The CAT Club (Classic Album Thursdays)

A CAT Club presentationAN AUDIENCE WITH JOHN ALTMANJohn Altman has four Lifetime Achievement Awards and four Grammy Participation Certificates. He has composed music for over fifty movies – winning, and being nominated for BAFTAS, Golden Globes, Golden Reels and Emmy Awards long the way for Titanic, Monty Python’s Life Of Brian, Goldeneye, Hear My Song, Sheltering Sky, Léon: The Professional, RKO281, The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone, Little Voice and No Time To Die.A gifted arranger, John has worked on 19 platinum albums, including George Michael's 1989 album Faith, which won several Grammys (he was also nominated for The Rutles film, All You Need Is Cash).Some of the artists he has written for include Simple Minds, Barry White, Tina Turner, Björk, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Pretenders, Rod Stewart and Michael Jackson.As an in-demand woodwind player, he has played with artists as diverse as Prince, Nick Drake, Muddy Waters, Peter Green, Kevin Ayers, Amy Winehouse (whom he mentored) and he was also musical director for Hot Chocolate and Van Morrison. As a jazz musician and band leader John has played with Chet Baker, Slim Gaillard, Quincy Jones, Bud Freeman, Les McCann and many others.A renowned raconteur, Altman’s acclaimed autobiography, Hidden Man was published in 2022 by Equinox.This terrific CAT Club gathering saw JASON BARNARD in the interviewer’s chair doing a splendid job opposite the truly wonderful JOHN ALTMAN.Please note: John was also our guest for George Michael’s Faith album. Podcast also available and well worth a listen!Happy TrailsThis event took place on 24th April 2025 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire.To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.ukThis podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons.Happy Trails.

OH MERCY – BOB DYLAN with special guest Michael GrayIn 1989 Bob Dylan appeared to be a busted flush, the God bothering had faded and the glory decades were long gone but with Daniel Lanois at the helm ‘Oh Mercy’ smashed any preconceptions of creative malaise and delivered his most vital work for years. For many ‘Oh Mercy' was a gateway drug to both Dylan and the genre of Americana. It is a genuine classic album that stands up to repeated listens.” (Rolling Stone).MICHAEL GRAY was the man who in 1972 wrote the first critical study of Bob Dylan’s work – the first to take him seriously as an artist and to discuss his work alongside that of the literary majors – all this more than 40 years before Dylan received the Nobel Prize for Literature.Michael has remained at the forefront of Dylan Studies and his books are widely used in colleges and libraries on both sides of the Atlantic.We were delighted to welcome the author of ‘Song & Dance Man,’ ‘The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia’ and ‘Outtakes On Bob Dylan’  for what proved to be a memorable evening – Dr. Michael Gray.This event took place on 26th September 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire.To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.ukHappy Trails.

The CAT Club presents a classic vinyl album:COMBAT ROCK – THE CLASHReleased in 1982, ‘Combat Rock’ covers old ground with almost gleeful energy, stakes out new territory with confidence, and delivers more than enough timeless classics to make it stand proudly next to any of their earlier work.With special guest CHRIS SALEWICZThe author of Redemption Song: 'The Definitive Biography Of Joe Strummer,' Chris Salewicz was an intimate friend with Joe Strummer for over 25 years. An NME golden era veteran, he has written seventeen books, including acclaimed biographies of Paul McCartney, Bob Marley and Jimmy Page. The first group that Chris saw was the Beatles.CHRIS MADDEN was in the interviewer’s chair.This event took place on 16th January 2025 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire.To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.ukThis podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons.Happy Trails.

The CAT Club presents a classic vinyl album:THE CURE – THE HEAD ON THE DOORwith special guestDAVID M ALLENReleased in 1985, 'The Head On The Door' was The Cure’s first real international success. At the helm during the recording of this terrific classic album was producer David M Allen.David is also an engineer and mixer. He has worked with The Sisters Of Mercy, The Chameleons, Depeche Mode, The Mission, The Associates, The Human League, Wire, Clan Of Xymox, Gianna Nannini, Shelleyan Orphan, Neneh Cherry, The Psychedelic Furs, Richard Strange and The Damned.AMANDA COOK was in the interviewer’s chair opposite the delightful David M Allen and a splendid time was had by all.This event took place on 27th March 2025 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire.To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.ukThis podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons.Happy Trails.

The CAT Club presents a classic vinyl album:GRACE JONES – SLAVE TO THE RHYTHMwith special guestBRUCE WOOLLEYBruce Woolley co-wrote all the songs on Grace Jones’ classic album from 1985, 'Slave To The Rhythm' and he plays guitar, bass and keyboards on the album, as well as singing background vocals.His band, Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club, recorded 'Video Killed The Radio Star' first, a song Woolley co-wrote with Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes.Woolley’s songs have been recorded by Cher, Erasure, Tori Amos, John Farnham, Donna Summer, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and Dusty Springfield.He is also the co-founder of The Radio Science Orchestra that composes for major films, television and radio. Bruce Woolley has worked with Brian Eno, Sly & Robbie, Nile Rodgers, Thomas Dolby and many others.JASON BARNARD was in the interviewer’s chair opposite the delightful Mr Bruce Woolley and a splendid time was had by all.This event took place on 27th February 2025 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire.To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.ukThis podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons.Happy Trails.

The CAT Club presents a classic vinyl album:LIVE AT THE WITCH TRIALS – THE FALLwith special guestsMARK HOYLE & PAUL HANLEYAn incendiary debut album, Live At The Witch Trials introduces The Fall as 'northern white crap that talks back'. And so it was for the next four decades: abrasive, non-conformist, literate, witty, rhythmic.It was a sound and attitude obsessed over by two teenage Mancunians, Paul Hanley and Mark Hoyle. Mark took great inspiration from the album when fronting his own band, Dub Sex, and Paul would later join The Fall himself on drums. Both will talk about the music scene in Manchester around the time, and the impact this record and The Fall had on it.This event took place on 30th January 2025 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire.Special thanks to our good friends at Route publishing for all their help with making this gathering a special one for so many people.To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.ukThis podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons.Happy Trails.

A CAT Club presentation in association with Strange Brew podcasts: AN AUDIENCE WITH KEN SCOTT“The venue, the team and the audience were all wonderful and made my presentation at the CAT Club totally enjoyable. Thank you everyone!” Ken Scott.Here’s a lovely write up from our good friend Elliot Smaje (he of Wall of Sound Records fame) about the final CAT Club gathering of 2024. Following on from the great Phill Brown just a few weeks prior to this event we saw another producer/engineer – the legend that is KEN SCOTT on the CAT Club stage in The Robin Hood's Pigeon Loft in Pontefract before another sold out audience . . ."Tonight's CAT Club ends a magnificent year of events with yet another triumph. Entertaining and engaging from start to finish, Ken Scott, along with the insightful interviewing skills of Jason Barnard presented us with 13 tracks that served as an overview of his extensive career in the world of music. Whilst looking at the list, one might conclude that it's a case of being in the right place at the right time, but it is clear from Ken's modest recount of his history that he has achieved what he has firstly by knowledge and also by passion. Maybe he was fortuitous to have found an industry that was still in it's infancy in discovering new sounds and techniques and technology and was still very open to being a place where the enthusiast was welcome to come in and have space to prove themselves, but he still had to prove his merit in being able to do that. The fact that he was in the mix on Beatles recordings very quickly and progressed up the ranks of responsibilities is a testimony to that ability. And as he also said, there's a percentage of being able to get on with people in there too and it was abundantly clear that Ken charmed the room within minutes with his insider stories of the making of these great records. Also of note is the diversity along the length of his career, starting at EMI Abbey Road and working with the likes of The Beatles and then to Trident Studios and collaborations with Bowie and Lou Reed. Then on to the likes of Elton John and Supertramp before exploring the world of jazz fusion and latterly Americana. But ultimately Ken was a great listen and I sure that we could have happily heard hours more of the same because ultimately as fans, hearing about things first hand is always that nth degree better. Thanks to Jason Barnard for great interviewing, Rev Reynolds for keeping us all in order, Drey for sound and making the ladies luurve, Lee and Stacey for hosting, Amanda Cooke for new found raffle technique and Liz Wheeldon for being book mistress for the night. The CAT Club has been like Crufts this year. It's attracted the best, the cream ( and the sons of!) the best of breed, the pedigree and the pedigree have loved being here. The CAT Club has become pedigree chums. Here's to 2025." Elliot Smaje.Very special thanks to JASON BARNARD of Strange Brew podcasts for his stint in the interviewer's chair and for all the time and effort he put into this one.This event took place on 12th December 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire.To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.ukThis podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons.Happy Trails.

The CAT Club, in association with Strange Brew podcasts, presents a classic vinyl album::OGDENS’ NUT GONE FLAKE – THE SMALL FACES There was no shortage of outstanding psychedelic albums in the late 1960s, but the Small Faces classic Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake, proved to be one of the greatest. With special guest PHILL BROWN A sixteen year old called Phill Brown was the tape operator on Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake. Not only did he talk to a captivated CAT Club audience about that album but he regaled us with many a fine tale from his subsequent career as a renowned engineer and producer. Stories about working with the Stones, Hendrix, Bob Marley, Nilsson, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Talk Talk, Dido and many others including fellow legendary producer, Glyn Johns (and not working with Morrissey and the Smiths) had our jaws dropping and smiles beaming on our faces. We also learned that editing tape after being given a rather larger spliff from Aston "Family Man" Barrett of the Wailers isn’t a good idea. Only the proverbial tip of the iceberg was covered which is a good reason to have Phill Brown back at The CAT Club sometime in the future. Meanwhile, we recommend Phill’s fine memoir ‘Are We Still Rolling? Studios, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll – One Man's Journey Recording Classic Albums.’ JASON BARNARD of Strange Brew podcasts was in the interviewer’s chair. This event took place on 28th November 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.uk This podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons. Happy Trails.

AN AUDIENCE WITH IAN RANKIN A Life in Music . .  The superb Inspector Rebus novels are littered with musical references throughout, so we were delighted when legendary award winning author, Sir Ian Rankin agreed to come along to talk about his own life with our favourite art form.  Originally, Ian’s friend (and also a best selling Scottish author), John Niven was to be the interviewer, but an important business trip to New Orleans came along and alternative arrangements had to be made. The CAT Club’s very own AMANDA COOK stepped into the breach and made us all so proud of her. After a brief chat about Ian’s latest blockbuster release, ‘Midnight and Blue,’ the musical tastes of John Rebus did indeed feature in a fascinating evening with a true giant of the wonderful world of literature. Ian took us on a personal journey through his life explaining how music played such an important role along the way. As well as being a great novelist, Ian is also a great raconteur with a terrific sense of humour and he captivated the sold audience for over two memorable hours. Special thanks to Amanda Cook for a terrific stint in the interviewer's chair. This event took place on 21st November 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.uk Happy Trails.

THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN with special guest ARTHUR BROWN. The eponymous ‘The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown,’ which included the smash hit single ‘Fire,’ was released in 1968. With Vincent Crane on keyboards, Drachen Theaker on drums and Nick Greenwood (billed as Sean Nicholas) on bass guitar, and with Brown’s extraordinary vocals, it was perhaps an album that could never be repeated and it remains an exhilarating slice of psychedelia at its prime and extremity. Arthur Brown is a seminal figure in the realm of psychedelic rock. Emerging in the late 1960s, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown melded surreal stage antics with pioneering sounds, cementing their place in rock history. Brown's captivating persona, marked by his operatic voice and wild, face-painted performances (including wearing a flaming helmet during the rendering of 'Fire') became a hallmark of their shows, influencing future generations of theatrical rock artists. Their music remains a symbol of the experimental and boundary-pushing spirit of the psychedelic era, continuing to inspire with their enduring legacy and ongoing musical contributions. Arthur Brown’s influence on shock, progressive rock and on electronic and heavy metal music also cannot be underestimated. It was a fascinating interview with a fascinating man that included one of Arthur’s famous helmets being set alight on the CAT Club stage during the video screening of the legendary 1968 Top of the Pops performance of ‘Fire!’ The gathering culminated with a stunning live performance with Arthur singing ‘I Put A Spell On You’ along to the original backing track ripped from the featured album. JASON BARNARD did an admirable job in the interviewer’s chair it must be said. This event took place on 24th October 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.uk Happy Trails.

NEBRASKA – BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN A CAT Club presentation in association with the E Street and Strange Brew Podcasts. Recorded on four-track cassette in his New Jersey bedroom, 'Nebraska' has proved one of Springsteen’s most enduring works. A raw, haunted acoustic record populated by lost souls searching not for salvation through music, but simply a reason to believe. JASON BARNARD & JEFF MATTHEWS headed up our panel. Jason’s Strange Brew Music podcasts are in the top 1.5% in the world. Jeff is the host of the acclaimed E Street Cafe podcasts and veteran of around one hundred Springsteen live shows over 43 years. It was a fascinating event with a special live performance of the title track by Liverpool legend and one of the finest singer/songwriters on the current music scene, Robert Vincent. This event took place on 12th September 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.uk This podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons. Happy Trails.

POWER, CORRUPTION & LIES – NEW ORDER with special guest Lindsay Reade. 'Power, Corruption & Lies' cemented New Order's place as the most exciting dance-rock hybrid in music. Released on Factory, the album stands as a thrilling introduction to a band finding its feet and leaping ahead of the pack. With special guest LINDSAY READE. We were delighted to welcome Lindsay Reade as our guest, who was at the heart of the vast cultural changes that took place within Manchester and its evolving music scene during the past three decades. Lindsay worked at Factory Records, sang lead vocals on a Durutti Column single, was an early manager of The Stone Roses and much more besides. Lindsay was also married to Factory Records owner and Haçienda director, Tony Wilson. Her new memoir, ‘A Continual Farewell,’ l tells the incredible story of their tempestuous and mercurial relationship. AMANDA COOKE was in the interviewer's chair. This event took place on 15th August 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.uk This podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons. Happy Trails.

BLUE – JONI MITCHELL with special guest Barney Hoskyns. Sad, spare, and beautiful, 'Blue' is the quintessential confessional singer/songwriter album. Forthright and poetic, Joni Mitchell's songs are raw nerves, tales of love and loss. Mitchell's music moves beyond the constraints of acoustic folk into more intricate and diverse territory, setting the stage for the experimentation of her later work. Unrivalled in its intensity and insight, 'Blue' remains a watershed. With special guest BARNEY HOSKYNS.Barney Hoskyns edited the acclaimed 2017 publication 'Joni: The Anthology.' He has worked for, and contributed to Melody Maker, NME, Vogue, The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, The Observer, Rolling Stone, Mojo, Uncut, Spin, The BBC and many more. He is the co-founder of Rock’s Backpages. He has been referred to as one of the country’s best rock journalists & the finest British rock writer of his generation. Barney Hoskyns has written some of the best music books ever published. In the interviewer’s chair for the very first time was Allan Wilkinson who ensured that a splendid time was by all. This event took place on 25th July 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.uk This podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons. Happy Trails.

AN AUDIENCE WITH MANZANERA . . . Phil Manzanera is one of the UK’s best-known musicians and record producers, having shot to prominence in the early ‘70’s as the lead guitarist with the seminal band, Roxy Music. He is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s leading guitarists and is in much demand both as a performer and record producer. In 2019 Roxy Music were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame playing live at the ceremony. As a writer, producer and solo artist, Phil Manzanera has worked with many of the luminaries of modern music, such as Steve Winwood, David Gilmour, John Cale, Godley and Creme, Nico (Velvet Underground) and John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia). He has co-written material with many artists, including Brian Eno, Tim Finn, Robert Wyatt and David Gilmour. Manzanera co-wrote Pink Floyd’s single ‘One Slip’ from their 1988 ‘Momentary Lapse of Reason’ album. In the world of Rock en Español Manzanera has also produced seminal albums for Draco Rosa, Enrique Bunbury, Héoes del Silencio Aterciopelados, Paralamas and fFto Paez. His state of the art Gallery Studios, now also a post production studio for films, in West London. Artists that have recorded there include Robert Wyatt, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Hot Chip, David Gilmour, Annie Lennox, Paul Weller, Kevin Ayers and Chrissie Hynde. The Rock And Roll Hall of Famer has written his acclaimed memoir, titled Revolución To Roxy, and he was with us at The CAT Club to talk about the book and his extraordinary life. Phil will also brought along his guitar . . . In the interviewer’s chair was Jason Barnard who ensured that a splendid time was by all. This event took place on 13th June 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.uk This podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons. Happy Trails.

ALADDIN SANE – DAVID BOWIE with special guest Suzi Ronson. On 5th July 2017, The CAT Club's featured album was Bowie's 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.' Our special guest that day was the band's drummer, Woody Woodmansey. We've wanted to present the follow up record to Ziggy Stardust, the truly wonderful 'Aladdin Sane' for some time now but never seemed to get it together. Until a certain memoir was recently published . . . Suzi Fussey was working in a Beckenham hair salon in the early seventies when Mrs Jones came in for her weekly shampoo and set. After being introduced to her son David and his wife Angie, Suzi finds herself at the Bowies’ bohemian apartment and is soon embroiled in their raucous world. Having crafted his iconic Ziggy Stardust hairstyle, Suzi becomes the only working woman in David’s touring party and joins the Spiders from Mars as they perform around the globe. Amid the costume blunders, parties and groupies she meets her husband-to-be, Mick Ronson, and together they traverse the absurdities of life in show business, falling in with the likes of Iggy Pop, Bob Dylan and Lou Reed along the way. Dazzling and intimate, ‘Me and Mr Jones’ provides not only a unique perspective on one of the most beguiling stars of our time but also a world on the cusp of cultural transformation, charting the highs and lows of life as one of the only women in the room as it happened. We were delighted that Suzi Ronson joined us to talk about her life with both David Bowie and Mick Ronson and, of course, about 'Aladdin Sane.’ In the interviewer’s chair for the very first time was Amanda Cook who ensured that a splendid time was by all. This event took place on 6th June 2024 in the Pigeon Loft at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. To find out more about the CAT Club please visit: www.thecatclub.co.uk This podcast has been edited for content and for copyright reasons. Happy Trails.