Best Vincent Friel Podcasts (2025)

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JETHRO TULL - ROC FLOTE 50:20

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1+ y ago50:20

50:20

The gang contemplates the world of Norse mythology and Ragnarök as NOT part of the MCU but as a part of Ian Anderson's heritage. Plus, Symone asks for equal billing. The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb The Rock Guitarist: Vincent Friel The Pun Addict: Ian Williams And special guest star Symone the Wonderpup. Concept c…

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MICHAEL FRANTI - STAY HUMAN 50:04

1+ y ago50:04

50:04

Is Michael Franti the natural, inevitable joining or merging of Marvin Gaye and Gil Scott-Heron? The gang discusses this modern-day musical troubadour as he mines social justice causes for our listening pleasure. The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb The Rock Guitarist: Vincent Friel The Pun Addict: Ian Williams And spe…

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HUSKER DU - ZEN ARCADE 58:06

1+ y ago58:06

58:06

Zen Arcade is the second studio album by American punk rock band Hüsker Dü, released in July 1984 on SST Records. The gang discusses how Hüsker Dü gained notice in the American music scene of the early 1980s as a fast, aggressive, hardcore punk band. And remember, there is no Husker Try. The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Classical Musician: Ruth…

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THE THE - HANKY PANKY 35:49

1+ y ago35:49

35:49

The English post-punk band re-imagined (not copied or covered) a slew of Hank Williams songs with their own modus operandi. The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb The Rock Guitarist: Vincent Friel The Pun Addict: Ian Williams And special guest star Symone the Wonderpup. Concept created by Vincent Friel and Brendan Carr. …

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ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - TIME 39:03

2y ago39:03

39:03

"Have you ever contemplated if ELO was essentially Jeff Lynne's backup band, or are they the sum of their parts? The gang put their heads together to knock around that very idea." The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb The Rock Guitarist: Vincent Friel The Pun Addict: Ian Williams And special guest star Symone the Wonder…

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NINE INCH NAILS - THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL 54:49

2y ago54:49

54:49

The gang scrutinizes the 90s and whether or not NIN is a parody band (spoiler alert: they're not). The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb The Rock Guitarist: Vincent Friel The Pun Addict: Ian Williams And special guest star Symone the Wonderpup. Concept created by Vincent Friel and Brendan Carr. Sound design, title music…

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THE MOUNTAIN GOATS - TALLAHASSEE 59:23

2y ago59:23

59:23

"Symone The Wonder Pup starts to assert herself more as the gang talks about the deconstruction of a couple's relationship while the unhappy duo are going through a messy relationship and their inevitable demise." The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb The Rock Guitarist: Vincent Friel The Pun Addict: Ian Williams And sp…

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ARCADE FIRE - THE SUBURBS 1:18:04

2y ago1:18:04

1:18:04

"The gang returns to the island after a break to discuss the banality of man, as long as it's a reasonable commute from a major city, and if Thomas Wolfe is a pretentious wanker or not." The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb The Rock Guitarist: Vincent Friel The Pun Addict: Ian Williams And special guest star Symone the…

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TOM WAITS - NIGHTHAWKS AT THE DINER 54:00

2+ y ago54:00

54:00

Have you ever wondered about the magic behind Tom Waits' 1975 album Night Hawks at the Diner and the unique culture of late-night diners? Settle in with a cup of coffee as we take you on a captivating journey through Waits' iconic album, inspired by Edward Hopper's painting, and the fascinating world of those who inhabit diners after dark. We'll di…

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RANDY NEWMAN / GOOD OLD BOYS 1:06:45

2+ y ago1:06:45

1:06:45

Discover the untold stories behind legendary songwriter Randy Newman's incredible career and powerful songs. We take you on a journey through his early work with Metric Publishing Company, where renowned artists like Dusty Springfield, Gene Pitney, and Harper's Bazaar recorded his songs in the 60s. And, of course, we can't forget to explore his fou…

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MIKE NESMITH / THE PRISON 44:54

2+ y ago44:54

44:54

Imagine combining a book and an album in the 1970s to create a multimedia experiment. How would it turn out? This week, we reunited the gang to discuss Michael Nesmith's ambitious project that aimed to do just that! As the father of MTV and former member of the Monkees, Nesmith's groundbreaking idea sought to merge reading with music listening, but…

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BRIAN WILSON PRESENTS SMILE 1:01:42

3y ago1:01:42

1:01:42

It's the 2000's, and Brian Wilson is having a bit of a renaissance. With so much attention to Pet Sounds and the lives shows surrounding them, he decided to revisit the nadir of his career. In 1966 "Smile" was to be to The Beach Boys what "Sgt. Pepper "was to the Beatles, an artistic statement and triumph, but it never happened. Due to drug use, me…

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KASENETZ-KATZ SINGING ORCHESTRAL CIRCUS & THE TURTLES PRESENT THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS 42:02

3y ago42:02

42:02

We return to the late 60s to check out the bubblegum scene and those who participated and those who spoofed it. For a very special daylight savings time episode, we look at 2 albums. The first is the Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus and its parody The Turtles Present The Battle of The Bands. Both are from 1968. The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Fri…

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Donald Fagen / The Nightfly 1:03:45

3y ago1:03:45

1:03:45

We take another trip into the 1980s and discuss Donald Fagen's first solo album, "The Nightfly." We discuss this ode to the post-war baby boomer dream and the influences that inspired the music. You could always read Fagen's book "Eminent Hipsters." published by Viking Press, for more, and it is available at all your favorite booksellers. The Write…

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XTC / SKYLARKING 1:07:00

3y ago1:07:00

1:07:00

We go back to 1986 to look at this classic (and possibly best) album by XTC. Recording under duress with Todd Rundgren producing, the band records an album full of clever pop hooks, string and horn arrangements, and great lyrics. The group discussed and realized that the '80s weren't all Madonna and a Flock of Seagulls. The Writer: Lindsay Harris-F…

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THE WHO - SELL OUT 50:01

3y ago50:01

50:01

We travel back to 1967, and The Who pays tribute to the then-defunct pirate radio stations who brought excitement and rock and roll to a pre-BBC Radio One audience. This is also the closest the band got to psychedelia in the musical sense, but it was the first step to "Tommy" and the success which eluded them for most of the '60s The Writer: Lindsa…

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JOE MEEK - I HEAR A NEW WORLD 51:07

3y ago51:07

51:07

In this episode, we look at this artifact from late 50's England. Producer Joe Meek creates his own world on the moon and possibly started the ambient music genre decades before anyone else. For further reading check out the book."Joe Meek's Bold Techniques" by Barry Cleveland from Eleven Eleven Publishing The Writer: Lindsay Harris-Friel The Class…

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Edgar Winter / MISSION EARTH 55:13

3y ago55:13

55:13

There has been some changes since you were gone. One person vanishes and another appears. Of course that doesn't change anything, so its back to listening and discussing more albums. This one is a collaboration between Edgar (Frankenstein) Winter and L. Ron Hubbard. It was the 80's and cheesy sci-fi requires cheesy music. The bad news, it does exis…

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Marvin Gaye / Here My dear 47:45

4y ago47:45

47:45

Our fearless trio (Ian is still unwell) tackle an album that was basically a divorce settlement set to music. Marvin Gaye's "Here My Dear" . This is also the last episode for the season but we will be back.By 6630 Productions

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The Rascals / Freedom Suite 37:22

4y ago37:22

37:22

The Rascals are young no more and they want the world to know it. After the ambitious album "Once Upon A Dream" (soon to be a hit musical) the band releases the 2 lp set "Freedom Suite". The gang (minus Ian again) brave both discs and come out the other side with more questions than answers.By 6630 Productions

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Vanilla Fudge/The Beat Goes On 45:05

4y ago45:05

45:05

The gang reviews an album that even the band in question rejects outright. Yes, an album that Carmine Appice has stated "Spinal Tap wouldn't do". The gang hears the evidence of when producers run rampant and live to tell the tale. All except Ian who was injured by listening to this albumBy 6630 Productions

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Lou Reed / Berlin 54:48

4y ago54:48

54:48

The castaways take a look at Lou Reed's concept album about a prostitution, drug addiction, depression and suicide. Basically your typical Lou Reed fare from the 70's. But wait, there are strings and woodwinds, Jack Bruce, Stevie Windwood, Aynsley Dunbar, Tony Levin, and the Brecker Brothers. Hmmm. Who will walk away with a different attitude? Also…

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Pearls Before Swine / Balaklava 42:28

4y ago42:28

42:28

Our heroes listen to an artifact from the 1960's. The anti-war themed Balaklava, the second album from Pearls Before Swine. How will the four interpret the meaning and how long will it be before someone mentions Tom Rapp's lisp? And will they learn to speak Eserpanto? And can they survive without Jenn? Four friends stranded on a deserted tropical i…

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The Pretty Things / S.F. Sorrow 47:53

4y ago47:53

47:53

The gang have a wonderful time discussing this character study of psychedelia's happiest man on earth. Take a ride on the Windenburg, meet Baron Saturday, watch a balloon burn, and soak yourself in one man's self-pity. They also talk about drummers who mime. Not miming playing the drums but drummers who actually perform mime which really sets Ian o…

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The Everly Brothers / Roots 53:17

4y ago53:17

53:17

Our fearless foursome tackle another album from the swinging sixties. Today's subject is The Everly Brothers last studio album for Warner Brothers. It's a trip of the American musical landscape as well as a look at the life of the Everly Brothers. Will everyone be in agreement this time? Also, Ian confuses feet and inches and complains about lack o…

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Jan and Dean / Save For A Rainy Day 46:22

4y ago46:22

46:22

Jan has been in a coma and Dean needs some work, and he's excited about this new song about a yellow balloon. The castaways are very split on this album, so come out of the rain and join us, won't you? The Journalist: Jennifer Carbin The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb The Rock Guitarist: Vincent Friel The Pun Addict: Ian Williams Concept created by …

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Frank Sinatra / Watertown 51:59

4y ago51:59

51:59

Our castaways kick back and discuss a lesser known album by Ol' Blue Eyes himself. Yes, Frank Sinatra decided to step outside his comfort zone and work with those kids, Bob Gaudio and Jake Holmes: the result, Watertown. Fix yourself a cocktail and join us won't you? Enjoy the pie. The Journalist: Jennifer Carbin The Classical Musician: Ruth Dubb Th…

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Reading The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette 47:32

4y ago47:32

47:32

Four friends stranded on a deserted tropical island maintain their wits by examining The Four Seasons' little-known concept album, The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette. Come learn about the significance of the musical brainchild of Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Jake Holmes and Bob Crewe, that inspired John Lennon and Jethro Tull, while languishing in re…

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Scholarcast 8: Filming Friel: Lughnasa on Screen 27:30

17y ago27:30

27:30

Frank McGuinness speaks of his experience of adapting Brian Friel’s Dancing At Lughnasa for the screen, with Meryl Streep in the leading role. Friel has appeared to shy away from film for most of his distinguished career but was deeply influenced by the wider revolutions in acting, writing and directing across all media during the 1960s when modern…

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Scholarcast 7: Globalising Irish Music 40:21

17+ y ago40:21

40:21

Over the last three decades Bill Whelan has been at the heart of many exciting moments of extraordinary innovation in Irish music across the genres from traditional to rock. Here he documents and considers his varied career to date, from jobbing session musician in the early 1970s to Grammy Award winner in 1997. Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine are reca…

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Scholarcast 6: Hollywood and Contemporary Irish Drama 49:48

17+ y ago49:48

49:48

This lecture examines how contemporary Irish playwrights depict and how they engage the cinematic and narrative patterns we’ve come to associate with American movies. Donal O’Kelly’s Catalpa (1995), Martin McDonagh’s The Cripple of Inishmaan (1996), Marie Jones’s Stones in His Pockets (1999), and Geraldine Hughes’s Belfast Blues (2003) grapple with…

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Scholarcast 5: Neutrality and Popular Culture 55:13

17+ y ago55:13

55:13

This lecture explores forms of popular culture that developed in Ireland during the Second World War. Comparisons are drawn with Britain, where radio and cinema assume tremendous importance in the war years. In Ireland the major developments are in amateur drama, reading groups, beginnings of film and journalism. Particular attention is focused on …

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Scholarcast 4: Anne Fogarty - James Joyce and Popular Culture 28:21

17+ y ago28:21

28:21

James Joyce’s works abound in references to popular culture. They depict such works as part of the very fabric of modern consciousness. Frequently, Joyce deploys allusions to popular entertainment as a means of underlining the debasement and vulgarity of contemporary existence. But also crucially, in the manner of Walter Benjamin, he depicts popula…

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Scholarcast 3: Eddie Holt - W.B. Yeats, Journalism and the Revival 25:35

17+ y ago25:35

25:35

This lecture examines W.B. Yeats’s not inconsiderable body of writing for the newspapers which ranges from literary journalism to letters to the editor. Attention will focus on the tensions between his clear commitment to journalistic practice and his own avowed hostility to ‘the Ireland of the newspapers’.…

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Scholarcast 2: Elaine Sisson - The Boy as National Hero: The legacy of Cuchulainn 36:22

17+ y ago36:22

36:22

This lecture is focused primarily on the pre-revolutionary period in Ireland and looks at the cultural and visual significance of the image of the boy within Irish nationalist discourse.By Elaine Sisson

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Scholarcast 1: PJ Mathews - Doing Something Irish: From Thomas Moore to Riverdance 31:11

17+ y ago31:11

31:11

Like Moore’s Melodies, Bill Whelan’s Riverdance has become the stable signifier of a complex cultural moment. The innovation and appeal of his music lies in his ability to interrogate and transcend the highly compartmentalised divisions within Irish music which can be traced back to Yeats’s rejection of Moore’s songs.…

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Scholarcast Series 1 Introduction 1:41

17+ y ago1:41

1:41

PJ Mathews introduces Series 1 of UCDscholarcastBy PJ Mathews