of his career, Al Green was so drunk on the cortical rush of his fame and ...

Linda Ronstadt: Mad Love (Asylum) *

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 23 February 1980

ROBERTSON DIDN'T want to do it. He'd reviewed the last eighty-five Linda Ronstadt albums or some such totally dubious excuse he made up on the ...

Madness: When The Screaming Had To Start

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 23 February 1980

"'ERE, SUGGSY...'Ere, Suggs." ...

Prince Buster: Fabulous Greatest Hits (Melodisc) ****

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 1 March 1980

1966 BEING 1966, a couple of light and bitters in the Sussex (a good two years underage) was the strongest refreshment to hand. Weed was ...

Pete Frame: The Man Behind the Trees

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 15 March 1980

FIRST, I suppose, I should declare an interest. I get thanked for my help three times in Pete Frame's Rock Family Trees (Omnibus £3.95) and ...

Elvis Costello: The Elvis Enigma

Profile by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 22 March 1980

WHEN I HEARD the first Elvis Costello single, 'Less Than Zero', I figured it was Stiff's mainstay of the time, Nick Lowe, having a bit ...

The Cramps: Get Cramped!!

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 22 March 1980

NAPA HOSPITAL, Californian mental institution, the half-way ward. Lux Interior is reminiscing. ...

Kevin Coyne: Bursting Bubbles (Virgin)

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 5 April 1980

WHATEVER ELSE it might be, Kevin Coyne's universe is not a comfortable one. ...

Eddie Cochran: 20th Anniversary Album (Liberty)**

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 24 May 1980

PHIL SPECTOR, for one, is of the opinion that Colonel Parker used to hypnotise Elvis into singing rhinoceros shit like 'Viva Las Vegas' and 'Girls ...

The Beat: I Just Can't Stop It (Go Feet)****

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 24 May 1980

A JOURNALIST of this periodical on being asked if he fancied interviewing the Beat remarked that, although he'd nothing against the idea in principle, he'd ...

The Rolling Stones: Emotional Rescue (Rolling Stones)****

Review by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 28 June 1980

"IMAGE IS so important to rock stars. Mick Jagger is the rock star with the longest running image. He's the one all the young white ...

Motörhead

Report by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 27 November 1980

Pete Silverton (brave man) takes his gas mask (phew!) and his earplugs (that's better) to meet Motörhead (well known environmental hazard). Talk about angels with dirty ...

The Passions: (Suddenly) Everybody Needs Passions... but don't mention the German film star

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 31 January 1981

The Passions are in love with themselves. With each other. (For a week, at least.) ...

The dB's: Meet the dB's

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Sounds, 21 February 1981

  IF AMERICAN TV ever decides to produce low-budget rock 'n' roll sitcoms, they could well cast Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey as The Odd Couple. ...

Hazel O'Connor: What Katy Did Next

Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 16 April 1981

"I get letters saying, 'Did you change your name to Hazel O'Connor for stage work? Is your name really Kate?' They won't even let you ...

Girlschool

Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 30 April 1981

Pete Silverton takes a short course in Metalwork. ...

Honey Bane

Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 14 May 1981

SHE CHOSE the name... "Because there is a very sweet side to me – Honey – and there's a really horrible side to me – ...

James Chance, Cristina, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Was (Not Was): ZE Records

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, New Sounds New Styles, July 1981

New York record label ZE is the product of a remarkable partnership between August Darnell and Michael Zilkha. Peter Silverton profiles the Z of ZE... ...

Bad Manners: Tears of a Clown

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 23 July 1981

HE HAS EATEN THIRTY BIG MACS... BUT NOT ALL AT ONCE. DOUG TRENDLE DROPS THE FACADE AND TALKS ABOUT A BAND IN NEED OF A ...

Depeche Mode: Play For Tomorrow

Interview by Peter Silverton, New Sounds New Styles, August 1981

SCENE ONE. Interior. Depeche Mode are rehearsing in a deconsecrated church on the south side of London's dockland. It's a part of the capital that's ...

The Pretenders: Pretenders

Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 20 August 1981

"I must be the most boring person in the world..." sighs Chrissie Hynde. "What on earth is she on abut?" wonders Pete Silverton. ...

Madness: 7-Up

Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 15 October 1981

FRIDAY afternoon. The Smash Hits works outing pay a visit to the movies. They munch popcorn, they suck their sweet orange drinks and watch a ...

The Higsons: Higsons

Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 27 May 1982

AFTER NORWICH... THE WORLD? THE CULT HEROES ARE NOW AFTER FUN, FAME AND FORTUNE. PETER SILVERTON   FILLS IN THE BACKGROUND. ...

Shalamar

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 9 December 1982

From just another American disco outfit to an extremely hip modern dance band in only a matter of months. Is it all down to Jeffrey's ...

The Birthday Party

Profile and Interview by Peter Silverton, Smash Hits, 28 April 1983

A celebration of lunacy and loud noise imported from Australia. Peter Silverton finds it quite inviting. ...

Tom Waits: The Sultan Of Sleaze

Interview by Peter Silverton, You, 1985

Well I got a bad liver and a broken heart,yea I drunk me a river since you tore me apart,and I don't have a drinking ...

Tom Waits: Waits Happening

Interview by Peter Silverton, Beat, March 1986

TOM WAITS CHOSE to meet in the heart of his own territory, in a cheap restaurant just down the road from what he said was ...

Tom Waits: A conversation with Tom Waits

Interview by Peter Silverton, The Observer, 1992

To converse with Tom Waits is to be lied to, consistently, determinedly, entertainingly. ‘I’ll tell you all my secrets but I’ll lie about my past,’ ...

Tom Waits: The Lie In Waits

Interview by Peter Silverton, Vox, October 1992

TOM WAITS is in Paris wrestling with the truth. As usual the truth is losing, but that's what happens when you're promoting your first album ...

Bob Dylan's back in Britain. Again. Just like he was last year. And the year before that

Profile by Peter Silverton, Daily Express, 1996

John Lennon once said he felt that he'd been born half-American. These days, it seems, Bob Dylan has become a semi-Brit. ...

Sid Vicious's mum

Obituary by Peter Silverton, The Observer, 1996

No one knows exactly when Ann Beverley died. Even the South Derbyshire coroner wasn’t detained by that particular detail. ...

The Clash, Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious: Sid Vicious: Disgusting of Tunbridge Wells

Essay by Peter Silverton, The Observer, 23 June 1996

Pete Silverton was busy celebrating his 21st with aunties and uncles, and the promise of a pewter mug. Then who should turn up but Sid ...

Village People: 'YMCA'. Why?

Retrospective and Interview by Peter Silverton, The Observer, 4 May 1997

The song that makes bad dancers worse. ...

Elvis Presley: Elvis's first love: The King and I

Interview by Peter Silverton, The Observer, 6 July 1997

THE NIGHT before I met June Juanico, the woman Elvis Presley nearly married in 1957, I got talking to a man named Bayard in a ...

Elvis Presley, Leiber and Stoller: Elvis, homoeroticism and 'Jailhouse Rock'

Essay by Peter Silverton, The Observer, 10 August 1997

'Oh yes,' said Stanley, a builder - though not a man known ever to have displayed his bum cleavage beyond the privacy of his own ...

The Kinks: Ray Davies

Interview by Peter Silverton, Sunday Telegraph, 23 November 1997

When the news reached him, Ray Davies was sitting on the floor. ...

Village People: Young Men! The Village People

Retrospective and Interview by Peter Silverton, MOJO, March 1998

"YOUNG MAN!" IT BUTTONHOLES YOU. And then it requires that your body shapes the letters which form the acronym for the Young Men’s Christian Association. ...

Frank Sinatra: Sinatra's 'My Way'

Essay by Peter Silverton, The Observer, 17 May 1998

As songs go, 'My Way' doesn't so much wear its heart on its sleeve as rip it from its chest, throw it down and shout: ...

The Beatles: Ringo Starr auctions off the first copy of The Beatles' White Album: The story of a revolutionary record

Report by Peter Silverton, The Independent, 1 December 2015

The mythology surrounding the White Album takes in warring Beatles, Charles Manson and installation art. What's even weirder is that Starr ended up with the ...

Peace and harmonies: Christmas songs still have the power to bring us together

Retrospective by Peter Silverton, The Independent, 16 December 2015

Even in the age of the digital download, compilations of festive music still have an impact, and this is why. ...

Lukas Graham's '7 Years': A catchy song about growing up in a "utopian community" in Denmark is a massive hit

Report and Interview by Peter Silverton, The Independent, 25 January 2016

JUST WHEN WE thought we didn't have any more space in our life for 21st century Denmarkia, along comes another slice of Danish. This time, ...

Billy Bragg: English national anthem: Is 'Jerusalem' the hymn we've been looking for?

Comment by Peter Silverton, The Independent, 10 March 2016

In its 100 years, the hymn 'Jerusalem' has been sung with feeling by those of all political colours, says Peter Silverton. ...

Sniffin' Glue: A fanzine that epitomized punk

Retrospective and Interview by Peter Silverton, The Independent, 10 May 2016

It's UK punk's 40th anniversary year – sort of – and among the work being celebrated is Sniffin' Glue, the photocopied publication that embodied the ...

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