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Fun facts and sidetracks

Fun facts and sidetracks

Written by: Al and Marty
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About this listen

Into random facts? This could be the podcast for you. Good mates Al & Marty take a fun look at all sorts of pop culture stories they remember or have discovered. The goal is aways to bring you interesting trivia and have a laugh while they're at it. From music to movies and TV, to things that might have happened two hundred years ago or two days ago. There's plenty to dig into, and even more sidetracks to explore.


© 2026 Fun facts and sidetracks
Art Music
Episodes
  • He Sells Sea Shells
    Apr 29 2026

    Band Name Origins, Final Recordings, Shell’s Unlikely Beginnings, and Salty Language

    Al and Marty, hosts of Fun Facts and Sidetracks, broadcast from their studio in a converted oil tanker and cover off music trivia, company history, the origins of word and lots more.

    They explain where several bands got their names (including Radiohead, Motörhead, Simple Minds, Roxette, The Rolling Stones, The Pretenders, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Jet, Panic! at the Disco, Death Cab for Cutie, Flock of Seagulls, Lady Gaga, Nazareth, and Franz Ferdinand).

    They discuss notable artists’ final recorded songs or last material, including Otis Redding (“Sittin’ On The Dock of the Bay”), Janis Joplin (“Mercedes Benz”), Jim Morrison (“Riders on the Storm”), Elvis (“Way Down”), John Lennon (working on “Walking on Thin Ice” and demo “Grow Old with Me”), Amy Winehouse (“Body and Soul”), Freddie Mercury (“Mother Love”), Warren Zevon (“Keep Me in Your Heart”), Chris Cornell (“You Never Knew My Mind”), David Bowie’s “Blackstar” track (“Lazarus”), and Glen Campbell (“I’m Not Gonna Miss You”), plus last recordings by bands breaking up - Roxy Music’s “Avalon,” The Police’s 1986 tracks, The Beatles’ last full-group session “Because,” and Cream’s “Badge”. They then trace Shell from an 1833 London seashell/antiques business to bulk oil shipping, the first tanker through the Suez Canal, a 1907 merger with Royal Dutch, wartime roles, “Seven Sisters” status, and supertankers and end with an etymology segment linking “salary,” “salad,” “salsa,” “sausage,” “salami,” “sauce,” and “sauté” to salt.

    00:00 Welcome and Setup

    01:35 Band Names Origins

    03:32 Deep Purple Sidetrack

    04:09 More Name Inspirations

    06:42 Last Songs Intro

    07:08 Sudden Final Recordings

    15:07 Lennon Sidetracks

    19:30 Knowing It Was The End

    23:04 Bowie and Gervais Story

    25:58 Glen Campbell Farewell

    26:41 Bands Final Tracks

    27:06 Guest Vocalist Discovery

    27:53 Session Musicians Pay

    28:38 Police Final Sessions

    31:18 Police Live Memories

    32:19 Beatles Last Recording

    33:43 Cream Goodbye Album

    35:05 Shell Origin Story

    37:48 Oil Tankers And Branding

    43:21 Wars And Seven Sisters

    46:54 Modern Shell Mega Projects

    50:49 Salt Words Etymology

    54:54 Wrap Up And Farewell

    If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: funfactsandsidetracks@gmail.com or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.


    The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

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    56 mins
  • Mismatched Stars and Michelin Stars
    Apr 5 2026

    If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: funfactsandsidetracks@gmail.com or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.


    The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • Strange Song Stories and City Names
    Mar 12 2026

    Al and Marty share stories behind famous songs: Split Enz’s “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, allegedly pulled from UK radio during the Falklands War; Mart adds trivia about migrating on the SS Canberra, later used as a Falklands hospital ship. They discuss alleged inspirations and feuds including Taylor Swift/Katy Perry, “Uptown Girl,” “Black Velvet,” Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” Toto’s “Rosanna,” Pink’s “So What,” Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line,” Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” multiple songs about Courtney Love, Clapton’s songs about Pattie Boyd, Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” Elvis’ “Heartbreak Hotel,” Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

    They cover origins of English town-name suffixes (Saxon, Viking, Roman), outline the Hearst media empire and Patty Hearst’s kidnapping/conviction/pardon, and end with a Pulp Fiction fact: DeVito’s company helped finance it, and Vincent/Jules nod to Twins.

    If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: funfactsandsidetracks@gmail.com or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.


    The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
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