Updated 11:31am 25 November 2009:

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Andy Coleman

Andy Coleman

Battle of the bands

BIRMINGHAM may be able to boast of being the home to Britain’s best unsigned band this weekend – for the second year running.Read

Joe tickets prove hot property thanks to internet

HE is unsigned and has yet to release an album but tickets for Joe Brooks’s Birmingham show next Wednesday are on sale for £79 each on the internet.Read

Stars starting over

THEY’VE released three albums, sold six million records and have toured the States almost non-stop for eight years – but American hard rockers Shinedown are starting all over again in order to make it big in the UK.Read

It’s party time - GaGa’s in town

AS a child Lady GaGa would sing along on her mini plastic tape recorder to Michael Jackson and Cyndi Lauper hits, and get twirled in the air in daddy’s arms to the sounds of the Rolling Stones and the Beatles.Read

I love the sugar rush

TAKE one teenage lyricist, team him with a mysterious studio whizzkid and introduce them to a major record label.Read

Del Toro refuses to listen to Oscar buzz

BENICIO Del Toro must be one of the most modest actors in Hollywood.Read

Lines going back to school for support

RISING stars The Lines went back to school to find the support band for their forthcoming gig in Wolverhampton.Read

Rick and Bruce keep the Jam formula fresh

TWO thirds of the original Jam line-up are performing the band’s hits as From The Jam. Andy Coleman spoke to Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler as they prepared for tomorrow’s gig at the Carling Academy.Read

Picturing the past 40 years

THERE are just 15 minutes before Status Quo frontman Francis Rossi has to join his bandmates on stage for a sound check.Read

Scarlet hope of Orange success

BIRMINGHAM band Scarlet Harlots are hoping to match the success of fellow Brummie outfit Envy And Other Sins by winning a prestigious talent contest.Read

Learning To Fly all over again

Why did you decide to play all of Expecting To Fly?Read

Jason Donovan gets tips from a neighbour

NEIGHBOURS. Everybody needs good neighbours – especially when they are international music stars!Read

Fight Like Apes for Mr T treasure

Who’s in the band and how did you get together? Fight Like Apes are Maykay, Pockets, Tom and Adrian. We are a group of mates who got bored playing computer games, watching b-movies and flunking college. We decided it was best to form a band. It was either that or start making movies which takes patience ... and a budget.Read

Elton John performs at Birmingham NIA

SIR Elton John brought a slice of Las Vegas glitz to Birmingham last night. Read our review and see pictures from the show. Read

Fat Freddy’s dropping in to fish for taste of Kiwi funk

SOME bands write songs on their tour bus, others compose at specially convened studio sessions. But the latest single by New Zealand seven-piece Fat Freddy’s Drop was conceived during a laid-back fishing trip.Read

Elton on red alert for Brum return

ELTON John will be seeing red when he performs in Birmingham next Wednesday.Read

50th tour Cliff to unveil 1977 song

FIFTY years after his first hit record Sir Cliff Richard has unearthed a song he’d forgotten he’d recorded.Read

Money spinners

MCFLY plan to spend, spend, spend to ensure they remain Britain’s top pop band.Read

Jack’s back at the Town Hall

Music legend Jack Bruce performs with the BBC Big Band at Birmingham Town Hall next Friday. Andy Coleman caught up with him.Read

A sneak peek for One Night

IT’S getting pretty crowded on the One Night Only tour bus because the band has been joined by a camera crew recording behind the scenes footage for a new DVD.Read

Author Profile

Andy Coleman is a Birmingham Mail veteran having worked at the paper for 25 years. He is the Mail's music editor, regularly reviewing rock concerts at the NEC, NIA and Carling Academy, as well as CDs and DVDs. Andy edits the Friday What's On section and also compiles the Mail's gardening pages.

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