Steve’s Mix Tapes – Details, episodes & analysis

A little flavour of what you can expect from the Steve's Mix Tapes podcast...

The first episode of my new podcast, which celebrates the art of the mix tape.

This one is a complilation of my own choosing - the next few will feature guest mixers.

https://www.stevesmixtapes.com/

The 'guest mixer' for this episode is Eric Smith, a US navy veteran, writer/blogger and many other things besides. 

My latest guest mixer is Gavin Morgan, educational psychologist, media star, seasoned traveller and long-suffering Northampton FC fan. I've known Gav for the best part of 20 years but haven't seen him in ages, so it was a real pleasure to catch up and have him curate an excellent mix.

My first 'guest mixer' is Ian Forth, creator of the 'Sombrero Fallout' podcast.

https://sombrerofallout.com/

This episode's 'guest mixer' is Richard 'Gappy Tooth' Catherall.

Richard, like Eric who appeared in the last episode, is a long-standing member of the Fall Online Forum, and was one of the judging panel in the Fall Cup. Amongst other things, he is a music promoter in Oxford, responsible for Gappy Tooth Industries.

On the FOF, Richard is renowned for his quirky, left of centre mixes, and he didn't disappoint here...

My guest this week is Neil Syme.

Neil is another acquaintance made via the Fall Online Forum, where he goes by the name 'Cactus' (for, as we discover, for no particular reason).

My guest this week is Sally Hamilton.

Like Gavin Morgan, my guest on Steve's Mix Tapes #003, I originally know Sally from the Wedding Present forum - and if you were paying attention to that episode, you might have worked out that she is Gavin's better half!

Sally has worked in education and publishing and is currently doing a PhD in English Literature. As well as 'alternative music culture', she lists her interests as First World War literature and art, hauntology, psychogeography, Gothic and the uncanny and dystopian literature - so I was all geared up for a highly intellectual discussion...

My guest this week is author and music journalist JR Moores.

John is the author of Electric Wizards: A Tapestry of Heavy Music, 1968 to the Present and Off the Ground: Paul McCartney in the 1990s, both of which are excellent books (and I'm not just saying that because my name appears in the former!)

He also writes the psych-rock column Columnfortably Numb for the Quietus, and he has also written for Record Collector, The Wire and The Guardian.

We knew already that we have a very healthy musical Venn diagram intersection, so it was no surprise that his mix was right up my street...

My guest this week is none other than founder member of The Fall Martin Bramah.

Martin very kindly took some time out from preparing for House Of All's upcoming tour to share and talk about a mix he put together for me.

Amongst other highlights, he used the word 'sexy' more often than I'd anticipated...