Permanent Record Podcast

Episode 158: Depeche Mode - Memento Mori (2023) - Part 2 (Featuring Andrew Dineley of "Art on Your Sleeve" and The Sly Dog of "The Sly Dog Music-Cast") Andrew Dineley ("Art on Your Sleeve") and Sly Dog ("Sly Dog Music Cast") are back to finish the discussion on Depeche Mode's 21st century classic, "Memento Mori." In this episode, the four hosts answer the question on everyone's lips:  Does the ghost of Pete Burns haunt the streets of Liverpool?  But after getting back on track, they also cover the second-half of the album, including beloved songs like "Before We Drown", "Always You", and "Speak to Me."  Are we experiencing a Depeche Mode renaissance?  That question will be answered at the end of the episode when the four critics collaborate to rank it for its Final Evaluation!  Songs Covered in this episode: Caroline's Monkey Before We Drown People are Good Always You Never Let Me Go Speak to Me Add more Andrew Dineley to your life by listening to "Art on Your Sleeve": https://softoctopus.co.uk/podcast/ E

Episode 157: In Conversation with Lawrence Gowan of Styx (left to right:  Lawrence Gowan, Chuck Panozzo, Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, Ricky Phillips, Todd Sucherman, Will Evankovich - Photo credit Jason Powell) If you were to guess who Brian and Sarah have seen the most times in concert, you may not come up with the answer right away. The answer is Styx! The Chicago-based group has been a part of Brian and Sarah’s musical history for more than 40 years, so imagine how thrilled they were to get a chance to talk with a member of this legendary band!  Lawrence Gowan, lead vocalist and keyboard player extraordinaire, was kind enough to take a break during Styx’s current tour to chat with Brian and Sarah on a number of topics, including Styx’s latest album, 2021’s Crash of the Crown; the 2017 concept album The Mission; what led the members of Styx to return to the studio; and what it’s like playing these newer songs live.  There’s also talk of the resurgence of vinyl records, the 2020 “Styx Fix” online shows,

Episode 156: In Conversation with Grant Walters, co-author of “Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1970s” If you follow the podcast on any of the below social media accounts, then you probably know that Brian got heavily into the Bee Gees over the past couple of years, after watching the excellent HBO documentary How Can You Mend a Broken Heart. He has now amassed quite a collection of vinyl records and CDs by the Brothers Gibb, and he’s also been eager to read any books about them he can get his hands on.  Until recently, such books were hard to find. However, Grant Walters, Andrew Môn Hughes and Mark Crohan have combined their writing talents and their encyclopedic knowledge of the Bee Gees to develop a book series covering the career of the Bee Gees, a decade at a time. The second book in the series, Decades: The Bee Gees in the 1970s, has just recently been released in the UK, and is soon to be released in the US. Brian and Sarah had the great pleasure of talking with Grant Walters about the new book, and they

Episode 155: Depeche Mode - Memento Mori (2023) - Part 1 (Featuring Andrew Dineley of "Art on Your Sleeve" and The Sly Dog of "The Sly Dog Music-Cast") The reviews are in and it seems that most critics love Depeche Mode's 15th studio album, "Memento Mori."  From the joyous pop sounds of first single "Ghosts Again" to the throwback 70's aura of "Soul with Me" to the James Bondian "Don't Say You Love Me", the band does indeed sound re-energized and ready to conquer the world in 2023. Devotees Brian & Sarah are joined by Andrew Dineley of the "Art on Your Sleeve" podcast and The Sly Dog of "The Sly Dog Music-Cast" on a journey through the album's 12 tracks and all parties are prepared to pepper the discussion with facts and opinions on these new songs. Andrew is a fan who has followed the band since their debut on the "Some Bizarre" compilation, but who moved away from them as they turned more conventional and more "rock 'n roll" in the 21st century.  The Sly Dog is a younger fan, with an interest in many

Episode 154: Thompson Twins - Quick Step & Side Kick (1983) Part 3 Usually Sarah writes the episode notes and metadata, mainly because after spending so many hours editing, it's the last thing I want to do.  However, this episode was recorded so long ago that I felt bad asking her to summarize it.  So you have me, everyone's second-favorite host, to pen the show notes. With this episode, we move on to side two of this fantastic album, as "Watching" kicked it off on both the US and UK versions.  We're going to cover some single reviews, chart positions, Bahamian funk band T-Connection, the fact that while Grace Jones famously appears on the album version of this song, she's NOT on the single, why Alannah might have been obsessed with dinosaurs, why a hit single needs to appeal to a small percentage of parents and not just the Pop Kids, and a music video that is perfectly packed with poultry.  Oh, and there's also a voice mail from someone we all know and love - and whose voice features on one of the most

Episode 153: Thompson Twins - Quick Step & Side Kick (1983) Part 2 After a break to release an "emergency episode" about the new Depeche Mode single, "Ghosts Again,"  Brian and Sarah are ready to resume their album discussion of Quick Step & Side Kick, a.k.a. Side Kicks, the 1983 release by the Thompson Twins.  Our hosts are continuing down Side One of the US track listing, and in this episode they find there are two singles to discuss, although one of them wasn't released in the US. They also find an album track that they both feel should have been released as a single all over the world!  A recurring theme in this album discussion is "Thompson Twins songs that sound like other songs," and two of the three songs in this episode fall in that category. Both Brian and Sarah are somewhat puzzled by a couple of the claims, but they do agree on one song that definitely sounds similar to the Thompson Twins.  Since there are two singles, that means there are also two videos. One of them left a particularl

Episode 152: Depeche Mode - "Ghosts Again" (2023)  with special guest Brian Belknap of Blaklight It's been quite a while since Brian and Sarah released an "emergency episode," but if there's one thing that will trigger such an event, it's new music from their favorite band, Depeche Mode! The mighty Mode is back with their first single since 2017's "Cover Me." It's called "Ghosts Again," and it's from the forthcoming album Memento Mori.  Brian and Sarah were very excited to talk about this new song, and they weren't the only ones! After very little arm-twisting, they convinced Brian Belknap of the fantastic synth duo Blaklight to join them for a conversation about the new song and the video that accompanies it. They also took some time to talk about the flurry of activity taking place with Blaklight this month!  The trio share thoughts, opinions, and laughs throughout the discussion, and eventually each person provides their record-adapter rating for "Ghosts Again," which are combined to provide a rating on

Episode 151: Thompson Twins - Quick Step & Side Kick (1983) Part 1 Brian and Sarah's first album discussion for 2023 is a record that goes by two names: Side Kicks in the USA, Canada and Australia; and Quick Step & Side Kick everywhere else in the world. Perhaps a little confusing, but not out of line, coming from a band whose name doesn't match up with the number of, or last names of, its members.  This 1983 release by the Thompson Twins finds the size of the band reduced from seven members to three, and a bit of a shift in sound from their previous record.  Brian and Sarah touch on these topics before getting into a discussion about the making of the album, its release and chart history, and reading some reviews. Brian also provides some detailed and interesting background on the album artwork and the famous Thompson Twins band logo. He then goes on to share his personal history with this album and forewarns everyone that he doesn't expect to be very objective when it comes to his final rating.  T

Episode 150: In Conversation with Rob Rowe and Von Hertzog (VH x RR) - 2023 Edition The Permanent Record Podcast is officially up to episode 150! Brian and Sarah wanted to do something special to commemorate the occasion, and it worked out that the 'something special' was getting the chance to catch up with Von Hertzog and Rob Rowe of the band VH x RR. The last time Von and Rob were on the show was for Sarah's milestone birthday, so it seemed rather appropriate to have them on the show for another milestone. VH x RR has had reason to celebrate as well, with the September 2022 release of the final EP in their Cosmos Trilogy, On The Shoulders of Giants. Once again, the pair have crafted a batch of songs that are at once both catchy and haunting, with pristine, sparkling synths courtesy of Von Hertzog, and smooth, rich vocals from Rob Rowe. Brian and Sarah talk with the duo about the making of the EP, asking questions about the overall process as well as diving into the musical and lyrical content of the song

PRP 007 Mini-Broadcast: Episode 7 - On Her Majesty's Secret Service (with Robbie Sims) Since the beginning of the show, Brian has done his best to strong-arm discussion of Agent 007 into as many podcasts as he could. Finally he has convinced Sarah to embark on a new mission: the Permanent Record Podcast 007 Mini-Broadcast! This new occasional series from your friends Brian & Sarah will start with "Dr. No" and work its way up to the most recent Bond adventure, and on the way it will discuss and critique all of the 007 theme songs and other relevant recordings. It's a dream come true for one of the hosts - and for Bond fans everywhere! In the 007th episode, Sarah and Brian are joined by Bond author Robbie Sims (Quantum of Silliness: The Peculiar World of Bond, James Bond) to discuss multiple songs from George Lazenby's lone outing as the gentleman super-spy. The theme song, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", Louis Armstrong's "We Have All the Time in the World" and Nina's "Do You Know How Christmas Trees a

Episode 149 : A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 4 Can it be? Is it finally here? Yes, it is! This is the long-awaited conclusion to Brian and Sarah's discussion of a-ha's 1986 album, Scoundrel Days. Track by Track, Continued After two episodes in which they only discussed one track off the album, Brian and Sarah return to a more traditional format in this installment and cover the final three songs. One of the songs, "Maybe, Maybe," has an interesting history as both a b-side and as a single, but in an extremely limited release. And that's not the strangest bit of information shared in this episode. One item Sarah shares about "Maybe, Maybe" finds Brian notably stunned-- and not for the only time in this episode. Later on, a lyrics discussion leads, strangely, to a mention of the Peanuts comic strip, which even more strangely, leads to a mention of record producer Mark Saunders. The Weight of the Wind Maybe, Maybe The Soft Rains of April Extra Credit For extra credit, Sarah and Brian talk about a book by N

Episode 148: A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 3.75 PLUS The Giddy Carousel of Pop No, your eyes aren't deceiving you-- this is, in fact, a new installment of the discussion on Scoundrel Days! Of course, your eyes probably also noticed that this is Part 3.75, rather than part 4. Slowly but surely, Brian and Sarah are getting through this album, but once again, they're only discussing one song off the album.  The song in question is Track Two on Side Two, "We're Looking for the Whales." Our hosts talk about the origins of the song and actually end up spending a fair amount of time discussing a demo version and comparing it to the album version. They both also express confusion with the lyrics, as well surprise in learning how recently, and by whom, this song was performed live. However, this episode has more than just a discussion of a single album track from a-ha, because finally, the mysterious project Brian and Sarah have been mentioning over the past couple of months is revealed! Our hosts are joined in

State of the Podcast featuring Culture Club, Tom Jones, New Order, and Pet Shop Boys Live Reports PLUS Where is Scoundrel Days Part 4? Seems like it's time for a "State of the Podcast" episode!  This one features the following items of interest: Live reports on Culture Club, Tom Jones, New Order, and Pet Shop Boys Vague details and confusing clues on our special podcast project that we mentioned in our last episode Recap of our International Podcast Day Zoom chat Excuses on why we haven't finished discussing "Scoundrel Days" yet. Wow!  That's a lot to cover in only 25 minutes! As always, thanks for your continued support and stay well!!  Talk with you again soon!! Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready

Episode 147: In Conversation with HALO authors Kevin May & David McElroy It's no secret that Brian and Sarah are huge Depeche Mode fans and that the 1990 album Violator is one of their favorite records of all time, so they were thrilled to talk with Kevin May and David McElroy, co-authors of a biography all about Violator! The book is called Halo: The Story Behind Depeche Mode's Classic Album Violator, and it's set to be released on September 29th. However, as the press release states, this book is much more than a simple biography. ‘Halo’ goes deep behind the scenes of the band’s ‘Violator’ period. The book takes the form of a detailed oral history from those who were there in the studio with the band, working behind the cameras, designing sleeves and appearing in the videos; support acts, tour managers, publicists and Depeche Mode fans. Brian and Sarah had a wonderful time talking with Kevin and David, learning more about the creation and contents of the book, as well as getting their thoughts and op

Episode 146 : A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986)  Part 3.5 Our hosts have had a busy summer this year, and with their annual vacation imminent, they didn't want to get too far behind in their discussion of Scoundrel Days. So for the second time in the show's history, Brian and Sarah are releasing a "Part 3.5" of an album retrospective, where they discuss a single song off an album. The last time they did this was for Queen's The Miracle, for the album track "Rain Must Fall." This time, it's for "Cry Wolf," the second single from a-ha's sophomore effort, Scoundrel Days. "Cry Wolf" kicks off Side Two of the album, and part of this episode's conversation once again brings up the concept of "the perfect pop album" and how Scoundrel Days is faring so far in the quest for that title, especially when comparing Side One and Side Two. And since "Cry Wolf" was a single, Brian and Sarah also talk about release and chart history, and they share several reviews. Of course, there's also a video for "Cry Wolf," and that's wher

Episode 145: A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986) Part 3 and new single “I’m In” (2022) Brian and Sarah are back and ready to talk more about a-ha! But instead of getting right back into the discussion of a-ha's second album, the hosts find themselves with a bit of an "a-ha emergency" to address. Just as Brian and Sarah were preparing for this episode, a-ha released a new single from their forthcoming album! The new single is called "I'm In," and it will be on the album "True North," scheduled for release in October. The video for the song is taken from the film made to accompany the new album. The plans are for the film to be released in select locations worldwide later this summer, so keep watching the internet for more details. Track by Track, continued After sharing their thoughts on the new single, Brian and Sarah turn their attention-- and their calendars-- back to the a-ha album released in1986, "Scoundrel Days." So far they've discussed the first three tracks on the band's  sophomore effort, and all three

PRP Mini Concert Memories: Episode 5 -  Tears for Fears, 6-21-2022 (with T.J. Cullen) Welcome to the fifth installment of PRP Mini Concert Memories! This time, Brian and Sarah are going all the way back to June 21st, 2022, just two short weeks ago, to discuss their evening in the City of Brotherly Love with the legendary duo, Tears for Fears! Roland and Curt were touring in support of their AMAZING new album "The Tipping Point", and one member of the PRP team was so excited by the record and the concert that they had to talk about it immediately!  Joining Brian and Sarah is long-time friend and curator of MyPopCultureObsession, T.J. Cullen.  T.J., a younger fan of the band and a serious scholar of nostalgia and pop-culture, brings an interesting outlook to the discussion of this veteran band for whom the label "legacy band" doesn't quite fit. Follow T.J. on his journey through the world of pop culture at https://www.instagram.com/mypopcultureobsession Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ V

PRP Mini Concert Memories: Episode 4 -  The Smithereens, 5-12-1992 (with Andy Schaal) Welcome to the fourth installment of PRP Mini Concert Memories! This time, Brian and Sarah are going back to May 12th, 1992 when they wrapped up their junior year of college and traveled down the road to the nearby capital of Pennsylvania to see The Smithereens on their "Blow Up" tour. Our hosts had discovered the New Jersey based band late in 1989, and since then, had become huge fans of their hard rocking yet melodic songs.  "Green Thoughts" and "11" had been getting a lot of airplay in their lives, but "Blow Up" had a different sound to it.  Did it hold up against their classic earlier albums? Meanwhile, halfway across the country, young music fan Andy Schaal, who would grow-up to become America's Favorite Podcast Guest (#AmericasFavoritePodcastGuest) was also discovering the band, and they would go on to become one of this favorite acts of all time. Fast forward to 2022 and these three youths come together as middle-

Episode 144: A-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986)  Part 2 It's time for Brian and Sarah to resume their discussion about the second album by Norwegian trio a-ha, the 1986 release Scoundrel Days. In the first Scoundrel Days episode, the hosts set the stage by talking about the period up to and including the recording of the album, as well as its release and chart information, cover art, reviews, and personal history. Now, Brian and Sarah are ready to put the needle on the record and talk about what they hear. Track by Track What they hear when the record starts is something that sounds rather different from a-ha's first album. And after the first song ends, the second song sounds different from the first, and the third sounds different from both of the previous two songs. It becomes apparent very early on that this album is not a re-hash of Hunting High and Low. Yet, many of these songs originate from the same time period as the songs from the first album, or even earlier. The origin of the songs is just one of the

PRP Mini Concert Memories: Episode 3 -  Boy George, 4-18-2014 Welcome to the third installment of PRP Mini Concert Memories! This time, Brian and Sarah are going back to April 18th, 2014 when they traveled to the City of Brotherly Love to see Boy George on his "This is What I Do" tour. After thirty years of listening to George's music, and after the release of more than a half-dozen solo albums, it was exciting to see the singer in concert without his famous band. However, the hosts weren't sure what to expect in terms of set-list and performance style.  So, what happened?  What did he play?  Find out in this latest mini-episode!! Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you! Cool Stuff Alert