Top film critic Mark Kermode heads to Leamington to tell all about his musical misadventures

Mark Kermode is coming to Leamington this month to recount his foolhardy attempts to fulfil his dreams of becoming a pop star.
Mark Kermode: 'I kept the dream alive - with frankly preposterous consequences'Mark Kermode: 'I kept the dream alive - with frankly preposterous consequences'
Mark Kermode: 'I kept the dream alive - with frankly preposterous consequences'

His new show, How Does it Feel?, traces his efforts from building an electric guitar from scratch while at school, to playing tea-chest bass on the kids TV show Utterly Brilliant, to becoming the musical director of a major TV show - all without ever learning to read music.

Mark Kermode began his journalistic career in Manchester in 1986 writing film reviews for the old City Life magazine. He is chief film critic for the Observer and co-host of Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review on BBC Radio 5 Live. Hailed by Stephen Fry as "the finest film critic in Britain", Kermode is the author of several books about film.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Aside from his film criticism, Kermode plays double-bass and harmonica in the Dodge Brothers, the award-winning skiffle-and-blues band who also accompany silent movies with Neil Brand. Kermode has written and presented film and music shows on Channel 4 and BBC 2, and on BBC Radio stations 1, 2, 3, 4, Five Live and more. He recently presented a second series of Celluloid Jukebox on BBC Radio 2. He holds two Sony Awards for his radio programmes, and the Dodge Brothers album The Sun Set was voted Blues Album of the Year 2013 by the roots music magazine Spiral Earth. His recent television series Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema won widespread critical acclaim.

Kermode said: “As a teenager I wanted two things: watch movies and be a pop star. The first ambition was fairly straightforward – the second proved more tricky. Yet somehow, more through persistence than talent, I kept that ridiculous dream alive, with frankly preposterous consequences.”

The show will involve Kermode recalling his falling in love with Slade as a teenager, forming his first proper band, and recording an album at Sun Studio as an ageing old ted.

Mark Kermode comes to the Spa Centre on Tuesday October 30. The show starts at 7.30pm and is suitable for ages 16 and above. Tickets cost £21. Call 01926 334418 or visit www.warwickdc.gov.uk/royalspacentre to book.