#217. Dave Pen of We Are Bodies Talks Long-Awaited Album 'The Love Was All We Had'
Release Date: 03/09/2025
#244. Editors’ Tom Smith on Debut Solo Album ‘There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn’t There In The Light’
The XS Noize Podcast
In Episode #244 of the XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar chats with Tom Smith — frontman of Editors — about his debut solo album There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn’t There In The Light, released 5 December on Play It Again Sam. After two decades leading Editors through seven acclaimed albums and two records with Smith & Burrows, Tom is stepping into solo territory for the first time. Motivated by a desire to reconnect with the raw, acoustic beginnings of his songwriting, he set out to create something more intimate and personal — a world away from the collaborative nature of...
info_outline
#243. The Milk’s Rick Nunn on new album 'Borderlands': Love, Loss & Cinematic Soul
The XS Noize Podcast
In Episode #243 of the XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar chats with Rick Nunn — vocalist and guitarist of The Milk — about the band’s powerful new album Borderlands, released 19 September on WLS Records. Formed during their school days, The Milk have spent decades honing a sound that blends soul, funk, and rock with fearless live energy. From their major-label debut Tales from the Thames Delta to the independent breakthrough Favourite Worry and the cinematic sweep of Cages, they’ve built a reputation for honesty, craft, and ambition. With Borderlands, they return with their most...
info_outline
#242. John Robb: From The Stone Roses to Oasis — Writing Rock’s Biggest Stories
The XS Noize Podcast
In Episode #242 of the XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar chats with John Robb — musician, journalist, author, broadcaster, and founder of Louder Than War — about his brand-new book Live Forever: The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Oasis. From fronting cult punk bands The Membranes and Goldblade to coining the term Britpop and becoming the first UK journalist to interview Nirvana, John has been at the frontline of music for decades. Alongside his career as a musician and broadcaster, he has written definitive books on punk, goth, and the acclaimed biography The Stone Roses and the...
info_outline
#241. The National’s Matt Berninger on His New Solo Album ‘Get Sunk’ & European Tour
The XS Noize Podcast
In Episode #241 of the XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar chats with Matt Berninger — frontman of The National and acclaimed solo artist — about his brand-new album Get Sunk. Best known for his baritone voice and evocative lyrics, Matt has spent over two decades with The National, shaping the sound of modern indie rock across landmark albums like Boxer, High Violet, and Sleep Well Beast. In 2020, he released his first solo record Serpentine Prison. Now, four years later, he returns with Get Sunk — an album he describes as “the inhale after drowning.” In this episode, Matt opens up...
info_outline
#240. The Subways: 20 Years of 'Young For Eternity' & What's Next
The XS Noize Podcast
In Episode #240 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Billy Lunn and Charlotte Cooper, from The Subways, to mark the 20th anniversary of their debut album Young For Eternity and the release of their new compilation album When I’m With You. Formed in the early 2000s, The Subways became one of the UK’s most exciting indie rock bands, bursting onto the scene in 2005 with the release of Young For Eternity and their breakout hit “Rock & Roll Queen.” The track went on to feature in The OC, Guy Ritchie’s film RocknRolla, and on the FIFA soundtrack — catapulting the...
info_outline
#239. Bob Stanley on Saint Etienne’s Final Album "International" and 30 Years of Music
The XS Noize Podcast
In Episode #239 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Bob Stanley from Saint Etienne to discuss the legendary band’s 13th and final album, International. For over 30 years, Saint Etienne have been one of Britain’s most influential and inventive pop groups, fusing electronic music, indie pop, 60s influences, and modern storytelling. Now, with the release of International (out September 2025), Bob Stanley, , and close the chapter on making albums — delivering a vibrant, celebratory record full of collaborations. In this in-depth conversation, Bob Stanley talks about: Why...
info_outline
#238. Cam – Behind the Songs of ‘All Things Light’ and Life After a Grammy
The XS Noize Podcast
In Episode #238 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Cam to talk about her new album, All Things Light. From her multi-platinum hit “Burning House” to co-writing on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, Cam has become one of music’s most distinctive voices. All Things Light — written during early motherhood and the pandemic — blends country, folk and pop while exploring life, love, and big questions about our place in the world. Cam shares the stories behind key tracks like “Turns Out That I Am God,” “Alchemy,”...
info_outline
#237. D:Ream – Peter Cunnah & Al Mackenzie on New Album 'Do It Anyway'
The XS Noize Podcast
In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Peter Cunnah and Al Mackenzie — the pioneering duo behind D:Ream — to discuss their vibrant and defiant new album, Do It Anyway. Best known for their iconic #1 hit "Things Can Only Get Better," D:Ream became a cultural phenomenon throughout the ’90s and beyond — from chart domination and BRIT Award nominations to political soundtracking and, most recently, going viral again at Glastonbury 2024 with Professor Brian Cox back on the keys. Now, with Do It Anyway — their first album in over a decade, out August 8 via...
info_outline
#236. Gavin Rossdale of Bush: Turning Pain Into Beauty on New Album "I Beat Loneliness."
The XS Noize Podcast
In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Gavin Rossdale — the iconic frontman of Bush — to discuss their powerful new album, I Beat Loneliness. Since bursting onto the scene in the early ’90s with Sixteen Stone, Bush have become one of the most defining bands of the post-grunge era, selling over 20 million records worldwide and headlining stages across the globe. Now, on their 10th studio album, Gavin Rossdale and the band deliver some of their most urgent and personal work to date. I Beat Loneliness is a raw, defiant record that dives deep into themes of...
info_outline
#235. Amy Macdonald: Inside Her New Album "Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For?"
The XS Noize Podcast
In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Scottish singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald to discuss her powerful new album, Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For? With over 12 million records sold worldwide and countless arena shows under her belt, Amy has become one of Scotland’s most beloved artists. On her sixth album, she explores bold new sonic territory while staying true to her signature emotional honesty. Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For? is a defiant, uplifting record that tackles themes of survival, toxic friendships, and the courage to move forward. From...
info_outlineIn this episode of The XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar interviews Dave Pen, one-half of the anthemic electro-prog duo We Are Bodies and a key member of Archive and BirdPen.
Dave Pen and Robin Foster, a France-based composer and multi-instrumentalist, first teamed up in 2011. Their long-awaited second album as We Are Bodies, The Love Was All We Had, started as a pandemic project and grew into a deeply emotional reflection on love, loss, and the state of the world.
In this exclusive interview, Dave Pen shares:
✅ How he and Robin Foster first met
✅ The influences that shaped his songwriting journey
✅ The creative process behind The Love Was All We Had
✅ What’s next for Archive and We Are Bodies
✅ And much more!
Tune in to The XS Noize Podcast – Episode #217 for an exclusive deep dive into The Love Was All We Had, the latest album from We Are Bodies. Hear Dave Pen discuss his songwriting journey, creative process, and what’s next for Archive, BirdPen, and beyond!
Or listen via YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | RSS – Find The XS Noize Podcast’s complete archive of episodes here.
Previous XS Noize Podcast guests have included Gary Kemp, Doves, Gavin Friday, Anton Newcombe, Peter Hook, The Twang, Sananda Maitreya, James, Crowded House, Elbow, Cast, Kula Shaker, Shed Seven, Future Islands, Peter Frampton, John Lydon, Bernard Butler, Steven Wilson, Ocean Colour Scene, Travis, New Order, The Killers, Tito Jackson, Simple Minds, Divine Comedy, Shaun Ryder, Gary Numan, Sleaford Mods, Michael Head, and many more.