On this week’s A Breath of Fresh Air, Sandy welcomes a man whose songs have woven themselves into the fabric of several generations.

Tommy James, the legendary frontman of Tommy James & The Shondells, joins us for a deep, revealing conversation about the highs, the heartbreaks and the astonishing twists behind one of the most successful hit-making careers of the 1960s and beyond.

Tommy’s journey is the kind of story Hollywood couldn’t invent — though they’re certainly trying, with his bestselling memoir Me, the Mob and the Music currently being adapted for the big screen.

He takes us right back to his childhood in Niles, Michigan, where loving rock ’n’ roll meant picking up a guitar, forming a band and hoping the magic would follow. It did — but not in any way Tommy expected.

He talks us through the incredible moment when Hanky Panky, a forgotten B-side recorded years earlier, suddenly blew up in Pittsburgh after a bootlegger pressed tens of thousands of copies.

One minute Tommy was playing small clubs; the next he and his band were national chart-toppers. That whirlwind success swept him straight into the arms of Roulette Records — a label run by the charming but notoriously dangerous Morris Levy, a man later revealed to have deep ties to the Genovese crime family.

Tommy opens up about the complicated relationship that followed: the protection, the pressure, the creative freedom, and the financial exploitation that kept millions of dollars out of his hands.

In this wonderfully open chat, Tommy revisits the creation of the monster hits that still light up dance floors today.

He tells Sandy how I Think We’re Alone Now reinvented the band’s sound, how a flashing neon sign inspired the name for Mony Mony, and how Crimson and Clover marked a bold new chapter in studio experimentation — a leap that helped Tommy move from AM pop dominance to the era of FM album rock.

He describes the excitement of breaking musical ground, the thrill of hearing his songs explode on radio, and the constant sense of danger swirling around Roulette’s offices.

Sandy and Tommy also explore the cultural shifts that shaped his era: the rise of psychedelia, the breakup of The Shondells, and the changing landscape of the record business as artists were suddenly expected to deliver albums with artistic depth, not just hit singles. He recalls touring America in the late ’60s, his surprising involvement in Hubert Humphrey’s presidential campaign, and the little-known story of why he turned down Woodstock — a decision that has fascinated fans for decades.

Today, Tommy remains as passionate and creative as ever. With new music, a thriving fan base, and an extraordinary life story headed for film adaptation, he’s enjoying a well-deserved renaissance.

His music still pulses through movies, TV, commercials and global radio, connecting across generations and reminding listeners why these songs have never stopped mattering.

This episode is a joyful, eye-opening, often jaw-dropping journey through one of the most colourful careers in rock ’n’ roll. If you love the artists who shaped the soundtrack of our lives — the stars of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s — then settle in. Tommy James has stories you’ll be telling your friends for days.

In this deeply personal and wonderfully candid episode, we’re joined by one of rock’s most recognisable and influential drummers: Liberty DeVitto.

For three decades, Liberty was the rhythmic engine behind Billy Joel — the man whose explosive, intuitive playing powered classics like “Only the Good Die Young,” “Movin’ Out,” “You May Be Right,” “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” and so many more. But as you’ll hear, his story is so much bigger than the music that made him famous.

Liberty opens up about his Brooklyn upbringing, marked by a tough home life and a school system that didn’t quite know what to do with a kid like him.

He talks about the teacher who dismissed his dreams outright, and the moment that changed everything: seeing the Beatles on television and suddenly realising what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

From there, Liberty takes us on a vivid journey through the early days — the basement rehearsals, the bar gigs, the scramble to get noticed — until fate put him in the same room as a young Billy Joel.

The chemistry was instant, electric, and undeniable. Liberty reminisces about the early records where the band was still finding its voice, the Stranger sessions where everything clicked, and the whirlwind that followed as Billy Joel became one of the biggest artists on the planet.

Of course, success rarely comes without friction.

Liberty speaks honestly about life inside the Billy Joel band, the tight-knit camaraderie, the touring madness, the studio magic, and the growing tensions that eventually fractured the group.

He doesn’t shy away from the painful parts — the confusion, hurt, and years of silence after he was let go. But he also shares the long path back toward healing, forgiveness, and ultimately reconciliation with Billy after fifteen years apart.

Along the way, he talks about fatherhood, sobriety, personal growth, and the rediscovery of joy through new creative partnerships and projects — including his heartfelt work with the band The Slim Kings and his passion for mentoring young musicians.

This conversation is full of humour, honesty, vulnerability, and wisdom, offering a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the life of a man who helped shape some of the most iconic songs of the ’70s, ’80s, and beyond.

Whether you’re a longtime Billy Joel fan, a drummer, or simply someone who loves a good story of resilience and reinvention, this episode delivers in spades.

Settle in — Liberty DeVitto’s journey is one you won’t forget.

For more about Liberty head for his website https://libertydevitto.com/

I hope you enjoy his story.

In this episode, I finally get to sit down with a man I’ve been chasing for more than four years — the incomparable Ian Gillan of Deep Purple.

If you grew up on classic rock the way I did, you already know exactly what a monumental figure he is. Ian’s the powerhouse vocalist who helped define the sound of hard rock, pushed the limits of vocal technique, and gave us some of the most enduring songs in modern music history.

But this isn’t your typical rock-star chat. Ian opens up about everything — from hearing Elvis for the first time and singing as a boy soprano to scraping by with half-broken instruments, makeshift drum kits, and a single pair of trousers he rotated with Roger Glover.

He talks candidly about those early club days in Germany, the magic of the transistor radio, and how the surf-rock craze swept through London in the mid-60s.

We dive right into the evolution of Episode Six, the songwriting partnership with Roger Glover, the birth of Deep Purple’s legendary hard-rock sound, and the incredible creative chemistry that powered albums like In Rock, Fireball, and Machine Head.

Ian shares what it was really like inside the whirlwind of fame — the money, the mayhem, the distractions, the growing pains, and the moment he realised the band’s unity was starting to fracture.

He also reflects on the pressures of success, the importance of staying true to your artistic identity, and why he ultimately walked away from one of the biggest bands in the world. It’s raw, honest, funny, nostalgic, and full of the kind of stories only Ian Gillan can tell.

If you love Deep Purple, classic rock history, behind-the-scenes stories, or simply a great conversation with a remarkably self-aware and entertaining storyteller, this episode is going to be a treat.

Tune in and step inside the life, the voice, and the unstoppable spirit of Ian Gillan.

To learn more about Ian head to:

Ian Gillan (official site) www.gillan.com

Deep Purple – official band site deep-purple.com deep-purple.com

Deep Purple – Ian Gillan’s page on band site deep-purple.com/band/ian-gillan/ deep-purple.com