Vic Godard & Subway Sect special - in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1976, Godard formed Subway Sect with three other fans of the Sex Pistols at the suggestion of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, who wanted another band for the line-up of the 100 Club Punk Festival. Despite their inexperience, Subway Sect made a successful debut at the festival and were taken on by Clash manager Bernie Rhodes. They appeared with The Clash on the White Riot Tour in 1977 and released their debut single, "Nobody's Scared"/"Don't Split It", in March 1978. While recording their debut album at Gooseberry Studios, Rhodes suddenly fired the entire band except for Godard. Two tracks from the album's recording sessions, "Ambition"/"Different Story", were released by Rough Trade Records; the single was a major hit on the alternative charts.

Tim Palmer special - discussing The Mission, David Bowie, Pearl Jam & much more - with David Eastaugh 

Palmer started his career in London. In the early 1980s, Palmer was an assistant engineer at Utopia Studios in London where he worked with musicians such as Mark Knopflerand Dead or Alive. By age 21, he had his first number one single, mixing "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" (1986) for Cutting Crew.

In the latter half of the 1980s, Palmer became a producer, and his ears and technical knowledge contributed to groups such as the Mighty Lemon Drops, The Mission, with whom he worked for several years, and Gene Loves Jezebel. In 1988, Palmer produced Now and Zen for rock singer Robert Plant (Top 10 U.S. album) as well as Tin Machine, David Bowie's debut LP with Tin Machine in 1989.

The Vibrators special with John Ellis in conversation with David Eastaugh

Ellis was a co-founder of the pub rock band Bazooka Joe in 1970 and a founding member of the punk rock band The Vibrators. He formed The Vibrators in 1976 while still at art school studying illustration. The Vibrators released two albums with Ellis and toured extensively. Ellis left the Vibrators in 1978 to form the short-lived group Rapid Eye Movement, before embarking on a solo career in 1979, releasing a couple of singles, one of which, "Babies in Jars" (a live Rapid Eye Movement recording) reached #34 on the UK Indie Chart.^[2][3]

In 1980, Ellis toured with Peter Gabriel on his "Tour of China 1984", and he appears on the album Peter Gabriel 4. From 1982 onwards, he recorded a number of albums with Peter Hammill, and toured with Hammill (off and on) from 1981 until 1989. From 1981 until 1984, he was a member of the K Group with Peter Hammill. Hammill was "K" (on vocals, piano and guitar), Nic Potter was "Mozart" (on bass guitar), Guy Evans was "Brain" (on drums), and Ellis was "Fury" (on backing vocals and guitar).^[4] The Peter Hammill album The Margin is a registration of live-concerts by the K group.

Between late 1990 and 2000, Ellis was a member of the punk rock band The Stranglers, starting with the album Stranglers in the Night.^[1] During that period he also created music for European Art exhibitions and several short films. Ellis left the Stranglers in 2000. He is an exponent of the E-bow guitar.

Ellis has contributed to the recordings of Judge Smith, a founding member of Van der Graaf Generator.

In 2005, Ellis formed a community organisation called 'The Luma Group', that delivers arts based training and workshops.

In 2009, Ellis started his own record label, Chanoyu Records, in order to release his own music. The first release was Wabi Sabi 21©, an album of electronic instrumentals inspired by the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

Glass Records special with David Barker in conversation with David Eastaugh

Glass was one of the key London-based indie labels of the 1980s. Early releases focused on artists from Northampton (Religious Overdose, Where's Lisse & The Jazz Butcher), and the Midlands (Bron Area & In Embrace). The label released several records by artists having later associations with other London-based indies: Creation Records (The Jazz Butcher and Nikki Sudden & the Jacobites) ; Fire Records (Spacemen 3 and The Perfect Disaster). Glass's mainstay acts were The Pastels, In Embrace and The Jazz Butcher. The label also issued material by Bauhaus member David J, and American punk band The Replacements, and the influential Liverpool Ur-grunge Walkingseeds.

Founder David Barker went on to work for Fire Records, creating the Paperhouse label, taking the Walkingseeds with him, and releasing the first Teenage Fanclub album, then moving to Creation Records for 2 years.

Frazier Chorus & Client special with Kate Lucy Holmes in conversation with David Eastaugh

Frazier Chorus were a pop group from Brighton, England. A pop group without the usual guitarist, bassist or drummer; they instead utilised flute, clarinet, bongos and hushed vocals.

Hagar The Womb special with Karen Amsden in conversation with David Eastaugh

Hagar the Womb are an English punk rock band, active between 1981-1987. They re-formed in 2011 and the band is ongoing. Part of the Anarcho-Punk movement. Members went on to form We are Going to Eat You and Melt. The band play regular gigs and punk festivals and are on All The Madmen record label.

This Heat special with Charles Hayward in conversation with David Eastaugh

This Heat were an English experimental rock band, formed in early 1976 in Camberwell, London by multi-instrumentalists Charles Bullen (guitar, clarinet, viola, vocals, tapes), Charles Hayward (drums, keyboards, vocals, tapes) and Gareth Williams (keyboard, guitar, bass, vocals, tapes).

This Heat were active in the ascendancy of British punk rock and post-punk, but stood apart from those scenes due to an experimental, confrontational, and politically charged approach. This Heat's commercial success was limited, and their discography consisted of only two albums and an EP, but in later years the band have been widely considered a link between early 1970s music styles such as krautrock and later experimental genres such as industrial music and post-rock.

Rob Duprey discussing life with Iggy Pop, The Mumps & much more  with David Eastaugh

Rob Duprey is an American rock guitarist, keyboardist and songwriter best known for his collaborations with Iggy Pop.

Duprey was also a guitarist for the mid-1970s New York City underground pop band Mumps, led by Lance Loud and Kristian Hoffman

Patrick Hannan in conversation with David Eastaugh - talking about life in The Sundays, Arnold, the audience & much much more

Wheeler had played gigs with Cruel Shoes, an early incarnation of the band Jim Jiminee. The duo soon augmented the band with bassist Paul Brindley and drummer Patrick Hannan.

The Sundays secured a recording contract with Rough Trade Records. Their debut single was "Can't Be Sure". Their first album, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, was released in 1990, along with their next single "Here's Where the Story Ends". The album was a UK Top 5 hit.

Alan McGee in conversation with David Eastaugh

record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian. He co-founded the independent Creation Records label, running it from 1983 until its closure in 1999. He subsequently founded the Poptones label, running it from 1999 to 2007. He has managed or championed acts such as The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis, and The Libertines. He was also the lead singer and guitarist for the indie pop group Biff Bang Pow!, who were active from 1983 to 1991.

Peter Bonas special - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Played with the likes of Peter Murphy, Jim Capaldi, The Hundred Men, Zen Attack and now Fran Pegg & The Blu Band 

Global Village Trucking Co special with Jon Owen in conversation with David Eastaugh

James Lascelles was a co-founder of the Global Village Trucking Company, known to its fans as "The Glob's", in the early 1970s.
The band, the road crew and their families all lived together in a Norfolk (UK) commune, and undertook numerous benefit concerts and free festivals, playing extended free-form jams, making them a well known UK live act. The band shunned record companies, but played on the Greasy Truckers Live at Dingwalls Dance Hall benefit album at Dingwalls in 1973, and in November 1974 they recorded an eponymous album at Rockfield Studios, Monmouth, Wales.

In 1973 the BBC made a documentary about Global Village Trucking Company, their communal living and their aim to make it without a record company. The BBC updated the documentary for the What Happened Next series, shown in May 2008, which included their first gig in 30 years. This re-union led to other Global Village gigs at Glastonbury 2008 and other festivals.

The Jazz Butcher special with Pat Fish in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band was formed in Oxford in 1982 by Pat Fish and Max Eider. The début album in Bath of Bacon was released by Glass Records in 1983. A second album A Scandal in Bohemia, also on Glass, featured guest appearances from David J and Kevin Haskins of Bauhaus. After four albums, and two singles collections for Glass, Fish signed to Creation Records in 1988, releasing eight albums on the label, culminating in 1995's Illuminate.

Undertones & That Petrol Emotion special with Damian O'Neill in conversation with David Eastaugh

Lead guitarist in the pop-punk band, The Undertones. He joined the band following the departure of his older brother, Vincent, in 1976, and remained with the band until their break up in 1983. O'Neill wrote several album tracks and singles during the career of The Undertones, usually writing with bassist Michael Bradley.

After the Undertones split in 1983, Damian O'Neill formed That Petrol Emotion with his guitarist brother, John O'Neill.

The Undertones reformed in 1999 and O'Neill continues to perform and record with them.

Aswad special with Tony Gad 

Initially, the band produced music in the roots reggae vein, with members contributing songs individually and with Forde acting as the band's principal songwriter. The band's dynamic soon began to change however. Shortly after the release of their self-titled debut album in 1976, Hemmings left and was replaced by Tony "Gad" Robinson (the only time in the band's history where a departing member would be officially replaced by an incoming musician). The band then released their second studio effort, Hulet, in 1978, before Oban departed the band in 1979, with Robinson taking over the position of bassist as well as continuing his role as keyboardist. The following year saw Griffiths depart, leaving Forde as the band's sole guitarist. During this early period in the band's history they were distinctly different from Jamaican reggae acts, in that they wrote songs that dealt with the issues surrounding the experiences of black youths growing-up in the UK; such as "Three Babylon" and "It's Not Our Wish", and the powerful jazz-influenced instrumental "Warrior Charge".

David Bowie special with Woody Woodmansey in conversation with David Eastaugh

Woodmansey joined Bowie's backing group The Hype, which later became The Spiders from Mars. He played on Bowie's albums The Man Who Sold the World (1970), Hunky Dory (1971), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) and Aladdin Sane (1973).

Woodmansey was replaced in The Spiders from Mars by Aynsley Dunbar, who played on Bowie's next album, the 1973 covers album Pin Ups. Woodmansey re-formed The Spiders from Mars for one album, along with bass player Trevor Bolder. This necessitated a change of personnel, with Dave Black on lead guitar because Mick Ronson was unavailable and Pete McDonald supplying lead vocals. Guest keyboardist was Mike Garson, who had been a major part of Bowie's line-up from the Ziggy Stardust days. Bowie made no contribution to the album which was named The Spiders From Mars.

King of The Slums special with Charles Keigher in conversation with David Eastaugh

King of the Slums formed in Manchester, England, by writer Charley Keigher aka Charlie Keighera (vocals, guitar) and Sarah Curtis (electric violin), initially as Slum Cathedral User. Joined by bassist John Eccles in early 1985, they recorded a demo tape at Crimson Studios in Urmston, Manchester with the help of a drummer who left the band soon after. The band took up its image of Kings of the slums incorporating a plastic dustbin and a tambourine replacing the drums which added to their 'Slums' authenticity when playing live. They won Muze magazine's Band of the Year competition winning a recording session at a studio in Gorton Manchester producing a second demo tape. Their third demo tape came soon after at a recording studio in Upper Mill high up in the Saddleworth moors.

During the second and third demo tape recordings the group made its vinyl recording debut with the "Spider Psychiatry" single in 1986 on a small independent label SLR Records.

During this time they gigged at various Manchester venues as a three piece with their now trade mark dustbin drum and homemade stage. The single, reviewed by Melody Maker, never made any significant sales. In mid 1987 Eccles left the band. Sarah Curtis had studied violin at the Royal Northern College of Music, but dropped out before finishing her studies.

Further releases followed in 1988 and 1989 on the Play Hard label, now with bassist Jon Chandler and drummer Ged O'Brien (who replaced a succession of drummers), most of which were collected on the album Barbarous English Fayre (1989).

The band also recorded a session for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show in 1988. An incendiary live performance of "Fanciable Headcase", shown on the influential Snub TV television programme, earned the band national exposure, and helped to push their EPs up the independent chart, "Bombs Away on Harpurhey" reaching No. 8.

Happy Mondays special with Rowetta in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1990 Rowetta joined the Happy Mondays. She featured on their single "Step On" which charted at number 5. This was followed by two albums, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches and Yes Please!, and three world tours. The group split and reformed a few times, but decided to split for good in 2000.

The Embarrassment & Big Dipper special with Bill Goffrier in conversation with David Eastaugh

Although some people considered the band punk rock, the band itself liked to describe themselves as "Blister Pop." The Village Voice's long-time chief music critic, Robert Christgau, called them a "great lost American band."^[1] Along with bands like Get Smart!, and the Mortal Micronotz, the Embarrassment were prominent in the Lawrence punk scene of the early '80s and they would regularly play at venues like the Lawrence Opera House (now called "Liberty Hall") and the Off The Wall Hall (later called "Cogburn's", now called "The Bottleneck").

The Embarrassment stopped performing when two of the members moved to Boston. Giessmann drummed for The Del Fuegos, and Goffrier formed the band Big Dipper with former members of the Volcano Suns. Several of The Embarrassment's unreleased songs were recorded by Big Dipper, including "Faith Healer," which was later covered by Japanese all-girl group Shonen Knife.

The "Embos," as fans call them, have played several reunion concerts in the years since, the latest being in August 2008, when they played an acoustic show in Wichita.

U.K. Subs special with Charlie Harper in conversation with David Eastaugh

The U.K. Subs were part of the original punk movement in England. The band formed in 1976, initially using the name the Subversives. The band's founder, Charlie Harper, selected guitarist Nicky Garratt, bassist Paul Slack, and various drummers (eventually with Pete Davies became fairly stable) under the initial name "U.K. Subversives".

The London-based band's early line-up changed frequently.

Their style combined the energy of punk and the rock and roll edge of the then-thriving pub rock scene. The band had hit singles such as "Stranglehold", "Warhead", "Teenage", and "Tomorrow's Girls", with several of their songs managing to enter the Top 40 

The band played several John Peel sessions in 1978 for BBC Radio 1, and played some opening gigs for The Police, and recorded a set at The Roxy (a punk club), which was issued in 1980 as Live Kicks. They signed a recording contract with GEM Records in May 1979.^[2] Under GEM, the U.K. Subs recorded their most successful studio albums, Another Kind of Blues and Brand New Age.Their biggest selling album came with 1980's Crash Course.^[5]Crash Course was recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London on 30 May 1980 during the Brand New Age tour.

In 1979, Julien Temple wrote and directed a short film Punk Can Take It, a parody of wartime documentaries, that consisted mainly of the U.K.Subs playing live on stage. The film was released theatrically.