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PODCAST

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music

A podcast that takes a look at the development of alternative music in the 80"s with a focus on post-punk, electronic, dark wave, goth, synth, industrial, and indie genres. The podcast episodes feature stories, background, and discussions of artists, contributors, music, themes, and events of the early alternative era. The title of our podcast is based on the alternative song from 1988 by The Church, "Under the Milky Way".

music music history

All Episodes

32:25

The Clash - London Calling

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/03/01

1979's London Calling from The Clash is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time as the record expanded the beyond the limitations of punk rock to successfully merge punk rock roots with reggae, rockabilly, ska, R&B, jazz, pop and hard rock.This massive double album of 19 songs contains socially charged lyrical themes include social displacement, racial conflict, unemployment, drug use, the cold war, and nuclear threats, all against the backdrop of a bleak

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39:07

Depeche Mode - Constructing a Dark Reward

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/02/22

Depeche Mode is one of the most iconic electronic bands and a band that changed the music landscape. As a key synth-pop pioneer, Depeche Mode brought industrial-tinged electronic rock to the mainstream and expanded sampling technology with innovative means. Their synth-driven songs took moody and poetic lyrics mixed with creative soundscapes transforming electronic music into a deeply emotional experience.The band formed in 1980 in Basildon, England originally consisting of Dave Gahan,

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36:01

The Origins of Alternative Music - The Stooges

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/02/15

In this episode we take a look back to another origin artist of alternative music, The Stooges. Regarded as a seminal proto-punk band, The Stooges were instrumental in the development of punk rock, post-punk, alternative rock and various other forms of rock music. The Stooges started in Michigan in 1967, and were known for their sound that was simple, primitive, and energetic with stripped-down aggression. Along with the music, their performances were chaotic and confrontational helping to

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35:58

XTC - Making Plans for Drums and Wires

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/02/08

By the end of the 1970’s, XTC had evolved from a quirky punk type of band into an intelligent and elaborate art-rock post-punk band with pop sensibilities and punk energy.The band had formed in the early 70's in Swindon, England and was fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. XTC's music featured distinctive angular guitars and witty lyrics as they were known for their energetic live performances and their non-conventional music.Their 1979 single "Making Plans for Nigel"

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35:37

The Charlatans - Some Friendly Baggy

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/02/01

The English band The Charlatans were one of the most successful artists from the "Madchester" and "Baggy" music and cultural scene of late 80s and early 90s. The music of The Charlatans was a blend of indie rock, dance rhythms, and 60’s psychedelic influenced organ grooves. This was well represented on their 1990 debut studio album, Some Friendly, which debuted at number 1 on the UK albums chart. Their pre-album single release in early 1990, “The Only One I Know”, was a was a top 10 hit and

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31:58

The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/01/25

The Sisters of Mercy rose from the UK post-punk scene after forming in Leeds in 1980. The band’s sound was characterized by gloomy and dark atmospheres, heavy basslines, and cavernous reverb as The Sisters of Mercy and their music became a major influence on the gothic rock genre. Initiated by Andrew Eldritch and Gary Marx, The Sisters of Mercy have gone through many members over the years, but the constant force has always been lead vocalist Eldritch along with his drum machine known as

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33:28

Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights to Never for Ever

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/01/18

In 1978, Kate Bush hit number one on the UK singles chart with her debut song, “Wuthering Heights”. This was of the start of the unique, creative and successful journey of the legendary English singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, and producer.After being discovered during her teenage years with the help of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Kate Bush would soon follow the debut single with the release of her debut album in early 1978, The Kick Inside. After her second album, Kate Bush would

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31:19

Psychic TV - Thee Music Collective Temple

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/01/11

After pioneering industrial music greats Throbbing Gristle broke-up in 1981, founding member Genesis P-Orridge started Psychic TV along with former bandmate Peter Christopherson and Alternative TV founding member, Alex Fergusson. Psychic TV would be a multimedia and experimental music and video art collective, while becoming one of the most unique bands of the era. Besides experimental music, the band's music explored psychedelic, acid house, industrial, electronic, punk, post-punk, and

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41:21

The Church - Beyond the Milky Way

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2026/01/04

After The Church formed in Sydney in 1980, the band would begin to develop a distinctive ethereal and psychedelic indie rock sound with atmospheric and surreal soundscapes. The Church released their debut album in 1981, Of Skins and Heart, followed by a number of excellent albums including The Blurred Crusade and Heyday. It would be with the fifth studio album, 1988's Starfish with the hit song "Under the Milky Way", that the band would experience their most success on their way to being

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36:38

Jane's Addiction - Building the Alternative Nation

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/12/28

Jane's Addiction was one of the most influential bands of the alternative rock movement that helped usher in alternative rock of the 1990’s.The band was founded in 1985 in Los Angeles by lead vocalist Perry Farrell, often referred to as the Godfather of Alternative Rock, and bassist Eric Avery following the disintegration of Farrell's previous band, Psi Com. Jane's Addiction would add drummer Stephen Perkins and guitarist Dave Navarro to round out the band before their first release.Jane's

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32:56

Spandau Ballet - Before True Gold

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/12/21

Years before the hit songs "True" and "Gold", the English band Spandau Ballet had formed in 1979 inspired by the local post-punk underground dance scene. By 1980, the band became the house band at London’s Blitz Club for the club clientele, known as the Blitz Kids, and became a key band in the burgeoning New Romantic scene. Starting with their 1980 debut single "To Cut a Long Story Short", a song that would reach No. 5 in the UK, Spandau Ballet would became one of the most successful groups

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25:52

Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/12/14

Although the band Young Marble Giants created only one full length studio album, that one album from 1980, Colossal Youth, would be a post-punk tone setter. This Welsh band formed in Cardiff in 1978 and was based around the vocals of Alison Statton along with the minimalist instrumentation of brothers Philip and Stuart Moxham. The trio created a sound from post-punk's experimental tendencies in a very minimal and unique form. There was nobody else like this band from this time.Based on a

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35:43

The Psychedelic Furs - Music the Butlers' Way

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/12/07

Soon after forming in London in 1977, The Psychedelic Furs would be part of the rising UK post-punk scene. However, they would not be just another post-punk band. Led by the Butler brothers of Richard, lead singer with his very distinctive vocal style, and bassist Tim, The Psychedelic Furs would start their career with a couple of excellent post-punk albums. Following their self-titled debut album in 1981 and the follow up album Talk Talk Talk a year later, the band would make a change in

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24:50

Catherine Wheel - Ferment and Chrome

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/11/30

The English band Catherine Wheel's 1992 debut album Ferment and the 1993 follow up album Chrome associated the group with the shoegaze music scene. As the band progressed over the years after their debut, the music would become heavier before shifting to a more textured sound crossing through genres with the ever changing landscape of alternative music in the 90’s. Catherine Wheel’s early attention and success started with the debut single , “Black Metallic” . They created another shoegaze

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28:06

Björk - The Sugarcubes Years

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/11/23

The Sugarcubes were an Icelandic alternative band that formed in 1986, and by the time the band ended in 1992 they had become Iceland's biggest music group. During this short career, The Sugarcubes were a complex post-punk, dream pop, experimental, indie dance rock band. Their music was a upbeat blend of psychedelic sounds, punk energy, pop-driven melodies, angular guitar riffs, and tribal rhythms. They combined this with unique storytelling and quirky, surreal lyrics characterized by the

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39:24

Cabaret Voltaire - The Original Sound of Sheffield

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/11/16

The story of Cabaret Voltaire began when they formed in Sheffield, England in 1973 by Chris Watson, Richard H Kirk, and Stephen Mallinder. The band would go on to one of the most innovative, influential, and pioneering industrial and post-punk acts as they became known as the original sound of Sheffield. Cabaret Voltaire took their name from the Zurich nightclub that was the center of the early Dada movement and began their career with Dada-influenced performance art where they challenged

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26:49

Primal Scream - The Loaded Screamadelica

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/11/09

Screamadelica, the 1991 third studio album from Primal Scream, was a defining album as it successfully fused indie rock with electronic, techno, and house dance music. The album was instrumental in bringing this musical style to the international mainstream.Although Primal Scream formed in 1982 in Glasgow, Scotland, it was not until lead singer Bobby Gillespie left his other band (The Jesus and Mary Chain) in 1986 that Primal Scream began to rise. Behind Gillespie, the band’s music went

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31:50

Origins of Alternative Music: The Velvet Underground

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/11/02

The Velvet Underground formed in New York City in 1964 and has been considered by many as one of the most influential American rock bands. The band's music contained experimentation with instrumentation and sounds while containing raw and provocative lyrics from lead singer and guitarist Lou Reed. These features, along with unconventional and minimalist arrangements, would lead to the development of punk rock, new wave, post-punk, indie rock and many other genres of the alternative music

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25:53

45 Grave - Halloween from the Grave

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/10/26

When 45 Grave formed in Los Angeles in 1979, their music would combine punk rock with a dark and horror themed aesthetic becoming one of the first American gothic rock bands as they helped create the genre, deathrock. After the rise of the deathrock sound from the LA Punk scene, 45 Grave would release their critically acclaimed debut album in 1983, Sleep in Safety. The band’s most notable success came with version of a song from that album, "Partytime", that was featured in the 1985 movie

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25:51

Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi and a Dark Field

Inside the Milky Way - A Look at Early Alternative Music ·

2025/10/19

When Bauhaus created the song “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” and released it as their debut single in early 1979, they did not realize the impact the song and the band's aesthetic would have on culture and music. The song would be considered one of the greatest debut singles and the song would be deemed the first gothic rock song. This led to the dark, gloomy, and intense debut album the following year, In The Flat Field.This highly original post-punk band, their image, and their early music would be

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