Robin Bresnark
Robin Bresnark found himself interning (or was it "being interned"?) at Melody Maker in 1996 after accosting the then editor in a public toilet in Leeds. A bit of filing led to a bit of writing, which led to a lot of writing, which led to a fair dose of editing, which led to nothing. Along the way, he was the person responsible for breaking the likes of Coldplay, Travis, Muse and Embrace. You know: all the bands you hated but everyone else in the world loved. Fleeing like the rat bastard he is just before the MM ship sank, he went on to work in TV, DVD and other abbreviated arts, before taking a series of desk jobs for everyone from HMV to Cancer Research to the UK Government (squandering your hard-earned tax money). He's currently reinventing the way you shop. Thanks for asking.
56 articles
List of articles in the library
Tracy Bonham: The Borderline, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 14 September 1996
THE DUST mite is a disgusting little beast, preying on dead and rotting skin cells abandoned by the progress of life. Tracy Bonham, on the ...
Radiohead: Creep Show: Radiohead: The Tramshed, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 19 October 1996
IN THE CORNER of this wretched party for the beautiful people hangs a photograph of Thom Yorke, pointing an accusing finger around the room; he's ...
Mazzy Star: Starred For Life: Mazzy Star: Among My Swan (Capitol)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 2 November 1996
Mazzy star's new album sounds exactly like... Mazzy Star. Which is a blessing. ...
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 14 December 1996
REIN STORM ...
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 4 January 1997
FLU, FLU, wretched, bastard flu. Wobbly, shaky, queasy arsehole flu. A touch of the sniffles, a grope of catarrh, a 50-quid hand job of nausea. ...
U2: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 3 May 1997
SLOW DEATH IN VEGAS ...
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 21 June 1997
Forget irony, glibness and surface gloss — TRAVIS have. They're bursting with belief and unembarrassed about wearing their hearts on their sleeves. And they're going to be HUGE ...
Cast, Travis: Brixton Academy, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 26 July 1997
ONE LONE balloon bobs over Brixton Academy's mad-for-it crowd. It flicks and twists its playful way across the room, through the strands of blue light ...
Ween: The Mollusk (Mushroom 15tks/42 mins)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 9 August 1997
FOR THOSE of you who aren't aware. Ween are wacky, zany, fun-lovin' guys. The kind of guys who'd apostrophise the word "lovin'" in fact. The ...
Travis: Looking Good, Feeling Sublime — Travis: Good Feeling (Independiente 12tks/49mins)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 13 September 1997
TRAVIS have it all: the songs, the passion and now an album to adore... ...
Laika, Radiohead: Radiohead, Laika: Bridlington Spa
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 13 September 1997
YORKE SHOW HOST ...
Simon Raymonde: Blame Someone Else (Bella Union 12 tks/55 mins)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 13 September 1997
EVERY NOTE trickles into your ears like the tongue of a gorgeous stranger. Sorry, but that's honestly what it's like. ...
Dannii Minogue: Dannii: Girl (Eternal 10 Tks/56 Mins)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 20 September 1997
"DANNII, DEAREST," come the plummy tones of an Eternal Records exec. "Could you step in here a moment?" ...
Kylie Minogue: Kylie Minogue (deConstruction 12tks/50mins)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 27 September 1997
Mission impossible: With yet another musical direction has Kylie finally found her niche? ...
Robbie Williams: Life Thru A Lens (Chrysalis)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 4 October 1997
"WHAT'S HE ever done that's actually been any good?" ...
Catatonia: The Hit-Man And Her
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 11 October 1997
Cerys from CATATONIA is on first name terms with hit men while the rest of the band are into mafia-type shenanigans. Blimey! Best not call ...
Natalie Imbruglia: Fluff-free pop goddess
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 18 October 1997
NATALIE IMBRUGLIA is teasingly biting her lower lip. I'd really love to join her. She has perfect hair, crystal clear eyes and the kind of ...
3 Colours Red, Bush: Bush, 3 Colours Red: SFX Centre, Dublin
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 25 October 1997
BETWEEN ROCK AND A TIRED PLACE ...
Mark Owen: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 22 November 1997
BOOM, BAH-kaddah, boom-kaddah-dakka-dah, screeee!!! ...
Oasis, Supergrass: Wembley Arena, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 3 January 1998
DURACELL-ING THEMSELVES SHORT? ...
Bernard Butler: Upstairs At The Garage, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 24 January 1998
BERNARD'S GOT a reputation. Grumpy, petulant sod, chip on his shoulder big enough to end a potato famine. But, in the Suede heyday, he used ...
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 31 January 1998
WHERE AM I? What am I doing here? Relax... Kristin Hersh will unravel your knotted mind. ...
All Saints: Saint Misbehavin'!
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 7 February 1998
If you believe the tabloids, ALL SAINTS are a bunch of tune-nicking, three-in-a-bed romping, manager-bashing, Spice Girl wannabes. But is that bollocks? We join the ...
The Jesus & Mary Chain: The Jesus And Mary Chain: Snaps Crack-Ups and Strop!
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 4 April 1998
To find out if THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN are really "cracking up", we meet them in a pub with three photos from the past ...
Garbage: Version 2.0 (Mushroom)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 9 May 1998
LET'S GET MUCKY! ...
Sonic Youth: A Thousand Leaves (Geffen)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 16 May 1998
Leaf It Out! ...
Smashing Pumpkins: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 6 June 1998
SMASH'N'DRAB ...
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 20 June 1998
STAR DATE 2048. The Devolved People's Republic of Failsworth launches the first charter flights to the moon, a civilian enterprise inspired by local heroes Puressence's ...
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 25 July 1998
THEAUDIENCE have it all.The big-mouthed gorgeous singer and the melody-packed tunes most bands would blow up a granny for. We meet them in Oxford and ...
The Bluetones: The X-rated Files: The Bluetones
Report and Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 1 August 1998
MARK MORRISS lifts up his shirt and winces. It's not a pretty sight – a jumbled wash of red, black and blue, like a colour ...
UNKLE: Psyence Fiction (Mo'Wax)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 22 August 1998
SCI-FI ALLSTARS ...
Black Eyed Peas: Behind The Front (Interscope) ****
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 12 September 1998
EVERY ONCE in a while, some little sweetie in Hiphopsville receives one too many Valentines and gets all gooey on our asses. People generally think ...
Elliott Smith: Elliott Gold: Elliott Smith: Dingwalls, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 12 September 1998
WE'RE A sad bunch of buggers, us lovers of soothing, emotional country rock. ...
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 24 October 1998
Virtually unknown a year ago — 12 months later Cerys Matthews is voted the sexiest woman in rock in a Maker poll. How'd that happen!? ...
Eels, Pulp: Pulp/Eels: Hereford Leisure Centre
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 17 November 1998
HAPPY! SAD. H-h-h-happy! Sad. You know those theatrical mask things, one with a smile big enough to house a Manic's packed lunch, the other with ...
Natalie Imbruglia: The People Who Shook the World in 1998, March: Natalie Imbruglia
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 19 December 1998
"WHEN YOU wish upon a star," sang some old bloke many, many years ago, "make no difference who you are." And, boy, did he know ...
Gay Dad: The Talk Of London, London
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 2 January 1999
YOUR MONEY'S already been spent. There are people quite literally banking on you buying Gay Dad's records, buying into the hype which starts here, tonight, ...
Elliott Smith: Alas Smith And Moans
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 8 May 1999
On the road in the US, we find the unassuming ELLIOTT SMITH still likes a drink, has put drugs behind him, but can't manage a ...
Sebadoh: Psychobabble: Sebadoh's Lou Barlow
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 29 May 1999
He'd consider making a necklace from his toes, when he's dead he wants his body to be cut up and distributed to people... And he's ...
Medal: Drop Your Weapon (Polydor)
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 5 June 1999
F*** IT. WHO wants to be happy, anyway? ...
Lauryn Hill: Evening News Arena, Manchester
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 12 June 1999
EX OFFENDER ...
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 4 September 1999
RELIGHT MY EIRE! ...
Report and Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 18 September 1999
Worried that they mere a little, y'know, pop, we take HEPBURN to an indie club in Manchester, get flirted with, discover all about their rampant sexuality ...
Pavement: Fluttering to Deceive
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 18 September 1999
Since lo-fi gods PAVEMENT have a passion for horse racing, we take them to the local William Hill for some gambling tips... But is everything ...
A, Ash, Feeder, Gay Dad: Ash, Feeder and Gay Dad: Indie Hard IV — With a Vengeance
Report and Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 25 September 1999
Well, Bruce Willis might have spanked Jeremy Irons' butt in the end, but this time the Yanks face a far more serious threat. We join ...
Blink 182: Enema Of The State (MCA) *****
Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 16 October 1999
BOTTOMS aren't supposed to have hot shots of water blasted up them. They're not really supposed to dribble toxic effluent into a pool of bowel-cleansed ...
Profile and Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 23 October 1999
Passionate angst rock ...
Gomez: Barrowlands, Glasgow ****
Live Review by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 27 October 1999
IT ALWAYS happens like this. You send your wee boys off to college, or indeed to war, and they come back big, strapping men. Yeah, ...
Embrace: Psychobabble: Embrace
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 27 October 1999
One wants to be microwaved, the other's ready to shoot a cow. Get on the couch, EMBRACE fellas! ...
Supergrass: "It Felt Really Smart to be Doing it Again"
Report and Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 22 December 1999
A BLINDING THIRD ALBUM. A WORLD TOUR. COLLABORATIONS WITH THE MUPPETS AND ALI G. ALL IN A YEARS WORK FOR SUPERGRASS, AS GAZ COOMBES TELLS ...
Super Furry Animals: "I like the idea of creating cultural havoc"
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 19 January 2000
Wide open spaces, mountains and free-thinking cultural revolutionaries — no wonder SUPER FURRY ANIMALS love Spain's Basque country. What's more, the feeling's mutual. ...
Oasis: The Oasis Story, Part 1: From Rain to Definitely Maybe
Retrospective by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 19 January 2000
With Oasis' return imminent, the first instalment of our four-part history of the band traces their rise, from the Noel-free live debut to the era-defining ...
Oasis: The Oasis Story, Part 3: From Noel's Brief Exit to Be Here Now
Retrospective by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 2 February 2000
The third instalment of our four-part history of Oasis charts "the tabloid years", when they became more famous for their actions than their music. ...
Oasis: The Oasis Story, Part 4: From The Masterplan to Go Let It Out
Guide by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 9 February 2000
In the final part of our Oasis history, we recall the departures of Bonehead and Guigsy and look forward to Standing On The Shoulder Of ...
Korn: "I once did coke off The Bible"
Interview by Robin Bresnark, Melody Maker, 17 May 2000
Before Korn's huge shows this week, we got them to tell us their favourite tour stories. It's not all fruit up drummers' arses and drugs. ...
The White Stripes: London Loves Us: The White Stripes
Report and Interview by Robin Bresnark, Detroit Metro Times, 8 August 2001
DETROIT, YOU HAVE a secret admirer. Admittedly, we're not terribly local, not all of us are single, and you certainly wouldn't want to come round ...
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