Martin Johnson

AUK’s Chain Gang: Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks “I Scare Myself”

June 29, 2020 Martin Johnson 2

Last week’s Chain Gang track was Hot Club of Cowtown’s ‘Pennies From Heaven’ and it is impossible to imagine artists like Hot Club of Cowtown without the ground breaking example of that true eccentric Dan Hicks […]

Classic Americana Albums: Nick Lowe “The Impossible Bird” (Demon Records/Upstart, 1994)

June 24, 2020 Martin Johnson 0

Nick Lowe has reached the exalted position of a national treasure, with appearances on Breakfast TV and various TV chat shows and coverage in the national press. This was definitely not the case in 1993, when, […]

The Song Remains: James “Slim” Hand 1952-2020

June 23, 2020 Martin Johnson 0

The death of James ”Slim” Hand on 8th June, due to complications resulting from congestive heart failure, will bring feelings of great loss, not only to his family and friends, but also to the dedicated group […]

10 great Americana Beatles’ covers

June 22, 2020 Martin Johnson 8

As most of our regular readers will know, AUK Towers is based in Liverpool, and while we have a pool of internationally based writers from all corners of the UK and beyond, Liverpool and its culture […]

Tenci “My Heart Is An Open Field” (Keeled Scales, 2020)

May 20, 2020 Martin Johnson 0

Tenci is really bedroom folk artist Jess Shoman backed by more famous musicians from the Chicago music scene and their debut album is released on Austin label Keeled Scales. Jess Shoman spent nearly ten years writing […]