In Conversation With Billy Vera (Part 1)

Episode 181: PRP Holiday Hotline: Musical Christmas Memories It’s Christmastime! For many folks, that means it’s time to give and receive gifts. And Brian and Sarah’s gift to you this Christmas season is this episode, which is also about gifts.  Our hosts asked a number of friends of the show—some of whom have their own excellent podcasts—to call in to the Permanent Record Podcast Holiday Hotline and share stories and memories of Christmases past, where they received a music-related present.  Many of the callers fondly recalled receiving special albums, cassettes, or CDs in their stockings or under the Christmas tree. Others were gifted with a particular musical instrument that brought them happiness. All the stories share a common theme that’s likely no surprise to listeners of this podcast—music is the source of many happy memories and plays a large, even formative part of our lives. Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, Brian and Sarah hope you’ll enjoy listening to the stories shared on the PRP Holiday Hotline, and that the year ahead will bring you a lot of wonderful music!    Check out the music and podcasts of our PRP friends:  All About 80s Music Poison Picnic The Pods & Sods 12 Days of Christmas Six-Packs The Giddy Carousel of Pop I’m in Love with That Song Podcast The Hustle Banned Biographies Sly Dog Music-Cast And many thanks to the massively talented duo VH X RR for their wonderful track "One Christmas Catalogue" with which we close out our year!  Treat yourself to their music at https://vhxrr.bandcamp.com/music Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Join the ever-growing crowd on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Episode 180: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) Part 1 – Second Half BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL!!   We wanted to get this episode to you on Black Friday, but in order to do that, we have to get chintzy with these show notes.  I'm just re-using Sarah's notes from last time, and I will mention here that this episode includes the following items of interest: Our personal histories with "Speak & Spell" Discussion on the first two songs of the US tracklisting Your voicemails on Depeche Mode's debut Follow-up info on some of the topics from last time Now, here's the recycled stuff from last time..... Brian and Sarah are back, and they’re ready to talk about Depeche Mode. And talk they do! This episode was about three hours long when they finished recording, so they decided it would be best to break it up into two separate episodes—but they’re both considered Part 1 of the Speak & Spell album discussion.  Since this is the debut album by Depeche Mode, this first half of Part 1 covers things like the formation of the band, their early days of performing, their quest for a record deal and their eventual partnership with Daniel Miller. The hosts also discuss the typical album-related subjects such as the making of the album, the chart positions, and the release—and there’s a surprisingly lengthy discussion about the album’s release date.  This episode wraps up with Brian and Sarah sharing a lot of reviews, some of which come from the time of release, and some that are more contemporary.  It’s a fun look back at the early days of the boys from Basildon, with a lot more to come!  Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ This BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Episode 179: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) Part 1 – First Half Brian and Sarah are back, and they’re ready to talk about Depeche Mode. And talk they do! This episode was about three hours long when they finished recording, so they decided it would be best to break it up into two separate episodes—but they’re both considered Part 1 of the Speak & Spell album discussion.  Since this is the debut album by Depeche Mode, this first half of Part 1 covers things like the formation of the band, their early days of performing, their quest for a record deal and their eventual partnership with Daniel Miller. The hosts also discuss the typical album-related subjects such as the making of the album, the chart positions, and the release—and there’s a surprisingly lengthy discussion about the album’s release date.  This episode wraps up with Brian and Sarah sharing a lot of reviews, some of which come from the time of release, and some that are more contemporary.  It’s a fun look back at the early days of the boys from Basildon, with a lot more to come!  Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast You can also find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ This BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Episode 178: Happy Birthday to Us: The Cure – “Songs of a Lost World” (2024) and State of the Podcast It’s been a while since our last episode was published, and part of this episode will explain why. But we wanted to get something released in time for our eighth birthday!  It’s hard for us to believe, but our first episode was released way back on November 4, 2016. And although this episode is numbered 178, it’s actually the 201st episode we’ve released.  In this short discussion, we talk about what went on with us in September and October, and we discuss our plans for future episodes. (We even ask for a little help in that regard.) But we spend the most time talking about the brand-new and long-awaited album from The Cure, Songs of a Lost World!  The album has only been out for a few days, so we don’t have too many listens in yet. But we discuss our thoughts so far, Brian shares several reviews, and we also discuss the concert at London’s Troxy that was livestreamed and is now available on YouTube to view.  We’re very glad (if not a little surprised) to have been doing this for eight years, and rest assured, we’re not going anywhere anytime soon! The Cure - Songs of a Lost World - Full Live Stream Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://x.com/PermRecordPod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh!  Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

 Episode 177: Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell (1981) – Part 0 – "End of Summer Special" featuring Brad Page and Eric Miller OK, so a little confession up front: this episode is about MUCH MORE than just Speak & Spell, or even Depeche Mode, and that’s why it’s called Part 0!  But we think you’re going to enjoy it anyway. Here’s who, and what, you’ll hear as you listen: • Brad Page, host of the “I’m In Love With That Song” podcast. A while back, we put out a request for questions you wanted us to answer, and we got quite a few responses. Brad kindly agreed to share his talents—and his studio!—for this segment, and although mesmerized by both his very cool recording setup and his dulcet tones as he read the questions, we managed to compose ourselves enough to provide answers to the queries.  Visit Brad at https://lovethatsongpodcast.com/ • Eric Miller, co-founder of the “Pods & Sods” network and host of the Stone Turtle House Concert Series. We talk with Eric on a number of topics:  o The origins and mission statement of the Stone Turtle House Concert Series o “What’s Up With This CD?” Eric went through the “upstairs” CD collection (the CDs that didn’t make the cut for the main collection which is stored downstairs by the stereo) and selected a few, secretly and at random. He then presents them one at a time, asking for the story behind the purchase and why it’s relegated to the upstairs shelves. o Depeche Mode Trivia! Eric put together a series of Depeche Mode-related questions, and once again, Brian and Sarah find themselves in a trivia competition! You’re sure to both groan and cheer as you listen to this segment.  •Brian and Sarah, of course—doing one of their briefest album discussions of all! But don’t worry; it’s just a little something fun, and only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to us talking about the debut album from the mighty Depeche Mode. There will be plenty more to come in the future! Visit Eric and Stone Turtle at https://www.facebook.com/groups/stoneturtle/ Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod  Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh!  Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Episode 176: 80s Supergroup Fantasy Draft Here in the USA, summer is on the way out, and (American) football season is on the way in. And somewhat related to the changing of the weather and sports seasons, our hosts put together something they hope will be fun for everyone.   A favorite pastime of many sports fans is to participate in fantasy leagues, where a person selects players from many different teams to create a ‘super-team’ of their own, which competes in a league of ‘super-teams’ created by other league members. The players are selected by league members during a draft, and there can be fierce competition for particular players. In this episode, Brian and Sarah are joined by several friends-- Jon Lamoreaux, Eric Miller, and Heidi Waugaman-Page—for a different kind of fantasy league. In this league, each person puts together a super-group of 1980s artists. Each band has a lead singer, a guitar player, a bass player, a keyboard player, a drummer, and a producer. There’s also a ‘flex position’ which can be anyone the person thinks will add something special to the look and/or sound of the band. The ‘80s supergroup fantasy draft’ has the five friends taking turns choosing their different band members and explaining the reasons behind their selections. Different people take turns going first, so there’s always the question of whether someone’s first choice will get selected before the draft selection comes back to them. Once you’re done listening to this episode, you can vote for your favorite imaginary 80s supergroup by commenting on the Facebook, Instagram, or X (Twitter) posts that contain the graphic listing the bands and albums. May the best band win! Also in this episode: we announce the winner of Sarah's Secret Summer Song Snippet!!  Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Episode 175: Concert Report - Totally Tubular Festival (2024)  On July 20, 2024, Brian and Sarah had the pleasure of attending an 80s music festival at Poconos Park Amphitheater in Bushkill, PA.  They got to see many acts they had never seen perform live before, as well as a few they had been fortunate enough to see at other shows. In this episode, Brian and Sarah talk about each act of the festival, sharing their thoughts and memories of the event.  Below are Sarah and Brian at the 'meet and greet' portion of the event-- they're between Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins and Ivan Doroschuk of Men Without Hats. Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh!  Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Episode 174: In Conversation With Billy Vera (Part 2) Our conversation with author/actor/musician Billy Vera concludes with an episode that touches on so many different aspects of this great man's career. Billy started his professional career as a songwriter, but soon moved to a higher-profile gig as part of the duo Billy Vera and Judy Clay.  After a successful album called "Storybook Children", Billy kicked off a solo career that has spanned decades, starting with 1968's "With Pen in Hand" up to the recent "Timeless" album, released in 2019. In the mid-1980s, Billy had a number one hit with "At this Moment".  In this interview, we discuss in detail his first number one hit, "I Really Got the Feeling", which Dolly Parton took to the top of the charts in 1979. We also talk about Billy's time on both the small screen and the big screen, including an episode on Brian's favorite TV Drama, "Wiseguy." Other topics that we cover in this second episode: ·        Compiling his hit album "By Request" for Rhino Records ·        Appearing on 80's Era TV and meeting Dick Clark ·        His appearances on and relationship with Johnny Carson ·        His star on Hollywood Boulevard and Angie Dickinson ·        Working on "Wiseguy" with Stephen J Cannell ·        Starting in acting ·        Pitching an original TV idea to Cannell ·        "Ronnie's Song" and working mob joints in NYC ·        Life and love in NYC at 18 ·        Old Money vs New Money ·         Dolly Parton ·        "Timeless" and "Live at Vitello's" ·        The only "real" job he ever worked ·        Reissuing artists like Duke Ellington and Count Basie ·        Meeting and working with Fats Domino and other Doo Wop acts ·        Board of Directors of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation ·        Steaming music and today's DIY reality ·        Music Publishing ·        The story behind the Drifters' hit "Save the Last Dance for Me" ·        The job of a songwriter ·        Voice-over career ·        King of Queens ·        Meeting and working with David Hasselhoff ·        Rip It Up: The Specialty Records Story Thanks to Billy for spending so much time with us and for sharing so many wonderful stories about this career! You can learn more about Billy's story, his books, and his music at https://billyvera.com/ Follow him on Facebook for the latest info on his gigs and his weekly radio show: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealBillyVera Treat yourself to music and books by Billy here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=billy+vera&crid=31CGZ21181YET&sprefix=billy+vera%2Caps%2C102&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod  Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh!  Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Episode 173: In Conversation With Billy Vera (Part 1) Sarah usually writes these show notes, and on the rare occasion that I fill in for her, I do something silly - I either make them really short or I have ChatGPT help me by doing most of the work.  This time, I asked to do them because I am still in shock that this episode exists and because it was a true thrill to speak with an artist who has been a favorite of mine since I was 16! After discovering Billy Vera, along with many others of my generation, thanks to the hit comedy "Family Ties", I would go on to collect his entire catalog, with the exception of "Queen of Diamonds / Jack of Hearts" by Evie Sands & Billy Vera which I haven't been able to find yet.  I will one day though!  I would watch him on TV shows like "Wiseguy" and "Into the Night", where he served as a late-night bandleader and often performed his wonderful songs.  I would occasionally be surprised and excited to spot him in movies throughout the 80s and 90s.  He was doing so many great things, and doing all of those things at a level which should have made him a Super Star if there was any justice in the world.   With all of his various talents, songwriting and singing are where Billy truly shines, so getting to talk with him about his career and his music was an amazing experience.  In this first episode (of two), we touched on so many topics, even going back to the mid-1960s and some of his earliest songs.  I really hope you will enjoy this discussion on some of my favorite music.   Topics that we cover in this first episode: ·        Billy's upcoming trip to Italy to perform and  to receive an award at the Porretta Soul Music Festival ·        Working with Jerry Wexler ·        Writing songs professionally in NYC in the 1960s ·        A song he wishes he wrote ·        Writing "Room with a View" with Lowell Fulson ·        Working with Bonnie Raitt ·        Recording "Storybook Children" with Judy Clay ·        Playing the Apollo Theater ·        Thoughts on songwriting ·        Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era and "Don't Look Back" ·        His 1988 Capital album "Retro Nuevo" ·        The three styles of Production ·        Working with Lou Rawls and George Benson ·        Working with Arif Mardin ·        How did Jim Keltner become a Beater in 1988? ·        Working on the Blake Edwards movie "Blind Date" ·        Hanging out with Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Kim Basinger ·        Meeting L. Russell Brown ·        Being "inspired" by Loni Anderson ·        Writing his biggest hit "At this Moment" and the story behind the song ·        Writing Brian's favorite BV song "Here Comes The Dawn Again" ·        Releasing his biggest album on Rhino Records ·        Doing promo work in the 1980s ·        Advice from his mother You can learn more about Billy's story, his books, and his music at https://billyvera.com/ Follow him on Facebook for the latest info on his gigs and his weekly radio show: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealBillyVera Treat yourself to music and books by Billy here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=billy+vera&crid=31CGZ21181YET&sprefix=billy+vera%2Caps%2C102&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod  Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh!  Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!

Episode 172: Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982) - Part 4 In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s now officially summertime, and it’s also time for Brian and Sarah to wrap up their discussion of the 1982 album from Simple Minds, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84).  Our hosts find themselves with three more songs on the album to cover, one of which is a single with a video, so there’s no shortage of things to talk about with that song. But even the last two tracks on the album generate a lot of discussion from Brian and Sarah.  During the course of the song discussion, a wide variety of topics are brought up, such as: the first Earl of Birkenhead; the perfect setting to kill Green Lantern; the answer to the question “can being completely covered in gold paint kill a person?”; the world’s worst museum; a cassette-zine; and the Camp David Peace Accords of 1978. After Brian and Sarah finish discussing the album tracks, it’s time for the Extra Credit section. The featured topic is Jim Kerr’s side project from 2010: Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr. Then, to further delay the long-awaited final reviews and ratings of the album, there’s a special and exciting announcement from Sarah! Finally, the time comes for Brian and Sarah to deliver their thoughts on the album and their record-adapter ratings. How will this 1982 album—which many consider to be Simple Minds’ best work—rank in the eyes of our hosts? All is revealed at the end! Songs discussed in this episode: Glittering Prize Hunter and the Hunted King Is White and in the Crowd Link to the video discussed: Glittering Prize Read more at http://www.permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod  Check out some pictures at https://www.instagram.com/permanentrecordpodcast/ So this BlueSky thing looks shiny and new: https://bsky.app/profile/permrecordpod.bsky.social Oh!  Here's another one of these things - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@permanentrecordpodcast Leave a voicemail for Brian & Sarah at (724) 490-8324 or https://www.speakpipe.com/PermRecordPod - we're ready to believe you!