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O3L is a lively podcast celebrating the Golden Age of Alternative Music from 1974-99.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
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.
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
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!
Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
#$@% 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."
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
For our landmark 150th episode, we bring you an episode that made Brett so giddy that he nearly piddled. That's right, folks, our Third Lad this week is none other than Phil Wilson from seminal UK indie pop band The June Brides.
During their initial run from 1983 - 1986, The June Brides released some of the most beloved singles of the era and the chart-topping album There Are Eight Million Stories... Originally under the spell of Postcard bands like Orange Juice and Josef K, the Brides' unique blend of guitar pop with viola and trumpet has in turn been wildly influential from C86 to Britpop and beyond. High profile fans like Morrissey, Manic Street Preachers, and Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch have acknowledged The June Brides' impact. Following the band's breakup, Phil recorded material for Creation and Caff before leaving the music business behind in the late '80s.
In the 21st century, The June Brides have returned for live gigs and recordings. Phil also released an acclaimed solo album for Slumberland in 2010, God Bless Jim Kennedy, as well as self releasing collections of home recordings.
Because your humble hosts of Only Three Lads are Only Two Idiots, it was a late realization that we already covered this topic in Episode 131. Therefore, we present our first "Volume II" episode, where we take a previously covered topic and put a fresh spin on it with all new selections. What do you think? Should we add some more past topics back into the randomizer?
As you would expect, we explore all kinds of dangerous diversions, dark alleyways and wabbit holes - Motley Crüe, Montrose, Andy Bell's "pendulum", a missed meeting with David Byrne, Coke mix-ups.
As Gregg would say: it's on like Donkey Kong!
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
Three is a magic number, yes it is...and good thing it is, because this week we take a look at our top musical trios of the O3L era.
Appropriately enough, our Third Lads are The Monkey Power Trio (who are actually five guys, but we only got three of them...so that counts as a trio, right?!?). The MPT have a fascinating slant, as band member Dan Richardson told us:
"We are the Monkey Power Trio, a band of dummies who pledged in our twenties to record music once a year for one day without practicing or planning ahead and then to release the 'best' of that one day as 'music.' The last guy alive, by pact, has to do a solo album, thereby completing the project and avoiding the hauntings of already departed members. We just finished our 26th year. None of us is dead yet."
We had a blast hanging out with Dan, Mark and Matt for this episode. We missed Mike and Dave. Dave...
Oh, and this one definitely earned its "explicit" tag. It contains some language that will make your ears bleed and mind melt. Hide the kiddies.
We recorded this episode a few hours before the news broke that we sadly lost Trugoy the Dove from hip-hop trio De La Soul. Trugoy, this one's for you.
Finally, if you're listening to this on release day, Happy Valentine's Day from Only Three Lads. We loves ya to pieces!
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
A-HA! We go "back to the future" to 1985 to discuss our Top 5 Songs from that incredible year. In many ways, 1985 was the heart of the BIG 80s...big hair, big, loud day-glo imagery, big booming snare drums, big synth sounds, big hits. On the other hand, 1985 was also a year filled with a lot of incredible indie pop, garage rock, neo-pysch and post-punk music.
One of those bands was The Dentists, a leading light of the Medway, UK scene in the mid-80s. They debuted in 1985 with a prolific spate of releases: their first single, "Strawberries Are Growing In My Garden (And It's Wintertime)", the full-length album Some People Are On The Pitch They Think It's All Over It Is Now and a six-track EP, You And Your Bloody Oranges. Each release masterfully blended '60s psych-pop, garage, and chiming, harmony-laden folk-rock that was mercifully out of step with the "Big 80s" sound. Over the course of the next decade, the band would release 1990's Heads And How To Read Them, 1993's Powdered Lobster Fiasco, 1994's Behind The Door I Keep The Universe, and 1995's Deep 6 (the last two for major label Warner subsidiary EastWest), as well as more singles, EPs, and compilations. The AllMusic Guide refers to The Dentists as "arguably the first Britpop band."
It is our great pleasure to welcome Dentists' guitarist Bob Collins and bassist Mark Matthews as our Third Lads this week. Along with a 40 year history as friends, Mark and Bob are bandmates once again in The Treasures Of Mexico. They offer great insights on their history, and took their homework assignment seriously, coming up with a fantastic and thoughtful list of 1985 tracks. During the show, you will hear The Treasures Of Mexico's 2021 single "Always The Shadows" and vintage 1985 Dentists track "I Had An Excellent Dream."
Finally...a Dentists visit to look forward to!
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Hey, all you young (and not-so-young) dudes. electric warriors, starmen, and foxes on the run! If UK glam rock is your bag, then you'll definitely want to feel this noize and get it on with these 20th century boys. Put on your electric boots and mohair suits because it's, it's a podcast blitz!
Translation for the squares out there: we're talking about our Top 5 UK Glam & Glitter songs this week. While it just made a minor splash in the US underground with bands like New York Dolls. glam rock was THE sound of young Britain in the early-to-mid '70s. A punchy mix of amped-up rock n' roll energy, anthemic pop hooks, teenage angst, and a flair for outlandish, flamboyant theatrics, glam ushered in a new era of pop stars who challenged gender stereotypes and brought a sense of fun and excitement back to a rock landscape that was beginning to take itself far too seriously. Artists such as David Bowie, T.Rex, Slade, Sweet, and...uh...Mud became household names and fixtures on the pop charts and TV screens.
One of the bands who carried the influence of glam into the '80s was Southern California's The Joneses, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist...and Third Lad this week, Jeff Drake. Formed in 1981, The Joneses synthesized glam, garage punk, '50s rock n' roll, Stonesy swagger, rockabilly and country & western and became one of the biggest drawing bands in the LA and Orange County areas. Their electrifying performances earned them a rapturous following and a nod as the "Best Live Band" in a 1984 LA Weekly readers poll. They sang about drugs, booze, sex and criminals, but also had the lifestyle to back it up - leading to Drake's battle with heroin addiction and federal imprisonment for bank robbery. Now, JD bears all with his unflinchingly honest memoir, Guilty! My Life As A Member of The Joneses, A Heroin Addict, A Bank Robber and A Federal Inmate, out now from HoZac Books.
Aside from the normal fun we have, this is a wild tale of rock n' roll and redemption that you do not want to miss!
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Hurrah! It's a brand new O3L, where we discuss our Top 5 EPs & Mini-Albums with singer/songwriter Paul Handyside. We love the EP, or Extended Play, perched somewhere in between a traditional single and a full length album. Sometimes they compile album tracks or previous singles, and other times they are conceived as complete works designed to stand up on their own. Either way, they're short, they're fun, and leave you wanting more. Other than being short, sounds a lot like this podcast, eh? ("Yes." The correct answer is "Yes.") Oh, and spoiler alert: We have the rare "triple crossover" in this episode. Can you guess what it is?
So join us for a rousing chorus of "Shubby Shubby Go!", won't you?
About Paul Handyside:
Paul Handyside is a folk and roots singer/songwriter. His song writing style has been compared to artists as varied as Chris Difford, Billy Bragg, Robyn Hitchcock, Green Gartside, Elvis Costello, Jeff Buckley and Martin Carthy.
He began his musical career with eighties indie darlings Hurrah! The jangle pop band had a run of classic singles (including Paul's "The Sun Shines Here", "Hip Hip", and "Sweet Sanity") and album releases on Kitchenware and Arista Records from 1982 to 1991, and toured extensively worldwide. During the nineties he toured and recorded with friend and Kitchenware labelmate Martin Stephenson.
Handyside formed Bronze in 2001. Still embracing chiming, Rickenbacker driven pop, and increasingly alt country, they released two albums, The Statue in the Stone and A Common Prayer. His debut solo album Future's Dream, a combination of pop, country and modern day hymns was released in 2007 to great reviews. The second album Wayward Son followed in 2013 and further developed his own brand of folk-tinged americana. Tide, Timber & Grain was released in 2016 with elements of traditional British folk and sixties protest songs emerging in Handyside's now well established and diverse musical palette.
The fourth album Loveless Town was released 21st of May 2021. As is evident in the title track he songs have an even stronger resonance with country and americana, the counterpoint to which is “Hartley Pit Catastrophe”, a true story from his native North East with its English folk sensibilities. Handyside is aided and abetted by long time cohorts Dave Porthouse on double bass and melodeon and by Rob Tickell, who also produced the album, on guitar and dobro.
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
It's time to kick off our 4th Golden Year in Fashion! For our Season Premiere, the two not-so-Young Americans (uhhhhh, Dusty Satellites & Dani Turquoise) are joined by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer Julian Shah-Tayler. If it wasn't already apparent, the focus of this week's show is one of the most pivotal and influential figures in music history, David Bowie. We take on the nearly impossible task of choosing our Top 5 Bowie Songs, because we apparently like to torture ourselves like that. Over the course of his 50+ year career, Bowie earned a reputation as a trailblazing artist and musical chameleon, constantly evolving, challenging and shedding personas and styles. On release day, it is seven years since his tragic passing, but he remains a singular cultural icon whose music will live on forever.
Julian Shah-Tayler is an acclaimed UK-born, LA-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who is not only a huge Bowie fan, but also the lead singer ("Electric Duke") in The Band That Fell To Earth: A David Bowie Odyssey. He also plays keyboards in the world's foremost Depeche Mode tribute band, Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience, and continues to prolifically release a string of his original music under both his own name and The Singularity. His most recent album of self-penned material, 2022's Elysium, has garnered radio support and rave reviews - including respected indie magazine The Big Takeover, who proclaimed it to be a "vivid, dynamic to reflective, and catchy record" that "takes the listener on a voyage through the building back of hope through the different moods and stages of love." Most importantly, he is gracious, charitable, and promotes the awesome power of music to pull people together as one tribe. All that *and* Mick Jagger-esque good looks??
Oh yeah, and as if he needed yet another feather in his cap, we gave him the coolest glam name too!
Special thanks to Paul Richison for suggesting Julian as a guest!
Monday Jan 09, 2023
Monday Jan 09, 2023
As we get ready for Season 4's launch, take a journey back to some of our earliest episodes during O3L Flashback Week! We conclude our flashback series by bringing our most popular episode yet back into circulation, the "main" episode of our three part extravaganza with Love Tractor. Not only are Love Tractor art rock pioneers and founding members of the legendary Athens, GA alternative scene, but they also become our new BFFs. We love Love Tractor, and we reckon you either already do or soon will!
Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with us. The Season 4 premiere is tomorrow, January 10th!
Sunday Jan 08, 2023
Sunday Jan 08, 2023
As we get ready for Season 4's launch, take a journey back to some of our earliest episodes during O3L Flashback Week! We had to do something cool for our 50th episode, and we can't think of anything cooler than having the Queen of Cool, Vanessa Briscoe Hay from Pylon, on O3L. This highly influential band was called "the greatest arty party band" and "eons ahead of their time" by Rolling Stone, "raw, minimalist, brainy and danceable" by Pitchfork, "pioneering, good-humoured and brilliant" by Uncut, and "cool as hell" by PopMatters. High praise indeed! Not only is Vanessa cool, but she was also very gracious, generous with her time, has an awesome Top 5 list, and great stories to share.
Saturday Jan 07, 2023
Saturday Jan 07, 2023
As we get ready for Season 4's launch, take a journey back to some of our earliest episodes during O3L Flashback Week! We head to our super special Season 2 premiere, where we welcomed one of the most recognizable and legendary voices in alternative music, SiriusXM, radio and TV personality, author, screenwriter, game show contestant (and did we mention legend?) RICHARD BLADE. The stories are incredible - if you missed this one the first time around, you definitely want to check this out, and then our bonus episode available at: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-p78d4-f6b519.
Friday Jan 06, 2023
Friday Jan 06, 2023
As we get ready for Season 4's launch, take a journey back to some of our earliest episodes during O3L Flashback Week! Today, it's Season 1, Episode 37, where we had a lot of fun saluting the ladies of the classic alternative era - the trailblazers and the legends.
Along the way, we cover Bueno's celebrity crushes, Jepheads and Blinks, and debut our hot new country jam "Gotta Truck, Gotta Dog." Hey, it's a work in progress.
The ghost of Jim Backus commands you to listen!
Thursday Jan 05, 2023
Thursday Jan 05, 2023
As we get ready for Season 4's launch, take a journey back to some of our earliest episodes during O3L Flashback Week! Today, it's Season 1, Episode 29, where
we discuss our Top 5 Various Artist Compilation Albums, and we've come up with (to quote an old K-Tel album) pure gold. But wait...there's more!
You get these smashes and more:
"Be Bueno" (12" Remix)
"You'll Come Around, Gregg"
"I'd Like To Punch Reel Big Fish Silly (But They Probably Had It Comin')"
Act now - supplied are limited!**
**No, they're not.
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
As we get ready for Season 4's launch, take a journey back to some of our earliest episodes during O3L Flashback Week! Season 1, Episode 24 was originally released on July 28, 2020, and it's one of those "off the rails" episodes. Aside from discussing some of the greatest alternative music ever created, Uncle Gregg gives us a taste of movie cheese, Brett reveals his obvious mastery of a Dutch accent, and Bueno?!? Well, let's just say you have to hear it to believe it. So, pour yourself a Double Palmer and stay awhile!
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
As we get ready for Season 4's launch, take a journey back to some of our earliest episodes during O3L Flashback Week!
Today we bring you Season 1, Episode 15, originally released on May 26, 2020. The episode contains excerpts from our interview with the very first guest on O3L - Robert Vickers from The Go-Betweens. What an incredible thrill that was too! Whatever we have is yours, and it's right here.
Monday Jan 02, 2023
Monday Jan 02, 2023
As we get ready for Season 4's launch, take a journey back to some of our earliest episodes during O3L Flashback Week! First up is the very beginning - Season 1, Episode 1, originally released on February 12, 2020. Ah, the world was so innocent back then...and we were so awkward. It's like looking back at an old yearbook. So take this trip back down memory lane with us. We recognize that you will be laughing at us, not with us.
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
In our Season 3 finale, we spend another week outside of the normal O3L era to discuss our Top 5 Songs of 2022. Not only that, but we have something really special for you, as our Third Lads this week are Sarah Cogan and Dylan Frankland from Toronto dream pop band Tallies. Yes, that's right...the band behind the 2022 record Patina that Brett picked as his #1 album of the year last week.
We cover a lot of the amazing songs that this year had to offer, from deep underground tracks to the tunes that had the whole world singing along, as well as a whole bunch of other totally 2022 topics: Condiments! Kool-Aid! Urban Outfitters! Gothic Horror Clowns! Politicians (isn't that kinda the same thing as gothic horror clowns??)! Climate change! Swifties! Plus, Sarah & Dylan offer insights into their new album, their writing process, and Tallies' 2022 highlights. If you are already a Tallies fan, you'll love this episode...if you're new to Tallies, be prepared to become a fan!
Happy New Year! We can't wait for you to see what's in store for Season 4!
About Tallies:
Tallies started in earnest when singer Sarah Cogan, guitarist Dylan Frankland, and drummer Cian O’Neill began collaborating in late 2017. A proto-version of the band began at Algonquin College, when Sarah met Dylan during a music engineering course that saw the two become lab partners. All throughout their career, they’ve dove into the bands that would influence their sound–the Sundays, the Smiths, Aztec Camera–all while adding their own signature elements; Sarah’s airy-yet-arresting vocals, Dylan’s stunning gossamer guitar work, Cian’s astronomic drumming. They got down to business rather quickly, as in 2019, their debut self-titled album was released on Hand Drawn Dracula in Canada and Kanine Records in the United States. Solidifying the band’s stature as Canada’s leading dream pop scholars, its mix of upbeat pop hooks and heady, larger-than-life production won the band critical acclaim from the indie underground to the mainstream alike. They began work straight away on a second record, which would prove to be an even more life-affirming endeavor than their debut. With their brand new sophomore album, Patina, Toronto-based indie pop band Tallies have found a way to expertly walk that razor-thin tightrope, nodding to their favorite bands of the past while transforming their sound into something tight, bright, and undeniably fresh.
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
This week, Uncle Gregg and Brett step out of the classic alternative era to discuss their Top 5 Albums of 2022. Anything goes...and it does!
The Lads also play an informal game of "Have Yourself a Creepy Little Christmas" (Note from Gregg: Brett doesn't even stand a chance. Bow to your sensei!), draw the line at what does/does not qualify as a cookie, practice their Cookie Monster vocal techniques, and share what song should be added to YOUR holiday playlist this year.
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
'Tis the season...for the 3rd Annual O3L Holiday Party, in which we invite members from the listener community to join us the recording of a special holiday themed episode. Joining us this year: Paul from Stockton, CA; Tony from Mira Loma, CA; Julio from Puebla, MX (the returning game champ); Brian (Brett's brother) from Escondido, CA; Dr. Don from Overland Park, KS; Julie from Los Angeles, CA; and Kimberly from Downey, CA (and straight outta Compton).
Even if you missed the party, you're still invited to listen in on the fun! Everyone shares their fondest holiday musical memories. We play two exciting new O3L games. We talk about our "revolutionary" bands, Peter Pan Records, The Chipmunks, street cred, Hungarian cursing, Dr. Don ruining Christmas, Menudo (yes, the food and the singing sensations), bin diving, and much, much more.
Plus, hear the world premiere of Brett's brand new holiday song, "Straight Down The Chimney"!
A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Challenge accepted! For our last "regular" episode of Season 3 (before our holiday party and best of 2022 shows), we discuss the artists who continue to challenge us, defy expectations, and create uncompromising art. Some of these artists have such deep catalogues that it can be daunting to take it all in, some may be too esoteric or eccentric to immediately grab you. But the 25(!) artists that we pick during this episode have one thing in common...stick with them, and their music will reward you handsomely.
In other words...you'll come around, Gregg!
On the other hand, there are certain artists who we find immediately appealing...even if it took 40 years, like the Atlanta band Current Rage. To celebrate the 40th anniversary reissue of their 1982 mini-album Seven Songs on Propeller Sound Recordings (now generously expanded to 15 tracks) is guitarist John Moore, drummer Paul Lenz, and singer/guitarist Oliver Bewley (son of late Current Rage singer Chris Bewley). It's a powerful rock n' roll story about family, loss, redemption and second chances that you won't want to miss. It's the Penicillin Sound!
Get the Seven Songs reissue at: https://propellersoundrecordings.com/
About Current Rage:
Current Rage are a four-piece, post-punk, musical group that played live in the Southeastern United States during the early eighties. They were comprised of Chris Bewley, John Moore, Pat Kirkland, and Paul Lenz. In the landscape of a fertile, burgeoning Athens/Atlanta music scene Current Rage gained notoriety and a loyal following performing with such musical icons as REM, Pylon, Swimming Pool Q’s, The Fleshtones, The Bush Tetras, and The Bongos. Eventually Current Rage would headline shows on their own at such iconic venues as Athens, GA’s 40Watt Club, Atlanta’s 688 Club, Chapel Hills’s The Cat’s Cradle, Birmingham’s The Nik, and Nashville’s Frankensteins.
Current Rage first formed in 1979 when skaters, Chris Bewley and John Moore, began writing songs together after school on a pair of second-hand guitars. The two first met as early teen-agers having been recruited separately by Mike Maloof, founder, and manager of Atlanta-based Progressive Skate shop. Bewley and Moore traveled the Southeast competing and marketing Maloof’s “Equalizer” skateboard decks and “Accelerator” wheels. Eventually, Moore was recruited by the Z-East team, in Jacksonville, Florida to ride professionally for their Z-Flex brand of decks and wheels. While Bewley was recruited by Sabre Skateboards out of northern Alabama to represent their laminated skate decks at competitions and demos.
In the summer of 1979 Moore entered his freshman year at Georgia Tech University and Bewley was invited by his older brother Randy to join his group Pylon as they made their way to New York for their first show opening for Gang of Four. During this trip Bewley became immersed in the New York post-punk music scene and was inspired to start a band of his own. Once back in Atlanta Bewley and Moore began writing songs and practicing. The early version of Current Rage was Bewley and Moore on guitar, Pat Kirkland on drums and Norman Hanson on lead vocals. In mid-1980 Current Rage performed their first show in Athens at the 40th Watt Club opening for The Method Actors. Next, they performed at Atlanta’s newly opened 688 Club with The Swimming Pool Q’s. Current Rage became the “go to” opening act that year at the 688 Club performing several times each month opening for numerous national and regional acts. By the beginning of 1981 Current Rage was headlining shows in both Athens and Atlanta and began venturing out to Charlotte, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Birmingham. Once the band had found their true drummer in Paul Lenz, who they enticed away from the Atlanta underground band, Vietnam, the original drummer Pat Kirkland shifted his focus to lead vocals and supplemental percussion while Hanson left to start his new band Feast of Friends.
Current Rage released an indie label E.P. album called Seven Songs on EOD Records in late 1982. Current Rage was known for short catchy post punk tunes dripping with danceable irony as well as darkwave surf instrumentals. “Seven Songs” was produced by legendary Athens-Atlanta engineer, Bruce Baxter. Baxter had engineered the B-52’s single, “Rock Lobster”, Pylon’s debut album “Gyrate” followed by the debut albums of The Swimming Pool Q’s and Love Tractor. Current Rage’s album was the first release on Ron Bond’s EOD (Entertainment on Disc) Records. “Seven Songs” was recorded in April 1982 at Channel One studios with Bruce Baxter handling engineering and sound mixing and was released in late October. It is highly regarded by record collectors seeking out early eighties DIY releases.
The first pressing of “Seven Songs” yielded 400 copies that were sold primarily at Southeastern independent record stores. Garnering significant east-coast distribution from Important Records, the band rushed to press another 500 records within three months of the initial release. Current Rage gained significant regional buzz from college radio stations WRAS, WREK and WUOG among others across the southeast who played songs like ‘Waikiki’ and ‘Sweet Torture’. They also released several music videos that were played regularly in Athens-Atlanta area nightclubs and screened on the weekly music video show on Channel 36 WATL in the early-years of the MTV era. Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone magazine wrote, “an enviable and impressive explosion of new music was emerging from the Atlanta-Athens area at this time” in his Rolling Stone magazine feature article charting the explosion of innovative bands coming out of Atlanta-Athens in 1983. He noted Current Rage as “An up-and-coming standout.”
Current Rage has shared the stage with such local legends as Pylon, REM, the Method Actors, The Roys, The Brains, The Swimming Pool Q’s, Love Tractor, Vietnam, Kilkenny Kats, and the Side Effects. By 1983, they will have also performed with Col. Bruce Hampton’s Late Bronze Age, and Tinsley Ellis’ Heartfixers, as well as Guadalcanal Diary and Jason and the Nashville Scorchers. Current Rage’s lyrics sketched out wry, lyrical observations about pop-culture fads in “Right Side of the Brain” and “Gidget goes Digital” and expressed vivid, realistic, expressions of common psychological experiences in “Sweet Torture” and “Bitte Schӧn [Beat to Shame]”. In some of their most memorable songs they championed mock-anthemic choruses that affirmed ordinary, everyday, phenomena such as living with an aging dog in “My Dog Sam” or scoring some cool shirts at thrift stores in “Bag of Shirts”.
Current Rage’s distinctive sound is brash, energetic, and rhythmic, showcasing two drone-based guitarists with crunchy, first-position chords strummed beneath chiming post-punk leads on top of fast frenetic drumming. The relative scarcity of “Seven Songs” today suggests the item does not circulate on the marketplace often. The combination of a small batch release plus, eye-catching three-color cover art, and short catchy songs connects you to the ‘golden age’ of the Athens-Atlanta music scene. After Current Rage ceased performing each of the members followed different paths. Paul played drums in several successful bands, The Nightporters, Drivin-n-Cryin, and Michelle Malone’s Drag the River. In 1983 he founded a successful musical charity, Rat Aid, which raised much needed funds for targeted relief of local area members of the Atlanta music scene. Today, Paul has a successful audio visual production business in metro Atlanta. Pat had a successful modeling and acting career in Los Angeles, later moving to Phoenix. John returned to school eventually becoming a humanities professor at a college in South Carolina where he still teaches today. Chris took up a career in graphic design gaining a position with the United States Printing Office in Washington D.C., a skill he developed designing concert flyers for local bands and clubs in Atlanta and Athens. In 2018 while living in Charlotte Chris succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 57.
Thursday Nov 24, 2022
Thursday Nov 24, 2022
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
Tuesday Nov 15, 2022
Tuesday Nov 15, 2022
Oi, you happy heads! Jump on the rollercoaster and head straight into the heart of love, because this week we're turning the songs of 1979 inside out! With 1979 being arguably THE greatest year for songs within the O3L era, these are definitely the songs that changed our lives.
If our thinly disguised song references weren't enough of a giveway, it is our biggest thrill (last one, we promise) to welcome the songwriter and guitarist from one of the most beloved groups in '80s British pop, David Newton from The Mighty Lemon Drops! We are celebrating their upcoming 5 CD box set, Inside Out: 1985-1990 on Cherry Red Records, containing their first three albums and a generous selection of singles, EP tracks, demos, radio sessions, live tracks and more. Dave takes on a journey from his first band in 1979, the Lemon Drops' first recordings on Dan Treacy's Dreamworld label, being a part of the legendary C86 compilation, their major label days on Chrysalis Records with big budget producers, studios and tours, the final days of the band, to present day.
Also: The ugliest band in Britain! A throw down to Shawn Mendes fans! KC & The Serial Killer Band! Evan Dando! And will Uncle Gregg ever join The Mighty Lemon Drops on tour?!?
#musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #podnation #c86 #britishpop #indiepop #indierock #guitarpop #postpunk #1979music #newwave #punkrock #1stwave #classicalternative #70smusic
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
This week, O3L is comin' at you L.A.M.F.! (Oh, that's Los Angeles Milk Family, of course...)
We're talking American punk rock in the '70s. Our Third Lad this week is not only someone who experienced the music firsthand, but was one of the writers who championed and chronicled many of the greatest names in not only punk rock, but music in general. Michael Goldberg joined us for Episode 114 following his riveting book on the life of Jimmy Wilsey, Wicked Game, and returns to O3L to celebrate his latest release, Addicted to Noise: The Music Writings of Michael Goldberg, out now on Backbeat Books.
Addicted To Noise collects the best interviews, profiles and essays Goldberg has written during his 40-plus years as a journalist. From combative interviews with Frank Zappa and Tom Waits to essays on how Jack Kerouac influenced Bob Dylan and the lasting importance of San Francisco’s first punk rock club, Goldberg, as novelist Dana Spiotta wrote, “shows us how consequential music can be.”
Contained within these pages: interviews with Sleater-Kinney, Sonic Youth, Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Flipper, John Fogerty, Neil Young and Rick James, and profiles of Robbie Robertson, John Lee Hooker, James Brown, the Clash, Prince, Michael Jackson, the Flamin’ Groovies, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, X, Laurie Anderson, Brian Wilson, the Ramones, George Clinton, the Sex Pistols, Richard Thomson, Gil Scott-Heron, Stevie Wonder, George Clinton, Devo, San Francisco punks Crime and more. Plus short takes on Muddy Waters, Townes Van Zandt, Captain Beefheart, Professor Longhair and others. Also 50+ full page photos of some of the artists.
As Greil Marcus writes in the Foreword, “You can feel the atmosphere: someone has walked into a room with a pencil in his hand—as the words go in perhaps the first song about a music critic, not counting Chuck Berry’s aside about the writers at the rhythm reviews—and suddenly people are relaxed. … He isn’t after your secrets. He doesn’t want to ruin your career to make his. He doesn’t care what you think you need to hide. He actually is interested in why and how you make your music and what you think of it. So people open up, very quickly, and, very quickly, as a reader, you’re not reading something you’ve read before.”
The stories originally appeared in Rolling Stone, Downbeat, Esquire, New Musical Express, California magazine, Addicted To Noise, San Francisco Chronicle, Vibe, Creem, New York Rocker, and more.
In the O3L Spotlight this week, we celebrate the return of late '80s London indie poppers The Jack Rubies! We play their new single, "Hidey Hole," which happens to conveniently be now available at: https://thejackrubies.bandcamp.com.
Sunday Oct 30, 2022
Sunday Oct 30, 2022
Only Three Lads is a fun, lively music commentary podcast celebrating the Golden Age of Alternative Music from 1974 - 1999. Each week, Uncle Gregg and Brett Vargo (and, in our earlier episodes, Bueno) run down their Top 5 lists for a different episode topic, aided and abetted by a variety of "Third Lads" - musicians, writers, comedians, fellow podcasters, or the collective O3L community. If you want to relive the best days of your life or discover music from the era that may have escaped you, and have a lot of laughs along the way, this is the show for you!
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Happy Halloween! If you didn't get your fill of O3L this week (which strangely tastes similar to circus peanuts), here's a fun-size O3L Halloween Special. Uncle Gregg and Brett bring you their Top 5 songs to add to your spooky playlist. It's spoooook-tacular! OK, no more Halloween puns...
There are two crucial rules at this time of year:
1) Don't feed Gremlins after midnight; and
2) Don't let the Lads record at night. If you've heard past "After Dark" episodes, it probably will come as no surprise that there is content in this one that may not be appropriate for sensitive listeners.
Enter...if you dare!
Oh, and P.S. Gregg ruins EVERYTHING! Now you can add Halloween to the list.
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
"Honesty is hardly ever heard." - Billy Joel
Don't worry, we're not going all Billy Joel on you, but this week we're talking about the songs where honesty is heard loud and clear.
True to this week's theme, we are elated to be joined by the brilliant writer Allison Landa, whose recently published memoir, Bearded Lady, is unflinchingly honest, bold, brave, vulnerable, funny-as-heck, and always engaging. Through Allison's eyes and sharp pen, we are all encouraged to find - and embrace - what makes us weird. Hey, we may not be Oprah and/or Michelle Obama, but this one is definitely endorsed by the O3L Book Club! Allison is also a friend of Brett's from high school, so that makes it extra special to have her on the show (Go Titans! Or Trojans! Or whatever!).
Plus, Allison and Uncle Gregg battle it out in our latest world famous game, O3L Lie Detector! We also talk yogurt, chorizo, our ideal Lost Weekends, Danny Bonaduce, Carly Rae Jepsen, and why Gregg shouldn't always follow his "policy of truth." Oh, and there's smut. Lots and lots of smut.
We guarantee that this one will bring a smile to your face. C'mon...would WE lie to you?
For more information on Allison Landa and Bearded Lady, visit: https://www.woodhallpress.com/bearded-lady
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
This is PART ONE of our conversation with the great Jeff Murphy from Shoes. Stay tuned for the second part where we get into our Top 5 lists!
Of course, we travel all over the musical and geographical map on O3L. This week, we stop firmly in the heartland of the ol' US of A - the 12 states that the Census Bureau has declared as the midwest. Far away from the show-biz epicenters of Los Angeles and New York, we celebrate the bands who crafted brilliant music and created their own homegrown scenes often in unlikely locations.
Our special Third Lad for this discussion is a musician whom we've loved and admired for many years, none other than singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer Jeff Murphy from melodic pop/rock legends Shoes. Jeff takes us through the nearly 50 year history of Shoes, from an imaginary band with a tape recorder to DIY indie pioneers to a major label, big producers and some of the first videos shown on MTV, and ultimately returning to their independent roots in the mid-80s (and never looking back!). Along with his bassist brother John Murphy and guitarist Gary Klebe, the nucleus of this important group split the writing and singing duties on classic records such as Black Vinyl Shoes (1977), Present Tense (1979), Tongue Twister (1981), Boomerang (1982), and Silhouette (1984). Jeff has also notably produced bands such as Material Issue and pre-Garbage band Spooner in Shoes' Short Order Recorder Studio.
This is an epic two-parter that you don't want to miss!
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
This is PART TWO of our conversation with the great Jeff Murphy from Shoes, where we get into our Top 5 lists. If you haven't already, make sure to check out the first part for much more!
Of course, we travel all over the musical and geographical map on O3L. This week, we stop firmly in the heartland of the ol' US of A - the 12 states that the Census Bureau has declared as the midwest. Far away from the show-biz epicenters of Los Angeles and New York, we celebrate the bands who crafted brilliant music and created their own homegrown scenes often in unlikely locations.
Our special Third Lad for this discussion is a musician whom we've loved and admired for many years, none other than singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer Jeff Murphy from melodic pop/rock legends Shoes. Jeff takes us through the nearly 50 year history of Shoes, from an imaginary band with a tape recorder to DIY indie pioneers to a major label, big producers and some of the first videos shown on MTV, and ultimately returning to their independent roots in the mid-80s (and never looking back!). Along with his bassist brother John Murphy and guitarist Gary Klebe, the nucleus of this important group split the writing and singing duties on classic records such as Black Vinyl Shoes (1977), Present Tense (1979), Tongue Twister (1981), Boomerang (1982), and Silhouette (1984). Jeff has also notably produced bands such as Material Issue and pre-Garbage band Spooner in Shoes' Short Order Recorder Studio.
This is an epic two-parter that you don't want to miss!
Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Well, we've finally gone and done it! After spending multiple episodes last season digging into Athens, GA music with some of the scene's most pivotal figures, the Randomizer has decided that it's time to dedicate an entire episode to the Classic (Alternative) City! We discuss so many greats in this episode, from REM, The B-52's, Pylon, Love Tractor, Oh-OK, Magnapop, Kilkenny Cats, Flat Duo Jets, Bar-B-Que Killers, The Method Actors, The Glands, Matthew Sweet, Of Montreal, The Michael Guthrie Band, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Side Effects, Green Thrift Grocery and a lot more. If you've got Georgia on your mind, then this is the episode for you.
Oh, and did we mention Squalls? Because our Third Lad this week is another Athens luminary, Bob Hay from Squalls. Squalls played a unique brand of quirky pop that was equal parts Lovin' Spoonful, Grateful Dead and Talking Heads, and got many a person up on the dance floor from 1981 to 1989. They released four recordings and were included in the essential 1986 documentary on the scene, Athens, GA: Inside/Out.
We are celebrating the release of Live From The 40 Watt, capturing Squalls at their best with 24 tracks recorded live at the legendary 40 Watt Club by soundman Pat "The Wiz" Biddle over five nights from 1983-85. The album is now available on CD, 2 LPs or digitally from Strolling Bones Records. More info: https://strollingbonesrecords.com
On November 4, 2022, Propeller Sound Recordings will begin their reissue campaign of the Squalls studio catalogue, starting with a remastered and expanded full-length version of their 1984 self-titled debut EP. More info: https://propellersoundrecordings.com
For all the latest Squalls news, visit http://squalls.band/
Special thanks to Pylon's Vanessa Briscoe Hay, Leigh Rixey from Strolling Bones Records and Angie Carlson from Propeller Publicity for their help in making this all come together!
Tuesday Sep 20, 2022
Tuesday Sep 20, 2022
45 minutes! "Concise" isn't usually the word that you'd use to describe O3L, but this week we bring you a concise episode that's almost live. This one was recorded, edited, produced and published mere hours before release. Anything goes...
This week, we pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and count down our Top 5 Royal Songs - in other words, songs containing regal titles in the titles (huh?).
Our Spotlight Artist of the Week is The Radio Field from Dusseldorf, Germany. The Radio Field is Lars Schmidt from long-standing indie pop band Subterfuge, with a little help from his friends. We play their brand new single "Clover," from the upcoming Simple EP on September 30th. If you like your pop jangly, then this is for you!
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
How punk is this week's episode, you ask?
First of all, the Third Lad this week is Matt Dell. Matt was the singer for Canadian pop/punk band I've Got Gloria, and is now a full-time, evidence-based vocal coach and music teacher with Registers Music. Through his innovative techniques, Matt is working with singers, bands and actors to harness the power of their voices. As his website states, "Learn to free your voice, not fear it!" Find out more at https://registersmusic.com.
Plus, Matt gives the Lads a screamo lesson. They talk domestic bliss, standup comedy, Celine Dion and Boy Meets World. They get mature, crochety and compare aches and pains. Yeah, punk rock!!
Of course, they also really *do* talk about punk rock.
Near...far...wherever you are, rest assured O3L will go on.
#musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #podnation #punkrock #classicalternative #punk #70smusic #80smusic #90smusic #newwave #singers #vocals #vocalists #voicelessons #boymeetsworld #topanga
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Get ready for a spiffy new episode of Only Three Lads! It's Brett's birthday, so what better way to celebrate than with one of his favourite O3L-era topics, Britpop. In this Be Here Now-sized episode (c'mon, you Britpop kids get it!), relive the records, stories, triumphs, tragedies, superstars and should-have-beens of the biggest British musical and cultural phenomenon of the '90s.
This week, we've got two yangs to Uncle Gregg's yin, as our Third Lad is Paul Laird, author of the new book The Birth and Impact of Britpop: Mis-Shapes, Scenesters and Insatiable Ones. Rather than simply rehashing familiar Britpop lore, or attempting an academic, exhaustive analysis at the scene, Laird weaves a compelling, personal tale of his Britpop experience. It's a wonderful look at Britpop from a fan's eyes, exploring not only the bands who "made it," but some of the great bands that existed under the surface. Whether you were actually there or not, you'll feel like you were.
Buy The Birth and Impact of Britpop from Amazon, other fine booksellers, or: Pen and Sword Books: The Birth and Impact of Britpop - Hardback (pen-and-sword.co.uk)
Our O3L Spotlight Artist of the Week is The Photocopies. The Photocopies is the brainchild of Michigan based Londoner Sean Turner, who plays unapologetically old-school indie pop in the vein of the C86 scene of the mid-80s to early-90s. We heard the great DJ Calc play a few tracks on his recent Tuesday night radio show on WRKC, and we were suitably blown away. The Photocopies’ previous singles and b-sides have all been marvelously compiled on Greatest Hits Volume 1 & 2 and Et Cetera: B-sides and More, or get all three albums under the title of Pop Trivia. Track after track of guitar pop brilliance fly by, and it's highly, highly recommended stuff. From Greatest Hits Vol. 2, we play “Anywhere Without You.”
The Photocopies: https://thephotocopies.bandcamp.com
Tuesday Aug 30, 2022
Tuesday Aug 30, 2022
This week, we're all about showing the love to the '90s artists that we feel are underrated. Well, we're all about that, and talk sports, celebrity death matches, Finnish politics and classic Dr. Seuss characters...but we're mostly about underrated artists of the '90s.
Apropos to this topic, we are very pleased to welcome author Andy Frye as our Third Lad. Andy is a music and sports scribe who has written for notable publications such as Rolling Stone, ESPN and Forbes, and has interviewed hundreds of personalities ranging from Morrissey to Tom Brady. Andy's latest endeavor is the novel Ninety Days in the 90s, a rock n' roll time travel adventure following Wall Street trader-turned-record store owner Darby, as she discovers Chicago's mythical Gray Line train that will allow her to return to 1996 for 90 days. It's a music-filled nostalgia trip that asks the question: What would you do differently if you could relive the past?
Order the book at: https://90daysinthe90s.com
For more information on Andy Frye: https://andyfrye.com
This week's O3L Spotlight Artist of the Week is London's Valentina Way. Valentina Way exist somewhere in south London between 1969 and 1971 - with their jangle-pop guitars, Beach Boy vocal harmonies, garage organ, flute and Penny Lane trumpet solos. Musically, the band take their cue from the cover of "Sugar Sugar" by Cornershop, David Cassidy, Karen Carpenter, Micky Dolenz, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Bay City Rollers, and any garage band from the '60s who didn't quite make it. We share the marvelously wistful track "Ben Sherman" from their debut album Imaginary Weekends.
Listen to more Valentina Way at https://soundcloud.com/valentinaway.
Follow Valentina Way on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ValentinaWay5
Tuesday Aug 23, 2022
Tuesday Aug 23, 2022
Whether you spent the decade at the clubs covered in foam or not, electronic music was everywhere in the '90s. Much like those foam parties, Uncle Gregg and Brett (aka DJ B-Var, aka Graham Cracker?!?) get wild, bubbly, frothy, and are naked from the waist down. OK, so one of those things is not true, but we'll let you decide which one...
This week, The Orchids are back in the O3L Spotlight, and we are privileged to play the second single off of their upcoming album Dreaming Kind, called "Didn't We Love You." Dare we say it's even better than the last one, which is saying something, because that was great as well! The Orchids were one of the great Sarah Records bands, releasing three albums of swooning, sophisticated pop music for the label: Lyceum (1989), Unholy Soul (1991), and Striving For The Lazy Perfection (1994). Dreaming Kind is the Glasgow band's first album since 2014, and is out on 2 September on Skep Wax Records.
Tuesday Aug 16, 2022
Tuesday Aug 16, 2022
Tuesday Aug 09, 2022
Tuesday Aug 09, 2022
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
Tuesday Jul 19, 2022
Tuesday Jul 19, 2022
Brett and Uncle Gregg don't always agree on things, including the top albums of 1993. But you know what they do agree on? Gregg ruins everything!
Love,
Mr. Grumpypants
This week's O3L Spotlight artist is Scottish indie pop institution The Orchids. The Orchids formed in Glasgow in 1985 and recorded three splendid albums for the legendary Sarah Records label from 1989-94. Since reforming in the mid-2000s, they have released three more studio albums and a 30-year career retrospective in 2017. They're back in 2022 with a new single, "This Boy Is A Mess," with a full length, Dreaming Kind, to follow in September on Skep Wax, a brilliant new indie label formed by fellow Sarah alum Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey from Heavenly.
The Orchids: Music | The Orchids (bandcamp.com)
Skep Wax: Artists | Skep Wax (bandcamp.com)
Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Hey, hep cats! This week, we celebrate our "homer picks" - the classic alternative era artists and bands from our respective areas who made an impact on us. Uncle Gregg is representing "the Valley of the Sunstroke," Phoenix, AZ, while Brett is bringing eternal sunshine from the paradise of San Diego, CA. Plus, we share the picks from some of the "Third Lads" of the O3L Community around the world. There's no place like home!
We also host the inaugural O3L Poetry Slam, talk new music, Kardashians, moms, eating pet food, TikTok, awkward pauses, and other stuff that doesn't really have much to do with hometown heroes.
Our O3L Spotlight Artist of the Week is the classic UK indie pop band The Chesterfields. 38 years since they formed in Yeovil, Somerset, and 28 years since their last record release, The Chesterfields are back in July 2022 with a new single “Our Songbird Has Gone”, a song that founder member Simon Barber has written about his original co-conspirator in the band Dave Goldsworthy, who was tragically killed in a hit and run accident in 2003. A new album New Modern Homes (co-produced and mixed by John Parish, who produced The Chesterfields’ debut Kettle in 1987) will follow in September, with gigs to be announced for a short tour in October. The current line-up features Simon on bass and vocals, Rob Parry on drums, Helen Stickland on guitar and vocals, and Andy Strickland (of The Loft and The Caretaker Race) on guitar and vocals.
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022