Shows
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sIn the Shadow of the Mushroom CloudIt’s 12 noon in London, 7am in Philadelphia and around the world, people are getting ready for Episode 11. July 13th 1985 saw one of the greatest concerts of all time, as the world of rock and pop united to raise money and awareness for famine in Africa.The very greatest artists performed their greatest hits, and we discuss 5 of those artists now. Of course, there were controversies about the event, which are put into even sharper focus as we look back 40 years. But, as a spectacle and as a means of raising awareness for generations to follow, it rem...2025-07-1349 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sThis is Not a TestWelcome to Episode 10!Almost half way there. In the last episode we explored Cold War tunes of Australian and New Zealand. In this episode we look at the genuine funkatomic bombs that America produced in the world of jazz-funk and hip hop. There were so many examples to choose from, but we have settled on a list of 5 songs from artists with a huge impact on their genres, if not the chart positions of some of our other selections.First, the prescient and stunning “B-Movie” by Gil Scott-Heron, a spoken word piece of poetry...2025-06-3045 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sFunkatomic Bombs From AustraliaIt’s Episode 9!Welcome – once again the guests come thick and fast as we explore the nuclear themed music of the 80s from two lands down under – Australia and New Zealand. Our special guests this episode are Vitabeats - Lissa and Andrew Barnum. They released the magnificent “Spot the Spanner” album in 1985, which included their funkatomic beat “Boom Box”, together with outlandish video. We discuss their musical journey, from LA to the countryside in New South Wales via the studios and record shops of Sydney and London.We then discuss Aussie favourites Icehouse and their wonderful “Sunris...2025-06-1656 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sLook Now, Look All Around... There's No Sign of Life.Welcome to Episode 8 – with our very special guest, Sylvia Patterson, influential music journalist who was at Smash Hits Magazine when it was at the peak of its popularity. She has written for the biggest publications in music and interviewed and toured with the biggest names in pop and rock music and has written two wonderful memoirs: “I’m Not With the Band” (2016) and “Same Old Girl” (2023).All of the songs discussed in this episode are by artists who were (either once or very many times) featured on the iconic covers of Smash Hits. We start with the Thompson T...2025-06-0259 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sSomeone Pushed the Button DownIt’s Episode 7 and, to coincide with the recent Eurovision Song Contest, we look at artists who have either been in Eurovision or have some indirect links with it….We start with UK champions Bucks Fizz and their forlorn nostalgia in “I Used to Love the Radio” before moving on to Swedish winners and pop pioneers ABBA – 2 songs form part of our discussion :“Soldiers” and “The Visitors”.German megastar (and the voice of Enigma) Sandra Lauer’s cover of Wishful Thinking’s “Hiroshima” is next, followed by the mesmeric performance of Klaus Nomi on “Total Eclipse”. The Eurovisio...2025-05-1940 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sA Witch Hunt and a Nuclear PartyIt's Episode 6, and this time the theme is "Angry Young Britain". We explore songs from bands who raged against the injustices of the day and welcome a very special guest. Four of them hail from the Midlands - The Specials, UB40, The Beat and The Au Pairs and Swindon's finest, XTC.The Au Pairs' lead singer is the great Lesley Woods and she spoke to us about the song "America" - a damning indictment of American foreign policy - and of the pervading nuclear threat - of that era. She also breaks some very exciting news...2025-05-0555 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sHello? Is Anybody Home?Welcome to Episode 5 and thanks for being part of our ever growing nuclear family.There’s not a male vocalist in sight, as we discuss 5 entirely different but outstanding female vocalists of the age. We start with Blondie’s Atomic – paying tribute to the fabulous drummer, Clem Burke; then Hazel O’Connor’s anthemic Eighth Day from the soundtrack to “Breaking Glass”. We then move on to Anne Clark’s bleak but gripping “Poem for a Nuclear Romance”, and then a complete change of mood as we do the Neutron Dance along with the Pointer Sisters. To end with, we discuss one o...2025-04-2146 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sSo Glad We've Almost Made It....Welcome to Episode 4 of Bang! (Number 1 in Goodpods Rock and Pop charts for March 2025)We discuss one of the biggest and best loved songs of the 80s… “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears….. Over 2 billion streams on Spotify alone! We then move on to the wistful protest of Billy Bragg’s “Between the Wars”; then Kate Bush’s haunting and fearful “Breathing”.We then move on to with the wonderful, drily ironic (but jolly) “How I Learned to Love the Bomb” by Dan Treacy’s influential (ask MGMT) band, Television Personalities (w...2025-03-3145 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980s(Waiting for the) HeatwaveIn this episode, we are delighted to welcome Tony Travis of Fay Ray for an interview, in which we discuss his band, the album and the song that is the title of this episode and our regular intro and outro music. Thanks to Tony for joining us.We then move on to Deacon Blue's beautifully descriptive and evocative "He Looks Like Spencer Tracy Now"; Young Marble Giants' short but stoically beautiful "Final Day" and The Jacksons' plaintive nuclear lullaby "Be Not Always".The podcast ends with our discussion of the 80s behemoth "Two...2025-03-2758 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sNuclear Melodies for Atomic CrimesIn our 2nd episode, we start by paying tribute to the great Rick Buckler and discuss The Jam's 1980 classic "Going Underground"; then we move on to the calm and reflective "Glad It's All Over" by Captain Sensible; a lesser known but vibrant 80's tune "Fall Out" by Data; then Tom Robinson's beautiful but melancholic "War Baby". Our final tune is the unforgettable Prince classic "1999" - who even knew it was a nuclear war song?Thanks to all who have listened to and subscribed to Episode 1. Do keep in touch with us. We love to read your...2025-03-0340 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sWelcome to the Red Skies...Welcome to Episode 1 of Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980s.In our first episode, "Welcome to the Red Skies...", we discuss the perennial classic, "Enola Gay" by OMD; Hot Chocolate's lesser known but super-cool "Mindless Boogie"; two wonderful songs that should have been much bigger hits in the UK - "Red Skies" by The Fixx and "Forever Young" by Alphaville; and Ultravox's darkly anthemic "Dancing with Tears in Our Eyes". Dave tell us why he made the list in the first place and Pank recalls, with fondness, "Not the 9 O'Clock News"....2025-02-1743 min
Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sBang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980sIn this trailer, Dave and Pank tell you what to expect when, on 17th February 2025, we launch the first episode of our podcast.(Waiting for the) Heatwave appears courtesy of Fay Ray. Written by John Lovering. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-02-1302 min