The Cat’s Whisker – Details, episodes & analysis

It's that time of the year again and I thought, what better moment to talk about the one and only Brenda Lee? She keeps us company every year with her Rocking around the Christmas Tree, which she recorded when she was only 13. Let's discover more about this incredible and unforgettable artist!

Today marks the 60th anniversary of an incredible album: With the Beatles, the Beatles' second record.

Join me and Cavern Club resident musician Liam Mannion while we dissect this iconic piece of music.

If you know me, you also know that I've got a soft spot for Buddy Holly. So, finally, I've decided to talk about his life and story. His roots, style, and his work both with the Crickets and as a solo artist. His successes and his difficulties, from the very beginning to his early death.

If we listen to rock and roll now, the reason why we love it is pretty obvious. But, as many know, it wasn't love at first "hearing". It was banned in some cities in the US, it was barely noticeable on British radios and it even had to be printed on XRays in the USSR, but, as many know... rock and roll is here to stay! Today we'll talk about crazy situations that luckily didn't stop this music from changing the world.

Probably the most famous songwriters in rock and roll history, today we'll discover all the interesting circumstances that made Leiber and Stoller the magic duo that wrote for Elvis, Ben E. King, The Coasters, and many more!

Today, 60 years ago the Beatles debut album Please Please Me was released. And that certainly calls for a special episode, where I'll be joined by resident Cavern Club musician Liam Mannion. 

We'll talk about how the album and the record deal came about, all the recording sessions of Please Please Me and how the songs were written. We'll also chat about the big influence Liverpool has on musicians and what it means to love the Beatles and be professionally involved in the city's music scene.

We're all used to music, but have you ever wondered how humans managed to record sound for the first time? 

I'll tell you all about it in this episode where starting from the origins of sound recording, I'll tell you how music ended up on the support that all die-hard music fans love: vinyl.

Possibly one of the most prolific session musicians in history, Carol Kaye played on over 10 thousand songs. Between bass guitar and rhythm guitar, she became the most requested musician of the sixties. You've heard her on songs by Ritchie Valens, the Beach Boys, the Monkees, Sonny and Cher, Sam Cooke, Nancy Sinatra, the Doors, many Motown records, and a lot of other songs and even TV series or film scores! Discover her fascinating story and techniques in today's episode.

Music is a powerful tool, especially rock and roll. And the establishment knew it sooo well. That's why today I'll tell you what I found out exploring the FBI vault.

Happy Valentine's Day! To celebrate love and rock and roll today I'll tell you all about three couples that made writing love songs to each other A BUSINESS! Starting from the masters, Boudleaux and Felice Bryant who wrote for The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly, to two couples straight from the celebrated Brill Building, where most of the greatest hits of the 60s came from: meet Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Berry.