Catherine Zeta-Jones, Al Pacino’s Toy Sword and Trainspotting Before It Pulled Into The Station

It’s the mid-90’s and the Tories are running on fumes, New Labour is finding its voice, and loaded magazine is hitting that sweet spot where instinct, chaos and confidence collide. Structure? Optional. Impact? Massive.In this episode, Tim, Bill and Ben dive back into the landmark Vic and Bob issue in the company of Catherine Zeta-Jones doing the splits on a television - not on television but on a television - and a Scottish writer nobody has heard making his first national splash. Irvine someone.What follows is a reminder of just how sharp the magazine’s radar was. From loaded writer Innes Reekie getting hold of Welsh and Trainspotting before anybody else to CZJ’s star quality already demanding attention in her pre-Hollywood A-Lister days. John “Back to Basics” Major might be PM in April 1995 but he’s also a new entry at number 2 in that issue’s Platinum Rogues.It’s all about that moment when the walls of the old guard start to crumble and something new and raw kicks the door in. There’s a deep dive into that iconic Vic and Bob cover, why it worked, why rivals got it wrong, and how loaded knew its audience better than anyone else. Add in Tim’s champagne-soaked afternoon with CZJ (complete with flirting, fantasy and a few unquantifiable facts) and tales of Al Pacino’s toy sword and we’re off and running.Elsewhere, Planet of the Vapes tackles Gen Z disdain for traditional flatulence etiquette (yes, it goes there), while, finally, another unfortunate soul is blasted off to Mars to join Elon Musk, Morrissey, Michael Owen and Sharon Osborne in the ever-growing colony of the total unbearable.Oh, and stick around to the end. There’s a surprise from one of Loaded’s Greatest Living Englishmen who, unlike 90% of the others, is actually still alive. Worth the wait.00:00 – Intro & ’April ’95 Setup02:30 – The Issue at a Glance05:30 – Irvine Welsh Discovery09:30 – Trainspotting Impact14:30 – Vic & Bob Cover Breakdown19:00 – Catherine Zeta-Jones Story23:30 – Celebrity Madness27:00 – Car Park’s Curious Corner29:30 – Planet of the Vapes32:30 – Platinum Rogues35:30 – Send Them To… erm… Mars37:30 – Wrap-Up & Final Surprise