Podcast

Valerie Simpson, one half of legendary songwriting team Ashford and Simpson, joins Sodajerker to talk about the writing of Motown classics like ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, ‘You’re All I Need to Get By’ and ‘Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing’. Valerie also speaks about ‘I’m Every Woman’ (Chaka Khan) and Ashford and Simpson’s own hits including the seminal ‘Solid (As A Rock)’.

Singer-songwriter and producer Brendan Benson provides Sodajerker with insights into his songwriting process and creative life by discussing songs like ‘Spit it Out’, ‘What I’m Looking For’, ‘Broken Boy Soldier’, ‘Bad for Me’ and ‘Keep Me’. Brendan also speaks about his many collaborations with artists like Ashley Monroe and Jack White of The White Stripes in their band The Raconteurs.

Pianist, songwriter, musical director and vocalist Patrice Rushen sits down with Sodajerker to chat about the writing of songs like ‘Hang it Up’, ‘Haven’t You Heard’, ‘The Funk Won’t Let You Down’, ‘This is All I Really Know’, ‘Remind Me’ and her seminal dance floor hit ‘Forget Me Nots’. Patrice talks about her early jazz-fusion work, the Elektra albums and her eclectic approach to sustaining a career in music.

Veteran singer-songwriter and pianist Neil Sedaka joins Simon and Brian to talk about the writing of songs like ‘Oh! Carol’, ‘Stupid Cupid’, ‘Calendar Girl’, ‘Breaking Up is Hard To Do’, ‘Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen’, ‘Where the Boys Are’, ‘Amarillo’, ‘Solitaire’ and ‘Laughter in the Rain’. Neil also talks in detail about songs from his new acoustic solo piano record, The Real Neil.

Level 42 bassist, vocalist and songwriter Mark King is our guest for this episode of the podcast in which he talk about the writing of songs like ‘Lessons in Love’, ‘Running in the Family’, ‘Something About You’, ‘The Chinese Way’, ‘Mr Pink’, ‘The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)’ and ‘Dune Tune’.

Singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw talks with Sodajerker about the writing of songs like ‘Wouldn’t It Be Good’, ‘I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’, ‘The Riddle’, ‘Dancing Girls’, ‘Don Quixote’, ‘Human Racing’ and ‘Wide Boy’. Nik also talks about penning hit songs like ‘The One and Only’ (Chesney Hawkes), ‘The Woman I Love’ (The Hollies) and ‘Seventeen’ (Let Loose) as well as his approach to writing his new solo album, Ei8ht.

Internationally renowned parodist, singer-songwriter, actor and accordionist “Weird Al” Yankovic takes some time out to chat with Simon and Brian about his approach to writing comedy songs and style parodies. Al discusses the processes behind songs like ‘Trapped in the Drive-Thru’, ‘Hardware Store’, ‘The Night Santa Went Crazy’, ‘Pancreas’ and ‘Skipper Dan’.

Clive Langer and Steve Allen of cult Liverpool band Deaf School join Simon and Brian to talk about the writing of songs like ‘What a Way to End it All’, ‘Taxi’, ‘Hi Jo Hi’, ‘2nd Honeymoon’, ‘Knock Knock Knocking’, ‘Working Girls’, ‘I Wanna Be Your Boy’ and ‘Golden Showers’. Clive also talks about his work as a producer and the classic Robert Wyatt song ‘Shipbuilding’, which he wrote with Elvis Costello.

Prolific singer-songwriter and producer Mike Viola, also known as the man behind Candy Butchers, sits down with Sodajerker to talk about the writing of songs like ‘Girly Worm’, ‘Falling into Place’, ‘Good Ideas Grow on Trees’, ‘Kiss Alive II’, ‘Soundtrack of My Summer’, ‘Field of Guns N’Roses’ and ‘Closet Cutter’. Mike also talks about his work with singer-songwriter and actress Mandy Moore on the Amanda Leigh album and his work on songs for movies like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Get Him to the Greek and Tom Hanks’ directorial debut That Thing You Do.

Veteran writer Albert Hammond joins Simon and Brian to talk about the writing of his incredible catalogue of hit songs, such as ‘The Air that I Breathe’ (The Hollies), ‘One Moment in Time’ (Whitney Houston), ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now’ (Starship), ‘When I Need You’ (Leo Sayer), ‘I Don’t Wanna Lose You’ (Tina Turner) and ‘Don’t Turn Around’ (Aswad). Albert also talks in depth about his work with songwriters and artists like Hal David, Diane Warren, Carole Bayer Sager, The Carpenters and Duffy.

Musician and producer Thomas Dolby is the guest for episode 18 during which he talks about his illustrious career and the writing of songs like ‘She Blinded Me With Science’, ‘Europa and the Pirate Twins’, ‘Hyperactive!’, ‘Nothing New Under the Sun’, ‘Evil Twin Brother’ and ‘The Toad Lickers’. Thomas also discusses his work as producer on the classic Prefab Sprout album Steve McQueen (aka Two Wheels Good).

Singer-songwriter Nellie McKay spends some time with Sodajerker talking about her life, her work, and the writing processes behind songs like ‘David’, ‘Sari’, ‘Ding Dong’, ‘I Wanna Get Married’, ‘Mother of Pearl’, ‘Columbia is Bleeding’, ‘Identity Theft’ and ‘Caribbean Time’.