Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast

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!

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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').


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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.


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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.

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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!
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