Andy Helliwell
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andyhelliwell.bsky.social
Andy Helliwell
@andyhelliwell.bsky.social
Music, books, nature, gardening, running, that sort of thing. Personal views.
Something I think we can all get behind. 'This Love Is ... Right' by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart tonight at the Highbury Garage - we're now at the stage where 2009 counts as nostalgia but it was good fun...
November 22, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Likewise! Pains Of Being Pure At Heart tonight...
November 22, 2025 at 7:31 PM
So yeah, as I was saying...
November 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM
So much great music for #5debutalbums1014. An eclectic 5:

1. Lightships
2. Desperate Journalist
3. Kvelertak
4. Sons Of Kemet
5. Daniel Avery

Very sorry to Alvvays, DIIV, Chvrches, Public Service Broadcasting, Joanna Gruesome, Waxahatchee, Edinburgh School For The Deaf and many more...
November 21, 2025 at 6:37 PM
This is my whittled down long list, suspect there's a few I've missed. Probably a couple of places in my top 5 still up for grabs - Suede, The Tubs and The Laughing Chimes won't need to go through the playoffs...
November 19, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I can highly recommend this to the shoegazers amongst you. I haven't got time to do the Vince McMahon meme but:

- From Muscle Shoals ✅
- Silly but amusing name ✅
- On @soniccathedral.bsky.social
- Concept album about Lindisfarne ✅

Sister Ray Davies - Holy Island.
November 15, 2025 at 11:06 AM
A little sample just to confirm you're making the right decision... For a man who says he has no smart phone and avoids social media, he certainly knows a lot about Pepe the Frog.

Put it this way, I won't be giving it to the charity bookshop because I would want to inflict it on someone else...
November 15, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Finding out why so many people rave about this book...
November 3, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Good luck! Enjoy!
October 31, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Exciting music day - tickets secured for Chapterhouse and House of Love (the latter at my excellent local venue I can walk to) and new music from Katie Crutchfield, Daniel Avery, The Twilight Sad, The Weather Station and no doubt more...
October 31, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Post a perfect album from 1989, a perfect music year.

Can't believe it's been an hour and no-one has posted this yet!
October 29, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Another couple of gems for #5DebutAlbums1014 - the shortlist is growing rapidly...
October 27, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Another certainty for #5DebutAlbums1014 - the brilliant debut by Desperate Journalist
October 27, 2025 at 7:17 AM
This beauty is the first one that comes to mind for this...

#5DebutAlbums1014
October 26, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Going to put in a word for the now-mostly-forgotten Charlottes - both of their albums are great.
October 25, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Evening Richard, evening all - what a great era this was, and what a time to be a callow young man with a guitar...

1. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Rattlesnakes
2. Billy Bragg - Life's A Riot...
3. Felt - Crumbling...
4. Aztec Camera - High Land Hard Rain
5. REM - Murmur

#5DebutAlbums8084
October 24, 2025 at 5:40 PM
This was a very enjoyable and thought-provoking read about endangered crafts in Britain - I feel like we could do more to support them, like Japan and other countries do with Living National Treasures. And it did prompt me to donate to @heritage-crafts.bsky.social...
October 19, 2025 at 6:58 PM
To be honest I make quince jelly mostly for the colour...
October 12, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I've listened to this more than anything else in the first week of #5DebutAlbums8084. Heading for a spot in my top 5...
October 11, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I don't know if you are already familiar with Circuit Des Yeux but it might be your kind of thing...
October 7, 2025 at 7:52 PM
So many absolute classics to choose from for #5debutalbums8084 but this has got to be up there, and I'm looking forward to revisiting this old friend over the next three weeks...
October 5, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Getting into full Mr Autumn mode with some apple and quince chutney...
October 5, 2025 at 11:50 AM
It's never happened before in 355 previous Parkruns and it will definitely never happen again, but somehow today I was first finisher - in Aachen of all places. Cue Barry Davies...
October 4, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Evening Richard, evening all - it was a good time for long album titles...

1. The Noise Made By People - Broadcast
2. Let Go - Avril Lavigne
3. Lesser Matters - The Radio Dept
4. Quiet Is The New Loud - Kings Of Convenience
5. Thunder, Lightning, Strike - The Go! Team

#5DebutAlbums0004
October 3, 2025 at 5:36 PM
What a great gig tonight at the Roundhouse - great crowd, great support act, and above all The Beths on superb form - fabulous.
September 26, 2025 at 9:35 PM