“We never ever got as famous as The Beatles. But we started as friends, and we ended as friends.” - Sylvia Saunders, drummer of the Liverbirds

For the first time EVER on the Dolls Pod, we’re featuring a group! We’re telling the stories of Pam Birch, Val Gell, Mary McGlory, and Sylvia Saunders. Together, they’re more than Britain’s first all-female rock band…although that part is pretty cool! They’re four independent, self-actualized young women breaking music’s glass ceiling - and having a whole lot of fun doing it. This episode is for any girl in a band, or any girl who’s ever wanted to be in a band 🐦‍⬛ “It’s Liverbirds, Not Liverbirds” is available now wherever you stream your podcasts!

We’d like to thank Mark Berman (@fullyinvolvedmark on TikTok) for tipping Abby off to Mary and Sylvia’s memoir

Materials used for this episode:

Mary McGlory and Sylvia Saunders, “The Other Fab Four: The Remarkable True Story of the Liverbirds, Britain’s First Female Rock Band” (2024)

“‘Girls don’t play guitars!’ The Liverbirds Story” BBC Outlook, 4/17/2024

“We Made Rock History. Here’s Why You Don’t Know Us.” “Almost Famous” by Op-Docs, The New York Times (dir. Ben Proudfoot, 12/18/2019)

(episode starts at 6:13)

Songs in this episode:

“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” Theme Song

The Kaye Sisters - Paper Roses (1960)

Cliff Richard - Move It (1958)

The Searchers - Apache (1962)

The Beatles - Please Please Me (1962)

The Rolling Stones - I Wanna Be Your Man (1963)

The Kinks - You Really Got Me (1964)

The Kinks - All Day and All of the Night (1964)

The Liverbirds - Roadrunner (1965)

The Liverbirds - Johnny B Goode (1965)

The Liverbirds - Peanut Butter (Live on Beat Club, 9/25/1965)

The Liverbirds - For Your Love (1966)

Jimi Hendrix - Wild Thing (Live at Monterey Pop, 6/18/1967)

The Liverbirds - Cavern Stomp (2025)

Follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see photos and clips from this episode!

It’s Emma’s (belated) birthday! For her first episode of the season, she’s showcasing her “birthday twin:” the one and only Janis Joplin. Though her career lasted just four short years, it was no less transformative; feeding the nation’s appetite for blues rock and making a bookish girl from Texas into a generational icon. Everything about Janis, from her big heart to her fiery soul, embodied the spirit of the counterculture 60s. It’s a story of pain, passion, and a woman’s sheer power. “Janis Joplin: Piece of Her Heart” is available NOW wherever you stream your podcasts ❤️‍🔥

(Episode starts at 4:43)

Materials used for this episode:
Ellis Amburn, “Pearl: The Obsessions and Passions of Janis Joplin” (1992)

Myra Friedman, “Buried Alive: The Biography of Janis Joplin” (1992)

Holly George-Warren, “Janis: Her Life and Music” (2019)

Jack Whatley, “Went Right To His Head: the moment Janis Joplin fought off Jim Morrison with a glass bottle” (Louder Sound, 11/12/2024)

Songs in this episode:

Big Brother and the Holding Company - “Combination of the Two” (Live at Monterey Pop, 6/17/1967)

Janis Joplin - “What Good Can Drinkin’ Do” (1962)
Janis Joplin and Jorma Kaukonen - “Hesitation Blues” (1964)

Big Brother and the Holding Company - “Ball and Chain” (Live at Monterey Pop, 6/17/1967)

Janis Joplin - “Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)” (Live at Woodstock, 8/17/1969)

Janis Joplin with Jerry Garcia - “Tell Mama” (Live at McMahon Stadium, Calgary, Alberta, 7/4/1970)

Janis Joplin with Clark Pierson - “Happy Trails” (1970)

with samples from “Woodstock: 25th Anniversary Edition” (dir. Michael Wadleigh, 1994), Janis’s 1969 and 1970 appearances on the Dick Cavett Show and an untitled interview she gave in England in 1969

Follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see photos and clips from this episode!

It’s the story you’ve heard a thousand times before, from a perspective you’ve never heard…Welcome back to the Dolls Pod! To kick off season 2, we’re telling the story of the Beatles from the point of view of their biggest fan: longtime secretary and Fan Club president Freda Kelly! Her no-nonsense attitude, big heart, and hard work are proof of just how much a girl’s love can change rock-and-roll 💌 We’d like to thank listener Pat Reeder for suggesting we cover Freda’s career - “Good Ol Freda Kelly: is available NOW wherever you stream your podcasts!

(Episode starts at 6:07)

Materials used for this episode:
“Good Ol’ Freda” (dir. Ryan White, 2013)

The Beatles, “Anthology” (edited by Bryan Roylance, 2000)

James Sullivan, “Beatles’ Secretary Recalls Madness of Early Days” Rolling Stone, 9/11/2013

Lucy Brazier, “PROFILE: Freda Kelly” Executive Support Magazine, 9/25/2014

Jonathan Deburca Butler, “Freda Kelly: 'I always made sure John, Paul, George, and Ringo's mums knew where they were’” The Irish Examiner, 10/22/2023

Fans On The Run, Ep. 90: Freda Kelly (8/31/2024)

Songs in this episode:

The Beatles - “Besame Mucho” (1962)

The Beatles - “The Sheik of Araby” (1962)

The Beatles - “Love Me Do” (1962)

Little Richard - “Long Tall Sally” (1956)

The Beatles - “I Want To Hold Your Hand” (Live on the Ed Sullivan Show, 2/9/1964)

The Marvelettes - “Please Mr. Postman” (1961)

The Moody Blues - “Go Now” (1964)

The Beatles - “I’m Only Sleeping” (1966)

with samples from “Help!” (dir., 1965,) “Beatles ’64” (dir. David Tedeschi, 2024,) and the Beatles’ 1963 Fan Club Christmas message

Follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see photos and clips from this episode!

Thank you all for an amazing first season of the Dolls Pod! To celebrate, hosts Emma and Abby are answering 25 of YOUR questions - and announce the season 2 premiere date! Follow @thedollspod on Instagram to join in on the fun 💌

Songs in this episode:

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash - Girl From The North Country (1969)

Slowdive - Brighter (1991)

Nick Drake - Hazey Jane I (1971)

The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (1968)

The Beatles - Here There And Everywhere (1966)

The Dolls Pod season 1 finale is dedicated to a real rock-and-roll legend: artist, “recovering groupie,” and beloved Chicagoan Cynthia Plaster Caster. Cynthia was just as vibrant and fun as she was dedicated to her art. She had a wicked sense of humor, and she lit up every room she was in.

We’d like to extend our sincerest thanks to Cynthia’s friends for helping us make this episode happen: Bryan Wendorf, Babette Nov, and our special guest this week, “Plaster Caster” director of photography Jeff Economy. “Cynthia Plaster Caster: Breaking The Mold” is available wherever you listen to your podcasts 🌭 Follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see photos and clips from this episode - and don’t forget to participate in our Q&A!

(Episode starts at 2:19)

Materials used for this episode:
“Plaster Caster” (dir. Jessica Villines, 2001)

Bob Bert, “Casting Call: Cynthia Plaster Caster” (BB Gun Issue no. 5, 2001)

David Kamp, “An Oral History of the British Invasion” (Vanity Fair Magazine, 11/2002)

“Casting Call” (Pop Music via the LA Times, 8/18/2002)

Stephanie Goldberg, “A Groupie Legend’s Tribute to Her Casts” (Woman News via the Chicago Tribune, 10/16/2002)

The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University Annual Report (2023)

And very select quotes from Cynthia’s “Done Dick” book proposal, Rig Books, and Breast Cast book

Songs in this episode:

Julian Fulco Perron - “Intermission” (2022)

Paul Revere and the Raiders - “Just Like Me” (1966)

Noel Redding - “She’s So Fine” (1967)

MC5 - “Ramblin Rose” (1969)

Frank Zappa - “Penis Dimension” (from the “200 Motels” soundtrack, 1971)

The GTOs - “Miss Pamela’s First Conversation with the Plaster Casters of Chicago” (1969)

Kiss - “Plaster Caster” (1977)

“Nardwuar the Human Serviette Theme Song”

L7 - “Monster” (1997)

Those who say “if you remember the 60s, you didn’t live them” clearly don’t account for Uschi Obermaier. From finding fame as a model to being the last person seen with Peter Green before his mysterious weekend at the High-Fish commune, wild nights with Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, and traveling the world by van, Uschi truly lived life to the fullest. Just as mysterious as she is controversial, there was no such thing as an obstacle for Uschi! Catch “Uschi Obermaier: Globetrotter and Groupie” on the Dolls Podcast, wherever you listen to your podcasts 🦈

(Episode starts at 7:57)

Books:

Uschi Obermaier with Olaf Kraemer, “High Times: Mein Wildes Leben” (2008)

Songs/interview clips in this episode:

Amon Düül - “Between The Eyes” (1970)

“Legendär: Uschi Obermaier. Ich. Narzisstin.”

Jimi Hendrix - “Little Wing” (1967)

The Rolling Stones - “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” (1971)

“Why don’t you call me Miss O’Dell?” We’re back after a short break! From the Beatles to the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, ELO, Santana, and all the bands in between, she saw it all. She’s the woman in the hall in Joni Mitchell’s’ Coyote, Leon Russel’s Pisces Apple Lady, the blonde seated next to Yoko and Maureen on the rooftop, and Layla’s bestie. Chris O’Dell was one of rock-and-roll’s first female tour managers and put in the work to keep all these boys out of trouble…for the most part! Hear all about Miss O’Dell on this episode of the Dolls Podcast, available wherever you stream your podcasts 🍏

Be sure to follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see photos and clips from this episode!

Books:

Chris O’Dell with Katherine Ketcham, “Miss O’Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton” (2009)

Pattie Boyd with Penny Junor, “Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me” (2008)

(Episode starts at 8:46)

Songs featured:

The Beatles - Hey Jude (1968)

The Beatles - Don’t Let Me Down (First Rooftop Performance) [1969]

Tom Petty - Free Fallin’ (1989)

Bob Dylan - Maggie’s Farm (Live with The Band at Isle of Wight) [1969]

Leon Russell - Pisces Apple Lady (1970)

George Harrison - Miss O’Dell (1973)
The Rolling Stones - Rip This Joint (1972)

Joni Mitchell - Coyote (1976)

She was surrounded by the music, but is seldom heard from. Her relationship was splashed across every tabloid, but she’s largely shunned the press. For being the muse of hits like “And I Love Her” and “We Can Work It Out,” very little is known about her. But this week, host Emma dug up enough about this Doll to put together an episode full of swinging 60s tunes and laughter! Emma shines the spotlight on the quiet Beatle girl: actress, cookbook author, lifestyle queen, and iconic redhead Jane Asher!

Follow @thedollspod on Instagram to see photos and clips mentioned in this episode!

(Episode starts at 6:22)

Songs in this episode:

Jane Asher as Alice in “Alice in Wonderland” (Argo Records, 1959)

Peter and Gordon - A World Without Love (1964)

The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand (1963)

The Beatles - Yesterday (1965)

The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows (1966)

The Beatles - We Can Work It Out (1965)

Special thanks to friend of the show Michael Tegio for our podcast theme song!