Ep 37 - Novelty Rap of the 80s

Ep 42 - Songs of Quiet Dignity

In the last episode, I inadvertently took a turn into the realm of true crime podcasting, and while I'm not intentionally planning this, it seems this episode could be filed under the heading of self help.  Back in the 80s, I heard a song, Dignity by Deacon Blue, which explored themes I hadn't come across in a song before. It's about finding meaning in the drudgery of manual labour and how the right attitude can become inspirational and filled with joy and hope. Subconsciously, over the years. I've been drawn to other songs that dealt with similar themes and now I've collected these songs into a sort of mental health journey. The modern world can lead people to act in a way that might cause them to lose their dignity, maybe the messages in these songs could help someone regain it. If that's not too lofty a claim. Ronan Hession/Mumblin' Deaf Ro's music https://mumblindeafro.bandcamp.com/music

Ep 41 - Ghost Memories

I'm not exactly sure what this episode is, I guess it's a kind of audio essay based on seven "ghost songs" (songs with the word ghost in the title) and how they relate to some moments from my life. Maybe it's something of a personal memoir through song,;as pretension as that sounds. The last 30, or so minutes are more of a documentary about a very sad and tragic event in Dublin's history, so be prepared for that if you are of a sensitive nature.  So please have a listen and enjoy these Ghost Memories    Aoife's Sing Along Social https://www.singalongsocial.com/   Gary's music  https://gazlerock.bandcamp.com   Trapped Inside: The Stardust Nightclub Fire Disaster Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deHNbwW6B6U

Ep 40 - Miles Davis in his New York Apartment 1986

About a year ago, an Instagram account called the Jazz Dispensary shared a photo titled "Miles Davis in his New York apartment 1986". The picture was taken from a book called No Picture by Japanese photographer Shigeru Uchiyama. It shows Miles reaching behind his bed to adjust his sound system. On the floor around the bed there are two rows of records, some CDs, a selection of belts,  magazines and various other items. And while the photo gives us a candid snapshot into the life of one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, it can also tell us a whole lot about where Miles Davis's music career was at that moment of time. Check out the photo here https://ibb.co/Jw6Qp74b [https://ibb.co/Jw6Qp74b] And the mystery CD https://ibb.co/rRVDv5ZT [https://ibb.co/rRVDv5ZT]

Ep 39 - A History of the Remix (1955 - 1992)

A history of the remix; from the avant garde tape loop experiments of the 50s, to the creative expansion of the standard three minute song in the late 60s. And the innovations in DJing and dancefloor dynamics of the 70s, through to the current situation when a remix is now more a statement of the remixer's musical expression that a reinterpretation of the original producer's work. Featuring  interviews with many of the key characters like Tom Moulton, Mel Cheren and Walter Gibbons,  plus lots of the pivotal tracks that shaped the sound of dance music today.  Norman Whitfield playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6bRq6ju63svO3C7eSBTW4Q?si=aT-KAms3RYuw9m-1ObNs8Q&pi=sXT7KBhdSdGDO

Ep 38 - Dude Hop Revisited

An update of episodes 24 and 26, where I introduced the genre of Dude Hop, mid 90s alternative rock infused hip hop made by white dudes with hangovers, with some more dude hop songs I've discovered over the last year or so    The Dude Hop Timeline playlist on Spotify   https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4dNXabIDPDFwQ00UwK06Gr?si=TKt2fWXTQmOkkGSgdsHo3A&pi=idkD9sKhTGeYH [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4dNXabIDPDFwQ00UwK06Gr?si=TKt2fWXTQmOkkGSgdsHo3A&pi=idkD9sKhTGeYH]   The Dude Hop sub Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/DudeHop