The Feeling Sound Podcast

Gregg Deal is a proud member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe.  He is a multi-disciplinary artist and activist, and he often describes himself as a "disruptor." 

Through his artworks, paintings, murals, performance work, filmmaking, spoken word, and more, Deal invites the viewer to confront critiques of American society, politics, popular culture and history.

He describes his work as honouring Indigenous experiences, challenging stereotypes, and pushing for accurate representations of Indigenous people in art.  Suffice it to say, it’s powerful stuff. It was a direct result of this one of these "disruptions", a gritty art installation performance piece entitled “The Punk Pan-Indian Romantic Comedy”, which saw him establish the band, Dead Pioneers, Gregg Deal of the Dead Pioneers with the intent to create original music for the performance piece, and beyond.  The Dead Pioneers' first single, “Bad Indian” was heavily influenced by Gregg’s Indigenous voice, and solidly built on a “First Peoples” perspective.  The band aren’t afraid to tackle hard political and social issues, standing in solidarity with Indigenous rights, Black rights, Brown rights, Asian rights, Gay rights, Trans rights, Workers rights and beyond.  Dead Pioneers hits hard, with plenty of original material— From songs to spoken word with punk riffs. 

We managed to line up an opportunity to speak online to Gregg at his Colorado home, where we asked him about his musical journey so far, his thoughts on the direction of The Dead Pioneers and above all else, what music means to him … 

Following the release of their second studio album ‘Delta Shakedown’ on Friday 20th October 2023, The Heavy North invited the Feeling Sound Podcast along to 3rd Planet Recording Studio in Liverpool for a catch-up.
We sat down with Kenny Stuart (Singer), Jose Ibanez (Producer/Guitarist), Andrew Horrocks (Bassist), Mark Rice (Drummer), Jack Birch (Guitarist) and Ste Penn (Keyboard player) to discuss the writing, recording and production behind ‘Delta Shakedown’ ahead of the band’s huge hometown headline show on Friday 1st December at the Camp and Furnace, Liverpool, where they’ll be performing live as a 12-piece band featuring the Norther String Quartet, brass section and backing singers.

Cole Stacey is a songwriter, singer and musician who roams from the highest echelons of contemporary folk to legendary pop and new romantics, from live sessions on BBC Radio 2 to Glastonbury Festival and 6 Music.
Cole is also one-third of the band, India Electric Co. Where he plays bass, synths, mandolin and guitar.  
Blending traditional instruments, folk melodies and subtle electronic influences,  they’ve extensively toured throughout Europe, Australia and New Zealand, including the UK.  Alongside bandmates Joseph O’Keefe and Russell Field, he’s just completed the ‘Voice and Visions Tour’, having played alongside Midge Ure for nearly 10 years.  
India Electric Co. released ‘The Gap’ in 2020 with FRUK declaring them “one of the truly pioneering acts in folk music”.
They currently working on a new album, and are looking to release this in 2023.

Hello and welcome to Season Three of the Feeling Sound Podcast. This episode features Lee Harris, a guitarist probably best known for his connections to Ian Dury & The Blockheads, and subsequently with Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets. In his early twenties, Lee became a touring member and co-manager of Ian Dury & The Blockheads. After playing with the Blockheads for 12 years, Lee took a break from the music industry to renovate his French property. It was whilst undertaking these renovations that Lee attended a David Gilmour concert in 2015, with his long-term friend Guy Pratt. One of the most significant things to come out of this experience was that it left Lee determined to get back into playing again, and more importantly, he also came up with the idea of playing some of these early Pink Floyd tracks a bit more seriously. He eventually managed to approach Nick Mason, the original Pink Floyd drummer who unlike Roger Waters and David Gilmour hadn’t really toured much since 1994. The dream turned into a reality in 2018, when they formed Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets together, alongside fellow musicians, Guy Pratt, Dom Beken, and former Spandau Ballet guitarist Gary Kemp. The band's remit was to exclusively play those fantastic pre-Dark Side of the Moon, and Pink Floyd Albums, bringing these works to life again to a potentially much wider audience. They’re just about to embark on a whirlwind European tour throughout the whole of July, followed by an extensive Australian tour on September 23. I caught up with Lee to talk to him about his musical journey so far, what has been like to play alongside such musical legends, and also, most importantly, what music means to him…

Zi Lan Liao is one of the leading exponents of Chinese music.  

Her busy career on the international concert circuit, has resulted in her being one of the most widely heard and best appreciated performers on the Gu-Zheng worldwide.  The Gu-Zheng is a twenty one string, harp like instrument established across thousands of years of Chinese Dynastic tradition.

She began to learn the Gu-Zheng at the age of three when she lived in Guangzhou.  By the age of nine she was winning major prizes in China, including the prestigious National Youth Music Competition.  By the time she left China for the UK at the age of fifteen, her reputation as a virtuoso performer was already established. She made an immediate impact on her arrival in the UK, by winning at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen.

She continued her music studies at Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, where she also specialised in the western concert harp, besides the traditional Chinese Gu-Zheng.  Zi Lan has captivated audiences around the world as a soloist with leading orchestras, as a recitalist and through the joyous enthusiasm of her incredible musical workshops.

She recorded music for the Oscar-winning film “The Last Emperor”; she has collaborated with Peter Gabriel, Nigel Kennedy, Jah Wobble and other internationally known recording artists.  Zi Lan has appeared at most of the major concert venues in the UK, including the Edinburgh, Aldeburgh and World Harp Festivals. In 1996, she featured as soloist in the World Premier of  ‘The River’, where she played a Gu-Zheng Concerto with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Her collaboration with her husband, Jah Wobble – ‘Chinese Dub’ won the best ‘Cross-Cultural Collaboration 2009’. 

In 2010, she performed with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra again, this time in Liverpool and at the Shanghai World Expo, playing on the new composition ‘Oxbow’ written by Ian Stephens.   Zi Lan is deeply committed to making the music of her native country more well known in the West, and a desire to share her insight into its cultural and spiritual significance. Despite her busy performing schedule Zi Lan still finds time to assist the Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra and Dance Group in Liverpool, both as musician and choreographer.

Jah Wobble first worked with the Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra in 2008, and his album Chinese Dub won Songlines’ Best Cross Culture Album award in 2009. His work left a legacy for the youngsters at the time and inspired them to discover new fusions of Chinese music, with other modern genres.  There is a ‘Celebration of Legacy Concert’, at the Tung Auditorium in Liverpool, on Saturday 15th July.  The concert is a part of a wider series from Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra, marking their 40th anniversary with friends and supporters throughout the years.  This concert will see Jah Wobble and his band performing with Tian, a band featuring his sons, John and Charlie, themselves two past alumni of the youth orchestra, showcasing the exciting new development of Chinese and Western fusion music.

St. Catherine’s Child is the pet project of transatlantic singer-songwriter Ilana Zsigmond. Born in England, to musical parents, Ilana spent the majority of her childhood in New Haven, Connecticut, USA bouncing back and forth between continents as her parents toured.

After settling back in the UK in 2015, she formed a band that reflects the Americana aesthetic that surrounded her throughout her childhood, with the articulation and dry-wit of her British sensibilities. Named for the Patron Saint of eloquent women, her vocal strength and poetic songwriting shine at the heart of St. Catherine’s Child.

In Episode Nine of the second season of The Feeling Sound Podcast, we talk to Sheppo and Jonny ‘Echo” of the Liverpool-based band, Columbia. They are a band that is making big waves in 2023.   
Formed in late 2017 by a group of school friends with no previous musical experience, Columbia are just one example of a new authentic ‘Liverpool Sound’ coming out of the North West.  The band’s obsession with being a proper old school, Rock ‘n’ Roll band, is both stoked and driven by their working-class roots.

They draw their musical inspiration from bands such as The Verve, Oasis, Rolling Stones, Stone Roses and The Beatles - Added to this, is a healthy helping of influence from the classic underground and techno dance scene, all culminating in an eclectic overall musical style, that isn’t easy to pin down. Columbia has garnered an enthusiastic and loyal following so far, by playing live and releasing tracks at regular intervals.  Their collaborations in the Studio, with the incredibly talented Producer  (and 'The Heavy North’ Guitarist), Jose Ibanez, have resulted in an impressive back catalogue of ’singles’ so far.  The January release, ’Somewhere I Belong’, with its haunting vocal by frontman Sheppo, was unanimously well received.   The band are being recognised at last, as an important part of the newly emerging Liverpool Music Scene, and are beginning to find their own unique tone and voice within that group of artists.  They continue to go from strength to strength, with a new single, ‘Memory Lane’ in the final stages of production at Jose Ibanez’s, 3rd Planet Recording Studio, in Liverpool.  They are also just about to set out on a mini UK Tour with This Feeling in May, starting in Swansea (4th May), Leeds (6th May), Birmingham (19th May) and finishing in Manchester (20thMay). Get along to see them play live if you can - It’ll be well worth it.

Frontman - Alex Sheppo
Bass & Vocal’s - Jonny Eccleshall
Lead Guitar - Jay Sweeney
Rhythm Guitar - Tom Comer
Drums - Jay Culkin

We chat with Kenny & Jose from the Heavy North about their new track and gigs for 2023.

With an exclusive acoustic performance oi their new single 'where are you now', this is a must-watch interview for all Heavy North fans.

Malcolm Catto Is a drummer and record producer.

He co-founded and produced the English Psychedelic / Jazz experimental music group, The Heliocentrics.  

Malcolm is the archetypal collaborator, and he’s worked alongside some of the world’s most diverse musical artists.  As well as producing four Heliocentric albums,  he’s also issued collaborations with DJ Shadow, Mulatu Astatke, Lloyd Miller, Orlando Julius all and Little Barrie.

Join me in Part One, as I talk to Malcolm about what music means to him, and his remarkable musical journey so far, as he winds his way home through the busy Dalston Market.

This is a two-part interview, which is available now.

Zeeteah Massiah was born in Barbados and subsequently grew up in London.  She’s been a singer for her whole life. She’s had an amazing and eclectic musical journey, that’s seen her both live and perform globally.  She’s performed with some of the world’s top artists (Robbie Williams, Tom Jones, Sting and JohnnyHallyday, to name but a few), had a number-one dance hit in America and has been in a major West End musical. 

She’s currently collaborating mostly with her husband, Paul Caplin, producing music that’s been drawn from a wide variety of influences, such as reggae, dancehall, soul and jazz.

Paul himself is no stranger to the musical limelight either.  Caplin began his musical career in his early twenties in the New Romantic group ‘Animal Magnet’, and co-wrote their dance track, "Welcome to the Monkey House" in 1981.  He left Animal Magnet to become the “mastermind” behind the 1980’s avant-garde pop project Haysi Fantayzee.  The group disbanded after releasing an album that went gold and three hit singles.  He then launched his own record label, “The Love Organization”,  going on to have success with the artist, Marilyn, with whom he also co-wrote his hit songs.

The Jagged Baptist Club hail from Los Angeles, USA.

The band consists of musicians Blake Stokes, Morgan Ponder, Josh Boyd, and CJ Ramsey.

Their debut album, Reptile Super Show, was released in summer of 2019 on Chain Letter Collective.

November 2021 saw the release of their album “Temptation Death House”  which was immediately championed by Radio Stations such as KCRW, KXLU,  BBC Music, XS Manchester and Radio X.

Having been compared to Primal Scream and Depeche Mode, with influences  including Blur, Public Image Limited, The Birthday Party, and Division  of Laura Lee, their music and live show have garnered positive response  from audiences and critics alike.

They recently toured Europe, Eire and The UK, which is where we caught  up with them when they played at the amazing, The Handyman in Smithdown  Road, Liverpool.

I managed to get some time with Lead Singer, Blake Stokes, before the band went on stage to play their fantastic set.

The Heavy North are a six-piece blues-rock band from Liverpool, established in 2018.

The line up is Kenny Stuart (Lead Singer), Jose Ibanez (Lead Guitarist & Producer), Andrew Horrocks (Bass Player), Ste Penn (Keyboard player), Mark Rice (Drummer) and Jack Birch (Rhythm Guitarist).

Following their festival debut at the Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF) in 2019, the band self-released their debut 4-track EP ‘Dive Bar Blues’ on limited edition 12” vinyl in December 2020.

The Heavy North released their long-awaited, 10-track debut album ‘Electric Soul Machine’ on Saturday 23rd April 2022 (Record Store Day) and announced a UK headline tour, starting in September 2022.

The tour includes their biggest show to date at the Arts Club Theatre, Liverpool on Saturday 24th September where they’ll be performing Electric Soul Machine in full as a 12-piece band.

"The Heavy North freshen up the early-70s rock template with a soulful vocal recalling Corey Glover (The Living Colour) - 8/10" - Classic Rock Magazine (July 2022)

“They’ve been making a great name for themselves at home in Liverpool and they’ve got a great cool blues thing going on” - Chris Hawkins, BBC Radio 6 Music

“Love it. Stunning, absolutely stunning” - Janice Long, BBC Radio Wales

In Part Two, concludes our exploration of the enigma that is Duglas T. Stewart and the work of BMX Bandits.

We continue to look at the stories behind some of the band’s key tracks from the recent past, and the incredible artists that collaborate on them, to bring them to life.

One such collaboration that is the stuff of cult legend is their various projects working with Big Star’s, Alex Chilton.  Chilton was a frequent visitor to the Glasgow, and he was a big influence on the Scottish music scene as a result.  Another outstanding collaboration was the work he produced with 1960’s cult artist Nick Garrie, who’s amazing original body of work would have potentially remained buried in obscurity without Duglas bring it back to mainstream prominence.

We come full circle on his amazing body of work by discussing his latest project, a film score for a soon to be released film, ‘Dreaded Light”.

Eleanor Kelly is a classical guitarist based in Merseyside, UK.

Originally self-taught, after beginning formal studies in Liverpool, Eleanor was awarded a performance scholarship and began studies with Zoltán Katona of the renowned Katona Twins guitar duo. In 2021, Eleanor graduated from the prestigious Máster en Interpretación de Guitarra Clásica course at Universidad de Alicante, Spain, where she studied with the world's foremost performers and teachers including: David Russell, Ignacio Rodes, Ricardo Gallén, Hopkinson Smith, Xavier Díaz-Latorre, Tilman Hoppstock, and  Roberto Aussel.​

She is an International Guitar Foundation Young Artist Platform artist, with extensive experience as a solo performer. Eleanor is also one half of the D2e Duo, playing alongside seven-string guitarist, Yvonne Gründer.

She specialises in lesser-known repertoire by both historical and contemporary women composers. In 2019, Eleanor gave the UK premiere of Claudia Montero's Latin Grammy award-winning Luces y Sombras with the Woodside String Quartet at the Angel Field Festival and performed the work again I’m at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain. Eleanor also premiered a new solo work for guitar for Illuminate Women's Music digital concert series as an Illuminate Digital Artist. As of 2021, Eleanor is part of the La Leona: Women and the Guitar; a ground-breaking project from IGF that celebrates women composers and guitarists.

Eleanor Kelly plays a Yulong Guo Chamber Concert classical guitar.

Matt McManamon is perhaps best known as the febrile frontman of the one-time Deltasonic darlings, The Dead 60s.

His incredible musical journey has seen him play Peel Session, replace Roddy Radiation to become a touring member of The Specials and appear twice on Top of the Pops.

Nearly two decades since since tracks like “Riot Radio” hit the charts and tore up indie dancefloors across the nation, McManamon has now returned with an altogether different outlook on his passion for recording and playing live music, and the release of his debut solo album ‘Scally Folk’.

We finally managed to meet up with Matt (along with fellow musician, Vinny Redmond) as he arrived in Liverpool to play an acoustic set at the amazing St Michael’s Sessions, where we talked to him about his incredible career, how it feels to be back on the road again and what music means to him.

Nick Kilroe decided to take up the drums at an early age, having seen his Dad with a pair of drumsticks, tapping away in his taxi cab.

He had lessons from the age of 11, and learnt his trade in the pubs and clubs around Liverpool.

He played with The Black Velvets, who released their debut album in 2005 and toured worldwide until 2007. Nick then joined Echo & The Bunnymen in 2007, fulfilling worldwide touring, television and recording commitments with the band for the next ten years.

He’s also worked with various other artists including Miles Kane, The Icicle Works, Ian McNabb and Poltergeist, to name but a few.

To this very day, you can occasionally still find Nick Kilroe drumming in his Dad’s cab.

Over the last 25 years as a Musical Director, Producer and Performer, Richard Cardwell has worked with some of the most iconic artists of all time.

His incredible list of performances and musical collaborations, most notably includes artists such as Annie Lennox (Both Solo and Eurythmics), Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music, James Morrison, Imelda May, James Blunt and Robbie Williams.

Kim Peters has always been passionate about live music and collecting records in fact anything to do with music really. In fact Kim has a fascinating archive of ticket stubs, vinyl and programmes that could easily be displayed in a music museum. 

Mark speaks to his friend Kim about some of his favourite collectables and stories behind them.

"I can’t imagine life with out it, along the way I have been introduced to fresh and exciting sounds, got to meet some interesting characters and really appreciate the beauty and intensity of music."

Episode Three features the professional drummer Joe Montage.

Joe appeared randomly appeared on my social media feed recently and I found his back story fascinating. He’s got his own studio in Leeds, from which he collaborates remotely with artists all over the world.

The other thing that caught my attention about Joe, is that he is obsessed with the drumming technique of Ringo Starr, as I found out when I spoke to him at his studio.