Game Changing Podcast

Tim and Chris have a technologically-assisted chat with Garbage and Fink producer Billy Bush, stalwart of the Los Angeles recording scene, about his unconventional entry into the studio world and how he's managed to keep working on the projects that interest him. Original GC logo by Dawn Kelly.

Tim speaks to classical and electronic composer and general musical magician Anna Meredith, about how her career took a handbrake turn and became something even more unique and extraordinary. Anna's tracks featured: "Paramour" and "Inhale Exhale" from the album Fibs; "Taken" from the album Varmints, courtesy Moshi Moshi Records. Thanks to Rachel McWhinney. Original GC logo by Dawn Kelly. Here's a Spotify playlist of some of Anna's best work, and some other songs we discuss https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ULYcO43coCyGjhD0oB1jm?si=QtCjFRa0StKYZJUdOgz89g

Chris has an in-depth chat with mixer, engineer and producer Dave Bascombe, about his years in the recording industry, including his unique take on how one of the most successful albums of the 1980s came together, Songs From The Big Chair by Tears For Fears, which he engineered, and also its successor, The Seeds Of Love. Here's a Spotify playlist of some of Dave's best work, and other tracks we discuss https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3kbFDmBzVjKByKW2Hx1cSp?si=yJq-Ed3MRlqzuyWFMQkE2A Original GC logo by Dawn Kelly.

Those who know Douglas Dare will already love his haunting, catchy and thought-provoking piano-led electronica. Those who don't: you're missing out on one of the best songwriters at work today. Tim chats to his old touring companion about new album Milk Teeth, the power of a "simple" melody, rude words on tea mugs and the pitfalls of trying to be commercial on purpose. Here's a Spotify playlist of some of Douglas's music, plus some other songs we discuss https://open.spotify.com/playlist/43mzv3FwkKyX1nqm3M30AP?si=ZRQ4KOkSQa2Ad2XpZ6gjdQ Original GC logo by Dawn Kelly

For this episode, Chris and Tim sat down with a proper rock legend: Tim Palmer. Producer of albums for acts as fearsome as Ozzy Osbourne, HIM, Robert Plant, The Mission and Tin Machine, but also as subtle and catchy as Texas, Tears For Fears and The Psychedelic Furs, Tim has done it all: from engineering Dead Or Alive, to mixing tracks for U2 and also Pearl Jam's classic debut, Ten. He also co-produced Tin Machine. Did we mention Tin Machine already? He did Tin Machine. Here's a Spotify playlist of some of Tim's best work https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2zjrEutoEj0fL51uFaWXo1?si=LvpiQgu4S9ij2sA-TyyFtA Thanks to Caitlin Palmer. Original GC logo by Dawn Kelly.

“You’ve got to believe in the power of a pop song.” Tim speaks to Newcastle upon Tyne's finest purveyors of compelling, caustic, romantic, rocking, passionate and peerless power-pop... Maxïmo Park... about their career so far and how - as Depeche Mode once sang - everything counts. Here's a playlist of some of Maxïmo Park's best tunes to date, plus some other songs we discuss. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2XLY3Kc8gOHc4X9jTYiMJt?si=mn9iKsZOQdWY_uUeQB4Lzw Thanks to Alfie Hallam. Original GC logo by Dawn Kelly.

“It’s not about how you twiddle the knobs and plug things in, it’s how you relate to people.” Stephen Street is one of those producers who seemingly can’t avoid making kickass albums with seminal bands. The Smiths, Blur, The Cranberries, Sleeper, Shed Seven, Kaiser Chiefs, Babyshambles - the list stretches off into the distance. How has he done it? In this episode, we find out. Here's a link to a Spotify playlist of our favourite Stephen Street tracks, and others we discuss: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ZerfnrQBndsJBr4Jq9cFg?si=5B9BQTsnQfum7F4qXiWWBg Thanks to Sam Rudy. Original GC logo by Dawn Kelly.

“There was me, clueless metalhead in a Kiss T-shirt, in amongst all these cool London people, and I think the Manics just recognised another outsider.” For our first show of 2020, Chris speaks to Dave Eringa, a producer whose humour, vitality and passion has given him long associations with Idlewild, Roger Daltrey and - perhaps his most successful partnership - Manic Street Preachers. In one of our most entertaining episodes, Dave discusses how he got started, how he kept going, working with Kylie, and why it’s (occasionally) okay to do a freebie. Here's a Spotify playlist of some of Dave's rock'n'roll gifts to the world: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L12sPn9TLEaJ9T6TZTXYz?si=ZGuGiJsISdupp9wTqeSl0g Original GC logo by Dawn Kelly.

“This world that I built in music makes more sense to me - I will live here.” Tim speaks to one of the most inventive singer-songwriters to emerge in the last couple of decades, Sophie Hunger. We discuss the paths Sophie has taken in her music-making life so far, touching upon language, travel, playing a role and the underrated advantages of hailing from Switzerland. Here's a Spotify playlist of our favourite Sophie moments https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4a8f9h2XP6I8vgG09yUtuf?si=XZjq-I17SbqIpxbJUToEYA Thanks to Ninja Tune Berlin for the venue and Sophie's management and record label for the music permissions. Logo by Dawn Kelly

“The way someone like Dave Grohl plays the acoustic guitar… you get a sense of why that song exists.” Gil Norton’s journey from minding the 8-track tape machine in Liverpool to producing global smash-hit albums for Foo Fighters and Counting Crows, not to mention classic records by the likes of Feeder, Throwing Muses, Terrorvision, Jimmy Eat World and Twin Atlantic, has been one of rock production’s stellar success stories. Chris sat down with his friend and colleague to get to the bottom of what makes Gil such a sought-after producer, including his focus on pre-production, commitment to the power of the song, and the experience of making perhaps his most influential album, the Pixies’ Doolittle. Here’s a link to a Spotify playlist of some of our favourite Gil-produced tracks: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/04k26e3YSsr28VaeD6n7ma?si=Gd_d4Ss7QkmsQhAWULcu2Q Logo design by Dawn Kelly Additional commentary by Bertie the dog

“There should never be a barrier between making music and not making music.” For the last ten or so years, the words This Is The Kit have meant the inspirational songwriting, rewarding albums and endlessly listenable vocals of Kate Stables. Together with bassist Rozi Plain, Kate sat down to talk to Tim in the summer of 2019, a few days after a great Glastonbury performance. They discussed gigging, recording, writing and the burning question of which other countries they might like to hail from, if not from the UK. Contains one very small swear word (entirely Tim's fault). Here's a playlist of some great TITK tracks and a couple of Rozi's too https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0etwNCbIMqNEM3EWT2Y76m?si=-rJoegW9QTesIt_o8sZVLA Thanks to Siân Monaghan Game Changing logo by Dawn Kelly

"U2 came out of nowhere. I thought someone was taking the piss." Flood has been a legend in the world of producing for the best part of thirty years. Having produced some of the alternative rock world's most dynamic and groundbreaking acts - Warpaint, Smashing Pumpkins, PJ Harvey, Soulwax, Nine Inch Nails - he sat down with Chris and Tim to talk about some of the pivotal moments in his illustrious career. Here's our Spotify playlist of some of Flood's best work, plus some other songs we talked about: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/78gpU12GKosCy49YSlETC3?si=mePMcwO2QgC2n_V53wGLHA

“If Paul and John can be in the same band, then me and you can be the same band” - Dave Brewis This episode of Game Changing features a conversation between Tim and Sunderland-based band Field Music. Brothers Peter and David Brewis have been trading under the name Field Music since 2005, when they released their debut, eponymous album for Memphis Industries. Since then they’ve released a further five full studio LPs, including 2012’s Plumb, which was nominated for a Mercury Prize. In 2018 the band were commissioned by the Imperial War Museum to make a sound and light show to commemorate some aspects of the end of the First World War; this project formed the basis of their upcoming 2020 album Making A New World. Here's our Field Music playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1CiVwe8BW54LiJewqdPlO1?si=AYICRmydQtqmVZB-9WZojQ Game Changing logo by Dawn Kelly