Steve’s Mix Tapes
A podcast celebrating the art of the mixtape. Each episode features ten songs arranged around nine categories plus one wildcard track. The host curates some episodes and invites guest mixers to share their own selections.
Episodes
Steve's Mix Tapes #091 (Andrew Brown)
My guest this week is Andrew Brown
Andrew - who I was put in touch with by previous guest Joe Rolls - was the bass player in 80s indie band The Siddeleys, who recorded a couple of sessions for John Peel in 1988-89.
Steve's Mix Tapes #090 (Knox Chandler)
My guest this week is Knox Chandler
Knox - who I was put in touch with by previous guest Craig Walker - has an impressive CV. He has collaborated with Depeche Mode, The Psychedelic Furs, Ultra Vivid Scene, R.E.M., Siouxsie and the Banshees, Grace Jones, Marianne Faithful, Natalie Merchant, Tricky and Cyndi Lauper, to name but a few.
He recently released a solo LP and book called The Sound.
Steve's Mix Tapes #089 (Paul Hiraga)
My guest this week is Paul Hiraga
Paul is a Seattle-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who is the man behind the band Downpilot.
Their sound has been described as 'graceful, languid music… informed by elements of folk, slowcore, and modern psychedelia, with Hiraga's personal but impressionistic lyrics reinforced by calm yet powerful soundscapes.'
Steve's Mix Tapes #088 (Steve Hodgkins)
My guest this week is Steve Hodgkins
If you listened to the John Doran episode, you may remember Steve being mentioned, as he curated a Scott Walker playlist for me (of which John heartily approved).
Anyone who takes the time to do such a thing is obviously due an invitation to come and choose a mix of their own...
Steve's Mix Tapes #087 (Astrid Williamson)
My guest this week is Astrid Williamson
Astrid was the singer and guitarist in Goya Dress (which also featured previous guest Terry de Castro on bass) whose 1996 album Rooms was produced by John Cale.
Since then, she has released nine solo albums, as well as collaborating with artists such as Arthur Baker, Dead Can Dance, Electronic and The Stereophonics.
Astrid was - as Terry suggested she woul
Steve's Mix Tapes #086 (John Doran)
My guest this week is John Doran
John is a writer, journalist and occasional DJ who, in 2008, along with Luke Turner founded the online music and culture magazine The Quietus. He has also published a (highly recommended) book about his life, career and struggles with alcoholism, Jolly Lad.
John, like me, likes an expansive tune, so because his was a lengthy playlist (over an hour and a half), sev
Steve's Mix Tapes #085 (Rob Pursey)
My guest this week is Rob Pursey
In a 2023 Guardian article, Rob (along with his wife Amelia Fletcher) were described as ‘British indie royalty’.
A founder member of indie legends Talulah Gosh and Heavenly, he has gone on to form several other bands, including The Catenary Wires, who released a 2025 album called Sounds Made By Humans, featured vocals from Brian Bilston, one of the UK’s most popul
Steve's Mix Tapes #084 (Martin Stephenson)
My guest this week is Martin Stephenson
I was particularly delighted to have Martin on the show, not least because Gladsome, Humour and Blue is one of my favourite albums of all time.
Martin is, like me, a native of Durham, and so you might find my accent a little more prominent than usual!
Martin's playlist is focused on artists that are up and coming / not yet well known, so make sure you check
Steve's Mix Tapes #083 (Chris McAvoy Tribute)
Something a little different this week...
This week's show is dedicated to the memory of my most excellent friend Chris McAvoy (star of episode #035).
Regular listeners may recall me making frequent references to Chris in previous episodes as someone who provided me with a multitude of mix tapes/CDs over the years. Sadly, Chris died a couple of months ago, and this is a tribute to him.
It ignor
Steve's Mix Tapes #082 (Craig Walker)
My guest this week is Craig Walker
Craig is the singer, guitarist and songwriter of Dublin band Power of Dreams, whose 1989 debut release ‘A Little Piece of God’ was single of the week in both Melody Maker and Sounds and in the same year were named by the NME as one of their ‘stars of tomorrow’.
He has released a single under the name Pharmacy, played with avant-garde/electronica group Archive and
Steve's Mix Tapes #081 (Stephin Merritt)
My guest this week is Stephin Merritt
Stephin is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has, over the last 35 years, produced some truly remarkable music; in particular, he was the man behind what is, in my estimation, one of the greatest albums of the 20th century, 69 Love Songs.
He has also recorded soundtracks under his own name, as well as producing music as the 6ths, the Gothic A
Steve's Mix Tapes #080 (Niall Quinn)
My guest this week is Niall Quinn
Niall was the drummer and main songwriter in The Hitchers - whose 1997 song ‘Strachan’ was a John Peel favourite and has regularly been voted as one of the best football-related songs of all time. You may also have heard it quite recently on this podcast, as Steve Hill chose it for his mix in episode #76.
Steve's Mix Tapes #079 (David Rose)
My guest this week is David Rose
I was introduced to David via previous guest Paul Garrett. David describes himself as 'a punk/ post-punk/ indie music fan and inveterate gig-goer of 45 years standing, currently with over 1,400 gigs under my belt' and has blogged about his experiences at http://www.gigbook.blogspot.com/
Steve's Mix Tapes #078 (Graeme Ramsey)
My guest this week is Graeme Ramsey
Graeme is not only an ex-member of The Wedding Present, but has been both the drummer (2006-09) and the guitarist (2009-12). He also, as we discussed, once told Steve Albini how to mic a drum kit!
Steve's Mix Tapes #077 (Liam Fitzpatrick)
My guest this week is Liam Fitzpatrick
Liam hails from Birmingham, but now resides in Whitby and runs his own cafe, Beckett's. Like me, he has a background in education, and also like me is a fan of The Wedding Present and The Fall.
He emailed me to say, “if ever you fancy another ordinary 'Joe Soap' on the show - just let me know”. Well, I'm always delighted to have a music enthusiast on the sho
Steve's Mix Tapes #076 (Steve Hill)
My guest mixer this week is Steve Hill
Steve is a journalist and author whose debut book, The Card, was nominated for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. His third book - out later this year - is called Friday Night Fever: Inside The Cult Of Half Man Half Biscuit.
Steve's Mix Tapes #075 (Mark Hex)
My guest this week is Mark Hex
Mark is an author and musician who describes himself as “Scottish bred, London exiled. Deep fried in Glasgow” who writes, according to his Amazon page, “stories for people who don't like books.”
He has written a series of books about growing up in Ayrshire in the 90s, including Nae Burds, Here We Go, Decks of Ten and Exploding Cans and Utter Bams.
He has also release
Steve's Mix Tapes #074 (Pinko Fowler)
My guest this week is Pinko Fowler
Pinko, a fellow friend of Sombrero Fallout, was - along with Brenda Kelly - the founder of Snub TV, a no-frills cable show captured 80s and 90s bands at their most bonkers.
He was also a photographer / cameraman who worked on live gigs and promos for Rough Trade bands such as the Smiths and the Go-Betweens.
Apologies for the occasionally dubious sound quality -
Steve's Mix Tapes #073 (Joanna Burnett)
My guest this week is Joanna Burnett
Long-time listeners may recall that my very first episode was a mix of my own devising, and whilst many people were very kindly positive about my choice of tracks, one correspondent did point out that my mix was made up entirely of male artists. Suitably chastised, my next solo episode (show #006) was a female-only list named after my critic - and I’m delighted
Steve's Mix Tapes #072 (Emma Pollock)
My guest this week is Emma Pollock
Emma was a founder member of The Delgados, who were simply one of the very best bands of the late 90s / early 00s. As part of the band, she set up the label Chemikal Underground, which has released music by Mogwai and Arab Strap. She has also enjoyed a successful solo career, her latest album being Begging The Night To Take Hold.
I met Emma in Cardiff last year w
Steve's Mix Tapes #071 (Lindsay Boothman)
My guest this week is Lindsay Boothman
Lindsay is the first guest to compile a mix tape entirely based on one genre (reggae/dub), and whilst she did cheat a little with the 'something new' category (just as my wife did) I thought her selections made for a fantastic mix.
There was no way I was going to be able to make a Spotify playlist, and even a YouTube playlist was going to be a challenge - so
Steve's Mix Tapes #070 (Jon Sutton)
My guest this week is Jon Sutton
It's a small world... Jon originally contacted me with a “nerdy Wedding Present request” after seeing some of the TWP videos I'd uploaded to YouTube - and then it turned out he is acquainted professionally with star of episode #033 Gavin Morgan.
Jon is a Chartered Psychologist and Head of Science Communication. In his spare time he has contributed live reviews, int
Steve's Mix Tapes #069 (Tony Harris)
My guest this week is Tony Harris
My guest back in episode #055 was Paul Howarth, one half of the duo that produce the estimable Twilight Turntable podcast (on which I appeared recently) and I'm delighted to complete my TT set this week.
Tony, who currently resides in Manila, has a background in advertising and has published a book about his experiences: Advertising: More Fun in the Philippines.
Steve's Mix Tapes #068 (David Pisker)
My guest this week is David Pisker
I was introduced to David by previous guest Ian Forth of Sombrero Fallout fame, who recommended him as an 'absolute authority on underground Melbourne music.'
David - who describes himself as 'a music and film tragic' - is a DJ on Melbourne's PBS FM and has also had his photography featured in Clinton Walker’s seminal history of Australian Independent Music, Str
Steve's Mix Tapes #067 (Geoff Cox)
My guest this week is Geoff Cox
Geoff is a music lecturer and musician/composer himself, who you might remember was one of the multitude of Fall Online Forum guests on show #060.
There was quite a lot of our chat for show #060 that I didn't get to use, so it was a pleasure to meet up again and discuss, amongst other things, what actually constitutes music, the art of dub, and the insidious effect
Steve's Mix Tapes #066 (Kilynn Lunsford)
My guest this week is Kilynn Lunsford
Kilynn is a New Jersey based artist who has been recording experimental music and producing art that has been exhibited internationally for 25 years. A review of her most recent album, Promiscuous Genes, described it as “a mix of DIAMANDA GALAS, KATE BUSH, and The Munsters in the best way… as melodic and catchy as it is sinister and disturbing”
I was put in to
Steve's Mix Tapes #065 (Bryan Thomas aka Buggy Jive)
My guest this week is Bryan Thomas aka Buggy Jive
A 'somewhat reclusive soul rock singer-songwriter', Bryan has been producing music under the Buggy Jive name since 2018. He has released seven albums, the latest of which is 2025's Icarus Ascending.
I was introduced to Bryan's music by my good friend (and previous guest) Eric Smith, and so it seemed fitting that he should provide the intro to this
Steve's Mix Tapes #064 (Mat Riches)
My guest this week is Mat Riches
Mat is another one of those people that I’ve known forever on music forums, etc. but have only met in person once (possibly twice) and that was a long time ago… so it’s a real pleasure to reconnect with him.
He currently works in market research and as ITV’s (unofficial) poet-in-residence, blogs about poetry at Wear The Fox Hat and has published a collection of poe
Steve's Mix Tapes #063 (Joe Rolls)
My guest this week is Joe Rolls
Joe - who I was put in touch with by previous guest mixer Paul Howarth - is a drummer who currently plays in a pub rock covers band called Southside Five.
Steve's Mix Tapes #062 (Rachael Wood)
My guest mixer this week is Rachael Wood.
A guitarist and composer with 20 years of live and recording experience. She has played with Sinead O’Connor and Skunk Anansie as well as being the musical director for Cirque du Soleil for 8 years.
Most importantly - for me anyway, and I suspect most of my listeners - she is currently the guitarist in The Wedding Present.
Steve's Mix Tapes #061 (Iain Key)
My guest this week is Iain Key
Iain is a music writer who’s written extensively for the website Louder Than War and has published a book about The Clash called All The Young Punks which Record Collector called ‘the perfect almanac for any Clash fan’. He also used to present the Saturday morning show Indie Brunch.
Steve's Mix Tapes #060 (Mix It Up)
A compilation of ten different guest mixers this week...
Something a bit different this week. Once or twice every year, some of the members of the Fall Online Forum take part in 'Mix It Up', where they swap anonymised playlists. One person hosts, distributing the mixes to the others; basically, you receive a mix for review where you don't know who the songs are by, what they're called, or who se
Steve's Mix Tapes #059 (Deb Googe)
Deb has played with Primal Scream, Tim Burgess and Thurston Moore, but is of course best known for playing bass in the legendary My Bloody Valentine.
Steve's Mix Tapes #058 (James Evans)
My guest mixer this week is James Evans
James is a music blogger from Twickenham, London. He is also a very patient man, as he sent me this some considerable time ago and has waited, uncomplainingly, while I got around to recording it. You can find his blog here: Embrace The Margin
This is one of those where he sent the notes and I did the recording, so it's just my voice this week I'm afraid. I t
Steve's Mix Tapes #057 (Derek Peplau)
My guest mixer this week is Derek Peplau
Derek, who hails from Connecticut but currently lives in Boston, is another one of those people that I've known online for many years, but this was the first time we'd met (albeit via Zoom). We first got to know each other via the Wedding Present online forum, and have always had a decent Venn diagram intersection, musically.
It was a pleasure to finally m
Steve's Mix Tapes #056 (Chris Rand)
My guest mixer this week is Chris Rand
Chris is the man behind the definitive Half Man Half Biscuit website: The Half Man Half Biscuit Lyrics Project. He is also a lover of ‘event’ stadium rock, Ipswich Town, cinema and travel. He's pictured on the stevesmixtapes.com page with Nigel Blackwell, who he did try to get on the show; alas, to no avail, as you will hear...
Steve's Mix Tapes #055 (Paul Howarth)
My guest mixer this week is Paul Howarth
Paul, along with Tony Harris (who will also produce a mix at some point, hopefully) presents the Twilight Turntable podcast - a show dedicated to the lost art of listening to whole albums. But he's not averse to the odd mix tape too...
Steve's Mix Tapes #054 (Paul Garratt)
My guest mixer this week is Paul Garratt
Paul contacted me last September to say: "I realise that your podcast guests are becoming more well-known by the week but if you ever wanted a chat with someone you’ve never met who’s not a writer or a musician and has nothing to advertise then can I put my hand up?"
And, of course, I was delighted to have him on, especially as he selected a particularly th
Steve's Mix Tapes #053 (Jen Ferguson)
My guest mixer this week is Jen Ferguson
Jen, who lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, is one of those guests that I was meeting for the very first time when I interviewed her. The connection came about because I (and guest #035 Chris McAvoy) shared a house with her husband James back in our university days.
It was my new year's resolution to get more female guests on the show, and Jen is only the
Steve's Mix Tapes #052 (Ian Gelling)
My guest mixer this week is Ian Gelling
Ian is a long-standing member of the Wedding Present forum, with whom I have stood down the front at many a TWP gig over the years.
A native of the Isle of Man, he is also a huge Cardiacs fan, as will soon become apparent when you listen to his selection...
Steve's Mix Tapes #051 (Ethan Miller)
My guest mixer this week is Ethan Miller
Ethan has played in Comets on Fire, Feral Ohms, Heron Oblivion and Howlin’ Rain. Last year, he teamed up with Bill Orcutt and Steve Shelley to record the Orcutt Shelley Miller album - my number 2 album of 2025 (the #1 being this).
And yes, he's yet another that Steve Shelley put me in touch with - so thanks once again to Steve for providing me another great
Steve's Mix Tapes #050 (Susan Pringle)
My guest mixer this week is Susan Pringle
Given that Christmas is a time for family, it seemed fitting that this episode should feature my mum.
She turned 80 this year but you'd never know it. She was a little nervous about doing it - especially as we had to do the interview twice, my laptop having mangled the first attempt! But I think she did a fine job, and it was a great trip down memory lane
Steve's Mix Tapes #049 (William Benton)
My guest mixer this week is William Benton
William is yet another guest that Steve Shelley was kind enough to put me in touch with. He is the historian and tour guide for the infamous Chelsea Hotel, as well being the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with Cat Casual & the Final Word.
Steve's Mix Tapes #048 (Cory Plump)
My guest mixer this week is Cory Plump
Like Brian Turner last week, Cory is someone that Steve Shelley was kind enough to put me in touch with. He has played in bands such as When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth, Spray Paint and Winged Wheel and also owns the live music bar Tubby’s in Kingston NY.
It's becoming clear that Steve clearly has good taste in mixers, as Cory was a great guest and picked an ex
Steve's Mix Tapes #047 (Brian Turner)
My guest mixer this week is Brian Turner
Brian is one of several upcoming guests that Steve Shelley was kind enough to put me in touch with. He is the station manager of East Village Radio, was a regular on WMFU and is a good friend of previous guest Eleni Poulou (with whom he recently put out a show on Cashmere Radio). He's also been in the bands The Mad Scene, Äss, and Jowe Head & The Celest
Steve's Mix Tapes #046 (Vinny Peculiar)
My guest mixer this week is Vinny Peculiar
Vinny (aka Alan Wilkes) is a singer-songwriter who has put out fourteen albums of literate autobiographical pop music over a twenty-year career. Uncut described him as ‘an under sung national treasure’ and The Irish Times called him ‘the missing link between Jarvis Cocker and poet Roger McGough’. Tom Robinson of 6Music said that his ‘songs make you laugh
Steve's Mix Tapes #045 (Andy Gillespie)
My guest mixer this week is Andy Gillespie
I have known Andy - a fellow Wedding Present fan - for the best part of 20 years, online. But this was the first time we'd ever met face to face (albeit via Zoom).
Originally from Middleton, Manchester, Andy has for many years lived in Simi Valley, California. As well as being on good terms with previous guests David Gedge and Terry de Castro, we also ge
Steve's Mix Tapes #044 (Terry de Castro)
My guest mixer this week is Terry de Castro
Terry is a bassist, vocalist and songwriter based in LA who has played in several bands (such as Goya Dress) as well releasing music under her own name. She is also, other than David Gedge, the longest serving member of The Wedding Present, and was the bassist throughout the lifespan of Cinerama.
(Slightly dodgy internet connection in places, apologies!
Steve's Mix Tapes #043 (Eleni Poulou)
My guest mixer this week is Eleni Poulou
Eleni is a musician, composer, radio host and curator of musical events. She has released music as a solo artist and as part of a wide range of groups and collaborations. She is also the 7th ex-member of the Fall to appear on the show - her distinctive keyboard style and vocal sound having been an important feature of the last period of the group.
Eleni lik
Steve's Mix Tapes #042 (Ian McCulloch)
My guest mixer this week is Ian McCulloch
No, not that one... Not yet anyway. This Ian (my third Ian in six weeks!) is another fellow Fall enthusiast. And he's been very patient, as we recorded this nearly three months ago - hence the rather dated reference to Donald Trump's golf skills!
Steve's Mix Tapes #041 (Alan Edwards)
My guest mixer this week is Alan Edwards
Alan is both a work colleague and a very good friend, who my wife describes as my 'work husband'. Initially, we talked about him coming on the podcast as a bit of a joke, as musically (and in many other ways) we inhabit very different universes. But when I mentioned in episode #024 his offer to provide a playlist that would 'bring in the girls, gays and th
Steve's Mix Tapes #040 (Daryl Easlea)
Daryl is a music writer whose work has appeared in Mojo, Record Collector, Q, The Guardian and The Independent, and has published several books on subjects as diverse as Chic, Slade, Madonna, Peter Gabriel, Cher and Sparks.
In addition, if you have a few reissue or box set CDs in your collection, it’s fairly likely that at least one of them includes some sleeve notes written by him.
Steve's Mix Tapes #039 (Steve Shelley)
My guest mixer this week is Steve Shelley
Steve occupied the drum stool in Sonic Youth for 26 years and has played with musicians such as Michael Rother, Howe Gelb, Tom Verlaine, Ron Asheton and Mark Kozelek.
He also founded a label called Smells Like Records (now Vampire Blues), and has been instrumental in promoting the careers of artists such as Cat Power, Blonde Redhead and Lee Hazlewood.
Desc
Steve's Mix Tapes #038 (Ian Clayton)
My guest mixer this week is Ian Clayton
Ian is an author who came up in conversation several times last week when I talked to Ian Daley, as he has had several books published by Route. They include Bringing It All Back Home (a book about searching for a soundtrack to your own life story), Song For My Father (a reflection on a lifelong search for a father figure), and It’s The Beer Talking (a book
Steve's Mix Tapes #037 (Ian Daley)
My guest mixer this week is Ian Daley
Ian set up Route Publishing in 2000, and since 2005 has run the company from his home in Pontefract alongside his wife Isabel Galán.
Route has published several books about The Fall (including those by Steve Hanley, Simon Wolstencroft, Paul Hanley and me!) They've also put out a range of titles about Bob Dylan, as well as books by Helen O'Hara (Dexys Midnight
Steve's Mix Tapes #036 (David Gedge)
My guest mixer this week is David Gedge
David is the sole constant member of indie legends The Wedding Present, the band that I have seen live (by some distance) the most often over their 40 year career. I have also written blogs about TWP and Cinerama.
He remains relentlessly busy with work, so I'm grateful he managed to squeeze this interview in.
N.B. We had a slightly dodgy internet connection,
Steve's Mix Tapes #035 (Chris McAvoy)
My guest mixer this week is Chris McAvoy
Chris has been mentioned quite a few times on this podcast, because over the years he has supplied me with dozens of mix tapes / CDs (some examples in the pic on the website).
We've known each other for the best part of 40 years, and have spent countless weekends in Manchester going to gigs, eating curries and drinking beer. Speaking of which, please bear i
Steve's Mix Tapes #034 (David Hughes)
My guest mixer this week is David Hughes
David is one of those people I know from the Fall Online Forum, and is also a fellow supporter of the excellent Sombrero Fallout podcast.
Although he lives in Australia these days, he is - like me - a native of North East England. He's also addicted to travel, and estimates that he's spent more than 3 years of his life in India alone.
Steve's Mix Tapes #033 (Steve Titley)
My guest mixer this week is Stephen G. Titley
Steve is, by his own description, a writer, standup, actor, singer and (dad) dancer. He is the man behind the Church Of The Fall, and was recently seen performing in a highly entertaining production of Hey Luciani! at the Prestwich Arts Festival.
Steve's Mix Tapes #032 (Chris Ruth aka bzfgt)
My guest mixer this week is Chris Ruth aka 'bzfgt'
Chris is the man behind the remarkable website The Annotated Fall, as well as the Grateful Dead blog Every Dark Star. He was also one of the esteemed judges on the Fall Cup panel.
Steve's Mix Tapes #031 (Terry Christian)
My guest mixer this week is Terry Christian TV and radio presenter, journalist, comedian and author - he was memorably described in 1994 as ‘the most hated man on television.’ Although, as he points out, this was, ironically, by none other than Piers Morgan. A friend of mine texted me in advance of the interview to say that Terry is 'one of life's good guys and very, very opinionated so it should
Steve's Mix Tapes #030 (Kirsty Pringle)
My guest mixer this week is Kirsty Pringle
In celebration of her birthday, I invited my lovely wife Kirsty to select a set of songs that she loves and - just about - fit the criteria. (There was some bending of the rules that nobody other than her would have got away with!)
She has appeared on one of my podcasts before (episode #29 of the Fall in Fives Radio Show) and we got a lot of positive feed
Steve's Mix Tapes #029 (Thurston Moore)
My guest mixer this week is Thurston Moore
Thurston is, of course, a founder member of the premier noise-rock band of the late 20th / early 21st century, Sonic Youth. Post-SY, he has had a rich and varied career including a multitude of solo projects and collaborations as well as a well-worth-reading memoir, Sonic Life.
This is another longer than usual episode, but hey... it's Thurston Moore ferc
Steve's Mix Tapes #028 (Doug Evans)
My guest mixer this week is Doug Evans
Doug and I crossed paths via a shared love of the Sombrero Fallout podcast. He resides in North Carolina (the 'Tarheel State', apparently), but in a truly random coincidence it turns out that his great-great-grandfather hailed from the same small Welsh village as my wife!
It's great to have musicians, authors, journalists on the show; but it's also a joy to h
Steve's Mix Tapes #027 (Billy Reeves)
My guest mixer this week is Billy Reeves
Billy is a songwriter, musician, producer and broadcaster who you most likely know from 'A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed', a song that he wrote and played on that was a 1998 top 30 hit for Theaudience (featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor on vocals). In the 2000s, he turned to travel and sports broadcasting, and has also gone on to record three solo albums, all
Steve's Mix Tapes #026 (Rob Barbato)
My guest mixer this week is Rob Barbato
Rob played bass in The Fall in 2006-07 as part of a lineup fondly remembered as 'The Dudes'. They were highly regarded as a live outfit, although they never recorded a studio album that did them justice - something that we discuss in the interview. We also talked about the fact that he was the only ever member of the group to be permitted by MES to have a be
Steve's Mix Tapes #025 (Johnny Mac)
My guest mixer this week is Johnny Mac.
Johnny (real name John McMahon) and I have known each other - via the Wedding Present online forum - for years. As it turns out, we know each other well in some ways, but not so well in others!
He was very nervous about doing this interview (the written word is more his thing - but I'm sure you'll agree he made for a great guest, displaying real passion for
Steve's Mix Tapes #024 (Birthday Mix)
For the first time in a while, this is one of my own mixes... and that's because it's my birthday tomorrow (or at least it will be the day after this mix comes out).
I toyed with various ideas for this mix, but in the end, I just went for songs that mean a lot to me. I hope you enjoy them. Cheers!
Steve's Mix Tapes #023 (Daren Garratt)
My guest mixer this week is Daren Garratt
Daren drummed for The Fall in 2013-15, appearing on The Remainderer and Sub-Lingual Tablet. He appeared with the group when they played Glastonbury in 2015 (about which we hear an interesting tale in the interview) - you can see the whole performance here.
He has also played with The Nightingales and Dave Lance Callahan (of The Wolfhounds).
Steve's Mix Tapes #022 (Simon 'Ding' Archer)
My guest mixer this week is Simon 'Ding' Archer
Ding not only played bass for The Fall in the early 2000s, he also played a substantial role in much of the group's output in the last 15 years of its existence. He's also played with a wide range of artists such as PJ Harvey, Pixies, Imperial Wax and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry.
We caught up on a Sunday afternoon in mid-May: a bit earlier in the day than
Steve's Mix Tapes #021 (Keiron Melling)
My guest mixer this week is Keiron Melling
The Fall's final full-time drummer, who occupied the drum stool for the last quarter of the group's existence; he played on the final half a dozen albums, from Imperial Wax Solvent to New Facts Emerge. He then went on to play in the band Imperial Wax alongside Pete Greenway, releasing Gastwerk Saboteurs in 2019 and Tranquilliser in 2024.
Steve's Mix Tapes #020 (Paul Hanley)
My guest mixer this week is Paul Hanley
The second ex-Fall member to appear on this show (but definitely not the last!), he played drums alongside Karl Burns during what many would argue is the classic period of the group.
He is also a successful author, having published Leave The Capital: A History of Manchester Music, Have A Bleedin Guess: The Story of Hex Enduction Hour (which in my view is one
Steve's Mix Tapes #019 (The Rev Tim Goodbody)
My guest mixer this week is Tim Goodbody
I first met Tim nearly 40 (!) years ago when we were both students at Wentworth College at the University of York. I am pretty hopeless at keeping in touch with people from school and university, but Tim and I have (very loosely) kept touch due to a shared love of The Wedding Present - both being members of the Facebook group. He is also the first man of
Steve's Mix Tapes #018 (Tommy Mackay)
My guest mixer this week is Tommy Mackay
Tommy is an author, comedian and musician. He’s also the man behind the website Daily Reckless (the Bandcamp page is here; there's also a full discography here). The song I use in the intro to this episode is Totally Weird.
As well as a shared love of Beefheart and Ivor Cutler, Tommy and I have something notable in common: we both wrote blogs about The Fall
Steve's Mix Tapes #017 (Gavin Laird)
My guest mixer this week is Gavin Laird
Gavin, as well as being a fellow member of the Fall Online Forum, was the bass player in Telstar Ponies (alongside David Keenan (ex-18 Wheeler) and Brendan O'Hare (ex-Teenage Fanclub)). The song that I use in this week's intro is Last Outpost from their excellent 1996 LP Voices From the New Music.
He has subsequently been involved in several other bands, suc
Steve's Mix Tapes #016 (Jonny Swift)
My guest mixer this week is Jonny Swift
I first met Jonny online during lockdown when he set up the Facebook group 'HIP PRIESTS - every album by The Fall', which resulted in him contributing to the introduction to my book You Must Get Them All.
He's a singer-songwriter from Dalton-in-Furness in Cumbria - his Bandcamp page is here.
Steve's Mix Tapes #015 (Gavin Watts)
My guest mixer this week is Gavin Watts
Gavin is one half of the duo (along with Steve) that is responsible for the We Are The Fall podcast, which I appeared on recently.
He is also a musician in his own right: his Bandcamp page is here.
He and Steve do a great 'deep dive' job with The Fall on their podcast, and his enthusiasm makes him a pleasure to talk to - a top notch guest.
Steve's Mix Tapes #014 (The Fall)
It's about time we had a Fall-related playlist...
I recorded this in a hotel room in Future Inn, Cardiff Bay, the same place where I recorded my interview with Gavin Watts for his We Are The Fall podcast (who will be the guest mixer on next week's episode).
It was a very good day: a pleasant journey in the sunshine, accompanied by a playlist of perfect length, and an excellent curry at one of my
Steve's Mix Tapes #013 (Ian Grice)
My guest mixer this week is Ian Grice aka Gricey aka Iggy.
Known to the good folk of the Wedding Present Forum as Iggy, to the rest of the world he's Gricey. A primary school teacher for 32(!) years, he and I first met and bonded when I was working in the secondary school down the road. One of the joys of doing this podcast has been catching up with some old friends that I haven't spoken to for fa
Steve's Mix Tapes #012 (David Quantick)
My guest mixer this week is David Quantick
Music journalist, novelist and comedy writer whose credits include Harry Hill’s TV Burp, On The Hour/The Day Today, Mitchell & Webb and Smack The Pony, he has even won an Emmy in 2015 for his writing for Armando Iannucci’s political satire Veep.
