Last month the famously provocative former NME writer Steven 'Swells' Wells died aged 49 after a battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma disease.
His passing has led many to comment on the present state of music journalism and lament its apparent lack of authority and credibility, as a legion of bloggers threaten to swipe away the mantle of influence.
For our second podcast we investigate the situation in depth, enlisting viewpoints from both sides of the journos vs bloggers divide.
Billy has spoken to
Mike Diver, former Drowned in Sound reviewer-in-chief and now online editor at
Clash Magazine, and
Matthew Young, the passionate blogger behind the influential, Edinburgh-based
Song by Toad. Their answers make for a fascinating dissection of the future of music writing.
What's more, we have tracks by a fine array of UtR-tipped bands, including
There Will Be Fireworks and
Cancel the Astronauts, and we look forward to T in the Park with music from
My Cousin I Bid You Farewell,
Dead Boy Robotics and
Tango in the Attic.
Enjoy, and let us know where you stand on the journo/blogger debate below...
Under the Radar podcast #2(Right click and choose 'Save Target As' to save to your computer)
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Running order:01:20: There Will Be Fireworks - Foreign Thoughts
05:49: Cancel the Astronauts - Late in the City
10:34: Special report: music journalism v blogging (Mike Diver / Matthew Young)
20:18: Second Hand Marching Band - A Dance to Half Death
26:37: My Cousin I Bid You Farewell - The Contented Hearts
30:00: Dead Boy Robotics - We Drown Ourselves
32:59: Tango in the Attic - Jackanory
Under the Radar: showcasing the best new music in Scotland