The Hustle

Latest Episodes:

Episode 151 - Marq Torien of BulletBoys Mar 27, 2018

Show notes

BulletBoys burst on the scene at the height of 80s hair metal with the super sexy "Smooth Up In Ya" in 1988. During the glory days of 80s rock, they partnered with Van Halen producer Ted Templeman on three classic albums before grunge began wreaking havoc on them and everybody else. Though Marq and his band may have slowed down, they never completely went away. They've been enjoying a creative resurgence recently with their excellent comeback album Elefante from 2015 and their brand new disc From Out of the Skies which was released last week. Marq and I discuss his early days in Motown, choosing hard rock over r&b, starting out on the Sunset Strip, and what he did during the band's lean years. He's a really good dude!

http://www.bulletboysofficial.com/

Episode 150 - Nick Heyward of Haircut 100/Solo Mar 20, 2018

Show notes

Nick Heyward has built a reputation as one of Britain's finest songwriters. His initial success came by fronting Haircut 100 in the early 80s and scoring major hits with "Love Plus One" and "Fantastic Day". Bad vibes led him to leave the band and go out on his own where he had continued success with standards like "Whistle Down the Wind" and "Kite". He's also racked up several excellent solo albums including 2017's wonderful Woodland Echoes, his first disc in almost 20 years. Here we talk about why he left Haircut 100 and how that relatively small period of time has overshadowed the rest of his career in some ways. We also talk about what took him so long to put out another solo album and what he's working on now. He's a beautifully funny and engaging guy and one of the best there's ever been at what he does.

http://nickheyward.com/

Recap v.1: 2018 so far and Q&A Mar 16, 2018

Show notes

Jon and Jan review the last couple of months, discuss plans for the future, and answer some of your mailbag questions.

Episode 149 - Ray Parker Jr. Mar 13, 2018

Show notes

Everybody remembers Ray Parker Jr. taking over the world in 1984 with the Ghostbusters theme. But, there is so much more to his story. He was one of the most sought after session guitarists of the 70s playing with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Marvin Gaye to Seals and Crofts. He also wrote hit songs for artists like Leo Sayer and Rufus with Chaka Khan, not to mention racking up a bunch of his own hits like "The Other Woman" and "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)" as both a solo artist and as the frontman for his funk band Raydio. As he says in this conversation, "Ghostbusters" was just "gravy on the steak". Here we talk about his whole career, but the big news is that Fran Strine, director of the acclaimed Hired Gun documentary, has begun work on a Ray doc called Who You Gonna Call, which launched an Indiegogo campaign last week. Here is the link to donate. Enjoy!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/who-you-gonna-call-music/x/2404155#/

Bonus - The Hustle vs. Suburban Underground Vol.2: Side Projects Mar 10, 2018

Show notes

Jon once again joins Steve and Drew from Suburban Underground to play great songs (Jon's are, anyway) from the side projects of prominent alternative rock stars. We also rip each other new ones in the process. Who do you think comes out ahead with the best taste? And be sure to subscribe to SU on your favorite podcatcher for your weekly alternative mix tape.

https://suburbanunderground.podbean.com/

Episode 148 - Mike Lindup of Level 42 Mar 06, 2018

Show notes

In the states, Level 42 may only be seen as two-hit-wonders thanks to the massive success of "Something About You' and "Lessons in Love" in the mid-80s. But around the rest of the world, Level 42 were viewed as a seriously complex group merging funk, r&b, jazz and rock in ways few others have ever done. Founding members bassist Mark King and keyboardist Mike Lindup finally closed up shop in the mid-90s, but reunited in 2006 and have steadily toured the world ever since. In this deep chat, Mike and I go over the band's history, the stories behind some of their songs, his excellent, but under-heard solo album, and what he's up to now. There's also a hilarious Bill Murray story at the end. On a personal note, this is a big one for me as Mike owns my all-time favorite singing voice.

https://mikelindup.com/

https://www.level42.com/

Bonus - Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire Mar 02, 2018

Show notes

Earth Wind and Fire are one of the greatest and most influential groups in the history of music. It's more than just having hits - they established a level of greatness, of what is possible musically and spiritually, that many have aspired to, but few have reached. Lead by the vision of the late-great Maurice White, the group has torn through the last 45 years leaving a near perfect track record in their wake. Here we have a brief chat with bassist and founding member Verdine White about some of the seminal moments in the band's history, people they've worked with and what they're up to now. Believe me, life's too short to be a casual EWF fan!

http://www.earthwindandfire.com/

Episode 147 - Steve Kilbey of The Church Feb 27, 2018

Show notes

Australian rock legends the Church have been an active part of the alternative scene for over 35 years. Their biggest global success may have been when "Under The Milky Way" reached #24 on the US pop charts in 1988, but they've never gone away and even released their 25th album, also one of their best, Man Woman Life Death Infinity last year. Steve's one of the most unfiltered guests we've ever featured on this show and is brutally honest when it comes to his drug addiction, financial state, and opinions about other Aussie bands. You won't believe what you hear!

https://thechurchband.net/

https://www.kilbeykennedy.com/

Episode 146 - Brian Howe former lead singer of Bad Company Feb 20, 2018

Show notes

Seventies rock icons Bad Company received a much-needed shot in the arm when founding members Simon Kirke and Mick Ralphs recruited relative newbie Brian Howe to replace the great Paul Rodgers. By that point, Brian had recently started to breakthrough when he sang on Ted Nugent's Penetrator record. With Brian's help, Bad Company reached a whole new audience and kept the name alive throughout the late 80s and early 90s with Howe-penned hits like "No Smoke Without Fire", "Holy Water" and "How About That". Unfortunately, as is often the case, tensions between Brian and the Mick and Simon duo brought an end to this version of the band and it isn't pretty. Since then, Brian has continued to tour singing the songs he made famous. And, thankfully, he is currently on the mend after a massive heart attack a few months ago. This is a fascinating story behind one of the greatest voices in rock history. Enjoy!

https://www.brianhowe.com/

Episode 145 - Burleigh Drummond of Ambrosia Feb 13, 2018

Show notes

The name Ambrosia has become synonymous with 70s soft rock gold thanks to enduring hits like "How Much I Feel" and "Biggest Part of Me". In truth, the band covered all genres - from prog to pop - during their 5-album run in the late70s - early 80s. Ambrosia's success can largely be contributed to the talent of former lead singer and primary songwriter David Pack. Unfortunately, he and the rest of the guys parted ways some time ago the band is now fronted by the supremely capable Ken Stacey. In this conversation, drummer Burleigh Drummond dispels the golden aura of Southern California rock in the 70s, details the confusion some people have had about their diverse sound, and expresses gratitude for his wife, Ambrosia keyboardist Mary Harris. They also have a wonderful side project called Tin Drum that's worth checking out. Enjoy!

http://www.ambrosialive.net/

http://tindrum.net/index.html

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