All About The Music

“Famous voices. The songs that shaped them. The stories behind the music.”In All About The Music, composer, pianist and BBC broadcaster Neil Brand sits down with familiar faces from culture, comedy, and television to explore the soundtracks of their lives. From iconic anthems to guilty pleasures, each guest shares the songs that shaped them — and Neil brings those tracks to life at the piano, sparking laughter, memories, and plenty of surprises.Series One launches 22 October with weekly episodes featuring guests including Bruno Tonioli, Samira Ahmed, Stephen Frost, Rob Bell, Charlie Luxton, and Keith Brymer Jones. Expect moving stories, unexpected choices, and unforgettable musical moments.Hit follow now and join us for a podcast that’s part interview, part live performance, and always All About The Music.Discover more about the show at allaboutthemusicpod.com.

Hello, Neil Brand here – For this first show, I’m joined by the marvellous Keith Brymer Jones, much loved for his pottery designs and his emotional appearances as a judge on TV’s Great Pottery Throwdown. We talk creativity, nostalgia, and the many ways in which music finds its way into his life — whether he’s at the potter’s bench, on stage with his own band, or even at his mother’s wake.  Keith’s chosen tracks take us from the 1970s right up to the present day and from the early days of Roxy Music, through Kate Bush and 90s big beat, to the very latest English folk music.  Best of all – Keith introduces me to a couple of artists I knew nothing about! Find the Spotify playlist of all Keith Brymer Jones’ selections here. Buy Keith’s autobiography, ‘Boy in a China Shop’ here.  Follow Keith: https://www.instagram.com/keithbrymerjones/Featured artists and tracks (with Spotify links): Roxy Music, “Both Ends Burning”, “Do the Strand” Theatre of Hate, “Original Sin”, “Do You Believe in the Westworld” The Wigs, “Six o’ Clock Shuffle” Kate Bush, “This Woman’s Work” Chemical Brothers, “Out of Control” Stick in the Wheel, “Over Again”, “Steals the Thief” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the...

Hello and welcome to this second episode of All About The Music, where I’m joined by Rob Bell – presenter of many TV shows that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed from the comfort of my sofa. Rob’s explored the history of bridges, railways, lighthouses, and even nuclear submarines. But it turns out his love of music is just as entertaining and fascinating. Two things quickly became clear to me during our conversation for the show… Rob loves instruments (especially brass), and for Rob – music means having a good time. Whether it’s the unstoppable drive of AC/DC, the energetic funk of Jamiroquai, or the humorous lyrics of Mose Allison, it’s difficult to listen to Rob’s choices without a smile on your face! Follow Rob: https://www.instagram.com/rob.bell/Find the Spotify playlist of all Rob Bell’s selections here. Featured artists & tracks: Jamiroquai, “Emergency on Planet Earth”, “When You Gonna Learn?” Ugly Duckling, “A Little Samba”, “I Did It Like This” AC/DC, “Back in Black”, “Riff Raff” Patrick Bruel, “Place des Grand Hommes”, « Casser La Voix » Mose Allison, “Your Mind Is On Vacation”, “I Don’t Worry About A Thing” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s all about the music. Somersault Studio

Welcome to this episode of All About The Music, where I have the pleasure of sitting down with Bruno Tonioli – legendary dance judge, choreographer and, as I now know – wonderful storyteller (and teacher of Italian). Many will know Bruno from his decades on Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars. Fewer will know of his days choreographing the biggest stars in the business or what he really likes to listen to in his own time. Bruno’s passion for music pours forth with every story he tells. And what’s so clear is his love of performance above all else – whether that’s the unstoppable energy of Tina Turner or the dramatic emotion of Leontyne Price’s portrayal of Aida. I love how he’s blended his musical passions with his career, culminating in his amazing tale of choreographing Freddie Mercury at the peak of his powers. But Bruno’s a simple fan too. We hear how he grew up waiting for every new single by Italian superstar Mina and how he loves the latest generation of performers, led by British solo star RAYE, who, in Bruno’s words, uses her voice like an instrument.  Follow Bruno Tonioli: https://www.instagram.com/brunotonioliofficial/ Listen to the Spotify playlist of all Bruno’s selections here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ete6gxKdqZl3fu1fgflcx Featured artists & tracks: RAYE – “Oscar Winning Tears”, “Worth It”  Tina Turner – “Proud Mary”, “Steamy Windows”  Mina – “Amor Mio”  Verdi - “O terra, addio” from Aida  Freddie Mercury – “The Great Pretender”, “Barcelona” (with Montserrat Caballé)Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: Listen to All About The Music Because wherever you listen, it’s

What a joy to sit down with the brilliant Stephen Frost – comedian, actor, and master improviser. I’ve been lucky to know Stephen for years, but he’s loved by a great many more for his roles in The Young Ones, Blackadder, and Whose Line Is It Anyway? Stephen’s love of music is just as infectious as his onstage energy. In fact, you can feel that energy in many of his choices! He loves the hit of an intro that grabs hold of you from the outset – step forward, Status Quo and Thin Lizzy. There’s also a real South London vibe to Stephen’s selection, which is no surprise as this has been his stomping ground for decades. He’s hung out in Brixton with the likes of Alabama 3 – famous for producing the track that became the theme music for The Sopranos. And he can’t help but love the humour of Mike Skinner that’s peppered throughout The Streets. But on a Sunday morning at home… it’s time for some jazz and the unmatched voice of Ella Fitzgerald.  Listen to the Spotify playlist of all Stephen’s selections here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QhU4BehXJDRTJqpT3rQpp Featured artists & tracks: Status Quo – “Mean Girl”, “Down Down” Thin Lizzy – “Dancing in the Moonlight”, “Jailbreak” Roxy Music – “Virginia Plain” Martha and the Muffins – “Echo Beach” The Streets – “Let’s Push Things Forward”, “Get Out of My House” Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong – “Stompin’ at the Savoy” Ella Fitzgerald – “Blue Skies” Alabama 3 – “Woke Up This Morning”, “U Don’t Dans 3 Tekno” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the...

I suspected we might be listening to The Beatles in this episode. Instead I got Blondie and The Monkees, neither of which were expected… both of which put a big smile on my face! Welcome to another episode of All About The Music, where I’m joined by Samira Ahmed — broadcaster, journalist and author – whose interest in music is every bit as great and varied as you’d expect from a presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Front Row.  From her first album – Blondie’s Parallel Lines – via piano lessons and Claude Debussy, to the bizarre brilliance of William Shatner covering Pulp’s Common People, Samira and I chat our way through many times in her life and find music at the heart of all of them. I absolutely loved picking apart the simple poetic magic of Nick Drake with someone who adores his work. And it’s always a pleasure to discuss how much better The Monkees are than many people assume! Follow Samira Ahmed: https://twitter.com/SamiraAhmedUK Find the Spotify playlist of all Samira’s selections here. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1zesdmdIW0rheIt2Jkm96q Featured artists & tracks: Blondie, “One Way or Another”, “Heart of Glass” Nick Drake, “At the Chime of a City Clock”, “Parasite” Claude Debussy, “Arabesque No.1” The Monkees, “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” Frank Sinatra & Betty Garrett, “Come Up To My Place” Pulp, “Babies” William Shatner, “Common People” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and...

Paul Martin presented almost 1500 episodes of Flog It! But despite being a daily presence on our screens, how many of us knew that Paul was once a professional drummer?!  Hello and welcome to this episode of All About The Music, where I’m chatting to Paul – a musician with stories as colourful as any found in the auction room, and someone for whom music and emotion are never far apart. Where else to start but drumming – the foundation of everything, as Paul explains. But, like the sorely missed Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters’ fame, some drummers have managed to break out from providing mere rhythm. Technical brilliance arrives in the form of Jeff Porcaro from both Steely Dan and Toto, with Paul revealing the one song all good drummers have to master. Elsewhere, Paul tells me of the tearful day he left home to join a band, hints at bachelor life listening to Keith Jarrett’s record-breaking solo piano album, and revels in his kids keeping him up to date at a Tom Grennan concert. Paul’s absolute love of music pours out of him. Although it hasn’t helped him keep up with Jeremy Clarkson’s bank balance yet.  Find the Spotify playlist of all Paul Martin’s selections here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ndopURKeazchjb0jiW6uA Featured artists & tracks: Foo Fighters – “Times Like These”, “Best of You” Steely Dan – “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” Toto – “Rosanna” Hothouse Flowers – “I Can See Clearly Now”, “Don’t Go” Keith Jarrett – “The Köln Concert (Part I)” Tom Grennan – “Full Attention”, “Somewhere Only We Go” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on...

I love the unpredictable mix of music that guests bring to the show, and this episode is no exception – step forward jazz legend Miles Davis, and electronic producer Jon Hopkins! Hello and welcome to another All About The Music, where I’m joined by Charlie Luxton — architectural designer, familiar TV face, and lover of music with a tendency to push boundaries. Charlie’s playlist is as bold (yet often simple) as his buildings. We discuss the vulnerability of  Thom Yorke, a candidate for the best album ever from Marvin Gaye, and the wild inventiveness of Edinburgh’s Afrobeat-laden Young Fathers. Plus there’s a conveyor belt of memories from Charlie – from listening to vinyl in old barns to travels in Southeast Asia and the many live performances that are clearly so important to him. And he is without doubt the first guest on the show to be designing a recording studio for a member of Radiohead. Now that is a recording studio I’d love to look around…  Follow Charlie: https://www.charlieluxton.com/ Listen to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7tMykQKYD9jxNPamRtE9IM Featured artists & tracks: Radiohead, “Fake Plastic Trees”, “15 Step” Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On”, “What’s Happening Brother” John Hopkins & King Creosote, “Bats in the Attic” John Hopkins, “We Disappear” Miles Davis, “So What”, “Will o’ the Wisp” Young Fathers, “Geronimo”, “Rice” Connect With Us Stay in tune with All About The Music and join the conversation wherever you are: Website: allaboutthemusicpod.com — explore episodes, guest playlists, and behind-the-scenes stories. Instagram: @allaboutthemusic.pod — discover new episodes, reels, and the songs that shaped our guests. Facebook: facebook.com/allaboutthemusicpod — follow for updates, clips, and listener discussions. TikTok: @allaboutthemusicpod — enjoy bite-sized musical moments and highlights from the show.Follow Neil: @neil.brand.9 — for performances, live appearances, and my personal reflections on music. Share with your friends: a...

What makes the perfect Christmas song? Is there a formula for a festive hit? Call me foolhardy, but I think there might be!  Hello and welcome to this special Christmas edition of All About The Music, with me, Neil Brand. Today the guest chair is empty, but instead my studio sleigh is bursting with Christmas songs – from Slade’s joyfully raucous “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day” to Chris Rea’s bittersweet drive home and the timeless grace of David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s unlikely collaboration.  In this episode, I reveal my key ingredients for creating a Christmas hit. (Even better, it will become a hit year after year after year!) From picking the right instruments to penning the right lyrics and even choosing the right chord pattern, all is discussed as we work through 80 years of Christmas classics. And once we’ve heard from everyone from Mariah Carey to John Lennon, I’ll be able to reveal the ultimate Christmas song. (Plus, whisper it quietly, the one festive favourite that breaks all my recipe rules.) Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and join me – where it’s all about the music. Find the Spotify playlist of all my Christmas selections here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0EQvrCcPm648fHKgmJTNwQ Featured artists & tracks: Bing Crosby - “White Christmas” Wizard - “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day” Chris Rea - “Driving Home for Christmas” Wham! - “Last Christmas” John Lennon & Yoko Ono - “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” Slade - “Merry Xmas Everybody” David Bowie & Bing Crosby - “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” Paul McCartney - “Wonderful Christmastime” Jonah Lewie - “Stop the Cavalry” Andy Williams - “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” Mike Oldfield - “In Dulci Jubilo” a...