Hi Fi Way: The Making of You Am I – Listen To Episode 1 Now

HI FI WAY: THE MAKING OF YOU AM I is the latest podcast offering from Richard Kingsmill. Available now via leading podcast providers, it offers a rare insight into the machinations of a band and an album, both of which had such a profound influence, from someone who had a ringside seat.

Kingsmill said “After nearly 40 years of working in radio, I had some time to finally breathe this year. I had the luxury of looking back. I started revisiting some favourite albums. Quite quickly I realised there was an untold story around one of them – Hi Fi Way. This record constantly makes great Australian album lists, and I thought I knew everything worth knowing about it. But once I started scratching away at it, I realised how wrong I was.

“To put it simply, what I found was an album that contained all the ingredients – the strengths and the fragilities – behind the band itself.

“The ride You Am I were on in the mid-‘90s was a rollercoaster. They thrilled their quickly growing fanbase. And although they were on a roll, they also often appeared close to losing control. Their singer and songwriter was captivating, but unpredictable. It was often difficult to read how he was coping with it all.

“This is in an era when every single movement of a band was not documented. This was in an era when men – let alone men in bands – never talked about their mental health. Much of the process behind You Am I’s brilliance went largely unseen. Much of the anxiety, panic attacks and phobias that accompanied that brilliance went largely unexplained.

“I felt like it was time to uncover what exactly went down when this legendary album was created.”

Today’s podcast release is the first of 3 episodes written, narrated and produced by Richard Kingsmill around Hi Fi Way, dropping on the same date each month.

February 20, 2025 marks the 30^th anniversary of the release of HI FI WAY and to mark the occasion, You Am I has launched the band’s GBTFLoU Archive – an archive by fans, for fans, curated by Stuart Allen. Covering the key period from 1990 – 1999, it comprises every tour, every gig, the line up, the set list, the supports, show posters, ads, even bootleg audio in some cases! Where the uber fan can contribute what they have collected, or just go back in time to re-live memories of a gig they attended back in the day.

Stuart Allen says, “Building the You Am I Archive has been a labour of love for many years. The goal was to create a repository where all available material – posters, flyers, clippings, photographs, audio, video – could be gathered together and viewed in the context of the band’s long performing career.

“Being given access to You Am I’s dusty stockpile of scrapbooks, backstage passes, photos and other material was the kick in the pants I needed to complete this initial phase of the project, spanning the ten years from the band’s first gig at The Cave in Surry Hills in 1990 to the addition of Davey Lane in 1999. The resulting online archive, developed in collaboration with You Am I, is unique in its depth and detail, including over 800 performances at more than 400 venues alongside nearly 500 other bands.

“By its very nature an archive project such as this will forever be a work in progress. With further collaborative input from the band, and contributions from the many passionate fans and collectors in the online You Am I community, the archive’s future growth is ensured.”

Check out the archive HERE.

Leading up to the anniversary of the release of HI FI WAY, fans can join the GBTFLoU Mailing List for all news, exclusive offers, first release tickets, music, VIP offers, merch store discount codes, and more. Those who sign up before January 31 will automatically go into the draw to win a replica Crockenbacker electric guitar, set up for the winner by Tim Rogers’ guitar tech and signed to them personally by Tim himself. Join the mailing list HERE.