Episodes
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What's been our most awkward interview yet? How do we charm our guests? Who have we been starstruck by? And c'mon guys, why is this thing called 'Midnight Chats'?
As our podcast reaches its 150 episode, Greg and Stu celebrate by showing how the sausage is made, sharing stories and their tricks of the trade while trading some of their favourite clips from MC's illustrious history, and answering our listeners' questions about which guest has had the smoothest hands.
Also in this special episode, Stu premieres his new jingle for Beat The Algorithm, he and Greg give you their new music tips, and Greg faces this week's Top 3.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Further reading/listening/viewing
Listen to our new Beat the Algorithm Spotify playlist
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The summer slump is over and what feels like hundreds of artists are gearing up for new albums this autumn. On this week's episode, Greg and Stu get into what coming soon from The Cure, FKA Twigs, Coldplay and more, along with the recent implosion of rock giants Jane's Addiction, while a meeting with Laura Marling last week opened up the question of are music fans starting to lose their love for vinyl?
We also introduce a new regular feature where each week we'll recommend some new artist, which will be added to the playlist below. And yeah, we're sticking with our Top 3 challenge too. This week, it involves Stu's house being on fire.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Further reading/listening/viewing
Listen to our new Beat the Algorithm Spotify playlist
Eusexua video from FKA Twigs
That Jane’s Addiction scrap
Rosie Carr's Bandcamp
Greg's Nilüfer cover interview
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Missing episodes?
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For the last 5 years, London band Black Midi have pushed experimental rock music to new and thrilling places, inspired as much by jazz fusion as math rock and no wave. But last month, quite unexpectedly, the trio split up. It was meant to be kept a secret, until singer and frontman Geordie Greep announced the news on Instagram. One week later, he announced his debut solo album, boldly titled The New Sound (out this month via Rough Trade Records).
Stu visited Geordie at his home shortly after these two bits of indie-shaking news broke, to discuss the end of the Black Midi and the start of Greep's solo career, as well as his time at the prestigious Brit School, and what makes Angels by Robbie Williams actually a very good pop song.
Also on this week's show, Greg and Stu pick apart the week's headlines, lament being so rubbish at predicting who would win the Mercury Prize, and count down the greatest award show speeches of all time.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Further reading/listening/viewing
Black Midi Loud And Quiet interview
Geordie Greep 'Holy Holy' video
Lenny Henry full MOBO 2015 speech
Bjork's grateful grapefruit
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Part of this week's episode of MC comes from End of the Road festival, where Stu met up with Irish drone folk band Lankum and put your questions to Long Island sibling duo The Lemon Twigs. Even the one about the Muppets.
Back home Greg and Stu unpacked the fiasco surrounding Oasis' ticket sale nightmare, particularly the scam that is "dynamic" ticket pricing. And what's all this about the Smiths reunion not being as improbable as we'd all started to think. God help us all!
Other music news too, and 3 bands we think should have never reformed.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Further reading/listening/viewing
ML Buch on Bandcamp
Nourished by Time on Bandcamp
Lankum Loud And Quiet cover feature
Videopia at End of the Road
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Like it or not, Oasis are back together for the reunion tour that's surprised absolutely no one. As a former stan of the band, Stu really should be feeling better about this news than he is, while Greg is just happy that he finally gets to share the extremely important role he's played in Oasis mythology.
On this week's episode we get into how the story broke, what we think will happen next, and dust off our tales of seeing the band at their best and their worst.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Further reading/listening/viewing
Stand By Me
Little James
Oasis split at Rock En Seine
Noel Gallagher - Press Conference 6th July 2011
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Charli XCX's career highlight was coming on our podcast back in 2018, for what turned out to be a rushed conversation about art school, living in LA, writing songs for Blondie and seeing songs as colours. With Charli's career still doing reasonably well due to the release of this year's album, Brat, on this week's podcast we revisit that conversation to see if it was as bad as Stu thought it was at the time, consider what it tells us about the rise of Charli, and ask what's next for the undisputed queen of alt. pop.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Ahead of their new album Romance, people can't stop talking about Fontaines D.C.'s new look. One week after Glastonbury, the Dublin band's singer, Grian Chatten, had Stu round to his flat to discuss the reason behind the band's new aesthetic, his prolific writing process, a strange 9 days spend working in a bar in L.A., and a record that draws influence from Korn, Lana Del Rey and Shygirl.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Further reading/viewing:
Starburster video
Jade 'Angel of My Dreams' video
Loud And Quiet 2019 cover feature
Chris de Burgh in The Mighty Boosh
Sister Midnight
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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New York musician Cassandra Jenkins really shouldn't be on Midnight Chats, or any podcast talking about her new album, My Light, My Destroyer, because that record, near-perfect though it is, was never going to be made.
On this week's episode she tells Stu about how she had decided to quite music after releasing her last album, but things went unexpectedly well, so here we are, discussing one of the best albums that will be released in 2024, Jenkins' obsession with space, finding inspiration in a billionaire sending Captain Kirk into space, her Manhattan home life living with her parents, and what happens next is this "bonus round" of her life.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Further reading/viewing:
Our 10/10 album review of My Light, My Destroyer
The moment William Shatner returned to Earth
The mighty Zabar's
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Following on from last week's Mercury Prize predictions episode, Greg and Stu dive into this year's shortlist to see how wrong they were as they cast judgement on which of the nominated records they think might actually have a chance of winning this year's award.
Stu picks out a clip from our 2018 Charli XCX episode, and you'll all invited to play our Mercury Prize audio quiz, safe in the knowledge that you'll more probably be better at it than Greg was.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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In two days time (25 July), the short list for the 2024 Mercury Prize will be announced. On this week's show, Stu and Greg discuss who they think will DEFINITELY be on the list, and who they hope will be.
Greg also spills the beans on what it's like to be on the Mercury Prize judging panel (something he's done 3 times), we ask how relevant the award is in the instant age of TikTok, and throw in some of all-time our favourite past winners.
Come back next week to see just how right we were about our nailed-on nominees.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Credits:
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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As Nottingham duo Sleaford Mods release a 10-year anniversary edition of their breakthrough album Divide & Exit, frontman and lyricist Jason Williamson revisits the album that changed his life, the time he threw the bleakest album release party of all time, and how he finally found success in his 40s on his 7th album.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
'Tied Up In Nottz' video
Modern Life is Rubbish... still – early Loud And Quiet interview from 2014
Sleaford Mod Loud And Quiet archive
Jason on Episode 65 of the podcast
Credits:
Interview and editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Look around and you’d be forgiven for feeling the world is completely broken in 2024. War. Division. Crises. How did we get here? That’s the fundamental question Norwegian songwriter AURORA explores on her latest album What Happened To The Heart?. It’s a project that is technicolor in feeling, and in sound.
Host Greg Cochrane went to meet her to talk about activism, conflict and why she and the iconic Brian Eno are like “an old married couple”. It’s a deep listen, for sure, but these are deep times – even if you can focus on the glimmers of light.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
Hear Brian Eno discussing his work with AURORA on episode 127 of Midnight Chats
The letter ‘We Are The Earth’ by Sônia Guajajara and Célia Xakriabá
Credits:
Interview by Greg Cochrane
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
Video by Robbie Hamilton
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Stuart got the hot ticket. Greg did not. In the field, and from the sofa at home, Midnight Chats does Glastonbury 2024.
Your hosts tackle the biggest talking points from the most famous music festival in the world. Did Dua Lipa fulfill her promise to turn Worthy Farm into a club on her headliner debut? Was SZA's microphone fresh out of batteries? Did Coldplay bring the world together in a moment of communal feeling, or was it a bad acid trip? Did Louis Tomlinson steal a TV from the local Curries? All these essential questions answered, and more.
What did you make of this episode. Please let us know and share your thoughts and questions at [email protected] or DM us on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
And for those in the UK (sorry to those elsewhere), here are links to our top performances on BBC iPlayer. You've a month to watch before they disappear.
Sampha
IDLES
AURORALittle Simz
ColdplayLCD Soundsystem
Dua Lipa
Confidence Man
PJ HarveyEverything is bigger and better at Glastonbury, including my unexpected fits of crying
Credits:
Interview and editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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James Smith from Leeds band Yard Act met New Zealand comedian Rose Matafeo at Glastonbury festival a couple of years ago when the pair were watching little Simz. Since then, Smith's group has invited Matafeo to sing on their second album, Where's My Utopia?, star in one of their music videos and open for them in their hometown.
What better excuse did we need to get them both in a room to discuss the time Rose accidentally put her hand up Jools Holland's back just after Rod Stewart winked at her, the horrible gig that led to James writing the song Rose would become the face of, what Taskmaster is really like to film, and how James and Yard Act will attempt to navigate this year's Glastonbury.
Watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
Yard Act 'Petroleum' video starring Rose
Rose's Taskermaster country rap song
Yard Act perform 'Dream Job' live on Later... with Jools Holland
Credits:
Interview and editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Frontman with one of Britain’s biggest modern rock bands, Yannis Philippakis recently launched Yannis & The Yaw – not so much a solo project, more of an experiment in collaboration. Dial back seven years and Yannis spent time writing songs with one of his heroes, the icon drummer Tony Allen – godfather of Afrobeat and distinguished collaborator with everyone from Damon Albarn to Air. The result is a posthumous project – Allen died in 2020 – titled ‘Lagos Paris London’ released in August 2024.
Yannis goes deep with host Greg Cochrane about his “cross generational” bond with Allen, and the other legendary artists he'd love write with Yannis & The Yaw. Plus, he discusses the evolving future of his band Foals, chats about his passion for gardening and why he’s writing music for some contemporary theatre productions.
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
More Yannis? He joined us on episode 64 of Midnight Chats back in 2019
Check out the videos for Yannis & The Yaw tracks ‘Under The Strikes’ and ‘Walk Through Fire’
Further reading: Yannis on his love for gardening, interviewed in The Telegraph
The Confessions theatre production Yannis wrote the score for in 2023
From 2023: Original bassist Walter Gervers rejoins Foals, via NME
Credits:
Interview by Greg Cochrane
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
Video by Robbie Hamilton
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Annie Clark has been recording as St. Vincent since 2007, collaborating with David Byrne and Paul McCartney along the way, and proving herself as one of the best guitarists (and songwriters) in the world.
In more recent years she's written a number one hit single (aren't they all) for Taylor Swift, co-written and starred in her debut feature film, The Nowhere Inn, with her close friend Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney, and released her 7th album All Born Screaming in April 2024.
On this week's show she talks with Stu about her early years in mid-00s CULT band (in every sense of the word) The Polyphonic Spree, why nobody liked her film, her close encounters with Steve Albini, and how she got childhood hero Dave Grohl to drum on her new record.
Watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
The Nowhere Inn trailer
Video to 'Broken Man', ft Dave Grohl
The Polyphonic Spree on Tour - 2005 mini doc
Credits:
Interview and editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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South Londoner Lynks used to make the type of straight-faced, emotional music that all of his friends were making, until one day, for a bit of fun, he decided to adopt a masked drag persona and lean into being an entertainer. His thumping alt. pop songs since have centred around his experiences as a young queer person, with songs about sex with strangers delivered with a bluntness that is matched by Lynks' wicked sense of humour. This is, after all, an artist that also has a song exclusively about how to make a bechamel sauce.
Speaking in April 2024 with Stu before his show in Cambridge, England, Lynks discusses the moment he unexpectedly unlocked his successful new act, how he approached debut album Abomination, what could be expected from his camp, prop-heavy show that night, and why it's more satisfying to make people dance than cry with your music.
Watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
Our Abomination review
Our early interview with Lynks (2019)
'(What Did You Expect From) Sex With a Stranger' video
'How To Make a Beshamel Sauce in 10 Steps (with pictures)' video
Credits:
Interview and editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Sam T. Herring’s distinctive growl and spectacular dance moves may still be one of the best known things about Future Islands, but away from the chest-thumping on stage he's a charismatic, thoughtful and humble guy.
Greg Cochrane caught up with him to talk about his recent move into acting (he starred in TV series The Changling last year), the heartbreak channeled in Future Islands’ most recent album ‘People Who Aren't There Anymore’ and why he’s a diehard follower of an average British football team (sorry, Everton fans).
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
Sam T. Herring speaks to Stuart on episode 22 of Midnight Chats
Watch the trailer for the TV show Sam stars in, ‘The Changling’
Future Islands return to the UK in July 2024 to play Crystal Palace Bowl - more info
Credits:
Interview by Greg Cochrane
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
Video by Robbie Hamilton
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Katie Crutchfield aka American artist Waxahatchee joins Stu on the podcast to look back on how she arrived at her sixth album, Tigers Blood, following on from her 2021 breakthrough record Saint Cloud.
Just what does having a breakthrough record do to an artist? How will Katie navigate 2024? Is MJ Lenderman the most talented young dude in US indie rock right now? And what was Charlie Sheen talking about when he said he was drinking Tigers Blood back in 2011?
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
Listen to Tigers Blood on Bandcamp
'Right Back To It' live on the Late Show with MJ Lenderman
Waxahatchee 2013 interview around Cerulean Salt
Charlie Sheen's Tiger's Blood moment
Credits:
Interview and editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
Video by Robbie Hamilton
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Blessed Madonna – truly one of the most engaging, fun and opinionated guests we’ve welcomed onto Midnight Chats.
One of the world’s foremost DJs, producers and curators, Marea Stamper invited Greg Cochrane to her intimate London studio Godspeed to record this colourful conversation.
Topics covered: 2024 and this turbulent time in politics and journalism; her unique relationship with the iconic track ‘Marea (We Lost Dancing)’ by Fred again… and stories of cooking pasta for Daft Punk when they literally came to the house.
Oh, and while there’s still no confirmed release date for her much anticipated debut album, there’s lots of chat about what to expect when it does finally drop.
Enjoy!
You can watch clips of the podcast online now, just give us a follow on Instagram @midnightchatspod.
Links to stuff mentioned in the episode:
Watch the video for 'Marea (We Lost Dancing)'
'Happier' – listen to the single on YouTube
The Evening Standard article about Maria's response to PM Rishi Sunak using her music
Credits:
Interview by Greg Cochrane
Editing by Stuart Stubbs
Mixing and mastering by Flo Lines
Artwork by Kate Prior
Video by Robbie Hamilton
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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