Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast

O3L Media
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Only Three Lads is a lively podcast celebrating the Golden Age of Alternative Music from the '70s, '80s & '90s. Join Uncle Gregg, Brett Vargo, and a variety of ”Third Lads” as we share our Top Fives, stories, and news about the music we love, and have a lot of fun along the way! Whether you‘re into indie, punk, new wave, Britpop, power pop, synth pop, shoegaze, grunge...or whatever...there is going to be something for you to discover and love. Part of Pantheon Podcasts.

  1. 13H AGO

    E330 - The Melody Chamber - Top 5 Songs About Trains

    Choo-chooooo! All abooooooooard! This train may not run on time, but it does run off the rails...and fast. This week, the Lads complete their "Metal MAY-hem" trifecta by covering the heaviest metal of 'em all: trains. Joining in on the fun is Wallace Dietz and Dan-O Deckelman, who make up the creative engine of the Richmond, VA post-punk locomotive The Melody Chamber. Their self-titled debut (HHBTM Records/Too Good to Be True) landed not only in Brett's Top 5 Albums of 2025, but some of you in the O3L Community also named it as your favorite release of the past year. All of the accolades are very well deserved too - the record sounds like some great lost ‘80s album that was discovered in the dusty racks of a defunct college radio station. It contains 10 songs of post-punk and southern gothic jangle pop that not only evoke bands like The Psychedelic Furs, R.E.M., The Smiths, and The Chameleons, but are of such substantial quality that they stack up favorably against those bands. Although this is The Melody Chamber's first record, Dan-O and Wallace are both veteran musicians who have spent decades in indie bands such as The Silent Boys, The Grain Hoppers, Mudd Helmet, and Rocket 69. Grab your ticket and find a seat to hear: The band's unlikely origin story. Based off Uncle Gregg's off-color remark about our new recording platform, Brett picks an unfortunate new moniker. Silent applause. Train conceptions. Jumping trains. Stickin' it to Sisters of Mercy. New O3L t-shirt ideas (hint: our inspirations are Manowar and the "My Pillow" guy). Pilfering poetry. "Decide, don't hesitate"...to do a classic, no-holds-barred Uncle Gregg rant. Thanks to Mike Turner from HHBTM for introduction! So, whaddya waiting for? Come on, ride the train (woo-woo)! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 44m
  2. O3L Presents: Weekend Six Pack , Vol. 31 - Glitz & Grit with Johnny Iguana from The Claudettes!

    4D AGO ·  BONUS

    O3L Presents: Weekend Six Pack , Vol. 31 - Glitz & Grit with Johnny Iguana from The Claudettes!

    We've got another six pack of fresh tunes for you in our "show within the show" bonus! This week, Brett chats with composer/keyboardist Johnny Iguana from Chicago band The Claudettes, as they prepare to release their 7th album, Garage Glamour, due June 5th from Pravda Records. “Garage glamour” is about as apt a term as you can get to describe a band who has defied neat categorization over the years - mixing gritty blues, passionate soul, rabid rock n’ roll, cabaret jazz, cinematic drama, slinky funk, and a DIY punk spirit into a sound that’s all theirs.  Outside of the band, Johnny has made an international name for himself as the co-composer of the score for the hit TV show The Bear, as well as playing with legendary musicians like Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Junior Wells, and Johnny Winter. We bookend the six pack with two tracks from The Claudettes (including a duet between Claudettes chanteuse Rachel Williams and Chicago blues legend John Primer), plus four other songs that we think you will dig as much as we do! During this six pack, you will hear: 1) The Claudettes (with John Primer) - "(You Are My) Whole World" (from the upcoming LP Garage Glamour, Pravda Records) 2) Grey Disco - "Vigil" (from the LP Shades) 3) J. Mau & The Kiss Off - "Poison" (single) 4) The Rallies - "I Believe" (from the LP No Better Time) 5) The Get Alongs - "Sunday Afternoon" (from the forthcoming LP Second To None, Having Fun/We Are Busy Bodies) 6) The Claudettes - "That Could Be Arranged" (from the LP Garage Glamour, Pravda Records) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    42 min
  3. E329 - Ben Vaughn - Songs About Cars

    MAY 12

    E329 - Ben Vaughn - Songs About Cars

    O3L's Metal MAY-hem continues, but this week we're talking about a different kind of heavy metal: the kind you drive. From “Rocket 88” to “Little Red Corvette”, the automobile has long been a popular subject in song, representing freedom, escape, prosperity, power, control, solitude, safety, danger, or passion.  Some artists simply sing about cars because cars are cool. Much like a classic ‘57 Chevy or ‘69 Rambler, our Third Lad this week is an American treasure.  Ben Vaughn is a singer/songwriter who has built an eclectic catalogue of wry, literate songs, from the roots rock of The Ben Vaughn Combo in the ‘80s to power pop, garage rock, folk, easy listening, country, Tex Mex, surf, TV (3rd Rock from the Sun), and movies (Psycho Beach Party)…you name it and he’s probably done it.  Healso hosts the weekly syndicated radio show The Many Moods of Ben Vaughn and performs regularly in the U.S. and Europe. Vaughn is known for producing artists such as Ween, Arthur Alexander, and Charlie Feathers, and for collaborations with Alan Vega and Alex Chilton. As the leader of The Ben Vaughn Combo and through his solo albums—including the cult classic Rambler ’65, recorded entirely in his car—he has built a devoted following in his native Philadelphia, his adopted home of L.A. and beyond. His songs have also been recorded by artists including Marshall Crenshaw, The Morells, and Deer Tick. Get revved up and ready to go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 10m
  4. E328 - Buried Beneath Me - Top 5 Metal Albums for Alt-Rock Fans

    MAY 5

    E328 - Buried Beneath Me - Top 5 Metal Albums for Alt-Rock Fans

    It's Metal MAY-hem over here at O3L! This week, we're talking about some of the metal albums that we would recommend to alt-rock fans, whether it be the thundering classics whose influence crossed stylistic boundaries or the albums that could serve as a gateway into the genre for the uninitiated. And, when we say "uninitiated", we might as well be talking about Brett. Fortunately, not only has Uncle Gregg been a connoisseur of metal for many years, but our Third Lad is the singer/songwriter/guitarist V of alt-metal band Buried Beneath Me. Fusing the raw aggression of post-hardcore with the cinematic weight of progressive metalcore, the band delivers a sonic assault of towering riffs, crushing breakdowns, and lyrics drenched in introspection and despair. With a reputation for dark, immersive storytelling and a sound that balances brutality and melody, Buried Beneath Me's 2025 concept album The House of Ash creates an atmosphere that pulls listeners into its abyss. Each track is a journey—a descent into struggle, self-destruction, and the fight to rise from the ashes. Sounds pretty dark and heavy, right? Well, then, it seems like the perfect guest to rope into a rousing O3L game - "METAL LORDS", in which contestants decipher lyrics to decide whether they are from a metal song...or a Christian song. It's a fine line, y'know. Whether you're a seasoned headbanger or a newbie growing out a sweet mullet, you are invited into our lair of doom...if you dare! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    2h 10m
  5. E327 - Bill Kopp (Author, What's The Big Idea?) - Top 5 Concept Albums...That Work Outside of the Concept!

    APR 28

    E327 - Bill Kopp (Author, What's The Big Idea?) - Top 5 Concept Albums...That Work Outside of the Concept!

    Are you all sitting comfybold two square on your body? Then I'll begin. We return to the topic of the concept album...with a spin. Some concept albums simply don't work without context. Others function as a cohesive collection of songs, even divorced from a weighty backstory or overarching theme. Those are the records that Brett Vargo discusses with this week's Third Lad, Bill Kopp. You may remember renowned music scribe Bill Kopp from his O3L appearance a few years back discussing his book on classic San Francisco indie label 415 Records, Disturbing The Peace. Now Bill's back, celebrating the release of his latest book, What's The Big Idea - 30 Great Concept Albums, out now on Hozac Books. In What's The Big Idea, Bill explores 30 remarkable concept albums, drawing from new, firsthand interviews with the artists behind their creation, including Pete Townshend, Steve Kilbey, Captain Sensible, Utopia, and William Shatner. While there are some well-known classic concept albums covered such as The Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow and Jethro Tull's Thick As A Brick, much of the book is dedicated to lesser known gems that dispel the myth that the concept album died in the mid-1970s. Order the book at: https://hozacrecords.com/product/pre-order-whats-the-big-idea-30-great-concept-albums-book-by-bill-kopp/ We also feature music by the great veteran Australian singer-songwriter Greg Williams ('Everyday Is Your Birthday') and Pillars of Creation, a band comprised mostly of early Creation Records musicians - led by Jasmine Minks' Jim Shepherd and featuring members of Primal Scream, The Loft, and June Brides ('Be Careful What You Wish For'). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 33m
  6. E326 - The SALT Collective's Stéphane Schück - Top 5 Do's & Don'ts

    APR 21

    E326 - The SALT Collective's Stéphane Schück - Top 5 Do's & Don'ts

    DON'T you forget about us. DO listen to this week's O3L! That's right...we're covering songs with "do" or "don't" in the title. Our Third Lad is French songwriter/guitarist Stéphane Schück from The Salt Collective, the unique international collaborative project who recently released their second full-length album, A Brief History of Blindness, on Propeller Sound Recordings. The record features vocal, instrumental, and/or songwriting contributions by a wildly impressive "who's who" of indie rock, including Chris Stamey and Gene Holder (The dB's), Mitch Easter (Let's Active), Andy Partridge (XTC), Jason Falkner (Jellyfish), Kimberly Rew (The Soft Boys, Katrina & the Waves), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Aimee Mann (Til Tuesday), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), the late, great Lynn Blakey (Tres Chicas, Let's Active), Pat Sansone (Wilco), Rob Ladd (The Connells) and more. It's a striking testament to what can happen when great musical minds orbit under the spell of the same creative gravity. Thanks to Howard Wuelfing from Howlin' Wuelf Media for the introduction and coordination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 24m
  7. E325 - Robert Deeble - Top 5 Songs About or Inspired by Literature

    APR 14

    E325 - Robert Deeble - Top 5 Songs About or Inspired by Literature

    Hope you like curling up with a good podcast, because this week we're all about books...well, specifically, songs that are about or inspired by literature. How high brow of us! Our Third Lad for this discussion is "literate folk-pop" singer/songwriter Robert Deeble. Literary themes are central to the heart of his music, and his recently released 7th album, The Space Between Us, is no exception. It's another invitation into the secret, beautiful world he has been building since his 1997 debut, Days Like These. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 13m
  8. E324 - Anne Richmond Boston (The Swimming Pool Q's) - Top 5 Songs of 1972

    APR 7

    E324 - Anne Richmond Boston (The Swimming Pool Q's) - Top 5 Songs of 1972

    We're gonna make you an offer you can't refuse...because this week, we go way back to discuss some of our favorite songs of 1972 with the marvelous Anne Richmond Boston from The Swimming Pool Q's! Possessing a crystalline voice, Anne's journey led her from church and high school choirs to the quirky new wave of the Swimming Pool Q's. Following their debut album The Deep End on DB Records in 1981, the Q's were one of the first Atlanta/Athens areas bands to be snapped up by a major label. For A&M, they recorded their self-titled second album (1984) and Blue Tomorrow (1986). A major tour with Lou Reed ensued, as did a major label makeover. Anne left the Q's in 1987, with her terrific solo debut, The Big House of Time (largely written by and recorded with then husband Rob Gal from The Coolies) following for DB in 1990. With such a promising start to her solo career, surely a second album was hot on its heels. Right??? Well, the intended follow up, I Should Be Happy, was recorded, roughly mixed, and then shelved for 30+ years for unknown reasons. Fortunately, the tapes were revitalized, revamped, and are at long last released! It's a beautiful song cycle about longing and loss, featuring a notable cast of musicians and singers. That should make us ALL happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 33m
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4.9
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About

Only Three Lads is a lively podcast celebrating the Golden Age of Alternative Music from the '70s, '80s & '90s. Join Uncle Gregg, Brett Vargo, and a variety of ”Third Lads” as we share our Top Fives, stories, and news about the music we love, and have a lot of fun along the way! Whether you‘re into indie, punk, new wave, Britpop, power pop, synth pop, shoegaze, grunge...or whatever...there is going to be something for you to discover and love. Part of Pantheon Podcasts.

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