Emma Finamore

Freelance culture & music feature writer | Editor | Researcher for docs, books & projects

Writing about culture and music, for titles like VICE, i-D, Notion Magazine, BBC, The Independent, FACT, Huck, BA Highlife Magazine, Hypebeast, Time Out, and Red Bull.

Previously Deputy Online Editor at Clash Magazine, Reporter at the Independent, and Arts Editor at the London Economic.

Researcher on Boiler Room documentary series 'Migrant Sound' exploring the musical and cultural impact of the Windrush generation in the UK (2018).

Researcher, interviewer and writer for national UK reggae sound systems project (2017).

Writer for photography book, SISTERS, published by Hoxton Mini Press (2017).

Features Editor at bi-monthly South London community newspapers the Peckham Peculiar and Lewisham Ledger, writing features, profiles and interviews.

Portfolio
Clash Magazine
Multifaceted Mastery: Princess Nokia Interviewed

Few artists fold in as many diverse influences as Princess Nokia. Growing up between the Bronx, Harlem, and Lower East Side, part of underground rap and ballroom culture, she's the embodiment of a rich mix that finds its way into all she touches.

Clash Magazine
More Herself: Alicia Keys Interviewed

Alicia Keys has been on a journey, one of motherhood, womanhood and ultimately, selfhood; her upcoming album and book reflecting a new, defiantly honest approach. In 2020, this is a woman not hiding anymore, especially not from herself. - - - - - - "I've always wanted people to really know me, I just wasn't ready to share it.

I-d
11/18/2020
Heart of the Nation: The exhibition celebrating how migrants built the NHS

Heart of the Nation: Migration and the Making of the NHS , which opened both digitally and physically at London's Migration Museum last month, celebrates the vital roles that migrant workers have played in building our health service, through oral histories and emotive, compelling archive and contemporary imagery, as well as art, animation and data visualisations.

Red Bull
05/07/2020
The Italian Afrobeats club proving that music can change the world

Yankuba , an aspiring biochemist who fled poverty in the Gambia for Europe, is talking about Teranga - a migrant-run Afrobeats club in Naples, Italy. Translating as 'hospitality' or 'welcoming generosity' in Wolof, a language found across Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania, Teranga has lived up to its name, becoming a haven for African migrants in the city.

FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music.
07/12/2018
How women like DJ Camilla and Ranking Miss P pioneered UK pirate radio

Pirate radio is a vital part of music culture and history in the UK, inextricably linked with the rise of home-grown genres like jungle, garage and grime. It gave us some of the most pivotal figures in UK music, from DJs like Tim Westwood and Trevor Nelson in the 1980s, to Eastman's jungle explosion and Goldie's drum and bass of the '90s, to grime pioneers Wiley and Dizzee Rascal in the mid-2000s.

The Vinyl Factory
07/18/2019
Sunny Side Up: A snapshot of Melbourne's underground jazz scene

With threads of deep house, broken beat, hip-hop and R&B, woven through a jazz filter, Brownswood's latest compilation Sunny Side Up captures Melbourne's young musicians much in the way that We Out Here did for London in 2018. Emma Finamore speaks to its musical director Silentjay to uncover the city's soul heritage.

I-d
10/09/2019
these photos capture 70 years of teenage subcultures

Surrounded by half-empty cans of spray paint, a group of young men strike b-boy poses in front of a graffiti-covered wall. Slickly-dressed dancers smile for the camera, flexing their Iceberg and DKNY outfits for a garage rave. A triad of moody young goths huddle up on a park bench; their angular hairstyles defying gravity with sweeping, heavy eyeshadow to match their heavy coats.

I-d
04/26/2019
inside poland's 90s rave scene

Photography Peter Styles This article originally appeared on i-D UK. Many people see rave as a British phenomenon, but the 1990s also saw an explosion of free parties and electronic music in Poland.

BBC
BBC - From the fringes to the front row: Fashion crossovers and landmark moments in hip-hop

In the 1980s hip-hop was very much a fashion outsider. From the New York crews like Lo Life and rapper Thirstin Howl III - making a lifestyle out of boosting Polo Ralph Lauren from high end stores - to Dapper Dan, a Harlem designer creating custom-made outfits for rappers by printing the monograms of names like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Fendi onto tracksuits, bomber jackets and baseball caps, if those in the rap world wanted an upscale look, they had to get imaginative.

Huck Magazine
06/20/2019
The fight to save Krakow's DIY club community

Krakow in Poland is well known for its cheap beer and stag dos, but the city also has a vibrant underground club scene. The city is a bubbling melting pot of electronic music - think psytrance, Polish trap and witch house rubbing shoulders with industrial techno and gabba - powered by a passionate, close-knit community of DJs,...

Red Bull
09/28/2021
Drummer Sarah Thawer on her percussionist icons

Sheila E.: "The perfect example of women empowering other women" Tony Williams: "He lets the drums speak" Cindy Blackman: A "crazy amazing" drummer Cindy Blackman is a "crazy amazing drummer," says Thawer - drums jazz, rock and funk, and has joined the likes of Lenny Kravitz and Carlos Santana (her now husband, after he proposed to her onstage in 2015), as well as being heavily influenced by Tony Williams. Terri Lyne Carrington: "She really lets things breathe" Ronald Bruner Jr: "That solo...

Red Bull
02/09/2021
Life's never been better for Monki

But then the pandemic hit. Monki describes the effect as being like a freight train slamming on its brakes. "I'd gone full pelt for ten years and then, all of a sudden, just a hard stop." Clubs were closed, tours were suspended, and Monki found herself at home without much to do.

Red Bull
08/14/2020
How Jordin Sparks made her Sounds Like Me EP

"I don't have a box," declares US singer Jordin Sparks in the latest instalment of Red Bull Studio Sessions. Sparks isn't in the throes of moving house. Instead, back in the studio to write and record her new six-track EP, Sounds Like Me ( listen to it here), Sparks is talking about attempts to pigeonhole her musically and how determined she is to stick to her own wide-open path.

i-D
07/19/2017
say it loud: women, art and black power

When many people think of Black Power the first image that comes to mind is often a male Black Panther Party member - in a black beret, gun in hand - or even Beyoncé's infamous 2016 Super Bowl performance, flanked by her backing dancers, fists raised in the Black Power salute; or maybe the #BlackLivesMatter protests of recent years.

The Line of Best Fit
Nine Songs: Tony Allen

Allen values musicianship and skill above all else. That, and standing up - whether that's for a belief, a cause, or simply out from the crowd, and he's carried this love of the extraordinary with him throughout his musical life.

Red Bull
04/25/2020
Jetta & Darkchild: How to produce a banger

With the latest series of The Cut challenging more randomly paired songwriters and producers to write a pop banger in just ten hours, we asked serial collaborators Jetta and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins exactly how it's done. How do you write and produce a pop hit? Darkchild's knack for sculpting a hit is undeniable.

Red Bull
10/31/2019
How VP Records led a dancehall revolution

"Oh my god, it was so exciting, and so different." Patricia Chin , aka Miss Pat , is recalling the first time she heard dancehall in the late '70s when she was still living in Jamaica. "Dancehall was just coming in - people like Yellowman , Cutty Ranks .

Huck Magazine
10/08/2019
Jamaica desperately needs more skate parks - here's why

"When we skate, we find peace," says skater FroggBoss. He is reflecting on his community in Kingston, Jamaica. Despite many young people here being dedicated to skateboarding, there is no skate park in the whole of the city - instead, they are forced to hone their craft in gullies, abandoned parking lots and empty basketball...

Red Bull
03/04/2020
Meet radio DJ and host of The Cut, Tiffany Calver.

"I don't think I'd have a career if I didn't collaborate," says UK DJ and radio broadcaster Tiffany Calver, reflecting on how pairing up creatively with like-minds has helped her realise her own ambitions. Collaboration is, she tells us, the key to unlocking creative potential.

Notion Magazine
11/01/2018
Made In Russia

Meet the Moscow creatives keeping rave and alternative culture alive in Russia's capital.

Clash Magazine
01/30/2019
Rebel Rebel: Neneh Cherry Interviewed

"There are a lot of really, really great things about now. There's rebellion in the air." The former part of this statement from Neneh Cherry might be surprising, given her latest album is called 'Broken Politics', tracing her anger with the current state of the world, from the plight of refugees to corruption and greed.

Time Out London
09/12/2019
What to do in Peckham

Peckham has got itself a serious drinking scene, from some of London's most buzzing rooftop bars to railway arch hangouts. Don't miss Mae J's Café , a café/bar in an afro salon named after the first black woman in space. Basement record store doubles up as a cocktail bar and gig venue.

Clash Magazine
05/29/2019
Ghetts On Grime: "Growth Was Inevitable"

Ghetts was pivotal in early grime, and now he's a key player in pushing the genre forward. Starting out in grime collective Nasty Crew - known then as Ghetto - founded by Marcus Nasty and including big hitters like D Double E, Kano, Jammer and Footsie, he has gone on to be a big part of the genre's development.

British Airways High Life Magazine
02/01/2019
Moscow Man

DJ and producer Lapti – a central figure in Moscow's beat scene – takes us on a hedonist's guide to his home city.

Clash Magazine
01/10/2019
How To Run Your Own Record Label

It's a pretty good time to be a record label. Last year, it was reported that UK recorded music revenues had risen 10.6% - the biggest leap since 1995. This wasn't just led by pop blockbusters; the growth was boosted by breakthroughs from artists like Stormzy, Dua Lipa and Rag 'n' Bone Man, and there was a 45% leap in streaming subscriptions on top of the continuing vinyl revival.

Clash Magazine
09/01/2018
Risky Roadz: Behind The Videos That Shaped Grime

DVD series Risky Roadz helped kickstart the careers of countless MCs in the early days of grime and galvanised the budding scene’s visual aesthetic, in a time before YouTube and Instagram.

I-d
04/20/2018
this instagram account celebrates the best of original london street style

An Instagram account celebrating street style, jungle and garage culture, explores roots of this very British look in a brand new photography show. Created by writer and curator Angela Philips, Ruffnecks, Rudeboys & Rollups takes visitors through the origins and influences of London street culture from 1989 to the early 00s.

Clash Magazine
11/06/2018
Meet The New Female-Led Station Rethinking Radio

Radio is as unrepresentative as most industries: statistics show solo female presenters only make up around 12% of total drive time hours and 13% of total breakfast hours, for example, and women only represent 20% of the solo voices on national radio. Foundation FM is here to change all that.

Clash Magazine
11/13/2018
Meet The Palestinian Artists Breaking Down Borders Through Music

Palestine's thriving underground music scene - in one of the most conflicted regions on earth - is being celebrated in a new documentary. 'Palestine Underground' from Boiler Room follows a week in the life of alternative Palestinian music collectives, up-and-coming techno DJs, and innovative hip-hop producers and rappers, in the lead up to the first Boiler Room party in Ramallah this summer.

PSNEurope
09/12/2018
Behind the beats: How UK producers created grime

Though UK grime may currently be enjoying something of a commercial peak, the sonic blueprint of the nation's most vibrant genre in decades can in fact be traced all the way back to the late '90s and beyond. Emma Finamore speaks to some of the producers who helped shape the scene and fire grime into the mainstream...

BBC
10/19/2018
Why now is the perfect time to get into UK jazz

This weekend, Gilles Peterson celebrates the thriving UK jazz scene with a live special from Maida Vale, featuring performances from luminaries like Joe Armon-Jones, Nubya Garcia, Oscar Jerome, Ishmael Ensemble and one-off collaborations with Fatima, Hak Baker and Gilles' all-star house band. Tune in from 3pm on Saturday 20 October.

Huck Magazine
05/04/2018
How young Londoners are uniting to raise money for Grenfell

Off The Block is a new print magazine celebrating London's diverse creative scene, with all profits going towards the victims of last year's Grenfell Tower tragedy. Off The Block is a new print magazine celebrating London's diverse creative scene, with all profits going towards the victims of last year's Grenfell Tower tragedy.

i-D
02/19/2018
from kanye to frank: why hip-hop loves anime

Anime fans may have a rep for being dweeby obsessives or cosplay oddballs, even pervy Manga addicts, but the Japanese art form has actually influenced some of the hardest rappers out there, and its impact on hip hop spans decades and sub-genres.

Lewisham Ledger
08/01/2018
Lewisham's deep sound system roots

A history of Lewisham borough's vital role in UK sound system and reggae culture, from blues parties of the '50s to groundbreaking sound systems like Jah Shaka and Saxon in the '70s, to the legacy being continued today.

Huck Magazine
05/25/2018
How women took over, and radicalised, self-publishing

Female-founded, independent alternative magazines have been disrupting and adding to UK society for decades. In celebration of this, the likes of Spare Rib, gal-dem, Mushpit, Sabat, Fruitlands, ROMP, Riposte, Hotdog, Ladybeard, Burnt Roti, Orlando, and Beauty Papers are all being celebrated in an upcoming show in London - Print!

BBC
09/14/2018
BBC - A tribute to the synth: how synthesisers revolutionised modern music

First, a quick history lesson. As we hear in The Great Bleep Forward (a four-part series on electronic music, presented by Andrew Collins, available to listen to now) the synth dates back to the 1800s. Many regard the Telharmonium, an electrical organ developed by Thaddeus Cahill in New York during the 1890s, to be an early predecessor of the synthesiser.

BBC
BBC - 18 things you may not know about the 1Xtra Live 2018 stars

With tracks called Family and Family Matters, it's clear what is important to Chance. It turns out that his family's rap prowess doesn't end with him either. Chance's brother - Taylor Bennett - started out as an MC around the same time as he did, and built up a rep off his own back: selling out shows in Chicago and opening for his idol Nas.

The Line of Best Fit
How radio found new life on the internet and changed music discovery forever

Forget established stations and music journalists; if you want to keep your finger on the pulse of music and the creative underground, online is the place to go. DJs and presenters on internet radio are often part of a network of local artists and music creative - many even are artists themselves - with access to new and interesting music, free from playlists and pluggers.

I-d
03/28/2018
documenting the heady rise and dramatic fall of 80s glam metal

"Male 17, who resembles David Coverdale seeks girl same age, photo appreciated," reads one ad in the classified section of an old metal mag. Then there's a Whitesnake fan looking for "female friends to write/meet gigs" in east London and Essex, while a Scorpions and Mötley Crüe fan in Edinburgh looks for "penfriends" outside of Britain.

i-D
10/13/2017
how women are shaping a new uk sound system scene

A new generation of UK sound systems are changing and modernising the scene, as well as maintaining and nurturing important traditions -- using vinyl, playing dub, roots and culture reggae rather than newer genres, keeping 'the message' central to the dance -- established by previous generations.

Time Out London
08/12/2015
Behind the scenes at Notting Hill Carnival

'Right now in our minds, we're in 2016,' says Azaria. 'We're already thinking about next year's Carnival before this year's Carnival.' Because Makesha and Simone live in New York, the group uses social media to share ideas and themes during the autumn.

PinkNews
04/16/2018
Meet California's first openly gay elected official

Harvey Milk is the ultimate 20 th century LGBT+ icon: he is the subject of books, films, postage stamps, plaques, a national holiday and is even the namesake of an airport terminal. But Milk isn't just a symbol: as the United States' first openly gay politician, and an inspirational orator, his life and work helped improve people's lives in a very real way.

Hoxton Mini Press
SISTERS

Photo book from Hoxton Mini Press featuring images and interviews with more than 100 sisters, with an introduction and texts by Emma Finamore.

The Line of Best Fit
Geowulf: Diving into the Great Blue on their Debut Album

The track "Hideaway" is tinged with surfy, sugary sweet, '60s-backing-girl style vocals, the intro to "Get You" feels less California and more Caribbean, and the disco/synth pop of "Drink Too Much"​ - lamenting the nights when a few too many get you into trouble, inspired by one particularly heavy night when singer Star Kendrick lived in Sweden - shows this duo are far more than a one-trick pony.

HYPEBEAST
06/23/2017
How Comic Book Universes Shaped Run-D.M.C.'s World

"I was a nerdy, straight-A student who went to Catholic school. I was considered a geek." Darryl 'D.M.C.' McDaniels, founder of the seminal Run-D.M.C., didn't have the start in life that most would expect of an infamous MC.

Clash Magazine
Please Be Aware: The Rise Of Benny Mails

Taking his inspiration from classic soul and funk, to grime and UK hip-hop, to punk and DIY, Benny Mails is one of the most exciting and versatile rappers around - and he's only just dropped his first mixtape. We caught up with him the month he featured in the Great Escape's First Fifty and released his long-awaited mixtape 'Aware'...

Red Bull
09/24/2017
10 of the most stylish UK MCs

It shouldn't be a surprise that the artists making some of the UK's most unique music are also one-offs when it comes to their sartorial choices. Here we take a look at some of the country's most fashion-forward MCs, from the confidently stylish old guard like Skepta, to the newcomers mixing things up by combining quality streetwear with retro classics and personalised pieces.

Clash Magazine
11/14/2017
There's Life In The Old Dog Yet: Mac DeMarco Interviewed

"Fucked up, that was a gnarly surf." Mac DeMarco is reflecting on his sold-out show at Brixton Academy the previous night, where he crowd-surfed the length of the near-5,000-capacity venue. He yanks up his T-shirt to show the bruises proving just how wild it was.

Clash Magazine
04/11/2017
Meet Five Women Pioneering Europe's DIY Scene

We went along to the finale of a series of parties thrown by Boiler Room and Ballantine's whisky last month. The #TrueMusic events - celebrating ¬artists from across the electronic music spectrum - have taken in Johannesburg and Moscow, before winding up in Madrid.

i-D / The Fifth Sense
03/27/2017
capturing sisterhood on camera | The Fifth Sense | i-D

Sophie Harris-Taylor has photographed and interviewed over 50 sets of sisters so far, and aims to shoot 100 by the time she finishes the project. It's not just a creative experiment for her - it's something far closer to home. "I have a sister myself and we've always had a tempestuous relationship, ultimately leaving us at some distance," she says.

Peckham Peculiar
05/12/2017
Inside Balamii Radio

James Browning built his internet radio station Balamii from scratch on a shoestring budget, teaching himself DIY and coding along the way.

i-D / The Fifth Sense
01/26/2017
meet sisters of reggae - the uk's first all-female selector collective

There are few genres that have espoused equality and positive vibes for quite as long as reggae, but behind the decks it's a different story. Despite female groups, bands and vocalists breaking through the glass ceiling, female selectors are still pretty thin on the ground. Enter: Sisters of Reggae.

Clash Magazine
02/01/2017
Bringing The South Back: Loyle Carner Interviewed

"Bringing the south back, without trap," says Loyle Carner's Twitter bio. While it's a cheeky nod to a subgenre of US southern hip-hop, UK hip-hop's most unique break through in a long time - already known for a sort of laid-back vulnerability, a confidently pared-down, soulful sound - is south London and proud.

Red Bull
How Instagram is creating the comedy heroes of tomorrow

Big Shaq started out as a character in Michael's mockumentary web series #SWIL, but his appearance on Radio 1Xtra's Fire In The Booth became a meme in itself, its affectionate parody of UK rap and drill styles racking up over 10 million views across Facebook and YouTube.

Clash Magazine
A Few Clash Tips For Field Day 2017

This year's Field Day has outdone itself both up and down the bill, boasting everything from legendary producers and punk poets, to the new, young voices of UK hip-hop and grime, to West Coast spiritual jazz, Australian folk and London trip-hop.

i-D
08/18/2015
we shouldn't overlook uk women in hip hop

When it comes to early stars of British hip hop, the same name always crops up: Ricky 'Slick Rick' Walters. The Children's Story rapper born in Mitcham is considered one of the genre's greatest lyricists, and was certainly an integral part of pushing the British rap narrative.

BORN n BREAD
04/14/2017
MUSIC // IMAN

I grew up in Hounslow to a Sudanese father and a Yemeni mother. Both came to the UK independent of each other and they eventually met through mutual friends. I was bought up in a Muslim household and it was important to my parents that I understood and respected my roots.

i-D
07/24/2015
we dissect the girl power of 90s r&b

The Spice Girls' Wannabe, encouraged a generation of British girls to expect a certain amount from their men - with the apt reminder that they've "gotta get with your friends", remember? - all valid but practically cotton candy when placed next to the material of their R&B peers, who were busy demanding good sex, high intellect and - above all - respect.

Clash Magazine
05/18/2016
Welcome To Stockholm: MusicTech Capital Of The World

What do Candy Crush, Minecraft and Skype all have in common? They all hail from tech-savvy Stockholm. Even though we in the UK tend to fetishise Sweden's gender equality, architecture, design and crime drama, we often overlook its contribution to music and tech; and the country's capital is at the global forefront.

The Line of Best Fit
01/06/2016
The Dark Euphoria of HÆLOS

"Music is a unifying force, it's something that binds people together," says Arthur Delaney, sitting beside me in an east London studio. This could sound glib coming from someone else, but as part of HÆLOS - creating delicate, nuanced sounds for that moment when the dust starts to settle just as the sun starts to come up, in the post-orgasmic glow of a night out - it seems totally on point.

The Line of Best Fit
02/09/2016
Animal Collective: The Ideas Men

"We're trying to create something that people can get lost in," says Dave 'Avey Tare' Portner, of Animal Collective. "I feel like the best way of doing that is also getting lost in the environment where we're creating it."

Clash Magazine
04/12/2016
Silly Me: The World Of Yeasayer

"He's a complete megalomaniacal asshole, and the media all over the world are giving him this free pass, this voice - they're actually covering that prick." Chris Keating is driving through upstate New York towards his home in Woodstock, ranting about (you guessed it) Donald Trump.

The Line of Best Fit
08/25/2015
Interview | Kurt Vile and melancholic existentialism

"Videos aren't easy work. It's a pretty long process but once it comes out it's really rewarding," he says. "What I'm really good at is making albums, you know? Making the songs in the moment, and then finesse them until they're just right and tailored to my mind."

Clash Magazine
01/20/2016
Lost/Found: DIIV Interviewed

It's strange to think that DIIV have only released one album so far. The stories that swirl around them as a band - addiction, drug arrests, rehab, cancelled recording sessions, outspoken interviews, and singer-songwriter-model girlfriends - are ones you'd often associate with a band maybe three albums deep.

Clash Magazine
11/03/2015
The Land Beyond: British Sea Power

Jan Scott Wilkinson is feeling a little tender this afternoon - "I'm a bit hungover today," he sighs. "The old whisky and wine combo." Ouch.

The Line of Best Fit
02/16/2016
Rosie Lowe: Standing in The Way Of Control

Rosie Lowe has been thinking a lot about words and meaning recently. In particular, the troublesome F-word. "More than ever the word 'feminism' needs re-appropriating," she says emphatically when we meet. "It just means equality, it's as simple as that.

Clash Magazine
10/28/2015
Catching Up With Chastity Belt

Chastity Belt played their first ever UK headline gig last week in London, as part of a European tour taking in Paris, Berlin and some places we can't pronounce in Austria and the Netherlands. It follows the release of the band's second LP, 'Time To Go Home', a straight talking, lo-fi exploration of dive bars, boredom, drinking and sex.

Clash Magazine
11/05/2015
Forever Inspired: Trust Fund

What strikes me the most about Ellis Jones - the lynchpin-like centre of revolving, sometime interchangeable musical collective, Trust Fund - is how much he loves other people's music. He talks about going to gigs, upcoming EPs and albums, and of course new bands, with the same gusto as your mates down the pub.

Clash Magazine
09/24/2015
Live Report: Festival De Musique Émergente 2015

Founded in mining town Rouyn-Noranda, 13 years ago when locals Sandy Boutin and Jenny Thibault got fed up at having to schlep nine hours across no-man's land to get to the nearest cultural centre - Montreal - it's a pretty mean feat considering the remote location.

The Line of Best Fit
08/25/2015
Interview | Mercury Rev's Jonathan Donahue on The Light In You

He thinks it's improved their song-writing and craft, rather than hindered it: "Our peers around the same age, you can see a different light in their eyes, and real life in their songs - not just the violent imagination of a 21-year-old, thinking you know things."

Clash Magazine
08/12/2015
Next Wave #649 - Kagoule

"Go and get fucking Kim Deal if you want her, dickwads." Lucy, bassist in Nottingham's teen grungers, , is clearly already tired of lazy 'women in rock' comparisons. She may still be in bright pink train-tracks, but this is a woman who knows her own mind.

Clash Magazine
09/10/2015
In Conversation: Hooton Tennis Club

Hooton Tennis Club are set to toast an anniversary of sorts this weekend. The band signed their contract with Heavenly Recordings just 12 months ago, backstage at London's On Blackheath festival.

The Line of Best Fit
10/19/2015
Halcyon Daze: Richard Hawley on the inspiration behind Hollow Meadows

So far, so average dad, but Hawley is far from it: the Britpop stalwart found musical fame in the mid-nineties with Longpigs, moved on to Pulp, and since the turn of the Millennium has been forging a place in the nation's hearts (and the Mercury and Brit Awards nominee lists) as our resident psych-folk crooner; proudly hailing from Sheffield but with a Roy Orbison baritone that, frankly, anyone would take home to meet the parents.

Gigwise
09/17/2014
Deers: The New Ladies of Lo-Fi

We've heard lo-fi garage-rock pop from all-girl line ups before, but maybe not from two Spanish senoritas from Madrid.

The London Economic
06/11/2015
Variant Space: exploring the female Muslim experience through art

A truly modern collective, Variant Space founders Nasreen Raja and Nasreen Shaikh Jamal Al Lail met not at art school or in a studio, but on Instagram. We caught up with one half of the team to learn more about their London-based, all female, all Muslim, creative collective.

The London Economic
05/20/2015
Rudegirls and Rudeboys reunited: celebrating London's 90s streetwear

Think you know your Moschino from your Naf Naf? This photography exhibition might be just the thing to test your 90s fashion know-how, and the chance to glimpse a scene that (despite Urban Outfitters' best attempts) is long-gone, along with car phones, Pogs and disc-mans. Ruffnecks, Rudeboys and

The London Economic
05/15/2015
How to increase diversity in the creative industries

Despite London being a rich, diverse tapestry of people, classes and cultures, it's sadly a well-known fact that the city's creative industry - as is the case across the UK - is not a reflection of this. Access to accommodation (not to mention food transport and, apparently, a well-heeled social

The London Economic
04/29/2015
Pamflet: London femme zine returns

Pamflet, a self-described "London grrrl-culture zine", launched its thirteenth issue this week, after a four-year hiatus. The zine's creators, Anna-Marie Fitzgerald and Pheobe Frangoul, hosted a night of wine and chat at Soho's The Trouble Club - all female member's club / den of intellectual fem

The London Economic
05/19/2015
Creating space with Etch: Peckham's open theatre project

Theatre can sometimes seem like a closed shop, one of stuffy, expensive theatres, or intimidating, pretentious improv nights in achingly cool bars. Then there's Etch. The Peckham theatre project is about to turn just one year old, but with award nominations and international festivals already und

The London Economic
04/27/2015
The Feminist Library turns 40

Like all powerful, female forces of nature, London's Feminist Library is just getting better with age. To celebrate its 40th year, here are some of the arts highlights from its programme. Women and Tattoos 25th April 2015 With the amazing discussion-starter "Why you should never, ever get a ta

The London Economic
07/01/2015
Going underground: Secret street art

Street art? Secret location? Free booze?! If any of these pique your interest (and frankly, we don't know many that can resist the latter) then you are in luck, friends. This evening (Thursday 2 July) the team behind GraffitiStreet.com bring us their new show, 'Underground'. The online street art

The London Economic
06/12/2015
Secret Cinema presents Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

"Stay low, keep your face hidden, and remember: you are Rebel X," our masked military leader barks at us, as we dash full pelt through the winding tunnels of a mysterious army base. Not your usual Thursday afternoon in central London.

The London Economic
07/26/2015
London Comedians: The Edinburgh Survival Guide

Next month, swathes of London's comedians will be making their annual pilgrimage across the border to Scotland, for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. We spoke to some of our capital's comedians about how they survive the yearly onslaught of hecklers, expensive accommodation and endless hangovers. Nish Kumar (Croydon) Best place to catch comedy: Everywhere.

Londonist
11/28/2016
5 Things You Might Not Have Done In The Sky Garden

Emma Finamore 5 Things You Might Not Have Done In The Sky Garden Been up the Sky Garden already and ticked it off your list? Here are some excuses for a second visit. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are music nights at the Sky Garden, with live bands and DJs performing from sunset onwards.

Londonist
10/24/2016
Inside Bankside's First Playhouse (It's Not The Globe)

Emma Finamore Inside Bankside's First Playhouse (It's Not The Globe) Hidden away off Bankside's backstreets is The Rose Playhouse, the first theatre on Bankside, and the first Southwark stage trodden by Shakespeare. Built in 1587, The Rose Playhouse predates its famous older sister, the Globe, by over a decade.

Londonist
11/10/2016
How Do You Get To Be A Beefeater?

Emma Finamore How Do You Get To Be A Beefeater? Beefeaters (or Yeoman Warders, to give them their proper name) aren't just a great selfie opportunity for eager tourists. They've been guarding the Tower of London since the 15th century. We found out exactly what it takes to get your hands on one of those snazzy jackets.

Londonist
11/02/2016
Where Does London's Tap Water Come From?

Emma Finamore Where Does London's Tap Water Come From? Where does London's tap water come from? We spoke to Dave Reynolds, water quality manager at Thames Water, to find out about the stuff that comes out of our taps. 70% of London's water is supplied by reservoirs, which collect their water from the River Thames, from the west of the city.

Londonist
07/11/2016
Where Did Trafalgar Square's Pigeons Come From?

Emma Finamore Where Did Trafalgar Square's Pigeons Come From? Tottering around on their little stumps-for-feet, pooing down on us from above, menacingly approaching as we scoff our lunchtime sarnies: Trafalgar Square is certainly popular with London's pigeons - but why? The Square has been at the heart of Westminster since construction began in the 1830s.

The Peckham Peculiar
10/01/2015
Hair today, gone tomorrow

The African hairdressers of Rye Lane and why they fear redevelopment of Peckham Rye station.

The Peckham Peculiar
04/06/2016
Peckham Levels: watch this space

The Pop Brixton team is transforming Peckham's multi-storey carpark into a creative community hub serving all sorts of local groups, but some say a chance to build much-needed artists' studios has been missed. We hear from both sides.

The Peckham Peculiar
06/08/2016
Bold Tendencies' Hannah Barry

Bold Tendencies has welcomed almost a million visitors to a Rye Lane car park since it began in 2007. We meet director Hannah Barry as the tenth season gets underway.

The Peckham Peculiar
06/08/2016
The people behind PeckhamPlex

We go behind the scenes at one of Peckham's most well-loved institutions, the same month it wins the Southwark Civic Award's highest honour for the role it plays in local life.

The Peckham Peculiar
03/30/2015
Who gets your vote?

As Peckham prepares to go to the polls, we put readers' concerns to local candidates from the top four parties.

The Peckham Peculiar
02/08/2016
Shaking up Shakespeare

Peckham stage actor, tv star and now screenplay writer, Elliot Barnes-Worrell explains how he's updating the Bard by bringing him to the streets of SE15 in a new film.

The Peckham Peculiar
06/08/2016
Beatrice Newman & Korlekie

Fashion designer Beatrice Newman launched her fashion company Korlekie from her Peckham bedroom. We find out how she's gone from making clothes for women at her local church to dressing stars like Rita Ora.

The Peckham Peculiar
06/08/2016
Making the right moves

We meet award-winning entrepreneur Leanne Pero, who founded a dance company aged just 15 and has just published her first book.

The Peckham Peculiar
02/02/2015
People power

Nicholas Okwulu set up PemPeople aiming to empower residents in North Peckham. He tells us about the important work he carries out.

The Peckham Peculiar
12/02/2014
A man of many levels

Mickey Smith: the man who helped save the Bussey Building from the wrecking ball.

The Peckham Peculiar
02/02/2015
A story of survival

Diana Nneka Atuona's powerful play, Liberian Girl, scored rave reviews following its debut at the Royal Court Theatre. The Peckham playwright reveals how she quit her law course to pursue a very different career.

The Independent
02/05/2015
The chart that tells you why bus drivers are on strike today

London's bus drivers are on strike for 24 hours as they demand equal pay across the city's 18 individual bus operators and 80 different pay rates. A map produced by Unite the Union hopes to demonstrate the complexity of this system.

Independent
01/04/2015
Obama likes to call me 'bro', says Cameron

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday , Mr Cameron described the famously "special" relationship between Washington and Westminster as "stronger than it has ever been, privately and in public," and that during phone calls Obama refers to him as "bro".

The Independent
02/04/2015
'Fake doctor' drugged and raped over 100 women

Japanese police have arrested a man masquerading as a doctor, for allegedly drugging and raping more than 100 women during fake medical studies. The Japan Times reported that scores of women volunteered for his "clinical research measuring blood pressure during sleep" over two years to November 2013.

Independent
01/04/2015
Roma baby denied burial by local mayor offered grave by neighbouring town

The child is thought to have been just two months old when she died of apparent sudden infant death syndrome on Boxing Day, leaving behind her Roma parents who live in a camp south of Paris. Local authorities in Champlan refused to allow them to bury their child, but a mayor from a nearby town has offered them an alternative site.

Independent
01/04/2015
North Korea rages against new US sanctions following Sony cyberattack

The state-run KCNA news agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying: "The policy persistently pursued by the US to stifle the DPRK [North Korea], groundlessly stirring up bad blood towards it, would only harden its will and resolution to defend the sovereignty of the country.

Eastlondonlines
Deptford X contemporary arts festival launches

Deptford X annual contemporary art festival launched yesterday, entering its 16 th year. "It's the biggest visual arts festival in the community in the south east," said Helen Goodier, Chair of Deptford X. "All the local artists in Deptford are putting art out in the public spaces for the community to see."

Eastlondonlines
Terrorism inquiry: Hackney man arrested and charged

A man from Hackney will be charged in court today under anti-terrorist laws. Abu Izzadeen, 39, was arrested this week along with eight other men as part of a Met Police investigation into Islamist-related terrorism.

Eastlondonlines
Hackney Marshes plans: Public enquiry announced

The Planning Inspectorate announced this week that there will be a public enquiry into controversial plans to build a new car park on Hackney Marshes to serve sporting facilities. Local campaigners were notified by the Planning Inspectorate that the plans need further examination and may not be approved due to their impact on common land.

Eastlondonlines
Croydon Council proposes to set up own housing company

Croydon Council is proposing to set up its own housing company to address the shortage of homes in the town across all tenures, including affordable housing. The building of new homes has previously been financed by the council through its housing revenue account, or HRA.

Eastlondonlines
Lewisham: South London's worst kept property secret

Residents of Lewisham, full of quirky restaurants and cafés, and home to a buzzing arts scene, probably hoped to keep things on the down-low and preserve their pocket of London for a few more years, but it seems the rest of the city has woken up to smell the (artisan) coffee.

Clash Magazine
Live Report: PJ Harvey - Brixton Academy, London

Slinking and stalking around the stage like a spider in her spiky black headdress and ebony Victoriana dress - black and pointy and not quite of this world - Polly Jean seems a very apt artist to be watching on a Hallowe'en night.

Gigwise
10/16/2015
Chastity Belt @ The Victoria, London

"He was just another man trying to teach me something," sneers Julia Shapiro, her logic-defying mane of curls tamed into braids and stuffed under a yellow snapback. "I never expect much from anyone, so I'm never disappointed and never have to try."

Gigwise
02/17/2015
Kate Tempest @ Electric Brixton - 17/02/2015

Watching Kate Tempest is more of an experience than a gig - everyone on the planet needs to go see this incredible poet, rapper, and modern-day prophet at least once in their lives. Brixton's Electric is buzzing as Brockley-raised Kate laughs, "We're in fucking South London!"

Gigwise
04/01/2015
Bo Ningen @ Hoxton Bar & Kitchen - 01/04/2015

As the heaving (and it really is heaving - it's rare for the Hoxton Bar & Kitchen to be this packed on a Tuesday night) crowd eagerly watch Bo Ningen take care of some last minute tuning, Flaming Lips tracks are played overhead; an apt introduction a band as trippy and other-worldly as this.

Gigwise
10/30/2014
Real Estate @ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London 29/10/14

Photo: Press It feels a bit wrong seeing a band like Real Estate - all dreamy sunsets, warm surf sounds and sun-dappled road trips - on a cold, damp October night in London. Onstage however, it really could be a summer evening.

Gigwise
11/11/2014
Jeff Tweedy @ The Palladium, London - 04/11/2014

Tonight is a family affair - Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy is on the road with his son, Spencer, performing tracks from their album, Sukierae. Tweedy, guitar held high, and his band draw us into the all-American soundscape of Sukierae,ranging from country to blues to rockabilly.

Gigwise
08/20/2014
Childish Gambino @ Brixton Academy, London - 19/08/2014

With N.W.A's 'Fuck Tha Police' blasting, sirens wailing, and a vast interactive screen displaying live graffiti and Tweets - controlled by the audience via an app downloadable before the gig - we know we're in for something big.