Episodes

In this edition, I call stateside to catch up with the fabulous, one and only, Chesney Hawkes. Chesney shot to fame when he won the lead role in the film Buddy's Song, alongside Roger Daltrey, but it was when he found himself to be one of the first teenagers in pop history to bag the Number One …

He’s the self-confessed Ronnie Corbett of the bass-playing world and, with a career in the music industry spanning almost 40 years, Grammy-winning Guy Pratt has a few stories to tell! The chosen bassist for many of the world's elite musicians, he’s played on countless hit records with Madonna, M…

We’re rockin’ the Covid-19 lockdown with a fresh series of interview and where better to start than with the mighty Motörhead. Following the end of the band in 2015, guitarist Phil Campbell didn’t have to look far when assembling a new band of brothers to perform with. After 30 years making mayh…

Self-taught guitarist Jamie Moses has gone from playing US Air Force bases at the tender age of 13 to stadiums with Queen and Paul Rodgers, not to mention Bob Geldof, The Pretenders, Chaka Khan and even Tom Jones in between.    And the telephone hasn’t stopped ringing. Now playing with Paul Youn…

South Londoner Ben was busking at Waterloo underground when Joan Armatrading happened to pass by. Immediately impressed, she invited him to join her on tour, supporting her at major venues across Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the UK and Ireland. Hailed as a latter day Bob Dylan, Ben has two albums a…

With classic songs like A Night To Remember, I Can Make You Feel Good, and There It Is, 80s soul band Shalamar sold over 25 million records worldwide and collected no less than 100 gold, silver, and platinum awards. As well as thrilling audiences with a dynamic blend of funky feel good music, ba…

Pearl Handled Revolver have the blues or rather psychedelic, heavy rock, blues. And after four EPs, three studio albums, and their celebrated live album ‘Bootlegʼ, the band is celebrating ten years of performing. I spent an enjoyable evening in the recording studio with them when keyboard player…

True punks don’t age gracefully and Nigel Bennett, former Members member and current guitarist for the Vibrators, couldn’t care less. I first met Nigel when he was performing at a charity gig in North Norfolk and we chatted about everything from his naughty school days to snake skin boots. No…

Guitarist Paul Guerin has been a major player on the international music scene for over twenty years. He’s played alongside The Scorpion’s Michael Schenker, Thin Lizzy’s Brian Robertson, Fun Lovin’ Criminals’ Huey Morgan, Black Star Rider’s Ricky Warwick, and even music legend Eartha Kitt. No…

This tale is about the frontman of one of the most iconic bands of the last 40 years. Best known for singles Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Reasons To Be Cheerful (Part 3), and What a Waste, Ian Dury & The Blockheads chalked up hit after hit until Ian’s death in 2000. But Ian’s passing didn’t…

With a career spanning over 36 years and with record sales in excess of over 30 million albums Imagination released many classic Funk/soul-dance hits such as, Body Talk, Just An illusion, Flashback, and Changes. It’s fair to say founding member and songwriter Leee John is one of the hardest work…

Gizz Butt became a household name in 1996 when he became lead guitarist with The Prodigy just as The Fat of The Land album became No1 in 38 countries at the same time. But that’s not all he’s done in his musical career. He’s been in English Dogs, The More I See, The Destructors and played live w…

In this edition I catch up with Sandy Newman, lead-singer and guitarist of pop sensation of the 60/70s The Marmalade. The Marmalade may be best known for hits such as Reflections of My Life, Rainbow, Falling Apart At The Seams and Lennon/McCartney’s Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, but Sandy Newman is a whole…

I chat with the hottest band to come out of #Manchester since Oasis. It’s contagious, it’s creating an epidemic, it caused by brothers Mark and Paul Hinks….it’s Some Kind of Illness!

It’s exactly 40 years since John Otway’s now legendary appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test with Wild Willy Barrett with gymnastic antics to ‘Really Free’. It was this performance that shot John to fame but despite a financial backing of £2m, in today’s figures, from Polydor Records it was a …

British country and folk musician Charlie Landsborough started performing professionally in the 1970s but it wasn’t until he appeared on an Irish TV show in 1994 with ‘What Colour Is The Wind’ that divine intervention opened doors onto a musical career that has spanned decades. Now he chats to m…

The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential British groups of all time, with millions of record sales and countless awards and accolades to their name. In this edition, I catch up with keyboard player Ian Gibbons who, as well as being a long-term member of the band, als…

Today on the line I’m joined by drummer Bob Henrit who has quite a few tales to tell! Ivor Novello Award winner and Hall of Fame inductee, Bob has been a member of The Roulettes, Unit 4+2, Argent, The Kinks, and almost Genesis as well as recording with Leo Sayer, Ringo Starr and Roger Daltrey. A…

Multi-instrumentalist Michael Steed has contributed bass, keyboards, and even penny whistle to some classic recordings as a full time member of some influential bands including Flesh For Lulu, Love Affair, The Marmalade, and The Rubettes. His life changed in 1989 when he answered an advert in Me…

The Jesus and Mary Chain have been back in the studio for the first time in 2 decades facing the difficulties of recording together to make new album Damage and Joy. Much has been written about the chaos and violence of the band’s early live shows, their unexpected rise to mainstream Top of the …

I have a rabbit with rockney legend Chas Hodges. As one half of Chas & Dave, he wrote and recorded exceptionally witty songs about life in a unique style of a London pub singalong, with a bit of music-hall humour and boogie-woogie piano thrown in. Authentic and charming, Chas reminisces about th…

I’m joined by multi-instrumentalist and punk aficionado David Donley. He’s played with almost everyone who’s anyone as well as being a member of Glen Matlock’s Philistines, Holy Holy, and almost The Cure. Now he tells a few tales on the people in his phone book and the first vinyl release with a…

The Vibrators bassist, Pete Honkamaki, joined the band in 2003 having previously played in Finnish three-piece No Direction and subbing for the UK Subs. Dressed head to toe in black and hidden under heaps of silver metal, his appearance is every bit the personification of the modern day punk sce…

Guitarist Nigel Bennett ripped up the rule book of the 70s London music scene auditioning for major bands including the Sex Pistols and Iron Maiden before recording with The Members, playing in Julian Lennon’s band, with Tom Robinson and, of course, The Vibrators. We had a little giggle before h…