Episode 37: Dexys Midnight Runners ‘Don’t Stand Me Down’ 40th anniversary special

Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop!

In this special episode, we are joined by some previous riders on the carousel to take a trip down rock’s lost highway and discuss Dexys Midnight Runners’ misunderstood classic album, Don’t Stand Me Down, on its 40th anniversary.

We speak to former Smash Hits staffer and Dexys fan Chris Heath, who originally reviewed the album for Ver Hits in September 1985.

Dexys super fan, music critic and member of the legendary Chart Music podcast, Simon Price, to get the fans perspective on the album and also how its reputation has grown in the years since its release.

And we’re also honoured to welcome two members of Dexys Midnight Runners – Helen O’Hara and Kevin Adams (aka Billy) – to talk to us about their memories of making the album and what happened after its release.

Listen here.

LINKS AHOY!

YouTube playlist ⁠https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuFV3ek4HY1Z6_BhBbl8CWZI&si=DaSoW5bLfPb7vRpy⁠

Pete Paphides’ Follow-Up Albums documentary: ⁠https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b01hl29f⁠

Tim’s Twitter Listening Party replay: ⁠https://timstwitterlisteningparty.com/pages/replay/feed_303.html⁠

Support the Carousel by buying us a coffee! ⁠https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod⁠

Episode 35: Smash Hits – 5-18 July 1995 with Catrin Lowe

Buy us a coffee and help keep the carousel spinning: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod⁠

Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop, a podcast about Britain’s top pop mag, Smash Hits. In this episode, Gav and Si are joined by co-host of film podcast Don’t You Want Me?, Catrin Lowe, for a spin on the carousel back to July 1995 and take in Vic & Bob, Jarvis Cocker, East 17, MN8, Ultimate Kaos, Blur, The Boo Radleys and a whole lot more besides!

Listen here!

Read along with us thanks to ⁠Smash Hits Remembered⁠.

And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits! ⁠
Spotify⁠ / ⁠YouTube⁠

HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg
GUEST: Catrin Lowe

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Episode 34: Smash Hits – 25 February – 10 March 1987 with Ian Wade

Buy us a coffee and help keep the carousel spinning: https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod

Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop, a podcast about Britain’s brightest pop mag, Smash Hits. Fancy that! In this episode, Gav and Si are joined by music journalist and author of ‘1984: The Year Pop Went Queer’ (Nine Eight Books), Ian Wade, for a spin on the carousel back to February 1987 and an issue edited by former Smash Hits staffer Neil Tennant. Along the way, we discuss Boy George, Carly Simon, Mental As Anything, Beastie Boys, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Man 2 Man, Cutting Crew, Freddie Mercury, The Christians, Taffy, The Style Council and a whole lot more. It’s an action-packed issue and edition, make no mistake!

Listen here: https://link.chtbl.com/olkt33oq

Read along with us.
Like Punk Never Happened: https://likepunkneverhappened.blogspot.com/2017/02/february-25-march-10-1987.html
Smash Hits Remembered: https://michaelmouse1967.wixsite.com/website-9/215-25th-february-10th-march-1987

And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1bJiADfYJDxA6zxuCZ403r?si=0ddd7c8e91dd486c
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuGspnZ_92728IsD_MBzrN0N&si=qbSced9geDm7mAWr

HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg
GUEST: Ian Wade

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Episode 22: Smash Hits – 11-24 January 1989 with Julian Henry

Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop, a podcast about the ‘so called’ pop mag Smash Hits.

In this episode we are joined by PR guru and musician Julian Henry joins us on the carousel as we spin back to January 1989.

Julian gives us a little peep behind the pop curtain as we discuss Holly Johnson, Then Jericho, Brother Beyond, Milli Vanilli, Climie Fisher, Neneh Cherry and a whole lot more.

Listen here.

Read along with us.

Like Punk Never Happened: https://likepunkneverhappened.blogspot.com/2019/01/january-11-24-1989.html

Smash Hits Remembered: https://michaelmouse1967.wixsite.com/website-11/264-11th-january-24th-january-1989

And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7zRNJt4ymF5tbMwc4UOX0F?si=ee7dced6c9ec49b7

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuEDXEyswX4VeFUONTNapqGo

The Giddy Carousel of Pop is part of the We Made This network of podcasts.

HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg
GUEST: Julian Henry

CONTACT DETAILS:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/
Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/
Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod

Episode 21: Smash Hits – 7-20 September 1988 with Nadia Shireen

Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop! Hang on tight for a top pop ride.

In this episode we are joined by author/illustrator and former Smash Hits staffer Nadia Shireen on the carousel as we spin back to September 1988.

Under discussion are Pet Shop Boys, Glenn Medeiros, the Smash Hits Readers’ Poll, The Pasadenas, Bros and a whole lot more.

List en here.

Read along with us.

Like Punk Never Happened: https://likepunkneverhappened.blogspot.com/2018/09/september-7-20-1988.html

Smash Hits Remembered: https://michaelmouse1967.wixsite.com/smashhits-remembered/7th—20th-september-1988

And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7EAVjRfrttS0P2xvMAosl9?si=9e79ccef31614b24

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuEVJIBrSQnX7yRPeqDbFvUU

The Giddy Carousel of Pop is part of the We Made This network of podcasts.

HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg
GUEST: Nadia Shireen

CONTACT DETAILS:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GiddyPopPod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/
Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/
Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod

WE MADE THIS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wemadethispod
Website: https://wemadethispod.com/

Episode 17: Smash Hits – 28 May -10 June 1981 with Paul Hanley

Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop! Hang on tight for a top pop ride.

In this episode writer, podcaster and former drummer with The Fall (1980-85) Paul Hanley joins us to peruse a ‘double A side’ issue of Smash Hits from 1981… and a whole lot more. Along the way we encounter Adam & The Ants, Stray Cats, Kim Wilde, Prince, Kraftwerk, Sparks, Stars On 45, Landscape, The Jam and Spandau Ballet among others, plus the usual Bitz, Letters and reviews. Paul also talks about his time with The Fall, who also happen to appear in the pages of this very issue of Ver Hits.

May be a black-and-white image of 3 people, including Gavin Hogg, people standing and indoor — *Gavin (centre) with Paul Hanley (left) and Steve Hanley (right)*

Read along with us thanks to Like Punk Never Happened and Smash Hits Remembered.

And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits on Spotify and YouTube.

Listen on your podcast app, click one of the links below or just click the player!

Or, if you listen to podcasts on an Amazon Alexa or Echo, just ask it to play ‘The Giddy Carousel of Pop podcast’, and it will! You can also find us on the podcast section of smart/internet radios.

Find our more about Paul’s books here and check out the Oh! Brother podcast with his brother Steve here.

Support us and buy us a coffee!

Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Giddy Carousel of Pop is part of the We Made This network of podcasts.

Episode 16: Smash Hits – 10-23 August 1988 with Jude Rogers

Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop! Hang on tight for a top pop ride.

In this episode, writer Jude Rogers (The Guardian, The Quietus, Mojo and more) takes us back to her days as a day 10 year-old pop kid in August 1988 and the very first Smash Hits she ever bought. Along the way we discuss Kylie Minogue, Pat Benatar, Tanita Tikaram, Yazz, Bomb The Bass, Bros, Nik Kershaw, Billy Idol, R.E.M., Brother Beyond, band t-shirts, Prince, Michael Jackson and loads more! Plus the usual RSVP and singles reviews. We also hear from one of the pop stars who appears in this issue of Ver Hits!

Read along with us thanks to Like Punk Never Happened and Smash Hits Remembered.

And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits on Spotify and YouTube.

Listen on your podcast app, click one of the links below or just click the player!

Find out more about the many things Jude does via her website: http://www.juderogers.com

Jude’s interview with Sylvia Patterson And Miranda Sawyer (The Quietus, 2016): https://thequietus.com/articles/20560-sylvia-patterson-miranda-sawyer-jude-rogers-interview

Jude’s piece on her REM fandom (The Guardian, 2021): https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/24/rem-how-the-arty-pop-gods-taught-a-shy-south-wales-girl-to-be-herself

Our episode with Barry McIlheney where he talks about his encounter with Michael Jackson: https://link.chtbl.com/yt2JHMWr

Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Giddy Carousel of Pop is part of the We Made This network of podcasts.

Episode 13: Smash Hits 1-14 April 1992 – with Laura Kelly

In our first foray into the 1990s, journalist and podcaster Laura Kelly from The Big Issue joins us on the carousel and takes us back to the Smash Hits of 1-14 April 1992.

And it’s a very different Smash Hits from what we’ve covered so far on the podcast, with TV and film stars getting as much attention as pop stars. We’re also introduced to a raft of new features including ‘No! Not The Biscuit Tin!’ and Sylvia Patterson steals the show with her glorious feature on the Manic Street Preachers. Laura tells us about the life-changing impact that piece had on her as a 10-year old music fan growing up in Belfast.

*Disclaimer: Any positive opinions about Right Said Fred were made before they brought shame on Ver Hits family. Just so you know.

You can read the issue for yourself thanks to Smash Hits Remembered and also check out the music from its pages on our Spotify and YouTube playlists. It’s the next best thing to taping it off the radio!

Listen on your podcast app, click one of the links below or just click the player!

Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Giddy Carousel of Pop is part of the We Made This network of podcasts.

Episode 12: Smash Hits – 29 May – 11 June 1980 with Andrew Harrison

Andrew Harrison, former editor of Select, Q and Mixmag and co-host of Bigmouth podcast (among many other things) joins us on the carousel to look at the Smash Hits of 29 May – 11 June 1980.

In a wide-ranging conversation, artists discussed include Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, The Specials, Hot Chocolate and many more. Andrew also tells us about his own involvement in Smash Hits and reflects on a career in music mags and some of the lessons learned.

You can read the issue for yourself thanks to Like Punk Never Happened and Smash Hits Remembered and also check out the music from its pages on our Spotify and YouTube playlists. It’s the next best thing to taping it off the radio!

Listen on your podcast app, click one of the links below or just click the player!

Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Giddy Carousel of Pop is part of the We Made This network of podcasts.

Episode 10: Smash Hits – 17-30 July 1985 – Live Aid special

Welcome aboard The Giddy Carousel of Pop. Hold tight for a top pop ride!

To mark the 35th anniversary of Live Aid, we go back to the Smash Hits of 17-30 July 1985 with the help of Tim Robinson from DJ/production duo Nightdubbing. We look at Ver Hits coverage of the historic concerts in London and Philadelphia and hear from people who were there or watched from home. We also speak to three former Smash Hits editors – David Hepworth, Mark Ellen and Barry McIlheney – about their memories of the day along with BBC TV director David G Croft. Marco Pirroni also shares his memories of the day and Adam Ant’s much-discussed performance.

Click the player to listen or this link to the app of your choice.

Find us on BlueSky, Facebook and Instagram.