Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast

This week, Uncle Gregg, Brett, and Third Lad Stephen Hunking (guitarist/vocalist of cult '80s/'90s band Hypnolovewheel) dig into albums that critics raved about...but the record-buying public just didn't show up for.

Stephen joins the show to talk about Hypnolovewheel's history — from a hilarious and chaotically-worded "drummers wanted" flyer that started it all, to their new reissue campaign kicking off with the compilation Parallel Universe (out now on streaming and Bandcamp), to reclaiming their masters decades later, and their reunion performance at Dromfest in the Catskills over Labor Day weekend.

From the comic book store to the flower fields (and with plenty of Gregg bile), this is a fun-filled joyride that critics love...and you WON'T want to ignore!

Featured tracks: "Wow" and "Everywhere and Nowhere Girl" (both available on Parallel Universe.

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Surrender to the rhythm as we drink up the Pub Rock scene with author Mark Wilkerson!

U.K. , early 1970s: In response to the glitz of glam and the pomp of prog there emerged a DIY, back to basics scene known as pub rock: no-fuss, grass roots rock’n’roll bands playing in tight, sweaty rooms to packed throngs in the Victorian pubs of north London. Pub rock was a relative flash in the pan, lasting only a handful of years, but it produced a seismic shift, bridging the gap between rock’s Baroque period and the ensuing punk and new wave scene, and crucially, restoring the visceral connection between artist and audience.

Through trailblazing artists like Brinsley Schwarz, Dr. Feelgood and Kilburn and the High Roads, pub rock paved the way for countless acts of monumental stature including the Clash, Madness, the Sex Pistols, Blondie, and the Pretenders.

Mark Wilkerson's new book, Pub Rock (33 1/3 Genre series, Bloomsbury Academic) explores the genre’s hardscrabble evolution, and examines its significant and enduring legacy.

Mark is also the author of Who Are You: The Life of Pete Townshend, Tomas Young's War, and Hollywood Dream: The Thunderclap Newman Story, and the co-author of the New York Times bestseller Pearl Jam Twenty.

Do anything you wanna do...especially if that "anything" includes O3L!

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During last week's episode, Jon Langford from The Mekons joined us on the heels of Horror-ble, their newly released dub reimaging on their 2025 album Horror. While we’ve got dub on the mind, we were reminded that we have been sitting on a long lost interview with pioneering English producer, remixer, and label owner Adrian Sherwood. Throughout his career, Adrian has worked with reggae greats such as Lee "Scratch" Perry and Mikey Dread, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Blur, Primal Scream, Sinead O’Connor, KMFDM, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Einsturzende Neubauten, and so many others, formed the early ‘80s post-punk dub collective New Age Steppers with members of The Slits, The Pop Group, and Public Image Limited, as well as industrial hip-hop group Tackhead in the ‘90s. His record label On-U Sound System has been one of the most beloved and respected labels for dub, reggae, and experimental electronic music since 1979.

As a solo artist, the record we were focused on for our chat was his 9th album, 2025’s The Collapse of Everything. This meticulously
constructed record sees Adrian move beyond the mixing desk and take centre stage, pushing his ever adventurous sound into new frontiers.

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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.

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Ahoy, mateys! This week, we hoist the sails for a swashbuckling, deadline-fueled speed date with a genuine punk legend: Jon Langford of The Mekons (as well as The Three Johns, Waco Brothers, and Men of Gwent). We catch up with Jon somewhere in upstate New York next to a farm stand selling tomatoes and honey (which Jon assures us is "quite civilized").

The Mekons are going on 50 years as a band, from their chaotic early days on the Leeds art-punk scene to classic records like 1985's Fear and Whiskey and 1989's The Mekons Rock n' Roll. And they're still making great and very relevant music. Jon dives into their new dub companion album Horror-able — a wild reimagining of 2025's Horror - by Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu), done with zero input from the band on what the songs were "supposed" to sound like.

We go full nautical with our list of Songs of the Sea this week — including a shockingly filthy history lesson and the mythology of sirens and selkies.

Special thanks to Josh Mills from It's Alive Media for the introduction and coordination.

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