Podcasts about second british invasion

A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop's Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion, and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be. It was a year of fearless genre crossover…cinematic hits…veterans reinventing themselves…ballads that became standards…a newcomer named Madonna…and a movie star who called himself The Kid and made doves cry. Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walks through all 20 of the year's No. 1 hits: from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let's Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” This is what it sounds like when pop's fly. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop's Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion, and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be. It was a year of fearless genre crossover…cinematic hits…veterans reinventing themselves…ballads that became standards…a newcomer named Madonna…and a movie star who called himself The Kid and made doves cry. Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walks through all 20 of the year's No. 1 hits: from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let's Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” This is what it sounds like when pop's fly. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop's Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion, and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be. It was a year of fearless genre crossover…cinematic hits…veterans reinventing themselves…ballads that became standards…a newcomer named Madonna…and a movie star who called himself The Kid and made doves cry. Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walks through all 20 of the year's No. 1 hits: from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let's Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” This is what it sounds like when pop's fly. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop's Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be. It was a year of fearless genre crossover…cinematic hits…veterans reinventing themselves…ballads that became standards…a newcomer named Madonna…and a movie star who called himself The Kid and made doves cry. Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walks through all 20 of the year's No. 1 hits: from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let's Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” This is what it sounds like when pop's fly. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop's Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be. It was a year of fearless genre crossover…cinematic hits…veterans reinventing themselves…ballads that became standards…a newcomer named Madonna…and a movie star who called himself The Kid and made doves cry. Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walks through all 20 of the year's No. 1 hits: from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let's Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” This is what it sounds like when pop's fly. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop's Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be. It was a year of fearless genre crossover…cinematic hits…veterans reinventing themselves…ballads that became standards…a newcomer named Madonna…and a movie star who called himself The Kid and made doves cry. Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walks through all 20 of the year's No. 1 hits: from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let's Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” This is what it sounds like when pop's fly. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did MTV make Duran Duran, or did Duran Duran make MTV?  Perhaps a little of both.  What is beyond doubt is that Rio, the band's second studio album, would propel Duran Duran into a worldwide new wave and dance phenomenon, and would be a major offensive of the Second British Invasion in the United States.Duran Duran had found success in the UK with their self-titled debut album in 1981, and expectations were high for the group.  Rio would find the band leaning heavily on upbeat tracks, a couple of synth-heavy ballads, and more experimentation with musical sounds and instruments than their first album.  Many tracks also had accompanying videos, leaning into the MTV market.  The photogenic appeal of the band also bolstered the popularity of their videos.Critics were neutral to negative on the album when released, but the commercial appeal was stunning.  Duran Duran would dominate American charts from the back half of 1982 throughout 1983, and the band would become an icon of 1980's music.The album was released in May of 1982, but was recorded in January through March of 1982, resulting in our placement of the album in this month. Brian joins us in Wayne's absence, while Rob brings us this iconic New Wave album for today's podcastRioThe title track was the third single released from the album.  Bassist John Taylor came up with the title, reflecting optimism and an exotic feel for the album.  Sounds at the start of the song were created by throwing small metal rods onto the strings of a grand piano.  Andy Hamilton is the saxophone soloist on this track.New ReligionThis deeper cut leads off side two of the album, and is a dialogue between the ego and the alter-ego, featuring conflicting voices in the chorus.  The song is a bit darker than others on the album.  "I'm talking for free, I can't stop myself - It's a new religion.  I've something to see, I can't help myself - It's a new religion."Last Chance  on the StairwayAnother deeper cut, the lyrics to this song talk about taking chances and testing limits.  "And please don't say leave till later, I've had my last chance on the stairway."Save a PrayerThis ballad was Duran Duran's biggest hit in the UK at the time, though not originally released as a single in the US.  The lyrics depict two strangers falling into a one-night stand, living in the moment and letting the consequences wait for a later time.  The synthesizers create a beautiful but haunting sonic landscape. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Main Theme from the motion picture “The Thing”Not to be confused with the Fantastic Four character, this John Carpenter film depicts a research team in Antarctica encountering a hostile extraterrestrial who can assimilate then imitate humans. STAFF PICKS:Leather and Lace by Don Henley and Stevie Nicks Brian brings us a duet from alumni of the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.  Stevie Nicks wrote this song about a relationship between two very different individuals, based on her own experiences in relationships with both Don Henley and fellow Fleetwood Mac member Lindsey Buckingham.Love is Like a Rock by Donnie IrisBruce features the second single from Iris's second album, "King Cool."  It has an infectious riff.  It went to number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song originated as an instrumental jam, with lyrics added afterwards.Physical by Olivia Newton-John While Lynch takes some grief for bringing such a pop song into this rock broadcast, the single was a monster hit in the 80's.  While the video would portray scenes of exercise in the gym, the lyrics were considered much more sexual and controversial at the time.Addicted by Le Roux Rob closes out the staff picks with a rocking hit lost in time.  Le Roux is a band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Roux is a cajun thickening base for gumbo. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:I Advance Masked by Andy Summers & Robert FrippPolice guitarist Andy Summers and long time King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp had this instrumental rock track out on which we end the podcast. Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

Spandau Ballet blasted onto the airwaves in 1979. The band were inspired by, and an integral part of, the electro movement. They became one of the most successful groups of the New Romantic era of British pop and were part of the Second British Invasion of the Billboard Top 40 in the 1980s.

Synchronicity would be the most commercially successful, fifth, and final studio album from the Police.  The trio of percussionist Stewart Copeland, guitarist Andy Summers, and bassist and front man Sting would be known as “The Biggest Band in the World” after the release of this album but would never produce a studio album again.Like “Ghost in the Machine,” the Police's previous album, Synchronicity drew its name from the works of Artheur Koestler, an author of whom Sting was an avid reader.  Unlike that album, Synchronicity toned down both the reggae influences and the overdubbing.  The resulting album increased the use of synthesizers and utilized a sequencer for the first time.  It also drew on world music influences on several songs.  The album hit number 1 on the Billboard 200 album charts in late July and would spend 17 total weeks at the number one position on the chart, an achievement that meant it had to interrupt the reign of Michael Jackson's Thriller.  It would also produce the number 1 song of the year with “Every Breath You Take.”  Sting was beginning both his solo work and becoming more involved with film at the time, and between this and contentious egos of the members, the Police would not record another album after this.  An attempt was made at a sixth studio album, but Stewart Copeland broke his collarbone just before they entered the studio and progression to the album was scuttled.Lynch features this iconic trio at the height of the Second British Invasion for this week's podcast.  Friend of the show Bill Cook sits in for Bruce in this episode. King of PainSting wrote this second US single from the album when considering the effects of his separation from his wife.  The psychological effects are inspired by thoughts from Carl Jung and Arthur Koestler.  It went to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.Synchronicity IIThe final song on the first side of the album went to number 16 on the US charts as a single.  The lyrics toggle between a man's increasing anxiety and paranoia and the symbolic rise of the Loch Ness Monster in parallel.  "and every single meeting with his so-called superior is a humiliating kick in the crotch."Wrapped Around Your FingerThe fourth US single was written by Sting as a dark song about turning the tables on someone who had been in charge of your life.  There is a Faustian feel in the lyrics, which also feature references to Greek mythology like Scylla and Charybdis - from which we derive idioms like "between a rock and a hard place," and "between the Devil and the deep blue sea."Every Breath You TakeDespite its beautiful music, this single is actually quite dark in its obsessive and controlling lyrics.  Sting wrote the song after his separation from his wife and the beginning of a new relationship.  The lyrics came to him in the middle of the night, and he wrote the song on piano in a half hour.  It would be biggest commercial single he ever wrote, hitting number 1 on the US charts for 8 weeks, and becoming the best selling single of 1983.  Interestingly, it was the only number 1 hit by the Police. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees (from the motion picture "Staying Alive") John Travolta starred in this sequel to the 70's Disco hit "Saturday Night Fever."  It was directed by Sylvester Stallone. STAFF PICKS:Our House by MadnessWayne brings us a group from Northern London that was a bigger hit in the UK than the US.  It has a lot going on musically between the piano, violins and saxophone.  Lyrically it hearkens back to childhood days, slices of mundane domestic life in England.  Madness performed this song as a part of the closing ceremonies for the 2012 OlympicsBig Log by Robert PlantRob's staff pick is the first hit for Plant as a solo artist.  As he often did in Led Zeppelin, the title of the song does not appear in the lyrics.  It was written in the middle of winter, and the artists had run out of fuel for the fire.  They found a large tree trunk and burned one end of it in the fireplace, pushing the "big log" in as it burned.  Drum programming was provided by Phil Collins. Rock and Roll is King by ELOBill Cook features the Electric Light Orchestra in a 50's rhythm and blues throwback that would be their last top 20 hit.  It was written by Jeff Lynne for their album "Secret Messages."  Electric Avenue by Eddie GrantLynch closes out the staff picks with a song time stamped in the early 80's.  It was inspired by an area of Brixton, South London, called Electric Avenue because it was the first area of the city to be lit by electricity.  Guyanese-British singer-songwriter Eddie Grant sings about the tension of unemployment and racism experienced by the primarily Caribbean immigrants who lived there at the time.   INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:An Ending by Brian EnoBrian Eno wrote this instrumental piece in 1983 for the documentary "For All Mankind." 

For this very special episode, Tim Burgess is was joined for a live Listening Party by Andy McCluskey, the lead singer and bassist of one of the most influential synth-pop acts in history, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.Pioneers of electronic music, OMD were one of the earliest synthesizer-led bands to emerge from the post-punk scene, influencing many artists since, and making their presence felt in the Second British Invasion in the US with the advent of MTV. Simply put, OMD are partly responsible for the sound that defined the 80s, and the album they are discussing, Architecture & Morality, remains one of the enduring records of that era.Architecture & Mortality was released on 6th November 1981 on Dindisc.

We are happy to finally have Kieran Maguire (@kieranmaguire) from the Price of Football podcast on the show. Even though he only a few miles up the road in Philadelphia last week, this episode was a Trans-Atlantic recording, done both late night and early morning. While his teaching day job brought him to the States, he managed to get to see his Brighton and Hove Albion squad take on Chelsea in one of this year's Premier League pre-season matches taking place here. We started off discussing how he found the atmosphere of the match, both on- and off-pitch, desegregated crowds and exorbitant concession prices. That branched out into a general chat about football in England and the growth of MLS, the thorny topic of American ownership of British teams and the old chestnut, promotion and relegation. We also talked about some recent US-related topics that had come up on the Price of Football that related to US sports, like public salaries and agents' fees. Believe it or not, I wanted to keep the football chat to a minimum, but it was the first half of the episode. After that, we talked about Kieran's other great cultural love, music, particularly the 70s and 80s bands in what some call the Second British Invasion. We discuss how the Manchester music scene in the early 80s influenced where he went to university and our mutual love for bands like New Order and Joy Division, OMB, the Smiths and the Cure. Also, some love for the New Music Express, Danny Kelly and Danny Baker, the intimacy of podcasts vs modern radio and more. We wrap up with some video game chat. Kieran and co-host (and former podcast guest) Kevin Day were both playing the new Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom. We talked about how he has found the game so far, comparing it to Breath of the Wild, using video games as decompression time and more. We had hoped to do a separate show with Kevin and pair them together, but scheduling issues kept that from happening. Hopefully, Kevin will be on before or in conjunction with the next Price of Football book, Unfit and Improper Persons, where the guys discuss how to start a local pub team and build it all the way up to Champions League success and what the financial realities are in such an endeavor. And yes, we did talk about how an unlikely Odd Couple of a Crystal Palace supporting comedian and Brighton supporting academic have managed to produce a successful podcast.

In this episode, we herald the arrival of a new Lost Generation: shaggy-haired, slouchy-clothed, plagued by malaise and anachronistic sensitivity, and soundtracked by 80s British synth-pop. Armed with an impressive library of cultural references—the films of Whit Stillman and John Hughes, the novels of Donna Tartt and Bret Easton Ellis, the music of the Second British Invasion— we discuss the legacy of the Global North Bildungsroman and its adjacent timeless aesthetic. ‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵‿Links:Image board: https://pin.it/5mj7m0wAmerican Ivy by Articles of Interest: https://articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-1 Justin Murphy's "Caviar Cope": https://www.otherlife.co/signs91/NPR's Dark Academia and The Secret History special: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1142788023"A New Wavelet of British Drab" in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1984/04/15/the-smiths-icicle-works-and-the-the-a-new-wavelet-of-british-drab/aa1dd244-2b4f-4967-8e4c-b87dddaf421d/Scarlet Foxes on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scarlet.foxes?lang=enMusic in John Hughes Films in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/nov/10/the-power-of-music-in-john-hughes-films-when-you-hear-those-songs-you-see-those-moments

This week in 1981, they released their eponymous debut album and quickly shot to stardom during the very earliest days of MTV with their infamous ‘Girls on Film' video and, from then, continued to be a leading band in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US in the 1980s. This year, more than 40 years after that first record, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This might very well be Planet Earth, but this is also Duran Duran.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week in 1981, they released their eponymous debut album and quickly shot to stardom during the very earliest days of MTV with their infamous ‘Girls on Film' video and, from then, continued to be a leading band in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US in the 1980s. This year, more than 40 years after that first record, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This might very well be Planet Earth, but this is also Duran Duran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nik Kershaw's debut studio album, Human Racing, would also be his most commercially successful album.  He would find more popularity in the UK where his album hit number 3 on the album charts than in the United States, where it would appear at number 70 on the Billboard 200.  Kershaw wrote all the songs, performed lead and backing vocals, bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, and percussion.  Other personnel on the album would include Paul "Wix" Wickens on keyboards, Charlie Morgan on drums, and a slew of session musicians including his wife Sheri Kershaw on backing vocals.Nicholas David “Nik” Kershaw came from a musical family - his mother was an opera singer and his father was a flautist - and he was a self-taught guitarist at an early age.  Kershaw embarked on a career as a musician and songwriter by 1982, and had significant international success with both this debut album and his second follow-up, “The Riddle.”  He was one of the performers at Live Aid in 1985 at Wembly stadium.Although his solo career waned after that, he continues to produce albums today, and has collaborated with a number of artists, including Kim Wilde, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett, Elton John, and Michael W. Smith.  Rob takes us into this 80's phenomenon this week.Wouldn't It Be GoodThis song made it to number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, and has everything you expect from 80's pop music.  It is about how the lives of others seems so much better.  “Wouldn't it be good to be in your shoes even if it was for just one day?  Wouldn't it be good if we could wish ourselves away?”  Kershaw would perform this song in Live Aid.Dancing Girls The third single from the album is about a guy who is sick of his middle class life.  He wants some excitement in his life - "bring on the dancing girls!"  Faces This song has a different feel than the others.  It is about looking at the people who are taking over your mind.  There's a sense of religious hypocrisy, with lots of different faces provided and instructions on when to use them.  I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me While it didn't do well in the States, this was a hit in the UK.  A cold war song, the lyrics are about choosing to live positively despite the risk of nuclear annihilation.   ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:The Nerd Theme from the motion Picture “Revenge of the Nerds”NERDS!!!  A surprise success at the movies in the summer of 1984 was the comedy “Revenge of the Nerds.” STAFF PICKS:Little Lady by Duke JupiterWayne starts off the staff picks with a group from Rochester, New York, which may be surprising since the song sounds more like Southern rock than something out of the northeast.  We think it sounds like ZZ-Top. The song is about a woman who is ditching her groom at the altar.   Duke Jupiter had a 13-year career, breaking up in 1986.Doctor! Doctor! by the Thompson Twins Brian's staff pick is a song comparing being in love to a medical state.  The Thompson Twins got their start as a new wave group before moving to more mainstream success as a part of the Second British Invasion.  This song would hit number 11 in the US and number 3 in the UK.Missing You by John WaiteBruce's staff pick  was a late edition to Waite's second solo album, "No Brakes."  It was also a huge success that really launched Waite's solo career.  The lyrics were inspired by several relationships Waite was in, primarily his wife with whom he was divorcing at the time.  The melancholy denial of "I ain't missing you at all" paired with the background vocals "missing you" struck a chord with listeners, and the song would be a number 1 hit on the US charts.Legs by ZZ TopRob's closes out with a song more famous for its video than the song itself.  This is the first top 10 hit from ZZ Top from their "Eliminator" album.  A number of people have covered this song, but there's no way to outdo the original.  The video tells a story of a girl transforming from a wilting wallflower to a knockout with the help of a ghostly ZZ Top. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:The Call of Ktulu by MetallicaThis week's podcast closes out with an instrumental from Metallica before the band achieved the monster status it would attain by the end of the decade.  

Hey, Slackers! On this episode we visit the top of the music and movie charts of 1982. Some iconic artists of blue eyed soul, like Hall & Oates, Huey Lewis & the News, and Michael Macdonald hit the charts, as the original grrrl of rock, Joan Jett make a serious impact. Boston heroes, The J. Geils Band breakthrough, while long time favorites like Elton John keeping making hits, even if these are among the weaker songs in the catalog. The Second British Invasion arrives in America, with synthpop legends Human League and Flock of Seagull, while artists from the original British Invasion are still churning out hits.Horror Movies and musicals enjoy significant populariity, as the box office sees the rise of the action hero. Some guys named Eastwood, Stallone, and Schwarzenegger, are the big names, with Harrison Ford continuing his post Star Wars career. Plus, teen comedies, nightmarish “kids movies”, and the perpetual excellence of Steven Spielberg all make the list.And just for the record, Grease 2 is the better of the Greases. Yeah, I said what I said.Oh, and Happy Easter!

Concrete, nutritional supplements, chrome and manure! What more could anyone want for Christmas?Our three pseudonymous hosts discuss the Second British Invasion. At the flip of a switch, the subject matter takes off by itself. Step into the hazard area and see what happens to Employee #1.P.S. Don't try the hummus.

Emerging with gusto in the Second British Invasion of the US in the early 80s, Duran Duran tasted early mainstream success alongside the commencement of the 24 hour music juggernaut channel MTV, which officially launched in 1981 - the same year the band's self-titled debut album unveiled.But four decades later, Duran Duran continue to prove they are not a band willing to rest on their laurels, with their fifteenth studio album ‘Future Past' officially releasing today that provides a snapshot of a band still hungry for more. Join Duran Duran bassist John Taylor on ‘The Green Room' today, chatting human connection, creating during a pandemic and the secret sauce to enduring relationships. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While many bands of the 80's were focusing on the synth-heavy New Wave or screaming guitars of Hard Rock, one band was taking their inspiration from the 50's roots of Rock.  The Stray Cats came out of New York  in 1979 and developed a devoted following quickly, but moved to the UK after hearing of a revival of the 50's subculture there.  Inspired by the Sun Records artists of the 50's, the Stray Cats combined Rockabilly and Punk genres to form their sound.The Stray Cats were a trio with Brian Setzer on guitar and lead vocals, Lee Rocker on double bass, and Slim Jim Phantom on drums.  They continued to tour and record in the UK, and released two albums there in 1981 before turning their interest back to the States.  Their debut American album, Built for Speed, was comprised of songs selected from their first two albums released in England, plus the previously unreleased title track.The group benefitted from having both a unique sound and air play on the then-new MTV.  Unlike most music of the time, songs were short and tight, without synthesizers or more modern sensibilities.  Also, unlike the music of the time, everything was stripped down to the bare essence in this group.  Phantom's drum set consisted of just a few pieces, worlds away from the massive sets fielded by prog rock groups like Asia and Rush.  Brian Setzer wrote most of the songs, and had the distinctive look that would become associated with the group. Unfortunately, Setzer also tired of the group quickly, and the Stray Cats broke up in 1984.  Setzer would go on to be the concert guitarist for the Honeydrippers (with Robert Plant as front man).  The group would reunite frequently over the years, and each member continued to tour either with their own bands or in support of other musicians.The group continues to tour off and on today, and released a new album in 2021. Built for SpeedThis is the title track and the only song on the album previously unreleased.  It is about cars, and hot rodding on the road.  “Well I'm cruising low and I'm cruising mean, well I'm cruising slow in my dream machine.  You're my hot rod mama and you're really built for speed.”Rock This TownAn easily recognizable hit, “Rock This Town” cracked the top 10.  This song was the introduction to Rockabilly to many people.  It is about hitting the clubs at night, dancing the night away.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lists this song as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.  “We're gonna rock this town, rock it inside out.”  Baby Blue EyesA deeper cut from the album, this tells the struggle of a guy in love with a pretty girl he just doesn't trust.  While in England, the Stray Cats attracted the attention of many famous artists including members of the Rolling Stones, the Who, and Led Zeppelin.Stray Cat StrutThis track is the most famous of the Stray Cat's tunes, and received significant airplay on both radio and MTV.  It reached number 3 on the charts.  “I'm flat broke but I don't care.  I strut right by with my tail in the air.”  Setzer's songs are original but carry the sound of a 50's cover. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Flying Theme from the motion picture “E.T. the Extraterrestrial”The film that made Steven Spielberg a household name was released this month. STAFF PICKS:Space Age Love Song by A Flock of SeagullsRob's staff pick peaked at number 30 on the Billboard charts.  This New Wave group is out of Liverpool.  When they couldn't come up with a name for the track, guitarist Paul Reynolds suggested the name because he thought it sounded like a space age love song.  Mike Score's well-known hairdo was the result of a mistake after his hair was accidentally pushed down in the center before going onstage.Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go? by Soft CellBruce features the first hit from vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball, better known as Soft Cell.  Tainted Love was originally recorded as a B-side in 1964 by Gloria Jones, but it didn't chart.  Almond heard it when working in a cloakroom, and the duo started performing it with synthesizers instead of guitars.  It was a big hit in the U.S. as part of the Second British Invasion.  The extended dance version combined Tainted Love with the Supremes' hit “Where Did Our Love Go?”Wake Up Little Susie by Simon and GarfunkelBrian's staff pick hearkens back to the early days of rock with a cover of the Everly Brothers song recorded at Simon and Garfunkel's live concert from Central Park.  The song did well and was part of the inspiration for Simon and Garfunkel's tour in 1983.I Want Candy by Bow Wow WowWayne's staff pick features a cover originally performed in 1965.  Bow Wow Wow's version had both a rockabilly and punk feel to it.  The lead singer was underage at the time, and the risque pictures on the album created considerable controversy. COMEDY TRACK:She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft) by Jerry ReedJerry Reed's cautionary tale reminds us that it is better to learn how to cook than to marry for food as we close out the podcast.

Special Guest Pamela Downes of the David Bowie Glam Band "Candy Volcano" talks about music, design and spirituality. She tells her story of meeting the famed 80's band Squeeze. Pamela is a designer and musician. Candy Volcano has opened Philadelphia's Philly Loves Bowie Week, a week-long celebration of the life and work of David Bowie since the inception of the celebration in 2017. If you don't remember the band Squeeze. Squeeze are an English rock band that came to prominence in the United Kingdom during the new wave period of the late 1970s, and continued recording in the 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. In the UK, their singles "Cool for Cats", "Up the Junction" and "Labelled with Love" were top-ten chart hits. Though not as commercially successful in the United States, Squeeze had American hits with "Tempted", "Hourglass" and "853-5937", and were considered a part of the Second British Invasion. 

For Episode 8, we're jumping forward to the new wave sound of the 80s with Song From the Big Chair by Bath-based synthpop bastions Tears For Fears. From the unmistakable instrumental virtuosity of “Head Over Heels” and “The Working Hour,” to the iconic drum loops, synth lines and production of “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule The World,” we discuss politics, the 80s sound and the amount of music per square inch in various genres. We also explore the “Second Invasion” of British artists into the American charts and whether a third invasion is imminent, somewhere down the road, or may have already happened. We also pay our tributes to the wonderful talents of Chadwick Boseman, who tragically passed away after a long battle with cancer the morning we filmed this episode. If you're enjoying the podcast, follow us on Spotify, Apple or Stitcher or subscribe to us on YouTube, as it really helps support the show. Watch this episode with video on YouTube channel 'LeoKellyGeeMusic', write to us at sonicbytespod@gmail.com, and follow us at Instagram @sonicbytes and Twitter @sonicbytespod for bonus content.

This episode will is the third and final part of a series focussed on the 2nd British Invasion. The Second British Invasion consisted of music acts from the United Kingdom that became popular in the United States during the early-to-mid 1980s primarily due to the cable music channel MTV The term derives from the similar British Invasion of the U.S. in the 1960s. This week we will close out with a 1984 and part of 1985. Again my disclaimer for this show is that I won't be able to play everything and I won't always play the hit song from the bands but songs that influenced me.  Bands included: Roman Holiday, Aztec Camera, Wham, B Movie, Jo Boxer, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, General Public, Bronski Beat, Pet Shop Boys, The Smiths, Band Aid, Howard Jones, Bananarama, Style Council, Ultravox, King, Kate Bush, The Alarm, Wang Chung, The Cult, and REM .

the second part of a series focussed on the 2nd British Invasion. I originally said that this was a 2 part series but do to the sheer volume of UK artists during this time we will have to make this a 3 part series. The Second British Invasion consisted of music acts from the United Kingdom that became popular in the United States during the early-to-mid 1980s primarily due to the cable music channel MTV The term derives from the similar British Invasion of the U.S. in the 1960s. Bands Include: Thomas Dolby, Human League, Talk Talk, The Jam, Haircut 100, Simple Minds, ABC, Big Country, Culture Club, Tears For Fears, The Fixx, Echo and the Bunnymen, Eurythmics, Blancmange, Icicle Works, New Order, Thompson Twins, Soft Cell, and the Psychedelic Furs.

The Second British Invasion consisted of music acts from the United Kingdom that became popular in the United States during the early-to-mid 1980s primarily due to the cable music channel MTV.  The term derives from the similar British Invasion of the U.S. in the 1960s. These acts primarily brought with them synthpop and new wave styles of music to the American charts, and according to Rolling Stone, brought "revolution in sound and style". In 2011, The Guardian named the Second British Invasion among their "50 key events in the history of pop music”. Bands Included:  Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, The Police, Joe Jackson, XTC, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Squeeze, U2, Adam & The Ants,  OMD, Duran Duran, Bow Wow Wow, Spandau Ballet, Billy Idol, The Cure, Killing Joke, Heaven 17, Gang of Four, Depeche Mode, Flock of Seagulls

Thompson Twins special with Tom Bailey in conversation with David Eastaugh Thompson Twins were a British pop band that formed in April 1977. Initially a new wave group, they switched to a more mainstream pop sound and achieved considerable popularity from 1983, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States, and around the world. In 1993, they changed their name to Babble, to reflect their change in music from new wave to dub-influenced chill-out. They continued as Babble to 1996, at which point the group permanently dissolved. The band was named after the two bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson in Hergé's comic strip The Adventures of Tintin. At various stages, the band had up to seven members, but their most known incarnation was as a trio between 1982 and 1986. They became a prominent act in the US during the Second British Invasion, and in 1985, the band performed at Live Aid, where they were joined onstage by Madonna.

Do you want to be credited as EXECUTIVE PRODUCER of the show? Donate and invest in the shows growth here: https://bit.ly/2yLJyeH I chat with 80s chart topping legend Paul Young about his music, Live Aid, Nelson Mandella and why his version of Everytime You Go Away wasn't used at the end of Planes Trains and Automobiles!Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he was turned into a 1980s teen idol by subsequent solo success. His hit singles include "Love of the Common People", "Wherever I Lay My Hat", "Come Back and Stay", "Every Time You Go Away" and "Everything Must Change", all reaching the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart. Released in 1983, his debut album No Parlez, the first of three UK number-one albums, made him a household name. His smooth yet soulful voice belonged to a genre known as "blue-eyed soul". At the 1985 Brit Awards, Young received the award for Best British Male. Associated with the Second British Invasion of the US, "Every Time You Go Away" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985. It also won Best British Video at the 1986 Brit Awards.In July 1985, Young appeared at Live Aid held at Wembley Stadium, London, performing the Band Aid hit "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (having sung the opening lines on the original single release), and his own hits "Come Back and Stay" and "Every Time You Go Away", with Alison Moyet joining him on stage to perform "That's The Way Love Is". Since the mid-1990s, Young has performed with his band Los Pacaminos.EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: MARTY WILCOX, GLYN DAVIES, DEE FLYNN, JOY GRADWELL mindactive.org.ukPromo: truffleshuffle.com for geeky t-shirts and retro gifts. Use my discount code GRNS15 to get a 15% discount on a spend of £25 or more @podcoin A free app which rewards you for listening to podcasts. Download for free on Apple and Android. IG & Twitter: @geekyretronerdsFB: Geeky Retro Nerds Show

Do you want to be credited as EXECUTIVE PRODUCER of the show? Donate and invest in the shows growth here: https://bit.ly/2yLJyeH I chat with 80s chart topping legend Paul Young about his music, Live Aid, Nelson Mandella and why his version of Everytime You Go Away wasn't used at the end of Planes Trains and Automobiles!Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he was turned into a 1980s teen idol by subsequent solo success. His hit singles include "Love of the Common People", "Wherever I Lay My Hat", "Come Back and Stay", "Every Time You Go Away" and "Everything Must Change", all reaching the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart. Released in 1983, his debut album No Parlez, the first of three UK number-one albums, made him a household name. His smooth yet soulful voice belonged to a genre known as "blue-eyed soul". At the 1985 Brit Awards, Young received the award for Best British Male. Associated with the Second British Invasion of the US, "Every Time You Go Away" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985. It also won Best British Video at the 1986 Brit Awards.In July 1985, Young appeared at Live Aid held at Wembley Stadium, London, performing the Band Aid hit "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (having sung the opening lines on the original single release), and his own hits "Come Back and Stay" and "Every Time You Go Away", with Alison Moyet joining him on stage to perform "That's The Way Love Is". Since the mid-1990s, Young has performed with his band Los Pacaminos.EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: MARTY WILCOX, GLYN DAVIES, DEE FLYNN, JOY GRADWELL mindactive.org.ukPromo: truffleshuffle.com for geeky t-shirts and retro gifts. Use my discount code GRNS15 to get a 15% discount on a spend of £25 or more @podcoin A free app which rewards you for listening to podcasts. Download for free on Apple and Android. IG & Twitter: @geekyretronerdsFB: Geeky Retro Nerds Show --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/geeky-retro-nerds4/message

The Major Scale hosted by Kyle Eagle featuring Gillies Peterson w/ Hillary Donnell & Paul and The Broken Bones. St. Paul and the Broken Bones revive an energy that is desperate to break free in the 21st century. Their sound brings to mind the soul innovations of the Muscle Shoals rhythm section and Booker T. And the MG's, but with the live energy of an Elvis or James Brown Revue. On their records they fire all cylinders, live they become a near religious experience with Paul Janeway's stunning voice testifying from the pulpit. Janeway joins the Major Scale in conversation about the band's album Young Sick Camellia, their sound, their family roots and, of course, that voice. We welcome Hillary Donnell as a our guest contributor, one of the brightest talents in contemporary music journalism and DJ-ing. In this second half, she turns the mic around on another shining light of broadcasting and a true champion of music: the legendary Gilles Peterson of the BBC. They talk about his recording labels, live events, his countless showcasing of artists known and soon-to-be, and how the Winter Jazz Festival has helped to highlight Britain's new trail blazers in jazz. It's a movement that Rolling Stone has deemed “The Second British Invasion,” echoed by Vanity Fair, Esquire, and Newsweek.

Hello and Merry Xmas, it's me Roifield without David, we thought we'd give you an episode of songs that remind you of England. We asked you on Facebook to nominate your most English of ditties, so as you pull your crackers we give you some songs that made England!Michael Wheal - Vin da Loo!Alison Mary Hebborn Remember 'singing ' Jerusalem on a coach to the hotel after a Czech /English wedding.The Beatles - I want to hold your hand.Stephen Bōden wrote on the facebook page, “I vow to thee my country” deserves a place on any such listAbide with me', it was nominmated by one David CrowtherA Song of Patriotic Prejudice by Flanders and Swann: which was nominated by Patrick Adams. Stephen Bōden wrote that In these days of austerity, I reckon there’s a place in our national discourse for “Hard Times of Old England”.The Human League's - Don't You Want Me" unmistakably the moment the Second British Invasion, hit The StatesBlur - Park LifeWaterloo Sunset - The Kinks was originally entitled "Liverpool Sunset".On Facebook Richard Lyle opted for Always Look On The Bright Side Of LifeLets All Go Down The Strand And Have A Banana.Baddiel and Skinner’s - Three Lions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There was nobody named Thompson, and there weren't any Twins. But they were a part of the Second British Invasion of the 1980s, and this is how they got there.

Special 80s-Synth-Electro-Wave-Mix called "Second British Invasion" by Samm from Stuttgart/Germany.