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Matt Thorne

@8minutesidle.bsky.social
440 followers 322 following 118 posts

Author of six novels, three children’s books, one film and critical study of pop star Prince. MA Convenor in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London. New book FAMOUS: Ego, Envy and Ambition in Rock, Pop and Hip-Hop out now.

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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
"My wife says no one wants to hear this song...but she isn't here, is she?" Wonderfully moody Bill Callahan show tonight, best one here in some time.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Wonderful launch of new Stephen King and Peter Straub novel Other Worlds Than These in the same hotel where King started Misery (panel: Mark Lawson, Anna Bogutskaya, Catriona Ward, Sam Leith).
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Cory Hanson, Moth Club.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Films about writers-highbrow, lowbrow, arthouse, commercial-are my guilty pleasure, and Verity is a highly enjoyable one. Misery, Leave Her to Heaven, Vertigo and a dozen others into a blender...and is playing in the biggest screens in cinemas, the ones usually reserved for superheroes and space.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Lemonheads, Troxy
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Destroyer, ICA.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Ryan Davis (and the Roadhouse Band), Oslo.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
This is a bonkers release, but ultimately I'm glad to have it. God knows what a newcomer to Prince might think, but 'Calabama’, The Guilty Ones' and ‘Bestest Friend’ fill out the story for me.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Sir Richard Bishop, St Pancras Old Church
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Natural Information Society (w/Evan Parker), Cafe Oto.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Much preferred Prince’s adaptation of The Odyssey (Glam Slam Ulysses) to Christoper Nolan’s.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Absolutely EPIC James Brandon Lewis Quartet show at Cafe OTO tonight; one of the longest shows I’ve ever seen there.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Fascinating review of FAMOUS from the great C. Liegh McInnis: psychedelicl.substack.com/p/thornes-fa...
psychedelicl.substack.com
Thorne's Famous, Kira Cummings, 2 Workshops, MS Songwriters Festival, and Upcoming Events
Notes on Chuck Berry and Ike Turner in Matt Thorne’s Famous
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Chet Desmond in deep disguise, Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Delighted by Adam’s “sort-of” review of Famous, which I’d find fascinating even if it wasn’t about my book. I’m especially intrigued by what Adam writes here about different ways of hearing music (individual vs collective).
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Every time I go to the 02, I can't help but think of Prince, especially when it's a band he covered (B-52s, joint headliners with Devo tonight), but I reckon this was one of the most fun nights there since his legendary residency.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Lovely event at the new Lake District Book Festival, ably chaired by Ludovic Huntley-Tilney.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Random title, cover and track selection, but still a whole new Prince album (out 30th July) of unreleased music is very welcome.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
My Royal Holloway colleague and friend Professor Nikita Lalwani (films: Picture This; TV: The Outlaws, Under Salt Marsh; novels: Gifted, The Village, You People) is doing her inaugural lecture in Senate House in Central London next week (free, open to all): www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/eve...
royalholloway.ac.uk
I am a camera (but I’m lying): documentary realism, panoptic voyeurism and the art of hybrid fiction
Drawing on her early career as a documentary filmmaker, Professor Nikita Lalwani explores how watching as a camera serves as a foundational catalyst for her writing.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Very enjoyable night watching Paul Simon, marred only by the lack of One-Trick Pony songs…
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Second part of my Resonance FM interview with Ben Thompson about my new book FAMOUS, beginning with a conversation about using fiction techniques in non-fiction: www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/th...
mixcloud.com
The London Ear - 14 May 2026 (Matt 2)
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Mary Halvorson, Cafe Oto.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Delighted by this two-page piece on FAMOUS in the Daily Mirror today.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
First part of a two-part interview about my new book FAMOUS with Ben Thompson on ResonanceFM: www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/th...
mixcloud.com
The London Ear - 7 May 2026 (Matt 1)
Moonlighting ghostwriter Ben Thompson shakes up a snowdome of real and imaginary sessions with guests from the far-flung frontiers of musical and literary endeavour. This week, we'll be lowering ourse...
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Orcutt, Miller, Shelley + Yow.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
mdjthorne 19s R.I.P. J.H. Prynne, as fascinating a critic as he was a poet. One of those rare writers who was unfailingly interesting.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Ten years after his tragic passing, still nothing helps more than talking about him with others who loved him. There was @polishedsolid's #IWonderU40 conference at the weekend and today 6Music is devoting a "Prince Forever" day to him. I'm on Huw Stephens show this afternoon (starts at 4pm).
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Oneohtrix Point Never, Barbican.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
When a reader as shrewd as @iammilliam.bsky.social is enjoying my book, it makes it all worthwhile.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
I’ll be appearing at the virtual part of this on Friday. If you’re in New York, do go along on Saturday or Sunday, these Prince conferences are always excellent.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Eiko Ishibashi and Jim O'Rourke, Union Chapel.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Surely the only band who are ever going to slag off Su Pollard onstage at Wembley.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Had a great evening at Sound Affects in Brighton talking about new book FAMOUS.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Had a great time talking to Miranda Sawyer at @foylesforbooks.bsky.social about my new book FAMOUS last night.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Publication day today!
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Delighted by this review of FAMOUS in The Times today, so funny and perceptive and got exactly what I intended to do with the book.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Video version of the Word In Ypur Ear podcast I did for FAMOUS earlier this week: youtu.be/dkiNU3LK4cE
youtu.be
Keith & Chuck, Bowie & Tina, Frank & Elvis and what we learnt from rock’s joint ventures
YouTube video by Word In Your Ear
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Really enjoyed talking to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about FAMOUS for their Word in Your Ear podcast: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/k...
podcasts.apple.com
Keith & Chuck, Bowie & Tina, Frank & Elvis and what we learnt from rock’s joint ventures
Podcast Episode · Word In Your Ear · 18/02/2026 · 42m
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Adrian Sherwood, African Head Charge, Barbican.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
Really looking forward to doing this event at Foyles Tottenham Court Road March 30th with Miranda Sawyer to promote my new book FAMOUS: www.foyles.co.uk/events/famou...
foyles.co.uk
Famous: Matt Thorne in Conversation with Miranda Sawyer
Join Matt Thorne and Miranda Sawyer for a discussion of Ego, Envy and Ambition in Pop, Rock and Hip-Hop, from Frank Sinatra to Taylor Swift
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Doing at event at Rough Trade Bristol with Jude Rogers April 8th 6.30pm for my new book FAMOUS. Tickets via Dice. dice.fm/partner/tick...
dice.fm
Matt Thorne & Jude Rogers In Conversation + Signing Tickets | £27.09 | 8 Apr @ Rough Trade Bristol, Bristol | DICE
Rough Trade Bristol is very excited to present a conversation from Matt Thorne and Jude Rogers and signing by Matt Thorne. This unique event celebrates the r...
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Delighted (and grateful) to have my new book Famous: Ego, Envy and Ambition in Pop, Rock and Hip-Hop included in the Observer nonfiction highlights of 2026.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
This is what I’ve been working on for the last six years. So excited to be able to share it.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 06/11/2025
Fiery Furnaces + Destroyer, Pitchfork Festival, Barbican.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
Piece I contributed to on (who else) Prince: www.vulture.com/article/eigh...
vulture.com
The 8 Music Biopics We Want to See Next
Hollywood hasn’t made movies about these artists — yet.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Crime and the City Solution, St Matthias Church.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
If I was a magazine subeditor, it’d be hard to resist ‘Sonic Woof’ (Thurston Moore Group, Oslo, tonight).
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 28/06/2025
The Hard Quartet, EartH.
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Matt Thorne @8minutesidle.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
My review of Caroline Fraser’s Murderland: observer.co.uk/culture/book...
observer.co.uk
What makes a serial killer | The Observer
Caroline Fraser’s haunting Murderland asks why so many horrific crimes were committed in America’s Pacific north-west
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