The Gig Stories Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Chesney Hawkes burst onto our screens and radios in 1991, starring with Roger Daltrey in “Buddy’s Song” and topping the UK charts for five weeks with “The One And Only”. We chatted to Chesney about auditioning for “Buddy’s Song”, learning to play piano on John Lennon’s piano, and a whole lot more.

Chesney’s based in LA now, but is heading to the UK for his first headline gig since the late 90s - on May 31st 2024 at the O2 Forum, Kentish Town.

Get. On. It.

Rather than write a bit of blurb about our guest, DJ Paulette, here's what it says on the back cover of her fantastic new book, "Welcome To The Club - The Life and Lessons of a Black Woman DJ".

"One of the Hacienda's first female DJs, DJ Paulette has scaled the heights of the music industry, playing to crowds of thousands all around the world. Here she tells her story, offering a remarkable view of the music industry from a Black woman's perspective. Behind the core values of peace, love, unity and respect, dance music is a world of exclusion, misogyny, racism and classism. But, as Paulette reveals, it is also a space bursting at the seams with powerful women".

We chat to Paulette about her route into the DJ world, and some of the blinding gigs she experienced along the way.

**Warning - there is a contextual use of three homophobic slurs around one hour into the interview, lasting no more than a few seconds**

A missing episode! We thought we'd lost this conversation with Boo Radleys founder member Martin Carr, but turns out it was down the back of the settee with some loose change and the telly remote.

So, this chat took place over a year ago and it's an absolute cracker, where we chat about The Boo Radleys, supporting Sugar in the US, seaside radio roadshows and Jimmy Webb. Enjoy!

Grant Nicholas is frontman of Feeder and, despite being massively under the weather, he joined us for a chat about festivals, Tom Petty, Radiohead, and the band's new album "Torpedo".

Catch Feeder on tour in April 2022.

A compilation of our favourite bits from episodes 11-20. Featured guests are:

Mat Fraser

Magic Mod

Johnny Kalsi

Nick Heyward

Chris Hawkins

Shell Zenner

Graft

Mike Batt

Tommy Smith

James Atkin

Our guest this week is poet, journalist and author Adelle Stripe. Her latest book "Ten Thousand Apologies" is a biography of Fat White Family, co-written with lead singer Lias Saoudi. We chat about Fat White Family, Hebden Bridge Trades Club, that time she managed a band (caution, the C-Bomb is unavoidable here, so please avert young ears) and her love for The Doors. Check out her episode page on our website for loads of video links and a gallery of Fat White Family on the NME tour 2015, photographed by Chris...

Pete Paphides is a journalist, broadcaster and author of the wonderful autobiography “Broken Greek”.

In our conversation, we chat about Aztec Camera, going to Live Aid and the time Crowded House came round for tea.

This is our first interview with Pete - seeing as we only just scratched the surface, it will certainly not be the last…

James Walsh joins us for a great chat about gigging with Starsailor, his musical influences (including Babylon Zoo) and what it was like working with Phil Spector.

It's a New Year treat! Here are some of the best bits from our first ten episodes, featuring Clint Boon, Kathryn Williams, Rick McMurray, Andy Day, Sophie Galpin, Rick Witter, Denis Lawson, Sophie Williams and Gaz Whelan.

ENJOY!!!!

Rhodri Marsden is a musician (playing keyboards in Scritti Politti and TV theme tune covers band Dream Themes) and writer - who in recent years has become associated with Christmas through the #DuvetKnowItsChristmas hashtag on Twitter, where people send pics of their temporary sleeping arrangements over Christmas. 

Chris and Alex chat to Rhodri about joining Scritti Politti, playing in the Arctic Circle with half of R.E.M., being a member of Frank Sidebottom's band and loads more.

Merry Christmas! 

If you enjoy this episode or Rhodri's #DuvetKnowItsChristmas, please consider making a donation to Centrepoint this Christmas...