Mick and the PhatMan Talking Music (Mick and the Phatman)
Explorez tous les épisodes de Mick and the PhatMan Talking Music
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| 10 Feb 2022 | John Cale: I come from Wales, you can call me John | 01:06:13 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Welshman John Cale is a founder member of The Velvet Underground and a prolific solo artist. Over a career spanning seven decades, he sings and plays a multitude of instruments (viola, piano, guitar, et al), always questing for something new. His work, though sometimes challenging, has moments of rare beauty and musical virtuosity. Mick and the Phatman discuss the breadth of Cale’s career, pointing out highlights for those new to Cale, and giving insights into a career that has never settled for the easy road. References: COVID Immunity, “1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die”, Robert Dimery, Bob Dylan, “Blood on the Tracks”, Chris Knox, Flying Nun Records, “Ghost Story”, Vintage Violence, Jonathon Richman, John Cage, La Monte Young, Aaron Copland, The Primitives, Mo Tucker, Close Watch, Hallelujah, Paris 1919, “The Island Years”, “Music for a New Society”, Sam Shepard, “Heartbreak Hotel”, Brian Eno, “Wrong Way Up”, The Bottom Line, New York, Andy Warhol, Scorgie’s Rochester, Enmore Theatre, “Songs for Drella”, “Autobiography”, “What’s Welsh for Zen?”, Le Bataclan, Patti Smith, “Horses”, Nico, Hit us up on our email: MickandthePhatman@Gmail.com Playlist (Spotify) John Cale - A More Accessible Collection Books What’s Welsh for Zen? – The Autobiography of John Cale - Victor Bockris & John Cale Video What do you think of the podcast? What would you like us to talk about? | |||
| 25 Feb 2022 | Songs about Australia | 00:55:50 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Australian music tells the world who we are, who we think we are, about our landscape and history. In this episode, we talk about the songs that define Australia and look at some myths as we go. We also address the critical question: “ Where would we be without sugar cane?” References: Free, Bad Company, Paul Rodgers, The Go-Betweens, Peter Grant, Swan Song, Gangajang, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes, Peter Allen, Men At Work, John Williamson, Cold Chisel, First Nations people, The Warumpi Band, My Island Home, Kev Carmody, Icehouse, Ted Egan, Midnight Oil | |||
| 12 Mar 2022 | Baby You Can Drive My Car | 00:51:08 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Cars and motorbikes have forever been a key part of rock’n’roll songs and lifestyle. | |||
| 24 Mar 2022 | The Greatest-Ever Australian Albums | 00:58:59 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! "Best of" lists can be subjective, depending on who is surveyed, and what they were asked. There’s a huge difference between popular and “all-time great”, and great music needs to stand the test of time. References: Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die”, Robert Dimery, Sex and drugs and rock and roll, Go your Own Way, Dreams, Don’t Stop, You Make Lovin Fun, The Chain, Lindsey Buckingham, Kylie Minogue, Savage Garden, Crowded House, The Mullanes, Frogstomp, Silverchair, Diesel and Dust, Midnight Oil, Cold Chisel, Whispering Jack, John Farnham, INXS, Chris Thomas, Back in Black, AC/DC, The Boys Light Up, Australian Crawl, Beautiful People, Robert Palmer, Living in the 70’s, Skyhooks, The Angels, I'm Stranded, The Saints, Ed Kuepper, Business as Usual, Men at Work, Down Under | |||
| 08 Apr 2022 | The most succesful producers of the modern era | 01:07:19 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Who is most responsible for creating your favourite music? This episode, we look at the role of the record producer, and talk about some of the most successful producers of the rock era. Rewiggled
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| 22 Apr 2022 | Rock Music on Screen | 01:06:09 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We've all seen rock music on screen – movies, TV, documentaries, cable/streaming - purely rock music and musicians or simply featuring music or a notable performance. Sometimes it’s rock music as the soundtrack – setting the mood, making a comment. Mick and Jeff have a look at some fun examples - both good and bad! References: Sun Bears, 19-Twenty, Rage Against the Machine, Alexei Sayle, 1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die”, Rolling Stones, Sticky Fingers, Mick Taylor, Get Yer Ya-Yas Out, Exile on Main Street, Goodbye Cream, Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture, Woodstock, Monterey Pop, Stop Making Sense, Talking Heads, The Last Waltz, The Band, Martin Scorsese, Concert for Bangladesh, Ravi Shankar, Rust Never Sleeps, Shine a Light, The Bridge Schools Concert, Big Easy Express, Black Sabbath, The Song Remains the Same, Led Zeppelin, Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Who, Tommy, Spinal Tap, Rob Reiner, Bob Dylan, Rolling Thunder Revue, A Bob Dylan Story, Velvet Underground, Brian Eno, 1971-1977: The Man Who Fell to Earth, Let It Be, Get Back
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| 30 Apr 2022 | Rock Feuds - The Stuff of Legends | 01:04:20 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Rock stars generally are made almost completely of ego. They believe they are fantastic, and anyone who disagrees with must be wrong. Combine that with a bad attitude, or drugs and alcohol, and you’ve got a problem. The boys this week talk about some of the most famous feuds in rock, including Oasis, who could start a fight in an empty room. On top of that, this week's feature album is "The Ramones", an album that single-handedly kicked off the punk movement. With a name inspired by Paul MacCartney and song lengths of 2 minutes, "The Ramones" has been a favourite with the cool crowd for 40 years. | |||
| 25 May 2022 | What Do Your Favourite Songs Really Mean? | 01:04:08 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We listen to songs all the time and think we know what they’re about. But do we really? Mick and The Phatman look at songs that have hidden meanings, or it’s not clear what they’re about or, to quote The Princess Bride, “I don’t think it means what you think it means”. | |||
| 10 Jun 2022 | Alice Cooper - The Real Story | 00:56:00 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Alice Cooper - a story of intrigue, drugs and great stage shows. While influencing The Sex Pistols, Kiss, Bowie, the movie, “A Clockwork Orange” and Australia’s Jimmy and the Boys, Alice Cooper morphed from a band to an individual, and left an enormous legacy in today’s rock world. This week’s “Before You Die” album is Marc Bolan’s “Electric Warrior”, which didn’t impress the boys at all, despite Bolan’s reputation, some great singles and production by Tony Visconti. References: 1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die, Robert Dimery, Vincent Damon Furnier, The Earwigs, The Spiders, The Naz, Todd Rundgren, Frank Zappa, School’s Out, Billion Dollar Babies, Glenn Buxton, Steve Hunter & Dick Wagner, alcohol and crack cocaine addiction, Shep Gordon, Bob Ezrin, Welcome to My Nightmare, I’m Eighteen, Under My Wheels, Bowie’s “Suffragette City”, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Only Women Bleed, Department of Youth, Alice Cooper Goes to Hell, I Never Cry, From the Inside, How You Gonna See Me Now, Stage Props of Live snakes, guillotines, and “dead babies”, Live at Sydney, Pennywise the Clown, Gene Simmons’ “Demon” character, Twisted Sister, Malcolm McDowell, Baby’s on Fire | |||
| 25 Jun 2022 | The Things We've Lost | 01:19:52 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We live in a time of dramatic change, in music as much as anything else - what we listen to, how we collect it and how we consume it. The Walkman and the iPod have come and gone, and the record collection is a thing of memory. The boys look at how much has changed during the rock era, for good or ill. Our “Before You Die” album this episode is “The Madcap Laughs” by Syd Barrett, ex-Pink Floyd. David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) said that the sessions “were pretty tortuous and very rushed." He got very frustrated that Barrett wouldn’t get his finger out and do something. It shows! Mick’s conclusion? Despite a great cover by Hipgnosis, the album is terrible. Jeff's Rant takes a look at back-masking and tries to uncover Satanic messages in some of our most popular music. Pink Floyd takes the cake with, “You've just discovered the secret message!” and asks us to send our answer to “Old Pink, care of the funny farm”. References: Syd Barrett, “The Madcap Laughs”, Hipgnosis, “1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die”, Robert Dimery, Roger Waters, Pink Floyd, “A Saucerful of Secrets”, David Gilmour, REM, “Dark Globe”, Record collections, “Nothing is Real”, David Hepworth, Record shops, Import Shops, Gene Simmons, Books/Bookshops, Cassettes, CDs, DVDs, Rock Magazines, RAM, Go-Set, Rolling Stone, Mojo, Juke, NMER, Melody Maker, Circus Raves, Creem, Countdown, Sounds Unlimited, Rage, Walkman, iPod, Mini-discs
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| 05 Jul 2022 | Cyndi Lauper – The Girl Just Wants to Have Fun | 01:02:49 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Everybody knows Cyndi Lauper’s big hit, “Girls Just want to have Fun”, but not so well-known is her career since then - a star-turn on “We are the World”, a string of great albums including Billboard's Blues Album of the Year, and writing “Kinky Boots”, a hit Broadway musical, all contribute to her story. Our album "To Listen To Before You Die" this week – Leonard Cohen’s “Songs of Love and Hate” - is chock-full of understated songs and amazing turns of phrase. Show regulars will know that Mick loves it, and Jeff not so much. Tune in to find out why. Jeff takes a look at Extreme Ironing as an up-and-coming sport, and the boys look at how one of Elon Musk’s batteries could boost tourism to Central Australia by allowing a pizza shop and ice-creamery to open in the country’s most remote parts. References: “1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die” Robert Dimery, Leonard Cohen, Songs of Love and Hate, Jennifer Warnes, Paul Buckmaster, Elton John, “Hallelujah”, ”Famous Blue Raincoat”, Lloyd Cole, “Avalanche”, Nick Cave, “From Her to Eternity”, “There’s a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in”, “The Young Ones”, 70’s British comedy, Rick Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Polydor Records, Portrait Records, David Thornton, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Sinead O’Connor, Prince, Masturbation, Donny Sutherland’s “Sounds”, “She’s So Unusual”, The Hooters, Eric Bazilian, ”We are the World”, Quincy Jones, Memphis Blues, Yoko Ono, John Lennon, “Working Class Hero”, “Life with Mikey”, “Mad About You”, The Simpsons, "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken", “Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir” By Cyndi Lauper with Jancee Dunn, Richmond Hill High School in Queens, Broadway, “Kinky Boots”, 2013 Tony Awards, Best Musical, Best Actor, first woman to win solo Best Original Score Tony Award, Mattel, Cyndi Lauper Barbie Doll | |||
| 24 Jul 2022 | How GOOD is Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"? | 01:00:39 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We look at Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (1973) one of the most important and influential albums of the modern rock period. An album with serious lyrics, tight ensemble playing from the band, and cover art as good as it gets, this album marks a high point for Elton John. In his career of over 50 years, he may have matched, but never bettered, this album. Spandau Ballet, along with ABC, Visage, Duran Duran, A Flock of Seagulls, Boy George / Culture Club were at the vanguard of a style that owed a lot to the simplification and availability of keyboards/synthesisers. Simple songs, no virtuoso playing but heaps of fun. From the burbling keyboards of “To Cut a Long Story Short” through to the blue-eyed soul of “True” and “Gold”, they provided a glamorous soundtrack for a new decade that still stands up today. References: Gus Dudgeon, Elton John, Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray, Davey Johnstone, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, “Candle in the Wind”, Paul Buckmaster, 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die”, Robert Dimery, double albums, Spandau Ballet, New Romantics, Blitz, Bowie, Pierrot costume, Rick Wakeman, Tony Hadley, Journeys to Glory, “Soul Boys of the Western World”, “True”, “The Wedding Singer”, Steve Buscemi | |||
| 28 Jul 2022 | Peter Gabriel. Stepping out from behind the masks | 01:05:14 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Peter Gabriel, one-time member of Genesis, is an English musician who is renowned for powerful, innovative, "intelligent" music. His 3rd album, known as “Melt”, broke him as a world phenomenon. It received great reviews (mostly 5-star) and was much more rhythm-focussed, with songs like “Games without Frontiers” and “Biko”. The album has a lot of “strange” sounds on it, and introduced Kate Bush on backing vocals. It was a high point for Gabriel, who made other great albums after this but never anything better! Our "Album to Hear before You Die” is “1999”, Prince’s 5th studio album from 1982. This album contains songs that have since become standards - “1999” and “Little Red Corvette” - and highlight his obsession with sex. Prince influenced so many people – as songwriter, musician and studio experimenter - and his sound was a key influence on R & B music through to the 90’s. “1999” is not the type of album we would normally listen to, but it’s just so damn good! References: Prince, “1999, Steve Lillywhite, Hugh Padgham, XTC - “Drums & Wires”, “Black Sea”, “War”, U2, Kirsty MacColl, “An Assassin’s Diary”, Arthur Bremer, George Wallace, JFK, Steve Biko, Polaroids, Lewis Morley, Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Marotta, “Ein Deutsches Album”, Johnny Warman, “Walking into Mirrors", “Sledgehammer”, “The Book of Love”, Alan Parker, Hipgnosis, Peter Gabriel.com | |||
| 29 Jul 2022 | Genesis Redone | 01:08:25 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Genesis Redone The 2021 COVID lockdowns meant we couldn’t get together to record. This really impacted the sound quality on a couple of episodes, particularly the one about Genesis (Season 1 Ep 15) So, we’ve re-recorded that episode. The key facts are the same, but because our podcasts are a conversation and we don’t work from a tight script, it’s basically a new episode. If you've listened to the original episode already, you might like to see how different this one is. We think you’ll be impressed. ************* The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, regarded by Genesis fans as their best complete work, is a complex story targeted at the US, with many American cultural references mixed with mythical and supernatural elements. It contains both their most delicate AND hard-edged pieces, still sounding fresh decades later. ************************* Oh, by the way, we’re taking a short break to travel around Australia. We'll be back with a bunch of new episodes on October 16. Stay with us – there's some great stuff coming up!
References: Genesis, Selling England by the Pound, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Ramones, Mr Mercedes, Rick Rubin, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, David Bowie, Elton John, Brian Eno "Pet Sematary" - The Ramones - from Mr Mercedes | |||
| 17 Oct 2022 | Who we'd have in our supergroup | 00:54:55 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Something a little different for you this episode, as we return from our mid-season break. How many times have you had the discussion “Who’s the best guitarist/ singer/ drummer/etc”? We’ve taken that discussion one step further and taken all our favourites and put them together into one HUGE supergroup. Only one rule: Anybody selected must be alive – that rules out Hendrix as lead guitarist! As you’d expect, Jeff has to take it one step too far and organises an all-star catering team to look after refreshments on our first world tour! He's picked Gordon Ramsay to pull it all together, probably because Gordon is the only person on TV with a filthier mouth than him! Our album you “must hear before you die” this week, is Roxy Music’s first album, “Roxy Music”. It’s a cracker!
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| 01 Nov 2022 | Great music that somehow missed the charts! | 01:15:01 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans". With so much going on, it’s easy to miss some fabulous music for one reason or another. This episode, the boys talk about some great stuff that never quite bothered the charts. Groups like Ultravox!, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Godfathers, Magazine, Death in Vegas and The Sisters of Mercy offer you something a little bit different that you may have missed first time around. This week’s Album You Must Hear Before You Die is “Go Girl Crazy” by The Dictators, while Mick has more to say about “Leaves Me Blind”, the 1992 masterpiece by Australia's Underground Lovers. After Jeff’s potty-mouthed rant about emails, we’ve got some! Ian wants us to do more unhinged raves, and Pete wants to give us his own Aussie supergroup. We think you’ll love it! | |||
| 16 Nov 2022 | The Go Betweens - The importance of choosing great influences | 01:02:50 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! The Go-Betweens were a great Aussie band of the 80’s - they wrote erudite world-weary songs about life and their loves with zilch success for their efforts. Their style, a mix of Velvet Underground's 3rd album’s gritty simplicity, Bob Dylan’s narrative skills and Television’s clear production highlighting guitar never brought them the success that their talent deserved. We did, though, find a fan from Dublin with an extraordinary appreciation of the Go-Betweens. We look at some emails we’ve received, including Rein who remembers Countdown, and note the comments from comedian Bill Bailey, who is less than complimentary about Coldplay! Our Album You Must Hear before You Die” this time around is “Parallel Lines” by Blondie. A great album from 1978, with a couple of surprise Aussie connections. | |||
| 23 Nov 2022 | Joe Cocker - "I don't expect to live through this" | 01:12:10 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Joe Cocker was a staple of the rock world for around 50 years. His career took off with two songs gifted him by The Beatles (“She Came in Through the Bathroom Window”, “With A Little Help from My Friends”) and a brilliant cover of The Box Tops’ “The Letter”, and was almost destroyed by the "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" tour, album and film.
This week’s “Album You Must Listen to Before You Die” is “Juju” by Siouxsie and the Banshees. This outstanding 1981 work is celebrated as a Gothic masterpiece. Siouxsie’s sonorous voice contrasts with John McGeoch’s wonderful guitar weaving a tapestry through a huge rhythm section.
Jeff has a rant about the humble pogo stick gaining new life as a 21st Century mode of travel, while Mick talks about “Trainwreck” - a documentary about the disaster that was Woodstock ‘99, a poorly-planned festival meant to celebrate the original Woodstock.
A lot to cover in an hour! | |||
| 11 Dec 2022 | Midnight Oil - Idealism and a red-hot live show | 01:02:34 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Midnight Oil ("The Oils") are one of Australia's most-loved bands. Their solid political streak – Indigenous rights, the environment and nuclear disarmament, to name a few – sits well with a hard-earned reputation for red-hot live shows. Mick and Jeff look back at all the times they’ve seen Midnight Oil live, and the impact their music has had on Australian culture.
Jeff’s Rant introduces us to Beard Meats Food, a young bearded lad who consumes huge meals live on YouTube. It's been a great month for terrific live concerts, with The Sisters of Mercy, The Underground Lovers and The Pixies all playing in Sydney. We'll talk about all those shows, as well as a guy called Harry Manx, who offers a blend of blues, folk music, and Hindustani music.
Today’s Album You Must Hear Before You Die is “Ghosteen” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (2019). This critically-acclaimed double album is so different to his earlier music, but still definitely Cave. | |||
| 16 Dec 2022 | Two seasons of great music commentary | 01:10:18 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! A recap of the highlights of 2 years & 45 episodes of this podcast! Talked about more than 300 artists, shows, and albums - who could ask for more? They’ve recorded in some of Australia's most remote parts of Australia, regularly bad-mouthed Jeff Buckley, and decided that Alice Cooper was a pretty good guy despite his music after “Welcome to my Nightmare” being pretty terrible! Peter from Mackay tried to tell US about Globite School Bags; Gabbie from LA hates Coldplay as much as Mick does; and Ian from Sydney wants more random "I think they're doing the drugs again" spin outs like the idea that a giant Elon Musk battery would revolutionise the Outback. Ian also started the scandal about Honey and Mead industry payola. (Thank you, Justine!)
A big thank you to the fans, to the magazines who wrote some very complimentary articles, and of course, to Roy and HG, whose radio program, “This Sporting Life” was a staple during our youth and our inspiration to start up.
2023 is going to be a great year - more stories of your favourite musicians and a look at some musicians you might not be too familiar with. ______________________________________________________ Here’s a list of the best books and magazines Mick has referenced over the last 2 seasons:
And of course......
Magazines
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| 29 Jan 2023 | Songs that fell short of #1 | 00:58:34 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Mick and Jeff are back for a new season!
References: Princess Fionnula returns to Ireland; Nickelback; Duran Duran; Andy Taylor; Noel Gallagher; Hawkwind; 2022 MTV Video Music Awards; Måneskin; The Undertones; The Guardian; Spice Girls; Rod Stewart; Oasis; Adam and the Ants; | |||
| 12 Feb 2023 | Ever Fallen in Love with Someone? | 01:04:12 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! It’s St Valentine’s Day, and a chance for Jeff to show his sensitive side! Other than cars and protest songs, rock’n’roll is ALL ABOUT love songs! We talk about love songs, songs about sex, songs mourning lost love, break-up songs, songs that aren't really about love at all, and look at a couple of massive hits that are best considered rubbish. Our Album You Must Hear Before You Die is one of the greats - “Born in the USA”, Bruce Springsteen’s 7th album. The title track alone, regularly cited by right wing politicians in the US as an example of American superiority, is in fact one of the most biting comments on the way the USA uses then discards people. The boys also have another look at NFTs with the help of Formula 1 driver, Max Verstappen. Looking at investing? You'll feel much more confident with the help of Jeff and the ever-surprising Max.
References: Clive Palmer, “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, Twisted Sister, “Khe Sanh”, Cold Chisel, “Dancing in the Dark”, Blinded by the Light, Annie Leibovitz, Bruce Springsteen “Live: 1975-1985", Globite School Bag, “My Boyfriend's Back”, Queen, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, Elvis Presley, "Can't Help Falling in Love", “Love Me Tender”, Claudia Jung, “Was Kann Mein Herz Dafur”, Jackie Wilson, "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher", Crowded House, Neil Finn, “It’s only natural”, “I Hope I Never”, Olivia Newton-John, “I Honestly Love You”, Unit 4 + 2, “Concrete and Clay”, Martin Plaza, The Beatles, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, “All you need is love”, “Here, There and Everywhere”, Paul McCartney, “Maybe I’m Amazed”, “My Love”, John Lennon, “Oh Yoko”, “Jealous Guy”, George Harrison, “Something”, 10cc, “I’m Not in Love”, Graham Gouldman, “The Things We Do for Love”, Carpenters, “Close to you”, Nick Cave, “Into Your Arms”, Bob Dylan, “If Not for You”, Buzzcocks, “Ever Fallen in Love”, David Bowie, “‘Heroes”, Troggs, “Love is all around me”, Warren Zevon, “Empty-Handed Heart”, ” Reconsider me”, U2, “With or Without You”, The Hugo & Luigi Chorus, The Rolling Stones, “Wild Horses”, Badfinger, “Without You”, Prince, Sinead O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U”, Gotye, “Just somebody That I used to Know”, ABBA, “Knowing Me, Knowing You”, “Mamma Mia”, Taylor Swift, Linda Ronstadt, “You’re No Good”, REM, “The One I Love”, The Police, “Roxanne”, Dolly Parton, “I Will Always Love You”, Tina Turner, “What’s love got to do with it?”, Tom Jones, “Delilah” Love Songs Playlist | |||
| 26 Feb 2023 | What makes a band (or artist) "Over-rated"? | 01:05:37 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! How often have you heard of an artist being labelled “over-rated”? Did it strike you as fair, or just a subjective, lazy way to insult artists you don’t like? Mick & Jeff look at the concept of ‘over-rated’ as a way of describing artists, and consider whether certain artists ARE, in fact, over-rated, and, if so, why or why not? Our album you MUST Listen to Before You Die is “Bossanova” by the Pixies. We talk about where the Pixies fit into the music universe and where this album fits into their canon of work. Jeff provides a dip sample of some of the rock news so far this year, an update on what’s happened to Princess Fionnula now that’s she’s gone back to Ireland, and some of the finer points of beer tasting!
References: Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins, Robert Forster, Go Betweens, “Venus”, Television, Marquee Moon, Justin Bieber, Mastodon, Elton John concert, Ian “Molly” Meldrum, Rolling Stone, “Top Australian Albums of 2022”, “King Stingray”, King Stingray, “Angel in Real Time”, Gang of Youths, “PrePleasure”, Julia Jacklin, “Matter of Time”, Meg Mac, Pixies, “Bossanova”, “Doolittle”, Tromp le Monde, “Wave of Mutilation”, Rolling Stones, Jeff Buckley, John Cale, “I like your old stuff better than your new stuff”, Ramones, REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Doors, “The 27 Club”, Rage Against the Machine, Pink Floyd, “Another Brick in the Wall”, KISS, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Sex Pistols, Led Zeppelin, Oasis/Liam Gallagher/Noel Gallagher, Guns’n’Roses, The Smiths, Toto | |||
| 12 Mar 2023 | The Smiths - Manchester's finest! | 01:07:20 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! The Smiths are, unarguably, one of the finest bands produced by Britain (or anywhere). Mick rates their third album, "The Queen is Dead", as one of the most exceptional albums ever made. We talk about where they came from, their influences, and why they are still popular today, over thirty years after they split. Jeff brings you up to speed on recent rock deaths, talking about Jeff Beck, David Crosby and Renee Geyer, among others. Our Album You Must Hear Before You Die is “New Wave”, by The Auteurs. Mick damns it with faint praise, but then, he’s very picky!!
References: Robbie Bachman, David Crosby, Anita Pointer, The Pointer Sisters, Rodney Rude, This is a Man’s World, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Johnny Rogan, The Severed Alliance, “The Smiths”, Johnny Marr, Morrissey, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Neil Young, David Bowie, “Meat is Murder”, “The Queen is Dead”, “Strangeways Here we Come”, “How soon is now?”, “The Headmaster Ritual”, Rickenbacker, Phil Manzanera, “Panic”, Matt Johnson, The The, Mike Joyce (drums), Andy Rourke (bass), The wit of Steven Morrissey, The Smiths are very popular among depressed
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| 25 Mar 2023 | The Police - still fresh, 40 years on | 00:51:51 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We sometimes forget just how talented The Police - Sting, Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers - actually were. They arrived in the late-70's, merging elements of Reggae, New Wave & Punk. Their sound - simple, lean (bass, drums, guitar), well-produced - still sounds fresh, with songs like “Roxanne”, “Message in a Bottle”, and “Walking on the Moon”. We saw them live at the Hordern Pavilion back in 1980, in the days before digital light shows, when every single light can had a specific purpose – and what a show it was! Our "Album You Must Hear Before you Die" is Frank Sinatra’s “In the Wee Small Hours”, a classic from the early LP era. Sinatra is a master, and a joy to listen to. The man himself was certain that many baby boomers were conceived to the sound of this album. Jeff tells us more about Mr Beast, and digital sampling of Beavis and Butt-Head.
_______________________________________ References: Nelson Riddle, Chairman of the Board, "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sting, Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers, Outlandos d’Amour, Regatta de Blanc, Zenyatta Mondatta, Ghost in the Machine, Synchronicity, Roxanne, “The Secret Policeman’s Ball”, Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, Hordern Pavilion, John Cale, The Bottom Line, Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, King of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger, Every Breath You Take, physical light cans | |||
| 10 Apr 2023 | The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – a sadly-missed phenomenon | 01:03:50 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! More than any band we’ve covered in over 50 episodes, this band has delivered us the most blank looks! “Never heard of them!”, people say! So, we thought we’d remedy this serious hole in people’s musical appreciation by looking at one of the most exciting but overlooked musical occurrences of the 70’s. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (SAHB) could only have existed during the 70’s, and possibly only in Glasgow. Starting with the idea that, to call yourself “Sensational”, you’ve got to be sensational, Alex Harvey joined local band, Tear Gas, to form SAHB in 1972. Singing in a broad Glaswegian accent, Alex Harvey led the band to become the highest-grossing live band in the UK. When they launched a song called, “Faith Healer” at 1973 Reading Festival, they blew Rod Stewart and Status Quo off stage! SAHB has influenced bands like AC/DC, The Cure and Nick Cave and inspired a generation of bands over the years since then. There’re a million stories around SAHB. The anecdote involving The Doobie Brothers and the wrong dressing room is an absolute corker! Not to mention the time they gave AC/DC their big break on UK TV. Jeff is loving the possibilities of ChatGPT, and had it compose songs in the style of David Bowie and Elton John. Or a fruit-based limerick! Or an Eminem rap about cats. Yep, it’s as horrific as it sounds. Normally, we’d do an album “you must hear before you die”, but for a change, we’ve chosen to look at Rod Stewart’s wonderful mandolin effort, “Maggie May”, and how it’s based on an actual “experience” with an older woman where Rod’s biggest concern was that if his performance wasn’t good enough, his reputation could be ruined. Probably one of the best songs of Stewart’s career. References: Artificial Intelligence, Chat GPT, Open AI, David Bowie,“Anatomy of a Song”, Marc Myers, “Maggie May”, “Reason to Believe”, Ron Wood, celesta, Rod Stewart sexual performance, “Storyteller”, Tear Gas, SAHB, “Mid-Atlantic accent”, Zal Cleminson, Chris Glen, Hugh & Ted McKenna, Doobie Brothers, The Cure, AC/DC, “Framed”, The Coasters, “SAHB Live”, “Isobel Goudie”, “Faith Healer”, “Anthem”, “Tomahawk Kid”, “Delilah”, “Vambo” | |||
| 25 Apr 2023 | The best (and worst) shows we've ever seen | 01:08:53 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Do you remember the best show you’ve ever seen? How about the worst? Mick and Jeff talk about what makes a great show and relive some of the best (and worst) they’ve seen.
References: Nita Strauss, Alice Cooper, Pete Townshend, Ann-Margret, Everly Brothers, “Bye Bye Love”, Brian Eno, EarthPercent campaign, Brian May, Bohemian Rhapsody, Ozzy Osbourne, Frankfurt, Roger Waters, Foo Fighters pinball machine, “The Dark Side of the Moon”, Jimmy Barnes, The Barnestormers, The B-52's, Chris Blackwell, Island Records, REM, Cindy Wilson, Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Ricky Wilson, “Rock Lobster”, Dick Dale, narwhal, “matching towels”, The Bridge Hotel, Rozelle, Riverwood Millers, Bexley North Hotel, Family Inn, Rydalmere, Caringbah Inn, Coogee Oceanic, Mi-Sex, Hurstville Civic Centre, Coffs Harbour Civic Centre, Sydney Entertainment Centre, The Hordern Pavilion, Ignatius Jones, Joylene Hairmouth, “Baby’s on Fire”, Sydney Olympics ceremonies, Nirvana, Queen, Lou Reed, Bowie, Bob Dylan, The Angels, Rose Tattoo, John Cale, The Tigerlilies, The Kinks, John Cougar Mellencamp, Rolling Stones, Roxy Music, The Police | |||
| 14 May 2023 | Ed Kuepper - The Saints' founder, Laughing Clown, sometime Aint and Bad Seed | 01:00:08 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! This episode, we look at Ed Kuepper, whose fame sadly does not match in any way his contribution to rock’n’roll! Bursting out of Brisbane in the mid-70's, Ed helped found The Saints, one of the key influences on punk. Tiring of The Saints, he created The Laughing Clowns, before launching into a solo career interspersed with stints in The Aints and The Bad Seeds. The “Album You Must Hear before You Die” is the immortal “Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield, Virgin Records’ first-ever release. This was one of the first albums Mick ever bought, and what an album to start with! Mick recounts the story how the Tubular Bells themselves, left behind in the studio after John Cale recorded “Paris 1919”, were a late addition to what became an iconic album.
Enjoy! The Ed Keupper Playlist | |||
| 28 May 2023 | The strange link between Vanilla Ice, Queen & David Bowie | 01:02:41 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Vanilla Ice was the first artist to lose all his earnings from a hit through lawyers suing for copyright infringement. In a story with more twists than an Agatha Christie novel, all the profit from the first “rap” single to top the charts was gobbled up by lawyers, after Vanilla Ice sampled "Under Pressure" without clearance from Bowie or Queen.
Our album you must hear before you die is The Pogues’ “Rum, Sodomy and the Lash” (1985). The title came from Winston Churchill’s quote that “English Naval tradition was nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash.” Elvis Costello, who produced the album, captured the Pogues’ “dilapidated glory”, with the band drunk much of the time. Their name means, in Gaelic, “Pogue mahone”, or “up your arse”! Musical gems abound on the album, not least in Ewan MacColl’s “Dirty Old Town”, and Eric Bogle’s “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” (listed as one of the 30 Greatest Australian songs of all time). We love The Pogues, and you should, too. Another jam-packed episode! _______________________________________________________________ Books “The Number Ones. Twenty chart-topping hits that reveal the history of pop music”, Tom Breihan, Hachette Books, New York | |||
| 25 Jun 2023 | Nico - An aural challenge well worth the effort | 01:03:55 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Nico – one-time member of The Velvet Underground - is an enigma in modern rock music. Despite her wide-ranging influence, her music is not for the faint-hearted. Mick saw Nico at the Sydney Trade Union Club in 1986 and it was a concert unlike any other. She's not for everybody, or even most people, but have a listen, you’ll hear something new and might just broaden your view on the rest of the music you listen to. We discuss why we don’t play actual music on our podcast (licensing laws!) and why we put a curated playlist to help you get a feel for what we talk about. We like to think of our podcast as journalism for your ears! Our album "You Must Hear Before You Die” is Too-Rye-Ay by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, featuring the single, “Come On Eileen”, the only single from the album to be a hit. Adding strings (violin, viola and cello) to the band's existing horn section created a joyous riot of Irish music-influenced pop and soul, with a potent mix of S-E-X! Enjoy!
References: Martin Mull, TripleJ, APRA, 1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die, Robert Dimery, Too-Rye-Ay, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Kevin Rowland, Come On Eileen, Van Morrison, Velvet Underground, Songs They Never Play on the Radio, Chelsea Girls, John Cale, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, Eno, June 1, 1974, Sydney Trade Union Club, Christa Paffgen, Andy Warhol, The Factory, Andrew Loog Oldham, I’m Not Saying, Gordon Lightfoot, The Plastic Exploding Inevitable, I’ll Be Your Mirror, All Tomorrow’s Parties, Femme Fatale, Desertshore, The Marble Index, Janitor of Lunacy, Nico, Cale and Lou Reed, Bataclan ‘72, Heroes, Bowie, The Blue Angel, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Morrissey, Iggy Pop, Elliot Smith, Bjork, Peter Hook, Marianne Faithfull Books You Are Beautiful, and You Are Alone – Jennifer Otter Bickerdike UPTIGHT! The Velvet Underground Story – Victor Bockris (Reed, Cale, Stones) Nico. Songs they never play on the radio - James Young | |||
| 11 Jun 2023 | Lou Reed’s “New York” – A masterpiece in 14 tracks | 01:09:50 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! In 1989, Lou Reed released his tour de force, “New York”. Many see this album as part of Reed’s holy trinity of spectacular albums - “Velvet Underground & Nico”, “Berlin” and “New York”. Commercially & artistically successful, this album took everything back to basics, and Reed himself was quoted as saying, “This is as good as it gets – two guitars, bass and drums”. Mick and Jeff both love this late-career revival album for its strong songs, caustic lyrics, perfect observations and great word play. This deals with the "everyday" – domestic violence, child abuse, corruption, politics – and it’s grittier for that reality.
Jeff leaps into the world of fashion with tips on the biggest style trends for men in 2023.
The boys talk about Abbey Road and Star Wars parody T-shirts, with Mick’s Peruvian t-shirt featuring llamas crossing the famous road. They’ve found Abbey Road shirts featuring not only The Simpsons, but The Depps (yep, Johnny Depp), The Sherlocks (of the Holmes variety), Dr Who and a Social Distancing design, with each person 1.5 metres apart!
We think you're going to love this episode. We sure did!
References: Lou Reed, New York, Abbey Road, llamas, 1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die, Robert Dimery, Tracey Chapman, Fast Car, Elektra, Talkin’ ‘bout a revolution, Billboard Hot 100, Globite School bag, Berlin, Dirty Boulevard, Songs for Drella, John Cale, Velvet Underground reunion tour
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| 11 Jul 2023 | A bunch of 70's rock icons | 00:59:23 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! As a special treat, this episode features four tasty albums from the golden age of Rock. Rick Wakeman’s “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”, accused of hastening the arrival of punk, and of justifying the need for it, ultimately sold over 14 million copies. Go figure! “Not Fragile” by Bachman Turner Overdrive, topped the charts in USA and Australia proclaiming that “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet”! The pick of the crop, the self-titled “Bad Company” was hailed as “swing and swagger with power chords”. Arising from the ashes of Free and Humble Pie, Bad Company was one of the first bands to be dubbed a “supergroup” Our album that “You Must Hear before you Die” is Bowie’s "Young Americans" (1975), the album that first got America’s attention and laid the groundwork for “Heroes”, two years later. Jeff also has plenty to say about fake American “influencers”, especially at events like Coachella! Enjoy!! References: Young Americans, David Bowie, One Damn Sing, John Lennon, Fame, Across the Universe, A Day in the Life, Carlos Alomar, King Arthur on Ice, Jules Verne, orchestral concerts, The Who, Tommy, A&M Records, David Hemmings, Grumpy Old Men, Not Fragile, Randy Bachman, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, Roll on down the Highway, Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Free, Mick Ralphs, Mott the Hoople, Boz Burrell, King Crimson, Peter Grant, Swan Song Records, Straight Shooter, Shooting Star, Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy, Hipgnosis, Can't Get Enough, Movin’ On, Bad Company, Rock Steady, Ready for Love | |||
| 30 Jul 2023 | "Pampered Menial” - Pavlov’s Dog's stunning lost gem from 1975 | 00:58:22 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! In 1975, “Pampered Menial” was released to 5-star critical ratings. It was not a commercial success. However, in the years since, it has become a gem, possibly one of the greatest albums of the 70’s! David Surkamp’s surreal 4-octave voice has been compared to Robert Plant. Matched with Siegfried Carver's violin and Steve Scorfina's guitar, it creates a stunning work of art – intricate and majestic with guts and delicacy in equal measure. With this episode, we want to open more ears to an amazing piece of symphonic rock/metal. Our “Album you must hear before you Die” is 1974’s “Crime of the Century” by Supertramp. Produced by Ken Scott of Bowie fame, this album is where their sound came together as a kind of Pink Floyd-lite. Mick and Jeff saw them live around this time where their light show was similar in many ways to the light/movie show Floyd toured in the mid-late ‘80’s. Mick’s comments on this album are quite contentious. Jeff wants to awaken listeners to the sport of extreme kayaking, with a proposal for a 970m drop over Angel Falls in Venezuela. Mick is not convinced. While they’re about it, Mick and Jeff pay tribute to their teen broadcast heroes - Roy & HG who still address callers to their program “Bludging on the Blindside” with “Happy Rugby League” ____________________________________________________________ References: Roy & HG, Bludging on the Blindside, tandem kayaking, 1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die, Robert Dimery, Crime of the Century, Supertramp, Bloody Well Right, Crime of the Century, Rick Davies, Roger Hogson, Dreamer, Pavlov’s Dog, David Surkamp, Richard Nadler, Siegfried Carver, Steve Scorfina, Song Dance, Julia, Late November, Once and Future King, At The Sound of the Bell, She Came Shining, Yes, Bill Bruford, Roxy Music, Andy Mackay | |||
| 15 Aug 2023 | Marianne Faithfull - Before and after "Broken English" | 01:00:48 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Marianne Faithfull's journey from 60's elfin-voiced beauty to grande-dame of rock music has given us some wonderful music, including Broken English, inspired by the Baader-Meinhof terrorist gang. We look at her career, focusing on what this album meant for her. Many may know the title-track single, but the album brings a bunch of stunning tracks we know you’re going to really enjoy discovering, including, “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” and Lennon’s “Working Class Hero”.
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| 03 Sep 2023 | How Michael Jackson's "Thriller" changed all the rules | 00:58:58 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” – one of the biggest hit albums of all time - also marks a quantum change in how rock music was marketed and sold. Brought up as part of The Jackson 5, Michael saw himself as an entertainer crossing musical genres and categories. He almost single-handedly made music videos into a serious art form. In those days, with typical video budgets around $50k, the video for “Thriller” had a budget of $1m and a top Hollywood director in John Landis. Total recording budget for the entire album was $750k! Our “Album you must hear Before you Die” is “So”, Peter Gabriel’s 1986 blockbuster, produced by Daniel Lanois, an Eno disciple who’d just produced U2’s “The Unforgettable Fire”. The hit single from this album, “Sledgehammer” also had a dynamite film clip featuring state-of-the art stop-motion photography. In Jeff’s Rant, he is surprisingly gentle to Justin Bieber. Who’d have thought it possible? There’s lots in this episode to enjoy. We hope you do!
References: Justin Bieber, Ricky Gervais, Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois, So, world music, Manu Katché, Youssou N’Dour, Sledgehammer, Redeye Records, Don't Give Up, Kate Bush, Big Time, Tony Levin, In Your Eyes, Red Rain, Jerry Marotta, Number Ones, Tom Breihan, Billie Jean, I want you Back, The Wiz, Off The Wall, Quincy Jones, Beat It, biggest-selling album of all time, Singing in the Rain, John Landis, An American Werewolf in London, Moonwalk, Vincent Price, Welcome to my Nightmare, The Black Widow, Steve Lukather, Toto, Eddie Van Halen, Bad, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, George Michael, Weird Al Yankovich | |||
| 25 Sep 2023 | A world without Leonard Cohen would be a much poorer place | 01:09:17 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Everyone has heard of Leonard Cohen, but not so many know much about him. With this episode, we look to give you a taste of Mr Cohen – his views on life, women and songwriting; his extraordinary influence on modern songwriting; his legacy, and, of course, “Hallelujah”! A world that never had Leonard Cohen in it would be a much lesser place indeed. Jeff gives us his holiday report on a visit to the only Museum in the world dedicated to penises, whose prime exhibit is a plaster cast of Jimi Hendrix’ tackle. (It’s true!!) We give an update on our Ed Kuepper episode, with a report on his live concert in Sydney in September, which was fantastic! We take a quick look at a few of the icons we’ve lost so far this year including Tom Verlaine (Television), Burt Bacharach, Andy Rourke (The Smiths), Francis Monkman (Sky, 801), and Sinead O’Connor. In honour of Sinead, our Album You Must Hear Before You Die is her “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” (1990), which we both agree is an absolute cracker of an album. Haven’t heard it? The link is in the show notes.
Other References I’m Your Man - Leonard Cohen Songs of Love and Hate - Leonard Cohen I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got - Sinead O’Connor Rare on Air - Amazon - Tori Amos/Leonard Cohen spoken word intro Ed Kuepper – Live Song List 21 Sep 23 The Young Ones – Leonard Cohen vampire reference YouTube Links Bon Jovi Hallelujah - O2 Arena June 24th 07
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| 09 Oct 2023 | Big hits that really weren't original! | 01:07:49 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Cover versions – always fascinating!! Occasionally, an artist will cover an obscure song, or a deep cut by another artist and make it their own. But what about when the song has ALREADY been a hit? Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t; sometimes it ends up in court! This episode, we’re looking at examples of all three. Our “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is, believe it or not, “And other bits of material” by Paper Lace, the most successful band to come out of Nottingham, UK. The hit single from the album, “The Night Chicago Died” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over three million copies! Who’d have thought it?
Bob Dylan, cover versions, Peter Paul and Mary, Leonard Cohen, Tainted Love, Without You, Led Zeppelin, Jake Holmes, Hallelujah, John Cale, RESPECT, Aretha Franklin | |||
| 24 Oct 2023 | REM - Another great band influenced by The Velvet Underground | 01:05:41 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! REM is often viewed by casual listeners as a lighter-style rock band. This is deceptive, with the band offering complex songs with obscure lyrics, brilliant playing, covers, and an incredible refusal to compromise. Mick and Jeff talk through REM's development from their rock cliche start – the singer, Michael Stipe, met guitarist Peter Buck in the record shop where Buck worked - to their becoming one of the biggest-ever bands in the world – all without selling out. MOJO Magazine called them "an ensemble growl adorned with heavenly harmonies" which describes perfectly how their beautiful melodies, with disaffected, jaded lyrics, were influenced by The Velvet Underground. In turn they influenced such key bands as Nirvana and Pavement, as well as Radiohead, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, The Pixies and The Smiths.
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| 11 Nov 2023 | Mathew Sweet - the music behind Susanna Hoffs, Austin Powers and The Simpsons | 01:03:58 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Matthew Sweet, an American guitarist, has had a criminally understated career, marked by a sensational solo album, “Girlfriend”, three terrific albums with Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles, “Under the Covers” (Vols 1, 2 and 3) and some very tasty soundtrack work, including the Austin Powers movies. In 2014, he also appeared as Apu’s singing voice in an episode of The Simpsons.
Our “Album you Must Hear Before you Die” is “Rid of Me” by P J Harvey. We hated it and can't pretend otherwise! She was, at one point, in a relationship with Nick Cave, who admitted that he “still had a certain amount of work to do on (his) understanding of the concept of monogamy.”
Jeff is totally impressed that Kid Rock’s built his own personal copy of The White House, with a gold elevator right in the middle. Of course, Kid Rock’s claim to fame is that he had a hit single which sampled Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London”.
___________________________________________________________ References: Michael Stipe, “Girlfriend”, “Evangeline”, “I’ve Been Waiting”, Girlfriend – musical/stage show, Robert Quine, Richard Lloyd, Television, Tuesday Weld, Susanna Hoffs, Under the Covers, “How Soon Is Now?”, “Austin Powers in Goldmember”, Lloyd Cole, "Chelsea Hotel", I'm Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen, “The Simpsons”
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| 25 Nov 2023 | Great Protest Music of our Time | 01:10:17 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We look at songs from a few of the major protest movements in our lifetime – racism, Vietnam, Ireland, Margaret Thatcher! From Woody Guthrie, through Springsteen and Dylan, to racism and Vietnam and the UK's Margaret Thatcher, to present-day Australia, we look at some of the great protest songs. Some of the stories behind those songs will take your breath away. Our “Album You Must Hear before You Die” this time is Talking Heads’ awesome “Remain in Light” from 1980. This album has been hailed as Talking Heads' greatest statement, the last and most accomplished of the trio of albums they recorded with Brian Eno (another of our idols). Seemingly timed to coincide with our review, the live movie “Stop Making Sense” has been completely restored and is in 4K on the big screen - 40 years on! We also talk about how Ed Kuepper achieves such a big sound in concert using a special edition Fender Stratocaster. There’s sure to be stuff you didn’t know here!
References: Ed Kuepper, Fender FSR Stratocaster X, Talking Heads, “Remain in Light”, Brian Eno, “Once in a Lifetime”, “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts”, USA – Vietnam, Women's & Black rights, Woody Guthrie, Springsteen, Cisco Houston, Bob Dylan, “Hurricane”, “Eve of Destruction”, Barry McGuire, “A Change is Gonna come”, Sam Cooke, “People Get Ready”, Curtis Mayfield, Rod Stewart & Jeff Beck, “Strange Fruit”, Billie Holliday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, NWA, Public Enemy, Buffalo Springfield / Steve Stills & Neil Young, “I Feel Like I'm fixin’ to die Rag”, Country Joe and the Fish, Edwin Starr, Give Peace a Chance, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Aretha Franklin, The Smiths, Billy Bragg, Elvis Costello, Robert Wyatt, The Cranberries, Midnight Oil, Goanna, Warumpi Band, Archie Roach
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| 09 Dec 2023 | 2023 - A great year for great music (from other years!) | 01:02:08 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We looked at some exceptional music this year, and Jeff inflicted some real crap on our listeners. Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Lou Reed, Ed Kuepper and Hallelujah – and that barely scratches the surface. And we got a new Globite School Case!
Books:
References: Dylan, Knebworth, The Doobie Brothers, Nico, New York, David Hurley, Yes, Jeff Buckley, Leonard Cohen, Kiss at Australian football grand final, The Smiths, Nirvana, Shane McGowan, Rod Stewart, Tracey Chapman, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before you Die, Robert Dimery, The Wall, Pink Floyd, So, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Remain in Light, Extreme Kayaking, Cookers, Influencers, Coachella, AI, Chat GPT, Bored Ape Yacht Club, Bitcoin, Donald Trump, Mr Beast, The Pixies, Steve Hackett, Sisters of Mercy, Underground Lovers, Nirvana, Nevermind, Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody, John Cale, Angels, Mi-Sex, Leaves Me Blind, The Number Ones, Tom Breihan, You Are Beautiful & You Are Alone, Jennifer Otter Bickerdike, SAHB Story, Martin Kielty, Half Deaf Completely Mad, Tony Cohen, Sound Man, Glyn Johns, A Life, Deborah Conway, The 250 Greatest Guitarists of all Time, Bali, Bintang, Alam Kul Kul
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| 27 Jan 2024 | Rolling Stone's "250 Greatest Guitarists of all Time" (well, some of them anyway!) | 01:25:18 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Rolling Stone just released “The 250 Greatest Guitarists of all Time”. Naturally, we take issue with the list, who's on it, who’s been left out, the balance, and everything else! We’re back for another season of opinionated comment on all things from the golden era of rock’n’roll. Hold on & enjoy the ride!
References: Rolling Stone’s “250 Greatest Guitarists”, Globite School Case, David Lindley, Mick Ronson, Shane MacGowan, Nick Cave, Wrecking Crew, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, Bob Mould, Shane McGowan’s funeral - YouTube Playlist - Greatest Guitarists – well, some of them, anyway! Rolling Stone Playlist Recommendations | |||
| 10 Feb 2024 | Stars that threw it all away with dumb decisions | 01:08:29 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! This week, we talk about successful artists who blew it all with dumb decisions. Youth, fame and amazing amounts of money – what could go wrong?
Our “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is the wonderful Aladdin Sane, by David Bowie. The cover artwork, featuring a lightning bolt across his face is one of the best-known images in rock, while the album marks Bowie’s tougher, heavier attempt to conquer America.
In Rock News, we hear about Gene Simmons, The Eagles, Iron Maiden, Journey, Judas Priest, Kansa, Lynard Skynyrd and ZZ Top, and raise the age-old question, “Why can’t the members of KISS just get along?”
Enjoy
References: David Bowie, “Aladdin Sane”, Ken Scott, The Jean Genie, Globite bag, George Best, MC Hammer, David Crosby, TLC, 50 Cent, Lauryn Hill, Fugees, “Killing Me Softly”, Meat Loaf, “Bat Out of Hell”, Ted Nugent, Billy Joel, Leif Garrett, Willie Nelson, Mick Fleetwood, Harry Nilsson, Michael Jackson, Peter Green, Bill Nighy, Billy Mack, Love Actually, Warren Zevon Episode Playlist - Fame is no guarantee against stupidity | |||
| 24 Feb 2024 | Brilliant albums poorly reviewed. How do critics get it so wrong? | 01:05:03 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Have you ever NOT bought an album based on a poor review? You’re not the only one! Would it shock you to learn that the critics likely know less than you about music?
This episode, we look at how often (supposed) expert critics got it so wrong with some of the best albums of our time. Victims of such poor efforts include Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, AC/DC and The Beatles!
We also start a new segment we think we’ll call, “The Crazy World of the Rock Gods”, where we look at things rock stars have done that are so absurd, you couldn't possibly make them up!
Enjoy.
References: Billy Idol, Keith Moon, James Brown, Rolling Stone, Led Zeppelin, “Abbey Road”, The Beatles, “Something”, George Harrison, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, “Wish You Were Here”, AC/DC, “High Voltage”, “Ram”, Paul McCartney, “Exile on Main St.”, The Rolling Stones, “Low”, David Bowie, “Harvest”, Neil Young, “Blood on the Tracks”, Bob Dylan, “Never Mind the Bοllocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols”, Sex Pistols, “Pretty Vacant”, “Bad”, Michael Jackson, “The Kick Inside”, Kate Bush, The Velvet Underground and Nico | |||
| 09 Mar 2024 | Husker Du, Sugar and Bob Mould | 01:03:43 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Bob Mould is the founding member of Husker Du, one of the most influential guitar bands of the 80’s. Husker Du’s wall-of-sound guitar approach was as influential as REM in creating alternative rock, and created an environment which allowed Nirvana, The Pixies and The Foo Fighters to succeed.
Dead Rappers | |||
| 23 Mar 2024 | Outrageous Tour Demands – You Can’t Make This Stuff Up! | 01:13:56 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We all know that rock and pop stars live in a different universe to us mere mortals. Many make strange demands for things that must be provided before they’ll perform a show.
Today, we look at stars’ demands – whether extreme or reasonable, or blindingly hilarious! You won’t believe some of them.
In Jeff's Rock News, Keith Richards has covered Lou Reed’s, “Waiting for the Man”, U2 has played a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, an unheard Jimi Hendrix song has been included in a time capsule placed on the moon, Deep Purple has released a 50th Anniversary video for “Smoke on the Water” featuring dragons and John Fogarty's Australian tour is cancelled.
Our “Album You Must Listen to Before You Die” is Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark’s “1981 debut, Architecture and Morality. We didn’t think much of it!
It’s fun episode. Enjoy.
References: Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, Architecture and Morality, Keith Richards, The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed, U2 Sphere Residency, Odysseus Moon lander, Space Blue, Deep Purple, Smoke On The Water, Machine Head, Dweezil Zappa, John Fogarty, tour demands, tour riders, Rock mythology, Rose Tattoo, Canterbury Leagues Club, Angry Anderson, “Paper fucking towels!”, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Frank Sinatra, Grace Jones, Metallica, Guns’n’Roses, Justin Bieber, Eminem, Peter Gabriel, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Iggy and The Stooges, Bob Hope impersonator, Van Halen, brown M&Ms, The Foo Fighters, Weird Al Yankovic | |||
| 07 Apr 2024 | "Songs for Drella": Lou Reed & John Cale's moving tribute to Andy Warhol | 00:57:29 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! “Songs for Drella”, Lou Reed & John Cale’s marvelous 1990 posthumous tribute to Andy Warhol, offers an intensely personal view of Warhol with songs and playing that rank among the finest in either man’s career. Their first collaboration since The Velvet Underground, nearly 20 years earlier, led to both artists vowing never to work with the other again. Our album today, suggested by listener Nick Farmer, is “El-Rayo-X" (1981) by multi-instrumentalist David Lindley. We hadn’t come across this album before, and we both agree it’s a lot of fun - mainly reggae-influenced beat, but clearly Californian. Lindley sounds familiar, probably because of his presence on albums by so many others we love – Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt to name but a few. In the segment, Lunacy, Legends and Lies we look at how Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi only stopped setting drummer Bill Ward on fire after Bill’s mum called Tony a "barmy bastard" who should "grow up", and recount how, in 1989, Slash ran naked and bleeding through a resort hotel after a hallucination. This episode has lots of stuff you may not have known before, and isn’t that the fun of it? References: The Factory, Banksy, Bowie, “Andy Warhol”, “15 minutes of fame”, Metallica, Master of Puppets, Stone Temple Pilots, MTV Unplugged, Valerie Solanis, Nico, “Waiting for the Man”, White Light/White Heat, “Words for the Dying“, Dylan Thomas, “New York”, The Church of St. Anne's Brooklyn, “Berlin”, Czechoslovakia, viola, “Fragments of a Rainy Season”, “Hallelujah”
Our email: MickandthePhatman@Gmail.com
Songs for Drella – Album Werewolves of London - David Lindley; Late Night with Jules Holland Fragments of a Rainy Season – John Cale | |||
| 21 Apr 2024 | Johnny Cash – A grand cornerstone of rock music | 01:12:58 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! This episode looks at Johnny Cash’s “The American Recordings”, a series of 6 albums released on American Records between 1994 and 2010. By 1994, when he signed to Rick Rubin’s American Records, it looked like Cash’s career was all but done. However, Rubin had other ideas and, over the next 10 years, worked with Cash to produce some of the most memorable work of his career. Part of this process involved Cash covering songs by some of the greatest artists of the late 20th Century - U2, Nine Inch Nails, Nick Cave, Tom Petty and Leonard Cohen. He’s not performing the songs in his usual country style, but simply as Johnny Cash. It’s a great story, with a fabulous playlist! Jeff's found 5 bands you would not believe exist, including Mac Sabbath, a parody of Black Sabbath with lyrics about fast food, and Shat, a band that is offensive in every possible way, whose lead singer’s costumes are draped with dildoes!
Our "Album you must listen to before you die" is “Arrival” by Abba. Reviewers weren’t convinced. Neither is Jeff. Have a listen and see what Mick thought. References: Winny Puhh, The Residents, Mac Sabbath, Shat, TISM, Taylor Swift, Tortured Poets Department, Abba, Arrival, American Records, Rick Rubin, Def Jam, Shel Silverstein, “A Boy Named Sue”, “Solitary Man”, The Highwaymen, The Man in Black, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, June Carter Cash, “Bitter Tears”, “Ballad of Ira Hayes”, Bruce Springsteen, “Highway Patrolman”, U2, Zooropa, “The Wanderer”, “Personal Jesus”, “The Mercy Seat”, “Streets of Laredo”, John Cale
Johnny Cash American Recordings – Full albums Johnny Cash – Our episode playlist Discogs’ listing of all 6 covers | |||
| 05 May 2024 | Jarrah McCleary/Panama - how artists earn money today - live interview | 01:26:12 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! This week, something a little different for you – our first live interview! Jarrah McCleary is an Australian musician - writer, songwriter & producer - whose music, a mix of synth-heavy sounds and beats to smooth electronica, is sometimes evocative of a smoky Fifties restaurant, and at other times, the coolest nightclubs. Starting out in Western Australia around 20 years ago, Jarrah has toured Australia and Europe, played the festival circuit in Europe and the UK and played the Big Day Out. We talk with Jarrah about his history and how he creates his work with his band Panama and how, more importantly, a musician like him makes a living in this modern world that doesn’t have physical albums fans can buy, far fewer venues where fans can see him play, and, often, a more remote atmosphere for collaboration with other musicians. Our “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse, and Jeff loves it. Jeff also brings us some Rock News with legal action against Rod Stewart kicking soccer balls into the crowd. We think you’ll like it.
References: Big Day Out, Rod Stewart, Back to Black, Tensnake | |||
| 21 May 2024 | Jethro Tull - killer riffs with a flute player standing on one leg | 01:02:05 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Jethro Tull is one of the stranger turns taken by rock music over more than 50 years. Mick and Jeff look back at some of the band’s best work, and, maybe, some of their strangest. The “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is Queen II, a sensational album released the year before Queen took over the world! Both Mick & Jeff love it! Jeff takes a look at what AI is doing to music. We’re not worried, because, as Joe Walsh says, AI can’t even trash a hotel room! While he's at it, Jeff then looks at who is “knocking on Heaven’s door” this month. Yet another very full episode! Professional Flautist watches Jethro Tull: https://youtu.be/0SCdFmSqcjk?si=gRbdG9nsk0rW4Od7 “Too Old to Rock & Roll / Too Young to die”
References: Queen II, EMI Records, Elektra Records, Trident Studios, Roy Thomas Baker, Jethro Tull, Marquee Club, flute, John Glasscock, Ian Anderson. Martin Barre, “Locomotive Breath”, “Aqualung”, “Loudermilk”, Ocean, “Thick as a Brick”, “Passion Play”, “Too Old to Rock & Roll / Too Young to die”, “Songs from the Wood”, “Heavy Horses”, “Broadsword and the Beast”, The Jethro Tull Christmas Album, Clive Bunker, John Glascock, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, salmon farming, Michael Stipe, Kirk Hammett, Nick Cave, Thick as a Brick 2: Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock?, “Jethro Tull: The Rock Opera”, “RökFlöte”, Norse mythology, “The Zealot Gene”
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| 10 Jun 2024 | Weird & Wonderful Collaborations | 01:15:16 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Musicians love to collaborate. We thought we'd have a look at some that are just great, some that are weird, and some that are simply awful! As usual, some you'll know, and some you won’t. Our “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is Pet Sounds, by The Beach Boys (1966). Long revered by musicians including The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, this album is a masterpiece of production and innovation. How do we fit it all into an hour?
References: Brian Wilson, Beach Boys, Pet Sounds, Capitol Records, Billboard, Sgt Pepper, Rubber Soul, LSD, “Good Vibrations”, Led Zeppelin, Sandy Denny, The Battle of Evermore, Aerosmith/Run-DMC, Walk This Way, Rick Rubin, Confessions of Dr Dream and other stories, Kevin Ayers, Nico, “Irreversible Neural Damage”, “With a Little Help From my Friends”, Joe Cocker, Jimmy Page, Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs, Bing Crosby, David Bowie, “Little Drummer Boy”, Kylie Minogue, Nick Cave, “Where The Wild Roses Grow”, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, “Raising Sand”, “Raise the Roof”, “Sentimental Hygiene”, Warren Zevon, Neil Young, The Party Boys, Peter Gabriel, “Don’t give Up”, Kate Bush, “So”, Melt, “Games without Frontiers”, “Screaming Jets”, Johnny Warman, The Sex Pistols, Ronnie Biggs, “No One Is Innocent”, The Great Rock’N’Roll Swindle, Pink Floyd, Roy Harper, “Have A Cigar”, Wish You Were Here, Nick Cave & Shane McGowan, “What a Wonderful World”, Freddie Mercury, Montserrat Caballe, “Barcelona", U2, Brian Eno, The Joshua Tree, “Miss Sarajevo”, “Passengers”, Johnny Cash, “Under Pressure”, Queen, Vanilla Ice, “Dancing in the Street”, Mick Jagger, Mike Garson, Aladdin Sane, Pete Townshend, “Because You’re Young”, Ann & Nancy Wilson (Heart) & Lisa Simpson, The Simpsons, REM, “End of the World”, Sesame Street, “Shiny Happy People”, Ozzy Osbourne & Miss Piggy, “Born to Be Wild”
Playlist - You'll really enjoy this one!! | |||
| 30 Jun 2024 | Nick Cave – From "Shivers" to 2024 solo piano & bass | 01:02:00 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Nick Cave. After a career that would exhaust a lesser man, he’s still recording and performing breathtaking work. Mick’s just seen him live with only his piano, and a bass guitar, and can’t stop raving! We look at how he started and the difference between his performances and attitudes then and now.
In other news, Lenny Kravitz is still sticking to his vow of celibacy, The Police’s Andy Summers declares that they were total babes, and The Angels are still releasing new work. Hmmm.......
References: Jarrah McCleary, Panama, Jethro Tull, The Prince of Darkness, Nick Cave, Wollongong Entertainment Centre, Lenny Kravitz, The Police, Andy Summers, The Angels, Christine Anu, Mark E Smith, The Fall, “music for surly virgins”, Boys Next Door, Caulfield Grammar, Mick Harvey, Phill Calvert, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Grinderman, “Lawless”, “And the Ass Saw the Angel”, Dogs in Space, "Shivers", “a murder of crows”, John Cooper Clarke, Rowland S Howard, Colin Greenwood, Radiohead, “Fragments of a Rainy Season”, John Cale, “Mercy Seat”, “Balcony Man”, The Seekers, “The Carnival is Over”, “Kicking against the Pricks”, The Big Day Out, “The Weeping Song”, The Good Son, Blixa Bargeld, Live Seeds, Red Right Hand, “Into Your Arms”, “Mutiny in Heaven”, Order of Australia, Coronation of Charles III
Playlists: YouTube Links
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| 28 Jul 2024 | Bands who changed their sound mid-career | 01:15:01 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! It’s not unusual for bands to change their sound or style as they move through their career. We take a look at bands that changed their sound substantially (or started a completely new sound) for a whole lot of reasons - from The Beatles, Bowie and Dylan and Black Sabbath through to Japan, The Cure and Split Enz. Our album you must hear before you die is Let it Bleed by The Rolling Stones. From the cover art to the great music it contains, this album from The Stones’ golden period leading into the 70’s - Sticky Fingers & Exile on Main Street - is a corker! In Rock News, Jeff updates us on The Sex Pistols, Ritchie Blackmore and Cyndi Lauper, while our Ozzy Osbourne report has Sharon telling us that “If a bomb dropped there would be cockroaches, Keith Richards and Ozzy!”
Enjoy.
References: The Sex Pistols, Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple, Blackmore’s Night, Candice Night, Cyndi Lauper, The Police, Spotify, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, John Lennon’s guitar, Ozzy Osbourne, Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones, Let it Bleed, Jimmy Miller, Brian Jones, Mick Taylor, “Gimme Shelter”, “Midnight Rambler”, “Love in Vain”, “You can’t always get what you want”, “Honky Tonk Woman”, Beggars Banquet, The Beatles, The Quarrymen, Lonnie Donegan, Revolver, Sgt Peppers, Paul MacCartney, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, The Bee Gees, “New York Mining Disaster”, “Stayin’ Alive”, David Bowie, “Love you ‘til Tuesday", “The Laughing Gnome”, art-rock, glam, Bob Dylan, T-Rex, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Japan, Jimi Hendrix, Chitlin’ Circuit, Split Enz, Neil Finn, Tim Finn, The Cure, Billy Joel, Black Sabbath, “Black Sabbath”, The Animals, “The House of the Rising Sun”, Isaac Hayes, “Theme from Shaft”, Pixies, “Monkey Gone to Heaven”, Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Bush John Lennon on Dick Cavett Show
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| 08 Sep 2024 | The strange ways some bands got their names | 01:16:59 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! All bands need a name, but the process of getting that name is different for each band. This episode, we look at how a bunch of well-known bands got their names. Some are amusing, some are horrifying, some are dark or seedy – be ready for surprises! Our “album you must listen to before you die” is Arc of a Diver, by Stevie Winwood (1980). This was a formative album during our youth, and with this million-selling album and its hit single “While You See a Chance”, Winwood was a major influence on other people we love, such as Marianne Faithfull. In other news, we look at Nick Cave’s new album, Wild God, Bruce Springsteen back on tour, and Neil Young releasing Archives Vol. III, a 17-CD box set featuring 198 tracks. Wow! References: Oasis, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, INXS, Guns n Roses, Bee Gees, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Fleetwood Mac, Joy Division, Nazi camps, 10CC, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Steely Dan, The Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa, The Doobie Brothers, Rammstein, Ramstein air show tragedy, Husker Du, The Velvet Underground, Depeche Mode, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Boris Karloff, The Foo Fighters, The Angels, The Beatles, The Quarrymen, The Silver Beetles, Tony Sheridan & the Beat Brothers, Buddy Holly & The Crickets, Pink Floyd, Pink Anderson & Floyd Council, “Oh by the way, which one’s Pink?”, Cheap Trick, Slade, ZZ Top, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Talking Heads, Shakespeare’s Sister, The Bay City Rollers, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Tim Staffell, “Smile”, Freddie Mercury, The Band, The Hawks, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Barenaked Ladies, Jethro Tull, U2, The Hype, Beach Boys, The Pendeltons, "Surfin'", Blue Öyster Cult, “On Your Feet or on Your Knees”, Shetland Islands
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| 22 Sep 2024 | Down the Rabbit Hole - Things we find on the Web | 01:20:08 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! In today’s episode, we look at how social media gives us a grab-bag of people’s memories of stars and some who weren’t quite so successful, or scarcely successful at all. Nonetheless, they are remembered by some and lionised on social media. The other side of "on-line" is the channels that present video imagery of any and everything, such as YouTube, TikTok and so on. Jeff presents a bunch of interesting links for you to investigate. In “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, we lament the passing of such greats as David Sanbourn, John Mayall, as well as a couple of guys who have played beneath the radar for most of their career but still worked with giants like Frank Zappa, Jean-Luc Ponty, Ray Charles, Steve Hackett, and many others. Our “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is John Mayall’s “Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton” from 1966. The album featured John Mayall, Eric Clapton, John McVie (Fleetwood Mac) and Hughie Flint (Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band) and marks the start of Clapton’s legend as a British guitar god.
References: social media, Nick Cave, “Australian bands from the 60’s - 90’s”, music nostalgia, Mi-Sex, Graffiti Crimes, Kevin Stanton, “Computer Games”, Space Race, “Live at the Wireless”, Kransky Sisters, Second Thoughts, Split Enz, Mental Notes, “Stranger than fiction”, Husker Du, Bob Mould, Greg Norton, Tim Walz, The Angels, Selina’s, Coogee Bay Hotel, cost of stadium tours, Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, Mick Conway, My Wahini in Wangaratta, Tamam Shud, The Dynamic Hepnotics, A Soul Kind of Feeling, Quora, Reddit, YouTube, "What's In My Bag?", Amoeba Music, Professor of Rock, Rick Beato, Playing For Change, the Needle Drop, Top 5 Record, Billy the Mountain, (Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention), Aynsley Dunbar, Howard Kaylan & Mark Volman, The Turtles, Anthony Amaratti, Muiris Mac Cartaine
Links: Amoeba Music - What's In My Bag? | |||
| 07 Oct 2024 | Albums we regret buying | 01:15:07 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! As we grew up, music was the most important thing there was. As part of that, we bought some albums that weren’t great, and time has generally proven our assessments right! This episode, we talk about some of those "dud" albums, by artists like Bowie, U2, Led Zeppelin, Golden Earring, Neil Young, Alice Cooper, Phil Collins and Yes, to name but a few. In Rock News, we talk about a Filipino family who perform Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love with uncanny precision and an auction of Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie’s memorabilia, wardrobe and belongings. Our “Album You Must Listen to Before You Die” is Dire Straits’ monster 1985 hit, “Brothers in Arms”. Released at a time when Dire Straits could do no wrong, this album sold over 30 million copies worldwide and went 9 times platinum in the US alone. We damn it with faint praise. A Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin Cover by Missioned Soulsyoutu.be The Bridge: Neil Young Tribute Album
References: Kenwood KA9800 amp, Pioneer PL518 direct drive turntable, Cerwin Vega 15-inch 2 way speaker, Ripper, Sounds of 79, Bowie Pinups, Diamond Dogs, “Candidate”, drugs, Spiders from Mars, “Sorrow”, Scarey Monsters (and Super Creeps), U2: Songs of Innocence, iTunes, Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, Neil Young, Trans, Geffen, “Mr. Soul”, Buffalo Springfield, “Computer Age”, Sonic Youth, “The Bridge”, Golden Earring, Moontan, “Radar Love”, Alice Cooper Goes to Hell, Yes, Yessongs Live, Phil Collins, Face Value, Lou Reed, Metal Machine Music, Pete Townshend, Psychoderelict, The Beatles, Naked, Led Zeppelin, In through the Out Door, “In the Evening”, “All my Love” | |||
| 19 Oct 2024 | "Scary Monsters" - the last great album David Bowie made | 01:12:05 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! David Bowie’s “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)” is, for many fans, his last great album. Mick regards it as one of Bowie’s best, while “Ashes to Ashes” is Bowie's confession to a decade of hedonism. Mick and Jeff talk through what makes this album great, and look at the music environment as Bowie, along with many other 70’s greats, faced the changes in a new decade. “Knockin’ on Heaven's Door” offers a long line of new entrants to Rock’n’Roll Heaven including Herbie Flowers, Tito Jackson, Kris Kristofferson and Liam Payne from One Direction. Our Album You Must Listen to Before you Die, fresh from Robert Dimery’s book, is Dexy’s Midnight Runners’ “Don't Stand Me Down”, a massive failure on release in 1985 but receiving a fresh critical re-evaluation in modern times. We didn’t like it! Not least because of their complete rip-off of “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon. Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) - just the album Bowie interview - “My Phil Collins Years” Bowie – Ashes to Ashes live on Jools Holland Other References Alt Rock Chick – fabulous insightful reviews across the rock spectrum
References: Angie Bowie, Eno, Lodger, Outside, Joy Division, Kate Bush, Gary Numan, New Romantic, “Are “Friends Electric?”, The Pleasure Principle, “Cars”, “It’s No Game”, Pete Townshend, “Because You’re Young”, Robert Fripp, “Heroes”, Carlos Alomar, George Murray, Dennis Davis, Tony Visconti, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Edward Bell, Pierrot, "Ashes to Ashes", Brian Duffy, Natasha Korniloff, Lindsay Kemp, Pierrot in Turquoise, Berlin Trilogy, Phil Collins, Let’s Dance, Nile Rodgers, “In the air tonight”, Alt Rock Chick, Major Tom, Fripp’s skronky guitar work, “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)”, “Fashion”, “Scream Like a Baby”, “Kingdom Come”, Tom Verlaine, Neil Young, “Hey Hey My My” | |||
| 02 Nov 2024 | Nick Lowe - What's so funny? | 01:01:13 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! This episode spends time with Nick Lowe, a British performer, who started out with pub rock band, Brinsley Schwarz, and Dave Edmunds’ Rockpile. Lowe’s solo career has produced a huge bunch of great songs – many of which you’ve heard, even if you’ve not heard of him - which have been hits for him AND covered by some amazing people! A suggestion from listener Nick from Victoria, this episode was the most fun we’ve had for some time! Rock News features some standards – Oasis touring (yeah, right!), a new single and album from The Cure, Ozzy Osbourne inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and The Eagles playing a 10-week residency in Las Vegas. Yep, more of the same! Our “Album You Must Listen to Before you Die” is Doggystyle (1993) by Snoop Doggy Dogg. We decide “Who cares?”. Instead, we talk about Snoop Dogg’s presence in TV and movies since the 90’s, including the 2024 Olympics!
References: Brinsley Schwarz, Dave Edmunds, Rockpile, punk, Oasis, Ozzy, The Cure, Robert Smith, The Eagles, Classic Countdown, Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, Globite travel bag, Nick Lowe, Warren Zevon, ‘6 degrees of Kevin Bacon’, Carlene Carter, Johnny Cash, 1001 Albums You Must Listen to Before you Die, Robert Dimery, Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., Snoop Doggy Dogg, Doggystyle, “What’s So Funny (’Bout Peace, Love and Understanding)?”, Jesus of Cool”, “Labour of Lust”, “Marie Provost”, “Lifes Rich Pageant”, REM, Chrissy Hynde, Warren Zevon, alcohol problems, Producer, The Damned, “New Rose”, Elvis Costello, “Basher”, “Bay City Rollers, We Love You”,
Spotify Playlist – Best of Nick Lowe ________________________________________________ | |||
| 16 Nov 2024 | Were the 80’s really that bad? | 00:58:27 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! The 80's is a decade with many musical failings. But they produced some great music, too. This episode, we look at what Rolling Stone magazine considers to be the best songs of the 80’s. We have criticised Rolling Stone in the past for the quality of their lists, and this time is no different. However, there’s some good stuff in this list, which we’re happy to acknowledge. Of course, we point out their failings as well – it'd be no fun if we didn’t, would it?! In Rock News, we look at a new album from Coldplay (as if anybody cares!), the trials of Sean “Puffy” Combs, and The Beatles. Our “Album You Must listen to Before you Die” is 1985’s The Nation’s Saving Grace, by The Fall. Mick loves it, Jeff doesn’t think much of it. So, what’s new? Another fun episode. Enjoy.
References: Rolling Stone magazine, 80’s, Coldplay, ‘Moon Music', No 1 album, Sean Diddy Coombs, Puff Daddy, Diddy, Cassie Ventura, Beatlemania, Beatles '64, David Tedeschi, Disney+, The Fall, The Nations Saving Grace, John Leckie, Mark E Smith, Can, German, krautrock, Damo Suzuki, DoubleJay, TripleJ, Prince, ‘Kiss’, Madonna, ‘Like a Prayer’, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, ‘The Message’, Michael Jackson, ‘Billie Jean’, Public Enemy, ‘Bring the Noise’, Whitney Houston, ‘How Will I Know?”, The Go-Gos, ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’, Duran Duran, ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’, Kate Bush, ‘Running Up That Hill’, The Smiths, ‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’, Husker Du, Minutemen, rap artists, Bowie, Depeche Mode, Culture Club, Clash, Neneh Cherry, U2, Joy Division, AC/DC, “Hell’s Bells”, INXS, “Never Tear Us Apart”, Apple music streaming, Leonard Cohen, Tower of Song, Sisters of Mercy, “This Corrosion”, “Floodland”, Jim Steinman, “New Big Prinz”, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Relax", Cher, “If I Could Turn Back Time”, Missouri, Bow Wow Wow, “I Want Candy”, Haysi Fantaysee, “Shiny Shiny”, Countdown, Falco, “Rock Me, Amadeus”, A-Ha, “Take on me”, Nena, 99 Luftballon, Kim Carnes, “Bette Davis Eyes”, Shriekback, “Nemesis", parthenogenesis, Samantha Fox, Africa, Toto
This is our usual playlist, where we curate a list to play what we’ve talked about in the episode Playlist – Spotify’s complete list
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| 30 Nov 2024 | Creedence Clearwater Revival – what really happened? | 01:05:01 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Everyone knows and loves Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their run of hits at the end of the '60’s, and their enduring popularity, has rarely been equaled. Not so well-known is the story of the clashes that caused their run to end so abruptly. We take a look at how the band split and the many personal and legal issues that led to it. It ain’t pretty! Well, we also kept our promise and listened to the new Coldplay album, “Moon Music”. How did it sound to us? Regular listeners won't be surprised at our reaction! In Rock News, we look some more at the issues surrounding Diddy, and look at the problems with the "stage hole" in Melbourne. Our Album You Must Listen to Before You Die is 1977’s “Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf. Such a great album!!
References: Houston Bernard, “Dancing in the Dirt”, Puff Daddy, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Chris Martin, Marvel Stadium, Music of the Spheres, Olivia Rodrigo, Donald Trump sneakers, Meat Loaf, Bat Out of Hell, Todd Rundgren, You took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, Jim Steinman, Rocky Horror Picture Show, car sex, El Cerruto California, Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, The Blue Velvets, Tom Fogerty, Fantasy Records, Casey Kasem, Credence Newball, Olympia beer, CCR, Dale Hawkins’ Susie Q, Apocalypse Now, Woodstock, Bad Moon Rising, Proud Mary, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?", Hammond B3 organ, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, “Fortunate Son”, Trump (the) fortunate son, An American Werewolf in London, Evan Almighty, Keith Richards, Saul Zaentz, Allen Klein, “The Royal Albert Hall Concert”, Concord Records, Rockin’ All Over the World, Status Quo, Asylum, Warner Bros, Centerfield, Zanz Kan’t Dance, Mr. Greed, “Mardi Gras”, Rolling Stone (Jon Landau), “Classic Album Review”, “The 10 Worst Albums Ever”, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Pop, Chronicle, US Top 200, Glenn Barros, The Long Road Home
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| 14 Dec 2024 | 2024 - Yet another year of great stories & music! | 01:09:15 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Well, this is the last episode of Season 4, and once again, it’s been a ball of fun (and music). 4 years and still going strong – bigger and better than ever! We look back at “Knockin’ on Heaven's Door” and "Rock News", as well as some of our favourite episodes. We recall some of the albums we’ve listened to (before we die), some of the shows we’ve seen, some of the books we’ve bought and some of Mick’s fluffs! We also talk about what we might do next year – more interviews, more covers, maybe a list or two. So much to look forward to!
References: Globite, Tyka Nelson, Peter Sinfield, King Crimson, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Nick Cave in Krakow, 1001 Albums You Must Listen to Before you Die, Robert Dimery, Kevin Rowlands, PJ Harvey, musician interviews, Jarrah McCleary, Panama, Duke Dumont, “dance cry”, Nick Lowe, Buzzsprout "Send us a message”, Ed Kuepper, Thus Spake the king of Euro Disco, They Might Be Giants, Tim Freedman (The Whitlams), The Animals, Bob Mould, Crowded House, Sydney Opera House, Rockwiz, Jesus Christ Superstar, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Half Deaf & Completely Mad”, Tony Cohen, John Olson, “Icons of Rock”, Jenny Boyd, “Us & Them”, Mark Blake, Hipgnosis, Bowie, Scary Monsters, “Teenage Wasteland”, “Teenage Wildlife”, Clash, Joe Strummer, John Lydon, Shirley Strachan, Huggy Bear, Starsky and Hutch, Antonio Fargas, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Mi-Sex, Graffiti Crimes, 250 Greatest Guitarists, How critics get it so wrong, Rob Younger, Radio Birdman | |||
| 25 Jan 2025 | Great Debut Albums | 01:33:59 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Every band/artist has to have a first album. Sometimes those albums are good, sometimes they’re not, and sometimes they just show potential. This episode, we look at some first albums over the gamut of the rock era that we regard as great, including some Australian albums. You've probably heard of most, but not all. In rock news, we look at Neil Young, The Wiggles (yes!), Joe Bonamassa, Jethro Tull and Billboard's new list – The Top 200 Albums of the 21st Century. Our Album You Must Hear before You Die is Paris 1919 by John Cale. Mick regards this elegant 1973 album from the Velvet Underground co-founder as a stunning listen, and a great intro to John Cale. Chris Thomas’ production is, as usual, precise, while Cale presents some wonderful imagery in the lyrics.
Playlist – Everything we talked about in this episode | |||
| 08 Feb 2025 | Could anybody really cover Bowie's "Heroes"? | 01:14:02 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! In case you hadn’t noticed, we love a good cover version! This episode, we’re looking at covers - staples, covers from strange sources, and some songs that have had a LOT of covers, including a bunch of covers of David Bowie's “Heroes”, one of Mick's favourite songs of all time. Our Album You Must Hear before You Die is “Is This It?” by The Strokes. This punk/Britpop-influenced album got rave reviews on release in 2001 from Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, and New Musical Express. We’re not convinced. In Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, we mourn the loss of Wayne Osmond (of the Osmond Brothers), Chad Morgan, the Aussie country great, and Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary. We hope they get to sing a rousing chorus of “Puff the Magic Dragon together. As usual, there’s heaps of fun. Enjoy!! Playlist (all the songs and artists referenced in the episode)
References: Heroes, REM, Leonard Cohen, “Suzanne”, “Hallelujah", Bob Dylan, “All along the Watchtower”, "If Not for You”, Olivia Newton-John, Johnny Cash, American Recordings, “All the Young Dudes”, Mott the Hoople, Ian Hunter, XTC, White Music, “This is Pop”, Devo, “(I can’t get no) Satisfaction”, Zoot, “Eleanor Rigby”, Rick Springfield, Howard Gable, Alison Durbin, 801, “Tomorrow Never Knows”, ” 801 Live, "You Really Got Me”, Ministry, “Lay Lady Lay”, Al Jourgenson, “Heartbreak Hotel”, Elvis Presley, John Cale, June 1, 1974, Slow Dazzle, Fragments of a Rainy Season, Nirvana, "The Man Who Sold The World", “Unplugged”, Mick Ronson, Linda Ronstadt, “Different Drum”, Stone Ponies, Mike Nesmith, “You’re No Good”, “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”, Cowboy Junkies, “Sweet Jane”, Fine Young Cannibals, “Suspicious Minds”, Talking Heads, “Take Me to The River”, Elvis Costello, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding”, George Benson, “On Broadway”, Mia Dyson, “The Passenger”, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Sara Blasko, “Flame Trees”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, Reg Livermore, “Celluloid Heroes”, The Kinks, Peter Gabriel, Scratch My Back, I’ll Scratch Yours, Motorhead, David Hasselhoff, Blondie, Oasis, Nico, Moby (with Mindy Jones), Phillip Glass, “Superman”, Lifes Rich Pageant, “There She Goes Again”, “Pale Blue Eyes”, “First we take Manhattan”, | |||
| 01 Mar 2025 | A conversation with Radio Birdman's Rob Younger | 01:31:33 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! A special treat for you this episode! Rob Younger, lead singer of legendary Australian group, Radio /Birdman, joins us in the studio to give us his thoughts on everything from music production to the influence of the Beatles on all rock music. Rob’s near-encyclopedic knowledge of the rock era is impressive, and it's eye-opening to hear his opinions on the shameful treatment of Stevie Wright (The Easybeats), the lyrics of Jim Morrison and Robert Plant, and guitarists "wanking" on stage, with plenty of stops in-between. The conversation went so long, we had to split it into 2 fascinating parts! We had a blast talking to Rob, and hope you do, too. Playlist: Radios Appear References: Radio Birdman, New Christs, Nick Cave, Pere Ubu, influence of The Beatles, McCartney vs Lennon, Led Zeppelin, John Bonham's drumming, Australian music of the 70's, Oxford Hotel, Frank Zappa, Died Pretty | |||
| 07 Mar 2021 | However it sounds, we lived through it! | 00:25:45 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! This podcast is two guys born and bred in suburban Australia, whose opinions about music have been shaped by lots of concerts and shows, and rock music since their early teens. They discuss music and artists that made it into their collections in a fun, conversational style. Recommended Listening Web sites: Klaus Voorman artworks: www.voormann.com Carol Kaye: www.carolkaye.com Polaroid in Concert reference (AC/DC & Skyhooks): http://www.ac-dc.net/archive/acdc_tour_history.php?date_id=140 We’d love to know what you think of the podcast, what you’d like to hear us talk about, ask questions, or even let us know if we got something wrong!! | |||
| 14 Mar 2021 | Queen - Reproducing "Bohemian Rhapsody" live, with no digital effects | 00:31:20 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Queen had just released “Bohemian Rhapsody” in 1976, with a ground-breaking film clip, and the question was, “Can they play the clip live?”. Well, they not only did it, but they blew everyone's socks off! Mick and the Phatman were there and recall one of the best concerts ever seen in Australia. From Freddy Mercury appearing in silhouette, to a leap straight into a perfect recreation of the "rock" part of the song they showed 5,000 awestruck Aussies how it was done! References: Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody, Sugar, Copper Blue, Bob Mould, Husker Du, ABBA, Toto, Frenzal Rhomb and a show with Bo Diddley, Sherbet and Cold Chisel all on the one bill. Recommended Listening _______________________________________________________________________________________ | |||
| 14 Mar 2021 | Nick Cave - his early days | 00:31:00 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!
We talk about his early work up to what many fans regard as perhaps THE definitive Nick Cave song, “The Mercy Seat” - the confused, pleading thoughts of a man on death row, about to go to the electric chair. Mick's seen him perform the song many times with controlled intensity, building over the song’s five minutes or so. Like much of Cave’s work, it’s an ensemble song, and Cave's turn at 1993 "The Big Day Out" was a highlight. Johnny Cash covered "The Mercy Seat" in 2000, performing it simply, making it his own without losing Cave from the song. "It doesn't matter what anyone says,' remarked Cave, 'Johnny Cash recorded my song." References: Warren Zevon, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, REM, The Tigerlilies, music on soundtracks Recommended Listening | |||
| 28 Mar 2021 | Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie's breakthrough album | 00:42:40 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Released in 1972, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" was David Bowie's breakthrough album. In a world that had run out of resources and had only five years left, Ziggy Stardust is an alien creature who becomes a rock star with all that entails. When Bowie first toured Australia in 1978, he played five songs from Ziggy Stardust. On later tours, he dropped those songs in favour of later work such as "Station to Station", and "Heroes". References: David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust, Station to Station, Heroes, Mick Ronson, The Monkees
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| 25 Mar 2021 | Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps" - His best ever? | 00:45:10 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Late-70’s, Neil Young produced what many (including Mick!) regard as his finest album - Rust Never Sleeps. In a productive burst, he produced that album, a live album featuring many of its songs, and released a live concert movie called, coincidentally, "Rust Never Sleeps". The boys went to town by train to see “Rust Never Sleeps”. They talk about the highlights, like the Star Wars-influenced stage sets, and the 70's retrospective set list. They also compare the concert movie to the times they've seen Neil Young live in concert, including the Greendale tour nearly thirty years later. This week: Neil Young in concert, Live Rust, The Last Waltz, The Tubes, Jethro Tull, Skyhooks, Supertramp, Paul Stanley Check out the playlist | |||
| 12 Apr 2021 | "Stranded" - The high point for Roxy Music? | 00:45:06 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Stranded, Roxy's third album, released in 1973, is arguably their best album, with subsequent albums showing a slow but gradual decline in quality. References: Roxy Music, Stranded, TV Themes, Mi-Sex, Ultravox, Brian Eno, Record covers, Rick Wakeman _____________________________________________________________ | |||
| 28 Apr 2021 | The Velvet Underground and Nico | 00:49:06 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! This is one of THE most influential rock & roll albums ever. Brian Eno noted that “it didn’t sell many copies but everyone who bought it went and formed a band.” Stylistically, their influence is enormous. REM started with a sound very much like VU & a bunch of VU covers. Mazzy Star's sound has everything distorted at 11 with the volume turned down, and, on Hunky Dory, Bowie noted “some VU White Light returned with thanks”. We talk about the songs' gritty NY style, much of it about drugs, and contrast that with the California sounds of the time. We also talk about Lou Reed's songwriting, with beautiful, tender lyrics in a song like "I'll be your Mirror" at the same time as those of a song like "Heroin"! References: The Velvet Underground, Matthew Sweet, Eno, Rick Wakeman, Andy Warhol, Lou Reed, Matthew Sweet, Susanna Hoffs and Victor Bockris. Rick Wakeman: https://youtu.be/AXlZ0x0Ghrk Matthew Sweet: https://open.spotify.com/album/4F71ROKxuStS3pwxVkJIcH?si=QMIYBNUDRFmJDz1p_19t7A __________________________________________________________________________ | |||
| 14 May 2021 | Countdown: The show that shaped the 70s | 00:43:54 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! In the 70’s and 80’s, the USA had MTV, England had Top of the Pops, but Australia had Countdown. The show featured an amalgam of film clips, live music and interviews with Australian and overseas acts, all with a live studio audience. We religiously rushed home by 6.00 pm on Sundays to watch the show while our parents made themselves scarce. The conversation on Monday morning was, “Did you see who was on Countdown last night?” Host, Ian "Molly" Meldrum, a shambolic interviewer, but a true believer in what he was doing, knew so much about music that bands WANTED him to interview them. Countdown definitely played a part in the building of Aussie bands like The Angels, AC/DC, Split Enz, Sherbet, Skyhooks, and helped build the profile of such mega-stars as Rod Stewart, Elton John, Duran Duran. It was even a key element in the huge success of Abba! References: Countdown (TV program), Cold Chisel, Molly Meldrum, Sherbet, Skyhooks, Midnight Oil, AC/DC, Angels, Bo Diddley, Station to Station, David Bowie, Alice’s Restaurant, spoken word tracks We compare 1974 's Top 10 singles to the Top 10 in April 2021 HumDrum with Iggy Pop | |||
| 27 May 2021 | Lou Reed: Why does Jeff think “Berlin" is depressing? | 00:50:04 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! After leaving The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed produced two albums - Transformer and Berlin – based around songs he'd worked on with VU. Transformer showed Reed’s caustic wit and observation of the seamy culture around him. "Walk on the Wild Side", a huge hit in 1973, featured drugs, oral sex and transvestism, and yet often features in advertising? Don’t ad agency creatives listen to the words!? Berlin, Reed’s response to the demands of success, is a grittier, darker album that didn't do well on first release. Reviewers called it “disappointing”, “too dark” and “a disaster”, but it has been consistently one of Reed’s most popular albums. Mick and the Phatman don’t agree about Berlin. Mick says it's a masterpiece while the Phatman says it's a morbidly depressing pile of steaming chords. References in this program: Lou Reed, Kali Uchis, Deep Purple, Space Truckin', Bob Ezrin, Bowie, Berlin, Transformer, Slade, Gary Glitter, Transformer, Andy Warhol, Mick Ronson, Walk on the Wild Side, Songs for Drella, John Cale, David Bowie _____________________________________ Contact us | |||
| 09 Jun 2021 | Crowded House. Do New Zealand bands like being called "Australian"? | 00:46:26 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Crowded House arose from the ashes of Split Enz, a NZ band but Australian by adoption, where they were huge. After Split Enz, Neil Finn went to LA, where he put together a band he planned to call "The Mullanes". However, Capitol, their US label, wanted a “better” name. They were all living together in one house rehearsing, so, voila!, “Crowded House”. | |||
| 23 Jun 2021 | Warren Zevon - "Please don't dance. These songs are kinda personal." | 00:44:36 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Warren Zevon, hailed by Bruce Springsteen as “one of the great, great American songwriters”, is like a Greek tragedy, where everything that could happen to him, happened - and it was all his own fault! He was a musician's songwriter, whose simple songs were masterpieces of technique, full of characters, and, often, achingly beautiful love songs. He had his demons, and was not afraid of baring his soul to his audience, once saying, “I’d prefer you didn't dance; these songs are kind of personal”. You can always count on finding great lyrics, like where he's “so confused / (he) can't tell the salt from the wound” We’re Zevon fan-boys. Wherever you start listening to his work, you’ll always be rewarded by wonderful songs. Also featured: Zevon, Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Glockenspiel, Serge Gainsbourg, Isaac Hayes, 1978 Top 40, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt & Jackson Browne Book “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” - Crystal Zevon | |||
| 07 Jul 2021 | Warren Zevon - a Greek tragedy from LA | 00:40:29 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! There's so much to Warren Zevon's story that we needed to split him over 2 episodes. The story of Zevon, hailed by Bruce Springsteen as “one of the great, great American songwriters”, is like a Greek tragedy, where everything that could happen to him, happened - and it was all his own fault! Zevon, an American based in LA, was a musician's songwriter. His songs seemed simple but were masterpieces of technique. He worked with key artists, like Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, REM, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Live, he wasn't afraid of baring his soul to his audience, once saying, “I’d prefer you didn't dance; these songs are kind of personal”; or wryly introducing a song, “Here’s a song that brings back a lot of memories. For me, anyway.” On top of this, his love songs were often achingly beautiful. Songs such as "Reconsider Me”, for Crystal, his ex-wife and the love of his life, and “Hasten down the wind” - “She’s so many women, he can’t find the one who was his friend.” You can always count on finding great lyrics. In “Desperadoes Under the Eaves”, he states that “if California slides into the ocean / Like the mystics and statistics say it will/I predict this motel will be standing/Until I pay my bill”; in “Bed of Coals”, he's "too old to die young / and too young to die now” and in "Poisonous Lookalike", he's “so confused /(he) can't tell the salt from the wound” and refers to “Little Miss Gun-to-a-Knife-Fight". Mick has been listening to Kina Grannis, who does a lovely, moody version of Elvis' "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" . The Phatman has been listening to Neil Young's "Lotta Love", by Nicolette Larson. Nicolette did a lot of work with Neil Young but unfortunately died from an overdose of paracetamol. References: Warren Zevon, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, Bruce Springsteen, REM, Fleetwood Mac “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” - Crystal Zevon
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| 22 Jul 2021 | The COVID LockDown Episode | 00:59:04 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We’re in lockdown, so we look back at our first dozen episodes, including some lovely feedback that called us a “rollicking podcast (fuelled by) decades-worth of accumulated music knowledge (and) deceptively casual banter.” Another said that “there’s no hiding the expertise of Mick and Jeff, as they poke and prod into obscure music trivia”. Nice. This podcast allows us to share our excitement for the music we love. It's more a case of “isn’t this cool” than “we know stuff”! We're just guys who love music - not professionals, not journalists, not radio/TV people, not even music industry people (except for the many thousands of dollars we’ve invested over the years!). Only 1 in 3 podcasts last beyond the first 10 episodes, so at 13, we’re already a success! The next few episodes will be really interesting:
Stay with us over coming months for some really interesting fun, and controversial opinions. Recommend us If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with a friend who loves music. Or subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating to help our audience grow. ___________________________________________________ Pandemic Movies | |||
| 07 Aug 2021 | The Angels - Our favourite Aussie pub rock band | 00:42:58 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! The Angels are close to the best of the 80’s Aussie Guitar Bands. Their shows were a non-stop blast of high energy, with twin guitarists, Rick and John Brewster, standing totally still in sunglasses, while movement on stage was centred around Doc Neeson. Most Angels songs featured a solid riff over a pounding rhythm line underpinning Neeson's rapid-fire/machine gun/perfect diction vocal delivery. Sometimes Doc adopted a (hyper-Energiser Bunny!) “robotic” style of movement – take a look at the clip of “Take a Long Line” at Latrobe Uni in 1979, or live at Narara in 1983. We saw The Angels many times and each show was a highlight. Their first gig in Sydney, playing a radio station promo show under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Supporting Bowie when singer Doc Neeson climbed Bowie's PA. At Sundowners, a pub in south-western Sydney, Mick took off his shirt after 3 songs to find it still soaking wet at the end of the show! The audience got into the act, too. “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again", became a fan favourite with an expletive-laden live crowd response of “No way, get fucked, fuck off”. This chant has been described by The Guardian's Darryl Mason as "one of the most famous in Australian rock history". Mick's been listening to Type O Negative's slow, heavy cover of Seals & Croft’s “Summer Breeze”, and The Phatman has been listening to They Might Be Giants' Flood album with great songs like "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", and "Birdhouse in Your Soul". What do you think of the podcast? What would you like us to talk about? Links: Angels Live at Narara
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| 21 Aug 2021 | And Then There Were Five: Genesis at their best | 01:03:55 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Genesis, Selling England by the Pound, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Ramones, Mr Mercedes, Rick Rubin, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, Bowie, Elton John, Brian Eno Mick, 's been listening to the soundtrack of “Mr. Mercedes”, produced by Stephen King, who's big on music! Mick finds it hilarious that a song about one King story - The Ramones' “Pet Sematary” - is featured in a soundtrack for another. Also featuring songs by Radiohead, REM, Black Keys, Leonard Cohen, Jackson Browne, Randy Newman, Pixies The Phatman has been watching "McCartney 321" with Rick Rubin, one of the great record producers, and one we've previously covered in a couple of episodes. Paul talks about "Sgt Pepper" and how Jimi Hendrix paid the ultimate compliment to The Beatles by performing the title track live in London, a few days after its release. This week, we'll talk about how great a band Genesis was before they splintered after "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" in the mid-70's. Genesis – a 70’s band generally classified as “progressive” - have been described b6y Jon Michaud, in The New Yorker as “Peter Gabriel dressed in a flower costume while singing ten- and twenty-minute songs that sounded like excerpts from Gilbert and Sullivan operas as reimagined by Lewis Carroll” . The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is often regarded by Genesis fans as their best complete work. A concept album, it's an immersive piece with a complex story featuring a load of mythical elements. Unlike their earlier albums, this album was specially targeted at the US, with very many American cultural references, inspired by a 200-date tour they did to support Selling England by the Pound. We talk about the origins of the "gated/distance mic" technique, used on Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight", Bowie's "Heroes", and some of Peter Gabriel's most successful solo work. With both Genesis and guitarist Steve Hackett mounting tours featuring the music from Genesis' early period, it's a great time to discover (or remember!) some of the finest music you'll ever encounter. "Pet Sematary" - The Ramones - from Mr Mercedes | |||
| 03 Sep 2021 | Songs about Heroin: The damage and the cost | 00:55:34 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Episode 16 – Songs about Heroin We look at how pervasive heroin has been in the world of rock music. Some songs, like "Heroin" by The Velvet Underground, are clearly about the drug, but there are many more that aren't so obvious. Australia, too, also has its share of songs with drug references, and the human cost of lives lost. Heroin Playlist What do you think of the podcast? What would you like us to talk about?
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| 17 Sep 2021 | Brian Eno, Music's Renaissance Man | 00:54:01 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! From Roxy Music in the 70's, through to producing some of the most influential music of the rock era, Brian Eno stands high as an artist for the ages. 40 years later, his four art/pop solo albums stand as testaments to his innovative spirit, while he has gone on to help create some of the strongest work of giants such as Bowie, Fripp, Talking Heads, Ultravox, U2 and Coldplay. What do you think of the podcast? What would you like us to talk about? | |||
| 26 Sep 2021 | Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs of All Time - 2021 | 01:00:04 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Rolling Stone is one of the oldest and most respected rock music publications in the world. They have just released a list called the "Top 500 Songs of all Time". | |||
| 16 Oct 2021 | Rock Star Deaths - plane crashes and other stories | 00:56:35 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! An inevitable feature of life is that it ends. The same applies to rock stars. Is death a good career move? Is there such a thing as a cursed band? We talk about famous stars who’ve died, from Elvis through to the New York Dolls, with some interesting detours along the way. References: Elvis, The Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dragon | |||
| 30 Oct 2021 | Our Favourite Albums | 00:54:51 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! During COVID lockdown, Facebook challenged people to list the albums that influenced them most, one per day. Today, the boys talk about what they posted, and what makes those albums the best. | |||
| 12 Nov 2021 | The Sex Pistols: "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" | 01:03:33 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! In mid-70's London, the Sex Pistols released their first and only album, "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols". | |||
| 26 Nov 2021 | What's YOUR favourite record cover? | 01:03:59 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Before streaming, one of the great pleasures of rock music was looking at the record cover. The record cover was often an artistic statement by itself, sometimes featuring award-winning art, great photographs and creating an image for the artist. | |||
| 13 Dec 2021 | The Best of Aussie Pub Rock - Mi-Sex, INXS and other stories | 00:56:43 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Episode 23 - Pub Rock – Mi-Sex, INXS and other stories Mi-Sex burst onto the Aussie pub rock scene scene in the late-70's and early-80's with a fantastic first album, but gradually declined over the next 3 albums. We talk about their career, and touch on a whole bunch of bands from that period, including INXS before they became a huge stadium band. This podcast is the best way to hear about your rock’n’roll favourites from two mates who’ve been there and done that! References: Underground Lovers, Leaves Me Blind, Frenzal Rhomb, Neil Young, Barn, Paul Kelly, JPY, Computer Games, Midnight Oil, Space Race, INXS, Dogs in space, Richard Lowenstein
Dogs in Space Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M2VTIvTEhY
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| 24 Dec 2021 | And so this is Christmas - Xmas Songs from your favourite artists | 00:56:10 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! After banging around the Australian Outback, the Globite school bag has turned red with a white furry fringe. Mick opened it and out erupted tinsel, mistletoe, snow angels, Santa hats, and around 3 tons of glittery baubles! It’s Christmas and Mick and the Phatman look at songs that fit the season. References: Patti Labelle, The Chipmunks, The Pogues, Kirsty MacColl, Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Bob Geldof, Love Actually, The Pretender, Chris Thomas, Hanson, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, John Lennon
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| 31 Jan 2022 | Never Mind the Originals, Here's the Covers | 01:08:36 | |
Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! What IS a cover version? Why do artists cover other artists' songs? Who has had the most songs covered? Has there ever been a cover version better than the original? Mick and the Phatman talk about these and other pressing issues to kick off Season 2 with a bang! YouTube Links The Mike Flowers Pops - Wonderwall (Official Video) Other References Podcast:
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