Bang! 101 Songs about Nuclear War from the 1980s

Welcome to Season 2 Episode 17 of our 80s Cold War podcast. In this episode we discuss tracks 91 to 95 of our second list of 101 songs.

But first, we introduce a special guest – Aidan Woods of Lightbringers, an East London based musician whose first album “Weather the Storms” came out at the beginning of September. It is an album of differing moods with big synth sounds – full of introspection and views of the world. Aidan discusses the album, the recording
process and his musical influences.

Our five songs are a mixed bag this week.

We start with Three Johns’ “Atom Drum Bop” (not from their album of the same name) – yet another memorable song about dancing to unthinkable destruction.

We move on to Pop Will Eat Itself’s “Def Con One” – a reference to a state of military readiness that (happily) we have never reached. This should have been a much bigger hit (were it not for the blatant references to McDonald’s) and also pays tribute to Alan Moore’s Watchmen comics.

The next song is “Seven Seconds to Midnight” by Wah! Heat. One of Pete Wylie’s many incarnations, this is a brilliant song from a fecund period of Liverpudlian musical output.

We move on to “Friendly Fires” by Section 25 – a dark and bleak picture of the price paid by children in the face of heavy military bombing – nuclear or otherwise.

Our final song is “Ask” by The Smiths. This got to 14 in the charts with Morrisey and Marr on fine form as they deal with the issue of spontaneity in love. The question at the end of the song provides the link to nuclear war and the title of this episode.

Our playlists are updated – enjoy all 91 songs we have covered so far in this Season as an accompaniment to the podcast
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4aHCNYfoQ2gtko5z6pwS9O?si=81bce0c59ff2470d
https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/bang-101-more-songs-about-nuclear-war-from-the-1980s/pl.u-vxy6L76uzVzd8Zl

Stay in touch via our socials:
Blue Sky: @bangpodcast.bsky.social
Facebook: Bang Nuclear Podcast
Reddit: r/bangnuclearpodcast
Email: bangnuclearpodcast@gmail.com
Opening and closing music: (Waiting for the) Heatwave – Fay Ray, appears courtesy of Fay Ray. Written by John Lovering
Artwork: Rachel Malbon
Assistant Producer: Shivam Pathak
Opening words: Richie Wheeler

“Heartsoar”, “Hindsight” and “Times Like These” by Lightbringers appear courtesy of Aidan Woods. Give him a follow on @lightbringersofficial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Episode 16 of Season 2. We have a very special guest, Fraser McCallum, author of the excellent “Cold War Britain – Fifty Years in the Shadow of the Bomb”. The book does not just deal with the important historical aspect of the post WW2 period, but also places Britain’s cultural landscape firmly in the foreground – its music, films and television. Huge thanks to Fraser for joining us.

As always, there’s music to discuss. All 5 are British songs, and fit in well with Fraser’s interview. We start with Red Box’s “Billy’s Line” (the playlist says “Lane” – that’s wrong!), a typically anthemic but sad story of a young man from Scotland during the Cold War.

The next song is the fantastic Tomahawk Cruise by TV Smith, formerly of The Adverts. We think it’s the only song which speaks from the viewpoint of the British missile itself.

Everything But the Girl’s beautiful “The Night I Heard Caruso Sing” is our next song. A piano-based lament, which deals with the horror of discovering nuclear devices during the peace of a family holiday in Scotland.

Bowie’s favourite band (of the time) was Screaming Blue Messiahs, whose allegorical guitar-driven “Bikini Red” deals with nuclear testing on that Pacific atoll.

We finish with Thomas Dolby’s “One of Our Submarines”. The big synth sound, along with his own family references, make this an irresistible addition to our list.

We also pay our respects to Dolly Parton, Frank Beard, Tim Curry, William Orbit and Barry Mitchell.

We are up to 90 songs in our latest playlist, which is updated here….

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4aHCNYfoQ2gtko5z6pwS9O?si=81bce0c59ff2470d

https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/bang-101-more-songs-about-nuclear-war-from-the-1980s/pl.u-vxy6L76uzVzd8Zl

Here are our links for you to stay in touch:

Blue Sky: @bangpodcast.bsky.social
Facebook: Bang Nuclear Podcast
Reddit: r/bangnuclearpodcast
Email: bangnuclearpodcast@gmail.com
Opening and closing music: (Waiting for the) Heatwave – Fay Ray, appears courtesy of Fay Ray. Written by John Lovering
“Why Don’t You?” Fay Ray, written by John Lovering. With thanks to Tony Travis.
Artwork: Rachel Malbon
Assistant Producer: Shivam Pathak
Opening words: Richie Wheeler

With thanks to Fraser McCallum.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Episode 15 of Season 2 and we continue to shine the spotlight on Legends – lesser known tracks by the biggest artists.

To start with, though, we are delighted that our dear friend Tony Travis of Fay Ray has kindly given us permission to air a remastering of “Why Don’t You?” This is a recording from the 101 Club, and is an absolute treat. Sheila McCartney sounds fantastic. Tony is working on the band’s back catalogue and, hopefully, some more treasures from the vaults will follow….

We start our five songs with “Ban the Bomb” – by Ian Dury and the Music Students – not the Blockheads. Ian Dury was the face of CND in 1982/82 so it is inevitable that he has a song in our catalogue. His vocals are, as ever, on top form, but there’s a clear difference between this and The Blockheads style of playing.

Joe Jackson’s “Evil Empire” from 1989 is next. It’s a fine track, with wonderful acoustic guitar playing.

We then move on to Manufacture’s synth based “As the End Draws Near”. This was a huge launchpad for Canadian vocalist Sarah Maclachlan. Check out the video, too – it’s full of Cold War images.

“Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)” by The The is next. A caustic attack on leadership and religion – with some rockabilly and orchestra, all driven by Matt Johnson’s ever-powerful vocal.
We end this episode with “Peace in Our Time” by Elvis Costello (albeit released as The Imposter). He wasn’t particularly fond of this album, but this is a fine track – taking in Neville Chamberlain’s role in the run up to WWII and Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (aka Star Wars).

Our playlists are updated – enjoy all 85 songs we have covered so far in this Season as an accompaniment to the podcast

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4aHCNYfoQ2gtko5z6pwS9O?si=81bce0c59ff2470d

https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/bang-101-more-songs-about-nuclear-war-from-the-1980s/pl.u-vxy6L76uzVzd8Zl

Stay in touch via our socials:

Blue Sky: @bangpodcast.bsky.social
Facebook: Bang Nuclear Podcast
Reddit: r/bangnuclearpodcast
Email: bangnuclearpodcast@gmail.com

Opening and closing music: (Waiting for the) Heatwave – Fay Ray, appears courtesy of Fay Ray. Written by John Lovering
“Why Don’t You?” Fay Ray, written by John Lovering. With thanks to Tony Travis.
Artwork: Rachel Malbon
Assistant Producer: Shivam Pathak
Opening words: Richie Wheeler

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Episode 14 of Season 2. Legends are the focus. We discuss some lesser known songs by the biggest artists.

We start with Bruce Springsteen’s “Roulette”. Recorded almost immediately after the Three Mile Island disaster in Harrisburg, PA, but not released until 1988 as a B-side to One Step Up, Springsteen’s anger and mistrust of authority are on electrifying form.

We then move on to The Police’s “Walking in Your Footsteps”, a calypso-infused tune all about man’s own ability to destroy the planet where dinosaurs once freely roamed.

We next pay tribute to Calvin Hayes of Johnny Hates Jazz. Calvin passed away in July… The song we discuss is “Don’t Let it End this Way”, and is a cool, sophisticated song, quintessentially 80s – a sad goodbye.

The mood changes as we delve into classic hip hop. “Beat Street Breakdown” by rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel is a full on tirade against the injustices of the world, and nuclear armament features heavily. The version on our playlist is, unfortunately, the shortened one but it still packs a heavy punch.

We end with one of the greatest anti-nuclear songs of all time. “London Calling” by The Clash is one of the most important protest songs of all time and remains a huge anthem both in the capital and beyond. Released in December 1979, it charted in January 1980, so we have no hesitation in including it here. Perhaps overdue, you might think.

Please have a listen to our playlists – we are up to 80 songs! And once this season is done, we have plenty more for you.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4aHCNYfoQ2gtko5z6pwS9O?si=81bce0c59ff2470d

https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/bang-101-more-songs-about-nuclear-war-from-the-1980s/pl.u-vxy6L76uzVzd8Zl

Don’t forget our socials:

Blue Sky: @bangpodcast.bsky.social
Facebook: Bang Nuclear Podcast
Reddit: r/bangnuclearpodcast
Email: bangnuclearpodcast@gmail.com
Opening and closing music: (Waiting for the) Heatwave – Fay Ray, appears courtesy of Fay Ray. Written by John Lovering
Artwork: Rachel Malbon
Assistant Producer: Shivam Pathak
Opening words: Richie Wheeler

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 13 of Episode 2 is devoted to Cold War espionage, and we welcome a very special guest. Ian Sanders is the creator, host, and inspiration behind the magnificent “Cold War Conversations” podcast. Ian chats to us about his work, some important characters from the world of espionage and, importantly, his favourite 80s nuclear tunes.

You can find the Cold War Conversations podcast on all the usual platforms. There is so much to delve into.

Andy Oppenheimer, who we were lucky to interview earlier in the year, tells us about his new album “Embrace the Dark” and we have a little excerpt of “No Warning”, one of the amazing new tracks – and it’s just right for our nuclear family.

There are, as ever, 5 tracks to discuss. And spying remains the theme.

“Michael Caine” by Madness is the first. Hugely popular, and all about the safety of informants at the time of the Troubles. We then have the wonderful “Attention Stockholm” by Virna Lindt. This is almost a piece of 60s film noir on vinyl. “Philby” by Rory Gallagher shows the guitar virtuoso at his finest, even with some electric sitar. “Spies in the Wires” by Cabaret Voltaire deals with 80s Cold War paranoia. It’s one of our favourites. We finish with Roni Griffith’s fabulous up-tempo Euro disco tune, “Spys”.

The updated playlists can be found here:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4aHCNYfoQ2gtko5z6pwS9O?si=81bce0c59ff2470d

https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/bang-101-more-songs-about-nuclear-war-from-the-1980s/pl.u-vxy6L76uzVzd8Zl

Don’t forget our socials:

Blue Sky: @bangpodcast.bsky.social
Facebook: Bang Nuclear Podcast
Reddit: r/bangnuclearpodcast
Email: bangnuclearpodcast@gmail.com
Opening and closing music: (Waiting for the) Heatwave – Fay Ray, appears courtesy of Fay Ray. Written by John Lovering
Artwork: Rachel Malbon
Assistant Producer: Shivam Pathak
Opening words: Richie Wheeler

“No Warning” appears courtesy of Andy Oppenheimer

With sincere thanks to Ian Sanders of Cold War Conversations.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.