I Never Thought It Would Happen

“That’s what I’ve always tried to lean into is playing live, writing the songs and playing them live, is mainly why I’m still doing it, you know? I never get tired of playing live. I never get tired of making stuff up and seeing where I can go with it” - James Morrison Chris is joined by singer-songwriter James Morrison to talk about the fine art of music making and the highs and lows that an artist experiences. James was inspired from a very early age by his parent's record collection, and soon he was learning guitar and other people's songs. By his late teens he was fitting carpets by day and playing open mics at night before finally signing a deal and releasing his first album 'Undiscovered' in 2006. And James' debut was an instant success making him the biggest selling male solo artist in the UK that year. James has since recorded 3 more albums, and his 5th, 'Fight Another Day', is due out in early October 2025.

"It's a universal language, it really is. Even if you're not speaking the language... you know, you can sing these songs and it'd just be like a wave of emotion and they can relate to it, even if they can't understand the words you're saying" - Kelsie Watts With Chris for this episode is Kelsie Watts who's currently performing in the huge award winning Broadway hit "Six The Musical" based on the wives of Henry VIII, with Kelsie playing the  part of Jane Seymour. She's also pursuing a pop career, and has worked with Backstreet Boy AJ McLean and has toured with Joss Stone and stadium rockers Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Kelsie grew up in a musical family in Lubbock, Texas - famously Buddy Holly's hometown - and studied opera at Belmont University in Nashville. In 2020 she was invited by the producers of The Voice to take part, where she made a huge impression with an astonishing cover of Kelly Clarkson's "I Dare You" that quickly went viral.

"A professor of mine said a very true thing to me. He said, you know the great thing about music Craig is that you’ll never really know anything about it" - Craig Armstrong This episode features a fascinating conversation with the multi-genre spanning musician and composer Craig Armstrong. Craig has collaborated with huge artists like U2, Madonna and Massive Attack, toured with Ultravox in their mid-Eighties pomp and has written for The Royal Shakespeare Company and scored films like Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo + Juliet'. And he's also found time to make his own records, his latest being a collaboration with Calum Martin inspired by Gaelic psalm singing.

"We all take music for granted, really. But it's kind of with us through every memorable part of our lives. And to just have it as such a meaningful occupation, but to not properly support the people that make it seems absolutely crazy" - Amy MacDonald Joining Chris for this episode is singer-songwriter Amy MacDonald, who's fate was sealed when she saw fellow Scots Travis live for the first time - she quickly realised that this was what she wanted to do with her life! The start to her career was remarkable: she was signed off the back of a demo she sent out, aged just 18 and then when she released her debut album, 'This Is The Life', it quickly sold 3 million copies. Since then she's toured with Paul Weller, worked with Ray Davies of The Kinks and performed alongside Rod Stewart. And she's soon to release her 6th album, 'Is This What You've Been Waiting For?'.

"The thing that he said that struck me most was, you don't get people's attention more by being louder... you make them want to lean in when you pull back. The moments that resonate the most are when I pull back" - Victoria Canal In this episode of Chris' podcast, he's joined by singer-songwriter Victoria Canal. A globe-trotting childhood, with all of its upheavals and changes, led Victoria to finding in music solace and purpose. She started writing music as a pre-teen, recorded her first demo at 13 and soon after gained a scholarship to study at the Berklee College Of Music. Having released her first single in 2015, she's put out a considerable number of standalone tracks in her own name, as well as collaborations, however it was only this year that Victoria finally released her debut album, 'Slowly, It Dawns'. She's also the winner of not one, but two Ivor Novello awards.

"I have a very vivid memory of seeing 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark' when I was nine and that was a very profound experience for me, because I loved the movie. I was very aware of what that music was doing to my experience..." - Theodore Shapiro In this episode Chris explores a whole new world of music making in the company of composer Theodore Shapiro. Theodore has written music for a whole host of film and TV productions, but his incredible work on the mind-bending Apple TV series 'Severance' has brought him huge acclaim, attention and an Emmy Award. Theodore gained his Master Of Fine Arts in music composition at the world famous Juilliard School, and began his career in the early Nineties with the MTV comedy series 'The State'. He's since composed the music for many films including 'The Devil Wears Prada' and 'Along Came Polly' and regularly collaborates with Ben Stiller, with their latest work together being 'Severance'.

“Because we write in so many genres, it’s always exciting to song write. Because today it’s like, we can write a D+B song and tomorrow we can write an Emo song. So it doesn’t get boring, because there’s always a new genre that you haven’t written in” - ALT BLK ERA In this episode Chris is joined by not one, but two guests - sisters Nyrobi and Chaya who front ALT BLK ERA, one of the most eclectic and electric acts you'll hear; a band so diverse that they've won a MOBO and are also signed to the legendary Metal label Earache, who are based in the band's hometown of Nottingham. The band came together during the downtime that COVID brought, and when restrictions were lifted their mum suggested they forget school and concentrate on their music instead. And in a few short years they've supported Tom Morello, released their thrilling debut album 'Rave Immortal' and played both Glastonbury and Download. Find out more about ALT BLK ERA here: https://www.altblkera.com/ Discover more about the amazing work of Help Musicians here: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/ 'I Never Thought It Would Happen' is produced by Ian Callaghan and Ben Jones for Gimme Sugar Productions. www.gimmesugar.co.uk

"Back when I was a kid, I didn't want to know what Bryan Ferry's kitchen looked like, you know? I couldn't even imagine him having one... People don't want that now. Why don't they want mystique?" - Gary Kemp In conversation with Chris for this episode is Gary Kemp, now a solo artist and a member of Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets. It was Gary's sharp songwriting that brought him to prominence and fame in the Eighties with his band Spandau Ballet, and such huge hits as 'True' and 'Gold'. In this wonderful chat, you can hear about why bands aren't necessarily a bunch of best friends, the pleasure of acting on stage, how the long-lost guitar Gary played at Live Aid was finally returned to him and how and why he wrote the songs that became his latest album 'This Destination'. Find out more about Gary Kemp here: https://www.garykemp.com/ Discover more about the amazing work of Help Musicians here: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/ 'I Never Thought It Would Happen' is produced by Ian Callaghan and Ben Jones for Gimme Sugar Productions. www.gimmesugar.co.uk

"I've had a pretty tumultuous upbringing... I was pretty scared about being too honest about it all." - Jade Bird Chatting with Chris in this episode is British singer-songwriter Jade Bird. Experiencing a difficult home life, Jade began writing songs early, aged just 12. She was in her teens when Glassnote Records signed her, with her self-titled debut album appearing in 2019. Her second album, 'Different Kinds Of Light' followed in 20121, and after a 4 year wait, she's now about to release her third album, 'Who Wants To Talk About Love'. She's collaborated with Brent Cobb, co-written with Linda Perry and has been championed by Sheryl Crow and Jason Isbell. Musically she cites artists like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and David Bowie as key influences and hence it's not surprise to find her music-making is revealing, honest and eclectic. Find out more about Jade Bird here: https://www.jade-bird.com/ Discover more about the amazing work of Help Musicians here: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/ 'I Never Thought It Would Happen' is produced by Ian Callaghan and Ben Jones for Gimme Sugar Productions. www.gimmesugar.co.uk

"It was alien, extremely alien. And it looked alien... with the buttons. What is this machine? What is this thing?" - Abel Selaocoe, on his brother's bassoon. For this episode, Chris welcomes a South African cellist, singer and composer, who's now resident in Manchester. Inspired by all sorts of different music he heard through the radio, Abel discovered the cello as a pre-teen and at 13 won a scholarship to study music in Johannesburg. Continuing his studies, he moved to Manchester at 18 to attend the Royal Northern College of Music. In 2021 Warner Classics signed Abel and he's released two albums; his debut 'Where Is Home/Hae ke Kae' featured a guest appearance from Yo-Yo Ma, and his second 'Hymns Of Bantu' enjoyed rave reviews and went to No1 on the OCC Specialist Classical Chart. In this conversation you'll hear how Abel was encouraged in his music making by his older brother Sammy, the seeds of his eclectic musical style, his inclusive attitude towards live performances and his admiration for the poet John Cooper Clark. Find out more about Abel Selaocoe's new album here: https://www.abelselaocoe.com/ Discover more about the amazing work of Help Musicians here: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/ 'I Never Thought It Would Happen' is produced by Ian Callaghan and Ben Jones for Gimme Sugar Productions. www.gimmesugar.co.uk

"I don't know who the man is that lives inside my body... but I'm so glad he turns up." - Thom Rylance. Chatting with Chris in this episode is Thom Rylance of The Lottery Winners. The indie-pop 4 piece from Greater Manchester took their cues from bands like The Smiths and Orange Juice as well as the Britpop scene and have quickly risen to the top. Such is their wide-ranging appeal they've collaborated and toured with acts as diverse as Tom Jones, Sean Ryder, Boy George, Paul Weller and Sir Stephen Fry. And they've also just landed their second consecutive UK number 1 album with 'Koko'. Topics in this engaging conversation include the influence of stadium-smashing frontmen like Freddie Mercury and Robbie Williams, the importance of Manchester Apollo and how teachers can change lives. Plus there's a great story about Johnny Marr. Find out more about The Lottery Winners' new album and tour here: https://www.thelotterywinners.co.uk/ Discover more about the amazing work of Help Musicians here: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/ 'I Never Thought It Would Happen' is produced by Ian Callaghan and Ben Jones for Gimme Sugar Productions. www.gimmesugar.co.uk

"I mean, you're either a creative or you're a burglar" - Bryan Adams. Joining Chris for the first episode of his 5th series is rock superstar, and man of many talents Bryan Adams. As well as having huge global hit singles, multi-million selling albums, a number of remarkable duets and a worldwide fanbase, Bryan is also an acclaimed photographer. In this conversation you'll hear about Bryan's songwriting start with his first musical partner Jim Vallance, their work on the 'Pretty Woman' musical, the amazing story about his long lost, but recently returned, first guitar and duetting with Pavarotti. Plus there's also a fascinating diversion into photography.  Find out more about Bryan's upcoming album and tour here: https://www.bryanadams.com/ Discover more about the amazing work of Help Musicians here: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/ 'I Never Thought It Would Happen' is produced by Ian Callaghan and Ben Jones for Gimme Sugar Productions.  www.gimmesugar.co.uk

For a bonus episode of his podcast, Chris welcomes Travis frontman Fran Healy. Emerging from Glasgow in the mid 90s, and now in their fourth decade together, Travis were inspirational to a number of like-minded British guitar bands like Coldplay, Snow Patrol and Keane. Travis 2nd album, 1999's 'The Man Who', was a became a huge hit globally, fuelled by the unstoppable single 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me?'. And when the heavens opened as the band launched into that track at Glastonbury in 1999 the band found themselves plastered across newspapers and news reports, which then pushed the album to the top of the charts. But the band have also had their setbacks, not least when drummer Neil Primrose broke his neck in a freak accident... and yet, he was back behind his drum kit within 5 months.  It's a great story, and a great listen.

Joining Chris is Mark Knopfler, the revered singer-songwriter and a masterful guitar player, with a totally distinctive sound and style. Always fascinated with music, Mark worked as a junior reporter and studied English before finally realising his long held dream of finding the right band. That band was Dire Straits, whose ascent was remarkable with their 5th studio album 'Brothers In Arms' becoming a global juggernaut eventually selling over 30 million copies. But after several gruelling world tours and the almost impossible task of topping their best loved album the band splintered. But since 1995, Mark's kept busy with a steady stream of solo albums, soundtrack work and collaborations with like-minded artists like Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris and Chet Atkins.

Joining Chris for this episode is legendary PR man Alan Edwards. During his 45 years working in the music industry he's worked with the likes of David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Spice Girls, Michael Jackson, The Stranglers, Blondie, Paul McCartney and Amy Winehouse. Alan began his career under the tutelage of another music PR legend, Keith Altham, whose clients included Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Beach Boys and Marc Bolan. As such, Edwards has so many amazing stories to share and is seriously great company. He's also just released his autobiography which is a must-read for any music fan.

Joining Chris today is songwriter Guy Chambers, best known for his work co-writing hits like 'Millennium', 'Angels', 'Let Me Entertain You' and 'Rock DJ' with Robbie Williams.  Having graduated from The Guildhall School Of Music, Guy went straight to work with Julian Cope, then joined The Waterboys before moving onto World Party. And alongside his hugely successful run of hits with Robbie, Guy has also written for and with James Blunt, Texas, Mel C, Diana Ross, Kylie, Rufus Wainright, Jamie Cullum and Katie Melua. His track record has made him one of Britain's most successful and in-demand songwriters. 

Chris is joined by Scottish vocalist Eddi Reader for this episode, to chat about her fascinating career in music. From busking around Europe, to singing backing vocals for artists as diverse as Gang of Four, Eurythmics and Alison Moyet to finding fame - and having a number one single - with Fairground Attraction. But the band's success was fleeting and they splintered after just one album. But Fairground Attraction have reformed to pick up from where they left off in 1989, and the two discuss the advantages a musician has being older and wiser. The conversation also covers Bob Dylan, appearing on Top Of The Pops and the artists Eddi cites as inspiring.

Chris' guest in this episode is Leeds born singer songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. Though Corinne appeared to have success straight away with her first single, 'Like A Star', she'd already been through the painful process of having her first band fall apart - the punky 3 piece Helen she'd formed with friends.  But a change in musical direction - partly inspired by work at a jazz club - yielded immediate success from 2005 onwards. And Corinne's enjoyed a remarkable career including a string of hit singles and albums, Grammy and Mobo awards, a tour with John Legend and a performance with Herbie Hancock at The White House.

In this episode, Chris welcomes rapidly rising rock star Wolfgang Van Halen. Now fronting his own band, Mammoth, Wolfie made his stage debut at 16 playing bass alongside his dad Eddie and uncle Alec in the legendary rock band Van Halen.  Like his dad, Wolfie started his musical journey playing drums, before also picking up the guitar and bass. For his two albums with Mammoth, Wolfie is not only the songwriter, but also sings and plays everything you hear. He's not only an outrageously talented musician but a very nice bloke to boot - a couple of things he's taken from his main inspiration, Dave Grohl.

Chris Difford is joined in this episode by Sharleen Spiteri, the lead singer of the Glasgow band Texas, who've blended pop, rock and soul with huge success since their breakout single 'I Don't Want A Lover' back in 1989. The band have since enjoyed an incredible run of hit singles and number one albums, but have also overcome an 8 year hiatus and the shocking brain aneurysm of guitarist Ally McErlaine. But with a triumphant Glastonbury appearance in 2023, and a new album recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals studio, Texas are still very much a force to be reckoned with.