Best Altcountry Podcasts (2024)

1
E188: Chris Salewicz on the NME + Supertramp + Amy Winehouse 1:12:17

1d ago1:12:17

1:12:17

In this episode we're joined by NME legend Chris Salewicz, author of acclaimed books about Bob Marley, Joe Strummer and others. We hear about our guest's boyhood in Yorkshire — and about the first gig he ever saw: the Beatles in Leeds in 1963 (followed in rapid succession by the Rolling Stones — plus a young David Bowie — in Huddersfield). Chris th…

1
E187: Simon Raymonde on Cocteau Twins + Dusty Springfield + Bella Union 1:22:17

16d ago1:22:17

1:22:17

For this episode we're joined by the admirable Simon Raymonde, sometime Cocteau Twin, head honcho at Bella Union Records and author of the autobiographical In One Ear. We commence by asking our guest about growing up as the son of the legendary Ivor Raymonde, string arranger on umpteen hits by pop idols from Billy Fury to the Walker Brothers. We he…

1
Episode 155: The Heartland Hootenanny October 5, 2024 Hour Two 57:04

1M ago57:04

57:04

This is hour two from the broadcast. Sarah Shook & The Disarmers start it off, Imelda May finishes it and, in between them, there's music from The Lemonheads, Kris Kristofferson, The Shame Idols, Beat Farmers and The Felice Brothers, among others

1
Episode 154: The Heartland Hootenanny October 5, 2024 Hour One 58:48

1M ago58:48

58:48

This hour includes music from Jimi Hendrix, Lord Huron, The Kooks, Neko Case, 1-800-Mikey and more

1
E186: Robert Hilburn on L.A. + his Randy Newman biography 1:12:34

30d ago1:12:34

1:12:34

For this episode we're joined – all the way from sunny Southern California – by L.A. Times legend Robert Hilburn. Bob beams in to discuss his new biography of the peerless Randy Newman, but we start by asking him about the early childhood memories (of his native Louisiana) that he shares with Randy himself. From there he takes us from the Eureka mo…

1
E185: Andrew Smith on A.I. + Björk + The Notorious B.I.G. 1:18:13

1M ago1:18:13

1:18:13

For this episode we're joined by the Brooklyn-based Andrew Smith, author of the bestselling Moondust, the "dotcom swindle" saga Totally Wired and the brand-new Devil in the Stack. We start by asking Andrew about the peripatetic childhood that took him from Greenwich Village to Hastings via San Francisco's summer of love. A riveting account of audit…

1
Episode 153: The Heartland Hootenanny September 14, 2024 Hour Two 59:52

2M ago59:52

59:52

The second hour of today's Hootenanny features music from Corb Lund (new), Drive-by Truckers, Flipper, Green on Red, Talking Heads, and Jay Farrar.

1
Episode 152: The Heartland Hootenanny September 14, 2024 Hour One 57:30

2M ago57:30

57:30

Enjoy music from Remember Sports, Mavis Staples, The Pretenders, MJ Lenderman, Caitlin Cary and The Ramones

1
E184: Joe Boyd on Global Music + Kate & Anna McGarrigle 1:17:09

2M ago1:17:09

1:17:09

For this episode we're joined by a living musical legend whose career as an A&R man, manager, producer, label-owner and writer spans over 60 extraordinary years. On the day his monumental "journey through Global Music" And the Roots of Rhythm Remain is published, the peerless Joe Boyd visits RBP's Hammersmith HQ to talk about the book — and the 17+…

1
Episode 151: The Heartland Hootenanny August 31, 2024 Hour Two 59:49

2M ago59:49

59:49

This hour includes Squeeze, The Who, Buffalo Tom, Caamp, The Bamboos and some Billy Sedlmayr

1
Episode 150: The Heartland Hootenanny August 31, 2024 Hour One 59:18

2M ago59:18

59:18

Enjoy some David Bowie, Bonnie Light Horseman, Bush Tetras, The Feelies, The Replacements and even some Royel Otis

1
E183: Darrell M. McNeill on the Isley Brothers + Isaac Hayes 1:03:54

3M ago1:03:54

1:03:54

Joining us all the way from Santa Barbara for this episode is Darrell M. McNeill, director of operations at the Black Rock Coalition and author of a new 33 1/3 study of the Isley Brothers' mighty 1973 album 3 + 3. We start by asking our guest about his '90s contributions to the Village Voice and his involvement with the B.R.C.. Crediting his dad fo…

1
E182: Joe "Mr. C" McEwen on soul music + alt.country + Joe Tex audio 1:18:43

3M ago1:18:43

1:18:43

In this episode we're joined by the esteemed Joe "Mr. C" McEwen, who Zooms in from L.A. to reminisce about his storied career as a writer, DJ and A&R man. We begin in our guest's native Philadelphia, where his teenage mind was blown by a James Brown show in 1966, and follow him up to his adopted Boston. He recalls his early reviews for The Boston P…

1
E181: Mark Williams on Knebworth '74 + the underground press + Joan Jett 1:10:26

3M ago1:10:26

1:10:26

In this episode the marvellous Mark Williams Zooms in from mid-Wales to regale us with tales from the heyday of the UK's underground press and his later involvement with the L.A. punk scene. We start in mid-'60s Newcastle – where our guest drummed with beat combo the Jailbirds – and move on to his days at the Birmingham Arts Lab via a flat above Lo…

1
E180: David Toop on Dr. John + Collusion + Scott Walker audio 1:23:29

4M ago1:23:29

1:23:29

In this episode we welcome the esteemed David Toop to Hammersmith – on the UK's General Election day – to discuss his extraordinary new book about (and around) Dr. John's 1968 album Gris-Gris. First we revisit the short-lived but splendidly eclectic Collusion magazine our guest co-founded in 1981: we hear about its inception and mission, as manifes…

1
E179: Luke Turner & John Doran on The Quietus + Yoko Ono + James Chance 1:16:43

4M ago1:16:43

1:16:43

In this episode we welcome John Doran and Luke Turner to downtown Hammersmith and invite them to talk about their much-loved and newly-revamped Quietus "webzine". (That's Noughties-speak, for all you kids out there.) The intrepid duo look back on the 2008 birth of their baby and reflect on its survival and evolution over the subsequent 16 years. Qu…

1
E178: Ann Powers on Joni Mitchell + Tori Amos + Women in Pop 1:16:15

5M ago1:16:15

1:16:15

In this episode we're joined from Nashville by acclaimed critic, author and broadcaster Ann Powers for a discussion of her new Joni Mitchell book. Starting in Ann's native Seattle, we hear about her early '80s pieces for The Rocket before moving on to her stints at the San Francisco Weekly and the New York Times. Mention of Piece by Piece, the 2005…

1
Episode 149: The Heartland Hootenanny June 8, 2024 Hour Two 57:25

5M ago57:25

57:25

New music this hour from Buffalo Tom and Adrienne Lenker plus tunes from Townes Van Zandt, Bleached, The Clash and even some Kenny Smith

1
Episode 148: The Heartland Hootenanny June 8, 2024 Hour One 1:00:07

5M ago1:00:07

1:00:07

This hour includes Lowest of the Low, Eilen Jewell who I thought was Canadian but have since realized is not, in fact, Canadian, also new music from Elbow, Hooray For The Riff Raff and The Queers

1
E177: Val Wilmer on free jazz + photography + Lesley Gore audio 1:27:29

5M ago1:27:29

1:27:29

In this episode — our first-ever "field recording" — we travel up to North London to interview the legendary writer-photographer Val Wilmer. Val takes us back to her earliest musical memories in Streatham, South London, and her immersion in the capital's '60s jazz and blues scenes. We hear about her first pieces for Jazz Journal and her experiences…

1
E176: Simon Day on the Fast Show + Brian Pern + Steely Dan audio 1:08:25

6M ago1:08:25

1:08:25

In this episode we welcome Fast Show legend Simon Day to downtown Hammersmith and ask him about his musical passions and the immortal Life Of Rock With Brian Pern. We start with our guest's misspent youth in south-east London, where he frequently saw bands such as Dr. Feelgood and local lads Squeeze and even fronted his own punk combo Simon & the V…

1
Episode 147: The Heartland Hootenanny May 11, 2024 Hour Two 57:44

6M ago57:44

57:44

This hour includes Black Sabbath, Southern Culture On The Skids, The Specials, Tyler Childers, Little Rogers and even some Curtis Mayfield. Buckle in!

1
Episode 146: The Heartland Hootenanny May 11, 2024, Hour One 59:49

6M ago59:49

59:49

This episode includes Josh Ritter, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Alabama Shakes, Buffalo Tom, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats and more!

1
Episode 145: The Heartland Hootenanny April 20, 2024 Hour Two 58:25

7M ago58:25

58:25

This hour includes The Beastie Boys, Royal Otis, CCR, David Bowie, Avett Brothers and some more new stuff from The Old 97s and Sarah Shook & The Disarmers

1
Episode 144: The Heartland Hootenanny April 20, 2024 Hour One 59:51

7M ago59:51

59:51

New music from Sarah Shook & The Disarmers as well as the Old 97's, plus The Dogs, The Runaways, Chemical Bros, and even some Son Volt

1
E175: Steffan Chirazi on Metallica + Jack Casady audio + John Sinclair 1:21:59

7M ago1:21:59

1:21:59

In this episode we welcome the splendid Steffan Chirazi to RBP Towers and ask him about his career as a metal/hard rock specialist and his long association with the mighty Metallica. We hear about our guest's lucky break as a 15-year-old Motörhead maniac when the band's frontman Lemmy gave up three hours to Steffan during the sessions for 1983's An…

1
Episode 143: The Heartland Hootenanny April 6, 2024 Hour Two 56:55

7M ago56:55

56:55

Episode 7,894 (I think) has songs from Elton John (some of that good early stuff), Catfish & The Bottlemen, Old 97's, Boy & Bear plus enough music to fill most of an hour.

1
Episode 142: The Heartland Hootenanny April 6, 2024 Hour One 57:16

7M ago57:16

57:16

This hour includes Eagle Johnson, Lou Reed, Reptile Lovechild, Kurt Vile, Lloyd Cole and more

1
Episode 141: The Heartland Hootenanny March 9, 2024 Hour Two 58:42

7M ago58:42

58:42

This hour includes (but is not limited to): XTC, Sprints, Father John Misty, The Fall, The Sinatras

1
Episode 140: The Heartland Hootenanny March 9, 2024 Hour One 57:59

7M ago57:59

57:59

You get to hear Wilco, Rayland Baxter, Be Your Own Pet, REM and others

1
Episode 139: The Heartland Hootenanny February 3, 2024 Hour Two 58:19

7M ago58:19

58:19

Music from: James McMurtry, Thank You I'm Sorry, Star Collector, Neko Case and more

1
Episode 138: The Heartland Hootenanny Feb 3, 2024 Hour One 58:23

7M ago58:23

58:23

This hour has Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Wreckless Eric (TWICE!), Dream Syndicate and Lydia Loveless, among others

1
Episode 137: The Heartland Hootenanny January 20, 2024, Hour Two 1:00:02

7M ago1:00:02

1:00:02

Some of the artists mentioned in the hour one posting are actually in this hour. Have fun finding out as you listen!

1
Episode 136: The Heartland Hootenanny January 20, 2024, Hour One 58:57

7M ago58:57

58:57

Great music, goofball host, enjoy! Alvvays, Bob Dylan, Valerie June, Son Volt, Morphine, Paul Kelly & The Messengers

1
E174: Sean O'Hagan on Microdisney + The High Llamas + The Beach Boys 1:33:49

7M ago1:33:49

1:33:49

In this episode we welcome revered High Llamas leader (and arranger to the hip and the mighty) Sean O'Hagan to Hammersmith and ask him about his life and times from Microdisney to new album Hey Panda. We hear about Sean's Luton childhood, his family's move back to Ireland, and his 1980 encounter with the late Cathal Coughlan — the Corkonian with wh…

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