When Quiet Was the New Loud - Celebrating the Acoustic Airwaves 1998-2003.

Join Tom Clayton and Zoë Howe for this fascinating discussion - what a treat we have in store for sure...

When Quiet Was the New Loud: Celebrating the Acoustic Airwaves 1998-2003 is an affectionate reclamation of the New Acoustic Movement, a musical era that although happened relatively recently, is already being purposefully forgotten. Tom Clayton proposes that this music was the perfect soundtrack to the uncertain times at the turn of the Millennium, and though history looks on it disdainfully, mainly because of its association with acts like Coldplay, Dido and David Gray, Tom argues that there was a much more substantial undercurrent going on with the likes of Kings of Convenience, Turin Brakes, Kathryn Williams and The Electric Soft Parade finding their feet. The great bellwether of English music scenes, Manchester, was in on the movement too, with Doves, Elbow and Badly Drawn Boy emerging from the ruins of Britpop and Rave with a gentler, inclusive sound and attitude.

Event and Discounted Book combo tickets are available (UK carriage included) as well as Event only options - attend in person in Manchester or join our livestream wherever you are around the globe!

There will be a dedicated Book-Signing event immediately afterwards. For Attend In Person tickets, books will be available for collection at the event.

Tom Clayton’s non-fiction has appeared in The Sunday Times, Drowned in Sound, Louder Than War and The 405, His fiction has appeared in The Santa Fe Literary Review. He was the lead researcher and writer for Messing Up the Paintwork: The Wit and Wisdom of Mark E. Smith (Ebury, 2018); When Quiet Was the New Loud is his first original book. He lives and works in east London.

Zoë Howe has written acclaimed biographies of artists including The Slits, Poly Styrene, the Jesus & Mary Chain, Wilko Johnson, Stevie Nicks and Lee Brilleaux. Zoë was also part of the team behind hit documentary Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché. A visual artist and sometime musician, she has worked with Viv Albertine, Helen McCookeryBook, Steve Beresford and others. Zoë currently presents the Rock ’n’ Roll Witch show on Soho Radio.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

INNSIDE Manchester, 1 First Street, Manchester, United Kingdom