Steve Holley

Pop essentials and a little bit more

Whispering Bob Harris OBE Launches A Very Special Cover Of ‘Stand By Me’ In Support Of Help Musicians

September 11, 2020

What happens when two genre defying forces of nature come together for a common cause? The answer is that, on 27th October, an incredible collaboration of talent will come to fruition when we see the release of ‘Stand By Me’ on Under The Apple Tree Records. It will be released in aid of something this pandemic can only have made more important. It will raise funds for ‘Help Musicians’, a 99 year old charity, that continues to provide vital support to thousands of music creators during this unprecedented time.

Riva Taylor’s Album ‘This Woman’s Heart’ Set To Complete Soon

June 11, 2020

Riva Taylor’s upcoming album, ‘This Woman’s Heart’, is very much the music of an artist that has grown from that successful girl to a woman with something new to say, there is personal retrospection for sure, even jealousy, but there is no regret.

Exclusive Release Of Pete Gardiner’s ‘Pick Your Side’ Video – Only At Essentially Pop!

May 28, 2020

The time is near. Are you Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly? Are you Wyatt Earp or Ike Clanton? Life is full of choices and no more than nowadays. Even since the launch of Pete Gardiner’s excellent new single it seems the whole of the country have been deciding whether you-know-who should have driven 260 miles. So, the time is now…

‘Pick Your Side’, The New Single Out Today From Pete Gardiner

May 15, 2020

Pete Gardiner seems to have more of a handle on what’s happening around him than most but unlike most, he’s got the words to paint the big picture for us. In ‘Pick Your Side’, the follow up single to the excellent ‘Bourbon and the Truth’ he is telling us to pick our side!

Megan O’Neill Set To Release New Single ‘Devil You Know’

March 23, 2020

Every singer, whatever the quality of their catalogue, has a single that takes them into a different place, away from the legions of loyal fans that will adoringly turn up to every gig, away from the followers that hang on every social media post.

Two-Tone Legend Dave Wakeling Talks To Essentially Pop

March 23, 2020

Dave Wakeling is probably best known as lead singer of The Beat. After a debut hit on 2 Tone Records with a cover of Smokey Robinson’s ‘Tears of a Clown’, he and his band went on to gain almost legendary status within the two tone and ska music genre and continued to have hits until they split in 1983.

Pete Gardiner Releases New Single For Mothers’ Day, ‘A Mother Like You’

March 19, 2020

This Sunday will see the release of a very personal tribute from Pete Gardiner to his mother. ‘A Mother Like You’ is a song that was written especially for his own Mum but its a song that will resonate with men everywhere as they struggle, like many men, to put into words what their mother means to them.

Queen Extravaganza Are Back To Celebrate 50 Years Of Queen!

March 10, 2020

It was July 1986 and I was standing at Wembley waiting to see Queen play their last world tour date at the famous National Stadium. I had watched support bands INXS, Status Quo and The Alarm whip the sold out crowd into a frenzy of expectant excitement that seemed almost impossible to match and yet, and unsurprisingly, Queen managed to not only match but surpass all expectations in what became remembered as an iconic gig.

Neil Arthur, Blancmange Superstar, Talks With Essentially Pop

March 1, 2020

Blancmange, the hugely successful British electronic band have a new album and a tour to go with it. Kicking off in Scotland on May 1st and working their way across the U.K. to finish in October. To go with the tour they have a new album ‘ Mindset’ which releases on May 22nd. Blancmange music has been used in so much recent music by La Roux, LCD Sound System and Hot Chip. So influential is the band and their music that electronic superstar Moby described the, as “the most underrated electronic band of all time”, high praise indeed. Since Stephen Luscombe was forced by illness to stop touring or recording after 2011’s ‘Blanc Burn’, the band’s evolution has continued with Neil Arthur at the helm and Essentially Pop were lucky enough to chat with him this week about the new album, the tour and even ABBA, who’s ‘Day Before You Came’ they superbly covered. It’s an honour to get a glimpse at what motivates one of our own electronic superstars.

Tom Walker At OMEARA, London As Part Of BRITs Week With War Child

February 18, 2020

I considered myself very lucky to be watching an incredible artist play an intimate set at an outstanding music venue in London on Valentine’s Day in aid of a charity which carries out important work. It really felt like the stars had aligned themselves!

Pete Gardiner: New Single ‘Bourbon And The Truth’ Released Now

February 3, 2020

Pete Gardiner is back and he’s definitely channelling his inner gunslinger; this time he’s shooting whiskey and honesty and he’s got something to say. New single ‘Bourbon and the Truth’ still boasts the searingly honest lyricism that defines Gardiner’s music but this time it’s complemented by a driving old country backbeat that screams Marty Stuart or early Cash…we are even treated to the sound of a spaghetti western style gunshot.

An Evening With A-ha, Hunting High And Low, Royal Albert Hall, 5th November 2019

November 11, 2019

Steve Holley was lucky enough to be present as a-ha, Norway’s legendary band, presented their seminal near thirty five year old debut album ‘Hunting High & Low’ live and in album running order to a sell out adoring crowd at the Royal Albert Hall.