A (Mostly) 80s Music Podcast: What Difference Does It Make?

Dave Sloan and Holly Cantos - 80s Music Podcast

Dave and Holly, your 80s music aficionados, talk to the artists and music industry insiders that made it the greatest decade for music.

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310 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes310

Newest first

Oct 11, 2024 · 50 min
Steve Diggle finds harmony with The Buzzcocks
We celebrate Punk For A Day Day on October 25 by recognizing one of our favorite Punks. One wouldn't blame Steve Diggle if he decided to pack up The Buzzcocks name after the death of vocalist Pete Shelley back in 2018. But Steve is carrying on, with the same fervor that powered the band back in Manchester, England in 1978. When we talked back in 2022 The Buzzcock's latest album, Sonics In The Soul had just been released. Steve now has a memoir coming out on October 29 entitled Autonomy: Portrait of A Buzzcock. Steve talks all about the band, the ,loss of Pete, and the new album on this episode of the What Difference Does It Make podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 4, 2024 · 56 min
Denny Tedesco Gets Into The Immediate Family
What does music documentarian Denny Tedesco do for an encore, after beautifully capturing the family of musicians known as The Wrecking Crew? How about find another family? That’s exactly what Denny did, with his latest film, entitled Immediate Family. You may not know the Immediate Family, or the names Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, or Steve Postell, but you know the music. This band of brothers has helped create the iconic music of Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Phil Collins, and Don Henley, just to name a few. Denny's film helps illuminate what makes these musicians so special as he steps into the What Difference Does It Make garage to share some stories of both The Wrecking Crew and The Immediate Family. Immediate Family is now streaming on Hulu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 27, 2024 · 52 min
Earth To Moon Unit Zappa: A Podcast
Moon Unit Zappa has led quite a unique life. The daughter of Frank and Gail, she always called her parents by their first names. Moon was gifted a journal every year since she was five, and now she details many of the crazy stories in her book: Earth To Moon: A Memoir. She also shares some of her secrets on our podcast, including her fake name whenever this famed Valley Girl entered the Sherman Oaks Galleria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 13, 2024 · 1 hr 16 min
Redd Kross Remain Innocent
It's been quite a year for the brothers Jeff and Steven McDonald of Redd Kross. They’re currently in the middle of a tour in support of their eponymous double album, their oral history memoir, Now You're One Of Us: The Story Of Redd Kross comes out in October, and before the year is up, we’ll see the release of their documentary, Born Innocent. Somehow they boys found time to chat with us about the important things like K-Pop Band, Blackpink, the Chuck Connors show Thrill Seekers, and Sonny Bono. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 16, 2024 · 55 min
Robyn Hitchcock Never Left 1967
Robyn Hitchcock has had quite the musical career. So much so that two movies have been made about him: The documentary Robyn Hitchcock: Sex, Food, Death...and Insects, and the Jonathan Demme-directed performance film, Storefront Hitchcock. However, when Robyn decided to write his own story, he centered it on a particularly meaningful point in his life: When he was 14 years old. The memoir is 1967: How I Got There And Why I Never Left. Robyn joins the podcast to tell us all about this magical year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 2, 2024 · 52 min
Desperately Seeking Susan Seidelman
Susan Seidelman has directed films with Meryl Streep, John Malkovich, and Madonna, but how does a humble girl from the suburbs of Philadelphia get to such a point? It's all documented in her new book, Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls. Susan joins the podcast to talk about movies, music, mothers, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 26, 2024 · 1 hr 19 min
Matt Pinfield: Music, Mayhem And MTV
Matt Pinfield would probably consider himself "just a music fan from New Jersey". But fans of his radio and club shows, as well as music artists like David Bowie and Depeche Mode immediately recognized the passion and knowledge that Matt possessed. This led to the distinction of being THE spokesperson for rock music fans when he first began hosting the Alternative Music show 120 Minutes on MTV in 1995. It's all documented in his memoir, All These Things That I've Done: My Insane, Improbable Rock Life. We’re lucky to have Matt on the podcast to discuss his life, as well as the Top Ten songs from the 1987 KROQ year-end playlist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 19, 2024 · 1 hr 27 min
It's Lyndsanity! with Lyndsey Parker
Music Journalist Lyndsey Parker is a fixture on the Los Angeles music scene. For more than two decades, she served as the Music Editor for Yahoo Entertainment, interviewing all our favorite music artists, including 80s icons like The Cure, Duran Duran, and Cyndi Lauper. You've seen her as a correspondent on AXS TV and Fox 11 News in Los Angeles, and as a moderator at the Grammy Museum. You can learn all about Lyndsey on her website, Lyndsanity! First and foremost, she is a music fan, and also a Valley Girl, which makes her the perfect guest to discuss the 80s and songs 20 to 11 from the 1987 year-end chart as featured on The World Famous KROQ in Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 12, 2024 · 1 hr 11 min
We Groove To Swedish Egil
We first heard Swedish Egil at KROQ in Los Angeles, where for ten years he played his favorite dance, ska, and electronic music, introducing us to bands like New Order and Kraftwerk. From there, he became Music Director of MARS-FM, and introduced us to techno and rave artists like The Orb and Moby. And for the past three decades, Egil spearheaded Groove Radio, first in Los Angeles, then in syndication, and now globally through his website Groove Radio. You can also hear him still spinning 80s music on SiriusXM’s First Wave. So after we learn how a Swedish boy found his way onto the LA airwaves, we discuss songs 30 to 21 from the 1987 KROQ year-end chart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 28, 2024 · 1 hr 15 min
Alan Hunter: The OG MTV VJ
Alan Hunter was the first person we saw for the debut of MTV on August 1, 1981 (just don't remind Mark Goodman of this fact). Alan has maintained a passion for the 80s music that defined our youth. This, naturally, makes him the perfect guest for our podcast, as we discuss his career, his newfound love of cruises, and songs 40 to 31 from the KROQ 1987 year-end chart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 21, 2024 · 1 hr 5 min
Paige Stark Is Good At Love
Paige Stark is a multi-hyphenated artist. She's a Director-Writer-Actor-Producer, but she joins our podcast because we’re fans of her music. Her just- released EP is entitled Good At Love, and we get into all the interesting insights from the start of her career, her impressive list of friends, and the crazy story of how she became associated with Clementine Creevy from the band, Cherry Glazerr. Stay until the end of the episode, as Paige treats us to two in-studio performances, "Zombie Brain Drain", and a cover of Roxy Music's "Take A Chance With Me". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 7, 2024 · 1 hr 15 min
Rockin' Rob Tonkin
Music Industry executive Rob Tonkin has been a fixture in the business for over four decades. He's accumulated quite a few stories, so much so that he’ll be releasing his own memoir in very the near future (tentatively called "Rockin' Robbie"). Meanwhile, Rob joins us in our What Difference Does It Make virtual studio to share some of his stories, and to discuss some 80s music; specifically the year 1987, and songs 50 to 41 from the KROQ year-end chart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 31, 2024 · 42 min
The dB's Stands For DeciBels
Exciting news for fans of power pop, as the dB's are releasing a reissue of their excellent debut LP, Stands for deciBels. Formed in New York City by four North Carolinians, The dB’s consist of singers-guitarists-songwriters Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple, bassist Gene Holder, and drummer Will Rigby. Amazingly, this remastered edition is the first time the set has been released on vinyl in the United States. We're fortunate to have Peter and Will in the What Difference Does It Make virtual studio to discuss the joys and frustrations of being in an indie rock band in the early 80s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 3, 2024 · 1 hr
Marco Collins Gives Us Both The Glamour And The Squalor
Marco Collins may be best known as the Music Director at KNDD/The End in Seattle during the height of the grunge era. His career actually started at 91X in San Diego, but he had to commute to the station, located in Tijuana, Mexico, to get to his overnight shift. It's part glamour and part squalor. The Glamour & The Squalor also happens to be the name of his own documentary. We’re treated to a look into the life of Marco Collins, and we give him a chance to share his love of 80s music, as we discuss songs from the 1987 KROQ year-end chart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 26, 2024 · 1 hr 5 min
Midge Ure: Cataloging The Hits
The breadth of the Midge Ure music catalogue is one to behold. His career started in the 1970’s with the boy band, Slik, followed by Rich Kids through to Visage and Ultravox and a thriving solo career. That's even without mentioning the historic work he's done for Band Aid & Live Aid in the 80’s. We are thrilled Midge Ure can join us on the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 19, 2024 · 39 min
Lol Tolhurst Gives Us The History Of Goth
Founding member of The Cure and Rock Hall Inductee, Lol Tolhurst, joins the podcast to chat about his second book, entitled GOTH. It's a deep dive into the dark Romanticism of Goth music. Of course, since we like to keep things upbeat, we also discuss the eclipse, family, sunny California, and his new album, Los Angeles, with his old friend Budgie, drummer from Siouxsie & The Banshees, and Jacknife Lee, producer of records by U2, REM, and Taylor Swift. Yes, we are mentioning Taylor Swift in our episode about Goth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 12, 2024 · 1 hr
Dylan Chambers Gets High
Dylan Chambers is one soulful dude, as a listen to his EP For Your Listening Pleasure! will prove. His first single, "High (When I'm Low)," featuring LunchMoney Lewis and Dave Koz, will immediately put a smile on your face. Dylan steps into our studio to discuss his beginnings in Arlington, Texas, and his many collaborations with artists from Mark Ballas, (of Dancing With The Stars fame), to Aldae, co-songwriter of “Flowers", by Miley Cyrus. To top off our episode, Dylan plays an acoustic set for us that culminates with Hall & Oates "Sara Smile". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 5, 2024 · 58 min
Urgent! Rick Wills Hits The Trail For Foreigner
Foreigner is one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, with worldwide sales of more than 80 million records, but they are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Yet. Rick Wills, bassist for the band, joins the podcast not only to push for Foreigner's entry into the Rock Hall, but to chat with us about his renowned career, including stints playing with David Gilmour, and discovering he was owed a lot of money as the co-writer of Peter Frampton's "Do You Feel Like We Do". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 22, 2024 · 48 min
It's Time To Follow Pearl Harbour
Pearl Harbour has a deep love of Rockabilly music. So much so that instead of recording another album on a major label with Pearl Harbor and The Explosions, she left the band to record a solo record. The result was the 1980 release, Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too. Unfortunately, the album was slightly ahead of its time, missing out on the 80s rockabilly revival from bands like The Stray Cats and The Blasters. Fortunately, we now have this re-release. Pearl joins the podcast to relive those times including stories about contributions from members of The Clash and Ian Dury & The Blockheads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 8, 2024 · 48 min
Dave Tarnowski Creates Disappointing Affirmations
Dave Tarnowski, like everyone, has voices in his head, confirming and/or denying his worst fears. Unlike everyone, Dave has created an Instagram Account around the concept, with 2.2 million followers and counting. He has now turned that social media success into a book, entitled Disappointing Affirmations: Unfollow your dreams! However, for this episode, Dave talks about his true loves, Nick Cave, The Cure, and 80s teen sensation, Tiffany. We do manage to talk about the book as well, and Dave gives us the scoop on how he created the idea behind the memes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices