Music podcasts tend to be defined by their listeners affinity with the genre or musicians being covered within, forming a barrier to the uninitiated, ignoring the aspects of entertainment that are so key to podcasting, Rock Solid is not one of these. Hosted primarily by Pat Francis and Gary Lucy, with Matt Belknap as the ever-able producer, Rock Solid is nominally based around rock music, but uses themes as various as ‘songs with years in the title’ to a smattering of musicians beginning with the letter ‘O,’ to offer a tour de force through music of the past forty years, with an admitted focus on the heyday of rock in the eighties. A silly show that doesn’t lack in musical knowledge, Rock Solid is a hugely enjoyable show that is humorous in a blissfully simple way.
Mr Pat Francis!
What takes Rock Solid beyond a lot of the failings of many music-centric podcasts is the interplay of the hosts. Primarily chaired by Pat Francis (of Never Not Funny fame) and friend Gary Lucy, belying his lack of prior experience in the business of podcasting, dovetail easily and fluidly, whilst the excellent Matt Belknap acts as producer and voice from the sidelines. For his part, Lucy focuses on a diverse schooling of the podcast children, more likely to pull from a variety of genres and musicians both newer and older than those of Pat Francis’ wheelhouse, all whilst insisting (sometimes dubiously) that many of the songs were regional hits. Francis takes a slightly different tack, tending to focus more on his areas of expertise: mid- seventies thru late-eighties rock music, when the genre was at its highest ebb. Added to this though, he will throw in what these musicians have done since or are doing now occasionally, and I believe he even once played a song by Adele.
Some of Mr Gary Lucy!
From the off, it is clear that they are fast friends, fostering a naturally accessible atmosphere that is testament to this, making it almost impossible not to feel part of their world after a few episodes. The adorable silliness they showcase throughout plays well with their occasional smuttiness, jokily veering in and out of the music with a constant and adorable sense of easy company and the persuasion of laughter. And with Matt Belknap providing his joyous presence, his ever-increasing ability to spin a joke and just the ability to throw another opinion on the songs into the mix means that they blend together a pretty hot product.
Matt ‘Crazy’ Belknap!
Another of the defining aspects is their sense of nostalgia around the music they love. Their affinity with the rock music heyday of the mid 70s – mid 80s through both osmosis and experience means that there is a lot more feeling behind the music, as they know so many stories connected with the songs or artists. Added to this harking back are Francis’ modern day tales of snubbings or successes in his pursuit of autographs, which bring many of these now rather more aged figures into the contemporary world in an interesting light. To be so storied and well-versed in their scene also means that both Lucy and Francis set the stage for their songs with a lovely ease, showcasing and broadcasting their love with more than over-exuberant sycophancy, but a deeper admiration for the music and time as well. This is music that they are quite clearly proud to impart to the public as much as each other. In fact, their excitement is so infectious that even though many of the songs aren’t quite geared to my taste, I often enjoy songs I wouldn’t otherwise hear because of it. This also ties into the exemplary thematic variation that they utilise, allowing the co-hosts freedom from just playing what they love, instead allowing them to jump into songs they dislike, or would never otherwise find themselves paying heed to, so that they can fulfill the set brief. The litheness of these variations each week give the show a real sense of freshness and difference, meaning that the shows are definitively set apart, rather than ending up with the samey-samey feel that they could fall into.
An unexpectedly amusing and intriguing experience, Rock Solid was a podcast I was a fool to ignore for so long, given its admirable combination of hosts and material. A treat from start to finish, Gary Lucy and Pat Francis’ dedication to the musicians they love is expressed humbly but evocatively, whilst the music excels through their enthusiasm for it. More than just a music podcast, this is a feast of entertainment for the ears, especially if those ears love to hear things from the 1980s, you need to give this gorgeous little show a shot.
Rock Solid is available on iTunes, whilst the contributors are @Pat_Francis @GaryLuuucy and @mattbelknap. Gogo!