Nick Quantrill Page 1

Nick is a brilliant writer who's contributions to thisisUll.com include food, theatre, books and music reviews alongside sports and articles. Nicks contributions are listed below.. Page 1, Page 2

Fiction - Merry Christmas, Here's A Present By Nick Quantrill
	Brett 'Razor' Rawcliffe; 'Razor' to his friends because they thought he was sharp as a tack. He was 16 years old but he'd already built a rapidly expanding drugs empire specialising in supplying his schoolmates and friends. It was one day away from being Christmas Eve and he was sat in a city centre pub with his trusted side-kick, Stevie. The Christmas CD compilation Read more...

Single Reviews - Ricky We Are England (Beatcrazy Records) By Nick Quantrill
	This unofficial World Cup 2006 track was going to be the record that propelled Ricky into the big time, and kick-started a career for the band that already had promised much. Add in that the band clocked up in excess of 25,000 miles traveling the length and breadth of the country recording over 50,000 school children chanting the popular Easy Read more...

Album Reviews - Last Gang - Beat of Blue (48 Crash Records - Limited edition 7" vinyl and download) - Reviewed By Nick Quantrill Release Date : 30th October 06
	If you like your guitar-pop with a bit of kick and bite, then you could do a lot worse than to check out one of Yorkshire's best kept secrets. It's taken a while for this debut release to materialize, but the slow and steady approach looks set to pay dividends, especially now that influential figures in the music industry such as Steve Lamacq are beginning to Read more...

Reviews, Books - Mark Frankland The Long and Winding Road to Istanbul (Glenmill Books) Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	It's 1977 and Liverpool FC are set to compete in their first European Cup final. For football crazy 13 year old Mickey McGuire it's the night of his life. Elder brother, Frank has different plans, as he starts working his way up the criminal career ladder alongside local hard-man and minor criminal, Eddie Tate. Volunteering his brother for a Tate job, Mickey is introduced to Eddie's sister Read more...

Fiction - Cinch Hand By Nick Quantrill
	Joe Berry, Private Investigator. That always grabs the attention. I'm a PI, but it's not as exciting as it sounds. No way. I say that with confidence as I stare out of the window of my detective agency into the overcast Hull night. That's right, Hull - the jewel in the crown of East Yorkshire. It's not a glamorous city, but it's where I lay my hat and I've just about scraped a living from Read more...

Fiction - End Of The Line By Nick Quantrill
	This is how it happened... I was driving down Lowgate. There's got to be a better way than this, I thought to myself. But then I saw her, clinging to a lamppost, holding her hand out as her friend tried to stop her from falling over. I indicated and pulled over; she would do nicely. Her friend bundled her into my car. No respect for anything, least of all herself, I thought Read more...

Reviews, Books - The Damned United By David Peace Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	This latest work from Yorkshire born Peace is another slice of his distinctive style that combines fact with fiction to boil down the story to its true essence. Previously tackling the Yorkshire Ripper investigation in his Red Riding quartet, and the miners' strike in GB84, this time Peace turns his attention to Brian Clough's turbulent 44 day reign of Leeds United Read more...

Reviews, Books - The Night Gardener By George Pelecanos Reviewed By Nick Quantrill (Available 10th August)
	The 14th novel from George Pelecanos, The Night Gardener sees him weave an ambitious story that aims to lift him up and beyond the conventions of the crime-fiction genre. Pelecanos has never flinched away from tackling difficult social issues, and his remit here is to take a broad look at how crime touches the lives of those outside of its direct consequences, Read more...

Reviews, Books - Stuart MacBride - Dying Light (HarperCollins) Published 2nd May 2006 Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	Dying Light is the eagerly anticipated second novel from new crime-fiction hotshot, Stuart MacBride, and follows sharply on the heels of last year's critically acclaimed debut, Cold Granite. Once again following the story of Detective Sergeant Logan 'Lazarus' McRae, Dying Light opens with him set to cement his position as the rising star of Aberdeen's CID. Read more...

Fiction - Punishment By Nick Quantrill
	Punishment by local crime-fiction writer and thisisull.com contributor, Nick Quantrill, has won a nationwide short-story competition run by HarperCollins. Entrants were invited to submit a story of no more than 1,000 words in the crime-fiction/thriller genre. Here's what the judges had to say about Punishment : 'We were impressed with the use of Read more...

Fiction - Friday Feeling By Nick Quantrill
	Friday 3pm It was building up to being another busy Friday afternoon shift. It was probably no busier than any other shift, but the extra tiredness that Detective Constable Maynard felt by this point made them feel that much longer. He had been sent to Young's general store in East Hull straight after attending a suspicious death over on the other side of the city. It was Read more...

Fiction - Complicity Part 6 By Nick Quantrill
	Complicity is the new crime-fiction novella set in Hull featuring Detective Sergeant Coleman and Detective Constable Maynard. The thisisull.com serialisation is accompanied by the stunning black and white photography of Roland Standaert, which illustrates the story and takes a unique look at the city. Complicity and other stories are available for free. Read more...

Fiction - Complicity Part 5 By Nick Quantrill
	Complicity is the new crime-fiction novella set in Hull featuring Detective Sergeant Coleman and Detective Constable Maynard. The thisisull.com serialisation is accompanied by the stunning black and white photography of Roland Standaert, which illustrates the story and takes a unique look at the city. Complicity and other stories are available for free. Read more...

Fiction - Complicity Part 4 By Nick Quantrill
	Complicity is the new crime-fiction novella set in Hull featuring Detective Sergeant Coleman and Detective Constable Maynard. The thisisull.com serialisation is accompanied by the stunning black and white photography of Roland Standaert, which illustrates the story and takes a unique look at the city. Complicity and other stories are available for free. Read more...

Fiction - Complicity Part 3 By Nick Quantrill
	Complicity is the new crime-fiction novella set in Hull featuring Detective Sergeant Coleman and Detective Constable Maynard. The thisisull.com serialisation is accompanied by the stunning black and white photography of Roland Standaert, which illustrates the story and takes a unique look at the city. Complicity and other stories are available for free. Read more...

Reviews, Books - Rising To Obscurity and How To Remain Anonymous by AAA Aarbon (Bitterne Books) Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	Published by Hull-based Bitterne Books, the first two titles in this humorous series offer a different take on the modern world that we live in. Part satire, part social comment, they follow the story of AAA Aarbon, a self-confessed seeker of anonymity. AAA Aarbon is described by his editor as being best forgotten for many reasons. Rising To Obscurity charts the absurd Read more...

Fiction - Complicity Part 2 By Nick Quantrill
	Complicity is the new crime-fiction novella set in Hull featuring Detective Sergeant Coleman and Detective Constable Maynard. The thisisull.com serialisation is accompanied by the stunning black and white photography of Roland Standaert, which illustrates the story and takes a unique look at the city. Complicity and other stories are available for free. Read more...

Reviews, Books - Robert Adams - Antman (Bitterne Books) Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	Antman is the latest crime novel from prolific Hull-based author Robert Adams. It is his interest in ant behaviour that forms the heart of this book, and one that allows him to craft a dark narrative that absorbs and terrifies in equal measure. The novel starts with the discovery of a dead pig at a remote location in the Hull area. Forensic investigation reveals that the animal was reduced Read more...

Fiction - Complicity Part 1 By Nick Quantrill
	Complicity is the new crime-fiction novella set in Hull featuring Detective Sergeant Coleman and Detective Constable Maynard. The thisisull.com serialisation is accompanied by the stunning black and white photography of Roland Standaert, which illustrates the story and takes a unique look at the city. Complicity and other stories are available for free. Read more...

Single Reviews - The Holloways - Generator (Sensible Recordings) By Nick Quantrill
	Hailing from the Holloway Road area of London, this limited edition, vinyl-only debut release is a prime slice of ska-tinged pop from a band destined to be one to watch out for in 2006. Lead track Generator is a three-minute snapshot of what the band have to offer. With its prominent harmonies and choppy guitars, Generator is something approaching a 21st Century take on Read more...

Album/CD Reviews - March - Turn (Fortunate Son Records) Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	Out of print until now, this low-profile side project from Jeff Caudill and Michael Baines was originally released in 1995. Conceived as a temporary respite for Caudill from the pop-punk of his band Gameface, this record allowed him to create a roots record that signposted the way forward for his future endeavours. Following the eventual demise of Gameface in 2003 Read more...

Music Reviews - Saturday 13th August 05 - Arctic Monkeys at The Silhouette by Nick Quantrill Photo Gallery by Darren Rogers
	Supported by The Applewhites, Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys rolled into Hull as the current NME-approved future of music, and for once they might just be correct. Despite having released just one single, the band has already toured extensively to build a formidable word of mouth fan-base, and they look equipped to explode into the musical mainstream. Read more...

Album/CD Reviews - The Hussys - Tiger EP (Fat Cheerleader Records) Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	Formed less than a year ago, The Hussys is the new project from ex-Supernaturals front man James McColl. Too quirky to become fixtures in the charts but never quite credible enough to be taken seriously by the music press, The Supernaturals are best remembered for the ubiquitous Smile. McColl's pedigree sets a high standard for his new band but they appear Read more...

Album/CD Reviews - The Prellies - Afternoon Tea With The Prellies Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	As a general rule, tribute acts are a waste of time and should be left for the less discerning music fan. The Prellies are the exception to this rule. The Beatles' musical cannon has been pored over and analysed to the point that there is little left to say. However, that would be wrong as The Prellies explore a hidden corner of The Beatles' musical legacy. The Beatles, along with many others, fused Read more...

Album/CD Reviews - Ricky - High Speed Silence (Beat Crazy Records) By Nick Quantrill
	Ricky were undoubtedly one of the music industry's success stories of 2004. Sheer determination, effort and no little talent saw the band's self-released single hit the national charts and the accompanying debut album receive a four-star review in 'Q' magazine. Now signed to Beat Crazy Records, their debut release for the label, Stop Knocking The Read more...

Music News - Ricky visit Hull Schools - 20th September 2005
	Jim Lines and Gary Rex of Portsmouth based band Ricky visited Hull as part of the relentless process of recording local school children performing a football chant. This is for their forthcoming single, a football inspired indie-anthem for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. The premise is simple; wouldn't it be great to have the sound of a massive crowd at the beginning of the song to really add some Read more...

Reviews, Books - Swan Song by Robert Edric Reviewed By Nick Quantrill
	Swan Song is the third and final part of Robert Edric's cycle trilogy. Although Edric does not describe himself as crime-fiction writer per-se, he skilfully demonstrates the strength of the genre. Although crime-fiction is generally criticised for not being literary enough, Edric uses it as a vehicle with which to explore contemporary society. Read more...

Album Reviews - Steve Reed - I Have To Go By Nick Quantrill
	I Have To Go is the debut full-length release from Hull based singer-songwriter, Steve Reed. His debut release, And So On And So Forth was a promising, yet ultimately one-dimensional record that nevertheless showcased the potential of his considered approach to guitar pop. This new release sees significant steps Read more...

Album Reviews - Ipanema - Me Me Me (Boss Tuneage Records) By Nick Quantrill
	Me Me Me is the debut mini-album from Hampshire based punk-rockers, Ipanema. Without falling wholly into the punk or rock camp, Ipanema are hammering out guitar heavy tunes that rock with the best of them, whilst still retaining an infectiously fresh melodic approach. The welding together of big guitar riffs with harmonies and up-lifting choruses maybe isn't that surprising Read more...

Album Reviews - Jeff Caudill - Here's What You Should Do (Fortunate Son Records) By Nick Quantrill
	If evidence was ever needed that old punks don't die, they transform into singer-songwriters with an itch to scratch, Jeff Caudill personifies this. Cutting his teeth fronting acclaimed US pop-punkers Gameface, his solo career sees him ease his foot off the pedal and kick-back without losing any impact or bite. Caudill's trump-card is his ability to craft instantly memorable songs that swing with Read more...

Single Reviews - The Jim Muir Slideshow - Tomorrow's World, Today (Bowmans Capsule Records) By Nick Quantrill
	Tomorrow's Word, Today is the final part of a trilogy of releases from The Jim Muir Slideshow. Conceived as a refuge from the stresses of working in the medical profession, the trilogy started with the initial aim of ensuring the sanity of its participants. A single of the week award from The Guardian Read more...

Album/CD Reviews New CD's available from Joesolo By Nick Quantrill
	Following the acclaimed release of his debut solo CD An Exile in Suburbia in 2004, ex Lithium Joe front-man Paul Thompson returns with ten new brand recordings. The Man Who Dreamed Of Fairyland tackles some of the major issues that touch on all our lives. Lyrically it considers the paradoxes Read more...

Music, Album Reviews - Oasis: Don't Believe The Truth By Nick Boldock
	There was a time when it would sound faintly ridiculous to suggest that Oasis would ever again record a great album. Their last effort - 2002's Heathen Chemistry - suggested a renaissance, and despite mediocre media interest did contain some brilliance, most notably the Noel-sung numbers Little By Little and Force Of Nature. Certainly it was a sign of Read more...

Album Reviews - The Raindogs - The Adventures of The Raindogs By Nick Quantrill Photos of Raindogs and A Certain Type of Person at The Sesh 5th April 05 by Michelle Dee
	Formed in October 2004 The Raindogs comprise of vocalist and guitarist Martin Clappison (ex King Rupert), bass guitarist Phil Ives (ex Circa 75) and drummer Dan Lydon (ex Mr Ed). The Adventures of The Raindogs is the band's first release and having played Read more...

Fiction - Lessons Learnt By Nick Quantrill
	DS Richard Coleman pulled into the lay-by and headed towards the flashing blue lights. An hour later it would have been someone else's problem. But it wasn't. An articulated lorry had been isolated from the other vehicles, cones placed around it, linked together by barrier tape. A mobile generator providing power to the small floodlights Read more...

Fiction - Second Chances by Nick Quantrill
	Available now, Second Chances is a crime fiction novella set in Hull that is already attracting praise from readers. Influenced by crime fiction heavyweights Ian Rankin and Hull's Robert Edric, Second Chances is set to be a great success. For a taster, see the extract reproduced below, only available Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Confessions Of A Hull City Supporter at Hull Truck By Nick Quantrill
	Written by Hull City fanatic, Alan Plater, and with male characters played by actors from Hull, it would be easy to write this play off as being a parochial Fever Pitch. Whilst it's definitely a home banker, the structure of the play holds enough laughs to get a result away from home. Read more...

Fiction - Merry Christmas, Here's A Present By Nick Quantrill
	Brett 'Razor' Rawcliffe; 'Razor' to his friends because they thought he was sharp as a tack. He was 16 years old but he'd already built a rapidly expanding drugs empire specialising in supplying his schoolmates and friends. It was one day away from being Christmas Eve and he was sat in a city centre pub with his trusted side-kick, Stevie. The Christmas CD compilation Read more...

Fiction - Punishment By Nick Quantrill
	Punishment by local crime-fiction writer and thisisull.com contributor, Nick Quantrill, has won a nationwide short-story competition run by HarperCollins. Entrants were invited to submit a story of no more than 1,000 words in the crime-fiction/thriller genre. Here's what the judges had to say about Punishment : 'We were impressed with the use of Read more...

Food Reviews - Pier Luigi's, Princes Avenue - 19th June 2004 By Nick Quantrill
	Birthdays are special. They are even more special as you hurtle rapidly towards the door marked 30. It's becoming increasingly rare, for one reason or another, that my friends and I all gather in one place. All it takes is one Read more...

Music Reviews - Pave - Promotional CD by Nick Quantrill
	It's often said that bands use the opportunity of recording as a means of 'capturing the live sound.' What a load of cack! It's an opportunity to sound better than you do live! Due to the pressures of working far faster than a signed band would be expected to, and in lower quality studios, the recording process must be incredibly difficult for your average Hull band. Read more...

Album/CD Reviews - Holly Taymar - EP (Genie Cake Records) By Nick Quantrill
	EP is a limited edition release from York's Holly Taymar. Her critically acclaimed debut album, Less Than Nothing, was very much a jazz influenced record, yet it wasn't without one eye on capturing a wider audience for her music. This follow-up EP retains strong jazz elements but also incorporates a more commercial approach that hints at the direction her forthcoming full-length Read more...