This week on Oh! Brother, we were delighted to welcome Steve Diggle for a live episode covering his early life, the formation of Buzzcocks, and the first rush of punk in Manchester. We look back on 60s music, dead-end jobs, the Lesser Free Trade Hall, Spiral Scratch, Howard Devoto’s exit, and writing songs with Pete Shelley.

Later on, audience questions bring in Manchester venues, B-sides, fashion, schooldays, fellow travellers from the class of 1976, and Buzzcocks’ place in the city’s wider story. Hope you enjoy!

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This week, Tommy Crooks joins us to talk art school, painting, Provence, East Lothian, and the chance meeting with Mark E. Smith on Leith Walk that led, somehow, to The Fall.

Along the way, we get into first hearing “Totally Wired”, Craig Scanlon’s exit, Lucy Rimmer’s letter, Brix’s last gig in Motherwell, rehearsals in Levenshulme, Jilly’s, Cardiff with Super Furry Animals, recording Levitate, the Irish dates, the US tour, and the final meltdown at Brownies. Tommy also talks about what came after: floor sanding, renovating old houses, and building a soap business. Hope you enjoy!

We're thrilled to have Tommy exhibiting and attending "The Fall: Futures and Pasts" this weekend, hope to see you there!

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Joining us this week, the inimitable Jon Spencer. Jon talks us through Pussy Galore, Blues Explosion, Heavy Trash, working with Steve Albini, US punk networks, record shops, and his current band.

We also get onto The Fall, Jon supporting them on the 1993 US tour, infamous gigs in Philadelphia, Reading and Connecticut, Brix, Mark E. Smith, Elena, bass amps, rockabilly, the Brix-era records, and imitating Steve’s bass sound. Hope you enjoy!

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