Harry Sword

The Strange World Of… Crypt of the Wizard

Harry Sword explores the world of the cult London shop and record label – one of the most vital imprints for adventurous leftfield heavy metal – offering ten entry points into one of the most beguiling and bewitching catalogues out there

tQ Subscriber Release: Spykidelic’s Nyabinghindustrial II Mix

Tony F Wilson – a lifer's lifer. His Quietus subscribers' mix comprises a depth charge exploration into an underground catalogue that dates back to the mid 90s. Chopped, screwed and spat back up with added venom. Harry Sword gets the (sub) low down. 

Find a Note and Keep Going: An Interview with Dawn Terry

From the days of Bong to a host of collaborations; cranky lo fi Dungeon Synth to one of the most arresting and enveloping improvised solo drone projects around, Dawn Terry is a mainstay of the UK underground. Ahead of her performance at Acid Horse in May, she speaks to Harry Sword about Fighting Fantasy, Doom Yoga and Ukrainian hurdy-gurdy

A World Where Everything Is Cool: Joel Gion’s Baker’s Dozen

From carrying a Marvin Gaye cassette in his pocket to reciting the entirety of Easy Rider, and the glory of Psychedelic Brazil to the real Beatles, Joel Gion of the Brian Jonestown Massacre talks to Harry Sword about the 13 records that mean the most to him.

Low Culture Essay: Harry Sword On The Flashman Papers

In this month's Low Culture essay, commissioned exclusively for tQ subscribers, Harry Sword makes the case for George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman series of novels being a fine lesson in the grim reality of British history, and the literary equivalents of the music of Throbbing Gristle and Iron Maiden

Let It Happen: Paddy Shine’s Baker’s Dozen

Paddy Shine is one of the most relentless instigators in the underground, both as part of Gnod and in myriad other projects. Ahead of the release of the debut album by his weird folk group Moundabout alongside Phil Masterson on Rocket this summer, he guides Harry Sword through 13 vital slabs

The Weight Of The Ritual: Frank Rynne On The Master Musicians Of Joujouka

Long-time producer and manager of The Master Musicians Of Joujouka, Frank Rynne, talks to Harry Sword about the challenges of recording their powerful new album, Live In Paris. Home page photograph by Herman Vanaershot

Honour The Darkness: An Interview With NYX

NYX drone choir founder Sian O’Gorman speaks to Harry Sword about the Deep England project, Gazelle Twin and their hypnotic, transcendent choral reimagining of Pastoral

Armageddon Hits! Joe Elliott Of Def Leppard Baker’s Dozen

Roaring rock titan Joe Elliott of Def Leppard - DEF LEPPARD - talks Harry Sword through his guiding audio lights, from Bowie to glam to punk and back.

Techno Of The Ancients: Capitol K’s Goatherder

A wonderful dance album: recorded in a Maltese cave with fennel stalks and a bamboo panpipe, but full of squelching London rave juice

Space Ritual: Dave Brock Of Hawkwind Interviewed

Steady the ship, ready the engines, sail forth through the infinite black portal of space and dream - once fitful sleep overtakes you - of turbulent purple seas over a desolate planet. It’s Hawkwind, b’gads, and Harry Sword is talking to Captain Dave Brock ahead of this weekend's Desertfest

Let Us Press Pley: Jus Oborn Of Electric Wizard’s Favourite Horror Films

Electric Wizard grand magus Jus Oborn talks to Harry Sword about a lifetime of immersion in the outposts of horror, sleaze and exploitation cinema, why 'heavy' isn't about the peddles and amps you use and the importance of playing the long game.

The Fall

New Facts Emerge

The latest from The Fall: ever nastier, ever greasier, ever more hypnotically righteous.

Broken English Club

The English Beach

Diasporic Fuzz: An Interview With Here Lies Man

With the debut LP a woozy wall of Afrobeat inspired fuzzbox riff worship and pounding circular rhythmic power, Here Lies Man connect the stoner rock underground straight to downtown Lagos. Harry Sword talks 1970’s New York Latin radio, punk rock and the glory of Fela Kuti with Marcos Garcia

A Universe Behind What You Hear: The Strange World of Surgeon

A mainstay in electronic sound for over two decades, the music of Anthony Child AKA Surgeon joins the dots between the techno underground and an abrasive, absurdist lineage that stretches back to the days of COUM. Ahead of Child's set at the legacy of COUM event in Hull on 18th March, Harry Sword hears of his love of Burroughs, watching Mike Leigh with Mick Harris and the dangers of the artistic comfort zone.

Axis of Tweeville: Mawkish Brit Food Culture V The Glory Of Keith Floyd

In the year of Brexit, Harry Sword examines sinister twee nationalism in food culture - and wishes Keith Floyd were here to sort it out.

Observing Terror: A Sex Swing Interview

Harry Sword speaks to Sex Swing about murder, chess boxing, lightning strikes, the meaning of psychedelia and their seedy and brutally physical debut LP. Photos by Steve Gullick

In Conversation: Suicide And Henry Rollins At The Ace Hotel

Martin Rev and Alan Vega were on stage and in conversation with Henry Rollins recently and our man Harry Sword was on hand to take notes... Photographs by Camila Almeida Courtesy of Ace Hotel London

Things Learned At Roadburn Festival

At this year's Roadburn in Tilburg, Harry Sword finds a deviation from the sound synonymous with the festival's name and learns, for one thing, that "heavy music" has more than one meaning. All photographs by Erik Luyten, www.erikluyten.nl, all rights reserved

Axe Apothecary: An Interview With Wytch Hazel

With Prelude, the debut album of the Lancastrian guitar-duellers, just set loose, Harry Sword traces a pathway back from the NWOBHM to England's ancient past with vocalist and guitarist Colin Hendra

Ansome

Stowaway

Dreaming Of A Telekinetic Connection: Henry Rollins Interviewed

Henry Rollins talks to Harry Sword about listening to The Stooges in Antarctica, his love for Joy Division and why he'd never appear in a reformed Black Flag

The Lead Review: Harry Sword On Broken English Club’s Suburban Hunting

As Oliver Ho releases the debut full-length from his Broken English Club alias on Cititrax this month, Harry Sword wanders through both his discography and the explorations of the surrealist mundanity and militaristic rhythms that litter this new body of work.

“Direct And From The Gut”: With The Dead’s Lee Dorrian Interviewed

The former Cathedral man and Rise Above boss talks to Harry Sword before he releases the debut LP by his doom supergroup with Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening. Plus, watch the new video for Crown Of Burning Stars

Raining Mud: Tom Araya Of Slayer Interviewed

Harry Sword talks to Tom Araya of Slayer about a life of trains, planes, automobiles and extreme aggression

Death Or Glory: Iron Maiden Interviewed

Iron Maiden are just about to release their 16th album, The Book Of Souls; Harry Sword thinks it might be their best yet. He gets the inside story from guitarists Adrian Smith and Janick Gers

Surgeon

Tresor 97-99

Hammer & Tongs: The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins Interviewed

With their fourth album, Last Of Our Kind, just released, the Lowestoft rock behemoths' singer and lead guitarist Justin Hawkins talks to Harry Sword in a wide-ranging interview, ranging from hedonism and touring with Lady Gaga to the travails of acid reflux and the "fucking genius" of David Hasselhoff

Things Learned At: Roadburn Festival

Harry Sword reports from the streets of Tilburg, where he witnesses a "a dizzying welter of heaviosity".

Martyn Hare

Swollen Sounds

Practising Heaviness: Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth Interviewed

Tad Doyle, veteran of the 90s Seattle scene with his former band TAD, releases his first album with his powerfully-monikered new doom trio later this month. Before that, he tells Harry Sword about exploring the sludgier end of the spectrum and drawing a line under the past