Music Stories with Tony Lloyd

I talk to the talented Matt Holubowski who was in his car in Montreal at the time! (don't ask!) He has just released his 4th album 'Like Flowers on a Molten Lawn' We chat about his influences, how he started in music, and he gives great advice to fellow musicians too. You can get his unique and original music at www.mattholubowski.com  Watch out for his forthcoming tour of Canada an...

The Swingles are an award winning ( 5 x Grammys) Acapella Group and it was my pleasure to interview Jo and Oliver from the group. Their new singles are out now, a brilliant version of Man in The Mirror ( Micheal Jackson) and Time After Time ( Cyndi Lauper). I play a few seconds of Time After Time in the interview. Have a listen, there are no instruments on these tracks at all! I find out how they...

Have a listen to my Backstagetony.tv interview with the talented Harri Mason. She was just about to go on stage at The Camden Club, London's new music venue. Watch the interview with Harri and others at The Camden Club in London here: https://www.youtube.com/@backstagetonytv/videos UPDATE! Harri has just released a great new single 'Beyond This Place'  Available on Spotify - details...

I speak to talented Kwun, originally from London but at the moment in Mexico. He tells me about his career, and about his fascinating system of tuning instruments to 432Hz, the frequency of middle A on a piano. His love song single ' Ancient, Ageless and True' is out now with an album by the same name following later in 2023. Information and his music and videos can be found at www.kwunm...

I love interviewing people in the music industry, everyone has a different story to tell and different reasons for writing their music. Ross is a talented musician who's latest single ' 13 Years' is a protest song about child poverty. He gives me some sad facts about this situation and why it has motivated him to write this song. He is shortly at the time of writing on tour all over...

It was a pleasure to be asked to interview the amazing Fleur East. She tells me about how she started in music at 3 years old, what it's like to go on X Factor (twice) , working with Simon Cowell, Strictly Come Dancing, dance partner Vito and much more! She's a very busy lady! Fleur has a brilliant new single out ' Count The Ways' and can be heard on her website www.fleur-east....

I talk to Matt Goss again to find out about his new music and about his UK tour. I ask him if he will be going back to Vegas for another residency, what it's like to record for the new album at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London, with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The MG Big Band too - Amazing! His new single 'The beautiful Unknown' is out now, and I ask him about what t...

It was a pleasure to talk to Tony in Nashville about his career as a singer songwriter, pianist and producer. He has won multiple awards and worked with some amazing artists, such as Bobby Wilson ( Jackie Wilson's son), Donny Most (Ralf in Happy Days) and many more. I talk to Tony about being on the road as a Band Leader, and importantly his new single 'Why Not Me' and how it is hel...

I chat to Debby Campbell, daughter of the legend Glen Campbell.  Debby has just released a single 'Sunflower' which was of course sung by her father Glen and written by Neil Diamond. She tells me what it was like to be on tour with Glen, and about their life together before he sadly passed away with Alzheimers. We play a short piece of her single Sunflower, as well as a bit of Wichita Li...

The amazing Dave Black AKA Elvis is an awesome Elvis Presley tribute act who has just released a brilliant party dance version of Suspicious Minds. ( There's a brief snippet in the interview) He has shot to stardom being on the front page of newspapers, featured in a BBC documentary and was interviewed and performed on ITV's 'Good Morning' with Holly and Phil. He tells me what...

Alison and Kelly are 'The Abba Girls' an amazing and successful Abba tribute band. I find out how it all came about for them, and get stories from them both about Abba music, their gigs and experiences. A great chat with them both, they are available for all types of events! Follow Abba Girls on Facebook at www.facebook.com/abbagirlsnortheast  Click here to text what you think about this...

A moment of light relief in this episode of Music Stories ! Young Isaac is a talented and determined young man it was a pleasure to interview. Hilariously I learn a lot about drum kits and more seriously about Isaac's ambitions for the future, and all about the band he is in 'Kids on Bikes' Have a listen to his short drumming demo in the interview, and check out his band on Spotify...

Rick set up The Jam with Paul Weller in 1972 while they were still at school and was their drummer. He tells me about some of the history of The Jam, how it all ended in 1982, and much more. Remember their hits - Eton Rifles, When You're Young, A Town Called Malice, Absolute Beginners and That's Entertainment to name a few. Rick has some fantastic stories from the band's time, how D...

It was lovely to talk to Hayley McKay about how she started writing music at an early age and progressed to winning acclaim from the press and winning 'Entertainer of The Year' at The Hot Country TV Awards 2022. I find out who she has toured with, who she has written for apart from herself, (you will be impressed!) and what advice she has for other musicians on the route to success. Hayl...

Chris is a musical inspiration ! In Smokie ( listen to why the spelling was changed from Smokey!) they had massive hits you will remember such as "Living Next Door to Alice',  'I'll meeet you at Midnight', 'Lay Back in the Arms of Someone', 'Midnight Lady' and many more! Since leaving Smokie for his hugely successful solo career in 1986 he has released...

Stuart Brayson is a prolific and versatile British writer/composer. He is a self taught multi instrumentalist and studied dramatic art as an actor in Newcastle and London. Stuart also writes film screenplays and stage plays. Stuart has written over 27 musicals, music and lyrics, ranging from the epic Mata! about the life of Mata Hari to most recently Pink Angora Sweater , a New Musical comedy abou...

Great fun talking to these talented women from JOANovARC , a brilliant all girl rock band. Sam, Shelley and Kiera are described as the 'Queens of Rock' and have a new track  'Here I Go' from their amazing album 'Invisible Enemy' They tell me how music entered their lives, about some of the amazing gigs they've done and what inspires them when they write songs. Th...

A fascinating chat to the very busy Jennie Bellestar, you may know all the words to her hits? Jennie tells me about being on Top of The Pops, being Tom Cruise's favourite song, and her tough childhood and upbringing, and her drug addiction problems in the past and how it all happened. She has great advice for others in the interview too. Her new track 'I Don't Watch TV' is out...

Remember 'Doin' The Do' from 1990? You probably danced to it and also probably know the words - amazing! I talk to Betty Boo who has just released her  album 'Boomerang' after a 30 year break coping with some sad and demanding family matters,  I find out about how it all started for her in the music business, some of the amazing artists she has written for, and all about h...

Jesse is such a nice chap! We talk about how he started his career and the fear of being on stage first time. I tease him about getting married (listen to Jesse squirm lol !) A great interview that includes some positive advice for up and coming musicians. His latest excellent album 'Horizons' is available now. Jesse Roper's music and more information can be found on his website www...

Formally base player with the brilliant band from the eighties 'Then Jerico', Jasper tells me how the band got it's name, what it's like to be without a record label, and gives excellent advice for other musicians too. The Magic E's current single is the brilliant 'Gone' All their information including dates of gigs can be found at www.wearemagic.uk Click here to...

When I heard Annabel sing I had to interview her. She is one of Petrina Johnson the famous vocal coach's students. I talk to Petrina about her incredible showbiz career. She has appeared in countless West End productions with the likes of Barry Manilow and Petula Clark, appeared in Sunset Boulevard and many more around the world. See her website at www.petrinajohnson.com She has some very goo...

I speak to the multi talented Adam and Dorian from Aliens Don't Ring Doorbells ( what a fantastic unforgettable name !) and find out how they formed the band, and how it was named! Listen to hear what it was like to tour with the likes of Roachford and Scouting for Girls and the good and bad things involved with touring. (snoring may be mentioned!) Their new album comes out in the spring of 2...

I talk to the very talented and flamboyant Jamie Hannah. Operatically trained and able to reach a huge range of notes Jamie describes his music as "ethereal cinematic pop". He has many great comments from stars such as Emma Thompson, Gary Barlow and Boy George who he has collaborated with too. Playing many instruments on his tracks his distinctive sound has ensured his song 'Flowers...

It was a pleasure to talk to Jess in the midst of her busy touring and performance schedule. I find out about how she started in the music business, we talk about awards ( and she has many ), she has advice about composing and today's music technology and much more. Jess's main influence is Shania Twain and she sounds very similar, (in fact just as good or even better in my opinion!) so...