There are some bands whose songs simply refuse to grow old, and Smokie are most definitely one of them. Five decades after the name first appeared on record, those unmistakable melodies continue to fill venues around the world, crossing generations and borders in a way that few bands from the seventies have managed. And in 2027, Smokie are heading back to Australia, bringing that extraordinary catalogue of songs with them.
For this edition of A Rock and Roll Life, Mark catches up with longtime Smokie keyboard player Martin Bullard, who has a pretty remarkable anniversary of his own to celebrate. 2026 marks Martin’s 40th year with Smokie, four decades spent on stages, tour buses and planes as the band has travelled to just about every corner of the world.
We talk about that incredible longevity and the almost inexplicable enduring appeal of Smokie. While Britain will always be where the story began, in many parts of Europe and around the world the band became something even bigger. Martin talks about those audiences outside the UK, the places where Smokie remain huge, and what it’s like to see people who weren’t even born when the records were released singing every word.
And then, of course, there are the songs. Living Next Door to Alice, If You Think You Know How to Love Me, Lay Back in the Arms of Someone, I’ll Meet You at Midnight, Oh Carol, Needles and Pins and so many more. We talk about what gives a great song that kind of lifespan and how it feels to still be playing music that has become part of people’s lives almost half a century after it was first recorded.
Anyone who thinks a Smokie concert is simply a gentle exercise in seventies nostalgia might also be in for something of a surprise. Martin tells us about the power of the modern live band and the wonderful claim that Smokie are “louder than Metallica” — something that probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you hear Living Next Door to Alice!
We also look back over Martin’s own four decades in the band: the changes, the characters, the highs and lows and the remarkable experience of watching the music industry transform around them while Smokie just kept doing what Smokie do. Members have come and gone, formats have disappeared and generations have changed, but somehow those songs and that name have endured.
And with Australia calling again in 2027, we find out what keeps Martin and Smokie coming back for more. After thousands of shows and millions of miles, what still makes walking onto a stage worthwhile? And what can Australian fans expect when one of Britain’s most enduring and internationally loved bands returns Down Under?
It’s another story about music, survival, friendship, great songs and a life spent on the road. Martin Bullard of Smokie joins Mark for A ROCK AND ROLL LIFE — the stories behind the music.
