Stupid & Contagious

This week on Stupid & Contagious , we've got a rare interview with Som Wardner , frontman of British alternative rock favourites My Vitriol . Twenty-five years after their cult classic debut Finelines , Som joins us to discuss the band's rise, why they disappeared from the spotlight, Noel Gallagher, and the return of Finelines . It's a rare chance to hear from one of British altern...

In episode 166 we’re joined by legendary rock photographer Tony Woolliscroft , who shares incredible stories from his years behind the lens! From gaining the trust of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the chaos of Fuji Rock Festival, Tony takes us behind the scenes for a fascinating look at life with some of rock’s biggest names - Enjoy! Stupid & Contagious STORE https://stupid-contagious-podcast.m...

It's a wang week and we this week we are finding out which ’90s indie band had the most UK Top 40 hits? Oasis? Blur? Suede? You might be surprised! This week on Stupid & Contagious , we're counting down the biggest ’90s indie bands based on how many UK Top 40 singles they scored between 1990 and 1999. There are some familiar names, some unexpected placings and a few results that genuin...

In episode 164 we’re joined by Pete Voss of Campag Velocet to revisit the wild days of ’90s British indie. Pete talks about the band being hailed by the music press as “the best new band in Britain,” the hype and pressure that followed, their refusal to play the Britpop game, and the punk, hip-hop and acid house influences behind their unique sound. We also get into A Clockwork Orange , life after...

This week on Stupid & Contagious , we’re joined by Clint Boon of Inspiral Carpets for a trip through more than four decades of Manchester music. Clint takes us from the punk gig that changed his life and the early days of the Inspirals to the explosion of Madchester , Top of the Pops , huge festival shows and the story of Noel Gallagher auditioning to be the band’s singer before becoming their...

This week we enter the psychedelic world of Ozric Tentacles with founding member and guitarist Ed Wynne . From a legendary six-hour jam at Stonehenge Free Festival that helped start the band to more than four decades of psychedelic, progressive and electronic experimentation, Ed talks us through the incredible Ozrics story, his relationship with his brother Roly , the gear behind their unmistakabl...

It's a wang week on Stupid & Contagious , we’re digging through the wardrobe and heading back to the golden age of the band T-shirt! We revisit the shirts we actually owned, the ones we desperately wanted but could never afford, the dodgy knock-offs and some of the most iconic and controversial designs! We also share some brilliant photos and memories sent in by listeners, and ask the big ques...

In episode160 we’re diving headfirst into the hazy, effects drenched world of shoegaze with Stephen Patman from Chapterhouse . Stephen takes us right back to the band’s beginnings, their early influences and shows with Spacemen 3 , before finding themselves at the heart of the emerging shoegaze scene alongside the likes of Slowdive and Lush . We get into the making of their classic debut album Whi...

In episode 159 we’re digging into a genuine Britpop time capsule . Our guest is Douglas Vicenzi , an American Anglophile who spent the mid 90s filming and interviewing British bands as they passed through New York, before heading over to the UK to capture even more live performances, backstage moments and interviews. Then, incredibly, much of that footage sat unseen for around 30 years . Douglas j...

This week it’s time for one of Luke’s Summer Specials ! With the rest of the Stupid & Contagious crew taking a well-earned week off, Luke takes the reins for a one on one dive into one of his favourite current bands, Irked! Joining him are Hubb and Mike to talk about the Newcastle band’s brilliantly abrasive take on punk, their debut album The Grievance , life on Wrong Speed Records , writing...

It's a wang week and in honour of the nominees being released for this years Mercury Prize we’re heading back to the 1990s and going through the Mercury Prize year by year: the nominees, the winners, the albums that should have won, and some choices that, looking back now, seem absolutely mental! We’ve got Primal Scream, Suede, Pulp, Portishead, Blur, Oasis, Radiohead, The Prodigy and plenty more...

It's episode 156 and this week we're joined by Adi Vines from SwerveDriver ! We dive into the story behind Raise , the early days of the band, the Oxford scene, Creation Records, touring alongside some of the biggest names of the '90s and Adi's remarkable career behind the scenes as a guitar tech for some of rock's biggest artists. We also get an exclusive heads up on the upcoming release of the o...

In episode 155 we're diving into one of the most debated eras in British music with author Paul Laird , whose brilliant book The Birth and Impact of Britpop challenges everything you thought you knew about the movement. Was Britpop really all about Oasis vs Blur? Were some of the era's most important bands completely overlooked? And could the real architect of Britpop have been... Morrissey? We ex...

This week on the Stupid And Contagious Podcast, we're joined by Mat Flint , the founder of one of the most underrated bands of the shoegaze era - Revolver ! In the early '90s, Revolver had the music press behind them, major labels fighting to sign them... and even the chance to join Alan McGee's legendary Creation Records. But they said no! Matt tells us the full story from the label bidding war a...

It's episode 153 & England are out. Again! The dream's over, the memes have started, and Three Lions has gone back on the shelf for another tournament. But rather than talking about what might have been, we're looking back at something England have always been world class at... football songs. From World in Motion to Three Lions , from Vindaloo to some absolute forgotten disasters, we're ranki...

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...