Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Jeff Stevens. It's my eighties show podcast with the
co founder of Squeeze on tour this summer, Chris Difford. Hey,
Hey Jeff, Hey Chris. How's it going.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Good, excellent. Nice to talk to you. Thank you for
spending a few minutes here talking about not only the
new album, but your new tour out with some friends
adam Ante Haircut one hundred. It's going to be a
fun summer for you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Yeah. You know, we took every other year in America,
and we've been doing that since nineteen seventy eight, so
you know, we know the stages that we're playing, and
you know, it's a long time to be on a
tour bus. But it's kind of something that we do,
and I really appreciate the fact that people come out
to see us still.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Yeah, I was going to say, I mean, obviously you
still have a ton of fans here in the US
that love to come out and see your shows. That's
cool that you kind of go every other year. I mean,
you know, there's some bands I feel like they'll come
out for several years in a row and then you
don't hear from them for five or six years. And
then they pop back. You guys have a little bit
more of a schedule. That's probably going to be easier
(01:03):
on your personal lives too, right.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, it is, but you know, I think it's you know,
I do, I do know those bands that come back
every year, and I don't think that really works. I think,
you know, you've got to give all audiences time to
reflect and to come back. And I think as far
as the band is concerned, the band needs a cycle
(01:25):
of life. So we can too in the UK every
other year as well, and that way we keep fresh
and we keep out of each other's pockets and there
while while we're taking space. So I think it's a
very important way of touring.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I think it's a great strategy because you know, there
can be such you know, you can you can kind
of burn out the audience a little bit. Plus you
want to leave him wanting some more squeeze where you
know they're there, they know that in two years they
get to see again.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, I think. So We've got a lot of friends
in America, so it's nice to see them when we
go back, you know, And it's interesting to observe how
America changes over the years, and it does. Of course,
it's evolving country and so it's fascinating for us as serious.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Talking here to Chris Difford, you and Glenn have been together,
I mean, writing songs since the seventies. How do you
keep that? How do you keep things fresh and alive?
Most bands do not make it in many cases for
ten years, let alone over fifty. And you guys have
kept it together all this time.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Well, we've had breaks. There was a nine year gap
where we didn't see each other, and you know, Glenn
went off to do solo stuff, and you know it
was time to reflect from what had happened at the
very beginning of Squeeze's life, which was very intense and
we were very young, so it was a lot of
information to understand and resolve in personal ways. So, you know,
(02:59):
this formation of Squeeze is you know, it's a bigger band.
It's a nine piece band.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Oh wow, Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
We're getting up there. I mean it fills in all
the gaps and you know, it's a different it's a
different stage than we used to in the past.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, and that that probably keeps it exciting for your
fans as well. I do want to talk to you,
Chris about the new album, Tried, Tested and Tricksy's fifty
three years of classic songwriting live in concert. That's the tour,
but also the new album. This is stuff that you
and Glenn wrote a long time ago, is that right? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
We wrote the songs when we were teenagers, and you know,
there were songs that didn't sit the band at that point,
so we just shelved the whole idea. And then two
years ago I played the cassette on the tour bus
and and it just sounded like it was time to
to look at the songs in Diddle, who's producer. He
(04:02):
loved the idea of putting it together, and you know,
we went in the studio and you know, the outcome
of it is something I'm extremely proud.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Of, very cool, and that is out now, so folks
can obviously check out that music that has been around.
And you know, I always look at the music of
Squeeze as being timeless, whether it's Tempted or black Coffee
in Bed or pulling muscles. Our Glass. I loved Our
Glass in eighty seven, and I almost forgot about eight
(04:32):
five three five nine three seven. Did I get it right?
I got it right, I think, But I remember I
played that on the radio at the college radio station
I was at, and you know, with you guys, just
the a cappella intro, and I was like eight five
three five nine three seven, and so there's obviously there's
two very famous phone numbers with eight six seven five
(04:53):
three oh nine. But I always loved your guys song too.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Oh thank you. Yeah, it's a song strangely we never play,
but yeah, I mean it did get some airplanes. Thank
you for playing it on college radios, college radio that
really made squeeze who they are, so thank you.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yeah, you're welcome. I remember thinking this is just the
coolest song, and that just popped into my head when
I realized I was I was chatting with you today.
What Chris, what do you when you look back at
the MTV era, obviously with you guys were a big
part of Did you feel like that was a really
nice assist to you guys getting played on radio and
(05:30):
college radio, that MTV played a big part in it.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
I think it was massive thing for us.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yeah, we did.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
We did MTV Unplugged when that began. We did the
very first show and we got such a great response
from that that we went out and did it unplugged
too with Amy Man. Oh, and yeah, we were very
lucky to be there right at the beginning of that.
I mean, we didn't have the diastrace or you know,
police kind of videos, but but I think we managed
(06:01):
to fill a space. Well.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Absolutely, And it's fun, you know, talking to different acts,
you know, from the eighties. I have a national show
called The Eighties Show and it airs all over the
country on iHeart Radio, and so I love talking to
artists from that time. Some artists are like, I hated
shooting music videos, and other artists are like, I kind
(06:25):
of loved it.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I think I enjoyed some of them, but these days
I can't stand And we're doing one this week, and oh,
you know, I remember reading that Elton John hates them,
and I was wondering why, and it was just because
he used to sit around all day doing little bits
and pieces. And in the end, nobody really watches it
(06:46):
anymore because you don't have your YouTube, of course, but
you don't have the MTV or the television that you
would have had when you were younger. So it seems
like a fruitless thing to me.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yeah, it is. It is such a different world. For sure.
I mean back then, it seemed like it was hard
to once MTV did launch, it was hard to have
a hit without a video, it seemed like. But at
the same time, you know, for the artists that were
touring a lot, it was I think a little bit
a little bit easier. But there were some artists that
I remember that because I was just living on MTV.
(07:19):
I was in high school, and I was like, oh,
this is the greatest thing, And it introduced me to
so many artists that weren't playing on the radio at
the time, you know, like early Squeeze. I only knew
you guys because of MTV. And then when I got
to college, I was able to play some of your
music then and then still play it today. So MTV
obviously did. It was a huge, a huge amount of exposure,
(07:41):
and I just always like hearing everybody's different take on that, because, yeah,
I can imagine maybe fifty years on, it's a little cumbersome, thankfully. Yes, yeah, exactly.
So Chris is, as we wrap up here, what can
folks expect to see on your show this year? Is
there anything you're throwing a little bit different?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yeah, I mean we'd be doing some of the Tricksy's
record obviously, and the hits that people love of course,
and I love too. So you know, I'm looking forward
to seeing some friends out in America doing what we
do best and enjoying the summer.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Excellent, well, Chris Difford, thank you so much. You and
Glenn have given us so many great songs. Thanks for
hanging in there, man, Thanks for all the great music.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Okay, God bless you. Thank you man.
I'm Jeff Stevens. It's my eighties show podcast with the
co founder of Squeeze on tour this summer, Chris Difford. Hey,
Hey Jeff, Hey Chris. How's it going.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Good, excellent. Nice to talk to you. Thank you for
spending a few minutes here talking about not only the
new album, but your new tour out with some friends
adam Ante Haircut one hundred. It's going to be a
fun summer for you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Yeah. You know, we took every other year in America,
and we've been doing that since nineteen seventy eight, so
you know, we know the stages that we're playing, and
you know, it's a long time to be on a
tour bus. But it's kind of something that we do,
and I really appreciate the fact that people come out
to see us still.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Yeah, I was going to say, I mean, obviously you
still have a ton of fans here in the US
that love to come out and see your shows. That's
cool that you kind of go every other year. I mean,
you know, there's some bands I feel like they'll come
out for several years in a row and then you
don't hear from them for five or six years. And
then they pop back. You guys have a little bit
more of a schedule. That's probably going to be easier
(01:03):
on your personal lives too, right.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, it is, but you know, I think it's you know,
I do, I do know those bands that come back
every year, and I don't think that really works. I think,
you know, you've got to give all audiences time to
reflect and to come back. And I think as far
as the band is concerned, the band needs a cycle
(01:25):
of life. So we can too in the UK every
other year as well, and that way we keep fresh
and we keep out of each other's pockets and there
while while we're taking space. So I think it's a
very important way of touring.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I think it's a great strategy because you know, there
can be such you know, you can you can kind
of burn out the audience a little bit. Plus you
want to leave him wanting some more squeeze where you
know they're there, they know that in two years they
get to see again.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, I think. So We've got a lot of friends
in America, so it's nice to see them when we
go back, you know, And it's interesting to observe how
America changes over the years, and it does. Of course,
it's evolving country and so it's fascinating for us as serious.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Talking here to Chris Difford, you and Glenn have been together,
I mean, writing songs since the seventies. How do you
keep that? How do you keep things fresh and alive?
Most bands do not make it in many cases for
ten years, let alone over fifty. And you guys have
kept it together all this time.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Well, we've had breaks. There was a nine year gap
where we didn't see each other, and you know, Glenn
went off to do solo stuff, and you know it
was time to reflect from what had happened at the
very beginning of Squeeze's life, which was very intense and
we were very young, so it was a lot of
information to understand and resolve in personal ways. So, you know,
(02:59):
this formation of Squeeze is you know, it's a bigger band.
It's a nine piece band.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Oh wow, Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
We're getting up there. I mean it fills in all
the gaps and you know, it's a different it's a
different stage than we used to in the past.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, and that that probably keeps it exciting for your
fans as well. I do want to talk to you,
Chris about the new album, Tried, Tested and Tricksy's fifty
three years of classic songwriting live in concert. That's the tour,
but also the new album. This is stuff that you
and Glenn wrote a long time ago, is that right? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
We wrote the songs when we were teenagers, and you know,
there were songs that didn't sit the band at that point,
so we just shelved the whole idea. And then two
years ago I played the cassette on the tour bus
and and it just sounded like it was time to
to look at the songs in Diddle, who's producer. He
(04:02):
loved the idea of putting it together, and you know,
we went in the studio and you know, the outcome
of it is something I'm extremely proud.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Of, very cool, and that is out now, so folks
can obviously check out that music that has been around.
And you know, I always look at the music of
Squeeze as being timeless, whether it's Tempted or black Coffee
in Bed or pulling muscles. Our Glass. I loved Our
Glass in eighty seven, and I almost forgot about eight
(04:32):
five three five nine three seven. Did I get it right?
I got it right, I think, But I remember I
played that on the radio at the college radio station
I was at, and you know, with you guys, just
the a cappella intro, and I was like eight five
three five nine three seven, and so there's obviously there's
two very famous phone numbers with eight six seven five
(04:53):
three oh nine. But I always loved your guys song too.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Oh thank you. Yeah, it's a song strangely we never play,
but yeah, I mean it did get some airplanes. Thank
you for playing it on college radios, college radio that
really made squeeze who they are, so thank you.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yeah, you're welcome. I remember thinking this is just the
coolest song, and that just popped into my head when
I realized I was I was chatting with you today.
What Chris, what do you when you look back at
the MTV era, obviously with you guys were a big
part of Did you feel like that was a really
nice assist to you guys getting played on radio and
(05:30):
college radio, that MTV played a big part in it.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
I think it was massive thing for us.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yeah, we did.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
We did MTV Unplugged when that began. We did the
very first show and we got such a great response
from that that we went out and did it unplugged
too with Amy Man. Oh, and yeah, we were very
lucky to be there right at the beginning of that.
I mean, we didn't have the diastrace or you know,
police kind of videos, but but I think we managed
(06:01):
to fill a space. Well.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Absolutely, And it's fun, you know, talking to different acts,
you know, from the eighties. I have a national show
called The Eighties Show and it airs all over the
country on iHeart Radio, and so I love talking to
artists from that time. Some artists are like, I hated
shooting music videos, and other artists are like, I kind
(06:25):
of loved it.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I think I enjoyed some of them, but these days
I can't stand And we're doing one this week, and oh,
you know, I remember reading that Elton John hates them,
and I was wondering why, and it was just because
he used to sit around all day doing little bits
and pieces. And in the end, nobody really watches it
(06:46):
anymore because you don't have your YouTube, of course, but
you don't have the MTV or the television that you
would have had when you were younger. So it seems
like a fruitless thing to me.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yeah, it is. It is such a different world. For sure.
I mean back then, it seemed like it was hard
to once MTV did launch, it was hard to have
a hit without a video, it seemed like. But at
the same time, you know, for the artists that were
touring a lot, it was I think a little bit
a little bit easier. But there were some artists that
I remember that because I was just living on MTV.
(07:19):
I was in high school, and I was like, oh,
this is the greatest thing, And it introduced me to
so many artists that weren't playing on the radio at
the time, you know, like early Squeeze. I only knew
you guys because of MTV. And then when I got
to college, I was able to play some of your
music then and then still play it today. So MTV
obviously did. It was a huge, a huge amount of exposure,
(07:41):
and I just always like hearing everybody's different take on that, because, yeah,
I can imagine maybe fifty years on, it's a little cumbersome, thankfully. Yes, yeah, exactly.
So Chris is, as we wrap up here, what can
folks expect to see on your show this year? Is
there anything you're throwing a little bit different?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yeah, I mean we'd be doing some of the Tricksy's
record obviously, and the hits that people love of course,
and I love too. So you know, I'm looking forward
to seeing some friends out in America doing what we
do best and enjoying the summer.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Excellent, well, Chris Difford, thank you so much. You and
Glenn have given us so many great songs. Thanks for
hanging in there, man, Thanks for all the great music.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Okay, God bless you. Thank you man.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.