Memories of Ray LaMontagne | Trouble with Will Rew Smith
The Friday Vinyl Club: Music Memories and Album StoriesShow Notes
How does running a 42,000-follower fan community for Nick Cave, hunting down rare Prince 12-inch picture discs on eBay, and pursuing a creative writing degree shape a life celebrant? In this episode of The Friday Vinyl Club, Jamie sits down with record collector Will Rew Smith. Together, they dive into Ray LaMontagne’s hushed, soulful 2004 debut, Trouble, exploring its acoustic vulnerability, hidden demo arrangements, and why its striking front cover remains the ultimate tattoo inspiration. CONNECT WITH THE CLUB : • Our Official Website: thefridayvinylclub.com • Contact / Guest Inquiries: [email protected]
INSIDE THE EPISODE & TIMESTAMPS: 00:18 - Intro: Welcoming Will Rew Smith and introducing Ray LaMontagne's Trouble. 01:41 - Curveball Choice: Deliberately dodging expectations by skipping a Nick Cave record. 03:11 - Household Radio: Growing up around large floor speakers and country cassettes. 04:54 - Staring at Freddie: Finding deep curiosity inside Queen's iconic Greatest Hits artwork. 06:39 - Seven-Inch Lounge: Teaching his three-year-old daughter the ritual of flicking through vinyl. 07:45 - Playground Teasing: Defending classic Elton John and George Michael Walkman rotations at school. 08:59 - Sequencing Talk: Asking Nick Cave directly about the track listing of Skeleton Tree in Brighton. 10:44 - Prince Picture Discs: Capturing a major rush on eBay tracking Prince's rare 1991 picture discs. 13:33 - Later Eras: Why he prefers late-career, mature artist transformations over earlier catalogs. 17:44 - Problem Children: Professing an absolute love for REM's universally panned Around the Sun. 18:53 - Theater Gigs: Stepping into live music through intimate Dr. Hook acoustic sets. 21:44 - Sylvia's Mother: Memories of listening to vintage country radio edits with his mother. 23:04 - Secret Rounds: Witnessing Benjamin Clementine command an intimate winter performance in London. 26:12 - Leaving for New York: Traveling across the Atlantic to track live sets. 28:17 - The 30-Second Advert: How a fleeting television commercial after school instantly hooked him. 30:06 - Dead Format Era: Unpacking why Trouble initially dropped only on CD. 31:47 - Speaker Pillow: Spending a childhood winter sleeping to the tracks of Ray LaMontagne. 33:20 - Low-Budget Oscars: How the Irish cult film Once inspired Will to pick up a guitar. 35:29 - Skin Demos: Discovering that the vocals of "Burn" are actually the unedited raw tracking sessions. 37:58 - Forever My Friend: The family joy of using his favorite guitar chords during his wedding. 40:42 - Rolling Clouds: Dissecting the quiet, beautiful, structural exit loops of "All the Wild Horses." 45:10 - Orchard Rain: Spotlighting the acoustic handclaps of "Hold You in My Arms" and "Hannah." 46:18 - Cocaine Flames: Dolly Parton comparisons and breaking down the lyrical stories of "Jolene." 49:04 - Charred Shifts: Analyzing the polarizing electric shifts of Till the Sun Turns Black. 50:46 - Dancing with the Devil: Researching illustrator Jason Holley's visual artwork. 52:38 - Sin into Song: Reciting the confessional Last Temptation of Christ quote hidden on the sleeve. 56:30 - Factory Presses: Scoring an ultra-rare, green double-vinyl copy of his favorite 2011 record. THE FRIDAY SPIN- CLARE MAGUIRE SPOTLIGHT: • The Recommendation: Clare Maguire and her brilliant 2011 album Light After Dark, featuring "The Last Dance".
TOPICS COVERED: Ray LaMontagne, Trouble, Will Rew Smith, Nick Cave fan communities, Prince picture discs, REM later eras, alternative acoustic songwriting, visual booklet artwork, and physical tracking history. FOR FANS OF: If you love music memories, physical media, and human stories behind the songs on podcasts like The Vinyl Guide, Back to NOW!, Music Is None Of Our Business, Desert Island Discs, or A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, you are right at home in the club! Leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts to help our independent community grow!
More from The Friday Vinyl Club: Music Memories and Album Stories
How does discovering synth-pop in the North East, navigating sexuality and identity, life in the public eye during a high-profile marriage to comedian Alan Carr, and building close bonds with Adele, Whitney Houston, and Robbie Williams shape a lifelong music lover? In this episode of The Friday Vinyl Club, Jamie sits down with author and actor Paul Drayton to trace how Erasure's breakthrough 1987 synth-pop album, The Circus, served as a soundtrack for self-acceptance, personal awakening, and the enduring power of music. Along the way, Paul shares candid insights into his marriage to Alan Carr, behind-the-scenes stories of meeting Adele at the O2 and her getting ordained to officiate his wedding, his deep devotion to Whitney Houston, backstage moments with Robbie Williams, and how tracks like "Hideaway" helped him navigate coming out. CONNECT WITH THE CLUB:
How does discovering Marc Bolan's T. Rex on Top of the Pops, growing up around a family radio shop in West London, and falling in love with a 1971 glam rock masterpiece shape a lifelong music lover? In this episode of The Friday Vinyl Club, Jamie sits down with his good friend Simon Bevan to trace how T. Rex's legendary 1971 glam rock album, Electric Warrior, served as a masterclass in swaggering grooves, Tony Visconti's lush production, and bold artistic vision. https://www.t-rex.co.uk/ CONNECT WITH THE CLUB: Our Official Website: https://www.thefridayvinylclub.com/ Contact / Guest Inquiries: [email protected] INSIDE THE EPISODE & TIMESTAMPS: 00:18 - Introduction: Welcome to The Friday Vinyl Club with guest Simon Bevan. 03:21 - Early musical roots: Mum's radio, The Beatles, and Bevan's Radio Rentals in Greenford. 12:01 - Discovering Marc Bolan, glam rock, and buying Electric Warrior in 1971. 16:33 - Transitioning into punk, attending university in York, and discovering heavy dub reggae. 22:17 - Live music memories: From early gigs with 10cc and Dr. Feelgood to Springsteen at Wembley, Live Aid and Nina Simone. 33:00 - Finding Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the transcendental experience of seeing them live. 39:12 - Nick Cave's cover of "Cosmic Dancer" from the Angel Headed Hipster tribute album. 43:03 - Deep-diving into Electric Warrior: production, lyrics, and sonic textures. 50:04 - Track highlights: "Lean Woman Blues," "Jeepster," "Monolith," and "Rip-Off". 1:06:10 - The Friday Spin: Simon's recommendations (Alice Coltrane, Keith Jarrett, Wren, Geese, Pigeon, and The Long Faces). TOPICS COVERED: Simon Bevan, T. Rex, Marc Bolan, Electric Warrior, vinyl record collecting, family business history, glam rock, punk history, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, live concert memories, and physical media. THE FRIDAY SPIN: SIMON BEVAN - 'ALICE COLTRANE, KEITH JARRETT & MORE' SPOTLIGHT: The Recommendation: Guest Simon Bevan and his standout Friday Spin selections, featuring Alice Coltrane, Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert, Ren’s "Hi Ren", Geese, Pigeon’s Outer National, and The Long Faces. The Vibe: Transcendental spiritual jazz, improvised piano masterpieces, rich vintage rock energy, brilliant deep cuts, and the timeless nostalgia of childhood gateway records. FOR FANS OF: If you love music memories, physical media, and human stories behind the songs on podcasts like The Vinyl Guide, Back to NOW!, Music Is None Of Our Business, Desert Island Discs, or A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, you are right at home in the club! Leave us a review wherever you listen to help our independent community grow!
Ollie and Jamie ("Papa") swap roles for a special 1-year anniversary episode of the Friday Vinyl Club Podcast! To celebrate 40 episodes of music commentary and record collecting, Jamie curates 5 tracks from incredible past podcast guests. Ollie must review them and choose just one track to be pressed onto a custom 7-inch vinyl record for the family den.Stream the featured tracks & support independent music:Max Clilverd - "Open Air": http://maxclilverd.comThe Wounded Lovers ft. Lucca Mae - "A Bar Called Paradise": https://woundedloversmusic.comIona Luke - "Crashing": https://os.fanRay Harris - "I Won't Let You Fall": https://rayharrismusic.comThe Family Band - "Pick Your Poison": https://bigblackcowrecords.comConnect with the Club:🌐 Official Website: https://thefridayvinylclub.com📧 Contact / Track Submissions: mailto:[email protected]📸 Follow us on Instagram: @thefridayvinylclubpodcast / @JamieB1nine73TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro & 1-Year Anniversary Special03:51 - Max Clilverd: "Open Air" (Tom Odell Black Friday Co-Writer)07:38 - The Wounded Lovers: "A Bar Called Paradise" (Nick Cave Influence)12:34 - Meeting Music Heroes: Crowded House, Neil Finn, & Loyle Carner14:15 - The Infamous Nick Cave All Points East Stage Fall17:54 - Lessons from 1 Year of Podcasting & Future Dream Guests25:53 - Iona Luke: "Crashing" & Live Music Memories33:54 - Ray Harris: "I Won't Let You Fall" & Abbey Road Mastering38:33 - The Family Band: "Pick Your Poison" (Muscle Shoals Americana)43:42 - Ollie's Final 7-Inch Custom Vinyl SelectionAbout The Friday Vinyl Club Podcast:Equal parts nostalgic storytelling, album artwork design analysis, and vinyl culture, we celebrate the physical record community. If you love music history and deep album dives like Desert Island Discs, The Vinyl Guide, or A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, subscribe to the channel!Please comment, like or subscribe to help an independent podcast grow!
How does growing up on a normal street with two pop stars as neighbors, carving out a creative journey as a songwriter, and falling in love with a landmark 1979 double-album shape a lifelong music lover? In this episode of Friday Vinyl Club, Jamie sits down with Wounded Lovers frontman, vocalist, and guitarist Iain Fenwick to trace how The Clash’s genre-defying masterpiece, London Calling, served as a masterclass in punk evolution, raw studio energy, and bold artistic vision. https://www.theclash.com/ CONNECT WITH THE CLUB: • Our Official Website: https://www.thefridayvinylclub.com/ • Contact / Guest Inquiries: [email protected] • Connect with Jamie on Instagram: @thefridayvinylclubpodcast Inside the Episode & Timestamps: 00:18 - Introduction: Welcome to The Friday Vinyl Club with guest Iain Fenwick (Wounded Lovers) 01:28 - Catching up with Iain: Discussing the chaotic muse of London and the band's 2025 album, West End Intoxica 03:42 - London's legendary music venues: From Hammersmith Palais and Brixton Academy to Soho's historic Marquee 05:37 - Early musical memories: Growing up near Heathrow, unusual household influences, pop stars on the street, and Top of the Pops 11:22 - Teenage music subcultures: Punks, skinheads, soul boys, and the tribal nature of 1970s music loyalty 14:20 - Discovering songwriting: The impact of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and art school mentors 17:50 - Record collecting culture: Wandering through Portobello Road Market and finding independent record stores 19:00 - Picking up the guitar: Why the raw emotion of The Clash trumps technical perfection 23:25 - Early gig memories: Sleeping outside Wembley Stadium for The Rolling Stones and Public Image Limited 25:31 - The songwriting process: Capturing spontaneous sparks, observations, and writing "A Bar Called Paradise" 33:20 - The psychological high (and low) of performing live on stage 37:52 - The Feature Record: Introducing The Clash's landmark 1979 double album, London Calling 40:39 - Rejecting pigeonholes: Why London Calling was a fearless statement expanding beyond punk rock 48:57 - The iconic artwork: Penny Smith's photography and capturing real human flaws in the studio 49:55 - Track-by-track breakdown: "London Calling", "Wrong 'Em Boyo", and "Lost in the Supermarket" 57:26 - Paul Simonon's "Guns of Brixton" and the hidden gem closer "Train in Vain" 1:04:25 - Exploring physical media, vinyl pressings, and the West End Intoxica trilogy 1:06:58 - Gateway tracks from Wounded Lovers: "Blink of an Eye", "Dance Floor Therapy", and "Monica Intoxica" 1:16:00 - Wrap-up and where to connect with Iain and Roosterville community events Topics Covered: Iain Fenwick, Wounded Lovers, West End Intoxica, The Clash, London Calling, vinyl record collecting, London music history, Portobello Road Market, classic 1970s punk and new wave, songwriting, and physical media. The Friday Spin: Iain Fenwick - 'Wounded Lovers' Spotlight: The Recommendation: Indie rock songwriter Iain Fenwick and his standout album West End Intoxica featuring tracks like "Blink of an Eye" and "A Bar Called Paradise". The Vibe: Cinematic late-night tours through the beating heart of London, gritty guitar-driven energy, and sharp narrative storytelling. For Fans Of: If you love music memories, physical media, and human stories behind the songs on podcasts like The Vinyl Guide, Back to NOW!, Music Is None Of Our Business, Desert Island Discs, or A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, you are right at home in the club! Leave us a review wherever you listen to help our independent community grow!
Welcome to the Friday Vinyl Club Podcast - where everyday feels like a Friday and every album tells a story. You can find us on all streaming platforms and also Lights Low Radio every Monday night Contact: Instagram @thefridayvinylclub Email: [email protected] Website:https://www.thefridayvinylclub.com/