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The Mild Mannered Army podcast invites music lovers to embark on a journey through the soundtracks of our lives. Hosted by authors Paul Laird and Nick Amies, the show delivers deep dives into classic albums, captivating long-form conversations, and insightful interviews with musicians, writers, and journalists. With a sharp focus on defining moments in pop history, each episode offers a fresh perspective on the music that shaped generations. Tune in and rediscover the magic of music!
Episodes

Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 24 - Tracks of Our Years 1973
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
Episode 25 of The Mild Mannered Army is the second in our "Tracks of Our Years" strand. This week it's my turn to pick twelve songs from a pivotal year in my life - my birth year of 1973. Join Nick and I as we discuss the songs, the artists, and the memories from that year.
Theme music is Magenta Moon (Part II) by Line noise from the Free Music Archive.
You can follow us on X;
@TracksOurYears @MildManneredMix

Wednesday Oct 02, 2024
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 23 - Tracks of Our Years 1972
Wednesday Oct 02, 2024
Wednesday Oct 02, 2024
We're ba-ack. Join Nick Amies and I as we take a journey through the tracks of our years...the music that was providing the soundtrack to our lives. In this weeks episode we are going back to 1972 when Mama and Papa Amies welcomed little baby Nick into the world. Nick has selected 12 tracks he loves from his birth year...join us on this deep dive into an epic year for music.
Paul Laird is the author of "The Birth and Impact of Britpop" - the definitive story of the Britpop era. He is also a regular contributor to BBC Radio Scotland on pop culture. He writes for Our Sound Music.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birth-Impact-Britpop-Mis-Shapes-Scenesters/dp/1399017470/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19QSKQ9DMWWCM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xmF5GdAmkTi23Js71kHZFw.IfKiY7vtyJFmf7NkVER8BT8RnqWtIx2KW9sgh7ETqCg&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+birth+and+impact+of+britpop&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1727957358&sprefix=the+birth+and+impact+o%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-1
Nick Amies is a journalist, author, screenwriter, and cultural commentator. Nick has written books on Oasis, as well as novels set in the nineties "indie" scene.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Nick-Amies/author/B00D85RSQ8?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1727957302&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Wednesday Apr 08, 2020
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 22 - Graeme Armstrong "The Young Team"
Wednesday Apr 08, 2020
Wednesday Apr 08, 2020
I am joined by author Graeme Armstrong to discuss his debut novel "The Young Team". Inspired by his own experiences of gang culture in North Lanarkshire Graeme has produced a debut novel that has generated real excitement and that looks set to be viewed as a classic in time. With themes of family, identity, love, loss and belonging running throughout the tales of life as part of the Young Team this is a book that captures you, excites you, disturbs you and challenges you.

Thursday Apr 02, 2020
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 21 - Rick McMurray (Ash)
Thursday Apr 02, 2020
Thursday Apr 02, 2020
A treat as I am joined, in the Filmhouse bar, by Rick McMurray from Ash to discuss 25 years of...teenage wildlife. This is a real delight with Rick and I talking Top Trumps, Iron Maiden, the perfect set-list and almost everything else along the way. Teenage Wildlife is available right now on CD, vinyl and a few limited edition formats of both are still available too. You know what to do.

Wednesday Apr 01, 2020
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 20 - In Her Room interview with James Cook
Wednesday Apr 01, 2020
Wednesday Apr 01, 2020
Former Britpop star James Cook follows up his fantastic memoir "Memory Songs" with a new book that deals with his experience of being the father of a child with non-verbal autism and how music helped him to connect with her. James is open and honest about his experiences and the things he has learned on his journey. The book is available from Blink and, right now, we would encourage you to order a copy from your nearest independent book shop.

Wednesday Mar 25, 2020
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 19 - Stephen Street
Wednesday Mar 25, 2020
Wednesday Mar 25, 2020
In this episode I am joined by the legendary music producer Stephen Street. Over his career Stephen has worked with some of the best known, best loved and iconic bands and artists in popular music; The Smiths, The Triffids, Blur, The Cranberries and Sleeper are just a few of those. Here we discuss all of those bands and Stephen's memories of working with them. This is a real treat...enjoy it!

Saturday Mar 21, 2020
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 18 - Olympian at 25 with Matt James
Saturday Mar 21, 2020
Saturday Mar 21, 2020
What a treat. An interview with Gene drummer and all 'round good egg Mr Matt "The Hat" James. Matt and I met to talk about the debut album from Gene, "Olympian", and along the way we discover the history of the band, Martin Rossiters love of Queen, what working with Phil Vinall was like and so much more besides. A treat I tells ya.

Tuesday Feb 11, 2020
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 17 - Plastic Jewels at 25
Tuesday Feb 11, 2020
Tuesday Feb 11, 2020
Ahoy, welcome to the first episode of the Mild Mannered Army Podcast of the roaring twenties. Exciting isn't it? In this episode I am joined by James and Jude Cook of The Flamingoes to discuss their album "Plastic Jewels" which celebrates its 25th anniversary this month. 2020 will see the same celebrations for a lot of the "big" albums of the Britpop era but few of those contain as much of the spirit of the nineties UK music scene as this one. Full of verve, vim and vigour, great pop songs and tender, moving, deeply personal songs about the loss of life, love and the human condition this is an album that has things to say and says them wonderfully.

Saturday Nov 30, 2019
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 16 - The Vessel (David Devant and His Spirit Wife)
Saturday Nov 30, 2019
Saturday Nov 30, 2019
In this episode I am joined by the artist known as The Vessel from art-pop, pop-art, conceptual art, performance art, indie pop, rock 'n' roll and heart and soul band David Devant and His Spirit Wife. With a conversation that ranges from Carl Jung to the nature of reality this is a really wonderful insight into the mind of one of the most creative artists of the Britpop era. Enjoy!
Find us on X
@mildmanneredmix
@tracksouryears
Find us on Instagram;
@birthofbritpop
@nick_amies_bxl

Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
The Mild Mannered Army Episode 15 - Conversation with Daniel Rachel
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
A conversation with author and cultural commentator Daniel Rachel about his new book "Don't Look Back in Anger: The Rise and Fall of Cool Britannia, Told by Those Who Were There". Along the way Daniel and I talk about the music of the nineties, multiculturalism, Morrissey flying the flag and flirting with disaster, the new lad, sexism and some other things too. Daniel's book is an astonishing piece of work and it wasn't possible to cover everything it deals with...so you should really go and order a copy.
Find us on X
@mildmanneredmix
@tracksouryears
Find us on Instagram;
@birthofbritpop
@nick_amies_bxl