EVEN THE STARS Top 25 albums of 2020 - 10 to 6

Today we reveal five more of our favourite albums of 2020, a strange year in pretty much every respect, but one that still managed to deliver some stunning new music to our ever-growing collections of albums. 

Space Monkeys - Interview

Sometimes a band needs to catch a lucky break. Space Monkeys have managed to catch all the unlucky ones across their quarter of a decade as a band with the demise of Factory Records putting an end to their first wave and then Pledge Music almost sinking their comeback album Modern Actions. But it's out in the world, a triumphant call to arms and celebration of love and survival. We caught up with front man Richard McNevin-Duff to find out about their past and present, the inspiration and friends behind the record and their plans for their Valentine's Day Deaf Institute show.

Space Monkeys - Modern Actions

Space Monkeys see in the decade with the delayed release of their third album Modern Actions, a record that straddles the band's creation in the days following the end of Madchester and the autumn after the summers of love and a fresher modern sound. It's a record that screams peace and love from the rafters, celebrates life and friendship and people coming together - an antithesis to the malignance that's seeping through society as we enter 2020.

SOCIALIST SUNDAY : The Blinders / Cabbage / Scuttlers / The Rhythm Method / Space Monkeys / The Pagans S.O.H. / Cold Water Swimmers - Manchester Ritz - 1st December 2019

Socialist Sunday was dreamt up, planned and delivered within just three weeks as a means of trying to encourage young people to get engaged in the political debate ahead of the December 12th election and specifically to champion the Labour Party. Headlined by The Blinders, as part of their For The Many tour with the same purpose, Manchester's Ritz played host to a thousand or so people to listen to nine hours of bands and speeches on Sunday.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Space Monkeys - Submarine

Submarine is the first track to be released from Space Monkeys' forthcoming album, their first recorded material for twenty years. With a video recorded by a friend called Cobbie who was inspired to make his first ever music video on hearing about the band's troubles with the collapse of Pledge Music.

Space Monkeys - Interview

Ahead of their Manchester Band On The Wall gig on Saturday night, we caught up with Richard McNevin Duff for a chat about them reforming, the reaction they've received and their plans for a new album.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds / Puppet Rebellion / Riding The Low / Space Monkeys / Danny Mahon - Kendal Calling various stages - 31st July 2016

Sunday was the final day of Kendal Calling. Stuart Ralston toured the site and reports back from sets ranging to Noel Gallagher on the main stage to an impromptu set by Danny Mahon in a field, catching up with Puppet Rebellion, Space Monkeys and Riding The Low on the way and a sad tale of a lack of mashed potato to go with his pie.

Ramsbottom Festival Preview - Part One

This weekend sees one of the last festivals of the year and as well as being a local one, it's also one of the best. Set at Ramsbottom Cricket Club and with a selection of great national bands as well as some of the best the North West can offer as well as a great selection of other activities, food stalls and beers and with the new addition of camping facilities, it's made itself one of the highlights as it enters its fifth year. We will be previewing fifteen of the bands we recommend to see over the next three days starting with Black Rivers, Space Monkeys, The Magic Numbers, The Sundowners and The Moulettes.