Louder Than Words Festival 2015

Louder Than Words is the genre-based literary Festival celebrating words – oral, written and published - associated with the music industry. Authors, artists, poets, performers, lyrics and lyricists, journalists, DJs, bloggers and publishers of music and popular culture are all included.

The weekend Festival is based at a single location - The Palace Hotel, Manchester - where all involved can meet to hear, share, discuss and celebrate the best of published and unpublished words associated with music and popular culture industries.

Unlike Frank Zappa’s much quoted interpretation of music-writing, Louder Than Words promotes the craft, conducts interviews with thinking people, encourages reading and aims to develop artistic appreciation of all-comers through engagement.

Louder Than Words 2015 includes 'in conversation with...' sessions, panel discussions, interviews, workshops, performances and casual opportunities for engaging with like-minded individuals; each encouraging interaction and engagement with performers, authors, editors, publicists, reviewers, press, artists and aficionados.

From Mod to Punk to Ska to Folk to Pop to Rock and all things in between, Louder Than Words Festival has something for everyone - engagement and involvement are central to all we do. Join us and enjoy a taste of something different!

The weekend kicks off with Mike Garry in conversation. Mike will also read his fantastic, chart-topping poem 'Ode to St Anthony' for Anthony H. Wilson and it just gets better from there, with Paolo Hewitt discussing his Oasis book and his two ands half year life on the road with the band.

Saturday includes interviews with Rick Buckler of The Jam, Russell Senior of Pulp, Jemima Dury (daughter of Blockhead Ian) and Paul McCartney biographer Paul du Noyer among many, many others. Steve Ignorant of Crass is also performing spoken word and song, with Slice of Life.

On Sunday Pauline Black of The Selecter gives proceedings more of a Two-Tone feel; celebrated writer Jon Savage looks back at 1966 - the year the 60s exploded, and the subject of his new book. Another key change finds Paul Harries exploring his iconic images of Slipknot.

Visit www.louderthanwordsfest.com for the full weekend programme.