Music Maps Podcast

Marco Pirroni joins us to talk us through his huge success with Adam & The Ants - Marco’s new book Your Money Or Your Life is out now.

It all starts with a note through Marco’s door which simply says ‘Call Me, Adam’.

The next day Marco & Adam Ant meet & before long they are recording together at Rockfield Studios.

Drummers Chris Hughes, Terry Lee & bassist Kevin Mooney soon round out the lineup giving the band its unique 2 drummer sound.

Their first gig takes place at the Electric Ballroom & the band are soon signed to CBS, preferring a major to an indie label.

Kings of the Wild Frontier is the bands breakthrough & the album which follows featured some unorthodox recording techniques including creating giant ant noises & recording fire extinguishers.

Early gigs are marred by chaos & occasional crowd trouble as Dog Eat Dog becomes another success, bringing the band their first appearance of Top Of The Pops.

Stand & Deliver & Prince Charming both reach number 1 with their quirky & groundbreaking music videos becoming a key part of the bands marketing.

Prince Charming is the subject of a plagiarism claim from Rolf Harris while Diana Dors appears in the video.

Gary Tibbs formerly of Roxy Music joins Adam & The Ants & they undertake their biggest tour to date, the Prince Charming Revue.

However Marco dislikes touring & stops playing live with the band, although he continues use to write & record with Adam.

The band breaks up shortly after as Adam launches a solo career.

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

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Fletcher joins us to talk about his new book POW!: When UK Punk Went Pop, 1980-84.

Starting with his Jammin’ fanzine at age 13, by the time he is 14 Tony writes a letter to Paul Weller & receives a reply.

He is invited to RAK Studios in London whereThe Jam are making what becomes All Mod Cons.

He begins a relationship with The Jam & amongst other tales nearly ends up with the famous WHAM! Roy Lichtenstein guitar from the Start! video, his band Apocalypse open for the band air their final gigs at Wembley Arena & in Brighton.

Concurrently Tony is also writing for The Face magazine & is dispatched to Nottingham with Madness, the thinking being they may open up to a 16 year old rather than an established music writer.

Tony puts on early gigs for his band Apocalypse along with other bands including The Birthday Party at The Africa Centre in Soho.

He has a ringside seat for the end of The Jam & shortly after Paul Weller simply gives him the Jamming record label they had founded together.

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

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elliott Smith is our focus this week & we are joined by Jamie Fisher whose new book - Nobody Broke Your Heart: An Intimate Biography of Elliott Smith is out now in the UK & the US.

What differentiates Jamie’s book from others about Elliott Smith is the people who she spoke to when writing it - the Smith family were involved & talked to her at length.

Elliot Smith’s formative influences included Bob Dylan, Hank Williams Jr. & the Beatles & he started to write songs early in life, often holding onto melodies for years before finalising them into songs.

Elliott Smith’s parents separated when he was young & tensions with his stepfather led to his relocation to Portland, Oregon.

While there he formed Heatmiser with Neil Gust, Tony Lash & Jason Hornick.

All the while he was writing his own softer, gentler material but was hesitant to pursue it out of respect for his band mates.

The recordings that become his debut solo album Roman Candle are made for around $20 & despite never being intended for release, do come out on local label Cavity Search Records.

Elliott moved to the Kill Rock Stars label after meeting label founder Slim Moon & his self-titled follow up appeared in 1995, featuring Needle In The Hay, his best known work to date.

In 1997 film director Gus Van Sant becomes enamoured with Elliott’s music & approaches him to contribute music to his next film, Good Will Hunting, written by & starring Matt Damon & Ben Affleck.

Four of Elliott’s songs from the Either/Or album ultimately appear on the soundtrack & lead to an appearance at the 1998 Academy Award Ceremony, wearing a now legendary white suit, performing Miss Misery which closes the movie.

Elliott Smith sings with DreamWorks & now has a bugger budget & access not available to him before, his next album Figure Eight follows.

Despite the label being happy with the records sales, Elliott was not, constantly comparing himself to The Beatles & Bob Dylan.

Elliott passes away on August 6th 2003 & his final recordings, From a Basement on the Hill is released posthumously in 2004.

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

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our first episode focusing on Crosby, Stills Nash & Young with Rolling Stone’s David Browne.

David’s book is out now or on audio if you prefer.

David also has a regularly updated substack you can subscribe to with lots of his music writing.

CSNY comes together after David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Graham Nash all leave their previous bands (Crosby from The Byrds, Stills from Buffalo Springfield & Nash from British group The Hollies).

They meet in Los Angeles & informally play together. Cass Elliot encourages them to form a group & the rest is history.

Initially they travel to London to audition for The Beatles’ Apple label but ultimately sign with Atlantic Records back in the US following a complex arrangement to release them from their prior labels.

They self-produce their debut album which is an immediate success but shortly after they add Neil Young & become a four piece.

Neil brings his wealth of material to the band but is a headstrong individual, changing the dynamic.

Their second public performance takes place at Woodstock with Neil not appearing in any of the footage leader featured in the Woodstock film.

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

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early 1970s the music scene is dominated by prog rock concept pieces, synth solos & overblown tours.

The societal backdrop in Great Britain is one of labour & coal strikes, riding inflation & unemployment & a struggling economy.

In the background of this upheaval an American band named Eggs Over Easy begin to play gigs at The Tally-Ho in Kentish Town in North London.

Another band who come on the scene is Brinsley Schwartz featuring Nick Lowe who goes on to become a key part of the story.

Along with The Tally-Ho others key venues include the Hope & Anchor ins Islington, the Lord Nelson & the Kensington.

Pub rock received positive coverage in the music press of the day & Ian Dury enters the scene after several good reviews for his band Kilburn & the High Roads.

Dr. Feelgood become the first band from the pub rock scene to attain a degree of commercial success including a number 1 album.

The short-lived outfit The 101ers come to an end when Joe Strummer departs to make heavier, punkier music inspired by The Sex Pistols who they share a bill with at The Nashville in West London.

Stiff Records is another key part of the story & Nick Lowe produces a number of early releases including the Damned’s first album & debut single New Rose, often credited as the first punk single in the UK.

He also produces other offshoots from the pub rock scene including Graham Parker & Ian Dury’s debut albums & Elvis Costello’s My Aim Is True. The scene fizzles out once punk arrives.

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

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.