The Fantastival Podcast

We’re back with a belter of a Fantastival Podcast for #83 as joining Steve this is the ultra talented and brilliant, Megan Wyn…   Indie Rock Singer Songwriter Megan spoke all about her new single ‘Better of You’, her first single ‘Polaroid’, her music tastes, experiences (including playing The Isle Of Wight Festival), what an exciting 2022 has in store for her and lots more, as she also...

Here We Rock & Co into #82 of The Fantastival Podcast as we have Jilly & Macca, the sensational duo behind the brilliant Distant Images, talking to Steve all about the music they love…   A fun time was had by all as Jilly & Macca spoke about how Distant Images formed, their writing process, their recent first gig, the new music twitter community, their musical tastes, experie...

KIMBO, KIMBO… 💜🎧   It’s time for #81 and what a treat is in store for you on this Fantastival Podcast as I was joined by music queen, the one and only Kimberley Forsyth…   We had a great chat as Kimberley is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet as she spoke all about her music tastes and experiences, her love of new music and how she got into the community, her love of A...

The Fantastival Podcast is now #80 and what a way to do so as Steve is joined by the brilliant songwriter & frontman from Space, Mr Tommy Scott…  It was great chatting to Tommy as we caught up talked all things music, from his early memories to his current tour with Space, their formation and rise up the charts, the unexpected success of ‘Spiders’, the story behind the huge ‘Female Of The Species’...

The Fantastival Podcast is back up and well underway now for 2022 and for #79 we were joined by the enigma that is Joe Murty, the bassist from the brilliant Dictator…   Joe made for a great guest as he told us some great stories about his musical tastes and experiences, gave us an insight into Dictator, collated his aptly and brilliantly titled Fantasy Festival and lots more as we had a...

The Fantastival Podcast triumphantly returns for the first time in 2022 as Steve is joined for #78 by Shaun Panda Nicolson, host of his own brilliant Podcast ‘4 Songs and a Dream’…   It was great to chat with Shaun (recorded in December) as we spoke all about music, his favourite gigs, his love of the independent music scene, his varied music taste, his mental health and more before Shau...

HALLIDAY, CELEBRATE!   We love an hmv Christmas Special so for #77 we have sure delivered and only gone and got hmv MD, Phil Halliday, to be the Fantastival Podcast guest for the last episode of 2021…   AND AS A SPECIAL BONUS WE HAVE RUPERT BANNING-LOVER SINGING A CHRISTMAS SONG TO INTRODUCE THE EPISODE.   It was great to have a chat with Phil as we spoke all about mu...

There are just 2 more Fantastival Podcasts left for 2021 and as the year comes to a close we are going out with a bang as we are joined by Paul Doddridge, singer and guitarist from the fantastic 3 Little Wolves…🐺🐺🐺   It was great to chat to Paul who was so enthusiastic about music as he talked about how he got into playing the guitar, his music tastes and experiences, a wonderful stor...

It’s a very special way for The Fantastival Podcast to turn #75 as I was joined by 5 guests who all appear on The Mind Aid 2022 single as follows: ❤️💚Jordan Murray from Arcade State   ❤️💚Jodi Findlay from Silvi   ❤️💚Jilly & Macca from Distant Images   ❤️💚 Lottie   It was great to speak to the guys to find his Mind Aid got started, how the acts got in...

A modern poetic powerhouse of attitude and sound’… Jodi Findlay from the brilliant Silvi joins us on The Fantastival Podcast for #74.  It was a pleasure to speak to Jodi as she talks about how she got involved in music, the formation and evolution of Silvi, new & local music and the support from within that scene, her first records, what she’s listening to, her favourite gigs and of...

It’s good enough for you as The Fantastival Podcast turns #73 as Steve is delighted to be joined by singer, songwriter, guitarist, front man of Dodgy, Mr Nigel Clark.   You’re in for a great time as Nigel talks us through his life in music, from realising he could hold a tune, listening to punk music, moving to London, the rise of Dodgy, The Dodgy Club, Homegrown, Good Enough, Free Peace...

ALL TOGETHER NOW…   The Fantastival Podcast turns #72 and we are delighted to be joined by Writer, Lecturer, Promoter, occasional DJ and Guitarist for The Farm, Mr Keith Mullin.   We had a great chat as we spoke all about the acts that Keith would put into his Fantasy Festival, how he got into playing music, buying records, how he joined The Farm, their rise to the top in getti...

The Fantastival Podcast turns #71 and we’re delighted to be joined by singer-songwriter, book publisher and firefighter, hailing from in Glasgow… it’s Dale!   We chatted about how Dale got serious about his songwriting, releasing his EP with a point of difference on cassette, his hopes for a Christmas Number 1, playing live gigs and lots more as Dale also collated his brilliant Fantasy F...

There he goes, there he goes again, as we’re joined for #70 of The Fantastival Podcast by musician, record producer, photographer, one time guitarist of The La’s, The Onset, The Lightning Seeds, a partner in the excellent Viper Label, a man of many talents, it’s Mr Paul Hemmings…   We talk all about Paul’s life in music as he talks about learning the guitar, joining The La’s, Lee Mavers...

69 DUDES…🚀🚀🚀🚀  This week we are delighted to be joined for #69 of The Fantastival Podcast by the voice behind ‘To Indie & Beyond’ on In Your Ears Music, the one & only, Mr Ricky Spence…  We talk all about the music Ricky loves, how lockdown made him go deeper into new music and start his own show, how he met his lady at T In The Park, his favourite ever gigs, his Fantasy Fest...

What a guest we have for The Fantastival Podcast #68 as Damon Minchella comes and takes our guest spot…  Damon talks to Steve all about Ocean Colour Scene, from their start to the end of Damon’s time in the band, about Paul Weller, about Richard Ashcroft (and also what he has in common with Richard and Everton Legend Leon Osman), about his musical tastes, his experiences, how a football injur...

This week we are taking the Bull By The Horns as Mikey Shiraz joined Steve for #67 (Dudes) of The Fantastival Podcast…  In one of the most fun episodes yet Mikey spoke all about his musical tastes, his experiences, his love of movies (some classics in there), the evolution of Mr Shiraz, a great story about Coolio, collated his Fantasy Festival with potentially the greatest encore ever and loa...

We are delighted to have Brandin Lea joining us for #66 of The Fantastival Podcast.  With Steve being a huge fan of Flickerstick Brandin was one of the first names of someone to get onto the Fantastival Podcast and we’re so glad we did as we had an epic chat about all things Flickerstick (how they formed, evolved, Bands On The Run, a major label deal, Welcoming Home The Astronauts, lineup cha...

It’s a first for The Fantastival Podcast as why have one member of the brilliant Arcade State (trust, they are ace) when you can have two, as It was a delight to be joined by brothers Jordan (drums) and Ciaran Murray (guitar and vox) for #65.  We spoke about the formation and evolution of Arcade State, lockdown, drum sounds, songwriting, having your songs sung back to you at your first gig, f...

ALL YOU GOOD GOOD PEOPLE, LISTEN TO (STEVE FIRTH) & ME…  What an honour to have the Bass Player from Embrace, Mr Steve Firth, be the guest on The Fantastival Podcast #64.  Steve joined our great lineup of guests to speak all about learning guitar, joining Embrace, their amazing debut album, a huge comeback (twice), the future, his gig memories, favourite acts, collated his Fantasy Fe...

It’s truly a delight to be joined by the awesome Sally Wood on this week’s Fantastival Podcast as we return from a 2 week break with a bang with an absolute legend.  Listen as Sally collates her Fantasy Festival by choosing her 5 acts and talks all things music as she also tells us how she got her first job in hmv, seeing some acts who went on to be huge in tiny venues, why her parents would...

Another hmv guest is up on The Fantastival Podcast this week as the wonderful Nick Allan joined Steve to talk all things music such as his tastes, experiences, memories and more whilst also collating his Fantasy Festival by choosing just 5 acts...  A great chat with a very passionate music fan who had some great gig stories, talked about some awesome acts, taking photos, had a great Fantasy F...

An hmv icon is up this week as Andy Anderson joined Steve to talk all things music such as his tastes, his experiences, memories and more and also collate his Fantasy Festival by choosing just 5 acts...  You’ll be smiling as Andy looks back on some amazing gigs he’s seen, some he’s missed out on, his amazing career at hmv, his lifelong support of Man City, his love of film, his love of music...

To celebrate The Fantastival Podcast reaching #60 we wanted a special guest, which is exactly what we have as Pete Wilkinson joined Steve to talk all things music including his career, experiences, tastes, the future and collate his Fantasy Festival...   Steve was in awe of Pete at several parts of this chat as he talked about playing in bands and getting into music at a very young age,...

Bringing you all good vibes with The Fantastival Podcast #59 as Steve spoke to vocalist Lyle Kennedy from the excellent La Club Royale....  Lyle talked all about music including how he got into playing in bands, acts he’s into, gig memories, getting his first albums whilst also collating his awesome Fantasy Festival lineup with quite a few great acts getting a mention on the Fantastival Podca...