Trust The Wizards Podcast

08/04/2024

Sure ’nuff ‘n yes it is Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band who make it onto Robert Pollard’s tape number 37. You can find out what we thought of the first two Beefheart albums b…

22/02/2024

Here’s one for all the jug addicts. Trip inside this house with us as we absorb these 2 albums like a drop of rye fungus on blotting paper.

26/12/2023

The KICKERS 2023 have been announced!

Amongst the big winners are Spare Snare, Hap a Damwain, Datblygu, The Nightingales, Babybird, Amy Rigby, Werra Foxma Records and The Chills

You can find the full list of lists here:

Another year, another blog post starting with my favourite SONG OF THE YEAR – a full run down of all my favourite songs can be heard on one of our end of the year podcasts – the Kicker …

13/12/2023

The first of our Best of 2023 shows hits the airwaves.

These are our Kicker's choices.

In his annual round up, our Kicker narrows it down to his favourite 24 tracks of the year, split across two podcasts for your bitesize enjoyment. Just click on the pictures to find a link to stream…

21/11/2023

Chattin' about the Groovies

Proper rock ‘n roll comin’ straight atchew from San Franciso with the apostrophe friendly Flamin’ Groovies and a couple of their albums released around 1970. Uncle Bob omitted to …

06/11/2023

The latest Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s Podcast features at least one artist who covered Guided By Voices.

We delve into the world of pop (with added strings) on this episode and consider the relative merits of albums by two musicians who became TV stars, but only one of whom covered Guided By Voices. Y…

03/11/2023

It's Bandcamp Friday, so no better a time to buy that tshirt you've been hankering after

We are down to the last 10, with single items left in some sizes, so don't wait too long.

tomviolence4.bandcamp.com/merch/tom-violence-t-shirt

We also have 1 copy of the LP ready to go with more covers due by the end of the month.

tomviolence4.bandcamp.com/album/definite-limits-2

The CDs have all gone, of course, but if you buy a tshirt, you'll get a link to the downloads.

Tom Violence T-shirt from Tom Violence

13/10/2023

Want to pretend you know what our Kicker's band sound like, but aren't sure you really need to listen?

Then, this merch is just for you!

Act quickly though as numbers are very limited.

Tom Violence T-shirt from Tom Violence

26/09/2023

Ooh, there's a new Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s Podcast to get your blood boiling.

Two very different albums under scrutiny in this show. One, from the height of the hippie dream, full of optimism and naivety, the other its brutal and violent opposite. Guess which one we liked be…

22/08/2023

Just another day in TTW world as John Darnielle out of off of The Mountain Goats recommends our Kicker's band.

It would be rude not to follow his advice, right?

Pre-order your limited vinyl copy right here:

https://tomviolence4.bandcamp.com/album/definite-limits-2

10/08/2023

Lennon or Ozzy? We decide.

Here we consider the relative merits of John Lennon’s first solo album and the second album from Black Sabbath. Suffice to say, some strong emotions were expressed in the making of this podca…

08/08/2023

Coming soon to Bandcamp, our Kicker's only gone and sorted the must have fashion item of the year!
Tom Violence tshirts featuring the iconic TV car with its nod to his favourite band on the number plate.
You know you need one, even if you've never heard the band.
If you are interested, please let us know your preferred size in reply to avoid disappointment.

03/08/2023

Tomorrow is Bandcamp Friday, so why not check out our Kicker's long lost band.

The CDs have sold out, but the limited individually hand painted vinyl is still available.

Formed in 1986 and active into the early 90s, now releasing long lost songs.

03/08/2023

Catch up with our Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s Podcast with a Chorizo stats bomb. And playlist.

With 31 of Robert Pollard’s 62 tapes now covered, we have reached the halfway point of our podcast. Take a listen to this special bonus episode for all the stats you could possibly need on the albums we’ve covered so far.

16/07/2023

The Doors are well and truly open on the latest Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s Podcast

Is everybody in? The podcast is about to begin. Join us as we approach the doors of perception & break on through to the other side in the company of the third & fourth albums by Mr Mojo Risin & pals.

02/07/2023

Tune in, kids!

18/06/2023

21/05/2023

There's a new Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s Podcast out with a discussion about The Attack and Andromeda.

What are you waiting for?

Another tape where Uncle Bob failed to name an album, so we have handpicked 10 tracks from The Attack to review along with a compilation of unreleased recorcordings from Andromeda, featuring at lea…

14/05/2023

Our Kicker's old band, Tom Violence will be out on vinyl later in the year on Almost Halloween Time Records.

Featuring 4 remixed tracks plus cover versions by Wio, Ed Nolbed and Hercules Fence, as well as a re-edit from Spare Snare's Jan Burnett.

Very limited numbers with individually hand painted covers with different lost Sheffield landmarks, such as the Tinsley Cooling Towers.

Pre-order now here:

8 track album

05/04/2023

in case you don't get this joke, here's the story:

In 1978 I did my first tour of Europe as "stunt" guitarist and singer for Frank Zappa's band. The night we played in Cologne, Germany unbeknownst to me Brian Eno was in the audience. Brian knew David Bowie was looking for a new guitarist for his upcoming tour. He called David after seeing our show and told David he should come see the guitarist for Frank's band.

The next night we performed in Berlin. There was a part of the show where Frank took an extended guitar solo and most of the band members, including myself, left the stage for a few minutes. As I walked to the back of the stage I looked over at the monitor mixing board and saw David Bowie and Iggy Pop standing there.
Wow! I couldn't believe it!

So I walked over to David Bowie, shook his hand and said, "I love what you've done, thank you for all the music". And he said, "Great, how would you like to be in my band?" I motioned back towards Frank and said, "Well, I'm kind of playing with that guy." David laughed and said, "Yes, I know, but when Frank's tour ends my tour starts two weeks later. Shall we talk about it over dinner?"

David said he would meet me back at our hotel and sure enough when I arrived back at the hotel David Bowie and his assistant Coco Schwab were sitting on a couch in the lobby. As I walked past them they whispered to me, "Get into the elevator, go up to your room, come back down in a few minutes, and meet us outside. We have a car waiting."
It was like something out of a spy film.

When I came back down and went outside there was a black limousine waiting. The driver opened the door and I got in the back with David and Coco. David immediately launched into all this plans for his upcoming tour, the songs we would play, the staging, and so on, and how much he loved my guitar playing! It was so exciting! He said they were taking me to one of his favorite restaurants in Berlin.

How many restaurants are there in Berlin? 25,000?

We arrived at the restaurant, went in the front door, and who should be sitting at the very first table but Frank Zappa and the rest of the band! So the three of us sat down with Frank and the band. David, trying to be cordial, motioned to me and said, "Quite a guitar player you have here Frank."
And Frank said, "F••• you Captain Tom."
(note: Frank had demoted David from Major Tom to Captain Tom.)
David persisted, "Oh come on now Frank, surely we can be gentleman about this?"
Frank said, "F••• you Captain Tom."
By this point I was paralyzed. David said, "So you really have nothing to say?" Frank said, "F••• you Captain Tom."

David and Coco and I got up and went back out the front door. Getting in the limo David said in his wonderfully British way, "I thought that went rather well!"

22/03/2023

I imagine this has already sold out, but you never know!

NEW RELEASE - 14.04.23 EVERYTHING WE FOUND BY TOM VIOLENCE

Lost to the world for 34 years Recordiau Prin is proud to finally release a collection of original studio recordings and demo's by Sheffield band Tom Violence.

Dripping with post punk attitude synth and damn catchy hooks the band featured

Alan Saint
Darren Fox (Trust The Wizards Podcast)
Nick Brelsford

Highly recommended listening!!!

Pre-order here

https://recordiauprin.bandcamp.com/album/everything-we-found

22/03/2023

The lastest Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s Podcast is an in-band in-fighting special with those easy going characters Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. With added Young.

If you’re a fan of band in-fighting, and, frankly, who isn’t? – this podcast will be right up your 4-Way Street. The undoubted talents of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash…

22/03/2023

Our Kicker would very much like you to buy multiple copies of this. OK, one will do.

https://recordiauprin.bandcamp.com/album/everything-we-found

All we can say is purchase prior to listening is recommended. 🤣

14 track album

13/03/2023

Jan Burnett out of off of Spare Snare talks our Kicker through the making of the band's forthcoming new album, The Brutal.

Despite Kicker getting the name of the album wrong and mishearing some of the lyrics, Jan Burnett still agrees to talk him through the making of the brilliant new Spare Snare album, The Brutal, ahe…

12/03/2023

The latest Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s Podcast has us listening to a bunch of singles from Wimple Winch and Keith West.

This is the first of Robert Pollard’s tapes that did not specify any particular albums, rather just the two artists: Wimple Winch and Keith West. All of the tracks Kicker and Chorizo listened…

26/02/2023

So here we have a new poster and dare we say it, a tour!

Dates, blurb and links attached.

We really hope you can make it, we've no idea if we'll be doing this kind of thing again, although we'd love to, day jobs and life outside the band often get in the way.

*The Brighton show will be announced formally, venue etc, soon.

North Shields:
www.ticketweb.uk/event/spare-snare-support-the-engine-room-tickets/12920315

Sheffield:
www.wegottickets.com/event/573804

Leeds:
www.seetickets.com/event/spare-snare/wharf-chambers/2572735

Trowbridge:
www.wegottickets.com/event/571925/

London:
www.wegottickets.com/sct/HAzU88b2Ar

Dundee:
www.wegottickets.com/event/572013

Leith:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spare-snare-at-vitamin-c-tickets-541167114407

Glasgow:
432p.seetickets.com/event/spare-snare/the-hug-and-pint/2571300?aff=aw

21/02/2023

Our sister podcast, Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s Podcast, is up to Tape 27 with Blossom Toes paired with The Savage Resurrection in a psychedelic head to head. See what we made of these obscuros on the link below.

A couple of more obscure albums for the Wizards to chew over this time round. We have the first Blossom Toes album, often hailed as a pop s**e masterpiece, and the self-titled, and only, album by T…