Morley Literature Festival, Leeds’ biggest book event, returns this autumn from 6-14 October with a 10 day programme packed with talks, music, art and family events from a host of authors including Polly Toynbee, Val McDermid, Gavin Esler, A.L. Kennedy, Peter Hook and Stuart Maconie.
This playlist is inspired by the 2012 programme – hope you enjoy it!
Tracklistings:
1. Joy Division – Transmission
Holy moly, complete bass legend Peter Hook is coming to Morley!!! Obviously got to kick off this playlist with a bit of Joy Division, because he’s going to be talking about Unknown Pleasures his new memoir about life in the band. And because Joy Division are northern and moody (which is usually a Good Thing when it comes to music…)
2. Xploding Plastix – Sports, Not Heavy Crime
This would make the most perfect film noir soundtrack – perhaps we should play it ahead of our crime-writing conversation on Sunday 14th October between Wire in the Blood author ValMcDermid and fellow crime-writer NJ Cooper.
3. Flaming Lips – Waitin’ For A Superman
My personal knowledge of superhero fiction is so patchy I didn’t know that the arrival of Superman in 1938 literally gave birth to an entire genre whose roots were firmly in the sci-fi tradition. Luckily there is an uber comic and sci-fi fan in the Morley Literature Festival programming team in the form of @spinface, who’s put together a great panel of authors and comic book writers, looking at the links between sci-fi and superheroes.
4. Napalm Death – Unchallenged Hate
We dedicate this track to Stuart Maconie, who probably has a record collection to rival most, but if you’ve ever read his book Cider with Roadies you’ll know he can’t listen to Napalm Death any more (after four days on tour in France he threatened their drummer with, er, death). My own experience with Napalm Death is that they are the only band I’ve seen that have made me feel physically ill. Awesome!
5. Inspiral Carpets – She Comes in the Fall
Indie-disco classic! Former lead singer of the Inspirals Tom Hingley is going to be talking about his new memoir Carpet Burns and playing some songs too in the beautiful St Peter’s Church in Morley.
6. Prince – Sign ‘O’ The Times
A reminder that unpronouncable symbols and misdirection are ever present around us. Dedicated to the five artists who have cheekily placed new temporary *instructional* signage in the pedestrianised area of Morley Town Centre – come along and see if you can spot them, they’re up from 29th September-14th October.
7. Focus – Hocus Pocus
This track is dedicated to Newsnight’s Gavin Esler who’s a bit of a prog rock fan and is presenting the inaugural prog rock awards in London shortly after his event with us at City Varieties. Now I have to admit to having a bit of a blockage when it comes to prog rock but this song is one of the most ridiculously insane ever committed to vinyl and is worthy of making the playlist for comedy value alone.
@JennyJetHarris is the Festival Director for Morley Literature Festival.
Follow @morleylitfest and read the full programme at www.morleyliteraturefestival.co.uk
