John Niven

John Niven, an award-winning novelist and former A&R insider, dives into his darkly comic novel, Kill Your Friends. He explores the cynical world of the UK music industry in the Britpop era through the eyes of the ruthless Steven Stelfox. Niven shares how real figures inspired his unlikeable narrator and discusses the challenges of writing with explicit language. He reflects on the musical landscape of the late '90s, considers whether Stelfox would fit into today's diverse scene, and highlights the novel’s cultural critiques, including Tony Blair as a key influence.