Stupid & Contagious

In episode 152 we're joined by James McColl , frontman of one of the great underrated bands of the Britpop era The Supernaturals. From DIY cassette releases and touring the Highlands of Scotland, to Top 10 albums, hit singles like "Smile" and "I Wasn't Built to Get Up" , and sharing stages with everyone from Blur and Supergrass to Robbie Williams, James takes us through the incredible journey of a...

This week on the podcast, we're joined by Andy Cairns , frontman of Therapy? one of the most distinctive and enduring bands to come out of the UK alternative rock scene. Over the last three decades, Therapy? have released 17 studio albums, toured the world, appeared on Top of the Pops, shared stages with everyone from Helmet and the Jesus Lizard to Henry Rollins, and somehow managed to survive eve...

In episode 150 we chat to Danny McNamara , frontman of Embrace . Over the last three decades, Embrace have had one of the most fascinating careers in British music. From exploding onto the scene in the late '90s, to being dropped by their record label, coming back stronger than ever, and still releasing acclaimed new music today, they've managed something very few bands ever do - they've survived!...

Joining us for our 'Hot Take' Special are Mike and Dave, and we've all come armed with a collection of music opinions that are guaranteed to divide listeners. Some of them we genuinely believe. Some of them we're going to have to defend whether we believe them or not! Over the next hour we're arguing over questions like: Is Britpop actually better than grunge? Was Oasis destined for greatness with...

Thirty years ago, Vent 414 arrived with one incredible album and then disappeared almost as quickly as they came. Formed from the ashes of The Wonder Stuff and featuring Miles Hunt, Morgan Nicholls and Pete Howard, they left behind a record that became a cult favourite for fans of 90s alternative rock. Now, three decades later, they're back! In episode 148 Miles and Morgan join us to talk about ho...

This week we're shining a light on one of Britpop's great hidden gems: Flamingoes ! If you were digging through the pages of NME and Melody Maker in the mid-90s, you'll probably remember them. If not, you're in for a treat! They rubbed shoulders with the New Wave of New Wave scene, and released a string of brilliant singles before putting out their cult classic album, Plastic Jewels. Joining us to...

In episode 146 we dive deep into the wild world of the early 90s UK underground scene with Tabitha Zu! Melanie and John join us to talk about chaotic DIY touring, sleeping on floors, playing over 150 gigs in a year, muddy festivals, VHS archives, and the surreal experience of opening for Nirvana during the legendary Rollercoaster tour era. We also get into Nottingham’s underground music scene, got...

It's a wang week so who's up for a game of Pop or Plop ? Will Smith, TLC, Spin Doctors, Lighthouse Family, Mariah Carey, Five, Saint Etienne… POP or complete PLOP? One of us is recording from Seoul, South Korea… one of us defends Will Smith unironically… and somebody absolutely loses their mind over Spin Doctors! So grab a beer, put your Kangol hat back on, and prepare to get irrationally angry ab...

It's episode 144 & Incase you hadn't heard A are back with a new album! Today’s guest is one of the great survivors of British rock music. From fronting late-90s alt-rock band A to producing massive records for bands like McFly, Jason Perry has lived every side of the music industry, the highs, the crashes, the reinventions, and the comebacks. In this episode, Jason tells unbelievable stories...

From the psychedelic shadows of the late 80s to touring alongside bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, Scorpio Rising were one of those bands that seemed destined for something massive until the music industry, bad timing, and real life got in the way! In episode 143 we talk about major label deals, shoegaze and grunge, Reading Festival, living on the dole in Manchester, recording under churches, set...

In episode 142 we’re joined by Phil Ward better known as The Albino Priest from Lo Fidelity Allstars ! A band that somehow went from their very first gig… straight to getting signed to Skint, landing on the cover of the music press, and suddenly finding themselves in the middle of the madness that was the late 90s! We get into everything, the chaotic early days, what it was really like being part...

This week… we’re going back to 1996! A year where Oasis ruled the world, the Spice Girls kicked the door down, and somehow both “Firestarter” and “Wannabe” existed at the same time and everyone loved both! We’re talking Knebworth. We’re talking Trainspotting. We’re talking the Fugees, Beck, Manics… and yes we are talking 'Jesus to a f*cking child'! So whether you were there, taped it off the radio...

There was a moment back in the 90s when music didn’t just soundtrack your life… it was your life! For some of us, that meant saving up for cassette singles, taping songs off the radio, or heading straight to the record shop the second something new dropped. For others, like this week’s guest it became something even bigger: a way of understanding who you were. Because for Anna Doble , the 90s were...

For every band that became a household name, there were dozens more who got this close, radio play, TV appearances, sold-out gigs and then… nothing. Today’s episode is one of those stories, in episode 139 we chat to Philip from Britpop 'Shouldhavebeens' Speedy ! We’re talking to the former frontman who went from indie buzz, Radio 1 singles, and national TV… to being dropped, walking away, and even...

Joining us for episode 138 is none other than Peter Holmström from the The Dandy Warhols ! We chat about the band’s journey from the early 90s Portland scene to global success, their influences, the reality behind the stories, and what it was really like being part of that era! And of course, we get into Dig ! that legendary documentary that followed The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massa...

This week in episode 137 on the podcast… we’re diving headfirst into chaos! 30 years on, we’re revisiting The Fat of the Land by The Prodigy, an album that didn’t just shake the 90s… it kicked the door in! From banned videos and media outrage to some of the most aggressive, genre-defining tracks ever released… this was the moment rave collided with rock and changed everything! We’re talking Firest...

This is Episode 136 and today’s one is a wild ride! We’re joined by Ronnie O’Hara musician, journalist, and full-on 90s scene survivor who’s done everything from starting riot grrrl bands to turning up to gigs uninvited… and somehow getting away with it! We get into DIY chaos, the reality of the 90s underground scene, sexism in music, and some genuinely unhinged stories from life on the road! Stup...

Walter Schreifels is one of the most influential figures to come out of the New York hardcore scene. From his early days playing guitar in Youth of Today to forming groundbreaking bands like Quicksand, Gorilla Biscuits, Rival Schools, and Walking Concert , Walter helped shape the sound and culture of hardcore and post-hardcore for decades. In episode 135, we dive into his journey growing up in New...

Episode 134 of the Stupid and Contagious Podcast… and this week we’ve got a big one. Today we’re talking about The God Machine, one of the most intense, mysterious and tragically short-lived bands of the 90s alternative scene. A band that started out in San Diego, ended up squatting in London, busking on the streets of Amsterdam just to survive, and somehow turned all of that chaos into some of th...

It's 'Wang' 26 and this week on the podcast, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most divisive eras in rock history… Nu Metal! Adidas tracksuits. Chain wallets. DJ scratches. Angsty screams. Woodstock ’99 literally going up in flames. Was it a genuine evolution of heavy music or a frat-boy fueled regression that undid everything the ‘90s stood for? From Korn and Limp Bizkit to Linkin Park and S...

In episode 132 we bagged a chat with Chris Olley of Six By Seven, one of the most prolific and uncompromising figures to come out of the 90s British alternative scene! From touring Germany in a caravan before they were signed to building a massive live guitar sound to going fully independent in 2004 this is a story about artistic survival 🤟🏻 We talk about the raw power of Peel Sessions, why he h...

This week on episode 131 of the podcast, we’re joined by a true 90s survivor! A man who’s Sat on top of a moving tour bus in Sweden with Liam Gallagher wearing nothing but a Union Jack… Turned down the chance to join Oasis at their peak… Played Live 8 with The Who… And somehow lived to write a book about it! From the chaos of Britpop to backstage madness at Knebworth… from John Peel sessions to Pa...

It's episode 130 and this week we’re joined by Steven McDonald aka Hollywood Steve, Redd Kross founder , bassist, songwriter, and survivor of just about every phase of alternative music you can name! From starting a band at 12 years old , playing with Black Flag , and accidentally standing at the ground zero of grunge , to navigating Britpop envy, major-label fallout, and the strange feeling of be...

This week is a wang week and we’re doing what we probably should’ve avoided… an Ask Us Anything?! We’re talking first gigs, worst gigs, bands we loved then fell out with, bands everyone else loves that we just don’t get and the ones we’ll defend forever! There are regrets, strong opinions, questionable memories, and at least one story we legally cannot explain properly! If you want nostalgia, hot...

In episode 128 we’re talking to a man who’s lived more lives than most people dream of! He started out as a bike courier, picked up a camera, and somehow ended up photographing rock history - Lemmy, Ozzy, the Pistols, Henry Rollins, Sepultura… the list just keeps on going. He’s shot legendary bands, directed music videos, crossed continents, and now lives full-time on a boat in the Mediterranean,...