The StageLeft Podcast

Stewart Lee on Mark E. Smith and The Fall, recorded Monday 22nd January 2018 Two days before the sad passing of Mark E. Smith, we recorded a 90min interview with Stewart Lee about his creative processes, his relationship with music, and the value of art in the digital age. During this interview Stewart spoke fondly of Mark’s enormous impact on career and approach to performance. Stewart was glowin...

There has been no shortage of amazing guests on The StageLeft Podcast, and this episode is no exception. Goldheart Assembly’s James Dale and John Herbert join us to talk about their journey, their songs, and reflections after playing their final and farewell gig in London last month. A gig that saw performances from members of The Bluetones, Starsailor, EMF, and The Magic Numbers. Today they talk...

A Godfather, pioneer, and visionary of electronic music, Wolfgang Flur is this episode’s very special guest on The StageLeft Podcast. From his time with Kraftwerk – cited by David Bowie as his favourite band, to his solo work and collaborations. An artist who began his beginnings with a band who would influence generations to come with their music, and on stage distinct uniformity, Wolfgang Flur b...

Abi Harding joins us on the new episode of The StageLeft Podcast, detailing her journey from being StageRight as Saxophonist in The Zutons to becoming lead vocalist/songwriter in AbiChan. Abi discusses how she overcame adversity after a serious car accident in her youth to go on to become a full time musician resulting in playing the final ever James Brown concert. Encounters with Flea, Ringo Star...

In his first interview in five years, the elegant and gifted guitarist/songwriter Gem Archer is this episode’s guest on The StageLeft Podcast. In an open, honest, and at times hilarious interview, Gem goes into great detail about his own career, his view of the music industry, and what it was really like when the Oasis tsunami finally broke. Gem talks about his early influences and details the shi...

Recorded December 2015, the lost interview is finally released with the incredibly talented drummer & songwriter of Supergrass, Danny Goffey, who details recording with Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood & Nigel Godrich. We hear about Danny's solo album recorded under the moniker 'Vangoffey', how he and Gaz Coombes wrote the classic 'Alright', the story behind reco...

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Bird Russ Pritchard is guest on Episode 32 of The StageLeft Podcast. Charismatic, honest and hilarious - Russ talks us through his entire time to date playing with Noel Gallagher, documenting how he wrote the bass line to rare Oasis classics like Sad Song, playing 'Don't Look Back In Anger' when supporting U2 in front of 80,000 people & not being 100% sure what the...

This episode of The StageLeft Podcast welcomes Guns N’ Roses guitarist Richard Fortus, one of the true heavyweights of the industry. For the last sixteen years he has been a member of arguably the biggest, and most iconic band of the last three decades. During a career spent in near constant demand, Richard has played and toured with Thin Lizzy, The Psychedelic Furs, Rhianna, Puff Daddy, and rock...

What a privilege it is to have George Vjestica of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds on Episode 30 of The StageLeft Podcast. George talks us through the working relationship between Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, the recording process behind Skeleton Tree & Push The Sky Away, his thoughts on the new documentary film One More Time With Feeling and ahead of the release of new compilation 'Lovely Creat...

This episode of The StageLeft Podcast welcomes Milton McDonald, one of the most sought after session guitarists in the business. Since 1993 Milton has been a constant touring musician with Take That, and a member of Jeff Lynne’s ELO since 2014. He has also played, toured, and received recording credits with Alice Cooper, Ray Davies, Smokey Robinson, Mick Jagger and Yes to name but a few. From one...

In this episode of The StageLeft Podcast, we talk to the coolest saxophonist on the planet and all round nice guy, John Waugh. Recorded a week before playing at the Brit Awards with The 1975, who picked up the Best British Group award, John discusses his work with the band, his solo projects, and how his ambition is to play Local Hero at Newcastle Football Ground. The 1975, who’s second album ‘I L...

The enigmatic & exquisite Ezra Furman is our guest on Episode 27 of The StageLeft Podcast. Chicago's finest has been recently booked for Coachella Festival and voted in the top 10 festival moments by BBC of 2016. A reflective and entertaining interview pays tribute to Leonard Cohen, covers Ezra's upbringing, details the challenges when writing The Refugee, tells us how Lousy Connection & T...

Here's a quick snippet of the enigmatic and entertaining Ezra Furman giving an hilarious answer to Chris Simpson on the upcoming episode of The StageLeft Podcast. Available Sat 28th January

Richard Ashcroft bassist Damon Minchella is our guest on Episode 26 of The StageLeft Podcast. Damon is widely regarded in the industry as the ‘go-to’ man, and talks through playing with The Who at Live 8, recording Paul McCartney’s bass part for ‘Come Together’ at Abbey Road with the great man looking on, details the conversation when asked by Noel Gallagher to join Oasis, leaving Ocean Colour Sce...

Chris from The StageLeft Podcast reveals the process behind collaborating with former StageLeft guests Laurence Juber (Paul McCartney's Wings), Shane Keister (Elvis Presley) & Stuart Masters for the new album 'Last Wilderness' in a guest appearance on Curveballs with Nick Field. Chris also explains some of the inner workings of The StageLeft Podcast, the values of thigh-slapping, writing about...

Former lead singer and songwriter of cult 00's rock band Hope of the States is the special guest on Episode 25 of The StageLeft Podcast. In a rare and revealing interview, Sam Herlihy discusses the make up of 'The Lost Riots' - the critically acclaimed debut album, going onstage at Glastonbury directly after The Killers, new material recently released which was recorded immediately after Hope of t...

The frank and honest Steve Firth of Embrace details the “massive peaks and huge troughs” of 20 years in the music industry in an incredible story on Episode 24 of The StageLeft Podcast. Steve talks us through how he went from living in a tent and back of a car to playing the slot on the Pyramid Stage directly before David Bowie’s iconic slot at Glastonbury Festival and how a friendship between Chr...

In Part 2 of Aziz Ibrahim’s appearance on The StageLeft Podcast, Aziz talks us through how he adapted Stone Roses songs such as Ice Cold Cube to Ian Brown’s solo work, how he composed My Star & Corpses in their Mouths, what it’s like working with Mani, Paul Weller, the value of music therapy, and talks us through his new project with Mike Joyce of The Smiths. #music #ianbrown #stoneroses #thes...

Former Stone Roses guitarist Aziz Ibrahim is this week’s guest on The StageLeft Podcast. In Part One, Aziz documents his early years growing up in Longsight, Manchester to headlining the Reading Festival in 1996. Aziz discusses what it was like playing huge concerts in Brazil with Simply Red, being Musical Director for Hot Chocolate and reflects on his time in The Stone Roses. Armed with an acoust...

When we first came up with the concept of The StageLeft Podcast, the Number 1 guest we wanted to interview was Steve Cropper. A man who written, produced and played on hundreds of classic songs woven into the fabric of Western culture, Steve has been recognised in the Grammy Hall of Fame and even played for President Barack Obama at The White House. Steve talks in depth about his career, recording...

The insightful, engaging and multi-talented Cone McCaslin of punk rockers Sum 41 is our guest on Episode 20 of The StageLeft Podcast. Cone gives a truly fascinating in depth insight into what it's currently like being in a million selling band making music in an industry with an uncertain future and gives a sneak peek into the workings on Sum 41's new album. Cone also lifts the lid on what it's li...

The Guardian's multi award winning Football Weekly podcast is produced by Ben Green. Ben wrote a fantastic book last year advising all Podcasters whether experienced or a beginner. Here he gives a short review of StageLeft on the follow up episode to his excellent Audiobook & podcast series. #theguardian #podcast #musicpodcast #reviews #footballweekly

On this episode of The StageLeft Podcast, Pete Lockett joins us to discuss his incredible career, which includes having been voted three times as #1 'World Percussionist' by readers of Drum Magazine, providing ethnic percussion on five James Bond films, releasing 15 solo albums and collaborating with Bjork, Robert Plant, Peter Gabriel, Noel Gallagher, The Verve, Aphex Twin and Amy Winehouse. Pete...

In a special lyric writing episode of The StageLeft Podcast, the gifted poet and spoken word artist Mr. Gee from The Russell Brand Show talks us through his career and passes on specific techniques to songwriters encountering writer’s block and performers overcoming nerves. Mr. Gee also discusses what it was like to be the first man to perform poetry to 15,000 people at The 02, the influence of Hi...

Recorded at The Brighton Dome, The StageLeft Podcast is joined by our great influence, Senior Lecturer in Music Business Studies & Sleeper Guitarist - Jon Stewart. Jon talks us through being centric to the whirlwind of Britpop, his role as Music Director on Kevin Spacey's Telstar: The Joe Meek Story and appearing on the Trainspotting soundtrack. Jon tells us the advice he gives the many musici...