Radio OwlsNest

Join me for Vinyl Times and Retro Radio. Five.

Join me for Vinyl Times and Retro Radio. Four.

Join me for a Vinyl Times and Retro Radio Special with Brian Fairweather PART TWO! - where we play the vinyl tracks that influenced and brought us together as songwriters and musicians - as well as some of our own recorded works and productions. WE HAD A GAS Second time around…X Martin

Join me for a Vinyl Times and Retro Radio Special with Brian Fairweather Part One, where we play the vinyl tracks that influenced and brought us together as songwriters and musicians - as well as some of our own recorded works and productions. X Martin

Join me for Vinyl Times and Retro Radio. Three.

Going Down The Rabbit Hole With Martin Page. Two.

Going Down The Rabbit Hole With Martin Page. One. by Martin Page

Well, I never did truly think “I’d ever get my feet this far”! We have arrived at the final 50th episode of my Radio Owlsnest songwriter podcasts. It’s been a fantastic and lovely journey for me, playing my rare demos from my archives and sharing the stories behind the songs. I labeled you listeners as “OwlHeads” quite early on in the proceedings, and that label has stuck over the ensuing years … and so I’d like to take a moment here to wholeheartedly thank all the “noble OwlHeads” who listened, encouraged, consoled, shared, liked, commented - and above all, became my friends during the recording of these hour or so long episodes. I feel I know a few of you quite intimately. Thank you. In today’s on-line society, when speed is everything, it’s painfully obvious that gaining someone’s attention for sixty minutes or more is a gargantuan and rather fruitless task - particularly when the premise of the show is “retro” and “adult” ... But all in all, I feel “Radio Owlsnest” gained a core underground and finely-tuned audience; so again, thank you for your diligence - against all the odds. Who said the album was dead? Certainly not me or you … I’ve tried to give a few of you OwlHeads out there shout-outs during this show; tried to remember most of your names; forgive me if I didn’t mention a few of you lovelies, but as you know, I “wing it’” and improvise as I go on these freewheeling shows. But know this ... I luvs ya. What has been a revelation for me personally while recording these shows, is gaining an overview of my songwriting career, a kaleidoscopic big view, as such, of my progression, my development, my influences, my strengths and my weaknesses, etc., over the years. It’s not often that a songwriter/artist gets a chance to look back on his or her creative journey. Radio Owlsnest helped me re-evaluate my creative instinct and motivations; It was like looking back at a younger, turned-on, highly enthused version of myself. Certainly a kind of “time travel” took place for me … invaluable and fortunate at this late stage of the game. But mostly it’s been incredible FUN for me; I had a grand old time of it - searching for rare demos in the “Pagey” song archives and remembering, re-living and imparting the hazy stories behind the songs. I was in the “Museum of Myself!” So thank you all for giving me your ears and good spirit, for giving me a platform to express myself - and a damn good reason to dust off those old ditties from the vault and give them life once again. You OwlHeads have been a powerful MOTIVATING force! And massive thanks to our very own Vanessa Leavitt for keeping these shows coming to you. I hope you enjoy the 50th and final episode of Radio Owlsnest. Fly high Martin X

“The Wreckless Eric 1980 Sessions” - A Radio Owlsnest Special. I’ve been wanting to record this show for a very long time, and after re-mastering some precious vintage cassette demos, I feel the time is right to tell the story of working with iconic punk legend “Wreckless Eric” in 1980. Along with my songwriting partner of that period, Brian Fairweather, the three of us wrote and demoed 6 brand new cracking songs for a potential Wreckless Eric album to be released on the infamous Stiff records. The demos were recorded in my little London bedsit flat on a rudimentary analog 4 track tape machine set-up - as raw and primitive as you could imagine … but I believe these tracks have a very special undeniable power about them that reflect the zeitgeist of that era. And Wreckless (Eric Goulden) was in fine form lyrically and vocally on these (up to this point, never heard or released) extremely rare demos. We wrote and recorded these songs over a frantic period of three weeks in my minuscule bedsit featuring Brian on multiple guitars and effects and backing vocals, me on bass guitar and sparse keyboards and backing vocals, and Eric on rhythm guitar and lead vocals. And we used a first generation Roland CompuRythmn 68 drum machine for our drums. Dave Robinson, the head of Stiff records, was very excited and encouraged by our homemade efforts and set dates in a professional studio to record the songs (with Brian and I in the band) for the prospective new “Wreckless” album. But alas, tragically, it was not to be … Although full band rehearsals took place, and a producer (Bob Andrews of Graham Parker and the Rumour fame) was selected, and we even found ourselves set up in Battery Studios, London, waiting to record the album master tracks, Eric didn’t turn up for the final sessions! After all these years, I still hear the potential of these raw songs. And I believe they portray the unique artistry of one of England’s greatest eccentric punk artists and poets, at the very height of his creative ability. It’s a story I’ve wanted to tell for a very long time. Martin Wreckless Eric Demos - All songs written by Eric Goulden/Fairweather/Page; Recorded by Martin Page (1980). ℗ 2023 Martin Page. All rights reserved. Photo: courtesy of William White.

Greetings oh feathered beauties! I am back with more hidden bounty from my ancient song archives. More rare demos, sonic experiments and even a brand new track will hopefully charm your “OwlHead” ears. It was wonderful to work back in the day with the fine singer/songwriter/guitarist Hamish Stuart of the iconic band, “The Average White Band”. I’ll start off the show by playing you a track we wrote together that became a single for his band, “Easy Pieces”; A cool psychedelic soul number that I now think was somewhat influenced by the “Prince” aesthetic. Of course, Hamish went on to work with Paul McCartney and is now presently with Ringo Starr … so it was lovely to discover and spin this little gem from our past. For the songwriters out there, I’ll play two demos I was working on with Robbie Williams - two rough home demos of the same idea, which illustrates quite well how I develop a concept. I think you’ll find it very interesting how my demos were presented and constructed for Robbie … to inspire and encourage him to engage and develop an idea with me. And here’s a treasure for all Jack Hues (Wang Chung) fans: I’ll play the cassette demo of a song we were writing together for his (so far) unreleased renowned solo album “The Anatomy Lesson”. It’s a very, very COOL track … and, although we are loosely jamming and it’s just rough and ready, the potential of this song is self evident. Because the re-ignition of the “Pagey Quiz” lit up the internet and caused traffic to stop during last month’s episode, I will be asking you three more incredibly hard brain curdling “Pagey” questions. These are conundrums from which I believe even the most wise OwlHead will cower away - fearing that investigating these questions could cause neural problems. Beware - approach with extreme caution. I’ll spin a terrific London-recorded demo - a song I wrote and performed with Brian Fairweather that Kim Carnes eventually heard and recorded on her album, “Cafe Racers”. It became “Fairweather/Page’s” first top ten adult/contemporary hit in America … and listening to it today, I’m very proud of the Doobie Brothers/Pointer Sisters swing and irresistible groove we achieved on this particular demo. I always like to include a new song I’ve just written if I can on these shows, and I’m happy this month to present a song called, “How”. I hope you like it and that it speaks to you. Bloody hell, this is the penultimate episode 49, we are nearly at the final 50th show; who would have thought, “I’d ever get my feet this far”. 🦉 Enjoy. Martin X

A Radio Owlsnest Halloween Special - The Making Of “Ghostbusters” With Martin Page and Brian Fairweather. I had only been in LA for two weeks with my “Q.Feel” songwriting partner, Brian Fairweather, when we unexpectedly found ourselves in a valley studio with Ray Parker, Jr., recording the iconic smash, “Ghostbusters”! We’d gone to Ray’s studio to say hello and present ourselves as songwriters when - out of the blue - we suddenly found ourselves playing on a track he’d just-that-minute written for a movie … Brian on electric guitar and me on a cheap Synthesizer. What was this strange thing we were contributing musical parts to - what the hell did “Ghostbusters” mean? We hadn’t planned for this at all … Ray went to lunch and said, “you guys just do your thing; I’ll be back later”. So, for two hours, we laid down overdubs on this strange creature of a song. Ray came back from lunch, loved what we had played, and a few weeks later the song was number one in the American charts and the movie Ghostbusters was becoming an instant classic. Both Brian and I didn’t know what had hit us … or quite what had just happened; it was a whirlwind of the strangest, but most wondrous kind. So, to honor Halloween, Brian and I got together to record this Radio Owlsnest podcast special, “The Making of Ghostbusters”. We attempted to remember the details of that odd day when we went innocently along to introduce ourselves to the great Ray Parker, Jr. as young songwriters, and ended up somehow being musicians and improvising on one of the most renowned and loved hits of our time. It’s a crazy, bizarre story, but that’s perfect for Halloween, isn’t it? Enjoy! Martin and Brian.

Hello my lovely “Fowlheads” - I mean “OwlHeads” (I didn’t mean to offend you). We’re back for another journey into my deep song archives. I’m quite amazed how many rarities are still to be found in the dusty vaults ... and I start the show by playing a movie song I wrote way back in the day, which for the life of me, I can’t recall what bloody blockbuster I wrote it for! I just know it was for a Jerry Bruckheimer film, so I had to have explosions in the song every 30 seconds or so. I’ll spin a song I wrote with Bernie Taupin that helped land him his solo recording deal with RCA records in the 80s. There are terrific John Mellencamp vibes to be found here. When Bernie’s solo album, “Tribe”, came out, it eventually appeared as a B-side for a single release. And I can’t resist playing you a Gaelic/Celtic-tinged demo from the naughty 90s that espouses the thrill of returning home to one’s birthright country - in this case, the Bonny highlands of Scotland. I was thinking Rod Stewart, Simple Minds, Big Country when I began this unfinished ditty. While scouring the bounced files of my overused studio computer, I found a pre-mix of a track featured on my 2008 solo album, “In the Temple Of The Muse” - a song called “Try”. I’ll play it here to illustrate the subtle nuances of how a song I’m producing makes its final journey towards being the “Master”. And I touch up a favorite song of mine with added new percussion, drum and bass guitar overdubs. I love the process of “re-painting/re-visualizing” an old song of mine. I want to share its new visage with you here. And bugger me, I bring back the “Martin Page Quiz” on this month’s episode. I’ll be asking you six incredibly hard questions about my musical career. If you get at least four of these right, well then you are truly a divine “OwlHead” of mighty countenance! I’ll spin a track that promotes tolerance, empathy and open-mindedness: As Shakespeare once said, “Un Sex Me”…. And, as I sometimes absolutely adore to do, I’ll play a brand new fresh spanking track that’s in the making as we speak. A song called “Dearest Hope”, wherein I imagine “hope” as an old, wise, world-weary man who has gone missing from the long suffering community. When he eventually returns, tired and with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he’s welcomed with desperate open arms and hearts. For hope … is life’s victory. So join old man Hope by the fire for a while and throw away those cares and tribulations. It’s time to fly away with the “OwlHeads”. Martin x 🦉

Welcome to the feathered brotherhood who join me today for Episode 47 of the Radio Owlsnest syndicated blockbuster world dominating songwriter podcast series … Ahhh - not really. In truth, it’s remained an intimate, small, close knit village concern which has been lovely for me to host over the last few years. So thank you to you “OwlHeads” who have given me your ears so consistently and graciously. I’ll start proceedings off by playing a very rare demo I wrote with fine female lyricist Terry Cox, which surprised me how ‘Elton John’ it sounded after all these years. I was beginning to write with Bernie Taupin at that time and I think the aesthetic was rubbing off on me a little. Dusting this demo off after all these years was illuminating to me. I’ll spin a track I’m preparing for volume 3 of my, “The Poetry of Collisions” demo/odds and sods compilation series/releases; a song title that refers to the suffering-laden cyclic nature of death and reincarnation - no beginning no end … Bugger me, that sounds heavy and fun! But have no fear my friends, my song relates to a beautiful woman and lover. And it’s my great pleasure to play a track in progress - an unheard song I was writing with the great Wang Chung man Jack Hues. I was watching the Beatles, “Get Back” documentary recently (again), and was fascinated at how Paul McCartney conjured up the song, “Get Back”, from nowhere; It made me remember a track I was writing with Jack - how we were creating it ‘live’ and organically on the spot. It’s called “Big Cathedral” and it’s a great track we never finished; I’ll play you it’s very birth, warts and all. It’s a great illustration of how inspiration hits as you jam - improvise - perform. My motivational talk this month is about just that, ‘Motivation’! What motivated me to be a songwriter? What drove me on, what inspired me to dig deep and to make my dream materialize; what made me never give in when disappointment reigned - what was the essence of my desire. I think a few of you budding song crafters out there might find this section of the show a touch interesting. Scurrying around the dark song archives, I found a terrific demo I wrote and recorded with the mighty Clif Magness, a track eventually recorded by Eric Martin for a movie soundtrack. It’s hard to believe it’s an 8 track analog demo - such is Clif’s magnificent production values and lead singing. Sometimes the demo beats the master! And amongst other ditties from my demo song vaults, I’ll play a brand new song I’ve just finished for a forthcoming solo album I’m preparing. I’m very proud of this new piece - it has a personal psychological spirit about it ... I hope you like it. It’s time for you to become an “OwlHead” again. Settle back - enjoy the show. Martin 🦉

“Going Down The Rabbit Hole with Martin Page” A Conversation with Jack Hues Please join me for an extensive interview/conversation with “Wang Chung” lead man Jack Hues. He was in Los Angeles on tour and stopped by my home studio for a personal playback of my upcoming new album, on which he played amazing guitars sometime back, so I took the opportunity to record a podcast with Jack which touches upon a myriad of subjects. We talk about the fact that we both have had the great honor to have written the number one and number two “worst songs” in mankind’s history! Jack responds to hearing my upcoming new album (you’ll learn the title of it here for the first time). I ask Jack about his new single release (we’re talking UFO territory here), his recent brilliant solo albums, his famous “never released” album from the 90s, his Jazz work, his wilderness years, his musical philosophy and how he’s matured as a writer, and get this - I even ask him about drugs and groupies! AND SO, SO MUCH MORE….. Bizarrely, Jack asked me to do his laundry as I interviewed him (he’d been on the road a long time!); I charged him $30! You’ll hear the washing machine in the background ... that’s what you get when you “Go Down The Rabbit Hole with Pagey”, because it’s obvious, we’re all quite mad here 🐇 🐰 . You’re not gonna wanna miss this… Martin

So here we go again - the continuing saga of the Q.Feel drama…. More revelations will be revealed. The 80s is not a place - but a state of mind….  It’s still 1982 and there are many strange and wonderful things happening in the world… But easily the most wondrous thing to happen is the release of the song, “Dancing in Heaven (Orbital Be-Bop)”, and the subsequent album, “Q.Feel”, by my techno new wave group “Q.Feel”. Let me take you all the way back to London in the 80s when I formed the band (with guitarist Brian Fairweather), and wrote and recorded the cult underground club hit, “Dancing in Heaven”, and then made the synthesizer-dominated debut album. It’s a technicolor tale… Strap in for the ride. And remember - the 80s is not a place but a state of mind! Martin

Radio Owlsnest Episode 46 - “The Making Of The Q.Feel Album - Part One” It’s 1982 and there are many strange and wonderful things happening in the world… But easily the most wondrous thing to happen is the release of the song, “Dancing in Heaven (Orbital Be-Bop)”, and the subsequent album, “Q.Feel”, by my techno new wave group “Q.Feel”. Let me take you all the way back to London in the 80s when I formed the band (with guitarist Brian Fairweather), and wrote and recorded the cult underground club hit, “Dancing in Heaven”, and then made the synthesizer-dominated debut album. It’s a technicolor tale… Strap in for the ride. Martin

Good ‘morrow my bright new things! I bid, “welcome OwlHeads”, to episode 45 of my songwriting podcast series. After the necessary health warnings are issued by the government (these shows can be hazardous to your health), I hope you can settle down and enjoy the rare demos offered freely at this month’s feast. I’ll start by playing you a song I wrote and recorded with the fine Welsh vocalist and artist, Steve Balsamo. It’s a 16 track analog demo that I was very chuffed to discover in my rarities suitcase. Collaborating with Steve was a soulful experience… and it’s lovely that we’re still in touch after all these years. And I’m thrilled to play you a newish unfinished song I was writing for (and potentially with) Robbie Williams. After playing a soccer game with him he asked me to write some traditional folk songs for him. Yes, you heard right - Robbie Williams was planning to do a folk record with me. All Fiddles, harps, bodhrans, mandolins and roaring drunken sea shanties! Can you imagine … would have been fun. I’m more than a little enamored with this little rough home demo track I’ll play you here. Remember the cult teen movie, “Say Anything”? I’ll play you the original demo for a song that opened the soundtrack album…. and tell you the story of dumbfounded movie executives giving me the evil eye! I’ll have a little fun playing you a brand new jam of an 80’s-drenched track being written for my alter-ego band (Krautrock techno groove rules here). And I’ll stay in the 80’s to play you the original Fostex 8 track analog demo of the most successful song I’ve ever had the fortune to write ... I’m still amazed how this song continues to reverberate a good 40 years after it was written 😳. My little oration section of the show will be dedicated to the tightness, the precision, the perfection of popular recordings. From my own recordings to Steely Dan’s, I’ll enquire about the philosophy of music being either produced by precise “robots” or by human “feel”. I put my own disease of perfection under the microscope here. My career really took off in the 80’s when machines and technology dominated recording studios and the songwriting process … so I’m very aware of the balance that needs to be struck. And I’ll spin an unheard, rather new song that espouses the healing and rejuvenating power of the sun. It’s a song I haven’t heard for a while, and playing it today reminded me that I must develop it and finish it. We songwriters can be bloody lazy buggers! It’s always lovely to present a new episode to the loyal royal “OwlHeads”. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did recording it. Tally-Ho! Martin 🦉

Hello boys and girls - welcome along to another radio Owlsnest special! Join me as I investigate and excavate my intensely intimate solo album of 2021, “Fugitive Pieces”. Out of all the solo albums I’ve recorded so far, this one resonates profoundly for me. Of course, I’ll get into the songwriting and the recording of the album, but I’ll also touch upon the psychological aspects of its creation; particularly it’s birth, which emanated from a need to combat a debilitating depression. The record was written and recorded over a three week period. I set myself the task of writing, in total, a song a day … lyrics were not written down. At the microphone, I sang and created from a stream of consciousness, relying on naked emotion and vivid memories to conjure the pictures. The songs relate to emotional touchstones in my life … personal relationships and the compound fear and deep joys that these connections printed and left upon my heart. It was me going back to basics - just sat at the piano. Simplicity and minimalism instructed the production. And my vocals were captured within the first three or four takes. I feel my singing on this album is amongst my best. Although this album resides rather under the radar within my collection (possibly because of its “down tone” and low key blue essence), it does feel to me as my most honest and real. I couldn’t have conceived this project at any other time in my life, and I knew I could never again reproduce the spirit in which it was created - at request or on a whim. That three week period was wholly unique, and I sensed it would not, and could not be grasped again. I hope you can join me. I’ve wanted for quite some time now to tell the personal story of “Fugitive Pieces”. Martin

”Good day, dearest ‘OwlHeads’”. I pray you are all preening your feathers magnificently. I offer you here today Episode 43 of my songwriter podcast series … where my song vaults and archives are again raided for my rare demos, odds and sods and sonic misfits. This month’s show features a little gem I concocted with the “Go West” boys, Richard Drummie and Peter Cox; I do remember quite special studio sessions with those lads. I’ll play you a song I’m extremely proud of that I demoed with Earth, Wind and Fire’s majestic vocalist Philip Bailey at the legendary EWF studios, “The Complex”, in LA. Great memories of working with a true gentleman of soul music. And I’ll play you a demo of another amazing singer that I worked and wrote with, the peerless John Waite when he was leading the rock band “Bad English”. It’s a spontaneous, raw, one-day home demo that, I have to say, gives the actual final master recording a damn good run for its money! There’ll be a truly vintage retro playback of one of the first demos I ever wrote and recorded with my songwriter partner Brian Fairweather back in London in the late, hazy 1970s … a mono analog 2 track Revox recording of a song eventually recorded (if you can believe this) by the British “The Kenny Everett Video Show” dance troupe, “Hot Gossip”. I’m being very brave here, because the demo is as homemade and sonically compromised as can be imagined. Yet, weirdly, I still think Huey Lewis and the News back in the day could have done a great job with it! 😳 I’ll play you a song I wrote with the quite brilliant artist, Paul Delph ... probably not known to many of you, but a truly gifted talent who is sadly missed. A very bright future was predicted for this virtuoso, until he was tragically cut down by AIDS. I even wanted him to join my band and tour with me during the “House of Stone and Light” days. The demo I’ll play you showcases his extraordinary potential. I’ll spend a little time expounding upon my early life when I couldn’t work out what I wanted to be before I became a musician and songwriter. It’s a crazy story with many wild turns and false starts … I even nearly became a chef!!! God forbid. 🫣 I can’t resist playing you an outtake from the recording sessions for my solo album, “In the Temple of the Muse”. This track that I wrote with lyricist Bernie Taupin never made it onto the actual album, but it remains for me a very funky and unique piece. It features the outstanding live drumming of Jimmy Copley. And to round things off, I’ll play you a brand new track from a future album of mine that I’m presently developing. It speaks of a time in the past when people saw the land and nature as the “King”, and to harm the land was tantamount to wounding the Royal Sovereign. Ahh, now there’s a concept we should all still embrace today, I fancy. So please join me for the bumpy ride, thy noble “OwlHeads”. Let’s have some fun. Martin🦉

Radio Owlsnest Episode 42 “Welcome to my faithful OwlHead brethren and sistren”. We gather here today to share episode 42 in the continuing saga of ‘bonkers’ songwriter podcasts. All who pass here - surrender all sense of decency, normalcy and decorum. On this month’s show, I’ll be spinning some exceedingly rare retro demos, including an unheard collaboration with the fine songwriter/singer/artist Dana Glover. It’s a taste of soulful southern gospel - sprinkled with a touch of modern production … a track that rather interestingly conjures up images of Italy and a young fashion model’s life 😳. I’ll play a demo that hinted at my rockstar alter ego ... a song that Starship made their own on their 1989 album, “Love Among the Cannibals”. The lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin, and he makes another grand appearance as my lyricist in this episode, when I play you a song I think is in the top 5 of the best songs I’ve ever written… now that’s quite a statement! I dig out of the dusty archives a track I wrote with a band called “Eden,” fronted by the wonderful Australian singer, Karen Eden. This truly is a rarity and I was thrilled to discover it again while rummaging through my ancient cassettes, DATs and analog tape vaults. It’s a dangerous, dirty archeological job, but someone’s gotta do it…. I spend a little time trying to turn you on to some bands and artists that are “under the radar” that have hugely influenced me. I hope that I can lead you on to discovering more about these fine artists and their incredible music. This section of the show made me aware of my love of the Gaelic tradition and aesthetic. I try to keep the Celtic atmosphere and vibes flowing when I spin a song I wrote about my mother’s and father’s youthful courtship. Be warned, OwlHeads, high romance is at the fore here! And I have great pleasure playing you an 8 track demo that I wrote with the superlative songwriter Jon Lind, which was eventually recorded by the majestic Earth, Wind and Fire. A definite high point of my career. AND AND AND, my friends!.. That’s not all. To top the cake off, I’ll play you a brand new song that is in the process of being created and born - a tribute to my love of “Motown” and that magical era of the Detroit sound, when those platters of the 60s touched our souls and moved our feet. So, lay back with me, my feathered fellowship, and journey back once again into the retro world of “Pagey’s” songs, musings and demos… It’s a well known fact: We OwlHeads have exceptional hearing! 🦉 Martin