Oh! Brother

DONALD JOHNSON - Oh! Brother LIVE

Oh! Brother

Show Notes

Recorded live at Wythenshawe Cultural Hub, we were thrilled to interview fellow Wythenshawrite Donald Johnson, best known for his storied career in A Certain Ratio. Stories of codpieces, drivers and The Hacienda make up this weeks show, amongst some discussion of music and drumming as well. Hope you enjoy!

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More from Oh! Brother

Oct 9, 2026

Music writer, consultant and friend of the show Daryl Easlea sits down with Paul and Steve to explain how a request for 500 words on a budget CD launched his sleevenotes career. His first subjects were Sergio Mendes and the exclamation-mark incarnation of Ultravox!, which is a respectable range by anybody’s standards. From his arrival at Record Collector to his enduring love of The Fall, Daryl reflects on being a musical generalist, finding the melody in Status Quo and searching patiently for the appeal of death metal.

Sep 25, 2026

Recorded live at Futures and Pasts, this special episode of Oh! Brother sees Paul and Steve joined on stage by the Poet Laureate himself, Simon Armitage. Simon looks back on discovering The Fall as a teenager, his early gigs, and what it is about Mark E. Smith's lyrics that has captivated so many writers.

Sep 11, 2026

This week Paul and Steve welcome Liverpool musician Barry Sutton, former Fall roadie and founder of Beatnik Hurricane. Barry recalls hearing Slates at 15, abandoning prog on the spot and beginning his long association with The Fall. He also covers the drum stands he may or may not have set up, his expulsion from school and his family's habit of setting off fire alarms. Paul and Steve also ask him about Beatnik Hurricane's film Sketches of Skem. Hope you enjoy!

Aug 28, 2026

This week on Oh! Brother, we were thrilled to welcome Manchester music legend and Mercury Prize-winner Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) to the show. Damon talks us through his early days as a tape-op at Square One Studios in Bury, his years at print works and music college, and how hearing Springsteen and The Stranglers sparked his obsession with sound. We also hear the full story of how Mark E. Smith mistook him for a taxi driver outside Night and Day — complete with false teeth and a Pet Sounds cassette — leading to their collaboration on "Calendar", plus Damon reflects on life after quitting the booze, his friendship with Mark over the years, and the John Spencer Blues Explosion gig that changed everything. Hope you enjoy!

Aug 14, 2026

This week on Oh! Brother, we welcome BC Camplight — aka Brian Christinzio. Brian discusses discovering the piano as a child, beginning his career in Philadelphia and finding a new home in Manchester. He also recalls his unusual introduction to The Fall, reflects on his approach to recording and production, and prepares to reinterpret songs covered by the band for Futures and Pasts. Hope you enjoy!

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