The Hustle

Songwriter Shelly Peiken could be considered the "Queen of the Woman Empowerment Anthem." She's written tons of songs for tons of artists - everyone from Britney and Celine to Miley and Brandy. But her two biggest anthems are also her biggest hits - "What a Girl Wants" by Christina Aguilera and "Bitch" by Meredith Brooks. These days she's taking matters into her own hands as she prepares to release her first solo album, 2.0 etc in August. She also wrote a fantastic book about all of it called Confessions of a Serial Songwriter that is as honest and enjoyable as her songs are. We discuss her place in the business today, her legacy, the new album, and the stories behind these songs and more including INXS, Joe Cocker and Meat Loaf. A couple former guests factor heavily in this conversation as well. She's an engaging and wise woman. Enjoy! 

For our next Deep Dive we invited back bassist Phil Spalding (ep 48) to discuss his time in the short-lived super group GTR. The self-titled album from 1986 is the one and only document of the partnership between legendary guitarists Steve Howe and Steve Hackett. They both brought their prog rock bona fides from Yes and Genesis and mixed it with killer pop rock resulting in the surprising hit "When the Heart Rules the Mind". Phil explains the history of the band, how the album came to be, and why it ended so quickly. Enjoy! 

We close out this series on Joe Jackson by chatting with his longest musical partner, bassist Graham Maby. Graham and Joe go back to the beginning and Graham has been present for most of Joe's many musical projects over the years. From "Is She Really Going Out With Him", to the symphonies, to Joe's last album Fool from 2019. What is it about Graham that makes Joe want him around more than anyone else? What is the dynamic of their relationship? We explore these questions as well as his time outside of Joe that includes Marshall Crenshaw, They Might Be Giants, Henry Lee Summer, Joan Baez and Natalie Merchant. Graham's one of the finest bassists around today, we're lucky to hear from him! 

Jon's daughter Georgia makes her triumphant return to the podcast, as this time the pair countdown the top 5 songs they introduced to each other. So, Jon's picks are the cool, new songs you might hear on the radio, and Georgia's are the classics she's been force-fed her whole life. Either way, there's great music here! 

Joe Jackson is one of the most creative and complicated artists of the last 50 years. He never stays in one place for long, always wiggling out of one genre and into another. This week we attempt to tell part of the JJ story through the perspectives of his first three guitarists. Gary Sanford was there at the beginning and played on the first three albums that launched Joe's career. Vinnie Zummo took over after the "no guitars", Night and Day era that brought him fame. And then Tom Teeley dropped in for the Laughter and Lust album before Joe turned again to focus on composing symphonies through most of the 90s. Three versions of the story, three very different personalities and three fantastic musicians who contributed to Joe's sound and tell stories of their other adventures. If you love Joe, you'll love this! 

Our most popular guest ever, Level 42's Mike Lindup, returns to Deep Dive the band's debut self-titled album from 1981. We discuss the formation of the band, how the songs and performances came together including classics like "Love Games" and "Starchild," and how they found their signature sound. Level 42 went on to release several classic albums, but it all started here and remains close to Mike's heart, as well as the fan's. 

The Wonder Stuff are one of those fantastic bands that only the UK can produce. And leader Miles Hunt is a personality few can rival. Honest, opinionated, and incredibly cheeky, Miles is the complete package. Sometimes that wit has gotten him in some trouble, but today he says he's a changed man. We discuss the height of Wonder Stuff fame, the new album Better Being Lucky, and hits like "Welcome to the Cheap Seats", "A Wish Away", "Mission Drive" and many others. We also get some unfiltered details on making a career as a musician, his time working with MTV, and much more. He and his band are one of a kind, we're lucky to have them! Enjoy! 

The coolest thing happened to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Doug "Cosmo" Clifford recently. While tooling around in his garage he found the master tapes to a solo album he recorded in 1985! When he gave the tapes a listen, he really liked what he heard, so he polished them up and released them last month. The album, called Magic Window, is a great rock record from the era and points the way to a possible solo career that never quite materialized. In this conversation we learn how it all happened, where he was in his life back then, and some CCR-related stories, including Woodstock and the true story of the "reunion" that was announced last year. Enjoy hearing from a legend and get your hands on Magic Window!

Last week we covered Rock Docs so this week we're sharing our round table discussion on Rock Books. For this we've invited more of our fellow podcasting brethren - BJ Kramp of the Rock and/or Roll podcast, Lane Hewitt of the Melody Motel pod, and Bakko from Cobras and Fire. We debate the good ones, the bad ones, audiobooks, biographies vs. autobiographies, and we countdown our top three recommendations. Hopefully these chats make your quarantining a little more bearable. And these are such rich topics, so expect more! 

The Hustle turns five this week and we are celebrating with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Harrison! In normal times, this year would have been a time for celebration. Talking Heads seminal album Remain In Light turns 40 this year and Jerry was going to go on tour to play the album with original guitarist, the legendary Adrien Belew. Hopefully, that can get back on track soon. Jerry and I go deep on that album, the progression of the Talking Heads sound, his solo work, his time in the Modern Lovers, and some of his fantastic production work with bands like Live and General Public. We are so lucky to hear from legends like Jerry!