Tim's Listening Party

Tim is delighted to welcome back Jim Kerr & Charlie Burchill from Simple Minds for another listening party.Previously they looked at their 1982 album New Gold Dream - make sure to check that episode out if you haven’t already - and now they become the first ever returning guests on the show, this time to talk about 1985 record, Once Upon a Time, on it’s 40th anniversary.Once Upon A Time was released on 21st October 1985 on Virgin and A&M.

This episode Tim is joined by Grant Nicholas from Feeder.Feeder were one of the most successful British guitar bands of the early 00s, with hits like Buck Rogers, Just a Day and Feeling a Moment.Their fourth album Comfort in Sound, released in 2002 went Platinum in the UK. Comfort in Sound was released on 21st October 2002 on Echo.

This episode Tim Burgess is joined for a Listening Party by JJ Burnel from the Stranglers to talk about their La Folie, their sixth album that was released in 1981.Over their career they have refused to be defined by category or genre. They have strayed from punk, with an initially aggressive ethos, to expanding into new wave and art rock, as their output became more sophisticated but always remained interesting.La Folie was released on 9th November 1981 on Liberty.

This episode Tim is joined by Shirley Manson from Garbage, to talk about the band’s debut album on its 30th anniversary.The album was one of the best alternative debuts of the 90s, standing out in a decade typified by grunge in the States and Britpop on this side of the pond.Garbage formed in 1993 with Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and Butch Vig, who was fresh off the back of the success of producing Nirvana’s Nevermind.They were joined by Shirley Manson the following year, and it is her work in Garbage that has established Manson as one of the most iconic women in rock music in the last 3 decades.Garbage’s debut went multi-platinum around the world and saw the group receive two Grammy nominations.Garbage was released on 15th August 1995 on Almo.

This episode, Tim was joined by Joan Armatrading and Glyn Johns to talk about Joan’s self-titled third album from 1976.In the 1970s, Joan Armatrading became one of the first British female singer-songwriters to achieve international success thanks to her brilliant musicianship and vivid songwriting.Glyn Johns, meanwhile, boasts a CV to parallel any record producer, having worked with the Beatles, the Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Kinks, Bob Dylan, the Clash, Eagles, Eric Clapton and of course, John Armatrading.Joan Armatrading was released in July 1976 on A&M.

This episode Tim Burgess is joined by Graham Lambert & Clint Boon from Inspiral Carpets to talk about their debut album, Life on it’s 35th anniversary.Life hit the number 2 spot in the UK album charts in 1990 and Inspiral Carpets were one of a number of bands from the Greater Manchester area to have success during that period. The Charlatans being another who were also deemed to be part of the cultural movement dubbed Madchester.Life was released on 23rd April 1990 on Mute.

This episode Tim Burgess is joined by John Power from Cast.Having left legendary Liverpool band the Las, John Power, took inspiration from the last line of the last song on the sole album by the Las… ‘The change is cast’. And it certainly was.Emerging from the Britpop movement of the mid-90s, Cast gained plenty of admirers, including the Gallagher brothers, who taken them on tour with them as part of the Oasis Live 25 reunion tour.Cast’s debut album, All Change, became the highest selling debut album in the history of the Polydor label and here we are celebrating that record on its 30th anniversary.All Change was released on 16th October 1995 on Polydor.

This episode, Tim Burgess is joined by Holly Johnson for a Listening Party.Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Welcome To The Pleasuredome stands out as one of the most iconic album releases of the 1980s. Musically it soundtracked the middle of the decade as Frankie dominated the charts, this album containing 3 consecutive number one singles in the UK.They also dominated the conversations of the time, the record steeped in controversy, with on air bans, shocking videos and less controversially, everyone wearing Frankie Says Relax t shirts.Welcome to the Pleasuredome was released on 29th October 1984 on ZTT.

This episode, Tim Burgess is joined by one of Britain’s best bands to talk about their brilliant debut on its 10th anniversary.Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher from Royal Blood remember their self-titled first album that gave us hits like Figure It Out and Little Monster.Their debut record went to Number One in the UK, went double platinum and won them the Brit award for Best British band in 2015. It announced this incredibly loud two-piece onto the rock music scene and Tim asked Mike & Ben how it felt to be given the title ‘the saviours of rock’.Royal Blood was released on 25 August 2014 on Warner Brothers.

This episode Tim Burgess is joined for a Listening Party by Elvis Costello, to talk about his 1986 album, King of America.Which has been re-released as King of America and Other Realms, a new 6 disc box set including the remaster of this classic album, a previously unreleased live concert, demos, outtakes, live recordings, so much there to discover.Elvis Costello has rightly been lauded one of the greatest songwriters of his generations.His music embraces jazz, country, classical, rhythm and blues, rock n roll, Tin Pan Alley, with Dylan-esque lyricism which is underpinned by punk ethics & traditions. His genre-spanning career has seen him cross paths with everyone from Allen Toussaint to The Roots, Paul McCartney to Burt Bacharach, and his genius has been rewarded with a BAFTA, multiple Grammys and Ivor Novello awards.King of America was released on 21st February 1986 on F Beat & Columbia.

This episode, Tim Burgess is joined for a listening party by Nile Rodgers, to talk about Chic’s 1979 album, their third record, Risque.Nile Rodgers, along with his band Chic’s contributed to music cannot be understated. They are one of the most important artists in the popularisation of disco music in the 1970s.Nile Rodgers himself is one of the greatest guitar players of all time, with a unique style that he continues to lend to leading artists to this very day. He also remains a hugely in-demand record producer, his CV boasting credits on some of the biggest recordings from the likes of Daft Punk, Duran Duran, Madonna, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, INXS the B52-s, Pharrell Williams and so many more.Risque was released on 30th July 1979 on Atlantic.

Earlier in 2024, Tim Burgess recorded a very special episode with Kjartan Sveinsson from Sigur Ros for their 2002 album, (), at Iceland Airwaves Festival.It was the first time we had held a Listening Party Live in the actual space that the album was recorded, so we'd like to give a huge thanks to everyone at Sundlaugin Studio for making that happen. Thanks also to Iceland Music and the Record in Iceland project.Iceland is famous for its incredible landscape with waterfalls, volcanos and hot springs, its famous for its fishing, its famous for Bjork. Sigur Ros are certainly up there with one of Iceland’s finest exports, making so much intriguing music since their debut in 1997, including their third record that they discussed, ().() was released on 28th October 2002 on FatCat & Bad Taste.

This episode, Tim is joined by Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol, to talk about the band’s brand new, eight album, The Forest Is The Path.Over the years, Snow Patrol have racked up multi-platinum selling albums and singles worldwide, they’ve achieved having a song with over a billion Spotify streams, as well as winning a prestigious Ivor Novello award. Having just entered their 3rd decade as a band, they continue to go from strength to strength, still one of Great Britain & Northern Ireland’s favourite bands.The Forest Is The Path was released on 13th September 2024 on Polydor.

This episode, Tim Burgess is joined for a Listening Party by Alex Kapranos & Bob Hardy from Franz Ferdinand.Just as British indie rock exploded in the noughties, Franz Ferdinand’s debut represented something a bit different. It had elements of indie rock, but also funk, punk and dance. It stood out at the time as an arty take on indie, and remains incredibly and effortlessly cool. A commercial success, the record went Platinum both sides of the Atlantic, and won the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2004.One of Scotland’s greatest musical exports, they continue to make brilliantly interesting and enjoyable music. Their upcoming 6th album, the Human Fear, comes out in January.Franz Ferdinand was released on 9th February 2004 on Domino.

Tim Burgess is joined for a listening party by Robert Smith from The Cure, to talk about the band’s brand new album, Songs of a Lost World.The band’s long-awaited and much-anticipated 14th album marks 16 years since their last release and has received universal acclaim from fans & critics. As well as going through the band's latest release, Robert opens up about channelling grief into his song writing, his role as the singer of the band and why he continues to wear his iconic make up. Plus, he reveals what job he dreamed of having before he was in the Cure - it might surprise you!Songs of a Lost World was released on 1st November 2024 on Fiction, Lost, Polydor, Universal & Capitol.The Cure’s Songs of a Live World, an incredible set recorded at Troxy in London, is out on December 13th, and all the royalties from the album go to War Child

This episode, Tim Burgess has a listening party for one of the biggest and best bands of all time. Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers from the Police will be chatting to Tim about the band’s fifth and final album, Synchronicity.Grammy award winning, hall of fame inducted, number 1 both sides of the Atlantic, critically acclaimed and multi-platinum selling, Synchronicity is a record that cemented the Police as the biggest band in the world at the time.4 decades after this incredible record was released, Tim hears all about the Police’s recording process and how they managed to navigate the infamous tensions within the band at the time. Stewart remembers how he’d record his drums in just 20 minutes, while Andy speaks about how created timeless hits like Every Breath You Take.Synchronicity was released on 17th June 1983 on A&M.

This episode Tim is joined by Jon Bon Jovi.One of the biggest rock stars ever fronting one of the most successful bands of all time, they have sold out stadiums, won Grammys, been inducted into music Halls of Fame. Here, Jon goes through one of the biggest albums ever, Slippery When Wet.Jon discusses the success of singles You Give Love A Bad Name and Livin’ On A Prayer, his time working as a tea boy at the Power Station, and his love for the UK.Slippery When Wet was released on 18th August 1986 on Mercury & Vertigo.

This episode Tim is joined by Caleb & Jared Followill, half of Kings of Leon.A band who have headlined pretty much every musical festival worldwide, playing the biggest stages across the globe. They are multi-Grammy award winning and multi-platinum album selling. Just play Sex on Fire wherever you are in the world, and everyone will know that song. It’s safe to say they are one of the biggest bands of the last 2 decades.Their last 6 albums have gone to number 1 in the UK, and they are back with their 9th record, Can We Please Have Fun.Caleb & Jared chat to Tim about Nashville, how their producer provided a link to Harry Styles and how Britpop (including the Charlatans) influenced their new album.Can We Please Have Fun was released on 10th May 2024 on LoveTap and Capitol.

Tom Chaplin and Tim Rice-Oxley from Keane join Tim to talk about their debut album, Hopes And Fears, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.One of the best-selling albums in UK history, it went 9xplatinum in the UK, selling over 10 million copies worldwide, and wracking up billions of streams online. The year of the album’s release, 2004, saw Keane hold the crown of being the biggest selling British artist in the country. The following year they won two BRIT Awards: Best British Album and British Breakthrough act.Tom & Tim discuss the effect of performing a huge song like Somewhere Only We Know to a crowd, which vocalists influenced Tom’s singing, and how his parents responded to hearing Bedshaped for the first time.Hopes And Fears was released on 10th May 2004 on Island.

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.

Rock legends Joe Elliott & Phil Collen from Def Leppard join Tim Burgess for a listening party to talk about their brand new album Drastic Symphonies recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. They go through this record of reimagined classics with the help of orchestral arranger Eric Gorfain, speaking about how they managed to take some of classic rock’s greatest songs and give them a new classical edge. Drastic Symphonies was released on 19th May 2023 on the label Universal Music Recordings.

This episode, Tim is joined by Sharleen Spiteri, the guitarist, singer and songwriter in the band, Texas. Since their debut album in 1989, they’ve sold over 40 million records worldwide with 13 top 10 singles and 8 top ten albums in the UK. Sharleen talks about their fourth album, 1997’s White on Blonde which topped the UK chart and has been certified 6 times platinum. It was released on Mercury in February 1997.

Joining Tim this episode is Susanna Hoffs, guitarist and singer in one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s. A pioneering all-female band, the Bangles provided some of the most recognisable hits of their era and represented a glorious sweetspot between rock and pop. Be sure to check out Susanna’s new book, This Bird Has Flown. Susanna talks about the Bangles' second album, Different Light. It was released on 2nd January 1986 on Columbia.

This episode, Tim is joined by Skin, one of rock’s most powerful singers, someone who broke ground as a black woman fronting the hard rock band Skunk Anansie, in the 1990s. A crucial role model in her field, she was recently made an OBE for services to music in a career spanning 30 years that’s highlights include playing for Nelson Mandela, sharing a stage with David Bowie and headlining Glastonbury. Skin talks about Skunk Anansie’s debut album, Paranoid and Sunburnt, which was released in September 1995. It came out on the label formerly known as One Little Indian & Epic.

Tim is joined this episode by one of the most recognisable faces and names in music, the Edge. A member of one of the biggest bands of all time, U2, for nearly 50 years, he has formed one of the most successful writing partnerships of all time, alongside Bono, and is himself one of the great guitarists. As a band they have garnered more Grammys than any other band and continue to sell out stadiums and achieve #1 albums. Tim sits down with the Edge to talk about U2's new album, Songs of Surrender, which contains 40 reworked classics. It came out on the labels Island & Interscope on 17th March.

Tim’s guests this episode are one of the greatest and most important British rock groups of all time, the Kinks. They’re Rock & Roll Hame of Fame inductees, a band with 22 top 20 UK singles, who have sold 50 million records worldwide. Their 60 year their legacy speaks for itself. Tim sits down with Ray Davies, Dave Davies & Mick Avory to talk about their new release, the Journey Part 1, which came out on BMG on 24th March, celebrating their 60 years in music.

This episode of Tim's Listening Party, Tim Burgess is joined by one of the most popular pop punk bands in the world, Fall Out Boy. They’re a multi-Grammy nominated band, whose albums have gone multi-platinum internationally. They’ve had 4 number 1s on the Billboard 200 and they’ve headlined stadiums around the world. Tim chats to Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz & Andy Hurley to have a listening party for their brand new album, So Much (For) Stardust which came out on 24th March, on Fueled by Ramen and DCD2.

The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess brings his world-famous Twitter Listening Party to Absolute Radio.