The short but solid trajectory of the Undertones' career reflects the arc of popular British music during the same time. Starting off in Derry Ireland as punks with an ear for melodies in the late 70s and ending up about five years later exploring sophisti-pop is a map of what was in style in the UK. If the band wasn't so good at both genres you mi…

Grammy winning engineer/producer Tom Lord-Alge has been behind some major music the last 40 years. He starts out in NYC under the tutelage of his brother Chris and breaks big working on Steve Winwood's Back in the High Life album. Over the years he's engineered dozens of gigantic hits including albums by Blink-182, Pink, Weezer, Marilyn Manson and …

Bassist Neil Stubenhaus was a key member of that pool of exceptional talent in LA in the 70s and 80s that were first calls to play on the great albums made during the era. Neil stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Nathan East, Lee Sklar and Pino Palladino (among many) to make good music even better. Included on his resume are people like Bi…

Mike Post is probably the most successful composer of the last half century. He literally wrote the themes to hundreds of TV shows from the early 70s until now. In fact, there's a good chance that during the heyday, almost every person on earth heard his work at least once a week. That's astounding. You could argue that shows like NYPD Blue, Law & …

Woody Meachum (@TheWoodenChef), Mike Drew (@picieswithfilters), Nick Bambach (@NickDBambach and @rockinretropod) and Hector Contreras (@ClassicHexagon) join me as we discuss recent movies! Twitter - Instagram - WebsiteBy EETF Podcast

Imagine being one of the architects of one of the biggest albums in rock history. It's like winning the lottery. As we know from the Fleetwood Mac story, what was happening behind the scenes on Rumours was as juicy and tasty as the music they were making. Witness to all of it was the great Ken Caillat! He went on to co-produce with Richard Dashut T…

This week, Jesus Jones embarks on their first US tour in 30 years! It's short, just a few shows over a couple of weeks, but it's, hopefully, the beginning of restoring a relationship with the states that will grow in the near future. Since lead singer Mike Edwards was on the show a few years ago, we are joined this time by keyboardist (and band man…

This week we get to hear from acclaimed songwriter Dean Pitchford! After 45 years of near consistent success, Dean will finally be inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame this year, which is just another line on his impressive resume. He won an Oscar for writing "Fame" for Irene Cara and achieved the absolute peak with Footloose. He not only wrote…

Our guest this week is multi-Grammy winning producer Russ Titelman. Russ has been deeply rooted in the music business since the 60s as a producer, an engineer, a songwriter, and even a session guitarist. His midas touch has benefitted legendary artists like Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, James Taylor, Cyndi Lauper, Brian Wilson, Rickie Lee Jones, and won …

(Alternate title: Balloons, Clowns, Sex, Vietnam War) Time for some Quick and Quirky Questions! Joining me are Woody (@TheWoodenChef), Nick (@NickDBambach and @rockinretropod), Hector (@ClassicHexagon), plus Kyle Hildreth (@overkylart)! We had some tech issues, so that meant a different recording platform, so apologies if the sound isn't perfect. S…

In 1989 when Australian rock bands like Midnight Oil and INXS were screaming up the charts in the US, you'd think the easiest thing in the world would be to present one more and let them continue the streak. Such was not the story of Boom Crash Opera. Despite getting some airplay for "Onion Skin" off their second album, These Here Are Crazy Times, …

Here is our Oscars preview! John (IG: @the_mutford_man), Nick (@NickDBambach and @rockinretropod), Hector (@ClassicHexagon) and Jon Lamoreaux, host of The Hustle Podcast (@TheHustlePod) join me to talk about the upcoming Academy Awards -- all major categories are covered! More of Jon on Episode 13 as well! Twitter - Instagram - Website…

The Dandy Warhols have been around for 30 years. That can't be right! In the 90s they seemed like hedonistic little hippies and now, they still are, but the rest of the world has caught up with them. On the 15th, the band releases ROCKMAKER, their first fully guitar-driven album in a while (maybe ever) and they embark on a US tour this week. Zia Mc…

These days, guitarist Nigel Bennett is as much an entrepreneur as he is a punk rocker. I'll explain. Nigel's career began in the 70s when he was hired to join The Members who were mixing punk, pop and reggae in unique ways. They're probably best remembered by their 1982 hit "Working Girl". The band didn't last long and Nigel bummed around until he …

Author Joel Selvin returns to the show to discuss his new book on one of the greatest and most complicated drummers in rock history, Jim Gordon. The list of songs made better by Jim's talent is endless - "Good Vibrations", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Wichita Lineman", "Apache" and hundreds of others. He was also the drummer in Derek and the Do…

The amazing Mike Scott returns to the podcast to go deep on the Waterboys' 1985 masterpiece This is the Sea. This benchmark album has been released in a massive 6-disc deluxe edition that includes almost 100 tracks, many of which have never been heard before, and a hardback book all of which tells the story of the album's creation. Mike takes us tr…

Cult icon Josie Cotton joins us this week! Of course, her career exploded in the early 80s with the help of Valley Girl and the immortal "Johnny, Are You Queer?" but her time on major labels was short-lived. For almost 40 years she's built a career thriving as an indie artist and doing her own thing. Last year she released a strong new album called…

Rich Travali is one of the most successful guests we've ever featured on the show. He began his career in the 80s at the Hit Factory in New York working with legends like Patti Smith, Sting and Paul Simon, who he was especially close to during the recording of The Rhythm of the Saints. In the 90s he formed a bond with Puff Daddy which led to a coup…

Ian Lloyd has been at this longer than many of us have been alive. He first took off fronting Stories in the early 70s for three albums. The second one, About Us, featured the surprising #1 smash "Brother Louie". From there he went solo and released some excellent (and sadly out of print) power pop albums including the wonderful Goosebumps from 197…

For this Book Club we welcome noted Australian author Jeff Apter to discuss his new book on Neil Finn, Don't Dream It's Over. Jeff has been a successful music writer for decades, contributing to Rolling Stone as penning books on AC/DC, Keith Urban, and the Bee Gees. Nick and I nerd out on our love for Neil, what he's like, how the band and his fami…

This week we welcome one of the greatest musicians alive, bassist Jah Wobble! Jah first rose to prominence in PIL alongside John Lydon on their first two groundbreaking albums. After he left he struggled for a few years before picking it back up with the Invaders of the Heart and playing with almost everyone. In this conversation we discuss artists…

Animotion's Bill Wadhams returns to the show to deep dive their excellent comeback album from 2017, Raise. I see this album as a perfect example of what legacy artists, especially ones from the 80s, are capable of doing in this day and age. It's an incredibly strong set of tunes that not enough people know about. Bill explains how the album came to…

We go deep on excellent 90s British alternative rock with this week's twofer. First up is the iconic Saffron of Republica! The band is best known for (and still make a nice living from) "Ready To Go", which is saying a lot for a band that only managed a couple albums. They have recently come back together to make some new music including their late…

We're honored to welcome one of music's greatest living musicians, Budgie! In this sprawling conversation we cover all the bases - coming up in Liverpool with Big in Japan, joining The Slits for their revolutionary album Cut, and joining Siouxsie and the Banshees where he would stay until the bitter end in the mid-90s. He also married Siouxsie and …

We're kicking off 2024 the way we often do by hearing from a legendary producer. This year we get to hear from the great Chris Kimsey! Chris was closely tied to the Stones for many years, producing albums like Some Girls, Undercover and Steel Wheels but his genius has impacted many other greats as well. In this conversation we cover artists big and…

Here is Part 2 (the Big One) of the 2023 Year in Review (Movies, TV and Music), with Woody Meachum (@TheWoodenChef), Mike Drew (@mrdsclass), John Mutford (@the_mutford_man on IG) and Hector Contreras (@ClassicHexagon)! Probably the episode with the most laughs yet -- Happy 2024 to everyone! Twitter - Instagram - Website…

It's a classic rock twofer this week! First up is Don Barnes of 38 Special. Next year the band will be celebrating 50 years and they're still as strong as ever. Their peak 80s period rivals anyone's with a bunch of hits that are still beloved. Don discusses the stories behind the songs, touring today, his lost solo album and much more. Then we get …

Here is Part 1 of the 2023 Year in Review, with Nick Bambach (@NickDBambach and @rockinretropod)! Part 2 with the rest of the gang will be up in a few days. Enjoy! Twitter - Instagram - WebsiteBy EETF Podcast

The pioneering story of the Veldt is a one of one. Twin black brothers from North Carolina in the 80s embrace the alternative rock coming from the UK and record their debut album in 1989 with Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins producing! The album was shelved, but they did get a couple great albums out in the 90s (Afrodisiac is especially excellent…

This week we welcome back two of our favorites - Maia Sharp and Garrison Starr. The girls (who are also friends) return to catch us up on what they're doing these days. Maia is producing Sarah & Shannon while Garrison has paired up again with Sean McConnell for their second release as My Sister, My Brother. They also get into the music industry's h…

Two extra questions: 1) Worst TV season of a show you normally like? 2) Favorite TV commercial? Plus, more recent TV and movies with Woody Meachum (@TheWoodenChef), Mike Drew (@mrdsclass), Nick Bambach (@NickDBambach and @rockinretropod) and Hector Contreras (@ClassicHexagon)! Favorite commercials: Woody (13:28), Mike (15:30, 16:29), Hector (17:29,…

Isn't the race for best alternative rock bass player in history neck and neck between Derek Forbes and Peter Hook? Those two showed what making great music with a bass as practically the lead instrument could do. Anyone who has listened to those early Simple Minds albums knows that what makes them so special is Derek's incredible bass work. Unfortu…

We welcome back for a rarefied air third time, the excellent author, Martin Popoff, to discuss his Kiss at 50 book. Kiss are a perfect band to discuss, and we enjoyed Martin's insights, and hope you do too! www.patreon.com/thehustlepodBy Jon Lamoreaux

Manchester is known for all kinds of legendary bands emerging from the area. The Smiths, New Order, The Stone Roses, Oasis, Buzzcocks and tons more. The best of the 2000s has to be Doves. Beginning as the dance group Sub Sub, Doves went on to be one of the biggest and best bands the UK has brought the world, as five consistently great albums prove.…

This week we welcome back our friend Kevin Armstrong to discuss his new memoir, Absolute Beginner. This wonderful book details how his unique career took flight, from forming great bands that never go anywhere, to joining forces with David Bowie and performing with him at Live Aid, and rocking alongside Iggy Pop for a decade. There are also stops w…

Join us on our very first CarCast as we drive north, from Glasgow to the Scottish Highlands. We talk about moving from Russia to Estonia to Scotland, tongue twisters, past episodes of this podcast, and much more. Another first: we go full mobile and interview people on the street. Plus, Anna turns the tables and makes me a guest on my own podcast! …

The real story of Sly & the Family Stone needs to be told. Sly himself recently released a reportedly underwhelming memoir and there have been others over the years, but the true story of this revolutionary group is eroding too quickly. This week we welcome their legendary drummer (and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer) Greg Errico. Greg recounts just ho…

This week we give thanks for another twofer with a couple of legends. First up is my brief chat with jazz icon Les McCann. This weekend Les is releasing a special box set for Record Store Day, Never a Dull Moment - Live From Coast to Coast 66-67. This gorgeous collection showcases his mastery of the piano in the Trio setting and is an incredible pi…

Jon and Jan review our 3rd quarter episodes, gigs, life and more.By Jon Lamoreaux

The Darling Buds were another one of those excellent British alternative bands of the late 80s/early 90s that was sadly short lived. Three strong albums in four years and then nothing for a long time. People listening to college radio or scouring records stores around that time would know them well. Thankfully, the band is back with an incredible b…

Former guests Robert LaRoche of the Sighs and John Douglas of the Trashcan Sinatras return to discuss their brand new solo albums. Robert's new one Forevermore continues his perfect brand of "country-tinged power pop". And John's self-titled release shows his take on acoustic stripped-down versions of original songs as well as some Trashcan covers.…

We have another excellent twofer up this week with two decorated artists. First is Andrew Roachford! In the US, he's primarily remembered for his 1989 hit "Cuddly Toy" which still slaps today, but did you know he's an MBE back in England and one of their biggest selling artists? Over the years, whether fronting his band Roachford, or singing with M…

It's another great twofer for you this week! First is Glen Mercer of the Feelies. If there's an American version of post-punk, the Feelies are the best example. They released one of the greatest debuts ever, 1980's Crazy Rhythms, but have only recorded sporadically as a unit over 45 years. The band's been quiet since 2017, and original member Anton…

Here it is, the second solo and bilingual episode! This is a short summary of my two marathons (Berlin and Cologne). (The French part starts around 21:20./La section française commence à 21:20 environ.) Listening back to the French version, I think it's kind of funny how much my Quebec accent comes back the more I get agitated bitching about what I…

It's a Jam Band adjacent twofer this week! First up is Blues Traveler guitarist and founding member Chan Kinchla. BT just released an excellent covers album called Traveler's Soul that includes their versions of songs by Dee-Lite, Stevie Wonder, TLC and more. It's a great companion to their last album Traveler's Blues. Chan discusses the making of …

The Cranberries are no more, sadly. After the tragic death of Dolores O'Riordan, the rest of the band decided they would not carry on and to leave the legacy as is. Drummer Fergal Lawler joins us this week to discuss the newly released 3-disc Deluxe Edition of the band's 3rd album To The Faithful Departed. This expanded collection includes outtakes…

Genya Ravan's two seminal, and self-produced, solo albums, 1978's Urban Desire and 1979's ..And I Mean It!, have recently been re-released in all their glam rock mixed with Phil Spector and his girl group's glory. Seriously, if you aren't familiar with these two classics, you'll wonder how you've made it this long without them. Genya returns to the…

This week we catch up with a couple ol' timers. First up is 80s heartland rocker Henry Lee Summer. In the late 80s, Henry scored a couple big hits with "Wish I Had a Girl" and "Hey Baby" and cut a memorable image with his giant mullet and tight jeans. Times got tough for Henry there for a while - drug addiction, arrests, bankruptcy, divorce etc - b…

Australia's Little River Band had an uncanny knack for nailing the beautiful Southern California soft rock sound of the 70s and early 80s despite being on the other side of the world. Guitarist Graeham Goble, along with core members Beeb Birtles and Glenn Shorrock were the primary songwriters behind many of the hits like "Reminiscing", "Lonesome Lo…

The wonderful "Artists at" series continues with our guest this week. Author Daniel Bukzpan recently released Ozzy@75 detailing the entire Prince of Darknesses career, Black Sabbath and first wives, to reality TV stardom and Ozzfest. The book is packed with goodies, including Daniel's dry humour that's fitting for a book about Ozzy. We have a copy …