Three weeks from now, give or take, Moseley Park will jump to the Mostly Jazz Funk and Soul Festival - a three-day event that will bring you exactly that: Jazz, Funk, and Soul.  Some stellar acts are booked, and a whole host of up-and-coming and established local acts as well. I have listed some of the main names at the bottom of this post, but for full details, head over to the MoJazz website, which is pretty comprehensive. There's an awful lot that goes into organising an event like this, and I sat down with Festival Manager John Fell, to talk about some of the challenges. It's fascinating stuff, and the stories that have emerged over the past two very difficult years are compelling: acts that refused to use the stage entrance... acts that came back the next day because they enjoyed themselves so much.... embracing the local dance scene, and much more.   There's more to read about on the companion blog page, and here are just a few links to follow.  https://mostlyjazz.co.uk/ https://www.thespecials.com/ https://www.cameonation.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatback_Band https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Charles     .

Joe Broughton is a non-stop phenomenon. Years and years ago, I navigated the dusty corridors in the old Birmingham Conservatoire building, to write a blog post about the Conservatoire folk ensemble. It was a thrill, ducking and weaving through that old building, getting closer and closer to the explosive NOISE that Joe was whipping up. 50 or 60 students of all shapes and stripes, contributing to an exhilarating blast of music. Now, of course, under lockdown. the Folk Ensemble can't perform. But here's hoping they will, in a year's time. And many's the Conservatoire graduate, now making their way in music, who passionately missed the time they spent with Joe   Since that time, I've talked to Joe lots, been to several Urban Folk Quartet gigs, and it's always been a complete pleasure. This is the first podcast he's done with me, and of course, a lot of the chat revolved around lockdown, which has stopped a lot of Joe and co's work in their tracks. It's not all doom and gloom, though – a chat with Joe is always a huge pleasure.  Check out the links, mostly supplied by Joe himself, in the companion Blog post A Life In Music: Joe Broughton

Stephen Duffy straddles different genres in a way that few have ever done. He grew up in Birmingham; our conversation is littered with local references covering legendary studios, musos, and people. While still in Birmingham, he scored his first huge success as Tin Tin. In due course he went solo as Stephen Duffy, and later with his group the Lilac Time.  During that time, he has worked with some of the absolute biggest names in the business. Stephen has a pop past he can't erase – and he doesn't really want to, despite the elegant folk stylings he embraces with The Lilac Time. And he is still cooking up some major new projects. The first half of this chat is a who's who of Birmingham Rock and Pop in the 80s, anyone who knocked around the Birmingham scene then will find much to enjoy. After that, there is a torrent of huge names. And massive, massive success arrived when Stephen was in his 40s... which also seemed to escape us all.   If you want to follow up on some of the topics that crop up in this chat, there is a companion Radio To Go blog post on the Radio To Go Blog at radiotogo.com: A Life In Music: Stephen Duffy But that's just the icing on the cake. A footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo Fletcher who is featured in this series, along with Loz Kingsley, here. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast series has been running for about two years now. These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see all the artists, here's a link to every episode.

This third series of Lives in Music doesn't just concentrate on peoples' music journeys. It also has one consistent thread running through everyone's lives: that of Covid 19, the resultant lockdown, and the effect it's had on people's activities. My guest in this edition is someone you will almost certainly have seen if you've been to ANY live gigs in Birmingham over the past thirty or forty years. He's graced such bands as Ricky Cool and the Icebergs, The Destroyers, and Terry and Gerry, all in their pomp, along with dozens of other outfits and combos, permanent and casual. But you may not even know his name. You should, though: it's Mick Howson. Mick is a phenomenal guitarist. In fact, give him any kind of stringed instrument and he's at home. And of late he has turned to the Hurdy Gurdy. You're going to hear some of this instrument in this podcast, along with collaborations and excerpts from elsewhere. To explore more of the music, musicians and events mentioned in this podcast, check the detailed companion blog post: 'A Life in Music: Mick Howson', which you can find on the Radio To Go Blog at radiotogo.com. This post overflows with links to interesting musos and YouTube videos.  A footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo Fletcher, who is featured in this series along with Loz Kingsley, here. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast series has been running for about two years now. These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see all the artists, here's a link to every episode.

I first met Tom Hyland, when he was strutting his guitar stuff with an early version of the now long gone but much-loved Alternative Dubstep Orchestra. I've followed Tom since, first on my blog about the risky steps of going fully pro with Electric Swing Circus, as he dove head-first into Electro Swing. From the band came his Birmingham-based festival, Swingamajig, a record label, and a host of collaborations. And then lockdown hit us, There's a twist to this series of Lives in Music. We're all stuck in lockdown, and so I am asking each guest about how it affect them. Tom has been hugely pro-active is taking some steps forward, from setting up a Crowdfunder to cover some studio costs, to collaborations recorded in a fabled Moseley Birmingham venue which currently can't host music events. Some very interesting approaches seem to be emerging, as you'll hear. A chat with Tom always throws up lots of references. To follow these. best to double-check the companion Radio To go blogpost, which you can find here.  A footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo Fletcher who is featured in this series, along with Loz Kingsley, here. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast series has been running for about two years now. These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see all the artists, here's a link to every episode.

This is a chat with Kris Halpin, who also trades as Dyskinetic. It's about making music solely by gesture and movement. An extraordinary new way to create, using Imogen Heap's magical Mi.Mu gloves. Disabled himself, Kris explains this with disarming frankness. The gloves are extraordinary things, and there's a sample in this podcast. But there's a key factor that informs Kris and his work: his disability. It led Kris to his involvement with the gloves, as he sensibly pointed out to their makers that these could a fantastic tool for musicians with disabilities, and they promptly took him on to help with their research. In this podcast, Kris deals with his disability – a very serious disability, which absolutely won't go away - with jaw-dropping openness, and I am hugely grateful. But there's an awful lot more. Kris has a very clear eye on his situation, and it turned out to be a jaw-dropping conversation. There's a sample of Kris's work in the podcast, and if you want to explore more about the gloves and the people involved, visit the detailed companion blog post: 'A Life in Music: Kris Halpin', which you can find here on the Radio To Go Blog. A footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo Fletcher who is featured in this series, along with Loz Kingsley, here. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see who's in the list, here's a link to see every episode. I am hugely grateful to Kris for his openness and completely level-headed take on his situation. I've put a lot of links into the companion podcast. Photo: Josefa Torres

This third Lives In Music series concentrates not just on peoples' music journeys... it also has a consistent thread running through everyone's lives: that of Covid 19, the resultant lockdown, and the effect it's had on people's activities. This episode is no exception, but there is a difference. We recorded this talk some eleven months ago, just as Sid Peacock's Surge in Spring festival at Cannon Hill, the Midlands Arts Centre, was cancelled as lockdown came down on all our music activities. I settled down to edit our chat, and talked to Sid and Ruth Angell - who make a formidable musical team - about what might still be relevant – or even taking place. And it turns out there is a lot. But what shoots though this episode is the to and fro between two very different musicians, with very different personalities, and even more different backgrounds, and how they collaborate. It also opens up a fascinating perspective on how some of the musicians in our town work together: the conversation throws up it's a veritable list of great players. Over and above that, there is the sweet story of how these two contrasting and brilliant people met and fell in love.  There's a sample of Ruth's new album - an early demo mix - in the podcast, and if you want to follow up on things, know more, I have put links on the companion blog post: 'A Life in Music: Sid Peacock and Ruth Angell', which you can find on the Radio To Go Blog at radiotogo.com.  A footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo Fletcher who is featured in this series, along with Loz Kingsley, here. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast series has been running for about two years now. These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see all the artists, here's a link to every episode.

Ross Grant is putting together – pure lockdown creativity at its best – an amazing series called Around The World in 80 Plays, collaborating at distance with musicians worldwide to produce some compelling joint work. Normally I tend to court some of our more senior music citizens as guests in this series, on the grounds that the more you've done, the more you're likely to have seen and done amazing things. This episode's guest is slightly different. In this shot, Ross is playing with a colleague... in Johannesburg Ross Grant is still ridiculously young, but he has packed all kinds of music making and some massively diverse experiences into his life. He is a director of the legendary and long-established Bromyard music festival; he has worked with the extraordinary Sistema music organisation; he grew up in a musical family with deep roots, and kicked around Moseley in Birmingham in his teens with the likes of Toyah and Oscar Harrison; he teaches and runs Zoom workshops... and more.  There's a sample coming up in this episode, and if you want to know more, I have put links on the companion blog post: 'A Life in Music: Ross Grant', which you can find on the Radio To Go Blog at radiotogo.com.  A footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo Fletcher who is featured in this series, along with Loz Kingsley, here. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast series has been running for about two years now. These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see all the artists, here's a link to every episode.

I put most of this Lives in Music podcast episode together on the fifth anniversary of the death of a mutual friend, the great Paul Murphy, who both introduced me to Renny Jackson, and encouraged us in our different projects. One of the things Paul had me do on his Thursday Song Writers Cafe nights was to interview each artist about their own creative process. Everyone , it turned out had a different approach. And I talked at length with Renny Jackson, originally from Birmingham, before he delivered a charming and articulate set. And this Lives in Music Episode focuses on Renny. There's a twist to this series of Lives in Music. We're all stuck in lockdown, and so I am asking each guest about how it affect them. Now, as you'll hear, Renny is now based in Sevilla in Spain, where the oranges come from. The two influences come together in Renny's music. Obviously, we recorded our conversation remotely. Renny's take on the lockdown in Spain is an interesting variation on what problems face musicians in the UK. We'll also hear the impact Spain has had on this Brit. A footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo Fletcher who is featured in this series along with Loz Kinsgley, here. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast series has been running for about two years now. These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see all the artists, here's a link to every episode.

In this edition of Live in Music, I'm talking with Loz Kingsley and Vo Fletcher, Mandolin and Guitar players of great skill and experience. I met this pair, I think, back in 1974, when they were doing a session at the old BRMB Radio. They were no slouches then, and they've only got better since. Vo plays with a bewildering number of talented people all over the midlands and beyond, and he gets together with Loz, who only returned to live work with Rhino and The Ranters, for regular and highly enjoyable sessions in some of the nicest boozers in the region. And of course, having spent nearly a year in lockdown, that's something I and many others have missed enormously. They have, as you might expect, mighty track records, which you'll hear about. There's also some super live guitar and mandolin work to be enjoyed in this episode, along with a taster from Loz's new album, Vintage Mandolin. Of course, references abound. To learn more about the music, the instruments and the musicians in this podcast, check  the companion Radio To Go blog post. 'A Life in Music: Vo and Loz', which you can find here. One further footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo himself. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast series has been running for about two years now. These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see all the artists, here's a link to every episode. Vo Fletcher photo credit: Colston Halls

Richard March has been in a huge array of bands and projects in his 30 years or so as a working muso. We first met when he was in the much loved Rhino and The Ranters; he started with Pop Will Eat Itself and Bentley Rhythm Ace. Now, he's with Swampmeat Family Band, with other projects bubbling away. Some of those come up in this podcast. How does creativity can flourish in lockdown? How do performers reach new audiences? Some answers are here. On the subject of lockdown creativity, and for links to all the items mentioned in the podcast - every Tonight Matthew video, for example, and a lot more - go to the companion blog post on the Radio To Go blog, here Photo credit: Ian Davies A footnote: the intro and outro flourishes I'm using in this series of Lives in Music podcast come from Vo Fletcher who is featured in this series along with Loz Kinsgley, here. I asked him for a bit of live impro, and this was the result.   The Lives in Music Podcast series has been running for about two years now. These are interviews with local musicians, looking at how music has shaped them throughout their lives. Series 3 also looks hard at how lockdown has had an impact. There are some lovely stories. To see all the artists, here's a link to every episode.

Simon Duggal, with his brother Diamond Duggal, is a hugely influential producer, promoter and now record label manager. They may not be that well known to you, but they work worldwide across as many genres as they can handle. Like Ruby Turner, Steel Pulse and Apache Indian, they started out in Handsworth, Birmingham. Their own brand, Swami, is massive worldwide. On top of that, they have their very own 'Oh Brother Where are Thou' style breakout hit. That's before we get on to Shania Twain... For videos, links and extensive background information, see also the companion blog piece 'A Life In Music - Simon  Duggal' on the Radio To Go blog.  Lives in Music The Lives in Music series celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. But they all have stories. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your podcast host to automatically download each episode to your chosen device. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form.

In this edition I'm talking with an extraordinary, super-capable, veteran music pro from the Black Country of the UK, who has, quietly, had a massive influence on music making in this neck of the woods and far, far beyond. Roy was one of the team that launched the legendary JBs in Dudley, where anybody who was anybody simply had to play. Then he went on to managing, sound mixing, often for a lifetime friend, Robert Plant. and just doing an awful lot for an awful lot of people, simply because it was the right thing to do. But it's the sidelines that make this conversation so interesting - the by ways, the diversions, and the way he frequently drops hints and prompts about interesting music areas. And, of course, the stories. To learn more about the music, or the musicians mentioned in this podcast, head to the companion blog post. 'A Life in Music: Roy Williams', which you can find at www.radiotogo.com. Everything that Roy touches on is linked there so you can explore to your hearts content. Photo credit: Suzy Gallier The Lives in Music series celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. They all have stories. Lives in Music is a Radio To Go production. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your podcast app to automatically download each episode to your device. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form.

Dave Pegg has played Bass with one group for half a century: the excellent Fairport Convention. Fairport have one of the most tumultuous histories in British Folk-Rock. But, like many groups that survive that long, they have a spectacularly loyal following, and that now means that they are on a more stable footing than at any time in their history.  But before Fairport, there was Rock, gigging five nights a week in the effervescent 60s Birmingham pubrock scene, a stint with the legendary Ian Campbell Group, and the small matter of 15 years in the bass chair with Jethro Tull. Peggy, as everyone calls him, has a stock of anecdotes... catching a Bjork show with Shadows guitarist Hank Marvin in Sydney, Australia, or booking the 83 year-old Petula Clark for Cropredy Convention. He has an encyclopaedic memory, and can reel off the names of obscure bands he cut his teeth with back in the day.  A great man to pass time with over a pint.  To learn more about the music, or the musicians mentioned in this podcast, head to the companion blog post. 'A Life in Music: Dave Pegg', which you can find at www.radiotogo.com. Everything that Dave touches on is linked there so you can explore to your hearts content. The Lives in Music series celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. They all have stories. Lives in Music is a Radio To Go production. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your podcast app to automatically download each episode to your device. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form.

Ask any Lives in Music participant, and you'll get the same answer - there's no easy or straight route through life as a musician. You go where the work is, and if you're very, very lucky, you get to call a few shots in due course. In Stewart's case his life took him all over Europe and the UK as a post-war Army brat, and that exposed him to a host of influences. From there, he went in to rock, with some success, followed by stage work, all the while nurturing his deep love for bluegrass and the best in country music. He's passed this on to his children, leading to the first family band in Brum, and kicking off his daughters' solo careers, crafted in the teeth of opposition on both sides of the Atlantic. It's a great story. To learn more about the music, or the musicians mentioned in this podcast, head to the companion blog post. 'Life in Music: Stewart Johnson', which you can find at www.radiotogo.com. Everything that Stewart touches on is linked there so you can explore to your hearts content. The Lives in Music series celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. They all have stories. Lives in Music is a Radio To Go production. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your podcast host to automatically download each episode to your chosen device. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form.

With some fifty years in the business across a dizzying range of bands and activities, John Mostyn is endlessly interesting. He's done the mega-deals, battled with the music industry at the very top levels, and he's worked just as hard on small local projects which simply deserved some help. And he has some incredible stories.  There's a lot to be gleaned from listening to John's experiences. Not that John minds; he's always been happy to share and lend a hand. John touches on a wide range of music and musicians, and to check any of them out, head to the companion show notes blog post on the Radio To Go Blog at radiotogo.com. The Lives in Music series celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. But they all have stories. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your usual podcast directory to automatically download each episode. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form. Photo credit: Graham Young, Birmingham Live

Gavin Monaghan is a producer who commands massive respect worldwide, but who is equally at home working with local bands he has an affinity with. He loves his work. The people who work with him love his work as well. He operates from an unassuming but brilliant complex, the third premises that he's named Magic Garden. Music of all shapes and descriptions flows from there out to the world.  Above all Gavin focuses on results - it's fascinating to hear how he gets those results, how he got started, and how technology has changed the creative music landscape. Craft skills, hard won and invaluable.  To learn more about the music, or the musicians mentioned in this podcast, head to the companion Radio To Go blog post. 'A Life in Music: Gavin Monaghan', which you can find at www.radiotogo.com. Everything that Gavin touches on is linked there so you can explore to your hearts content. The story starts, as with many  in this series, with a dedicated teacher, when Gavin was very, very young. Among his better-known local clients, you'll find Ocean Colour Scene, Carina Round, Paul Murphy, Editors, Scott Matthews, Robert Plant, Nizlopi and The Twang. That's one terrific range of talent. Among his newer clients, you'll find Pagans (Shepherds Of Humanity), The Blinders, HÜDS,    Paper Buoys, Methods, Cherry Lotus, and more.  The Lives in Music series celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. But they all have stories. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your podcast host to automatically download each episode to your chosen device. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form.

In this edition I'm talking with Roy Adams, who is a beast of a drummer with excellent taste across a wide variety of styles.  It's tricky to list all the bands Roy currently plays with. He simply loves to play. You'll find him playing, with a huge smile on his face, in a bar with 50 people watching... or at a mega venue in front an audience of thousands in one of his two major gigs. He's held down the drum chair at Climax Blues Band for 35 years. For the rest, listen on: you'll know the names of some, if not all. To learn more about the music, or the musicians mentioned in this podcast, head to the companion Radio To Go blog post. 'A Life in Music: Roy Adams', which you can find at www.radiotogo.com. Everything that Roy touches on is linked there so you can explore to your hearts content. Roy's a busy man. We had to scrap around to find time to record, but I'm glad we did. The story starts, as with so many of the boomers in this series, with the fab four. Links to the music can be found on the Radio To Go blog, on the companion blog post: A Life In Music: Roy Adams The Lives in Music series celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. But they all have stories. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your podcast host to automatically download each episode to your chosen device. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form.

I've long been fascinated with the classical music world, every since I was poleaxed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Simon Rattle. So it was always been an ambition of mine to sit down with a classical musician and get some perspective for the Lives in Music series. I owe a debt of gratitude to a great Birmingham muso, R. John Webb (aka Ryan Webb, late of Rhino and the Ranters), who suggested I talk to... Foxy. Foxy is a pal of his from Moseley, the proudly boho part of Brum.   'Foxy who?' I ask. 'Oh, I don't know his real name. But he's Classical' says Ryan.  'That can cover a lot of things. Which orchestra?' say I. 'Oh, the Rattle one' came the reply. That started my pursuit. In due course we met up in one of Moseley's nicer coffee joints and talked for hours. Clearly, I was being sized up. But in due course, Foxy, who will absolutely not tell me why he has that nickname, agreed to be interviewed. And the result is what you have here. Very precise detail is what Mark goes for.  We covered an enormous range of topics. But as always in this series, if you put forty or fifty years into your craft, then you have the stories and experience. The conversation gave me a chance to look at the life of a musician in a BIG outfit. Orchestras can run to 90 or more, so touring a band like that is a bit more than assembling a road crew. The logistics must be a nightmare.  The Prince of Wales in Moseley, Birmingham has played a considerable part in this podcast episode. The Prince is a Moseley musicians' watering hole, with a long history of live music, and in whose snug we captured most of the conversation. Mark made mention of a benefit which took place in 2005. This was for the legendary Steve Ajao, who is still playing now, and whose podcast episode is here. I am indebted to Reed Alan, who filmed part of the benefit performance, and who has kindly allowed me to embed a video clip in the companion blog post for this podcast episode. Head here to watch the clip of Foxy, some 15 years ago, live in the beer garden, playing for Steve.  The Lives in Music podcasts celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. But they all have stories. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your podcast host to automatically download each episode to your chosen device. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form.

Ricky Cool is a veteran... who adores veteran music. He's a walking encyclopedia of US roots music, and he's no slouch about the UK music scene over the past 50 years. In this episode, l get schooled about harmonica playing, and we get a fascinating look at what it meant to be in bands struggling to get ahead through the 70s, 80s, 90s, and on into this century. Things are - different - now.  The latest incarnation is a very slick and entertaining operation, which harks back over 50 years to the mid-60s days of ska and organ groove.   Be warned: there's one teeny little bit of louche behaviour described. A swear word. But it's not sweary.  Ricky Cool's website for history and gig updates Historic music links in the podcast Muddy Waters wiki (McKinley Morganfield)Howling Wolf wiki (Chester Burnett)Howling Wolf - Smokestack LightningBarrett Strong wikiTommy Tucker - Hi Heel SneakersSonny Boy Willamson - Bring It On Home Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee - Long Way From Home Jesse Fuller - San Francisco Bay Blues Tiny Bradshaw - Train Kept A Rollin'Nappy Brown - Don't Be AngryBob Wills and His Texas Playboys - San Antonio Rose Louis Jordan - Caldonia Roy Milton and His Solid Senders - Hop Skip and Jump UK Folk (and associated) links Dave Cartwright wikiBill Caddick - John O'Dreams LiveThe Destroyers feat Mick Howson - Kalinka  Nic Jones - Canadee-i-o  Diz Dizley - It had To Be You The Lives in Music series celebrates people who have spent a lifetime in music. They may be famous; they may be people who have spent their lives working in the background for the love of it. But they all have stories. The intro and outro music in this series comes from the great bass player Mike Hatton, who you can hear interviewed in series 1, here. 'Everything Changes' is included in his excellent 2019 album 'Bassic Salvation'.  Subscribe! Subscribe to the Podcast through your podcast host to automatically download each episode to your chosen device. These will then land with you first, before everyone else hears about it.  If you would prefer email updates each time a podcast episode (or blog post) is published, you can subscribe to the mailing list. Head here and scroll down to the signup form.