Episodes

  • Dexys Midnight Runners 'Don't Stand Me Down' 40th anniversary special
    Oct 1 2025

    Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop!

    In this special episode, we are joined by some previous riders on the carousel to take a trip down rock’s lost highway and discuss Dexys Midnight Runners' misunderstood classic album, Don't Stand Me Down, on its 40th anniversary.

    We speak to former Smash Hits staffer and Dexys fan Chris Heath, who originally reviewed the album for Ver Hits inSeptember 1985.

    Dexys super fan, music critic and member of the legendary Chart Music podcast, Simon Price, to get the fans perspective on the album and also how its reputation has grown in the years since its release.

    And we're also honoured to welcome two members of Dexys Midnight Runners - Helen O'Hara and Kevin Adams (aka Billy) - to talk to us about their memories of making the album and what happened after its release.

    LINKS AHOY!

    YouTube playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuFV3ek4HY1Z6_BhBbl8CWZI&si=DaSoW5bLfPb7vRpy

    Pete Paphides' Follow-Up Albums documentary: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b01hl29f

    Tim's Twitter Listening Party replay: https://timstwitterlisteningparty.com/pages/replay/feed_303.html


    Support the Carousel by buying us a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod

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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Smash Hits, 27 June - 10 July 1990 with Miranda Sawyer
    Feb 11 2025

    Buy us a coffee and help keep the carousel spinning:⁠https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod⁠


    Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop, a podcast about Britain’s top pop mag, Smash Hits. In this episode, Gav and Si are joined by writer, broadcaster and former Smash Hits staffer,Miranda Sawyer, as the carousel spins back to the changing music scene of June 1990. Along the way we encounter The Stone Roses, MC Tunes, Roxette, Madonna, Sonia and Big Fun and a whole lot more.

    Read along with us thanks to ⁠Smash Hits Remembered⁠.


    And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!⁠

    Spotify

    YouTube


    HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg

    GUEST: Miranda Sawyer


    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Website: ⁠https://giddypoppod.home.blog/⁠

    BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/giddypoppod.bsky.social⁠

    Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod⁠

    Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/⁠

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    2 hrs and 9 mins
  • Smash Hits - 5-18 July 1995 with Catrin Lowe
    Dec 6 2024

    Buy us a coffee and help keep the carousel spinning: https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod


    Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop, a podcast about Britain’s top pop mag, Smash Hits. In this episode, Gav and Si are joined by co-host of film podcast Don't You Want Me?, Catrin Lowe, for a spin on the carousel back to July 1995 and take in Vic & Bob, Jarvis Cocker, East 17, MN8, Ultimate Kaos, Blur, The Boo Radleys and a whole lot more besides!


    Read along with us thanks to Smash Hits Remembered.

    And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!
    Spotify
    YouTube


    HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg
    GUEST: Catrin Lowe


    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/
    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/giddypoppod.bsky.social
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/

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    2 hrs and 29 mins
  • Smash Hits - 25 February - 10 March 1987 with Ian Wade
    Aug 27 2024

    Buy us a coffee and help keep the carousel spinning: https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod

    Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop, a podcast about Britain's brightest pop mag, Smash Hits. Fancy that! In this episode, Gav and Si are joined by music journalist and author of '1984: The Year Pop Went Queer' (Nine Eight Books), Ian Wade, for a spin on the carousel back to February 1987 and an issue edited by former Smash Hits staffer Neil Tennant. Along the way, we discuss Boy George, Carly Simon, Mental As Anything, Beastie Boys, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Man 2 Man, Cutting Crew, Freddie Mercury, The Christians, Taffy, The Style Council and a whole lot more. It's an action-packed issue and edition, make no mistake!

    Read along with us.

    Like Punk Never Happened: https://likepunkneverhappened.blogspot.com/2017/02/february-25-march-10-1987.html

    Smash Hits Remembered: https://michaelmouse1967.wixsite.com/website-9/215-25th-february-10th-march-1987

    And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1bJiADfYJDxA6zxuCZ403r?si=0ddd7c8e91dd486c

    YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuGspnZ_92728IsD_MBzrN0N&si=qbSced9geDm7mAWr

    HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg

    GUEST: Ian Wade

    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/

    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/giddypoppod.bsky.social

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/

    Threads: https://www.threads.net/@giddypoppod

    X: https://twitter.com/GiddyPopPod

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    2 hrs and 37 mins
  • Smash Hits - 1-14 June 1988 with Jeni Brennan
    Jun 19 2024

    Buy us a coffee and help keep the carousel spinning: https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod


    Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop, a podcast about the elegant pop tome, Smash Hits. In this episode, Gav and Si are joined by fellow pop kid Jeni Brennan as the carousel spins back to June 1988. Under discussion are: Boy George, Mandy Smith, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Hothouse Flowers, Bros, Scritti Politti, Aswad and many more.


    Read along with us.

    Like Punk Never Happened: https://likepunkneverhappened.blogspot.com/2018/06/june-1-14-1988.html

    Smash Hits Remembered: https://michaelmouse1967.wixsite.com/website-10/248-1st-june-14th-june-1988


    And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4GgcRqbxNSgdClViWxKbEm?si=8128856b6f4e4a27

    YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuFjsGtST7r2_SShcF2jbe0E&si=lJp6yS-sVBCQ8-aC


    HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg

    GUEST: Jeni Brennan


    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/

    X: https://twitter.com/GiddyPopPod

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/

    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/giddypoppod.bsky.social

    Threads: https://www.threads.net/@giddypoppod


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    2 hrs
  • Smash Hits - 4-17 October 1979 with Simon Price
    Mar 4 2024

    Buy us a coffee and help keep the carousel spinning: https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod


    Welcome to The Giddy Carousel of Pop! In this episode, Gav and Si are joined by pop critic, author, DJ and Chart Music podcast regular, Simon Price.


    The carousel spins us back to October 1979, Simon's very first issue, and inside we discover punk, mod, disco and a whole lot more! We also discuss Simon's recent book on The Cure, Curepedia. This episode is dedicated to the great Neil Kulkarni.


    Read Simon's tribute to Neil on The Quietus: https://thequietus.com/articles/33777-remembering-neil-kulkarni-simon-price

    Curepedia: https://store.whiterabbitbooks.co.uk/products/curepedia


    Read along with us.

    Like Punk Never Happened: https://likepunkneverhappened.blogspot.com/2009/10/october-4-17-1979.html

    Smash Hits Remembered: https://michaelmouse1967.wixsite.com/website-14/22-4-october-17-october-1979


    And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5N56zc6peiXkNFmZEgnz6F?si=8a1dcabbd07948a7

    YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuGa2zdqWbr3qRMVWhX-qHaL&si=2w5U6zApeFqbtXWN


    HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg

    GUEST: Simon Price


    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/

    X: https://twitter.com/GiddyPopPod

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/

    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/giddypoppod.bsky.social

    Threads: https://www.threads.net/@giddypoppod


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    2 hrs and 23 mins
  • Phew, Eh Readers? The Life and Writing of Tom Hibbert with Jasper Murison-Bowie & Caroline Grimshaw
    Feb 2 2024

    Welcome to The Giddy Carousel of Pop! In this episode, we take a trip to the Carousel's reading room to talk to find out all about Phew, Eh Readers?, a new book collecting selected works of Smash Hits and Q scribe Tom Hibbert, with the book's co-editor Jasper Murison-Bowie and designer (and former Smash Hits staffer) Caroline Grimshaw. We also hear from Hibbert's Smash Hits colleagues Barry McIlhenney, Sylvia Patterson* and Mark Ellen who share their memories of working with him.


    Here's the book blurb:


    The influence of Tom Hibbert's music writing across print, radio, TV and podcasts is incomparable. From his genre-defining work at Smash Hits to his 'Who the Hell ... ?' profiles for Q magazine and beyond, this book brings together many of Hibbert's funniest writings.


    Compiled by Barney Hoskyns and Jasper Murison-Bowie at Rock's Backpages, the archive of music journalism, Phew, Eh Readers? showcases some of Hibbert's greatest pieces. Presented thematically and chronologically, they highlight his marvellously eccentric perspective on life and popular culture.


    Many leading writers and journalists attest to Hibbert's genius. This compendium supplements his writing with new reflections on Tom from some of his peers, colleagues and admirers, including Mark Ellen, Bob Stanley, Tom Doyle, Chris Heath, Sylvia Patterson, along with his widow Allyce.


    Phew, Eh Readers? is a must-read homage to one of the most influential writers of our time, a man who left an indelible mark on our cultural landscape.


    HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg

    GUESTS: Jasper Murison-Bowie & Caroline Grimshaw


    *Sylvia Patterson clip from Word In Your Ear episode 225: https://shows.acast.com/word-in-your-ear-2/episodes/5fe229acf896715ee8319696. Many thanks to Mark Ellen & David Hepworth for letting us borrow this snippet.


    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/

    X: https://twitter.com/GiddyPopPod

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/

    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/giddypoppod.bsky.social

    Threads: https://www.threads.net/@giddypoppod


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    51 mins
  • Smash Hits - 11-24 March 1987 with Chris Heath
    Dec 22 2023

    Buy us a coffee and help keep the carousel spinning: https://ko-fi.com/giddypoppod


    Welcome back to The Giddy Carousel of Pop, a podcast about the Britain's brightest pop mag, Smash Hits.


    Award-winning journalist, author and Smash Hits legend Chris Heath (Details, Rolling Stone, GQ, Pet Shop Boys, Robbie Williams) joins us on the carousel as it spins back to March 1987. Chris gives us a taste of life at Ver Hits as he visits Boy George at home, goes on the road with the Beastie Boys, chats to Mental As Anything on the phone and a whole lot more.


    Read along with us.

    Like Punk Never Happened: https://likepunkneverhappened.blogspot.com/2017/03/march-11-24-1987.html

    Smash Hits Remembered: https://michaelmouse1967.wixsite.com/website-9/216-11th-march-24th-march-1987


    And check out the playlists of pretty much all the songs featured in this issue of Ver Hits!

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gyM5zFIxn86GOEVadM66B?si=789ffade0b664824

    YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfs58mqeRNuGdJPq2PMYAkOJbtKDjVpmf&si=U4hSREwJ7ShDwYrf


    Ronnie Carnwath's radio show: https://cobwebsandstrange.weebly.com/


    HOSTS: Simon Galloway and Gavin Hogg

    GUEST: Chris Heath


    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Website: https://giddypoppod.home.blog/

    X: https://twitter.com/GiddyPopPod

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiddyPopPod

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giddypoppod/

    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/giddypoppod.bsky.social

    Threads: https://www.threads.net/@giddypoppod


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    2 hrs and 5 mins