Back to NOW!
by Pop Rambler
Celebrating all things related to the variously compiled world of pop.<hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
7/24/2020
Email Addresses
1 available
Phone Numbers
0 available
Recent Episodes
April 21, 2025
NOW 53 - Autumn ‘02: David Manero
<p>2002. </p><p>The pop culture landscape would never be the same again.</p><br><p>No, we’re not talking about Robbie Williams £80m, six album deal (although Rudebox would indeed shift the landscape, if not exactly many copies).</p><p>We’re not even talking about Pop Idol top ten contestant Jessica Garlick coming (joint) third in Eurovision, although that was pretty good. </p><p>We could be talking about the arrival of 6Music and BBC Four (TOTP RERUNS!!).</p><br><p>But no, all of these memorable highlights take a positively backseat position against the stellar backdrop that was, quite literally, the 2002 Pop World! </p><br><p>Boybands!</p><p>Girl groups!</p><p>Kylie!</p><p>Coldplay!</p><p>ABS!</p><br><p>Don’t be fooled listeners, 2002 consisted of twelve months that gave us pop memories like no other. Atomic Kitten rode the Tide! Britney loved Rock (‘n’ Roll)! Daniel Bedingfield loved James Dean (possibly)! And amongst the idols and stars and academy’s of TV talent shows increasingly speedy conveyor belts, the decade they continued to call the ‘noughties’ moved up a gear thanks to Sugababes, Liberty X, Ms Dynamite and countless others. Where could it all end, we collectively asked (quite possibly via MSN messenger, or on a dial-up webchat forum)?</p><br><p>And who better to navigate the BEST SELLING compilation of 2002, NOW 53, than senior producer for <strong>Listen</strong> the award winning premium podcast company David Manero! </p><br><p>Taking time away from the Kitchen Disco with Sophie Ellis Bextor, Traitors Uncloaked, and the Pop Top Ten pod with Scott Mills and Rylan Clark, David shares his memories, hits and misses from the 43 Top Chart Hits across his two CDs (and a broken case). </p><br><p>And, along the way, rediscover some genuine lost in the vault moments, find out what NOW whiplash is and how to avoid it, consider how the Spanglish Rappers Delight conquered the world, and marvel at how Teutonic techno troublers Scooter really were such a Big Thing.</p><br><p>So, put down your Nokia 3310 or your Motorola Razr V3, switch off Big Brother 3, come out of the record department of Sainsbury’s and tune into the best of 2002!</p><br><p>I'm seein' stars, I can't believe my eyes…</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
March 10, 2025
NOW Dance '89 - Summer '89: Joe Muggs
<p>Can You Feel It?</p><br><p>It’s July, 1989 and the temperature is hot! </p><br><p>Actually, for a lot of the UK it surprisingly was, but let’s leave meteorological memories aside, we’re talking the dancefloor. The country, the WHOLE nation was completely right on one, matey. </p><br><p>Well maybe not the entire nation, but there was no doubt that the BPMs were sweeping the nation much quicker than the BSB squarial was in the last summer of the eighties. </p><br><p>As 1988 became 1989, the underground was rapidly moving overground. The house sound of Chicago and Detroit had landed on our sceptred isle and we were making it out own. Artists such as The Beatmasters, Coldcut and Mark Moore’s S-Express had stamped their authority on the charts and across the country as teens were pouring over Smash Hits for the lyrics of Inner City tracks and swapping mixtapes of the latest grooves.</p><br><p>And, NOW That’s What I Call Music were THERE!</p><br><p>Well, yes they were, but that’s not the whole story. </p><p>Get on the dancefloor legendary compilers K-tel and new variously compiled whippershappers from Telstar, who (for once) were ahead of the compilation curve. Albums series such as Deep Heat (in those large cassette boxes Discog fans!) were bringing the cool kids a real mix of dance, hip hop and sounds from both sides of the Atlantic. </p><br><p>So what did our friends at EMI/Virgin do? What they always do - respond, and then some!</p><br><p>Join author, journalist, compiler and all round dance music fanatic Joe Muggs as we revisit the explosive dancefloor culture of summer 1989 though the lens of NOW Dance 89. Rediscover some iconic tracks from Inner City, Soul II Soul and Coldcut. Remember (because you may have forgotten) the VERY 89 sound of Hip House with the likes of The Cookie Crew, Merlin and (awesome super duper) Tyree. Find out how NOW navigated a groove between the mainstream and the emerging underground through some amazing 12” mixes and laid a blueprint for the impending sound of the 90s, and indeed an unavoidable cultural shift into the next century of pop and beyond.</p><br><p>And if that wasn’t enough, find out which dance icon Joe sought out an autograph from, how the legendary producer Youth may have missed a chance to be on The Fast Show, which track brings tears to mothers eyes at Big Fish Little Fish discos and why we need the uplifting and uniting experience of house music now more than ever.</p><br><p>People, hold on!</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
January 29, 2025
NOW, That’s What I Call A Musical - Sonia
<p>In 2025, the iconic NOW series moves into the world of musical theatre with a brand new show ‘NOW, That’s What I Call A Musical’ delivering a storyline that ties friendship and incredible 80s pop music together perfectly. A dynamic cast, a sure fire story from Pippa Evans filled with a rollercoaster of emotions and laughter is coupled by choreography from Craig Revel Horwood for a guaranteed hit night out!</p><br><p>And if that wasn’t enough the touring show includes guest appearances from an array of pop icons - Sinitta, Carol Decker, Toyah Wilcox and Sonia!</p><br><p>And for this special episode of Back to Now, Sonia exclusively joins us to chat about the show and how this pop nostalgia spectacular is exactly what we need right now. </p><br><p>As well as providing details (no spoilers!) about the show, Sonia takes us back to the year it’s set - 1989 - and shares her own memories of becoming one of the decades most successful female chart stars. We go behind the scenes of PWL, how Sonia really convinced Pete Waterman to sign her up to the Hit Factory, who she to borrow clothes from for her debut video and what it meant to move from being a pop fan into the pages of Smash Hits in a very short period indeed!</p><br><p>We also can’t spend some time with Sonia and not talk Eurovision - so we do, and it’s a blast of Europop memories.</p><br><p>And, exclusively - find out which NOW album played constantly in Sonia’s (and her boyfriends) car! </p><br><p>Grab your popcorn, take your seat and tune into big 1989 pop memories and much more with this special episode of Back to NOW!</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
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