Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast

We've got you covered...nah. Duck and cover...nope. Maybe you can judge a song by its cover...forget it, that's dumb. Well, after laboriously trying to find the right "cover" pun, we'll just leave it at this: This week, we're talking about cover versions. In short, versions of songs that were originally recorded by another artist. And there were oodles and gobs of brilliant cover versions during the O3L era, including many by the wildly popular British '90s band Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine.Hey, maybe we're better at segues than we are at puns, because our Third Lad this week is Jim Bob from Carter USM! With his musical partner Fruitbat in Carter USM, Jim racked up four Top 10 albums, 14 Top 40 singles, including a string of classics like 'Sheriff Fatman,' 'Bloodsport For All,' 'After The Watershed,' and 'The Only Living Boy In New Cross,' and headlined Glastonbury before calling it a day (for the first time) in 1997. Carter defied categorization, with an anything-goes juxtaposition of styles of punk to dance, with biting wit, keen social commentary and a knack for clever wordplay.But Jim Bob couldn't stop there, and has become one of pop's renaissance men. Since Carter, he has written two memoirs, six novels, a stage production, and released 12 solo records, including his latest, Thanks For Reaching Out, out from Cherry Red on 30th June. The album contains 38 minutes of pop, punk rock, devastatingly moving ballads and more topical than an episode of Newsnight, with songs about Putin (‘The Day of Reckoning’), the Taliban (‘This is End Times’) and whoever ‘Billionaire in Space’ is about. It’s not all doom and gloom though (it’s mostly doom and gloom). ‘Sebastian’s Gone On A Ridelaong’ is a hilarious psychobilly romp and the pre-coronation written ‘The Prince of Wales’ is like a pub lock-in, it’s Bowie’s ‘Kooks’ for older people. During this episode, you'll also get a first listen of Jim's cover of The Psychedelic Furs' 'Pretty In Pink,' which is featured on a covers bonus disc available with the CD version of Thanks For Reaching Out.Among the topics "covered" during this episode: Power ballads! Duck Hunt! Interior decorating! The brilliance of Mark Reynolds aka Stuff by Mark! Serial killer chic! Music video controversy! Milwaukee! Drowning bands! Stevie Wonder in a sock! Jim entering his Young Americans period! And loads of British enthusiasm!Proudly part of the Pantheon Podcasts family.#musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #carterusm #cartertheunstoppablesexmachine #90smusic #coversongs #coverversions #punkrock #newwave #1stwave #classicalternative #grebo #80smusic #70smusic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever watched the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and wished "Gee, why don't they represent more of the classic alternative music artists that I love?" Better yet, have you ever wished "Gee, why isn't this show hosted by two crochety Gen-X'ers moaning about St. Valentine and impregnating cats?" You have!?!? Well, hot dog, you're in luck...because it's time to join ol' UG & Corpsey for the 2nd Annual O3L Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony!Last year, we inducted 10 artists who were crucial in shaping the music we discuss on O3L: David Bowie Buzzcocks Depeche Mode Duran Duran Joy Division Nirvana Pixies Ramones The Replacements The Smiths Who made it in this year? Guess you'll just have to listen. But YOU (yes, YOU!) can be a part of the voting committee. Post or message us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or email us at onlythreelads@gmail.com with your picks. We will induct the artist with the most votes as well.In the O3L Spotlight this week, we have new Isle of Wight punk band George Street Kids, produced by Loft/Chesterfields guitarist Andy Strickland. Conveniently, their stomping debut single is also called "George St. Kids." It's out now at https://georgestreetkids.bandcamp.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're heading straight to the garage this week! Following the release of Lenny Kaye's seminal Nuggets compilation of '60s garage bands in 1972, legions of young musicians eschewed the increasingly complex, bloated , pretentious rock of the day to return to simpler, rawer, more primal sounds. These embryonic punk rock records not only inspired bands like Ramones, Blondie, The Clash and The Sex Pistols, but launched a full scale garage rock revival scene in the '80s that reverberated into the 21st century with bands like The White Stripes, The Black Keys and The Strokes.We are honored to have one of the key architects of '60s garage/punk rock joining us as our Third Lad this week, Tony Valentino of The Standells! He was the man who wrote and played one of THE most recognizable and distinctive riffs in all of rock n' roll, "Dirty Water," as well as Standells classics such as "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White," "Why Pick On Me," "Barracuda," "Riot On Sunset Strip," and "Try It."Rock n' roll brought a young Valentino from his native Italy to the land of milk and honey (and root beer), the USA. Hear about his incredible journey that led to appearances in TV shows and movies such as The Munsters, The Bing Crosby Show, American Bandstand, Ben Casey, Get Yourself A College Girl, and Riot on Sunset Strip, a wild tour with The Rolling Stones, shady managers, Laurel Canyon dalliances with The Beach Boys and the Manson Family, and how Rick Springfield provided the inspiration behind his latest album, Dirty Water Revisited.Dirty Water Revisited is out now on the marvelous Big Stir Records, and features ten newly recorded tracks from the guitar hero, reimagining many of the classics that made The Standells the ultimate purveyors of gritty riffs and swaggering hits in the '60s, and adds a pair of blistering originals to the mix. Far from a nostalgia trip, Dirty Water Revisited is proof positive that rock n' roll is alive and well in the hands of a true legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Girl.This simple four letter word has been the impetus behind many of the greatest songs of all time, and the O3L era was no exception. Whether it's a male sung ode to love, longing, success and frustration with the opposite sex, or a female sung declaration of solidarity and empowerment, this week we celebrate songs with the word "girl" in the title (well, most of them).One of those wonderful songs is the 1984 Top 40 smash by Romeo Void, "A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)." So what an incredible thrill it is for us to welcome as our special guest...DEBORA IYALL from ROMEO VOID!Romeo Void was formed in 1979. Drawing inspiration from the local underground music scene, the band’s founding members were San Francisco Art Institute students Debora Iyall (lead vocalist, lyricist) and Frank Zincavage (bass guitar), alongside local musicians Peter Woods (guitar) and Jay Derrah (drums). They soon added saxophonist Benjamin Bossi. According to Iyall, the name Romeo Void referred to “a lack of romance.” Romeo Void's first official live album, Live From Mabuhay Gardens: November 14, 1980, was recently released on special galaxy blue vinyl for Record Store Day, as well as on CD and digital, by the Liberation Hall label. Recorded at the famed San Francisco punk club by deejay Terry Hammer, the album was captured during the same period that Romeo Void was recording its critically acclaimed debut album for 415 Records, It’s a Condition. Derrah was still drumming with the band at this live show, but was replaced by John “Stench” Haines by the time the sessions for It’s a Condition were underway.Eight of the eleven songs on Live from Mabuhay Gardens: November 14, 1980, would eventually appear on It’s a Condition. The opening track, “Guards,” would surface in 1981 as the B-side of the band’s national breakout single, “Never Say Never.” “Fine Line” is an original that has never been released in any format. The album’s closing number, “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love,” is a cover of the Swingin’ Medallions’ 1966 hit, which was the first 45 single which Iyall owned.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday, May 20, the classic alternative, punk, new wave, post-punk, goth, synth pop, and dark wave tribes will gather once again in Pasadena, California for the second Cruel World festival. It's an amazing lineup featuring the first Siouxsie live appearance in the US in over 15 years, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, Love and Rockets, Echo & The Bunnymen, Adam Ant, The Human League, Gary Numan, Modern English, Gang Of Four, ABC, The Vapors, Berlin, Animotion, and a fine selection of like-minded "next generation" bands. The Lads break down the acts that they will be checking out, festival survival tips, and a heck of a lot more. Whether you are going or just wish you were, let O3L be your "pre-game show" for Cruel World!We're shining the O3L Spotlight on The Midnight Sailors, the new project from amazingly talented singer/songwriter Rich Longley and guitarist David Osborne, who share a fondness for Al Stewart, The Lilac Time, and songs about memories, childhood and history. They’ve produced a marvelous self-titled concept album of sorts about their experiences, and along with the ornate beauty and ambitious song structures of the aforementioned influences, there are dashes of The Go-Betweens and The Clientele and probably the best banjo flourishes you’ll hear on a pop record this year. We play the gorgeous album cut, "This Time It Was Me." Check them out at themidnightsailors.bandcamp.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey mon! (Tooka-tinka, tooka-tinka, tooka-tinka...)Whether you're smokin' a fat doob, gargling with Wild Turkey, or sippin' a pina colada Slurpee, you won't want to miss O3L jammin' to the sound and spirit of Jamaica, reggae. Let's get together and feel alright!Cuz here's the thing: While Brett is a reggae fan, Uncle Gregg is decidedly not. In fact, you could even say that this week caused him a little consternation. We'll give you both sides of the proverbial coin.Oh...and, hey, long time listeners, remember those "O3L After Dark" bonus episodes where we'd save some of the more questionable/offensive content for more mature (or is it immature?) audiences? Yeah, we didn't do that this week, but consider yourself forewarned. We'd like to say it was the Wild Turkey talkin', but who are we kidding?In the O3L Spotlight this week, we play the new single by Special Friend called "Selkie," from the forthcoming album Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In (out June 30) on Skep Wax Records and French labels Howlin' Banana and Hidden Bay Records. Paris-based duo Special Friend are American Erica Ashleson and Frenchman Guillaume Siracusa. They have a sound that’s somehow minimal and epic. On Selkie, her insistent drums, his reverberating guitar, and the plaintive melody in their voices join forces to conjure up the spirit of a beautiful, unknowable creature... According to folk tales and mythology, a selkie is a seal who can swim ashore, shed her skin and transform herself into a beautiful human being for a while. Those folk tales also tell of man’s cruelty – of selkies whose discarded sealskins were destroyed while they were in human form, deliberately preventing them from ever reclaiming their true animal identities. "Selkie" is a song about magic and about cruelty. About celebrating and respecting the poetry of different beings, and accepting the fact that we should never try to master them.Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're covering some of the finest female vocal performances and songs of the O3L era. But, as the ladies of Bananarama wisely imparted, "it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it!"That's why we are thrilled to "do it" with indie pop giants Heavenly as our Third Lads this week: Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey, Pete Momtchiloff and Cathy Rogers! Heavenly are reuniting for a pair of sold out London shows this month to celebrate their ongoing reissue campaign on Skep Wax, and they were gracious enough to hang out with us to share music, memories and laughs with us. Heavenly was formed in Oxford, England in 1989, springing from one of the seminal UK indie bands of the '80s, Talulah Gosh. From 1990-1996, the group released four albums and a run of brilliant singles (mostly on Sarah Records), full of jangly twee pop sweetness with an occasional riot grrrl attitude. Following the untimely passing of drummer Matthew Fletcher, the surviving members regrouped as Marine Research for the terrific 1999 LP Sounds From The Gulf Stream. In the 21st century, Amelia and Rob have been involved in various musical projects including Sportique, Tender Trap, Caternary Wires and Swansea Sound, as well as running the Skep Wax label. Amelia is also an esteemed economist who has been appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Pete has played in bands including Scarlet's Well (with Bid from Monochrome Set), Would-Be-Goods, and Tufthunter. Cathy has a PhD in Educational Neuroscience, and is well known as the creator, producer and host of the reality competition shows Scrapheap Challenge (UK) and Junkyard Wars (US). Plus:- In an exciting quiz game, find out if C really is Heavenly's option!- Being Tik Tok famous!- Riot grrrls and roller skates!- Dealing with "scary" managers!- Doing octopus impressions!- The art of peeling root vegetables!- Britcoms (well, and Aussie-coms)!- Gregg gets sensitive (but only for a moment)!- Cathy lays out some fresh rhymes!- Aging indie band looking for teens!- Hear the new single "Get Me" by Skep Wax artist Panic Pocket!For more information on Heavenly and other Skep Wax artists, go to: https://skepwax.bandcamp.com. O3L is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family.#musicpodcast #indiepop #tweepop #riotgrrrl #sarahrecords #cistheheavenlyoption #PUNKgirl #britpop #C86 #janglepop #punkrock #Krecords Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aye, this week we have a wee blether aboot, to quote Teenage Fanclub, "songs from Northern Britain." It's a belter tae!Our Third Lad this week is a singer/songwriter fae Aberdeen, Kevin Robertson. Since 2019, he has prolifically been releasing brilliantly constructed jangle-pop, folk-rock and psych-pop both solo and with his band The Vapour Trails. His newly released solo album, Magic Spells Abound, is a masterful modern Scottish classic that's now available on all streaming services or:US/Canada: Magic Spells Abound | Kevin Robertson | Futureman Records (bandcamp.com)Rest of the World: Magic Spells Abound | Kevin Robertson (bandcamp.com)Dinnae be a dafty david...have a listen, wilnae ye?Oh, and by the way, Gregg ruins Scotland!Only Three Lads is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the most wonderful time of the year...Record Store Day!Record Store Day is on Saturday, April 22, 2023. It's a day to celebrate the cultural importance of independent record stores around the world. Since 2007, RSD has been a tradition for thousands of music nerds...err, collectors...with an ever-growing list of exclusive releases. This year is a particularly epic year, with a bevy of albums that will appeal to classic alternative music fans. With all of this stuff, how am I going to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff, you ask? Well, good thing your friends at O3L are here!O3L's Brett Vargo gives you a run-down of the RSD highlights. Whether you're pre-gaming for the big day, sitting in line, or looking to pick up some records after the fact, we've got a little sumthin' sumthin' for everyone, if ya know what we mean. Happy Record Store Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 2, 2023, the music world lost a pivotal figure in Seymour Stein. As a teenager, Stein worked for Billboard Magazine and was instrumental in the development of the standard bearer for measuring pop music success in the United States, the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 1966, Stein co-founded Sire Records with Richard Gottherer. In the earliest days of the label, much of their focus was on bringing UK underground and progressive music to US record buyers, with distribution deals with London and ABC. Stein's most fruitful alliance was with Warner Brothers, where Sire was responsible for breaking punk, new wave, and alternative artists including Ramones, Talking Heads, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Replacements, The Ocean Blue, and many more to American audiences...not to mention one of the biggest pop stars to walk the earth, Madonna. We salute the spectacular Sire Records catalogue and remember Seymour Stein this week.Our Third Lad is a self-professed rock n' roll historian and fellow Sire Records afficionado, Brian Eichenberger from the wonderful podcast Rock n Roll Bedtime Stories. Each week, Brian and his friend/co-host Murdock go deep to discuss (and set straight) the rumor, innuendo, and hidden details that surround some of your favorite bands and songs. We're big fans of the show, and think you will be too!It's only fitting for Brian's appearance that we tell a few titillating bedtime stories during the episode: How Seymour Stein chased Dee Dee Ramone out of his bedroom! Sire passes on a legendary guitarist! The artist who pestered Seymour in the hospital! Crazy Phil Spector! Find out who Uncle Gregg nearly punched! Fake bands and unscrupulous managers! Fake TV songs! Tiffany! So tuck yourself in tight and let us aurally cuddle with you.Only Three Lads is a proud member of the Pantheon Podcasts family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices