• 31 - Steve Wynn - The Dream Syndicate & The Paisley Underground (Los Angeles)
    Oct 2 2024

    You can see our upcoming live events here:


    https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/


    Steve Wynn joins us to tell us all about his time with the Dream Syndicate, the formation of the band & the Paisley Underground scene. Steve's new book is out now on Jawbone Press & his latest record Make It Right is out on Fire Records.


    The Dream Syndicate formed in 1981 with Kendra Smith, Karl Precoda & Dennis Duck joining Steve in the band. Steve briefly had another band with Sid Griffin who later formed the Long Ryders but chose to concentrate on what became the Dream Syndicate.


    The band comes together remarkably quickly with a demo, first show & a band name all within 3 weeks of forming - their debut EP followed shortly after & sold out its initial pressings immediately.


    The scene that builds becomes known as the Paisley Underground & also includes The Bangs (later The Bangles), Salvation Army (later The Three O'Clock) & Rain Parade. Other bands including Green On Red & The Long Ryders are described by Steve as 'Paisley Adjacent'.


    The band sign with LA label Slash Records & release their debut album The Days of Wine & Roses in 1982 which is an instant success.


    The Dream Syndicate's first national tour follows & features a stop at the 9.30 Club in Washington D.C. & the legendary Maxwells in Hoboken & a missed show at the Danceteria in New York. Prince (allegedly) attended the bands show at First Avenue in Minneapolis.


    Kendra Smith leaves the band shortly after the tour & with that the first phase of the Dream Syndicate comes to an end.



    Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

    Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

    Edited by Andy Maxwell


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    58 mins
  • 30 - The Scala Cinema (featuring Jah Wobble, Stewart Lee, Caroline Catz & Richard Norris) with Jane Giles & Ali Catterall (Kings Cross)
    Sep 25 2024

    Featuring exclusive clips from Jah Wobble, Stewart Lee, Caroline Catz & Richard Norris sharing their memories of the Scala Cinema.


    You can see our upcoming live events here:


    https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/


    You can watch the Scala documentary on BFI Player:


    https://player.bfi.org.uk



    Scala documentary makers Jane Giles & Ali Catterall join us to share the history of the cinema from its original Soho location & its 2nd home in Kings Cross in London.


    The first cinema was built on the site of the Scala Theatre which featured extensively in The Beatles' feature film debut A Hard Days Night in 1964. This original Soho location opened as a cinema in 1976 originally known as The Other Cinema, becoming the Scala in the summer of 1978.


    The cinema soon gained a reputation for its eclectic programming & diverse clientele. The Scala also put on gigs including Throbbing Gristle, Spandau Ballet,

    The Slits, A Certain Ratio, Durutti Column & New Order.


    The Scala relocated to Kings Cross in 1981 but the new location had a musical history of its own having played host to gigs from Hawkwind, Soft Machine, Flamin’ Groovies, Mott the Hoople, Status Quo, Viv Stanshall, Lou Reed (the cover for Transformer was taken here) & Iggy & The Stooges (the Raw Power cover was also taken at the Scala at their only UK gig).


    At the new location the Scala's legendary all nighters soon became infamous & were attend by the likes of Ian Curtis, Shane McGowan & more.


    The Scala closed its doors in 1993 in the wake of the lease for the building reaching an end & a controversial screening of A Clockwork Orange.



    Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

    Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

    Edited by Andy Maxwell



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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • 29 - Clem Cattini - Joe Meek, The Beatles, Billy Fury, Johnny Kidd & more (304 Holloway Road)
    Sep 18 2024

    Clem Cattini tells us about the birth of British rock & roll - Clem has played on over 40 number 1 singles, including Shakin’ All Over by Johnny Kidd & The Pirates & of course Telstar with his band the Tornados, the first British band to top the charts in America.


    We start in late 1959 when Clem leaves Larry Parnes represented backing band The Beat Boys & subsequently ends up as a member of Johnny Kidd & The Pirates. In early 1960 they hit the top spot with the iconic 'Shakin' All Over'.


    Despite this success the band played some less than salubrious gigs which we hear all about - as well as the origin of Johnny Kidd's famous eye patch & how he came to leave The Pirates.


    Not long after Clem auditions for Joe Meek at his legendary studio at 304 Holloway Road, subsequently joining The Tornados - we hear all about the goings on at Joe's studio, his time with Billy Fury & how the Tornados later came to make the legendary Telstar - becoming the first British band to top the US charts in late 1962.


    Clem also became friends with The Beatles as they crossed paths on the concert circuit of the early 1960s & tells us about his many encounters with the Fab Four.



    We regularly run live in conversation appearances, you can see our upcoming events here:


    https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/



    Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

    Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

    Edited by Andy Maxwell


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • 28 - Prince with Matt Thorne - Part 2 (Minneapolis)
    Sep 11 2024

    Part 2 of our chat with Prince biographer Matt Thorne picks up where we left off with the release of his debut album For You in 1977 on Warner Bros.


    We find out about Prince's fast way of working in the studio along with his decision to produce, sing & play most of his records himself.


    Prince put a full time band together following the release of his debut album & heads out on his first proper tour since singing to Warners.


    His second album titled simply Prince follows in 1979 & spawns 3 hit singles (‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’, ‘I Feel for You’ and ‘Sexy Dancer’) - I Wanna Be Your Lover sells over a million copies in the US but remarkably fails to crack the top 10 in the chart.


    A strange appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand follows & Prince's 'I Feel For You' becomes a huge hit for Chaka Khan.



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    43 mins
  • 27 - Prince with Matt Thorne - Part 1 (Minneapolis)
    Sep 4 2024

    Join us as we chart Prince's formative years in Minneapolis, Minnesota with biographer Matt Thorne.


    We discuss his family background, how he came to be named Prince, his early bands & songwriting (he wrote his first song at the age of 7).


    Prince's early influences remained pretty consistent throughout his life & included Larry Graham, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, George Clinton, Sly Stone, the Jacksons, Tower of Power, Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, Joni Mitchell, Rufus and Chaka Khan.


    Some of the early gigs Prince attended included James Brown, Joni Mitchell & Todd Rundgren leading to the formation of his first band Grand Central.


    Prince's remarkable work ethic was there from the start & this leads to his eventual signing to Warner Brothers Records in 1977, then one of the largest contracts for a new artist in history.


    Part 2 picks up where this leaves off & goes into detail on Prince's first 2 albums, early singles & tours.



    Signs


    Key role of British writer/producer Chris Moon


    The many home recordings




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    44 mins
  • 26 - Pulp with Nick Banks (Sheffield)
    Aug 28 2024

    Pulp Part 1 - Nick Banks joined Pulp in 1986 after seeing an ad outside Sheffield Leadmill & as a fan of the local band already decided to audition, making his live debut at the Adelphi Hotel in Hull shortly after.


    Following Jarvis Cocker's decision to relocate to London in 1988, Nick follows suit & Pulp begin to focus more on gigs in the capital. The Separations album is recorded the following year but doesn't come out until 1992.


    Island Records eventually become interested & the His n Hers album begins to take shape. A John Peel Session follows 13 years after Pulp's first & Jarvis Cocker borrows £5000 off his Grandma to facilitate the release of the Babies single.


    Geoff Travis comes to the rescue amid wrangling with the band's label & the His n Hers album is recorded at Britannia Row Studios in Islington, North London.


    A Top of the Pops debut follows & gigs with Blur & Supergrass come shortly after as well as a memorable Christmas gig at the Theatre Royal.




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    58 mins
  • 25 - Joy Division in Walthamstow, East London
    Aug 21 2024

    Join us to take a deep dive into the little known history of Joy Division right here on our home turf in Walthamstow, East London. Find out from a first hand source how the band came to play 2 gigs here in 1979 - how it came about, how many people were there, what happened & more.


    Joy Division's first trip to London had been in late 1978 when they played the Hope & Anchor in Islington just after Christmas, at that gig they met some punks from Walthamstow & later come to play 2 shows at the now demolished youth centre on Markhouse Road. About a week later the now iconic bridge photo was taken of Joy Division by Kevin Cummins.


    Following their debut release the Factory Sample, on March 30th 1979 Joy Division play their first gig in E17, after which the band stayed at a house on The Crescent here in Walthamstow lying on mattresses in the living room.


    Hear about some recently uncovered photos from this stay in E17 as well as the conjecture over whether the band stayed or not as they entered Strawberry Studios in Stockport the very next day to begin recording the Unknown Pleasures album with Martin Hannett.


    We will tell you about some of the mysteries surrounding the 2nd gig as the date is officially unknown & little remains in terms of advertising, promotion, setlist or bootleg recordings.


    Also hear about how Ian Curtis's legendary Mac featured in several iconic photos ended up in a charity shop here in Walthamstow.


    Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

    Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

    Edited by Andy Maxwell


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    53 mins
  • 24 - Josef K - Scottish Post Punk with Johnnie Johnston (Edinburgh)
    Aug 14 2024


    Join us on our first trip to Scotland, Edinburgh to be precise to retrace the history of on elf post-punk's most iconic bands, Josef K. The band were only around a few years but their influence has grown enormously in the intervening years, biographer Johnnie Johnston takes us through our first look at C81, Postcard Records, & the Sound of Young Scotland.


    We talk about the Scotland of the 1970s & how it differs from today, how the band met & came together, The band's connection with the Worlds End Murders of October 1977, Josef K's key influences including the Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, Iggy & the Stooges & of course the advent of punk.


    A key gig in the city of Edinburgh took place at the Playhouse in May of 1977 when The Clash, Subway Sect, The Jam, The Slits & Buzzcocks all appearing on the same bill. The band later open for the Clash in 1980. We discuss both as well as the legendary 'Sound of Young Scotland' showcase gigs in Edinburgh & Glasgow. Josef K also got support slots with Magazine, Bauhaus, The Cure, Teardrop Explodes, Echo & the Bunnymen in the wake of those legendary gigs.


    Was Postcard was the right fit for the band? We also mention earlier signings to the label including The Go-Betweens, Aztec Camera & Orange Juice.


    Along with that we touch on Josef K's unique sound with 3 rhythm guitars but no lead, the John Peel session the band recorded, their subsequent influence on the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Wedding Present & The Smiths.


    And of course, Josef K's curious decision to re-record their debut album, their sudden break up & a little about what happened to the members after & much more.


    Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

    Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

    Edited by Andy Maxwell




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    53 mins