Personal Jukebox Music Podcast

July 2006 is the focus of our latest chart analysis episode and this time there’s a lot of people on trial for peddling their wares. Amongst those in the firing line include Lordi, Pink, Razorlight, Muse & The Lost Prophets…. all of your faves.  We also discuss cold water therapy, Brit school kids & our co-host falls in love with Paolo Nutini whilst also being unable to recollect a vast ma...

The Power Ballad. Loved by many (including our co-host on this ep) but labelled by others as a product of a bygone era. In the vast majority of cases these songs are characterised by emotional and heartfelt lyrics, powerful vocals, and a melodic and dramatic instrumental arrangement. Typically, power ballads feature a slow tempo, allowing the singer to showcase their vocal range and express deep e...

“Oh yeah” you may say, “I remember Travis, always asking why it was raining, telling us to turn/sing etc”. Well on this episode we focus on the band’s first album, released in late 1997 and spawning 4 top 40 singles, even if you didn’t realise at the time. We’ve mentioned before on the pod that Travis, alongside The Verve (and Embrace lol) were somewhat of a middle stepping ground between the 90s...

Ning is back to takeover the Personal Jukebox alongside his JifnotCif brethren as they drill down the album ‘Juice’ by Send No Flowers. This was the 1996 debut & ended up as the only album put out by the British five-piece who really distilled their sound on this effort but information on the net in scarce. How good are the songs? Why didn’t the band last? Listen in and find out.   Do us a goo...

Ok, this episode is partly due to a listener suggestion following Sex Neil’s love of a big beat & a female vocal so this time we head into the self-titled debut album from Republica. Another record released in that sweet mid-to-late 90s slot that we love here on the Personal Jukebox. Surely EVERYBODY knows the twin big hits from this one but you ever heard any of the other stuff? We hadn’t tbh...

Load is the sixth studio album by our old mates Metallica. Released in 1996, this album marked a significant departure from the band's thrash roots, erring way into hard rock, alternative and blues rock territory. With tracks like "Until It Sleeps", “Mama Said” & "Ronnie," Load showcases Metallica's new impetus of versatility and willingness to experiment with their sound ever so slightly.  Ho...

Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. Released in 1994, this album catapulted Green Day to mainstream success and is considered a cornerstone of the (pop?)punk rock genre. With its catchy melodies, energetic guitar riffs, and rebellious lyrics, Dookie resonated with a generation of youth looking for something a bit different from the malaise that Grunge had fou...

We blast off into 2024 with a killer episode focused around the Filthy 15. These are 15 songs that in 1985 were put forward in the US by the PMRC (The Parents Music Resource Centre, a collection set up initially by wives of ‘high-up’ folk in the United States) as the most objectionable and also featured the worst content imaginable to the group’s members. Artists such as Madonna, Black Sabbath, AC...

For the final time this year we step into the Personal Jukebox to discuss The Fat Of The Land by The Prodigy. This album was released in summer 1997 but was preceded by 12 months of singles, hype, publicity (both positive and negative) and ballyhoo enabling The Prodigy to become one of the biggest acts around at the time.  We discuss all aspects of this offering as well as later releases by the ba...

It’s a TAKEOVER!   Live from Studio 2, Ning steps back into the driving seat of the Personal Jukebox and welcomes in Lee E alongside The Voice in the Background to have a cursory gander across the 1994 album Ill Communication by The Beastie Boys.  They also muse over further releases by The Beasties and recount 1998’s Reading festival line-up.   Do us a good turn and rate or review the Personal Ju...

The Personal Jukebox belatedly returns!   Angel Dust is Faith No More's fourth studio album, released in 1992. It's a genre-defying work that blends alternative rock, metal, and experimental elements. The album showcases the band's musical versatility, featuring unconventional song structures, eclectic instrumentation, and Mike Patton's distinctive vocals as well as being the final bow of guitaris...

On this episode we delve into the rhythmic journey of the 2000s, exploring the sonic landscape shaped by the most downloaded and streamed songs worldwide. From chart-toppers to anthems that defined an era, Hip-Hop to Garage Rock, Alt mega hits to Pure Pop. Let’s hold hands together skip through the melodies that resonated across the globe during this erm… iconic? decade.   Obs we slalom off-piste...

Next up to be dissected inside the Personal Jukebox is Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt. With this record, first released in 1995 but not gaining mega popularity until early ‘97, No Doubt hit the big time. Blending ska, pop and punk with Gwen Stefani’s ‘one of the guys’ allure wrote the guys their ticket to a diamond selling disc.  Question is… is the album actually any good? Is there anything on this w...

The Personal Jukebox is back with an all-timer episode! This pod we head back to March 1999, a time before sat navs, iPhones & Uber eats. A time where Manchester United were on their way to the treble whilst the noisy neighbours were scraping themselves out of English football’s third tier. A time musically, following Britpop’s fade out but before Nu-Metal & pop punk had bled out onto the...

On this episode we cover 1984 by Van Halen. Released as the band’s sixth album, this became a multi seller in their native US shipping over 10 million to be certified diamond. It gave the band their only No.1 on the Billboard chart (guess what that was..) but also signified the end of Diamond Dave Lee Roth’s tenure working with Van Halens Eddie & Alex.  We discuss the break-up of the band, the...

Following on from previous audience-splitting artists covered on the pod such as Nickelback and Avril Lavigne, this time we take in the second album put out by possibly the ultimate ‘Marmite’ band Coldplay.  Released over 20 years ago, Chris Martin and his mates followed up their huge-selling debut by showcasing a more mature sound and cranking up the feels on this one. EVERYBODY has heard the big...

Our old mate Ning is back on the podcast with Simon as they bang on about a whole host of stuff including receiving emails from Motley Crüe, the British class divide, Radio 1 roadshows, green issues, & dad fishing.    As if that’s not enough, Everything Must Go (                   ) by the Manic Street Preachers is the focus of this episode. We cover the album in depth, analyse how the Manic’s...

Super Neil returns with Simon to talk all things Limp Bizkit & their 4th album Results May Vary. Recorded at a time when Limp were up there with the big hitters, Fred was apparently rubbing shoulders with peak Britney Spears but minus talismanic guitarist Wes Borland and very definitely following the Nu-Metal boom. The album has been reviled and ridiculed by music writers and fans alike and so...

Simon and Gaz return to round out our 1980s vs 1990s metal band discussion. This time we put tracks by Exodus, Skid Row, Iron Maiden, Slayer & Poison up against Slipknot, Monster Magnet, Nine Inch Nails, Limp Bizkit & Rage Against The Machine.  Which decade’s representatives will reign supreme? Will anybody care? Listen in & find out. Rate and review the Personal Jukebox on Spotify, iT...

Welcome back to the latest episode from the Personal Jukebox where this time we pit the finest metal tracks from the 1980s against their 1990s counterparts in a battle to the death where only one decade can reign supreme! Simon is joined by Gaz to pick over the latest album from Metallica, now that they've had a fair bit of time to listen. Then we ramp things up by facing off 80s Metal heavyweight...

Take our word for it, this episode is an absolute all-timer!   Welcome back to the Personal Jukebox where this time, we tackle Only By The Night from Kings of that there Leon. The album was massively successful, spawning KOL’s highest profile singles & made them proper mainstream but is it REALLY any good? Hmmmmm…   Simon gets Neil’s (belated, admittedly) views & reviews of this year’s Dow...

Pearl Jam released their debut album in summer 1991 and immediately were flung into the burgeoning alternative/grunge music tidal wave even though on this album they don’t really bear the hallmarks of the Grunge ‘sound’. This is no ‘Grunge’ record. Carried on the collective back of stateside mega-hits Even Flow, Jeremy & Alive, Ten eventually outsold Nirvana’s Nevermind in the U.S. whilst on t...

Come listen to the latest podcast with some good ol’ boys. Released right slap-bang in the sweet spot 1996 heartland of the podcast, Odelay was Beck’s fifth (??!) album, yet most still really just knew him from 1994’s played on MTV all the time mega-hit ‘Loser’. Spurred on by not wanting to be a one hit wonder, Beck blended country, blues, rap, hip hop, jazz & rock for this record and was bestowed...

The UK chart in 1993 was a proper mixed bag. Whilst acts from the late eighties and big established stars were still putting out material, new artists from diverse ends of the music spectrum such as alternative, boy bands, emerging britpop and even the zeitgeist of the time, Ragga were all throwing their hats into the ring to prise money from young music-buying kid’s hands.  Join Simon & Lez as th...

It’s a TAKEOVER! Ning steps into the driver’s seat and hooks up with Lez to look at the 1990 debut effort from The Quireboys, A bit of what you fancy. The album reviewed favourably at the time, reached top 2 on the UK album charts and led to the band playing to over 50,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome (5 stars from Meltzer) on New Years Eve.  Ning and Lez wistfully look back at the time this came out an...