On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by David Rivkin, Grammy Award-winning recording engineer. The music of artists such as The Kingston Trio first sparked Dave’s interest in music, but it was when he heard the electric guitar for the first time that his life was forever changed. In 1963, Dave joined a local Minneapolis band called The Chancellors, and after recording the group’s local hit Little Latin Lupe Lu, Dave became hooked on learning how to record music.

By the mid-'70s, Dave was recording music professionally at ASI Studio. In 1976, Grand Central, an early band to feature Prince, came into ASI Studio to record some demos with Dave as the engineer. A year later, in 1977, with Dave now at Sound 80, he recorded Prince again. Dave’s sessions with Prince in 1977 resulted in three songs that would be featured on Prince’s debut album, For You. One of those songs, Soft and Wet, would become Prince’s first single.

While working at Sound 80, Dave also became involved with a group called Lipps Inc. In 1979, Lipps Inc. recorded a disco track called Funkytown, which Dave engineered and played on. Despite being released at the tail end of the disco era in 1980, the Funkytown single would sell 8 million copies and hit number one in Australia, Canada, the United States, and many other countries worldwide.

In 1983, Dave worked again with Prince when he recorded a short-notice benefit concert at First Avenue in Minneapolis. At this concert, Prince debuted the now-classic Purple Rain. The 70-minute benefit concert was recorded by Dave outside the venue in a mobile recording truck. Unknown to Dave at the time, the version of Purple Rain he engineered would become the official recording, both as a single and on Prince’s 1984 album of the same name.

In 1987, when Prince opened his Paisley Park studio, Dave moved from Sound 80 to become a producer at the new complex. One of his early production projects at Paisley Park was working with The Fine Young Cannibals. Dave produced the band’s hit She Drives Me Crazy, and he was responsible for the iconic snare drum sound on the track. The song would go on to hit number one in the U.S., number five in the UK, and number one in Australia.

Today, Dave is still active in the music industry, with recent work including mixing Jonathon Long’s debut album and remixing various Prince releases.

Jack phoned David to discuss his early days, the impact folk music had on him, the experience of hearing the electric guitar for the first time, his time with The Chancellors, his early production work at ASI Studio, recording early Prince demos, the making of Funkytown, the recording and success of Purple Rain, the iconic snare sound on She Drives Me Crazy, and his more recent work.

"We were in the moment. There’s no way you could know that this was going to be iconic... you just don’t know." — David Rivkin on engineering Prince’s Purple Rain in this episode of Vinyl Vibes.

Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins.

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by David Rivkin, Grammy Award-winning recording engineer. The music of artists such as The Kingston Trio first sparked Dave&rsquo;s interest in music, but it was when he heard the electric guitar for the first time that his life was forever changed. In 1963, Dave joined a local Minneapolis band called The Chancellors, and after recording the group&rsquo;s local hit Little Latin Lupe Lu, Dave became hooked on learning how to record music.
By the mid-'70s, Dave was recording music professionally at ASI Studio. In 1976, Grand Central, an early band to feature Prince, came into ASI Studio to record some demos with Dave as the engineer. A year later, in 1977, with Dave now at Sound 80, he recorded Prince again. Dave&rsquo;s sessions with Prince in 1977 resulted in three songs that would be featured on Prince&rsquo;s debut album, For You. One of those songs, Soft and Wet, would become Prince&rsquo;s first single.
While working at Sound 80, Dave also became involved with a group called Lipps Inc. In 1979, Lipps Inc. recorded a disco track called Funkytown, which Dave engineered and played on. Despite being released at the tail end of the disco era in 1980, the Funkytown single would sell 8 million copies and hit number one in Australia, Canada, the United States, and many other countries worldwide.
In 1983, Dave worked again with Prince when he recorded a short-notice benefit concert at First Avenue in Minneapolis. At this concert, Prince debuted the now-classic Purple Rain. The 70-minute benefit concert was recorded by Dave outside the venue in a mobile recording truck. Unknown to Dave at the time, the version of Purple Rain he engineered would become the official recording, both as a single and on Prince&rsquo;s 1984 album of the same name.
In 1987, when Prince opened his Paisley Park studio, Dave moved from Sound 80 to become a producer at the new complex. One of his early production projects at Paisley Park was working with The Fine Young Cannibals. Dave produced the band&rsquo;s hit She Drives Me Crazy, and he was responsible for the iconic snare drum sound on the track. The song would go on to hit number one in the U.S., number five in the UK, and number one in Australia.
Today, Dave is still active in the music industry, with recent work including mixing Jonathon Long&rsquo;s debut album and remixing various Prince releases.
Jack phoned David to discuss his early days, the impact folk music had on him, the experience of hearing the electric guitar for the first time, his time with The Chancellors, his early production work at ASI Studio, recording early Prince demos, the making of Funkytown, the recording and success of Purple Rain, the iconic snare sound on She Drives Me Crazy, and his more recent work.
"We were in the moment. There&rsquo;s no way you could know that this was going to be iconic... you just don&rsquo;t know." &mdash; David Rivkin on engineering Prince&rsquo;s Purple Rain in this episode of Vinyl Vibes.
Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins.

David Rivkin Interview - Grammy Award Winning Recording Engineer

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by J.P. Pennington, guitarist and co-lead vocalist of Exile. J.P. joined a group called The Exiles in 1964. The following year, in 1965, the band recorded their first single, an original song called The Answer to Her Prayers. The single did not chart, but in 1966, the band had its first big break when they had the opportunity to be a support act on Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars Tour. From playing small gigs around their local area, the band soon found themselves playing alongside hitmakers such as Paul Revere and the Raiders and Tommy Roe.

In 1973, the band changed its name from The Exiles to Exile. The group released their first two albums on the Wooden Nickel label in the same year, but they didn’t achieve chart success. Exile was soon dropped by Wooden Nickel, but in 1975, the band came to the attention of established Australian songwriter Mike Chapman. Chapman wanted to break into the U.S. music market and began writing songs for the group. In 1978, Exile recorded Chapman’s song Kiss You All Over and signed a three-album deal with Curb Records. Kiss You All Over was released as a single and brought the group immense success, reaching #1 in the United States, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. The song is remembered today as one of the signature tracks of the '70s.

After the success of Kiss You All Over, Exile struggled to match that same level of success in the pop music world. In the early '80s, the band decided to shift their musical direction from pop to country music. In 1983, they released their first album as a country band, titled Exile. The second single from this album, Woke Up in Love, written by J.P., became a #1 hit on the U.S. country charts. It was the first of ten consecutive #1 country hits the band would have, bringing the group back into the spotlight.

More recently, Exile released a studio album in 2023 called A Million Miles Later. This double album features a staggering 16 new original songs by the group. The album is available on CD, Vinyl, and USB and can be purchased from the band’s website at exile.biz.

"We didn’t really know what to think! We were all like, 'Can we say that? Can we sing those lyrics?' We had been told 'no' so much that we thought, 'What the heck, what is there to lose?' And they put Kiss You All Over out, and I mean, it shot up the charts like a rocket ship. It was incredible." — J.P. Pennington on this episode of Vinyl Vibes, talking about how Exile’s number one hit Kiss You All Over came to be.

Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by J.P. Pennington, guitarist and co-lead vocalist of Exile. J.P. joined a group called The Exiles in 1964. The following year, in 1965, the band recorded their first single, an original song called&nbsp;The Answer to Her Prayers. The single did not chart, but in 1966, the band had its first big break when they had the opportunity to be a support act on Dick Clark&rsquo;s Caravan of Stars Tour. From playing small gigs around their local area, the band soon found themselves playing alongside hitmakers such as Paul Revere and the Raiders and Tommy Roe.
In 1973, the band changed its name from The Exiles to Exile. The group released their first two albums on the Wooden Nickel label in the same year, but they didn&rsquo;t achieve chart success. Exile was soon dropped by Wooden Nickel, but in 1975, the band came to the attention of established Australian songwriter Mike Chapman. Chapman wanted to break into the U.S. music market and began writing songs for the group. In 1978, Exile recorded Chapman&rsquo;s song Kiss You All Over and signed a three-album deal with Curb Records. Kiss You All Over was released as a single and brought the group immense success, reaching #1 in the United States, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. The song is remembered today as one of the signature tracks of the '70s.
After the success of Kiss You All Over, Exile struggled to match that same level of success in the pop music world. In the early '80s, the band decided to shift their musical direction from pop to country music. In 1983, they released their first album as a country band, titled Exile. The second single from this album, Woke Up in Love, written by J.P., became a #1 hit on the U.S. country charts. It was the first of ten consecutive #1 country hits the band would have, bringing the group back into the spotlight.
More recently, Exile released a studio album in 2023 called A Million Miles Later. This double album features a staggering 16 new original songs by the group. The album is available on CD, Vinyl, and USB and can be purchased from the band&rsquo;s website at <a href="http://exile.biz">exile.biz</a>.
"We didn&rsquo;t really know what to think! We were all like, 'Can we say that? Can we sing those lyrics?' We had been told 'no' so much that we thought, 'What the heck, what is there to lose?' And they put Kiss You All Over out, and I mean, it shot up the charts like a rocket ship. It was incredible." &mdash; J.P. Pennington on this episode of Vinyl Vibes, talking about how Exile&rsquo;s number one hit Kiss You All Over came to be.
Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

J.P. Pennington Interview- Guitarist and Co-Lead Vocalist of Exile

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Gary Moberly, keyboardist of The Ramrods and Sweet. Gary first found his love for music growing up amidst the rock and roll of Jerry Lee Lewis and Col Joye. During the instrumental craze of the early ‘60s, along with workmates from the Sydney Morning Herald, Gary formed The Ramrods in 1961. By the mid-‘60s, The Ramrods were popular around the Sydney area, playing gigs in pubs. It was around this time that the band came to the attention of then-President of New South Wales Young Labor, Paul Keating. Keating would become The Ramrods' manager, getting the band more gigs and even a recording contract with EMI. The Ramrods recorded two singles for EMI Records, but neither achieved chart success. As a result, the band became better known for being managed by Paul Keating rather than for their own musical output. Gary would leave The Ramrods soon after the band’s second single.

After his days in The Ramrods, Gary joined another local Sydney group called Asprope Fables in 1968. The band became popular playing covers around the Sydney area and even came third overall in the 1969 Holiday's Battle of the Sounds. Gary left Asprope Fables in late 1970 and made his way to the UK to play with a group called The Honky Tonk. This led to Gary playing with other artists in the UK, such as Cane and Able, Tina Charles, and John Miles.

A big break came in 1977 when glam rockers Sweet were looking for a keyboard player, and Gary got the job. Although at first the band wanted to keep Gary behind the curtain at shows as an unofficial member, they were so impressed with his playing that he was made an official member of Sweet. Gary’s first work with Sweet involved playing keyboards on the band’s hit Love Is Like Oxygen. Gary went on to record two albums with Sweet: Cut Above the Rest in 1979 and Water’s Edge in 1980 before leaving the group. Today, Gary is still playing music, with recent performances being with The Spirit of Smokie.

Jack phoned Gary to talk about his early days, the impact the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Col Joye had on him, the formation of The Ramrods, his memories of playing live with The Ramrods, what Paul Keating was like as a manager, The Ramrods' recording career, his time in Asprope Fables, his early work in the UK, how he came to join Sweet, the recording and success of Love Is Like Oxygen, his memories of touring with Sweet, playing on Sweet albums Cut Above the Rest and Water’s Edge, and his more recent music work.

"When I went to meet them about the gig in the office, Mick Tucker walks in with a fur coat on, a David Bowie haircut, haha, a golden drumstick hanging off his ears, pelican skin-pointed powder blue shoes – I thought, 'Bloody hell mate, this is weird!' Then in come Steve and Brian, and we went down to the pub. We drank from midday till midnight, and one of them came up and said, 'You've got the gig.' I said, 'I haven't played anything yet.' They said, 'You've got the gig, you can handle the drinking.' I found out later that wasn't quite true, because they’d seen me on The Old Grey Whistle Test with John Miles the week before." — Gary Moberly on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about joining Sweet.

Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins.

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Gary Moberly, keyboardist of The Ramrods and Sweet. Gary first found his love for music growing up amidst the rock and roll of Jerry Lee Lewis and Col Joye. During the instrumental craze of the early &lsquo;60s, along with workmates from the Sydney Morning Herald, Gary formed The Ramrods in 1961. By the mid-&lsquo;60s, The Ramrods were popular around the Sydney area, playing gigs in pubs. It was around this time that the band came to the attention of then-President of New South Wales Young Labor, Paul Keating. Keating would become The Ramrods' manager, getting the band more gigs and even a recording contract with EMI. The Ramrods recorded two singles for EMI Records, but neither achieved chart success. As a result, the band became better known for being managed by Paul Keating rather than for their own musical output. Gary would leave The Ramrods soon after the band&rsquo;s second single.
After his days in The Ramrods, Gary joined another local Sydney group called Asprope Fables in 1968. The band became popular playing covers around the Sydney area and even came third overall in the 1969 Holiday's Battle of the Sounds. Gary left Asprope Fables in late 1970 and made his way to the UK to play with a group called The Honky Tonk. This led to Gary playing with other artists in the UK, such as Cane and Able, Tina Charles, and John Miles.
A big break came in 1977 when glam rockers Sweet were looking for a keyboard player, and Gary got the job. Although at first the band wanted to keep Gary behind the curtain at shows as an unofficial member, they were so impressed with his playing that he was made an official member of Sweet. Gary&rsquo;s first work with Sweet involved playing keyboards on the band&rsquo;s hit Love Is Like Oxygen. Gary went on to record two albums with Sweet: Cut Above the Rest in 1979 and Water&rsquo;s Edge in 1980 before leaving the group. Today, Gary is still playing music, with recent performances being with The Spirit of Smokie.
Jack phoned Gary to talk about his early days, the impact the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Col Joye had on him, the formation of The Ramrods, his memories of playing live with The Ramrods, what Paul Keating was like as a manager, The Ramrods' recording career, his time in Asprope Fables, his early work in the UK, how he came to join Sweet, the recording and success of Love Is Like Oxygen, his memories of touring with Sweet, playing on Sweet albums Cut Above the Rest and Water&rsquo;s Edge, and his more recent music work.
"When I went to meet them about the gig in the office, Mick Tucker walks in with a fur coat on, a David Bowie haircut, haha, a golden drumstick hanging off his ears, pelican skin-pointed powder blue shoes &ndash; I thought, 'Bloody hell mate, this is weird!' Then in come Steve and Brian, and we went down to the pub. We drank from midday till midnight, and one of them came up and said, 'You've got the gig.' I said, 'I haven't played anything yet.' They said, 'You've got the gig, you can handle the drinking.' I found out later that wasn't quite true, because they&rsquo;d seen me on The Old Grey Whistle Test with John Miles the week before." &mdash; Gary Moberly on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about joining Sweet.
Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins.

Gary Moberly Interview- Keyboardist of The Ramrods and Sweet 

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Paul Speare, former saxophonist of Dexys Midnight Runners. Paul started playing music at the age of 15 and never stopped. While working as a music teacher in Birmingham, Paul frequently did session work at a local recording studio called Outlaw Studios. Dexys Midnight Runners also frequented the studio, and at one point, they were looking for a saxophonist. Paul was put in contact with Dexys by the owner of Outlaw Studios and soon joined the band on a temporary basis. After doing his first work for the band, playing the group's number one hit Geno on the 1980 Top of the Pops Christmas special, Paul decided to join as a full-time member.

In December 1981, sessions for the group's album Too-Rye-Ay began. It was over the course of these sessions that "Come On Eileen" was recorded. Paul remained in the group for the entire recording process of the Too-Rye-Ay album, only leaving the band after the final mixing session. Paul was struggling financially while being in Dexys at the time, and with "Come On Eileen" not yet a hit or even released, he decided to leave the band. "Come On Eileen" was released as a single in the UK in June 1982, and by August 1982, the song was number one, remaining there for four weeks. In Australia, the song was an even bigger hit, reaching number one in November 1982 for five weeks. Today, the song remains as popular as ever and has secured itself as an enduring classic.

After leaving Dexys, Paul joined forces with fellow ex-Dexys musicians Jim Paterson and Brian Maurice to form TKO Horns. The band got work immediately, playing for the likes of John Watts and also the Q-Tips. After touring with the Q-Tips, TKO Horns were approached by Elvis Costello. Paul, along with the TKO Horns, went on to tour the world with Costello and was prominently featured on Costello’s studio album Punch the Clock. Today, Paul is still making music, with a recent project being his 2023 EP In Search of Avet.

Jack Zoomed Paul to talk about his early days, what inspired him to start playing instruments at the age of 15, the impact his music teacher had on him, his early session work at Outlaw Studios, how he came to join Dexys Midnight Runners, his memories of playing on the 1980 Top of the Pops Christmas special, his first recording with Dexys (Plan B), The Projected Passion Revue Tour, the recording and writing of "Come On Eileen," the group's album Too-Rye-Ay, what made Paul leave the band, the success of "Come On Eileen," his work with TKO Horns, and his recent music work.

"It was such an unusual song, I mean there's never been another song like it before or since, really. I think we all realized there was something unique about it. Whether that would translate into it being a hit record on that scale, that it was, perhaps didn't occur to us." — Paul Speare talking about Come On Eileen in this episode of Vinyl Vibes.

Hosted and produced by Jack Hodgins.

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Paul Speare, former saxophonist of Dexys Midnight Runners. Paul started playing music at the age of 15 and never stopped. While working as a music teacher in Birmingham, Paul frequently did session work at a local recording studio called Outlaw Studios. Dexys Midnight Runners also frequented the studio, and at one point, they were looking for a saxophonist. Paul was put in contact with Dexys by the owner of Outlaw Studios and soon joined the band on a temporary basis. After doing his first work for the band, playing the group's number one hit Geno on the 1980 Top of the Pops Christmas special, Paul decided to join as a full-time member.
In December 1981, sessions for the group's album Too-Rye-Ay began. It was over the course of these sessions that "Come On Eileen" was recorded. Paul remained in the group for the entire recording process of the Too-Rye-Ay album, only leaving the band after the final mixing session. Paul was struggling financially while being in Dexys at the time, and with "Come On Eileen" not yet a hit or even released, he decided to leave the band. "Come On Eileen" was released as a single in the UK in June 1982, and by August 1982, the song was number one, remaining there for four weeks. In Australia, the song was an even bigger hit, reaching number one in November 1982 for five weeks. Today, the song remains as popular as ever and has secured itself as an enduring classic.
After leaving Dexys, Paul joined forces with fellow ex-Dexys musicians Jim Paterson and Brian Maurice to form TKO Horns. The band got work immediately, playing for the likes of John Watts and also the Q-Tips. After touring with the Q-Tips, TKO Horns were approached by Elvis Costello. Paul, along with the TKO Horns, went on to tour the world with Costello and was prominently featured on Costello&rsquo;s studio album Punch the Clock. Today, Paul is still making music, with a recent project being his 2023 EP In Search of Avet.
Jack Zoomed Paul to talk about his early days, what inspired him to start playing instruments at the age of 15, the impact his music teacher had on him, his early session work at Outlaw Studios, how he came to join Dexys Midnight Runners, his memories of playing on the 1980 Top of the Pops Christmas special, his first recording with Dexys (Plan B), The Projected Passion Revue Tour, the recording and writing of "Come On Eileen," the group's album Too-Rye-Ay, what made Paul leave the band, the success of "Come On Eileen," his work with TKO Horns, and his recent music work.
"It was such an unusual song, I mean there's never been another song like it before or since, really. I think we all realized there was something unique about it. Whether that would translate into it being a hit record on that scale, that it was, perhaps didn't occur to us." &mdash; Paul Speare talking about Come On Eileen in this episode of Vinyl Vibes.
Hosted and produced by Jack Hodgins.

Paul Speare Interview- Former Saxophonist of Dexys Midnight Runners 

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Robert Upchurch, long-time member of The Trammps. Finding his musical roots in gospel music, Robert began playing the R&B club circuit in Philadelphia in the early ‘70s. He was soon discovered and signed to Golden Fleece Records, where he released his debut single, The Devil Made Me Do It, and began his journey into disco music. After Robert released his debut single, the Golden Fleece label folded, and its artist roster was bought out by Atlantic Records. The Trammps, a disco group from Philadelphia, were also signed to Golden Fleece when it folded. Now with both artists on the Atlantic label, the label wanted to see how Robert would sound with The Trammps.

Robert officially joined The Trammps, and in 1977 he sang backing on their single Disco Inferno. At first, the single was only a moderate hit, reaching number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. However, the song was later added to the soundtrack of the disco film Saturday Night Fever. Disco Inferno then experienced immense success, becoming the closing track on the 40 million-selling Saturday Night Fever soundtrack album. As a reissued single, the song was also a hit in its own right, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 32 on the Australian Kent Music Charts. Today, the song is remembered as one of the signature tracks of the disco era.

Following the group's success with Disco Inferno, into the later ‘70s, disco started experiencing massive pushback from rock listeners. Like many disco groups of the time, The Trammps’ success started to fade. The Trammps would continue to make music into the ‘80s, with their last album, This One Is for the Party, being commercially unsuccessful and only seeing a release in the Netherlands. Since then, the group has continued to play live, and Robert has remained in the group all this time.

In this episode, Jack calls Robert to talk about his early life, hearing his voice for the first time on a reel-to-reel tape recorder, his time doing gospel music, hearing rock and roll for the first time, his time playing on the R&B club circuit, how he came to be discovered and signed to Golden Fleece Records, his first single The Devil Made Me Do It, how he came to join The Trammps in 1976, the recording of Trammps songs such as Disco Party and their famous Disco Inferno, playing his first gig with the group at Madison Square Garden, how Disco Inferno came to be featured in Saturday Night Fever, the success of Disco Inferno, the band's work into the '80s, and the group's touring today.

"The first time we heard it, we were at the office of our production company, and Ron Kersey, who wrote the song, played it for us. My first impression was 'Oh no,' because, like I said, I've never liked disco. I said, 'You guys gotta be kidding, you know, come on, haha.' The other guys thought it was okay, but I just didn't feel it would do anything." — Robert Upchurch on this episode of Vinyl Vibes, talking about hearing Disco Inferno for the first time.

Hosted and produced by Jack Hodgins.

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Robert Upchurch, long-time member of <a href="https://www.thetrammps.net/">The Trammps</a>. Finding his musical roots in gospel music, Robert began playing the R&amp;B club circuit in Philadelphia in the early &lsquo;70s. He was soon discovered and signed to Golden Fleece Records, where he released his debut single, The Devil Made Me Do It, and began his journey into disco music. After Robert released his debut single, the Golden Fleece label folded, and its artist roster was bought out by Atlantic Records. The Trammps, a disco group from Philadelphia, were also signed to Golden Fleece when it folded. Now with both artists on the Atlantic label, the label wanted to see how Robert would sound with The Trammps.
Robert officially joined The Trammps, and in 1977 he sang backing on their single Disco Inferno. At first, the single was only a moderate hit, reaching number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. However, the song was later added to the soundtrack of the disco film Saturday Night Fever. Disco Inferno then experienced immense success, becoming the closing track on the 40 million-selling Saturday Night Fever soundtrack album. As a reissued single, the song was also a hit in its own right, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 32 on the Australian Kent Music Charts. Today, the song is remembered as one of the signature tracks of the disco era.
Following the group's success with Disco Inferno, into the later &lsquo;70s, disco started experiencing massive pushback from rock listeners. Like many disco groups of the time, The Trammps&rsquo; success started to fade. The Trammps would continue to make music into the &lsquo;80s, with their last album, This One Is for the Party, being commercially unsuccessful and only seeing a release in the Netherlands. Since then, the group has continued to play live, and Robert has remained in the group all this time.
In this episode, Jack calls Robert to talk about his early life, hearing his voice for the first time on a reel-to-reel tape recorder, his time doing gospel music, hearing rock and roll for the first time, his time playing on the R&amp;B club circuit, how he came to be discovered and signed to Golden Fleece Records, his first single The Devil Made Me Do It, how he came to join The Trammps in 1976, the recording of Trammps songs such as Disco Party and their famous Disco Inferno, playing his first gig with the group at Madison Square Garden, how Disco Inferno came to be featured in Saturday Night Fever, the success of Disco Inferno, the band's work into the '80s, and the group's touring today.
"The first time we heard it, we were at the office of our production company, and Ron Kersey, who wrote the song, played it for us. My first impression was 'Oh no,' because, like I said, I've never liked disco. I said, 'You guys gotta be kidding, you know, come on, haha.' The other guys thought it was okay, but I just didn't feel it would do anything." &mdash; Robert Upchurch on this episode of Vinyl Vibes, talking about hearing Disco Inferno for the first time.
Hosted and produced by Jack Hodgins.

Robert Upchurch Interview - Backing Singer Of The Trammps 

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Issi Dye, '70s Pop Star. Issi first got into music after hearing the likes of the Everly Brothers and The Beatles. He formed his first group, Double Trouble, in 1965, beginning his career in music. In 1969, after singing backing on the Town Criers’ hit "Everlasting Love," Issi came to the attention of Festival Records and soon released his first solo single, "Incense." It would be a top 20 hit in Melbourne, bringing opportunities for further singles and TV appearances. Issi would release Family Full of Soul, his last single on the Festival label, in 1971, and it wouldn’t be until 1975 that he would release another single. During this four-year gap in recording music, Issi spent his time performing on TV and playing live shows. In 1975, now on the Image label, Issi's version of the Lloyd Price classic "Personality" was pressed as his final single.

In 1976, Issi would shift his focus from music to TV when he began hosting Issi Dye Presents Late Movies. He would continue this focus on TV into the ‘90s when he would again begin doing music as his main focus. Since the 1990s, Issi has been doing tribute shows to various artists such as Al Jolson, Johnny O'Keefe, and Bobby Darin. Issi is still performing tribute shows all over Australia.

In this episode, Issi discusses with Jack his early life growing up in Austria, his memories of hearing the likes of The Everly Brothers for the first time, his first group Double Trouble, how he came to the attention of Festival Records, the recording of hits such as Incense and One Last Kiss, his memories of supporting The Beach Boys and Roy Orbison, playing on the TV show Hit Scene, what it has been like seeing the rise of TikTok and Instagram in music, the recording of his last single "Personality," how he transitioned into TV in 1976, his journey to getting back into music in the '90s, and his current work doing tribute shows for the likes of Johnny O'Keefe and Bobby Darin.

"It's a spine-chilling time when you're sitting in your little old car... with one little radio on and you're turning it up and all of a sudden the guy goes, 'Oh, here's a song from that guy with all the hair, Issi Dye'... it's a big thrill." - Issi Dye on this episode of Vinyl Vibes, talking about hearing his hits on the radio.

Hosted and produced by Jack Hodgins

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by <a href="https://www.issidye.com/">Issi Dye</a>, '70s Pop Star. Issi first got into music after hearing the likes of the Everly Brothers and The Beatles. He formed his first group, Double Trouble, in 1965, beginning his career in music. In 1969, after singing backing on the Town Criers&rsquo; hit "Everlasting Love," Issi came to the attention of Festival Records and soon released his first solo single, "Incense." It would be a top 20 hit in Melbourne, bringing opportunities for further singles and TV appearances. Issi would release Family Full of Soul, his last single on the Festival label, in 1971, and it wouldn&rsquo;t be until 1975 that he would release another single. During this four-year gap in recording music, Issi spent his time performing on TV and playing live shows. In 1975, now on the Image label, Issi's version of the Lloyd Price classic "Personality" was pressed as his final single.
In 1976, Issi would shift his focus from music to TV when he began hosting Issi Dye Presents Late Movies. He would continue this focus on TV into the &lsquo;90s when he would again begin doing music as his main focus. Since the 1990s, Issi has been doing tribute shows to various artists such as Al Jolson, Johnny O'Keefe, and Bobby Darin. Issi is still performing tribute shows all over Australia.
In this episode, Issi discusses with Jack his early life growing up in Austria, his memories of hearing the likes of The Everly Brothers for the first time, his first group Double Trouble, how he came to the attention of Festival Records, the recording of hits such as Incense and One Last Kiss, his memories of supporting The Beach Boys and Roy Orbison, playing on the TV show Hit Scene, what it has been like seeing the rise of TikTok and Instagram in music, the recording of his last single "Personality," how he transitioned into TV in 1976, his journey to getting back into music in the '90s, and his current work doing tribute shows for the likes of Johnny O'Keefe and Bobby Darin.
"It's a spine-chilling time when you're sitting in your little old car... with one little radio on and you're turning it up and all of a sudden the guy goes, 'Oh, here's a song from that guy with all the hair, Issi Dye'... it's a big thrill." - Issi Dye on this episode of Vinyl Vibes, talking about hearing his hits on the radio.
Hosted and produced by Jack Hodgins

Issi Dye Interview- '70s Pop Star

In this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Dannie Davidson, drummer of Tamam Shud.

Dannie’s first group was a band called The Strangers, which he helped form in Newcastle in 1962. With Dannie on drums, The Strangers would go on to be Newcastle’s top group of the early ‘60s and In 1964, The Strangers became the first Newcastle band to have a single released nationally. The band would leave for Sydney in 1965 and become The Sunsets, where they would play more Beach Boys-type music. While in Sydney, they would meet filmmaker Paul Witzig, who would get the band to provide soundtrack music for his surf films. In 1967, the band’s music was changing yet again due to the influx of American sounds from the likes of The Doors and Jefferson Airplane, and so the band changed their name to Tamam Shud.

As with their days in The Sunsets, Paul Witzig got Tamam Shud to provide the soundtrack music for his surf movie Evolution. In return for their services for Witzig, the band was able to record a studio album. Tamam Shud would record their debut album, Evolution, in one session. The album would sell out its initial pressing of 10,000 copies within weeks; however, due to the master tape being erased, it would not see another pressing for many years to come. In early 1970, Tamam Shud would begin recording their second album, The Goolutionites and The Real People. Continuing their innovative ways, the album was environmentally themed, an unusual topic for a rock record in Australia at the time. Dannie left the Shud after the band's second album and throughout the 70s would go on to perform in bands such as Karvus Jute and Band of Light.

In this episode, Dannie discusses with Jack his early life in Newcastle and Kings Cross, seeing acts such as Buddy Rich live in the '50s, the formation of The Strangers, the instrumental craze of the early '60s, the recording of "The Rip," how the band became The Sunsets, meeting Paul Witzig, the recording and success of Evolution, Tamam Shud live gigs of the late '60s, the band's second album, and what Dannie is up to today.

"The deal was that we did the (soundtrack to the Evolution) movie for free so we wouldn't have any claims on any copyrights of it and they would give us an album and we wanted an album because one of the big recording companies would have us—EMI, Festival, RCA—all those sorts of people—they didn't want to know about us...we were the underground and they hadn't got on board yet" - Dannie Davidson on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about the band's debut album Evolution.

Hosted and produced by Jack Hodgins.

In this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Dannie Davidson, drummer of Tamam Shud.
Dannie&rsquo;s first group was a band called The Strangers, which he helped form in Newcastle in 1962. With Dannie on drums, The Strangers would go on to be Newcastle&rsquo;s top group of the early &lsquo;60s and In 1964, The Strangers became the first Newcastle band to have a single released nationally. The band would leave for Sydney in 1965 and become The Sunsets, where they would play more Beach Boys-type music. While in Sydney, they would meet filmmaker Paul Witzig, who would get the band to provide soundtrack music for his surf films. In 1967, the band&rsquo;s music was changing yet again due to the influx of American sounds from the likes of The Doors and Jefferson Airplane, and so the band changed their name to Tamam Shud.
As with their days in The Sunsets, Paul Witzig got Tamam Shud to provide the soundtrack music for his surf movie Evolution. In return for their services for Witzig, the band was able to record a studio album. Tamam Shud would record their debut album, Evolution, in one session. The album would sell out its initial pressing of 10,000 copies within weeks; however, due to the master tape being erased, it would not see another pressing for many years to come. In early 1970, Tamam Shud would begin recording their second album, The Goolutionites and The Real People. Continuing their innovative ways, the album was environmentally themed, an unusual topic for a rock record in Australia at the time. Dannie left the Shud after the band's second album and throughout the 70s would go on to perform in bands such as Karvus Jute and Band of Light.
In this episode, Dannie discusses with Jack his early life in Newcastle and Kings Cross, seeing acts such as Buddy Rich live in the '50s, the formation of The Strangers, the instrumental craze of the early '60s, the recording of "The Rip," how the band became The Sunsets, meeting Paul Witzig, the recording and success of Evolution, Tamam Shud live gigs of the late '60s, the band's second album, and what Dannie is up to today.
"The deal was that we did the (soundtrack to the Evolution) movie for free so we wouldn't have any claims on any copyrights of it and they would give us an album and we wanted an album because one of the big recording companies would have us&mdash;EMI, Festival, RCA&mdash;all those sorts of people&mdash;they didn't want to know about us...we were the underground and they hadn't got on board yet" - Dannie Davidson on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about the band's debut album Evolution.
Hosted and produced by Jack Hodgins.

Dannie Davidson Interview - Drummer of Tamam Shud

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Jeff Grob, Drummer of Looking Glass. Jeff first heard rock and roll on a car radio in the ‘50s, and it captured him like no other music before. After playing in various groups, while in high school, Jeff’s psychology teacher would put him in contact with a band from Rutgers University. This band was called Looking Glass, and Jeff would soon become their drummer. At the turn of the ‘70s, the band would begin making demos in a rented farmhouse before being signed to CBS Records. The band's first single "Don't It Make You Feel Good" would not chart for the group, however, the band’s second single would forever secure their place in music history.

The group's 2nd single, "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)", traces its origins back to the farmhouse the band were renting before their signing to CBS. After recording the song a few times with different CBS producers to no avail, Looking Glass decided to record the song themselves alongside recording engineer Bob Liftin. This would be the version of the song that would see Looking Glass reach number one in the US and number 10 in Australia. In 2017, the song would see further success when it became a main feature in the blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Today, the song remains an enduring classic.

Looking Glass would go on to release two studio albums before disbanding in 1974. Jeff continued doing music and today is playing in a band called Starz and is still doing gigs playing the music of Looking Glass.

Jack phoned Jeff to talk about the impact of hearing rock and roll for the first time, how he came to join Looking Glass, the early gigs of Looking Glass, the band's time as a popular campus band at Rutgers University, the band's early demos, how the band got signed to CBS Records, the recording process of "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)", the success of "Brandy", the recording of the group's 2nd album Subway Serenade, the group's work after the departure of co-frontman Elliot Lurie, and his work with Starz today.

"The very first sound you hear (in the movie) is my bass drum foot...there's one scene where the space guy Kurt Russell is driving along and he stops the car to take a leak in the bushes and he starts whistling my song, now when you got Kurt Russell taking a squirt whistling your song...that's when you know you've made it" - Jeff Grob on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" being in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

On this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Jeff Grob, Drummer of Looking Glass. Jeff first heard rock and roll on a car radio in the &lsquo;50s, and it captured him like no other music before. After playing in various groups, while in high school, Jeff&rsquo;s psychology teacher would put him in contact with a band from Rutgers University. This band was called Looking Glass, and Jeff would soon become their drummer. At the turn of the &lsquo;70s, the band would begin making demos in a rented farmhouse before being signed to CBS Records. The band's first single "Don't It Make You Feel Good" would not chart for the group, however, the band&rsquo;s second single would forever secure their place in music history.
The group's 2nd single, "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)", traces its origins back to the farmhouse the band were renting before their signing to CBS. After recording the song a few times with different CBS producers to no avail, Looking Glass decided to record the song themselves alongside recording engineer Bob Liftin. This would be the version of the song that would see Looking Glass reach number one in the US and number 10 in Australia. In 2017, the song would see further success when it became a main feature in the blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Today, the song remains an enduring classic.
Looking Glass would go on to release two studio albums before disbanding in 1974. Jeff continued doing music and today is playing in a band called Starz and is still doing gigs playing the music of Looking Glass.
Jack phoned Jeff to talk about the impact of hearing rock and roll for the first time, how he came to join Looking Glass, the early gigs of Looking Glass, the band's time as a popular campus band at Rutgers University, the band's early demos, how the band got signed to CBS Records, the recording process of "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)", the success of "Brandy", the recording of the group's 2nd album Subway Serenade, the group's work after the departure of co-frontman Elliot Lurie, and his work with Starz today.
"The very first sound you hear (in the movie) is my bass drum foot...there's one scene where the space guy Kurt Russell is driving along and he stops the car to take a leak in the bushes and he starts whistling my song, now when you got Kurt Russell taking a squirt whistling your song...that's when you know you've made it" - Jeff Grob on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" being in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

Jeff Grob Interview - Drummer of Looking Glass

In this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Sandy Deanne of Jay and the Americans. Sandy is a founding member and backing vocalist with Jay and the Americans which he helped form in 1960. Music has been a part of Sandy's life since the beginning with artists like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Bessie Smith being regular sounds on the family's record player. But It was seeing Elvis on TV and hearing Dion & The Belmonts singing “I Wonder Why” that made him want to make music his career. He formed his first group and wrote his first local hit record in high school. This group was called The Harborlites and would evolve into Jay and The Americans. Originally with Jay Traynor on lead vocals, the group was soon signed by the famous Lieber & Stoller team. Their first big hit would by “She Cried” in 1962 reaching #3 in the charts. Jay Black would replace Traynor and well into the end of the '60s, the group would go on to have more hits such as "Come a Little Bit Closer", "Cara Mia" and "This Magic Moment". They disbanded in 1973. After a three-decade hiatus, in 2006 the band reformed with Jay Reincke on lead vocals and as of 2023 they are still performing. More recently their 1964 song "Come a Little Bit Closer" was featured on the sound track to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, bringing their music to a whole new audience.

In Jack's interview with Sandy Deanne he talks with Sandy about his early music influences, the impact of seeing Elvis on TV, the forming of his first band 'The Harborlites', the signing of the group by Lieber & Stoller, the recording and success of "She Cried", opening for the Beatles on their first US concert, the story of how "Cara Mia" came to be, his thoughts on music today, how he felt about having the band's music featured in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and what the band's future plans are.

"And by now the kids are screaming 'We want the Beatles! We want the Beatles!' and Jay Black had quick wit and we walked out on stage and he went "Hey! wow I'm glad you guys all came to see us tonight!" and they all started laughing and then they shut up and listened and we sang our two songs, got a standing ovation and went back downstairs to the dressing room. While we are getting changed out of our stage clothes we heard them saying 'And now here they are, The Beatles!' and a scream went up. I've never heard anything like this ever again" - Sandy Deanne on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about the Beatles first US concert.

Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

In this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by Sandy Deanne of <a href="http://jayandtheamericans.net">Jay and the Americans</a>. Sandy is a founding member and backing vocalist with Jay and the Americans which he helped form in 1960. Music has been a part of Sandy's life since the beginning with artists like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Bessie Smith being regular sounds on the family's record player. But It was seeing Elvis on TV and hearing Dion &amp; The Belmonts singing “I Wonder Why” that made him want to make music his career. He formed his first group and wrote his first local hit record in high school. This group was called The Harborlites and would evolve into Jay and The Americans. Originally with Jay Traynor on lead vocals, the group was soon signed by the famous Lieber &amp; Stoller team. Their first big hit would by “She Cried” in 1962 reaching #3 in the charts. Jay Black would replace Traynor and well into the end of the '60s, the group would go on to have more hits such as "Come a Little Bit Closer", "Cara Mia" and "This Magic Moment". They disbanded in 1973. After a three-decade hiatus, in 2006 the band reformed with Jay Reincke on lead vocals and as of 2023 they are still performing. More recently their 1964 song "Come a Little Bit Closer" was featured on the sound track to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, bringing their music to a whole new audience.
In Jack's interview with Sandy Deanne he talks with Sandy about his early music influences, the impact of seeing Elvis on TV, the forming of his first band 'The Harborlites', the signing of the group by Lieber &amp; Stoller, the recording and success of "She Cried", opening for the Beatles on their first US concert, the story of how "Cara Mia" came to be, his thoughts on music today, how he felt about having the band's music featured in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and what the band's future plans are.
"And by now the kids are screaming 'We want the Beatles! We want the Beatles!' and Jay Black had quick wit and we walked out on stage and he went "Hey! wow I'm glad you guys all came to see us tonight!" and they all started laughing and then they shut up and listened and we sang our two songs, got a standing ovation and went back downstairs to the dressing room. While we are getting changed out of our stage clothes we heard them saying 'And now here they are, The Beatles!' and a scream went up. I've never heard anything like this ever again" - Sandy Deanne on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about the Beatles first US concert.
Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

Sandy Deanne Interview - Founding member of Jay and The Americans (Remastered Version)

In this episode of Vinyl Vibes Jack is joined by Al Kooper, a songwriter, producer, and well known session musician. Al has been in the music business since he was 14 when he joined The Royal Teens, a well known rock and roll group, in 1958. He co-wrote his first number one hit when he was 21 years of age in 1965, it was called "This Dimond Ring" and was made famous by Gerry Lewis and The Playboys. In the same year, Al played the famous organ riff on Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone, making him in high demand for session work forever after that. Some of the albums Al has been a session musician on include Blonde on Blonde, The Who Sell Out, Electric Ladyland, and Let it Bleed. 

Al was a founding member of The Blues Project (1966) and Blood Sweat and Tears (1967), and is featured on studio albums of both groups. Al was a performer at the famous 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival, a festival where many other artist have also performed including the Grateful Dead, The Who, and The Byrds. In 1972 he discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd and would go on to produce their first three albums which included the songs Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird. He would go to make 11 solo studio albums and perform on many other albums as a session musician in the coming decades. 

In this episode Jack talks with Al about his early musical influences, the impact rock and roll had on him as a kid, his time in the Royal Teens, his upcoming 4-CD boxset chronicling his entire music career, his 1972 album A Possible Projection of the Future, playing on Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone, his 1973 cover of John Prine's Sam Stone, his work with BB King, the recording of Super Session, and his discovering and producing of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

"(Mike Bloomfield) just sat down to noodle and out played me out of the room. So, I packed up my guitar and I put it in the corner and I went in the booth where I belonged and then they move the organ player to piano and they took a break to do that and I sat down at the organ and luckily it was turned on because I didn't know how to turn it on....(the producer) says 'what are you doing out there' and everyone in the band laughs and then he laughs and he says 'Ok, here we go, this is Like a Rolling Stone take four'."  - Al Kooper on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about playing organ on Like a Rolling Stone 

The original unremastered version of Jack's interview with Al Kooper can be found here

Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

In this episode of Vinyl Vibes Jack is joined by <a href="https://alkooper.com/bio.html">Al Kooper</a>, a songwriter, producer, and well known session musician. Al has been in the music business since he was 14 when he joined The Royal Teens, a well known rock and roll group, in 1958. He co-wrote his first number one hit when he was 21 years of age in 1965, it was called "This Dimond Ring" and was made famous by Gerry Lewis and The Playboys. In the same year, Al played the famous organ riff on Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone, making him in high demand for session work forever after that. Some of the albums Al has been a session musician on include Blonde on Blonde, The Who Sell Out, Electric Ladyland, and Let it Bleed. 
Al was a founding member of The Blues Project (1966) and Blood Sweat and Tears (1967), and is featured on studio albums of both groups. Al was a performer at the famous 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival, a festival where many other artist have also performed including the Grateful Dead, The Who, and The Byrds. In 1972 he discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd and would go on to produce their first three albums which included the songs Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird. He would go to make 11 solo studio albums and perform on many other albums as a session musician in the coming decades. 
In this episode Jack talks with Al about his early musical influences, the impact rock and roll had on him as a kid, his time in the Royal Teens, his upcoming 4-CD boxset chronicling his entire music career, his 1972 album A Possible Projection of the Future, playing on Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone, his 1973 cover of John Prine's Sam Stone, his work with BB King, the recording of Super Session, and his discovering and producing of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
"(Mike Bloomfield) just sat down to noodle and out played me out of the room. So, I packed up my guitar and I put it in the corner and I went in the booth where I belonged and then they move the organ player to piano and they took a break to do that and I sat down at the organ and luckily it was turned on because I didn't know how to turn it on....(the producer) says 'what are you doing out there' and everyone in the band laughs and then he laughs and he says 'Ok, here we go, this is Like a Rolling Stone take four'."  - Al Kooper on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about playing organ on Like a Rolling Stone 
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/vinyl-vibes-podcast/al-kooper-the-forrest-gump-of-rock?in_playlist=podcast">The original unremastered version of Jack's interview with Al Kooper can be found here</a>
Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

Al Kooper Interview - Legendary Session Musician (Remastered version)

Jack Hodgins speaks with the people behind the music you love.

Jack Hodgins speaks with the people behind the music you love.

Vinyl Vibes

Jack Hodgens talks to the people who created the music that is the foundation of today's music.

Jack Hodgens talks to the people who created the music that is the foundation of today's music.

Vinyl Vibes

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