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A Long Walk With... Chris Difford of Squeeze

Janice Long goes on A Long Walk with Chris Difford. As the founding member of one of London's best loved bands, Squeeze, he has some amazing, humorous and emotional stories to tell

Another chance to hear an episode of Janice Long's 'A Long Walk' with... Chris Difford - marking his 70th birthday. As the founding member of one of London's best loved bands, Squeeze, Chris has some amazing, humorous and emotional stories to tell. Not least concerning the inspiration behind songs like Up The Junction, Labelled With Love, Cool For Cats and Some Fantastic Place.

The journey was recorded on a very inclement afternoon around Greenwich and Blackheath in south London, taking shelter in local pubs like The Crown as well as a car as it was just too stormy to walk across the heath and pavements that Chris recalls playing on with his toy cars.

Chris remembers nurturing his imagination under his mother's kitchen table, being a member of local gangs and a very reluctant participant in crime. He tried out being a roadie for David Bowie, before he spent 50p placing an advert in a sweet shop window in the early 1970s and created lifelong friendships with his soulmates Glenn Tilbrook and Jools Holland.

Chris talks frankly about his battles and his father's prophecy that a career as a rock star would make him "an alcoholic, drug addict and skint". He also describes a childhood trip to Lamas Fayre in Northern Ireland, where a palm reader predicted many marriages, lots of children, a career as a musician and a struggle, but a good life.

57 minutes

Last on

Sat 16 Nov 2024 01:00

Music Played

  • Squeeze

    Cool For Cats

    • Fantastic 70's (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.
  • Squeeze

    Some Fantastic Place

    • A&M.
  • Squeeze

    Take Me I'm Yours

    • A&M.
  • Squeeze

    Up The Junction

    • Big Squeeze: The Very Best Of Squeeze.
    • Universal/A&M.
  • Chris Difford

    Ain't You Sad Girl

    • Let's Be Combe Avenue (Demos, 1972).
    • Edsel Records.
    • 3.
  • Chris Difford

    Ain't You Sad Girl

  • Squeeze

    King George Street

    • King George Street.
    • A&M.
    • 1.
  • Squeeze

    King George Street

  • Squeeze

    Tempted

    • Fantastic 80's Disc 2 (Various Artis.
    • Columbia.
  • Squeeze

    Labelled With Love

    • Squeeze - Singles: 45's And Under.
    • A&M.

Broadcasts

  • Thu 19 Jul 2018 21:00
  • Sun 1 Dec 2019 02:00
  • Tue 1 Feb 2022 03:00
  • Sat 16 Nov 2024 01:00