Stuart Bailie
Author: The Song is Nearly Over (2025), Terri Hooley: 75 Revolutions (2023), Trouble Songs (2018) and 75 Van Songs (2020).
Music journalist. Editor, Dig With It. Ex NME.
stuartbailie.bandcamp.com
- John Shiels, music fan, Custom House Square, Belfast, 16.08.25. Ready and waiting for Stiff Little Fingers. Photo by Stuart Bailie
- Belfast 31.01.26. Photos by Stuart Bailie
- Sunday sustenance. www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE9d...
- I'm preparing my market stall for the first time in 2026. Tomorrow at the Waterfront conference centre, Belfast. Part of the music event, Your Roots Are Showing. 12-4pm.
- Reposted by Stuart BailieToday's Irish hero is @niallstanage.bsky.social 😎👏 The pride of Belfast and beyond. Showing journalists how it's done 😉
- Reposted by Stuart BailieThis is stunning. Listen to this in Philadelphia. Thousands singing “Hey-Oh, we won’t be silent while our friends are gunned down.” Really listen to it.
- A very positive review of the book in the new edition of Record Collector. Thank you Terry for this. I've also added the reviews from Mojo and Classic Rock from December - all appreciated. 'The Song is Nearly Over' is available on Bandcamp: stuartbailie.bandcamp.com
- Reposted by Stuart BailieHealth of Palestine Action hunger strikers deteriorating, supporters say
- Reposted by Stuart BailieJust started this. Absolutely superb. Loving it. Thank you, Mr Bailie. @stubailie.bsky.social
- Petesy Burns played with Stalag 17 and loads of other Belfast punk acts. He was a much-loved enabler, a seeker of alternatives, ultimately steering for kindness. We lost him on New Year’s Day, RIP. I interviewed Petesy in 2017. This is now archived on Dig With It. See here: www.digwithit.com?p=3756
- Belfast, 25.12.25. Photo by Stuart Bailie.
- The Christy Moore doc was outstanding. Tenderness, steel and intense social history. Bualadh bos to @tg4.bsky.social for rich programming over the holidays. www.tg4.ie/en/player/pl...
- Reposted by Stuart BailieFather Christmas played a blinder. @stubailie.bsky.social @weare1of100.bsky.social @creepingbent.bsky.social
- Reposted by Stuart BailieHe looks like an old school Mancunian who never got over the Hacienda closing.
- Portview Xmas Market is always lovely and massive and social. Come and say hello at my stall - in the Boundary Bar. Today (Friday 19) is 6-10pm. Tomorrow (Saturday 20) is noon until 4pm. Get your books personalised and check out my darkroom prints. 'Mon down: 310 Newtownards Rd, Belfast.
- Reposted by Stuart Bailiewww.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025... This is shocking… a dereliction of duty by Labour.
- I've written about Eamon Melaugh, the civil rights activist from Derry, 1933-2025. He was a voice on Radio Free Derry, a pirate station in 1969, notably during the Battle of the Bogside. I interviewed Eamon in 2019. A great human with an acute sense of social justice. Story: www.digwithit.com?p=3743
- A nice piece in the Irish Examiner. Thanks again to Paul McDermott. www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ar...
- Positive reviews for the new book in Mojo magazine and Classic Rock. Many thanks to Andy and David. Online sales: Bandcamp stuartbailie.bandcamp.com/merch_orders Stockists: No Alibis, Belfast, Bridge Books, Dromore, Little Acorns, Derry & Waterstones stores - Belfast, Foyleside and Forestside.
- Online sales stuartbailie.bandcamp.com
- New Year event: Seamus Heaney HomePlace (@shhomeplace.bsky.social), Feb 19. I'll be in conversation with Stephen McCauley. Talking about the book and relating some stories. Will be great. Tickets: seamusheaneyhome.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/...
- Reposted by Stuart BailieRIP Bill Kirk. Newtownards communist, documentary photographer, champion cyclist, ragged trousered philanthropist and comrade. Words by @stubailie.bsky.social www.digwithit.com?p=3546
- The wee book is in top company in the window display of No Alibis Bookstore Belfast. Also available in @bridgebooksdromore.bsky.social, Little Acorns, Derry and various Waterstones stores, including Waterstones Belfast, Foyleside and Forestside. Online sales at Bandcamp: stuartbailie.bandcamp.com
- Reposted by Stuart BailieNEXT WEEK Organised by international development charity Concern Worldwide, a special night of music and solidarity to raise urgent funds for people affected by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 18+ event. 🎟️ - www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../drops-of....
- Wendy Erskine's first novel, The Benefactors, is all over the end-of-year lists. The storytelling is expertly done and the pictures of Belfast are so rich and compassionate. Here's my review in dig With it, ahead of the June release. www.digwithit.com?p=3635 📷: myself @ Ulster Sports Club launch.
- Reposted by Stuart BailieSome shots from Day 1 of our Christmas Market by our talented member and co-chair and professional photographer Kristi McHenry. We're doing it all over again today from 11am-5pm at Carlisle Memorial thanks to @bbtbelfast.bsky.social Food, drink, 80+ stalls, music, and no-AI generated 'art'. C U !
- Vault Xmas Market! Saturday & Sunday. Carlisle Memorial, Belfast. ‘Mon down!
- Two Xmas markets coming up and in addition to my four music books, I'm going to bring along some signed, hand-made darkroom prints - ready to frame. Here is a selection from the batch. Available while stocks last at Vault Market, Carlisle Church Belfast this weekend and Portview Market, Dec. 19-20.
- Two pages in the Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Star. Amazed! Online sales link: stuartbailie.bandcamp.com/merch_orders
- Happy 10th birthday, Backlisted podcast. Great books are rediscovered and the chat is tremendous. My faves include Autumn Journal, Gawain and the Green Knight plus the two bold immersions into David Seabrook and All The Devils Are Here. Admirable work.
- The first episode of Backlisted was published on 30th November 2015, ten years ago today. @backlisted.bsky.social ‘We can ask and ask but we can’t have again what once seemed ours forever.’ - J.L. Carr, A Month in the Country 🙏 www.backlisted.fm/episodes/1-j...
- Book of the Week in the Irish Daily Mail. Thank you, Maeve Quigley!
- Online book sales: stuartbailie.bandcamp.com
- Reposted by Stuart BailieThanks to @stubailie.bsky.social for coming along last night to entertain us with tales from the music world over the past 40 years. Everyone really enjoyed it! Thanks, as ever, to @mikephilpott.bsky.social for hosting. You can pick up all of Stuart's books in-store now!
- I'm taking my lovely books to a bunch of places: Dromore tomorrow (Wed Nov 26), Oh Yeah Xmas Market (Thurs, Nov 27), Vault Christmas Market (December 6-7), Eastside Visitor's Centre (Dec 10), Portview Market (December 19-20). 'Mon and see!
- A few tickets for Dromore still available: www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/dro...
- Thanks to Steve Stockman for these positive words... sstockman.substack.com/p/stuart-bai...
- Reposted by Stuart BailieStuart Bailie’s fabulous new book ‘The Song Is Nearly Over’ has just been released. I’ve known Stuart since he wrote about Go! Service in 1985 for Record Mirror! We’ve kept in touch over the years. @stubailie.bsky.social Read more: indiethroughthelookingglass.com/2025/11/23/t...
- Reposted by Stuart BailieI wrote a few words about Mani for The Sunday Times - I didn’t know it would be behind a paywall, so here it is if you would like to read it: (1/7)
- Fewer than 10 tickets left for the book event this Sunday at The Court House Bangor. Terri Hooley is performing live with his pal Michael. Next Wednesday I'm at Mulholland's, Dromore, talking to Mike Philpott. Big thanks to @bridgebooksdromore.bsky.social for this.Ticket links below.
- Dromore tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/bridge-books...
- Court House tickets: courthousebangor.com/event/the-so...
- A mini-documentary about protest culture in Belfast. Including: IPSC, Pride, Reclaim the Agenda, UU Students' Union, Gender Chores, Strange New Places. Opposing views also aired. Congrats to filmmaker Ana McCrea for the presence to capture these important voices. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hecK...
- This is a lovely surprise. A deep, reflective podcast about my times in music, particularly NME days & my connection to Irish music. Cheers Paul McDermott @learnandsing.bsky.social for including me in his landmark series - To Here Knows When. www.paulmcdermott.ie/bonus-episod...
- Hey @lthanwordsfest.bsky.social. We should be on by now…
- Reposted by Stuart BailieNot long now! #Louder2025 14-16 November @innsideuk #Manchester. We have a few Friday Night Passes available plus some event-by-event tickets left for the UKs biggest Music Lit Fest. Peruse, choose & purchase your Pass or individual event tickets here: louderthanwordsfest.com/whats-on/
- Thanks to Allan for this review of the book launch, with Tim Wheeler, Terri Hooley and myself. Cheers also to Charlotte and Claire at Sound of Belfast.
- Launch day for The Song Is Nearly Over. A lovely feeling. Now in stock at @bridgebooksdromore.bsky.social, Waterstones Belfast & Forestside plus No Alibis. Also available online at Bandcamp, Ebay and Music Glue. #thesongisnearlyover
- Book events! The Belfast launch, Nov 6 is almost sold out. Maybe a dozen tickets left. Then Manchester and @lthanwordsfest.bsky.social, Nov 14, and Dromore, Nov. 26 with @bridgebooksdromore.bsky.social Ticket links below. More events TBA in Dundalk, Bangor and East Belfast #thesongisnearlyover
- Belfast, Nov 6. skiddle.com/whats-on/Bel...
- Manchester, Nov 14: louderthanwordsfest.com
- Dromore, Nov 26: www.ticketsource.co.uk/bridge-books...
- Top of the world, ma!
- Book has landed! Out Nov. 6. Online sales links in comments.
- Books launch in Belfast, Nov 6. soundofbelfast.com/events/stuar...
- Thanks to Stephen McCauley for involving me in his Book Week NI special. I had an extended blether about my time at NME, about the Manics, Morrissey, RÓIS, Oasis & the tremendous impact of the weekly music press. The whole show is valuable. My part begins around 1.11. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
- Book launch is Nov 6 in Belfast. Ticket link: www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Bel...
