Podcasts about Smash Hits

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 205: Pet Shop Boys – Please (1986) – Part 3 Brian and Sarah are back at their microphones to continue their discussion of Please, the debut album by the Pet Shop Boys.  In Part 2, our hosts discussed the first two songs on the album. The next song up for discussion is "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)," which, like the track before it, had two different versions released. However, unlike "West End Girls," neither version of "Opportunities" was produced by Bobby O.  "Opportunities" also had two videos released, and interestingly, each host was more familiar with a different video. Brian and Sarah talk about all three versions of the song (to include the version recorded with Bobby O), both videos, and the single's interesting chart history, which includes a run as recent as 2021. During this discussion, several movies are mentioned too: Midnight Cowboy, Wise Blood, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.  After a thorough examination of "Opportunities," our hosts move on to track four, which is yet another single. "Love Comes Quickly" differs from the preceding songs, however, in that only one version was released. Sarah shares a Smash Hits review of the song written by someone in another PRP-approved band, which Brian is quite happy to hear.  A discussion of "Love Comes Quickly" would be incomplete without mentioning the iconic single sleeve, featuring Chris Lowe in a "BOY" hat. And of course, the video for this song is covered as well, including the declaration from one of its directors that the video was "a complete disaster."  Putting aside the video, both hosts agree that "Love Comes Quickly" is a beautiful song, and they talk about the fact that Neil and Chris think so too, even to this day. But as much as Brian loves the PSB version of the song, he reveals there's one person he wished would have recorded a cover. Who is this mystery artist? You'll have to listen to find out! Videos discussed in this episode: Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) – Version 1 https://youtu.be/di60NYGu03Y?si=udMl_sj6YyODC0I4 Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) – Version 2 https://youtu.be/PyeWRd7ZEBs?si=s4RiBK90uhXSE9op Love Comes Quickly https://youtu.be/QHaA1beOwrY?si=SwhfQ8sN76yVFbrS Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Jon Ronson joins Nabil Ayers on Identified for a conversation about family, fatherhood, growing up in Wales, finding his identity as a writer, and the strange series of events that ultimately led to his new book, The Castle. Jon traces his story back to Cardiff, where he grew up feeling like a square peg in a round hole. He remembers being dropped off alone at a Specials concert at just 12 years old, pretending to faint so he could get over the barrier, and unexpectedly meeting Terry Hall backstage. He talks about escaping Cardiff for London, discovering journalism, writing for Smash Hits, The Guardian and Time Out, and the unlikely turn that took him into Manchester’s music scene as the manager of The Man From Delmonte and keyboard player for the legendary Frank Sidebottom. Jon also opens up about his family: an often-absent father who later apologized, his parents’ award-winning Welsh hotel, an extraordinary family portrait that went spectacularly wrong, his marriage, and his relationship with his son. And then, there is The Castle... Jon tells Nabil about waking up to a series of alarming texts from his son after he and his friends had been lured to a mysterious castle several hours outside New York. What happened there eventually sent Jon himself to the castle, which crafted the orgins of his latest book. Guest: Jon RonsonHost: Nabil AyersExecutive Producer: Kieron BanerjiProduced by Palm Tree Island - 00:00 Jon Ronson's Son and the Mysterious Castle01:25 Growing Up Jewish in Cardiff03:55 Childhood, Fear and Freedom04:51 Meeting Terry Hall at 12 Years Old07:15 Escaping to London09:18 Leaving Cardiff and Finding Journalism11:39 Jon's Relationship With His Father13:15 The Extraordinary Ronson Family Portrait18:36 Returning to Wales19:03 Getting His First Break as a Writer20:18 Frank Sidebottom and the Manchester Music Scene23:37 Marriage, Fatherhood and Moving to New York25:21 The True Story Behind The Castle28:18 What Family Means to Jon RonsonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to head back to the synth-soaked sounds of the 1980s as Dangerous Dave celebrates one of Britain's greatest and most enduring pop duos...PET SHOP BOYS!This week on The Insanely Dangerous Retropodshow, Dave takes a huge deep dive into the career of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, exploring how a chance meeting in a London electronics shop eventually led to one of the most successful partnerships in British pop history.From "West End Girls" to "It's a Sin," "Always on My Mind," "Heart," "Being Boring" and "Go West," we're celebrating the songs, albums and unmistakable electronic sound that made Pet Shop Boys legends.WHAT HAPPENED WAY BACK WHEN? – 1986First, we're travelling back to 1986, the year Pet Shop Boys released their debut album Please.Dave revisits five songs, five movies and five television shows from an incredible year of entertainment, including Top Gun, Aliens, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Real Ghostbusters and some of the biggest records of the year.Then Retro Headlines turns back the clock to remember some of the major stories making news in Britain and America.DANGEROUS DEEP DIVE – THE HISTORY OF PET SHOP BOYSHow did Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe become Pet Shop Boys?Dave goes right back to the beginning, exploring Neil's career in publishing and at Smash Hits, Chris's background and their chance meeting in London in 1981.We follow their early demos, their work with Bobby Orlando and the original version of "West End Girls", before the re-recorded song transformed them into international stars.Dave also looks at the brilliantly understated Pet Shop Boys image: Neil delivering intelligent and observational lyrics while Chris stands almost motionless behind the keyboards.No rock-star posing required.THE ALBUMSThen it's time to raid the Pet Shop Boys record collection.Dave discusses and rates the albums that defined their first two decades, including:Please – ⭐⭐⭐⭐½The debut that established the classic Pet Shop Boys sound.Actually – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Dave's number-one Pet Shop Boys album, featuring an incredible collection of songs including "It's a Sin," "Rent" and "What Have I Done to Deserve This?"Introspective – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Six enormous tracks blending electronic pop with extended club arrangements.Behaviour – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A more reflective and emotional record featuring the magnificent "Being Boring."Very – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Colourful, confident and packed with some of the duo's greatest 90s material.Plus, Dave revisits Bilingual and Nightlife as Pet Shop Boys continued evolving through the later 1990s.THE GREATEST HITS – RATED!Then comes the big one.Dave works through some of the greatest songs in the Pet Shop Boys catalogue and gives them the Danger Rating treatment.We revisit:West End Girls ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Opportunities ⭐⭐⭐⭐½Love Comes Quickly ⭐⭐⭐⭐½Suburbia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐It's a Sin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐What Have I Done to Deserve This? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Rent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Always on My Mind ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Heart ⭐⭐⭐⭐½Domino Dancing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Left to My Own Devices ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐So Hard ⭐⭐⭐⭐½Being Boring ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Can You Forgive Her? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Go West ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐And plenty more.But only one can be Dangerous Dave's favourite...And "Being Boring" takes the number-one position, narrowly beating "West End Girls" and "It's a Sin."DANGEROUS DETOUR – THE SYNTH-POP REVOLUTIONDave takes a detour into the electronic revolution that transformed the 1980s.From synthesizers and drum machines to sequencers and changing recording technology, we explore how electronic music went from experimental to mainstream and produced artists including The Human League, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Eurythmics, Erasure and Pet Shop Boys.BACK IN THE ADSWe also rewind British television for another edition of Back in the Ads, remembering the telephone advertising campaigns that sold us something surprisingly simple...The joy of actually talking to somebody!A reminder of a world before WhatsApp, social media and endless notifications.RETRO RUMBLE – PET SHOP BOYS VS ERASURETwo synth-pop giants enter the ring.Only one leaves victorious.Pet Shop Boys vs Erasure!Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe take on Andy Bell and Vince Clarke across greatest hits, vocals, lyrics, albums and dancefloor anthems.Erasure put up one hell of a fight...But Pet Shop Boys eventually take the Retro Rumble crown 3–2.DANGEROUSLY UNDERRATEDDave also shines a spotlight on "King's Cross", the brilliant Actually album track that proves some of the finest Pet Shop Boys songs never needed to become massive singles.GAZ'S RETRO RECORDS – SYNTH-POP SPECIALThen Gaz opens his record collection for a special edition of Gaz's Retro Records.This week he's celebrating four acts that helped make electronic music such an important part of the 1980s.OMDGaz celebrates the brilliant Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, from the atmospheric "Enola Gay" and "Souvenir" to "Maid of Orleans" and their later pop success.For Gaz, OMD proved that electronic music could be experimental, emotional and incredibly catchy at the same time.SOFT CELLNext comes Soft Cell.Marc Almond and Dave Ball created a much darker version of synth-pop, mixing electronic music with the atmosphere of nightclubs and the seedier side of city life.And, of course, there's the enormous "Tainted Love" – one of the defining electronic records of the entire decade.NEW ORDERGaz then turns to New Order, the band that emerged from the end of Joy Division and helped blur the lines between alternative rock and electronic dance music.From "Blue Monday" and "Bizarre Love Triangle" to "True Faith," their influence can still be heard across electronic and dance music today.ERASUREFinally, Gaz celebrates Erasure.Vince Clarke's electronic brilliance combined with Andy Bell's incredible voice produced classics including "Sometimes," "A Little Respect," "Stop!," "Blue Savannah" and "Love to Hate You."They might have lost today's Retro Rumble...But Gaz argues that no discussion about great British synth-pop would be complete without them.Four artists.Four very different approaches to electronic pop.And four essential additions to your retro record collection.THE DANGER ZONEFinally, Dave asks the biggest question of the episode...Are Pet Shop Boys the greatest British pop duo of all time?When you consider the songs...The albums...The lyrics...The production...The innovation...And more than four decades of longevity...Dave's answer is...YES!Pet Shop Boys receive a massive 58 out of 60 Danger Rating.HALL OF DANGERAnd there could only be one way to finish.Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe officially enter the...

Another end of month boatload of chart newbies from 100 years ago. Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

They had two for the road before saying thank you and goodnight again, and that's when we realised - it's not all Said And Done for us because we haven't ever been track by track through a Boyzone album. They were one of the biggest boybands of the 90s, plastered all over Smash Hits and with hits galore, but how did it all begin? Before the documentary, the comeback, and before Stephen Gately's tragic passing, we're going back to Ronan, Mikey, Keith, Shane and of course Steo's beginnings. Let us know what you think to the episode and the album in the comments on Spotify and Instagram, or email hellotrackbytrack@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Click here to read along and see the photos in our show notes as you listen – http://www.scottishwatches.co.uk/2026/07/16/scottish-watches-podcast-797-summer-smash-hits-for-the-wrist/ The post Scottish Watches Podcast #797 : Summer Smash Hits For The Wrist appeared first on Scottish Watches.

Here we are for episode 827! In which Paul From School helps Mister Yeti reply to more of our endless and slightly dated pleas for help from our listeners! Our letters this time relate are associated with fine dining and problematic holiday experiences! In our extra material we delve into an issue of Smash Hits to see what was going on in the charts during April 1981! Thanks to Paul for all his help this time! Our next show, #828 sees us getting caught up in more plans for the forthcoming Podcasting Double Wedding of the Year! What IS going on? Do join us! Email us at shyyeti@yahoo.co.uk if you have comments - you can even send audio and I'll include it. The music is by Udio and Various Artists. Sound effects are by Shy Yeti and Pixabay. Logo by Shy Yeti. All content is Copyright Paul Chandler, 2026. Episode 827 was recorded on the 18th May 2026, with extra material recorded on the 4th July 2026.

Use my code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/LOGAN10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $25 discountSerial inventor & Logan's best friend Franke joins the boys to discuss WINNING a $4,500,000 lawsuit funded by Logan Paul

JB and Sandy's long lost friend, Waylon Brisket sent the guys a song he wrote about the last Hooters in Austin shutting down.  There is no doubt this song will climb the charts and be the song of the summer.  Enjoy and thank you Waylon.

Présentée par Seb.Smash Hit Combo en invité de l'émission 108 du mois de juin. Un belle et longue interview avec Baptiste qui nous parle du nouvel album Deux Ex, de l'univers du groupe et de plein d'autres choses. Du metal moderne, de qualité qui mélange les styles (rap, metal, hardcore, etc.).En deuxième partie d'émission, comme d'habitude l'actualité métal avec les sorties récentes : August Burns Red, Elegant Weapons, Erik Gronwall, Evergrey, Gotthard, Lex Legion, Najib Maftah, Shinedown ou encore Social Distorsion .

It's all the hits this week from 100 years ago! Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

More smash hits from 100 years ago this week! Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

One leftover, and six new songs to hit the chart 100 years ago this week. Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

Joining us a couple of days after his 62nd Birthday is one of the icons of BritPop. As the drummer in Blur he had a front row seat for the 90s music scene, and thankfully he had the forethought to photograph a lot of it. Now collated into a book 'No One You Know' he's in a nostalgic mood, and in our conversation we reminisce on Smash Hits, life before camera-phones and that time Blur played the first gig on Mars... no really! It's a fascinating chat, and if Blur's music has played a part in your life - drop us a note to let us know what you thought of the episode - you can email hello@whitewinepod.comCheers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition Ashea is joined by Stephen Gilchrist and Liam Nolan, where they discuss behind the making of Adele's Hello at Metropolis Studios, the process behind Tony Visconti & Toontrack's Drumopolis and where record making is headed in 2026 and beyond.Stephen Gilchrist: Drummer and percussionist. Writer under the name Stephen Evens https://www.instagram.com/thestephenevens also director and producer/engineer at Brixton Hill Studios https://brixtonhillstudios.com/ / https://brixtonrecording.com/ https://www.instagram.com/brixtonhillstudio / https://linktr.ee/brixtonhillstudiosLiam Nolan: Recording and Mix Engineer, has worked at Metropolis Studios, but has just become freelance.  https://www.instagram.com/liamjnolan/ https://mixedbyliamnolan.com/

Tanya Sweeney, Columnist for the Irish Independent, joins Seán to discuss her fond childhood memories of Smash Hits magazine, and how it gave a girl from the West Dublin suburbs access to the world of pop…

¿Qué es FENatic Fridays / FENatic Recaps? Con FENatic Fridays / FENatic Recaps trato de documentar semanalmente todo lo que está pasando en el lado independiente, alternativo y underground de la escenaartística/cultural puertorriqueña mencionando y/o reseñando nuevas canciones, proyectos y eventos. ¿Qué nombre escojo pa' este proyecto: FENatic Fridays o FENatic Recaps? Déjame saber en los comments. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro00:50 – New music03:44 – Eventos en vivo, festivales, closing FENatic Fridays / FENatic Recaps EP 017 Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4mpibMIL2mj6FnHFxq3lGI?si=4d5fc3de85464b12  FENatic Quickies Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1BXYO0J09WCypG5aRk9qD0?si=180e7966f1564e54 SONGZ PAL WIKEN Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2PCU5NmcY1gSReB3TwisXL?si=c0fde05cbd364338 The Ultimate FENatic Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/10NA7qbIHihX7dV1CNdz2n?si=68b5e6dcc3bc4675 Blog: https://fencorrea.weebly.com/blog Twitter: https://twitter.com/fencastpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencast/ FIND FEN'S Books on Amazon/Spotify/YouTube/Bandcamp: https://www.amazon.com/Fernando-E.-E.-Correa-Gonz%C3%A1lez/e/B07221Q1FY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1536059902&sr=8-1 https://open.spotify.com/artist/4dUtrVampVxlHJSXNVaTi9?si=i6kqQ3N_Sv-Rlesi48mHrw  https://www.youtube.com/fencorrea  https://fencorrea.bandcamp.com

A boatload of songs hit the chart this week 100 years ago this week. Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

Oh, that's bad!No, that's good!If you know your 80s dancefloor bangers, you'll recognise that S-Express vocal insert and will already be donning your sparkly bellbottoms, possibly even getting right-on one (matey) because it's Summer 1988! What was making the headlines? (shuffles papers, looks directly into camera in a serious way):Poll tax announced!Gay rights activists invade the six o'clock news and mildly fluster Sue Lawley!Glasgow Garden festival takes place! Every school in Scotland goes on a trip (not like that!)England finish bottom of their Euro88 group having lost all three games! (Sports presenter wink to camera)But, BUT, amidst all of this and many other exciting things, POP was still very important indeed and - hurrah - NOW That's What I Call Music 12 was here to make a splash! (Yes, the one with the pool on the cover, ahem).And a young, impressionable starry-eyed journalist from Dundee was starting his glittering career at Smash Hits, in London Town! With the BIG names! Yes, even Tiffany and Glenn Medeiros!Yes, head back to a very eventful summer for acclaimed music journalist, author and Smash Hits alumnus Tom Doyle!Join us as we dive into the swimming pool of pop (enough already!) and meet amongst others Climie Fisher having a picnic, Carol Decker playing poker, Bananarama being a trio (just) and Jermaine Stewart not being in Shalamar.And on top of this, get ready for some fantastic 1988 anecdotes from Tom's giddy time at Ver Hits (and possibly Patches before that!). Wet Wet Wet on an open-top bus in Glasgow with lots of rock n roll mouthwash!Aswad's recreational horticultural escapades!Sitting next to Hollywood royalty (well, Richard Gere) at the Nelson Mandela concert!Rubbing shoulders with U2 AND David Bowie in a factory! (Possibly, no actually!)Tom's first singles reviews - and what was his single of the fortnight?? (it's not on NOW12)And also stay around for lots of fabulous pop reminiscing about the truly wonderful Danny Wilson, the truly bonkers Bill Drummond and the truly hairy (!) Glenn Medeiros. All of this - delivered in Tom's inimitable fashion - and so much more that we could just about fit it into Natalie's Pink Cadillac (oo-er!)Summer 1988 - what a lark eh pop kids? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Kadis (ex Smash Hits journo and music manager) goes head to head with Tanya Sweeney (columnist and journo) in a war of the words.They chat about their debut novels, their inspirations and their complex central characters.Plus, there's a lot of chat about Smash Hits, music, Bros, One Direction - and - stalking!THE BOOK OFF'Olga Dies Dreaming' by Xochitl GonzalezVS'High Fidelity' by Nick HornbyHere's a little more info on each of our guest's new novels:'Esther Is Now Following You' by Tanya SweeneyYou're the love of Esther's life. You just don't know it yet...Esther first sees Ted walking in a park in London. They lock eyes and for a fraction of a second, she feels something she's never felt before.She starts by reading up about his life in Canada and his work as an actor. Then she watches every interview with him online. It isn't long before she's joined Ted's fan site online where her and the ‘Tedettes' stalk his every move.When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides that things have gone far enough. She leaves her husband, takes all their savings, and buys a one-way ticket to Canada.After all, Ted might not know it yet, but they are meant to be together – he just needs a little bit of persuading...'Big Nobody' - by Alex Kadis For Constance ‘Connie' Costa, life is just beginning. She dreams of leaving behind her dull, dreary life in ‘70s East London, shaking off her deeply embarrassing Greek-Cypriot community of interfering Aunties and pretend ‘cousins', and running away with her best mate Vas (fellow misfit; NHS specs; soul of a poet). She is determined to take her rightful place alongside her hero, David Bowie, onstage at Wembley Stadium.Only one thing stands in her way: her father, The Fat Murderer. No longer content with being an absolute imbecile and general abomination of nature, he has dialled up his campaign to ruin Connie's life ever since the untimely death of her mother.If she ever wants to claim the destiny that is rightfully hers, Connie has only one option left: to kill him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EIGHT songs entered the pop chart 100 years ago this week. Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

Rae Alexandra has 35 stories to share with you, plus her own. In this Women's History Month episode, meet and get to know Rae. She recently published a book with City Lights Publishing called Unsung Heroines: 35 Women Who Changed the Bay Area. It's of course available at City Lights, but you can also find it at your local independent bookstore. I read the book and could not put it down. Only toward the end of the 35 essays did I start to recognize the women Rae features. I love history and I love learning and I have mixed feelings about the fact that there are so many rad women whose stories are untold. Thank you, Rae Alexandra, for shining on a light on these incredible women. These days, she's a staff writer at KQED. But Rae's story starts in Wales in the UK. She grew up in Cardiff, the capital of the country. (I learn in the conversation that Wales is a country. I also learn that "United Kingdom" and "Great Britain" are the same thing. Now, British vs. English we don't touch, for obvious reasons. But I digress …) Ed. note: I'll describe my conversation with Rae as two Gen Ex journalist types with ADHD (is that redundant?) doing their best to be linear. To me, the meanderings of our talk are totally normal. Rae says that Wales is delightful and has all the best castles, but that's because of the number times the country has been invaded and conquered. Close to where her mom lives today is a castle that boasts the world's largest crossbow. When I ask when Rae was born (1978), we discover that she's a horse as in Year of the Horse (aka 2026). Cool. Rae continued to call Cardiff home up through her college years. She didn't go to another school outside of Wales that had accepted her because she was attached to a group of skateboarders in her hometown. After she graduated, though, she moved to London. Music has been central for Rae as far back as she remembers (same). She shares stories of being maybe 5 and listening to the Top 40 with her cassette recorder ready to nab her favorite songs (same). According to Rae, the English look down on the Welsh, and have for some time, based on classist generalizations. Wales is where the UK mines most of its coal. London-types consider their neighbors to the southwest feral, and in some regards, the Welsh are, she says. In the Eighties, she remembers stories about IRA bombings appearing on the news nightly. Also, in Wales, miners went on strike and everyone knew about it. Rae says that Wales in the Eighties was essentially like listening to The Clash. We go on a sidebar about siblings, birth order, and what it means to be the youngest, which Rae and I both are. Growing up, she was close with both her older sisters. Today, one lives in Australia and the other lives in the London suburbs. Around age 10, Rae discovered metal. By 12, she decided that she would become a music journalist. In her teen years, she "snuck" her writing into local and college newspapers. The music journalism she consumed in those days included publications like Smash Hits, Kerrang!, NME, and Melody Maker. In fact, her first job out of college was at Kerrang! We go on a sidebar on the whole idea of living somewhere vs. visiting, and how they're so totally different on every level. I use Chicago, where I lived for a full six months in the Nineties, as my example. Rae offers up a stay in Brooklyn as hers. That job at Kerrang! is what brought Rae to London, another place she found impossible to live. I ask her to expound on what it was about the place, and she indulges me. She says that you have to be obscenely wealthy to live in Central London, so most folks are forced to the outskirts. But the jobs are in the middle of town, and so you end up spending around two or three hours a day commuting underground. It was/is also gray—the weather, the architecture—and the people in London were, as Rae describes it, hostile. When she goes into detail about the ways in which they were hostile, we agree that only you get to shit on your own hometown. People who aren't from there aren't allowed. It's a rule. Look it up. After a year working for the magazine in London, Rae met a guy from San Francisco. She'd been to The City and even spent significant time here working for Maximum Rock 'n' Roll. (At this point in the recording, I mistakenly call the BBQ place near Hayes and Divisadero until sometime in the early 2000s "Brothers." It was in fact called Brother in-law's. My apologies.) She moved in with that guy she met, lived with him for six months in London, and then it was time for him to come home to SF. He asked her if she wanted to join him and she accepted. She had already transitioned to freelance writing for the magazine, because office life didn't suit her, so work wasn't so much a problem. But upon arrival, she soon discovered how difficult it was to do anything without a Social Security number. That added an extra layer to moving here. But it wasn't the place itself or its people that made things hard. It was the system, so to speak. Also, while she was getting settled and learning how to survive in the US without an SSN, she started to see that the guy was, let's just say, not for her. She felt he'd been playing the long game when they lived together in London, but once back on his home turf, some of his sociopath tendencies emerged. It was 2002 and she lived in Bernal Heights on Cortland. She spent most of her time in the Mission, just down the hill. After a short time, the guy convinced her that they needed to get married, so they moved back to London. The marriage lasted three months, and Rae returned to her new home—San Francisco. When she came back, she experienced a stretch of housing instability. You could call it "couch surfing," but either way, it was dicey. Six months or so later, things settled. It was easier to live cheaply in the early 2000s, also. A $5 burrito could be a whole day's worth of food. And Rae had befriended enough bartenders that she rarely paid full-price for booze. She describes "The Blackout Triangle" of Killowatt, Delirium, and Dr. Bombay's. She also regularly visited Beauty Bar until that place went downhill. Check back this Thursday for Part 2 with Rae Alexandra. We recorded this episode at Vesuvio in North Beach in February 2026. Photography by Jeff Hunt

On this episode of I'm an Artist, Not a Salesman, host Luis Guzman sits down with Dan Larco, the owner and operator of Quarry Grill in Franklin, New Jersey. Known locally for creative comfort food, bold smash burgers, and wildly inventive menu items like fluff fries topped with marshmallow fluff and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Dan has built a restaurant that feels less like a business and more like a community hub. But behind the viral food videos and packed weekends is a deeper story about risk, resilience, family, and what it really takes to build something meaningful.Before launching Quarry Grill, Dan spent years in the world of marketing and branding, helping other businesses grow. That background gave him a unique advantage when opening his own restaurant. Instead of waiting for customers to discover him, he built a strategy around storytelling, showing his face online, and connecting directly with the community. In this conversation, Dan explains how modern business owners can't hide behind a logo anymore. People want to know the person behind the brand, and that connection often matters just as much as the product itself.The conversation moves far beyond burgers and marketing. Dan opens up about the personal moments that shaped his mindset, including losing his father just weeks before opening the restaurant. That experience forced him to reevaluate relationships, boundaries, and the importance of protecting your time and energy. Together, Luis and Dan unpack the uncomfortable truth that success sometimes reveals who is truly in your corner.Throughout the episode, the two also talk about the pressure that comes with entrepreneurship and how easy it is to feel overwhelmed while juggling business, family life, and personal expectations. Dan shares how he learned to navigate fear, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome while building a brand from the ground up. It's a real look at what happens behind the scenes when someone decides to turn an idea into a business.Listeners will also hear about Dan's philosophy on hospitality and community. For him, great food is only part of the equation. The goal is to create experiences that bring people together and recreate the nostalgia many people remember from classic American food spots. It's about building a place where families celebrate milestones, kids create memories, and regular customers feel like they belong.In this episode, you'll hear conversations around:How Dan Larco turned a background in marketing into a successful restaurant brandThe story behind Quarry Grill and why community matters more than trendsLessons about boundaries, friendships, and personal growth as you get olderWhy showing your face and telling your story is powerful for small business marketingThe mindset required to navigate fear, failure, and imposter syndrome in entrepreneurshipHow nostalgia, hospitality, and creativity shape the modern restaurant experienceWhether you're an artist, entrepreneur, small business owner, or someone trying to build something meaningful without losing yourself in the process, this conversation offers a mix of honesty, humor, and practical insight. Dan's story proves that building a successful business isn't just about strategy or talent. It's about heart, consistency, and the willingness to keep pushing forward even when the path gets uncomfortable.To support the podcast and stay connected with future episodes:Subscribe to I'm an Artist, Not a Salesman on your favorite podcast platformLeave a rating or review to help more creatives discover the showShare this episode with a friend who's building a business or chasing a creative pathFollow Luis Guzman and the podcast on social media for clips, behind-the-scenes content, and updates on upcoming guestsYour support helps the show continue highlighting the journeys of artists, entrepreneurs, and creators who are building meaningful careers while staying true to themselves.

Unboxing the opening chapter of their 40th-anniversary super deluxe celebration of Please, Graham and Chris rewind to PSB Year Zero - the moment an “ex-Smash Hits journalist” met a “weird architect” and began politely reshaping pop. They trace the stories of five pivotal Please people who helped turn Neil and Chris into Pet Shop Boys: eight-track mentor Ray Roberts; Hi-NRG maverick Bobby O, maximalist manager Tom Watkins; rock-steady producer Stephen Hague; and legendary vocalist and Dylan collaborator Helena Springs.  Along they way, they tell the full, cinematic origin stories of West End Girls and Opportunities - from knee-slapping demos and New York studio bills to T.S. Eliot, sealed trains and chart-dodging false starts - and share their own first steps into PSB fandom. It's the beginning of a two-part deep dive into the album that started everything.  Plus: stay tuned right to the end of the credits for news of the first ever In Depth podcast competition! This season the Pod Cast Boys are joining Pet Shop Boys in supporting War Child - donate via our Just Giving page and get your name in the credits of a future episode: https://www.justgiving.com/page/pet-shop-boys-in-depth-podcast Check out our T-shirt store - all profits from our exclusive designs support the podcast: https://in-depth.teemill.com Find extra In Depth content on our social channels: Facebook: http://tiny.cc/3jhcvz Bluesky: http://tiny.cc/jc7h001 X: http://tiny.cc/lc7h001

It's 1977 and punk has just hit Liverpool.  The legendary Eric's club is home to the city's rebels and posers - many became pop stars.Penny Kiley became a music journalist.Atypical Girl - Punk rock, Liverpool and trying to be normal' is Penny's homage to the city's re-emergence as a musical force which had lain dormant since the Beatles upped sticks and left in the 60's.The book is also the highly personalised tale of an autistic woman in the male-dominated world of music journalism - working for Melody Maker, Smash Hits and the Liverpool Echo, reviewing gigs by Echo and the Bunnymen and Dead or Alive, and interviewing Jonathan Richman and the rest."If anyone can paint a true picture of those glorious days, Penny can." - says Will Seargent.

Two years, 500 gigabytes of audio, and more than 200 voice actors. The Australian’s podcast adaptation of Hedley Thomas’ best-selling book Sick to Death is nearing its conclusion. It’s the story of the havoc wrought on the Queensland medical system by the incompetent surgeon Jayant Patel 20 years ago – and there’s still more to come. Today, Hedley and our production team get together to discuss this epic project – and why it still resonates in 2026. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calle Soul es el nuevo concepto que esta revolucionando la música del genero urbano en Puerto Rico pero, ¿Será un nuevo sub genero o es algo que ya existía y los productores de Smash Hits re inventaron?. También aclaran situación y cuentan la verdad sobre un famoso concierto clandestino en Puerto Rico y cual fue el resultado que les trajo esa iniciativa.

Smash Hits are a record label led by producer duo Mistel Kind and Super Solo. Their most recent project are the Calle Soul Sessions. Smash Hits son una disquera independiente liderada porlos productores Mistel Kind y Súper Solo. Su proyecto más reciente son las Calle Soul Sessions. FOLLOW Smash Hits on SOCIAL MEDIA: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5WPggSPnnyS5quU7qUJKyB?si=OboD_8HRQcOGtNQX7NIVPwhttps://instagram.com/smashhitsmusichttp://www.youtube.com/@SmashHitsMusic  FOLLOW FEN on SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.facebook.com/fencorrea/https://www.instagram.com/fencorrea/https://twitter.com/fencorreahttps://fencorrea.weebly.com/bloghttps://www.tiktok.com/@fencorrea FIND FEN'S Books on Amazon/Spotify/YouTube/Bandcamp: https://www.amazon.com/Fernando-E.-E.-Correa-Gonz%C3%A1lez/e/B07221Q1FY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1536059902&sr=8-1 https://open.spotify.com/artist/4dUtrVampVxlHJSXNVaTi9?si=i6kqQ3N_Sv-Rlesi48mHrw  https://www.youtube.com/fencorrea  https://fencorrea.bandcamp.com

Holiday at Goodman Theatre is a new adaptation of Philip Barry's 1928 romantic comedy, reimagined by Tony Award–winning playwright Richard Greenberg and directed by Goodman's legendary director, Robert Falls. The play presents the wealthy Seton family on New York's Upper East Side, and introduces a young charismatic newcomer to the family whose romance with one […]

Welcome back to 1987!The decade of decadence, extravagance, elegance and other words that end in -nce was powering its way towards the later end of its cultural tenure. And whilst there is no doubt that perceived wisdom (or, the internet as we now call it) would tell us that 1987 was the year of big hair, big shoulder pads, and big mobile phones, those of that were there can tell a different story too. The year of POP aspiration was also one of smoke and mirrors. The big suits and big statements across our TV and radio were often wonderfully deceptive. Whilst the music industry had loadsamoney to spend, those acts climbing the charts and filling the pages of Smash Hits were doing so often in the most homemade and, frankly subversive way possible. And in doing so, the genres were flowing, the hits were coming and our pop landscape was as colourful and diversive as we could possibly have wished for.Step forward then the leading compilation series (other slightly inferior ones were OBVIOUSLY available) to deliver its tenth volume. I know, double figures!!Now, That's What I Call Music 10 shines brightly with its neon signage casting a glittering pop beacon over the wasteland of…..(enough with the imagery, get to the songs, Ed!)Step forward the utterly imperial Pet Shop Boys, the incredibly sophisti-poptastic Curiosity Killed The Cat, the completely covered in plaster-of-Paris Hue and Cry and many other to lead the hits-filled charge into Autumn ‘87. And joining me to provide her very own unique view of this pop snapshot is TV and radio presenter Sue Charles.Join us as we find out about Sue's journey across Radio1 AND 2, from 'Newsbeat' and 'Steve Wright in the Afternoon' to reporting behind the scenes at TOTP and to becoming one of the most familiar voices and faces across BBC Wales. And of course, dive deep back into the pop culture of 1987 that includes the The Style Council, Casey Kasem, Andy Warhol, Shrewsbury(!), Sir William of Idol, Cliff, claymation Jazz, the glorious return of Squeeze and some genuine love for one of Wales' musical legends Mike Peters.All of this plus some amazing missing in action ‘87 stars and not a single mention of Michael Fish! Ain't no doubt about it, this is The Real Thing! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fi's still off, so Jane is holding down the fort, with some help from Eve ('fresh' from Berlin). There's more discussion about revision, fear of failure, the eccentricities of Berlin, and Jane's love of work (and Smash Hits). Plus, Jane speaks to Stéphane Babonneau, the lawyer to Gisèle Pelicot. Gisèle's book is called 'A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides'. Our next book club pick is 'A Town Like Alice' by Nevil Shute.Our most asked about book is called 'The Later Years' by Peter Thornton.You can listen to our 'I'm in the cupboard on Christmas' playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1awQioX5y4fxhTAK8ZPhwQIf you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radioFollow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producers: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest songs to hit the pop chart 100 years ago this week! Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

Welcome to the utterly swingorilliant Autumn 1987! Frightwigs ahoy! Pass around the rock'n'roll mouthwash because the Ver Kids knew that pop was back, Back BACK!Actually, what this all really means is that in 1987 the nation's favourite fortnightly pop magazine and the nation's favourite compilation series had - quite literally - come together and created the greatest album in the world EVER (possibly).NOW/Smash Hits of the 80s (subtitled 32 swingorilliant hits of the 80s) arrived in our records shops - complied and conceived by the wonderful team at Ver Hits no less! There was even, EVEN a pull out lyrics booklet in the magazine too! Huzzah!But looking back from our futuristic space stations in 2026 back nearly 40 years, how does this mid 80s compilation of 80s hits stand up? Tune in listeners for an hour celebrating the likes of Adam and the Ants, Haircut 100, Duran Duran, Mel and Kim and many other to find out!And joining me for this episode is the author of Into the Groove: The 1980s: The Ultimate Decade in Music History, and all round pop fanatic, Justin Lewis. Discover how this album was compiled, revisit the wonderful Smash Hits sleevenotes, argue with us about the sequencing and the missing tracks, and marvel at how bonkers the world in 1987 really looked, especially when it was looking back on that most eclectic of decades, the 80s!Down the dumper? Not a bit of it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nine songs enter the Pop chart in the last week of 1925. Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

Chris and Tim are coming at you this week after Thanksgiving break and are talking about the huge success of Zootopia 2, The release of the events for Disneyland 2026 which is missing a staple event, and Disney+ is adding a 24/7 Simpsons Channel. The guys also talk about all the banned cheaters in Battlefield 6 and how the numbers appear larger than they really are.

Glorious news! The Undertones, dependable symbols of eternal youth, are setting out on a 50th anniversary tour in 2026, still playing Teenage Kicks and Here Comes the Summer in their mid-60s. Damian O'Neill joined when he was 14 and can't believe it either. He looks back here at … … their first gig in a scout hall - “Feargal was a Scout leader!” - and their second for 1,000 schoolkids at St Joseph's in Derry … the world-wide appeal of their Irish identity and why “America never got us” … David's memories of interviewing them for Smash Hits in 1979 the day they thought “we're finished” ... “We were anti-pretension!” … seeing Horslips, Rory Gallagher, the Blockheads, Eddie & the Hot Rods and the Lurkers … joining the band at 14 and playing Beatles, Stones, Them, Cream and Dr Feelgood covers … parkas, Millets jeans and the Derry boot-boy look. “If you dressed up in those days you ran the risk of getting your head kicked in” … being in the band's HQ the night Peel played Teenage Kicks twice in a row … songs about “love and lack of love” – and girls and chocolate … how it feels to be on Top Of The Pops and then watch your single go down the charts … their first visit to a studio (Wizard in Belfast) and self-producing Teenage Kicks with just an engineer – and still playing it in your mid-60s … and a heartfelt apology to the people of Blackburn! Order tickets for the Undertones 50th Anniversary tour here: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/the-undertones-tickets/artist/959984Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Glorious news! The Undertones, dependable symbols of eternal youth, are setting out on a 50th anniversary tour in 2026, still playing Teenage Kicks and Here Comes the Summer in their mid-60s. Damian O'Neill joined when he was 14 and can't believe it either. He looks back here at … … their first gig in a scout hall - “Feargal was a Scout leader!” - and their second for 1,000 schoolkids at St Joseph's in Derry … the world-wide appeal of their Irish identity and why “America never got us” … David's memories of interviewing them for Smash Hits in 1979 the day they thought “we're finished” ... “We were anti-pretension!” … seeing Horslips, Rory Gallagher, the Blockheads, Eddie & the Hot Rods and the Lurkers … joining the band at 14 and playing Beatles, Stones, Them, Cream and Dr Feelgood covers … parkas, Millets jeans and the Derry boot-boy look. “If you dressed up in those days you ran the risk of getting your head kicked in” … being in the band's HQ the night Peel played Teenage Kicks twice in a row … songs about “love and lack of love” – and girls and chocolate … how it feels to be on Top Of The Pops and then watch your single go down the charts … their first visit to a studio (Wizard in Belfast) and self-producing Teenage Kicks with just an engineer – and still playing it in your mid-60s … and a heartfelt apology to the people of Blackburn! Order tickets for the Undertones 50th Anniversary tour here: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/the-undertones-tickets/artist/959984Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Glorious news! The Undertones, dependable symbols of eternal youth, are setting out on a 50th anniversary tour in 2026, still playing Teenage Kicks and Here Comes the Summer in their mid-60s. Damian O'Neill joined when he was 14 and can't believe it either. He looks back here at … … their first gig in a scout hall - “Feargal was a Scout leader!” - and their second for 1,000 schoolkids at St Joseph's in Derry … the world-wide appeal of their Irish identity and why “America never got us” … David's memories of interviewing them for Smash Hits in 1979 the day they thought “we're finished” ... “We were anti-pretension!” … seeing Horslips, Rory Gallagher, the Blockheads, Eddie & the Hot Rods and the Lurkers … joining the band at 14 and playing Beatles, Stones, Them, Cream and Dr Feelgood covers … parkas, Millets jeans and the Derry boot-boy look. “If you dressed up in those days you ran the risk of getting your head kicked in” … being in the band's HQ the night Peel played Teenage Kicks twice in a row … songs about “love and lack of love” – and girls and chocolate … how it feels to be on Top Of The Pops and then watch your single go down the charts … their first visit to a studio (Wizard in Belfast) and self-producing Teenage Kicks with just an engineer – and still playing it in your mid-60s … and a heartfelt apology to the people of Blackburn! Order tickets for the Undertones 50th Anniversary tour here: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/the-undertones-tickets/artist/959984Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Margaret from the Smash Hit podcast is here to talk all things Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen! Natalie and Margaret will dig into the nostalgic lore behind the career of the Olsen Twins. They'll chat about how Mary-Kate and Ashley are icons when it comes to building an empire while also keeping up your boundaries and how they were able to maintain control of their content. They will also get into how girlhood in the 90s was presented through the Olsen Twin movies and TV shows and the joys that came from having movies advertised specifically for middle school aged girls. Support the Show:Follow us at @menivetoleratedpod on Instagram! https://www.patreon.com/menivetoleratedpod on Patreon for bonus content! We are currently running a free trial on all three tiers! All ways to support the show can be found at https://linktr.ee/menivetoleratedpod. Join the newsletter so you know when all bonus material is out and learn about all our other projects.Find MargaretPodcast: Smash Hit Instagram

This week, Zak and Aaron sit down to chat about another (increasingly rare) industry success story: the brand-new Telltale-style adventure Dispatch! How, despite facing doubt from publishers over the game's fairly niche genre and episodic release structure, did AdHoc Studio's debut title release to rousing numbers and enviable review scores? Only one way to find out...Please, enjoy.Listen to Beach Girl on SpotifyCheck Out MosscatMarket on Instagram

It's predicted to be the movie event of the year, and this Friday 21 November, Wicked: For Good is finally released in cinemas - the follow-up to last year's Oscar-nominated first film, featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. We're joined by The Standard's Culture Writer India Block, who gave the sequel a five star rating, and said if it doesn't get more Oscar nominations, she'll eat her witch's hat! Plus, India is joined by Paul Tazewell, the costume designer behind the epic outfits of the show, who offers a glimpse inside the visual world of Oz…and have you spotted the London destination that has been given a Wicked makeover? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a boatload of the latest hits of 1925. Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

Paul Young was the bassist in a pub band playing Led Zeppelin and Patto covers ‘til his solo soul and blues slot launched him as a singer. He's still touring nearly 50 years later, just back from filling Mexican stadiums with Rod Stewart. And next May launching his acoustic ‘Songs & Stories Tour' in theatres, intercut with film clips and hoary old tales from the battlefield. He looks back here at … … Smash Hits cover shoots and Rewind package tours: “what a glorious time the ‘80s was” … the soul phrases he stole from Free and his impression of “the Paul Rodgers moan” … discovering James Taylor, the Doors, Gregg Allman, Vinegar Joe and Van Morrison … supporting Bob Marley when the crowd threw a dead duck at Joe Jackson – “and hit him!” … Mike & Bernie Winters in panto - “I was rolling in the aisles” … playing Led Zeppelin, Cream and Patto and the Bill Withers and Albert King covers that launched him as a singer … memories of Live Aid – “I wish I'd thought about it more” … “What am I, a performing monkey?” … when Midge Ure told him the opening line of Band Aid had actually been a secret audition – “Simon, Tony Hadley or me” … the “deafening” Slade at Luton Tech, the night the DJ played Black JuJu by Alice Cooper … the over-cranked news story that he'd lost his voice … and the night the Mafia came to Rhode Island. Tickets for ‘Paul Young – Songs & Stories' here: https://www.awaywithmedia.com/tours/paul-young-2026Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Young was the bassist in a pub band playing Led Zeppelin and Patto covers ‘til his solo soul and blues slot launched him as a singer. He's still touring nearly 50 years later, just back from filling Mexican stadiums with Rod Stewart. And next May launching his acoustic ‘Songs & Stories Tour' in theatres, intercut with film clips and hoary old tales from the battlefield. He looks back here at … … Smash Hits cover shoots and Rewind package tours: “what a glorious time the ‘80s was” … the soul phrases he stole from Free and his impression of “the Paul Rodgers moan” … discovering James Taylor, the Doors, Gregg Allman, Vinegar Joe and Van Morrison … supporting Bob Marley when the crowd threw a dead duck at Joe Jackson – “and hit him!” … Mike & Bernie Winters in panto - “I was rolling in the aisles” … playing Led Zeppelin, Cream and Patto and the Bill Withers and Albert King covers that launched him as a singer … memories of Live Aid – “I wish I'd thought about it more” … “What am I, a performing monkey?” … when Midge Ure told him the opening line of Band Aid had actually been a secret audition – “Simon, Tony Hadley or me” … the “deafening” Slade at Luton Tech, the night the DJ played Black JuJu by Alice Cooper … the over-cranked news story that he'd lost his voice … and the night the Mafia came to Rhode Island. Tickets for ‘Paul Young – Songs & Stories' here: https://www.awaywithmedia.com/tours/paul-young-2026Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London's Blitz club in 1980 had a huge impact on the way the decade looked and sounded, the launchpad for Boy George, Spandau Ballet, a new age of electro-pop and many writers, designers and photographers. The author and broadcaster Robert Elms was one of its cornerstones, “a place for people who'd outgrown the 20th Century”. We talk here about his book ‘Blitz: the Club That Created the ‘80s' with all of this on the dancefloor … … the Blitz Club rules, “unspoken until Steve Strange spoke them”. And the door policy: “Look at yourself, darling. Would YOU let yourself in?” … first nights “with a Space Cossack shirt and asymmetric wedge” and the origin of the term New Romantic … the rise of the “home-made Macaronis” (dictionary definition: “over-dressed popinjays of dubious sexuality”) … Bowie's Starman, Roxy, soul, disco, Weimar, Max Ernst, Otto Dix, Edith Piaf, Swinging London, Andy Warhol and other keys strands of Blitz DNA … its anti-rock stance and impact on the mid-‘80s American charts … the news-friendly night Mick Jagger was barred entry … “I was spat at by an old lady at a bus stop for wearing eyeliner and a kilt” … when Island offered Spandau a deal after just three numbers … the role of the Face, Smash Hits and the new full-colour media … the author's “dilettante” passage through skinhead, suedehead, soul boy and punk … and the night Bowie appeared, “like Jesus walking into your local church and sitting in a pew”. Order ‘Blitz: The Club That Created the 80s' here:https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/blitz-the-club-that-created-the-eighties-robert-elms/e672041a84e0cde9?ean=9780571394180&next=t&next=tFind out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A pile of songs entered the Pop chart 100 years ago this week. Donate to the podcast through PayPal eloftmpodcast@gmail.com Or subscribe to my comic strip at patreon.com/LNTCS

'Old School' is back on Netflix, and Grant just needs to appreciate how good the film is.

Before she was a MasterChef judge and one of Britain's most distinctive food writers, Grace Dent was a Carlisle kid eating crispy pancakes and dreaming of life beyond beige dinners. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she joins James O'Brien to talk about blagging her way into London media, finding her voice through food, and why she still can't believe they let her near the foie gras.Grace reflects on growing up in a loud, loving, working-class family, and how her obsession with pop culture, Smash Hits and Paula Yates convinced her she was destined for something bigger. They talk about class, ambition, the snobbery that still haunts food writing- and why MasterChef was the job her mum would've loved most but never got to see.With sharp wit, candour and zero pretence, Grace dishes up a story of rejection, reinvention and the joy of really good jam.This episode was recorded on 24th June 2025, prior to the release of the report into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by MasterChef's presenters on 14th July 2025.Find out more about Zopa Bank here

Missy gets the surprise of a lifetime when President Donald Trump shows up to catch her epic speech as she accepted an award from a national organization supporting motherhood. Jase beams with pride over Missy's achievement, and the guys explore the differences between Jesus-centric sobriety programs and secular ones. One of Phil's oldest buddies recalls how they became close friends. Check out Missy's showstopping acceptance speech for the Mothers of Influence Award from Moms for America at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_uGXxhReuo! In this episode: Ephesians 3, verses 18-21 “Unashamed” Episode 1001 is sponsored by: https://policygenius.com/phil — Get FREE life insurance quotes and see how much you could save! https://BlazeUnlimited.com/Unashamed — Claim your spot & join the mission to defend free speech & uphold the American way of life! https://philmerch.com — Get your “Unashamed” mugs, shirts, hats & hoodies! -- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices