A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman

A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman

Author: Chart Beats Language: English Episodes: 92
Gavin Scott from the Chart Beats network and Matthew Denby invite you to join their deep and often surprising chronological exploration of one of pop music's most defining production houses. This podcast, A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman, is exactly that: a meticulous, episode-by-episode trek through every single released under the SAW banner. It begins in the mid-80s with obscure early works like "The Upstroke" and follows the trail through the explosive hits that dominated charts worldwide. You'll hear the stories behind massive records from Dead or Alive, Bananarama, Mel & Kim, Rick Astley, and of course, Kylie and Jason, but the show also shines a light on the fascinating misses and lesser-known curiosities that complete the picture. The conversation blends music criticism, chart history, and technical commentary on the trio's iconic production techniques, creating a rich archive for both dedicated fans and the casually nostalgic. It’s more than a nostalgia trip; it’s a reassessment of a factory-hit machine that, for better or worse, crafted the soundtrack of an era. Tune in to Chart Beats' A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman for a detailed, engaging, and thoroughly researched appreciation of pop's most efficient hit-making operation.
Episodes
Ep 32: That's The Way It Is to Cross My Broken Heart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:38
Three songs, three more UK top 10 hits as Stock Aitken Waterman's chart domination ramped up. The first of those songs was a rather emotional one — the final single released by Mel & Kim, "That's The Way It Is". Kim Appl…
Ep 31: I Should Be So Lucky [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:00
She was already huge in Australia, with the biggest single of 1987 under her belt, but no one could have predicted just how massive a pop star Kylie Minogue would become in 1988, with her fame extending way beyond her ho…
Ep 30: Let's Get Together Tonite to I Can't Help It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:47
Our journey reaches the end of 1987 with Stock Aitken Waterman's bid for the UK Christmas number 1 slot: a double A-side release from Rick Astley that combined his cover of "When I Fall In Love" with a brand new song, "M…
Ep 29: Learning To Live (Without Your Love) to Turn It Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:50
With Rick Astley and "Never Gonna Give You Up" riding high around the world, two singles were released in an attempt to capitalise on that success. The first was a duet between O'chi Brown and Rick that was plucked from…
Ep 28: A Walk In The Park to Whatever Makes Our Love Grow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:58
It was the end of an era as the final Dead Or Alive single produced by Stock Aitken Waterman was released. And although "I'll Save You All My Kisses" wasn't the biggest of hits, that song and the story of what came next…
Ep 27: Never Gonna Give You Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:16
It's hard to imagine that a song as phenomonally successful as "Never Gonna Give You Up" sat on the shelf at PWL for months before finally being released in mid-1987, but that's exactly what happened as Rick Astley's deb…
Ep 26: Roadblock to Shattered Glass [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:20
By now, Stock Aitken Waterman had made a name for themselves as hitmakers — and that was begining to rub some people the wrong way. In response to the haters and the perception that they could only do disposable pop, the…
Ep 25: Toy Boy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:05
It was a match made in pop music heaven: Sinitta and Stock Aitken Waterman. But although the idea of the "So Macho" star recording at the Hit Factory seems like a no-brainer now, it didn't happen overnight. And as Sinitt…
Ep 24: Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now to F.L.M. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:00
The Hit Factory era was in full swing by mid-1987, with three of the singles in this episode being major international hits. Samantha Fox came to work with Stock Aitken Waterman — and their collaboration, "Nothing's Gonn…
Ep 23: Hooked On Love to Get Ready [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:04
Stock Aitken Waterman had their hands full with music legends in early 1987. First, they put together charity ensemble record "Let It Be" by Ferry Aid. Former PWL Records MD David Howells joins us to describe the process…