Back to NOW!

Welcome to Back to NOW - the podcast where we bravely revisit the CDs that once lived permanently in your parents' car stereo!Yes, it’s the ‘year’ 2000! After years of warnings that planes would fall from the sky and toasters would become self-aware we woke on January 1st to discover that the biggest crash was people falling asleep waiting for the apocalypse. If your Nokia ringtone wasn't deafeningly loud and indestructible enough to survive re-entry from space, were you even living in 2000? Big Brother! Nasty Nick! Some other folk! A nation became obsessed with watching strangers sit around a house doing nothing. Critics called it the death of television. Twenty years later, we're still watching people make tea and questioning them on it. Cargo pants. Just, cargo pants.And as we entered the ‘sweltering’ summer of 2000, we all went to Ibiza. Or Ayia Napa. Paid for by Pete Tong (not factually correct). And as pop became POP, you could say that NOW That's What I Call Music 46, was an album so jam-packed with top chart hits that it basically was Y2K in shiny, plastic form. Get ready for a nostalgia filled rollercoaster of questionable fashion choices, sneaking in a game of snake and a plethora of poptastic millennium songs that still live rent-free in our heads over two decades later.Which of these variously compiled bangers are the genuine classics? Is it you Louise?Which ones disappeared faster than a dial-up internet connection? Is it you again Louise?Who were the real Scooch? And who really were Fe-m@ail (we genuinely have no idea).And why did every other music video seem to take place in either a nightclub or a silver futuristic corridor?And , AND who better to revisit this time capsule of perfected sun-kissed millennium pop? We welcome back music writer and the greatest chronicler of modern pop (Josh Widdicombe), it’s Michael Cragg. As well as entering the Cul-De-Sac of Spears (trust us on this one) that was 2000, we also get the ‘lowdown’ on Michael’s new book - Can’t Get You Out Of My Head: In Search of Kylie which is quiet literally the revelatory exploration of one of the world’s most successful pop stars. So grab your glow sticks, put on your crop tops, and prepare for a journey back to a world before social media, before streaming, and before anyone thought filming your lunch was a good idea.We’ve been to Our Price. We’ve spent all of our pocket money (and then some) on CDs. Let’s press play on NOW46 (Oops!) all over again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings Pop Pickers!If you tuned into the BBC Light programme in September 1961, a new voice was presenting Pick of The Pops. Booming out across the airwaves, delivering this now legendary announcement - Alan 'Fluff' Freeman. The call to teenagers up and down this sceptred isle that sent exciting shockwaves to all who heard it. The Hit parade was here!As the the 1950s had taken leave of the post-war austerity and beckoned in the new decade, 1960 invited in, well, the future.But as the first NME chart of that year was published, there was a lingering feeling of that had been. Crooners, transatlantic heartthrobs and the general sounds of safety were topping the sales positions (often tied too!). British stars like Adam Faith and Anthony Newley were definitely bringing a British sensibility and voice to the radio, but still didn't greatly appeal to the youth of the day.But things were changing - and quickly.Coffee bars crowded with teenagers poured over jukeboxes rather than frothy coffee, and - amongst others - a group of working class lads from the North of England were about to send shockwaves through popular music culture, and change everything.But those shockwaves weren't from Liverpool. Not yet.The Shadows trailblazer their way into the charts with cinematic, instrumental escapism that captured the new found optimism of post war Britain in a blaze of colour. Hotly pursued by the likes of The Tornados, Billy Fury, Marty Wilde and of course Cliff Richard, a touch paper towards the rock and pop world we know today was well and truly lit.And in the 21st century world of variously compiled pop, who better to take us back to rediscover an often lost world of pop pioneers than the team at NOW. The NOW Yearbook presents the 1960s: Volume 1 revisits three years of transformation, awakenings and pop perfection. From Roy Orbison to Frankie Valli, The Everley Brothers to Elvis. The brill building's, er, brilliance of Neil Sedaka and Carole King to the breathless teenage excitement of The Crystals. Pop music would never be the same again.And the perfect guest to step back in time on this voyage back to the 1960s? Award-winning, critically acclaimed writer, pop culture historian, compiler and bonafide pop star in his own right, Bob Stanley.Join us as we not only explore this amazing Yearbook and the legacy of those early pop foundations, but also find out about the final Saint Etienne tour, as well as his new book, The Shadows: The Definitive Story.Along the way we discuss classic compilations, the first saint Etienne gig, why The Shadows are as important as The Beatles and Sex Pistols and generally revel in a plethora of pop memories from a golden period of the last century.To look forward, you have to first look back.Who said that? Hey, kids some crazy cat for sure, Yeah! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gimme Fried Chicken!Well, if that sentence means anything to you at all, other than being a slightly curt way of asking for, er, fried chicken, then you are in the right place!Yes, of course this was Queen's hilarious final line in their anthemic autumn pop sound 'One Vision'. It rhymes, you see?But, BUT, not only was One Vision an enormous No7 hit in the autumn of 1985, it was the opening track on the ONLY compilation album (Yes, I see you HITS3) you needed to be seen with that year - NOW, That's What I Call Music 6! And what is this super mid 80s designed album cover? Is this the inside pocket of a very swanky, yuppie even, styled jacket? Feel The Quality INDEED. And of course across four sides of glorious variously compiled pop (and Cliff) was a dazzling array of hits and memories (and Paul Hardcastle).And joining us for this time capsule retread through the years - well, it's only actor, writer and presenter, Sanjeev Kohli. Yes, David from Still Game AND Synthesiser Patel!Climb onboard as we find out about growing up in Glasgow, the lure of the radio (even Radio Clyde!), meeting Mr. Superbad and why Feargal Sharkey's hair was an inspiration! Once onboard, stay for tales of Geoff Capes on Saturday Superstore, the dark pop of Nik Kershaw, the middle eights of Tina Turner and the Spree of Brian May (yes, really). And before you hop off the 1985 pop ride (enough with the bus analogies - ed) relive the stories of level 42 earworms, Jim Kerr's wife's T-shirt slogan, warbling Belinda Carlisle gags and Baltimora inspired knitwear. Phew!And as always, put your feet and share equal amounts of laughter and tears about why pop music stays with us and is, quite frankly, very important indeed.Did we mention the wall of crisps? Oh you'll see...Sanjeev is the co-writer/co-star of award-winning Radio 4 comedy Fags Mags and Bags, has written for sketch shows Chewin’ The Fat and Goodness Gracious Me, has presented extensively on the BBC, & has written & recorded vocals for the musical project The Grand Gestures. He has also appeared in the likes of Cold Feet, Fresh Meat and Look Around You (where he played Synthesiser Patel), as well as being the star of the video for Elbow’s Lost Worker Bee. He is best-known however for playing shopkeeper Navid in Still Game for nine series on the BBC & three sell-out runs at The Glasgow Hydro. Sanjeev’s recent screen credits include: Armando Iannucci’s Avenue 5 (HBO), Magpie Murders (Britbox UK and PBS), Chemistry of Death (Paramount+), Moonflower Murders (BBC and PBS), The Rig (Amazon) and Dinosaur (BBC). Sanjeev can currently be seen in Department Q for Netflix, Coldwater for ITV & the films I Swear and Grow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nineteen Ninety Three.It's a country we've visited on a number of occasions in this particular parish of variously compiled pop. And it's always one that welcomes us back warmly.There's our strident, shiny boybands working up a sweat down at your local nightclub or hanging around the street corners looking menacing.There's the noticeably older relatives who had hits back ion the 80s and are back, Back, BACK with familiar hits that now nestle comfortably on shiny new CD greatest hits tucked under their sensibly dressed arms. Is that a remix I hear?And of course there's the Europop exchange students. Fearless, no pretence, no baggage and a selection of smiles, beats and bleeps that - let's face it - we loved then and love now.And all of these guests - and much more - can be found on the twenty-fourth volume of the nation's favourite compilation album - the one we cleverly call NOW24!And revisiting this fascinating (did we once describe Pop Hinterland, Mr Hodgkinson?) year is songwriter and performer Ray Harris.Join us we head back far too many years to care for all of the above, and Ray cherry picks tracks that trigger those his pop memories including 2 Unlimited, The Bluebells, Lenny Kravitz, World Party, kd. Lang and Ultravox to name a few.Ray shares his stories of growing up which surely involves a Back to NOW first - is that Frédéric Chopin waving at us?We also hear about his adventures supporting (amongst others) Sister Sledge AND James Brown, which member of Genesis he shared a bus journey with (yes, really!) and why he believes (rightly, of course) Paul McCartney is our greatest living musician.And we find out more about Ray's latest album, Prelude and what it means to be touring and performing after a seven year hiatus - from Glasgow to Vietnam!NOW 24 - as Macca said, delivering hope. And let's be honest, we could all welcome that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1976. You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs.Well, silly or not, the charts of this fascinating year were full of big, big hits. Crowdpleasers, I hear you cry? Well, whatever way you view 1976, and many so-called rock journos and hacks would do so rather disdainfully, the twelve months bookended by number ones by Queen and Johnny Mathis (!) were certainly colourful and (checks notes for suitable adjective) erm, eclectic. Whilst certain history threads (I’m looking at you again Channel 5) will tell you that everyone was embracing bondage trousers, safety pins and other overused punk stereotypes, the truth was that the cash registers at Woolworths were ringing to the sounds of everything from the Greek smock admirer Demis Roussos, Dutch fairground dwelling country swingers Pussycat and those loveable Rock and Roll revivalists and brothel creeper wearing funsters Showaddywaddy.And the biggest selling single of the year - well that would be the Brotherhood of Man’s lip smacking shoe shuffler and Eurovision winning rocket.Yes, punk would no doubt influence the coming years of popular culture, but not whilst The Wurzels were ploughing the pop fields of ’76.The world of compilations was shifting up a gear too as the album charts saw TV advertising become a major factor in changing the landscape of big sellers with huge number one sellers from the kids favourites Slim Whitman, Bert Weedon, Glen Campbell and The Beach Boys, who remained at number one for ten consecutive weeks through that Hot, Hot, Hot summer of 1976. Good vibrations indeed!And in the jet-pack future of the 21st Century, how much fun does 1976 look? Well, pop kids, let the Guardian's head rock and pop critic Alexis Petridis and author Ian Wade guide you through it courtesy of the spanking NOW Yearbook 1976.The emergence of the stadium rock, pop sound10cc inventing Paranoid AndroidGuilty Pleasures (or not!)The wonderfully weird world of FoxDisco - hello!And along the way, rediscover the shimmering sounds that kept us sane through the heatwave, explore how CB radio (and questionable radio 1 DJs, mate) became a real thing (but not by The Real Thing), consider what Cliff Richard and Lou Reed may have discussed in Studio 54, which single was Wadey’s first, which artist’s concert Alexis was joined by Johnny Trunk at, the story of Ruby Flipper and the Blue Peter garden, which acts not to get stuck in a lift with and why David Dundas is not struggling to find funds for his next pair of jeans.Confused? Lost? Over-stimulated? You’re in great pop company then in 1976. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.Whether you were there or are rediscovering this amazing pop year for the first time, grab a cool drink, and jump onboard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 99:So the year/decade/century/millennium was coming to a close but before the apocalypse didn’t actually arrive at midnight on 31st December 1999, there was the small matter of a quite poptastic summer to be had. And did we party like it was 1999? Of course we did!We even squeezed in a completely rubbish total eclipse - remember that? No, neither do we.But, back, Back, BACK to the pop. The latest volume of NOW had arrived quicker than your very small download speed from AOL. And it was jam packed with hits - 7, that’s SEVEN No1s kicking off CD1. From Martine to Boyzone to S Club, this was a compilation for a shimmering summer of delights. Dance, pop, soul, more pop, a slither of guitars. And did we mention POP? Blimey, there was plenty other choose from. And slipping out his CD (or is it minidisc?) copy of NOW 43 (and possibly a pile of ‘other’ compilations ) is the man behind PopMusicActivism - Rob Johnson.Join Rob as he shares his memories of the album and this unforgettable summer.His time working in WH Smiths!His obsession with Dina Carroll!His other obsession with ATB!And his, ahem, other other obsession (and dance routines!) with Alice Deejay!Along the way we also drop in on the V(B)engaboys, a very underdressed Adam Rickitt, a 'blink-and-you-miss-her' Lolly.And, AND, discover the pop scandal of 99 that you didn’t know that you needed to know!A travesty of disastrous data drops and chart catastrophes starring Tina Cousins, blur and others - but I’ve already said TOO MUCH! Tune in to find out more pop kids!All of this and tons more as we - at a breathtaking, breakneck speed - revisit the summer of 1999. Whatever you think you know, or don’t, or think you may have forgotten(!), hold tight - this is quite a ride! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Big Pig is back!As July, turned into August in 1985, the world was still basking in the afterglow of, what was already being called the event of the decade. No, not the ceasing production of the Sinclair C5, or even the latest episode of Blind Date with our Cilla. Live Aid had defined the coming together of all things pop for a generation, in the name of raising money for African famine. And those bands and artists who graced the stages in London and Philadelphia (well, perhaps not Adam Ant, as we say) were feeling the seismic effect of not only the public’s affection - but also their pocket money. Duran Duran, Paul Young, Simple Minds, U2 and others (still, sorry , not you Adam) were enjoying plenty of success. And the loudest and most exciting shirt of the summer did not belong to BBC’s Mark Ellen or David Hepworth, it was the iconic NOW pig. Yes, NOW That’s What I Call Music 5 not only provided THE soundtrack to our summer in 1985, it also gave us the most gloriously techicoloured album cover. How exciting was that list of stars?And joining me for this episode to share his memories of this classic summer of music is journalist and author Graeme Thomson.And what can you expect? Duran Duran climb the Eiffel Tower. UK funk and soul makes a move for the charts through the fantastic sounds of Fine Young Cannibals, Simply Red and Jaki Graham. Graeme shares why 80s Bowie deserves attention, how Marillion (and a band T-Shirt!) made an early impact on his listening, what Jim Kerr told him about Don’t You Forget About Me and why U2 needed to evolve to survive. But significantly, join us as we discuss how compilation albums take us back, tell real stories of a period and revel in how important pop music for all of us in our formative years and has the ability to stay with us as we move through our lives.And enjoy Graeme’s reflections on his latest book, In Another World: The Four Seasons of Talk Talk, and the iconic sounds of a quite unique band.Step aside from life in 2026 for an hour or so, and join us back in a time when it really was great to be alive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oh, that’s bad!No, that’s good!If you know your 80s dancefloor bangers, you’ll recognise that S-Express vocal insert and will already be donning your sparkly bellbottoms, possibly even getting right-on one (matey) because it’s Summer 1988! What was making the headlines? (shuffles papers, looks directly into camera in a serious way):Poll tax announced!Gay rights activists invade the six o'clock news and mildly fluster Sue Lawley!Glasgow Garden festival takes place! Every school in Scotland goes on a trip (not like that!)England finish bottom of their Euro88 group having lost all three games! (Sports presenter wink to camera)But, BUT, amidst all of this and many other exciting things, POP was still very important indeed and - hurrah - NOW That’s What I Call Music 12 was here to make a splash! (Yes, the one with the pool on the cover, ahem).And a young, impressionable starry-eyed journalist from Dundee was starting his glittering career at Smash Hits, in London Town! With the BIG names! Yes, even Tiffany and Glenn Medeiros!Yes, head back to a very eventful summer for acclaimed music journalist, author and Smash Hits alumnus Tom Doyle!Join us as we dive into the swimming pool of pop (enough already!) and meet amongst others Climie Fisher having a picnic, Carol Decker playing poker, Bananarama being a trio (just) and Jermaine Stewart not being in Shalamar.And on top of this, get ready for some fantastic 1988 anecdotes from Tom’s giddy time at Ver Hits (and possibly Patches before that!). Wet Wet Wet on an open-top bus in Glasgow with lots of rock n roll mouthwash!Aswad’s recreational horticultural escapades!Sitting next to Hollywood royalty (well, Richard Gere) at the Nelson Mandela concert!Rubbing shoulders with U2 AND David Bowie in a factory! (Possibly, no actually!)Tom’s first singles reviews - and what was his single of the fortnight?? (it’s not on NOW12)And also stay around for lots of fabulous pop reminiscing about the truly wonderful Danny Wilson, the truly bonkers Bill Drummond and the truly hairy (!) Glenn Medeiros. All of this - delivered in Tom’s inimitable fashion - and so much more that we could just about fit it into Natalie’s Pink Cadillac (oo-er!)Summer 1988 - what a lark eh pop kids? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Swing it, shake it, move it, make it!…is exactly what the nation was doing in 1997. Yes, that’s right, Channel 5 was here and fiddling with that aerial to try and get a reception to see The Jack Docherty Show was what we were all up to. Robbie Williams even changed the lyrics to his breakout hit ‘Old Before I Die’ in honour of this revolutionary fifth channel twiddlesome pastime. But of course this was but a fuzzy, interference-driven distraction compared to what was going on in, what the kids were still calling, ‘The Charts’. And OF COURSE the aforementioned lyrics were from the FOURTH NO1 in a row from those Spice Girls (AND it was a double A-Side, Mama!). That’s right we were gripped by Geri’s Brit Awards conquering Union Jack dress (for the correct reasons, flag waving nonces), but the girls were proving to be more popular than Swampy’s tenancy under the A30 (another one for there kids) with En Vogue, Eternal, Ultra Naté, Gwen Stefani and a host of others reigning supreme in the hit parade. And there was so much more. As we see as we take out our CDs (possibly trapped in a broken 90s case) from summer 97’s NOW 37!!Pop was back, Back, BACKSTREET! (Really?!? - Ed)Everyone’s favourite sunshine trio Hanson were MMMBop-ping (!), Backstreet Boys were taking their shirts off (!!) No Mercy were taking a break from their restaurant shifts (possibly) and George Michael was, as always, just being incredible.However, HOWEVER…Over on CD2, there was - an identity. Britpop was either clinging on by its bitten and possibly chipped fingernails, recycling some flat champagne from their first album, staring at the sun (checks notes, avoids further U2 puns) or - more interestingly - evolving. And, boy, there were quite the classic run of tracks as The Verve, Supergrass, blur, The Seahorses and Radiohead provided some iconic memories. No Gallagher brothers on NOW37? No fear!(Actually, I think you’ll find they were gearing up for the autumn release of Be Here Now, but the less said etc…)And joining me on this golden revisit of the pop landscape of NOW37 and providing more memories than a hungover Labour MP on the 2nd of May is writer, comic and all round 90s pop kid Marc Burrows.As his (quite wonderful) Britpop stand up show tours the nation, discover which compilation started Marc’s musical journey, marvel at how a power chord changed his life, ruminate at what ‘indie through the sausage machine’ sounds like, consider why we’re picturing The Outhere Brothers and The Vengaboys on the A52 somewhere near Mablethorpe, revel in the NME review of Paranoid Android (it’s worth waiting for) and nod your head knowingly as we explore why the Britpop party ending maybe wasn’t such a bad thing.No, turn the aerial the other way - I think I can start to see something that may be Family Affairs. Or is it Milkshake Monkey..? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to 1987!The decade of decadence, extravagance, elegance and other words that end in -nce was powering its way towards the later end of its cultural tenure. And whilst there is no doubt that perceived wisdom (or, the internet as we now call it) would tell us that 1987 was the year of big hair, big shoulder pads, and big mobile phones, those of that were there can tell a different story too.The year of POP aspiration was also one of smoke and mirrors. The big suits and big statements across our TV and radio were often wonderfully deceptive. Whilst the music industry had loadsamoney to spend, those acts climbing the charts and filling the pages of Smash Hits were doing so often in the most homemade and, frankly subversive way possible. And in doing so, the genres were flowing, the hits were coming and our pop landscape was as colourful and diversive as we could possibly have wished for.Step forward then the leading compilation series (other slightly inferior ones were OBVIOUSLY available) to deliver its tenth volume.I know, double figures!!Now, That’s What I Call Music 10 shines brightly with its neon signage casting a glittering pop beacon over the wasteland of…..(enough with the imagery, get to the songs, Ed!)Step forward also the utterly imperial Pet Shop Boys, the incredibly sophisti-poptastic Curiosity Killed The Cat, the completely covered in plaster-of-Paris Hue and Cry and many other to lead the hits-filled charge into Autumn ‘87. And joining me to provide her very own unique view of this pop snapshot is TV and radio presenter Sue Charles.Join us as we find out about Sue’s journey across Radio1 AND 2, from 'Newsbeat' and 'Steve Wright in the Afternoon' to reporting behind the scenes at TOTP and to becoming one of the most familiar voices and faces across BBC Wales. And of course, dive deep back into the pop culture of 1987 that includes The Style Council, Casey Kasem, Andy Warhol, Shrewsbury(!), Sir William of Idol, Cliff, claymation Jazz, the glorious return of Squeeze and some genuine love for one of Wales’ musical legends Mike Peters.All of this plus some amazing missing in action ‘87 stars and not a single mention of Michael Fish! Ain’t no doubt about it, this is The Real Thing! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.