Music Maps Podcast

Latest Episodes:

85 - The Everly Brothers with Barry Mazor Oct 11, 2025

Show notes

This week we travel back to the 1950's & 60's to hear all about one of the most influential acts of all time The Everly Brothers with biographer Barry Mazor. Don & Phil's Dad Ike was a musician & the brothers are already playing live & on the radio as children.

They sign with Cadence Records in 1956 & record the iconic Bye Bye Love at their very first session. The record sells over a million copies but they follow it up with Wake Up Little Susie which is an even bigger hit.

We find out how they achieved their incredible acoustic guitar sound & hear about their pioneering techniques in the recording studio as well as their friendship with Buddy Holly.

The Everlys sign with Warner Brothers in 1959 & immediately deliver their biggest hit Cathy's Clown. Their first UK tour takes place in 1960 with George Harrison & Graham Nash amongst those in attendance. The duo become a huge influence on the Beatles particularly on their early hit Please Please Me. Their guitar sound can also be heard on Bob Dylan's Highway 51 & It's Alright Me (I'm Only Bleeding).

While they fall out of fashion in the US they remain a big act in the UK & Europe & make some of their best records in the late 60s despite lower sales than at their peak.

The brothers split after a final show at the Knott's Berry Farm theme park in California in 1973, but they return in 1983 for a reunion show at the Royal Albert Hall in London. They record a Paul McCartney track & release a number of new records. They continue until their victory lap on a 2004 farewell tour with Simon & Garfunkel.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

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Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

84 - The Raincoats with Audrey Golden Oct 04, 2025

Show notes

This week we discover the history of The Raincoats - formed by Gina Birch & Ana De Silva in 1977 after they meet at Hornsey Art College in London. The Sex Pistols & The Slits are influences on the burgeoning band & they end up signing to Rough Trade.

The classic all female lineup debuts at Acklam Hall in London in January of 1979 & debut single Fairytale In The Supermarket is followed by their debut album later in the year.

The Raincoats release several further albums but the band comes to an end in 1984 however a huge resurgence in the band comes in the 90s spearheaded by super fan Kurt Cobain.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

83 - LIVE Street Level Superstar with Lawrence, Will Hodgkinson & Sian Pattenden Sep 27, 2025

Show notes

Join us for a LIVE episode with Lawrence, Will Hodgkinson & Sian Pattenden to discuss STREET LEVEL SUPERSTAR - one of the best music books of all time.

We retrace Lawrence’s career from Felt & Denim to Mozart Estate & through to the present day.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy MaxwellIt takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Recorded at The Ivy House, Nunhead

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

82 - Blur with Dave Rowntree (Colchester) Sep 20, 2025

Show notes

Join us & take a trip to Essex as we focus in on the early years of Blur with drummer Dave Rowntree. His new photograph book is called No One You Know: Early Blur Photos.

We begin in Colchester where a young Dave meets future Blur guitarist Graham Coxon on the local music scene. Graham later invites Dave to a mate's gig at local venue the Colchester Arts Centre, that mate turns out to be Damon Albarn.

The trio begin to play together in Colchester & London after Graham moves from saxophone to lead guitar. A vacancy on bass opens up & is filled by Graham's neighbour in his Goldsmiths College hall of residence, Alex James.

The first Blur (then known as Seymour) gig takes place at the East Anglian Railway Museum in the summer of 1989 & after a positive write up in the pages of Music Week, the band are signed within 6 months of forming. Blur end up on Food Records & following a name change become known for their chaotic & energetic gigs.

The label are keen for the band to pursue a 'baggy' sound with the Manchester scene still prominent in 1990 & debut single She's So High is released in October of 1990.

Things really take off once producer Stephen Street comes into the fold. Follow up single There's No Other Way breaks the top 10, peaking at number 8.

Debut album Leisure follows in the summer of 1991 & features a 1954 Charles Hewitt photograph on the cover.

Dave begins to document this early period by taking photographs, eventually taking hundreds which were edited down for the book. They cover the bands first trips to the US, Japan & Mexico & document a time when the world did not yet know Blur.

You can buy Dave's book here.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

81 - The Bay City Rollers with Stuart 'Woody' Wood (Edinburgh) Sep 13, 2025

Show notes

This week we travel north of the border to talk about the history of the Bay City Rollers, one of a handful of British bands to have a number 1 single in the UK & the US.

Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood is our guest & he tells us about going the band after working as a roadie for them first. Once officially a member Woody joins the band, who are without a hit for a few years at this point touring the working men’s clubs & Mecca ballrooms of Scotland & the north of England.

The band explode in popularity in 1974 & we find out about how the tartan clothing came to be so closely associated with the band, various injuries sustained, how Woody’s family dealt with the fans gathered at the family home & even starring in their own TV show.

The Bay City Rollers success is replicated in the US, Australia, Japan & around the world.

Famously the bands financial situation becomes messy & takes over 40 years to find a resolution meanwhile there are various revivals of the Rollers from the late 1980s onwards including a homecoming gig at T in the Park in Scotland in 2016 & today the band is thriving with a new lineup. Woody still plays with the band & has taken over as the custodian of the Bay City Rollers legacy.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

80 - Freddie Mercury's Notebooks with Lesley-Ann Jones (Garden Lodge, Kensington) Sep 06, 2025

Show notes

This week we have a world exclusive - we are the first podcast to discuss Freddie Mercury's recently discovered diaries/notebooks with biographer Lesley-Ann Jones.

You may have seen it reported in the press that Freddie Mercury left 17 volumes of notebooks to a daughter hardly anyone knew existed - we find a bit more out about these diaries which amount to 500,000 words in length & make up several autobiographies worth of information.

Within its pages we hear about Freddie's early years in Zanzibar, his summer holidays in Bombay, the fantasy land of Rhye, his lifelong passion for the royal family. the Bulsara family's sudden relocation to Feltham in South London & a Freddie the world never knew.

We hear new details regarding the writing or many of his most famous songs including Bohemian Rhapsody.

Freddie Mercury made his home at Garden Lodge in Kensington, the contents of which were sold off in a 2023 auction raising over £40m - what might Freddie have made of the auction? Or the suggestion the house should be turned into a Graceland style exhibit? Would Queen have toured again or would Freddie have retired?

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

79 - The Replacements with Peter Jesperson (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Aug 30, 2025

Show notes

In May 1980 an unknown Paul Westerberg walked into Oar Folk Records in Minneapolis & handed Peter Jesperson a demo tape. When Peter eventually got round to playing it he was bowled over by what he heard & asked to come & see them play live.

All does not go to plan as the band are thrown out of the venue as Peter arrives at the venue. He later falls into becoming their manager & creates the Twin Tone label in Minneapolis for the band.

It takes over 7 months to finish their debut album but before long the band begin to gain traction on college radio across the United States. The mini album Stink follows soon after & the Hootenanny album follows in April of 1983.

Peter briefly breaks off from the Replacements to become tour manager for R.E.M. & the bands tour together. The sessions for what becomes the Let It Be album begin towards the end of 1983 & the album becomes the top selling record in Twin Tone history.

An eventful trip to New York begins with the band making the cover of the Village Voice & playing a secret gig with Alex Chilton at CBGB's. The trip culminates in a show at Irving Plaza where Seymour Stein sees the band & later signs them to Sire Records.

The Replacements appear on Saturday Night Live in support of their next record Tim but Peter's time with the band comes to a sudden end in 1986.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

78 - Lamb Of God with Randy Blythe Aug 23, 2025

Show notes

Join us this week on Music Maps as we dive into the world of metal with Randy Blythe, the frontman of Lamb of God. Hear about his journey from a small-town punk rocker to global success.

Randy tells us about the early years of Lamb Of God, when they all worked day jobs in addition to the band, through to signing for Epic Records in 2004.

We also hear about Lamb Of God's recent participation in the final Black Sabbath show at Villa Park in Birmingham - Back To The Beginning & Randy's longstanding relationship with Ozzy Osbourne.

We discuss first hearing the Sex Pistols' Never Mind The Bollocks as a teenager as well as other significant influences including Nick Cave, Iggy Pop, Bad Brains, Judas Priest, Napalm Death, Black Flag & Henry Rollins,

Randy is also an accomplished photographer & he tells us how he got into the medium, developed his skills & his love for the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

77 - Maybe I'm Amazed with John Harris & Keith Cameron Aug 16, 2025

Show notes

Maybe I'm Amazed - A Story of Love & Connection in 10 Songs is one of the music books of the year it tells the story of how writer John Harris connects with his autistic son James via the music of The Clash, The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, Kraftwerk, Ian Hunter, Magazine, The Band, Wire, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, Amy Winehouse & more.

We hear how music was woven into the fabric of James's life, becoming an essential part of who he is. It takes us through the struggles of raising an autistic child in a prejudiced world, and uncovers a hidden history of neurodivergence and creativity that casts new light on why notes, chords and lyrics speak so powerfully to the human mind.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

76 - Manfred Mann, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton & the Sixties with Tom McGuinness Aug 09, 2025

Show notes

We go back to the sixties this week as we welcome Tom McGuinness to tell us about his various number 1s as a member of Manfred Mann.

A chance meeting with a young Eric Clapton at the Station Hotel in Richmond led to them forming The Roosters, it fizzles out but the are both briefly involved in another band, Casey Jones & the Engineers.

Eric drifts off to the Yardbirds shortly after & Tom ends up in Manfred Mann. It wasn’t until Tom heard Eric’s work with John Mayall he realised how far he would go.

Upon joining The Manfreds, their breakthrough hit 5-4-3-2-1 had been recorded but was not yet released. It had been commissioned as a new theme for the popular music TV program Ready, Steady, Go!

In the autumn of 1964 Do Was Diddy Diddy goes to number 1 in the UK & the US as part of the British Invasion, despite it almost getting dropped from the bands live set prior to release.

The band become known for their Bob Dylan covers, scoring a string of hits with Dylan tracks including ‘If You Gotta Go, Go Now’, ‘With God On Our Side’ & the Mighty Quinn.

Pretty Flamingo becomes their next number 1 in May of 1966 as Tom moves from bass to lead guitar. We find out about Bruce Springsteen’s love for the song.

Lead singer Paul Jones leaves the band & is replaced by Mike D’Abo & Jack Bruce is briefly a member of the band before moving onto Cream to be replaced by Klaus Voorman.

The band comes to a sudden end in 1969 but has reformed several times since & continues to tour to this day & you can find their tour dates here.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.