Podcast appearances and mentions of Bruce Watson

Bruce Watson in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://bigcountry.co.uk/ Big Country Redux are led by Bruce Watson, one of the founding members of Big Country, alongside the late, great guitarist, singer and songwriter Stuart Adamson. Now, Big Country Redux announce the ‘Eastworld' album, which will be released on CD, Vinyl and Digital on 19 September through Absolute. The album will be preceded by the first single, the title track ‘Eastworld' on 5 June 2026. The album consists of 10 brand new recordings of Big Country songs originally written or co-written by Stuart Adamson, which were released as demoes or sketches, but never previously properly developed or lavished with the attention they deserved. With the publication of the well-regarded book on Adamson's life ‘Stay Alive' by Scott Rowley, and a forthcoming documentary, the spotlight is on the band and the legacy once again. Bruce Watson said of the ‘Eastworld' release, “Some of these songs will be known to the diehards as they have sneaked out from the archives as unfinished demoes or ‘internet only' releases, but these are all songs that deserved to be developed further at the time they were written. I am delighted to have now completed them; it is a true privilege to get this newly recorded material out there. All of these songs were sketched out on old reel to reel tape recorders in dingy basements or in small 8 track studios”.

In Part 2 of Bruce Watson interview  I continue the conversation diving deep into real-world production techniques using songs from his incredibly talented daughter Ali Watson as our creative springboard. We break down arrangement choices, sonic textures, and the subtle decisions that elevate a track from good to unforgettable—all through the lens of hands-on studio experience. It's a rare, inside look at how great records are shaped, blending legacy-level insight with fresh, emerging artistry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Studio Secrets A to Z, I sit down with Bruce Watson of Foreigner for a deep dive into the craft behind one of rock's most enduring sounds. We get into the DNA of those iconic guitar textures, the discipline of keeping a legacy band fresh on stage, and the untold studio moments that shaped the records everyone knows by heart. It's a conversation about precision, feel, and longevity—packed with stories, insight, and hard-earned wisdom from his two decades with the band  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Sargent On Track Podcast episode, host Sebastian and HR Specialist Justin Embry welcome Bruce Watson, Director of Career and Technical Education at Goochland County Public Schools. Bruce shares the story behind Goochland's successful Heavy Equipment Operator Program, launched in 2014, designed to prepare high school students for immediate, high-paying careers in the construction industry. Bruce and Justin discuss the importance of partnerships between schools and businesses like Sargent, highlighting the crucial role of hands-on experience, equipment donations, and mentorship in developing skilled operators.If you liked this week's episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website. https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us

From audio fiction production company Good Story Guild comes “In Media Res,” a La-La Land meets Get Shorty, A24's take on Entourage 5-part series about ‘Alex Eli' (Prue) who is plucked from obscurity and offered the role of franchise megalith Jack Stellar, and booking the gig is only the beginning. “In Media Res” premiered February 18, 2025. Audiences can tune in for new episodes on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and OTHER podcast platforms. To accompany the story is an EP of fictional spy film themes across five decades featuring one vocalist, to take you through the ages. The guitarist is Bruce Watson from Foreigner. Multi-hyphenate artist descended from moonshiners, madams, and dolphin trainers. Born in the "Sweetest Place on Earth," she attended NYU Tisch (‘13, Drama) and spent the next dozen years being road-tested in New York's cabaret and circus scene. Having written prose and songs for stage, screen, and the audio space, Rachel's voice-driven projects range from viral TikTok workplace comedies to semi-improvised audio dramas to her award-winning sexwork-farce "WENDY/GIGI."     Want to watch: YouTube Meisterkhan Pod (Please Subscribe)  

Ryan Lee Crosby blends echoes of Mississippi, Mali, and India into songs that speak from—and to—the heart. Produced by Fat Possum's Bruce Watson, Crosby's latest "Winter Hill Blues" evokes the essence of Mississippi, refracted by influences of Indian slide guitar. The sound is forged from his life as a traveling musician and studies with Jimmy "Duck" Holmes and RL Boyce. “Of all traditions, what speaks to me most is the Bentonia blues,” Crosby relates. "It expresses all emotions: joy, sorrow and everything in between. The blues shows us how to have compassion for ourselves and others. Its lessons are endless.” https://youtu.be/aRaN0qzsi5Y

We did it!!  This is our 200th episode of Grating the Nutmeg! Thanks to our listeners, we have travelled across the state during every time period to bring you vivid, fascinating stories from our state's history. Become a podcast subscriber to get notified every time there's a new episode!   During this holiday season, it seemed like the perfect time to bring you the story of Connecticut's biggest toymaker!    Of all the toys that are enshrined in the National Toy of Fame, two stand out as having solid Connecticut connections, the Cabbage Patch doll and the Erector Set. In this episode, we're going to find out how A.C. Gilbert, a Yale educated doctor, became a millionaire with an idea he got while riding the Metro North train from New Haven to New York City. His construction toy, the Erector Set, sold in the millions and helped to educate generations of scientists and engineers. He came up with dozens of best-selling toys that were all manufactured at his factory in New Haven, Connecticut. We'll also interview Walter Zawalich, Gilbert Trains Curator, at the Eli Whitney Museum about their holiday Gilbert train show. Co-host Patrick O'Sullivan will share his information on 1965's James Bond slot car toy that helped to push the company into closing.   Much of today's information comes from the book The Man Who Changed How Boys and Toys Were Made, The Life and Times of A.C. Gilbert, the Man Who Saved Christmas by Bruce Watson and the website of the Eli Whitney Museum in Hamden, Connecticut. The Whitney Museum collects and studies the products and legacy of A.C. Gilbert and his company.   Find out more here: https://www.eliwhitney.org/museum/-gilbert-project/-man/a-c-gilbert-scientific-toymaker-essays-arts-and-sciences-october   The information on the Eli Whitney Train Show is here: https://www.eliwhitney.org/exhibitions/train-display-2024-25   Other museums with train shows: Connecticut River Museum https://ctrivermuseum.org/events/steve-cryans-31st-annual-train-show/   Wilton Historical Society https://wiltonhistorical.org/events/great-train-holiday-show/   To get information about how to  visit Erector Square, the A.C.Gilbert Factory complex now adaptively reused as artist studios, go to their website at https://erectorsquarestudios.com/   -------------------------------------------------------   To celebrate reaching 200 episodes, we're asking listeners to donate $20 a month or $200 annually to help us continue to bring you new episodes every two weeks. It's easy to set up a monthly donation on the Connecticut Explored website at ctexplored.org    Click the donate button at the top and look for the Grating the Nutmeg link. We appreciate your support! Subscribe to get your copy of our beautiful magazine Connecticut Explored delivered to your mailbox or your inbox-subscribe at  https://simplecirc.com/subscribe/connecticut-explored Our current issue is on food-find out where to get the best ice cream sundaes in West Hartford.   This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O'Sullivan at https://www.highwattagemedia.com/   Follow GTN on our socials-Facebook, Instagram , Threads, and BlueSky.   Follow host Mary Donohue on Facebook and Instagram at WeHa Sidewalk Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history. Thank you for listening!      

Foreigner guitarist Bruce Watson was having a better hair day, finished his crisp white shirt with a black jacket (I'd intended to do in kind with mine, but I was rushing and couldn't get my cuffs through my sleeves), and surrounded himself with cool guitars and warm lights. Rockstar! I dig the cut of his jib. Almost as much as I appreciate how accessible, down-to-earth, humble, and lovely he is. Not a likely combination, but oh, so charming. And entertaining! What a great storyteller! Bruce took us through his extraordinary ancestry. The Watsons have been Valley Boys since the 1600s. Not! But they have been in America since then, in LA since the 1890s or so… likewise, his mother's people, from Cork. Great story there - how and why they got here. We got the skinny on where the passion started - The Monkees - Hey Micky - and Creedance- the dream - to be a rockstar - his first band, Eragon, that no one, including me, could say correctly, covering The Eagles and Zeppelin - hysterical day jobs, great stories there, his first big gig touring with Toto's Bobby Kimball, then Patty Smyth with Rod Stewart, then Rod hisself. Bruce, although not a “reader,” was getting lots of session work for film, TV, and commercials, one of which was producing a spot with B.B. King- what a poignant, moving story. Recording with a very young Christina Aguilera, her break out, What a Girl Wants, and just out of the box, Sara Bareilles' Love Song, through Bennett Salvay meeting composer W.G. Snuffy Walden, and giving them just what they needed for their Friday Night Lights, getting the call to fill in for an ill Mick Jones - a temp gig - Bruce was busy, enjoying session work, his home and his family, with no intention of touring - then getting extended… again and again… finally joining Mick and becoming a permanent member of Foreigner. The Rockstar young Bruce dreamt of being realized in full force and boy does he wear it well. A killer player, he's got the hair, the moves, and the clothes, and I got him to tell us where he shops. I wanna hit the stores with him. It's all about how he puts it together. Bruce Watson is all that… and a jumbo bag of Cheetos. Talent, looks, genuine sweetness, and fun. Rockers, please take note… you can reach the pinnacle, look amazing doing it, and still be a mensch. Be like Bruce! Bruce Watson Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson Wednesday, 11/20/24, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET Streamed Live on my Facebook Replay here: https://bit.ly/48YTzp0

Sami Ruokangas ja Pauli Kauppila ruotivat kolmea vuoden 1984 albumia: Little Stevenin ”Voice Of America”, Big Countryn ”Steeltown” ja Metallican ”Ride the Lightning”. Kaikki ovat omalla tavallaan hienoa albumeita ja ajankohtaisia sikäli, että kaikki kolme aktia esiintyvät tänä vuonna Suomessa. Ajankuvaa, poliittista taustaa ja rockin hienoa historiaa! Kuuntele, viihdy ja sivisty. Jakson soittolista: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/09ROcdRyxkrc6SKYM2nhrX?si=b7de1b94f1e64a99 Menossa ovat mukana Bruce Springsteen, Bob Clearmountain, Ronald Reagan, Southside Johnny, Gary U.S. Bonds, Jean Beauvoir, Wendy O. Williams, The Plasmatics, Miami Vice, Sopranos, The E Street Band, Michael Monroe, Kari Pyrhönen, Rolling Stones, Huey Lewis and the News, Van Halen, Lech Wałęsa, Jackson Browne, Taylor Swift, Demolition 23, Arc Angels, Doyle Bramhall II, Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, Duke Ellington, Ennio Morricone, Dick Dale, Puistoblues, Local Band, Alexi Laiho, Olli Herman, Santa Cruz, Archie, Samy Elbanna, Stuart Adamson, U2, Tony Butler, John Lennon, Kirsten Adamson, Mark Brzezicki, Pete Townshend, Procol Harum, Gary Brooker, Simon Townshend, Casbah Club, The Who, The Cult, Bruce Watson, Simon Hough, Testament, Gojira, Motörhead, Venom, Megadeth, Dave Mustaine, Kirk Hammett, Flemming Rasmussen, Lars Ulrich, ABBA, Rainbow, James Hetfield, Donald Trump, Anthony Scaramucci, Brian Tatler, Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, Cliff Burton, Kate Bush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dio, Stephen King, H. P. Lovecraft, Alistair MacLean, Lou Reed ja Slade.

From early myths to the latest LEDs, light has been "the magician of the cosmos." But what is light? Is it God? Truth? Particle or wave? This "radiant history" sees light through the eyes of mystics, sages, artists, poets, and scientists. Like the Nobel-winning physicist who studied light "because it's so much fun," Bruce Watson enjoys taking readers along in search of this eternal force of nature.  Light: A Radiant History from Creation to the Quantum Age (Bloombury, 2016) explores ancient observatories and Gothic cathedrals, Galileo's workshop and Isaac Newton's "darken'd chamber." Readers will visit Rembrandt's studio and watch stunning sunrises at Stonehenge and at Newgrange in Ireland. The story follows light as it is captured by cameras, framed by Impressionists, and electrified by Edison. Finally, Light brings us to a world remade by lasers, making ours truly the Age of Light. Garima Garg is a New Delhi based journalist and author. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science

Exclusive 1:1 with Jennifer Rumsey, CEO of Cummins. She talks about a busy first 20 months in the role, the huge fine the company was assessed for engine software defeat devices on Ram diesel pickups and how the Cummins business is changing as it pursues its Destination Zero strategy. For Friday's newsletter, we'll be looking at Navistar's return to autonomous trucking, this time with Plus after its breakup with TuSimple after a 2 1/2-year partnership; whether Workhorse can hold on long enough to survive after disappointing earnings and cost cuts announced. We'll also pitch next week's deep dive into Workhorse, including visiting its plant in Union City, Indiana, and another frank discussion with CEO Rick Dauch about the company's prospects for success. Also, "Five minutes with Bruce Watson," the archives manager of the Cummins Heritage Center in Columbus, Indiana, who talks about the 4-cyliunder engine that save the company during the Great Depression.

Time for another sensory experience on "Mars on Life," this time through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Sources: "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau "Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream" by Bruce Watson "Be Realistic: Demand the Impossible" by Mike Davis Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Instagram) Artwork by Zachary Erberich (@zacharyerberichart) "Space X-plorers" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Study and Relax" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mars-on-life-show/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mars-on-life-show/support

The award-winning DJ, radio programmer, and host of the NOLA County show on WHIV 102.3 FM and Country Du Monde on Gimmecountry.com digital radio backed into the music biz almost by accident. Being in the wrong place at the right time, he threw away a career in law to hang out on air with established Americana music stars and highlight up-and-coming artists. Tonight Jimi rolls into the Christmas Club looking like the rootin’est tootin’est hombre east of the Pecos. The Troubled Men take cover. Topics include a John Papa Gros tour, road food, chicken wings, senior menus, Dix Denney RIP, the Weirdos, John Denney, the L.A. punk scene, an arrest story, a record deal, moving to Austin, Tulane Law School, the BP oil spill settlement, the Banks Street Bar, Ron Hotstream, early broadcasting, Dr. MarkAlain Dery, Dave Catching, Rancho de la Luna, Bill Davis, Jesse Dayton, guest selection, regional music, “George and Tammy,” Dale Watson, Will Sexton, Bruce Watson, the NOLA Ameripolitan Festival, the Chickie Wah Wah reopening, the new Loose Cattle record, SXSW, a Broadway cruise, the Texas Tornados, a listener photo, future broadcasts, and much more. Intro music: "Just Keeps Raining" by Styler/Coman Break and Outro Music: "What My Baby Don't Know" and "You Don't Have To Take It From Me" from "Don't Walk the Darkness" by Will Sexton Support the podcast: Paypal or Venmo Join the Patreon page here. Shop for Troubled Men’s T-shirts & tanks here. Subscribe, review, and rate (5 stars) on Apple Podcasts or any podcast source. Follow on social media, share with friends, and spread the Troubled Word. Troubled Men Podcast Facebook Troubled Men Podcast Instagram Iguanas Tour Dates René Coman Facebook GR8 ESCAPE BAKING COMPANY Promo Code:TROUBLED15 Jimi Palacios Facebook Jimi Palacios Instagram NOLA County Facebook WHIV 102.3 FM Homepage

With the 30th anniversary of Big Country's The Buffalo Skinners approaching, I put YOUR QUESTIONS to Big Country guitarist Bruce Watson! Hear about the lead up to this record, recording without Mark Brzezicki, inspiration behind some of the songs, why the UK and US versions differ, why a certain title-track was left off, the energy around the live shows on this tour and much more! If you commented on the album or sent a question, listen out for your name, 21 different people get a mention! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this day in 2001 we lost a man once described by British music legend John Peel as "a new Jimi Hendrix". Big Country's Stuart Adamson took his own life 21 years ago today. On this episode of THIS DAY ROCKS we hear from his friend and bandmate Bruce Watson about what made Big Country so special.

The show is directed by Broadway performer, director, choreographer Jeffrey Polk with acclaimed musician Denny Fongheiser serving as producer, musical director, drums, and percussion. Additional details about the cast and production will be revealed in the coming weeks. Listen to a sample of the music here. The idea of writing a musical/rock opera that explores the philosophical concept of “Quality” began with one of Steve's favorite books: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. It is subtitled "An Inquiry Into Values," and explores the relationship between people, technology and quality. Written in 1974, it could not have contemplated the technology we live with today, but the principles are the same. Steve wanted to explore these same relationships in the modern world and mentions that during the writing, “other books started to influence and enhance my thinking about ‘What is Good and What is Not' in a world of cell phones, tablets, email and the 24-hour news cycle; particularly Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Technopoly by Neil Postman. For the soundtrack recording, Steve and Kurt wanted to record more organically than they had in the past. This meant going into the big room at East-West Studios in Hollywood and recording the backing tracks live. To do this, Kurt (on bass) and Steve (on vocals and piano) needed to fill out the band. For this, they brought in Bruce Watson to handle guitars of all types and Denny Fongheiser on drums and percussion. Bruce--the lead guitarist with Foreigner--showed up for the sessions with an army of guitars and amps and a boatload of enthusiasm. Denny has spent many years as the drummer for Heart and many other artists including Roger Waters, John Paul Jones, Bruce Cockburn, Al Stewart, Peter Frampton, and Tracy Chapman. Denny was also the drummer on the theme song for the hit TV show “Friends.” When it came time to add background vocals, Fongheiser says, “When I was first thinking about how to do this record, I heard Kipp and Mark Lennon from the band Venice. They are a known fixture in the LA music and studio scene and come from a long pedigree of family musicians, producers and singers. During my first in person meeting with Steve and Kurt (who is a big fan of the band), I mentioned possibly using them. They were available and they delivered big!” Denny also served as the producer of the soundtrack recording. Recording the backing tracks live at the same studio where Frank Sinatra and Nirvana once recorded was thrilling. Rogers notes, “Our previous recordings were done one track and instrument at a time, but our dream was to go back to the future and record live, the way it used to be done.” The live backing tracks and guitar overdubs were recorded over 13 days at East-West. For the composers, to have 100 minutes of music go from nothing to virtually complete in such a short time was the dream come true and the only way they will ever record again! This project was always written as a musical narrative. Upon completion of the songs, the only question was should it be delivered as a film or a theatrical performance. After seeing “Hamilton,” Steve decided he definitely wanted to perform these songs with additional dialog and multiple actors live on stage and the rock opera was born.

The Memphis multi-instrumentalist, composer, and leader of the Rolling Head Orchestra is a veteran of the Reigning Sound, Alex Chilton, and Tav Falco’s Panther Burns. He’s created and performed original scores for a number of classic silent films including a recent commission for the Indie Memphis Film Festival of the 1921 Swedish witch documentary “Haxan.” Alex also has a PhD in anthropology, so he might have some insights about the Troubled Men. Topics include a cool day, a sex toy spill, an X-ray, an eyewitness, camera time, a long brushing, a city on the verge, Jan. 6 re-enactors, a theremin player, Jim Spake, Tom Lonardo, Jim Duckworth, moving to Memphis, computer music, Ardent Studios, the Farelight sampler, Lorette Velvette, the Kropotkins, Mo Tucker, Greg Cartwright, Booker T, a swan song, a whirlwind tour, Mario Monterosso, Bruce Watson, Bible & Tire Recording, Goner Fest, Rev. Fred Lane, Wadzilla RIP, and much more. Intro music: "Just Keeps Raining" by Styler/Coman Break Music: "Speak Easy Serenade" from "Depression Jubilee" by Alex Greene and the Rolling Head Orchestra Outro Music: "Roadkill Samba" from "American Elegy" by Alex Greene and the Rolling Head Orchestra Support the podcast: Paypal or Venmo Join the Patreon page here. Shop for Troubled Men’s Shirts here. Subscribe, review, and rate (5 stars) on Apple Podcasts or any podcast source. Follow on social media, share with friends, and spread the Troubled Word. Troubled Men Podcast Facebook Troubled Men Podcast Instagram Iguanas Tour Dates René Coman Facebook Alex Greene and the Rolling Head Orchestra Facebook Alex Greene Facebook

The show is directed by Broadway performer, director, choreographer Jeffrey Polk with acclaimed musician Denny Fongheiser serving as producer, musical director, drums, and percussion. Additional details about the cast and production will be revealed in the coming weeks. Listen to a sample of the music here. The idea of writing a musical/rock opera that explores the philosophical concept of “Quality” began with one of Steve's favorite books: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. It is subtitled "An Inquiry Into Values," and explores the relationship between people, technology and quality. Written in 1974, it could not have contemplated the technology we live with today, but the principles are the same. Steve wanted to explore these same relationships in the modern world and mentions that during the writing, “other books started to influence and enhance my thinking about ‘What is Good and What is Not' in a world of cell phones, tablets, email and the 24-hour news cycle; particularly Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Technopoly by Neil Postman. For the soundtrack recording, Steve and Kurt wanted to record more organically than they had in the past. This meant going into the big room at East-West Studios in Hollywood and recording the backing tracks live. To do this, Kurt (on bass) and Steve (on vocals and piano) needed to fill out the band. For this, they brought in Bruce Watson to handle guitars of all types and Denny Fongheiser on drums and percussion. Bruce--the lead guitarist with Foreigner--showed up for the sessions with an army of guitars and amps and a boatload of enthusiasm. Denny has spent many years as the drummer for Heart and many other artists including Roger Waters, John Paul Jones, Bruce Cockburn, Al Stewart, Peter Frampton, and Tracy Chapman. Denny was also the drummer on the theme song for the hit TV show “Friends.” When it came time to add background vocals, Fongheiser says, “When I was first thinking about how to do this record, I heard Kipp and Mark Lennon from the band Venice. They are a known fixture in the LA music and studio scene and come from a long pedigree of family musicians, producers and singers. During my first in person meeting with Steve and Kurt (who is a big fan of the band), I mentioned possibly using them. They were available and they delivered big!”Denny also served as the producer of the soundtrack recording. Recording the backing tracks live at the same studio where Frank Sinatra and Nirvana once recorded was thrilling. Rogers notes, “Our previous recordings were done one track and instrument at a time, but our dream was to go back to the future and record live, the way it used to be done.” The live backing tracks and guitar overdubs were recorded over 13 days at East-West. For the composers, to have 100 minutes of music go from nothing to virtually complete in such a short time was the dream come true and the only way they will ever record again! This project was always written as a musical narrative. Upon completion of the songs, the only question was should it be delivered as a film or a theatrical performance. After seeing “Hamilton,” Steve decided he definitely wanted to perform these songs with additional dialog and multiple actors live on stage and the rock opera was born.

The show is directed by Broadway performer, director, choreographer Jeffrey Polk with acclaimed musician Denny Fongheiser serving as producer, musical director, drums, and percussion. Additional details about the cast and production will be revealed in the coming weeks. Listen to a sample of the music here. The idea of writing a musical/rock opera that explores the philosophical concept of “Quality” began with one of Steve's favorite books: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. It is subtitled "An Inquiry Into Values," and explores the relationship between people, technology and quality. Written in 1974, it could not have contemplated the technology we live with today, but the principles are the same. Steve wanted to explore these same relationships in the modern world and mentions that during the writing, “other books started to influence and enhance my thinking about ‘What is Good and What is Not' in a world of cell phones, tablets, email and the 24-hour news cycle; particularly Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Technopoly by Neil Postman. For the soundtrack recording, Steve and Kurt wanted to record more organically than they had in the past. This meant going into the big room at East-West Studios in Hollywood and recording the backing tracks live. To do this, Kurt (on bass) and Steve (on vocals and piano) needed to fill out the band. For this, they brought in Bruce Watson to handle guitars of all types and Denny Fongheiser on drums and percussion. Bruce--the lead guitarist with Foreigner--showed up for the sessions with an army of guitars and amps and a boatload of enthusiasm. Denny has spent many years as the drummer for Heart and many other artists including Roger Waters, John Paul Jones, Bruce Cockburn, Al Stewart, Peter Frampton, and Tracy Chapman. Denny was also the drummer on the theme song for the hit TV show “Friends.” When it came time to add background vocals, Fongheiser says, “When I was first thinking about how to do this record, I heard Kipp and Mark Lennon from the band Venice. They are a known fixture in the LA music and studio scene and come from a long pedigree of family musicians, producers and singers. During my first in person meeting with Steve and Kurt (who is a big fan of the band), I mentioned possibly using them. They were available and they delivered big!” Denny also served as the producer of the soundtrack recording. Recording the backing tracks live at the same studio where Frank Sinatra and Nirvana once recorded was thrilling. Rogers notes, “Our previous recordings were done one track and instrument at a time, but our dream was to go back to the future and record live, the way it used to be done.” The live backing tracks and guitar overdubs were recorded over 13 days at East-West. For the composers, to have 100 minutes of music go from nothing to virtually complete in such a short time was the dream come true and the only way they will ever record again! This project was always written as a musical narrative. Upon completion of the songs, the only question was should it be delivered as a film or a theatrical performance. After seeing “Hamilton,” Steve decided he definitely wanted to perform these songs with additional dialog and multiple actors live on stage and the rock opera was born.

On this day in labor history, the year was 1912.That was the day striking worker, Anna LoPizzo was shot and killed by local police during the pivotal Bread and Roses strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts.In what is considered one of the most important strikes in American labor history.The Industrial Workers of the World had organized a strike that brought out more than 30,000 textile mill workers at the American Woolen Company.Workers had been on strike for most of the month, picketing, marching, giving speeches and stopping scabs.Their banners demanded a living wage and dignity: Bread and Roses.That day, there were workers parades among pitched battles between strikers, police and scabs.Gunfire erupted.According to Big Bill Haywood, nineteen witnesses saw Police Officer Oscar Benoit shoot Anna LoPizzo.But the shooting provided the mill owners with an opportunity to crack down on the strike.Martial law was instituted and all public meetings and marches were banned.The leading IWW strike organizers, John Ettor and Arturo Giovannitti were arrested for her murder, despite the fact that they were two miles away from the scene.Though they were eventually acquitted, their imprisonment removed them from directing the day-to-day work of the strike.But who was Anna LoPizzo?According to Bruce Watson, author of Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream, “If America had a Tomb of the Unknown immigrant paying tribute to the millions of immigrants known only to God and distant cousins compiling family trees, Anna LoPizzo would be a prime candidate to lie in it.”And indeed she was for 88 years until retired IBEW 2321 business manager, David Morris worked to get a headstone, decorated with the Bread and Roses symbol–grain stalks and a rose, for her pauper's grave.-Want more #RickShow? Go to https://www.thericksmithshow.comThe Rick Smith Show streams live every weeknight from 9p-11p EST on YouTube & Twitch TV, and the show runs every night in prime time on Free Speech TV starting in January 2022. Be sure to add the FSTV channel on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, on the FSTV iOS app, or find it in the regular channel lineup on DirecTV or Dish.Radio listeners – You can find us in most major markets, including New York City on WBAI 99.5 FM, Los Angeles on KPFK 90.7 FM, Chicago on WCPT AM 820, Columbus on 98.3/92.7 FM, Minneapolis on AM950, and many others. Check your local listings.Questions or comments? Email Rick@thericksmithshow.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bruce Watson is a lead guitarist best known for playing in the band Foreigner which had multiple hits in the 70's and 80's including Hot Blooded, Feels Like The First Time, Urgent, and I Want To Know What Love Is. He also sings, plays mandolin, bass guitar, and slide guitar. Bruce has toured and/or recorded with the likes of Elton John, Rod Stewart, Patti Smyth, B.B. King, and more. LINKS: WEBSITE          foreigneronline.com INSTA                brewswotsin FACEBOOK       https://www.facebook.com/bruce.watson.14

What's your most-loved and least favorite song on Big Country's The Crossing? Sam takes us to Scotland to rank their debut album. The rest of the hosts are fairly uninitiated which makes for interesting reactions all around. Jim and Adam silently celebrate their vaccinations by stupidly trying to record in the same room for the first time, so you might hear a slight echo echo in parts parts. HUP! Please tell us how YOU would rank tonight's tunes on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @wewillrankyoupod ! FILE UNDER/SPOILERS: In a Big Country, bagpipe guitars, Stuart Adamson, Inwards, Alternative rock, Scotland, Chance, new wave, Mark Brzezicki, Fields of Fire (400 Miles), I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), HUP, The Storm, folk rock, the Alarm, Harvest Home, bagpipe guitars, Celtic rock, Lost Patrol, SHOCK, Bruce Watson, Close Action, post-punk, Tony Butler, 1000 Stars, not a one-hit wonder, did I mention the bagpipe guitars, Porrohman, 1983. US: http://www.WeWillRankYouPod.com wewillrankyoupod@gmail.com http://www.facebook.com/WeWillRankYouPod http://www.instagram.com/WeWillRankYouPod http://www.twitter.com/WeWillRankYouPo http://www.YourOlderBrother.com (Sam's music page) http://www.YerDoinGreat.com (Adam's music page) https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4OFTIda46Di4HkS0CDvM7L (Dan's top 100 songs of 2020) THEM: https://bigcountry.co.uk END CREDITS SONG: Fields of Fire ((8-Bit Big Country Emulation)) by 8-Bit Arcade

The Yuletide that nearly didn't happen is here. Join Tom and Svein for a look at the things that didn't happen this year, the things that happened, and the things we all have to look forward to. We send a Christmas letter to an old friend, and explore how Big Country music ended up in a computer game in the 1980s. Have at Yule!

Hear from the charismatic Scottish guitarist whose group topped the charts and went big Stateside earning two Grammy nominations - BRUCE WATSON from BIG COUNTRY! As well as this there's the Vintage Rock Pod Quiz and we hear from History of Rock's, Mauri! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a bit of a break since our last proper episode, Tom and Svein are joined by Bruce Watson and John Gouveia. Expect a bit of general catch-up and LOTS of questions submitted by BC fans on the Great Divide Facebook page. Hear Bruce talk about his pre-BC bands, the recent Skids online show, his Subbuteo collection (and plans to do a match video soon), memories of past shows, and much more.

In this final installment of our WKW Pledger episodes, Tom and Svein are joined by Americans Jim Schubilske and Steve Coulter and by UK native Iain Chambers. A variety of Big Country topics are discussed, including favorite BC live songs, bands that should cover BC songs and what cover they should choose to fit their style, the shortest BC set in history, and Hammer Time. Sound bites are played and many laughs ensue.

Bruce Watson and John Gouveia join Tom and Svein in discussing Big Country's recent shows on the US East coast. Bruce also gives an update on how the current COVID-19 virus outbreak is impacting the band and answers fan-submitted questions. Listen to Tom share some great stories from his Big Country adventures in New York! Find out why JfnG had to burn his couch! Hear us marvel at the Whitley streaming concert! As usual there is also some rambling and general updates on this and that, and we hope this episode can entertain you for a few hours during these very unusual and uncertain times.

Tom and Svein speak with two more WKW pledgers from WKW's "Men of Steel" campaign: Gene Melang and John Lewis. Gene and Tom speak a good bit about WKW, which includes a segment with Bruce Watson answering some of Gene's questions for him. Gene is kind enough to allow us to share Tom's acoustic version of "Where the Rose is Sown", which Gene also received as part of his pledge. John Lewis talks about the early days of the BC email group, his own history as a fan and shares some nostalgic memories with Tom and Svein.

WKW has released their new album Men of Steel on CD, a feat which would have not been possible without so many generous pledgers. One of those pledge tiers got the benefactor an appearance on the show, and on this episode, we talk to the first two who purchased that option in the WKW Crowdfunding Campaign: Stuart Arnott and Tom Stieber. Between the two of them, we'll hear tales of gigantic record collections, surprise free shows during the Buffalo Skinners era, and the time Tony Butler performed at one of their homes. Plus, this show returns to our 90-minute roots! It's a bite-size Divide!

Is it Yule again already? Tom and Svein celebrate the year that has been in terms of podcast episodes, the WKW crowdfunding project, and other musings. The King of the Bogans, Andy Inkster, provides the main course as he visits the show to host an epic quiz for Tom and Svein. Who shall be victorious? John Gouveia is also called for the latest news and updates from Parts Unknown. Enjoy, have a happy holiday season, and have at Yule!

This episode is about the 'Return To Steeltown' 35th Anniversary Tour, focusing on the very first show at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. As it happens, Svein was at that show and brings stories, soundclips, thoughts and reflections from his first BC adventure. Several Speakpipes are featured from others who also attended this show.

Tom and Svein finish The Crossing deep-dive series with an entire episode devoted to the final song on the album: "Porrohman". The most epic song gets the most epic discussion: three hours of the deepest dive possible, the podcast's longest discussion for a single song ever. Enjoy the final episode from the last album deep-dive that we'll ever do!

Tom and Svein continue to dissect The Crossing in the bloated manner of which only they are capable of. Three more hours, two more songs: "Close Action" and "Fields of Fire". We'll also hear some of listener Speakpipes and a rare live performance from the band. Only one episode to go in what is shaping up to be our deepest Deep Dive ever.

The deep-dive of The Crossing continues with "Harvest Home" and "Lost Patrol." What was meant to be a nice and easy episode become the deepest of deep-dives with Tom and Svein going to unforeseen depths to unearth new facts and never-before explored sides to these songs. Unlike your podcast hosts, remember to come up for air!

We take a break from The Crossing for our annual Yuletide episode! Expect the usual year-end summaries and related musings from your hosts. Marvel at the news of (and samples from) an unreleased Big Country covers album. Test your Big Country knowledge as you listen to Svein putting Tom through the ringer on the 'Great Divide 2018 Yuletide Quiz Show.' Enjoy, happy holiday season, and have at Yule!

The crossing of The Crossing continues in this nearly 3-hour epic. Tom and Svein discuss "Chance", "1000 Stars" and "The Storm" in this episode. You'll also hear some rare interview clips and a Speakpipe or two.

Tom and Svein delve into the actual songs on The Crossing in this episode. They cover "In A Big Country" and "Inwards," and break the record for longest time spent on a single song in the process. Plenty of deep-diving, sound clips and general hilarity in this one. Enjoy!

The final BC album deep-dive is upon us, as Tom and Svein get out their scuba gear and jump in at the deep end to explore The Crossing. This first part sets the stage for the song discussion that will begin in Part 2, and covers the early years of the band and how the music started coming together in 1981-83: the demoing, the record company try-outs, the Alice Cooper tour, the producers, the first trip to America, album recording, the new breed, and much more. Sprinkled throughout are sounds bites of interviews with Bruce Watson, Ian Grant, and Steve Lillywhite that also help set the stage. Enjoy!

Fans have been asking for new music, and in this episode, they get it, although not quite in the format they may have expected. Tom, Svein and a lurking JfnG are joined by Bruce and Jamie Watson to debut a new musical project that Bruce, Jamie and Tom have been secretly working on over the last few months. That project is WKW, and the resulting 3-song EP they're debuting on the show is called "Hands Across the Ocean." The three songs are the result of a musical collaboration between Bruce, Jamie and Tom, and they are full of heavy, anthemic guitar music in the tradition of our favorite band. We talk about how the project started, play each song, talk about each song and let you know how you can get ahold of the EP. We also discuss a video for one of the tracks that was made with the help of GoPros and green-screenery. Finally, we talk about the latest news from Big Country and The Skids. It's an episode full of laughs and some great new music.

After their longest break ever, Tom and Svein try to get back into the swing of things. So many things have happened in the past eight months, and our hosts do a good sweep through all of them to catch up ahead of coming episodes. Welcome to the big housecleaning episode!

Yule is the time for traditions. Some of the traditions of the Great Divide crew are to do a sweep through the Big Country-related releases of the past year, look back at the podcast activities since last Yule, play Speakpipes, answer listener questions, and just deliver the longest episode so far. This one gets dangerously close to the four-hour mark! Somewhere in there, though, we play a mix of Just A Shadow that you have never, ever heard before, courtesy of the big-hearted bogan Andy Inkster. John Gouveia also makes a few select appearances. Block off an afternoon, turn off your mobile, bring plenty of snacks and drinks, lock the door, and... well, enjoy, folks! Have at Yule!

Tom and Svein finally make it to Damascus. They celebrate by launching a celebratory, egg-timer-based discussion of the 24 non-album tracks from this period. The result is an episode that's longer than an average Bruce Springsteen concert. Enjoy!

Tom and Svein continue slogging their way toward Damascus with three more songs discussed: "Trouble the Waters," "Bella" and "Your Spirit to Me." Only one song remains until we finally arrive.

Tom and Svein continue delving into Damascus with a show as bloated as Dom Deloise after an all-night binge at a Denny's buffet. Three more songs are discussed: "Fragile Thing," "The President Slipped and Fell," and "Devil in the Eye." You'll also hear more Speakpipes and interview clips. Have at you. All of you.

Tom and Svein actually get three songs in this time, as they take apart "See You," "Perfect World" and "Somebody Else" from Big Country's "Driving to Damascus" album. The usual hijinks ensue.

Tom and Svein start the actual Driving To Damascus song discussion, and manage to get all of TWO songs into the album this time! You know the drill - look for the ultimate breakdown of music and lyrics, demo analysis, song backgrounds etc. Diving deeply is tough work, but remember that we do it so that you don't have to!

We finally set off to Damascus, probably the album they've been dreading the most to dissect. The reason? There's just so much material, so much emotional baggage, so much to talk about. In this episode, we set the stage for the song discussion that will begin in Part 2. We talk about activities of the band members starting at the end of 1996 and leading up to the album's release. The Stuart Adamson solo album? The celtic album with Carol Laula? Whatever happened to those? We talk about Stuart's move to Nashville and how that influenced him and his writing, we discuss the birth of the BC website, early bootlegs of songs that would appear on the album and the dreaded "too many folds" phrase. Sprinkled throughout are sounds bites of interviews with Stuart from the time period that also help set the stage. Enjoy!

The third and final part of our conversation with Tony Butler is here. This completes his reflections on each and every Big Country album, as he recalls working with Robin Millar and Kate Bush on The Seer, the near burn-out they experienced at the end of The Crossing tour going into Steeltown, the real reason The Buffalo Skinners turned out so hard rocking, how Why The Long Face was one of the happiest times in the band, and much more. A fantastic trip down memory lane, with a lot of wonderful stories shared. We hope you have enjoyed this very special trilogy of episodes as much as we have enjoyed putting them together.

This is the second part of our conversation with Tony Butler. He touches on The Great Unknown album and recalls early memories of meeting the BC guys and joining the band. We discuss Live Aid what-ifs an his development as a singer. Tony recalls working with people like Pete Townshend and The Pretenders, his time in L.A. working on Peace In Our Time with Peter Wolf, and the dreaded synclavier... The anecdotes and stories flow quite freely in this episode.

The time was finally right! We are very happy to welcome bass player extraordinaire Tony Butler to the show. He comes armed with a number of announcements, reveals what he has been up to during his retirement of recent years, and of course talks about anything and everything Big Country from ages past. Enjoy this first part of three TB extravaganzas!