398. Tom Schnauz on The Monkees

Longtime friend of the show and host of the Empire Film Podcast, Chris Hewitt, returns to talk about the classic Hollywood thriller 'The Hunt for Red October', the first film adapted from Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels, starring Alec Baldwin as Ryan and the late great Sir Sean Connery as Russian (just go with it) Captain Ramius. We discuss if this is Connery’s best post-Bond role, why Baldwin might be the best Jack Ryan, Hollywood’s need to action up the nerd hero, the incredibly deep bench of supporting players in the cast, the subversive politics of the film, whether John McTiernan will ever direct another movie and we trade duelling questionable Connery impressions. Plus we brainstorm a modern day Broadway version of the film and pitch our dream cast - someone get me Lin-Manuel Miranda and/or Scott Rudin’s email!

23 Dec 202056min

Normally on this show we venerate musicians, today we’re mocking them as we present a little compilation of music jokes guests have told me this year, never before heard until now. Listen to gags from Georgia Mooney, Fred Armisen, Stella Mozgawa, Edith Bowman, Seja Vogel, Dan Wilson and even your host.

20 Dec 202014min

Today, legendary Nashville singer-songwriter Kim Richey joins me to talk about Joni Mitchell’s classic 1974 double live album ‘Miles of Aisles’. We talk about how the record acts as a great entry point to Joni’s early career, the way Joni and LA Express reinterpret her early folk songs, the difference between Joni’s lyrical style and peers like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, Joni’s influence on Kim’s songwriting and what it was like for Kim to reinterpret her own back catalogue when she recorded a new album of the songs from her classic ‘Glimmer’ record, which came out earlier this year.

10 Dec 202034min

Today I’m sharing a conversation I had with the great gentleman of rock’n’roll Nick Lowe, in what was meant to be the first episode of a new podcast about live shows and touring. It turned out 2020 wasn’t the best year to launch a show like that, so instead I’m bringing this chat to you now. We talk about everything from how his mid-career reinvention as the only gracefully ageing man in rock has influenced the style and approach of his shows, how his singing style has changed over the years, rearranging his back catalogue with his backing band Los Straitjackets, the surprising songs his younger fans gravitate toward, how he constructs his set lists, how he keeps playing songs like ‘Cruel to Be Kind’ and ’What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace Love and Understanding’ fresh and fun for him and why he closes every show with a cover of his old pal Elvis Costello’s classic song ‘Alison’.

3 Dec 202029min

Today I’m joined by songwriting duo and hosts of the brilliant Sodajerker on Songwriting podcast, Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor, to talk about Paul Simon’s classic middle-aged divorcee record Still Crazy After All These Years. We talk about how the album reflects an ‘adult’ approach in subject matter and composition, how aspects of it reveal more as the listener ages, the balance between specificity in Simon’s lyrics but still leaving a place for the listener to find themselves in the song, whether drummer Steve Gadd deserves a writing credit on 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, whether the Simon and Garfunkel reunion song My Little Town fits in the flow of the record and Simon and Brian reflect on their experience interviewing Paul Simon for their podcast.

25 Nov 202043min

18 Nov 202036min

Today, Aussie hip-hop king L-Fresh the Lion joins me to discuss the fascinating and emotionally compelling J Cole concept album ‘4 Your Eyez Only’. We delve into how Cole use’s the album to tell the story of a late friend in the guise of a first person narrative, how he intermingles stories from his own life, why the album needs to be listened to in full, Cole’s rare status as a music star who takes his privacy seriously and avoids the tabloids, the crazy true story about J Cole’s home studio being raided by a SWAT team and much more.

11 Nov 202028min

Today the brilliant British broadcaster and podcaster Edith Bowman joins me to talk about Midlake’s 2006 cult classic The Trials of Van Occupanther, how it soundtracked her early relationship with her husband, its qualities of instant nostalgia and why she returns to it time and time again, including as a balm during lockdown. Plus, we talk about her experiences with live music during lockdown, who she’s most excited to see next year when touring resumes, the hidden tragedies of the absence of festivals, why she’s bad at saying no to things and her long friendship with friend of the show Drew Pearce.

6 Nov 202044min