All About The Music

In early 1962 Decca Records had the choice of signing one of two bands? They chose The Tremeloes, who went on to have two chart-topping singles. Not a bad result! Except that the other band were The Beatles. By coincidence, my guest today has chosen BOTH of these bands… Hello and welcome to another episode of All About The Music, where I’m delighted to be in the company of psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry. Her career has seen her delve deep into how childhood and family shape us as adults, so it’s only fitting that her musical picks take us back to the world of her own childhood - a time of boarding schools, and parents set on Philippa losing her Warrington accent. Whisper it quietly, but some of her choices aren’t necessarily “favourites”… more the tracks that transport her to a formative point in her life, whether that’s being mildly terrified by the story of “Big Bad John”, comforted by her aunt playing Chopin, or misled by the romantic lyrics of Ella Fitzgerald. And then there are The Beatles. Of all the music of her youth, they perhaps stand alone in Philippa’s eyes and ears. They’re as good now as they always were. No assessment of Philippa’s musical loves could be complete without a trip to the world of the musical theatre. And Singin’ in the Rain is a show I’m always happy to re-visit! Does Philippa care for contemporary music? Not a great deal, it has to be said. But Rufus Wainwright is a true talent who became the soundtrack to a memorable weekend in Paris when her and her now adult daughter stayed at the Hotel George V. Follow Phillipa Perry: https://www.instagram.com/askphilippa/ Listen to all Philippa’s selections on Spotify here https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3VSQpv8s8S6I9RTY9ZVauE Featured artists & tracks: Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show. Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music. Somersault Studio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does Britain’s most famous film critic listen to in his spare time? Perhaps predictably, the odd movie soundtrack gets mentioned today! But that’s about all that’s predictable… Hello and welcome to this episode of All About The Music, where I sit down with Mark Kermode — film critic, broadcaster and, I’m proud to say, a musician mate of mine. Mark’s taste is wonderfully eclectic, stretching from the 1930s Blues that he and his father could bond over, through skiffle to the political punk of Gang of Four and Mark’s formative years. The eclecticism only grows as we get to movies. Who else could pick Mark Knopfler’s superbly evocative Local Hero soundtrack, alongside the bold, boundary-pushing composition of Mica Levi and Anna Meredith’s Nautilus, which has been brilliantly described as the “sound of a panic attack”? And whilst it’s Dire Strait’s main man who leaves Mark with goosebumps, it’s the American Jonathan Richman who almost reduces him to tears. I encourage all of you to take a full listen to Jonathan’s 1979 number “The Morning Of Our Lives” – it really feels quite unique. Follow Mark: https://twitter.com/kermodemovie Listen to the Spotify playlist of Mark’s selections here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5RlMqKAB9Q5ws2iZI7zp6x Featured artists & tracks: Washboard Sam – “Who Pumped The Wind In My Doughnut?” Lead Belly – “Rock Island Line” Gang of Four – “Ether”, “I Found That Essence Rare” Mark Knopfler – “Wild Theme”, “The Ceilidh & The Northern Lights” Mica Levi – “Love”, “Monos” Anna Meredith – “Nautilus” Jonathan Richman – “The Morning of Our Lives”, “Roadrunner” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show. Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music. Somersault Studio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Love songs are as old as love itself. And there are thousands to choose from. So with Valentine’s Day almost upon us, what might make the perfect love song for your own true love? Hello and welcome to an especially romantic edition of All About The Music, with me, Neil Brand. Today I am here to help in your quest to find that special song for that very special someone. And believe me, I am throwing the net wide – from Nina Simone in 1966 right through to Jvke and his Golden Hour in 2022. My advice? Listen carefully to this show because no two love songs are the same (even if they’re a cover?!) in the same way that no two relationships are ever quite the same. From the euphoria of The Cure’s Robert Smith and the timeless devotion of The Beach Boys, to the Yorkshire humour of Jake Thackray and the darkest thoughts of Elvis Costello. I promise that this show has something for everyone, whether you’re currently experiencing love at first sight, are all set for your umpteenth wedding anniversary, or simply looking back with love and warmth. Happy Valentines Day everyone! Find the Spotify playlist of all my love songs here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Ur4knv5z98CxaAOfSSJ3p Featured artists & tracks: Jvke, “Golden Hour” Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” The Cure, “Just Like Heaven” Jake Thackray, “La Di Da” Arctic Monkeys, “I Want to Be Yours” The Beach Boys, “God Only Knows” Bob Dylan, “Make You Feel My Love” Adele, “Make You Feel My Love” Nina Simone, “Wild Is the Wind” Elvis Costello, “I Want You” Amy Winehouse, “Love Is a Losing Game” Lily Allen, “Madeline” Sinead O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U” Tom Waits, “Martha” Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin, “Je t’aime… moi non plus” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show. Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music. Somersault Studio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I love the unpredictable mix of music that guests bring to the show, and this episode is no exception – step forward jazz legend Miles Davis, and electronic producer Jon Hopkins! Hello and welcome to another All About The Music, where I’m joined by Charlie Luxton — architectural designer, familiar TV face, and lover of music with a tendency to push boundaries. Charlie’s playlist is as bold (yet often simple) as his buildings. We discuss the vulnerability of Thom Yorke, a candidate for the best album ever from Marvin Gaye, and the wild inventiveness of Edinburgh’s Afrobeat-laden Young Fathers. Plus there’s a conveyor belt of memories from Charlie – from listening to vinyl in old barns to travels in Southeast Asia and the many live performances that are clearly so important to him. And he is without doubt the first guest on the show to be designing a recording studio for a member of Radiohead. Now that is a recording studio I’d love to look around… Follow Charlie: https://www.charlieluxton.com/ Listen to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7tMykQKYD9jxNPamRtE9IM Featured artists & tracks: Radiohead, “Fake Plastic Trees”, “15 Step” Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On”, “What’s Happening Brother” John Hopkins & King Creosote, “Bats in the Attic” John Hopkins, “We Disappear” Miles Davis, “So What”, “Will o’ the Wisp” Young Fathers, “Geronimo”, “Rice” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show. Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music. Somersault Studio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I suspected we might be listening to The Beatles in this episode. Instead I got Blondie and The Monkees, neither of which were expected… both of which put a big smile on my face! Welcome to another episode of All About The Music, where I’m joined by Samira Ahmed — broadcaster, journalist and author – whose interest in music is every bit as great and varied as you’d expect from a presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. From her first album – Blondie’s Parallel Lines – via piano lessons and Claude Debussy, to the bizarre brilliance of William Shatner covering Pulp’s Common People, Samira and I chat our way through many times in her life and find music at the heart of all of them. I absolutely loved picking apart the simple poetic magic of Nick Drake with someone who adores his work. And it’s always a pleasure to discuss how much better The Monkees are than many people assume! Follow Samira Ahmed: https://twitter.com/SamiraAhmedUK Find the Spotify playlist of all Samira’s selections here. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1zesdmdIW0rheIt2Jkm96q Featured artists & tracks: Blondie, “One Way or Another”, “Heart of Glass” Nick Drake, “At the Chime of a City Clock”, “Parasite” Claude Debussy, “Arabesque No.1” The Monkees, “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” Frank Sinatra & Betty Garrett, “Come Up To My Place” Pulp, “Babies” William Shatner, “Common People” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show. Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music. Somersault Studio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to this episode of All About The Music, where I have the pleasure of sitting down with Bruno Tonioli – legendary dance judge, choreographer and, as I now know – wonderful storyteller (and teacher of Italian). Many will know Bruno from his decades on Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars. Fewer will know of his days choreographing the biggest stars in the business or what he really likes to listen to in his own time. Bruno’s passion for music pours forth with every story he tells. And what’s so clear is his love of performance above all else – whether that’s the unstoppable energy of Tina Turner or the dramatic emotion of Leontyne Price’s portrayal of Aida. I love how he’s blended his musical passions with his career, culminating in his amazing tale of choreographing Freddie Mercury at the peak of his powers. But Bruno’s a simple fan too. We hear how he grew up waiting for every new single by Italian superstar Mina and how he loves the latest generation of performers, led by British solo star RAYE, who, in Bruno’s words, uses her voice like an instrument. Follow Bruno Tonioli: https://www.instagram.com/brunotonioliofficial/ Listen to the Spotify playlist of all Bruno’s selections here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ete6gxKdqZl3fu1fgflcx Featured artists & tracks: RAYE – “Oscar Winning Tears”, “Worth It” Tina Turner – “Proud Mary”, “Steamy Windows” Mina – “Amor Mio” Verdi - “O terra, addio” from Aida Freddie Mercury – “The Great Pretender”, “Barcelona” (with Montserrat Caballé) Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show. Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music. Somersault Studio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello, Neil Brand here – For this first show, I’m joined by the marvellous Keith Brymer Jones, much loved for his pottery designs and his emotional appearances as a judge on TV’s Great Pottery Throwdown. We talk creativity, nostalgia, and the many ways in which music finds its way into his life — whether he’s at the potter’s bench, on stage with his own band, or even at his mother’s wake. Keith’s chosen tracks take us from the 1970s right up to the present day and from the early days of Roxy Music, through Kate Bush and 90s big beat, to the very latest English folk music. Best of all – Keith introduces me to a couple of artists I knew nothing about! Find the Spotify playlist of all Keith Brymer Jones’ selections here. Buy Keith’s autobiography, ‘Boy in a China Shop’ here. Follow Keith: https://www.instagram.com/keithbrymerjones/ Featured artists and tracks (with Spotify links): Roxy Music, “Both Ends Burning”, “Do the Strand” Theatre of Hate, “Original Sin”, “Do You Believe in the Westworld” The Wigs, “Six o’ Clock Shuffle” Kate Bush, “This Woman’s Work” Chemical Brothers, “Out of Control” Stick in the Wheel, “Over Again”, “Steals the Thief” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show. Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music. Somersault Studio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices