Misadventures in Music with Ian Prowse & Mick Ord

Looking back, the early seventies can seem like a strange time musically in the UK and perhaps nowhere more so than Merseyside. 

The NEXT BIG THING that we were all waiting for following the break-up of The Beatles hadn't emerged and a wide range of musical styles proliferated in the local pub and club scene.For a few years before 1977, Supercharge and Deaf School were leading the pack of bands tipped for bigger things.

The former, led by the charismatic saxophonist Albie Donnelly played to packed audiences everywhere - their blues/rock/funk fusion going down well with club and college audiences.

Signed by Virgin Records they had hit albums and singles in Australia and famously supported Queen at Hyde Park in front of an estimated 150-200,00 people.  The band's on-stage humour and antics were also a huge hit with audiences as anyone who saw them live will testify.

Albie Donnelly's Supercharge is still going great guns in Germany and Holland and the 77 year old scouser has lost none of his passion for music or his wit, as Ian Prowse and Mick Ord discovered when they met up with him in the Liverpool Podcafe for the latest , unforgettable Misadventures in Music.

There can't be too many songwriters who've released albums which have been so universally praised by the critics and yet have had to wait 40 years for the equivalent commercial success but then Mick Head has never been one to follow a predictable career path.

His previous bands The Pale Fountains and Shack certainly had a strong "cult" following (admittedly including the likes of Noel Gallagher) but it was only with last year's "Dear Scott" that Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band converted critical to commercial success with such aplomb.

At times it's been a rocky road for Mick Head but the future certainly looks bright with the release of his new album 'Loophole' in May and a long awaited autobiography 'Ciao,Ciao Bambino' out in 2025.

Ian Prowse and Mick Ord met up with Mick Head in the Liverpool Podcafe for a long-awaited and much anticipated 'Misadventures in Music'

Paul Simpson's band The Wild Swans burned briefly and brightly in the flourishing Merseyside music scene of the early eighties.  They had one celebrated single in the indie charts but disbanded acrimoniously having failed to replicate the commercial success of their contemporaries like Teardrop Explodes, Echo and the Bunnymen, OMD, China Crisis, Dead Or Alive and  Wah! .

They say the best stories can always be found in the corners and around the edges of life and Paul's book 'Revolutionary Spirit - A Post-Punk Exorcism' is a case in point. It's a classic of its kind...highly praised by book critics and musicians such as Will Sergent and Bill Drummond. Which won't come as a surprise to people who know him because Paul's a born storyteller.

 'Revolutionary Spirit' tells us what it's really like to be in a band, but it's also an authentic slice of social history of life from a vibrant music scene with a seemingly endless list of larger-than-life characters.

And plenty of genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. Paul's tells his story in the new episode of the Misadventures in Music podcast with Ian Prowse and Mick Ord.

There aren't many writers around who can look back on their career and say they've interviewed as many top musicians as Paul du Noyer.

The Liverpool-born author and music journalist boasts as impressive a list as anyone from the past 40 + years - Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Amy Winehouse and Dusty Springfield to name just a few.

He's also written definitive books about the music culture of his home city as well as that of London, a place where he's spent much time writing and editing iconic magazines such as NME, Q and MOJO.

Paul du Noyer is Ian Prowse and Mick Ord's wonderful guest in this episode of Misadventures in Music which was recorded by our friends at The Podcafe in Liverpool.

There aren't too many bands from the 70's and 80''s who're still producing compelling new music and not just replaying their biggest hits, but then Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark have always ignored the prevailing musical trends and ploughed their own furrow, which is why the Wirral band's blend of classic Synthpop and contemporary Electronic Dance Music is still wowing audiences.They're smack bang  in the middle of a European tour and their last album The Punishment of Luxury was greeted with widespread critical acclaim, but Andy McCluskey says OMD's next release, Bauhaus Staircase, will be their last.  

No, really. 

He's our special guest in this month's Misadventures in Music podcast, with Ian Prowse and Mick Ord.Andy talks candidly about OMD's history, their musical influences and looks to the future with optimism as fans await the release of Bauhaus Staircase, their 14th studio album.

A big thanks to Roy and Clare from the Podcafe in Liverpool for use of their recording studios.
Track Listing

• Autobahn by Kraftwerk  (extract)

• Warm Leatherette by The Normal  (full track)

• Electricity by OMD   (full track)

• Pyjamarama buy Roxy Music (full track)

• Dazzle Ships/ Genetic Engineering by OMD  (extracts)

• Radio Prague by OMD  (extract)

Season one of Misadventures in Music has now come to an end and what a great year it's been.

Ian Prowse and Mick Ord have had some fantastic conversations, debates and uncovered a few truths in 12 amazing episodes, plus bonus content.

In this episode we look back at some of the highlights and our favourite moments. From David Fishel discussing getting stabbed at a gig to the difficulties of working with Shane McGowen.

Our presenters also discovered how popular and talented Lindisfarne’s Alan Hull was with some amazing feedback from fans across the world.

In fact, there were so many great moments it really was really difficult to get them all in one episode. However, you can listen back over season one and enjoy some of the great discussions with brilliant guests such as Paul Hemmings, Malik al Nasir and Rory Taylor.

Season two will be along later in the year with more debates and Misadventures in Music

Rory Taylor runs the Positive Vibration Festival, regular Reggae Socials at District and represents international reggae artists at home and abroad.  He is on a mission with Positive Vibration to bring reggae to a wider audience.

Rory came to Liverpool to study law in 2003.  He is an intellectual property lawyer who is also passionate about raising the profile of reggae in Liverpool and beyond. In 2013, as part of a collective, Rory began Positive Vibration with a small event in the Kazimer gardens featuring local DJs and a couple of bands.

Rory and Positive Vibration have brought a range of acts to its Baltic-based festival include Lee Scratch Perry, Roni Size, Sister Nancy and many others. 

Rory also works with the Jamaican High Commission and tourist board, linking up with organisations and charities as well as artists and musicians. For an example of Rory’s close working relationship with the Jamaican High Commission, Rory was contacted to look at ways of promoting the Jamaican netball team whilst based in Liverpool:

Tracks

Baba Brooks Band - Teenage Ska

Toots & The Maytals - Do the Reggay.

Bob Marley - Concrete Jungle.

King Tubby & Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

Madness - Night Boat to Cairo

Sister Nancy - Bam Bam

Prince Fatty ft. Shniece and Horseman - The Model.

Paul Hemmings, co-founder of the amazing Viper Label is our guest in episode 9 of the Misadventures in Music podcast with Ian Prowse and Mick Ord.

Paul, ex-Las's and Lightning Seeds guitarist, co-founded the label in 1999 with another ex-La's stalwart and solo artist in his own right, Mike Badger.

The label specialises in vintage blues, rock n roll, country &  gospel recordings and has released more than 150 "roots" albums and singles along with notable releases from the La's and Captain Beefheart, in addition to noted Merseyside artists such as Edgar Jones & Mr Badger himself.

Paul's love of these iconic recordings shines through and he's already agreed to return to our studios in the future to continue the Viper story and showcase the vintage roots recordings of which he is rightly so proud."

PLAYLIST - all from Viper Label

1) Buddy Jones - Rockin Rollin Mama   - from Out There - The Wondrous Roots of Rock n Roll

2) The Reefer Song - Fats Waller  - from Ultimate 30's and 40's Reefer Songs

3) Then We'll Need that True Religion - Rev Edward Clayton  from The Very Best of American Religious Songs

4) Rock Me - Sister Rosetta Tharpe                               as above

5) Riot in Cell Block Number 9  -  The Robins ( from Banged Up - American Jailhouse Songs)

6) Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash ( as above)

7) Space Guitar - Johnny Guitar Watson --- from Hot Guitars album

8) Bo Meets The Master - Bo Diddley --- The Ultimate Halloween Party

All music is licensed with PRS - Read more about the Viper Label here

When 18 year old Mark Watson met the American jazz musician and poet Gil Scott-Heron after a gig in Liverpool in 1984 little did he realise that the star was going to play such an important role in his life.

Mark had just been released from 9 years in the care system and could barely read or write. Nevertheless he WAS streetwise and blagged his way into the backstage area of the Royal Court theatre in the hope of shaking Gil's hand and praising him for his performance.

Something about Mark's character affected Gil and he invited him to become a roadie with the band and over the years their relationship blossomed and Gil became his friend and mentor.

Fast forward to 2022 and Malik al Nasir ( Mark changed his name when converting to Islam 30 years ago) is doing a PhD at Cambridge University and has just released a book - Letters to Gil - describing the impact Gil had on his life and telling HIS story about how the musician saved him where the care system in the UK had failed.

Malik is this month's guest in the Misadventures in Music podcast with Ian Prowse and Mick Ord - both huge Gil fans.

It's a genuinely astounding story about generosity of spirit and the power of music."

Track Listing

1. "Cane" from the album "Secrets" based on a novel called "Cane" by Gene Toomer about post slavery segregation in the rural south where he grew up. It aligns with my fathers experience in the cane fields of Demerara in Guyana. The song is adapted from the characters in the book and poems about them. "Karintha" and "Becky".
2. "Washington DC" from the album "Moving Target" This was the song that first introduced me to Gils work and caused me to go to that fateful meeting at the Royal Court Theatre in 1984 which forever altered the course of my life.
3. "On from a broken home" from the last album "I'm New Here". I was with Gil when he wrote this poem in 1988 whilst we were on tour in the US with Ritchi Havens. I'd been telling Gil about my issues and he said "you're not the only one with issues" and proceeded to read me what he'd just written. That was 88 but it didn't get released until 2010.
4. "Immigrants - Free at Last" by Malik & The O.G's (Song features Gils drummer Rod Youngs & Gils percussionist Larry McDonald). It was my response to the xenophobia that we faced growing up by people always telling us to "go back to where you came from". After working with Gil I attained the knowledge to answer that trope.

Ian Prowse and Mick Ord discuss the career of Lindisfarne musician Alan Hull with documentary producer Ged Clarke. The songwriter penned hits such as 'Lady Eleanor' and 'Fog On The Tyne' but relatively little is known about his work away from the North East.

Ged joined the boys after the airing of his hugely popular BBC documentary featuring Sam Fender, Sting and Elvis Costello to name a few. 

The documentary is available on iPlayer for 12 months

Playlist

• Lady Eleanor by Lindisfarne which Hull wrote ( based on the Edgar  Allan Poe short story The Fall of the House of Usher)
• One More Bottle of Wine  - Alan Hull
• Breakfast - Alan Hull
• Statues and Liberties - Alan Hull
• The Money Game - Alan Hull
• January Song -  Lindisfarne (from their best-selling album 'Fog on the Tyne')

One of the most fascinating things we love about musicians, is when they decide to completely change their direction. Whether thats musical direction or they simply fall out of love with the business. We have all experienced moments when our favourite music icons leave their fans confused and scratching their heads, wondering what happened. Or in some cases when it's an ex band member, who completely rips the band apart with them to go do something else.

In this podcast episode we look at a few female artists that interest both Ian and Mick and explore the music they started creating and then suddenly decided to change direction in music or actually quit altogether. This episode looks at their reasons for doing so, was it the right choice or should they have stayed?

Our hosts discuss stars such as Alanis Morisette, Anne Briggs and Bobby Gentry and the fascinating stories on both their music and lives.

Leading on from Episode 2 - Mick spoke to producer  Siobhán McAndrew on the making of Crock of Gold - A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan.

The interview details what it was like onset when filming with the man himself. An extraordinary insight, especially if you have seen the documentary

Urbanista Mag brings you the first episode in a new series of podcasts from Amsterdam & Pele Frontman Ian Prowse and former BBC Producer Mick Ord - Misadventures in Music

In this episode the the guys discuss protest songs with Mick and Ian choosing a powerful mix of artists that inspired them from the Punk and New Wave era.

The discussion casts an insight on what it was like hearing and seeing bands such as The Jam & The Clash for the 1st time and why anger played such a huge part in the success of Punk Bands across the UK and USA. But more so, how the music became a channel of information and opinion you didn't get through mainstream TV and News.

About Ian Prowse & Mick Ord

The presenters of this show have a pedigree in the world of music - Ian Prowse is a successful musician with Bands Pele and Amsterdam who achieved success in the early 90's and is now touring a new album The Story of Ian Prowse. 

Mick Ord began his career as a journalist in the 80's and went on to become head of the BBC in Liverpool. Mick now runs a crisis media company but still championing the music and bands he loves across the UK.

Music Licence

All music is licensed via PRS