The Giddy Carousel of Pop
The Giddy Carousel of Pop

The Giddy Carousel of Pop

The Giddy Carousel of Pop

Overview
Episodes

Details

Welcome aboard The Giddy Carousel of Pop!


We are a Smash Hits appreciation podcast dedicated to the swingorilliant British pop magazine which ran from 1978 to 2006. In each episode, we take an old issue of Ver Hits (usually from the 1980s but may slip a year or two either side of that) and discuss what’s on its pages, looking at who’s riding high on the carousel and who’s heading down the dumper.


We always have a guest to help us along the way, so we’ll be talking to the readers, the writers, and who knows, maybe even the odd pop star who appeared in its pages. Hang on tight!

Recent Episodes

Smash Hits - 25 February - 10 March 1987 with Ian Wade
AUG 27, 2024
Smash Hits - 25 February - 10 March 1987 with Ian Wade

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

play-circle
157 MIN
Smash Hits - 1-14 June 1988 with Jeni Brennan
JUN 19, 2024
Smash Hits - 1-14 June 1988 with Jeni Brennan

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.

play-circle
120 MIN
Smash Hits - 4-17 October 1979 with Simon Price
MAR 4, 2024
Smash Hits - 4-17 October 1979 with Simon Price

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.

play-circle
142 MIN
Phew, Eh Readers? The Life and Writing of Tom Hibbert with Jasper Murison-Bowie & Caroline Grimshaw
FEB 2, 2024
Phew, Eh Readers? The Life and Writing of Tom Hibbert with Jasper Murison-Bowie & Caroline Grimshaw

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.

play-circle
51 MIN
Smash Hits - 11-24 March 1987 with Chris Heath
DEC 22, 2023
Smash Hits - 11-24 March 1987 with Chris Heath

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.

play-circle
124 MIN