Unsung Podcast

This week we've got a really fascinating chat with Stewart Home. Originally a punk in London in the early days of the movement, he's since forged a career as a musician, author and visual artist.

In this interview we talk at length about his early days as a punk in London in the late 70s and early 80s, and dig into how his own perception of the genre has helped to inform his outlook on music ever since. We dig into his 1994 treatise on punk rock, Cranked Up Really High, discussing his rather unique take on the genre and its legacy—including his controversial argument that punk rock wasn't actually influenced by Situationism.

Naturally, conversation drifts into how right-wing oi! music grew out from the genre, touching on figures like Ian Stuart, Skrewdriver, and the uncomfortable middle-class origins of many prominent fascist punk bands. From there, we tie things into his latest book, Fascist Yoga: Grifters, Occultists, White Supremacists, and the New Order in Wellness, which takes a close look at the origins of modern yoga, uncovering the grifters and white supremacists who sat at the heart of the movement as it grew throughout the mid to late 20th century. In it, he argues that yoga served as a blueprint for the tactics and ideology that permeate the modern wellness movement—and traces the pipeline from 1960s counterculture libertarianism to today's anti-government conspiracism. Which, once again, leads into the far-right. Because, y'know, that's what we do.

We thoroughly recommend both books: Cranked Up Really High is available to read fully on his website. Fascist Yoga: Grifters, Occultists, White Supremacists, and the New Order In Wellness currently available at all good booksellers, published by Pluto Press.

Highlights:

00:20 Welcome to the Show

02:36 Stuart's Journey and Punk Rock Insights

12:05 The Evolution of Punk Rock

17:40 Fascism and Music: A Complex Relationship

20:53 David Bowie and the National Front

31:38 The Intersection of Esotericism and Fascism

34:28 The Evolution of Link Records and Skrewdriver's Iconography

36:17 Boyd Rice and the Punk Scene

39:01 Tony Wakeford and the Controversies of Sol Invictus

42:17 The Working Class Roots of Metal and Neo-Folk

46:18 The Rise of Neo-Nazi and Fascist Music

50:55 The Intersection of Wellness Culture and Alt-Right Ideologies

56:34 The Role of Doubt and Disinformation in Modern Politics

01:00:58 The Punk Rock Influence on Chan Culture

01:06:48 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Ah yes, the gooch of the year. Or the barse if you're so inclined (or perineum if you want to keep it medical). Long time fans will know that every Xmas we usually have a massive blow out where we answer fan questions. Well, we did that this year too! Part one is available to our Patreon subscribers, and you can still listen to it here: www.pateron.com/unsungpod hell, we won't even begrudge you signing up for a month just hear it before leaving.

As part of that we usually chuck in our favourites of the year, but in 2025 we've decided to break that out into a standalone episode for general release. So now everyone gets to hear our slightly tipsy opinions on our favourite records, gigs and Scottish acts from 2025. Also, as is tradition, Dave has resurrected himself to join us on this most holy of holidays. We miss you Dave!

But yes, this is the Best of 2025 edition of Unsung. We'll have a third episode of this entire Xmas debacle dropping for subs later this week, which you can find on the above linked Patreon. It is...drunken. To say the least.

ANYWAY ENJOY. HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT XMAS AND HAVE A WONDERFUL 2026. KTHXBAI.

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This week, we're joined by Anthony Sahyoun, member of the Lebanese experimental band SANAM, for a conversation that extends far beyond music. Recorded just before the band's autumn European tour, we explore their unique sound—a compelling blend of Arabic traditional forms, post-rock, noise, and electronic elements that defies easy categorisation.

SANAM's origins trace back to an improvisational festival in Beirut, where musicians from different scenes were brought together to play with Faust's Hans Joachim Irmler. What started as a three-day residency evolved into something far more substantial, resulting in two critically acclaimed albums that seamlessly weave microtonal Arabic melodies with contemporary Western experimental music.

We discuss the realities of being a touring band from Lebanon, where you can't simply jump in a van and drive to neighbouring territories. Anthony candidly shares what it's like to perform abroad whilst your homeland faces ongoing conflict, from the 2020 Beirut port explosion to the recent pager attacks. Including what the difference is between being home during crises versus worrying from afar.

We also delve into Beirut's vibrant but precarious cultural scene, touching on everything from the city's techno resurgence to the tragic story of Mashrou' Leila and the harassment that led to their disbandment. Anthony offers thoughtful perspectives on LGBTQ+ issues in Lebanon, explaining how religiosity became weaponised during the civil war and how political thugs use marginalised communities as pawns in power struggles.

And well, as long terms fans know, we inevitably chat about streaming and the ethics of it. Which is something we've spoken a lot about lately (and will probably speak more about in future too...). Anthony doesn't hold back, expressing a preference for people to steal music rather than stream it—a radical but consistent stance given the military-industrial complex's connections to major tech platforms. It's refreshing to hear an artist speak so frankly about these contradictions.

Anthony is engaging, thoughtful, and occasionally righteously angry throughout this interview, and we had a great time chatting to him. We thoroughly recommend you check out the band's music on Bandcamp and on catch a show in Italy or the UK this November and December:

24.11 / Roma / IT / Monk
26.11 / Savona / IT / Raindogs
27.11 / Marseille / FR / Jest Festival
28.11 / Trieste / IT / youTheater
30.11 / Leeds / UK / The Attic
01.12 / Glasgow / UK / The Flying Duck
02.12 / Salford / UK / The White Hotel
03.12 / Bristol / UK / Strange Brew
04.12 / Brighton / UK / Patterns
05.12 / London / UK / Rich Mix
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction
00:24 Anthony Sahyoun's Background and Band Introduction
01:31 First Meeting and Early Performances
03:10 Formation and Evolution of the Band
07:06 Musical Style and Influences
11:07 Recording the First Album
12:45 Cultural and Musical Context
32:42 Recording the Second Album
37:28 Touring Challenges and Experiences
41:19 Life in Lebanon and Touring Challenges
42:19 Impact of Global Events on Performances
45:49 Choosing the Right Label
48:02 Lebanese Music Scene and Cultural Representation
51:40 Food and Comfort on Tour
54:47 Beirut's Music and Nightlife
01:05:16 LGBTQ+ Issues and Political Climate
01:13:50 Streaming Platforms and Ethical Dilemmas
01:22:51 Concluding Thoughts and Upcoming Shows

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Charles Bradley’s cover of Black Sabbath’s Changes is one that both hosts of this podcast believe could well be the definitive version of the song. And we say that having done three episodes on Black Sabbath — an odyssey that gave us both a newfound appreciation for one of, if not the, most important metal bands to have ever existed.

Changes itself is a great song, but this emotional reworking casts an entirely new light on its meaning and power. That, in turn, led us to dive into the work — and world — of Charles Bradley.

Much was (rightly) made of Bradley when the then 62-year-old “Screaming Eagle of Soul” burst into public consciousness in 2011 with his debut album No Time for Dreaming. He was met with widespread critical acclaim, and the record proved a major success for his label, Daptone Records. From there, he went from strength to strength, releasing two more albums before his untimely death in 2016 from stomach cancer.

A former James Brown impersonator, Bradley’s life was one of tremendous hardship, which ultimately saw him achieve his greatest dream. He burned brightly and briefly, and his final record, Changes — named after the excellent Sabbath cover nestled within — is a remarkable work to bow out with.

In this episode, we talk all about his life, through the lens of the 2011 documentary Charles Bradley: Soul of America, before discussing some of our favourite soul covers of rock songs.

If you enjoyed this episode, do take some time to check out our Patreon, where you can get early access to episode (with no ads), bonus content and much more.

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Bowie fans have long found ways to make peace with some of the more unsavoury aspects of his character and behaviour during that decade. His Thin White Duke persona highlights what, by his own admission, were “the darkest days” of his life. And while he was quick to distance himself from that character as he grew older, its influence on certain members of the British far right certainly left a mark.

Yet there is a much darker period of his life than this. It is now a matter of record that he was in sexual relationships with both Lori Maddox and Sable Starr — perhaps the two most infamous “baby groupies” of the early ’70s — when they were just 13 and 15 years old, respectively. Grim stuff all round.

We’ll be exploring both of these aspects of his life in this week’s episode, as well as the wider “baby groupie” culture of the era. This episode raises questions about separating the art from the artist, the role of 1970s rock culture, and the personal responsibility of fans. Join us as we navigate the challenging waters of moral grandstanding and personal hypocrisy, questioning if, and how, we can reconcile admiration for Bowie’s art with the transgressions of the man himself.

Highlights

00:00 Introduction

00:38 Unfinished Business with David Bowie

02:26 Trigger Warnings

04:05 David Bowie's Complex Legacy

13:57 Fascism and Controversial Statements

38:50 Sexual Misdeeds and Allegations

41:05 Introduction to Statutory Rape in Rock Culture

41:30 The Story of Dana Gillespie and David Bowie

42:34 Lori Maddox and the Baby Groupies

43:29 Sable Starr and the Rock Scene

45:05 The Culture of Underage Groupies

47:24 Laurie Maddox's Relationship with David Bowie

56:51 Jimmy Page and Laurie Maddox

01:00:06 The Wider Problem in Rock Culture

01:07:45 Modern Reflections on Past Actions

01:14:58 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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