Daniel Chapman

I’m Daniel Chapman, a writer and editor, also known as Moscowhite, because of the internet. From 2013 to 2017 I edited The City Talking magazine, and since 2011, have co-edited The Square Ball fanzine, seeing it through its 25th anniversary. During that time, The Square Ball has been shortlisted for the Football Supporters’ Federation Fanzine of the Year award eight times, and won twice.

100 Years of Leeds United, a new history of the club, is a 432 page hardback that will be published by Icon Books in 2019, to coincide with the club’s centenary celebrations.

In 2017 I wrote Do You Want To Win?, a book and film about Leeds and Leeds United from 1988 to 1992, the years when Howard Wilkinson took over from Billy Bremner, and took over everything. You can watch the trailer and order the book and DVD here.

You can support my writing on Patreon and get a daily email about Leeds United from twenty pence per week.

I’m on Twitter here (and here), Instagram here (and here). You can sign up to a mailing list here, and email me at moscowhite@thesquareball.net.

Bests

“Why Don’t We Start At The Beginning?” — Tim Sayer — Tim Sayer, aged seventy, of Islington, has bequeathed the art on the walls of his home to The Hepworth Gallery, in Wakefield, and has been besieged since morning by journalists and reporters who want to ask him why.

“I Can Let My Own Ambitions be Small & Weird” — Katie Harkin — I had to keep my mouth shut for a long time, says Katie Harkin, singer and songwriter in Sky Larkin, about being asked to join Sleater-Kinney on tour.

“Up Here You Can Take The Corners At Speed” — Nick Bax, Human Studio — We went to visit Nick Bax and creative agency Human Studio at their office in the almost refurbished Urban Splash block of the Park Hill estate.

“I feel like I’m flying” — Kristyna Baczynski — Comic book craft, epic tales & hard graft with illustrator and artist Kristyna Baczynski.

“It Was a Surreal Hour” — Lord Whitney — A story about Lord Whitney, Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House & Nicki Minaj.

“Liverpool Works on Beauty & Time” — Andrew Ellis — During two hours of soft spoken intensity Andrew Ellis chainsmoked Camels and unfurled before us a thought and spoken map of the city of Liverpool, with his annotations, and regard for space, community, music and beauty.

“It’s good for your eyes to be shocked” — Ellie MacGarry — Ellie MacGarry is an artist at Assembly House Studios in Leeds, obsessed with colour.

“I Swear I Can Draw” — Peter O’Toole, graphic artist — If the image of the dedicated young Peter earnestly grafting at his second hand drawing board with the top from a running-out marker wedged in the corner of his mouth sounds too Hovis to be true, take a look at Peter’s work and how it fits into the overall picture.

“Who Do You Think Has Been The Greatest Person In The World?” — John Poulson & City House — Above Leeds station is City House; above, below, through, but invisible if you set your mind to it.

“Compromise With Integrity” – Simon Thorpe of Leeds College of Art — Simon Thorpe of Leeds College of Art on the changes – and consistencies – of creativity and collaboration.

“With What’s Left Of A Memory Of Something” — Tony Fothergill, Ken Spelman Books — In Tony Fothergill’s post-college limbo of 1979, it must have seemed the most natural thing in the world to accept the offer of a job at Ken Spelman Books, and let Oxford wait.

Previously

“This is the place a lot of creative people call home” — We’re in one of the new cafeteria spaces at the University of Huddersfield, where Aidan Nolan of A.N.D Studio teaches graphic design, talking to Darren and Aidan about Wilson’s Republic, the design network event for creative people — what it actually is, takes complicated explanation, because it’s so simple — that they’ve been running in Huddersfield for over a year. • Apr 11, 2017

All Blues Co. — All Blues Co. is a menswear shop in the Corn Exchange, owned by Faz Patel and Mano Dridi. For years, Faz was Faz from Accent; “I lost a surname, but I gained an identity,” says Faz. “You were there for like 150 years, man,” points out Mano. • Feb 28, 2017

“We Could Immediately See A Better Way” — Rebecca Rae, Reason Digital — “I love my job,” says Rebecca Rae, and we had asked only if she enjoys it, because after talking to her for half an hour in the Lever Street offices of Reason Digital, where Rebecca works as Head of Strategy & Insight, we had the feeling she did. We barely got the question out before she upgraded enjoyment to love. • Feb 27, 2017

Simon Berwin — B.Berwin was founded by Barnet Berwin, an immigrant from Belarus, who arrived in Leeds, “With one sewing machine and seven children,” says Simon Berwin, his grandson. “Like Fiddler on the Roof. They lost two children along the way.” On the dockside at Leeds fellow Jewish migrant Montague Burton — “the man, not the company” — was giving out cut lengths of cloth to refugees as they arrived. Barnet and family took some and started sewing. “That’s how they started manufacturing in Leeds. The plan was to move on to New York, but they became attached to Leeds and stayed.” • Feb 24, 2017

Suzy Mason — The SpeedQueen boutique became a vital stop off point on Saturday afternoons before Saturday nights, not only for the racks of one-off or vintage clothes sorted by story, rather than gender, but for the counter of free glitter spray and make up that everyone was free to come and experiment with. • Feb 23, 2017

“Maybe it’s more interesting,” — Chia-wen Liu — The streets of London are not really paved with gold, and Chia-wen is fine with that. The age of their stone, as a stage for constant newness, is what makes them London, a London that Chia-wen — who moved here eight years ago, from Taipei — loves without complication. Which a very different kind of love to simple love. • Feb 23, 2017

“How did you come up with that?” — Mike Sallabank, photographer — Mike Sallabank frequently bursts into infectious laughter as we talk things over in Common one Friday lunchtime. He’s got a late night ahead of him that sounds more like an early morning, and he’s looking forward to seeing how the photographer coming to a club shoot with him later works. • Feb 22, 2017

Everton Campbell — When Everton Campbell came to see us, it was with a travel holdall in his hands and sunglasses perched on his forehead, ready to leave the next day for a buying trip to New York. • Feb 21, 2017

“We can create a kind of collaborative magic,” — Dawn Paine, Creative England — “I mightn’t look like it,” Dawn tells us, as we talk in Creative England’s offices at Media City in Salford, where Dawn is Creative England’s Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer. “But I’m a hardcore gamer. Of all the sectors I’ve worked across in my career, games is the one that is closest to my heart, for a number of different reasons.” • Feb 17, 2017

“That’s time you want to spend” — Ben Lamb, illustrator — “A while ago I was saying to someone that I didn’t think I really had a recognisable style,” illustrator Ben Lamb told us, as we sat with pale ales in the back of Terrace, talking things over. “I work in lots of different ways, and sometimes I’m trying to work in a style I’ve never really worked in before. • Feb 15, 2017

Kerry Ridge — “Should I just tell you all about Indie Joze?” asked Kerry Ridge. • Feb 14, 2017

“There are lots of lines to take photos of” — Ben Draguisky, photographer — It’s hard to find any traces of either trad architectural style in the photographs of Ben Draguisky, which is one reason why when we saw them we wanted to ask him about them. Ben lives in Didsbury and takes photographs around Manchester and Salford, posting them to Instagram as bpdraguiskyphoto, but his minimal style renders Manchester unrecognisable and, in that way, poetic and exciting. In a saturated Google Street View world, it’s thrills to be shown something we’ve not seen before; something new. • Feb 13, 2017

Warren Jones — One day some foreign students came into Mrs Atha’s Coffee and Tea in Leeds and started talking to Warren Jones. • Feb 08, 2017

“We Do The Things Traditional Banks Couldn’t, Shouldn’t And Wouldn’t” — Tracy Garrad, CEO, first direct — “We’ve always thought of ourselves as being able, and almost having a mission, to do the things that traditional banks couldn’t, shouldn’t and wouldn’t,” Tracy Garrad tells us, when we sit down and start talking about First Direct’s position in the twin worlds of banks and technology. The point of First Direct, since its earliest days, is that dealing with it shouldn’t feel like dealing with a bank. • Feb 08, 2017

“You believe you’re somewhere else, & you believe you’re there together” — Clemens Wangerin, vTime — Where Clemens Wangerin and Martin Kenwright want to be is Liverpool, and the Baltic Triangle, because they’ve been here a long time and it’s been a ticket to a lifetime, spent making computer generated vistas and experiences that have shifted the world’s perceptions. • Feb 06, 2017

Leeds Clothing Strike 1970 — The situation in Leeds’ clothing industry in 1970 was, according to the works manager at Hepton’s factory, “Just like a keg of gunpowder ready to go up.” • Feb 03, 2017

Julian Kynaston — After concluding it was makeup giving everybody at Whitby Goth Festival licence to explore new identities, and that he should take makeup back to its subcultural and theatrical roots, his brand Illamasqua has been fighting Mac, every single day. • Jan 31, 2017

Julie Greenough — Julie Greenough has not, compared to the grand scheme, worked at AW Hainsworth for very long. It’s less than four years since she arrived as Marketing Manager; Hainsworth have been creating premium quality textiles at Spring Valley Mills in Farsley since 1783. • Jan 30, 2017

Louise & Martin Schneider — You can tell that, when they think about it, Louise and Martin Schneider miss the early days of Accent. But it’s not nostalgia, or a desire to go back. • Jan 27, 2017

Pets In Leeds: Bolt — There is only one thing that vexes Bolt. As he walks and runs around town and village streets, and through fields and along parkland paths, he’s trying to understand why everyone isn’t as friendly as he is. • Dec 16, 2016

Pets in Leeds: Holly — Holly’s day starts around seven o’clock with a walk or a run in Roundhay Park. Holly is taller than average and has the energy of someone much bigger; on a good day she might run 10k before breakfast time, then she leaves for work. • Dec 16, 2016

“We Recognised It, Because It Was Us” — Silvine Originals — Silvine, which we’d never really forgotten, once remembered, felt like part of us that had returned to us; like finding an album of childhood photos we didn’t know had been taken. We recognised it, because it was us. • Nov 22, 2016

Peter Mitchell & Tom Joy: Leeds Culture Strategy — We asked two photographers, Peter Mitchell and Tom Joy, to think about the South Bank, the Culture Strategy, and their lives in Leeds, and talk to us through the medium they know best. • Nov 22, 2016

Olivia Newsome & TONE: Leeds Culture Strategy — We asked illustrators Olivia Newsome and TONE to think about the South Bank, the Culture Strategy, and their lives in Leeds, and talk to us through the medium they know best. • Nov 22, 2016

Leeds Culture Strategy & The South Bank — Deciding to bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2023 was just the start. It focused the mind on two things: the year 2023, and culture. If we’re going to bid, there’s no getting past them two. It also sharpened the edge of a series of already cutting questions, led by the biggie: what culture? • Nov 22, 2016

“The Reality Is Different” — Tom Riordan, Chief Executive Officer, Leeds City Council — We went to Leeds Civic Hall to talk to Tom Riordan, because we’re interested in cities, and there are few organisations less understood or more important to a city than its council. • Oct 11, 2016

Flung, Up and Up: Churchill Way Flyover, Liverpool — Churchill Way is like those moments just after you’ve fallen asleep, when dreams begin to come but you don’t know what the images are going to try to mean yet. • Oct 10, 2016

“We thought we were drastically uncool” — Mal Evans, Mojo — Most other people you’d ask to tell you about Mojo, though, can’t remember; those threes in the morning when the tequila is flying can be hard to piece together the next night, when it’s starting to happen again, let alone twenty years later. And even if they can remember everything — and remember, you should never drink with anybody who can remember everything — what they can’t do is explain it. Explain what Mojo is, apart from a bar; why it’s great, except that it’s a great bar; or why Mojo was been working for twenty years except that, well, that’s how long Mojo has been open. • Aug 10, 2016

“This is how we’re going to make Leeds an exciting city” — Laura Wellington, Big Disco — After a record-breaking number of people across Yorkshire dance to the ultimate party song at 7.20pm, led by 7,000 beneath the world’s biggest disco ball on the South Bank in Leeds city centre, Big Disco will be packaged up and roll away. • Jun 24, 2016

“The Question I Feared Was, ‘Who Are Your Female Tech Role Models?’” — Natasha Sayce-Zelem, Sky — “Tech is constantly changing, and is constantly evolving,” says Natasha Sayce-Zelem of Sky, in Leeds. “That’s the reason I love it.“ • Jun 17, 2016

“I Always Felt I Had To Do Something More With My Life” — Rav Matharu, clothsurgeon — “I was living the dream there for a while,” says Rav Matharu, as he sits and talks to us in a basement studio in London, where he is living a very different kind of dream today. • May 26, 2016

“I’m Just Drawing” — Alice Bowsher, Niles Collective — We wanted to know how Alice Bowsher, Elliot Kruszynski and Joe Gamble became friends at the Bath School of Art and Design, and we talked about that for a while, and how they all moved to London and became part — with Alice Russell and Caroline Rose, not present — of Niles Collective, and about working as illustrators, and living in London. Then much later this came up, which technically comes first. • May 26, 2016

“It’s All Worked Out Well” — TONE, Street Artist — The decorative cement panels of the new John Lewis building are being hoisted into place just over Eastgate from TONE’s flat. • Mar 23, 2016

“That’s Bloody Magic, Isn’t It?” — Auriel Majumdar, business coach — The Site Gallery café was closed on Monday morning when we went there to meet Auriel Majumdar, but because Auriel knows Kirsty, who works there, we were able to go in and sit and talk for a couple of hours. • Mar 01, 2016

“I’d Love People Who Want To Change The World To Call Manchester Their Home” — Doug Ward, Forward Manchester — Doug Ward is a Mancunian tech entrepreneur who advises the government on how best to bring about the future, and who thinks a lot about Manchester’s past. • Feb 17, 2016

“I Don’t Know What I’m Looking For” — Ben Oldham, Turf & White Line — On his Instagram account, Turf & White Line, Ben shows one of the ways he cares about football these days without screaming his head off. • Feb 16, 2016

“Our History Demands It” — Roberto Martinez, Everton FC — “Everything goes back to that dream of winning the title,” says Roberto Martinez. “That’s because we are Everton, and our history demands it.” • Feb 05, 2016

“In football, you need to come up with a dream” — Roberto Martinez, Everton FC — Roberto Martinez’s career has sometimes looked from outside to be a sequence of counter-intuitive decisions; but what has driven Roberto’s decisions has not been the level or the glory, but the project, and the people. • Feb 04, 2016

“The only thing you want is to understand the fans” — Roberto Martinez, Everton FC — At Everton, Roberto Martinez has to manage more, and differently, than at his other clubs. • Feb 03, 2016

“Chimp Is What I Know, It’s What I Love & It’s Where I Feel At Home” — Mark Bedford, The Chimp Store — The right way to fold a shirt? says Mark Bedford of The Chimp Store in Leeds. “Neat and tidy. Everyone has their own way of doing it, but they have to look crisp and sharp. Folding boards? Cheating. You’ve got to be good enough to do without.” • Jan 26, 2016

“We Want Counter Context to Make a Difference” — Alexis Krachai, Counter Context — Counter Context are always seeing more of the world, but in their offices high above Vicar Lane, it’s the view of Sheffield that draws you to the window. • Jan 26, 2016

More Than Their Heart’s Work — LCoM Archive — As we delved into the archive boxes full of press cuttings and photographs at Leeds College of Music, we learned this lesson. • Dec 15, 2015

“We’re Really Relaxed About Being Creative” — Miz DeShannon, Leeds College of Music — “The College of Music even has its own myths now,” says Miz DeShannon. “And we’ve only been going for fifty years.” • Dec 10, 2015

Meanwhile, in Leeds — The City Talking: Music in Leeds, Vol.1 — There is no history of Leeds music. But that’s not because music in Leeds doesn’t have a history. Or, at least, a kind of one. • Dec 07, 2015

120 Beats Lower Merrion Street — The Coconut Grove; The Gallery; The Pleasure Rooms; Lower Merrion Street, Leeds, 120 Beats. • Dec 03, 2015

“It Was a Surreal Hour” — Lord Whitney — A story about Lord Whitney, Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House & Nicki Minaj. • Dec 02, 2015

“Cities Are A Big Deal” — Rupert Wood — Life, work, resilience, and a dog; Rupert Wood and Sheffield urban living. • Nov 26, 2015

“Hang On a Minute, I Don’t Have To Go Home” — Nalin Seneviratne, Sheffield City Council — Nalin Seneviratne of Sheffield City Council talks about new plans for Sheffield Retail Quarter, while we try to get some Jalapeño Business Fries. • Nov 25, 2015

“You Live Here” — York Open Data — What happens in York in September? Do you want to know? • Oct 22, 2015

“I Try To Find Things Like That In Real Life” — Rob Searle, photographer — Rob Searle’s key advantage when photographing York: seeing the world a paperboy sees. • Oct 22, 2015

“I Needed An Office” — Stu Goulden, Acollective — The centre of York is the perfect place for Stu Goulden to try something new: Acollective. • Oct 22, 2015

“All To Create a Space” — David McCall, Takk — David McCall adapts to change; and Takk Coffee House adapts, and Hyper Island adapts, as Manchester changes. • Oct 21, 2015

“It’s a Whole Community of Great People” — Ben Porter, Plastic Fortune — Here are two things that are true about the city of York. • Oct 08, 2015

“I feel like I’m flying” — Kristyna Baczynski — Comic book craft, epic tales & hard graft with illustrator and artist Kristyna Baczynski, from The City Talking: Leeds issue 26. • Aug 14, 2015

“The people who come here will bring this place alive” — Sheaf Street Cafeteria — Laura Wellington and Dave Olejnik talk about Duke Studios and Sheaf Street Cafeteria, setting a tone on Leeds’ South Bank. • Jul 28, 2015

“You can’t touch it but you know what it feels like” — Rosie Vohra — Rosie Vohra is an artist at Assembly House Studios in Leeds; and everything to her is drawing. • Jul 16, 2015

“Art, & telling good jokes now & then” — Alexander Gilmour — Alexander Gilmour is an artist at Assembly House Studios in Leeds, interested in honest manipulation. • Jul 15, 2015

“It’s good for your eyes to be shocked” — Ellie MacGarry — Ellie MacGarry is an artist at Assembly House Studios in Leeds, obsessed with colour. • Jul 13, 2015

“We’re too loud and tend to break things” — Assembly House Studios — Assembly House Studios in Leeds builds on values the city already has, and is a good place to have them. • Jul 10, 2015

“When I get to be someone else, that’s when I feel amazing” — Georgia Thursting — We spoke to Georgia Thursting who told us about her music, being in the limelight and asked us “Does that make sense?” a lot. • Jul 08, 2015

“I’ve never seen the city like that” — Tom Joy — Tom Joy isn’t drawn to places that would spring to most Leeds people’s minds when trying to decide where to spend a nice evening out. • Jul 07, 2015

“Do you see what I see?” — Sheila Gaffney, Leeds College of Art — An interview with Sheila Gaffney, Head of fine arts at Leeds College of Art from The City Talking Leeds: Issue 24 • Jun 25, 2015

“A pity to perpetuate this imaginary castle” — Leeds Urban Myths — Leeds is full of urban myths like this; legends and stories and buildings that will always exist for as long as people are around to imagine them • Jun 23, 2015

Trying to get in: Cornish Works — Everybody is trying to get in. Like SLR-wielding zombies they claw at the doors, looking for a gap, a glint, a glimmer from within. A fingertip hold that would prise the George Barnsley Works open. • May 15, 2015

“Beer isn’t what you think it is anymore” — Kath Hartley, Northern Monk Brew Co. — In June 2014, Russell Bisset told us everything he had planned for the empty warehouse next door; now, with Brian Dickson to brew it and Kath Hartley to run it, Northern Monk have done it. • May 08, 2015

“We’re going with the theme of the city” — Mama’s Girls — Isabell and Chrissy were confident Mama’s Girls would be a well-run and slick operation, a pop-up Polish Milk Bar as part of Leeds Indie Food Festival. • May 05, 2015

“Two years down the line, who knows?” — Andy Smith — Live at Leeds — Imagine being involved in the 900 hours of organisation (so far) the infographic says has gone into make those 6400 minutes happen on Saturday; and imagine waking up on Sunday and you’ve seen none of it. • Apr 28, 2015

Leeds Civic Architect: John Thorp — John Thorp has been designing buildings in Leeds since the late-sixties; and his touch is everywhere. • Apr 27, 2015

“There’s no plan, it’s just a bar” — The Social — “You walk in, and you get a drink,” says Nathan Clark about The Social. “That’s about it!” • Apr 22, 2015

“You need to create the storyboard of information” – Barry McNeill — Barry McNeill joined Prozone in 2000, first as a consultant introducing the system to Premier League teams and developing it with their input, and became executive director before leaving the company in 2013. • Apr 21, 2015

“The fun you can have is completely up to your creativity” – Seb Mysko, Rising Digital — From a sofa in the snug at Duke Studios in Leeds, Seb Mysko of Rising Digital can cast an arm out and stretch around the world. • Apr 20, 2015

“When the fog comes, I think there’s something else there” — Sara Teresa — Sara Teresa grew up in a town called Florence, which is like the Scarborough or the Whitby of Oregon. • Apr 16, 2015

“Yet nothing changes, does it?” — Leeds, 1990 & The British Art Show — Centuries and days and hours and minutes and seconds all slice neatly into fourths, but start chopping up a city that way and you run fast into French. • Apr 13, 2015

“Get yourself in” — Gary Guestlist — There will be people around who see Gary Guestlist, and recognise the reason they couldn’t get into Back to Basics. • Apr 10, 2015

The Roof: Headrow House, aka Big Lil’s — Headrow House itself, which calls Bramley’s Yard it’s home but lives there at an awkward angle; one corner juts like a shoulder from an asymmetrical brick dress. • Apr 09, 2015

“That’s the biggest thing you’re going to get out of a band: the fun” — Menace Beach — The changing, expanding, contracting, revolving and evolving line-up of the Menace Beach band has attracted as much comment as Menace Beach’s music. • Apr 08, 2015

“New Orleans runs at a different pace to the rest of the world” — Tom Martin — Leeds-based photographer Tom Martin took a last minute trip to New Orleans with no particular aim – other than capturing as much as possible with his camera. • Apr 03, 2015

“I’m also in a band called I Like Trains” — A Divorce Before Marriage — The course of popular music in the 20th century was towards the destruction of the idea that musicians are special people; magical, apart, untouchable. But it didn’t work. • Apr 01, 2015

“Reece is a bit of a god send for Leeds” — Martyn Hill, Welcome Skate Riders — They can all show their bruises, and the photos, taken by Reece Leung, of them skating a moment when nothing could touch them. • Mar 27, 2015

“Suddenly I saw things from the other side” — The Lord Mayor of Leeds — You never have everything you need for a Mayor right away. For one thing, you need to get hold of a mace. • Mar 25, 2015

“We’re listening to people getting it wrong” — Mark Hubbard, Old Chapel Studios — Since the days when troubadours tramped the riverbanks of Leeds with hearts full of love and lutes full of songs, music has been easy to romanticise but hard to do. • Mar 23, 2015

“Nobody’s any the wiser” — TONE — TONE didn’t want it to be a big thing, even though it felt like a bit of a big thing, so he was trying not to acknowledge that it was quite a big thing. • Mar 19, 2015

“I lose sleep about how we’re going to make this happen” — Laura Wellington — The problem for Laura Wellington is not how to make Leeds Indie happen, but how to keep up with it. • Mar 18, 2015

“To rise above the sordid and rejoice in the beautiful” — Leeds Art Crawl — “Let us by all means be proud of great factories and workshops,” said Colonel Thomas Harding, on the day in 1903 that he formally opened City Square in Leeds. “But let us too be able to rise above the sordid and rejoice in the beautiful.” • Mar 16, 2015

“Bringing the two together is unique” — Mark Husak, Bundobust — Bundobust, the craft beer and Indian food bar that is changing one of Leeds’ shortest, steepest streets. • Jan 22, 2015

“I think Leeds Inspired is quite a statement for Leeds” — Abby Dix-Mason, Leeds Inspired — In a corner of Leeds Town Hall, Leeds Inspired have been working as a quiet catalyst for creativity in Leeds. • Jan 13, 2015

TCT International: Leeds Independent Bikes — The idea was to do something while the Tour de France was here that was creative, but not just for the sake of being creative, says Laura Wellington. • Jan 13, 2015

“Take only photographs, leave only footprints” — Joe Stenson, Urban Explorer — Joe Stenson is a trained architect and a wedding photographer, but what he loves to photograph most are ruined buildings. It’s not as much of a contradiction as you’d think. • Dec 15, 2014

“London has it all, but it can’t have it all” — Harold Tillman, Fashion Entrepreneur — Fashion entrepreneur Harold Tillman on how he’ll bring the heart to new fashion incubator Lambert’s Yard in Leeds. • Nov 21, 2014

“I’m influenced by modern painters and South Park” – Tom Martin, Photographer — Tom Martin has an international reputation as one of the best live music photographers from the UK, travelling from his home in Leeds right around the world thanks to skills picked up in the city’s venues. • Nov 19, 2014

“Wearing it is easy” — Undead Giraffe, cosplayer — “You’ve not seen anything as funny as cosplayers running from the rain,” says Alex Barwell. “Your costume is going to be soaked, your makeup is going to run – it’s your worst nightmare as a cosplayer!” • Nov 14, 2014

“Thought Bubble is a reflection of what I love” — Lisa Wood Comic book artist — Comic artist Tula Lotay, aka Thought Bubble Festival organiser Lisa Wood, on growing up with comics and growing Leeds’ international graphic art festival. • Nov 13, 2014

“Sharpening a pencil is like a cup of tea for your brain” — Richard Starkings, Comic Creator — The life of Richard Starkings, creator of the Elephantmen comic books and a pioneer of digital font design, has been a journey towards his own imagination: cultivating it, expressing it, and owning it. • Nov 12, 2014

“I wanted to do the same comics I liked as a kid” — Adi Granov, comic book artist — When Adi Granov’s name scrolls by at the end of Iron Man, it’s with ‘Suit Consultant’ alongside; in Iron Man 2, it says ‘Conceptual Illustrator’; then for Iron Man 3 it’s a writing credit, ‘Based on the Extremis mini-series illustrated by Adi Granov’. • Nov 11, 2014

“I was adamant it would work” — Nabil Homsi, Travelling Man — Travelling Man’s Nabil Homsi on the journey from play-by-mail to play-in-store, where the comics and games business means something more than just sales. • Nov 10, 2014

“It’s strange; we’ve a limited range in Harrods, but a huge range in Moscow” – Stephen Trigg, Lauden Chocolate — Five years ago, all Lauden Chocolate had was chocolate, and Stephen and Sun Trigg’s dedication to making the best chocolate they could. That was all they needed to start. • Nov 06, 2014

“Beer is essentially a living thing” — Russell Bisset, Northern Monk Brew Co. — Another wandering industry is making Holbeck its home, as Northern Monk Brew Co. ends its first phase as a cuckoo brewery by moving permanently into the building that was John Marshall’s old flax store. • Oct 22, 2014

Photo Report: The Morning After the Majestic Fire — The Majestic fire started as not much, but soon became something. Then it became something awful. • Oct 01, 2014

TCT 14: Outlaws Yacht Club in Their Own Words — “No one tells us what to do.” The story of Outlaws Yacht Club so far — as told by its three good captains. • Sep 16, 2014

TCT12: Leeds Bread Co-op — On the edge of Leeds city centre, Leeds Bread Co-op are a vital link in the chain of Leeds’ food. • Aug 07, 2014

TCT12: North Star Micro Roasters — “For Leeds not to have a roastery was just a real shame,” says Krag of the city’s first coffee roastery, North Star. • Aug 07, 2014

TCT12: Noisette Bakehouse — “Not everything has to be fondant and icing and butter cream and sugar,” says Sarah Mather of Noisette Bakehouse. “You can use flowers, herbs, foliage, and give it a more natural feel.” • Aug 07, 2014

Made in Leeds Festival: Miss Melodie of SpeedQueen — Miss Melodie has been a DJ at SpeedQueen for fifteen years, and her part in SpeedQueen’s Night Under The Stars at Made in Leeds Festival is going to be a celebration – and a continuation. • Jun 27, 2014

Beryl Burton: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger — Beryl Burton was different. Simply listing the honours BB won in domestic and international cycling doesn’t even begin to tell the story of one of Leeds and Britain’s greatest athletes. • Jun 24, 2014

LDFW4: “Compromise With Integrity” – Simon Thorpe of Leeds College of Art — Simon Thorpe of Leeds College of Art on the changes – and consistencies – of creativity and collaboration. • May 30, 2014

LDFW4: Rebel Pin Up — We talk to Craig Christon about Rebel Pin Up’s salon in Leeds: “We’re actually sat in my dream here.” • May 29, 2014

LDFW4: Industry Interview – Andy Keir – Curiosity Allotment — Andy Keir of Curiosity Allotment talks about furniture, Enzo Mari, and the joy of bolting two wardrobes together. • May 28, 2014

Enjoy by Alan Bennett at West Yorkshire Playhouse — The Alan Bennett season at West Yorkshire Playhouse begins with a revival of Enjoy, about a family whose back-to-back isn’t quite the last in Leeds. • May 26, 2014

Ghost Peloton at Waides Yard, Leeds — There were times, or stretches of time, as illuminated bicycles zipped by in kaleidoscopic formations during the Ghost Peloton on Friday night, when I didn’t know where I was. • May 19, 2014

TCT 10: Cine Yorkshire — Cine Yorkshire has presented 1,750 screenings to 70,000 people in more than eighty venues across North, East and West Yorkshire, with excursions into Cumbria and Lancashire too. • May 15, 2014

TCT 12: Ilkley Brewery — In mid-April Ilkley Brewery passed a significant milestone; and they are celebrating in typical style – by experimenting. • May 09, 2014

“How do you change the whole city’s attitude while still getting things done?” – Neil Owen, Test Space — Our interview with Neil Owen of Test Space from Issue 13 of The City Talking • May 09, 2014

Legend to Loop Road: Lord Whitney’s Lore of the North — The Lore of the North exhibition can’t be seen in Munro House anymore. There’s a book with the same name, and peering in through a window at the deserted room, you wonder if there might be a forgotten copy in a dusty corner. • Apr 17, 2014

TCT 9: Coffee Scene – Alex Galantino of La Bottega Milanese — You could say Leeds wasn’t ready for La Bottega Milanese, when Alex Galantino first opened a tiny space on The Calls in November 2009. But preparation wasn’t Leeds’ strong point that winter. • Mar 27, 2014

TCT 9: Coffee Scene – Scott Tedder of Mrs Atha’s — “Mrs Atha is Jonathan and Warren, the owners, grandma,” said Scott Tedder, the head barista. “She does grace us with her presence every so often. She is proud of it, and she always asks for her extra hot cappuccinos.” • Mar 18, 2014

TCT9: Coffee Scene – Dave Olejnik of Laynes Espresso — The Laynes aesthetic and style has its roots in the coffee culture of the USA and further, absorbed while Dave toured as a guitar tech and then as a coffee trainer and auditor. • Mar 13, 2014

Feature: Sky Bet Careers – Chloe Williams — A feature on Sky Bet employee Chloe Williams, who works in marketing Sky Bet’s products, to make sure that punters know what’s available and when. • Feb 26, 2014

TCT6: M&S Archive — The Michael Marks Building in Leeds is only eighteen months old, but as home to the Marks & Spencer company archive it is responsible both for securing and celebrating the past of a business that began at Kirkgate Market in 1884, and for guiding the future of a company with stores in over forty countries. • Feb 06, 2014

TCT Film: Screen Yorkshire — Our feature on Screen Yorkshire from the film issue of The City Talking Newspaper. • Feb 03, 2014

Sky Bet Careers: Tyler Smith — Our interview with Tyler Smith from the apprentice scheme at Skybet from the issue 8 of The City Talking Newspaper • Jan 31, 2014

“People always say there’s nothing on at the cinema.” — From the Film Issue of our The City Talking Newspaper, our feature on local film event Minicine, held in The Palace Picture Hall at Armley Mills • Jan 29, 2014

Process & Print: Leeds Print Festival 2014 — Leeds Print Festival 2014 begins at Gallery Munro House on Friday night; we spoke to the festival’s founder and organiser, Amber Smith. • Jan 24, 2014

Neon: Burning Light at Gallery Munro House — There’s still time to see Julia Bickerstaff’s exhibition Neon: Burning List at Gallery Munro House, which shines brightly on our unclear city. • Dec 21, 2013

The Brudenell At 100: Nathan Clark Interview Part 3 — As the Brudenell Social Club celebrates 100 years with an amazing series of gigs featuring Shellac, Forward Russia, Rocket from The Crypt and more, we’re reprinting our interview with Nathan Clark in three parts; in part three, Nathan tells us how the community rallied round to keep live music at the Brudenell. • Dec 06, 2013

The Brudenell at 100: Nathan Clark Interview Part 2 — As the Brudenell Social Club celebrates 100 years with an amazing series of gigs featuring Shellac, Forward Russia, Rocket from The Crypt and more, we’re reprinting our interview with Nathan Clark in three parts; today is part two, as the club becomes an integral part of the local music scene. • Dec 05, 2013

The Brudenell at 100: Nathan Clark Interview Part 1 — As the Brudenell Social Club celebrates 100 years with an amazing series of gigs featuring Shellac, Forward Russia, Rocket from The Crypt and more, we’re reprinting our interview with Nathan Clark in three parts, starting today with the club’s origins. • Dec 04, 2013

Uncertain Identities: My Generation at West Yorkshire Playhouse — Four stories, and four struggles for identity, in Alice Nutter’s play: an “anarchist version of Our Friends in the North.” • Oct 23, 2013

All Old Spaces Are Full: Hyperspace Exhibition at The Majestic — Until Christmas the Majestic will be showing Dutch artist Melvin Moti’s film The Eightfold Dot, proving that old buildings are never empty. • Oct 09, 2013

LDFW3: UK Observing Diary — The story behind UK Observing Diary, the fan page phenomenon that shows Leeds to tens of thousands of people in the Far East every day. • Oct 06, 2013

LDFW3 Brand Ambassador: Gold Frank — Introducing LDFW3 brand ambassador Gold Frank. • Oct 05, 2013

LDFW3: FM London Model, Katy Sexton — We talk to FM London model & Leeds Uni student, Katy Sexton. • Oct 05, 2013

LDFW3: TOMS & Made In Leeds Artist, Paul Luke — Introducing the fourth artist chosen by Made in Leeds to collaborate with TOMS shoes, Paul Luke. • Oct 04, 2013

LDFW3: TOMS & Made In Leeds Artist, TONE — Introducing the third artist chosen by Made in Leeds to collaborate with TOMS shoes, TONE. • Oct 03, 2013

LDFW3 Brand Ambassador: Giuseppe De Luca — Introducing LDFW3 brand ambassador Giuseppe De Luca. • Oct 02, 2013

LDFW3: TOMS & Made In Leeds Artist, Joe Gamble — Introducing the first artist chosen by Made in Leeds to collaborate with TOMS shoes, Joe Gamble. • Oct 02, 2013

LDFW3: TOMS & Made in Leeds artist, Francesca Hotchin — Introducing the first artist chosen by Made in Leeds to collaborate with TOMS shoes, Francesca Hotchin. • Oct 01, 2013

LDFW3 Brand Ambassador: Ellie Halls Schiadas — Introducing LDFW3 brand ambassador Ellie Halls Schiadas, of Leeds Gallery. • Sep 30, 2013

The Second Act of Cygan The Robot — Eight feet tall, weighing almost half a ton, his hands could lift and crush; built for model home exhibitions, Cygan instead spent seven years in London, exhibiting models. • Sep 04, 2013

TCT6: Belgrave Music Hall — The Belgrave Music Hall is due to open next week, we caught up with co-owner Simon Stevens to find out more. • Aug 22, 2013

“It’s about how music makes me feel” – Katriona Gilmour Talks Leeds Music Scene — If knowledge and enthusiasm make a music website editor, LeedsMusicScene.net has found the right replacement for Dave Sugden, its founder and editor of fourteen years. • Aug 14, 2013

The Small But Beautiful Game — The Subbuteo Challenge Cup North produced an appetising quarter final between surprise package Paul ‘The Bulletman’ Kerfoot, and experienced campaigner Brian Daley. • Aug 13, 2013

East Riding: The Night Ride Follow Up — On Friday we looked ahead to the weekend Chris Woodward and a group of cyclists were planning: cycling 85 miles overnight from Leeds to Hornsea. • Jul 16, 2013

Night Riders: Biking Leeds to Hornsea — Something about the bicycle inspires distant thoughts; or rather, thoughts about distance. People don’t look at a bike and think about how quickly it will get them there. They think, instead, about how far they can go. • Jul 12, 2013

‘We Want to be The Brewery of Choice For People in Leeds.’ — In the second part of our interview, Leeds Brewery’s Sam Moss talks about pubs old and new, from The Garden Gate to Crowd of Favours. • Jul 10, 2013

‘People See Leeds Brewery on a Pump Badge and They Know it’ll be Good’ — In the first part of our two part interview, Sam Moss of Leeds Brewery talks about how providing quality beer for Leeds is at the heart of all they do. • Jul 09, 2013

‘A mix of a diary & a pirate radio station…’ – Rider Spoke Comes to Leeds — This weekend, as part of Rider Spoke, a group of computer-equipped cyclists will unlock a private tour of these memory libraries of Leeds. • Jul 03, 2013

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Bests

Previously

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