C is for Cover versions. Early on in writing Dead Man Singing I decided that my main character, Dave Masters, would include cover versions on his records and in his live set, alongside his self-written material. That was partly self-indulgence and partly for the benefit of a certain type of reader. ...

People talk about books being like babies, and I suppose I can see the parallels. I have stayed up all night with a book before now, though I’ve never had one throw up down my back as I was winding it. The email from the Book Guild offering to publish Dead Man Singing arrived in my inbox on Fr...

B is for The Beatles, but that’s too obvious; B is also for The Band.

Dead Man Singing is the story of faded rock star Dave Masters. The Band, like the Beatles, are a vital part of Dave Masters’ musical identity. If they aren’t the most influential band in music history (and they&r...

When I’ve told people about Dead Man Singing, one of the most frequent questions has been ‘What gave you the idea?’ The short answer is Richard Thompson. Here’s the longer version:

I’ve been a fan of Richard Thompson, singer-songwriter-guitarist extraordinaire, since dis...