Live at The Strines Nightingale in Stockport: Mathias Kom (of The Burning Hell) introduces Nev Clay

For over a quarter of a century, Nev Clay has been cultivating a reputation as Newcastle's best-kept secret. After two albums at the turn of the millennium, Nev held back on further LPs for over twenty years, instead making regular appearances in some of Newcastle's most iconic venues. During this time, he garnered a devoted following of fans and musicians who would utter his name with reverence: a songwriter's songwriter and one of the country's underrated gems. In 2024, Clay released his first album in over two decades, the aptly titled 'So Little Happened For So Long'.

Nev's eye for lyrical detail recalls the likes of John Cooper Clarke and Jarvis Cocker, but his low-key, lo-fi approach initially reminds the listener of Rich(ard) Dawson. In fact, it might be the other way round: Dawson's earliest music was honed on the same live circuits that Nev Clay frequented, and the two remain close friends to this day, with Dawson providing backing vocals on last year's album.

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