C86 Show - Indie Pop

Frank Sweeney in conversation with David Eastaugh 

https://www.facebook.com/frank.sweeney1

After forming in June 1983, they first played live as a band in August that year, soon attracting the attention of future Creation Records boss Alan McGee, who gave them several gigs at the 'Living Room', but reputedly decided not to sign The June Brides to his new label as it would have been "too obvious". Two Joe Foster-produced 1984 singles on The Pink Label, "In The Rain" and "Every Conversation" saw The June Brides receive much attention, and these two songs appeared frequently on compilation albums from that era. A year later, the mini-album There Are Eight Million Stories... appeared (produced by John O'Neill of That Petrol Emotion) and went straight to number one in the UK Indie Chart, staying there for a month.

The album remained in the indie chart for 38 weeks. Disillusioned with Pink, the band moved to Marc Riley's In-Tape label for two further singles - "No Place Like Home" and "This Town" and, in 1986, opened for The Smiths on their Irish tour dates. The June Brides were asked to contribute to the NME's C86 compilation but declined for fear of being pigeonholed.

Nicholas Freeman & Ramiel Petros in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bpJfIG03yE

Former Norwich City star Tony Powell vanished from professional soccer in the 1970s. Decades later, he's found managing a West Hollywood motel, the last tenant of a disappearing place and of a life lived in secret.

Bruce Watson in conversation with David Eastaugh 

https://bigcountry.co.uk/

Big Country Redux are led by Bruce Watson, one of the founding members of Big Country, alongside the late, great guitarist, singer and songwriter Stuart Adamson. Now, Big Country Redux announce the ‘Eastworld’ album, which will be released on CD, Vinyl and Digital on 19 September through Absolute.


The album will be preceded by the first single, the title track ‘Eastworld’ on 5 June 2026.
The album consists of 10 brand new recordings of Big Country songs originally written or co-written by Stuart Adamson, which were released as demoes or sketches, but never previously properly developed or lavished
with the attention they deserved. With the publication of the well-regarded book on Adamson’s life ‘Stay Alive’ by Scott Rowley, and a forthcoming documentary, the spotlight is on the band and the legacy once again.


Bruce Watson said of the ‘Eastworld’ release, “Some of these songs will be known to the diehards as they have sneaked out from the archives as unfinished demoes or ‘internet only’ releases, but these are all songs that deserved to be developed further at the time they were written. I am delighted to have now completed them; it is a true privilege to get this newly recorded material out there. All of these songs were sketched out on old reel to
reel tape recorders in dingy basements or in small 8 track studios”.

Alfie Agnew in conversation with David Eastaugh 

https://professorandthemadman.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/professorandthemadman

 

Sean Elliott and Alfie Agnew are the songwriters and co-frontmen of Professor and the Madman. Elliott sees Dreamworld as a continuation of themes discussed on the group’s previous album, the critically acclaimed Séance, released in 2020. 
 
“Séance was about re-establishing contact with an era, a way of life, that seems to be making a comeback,” he said. “Like many people, the ritual of bringing home a vinyl record and immersing yourself in its journey was crucial to Alfie and me. With Dreamworld, we’ve expanded that concept to include the idea that a song cycle can still provide escape—even if briefly—from the daily chaos. Modern life is fueled by anxiety, and most of these new songs express that.”  
 
Dreamworld’s musical foundation is inspired by ‘60s baroque pop, but cocktail jazz interludes, classical flourishes, backwards guitar, and playful psychedelia sit comfortably alongside the tempest of punk-pop and alternative rock. “12 Strings and Tambourines” and “Temple of Madness” feature virtuoso performances from The Damned’s rhythm section of Rat Scabies and Paul Gray. Elliott and Agnew trade off lead vocals on all the selections (except for a rare duet on “Songs in My Head,” to which Agnew also contributes trumpet) while also handling the lead and rhythm guitar parts, and keyboards. 
 
To create music this ambitious, it’s appropriate that the pair ventured outside of their Hollydale home studio in Fullerton, California, for the first time.

Robert Wringham in conversation with David Eastaugh 

https://wringham.co.uk/film/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54J_1Be63q4

In the 1980s and 1990s, Anthony Irvine was a comedian and cabaret performer. His act was a little unusual. As the Iceman, he went on stage… to melt ice.

Literally. He’d bring a large block of ice onto the stage then proceed to melt it (or fail to melt it) in a variety of creative ways. Among his fans were Mike Myers, Jo Brand, and Bill Bailey.

In 2010, when Robert Wringham wrote his book about this era of comedy, the Iceman could not be found.

But a couple of years later, Anthony Irvine popped up again. This time as a visual artist called aim. What was going on?

How much permanence and success can we assure for this man whose entire act was about impermanence and failure?

The blocks live on!

Starring ANTHONY IRVINE and ROBERT WRINGHAM with RONNI ANCONA, ROBIN INCE, STEWART LEE, NEIL MULLARKEY, SIMON MUNNERY, MARK THOMAS, and JO BRAND.