Brentwood’s Only Alternative »
Fiona Bevan – live on Phoenix FM
Click below to listen again to the interview: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] After countless sessions in the old place we had the first BOA session in the Brentwood Centre, and what
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Playlist for 1 February 2012 (AOTW: Mull Historical Society – City Awakenings)
My album of the week was Mull Historical Society’s City Awakenings, which was released on 23 January on Xtra Mile. A bit of a return to form for Colin McIntyre, whose albums I always
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Playlist for 25 January 2012 (AOTW: MJ Hibbett and the Validators – Dinosaur Planet)
It seems like it’s been out for ever but it really only came out this month. You can read up everything you want to know about the album here or even look back to
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Interview with Mathew Priest from Dodgy
Click here to listen again to the interview: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] It’s been a whopping 16 years since the original Dodgy trio of Nigel Clark, Mathew Priest and Andy Miller
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Playlist for 19 January 2012 (Bas II, Dodgy and AOTW: Nada Surf – The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy)
Ooh – busy show tonight. And back on Thursday for a change too! The first hour was taken up with my chat with Deb Danahay and BAS II – you can see more about
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Playlist for 11 January 2012 (AOTW: Maccabees – Given To The Wild)
Tonight’s playlist: B-52′s – Rock Lobster Baddies – Bronto Scumbag Philosopher – God Is Dead So I Listen To Radiohead Everything Everything – Suffragette Suffragette Lush – Hypocrite Mull Historical Society – Mull Historical
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Playlist for 4 January 2012 (AOTW: Gordon Withers – The Joy Formidable On Cello)
Truncated show tonight. First album of the year goes to an excellent album of Joy Formidable covers, played on the cello. Tonight’s playlist: Beck – Where It’s At Maccabees – Pelican Radiohead – The
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The last show of the year!
Once again I’m in for my special Indie Disco new year’s eve show, drinking red bull and eating pizza while my kids run AMOK around the studio. Good job we’re moving next year! Kasabian
Read More »The songs of the year show
You’d call this “singles of the year” in the old days but I’ve just got no idea what songs bands release any more, so I just picked a number of tracks from albums or
Read More »The albums of the year show
Tonight’s show was an albums of the year special. I picked 30 random songs from 30 albums which I consider to be my favourite ones of the year – in no particular order. And
Read More »Playlist for 14 December 2011
Finally played a couple of Christmas songs this week! Futureheads – Christmas Was Better In The 80s Others – Tic Tok (demo) Little Roy – Come As You Are Fall – Hark! The Herald
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Playlist for 7 December 2011 (2 AOTWS: Tortoise Family Connections – Extraterrestrial Kestrel and Colorama – Llyfr Lliwio)
Just to be awkward and inconsitent, in a year where I just normally can’t be bothered to choose an album of the week every week, I chose two tonight. Not sure if they are
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Playlist for 23 November 2011 (AOTW: They Might Be Giants – Album Raises New and Troubling Questions)
Tonight's playlist, including MJ Hibbett and a great new offering from They Might Be Giants
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MJ Hibbett – in session, once again
Back for the fifth time to talk about dinosaurs and robots
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Clinton USM – in session
I was utterly delighted to welcome CLINTON USM – Taro Takei and Masato Saito – into the Phoenix FM studios for possibly their first ever radio session. Taro and Masato are a Carter USM
Read More »Playlist for 9 November 2011 (AOTW Jensen Code – The True Colors Of Mars I)
My Album Of The week was The True Colors Of Mars I by London interstellar travellers The Jensen Code. And yes it’s an EP, but what the hey, it’s still my Album Of The
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Playlist for 2 November 2011 (AOTW Killed By 9V Batteries – The Crux)
This week’s album of the week is by Vienna indie-rock quartet Killed By 9V Batteries. You can buy it on Bandcamp for a handful of Euros. Go and spend them before the currency disappears
Read More »Playlist for 30 October 2011
As well as the excellent session from Korda Marshall which you can see here, we also played: Ned’s Atomic Dustbin – Kill Your Television Luke Haines – Inside The Restless Mind Of Rollerball Rocco
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Korda Marshall live on Phoenix FM
Listen again to the band's acoustic session and interview
Read More »Playlist for 26 October 2011 (AOTW Luke Haines – Nine And A Half Psychedelic Meditations On British Wrestling Of The 1970s And Early ’80s)
This week’s album of the week is from ex-Auteurs frontman Luke Haines, and his latest offering – Nine And A Half Psychedelic Meditations On British Wrestling Of The 1970s And Early ’80s – which
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Brian Robertson comes back to Phoenix FM
Ex-Thin Lizzy and Motorhead legend returns to our Brentwood studio
Read More »Playlist for 19 October 2011
Stone Roses – I Am The Resurrection British Sea Power – We Are Sound Sugarcubes – Birthday Røyksopp – Eple Death Of Death Of Discotheque – Preset 3 Darvaza Hole – Observational Frame Of
Read More »Playlist for 16 October 2011
As well as the Darvaza Hole session which we played out live (click the link to see/hear it again), we also played tonight: Joy Formidable – Whirring Thomas Tantrum – Only Human Boxer Rebellion
Read More »The Darvaza Hole live on Phoenix FM
Click here to listen again to the interview: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] It was a pleasure to welcome Laura, Richard and Steve from Southend’s Darvaza Hole, not to be confused with
Read More »Rubylux live on Phoenix FM
Click here to listen again to the interview: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Rob, Adam and Mike from Rubylux came down to see us, play some songs live and tell us what
Read More »Playlist for 12 October 2011 (AOTW Pop Will Eat Itself – New Noise Designed By A Sadist)
Moved to Wednesday nights and for a month at least I’ll be doing this show twice a week, along with “session night” on a Sunday evening. As well as playing out the recent Midway
Read More »Playlist for 9 October 2011
We welcomed Fashoda Crisis into the station so we didn’t play as much music as usual. But never confuse quality with quantity, that’s what I say. We did play: Family Cat – Steamroller Ned’s
Read More »Fashoda Crisis live on Phoenix FM
It was great to welcome Fashoda Crisis back to the hallowed turf of Phoenix FM. Sim, Simon and Matt played out three songs – The Berry-Brown Face Of Robert Kilroy-Silk, Animals and CancerHat –
Read More »Midway Still talk to Phoenix FM
Click below to listen to the interview: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Bursting onto an already-healthy music scene in 1991, Kent band Midway Still made an instant impact with fans and press
Read More »Playlist for 2 October 2011
Apart from playing out Friday’s Missing Andy session again, I also managed to get in a bit of the Bikini Beach Band, who I first saw live back at the Jazz Cafe in August
Read More »Playlist for 25 September 2011 (AOTW Nirvana – Nevermind)
Interview of the week We don’t always have one – but if you missed my show you missed my interview with The Others, their first radio interview for 4 years. Don’t fret – it’s
Read More »The Others talk to Phoenix FM
Between 2004 and 2006 The Others were all over the music press – a front cover of the NME, hundreds of gigs and festivals, “guerilla gigs” making the national press. And more importantly, frontman
Read More »Playlist for 8 September 2011 (AOTW Fashoda Crisis – Him Make They Learn Read)
This was my last Thursday evening show for quite a while – Nick Field will be moving his Curveballs to this slot as of next week. I’m having a couple of weeks off (unless
Read More »Playlist for 1 September 2011
Tonight’s show was a bit of a Reading Festival comedown – I played out my interviews with Metronomy and Viva Brother and also the following wonderful tracks: Pulp – I Spy Joy Formidable –
Read More »Playlist for 25 August 2011 (AOTW CSS – La Liberación)
Yes, I have an AOTW again! It’s CSS and their third offering, La Liberación, which came out on Monday. Without meaning to sound too judgemental – I was pleasantly surprised. Go buy it and
Read More »Playlist for 18 August 2011
Thousand Yard Stare – Comeuppance British Sea Power – Mongk II Howling Bells – Into The Sky Franz Ferdinand – Can’t Stop Feeling Brownies – Japan Pop Will Eat Itself – RSVP Carter USM
Read More »Playlist for 11 August 2011
Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss A Beat Pre New – I Believe In Jackie Foster The People – Pumped Up Kicks History Of Apple Pie – Tug New Fast Automatic Daffodils – Stockholm Eddy
Read More »Dos Pints, Mis Amigos
Click below to listen again to the interview [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Cult 90s band POP WILL EAT ITSELF are back with a new album, new tour and new line up
Read More »Tai Chi Swayze live at Phoenix FM
You can hear the whole session and interview again by clicking here We welcomed Londonish band TAI CHI SWAYZE into the Phoenix FM studio for a whole load of chat and three songs, which
Read More »Playlist for 28 July 2011
Auteurs – Show Girl Jonny Cola and the A Grades – Postcode Wars Fight Like Apes – Do You Karate Darvaza Hole – I Dream Idol Local Girls – Kitty (Is A Bad Kitty)
Read More »Playlist for 21 July 2011
Yes – Don’t Kill The Whale Naked and Famous – A Geek In Wolf’s Clothing Heike Has The Giggles – Crazy In Love To Destroy A City – Narcotic Sea Y Niwl – Tri
Read More »Playlist for 14 July 2011
Along with the excellent session from Jonny Cola and the A Grades, which is going up on this website soon, I also played: Pulp – Lipgloss Darling Buds – Shame On You Good Natured
Read More »Playlist for 7 July 2011 (AOTW Shonen Knife – Freetime)
Apart from having the wonderful Something Beginning With L in (more info about that here) we had an excellent album of the week, Shonen Knife. It’s pretty much exactly the same as the sixteen
Read More »Something Beginning With L – live session
This ex-Suffolk London-based trio have been playing together for quite a while through various outlets including Stuffy and the Fuses and Graham Coxon’s backing band. The recorded output is a beguiling mix of indie,
Read More »Playlist for 29 June 2011 (2 AOTWs: Thomas Tantrum – Mad By Moonlight and Victorian English Gentlemens Club – Bag Of Meat)
Like the title says, two albums of the weeks: Firstly, Southampton’s finest – Thomas Tantrum – who I interviewed at their recent Hoxton gig, and the wonderful Mad By Moonlight. I knew it was
Read More »Playlist for 16 June 2011 (AOTW Scumbag Philosopher – It Means Nothing So It Means Nothing)
Yes, we have an album of the week. It’s a shortie (nine tracks) but a goodie … no, a greatie. Released this week on Words and Music. See www.scumbagphilosopher.com to find out how to
Read More »Playlist for 9 June 2011
No particular theme tonight. Just tried to play more music and talk less. Didn’t work quite as well as I’d hoped. Oh Land – Sun Of A Gun Mystery Jets – You Can’t Fool
Read More »Playlist for 2 June 2011
Camera Obscura – French Navy Cardigans – Choke Art Brut – Fight! Young Knives – Human Again Oh Land – Sun Of A Gun Senseless Things – Too Much Kissing Friendly Fires – Hurting
Read More »Playlist for 26 May 2011
Silversun Pickups – There’s No Secrets This Year Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man – Fatherhood Pre New – I Believe In Jackie Oh Land – Sun Of A Gun Young Knives – Sister Frideswide Swound! – Oh No!
Read More »Playlist for 12 May 2011 (AOTW Friendly Fires – Pala)
I had an Album Of The Week once more! Friendly Fires and Pala. Super Furry Animals – Something 4 The Weekend Friendly Fires – Blue Cassette Birdland – Everybody’s Dreaming Jim Bob – Mr
Read More »Playlist for 5 May 2011
Pizzicato Five – Trailer Music Senser – 2 3 Clear Auction From The Promise Club – Under China Baddies – Tiger Face Thomas Tantrum – Hot Hot Summer Elastica – S.O.F.T. Foals – Olympic
Read More »Playlist for 28 April 2011
Catatonia – Mulder And Scully Friendly Fires – Paris Pete and the Pirates – United Eliza Newman – Bloom Again Jonny – Candyfloss Thomas Tantrum – Hot Hot Summer Hafdis Huld – Diamonds On
Read More »Playlist for 14 April 2011 (AOTW Eliza Newman – Pie In The Sky)
My album of the week was ex-Bellatrix lead singer ELIZA NEWMAN and her second long playing offering, PIE IN THE SKY. It’s been a long time coming but it’s full of great songs and
Read More »Playlist for 7 April 2011 (AOTW Young Knives – Ornaments From The Silver Arcade)
It’s easy to pick YOUNG KNIVES for AOTW as they’re a very easy band to like (if you’re me) but choosing this album was more than a lazy “that’ll do”. It’s true that there’s
Read More »Playlist for 31 March 2011 (AOTW Art Brut – Brilliant! Tragic!)
Some real heavy hitters coming up for the Album Of The Week – this week from Art Brut, and to use a well-worn cliche, a REAL RETURN TO FORM. Not that their other offerings
Read More »Cowboy Racer live at Phoenix FM
Click below to listen again to the interview [Audio clip: view full post to listen] As part of our 4th birthday celebrations we welcomed Cowboy Racer into the Phoenix studios for the first time.
Read More »Amoriste on Phoenix FM
Blackmore boys Amoriste were back in the Phoenix FM studio today in advance of a tour taking them to Edinburgh and Leeds in the next few days among other places. photo pinched from the
Read More »Playlist for 24 March 2011 (AOTW Local Girls – Wedding Jitters EP)
A bit of a busy show today – we had a visit from Chris and Steve, two of the organisers of the Brentwood Festival (you can read more about that here), as well as
Read More »Playlist – 17 March 2011
A bit of a St Patrick’s day “special” or maybe just an excuse to play an hour of good Irish music and not a bono in sight! Genesis – Stagnation Smiley Culture – Police
Read More »Playlist – 10 March 2011 (AOTW Erland and the Carnival – Nightingale)
This week’s album of the week was ERLAND AND THE CARNIVAL – NIGHTINGALE Busy show tonight, three songs from this album AND three songs from the Elbow album which I didn’t bring last
Read More »Playlist – 3 March 2011 (AOTW Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys!)
This week’s album of the week was ELBOW – BUILD A ROCKET BOYS! In an unusual twist I didn’t bring it along with me. I think I was just too excited about playing
Read More »Playlist – 24 February 2011 (AOTW Radiohead – The King Of Limbs)
This week’s album of the week was RADIOHEAD – THE KING OF LIMBS. To be honest Radiohead could have bumtootled the whole 45 minutes and I would still have given it the AOTW
Read More »Playlist – 17 February 2011 (AOTW The Lovely Eggs – Cob Dominos)
This week’s album of the week was THE LOVELY EGGS – COB DOMINOS. No real surprise here as I’ve been playing single Don’t Look At Me .. and we also had a session
Read More »Playlist – 10 February 2011 (AOTW Esben and the Witch – Violet Cries)
This week’s album of the week was ESBEN AND THE WITCH – VIOLET CRIES. Debut album from this young band from Brighton. You don’t get much goth these days but I know my
Read More »Playlist – 3 February 2011 (AOTW The Boxer Rebellion – The Cold Still)
This week’s album of the week was THE BOXER REBELLION – THE COLD STILL. I know we don’t mention these plucky youngsters enough on Phoenix FM but we’re happy to give them all
Read More »Playlist – 27 January 2011 (AOTW The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar)
This week’s album of the week was THE JOY FORMIDABLE – THE BIG ROAR It’s their “debut album”, although I am pretty sure I bought one called “A Balloon Called Moaning” a couple of
Read More »Playlist – 20 January 2011 – Megadudes live (AOTW Cowboy Racer – Love STatiOnaRY)
Good news everyone! THE MEGADUDES finally made it over to Brentwood having cancelled an earlier appearance due to The Snow. Chris, Adam, Kyle and Joe played two songs for us live and we
Read More »Playlist – 13 January 2011 (AOTW Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will)
Two weeks of 2011 and two albums of the week. I’m so proud to have not abandoned it like my new year’s resolution to eat more healthily. Although I have stopped eating powdered gravy,
Read More »Playlist – 6 January 2011 (AOTW British Sea Power – Valhalla Dancehall)
New year, new feature: ALBUM OF THE WEEK. I don’t think any radio show has ever done this before. This all came about from discussions on Another Place On The Internet, where people were
Read More »Brentwood’s Only Alternative in 2010 – 469 bands and 1,415 songs later
It’s that time again when I go through my stats for the year! In 2010 I played 469 bands – down 14 on 2009. I played 1,341 songs, down 74 on the previous year
Read More »New Year’s Eve playlist
Last show of the year! Brother – Darling Buds Of May Everything Everything – Photoshop Handsome Marc Almond – Varieté Futureheads – Heartbeat Song My Life Story – Strumpet Ned’s Atomic Dustbin – Kill
Read More »The best BOA of 2010!
Quite simply, I managed to cram in my favourite songs of 2010. In Alphabetical Order. Is there any other order? A bit of an early 90s feel with Bettie Serveert, Blur, Echobelly, the Frank
Read More »Decidedly unChristmassy Christmas Show
Well not quite, I played a COUPLE of Christmas songs, mainly from the Killers and Saint Etienne, but it was business as normal, had a lot of great music to get through. And I
Read More »Playlist – 9 December 2010
“It’s December, I’m getting airplay. This must be what it feels like to be Noddy Holder “ Back in the studio tonight after being stuck at home in a snowdrift last week. More and
Read More »Snowbound: Playlist – 2 December 2010
Tonight’s show was a bit of a cheat, because I recorded it at home and uploaded it to the website, although I was at home in the chatroom and able upload any requests, etc.
Read More »“Ah. I don’t have any James Blunt. Sorry”
Or McFly. Or Jack Johnson. Or Simple Plan. (Is that even a band?) I don’t mind requests. And I am not diametrically opposed to James Blunt either and I might not turn off the
Read More »Wednesday night “all oldies” special!
Well, they’re not that old. Here’s tonight’s playlist. Oh yes I met Tony Cottee earlier. Interview going out on the Commentary Box on Friday night. What a guy! Airhead – Funny How Lemon Jelly
Read More »Playlist – 18 November, Ringo Deathstarr
Band Name of the Week, if not Song of the Week, has to be the excellent Ringo Deathstarr. According to the good people of Youtoob, this song “reeks” of Curve and My Bloody Valentine
Read More »Playlist – 13 November, a lazy Sunday afternoon with Senor Coconut
I wasn’t on air on Thursday because I was out enjoying myself (tsk), watching Marc Almond live at the Cliffs Pavilion in Westcliff. Great show, still sounded amazing after all these years, and I
Read More »Playlist – 4 November, like Daphne and Celeste, but from Finland
Highly recommended at the moment: Le Corps Mince De Francoise – Gandhi. They’re a bit like a baggy version of Daphne and Celeste, but from Finland (and not France, oh no). Tonight’s playlist: Rocket
Read More »Playlist – 28 October, here comes the fog. In Welsh.
Loving the sound of Y Niwl at the moment, so much so that I’ve used Undegpedwar as the “bed” for my “jingle” on the “radio” ! By the way Y Niwl is pronounced “Ur
Read More »Playlist – 21 October, A to Z, Quimby and Chemicals-uh!
Looks like a bit of a lazy, I mean well-structed “A to Z” show tonight, judging by the first 26 songs I played. But who are these people? Quimby is a Hungarian band brought
Read More »A week of highs and lows – The Pre New, Republica, Activia and Isa Isa Baby
Had a great week this week seeing both The Pre New live at the Dublin Castle on Monday and Republica at the Academy in Islington on Wednesday. Plus I stood next to Amy Winehouse
Read More »Republica – live in London
Listen again: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] It came as a bolt out of the blue when I heard that Republica had reformed and would be playing their first London gig for
Read More »Lock up your fast cars, pop stars and Mars bars
Listen again: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] For a short time in the late 90s and early 00s the music scene was enriched by the presence of Earl Brutus, a band named
Read More »Playlist – 7 October 2010
B-52′s – Rock Lobster Jonny Cola and the A Grades – The Party’s Over Ladyhawke – Paris Is Burning Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence Stellarium – Harbinger Alan Hawkshaw – Man Of Means
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