Explore every episode of the podcast Mick and the PhatMan Talking Music
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| Down the Rabbit Hole - Things we find on the Web | 22 Sep 2024 | 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? | |||
| The strange ways some bands got their names | 08 Sep 2024 | 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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| Husker Du, Sugar and Bob Mould | 09 Mar 2024 | 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 | |||
| Brilliant albums poorly reviewed. How do critics get it so wrong? | 24 Feb 2024 | 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 | |||
| Stars that threw it all away with dumb decisions | 10 Feb 2024 | 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 | |||
| Rolling Stone's "250 Greatest Guitarists of all Time" (well, some of them anyway!) | 27 Jan 2024 | 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 | |||
| 2023 - A great year for great music (from other years!) | 09 Dec 2023 | 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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| Great Protest Music of our Time | 25 Nov 2023 | 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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| Mathew Sweet - the music behind Susanna Hoffs, Austin Powers and The Simpsons | 11 Nov 2023 | 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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| REM - Another great band influenced by The Velvet Underground | 24 Oct 2023 | 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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| Big hits that really weren't original! | 09 Oct 2023 | 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 | |||
| A world without Leonard Cohen would be a much poorer place | 25 Sep 2023 | 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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| Bands who changed their sound mid-career | 28 Jul 2024 | 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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| How Michael Jackson's "Thriller" changed all the rules | 03 Sep 2023 | 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 | |||
| Marianne Faithfull - Before and after "Broken English" | 15 Aug 2023 | 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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| "Pampered Menial” - Pavlov’s Dog's stunning lost gem from 1975 | 30 Jul 2023 | 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 | |||
| A bunch of 70's rock icons | 11 Jul 2023 | 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 | |||
| Nico - An aural challenge well worth the effort | 25 Jun 2023 | 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 | |||
| Lou Reed’s “New York” – A masterpiece in 14 tracks | 11 Jun 2023 | 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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| The strange link between Vanilla Ice, Queen & David Bowie | 28 May 2023 | 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 | |||
| Ed Kuepper - The Saints' founder, Laughing Clown, sometime Aint and Bad Seed | 14 May 2023 | 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 | |||
| The best (and worst) shows we've ever seen | 25 Apr 2023 | 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 | |||
| The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – a sadly-missed phenomenon | 10 Apr 2023 | 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” | |||
| Nick Cave – From "Shivers" to 2024 solo piano & bass | 30 Jun 2024 | 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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| The Police - still fresh, 40 years on | 25 Mar 2023 | 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 | |||
| The Smiths - Manchester's finest! | 12 Mar 2023 | 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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| What makes a band (or artist) "Over-rated"? | 26 Feb 2023 | 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 | |||
| Ever Fallen in Love with Someone? | 12 Feb 2023 | 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 | |||
| Songs that fell short of #1 | 29 Jan 2023 | 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; | |||
| Two seasons of great music commentary | 16 Dec 2022 | 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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| Midnight Oil - Idealism and a red-hot live show | 11 Dec 2022 | 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. | |||
| Joe Cocker - "I don't expect to live through this" | 23 Nov 2022 | 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! | |||
| The Go Betweens - The importance of choosing great influences | 16 Nov 2022 | 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. | |||
| Great music that somehow missed the charts! | 01 Nov 2022 | 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! | |||
| Weird & Wonderful Collaborations | 10 Jun 2024 | 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!! | |||
| Who we'd have in our supergroup | 17 Oct 2022 | 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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| Genesis Redone | 29 Jul 2022 | 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 | |||
| Peter Gabriel. Stepping out from behind the masks | 28 Jul 2022 | 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 | |||
| How GOOD is Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"? | 24 Jul 2022 | 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 | |||
| Cyndi Lauper – The Girl Just Wants to Have Fun | 05 Jul 2022 | 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 | |||
| The Things We've Lost | 25 Jun 2022 | 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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| Alice Cooper - The Real Story | 10 Jun 2022 | 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 | |||
| What Do Your Favourite Songs Really Mean? | 25 May 2022 | 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”. | |||
| Rock Feuds - The Stuff of Legends | 30 Apr 2022 | 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. | |||
| Rock Music on Screen | 22 Apr 2022 | 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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| Jethro Tull - killer riffs with a flute player standing on one leg | 21 May 2024 | 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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| The most succesful producers of the modern era | 08 Apr 2022 | 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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| The Greatest-Ever Australian Albums | 24 Mar 2022 | 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 | |||
| Baby You Can Drive My Car | 12 Mar 2022 | 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. | |||
| Songs about Australia | 25 Feb 2022 | 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 | |||