The James McMahon Music Podcast

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, it’s Hallowe'en, and you didn’t think I’d let the greatest of all the days pass without something special for you? On this episode I’m speaking to the great Cathi Unsworth , journalist and novelist and specialist on all things dark and strange, and the author of the recently released Season of the Witch: The Book of Goth , published by the ever g...

The episode I published yesterday, number 188 with Sci-Fi Steven from Bis , featured the guitarist in my favourite ever band. And this one? It features one of my very best friends, Mariel Loveland from New Jersey indie rock darlings Candy Hearts , electro pop wonders Best Ex, and now… um… just Mariel Loveland! Mariel recently released her debut solo album , With A Smile , on friends of the podcast...

Well it took almost 200 episodes, but I finally got my favourite band – like, favourite ever – on the podcast. I’ll keep this brief because this episode, with a band that actually changed my life, covers a lot of ground, but prinpally this episode hangs around a bunch of stuff I wanted to know about the Glasgow trio’s most recent release, 2022’s Systems Music for Home Defence . There’s a tonne in...

Right, I’ll keep this brief because I waffle on a bit too much at the start of this episode, but on November 10th, epic Brit songsmiths Lonely The Brave return with their new, fourth album, What We Do To Feel . It might be - no really - their best record yet. On this episode I got to chat to guitarist Mark Trotter about it, and I think the conversation that transpired is an excellent companion pie...

I’ve wanted to interview Peter Hooton – lead singer in Liverpool’s The Farm – as long as I remember. Recently returned with their first new music in almost 30 years, Peter is one of British music’s great working class heroes. Football fan , fanzine editor, and author of some of the early 90s most interesting indie music, he’s got a lot to say, and I was honoured to be given a little bit of time to...

We're back, baby! I missed you guys! On today’s episode, it is my pleasure to welcome Tim Wheeler of the seemingly immortal, Northern Irish born, punk pop geniuses Ash . Given that Tim’s band were one of the first groups I ever truly fell for, and we share a tonne of mutual friends, I was surprised to realise that I hadn’t already done an episode with him. Doubly so given that the group'...

Thankyou to everyone who has listened. Spoken to me. Or helped me get a microphone in-front of the people I've spoken to. I appreciate it more than you will ever know.  <3 Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

This one is a bit depressing.  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

Hey, I've been meaning to ask, have you subscribed to Brain Worms yet? Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

Subscribe to  Brain Worms  here. Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

Come hang on Reddit!   Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

Yeah, I know I said 'record' when I meant 'song' at one point. I've had too much coffee. Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

No really, come hang on Reddit! Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

Come hang on Reddit! Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

Do you know what? I think Nation of Language ’s new album, Strange Disciple , is the best record I’ve heard so far this year. You’ll have to take my word for that, the record in full isn’t actually released until September 15th, but if you’re a fan of the Brooklyn based group’s 2020 debut, Introduction, Presence , and their second, A Way Forward , the following year, then you’ll find much to enjoy...

V V Brown is back after what feels like an age away. It’s actually eight years, with little seen or heard of the Northampton born singer since the 2015 release of her third record Glitch . Now back and with a new record, Am I British Yet? , due for release on October 27th, the V V Brown that returns in 2023 is a different kind of Vanessa Brown that what we’ve seen before. Sure, the new record is a...

<3 Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

This podcast has a Reddit now. Come say hello! https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

Will someone please let me interview Damon Albarn? Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

I'm asking nicely, please leave a rating/review on Spotify/Apple.  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

It seems that you liked the new thing.  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

A new thing. Hope you like.  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/jamesmcmahonmusicpod/

Something a bit different for you today… footballer, podcaster – I can’t recommend his Life With Brian podcast highly enough – and one of my childhood heroes, Manchester United, Celtic and Scotland football legend Brian McClair ! We get into the music taste of Eric Cantona, Brian’s punk days, why he regularly lied to Shoot magazine, Gary Pallister’s dalliance with Joy Division, why Bryan Robson th...

2023 sure is an interesting time to be talking to a member of Fear Factory , specifically guitarist Dino Cazares , who – after the departure of long-time vocalist Burton C. Bell in 2021 – is now the last founding member of the influential LA band. These are days filled with conversations about AI and the future of our species – many of them have taken place on this very podcast – and given the inf...

I would have got around to speaking to Andy Cizek , the singer in British progressive metal champs Monuments since 2019, at some point, I’m sure, but when back in January he took to Twitter and said , “being in a band feels pretty stupid now. the culture is embarrassing and nothing about it is cool anymore. Make almost no money and half my old heroes are disgraced perverts. I’ve worked my whole li...