Interviews, concert info for France, and deep dives into alternative music.
Brought to you every Friday night at 9pm by Robert Quinn
Episode 25: Record Store Day – April 19th 2024
Discussion of some exclusive Record Store Day releases and the day itself. Music from Nina Simone, Fontaines D.C., The Sugarcubes and more.
Episode 24: Avril – April 12th 2024
Some music celebrating the month of April as well as music from Vampire Weekend, Van Morrison and Richard Thompson.
Episode 23: Vampire Weekend – April 5th 2024
New releases from Vampire Weekend and Adrianne Lenker plus music from Stereolab, Alice Coltrane and many more.
Episode 22: Summer Nights – March 22nd 2024
Music from the 70s for hot Summer nights. Music from Joni Mitchell and Neil Young on their return to Spotify plus new music from Vampire Weekend and more.
Episode 21: St. Patrick’s Day Weekend – March 15th 2024
Discussion of France’s most famous song about Ireland and how Thierry Henry tarnished a youthful impression of France. Music from some of Ireland’s best with songs by My Bloody Valentine, Sinead O’Connor, Bell X1 and many more.
Episode 20: Post Metro Fine – March 8th 2024
Some music inspired by an undeserved €35 Paris metro fine. Music from Bruce Springsteen, Yo La Tengo, Guided by Voices and more.
Episode 19: Lisztomania – March 1st 2024
A brief discussion of the social phenomenon of Lisztomania and concert info for Paris during the week ahead with music from Idles, Depeche Mode and more.
Episode 18: MGMT Listening Party – February 23rd 2024
MGMT’s new album Loss of Life is here! This episode includes a review of the album’s listening party, held completely in the dark at Club 13 in Paris. Music from Vampire Weekend, Adrianne Lenker and many more.
Episode 17: French New Wave – February 16th 2024
Some French New Wave from Marc Seberg, some new music from IDLES and a discussion of the use of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood song ‘The Power of Love’ in a recent film.
Episode 16: Albrecht Dürer and Bob Dylan – February 9th 2024
A bookshop window display inspires an attempt to dissect the use of an Albrecht Dürer self-portrait in Bob Dylan’s music video for Jokerman. New music from Gurriers, recommendations for gigs in Paris for the week to come and more.
Episode 15: Start Making Sense – February 2nd 2024
Music from Stereolab, Serge Gainsbourg, Steve Winwood and many more. Some thoughts on the tribute album announced for the Talking Heads live album Stop Making Sense.
Episode 14: Indie Folk Rock Continuum – January 26th 2024
New music from Adrianne Lenker and a mix of peaceful and yearning tracks from the 60s to the present.
Listen back to Adrianne Lenker’s latest release here.
Episode 13: 80s Synths for Driving at Night – January 19th 2024
In light of seeing the Irish group Soda Blonde on a miserable cold and wet Wednesday night – some mysterious palettes of 80s synthesisers.
Or in other words, songs to drive at night in the rain to.
Episode 12: Blue Monday Weekend Music Guide – January 12th 2024
Ahead of “Blue Monday”, the most depressing day of the year – some music to warm spirits during these cold days.
Featuring new music from MGMT, and some old classics from Stevie Wonder, Neil Diamond and more.
Watch MGMT’s Paris-based video for Nothing to Declare here.
Episode 11: Roxy Music with Bester Langs of Gonzaï Magazine – January 5th 2024
European, British, or other worldly? Roxy Music has always been hard to place and even more difficult to define. Founder and editor-in-chief of Gonzaï magazine Bester Langs joins to talk Roxy Music and their Parisian connections.
Read Bester’s article on Roxy Music here.
Episode 10: Left of the Tree – December 25th 2023
For the holiday season, a show of some truly great Christmas songs. Some classics, and some truly quite left-field and Left of the Dial.
Listen back to Shane MacGowan’s lesser-known Christmas song here.
Episode 9: 2023 Wrapped – December 15th 2023
For better or for worse, Spotify Wrapped has become a pillar of the music community. On this episode of Left of the Dial, listen to the stories of Robert’s most listened to songs and artists of 2023.
Episode 8: Shane MacGowan, a Voice for Diaspora – December 8th 2023
A bum, a punk, or a voice for diaspora? Maybe all three. A retrospective of the late Shane MacGowan, featuring writer Yann Liotard.
To buy Yann’s book on The Pogues’ Rum Sodomy and The Lash click here.
Episode 7: Northern Soul (in France) – December 1st 2023
Nothern Soul, an obscure music and dance movement from the North of England originating from a love of rare and unreleased soul records from the United States.
A genre that has left a lasting impact on its fans, Les Csonge, a member of the Northern Soul community in France, joins to discuss the genre’s legacy.
Episode 6: Murder Most Foul – November 24th 2023
50 years on from the murder of JFK seems an appropriate time to re-visit one of Dylan’s most obscure tracks – a 17-minute meditation on the cultural impact of JFK’s murder.
Episode 5: The Psychotic Monks – November 17th 2023
Following a viewing of their performance for ARTE – Robert talks to Paul Dussaux of The Psychotic Monks, about artistic integrity, friendship as means to support a group, and being a politically active band.
Buy their latest album Pink Colour Surgery here.
Episode 4: The Week in Concerts – November 10th 2023
The week ahead in music, featuring Pete Doherty, Slowdive, and more.
Episode 3: Pitchfork Festival Guide: Gurriers – November 3rd 2023
Ahead of the Pitchfork Paris Music Festival, a guide of who to catch over the week. Pierce of Gurriers joins to talk the meaning of the Irish slang behind their name, and the meaning behind their single “Approachable”.
Listen to “Approachable” here.
Episode 2: Le Chaton Indépendant – October 27th 2023
A new goth, new-wave and alternative bar has opened its doors in 11th arrondissement. Robert takes a field trip out to Le Chaton Indépendant to investigate the goth scene in Paris.
Episode 1: Vonfelt – October 20th 2023
To kick off the show, Vonfelt joins to discuss his debut EP, his influences and how scientific innovation has inspired his songwriting.
Listen to Vonfelt’s Soleil here.