CTTB Music Newsletter: Side One - Track One: Come taste the band
A twice monthly music and music adjacent newsletter from the minds of the creators of the CTTB Music Podcast.
Introduce Yourself
Hello … is it we you’re looking for?
We are Peter and Scott and we have been doing a podcast since, well, since before EVERYONE was doing a podcast, and I mean WAY before. These days people think you’re odd if you’re NOT doing a podcast, but back when we started podcasting things were different. Microsoft had just released Windows 7; Facebook surpassed MySpace in number of unique visitors becoming the leading social network; and you could buy an iPhone 3. Yes, we really did start podcasting at the end of 2009 (although the archive online only goes back to the start of 2013) … I think we may well have added a subscriber a year since then.
Smokestack Lightning
Conversely, we are a bit late to the party with Substack, but we decided at the end of 2024 that it was about time we injected some new life into the Podcast and maybe even start promoting it - we have always forgotten that bit. Added to that, we both like to write so we thought maybe we could be a bit bandwagonesque and kill two birds with one Joss Stone.
So we are moving the podcast to Substack - more for the convenience of easy integration - Podbean was and is a terrific platform - and launching this newsletter to go alongside it. The newsletter will be a mix of things: stuff related to the podcast; our thoughts on music in general; recommended listening, reading, and watching; trivia; lists; links to other people writing cool stuff; playlists, and no doubt much more. Hopefully, it will naturally evolve into something that people other than us want to read.
So, how about a couple of examples of the type of content you can expect?
Sound & Vision: Pete's Journey into Bowie
Three years ago I began a deep dive into the entire David Bowie cannon. What better day than his birthday to start sharing some thoughts of those albums that fall outside my own Top 20.
Pinups
It’s not a classic in my opinion though it comes from a classic era for Bowie. It is nevertheless a fascinating insight into his love of 1960s rock, though coming as it does at the end of the Spiders era, it can also feel like a final sweeping of the decks before even more innovative albums begin. Admittedly not many of these covers hit for me, but who can deny the mournful Sorrow is stunning, and my own highlight, the rockier version of See Emily Play is a blast!
Tonight
This follow-up to Let’s Dance continues the Blonde 80s era of Bowie with an odd collection of covers, Iggy Pop numbers, and more commercially minded hits mixed with reggae. Like Pinups, his love for more classic numbers is here too, but it perhaps lacks the edge or even polish of his earlier classic run of albums, or his future experimentation. For me, highlights on this one include: Loving the Alien, Blue Jean, Tumble & Twirl & the ‘What If Scott Walker had sung The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”?’ cover!
I Think I Said That Before: How to support best the artists you love
Back in 2014 on a thing called a blog (mine was and is called Information Overlord) - basically it was like Substack in the old days: everyone wanted one - I wrote about how to support artists you love in “this modern music eco-system”. I have repeated what I wrote to many people since and did so again only recently. It’s also the kind of thing that will appear in the newsletter.
Here - in slightly amended form - is my artist support philosophy.
Buy a physical copy – Vinyl/CD. This is for your enjoyment. This is for those times when you are going to sit down, kick back and immerse yourself in the music of your favourite artist(s). It is going to exist purely to be played on a turntable or CD player (in-car also allowed). This is for times when you really want to listen to the record. It’s not just acting as background music.
Buy a digital copy. Maybe you still prefer to have all your music in hi-res FLAC files on a network-attached storage (NAS) device, which you stream from. Do it … but then …
Listen to the album via a streaming service. When you’re on the go – stream, when you’re in the house and want some background music – stream. Why? Because it doesn’t matter how many times you play that physical or digital copy of the album you’ve bought once you’ve bought it. The artist is never getting any more money from you from those repeated plays. However, if you make all your subsequent listens – apart from special ones in point 1 (or point 2) – streaming ones, you are going to help provide ongoing additional income, and not just over weeks, but potentially years.
See them live – as often as time and money will allow. It’s a well worn out line, but you really cannot beat the experience of live music. Support it.
Buy some Merchandise. If you like the artist, buy a badge/pin, a T-shirt, a Hoodie, a Bag, a Hat – whatever. Most artists get a decent slice of this cash (even some of those on 360 deals).
Take Five
In every Newsletter, we will take turns pointing you toward five music clips/songs we like (old and new)— Scott is first up.
The Linda Lindas - All In My Head
Their recent performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Since watching this a few days ago, I just cannot get this song out of my head (it has even managed to dislodge APT from my brain—which is praise indeed). I Checked out the album, and songs like Resolution/Revolution and Nothing Would Change also make it worth a listen.
Mary Spender - You Can Have Chicago
If you are not already aware of Mary Spender, not only is she a great artist - as You Can Have Chicago demonstrates - but if you really like the in’s and out’s of the music business she is also one of the must-subscribe-to people on YouTube. Check out her recent post on How Much Money I Lost On Tour for a perfect example of her style and skill - and click that subscribe button so you don't miss any future posts!
We reviewed Doechii's mixtape/album on the podcast recently (Podcast Eight) and this was the standout track for me. It's clever, funny, and pure genius. If you like this do also check out her NPR Tiny Desk Concert, which is a joy.
Gary Moore & Friends - Black Rose
The brilliant talent that was Phil Lynott died 39 years ago this month. My favourite Lizzy album is Black Rose. Here are Gary Moore (also, sadly no longer with us) and Scott Gorham banging out a blinding version of Black Rose for the One Night in Dublin tribute to Phil from 2005.
Long before she was keeping Mr McEnroe in check, Patty Smyth was one of the leading voices in 80's pop-rock; first with Scandal and then solo (the 'Never Enough' album is still a cracking slice of pop-rock heaven). We mentioned her on the last podcast as she did almost join Van Halen after Dave Lee Roth left. She has been far too quiet for someone with such a great voice. She did return a few years ago – with her first new material in 28 years - and this was the standout track.
Talk Talk
We should probably mention the podcast now. If you’ve never tasted our original brand of rambling, our Podcast is just two blokes, with one mic, chatting about a few of the latest album releases. Whilst we will and do review albums by artists we know and like we also review what’s popular, what’s getting critical buzz, and random things and genres just because we want some variety in our own musical lives. Hearing a new artist (or an old one we have eschewed for whatever reason) that blows us away is still something we love. Also, regardless of what people try and tell you, there is still a LOT of good new music and artists out there. Harder to find? Perhaps, but still there.
We reviewed 50 albums in 2024. If you want to know what we thought click on the podcast links and take a listen. In the next issue of the Newsletter we will reveal what our albums of 2024 were from this very list.
Aesop Rock - ‘Integrated Tech Solutions’ [Podcast One]
Aurora - ‘What Happened to the Heart’ [Podcast Six]
Baby Queen - ‘Quarter LIfe Crisis’ [Podcast One]
Beyonce - ‘Cowboy Carter’ [Podcast Five]
Cassandra Jenkins - ‘My Light, My Destroyer’ [Podcast Seven]
Casey - ‘How to Disappear' [Podcast Two]
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Wild God [Podcast Eight]
Charli XCX - ‘Brat’ [Podcast Six]
Cherym - Take it or Leave it [Podcast Three]
Cumgirl8 - ‘Eighth Cumming’ [Podcast Nine]
The Cure - ‘Songs of a Lost World’ [Podcast Nine]
The Dandy Warhols - Rockmaker [Podcast Four]
Kim Deal - ‘Nobody Loves You More' [Podcast Ten]
Doechii - ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’ [Podcast Eight]
Billie Eilish - ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ [Podcast Six]
Eminem - ‘The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)’ - [Podcast Seven]
Orla Gartland - ‘Everyone Needs a Hero’ [Podcast Nine]
Beth Gibbons - ‘Lives Outgrown’ [Podcast Six]
David Gilmour - ‘Luck and Strange’ [Podcast Eight]
John Grant - ‘Art of the Lie’ [Podcast Seven]
Marika Hackman - 'Big Sigh' [Podcast Two]
Halsey - ‘The Great Impersonator’ [Podcast Nine]
Hermosa - ‘Hermosa’ [Podcast Two]
Judas Priest - ‘Invincible Shield’ [Podcast Four]
Justice - ‘Hyperdrama’ [Podcast Five]
LL Cool J - ‘The FORCE’ [Podcast Eight]
The Last Dinner Party - 'Prelude to Ecstasy' [Podcast Two]
Linkin Park - 'From Zero' [Podcast Ten]
Sophie Lloyd - ‘Imposter Syndrome’ [Podcast One]
Los Campesinos! - ‘All Hell’ [Podcast Seven]
Master Peace - ‘How to a Make a Master Peace’ [Podcast Four]
Lauren Mayberry - 'Vicious Creature' [Podcast Ten]
Declan McKenna - ‘What Happened to the Beach?’ [Podcast Three]
MGMT - ‘Loss of Life’ [Podcast Three]
Kacey Musgraves - ‘A Deeper Well’ [Podcast Four]
Pet Shop Boys - ‘Nonetheless’ [Podcast Five]
The Pixies - ‘The Night to Zombies Came' [Podcast Ten]
Poppy - ‘Zig’ [Podcast One]
Poppy - 'Negative Spaces' [Podcast Ten]
Pink Patheress - ‘Heaven Knows’ [Podcast One]
Speed - ‘Only One Mode’ [Podcast Seven]
St. Vincent - ‘All Born Screaming’ [Podcast Five]
Taylor Swift - ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ [Podcast Five]
Talk Show - ‘Effigy’ [Podcast Three]
Tems - ‘Born in the Wild’ [Podcast Six]
Unknown T - 'Blood Diamond' [Podcast Two]
Wargasm (UK) - ‘Venom’ [Podcast One]
Chelsea Wolfe - ‘She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She’ [Podcast Three]
Nilufer Yanya - ‘My Method Actor’ [Podcast Eight]
Yard Act - ‘Where's My Utopia’ [Podcast Four]
Happy Birthday to Ya!
Finally in this debut single. Whose birthday did you forget? Museos with birthdays in the first half of January.
1 Jan: Poppy (30) – reviewed on podcasts: Podcast One and Ten 2024 and Podcast Eight:2021
3 Jan: John Paul Jones (79); Kurt Vile (45) – reviewed solo on Podcast Nine:2018, and with Courtney Barnett on Podcast Nine: 2017.
4 Jan: Michael Stipe (65) -reviewed REM on Podcast Three: 2011; Beth Gibbons (60) - reviewed on Podcast Six:2024; Katie Crutchfield (35) - reviewed Waxahatchee on Podcast Seven:2017 and Podcast Four:2015
5 Jan: Chris Stein (75) -reviewed Blondie on Podcast Four:2011*; Marilyn Manson (56) reviewed on Podcast Five:2012*
6 Jan: Alex Turner (39) - reviewed Arctic Monkeys on Podcast Nine:2013 and Podcast Seven:2011*
8 Jan: Damiano David (26); Shirley Bassey (88)
9 Jan: Dave Matthews (58); Jimmy Page (81)
10 Jan: Rod Stewart (79); Pat Benatar (72); Shawn Colvin (69) - reviewed with Steve Earle on Podcast Seven:2016
12 Jan: Zack de la Rocha (55) Zayn Malik (31) Reviewed One Direction on Podcast Four:2012*
13 Jan: Wayne Coyne (64); Suggs (64)
14 Jan: Dave Grohl (56) - reviewed Foo Fighters on Podcast Eight:2017; Podcast Eleven:2014, and Podcast Five:2011*; LL Cool J (56) - Reviewed Podcast Eight:2024; Geoff Tate (66)
*Our pre 2013 podcasts currently not available online.
So, you made it through to the end. That wasn’t too bad, was it? Why not Join Us on our new Substack journey.