61-“..the Odeon comes Alive..”

65-“..It’s a Question of Mine..”

Well, you have the political show Question Time where the general public question politicians…well, I had Michael Angel hammering me with questions about my life in music. What snack would I take to Glastonbury Festival? Do I use Shazam? What name would I call Duran Duran instead of their actual name? Should mobile phones be banned at concerts? What do I play when I’m cycling? Those were just a few of the random, thoughtful, inquisitive and rather humorous questions I was bombarded with…all revealed in a really fun chat you can listen to by clicking on any of the links below…enjoy ☺️

64-“..All or Nothing from BFBS..”

“All or Nothing” by the Small Faces is Eileen’s favourite song…ever. Something I wasn’t aware of when I sat down for a wonderful chat with Eileen, a lovely family friend, about her musical journey through the decades. From the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s onwards, Eileen shared some fantastic memories of music and life. Having travelled around the world due to military life, we instantly connected over our love and memories of BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service)…ohh, the nostalgia. From actually seeing Queen LIVE in Brussels on their final ever tour, to her love of rock bands such as Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses and Meat Loaf — especially the powerful ballads they produced — this was only the tip of the iceberg in what turned out to be a fascinating conversation. Erm…Eileen’s not too keen on classical music either, but she does love a great musical! 🎭🎶

63-“..Eurovision Sing contest..err really!!..”

This episode of The Grumpy Cyclist Talks Music is a rather short one… It’s just me sending my condolences following the recent passing of the lead singer of Dr Hook. I also give my personal thoughts and views on this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. You may agree, you may completely disagree… but that’s part of the fun, right? After all, there’s a reason the podcast is called The Grumpy Cyclist Talks Music….😉

61-“..the Odeon comes Alive..”

This episode of The Grumpy Cyclist Talks Music was a rather special one for me, as I chatted to my uncle for the first time in many years…and what a reunion conversation it turned out to be. I’ve always known my uncle Melvin has a huge passion for music, but hearing the stories firsthand was something else. Growing up in Birmingham, where he still proudly resides, Melvin shared stories about seeing and even chatting with Paul & Linda McCartney, watching arguably one of his favourite bands Queen not once, not twice, but many times throughout the 70’s at Birmingham Odeon. And speaking of the Odeon…just how many legendary artists has Melvin seen there over the years? Quite a few…and somehow he even managed to see some of them for free!!! We spoke about why he believes Bruce Springsteen is one of the greatest artists around, his admiration for 10cc, and the moment he nearly fell off his seat when I explained one of the band members used to live where I now live and was even a regular customer where I worked as a chef! Add in memories of seeing The Jam, The Ramones and so many others, and the stories just kept flowing. Most poignant of all was hearing how his brother…my dad…helped influence his love and involvement in music over the years. This really was a special episode for me personally, and trust me, another conversation with Melvin will definitely be happening soon…and I genuinely can’t wait.

60-“..The Works of The Dead South..”

This episode sees me catching up with Craig Bloom for the first time since our boarding school days back in the 80s—and it honestly felt like no time had passed at all. We dive straight into music, with Craig sharing his deep admiration for Queen, and in particular the legendary Freddie Mercury. We chat about Freddie’s unmatched charisma and energy as a frontman, and like many, Craig reflects on how he wishes he’d had the chance to see him perform live. Craig then takes us through his playlist—and what a mix it is. From the pure pop of Barbie Girl by Aqua, to the timeless classic Stand by Me by Ben E. King, and plenty in between. It’s a fascinating look at how wide-ranging musical taste can be, including his appreciation for blues and what draws him to that sound. We also get into a couple of really interesting personal insights—Craig talks about one particular song he’ll never play (and the story behind that), plus what it’s like working security at a live music venue…standing with the crowd in front of him while the artists perform just behind. A proper “other side of the stage” perspective. A great catch-up, full of nostalgia, stories, and a shared love of music.