This week we are joined by music writer Paul Morley to guide us through the early years of David Bowie - from his early life in Brixton & Bromley through to his formative experiences in Soho, his early bands & his original desire to be a saxophone player. 

We find out what led to his rebranding of himself from David Jones into the David Bowie the world came to know. 

After meeting Marc Bolan, Bowie was signed by Leslie Conn & released his debut album in 1967, featuring the novelty release The Laughing Gnome. 

Space Oddity follows & after producer Tony Visconti dismissed the song as a novelty, Gus Dudgeon ends up coming in to produce. 

The song has a singular quality & becomes a hit although such is its uniqueness David struggles to follow it up. His 2nd album (also titled David Bowie) follows shortly after & David’s time as an unknown comes to an end. 

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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This week we welcome Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie to talk us through the history of the band - starting in Glasgow in the early 1980s following in the footsteps of the success of the Sound Of Young Scotland on Postcard Records.

She bands first releases appear to significant fanfare after Melody Maker featured the band on the cover before they’ve released anything - bit their debut on Chrysalis proves to be a false start. 

4 years pass before their 2nd album Waking Hours appears on A&M in 1989 featuring their breakthrough single Nothing Ever Happens. 

Always The Last To Know becomes another hit & 1995’s Roll To Me breaks the top 10 in America.

In 1998 Del Amitri make the official World Cup song for the Scotland national team after they quality for the World Cup. 

The bands go on hiatus in the early 2000’s but make a triumphant return in 2014 at the Hydro in Glasgow & have continued to tour periodically since & a new album came in 2021. 

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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The story of the Beach Boys begins in Hawthorne, California in the late 1950s as the band come together led by Brian Wilson, originally as The Pendletones & Dennis Wilson suggests they focus on surfing themed material. 

They sign with Capitol Records in 1961 & soon have chart success with Surfin’ Safari, Surfin’ USA & Surfer Girl. 

There is also more introspective material appearing on their albums such as In My Room, The Warmth of the Sun & Don’t Worry Baby. 

They score their first number 1 in 1964 with I Get Around & go onto have a string of hits including California Girls, Barbara Ann, Wouldn’t It Be Nice & Good Vibrations. 

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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Join us to discuss a music book classic ‘I’m With The Band - Confessions of a Groupie’ with Pamela Des Barres. 

Pamela’s first touchstone in music was the Beatles & she became on obsessive Beatlemaniac after the Fab Four arrive on US soil in early 1964. 

The following year she met Captain Beefheart & it opened up a new world to her on the Sunset Strip in LA. 

Before long she was mixing with the likes of The Byrds, Frank Zappa, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Gram Parsons & Led Zeppelin (legend has it the Zeppelin track ‘Going To California’ is about her & her friends). 

Her many relationships over the years include Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger, Chris Hillman & Jim Morrison. 

Her band the GTOs were formed by Frank Zappa & went onto release an album. 

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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Join us & writer Mark Blake to hear about the formation & early years of Pink Floyd - from their beginnings in Cambridge, ultimately relocating to London where the band gets going.

Syd Barrett's songwriting develops quickly & before long the band are playing iconic gigs & 'happenings' at UFO, the Marquee & the Roundhouse.

Joe Boyd produces debut single Arnold Layne but is replaced after Pink Floyd sign with EMI by Beatles engineer Norman Smith for follow up single See Emily Play & debut album The Piper at the Gates Of Dawn.

Syd Barrett's behaviour becomes increasingly unpredictable as the bands profile rises after a tour with Jimi Hendrix & their first US tour.

Bassist Roger Waters begins to assert a greater influence on the band & eventually takes over as the bands principle songwriter when Syd Barrett is replaced by David Gilmour.

Mark's book Shine On - The Oral History of Pink Floyd is out now.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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This week we are joined by Ride bassist Steve Queralt to discuss his new album Swallow - which is out now on Sonic Cathedral featuring contributions from Emma Anderson (Lush) & Verity Susman (Memorials).

We also delve into the history of Ride starting in Oxford in the late 1980s where Steve met Andy Bell & Mark Gardner at college, even making a recording of Freedom by George Michael with Andy.

What we now know as the classic Ride sound comes together organically in rehearsals & after almost signing for Warners the band come to the attention of Alan McGee & end up signing with Creation Records.

The first 3 EPs come out in quick succession followed by debut album Nowhere in the autumn of 1990. Tours with Lush, Slowdive & the Pale Saints follow & 2nd album Going Blank again is produced by Alan Moulder following a positive experience with Alan mixing the previous album.

The lead single Leave Them All Behind clocks in at over 8 minutes in length & breaks the top 10 of the singles chart, reaching number 9, marking probably the commercial peak of the shoegaze genre.

Things start to unravel on 3rd album Carnival of Light with John Leckie producing. The album comes out in 1994 but fails to reach the heights of its predecessors - and amid tensions within the band & after quickly releasing the Tarantula album, Ride come to an end in 1996.

Ride do reform in 2015 & it becomes one of the more successful reunions of recent years producing 3 albums & a number of tours & high profile festival appearances, including playing debut album Nowhere in its entirety.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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This week we travel back 20 years to 2005 with writer Paul Vallely to hear about Live 8, the G8 summit, Bob Geldof & Bono & more.

So it starts in 1997 with the landslide general election win for Tony Blair & New Labour. The government will ultimately be sympathetic to the issues of debt & aid which come to the fore eight years later with the huge gig in Hyde Park in London the week before the crucial G8 leaders summit in Gleneagles.

We hear about Bono's appearance at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton where he famously likened Tony Blair & Gordon Brown to Lennon & McCartney.

Also in 2004 is the new Band Air recording headed by Nigel Godrich featuring Paul McCartney, Chris Martin from Coldplay & Bono amongst others.

But Bob Geldof doesn't think another gig would have the same impact as the original Live Aid in 1985 at Wembley Stadium, but he changes his mind when Bono pitches to him 'it was 20 years ago today' with Paul McCartney opening the show with U2.

We hear about the difficulty in getting Hyde Park as the venue & convincing the Royal Parks people to allow an extra 200,000 people to watch on screen in addition to the 300,000 attendees. Bob also convinces original Band Aid cover artist Peter Blake to produce a new artwork for the 2005 edition.

But perhaps the toughest feat he pulls off is convincing Pink Floyd to appear for their first gig in years - we hear how he convinced them to reform & share the stage with more modern acts such as Coldplay with Richard Ashcroft, Elton John with Pete Doherty, Dido, Razorlight, , Ms Dynamite, Travis, Scissor Sisters, Mariah Carey, Joss Stone & Stereophonics with Bill Gates, Will Smith & Brad Pitt all appearing too.

We hear about the near misses including the Rolling Stones & a possible mini Beatles reunion & the old guard are also represented with Paul McCartney closing the show & George Michael returning after also appearing back in 1985.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

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Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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We are joined by Peter Jesperson as he tells us about his time spent with R.E.M. & his role in Twin Tone Records in the twin cities of Minneapolis/St.Paul. We also squeeze in a couple of stories about his time around Alex Chilton & the 1993 Big Star reunion.

Peter's career began importing records into Minneapolis from the UK at legendary record store Oar Folk, specifically the first release Beatles albums with the UK tracklistings.

While at Oar Folk the store pioneered in-store appearances & gigs from bands passing through Minnesota including Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, Graham Parker, Pere Ubu, Blondie, the Dead Boys, Devo, Ian Dury, The Only Ones & The Ramones (on no less than 3 separate occasions.

We hear about the important Twin Cities venues of the time - The Longhorn, The Depot, First Avenue, The Labor Temple & the 7th Street Entry, 

From there Peter plays a key role in the founding of legendary indie label Twin Tone records with over 300 records released over 20 years & distributed by Rough Trade.

Bands based in the area during this time include Soul Asylum, The Replacements, Husker Du, the Suicide Commandos, Flamingo & more.

In 1981 Peter first hears 'Radio Free Europe' the debut release by R.E.M. & they play their first gig in the area on Thanksgiving of that same year. Over the next year the band are back in Minneapolis on 3 separate occasions & Peter gets to know them & starts joining them at gigs elsewhere.

The band invite him to become their Tour Manager & he unexpectedly ends up sharing a room with Michael Stipe. Peter drives the van into Shea Stadium as one of seven dates the band share with Sting & The Police.

After a year or so with R.E.M. Peter joins back up with the Replacements & his time with the band comes to an end.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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This week we get to talk about one of the best music books of recent years Revolutionary Spirit by Paul Simpson.

Paul was born in Liverpool but grew up in Lancashire alongside future members of Echo & the Bunnymen - Les Patterson & Will Sergeant. After relocating back to Merseyside Paul was frequented legendary Liverpool venue Eric's & became a founder member of The Teardrop Explodes alongside Julian Cope.

He left the Teardrop Explodes to form his own band The Wild Swans & their classic debut single Revolutionary Spirit is funded by Paul's flatmate, Echo & the Bunnymen drummer Pete De Freitas, who also played on the session. It comes out on Bill Drummond's Zoo Records.

After Courtney Love stays in Paul & Pete's flat for 9 months he disbands the Wild Swans & goes on to form Care with future Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie. Briefly a pop star, Paul shares an unexpected encounter with Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder while making a record at AIR Studios in London.

The 2nd incarnation of the Wild Swans end on Seymour Stein's Sire Records but also comes to a premature end. Inbetween Paul enjoys cult success under the name Skyray before a 3rd version of the Wild Swans comes into being & enjoys huge success in the Philippines.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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It is truly a pleasure to welcome Donovan to Music Maps - a true legend of the 60s. His book The Hurdy Gurdy Man is available on Penguin.

We start with his early life in Glasgow in the 1950s & the family relocate to Hatfield in Hertfordshire when Donovan was a teenager. His early influences included Buddy Holly, Hank Williams & Jack Kerouac.

After a trip to Southend on Sea with the blue rock crowd from St. Albans, Donovan is spotted & taken to Tin Pan Alley to make his earliest recordings (The Rolling Stones were also making demos on Denmark Street at the same time).

Into 1965 & Donovan has key encounters with Bob Dylan (contributing to the video for Subterranean Homesick Blues) & The Beatles at the Savoy in London. He also saw the arrival of Jimi Hendrix to London in 1967 first hand.

An A to Z of session players appear on Donovan's records including 3 future members of Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones & John Bonham as he scores big hits with Mellow Yellow, Sunshine Superman & more.

In 1968 Donovan travelled to Rishikesh in India with the Beatles, Mia Farrow, Mike Love & others to study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, where he taught John Lennon a style of fingerpicking he later used on Julia & Dear Prudence.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it. 

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.