I Never Thought It Would Happen

Chris Difford is back for series 2 of I Never Thought It Would Happen - with Help Musicians. Episode 1 features a special chat with Mike Rutherford from Genesis ahead of the band's final ever UK dates. Back on 24th March on all podcast platforms. www.helpmusicians.org.uk

Joining Chris to talk about the up and downs of his career and life, is legendary producer, guitarist, song-writer, band leader, owner of a white Fender Strat called "The Hit Maker" and founder of Chic. In this fascinating episode, among many other things, Nile covers his remarkably unorthodox childhood which shaped his future endeavours, from school music lessons and films to a chance encounter with some hippies and how The Doors altered Nile's perception. This is a frank and fascinating conversation.

In this episode Chris enjoys a compelling and candid conversation with singer-songwriter KT Tunstall. From her upbringing in the countryside around St Andrews in Scotland, to busking around Europe to her present home in LA, the interview covers a lot of territory. From the lows of grief and loss (both family and hearing) to the highs of hit albums and awards. And KT has a couple of amazing stories about her idols Chrissie Hynde and Stevie Nicks.

In this episode, Chris invites singer-songwriter Tom Odell to discuss the highs and the lows of the fine art of songwriting. The pair also discuss their shared history which goes back to Tom's time as a music student in Brighton. The conversation also takes in the brilliance of Elton John, how it's hard to practice piano quietly and the dark side of Los Angeles.

In this episode Chris is joined by Tim Burgess, the frontman for The Charlatans, a man who's now a household name for his Twitter Listening Party, which has featured everyone from Art Of Noise to The Zutons and most famously, Paul McCartney. In this chat with Chris Tim talks not only about bringing the nation together under lockdown, but also recalls his record collection as a teenager, the excitement of being in a recording studio for the first time and how DJ-ing and writing have replaced drink and drugs.

Joining Chris in this episode is Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Amy Wadge. Amy was gripped by music from a very early age and was writing her own songs on the family piano at 9 years old, and by 11 had switched to guitar having been hugely inspired by Tracy Chapman's debut album. Soon thereafter, she and a friend were gigging regularly around her hometown of Bristol and signed their first record contract aged just 14 and released their first single at 16. There then followed a run of solo EPs and albums, but it was a meeting with another young singer-songwriter that would change Amy's life. That musician was Ed Sheeran, and their first collaboration was Ed's 2010 EP, "Songs I Wrote With Amy". From that point onwards they've become regular collaborators, with their co-written "Thinking Out Loud" landing the duo a Grammy. Amy is now an in demand songwriter for hire, spending much of her time in Nashville and has worked with artists from James Blunt, John Legend and Keith Urban to Kylie Minogue, Alicia Keys and Deltra Goodrem.

In this episode Chris is joined by a lad from Fleetwood in Lancashire, who was discovered by Baz Luhrmann and is now recognised as one of the most gifted and popular British classical singers. In this extensive and revealing conversation, Alfie discusses growing up in a musical family, the youngest of 9 children, and how a job in a car workshop kick-started his career (a story straight out of Hollywood). He also talks about being fired for falling asleep on the job, studying at the Royal College Of Music, his love of songwriting and thehuge successful collaboration with Michael Ball.

Midge Ure is the musician joining Chris in this episode, to discuss his long and highly eclectic career. From his inauspicious start in a teen pop band to work alongside Sex Pistol Glenn Matlock, through a stint with Thin Lizzy and onto groundbreaking work with Ultravox and Visage, the world changing Live Aid and a diverse solo career. All of this, from the highs to the lows, is considered with lots of humour, self deprecation and keen insight.

Joining Chris for this episode is Doncaster born actor and genre hopping musician, Dominic Harrison - who's better known as Yungblud. In a funny, profound and sometimes profane conversation the duo cover everything from music as a close companion in childhood, seeing The Who live at 9 years old, eating pink tacos with Slash, to how fans can empower an artist (and vice-versa) and being in a co-dependent relationship with 5 million people.

Joining Chris in this episode is the world's foremost solo percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie. Topics covered in the conversation include her idyllic childhood in the spacious rural countryside of Aberdeenshire followed by the move to noisy, crowded London to study at the Royal Academy Of Music. The duo also touch upon the difficulties of touring the world with a selection of her 2000+ percussion instruments, the glass harp and Evelyn's admiration for Ed Sheeran.