The Strange Brew - artist stories behind the greatest music ever recorded

John Leckie is one of British rock’s greatest producers, who started out as a tape operator at Abbey Road in 1970, thrown immediately into sessions for George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band. This interview, conducted live at The CAT Club in September 2025, focuses on Sunburst Finish, the Be Bop Deluxe album that gave Leckie his first official production credit, and covers both the making of the album and his creative partnership with Bill Nelson. Additionally, Leckie gives a first-hand account of Syd Barrett’s unannounced appearance during the Wish You Were Here sessions, an encounter he stumbled into while raiding Pink Floyd’s beer fridge, only for Roger Waters to stop the tape and ask who the stranger standing next to him was. The Q&A session draws out further stories about working with The La’s, the Stone Roses’ debut, and how XTC – who idolised Bill Nelson, led Leckie to leave EMI and go independent. Further information Support The Strange Brew Podcasts also available: Bill Nelson – Be Bop Deluxe, Rob Chapman on Syd Barrett, Ken Scott on The Beatles, Bowie, Alan Parsons This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post John Leckie on Be Bop Deluxe and the Making of Sunburst Finish appeared first on The Strange Brew .

John Helliwell of Supertramp returns to talk about Crime of the Century, the newly restored 1975 concert film shot at Hammersmith Odeon, and the years in which the band went from complete obscurity to one of the biggest acts in the world. He discusses the creative relationship between Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, and how the tensions between them eventually broke the classic line-up apart. Helliwell also covers life after Supertramp, and what it means to keep performing as you get older. Further information Supertramp – Crime Of The Century: In Concert At Hammersmith Odeon – 1975 John Helliwell website Support The Strange Brew Podcasts also available: John Helliwell – 2019, Leslie Mandoki, Ken Scott, Jeff Wayne This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms The post John Helliwell – Supertramp appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Boz Boorer talks about his life in music, from his earliest memories of Marc Bolan and T. Rex to punk shows in London in the late 70s, The Polecats, and eventually decades on the road and in the studio with Morrissey. Boz talks about touring with Dave Edmunds, working alongside Tony Visconti, Mick Ronson and Steve Lillywhite, and the stories behind some of Morrissey’s most beloved songs: ‘Jack The Ripper’, ‘Speedway’, ‘Scandinavia’, ‘Istanbul’ and ‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’ among them. He gets into the making of Your Arsenal and Vauxhall and I, the stage invasions on those early tours, and why recording a chainsaw made perfect sense for ‘Speedway’. There’s also his recent collaborations with Paul Roland and Andy Ellison, digging through old archive tapes, and life running a record shop in Portugal. Further information bozboorer.com Morrissey Reimagined I Was A Teenage Zombie…& Other Children’s Party Favourites by Paul Roland, Andy Ellison & Boz Boorer Support The Strange Brew Podcasts also available: Andy Ellison, Paul Roland, Mark Nevin, Kevin Armstrong, Morrissey – the music that shaped his life This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms The post Boz Boorer – The Polecats to Morrissey appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Mark Webber has been with Pulp for so long that his story and the group’s are almost the same thing. He started out as a teenager in Chesterfield with a fanzine called Cosmic Pig, booked Pulp at the local Conservative Club in 1986, became their tour manager with his dad’s old briefcase, and eventually found himself on stage with a Stylophone. Jason Barnard takes him through it all: the years of playing to twenty people outside Sheffield, the last minute Glastonbury headline, the Brit Awards controversy, recording Different Class,This Is Hardcore, Scott Walker producing We Love Life, and the chilly end in Rotherham in December 2002. Then there’s the return. The 2023 shows that were supposed to be just fourteen nights, More recorded in three weeks on a tight budget, and Mark’s daughter finally getting to see him play. Recorded live at The CAT Club on 23 October 2025. The audio is recovered and a bit muddy, but worth the effort. Further information I’m With Pulp, Are You? – Soft Cover welovepulp.info Support The Strange Brew Podcasts also available: Nick Banks – Pulp, Bee Gees’ Main Course with Bob Stanley, The Making of The Human League’s Dare, Stephen Street – producer, Artmagic: Richard Oakes of Suede and Sean McGhee This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Mark Webber – Pulp appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Singer-songwriter Michael Weston King picks tracks from across his career, a conversation bookended by his new solo album Nothing Can Hurt Me Anymore, shaped by the Southport attacks of summer 2024 and the loss of his granddaughter, Bebe. King recalls Fragile Friends, who put out singles through Probe Records in early 80s Liverpool. After their split he found country music and formed The Good Sons, touring and recording with Townes Van Zandt. Solo albums followed, including collaborations with Jackie Leven, and with Chris Hillman and Herb Pederson. With his wife Lou Dalgleish he formed My Darling Clementine, enjoying critical success, their most recent project recording Elvis Costello songs with Steve Nieve.

He wrote some of the greatest songs in American music, Dark End of the Street, Do Right Woman, I’m Your Puppet, and now, at 84, Dan Penn is back with an excellent new album, Smoke Filled Room. Penn got his first chart record while still a junior in high school, went on to produce The Box Tops, was in the room when Otis Redding recorded You Left the Water Running, and co-wrote Do Right Woman over a guitar in Chips Moman’s front room, only to watch Aretha Franklin walk out of the Muscle Shoals session, before Jerry Wexler finished it in New York. And that falsetto at the end of the James Carr recording of Dark End of the Street? That was him too. He still performs, occasionally writes, and picks up the phone to Jason Barnard. Further information Dan Penn – Smoke Filled Room Support The Strange Brew Dan Penn podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Steve Cropper, John Paul White, Bettye LaVette, John Mayall, Rita Coolidge This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms The post Dan Penn appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Gary Talley was 19 when The Box Tops scored a number one hit with ‘The Letter.’ Alex Chilton was 16, had been up all night before the session, and came from the kind of household where that sort of thing wasn’t questioned. What followed was two and a half years of relentless touring, five albums, and a management which took advantage of them. Talley talks about growing up in Memphis during the birth of rock and roll, the story behind some of pop’s most enduring records, and what it’s like keeping The Box Tops on the road more than six decades on. Further information boxtops.com garytalley.com Support The Strange Brew Podcasts also available: Al Jardine – The Beach Boys, Daryl Hooper – The Seeds, Richard Orange – Zuider Zee, Richie Furay – Buffalo Springfield, Larry Tamblyn – The Standells This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Gary Talley – The Box Tops appeared first on The Strange Brew .

In a market town seven miles south-east of Manchester, a recording studio opened above a shop in 1968 that became one of the most significant facilities in British music history. Strawberry Recording Studios in Stockport was where 10cc built their sound, where Paul McCartney brought Wings to record his brother Mike’s album, where Neil Sedaka revived his career, and where Joy Division and The Smiths made their early recordings. For a long time, much of this went unremarked. Peter Tattersall, the studio’s co-founder, and Peter Wadsworth, a music historian at the University of Manchester, discuss the history of Strawberry Studios. The soundproofing, Tattersall mentions, was worked out from books borrowed from Stockport Library. That detail tells you all you need to know. Further information strawberrynorth.co.uk Strawberry Studios Forever: Strawberry Studios, 10cc and the Birth of Manchester Music by Peter Tattersall with Peter Wadsworth is available in all good book shops Strawberry Studios Forever podcast tracks Support The Strange Brew Podcasts also available: Eric Stewart – Part 1, Eric Stewart – Part 2, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley, Harvey Lisberg, Mike McGear McCartney, Keith Hopwood – Herman’s Hermits This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what

Few works of musical theatre receive the recognition they deserve, and The Kibbo Kift is a prime example. Written by Judge Smith, co-founder of Van der Graaf Generator, and composer Maxwell Hutchinson, this ambitious rock musical told the stranger-than-fiction story of a breakaway anti-war scouting movement in 1920 that transformed, over two turbulent decades, from idealistic woodland campers into uniformed street-fighters for an alternative economic theory. It played Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre and reached Sheffield’s Crucible in 1977 under director Mel Smith, then slipped into the margins of rock history. The recordings had a precarious existence. Union rules blocked a proper studio cast album, leaving only a patchwork of demo tapes and studio cuts. For decades these circulated in rough form, hardly doing justice to the material. Now, thanks to Think Like a Key, who tracked down, restored and remastered all surviving recordings,The Kibbo Kift can finally be heard as it deserves. In this interview, Judge Smith talks about the history of this remarkable lost musical, and why its strange subject matter resonates today. Further information The Kibbo Kift: The 1976 Rock Musical Judge Smith website Support The Strange Brew The Kibbo Kift podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Peter Hammill, The Genesis That Time Forgot, Tony Banks, Hawkwind’s Days of the Underground This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spo

Duncan Mackay spent the 1970s at the keyboard of British popular and progressive music, often invisibly, yet seldom far from its most defining moments. MacKay first built a reputation in South Africa which brought him back to England where he joined Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, just as ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)’ reached number one, and it was at Abbey Road during those sessions that he first encountered producer Alan Parsons. That relationship drew him into the Alan Parsons Project and, through the same circle, into the studio with Kate Bush, on whose first three albums he played. He later joined 10cc after an impromptu jam with Rick Fenn led to an invitation to Strawberry Studios South, arriving in time for ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ and another number one. He also recorded with Camel and served as musical director for Elkie Brooks while maintaining a solo career. Now based in South Africa and working in his home studio he is free to undertake the most enjoyable recording project of his career, his new album with Mauritz Lotz, A Beautiful Madness. Further information Duncan Mackay & Mauritz Lotz – A Beautiful Madness Duncan Mackay podcast tracks Support The Strange Brew Podcasts also available: Alan Parsons, Steve Harley, Jim Cregan – Cockney Rebel, David Paton – Part 1, Eric Stewart – 10cc – Part 2, Graham Gouldman This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do <a href="https://ko-fi.com/strangebrewpod" t

Rat Scabies needs little introduction as the thunderous drummer of The Damned. His collaborator in One Thousand Motels, Chris Constantinou, has had a career that has taken him from the studio with Chas Chandler, to the Live Aid stage at Wembley with Adam Ant, and into the recording booth with Sinéad O’Connor. Rat and Chris describe how they first met through The Mutants, a collaborative project that assembled an unlikely roll-call of rock veterans including Wilco Johnson, Wayne Kramer and Norman Watt-Roy. That project proved too unwieldy to tour so they stripped it back, formed a two-man core, and called it One Thousand Motels. The result was 2% Out of Sync, an album that has taken almost six years to find its way onto vinyl, and into listeners’ hands. Further information One Thousand Motels – 2% Out of Sync – vinyl Rat Scabies and Chris Constantinou podcast tracks Support The Strange Brew Podcasts also available: Rat Scabies, Paul Cook – Sex Pistols, Don Powell – Slade, Jim Lea – Slade Part 1, Jim Lea – Slade Part 2 This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Rat Scabies and Chris Constantinou appeared first on

Jason Barnard is joined by music writer and artist Chris Wade to talk about The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. They discuss how the US tour ban pushed Ray Davies inward, the extraordinary run of Kinks singles, and what it means to preserve an England that probably never existed in the first place. Davies kept returning to the village green and its characters into the early 70s with the Preservation albums. The record’s influence spread slowly, and today it is treasured as one of the greatest British albums ever made. Further information Recorded at The CAT Club in July 2025 Chris Wade website Podcasts also available: The Kinks 1940-71, Shel Talmy, Bob Henrit – The Kinks, Argent, The Roulettes, The Kinks – Strange Brew tribute, Philip Norman on the Beatles, Bee Gees’ Main Course with Bob Stanley This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms The post The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Andrew Sandoval talks about THE KINKS – ALL DAY AND ALL OF THE NIGHT, The Day-By-Day Story Pt 1: 1940-1971, the new book he co-authored with the Doug Hinman. This is the most comprehensive record of the Kinks’ early career ever assembled. Andrew and Jason Barnard cover what it actually took to document The Kinks, from chasing down Shel Talmy’s original studio invoices (Pye Records kept almost no paperwork). They dig into Ray Davies’ songwriting arc, the commercial failure of Village Green Preservation Society and Arthur, the on-stage fight in Cardiff that nearly ended the band in 1965, and the years of visa problems that kept the Kinks out of America. There’s also a discussion of Ray’s unreleased material that were better than most bands’ released work, why Ray refused to release ‘Pictures in the Sand’ for decades, and how the Granada Television deal that funded Arthur eventually fell apart. Further information beatlandbooks.com Podcasts also available: Shel Talmy, Bob Henrit – The Kinks, Argent, The Roulettes, The Kinks – Strange Brew tribute, Philip Norman on the Beatles, Bee Gees’ Main Course with Bob Stanley This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms The post The Kinks 1940 to 1971 appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Lou Gramm discusses his long-awaited album Released and how it brings unfinished songs back to life. Gramm also opens up about Foreigner’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the politics that delayed their recognition, and the emotional moment of finally taking the stage to accept the honour. The podcast explores the rekindling of his relationship with Mick Jones, overlooked Foreigner albums such as Mr. Moonlight and the short-lived Shadow King project, both of which Gramm believes deserve far greater attention. Further information Lou Gramm – Released Lou Gramm podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Lou Gramm – 2022, Kelly Hansen – Foreigner, Michael Schenker, Bernie Marsden – Whitesnake, Mark Farner – Grand Funk Railroad, Barry Goudreau – Boston This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Lou Gramm on Foreigner appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Tom Doyle digs into the remarkable, and surprisingly chaotic, story of Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles decade. Tom’s book Man on the Run, reissued to coincide with the official documentary of the same name, charts McCartney’s journey from 1969 to 1981: from morning drinking on a Scottish farm to headlining Madison Square Garden. Tom covers Linda’s role in keeping Paul from the brink, the brotherly war-and-reconciliation with John Lennon, the near-collaboration that almost happened in New Orleans in 1975, Denny Laine’s loyal lieutenancy, the extraordinary circumstances behind Band on the Run, the rise and fall of Wings, and the moment John Lennon’s murder brought the freewheeling seventies era to a sudden stop. Further information Man on the Run and Ringo: A Fab Life by Tom Doyle are available now. (Ringo: A Fab Life, US release May 2026). Podcasts also available: Denny Seiwell, Howie Casey – Paul McCartney and Wings, Mike McCartney’s Early Liverpool, Eric Stewart – 10cc/Paul McCartney, solo, Dave Mattacks This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s appeared first on The Strange Brew .

If you’re a David Bowie fan, the names Earl Slick, Mike Garson, Tim Lefebvre, Gerry Leonard and Mark Plati will need no introduction. But KillerStar are not a Bowie tribute, and that’s what makes them so special. On this episode, KillerStar co-founder Rob Fleming explains how the whole thing started organically; a few demos, a call to vocalist Emm Gryner, and suddenly some of the most celebrated musicians of the past thirty years were playing original music together for the first time in years. Now, with new album The Afterglow, the collective grows with the Webb Sisters bringing their vocal talents to an already extraordinary lineup. Rob discusses five KillerStar tracks that demonstrate why they sound like no one else today. Further information killerstarband.com KillerStar podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Mike Garson, Gerry Leonard, Mark Plati, Earl Slick, Kevin Armstrong This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Rob Fleming – KillerStar appeared first on The Strange Brew .

It’s been over a decade since I last spoke to Steve Ellis, and it felt like no time had passed at all. That’s the thing about Steve, he just pulls you straight back in. The prompt for this catch-up was his latest release, Love Affair – Edinburgh Live 1995. The story of how it came to exist, a phone call at 7pm asking if they could record a live album that same night, is pure Steve Ellis. From there we tumbled into his soul and Motown roots, the mod scene, and his deep connection with Steve Marriott and the Small Faces. Then there’s the legendary Eros fountain stunt – the arrest and how it helped send ‘Everlasting Love’ to number one. On the solo front, we cover his friendship and collaborations with Paul Weller and Roger Daltrey. And as a parting shot, Steve reveals a new album is in the bag, and by the sound of it, well worth the wait. Further information Steve Ellis – Facebook Mod Music: The London years 1963 – 1966 – Brian Carroll Steve Ellis podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Steve Ellis – 2015, Morgan Fisher – Love Affair, Steve Cradock, Steve Cropper, Phill Brown on Small Faces – Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Steve Ellis – The Soul Survivor appeared first on Th

Billy Sherwood discusses the upcoming YES UK tour featuring the complete Fragile album. He traces his path from drummer to bassist, learning the instrument by playing along to YES records, and development in groups Lodgic and World Trade. Sherwood details his first collaboration with Chris Squire in 1989, writing ‘The More We Live – Let Go,’ and his refusal to become YES’s lead singer during the Union era. The conversation centres on Squire’s final weeks, and Squire making Sherwood promise to stay with YES and keep the band moving forward. He also reflects on his extensive tribute album work, and YES’s current recording process for albums The Quest and Mirror to the Sky. Further information yesworld.com billysherwood.com Billy Sherwood podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Steve Howe (2025), Steve Howe (2023), Steve Howe (2019), Bill Bruford, Alan White, Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes, Tony Kaye, Rick Wakeman, Chester Thompson, Colin Moulding – part 2 This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post <a href="

The guitar player who helped define pub rock in the 1970s is still making records. Brinsley Schwarz’s latest album, Shouting at the Moon, asks the same question that runs through much of his recent work: why can’t we get it together before it’s too late? The podcast then moves back to when his eponymous band became accidental pioneers of a movement they never quite intended to lead. There’s the infamous 1970 trip to New York’s Fillmore East that went spectacularly wrong, the moment Van Morrison left him “completely dumbstruck”, and the five years that followed when the band decided to simply get good. Between stories about Dave Edmunds’ backhanded compliments and 45-minute versions of ‘Niki Hoeky’, Schwarz reveals a musician who found his sound early and never saw much reason to abandon it. He remembers Bob Andrews with genuine affection and admits he didn’t write much during the Brinsleys because Nick Lowe was better at it. Further information Brinsley Schwarz – Shouting At The Moon Brinsley Schwarz podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Graham Parker, Mark Wirtz, Pub rock and the birth of new wave, Bruce Thomas – Elvis Costello and The Attractions This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Brinsley Schwarz appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Across Big Big Train’s shifting line-ups, Greg Spawton’s songs connect the earliest records to their latest album, Woodcut. Greg selects eight tracks from Big Big Train’s catalogue that help tell their story; songs about Winchester Cathedral’s medieval foundations, record-breaking steam locomotives, and stories plucked from newspaper headlines, transforming historical curiosities into explorations of human endeavour. Further information bigbigtrain.com Greg Spawton podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Bruce Soord – The Pineapple Thief, Roine Stolt – The Flower Kings, Steve Hackett on Genesis Revisited and Hackett Highlights, Tony Banks, Steve Howe This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Greg Spawton – Big Big Train appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Mike Garson traces his extraordinary creative relationship with David Bowie from the Ziggy Stardust era through to his final live dates. Garson reflects on how his classical and jazz background allowed him to follow Bowie’s restless stylistic shifts, and how reinvention sat at the heart of their collaboration. Along the way, he revisits key moments including working on Aladdin Sane, Young Americans, The Buddha of Suburbia, Outside, Heathen and Toy, plus stories of Mick Ronson and the Bowie Band alumni. Further information Dublin Bowie Festival 2026 – 24 February to 1 March mikegarson.com Mike Garson podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Gerry Leonard, Mark Plati, Earl Slick, Carlos Alomar, Kevin Armstrong, Tony Fox Sales, Ken Scott, Woody Woodmansey, John Cambridge, John ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Mike Garson remembers David Bowie appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Ric Sanders, the fiddle player who has been an integral part of Fairport Convention for 40 years, takes us on a journey through his extraordinary musical life. From his early days discovering electric violin, to his simultaneous membership in both Soft Machine and the Albion Band, Sanders’ career reads like a who’s who of British jazz-fusion and folk-rock. Speaking with characteristic warmth, Sanders discusses the upcoming Fairport Spring 2026 UK Tour and provides insights into life on the road. Beyond Fairport, Sanders reveals the rich tapestry of collaborations that have shaped his musical journey: moments following Indian violin legend L. Shankar on stage, late-night jam sessions with Nigel Kennedy in Malvern pubs, and the influence of Ashley Hutchings. He also discusses his ongoing projects, from the Ric Sanders Trio to his recent work with Rosalie Cunningham. While Ric considers himself “a very lucky little fellow” it’s clear that luck has been matched by extraordinary talent and a passion for making music. Further information Fairport Convention Spring Tour 2026 Ric Sanders podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Ashley Hutchings, Rosalie Cunningham, Gordon Giltrap, Dave Mattacks, Chris Leslie, Simon Nicol (2023), Dave Pegg This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Ric Sanders – Fairport Convention appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Steve Berlin revisits Los Angeles during its most volatile creative period, the late 1970s and early 1980s, when rent was $170 a month and sewage regularly seeped into the Cathay de Grande, the basement club where Top Jimmy and the Rhythm Pigs held their Monday night residency. Berlin recalls producing and playing on their newly reissued album Pigus Drinkus Maximus and joining Los Lobos after they’d spent years developing east of the LA River, completely off the west side scene’s radar. He also addresses the Graceland controversy head-on: Paul Simon’s failure to credit Los Lobos for writing the music to ‘All Around the World or The Myth of Fingerprints.’ Berlin also discusses his work with REM, producing Faith No More, and offers a moving tribute to Mavericks frontman Raul Malo. Further information Pigus Drunkus Maximus Steve Berlin podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Steve Wynn – The Dream Syndicate, Matt Piucci – Rain Parade, John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson, Harold Bronson – founder of Rhino Records This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Gods Walking the Earth: Steve Berlin Remembers the LA Music Scene That Made Los Lobos and Top Jimmy appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Vox, lead vocalist of Chameleons, discusses the group’s successful reformation and their latest album Arctic Moon. The conversation explores the Chameleons’ origins in Manchester’s late 1970s post-punk scene, their breakthrough John Peel session, and challenging relationships with CBS Records and producer Steve Lillywhite. Vox reflects on their early years and the tensions that led to the band’s original dissolution. Throughout, the conversation highlights the Chameleons’ status as one of the most influential guitar bands of the 1980s, whose atmospheric sound has cemented their legacy as Manchester’s most underrated musical export. Further information chameleonsband.com Chameleons podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Steve Diggle – Buzzcocks, David Gedge – The Wedding Present, Peter Perrett – The Only Ones, Andy Gill – Gang of Four, Barry Adamson – Magazine This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Vox – Chameleons appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Damon Minchella, founding bassist and songwriter of Ocean Colour Scene, and longtime collaborator with Paul Weller and Richard Ashcroft, talks about his time in music. Damon reflects on a remarkable career spanning Britpop’s rise, creative battles with major labels, his friendship with Oasis, and performing with The Who for Live 8 and Paul McCartney for War Child. He also discusses his autobiography You’d Look Good on a Donkey, the realities behind Ocean Colour Scene’s success, and how a life-changing injury led him into academia while continuing to tour at the highest level. Further information Damon Minchella: You’d Look Good On A Donkey: Britpop, Basslines & Bad(Ish) Decisions Podcasts also available: Steve Cradock, Stephen Street, Billy Bragg, Lynval Golding, Bruce Foxton This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Damon Minchella – Ocean Colour Scene appeared first on The Strange Brew .

In 1968, a group of Luton apprentices started creating a rock opera. Chris Stokes and his band Genesis (not that Genesis) conceived a concept album with baroque piano arrangements and experimental passages, then packed it away and got on with their day jobs. For over 50 years, this album and other material spanning a decade, existed only on deteriorating tape and acetates. Chris recorded with various lineups from the mid-1960s including The Mantis Set, Genesis, and Sunday Painter, mostly at home on a Revox tape machine; self-financed, largely improvised, never properly released. Then Dimorphodons from Hand of Glory Records bought a battered Hohner keyboard on eBay for £10, heard a sample track, and discovered a treasure trove of lost British psychedelia. Chris and Dimorphodons share highlights from this incredible archive, with the bulk of these tracks heard in public for the first time. Further information handofglory.co.uk A Story By The Genesis The Genesis – podcast tracks Podcasts also available: The British Psychedelic Sounds of 1967, A Kaleidoscope Of Sounds Psychedelic & Freakbeat Masterpieces, Arthur Brown, Hawkwind’s Days of the Underground, Pete Brown – Cream/Jack Bruce This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post The Genesis That Time Forgot: Unearthed British Psychedelia appeared first on The Strange Brew .

James Warren joins us to talk through a life in songs, from the playful invention of Stackridge to the studio-bound success of The Korgis. James reflects on writing Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime, why its acoustic reworking finally restored a lost verse, and how choices around touring shaped the band’s fate. Along the way he discusses working with George Martin, later reformations, and highlights from recent Korgis releases. Further information thekorgis.com James Warren podcast tracks Podcasts also available: James Warren (2017), Chris Difford, Gordon Haskell, Steve Harley, Karl Wallinger This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post James Warren – Stackridge, The Korgis appeared first on The Strange Brew .

In The Strange Brew’s 500th episode, Colin Blunstone returns to talk about his One Year and More live box set. Colin reflects on the development of his songwriting, collaborating with Rod Argent and Chris White and the making his early solo albums. He looks back on The Zombies and Odessey and Oracle and the lasting impact of their music. He also discusses working with Alan Parsons and his plans for live dates and new material in 2026. Further information One Year and More: Live from Union Chapel Colin Blunstone website Colin Blunstone 2025 podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Colin Blunstone (2021), Colin Blunstone (2015), Chris White (2025), Chris White (2019), Rod Argent, Hugh Grundy, Russ Ballard, Mike Hurst, Alan Parsons This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Colin Blunstone on One Year, The Zombies and New Music appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Matt Piucci joins us for a journey through Rain Parade’s story from the early 1980s Los Angeles music scene to the present day. Across a hand-picked set of tracks, Matt looks back at the group’s earliest recordings, the friendships that grew out of the Paisley Underground, and the way their influences found their way into Emergency Third Rail Power Trip and Explosions in the Glass Palace LPs. The conversation follows Rain Parade into their Island years and the projects that kept Matt and Steven Roback writing. Matt closes by reflecting on the rediscovery of their music by a new wave of groups and the run of new releases that has carried them to today. Further information Rain Parade website Matt Piucci podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Steve Wynn – The Dream Syndicate, John Cowsill and Vicki Peterson, Iain Matthews, Will Sergeant – Echo & the Bunnymen This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Matt Piucci – Rain Parade appeared first on The Strange Brew .

John McFee speaks in depth about his work with Southern Pacific, Jackdawg and his session career. He explains how Southern Pacific evolved, why Jackdawg’s album has been rediscovered, and why the focus of his songwriting is not with The Doobie Brothers. He also looks back at Clover’s time in the UK, backing Elvis Costello on My Aim Is True, and the steady flow of session work with Van Morrison, the Grateful Dead, and Steve Miller. John closes with an update on his solo project. Further information Jackdawg’s album Podcasts also available: Stu Cook – Jackdawg and Creedence, Pete Briquette – The Boomtown Rats, Jorma Kaukonen – Jefferson Airplane, John Mayall This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post John McFee – Clover, The Doobie Brothers, Southern Pacific, Jackdawg appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Graham Parker reveals the story behind his debut album Howlin’ Wind. Parker recalls his journey from suburban Surrey to the London music scene, his early jobs, and the moment he found his sound – a mix of soul, R&B and sharp songwriting. He looks back at the formation of The Rumour, his partnership with Dave Robinson, and the whirlwind that led to Howlin’ Wind and Heat Treatment being released within months of each other. Parker also reflects on his later work, collaborations, and enduring independence as an artist. Throughout, we hear why his debut stands as one of the strongest opening statements in British rock. Further information Graham Parker’s Howlin’ Wind by Jay Nachman The Official Graham Parker website Podcasts also available: Bruce Thomas – Elvis Costello and The Attractions, Clem Burke – Blondie, Pete Briquette – The Boomtown Rats, Pub rock and the birth of new wave This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Graham Parker appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Billy Bragg talks about his life in music and activism, from his early days and the DIY spirit of Life’s a Riot with Spy vs Spy to new book Billy Bragg – A People’s History. He reflects on his experiences during the miners’ strike and Red Wedge, and the belief that songs can inspire people to think the world can be changed. Bragg also discusses the influence of Woody Guthrie, the meaning of progressive patriotism, and why he still finds purpose in writing songs that challenge and connect. Further information billybragg.com Podcasts also available: Will Sergeant – Echo & the Bunnymen, Rick Buckler – The Jam, Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon, Martin Carthy This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Billy Bragg appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Annie Haslam and Jim McCarty discuss the origins and evolution of Renaissance ahead of their special run of four shows. They reflect on how the band was formed after Jim’s time in The Yardbirds, Annie’s audition and early tours, the impact of lyricist Betty Thatcher, and how Renaissance found their audience in America. This is one of the rare times Annie and Jim have appeared together, and they speak openly about the changing lineups, and creative turning points that shaped the group’s sound. Further information The History of Renaissance live – Nov 21 & 22: IL Edwardsville The Wildey Theatre, Nov 28: NJ The Newton Theatre, Nov 29: NJ Lansdowne Theatre Podcasts also available: Annie Haslam, Jim McCarty (2021), John Fiddler – Medicine Head, John Lodge – The Moody Blues, Rick Wakeman This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Annie Haslam & Jim McCarty: The Story of Renaissance appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator have influenced artists from David Bowie to John Lydon, yet Peter has always worked on the edge of the mainstream. In this conversation, he reflects on why revisiting the past felt strange and affirming, the spirit of progressive rock and punk, and the satisfaction of sustaining an independent musical life. Further information sofasound.com The Charisma & Virgin Recordings 1971-1986 and Joe Banks – Rock and Role Podcasts also available: Ian Anderson, Steve Howe on Dylan, Hendrix & YES, Mark Andes – Spirit, Anthony Phillips  This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Peter Hammill appeared first on The Strange Brew .

brendan b. brown of Wheatus marks 25 years since Teenage Dirtbag first turned the band from New York outsiders into a phenomenon. brendan talks about the dark story behind its lyrics, and why it continues to connect with new generations. He reflects on the freedom and struggle of going independent, and how their live shows have been driven by audience requests. Along the way he revisits fan favourites, explains the group’s love of cover versions, and looks ahead to their 25th anniversary UK tour. Further information wheatus.com – shows Podcasts also available: John Flansburgh – They Might Be Giants, Steven Page – Barenaked Ladies, Prescott Niles – The Knack, KT Tunstall This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post brendan b brown – Wheatus appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Stu Cook, bassist and founding member of Creedence Clearwater Revival, talks about the band’s early years, their rise and the chemistry that fuelled their success. He speaks frankly about working with John Fogerty, including his reaction to Fogerty’s recent re-recordings of Creedence material, and reflects on the tensions that led to the band’s split. Stu also introduces the long-lost Jackdawg recordings, made with John McFee and Keith Knudsen and now finally being released after more than three decades. Further information Jackdawg’s album Podcasts also available: Doug Clifford, Leland Sklar, Danny Kortchmar, John Illsley – Dire Straits This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Stu Cook – Creedence Clearwater Revival and Jackdawg appeared first on The Strange Brew .

More than fifty years after Barclay James Harvest helped define a uniquely English strain of symphonic rock, John Lees remains its quietly determined heart. With John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest, he continues to balance grandeur with introspection. Their new album Relativity, revisits familiar terrain of love and the search for meaning, guided by the notion that time and emotion are intertwined. Lees reflects on the long road to completing Relativity, his formative years in Barclay James Harvest, nights recording at Abbey Road, playing John Lennon’s guitar, and why songs like Child of the Universe and Hymn still carry a plea for peace in a world that feels out of balance. Further information barclayjamesharvest.com John Lees podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Wally Waller – The Pretty Things, John Lodge – The Moody Blues, Gary Brooker – Procol Harum, Ian Anderson – Jethro Tull, Steve Rothery – Marillion This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post John Lees – Barclay James Harvest appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Archivist and producer Rob Caiger talks about the painstaking work behind Nice Records, the label dedicated to restoring classic recordings from the archives of Small Faces and Humble Pie. Caiger recalls discovering forgotten master tapes in Kenny Jones’s flight cases and explains how these finds have allowed albums like The Autumn Stone and As Safe As Yesterday Is to be heard as they were originally intended. He reflects on the creative energy of the late 1960s, the collapse of Immediate Records, and why physical records still matter in an age of streaming. Further information nicerecords.co.uk Podcasts also available: Phill Brown on Small Faces’ Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake, Andrew Loog Oldham, PP Arnold, Billy Nicholls This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Nice and Immediate: Rob Caiger on Rescuing Small Faces and Humble Pie appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Judie Tzuke has always been slightly out of step with the story people wanted to tell about her. The industry tried to polish her into a pop star, but she was too honest, too much herself. When ‘Stay With Me Till Dawn’ hit in 1979, the press had her down as the glamorous new face of British songwriting, but in truth she was navigating personal tragedy. That contrast has never really left her work. Since then she’s written songs that feel both fragile and defiant, moving between intimacy and drama with an ease that is hers alone. Along the way there have been Elton John’s Rocket Records, Brian May turning up as a fan, Nigel Kennedy adding his bow, and more than a few albums that deserve the word “overlooked.” For Judie, music has been therapy, armour and survival kit. Stage fright, harsh critics, illness; all of it has been folded back into the songs. In this podcast, Judie reflects on her remarkable life and imminent UK Tour with Beth Nielsen Chapman. We hear her near misses, the unexpected triumphs, and the quiet resilience that has kept her in music. Further information Judie Tzuke website Judie Tsuke podcast tracks Podcasts also available: John Rhino Edwards, Sam Brown, KT Tunstall, Kate Bush – Her Life and Music This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Judie Tzuke appeared first on The Strange Brew .

It’s Halloween night, 1975. A bunch of Irish lads are halfway through their first gig when Bob Geldof rubs out the band name on a blackboard and replaces it with something better: The Boomtown Rats. Half the set as The Nightlife Thugs, half as The Boomtown Rats. Fast-forward fifty years and I’m talking with Pete Briquette, the man who decided to pick up the bass at the first rehearsal and never looked back. We chat about the Rats’ brand-new anthology, their upcoming tour, and the realisation that their songs still pack a punch. Pete remembers how ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ broke them internationally, the thrill of hearing ‘Rat Trap’ go to number one from a pub phone box in rural Ireland, and the slightly surreal feeling of being on stage at Live Aid. He also tips us off that there are 10–15 unreleased Rats tracks still waiting in the wings. Fifty years on, the Boomtown Rats still make audiences smile, jump around, and leave a venue buzzing. Not bad for a band that started out as an escape plan. Further information theboomtownratsofficial.com Podcasts also available: Paul Rappaport, Clem Burke – Blondie, Eric Bell – Thin Lizzy, Will Sergeant – Echo & the Bunnymen, Martin Gordon – Sparks, Radio Stars This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Pete Briquette – The Boomtown Rats appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Michael Schenker talks about new album Don’t Sell Your Soul, the second part of a trilogy that reclaims his story. Too many people think it all began with MSG in 1980, but Schenker is here to set the record straight, going back to his UFO years in the 70s when his riffs became the backbone of some of the greatest hard rock ever put to tape. He also explains why he walked away from the lure of working with Ozzy Osbourne, and why freedom and self-expression have always mattered more than money or fame. He describes why he rediscovered the songs from UFO’s classic live LP, Strangers in the Night, and the energy he chases when writing. This is Schenker reflecting on a lifetime of invention and the relentless pursuit of his own sound. Further information Michael Schenker website Podcasts also available: Herman Rarebell – Scorpions, Chris Slade – AC/DC, Eric Bell – Thin Lizzy, John Mayall This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Michael Schenker appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Carlos Alomar reflects on a career that spans decades of innovation and collaboration. He speaks about his early years performing with Luther Vandross, and his crucial role in David Bowie’s mid-70s D.A.M Trio, alongside drummer Dennis Davis and bassist George Murray. Alomar recounts the creation of ‘Fame’ with Bowie and John Lennon, and the unorthodox recording sessions that shaped the Berlin Trilogy under the guidance of Brian Eno. He also discusses his contributions to Iggy Pop’s albums from the same period, offering insight into a fertile and experimental phase in rock history. Beyond his work with Bowie, Alomar outlines a wide-ranging career as a session guitarist for major artists and his interest in technology, which led to one of the first solo music projects. The conversation turns to his upcoming Back to Berlin tour, a live show dedicated to the legacy of the D.A.M Trio and Bowie’s creative peak in the late 1970s. Further information carlosalomar.com Podcasts also available: Gerry Leonard, Mark Plati, Earl Slick, Kevin Armstrong, Tony Fox Sales, Ken Scott, Woody Woodmansey, John Cambridge, John ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Carlos Alomar: Bowie, Berlin and Beyond appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Lesley-Ann Jones talks about her new book Love, Freddie: Freddie Mercury’s Secret Life and Love. Far from a conventional biography, the book is drawn from Freddie Mercury’s private notebooks and the perspective of his newly discovered daughter, revealing a side of the Queen frontman the world has never seen. Lesley-Ann shares stories of Freddie’s childhood in Zanzibar and India, the trauma that shaped him, and his single-minded drive to succeed in music. She discusses the complexities of his relationship with Mary Austin, the hidden bond he had with his daughter, and how the flamboyant public persona of Freddie Mercury masked the spiritual, private man Freddie Bulsara. Further information lesleyannjones.com Podcasts also available: Tim Staffell: Smile, Morgan Fisher, Ian Hunter, Phil Manzanera This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Love, Freddie: Behind the Mask of Freddie Mercury appeared first on The Strange Brew .

As Del Amitri’s frontman, Justin Currie steered a band that slipped between categories: too sharp to be lumped in with soft rock, too direct to be claimed by the indie underground. From the social commentary of Nothing Ever Happens to the breezy pop of Roll to Me, their songs are lodged in the public imagination. With the release of his memoir The Tremolo Diaries, Justin offers a portrait of life on the road, of ageing within an industry that rarely looks back, and of coming to terms with Parkinson’s disease – a condition he writes about with humour and occasional exasperation. Far from the mythology of rock’n’roll excess, the book and this discussion capture the monotony and absurdity of touring life. Further information The Tremolo Diaries: Life on the Road and Other Diseases Podcasts also available: KT Tunstall, Karl Wallinger, Steven Page, Stephen Duffy This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Justin Currie – Del Amitri appeared first on The Strange Brew .

The Zombies bassist-turned-songwriter Chris White opens the vault on a lifetime of music that stretches far beyond Odessey and Oracle. Chris revisits his work with Duffy Power, the lost sessions that became Hellhound, and the vast family-run archive project known as The Chris White Experience. He shares stories of Argent, Michael Fennelly and Tim Renwick, as well as the little-heard 1990 Zombies reunion record New World. White reflects on songwriting as “a muscle” that has kept him creating for six decades, highlighting the craft of one of British pop’s great unsung architects. Further information Duffy Power – Hell Hound, The Chris White Experience, The Zombies Chris White: Inside the Vaults podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Chris White (2019), Colin Blunstone (2015), Colin Blunstone (2021), Rod Argent, Hugh Grundy, Bob Henrit, Russ Ballard, Michael Fennelly This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google apps and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Chris White: Inside the Vaults – From The Zombies and Beyond appeared first on The Strange Brew .

When Jimi Hendrix grabbed a bass and jammed with Tomorrow in 1967, a young Steve Howe was right there. Decades later, he is still chasing fresh sounds. Steve talks about the near miss that could have seen him play in Pink Floyd, the acoustic ideas that shaped his solo work, and what lies ahead for YES. He also digs into his reworking of Bob Dylan’s songs and the return of two essential solo albums, Portraits of Bob Dylan and Natural Timbre. Further information yesworld.com Steve Howe podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Steve Howe (2023), Steve Howe (2019), Allan Clarke (2023), PP Arnold, Annie Haslam, Bill Bruford, Alan White, Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes, Tony Kaye, Rick Wakeman This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Steve Howe: Dylan, Hendrix & YES appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Step inside the legendary “tea chest tapes” with Richard Anderson from Cherry Red Records as we explore Joe Meek’s experimental musical mind. We explore a new box set unveiling Meek’s most experimental work from 1,900 newly discovered master tapes that sat untouched for over 50 years. From the producer who gave us ‘Telstar,’ this is Joe Meek as you’ve never heard him – direct from the tapes, revealing his curious mind decades ahead of its time. Further information Joe Meek – A Curious Mind Outer Space! Horror! Death Discs! The Wild West! Demos! 3CD Box Set Joe Meek – A Curious Mind podcast tracks Podcasts also available: Joe Meek with Craig Newton, Leo Lyons – Ten Years After, George Martin – Pre-Beatles Productions, Marty Wilde This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Joe Meek – A Curious Mind appeared first on The Strange Brew .

It’s been more than two decades since Sananda Maitreya last headlined a UK tour. Now, with nine dates booked, he’s returning not simply to revisit the past, but to present the “totality” of a career that’s defied the industry’s rulebook. In this interview, Sananda is frank and philosophical: on the early triumphs and bruises of Introducing the Hardline, the misunderstood brilliance of Neither Fish Nor Flesh, and a post-millennium body of work shaped by fierce independence. Along the way, he pays tribute to kindred spirits from George Michael to Sade, recalls the Beatles as his first great awakening, and reflects on the personal cost and profound rewards of following his own compass. Further information sananda.org Podcasts also available: Glenn Gregory – Heaven 17, Ken Scott on working with The Beatles and David Bowie, Sam Brown, John Lennon: 1980 Playlist, Almost Beatles Songs This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Sananda Maitreya appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Derek Shulman returns to talk about his memoir Giant Steps, charting his journey from frontman of Simon Dupree and the Big Sound and Gentle Giant to music executive behind artists including Bon Jovi and AC/DC. Derek reflects on formative moments, witnessing his father’s death, early musical ambitions, his friendship with Elton John, forming Gentle Giant with Gerry Bron’s support, and working with Tony Visconti. He shares insights on artist development, avoiding rock ’n’ roll excesses, and staging the record-breaking 1991 Monsters of Rock Moscow concert. Further information Giant Steps: My Improbable Journey from Stage Lights to Executive Heights Podcasts also available: Gentle Giant’s Derek Shulman and John Weathers, Chris Slade AC/DC, Rick Buckler – The Jam This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post Derek Shulman’s Giant Steps appeared first on The Strange Brew .

Few music biographers have lived with the Beatles’ story quite like Philip Norman. Across shelves of bestsellers, Norman has charted the group’s myth and minutiae, from the Hamburg grind to Apple’s undoing. In a live conversation with Jason Barnard, he revisited his earliest encounters with the Fab Four, the writing of Shout!, and the shifting lens through which he now views John, Paul, George, and Ringo. With anecdotes drawn from time spent inside Apple Corps in 1969, and encounters with figures like Yoko Ono, Brian Epstein, and Little Richard, the evening veered between poignant reflection and mischief. Norman’s candid take on Peter Jackson’s Get Back documentary and his evolving appreciation for George Harrison made for particularly sharp moments. And as always, the question lingers: just how much more is left to be said about the Beatles? If you’re Philip Norman, quite a bit. Further information Read Me Do with Philip Norman – Substack FortyFive Vinyl Cafe Podcasts also available: Ray Ennis – The Swinging Blue Jeans, Philip Norman on John Lennon, George Harrison by Philip Norman, Mike McCartney’s Early Liverpool This podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all usual platforms If you like what I do please support me on Ko-fi The post The Beatles: How Four Lads Rewrote History appeared first on The Strange Brew .