Shows
Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicDeep Cuts from the vaultSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!A “Deep Cut” is something that is recognisable or familiar to passionate fans but not usually to others. As a special treat this week, we’ve delved into our collections to give you some deep cuts from our favourites – things like Queen, Bowie, Joe Cocker, Nick Cave and TISM. We think you’ll love them, In Rock News, Jeff delves into songs that turn 60 on 2025, looks at Sunday Lunch with Toyah and Robert Fripp, and introduces Yachtley Crew, a strange phenomenon from California. Our Album You...2025-06-151h 08Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicCutting down Tall PoppiesSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Just because you’re successful doesn’t mean everyone likes you. In fact, success can often draw criticisms that might not be given to other performers. In Australia, we call that the “Tall Poppy Syndrome”, where people look for reasons to bring successful people down! We look at some criticisms (not by us - mainly!), of highly successful artists and try to find a reason for them. This month seems to have a host of rock star deaths! In Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door...2025-05-2558 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWarren Zevon – Finally inducted into the Hall of Fame!!Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!A while back, we talked at length about Warren Zevon, one of the great American songwriters and one of our idols. So, this year, Warren Zevon has been inducted into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame, along with Bad Company and Cyndi Lauper, and we thought that was a perfect excuse to close the loop on our coverage of his career. It’s all here – his later career, final album, appearances on Letterman. We loved doing it, and we know that you'll love listening t...2025-05-1159 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicSteve Harley & Cockney Rebel - More than Come Up and See Me!Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!The late Steve Harley was most famous for his 1975 hit Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me), but there’s much more to the story than one good single. We look at the band’s early albums and Steve Harley's career around and after that single and the band's break up. As usual, Mick says their early stuff is way better than their later stuff!Our Album you Must Listen to Before You Die is “Tres Hombres”, ZZ Top’s 1973 album containing the huge hit “La Gran...2025-04-2759 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWhat influences shape our Musical Taste?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Why do you like the music you do? Is it as simple as “It’s what I heard on the radio”? Or something deeper? People with elder siblings may be exposed to music earlier than first children. Jeff had an older brother, so was exposed earlier to cool music - Beatles, Janis, Hendrix, and so on. Mick was the eldest in his family and had to find his own taste. (No surprise considering what he listens to!) Were you bullied as a child? Influence! Did you sha...2025-04-131h 17Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicLegendary Women of Rock – Patti Smith & Marianne FaithfullSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!This episode, we look back at two hugely influential women artists – Patti Smith, whose 1975 “Horses” album inspired so many artists, and Marianne Faithfull, whose passing in January, 2025, is a huge loss. “Horses”, with its confrontational approach - “Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine” - changed the landscape of rock music for the next few decades. Produced by John Cale, of Velvet Underground fame, the album opened the door for so many women, including Debbie Harry of Blondie and Siouxsie Sue of Siouxsie & The...2025-03-301h 10Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicMore of our Rob Younger interview (with better sound) (#2)Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Part 2 of our fascinating conversation with Radio Birdman's Rob Younger. From music production styles, to why some people can't keep it in their pants, and the disgraceful lack of credit given to Stevie Wright for the success of The Easybeats, there's never a dull moment in this wide-ranging discussion. Enjoy!References: Rock producers, production styles, guitarists, band leaders, Died Pretty, Plunderers, Dragon, Punk rock UK vs US, Patti Smith, John Cale, orchestration, Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa, Mothers of Invention, 60's songwriting & playing, Kei...2025-03-162h 02Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicA conversation with Radio Birdman's Rob YoungerSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!A special treat for you this episode! Rob Younger, lead singer of legendary Australian group, Radio /Birdman, joins us in the studio to give us his thoughts on everything from music production to the influence of the Beatles on all rock music. Rob’s near-encyclopedic knowledge of the rock era is impressive, and it's eye-opening to hear his opinions on the shameful treatment of Stevie Wright (The Easybeats), the lyrics of Jim Morrison and Robert Plant, and guitarists "wanking" on stage, with plenty of stops in-be...2025-03-021h 31Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWho's brave enough to cover Bowie's "Heroes"?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!In case you hadn’t noticed, we love a good cover version! This episode, we’re looking at covers - staples, covers from strange sources, and some songs that have had a LOT of covers, including a bunch of covers of David Bowie's “Heroes”, one of Mick's favourite songs of all time. Our Album You Must Hear before You Die is “Is This It?” by The Strokes. This punk/Britpop-influenced album got rave reviews on release in 2001 from Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, and New Musical Expre...2025-02-091h 14Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicGreat Debut AlbumsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Every band/artist has to have a first album. Sometimes those albums are good, sometimes they’re not, and sometimes they just show potential. This episode, we look at some first albums over the gamut of the rock era that we regard as great, including some Australian albums. You've probably heard of most, but not all. In rock news, we look at Neil Young, The Wiggles (yes!), Joe Bonamassa, Jethro Tull and Billboard's new list – The Top 200 Albums of the 21st Century. Our Album You...2025-01-261h 33Mick and the PhatMan Talking Music2024 - Wrapping up another year of great stories & music!Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Well, this is the last episode of Season 4, and once again, it’s been a ball of fun (and music). 4 years and still going strong – bigger and better than ever! We look back at “Knockin’ on Heaven's Door” and "Rock News", as well as some of our favourite episodes. We recall some of the albums we’ve listened to (before we die), some of the shows we’ve seen, some of the books we’ve bought and some of Mick’s fluffs! We also talk about what...2024-12-151h 09Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicCreedence Clearwater Revival – what really happened?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Everyone knows and loves Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their run of hits at the end of the '60’s, and their enduring popularity, has rarely been equaled. Not so well-known is the story of the clashes that caused their run to end so abruptly. We take a look at how the band split and the many personal and legal issues that led to it. It ain’t pretty! Well, we also kept our promise and listened to the new Coldplay album, “Moon Music”. How did it sound to us...2024-12-011h 05Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWere the 80’s really that bad?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!The 80's is a decade with many musical failings. But they produced some great music, too. This episode, we look at what Rolling Stone magazine considers to be the best songs of the 80’s. We have criticised Rolling Stone in the past for the quality of their lists, and this time is no different. However, there’s some good stuff in this list, which we’re happy to acknowledge. Of course, we point out their failings as well – it'd be no fun if we didn’t, would it?! In...2024-11-1758 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicNick Lowe - What's so funny?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!This episode spends time with Nick Lowe, a British performer, who started out with pub rock band, Brinsley Schwarz, and Dave Edmunds’ Rockpile. Lowe’s solo career has produced a huge bunch of great songs – many of which you’ve heard, even if you’ve not heard of him - which have been hits for him AND covered by some amazing people! A suggestion from listener Nick from Victoria, this episode was the most fun we’ve had for some time! Rock News features some standards – O...2024-11-031h 01Mick and the PhatMan Talking Music"Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" - David Bowie's last great albumSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!David Bowie’s “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)” is, for many fans, his last great album. Mick regards it as one of Bowie’s best, while “Ashes to Ashes” is Bowie's confession to a decade of hedonism. Mick and Jeff talk through what makes this album great, and look at the music environment as Bowie, along with many other 70’s greats, faced the changes in a new decade. “Knockin’ on Heaven's Door” offers a long line of new entrants to Rock’n’Roll Heaven including Herbie Flowers, Tito Jackson...2024-10-201h 12Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicAlbums we regret buyingSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!As we grew up, music was the most important thing there was. As part of that, we bought some albums that weren’t great, and time has generally proven our assessments right! This episode, we talk about some of those "dud" albums, by artists like Bowie, U2, Led Zeppelin, Golden Earring, Neil Young, Alice Cooper, Phil Collins and Yes, to name but a few. In Rock News, we talk about a Filipino family who perform Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love with uncanny precision and an auct...2024-10-071h 15Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicDown the Rabbit Hole - Things we find on the WebSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!In today’s episode, we look at how social media gives us a grab-bag of people’s memories of stars and some who weren’t quite so successful, or scarcely successful at all. Nonetheless, they are remembered by some and lionised on social media. The other side of "on-line" is the channels that present video imagery of any and everything, such as YouTube, TikTok and so on. Jeff presents a bunch of interesting links for you to investigate. In “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, we lament...2024-09-221h 20Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe strange ways some bands got their namesSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!All bands need a name, but the process of getting that name is different for each band. This episode, we look at how a bunch of well-known bands got their names. Some are amusing, some are horrifying, some are dark or seedy – be ready for surprises! Our “album you must listen to before you die” is Arc of a Diver, by Stevie Winwood (1980). This was a formative album during our youth, and with this million-selling album and its hit single “While You See a Chance”...2024-09-081h 16Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicBands who changed their sound mid-careerSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!It’s not unusual for bands to change their sound or style as they move through their career. We take a look at bands that changed their sound substantially (or started a completely new sound) for a whole lot of reasons - from The Beatles, Bowie and Dylan and Black Sabbath through to Japan, The Cure and Split Enz. Our album you must hear before you die is Let it Bleed by The Rolling Stones. From the cover art to the great music...2024-07-281h 15Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicNick Cave – From "Shivers" to 2024 solo piano & bassSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Nick Cave. After a career that would exhaust a lesser man, he’s still recording and performing breathtaking work. Mick’s just seen him live with only his piano, and a bass guitar, and can’t stop raving! We look at how he started and the difference between his performances and attitudes then and now. In other news, Lenny Kravitz is still sticking to his vow of celibacy, The Police’s Andy Summers declares that they were total babes, and The Angels are still releasi...2024-06-301h 02Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWeird & Wonderful CollaborationsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Musicians love to collaborate. We thought we'd have a look at some that are just great, some that are weird, and some that are simply awful! As usual, some you'll know, and some you won’t. Our “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is Pet Sounds, by The Beach Boys (1966). Long revered by musicians including The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, this album is a masterpiece of production and innovation. This month, we farewell Graham Webb, an Australian pioneer of music videos – and Blind D...2024-06-101h 15Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicJethro Tull - killer riffs with a flute player standing on one legSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Jethro Tull is one of the stranger turns taken by rock music over more than 50 years. Mick and Jeff look back at some of the band’s best work, and, maybe, some of their strangest. The “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is Queen II, a sensational album released the year before Queen took over the world! Both Mick & Jeff love it! Jeff takes a look at what AI is doing to music. We’re not worried, because, as Joe Walsh says, AI can’t even...2024-05-211h 02Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicJarrah McCleary/Panama - how artists earn money today - live interviewSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!This week, something a little different for you – our first live interview! Jarrah McCleary is an Australian musician - writer, songwriter & producer - whose music, a mix of synth-heavy sounds and beats to smooth electronica, is sometimes evocative of a smoky Fifties restaurant, and at other times, the coolest nightclubs. Starting out in Western Australia around 20 years ago, Jarrah has toured Australia and Europe, played the festival circuit in Europe and the UK and played the Big Day Out. We talk with Jarrah abou...2024-05-051h 26