Neil McCormick joins Vintage TV

Neil McCormick joins Vintage TV to present a brand new weekly talk and music series, Needle Time.Together with his many articles as the chief popular music critic of The Daily Telegraph, Neil appears as a regular guest on BBC Breakfast Television and is a widely sought-after pundit on radio, making contributions to BBC Radio 3, 4, 5 Live, Scotland, Wales and The World Service.

Neil was formerly Editor At Large at GQ and has written for, amongst others, The Observer, the Sunday Times, Hot Press, Q Magazine, Marie Claire and the Irish Independent.

Neil’s memoir of life as a failed musician in the shadow of the colossal U2 was dubbed “the best book I have ever read about trying to make it in the music business” by none other than Elton John and was the music book global best-seller in 2007. ‘Killing Bono’, starring Robert Sheehan and Ben Barnes, was described by Bono himself as “very funny, very moving”.

Neil is an experienced, respected and knowledgeable music journalist, renowned for his ability to extract fascinating insights into the lives and musicality of the greats, as well as identifying some of the best younger talents as they emerge onto the live music circuit and studio recordings.

Now, Neil joins Vintage TV to present his brand new talk and music series, ‘Needle Time’, in which episodes will include in-depth exploration of his legendary guests’ careers, as well as some impromptu ‘off-the-cuff’ performances. Neil will be opening in style with legendary composer, pianist, broadcaster and undisputed master of The Boogie Woogie, Jools Holland, as his guest. From playing in pubs in the East End docks as a teenage greaser, to leading his rhythm and blues orchestra and selling millions of records, it is his unbridled passion for music that has made Jools Holland a legend of the music scene.

In this first episode of Needle Time, Neil probes the UK’s favourite bandleader about his musical influences and his proudest memories. Jools Holland holds the unique status of a man who has performed with legends from every decade of the 20th century; his knowledge and insight make him a fascinating first guest for our equally conversant presenter.

“I am excited to be at the helm of a great new music show on television,” enthuses Neil. “Our plan is for a weekly, in-depth chat with major music figures, involving proper music journalism, which you don’t get a lot of on TV. We want to give music the time, space and respect it really deserves. The hope is that Needle Time will be a cool, dedicated forum for the kind of artists we all love, digging deep into the places other music shows don’t reach.”

Neil McCormick’s Needle Time starts at 10pm on Tuesday 7th May with guest Jools Holland.