Daniel Rachel

Write Idea Festival
2025-11-23 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/London)
Daniel Rachel

This Ain’t Rock N Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich
Sunday 23 November 1.00pm
Daniel Rachel is a former musician turned award-winning and bestselling author. This Ain’t Rock N Roll is a shocking and absorbing chronological account of pop music’s complicated history with fascism and the imagery surrounding it. Whether shock factor, stupidity, or crass attempt at subversion, rock ‘n’ roll has indulged these associations in a way not accepted by any other artform.
Daniel will be in conversation with Sean Hannam who is a freelance journalist specialising in retail, tech and music.

https://www.ideastore.co.uk/whats-on/writeidea-festival

Writeidea Festival 2025
The 2025 Festival will take place at The Tower Hamlets Town Hall, Whitechapel, 21-23 November.
All the events are FREE.
Most events will be very popular and we strongly advise booking a ticket in advance. We allocate more tickets than there is capacity in order to allow for the high number of no-shows that unfortunately happen when events are free of charge. Please arrive early as entry to events is on a first come, first served basis.

Rough Trade East: with Billy Bragg & Miranda Sawyer + Signing
2025-11-24 19:00 - 21:30
Daniel Rachel: Q&A with Billy Bragg & Miranda Sawyer + Signing

Rough Trade East London
Mon, 24 Nov, 7:00 pm
£25 The price you’ll pay. No surprises later.

Buy now

About

Rough Trade East is very excited to present a Q&A with Daniel Rachel, Billy Bragg and Miranda Sawyer and signing from Daniel Rachel. This unique event celebrates the release of his new book ‘This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll : Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich’ released via White Rabbit.
Tickets for this event include a physical copy of the fantastic book to be collected from Rough Trade East on the day of the show.
More product information can be found HERE >> https://www.roughtrade.com/product/daniel-rachel/this-aint-rock-n-roll-pop-music-the-swastika-and-the-third-reich#51911517274443
Accessibility:
For accessible tickets, free PA/Carer tickets and other accessibility requests please go to dice.fm/contact. Rough Trade is wheelchair accessible with step free access.

All ages

Presented by Rough Trade.

You can get a refund if:

It’s within 24 hours of buying tickets
This event is rescheduled or cancelled

You can’t get a refund within 24 hours of the event start time.

Rough Trade East London
The Old Truman Brewery, 150 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL
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Turku University, Finland
2025-11-27 16:30 - 17:30
The fascination and affective legacy of fascism: final seminar
Daniel will give a keynote speech on his new book, This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Thursday 27 November 2025, 2–6 pm, Tauno Nurmela Hall (I, Main Building of the University of Turku)
The seminar is organized by the research project Fascism’s Lume and Affective Heritage in Finnish Culture (Koneen Foundation, 2021–2025) at the University of Turku in collaboration with the International Institute for Popular Culture (IIPC) and the Centre for the Study of Storytelling, Experientiality and Memory (SELMA) research centers.
The purpose of this multidisciplinary project, combining science and art, has been to focus on the cultural legacy of Finnish fascism after World War II, and especially its affectivity. The recycling of fascist material has created an emotional climate in which different manifestations of patriotism, fascism, and the idea of ​​nationalism are mixed together.
The seminar will feature speeches from the project’s researchers, a performance by a theatre group working as part of the project, and a speech from an English non-fiction writer examining Nazism and popular music.
The event will be held in Finnish, except for Daniel Rachel’s presentation in English.
Admission to the event is free.
Program
2 p.m. Opening remarks
Fascism and Esotericism
Docent Kimi Kärki
Composer Yrjö Kilpinen – from political activist to “harmless” artist
MSc Susanna Waldén-Antikainen
The fascination of fascism in Finnish black metal
FT Aila Mustamo
Voices of confrontation in the documentary Boiling Point: Whose Finlandia is it?
Docent Anna-Elena Pääkkölä
At 4 pm They said: borders closed
Performance of the theatre piece and panel discussion (the project’s researchers and theatre group provide background on their work and discuss with the audience)
Theatre group:
Directed by Fiikka Forsman. Script by Fiikka Forsman, Paul Olin and the working group. Performers: Anu Almagro, Paul Olin, Terhi Suorlahti and opera singer Volodymyr Andrushchak as well as sound designer, composer Pertti Grönholm. Scenographer Jaana Kurttila. Lighting designer Eero Erkamo. Producer-choreographer Anja Lappi.
Short break
Klo 17 IIPC Debate 129:
THIS AIN’T ROCK ‘N’ ROLL: Pop Music, the Swastika, and the Third Reich
Daniel Rachel
Over the last seven decades, some of rock ’n’ roll’s most celebrated figureheads have flirted with the imagery and theatre of the Third Reich. From Keith Moon and Vivian Stanshall kitting themselves out in Nazi uniforms and terrorising Jewish neighbourhoods to Siouxsie Sioux and Sid Vicious brandishing swastikas in the pomp of punk, generations of performers have associated themselves in troubling ways with the aesthetics, mass hysteria and even ideology of Nazism. Whether shock factor, stupidity, or crass attempt at subversion, rock ‘n’ roll has indulged these associations – whimsically, carelessly, occasionally malevolently – in a way not accepted by any other artform. But how accountable should fans, the media, and the music industry be for what has often seemed a sleazy fascination with the eroticised perversions of a fascist regime?
Bio: Daniel Rachel is a former musician turned award-winning and bestselling author. In his latest book, This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll, award-winning music historian Daniel Rachel navigates these turbulent waters with extraordinary delicacy and care, asking us to look anew at the artists that have defined us, inspired us and given us joy – and consider why so many have been drawn to the imagery of a movement responsible for the twentieth century’s worst atrocities. Alongside a sensitive history of the Holocaust and an examination of the place it holds in our cultural consciousness, Rachel asks essential questions of actions often overlooked or underplayed, whilst neither casting sweeping judgement nor offering easy answers. In doing so, he asks us to reassess the history of rock ’n’ roll and sheds new light on the grim echoes of the Third Reich in popular culture and the legacy of twentieth (and twenty-first)-century history as it defines us today. Rachel’s previous books include Too Much Too Young: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation (a Sunday Times, Uncut, Rough Trade US and Resident Music book of the year) and Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters (a Guardian and NME book of the year). He lives in London. Please note that some copies of This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll should be available from the author at the event.
More information:
Project leader, docent Kimi Kärki
kimi.karki@utu.fi , +358505766668
Daniel Rachel:
https://danielrachel.com/
Fascism’s Allure and Affective Legacy research project:
https://fasiaffekti.wordpress.com/
They said: borders closed at Tampere Theatre Festival 2025:
https://www.teatteritelakka.fi/ohjelma/he-sanoivat-rajat-kiinni/

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How To Academy with Robin Ince
2026-01-05 18:00 - 19:00
Mon, 5 January 2026
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm GMT
Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Nazi Problem
Daniel Rachel In Conversation with Robin Ince

Join Buy Livestream

A fascinating and unsettling look at how pop and rock music have repeatedly collided with Nazi imagery- sometimes as critique, sometimes as provocation, and sometimes through sheer ignorance.
Award-winning music Historian Daniel Rachel joins us to uncover pop music’s complicated history with fascism and the imagery surrounding it. Whether due to shock factor, malevolence, or a crass attempt at subversion, some of rock ’n’ roll’s most celebrated figureheads have flirted with the theatre of the Third Reich- from John Lennon’s ink drawings of himself saluting “Heil John” to Joy Division’s Auschwitz-inspired name, to Kanye West’s controversial fashion line. Daniel will reassess the history of rock ’n’ roll and shed new light on the grim echoes of the Third Reich that still resonate in popular culture today.
But how accountable should fans, the media, and the music industry be for what has often seemed a sleazy fascination with the eroticised perversions of a fascist regime?
Packed full of little-known facts about our favourite musicians, this eye-opening conversation will invite us to look anew at the artists that have defined us, inspired us, and given us joy.

Tickets to this online event are free for members of How To +.

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Books

Books are supplied by Primrose Hill Books. Pre-ordered copies will be dispatched shortly after the event. UK delivery only.

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A link to replay the event will be made available 48 hours after the event is over to enjoy without a time limit.

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Daniel Rachel
Author, Musician, Historian

Daniel Rachel is a former musician turned award-winning and bestselling author. His previous books include Too Much Too Young: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation (a Sunday Times, Uncut, Rough Trade US and Resident Music book of the year) and Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters (a Guardian and NME book of the year). He lives in London.

Robin Ince
Comedian, Actor and Writer

Robin Ince is a comedian, actor and writer. The Guardian once declared him a ‘becardiganed polymath’ which seems about right. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including The Importance of Being Interested and I’m a Joke and So Are You.
With Professor Brian Cox, he created and presents the award-winning BBC Radio 4 show The Infinite Monkey Cage, which ranks among the most popular science podcasts worldwide. He also won Celebrity Mastermind but forgot that calcium was the dominant element of chalk. After being diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 52, he finally has an excuse.

Institute of Contemporary Music: Long Play Sessions
2026-02-12 19:00 - 21:00
The Long Play Sessions : Daniel Rachel with This Ain’t rock and Roll
An Evening with Daniel Rachel: Exploring “This Ain’t Rock ’n’ Roll”

Date & Time: 12th February, 7:00 PM onwards
Venue: ICMP Queen’s Park Campus
Open to: ICMP students, staff and the general public
Join us for an exclusive evening with award-winning author Daniel Rachel as he discusses his groundbreaking new book, This Ain’t Rock ’n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich. This compelling work delves into the complex and often troubling relationship between popular music and fascist imagery, tracing seven decades of rock and pop’s fascination with the aesthetics and ideology of the Third Reich.
With an introduction by Billy Bragg, Rachel’s book asks urgent questions about accountability, cultural memory, and the legacy of music icons who flirted with Nazi symbolism—from punk provocateurs to rock legends. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of art, rebellion, and responsibility in the face of history’s darkest chapters.
What to Expect:

A captivating talk by Daniel Rachel on the themes and stories behind the book
Interactive Q&A session
Book signing opportunity—bring your copy or purchase one at the event

Don’t miss this chance to engage with one of Britain’s most acclaimed music historians and gain fresh insight into the intersections of music, politics, and culture.

Location
The Venue and Refectory, ICMP (Queens Park Campus), NW6 6PA

Home » News » ICMP to welcome music book authors for the Long Play Sessions

ICMP is delighted to announce a new event series with music writers visiting our campus to share the stories behind their books, insights and music industry experiences with students.
The Long Play Sessions will be held at ICMP’s Queen’s Park campus and begin on 12th February with writer Daniel Rachel visiting to discuss his book, ‘This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll – Pop Music, the Swastika and The Third Reich’.
Other authors already confirmed for our 2026 events include Debsey Wykes, Keith Cameron, Huey Morgan and Will Hodgkinson, the writer behind the acclaimed, ‘Street Level Superstar – a Year with Lawrence’.
The Long Play Sessions launched in 2025 with an inaugural event featuring music journalist Miranda Sawyer, who discussed her book ‘Uncommon People: Britpop and Beyond in 20 Songs‘.
Ace, Head of Industry and Brand Partnerships at ICMP, said: “The Long Play Sessions is a fantastic event series and we’re thrilled to welcome these literary talents to ICMP to talk about their brilliant books.”
There’s an increasingly exciting array of books, authors and writers out there exploring stories within contemporary music and beyond. We’re looking forward to many of them visiting ICMP to share their stories.”
All events will start at 7pm and are held at our Queen’s Park campus in London. The Long Play Sessions are open to the public for a small fee and are free to ICMP students.
UPCOMING EVENTS

Debsey Wykes (Dolly Mixture) In conversation
2026-02-19 19:00 - 22:30
The Long Play Sessions presents: Debsey Wykes in conversation with Daniel Rachel
Thu 19 Feb 2026 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM Venue and Cafe, ICMP Queen’s Park Campus, NW6 6PA

Join us for a special evening with musician, writer and feminist activist Debsey Wykes, as she discusses her acclaimed book Teenage Daydream: We Are the Girls Who Play in a Band, a Rough Trade and The Times Book of the Year 2025.

This event forms part of The Long Play Sessions, a curated series hosted by ICMP celebrating some of the most acclaimed and influential authors writing about music today. Each session goes beyond the page, bringing live conversation, cultural context and creative insight to the stories that shape music history.
Debsey will be joined in conversation by award-winning author and broadcaster Daniel Rachel, one of the UK’s leading voices in music writing. Known for his sharp, empathetic interviewing style and deep cultural knowledge, Rachel brings a vital perspective to the discussion and will also appear as a featured guest in The Long Play Sessions in February 2026 (view event).
Teenage Daydream is part memoir, part cultural history, celebrating the untold stories of girls and women who formed bands, picked up instruments, and carved out space in a music industry that rarely made room for them. Through personal experience and wider reflection, Wykes explores creativity, friendship, rebellion and music as a force for self-expression and resistance.
The book shines a light on the realities of growing up in bands, navigating gender expectations, and finding your voice both on and off stage. It is an essential contribution to conversations around youth culture, feminism and popular music history.
What to expect

Screening of Take Three Girls: Dolly Mixture Story (40mins)
An inspiring talk from Debsey Wykes on the stories and themes behind Teenage Daydream
In-depth conversation with Daniel Rachel on music, gender and creativity
Audience Q&A
Book signing opportunity. Bring your copy or purchase one on the night

We look forward to welcoming you to The Long Play Sessions for what will be a fascinating evening with two outstanding voices of music culture.

Location
Venue and Cafe, ICMP Queen’s Park Campus, NW6 6PA

Dave Rowntree (Blur) in conversation
2026-02-26 20:00 - 22:00
Dave Rowntree: No One You Know – Book Tour

Dave Rowntree joins host Daniel Rachel to talk about his new photography book No One You Know, which contains exclusive, intimate, never-seen-before photos of Blur at the start of their career.

With hundreds of previously unseen photographs, a personal foreword and detailed quotes of memories attached to the images, No One You Know is a unique visual insight into the first few years of one of Britain’s most successful and well-loved bands, from one of the only four people who knows what it was really like.

Dave Rowntree: No One You Know – Book Tour

Dave Rowntree joins host Daniel Rachel to talk about his new photography book No One You Know, which contains exclusive, intimate, never-seen-before photos of Blur at the start of their career.

With hundreds of previously unseen photographs, a personal foreword and detailed quotes of memories attached to the images, No One You Know is a unique visual insight into the first few years of one of Britain’s most successful and well-loved bands, from one of the only four people who knows what it was really like.

Date

26 02

Time

8:00 pm

Cost

£18.00

More Info

Book Now

Location

The Hub

St Mary’s
Lichfield

Jewish Book Week with Rosie Goldsmith SOLD OUT
2026-03-01 15:30 - 17:00
Jewish Book Week 2026!

Pop Music, the Swastika & the Third Reich

01/03/2026|

3:30 pm

St Pancras room, Kings Place

Price: £10.00

Book now

From Lennon and Bowie to punk and beyond, some of rock ’n’ roll’s biggest icons have toyed with the aesthetics, hysteria, and even ideology of Nazism. Whether through shock, ignorance, or misguided attempts at provocation, pop music has explored these associations in ways rarely seen in other art forms. In his meticulously researched and sensitively told This Ain’t Rock ’n’ Roll, best-selling author Daniel Rachel examines these often-overlooked actions in conversation with Rosie Goldsmith.
Rosie Goldsmith

Rosie Goldsmith is a journalist and presenter. With the BBC for 20 years, today she combines journalism with chairing and curating arts and literary events in the UK and across the world. She is Director of the European Literature Network, Artistic Director of the European Writers’ Festival, and presenter of the Slightly Foxed books podcast.
Buy a copy of This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll by Daniel Rachel

Art & Talking: Chipping Norton
2026-03-14 19:00 - 21:00
Saturday March 14 2026 7-9pm Daniel Rachel– will discuss his new book
This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich.

“Rachel is not looking to cancel or absolve but instead explore the musical obsession with atrocity and how it relates to rock history in general. A sadly rather timely book.” NME

https://www.artandtalking.com/books-authors

Crouch End Political Festival
2026-03-21 10:00 - 12:00
With Vera Baird KC

Saturday 21 March
Hornsey Library
London N8

The Laugharne Weekend with Robin Ince
2026-03-22 12:00 - 13:00
Fountain Inn
12.15 Daniel Rachel Discusses his provocative study of pop’s flirtations with Nazi imagery and ideology, This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll

MILIM live
2026-05-11 20:00 - 21:30
This Ain’t Rock ’n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika, and the Third Reich
Milim presents a powerful and thought-provoking talk with Daniel Rachel, exploring his new book This Ain’t Rock ’n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika, and the Third Reich. In this compelling event, Daniel examines the troubling and often overlooked relationship between popular music and Nazi imagery across the past seventy years.

From shock tactics in punk to provocative stage personas, generations of artists have engaged with symbols and aesthetics tied to one of history’s darkest regimes. But why has this fascination persisted and what responsibility do musicians, media, and audiences bear? Drawing on meticulous research Daniel navigates these difficult questions with sensitivity, encouraging us to reconsider the cultural legacy of music we love.

An award-winning author and former musician, Daniel brings both insight and nuance to this challenging subject, offering an essential conversation about history, memory, and ethics in popular culture

WHEN:
11th May 2026
TIME:
20:00 BST
WHERE:

Online

ADDITIONAL INFO:

TICKETS:
To book please click here

Paul Weller evening
2026-05-13 19:00 - 22:30
The Long Play Sessions: Dan Jennings with ‘Paul Weller Dancing Through the Fire’
Wed 13 May 2026 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM ICMP (Queens Park Campus), NW6 6PA

Select tickets

Join us for an intimate and expansive evening with award‑winning broadcaster and journalist Dan Jennings, as he discusses DANCING THROUGH THE FIRE: The Authorised Oral History of Paul Weller, the first fully authorised and definitive oral account of one of Britain’s most influential and enduring musical figures.

This event forms part of The Long Play Sessions, ICMP’s curated series celebrating transformative writers, artists and cultural voices who shape how we understand music, identity and creative expression. Each session opens a window into the stories behind the art — blending conversation, cultural history and lived experience.
In Dancing Through the Fire, Jennings traces the extraordinary creative life of Paul Weller, from the explosive urgency of The Jam, through the ambitious sophistication of The Style Council, to a prolific and uncompromising solo career spanning more than three decades. Built from over 200 hours of interviews with more than 250 contributors, including Weller himself; the book offers an unprecedented, collective portrait of a musician whose influence has defined generations.
Drawing on unique access to Weller’s inner circle of family, friends, bandmates, producers and collaborators, Jennings reveals the drive, discipline and restless creativity behind a career that continually resisted nostalgia and commercial complacency. The result is candid, generous and richly revealing — capturing not just the myth, but the man at the centre of one of British music’s most remarkable artistic journeys.
Far more than a standard biography, Dan’s book explores the realities of longevity, reinvention and creative survival. It reflects on class, culture, fandom and the personal cost of sustaining artistic integrity in the public eye, while charting how Weller became one of the very few artists to achieve Number One albums across five consecutive decades.
Paul Weller’s story — creative, uncompromising and continually evolving, speaks to anyone who cares about music as a cultural force. It asks what it takes to remain vital, curious and true to yourself when the world expects you to stand still.
Already hailed by critics as a landmark work of music journalism, Dancing Through the Fire is being recognised as the definitive account of one of Britain’s greatest artists.
What to Expect

A talk from Dan Jennings exploring the making of Dancing Through the Fire, the interview process, and the challenge of capturing a living legend through many voices
In‑depth discussion of creativity, longevity, reinvention and artistic integrity across five decades of British music
Behind‑the‑scenes insight into Jennings’ unprecedented access to Paul Weller and his closest collaborators
Reflections on class, fandom, cultural legacy and why Weller’s music continues to resonate across generations
Audience Q&A, offering the chance to engage directly with Jennings about his research, the writing process and Paul Weller’s cultural impact
Book signing — bring your copy or purchase one on the night

We look forward to welcoming you to The Long Play Sessions for a thoughtful, energising and unforgettable evening celebrating one of modern music’s most vital and uncompromising creative figures.

Location
ICMP (Queens Park Campus), NW6 6PA

Hackney History Festival: Rock Against Racism in Victoria Park
2026-05-17 12:00 - 13:00
Rock against Racism in Victoria Park.

1978. 100,000 music fans walked seven miles from Trafalgar Square to Victoria Park. To protest against the National Front. To rejoice in the music of punk and reggae. And to watch X-Ray Spex, Steel Pulse and the Clash. This was Rock Against Racism. Anti-racist, Anti-sexist. And a warning to the divisive rhetoric of rock gods like Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart and David Bowie.
Daniel Rachel, author of Walls Come Tumbling: the music and politics of Rock Against, 2 Tone & Red Wedge in conversation with Andrew Harrison.
Sun 17 May 2026 12:00pm
Buy tickets

Manage tickets

NOTE: Hackney Half takes place in the morning with some road closures and disruption to buses, so you are advised to travel by train to Homerton Station or walk/cycle.

Location
Chat’s Palace, E9 6DF

Oasis night
2026-05-28 19:00 - 21:00
The Long Play Sessions: A Sound So Very Loud – Oasis

Thursday, May 28 • 7 PM – 10:30 PM

The Long Play Sessions present the epic story of Oasis as we relive the anthems that made them legends in this unforgettable author talk.

Join us for an unmissable night celebrating the music, madness, and enduring legacy of Oasis — one of Britain’s most explosive and influential bands.
Through the lens of A Sound So Very Loud — the definitive new book by acclaimed music journalists Ted Kessler and Hamish MacBain — this immersive evening dives deep into the songs, stories, and chaos that defined a generation.
The evening will be hosted by Daniel Rachel, former musician-turned-award-winning and bestselling author whose previous works include: Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters, Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music & Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge and most recently This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, The Swastika and The Third Reich (nominated for The Penderyn Music Book prize).
The night includes:
🎤 Book Talk & Q&A
Go behind the music with two writers who were there from the start. From Supersonic to Champagne Supernova, uncover the real stories behind Oasis’s biggest hits, and the creative friction that made them legendary. Signed copies of A Sound So Very Loud will be available for purchase.
🎧 Listening Party
Lose yourself in the anthems, deep cuts, and hidden gems that shaped the Britpop era. Expect nostalgia, sing-alongs, and maybe even a surprise or two.
👥 About the Authors
Hamish MacBain
A former writer at NME from 2004 to 2010, MacBain had a front-row seat to the breakup of Oasis. He penned the words in the band’s final official tour programme and was en route to review their last UK show when it was cancelled. He co-authored Any Road Will Get Us There (If We Don’t Know Where We’re Going) with Noel Gallagher in 2018, and his sleevenotes for the Be Here Now reissue were featured in the Chasing the Sun: 1993–1997 Oasis exhibition.
Ted Kessler
Kessler was on staff at NME from 1993 to 2003 before joining Q magazine, where he worked for sixteen years, including four as editor. He first interviewed Oasis in 1994 around their debut single Supersonic, and his final interview with the band was in Amsterdam in 2009, just before their split. Since then, he’s written five Liam Gallagher cover interviews and remains one of the most trusted voices on the band’s legacy.
The Long Play Sessions
This event forms part of The Long Play Sessions, a curated series hosted by ICMP celebrating some of the most influential voices writing about music today. Each session goes beyond the page, offering live conversation, cultural context and creative insight into the stories that shape music history. Head to our Ticket Tailor profile page to view other upcoming Long Play Sessions.
We look forward to welcoming you to The Long Play Sessions for an essential evening exploring one of the loudest, boldest and most influential moments in British music history.

'A Hard Day's Night' with Samira Ahmed
2026-06-11 19:00 - 21:00
The Long Play Sessions : Samira Ahmed with ‘A Hard Day’s Night’
Thu 11 Jun 2026 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM The Venue and Refectory, ICMP (Queens Park Campus), NW6 6PA

Join us on 11 June at 7:00 pm at ICMP’s Queen’s Park venue for a special in‑conversation event with award‑winning journalist, writer, and broadcaster Samira Ahmed, as she discusses with Daniel Rachel her brand‑new book in the BFI Film Classics series:
A Hard Day’s Night – her deep dive into the Beatles’ groundbreaking 1964 film.
In this intimate interview, Samira will explore how A Hard Day’s Night—originally created to capture the Beatles’ explosive rise—has become a genuine cinematic classic. Drawing from her lifelong love for the film and her remarkable 2023 discovery of the earliest known full Beatles concert recording, Samira examines how the movie captured the shifting cultural landscape of 1960s Britain and redefined modern celebrity.
Expect insights into:

The film’s innovative blend of documentary realism and playful rebellion
How Beatlemania transformed ideas of fame, identity, and media
The film’s lasting influence on generations of artists, fans, and filmmakers
Samira’s personal connection to the Beatles and how the film shaped her own journey into journalism

About the author:
Samira Ahmed presents Front Row on BBC Radio 4 and Newswatch on BBC One, and has created acclaimed documentaries including Art of Persia and I Dressed Ziggy Stardust. In 2020 she was named Audio Presenter of the Year by the Broadcasting Press Guild. A Hard Day’s Night is her first book.
Whether you’re a Beatles fan, a film lover, or simply curious about the cultural forces that shaped modern Britain, this is an evening not to miss.

Location
The Venue and Refectory, ICMP (Queens Park Campus), NW6 6PA

Groovy, Laidback & Nasty: the Sheffield Scene with Daniel Dylan Wray
2026-06-30 19:00 - 20:30
Groovy, Laidback & Nasty: the Sheffield Scene with Daniel Dylan Wray

In Groovy, Laidback & Nasty acclaimed journalist Daniel Dylan Wray sets out why Sheffield has long been a crucible for world-leading music.
Spanning seven decades and with over 150 new interviews, including Richard Hawley, Arctic Monkeys, Self Esteem, ABC, Pulp, Def Leppard, The Human League, Toddla T, Cabaret Voltaire, Warp Records, Clock DVA, Heaven 17 and many more From dazzling electronic futurism to pioneering post-punk, via pop, metal, bassline, bleep techno and generation-defining indie rock, Sheffield has long been a crucible for world-leading music. Some artists have excelled on the fringes, others have achieved global success, but all remain connected through a fervently independent ethos. In Sheffield, creativity flourished in the face of isolation, economic decline and bleak political circumstances, resulting in some of Britain’s most groundbreaking and singular music. But the region’s ingrained humility and dogged stoicism means it has never been documented or celebrated to the level of more hubristic cities. In Groovy, Laidback and Nasty , acclaimed Sheffield journalist Daniel Dylan Wray sets out to remedy this, telling the story of the city’s DIY spirit and the musical visionaries and innovators who helped build its inimitable legacy. Both a compelling cultural study and an unapologetic love letter to the city, this – finally – is the definitive musical history Sheffield so richly deserves.
What to expect-A journey through seven decades of Sheffield’s groundbreaking music history, from post-war dance halls to modern indie and electronic scenes.-Behind-the-scenes stories from more than 150 interviews with influential artists, producers and music pioneers.-Exploration of Sheffield’s role in shaping genres including electronic music, post-punk, synth-pop, bleep techno, bassline and indie rock.-Personal insights from author Daniel Dylan Wray on researching and writing the definitive musical history of Sheffield.-Audience Q&A.-Book signing opportunity – bring your copy or purchase one on the night.We look forward to welcoming you to The Long Play Sessions for an entertaining, insightful and nostalgia-rich evening, uncovering one of the most influential and least documented chapters in British music history.
About The Long Play SessionsThis event forms part of The Long Play Sessions, a curated series hosted by ICMP Music School, celebrating influential writers whose work has shaped how we understand music, culture and creative history. Each session brings landmark books to life through live conversation, historical context and deep industry insight.
LocationThe Electric Press, Millennium Square, LS2 3AD

An Evening With Rhoda Dakar
2026-07-09 19:00 - 23:00
An Evening With Rhoda Dakar

Rhoda Dakar is a genuine 2 Tone original. Lead vocalist with The Body snatchers from 1979, she went on to record with The Specials, The Special AKA and Madness, earning seven gold albums and a reputation as, in Louder Than War’s words, a “goddamn national treasure.”

This is not a concert. Daniel Rachel, author of Too Much Too Young, the definitive history of 2 Tone, sits down with Rhoda for a rare and candid conversation about her life and music. Records are played as the story unfolds, each one a window into who she is and where she came from. Rhoda then takes the decks, spinning the music she loves and sharing it the only way she knows how. Daniel closes the night with a 2 Tone set to send you home right.

Intimate. Informed. Unmissable.

Supported by Arts Council England and curated in partnership with Chalkpit Cassette Club, SSP is about building genuine routes into contemporary music for artists and audiences alike.SSP is more than a gig programme. Ifyou’rean artist who wants to play, a photographer, writer, designer, or someone who just wants to be part of building something new for live music in this town, we want to hear from you. Get in touch atinfo@stratfordsoundpathways.com.

Rother Street Arts House, 14 Rother Street, Stratford-upon-avon, United Kingdom

9 July 2026. 7pm

Price: £8

Coventry Festival of Books: 2 Tone Extravaganza
2026-07-12
A Tale of 2 Tone City

Sun 12 Jul
Techno Centre – Coventry University
A Tale of 2 Tone City. Come and celebrate with us one of Coventry city’s most iconic cultural stories.

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About the event

A Tale of 2 Tone City
Come and celebrate with us one of Coventry city’s most iconic cultural stories.
As the Festival of Books draws to a close we have one final Tale to tell, a story that time will never forget, a tale that began with a special sound that hit Coventry’s thriving music scene of the late 1970s. Born in Coventry, the 2 Tone movement brought black and white musicians together, creating a sound that changed British music forever.
A panel discussion exploring the people, music and legacy behind this iconic movement will be hosted by acclaimed author Daniel Rachel,
the panel features:
Pauline Black OBE DL, legendary frontwoman of The Selecter,
Pete Chambers BEM, founder of Coventry Music Museum,
An author with a ‘passion’ for 2 tone Shelley Hinchliffe Reece.
Whether you’re reliving the era or discovering it for the first time, come and hear the stories behind Coventry’s most influential musical movement.
The event includes a Q&A, photo opportunities, book signing and meet-and-greet and a merch stall.

Adult Ticket

£6.00

Quantity

0

Time & Location

12 Jul 2026, 19:00
Techno Centre – Coventry University, University 3 Puma Way, Priory St, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK

About the event

Coventry Festival of Books is about to write its very first chapter, and you’re invited to be part of the story. Taking place over one spectacular weekend on 11th – 12th July 2026, this brand-new festival is the first of its kind for Coventry, transforming the city into a true book lover’s paradise. From page-turning talks to hands-on workshops, immersive exhibits to creative activities, this is a full weekend celebration of books, literacy, art and history, with a few delightful plot twists along the way.
The Book Extravaganza will take over the National Trust’s Charterhouse, hosting a buzzing bookish marketplace packed with indie authors, beautiful books, crafts, merchandise and curiosities for every kind of reader. Entry to Charterhouse is via the standard admission fee (or free with a National Trust pass). Meanwhile, the Anglican Chapel at London Road Cemetery will set the stage for our international and headline authors, with ticketed talks and performances available to book in advance via this website. Two venues, countless stories, and more reasons than ever to fall in love with the power of storytelling.
And we haven’t come to the final chapter yet… this year we are proud to announce that we are part of the National Year of Writing 2026, led by the National Literacy Trust ‘Go All In’, so the Coventry Festival of Books is set to become a defining moment in the city’s cultural calendar – a cornerstone event, a statement of intent, and a love letter to the magic of reading.
We’ve taken our story, torn out the limits, and written something huge and it’s being told in bold, unforgettable type.
Bookmark the dates, clear your shelves, and ready your imagination, because this is not just Coventry’s story but your story that you will bring to the Coventry Festival of Books.
“There is more than one way to tell a story!”

2 Tone night with Pauline Black: Film, Talks. DJ sets
2026-07-18 17:00 - 23:30
2 Tone Night with Pauline Black

– Book presentation at 5:00 pm
– Film screening at 7:00 pm
– DJ set at 9:30 pm
Book Presentation: This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich … Cologne on 16 July 2026, presenting her original composition
More info at
https://seethesound.de/en/details/?film=Book-Presentation–This-Ain%27t-Rock-%27n%27-Roll–Pop-Music%2c-the-Swastika-and-the-Third-Reich

Art Chat: This Ain't Rock 'n' Roll
2026-07-22 19:00 - 21:30
Art Chat
Daniel will be in-conversatio0n with Jo Cottrell discussing his current book This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich

Chat’s Palace, Hackney
Wednesday 22 July 2026

Nairn Book & Arts Festival
2026-08-30 14:00 - 15:30
Nairn Book and Arts Festival
An annual celebration of literature, art, music, and drama in the Scottish Highlands
Daniel will be discussing his writing career with particular focus on Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters, including live performance….

Nairn Book and Arts Festival Events ›

A Conversation with Daniel Rachel

Nairn Community & Arts Centre, Nairn, IV12 4BQ

Sunday 30th August 2026

Award-winning and best-selling author Daniel Rachel will be discussing his writing career – including live guitar accompaniment – with focus on his first book Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters (A Guardian Book of the Year).
Featuring 27 of the UK’s finest musicians discussing the magic and secrets behind their art, Noel Gallagher said, ‘‘Without doubt the finest book I’ve ever read about songwriters and the songs they write’.
Photo credit: Bridie Main

A Conversation with Daniel Rachel
Nairn Community & Arts Centre
Nairn

Sun 30 Aug 2026,
2:30PM – 3:30PM

Book Now

Price
Ticket price incl. booking fee
£2.00 – £14.00

Heath Bookshop paperback launch
2026-10-29 19:00 - 21:30
Launch event to celebrate the paperback publication of This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich.
Daniel will be in-conversation

Five Leaves Bookshop - Nottingham
2026-11-04 19:00 - 20:30
This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll: pop music, the swastika and the Third Reich, with Daniel Rachel

Wednesday, 4 November, 2026
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

*Five Leaves Bookshop
14a Long Row, Nottingham, NG12DH

Tickets: £5.00 – £12.99
Book Now

In this illustrated talk, Daniel Rachel explores one of the last taboos in pop culture and asks why the Nazis, fascism and the Third Reich feature so prominently in the iconography of the artists that defined the twentieth century.Over the last seven decades, some of rock ‘n’ roll’s most celebrated figures have flirted with the imagery and theatre of the Third Reich. From Keith Moon and Vivian Stanshall kitting themselves out in Nazi uniforms to Siouxsie Sioux and Sid Vicious brandishing swastikas in the pomp of punk, generations of performers have associated themselves in with the aesthetics, mass hysteria and even ideology of Nazism. Whether shock factor, stupidity, or crass attempt at subversion, rock ‘n’ roll has indulged these associations in a way not accepted by any other artform. But how accountable should fans, the media, and the music industry be for what has often seemed a sleazy fascination with the eroticised perversions of a fascist regime?
Daniel Rachel navigates these turbulent waters, asking us to look anew at the artists that have defined us, inspired us and given us joy – and consider why so many have been drawn to the imagery of a movement responsible for the twentieth century’s worst atrocities. Alongside a sensitive history of the Holocaust and an examination of the place it holds in our cultural consciousness, Rachel asks essential questions of actions often overlooked or underplayed, whilst neither casting sweeping judgement nor offering easy answers. In doing so, he asks us to reassess the history of rock ‘n’ roll and sheds light on the echoes of the Third Reich in popular culture and the legacy of twentieth (and twenty-first) century history as it defines us today.
Daniel Rachel is a former musician turned author. His previous books include Too Much Too Young, the 2 Tone Records Story; Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters; and The Lost Album of the Beatles: What If the Beatles Hadn’t Split Up? He has also written sleeve notes for many artists including the Kinks, Madness, Ocean Colour Scene, Ray Davies, and Bryan Ferry.
Booking essential
