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Darren Johnson

@darrenjohnson66.bsky.social

Music writer. Social Democrat. Environmentalist. "Glam rock aficionado" - The Spectator Out 29 August: 'Steeleye Span On Track' via Sonicbond Publishing

201 Followers  |  178 Following  |  181 Posts  |  Joined: 12.11.2024  |  2.152

Latest posts by darrenjohnson66.bsky.social on Bluesky

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We take no joy criticising a young left-wing UK political figure who has often spoken up for workers' rights and progressive causes. But these barely coherent comments from Zarah Sultana on Ukraine sum up much of what is wrong with her wing of the left www.instagram.com/reel/DQT62ys...

27.10.2025 16:20 — 👍 655    🔁 219    💬 29    📌 99

Fuck them and fuck Jeremy Corbyn and yes, fuck Zarah Sultana.

27.10.2025 16:39 — 👍 33    🔁 3    💬 4    📌 0
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The 17th-century Stamford Canal The Stamford Canal was an artificial cut that paralleled the River Welland between Stamford and Market Deeping. It was nine and a half miles...

It was opened in 1670, and so predates the canals of the Industrial Revolution. I believe it was constructed by the Dutch engineers who were responsible for the draining of the Fens.

27.10.2025 20:56 — 👍 12    🔁 4    💬 0    📌 0
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This week’s featured artist: singer-songwriter Jim Borrows – debut album ‘Carry Me Back to My Old Front Door’ Jim Borrows will not be a name many people will have heard of but back in July, after a lifetime of playing piano primarily for his own amusement, he fulfilled a long-held ambition of releasing his…

This week’s featured artist: singer-songwriter Jim Borrows – debut album ‘Carry Me Back to My Old Front Door’
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/27/t...

27.10.2025 19:10 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Interview with Mark Laff – X Generation X In November, Generation X drummer, Mark Laff, tours with his new project X Generation X – featuring Mark, alongside Westworld’s Elizabeth Westwood on vocals, Spandau Ballet’s Steve Norman on …

In November, Generation X drummer, Mark Laff, tours with his new project X Generation X. I catch up with Mark to discuss the emergence of punk, the rise and fall of Generation X and the forthcoming UK tour.
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/13/i...

27.10.2025 19:08 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

It definitely hit them but there's a niche market for those hits in terms of cultural acceptability because they're the only songs with the classic Leander-produced glitter-beat band sound that don't have GG on them.

28.10.2025 08:30 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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This week’s featured artist: singer-songwriter Jim Borrows – debut album ‘Carry Me Back to My Old Front Door’ Jim Borrows will not be a name many people will have heard of but back in July, after a lifetime of playing piano primarily for his own amusement, he fulfilled a long-held ambition of releasing his…

This week’s featured artist: singer-songwriter Jim Borrows – debut album ‘Carry Me Back to My Old Front Door’
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/27/t...

27.10.2025 19:10 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Interview with Mark Laff – X Generation X In November, Generation X drummer, Mark Laff, tours with his new project X Generation X – featuring Mark, alongside Westworld’s Elizabeth Westwood on vocals, Spandau Ballet’s Steve Norman on …

In November, Generation X drummer, Mark Laff, tours with his new project X Generation X. I catch up with Mark to discuss the emergence of punk, the rise and fall of Generation X and the forthcoming UK tour.
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/13/i...

27.10.2025 19:08 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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‘Not Good Enough’ – the ‘glamtastic’ new song featuring late Glitter Band founder, John Rossall Five years on from the release of his critically-acclaimed glam comeback album, The Last Glam in Town, and four years on from his tragic passing, new music from Glitter Band founder, John Rossall, …

‘Not Good Enough’ – the ‘glamtastic’ new song featuring late Glitter Band founder, John Rossall
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/15/n...

15.10.2025 13:07 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0
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Live review: Mott Fest 2025 at the Corn Exchange, Ross on Wye 3-4 October 2025 Mott The Hoople were a band I happened upon quite by chance as a young teenager in the early 1980s while I was flipping through the second-hand album racks in Preston’s Action Records. Even though …

Live review: Mott Fest 2025 at the Corn Exchange, Ross on Wye 3-4 October 2025
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/10/l...

11.10.2025 11:26 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
‘Not Good Enough’ – the ‘glamtastic’ new song featuring late Glitter Band founder, John Rossall Five years on from the release of his critically-acclaimed glam comeback album, The Last Glam in Town, and four years on from his tragic passing, new music from Glitter Band founder, John Rossall, …

‘Not Good Enough’ – the ‘glamtastic’ new song featuring late Glitter Band founder, John Rossall
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/15/n...

15.10.2025 13:07 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0
Preview
Interview with Mark Laff – X Generation X In November this year, Generation X drummer, Mark Laff, tours with his new project X Generation X – featuring Mark, alongside Westworld’s Elizabeth Westwood on vocals, Spandau Ballet’s Steve …

In November this year, Generation X drummer, Mark Laff, tours with his new project X Generation X. I catch up with Mark to discuss the emergence of punk, the rise and fall of Generation X and the forthcoming UK tour.

Read full interview here:
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/13/i...

13.10.2025 12:50 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Interview with Mark Laff – X Generation X In November this year, Generation X drummer, Mark Laff, tours with his new project X Generation X – featuring Mark, alongside Westworld’s Elizabeth Westwood on vocals, Spandau Ballet’s Steve …

In November this year, Generation X drummer, Mark Laff, tours with his new project X Generation X. I catch up with Mark to discuss the emergence of punk, the rise and fall of Generation X and the forthcoming UK tour.

Read full interview here:
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/13/i...

13.10.2025 12:50 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Live review: Mott Fest 2025 at the Corn Exchange, Ross on Wye 3-4 October 2025 Mott The Hoople were a band I happened upon quite by chance as a young teenager in the early 1980s while I was flipping through the second-hand album racks in Preston’s Action Records. Even though …

Live review: Mott Fest 2025 at the Corn Exchange, Ross on Wye 3-4 October 2025
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/10/l...

11.10.2025 11:26 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Awkward for Zia Yusuf, who keeps being sent out to lie as cover for the Reform UK leader

Who did Nigel Farage have lunch with after resigning as UKIP leader 4 July 2016?

Why, it's Russian bribe enthusiast Nathan Gill, who then did the important news briefing on his behalf (to Russia Today)

#BBCQT

10.10.2025 15:39 — 👍 143    🔁 88    💬 3    📌 4
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Moody Blues singer and bassist John Lodge dies aged 82 Musician died peacefully surrounded by sounds of Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly, family say

Well, shit.

😟

10.10.2025 14:22 — 👍 35    🔁 5    💬 1    📌 2
Watching And Waiting (Remastered 2022)
YouTube video by The Moody Blues - Topic Watching And Waiting (Remastered 2022)

Rest in Peace and thank you John Lodge. I held steadfast to my belief in the Moodies as a great band for decades in the face of ridicule. It even cost me a nomination for the Penderyn school prefect prize in 2015. Oh yes it did. If you remember you remember. xx
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSLA...

10.10.2025 15:51 — 👍 48    🔁 7    💬 4    📌 0
Preview
Live review: Mott Fest 2025 at the Corn Exchange, Ross on Wye 3-4 October 2025 Mott The Hoople were a band I happened upon quite by chance as a young teenager in the early 1980s while I was flipping through the second-hand album racks in Preston’s Action Records. Even though …

Live review: Mott Fest 2025 at the Corn Exchange, Ross on Wye 3-4 October 2025
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/10/10/l...

10.10.2025 15:58 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.

This is not a joke. This is not normal.

Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

06.09.2025 16:36 — 👍 36121    🔁 11124    💬 2081    📌 1277
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Folk rock legends Fairport Convention embark on Autumn 2025 UK Tour Following a triumphant sold-out Cropredy festival this summer (see my review here), folk rock legends Fairport Convention embark on an Autumn 2025 UK tour. Playing as a stripped back four-piece, Si…

Folk rock legends Fairport Convention embark on Autumn 2025 UK Tour darrensmusicblog.com/2025/09/06/f...

06.09.2025 13:00 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Folk rock legends Fairport Convention embark on Autumn 2025 UK Tour Following a triumphant sold-out Cropredy festival this summer (see my review here), folk rock legends Fairport Convention embark on an Autumn 2025 UK tour. Playing as a stripped back four-piece, Si…

Folk rock legends Fairport Convention embark on Autumn 2025 UK Tour darrensmusicblog.com/2025/09/06/f...

06.09.2025 13:00 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Thanks for having me on!

06.09.2025 11:22 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Yesterday was publication day! I'm really hoping people enjoy reading it. Steeleye Span On Track 1970-89 is part of Sonicbond Publishing's 'On Track' series and it's on sale through numerous online retailers (Amazon, Waterstones, Burning Shed etc.)

30.08.2025 19:54 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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This week’s featured artists: psychedelic indie alt-rock band, Innocents Abroad Psychedelic indie alt-rock band, Innocents Abroad, were formed in Liverpool by four students in the 1980s: Martin Malone (guitar), Peter Mills (vocals), Stuart Hilton (drums) and Steve Goodrich (ke…

This week’s featured artists: psychedelic indie alt-rock band, Innocents Abroad
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/08/25/t...

25.08.2025 11:23 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Book review: ‘The Rock and Roll Almanac’ by Andrew Craneman The Rock and Roll Almanac is a bumper compendium of facts, insights and snapshots in time covering events from the early days of rock and roll in the mid-1950s right up to the present day. Compiled…

Book review: 'The Rock and Roll Almanac' by Andrew Craneman
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/08/04/b...
@andrewcraneman.bsky.social

04.08.2025 12:36 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Live review: Fairport’s Cropredy Convention August 2025 When tickets for Cropredy 2025 went on sale, it was announced that there would be some changes to the festival this year, with far fewer tickets available. Interviewing Fairport’s Dave Pegg back in…

Live review: Fairport’s Cropredy Convention August 2025
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/08/18/l...

23.08.2025 08:06 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
This week’s featured artists: psychedelic indie alt-rock band, Innocents Abroad Psychedelic indie alt-rock band, Innocents Abroad, were formed in Liverpool by four students in the 1980s: Martin Malone (guitar), Peter Mills (vocals), Stuart Hilton (drums) and Steve Goodrich (ke…

This week’s featured artists: psychedelic indie alt-rock band, Innocents Abroad
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/08/25/t...

25.08.2025 11:23 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Live review: Fairport’s Cropredy Convention August 2025 When tickets for Cropredy 2025 went on sale, it was announced that there would be some changes to the festival this year, with far fewer tickets available. Interviewing Fairport’s Dave Pegg back in…

Live review: Fairport’s Cropredy Convention August 2025
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/08/18/l...

23.08.2025 08:06 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Book review: ‘The Rock and Roll Almanac’ by Andrew Craneman The Rock and Roll Almanac is a bumper compendium of facts, insights and snapshots in time covering events from the early days of rock and roll in the mid-1950s right up to the present day. Compiled…

Book review: 'The Rock and Roll Almanac' by Andrew Craneman
darrensmusicblog.com/2025/08/04/b...
@andrewcraneman.bsky.social

04.08.2025 12:36 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

The fact that there's not a single right-winger attempting to claim that privatising water turned out well, proves how economically and morally bankrupt the financial policies of the Thatcher era were.

30.07.2025 08:55 — 👍 354    🔁 40    💬 13    📌 4

@darrenjohnson66 is following 19 prominent accounts