Neon Filler was created in 2009 by Joe Lepper and Dorian Rogers. Since then it has grown to include articles by our wonderful bunch of contributors, regular Top 10 features and in 2011 we published our Top 100 Indie and Alternative Albums list.
Although UK based we cover acts from around the world and give special preference to those local to us in Somerset, London and Brighton. We also have a presence on Twitter and Facebook under the name IndieMusicUK, where we have more posts and feature our classic video clip of the day.
We are always keen to showcase the work of other writers to add to our list of contributors. We also welcome latest news, CDs and download links from artists, labels and PR folk. Our contact details can be found here.
The Neonfiller Team
Joe Lepper has been a freelance journalist since 2003. When he’s not taking on paid commissions or carrying one of his two sons around on his shoulders he spends time editing and writing for Neon Filler.
He does most of his reviewing while dog walking near his home on the Somerset Levels. His favourite band is still XTC and he is yet to experience a gig as good as Fugazi at Brighton Zap Club in 1989, although Jon Spencer Blues Explosion have come pretty close.
Joe is Neon Filler’s main live reviewer for the west of England. He is also a judge for the Glastonbury Festival emerging talent competition.
For more information about Joe visit NewsandFeatures Ltd.
Dorian Rogers has worked in IT since 2000 and has long since abandoned any latent desires to be a rock star due to a realisation that some musical skill is required.
He’s one of the rare breed that still buys all his music on CD and loves going to the record shop on a Monday to browse through the new releases. He has a crack like addiction to buying Guided by Voices and Robert Pollard CDs and owns more than is strictly necessary.
He lives in Brighton, which probably has the best record shops in the country and some increasingly good live music venues.
As well as editing Neon Filler he is one of the website’s gig reviewers for the Brighton area and London.
Garry Todd is fast falling into early middle age, regularly despairing of the contemporary pop scene, finding himself beset by incipient nostalgia until he remembers that he felt the same way twenty years ago.
As has often been said there are only two types of music, good music or bad music, but who can really say which is which? Well Garry can and as the final arbiter of taste his word is law.
His favourite album is Hex Enduction Hour by The Fall, his best gig experience was Royal Trux at the Brighton Media Centre in 1998 and his favourite festival is The Green Man festival ( usually the worst weather though).
Having already wasted too much time listening to music he still can’t get enough and is our resident expert on all things folk.
Martin Burns is a big fan of live music and has been going to gigs since the mid ‘80’s.
His all time favourite live acts have been My Life Story, Bobby Conn and Blur.
He likes a wide range of music, from indie, to heavy metal, country and electronica.
Martin would have loved to have hung out in Laurel Canyon in the late ‘60’s and early 70’s but is equally happy living in Brighton, shopping and wearing hats.
He also spends his time coming up with superb Top Ten lists for us, including this beauty about The Top Ten Guitarists That Don’t Usually Make Top Ten Lists.
Rob Finch masterminds various bits of the NHS website in his unspare time, keeping the nation healthy and happy.
At home he listens to jangly indie pop, on his commutes he listens to anything dark and interesting and if there’s any time left over he writes articles for Neonfiller.com.
Milky Wimshake, King Missile and John Grant are among the eclectic bunch to have tasted the nib of his pen already. He is also our resident expert on all things Dennis Wilson, by far the coolest Beach Boy of them all.
Sarah Robertson’s musical roots sprouted in the gritty town where she spent her teens; Doncaster. To her, the Venice of the north.
A short-lived early taste for thrash and punk morphed into a keen consumption of rock, alternative and blues, with a plethora of influences including Jimi Hendrix, Jack White, Madeline Peyroux, Robert Johnson and Them Crocked Vultures.
Her best gig was her first live music experience– AC/DC at Donington Monsters of Rock in 1991, but recent years have featured music with a softer edge, and she is definitely now more Dead Weather than she is Daisy Chainsaw. Sarah supports Neon Filler’s coverage of the capital from her South West London home.
John Haylock, who covers our East midlands gigs, has wanted to be, at various times Marc Bolan, Jimi Hendrix, Thurston Moore and briefly, Cheryl Cole. He describes himself as “old and wretched” and in his time has seen We’ve Got A Fuzzbox And We’re gonna Use It AND The Cheeky girls.
His best ever gigs though were Nirvana a Nottingham Rock City, Patti Smith at London’s Rainbow Theatre, Ted Chippington, also at Rock City and Flaming Lips at Greenman Festival.
When he’s not attending festivals, eating pizza, driving in his car with a broken door and listening to songs about impending death he spends his time trying to meet middle-aged women that look like Kim Gordon (see picture).
Arthur Hughes is our East Midlands based snapper who prefers small intimate gigs, but is equally at home at the Albert Hall, where he was lucky enough to see the legend that is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Favourite acts include John Grant, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Roxy Music.
His biggest musical regrets are swapping a ticket to see Led Zeppelin in 1972 and never seeing the late great John Martyn perform.
Matthew Nicholson’s starting point with music is definitely guitar-wielding indie bands. However, this west country based writer also loves to dance and is a sucker for an emotive or thought-provoking lyric.
Among his favourite gig memories are the Flaming Lips at Bristol Academy in 2003, Blur at Glastonbury 2009 and, as a reviewer, Hot Chip and Caitlin Rose in Bristol.
For more about Matthew’s music writing visit Stream Glastonbury.
Patricia Turk is a web editor who enjoys spending large amounts of time on London buses, listening to music and feeling moody, and seriously affecting her workplace’s productivity by streaming BBC Radio 6 Music daily.
She’s also a keen live music fan and festival goer, and rates The Flaming Lips at Primavera Sound in Porto last year one of her all-time greatest gigs – so far.
Our Other Contributors:
Ryan Perry, Matt Whipp, Mathew Danby, Ben Murray, Jennifer Whitehead, Barnaby Salton, Sarah Woods, Leon Cox, and Nicola Collenette.