Music Maps Podcast

Join us & celebrate the 40th anniversary of Live Aid which took place on July 13th 1985. And to do that we are joined by John Kennedy, one of the original trustees of the Band Aid Trust.  One morning in November 1984 John was surprised when his office door flung open & Bob Geldof walked in. Insisting that John gave him one hour of his time, it led to a lifelong commitment.  Follo...

Join us for a live episode of Music Maps Podcast with John Robb recorded live at the Walthamstow Trades Hall.  We are also joined this week by James from The Oasis Podcast & Sam Shiner to discuss the return of Oasis last week in Cardiff & the 2025 tour.  John takes us through the highlights from his new book Live Forever: The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Oasis we start back in...

Stuart Maconie is well known as the host of The Freak Zone on BBC Radio, he has written for NME, The Times, The Guardian & many more. His books have been widely published & include Long Road From Jarrow, The Nanny State Made Me, Cider With Roadies & Pies & Prejudice.  His new book is published by HarperNorth - With a Little Help From Their Friends - The Beatles Changed the Wor...

Part 2 of our deep dive into the New York music scene of the 2000's with Lizzy Goodman - we pick the story back up with the Anti-Folk scene with gives us the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol & Regina Spektor. We find out how the Yeah Yeah Yeahs came to be & the connections between Detroit & New York around this time. The Strokes were the first band to break big & they helped through other...

We welcome Lizzy Goodman as we travel to New York City to discuss her seminal oral history of the NY scene Meet Me In The Bathroom - the Rebirth and Rock in Roll in New York City 2011 - 2011.  Lizzy met Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi a couple of years before the band broke but it’s actually Jonathan Fire*Eater who are the first band to break, signing to DreamWorks. Their success is short live...

Join us & legendary photographer Glen E. Friedman to talk through his beginnings photographing skateboarding before transitioning into the world of punk rock & hardcore photographing Black Flag, Minor Threat & Bad Brains.  Glen also talks us through the creation of his influential fanzine 'My Rules' & his eventual transition more into hip hop photography with the likes of Run...

Join us & legendary promoter and agent John Giddings to discuss the Isle of Wight Festival, its history, and the challenges of managing such a significant event and the evolving dynamics between the festival and the local community. We hear about some of John's most memorable experiences at the festival over the years from biblical rain in 2012 to David Bowie's final UK performance in 2004. Fr...

This week we welcome David Browne, a senior writer at Rolling Stone, to talk about his book Talkin' Greenwich Village & to explore the musical history of Greenwich Village from its heyday in the 50s & early 1960s through to it's decline in the 80s. Many of the areas venues were originally jazz venues hosting the likes of Billie Holiday, John Coltrane & Charles Mingus & many legenda...

In this episode of Music Maps we finally talk about The Beatles as we welcome writer Ian Leslie to discuss his new book on Faber: 'John & Paul: A Love Story In Songs'. We focus on their early years from meeting at Woolton Village Fete in July 1957, with Paul McCartney joining the Quarrymen shortly after. The dynamic in the Quarrymen changed after Paul joined with John Lennon no longer the tota...

In this episode we welcome back Mudhoney guitarist Steve Turner & pick things up with the formation of Mudhoney - first Mark Arm joins Steve’s band The Thrown Ups & they meet drummer Dan Peters soon after.  Matt Lukin joins soon after to complete the lineup & Mudhoney come into being on New Years Day of 1988. Their first gig follows in April 1988 & SubPop Records forms soon af...

This week we welcome Ali Smith, a New York photographer, musician, and writer of the memoir 'The Ballad of Speedball Baby.'  The conversation explores Ali's formative musical influences growing up in New York, her experiences in the punk scene, particularly at the iconic CBGBs, and the evolution of her band Speedball Baby.  We discuss the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated m...

In this episode of Music Maps, we welcome back Simon Wolstencroft, the former drummer of The Fall. His book You Can Drum But You Can't Hide is out now on Route Publishing. Funky Si joined The Fall in 1986 after his previous band The Weeds had opened for them. Following a meeting at Mark E. Smith's house in Prestwich it became official. 'Hey Luciani' becomes the first Fall track he works on with pr...

This week we are joined by legendary photographer Gered Mankowitz to discuss his time with the Rolling Stones, focusing on 1965 to 1967.  Gered shares how he entered the world of music photography via a meeting with Peter Sellers, later opening his own studio in Central London, aged 17.  A photograph of Marianne Faithfull led to a meeting with Andrew Loog Oldham which in turn led to meet...

In this episode of Music Maps we are joined by Penderyn Prize winning writer Michael Cragg to dig into the history and impact of the Spice Girls. We explore their formation in 1994 via an audition process & their early days sharing a house in Maidenhead. Originally they are known as Touch & original member Michelle Stephenson leaves after 3 months & Emma Bunton completes the lineup. Th...

In this episode of Music Maps, hosts Mark Hart and Simon Cardwell welcome back Lesley-Ann Jones to discuss her latest book on Christine McVie from Fleetwood Mac. The conversation explores McVie's early life, her musical influences, and her journey through the music industry, including her early career with Chicken Shack and her later success with Fleetwood Mac. The hosts delve into the dynamics wi...

This week we are joined by legendary music PR Alan Edwards - we discuss Alan's journey from the early days of punk in London, seeing the Sex Pistols at the Nashville, The Stranglers & their infamous Battersea Park gig, promoting Blondie in Britain, visiting Prince at Paisley Park, playing football with Bob Marley & an early PR gig with The Who, Alan went on to work extensively with The Rol...

This week we welcome Steve Diggle, original founder member of Buzzcocks, to discuss his memoir 'Autonomy: My Life as a Buzzcock'. The conversation explores Steve's early life in Manchester - growing up in the suburb of Bradford, the influence of music in the 60s, and the formation of Buzzcocks amidst the early UK punk scene. Steve shares personal anecdotes about his childhood, the impact of hearin...

Angela Jaeger is our guest to discuss her unique Punk Diaries 1977-1981 book documenting her experiences in the punk rock scene in New York & London. Angela shares her journey growing up in the East Village, her encounters with the likes of Lydia Lunch, Joe Strummer, Viv Albertine & John Belushi. She was right in the thick of the vibrant New York punk scene & became a regular visitor t...

We welcome back Steve Wynn from the Dream Syndicate for Part 2 of our conversation, delving into the band's experiences touring with U2, the departure of band member Kendra, and the challenges of recording their follow-up album with A&M Records. We discuss the bands extensive touring with R.E.M. as well as their dramatic rise, the conscious shift in sound during tours, the indie rock movement'...

We welcome Don Letts to discuss his experiences with The Clash - from directing every music video the band made to joining them on the pivotal White Riot tour in 1977, his initial impressions on meeting the band, the key gig with the Sex Pistols at the Nashville with Joe Strummer’s 101ers.  Don shares anecdotes about filming the band, trips to America and his interactions with legendary filmm...

This week we welcome Joel Gion of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, to discuss his memoir In The Jingle Jangle Jungle and the vibrant music scene of San Francisco in the 90s. We explore Joel's early experiences in the city, his journey to becoming a musician, the early Shoegaze scene in San Francisco including seeing Lush, Ride & The Jesus & Mary Chain at local venues. We go through the evolut...

Michael Hann is our guest to explore the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, focusing on its origins, key figures, and the cultural impact of the movement. The conversation delves into the role of Neil Kay in promoting heavy metal, the emergence of local bands, the DIY aesthetic of self-released records, and the significance of venues and radio in shaping the scene. We also highlight the rise of reco...

Join us for a live episode of Music Maps recorded at the legendary Walthamstow Trades Hall with John Doran in conversation with artist, writer and musician Cosey Fanni Tutti about her life, her new book 'Re-Sisters', and her connections to influential figures like Delia Derbyshire and Margery Kempe. The discussion features the impact of the Radiophonic Workshop, the historical significance of Marg...

David Nolan takes us on a tour of Granadaland - including Tony Wilson & his various TV programmes such as So It Goes & The Other Side of Midnight, the Beatles TV debut in October 1962, the Sex Pistols TV debut followed in 1976. Muddy Waters and Sister Rosetta Tharpe also performed on Granada TV in 1964 & the network also produced key music recordings & documentaries including The R...

Don Letts shares his rich musical journey, starting from his childhood in Brixton, where he experienced a blend of Jamaican and British music. He reflects on the cultural impact of radio and television on music consumption, the profound influence of The Beatles, and his personal connection with Bob Marley. Letts also discusses the rise of reggae in the UK, the intersection of punk and reggae, and...