This episode sees me having a great chat with the wonderful Alastair — partner of Jill Mitchell, who you may remember from a previous episode.

We dive into Alastair’s musical journey, starting from his childhood, where music was always around him thanks to his parents. His father had fairly conservative tastes, which makes his own evolution in music all the more interesting — from learning piano to eventually picking up the guitar.

Alastair shares his love for what he calls “proper” music, with influences including UFO, Genesis, and, perhaps most passionately, the Canadian rock legends Rush.

We also chat about his time as a DJ back in the day — spinning vinyl on the decks, the way it was meant to be done — and the unique connection that came with that era of music.

Another fascinating part of our conversation touches on tribute and replica lead singers in bands, with Queen being a great example, and how audiences connect with those performances.

This really was an incredible, relaxed conversation. And with Alastair heading to Canada later in 2026 to see Rush live, I’ve already got him pencilled in for a follow-up episode — I can’t wait to hear his review!