Best First Avenue Club Podcasts (2024)

1
In part 2 we talk chemistry and spiritual connection, touring the US with Prince as her guitar player. Lost album Milk & Honey, an enduring friendship and exciting plans for 2024 and beyond. "I'm not gonna ... 23:59

2M ago23:59

23:59

INTRO 2mins30secs - Tamar's chemistry with Prince 'It was like a student following a teacher...[but] you can't work with that kind of greatness and take mediocre...' 6mins30s - Prince going on tour with Tamar, playing guitar on her U.S. shows 7mins45s - Will we ever get to hear her album 'Milk & Honey'? Her collaborative project with Prince. 8mins3…

1
Ashley Tamar Davis is a Grammy nominated Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Educator, Mentor and Entrepreneur. And her life was forever changed by Prince. This is her story. 24:36

3M ago24:36

24:36

INTRO - Just coming back in late from London, and Houston... 3mins - the elevator pitch on Tamar, '...how would you describe yourself?' 4mins30s - Finding your tribe online 5mins - Tamar's passion as an educator 7mins - Were your parents or your family musical? Where did you inherit your talent from? 8mins - The original line up for Destiny's Child…

1
In part 2 we field fan Qs to Owen, he reflects on Prince's demands in the early days, and working with other MPLS artists. Meeting fans on his recent book tour and his feeling on the Purple One's incredible ... 37:59

4M ago37:59

37:59

INTRO 2mins - Fan Questions: what happened at the Rio in Las Vegas? 3mins30s - Early, and unreasonable demands from Prince. Mentors and moving on without malice... 6mins30s - What was it like managing other artists vs managing Prince? Working with Andre Cymone and Jesse Johnson. 9mins30s - Working with the Prince Estate on a potential 'For You' Del…

1
As his first Manager, Owen Husney remembers Prince Rogers Nelson. "This was 1976. He was just a guy from North Minneapolis...he took the bus to my house, that's the Prince I loved." 33:09

4M ago33:09

33:09

INTRO 2mins20s - Life experiences, in preparation for meeting Prince, working with stars and the need to avoid being a fan. 8mins - Is there anything you couldn't protect Prince from? No entourage, before the layers of fame and celebrity. 'He took the bus to my house...that's the Prince I loved.' 11mins - 'He was just a guy from North Minneapolis..…

1
In part 2 of our interview with PhD candidate Casci Ritchie we discuss that Trench, punk periods, Prince becoming Prince, Lovesexy and a purple fashion legacy. Don't miss it. 36:46

4M ago36:46

36:46

INTRO 2mins - The Dirty Mind era, the Prince persona begins to form, riding the New Wave...and that Trench Coat! 3mins - The 1979 period and working with costume designers... 7mins30s - The second punk period: Slave and the 1990s 10mins - Veils and Masking - the Exodus Has Begun... 11mins30s - Count The Days, style signifiers and finely tuned 'unco…

1
Casci Ritchie is a PhD candidate and associate lecturer studying Prince, fashion, and fandom at Northumbria University. So how did this come to be a life's work? Join us to find out more...just don't ask ... 34:18

5M ago34:18

34:18

INTRO 2mins - First memories of Prince, and standing next to the TV...feeling the static from Gett Off! Listening to Prince's Hits cassette in the Green Mondeo. 4mins - Born in the year of Lovesexy! 5mins - When did you realise that Prince's work could become a lifetime pursuit? "First and foremost I'm a fan...". Obsessed with John Waters, Pee Wee …

1
Nik West visited Prince at Paisley Park to work with him, before his untimely passing in 2016. She tells us what she thought of the purple one and discusses his legacy. 39:05

9M ago39:05

39:05

PART 2: Talking Prince.... INTRO - Can you remember the first track of Prince that you heard...? 3mins - Rhonda Smith, and inspiration from female bass players 7mins - Nik West's Favourite Prince bass line? 8mins30s - Alphabet Street & This Is Not Music, This Is A Trip... 11mins - Daisy Chain: Prince and Larry Graham 14mins - Paisley Park, practici…

1
Education Building 1:52

9M ago1:52

1:52

The Education Building, built in 1900 and renovated in 2011, houses UW’s School of Education, routinely ranked as one of the top programs of its type in the country. The School of Education was founded in 1930 and was seen by the university as a direct outgrowth of the Wisconsin Idea, a term first coined in the early twentieth century by UW Preside…

1
Alumni Park 3:48

9M ago3:48

3:48

Alumni Park, finished in 2018, sits on the historic site of UW’s YMCA building. Founded in 1881, the YMCA became the center of student social life for decades. It foreshadowed the Memorial Union, which would open in 1928, as a gathering place for students, a hosting site for extracurricular activities, and the social hub of campus. The YMCA itself …

1
Helen C. White Building 2:25

9M ago2:25

2:25

The large building in your view was opened in 1971 and carries the name of Helen C. White. It houses a popular student study spot, College Library, and a handful of academic departments, including the English Department. Helen White taught English at UW for forty-eight years, from 1919 to her death in 1967. As mentioned in a previous stop, she was …

1
Science Hall 1:43

9M ago1:43

1:43

UW has been a leader in scientific research and teaching for more than a century. The rustic red brick walls of Science Hall are an imposing testament to this legacy. The building was erected in 1887, and has hosted more than a dozen science departments, from agriculture to zoology. As the university grew, Science Hall came to be known for its chie…

1
Introduction 2:54

9M ago2:54

2:54

Thank you for listening to Spirit & Stone, an audio tour of the historical and geographical heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This tour highlights some of this historic campus's rich religious and spiritual heritage. Whether you are a prospective student or a longtime resident of Madison, the following stops will introduce you to some o…

1
Muir Woods and North Hall 2:19

9M ago2:19

2:19

Across Observatory Drive there is a small nature preserve named Muir Woods. It stretches down the hill to the shore of Lake Mendota. Muir Woods is named after John Muir, sometimes called the “Father of the National Parks” for his career as a preservationist and co-founder of the Sierra Club. Muir was born in Scotland in 1838 and when 11 years old i…

1
Bascom Hall 2:38

9M ago2:38

2:38

You have probably heard of the idea of “academic freedom.” At UW, it has meant that anything that matters to the citizens of the state is worthy of study. Read the plaque to the left of the front door out loud. The plaque symbolizes the seriousness with which the university takes its commitment to the “continual and fearless sifting and winnowing b…

1
Birge Hall 2:05

9M ago2:05

2:05

Birge Hall, home of UW’s Department of Botany, was erected in 1910. It took its current name in 1950 in honor of Edward Birge, a prominent zoologist, educator, and two-time president of UW-Madison. Birge was one of the country’s first great experts on lakes. He contributed to Lake Mendota being nicknamed “the most studied lake in the world.” Birge,…

1
South Hall and the John 8:32 Plaque 1:57

9M ago1:57

1:57

South Hall, built in 1855, is the second oldest building on campus. It was the original women’s dorm before what is now Chadbourne Hall was built, and it is now home to the administration of the College of Letters and Science. Like all early buildings at the university, South Hall at one time possessed a chapel that was an active part of student li…

1
Music Hall 1:54

9M ago1:54

1:54

Looks like a church, doesn’t it? It was built in 1878 and first named Assembly Hall because administrators were eager to have a space to accommodate the entire student body in one place. Today, many high schools wouldn’t be able to fit into its original 800-seat auditorium, but back then UW’s student body hovered around 500. UW’s student population…

1
Park Street Bridge 1:46

9M ago1:46

1:46

Stand in the middle of the bridge, facing away from the lake, and look to your right to Chadbourne Hall. Back in 1871, this building was the Female College and women’s dorm. The Female College had been created a few years earlier to separate men and women students, who had been enrolling together since 1863. The UW president who insisted on the sep…

1
The Humanities Building 2:18

9M ago2:18

2:18

You’re now standing in the middle of the Humanities Building. Contrary to popular myth, the building was not designed to protect against antiwar student riots. The architectural style is aptly called “Concrete Brutalism.” It looks more like a Soviet-era bunker than a place where history is taught and music recitals are held. The building was part o…

1
The University Club 2:43

9M ago2:43

2:43

As you look south to the brick building of the University Club, you’ll see one of the oldest existing social spaces on campus. The building was finished in 1907 and, on the order of university president Charles Van Hise, the club was founded to promote faculty community. It has always had a dining area on the first floor, but originally the more th…

1
Calvary Lutheran Chapel, St. Paul’s Catholic Center, and Pres House 3:30

9M ago3:30

3:30

Colleges like Harvard and Yale were founded to train clergy. They grew to become research universities, but they maintained their schools of divinity as part of their original commitments. When UW and other public universities were founded much later, the question of religious instruction was front and center. Would the new state-funded schools hav…

1
Library Mall 2:20

9M ago2:20

2:20

On one end of your vision should be the Capitol, the center of state government. On the other end, up the hill, is Bascom Hall, the center of UW’s administration. Although these two buildings are one mile apart, state government and UW have always been closely related. For thousands of years, the Ho-Chunk Nation inhabited the land on which you are …

1
Raised on the Gospel music of the Clark Sisters, Nik West played the class clown at school, but discovered Prince, and became Rolling Stone magazine's Queen of bassists. Listen in to her Purple, and Cotton ... 35:13

9M ago35:13

35:13

INTRO 2mins - Nik talks about her Cotton Candy World Tour and playing at The Jazz Cafe in London 4mins - Shredding with lead guitarist Joey and why chemistry is so important to the band dynamic 5mins30s - learning guitar from her Dad at an early age 6mins45s - Playing gospel music by the Clark Sisters 9mins30s - Use of bright colours, a distinct vi…

1
Sam Jennings worked with Prince for 9 years. In Part 2 we go behind the scenes of the creative process - what was Prince really like to work for? As the Musicology and 3121 eras create a commercial career ... 38:18

1y ago38:18

38:18

INTRO 2min - Do you have a most cherished Prince related possession (from the 9 years you worked together)? "I joke with my friends that I only buy vinyl with my name on it!" 4mins - Biggest 'pinch-me' moments working with Prince...? 3121 era, cherished memories. 6mins30s - Which kind of people engaged Prince best behind the scenes? 7mins30s - Prin…

1
Sam Jennings worked with Prince for 9 years. Growing up in Chicago, he went from throwing fan parties during the 'Wild West' years of the internet in the 1990s, to becoming a very meaningful contributor ... 36:05

1y ago36:05

36:05

INTRO 2mins30s - Growing up in Chicago Illinois 4mins - Pursuing a career in the Web back in the mid 90s..."it was an interesting time, it was kind of like the Wild West" 5mins30s - Nona Gaye & The Beautiful Experience 6mins30s - Finding all of the other Prince fans on the internet via online communities...and organising parties at the Berlin club …

1
"It's amazing what you can do if you try..." - join us for part 2 of our interview with Dave Rusan, who made Prince's iconic white cloud guitar for the movie Purple Rain. 35:44

1+ y ago35:44

35:44

Intro 1mins30s - Wishing he could have spoken to Prince during the making of his Cloud guitar, the instrument specs, and making something great instinctually. 3mins30s - Guitar specific questions for Dave on the Cloud guitar and how it was made - how much was stock, and what was bespoke? 5mins - Prince and his heavy strings, and Takumi the guitar t…

1
Dave Rusan was a young guitar tech - who'd never made a guitar before...in 1983 Prince needed one for a new movie he was making. Join us for pt 1 as Dave auditions for Prince's band and feels exhilarated ... 37:12

1+ y ago37:12

37:12

Intro 2mins - Growing up in Minneapolis and musical background 3mins15s - The Beatles, and early influences 4mins20s - First song Dave learned on the guitar, and favourite music 5mins30s - Father-son relationship and parental support for guitar playing and passions 7mins - Working in the local music store in MPLS, learning about the guitar as an in…

1
"Fighting for the freedom he knew technology offered..." in part 2 of our interview with Jim Walsh he reflects on Prince's 'Days of Wild' in the 1990s, his last ever show...and missing a great artist. 37:02

1+ y ago37:02

37:02

1mins30s - Prince's music in the 90s, albums Jim liked, plus bootleg tapes from '93/'94 - The Beautiful Experience and stripped back versions of Come and Endorphinemachine after hours in London. 3mins15s - Emancipation was a major artistic statement, but was it a seminal work? Plus liner notes for The Gold Experience (and not getting paid for it). …

1
The Gold Experience: Jim Walsh got to know Prince in the 1990s, to the point where he was able to challenge the artist in open print. This is his story... 40:07

1+ y ago40:07

40:07

Jim Walsh - journalist and author of Gold Experience: Following Prince in the '90s Intro 2mins - Were the 1990s Prince's 'punk period'? 5mins - Challenging Prince to be more vital! 8mins30s - the mad scientist out in Chanhassen, the feeling of greatness nearby 10mins - Going back to Paisley as a museum? Being in the building together... 11mins - th…

1
Who was Prince really? In 1985 Neal Karlen interviewed the world's biggest - and most reclusive star. In the years that followed they developed an unlikely friendship. He tells us about the dilemmas of ... 53:02

2y ago53:02

53:02

Author Neal Karlen, in conversation with Sam Bleazard. Introduction - New York Times, Rolling Stone magazine, author...friend? 1-3mins: "Please don't let my scoop go away!" - Memories from another lifetime...and the BBC Omnibus documentary 4mins ...time to stop writing - and talking about - Prince, wanting to be a fan again and not a critic... 7min…

1
Scotland's pop, jazz and soul duo Hue and Cry talk about the inspiration of 'The Teacher' Prince. We also discuss the 1980s and masterpieces such as Parade and Sign 'O' The Times. Essential listening. 1:02:42

2y ago1:02:42

1:02:42

INTRO With pianist Greg Kane 1min - "Prince is the teacher", and why the 1980s needs more respect. Funk as social commentary. 3min - Covering Sign 'O' The Times, audiophiles, working with jazz musicians and having no fear. 5mins30s - Seeing Prince after hours at the Garage in Glasgow. 7mins - Near misses with Wendy and Lisa, Bobby McFerrin and Pais…

1
40 years ago - a man who would go on to become one of the biggest stars in the world, and one of its most respected musicians, was booed off the stage having been pelted with bottles and food from the ... 42:00

2+ y ago42:00

42:00

INTRO 2mins - 'going to concerts all the time' in my teenage years 6mins - growing up in a family listening to a diverse and eclectic mix of music 9mins - going to the Coliseum to see USC football games 10mins30s - memories of the show and lasting impression of Prince that day. 'He blew me away...and definitely captured my imagination'. 11mins - a …

1
Beverley Knight saves the best for last in the final episode of this revealing interview. In it she talks with genuine passion about some of the most magical moments spent with her idol Prince, discusses ... 39:35

3y ago39:35

39:35

Part 3 of this interview features music from the Beverley Knight album Affirmation (released in June 2004), including short excerpts from Supasonic, Tea & Sympathy and No One Ever Loves In Vain. Music used by permission. Additional music - Signs - was written, arranged and produced by Gavin Calder. Queen of British Soul Beverley Knight, has been on…

1
Beverley Knight tells Sam Bleazard about meeting Prince for the first time, the excitement of supporting him on his famous '21 nights' at London's 02 - and shares what it felt like to perform on the same ... 32:43

3y ago32:43

32:43

Part 2 features music from the Beverley Knight album Affirmation (released in June 2004), including short excerpts from Come As You Are, Supasonic and Keep This Fire Burning. Music used by permission. Additional music - Signs - was written, arranged and produced by Gavin Calder. How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced a…

1
Queen of British Soul Beverley Knight, has been one of the UK's most consistent artists for over two decades. She has had gold and platinum-selling albums, 14 Top 40 hits, sold-out tours, 3 MOBO Awards ... 45:32

3y ago45:32

45:32

Listen in to our latest podcast to hear more about the career path of one of the UKs most loved artists and performers, Queen of UK Soul, Beverley Knight. How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests! The show also f…

1
Ep6: Marking the publication of Duane Tudahl's latest book - in part 2 we discuss Prince's incredible work ethic, and how his songs acted as gifts and even conversation starters. We look at the challenges ... 31:02

3y ago31:02

31:02

Duane Tudahl has spent his career working on TV series, but also producing numerous documentaries and music videos. He is a writer and researcher, who has contributed many articles for Uptown magazine – the key Prince fanzine – for 12 years, from 1991 to 2003. In recent years he received praise for his books documenting Prince’s studio sessions in …

1
Episode 5: Author Duane Tudahl talks about writing the definitive account of Prince's Parade and Sign O The Times studio sessions. "Prince could release an album every year for 100 years...", he tells ... 33:35

3y ago33:35

33:35

Duane Tudahl has spent his career working on TV series, but also producing numerous documentaries and music videos. He is a writer and researcher, who has contributed many articles for Uptown magazine – the key Prince fanzine – for 12 years, from 1991 to 2003. In recent years he received praise for his books documenting Prince’s studio sessions in …

1
Episode 4: Oscar winning multi-instrumentalist Jon Batiste - talks about growing up in Louisiana, recent achievements including his involvement in the Disney Pixar film Soul, and the inspiration he drew ... 9:25

3y ago9:25

9:25

Tune in to hear Sam Bleazard discussing early life, musical inspirations and movies, with recent Oscar winner Jon Batiste. Jon talks about New Orleans, representing New Orleans in the TV show Treme, collaborators on his latest album We Are, and the inspiration he drew from Prince early on in his career.How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of…

1
Episode 3: BrownMark shares his favourite memories of Prince, the life lessons he taught him and he recalls their final conversation inside the Paisley Park studio complex. We discuss the legacy of Prince ... 31:51

3y ago31:51

31:51

Summary: chapters and themes. PART 3 1min - Going back to a normal life and the 9-5...and why it was a good thing. 4mins30s - My favourite memories of Prince...'he was a whole different person when we played basketball...and he was such a fun person outside of the music'. 7mins - The lessons that Prince taught me, for life in general and for my car…

1
Episode 2: Mark takes us inside the Purple Rain tour, the hysteria of the hit movie, choreography onstage with The Revolution and wardrobe arguments with the boss. We also get a unique insight into the ... 29:39

3y ago29:39

29:39

Summary, themes and chapters 1mins - Memories of First Avenue and the debut performances of Purple Rain. 5mins - Choreographing Prince & The Revolution and the changing face of the band. 8mins - Movie premieres, wardrobe disagreements, concerts and 'craziness'. 11mins - Prince and poducer bands: Mazarati; The Time; Vanity 6 and The Family. 13mins30…

1
Episode 1: Mark Brown made his debut gig at 19 years old supporting The Rolling Stones at the LA Coliseum in front of 90,000 people. Renamed BrownMark he was on bass when Purple Rain was played live for ... 29:37

3+ y ago29:37

29:37

Chapters 1min - Meeting Prince for the first time. 2mins45s - Minneapolis clubs in the late 1970s. 5mins - Sharing the limelight with Prince and being a new face with a fanbase. 8mins - Roller skating at the lake with Prince and Vanity. 10mins45s - Prince's bass playing and musical influences. 15mins30 - Debut gig supporting The Rolling Stones, and…

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