The Cat’s Whisker

Don’t try this at home -The craziest fan stories

As a girl who loves fifties and sixties music, I honestly know how it feels when you're obsessed with a band, so when I see pictures of girls crying and screaming for their idols, I kinda think that could have been me if I had lived those years; today, though, I'll present you with some stories that surprised even a Beatlemaniac like me! I'll tell you about some crazy adventures involving fans of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Monkees, and more!

The Andrews Sisters

Yes, I know what you're thinking. WAIT WHAT? Wasn't this one a rock and roll podcast? YES. And, honestly, these three ladies ROCK. And in this episode, I will tell you everything about their career and why I think they should be considered pioneers of rock and roll.

Buddy Holly

If you know me, you also know that I've got a soft spot for Buddy Holly. So, finally, I've decided to talk about his life and story. His roots, style, and his work both with the Crickets and as a solo artist. His successes and his difficulties, from the very beginning to his early death.

How rock and roll survived the ban

If we listen to rock and roll now, the reason why we love it is pretty obvious. But, as many know, it wasn't love at first "hearing". It was banned in some cities in the US, it was barely noticeable on British radios and it even had to be printed on XRays in the USSR, but, as many know... rock and roll is here to stay! Today we'll talk about crazy situations that luckily didn't stop this music from changing the world.

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller

Probably the most famous songwriters in rock and roll history, today we'll discover all the interesting circumstances that made Leiber and Stoller the magic duo that wrote for Elvis, Ben E. King, The Coasters, and many more!

Please Please Me - 60th anniversary special (with Liam Mannion)

Today, 60 years ago the Beatles debut album Please Please Me was released. And that certainly calls for a special episode, where I'll be joined by resident Cavern Club musician Liam Mannion. 
We'll talk about how the album and the record deal came about, all the recording sessions of Please Please Me and how the songs were written. We'll also chat about the big influence Liverpool has on musicians and what it means to love the Beatles and be professionally involved in the city's music scene.

A brief history of music records

We're all used to music, but have you ever wondered how humans managed to record sound for the first time? 
I'll tell you all about it in this episode where starting from the origins of sound recording, I'll tell you how music ended up on the support that all die-hard music fans love: vinyl.

Carol Kaye

Possibly one of the most prolific session musicians in history, Carol Kaye played on over 10 thousand songs. Between bass guitar and rhythm guitar, she became the most requested musician of the sixties. You've heard her on songs by Ritchie Valens, the Beach Boys, the Monkees, Sonny and Cher, Sam Cooke, Nancy Sinatra, the Doors, many Motown records, and a lot of other songs and even TV series or film scores! Discover her fascinating story and techniques in today's episode.