I Never Thought It Would Happen

The latest musician joining Chris for a chat about the fine art of music making is Dan Gillespie Sells, frontman for the award-winning pop-rock band The Feeling. Topics covered in the expansive interview include forming The Feeling with his school pals, growing up as an indie kid, his part in the runaway success that is Everybody's Talking About Jamie and music as an escape from life's troubles.

This episode sees Chris being joined by Sharon Corr for an enlivening and enlightening chat. Sharon is one of the 4 siblings who took their brand of poppy Irish folk music from a house full of music to the world's stages, selling millions of albums and becoming one of the biggest bands of the Nineties.When the Corrs went on hiatus in 2006, Sharon began work on her first solo album, "Dream Of You" finally released in 2010. Since then she's released 2 more solo albums, the most recent being 2021's "The Fool And The Scorpion". In this conversation she details her childhood musical heroes, particularly Joni Mitchell, working with Jeff Beck and how inspiration can strike at any time.

Joining Chris Difford for this episode is singer and songwriter Graham Gouldman, one quarter of the legendary, much loved British pop band 10cc. Growing up in Manchester, Graham quickly found his true calling with music, and he was still in his teens when he found his songs covered by bands like The Yardbirds and The Hollies. And then in forming 10cc with friends he would achieve his own hits - and lots of them.In this chat he talks about how his dad helped shape his early songs, 10cc's collaborative creative process, touring with Ringo Starr and working with Gary Barlow and McFly.

Singer, songwriter and radio presenter Guy Garvey is the guest in this episode of Chris Difford's podcast. In this wonderfully warm conversation, the Elbow frontman recounts many stories from his career, including his early dabbling with rap, how the band was almost over before it even began, the time he met Beyonce and Jay Z (but didn't know it) and the fortuitous backstory behind the Elbow's biggest hit "One Day Like This".

Chris welcomes singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams to his podcast. Kathryn is a Mercury prize nominated musician who's collaborated with John Martyn, Thea Gilmore and Ed Harcourt among many others. She's also a published novelist.In this conversation we hear about Kathryn's terrifying early gigs, her love of poetry and her collaboration with the poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, surprising gigs (both good and bad) and family secrets. There's also a very funny story about the impact Showaddywaddy had on her teenage self.

Hooking up with Chris in this episode is Dan Smith, the founder and main-man in Bastille the highly prolific British band who've had a brace of huge hits and critically acclaimed albums worldwide. In this interview, Dan discusses growing up in a nurturing household full of music, stage-fright and his difficult transition from bedroom writer/producer to fronting his own band on stage and the power of vulnerability in music.

In the very first episode of the second series of I Never Thought It Would Happen, Chris Difford welcomes Mike Rutherford of Genesis to the podcast. Mike has been an ever-present in the band since they formed in 1967. But those 55 years in Genesis are almost over with the band set to perform their final ever shows at the London O2 Arena. In this chat Mike looks back at his band's formation, early influences and being such a key part of the prog rock revolution. He also discusses the band's first tour of the USA, Peter Gabriel's departure, Phil Collins move from the back of the stage to the front and the global exposure MTV brought to the band.

Chris Difford is back for series 2 of I Never Thought It Would Happen - with Help Musicians. Episode 1 features a special chat with Mike Rutherford from Genesis ahead of the band's final ever UK dates. Back on 24th March on all podcast platforms. www.helpmusicians.org.uk

Joining Chris to talk about the up and downs of his career and life, is legendary producer, guitarist, song-writer, band leader, owner of a white Fender Strat called "The Hit Maker" and founder of Chic. In this fascinating episode, among many other things, Nile covers his remarkably unorthodox childhood which shaped his future endeavours, from school music lessons and films to a chance encounter with some hippies and how The Doors altered Nile's perception. This is a frank and fascinating conversation.

In this episode Chris enjoys a compelling and candid conversation with singer-songwriter KT Tunstall. From her upbringing in the countryside around St Andrews in Scotland, to busking around Europe to her present home in LA, the interview covers a lot of territory. From the lows of grief and loss (both family and hearing) to the highs of hit albums and awards. And KT has a couple of amazing stories about her idols Chrissie Hynde and Stevie Nicks.

In this episode, Chris invites singer-songwriter Tom Odell to discuss the highs and the lows of the fine art of songwriting. The pair also discuss their shared history which goes back to Tom's time as a music student in Brighton. The conversation also takes in the brilliance of Elton John, how it's hard to practice piano quietly and the dark side of Los Angeles.

In this episode Chris is joined by Tim Burgess, the frontman for The Charlatans, a man who's now a household name for his Twitter Listening Party, which has featured everyone from Art Of Noise to The Zutons and most famously, Paul McCartney. In this chat with Chris Tim talks not only about bringing the nation together under lockdown, but also recalls his record collection as a teenager, the excitement of being in a recording studio for the first time and how DJ-ing and writing have replaced drink and drugs.

Joining Chris in this episode is Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Amy Wadge. Amy was gripped by music from a very early age and was writing her own songs on the family piano at 9 years old, and by 11 had switched to guitar having been hugely inspired by Tracy Chapman's debut album. Soon thereafter, she and a friend were gigging regularly around her hometown of Bristol and signed their first record contract aged just 14 and released their first single at 16. There then followed a run of solo EPs and albums, but it was a meeting with another young singer-songwriter that would change Amy's life. That musician was Ed Sheeran, and their first collaboration was Ed's 2010 EP, "Songs I Wrote With Amy". From that point onwards they've become regular collaborators, with their co-written "Thinking Out Loud" landing the duo a Grammy. Amy is now an in demand songwriter for hire, spending much of her time in Nashville and has worked with artists from James Blunt, John Legend and Keith Urban to Kylie Minogue, Alicia Keys and Deltra Goodrem.

In this episode Chris is joined by a lad from Fleetwood in Lancashire, who was discovered by Baz Luhrmann and is now recognised as one of the most gifted and popular British classical singers. In this extensive and revealing conversation, Alfie discusses growing up in a musical family, the youngest of 9 children, and how a job in a car workshop kick-started his career (a story straight out of Hollywood). He also talks about being fired for falling asleep on the job, studying at the Royal College Of Music, his love of songwriting and the huge successful collaboration with Michael Ball.

Midge Ure is the musician joining Chris in this episode, to discuss his long and highly eclectic career. From his inauspicious start in a teen pop band to work alongside Sex Pistol Glenn Matlock, through a stint with Thin Lizzy and onto groundbreaking work with Ultravox and Visage, the world changing Live Aid and a diverse solo career. All of this, from the highs to the lows, is considered with lots of humour, self deprecation and keen insight.

Joining Chris for this episode is Doncaster born actor and genre hopping musician, Dominic Harrison - who's better known as Yungblud. In a funny, profound and sometimes profane conversation the duo cover everything from music as a close companion in childhood, seeing The Who live at 9 years old, eating pink tacos with Slash, to how fans can empower an artist (and vice-versa) and being in a co-dependent relationship with 5 million people.

Joining Chris in this episode is the world's foremost solo percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie. Topics covered in the conversation include her idyllic childhood in the spacious rural countryside of Aberdeenshire followed by the move to noisy, crowded London to study at the Royal Academy Of Music. The duo also touch upon the difficulties of touring the world with a selection of her 2000+ percussion instruments, the glass harp and Evelyn's admiration for Ed Sheeran.

Joining Chris on this episode is Billy Bragg, singer-songwriter, activist, "one-man Clash" and skiffle aficionado. Across the conversation Billy discusses his first musical loves, how hr came to pick up the guitar and his eye-opening trip to the United States, on tour with Echo And The Bunnymen. They also touch upon Kirsty MacColl, empathy in music, the art of writing books and the pros and cons of life in the army.

In this episode of Chris' podcast, he's joined by the composer, multi-instrumentalist and multi-award winning Nitin Sawhney. Raised in Kent in a musical family, the young Nitin would pore over his dad's eclectic record collection and try his hand at any instruments that took his fancy. Later he would study law and dabble with comedy and accountancy, before deciding to follow his true calling - music. And given he's since worked with Paul McCartney, Sinead O'Connor, Jeff Beck, Brian Eno and Ellie Goulding, it's proven to have been a smart choice. Nitin has also composed for TV, gaming and theatre, as well as forging a much acclaimed solo career.

Joining Chris in this episode is the vocal legend Ruby Turner. Born in Jamaica before moving to Birmingham in the Seventies, Ruby was brought up surrounded by music. In Chris' company, Ruby reveals that seeing the Jackson 5 live was a pivotal moment in her life, as was a live performance by Joan Armatrading. And so Ruby began her musical odyssey, working first with Culture Club, before she embarked on a solo career, now 20 albums deep. She's also worked with Bryan Ferry, UB40, Mick Jagger and has been a long time regular in Jools Holland's band. And she has an amazing story about her father and Johnny Cash.

In this episode, Chris is joined by Robbie Williams for a very funny and frank conversation. They cover everything from Robbie's childhood in a pub to the origins of Take That, how the songwriter within him was developed and the dark side of fame. And Robbie reveals how Ian Dury and the Britpop bands spurred him on to begin his extraordinary solo career, and elaborates on the pleasures and perils of being a totally committed showman.

Joining Chris in this first episode is Sting, the superstar songwriter, singer, band leader, actor and, of course, frontman for The Police. Chris has known Sting since the last Seventies, when they shared the same manager, Miles Copeland (brother of The Police drummer Stewart Copeland), and often the same stages, motels and station wagon to tour in. In this wide-ranging chat, they discuss Sting's childhood in Newcastle, how he became a musician, the background to The Police and why a musician should always give their all on stage... even if you're playing to just 3 people.

Episode 1 is out on Monday August 9th - subscribe now