Shows
Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicDeep Cuts we think you'll loveSend 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 26Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicJohnny Cash – A grand cornerstone of rock musicSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!This episode looks at Johnny Cash’s “The American Recordings”, a series of 6 albums released on American Records between 1994 and 2010. By 1994, when he signed to Rick Rubin’s American Records, it looked like Cash’s career was all but done. However, Rubin had other ideas and, over the next 10 years, worked with Cash to produce some of the most memorable work of his career. Part of this process involved Cash covering songs by some of the greatest artists of the late 20th Century...2024-04-211h 12Mick and the PhatMan Talking Music"Songs for Drella" - Lou Reed & John Cale's moving tribute to Andy WarholSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!“Songs for Drella”, Lou Reed & John Cale’s marvelous 1990 posthumous tribute to Andy Warhol, offers an intensely personal view of Warhol with songs and playing that rank among the finest in either man’s career. Their first collaboration since The Velvet Underground, nearly 20 years earlier, led to both artists vowing never to work with the other again. Our "must-listen" album today was suggested by listener Nick Farmer> “El-Rayo-X" (1981) by multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, is a lot of fun - mainly reggae-influenced beat, but clearly Californian. Lindley sounds famili...2024-04-0757 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicOutrageous Tour Demands – You Can’t Make This Stuff Up!Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!We all know that rock and pop stars live in a different universe to us mere mortals. Many make strange demands for things that must be provided before they’ll perform a show. Today, we look at stars’ demands – whether extreme or reasonable, or blindingly hilarious! You won’t believe some of them. In Jeff's Rock News, Keith Richards has covered Lou Reed’s, “Waiting for the Man”, U2 has played a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, an unheard Jimi Hendrix...2024-03-241h 13Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicHusker Du, Sugar and Bob MouldSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Bob Mould is the founding member of Husker Du, one of the most influential guitar bands of the 80’s. Husker Du’s wall-of-sound guitar approach was as influential as REM in creating alternative rock, and created an environment which allowed Nirvana, The Pixies and The Foo Fighters to succeed. In the early-90's, Sugar, Bob’s next band, built on that with a thrash/melodic collection of songs, particularly on “Copper Blue”. Since then, Bob’s kept th...2024-03-101h 03Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicBrilliant albums poorly reviewed. How do critics get it so wrong?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Have you ever NOT bought an album based on a poor review? You’re not the only one! Would it shock you to learn that the critics likely know less than you about music? This episode, we look at how often (supposed) expert critics got it so wrong with some of the best albums of our time. Victims of such poor efforts include Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, AC/DC and The Beatles! We also start a new segment w...2024-02-251h 05Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicStars that threw it all away with dumb decisionsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!This week, we talk about successful artists who blew it all with dumb decisions. Youth, fame and amazing amounts of money – what could go wrong? Our “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is the wonderful Aladdin Sane, by David Bowie. The cover artwork, featuring a lightning bolt across his face is one of the best-known images in rock, while the album marks Bowie’s tougher, heavier attempt to conquer America. In Rock News, we hear about Gene Simmons, The Eagles, Ir...2024-02-111h 08Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicRolling Stone's "250 Greatest Guitarists of all Time" (well, some of them anyway!)Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Rolling Stone just released “The 250 Greatest Guitarists of all Time”. Naturally, we take issue with the list, who's on it, who’s been left out, the balance, and everything else! We’re back for another season of opinionated comment on all things from the golden era of rock’n’roll. Hold on & enjoy the ride! References: Rolling Stone’s “250 Greatest Guitarists”, Globite School Case, David Lindley, Mick Ronson, Shane MacGowan, Nick Cave, Wrecking Crew, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, Bob Mould, Shane M...2024-01-281h 25Mick and the PhatMan Talking Music2023 - A great year for great music (from other years!)Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!We looked at some exceptional music this year, and Jeff inflicted some real crap on our listeners. Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Lou Reed, Ed Kuepper and Hallelujah – and that barely scratches the surface. And we got a new Globite School Case! And, in case you were wondering, we'll be back on Sunday 28 Jan 2024. Subscribe and get an automatic reminder! Books:The Number Ones – Tom Breihan You Are Beautiful & You Are Alone – Jennifer Otter Bickerdike SAHB Story – Martin...2023-12-101h 02Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicGreat Protest Music of our TimeSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!We look at songs from a few of the major protest movements in our lifetime – racism, Vietnam, Ireland, Margaret Thatcher! From Woody Guthrie, through Springsteen and Dylan, to racism and Vietnam and the UK's Margaret Thatcher, to present-day Australia, we look at some of the great protest songs. Some of the stories behind those songs will take your breath away. Our “Album You Must Hear before You Die” this time is Talking Heads’ awesome “Remain in Light” from 1980. This album has been hailed as Talking Heads...2023-11-261h 10Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicMathew Sweet - the music behind Susanna Hoffs, Austin Powers and The SimpsonsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Matthew Sweet, an American guitarist, has had a criminally understated career, marked by a sensational solo album, “Girlfriend”, three terrific albums with Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles, “Under the Covers” (Vols 1, 2 and 3) and some very tasty soundtrack work, including the Austin Powers movies. In 2014, he also appeared as Apu’s singing voice in an episode of The Simpsons. Our “Album you Must Hear Before you Die” is “Rid of Me” by P J Harvey. We hated it and can't pretend otherwise! She was, at one point, in a rel...2023-11-121h 03Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicREM - Another great band influenced by The Velvet UndergroundSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!REM is often viewed by casual listeners as a lighter-style rock band. This is deceptive, with the band offering complex songs with obscure lyrics, brilliant playing, covers, and an incredible refusal to compromise. Mick and Jeff talk through REM's development from their rock cliche start – the singer, Michael Stipe, met guitarist Peter Buck in the record shop where Buck worked - to their becoming one of the biggest-ever bands in the world – all without selling out. MOJO Magazine called them "an ensemble growl adorned with heavenly...2023-10-251h 05Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicBig hits that really weren't original!Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Cover versions – always fascinating!! Occasionally, an artist will cover an obscure song, or a deep cut by another artist and make it their own. But what about when the song has ALREADY been a hit? Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t; sometimes it ends up in court! This episode, we’re looking at examples of all three. Our “Album You Must Hear Before You Die” is, believe it or not, “And other bits of material” by Paper Lace, the most successful band to come out of Not...2023-10-091h 07Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicA world without Leonard Cohen would be a much poorer placeSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Everyone has heard of Leonard Cohen, but not so many know much about him. With this episode, we look to give you a taste of Mr Cohen – his views on life, women and songwriting; his extraordinary influence on modern songwriting; his legacy, and, of course, “Hallelujah”! A world that never had Leonard Cohen in it would be a much lesser place indeed. Jeff gives us his holiday report on a visit to the only Museum in the world dedicated to penises, whose prime exhibit is a plaster...2023-09-261h 09Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicHow Michael Jackson's "Thriller" changed all the rulesSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” – one of the biggest hit albums of all time - also marks a quantum change in how rock music was marketed and sold. Brought up as part of The Jackson 5, Michael saw himself as an entertainer crossing musical genres and categories. He almost single-handedly made music videos into a serious art form.In those days, with typical video budgets around $50k, the video for “Thriller” had a budget of $1m and a top Hollywood director in John Landis. Total recording budg...2023-09-0358 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicMarianne Faithfull - Before and after "Broken English"Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Marianne Faithfull's journey from 60's elfin-voiced beauty to grande-dame of rock music has given us some wonderful music, including Broken English, inspired by the Baader-Meinhof terrorist gang. We look at her career, focusing on what this album meant for her. Many may know the title-track single, but the album brings a bunch of stunning tracks we know you’re going to really enjoy discovering, including, “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” and Lennon’s “Working Class Hero”. Our “album you must listen to before you die” is Pink Flo...2023-08-151h 00Mick and the PhatMan Talking Music"Pampered Menial” - Pavlov’s Dog's stunning lost gem from 1975Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!In 1975, “Pampered Menial” was released to 5-star critical ratings. It was not a commercial success. However, in the years since, it has become a gem, possibly one of the greatest albums of the 70’s! David Surkamp’s surreal 4-octave voice has been compared to Robert Plant. Matched with Siegfried Carver's violin and Steve Scorfina's guitar, it creates a stunning work of art – intricate and majestic with guts and delicacy in equal measure. With this episode, we want to open more ears to an amazing piece of symphonic rock/metal. ...2023-07-3058 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWhat do Bowie, Bad Company, Rick Wakeman and BTO have in common?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! As a special treat, this episode features four tasty albums from the golden age of Rock. Rick Wakeman’s “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”, accused of hastening the arrival of punk, and of justifying the need for it, ultimately sold over 14 million copies. Go figure! “Not Fragile” by Bachman Turner Overdrive, topped the charts in USA and Australia proclaiming that “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet”! The pick of the crop, the self-titled “Bad Company” was hailed as “swing and swagger with power chords”...2023-07-1259 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicNico - An aural challenge well worth the effortSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Nico – one-time member of The Velvet Underground - is an enigma in modern rock music. Despite her wide-ranging influence, her music is not for the faint-hearted. Mick saw Nico at the Sydney Trade Union Club in 1986 and it was a concert unlike any other. She's not for everybody, or even most people, but have a listen, you’ll hear something new and might just broaden your view on the rest of the music you listen to. We discuss why we don’t play actual mus...2023-06-251h 03Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicLou Reed’s “New York” – A masterpiece in 14 tracksSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!In 1989, Lou Reed released his tour de force, “New York”. Many see this album as part of Reed’s holy trinity of spectacular albums - “Velvet Underground & Nico”, “Berlin” and “New York”. Commercially & artistically successful, this album took everything back to basics, and Reed himself was quoted as saying, “This is as good as it gets – two guitars, bass and drums”. Mick and Jeff both love this late-career revival album for its strong songs, caustic lyrics, perfect observations and great word play. This deals with the "everyday" – domestic...2023-06-111h 09Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe strange link between Vanilla Ice, Queen & David BowieSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Vanilla Ice was the first artist to lose all his earnings from a hit through lawyers suing for copyright infringement. In a story with more twists than an Agatha Christie novel, all the profit from the first “rap” single to top the charts was gobbled up by lawyers, after Vanilla Ice sampled "Under Pressure" without clearance from Bowie or Queen. This story's found in an excellent book - “The Number Ones – Twenty chart-topping hits that reveal the history of pop music” by Tom Breihan - on...2023-05-281h 02Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicEd Kuepper - The Saints' founder, Laughing Clown, sometime Aint and Bad SeedSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!This episode, we look at Ed Kuepper, whose fame sadly does not match in any way his contribution to rock’n’roll! Bursting out of Brisbane in the mid-70's, Ed helped found The Saints, one of the key influences on punk. Tiring of The Saints, he created The Laughing Clowns, before launching into a solo career interspersed with stints in The Aints and The Bad Seeds. The “Album You Must Hear before You Die” is the immortal “Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield, Virgin Records’...2023-05-141h 00Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe best (and worst) shows we've ever seenSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Do you remember the best show you’ve ever seen? How about the worst? Mick and Jeff talk about what makes a great show and relive some of the best (and worst) they’ve seen. Our Album You Must Hear Before You Die is “The B-52s” self-titled first album from 1979. This high-energy album smashed the B-52s onto the world stage while looking like escapees from the Rocky Horror Show! To top it all off, Jeff brings you rock news featuring Alice Cooper...2023-04-261h 08Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Sensational Alex Harvey Band – a sadly-missed phenomenonSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!More than any band we’ve covered in over 50 episodes, this band has delivered us the most blank looks! “Never heard of them!”, people say! So, we thought we’d remedy this serious hole in people’s musical appreciation by looking at one of the most exciting but overlooked musical occurrences of the 70’s. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (SAHB) could only have existed during the 70’s, and possibly only in Glasgow. Starting with the idea that, to call yourself “Sensational”, you’ve got to be sensational...2023-04-101h 03Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Police - still fresh, 40 years onSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!We sometimes forget just how talented The Police - Sting, Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers - actually were. They arrived in the late-70's, merging elements of Reggae, New Wave & Punk. Their sound - simple, lean (bass, drums, guitar), well-produced - still sounds fresh, with songs like “Roxanne”, “Message in a Bottle”, and “Walking on the Moon”. We saw them live at the Hordern Pavilion back in 1980, in the days before digital light shows, when every single light can had a specific purpose – and what a show it wa...2023-03-2651 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Smiths - Manchester's finest!Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!The Smiths are, unarguably, one of the finest bands produced by Britain (or anywhere). Mick rates their third album, "The Queen is Dead", as one of the most exceptional albums ever made. We talk about where they came from, their influences, and why they are still popular today, over thirty years after they split. Jeff brings you up to speed on recent rock deaths, talking about Jeff Beck, David Crosby and Renee Geyer, among others. Our Album You Must Hear Before You Die is “Ne...2023-03-121h 07Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWhat makes a band (or artist) "Over-rated"?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! How often have you heard of an artist being labelled “over-rated”? Did it strike you as fair, or just a subjective, lazy way to insult artists you don’t like? Mick & Jeff look at the concept of ‘over-rated’ as a way of describing artists, and consider whether certain artists ARE, in fact, over-rated, and, if so, why or why not? Our album you MUST Listen to Before You Die is “Bossanova” by the Pixies. We talk about where the Pixies fit into the music universe and where this a...2023-02-261h 05Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicEver Fallen in Love with Someone? Great love songsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!It’s St Valentine’s Day, and a chance for Jeff to show his sensitive side! Other than cars and protest songs, rock’n’roll is ALL ABOUT love songs! We talk about love songs, songs about sex, songs mourning lost love, break-up songs, songs that aren't really about love at all, and look at a couple of massive hits that are best considered rubbish. Our Album You Must Hear Before You Die is one of the greats - “Born in the USA”, Bruce Springsteen’s 7th album. The...2023-02-121h 04Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWhy didn't these songs get to #1?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking! Mick and Jeff are back for a new season! The music world is focussed on the hit, the chart-topper, the NUMBER ONE! But simply getting onto the charts signifies a certain amount of commercial success, doesn’t it? We kick off with a look at some of the many songs that didn’t make it to the top of the charts, and see if they got different results in either the UK, US or Australia. Jeff brings us up to speed with some news a...2023-01-2958 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicTwo seasons of great music commentarySend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!A recap of the highlights of 2 years & 45 episodes of this podcast! Talked about more than 300 artists, shows, and albums - who could ask for more? They’ve recorded in some of Australia's most remote parts of Australia, regularly bad-mouthed Jeff Buckley, and decided that Alice Cooper was a pretty good guy despite his music after “Welcome to my Nightmare” being pretty terrible! The Rolling Stone 500 Best Songs of all Time got Jeff all hot under the collar: “How does Kelly ****ing Clarkson get into any list of the...2022-12-161h 10Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicMidnight Oil - Idealism and a red-hot live showSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Midnight Oil ("The Oils") are one of Australia's most-loved bands. Their solid political streak – Indigenous rights, the environment and nuclear disarmament, to name a few – sits well with a hard-earned reputation for red-hot live shows. Mick and Jeff look back at all the times they’ve seen Midnight Oil live, and the impact their music has had on Australian culture. Jeff’s Rant introduces us to Beard Meats Food, a young bearded lad who consumes huge meals live on YouTube. It's been a g...2022-12-111h 02Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicJoe Cocker - "I don't expect to live through this"Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Joe Cocker was a staple of the rock world for around 50 years. His career took off with two songs gifted him by The Beatles (“She Came in Through the Bathroom Window”, “With A Little Help from My Friends”) and a brilliant cover of The Box Tops’ “The Letter”, and was almost destroyed by the "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" tour, album and film. This week’s “Album You Must Listen to Before You Die” is “Juju” by Siouxsie and the Banshees. This outstanding 1981 work is celebrated as a Gothic m...2022-11-231h 12Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Go Betweens - The importance of choosing great influencesSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!The Go-Betweens were a great Aussie band of the 80’s - they wrote erudite world-weary songs about life and their loves with zilch success for their efforts. Their style, a mix of Velvet Underground's 3rd album’s gritty simplicity, Bob Dylan’s narrative skills and Television’s clear production highlighting guitar never brought them the success that their talent deserved. We did, though, find a fan from Dublin with an extraordinary appreciation of the Go-Betweens. We look at some emails we’ve rece...2022-11-161h 02Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicGreat music that somehow missed the charts!Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans". With so much going on, it’s easy to miss some fabulous music for one reason or another. This episode, the boys talk about some great stuff that never quite bothered the charts. Groups like Ultravox!, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Godfathers, Magazine, Death in Vegas and The Sisters of Mercy offer you something a little bit different that you may have missed first time around. This week’s Album You Must Hear Befo...2022-11-011h 15Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWho deserves a place in our supergroup?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Something a little different for you this episode, as we return from our mid-season break. How many times have you had the discussion “Who’s the best guitarist/ singer/ drummer/etc”? We’ve taken that discussion one step further and taken all our favourites and put them together into one HUGE supergroup. Only one rule: Anybody selected must be alive – that rules out Hendrix as lead guitarist! As you’d expect, Jeff has to take it one step too far and organises an all-star caterin...2022-10-1854 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicGenesis RedoneSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Genesis Redone The 2021 COVID lockdowns meant we couldn’t get together to record. This really impacted the sound quality on a couple of episodes, particularly the one about Genesis (Season 1 Ep 15)So, we’ve re-recorded that episode. The key facts are the same, but because our podcasts are a conversation and we don’t work from a tight script, it’s basically a new episode. If you've listened to the original episode already, you might like to see how different this one is. We...2022-07-291h 08Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicPeter Gabriel - No more masksSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Peter Gabriel, one-time member of Genesis, is an English musician who is renowned for powerful, innovative, "intelligent" music. When Gabriel left Genesis in 1975, after the album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, he stunned fans and critics alike by teaming up with Bob Ezrin (Lou Reed, Pink Floyd, Kiss, Alice Cooper) to produce the album known as “Car”, a disparate collection of songs – including “Solsbury Hill” - with strong riffs, great guitar work, a variety of styles, to establish his solo credentials. His 3rd album, kn...2022-07-281h 05Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicHow GOOD is Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!We look at Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (1973) one of the most important and influential albums of the modern rock period. An album with serious lyrics, tight ensemble playing from the band, and cover art as good as it gets, this album marks a high point for Elton John. In his career of over 50 years, he may have matched, but never bettered, this album. We also look at the 80’s, which get a bit of a bum rap from many people for “manufactured bands and mus...2022-07-241h 00Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicCyndi Lauper – The Girl Just Wants to Have FunSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Everybody knows Cyndi Lauper’s big hit, “Girls Just want to have Fun”, but not so well-known is her career since then - a star-turn on “We are the World”, a string of great albums including Billboard's Blues Album of the Year, and writing “Kinky Boots”, a hit Broadway musical, all contribute to her story. Our album "To Listen To Before You Die" this week – Leonard Cohen’s “Songs of Love and Hate” - is chock-full of understated songs and amazing turns of phrase. Show regulars will know that...2022-07-051h 02Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Things We've LostSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!We live in a time of dramatic change, in music as much as anything else - what we listen to, how we collect it and how we consume it. The Walkman and the iPod have come and gone, and the record collection is a thing of memory. The boys look at how much has changed during the rock era, for good or ill. Our “Before You Die” album this episode is “The Madcap Laughs” by Syd Barrett, ex-Pink Floyd. David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) said that the session...2022-06-251h 19Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicAlice Cooper - The Band and the ManSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Alice Cooper - a story of intrigue, drugs and great stage shows. While influencing The Sex Pistols, Kiss, Bowie, the movie, “A Clockwork Orange” and Australia’s Jimmy and the Boys, Alice Cooper morphed from a band to an individual, and left an enormous legacy in today’s rock world. This week’s “Before You Die” album is Marc Bolan’s “Electric Warrior”, which didn’t impress the boys at all, despite Bolan’s reputation, some great singles and production by Tony Visconti. References: 1001 Albums...2022-06-1056 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWhat Do Your Favourite Songs Really Mean?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!We listen to songs all the time and think we know what they’re about. But do we really? Mick and The Phatman look at songs that have hidden meanings, or it’s not clear what they’re about or, to quote The Princess Bride, “I don’t think it means what you think it means”.Our “Before You Die” album is “Cosmo’s Factory” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, an album loaded with hits, and talk about why Creedence were (and are still) such a huge band. We also look...2022-05-251h 04Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicRock Feuds - The Stuff of LegendsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Rock stars generally are made almost completely of ego. They believe they are fantastic, and anyone who disagrees with must be wrong. Combine that with a bad attitude, or drugs and alcohol, and you’ve got a problem. The boys this week talk about some of the most famous feuds in rock, including Oasis, who could start a fight in an empty room.On top of that, this week's feature album is "The Ramones", an album that single-handedly kicked off the punk movement. With a nam...2022-04-301h 04Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicRock Music on ScreenSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking! We've all seen rock music on screen – movies, TV, documentaries, cable/streaming - purely rock music and musicians or simply featuring music or a notable performance. Sometimes it’s rock music as the soundtrack – setting the mood, making a comment. Mick and Jeff have a look at some fun examples - both good and bad!We take an in-depth look at "Sticky Fingers" by The Stones, and talk about getting out to see local bands like the Sun Bears or 19-Twenty. References: Sun...2022-04-221h 06Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWhat does a producer do, anyway?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Who is most responsible for creating your favourite music? This episode, we look at the role of the record producer, and talk about some of the most successful producers of the rock era.We also take a look at another great album you should hear. In 1973, Lou Reed released "Berlin” , which has since come to be critically acclaimed, and regarded by many fans as Reed's best work. It's ground-breaking style opened the door for later artists to attempt challenging subject matter in their own work.2022-04-081h 07Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Greatest-Ever Australian AlbumsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!"Best of" lists can be subjective, depending on who is surveyed, and what they were asked. There’s a huge difference between popular and “all-time great”, and great music needs to stand the test of time. So, we’ve had a look back at Aussie albums over the years and decided we’d talk about some albums we regard as the "best of all time". References: Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die”, Robert Dimery, Sex and drugs and rock an...2022-03-2458 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicBaby You Can Drive My CarSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Cars and motorbikes have forever been a key part of rock’n’roll songs and lifestyle. In the Western world, kids had cars, sometimes borrowed from their parents but increasingly their own. Cars offered status, escape from daily life, and, of course, a means to sex!! When you’re in your car, you want to hear songs about cars and driving, and rock'n'roll was happy to deliver. In this episode, we look at songs that talk about cars, the artists who made those songs, an...2022-03-1251 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicSongs about AustraliaSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Australian music tells the world who we are, who we think we are, about our landscape and history. In this episode, we talk about the songs that define Australia and look at some myths as we go. We also address the critical question: “ Where would we be without sugar cane?” References: Free, Bad Company, Paul Rodgers, The Go-Betweens, Peter Grant, Swan Song, Gangajang, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes, Peter Allen, Men At Work, John Williamson, Cold Chisel, First Nations people, The Warumpi Band, My Island Ho...2022-02-2555 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicJohn Cale: I come from Wales, you can call me JohnSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Welshman John Cale is a founder member of The Velvet Underground and a prolific solo artist. Over a career spanning seven decades, he sings and plays a multitude of instruments (viola, piano, guitar, et al), always questing for something new. His work, though sometimes challenging, has moments of rare beauty and musical virtuosity. Mick and the Phatman discuss the breadth of Cale’s career, pointing out highlights for those new to Cale, and giving insights into a career that has never settled for the...2022-02-101h 06Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicNever Mind the Originals, Here's the CoversSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!What IS a cover version? Why do artists cover other artists' songs? Who has had the most songs covered? Has there ever been a cover version better than the original? Mick and the Phatman talk about these and other pressing issues to kick off Season 2 with a bang! References: COVID immunity, Crowded House, “Woodface”, “1001 Albums You Must Hear before You Die”, Robert Dimery, “Here Come the Warm Jets”, Brian Eno, Chris Thomas, Robert Christgau, Oblique Strategies, “Baby’s on Fire”, Carole King, Lou Reed, Clive Palmer, Twisted Sis...2022-01-311h 08Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicAnd so this is Christmas - Xmas Songs from your favourite artistsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!After banging around the Australian Outback, the Globite school bag has turned red with a white furry fringe. Mick opened it and out erupted tinsel, mistletoe, snow angels, Santa hats, and around 3 tons of glittery baubles! It’s Christmas and Mick and the Phatman look at songs that fit the season. References: Patti Labelle, The Chipmunks, The Pogues, Kirsty MacColl, Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Bob Geldof, Love Actually, The Pretender, Chris Thomas, Hanson, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, John Lennon 2021-12-2456 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicMi-Sex, INXS and other stories - The Best of Aussie Pub RockSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Episode 23 - Pub Rock – Mi-Sex, INXS and other stories Mi-Sex burst onto the Aussie pub rock scene scene in the late-70's and early-80's with a fantastic first album, but gradually declined over the next 3 albums. We talk about their career, and touch on a whole bunch of bands from that period, including INXS before they became a huge stadium band.This podcast is the best way to hear about your rock’n’roll favourites from two mates who’ve been there and done...2021-12-1356 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWhat's YOUR favourite record cover?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Before streaming, one of the great pleasures of rock music was looking at the record cover. The record cover was often an artistic statement by itself, sometimes featuring award-winning art, great photographs and creating an image for the artist.Mick and The Phatman talk through some highlights of that era and ask, "What's your favourite record cover?"Features: "The Great", "Bridgerton", Leonard Cohen, Simone Istwa, "Bird on a Wire", Goanna, The Dingoes, Broderick Smith, "Tommy" (Australian production), Andy Warhol, "Sticky Finders", Rolling St...2021-11-261h 03Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Sex Pistols: "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!In mid-70's London, the Sex Pistols released their first and only album, "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols".After the controversy, the legal battles, and the arguments, we're left with one of the best rock-n-roll albums ever. Mick and the Phatman talk about the band, where they came from, and why the album is so great.References: Uluru, Red Sands Motel, Mr Mercedes, Chrissie Hynde, "I Shall Be Released", Santana, "Blessings and Miracles", Stevie Winwood, John Lydon, Johnny Rotten, P...2021-11-121h 03Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicOur Favourite AlbumsSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!During COVID lockdown, Facebook challenged people to list the albums that influenced them most, one per day. Today, the boys talk about what they posted, and what makes those albums the best. With a list including Roxy Music's "Stranded", Television's "Marquee Moon", "The Queen is Dead" by The Smiths, Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps", Bowie's "Scary Monsters" and The Sex Pistols' "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols", as well as Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", Jeff Beck's "Wired", Led Zeppelin 4, "Pearl" fro...2021-10-3054 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicRock Star Deaths - plane crashes and other storiesSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking! An inevitable feature of life is that it ends. The same applies to rock stars. Is death a good career move? Is there such a thing as a cursed band? We talk about famous stars who’ve died, from Elvis through to the New York Dolls, with some interesting detours along the way. References: Elvis, The Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, DragonBob EvansPearl: Janis JoplinJim Croce2021-10-1656 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicRolling Stone Top 500 Songs of All Time - 2021Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Rolling Stone is one of the oldest and most respected rock music publications in the world. They have just released a list called the "Top 500 Songs of all Time".Hard to believe, but Mick & the Phatman have some thoughts on this list - how good it is; what Rolling Stone got right; what they got wrong; and talk about some real "What were they thinking?" moments.Plus the usual collection of comments on popular music - some you might think unfair, some right o...2021-09-261h 00Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicBrian Eno, Music's Renaissance ManSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!From Roxy Music in the 70's, through to producing some of the most influential music of the rock era, Brian Eno stands high as an artist for the ages. 40 years later, his four art/pop solo albums stand as testaments to his innovative spirit, while he has gone on to help create some of the strongest work of giants such as Bowie, Fripp, Talking Heads, Ultravox, U2 and Coldplay.Mick and the Phatman talk about his early music, and how it still impacts on what w...2021-09-1754 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicSongs about Heroin: The damage and the costSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Episode 16 – Songs about Heroin We look at how pervasive heroin has been in the world of rock music. Some songs, like "Heroin" by The Velvet Underground, are clearly about the drug, but there are many more that aren't so obvious. Australia, too, also has its share of songs with drug references, and the human cost of lives lost.Songs, movies and lives have all been influenced by heroin. We take a wide-ranging look at some of those, with some surprises!2021-09-0355 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicAnd Then There Were Five: Genesis at their bestSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Genesis, Selling England by the Pound, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Ramones, Mr Mercedes, Rick Rubin, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, Bowie, Elton John, Brian EnoWelcome to Episode 15.Mick and P. have moved to Byron Bay, where they are social distancing while trying out the local supply of avocadoes. Mick, 's been listening to the soundtrack of “Mr. Mercedes”, produced by Stephen King, who's big on music! Mick finds it hilarious that a song about one King...2021-08-211h 03Mick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Angels - Our favourite Aussie pub rock bandSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!The Angels are close to the best of the 80’s Aussie Guitar Bands. Their shows were a non-stop blast of high energy, with twin guitarists, Rick and John Brewster, standing totally still in sunglasses, while movement on stage was centred around Doc Neeson. Most Angels songs featured a solid riff over a pounding rhythm line underpinning Neeson's rapid-fire/machine gun/perfect diction vocal delivery. Sometimes Doc adopted a (hyper-Energiser Bunny!) “robotic” style of movement – take a look at the clip of “Take a Long Line” at Latrobe Uni...2021-08-0742 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe COVID LockDown EpisodeSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!We’re in lockdown, so we look back at our first dozen episodes, including some lovely feedback that called us a “rollicking podcast (fuelled by) decades-worth of accumulated music knowledge (and) deceptively casual banter.” Another said that “there’s no hiding the expertise of Mick and Jeff, as they poke and prod into obscure music trivia”. Nice. This podcast allows us to share our excitement for the music we love. It's more a case of “isn’t this cool” than “we know stuff”! We're just guys who love music - not...2021-07-2259 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWarren Zevon - A downfall of his own makingSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!There's so much to Warren Zevon's story that we needed to split him over 2 episodes.The story of Zevon, hailed by Bruce Springsteen as “one of the great, great American songwriters”, is like a Greek tragedy, where everything that could happen to him, happened - and it was all his own fault! Zevon, an American based in LA, was a musician's songwriter. His songs seemed simple but were masterpieces of technique. He worked with key artists, like Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, REM, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne...2021-07-0740 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicWarren Zevon - "Please don't dance. These songs are kinda personal."Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Warren Zevon, hailed by Bruce Springsteen as “one of the great, great American songwriters”, is like a Greek tragedy, where everything that could happen to him, happened - and it was all his own fault! He was a musician's songwriter, whose simple songs were masterpieces of technique, full of characters, and, often, achingly beautiful love songs. He had his demons, and was not afraid of baring his soul to his audience, once saying, “I’d prefer you didn't dance; these songs are kind of personal”. You can alw...2021-06-2344 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicCrowded House - Do New Zealand bands like being called "Australian"?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Crowded House arose from the ashes of Split Enz, a NZ band but adopted by Australia, where they were huge. After Split Enz, Neil Finn went to LA, where he put together a band he planned to call "The Mullanes". However, Capitol, their US label, wanted a “better” name. They were all living together in one house rehearsing, so, voila!, “Crowded House”. They became huge in America - good looking guys, with no tattoos, long hair or drug convictions, who were pleasant, fun and funny, the same qua...2021-06-0946 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicLou Reed: How can Jeff think “Berlin" is depressing?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!After leaving The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed produced two albums - Transformer and Berlin – based around songs he'd worked on with VU. Transformer showed Reed’s caustic wit and observation of the seamy culture around him. "Walk on the Wild Side", a huge hit in 1973, featured drugs, oral sex and transvestism, and yet often features in advertising? Don’t ad agency creatives listen to the words!? Berlin, Reed’s response to the demands of success, is a gritti...2021-05-2750 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicCountdown: The show that shaped the 70sSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!In the 70’s and 80’s, the USA had MTV, England had Top of the Pops, but Australia had Countdown. The show featured an amalgam of film clips, live music and interviews with Australian and overseas acts, all with a live studio audience. We religiously rushed home by 6.00 pm on Sundays to watch the show while our parents made themselves scarce. The conversation on Monday morning was, “Did you see who was on Countdown last night?” Host, Ian "Molly" Meldrum, a shambolic interviewer, but a true belie...2021-05-1443 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicThe Velvet Underground and NicoSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!This is one of THE most influential rock & roll albums ever. Brian Eno noted that “it didn’t sell many copies but everyone who bought it went and formed a band.” Stylistically, their influence is enormous. REM started with a sound very much like VU & a bunch of VU covers. Mazzy Star's sound has everything distorted at 11 with the volume turned down, and, on Hunky Dory, Bowie noted “some VU White Light returned with thanks”.The VU has also been covered by Japan, Joy...2021-04-2849 minMick and the PhatMan Talking Music"Stranded" - The high point for Roxy Music?Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Stranded, Roxy's third album, released in 1973, is arguably their best album, with subsequent albums showing a slow but gradual decline in quality. The boys recall seeing Roxy Music at the Sydney Entertainment Centre - once in 2001 and then in 2011. The 2001 concert was a great career retrospective and the boys were rapt when the band started the show with "Remake/Remodel" from the first album. And THEN, some boofhead yelled out, "Play something good"! Some people shouldn't be allowed out!! We di...2021-04-1245 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicZiggy Stardust - David Bowie's breakthrough albumSend us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Released in 1972, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" was David Bowie's breakthrough album. In a world that had run out of resources and had only five years left, Ziggy Stardust is an alien creature who becomes a rock star with all that entails. When Bowie first toured Australia in 1978, he played five songs from Ziggy Stardust. On later tours, he dropped those songs in favour of later work such as "Station to Station", and "Heroes". References: David...2021-03-2842 minMick and the PhatMan Talking MusicNeil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps" - His best ever!Send us a message, so we know what you're thinking!Late-70’s, Neil Young produced what many (including Mick!) regard as his finest album - Rust Never Sleeps. In a productive burst, he produced that album, a live album featuring many of its songs, and released a live concert movie called, coincidentally, "Rust Never Sleeps". The boys went to town by train to see “Rust Never Sleeps”. They talk about the highlights, like the Star Wars-influenced stage sets, and the 70's retrospective set list. They also compare the concert movie to the times they've seen Neil Youn...2021-03-2545 min