Prior to the war in Iraq, peace protesters, the media, and the Governments involved, all spoke about the oil issue, whether it was to accuse or deny. In the “post-war” situation in Iraq however, in the absence of any weapons of mass destruction, little is being said in relation to the oil question. How much […]
English writers have often been drawn to Italy, but generally more to the Tuscan sunshine, and romantic ideas of a simpler mediterranean life – far away from the hustle and bustle of cold and wet London. Neil Griffiths instead, in his first novel, has turned his eye southwards, to the dark and dangerous city of […]
At a push, if one had to suggest one book, and one book alone, on South America – that would cover History, Politics, Culture and Society, and yet be a startlingly good read, with a dose of botany thrown in for good measure, there can only be one recommendation – One River by Wade Davis. […]
Lacuna Coil have, in recent years, become that rarest of rare things – an internationally succesful Italian band. Their debut, and second albums were received with glowing reviews by music magazines across Europe, including in the UK and Ireland. They have toured extensively, with bands of the stature of Anthrax and Type-o-negative. They are about […]
(Editor’s note – this email interview was conducted before news broke that long time Therapy? member, Martin McCarrick was leaving the band) Recently, while browsing through the web-site for famous Amsterdam club The Paradiso, I stumbled upon a live broadcast of Therapy? I watched intrigued, as it’s been some years since I’d seen anything from […]
Steerage’s recently released e.p smash them all to bits has received critical acclaim from a number of quarters (Three Monkeys Online included). Fearing the worst, after all a band without a singer must surely have little to say for themselves, Andrew Lawless was pleasantly surprised when he caught up with the band for Three Monkeys […]
I’m late turning up for the interview, thanks to the summer time clock change, but director Mark Brozel is unfazed and welcoming. He’s quietly spoken and pensive throughout the interview, often pausing to reflect on the answers, to give them due weight. His film Holy Cross received an enthusiastic reception at the fourth international Human […]
William Dalrymple is a hard man to pin down, as befits an award winning travel/history writer who has written about the Middle East, Asia and in particular India. A couple of tentative interview arrangements are scuppered through travel plans – but when we finally manage to get hold of him, the conversation is well worth […]
The Euro two years on. The growth and stability pact shattered, and prices rising – the single European Currency is a friend or foe? Twelve countries in Europe have now had over two years experience of living with the European Single Currency. Not only does the currency have an impact on prices and trade within […]
What’s the context of the recent legislation in France banning the wearing of the hijab? What’s the background? Debates over laociti (state secularism) in French schools have taken place repeatedly since the 1789 revolution and the establishment of the French Republic. During the Third Republic, at the end of the nineteenth century, a mandatory, free […]
Tim Parks is a prodigious writer – with widely acclaimed novels, several books of observation on Italy and the Italians, not to mention his insightful literary criticism. His latest work Judge Savage has predictably enough divided critics, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Joseph Brodsky labelled him “Frankly, the best British author working today., […]
Matthew Pearl has hit success with his very first novel The Dante Club. Pearl had received an award from The Dante Society of America prior to writing his debut novel, and has just co-edited a new edition of Longfellow’s influential, first American translation of Dante’s Divine Commedy. Though highly accomplished (he’s also a law graduate […]
Dressed in a suit, with sneakers, and a distracted but amiable air, Josh Ritter is delighted to be in Italy. In fact Ritter seems delighted full stop. And so he should be, with critical acclaim being heaped upon his second release proper Hello Starling, and a series of European shows playing support to Joan Baez, […]
Dublin Band The Frames – fronted by Glen Hansard, in interview Over a number of years, and with a number of Albums to their credit, The Frames have developed into one of Ireland’s best loved rock bands. Formed around the nucleus of singer/songwriter Glen Hansard (who, though he may wish to forget it, played the […]
Acoustic folk from one of Australia’s most successful independent bands.
