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The Niche Reference

The Niche Reference

A new name, inspired by all influences…

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Category: Pop

Pop Essays #8: BBMak, ‘Back Here’

Feb 25, 2021Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Hello and welcome to this week's Pop Essays, your weekly series where we bring new light to those forgotten pop gems of years gone by. This week: anyone fancy a British invasion of America? Then read on... Artist: BBMak Song: Back Here Release Date: 16/08/1999 (Original) / 12/02/2001 (Reissue) Writers: Christian Burns / Mark Barry … Continue reading Pop Essays #8: BBMak, ‘Back Here’

Pop Essays #7: Aston Merrygold, ‘Get Stupid’

Feb 18, 2021Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Well hello there, and a warm welcome to this week's Pop Essays, our weekly revisitation of personal pop favourites of ours from years gone by to give them the proper kudos that they've not - until now - been given. And - it'll make more sense as you read along - but this is the … Continue reading Pop Essays #7: Aston Merrygold, ‘Get Stupid’

Pop Essays #6: A-Ha, ‘Analogue (All I Want)’

Feb 11, 2021Feb 17, 2021 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Hello there and happy Thursday, time as always to throw back and shine light on some lesser starred musical gems of yesteryear with Pop Essays. Now, if you've been watching The Masked Singer, you'll know Morten Harket was recently unveiled as Viking - but of course, his band made a comeback on UK shores before … Continue reading Pop Essays #6: A-Ha, ‘Analogue (All I Want)’

Pop Essays #5: Candie Payne, ‘One More Chance’

Feb 4, 2021Feb 10, 2021 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Good afternoon and welcome to this week's edition of Pop Essays, my weekly series of posts where I recast my eye on and showcase some truly great songs and bands from my personal collection in years gone by. Just before we get down to business, I have got some more regular posts outside of this … Continue reading Pop Essays #5: Candie Payne, ‘One More Chance’

Pop Essays #4: Girls Can’t Catch, ‘Echo’

Jan 28, 2021Mar 12, 2021 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

Welcome to this week's Pop Essays, my series of blogs shining light on the golden nuggets of pop's yesteryear that fell through the cracks but I am now resurrecting like some gilt edged Phoenix. I'll desist with this fictional bird analogy now, and move onto this week's essay, and a favourite pop love of mine: … Continue reading Pop Essays #4: Girls Can’t Catch, ‘Echo’

Pop Essays #3: Scent, ‘Up and Down’

Jan 21, 2021Jan 27, 2021 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

Hello all, welcome to this week's Pop Essays - I trust I find you all well? I'm quite well aware of the fact these seem to be the only posts I've been doing with regularity on here recently but I think I'll cut myself some slack for once. Unusual times and all that! Shall we … Continue reading Pop Essays #3: Scent, ‘Up and Down’

Pop Essays #2: Ladyhawke, ‘Paris Is Burning’

Jan 14, 2021Feb 20, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to this week's Pop Essays, as I continue my new weekly series which profiles favourite songs and artists of mine from years past that I am revisiting and shining a well deserved light on that may not have had it before. Thanks for all the lovely feedback on last week's first essay - it's … Continue reading Pop Essays #2: Ladyhawke, ‘Paris Is Burning’

Pop Essays #1: Ultra, ‘Rescue Me’

Jan 7, 2021Jan 18, 2021 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Firstly a happy new year to you all, albeit one that seems to be starting suspiciously just as the last one did globally speaking. But no matter, I'm a firm believer, in the words of D:Ream, that things can only get better. Especially as today, I write both my first blog post of 2021 and … Continue reading Pop Essays #1: Ultra, ‘Rescue Me’

The Story of Pop: 2000 (Chapter 51)

Dec 17, 2020Dec 17, 2020 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

Over the last 12 months, we've bought you the weekly retelling every Thursday of all the big hits from the UK singles chart of 20 years ago with The Story of Pop: 2000. Today, we make our final stop on our nostalgic pop journey - with the extraordinary story of one of the most bonkers … Continue reading The Story of Pop: 2000 (Chapter 51)

The Story of Pop: 2000 (Bonus Tracks)

Dec 17, 2020Dec 17, 2020 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

I don't even know where the time has gone since I started The Story of Pop: 2000 exactly 51 weeks ago (rapidly, that's what). But doing that and the 1999 series in 2019 have genuinely been, as a retro 90s/00s pop geek - some of my most favourite blog posts I've ever written. And this … Continue reading The Story of Pop: 2000 (Bonus Tracks)

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