Radio Days Book Club

Lesley-Ann Jones discusses The Stone Age, her biography of the self-styled greatest rock'n'roll band in the world.Lesley-Ann Jones interviewed hundreds of insiders and eye witnesses to create the biography. As a friend of Bill Wyman in the 80s, she was curious to investigate further the emotional chaos the band has left in its wake - as well as to detail how a group of wh

Kevin Mulrennan has compiled a 700-page encyclopaedia of ITV's 60s pop show Thank Your Lucky Stars. He joins us to recall great lost moments of the Beatles - as well as the stars who burned brightly but briefly.

Baxter Dury joined us at a live event in Chiswick, to discuss his new memoir, Chaise Longue. Now an acclaimed musician in his own right, Baxter recalls a seemingly chaotic 70s and 80s childhood, growing up as the son of pop star and national treasure Ian Dury. Baxter's tales of avoiding school and seeking instead a demi-monde of Dickensian characters and misadventures are at o

Nick Lowe and Will Birch joined me at a live event at the Seven Dials Club to discuss Cruel to be Kind, Will's biography of Nick. Nick reflects on dealings with Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello and, well, Peters and Lee, why 1962 was the most important year in pop and how he hit upon the style used in his acclaimed late-career albums, Will muses on how pub rock led

Alex Kemp discusses his book Here is Greece, the story of a five-year tour, taking in rebel music bars in Athens, octogenarian shepherds in the far-flung outposts and a world of chance and bizarre encounters along the way. For more info on the book (and a free sample): https://worldofkemp.wordpress.com/portfolio/here-is-greece/Alex's Greek music playlist is at this link.

BAFTA-winning actor, comedian and impressionist Julian Dutton was born and raised on a houseboat, moored on the Thames at Chelsea. In a Saturday morning tour de force of social history and showbiz tales, Julian discusses Water Gypsies, his new book on the history of Britain's river-dwellers, from the hardmen of canalmania to post-War bohemians - and throws in a few brilliant i

Behind the UK's 50s and 60s rock and pop revolution was a group of gay impresarios, many of whom were good friends; from Larry Parnes (who mentored Billy Fury and Tommy Steele) to Brian Epstein, who made the Beatles the biggest group in the world, to Joe Meek, who made No 1 records in his house. Author Darryl Bullock takes us into their backstage world in his new book, 'T

An edited version of our summer Zoomcast with Emily Chappell.Emily is the author of the acclaimed What Goes Around (about life as a London bike courier) and Where There's a Will (about her 4000km unassisted ride across Europe in the Transcontinental cycle race).What Goes Around shows a new side to familiar city life, taking us inside the couriers' world, seen by everyone

When France won the World Cup in 1998, it was meant to be the start of a golden age for the team and the country; and the success of the multi-racial squad did, briefly, unite the country. But the 20 years between that victory and the 2018 triumph showed that France needed more than football to bring it together…British journalist and broadcaster Matthew Spiro's "Sacré

Tom Benjamin's debut novel 'A Quiet Death in Italy" was published this summer to acclaim from the Daily Mail, the Morning Star and all points between. It's a murder mystery, following ex-pat English detective Daniel Leicester as he descends into the Bologna underworld to investigate the death of a 1970s radical. Tom worked at Scotland Yard before emigrating to I