Roger talks about working with Mal and Richard of Cabaret Voltaire on their 1984 album 'Microphonies'. He also turns the spotlight on Bedford Boys Club, which was a successful alternative / indie music venue in the Home Counties in the early-to-mid-eighties. Intro and outro music by Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork by Rionagh. Edited by Nigel Floyd. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org With particular thanks to: Rock drums - Big Joe Drummer. Kick and bass techno 2 - Frankum. Summer ambience - Klankbeel...
Jan 29, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 10
Out on strike and newly single, Roger seeks comfort in sound in the shape of legendary avant-garde, free jazz giants The Art Ensemble of Chicago, on a rare visit to Sheffield in the spring of 1984. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp Artwork: Rionagh Editor: Nigel Floyd Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks to: Concert applause: Recording Hopkins. Djembe: Rutger Muller. Drum loop: Esares. City street ambience: Sage Tyrtle. Jazz drums: Big Joe Drummer. Double bass: El Z...
Nov 15, 2024•20 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Roger, playing drums with Sheffield post-punk band The Box, gets to visit the city of Prague in the former Czechoslovakia, and plays a secret gig. Along the way he meets rebels, students, rock 'n' rollers and artists, all trying to express themselves as individuals while living under an oppressive regime. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp Artwork: Rionagh Editor: Nigel Floyd Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks to: Marek 222 - Prague railway station. Rikus 246 - clu...
Sep 21, 2024•26 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Roger goes to the Octagon Centre for the second time, to cheer on and take snaps of his friends in Cabaret Voltaire, who are promoting their recently released new album 'The Crackdown'. Having signed to Some Bizarre / Virgin Records, the Cabs pull out of the stops to impress their hard-to-please home town audience. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Editor: Nigel Floyd. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks to: Xserra - Call to prayer. Xhale 303 - T...
Jun 14, 2024•22 min•Season 6Ep. 7
Sheffield welcomes Space-Jazz royalty as the legendary Sun Ra brings his Arkestra to the new University concert space for a mind-blowing night of free-flowing, transcendental music. Artwork by Rionagh. Music by Simon Elliott-Kemp (thank you so much Simon!) Additional FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks to: AJ Heels - twinkling stars intro. Therac 25 - starship hum. Rikus246 - audience ambience. Recording Hopkins - applause. Send us a text Never miss an episode. Follow me at: Blu...
Apr 16, 2024•16 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Roger has a rare night out at The Limit Club in Sheffield. Ostensibly to meet up with champion road warrior Chas Banks, who is shepherding young rockers Death Cult around the UK on their debut headline tour. However, the Limit clientele has changed a bit since he was last down in the sweaty West Street basement, and Roger realizes he too is going through some changes. With thanks to Simon Elliott-Kemp for the intro and outro music. And to Rionagh for the artwork. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.o...
Feb 02, 2024•18 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Grab a cuppa and a biscuit 'cos this is a long one. Roger is in Rotterdam for the very first Pandora's Music Box music festival at the super smart De Doelen venue. Siouxsie and The Banshees headline but play first, which means poor, delicate Rog has to wait six hours before The Box take to the stage in the middle of the night. Some tales here from a very long, but very memorable night. With thanks to Simon Elliott-Kemp for the intro and outro music and to Rionagh for the artwork. Sound FX courte...
Nov 04, 2023•25 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Jaz Coleman and King Coal Arthur Scargill together in the same episode. Two years since he last saw them, Roger and his band mates in The Box renew their acquaintance with Killing Joke in London. Can Jaz and KJ conquer the world before we are all blown to kingdom come? Intro and outro music - Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork - Rionagh. Sound effects courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks to: peridactyloptrix - crowd noise. valentin sosnitskiy - guitar. ERH - sub bass. rodincoil - tribal dr...
Sep 04, 2023•19 min•Season 6Ep. 3
A trip to London in the middle of a sweltering July heatwave sees Roger and his cohorts in Sheffield band The Box share a stage with The Fall. Riding high on the recent release of their classic 'Hex Induction Hour', the Mancunian legends are in an uncomprising, take-no-prisoners mood. Why would we expect anything else? Also includes good stuff about The Scorpions, sheep and Arthur Negus. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particu...
Jun 12, 2023•18 min•Season 6Ep. 2
It's a big one. Roger takes a coach up to Scotland to see his first David Bowie concert. For a distinctly personal take on what are some of Bowie's most well-documented shows; Roger mixes the events of the day itself with some of his memories of growing up as a teenage Bowie fan in Sheffield during the 1970s. May cause offence to fans of Icehouse, Pilot and the population of Milton Keynes. Artwork: Rionagh. Intro and outro music, plus special Bowie-inspired music bed: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Sound F...
Aug 08, 2022•30 min•Season 6Ep. 1
In which Roger and his bandmates in The Box find themselves in a heavy metal maelstrom on a Thursday night in Glasgow. Iron Maiden take no prisoners at the legendary Apollo Theatre en route to world domination. It's very loud, very sweaty and a just little bit silly, but as a baptism of fire into the world of heavy metal and the legion of devoted young fans, it's one not to be forgotten. With thanks to: Simon Elliott-Kemp: intro and outro music. Rionagh: artwork. Memory joggers: Charlie Collins ...
Jun 27, 2022•19 min•Season 5Ep. 10
It's the start of a new year - 1983 - and Roger and his Sheffield pals in The Box find themselves in London playing with pop newcomers JoBoxers. These lads are on the fast track to fame and favour style over substance. With heavyweight management and a major record company behind them, will they go Pop before the bubble bursts? Intro & outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Special guest voice: Paul Widger. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org With particular thanks to: Halleck - t...
May 25, 2022•17 min•Season 5Ep. 9
How exciting. Roger is off on tour in Europe with The Box, the Sheffield band he plays drums in. Okay, so it's only two nights in The Netherlands at the end of November, but nonetheless the excitement is palpable. With thanks to Simon Elliott-Kemp for the intro and outro music, and to Rionagh for the artwork. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks to: BeeProductive: audience applause. Dkustic: polite applause. LG: Ford Transit. Rikus 246: club ambience. Esistnichtsoernst: tri...
Apr 06, 2022•17 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Sheffield's grand old Lyceum re-opens for the second time in less than twelve months, and it falls to Cabaret Voltaire, who haven't played an official gig in their home city in over a year, to herald the resurrection. Roger puts on his new leather jacket - which he has been trying to make look like an old leather jacket - and goes along for a look. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org With particular thanks to: Pooleside: shop ambience. ...
Mar 02, 2022•15 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Strange days in Sheffield back in the Spring of 1982. On one hand, we are out shaking our funky butts to the sophisticated NYC street-hustlers Kid Creole and The Coconuts, down at the old Sheffield Poly building on Pond Street; while simultaneously trying not to think about the awful news emerging from the Falklands War on an almost daily basis. As another New Yorker David Byrne said "this ain't no fooling around." Thank you to Simon Elliott-Kemp for the intro and outro music, and to Rionagh for...
Jan 11, 2022•16 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Roger looks back at the short period in early 1982 that Sheffield band The Box played two important gigs with guest vocalist Stephen Mallinder from Cabaret Voltaire. Mal himself guests to reflect on an exciting time of change and uncertainty in our home town. Also, reflections on Adam Faith in 'Stardust', Tyne Tees TV, Roxy Music b-sides, Thomas Dolby live and some unpleasantness in the South Atlantic. Artwork: Rionagh. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.or...
Nov 21, 2021•21 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Roger reflects on the tragic loss of former band mate Stephen "Judd" Turner, who passed away on September 29th, 1981, aged 24 years old. The same day as the narrator turned 21. Some weeks pass, and the mood is lifted by the irresistible afro-pop sizzle of Bow Wow Wow, live at the recently re-opened Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield. Thank you to Simon Elliott-Kemp for the intro and outro music and stings. Thank you to Rionagh for the artwork. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks ...
Oct 07, 2021•17 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Seconded by his employers to a mind-numbing admin job in the middle of nowhere, Roger and his work pal Mark take a trip to see Simple Minds live in Liverpool. Happily, Jim Kerr and his band are at the height of their grand metropolitan art-rock powers; touring the just-released 'Sons and Fascination' / 'Sister Feelings Call'. Also includes The Box, Paul Morley, the dull-as-dishwater Icehouse , Hawkeye, Trapper John and William Cobbett. Artwork by Rionagh. New intro and outro music by Simon Ellio...
Aug 13, 2021•17 min•Season 5Ep. 3
MLITMOG reaches it's half-century with one of Roger's favourite gigs of all time. The jaw-dropping combination of sound and vision that was Kraftwerk on tour to promote their Computer World album in the summer of 1981. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX: courtesy of Freesound.org With particular thanks to - Komit - synths and beats. Ampul - pocket calculator. Avakas - soccer crowd. Simon Wye - Korg. Mirko - concert ambience. Udo Pohlmann - vocoder. Applause - R...
Jun 17, 2021•14 min•Season 5Ep. 2
It's a big gig for Roger and all the other South Yorkshire jazz-heads as the legendary saxophonist Ornette Coleman brings his rock-jazz-fusion "double trio" Prime Time to The Crucible Theatre. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX: Freesound.org. With particular thanks to: TC630, Juskiddink, Fred Galist - alto saxophones. Freed feat. Igal - drumset biogrid. Acclivity - orchestra tuning. GChase - room ambience. Tom Woysky - concert ambience and applause. Mr. Wolf 1...
May 08, 2021•14 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Season 4 finale. It's the end of an era, as Roger catches up with his teenage idol Bill Nelson (of Be Bop Deluxe and Red Noise) at The Limit, together with 800 other true Bill-believers, and it all gets a bit Corinthians 13:11. Simon Elliott-Kemp - intro and outro music. Rionagh - artwork. Sound FX - courtesy of Freesound.org With particular thanks to: Ultradust - applause. Rikus 246 - club ambience. Lincoln Log - Korg drum machine. Andre Onate - hi-hat. ERH - e-bow. Spurious Transients - e-bow....
Mar 23, 2021•13 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Willkommen! And bienvenue! Welcome! London's ultra-trendy Cabaret Futura shimmies into Sheffield on mild Friday night in May. Even the presence of local art-house heroes Cabaret Voltaire fails to attract the South Yorkshire cognoscenti. Roger - still shaken by the Cro-Magnon stomp of The Cramps a few days earlier - remains unstirred. Also, Charlie Collins and the christening of The Box in The Beehive pub. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound...
Mar 05, 2021•11 min•Season 4Ep. 13
THUNKA-THUNKA-THUNKA! Psychedelic sleaze dealers The Cramps bring their unholy, blistering big beat to the sweating shoe box that is The Limit Club, Sheffield's favourite subterranean watering hole. Roger, just back from the rarified, cerebral stimulus of free-jazz trio AIR live in London, holds his nose and takes a plunge into the Goo Goo Muck. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org With particular thanks to: Bee Productive - cheering cro...
Feb 15, 2021•12 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Free-Jazz newbie Roger travels down to London from Sheffield with three serious Jazz buffs. Their destination, the Lyric Theatre in West London to witness a rare UK gig by Chicago improvised-music titans Air. Lots of stuff about being under the enthusiastic tutelage of one of my key musical mentors Charlie Collins. The trip also takes in a studio visit to hang out with US new-wave sprites The Bongos. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org ...
Feb 04, 2021•16 min•Season 4Ep. 11
J-Pop comes to Sheffield in the shape of The Plastics, a Japanese 5-piece on their first tour of the UK. Language is no barrier when both band and audience just want to get down and dance. Elsewhere, the 'Thirst' line-up of Clock DVA splits and Roger pops his cherry. Thanks to Simon Elliott-Kemp for the intro and outro music and to Rionagh for the artwork. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks to: Mr. Aurilization - Hammond Sounds. Kiko Monzon - Rehearsal Space. Louderest - ...
Jan 18, 2021•11 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Romance and Robert Smith , what more could any new couple want from a date night? Roger is keen to impress a new girlfriend, but what will she make of The Cure's bleak monoliths of sound, as they haul Pink Floyd's PA around the UK? Also, the imminent demise of 'DVA, Martin Fry, Nelson Mandela, tongue-hockey and frottage. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org, with particular thanks to: Kickhat - club ambience. Rikus246 - club ambience. Yl...
Dec 20, 2020•10 min•Season 4Ep. 9
The worst April snows in living memory are no deterrent to those ambassadors of abnegation Killing Joke, ever eager to share their forewarning of the imminent global apocalypse. Roger gets close to the belly of the beast in London and Birmingham, and finds it in need of a bath. Intro and outro music - Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork - Rionagh. Guest voice - Paul Widger. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org With particular thanks to: Pub ambience - Yap Audio Productions. Club ambience - Rikus246. Backs...
Dec 10, 2020•15 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Bewitched by 'Unknown Pleasures' and 'Closer', Roger regrets never getting to see Joy Division live. However, the next-best-thing presents itself when New Order rise from the ashes of Joy Division, playing at Sheffield promoter Disco John's Atmosphere club night, shortly after the release of 'Ceremony', in Spring 1981. Plus, the Grim Reaper, Fozzie Bear, Crystal Tipps, Peter Powell and... Joy Davison? With thanks to: Paul Widger - guest voice. Simon Elliott-Kemp - intro & outro music. Rionag...
Nov 25, 2020•12 min•Season 4Ep. 7
The sound of Young Scotland comes to Sheffield during one week in April 1981. Edwyn Collins and Orange Juice charm the Limit Club with their pounding jingle-jangle on April 2nd. Seven days later, Roger gets down and boogies to Restricted Code, but headliners Fire Engines fail to live up to the music biz hype. Also, lots of growing-up stuff about Glasgow Celtic, Fyfe Robertson and the no-mean Nazareth. Intro and outro music - Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork - Rionagh. Sound FX - Freesound.org With pa...
Nov 04, 2020•15 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Ronald Reagan gets shot and Roger spends one night in Heaven, an innocent wrinkle in a frown of goths. It's a none-more-black celebration of Northampton's nocturnal heroes Bauhaus. To be honest, it's not his chalice of Chai. However, there is fun to be had backstage watching their pre-show rituals and entourage. Also starring dance ensemble Torso. Guest voices: Paul Widger. Artwork: Rionagh. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound.org With particular thanks to: ...
Oct 09, 2020•14 min•Season 4Ep. 5
