Pop: The History Makers with Steve Blame

Mari Wilson is one of Britain’s most distinctive pop stylists — a singer who turned retro glamour, wit, and musical intelligence into a career entirely her own. Rising to fame in the early 1980s with hits including Just What I Always Wanted, Cry Me a River, and Wonderful to Be With, she became instantly recognisable through her iconic beehive image and sharply defined pop persona.To watch this podcast - go here1www.popthehistorymakers.comBut Mari’s story reaches far beyond chart success. She later sang with Stan Getz, toured with Ronnie Scott, appeared on stage with Soft Cell, and built a richly varied career spanning theatre, cabaret, and live performance. She also played Dusty Springfield in Dusty The Musical, a fitting role for an artist so closely associated with sophisticated pop and torch-song drama.More than a decade after Pop Deluxe in 2016, Mari now returns with her forthcoming album Girl About Town, led by the single Good News, proving once again that style, individuality, and great songs never go out of fashion.Good News, her brand new album - Girl About Town was out on the 4th of September 2026.If you enjoyed this interview, please support by buying me a coffee!buymeacoffee.com/popthehistorymakersMore information at www.mariwilson.co.ukMore interviews at www.popthehistorymakers.com

Tom Bailey joins me to discuss the rebellion, curiosity and creative experimentation behind the Thompson Twins—one of the defining British pop groups of the 1980s.With their distinctive fusion of pop, new wave, percussion and synthesizers, the Thompson Twins achieved major success on both sides of the Atlantic with songs including Hold Me Now, Doctor! Doctor!, Love on Your Side, Lies, You Take Me Up, Lay Your Hands on Me and King for a Day.They also appeared at Live Aid in Philadelphia, joined by Nile Rodgers on guitar and Madonna on backing vocals.In this conversation, Tom reflects on the band's extraordinary journey, breaking America, his approach to songwriting and production, and the spirit of curiosity that has defined his entire career. We explore how his travels in India transformed his outlook on music and life, eventually leading to the formation of his Indo-Western fusion project Babble, before later embracing electronic music with International Observer and returning to the stage as Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey.Today, alongside performing the Thompson Twins' greatest hits, Tom continues to celebrate a lifetime of musical exploration, including material from his solo album Science Fiction.If you liked this interview please consider supporting me here;buymeacoffee.com/popthehistorymakersThompson Twins' Tom Bailey will perform the Thompson Twins' greatest hits across the UK in September 2026, with special guests Blancmange, led by Tom's longtime friend and fellow synth-pop pioneer Neil Arthur.Tickets are on sale now:https://www.alttickets.com/thompson-twins-tom-bailey-tickets

Some artists become part of the soundtrack of a generation. Clare Grogan managed to do that before she was twenty.As the singer of Altered Images, she helped create some of the most distinctive and joyful pop music of the early 1980s. Songs such as Happy Birthday, I Could Be Happy, See Those Eyes and Don't Talk to Me About Love combined infectious melodies with a sense of individuality that set the band apart from their contemporaries. At the same time, Clare became one of the defining faces of her generation through her starring role in the classic film Gregory's Girl.More than four decades later, those songs continue to resonate. New audiences continue to discover Altered Images, while those who were there the first time around have never forgotten them.Now Clare is preparing for a special UK tour celebrating Altered Images' landmark debut album Happy Birthday. Marking the album's 45th anniversary, the tour will see Clare and her band perform the record in its entirety for the first time, before returning for a second set featuring many of the group's biggest hits. The tour shines a spotlight on the album that launched one of Britain's most distinctive pop careers and remains one of the defining records of the post-punk era.In this conversation, Clare looks back on growing up in Glasgow, discovering punk, forming Altered Images with fellow members of the Siouxsie and the Banshees fan club, the whirlwind years of chart success, working with producers Martin Rushent, Mike Chapman and Tony Visconti, balancing life as both a pop star and actress, and why these songs continue to connect with audiences more than forty years after they were first recorded.Please support this podcast by contributing here:buymeacoffee.com/popthehistorymakersFrom Glasgow schoolgirl to pop icon, from Gregory's Girl to Happy Birthday, this is the story of an artist whose work remains as fresh, vibrant and relevant as ever.Tour Dates11 September 2026 Picturedome Holmfirth, UK12 September 2026 Town Hall Birmingham, UK13 September 2026 Lowther Pavillion Lytham, UK15 September 2026 Band On The Wall Manchester, UK16 September 2026 The Grove Newcastle, UK18 September 2026 The Factory Live Worthing, UK19 September 2026 Phoenix Exeter, UK23 September 2026 St Lukes Glasgow, UK24 September 2026 Old Fire Station Carlisle, UK25 September 2026 Liquid Rooms Edinburgh, UK

Carl Miller is a veteran tour manager and rock-and-roll raconteur whose memoir Backstage Chronicles offers an unfiltered look at the legends and loopholes of touring. As the author and compiler of the book, Miller draws from his decades of experience on the road—working with major figures such as Cat Stevens, Ginger Baker, and Iron Maiden.Through vivid, funny, and occasionally shocking stories, he shares backstage escapades, of him and friends, including Stevie Wonder driving a tour bus, getting stuck in a lift with Steve McQueen, and losing £75,000 of Led Zeppelin’s money, among many othersBeyond the anecdotes, Backstage Chronicles also paints a picture of how touring culture has evolved, and a look at what was really the wild west of rock n roll, which makes Spinal Tap feel real.If you'd like to get the book it's available through amazon online.

Iain McKell is a distinguished British photographer and filmmaker celebrated for his powerful portraits and social-documentary work, particularly his chronicling of British youth subcultures since the late 1970s.His prints will be exhibited in the upcoming show Blitz – The Club That Shaped the 80s, which opens on September 20th and runs until March 29th, 2026 at the Design Museum in Kensington, London.Alongside the exhibition, he's published a monograph titled New Romantics under the imprint Little Acorn Press, featuring portraits I made in 1980 at the age of 22.Every Tuesday, the Blitz Club played out its weekly scene, and he would attend with invitation cards in hand. He handed them to people who caught my eye, inviting them to a Thursday afternoon pop-up studio he set up at the Orangery in Holland Park. To his delight, many came, including Vivienne Westwood, Billy Idol, and George O’Dowd, to name just a few.The result is a rare and intimate documentation of a dynamic cultural movement as it was just beginning to emerge.Born in Weymouth, Dorset, in 1957, Iain began his photographic journey at 19 as a seaside portraitist while studying graphic design at Exeter, before moving to London in 1979 to devote himself fully to photography His early self‑published book, SUB CULTURE (1979), spotlighted the Mod and Skinhead revivals and led to opportunities photographing Blitz Kids in 1980s London, Madonna’s first magazine cover, and other influential editorial work in i‑D, The Face, and L'Uomo Vogue. McKell is perhaps best known for his decade‑long immersion in the world of New Age Travellers—documenting a modern nomadic subculture through his book The New Gypsies (2011) and exhibitions across London, Paris, Milan, and New York.His other notable books include Fashion Forever: 30 Years of Subculture (2004) and Beautiful Britain: Photographs from the 1970s to the Present (2012) McKell’s approach is both empathetic and unromanticized: he immerses himself in the lives of diverse communities to produce honest, poetic visual narratives that explore themes of rebellion, identity, and belonging

Deniece Pearson—best known as the powerhouse lead singer of Five Star—was the voice behind some of the slickest pop-R&B hits of the 1980s. As frontwoman of Britain’s answer to the Jacksons, she helped the sibling group dominate the charts with platinum albums and a string of infectious singles like System Addict and Rain or Shine. With a Brit Award under her belt and a signature sound that defined an era, Deniece has since carved out a dynamic solo career, earning praise in the West End, on The Voice UK, and with her own soul-driven releases. Timeless, trailblazing, and still shining.

A veteran British broadcaster, music industry insider, and self-proclaimed "serial thrill-seeker", Steve Blacknell's life has zigzagged through some of pop culture's most iconic moments.Born in Peckham in 1952 and raised in Dartford, Blacknell rose from humble beginnings—working as a hospital cleaner—to becoming a dynamic force in radio, television, and music PR. He worked at major record labels like Decca, Chrysalis, and Jive, where he notably signed A Flock of Seagulls.In the early 1980s, he became a familiar face and voice on BBC Radio 1, BBC2’s Riverside, and later as a pioneering European video jockey on MTV USA’s London Calling, reaching an audience of over 20 million.In 1985, he flew on Concorde with Phil Collins to cover both the UK and US sides of Live Aid, cementing his place in music history.Blacknell also dated Kate Bush in the 1970s, and their romance has since become part of his rich tapestry of rock 'n' roll storytelling. In interviews and his writing, he speaks fondly of her artistry and the intimacy they once shared, offering rare insight into the reclusive star.In 2025, he published his memoir Tales from the Bedroom Wall: The Life & Times of a Serial Thrill Seeker, which charts the highs of stardom and the lows of personal collapse. To buy the book, go here;https://amzn.eu/d/gCDNm8KFor Steve, failure is not a shame—it's a vital part of learning. He believes falling down hard is often what creates the best stories, the most powerful comebacks, and the deepest empathy. His life is living proof of that philosophy.Like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from the world of music. 🔗 Support Me Here☕Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/popthehistorymakers🔗 Stay Connected With Me.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steve.blame/

Steve Levine: The Hitmaker Behind Culture Club, The Beach Boys & More | Music Producer Legend #cultureclub #boygeorge #stevelevine #recordproducerHe’s the man behind the mixing desk who helped define the sound of a generation.My guest today is a Grammy Award-winning producer and one of the true architects of ‘80s pop. He shaped the global success of Culture Club, producing timeless hits like Karma Chameleon and Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, and played a key role in launching Boy George into superstardom.Steve’s discography as a playlist on Spotify here:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0WASlPyUQWAufcH1LnUAxe?si=1079ff5e819a478dBut Steve Levine’s story goes far beyond Culture Club. He’s worked with a staggering range of music legends — from The Beach Boys and Gary Moore to Lemmy — leaving his sonic signature on everything from polished pop to raw rock.A pioneer of studio innovation and a passionate advocate for new talent, Steve has never stopped pushing boundaries. Today, we’re diving deep into the music, the moments, and the mindset of a producer who helped shape the soundtrack of our lives.Full list of releases are herehttps://open.spotify.com/artist/1FZXNDQT6H3YSeMSgivXSQ?si=dnFW6HPxQRaYcI1WtFujIQLike, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from the world of music.🔗 Support Me Here☕Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/popthehistorymakers🔗 Stay Connected With Me.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steve.blame/Website: http://www.popthehistorymakers.com/📩 For business inquiries: steve@popthehistorymakers.com

Gered Mankowitz; Photographing Kate Bush, The Rolling Stones, Billy Idol, Suzi Quatro, Jimi Hendrix#GeredMankowitz #photography #katebush #therollingstones #billyidol #Suziquatro #jimihendrix As someone who’s spent years speaking with some of the most fascinating figures in music and culture, few conversations have excited me as much as the one you’re about to see. Recently, I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Gered Mankowitz—a photographer whose work hasn’t just captured music history, but helped define how we see it.Note; All Images © Gered Mankowitz / Iconic ImagesFor more - visit www.iconicimagesgallery.com From the gritty edge of the Rolling Stones and the electric charisma of Jimi Hendrix, to the theatrical glam of Slade, Sweet, and Suzi Quatro, the intense gaze of Billy Idol, and the enigmatic beauty of Kate Bush, Gered’s images have become part of our collective cultural memory.In this interview, we talk about the man behind the camera—his background, how it shaped his creative vision, and the instinctive way he connects with his subjects. We also delve into his relationship with the Hasselblad camera, a tool that became an extension of his eye, and explore what it is that he brings out in the people he photographs—something deeper, more human, and often utterly timeless.As we talk, I’ll be sharing some of his most iconic photographs—images that not only reflect a moment in time but continue to resonate decades later.This is more than a conversation about photography—it’s a revealing journey through music, image, and identity, seen through the lens of one of the great visual storytellers of our time.Like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from the world of music.