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 42: Samantha Fox on I Only Wanna Be With You and beyond [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:09
Samantha Fox joins us to kick off our look at the singles produced by Stock Aitken Waterman released in 1989, with her remake of "I Only Wanna Be With You" the first track to hit the chart that year. We go right back to…
Ep 41: Looking Back with Matt Aitken [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:27
Before we continue our journey into the singles released in 1989, Matt Aitken joins us for a special episode recapping the era from 1984-88. We go way back to SAW's first single, "The Upstroke", and talk about the record…
Ep 40: Especially For You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:09
It was the single no one wanted to record. Not Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, who thought the idea of doing a duet would confirm the off-screen relationship they had been denying for months. And not Stock Aitken Waterm…
Ep 39: Success to S.S. Paparazzi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:46
Violence! Legal disputes! Assassination plots! Before Sigue Sigue Sputnik came to work with Stock Aitken Waterman, they’d already created a storm of controversy and a tabloid frenzy. Bassist Tony James tells us about the…
Ep 38: Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi to Nathan Jones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:49
After a string of fan favourite singles that underperformed on the UK chart, Stock Aitken Waterman were back in the upper echelons with their next trio of releases. Kylie Minogue took them back to number 2 (for a third c…
Ep 37: Love, Truth And Honesty to All Of Me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:22
It's the chart stat that's still talked about among Stock Aitken Waterman fans — three firm fan favourites all peaked in the 20s on the UK chart in the same week. Was the SAW sound reaching saturation point or were there…
Ep 36: The Loco-Motion to Turn It Into Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:44
"Locomotion" by Kylie Minogue had been the highest-selling single of 1987 in Australia, so it was inevitable the remake would be released in the UK. But when the song appeared on Kylie's debut album and came out as her t…
Ep 35: The Harder I Try [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:56
It takes a certain confidence to auction off your songwriting and production services secure in the knowledge that you'll deliver the highest bidder a hit single. But that's exactly what Stock Aitken Waterman did in 1988…
Ep 34: Mind Over Matter to Maybe (We Should Call It A Day) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:51
It was good news and bad news for Stock Aitken Waterman in mid-1988. On the upside, their run of hits continued with the next single for Kylie Minogue. After the runway success of "I Should Be So Lucky", Mike Stock and e…
Ep 33: Who's Leaving Who to Let's All Chant [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:05
There was no stopping SAW at this point in 1988 with another three massive hits on the UK chart, including Hazell Dean's long-awaited return to the top 10 with a cover of Anne Murray's "Who's Leaving Who". We hear from H…