Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast

Do you like American music?  We like American music, baby! The 4th of July may be over, but the party's not!  We're comin' to your town, and we will, by all counts, help you party it down.  This week, Brett and Uncle Gregg celebrate the best classic alternative bands from the USA, with a lot of great input from the "Third Lads" out there...all of you in the O3L Community! Plus, we discuss Uncle Gregg serving the country, which patriotic song doesn't make Brett especially "proud", and pay tribute to the greatest of all American bands...The Hoff.     Sing it all together now - There ain't no doubt, I love these lads, God Bless the O3L! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1977: The Year Two Sevens Clashed. The Year Punk Broke. The Year Everyone Caught Saturday Night Fever. Whatever you call it, it was arguably the single most important and revolutionary year of the O3L era.   This week, Uncle Gregg and Brett discuss their favorite records from that pivotal year with indie legend ANDY STRICKLAND from The Loft, one of the first bands on the influential Creation Records label.  We talk about the excellent new Loft 2 CD compilation, Ghost Trains & Country Lanes - Studio, Stage & Sessions: 1984-2015, being right in the thick of the UK punk scene, and the lasting influence of the music of 1977.   This is a "must listen" O3L...we mean it, maaaaaan! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You do not want to miss our SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE featuring our extended conversation with Andy Strickland. This one has everything you could want in a rock & roll story, kids. The early days of Creation! A #1 hit! Radio and TV appearances! Onstage breakups! Fluffing solos! Tea with Morrissey! Making Bobby Gillespie cry! Toy boats! This is a great one...we mean it, maaaaaaaaaaaaan! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're not only Lads, we're also Dads...so we took the Father's Day weekend to spend with our kids, but don't worry, we're not going to leave you without a new O3L!  We had such an incredible time with HUGO BURNHAM from GANG OF FOUR that there was far more than we could fit in the last episode.  Other than the opening discussion on the brilliant new Go4 box set, 77-81, this is all brand new content from our chat with Hugo, and we promise is essential listening for long time Gang of Four fans, those just discovering the band, and fans of classic alternative in general.  To quote the man himself: "I'm the &$#@%^* professor!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The change will do you good/I always knew it would." This week, Only Three Lads is a gang of four. That is, for our discussion on our Top 5 Drummers, we are joined by one of the most legendary and influential drummers of the O3L era, Hugo Burnham from GANG OF FOUR! Oh, sorry, that's M'Lord to you!   Also joining us for this episode is Brett's big brother Brian, and you will likely notice that those apples definitely grew off the same tree, so to speak.   Hugo was so gracious, kind, and hilarious, we have so much more to share with you! Stay tuned next week for our extended interview.   Hugo described O3L like this: "When I was growing up, milk bottles had the milk and at the top was the cream. And you guys are in the top of the bottle." Who are we to argue with that? We will accept any and all dairy analogies as high compliments...except that one time when someone called us cheesy.   Make sure to order Gang Of Four's stunning new box set 77-81 from store.matadorrecords.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hold on, because the Lads tackle their top bands with women at the helm. Celebrating the classic, the groundbreaking, the influential, and the underappreciated.   Speaking of great female fronted bands, O3L congratulates The Go-Go's on their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!   Plus - Bueno dreams of Jeannie! Brett marries Wilson Phillips! Uncle Gregg's got skidmarks on his...uh, heart! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beware the savage roar...of 1984.  This week, we cover the best of this most excellent of years in the classic alternative era.  And, added bonus - Bueno's back!  We discuss his journey to the BIG3 basketball league tryouts, how he may (or may not) have invented MTV Unplugged, and how he helped The Go-Go's get to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame.  Uncle Gregg is assigned his status as the 127th Beatle, and The Rocktor pays, uh, tribute to Casey Kasem and Charles Nelson Reilly.   Will you still need us, will you still feed us, on Episode 64?  (Hint: The correct answer is "yes".) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What time is it? It's APT (Athens Party Time), y'all, because we're hanging out with the magnificent LINDA HOPPER from OH-OK and MAGNAPOP to discuss some of our favorite short songs of the O3L era. So grab a White Claw or some Willie Weed, sit back and enjoy the show. This is O3L At Our Best (exclamation point!).   We had such a great time with Linda that we couldn't fit everything into just one show! Be sure to check out our bonus episode for much more of our conversation.  Linda shares some amazing stories from her career from coming up in the early '80s Athens scene with Oh-OK, through to the heady '90s alt-rock with Magnapop, to present day....and the talented musicians with whom she's played and crossed paths - including Lynda Stipe, Matthew Sweet, REM, Bob Mould, Pylon, Mitch Easter, Love Tractor, Willie Nelson, Ruthie Morris and more.    That's two hours of O3L for you this week. Who do we think we are...Uriah Heep?!? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We had such a great time with Linda Hopper that we couldn't fit everything into just one show! Linda shares some amazing stories from her career from coming up in the early '80s Athens scene with Oh-OK, through to the heady '90s alt-rock with Magnapop, to present day....and the talented musicians with whom she's played and crossed paths - including Lynda Stipe, Matthew Sweet, REM, Bob Mould, Pylon, Mitch Easter, Love Tractor, Willie Nelson, Ruthie Morris and more.   That's two hours of O3L for you this week. Who do we think we are...Uriah Heep?!? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the day of this episode's "transmission", it is 41 years to the day that we lost Ian Curtis.  We celebrate the music of Joy Division this week, one of the most influential and important bands of the O3L era.  Playing the role of Bueno this week, we've got the marvelous Mark Cline of Love Tractor returning to the show.  Since Mark and Love Tractor toured with New Order in the mid-80s, he's a very fitting guest host, and always has great insights and stories!   Also on the docket, we play a music nerd "would you rather" game, talk classic TV, get songwriting tips from Mark, and talk about Love Tractor news.  Don't miss the unknown pleasures of this episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices