1.4M
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Episodes
What does it take to maintain a career in music? We track down members of bands that we love and find out what their lives are like now.
Episodes
Sep 20, 2023
Sep 20, 2023
1hr 48 min
Multiple Grammy and Emmy winning producer, mixer and engineer Elliot Scheiner is behind some of the most pristine pop music ever made. Mentored by the great Phil Ramone, Elliot has produced luminaries like Van Morrison, Steely Dan, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Hornsby, Ashford and Simpson, the Eagles, George Benson, John Denver, Bobby McFerrin, Chaka Khan, Phish and tons more. Success like this has also translated into car audio where he's partnered with Acura and Panasonic to improve the stereo quality in new cars. And he's the go-to guy for remixing classic albums into Atmos 5.1. We get into all of this and much more. Enjoy!
Sep 19, 2023
Sep 19, 2023
1hr 26 min
It's been stated that Jon's favorite soundtrack ever is for the John Hughes film Some Kind of Wonderful from 1987. We've heard from artists featured on it, including the music supervisor Tarquin Gotch, but this time we're hearing from some of the lesser known bands. We start with Alison Marr of Lick the Tins whose cover of "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" plays over the closing credits. Next up is David Joyner and Linda Hall of Blue Room who had "Cry Like This" in the film, but also had "I'm Afraid" in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and a cover of "Every Time You Go Away" in Planes Trains & Automobiles. And lastly we hear from Tom Ashton and Rosie Garland of the March Violets who not only had two songs in the film ("Turn to the Sky" and "Amanda Jones"), but also appeared in the club scene in the movie! Each one has their own unique story in and out of the movie. Enjoy!
Sep 13, 2023
Sep 13, 2023
1hr 26 min
The multi-talented Stephen Duffy could have a fine rock doc made about all the different facets of his music career. Being a founding member of Duran Duran. Being a synthpop pioneer. The folk-pop beauty of the Lilac Time. His excellent 90s power pop period. His soundtrack work with John Hughes. His hits writien with Robbie Williams. See what I mean? For the last few years, the Lilac Time has been the main focus and they just released a fantastic new album called Dance Till All the Stars Come Down. Stephen joins us to discuss all of these themes and more. He's one of the most talented songwriters the UK has ever had. We're lucky to have him.
Sep 6, 2023
Sep 6, 2023
1hr 17 min
Among the many bands bringing excellent power pop/punk to the mainstream in the 90s, floating slightly above the rest were Chicago's Smoking Popes. Probably best known for their song "Need You Around" featured on the Clueless soundtrack, the band released some excellent albums there for a while that stood out thanks to the power of the riffs and the unmistakable croon of Josh Caterer. Once Josh converted to Christianity, he felt he couldn't continue in the same way, so the band went from top priority to secondary. They continue to put out strong material, just on their own schedule. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut, Get Fired was just released on vinyl for the first time with a couple bonus tracks, including a surprising cover. Josh and I get into all of it. Enjoy!
Sep 5, 2023
Sep 5, 2023
1hr 18 min
They just don't make 'em like John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band anymore, but luckily they're still out there doing what they do best. John returns this week to discuss their 1985 album Tough All Over, which featured the hits "C-I-T-Y" and the title track. It was their first album not tied to Eddie and the Cruisers. Plus, they said it would never happen, but the band has released three new singles this year in preparation for their first album in about 35 years. Listen to a true "Voice of America's Sons" this week!
Aug 30, 2023
Aug 30, 2023
1hr 36 min
Perseverance could be Richard Patrick's mantra. Navigating his band Filter for 30 years, through the ups and downs, fads, cultural moments, and tastes, can't be easy, but he's done it by staying true to himself. They just released their 8th album, The Algorithm last week and it's one of their strongest yet. Richard gets intensely personal here discussing his appearance in the popular Hired Gun documentary, leaving Nine Inch Nails to go out on his own but eventually reuniting with Trent Reznor, the current state of the country and some of his fan's views of his politics, parenting teenagers, his current Freaks on Parade tour, and a ton more. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how great this is. Enjoy!
Aug 23, 2023
Aug 23, 2023
1hr 35 min
Big life changes often make for the best art. That's certainly true with the wonderful singer/songwriter Maia Sharp. After 30 years in the indie trenches, a divorce and a move to Nashville has changed her perspective and made for some of the richest material of her career. Her latest album, Reckless Thoughts, details where she is now, amidst the changes and opening up to what comes next. We talk about writing songs for legends like Art Garfunkel, Cher, Paul Carrack and, Bonnie Raitt. We also discuss collaborating with other fantastic females like Garrison Starr, Mindy Smith and Lizz Wright, being discovered by Miles Copeland, coming out at 23 and much more. If you aren't familiar with Maia's work, get ready to fall in love.
Aug 16, 2023
Aug 16, 2023
1hr 11 min
Is there a better punk rock name than Rat Scabies? When drummer Chris Millar picked that pseudonym and took up with the legendary Damned, he solidified his legacy in rock royalty. Along with his decades with the Damned, Rat has also always had several side projects going on. These days, one of his main focuses is The Sinclairs, his collaboration with guitarist Billy Shinbone. The sound is a beautiful blend of surf rock and hazy blues and psychedelia. They just released their second album, The Long Slow Death of a Cigarette. Here, Rat and I discuss how he manages his time with his many side-projects, the legacy of the Damned, including his thoughts on their excellent documentary, Don't You Wish That We Were Dead, their evolution of sound, and much more. Enjoy!
Aug 8, 2023
Aug 8, 2023
1hr 27 min
Where would we be without Stiff Records? Founded by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera in 1976, this is the label that introduced the world to artists like Elvis Costello, Madness, Ian Dury, Graham Parker, the Damned, the Pogues, Nick Lowe and many more. This week Dave Robinson showers us with numerous stories about these and many other artists, including his former roommates Van Morrison and Jimi Hendrix! He also tells us about the hot young band that brought him back to management, Hardwicke Circus. The man's a legend. Enjoy every second!
Aug 1, 2023
Aug 1, 2023
1hr 9 min
Bassist Ricky Phillips is a glue guy, which is saying something when you figure the bands he's been in and big personalities he's worked with. He joined the Babys near the end of their time and weathered the storms well enough to get the call to join Bad English with some of the same guys. Then, when that band began to implode he joined a couple more legends named Coverdale/Page. Finally, the call came to join Styx where he's been happily employed for about 20 years. He shares the story of this journey with us, all the twists and turns and more. Crowded House and Tina Turner even make an appearance. Enjoy!
Jul 25, 2023
Jul 25, 2023
1hr 16 min
Brit Pop! A term used for good and bad to describe a bunch of excellent bands coming out of the UK in the 90s. As usual, they were leading the charge in sounds and style making the rest of the world observers. Echobelly, with their killer sound ("Great Things", "King of the Kerb", "Insomniac" and more) and beautiful lead singer looked and sounded different and made a dent because of it. Unfortunately, when Brit Pop moved on, so did the spotlight leaving bands like Echobelly in its wake. This week we hear from lead singer Sonya Madan and guitarist Glenn Johansson about it all, how they picked themselves back up, the music they make now, how they get by and more. If you don't know them, you'll fall in love.
Jul 22, 2023
Jul 22, 2023
1hr 1 min
Our Book Club guest this week is writer John Robb. John wears many hats - he runs the popular music website Louder Than War, he's a popular talking head and commentator of music and culture, he's written several books, and he's been in a couple punk bands. His latest is the massive endeavor, The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth which manages to explain the origins of the scene (Edgar Allen Poe, Marquis de Sade, Dionysus) and how that lead to the excellent music we all love (Adam Ant, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, etc). We debate what is and what isn't goth, why people gravitate to it, its morality and sexuality, and more. It's a great book and an incredible undertaking. Check it out.
Jul 18, 2023
Jul 18, 2023
1hr 8 min
Paul Kelly has been labeled "the Australian Bob Dylan" for decades and as much as that's a huge compliment, it undercuts that Paul is legend in his own rite. The talents he shares with the greats are a never ending ear for melody, a bag of hooks that never empties, and a knack for storytelling envied by many. After almost 50 years, Paul is currently curating his vast catalog in a new way. The last couple years has seen him release several "Mix-Tape Compilations" of his songs based on themes like Poetry, People, Drinking, and Time. In many cases the songs on these comps have been reimagined in fresh new ways. Paul discusses how he approaches his history, how "How to Make Gravy" has taken on a life of its own, how he keeps things fresh, and much more. He is absolutely one of the finest artisans to ever write a song. We're lucky to have him.
Jul 17, 2023
Jul 17, 2023
1hr 28 min
Jon and Jan recap Q2, with some excellent gigs in the bag!
We hear about Jan's sabbatical, and more!
A huge debt of gratitude to those who filled in. We couldn't have managed it without you.
We hit a million downloads, so have some goodies to give away, which Jon will tell the Patreon folks about, in the next few days.
Jul 11, 2023
Jul 11, 2023
1hr 13 sec
Jul 7, 2023
Jul 7, 2023
1hr 1 min
Mark and Tony of the mighty Big Country are back to discuss Cherry Red's amazing deluxe reissue of their 1999 album, Driving to Damascus. In the late 90s, Big Country were finally starting to find their footing again after some years of reinvention and Damascus shows a ton of promise of where they might be headed. Sadly, it ended up being their last album with the core four guys. Mark and Tony are upfront about all of it. This reissue collects the original album as well as demos, the "Nashville Sessions", alternate mixes, and more. It's one of the band's strongest works. Here's the story.
Jul 4, 2023
Jul 4, 2023
1hr 15 min
It's always a good feeling when artists you haven't heard from in a while come back with some of their strongest work. California's Rain Parade were one of the key bands of the Paisley Underground, the name given to indie bands like the Bangles and the Dream Syndicate who were focusing on melody and steeped in Big Star and the Byrds. Their '83 debut is still a masterwork of any genre. After switching to a major label, the usual challenges ensued and the band ceased, though the members all went on to other projects. This summer sees the release of the first Rain Parade album in 38 years, Last Rays of a Dying Sun, and it might be their strongest yet. Matt and Steven join us to discuss what motivated the new album, their collaboration process, the passing of Steven's brother and original member David Roback who went on to form Mazzy Star, and much more. It'll be hard to knock this album off my best of the year list. Enjoy!
Jun 27, 2023
Jun 27, 2023
1hr 14 min
Only the late 80s/early 90s Britain could have produced a band like Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. With sarcasm and attitude to spare, Jim Bob and Fruitbat pilloried modern British culture in a way no one else could. That talent got them a number one album and a headlining spot at Glastonbury in 1992. Eventually the band went their separate ways and Jim Bob has been on a roll ever since releasing album after album of wry cultural criticism packed with hard won wisdom. His latest, Thanks For Reaching Out, comments on the world today in a way we can all relate to (and laugh about). He tells us about all of it and more. Enjoy!
Jun 26, 2023
Jun 26, 2023
1hr 22 min
ZZ Top producer Terry Manning returns this week to tell us about the making of the band's massive comeback album Eliminator. Billy Gibbons is lucky his risky bet that merging blues with new wave would be successful paid off because all signs point that it wouldn't. The album spawned four huge hits like "Legs", "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and went on to sell about 20 million copies, not to mention confirming their legendary status. Terry discusses helping Billy fulfill his vision and the challenges involved. Enjoy!
Jun 21, 2023
Jun 21, 2023
2hr 57 min
This week is another fun twofer! We kick it off with Collective Soul guitarist Dean Roland! Dean talks about hitting the road this summer playing various festivals, and the plans next year for a big 25th anniversary celebration. Plus, we hear the stories behind several songs and collaborations. Then, we welcome accomplished songwriter Brock Walsh! Brock is probably best known for writing "Automatic", which the Pointer Sisters turned into a big hit. Brock's career hits many fun pop culture touchstones including writing for Cop Rock, being the voice of Mac Tonight, working with Quincy Jones and Sidney Poitier, writing for Bruce Willis, James Ingram, Earth Wind and Fire, movie soundtracks, ad jingles and much more. It's a total blast!
Jun 13, 2023
Jun 13, 2023
1hr 4 min
The 90s were the best time in music history for women that rocked. When punk went pop the alternative underground was full of killer rock bands fronted and driven by women, including Veruca Salt. Co-founders Louise Post and Nina Gordon made a big splash with hits like "Seether" and "Volcano Girls" and even after Nina left, Louise kept the band going for two more equally, if not harder edged, albums. Louise recently released her first solo album, Sleepwalker, which shows a lot of maturity and vulnerability but loses none of the songcraft. Louise talks about how the pandemic, marriage, children, and time brought out some of those vulnerabilities and a lot more. She's an inspiration. Enjoy!
Jun 6, 2023
Jun 6, 2023
1hr 20 min
Drummer Simon Kirke has been at the forefront of what most people consider real, authentic rock and roll to be. Beginning with the amazing Free and then joining Paul Rodgers in Bad Company, Simon has played on some of the greatest rock songs ever and seen just about everything along the way. In our conversation we talk about the state of the band now, the Brian Howe years, his solo career, his family's take over of Hollywood, the RnR Hall of Fame, and everything in between. The guy has contributed a lot. We're lucky to hear from him.
Jun 5, 2023
Jun 5, 2023
1hr 55 min
Jon and Andy record their memories of the first quarter of 2023 (better late than never). The guests, the state of the pod, concerts and whatever else came up. This was recorded live and unedited.
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
May 31, 2023
May 31, 2023
1hr 2 min
Pere Ubu mastermind David Thomas has never found a dark, unchartered corner of music he didn't want to explore. More punk in spirit than sound, David has guided the band for almost 50 years leading with his rants and raves and sounds uniquely his own. Last week, the band released their umpteenth album, Trouble on Big Beat Street, and it's as full of ideas as anything else they've done. Here David and I discuss his approach to "pop" music, working with Stephen Hague in the 80s, how he plans out (or doesn't) his music and much more. He's a notoriously irascible character, but he's also one in a million.
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
May 23, 2023
May 23, 2023
1hr 28 min
Chapterhouse were one of the premiere bands to come out of that shoegaze scene of the early 90s in the UK. They were experts at mixing shimmery, psychedelic guitars with acid-house drum samples taking listeners on deep mental and emotional journeys. Guitarist Stephen Patman joins us this week to discuss the new 6-disc box set Chronology coming out this week! We also get into the history of the band, why it only lasted two albums, (Whirlpool and Blood Music, both excellent) and what those wild days were like. Get ready to fall in love with Chapterhouse!
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
May 16, 2023
May 16, 2023
1hr 5 min
If "influencer" had been a thing back in the 70s, Don Letts would have been the master. He's one of the most important figures in British music and culture, but it's not just because of him being in Big Audio Dynamtie (which he was) or because he's a revolutionary film director (which he is) or because he's a successful DJ (which he is). It's because in the late 70s, he was in the nexus of music, fashion, punk rock and culture and brought the sounds of underground dub and reggae to creatives like the Clash who would go on and change the world. So many stories from that period begin with "I was at a party at Don Letts's house when...". Don has recently completed his first solo album, Outta Sync which will be out in September. Don discusses all of it, the videos he directed, the times hanging out with Bob Marley, joining B.A.D. and all the rest. Enjoy!
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
May 9, 2023
May 9, 2023
55 min
Toronto's Crash Test Dummies are one of the quirkier acts to ever achieve world-wide fame. Thanks to the 1993 smash "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" off their second album, the world became aware of this band of creative misfits doing their own thing. While more smash hits were not to be, their audience have remained loyal over the years, no matter what style seems to be tickling head Dummy Brad Roberts at the moment. Here Brad and I discuss what inspires him creatively, his feelings about his unique singing voice, plans for the future, and the band's new single "Sacred Alphabet" which is lovely and, no surprise, totally unique. Enjoy!
www.crashtestdummies.com
May 9, 2023
May 9, 2023
47 min
Author Shane Robitaille joins us for Book Club this week to discuss his recent book, Rockit Crew. This wonderful little novel depicts the (mostly) personal story of close friends growing up in the 80s, dealing with being outcasts, bullied, uncool, working class, and broken homes all while also falling in love with Hip-Hop. It's a beautiful coming of age story of teenage boys finding each other at a crucial time in life and forming bonds and memories that last a lifetime. We've all been there. Enjoy!
May 3, 2023
May 3, 2023
1hr 54 min
The Hustle turns 8 years old this week and we celebrate by bringing on the excellent singer/songwriter Robbie Nevil! When most of us think about Robbie we remember those late 80s hits like "C'est La Vie" and "Dominoes" and then probably wonder where he went. Robbie actually had a successful career as a writer for others before and after his solo career took over. Among the people he wrote for that we talk about are Sheena Easton, Al Jarrreau, Earth Wind and Fire, David Lee Roth, the Pointer Sisters, Melissa Manchester, Rockwell, El Debarge and many others. For a couple decades now he's made a living writing songs for placement in movies and TV shows and has excelled at that too. Robbie's been one of our dream guests since "Day 1" (get it?), so we're lucky to hear from him. Enjoy!
Apr 30, 2023
Apr 30, 2023
1hr 26 min
Our conversation with legendary producer Ed Stasium continues today with part two. This time we cover more Ramones, the Smithereens, Genya Ravan, the Sighs and much much more. Enjoy!
Apr 26, 2023
Apr 26, 2023
1hr 36 min
Apr 22, 2023
Apr 22, 2023
40 min
The great author Martin Popoff returns to the show to discuss his new book in the @ series, AC?DC @ 50. These beautiful books by Motorbooks serve as a great read and an excellent coffee table book.The content counts down 50 benchmark events in the career of AC/DC accompanied by beautiful rare photos. Popoff, one of the best rock writers there is, knows this history inside and out and weaves an entertaining story. Check it out!
Apr 19, 2023
Apr 19, 2023
1hr 13 min
When you look back over Glen Matlock's career, the parts involving the Sex Pistols are relatively short blips. Yes, they're titans that cast a tall shadow on everything else, but Glen has carved a path for himself the last few years very much his own. He's become a go-to session guy for legends like the Faces and Blondie (who gave a triumphant performance at Coachella last weekend), as well as his own excellent solo career. His latest, Consequences Coming, is out on April 28th and contains all the vitriol an aging punk looking at the world today can muster. It's among his best work, solo or otherwise. We also get into Pistols reunions, playing with Iggy, Johnny Thunders, Ian Hunter and others and (finally!) the release of the Rich Kids album Ghosts of Princes in Towers from 1978 on Record Store Day on the 22nd. Enjoy hearing from a bona fide legend!
Apr 17, 2023
Apr 17, 2023
1hr 3 min
We are honored to welcome back Icehouse mastermind Iva Davies to deep dive their breakthrough album Man Of Colours from 1987. This was the album that brought Icehouse into the mainstream with hits like "Crazy" and "Electric Blue" and remains their best known globally. Iva gives us incredible stories about every song on the record, how they came to be, writing with John Oates, and much much more. We're lucky to hear from Iva again! Enjoy.
Apr 11, 2023
Apr 11, 2023
1hr 13 min
Romeo Void were a sneaky important band. First, they were the most successful band to come out of the San Francisco scene of the early 80s and showed that interesting things were happening in that city. They also had a couple of the most provocative hits of the era, "Never Say Never" and "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)" that remain potent today. And frontwoman Debora Iyall represented proudly large women everywhere with her style, intellect, talent and grace. Debora joins us to talk about the band's history, how she coped with being unique, and the new album Romeo Void has coming out on Record Store Day which is a concert from 1980 at the Mabuhay Gardens. She's a icon and we're lucky to hear from her.
www.romeovoid.com
www.patreon.com/thehustlepod
Apr 10, 2023
Apr 10, 2023
1hr 8 min
Why do people who love music so passionately, still have styles, genres, decades etc that they just can't get into? Does it mean you have a closed mind? Baggage? Bigotry? Have you ever come around to certain artists or styles once the right person or situation turns you on to them? Can you ever approach anything artistic with a completely open mind? Brad Page, BJ Kramp and Eric Miller join Jon to discuss these topics. Tell us what you think!
Apr 5, 2023
Apr 5, 2023
1hr 26 min
I wonder if it's Peter Case's slightly rebellious spirit that has endeared him to fans for so long. Within one decade he was a member of two hugely important rock bands - the Nerves ("Hanging on the Telephone") and the Plimsouls ("A Million Miles Away"), but since the late 80s he's been doing things his way - a little folk, a little jazz, a little blues, just whatever he felt like. His diverse tastes have made for an equally diverse body of work and his latest album, Doctor Moan, is no exception. The album explores his jazz and piano side more than any other release and is all the better for it. We hear about his love for all kinds of music, his historic legacy, playing piano at the church of John Coltrane, and much more. Enjoy!
Mar 29, 2023
Mar 29, 2023
1hr 58 min
This week is a fun, UK-focused, twofer. First is the great Nik Kershaw. Nik was a major hit maker in the early 80s with songs like "Wouldn't It Be Good" and "The Riddle" peaking with his appearance at Live Aid. Things started to slow down after that, but he's continued on releasing excellent music. This fall he'll be going back on the road in Europe for his first tour in 11 years. After that we hear from journeyman Henry Priestman. Henry was in a great new wave band called Yachts that had some success in the late 70s. It didn't last too long though, so he moved on to other bands, most notably The Christians who were multi-platinum hitmakers in the UK for a few years. For the last 15 years he's released a few high-quality solo albums. He shares stories of his early days in Liverpool, playing with Echo and the Bunnymen and Paul McCartney, and much more.
Both lovely guys. Enjoy!
Mar 27, 2023
Mar 27, 2023
50 min
The great Donnie Iris just turned 80 years old and is still out there playing packed shows that totally rock in his homebase of Cleveland and Pittsburgh. To celebrate we welcome author D.X. Ferris to discuss his book The Story of Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. Part oral history, part narrative, Ferris goes through every benchmark in Donnie's career, including every track on every album with Donnie, Mark Avsec, and the rest of the band. We learn about why Ferris felt compelled to write this book and honor Donnie in this way. Plus, we have a copy to give away. Enjoy!
Mar 22, 2023
Mar 22, 2023
1hr 20 min
Philadelphia's Dead Milkmen hold a special place in American punk rock. Relying heavily on absurdist humour rather than ferocity, the band found a place in the hearts of many with underground hits like "Punk Rock Girl" and "Bitchin' Camaro". Eventually the band slowed way down and the guys went back to "normal" with the occasional reunion show, but as frontman Rodney Anonymous shows us, that caustic sense of rebellion has never left. Here Rodney tells us the band's story, his feelings on performing, the music he's into, and where they go from here. Don't remember the last time I laughed this hard. Enjoy!
Mar 20, 2023
Mar 20, 2023
1hr 1 min
We are welcoming back Hall of Famer Gina Schock to discuss her lone solo album, House of Schock from 1988, After the Go-Gos called it quits, and with each member going off to do their own thing, Gina formed House of Schock with bassist Vance DeGeneres (Ellen's brother). They only managed one album, and a decent hit with "Middle of Nowhere" before moving on to other projects. Gina fills us in on the full story and much more. Enjoy!
Mar 15, 2023
Mar 15, 2023
2hr 38 min
Producer John Leckie's long and storied career spans from Syd Barrett and John Lennon to Doves and the Coral. That's over 50 years of amazing work. In this 2 hour conversation we try to cover as much of it as possible. The diverse and far-ranging list of topics include Fela Kuti, Ornette Coleman, the Stone Roses, Human League, Simple Minds, Gene Loves Jezebel, Spiritualized, the Verve, Ride, Pink Floyd, John Lennon, George Harrison, XTC, T. Rex, the Fall, Public Image Ltd, Magazine, Radiohead, Elastica and Los Lobos. The man can do, and has done, everything and became a legend because of it. Enjoy every minute!
Mar 8, 2023
Mar 8, 2023
1hr 35 min
It's been a long, sometimes confusing, ride for Tony Carey. His breakthrough on the big stage was being recruited to join Rainbow on their Rising album. After a year or so, Tony decided he'd be happier on his solo and chose to go back to focusing on his solo career. In the early 80s things started to pick up with the success of "A Fine Fine Day" and "Why Me" under his Planet P Project moniker. But, once again, he decided the rock and roll ratrace wasn't for him and he moved to Germany where he's been stationed ever since. We may not have heard from him as much, but his career's been going strong over the decades including his 2019 album Lucky Us. Tony and I try to make sense of it all and he does so in his own laidback and funny way. Enjoy!
Mar 1, 2023
Mar 1, 2023
1hr 45 min
It hasn't been easy for Sean Dickson. In fact, he doesn't even look like the Soup Dragons frontman you remember from early 90s hits like "I'm Free" and "Divine Thing". There's a good reason for that - almost nothing is the same. Since the Soup Dragons closed up shop in the late 90s, Sean came out, left music for many years, spent some time battling mental health, marrying his husband and finally becoming an in demand DJ named HiFi Sean and releasing a hit new album with vocalist David McAlmont recently called Happy Endings. Sean opens up more than he ever has before, especially when it comes to the endurance of "I'm Free" which he doesn't benefit from. It's a lot and, ultimately, a story of redemption. By the end, we're both in tears. Enjoy!
Feb 22, 2023
Feb 22, 2023
1hr 26 min
Canadian singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith has been so consistently strong his entire career that it's easy to take him for granted. If industry respect equated to hits, he'd have hundreds, but instead he carries on effortlessly doing what he does and doing it well. Last week we released his latest album, The Vivian Line, and it's just as good as anything else he's done, of course. Ron joins us this week to discuss his lengthy career, his unique Twitter persona, his approach to songwriting, and more. Give us a listen.
Feb 18, 2023
Feb 18, 2023
48 min
Much like with recent guest Martin Popoff and his Bowie @ 75 book, author Gary Graff has summarized the incredible career of Alice Cooper into 75 key moments and illustrates the significance of each. Starting with his childhood in Arizona and Detroit, and then moving on to being discovered by Frank Zappa, hitting their stride thanks to Bob Ezrin, the big comeback with "Poison", and the settling in as shock rock elder statesman, every major up and down is featured in the book along with hundreds of glossy images rarely seen before. His love of golf, his born again Christianity and his crazy stage show are all included as well. Gary discusses how he put the book together as well as his history with Alice. And, there's a giveaway! Enjoy!
Feb 15, 2023
Feb 15, 2023
1hr 37 min
Last year songs written by Dan Wilson were streamed on Spotify 743 million times. Think about that. Dan has turned a decent run as the frontman for Semisonic ("Closing Time"), into one of the most successful songwriting careers of the last 25 years. The big ones are Taylor, Adele, Mitski and the Chicks, but we also discuss his work with bands like Weezer and Nada Surf among others. Alongside all of this is his own beautiful solo career. He recently released an EP called Dancing on the Moon and it's just as wonderful as the work he's done for others. Listen up and catch a glimpse of how a master of his craft came to be.
Feb 8, 2023
Feb 8, 2023
1hr 27 min
There's a good chance Steve Hillage was beamed here from another planet and has been living among us as an alien for over 70 years. He starts out in the far out prog band Gong making super challenging music. He then goes solo and makes equally challenging music with producers like Nick Mason and Todd Rundgren while exploring where the mind (and his guitar) could go. Then, he decides techno and trance music has a similar spacey effect so he becomes System 7 and travels the world DJing. Along the way he produces albums by Simple Minds, Cock Robin, Tony Banks, the Charlatans, Real Life, and more. What a long, strange trip it's been! Here him try to explain it all. Enjoy!
Feb 6, 2023
Feb 6, 2023
1hr 10 min
The great DJ Richard Blade joins us to discuss a couple of his recent books. A couple years ago he released his entertaining memoir World In My Eyes which details his rise to fame as one of the most recognizable DJs in the world. He also recently released another book, The Unlocked Interviews which are conversations he had during lockdown with some of music’s greatest personalities. We discuss both of these as well as many behind the scenes stories from his long career.
Enjoy!
Feb 1, 2023
Feb 1, 2023
1hr 30 min
The wonderful Swing Out Sister are celebrating 35 years of exceptional music this year. They may be best known for the global (and still evergreen) hit "Breakout" from their debut album in 1987, but there has been a steady stream of excellent albums and hits of all kinds ever since. Their style has gone deep into jazz, lounge and house while always remaining uniquely SOS. The duo of Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell are celebrating that history with the recent boxset Blue Mood, Breakout and Beyond... The Early Years Part 1 which collects their first three albums as well as discs of remixes and b-sides for the fans that want it all. Corinne joins us (after years of trying to make this happen) to tell us the full story, discuss some of their deeper tracks, and how they keep it going. She doesn't do a lot of interviews, so we're especially honored to have her. Enjoy!