Just Passing Through Podcast

Send us a textEddie St. James ~ Fever BurnSometimes the world has a funny way of circling back.A few weeks after episode 182 — our story of Samuel Sharpe, the man who freed Jamaica — I noticed something strange: a sudden spike in downloads all across the island.That's when I heard from Eddie St. James — a Jamaican-born soul singer with French roots, a voice aged in smoky bars, and a heart that still beats to the rhythm of the road.He told me the Sharpe episode hit home, reminded him where his fire comes from.Now he's lighting that flame again with his brand-new single, “Fever Burn.”It's raw, it's soulful, and it sounds like the heat of Kingston meeting the heart of the blues.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 231Brighton, October 1984 — The AftermathThe blast has faded, but its echo still hangs in the air.Smoke drifts through the wreckage of the Grand Hotel — splintered glass, twisted steel, and the heavy silence of disbelief.Yet by morning, the Conservative Party conference resumes. Voices return to the same hall now shadowed by loss, determination standing where fear had settled overnight.Outside, the manhunt begins. Streets are searched, names whispered, evidence pieced together. Patrick Magee — the unseen hand — becomes the most wanted man in Britain.Years later, in a moment few could imagine, the story bends toward something unexpected.From the ruins of Brighton rises a conversation — not of vengeance, but of understanding.A woman whose father was lost, and the man who took him — meeting face to face.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 230Brighton, October 1984.A calm seaside city, glittering under streetlights and the low hum of the pier. The gulls cry over the Channel, taxis roll along the promenade, and the Grand Hotel stands proud — polished brass, white stone, and the smell of salt drifting through its doors.Inside, the Conservative Party gathers. Politicians, reporters, and aides crowd the corridors, their voices bright with politics and champagne. The Prime Minister will speak tomorrow. It is business as usual.But hidden within the walls, deep behind a panel and layers of plaster, time is ticking.Patrick Magee — quiet, methodical, unseen — has already done his work. Weeks before, he planted a device with care and calculation. He has left the town, but his presence lingers in the wiring, in the silence, in the waiting.As the clock edges toward the early hours, Brighton sleeps.The sea whispers against the stones. A city unaware. A hotel holding its breath.And then, in one terrible instant, the night erupts —glass, flame, dust, and history breaking open.This is how it began.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 229In the smoky glow of 1970s British television, one face stood out — sharp-eyed, restless, and always on the brink of outrage or brilliance. Leonard Rossiter wasn't your typical leading man. He was wiry, precise, and gloriously unpredictable — the kind of performer who could turn irritation into art. From the chaotic charm of Rising Damp to the razor wit of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Rossiter built a career on discomfort — his own and everyone else's. But behind the impeccable timing and those famous grimaces lay a man driven by perfection, haunted by self-doubt, and utterly devoted to the craft of acting. This is the story of a performer who never quite fit the mould — and that's exactly why he became unforgettable.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 228Sir Christopher Wren is a name that instantly conjures images of soaring spires, intricate domes, and some of the most iconic buildings in London. Born in 1632, Wren was not just an architect—he was a polymath, equally at home with mathematics, astronomy, and anatomy. Yet it's his work after the Great Fire of London in 1666 that cements his place in history. Tasked with rebuilding a city in ruins, Wren transformed the skyline, blending classical grandeur with innovative engineering. St. Paul's Cathedral stands as his crowning achievement—a testament to vision, resilience, and genius. But behind the sketches and blueprints was a man driven by curiosity and ambition, navigating a world of science, art, and politics. This is the story of Sir Christopher Wren, a builder of dreams and a master of the skyline.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 227He painted saints and sinners with the same trembling hand — his own. Born in chaos, driven by passion, and hunted by his past, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio turned paint into confession. His art shocked Rome with its brutal honesty and divine beauty, forever changing how the world saw light, flesh, and faith. But behind every masterpiece stood a man at war with himself — violent, brilliant, and desperate for redemption.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 226The air is thick with the scent of pine and steel. A lone figure stands on the bank of a quiet river, the rising sun glinting off the blade at his side. His hair is wild, his kimono worn, his eyes fixed on the rippling water. Soon, he will fight a man who has spent his life preparing for this one moment. Musashi, though—he has no plan. Only instinct, chaos, and the certainty that he cannot lose.But how did a boy from the mountains of Harima become Japan's most legendary swordsman? A man who fought over sixty duels and never once tasted defeat. Who turned his back on fame, embraced solitude, and sought truth not in blood—but in art, calligraphy, and philosophy.This is not just the story of a warrior. It's the story of a man who forged his own path through violence, silence, and the endless pursuit of mastery.This… is A Short History of Musashi Miyamoto.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 225A man sits hunched over a workbench. His fingers are raw, stained black with soot and resin. The air is thick with the acrid smell of burning rubber, sulfur biting at the back of his throat. It is the middle of the 19th century, and while the rest of America surges ahead with steam, steel, and expansion, Charles Goodyear is locked in a tiny workshop, chasing an obsession.He has no money. His family lives in poverty. The world laughs at him, mocks his failures, and turns its back. But Charles refuses to let go of the sticky, unstable substance in his hands. He believes, against all odds, that he can transform it into something useful, something indestructible.This is not just a story about an invention. It is about sacrifice, desperation, and genius. A man who gambled everything—his fortune, his health, even his dignity—on a material the world thought was worthless. And how, in the end, he changed not only industry, but everyday life, forever.This is the story of Charles Goodyear.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 224It is the spring of 1892 in Harlem, Georgia. The air is heavy with the scent of pine and the sharp sound of train whistles drifting across the small Southern town. In a modest home, a boy named Norvell Hardy — later known to the world as Oliver — is born into a family that knows both comfort and tragedy. His father, a respected Confederate veteran turned county treasurer, dies when Norvell is just ten months old. His mother, Emily, strong and resourceful, raises him almost single-handedly, keeping her son close even as he grows restless, stubborn, and larger than life.This boy will carry with him not just his mother's devotion, but also the weight of loss, the charm of the South, and a restless energy that never lets him settle. Years later, audiences won't know him as Norvell Hardy at all. They will know him as “Ollie,” one half of the greatest comedy duo the silver screen has ever seen. But before he meets Stan Laurel, before the bowler hats and the slow burns, there is a boy in Georgia, already looking for a way to stand in the spotlight.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 223Fog drifts over the East End of London. The narrow alleys echo with the clatter of horse hooves and the cries of market traders. But beneath the noise and bustle lies another world — one of ragged children huddled in doorways, barefoot, hungry, and forgotten. Into this desperate landscape walks a young man with a fiery vision. Trained in medicine, driven by faith, and stirred by compassion, he dares to ask a dangerous question: what if every child, no matter how poor, could be given shelter, safety, and a chance at life? This is the story of Dr. Thomas Barnardo — and how one man's dream would change the fate of thousands.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 222"On the far southwestern edge of Britain, where the Atlantic hurls itself against granite cliffs and the wind scours the land raw, lies a village small in size but vast in legend. Mousehole, a Cornish fishing port with roots older than memory, has known hardship, hunger, and the endless pull of the sea. But one winter's night, as storms raged and bellies ached with want, a single fisherman dared to face the ocean when all others stayed ashore. His name was Tom Bawcock—and his courage would save a village, inspire a tradition, and give Cornwall one of its most curious and cherished Christmas tales."Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 221 In a sun-scorched town outside Guadalajara, a skinny boy with freckled skin and bright red hair stood out like a flame in the crowd. The locals teased him, called him Canelo — cinnamon. But the name that began as a joke would soon echo through packed arenas, whispered with awe and respect.This is the story of how a boy, marked from birth by difference, carved his way through hardship, fists blazing, to become one of the most formidable fighters of his time.And as the boxing world holds its breath for his next great challenge, we look back  to where it all began.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 220On the streets of Omaha, Nebraska, a boy learns to fight long before he ever steps into a boxing ring. It's not a game. It's survival. Every punch, every scar, every lesson in pain becomes a step toward something greater. From narrow neighborhood gyms to the bright lights of world arenas, his journey is as much about resilience as it is about skill. This is the story of how grit, discipline, and a refusal to bow to circumstance turned a kid from Omaha into one of the most formidable fighters of his time.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 219In the dark heart of Nazi-occupied Europe, resistance was more than an act of defiance—it was a gamble with certain death. Among those who dared to play this deadly game was a young Slovak soldier named Jozef Gabčík. Trained in Britain, parachuted into his homeland, and tasked with a mission few would ever return from, he carried with him both a Sten gun and an iron resolve. His target? One of the most feared men of the Third Reich: Reinhard Heydrich, the architect of the Holocaust. This is the story of courage against impossible odds, of a man who knew he was unlikely to survive—but went anyway.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 218The 1960s. A decade of revolution. Music, fashion, youth culture—all exploding in colour and sound. Out of this whirlwind steps a boy from Manchester, slight in stature but larger than life, with charm enough to disarm the world. He isn't meant to be here. His path was toward the racetrack, not the stage. Yet fate has other plans.In a time when television brings idols into living rooms, when teenage dreams can be broadcast coast to coast, he becomes the face that girls scream for, the voice that carries hope, love, and mischief. Behind the bright lights, though, lies the story of a young man caught between ordinary beginnings and extraordinary fame.This is the tale of how a child of northern England found himself swept into the eye of a cultural storm—becoming a symbol of innocence, of joy, and of a generation's belief in daydreams.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 217His life begins in turbulence and ends in mystery. Orphaned before he can form a memory, carried from place to place, he grows in the shadow of loss. Genius fuels his pen, yet poverty dogs his steps. He loves deeply, yet death claims those closest to him. In taverns and lecture halls, on quiet streets and in crowded parlors, he moves like a man marked by fate. Through each hardship, he writes — stories of haunted houses, guilty hearts, and dreams that curdle into nightmares. His words bring him fleeting fame, but never peace. To speak of him is to tell a story where brilliance and ruin walk side by side, and where art becomes both salvation and curse.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 216He was a giant of a man, both in size and in reputation. Peter Grant, the manager who turned Led Zeppelin into the biggest band on the planet, wasn't cut from the same cloth as other music executives. Fiercely loyal, brutally protective, and unafraid of confrontation, he ripped up the old rules of the music business and wrote new ones that shifted power from the record labels to the artists. But behind the legend of smashed bootlegs, stormed offices, and backstage intimidation lies the story of a working-class Londoner who fought his way from nightclub bouncer to the most feared and influential manager in rock history.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 215The war is raging across Europe. German U-boats stalk the Atlantic, threatening to cut Britain off from supplies. Hitler's armies seem unstoppable. But in a quiet English country house, a small group of mathematicians, chess players, and linguists are working around the clock on something invisible—an enemy of numbers and codes.At the centre of this effort is a quiet, awkward man. He's brilliant, eccentric, and far more comfortable with equations than small talk. He runs for miles to clear his mind, scribbles down thoughts on crumpled scraps of paper, and dreams of machines that can think like people.This is the story of Alan Turing. The man who helped crack the uncrackable code, shortened the war, and laid the foundations for the computers we use today.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 214It's the 1980s. America's malls are packed. Rock ‘n' roll blares from cassette players. Kids trade action figures like currency. And in living rooms across the country, a new kind of superhero body-slams his way into pop culture.Towering, tanned, wrapped in red and yellow, he's part-myth, part-man. He preaches vitamins and prayers. He flexes, points, and growls his way through TV screens, arenas, and toy shelves. His name? Hulk Hogan.But before the roar of the crowd, before WrestleMania and reality TV, there was just Terry. A chubby kid from Augusta, Georgia. A troubled teen in Tampa. A misfit with a bass guitar and big dreams.This is the story not just of a wrestling icon, but of an American invention. A man who became larger than life—and spent decades trying to live up to the image he helped create.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 213Before he was the Prince of Darkness, before the bat, the bites, and the black leather — there was just John Michael Osbourne. A working-class kid from Aston, Birmingham, born into poverty, dyslexia, and a life that didn't seem to promise much more than the factory floor. But behind the thick accent and troubled childhood was a voice that would one day shake the world.This isn't just the story of a heavy metal icon. It's about survival, self-destruction, and a strange kind of genius that somehow turned pain into power. So turn up the volume, dim the lights, and step into the madness.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 212He had the glasses, the grit, and the gall to defy cycling tradition. With flowing blond hair and an unapologetic attitude, Laurent Fignon wasn't just racing the clock—he was battling a sport that didn't always welcome rebels. Twice a Tour de France champion, he was as famous for how he won as for the heartbreak of how he lost. But behind the headlines and heartbreak was a rider of rare intelligence, elegance, and fire. This is the story of a man who pedaled against the wind—and became unforgettable.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 211He wasn't born a symbol. He didn't grow up dreaming of shaking up City Hall, or of becoming a voice for millions who'd been told to stay silent. Harvey Milk was a Navy veteran. A math teacher. A camera shop owner. And for much of his early life, he kept his identity tucked away—hidden from view, like so many others in his generation.But when he finally decided to live out loud, everything changed.San Francisco in the 1970s was bursting with color, chaos, and change. And Harvey—charismatic, cheeky, and fiercely determined—stepped into the political spotlight not just to win votes, but to give people hope.This is the story of how one man became the first openly gay elected official in California... and how his courage lit a fire that still burns today.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 210Imagine a voice—calm, curious, playful—asking you whether you are the universe pretending to be a person.In the chaotic swirl of 20th-century thought, where science clashed with religion and the East met the West in coffeehouses and lecture halls, one man emerged not with answers, but with questions that made the answers irrelevant. He wore tweed jackets, quoted Lao Tzu with a cigarette in hand, and turned philosophy into a performance. He spoke of Zen, Tao, the ego, and illusion—not as abstract concepts, but as tools to dismantle the walls of the self.A priest who stopped believing in the pulpit. A philosopher who laughed at philosophy. A mystic who didn't quite believe in mysticism. For some, he was a prophet. For others, a dropout with charm. But for millions of listeners then and now, his words cracked open a space in the mind.This is the story of a man who didn't claim to know the way—because he said there was no way to know.This is a short history of... the man who made the West think again.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 209He wasn't born into a football dynasty. He didn't grow up in the spotlight. But Diogo Jota carved out his own place in the world of football — with grit, precision, and an eye for goal that left fans across Europe speechless.From the streets of Massarelos to the thunder of Anfield, he rose quietly, steadily — the underdog who outworked the odds. For club and country, he gave everything. Every run, every finish, every celebration was a chapter in a story still unfolding.But on a quiet in the early hours of a Thursday morning, that story ended way too soon.Diogo Jota died in a car crash alongside his brother — a tragedy that stunned the football world and left hearts broken far beyond Portugal.This is not just a story of what he achieved. It's a tribute to who he was — as a player, a teammate, a brother, and a man. This… is a short history of Diogo Jota.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 208He wasn't looking for fame. He wasn't trying to get rich.Armed with a piece of chalk and a head full of wild ideas, Keith Haring hit the subways of New York like a lightning bolt. While others walked past empty black panels, he filled them with bold, dancing figures — babies, barking dogs, radiant hearts — pulsing with joy, anger, and something else... something deeper.This wasn't graffiti. This wasn't gallery art. It was something in between.In just a few years, Keith went from street corners to global stages. From underground clubs to children's hospitals. From subway stations to the Berlin Wall.He was an artist of the people — and for the people. And as the AIDS crisis began to steal the lives of his friends — and then his own — Keith kept going. Drawing faster. Bigger. Louder.This is the story of a boy from Pennsylvania who made the whole world feel something — with just a line.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 207In the early hours of September 26, 1983, one man stood between the world and nuclear war. A quiet, unassuming lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Air Defence Forces, Stanislav Petrov was stationed in a bunker outside Moscow, monitoring the skies for signs of a U.S. missile attack. When the alarm sounded, and all systems insisted that destruction was imminent, Petrov hesitated. He questioned what the machines were telling him—and in doing so, may have saved the lives of hundreds of millions.This is the story of a man whose calm judgment in a moment of unthinkable pressure changed the course of history.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 206 He was the face of fire and fury. A punk with jet-black eyes, a sneer that could cut glass, and a voice that turned dance floors into battlegrounds. But offstage, he was a soft-spoken Essex lad who loved motorbikes, dogs, and long country walks.Keith Flint didn't just front The Prodigy—he became their weapon. A symbol of 90s rave rebellion, channelling raw energy into something both chaotic and cathartic. His dancing was violent poetry. His presence? Unforgettable. He wasn't polished. He was powerful.But behind the devil-horned hair and blistering performances was a man forever walking a tightrope—between extremes, between personas, between light and shadow.Keith Flint lived loud. And left quietly. But in his wake, he left an explosion that still echoes on dance floors around the world.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 205He was a stockbroker with a drinking problem. A man who'd tasted the high life, only to lose it all to the bottle. But in a moment of utter despair, something changed. And from that darkness, he lit a spark that would go on to save millions.Before rehab centres, before addiction was widely understood, there was just one man, trying to help another stay sober—one day at a time.This is the story of Bill Wilson. The co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. A man who believed that admitting powerlessness was the beginning of real strength. A man who gave the world a 12-step program, but struggled to follow all twelve himself.From backroom meetings in dusty church basements, to a global fellowship spanning nearly every corner of the earth—his legacy is nothing short of revolutionary.In this episode, we take a short history of Bill Wilson: visionary, flawed hero, and the reluctant prophet of sobriety.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 204She was hailed as one of the most beautiful women ever to grace the silver screen. A Hollywood starlet in the golden age of cinema, her face lit up movie theatres around the world. But behind the glamour and fame was a brilliant mind few ever recognized. At a time when women were rarely seen as inventors, she quietly co-developed a technology that would become the foundation for GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.Hedy Lamarr—a woman who defied expectations, dazzled audiences, and helped invent the future.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 203Shiro Ishii was a man of science—a brilliant mind twisted by the horrors of ambition and war. Born in Japan during a time of rising nationalism and imperial expansion, Ishii rose through the ranks of the military medical establishment with startling speed. But his legacy is not one of healing. Instead, it is marked by one of the darkest and most disturbing chapters in the history of modern warfare.Behind a polished exterior and a sharp intellect was a ruthless architect of human suffering. Under Ishii's direction, Japan's infamous Unit 731 became a factory of death, hidden behind the guise of medical research. His experiments—grotesque, cruel, and shrouded in secrecy—were carried out in the name of progress, but at an unimaginable human cost.This is not a story of redemption. It is a story of how unchecked power, cloaked in scientific authority, can turn knowledge into a weapon. It's a short history of Shiro Ishii—a man who pushed the boundaries of science not to save lives, but to destroy them.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 202Witold Pilecki's story is one of the most remarkable yet little-known tales of World War II. A Polish soldier who voluntarily went undercover inside Auschwitz, he gathered crucial intelligence and organized resistance from within the camp itself. Today, we'll uncover the life of a man whose bravery and sacrifice went beyond what most could imagine — a story of courage, hope, and the fight against unimaginable evil.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 201She was born in a cave during a thunderstorm. A child so strange in appearance and so wrapped in mystery that whispers of witchcraft followed her from the cradle to the grave. Her name was Ursula Southeil—though most remember her by another: Old Mother Shipton.In the 16th century, England was a place of upheaval. Kings and queens rose and fell. The world was expanding. Science and superstition danced an uneasy waltz. And in the midst of it all, this Yorkshire prophetess was said to foresee it all—fires, plagues, invasions, and even flying machines.But who was she, really? A cunning woman? A folk legend? Or something far stranger?This is the story of Old Mother Shipton—the woman who saw the future, and still haunts the past.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 200Before the top hat, before the roaring solos that defined a generation, and long before the stadiums full of screaming fans, there was just a kid named Saul.Born to a mixed-race couple in the UK — a free-spirited Black American artist mother and a white English album cover designer father — Saul Hudson's early years were anything but typical. He spent his earliest days in the quiet English town of Stoke-on-Trent, a far cry from the wild energy of the Sunset Strip that would later become his playground.At just six years old, Saul was pulled from the rainy streets of England and dropped into the vibrant chaos of Los Angeles, a city that would shape him, challenge him, and ultimately crown him as one of rock's greatest icons.This is the story of those early years — the influences, the chaos, the creativity — and how a quiet kid with a wild imagination became the legend we now know simply as Slash.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textCrazy Horse was a Lakota warrior who stood for freedom, tradition, and resistance. Born around 1840, he grew up watching his people's land and way of life threatened by U.S. expansion. Quiet, strong-willed, and deeply spiritual, he became a fierce leader—most famously at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, where General Custer was defeated.He never sought fame, never signed treaties, and never allowed himself to be photographed. To his people, he was a protector. To history, he remains a powerful symbol of courage, loyalty, and the fight to preserve a disappearing world.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 198On May 11th, 1985, football fans filled Valley Parade with hopes of celebration. Bradford City had just clinched promotion—their first title in 56 years. It should have been a day of joy, of triumph, of banners waving and voices raised in song.Instead, it became one of the darkest days in English football history.In just fifteen minutes, a fire tore through the Main Stand. It claimed 56 lives and scarred hundreds more. The tragedy was swift, brutal, and left a city and its club changed forever.This is not just a story about disaster. It's about what came after. About survival, grief, and rebuilding. About how football, even in its most tragic moments, reflects the spirit of a community.And now, nearly forty years to the day, Bradford City rise again—promoted once more. A new chapter begins, always remembering the one that came before.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 197 He was shot out of the sky over Hanoi, dragged from a lake, and locked away in a prison that would define the rest of his life. John McCain was a war hero, a maverick senator, and a man who never backed down from a fight — even when it was with his own party. This is the story of the trials, battles, and legacy of a man who spent more than five years in a North Vietnamese prison, and decades in American politics — a life of service, scars, and stubborn conviction.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 196He was no mastermind, no cold-eyed kingpin orchestrating a perfect crime. Ronnie Biggs was something else entirely — an unlikely outlaw, a charming misfit who stumbled into one of the most audacious heists in British history and then did something few manage: he vanished. This is not a story of sharp suits and silent safes, but of grit and greed, of panic and passports, of back-alley surgeries and samba drums.It's the tale of a man who coshed no one, fired no gun, but found his name chained forever to a crime that shook the country. From a grey English prison to the sun-blasted streets of Rio de Janeiro, this is the story of a man who ran far, ran fast, and ran out of time.Ronnie Biggs: train robber, fugitive, folk antihero. This is how he slipped the net — and what happened after.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 195He came from the kind of streets where nobody makes it out clean. Brownsville, Brooklyn—where the walls talked in gunshots and glass, and kids learned how to run before they learned how to read. Mike Tyson wasn't born into fame. He was born into chaos.He was small. He was quiet. He had a lisp, wore broken clothes, kept pigeons on rooftops. And for all the fire that lived in him, the world never looked twice—until he fought back.This story begins before the belts. Before the knockouts. Before the roar of arenas. It begins in darkness—where fists were currency, pain was normal, and nothing was ever promised.It's about the boy who found a father in an old trainer named Cus D'Amato. The boy who was broken, then rebuilt in a crumbling gym with blood on the mats and dreams in the rafters.It's about loss, discipline, violence, obsession. About the moment he realized he could become something terrifying. Something unforgettable. Something the world hadn't seen before.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 194There are stories passed from mouth to mouth, drifting like smoke down dirt roads and along backwoods barrooms. Stories of a man with a guitar slung low, fingers that moved like lightning, and songs that made even the dead stop and listen.His name was Robert Johnson. But he was more than just a name.Born into poverty, raised in shadows, and chased by ghosts—he wandered the South like a man searching for something only he could hear. They say he played so well it wasn't natural. They say he vanished one night and came back with the Devil's music in his blood.This is not just a tale of a bluesman. This is a walk through the mist and fire of America's haunted heartland. A story of broken roads, lost love, cursed strings, and the thin line between genius and damnation.This is the story of the man who met midnight.And never came back the same.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 193The battle may have crowned him a hero, but peace made him a problem.In Part Two of our journey, the wild son of Nice is no longer charging into war with a sword raised high—he's limping, wounded, betrayed, and watching the nation he helped forge slip from his grasp. But the fire never leaves him. From the storming of Rome to the heartbreak of seeing his ideals sold off like scraps, Giuseppe Garibaldi's final years are a story of stubborn courage, disillusionment, and an unbreakable belief in freedom.This is not a tale of quiet retirement. It's one of final battles, old loves, bitter enemies, and a man still burning at the edge of history.Strap in. The legend isn't done yet.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 192Before he became a hero of two worlds, before Italy bore his name in street corners and city squares, Giuseppe Garibaldi was just a boy from Nice—driven by fire and a fierce desire to change the world. In this opening chapter of his remarkable life, we trace his earliest adventures: from the windswept coast of Liguria to the chaos of revolution, exile, and first bloodshed in South America.Discover how betrayal shaped him, how exile hardened him, and how the sale of his beloved homeland to France lit a flame that would burn across continents. This is fire, blood, conviction—and the beginning of a man who refused to bow, refused to break, and lived only to liberate.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 191He was the swagger in the storm, the howl in the night, the electric pulse running through the veins of rock ‘n' roll. A tattooed troubadour with a crooked grin and a voice that sounded like it had been soaked in whiskey and set on fire. Bon Scott didn't just sing—he lived the lyrics. Hard, fast, and always one heartbeat away from the edge.But behind the denim, the strut, and the devilish wink was a man far more complex than the screaming frontman of AC/DC. This is the story of a Scottish-born kid who landed in Australia and set the world alight. Of heartbreak, of brotherhood, of the road, and of a voice that became immortal just as its owner slipped away.In this short journey through his life, we won't just hear the music. We'll walk the stages, ride the vans, feel the sting of cold nights and roaring crowds. And maybe, just maybe, we'll understand how one man burned so brightly, even if only for a short while.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 190He wasn't born into power. He wasn't destined for greatness. But by the time James Cook sailed his last voyage, he had redrawn the map of the world.From a humble Yorkshire farm boy to the most celebrated explorer of his age, Cook's journeys were the stuff of myth—charting lands no European had ever seen, facing storms, starvation, and mutiny, and making first contact with entire cultures. He was a genius navigator, a man of science, and—depending on who you ask—a heroic adventurer or an agent of empire.But his story doesn't end with glory. It ends in blood, on the shores of Hawaii, where admiration turned to suspicion—and where one of history's greatest explorers met his unexpected and violent end.In this short history, we trace the life, voyages, and ultimate downfall of Captain James Cook—a man who changed the world, and paid the price for it.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 189There are managers who win, and there are managers who inspire. And then, there was Brian Clough. A man who did both—but never the way you expected. His story is one of belief, defiance, and an unshakable will to prove the world wrong.This is not the tale of his entire career, nor a full chronicle of his triumphs and controversies. Instead, this is the story of one remarkable chapter, a moment in time when Clough, alongside his trusted lieutenant Peter Taylor, took a club from the middle of England and placed them at the very summit of European football.Nottingham Forest's rise from the shadows to the pinnacle of the game was no accident. It was built on Clough's genius, his charisma, his fire. From the quiet struggles of his brief, ill-fated spells at Brighton and Leeds to the unstoppable march through English and European football with Forest, this is a tale of redemption, determination, and an unrelenting pursuit of greatness.And at its heart, there's a night in Munich. A night when a provincial club, fueled by belief and led by a maverick, toppled giants and became kings of Europe.This is the story of that journey. The setbacks, the triumphs, and the man who made it all possible.This is Brian Clough. This is Nottingham Forest. And this is how they conquered the world.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 188Some actors leave their mark on Hollywood with a single role. Others define entire genres. Then, there's Gene Hackman—a man whose presence on screen was so commanding, so effortlessly real, that he became a legend across decades, without ever seeming to try.This is the story of a man who came from nothing, shaped by hardship and rejection, who turned every obstacle into fuel for his rise. From a rebellious teenager lying about his age to join the Marines, to a struggling actor scraping by in New York, to an Academy Award-winning icon who made audiences believe in every word he spoke—Hackman's journey was anything but easy.Yet, through it all, he remained one thing above all else: authentic. Whether playing the relentless Popeye Doyle in The French Connection, the ruthless Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven, or even the cunning Lex Luthor, his performances carried a weight that felt lived-in, raw, and unforgettable.But beyond the roles, beyond the accolades, was a man who quietly walked away from it all, choosing a life of peace over the spotlight. In this short audiobook, we explore the life, the career, and the lasting legacy of Gene Hackman—a Hollywood great who never needed the glitz to be remembered.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 187Narendra Modi's rise from humble beginnings in Gujarat to becoming one of the most influential leaders of modern India is a story of determination, vision, and unwavering commitment. Known for his bold decisions, strategic reforms, and strong leadership, Modi has played a pivotal role in shaping India's growth on the global stage. His tenure as Prime Minister has seen significant changes in India's economy, foreign policy, and social structure, often met with both admiration and criticism. In this audiobook, we delve into the key events and decisions that have defined his journey, examining how his leadership has shaped the trajectory of a nation and its people.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 186For a man whose name is synonymous with the biggest band the world has ever known, Ringo Starr's story has often been overshadowed. He was the fourth and final piece of the Beatles puzzle, the unassuming drummer who sat at the back while Lennon and McCartney took the spotlight. Yet, beneath the steady beat of his rhythms and the easygoing charm, Ringo Starr's journey was one of resilience, luck, and a quiet determination that carried him from the backstreets of post-war Liverpool to the absolute pinnacle of global fame.Born Richard Starkey, his childhood was anything but glamorous. A sickly boy, he spent more time in hospital beds than in school, narrowly surviving illnesses that could have set his life on a different path. But through it all, there was music. The infectious rhythms of skiffle, the pulse of rock and roll—it was a sound that reached him even as he lay confined to a hospital ward. By the time he was a teenager, he had traded factory work for drumsticks, carving out a name for himself in the smoke-filled clubs of Liverpool's raw and raucous music scene.Then came the call that changed everything. August 1962. The Beatles, already a local phenomenon, had a problem. Their drummer, Pete Best, was out, and they needed someone new—someone rock-solid, with flair, with charisma. The answer? Ringo. In a decision that would alter the course of music history, he stepped behind the kit, and the Fab Four were complete.Yet Ringo was never just ‘the drummer.' His playing, often underrated, was the secret ingredient in the Beatles' alchemy—a backbeat that gave shape and swing to their most legendary songs. And when the band imploded, Ringo did what many never expected: he thrived. While others wrestled with their legacies, he found a new life beyond the Beatles—solo hits, films, collaborations with the biggest names in music, and a second act that has lasted longer than the Beatles themselves.This is the story of the boy from Dingle, who fought through hardship, outlasted expectation, and found his place in history. It's the story of Ringo Starr—the drummer who kept the world in time, the Beatle who never looked back, and the man who, against all odds, just kept playing.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 185For nearly six years, the Yorkshire Ripper terrorized the north of England. Thirteen women murdered, seven more brutally attacked. And for much of that time, the man leading the hunt was George Oldfield—one of Britain's most respected detectives.But this is not just the story of a killer. It is the story of a mistake, one that cost lives and shattered reputations.In 1979, with the public gripped by fear and the investigation at a standstill, a package arrived at West Yorkshire Police. Inside was a cassette tape, its contents chilling. A man with a heavy Wearside accent taunted the police, mocking their failure to catch him, signing off with a sinister warning:"I'm Jack. I see you're still having no luck catching me.'' Tick, tock, tick, tock.Oldfield was convinced. This was their man. The Ripper. For months, the full force of British policing turned its attention to the Northeast, ignoring leads that pointed elsewhere. And while they searched for a phantom, Peter Sutcliffe kept killing.This is the story of how a hoaxer fooled the police, how an entire investigation was derailed, and how George Oldfield, a man who gave everything to catch a monster, became the case's 14th victim.Download Here https://www.buzzsprout.com/259571/episodes/16778207-george-oldfield-the-14th-victim.mp3?download=trueSupport the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 184The story of Samuel Cocking is one of ambition, innovation, and an unbreakable connection between a foreigner and a rapidly changing Japan. In the wake of the Meiji Restoration, as the country opened its doors to the West, a young British-Australian merchant saw not only opportunity but the promise of a new future—one built on modernization, industry, and cultural exchange.From his early ventures in Yokohama to his remarkable acquisition of Enoshima, Cocking's life was a testament to vision and perseverance. He introduced the first lightbulbs to Japan, brought in bicycles, and built vast greenhouses, transforming a small island into a flourishing botanical haven. But his legacy extends beyond commerce and innovation—it is woven into the very fabric of Japan's modernization, a chapter often overlooked in history books.This is the story of a man who refused to let the past dictate the future, a pioneer whose dream lives on in the gardens, pathways, and glowing lights of Enoshima.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 183William Poole ~ The Butcher of the Five PointsNew York City, March 8th 1855. The streets of Lower Manhattan are a battleground of politics, power, and blood. At the heart of it all is William Poole—a gang leader, a prizefighter, a political enforcer, and a man whose very name struck fear into his enemies.That man is about to draw his last.Born into a butcher's family, Poole carved out his own empire, not with a cleaver but with his fists and his ruthless ambition. As leader of the Bowery Boys, he was a fierce advocate for the Know-Nothing Party, a group that thrived on nativist fear and anti-immigrant violence. He terrorized his rivals, clashed with the notorious Dead Rabbits, and made enemies in the city's most dangerous circles. But in the end, it wasn't the streets that took him down—it was a bullet.Who was William Poole? A patriot? A villain? Or just another product of a city where survival meant being the meanest man in the room?This is the story of William Poole—the Butcher of the Five Points.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a textEpisode 182“I would rather die upon yonder gallows than live in slavery.”Jamaica, 1831. A colony built on the backs of the enslaved, where the weight of oppression had long simmered beneath the surface. But in the shadows of the sugarcane fields, a man was preparing to ignite the flames of freedom. His name was Samuel Sharpe.A preacher, an orator, a visionary—Sharpe was no ordinary rebel. He did not raise a sword, nor did he seek bloodshed. Instead, he wielded words, faith, and an unshakable belief that slavery could not, and would not, last forever. What began as a peaceful strike soon erupted into one of the largest uprisings in Jamaica's history, shaking the British Empire to its core.This is the story of Samuel Sharpe—the man who turned sermons into revolution, the leader who dared to defy an empire, and the martyr whose sacrifice helped bring an end to slavery in Jamaica. His name may not be as well-known as other revolutionaries, but his impact was undeniable.Support the showInsta@justpassingthroughpodcastContact:justpassingthroughpodcast@gmail.com