Episodes
Tuesday Nov 29, 2016
Episode 82 - John Lever of The Chameleons/The Red-Sided Garter Snakes
Tuesday Nov 29, 2016
Tuesday Nov 29, 2016
In my humble opinion, The Chameleons are possibly the most underrated band of all-time, most certainly of the 80s. Every single fan of The Cure or The Smiths should also own their three core albums (Script of the Bridge, What Does Anything Mean, Basically? and my favorite Strange Times). Unfortunately, there is a lot of drama in the history of that band. I set out to tell their story, but the bad blood and hurt feelings were insurmountable. Luckily, drummer John Lever granted some time to discuss his new band, The Red-Sided Garter Snakes. Luckily, they are about as incredible as the Chams, so what we lack in Chameleons info, we gain in great new music by one of the greatest drummers of the 80s and a very kind man.
https://trsgs.tmstor.es/
Tuesday Nov 22, 2016
Episode 81 - David Newton of The Mighty Lemon Drops
Tuesday Nov 22, 2016
Tuesday Nov 22, 2016
Something magical was happening in Britain in the 80s. The country produced amazing, genre-defining bands throughout the entire decade with legends like The Smiths, Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen, Psychedelic Furs (I could go on and on) informing what would become alternative rock and/or post-punk. One of the great bands of that era were The Mighty Lemon Drops. Armed with some sugary sweet melodies, the Lemon Drops may not have hit the historic heights as some of those bands, but they made an impact and remain beloved today. David Newton was the guitarist and primary songwriter and in this enjoyable conversation we talk about all the bands we love from that era, why his good music is good and the bad stuff is bad, the current state of the band, and his current musical projects (which include producing one of my favorite bands of the last 10 years, The Soft Pack, as well as his wonderful side-project David Newton and THEE Mighty Angels). If you're a fan of 80s Brit Pop, you'll have a smile on your face for the duration.
Tuesday Nov 15, 2016
Episode 80 - Sue Saad of Sue Saad and the Next
Tuesday Nov 15, 2016
Tuesday Nov 15, 2016
Sue Saad was the frontwoman for the great Sue Saad and the Next, another in a long line of excellent bands that should have been much bigger. They were discovered in L.A. in the late 70s by Richard Perry of Planet Records and released one promising self-titled album in 1980 that reached #131 on the charts and was gaining steam in Europe. Unfortunately, as he's done with other guests of this show, Perry didn't put any marketing muscle behind the band and SSTN began to wither away. Thankfully, filmmaker Albert Pyun tagged her to sing on many of his classic 80s B movies. As great as that was, it didn't break her through so she retreated from music and has been largely off the grid ever since. SSTN did release an excellent second album earlier this year made up of material from their vaults. Get to know one of the most amazing voices you'll ever hear. It's a shame there couldn't have been more.
Tuesday Nov 08, 2016
Episode 79 - Mike Reno of Loverboy
Tuesday Nov 08, 2016
Tuesday Nov 08, 2016
Loverboy were one of the most popular rock bands of the 80s producing a bunch of hits and selling millions of records. Thankfully, they're enjoying a bit of a resurgence these days thanks to that National Car Rental ad featuring them and one of their biggest hits, "Lovin' Every Minute of It". In this exclusive interview lead singer Mike Reno talks about the effects of grunge on their career, the secret sauce to keeping the original band together, and what goes into deciding who to tour with. We also talk about the two excellent new singles they've released this year, "Some Like it Hot" and "Hurtin'". Mike couldn't be nicer and Loverboy deserves the success they've earned.
Tuesday Nov 01, 2016
Episode 78 - Ellen Foley
Tuesday Nov 01, 2016
Tuesday Nov 01, 2016
Ellen Foley burst onto the music scene in a gigantic way when she sang "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" with Meat Loaf on his mega-smash Bat Out of Hell album. That incredible performance got her a record deal and she put out three albums with some of the biggest legends in the biz behind the boards (Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, The Clash, Vini Poncia, etc). In the early 80s she decided to focus on her acting career and was rewarded with a starring role on the first season of Night Court, as well as appearances in decade-defining films like Tootsie, Fatal Attraction and Cocktail. When she got married and became a mom she stepped away from the spotlight to raise her kids and now works when she wants. We discuss her thoughts on her career, what it was like collaborating with so many legends, and how she looks back on her career. Imagine the memories that must be floating around her head!