Author: Leigh Banks

Phil May, singer with The Pretty Things has died from surgery after a cycling accident. He was 75. The English rock band who were massive in the 60s released this statement: “Phil May passed away at 7.05 a.m. on Friday 15 May at the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Kings Lynn, Norfolk. He had been locked down… Continue reading Pretty Things singer, Phil, dies aged 75 after bike accident

Photo of Bucky: Steve Cross… Steel guitarist Bucky Baxter, who has died at the woefully young age of 65, was an integral part of Bob Dylan’s band for eight years. He had played almost 100 concerts year since picking up the ‘dream’ gig back in 1992. In an interview, Bucky, who was playing for Steve… Continue reading Sadness as Bucky Baxter, the man who put real steel into Bob’s act, dies aged 65

The Manchester police officer who hunted Moors Murders Ian Brady and Myra Hindley has died, aged 80. Detective Chief Supt Peter Topping was famous for dragging Brady to Saddleworth Moor in July 1987 to get him to pinpoint where he buried the youngster as part of Th the probe into the killing of Keith Bennett… Continue reading Moors cop ‘haunted’ by Brady dies, aged 80

Peter R.I.P. the great Peter Green, the original guitarist of Fleetwood Mac. The Fleetwoods co-founder has died aged 73. Solicitors acting on behalf of his family said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep. “A further statement will be… Continue reading Peter Green, man of another world … RIP (Hear him inside)

Mancunian music pundit and legend CP Lee has died. He was a leading force behind Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias and many other Manchester music movements including sixties band Greasy Bear. He was 70 years old. Lee was Born in Didsbury in 1950 and became a well-known writer, broadcaster, lecturer and performer. Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias… Continue reading Chronicler of ‘Judas’ Dylan dies at 70 … RIP CP Lee

This story (CLICK LINK BELOW) appeared in the Manchester Evening News – but so many of us Manc journalists knew Stan Miller, from Sale. He helped so many of us juggling difficult cases and chasing up stories at the same time. Stan – like Manchester muso and writer CP Lee, Star man Harry Pugh, the… Continue reading Another good ol’ Manc gone … first CP Lee, now Stan, the king of the courts… RIP Stan

Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Jack Sherman – said to have played on Dylan’s ‘clunker’ album Knocked Out Loaded – has died aged 64. The group broke the news on Instagram and paid tribute to the ‘unique dude’ who played on their first album. The band said: “We of the RHCP family would like to… Continue reading Chilli’s mark death of Jack Sherman – guitarist who claimed they turned cold on his playing

The killing of George Floyd has re-ignited fury over the treatment of black people across the world. And it has been instrumental in raising millions for Black Lives Matter. George’s killing has also sparked incendiary street protests, deadly shootings and the tearing down of the parts of our history that glorify slavery. But is the… Continue reading Will the killing of George rid our Covid world of dys-Trumpian race hate?

Last year Bob Dylan sold his entire catalogue of 600 songs, including Blowin’ in the Wind and Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, to Universal Music in the biggest music publishing deal in decades. This is a personal appreciation of Bob Dylan, businessman, performer lyricist and man by former Fleet Street writer Leigh G Banks. The article was originally written in… Continue reading Dylan, the rebel without a pause?

By Dorry Bridge What’s this all about? The population of Earth is already diminishing – the end of our planet of the apes will in future be recorded as the beginning of the Planet of the Invisible. Everything starts with a question. Out of billions of rocks rotating in space how can just one, Earth, support… Continue reading “The main thing about aliens is that they are alien. They feel no responsibility for fulfilling any of your expectations.” —Robert Silverberg