Chrome was one of the more unusual alternative bands that arrived on the 70's San Francisco music scene. Chrome’s music would often take on sci-fi themes while employing tape loops, distortion and overloaded acid rock guitar, found sounds from television, and whatever noise they could create with electronics. These raw experimental and industrial sounds would be blended with elements from punk rock and psychedelia. The result of all of this would be a forerunner to industrial rock and noise rock...
Oct 12, 2025•31 min•Ep. 59
Blancmange formed in London in 1979 behind vocalist Neil Arthur and instrumentalist Stephen Luscombe. On their way to becoming a classic synth-pop duo, they would take a more exotic approach to the music than others in the electropop field. Besides often creating eccentric dance rhythms and a comforting atmosphere, Blancmange would sometimes fuse synth with eastern influences as part of their music. The band would create three studio albums in the early to mid-80’s before breaking up in 1986. Th...
Oct 05, 2025•24 min•Ep. 58
In 1977 two art school students in London, Ana da Silva and Gina Birch, would start the post-punk band, The Raincoats . Not only did they develop an unusual sound and approach to music incorporating experimental and other elements, but this band also that took on social and political issues. The Raincoats would release their self-titled debut album in 1979 as an all-female band for this debut. The Raincoats would be one of the first bands to influence feminism and they would inspire generations ...
Sep 28, 2025•24 min•Ep. 57
Galaxie 500 formed in Boston in 1987 and would deliver three studio albums before disbanding in 1991. The creation from the band over this limited span was a mix of indie rock, dream pop, and neo-psychedelia using slow tempos and a minimalist approach. Much of this unique music would be a key to the development of the 90's sub-genre known as slowcore. Their second album, On Fir e, was the most influential of their work toward slowcore. Besides impacting the development of this genre, the music f...
Sep 21, 2025•25 min•Ep. 56
The Chameleons released their debut studio album in 1983, the classic and one of the best of the era, Script of the Bridge. This was followed by What Does Anything Mean? Basically in 1985 and Strange Times in 1986, completed an amazing trilogy of post-punk albums to start their career before they abruptly broke up in 1987. This Manchester, England band that formed in 1981 and was known for their atmospheric, layered guitar-based, post-punk sound became one of the most underrated and underappreci...
Sep 14, 2025•29 min•Ep. 55
Coil was an English experimental group formed in 1982 by John Balance, who was soon joined by his Psychic TV bandmate and former original member of Throbbing Gristle, Peter Christopherson. Over the years, Coil 's work was very diverse exploring various themes including the occult, sexuality, and alchemy while crossing through musical boundaries, styles, and genres such as experimental electronic, industrial, minimalist, dark ambient, noise, and drone among many others. After the release of their...
Sep 07, 2025•30 min•Ep. 54
After forming in the mid-1980's, the music of the English band All About Eve fell loosely into the UK goth rock scene. Over the next few years, the music would evolve into a more unique, folk-rock influenced style, all behind the beautiful voice and songwriting of lead singer Julianne Regan. All About Eve would create four studio albums beginning with the 1988 self-titled debut album that included the hit single "Martha's Harbour". Following the second studio album, guitarist Tim Bricheno left t...
Aug 31, 2025•27 min•Ep. 53
The 1982 self-titled debut album from A Flock of Seagulls was one about extra-terrestrial invasion and alien abduction with themes of technology and space. This concept album blended synth-pop and post-punk while featuring atmospheric synthesizers, electronic sounds, chiming guitars, along with the iconic songs: "I Ran (So Far Away)" and "Space Age Love Song". A Flock of Seagulls ' music and image, including the distinctive hair style along with innovative music videos, became synonymous with 19...
Aug 24, 2025•24 min•Ep. 52
In 1982, Cocteau Twins released their debut album Garlands . For this Scottish band of Robin Guthrie, Will Heggie and the amazing vocalist Elizabeth Fraser, this was the beginning of a new sound on the path to becoming one of the most influential artists of the era. Soon after the debut album, founding member Heggie would leave the band and be replaced by Simon Raymonde prior to the third album, the 1984 genre defining, Treasure . From the early works of the band, Cocteau Twins earned critical p...
Aug 17, 2025•24 min•Ep. 51
Led by vocalist and guitarist Jeffrey Lee Pierce, the post-punk band The Gun Club blended punk music with blues and other American roots music influences to become one of the first of the early days of post-punk to fuse those genres. Formed in 1979, The Gun Club became a fixture of the Los Angeles underground scene and would create seven studio LP’s during their history, starting with the blues filled 1981 album, Fire of Love . Started by Pierce along with guitarist Kid Congo Powers, the band wo...
Aug 10, 2025•28 min•Ep. 50
Document was the fifth studio album from R.E.M. , but the first album with producer Scott Litt, who would co-produce this 1987 album and the next five albums with the band. This album, with such classic songs as "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and "The One I Love", would help move alternative rock to the mainstream. In 1988 the band would sign with Warner Brothers after their longtime relationship with the independent label I.R.S. Records and release the sixth studio ...
Aug 03, 2025•21 min•Ep. 49
The Slits were one of the first all-female punk bands and one of the pioneering bands of the post-punk era as they blended reggae and dub with punk music. Formed in London in 1976, the band's unique style and music was represented in their 1978 debut album, Cut , that has been called one of the defining releases of post-punk. The highly influential album included the songs that challenged societal norms, in particular the anthem song, “Typical Girls”, a song that questioned traditional ideas abo...
Jul 27, 2025•20 min•Ep. 48
The English synth-pop duo of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist Dave Ball, better known as Soft Cell , created one of the most successful singles ever, "Tainted Love", followed by the influential 1981 debut album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret . "Memorabilia", released just after Soft Cell signed with the independent label Some Bizarre Records, has been recognized as a pioneering song of the synth-oriented techno or acid house genre that would follow later in the decade. This podcast episode tel...
Jul 20, 2025•24 min•Ep. 47
The Wedding Present was one of the pioneering artists of UK Indie rock in the mid-80’s. Led by guitarist and lead vocalist David Gedge, the music of this band was often bittersweet love songs immersed in jangly and whirlwind guitars built on lovelorn lyrics. After forming in Leeds, The Wedding Present would be associated with C86, a compilation cassette released in 1986 by the British magazine NME, that featured new bands from Independent labels. The C86 scene is regarded as a key moment for the...
Jul 13, 2025•28 min•Ep. 46
The Scream , the 1978 debut album from Siouxsie and the Banshees, was a landmark release to widespread critical acclaim and is considered one of the most iconic and most influential albums of the post-punk era. Formed in London in 1976 by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin, the band used experimental rhythms and sonics to develop a new and original music on the way to becoming one of the pioneers of post-punk music. This episode will tell the story of how this band began through their first two a...
Jul 06, 2025•26 min•Ep. 45
Yazoo was an English synth-pop duo formed by former Depeche Mode founding member and keyboards master Vince Clarke, and the powerful soulful and bluesy contralto vocalist Alison Moyet. The band, also known in North America as Yaz , was short-lived after forming in late 1981 and breaking up by mid-1983. However, this was long enough to release two albums, Upstairs at Eric's and You and Me Both , which helped to define the synth-pop genre, electronic dance music, and the early house music scene of...
Jun 29, 2025•24 min•Ep. 44
The critically acclaimed 1977 debut album, Marquee Moon , from the New York band Television was a defining and foundational work in the history of music. With innovative instrumentation, sound, and elements taking music in a more artful and complex direction, the album would impact the development of post-punk, new wave, and alternative rock. The music consisted of intricate and angular guitar work, poetic lyrics, and dynamic interplay between the band members, most notably guitarists Tom Verlai...
Jun 22, 2025•25 min•Ep. 43
The Hurting , the 1983 debut album from Tears for Fears ,was an intriguing and introspective album that focused on dark subjects such as child abuse, psychological trauma, and depression. This subject matter hit very close to home for the duo of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of Tears for Fears , having dealt with these issues as part of their childhood. This album would hit number 1 on the UK album charts and produce three top five singles. Tears for Fears followed with an album that would be ev...
Jun 15, 2025•30 min•Ep. 42
In 1978, Lene Lovich signed with Stiff Records after years of art schools and travelling Europe , and she found her music career with the song, "Lucky Number". This song would reach number 3 on the UK singles chart and would help define the growing new wave genre. Lene Lovich created a sound that mixed post-punk and new wave styles with international music, along with a quirky style to influence many artists that followed. This episode tells the story of the early years of Lene Lovich 's career ...
Jun 08, 2025•23 min•Ep. 41
The 1990 debut studio album, Nowhere , from the Oxford, England band Ride is considered one of the top shoegaze albums ever made. The music mixed bits of neo-psychedelia and indie rock with the shoegaze sound to creating this unique album. The band followed with their second album, Going Blank Again , and the lead single, the shoegaze classic, "Leave Them All Behind". This episode tells the story of Ride , the music of the legendary debut album, the band moving into album number two, and the yea...
Jun 01, 2025•26 min•Ep. 40
Christian Death rose from the Los Angeles punk rock scene in 1979 to become one of the founding bands of American gothic rock and death rock. Initially led by Rozz Williams, the band would create the landmark debut album in 1982, Only Theatre of Pain . Valor Kand would join Williams in the band for the second and third albums before eventually become the band's leader after the departure of Williams in 1985. This episode discusses the development of the group, the creation of American gothic and...
May 29, 2025•19 min•Ep. 39
The Undertones rose from the time of the Troubles in Derry, Northern Ireland to go on to be one of the biggest and most successful bands from Northern Ireland. The band's music developed from punk rock roots focused on teenage angst, growing up, love and heartbreak. The band’s first single was “Teenage Kicks”, a song that legendary DJ John Peel would say was his all-time favorite after playing it on his radio show, helping boost The Undertones career. This episode is the story of the band after ...
May 25, 2025•30 min•Ep. 38
The Boston based post-punk band, Mission of Burma , was together for only four years during their initial run, but they had a lasting impact on music. One of the few releases from the band during these years was the landmark 1981 EP Signals, Calls, and Marches, which would be very influential to the future of alternative rock and indie rock. This episode discusses the band and their music during the incredible run from formation in 1979 until disbanding in 1983....
May 22, 2025•19 min•Ep. 37
After taking a couple of years off from recording as Talking Heads , the band returned to the studio for the 1983 album, Speaking in Tongues . This fifth studio album from the band would be the commercial breakthrough and the album would be followed by a tour that resulted in the critically acclaimed documentary, Stop Making Sense . This episode will talk about the band's members getting back to record Speaking in Tongues after some side projects, the music of the album, and the documentary that...
May 18, 2025•21 min•Ep. 36
The English music and visual arts group Throbbing Gristle began in 1975 creating music which often contained harsh, mechanical, transgressive, and provocative sounds and themes. This was the start of what would be known as industrial music. This episode discusses the origins of the group, the creation of their music, and their three studio albums prior to their break-up of 1981.
May 15, 2025•17 min•Ep. 35
When they formed in London in 1978, Visage was a collective of musicians that would take an approach to music and style linking to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion and music movement of the early 1980s. Midge Ure, one of the founding members of Visage , would be part of the band's first two albums, both of which were commercially successful. During Ure's time with Visage , their music would be a key link between the electronic sounds of bands that came before them and the fashion-conscious ba...
May 11, 2025•23 min•Ep. 34
Welsh identical twin brothers, Jay and Michael Aston, formed the band Gene Loves Jezebel. From their post-punk and gothic rock debut album in 1983, the band would achieve commercial success by the third and fourth albums blending their music and their distinctive vocals with a more alternative rock approach. However, the relationship between the twins become strained leading to a separation that would result in two versions of the band going forward. This episode discusses the music of Gene Love...
May 08, 2025•19 min•Ep. 33
Starting in 1981, Sonic Youth pushed boundaries as part of American experimental no wave scene to redefine what noise meant in terms of music. The band would combine innovative guitar tunings, dissonance, and feedback with hardcore punk and avant-garde music as part of the New York no wave scene. The music of Sonic Youth began evolving from these early years taking a more conventional approach as the band become a prominent member of American noise rock. This episode tells the story of the band ...
May 04, 2025•29 min•Ep. 32
In 1989, Nick Cave would experience some life changes and with those changes, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds would take their music in a new direction. By the end of the 1990’s, the band would achieve worldwide mainstream success with piano-driven ballads, most notably with the albums, Murder Ballads and The Boatman’s Call . This episode tells the story of the band and Nick Cave through their five albums of the 90's.
May 01, 2025•22 min•Ep. 31
When Disintegration was released in May of 1989, the album signified a return to The Cure 's darker and gloomier days of their early years. The eighth studio album from the band includes classic singles like "Lovesong", "Pictures of You", and "Lullaby", but also other emotionally intense songs like "Prayers for Rain", "Plainsong", and the title track. All of this has led to Disintegration being considered an alternative music masterpiece. This episode for The Cure tells the story behind the albu...
Apr 27, 2025•28 min•Ep. 30
