This week on Oh! Brother, we were delighted to welcome Rob Barbato to the show. Rob talks us through joining The Fall at short notice in 2006, learning the set on the fly, touring America, recording with Mark E. Smith in Los Angeles, and coming to Manchester for The Fall’s 30th-anniversary show at New Century Hall in 2006. We also chat about the creative freedom and unpredictability of working with Mark, the appeal of songs such as “Blindness” and “Reformation”, and Rob’s later career as a producer, session musician and composer for film, television and advertising. Plus, Rob discusses his work with Squeaky Clean, his forthcoming recording project with Vivian Girls, the importance of preserving human imperfections in an increasingly digital music world, and the friendships he made through The Fall.

This week on Oh! Brother, we were delighted to welcome Erwin Blom to the show. Erwin takes us back to the late-70s Dutch punk scene and the formation of Eton Crop, talks about touring Holland and England, recording five Peel Sessions, and supporting The Fall — including memories of Amsterdam’s Paradiso, freezing nights in the van, and seeing Mark E. Smith halt The Fall mid-set. We also chat about post-punk DIY culture, touring behind the Iron Curtain in Poland and Hungary, Erwin’s later work in journalism and digital media, and his enthusiasm for AI as a new do-it-yourself tool. Plus, there’s talk of Pip Blom, the realities of life in today’s music industry, and why making music still means making friends for life.

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This week on Oh! Brother, we were delighted to welcome Steve Diggle for a live episode covering his early life, the formation of Buzzcocks, and the first rush of punk in Manchester. We look back on 60s music, dead-end jobs, the Lesser Free Trade Hall, Spiral Scratch, Howard Devoto’s exit, and writing songs with Pete Shelley.

Later on, audience questions bring in Manchester venues, B-sides, fashion, schooldays, fellow travellers from the class of 1976, and Buzzcocks’ place in the city’s wider story. Hope you enjoy!

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This week, Tommy Crooks joins us to talk art school, painting, Provence, East Lothian, and the chance meeting with Mark E. Smith on Leith Walk that led, somehow, to The Fall.

Along the way, we get into first hearing “Totally Wired”, Craig Scanlon’s exit, Lucy Rimmer’s letter, Brix’s last gig in Motherwell, rehearsals in Levenshulme, Jilly’s, Cardiff with Super Furry Animals, recording Levitate, the Irish dates, the US tour, and the final meltdown at Brownies. Tommy also talks about what came after: floor sanding, renovating old houses, and building a soap business. Hope you enjoy!

We're thrilled to have Tommy exhibiting and attending "The Fall: Futures and Pasts" this weekend, hope to see you there!

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Joining us this week, the inimitable Jon Spencer. Jon talks us through Pussy Galore, Blues Explosion, Heavy Trash, working with Steve Albini, US punk networks, record shops, and his current band.

We also get onto The Fall, Jon supporting them on the 1993 US tour, infamous gigs in Philadelphia, Reading and Connecticut, Brix, Mark E. Smith, Elena, bass amps, rockabilly, the Brix-era records, and imitating Steve’s bass sound. Hope you enjoy!

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This week on Oh! Brother, we’re joined by Paul Research of Scars. Paul talks Edinburgh punk, Fast Product, Horrorshow, touring with The Human League, and the making of Author! Author!

There’s Fall chat too: Live at the Witch Trials, meeting Mark E. Smith and Kay Carroll, Martin Bramah’s guitar, and Marc Riley’s long-standing support for Scars. Hope you enjoy!

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This week on Oh! Brother, Paul and Steve are joined by Brian Turner. Brian talks about discovering The Fall in small-town Pennsylvania, catching the band live in the US, and how that fascination grew into radio specials, archive digging and sleeve-note work.

There’s also chat about WFMU, East Village Radio, Yoko Ono, Eleni Poulou, Marc Riley, and the strange world of Fall live recordings and reissues. Hope you enjoy!

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This week on Oh! Brother, we were delighted to present a live episode with Simon Wolstencroft, with Craig Scanlon joining later on, for a spirited look back at The Fall in 1994. Simon and the Hanleys revisit Middle Class Revolt, Peel sessions, a US tour, shifting line-ups, Brix’ return, Julia Nagle’s arrival, and the usual road-bound chaos.

Later, Craig joins the conversation for audience questions, memories, credits, grievances, and a few welcome detours along the way. Hope you enjoy!

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This week on Oh! Brother, we’re joined by David Gedge. David talks about growing up in Manchester, forming The Wedding Present in Leeds, John Peel’s early support, the band’s rise through the indie scene, the famous run of monthly singles, and working with Steve Albini.

There’s plenty of Fall chat too, including first hearing Live at the Witch Trials, seeing the band in 1979, meeting Mark E. Smith, and why Hex Enduction Hour is forever linked in his mind with orange slices. Hope you enjoy!

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