This week we acknowledged World Radio Day, International Women's Day, and 22 years since Space released 'Tin Planet'. I remember buying it the day it came out, and it being the only thing that kept me going through a day of really bad toothache which made my face swell up. That may have been too much information, but in these coronavirus-ridden times, never underestimate the power of music! We also proved there's still some gigs to go out and see too...

Space featuring Cerys Matthews - The Ballad of Tom Jones

Tonight I chatted to good buddy of the show Millie from Laika Spacedog, who is holding a performance of a play she wrote, entitled The Lighthouse, this coming Monday (9th March) at 8pm at the Queens Theatre in Hornchurch as part of their regular 'Scratch Night' for upcoming talent. We heard all about the unusual back story that inspired the play as well as meeting some of the actors you'll see performing. You can find out more about 'The Lighthouse' and order tickets on the Queens Theatre website, while you can hear more of Millie's tracks (we played two tonight) on her SoundCloud page.

Catatonia - Mulder & Scully

Slaves - Cheer Up London

Night Driving in Small Towns - February

Milloy - February

Let's Be Strange - Shame

Parrilla - Surrounded

Lyrical Strangers - A Brand New Day

Steve Hewitt - Light Gone Out

Eric Clapton - Layla (Unplugged Version)

DateMonthYear - July

Chloe Diana - Bittersweet

Myopia - Get On

Ist Ist - You're Mine

Political Hesitation - Detox

Laika Spacedog - Vicky the EU Worker

Sleater-Kinney - All Hands on the Bad One

The Royals - Lavender

Fielding's Dream Correction - Sleeping in a Sunbeam

Colina Pearl - Hellbound

Thomas James - February

Rolled Up Sleeves - Sneaking Suspicion

The Silver Bayonets - Real Like You

Owen Williams - The Man Who Ate a Hurricane

Ren Stedman - Festival Friends

Shooting Gale - Launchpad McQuack

Mazzy Star - Into Dust

Last Known State - X Years Time

First up tonight I was joined in the studio by local singer-songwriter Rachel Arnold, just ahead of her appearance at the Essex Undiscovered solo artist heat at Chelmsford's Hot Box venue. In less than 2 years since releasing her first song, Rachel has already amassed quite a catalogue of tracks and, as we found out, some of them were played on a piano once used by Coldplay's Chris Martin! Click above to listen back to that story and many more! Find Rachel on Facebook and SoundCloud.

Next up it was the return of Parrilla. Chris & Dani also joined us just ahead of an Essex Undiscovered appearance, theirs being at Chinnery's in Southend. They've also just released their new EP, Dancefloor Messiah, from which we heard 3 tracks tonight, alongside a track from Chris' solo project Razorrhead, which featured a guest vocal from Dani. Parrilla can next be seen at Colchester's The Bull on April 3rd as part of Metal 2 the Masses - in the meantime you can find them on Facebook and Bandcamp, where the EP is on sale now.

Bowling for Soup - High School Never Ends

RACHEL ARNOLD IN THE STUDIO

Sound of the Suburb - When Will It Ever End?

PARRILLA IN THE STUDIO

FyreSky - Pleasure for Pain

Tonight I was joined in the studio for a second time by singer Mark Anthony, who since his last appearance, has teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Phil Chamberlain to form Lyrical Strangers. Mixing rap, electronica & lots more, the duo release their debut album A Brand New Day on March 30th, & tonight we heard 4 tracks from it alongside how quickly it all came together & why Mark has a slight grudge (albeit a good-natured one!) against one of the guest collaborators on the album... Find out everything you need to know about Lyrical Strangers online at www.lyricalstrangers.com!

Phoenix - Run Run Run

Bubblies - Oscar

The Primitives - Turn Off the Moon

DateMonthYear - July

Stealing Sheep - Love

Sonic Boom Six - Love

Sound of the Suburb - When Will it End?

Lyrical Strangers - A Brand New Day

LYRICAL STRANGERS IN THE STUDIO

Lyrical Strangers - Do You Know Who You Are?

Coldplay - Magic

Lyrical Strangers - The Journey

Digable Planets - Cool Like That

Lyrical Strangers - Typical

Gorillaz featuring Carly Simon & Kali Uchis - Ticker Tape

Lyrical Strangers - Flowdown

Field Music - Between Nations

Parrilla - Dancefloor Messiah

Rachel Arnold - Happy Heartbreak

Bowling for Soup - London Bridge

Dirty Donations - Get Your Licks

Republic of Loose - Parasite

Tonight I was joined in the studio for a second time by Sound of the Suburb (l-r Mike, Chris, David, Steve, Paul), to chat about their new EP, Eclectic City Part 1. We heard the unusual story about the recording of the EP (namely the different rooms it was recorded in!) & some brief speculation about part 2, alongside a live session of three of its five tracks. Sound of the Suburb have various live dates coming up, including the Dublin Castle on March 17th alongside Lace & Whiskey - check the full list, & how to get your hands on the EP, at www.soundofthesuburb.biz.

See them playing live in the studio on the Phoenix FM website!

Heart - There's the Girl

Republic of Loose - The Translation

Emiliana Torrini - Easy

Grrrl Gang - Dream Grrrl

Myopia - Get On

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Call Me Ishmael

Beulah - Sunday Under Glass

Sound of the Suburb - The Real You

SOUND OF THE SUBURB IN THE STUDIO

Sound of the Suburb - A Storm Coming (live in session)

ELO - Mr Blue Sky

Sound of the Suburb - Thirsty Thursday (live in session)

The Beatles - Paperback Writer

Sound of the Suburb - When Will It End?

The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary

Sound of the Suburb - Late at Night (live in session)

Mr B & the Wolf - Crazytown

Lyrical Strangers - A Brand New Day

SKUFT - Take It Off

The Penny Antics - Guilty Pleasures

Caitlin King - In the Wilderness

The Interrupters - Gave You Everything

Parrilla - Dancefloor Messiah

Lily Wythe's fundraiser page here: www.gofundme.com/f/help-lily-battle-brain-cancer

Tonight we went on a continental European road trip for Curveballs Turbo, because we can... right now at least...

Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better

Slipknot - Wait & Bleed

Death Cab for Cutie - Long Division

Field Music - Best Kept Garden

Fielding's Dream Correction - No Signal

Wrip - I Don't Want To

Laika Spacedog - Vicky the EU Worker

CURVEBALLS TURBO - CONTINENTAL ROAD TRIP

Soulwax - Compute

Soilwork featuring Alissa White-Gluz - Stalfagel

The Notwist - Pilot

Ace Out - Si Je Tombe du Haut

Ladytron - Kletva

Korplikaani featuring Zetro - Beer Kill Kill

De Staat - Sweat Shop

Johny Machette - Spasitele

Electric Ladyland - Hurts

Sondre Lerche - Bad Law

Ska-P - Wild Spain

The Parkinsons - No Choice

Bortsch Orchestra - Bortsch Eine Goulasch

Ludovico Einaudi - Le Onde

Ummagma - Caravan

Sound of the Suburb - No Tomorrow

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Glasshouses

Concrete Natives - Let's Make Up

Kaiser Chiefs - Modern Way

Happy 22nd January, the day randomly namechecked in a Disclosure song which of course we had to play today.

There was plenty more randomness on the show in the form of this decade's first Curveballs Turbo, and we paid tribute to Monty Python's Terry Jones, whose passing was announced on this day, with a track from the film 'Life of Brian' which features one of his most famous lines. Yup, you know the one! Click the link to hear all this and more!

AFI - Girl's Not Grey

Disclosure featuring Jamie Woon - January

Blood Red Shoes - Anxiety

Field Music - Coffee or Wine

The Vision - Pocket Change

Edd Coates - Wonderland

Zebrahead - Keep it to Myself

Nora Anna - Apple from the Tree

CURVEBALLS TURBO

Takai - Leave Me Alone

Jesca Hoop featuring Lucius - Free of the Feeling

Soilwork featuring Alissa White-Gluz - Stålfågel

Fascinating Aida - One True Religion

Korpiklaani - Amon Alla

Save Alex - The Skeptic

Jahi Shenu - Coming Home

Bonus Points - Stratford

Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer - Not Being Invited

Noruniro - Hey Monster

The Samurai Seven - The Sound of the Suburbs

Laika Spacedog - Vicky the EU Worker

Sound of the Suburb - No Tomorrow

Rachel Arnold - Happy Heartbreak

Rolled Up Sleeves - Sneaking Suspicion

Eat Defeat - Wake Up

Fyresky - Red Velvet Rope

The Velvet Tree - My Love

The Waterfalls - Petrol Boys

Micky Niner - Dance Little Liar

Monty Python - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Tonight I was joined in the studio by Edd Coates for a chat and our first live session of the new year and the new decade! Edd is releasing his second album, The Crooked Fold, later this year, and with its themes of mental health and challenging yourself, it's set to be an inspired listen. We got a taster of what to expect from the album with tonight's live session, alongside Edd's inspiring story of how his previous mental health issues have led him on the path of becoming a motivational speaker. Edd's website is www.eddcoates.com - click above to listen back to the full chat, and see him playing live in the studio at phoenixfm.com now!

Zero 7 (featuring Tina Dico) - Home

Beulah - Score from Augusta

Blood Red Shoes - Mexican Dress

Save Alex - Trigger Network

Fielding's Dream Correction - Sleeping in a Sunbeam

Zebrahead - Worse Than This

The Foreign Exchange - Listen to the Rain

Edd Coates - Icebergs

EDD COATES IN THE STUDIO

Edd Coates - Look at Us Now (live in session)

The Divine Comedy - Charmed Life

Edd Coates - Wonderland (live in session)

David Gray - Hospital Food

Edd Coates - I Don't Want to Lose Myself (live in session)

Declan McKenna - Brazil

Edd Coates - Winter Rain (live in session)

Edd Coates - The Critic

Laika Spacedog - First Dog in Space

Lost on Broadway - Deep Blue Eyes

Dirty Donations - Get Your Licks

Shooting Gale - Kids These Days

Maddison - Masquerade

FyreSky - Pleasure for Pain

Concrete Natives - Let's Make Up

This week I welcomed my first guests of the year and indeed the decade, in the form of Noruniro (above right) with collaborators Logan and Robbie. Niro is gearing up for his second release, aptly titled Book Two, on February 6th (his birthday!), & as we found out, there's plenty more to come - stay tuned to his Soundcloud and Instagram pages for more!

Click above to listen back to the interview, including tales of the songs they jam to when they get together and Niro's simple yet effective recording techniques.

Brad - 20th Century

Sonic Boom Six - Monkey See, Monkey Do

The Interrupters - Gave You Everything

Field Music - Beyond That of Courtesy

The Kubricks - Humans

Laika Spacedog - First Dog in Space

Two Year Break - Change My Mind

High/Low - Road (I'm Not Superman)

Blood Red Shoes - Bangsar

NORUNIRO, LOGAN & ROBBIE IN THE STUDIO

Kendrick Lemar - Duckworth

Noruniro - Hey Monster

Tyler the Creator - New Magic Wand

Tyler Danny Chance - Dark Movements

Noruniro - Raindance

Souls of Mischief - 93 Til Infinity

Edd Coates - We'll Be Gone

Dirty Heelz - Delay

The Penny Antics - Guilty Pleasures

Political Hesitation - Detox

Walk in Coma - Subhuman

Heart of a Coward - Skeletal II: Arise

Rolled Up Sleeves - Sneaking Suspicion

Lakey Inspired - Chill Day