Show Notes
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
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More from All About The Music
In early 1962 Decca Records had the choice of signing one of two bands? They chose The Tremeloes, who went on to have two chart-topping singles. Not a bad result! Except that the other band were The Beatles. By coincidence, my guest today has chosen BOTH of these bands… Hello and welcome to another episode of All About The Music, where I’m delighted to be in the company of psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry. Her career has seen her delve deep into how childhood and family shape us as adults, so it’s only fitting that her musical picks take us back to the world of her own childhood - a time of boarding schools, and parents set on Philippa losing her Warrington accent. Whisper it quietly, but some of her choices aren’t necessarily “favourites”… more the tracks that transport her to a formative point in her life, whether that’s being mildly terrified by the story of “Big Bad John”, comforted by her aunt playing Chopin, or misled by the romantic lyrics of Ella Fitzgerald. And then there are The Beatles. Of all the music of her youth, they perhaps stand alone in Philippa’s eyes and ears. They’re as good now as they always were. No assessment of Philippa’s musical loves could be complete without a trip to the world of the musical theatre. And Singin’ in the Rain is a show I’m always happy to re-visit! Does Philippa care for contemporary music? Not a great deal, it has to be said. But Rufus Wainwright is a true talent who became the soundtrack to a memorable weekend in Paris when her and her now adult daughter stayed at the Hotel George V. Follow Phillipa Perry: https://www.instagram.com/askphilippa/ Listen to all Philippa’s selections on Spotify here https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3VSQpv8s8S6I9RTY9ZVauE Featured artists & tracks: 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
Music so often has big things to say about its time. And there’s something about the 80s where this really went into overdrive. My guest today was living and breathing it… Hello and welcome to another episode of All About The Music, where I am joined by Damion Burrows who, when he’s not heading up his own architectural business, can be seen on TV shows like Grand Designs: House of the Year, Your Home Made Perfect and Britain’s Favourite Railway Stations. As a youngster coming out in the 80s, Damion was drawn from hometown Sheffield to the clubs of Manchester which resounded to Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy and Pet Shop Boys hits like Left To My Own Devices. Through club music with a real message, Damion was finding his crowd whilst Britain was shouldering “Section 28”, which banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools and by local authorities. As an adult, music is Damion’s way of relaxing, whether that’s revelling in the soulful brilliance of Celeste, soaking up the vibe with a posh picnic at a Jamie Cullum concert, or marvelling at the Kate Bush-esque vocal qualities of Swedish star Robyn. And I’m delighted to say, Damion’s introducing a new act to me too – the brilliant baritone of country star Orville Peck, who seems to be able to turn his hand to almost anything. Follow Damion Burrows: https://www.instagram.com/damionburrows/ Listen to all Damion’s selections on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ukc7QSU9cgSkzZXUSbHKU Featured artists & tracks: Jimmy Somerville & Bronski Beat, “Small Town Boy” Pet Shop Boys, “Left to My Own Devices” Celeste, “Stop This Flame”, “Strange” Jamie Cullum, “These Are the Days”, “You and Me Are Gone” Robyn, “Indestructible (Acoustic)”, “Hang With Me (Acoustic)” Orville Peck, “Hexy Mountains”, “Mienteme”, “Small Town Boy” 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
What does Britain’s most famous film critic listen to in his spare time? Perhaps predictably, the odd movie soundtrack gets mentioned today! But that’s about all that’s predictable… Hello and welcome to this episode of All About The Music, where I sit down with Mark Kermode — film critic, broadcaster and, I’m proud to say, a musician mate of mine. Mark’s taste is wonderfully eclectic, stretching from the 1930s Blues that he and his father could bond over, through skiffle to the political punk of Gang of Four and Mark’s formative years. The eclecticism only grows as we get to movies. Who else could pick Mark Knopfler’s superbly evocative Local Hero soundtrack, alongside the bold, boundary-pushing composition of Mica Levi and Anna Meredith’s Nautilus, which has been brilliantly described as the “sound of a panic attack”? And whilst it’s Dire Strait’s main man who leaves Mark with goosebumps, it’s the American Jonathan Richman who almost reduces him to tears. I encourage all of you to take a full listen to Jonathan’s 1979 number “The Morning Of Our Lives” – it really feels quite unique. Follow Mark: https://twitter.com/kermodemovie Listen to the Spotify playlist of Mark’s selections here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5RlMqKAB9Q5ws2iZI7zp6x Featured artists & tracks: Washboard Sam – “Who Pumped The Wind In My Doughnut?” Lead Belly – “Rock Island Line” Gang of Four – “Ether”, “I Found That Essence Rare” Mark Knopfler – “Wild Theme”, “The Ceilidh & The Northern Lights” Mica Levi – “Love”, “Monos” Anna Meredith – “Nautilus” Jonathan Richman – “The Morning of Our Lives”, “Roadrunner” 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
What a joy to be contacted out of the blue by a legend of British TV. “Please Neil, let me be a guest on your podcast!” Hello and welcome to another All About The Music, where I’m delighted to say that my guest is Anneka Rice – known to all of us who owned a television in the ‘80s and ‘90s, when she was jumping out of helicopters for Channel 4’s Treasure Hunt, before achieving the impossible week-in week-out on the BBC’s Challenge Anneka. Furthermore her entire life – quite clearly – has been filled with music, and it’s a joy to discuss her favourites from across the decades with her. As a young girl she was listening to the Beatles (of course) but was influenced by 60s female role model Dusty Springfield. Both these artists also established Anneka’s love of great storytelling in music. Musical theatre has made a big impression on her too – from Tim Rice’s take on cold war politics in Benny and Bjorn’s Chess, to the more off-beat world of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Picture Show. Above all, Anneka loves how music can reach across divides and bring people together – as demonstrated perfectly by Stormzy and his memorable headline performance at Glastonbury. Listen to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0fJp3Yx6KmMwITVMBjASAx Featured artists & tracks: Dusty Springfield, “I Only Want To Be With You”, “Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa” Rocky Horror Picture Show, “Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me” Chess (Tommy Körberg), “Anthem” The Beatles, “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “Golden Slumbers” Dmitri Shostakovich, “Piano Concerto No.2 in F Major, II. Andante” Stormzy, “Blinded By Your Grace, Pt. 2” 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
Love songs are as old as love itself. And there are thousands to choose from. So with Valentine’s Day almost upon us, what might make the perfect love song for your own true love? Hello and welcome to an especially romantic edition of All About The Music, with me, Neil Brand. Today I am here to help in your quest to find that special song for that very special someone. And believe me, I am throwing the net wide – from Nina Simone in 1966 right through to Jvke and his Golden Hour in 2022. My advice? Listen carefully to this show because no two love songs are the same (even if they’re a cover?!) in the same way that no two relationships are ever quite the same. From the euphoria of The Cure’s Robert Smith and the timeless devotion of The Beach Boys, to the Yorkshire humour of Jake Thackray and the darkest thoughts of Elvis Costello. I promise that this show has something for everyone, whether you’re currently experiencing love at first sight, are all set for your umpteenth wedding anniversary, or simply looking back with love and warmth. Happy Valentines Day everyone! Find the Spotify playlist of all my love songs here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Ur4knv5z98CxaAOfSSJ3p Featured artists & tracks: Jvke, “Golden Hour” Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” The Cure, “Just Like Heaven” Jake Thackray, “La Di Da” Arctic Monkeys, “I Want to Be Yours” The Beach Boys, “God Only Knows” Bob Dylan, “Make You Feel My Love” Adele, “Make You Feel My Love” Nina Simone, “Wild Is the Wind” Elvis Costello, “I Want You” Amy Winehouse, “Love Is a Losing Game” Lily Allen, “Madeline” Sinead O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U” Tom Waits, “Martha” Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin, “Je t’aime… moi non plus” 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