Blessed to have Murray Macleod on the podcast today, singer, guitarist and songwriter supreme in British alternative rock champs The Xcerts. The Aberdeen trio are a band I liked from the get go, until 2014 and the release of their third record, There is Only You, whereupon they became a band I absolutely and completely adored. That’s a trajectory I think not unusual for many rock fans, but man oh man, the songs so far released from the group’s coming fifth album, Learning How To Live And Let Go – out August 18th – have caused a right old stink on the digital swamp that is Twitter! I thought it was time I reached out to Murray and get him on the podcast. What follows is one of my favourite conversations I’ve had on the show in ages; in many ways I see it as a sister conversation to the one I had with Dan Searle from Architects on Episode 143 back in March. Murray gets it, he really does. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did making it.  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Around the dawn of the decade, Simon Goddard, one of the finest music journalists that these isles has to offer, embarked on a truly gargantuan task - kicking off his epic Bowie Odyssey series, chronicling the life of David Bowie against the cultural and social history of the 1970s, year by year. Book four, Bowie Odyssey 73, was released just last month, and a fascinating tome it is too, exploring the final days of Bowie’s status as accessible-pop-star-approaching-untouchable-icon, amidst a flurry of drug abuse and swirling chaos. This episode was an absolute pleasure to record. Simon’s 2002 Smiths book, Songs That Saved Your Life, is a book I consider amongst the finest music publications I’ve ever read. And his Bowie books? A remarkable, awe inducing, thrilling, maybe even borderline mental undertaking!  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Kathryn Bromwich is one of the best music journalists plying their trade in Britain today. She’s a writer and commissioning editor on the Observer New Review, but I first encountered her when she was working as the acting deputy editor of the forever missed Guardian Guide. Before that her words on pop culture appeared regularly in Dazed, Vice, Time Out and The Independent,  and astute and entertaining words they were too, but I think some of her best ever work has been the revelatory articles she’s written for her paymasters about her experience with long Covid. That's a theme that has informed her debut novel, At the Edge of the Woods – in shops now - which we principally talk about on this episode. It is a excellent opening salvo for a side hustle that I hope will produce many more original stories. But first. A woman. In the woods. With secrets. And pain. And the arrival of a face from her past... Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Sad Park, from Los Angeles, California, aren’t fucking around. Since forming in 2018, they’ve released two albums of very fizzy emo punk, both very excellent, with their third, No More Sound coming on Pure Noise Records on Friday, July 7th. Incidentally, Friday, July 7this the deadline for me filing the manuscript of my book, so really, I should stop talking to you and go finish my book. Okay, I’m going, I’m going. Here’s the excellent singer/guitarist Graham Steele. Enjoy the episode!  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

In 2020, Dan Franklin wrote one of the best books I’ve ever read about the caustic enigma that is heavy metal. It was called - because why call it anything else - Heavy, and even within a corner of music book publishing that is saturated with said subject matter, it stood alone as definitive and hugely insightful. I finished the book excited about what Dan might do next. The answer is Come My Fanatics: A Journey Into The World of Electric Wizard, a new take on Dorset doom pioneers Electric Wizard. Conceived with the full cooperation of the band, published by the ever-impressive White Rabbit Books and unleashed upon the world on June 22nd, it is a brilliantly told story about a brilliant heavy metal band. I invite you to lose yourself in the strange and unsettling world of Electric Wizard - but first, to meet your tour guide... Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Superlove, from Bristol, are one of my favourite bands at the moment. Comprising Jacob Rice on vocals and bass - who I speak to on this episode - Jonathan Worgan on guitar and vocals, and incoming drummer Tom Hennessey on drums, their last record, 2022’s Colours, was a snapshot of fizzy, Gen Z fuelled pop rock inspiration. A genius opening statement. But wait! On Friday, on June 2nd, the band are releasing their second record, follow:noise, which Jacob is calling their debut proper. This is all very confusing! Might be easier just to get into the episode where Jacob can explain things better. It’s a very pleasant conversation this!  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Shane Parsons and Simon Ridley (and in recent times, Lachlan Ewbank) – aka DZ Deathrays, from Queensland, Australia – have been responsible for some of the most fun music around since as far back as 2008. Now, on June 2nd, the Brisbane group release their new full-length release, R.I.F.F, a record that is expressly designed to combat misery with melody, while also expanding the group’s sound by infusing it with more synth, more complex arrangements, while keeping all the skill riffarama you would expect from a band who have always been, at the very least, extremely exciting in all that they have done. This conversation was recorded in my morning, their evening, and we opened, as all the best conversations do, with UFOs…  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

I’m back from Italy. Bellissimo! And it’s a delight to resume the relentless march of this podcast with a legend of British music media, the Venerable Allan Jones. Whether it’s launching Uncut magazine – for a time my absolute favourite music magazine – or revitalising the forever missed Melody Maker during his epic stint as editor, or simply standing outside IPC towers chain smoking with me when I was a cub NME hack some 15 odd years ago, Allan has seen it, heard it, done it… and lived to tell the tales. Which he does excellently in his new book, Too Late to Stop Now: More Rock’n’Roll War Stories, in shops this Thursday, May 25th. The follow up to 2017's excellent Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down, it sees Allan sharing numerous untold stories from the glory days of rock ‘n’ roll and features the likes of Lou Reed, Elton John, Sting and The Clash. It was a delight, and an honour, to speak to Allan for this episode.  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Yes, it’s a bonus episode, and in parts, the audio on this episode is dogshit – I’m really going to have to ban bands from doing podcast episodes on their mobiles in parks. But I’m publishing this episode anyway because Chappaqua Wrestling are one of my favourite new bands in ages. Their recently released album, Plus Ultra, is, IMAO, a near perfect debut album, full of fizzy indie rock like wot they used to make. And, if you forgive the wonky audio on this episode, I think a decent chat transpires. Anyway, I’ve been deluging you with new episodes this last week, but that’s it for at least seven days because I’m off to Italy to gouge myself on pasta. Ciao! Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Today I interviewed Peter Hook – he of Joy Division, New Order, Manchester’s legendary acid house era hotspot The Haçienda, and countless other musical projects – for a national newspaper. You can read that in The Observer in the coming weeks. But I also managed to squeeze in some questions about Hooky's current project the Haçienda Classical, in which he, along with DJs Graeme Park and Mike Pickering, perform iconic sounds from the Factory HQ’s heyday, accompanied by a 70-person strong rave orchestra. That led into a wider conversation about the legacy of Joy Division, New Order and the club itself, before ending up with Hooky opening up about the toll New Order’s ongoing divorce has had on his mental health. I like Hooky. You don’t end up in two of the greatest bands of all time by accident. And though this episode is brief, I think what follows is fascinating, emotive stuff.  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Django Django have been one of my favourite bands for years now, and so it was a treat to speak to drummer and producer David Maclean in the run up to the release of the group's fifth studio record, Off Planet. Released in four parts – one, two and three are already out - the full thing arrives on June 16th. The record is a much different beast to anything the group have released prior. Clubbier. Sweatier. With guests – including Self Esteem and Jack Peñate – aplenty. It really is very, very good. But before we get to all that, let’s get weird. Warning squares, high strange follows!Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5i7QiIJfYU&t=17s Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Remember episode 143, with Dan Searle of Architects? I actually had this conversation that you’re about to hear the morning of the day I spoke to Dan - it just took me a while to get around to getting the audio on this feed. Listening back when I was editing the episode, I was pleased to remember it was a pretty good one, with two young men who make up a new band I’m really quite excited about; SNAYX, from Brighton, UK. That’ll be Charlie Herridge, on vocals and guitar, and Ollie Horner on bass. It is an episode that is sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, and sometimes quite filthy... especially if you’re a fan of citrus fruits. Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6SwpAZFeHA Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

I did this interview with guitar virtuoso and sometime Alice Cooper and Demi Lovato six stringer Nita Strauss, around about a month ago. Her new album, The Call Of The Void, was about to be announced. And then that announcement went back. And then back again. And then back once again. But now, with that record, on powerhouse metal imprint Sumerian Records confirmed to be dropping on July 7th, I’ve finally got the green light to publish the episode. And it’s a good one. Very funny in places. With a lot of sport in it. And some UFOs. And conspiracy theories. And pro-wrestling. Basically everything I like. Anyway, I’m going to press publish on this episode before the album announcement goes back again. So here goes. Enjoy the episode!Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi1seUZxN-o&t=588s Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Audrey Golden has written one of the first great music books of the year, a new tome, on the always interesting White Rabbit Books, called I Thought I Heard You Speak: Women at Factory Records. Available to buy now, it shines a light into the crevices of the legendary indie label and reveals new stories and new perspectives concerning the women who played significant roles in making the Manchester based operation function. Audrey was an unbelievably fun guest, and while I can’t share the after-hours contents with you, our conversation went on for a good 45 minutes after we’d stopped recording. What I can share with you is the mini-breakdown I had at the end of the episode. Hey, it was a late one. Ps. I'm fine now.  Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

You know the deal by now; if you see a bonus episode of this podcast, it means it doesn’t quite meet the audio standards that would mean I’d allocate an episode a number. The first ten minutes or so of this conversation, with Elizabeth Stokes, singer in New Zealand indie pop champs The Beths, are especially ropey. And then we turn the camera off. What follows after that is an enjoyable conversation, with the author of probably my favourite album from last year, Expert In A Dying Field, a week or so before the four-piece arrive in the UK for an extensive run of headline dates. I was pretty nervous doing this interview. I love The Beths more than maybe any contemporary group. The wonky audio didn’t help. But I’m pleased I did it. And I do hope you’re pleased I did it too. Hooray. Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

I’ve been following the output of Lana Lubany for a while now – I thought her 2022 single 'The Snake' was one of the best pop songs I’d heard in years – and so with her first album, The Holy Land, due this Friday - that's May 12th - I thought it was about time I got her on the podcast. The Palestinian-American artist – though now UK based – writes songs about self-discovery, identity and of course, the complexities of her Palestinian origins… and proper bops they are too! Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrwsHpv8gTo&t=1895s Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Lola Lennox has a very famous mum and a very talented dad, but the reason I’m speaking to her on this episode is because her new EP, Dreamer, contains some of the best pop songs I’ve heard in ages. If it doesn’t break her as a star in her own right, there really is no justice in the world. Which there isn’t, obviously. We are all feral creatures tearing each other to bits on a massive piece of rock floating in the sky. But you’ve got to hope, eh? I really enjoyed the time I got to speak with Lola. She’s wise and funny... and she wears a fair bit of jewellery, so if you hear a metallic rattle throughout this episode, then do know that’s what’s going on there.  Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DKd-PrnrvM Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

I’ve spoken to tonnes of my favourite songwriters since this podcast came to life almost two years ago. There was Bob Mould on episode 32. Jon Spencer on episode 49. Lee Ranaldo on episode 20. But there’s really very few songwriters whose music has mattered to me during the course of my life quite like the many songs written by David Gedge, the sole constant in The Wedding Present for almost forty years now.  This is an episode I’m really grateful I got to add to the ever growing podography and while the majority of the following conversation concerns the group’s coming 24 Songs album - a collection of all the tracks from 2022’s 7” single a month series due on May 19th - we squeeze a lot more into our thirty minutes or so together; the recruitment of Sleeper guitarist Jon Stewart into the Wedding Present ranks, the confirmation that David does indeed request a dog on the Wedding Present rider, comic books, the brilliance of Brighton... All sorts of stuff. Enjoy! Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZjMj6iBQAs&t=836s Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

Well, I don't get to say this very often. This episode of the podcast features the band with the number one album in the UK! That band are The Lottery Winners, that record is called Anxiety Replacement Therapy, and this episode was recorded in the run up to the band receiving such momentous news. It’s hard not to see the Leigh band’s chart coronation as a victory for the underdog, and my conversation with singer and guitarist Thom Rylance is simultaneously illuminating, funny and, towards the end, really quite emotional. You join us in a van parked outside of a music venue in Middlesborough. It takes a few minutes for us to get the audio right, but stick with us, because we get there...Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5ujmGQ0jzY&t=284s Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA

So for the last month or so, I’ve been utterly obsessed with the new record by the Irish group Lankum. Their fourth full length, their second under the name Lankum, it’s out now on Rough Trade. And it’s called False Lankum, after the folk ballad of the same name, as sung by the Irish traveller and folk singer John Reilly.If you haven’t heard the record yet, you should know that it’s a strange and sinister, and yet often disarmingly beautiful voyage into folk and traditional Irish music, via the way of drone and experimental rock. If you have, you will know of the magic that exists within its grooves. And you will want to know more. Which is why I sat down with Ian Lynch and Cormac MacDiarmada on this new episode... Twitter - @jamesjammcmahon Substack - https://spoook.substack.com YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Vf_1E1Sza2GUyFNn2zFMA