Long Way to the Top

This is a reshare of an interview conducted in July 2025 with Patrick Simmons...enjoy!

Patrick Simmons of The Doobie Brothers joins Shayne Brian on Long Way to the Top for a conversation spanning more than five decades of music, from the band’s earliest days to their latest studio album, Walk This Road.
As a founding member of The Doobie Brothers, Patrick Simmons has been there for one of rock music’s great journeys. The band has sold more than 48 million albums, won four GRAMMY Awards and created an extraordinary catalogue of songs including Listen to the Music, China Grove, Long Train Runnin’, Takin’ It to the Streets, What a Fool Believes, Jesus Is Just All Right and Simmons’ own chart-topping classic, Black Water.
In this episode, Patrick takes us back to the rise of The Doobie Brothers and the chemistry that created their unmistakable blend of rock, blues, soul, country and American roots music.
We explore the story behind Black Water, the evolution of the band through the 1970s, the arrival of Michael McDonald and how The Doobie Brothers managed to evolve musically without losing the identity that first connected them with audiences.
Patrick also talks about the latest chapter in that story, Walk This Road, the new Doobie Brothers studio album featuring Patrick Simmons, Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and John McFee.
More than 50 years after their journey began, The Doobie Brothers are still recording new music and taking it around the world. Patrick reflects on what it means to still share a stage with his longtime bandmates, how those relationships have changed over the decades and what keeps him wanting to climb aboard that long train one more time.
We also go deeper into the journey behind the hits. What happens when a band survives long enough to become part of music history? How does Patrick define success today compared with the young musician who started The Doobie Brothers? Are there songs buried in the catalogue that he wishes people would rediscover? And after thousands of performances, can music still surprise him?
From Toulouse Street and The Captain and Me to Minute by Minute, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Walk This Road, this is Patrick Simmons and the remarkable story of The Doobie Brothers.
It’s a conversation about songwriting, longevity, friendship, change, survival and the road that never really ends.
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Suzi Quatro joins Long Way to the Top for a career-spanning conversation about her incredible rock and roll journey, her new album Freedom, recording with Alice Cooper and her massive Down Under 2026 Australian tour.
From Can the Can, 48 Crash and Devil Gate Drive to The Wild One, If You Can't Give Me Love and Stumblin' In, Suzi Quatro didn't simply become one of the biggest rock stars of the 1970s. She helped change what a rock star could look like.
In this episode, Suzi talks about growing up in the extraordinary Detroit music scene, picking up the bass, leaving America for England, working with legendary producer Mickie Most and the explosion of success that followed Can the Can in 1973. We also revisit Leather Tuscadero and Happy Days, her influence on generations of women in rock and her remarkable relationship with Australian audiences.
But Suzi Quatro is far from living in the past.
Her latest studio album, Freedom, sees her reconnecting with her rock and roll roots in her third album collaboration with her son Richard Tuckey. The record also features fellow Detroit rock legend Alice Cooper joining Suzi for a blistering version of the MC5 classic Kick Out the Jams.
Suzi tells Shayne about working with Alice, why Detroit remains such an important part of her musical DNA, making records with her son and why, more than six decades into her career, she still has no intention of quietly putting the bass guitar away.
We also look ahead to the Suzi Quatro Down Under 2026 Tour, which takes her across Australia throughout November and December with Baby Animals as special guests on the headline concerts, plus Red Hot Summer Tour appearances featuring artists including Jon Stevens, Baby Animals, Rose Tattoo, The Screaming Jets, Dragon and Choirboys, with line-ups varying between shows.
If you love Suzi Quatro, 70s rock, glam rock, classic rock, Australian rock history, Alice Cooper, Detroit rock and the stories behind the songs, this is an episode you don't want to miss.
IN THIS EPISODE
Suzi Quatro talks about:
Returning to Australia for the Down Under 2026 Tour
Her extraordinary relationship with Australian audiences
Why she still loves performing live
Her new 2026 album Freedom
Working with her son Richard Tuckey
Recording Kick Out the Jams with Alice Cooper
Growing up inside Detroit's legendary rock and roll scene
Starting out with The Pleasure Seekers
Moving to England and working with Mickie Most
The breakthrough success of Can the Can
48 Crash, Devil Gate Drive, The Wild One and her classic 1970s hits
Becoming Leather Tuscadero on Happy Days
Breaking down barriers for women playing rock and roll
The continuing popularity of Stumblin' In
More than six decades of surviving the music business
Why retirement still isn't part of the Suzi Quatro plan
SUZI QUATRO DOWN UNDER 2026 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATESNOVEMBER 2026
Saturday 14 November
Rooty Hill, NSW
Coliseum Theatre
With special guests Baby Animals.
Sunday 15 November
Sydney, NSW
Sydney Opera House
With special guests Baby Animals.
Thursday 19 November
Hobart, TAS
Wrest Point Entertainment Centre
With special guests Baby Animals.
Friday 20 November
Gold Coast, QLD
The Star Gold Coast
With special guests Baby Animals.
Sunday 22 November
Brisbane, QLD
Roma Street Parkland
Red Hot Summer Tour.
Saturday 28 November
Lake Macquarie, NSW
Speers Point Park
Red Hot Summer Tour.
Sunday 29 November
Torquay, VIC
Torquay Common
Red Hot Summer Tour.
DECEMBER 2026
Wednesday 2 December
Melbourne, VIC
Palais Theatre
With special guests Baby Animals.
Saturday 5 December
Seppeltsfield, SA
Seppeltsfield Wines
Red Hot Summer Tour.
Sunday 6 December
Fremantle, WA
Fremantle Prison
With special guests Baby Animals.
🎟 Tickets and full tour information are available through Face to Face Touring.
https://facetofacetouring.com.au/current-tours/suzi-quatro-down-under-2026


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Go West became one of the defining pop acts of the 1980s with timeless hits including We Close Our Eyes, Call Me, Don't Look Down and the global favourite The King of Wishful Thinking.
In this episode of Long Way to the Top, Shayne Brian sits down with Peter Cox, the unmistakable voice of Go West, to discuss the band's incredible 40-year journey, the stories behind their biggest songs, and why their music continues to connect with audiences around the world.
Peter reflects on Go West's rise during the golden age of MTV, the success of The King of Wishful Thinking after its appearance in Pretty Woman, and the band's enduring popularity. He also talks about returning to Australia after touring here with Nik Kershaw in 2024, and what fans can expect from the new Australian tour alongside Debbie Gibson.
If you love classic 1980s music, behind-the-scenes stories, songwriting, and the artists who created the soundtrack to a generation, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
In this episode:
The origins of Go West
The story behind We Close Our Eyes
How The King of Wishful Thinking became a worldwide classic
The impact of Pretty Woman
Touring Australia with Nik Kershaw and now Debbie Gibson
Life on the road after four decades
Peter Cox's thoughts on legacy and longevity
Shayne's Fast Five
AUSTRALIAN TOUR AND TICKET INFORMATION
Tour dates, venues, VIP packages and tickets:
https://www.destroyalllines.com/tours/go-west
Official Ticketek ticket page:
https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/Show.aspx?sh=GOWEST26
Debbie Gibson official website:
https://debbiegibsonofficial.com/
Subscribe to Long Way to the Top for more in-depth conversations with the artists who created the songs, albums and unforgettable moments that shaped popular music.
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#GoWest #PeterCox #TheKingOfWishfulThinking #DebbieGibson #LongWayToTheTop #80sMusic #ClassicPop #WeCloseOurEyes #PrettyWoman #MusicPodcast #ShayneBrian #AustralianTour #RetroMusic #NewWave #PopMusic
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Debbie Gibson joins Shayne Brian on Long Way to the Top ahead of her long-awaited return to Australia as special guest on Go West’s 40th Anniversary Tour.
Debbie became one of the defining pop artists of the late 1980s with an extraordinary run of hits including “Only in My Dreams,” “Shake Your Love,” “Out of the Blue,” “Foolish Beat,” “Electric Youth” and “Lost in Your Eyes.”
At just 17, “Foolish Beat” made Debbie the youngest female artist to write, produce and perform a Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, a record she continues to hold. Every one of her US Top 20 singles was written solely by Debbie, establishing her as much more than a teenage pop star. She was a songwriter, musician and producer determined to maintain control of her own music.
In this revealing conversation, Debbie takes us inside the writing and production of her biggest songs. She discusses the heartbreak behind “Foolish Beat,” the enduring emotional connection fans have with “Lost in Your Eyes,” and why the message of “Electric Youth” remains relevant decades later.
Debbie also reflects on the pressures of achieving international fame as a teenager, fighting to be recognised as a serious songwriter, and the important role her mother played in protecting her creativity and career.
The conversation explores her remarkable life beyond the original hits, including her extensive musical theatre career, starring roles in productions such as Les Misérables, Grease, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago and Cabaret, her return to the charts with “Girls Night Out,” and the release of her album The Body Remembers.
Debbie also discusses her bestselling memoir, Eternally Electric, the meaning behind its title, and what she has learned from more than four decades of reinvention, resilience and making music on her own terms.
Debbie Gibson returns to Australian stages for the first time since 1989, joining Go West for shows in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart and Brisbane from 25 August to 4 September 2026. Audiences can expect a celebration of classic pop featuring Debbie’s greatest hits alongside Go West favourites including “We Close Our Eyes,” “Call Me” and “King of Wishful Thinking.”
AUSTRALIAN TOUR AND TICKET INFORMATION
Tour dates, venues, VIP packages and tickets:
https://www.destroyalllines.com/tours/go-west
Official Ticketek ticket page:
https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/Show.aspx?sh=GOWEST26
Debbie Gibson official website:
https://debbiegibsonofficial.com/
Subscribe to Long Way to the Top for more in-depth conversations with the artists who created the songs, albums and unforgettable moments that shaped popular music.
Visit:
https://facebook.com/thelongwaytothetoppodcast
#DebbieGibson #GoWest #ElectricYouth #FoolishBeat #LostInYourEyes #OnlyInMyDreams #EternallyElectric #GoWestTour #AustralianTour #80sMusic #80sPop #PopMusic #Songwriting #MusicInterview #LongWayToTheTop #ShayneBrian
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Angry Anderson has made a massive announcement exclusively on Long Way to the Top with Shayne Brian, confirming the final Rose Tattoo shows ever.
After more than five decades of blood, sweat, beers and uncompromising rock ’n’ roll, one of Australia’s most influential bands is preparing to take its final bow. In this special episode, Angry Anderson reflects on the extraordinary Rose Tattoo journey, from the pubs of Sydney to international tours with ZZ Top and Aerosmith, and reveals why 2026 will mark the band’s final year on the road.
Angry discusses the fans who have carried Rose Tattoo through every decade, the enduring power of songs including Bad Boy for Love, Rock ’n’ Roll Outlaw, Nice Boys, Scarred for Life and We Can’t Be Beaten, and the emotions behind saying goodbye to a band that has become part of the fabric of Australian rock music.
The farewell concerts will also feature the return of legendary guitarist Rockin’ Rob Riley, joining Angry Anderson, Mick Arnold, Steve “Kingy” King and Paul DeMarco. Rob Riley will perform the landmark Scarred for Life album in its entirety with Rose Tattoo, along with more classics from the band’s celebrated catalogue.
For one final time, Rose Tattoo are turning it up loud and celebrating more than 50 years of music, mateship, resilience and authentic Australian rock ’n’ roll.
Rose Tattoo Final Australian Shows 2026
Friday, 18 September
Prince Bandroom, Melbourne, VIC
Final Victorian show
With Willie J’s 6V6’s and Hot Machine
Sunday, 20 September
The Gov, Adelaide, SA
Final South Australian show and early Sunday performance
No support
Friday, 25 September
Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
With Willie J’s 6V6’s and Hot Machine
Saturday, 26 September
The Triffid, Brisbane, QLD
Final Brisbane show
With Willie J’s 6V6’s and Hot Machine
The September dates and venues have been confirmed, with tickets now available through the official Rose Tattoo website.
Tickets: https://www.rosetattoo.com.au/
Listen to the full conversation as Angry Anderson joins Shayne Brian on Long Way to the Top to announce the final Rose Tattoo shows and look back on the legacy of a true Australian rock ’n’ roll institution.
Visit:
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#RoseTattoo #AngryAnderson #LongWayToTheTop #AustralianRock #AussieRock #RockNRollOutlaw #ScarredForLife #WeCantBeBeaten #BadBoyForLove #NiceBoys #RoseTattooFarewellTour #FinalShows #FarewellTour #RockinRobRiley #AustralianMusic #ClassicRock #PubRock #HardRock #RockLegends #MusicPodcast #ShayneBrian #LiveMusicAustralia #AustralianRockHistory #RockInterview #RockMusicPodcast
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