Tim's Listening Party

Kate Pierson & Keith Strickland from the B52s are Tim's guests this episode for a Listening Party about their 1989 album, Cosmic Thing. The B52s are a band so unique, so unorthodox yet completely distinctive, it’s not often you get to say that a musical artist is totally original, and that is exemplified by this weird and wonderful album in its 35th year. Kate & Keith talk about how they wrote their huge hit, Love Shack, how a psychic helped to make the album and how the band came together in the wake of the passing of original B52s guitarist, Ricky Wilson. Cosmic Thing was released on 27th June 1989 on Reprise.

This episode Tim is joined by Fran Healy & Dougie Payne from Travis to talk about the Man Who on its 25th anniversary. The Man Who is one of the most successful British albums of the last 25 years, spending 11 weeks at Number One, a further 134 weeks in the Top 100, and going 9 times platinum in the UK. It has sold 3.5 million copies worldwide. The album garnered critical recognition with 2 Ivor Novello Awards and 2 BRIT Awards for Best British Band and Best British Album, and led to them headlining Glastonbury in 2000. The Man Who remains an album that helped to define the British alternative music sound that followed. In this Listening Party, they talk about that Glastonbury performance that made them, how a breakup informed the album, how Fran nearly forgot Driftwood, and Fran recalls a night hanging out with Michael Stipe, Courtney Love & Morrissey. The Man Who was released on 24th May 1999 on Independiente.

This episode, Tim is joined by one of the stars of the 1980s, Martin Fry. With a career spanning over 4 decades, since the release of his band ABC’s dazzling debut in 1982, he continues to sell out concert halls up and down the country. The Lexicon of Love is an incredible debut record, going to number 1, achieving platinum in the UK, and it remains a captivating listen to this day, 42 years on. He speaks to Tim about Recording the Look of Love in front of David Bowie, the Sheffield scene in which ABC emerged alongside Def Leppard and the Human League, and working on the album with Trevor Horn. The Lexicon of Love was released on 21st June 1982 on Neutron.

For the first episode of this series of Tim’s Listening Party, Tim is joined by one of the most renowned song-writing duos in British music history, Pete Doherty & Carl Barat of the Libertines. Notorious, raucous, shambolic and ramshackle but brilliant, poetic, smart and witty, they are the indie heroes for a generation. Defined by extreme ups and downs, their music has survived through it all and so have they. Amongst a busy field of indie bands in Great British indie renaissance of the 00s, many would go as far as calling them the most important one. Now, they have returned with their first album in 9 years and their fourth record overall, All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade. Pete & Carl will be talking about that new album, recording in Jamaica, plus Carl & Tim remember a band they once formed together. All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade was released on 5th April 2024 on Casablanca & Republic.

Over the past year, Tim's Listening Party has seen Tim Burgess bring his world famous Twitter Listening Parties to the radio, as he's sat down to go through classic albums with the likes of New Order, Def Leppard, U2, Skunk Anansie, the Kinks, Tears For Fears, Simple Minds and many more. The show will return on April 14th with brand new episodes looking at some of the best albums ever made, with some of the biggest artists in the world.. Tune in to Absolute Radio from 10pm to hear the full show.

For this very special episode, Tim Burgess is was joined for a live Listening Party by Andy McCluskey, the lead singer and bassist of one of the most influential synth-pop acts in history, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Pioneers of electronic music, OMD were one of the earliest synthesizer-led bands to emerge from the post-punk scene, influencing many artists since, and making their presence felt in the Second British Invasion in the US with the advent of MTV. Simply put, OMD are partly responsible for the sound that defined the 80s, and the album they are discussing, Architecture & Morality, remains one of the enduring records of that era. Architecture & Mortality was released on 6th November 1981 on Dindisc.

This episode, Tim Burgess hosted a Buzzcocks Listening Party for the final episode of this series. The band's 1978 album, ‘Love Bites’, turned 45 years old this year and remains a seminal record for punk fans. So guitarist, Steve Diggle, joined Tim to talk all about the huge hit 'Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)', the legacy of the late great Pete Shelley, encounters with Mark E. Smith and of course, Manchester. Love Bites was released on 22nd September 1978 on United Artists.

This episode Tim is joined by one of the iconic figures from the 1990s British indie rock scene. Fronting the band Sleeper, Louise Wener was one of the biggest female stars in the Britpop era. She takes Tim through the band’s second album, the It Girl, which was released in 1996 and reached the top 5 of the album charts, going platinum in the UK. It is one of the lasting records of the era and they discuss standing out in a music world that was considerably dominated by male bands, journalists and execs, escaping life the suburbs for the stage and their love of Blondie. The It Girl was released on 6th May 1996 on Indolent.

This episode Tim is joined by Ricky Ross & Lorraine McIntosh to talk through Deacon Blue’s second album, When the World Knows Your Name. It was a number 1 album in the UK going double platinum and contained the band’s first top 10 hit, and 4 subsequent singles reaching the top 30. Together they discuss the album, offer their unusual ways of remembering song ideas, talk about playing Deacon Blue songs at their daughter’s wedding and pay tribute to the band’s original guitarist, Graeme Kelling. When the World Knows Your Name was released on 6th April 1989 on Columbia.

Cerys Matthews joins Tim Burgess for this episode of his Listening Party. One of the most recognisable, unique and best voices of the 90s, Cerys talks Tim through Catatonia’s triple platinum, number 1 album, International Velvet, on its 25th anniversary. They discuss finding their singing styles, finding strength from writing lyrics in order out get out of a tough personal places, and Cerys’s place as a Welsh national treasure. International Velvet was released on 2nd February 1998 on Blanco y Negro.

This episode Tim is joined by the legendary Simple Minds. Jim Kerr & Charlie Burchill go through 1982’s New Gold Dream, an album they credit as taking them to the next level as a band. They discuss writing their first commercial hits (some in the bath), staying in hotels with other 80s stars and manifesting their own success. New Gold Dream was released on 17th September 1982 on Virgin.

Tim’s Listening Party returns with one of the biggest bands to come out of the 1980s, with one of the biggest and lasting albums of that decade. Tears For Fears’ debut album, the Hurting, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, having reached number 1 in the UK charts and spawning 3 top 5 hit singles. Curt Smith & Roland Orzabal join Tim to discuss Mad World covers, contrasting the influences of Duran Duran & Joy Division on 80s music, as well as comparing their vocal styles. The Hurting was released on 7th March 1983 on Mercury & Phonogram.

So far, Tim Burgess has had listening parties with the likes of Sparks, The The, U2, New Order, Texas, The Bangles, the Kinks and Def Leppard just to name a few, so we are delighted to announce that Tim's Listening Party will return on 29th October with brand new episodes. Tune in to Absolute Radio from 10pm to hear the full show.

In this very special episode, Tim is joined by his Absolute Radio colleague, Danielle Perry, as she takes over the interviewing duties to go through The Charlatans’ Tellin’ Stories. Tim opens up about how the Charlatans overcame the trauma of losing keyboard player, Rob Collins, to make one of the stand out albums of the 90s. Tellin’ Stories was released on 21st April 1997 on Beggars Banquet.

This episode, Tim Burgess is joined for a Listening Party by the Zutons to talk about their classic 00s indie album, Tired of Hanging Around. They talk about the pressures of being a band from Liverpool, standing out in the thriving UK indie scene of the time, and how their song Valerie was immortalised with help from Amy Winehouse. Tired of Hanging Around was released on 17th April 2006 on Deltasonic.

Joining Tim for a Listening Party is by New Order's Stephen Morris & Gillian Gilbert to talk about one of the greatest albums ever made, and Tim's favourite album of all time, Power, Corruption & Lies. From its iconic album cover, to the lead single that never appeared on the record, Blue Monday, it is a seminal album of mystery, beauty & greatness. This episode Stephen & Gillian revisit this classic album that is celebrating its 40 anniversary this year. It was released on 2nd May 1983 on Factory

This episode, Tim is joined by James & Rab Allan from Glasvegas to talk about the band’s debut, self-titled album. Their self-titled first record went platinum and earned the band a Mercury Prize nomination. Glasvegas by Glasvegas stands out as one of the best debuts of the decade. It was released on 8th September 2008 on Columbia.

Lloyd Cole joins Tim for a Listening Party to speak about the Commotions’ debut album, Rattlesnakes. A timeless pop album, Rattlesnakes is one of the best debuts of the 1980s, and its enduring popularity is evidenced by the fact that that record remains one of the most played back of Tim’s Twitter Listening Parties. Rattlesnakes was released on 12th October 1984 on Polydor & Geffen.

Joining Tim for a Listening Party is Matt Johnson, the only constant member of highly influence group, The The. The The managed to combine technology of the time and play with experimental sounds, cross genres, and juxtapose these alongside thoughtful, clever, insightful and provocative lyrics. This episode Matt revisits this classic album that is celebrating its 40 anniversary this year, Soul Mining. It was released on 21st October 1983 on Some Bizzare/Epic.

This episode, Tim is joined by one of the most influential music acts of all time, Sparks. Ron & Russell Mael's imprint on the musical world can be seen across decades and genres, thanks to their extensive, enigmatic, witty and impossible to define back catalogue. For over 50 years they have broken the boundaries of musical categories and creativity, and that is no different with their latest release, The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte. It was released on 26th May 2023 on Island Records.