The US100

Our final episode in New York City concludes with our US100 travellers exploring some of the Big Apple’s more modern output. With our three tracks all emerging from the noughties, this is a trip down memory lane for Jarek and Brent; and, as per tradition, Chris doesn't have a clue. Jarek also uses the three songs as a basis to explore a diverse range of New York themes: from gentrification and NYPD police dogs via causing a city-wide blackout and the intricacies of Russian-Ukrainian history.

It’s whistle stop hip hop, as JZ drops this pod from the blocks of The Bronx. Covering approximately 453 years (1541-1994), Jarek speedily runs us through an all-encompassing narrative of how the independent elements of rap, DJing, funk, soul, MCing, graffiti, b-boying, disco, and rock - along with some ludicrous lyrics written by Debbie Harry - all melted into the boiling pot that was to be known as hip hop. Running Chris and BD through the story of hip hop’s three Bronx-based forefathers,...

Jarek and the team bravely oppose the FAKE NEWS climate that is currently censoring Christmas coverage, as we introduce Part II of our Xmas special. Picking up where we left off, the boys discuss The Ronettes' Be My Baby, before taking a closer look at producer Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. Producer BD then reveals the stunning end result of his and Jarek's very own 'Wall of Sound' experiment. Attention is then turned to the wonderful Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, and the US100's only...

Festive cheer arrives in the form of our two part US100 Christmas party, as our three songs cover almost 80 years of New York City's musical history. In the first of our two parts, Jarek begins by dedicating the party to Sharon Jones, the third artist covered who sadly passed away a few days prior to recording. BD and Chris are then delighted to receive Jarek's gifts - their very own Make America Enjoyable Again baseball caps, which arrive courtesy of Bob Dylan in full St Nick spirit. The...

In our second US100 podcast episode, Jarek and the guys make themselves a little more comfortable in their New York City surroundings, settling into Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, the epicentre of the folk revival movement. Recorded mere hours after the 2016 US Presidential election result was announced, Jarek pertinently explains this period of US musical and political history, in which the old traditional songs of the factories, mines, and plantations were given a mainstream and...

The US100 team land in New York City, with Jarek, Brent, and Chris immediately exploring the story of artists behind US100's opening track, California Dreamin' by The Mamas & The Papas. As will become US100 podcast tradition, Chris offers his own lyrical interpretation of the song's meaning while Jarek examines the history behind the song and the fate of the artists who helped to record it. Where did The Mamas & The Papas come from? Who slept with who and why? What's so important about the...

Jarek introduces you to US100, offering an insight into how we will be exploring these tracks through these podcasts, touching upon the questions we will aim to answer and introducing some of our features, such as a Challenge Chris and Reach the Artist (to give them a certificate). In addition we meet producer BD, driver of the US100 car and all round practical hero, and Chris, who serves no real practical purpose but is eager to learn.