Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast

We hope all of our US friends had a marvelous Thanksgiving. We gave you the main course on Tuesday, a second helping on Thanksgiving, and now it’s time for dessert. Why? Because it’s Black Friday...more specifically, it’s Record Store Day Black Friday. Join O3L´s Brett Vargo as we highlight some of the releases from this special RSD that we think will appeal to classic alternative music fans. Whether you´re lining up early, going to hit your favorite store later in the day, or chance it on the secondary market, there´s a little something for everyone to enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Thanksgiving to those of in the US! To those other places, Happy Random Thursday. In what has become somewhat of an O3L tradition, we're here to either help you get through Thanksgiving or ruin it...it's a fine line! After all, one of the things that this holiday is about is gorging yourself, so treat yourself to a second helping of O3L this week. (B-t-dubbs, Thanksgiving is also about other things too, as you'll learn about with some enlightening trivia questions.) This year, we celebrate "Friendsgiving," where we cover our top five songs about friendship. Ain't that sweet? Oh, and Brett has an adult beverage during the show. It's a Thanksgiving miracle! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahhh, vinyl records. For audiophiles and other assorted music nerds (know any of them!?!), it's the passport to sonic bliss. For others, it's an archaic, delicate, noisy and inconvenient medium. Whatever side of the fence you're on, there are albums that you gotta experience on vinyl - whether it be for the sound quality, the artwork, the liner notes, the overall presentation, or maybe it's not available digitally. Remarkably, decades after the format was declared all but dead and buried, it has experienced a huge resurgence in popularity. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the commercial vinyl LP, In The Groove: The Vinyl Record and Turntable Revolution from Motorbooks is an authoritative and visual celebration of the history and culture of record collecting and turntables, from the first 78 to the explosive growth of vinyl in the last decade, with entertaining sidebars highlighting classic record stores, legendary labels and iconic artwork. Designed to satisfy readers from the most discerning of collectors to those new to the passion, In The Groove gathers five of the finest music scribes to contribute a chapter each. One of those writers (covering record stores) is our Third Lad this week, Gillian Gaar. Gillian G. Gaar is a Seattle-based author. Her first book, She's A Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll was published in 1992. In addition to her own books, she has appeared in various anthologies, including The Nirvana Companion, Trouble Girls: The Rolling Stone Guide to Women in Rock, Nirvana: The Complete Illustrated History, Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters, Goldmine: The Beatles Digest (volumes one and two), The Best of the Beatles Book, The Stranger Guide To Seattle, 33 1/3 Greatest Hits Vol 2, A Survey of American Culture, and various editions of The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, among others. She was editorial assistant for Krist Novoselic's book From Grunge To Government: Let's Fix This Broken Democracy! She was also a project consultant/liner note writer for Nirvana's box set "With The Lights Out." She has written for numerous magazines, including Rolling Stone, Mojo, Q, Goldmine, The Seattle Times, The Stranger, Option, and No Depression, and was a senior editor at Seattle music paper The Rocket. She has also written liner notes for collections by Laurie Anderson, Judy Collins, Heart, Pat Benatar, Paula Cole and Mat Kearney, among others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's the exciting conclusion of a two parter that's all about songs with "heart" - in the title, that is. The heart is a nasty lookin' thing, innit? But it's a word that symbolizes so much - love, pain, devotion, longing, passion, energy, excitement, life itself. It's safe to say that it's perhaps the second most essential organ in rock n' roll (insert winky smiley face here). We are thrilled to be joined by Andrea Lewis Jarvis, Harley Farr, and Matt Gray from The Darling Buds! The Buds formed in Newport, Wales in 1986, a band of friends who made great music and experienced amazing adventures together. The new 5-CD Cherry Red Records box set, Killing For Love: Albums, Singles, Rarities, Unreleased 1987-2017 collects the band's three albums recorded for CBS/Sony (1989's Pop Said... , 1990's Crawdaddy, 1992's Erotica), their 2017 EP Evergreen, and plenty of early singles, demos, b-sides, and rarities. During Part 2, you'll hear our top two choices for "heart" songs, the glorious new box set, the pros and cons of the modern music business model, the obscene power of the British music media, US vs. UK crowds, the timelessness of classic alternative, and what drives the band now. Plus, hear the 1987 Leeds demo of "Shame On You" from Killing For Love. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, go back and listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part one of a two parter that's all about songs with "heart" - in the title, that is. The heart is a nasty lookin' thing, innit? But it's a word that symbolizes so much - love, pain, devotion, longing, passion, energy, excitement, life itself. It's safe to say that it's perhaps the second most essential organ in rock n' roll (insert winky smiley face here). We are thrilled to be joined by Andrea Lewis Jarvis, Harley Farr, and Matt Gray from The Darling Buds! The Buds formed in Newport, Wales in 1986, a band of friends who made great music and experienced amazing adventures together. The new 5-CD Cherry Red Records box set, Killing For Love: Albums, Singles, Rarities, Unreleased 1987-2017 collects the band's three albums recorded for CBS/Sony (1989's Pop Said... , 1990's Crawdaddy, 1992's Erotica), their 2017 EP Evergreen, and plenty of early singles, demos, b-sides, and rarities. During Part 1, you'll hear our first three choices for "heart" songs, the thrill of being played on John Peel, Tom Waits in the toilet, major label pressures, a guy who we shall call "Fred", that other Erotica album, LA nights, dalliances with Debbie Harry, Kirsty MacColl, Thompson Twins, Christina Applegate, Cher, Sarah Jessica Parker, the cast of 90210, and getting stuck with Shane MacGowan's bar bills. Plus, hear the previously unreleased demo "Why Bother Now" from Killing For Love. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

¡Hola! Somos Tío Gregg y El Rocktor. We are musical explorers. Do you want to go on a classic alternative journey with us? You doooooooooo?!? ¡Muy bien! This week, we are talking about songs with a destination in the title or lyrics of a song. It could be a physical destination...or it could be a state of mind. Either way, our scheduled guest couldn't make it due to illness, so you know what that means. Yep, oddball song choices, general contemptible behavior, rants, and wacky hijinks. So get out your talking map and vámonos! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember back in Episode 151 when we used a lot of four letter words? That is, song titles consisting of a single four letter word? Well, we're back to ramp up the fun...one word at a time! This week, we cover five letter words with our special guest Third Lad Mike Finoia. Mike Finoia is a standup comedian based out of New York City. He is a writer / producer for TruTV's hilarious and wildly popular Impractical Jokers, and tours nationally in support of their theatre and arena tour. When he's not on the road, Mike can be found performing nightly at NYC's premiere comedy clubs. Mike has been featured on TruTV, Sirus XM & Comedy Central. On top of that, he also co-hosts the successful podcast Comes A Time with bassist Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Co, Allman Brothers), a fellow show on the Pantheon Podcasts network. Talk about a renaissance man! But wait, there's more! Mike also has a new comedy special, Don't Let Me Down, which is available RIGHT NOW on 800pgm.com and will be released to YouTube on November 9th. With a penchant for finding the absurd in everyday life and a knack for weaving relatable tales with a comedic twist, Finoia takes the stage to deliver a performance that's both uproarious and thought provoking. Did we mention the phrase "renaissance man"? We have a marvelous time chatting about comedy during the pandemic, one of the title ideas for his special, life on Impractical Jokers, following Phish, Music League, and much more. Plus, we play a rousing game of O3L Scrabble! So, c'mon...don't let him (or us) down. Click that play button, and like, subscribe, rate and review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We pay tribute to two pivotal figures in alternative music, both of whom passed away this week - Tulsa power pop icon Dwight Twilley and influential indie singer/songwriter. Our Six Pack consists of: Dwight Twilley Band - 'I'm Losing You' Soft Science - 'True' The Journals Kept - 'Nothing In This World' Jamie Hoover - 'Genghis Khan' Special Friend - 'Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In' Po! - 'Fay' Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. #musicpodcast #bestnewmusic #alternativemusic #classicalternative #noisepop #indiepop #indierock #powerpop #alternative Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rock, paper, scissors. Three wishes. Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Moe, Larry & Curly. We think it's safe to say that good things that come in threes...and that includes albums. But the "three album run" - where an artist/band puts together a string of three amazing records in a row - is rather elusive. This week, we attempt to uncover some of the finest three album runs of the classic alternative era. You know what other good thing comes in threes? Lads. I mean, it is in the name of our show, after all. We are joined by a Third Lad who knows a thing or two about putting together an impressive string of albums, because Tony Jenkins and his band The New Fools have just released their latest in a run of great records, Seashells. With Seashells, the Cambridge, England band has crafted a gem of sparkling pop songcraft, full of ebullient horns, guitar jangle and clever, topical lyrics. Along with delving into three album runs, The New Fools and the new album, we also ruminate on tribute bands, media feuds, children's TV, hip hop, awkward urinal conversations and more. Plus, Tony ruins being the ideal husband for all of us, and we, in turn, just ruin his dinner. Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. #musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #classicalternative #punkrock #newwave #indiepop #indierock #collegerock #1stwave #C86 #synthpop #powerpop #britpop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cool...crisp...refreshing...a little nutty. Yep, you guessed it - it's time for another Weekend Six Pack! This week, we bring you six more of the coolest songs grabbing our attention right now. You'll hear: The Jasmine Minks - 'She Knows' Kurt Baker - 'She Don't Wanna Be Alone' The Happy Somethings & Slovenly Boy - 'I Don't Smoke Dope' Liz Borden - 'Sweet Pain' Royal Ottawa - 'Three Seven Zero' Goliath - 'Duck And Cover' Enjoy your weekend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We fix our gaze upon another of the legendary record labels of the O3L era, Slash Records. Slash was formed in Los Angeles in 1978 by the late Bob Biggs. Over the course of its 22 year run as an active label, Slash released slew of classics by the likes of The Germs, X, Violent Femmes, Fear, The Blasters, Los Lobos, Rank and File, The Del Fuegos, The Gun Club, Dream Syndicate, Misfits, Robyn Hitchcock, Burning Spear, BoDeans, Faith No More, Failure, Green On Red, Grant Lee Buffalo, L7, The Chills, Rammstein, Soul Coughing, The Verlaines, and more. Boasting such an eclectic and iconic roster, how are we possibly going to pick our Top 5 songs from the label? We'd better call in the reinforcement! We'll take "Great O3L Third Lads" for $1,000, Alex. "This talented singer/songwriter just released his highly anticipated brand new album, Mug, on one of the best modern indie labels, Big Stir Records." "Who is Dolph Chaney?" Yes, this week's Third Lad is rockin' Chicagoland indie-pop singer/songwriter/guitarist Dolph Chaney, and you'll be seeing his "mug" all over in the near future, because his new album is pretty dang special. It's full of memorable melodies, indelible hooks, witty, intelligent lyrics, and playful production. Mug continues Dolph's evolution from '90s lo-fi troubadour to widescreen guitar pop auteur. Get it now at https://bigstirrecords.com/dolph-chaney. We go in depth with Dolph on his wonderful new album, critical cats, recording career, songwriting process, alliance with Big Stir and producer Nick Bertling, 2016 Jeopardy! appearance, and Mug merchandising (from mugs to...thongs??). Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we cover our Top 5 Long Titled Songs. How long is long, you ask? Well, we asked last week's Third Lad, Archie Moore from Velocity Girl, to tell us how long is long...to which he replied NINE words or more, and to which he is probably laughing himself into convulsions thinking about how much we struggled with the topic. So, we say #ThanksArchie. Joining us in this very difficult task is Lance Carmine, a long time O3L listener, friend of the show, the podcast's very own Cousin Brucie/Stu Sutcliffe, radio veteran, and possessor of great musical taste and hair. We have an absolutely uproarious time chatting about alternative music, 8-tracks, the state of radio, global warming, Yuma, Eddie Vedder, Bobby McFerrin, K-Pop, and playing the latest world famous O3L game, Name That Long Title! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's crack open another six pack together, shall we? This week, we celebrate the wonderful Leeds, UK based indie label Clue Records. A couple of months ago, we had Clue's highest profile artist, David Gedge from The Wedding Present and Cinerama on the show, and that opened us up to exploring the other amazing artists who are on the label - including the six that you will hear during this very episode. Featured Songs: Treeboy & Arc - 'Behind The Curtain' (from Natural Habitat - https://treeboyandarc.bandcamp.com) Team Picture - 'Baby Rattlesnakes' (from The Meance Of Mechanical Music - https://teampicture.bandcamp.com) Bored At My Grandma's House - 'Showers' (from Sometimes I Forget You're Human Too - https://boredatmygrandmashouse.bandcamp.com) YOWL - 'The Machine' (from Milksick - https://YOWL.bandcamp.com) Van Houten - 'Moon' (from Van Houten - https://vanhoutenuk.bandcamp.com) Pit Pony - 'Sinking' (from World To Me - https://pitponyband.bandcamp.com) About Clue Records: "Give us a Clue... We are Clue Records, an independent record label based in Leeds. We work with artists we adore to release music you love. We also host a monthly show on Amazing Radio, showcasing the best in new music. Clue is run by Scott Lewis + Tony Ereira with support from Steven Langton, Paul Thomas, Sadie O'Donoghue + Liv Barnes." https://cluerecords.myshopify.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, it's the "S-word." Shoegaze...of all the media fabricated sub-genres that we talk about on O3L, this is one of the most polarizing. The term was coined with some derision about the crop of artists that came up in the late '80s/early '90s who spent much of their stage time looking down at their effects pedals. Even many of the bands who are most closely associated with the term rebuke the label. On the other hand, the word conjures up a glorious, beloved sound that continues to resonate with musicians and fans to this day: walls of woozy, beautifully sculpted guitar noise, drowned out but ethereal vocals, dreamy, insistent beats, all bathed in swathes of reverb and echo. The Extended Play (EP) was a format that was well suited for this music, so that's our focus on this episode. While we may associate the heyday of shoegaze with the amazing groups that burst onto the UK scene, its influence spread across the pond. Case in point is our Third Lad this week, guitarist Archie Moore, who spent the first part of the '90s simultaneously in THREE seminal Washington, D.C. area bands who took cues from fizzy UK indie - Black Tambourine, Lilys, and Velocity Girl. If that wasn't enough, Archie and his friends also co-founded one of the legendary American indie labels, Slumberland Records. Velocity Girl was the stuff that '90s indie pop dreams are made of: Named after one of the coolest songs, fronted by the impossibly cool Sarah Shannon, recording for one of the coolest labels (Sub Pop), staples of alternative radio and MTV's 120 Minutes with hits like "My Forgotten Favorite" (also prominently featured on the Clueless soundtrack), "Crazy Town," "Sorry Again," and "I Can't Stop Smiling." We caught up with Archie the day after Velocity Girl's first gig in 21 years at the anniversary bash for legendary D.C. club The Black Cat. They also will be playing the Bowery Ballroom in New York on September 30th before returning to The Black Cat on December 1st. Catch them if you can! Songs: Brett Vargo - 'Didn't Know I Needed This (Until I Needed This)' Velocity Girl - 'My Forgotten Favorite' Black Tambourine - 'Throw Aggi Off The Bridge' Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey hey hey! What's happening, you ask? Well, this ain't no Rerun, it's a brand new O3L! We travel back to the heady days of 1978 as we count down our Top 5 Songs from that spectacular year. Plus: A Ministry surprise (the band, that is...but for $19.95, we'll also add you to our prayer circle) Brett's foray into death metal Uncle Gregg's fantasy tattoo (and we rely on each other) Offensive lyrics A creepy breathing lesson Oh, and we politely request that you kiss our grits. If it's not too much ask, please and thank you. Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 180, with the one and only Graham Parker, was a tremendous thrill for us. We knew we wanted to maximize our time with a legend, so we recorded the episode in two parts. We reconvened two nights after recording with GP to get our Top 5 segments down. By that time, Brett was sick as a dog and Uncle Gregg was working on a vodka with a light splash of OJ. We recorded a bunch of stuff that night that didn't make the cut to the final episode, but maybe you want to hear it? Or maybe you don't... Either way, here it is! Warning: If you're looking for musical content, you won't find much of it during this one. You'll get a whole bunch of rants and ramblings about a variety of other things though. Don't say we didn't warn ya! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rolling Stones once intoned that "it's the singer, not the song"...but this week, it's all about the song, as we celebrate the great songwriters of the O3L era. What better way to do that than with one of THE all time great songwriters, the legendary Graham Parker?!? We're still pinching ourselves. Of course, you know his classic records with The Rumour like Howlin' Wind, Heat Treatment, and Squeezing Out Sparks, and songs like 'Silly Thing,' 'Hold Back The Night,' 'Hold Back The Night', 'Don't Ask Me Questions', 'Discovering Japan', 'Local Girls,' 'Life Gets Better,' 'Wake Up (Next To You),' and 'Get Started, Start A Fire.' But we're not here so much to look back at a remarkable past as we are to celebrate an artist who, 47 years into his recording career, is still relevant, vital and making some of his best music yet. His brilliant new album, Last Chance To Learn The Twist, was released on September 8th from our friends at Big Stir Records. The record was produced by GP & Tuck Nelson, and features his incredible backing band The Goldtops, backing singers The Lady Bugs and swinging brass from The Easy Access Orchestra. In this episode, you'll hear fascinating insights into the songwriting and recording processes for the new album, GP's songwriting inspirations, genres that don't exist, streaming, his biggest regret, and much more. And you'll be happy to know: THE GOUT IS ON ITS WAY OUT! About Graham Parker (edited from Mark Demming's intro in the All Music Guide): Stereotyped early in his career as the quintessential angry young man, Graham Parker was one of the most celebrated singer/songwriters to emerge from England in the '70s. Drawing heavily from Van Morrison and the Rolling Stones, Parker developed a sinewy fusion of driving rock & roll and confessional folk-rock, highlighted by his indignant passion, biting sarcasm, and bristling anger. At the outset of his career, his albums crackled with energy, snide witticisms, and perceptive insights, earning him a devoted following of fans and critics, who lavished praise on his debut, 1976's Howlin' Wind, recorded with the Rumour, his backing band of pub rock all-stars. After delivering Squeezing Out Sparks in 1979, which was a smash with critics and won him a larger audience in the United States, Parker courted a crossover career with solo projects such as 1982's Another Grey Area and 1985's Steady Nerves before settling into a cult following in the late '80s and continuing to garner critical acclaim as his music mellowed but his lyrical perspective stayed sharp. At the behest of filmmaker Judd Apatow, Parker reunited with the Rumour for his movie This Is 40, which led to concert tours and a pair of albums, 2012's Three Chords Good and 2015's Mystery Glue. After the Rumour reunion ran its course, Parker formed a new band, the Goldtops, playing easygoing but committed R&B-informed rock on 2018's Cloud Symbols and 2023's Last Chance to Learn the Twist. Technical note: We recorded this episode in two segments - we did our interview with GP first, and then reconvened a couple of nights later to record our top five lists (when Brett was sick and Uncle Gregg was at least a sheet and a half to the wind). Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're getting quizzical this week, as we reveal the answers to a whole host of questions, including: What are our Top 5 Musical Questions? What's the latest in classic alternative music news? What new songs are we listening to? What are we drinking? Why are we so obsessed with robots? What's Uncle Gregg ranting about this week? (Seriously, we really want to know...) Which '80s Canadian classic does Brett react to? What does the fox say? Who did let the dogs out? What previous O3L "character" makes an appearance? Are we strong to the finich? Well, what are ya waiting for? We don't want to keep you in suspense any longer, so just listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there a better way to kick off your weekend than with a Six Pack? We think not! That's right, we're hopping out of the O3L era again for another installment featuring six songs that we think YOU should hear this weekend. This week, we bring you a theme within a theme (how clever is that, eh?). Not only are all of the artists spotlighted this week on the wonderful Big Stir Records (https://bigstirrecords.com), but all of the songs have a summer theme. How appropriate! Big Stir is a Burbank, CA based indie label specializing in melodic pop/rock, formed in 2017 by Christina Bulbenko and Rex Broome from the band The Armoires. Today, the label boasts one of the most impressive and prolific artist rosters around, from ‘60s psych rock warriors to ‘70s power pop heroes to ‘80s college rock trailblazers to the finest pop torchbearers to emerge over the past 30 years. In fact, we have had the extreme pleasure to have our show graced by several artists from the Big Stir world past and present - The Flashcubes, Arthur Alexander from Sorrows, Tony Valentino from The Standells, Jim Basnight, Kevin Robertson from The Vapour Trails…and we have yet another in an upcoming episode that we are so excited about that we can hardly contain ourselves. But there are so many great musicians on Big Stir - I wish we could name them all, but trust us on this one…their catalogue is of such consistently high quality that you can go to bigstirrecords.com, peruse their list of artists, and pick out some records that you’re certain to love. And not only that, but Rex & Christina are amazing people - warm, genuine, and working to build a community driven by a true love of the art, craft and power of pop music. Just a case in point of how cool everyone in the Big Stir family is - recently, we received a lovely email containing O3L shoutouts from a bunch of their artists, and we were absolutely touched and awestruck that these amazing artists would take time out to cut these promos for us. From the bottom of hearts, thank you to all those involved. The support truly means the world to us. So, please show your love and support to Big Stir and this cool six pack of artists: Lannie Flowers - 'Summer Blue' (from Flavor Of The Month) Irena Peña - 'It Must Be Summer' (single) Sparkle*Jets UK - 'One Summer Sunday' (from Best Of Friends) Dolph Chaney - 'Cool In The Sunshine' (from the upcoming LP Mug) Allyson Seconds - 'On A Sunny Day In Summer' (from Bag Of Kittens) Librarians With Hickeys - 'Last Days Of Summer' (from Handclaps & Tambourines) Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're dancin' to the rhythm in our heart and soul, cuz it's S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night on O3L! This week, we're all about the songs and albums that soundtrack our Saturday nights. And, yeah, we've got a Saturday Night Fever, and the only cure is... More FLASHCUBES! That's right...our Third Lads this week are bassist Gary Frenay and guitarist Paul Armstrong, one half of Power Pop Hall of Famers The Flashcubes! Gary and Paul, along with guitarist Arty Lenin and drummer Tommy Allen, burst out of Syracuse, NY in 1977. During their initial lifespan of 1977-1980, they released two singles, the classics "Christi Girl" and "Wait Til Next Week," and opened for major acts such as The Runaways, Ramones, The Jam and The Police. (In the case of the latter, here's a "true until proven otherwise" theory for you: Stewart Copeland is wearing a Flashcubes t-shirt on the cover of Regatta de Blanc.) Since the original foursome reformed in the late '90s as powerful and poppy as ever, they haven't looked back, with a string of acclaimed albums and a reputation as a world-class live act. The Flashcubes' latest album on Big Stir Records is Pop Masters, which finds our heroes tackling a selection of 12 guitar pop classics by their contemporaries, with an impressive roster of guest stars, including Pezband's "Baby It's Cold Outside" (with past O3L guest Mimi Betinis), Shoes' "Tomorrow Night" (with another past O3L guest, Jeff Murphy), The Paley Brothers' "Come Out And Play" and more. This is a must have for any power pop connoisseur! Plus, we unveil the latest world famous O3L game: Which Saturday Is It?, in which our discerning contestants distinguish between Saturday Night Fever quotes, Saturday Night Live lines, and lyrics from songs called "Saturday Night." It's gobs o' fun, we tell ya...gobs! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crack open a six pack! That is to say that we're stepping out of the O3L era once again for six more songs that you should hear this weekend. As many listeners know, Brett's son is currently attending UC Berkeley, which means that he's been spending a lot more time up in the Bay Area...which, in turn, means that he's been paying close attention to what's become arguably the best local indie music scene in the country. So, this week, we turn our focus to bands from that area. Our Six Pack: 1) Chime School - 'Coming To Your Town' (https://chimeschool.bandcamp.com) 2) The Umbrellas - 'She Buys Herself Flowers' (https://theumbrellas.bandcamp.com) 3) The 1981 - 'Easy (It's Not)' (https://the1981band.bandcamp.com) 4) Cindy - 'The Price Is Right' (https://cindytheband.bandcamp.com) 5) The Reds, Pinks & Purples - 'Unloveable Losers' (https://theredspinksandpurples.bandcamp.com) 6) Seablite - 'Melancholy Molly' (https://seablite.bandcamp.com) What do YOU think is the best local music scene right now? Let us know on social media or at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Needless to say, we have fun every week here on O3L, but this one will have ya dancing in the streets guaranteed! We just can't help ourselves when it comes to talking about music influenced by "The Sound of Young America," Motown Records...especially when Heaven must have sent us this week's guest from above. What's going on, you ask? We guess you say, what can make us feel this way? Well, by now, you've probably heard it through the grapevine that it's the marvelous Arthur Alexander! (Oh, was that subtle enough?) Arthur has a very powerful story of rock n' roll salvation. Growing up in communist Poland in the '60s, Arthur discovered the power of rock through records pressed on postcards and through scratchy radio signals that the government attempted to silence, deeming this new musical form of freedom as a threat to society. It was the sound that united and invigorated legions of youth, inspired kids to form bands, and, for Arthur, paved the way for a new life in America. In the mid-70s, his band The Poppees were a part of the burgeoning New York scene, playing venues like CBGB and Max's Kansas City alongside The Heartbreakers, Ramones, and Blondie, despite eschewing straight ahead punk rock for the sounds of Merseybeat. After The Poppees, Arthur formed rockin' power pop group Sorrows, fulfilling his vision of crossing ABBA with The Sex Pistols. Sorrows issued two albums for CBS, 1980's Teenage Heartbreak (the sessions from that era also captured on the Bad Times, Good Times album) and 1981's Love Too Late. The latter was so badly botched by the record label that it prompted Sorrows to reform four decades later to put things right, to record the album that it should have been all along: Love Too Late...The Real Album. Arthur has also issued two marvelous solo albums in recent years, 2018's One Bar Left, and the brand new 2023 LP Steppin' Out on Big Stir Records. https://www.bigstirrecords.com. Signed, sealed and delivered, Your friends at O3L And we're stickin' to it. (Ain't Too) Proud (To Beg) members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the O3L Weekend Six Pack, where we curate six recent songs to kick off your weekend! Your six-pack this weekend consists of: 1) The Radio Field - 'Other One' (from Don'ts and Dos, Subjangle) https://theradiofield.bandcamp.com 2) Graham Parker & The Goldtops - 'It Mattered To Me' (from Last Chance To Learn The Twist, Big Stir) https://www.bigstirrecords.com 3) The Che Men - 'Mill Hill' (The Beautiful Music) https://thebeautifulmusic.com 4) Swansea Sound - 'Twentieth Century' (from Twentieth Century, Skep Wax) https://swanseasound.bandcamp.com 5) The Lost Ships - 'Brittle Heart Foundation' (from Atoms Collide Forever, Subjangle) https://lostships.bandcamp.com 6) The New Fools - 'It's Just Not Enough' (from Seashells) https://thenewfools.bandcamp.com Let us know what you think...should we make this a semi-regular feature? Hit us up on our social media pages or email us at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we taste the proverbial rainbow with our Top 5 Colourful Songs...that is, songs with colours in the title. And what an incredible thrill it is to have Tracy Tracy and Paul Court from one of the greatest indie pop bands of the O3L era, The Primitives, join us! The Primitives are an English indie pop band who formed in Coventry in 1984, disbanded in 1992, and reformed in 2009 for one of the best "second acts" in music. After a string of classic Top 10 indie singles on the band's Lazy Records imprint, they signed with RCA for three albums: Lovely (1988, which spawned the #5 hit 'Crash'), Pure (1989), and Galore (1992). Since reforming, The Primitives have released a handful of EPs and singles, including 2022's 'Don't Know Where To Start' and this year's 'I Won't Care' (both of which you'll hear on this very episode!), and two full length albums, Echoes and Rhymes (2012) and Spin-O-Rama (2014). This one is a lot of fun, and as real as it gets - we talk about dogs, sweets, friendship, travel and...uh, Iron Maiden, as well as The Primitives' roots (both musically and hair), return and future. Also, as a technical note: You will notice some audio imperfections in this episode. Brett was recording in Berkeley in his son's mostly empty studio apartment, with a cheap mic and very boomy room ambience. And, for some unknown reason, Tracy's local track stopped recording after about 20 minutes, so we had to grab the rest from a lower resolution combined conference audio track. It made for some very tricky editing and moments of inconsistent volume so we could capture as much of this fabulous conversation as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oops...we did it again? Yep, we tend to get lost in our passion sometimes, especially when we have an AMAZING Third Lad who's a subject matter expert at the topic at hand. So lace up your boots and join us in the mosh pit for an extended journey through the sounds, sights, and smells of the Southern California punk scene. With so many great songs, how do we narrow it down to five apiece?!? While the London and New York scenes understandably take up a lot of space in the punk rock annals, SoCal also had a vital and very distinctive brand of punk - often faster, more aggressive, and more violent than their peers. While Los Angeles was the epicentre, Orange County and San Diego both notably contributed plenty of classics of the genre. One of the first wave of San Diego punk bands to make a splash was The Executives, who released an impossibly rare EP in 1980 and played with just about every legendary band both in and out of the area. Our Third Lad this week is Executives' singer Michael Jenks, who gives us a thrilling first hand account of the rise of punk in Southern California, the chaotic San Diego scene, their recordings and their reformation. Plus: Michael and Brett share some "bro time!" Uncle Gregg whiffs with the ladies (and ruins everything)! Solid parenting advice! The downside of being a Britpop fan! Thanks to Executives' current guitarist Jeremy Spencer, who the O3L "street team" met at a Hoodoo Gurus show in May, ultimately leading to this enriching and entertaining couple of hours! Speaking of great SoCal punk, we have found it alive, well, and living in the Mojave Desert with Joshua Tree's Ingrates. Brett recently saw Ingrates open up for Terry Six (The Exploding Hearts) in Los Angeles, and was so impressed with their class of '77 punk energy-meets-power pop hooks that he reached out to the guys about thrusting them into the O3L Spotlight. This week, we play their latest single, the infectious "Don't Be A Stranger." You can find Ingrates music at: https://ingrates.bandcamp.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the Summer of Love...Tractor, that is. That's because our friends in seminal Athens band Love Tractor return to O3L for an epic two parter as we discuss our Top 5 Summer Albums! It's time for the epic conclusion, where Love Tractor guitarists Mark Cline & Mike Richmond and bassist Armistead Wellford recount more wild, hilarious tales of the Athens scene in the '80s and the making of their second album, 1983's Around The Bend. We'll also divulge our #2 & #1 Summer Albums. If you didn't get enough sex, drugs & rock n' roll (or country rock, if a certain record label had their druthers) during part 1...well, you're in luck. Party at Little Richard's house! About Love Tractor: It is no act of misguided hyperbole to declare the genre-bending, art rock pioneers, Love Tractor one of the most influential bands of the past 43 years. As one of the inadvertent architects of the Athens, Georgia scene and sound, Love Tractor along with Pylon, The B-52’s, and R.E.M. were essential in staking out the jangly and disco-driven rock that would have — and still has—a huge influence on subsequent generations. Of those bands, Love Tractor always stood out as the most artistically brave and willing to fail in order to succeed. In 1983, Love Tractor released their second album, Around the Bend, which was accompanied by a popular MTV video for the song "Spin Your Partner." The album showcased the band's growth and evolution, incorporating vocals and other experimentations to enhance their sound. The record was well-received critically and commercially— topping the college charts, and solidifying Love Tractor's place in the alternative music landscape. Around The Bend (40th Anniversary Remastered Edition) is due out September 1, 2023, on Propeller Sound Recordings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Surprise! We're back for a second episode this week, and it's the most uncharacteristic episode we've ever done. Don't change the dial on your podcast app...and this is not an April Fool's joke. Yes, we are covering our Top 5 Metallica Songs. If you're wondering what's gotten into the Lads, it's because we are celebrating the official Metallica podcast, The Metallica Report, joining the Pantheon Podcasts family! Here's the thing: If you've listened to O3L for any length of time, you probably know that Brett is about the furthest thing away from a "metal guy" as you can get. In fact, aside from a few songs from the radio and MTV, he never listened to a Metallica record before this week. But before you Metallica heads come at him with pitchforks, he has given it the ol' college try this week! And fortunately he has Uncle Gregg, who is a little more versed in the topic. So what do you say, huh? Let's get Metal AF! Music from today's episode can be found on our playlist "O3L - E173 - Top 5 Metallica Songs on: Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/o3l-e173-top-5-metallica-songs/pl.u-RRbVNdDT1e6YDm Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5YqDInPHwEoJAMCek5EvIe?si=494cbd73f6fe4654 About The Metallica Report: Keep up with all things Metallica by going straight to the source for your news. This weekly report is hosted by Steffan Chirazi, long-time rock scribe and editor of the band’s online mag, So What!, and Renée Richardson, a well-known Bay Area radio personality who now oversees the band’s foundation, All Within My Hands. Steffan and Renée will keep you in the loop each week with updates, features, and interviews. They’ll also get YOUR questions answered by those in the know. It’s your quick, weekly fix covering our most relevant topics of the day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the Summer of Love...Tractor, that is. That's because our friends in seminal Athens band Love Tractor return to O3L for an epic two parter as we discuss our Top 5 Summer Albums! During this first part, guitarists Mark Cline & Mike Richmond and bassist Armistead Wellford recount some wild, hilarious tales of the Athens scene in the '80s and the making of their second album, 1983's Around The Bend. We'll also divulge our #5 through #3 Summer Albums. And, no, you didn't accidentally stumble upon the High Times podcast. About Love Tractor: It is no act of misguided hyperbole to declare the genre-bending, art rock pioneers, Love Tractor one of the most influential bands of the past 43 years. As one of the inadvertent architects of the Athens, Georgia scene and sound, Love Tractor along with Pylon, The B-52’s, and R.E.M. were essential in staking out the jangly and disco-driven rock that would have — and still has—a huge influence on subsequent generations. Of those bands, Love Tractor always stood out as the most artistically brave and willing to fail in order to succeed. In 1983, Love Tractor released their second album, Around the Bend, which was accompanied by a popular MTV video for the song "Spin Your Partner." The album showcased the band's growth and evolution, incorporating vocals and other experimentations to enhance their sound. The record was well-received critically and commercially— topping the college charts, and solidifying Love Tractor's place in the alternative music landscape. Around The Bend (40th Anniversary Remastered Edition) is due out September 1, 2023, on Propeller Sound Recordings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I wanted to be with you alone/And talk about the weather." Well put, Rollie & Curt. You could even say that we're head over heels about talking about songs about talking about the weather (or something like that). And this week's supersized episode is a whole lotta talk about the weather. It's a whole lotta sunshine. A whole lotta rainbows. A whole lotta fun. A whole lotta laughs. A whole lotta (electric) mayhem. A whole lotta Van. A whole lotta Yoko. A whole lotta Studs Turkel. And, most importantly, a whole lotta Rob. That's because our Third Lad this week is a kindred spirit, Rob Kassees, one of the hosts of the awesome podcast 1001 Album Complaints. Each week, Rob and his friends dissect a different album from Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. They approach each record with humor and an infectious mix of respect and irreverence, share stories and facts behind its creation, and ultimately vote whether you do truly need to hear the selected album before you die. It's a great show that gets a seal of approval from us! https://linktr.ee/thechopunlimited Also: A brand new O3L game to commemorate Rob's appearance with us, Kill or Die! Plus, new music by Sheffield shoegazers The Suncharms ('Telescope') and Power Pop Hall of Famers Flashcubes (a cover of The Motors' 'Forget About You'). The Suncharms: Music | Sunday Records (bandcamp.com) Flashcubes: Big Stir Records - The Flashcubes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1987: The year of the mega-album (Bad...Faith...The Joshua Tree...Appetite For Destruction...The Zit Remedy...) big, booming, glossy pop singles, hair metal, mall pop and hip-hop. But, lurking beneath that "high '80s" sheen were some of the finest alternative songs of the O3L era. That, dear listener, is where we come in. In 1987's indie world, it didn't get much bigger than The Wedding Present, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist AND this week's Third Lad, David Gedge. The Weddoes, as they are affectionately known by fans, scored a #1 indie LP with their debut full-length, George Best, and occupied five spots (including four in the Top 10) on the legendary John Peel's year end Festive Fifty list. Over the next decade, The Wedding Present would remain a vital fixture on the scene, racking up 16 UK Top 40 hits. In 1992 alone, they tied a record set by Elvis Presley by releasing twelve Top 30 singles within a twelve-month period. Since then, the ever-prolific self-professed "workaholic" Gedge has released a consistent string of records both under The Wedding Present and Cinerama monikers, right up to the brand new Weddoes triple album 24 Songs. 24 Songs collects the twelve 7" singles (once every month) that Gedge and band released during 2022. This remarkable set is now available from Happy Happy Birthday To Me in the US and Clue Records in the UK. https://hhbtm.bandcamp.com. Come on in to the deep end...just remember that we're never gonna give you up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manchester, so much to answer for. Join the "belligerent ghouls" of O3L as we explore some of the best albums to come out of this fine city in the north of England...Cottonopolis...Mamucian. In this episode: New music from Swedish garage rockers Råttanson ('How Many Days Till Summer') and classic power pop hitmakers Tommy Tutone ('White Flag')! Uncle Gregg is sick, and his cocktail of DayQuil and whiskey leads to questionable advice on smoking and strip clubs. Brett gives you some Manchester fun facts with which to wow your friends at the next pub trivia night. Yoko Ono, country music, ice cream, libraries, boobies, and... RISSOLES!! #musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #manchester #madchester #britpop #indiepop #newwave #punkrock #classicalternative #1stwave #baggy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're, like, totally back for Part II of our new wave extravaganza! But, no, we shan't gag you with a spoon. For this epic exploration, we welcome not one, but TWO Third Lads: Peter Godwin is the acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician who first entered the public eye in 1977 with the suave art rock of Metro, formed with Duncan Browne and whose signature track “Criminal World” was later covered by none other than David Bowie. After three albums, lineup shifts, and an increasing pop sensibility, Metro called it a day and Godwin struck out solo to release new wave era dance floor fillers such as “Baby’s In The Mountains” “The Art Of Love” and the sublime classic “Images Of Heaven,” as well as writing, producing and playing for other notable musicians. Leah Lane is the insanely talented singer, songwriter and musician behind Dallas based post punk band Rosegarden Funeral Party, who have released a steady stream of hauntingly dark and beautiful music over the past 6 years . And Together, Peter and Leah make up the duo known as RE/Generation. The first fruit of their musical partnership is out now, a single featuring a cover of Bowie’s “Absolute Beginners” and the gorgeous original “Beautiful Boy,” with more on the way. During this segment, we'll count down from our #3 to #1 new wave albums, and delve further into Peter & Leah's music...including Leah's surprising musical obsession! Featured music during this episode: RE/GENERATION: 'Beautiful Boy' Rosegarden Funeral Party: 'Ill And Getting Worse' Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts network. #musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #newwave #punkrock #synthpop #gothrock #classicalternative #1stwave #alternativerock #modernrock #mtv Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let the good times roll with a two part extravaganza tackling a topic near and dear to our hearts…new wave albums! Journey back to the era when video killed the radio star, and a new crop of meaningful artists influenced by the spirit and freedom of punk rock captured our imagination. For this epic exploration, we welcome not one, but TWO Third Lads: Peter Godwin is the acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician who first entered the public eye in 1977 with the suave art rock of Metro, formed with Duncan Browne and whose signature track “Criminal World” was later covered by none other than David Bowie. After three albums, lineup shifts, and an increasing pop sensibility, Metro called it a day and Godwin struck out solo to release new wave era dance floor fillers such as “Baby’s In The Mountains” “The Art Of Love” and the sublime classic “Images Of Heaven,” as well as writing, producing and playing for other notable musicians. Leah Lane is the insanely talented singer, songwriter and musician behind Dallas based post punk band Rosegarden Funeral Party, who have released a steady stream of hauntingly dark and beautiful music over the past 6 years . And Together, Peter and Leah make up the duo known as RE/Generation. The first fruit of their musical partnership is out now, a single featuring a cover of Bowie’s “Absolute Beginners” and the gorgeous original “Beautiful Boy,” with more on the way. Our first part contains great insights from Peter & Leah on their process and music separately and together, as well as our #5 and #4 picks. Then, stay tuned for the conclusion next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got you covered...nah. Duck and cover...nope. Maybe you can judge a song by its cover...forget it, that's dumb. Well, after laboriously trying to find the right "cover" pun, we'll just leave it at this: This week, we're talking about cover versions. In short, versions of songs that were originally recorded by another artist. And there were oodles and gobs of brilliant cover versions during the O3L era, including many by the wildly popular British '90s band Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. Hey, maybe we're better at segues than we are at puns, because our Third Lad this week is Jim Bob from Carter USM! With his musical partner Fruitbat in Carter USM, Jim racked up four Top 10 albums, 14 Top 40 singles, including a string of classics like 'Sheriff Fatman,' 'Bloodsport For All,' 'After The Watershed,' and 'The Only Living Boy In New Cross,' and headlined Glastonbury before calling it a day (for the first time) in 1997. Carter defied categorization, with an anything-goes juxtaposition of styles of punk to dance, with biting wit, keen social commentary and a knack for clever wordplay. But Jim Bob couldn't stop there, and has become one of pop's renaissance men. Since Carter, he has written two memoirs, six novels, a stage production, and released 12 solo records, including his latest, Thanks For Reaching Out, out from Cherry Red on 30th June. The album contains 38 minutes of pop, punk rock, devastatingly moving ballads and more topical than an episode of Newsnight, with songs about Putin (‘The Day of Reckoning’), the Taliban (‘This is End Times’) and whoever ‘Billionaire in Space’ is about. It’s not all doom and gloom though (it’s mostly doom and gloom). ‘Sebastian’s Gone On A Ridelaong’ is a hilarious psychobilly romp and the pre-coronation written ‘The Prince of Wales’ is like a pub lock-in, it’s Bowie’s ‘Kooks’ for older people. During this episode, you'll also get a first listen of Jim's cover of The Psychedelic Furs' 'Pretty In Pink,' which is featured on a covers bonus disc available with the CD version of Thanks For Reaching Out. Among the topics "covered" during this episode: Power ballads! Duck Hunt! Interior decorating! The brilliance of Mark Reynolds aka Stuff by Mark! Serial killer chic! Music video controversy! Milwaukee! Drowning bands! Stevie Wonder in a sock! Jim entering his Young Americans period! And loads of British enthusiasm! Proudly part of the Pantheon Podcasts family. #musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #carterusm #cartertheunstoppablesexmachine #90smusic #coversongs #coverversions #punkrock #newwave #1stwave #classicalternative #grebo #80smusic #70smusic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever watched the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and wished "Gee, why don't they represent more of the classic alternative music artists that I love?" Better yet, have you ever wished "Gee, why isn't this show hosted by two crochety Gen-X'ers moaning about St. Valentine and impregnating cats?" You have!?!? Well, hot dog, you're in luck...because it's time to join ol' UG & Corpsey for the 2nd Annual O3L Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony! Last year, we inducted 10 artists who were crucial in shaping the music we discuss on O3L: David Bowie Buzzcocks Depeche Mode Duran Duran Joy Division Nirvana Pixies Ramones The Replacements The Smiths Who made it in this year? Guess you'll just have to listen. But YOU (yes, YOU!) can be a part of the voting committee. Post or message us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or email us at [email protected] with your picks. We will induct the artist with the most votes as well. In the O3L Spotlight this week, we have new Isle of Wight punk band George Street Kids, produced by Loft/Chesterfields guitarist Andy Strickland. Conveniently, their stomping debut single is also called "George St. Kids." It's out now at https://georgestreetkids.bandcamp.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're heading straight to the garage this week! Following the release of Lenny Kaye's seminal Nuggets compilation of '60s garage bands in 1972, legions of young musicians eschewed the increasingly complex, bloated , pretentious rock of the day to return to simpler, rawer, more primal sounds. These embryonic punk rock records not only inspired bands like Ramones, Blondie, The Clash and The Sex Pistols, but launched a full scale garage rock revival scene in the '80s that reverberated into the 21st century with bands like The White Stripes, The Black Keys and The Strokes. We are honored to have one of the key architects of '60s garage/punk rock joining us as our Third Lad this week, Tony Valentino of The Standells! He was the man who wrote and played one of THE most recognizable and distinctive riffs in all of rock n' roll, "Dirty Water," as well as Standells classics such as "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White," "Why Pick On Me," "Barracuda," "Riot On Sunset Strip," and "Try It." Rock n' roll brought a young Valentino from his native Italy to the land of milk and honey (and root beer), the USA. Hear about his incredible journey that led to appearances in TV shows and movies such as The Munsters, The Bing Crosby Show, American Bandstand, Ben Casey, Get Yourself A College Girl, and Riot on Sunset Strip, a wild tour with The Rolling Stones, shady managers, Laurel Canyon dalliances with The Beach Boys and the Manson Family, and how Rick Springfield provided the inspiration behind his latest album, Dirty Water Revisited. Dirty Water Revisited is out now on the marvelous Big Stir Records, and features ten newly recorded tracks from the guitar hero, reimagining many of the classics that made The Standells the ultimate purveyors of gritty riffs and swaggering hits in the '60s, and adds a pair of blistering originals to the mix. Far from a nostalgia trip, Dirty Water Revisited is proof positive that rock n' roll is alive and well in the hands of a true legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Girl. This simple four letter word has been the impetus behind many of the greatest songs of all time, and the O3L era was no exception. Whether it's a male sung ode to love, longing, success and frustration with the opposite sex, or a female sung declaration of solidarity and empowerment, this week we celebrate songs with the word "girl" in the title (well, most of them). One of those wonderful songs is the 1984 Top 40 smash by Romeo Void, "A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)." So what an incredible thrill it is for us to welcome as our special guest...DEBORA IYALL from ROMEO VOID! Romeo Void was formed in 1979. Drawing inspiration from the local underground music scene, the band’s founding members were San Francisco Art Institute students Debora Iyall (lead vocalist, lyricist) and Frank Zincavage (bass guitar), alongside local musicians Peter Woods (guitar) and Jay Derrah (drums). They soon added saxophonist Benjamin Bossi. According to Iyall, the name Romeo Void referred to “a lack of romance.” Romeo Void's first official live album, Live From Mabuhay Gardens: November 14, 1980, was recently released on special galaxy blue vinyl for Record Store Day, as well as on CD and digital, by the Liberation Hall label. Recorded at the famed San Francisco punk club by deejay Terry Hammer, the album was captured during the same period that Romeo Void was recording its critically acclaimed debut album for 415 Records, It’s a Condition. Derrah was still drumming with the band at this live show, but was replaced by John “Stench” Haines by the time the sessions for It’s a Condition were underway. Eight of the eleven songs on Live from Mabuhay Gardens: November 14, 1980, would eventually appear on It’s a Condition. The opening track, “Guards,” would surface in 1981 as the B-side of the band’s national breakout single, “Never Say Never.” “Fine Line” is an original that has never been released in any format. The album’s closing number, “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love,” is a cover of the Swingin’ Medallions’ 1966 hit, which was the first 45 single which Iyall owned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday, May 20, the classic alternative, punk, new wave, post-punk, goth, synth pop, and dark wave tribes will gather once again in Pasadena, California for the second Cruel World festival. It's an amazing lineup featuring the first Siouxsie live appearance in the US in over 15 years, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, Love and Rockets, Echo & The Bunnymen, Adam Ant, The Human League, Gary Numan, Modern English, Gang Of Four, ABC, The Vapors, Berlin, Animotion, and a fine selection of like-minded "next generation" bands. The Lads break down the acts that they will be checking out, festival survival tips, and a heck of a lot more. Whether you are going or just wish you were, let O3L be your "pre-game show" for Cruel World! We're shining the O3L Spotlight on The Midnight Sailors, the new project from amazingly talented singer/songwriter Rich Longley and guitarist David Osborne, who share a fondness for Al Stewart, The Lilac Time, and songs about memories, childhood and history. They’ve produced a marvelous self-titled concept album of sorts about their experiences, and along with the ornate beauty and ambitious song structures of the aforementioned influences, there are dashes of The Go-Betweens and The Clientele and probably the best banjo flourishes you’ll hear on a pop record this year. We play the gorgeous album cut, "This Time It Was Me." Check them out at themidnightsailors.bandcamp.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey mon! (Tooka-tinka, tooka-tinka, tooka-tinka...) Whether you're smokin' a fat doob, gargling with Wild Turkey, or sippin' a pina colada Slurpee, you won't want to miss O3L jammin' to the sound and spirit of Jamaica, reggae. Let's get together and feel alright! Cuz here's the thing: While Brett is a reggae fan, Uncle Gregg is decidedly not. In fact, you could even say that this week caused him a little consternation. We'll give you both sides of the proverbial coin. Oh...and, hey, long time listeners, remember those "O3L After Dark" bonus episodes where we'd save some of the more questionable/offensive content for more mature (or is it immature?) audiences? Yeah, we didn't do that this week, but consider yourself forewarned. We'd like to say it was the Wild Turkey talkin', but who are we kidding? In the O3L Spotlight this week, we play the new single by Special Friend called "Selkie," from the forthcoming album Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In (out June 30) on Skep Wax Records and French labels Howlin' Banana and Hidden Bay Records. Paris-based duo Special Friend are American Erica Ashleson and Frenchman Guillaume Siracusa. They have a sound that’s somehow minimal and epic. On Selkie, her insistent drums, his reverberating guitar, and the plaintive melody in their voices join forces to conjure up the spirit of a beautiful, unknowable creature... According to folk tales and mythology, a selkie is a seal who can swim ashore, shed her skin and transform herself into a beautiful human being for a while. Those folk tales also tell of man’s cruelty – of selkies whose discarded sealskins were destroyed while they were in human form, deliberately preventing them from ever reclaiming their true animal identities. "Selkie" is a song about magic and about cruelty. About celebrating and respecting the poetry of different beings, and accepting the fact that we should never try to master them. Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're covering some of the finest female vocal performances and songs of the O3L era. But, as the ladies of Bananarama wisely imparted, "it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it!" That's why we are thrilled to "do it" with indie pop giants Heavenly as our Third Lads this week: Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey, Pete Momtchiloff and Cathy Rogers! Heavenly are reuniting for a pair of sold out London shows this month to celebrate their ongoing reissue campaign on Skep Wax, and they were gracious enough to hang out with us to share music, memories and laughs with us. Heavenly was formed in Oxford, England in 1989, springing from one of the seminal UK indie bands of the '80s, Talulah Gosh. From 1990-1996, the group released four albums and a run of brilliant singles (mostly on Sarah Records), full of jangly twee pop sweetness with an occasional riot grrrl attitude. Following the untimely passing of drummer Matthew Fletcher, the surviving members regrouped as Marine Research for the terrific 1999 LP Sounds From The Gulf Stream. In the 21st century, Amelia and Rob have been involved in various musical projects including Sportique, Tender Trap, Caternary Wires and Swansea Sound, as well as running the Skep Wax label. Amelia is also an esteemed economist who has been appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Pete has played in bands including Scarlet's Well (with Bid from Monochrome Set), Would-Be-Goods, and Tufthunter. Cathy has a PhD in Educational Neuroscience, and is well known as the creator, producer and host of the reality competition shows Scrapheap Challenge (UK) and Junkyard Wars (US). Plus: - In an exciting quiz game, find out if C really is Heavenly's option! - Being Tik Tok famous! - Riot grrrls and roller skates! - Dealing with "scary" managers! - Doing octopus impressions! - The art of peeling root vegetables! - Britcoms (well, and Aussie-coms)! - Gregg gets sensitive (but only for a moment)! - Cathy lays out some fresh rhymes! - Aging indie band looking for teens! - Hear the new single "Get Me" by Skep Wax artist Panic Pocket! For more information on Heavenly and other Skep Wax artists, go to: https://skepwax.bandcamp.com. O3L is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. #musicpodcast #indiepop #tweepop #riotgrrrl #sarahrecords #cistheheavenlyoption #PUNKgirl #britpop #C86 #janglepop #punkrock #Krecords Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aye, this week we have a wee blether aboot, to quote Teenage Fanclub, "songs from Northern Britain." It's a belter tae! Our Third Lad this week is a singer/songwriter fae Aberdeen, Kevin Robertson. Since 2019, he has prolifically been releasing brilliantly constructed jangle-pop, folk-rock and psych-pop both solo and with his band The Vapour Trails. His newly released solo album, Magic Spells Abound, is a masterful modern Scottish classic that's now available on all streaming services or: US/Canada: Magic Spells Abound | Kevin Robertson | Futureman Records (bandcamp.com) Rest of the World: Magic Spells Abound | Kevin Robertson (bandcamp.com) Dinnae be a dafty david...have a listen, wilnae ye? Oh, and by the way, Gregg ruins Scotland! Only Three Lads is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the most wonderful time of the year...Record Store Day! Record Store Day is on Saturday, April 22, 2023. It's a day to celebrate the cultural importance of independent record stores around the world. Since 2007, RSD has been a tradition for thousands of music nerds...err, collectors...with an ever-growing list of exclusive releases. This year is a particularly epic year, with a bevy of albums that will appeal to classic alternative music fans. With all of this stuff, how am I going to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff, you ask? Well, good thing your friends at O3L are here! O3L's Brett Vargo gives you a run-down of the RSD highlights. Whether you're pre-gaming for the big day, sitting in line, or looking to pick up some records after the fact, we've got a little sumthin' sumthin' for everyone, if ya know what we mean. Happy Record Store Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 2, 2023, the music world lost a pivotal figure in Seymour Stein. As a teenager, Stein worked for Billboard Magazine and was instrumental in the development of the standard bearer for measuring pop music success in the United States, the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 1966, Stein co-founded Sire Records with Richard Gottherer. In the earliest days of the label, much of their focus was on bringing UK underground and progressive music to US record buyers, with distribution deals with London and ABC. Stein's most fruitful alliance was with Warner Brothers, where Sire was responsible for breaking punk, new wave, and alternative artists including Ramones, Talking Heads, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Replacements, The Ocean Blue, and many more to American audiences...not to mention one of the biggest pop stars to walk the earth, Madonna. We salute the spectacular Sire Records catalogue and remember Seymour Stein this week. Our Third Lad is a self-professed rock n' roll historian and fellow Sire Records afficionado, Brian Eichenberger from the wonderful podcast Rock n Roll Bedtime Stories. Each week, Brian and his friend/co-host Murdock go deep to discuss (and set straight) the rumor, innuendo, and hidden details that surround some of your favorite bands and songs. We're big fans of the show, and think you will be too! It's only fitting for Brian's appearance that we tell a few titillating bedtime stories during the episode: How Seymour Stein chased Dee Dee Ramone out of his bedroom! Sire passes on a legendary guitarist! The artist who pestered Seymour in the hospital! Crazy Phil Spector! Find out who Uncle Gregg nearly punched! Fake bands and unscrupulous managers! Fake TV songs! Tiffany! So tuck yourself in tight and let us aurally cuddle with you. Only Three Lads is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahh, the sweet sounds of jangle pop... This week, we cover the subgenre near and dear to Brett's heart. It's also the subgenre that brings back fond memories of drinking and debauchery for Uncle Gregg (to be fair, what doesn't?). Drawing from the well of The Beatles, The Byrds, The Searchers, The Hollies, and other '60s predecessors, jangle pop continued to thrive throughout the O3L era (1974-1999) and we'll cover some well known favorites and undiscovered treasures. And, because things like Rickenbacker guitars, VOX amps, and harmony laden pop songs never go out of fashion, we spotlight some more recent jangly pop gems by: Jetstream Pony - "Strood McD F.C." Lost Ships - "Here's What You Could Have Won" The Photocopies - "This, That, and the Other" The Shop Window - "That Feeling" The Easter Beaver and/or Passover Vampelephant wants you to listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We make sure everything is in its right place this week, because we're talking about the albums with the best track sequencing. Like a great book or movie, a great record has an artistically satisfying beginning, middle and ending. We go waaaaaaaay back with the music of this week's Third Lad...like two, maybe three weeks? During our recent Animal Songs episode, Graham Kemp from Urusei Yatsura chose the song "Bugs" by fellow Scottish band Spare Snare. Not being previously familiar with the band, we took a crash course in Spare Snare's music, listening to and loving everything they've put out in their 30+ year career. Fast forward a few weeks, and now minted as superfans, it is our great pleasure to welcome singer/songwriter/guitarist Jan Burnett from Spare Snare! Spare Snare's marvelous new album, The Brutal, will be out May 12th. It is their second album (and first of all-new material) to be recorded by the legendary Steve Albini. As a special treat for O3L listeners, we've got an exclusive first listen to one of the tracks from the album called "Wifi." Listen for the answers to these hard hitting questions and more: - Is Jan a fan of the Dan? - Is he really Scottish? - What's it like to be voted the 46th best band in Scottish music history? - What's under the kilt? - Is Steve Albini a magic genie? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we take a look back at the incredible albums of 1978. In a year when Uncle Gregg was just playing with his squeezebox and Brett was gettin' down to Sesame Street Fever, our Third Lad Jim Basnight was right in the thick of the Seattle music scene. 1978 was the year Basnight's power pop combo The Moberlys formed, straddling the line between melodic Beatlesque songcraft and tightly wound, hormonally charged garage rock. From those nascent days (which have been compiled on the recent Early Years compilation) to his latest solo album, 2019's aptly titled Not Changing, Jim Basnight has been delighting pop music fans for well over 40 years. In this insightful, fun-filled episode, we talk about early musical influences, opening for Ramones, The Police and Greg Kihn, the New York punk scene, Seattle grunge, drunken nights, hard rock, bubblegum and blues roots, and a whole lot more. Plus, we play both sides of the latest single off of Early Years, "Live In The Sun" and "Bebe I'm Gonna Leave You." It's the show that caused Jim to exclaim, "I didn't realize what kind of complete nerds you guys are!" It's just what you needed! #musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #podnation #1stwave #classicalternative #70smusic #1978music #1978albums #punkrock #newwave #powerpop #classicrock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to Vince Clarke, we just can't get enough (was that too obvious?). So "don't go" anywhere (how 'bout that one?)! Born Vincent John Martin on July 3, 1960 in South Woodford, Essex, England, Vince Clarke is a classically trained musician who got the bug to make electronic music after hearing Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in the late ‘70s, which led to the formation of a band with school chum Andy Fletcher called No Romance In China. Shortly after, the duo added Martin Gore to the mix and called themselves Composition of Sound. With the addition of lead vocalist Dave Gahan, Composition of Sound morphed into Depeche Mode. Following the first Depeche Mode album Speak & Spell, Clarke teamed up with Alison Moyet for Yazoo, releasing two huge albums and a string of singles that hovered near the top of the charts. After Yaz, Clarke took up various production duties and projects, most notably The Assembly, before landing upon his most formidable partnership with Andy Bell in Erasure - an alliance that has resulted in 19 studio albums to date, including 5 that have hit #1 in the UK, and some of the most beloved singles of the past nearly 40 years. That’s only scratching the surface, of course, but let’s just put it this way…he is an electronic music pioneer, a synth-pop legend, someone who helped to expand the definition of what a rock star looks like and sounds like. Because some might say that we have trouble at times sticking to the topic at hand, we also cover the newly minted adult in Uncle Gregg's house (hint: it's not him), intimacy issues, a genius (question mark?) way to save the planet, jorts, hot knees, and cuddles. Lots o' cuddles. And what does Hollywood legend Jamie Kennedy have to do with Vince Clarke? We're not sure either. One thing's for certain...we will NOT be calling ourselves Only Three Lads US! Awww yeah! Our O3L Spotlight Artist of the Week is UK garage rock trio The Len Price 3, whose 2007 debut album is being reissued on April 7th by Little Steven's Wicked Cool Records. The record will be available on vinyl for the first time, and also contains four unreleased bonus tracks on CD and digital. We are thrilled to play one of those unreleased tracks, the incendiary "Break Your Neck" on this week's episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we unleash the beasts and spotlight songs that reference animals in the title...for example, the 1997 UK Top 40 hit "Hello Tiger" by Scottish lo-fi indie rock band band Urusei Yatsura. It's a happy coincidence, then, that our Third Lad this week is none other than singer/songwriter/guitarist GRAHAM KEMP from URUSEI YATSURA! Urusei Yatsura was formed in Glasgow 30 years ago this week, and released three full length albums from 1996 to 2000, a clutch of singles & EPs, as well as compilations of rarities, live tracks and BBC radio sessions. Taking their name from a popular Japanese anime/manga (and simply known as Yatsura in the US and Japan due to legal reasons), the noisy "geek rock" band carved out a unique place in the British musical landscape. And there's another great reason to celebrate - their 1996 debt album, We Are Urusei Yatsura, has recently been expanded to a 2 LP reissue, complete with b-sides, demos and unreleased tracks! It's out now on Rocket Girl Records at https://uruseiyatsuraband.bandcamp.com, or try https://t.co/Y3rsuSFW00 in the US. Join us as we discuss the formation of Urusei Yatsura, the Glasgow music scene, the importance of John Peel, hard-to-pronounce names, keeping a well stocked larder, Megan Thee Stallion lyrics, The Wallflowers, and much, much more. Plus, we introduce the latest (and dumbest) world famous O3L game, "Only Three Lads Had A Farm." So don't you get fresh with us...E-I-E-I-O, suckas! #musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #classicalternative #indierock #geekrock #punkrock #newwave #1stwave #britpop #grunge #indiepop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh my stars! This week, we get totally far out as we discuss some of our top songs of the era with a space theme. It's totally out of this world. We cover a lot of ground...or space, as the case may be, since we determined that we've traveled hundreds of thousands of miles just during the course of the episode. Yes, that's just one of several space facts that you will learn. Also: We celebrate 50,000 downloads and counting! Wiggy Rockstone! Jean Nate'! All sorts of Kellies! Peanut butter! Trippy kids' TV (and the resulting crushes)! Revolutionary teenage bands! Gramps is no longer unemployed! AI song lyrics! John Taylor clones! So hop on the O3L rocketship and let's gooooooooooo! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#$@% yeah, it's another ^#%* episode of Only Three Lads! And it's Uncle Gregg's $#!@-tastic birthday, and he'll ^@$& if he wants to! This week, we use a lot of four letter words...but it's not nearly as tawdry as you think. We're covering songs with four letters in the title. Plus: Uncle Gregg is unemployed! Fee Waybill's #*@%! Vampelephants! Our O3L Spotlight Artist of the Week is Nottingham, England's Peter Hall. In a modern musical landscape that uses a term like "bangers," Hall revels in melodic indie rock that reminds listeners of what true songcraft can be. His new mini-album, About Last Night, is out now on Subjangle: https://peterhallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/about-last-night From this release, we play the stunning "For Love." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices