The Hello and welcome to SoiJaker on song rating. Joining us for episode 81 is a Grammy-winning British singer,

songwriter and pianist who has defiantly forged his own path in the music

industry since emerging on the UK New Wave scene in the late 70s.

Over a career spanning almost four decades he's negotiated a myriad of musical

styles with enviable assurance and apparent ease. As we record this episode in mid-September

2015 he's gearing up for the release of a brand new album called Fast Forward on October 2nd.

Its 16 tracks were recorded in New York, Berlin, Amsterdam and New Orleans with four different bands

and the results are as rich and rewarding a listening experience as many fans have come to expect.

We are delighted to welcome the great Joe Jackson to the show.

Remember when we saw Joe live at the Liverpool Philharmonic about about 11 years ago?

I do.

Co-headlining with our former guest Todd Rungren.

Indeed, yeah, it was great.

As you might expect, his solo piano rendition of stepping out was a real showstopper.

Oh yeah that lingers long in the memory. He had the audience spellbound with that one.

He did and that was no mean featas it was a somewhat rowdy audience I seem to recall.

Poor Todd certainly found them a bit of a handful.

Yeah at one point someone yelled out a request for a particularly obscure beast side

and Todd replied, I want to thank you for your

knowledge of my back catalogue at this point it rivals even my own. It was about

as beleague it as if ever seen Todd Rungren, I think.

Anyway, before we speak to our guest, we'll give you some background info.

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