

Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast
O3L Media
Only Three Lads is a lively podcast celebrating the Golden Age of Alternative Music from the '70s, '80s & '90s. Join Uncle Gregg, Brett Vargo, and a variety of ”Third Lads” as we share our Top Fives, stories, and news about the music we love, and have a lot of fun along the way! Whether you‘re into indie, punk, new wave, Britpop, power pop, synth pop, shoegaze, grunge...or whatever...there is going to be something for you to discover and love. Part of Pantheon Podcasts.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 12, 2022 • 1h 5min
E118 - Top 5 Songs of 1980
If YOU like piña coladas, then come with us and escape. Of course, even if you don't like piña coladas, you're still welcome, because this episode we cover our top songs from 1980. Yes, among the smooth soft rock, schmaltzy ballads and booty-bumpin' disco was some truly groundbreaking classic alternative songs.
As the Hungarians say, "dog poop on your nose!" We think.
Plus, in the O3L Spotlight this week is the new single, "Wildfire" by Manchester artist Minerva Daisy. It's an empowering, sultry and summery indie-pop track that we are confident will replicate the Top 40 success of previous single "Euphoria." "Wildfire" is available on all platforms on July 15th. For more information on Minerva Daisy, go to: https://www.minervadaisy.co.uk/
#musicpodcast #1stwave #newwave #punkrock #indiepop #classicalternative #punkrock
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Jul 5, 2022 • 1h 27min
E117 - Top 5 Hometown Heroes
Hey, hep cats! This week, we celebrate our "homer picks" - the classic alternative era artists and bands from our respective areas who made an impact on us. Uncle Gregg is representing "the Valley of the Sunstroke," Phoenix, AZ, while Brett is bringing eternal sunshine from the paradise of San Diego, CA. Plus, we share the picks from some of the "Third Lads" of the O3L Community around the world. There's no place like home!
We also host the inaugural O3L Poetry Slam, talk new music, Kardashians, moms, eating pet food, TikTok, awkward pauses, and other stuff that doesn't really have much to do with hometown heroes.
Our O3L Spotlight Artist of the Week is the classic UK indie pop band The Chesterfields. 38 years since they formed in Yeovil, Somerset, and 28 years since their last record release, The Chesterfields are back in July 2022 with a new single “Our Songbird Has Gone”, a song that founder member Simon Barber has written about his original co-conspirator in the band Dave Goldsworthy, who was tragically killed in a hit and run accident in 2003. A new album New Modern Homes (co-produced and mixed by John Parish, who produced The Chesterfields’ debut Kettle in 1987) will follow in September, with gigs to be announced for a short tour in October. The current line-up features Simon on bass and vocals, Rob Parry on drums, Helen Stickland on guitar and vocals, and Andy Strickland (of The Loft and The Caretaker Race) on guitar and vocals.
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Jun 28, 2022 • 1h 20min
E116 - Top 5 ’90s Punk Songs
Flurgy flurga...after an unexpected week off due to dang COVID, O3L is back! This episode, we're hanging out at the local Hot Topic to chat about our favorite punk "bangers" of the '90s. Of course, we also talk about a myriad of other stuff - bathrooms for the rich, German lessons, groupies, Uncle Gregg in love, and Brett's shocking secret.
Our O3L spotlight for the week is The White Collars, an up-and-coming San Diego band whose new album, Vintage Collars, is out now! https://www.instagram.com/the.white.collars/
Also included are shout outs to David Bash and Stuff By Mark!
#musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #punkrock #90spunk #garagerock #riotgrrrl #poppunk #mallpunk #hottopic #whitecollars
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Jun 14, 2022 • 1h 24min
E115 - Top 5 Albums of 1981
Atten-HUT! Join Laverne, Shirl, Squealy and the gang through a rip-roarin, time-travelin', pubis-hurtin' adventure back to the year 1981. It was the year of MTV...The Greatest American Hero...LASITA (c'mon, you kids know)...and a whole lotta great classic alternative music. Join us as we cover our Top 5 Albums from this pivotal year. And, yes, in case you were wondering, hi-jinks DO ensue!
So, if you are one of the literally millions of people shouting "I Want My O3L!", this one's for you. Remember, your commanding pig is instructing you to listen up.
#musicpodcast #classicalternative #1stwave #newwave #mtvgeneration #punkrock #postpunk #synthpop #powerpop #indiepop #albumsof1981 #80smusic
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Jun 7, 2022 • 1h 43min
E114 - Gone But Not Forgotten (with Author/Music Journalist Michael Goldberg)
"Reverent" isn't exactly a word that you usually associate with Only Three lads. But that's the best word to describe this week's episode, as we pay tribute to some of the dearly departed heroes of the O3L era. They may be gone...but they will never be forgotten.
We talk a lot about James Calvin Wilsey. It's a name you may not recognize, but we guarantee you've heard him play guitar. Jimmy started his professional career as the bassist in San Francisco punk legends The Avengers before joining forces in Silvertone with Chris Isaak. Yeah, that's Jimmy who wrote and played the haunting lead guitar lines in "Wicked Game."
Jimmy's life, career and tragic death are chronicled in Wicked Game: The True Story of Guitarist James Calvin Wilsey, penned by our Third Lad this week, the esteemed Michael Goldberg. Michael has been a respected and renowned music journalist since the '70s, serving as Senior Writer for Rolling Stone magazine for a decade, as well as writing for Creem, NME, Musician, and other notable music publications. In 1994, he founded the first online music magazine, Addicted to Noise, which garnered him a spot on Newsweek's 1995 list of the "50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet."
For more information on Wicked Game, visit https://hozacrecords.com. A portion of the proceeds go to Jimmy Wilsey's teenage son Waylon.
Also, on this week's O3L Spotlight, we feature music by TV Party! Buy their self titled debut album at: https://tvparty1.bandcamp.com/album/tv-party.
#musicpodcast #musicpodcasts #RIP #wickedgame #punkrock #1stwave #newwave #indierock #indiepop #classicalternative #alternativerock #guitarhero
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May 30, 2022 • 1h 8min
E113 - O3L Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Welcome to the 1st Annual...oops, the Inaugural O3L Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Tired of your favorite classic alternative musicians getting the shaft in Cleveland? Well, we're going to show some of these artists some love (and give you something else to complain about!) as we induct our Class of 2022 into the HOF. Who made it? Who got snubbed this year?
We've inducted our first 10, and we're going to ask YOU to help us add two more to our virtual shrine. Post your picks on our social media feeds, and the most popular choices (based on posts and post reactions) will be announced next week!
Of course, before you think that we're going to be all polished and professional for our fancy awards ceremony, you know us better than that. Just put it this way...a lot of this stuff would get cut out of the HBO telecast.
In a new feature called O3L Spotlight, we play "I Found You" by the Cambridge, England band The New Fools, from their new album Vanille. HOME | The New Fools
And, when you get done with this episode, why not head over and check out our friends at the Never Loved Elvis pod? https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/never-loved-elvis/id1536083420.
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May 24, 2022 • 58min
E112 - Top 5 Scottish Albums, Part I (with JIM SHEPHERD from The Jasmine Minks!)
**PART 1 of 2**
Aye, dinnae miss this one or well gie ye a skelpit lug! OK, we won't really, but we've got a special two parter for you this week, as we discuss our favourite Scottish albums with JIM SHEPHERD from The Jasmine Minks!
Aberdeen, Scotland's Jasmine Minks were one of Creation Records' earliest signings, scoring two UK Top 30 indie singles ("What's Happening" and "Cold Heart") and sharing the stage with the likes of Jesus And Mary Chain and Primal Scream. So respected were the Minks that they were the only band that Creation boss Alan McGee took with him to his next label, Poptones.
Minks' singer/ songwriter/ guitarist Jim Shepherd is back with a brand new solo album, The Circle, now available on Spinout Nuggets. For the record, Shepherd has assembled an indie supergroup featuring Dave Morgan (The Loft, the Weather Prophets, Subway Sect) on drums and production, Frank Sweeney (The June Brides) on strings and keyboards and Arash Torabi (The June Brides, The Distractions, Beat Hotel) on bass, with guest vocals by Tommy Reid (The Jasmine Minks), Beth Arzy (The Luxembourg Signal, Jetstream Pony), Aberdeen’s Vapour Trails and Marianne Dissard. It is available from: https://spinoutnuggets.bandcamp.com/album/the-circle
On these episodes, you'll hear fantastic stories from the early days of Creation. Drugs. Half pints. Space porn. Hiking porn. All the porns, really.
It's good craic, this one.
P.S. If you like O3L, check out our friends at the Never Loved Elvis podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/never-loved-elvis/id1536083420. It's a perfect marriage of knowledge, ignorance and humour!
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May 24, 2022 • 1h 32min
E112 - Top 5 Scottish Albums, Part II (with JIM SHEPHERD from The Jasmine Minks!)
**PART 2 of 2**
Aye, dinnae miss this one or well gie ye a skelpit lug! OK, we won't really, but we've got a special two parter for you this week, as we discuss our favourite Scottish albums with JIM SHEPHERD from The Jasmine Minks!
Aberdeen, Scotland's Jasmine Minks were one of Creation Records' earliest signings, scoring two UK Top 30 indie singles ("What's Happening" and "Cold Heart") and sharing the stage with the likes of Jesus And Mary Chain and Primal Scream. So respected were the Minks that they were the only band that Creation boss Alan McGee took with him to his next label, Poptones.
Minks' singer/ songwriter/ guitarist Jim Shepherd is back with a brand new solo album, The Circle, now available on Spinout Nuggets. For the record, Shepherd has assembled an indie supergroup featuring Dave Morgan (The Loft, the Weather Prophets, Subway Sect) on drums and production, Frank Sweeney (The June Brides) on strings and keyboards and Arash Torabi (The June Brides, The Distractions, Beat Hotel) on bass, with guest vocals by Tommy Reid (The Jasmine Minks), Beth Arzy (The Luxembourg Signal, Jetstream Pony), Aberdeen’s Vapour Trails and Marianne Dissard. It is available from: https://spinoutnuggets.bandcamp.com/album/the-circle
On these episodes, you'll hear fantastic stories from the early days of Creation. Drugs. Half pints. Space porn. Hiking porn. All the porns, really.
It's good craic, this one.
P.S. If you like O3L, check out our friends at the Never Loved Elvis podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/never-loved-elvis/id1536083420. It's a perfect marriage of knowledge, ignorance and humour!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 13, 2022 • 55min
E111 - Cruel World Special
Hey, we know what you're thinking...is it next Tuesday already?!?
Nope, but we're bringing you this one early, because we're getting excited for Cruel World - a festival geared towards classic alternative music lovers like us: new wavers, goths, punks, and synth-poppers alike. It's a concert lineup that we could have only conjured up in our, um, most inappropriate dreams: Morrissey, Bauhaus, Blondie, Devo, The Psychedelic Furs, Violent Femmes, The Church, English Beat, Public Image Ltd, The Damned, Berlin, Missing Persons, and a whole slew of modern bands who share a similar musical aesthetic.
The festival takes place in Pasadena, CA on May 14th & 15th, 2022. Join Uncle Gregg & Brett as we discuss the Top 5 bands that we are looking most forward to seeing (and things like jeans and tattoos). Even if you can't go to the show, we reckon that you'll still enjoy this one...especially since we're sure you'll see it all on YouTube soon enough.
Enjoy the weekend. If you're at the show and see an O3L t-shirt, say hi!
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May 10, 2022 • 1h 27min
E110 - Label Spotlight: SST Records (with author Jim Ruland)
It's an O3L party! We've got nothing better to do than listen to O3L and have a couple of brews (or ginger ales), because this week we discuss the ultimate American punk rock label, SST Records. SST was founded in 1978 by Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn as a vehicle for his band's records, but over the years has released classic underground music by the likes of Hüsker Dü, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Soundgarden, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Screaming Trees, Bad Brains, Descendents and many more.
Our guest Lad this week is author and music journalist Jim Ruland, who has written the definitive chronicle of the label with his new #1 Amazon best seller Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise & Fall of SST Records. In this insightful and exhaustive book, Ruland recounts SST's remarkable rise, dysfunctional operation, and infamous downfall. Through it all, they changed the alternative rock landscape forever.
Purchase Jim's book here:
Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise and Fall of SST Records: Ruland, Jim: 9780306925481: Books (amazon.com)
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