A Breath of Fresh Air

Some voices bring a whole era rushing back. David Surkamp’s is one of them.

Instantly recognisable for its soaring pitch and emotional intensity, his singing helped give Pavlov’s Dog a place in the hearts of listeners who wanted their rock music adventurous, melodic and a little different.

David joined me for a conversation some time ago and when I learned of his passing today, I thought I'd share it with you.

As many of us are accutely aware, David was the singer and songwriter behind one of the 1970s’ most distinctive bands.

Pavlov’s Dog made their recording debut with Pampered Menial in 1975. Combining progressive rock ambition with memorable melodies, the album brought together guitar, keyboards, violin and Surkamp’s remarkable vocals. Its opening song, “Julia,” remains a signature recording, while tracks such as “Late November” and “Song Dance” reveal the range of the band’s musical approach.

Produced by Sandy Pearlman and Murray Krugman, Pampered Menial offered a sound that was difficult to fit neatly into any one category. There was the energy of rock, the delicacy of quieter passages and a sense of drama that made the songs feel larger than their running times.

The band followed it with At the Sound of the Bell in 1976. Together, those first two albums became the foundation of a lasting cult reputation, keeping Pavlov’s Dog in the collections and conversations of devoted music fans.

At the centre of that identity is David Surkamp: a vocalist whose individuality made his work immediately identifiable. For longtime followers, this episode is an opportunity to reconnect with the man behind the records. For newcomers, it’s an introduction to an artist and a band well worth discovering.

Join Sandy Kaye and David Surkamp on A Breath of Fresh Air, celebrating the musicians whose songs continue to connect us across the years.

Explore more artist interviews and episodes at https://www.abreathoffreshair.com.au

A borrowed cassette helped spark Paul Simon’s extraordinary comeback. But the journey towards Graceland also placed him at the centre of a fierce debate about music, apartheid and the international cultural boycott of South Africa.

In this episode of A Breath of Fresh Air, Sandy Kaye speaks with author and music historian Ashley Kahn about his book, Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland.

Together, they explore how Simon found a new creative direction after the disappointing commercial reception of Hearts and Bones—and why South African township music captured his imagination.

Ashley shares the story of Simon repeatedly playing a cassette in his car, inventing lyrics over the music and deciding he wanted to record with the musicians he was hearing. When his record company suggested familiar session players, Simon insisted on pursuing the collaborators who had inspired him.

The conversation follows the project’s beginnings in Johannesburg in 1985, the musical relationships that continued in New York and the vital contribution of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Ashley also explains how Louisiana zydeco, Los Lobos and the excitement of early rock and roll fed into Simon’s widening musical vision.

Alongside the creative story, we explore the controversy surrounding Simon’s decision to record in apartheid-era South Africa. Ashley discusses the cultural boycott, the musicians’ expectations around payment and credit, and the difficult questions raised when artistic collaboration intersects with political protest.

Marking 40 years of Paul Simon’s Graceland, this episode looks beyond the familiar songs to the people, decisions and tensions behind one of the defining albums of the 1980s.

Discover more interviews with the artists and storytellers behind the soundtrack of our lives at https://abreathoffreshair.com.au.

Step back into the unforgettable world of '70s pop as we welcom Philip Wright, original member, drummer and lead vocalist of the English band Paper Lace.

In this episode, Philip shares the remarkable story of a group from Nottingham that spent years working the clubs before suddenly finding itself at the top of the charts in Britain, Australia and America.

Paper Lace had been paying their dues for years when tv provided the breakthrough they desperately needed. Their appearances on the popular British talent show Opportunity Knocks introduced the band to millions of viewers and helped set in motion a chain of events that would turn them into international hitmakers.

The real explosion came in 74 with “Billy Don’t Be a Hero.”

Written by the songwriting team of Mitch Murray and Peter Callander, the dramatic story-song raced to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and also became a huge No. 1 hit in Australia.

Suddenly Philip Wright and Paper Lace were experiencing the kind of success they had spent years dreaming about.

But the story took a fascinating turn in the US. American group Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods quickly released their own version of the song and took it to No. 1, effectively stealing Paper Lace’s American thunder.

Paper Lace didn't have to wait long for their own US triumph.

Their next major release, “The Night Chicago Died,” became an enormous international hit and took the band all the way to No. 1 in America.

Its colourful tale of Al Capone-era Chicago and gangsters made it one of the most distinctive story-songs of the decade. Despite taking considerable liberties with Chicago history, the record captured the imagination of millions and remains one of the songs most closely associated with '70s pop music.

Philip also revisits another Paper Lace favourite, “The Black-Eyed Boys,” which continued the band's extraordinary run of success in '74, and reflects on what it was like to go from years of relative obscurity to international fame in such a remarkably short period.

This conversation goes beyond the chart positions and gold records. Philip takes us inside the experience of being a member of Paper Lace at their peak: the relentless work that came before success, the excitement when it finally arrived, and the reality of trying to sustain that momentum once musical fashions began to change.

Philip reflects on what happened as the original Paper Lace line-up began to change and the extraordinary ride of '74 gradually came to an end. The Paper Lace name continued, and the band enjoyed another memorable connection with their hometown when they joined forces with Nottingham Forest Football Club for “We’ve Got the Whole World in Our Hands” in 1978.

The story didn't end there for Philip Wright. After the peak Paper Lace years, his life took some unexpected turns before music drew him back. He later became lead vocalist with the re-formed Nottingham band Sons and Lovers, eventually returning to the music and legacy that had made his voice familiar to millions.

More than 50 years after Paper Lace's extraordinary breakthrough, “Billy Don’t Be a Hero” and “The Night Chicago Died” remain enduring reminders of an era when a three-minute pop single could tell an entire story.

For anyone who grew up with the music of the 1970s, these songs can instantly bring back a particular time, place and feeling.

In this warm and revealing conversation with Sandy Kaye, Philip Wright looks back at the highs, surprises and challenges of the Paper Lace story and shares what it was really like to experience international pop stardom from the inside.

If you remember buying Paper Lace records, singing along to “Billy Don’t Be a Hero,” or hearing “The Night Chicago Died” pouring out of the radio, this episode of A Breath of Fresh Air is a nostalgic journey back to one of the most colourful chapters in British ’70s pop.

From founding member of Steely Dan and former guitarist with The Doobie Brothers, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, comes the astonishing true story of one of the most fascinating lives in American music, tracing his extraordinary journey from legendary rock and roll guitarist to cleared access missile-defense consultant and counterterrorism expert.

Jeff "Skunk" Baxter lives two lives. In one, he is a rock and roll legend, founding member of the Steely Dan and former core member of The Doobie Brothers, with fourteen Gold Records, eight Platinum albums, two Grammy Awards (plus six nominations), induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

In the other, he is an advisor to the U.S. Department of War's Missile Defense Agency and, over the course of the past 30-plus years, a consultant to the Department of Homeland Security, NASA, prestigious research laboratories, and top defense contractors, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop-Grumman. Told in his own words for the first time, "the most interesting man in music" (NPR) chronicles the improbable twists and turns that carried Baxter from rock star to national security subject-matter expert.

Blessed with natural talent, insatiable curiosity, and serendipity, Baxter recalls how a music-obsessed-kid growing up between Mexico City and New York City quickly became a first-call session musician, and then a founding member of the band that would become a cornerstone of his legacy: Steely Dan.

He vividly captures the grit and magic of the rock music scene in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles in the '60s and '70s, and describes the soaring highs and rock-bottom lows of superstardom: his transition from Steely Dan to the Doobie Brothers, world tours, and recording with legends like Dolly Parton, Carly Simon, Elton John, Ringo Starr, and Joni Mitchell.

Then, comes his surprising pivot to the defense industry, trading the recording booth for the cockpit of a recon plane. After all, if you can grasp the basic physics of converting a weak vibration from a guitar string into a distorted wail as loud as a jet engine, you can understand how a radar system works.

All the while-whether playing arenas or playing war games at the Pentagon—Baxter reflects on the mystical intersections of music and technology, and the mentors, friends, and collaborators who helped him.

His book - 'From Rock to Rockets' is to be released in January 2027. It features 16-pages of never-before seen photographs and fascinating insights into Baxter's favorite guitars and gear and is a testament to the power of curiosity and the extraordinary opportunities that come from embracing the unexpected.

Carlos Santana is celebrated worldwide as the guitar visionary whose fusion of Latin rhythms, rock, blues and jazz created one of the most distinctive sounds in popular music.

From Santana’s unforgettable appearance at Woodstock in 1969 to classics such as “Black Magic Woman,” “Oye Como Va” and “Evil Ways,” and the spectacular revival sparked by Supernatural, “Smooth” and “Maria Maria,” his music has crossed generations, genres and cultures.

In this deeply personal episode of A Breath of Fresh Air, Carlos joins Sandy Kaye for a conversation that goes far beyond his extraordinary musical career.

He speaks candidly about the sexual abuse he endured as a child and the anger, fear and mistrust that followed. Carlos explains how forgiving the person who abused him became an essential part of his recovery, allowing him to understand that he was not defined by what had happened to him.

Carlos traces his spiritual awakening to 1972, when Autobiography of a Yogi, John McLaughlin and the teachings of Sri Chinmoy opened the door to a new way of thinking. He also acknowledges the influence of Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane, George Harrison and Carole King, whose music helped him find what he calls his “heart centre.”

That spiritual transformation also changed Santana’s musical direction. Carlos recalls being warned that he was committing career suicide by refusing to recreate Abraxas. Instead, he chose growth, trusting that songs such as “Maria Maria” and “Smooth” were still waiting to be discovered.

He shares the story behind his collaboration with Rob Thomas, explains why “Smooth” was the final song recorded for Supernatural and reveals why commercial success is never his primary goal. Rather than trying to manufacture a hit, Carlos wants each piece of music to feel like a heartfelt embrace.

The conversation explores meditation, vulnerability, marriage, happiness and the importance of silencing the negative voices of the mind. Carlos offers practical advice for anyone curious about meditation and explains why patience, self-acceptance and recognising one’s own worth are central to his daily life.

Carlos also discusses Sentient, his hopes for a future “church of self-worth” and his plans for life when touring is no longer his priority. Honest, humorous, provocative and inspiring, this is Carlos Santana as few people have heard him: not only a legendary guitarist, but a survivor and spiritual seeker determined to use music as a source of healing, hope and light.

This is a must listen episode with Santana as you've never heard him before.