Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music — Подкаст

Radiohead - Through The Bends 26.07.2026 39мин

The genre-defying band Radiohead was initially considered as just another alternative rock and grunge act as their debut single "Creep" from their debut album, Pablo Honey, became a global hit in 1993. Radiohead's music would quickly evolve beyond the early labels as they developed a more guitar driven and ballad oriented second album, The Bends.Beyond Pablo Honey and The Bends, the band continued to experiment through the 90's to create a more complex sound on the 1997 landmark recording OK Computer, and abandon traditional rock structures with their 2000 album, Kid A.Radiohead's experimental approach to music is credited with advancing the sound of alternative rock and changing the landscape of 90s alternative music. This episode will tell the story of: Radiohead’s early years after forming in 1985 in Oxfordshire, England under the name On a Friday; the debut album Pablo Honey; and through the second album, The Bends.(Photo by Rupert Elvin for EMI)

The Birthday Party - More than the Boys Next Door 19.07.2026 34мин

The Birthday Party was an abrasive and chaotic band that mixed blues, free-jazz, and rockabilly to form a unique style of post-punk music.Initially named The Boys Next Door when formed in Australia in 1977, the band would relocate to London and rebrand themselves as The Birthday Party in 1980. This band would provide the jump start to the career of their lead vocalist and frontman, the legendary Nick Cave. Driven by his vocals along with Rowland S. Howard's screeching guitar work, the band would create songs of unusual stories and violent tales behind unsettling and noisy soundscapes. Before disbanding in 1983, the band only had limited commercial success, but was very influential to many other artists that followed. The Birthday Party' s creative core was much more than the boys next door. Beyond Nick Cave as singer and primary songwriter, this included multi-instrumentalist and Mick Harvey, and guitarist Rowland S. Howard, all of which continued beyond to acclaimed careers. This episode will tell the story of the forming of The Boys Next Door through The Birthday Party years, and all their music.(Photo by David Corio)

Eurythmics - Dark Synth Dreams 12.07.2026 37мин

Following the break up of their previous band The Tourists at the end of 1980, Eurythmics were formed by the duo of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They released their debut studio album, In the Garden, in 1981 under the production of Conny Plank, but the album was not very successful. Eurythmics decided on a new approach for their second album, altering their sound to minimal, cold, dark synthesizer-based pop with Annie Lennox's distinct soulful vocals and a very unique visual style. With this came their second album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), which achieved global acclaim along with the number 1 smash hit title track. The music of this January 1983 release featured a dark undercurrent, electro-soul sound built with synthesizers, pioneering drum machines, and unconventional percussion, along with Annie Lennox's emotive lyrics. This was the start of a new era for Eurythmics that introduced Annie Lennox’s iconic, gender-bending visual style to the world and the MTV generation. This episode tells the story of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart from their early days in The Tourists through the first two Eurythmics albums, as they rose to the top of the music world in 1983.

The Beat (The English Beat) - Socially Conscious Ska 05.07.2026 35мин

The Beat, also known as The English Beat in the United States and Canada, formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England. The music of this post-punk act fused various styles including ska, soul, reggae, pop, and punk rock to become one of the key and most successful bands of the UK ska revival and the two-tone scene of the early '80s. The Beat's songs would often include lyrics that took on socio-political themes, while the music and the danceable sound gave the band crossover appeal to go along with their message. The band released multiple critically acclaimed studio albums starting with their debut album of 1980, I Just Can't StopIt, along with a number of hit singles including "Mirror in the Bathroom" and "Save It for Later". The Beat broke up in 1983 after the third studio album before some members went on to form two other notable bands, General Public and Fine Young Cannibals. The Beat reformed in the 2000's and continues today with a new make-up behind original member and lead singer Dave Wakeling. This episode tells the story of The Beat from their early days through the music of their three studio albums of the early 80’s.

Front 242 - To the EBM Front 28.06.2026 34мин

During the 1980’s, Front 242 became a pioneer of Electronic Body Music (EBM) and a key artist in the development of the industrial and electronic music genres. Their music blended aggressive, relentless, danceable, electronic beats with driving basslines, commanding vocals, tense militaristic aesthetics, and innovative media sampling. The Belgian based Front 242 formed in 1981 in an effort to create music and graphic design using emerging electronic technology. During their early albums and releases the band developed what would come to known as EBM. After signing with the the Wax Trax! Records label Front 242 achieved international success with their 1988 fourth studio album, Front by Front. This album spawned the iconic industrial club anthem "Headhunter", and the album and this song are considered among the greatest industrial music releases. This episode will tell the story of the Front 242 from their beginnings as they rise to the front of the EBM and industrial music scenes by the 1990’s.

Altered Images - The Post-Punk Roots of Clare Grogan 21.06.2026 31мин

Altered Images began in 1979 after forming from a group of five teenagers in Glasgow, Scotland. The band was fronted by singer Clare Grogan with her sweet and bubbly youthful vocals as the band would go from their post-punk roots onto new wave and synth pop in the early 80’s. The first two singles by Altered Images as well the majority of the songs on the debut album were produced by Siouxsie and the Banshees co-founder Steven Severin, who had taken the band under his wing. This early work with Severin was dark and moody post-punk along with Grogan’s more upbeat vocals and melodies, creating a unique mixture and sound.Martin Rushent produced the title track of the debut album, Happy Birthday , which brought the band commercial success, but was more pop sounding than the Severin produced work of the album. Rushent would remain producing for Altered Images with album number two, which was another successful LP and included the hit song “I Could Be Happy”.This Scottish band would find success with six UK top-40 singles and three top-30 albums by 1983, before breaking up following the third album. More recently, Altered Images reformed in 2021 and released a fourth studio album. Clare Grogan has been the one constant member from the original formation while also maintaining a successful acting career among her many ventures.This episode tells the story of this often overlooked band and the career of Clare Grogan, including the story of her connection to the song "True" by Spandau Ballet.

Further Inside the Milky Way - Skeletal Family, Ghost Dance, James Ray 14.06.2026 35мин

This episode is part of our Further Inside the Milky Way series. These are shows that we will do from time to time where we go deeper into vast collection of the music and artists from the early alternative era. In these episodes we will discuss a few artists in the one show. We will try to pick artists that have something in common or a connection between them. In this "Further" episode all of the bands fit into the gothic rock style or genre in some form. The first is a band that has had a very long career after their 1982 start, Skeletal Family. One of the original Skeletal Family members was lead singer Anne-Marie Hurst, who left to form the second band we discuss, Ghost Dance. Ghost Dance was formed with Hurst and Gary Marx, who had just left The Sisters of Mercy. For the third band, Andrew Eldritch of The Sisters of Mercy brought in the singer and musician James Ray to his Merciful Release Label after the departure of Marx, and would lead to the band, James Ray and the Performance.(Pictured : Anne-Marie Hurst)

Gang of Four - More than Entertainment! 07.06.2026 35мин

After forming in Leeds in 1976, Gang of Four became one of the most influential and original post-punk bands from the late 70’s UK music scene. Gang of Four took the musical freedoms that punk rock had created and used them to change the future of music. Known for post-punk, dance-punk, and funk rock sounds, the band played a stripped-down mix fusing hard funk rhythms, danceable beats, and jagged guitar while moving away from traditional rock structures for a more unconventional method. The band's music also emphasized social and political issues with the inclusion of radical lyrics and philosophies influenced by situationism and Marxist theory.Gang of Four's debut album from 1979, Entertainment! has been considered not only one of the best debut albums of all time, but one of the best and most influential of all time, and the band is considered one of the leaders of the post-punk movement. While their early seminal records like Entertainment! and the follow-up Solid Gold focused on tense, stripped-down post-punk, their later 1980s albums leaned further into danceable post-punk. This episode will tell the story of the rise of Gang of Four and their influential beginnings, music, and albums over their career with more emphasis on the music and background from Entertainment! and Solid Gold.

The Style Council - The Soul of Paul Weller 24.05.2026 34мин

When The Jam broke up at the end of 1982, their lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Paul Weller decided to do something different musically. Weller, along with Mick Talbot, would form The Style Council, a band that would take a more soulful and polished approach to music. This English band would explore and incorporate various influences including European jazz, jazz-pop, classical, funk, R&B, 60's soul, and Northern soul. The music of The Style Council, with the lush arrangements, smooth keyboards, and fluid guitars would often fit the sophisti-pop style.The Style Council was not only about the music as Weller included social commentary in the lyrics and used this venture to address political concerns.Beyond the core members of the band, Weller would bring in other musicians and vocalists as The Style Council would release four studio albums between 1984 and 1988. After their first two albums and early hits like "My Ever Changing Moods" and "You're the Best Thing" , the band's popularity started to decline eventually leading a breakup in 1989. This episode will tell the story of The Style Council between 1983 and 1989, and discuss the band’s music and the content as Paul Weller created soothing and soulful alternative music.

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures 17.05.2026 33мин

Joy Division was one of the first and most influential bands coming out of the early years of the post-punk era, and their debut album, Unknown Pleasures, would inspire generations of artists and change the future of music. This English band formed in 1976 and their first recordings were inspired by early punk rock as represented on the 1978 debut EP An Ideal for Living. Joy Division soon signed with the new independent label, Factory Records, where they would record Unknown Pleasures with producer Martin Hannett. This June 1979 release developed a sparse sound and style that made Joy Division one of the pioneering groups of the post-punk genre. The debut album, with the very iconic cover, would become one of the most influential post-punk albums of all time. This podcast episode will tell the story of the formation of Joy Division, their early recordings prior to and around the time of the debut album, and the creation and music of Unknown Pleasures.

Severed Heads - Beyond Dead Eyes 10.05.2026 32мин

The Australian band Severed Heads was a pioneering electronic and experimental artist, and one that is very underappreciated from the early alternative era. As one of the pioneering Australian alternative music acts, their music was part industrial, synth pop, electronic, dance, and ambient as well as experimental bringing in found sounds, tape loops, samples, and noise.The original two members, Richard Fielding and and Andrew Wright, formed the band in the late 70’s as Mr. and Mrs. No Smoking Sign. Tom Ellard joined in 1979 and soon after the band renamed themselves Severed Heads. By mid-1981, both founding members had departed leaving Ellard to continue the band.As Severed Heads moved through the 80’s behind Ellard, their sound evolved from the early avant-garde to more accessible electronic body music (EBM) style with synth hooks and pop structures taking on both an industrial and dance-oriented approach.In 1983, the band released their fourth studio album, Since the Accident, followed with the single "Dead Eyes Opened ", a critically acclaimed song that would become a dance club classic. Beyond the music, Severed Heads were also early pioneers of incorporating video, computer graphics, and digital technology into their performances and releases. In all, the band has 23 studio albums as well a number other releases including a number of video albums over a very prolific career as one of the longest running Australian post-punk era bands.Our podcast will tell the story of the pioneering Severed Heads, well beyond "Dead Eyes Opened"!

The Afghan Whigs - Congregation and Gentlemen 03.05.2026 31мин

The Afghan Whigs earned a cult following during the early 90's with their music that mixed the Motown sound and R&B with indie and alternative rock. Formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1986, The Afghan Whigs were led by singer-songwriter Greg Dulli whose songs presented vivid stories of broken relationships, obsession, guilt and toxic masculinity. The music was full of emotional anguish and the lyrics were introspective, dark, and mature behind Dulli's intense and gravelly vocals. The band's signature sound was a fusing of the passionate vocals with melodic guitars, gritty alternative rock of the grunge era, and soul and funk influences. It was all of this that separated the band from their peers in the early 90’s, and resulted in The Afghan Whigs as being one of the most critically acclaimed alternative bands of the 1990s.Their work was best represented on 1992's album, Congregation, where the band found their signature sound, and the critically acclaimed cinematic masterpiece from 1993, Gentlemen, which is considered a landmark, unapologetic breakup album.In this episode we will discuss the early years of the band with a focus on their two classic albums, Congregation and Gentlemen.

Magazine - John McGeoch and Beyond 26.04.2026 33мин

After being part of Buzzcocks, Howard Devoto left that group in 1977 to start a new band, known as Magazine. He launched this new venture in Manchester, England when he enlisted a young guitarist to join, named John McGeoch. Magazine would debut with the song “Shot By Both Sides”, followed by their debut album, Real Life. This classic and critically acclaimed album is considered by many as the first post-punk album. As one of the first post-punk bands, Magazine built off the energy of punk while adding various complex musical elements along with darker lyrics. With McGeoch, who would become one of the greatest guitarists of the alternative music era, Magazine would release three albums before McGeoch's departure in 1980.Magazine would release another studio album before breaking up in 1981. The band would reform under in 2009 and release their fifth and final studio album in October 2011, before the band ended.This episode will tell the story of the band including the first three albums with the late John McGeoch, and beyond with the albums that followed. We will also discuss the impact John McGeoch had on music before his passing at the age of 48 in 2004.

The B-52's - Rock Lobster and Other Early Tales 19.04.2026 41мин

After the release of their debut single, The B-52's quickly became known for their campy, high-energy party music with surreal lyrics and distinct retro 1960s fashion. This quirky group blended surf rock, punk, '60s pop, vintage soul, low-budget sci-fi and dance music, along with kitsch culture.That debut single was the cult hit “Rock Lobster”, which was followed by the classic self-titled debut album in 1979. Along with other early songs such as "Private Idaho," and "Legal Tender", The B-52's crossed over from the underground to the mainstream becoming one of the pioneers of new wave. Formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976 by Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson, and Keith Strickland, the band developed trademark sounds including a call-and-response singing style along with harmonic vocals; angular guitar riffs and unusual guitar tunings; and keyboard driven instrumentation. The B-52's are considered one of the more influential early alternative bands having toured for decades, inspiring others with their unique music and style. This episode will tell the story and tales of the band from their formation through the early days and albums of through the early 1980’s.

The Smiths - The Debut of Marr and Morrissey 12.04.2026 31мин

The Smiths defined UK indie rock on their way to becoming one of the pioneers of indie music and one of the most influential bands of not just of the early alternative music era, but of the history of rock music. After The Smiths formed in 1982, The Smiths would reject the synth-pop and new wave dominated UK music scene, focusing on guitar-based rock. The key to The Smiths was the songwriting collaboration between lead singer Morrissey, with his unique vocal and lyrical approach, and guitarist Johnny Marr, with his jangly guitar style, as they created a new direction of alternative music defined as jangle pop.Over their short career of four studio albums, The Smiths achieved major commercial success while remaining on the independent record label, Rough Trade Records, before the team of Morrissey and Marr would break up in 1987.This episode will tell the story of the early years and formation of The Smiths with a focus on their self-titled debut album of 1984 and the non-album singles from this same time period.

ABC - The Lexicon of Love 29.03.2026 34мин

In 1982, ABC released their debut album, The Lexicon of Love, to critical acclaim as the album went straight to number 1 on the UK albums chart. The album is regarded as a masterpiece and a landmark album for the sophisticated and lush orchestral arrangements created by legendary producer Trevor Horn, as well as the emotional songwriting from the collective efforts of the band members. Horn’s production on this would be an influence to electronic music over the following years.ABC formed in 1980, evolving from the Sheffield, England based band Vice Versa when lead vocalist Martin Fry was added to the group. With the addition of Fry, the band’s music became a new romantic synth-pop style with funk-inspired basslines and electronic textures. The Lexicon of Love well represented this as ABC became a key band to the "New Pop" and "Sophisti-Pop" movements of the early 80’s while the band created several catchy, synth-driven hits including "Poison Arrow" and "The Look of Love," both from The Lexicon of Love.This episode will tell the story of ABC from their roots as Vice-Versa and the forming of ABC, along with the music of ABC focusing on the work with Trevor Horn and the debut album.

Swans - Uncompromising 22.03.2026 36мин

The band Swans formed in 1981 by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Micheal Gira and began as part of the New York City based no wave scene. Swans early years' music was known for a very intense and abrasive sound. Following the addition of vocalist and keyboardist Jarboe in 1986, Swans began to slowly incorporate melody into the music moving beyond the brutal music of the early years to a more diverse sound. The band's music would venture through a variety of styles and explore many different genres over the years including industrial, post-rock, drone, and neo-folk, among many others. Throughout their career, Swans become known for creating intense and experimental music that has often led to the band being referred to as "Uncompromising." This episode will tell the story of Swans from their beginning through the end of their initial run as a band in 1997.

The Cure - The Original Gothic Trilogy 15.03.2026 37мин

Following their debut album of 1979, The Cure became one to the key post-punk bands as they developed a dark, gothic rock sound over the next three albums. Many refer to the The Cure's three consecutive early-80's releases as The Gothic Trilogy. These melancholic albums represent the band's transition from their debut album into the bleak, atmospheric sound that helped define the gothic genre. These three albums are Seventeen Seconds from 1980, 1981’s Faith, and the conclusion to the trilogy, Pornography of 1982.At that time, the albums were not intended to form a trilogy nor have the impact that they did, but the music did establish The Cure and lead singer Robert Smith as seminal figures in both the post-punk movement and the emerging gothic rock subculture.This episode tells the story of The Cure from formation from the debut album, Three Imaginary Boys, through 1982 and the "original" gothic trilogy.

The Sundays - Where the Story Begins 08.03.2026 32мин

The Sundays were a critically acclaimed UK indie band that created the alternative and indie classic song, “Here’s Where the Story Ends”. This single from their 1990 debut album Reading, Writing and Arithmetic would reach number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and become one of the most well-known from the 90’s alternative music era.The Sundays were active from 1988 to 1997, but only released three albums over their career as the band never crossed over into the mainstream that they seemed destined for. Their music combined introspective lyrics with distinctive ethereal and melancholy vocals along with jangly, chiming guitars for their unique sound while building a cult base that still exists today.Led by vocalist Harriet Wheeler and guitarist David Gavurin, who met each other while at Bristol University, this band was very private and low profile right from the start. The band signed with indie label Rough Trade Records releasing their debut single, "Can't Be Sure", followed by the 1990 debut album. The Sundays exited the music world in 1997 after the third album so Wheeler and Gavurin, who had married each other a couple of years earlier, could focus on raising their family and enjoy their private life.This episode tells the story of where The Sundays began, their career, the albums, and the music of these alternative favorites of the 90’s.

The Clash - London Calling 01.03.2026 32мин

1979's London Calling from The Clash is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time as the record expanded the beyond the limitations of punk rock to successfully merge punk rock roots with reggae, rockabilly, ska, R&B, jazz, pop and hard rock.This massive double album of 19 songs contains socially charged lyrical themes include social displacement, racial conflict, unemployment, drug use, the cold war, and nuclear threats, all against the backdrop of a bleak time period in London. Behind the music and the themes, the album London Calling would influence countless bands and various genres as music moved into the 80’s, making it's release a definitive moment in music history, and solidifying The Clash as one of the most influential bands of the era. In this episode we will discuss the legendary album London Calling and it’s music, and the story behind it. We will also briefly discuss the early years of The Clash, a band that was right there are the beginning of punk.