Daniel Dylan Wray
@danieldylanwray.bsky.social
Write about music & culture & various things for various places, mainly the Guardian. Based in Sheffield. danieldylanwray@gmail.com https://www.theguardian.com/profile/daniel-dylan-wray
Good people, doing good work, aiming for a big milestone. Get stuck in.
Sheffield Tribune@sheffieldtribune.bsky.social · 2mo agoWow. 3 weeks. 750 new members. Which is exciting. And, if we’re completely honest, slightly nerve wracking. It means we’re close. But not quite there yet.
It's The Long Play Sessions' first foray outside London as we welcome @danieldylanwray.bsky.social in #leeds at our dual ICMP and SAE Institute campus.
Join @danieldylanwray.bsky.social on a seven decade journey through the sounds of one of the UK's most unique and creative cities... Groovy, Laidback and Nasty, Dan's hugely entertaining history of music in Sheffield, is out now in audiobook, narrated by the man himself. 🎧 geni.us/GroovyLaidba...
"You either lean into it – bleak, grimy, industrial surroundings – or you go, fuck that, give me some glamour" @danieldylanwray.bsky.social's new book is a love letter to Sheffield's musical history, and the oddballs and one-offs who charted their own course. ✍️ @waynehoyle.bsky.social #Sheffield
Daniel Dylan Wray - "Sheffield's produced a decent amount of weird": Daniel Dylan Wray uncovers the city's freaky side
In his new book, the writer explores the city’s rich musical lineage – but don’t just expect a roll-call of the big names.
nowthenmagazine.com
COMPETITION TIME. I’ve come to the end of a bunch of merch and various bits, so doing a little giveaway bundle. Signed hardback, companion fanzine, badge (last one), tote bag (last one), and beer mat. Like and share and I’ll pick a winner at random and post out (UK only). @whiterabbitbks.bsky.social
I am very very much here for Arab Strap's disco-metal era. Absolute ripper.
arabstrap.scot@arabstrap.scot · 3mo agoThanks to @huwstephensdj.bsky.social for premiering our new single ‘You You You’ tonight on @bbc6music.bsky.social You You You is out now on @rockactionrecords.scot Stream here: arabstrap.os.fan/yyy Watch here: tinyurl.com/ArabStrapYYY
The Quietus is 90% funded by subscribers, and we need another 500 this spring to help us fight the AI-pocalypse – with this in mind, there's a huge sale on our top tier subscriptions. If you like what we do, here's how you can help: thequietus.com/opinion-and-...
The Quietus Spring Sale is Here! Help us Fight the AI-pocalypse | The Quietus
There’s something appallingly physical about the language that’s used to describe the radical changes that are affecting every aspect of our culture. AI slop. Enshittification. It’s all rather revolti...
thequietus.com
Massive thank you to the 350+ who packed into the legendary Crookes Social Club last night to celebrate @danieldylanwray.bsky.social and his book on Sheffield’s music history, Groovy, Laidback and Nasty. What a brilliant night it was 🙏
30 years since its release on 6th May 1996, @traceythorn.bsky.social and Ben Watt's ninth album as Everything But The Girl is still as liable to warm up dancefloors as it is bring a tear to your eye Here, @danieldylanwray.bsky.social tells its story djmag.com/how-everythi...
How Everything But The Girl wove lovelorn pop with drum & bass on ‘Walking Wounded’
30 years since its release in May 1996, 'Walking Wounded' is still as liable to warm up dancefloors as it is to bring a tear to your eye. Daniel Dylan Wray tells its story
djmag.com
It’s publication week for Groovy, Laidback and Nasty, @danieldylanwray.bsky.social's Sheffield music history Still time to grab tickets for one of the launch events... SHEFFIELD tomorrow! LONDON Mon 11 @thesociallondon.bsky.social BRIGHTON Fri 22 @resident-music.com geni.us/GroovyLaidba...
Curated this week’s portal for tQ with a Sheffield theme. Expect articles on Orgreave, Warp, Threads, Derek Bailey, RHK and more. Ahead of my book which is out TOMORROW.
The Quietus@thequietus.com · 3mo agoThis week’s portal has been put together by The Quietus stalwart Daniel Dylan Wray to mark the publication of Groovy, Laidback & Nasty, his deeply-researched celebration of the often under-sung musical history of Sheffield... #ThePortal: Your Weekly Quietus Archive Dive buff.ly/AN4A4cX
As lots of big indie labels hit milestones this year, I wanted to have a really open and frank conversation - including facts and figures - about what it’s currently like to run one in this climate. Lots of fascinating insights. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/m...
‘Major labels are trying to scoop up everything’: the chaotic future for indie music companies – and why vinyl isn’t working
As stalwarts Sub Pop and Rough Trade celebrate big anniversaries, insiders speak candidly about the challenges they face. Can streaming ever ensure their survival?
theguardian.com
Very happy to have an extract from my forthcoming book in today’s Guardian.They’ve ran with the early days of Arctic Monkeys - featuring tribal scenes, cattiness, bloody riots and the preposterous “New Yorkshire” movement. Out May 7 via @whiterabbitbks.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/music/2026/a...
‘We were stubborn teenagers. We didn’t want to be famous’: the inside story of Arctic Monkeys’ frenzied early years
In this extract from a new book on Sheffield’s musical history, Monkeys drummer Matt Helders plus the cream of the city’s indie scene look back on the febrile mid-00s – from brilliant tunes to ‘brainl...
theguardian.com
I would have never listened to this if it weren’t for Andrew’s rec, as not got a lot of time for Albarn. But a very weird, funny, unguarded - stoned? - and at times insufferable interview. A kind that you rarely comes across these days. Buxton v good at prodding how ridiculous he’s being too.
Andrew Male@andrewmale.bsky.social · 4mo agoThis Adam Buxton interview with Gorillaz is fascinating. Albarn is so contrary and combative. Hewlett’s presence is essential but Buxton rides the chippiness expertly. I now realise that Damon’s cup of tea (tweets passim) is the perfect character metaphor. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
One of my fav Prince stories – which I tried to do an article on but couldn't get off the ground – is when he played at a college for Deaf people. 1984, height of Purple Rain fame, selling out arenas etc, but he popped in to do this show. Here he is saying "I love you” in sign language to the crowd.
Brilliant first event for @danieldylanwray.bsky.social and Groovy, Laidback and Nasty last night, with big thanks to the Heath Bookshop, host Lias Saoudi and all who came along. And it’s just the start… geni.us/GroovyLaidba...
Happy to announce the companion fanzine to my upcoming book. Features 25 + new stories from Cabaret Voltaire, Pulp, Clock DVA, I Monster etc about their musical memories in Sheffield. From post-punk supergroups to Russian enema artists via recording Phil Oakey in the bog. @whiterabbitbks.bsky.social
As someone who (begrudgingly) turned the camera on themselves on insta this week for promo, I wanted to speak with artists - musicians, comics, writers, actors, gamers - to see how they are feeling about the pressures of making short form video content. www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...
‘This craving to go viral is tiresome’: the artists who’re sick of the pressure to promote on social media
From Stewart Lee in his wolf costume to Werner Herzog’s big steak sizzle-up, artists are now under huge duress to ‘chase the algorithm’ and reach audiences. Many of them are hitting burnout – and hitt...
theguardian.com
I’ve checked out of BS a bit so apologies for just being promo guy BUT I have a book to promote. (out May 7). Had some lovely quotes come in from early readers, so huge thanks to @luketurner.bsky.social, @simonreynolds.bsky.social, @adellestripe.bsky.social, @msmirandasawyer.bsky.social.
17 April: BIRMINGHAM with Lias Saoudi 7 May: SHEFFIELD with @elizabethalker.bsky.social 11 May: LONDON @thesociallondon.bsky.social with Ben Beaumont-Thomas 22 May: BRIGHTON @resident-music.com with Stephen Mallinder Plus some incredible DJs joining in Sheffield and London. See you there!
To celebrate his book on Sheffield’s immense music history, @danieldylanwray.bsky.social is heading out on tour - with some very special guests joining him along the way… Find all ticket and pre-order links at geni.us/GroovyLaidba...
Really like the new solo album from Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor that's out today. It's a risky move but right at the centre of the album is a country-dub-techno drum machine cover of The Rolling Stones' Wild Horses and it kinda hits. alexistaylor.bandcamp.com/track/wild-h...
Wild Horses, by Alexis Taylor
from the album Paris In The Spring
alexistaylor.bandcamp.com
Apologies in advance for all in the insufferable promo over the coming months but I do have a book to promote. First little tour announced today. More dates and cities to come. Link to all tickets and pre orders here. 💅🏼 geni.us/GroovyLaidba...
Loved doing this piece. Some amazing work being done to document, preserve and celebrate a properly incredible yet overlooked bit of UK music history. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/m...
‘We had no future. So we made a future for ourselves’: the untold history of Welsh reggae sound systems
A country known more for rock and choral music was a hotspot of the dub reggae sound system scene in the 70s. Rival crews recall Cardiff’s riotous parties – and racist hostility
theguardian.com
Here’s @danieldylanwray.bsky.social with an early copy of his book Groovy, Laidback & Nasty. With over 150 original interviews, it's the first ever truly definitive history of Sheffield music and the city’s incredible array of artists, movements and moments. Out 7 May: geni.us/GroovyLaidba...
Shot in the summer of 1998, Mischa Haller’s Not Going Home photobook is a window into the UK post-night out landscape 📸 @danieldylanwray.bsky.social spoke to Haller about some of the collection’s standout photos djmag.com/features/not...
Not Going Home: photographing ’90s UK clubbers in the early-morning afterglow
Shot during the summer of 1998, Mischa Haller’s Not Going Home photobook is a window into the UK post-night out landscape. Daniel Dylan Wray learns more
djmag.com
This is taken from a feature i've got on Threads in the latest issue of @empiremagazine.bsky.social, which is out today.
Empire Magazine@empiremagazine.bsky.social · 6mo agoThreads director Mick Jackson has expressed worry over the upcoming remake’s focus on finding “hope even in the most challenging of times.” “That one phrase worried me,” he tells Empire. “Hope is not part of nuclear war.” Read more: www.empireonline.com/movies/news/...
Thanks Luke! Big fan of Dark Entries and was a real pleasure to write this one and speak to such lovely people for it.
Luke Turner@luketurner.bsky.social · 6mo agoA great read on gay porn soundtracks, the work of the amazing Dark Entries label on resurfacing this important part of queer history, and a creative world destroyed by AIDS: “We lost so many friends, and it did something to us." www.theguardian.com/music/2026/f...
Magnificent documentary by writer (and one time New York taxi driver) Michael Goldfarb, about Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, 70s New York and the transformed city of today www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Archive on 4 - Taxi Driver at 50: New York, Then and Now - BBC Sounds
The film Taxi Driver is 50 years old. Michael Goldfarb looks at New York then and now.
bbc.co.uk