Welcome to Episode 1 of CROSSED CHANNELS — a new monthly podcast on which a Yank and a Brit clash and connect over music from across the pond.
In the podcast’s inaugural episode, Dan Epstein (the Yank) and Tony Fletcher (the Brit) discuss The Jam’s powerful 1979 album Setting Sons, and how the band’s American record company “flipped the script” for the album’s US release by putting its Side 2 tracks on Side 1, its Side 1 tracks on Side 2, and wedging the non-LP single “Strange Town” into the running order.
Our hosts — fervent Jam fans since their teens — take a hard look at this bizarre (and often forgotten) discrepancy, and Dan makes a solid case for the superiority of the US version of Setting Sons. But does Tony, who was actually in the studio with The Jam during the recording sessions, agree? You’ll need to listen to find out.
The first six minutes of CROSSED CHANNELS are available to all listeners as a free preview. But to hear the entire hour-length episode, you must be a paid Substack subscriber to either Dan Epstein JAGGED TIME LAPSE or Tony Fletcher, Wordsmith — or, ideally for us, both of them. If you’re a free subscriber, make sure to upgrade your subscription to ensure you don’t miss out. Cheers, and thank you for the support!
