The Hustle Podcast

06/03/2025

Another former guest is gone.
RIP Brian James

05/03/2025

Paul Young has carried on a deceptively diverse solo career since he first broke out in 1983. He's had many big hits - especially the #1 "Everytime You Go Away - but his work has never fit nicely in one box. Whether it's his work with Pino Palladino or his TexMex band, he does what he wants and his talent carries him through. He's about to embark on a UK tour singing and telling stories about his first two albums. And this summer he's touring the US with Rick Springfield. And he put out a new album in 2023. He's been busy! He joins us this week to discuss all of it including his recent marriage, Band-Aid, his early punk days and a ton more. He's a total pro and one of the great soul singers of the era. Enjoy!

Paul Young has carried on a deceptively diverse solo career since he first broke out in 1983. He's had many big hits - especially the #1 "Everytime You Go Away - but his work has never fit nicely in one box. Whether it's his work with Pino Palladino or his TexMex band, he does what he wants and his....

27/02/2025

Hustlers!
We’re doing an Obscure 80s game in Music League if anyone wants to join us. These are really fun cuz you find all this new music from that decade.
Here’s the link if you want to join us. Let me know if you need help figuring it out.

Well Music Leaguers, here we are going back to the 80s Similar to leagues before, each round is devoted to a year. Some have more specific themes to consider. There are also a couple of bonus rounds with themes that cover all the decade. BTW, all the rounds are named after Aussie hit compilations of...

25/02/2025

A Hall of Famer this week.

The Moody Blues have been an institution in our lives for 60 years. 60! Not many other bands can say that. Though the remaining members Justin Heyward and John Lodge are doing their own things now, it hasn't stopped them from bringing the goods. Bassist and songwriter John Lodge joins us this week with two major projects he's excited about - his brand new EP Love Will Conquer All and his current tour that finds him playing hits and their classic album, Days of Future Passed, in its entirety. Did I mention the man is 81 years old! We get into this current spark of creativity, the band's history, especially their 80s period that kept them relevant when many others weren't, and stories behind many of the songs. Enjoy!

The Moody Blues have been an institution in our lives for 60 years. 60! Not many other bands can say that. Though the remaining members Justin Heyward and John Lodge are doing their own things now, it hasn't stopped them from bringing the goods. Bassist and songwriter John Lodge joins us this week w...

24/02/2025

Watched the Sly doc.
I loved it but I also have to come to terms with the fact I’ll never fully understand him.
That’s frustrating.

21/02/2025

Super fun lark with friends we recorded recently. Have a laugh at my expense!

Host Pod Eubanks (aka Eric Miller) hosts three couples (Brad Page and Sarah Linnen, Brian Linnen and Alex Alt, and Andy Schaal and Jon Lamoreaux) as they answer questions about each other for prizes and bragging rights. We had a blast!

21/02/2025

Just finished SNL50.
I’m grateful Simon and McCartney are still with us. But, watching them just made me sad.

18/02/2025

One of our best ever. Have YouTube handy!

Director Nigel Dick is behind some of the most iconic videos (and images) in rock history. Whether it's Britney Spears, Guns n Roses, Oasis, Tears for Fears, Cher, Def Leppard, or hundreds of others, his visuals are what shapes our impressions of these artists. In this incredibly entertaining conversation, we dive into all the best stories from his nearly 45 years of directing including his time making Hollywood features, how videos are made from the top down, working with temperamental artists, and filming the recording of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas." Chalk this up to an instant classic! Enjoy!

Director Nigel Dick is behind some of the most iconic videos (and images) in rock history. Whether it's Britney Spears, Guns n Roses, Oasis, Tears for Fears, Cher, Def Leppard, or hundreds of others, his visuals are what shapes our impressions of these artists. In this incredibly entertaining conver...

14/02/2025

More great Australian music for you!

The Saints were a very important band in the history of Australian rock. Their mixture of melodic but greasy garage rock with a punk spirit was unlike anything else in the 70s. It produced the song they're still best known for, "(I'm) Stranded", one of the greatest punk anthems ever. That debut album of the same name from 1977 was recently given the deluxe treatment - 4 albums of remastered versions, b-sides, live shows, and more. Guitarist Ed Kuepper joins us to discuss his own, and the band's history including how they made that killer debut, why he left the band after three albums for a solo career, the loss of Saints frontman Chris Bailey, and a ton more. Enjoy!

The Saints were a very important band in the history of Australian rock. Their mixture of melodic but greasy garage rock with a punk spirit was unlike anything else in the 70s. It produced the song they're still best known for, "(I'm) Stranded", one of the greatest punk anthems ever. That debut albu...

11/02/2025

We’re finally getting back on track!

Australian producer Charles Fisher's resume is all over the place. Two of his earliest producing jobs were with Australian punk legends Radio Birdman followed by Air Supply! That kind of diversity continued for decades working with everyone from Olivia Newton-John to Divinyls to Jimmy Barnes to Hoodoo Gurus to Deep Blue Something (as well as more Australian artists like Moving Pictures and Ol' 55). In the 90s he hit the jackpot when he did Savage Garden's debut album that went on to sell over 15 million copies. We often discuss the effect financial success has on an artist's desire to create, but here we hear it from the producer's perspective which is a fascinating story. Enjoy!

Australian producer Charles Fisher's resume is all over the place. Two of his earliest producing jobs were with Australian punk legends Radio Birdman followed by Air Supply! That kind of diversity continued for decades working with everyone from Olivia Newton-John to Divinyls to Jimmy Barnes to Hood...

10/02/2025

Recent haul

09/02/2025

Jim Babjak and Graham Maby house concert at our buddy Eric Miller’s house. Brad Page (who also opened), Andy Schaal, Alex Alt, Brian and Sarah Linnen and Brian Jacobs were all there too. Magical night!

07/02/2025

Until this week’s ep comes out, enjoy a little something something from the do**he caravan.

All aboard…the Do**he Caravan is sailing away on a yacht! Jon Lamoreaux (Host of the Hustle Podcast), Patrick Dupuis (Host of the EETF Podcast) and Michael Bagford return to discuss the latest film in Max’s Music Box series Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary (2024). This film charts the music and career...

31/01/2025

Episode 507 is available

Thanks mostly to his magical work with John Mellencamp, Don Gehman was one of the biggest producers of the 80s. He was by John's side from the Cougar days through his whole peak period ending with The Lonesome Jubilee. Along the way he also produced REM's best album, Life's Rich Pageant, Bruce Hornsby's A Night on the Town, and many more, but the success started to wane. Then, he took on the job of producing this new band with a funny name called Hootie and the Blowfish and we know how that ended. Don doesn't do a lot of interviews so we're lucky to hear him discuss all of this as well as Chicago, Brian Setzer, Jimmy Barnes, Pat Benatar and a bunch of others. Don figured out what the sound of Heartland rock in the 80s should sound like, and we're all better off for it.

Thanks mostly to his magical work with John Mellencamp, Don Gehman was one of the biggest producers of the 80s. He was by John's side from the Cougar days through his whole peak period ending with The Lonesome Jubilee. Along the way he also produced REM's best album, Life's Rich Pageant, Bruce Horns...