Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

When you hear the term "singer-songwriter", what the first thing that comes to mind? Sensitive '70s long-haired hippies strolling through Laurel Canyon with an acoustic guitar? Us too. But, amidst the explosion of alternative rock, grunge, Britpop, electronic music, and hip-hop, the '90s were a fruitful decade for the singer-songwriter. This crop of artists drew from a stylistically varied palette, but played music with passion, heart, honesty, vulnerability, and a knack for poetic storytelling. One of the most promising singer-songwriters of the '90s was this week's Third Lad Milo Binder, the musical alter ego of Todd Lawrence. Milo Binder's self-titled debut album was released in 1991 to universal critical acclaim, featuring a respected roster of legendary musicians including Garth Hudson from The Band, Sneaky Pete from Flying Burrito Brothers, and Victoria Williams, as well as studio pros like the late David Vaught (Rosebud, Tom Waits, Roger McGuinn) and Duane Jarvis. Milo was profiled on NPR, received folk radio airplay, and shared the stage with a range of artists from the Indigo Girls to Soundgarden. Naturally, with that auspicious debut, Milo Binder went on to a long, fruitful musical career. Right? Well, a series of life changing events caused Milo Binder to hang up the guitar and transform back into mild-mannered Todd Lawrence for the better part of 33 years (the Superman analogy isn't all that hyperbolic...you'll find out that Todd is pretty much a super hero!). Other than the occasional live appearance and 2019's wonderfully whimsical psychedelic pop fable Paisley and the Firefly written and recorded with his longtime musical partner and best friend Willie Aron, a true follow up to the Milo Binder album never materialized. Until now. August 2024 heralded the return of Milo Binder with his (verrrrrry) long awaited second album, The Unspeakable Milo Binder, on Heyday Again (distributed by Real Gone Music). It finds our hero not only in fine form, but it's a record that equals or surpasses its predecessor. Listen to Milo's remarkable story, plus: What '90s singer-songwriter was a triple crossover...but with three different albums? Where did Uncle Gregg bomb doing stand up? Who was Milo's toughest audience? What group of people did Cher offend? (According to our official staff fact checker, aka Brett's wife, it's NOT who we said it was.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we head back to '82 (when we could throw a pigskin a quarter mile) with special guest Jackson Reed. With his band Jackson Reed and the Silverbirds, the 26-year old Calgary rocker is mixing an irresistible blend of earnest '80s classic rock with modern pop smarts. Following the success of tracks like 2021's "Dangerous Lover" (featuring legendary drummer Kenny Aronoff) and 2023's "In My Head," their latest single is a cover of Prince's iconic 1982 hit "Little Red Corvette", offering up a take on the classic that's both faithful and fresh. It's garnered radio airplay coast-to-coast in both the USA and Canada. Reed also hosts the wonderful podcast Guess That Record, where he has interviewed luminaries such as The Police's Andy Summers, Dweezil Zappa, and Billy Joel drummer Chuck Burgi. And, in tribute to Jackson's pod, we play a brand new O3L game called "Back in 82, I Could Guess That Song!" Like good honorary Canadians, we partake in conversations about hockey, Rush, the Tragically Hip, Degrassi, Corner Gas...plus little red corvettes, Brett's drag club appearance, and Uncle Gregg's oddly specific sensual fantasies. Hey, it was Saturday night, we guess that makes it alright... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you will dare, we will dare. "Children by the millions" have been waiting for the episode where we cover the music of one of the most influential and pioneering bands of the alternative era - heck, one of the greatest rock n' roll bands ever, period - The Replacements. And what better Third Lad could we hope for this week than the man who discovered, signed, managed, and co-produced the Mats, Twin/Tone Records co-founder Peter Jesperson?! Peter stops by to recount the early days of the Twin Cities scene and Twin/Tone; the moment Paul Westerberg handed him the Replacements' first demo; his biggest disappointments and surprises among Twin/Tone artists; the Mats' transition to a major label; getting the Replacements into the Rock Hall; an update on late era guitarist Slim Dunlap; and many more memories, as we reveal our Top 5 Replacements Songs. Peter's essential memoir, Euphoric Recall, is out now. Euphoric Recall: A Half Century as a Music Fan, Producer, DJ, Record Executive, and Tastemaker: Jesperson, Peter, Fricke, David: 9781681342719: Amazon.com: Books Many thanks to Josh Mills from It's Alive! Media & Management for the introduction and coordination. Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday, May 20, the classic alternative, punk, new wave, post-punk, goth, synth pop, and dark wave tribes will gather once again in Pasadena, California for the second Cruel World festival. It's an amazing lineup featuring the first Siouxsie live appearance in the US in over 15 years, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, Love and Rockets, Echo & The Bunnymen, Adam Ant, The Human League, Gary Numan, Modern English, Gang Of Four, ABC, The Vapors, Berlin, Animotion, and a fine selection of like-minded "next generation" bands. The Lads break down the acts that they will be checking out, festival survival tips, and a heck of a lot more. Whether you are going or just wish you were, let O3L be your "pre-game show" for Cruel World! We're shining the O3L Spotlight on The Midnight Sailors, the new project from amazingly talented singer/songwriter Rich Longley and guitarist David Osborne, who share a fondness for Al Stewart, The Lilac Time, and songs about memories, childhood and history. They’ve produced a marvelous self-titled concept album of sorts about their experiences, and along with the ornate beauty and ambitious song structures of the aforementioned influences, there are dashes of The Go-Betweens and The Clientele and probably the best banjo flourishes you’ll hear on a pop record this year. We play the gorgeous album cut, "This Time It Was Me." Check them out at themidnightsailors.bandcamp.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey mon! (Tooka-tinka, tooka-tinka, tooka-tinka...) Whether you're smokin' a fat doob, gargling with Wild Turkey, or sippin' a pina colada Slurpee, you won't want to miss O3L jammin' to the sound and spirit of Jamaica, reggae. Let's get together and feel alright! Cuz here's the thing: While Brett is a reggae fan, Uncle Gregg is decidedly not. In fact, you could even say that this week caused him a little consternation. We'll give you both sides of the proverbial coin. Oh...and, hey, long time listeners, remember those "O3L After Dark" bonus episodes where we'd save some of the more questionable/offensive content for more mature (or is it immature?) audiences? Yeah, we didn't do that this week, but consider yourself forewarned. We'd like to say it was the Wild Turkey talkin', but who are we kidding? In the O3L Spotlight this week, we play the new single by Special Friend called "Selkie," from the forthcoming album Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In (out June 30) on Skep Wax Records and French labels Howlin' Banana and Hidden Bay Records. Paris-based duo Special Friend are American Erica Ashleson and Frenchman Guillaume Siracusa. They have a sound that’s somehow minimal and epic. On Selkie, her insistent drums, his reverberating guitar, and the plaintive melody in their voices join forces to conjure up the spirit of a beautiful, unknowable creature... According to folk tales and mythology, a selkie is a seal who can swim ashore, shed her skin and transform herself into a beautiful human being for a while. Those folk tales also tell of man’s cruelty – of selkies whose discarded sealskins were destroyed while they were in human form, deliberately preventing them from ever reclaiming their true animal identities. "Selkie" is a song about magic and about cruelty. About celebrating and respecting the poetry of different beings, and accepting the fact that we should never try to master them. Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're covering some of the finest female vocal performances and songs of the O3L era. But, as the ladies of Bananarama wisely imparted, "it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it!" That's why we are thrilled to "do it" with indie pop giants Heavenly as our Third Lads this week: Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey, Pete Momtchiloff and Cathy Rogers! Heavenly are reuniting for a pair of sold out London shows this month to celebrate their ongoing reissue campaign on Skep Wax, and they were gracious enough to hang out with us to share music, memories and laughs with us. Heavenly was formed in Oxford, England in 1989, springing from one of the seminal UK indie bands of the '80s, Talulah Gosh. From 1990-1996, the group released four albums and a run of brilliant singles (mostly on Sarah Records), full of jangly twee pop sweetness with an occasional riot grrrl attitude. Following the untimely passing of drummer Matthew Fletcher, the surviving members regrouped as Marine Research for the terrific 1999 LP Sounds From The Gulf Stream. In the 21st century, Amelia and Rob have been involved in various musical projects including Sportique, Tender Trap, Caternary Wires and Swansea Sound, as well as running the Skep Wax label. Amelia is also an esteemed economist who has been appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Pete has played in bands including Scarlet's Well (with Bid from Monochrome Set), Would-Be-Goods, and Tufthunter. Cathy has a PhD in Educational Neuroscience, and is well known as the creator, producer and host of the reality competition shows Scrapheap Challenge (UK) and Junkyard Wars (US). Plus: - In an exciting quiz game, find out if C really is Heavenly's option! - Being Tik Tok famous! - Riot grrrls and roller skates! - Dealing with "scary" managers! - Doing octopus impressions! - The art of peeling root vegetables! - Britcoms (well, and Aussie-coms)! - Gregg gets sensitive (but only for a moment)! - Cathy lays out some fresh rhymes! - Aging indie band looking for teens! - Hear the new single "Get Me" by Skep Wax artist Panic Pocket! For more information on Heavenly and other Skep Wax artists, go to: https://skepwax.bandcamp.com. O3L is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. #musicpodcast #indiepop #tweepop #riotgrrrl #sarahrecords #cistheheavenlyoption #PUNKgirl #britpop #C86 #janglepop #punkrock #Krecords Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aye, this week we have a wee blether aboot, to quote Teenage Fanclub, "songs from Northern Britain." It's a belter tae! Our Third Lad this week is a singer/songwriter fae Aberdeen, Kevin Robertson. Since 2019, he has prolifically been releasing brilliantly constructed jangle-pop, folk-rock and psych-pop both solo and with his band The Vapour Trails. His newly released solo album, Magic Spells Abound, is a masterful modern Scottish classic that's now available on all streaming services or: US/Canada: Magic Spells Abound | Kevin Robertson | Futureman Records (bandcamp.com) Rest of the World: Magic Spells Abound | Kevin Robertson (bandcamp.com) Dinnae be a dafty david...have a listen, wilnae ye? Oh, and by the way, Gregg ruins Scotland! Only Three Lads is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the most wonderful time of the year...Record Store Day! Record Store Day is on Saturday, April 22, 2023. It's a day to celebrate the cultural importance of independent record stores around the world. Since 2007, RSD has been a tradition for thousands of music nerds...err, collectors...with an ever-growing list of exclusive releases. This year is a particularly epic year, with a bevy of albums that will appeal to classic alternative music fans. With all of this stuff, how am I going to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff, you ask? Well, good thing your friends at O3L are here! O3L's Brett Vargo gives you a run-down of the RSD highlights. Whether you're pre-gaming for the big day, sitting in line, or looking to pick up some records after the fact, we've got a little sumthin' sumthin' for everyone, if ya know what we mean. Happy Record Store Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 2, 2023, the music world lost a pivotal figure in Seymour Stein. As a teenager, Stein worked for Billboard Magazine and was instrumental in the development of the standard bearer for measuring pop music success in the United States, the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 1966, Stein co-founded Sire Records with Richard Gottherer. In the earliest days of the label, much of their focus was on bringing UK underground and progressive music to US record buyers, with distribution deals with London and ABC. Stein's most fruitful alliance was with Warner Brothers, where Sire was responsible for breaking punk, new wave, and alternative artists including Ramones, Talking Heads, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Replacements, The Ocean Blue, and many more to American audiences...not to mention one of the biggest pop stars to walk the earth, Madonna. We salute the spectacular Sire Records catalogue and remember Seymour Stein this week. Our Third Lad is a self-professed rock n' roll historian and fellow Sire Records afficionado, Brian Eichenberger from the wonderful podcast Rock n Roll Bedtime Stories. Each week, Brian and his friend/co-host Murdock go deep to discuss (and set straight) the rumor, innuendo, and hidden details that surround some of your favorite bands and songs. We're big fans of the show, and think you will be too! It's only fitting for Brian's appearance that we tell a few titillating bedtime stories during the episode: How Seymour Stein chased Dee Dee Ramone out of his bedroom! Sire passes on a legendary guitarist! The artist who pestered Seymour in the hospital! Crazy Phil Spector! Find out who Uncle Gregg nearly punched! Fake bands and unscrupulous managers! Fake TV songs! Tiffany! So tuck yourself in tight and let us aurally cuddle with you. Only Three Lads is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahh, the sweet sounds of jangle pop... This week, we cover the subgenre near and dear to Brett's heart. It's also the subgenre that brings back fond memories of drinking and debauchery for Uncle Gregg (to be fair, what doesn't?). Drawing from the well of The Beatles, The Byrds, The Searchers, The Hollies, and other '60s predecessors, jangle pop continued to thrive throughout the O3L era (1974-1999) and we'll cover some well known favorites and undiscovered treasures. And, because things like Rickenbacker guitars, VOX amps, and harmony laden pop songs never go out of fashion, we spotlight some more recent jangly pop gems by: Jetstream Pony - "Strood McD F.C." Lost Ships - "Here's What You Could Have Won" The Photocopies - "This, That, and the Other" The Shop Window - "That Feeling" The Easter Beaver and/or Passover Vampelephant wants you to listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices