Needle in the Hay

06/06/2026

One of new wave’s most underrated bands, The Motels built a cult following on the back of moody, cinematic songs and the unmistakable voice of Martha Davis. Tracks like Only the Lonely and Suddenly Last Summer turned late-night longing into an art form, with Davis delivering every line in a way nobody else could.

Still one of the most unique voices to come out of the era. ❤️

19/05/2026

Enter Needle in the Hay 2026!

Enter Needle in the Hay 2025 now to win a 7-inch vinyl pressing of your single, plus over $50,000 in prizes!

21/04/2026

Robert Smith just built his own world and let everyone else wander in.

Born in 1959, he’s the voice and heartbeat of The Cure – a band that made melancholy feel massive. From Love Song to Friday I’m In Love, he’s always walked that line between heartbreak and something strangely hopeful.

And decades in, he’s still showing up in ways that matter.

That backstage moment with Olivia Rodrigo at Glastonbury Festival 2025 says a lot. No ego, no distance – she brought him out during her headline set, calling him a hero, before they ran through Friday I’m In Love and Just Like Heaven together.

The backstage photos are properly wholesome.

15/04/2026

1968 — Ed O'Brien

The Radiohead guitarist turns another year older – part of the band that watched Creep quietly flop before it circled back and became unavoidable.

O’Brien’s always been the glue in that sound – all atmosphere – helping steer the jump from scrappy alt-rock into something way more expansive by the time OK Computer landed and changed the conversation completely.

09/04/2026

On April 9, 1969, Bob Dylan released Nashville Skyline and took a sharp turn into country. His ninth album swapped the bite of his earlier work for something softer, warmer, and far more restrained. Even Dylan’s voice sounded different, with a smoother croon carrying tracks like “Lay Lady Lay” and “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You.” The record reached No. 3 on the Billboard chart, became his fourth UK No. 1, and featured a standout duet with Johnny Cash.

05/04/2026

Happy Easter — Debbie Harry did bunny her own way, obviously 🐰🌸

26/03/2026

Happy birthday to James Iha – the quietly essential presence who’s been shaping alt-rock from just off-centre for nearly four decades.

A co-founder of The Smashing Pumpkins, Iha helped define the band’s emotional contrast – bringing melody, restraint, and a lighter touch to their widescreen distortion and drama. While never the loudest voice in the room, his fingerprints are all over the band’s most enduring era, from ’90s classics through to their modern-day resurgence.

Beyond the Pumpkins, he’s kept just as busy: a member of A Perfect Circle, a solo artist with a warm indie-pop streak, and a composer working across film and TV. Add in fashion projects and a long-standing reputation for dry, deadpan humour, and you’ve got a career built on quiet range rather than noise.

25/03/2026

In 2022, the music world lost a force of nature with the passing of Taylor Hawkins, aged 50.

Best known as the powerhouse drummer behind Foo Fighters, Hawkins’ career stretched far beyond any one band. Before joining Foo Fighters in 1997, he was touring with Alanis Morissette during her Jagged Little Pill era – already proving himself as one of the most in-demand drummers around.

He wasn’t just behind the kit either. His side project, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, saw him step into the spotlight as a singer and bandleader, showing off his love for classic rock. In 2005, he was voted Best Rock Drummer by Rhythm magazine, a nod to the respect he commanded in the drumming world.

Hawkins also shared the stage with legends at events like Live Earth, performing as part of the SOS Allstars alongside the likes of Roger Taylor and Chad Smith.

Since his passing, one of the most moving tributes has been the massive global drum gatherings held in his name.

23/03/2026

Late ’90s Damon Albarn.

All sharp cheekbones, scruffy energy and that effortless cool, right as Blur were soundtracking the era, somewhere between Britpop chaos and something a little more introspective creeping in.

Happy birthday to one of the most quietly influential figures of the last few decades.