This episode I’m joined by singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins, who’s about to release her 7th solo album “Drama” which was produced Wilco’s Pat Sansone, and features a duet with Chris Isaak, amongst other collaborators. The album is being released on Friday 18th September on Isaak’s Sun Records imprint, Wicked Game Records.

Nicole grew up on the Jersey shore, in Neptune City, but now lives in Nashville, where the album was recorded. It continues her journey to “write modern songs that could be part of the Great American Songbook.”

She was fantastic company and we have a wide-ranging conversation. I hope you enjoy it.

I also wanted to mention; my debut novel is out now! It’s entitled “The End We Took For Granted”. It’s a missing person mystery set in 1997, against a backdrop of local bands, record shops, and small-town journalism. I’m really proud of it.

It’s available on Amazon and there’s a link below. As a reminder the show is ad-free, and I have no sponsorship or crowd funding or anything, so if you want a tangible way to support me, please consider picking up a copy. In the UK the paperback in £7.99 and the Kindle version is only £1.99.

Thanks!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HCXBPMKT

This episode I’m very pleased to be joined once again by Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery, for his third appearance on the show.

We had a lot to discuss, primarily the release this month of his joint album with Steve Hackett, “The Roaring Waves”, which is out next Friday, and you’ll hear a little bit of it during the episode.

When we spoke, Marillion were about to play at Pompeii, so we discussed that, as well as the next Marillion album, finally due next year.

As you may know, I’ve been a fan of Marillion since I was 11 years old. They’re a very special band for me, so I’m really grateful to have had these conversations with Steve for the podcast. I hope you enjoy it too.

I also wanted to mention; my debut novel is out now! It’s entitled “The End We Took For Granted”. It’s a missing person mystery set in 1997, against a backdrop of local bands, record shops, and small-town journalism. I’m really proud of it.

It’s available on Amazon and there’s a link below. As a reminder the show is ad-free, and I have no sponsorship or crowd funding or anything, so if you want a tangible way to support me, please consider picking up a copy. In the UK the paperback in £7.99 and the Kindle version is only £1.99.

Thanks!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HCXBPMKT

Hailing, of course, from Detroit, Martha Reeves is best known for fronting Motown group Martha and the Vandellas. When we spoke, she was about to turn 85 years old. In 1957 she joined a group called the Del-Phis, and by the early 60s was singing jazz and blues standards in clubs around Detroit. She ended up working as a secretary at Motown and soon found herself in front of the microphone. “Heat Wave” was the first million seller for the Vandellas, and various hit singles followed, including the fantastic “Nowhere To Run”, and their most famous song, “Dancing In The Street”.

Of course, in the decades since, her career has taken all sorts of twists and turns. She is back with a new single “To Know You Is To Love You”, which has also had a dance remix version recently released. Martha joined me from Detroit alongside her manager and producer Chris Roe, to discuss songs old and new.

Please come and find me on Instagram @sendingsignalspodcast