Podcast Episodes

Freddie Mercury has a daughter’ – and Lesley-Ann Jones can prove it

Episode 811

Freddie Mercury had an affair with a close friend’s wife and, in 1977, became a father. He’s now a grandfather. That’s the foundation of a new book ‘Love, Freddie’ by his highly respected biographer …

Published on 10 hours ago

Oasis in 2026, the Troggs and what Morrissey’s only gone and done now!

Episode 810

All the leaves are brown and the sky’s a bit unruly but mellow fruitfulness abounds in this week’s pick of the rock and roll news. Add to basket …  

… is Morrissey hacked off, broke or just desperate…

Published on 2 days, 10 hours ago

‘Hey Joe’, its miracle birth & why violent songs are like True Crime - by Jason Schneider

Episode 809

Immortalised by Hendrix, ‘Hey Joe’ had its roots in 18th century murder ballads, ‘60s folk and rock clubs before the world got to hear it. Jason Schneider unravels its twisted genesis in ‘That Gun In…

Published on 6 days, 21 hours ago

Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span drove Rev Gary Davis round Britain in a Triumph Herald

Episode 808

Maddy Prior – folk royalty, an absolute hero of ours – is touring with Steeleye Span again this autumn 66 years after they started, a life someone should make into a movie. She talks to us here about…

Published on 1 week ago

Why reviews lost their sting - and what matters more, the song or the record?

Episode 807

Our pencil-chewing, critical assessment of this week’s news gets mainly * and *** reviews, among them …

…. Sting v Summers & Copeland over Every Breath You Take, the goose that laid the golden egg

… …

Published on 1 week, 2 days ago

Debsey Wykes of Dolly Mixture wants you to read her teenage diary

Episode 806

Debsey Wykes was in Dolly Mixture, one of the very few all-girl groups in post-punk London, a time when bands with charisma won the battle for attention and you promoted singles on the back of a truc…

Published on 1 week, 6 days ago

Singers’ vast egos explained and what’s the real definition of ‘a fan’?

Episode 805

A tub-thumping, snare-cracking, cymbal-simmering, two-way backbeat to this week’s rock and roll news, the on-beats including …

… “Trauma-bonding?” Why being ‘a fan’ is like a love affair

… Ian Brown,…

Published on 2 weeks, 3 days ago

Neil Hannon - the Divine Comedy, the Father Ted saga & nights at the Indie Disco

Episode 804

How can you not love the Divine Comedy whose inspirations include Tom Lehrer and “Landfill Indie”? And Neil Hannon wrote music for Wonka, Father Ted and the IT Crowd. There’s a new album, Rainy Sunda…

Published on 2 weeks, 5 days ago

Tanita Tikaram - from ‘girl with guitar in bedroom’ to Hammersmith Odeon in six months

Episode 803

Tanita Tikaram’s second gig had an audience of three – one paying customer and two concert promoters. When one of them wanted to talk to her afterwards she said, “sorry, I’ve got to get the train hom…

Published on 2 weeks, 6 days ago

Bob Mould remembers Hüsker Dü, Sugar & that guy with the hipster moustache

Episode 802

Bob Mould, whose records with Hüsker Dü had such impact on Nirvana and Pixies, is back on tour again, both solo and with a band. “I’ve built this tiny soap box - and if you don’t like it, it’s been n…

Published on 3 weeks ago