My guest today is the incomparable, the beautiful and the divine Tessa Niles who has featured as a backing singer on countless hits and has performed on stages with the the most iconic artists in the world including David Bowie, Robbie Williams, , The Police , Trevor Horn, Pet Shop Boys, Tina Turner Kylie and at one of her first ever shows, Live Aid.

She recently published her autobiography “Backtrack” to incredible critical acclaim and with huge success. I’ve been blessed to know her professionally and personally for more years than either of us care to remember and it was so lovely to have this catch up in London’s glittering West End. Hope you enjoy!

All previous episodes available to stream now. Thanks for listening.

Anya Jones epitomises the reason for this podcast in that she is one of the only people I know to successfully make the transition from A&R where at Syco she was instrumental in  up 120 Million sales including for Little Mix, Susan Boyle and Ella Henderson to a world class songwriter currently enjoying success with Kylie, Birdy. Dylan, Benjamin Ingrosso , Tom Grennan and Rita Ora amongst others . Her emotional connection to music is one of many reasons why I've always adored her and you'll hear it so many examples of it throughout this wonderful episode.

If you enjoy this episode please like/subscribe and explore earlier episodes including incredible conversations with artists and creatives including Mark Feehily, Claire Richards, William Baker, Biff Stannard, Richard X , Karen Poole and many many more. Thanks for listening.

Todays guest is the brilliant Katy Richardson. a truly incredible musical supervisor and musical director for some of the biggest theatre shows including the award winning Bonnie & Clyde, the incredible Hope Theatre version of “Rent”, "Jersey Boys" and of course the global phenonemon that is "Six The Musical". I’m also lucky enough to have her working with me on the new Jerry Mitchell show “Becoming Nancy” (written by Terry Ronald). Its a fascinating chat talking about her process, the small events that shaped everything for her , the slowly changing landscape of equal representation of genders within theatre and a must have hint for any musicians wanting to break into either West End or touring pop bands. Really hope you enjoy this as much as we did chatting. You can find Katy at http://www.katyrichardsonmd.com

After being critically acclaimed and universally loved as one of the UK's finest soul voices and following on from a Grammy nominated David Foster production duetting with Celine Dion on 'When I Fall In Love" from "Sleepless In Seattle" Clive Griffin withdrew from being an artist. 30 years later he's back to tell his story and celebrating his three incredible albums finally available on all streaming platforms now. From humble beginnings at stage school , through being discovered by maestro Richard Niles and onto a catalogue of much loved material including the classic "I'll Be Waiting". Clive talks about his love of incredible musicians , supporting Eric Clapton, finding audio treasures in his loft (soon to be released) , his struggles but most of all his joy and love of everything he achieved. As well as producing his third album for Sony, he's my truly wonderful friend and I hope you enjoy listening to him talk as much as we did recording this.

Listen to Clive's albums here https://open.spotify.com/artist/7piYJtFSV6vtj2pK5TyHJI?si=8xYjzdBfT6GGic25whMR-Q

As always I love chatting to producers and Jon Shave has made some of my absolute favourite records including "The Show" by "Girls Aloud" and "On A Mission" by Gabriella Cilmi. He is a Grammy nominated songwriter and producer who started out as part of the hugely successful Xenomania team working with artists including Girls Aloud and The Sugababes before joining with George Astasio and Jason Pebworth to form the production team The Invisible Men working with everyone from Little Mix and Jessie J to Britney Spears , Ellie Goulding and many more including current singles for Rita Ora and Becky Hill.

More on Jon here https://www.redlightmanagement.com/artists/jon-shave/

I always love talking to producers and Mike Spencer is one of the very best with an incredible history of superbly made records for a wide variety of artist from Gabrielle Aplin and Tom Walker to Kylie and Zara Larsson. He’s also responsible for so many of my favourite records of all time including "Heaven" by Emile Sande, "Spinning Around" by Kylie, "Salvation" by Gabrielle Aplin and the truly epic "Once" for Diana Vickers. We speak about all of these and more including how he got his first breaks as part of UK Dance act Definition Of Sound through to how he works at his incredible studio "The Larks Tongue" which is now entirely self sufficient as an energy source and home to ducks, geese and most recently otters (which we also talk about in a SAFG first!). It was such a joy chatting to him and I loved every minute of this episode , hope everyone enjoys the stories and truly inspiring journey of one of our true production gems from the UK.

You can find out more about Mike and his incredible studio here https://thelarkstongue.com/mike-spencer

Once again I am joined by pop royalty Larry Flick (Vero/Sirius/Billboard) and Lee Bennett (Teases and Dares Blog) to talk about a period of time that is having quite the renaissance right now, the golden era of 2000-2010 as we uncover some hidden gems and sometimes overlooked classics. It's always so much fun doing this and hopefully it will bring back some lovely memories or inspire you to seek out something you are hearing for the first time. I really hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did making it and please do follow #SuchAGoodFeelingPodcast to hear more gems and wonderful interviews with incredible creative humans who all have had those magic moments when the smallest thing changed everything for them.

I love talking to remixers as its where I started out so it was wonderful to chat to the  brilliant Jon Dixon who has worked as a remixer as part of Almighty and 7th Heaven working with artists including, Cher, Steps, Kylie, Barry Manilow, Ariana Grande,, Whitney Houston, Britney Pet Shop Boys and Donna Summer. He’s also an acclaimed producer and long time collaborator for the fabulous Jane Mcdonald working on albums and TV shows with her. We talk about his process including a step by step approach to creating a remix from scratch and reminisce about the very limited technology we both started out using and how sometimes having less options can be very inspiring. Really hope you enjoy this as much as I did recording it.

For more on Jon https://www.7hproductions.com

Sarah deCourcy is living proof of how taking chances and change can be transformative. Already a successful producer/writer/musician she decided to pursue her dream of being an in demand film , tv and now game composer by packing up her London studio and moving to LA 3 years ago.  A move that has paid dividends with huge success.  She's worked with world class artists including Kylie, Little Mix and Christophe Willem as well as countless film and TV credits alongside being the first woman to score music for the Far Cry Ubisoft Game Franchise. We talk here about her her journey from child piano prodigy through studying at the Royal Academy Of Music and how discovering synths and falling in love with studios paved the way for an incredibly successful career driven by a passion for music and unflinching determination.

More on Sarah here https://www.sarahdecourcy.com

Lucinda Allen represents everything this podcast is about in that in the work she does, helping people attain life changing moments with her guidance as a world class vocal coach both in performance and technique. She’s worked with Grammy award winning recording artists to new artists and singers with a unique approach that is so warm and personal it always achieves incredible results. From breath work , vocal warmups and tips for relieving performance anxiety plus the moment she realised her vocation was in being a vocal 'detective' to help people figure out how to get the most of out of their singing and often take it to levels they could never have dreamed of. I hope you enjoy this and if so please check out the other episodes.

For more please visit https://www.voiceunlocked.com

So happy to welcome simply one of the finest singers in the world to the podcast. As a part of Westlife, Mark Feehily has sold over 55 million records , 11 number one albums and 16 number one singles and played to millions worldwide including the 2022 sold out show at Wembley Stadium. He has also recorded a solo album , a Christmas EP, appeared as Robobunny in The Masked Singer and is one of the most endearing and kindest people I know and have the honour of calling a friend. I spoke to him on the eve of Westlife's trip to Asia where he is rejoining the band after having to miss some of the UK "Wild Dreams" shows due to a short illness. Thankfully he's fighting fit now and talks here about growing up on a farm and discovering Mariah Carey who years later he would end up duetting with and supporting at The O2 Arena. Hope you enjoy our chat!

It was such a delight to catch up with a true visionary , someone whose iconic work is revered, marvelled at and very often imitated. Even though his medium is visual everything he does begins with music whether it be through his work with artists including Kylie , Garbage, Britney Spears and The Killers . Here we talk about his roots in Manchester , how the lure of Vivienne Westwood brought him to the bright lights of Soho and the moments that changed everything for him. Also the friends and mentors that helped along the way including the much missed and loved genius Alan Macdonald. So its so wonderful to welcome creative director, designer , film director and my wonderful friend for over 25 years, William Baker.

Just to note - this episode was recorded during the renovation of his new shop https://www.instagram.com/25londonroad/ so please excuse some sound anomalies, people were sanding and knocking walls down. Also it was recorded before we sadly lost Dame Vivienne Westwood who had such a huge impact on Will's life and creative journey , she is very much missed.

I'm joined by Larry Flick (Vero) and Lee Bennett (Teases & Dares Blog) to discuss our favourite 5 remixes of all time plus a little bit of history on how remixing evolved and the legendary producers and DJ's that helped shape what it is today including David Morales, Shep Pettibone, Frankie Knuckles, Clivilles & Cole , Oliver , Trouser Enthusiasts and many more. If you enjoy this chat please check out all other episodes of the podcast streaming now.

Join myself , Larry Flick (Vero/Billboard) and Lee Bennett (Teases and Dares Blog) as we choose our favourite new artists to watch out for this year. As always its an eclectic diverse mixture from three people who love discovering new music and sharing it with the world! Hopefully you'll find artists you'll love too and please follow/stream them if you do. 

Also please follow/like/comment if you enjoy this podcast and you can find all other episodes streaming now including interviews with incredible creatives about the moments that changed everything for them including Claire Richards, Richard X, Stephen Lipson , Karen Poole and Biff Stannard.

For the final episode of 2022 you are welcome to join myself and Larry Flick (Vero/Billboard) and Lee Bennett (Teases And Dares Blog) for a recap of a year of some truly incredible music with each of us picking our 5 favourites. We have a shared love of discovering new artists and songs , very often taking a lot of searching to find the gems but always worth it! If you like the sound of any of them please do check out the incredible artists featured here and support them.

Find Lee at https://teasesanddares.wordpress.com

Find Larry at https://www.instagram.com/larry_flick/

And find all episodes of this podcast at https://linktr.ee/suchagoodfeelingpodcast

Its the most wonderful time of the year and I've got together with actual Santa lookalike Larry Flick (Vero/Billboard) and Christmas Elf Lee Bennett (Teases & Dares blog)  to talk through our favourite hidden Christmas musical gems with some unexpected results! So grab some egg nog (which Larry admits he has never even tried) and join us for a winter wonderland of festive gems!

With over 500 million streams on Spotify, 2 UK numbers 1s and 3 UK Top 10 hits.plus one grammy nomination, Kelli-Leigh is an artist, a creative , a label owner but above all possesses one of the finest voices this country has ever produced. From singing backing vocals for Leona Lewis, Adele and Jessie J through to being the voice of hits including "I Got U" with Duke Dumont and "More Than Friends' with James Hype alongside her superb original material all released independently through her own label, KL is one of the hardest working people I know.  Here's she talks through where that drive comes from including being physically stopped momentarily by a car accident which eventually allowed her the time to consider her future and the pure joy derived from her Christmas EP released this week including what I believe to be a song that is up there with Leona and Mariah "Underneath The Tree' and new single "Unwrap My Heart" which is equally magical.  Please enjoy this wonderful episode and follow Kelli-Leigh at  https://www.instagram.com/kellileighuk/ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO08OZ0s?si=5dd8eedd636040d6

So wonderful to have the brilliant Larry Flick (Vero/Billboard/Sirius XM) and Lee Bennett (Teases And Dares Blog) back for another #HiddenGems episode this time talking about treasure from the 90s with some surprising results! These shows are always tricky to pick songs for and we often change our minds at the last minute but hope you enjoy it and it brings back some wonderful memories.  More on Larry at https://www.instagram.com/larry_flick/ And Lee at https://teasesanddares.wordpress.com

Wonderful to catch up with one of my favourite contemporary singers and writers  Twinnie who is always beautifully authentic and honest whether its making people dance or breaking their hearts through country tinged classics alongside her incredible work offering a safe space for artists with her brilliant I Know A Woman organisation. From her roots in musical theatre productions including starring in "The Wizard Of Oz", "We Will Rock You" and the youngest ever performer to star as Velma in "Chicago" it was the time she broke her leg that changed everything and pushed her into writing more and developing as an artist with the help of fellow podcast guest Jon Green and Lucie Silvas amongst others.  Her album "Hollywood Gypsy" was released in early 2020 which was a challenge in itself and then followed up with the superb "Welcome To The Club" EP accompanied by her self directed and written short film. I describe her as a force of nature as she really is - her voice is beautiful and her writing is steeped in classic storytelling and Nashville charm throughout. If you haven't had chance to listen before please do check out her music and fall under her spell as so many others have. Find her here https://www.twinnieofficial.com And https://www.instagram.com/twinnieofficial/

The truly brilliant and impossibly talented Rachel Ferner started off as a performer but soon found her calling in writing songs with and for other artists including Little Mix, Craig David , Steps , Birdy and Natalie Imbruglia. Her attention to detail and emotional connection within her songs is impeccable and her choices are always beautifully made. Here she talks about how her early experiences as an artist have helped her connect with other artists and co writers from the truly epic 'Secret Love Song" through to masterpieces including "Lighthouse" with Birdy , "Nobody Knows" with Jazz Morley and he truly exquisite new solo project The Butterfly Effect. I absolutely adore her writing and it was so wonderful to spend time with her for this .

More on Rachel here https://www.instagram.com/rachel.furner/?hl=en

And playlist of her work here https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EFTsl7VsKRhPb?si=e74adfd7f91544f7

Its such a pleasure to welcome one of my favourite songwriters in the world to the podcast this week. Jon Green is all about emotional connection , whether it be working in his current home of Nashville with Lady A and Maren Morris or on pop masterpieces including "Say Something" and "Lost Without You" with Kylie , "Wild Love"and "Us" with James Bay alongside his beautiful work with acts including Aquilo , Maisie Peters and Twinnie. Here he talks about his journey from studying at Paul McCartneys LIPA , getting incredible breaks early on including working with his friend Lucie Silvas and how his current studio is basically one big microphone ready to record whatever incredible ideas happen to be created within it including his own Reunion band project.  Find Jon here https://www.instagram.com/jongreen1979/

Paul Dakeyne is a pioneer of remixing and megamixing and pretty much a huge reason why I have a career.  From his legendary creations for the DMC DJ Only mix albums from the late 80s onwards his masterpieces inspired a generation of producers to experiment in the studio and left them baffled as to how he could achieve the results with what was then limited technology culminating in his 'epics' series . He took me on as his apprentice around 1990 and I watched and learned everything I could as he worked on groundbreaking remixes of everything from Yazoo, Expose, Yello, The Jets , James Brown and Take That and later on his own projects including Tinman.

His roots as a DJ and love of electronic music has formed the basis of an incredible 40 year career and he is still entertaining a captive audience with his streams on Twitch and work with music technology companies. 

The kindness and belief he showed in me at such an early age is something I will treasure forever as much as I do our friendship. He is a true maverick whose influence on music creation is undeniable. 

I absolutely loved this chat with my good friends and incredible singers Adetoun Ayoola and Katie Holmes Smith who collectively have performed background vocals for the biggest stars in the world including Adele, Kylie, Robbie Williams and Ed Sheeran. They started their incredibly successful venture The Vocal Code to try and find new talent to bring forward into the music industry and through a series of auditions have been responsible for putting some amazing talent into key roles with artists and nurturing them through the process.

I’ve been lucky enough to be part of these auditions on the panel and the quality is second to none. They also have their own podcast Vocal Code Unlocked which is an incredible source of information from some of the best experts in the world. And more recently they have opened up a new section of the site exclusively aimed at finding virtual recording solutions for backing vocals delivering world class sessions.

Hearing this two incredible women talk about how they got their breaks and choosing to share their experiences to help others is truly inspirational - enjoy!

More on Vocal Code at  https://www.vocalcode.co.uk

More on Adetoun at https://www.adetounofficial.com

More on Katie at http://www.katieholmes-smith.com

On a recent rummage through his loft my partner in Brothers In Rhythm Dave Seaman found his old Filofax so to celebrate a few 30th Anniversaries for us this year we decided to open it up and discuss the contents of our professional engagements in the diary within resulting in differing levels of recollection ! Part One takes us through to June 1994 including productions and remixes with Kylie, Take That, Charvhoni ,The Eurythmics and an unforgettable moment with Lulu. Hope you enjoy!

Another special edition of the podcast where I speak to pop aficionado's Larry Flick (Vero/Billboard/Sirius XM) and Lee Bennett (Teases And Dares Blog) about their choices of hidden gems , this time we are back to the 80s complete with espadrilles , white jackets and some truly amazing music! See if you can guess the songs before we reveal them and please hunt them down if you are unfamiliar - every one is a true diamond.

More on Larry https://vero.co/site/newsroom/my-vero-larry-flick

Lee's Blog https://teasesanddares.wordpress.com

Having worked in studios after being in bands growing up, Pete Hammond found himself at the centre of The Hit Factory mixing and remixing hit after hit for Stock/Aitken/Waterman and developing his trademark sound that is still in demand for current artists and records. Here we talk about his journey from making reggae records , building studios and of course classics by Kylie, Rick Astley , Take That, Donna Summer , Mel & Kim and so many more as well as his epic remixes for Tracie Spencer, Velvet and Alphabeat and even the phenomenon that was , Roland Rat! 

More on Pete here http://www.petemixmasterhammond.com

Spotify playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Po4JZSBR7AaXEoKJX2Lww?si=d4b4190be9464ec2

From an apprenticeship in bands and a studio making karaoke tracks (which came in very useful later) , writer and producer Jez Ashurst has been part of some of the finest moments in modern pop music including "Secret Love Song" (Little Mix) , "Favourite Ex" (Maisie Peters) and the Christmas classic "One More Sleep" (Leona Lewis). Alongside this he's worked with artists including Tom Walker (who was originally his student when he taught at music colleges), Tom Grennan, Gabrielle Aplin, Claire Richards and Ella Henderson.

Here he talks about how he found himself at his first writing camp with Carole King and his time working on Biff Stannard's music team for the X Factor plus some incredible insights into the writing process and his continued love of being in rooms with talented people making records.

More on Jez here https://www.karmaartists.co.uk/talent/jez-ashurst/

Without doubt one of the best singers the UK has ever produced, Nicole Simpson (aka Red) is a Scottish force of nature having grown up listening to divas including Whitney and Christina and trying to emulate them she's forged her career through social media platforms gaining an army of fans ready for her own music which she's released over the last couple of years. From two stints on the X Factor both learning processes in their own way, to uploading a YouTube video of her singing "Never Enough" from The Greatest Showman which not only got noticed by its original singer LOREN ALLRED but also provides her with an opportunity to travel the world singing it at some incredible weddings for some very lucky brides!

Her original EP is out shortly and her collaboration with the exceptionally talented producer Rob Eckland "Together's As Good As Alone" from his "Beyond The Lights" EP (out now) gives her the opportunity to showcase everything she's learned on a truly epic Whitney style gospel ballad and arguably the best vocal you will hear this year.

I couldn't be more proud of her and everything she's achieved , this is only the beginning too - hope you enjoy this wonderful chat and please check out her music in the links.

https://www.instagram.com/itsredredred/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0zr3lEdAVIcvw08DqEMsNh?si=rRpro5VsQP6L23lsnF-o8w

https://open.spotify.com/track/3LnXayot03C7PXpyoV7Bwp?si=5759287f22994bc3

There are so many times I hear a song that I instantly fall in love with then find out it was written by Fiona Bevan. I describe her to people as 'magical' , her lyrics are poetry and her melodies are divine plus that truly angelic voice on her solo material is perfection. Here she talks about growing up in a house without pop music but finding inspiration in books and movies to forming a band and that moment  when she called her friend Ed Sheeran to try a co-write which ended up being "Little Things" covered by One Direction a year later and one of their biggest and best records.

From then on it's been a fine balance of writing with and for other artists including Steps, Aurora, Billie Marten , Claire Richards, Natalie Imbruglia and Kylie alongside releasing her own superb EP's and albums culminating in the current project "Faultlines" and "Revelations" which see Fiona producing herself and with breathtaking results.

You can probably tell I absolutely adore her and I know you will too after listening to this episode - please do check out her songs and original material too especially "We Carry On" by Peter Greenwald which encapsulates beauty in a way rarely captured in a piece of music. 

Website https://fionabevan.co.uk

Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EFIk3cz5XarjV?si=58c2b20c8da244ba

After initially meeting during their apprenticeships at PWL with Stock/Aitken/Waterman working on so many classic records including for Kylie, Bananarama and Jason Donovan  , Barry and Jules went on to become one of the most successful producer/remixer/writer partnerships working with the best pop acts in the world including Steps (producing their latest 3 albums including "Scared Of The Dark", "Heartbreak In This City" and "Something In Your Eyes") , Little Mix , Sophie Ellis Bextor, The Saturdays, Rachel Stevens, Demi Lovato and Britney Spears firstly as Jewels & Stone and then The Alias . Here they talk about the inspirations and love of early electronic music plus how the partnership works in the studio and just how that "Pop Idol" theme came about with Cathy Dennis. 

More here http://www.thealiasmusic.com

From his beginnings working as an assistant for Giorgio Moroder to joining forces with him and Donna Summer to write and produce her biggest hits, Pete Bellotte is partly responsible for the soundtrack to so many peoples lives including "I Feel Love" , "Love To Love You Baby" and "Hot Stuff". Here he talks about his beginnings in a group which led him to moving to Germany where his life changed forever. Alongside the many albums with Donna he has written and produced for Elton John, Janet Jackson and the disco classic "Giving Up Giving In' by The Three Degrees.

Such a privilege to spend time with him after us initially meeting up a while ago and just the most wonderful man with a love of music and the process of making it that is still as strong today as it ever was.

More on Pete here http://www.petebellotte.com

More on Donna here https://donnasummer.com

More on Giorgio here https://www.giorgiomoroder.com

Another special episode speaking with the brilliant Larry Flick (Billboard/Sirius XM/Vero) and Lee Bennett (Teases And Dares Blog) about some of our favourite hidden gems whether they be songs, albums or artists that may not have quite got the attention they deserved over the years we shine a light on them in the hope more people might discover the wonder within. 

Episode playlist here https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2vYUl01Srvuhocl3NLtROq?si=e3a3b07370ab4b15

More on Larry at https://www.instagram.com/larry_flick

Teases And Dares Blog https://teasesanddares.wordpress.com

Hannah Robinson is responsible for writing some of the catchiest songs of all time and basically pop royalty so I was so delighted to catch up with her for the podcast. Initially a session singer answering adverts in the back of Melody Maker she soon started writing the songs alongside established producers including Richard X , Pascal Gabriel and Liam Howe. Her first hit was "Some Girls' for Rachel Stevens which propelled her to a wonderful career including work with Sophie Ellis Bextor, Kylie, Dannii , Louise Redknapp Geri Halliwell, Annie, Lana Del Rey, Zara Larsson and Bananarama leading right up to date for her incredible work with new artists Call Me Loop and G Friend. More on Hannah here https://hannahrobinsonmusic.com

Paul Wright is someone who literally knows all about good feelings as he is able to help people access them in his role as Clinical Hypnotherapist for PhobiaGone. But he started out as an engineer at Sarm West Studios working on classic albums including "Faith" by George Michael and "Welcome To The Pleasuredome" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. He talks here about his first ever session when he was training on night reception when he ended up being part of the Band Aid recordings. Our history is very linked though as he was responsible for recording and engineering the majority of Brothers In Rhythm productions and remixes including "Confide In Me" by Kylie along with the album that it was part of, "Nobody Else" album with Take That (including "Never Forget") and our work with icons including Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Sting and David Bowie. 

He talks here about how he got into studios , his constant passion to learn how things work which led him onto studying to see how neuroscience affects human behaviour and eventually a decision to change his career path completely and focus entirely on helping people overcome their fears and anxieties.

He has helped so many people and discusses here how life changing one off therapy can be not only affordable but make the biggest differences to peoples lives, sometimes actually saving them in the instance of someone having a fear of needles and not being able to take serious tests.

I can't recommend him or his practise highly enough and have so much gratitude for everything he brought to our team when we were at Sarm West.

More on Paul here https://www.phobiagone.com

Toby Alington is an award winning live sound engineer who this year is celebrating mixing his 30th Brit Awards for television alongside working with everyone from Coldplay, Adele , Take That and Kylie on their filmed live shows. His exquisite skill of delivering the most exciting live sound on multi artists shows whilst all the time executing an almost zen like modicum of cool has resulted in over 40 years of the biggest artists in the world trusting him. Here he talks about the process of translating the live concert experience sonically on filmed shows and the people that helped him along the way. Please follow/like the podcast to hear more incredible stories about the moments that changed everything for truly wonderful people . Thanks for listening.

Originally from a remix background (similar to myself) the superbly talented Graham Stack has worked with incredible artists including Tina Turner, Westlife, Girls Aloud, Rod Stewart , Dannii Minogue, Kylie , James Arthur , Steps and Take That. He has also been the Musical Director on huge TV shows including Britains Got Talent, America's Got Talent and The X Factor creating true TV Gold moments that have gone on to help create world class careers for the artists.  In this chat we talk about his beginnings as a musician, his introduction to the legendary Brian Rawling which led to him being part of his iconic production team and how he got to be one of the most trusted producers and musical directors in the world. He also speaks about his pride for producing the beautiful and important charity single "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Artists for Grenfell , something that he completed within two days of being asked to do it. That kind of organisation, calm and execution is rare and it was such a joy hearing him talk about the moments that allowed him to do the job he so loves. More on Graham here https://www.grahamstack.com

Not many producers have the diversity of repertoire to include Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Annie Lennox, S Club 7, Cher and Billie Eilish but there really is only one Stephen Lipson. He's responsible for some of my favourite records of all time and here we chat about how a chance meeting with a friend got him into building a studio and in turn a swift learning experience. From tales of working with Trevor Horn at Sarm Studios to the time Cher rocked up in full glam for her superb version of "Its A Mans World" and a Whitney Houston encounter that had a quintessentially British ending. I've always loved how honest he is about the work and his no nonsense attitude to recording in general and of course he really has made some of the finest records of my lifetime.  More on Steve here https://www.stevelipson.com/Steve_Lipson/Home.html

Descended from Hollywood royalty (his father Mickey Rooney who famously partnered with Judy Garland throughout his career) , the multi award winning choreographer Michael Rooney has been responsible for some of the most iconic moments in pop music ever including his work with Kylie (including videos for "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" and "Slow) as well as working on her groundbreaking "Showgirl" and "X" tours,  collaborating with Spike Jones for MTV award winning videos for Fatboy Slim (including "Weapon Of Choice") ,  and the truly fabulous video for Bjork's "Its Oh So Quiet" amongst many others. As if this wasn't enough and most exciting for me is his work with the Muppets , everyone knows I'm their biggest fan!  Here he talks through his introduction to dance by 'watching his father in the box (on television)" and then a baptism of fire with his first professional job under the legendary Debbie Allen dancing on the TV version of "Fame". Someone who he learned a lot from over those 4 years!  I've been lucky enough to work with Michael a lot and you'll understand why I adore him so much throughout this interview. He's hard working, meticulous and a brilliant creative but he also has the warmest heart and most beautiful human. I really hope you enjoy this unique look at the moments that made him. Follow Michael here https://www.instagram.com/roonzk/ More info https://www.amck.tv/talent/directors/882-michael-rooney/

It's no secret that my favourite film of all time is "Moulin Rouge" so it was really lovely to speak to the incredibly talented Andy Bradfield,  the man that mixed not only that soundtrack but also "The Great Gatsby" and "Romeo And Juliet"  as well as countless classics by artists including Rufus Wainwright, Craig Armstrong, Sheridan Smith , The Spice Girls, Louise and Alanis Morissette.  Andy talks about his love for sound from an early age and his apprenticeships at legendary studios including Red Bus, Metropolis and Olympic starting as an assistant on a Queen album providing some lovely moments with Freddie Mercury including attending a party at his house! All of the led to him building his own mix room where he works now , most recently remixing some classic Marillion albums in Dolby Atmos and working with new bands often alongside his wife , the also brilliantly talented Avril Mackintosh.  There are some incredible stories from working with Baz Luhrman which anyone who is like me and adores him will absolutely cherish. More on Andy here http://www.andybradfield.com

Currently part of the incredible Woman To Woman project with Beverley Craven, Julia Fordham and Rumer , Judie Tzuke is not only one of the finest writers the UK has ever produced but also has one of the most distinctive voices full of warmth and believability. Here she talks about her beginnings writing poems which turned into songs forming the basis of her albums initially signed to Elton John's label with whom she toured with - yes that famous US show where he dressed as Donald Duck. Her seminal classic "Stay With Me Til Dawn" sounds as beautiful today as it ever did with its signature string arrangement by legend Paul Buckmaster. 

I have been lucky enough to write with her on songs I count to be my very best including "If (When You Go)" (recorded both by herself and with Beverley and Julia for the project) which has the loveliest story behind it and "Maybe This Christmas" with the truly breathtaking Harriet as well as writing classics with Lucie Silvas, Tom Baxter, Morcheeba and BT . She also talks about her battle with stage fright and how losing her voice on a show became the remedy for it as well as how surviving cancer and Covid have made her more fearless than ever. I've said it before, she's an angel, like a real life one. She's changed so many peoples lives, is always helping and nurturing new talent and continues to be one of my favourite writers and humans. I absolutely adore her and know you will too after listening to this. 

More on Jude here https://www.tzuke.com 

Woman To Woman Live Album https://open.spotify.com/album/0MN8WGGOEwpBwLQ7VG53We?si=8e14ff067e174556

Self confessed 'sad boy' JC Stewart is one of the brightest and most brilliant singer/songwriters to have emerged in the last few years. Hailing from Northern Ireland his silky vocals , heartfelt songs and super catchy hooks have brought him much deserved success as a solo artist and also co-writing with luminaries including Lewis Capaldi, Tom O'Dell and Niall Horan. I caught up with him at his home studio where he was working on the next batch of songs and we chatted about his path to recent success , the dilemma facing most modern artists between artistry and content making and how his struggles with mental health influenced one of his finest songs "Loud" . Plus how Jennifer Aniston played a huge part in all of this. The one thing I forgot to talk about was the fact that when you visit his website, your cursor turns into a giraffe. One of the many reasons I have a lot of time for him. Try it out yourself here https://www.iamjcstewart.com

Jim Eliot is widely known for his understanding of how to create a certified pop banger including "All The Lovers" by Kylie, "Anything Can Happen" by Ellie Goulding and "Jealousy" by Will Young. Starting out with a love of synths and dance music he talks here about the small moments that made the biggest changes to his career as a songwriter/producer and lovely recollections of how some of these superb records were crafted including the time he had to remember a chorus idea on the walk home after his car broke down!  More in Jim here https://www.karmaartists.co.uk/talent/jim-eliot/ https://www.instagram.com/jim_eliot_shadow_music/

Grace has been responsible for some of my favourite music over the last few years including her "i wonder if you wonder' EP which was #1 on my #BestOf2021 list. She talks here about learning to play by ear from a young age and how the dream didn't quite work out the way she planned after finishing second on "The X Factor" and being one of the first acts to be allowed to sing their own compositions. After working with some brilliant co-writers including Lauren Aquilina, Adam Argyle and Frances and the eventual demise of the label she was signed to she moved back home, taught herself how to produce , became an independent artist and finally delivered her definitive version of the much beloved song "Roots". She also talks about the challenges of being an independent artist especially in a content driven market but also the joy she has found being in control of her work and her unbound love of music. She's easily one of the smartest, most talented new artists around and it was so wonderful to catch up with her. More on Grace https://www.gracedaviesofficial.com

From his beginnings as mash up king under the moniker Girls On Top , Richard X is now one of the most in demand producers working with artists including The Human League, Sugababes, Kelis, Annie and as a long time collaborator with Will Young. I caught up with him at his home studio to hear some of the magical moments that helped him along the way including tales of buying compilations in jumble sales and a love of 90s rave anthems!

More on Richard here http://blackmelody.com

On the 25th Anniversary of George Michael's classic "Older" album I catch up with the truly brilliant Johnny Douglas about the incredible story behind how he ended up producing tracks from that record and their collaborative partnership beyond it. Also amazing tales of an abandoned solo artist dreams leading to figuring out how to work a studio and producing/writing for so many superb artists including Kylie, Tina Turner, Tom Jones, Louise, Eternal , All Saints and Sugababes and as always some wonderful memories of working at Sarm West including how every Thursday night we would all huddle around the TV to watch TOTP usually with the artists that were featuring on it!.

More on Johnny here https://www.instagram.com/johnnydouglasproductions/

And listen to his work here https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1jt0UA1BA7ev63xbCA6nnR?si=dd7eb9da15594932

Follow the podcast and more links here https://linktr.ee/steveandersonproducer

Joanna Woodward has without doubt one of the finest female voices I’ve ever worked with , on top of that she is an established West End leading lady with roles in " The Time Travellers Wife" and "Beautiful" amongst others , a cabaret legend and also a bonafide superhero. Her incredible honesty in opening up about mental health and personal family situations has helped so many people and above it all she continually shines , brighter than ever to the complete wonder and joy of every audience member lucky enough to be watching her.

I hope you enjoy it and if you do please follow/like the podcast to hear all previous episodes and make sure you don't miss out on the amazing ones to come. Thank you for listening.

The two people that encouraged me to do this podcast in the first place join me to share our Top 5 songs from 2021 and a few extras as well!

With Larry Flick (Sirius XM/Billboard/Vero) https://getvero.app.link/JU3SjoDkpjb?_p=c1143edc990762eeeb1b90f8ee

Lee Bennet (Teases And Dares Blog) https://teasesanddares.wordpress.com

Listen to all the songs here https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6wcsRV0ZTy4Ul5zVq4ETcq?si=1999531b30494925

So wonderful to catch up with one of my favourite songwriters, the truly gifted Jörgen Elofsson, responsible for so many huge songs including "A Moment Like This" and "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" for Kelly Clarkson, "Sometimes" and "You Drive Me Crazy" for Britney Spears , "Its The Way You Make Me Feel" for Steps , "My Love" for Westlife and so many more. He's worked with Celine Dion, Leona Lewis (including his beautiful song 'Homeless' which he talks about here) , Demi Lovato and was able to achieve the impossible coaxing Agnetha Fältskog back into the studio for the beautiful "A" album. 

His passion for writing and music shines through in this conversation detailing some of his process and how finding the right connection to a song or lyric can come in so many different ways and often when least expected. It's a wonderful story from starting as a solo artist to finding a home at the legendary Cheiron studios alongside Max Martin and Denniz Pop at the height of the Swedish pop world domination. 

More here http://www.jorgenelofsson.com

Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EFBmP1B16bt60?si=946742ae63eb4159

Jamie Hartman is a master craftsman. Part Sam Cooke , part Paul McCartney, in this episode he talks about his origins in Bens Brother, to taking advice from a close friend to let a treasured song be covered by Will Young ("All Time Love"), the incredible story behind how the groundbreaking Brit Award winning song "Human" got to Rag'n'Bone Man and how he managed to coax the legendary Carole King out of writing retirement for the title song of Jennifer Hudson's movie about Aretha Franklin. 

Along with his work with Celeste, Calvin Harris, Lewis Capaldi and Guy Sebastian this episode is full of the most magical moments to inspire any songwriter or fan of music. Plus, he just the loveliest human too.! Enjoy.

Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EFBRNV9sHzXQv?si=74ff075d23834864

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bensbrother1

Without doubt one of the loveliest and hardest working pop stars around , I catch up with the truly beautiful Louise Redknapp to talk about the incredible moments that have shaped her career including that legendary time where she was approached in a club and asked if she could sing by the manager of what would end up being Eternal. Through her time at stage school , being in and out of that incredible band and onto a solo career at such a young age and how her initial training has helped with all of this plus given her the tools she needs to be able to play lead roles in shows including "9 To 5" and the dream role of Sally Bowles in 'Cabaret".

She's one of my favourite singers with her gorgeous R&B tone beautifully represented on her most recent album "Heavy Love" which featured her co-writing a lot of the songs including the absolutely heartbreaking "Wrong" which I was lucky enough to producer for her. 

Alongside all of this her appearance on shows like "Strictly" and her wonderful book "You've Got This" are just a few of the many reasons she is so loved by so many people. 

https://louiseofficial.co.uk