Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Goodness me this is a great book, can't believe it has taken me so long to get around to it... 040
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 01/10/2026In Trier, the birthplace of Karl Marx. I'm pretty sure this tribute isn't what he would have wanted but equally I don't think he'd have been overly surprised... 020
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Not in the same class as Jason's but nevertheless #shirtcheck 070
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Thanks for everything Rich, and indeed everyone, it has been a huge pleasure these last few years. Signing off with these all-time classics: 1. The Sisters Of Mercy 2. Pale Saints 3. The Sundays 4. Lloyd Cole And The Commotions 5. Fontaines DC #5DebutAlbumsFinal 0741
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 06/09/2026I have voted for this record more than any other in Richard's polls over the years - one last time! #5DebutAlbumsFinal 1181
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Evening Richard, evening everyone. I can honestly say that I could happily have voted for half of these, but going with this pretty flawless five from across the decades... 1. The Sundays 2. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions 3. Fleet Foxes 4. Curtis Mayfield 5. Nico #5DebutAlbumsSF4 0640
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 29/08/2026You can never have enough Vonnegut in your life... 030
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Evening Richard, evening everyone. Couldn't resist going with an extremely strong set of more recent classics (if you call 2009 onwards recent, which let's face it most of us here do...) 1. Lightships 2. The Tubs 3. The Beths 4. Fontaines DC 5. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart #5DebutAlbumsSF3 1520
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Just because you can doesn't mean you should... 030
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 24/07/202620 votes wouldn't be enough to cover those I love on this list so, arbitrarily, going with: 1. Sisters Of Mercy 2. Phoebe Bridgers 3. Tracy Chapman 4. Joe Henderson 5. Catherine Wheel Culture, Galaxie 500, Band Of Horses, Nation Of Language and Wire sadly miss the cut this time. #5DebutAlbumsSF2 1530
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Very sad to hear the news about Kevin Keegan. As an 8 and 9 year old Southampton fan he was an absolute hero to me. Still such vivid memories of that time and our great early 80s team. RIP, Kev. 1100
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 03/07/2026Evening Richard, evening all - tried to cover a few decades with my picks but only one winner of this for me! 1. Pale Saints 2. The Mission 3. X-Ray Spex 4. DJ Shadow 5. Olivia Rodrigo #5DebutAlbumsSF1 1521
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 12/06/2026Evening Richard, evening all - far too many to choose from, good luck with the count on this one! Going with: 1. The Tubs 2. Good Looks 3. Nation Of Language 4. Olivia Rodrigo 5. The Haunted Youth Bad luck to Ethel Cain, Bdrmm, Blondshell, Nubya Garcia, Ex-Voïd and many more #5DebutAlbums2026 1410
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 24/05/2026Two absolute certs for my #5DebutAlbums2026 list - Good Looks and The Tubs. In both cases magnificent debuts which have been followed by even better... 081
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 22/05/2026Evening Richard - wasn't really ready for this but on the basis that DJ Shadow doesn't need my vote, going with: 1. Buena Vista Social Club 2. Beth Orton 3. Gene 4. American Football 5. Pernice Brothers Fountains Of Wayne, Leftfield, Manu Chao, Stereophonics unlucky losers... #5DebutAlbums9599 2561
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 14/05/2026I missed your first post! I think it is probably The Twilight Sad at this point for me... 110
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 10/05/2026Over 36 years since I first saw them (my very first gig), great to see the House Of Love at my local venue. Not sure the current bassist was born back then! I am sure many of you can claim a longer gap between gigs by the same artist... 3180
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 10/05/2026Souad Massi's new album is one of my favourites of the year so far... 140
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 04/05/2026Can't believe I haven't seen this one mentioned yet for #5DebutAlbums9599... 0110
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 01/05/2026Evening Richard, evening all. I always vote for the Clash and Wire so shaking it up a bit for a change: 1. Steel Pulse - Handsworth Revolution 2. X-Ray Spex - Germfree Adolescents 3. Culture - Two Sevens Clash 4. The Raincoats - The Raincoats 5. Gang Of Four - Entertainment! #5DebutAlbums7579 2621
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 25/04/2026I love it when a band confounds your expectations, and Big Thief's guitar wig-out heavy take on their back catalogue tonight was spectacular - amazing first concert with my daughter... 3121
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 18/04/2026The Phoebe Bridgers inspired pottery range here is expanding... 090
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 11/04/2026Dug into this having heard a little bit of it on Radio 3's Music Planet, and it's superb - perfect Sunday morning music if you want to get it lined up in advance... 030
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 10/04/2026Evening Richard, evening all - so many wonderful options for #5Albums1519 but going with: 1. Phoebe Bridgers 2. The Beths 3. Green Lung 4. Big Joanie 5. The Comet Is Coming 0462
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 03/04/2026You don't hear much about Bob Taylor these days, do you? Good luck for the season, hopefully promotion beckons... 110
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 03/04/2026Just spent five minutes watching the ground staff fiddling about with the covers and felt much calmer as a result! 130
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 31/03/2026Been a great month for new music. In no particular order, my top 5: Flea Shabaka Chalk Courtney Barnett The Twilight Sad Lots of other good stuff too... 121
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 29/03/2026Oh rats, it's one of those... Yep, limited release 2014, Heavenly release 2015. Oh well, enjoying it very much and I'm not short of options for my 5! 100
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 29/03/2026If you see this, post a concert photo you took The one good concert photo I've ever taken! 2100
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 27/03/2026Big day for great new albums today. Loving all of these and The Twilight Sad is definitely my album of the year so far. The Flea album might surprise you... 190
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 23/03/2026One more for #5DebutAlbums1519 - a tremendously fun metal romp through English occult folklore. I listen to this a lot and it will probably make my 5... 0111
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 22/03/2026Okay, no-one has posted this in the first hour or so for #5DebutAlbums1519 so I can resist no longer - the brilliant Beths... 6311
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 22/03/2026Let's make a start on #5DebutAlbums1519 with Phoebe Bridgers, now a firm favourite with my daughter too, so much so that it has inspired some pottery... 1242
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 20/03/2026Evening Richard, evening all. Tough tough choices for #5DebutAlbums8589 but going mostly with my teenage heart: 1. Mega City Four 2. Sisters Of Mercy 3. Galaxie 500 4. Tracy Chapman 5. House Of Love Particularly sorry to leave out Redskins and All About Eve 2620
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 05/03/2026Once sent my daughter as a Fitzcarraldo edition (fiction catalogue). Did I get any credit for this? Absolutely not... 220
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 05/03/2026Haven't shared a beautiful Westminster morning for a while - glorious spring day here, have a good one friends. 180
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 01/03/2026People don't talk about Galaxie 500 enough these days - On Fire is one of my all-time favourite albums; this is a superb debut #5DebutAlbums8589 6593
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 01/03/2026An incredible number of great candidates for #5DebutAlbums8589, but this will definitely be in my picks, just a wonderful album. 1673
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 27/02/2026Very tricky this one! Very confident Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver aren't in need of votes for this one so: 1. Band Of Horses 2. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart 3. Guillemots 4. The Twilight Sad 5. The Rural Alberta Advantage Sorry to Sennen, The Fauns and Hard-Fi! #5DebutAlbums0509 2560
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 18/02/2026Intriguing to see the late Harold Macmillan joining the U2 line-up, could be just what the new material needs... 070
Andy Helliwell @andyhelliwell.bsky.social · 14/02/2026I am so tragic I had to look and Cricinfo suggests Graham and Brian only played one game together for Somerset - a Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final against Northants in 1987. 60 overs a side, those were the days! 221
