The Grumpy Cyclist Talks Music

Another episode of me chatting with Daniel about his life in classical music – the hard work, the journeys, the excitement, the experiences… and what life is really like inside an orchestra. With my complete lack of knowledge of the classical world, I asked Daniel to explain how an orchestra actually works, what goes on behind the scenes, and what a conductor really does. A genuinely fascinating i...

In this episode of The Grumpy Cyclist Talks Music, I’m joined by Daniel Mullin, violinist with the BBC Concert Orchestra, where he has been a full-time member for almost 20 years. This episode marks the beginning of a special multi-part project that Daniel and I have discussed, exploring his life’s work and experiences within the classical music industry. Across several episodes, Daniel reflects o...

This episode is with Mike Kearney — a man truly passionate about music, with a particular love for The Grateful Dead (among many others). Mike talks about his life as a vocalist, including being part of a major event involving Mel & Sue, Clive Anderson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and other well-known faces… oh, and it was directed by Sam Mendes! He also shares stories of travelling to Japan and Ugan...

This episode is a Christmas edition… and yes, it’s that time of year again. Wherever you go, Christmas songs are absolutely everywhere — at home, on the radio in the car, in supermarkets, people humming them under their breath, at church… just EVERYWHERE!! So, being me, I thought I’d take a little wander and chat to some completely random people, asking them a very important festive question: 👉 W...

This week’s episode is Part 3 of me — with a bit of quality control from my son Jordan — going through the questions I put out to YOU about your favourite gigs, the loudest, the ones you’ve seen the most, the absolute worst… all of it! It was an absolute blast going through every single answer. And I’ll be honest… it even opened Jordan’s eyes quite a bit — he hadn’t even heard of half the bands an...

If you use Spotify, you’ll know it’s that time of year when they kindly remind you just how many HOURS you spent listening to the same songs over and over… your most played artists, albums, minutes, moods — the whole lot! Jordan (my son) and I had a really interesting chat about our 2025 listening habits. There’s a fair old age gap between us and our music tastes are miles apart, but that actually...

Nik Kershaw… yes, the musician, songwriter, entertainer and all-round nice chap! I went to see him on his ‘Music & Lyrics’ chat tour at The Tivoli in Wimborne, Dorset — and it was absolutely brilliant. I even recorded a little conversation with a couple of lovely people who were there, and I share my own thoughts on why I’ve always liked Nik and his music.

Cliff Richard v’s Elvis Presley? That was the debate Rob brought up — apparently our mums had a full-on rivalry back in the day over who was better! And that little comment is exactly what led into this week’s episode… I had a brilliant chat with Rob, who genuinely believes (like MANY do!) that 1990/91 was the moment the UK musical landscape changed for the better — the dance explosion, the rise o...

This episode is Part 2 of me diving into all the brilliant answers you sent in when I asked for your thoughts on CONCERTS — the best, the worst, the loudest, the most unforgettable… all of it! I thoroughly enjoyed going through every single response and sharing my own grumpy (but lovable!) views along the way. Have a listen — you might just feel the same 🙏🏻🎧

🎧 Episode 40 is here! (Yes… the 40th one already!!) This episode’s a little different from the usual format. A while back, I put out a Q&A on social media with ten questions — things like your favourite, loudest, most-seen, worst, and dream concerts. The responses were brilliant! So in this episode, I’m chatting through your answers — sharing my views, opinions, a few laughs, and even some astoni...

🎙 This week’s episode is with Josh — someone I’d never met before, who kindly reached out wanting to be part of the podcast. Living ‘up north’, his musical influences are very much Manchester-based — and his love for Oasis still burns bright to this day (to say he’s a fan is putting it mildly!). We chat about what on earth Cher’s “Believe” has to do with football, and Josh shares a thoughtful take...

Dirty Dicks… Rise to the Occasion!” Yes, you read that right — that was the name of the mobile disco that first sparked Ian’s love for DJ’ing! In this episode, Ian returns to share how his DJ journey began: from those early disco days and building the confidence to speak on the mic, to choosing the right tracks to suit the mood and keep the crowd buzzing. We also chat about his views on cassettes...

This episode features a chat with a regular friend of the podcast — the ever-entertaining Ian! We dive into his love of dancing and his unforgettable nights out at a nightclub in Oxford during the late seventies. Ian also shares memories of his time in Bournemouth, where he saw The Ramones, Dexys Midnight Runners, and even The Clash performing in an underground car park! He reminisces about the fi...

This episode was the second time Val & Chris joined me to chat about their musical journeys… One of the most fascinating parts was hearing Chris talk about his hands-on involvement with Judas Priest — incredible stuff! And then there’s Val, sharing her love of going to live gigs (but definitely not a fan of girl bands like Girls Aloud or Sugababes!). I’ll admit, I said “why” quite a lot during...

This episode was a real treat… a wonderful chat with Val and Chris, a couple I’ve known for many years. Married for decades, they have such an incredible mix of stories, emotions, history, and knowledge when it comes to music. The dynamic between them was fantastic—I laughed, I learnt, I was in awe. From their love of Fleetwood Mac and Eric Clapton, to their early days of dancing together at the v...

🎙️ In this episode, I’m joined once again by tour promoter John, sharing his journey, knowledge, views, and love of MUSIC. We dive into his take on bands that made massive comebacks — sometimes even bigger than their “heyday” — and I ask the tricky question: should politics and music mix? His answer might surprise you. Plus, plenty more chat along the way… and I was especially pleased to hear his...

We first knew each other back in 1986 when we were both living in Cyprus… nearly 40 years later, in early 2025, Beth and I finally reconnected! This episode turned into a real trip down memory lane, with Beth sharing some brilliant stories from her music adventures. From choosing to see 5 Star instead of The Cult, to discovering the Goth scene, to why she never misses a Darkness gig with her son –...

This time I’m joined by my old neighbour and workmate from 20 years ago – Lou (RK). We dive into: • Our shared love of The Doors 🕶️ • Whether AI really is the next step in the music industry 🤖🎵 • Lou’s take on bands as brands • Her recent experiences seeing Ocean Colour Scene and Kula Shaker live – still sounding as fresh as they did “back in the day” ✨ …and plenty more! A relaxed, nostalgic, a...

This episode is with John who I did a podcast with and appeared on ( episode 25 ‘about that small gathering in Somerset’) John just had the time of his life — and he’s still buzzing! He was there, live, for the second night of OASIS’s 25 LIVE world tour, and in this episode, we dive deep into his glowing report of one of the most anticipated comebacks in music history. We talk all things OASIS: ✨...

This episode features someone I haven’t spoken to since 1988 — Nick Carter. We were both at the same boarding school in Suffolk, and reconnecting after all these years made for a truly surreal and heartwarming conversation. As we caught up, we discovered just how much we still had in common — especially when it came to music. Talking with Nick brought back a flood of memories: school days, teenage...

This episode of ‘The Grumpy Cyclist Talks Music’..well..it’s ME talking about my favourite band (which you may or not know are those legends from Birmingham 🤪called DURAN DURAN) their albums they have released. It’s just my personal view on them…you may agree/disagree or not at all bothered BUT it might lightened you up on what goes through my mind at times!!! 😂 Have a listen…you may be converte...

In this second part of my chat with Ian, we dive deep into his passion, love, and incredible knowledge of music. He shares unforgettable memories—like seeing Mott the Hoople live, with a then-unknown band called Queen as the support act. Ian reflects on why the years between 1977 and 1981 were such a golden era for discovering new music, offers fascinating insights into the unexpected connection b...

This episode is a real treat. I’m sitting down with Ian—a passionate runner (who actually coached my daughter!) and an equally passionate music lover. We’ve known each other for years, but this chat really opened my eyes to the depth of his musical journey. It’s going to be at least a two-parter—because when someone lives and breathes music like Ian does, one episode just isn’t enough. In Part 1,...

John’s a music promoter, a manager, and once ran an independent record label—so yeah, he’s seen it all. We dive into his love for the punk era, including stories of seeing The Clash (multiple times!) and other iconic bands at the height of their powers. He also shares a surprising recent experience seeing The Sex Pistols at the legendary 100 Club, and his passionate thoughts on The Cult-one of his...

In this third and final part of our ongoing series, Michael continues to confront me with questions about my thoughts, opinions, and experiences with various music artists—this time covering bands and musicians with names starting from A, B, C, D, and so on. The twist? The artists were chosen randomly (with a little help from AI), and to my own surprise, I wasn’t familiar with some of them! That l...