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Music Maps Podcast

Music Maps Podcast

Rock n Roll Book Club 120 Episodes Aug 17, 2026

Each episode uses a place as a jumping off point for a conversation about music, exploring locations from the obvious to the obscure. Join the hosts as they build a music map of the world, discussing songs and artists connected to different places.

Episodes

129 - Pub Rock, Ian Dury, Joe Strummer, The Sex Pistols, Dr. Feelgood, Nick Lowe & more with Mark Wilkerson
129 - Pub Rock, Ian Dury, Joe Strummer, The Sex Pistols, Dr. Feelgood, Nick Lowe & more with Mark Wilkerson Aug 17, 2026 47:02 In the early 1970s the music scene is dominated by prog rock concept pieces, synth solos & overblown tours. The societal backdrop in Great Britain is one of labour & coal strikes, riding inflation & unemployment & a struggling economy. In the background of this upheaval an American band named Eggs Over Easy begin to play gigs at The Tally-Ho in Kentish Town in North Londo
128 - Jimi Hendrix with Jimi's roadie Eric Barrett
128 - Jimi Hendrix with Jimi's roadie Eric Barrett Aug 10, 2026 43:11 Our first episode about Jimi Hendrix & we are joined by Jimi’s former roadie Eric Barrett. Eric ran into Mitch Mitchell & Noel Redding, bassist & drummer in The Jimi Hendrix Experience in a club & received a phone call shortly after asking him to fly to Milan to work his first gig with Jimi. Eric had met them on a previous tour working for a band named The Koobas who had
127 - Raised On Radio - Power Ballads, Cocaine & Payola: The AOR Glory Years 1976-1986 with Paul Rees
127 - Raised On Radio - Power Ballads, Cocaine & Payola: The AOR Glory Years 1976-1986 with Paul Rees Aug 3, 2026 51:32 This week we take a deep dive into the AOR scene of the 1980s, re-appraising some often overlooked bands & music. We start with the story of Boston, where an MIT graduate named Tom Scholz spends 7 years practicing & making demos before coming up with ‘More Than a Feeling’ & achieving huge success. Meanwhile Ann & Nancy Wilson form the female fronted band Heart - scoring s
126 - Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska with Warren Zanes
126 - Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska with Warren Zanes Jul 27, 2026 1:04:56 Join us for a deep dive into Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska with writer Warren Zanes, author of Deliver Me From Nowhere which was recently made into a Hollywood movie. In late 1981 Bruce Springsteen is coming off his biggest success to date with The River album & tour plus his first hit single, Hungry Heart. But rather than offer more of the same Springsteen offers a curveball - a quie
125 - Stevie Nicks & Fleetwood Mac with Rachel Brodsky
125 - Stevie Nicks & Fleetwood Mac with Rachel Brodsky Jul 20, 2026 51:26 We are joined by author Rachel Brodsky to talk about the life & career of Stevie Nicks. Rachel’s new book Lessons & Lace is out now. Stevie Nicks was born in Phoenix & moved around a lot as a child, finally settling in Los Angeles. Her grandfather AJ Nicks was a country singer who would take her to saloons her played in as a child. She grew up listening to the likes of t
124 - Simon Reynolds on Shoegaze, My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Sonic Youth, Pavement & more
124 - Simon Reynolds on Shoegaze, My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Sonic Youth, Pavement & more Jul 13, 2026 59:54 Simon Reynolds joins us to talk about his new book Still in a Dream: Shoegaze, Slackers and the Reinvention of Rock, 1984–1994. Against a backdrop of Margaret Thatcher’s third term in Downing Street & Stock, Aitken & Waterman’s domination of the pop charts a new scene begins to emerge. Starting with the Cocteau Twins & developing to include My Bloody Valentine & more, a n
123 - Dolly Mixture, The Jam, Captain Sensible with Debsey Wykes
123 - Dolly Mixture, The Jam, Captain Sensible with Debsey Wykes Jul 5, 2026 46:38 Join us for a live recording with Debsey Wykes about her book Teenage Daydream: We Are The Girls Who Play In A Band. Debsey’s early musical experiences were centred around Cambridge & her early interests included The Bay City Rollers, Queen & David Bowie. Punk arrived soon after & her tastes developed into The Damned, The Jam & The Stranglers. Her & a couple of f
122 - Elvis Presley & Colonel Tom Parker with Peter Guralnick
122 - Elvis Presley & Colonel Tom Parker with Peter Guralnick Jun 28, 2026 56:43 We welcome legendary music writer Peter Guralnick as we take a deep dive into the fascinating relationship between Elvis Presley & his manager Colonel Tom Parker. Peter first gained access to Parker’s archives in the mid 1990s & what he found may change your view of Tom Parker & his relationship with Elvis.Parker was born in Breda, Holland in 1909 & came to the US in 1926, ren
121 - The Birth of British Rock & Roll with Brian Bennett (The Shadows) & Clem Cattini (The Tornados)
121 - The Birth of British Rock & Roll with Brian Bennett (The Shadows) & Clem Cattini (The Tornados) Jun 21, 2026 49:24 An episode we have wanted to bring you since before we recorded our first episode - the birth of British rock & roll with 2 legendary drummers, Brian Bennett from The Shadows & Clem Cattini of The Tornados. It starts at the 2i’s Coffee Bar at 59 Old Compton Street, Soho in London. Opened by 2 Iranian brothers (hence the name) the coffee bar is taken over by 2 professional wrestle
120 - The Velvet Underground with Richie Unterberger
120 - The Velvet Underground with Richie Unterberger Jun 14, 2026 44:08 We turn our attention to one of the most influential bands of all time, The Velvet Underground for the first time with biographer Richie Unterberger. Lou Reed grew up in suburban Freeport, Long Island listening to the first wave of rock & roll. Later at Syracuse University Reed began to write future Velvet Underground tracks including Heroin & I’m Waiting For The Man, while there
119 - Yoko Ono & the Avante-Garde Diaspora with Paul Morley
119 - Yoko Ono & the Avante-Garde Diaspora with Paul Morley Jun 7, 2026 1:01:12 Join us & Paul Morley to hear all about Yoko Ono & the Avant-Garde Diaspora. We hear about her early years in Tokyo, born into an almost aristocratic background via her banker father, before her eventual relocation to New York to enter the art world.Once in New York Yoko goes on to create numerous significant works of art including Cut Piece & Grapefruit before meeting John Lennon
118 - Glasgow Barrowlands with Alison Irvine
118 - Glasgow Barrowlands with Alison Irvine May 31, 2026 45:12 Join us for a deep dive into an iconic gig venue, the legendary Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom. The building was first opened by Maggie McIver on Christmas Eve 1934 & hosts dances for the East End of Glasgow for decades, however once the big band era passes the venue begins to decline & loses popularity following the infamous Bible John murders in the late 1960s. After a brief perio

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