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Interview special: Toby Manning

Toby Manning is a London-based music journalist, author, and academic with a career spanning popular culture, music, and political history. He’s best known for his work examining the intersections of music and ideology, often through a Marxist lens, as well as his deep dives into specific artists and cultural moments.

Manning’s most prominent book is Mixing Pop and Politics: A Marxist History of Popular Music (2024), a 500-plus-page exploration of how popular music from the 1950s to the present has reflected and resisted political and social upheavals.

Plus:

Graham explains happened when he met celist, Julian Lloyd Webber in London at the launch of Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

Graham also explores the sonic world of London's Fat Dog - an indie band from South East London. They’re known for their chaotic, high-energy live shows and a genre-defying sound that mixes dance, punk, techno, klezmer, and industrial elements—think something like a feral lovechild of Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, and a rave in a Brixton basement.

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Graham and Charles report that York is about to have Britain's biggest independent book store with Topping Books https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/
Is it going to be an opportunity or threat?

Charles asks what do two Robert De Niro for the price of one add up to in The Alto Knights?

Plus Edwin Collins announcing autumn final tour after releasing National Shall Speak Unto National last Friday.

Graham previews the next Vinyl Sessions event in Harrogate which will focus on The Beatles in film and the continuing significance of the albums A Hard Day's Night and Help!.

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Graham explores why Steven Soderberg's new spy/com film, Black Bag starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender isn't as good as his best and most under-rated film, The Limey from 1999 which starred Terence Stamp and Peter Fonda.

Charles and Graham chew over the headliners for this year's Glastonbury Festival.

Graham takes a look at Grant McPhee's exceptional new book on Scottish indie bands, Postcards From Scotland.

Graham relates how an enquiry from Fibbers owner Tim Hornsby led to uncovering Charm Magazine's spat in print with the early Kaiser Chiefs.

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Graham rejects on this year’s Academy Awards: Is Anora really the Best Picture of this or any other year?

The Beta Band are reforming and are coming to Leeds.

Richard Hawley is to play Museum Gardens in York this summer. Hurrah! It's the twentieth anniversary of the releases of his classic album Coles Corner.

Charles reports on sci-fi/comedy Mickey 17, the new film by Bong Joon Ho whose last film was the Academy Award winning Parasite.

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CHarles and Graham interview Yorkshire-based Scottish musician, Gary Stewart.

Gary Stewart is a Scottish singer/songwriter who has carved out a strong fan-base in his adopted home of Yorkshire with songs about paranoia, love & resilience. When not playing his own music, the left-hander plays drums for fellow Bandcampers Hope & Social, bass for Leeds-based Fleetwood Mac tribute Weetwood Mac and performs regularly up & down the U.K, performing Paul Simon’s classic 1986 album Graceland with his seven-piece band.

https:www.garystewartmusic.co.uk

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Graham explores the mystery of rock n roll and Jim Jarmusch's 1989 film Mystery Train and talks about his meeting with Marxist rock writer Toby Manning at a Harrogate International Festivals event last week.

Charles shares his recent experience at the National Museum of Science and Media in Bradford, UK Capital of Culture 2025.

Charles and Graham revisit the films that won big at the BAFTAs.

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Charles and Grham interview 10cc's Graham Gouldman ahead of his latest tour with his band, Heart Full of Songs.

The band line-up comprises Graham, 10cc live band members Iain Hornal and Keith Hayman, and Dave Cobby.

In 2014 Graham was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame – an arm of America’s National Academy of Music. Fellow inductees include Noel Coward, Burt Bacharach, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Elton John and Sting.

Graham's songwriting credits over the last 60 years include The Yardbirds, The Hollies, Herman's Hermits and 10cc. In 2024 Graham released a new solo album called I Have Notes which includes collaborations with Brian May, Ringo Starr, Hank Marvin and Albert Lee.

Charles and Graham round off the episode with a quick discussion about the recent BAFTA Awards and the latest news about the planned National Poetry Centre.

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Graham reports on BBC 6 Music's State of Independent Venues Week which for once makes Leeds and York look great.

Graham and Chales share further thoughts on Bradford City of Culture's programme.

Charles reports on David Hockney’s exhibition at Saltaire in Bradford.

Succession actor Brian Cox is about to return to the stage for Edinburgh International Festival in a year of good news for the city's arts.

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