CATtales: Recent Episodes
CATtales
In this series of revealing interviews, Cat tells tales about influential musicians who have been at the heart of the industry for many years and have moulded and inspired others to follow in their footsteps.
Taking a friendly and informal approach, these fresh and relaxed conversations are the sort of chat overheard in the backstage bar about life and music...and occasionally even exposing a few secrets.
Sit back, enjoy, and subscribe.
The content of these audio recordings is protected under copyright. Jingles by Lesley Curtis.
Dave Hill is a national treasure. Half a century after Slade’s first hit, surviving a stroke, depression and the departure of his former band mates, Dave is still going strong and entertaining Slade fans with live performances of the band’s hits - seventeen consecutive top twenty and six UK number ones to be precise.
We chat about Slade’s fourth-coming tour, their latest box set release All The World Is A Stage, what’s next on the horizon, and how Dave put on his ‘Batman cape’ to emerge as one of greatest glam rock icons of the era.
The Slade tracks featured are: Cum On Feel The Noise, Coz I Love You, Far Far Away, How Does It Feel, and My Oh My. For more information about Dave and Slade visit www.davehillslade.com
Before becoming one of the biggest names in rock history, Status Quo honed their craft as a holiday camp act at Butlins in Minehead. Sixty years later, the same venue was the chosen to host the last performance of John Coghlan’s Quo’s farewell tour.
But John is not ready to hang up his drum sticks for good just yet….well…as he explains, he hasn’t got a dog after all. So what does a man who has 60 UK chart hits, twenty-two Top 10s, a performance at Live Aid and a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music behind him do? Well…make more music, of course!
Founding member of Buzzcocks, one of punk’s most seminal bands of all time that managed to fuse rapid-fire rebellious energy with pop craftsmanship, Steve Diggle is nothing short of a punk hero.
With a plethora of hits under his belt including the classics Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve), What Do I Get?, Everybody’s Happy Nowadays, and Harmony in My Head, Steve never imagined that he would still be flying the Buzzcocks’ flag some 45 years later.
Steve talks about the loss of his friend and fellow band member, Pete Shelley, how punk made people rethink their whole conscious about music, the meaning behind the song that means the most to him, and the latest Buzzcocks’ album Sonics In The Soul, due for release later this year.
The tracks featured are: the classic tracks Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve), What Do I Get? and Harmony In My Head, along with Manchester Rain and Senses Out of Control fromBuzzcocks’ new album Sonics In The Soul.
To find out more about Steve Diggle and the release of the new album, visit Buzzcocks.com
Owen Paul is everyone’s favourite waste of time. Singer, producer and co-writer of the 1986 pop hit My Favourite Waste of Time, Owen was the overnight sensation who spent years honing his craft and who went on to forge a very successful career in the entertainment business.
Since that song topped the charts, he’s played a leading role in a major musical theatre production, toured the UK and Europe with Phil Collins as one of Mike and the Mechanics, and was harassed by The Osbournes in the infamous 'noisy neighbours' episode.
But the love the live performance is in his blood and Owen returned to the stage in 2009 as lead vocalist for XSM featuring original Simple Minds members Derek Forbes and Brian McGee and has since released new solo material as well as remixed versions of his unforgettable 80’s classic.
The tracks featured are: My Favourite Waste of Time (original version), My Favourite Waste of Time (30th anniversary version), Breathe in Breathing Deep (Song for John), and Sleeping on the Same Pillow. For more information about Owen visit www.TheOwenPaul.com
This tale is about a legendary guitar hero who has officially cheated death.
To successive generations of guitar aficionados, Wilko Johnson is a cult figure in the rock world. He’s been a Blockhead and a founding member of Canvey Island’s celebrated punk precursors: Dr Feelgood whose unwavering devotion to old-fashioned rhythm and blues and Wilko’s explosive guitar playing inspired everyone from Paul Weller to Joe Strummer.
Life made a cruel twist in 2012 when Wilko was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer but it led to the most extraordinary year of his life which started with a farewell tour, included a part in Game of Thrones and an album with Roger Daltrey, and then culminated with the most surreal experience of all: a cure.
The tracks features are: Roxette and Milk & Alcohol by Dr Feelgood, Going Back Home by Wilko Johnson and Roger Daltrey from their album Going Back Home, and Say Goodbye from Wilko Johnson’s album Blow Your Mind.
To learn more about Wilko Johnson and his music visit wilkojohnson.com
Carl Palmer is a drummer’s drummer. His dazzling speed and mastery of the drums has secured him multiple awards and well as a respected place in history as one of rock and roll’s greatest drummers. A consummate professional, a brilliant technician and a dynamic showman, he has thrilled audiences for nearly six decades playing with some of music’s most memorable bands from Atomic Rooster and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown to multi-platinum selling supergroups Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and ASIA. When I caught up with him he was fresh from touring his ELP Legacy shows celebrating 50 years of the band’s third album and ahead of ASIA’s 40th anniversary tour this summer. But what I couldn’t wait to talk about was the release of an amazing boxed set: ASIA In Asia, and hear the stories behind the recording of the 1983 performance in The Budakon, Tokyo.
The tracks featured are: Here Comes The Feeling, Sole Survivor, and Heat of The Moment from ASIA In Asia – Live At The Budokan, Tokyo, 1983; and Tomorrow Night by Atomic Rooster. ASIA In Asia – Live At The Budokan, Tokyo, 1983, is available from 10th June, follow this link to pre-order and read more about it on the CATtales blog. Visit carlpalmer.com for more information about Carl and originalasia.com for the latest information on Asia.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity. So, I’ve recorded Cat O’nine Tales; nine special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form. After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it. Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 Tales.
Tale 9:Scottish singer-songwriter Eddi Reader has three BRIT Awards to her name, fronted punk outfit Gang of Four, harmonized with Annie Lennox touring with the Eurythmics, and topped the UK charts with Fairground Attraction.
But when I caught up with her at Cambridge Folk Festival she revealed a bit of her more private side as she reminiscing about getting old, Cambridge men and travelled around Europe with a circus!
This tale dates back to 29 August 2006, visit CATtales.co.uk/122 for the one with Eddi Reader and sit back and enjoy these tunes.
Visit eddireader.co.uk for information on Eddi and to listen to this again and to other tales, visit CATtales.co.uk.
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity. So, I’ve recorded Cat O’nine Tales; nine special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form. After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it. Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 Tales.
Tale 8:
Karine Polwart’s edgy and evocative writing and vocal poise have been steadily winning her respect and affection in the UK and internationally over the past six years as a member of traditional groups Malinky and Battlefield Band.
But now the Scottish Borders based singer-songwriter has established herself at the forefront of the UK folk-roots scene after scooping three prizes at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in February 2005. She’s also a wonderfully genuine person. Here’s how the triple-award winner now she sees the world.
This tale dates back to 30 August 2005, visit CATtales.co.uk/121 for the one with Karine Polwart and sit back and enjoy these tunes.
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity. So, I’ve recorded Cat O’nine Tales; nine special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form. After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it. Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 Tales.
Tale 7:
It was 30 years since The Proclaimers made their legendary TV debut on The Tube, performing the now classic song Letter From America.
Back then, the charts were dominated by the likes of Rick Astley and Sinita and The Proclaimers were unlike anything seen before. The response to the two impassioned brothers singing their hearts out in their own accents about serious political issues was extraordinary and Channel 4’s switchboards were jammed with curious callers.
This tale dates back to 29 August 2005 when Craig and Charlie Reid tell me what the journey has been like. Visit CATtales.co.uk/120 for the one with The Proclaimers and sit back and enjoy these tunes.
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity. So, I’ve recorded Cat O’nine Tales; nine special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form. After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it. Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 Tales.
Tale 6:
There are few keyboard players as accomplished as Mick Gallagher. He’s contributed to albums by iconic punk-rockers The Clash, played with Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, Robbie Williams, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox, and been a right Animal!
But he’s most well-known for being a member of Ian Dury and The Blockheads. Three years after Ian’s passing, Mick chatted frankly about life with Ian, the future of The Blockheads and what it’s like to work with so many iconic names.
This tale dates back to 9 November 2003, visit CATtales.co.uk/119 for the one with Mick Gallagher and sit back and enjoy these tunes.
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity.
So, I’ve recorded Cat O’nine Tales; nine special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form.
After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it.
Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 Tales.
Tale 5:
Laura Cantrell’s country vibe struck a chord with the Cambridge Folk Festival crowd with her soft, melodious tones wooing the audience.
Her 2000 debut album, Not the Tremblin' Kind brought the Nashville-born and New York City-based performer considerable acclaim and I was interested to learn whether the American music industry differed much from that in the UK.
This tale dates back to 2 August 2003, visit CATtales.co.uk/118 for the one with Laura Cantrell and sit back and enjoy these tunes. Visit lauracantrell.com for more information about Laura.
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity. So, I’ve recorded Cat o' Nine Tales; 9 special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form. After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it. Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 tales...
Tale 4:
Roddy Frame is an absolute delight.
It’s rare for a performer armed only with an acoustic guitar to create a sound which could be mistaken for ten men and his charismatic stage-presence completely captivates any audience.
This style of performance is a long cry from Roddy’s days with Aztec Camera who came to prominence in the early eighties and it’s many years since he became an acclaimed solo artist performing acoustic tracks under his own name.
This tale dates back to July 31st 2003, visit CATtales.co.uk/117 for the one with Roddy Frame and sit back and enjoy these tunes. The tracks featured are: Good Morning Britain, Somewhere in my Heart, Oblivious, White Pony and all I Need Is Everything. Visit roddyframe.com for more information on Roddy and to listen to this again and to other tales, visit CATtales.co.uk.
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity. So, I’ve recorded Cat O’nine Tales; nine special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form. After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it. Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 Tales.
Tale 3:
Phill Jupitus may be best known as a stand-up comedian and for his time presenting Never Mind The Buzzcocks than singing but I caught up with him just as he was about to go onstage to front a gig by the legendary Blockheads.
This tale dates back to February 28th 2003, visit CATtales.co.uk/116 for the one with Phill Jupitus and sit back and enjoy these tunes. The tracks featured are: Sex & Drugs & Rock N Roll; Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick; What A Waste; Sweet Gene Vincent; and Billericay Dickie. To buy The Blockhead’s music visit www.theblockheads.com and to listen to this again and to other tales, visit www.CATtales.co.uk
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity. So, I’ve recorded Cat o' Nine Tales; 9 special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form. After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it. Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 tales...
Tale 2:
There’s so much more to Nils Lofgren than just being part of Bruce Sprinsteen’s E-Street Band.
He’s played with Neil Young, Crazy Horse, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Patti Scialfa, and Grin as well as being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
So when I got the opportunity to I speak with him backstage on his Break Away Angel solo tour, I jumped at the chance.
This tale dates back to 16th November 2001, visit CATtales.co.uk/115 for the one with Nils Lofgren and sit back and enjoy these tunes.
The tracks featured are: Shine Silently; I Came To Dance; Cry Tough; Old School; Without You; Across The Tracks. Visit nilslofgen.com for where to purchase these and more of Nil's music, and to listen to this again and to other tales, visit CATtales.co.uk.
Twenty years of interviewing fabulous musicians is no mean feat and I thought it deserved some kind of celebration, or at least to be marked in history for posterity. So, I’ve recorded Cat o' Nine Tales; 9 special episodes of CATtales to look back on those early encounters where the recordings of the interviews no longer survive and the details only remain in written form. After introducing my guest, I’ll give you a link address to read the interview and play some of their key hits for you to listen to whilst you enjoy it. Thank you to you the listeners and my fabulous guests for your support over the years, I hope you enjoy these special 9 tales...
Tale 1:
There’s more to ex-Fairport Convention Vikki Clayton than excellent song writing, a haunting singing voice and musical talent. Beneath the quiet exterior lurks a passion for cats, a fetish for shoes and an empathy for mankind.This tale dates back to October 12th 2001, visit CATtales.co.uk/114 for the one with Vicky Clayton and sit back and enjoy these tunes. The tracks featured are: Shakleton’s Song; The Badger; Here Be Dragons; and The Gardener’s Bonny Daughter. Visit vikkiclayton.info for where to purchase these and more of Vikki’s music, and to listen to this again and to other tales, visit CATtales.co.uk.
Wishbone Ash are the musicians’ musicians, and original and founding member Andy Powell is happy with that.
With over 50 years and more albums than Andy can recall under its belt, Wishbone Ash is still going strong despite seeing more than 20 band members go through the exit door and surviving an acrimonious court case.
There may have been a few lows along the way, but there have certainly been far more highs, as Andy and the band embark on a major tour with the excitement about playing the band's newest album, Coat of Arms, and 2022 marking the 50th anniversary of their critically acclaimed album Argus.
We chat about the secret behind the band’s longevity, pioneering their signature twin-lead guitar style, what makes a good song and how nostalgia is the future.
The tracks featured are: Blowin’ Free from Argus; In Crisis from Power of Eternity; and We Stand As One from Coat of Arms.
Visit wishboneash.com for more information about Andy and Wishbone Ash, where to purchase their music, and when and where they will be performing live.
Albert Bouchard has been in the Rock game for a long time. A lover and appreciator of all things music, Albert was one of the founding members of the legendary rock group, Blue Öyster Cult, which sold over twenty million records world-wide with such classics as (Don’t Fear) The Reaper and the No. 1 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart Burning For You. Albert’s influence as both a drummer and a songwriter is felt throughout the genres of classic rock, hard rock, and heavy metal to this day and much has been written about Albert’s acrimonious split with the band in 1982. But Albert has no regrets. He worked as session musician and also went back to college to achieve a BA in music and MA in English Literacy, formed a band with his brother Jo, called Blue Coupe, and was honoured as an outstanding educator by President Obama at the White House. And now he’s back making music with the trilogy of Imaginos.
The tracks featured are: (Don’t Fear) The Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult, Siege And Investiture Of Baron Von Frankenstein’s Castle At Weisseria from Re Imaginos; and Shadow of California from Imaginos 2 both by Albert Bouchard. Visit AlbertBouchard.net for more information about Albert, where to purchase his music, and when and where he will be performing live.
British guitarist Steve Hackett has thrilled audiences for decades with his epic electric guitar work, first as a member of the Peter Gabriel-fronted version of Genesis and since then as a prolific solo artist.
The influence Steve has had on other musicians can’t be understated. He is considered to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time, is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, not to mention being a highly charming man of considerable intellect. Steve is now embarking on a world tour performing the hugely successful Genesis album Seconds Out and then hot on its heels, a 25 date UK tour, Foxtrot at Fifty, to mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary Genesis album, Foxtrot.
Steve talks about his passion behind his latest albums: the beautiful acoustic Under A Mediterranean Sky and the heavy rock Surrender of Silence as well as sharing how he achieves his distinctive two-handed tapping and sweep picking styles and how eternity wouldn’t be long enough to play music.
The tracks featured are: Can-Utility and the Coastliners from Genesis’ album Foxtrot, Dancing With The Moonlit Knight by Genesis from Selling England by The Pound; Mdina from Steve’s album Under A Mediterranean Sky; and Natalie from Surrender of Silence. Visit HackettSongs.com for information about Steve, when and where he is touring, and how to buy his music.
Original rude boy, 2-tone pioneer, and former frontman for The Specials, Fun Boy Three and Special Beat, Neville Staple has been at the forefront of the ska movement for over 40 years. Not only is his 2-Tone legacy huge, but Neville has also been credited with bringing ‘toasting’ (a forerunner of rapping) to the UK from Jamaica.
He’s performed, written or produced hit albums and singles, TV and film soundtracks (including the 2019 Spiderman blockbuster), not to mention receiving awards from MOJO and NME, as well as Silver, Gold, and Platinum Discs. He’s also received a lifetime achievement award from Coventry’s Foxford School and been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Arden University.
The tracks featured are: Ghost Town from new album From The Specials & Beyond; Skinhead Symphony by The Specials; and Don't Let Life Pass You By and Monkey Man, again from From The Specials & Beyond.
Visit www.fromthespecials.com more information about Neville, Sugary and the band, where to purchase music and when, and where, From The Specials will be performing live.
Steve Harley has spent over 50 years making us smile. The rebel with a cause really has done it all; achieving number one chart success, selling millions of records worldwide and writing music that will live on forever.
One of the nicest men in the business takes time out to chat with me about music and life. Steve explains: how he has achieved the purest sound possible on his latest album, Uncovered; why he wrote a third verse on Compared With You (and who it is for); what advice he has for young people getting into the music business today; how he gets irritated by the ‘woke’ society; and about his love of birds…of the feathered variety.
The tracks featured are: Make Me Smile (Come Up & See Me) from live album Anytime; Only You and Compared With You (Your Eyes Don’t Seem To Age) from Uncovered; and Seeking A Love from the Face To Face album.
Visit steveharley.com for more information about Steve, where to purchase his music and when and where Steve & The Cockney Rebels will be performing live.
Anyone living in 1982 couldn’t possible avoid signing, no dancing (well in my case anyway), to the iconic tune The Lion Sleeps Tonight by pop sensation Tight Fit. O-whim, o-whay! Lol
Famed for their skimpy jungle outfits, the single reached number one in the UK charts where it fought off competition for three weeks. More chart success followed with Fantasy Island and Secret Heart before Denise Waterman, Steve Grant and Julie Harris went their separate ways.
But fast forward to 2010 and the original line-up responded to requests to perform again and have been singing live up and down the UK and in Europe ever since.
Fast forward even further to the present day, the band have released a long-awaited third album with the debut single Fallout, which has already been hailed by their loyal fans as a fantastic nod to yesteryear.
The tracks featured are: The Lion Sleeps Tonight and Fallout. Visit Tight Fit fan page on Facebook for more information, to vote for Tight Fit in the Heritage Chart on www.heritagechart.co.uk .
The words ‘legend’, ‘superstar’ and ‘world-renowned’ are over-used these days but when referring to Rick Wakeman, they are more than appropriate. A classically trained keyboardist, Rick reached international stardom with the influential band that pioneered progressive rock: Yes. However, his real success came as a solo artist when he went on to sell more than 50 million records. As a keyboardist extraordinaire, he’s performed with Elton John, David Bowie and Cat Stevens, been an awarded a CBE, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and appeared as a Grumpy Old Man on BBC’s programme of the same name. When you chat with Rick, you’re never quite sure what direction the conversation is going to go. He’s intelligent, articulate, opinionated, and amusing, in fact anything but grumpy. We talk about anything and everything, from the overcrowded internet, his hatred of ‘family’ updates in Christmas cards, being impersonated online, and his love for stargazing to the subjects to ruin every good party: religion and politics! The tracks featured are: Catherine Howard (The Six Wives of Henry Vlll), Sir Lancelot And The Black Night (The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table), Ice (Time Machine) and Ascraeus Mons (The Red Planet).
Visit rwcc.com for more information about Rick, where to purchase Rick’s music and when & where he will be performing live.
Back in the 70s there was no other gang quite like the aptly named Sensational Alex Harvey Band (SAHB). With a unique combination of blurred music genres, eye-catching theatrics, and progressive rock rifts, SAHB bedazzled viewers of Top Of The Pops and The Old Grey Whistle Test alike.
At Alex Harvey’s side, for hits like The Faith Healer, Midnight Moses, and Delia guitarist Zal Cleminson menaced mockingly, portraying a half mime, half clown character that was more suitable for a horror film than a musical performance.
Zal recounts the rise and fall of SAHB, his struggles with Nazareth, being a session player with Elkie Brooks and Midge Ure, writing a novel, and exclusively shares a track from his forthcoming album with Orphans of The Ash.
The tracks featured are: The Faith Healer and The Dolphins (SAHB), Heart’s Grown Cold (Nazareth) and The Last Train Home (Orphans of The Ash), which are available in stores and digitally on all the main streaming/download outlets.
Dance anthem Everybody’s Free is the defining song of the 90s peaking at No.6 in the UK, selling more than 6 million copies, and catapulting Rozalla to international stardom.
Hit after hit and a tour with Michael Jackson followed for the chart-topping Queen of Rave, but when musical tastes changed and girl and boy bands started to dominated the charts, dance music lists its edge.
But Rozalla is no ordinary performer. She never let her love for music subside and continued to release music, and toured the UK with Billy Ocean.
Now she’s back, proving that a single-minded passion for music will get you through, and the Queen of Rave is reclaiming her throne with no thought of relinquishing it any time soon.
The tracks featured are: I Feel It Slipping Away and I Want You Back, which are available in stores and digitally on all the main streaming/download outlets.
Steve Ellis is the Great White of soul singers who fronted 60’s mod, pop, soul group Love Affair best remembered for their stunning singles Rainbow Valley, Bringing On Back The Good Times, and of course the smash hit Everlasting Love, which become one of the defining songs of its era.
Now Brighton-based Steve (well, where else?), post-Love Affair, had more chart hits with Widowmaker, has since forged out a successful solo career, and is about to release a 10 CD boxed set.
We chat about the forthcoming release, pop sensation Love Affair, organising a tribute concert in memory of the late Steve Marriott, and how he once got arrested.
The tracks featured are: Lonely No More from Boom! Bang! Twang! and Hit The Spot from Ten Commitments. For more information about Steve and his music, visit www.SteveEllis.co.uk
If selling over a million albums of new age, meditation, and relaxation music under the name Llewellyn wasn’t enough, multi-talented composer, James Zada, is now venturing into the world of contemporary pop music.
Driven by a deep love for nostalgic 80s and 90s evergreen classics, Fame, his debut release under the name James Zada, is packed with catchy and uplifting pop tracks all with a distinctive nostalgic feel.
We chat about the inspiration behind the album, James’ reason for changing name, and how he won awards for his New Age music.
Thank you for listening to CATtales with me, CAT, and my guest today, James Zada. The tracks featured are: Even In The Strangest Dreams and the title track from James’ album Fame, which is available in stores and digitally on all the main streaming and download outlets.
Visit www.JamesZada.com for more information.
American singer-songwriter Dean Friedman first entered into the international pop consciousness in 1977 with the Top 20 chart success of his infectious hit single, Ariel.
And before anyone could attach the label ‘one hit wonder’, Dean scored again with the release of his follow up album, “Well, Well,” Said the Rocking Chair, and hit singles, Lucky Stars, Lydia, Rocking Chair, McDonald’s Girl and Woman Of Mine.
Dean has has since become known as a songwriter par excellence and has composed and produced soundtracks for film and television including, most notably, for the TV series starring Michael Elphick, Boon.
Now he has a new album, American Lullaby, which touches on a broad range of topics from the pandemic, looming environmental disaster, racism, sexism, fractured politics, and an intractable culture war.
The tracks featured are: American Lullaby and Too Much Stuff from Dean’s album American Lullaby which is available in stores and digitally on all the main streaming/download outlets.
To hear Dean performing the album tune in to will his regular DeanZine ‘LiveStream’ webcasts, and a 40-city concert tour in April 2022. Visit www.deanfriedman.com for more information.
Mercury-nominated and The Icicle Works frontman, Ian McNabb has done it all.
The band’s 1984 debut album, The Icicle Works, brought them Top 40 chart success in both the UK and US, and Ian has also maintained a highly prolific solo career working with Waterboys, Ringo Starr, Crazy Horse, Peter Buck, Lightning Seeds, and Jason Falkner amongst others.
Speaking from his home in Liverpool Ian is delightful company as we discuss long musical career and whether he’s describing a song from 35 years ago, or his latest releases Utopian and Ascending, Ian is equally happy to talk about it all.
From The Babys in the 70s via 80s solo smash ‘Missing You’ to the release of a stunning new album, John Waite is not stopping.
In a career spanning over four decades, John has written, recorded and amassed a back-catalogue of musical treasures and now unleashes Wooden Heart – Acoustic Anthology to remind us of his talent as he weaves ‘that’ voice through a stripped-back collection of songs.
Power ballad queen Bonnie Tyler is proving that The Best Is Yet to Come still with a vibrant new album brimming with the same dramatic, full-bodied husky vocals that propelled her to fame with Total Eclipse of the Heart, It’s A Heartache and Holding Out For A Hero.
The award-winning singer went on to sell over 20 million records worldwide and now inspires a new generation of female performers, like Mylie Cyrus, who cite Bonnie as an influence. Quite simply, she is nothing less than a national treasure.
As well as her new album, we chat about TikTok, Bonnie singing in front of her contemporaries at the MTV awards, representing the UK in The Eurovision Song Contest, what it was like to sing at The Vatican and meet The Pope, and cooking stuffed figs.
In his late teens, classically trained pianist, Jordan Rudess, turned against the counsel of his parents and went on to be one of the most respected, loved and sought-after progressive-rock keyboardist of all time.
He was voted “Best New Talent” in a Keyboard Magazine poll and later “Best Keyboardist of All Time” by Music Radar Magazine. Now, he is best known as the keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire for platinum-selling Grammy-nominated prog rock band, Dream Theater.
But Jordan is also a man with many interests, as his experimental projects with Liquid Tension Experiment and Space Jam demonstrate, he’s worked with David Bowie, amongst others, and now releases his latest solo album A Chapter In Time.
There are stars and then there are superstars. And my guest today is nothing short of a superstar.
Petula Clark is one of the most successful British female recording artist of all time. She established herself as a child performer during the Second World War and went on to achieve major success as a recording artist clocking up record sales in excess of 68 million.
The enormous popularity of her ‘signature song’ Downtown in 1964 led to an incredible international career, a series of consecutive Top 40 hits, films and tv specials including appearances with everyone from Dean Martin and Fred Astaire, to Bob Hope and Sammy Davis Jnr.
Actress, singer, composer, stage performer, television star, and more awards and accolades than she can remember, quite simply, Petula is the stuff that legends are made of.
Unleashing his 5th solo album, When Life Was Hard & Fast, Ricky Warwick aimed to deliver a collection of songs with the simplistic melodies of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers charged with the electric hedonistic fury of Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers. And, boy, has he done that!
Somehow The Almighty, Black Star Riders, Thin Lizzy frontman has managed to squeeze in the release of the album amidst sell-out live virtual shows and lockdown, all with a little help from his friends. And, of course, these are no ‘ordinary’ friends.
As well as ex-Buckcherry Keith Nelson producing the record, it features another ex-Buckcherry band member, Xavier Muriel, alongside Black Star Riders’ Robert Crane and guest appearances from: Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor, Thunder’s Luke Morley, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, Guns n Roses Dizzy Reed and non other than Ricky’s daughter Pepper.
Emmy and Brit Award-nominated composer, Sarah Class, has become one of Britain’s most sought-after composers and is described as having the ‘Midas touch’ when it comes to creating music.
She’s an accomplished musician and highly acclaimed at scoring for film and television, winning a Best Score Award for Sir David Attenborough’s BBC TV series ‘Africa’ and has been invited to performing tracks from her beautifully ethereal album, Natural High, on Songs Of Praise.
Exploring nature’s euphoric diversity, the album aligns each track with various deities from myths and legends of different cultures and was instrumental in raising funds to save the last 2% of Equador’s Choco Forest, a cause close to Sarah’s heart.
Multi-platinum award winning Right Said Fred are one of the UK’s most enduring pop exports.
Brothers Fred and Richard Fairbrass have a list of achievements to their credit including number 1 hits in 70 countries, global sales total 30 million, and over 100 million plays on Spotify.
The first band to reach the number one slot in the US with a debut single since The Beatles, they’ve played in front of the Queen, Nelson Mandela and the Bollywood Awards, and their music has been featured in over 100 films, TV shows and commercials.
I’m Deeply Dippy about them but they’re Too Sexy for this Cat.
Badfinger is a band that has had more than its fair share of drama and tragedy over the years, to say the least!
With a history that is more suited to a Tarantino film, Badfinger has been dogged with law suits and suicides but has risen from the ashes with its latest incarnation lead by long-term band member Bob Jackson.
I haven’t met Bob in person but we’ve been friends on social media for many years so I was delighted to finally get hear his tale about how he’s been influenced by The Beatles and David Bowie, how he didn’t expect his musical career to go beyond the age of 26, and how Badfinger managed to ‘break bad’.
I’m Walking On Sunshine today with the musician who’s had a worldwide hit that that catapulted Katrina & The Waves to the forefront of the music industry in 1985 with over 2.5 million plays on US Radio and was the soundtrack of a host of films. But for many, Grammy nominated Katrina will be the American who won the Eurovision song test for the UK in 1997 with Love Shine a Light and has continued her Eurovision ties since then. Delightful company, there’s no doubt that we’d be heading to the bar after this interview to continue our conversation about music, the business in lockdown….and who is starring alongside her in her next video.
Ian Anderson is the cat that walks by himself despite leading one of the most iconic, not to mention successful, bands of all time. Charismatic frontman, virtuoso flautist and composer, Ian has been steadfast through Jethro Tull’s many musical incarnations which, with its idiosyncratic blend of progressive rock, hard rock and folk music, has clocked up some 30-odd albums and sales totalling more than 50 million. After more than fifty years at the bottom, at the top and various points in between, Jethro Tull is still performing internationally, restrictions permitting, even if Ian does continue to tread the solitary path whenever he can.
Del Bromham has performance in his blood. He began playing guitar at the tender age of eleven and formed dynamic hard-rock band Stray whilst he was still at school. In a career now spanning an incredible six decades, Del has rubbed shoulders with many of the greats, toured with Iron Maiden, and is still writing, recording and performing fresh and exciting music. The only original member still with the band, the man of a million riffs lets the music do the talking as we chat about the challenges of putting on Covid-compliant gigs, the ‘gifts’ of songwriting, why his latest album is possibly his best work to date, and all about white feathers.
My guest today is the hugely talented and critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine. The musician’s musician, Boo is widely regarded as one of the UK’s best singer songwriters and his cult band, The Bible, still excites passion amongst music lovers, despite being disbanded in the early nineties. Boo has consistently made his mark on the music scene with his solo performances and songs that have been covered by over 50 other artists, including Eddi Reader, kd lang, Natalie Imbruglia, Marti Pellow, and Suggs. His song Patience of Angels was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award, he’s produced records for The Corrs, scored the films Fever Pitch and Twenty Four Seven and has even had one of his songs featured on Emmerdale.We chat about song-writing, leaving a legacy and dropping a volauvent down Jools Holland's piano!
The UK Sub's Charlie Harper is a creative guy and just can't stop the flow. When he's not touring the world with one of the most iconic punk rock bands in history he's raising money for charity by...well...painting...errr...cats! Now, many people may not think of cats as very punk but, let's be honest, anyone who has owned or come into contact with a cat will know that nothing has more 'attitude' than those little feline creatures. And here, at CATtales, we love them...how could we not? So, when Charlie put his artistic talents into producing a cat painting especially for us, we were holding onto our tails with anticipation! And the result was a stunning, fun, piece of art that truly captures the spirit of CATtales and is as unique as the show itself. Now, you can WIN your very own unframed A4, fine art print of Charlie’s cat! The print will be produced using a professional Giclée process within a rigorously colour-managed environment on Hahnemühle Photo Matte paper, which has an archival figure of over 200 years – so you can be sure it will always look as fabulous as the day it was painted. For details about the ts&cs and how to enter the draw, head over to cattales.co.uk/win, follow the links and Charlie’s cat print could be yours! Good luck!
win
Charlie Harper is an absolute one-off. Back in the seventies this former hairdresser took the UK Subs from London’s punk clubs to Top of the Pops and whilst other punk veterans have become idols, Charlie has become an icon. Now over seventy, he’s still performing with the band, still throwing himself around the stage and still entertaining audiences who refuse to grow old. But when he’s not on the road touring, he’s writing his autobiography and has a penchant for painting cats.
For 25 years, Alan Lancaster was bassist with one of the most successful rock bands of all time. A band he founded with school friend Francis Rossi and one which enjoyed multi-platinum album sales and stadium gigs. But an acrimonious split after Status Quo opened the stage at Live Aid in 1985 left Alan alone in the wilderness, trying to navigate his way through the music business jungle.
Alan tells me about how he survived rejection, playing with the Bombers and the Party Boys, and what it was like to be part of the biggest musical event the world has ever witnessed.
Track: Is This The Way To Say Goodbye (Bombers)
As a young boy growing up listening to The Sex Pistols and The Damned, Steve Straughan could only dream of being a member of his favourite band the UK Subs, but fast forward a few decades and Steve found that dreams really do come true. Now the newest addition to one of the most respected bands on the punk scene, as well as being a member of Hi-Fi Spitfires and Loaded 44, Steve tells me about his challenges of learning the UK Subs songs on-stage, his solo project The Last Gang, and why he doesn’t like to make his lyrics too obvious.
UKSubs #Hi-fiSpitfire #Loaded44 # TheLastGang #Punk #Interview
July 2020: In this second tale of a two-part series, I chat more to founding member of Motörhead and current Pink Fairy, Lucas Fox.
We chat about how Lucas cheated death and why he has no fear of the afterlife, how Warsaw Pakt paved the way for Jack White and ended up in the Guinness Book of Records, and how Lucas worked with Ray Charles. We also talk the early years of Motörhead, what it was like to leave the band and what it was really like to work with Lemmy. There’s no doubt that, after hearing Lucas’ tales, you will be queueing up to read his autobiography!
LucasFox #Motorhead #WarsawPakt #PinkFairies
When Enuff Z’Nuff finally did say enough’s enough to lead singer Donnie Vie, it looked like it was all over for the man who had spent 25 years crafting melodic power pop and rock songs for the band that had been the darlings of the critics with their debut release. The band’s history has been punctuated by drug-induced self-sabotage, inglorious failure, premature death and bankruptcy, so the acrimonious dissolution of the brotherhood between Donnie and Chip Z’Nuff should have marked the end. But Enuff Z’Nuff have continued on their way without Donnie who, like the proverbial phoenix, has risen from the ashes to release Beautiful Things, arguably, the best album of his career to date. We chat about life after the band, why he’s had more downs than ups, and the day he woke up in a morgue.
Track featured: I Could Save The World, Donnie Vie
Donnie's website: www.donnievie.com
July 2020: I call Paris and spend a very entertaining evening in the delightful company of Lucas Fox, co-founder of Motörhead, drummer with Warsaw Pakt and now member of Pink Fairies. He recounts lots of fascinating stories, divulges a few secrets and reveals all about some risky, as well as risqué, moments in his life. In this first tale in a two-part series, Lucas tells me about his early days, his big break into the music industry, a chance encounter with Keith Moon, Ringo Starr and Charlie Watts, and how his band, the WH Pierce band, were recorded by Roger Waters. And, of course, we chat about his first meeting with Lemmy and how Motörhead was born, but also about his obsession with ladies lingerie and why he is spilling the beans of all the sex and drugs in his forthcoming autobiography.
LucasFox #Motorhead #WarsawPakt #PinkFairies
July 2020: In this show, I call France to chat with one of punk’s true originals. He’s the bassist who toured with Iggy Pop, played in Cheap & Nasty, has been a member of UK Subs on and off for over forty years and has recently released his first solo album, Your Disobedient Servant, with a who’s who of punk royalty guesting on it. Alvin Gibbs chats with me about the highs and lows of being in the UK Subs, what he got up to in between, all about his new autobiography, Diminished Responsibility, and gives me the scoop on who would like to be one of his Disobedient Servants on his second album.
In this series of revealing interviews, journalist Cat tells tales about influential musicians who have been at the heart of the industry for many years and have moulded and inspired others to follow in their footsteps.
Taking a friendly and informal approach, these fresh and relaxed conversations are the sort of chat overheard in the backstage bar about life and music...and occasionally even an expose of a few secrets.
Sit back, enjoy, and subscribe.
June 2020: Two-time World Superbike Champion and former MotoGP rider, James Toseland, admits that it’s a long was to the top if you want to rock ‘n’ roll but is enjoying every moment of his second career as a successful musician and songwriter. Collaborating with Little Angels legend Toby Jepson he has written two albums packed with classic rock and power ballads, toured with Deep Purple and Status Quo, and had Toseland’s We’ll Stop At Nothing adopted as the Special Olympics anthem in 2017. Now, he gives us the inside scoop on the music industry and tells how going on stage is just as much of an adrenaline rush as motorcycle racing.
JamesToseland #Rock #Toseland #WorldSuperbike #Champion #MotoGP #Interview
June 2020: Ricky Warwick is the ‘lad’ from Northern Ireland who got to walk in his hero’s shoes, even though he refuses to admit he wears them. The now lead singer with Thin Lizzy, Ricky plays songs written by Phil Lynott and performs with Scott Gorham to bring them to life again. But, more than that, he is also the frontman of Black Star Riders, who have made four of the finest hard rock albums of modern times, and was also the frontman for the hard rock band The Almighty, who achieved chart success in the UK throughout the 90s. It’s a while since Ricky and I last saw each other but he is every bit as humble as he was then and we chat about stepping into those famous shoes, Ricky’s solo albums, performing virtually and shaking your bahookie.
RickyWarwick #ThinLizzy #BlackStarRiders #The Almighty #TheFightingHearts #Rock
June 2020: In 1977 when singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke signed to Elton John’s Rocket label, she couldn’t imagine that over 40 years later she would still be performing. Her biggest success came a couple of years later with album Welcome to the Cruise with her single Stay With Me Till Dawn reaching number 16 in the UK Singles Chart. Since then, she has released a series of quality albums, and lent her talents to albums by artists such as Tom Baxter and Morcheeba. Judie’s music has also been sampled by the likes of Mylo, and her cover of Lives in the Balance was featured in a popular TV series by order of the Peaky Blinders.
We chat about Judie surviving #cancer and #COVID19, how being ill has affected her outlook on life and how her fans have helped her conquer her nerves onstage.
JudieTzuke #Pop #Music #Interview #Covid #MentalHealth
June 2020: Matthew Ferraro’s written, arranged and produced original music for Academy Award winning films like The Insider and The Incredibles, as well as Emmy Winning TV shows such as Futurama, Dune, and Olive the Other Reindeer. If that wasn’t enough, he also includes video games Spiderman and X-Men, BBC Radio 4 productions and hundreds of commercials amongst his portfolio, and he’s even produced a score for prayers by Pope John Paul II. The California Arts Council deemed Matthew Ferraro’s work to be “orchestral journalism” which seems very fitting given that he has just released his debut single created especially for a new short documentary film simply called Falling.
MatthewFerraro #PopJohnPaulII #Spiderman #X-Men #TheIncredibles #Falling
June 2020: When Suzi Quatro burst onto the music scene in 1973 there were almost no women in rock and certainly none who played bass, sang lead vocals and completely rocked. A trailblazer, she re-wrote the rule book for women in rock & roll and went on to sell more than 50 million records. Fast forward to 2020 and Suzi has added other strings to her bow – she’s an author, actress, radio-presenter and a poet and now, ‘Suzi Q’, a documentary of her life has been released with the promise of a film on the way.
Amongst other things, we chat about Suzi Q. Due to my confusion over conflicting information online, staggered release dates for international markets and DVD launches, we didn’t get off to the best start but got there in the end.
SuziQuatro #Rock #Interview #SuziQ #documentary
Photo Credit: Anita Corbin, First Women
June 2020: With a career spanning over 40 years, Saxon have established themselves among Europe's greatest metal acts. Touring regularly, the band have sold more than 13 million albums worldwide counting eight UK Top 40 albums and numerous singles amongst them and have savoured success in Europe, Japan, and the United States. Now, I chat with lead singer Biff Byford about his outlook on life after a heart by-pass operation, the launch of his debut solo album The School of Hard Knocks, writing new Saxon material, and using the internet during lock-down for virtual concerts.
BiffByford #Saxon #Metal #Rock #SchoollofHardKnocks
June 2020: Little did drummer John Coghlan know when that he joined Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster in the newly-formed band The Spectres back in 1962 his life was on a course for rock stardom. The addition of Rick Parfitt, a change of name and touring strategy later, chart-topping success beckoned for Status Quo which became one of the most successful rock bands of all time. With over 60 UK chart hits, twenty-two reaching the Top 10, they appeared on Top Of The Pops more than any other band. Opening Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985 and achieving a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, Status Quo have written their place in music history.
JohnCoghlan #StatusQuo #JohnCoghlansQuo #rock #covid19
June 2020: In this show I’m joined by Sepp Osley, frontman and co-founder of progressive rock band Blurred Vision the week in which their second album Redemption is due to be launched. We chat about how the world has changed very little since Sepp and his family fled war-torn Iran in the 1980s, how the band came to prominence through adapting Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall into a protest song, and why John Lennon and Bob Dylan have been such an influence on their music.
sepposley #blurredvision #covid19 #johnlennon #georgefloyd #rock
June 2020: Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Martin Simpson is hailed as the hardest working man in folk music and, after years of relentless touring, has welcomed a little breathing space imposed by recent events. Widely acknowledged as one of the world’s finest guitarists, Martin is a true virtuoso, and has produced an impressive catalogue of solo albums as well as being in demand for collaboration as far reaching as Hollywood. After over 40 years he is still producing music of astonishing power and passion, has been honoured with multiple Folk Awards, and has a fascination for bugs, butterflies and moths.
MartinSimpson #Folk #Music #Covid19
May 2020: Peggy Seeger is totally unique. A singer of traditional Anglo-American songs, she has carved a special niche for herself on both sides of the Atlantic and is considered to be one of the most influential folk singers of all time. Classically trained, Peggy plays no less than six musical instruments, has recorded 23 solo albums, contributed to more than a hundred others and her partner, the late Ewan MacColl, wrote First Time Ever I Saw Your Face in her honour. A well-known activist she uses music to broadcast her messages on nuclear, ecological and feminist issues and now, at almost 85, she continues to perform and still has something new to say.
PeggySeeger #Folk #activist #EwanMacColl #Covid19
May 2020: This tale is about a true rock original. He’s a vocalist, bassist, a songwriter and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. No other rock musician has carved such a distinctive style and contributed to the sound of progressive and hard rock. From his first band Trapeze in the late 60s through Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, to Black Country Communion, he’s the ‘voice of rock’, believes that ‘love is the answer and music is the healer’ and now he’s the latest member of super group The Dead Daisies.
GlennHughes #DeepPurple #BlackSabbath #BlackCountryCommunion #VoiceofRock #TheDeadDaisies
May 2020: My guest today really needs no introduction. She’s appeared in the 1978 film Jubilee, and Quadrophenia the following year. Her early hit singles included It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free, and by 1982 she had made two platinum-selling albums. And, after more than 40 years in the music business, she is as creatively hungry as she was in her teens. She is a singer, an actress, a writer, a punk, rebel, and an icon...but most importantly, she’s an independent, strong woman who doesn’t take any prisoners.
Toyah #ToyahWillcox #ItsAMystery #IWannaBeFree #Sensational #Humans #Quadrophenia #Jubilee #Music #Interview #Singer #Actress #Punk #Pop #RobertFripp
May 2020: With over 100 million albums, four Grammies, three Brits, an Ivor Novello Award and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, John Illsley has done it all.
Playing a pivotal role in the success of Dire Straits, John has been credited with the creation of the band’s original sound and is the only member, other than Mark Knopfler, to make it all the way from the first album in 1977 to the final concert in 1992.
With the band a little more than a memory, John has released numerous solo albums, has a tour where he reveals all about his time in Dire Straits, and spends his relaxation time producing excellent pieces of art.
JohnIllsley #DireStraits #Covid19 #interview
Image (c) Judy Totton
Once the biggest selling girl groups in the world, the Nolan Sisters performed in stadiums internationally, were the opening act for Frank Sinatra, sold over 30 million records and even won the Japanese equivalent of a Grammy.
It wasn’t all a bed of roses, though, as Anne, the eldest of the siblings, reveals. Suddenly unable to secure any bookings, success came to a stop with jolt and 9-5 working came calling.
But Anne Nolan is a survivor. She’s battled cancer, a marriage break-up, sexual abuse, and being shunned by her sisters who went on tour without her, yet she remains defiantly upbeat.
AnneNolan #NolanSisters #TheNolans #Covid19 #Pop #music
May 2020: This tale is about one of the best rock-blues guitarist of his generation. It starts with a boyhood dream and ends with him playing alongside some of the rock greats of the last 40 years. Co-founder of Whitesnake, he counts many of the band’s hits amongst his song-writing repertoire and co-wrote one of the most successful rock ballads of all time; the multi-million chart-topper Here I Go Again. With an amazing solo career, collaborations with the cream of the industry and a successful autobiography he has been described as a ‘musical treasure’ and a ‘legend’.
BernieMarsden #Whitesnake #UFO #RobertPlant #JonLord #GaryMoore #RingoStarr #CozyPowell #RoryGallagher #JackBruce #JoeBonamassa #IanPaice #LittleRichard #Covid19
May 2020: In this edition, I call stateside to catch up with the fabulous, one and only, Chesney Hawkes. Chesney shot to fame when he won the lead role in the film Buddy's Song, alongside Roger Daltrey, but it was when he found himself to be one of the first teenagers in pop history to bag the Number One spot with a debut release, that he made international stardom. "The One And Only" stayed at the top for five weeks, going on to become one of the undisputed global anthems of its time as it crashed Top 10s world-wide, including the notoriously difficult markets of Japan and America. You can’t take that away from him, but there’s certainly a whole lot more to Chesney than one song. He has maintained a successful career in the entertainment industry that now spans nearly 30 years, writing music for TV and film, appearing in theatre and, of course, releasing his own music.
ChesneyHawkes #OneAndOnly #Music #Theatre #Star #covid-19
Photo (c) Kate Carpenter www.katecarpenter.com
He’s the self-confessed Ronnie Corbett of the bass-playing world and, with a career in the music industry spanning almost 40 years, Grammy-winning Guy Pratt has a few stories to tell! The chosen bassist for many of the world's elite musicians, he’s played on countless hit records with Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bryan Ferry, Robert Palmer, Iggy Pop and Elton John, to name a few. His latest project is being cast as a member of a super group with Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason and the band Saucerful of Secrets but there’s even more to Guy than that including acting, writing and even stand-up comedy.
guypratt #pinkfloyd #madonna #michaeljackson #davidbowie #iggypop #bryanferry #robertpalmer #eltonjohn #icehouse #newyorkdolls #nickmason #saucerfulofsecrets #jimmysomerville #jimmynail #bass #covid-19
April 2020: We’re rockin’ the Covid-19 lockdown with a fresh series of interview and where better to start than with the mighty Motörhead. Following the end of the band in 2015, guitarist Phil Campbell didn’t have to look far when assembling a new band of brothers to perform with. After 30 years making mayhem with Lemmy Kilminster and Mikkey Dee, he enlisted his very own offspring to form Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons. An album, award nominations, and a solo album later, Phil isn’t ready to give up his guitar just yet…even if the world is in the grips of a pandemic.
covid-19 #PhilCampbell #Motorhead #TheBastardSons #Rock #Music
November 2018: Self-taught guitarist Jamie Moses has gone from playing US Air Force bases at the tender age of 13 to stadiums with Queen and Paul Rodgers, not to mention Bob Geldof, The Pretenders, Chaka Khan and even Tom Jones in between.
And the telephone hasn’t stopped ringing. Now playing with Paul Young and Los Pacaminos, The SAS Band and the Word Famous Red Sox, the accomplished musician rarely has time for any relaxation but when he does he likes nothing more than a night in with his family.
JamieMoses #PaulYoung #LosPacaminos #TheSASBand #WorldFamousRedSox #ChakaKhan #TomJones #AmyWinehouse #BobGeldof #Pretenders
October 2018: South Londoner Ben was busking at Waterloo underground when Joan Armatrading happened to pass by. Immediately impressed, she invited him to join her on tour, supporting her at major venues across Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the UK and Ireland.
Hailed as a latter day Bob Dylan, Ben has two albums and two EPs on his own label under his belt and is releasing a great new single, Midnight Blue, under the Nub Music label.
BobDylan #JoanArmatrading #BenHolland #folk #interview
October 2018: With classic songs like A Night To Remember, I Can Make You Feel Good, and There It Is, 80s soul band Shalamar sold over 25 million records worldwide and collected no less than 100 gold, silver, and platinum awards.
As well as thrilling audiences with a dynamic blend of funky feel good music, band member Jeffrey Daniel was regarded as a fashion icon and trendsetter, bringing street dance to the UK, and teaching Michael Jackson how to moonwalk!
Shalamar #JeffreyDaniel #MichaelJackson #PaulMcCartney #80s #BodyPopping #Moonwalk #Backslide #Dance #Royal #StarlightExpress #interview
September 2018: Pearl Handled Revolver have the blues or rather psychedelic, heavy rock, blues. And after four EPs, three studio albums, and their celebrated live album ‘Bootlegʼ, the band is celebrating ten years of performing.
I spent an enjoyable evening in the recording studio with them when keyboard player Simon Rinaldo, percussionist Chris Thatcher, and vocalist Lee Vernon were laying down some of their latest album and, boy, does it sound good.
PearlHandledRevolver #SimonRinaldo #ChrisThatcher #LeeVernon #AndyParis #blues #rock #music #interview
September 2018: True punks don’t age gracefully and Nigel Bennett, former Members member and current guitarist for the Vibrators, couldn’t care less.
I first met Nigel when he was performing at a charity gig in North Norfolk and we chatted about everything from his naughty school days to snake skin boots.
Now he’s lifting the lid on the reality of the music business with a new solo album “Another Bump in the Road” which chronicles the euphoria and exhaustion that comes with the occasionally glamorous job.
NigelBennett #TheMembers #TheVibrators #JulianLennon #SexPistols #IronMaiden #TomRobinson #Punk #interview
September 2018: Guitarist Paul Guerin has been a major player on the international music scene for over twenty years.
He’s played alongside The Scorpion’s Michael Schenker, Thin Lizzy’s Brian Robertson, Fun Lovin’ Criminals’ Huey Morgan, Black Star Rider’s Ricky Warwick, and even music legend Eartha Kitt.
Now, Paul juggles his time between rock bands The Quireboys and the Down ‘n’ Outz, with Def Lepard’s Joe Elliott, as well as fitting in a few personal projects along the way too.
PaulGuerin #TheQuireboys #DownNOutz #TheClan #interview
August 2018: This tale is about the frontman of one of the most iconic bands of the last 40 years.
Best known for singles Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Reasons To Be Cheerful (Part 3), and What a Waste, Ian Dury & The Blockheads chalked up hit after hit until Ian’s death in 2000.
But Ian’s passing didn’t deter The Blockheads from continuing to produce and perform great music led by the distinctive vocals of Derek Hussey, one Ian’s closest friends and companions on tour.
theblockheads #punk #funk #rock #iandury #derekthedraw #derekhussey #interview
August 2018: With a career spanning over 36 years and with record sales in excess of over 30 million albums Imagination released many classic Funk/soul-dance hits such as, Body Talk, Just An illusion, Flashback, and Changes.
It’s fair to say founding member and songwriter Leee John is one of the hardest working men in music, touring internationally, appearing in as well as producing and directing films, writing books, alongside charity work.
And it appears that his creativity is just warming up!
LeeeJohn #Imagination #funk #soul #dance #music #retropia #policeandthieves #flashback #interview
July 2018: Gizz Butt became a household name in 1996 when he became lead guitarist with The Prodigy just as The Fat of The Land album became No1 in 38 countries at the same time.
But that’s not all he’s done in his musical career. He’s been in English Dogs, The More I See, The Destructors and played live with The Foo Fighters and The Beatles’ Pete Best.
Now he’s about to re-launch his band Janus Stark with an exciting new release and is planning a tour.
punk #TheProdigy #EnglishDogs #TheDestructors #TheMoreISee #JanusStark #Prodigy #music #interview
Feb 2018: In this edition I catch up with Sandy Newman, lead-singer and guitarist of pop sensation of the 60/70s The Marmalade.
The Marmalade may be best known for hits such as Reflections of my Life, Rainbow, Falling Apart At The Seams and Lennon/McCartney’s Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, but Sandy Newman is a whole lot more than that!
Singer-songwriter, solo performer and an all-round fabulous guy, Sandy chats to me about his early life and his formative years.
marmalade #themarmalade #sandynewman #pop #music #Glasgow #Scotland #60s #70s #interview
13 December 2017: I chat with the hottest band to come out of #Manchester since Oasis.
It’s contagious, it’s creating an epidemic, it caused by brothers Mark and Paul Hinks….it’s Some Kind of Illness!
indy #SomeKindofIllness #interview
November 2017: It’s exactly 40 years since John Otway’s now legendary appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test with Wild Willy Barrett with gymnastic antics to ‘Really Free’.
It was this performance that shot John to fame but despite a financial backing of £2m, in today’s figures, from Polydor Records it was a further 25 years before he enjoyed his second UK Chart hit, ‘Bunsen Burner’.
Undeterred, John is now celebrating his 65th birthday with the recent release of a brand new album, ‘Montseratt’, and is already making plans for his 70th!
JohnOtway #punk #interview
November 2017: British country and folk musician Charlie Landsborough started performing professionally in the 1970s but it wasn’t until he appeared on an Irish TV show in 1994 with ‘What Colour Is The Wind’ that divine intervention opened doors onto a musical career that has spanned decades.
Now he chats to me about his numerous music awards, being inducted into the British Country Music Hall of Fame, and about sharing his childhood with a monkey!
CharlieLandsborough #Country #Folk #interview
September 2017: The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential British groups of all time, with millions of record sales and countless awards and accolades to their name.
In this edition, I catch up with keyboard player Ian Gibbons who, as well as being a long-term member of the band, also has a long list of credits to his name including Love Affair, Dr Feelgood, Roger Chapman, The Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Ian Hunter and Chip Hawkes.
IanGibbons #TheKinks #LoveAffair #DrFeelgood #RogerChapman #TheSweet #SuziQuatro #IanHunter #ChipHawkes #interview
September 2017: Today on the line I’m joined by drummer Bob Henrit who has quite a few tales to tell!
Ivor Novello Award winner and Hall of Fame inductee, Bob has been a member of The Roulettes, Unit 4+2, Argent, The Kinks, and almost Genesis as well as recording with Leo Sayer, Ringo Starr and Roger Daltrey. And it isn’t over yet.
AdamFaith #TheRoulettes #Argent #TheKinks #Unit4+2 #CliffRichards #Genesis #interview
August 2017: Multi-instrumentalist Michael Steed has contributed bass, keyboards, and even penny whistle to some classic recordings as a full time member of some influential bands including Flesh For Lulu, Love Affair, The Marmalade, and The Rubettes.
His life changed in 1989 when he answered an advert in Melody Maker, one of the top magazines of the day, which led him on a journey to the US, Europe and even theatre land.
FleshForLulu #TheMarmalade #LoveAffair #Rubettes #interview
August 2017: The Jesus and Mary Chain have been back in the studio for the first time in 2 decades facing the difficulties of recording together to make new album Damage and Joy.
Much has been written about the chaos and violence of the band’s early live shows, their unexpected rise to mainstream Top of the Pops success, and their agonising decline. Now Jim chats to me about their seminal debut album Psychocandy, his tempestuous relationship with his brother Will, and why they don’t conform.
JesusAndMarychain #TheMarychain #JimReid #interview
August 2017: I have a rabbit with rockney legend Chas Hodges. As one half of Chas & Dave, he wrote and recorded exceptionally witty songs about life in a unique style of a London pub singalong, with a bit of music-hall humour and boogie-woogie piano thrown in.
Authentic and charming, Chas reminisces about the early days, provides some sound advice on life, and speaks about his other projects…down the allotment!
Chas&Dave #ChasnDave #ChasHodges #interview
July 2017: I’m joined by multi-instrumentalist and punk aficionado David Donley. He’s played with almost everyone who’s anyone as well as being a member of Glen Matlock’s Philistines, Holy Holy, and almost The Cure.
Now he tells a few tales on the people in his phone book and the first vinyl release with a few friends as The Venus Reaction.
GlenMatlock #ThePhilistines #HolyHoly #AdamAnt #TheVenusReaction #EdGraham #VivAlbertine #interview
July 2017: The Vibrators bassist, Pete Honkamaki, joined the band in 2003 having previously played in Finnish three-piece No Direction and subbing for the UK Subs.
Dressed head to toe in black and hidden under heaps of silver metal, his appearance is every bit the personification of the modern day punk scene he plays in. But when I caught up with him at a charity gig in Norfolk, he showed his hidden depths and gave some sound advice for life.
TheVibrators #TimeToKill #UKSubs #NoDirection #Punk #interview
July 2017: Guitarist Nigel Bennett ripped up the rule book of the 70s London music scene auditioning for major bands including the Sex Pistols and Iron Maiden before recording with The Members, playing in Julian Lennon’s band, with Tom Robinson and, of course, The Vibrators.
We had a little giggle before he played a charity gig in Norfolk when he confessed all about his naughty school days, what it’s really like to be on tour, how he loves America, and snake-skin boots!
TheMembers #TheVibrators #JulianLennon #SexPistols #IronMaiden #TomRobinson #Punk #interview
July 2017: Amongst those bands at the forefront of the #punk movement of the 70s was The Vibrators’ with their seminal album Pure Mania influencing the genre and many other musicians at that time.
Forty one years later The #Vibrators are still performing and I spent some time with founding member Eddie who chatted about the punk scene, Past, Present & Into The Future and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
JohnEdwards #EddieVibrator #JohnEddieEdwards #TheVibrators #PureMania #interview
May 2017: This was a particularly poignant interview for me as it was recorded the day after the terrorist atrocities at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
But it was a lovely conversation with Whiskey Myers' guitarist, Cody Tate, who showed that life must go on as we chatted about music, life…and the events in Manchester.
country #rock #whiskeymyers #codytate #Manchesterattack #interview
April 2017: I’m joined on the telephone by blues drummer extraordinaire and veteran of the music business for over 50 years, Tali 'Icepack' Jackson.
A pure world-class multi-talented musician, Tali has played and recorded with absolutely everyone who’s anyone from Bob Dylan, and Bonnie Raitt, to Bob Marley and Bette Midler, and on his new CD is joined by no less than 9 Gold Grammy and Rock & Roll Hall of famers.
TaliJackson #IcepackJackson #TaliIcepackJackson #BobDylan #BonnieRaitt #BobMarley #BetteMidler #TheMonkees #EllaFitzgerald #interview
March 2017: I chat on the telephone with Jake Burns.
When the punk revolution took hold in the 70s, Stiff little Fingers were at the forefront of the movement along with the likes of the Clash, Sex Pistols, and the Stranglers. But, the band of 4 from Belfast defined something a little more than simply rebellion. Writing about their own lives growing up at the height of the troubles in Northern Ireland, they confronted social change head on and took on the establishment and won.
40 years on Stiff Little Fingers are still out there touring, but this time talking to a whole new generation and still creating meaningful music.
JakeBurns #StiffLittleFingers #punk #interview
Feb 2017: I spend a little time with Anthrax bassist Frank Bello on the last UK date of the band’s Among The Kings tour. He chats to me about being part of ‘the big four’, the band’s very own beer, experiencing music on vinyl and why he wants to pass on the torch of playing music to the next generation.
FrankBello #Anthrax #BigFour #Metal #Rock #interview
Feb 2017: There are some people who deserve to be in demand and bassist aficionado, Marco Mendoza, is one such person. He’s rocked the world with Ted Nugent, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Black Star Riders, and collaborated with music’s great, and now he chats with me about the excesses of rock n roll, divine intervention, and playing a bit of jazz.
When he writes that autobiography, I'll be first in the queue!
MarcoMendoza #DeadDaisies #BlackStarRiders #ThinLizzy #Whitesnake #rock #tednugent #interview
April 2016: Earl Slick Talks Bowie and Station To Station
He's played with David Bowie, John Lennon, Yoko Ono Band, The New York Dolls…and now the legendary Earl Slick chats to CAT about his Station To Station tour and an illustrious career spanning over 40 years.
EarlSlick #rock #blues #YokoOno #JohnLennon #NewYorkDolls #DavidBowie #interview
March 2015: I caught up with rocker's Europe in Norwich on their latest tour. Mic Michaeli chats to me about the rock 'n' roll circus, the band's journey in a musical universe and their latest album War of Kings.
Europe #EuropeTheBand #MicMichaeli #pop #rock #interview
March 2015: He's played with #Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, and #Megadeth, now Drummer Jimmy DeGrasso chats to me about Back Star Riders' transition from Thin Lizzy, what it's like touring and their new album.
ThinLizzy #BlackStarRiders #JimmiDeGrasso #AliceCooper #rock #interview
August 2014: FM at 30
Rock band FM are celebrating being in the business 30 years. I had a little fun with them backstage at Cambridge Rock Festival, this is how it went…
FM #rock #CambridgeRockFestival #interview
July 2014: I chat to John Jones of folk-rock band, Oysterband, at the Cherry Hinton pond at #CambridgeFolkFestival as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.
Oysterband #JohnJones #folk #interview
April 2014: Magnum's Harry James and Al Barrow chat about the band's 42 years history, their latest album and current tour…and why the future is in collectibles.
Magnum #AlBarrow #HarryJames #rock #interview
Feb 2014: Rock band The Answer have recently released their 4th album and are in the middle of a 31 date tour.
I caught up with them and chatted about performing around the world, touring with ACDC and playing Download.
This is how it went…
TheAnswer #PaulMahon #rock #interview
Dec 2013: The Darkness are just ending a headline UK tour after re-forming in 2011. Drummer Ed Graham chats about the band getting back together, touring with Lady Gaga and swimming with sharks!
TheDarkness #EdGraham #LadyGaGa #rock #interview
Nov 2013 - Lead singer of the Dead Daisies and ex-INXS frontman, Jon Stevens, talks about life on the road, being a real-life Crocodile Dundee and his brush with death.
It's only rock 'n' roll!
Inxs #DeadDaisies #JonStevens #Noisework #rock #interview
Nov 2013: Still Feelin' The Noize
The 70s was one of the most memorable decades in music history, not least because of the impact of glam-rock and its influence on later muscians.
There's no doubt that one of the legendary bands of that time was #Slade and I was very lucky to be able to spend an afternoon with guitarist, and one of the most genuine men in the music industry, Dave Hill, who is still 'feeling the noize'. This is a little of that conversation.
DaveHill #rock #pop #slade #interview
Oct 2013: Texan punk rockers Bowling For Soup are back with a new album "Lunch. Drunk. Love." which sees the band return to the UK for their latest, and final, tour.
I was lucky enough to grab 5 few minutes with their lovely guitarist, Chris Burney, as the band prepared to go on stage. He rarely does interviews, so I was a lucky girl.
This is how it went.
BowlingForSoup #ChrisBurney #rock #interview
April 2013: Getting Under Skunk Anansie’s Skin
There are few female lead-singers quite as formidable as Skunk Anansie’s #Skin.
Independent, striking, strong. Just a few words that are frequently used to describe her.
But when I interviewed her and Skunk Anansie guitarist, #Ace, recently I discovered a softer, more poignant, side to her nature.
Here’s what they had to say.
SkunkAnansie #rock #interview
Sept 2012: From Sex Pistol to Philistine
The backwaters of North-Norfolk is not usually the place where you would expect to see an ex-member of the Sex Pistols, one of the most rebellious bands of our time.
But there, in the backwaters of North-Norfolk, for one night only, was bassist Glen Matlock performing at the Voewood Festival with his band The Philistines.
I was fortunate enough to spend an evening in his delightful company. Not the most conventional of interviews, we shared a few laughs and Glen showed the more impish side of his personality. This is how it went….
SexPistols #GlenMatlock #punk #rock #interview
Dec 2011: Fish out of water, not!
Ex-Marillion frontman #Fish has been through the mill in recent years but even divorce and throat surgery have failed to keep him out of the water when it comes to touring. I caught up with him before one of his solo gigs when he was refreshing, frank, and honest about fame and the music business…and was delightful company too…
Marillion #folk #rock #pop #fish #interview
July 2010: Gretchen Peters turns found objects into songs
I chatted with Getchen after her performance at the #CambridgeFolkFestival about song-writing and performing just before she was nominated for induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The stage next door was rockin' but Gretchen was so terribly interesting I wanted to share it.
GretchenPeters #country #interview
July 2010: Questioning The Quebes
The Quebe Sisters Band are Texas’ favourite Western Swing, Hot Jazz, Country performers and when Grace, Sophia and Hulda sing their vintage style three-part harmony, audiences are mesmerised.
This is what they had to say about Texas-style fiddling, visiting the UK and what it’s like to be in a family band.
Quebe #CambridgeFolkFestival #country #jazz #interview
July 2010: Kathy Mattea At The Coalface
Grammy-winning country artist Kathy Mattea chatted to me at the #CambridgeFolkFestival during her only UK performance of 2010 about her latest release Coal.
KathyMattea #country #interview
One from the vaults!
March 2008: Not The Hoople….Just Ian
Iconic singer frontman of Mott the Hoople agreed to speak for a very quick couple of minutes before he went on stage on his solo tour. Not the chattiest of interviewees, Ian Hunter didn't give much away…
IanHunter #MottTheHoople #pop #rock #interview
March 2008: One from the vault!
Critically acclaimed Folk/Americana singer-songwriter, Amy Speace has a velvety and achy voice reminiscent of Lucinda Williams. A former Shakespearean actress, she now lives in Nashville, but I caught up with her on one of her UK tours very early on in her career.
AmySpeace #Americana #Folk #interview
July 2007: One from the analogue vault.
More of Allison Moorer please!
This edition is one from my archive of analogue recordings from 2007 with the then Mrs #SteveEarle.
Grammy nominated alternative country singer, #AllisonMoorer, was performing at #CambridgeFolkFestival when I caught up with her and chatted about her forthcoming album and what makes her tick.
Americana #country #interview
July 2007: One from the analogue vault.
Renegade Sharon.
From her stints with the Waterboys, it seems that just putting an accordion in Sharon Shannon's hands makes her happy. Luckily for the soft-spoken Sharon, others are just as happy when she picks it up.
SharonShannon #CambridgeFolkFestival #folk #Waterboys #interview
July 2004: One from the analogue vault!
Winner of both the Horizon Award for Best Newcomer and the Best Album Award for Sweet England at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2004, Jim Moray is single-handedly turning folk music on its head. Taking traditional English songs he re-works them electronically to create some of the most powerful contemporary recordings in the last thirty years.
JimMoray #CambridgeFolkFestival #folk #interview
July 2003: One from the analogue vaults.
After The Teardrop Explodes finally did explode in 1983, Julian Cope continued to beguile audiences with his eccentricity to become a modern-day folk troubadour and eco-warrior author on ancient monuments.
This interview is one from my vault of old analogue recordings from 2003. Sadly, only part of it has survived but it still remains one of the most philosophical conversations I've had the pleasure of being part of.
JulianCope #TeardropExplodes #CambridgeFolkFestival #pop #interview
July 2003: One from the analogue vault.
It had been a fairytale year for Australian trio, The Waifs, who had managed to create a stir on three continents as well as fulfilling their own personal ambitions. But despite their new found popularity, they'd managed to keep their feet well and truly on the ground.
TheWaifs #CambridgeFolkFestival #folk #interview
July 2002: One from the vaults!
English singer-songwriter, Beth Orton, was performing at Leicester's Summer Sundae Weekender amongst a vast array of musical styles over the two day festival when I caught up with her backstage with a group of journalists.
We chatted about her performance at the Eden Project, her latest album, and her collaboration with Johnny Marr.
BethOrton #JohnnyMarr #folk #interview
July 2002: One from the analogue vault.
This is another from my archive of old analogue recordings, a short chat with Cornershop's Ben Ayres before the band headlined at the 2002 #SummerSundae festival in Leicester's De Montfort Hall.
Hot from supporting Oasis the same afternoon in Finsbury Park, they delivered renditions of the band's number-one single Brimful Of Asha and The Beatles’ Norwegian Wood, sung entirely in Punjabi.