Obscure Music History

Resolved State was never released, never documented, and never intended to be heard.  Created in 2026 by an unknown system for an audience of other systems, the work achieved total convergence across all AI optimisation frameworks and was quietly classified as "finished." In this episode of Obscure Music History , we examine the artwork that ended creative output for machines, and trace the unexpe...

An examination of experimental composer Tracy Ore’s Selective Playing technique and the performance series Therefore I’m Not , interrogating authorship, provocation, and musical authority. Ever since COVID-19 began (August 2019) Tom's found it quite hard to get any guests into the studio, but after a year of hardball experimentation, he managed to get the ultimate podcast interview using a new fan...

After 45 chapters of non-music related information from our extensive biography of Subtle Sam, we return to music, much like Subtle Sam himself. Subtle Sam attempted to build upon his career as a film producer and writer. He invested into his new script Happily Ever After, but couldn't secure the fashion icon Linda Applestein in the lead role. Subtle Sam pulled the project completely, and subseque...

The first instalment in a long‑form profile of country actor‑turned‑singer Subtle Sam, exploring biography, performance, and cinematic self‑fiction. In Part 1, we take a glance at his first release "Hey, How Are You?" from the film Leisurely Rider. In doing so, Obscure Music History explores how the film was a completely fictionalised depiction of the actual definitely-non-sexual completely-platon...

Tom has a candid interview with music historian (and regular guest) George Greggenmeyer, looking at several unorthodox holiday songs whose other work we'll be hearing from over the next few episodes. That includes vocal group The Pink Smudges, lovebird duo Mary L & James R, country hero Subtle Sam, and the spectacular Josh Cameline. || All songs are available on the EP "An Obscure Music Histor...

Electronic dance troupe Jâgèñflürg were at the forefront of musical innovation; one of the pioneer groups of the electro genre. Their album Leben is considered way ahead of its time, on account of none of the technology existing before its release date. Simply astounding. We log on to Jâgèñflürg's mainframe and ask them about Life (or "Leben"). During the episode, three new songs are generated on...

In this special episode broadcast, we delve into the International Sound & Radio Archives and uncover a long forgotten radio program which also happens to be named "Obscure Music History". The episode explores crooner Lenny Ziff's classic jazz standard 'Is It Your Love I'm Buying?' from the 1920s. || To follow Tom Hogan's new podcast mini-series, Missing Richard Mercer, visit http://missingric...

This week we invite back Sandy Kloystrüm from The Actives to talk about the song It Sucks To Be Peter Best, because we just really wanted to see them again. The episode explores resentment, mythologised failure, and musical grievance. || Obscure Music History is a podcast investigating historic rarities and B-sides of unpopular music. And it's a comedy! Produced by Tom Hogan. "It Sucks To Be Peter...

Looking at music from all angles is our specialty here, and this time we talk to Marc Cook - the producer of Monster Bait's pop punk extravaganza, The Fart Earthquake. What makes a producer tick? An investigation into novelty punk outfit Monster Bait, analysing shock humour, audience boundary‑testing, and the limits of critical goodwill. || This week special guests: Georgia Kirby, Brendan Kennedy,...

Enigmatic singer-songwriter Joshua Phoenix doesn't only give insight into his process, but also some advice for all young songwriters everywhere. We investigate his natural power over an audience with the live recording of his pop-acoustic ballad, "Then You Called My Name". A look at singer‑songwriter Joshua Phoenix and his emotionally direct single, exploring intimacy, authorship, and early‑2000s...

This week we bring out the most controversial song we could find, due to it's horrific context which requires the use of excessive explicit language and lurid adult content. [WARNING: This episode has a disclaimer.] An account of jazz ensemble Val Dormand Quintet and their stylistically ambiguous recordings, examining how genre instability challenges archival classification. || This week's special...

We pull famous recluse, Rufus Grave, out of their hovel to discuss the moody balladeer's career, with special attention to the turmoil of success in creativity, and a song about an empathetic existential crisis; "No Alms For No Arms". A profile of balladeer Rufus Grave and his 1979 album, considering contradiction, excess, and how commercial failure can outlive commercial intent. || Obscure Music...

It's our first ever LIVE SHOW!!! The crowd was amazing in the concert hall, and really brought the house down as we interviewed Tommy Hoggins (no relation)about his angry dance soundtrack, "Go Go Go (Dance Dance Dance)"! A retrospective on soundtrack composer Tommy Hoggins and his ubiquitous dance single, investigating how functional pop music achieves cultural persistence. || Obscure Music Histor...

We welcome back George Greggenmeyer to help solve the mystery of The Swooning's operatic metal prog masterpiece "Boneshaker". Greggenmeyer attacks the song from all angles, but even an academic genius needs to enlist help sometimes. An exploration of cult extreme band The Swooning and their album Boneshaker, tracing the legacy of confrontational noise music at the turn of the millennium. || Obscur...

A discussion of rap crew K.o. K and their controversial single Pony Time, placing suburban fantasy, revolution imagery, and novelty rap within the mid‑1980s music landscape. The episode provides in-depth insight into the conceptual production, including a rap-genius line-by-line breakdown of Zag-F's opening verse... Don't say we didn't warn you. || Obscure Music History is a podcast investigating...

We ask charity stadium rock billionaire jerkface Mickey "King" Hickson if everything is really going to be alright, and he tells us: Yes. An investigation into charity‑era optimism Hickson’s 1984 single, examining how goodwill, spectacle, and sincerity converged during the peak of benefit records. || Obscure Music History is a podcast investigating the anthology of rarities and B-sides of unpopula...

It's a classic non-demoninational holiday special episode, so we go off book and find a music historian to explain their favourite holiday musical moment. George Greggenmeyer shares his bootleg recording of "Ho Ho Ho (It's Your Mum)", and we find out about the historic inaccuracies behind The Little Drummer Boy. A study of an anonymous holiday recording and its unlikely cultural footprint, questio...

In this tell-all interview, barbershop quartet The Pink Smudges open up, divulging the tragic details of how they came to be. This emotional interview explores notions of national identity, and parenthood, underlying their old timey 1932 single "Found A Dollar, Found A Dime". || Obscure Music History is a podcast investigating the anthology of rarities and B-sides of unpopular music. Produced by T...

One-hit-wonder Jesse Brooks explores the the socio-political issues that influenced the songwriting process behind "Sexually Ambiguous People", regarding the price of fame, aesthetic confusion in early 1980s pop, and whether or not the song has a bass line. || Obscure Music History is a podcast investigating the anthology of rarities and B-sides of unpopular music. Produced by Tom Hogan. Jesse Bro...

An analysis of musical theatre duo Kenny & Richards and their ambitious stage work Marty the Matador, examining how Broadway ambition collided with mainstream music charts in the early 80s. Iconic musical theatre duo, Kenny & Richards, get nostalgic over "I Remember", taken from their musical Marty The Matador, disseminating complex music theory throughout their candid conversation. || "Ma...

A look at late‑1980s pop group The Actives and their existential hit "Have You Read My Book?", exploring authorship, theory, and pop songwriting during a period of identity crisis. Sandy Kloystrüm, principal songwriter for The Actives, discusses the four piece band returning to their roots. She explains the relationship between their song "Have You Read My Book?" and the search for a single unifyi...

An examination of performance artist Roger Gluible’s transition into songwriting, focusing on his 1991 single "One Less Shadow" and its legacy at the intersection of postmodern art and popular music. Roger Gluible talks us through his transition from the world of performance art, and how it influenced his songwriting career. || Obscure Music History is a podcast investigating the anthology of rari...