All About The Music

Music so often has big things to say about its time. And there’s something about the 80s where this really went into overdrive. My guest today was living and breathing it…
Hello and welcome to another episode of All About The Music, where I am joined by Damion Burrows who, when he’s not heading up his own architectural business, can be seen on TV shows like Grand Designs: House of the Year, Your Home Made Perfect and Britain’s Favourite Railway Stations.
As a youngster coming out in the 80s, Damion was drawn from hometown Sheffield to the clubs of Manchester which resounded to Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy and Pet Shop Boys hits like Left To My Own Devices. Through club music with a real message, Damion was finding his crowd whilst Britain was shouldering “Section 28”, which banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools and by local authorities.

As an adult, music is Damion’s way of relaxing, whether that’s revelling in the soulful brilliance of Celeste, soaking up the vibe with a posh picnic at a Jamie Cullum concert, or marvelling at the Kate Bush-esque vocal qualities of Swedish star Robyn.
And I’m delighted to say, Damion’s introducing a new act to me too – the brilliant baritone of country star Orville Peck, who seems to be able to turn his hand to almost anything.
Follow Damion Burrows: https://www.instagram.com/damionburrows/

Listen to all Damion’s selections on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ukc7QSU9cgSkzZXUSbHKU

Featured artists & tracks:
Jimmy Somerville & Bronski Beat, “Small Town Boy”
Pet Shop Boys, “Left to My Own Devices”
Celeste, “Stop This Flame”, “Strange”
Jamie Cullum, “These Are the Days”, “You and Me Are Gone”
Robyn, “Indestructible (Acoustic)”, “Hang With Me (Acoustic)”
Orville Peck, “Hexy Mountains”, “Mienteme”, “Small Town Boy”

Connect With Us
Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are:
Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories.
Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests.
Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions.
TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.
Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music.
Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music

Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music.
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What does Britain’s most famous film critic listen to in his spare time? Perhaps predictably, the odd movie soundtrack gets mentioned today! But that’s about all that’s predictable…
Hello and welcome to this episode of All About The Music, where I sit down with Mark Kermode — film critic, broadcaster and, I’m proud to say, a musician mate of mine. Mark’s taste is wonderfully eclectic, stretching from the 1930s Blues that he and his father could bond over, through skiffle to the political punk of Gang of Four and Mark’s formative years.
The eclecticism only grows as we get to movies. Who else could pick Mark Knopfler’s superbly evocative Local Hero soundtrack, alongside the bold, boundary-pushing composition of Mica Levi and Anna Meredith’s Nautilus, which has been brilliantly described as the “sound of a panic attack”?
And whilst it’s Dire Strait’s main man who leaves Mark with goosebumps, it’s the American Jonathan Richman who almost reduces him to tears. I encourage all of you to take a full listen to Jonathan’s 1979 number “The Morning Of Our Lives” – it really feels quite unique.
Follow Mark: https://twitter.com/kermodemovie
Listen to the Spotify playlist of Mark’s selections here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5RlMqKAB9Q5ws2iZI7zp6x

Featured artists & tracks:
Washboard Sam – “Who Pumped The Wind In My Doughnut?”
Lead Belly – “Rock Island Line”
Gang of Four – “Ether”, “I Found That Essence Rare”
Mark Knopfler – “Wild Theme”, “The Ceilidh & The Northern Lights”
Mica Levi – “Love”, “Monos”
Anna Meredith – “Nautilus”
Jonathan Richman – “The Morning of Our Lives”, “Roadrunner”

Connect With Us
Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are:
Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories.
Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests.
Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions.
TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.
Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music.
Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music

Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music.
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What a joy to be contacted out of the blue by a legend of British TV. “Please Neil, let me be a guest on your podcast!”
Hello and welcome to another All About The Music, where I’m delighted to say that my guest is Anneka Rice – known to all of us who owned a television in the ‘80s and ‘90s, when she was jumping out of helicopters for Channel 4’s Treasure Hunt, before achieving the impossible week-in week-out on the BBC’s Challenge Anneka.
Furthermore her entire life – quite clearly – has been filled with music, and it’s a joy to discuss her favourites from across the decades with her. As a young girl she was listening to the Beatles (of course) but was influenced by 60s female role model Dusty Springfield. Both these artists also established Anneka’s love of great storytelling in music.
Musical theatre has made a big impression on her too – from Tim Rice’s take on cold war politics in Benny and Bjorn’s Chess, to the more off-beat world of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Above all, Anneka loves how music can reach across divides and bring people together – as demonstrated perfectly by Stormzy and his memorable headline performance at Glastonbury.
Listen to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0fJp3Yx6KmMwITVMBjASAx
Featured artists & tracks:
Dusty Springfield, “I Only Want To Be With You”, “Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa”
Rocky Horror Picture Show, “Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me”
Chess (Tommy Körberg), “Anthem”
The Beatles, “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “Golden Slumbers”
Dmitri Shostakovich, “Piano Concerto No.2 in F Major, II. Andante”
Stormzy, “Blinded By Your Grace, Pt. 2”
Connect With Us
Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are:
Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories.
Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests.
Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions.
TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.
Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music.
Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music

Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music.
Somersault Studio

Love songs are as old as love itself. And there are thousands to choose from. So with Valentine’s Day almost upon us, what might make the perfect love song for your own true love?
Hello and welcome to an especially romantic edition of All About The Music, with me, Neil Brand. Today I am here to help in your quest to find that special song for that very special someone. And believe me, I am throwing the net wide – from Nina Simone in 1966 right through to Jvke and his Golden Hour in 2022.
My advice? Listen carefully to this show because no two love songs are the same (even if they’re a cover?!) in the same way that no two relationships are ever quite the same. From the euphoria of The Cure’s Robert Smith and the timeless devotion of The Beach Boys, to the Yorkshire humour of Jake Thackray and the darkest thoughts of Elvis Costello.
I promise that this show has something for everyone, whether you’re currently experiencing love at first sight, are all set for your umpteenth wedding anniversary, or simply looking back with love and warmth.
Happy Valentines Day everyone!
Find the Spotify playlist of all my love songs here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Ur4knv5z98CxaAOfSSJ3p
Featured artists & tracks:
Jvke, “Golden Hour”
Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On”
The Cure, “Just Like Heaven”
Jake Thackray, “La Di Da”
Arctic Monkeys, “I Want to Be Yours”
The Beach Boys, “God Only Knows”
Bob Dylan, “Make You Feel My Love”
Adele, “Make You Feel My Love”
Nina Simone, “Wild Is the Wind”
Elvis Costello, “I Want You”
Amy Winehouse, “Love Is a Losing Game”
Lily Allen, “Madeline”
Sinead O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Tom Waits, “Martha”
Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin, “Je t’aime… moi non plus”
Connect With Us
Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are:
Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories.
Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests.
Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions.
TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.
Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music.
Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music

Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music.
Somersault Studio

What makes the perfect Christmas song? Is there a formula for a festive hit? Call me foolhardy, but I think there might be!
Hello and welcome to this special Christmas edition of All About The Music, with me, Neil Brand. Today the guest chair is empty, but instead my studio sleigh is bursting with Christmas songs – from Slade’s joyfully raucous “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day” to Chris Rea’s bittersweet drive home and the timeless grace of David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s unlikely collaboration.
In this episode, I reveal my key ingredients for creating a Christmas hit. (Even better, it will become a hit year after year after year!) From picking the right instruments to penning the right lyrics and even choosing the right chord pattern, all is discussed as we work through 80 years of Christmas classics.
And once we’ve heard from everyone from Mariah Carey to John Lennon, I’ll be able to reveal the ultimate Christmas song. (Plus, whisper it quietly, the one festive favourite that breaks all my recipe rules.)
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and join me – where it’s all about the music.
Find the Spotify playlist of all my Christmas selections here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0EQvrCcPm648fHKgmJTNwQ
Featured artists & tracks:
Bing Crosby - “White Christmas”
Wizard - “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day”
Chris Rea - “Driving Home for Christmas”
Wham! - “Last Christmas”
John Lennon & Yoko Ono - “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”
Slade - “Merry Xmas Everybody”
David Bowie & Bing Crosby - “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy”
Paul McCartney - “Wonderful Christmastime”
Jonah Lewie - “Stop the Cavalry”
Andy Williams - “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
Mike Oldfield - “In Dulci Jubilo”
Mariah Carey - “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
Sia - “Snowman”
Cliff Richard - “Mistletoe and Wine”
The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - “Fairytale of New York”

Connect With Us
Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are:
Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories.
Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests.
Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions.
TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.
Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music.
Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music

Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music.
Somersault Studio