The Fine City Music Podcast

Norwich native and resident, Matthew Worley, the "punk scholar", answers the big questions, like: What was "punk"? Why did punk cause such moral outrage?; the relationship between punk and reggae, and what were fanzines all about? We also talk cheese and beer in the Kings Head, protest songs with community theatre group The Common Lot, and holding a season ticket at Carrow Road.

Part Drew's story, part history lesson with live performance, we take in the prevalence of blindness among early bluesmen, the origins of the Paris, Texas theme tune and why doom metal is the most direct descendant of the blues alive today, along with the joys of busking in Norwich, teaching architecture, and Drew's weird and wonderful home made guitar making.

Jack and Rhi from the family 4-piece Mama Oh No talk us through their story, from growing up in the north Norfolk village of Northrepps, through to their debut album on HMV's 1921 Records, via Red Rooster, to the release of their second album, Fuzz-u-lator, on the day of recording. With added Family Band Quiz!

JULIET Price Thomas (NEW NOISE! RADIO presenter, gig host and soul/rap/spoken word performer) and Annie Catwoman (NEW NOISE! Gig promoter and Pica pica, Pica pica! Promotions) talk us through all the excellent work of NEW NOISE! and their partners in Norfolk and Suffolk in supporting young musicians and preparing them to pursue careers in the music industry, while we also talk through Annie's and JULIET's own individual music journeys.

NOTE: We do also discuss our thoughts on the recent academic research on the "shocking prevalence of suicide among musicians" and what is needed to address the problem.

https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2025/03/07/suicide-music-industry-a-call-to-action-frontiers-public-health

Morwenna and Lee are the "lived-in voice telling slow, wild tales, accompanied by the echoing lap-steel guitar laments" that are The Molee Shakes. In a wide ranging discussion we we take in the impact of covid and AI on the creative arts, the joys of musical saws and theremins, visiting Graceland, venues with stinky toilets, running a stall on Norwich market, combined music and fashion shows, and which one of them can perform a Māori haka?

They also reveal the tunes they will be covering at the Rework Heartbreak special on Valentines day at the Garage - tickets here ...

https://www.thegarage.org.uk/shows/rework-heartbreak/

Miles and Dylan from Red Mar talk us through the story of their "precise and expressive form of noise-rock", along with their other respective music projects. In a wide ranging conversation we talk music theory, the 1953 Guatemalan coup, JLS condoms, scaring children's birthday party goers, playing with their backs to the audience, double jointed elbows, and the aesthetics of the City Hall clock tower, among other things...

Tickets for their upcoming gig at Voodoo Daddies on 7 November here: https://www.voodoodaddysshowroom.co.uk/listing_single/1728052762668x766681597715677200

With a sound "oscillating between a form of primal noise-rock and bowel-twitching doom", Thom and Jade from Kulk talk us through their musical journey of "pain, anguish, frustration, and rage", including their recent "balls-out riff-fest" album It Gets Worse, appearances this year at Desertfest and ArcTanGent festivals, a collaboration with PigsPigsPigsPigsPigsPigsPigs, and their upcoming gigs supporting Japanese noise rock legends Melt Banana.

“The best British rock and roll band since the heyday of the Gallagher brothers”, share their story from supporting South Africa’s biggest-selling rock band The Parlotones, Pop Will Eat Itself and The Wedding Present, receiving worldwide radio play, to their recent sold out hometown show at Voodoo Daddy's Showroom, and a back story including a catwalk appearance in Japan.

Probably the hottest young band in Norwich right now, Magnolia claim to produce an incoherent cacophony of noise particles floating through the dark and futile abyss, we know not where they come from, nor where their loyalty's lie. Shepherded by Norwich's electro pop queen, Gemma Cullingford, the band are about to release their debut single on Gemma's label, with an upcoming launch show at Voodoo Daddys on 17 May ...

https://www.voodoodaddysshowroom.co.uk/listing_single/1708790224711x393253734590447600

A fascinating conversation with Mary Lovett who talks us through her creative life from her musical childhood through to becoming a composer, singer and producer of driving electronica soundscapes underpinning ethereal vocals, designer of bonkers automata machines, maker of immersive shows, facilitator of community singing groups, mother of four, and a neurodivergent mature grown ass woman who’s not ready to shut up yet.

To join one of Mary's Norwich community singing groups, go to https://marylovettmusic.co.uk/sing-tuesday-copy