Pop Episodes
128: The other one with Slade's Dave Hill
Dave Hill is a national treasure. Half a century after Slade’s first hit, surviving a stroke, depression and the departure of his former band mates, Dave is still going strong and entertaining Slade fans with live performances of the band’s hits - seventeen consecutive top twenty and six UK number …
126: The one with Buzzcocks' Steve Diggle
Founding member of Buzzcocks, one of punk’s most seminal bands of all time that managed to fuse rapid-fire rebellious energy with pop craftsmanship, Steve Diggle is nothing short of a punk hero. With a plethora of hits under his belt including the classics Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You …
125: The one with Owen Paul
Owen Paul is everyone’s favourite waste of time. Singer, producer and co-writer of the 1986 pop hit My Favourite Waste of Time, Owen was the overnight sensation who spent years honing his craft and who went on to forge a very successful career in the entertainment business. Since that song toppe…
123: The one with Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer is a drummer’s drummer. His dazzling speed and mastery of the drums has secured him multiple awards and well as a respected place in history as one of rock and roll’s greatest drummers. A consummate professional, a brilliant technician and a dynamic showman, he has thrilled audiences…
122: Cat o’ Nine Tales: Fairground Attraction’s Eddi Reader
Tale 9… Scottish singer-songwriter Eddi Reader has three BRIT Awards to her name, fronted punk outfit Gang of Four, harmonized with Annie Lennox touring with the Eurythmics, and topped the UK charts with Fairground Attraction. But when I caught up with her at Cambridge Folk Festival she revea…
120: Cat o’ Nine Tales: The Proclaimers
Tale 7… It was 30 years since The Proclaimers made their legendary TV debut on The Tube, performing the now classic song Letter From America. Back then, the charts were dominated by the likes of Rick Astley and Sinita and The Proclaimers were unlike anything seen before. The response to the …
117: Cat o' Nine Tales: Aztec Camera’s Roddy Frame
Tale 4: Roddy Frame is an absolute delight. It’s rare for a performer armed only with an acoustic guitar to create a sound which could be mistaken for ten men and his charismatic stage-presence completely captivates any audience. This style of performance is a long cry from Roddy’s days …
110: The one with Neville Staple From The Specials
Original rude boy, 2-tone pioneer, and former frontman for The Specials, Fun Boy Three and Special Beat, Neville Staple has been at the forefront of the ska movement for over 40 years. Not only is his 2-Tone legacy huge, but Neville has also been credited with bringing ‘toasting’ (a forerunner of r…
108: The one with Tight Fit’s Steve Grant and Denise Waterman
Anyone living in 1982 couldn’t possible avoid signing, no dancing (well in my case anyway), to the iconic tune The Lion Sleeps Tonight by pop sensation Tight Fit. O-whim, o-whay! Lol Famed for their skimpy jungle outfits, the single reached number one in the UK charts where it fought off competi…
105: The one with Rozalla
Dance anthem Everybody’s Free is the defining song of the 90s peaking at No.6 in the UK, selling more than 6 million copies, and catapulting Rozalla to international stardom. Hit after hit and a tour with Michael Jackson followed for the chart-topping Queen of Rave, but when musical tastes chang…
104: The one with Love Affair's Steve Ellis
Steve Ellis is the Great White of soul singers who fronted 60’s mod, pop, soul group Love Affair best remembered for their stunning singles Rainbow Valley, Bringing On Back The Good Times, and of course the smash hit Everlasting Love, which become one of the defining songs of its era. Now Bright…
102: The one with Dean Friedman
American singer-songwriter Dean Friedman first entered into the international pop consciousness in 1977 with the Top 20 chart success of his infectious hit single, Ariel. And before anyone could attach the label ‘one hit wonder’, Dean scored again with the release of his follow up album, “Well,…
101: The one with The Icicle Works' Ian McNabb
Mercury-nominated and The Icicle Works frontman, Ian McNabb has done it all. The band’s 1984 debut album, The Icicle Works, brought them Top 40 chart success in both the UK and US, and Ian has also maintained a highly prolific solo career working with Waterboys, Ringo Starr, Crazy Horse, Peter …
99: The one with John Waite
From The Babys in the 70s via 80s solo smash ‘Missing You’ to the release of a stunning new album, John Waite is not stopping. In a career spanning over four decades, John has written, recorded and amassed a back-catalogue of musical treasures and now unleashes Wooden Heart – Acoustic Anthology…
98: The one with Bonnie Tyler
Power ballad queen Bonnie Tyler is proving that The Best Is Yet to Come still with a vibrant new album brimming with the same dramatic, full-bodied husky vocals that propelled her to fame with Total Eclipse of the Heart, It’s A Heartache and Holding Out For A Hero. The award-winning singer went …