wooo! Nearly there, episode 52 will mark a full years worth of programming - although the show has been running for eighteen months now, I went through a name change after a dozen episodes, and adopted the new name, in October last year.
I'm really happy with what I've done, with the poets I've interviewed, and of course, with you , dear audience!
I've been keeping a little something in reserve for the anniversary show, and by quirk of fate, it also happens to be the last show I can do 'live' so to speak, prior to my wedding.
What I will do next weekend is post three shows, all dated for the weeks they should be coming out, and with three special guests. Award winners, one of them, household names, some of them, and fantastic poets, all of them.
I'm really looking forward to the next few episodes, so tune in for Tim Turnbull, Lemn Sissay and John Hegley and help me celebrate a years worth of podcasts
Saturday 18 October 2008
Saturday 4 October 2008
well earned break
today is the last day I'll be doing interviews for the next six weeks. My wedding is rapidly approaching and I need some time to prepare !
Today I'm squeezing in three poets Alan Buckley, Agnes Meadowes and Phillip Herbert which should keep me out of trouble!
Today I'm squeezing in three poets Alan Buckley, Agnes Meadowes and Phillip Herbert which should keep me out of trouble!
Sunday 28 September 2008
Poetry Library Collection
As you may know, I usually record my interviews at the South Bank Centre, Royal Festival Hall.
Permission to record there has been granted by the South Bank Centre Press Office, with the aid of the staff at the Poetry Library. In exchange for that I will be donating copies of the Podcast, on CD, to the library. A very fair exchange.
Being a stickler for making sure I've got everything in place before I do anything - it's taken me nearly six months since agreeing with the Librarian, to actually start burning discs! - I'm half way through them today, and will have 30 of the 47 episodes in the Library from next Saturday.
It feels like a big step forward for the podcast - knowing that there will be a permanent record of the poetry that this show has produced, available for anyone to listen.
Why is the Librarian interested in the podcast? Chris McCabe (a fantastic poet in his own right) has an interest in poetry ephemera - starting with the pamphlets and newsletters produced by the surrealists in the early parts of the 20th century.
Podcasting isn't much different, throwaway recordings for the early part of the twenty first century - and I suppose some of it is worthwhile preserving.
Permission to record there has been granted by the South Bank Centre Press Office, with the aid of the staff at the Poetry Library. In exchange for that I will be donating copies of the Podcast, on CD, to the library. A very fair exchange.
Being a stickler for making sure I've got everything in place before I do anything - it's taken me nearly six months since agreeing with the Librarian, to actually start burning discs! - I'm half way through them today, and will have 30 of the 47 episodes in the Library from next Saturday.
It feels like a big step forward for the podcast - knowing that there will be a permanent record of the poetry that this show has produced, available for anyone to listen.
Why is the Librarian interested in the podcast? Chris McCabe (a fantastic poet in his own right) has an interest in poetry ephemera - starting with the pamphlets and newsletters produced by the surrealists in the early parts of the 20th century.
Podcasting isn't much different, throwaway recordings for the early part of the twenty first century - and I suppose some of it is worthwhile preserving.
Sunday 21 September 2008
What it takes to put a podcast together
I'm a life long Apple Mac user, have been since I first used a ][e in school in 1981 - admittedly that was to play defender and some helicopter rescue game - but it was my first taste of computers - that year I talked my parents into buying a ZX Spectrum for me to have at home -and I think it was a £300 investment that has really paid off.
Back to the podcast - I use a Cannon Digital Dictaphone and a lapel mic to record my interviews - ok maybe my voice isn't picked up too well but it's enough to have a clear recording of the artist - if the background noise is low enough - outside it finds it very hard to make a clear recording - but I conduct all my recordings at the Royal Festival Hall so have a great indoor space to record in.
I usually spend about and hour and a half with the poets on a Saturday morning, over coffee and croissants, then get them to perform their poetry - I'm looking for about ten minutes of material to put out - so I try and record for fifteen twenty minutes.
The interview itself - I have a set of questions, which really form a guideline for the interview - in which I ask the poet to describe how they got started, what and who are their influences, and how they write and edit their work.
This usually takes about forty minutes,
I like to have a bit of a safety net of recordings, and I have about twelve weeks worth of material that I can put out - which means it can take twelve weeks from recording an interview before it goes out on the net.
On the Sunday I sit down at my Mac and transfer the recordings to the hard-drive - the Cannon produces a .WAV file which I convert to a .MP3 using software called Switch and Flip 4 Mac. I launch Garageband and drop the files into a basic track I've created with the music from Lyman Mediros and the Lower Level, and the ident from the Association of Poetry Podcasters as a intro and outro. Then I play through the recording, editing out any mistakes, coughs, things the poet wants removing, striping it down to the time limit I'm looking for - I've set a constraint of 30 minutes for the show, and cut down any sprawling interviews to that - or make a decision to put them out over two episodes.
I usually alternate an interview show with a poetry show, putting out the poetry of the interviewee the episode before their interview. I fill the rest of those shows with poetry that has either been emailed to me, sent by CD or from a CD I've bought from the artist at their performances.
The thirty minute limit for the show means I can't put out as much as I'd like to in an episode, but it does mean I have to be tight with my edits, and my choices of artist that appear.
In the end I spend about eight hours at the weekend recording and editing the thirty minute show that you hear - I hope it shows!
Back to the podcast - I use a Cannon Digital Dictaphone and a lapel mic to record my interviews - ok maybe my voice isn't picked up too well but it's enough to have a clear recording of the artist - if the background noise is low enough - outside it finds it very hard to make a clear recording - but I conduct all my recordings at the Royal Festival Hall so have a great indoor space to record in.
I usually spend about and hour and a half with the poets on a Saturday morning, over coffee and croissants, then get them to perform their poetry - I'm looking for about ten minutes of material to put out - so I try and record for fifteen twenty minutes.
The interview itself - I have a set of questions, which really form a guideline for the interview - in which I ask the poet to describe how they got started, what and who are their influences, and how they write and edit their work.
This usually takes about forty minutes,
I like to have a bit of a safety net of recordings, and I have about twelve weeks worth of material that I can put out - which means it can take twelve weeks from recording an interview before it goes out on the net.
On the Sunday I sit down at my Mac and transfer the recordings to the hard-drive - the Cannon produces a .WAV file which I convert to a .MP3 using software called Switch and Flip 4 Mac. I launch Garageband and drop the files into a basic track I've created with the music from Lyman Mediros and the Lower Level, and the ident from the Association of Poetry Podcasters as a intro and outro. Then I play through the recording, editing out any mistakes, coughs, things the poet wants removing, striping it down to the time limit I'm looking for - I've set a constraint of 30 minutes for the show, and cut down any sprawling interviews to that - or make a decision to put them out over two episodes.
I usually alternate an interview show with a poetry show, putting out the poetry of the interviewee the episode before their interview. I fill the rest of those shows with poetry that has either been emailed to me, sent by CD or from a CD I've bought from the artist at their performances.
The thirty minute limit for the show means I can't put out as much as I'd like to in an episode, but it does mean I have to be tight with my edits, and my choices of artist that appear.
In the end I spend about eight hours at the weekend recording and editing the thirty minute show that you hear - I hope it shows!
Sunday 14 September 2008
Workshops
I spent the weekend work-shopping a poetry event, and it was a real eye opener. One of the things I was most impressed with was the introduction of a commercial advisor who gave a more business like advice to what is essentially an event run by artists.
I was there to give advice on podcasting, and got some great recordings for a future show. It also highlighted some shortcomings of my podcasting skills - I need to have a bit more preparation of materials, consistency of questioning and more of a vision of where I want to go with the podcast.
I was there to give advice on podcasting, and got some great recordings for a future show. It also highlighted some shortcomings of my podcasting skills - I need to have a bit more preparation of materials, consistency of questioning and more of a vision of where I want to go with the podcast.
Saturday 23 August 2008
interview with Heather Taylor
A great interview today with Heather. A Canadian poet, or rather a canadian, who has discovered her poetry vibe on arrival in London.
Following on from the interview with Sid Bose last week Hearher also brings elements of her stage training to her poetry. Character is important to her and it comes across in her poems, filled with people who just climb out of the page and sit with you while you read. Check out Red in her Tall Lighthouse collection "Horizon & Back"
Heathers interview won't air until December which I promise you will bring a little bit of a Canadian summer to the dreariest of months!
Following on from the interview with Sid Bose last week Hearher also brings elements of her stage training to her poetry. Character is important to her and it comes across in her poems, filled with people who just climb out of the page and sit with you while you read. Check out Red in her Tall Lighthouse collection "Horizon & Back"
Heathers interview won't air until December which I promise you will bring a little bit of a Canadian summer to the dreariest of months!
Saturday 16 August 2008
Episode 43 - Roddy Lumsden and Annie Freud
I kind of feel that I'm hitting some pinacle of poetry here with this weeks podcast - two of the most respected poets on the London scene on the same show - if you were going to see these two live, tickets would have sold out long ago!
From last weeks interview with Roddy, we have two poems of his from Super Try Again, his latest book from Donut Press ( buy his book here ).
Roddy's delivery is smooth, musical and like some sort of Scottish Siren, pulling you in to crash on his rocks.
Complementing Roddy's performance is Annie Freud, her first collection out last year, Annie reads mostly from The Best Man That Ever Was ( available from Picador here ) and finishes the set with the title poem from her book - what I love most about Annie's performance is the detail and preamble for each of her poems - the listener is brought right in to her life, into the titbits and ephemera of Annie's world. My favourite image is the story Annie tells of falling asleep on an atlas of the world - Annie is an Atlas of poetry, supporting the sky above us, all I can say is listen with pleasure.
From last weeks interview with Roddy, we have two poems of his from Super Try Again, his latest book from Donut Press ( buy his book here ).
Roddy's delivery is smooth, musical and like some sort of Scottish Siren, pulling you in to crash on his rocks.
Complementing Roddy's performance is Annie Freud, her first collection out last year, Annie reads mostly from The Best Man That Ever Was ( available from Picador here ) and finishes the set with the title poem from her book - what I love most about Annie's performance is the detail and preamble for each of her poems - the listener is brought right in to her life, into the titbits and ephemera of Annie's world. My favourite image is the story Annie tells of falling asleep on an atlas of the world - Annie is an Atlas of poetry, supporting the sky above us, all I can say is listen with pleasure.
can actors recite poetry?
Well, I suppose i'm about to find out. I'm just about to sit down with Sid Bose, a poet I met a few months ago doing a Reading for The Wolf magazine. Sid is trained as an actor and brings a lot of his talents to the performance of his own poetry. I think I'll ask him how he interprets others poetry and what lessons a non acting poet can bring to their text that an actor will gain insight from.
There's a big argument in the poets on fire forum along these lines and the conclusion there is that actors can't read poetry as the poet is unable to notate their poem to include accent and rythmn.
I wonder if there us anything poetry can learn from musical notation?
There's a big argument in the poets on fire forum along these lines and the conclusion there is that actors can't read poetry as the poet is unable to notate their poem to include accent and rythmn.
I wonder if there us anything poetry can learn from musical notation?
Saturday 12 July 2008
running late
Friends,
this weeks episode will be a little late in getting to you - I'm on holiday in Ireland sorting out some of the details for my wedding later this year - in fact we are staying/checking out at the hotel we intend to spend our honeymoon at - and it's the first place we've stayed with free wireless internet, cool!
Anyway - episode 39 will be out on Wednesday night, and will feature poetry from Tom Chivers.
Tune in.
this weeks episode will be a little late in getting to you - I'm on holiday in Ireland sorting out some of the details for my wedding later this year - in fact we are staying/checking out at the hotel we intend to spend our honeymoon at - and it's the first place we've stayed with free wireless internet, cool!
Anyway - episode 39 will be out on Wednesday night, and will feature poetry from Tom Chivers.
Tune in.
Sunday 22 June 2008
Episode 36
This weeks episode has poetry and an interview with Rhian Edwards, who treats us to three of her poems, with generous preamble and explanation of her thoughts and where she is coming from with her work. As for her interview, I have to admit to editing a large swath of her thoughts to fit into my thirty minute schedule, at least fifteen minutes of her thoughts. Maybe I should think of some sort of DVD extras, additional commentaries and the like!
The quality of the recording also pleases me - the first interview with the settings set correctly on the dictaphone, and in a sensible location,
I have an arrangement with the Poetry Library and the South Bank Centre, which in return for copies of the show to go in their Permanent Collection, I have permission to record in any of the public areas of the South Bank Centre - so far I've been able to find a quiet bar on a Saturday morning to do so. Rhian's interview was the first, and I have eight more interviews recorded, and eight more planned for the next few months.
I could still do with more submissions of poetry - anyone with any recordings please let me know, I'd be more than happy to host your work on the podcast.
Peace
The quality of the recording also pleases me - the first interview with the settings set correctly on the dictaphone, and in a sensible location,
I have an arrangement with the Poetry Library and the South Bank Centre, which in return for copies of the show to go in their Permanent Collection, I have permission to record in any of the public areas of the South Bank Centre - so far I've been able to find a quiet bar on a Saturday morning to do so. Rhian's interview was the first, and I have eight more interviews recorded, and eight more planned for the next few months.
I could still do with more submissions of poetry - anyone with any recordings please let me know, I'd be more than happy to host your work on the podcast.
Peace
Saturday 21 June 2008
From the Royal Festival Hall
I have a new toy.
My Macbook Pro arrived last week, and after a fun filled weekend of loading all the software I need onto it, syncing it with the three other computers I have, and buying it a lovely protective bag - today is the first day I've taken it out on the road.
I'm here at the RFH to interview Naomi Woodis and Richard Rathwell, Naomi has been on the show previously, with a recording of a poem she did for the National Gallery Podcast - an opportunity for a number of poets to write about the gallery, when it was closed for the evening. The work produced by the poets was interesting and enlightening. I have seen quite a bit of the National Gallery from behind the scenes, a lot of construction projects, new galleries and other maintenance work, has allowed me to see parts of the Gallery that no members of the public get to see.
Richard Rathwell, submitted a book and CD of his poetry to me a few months ago, having listened to the show, and his work is very interesting. Rather than read his work, he uses a computerised speech programme to automatically read it for him. Definitely something I want to quiz him about in the interview.
My Macbook Pro arrived last week, and after a fun filled weekend of loading all the software I need onto it, syncing it with the three other computers I have, and buying it a lovely protective bag - today is the first day I've taken it out on the road.
I'm here at the RFH to interview Naomi Woodis and Richard Rathwell, Naomi has been on the show previously, with a recording of a poem she did for the National Gallery Podcast - an opportunity for a number of poets to write about the gallery, when it was closed for the evening. The work produced by the poets was interesting and enlightening. I have seen quite a bit of the National Gallery from behind the scenes, a lot of construction projects, new galleries and other maintenance work, has allowed me to see parts of the Gallery that no members of the public get to see.
Richard Rathwell, submitted a book and CD of his poetry to me a few months ago, having listened to the show, and his work is very interesting. Rather than read his work, he uses a computerised speech programme to automatically read it for him. Definitely something I want to quiz him about in the interview.
Tuesday 17 June 2008
Episode 35
Poetry with a Festival theme this week, a great musical spoken word piece from Mort, "I was There in the Sixties, Man", a trippy musical piece from Chameleon Jersey, Glastonbury's Poet in Residence A F Harrold, and a set of great poems from another festival favourite poet, Dennis Just Dennis.
I've tried something a little different this time, a live intro and outro to the show, and also a little preview of what is coming up on the show - it needs a little polishing to make it work, but hopefully it'll make the show a little more appealing from the outset. I have to thank Niall O'Sullivan for this idea, but then I believe he stole it from the Guardian Science Podcast!
Speaking of Festivals, i'll be covering the Glastonbury Festival for my podcast, and will hopefully get an interview with AF Harrold, and Helen Gregory the new organiser for the Poetry Tent.
I'd like to take a moment here to celebrate the life of PVT West, the organiser of the Poetry & Words Tent for as long as I've been going to the festival. Pat had been ill for a while, and passed away at the beginning of June this year, Pat, her family and her friends will be in my thoughts.
I've tried something a little different this time, a live intro and outro to the show, and also a little preview of what is coming up on the show - it needs a little polishing to make it work, but hopefully it'll make the show a little more appealing from the outset. I have to thank Niall O'Sullivan for this idea, but then I believe he stole it from the Guardian Science Podcast!
Speaking of Festivals, i'll be covering the Glastonbury Festival for my podcast, and will hopefully get an interview with AF Harrold, and Helen Gregory the new organiser for the Poetry Tent.
I'd like to take a moment here to celebrate the life of PVT West, the organiser of the Poetry & Words Tent for as long as I've been going to the festival. Pat had been ill for a while, and passed away at the beginning of June this year, Pat, her family and her friends will be in my thoughts.
Sunday 8 June 2008
Tim Wells and a cast of thousands
Episode 34 hits the inter-waves today, and my interview with Tim Wells finally makes it to the air. The cast of thousands refers to our choice of recording location - Brick Lane in East London. Now, even though I've improved on my recording equipment, it still isn't up to handling outdoor environments - and it was new, and a numerous other excuses.
The next few interviews should be an improvement!
Back to Tim - as much as Tim is a Soul and Reggae fan, I can't help thinking of him as punk - punk in the manner that he is more than willing to stick two fingers up to the establishment, and to forge his own way on the poetry scene. Opinionated, vocal and vociferous whether it's cats or channel four, Tim has an opinion and is more than willing to share it.
This comes across most in his 'zine The Rising, a quarterly publication, having run now for fourteen years, and featuring many of the worlds finest modern poets, yet all pulled together by Tim's eclectic editorial fingers. The Rising, at first glance is a simply printed, black and white pamphlet, stapled twice, and at times has the appearance of a ransom note. This appearance belies the contents, as the title suggests, this is revolutionary poetry, poetry to make you stamp your feet and holler, Enough!
This was my first time meeting Tim on my own, and I will say I was a little apprehensive, but once the recorder was switched off we retired to the pub, I thought I may see another side of Tim, but no, Tim is Tim, what you see is what you get, a more honest geezer you couldn't hope to find, and no better drinking partner! Buy every single one of his books, you won't regret it.
check out http://www.donutpress.co.uk/ for purchases.
The next few interviews should be an improvement!
Back to Tim - as much as Tim is a Soul and Reggae fan, I can't help thinking of him as punk - punk in the manner that he is more than willing to stick two fingers up to the establishment, and to forge his own way on the poetry scene. Opinionated, vocal and vociferous whether it's cats or channel four, Tim has an opinion and is more than willing to share it.
This comes across most in his 'zine The Rising, a quarterly publication, having run now for fourteen years, and featuring many of the worlds finest modern poets, yet all pulled together by Tim's eclectic editorial fingers. The Rising, at first glance is a simply printed, black and white pamphlet, stapled twice, and at times has the appearance of a ransom note. This appearance belies the contents, as the title suggests, this is revolutionary poetry, poetry to make you stamp your feet and holler, Enough!
This was my first time meeting Tim on my own, and I will say I was a little apprehensive, but once the recorder was switched off we retired to the pub, I thought I may see another side of Tim, but no, Tim is Tim, what you see is what you get, a more honest geezer you couldn't hope to find, and no better drinking partner! Buy every single one of his books, you won't regret it.
check out http://www.donutpress.co.uk/ for purchases.
Sunday 1 June 2008
Episode 32 & 33
I keep forgetting to come back here and update what's been going on!
Apologies then for missing out on telling you all about the last episode, 32 saw Joe Hakim perform some of his poetry, I've had one of his poems on previously and wanted to put a few together. We also had Ingrid Andrew with a long piece of poetry and music "When Woman", I've arranged to interview Ingrid soon, and have Joe's interview in the bag, so there's more from both of those poets to come.
In other news - Vocalised Ink - a spoken word web streaming radio station have begun to stream the show, so there's been a dramatic increase in listener numbers, and in submissions - I'd like to say hi to Detroit Motor City - been receiving some great poetry from there which will make it's way onto the show soon..
Epsiode 33 - if you know even a little about me, you'll know I'm a bit of a geek, I love to get as much as possible out of my tech. So this week see's me stretching my podcasting skills a little, and including some artwork with the poetry - Chris Bateson came to m attention a few months ago, and gave me a copy of a comic book he had written and drawn, and it made something click inside me, that it would be perfect for this show. Check out the website and watch along with Chris as he reads his poem about Angie San and Miko Roboto!
It's given me some ideas for future shows - I'd love to do a bit more with pictures and images, maybe some bits with video podcasting, but I'd also love to do something with skypecast, and have some sort of call in show. Oh well, all ideas for the pot.
Keep listening
Dominic
Apologies then for missing out on telling you all about the last episode, 32 saw Joe Hakim perform some of his poetry, I've had one of his poems on previously and wanted to put a few together. We also had Ingrid Andrew with a long piece of poetry and music "When Woman", I've arranged to interview Ingrid soon, and have Joe's interview in the bag, so there's more from both of those poets to come.
In other news - Vocalised Ink - a spoken word web streaming radio station have begun to stream the show, so there's been a dramatic increase in listener numbers, and in submissions - I'd like to say hi to Detroit Motor City - been receiving some great poetry from there which will make it's way onto the show soon..
Epsiode 33 - if you know even a little about me, you'll know I'm a bit of a geek, I love to get as much as possible out of my tech. So this week see's me stretching my podcasting skills a little, and including some artwork with the poetry - Chris Bateson came to m attention a few months ago, and gave me a copy of a comic book he had written and drawn, and it made something click inside me, that it would be perfect for this show. Check out the website and watch along with Chris as he reads his poem about Angie San and Miko Roboto!
It's given me some ideas for future shows - I'd love to do a bit more with pictures and images, maybe some bits with video podcasting, but I'd also love to do something with skypecast, and have some sort of call in show. Oh well, all ideas for the pot.
Keep listening
Dominic
Sunday 25 May 2008
Episode 31
Back to the poetry!
I received my first fan mail this week, I've had submissions in the past, people asking to be put on the show, but this was the first time anyone has written with nice things to say! When I say nice, I was described as 'Poetry's Smashy n' Nicey", not to bad in my book!
One of the criticisms was the amount of interviews, and a lack of poetry on the podcast, and I'm first to admit that sometimes the shows are a bit balanced in favour of the interview, and it's something I'm going to address in future interviews, and try to get as much poetry as interview.
That does mean that I have still many hours of interview to get out of the next couple of months!
So why have I gone trawling through my back catalogue for this show? Joe Hakim, originally sent me loads of material late last year and at the time I found I could only squeeze one of his poems on to a show, and rather than split up the rest of his material, I thought I'd hold on to it and save it for a show of it's own. Three short Poems from Joe, but three poems that throw up images of not just Hull, but life across middle England as we have come to know it thorough the pages of the Sun and the Star. Joe fills his poems with characters that are no further away than your garden gate, and they jump in your face forcing you to recognise, not just them, but your own reflection too.
The first poet on the show is Ingrid Andrew, who submitted this piece to me a while ago. Ingrid is a fellow south London poet, and this piece, When Woman, is epic. A long poem broken by a musical number which acts to emphasise the theme of the poem, and even though it may be seen to break the resonance of the poem, only works to hammer home the importance of the whole theme. I can't wait to sit down with Ingrid and record some more poetry.
I received my first fan mail this week, I've had submissions in the past, people asking to be put on the show, but this was the first time anyone has written with nice things to say! When I say nice, I was described as 'Poetry's Smashy n' Nicey", not to bad in my book!
One of the criticisms was the amount of interviews, and a lack of poetry on the podcast, and I'm first to admit that sometimes the shows are a bit balanced in favour of the interview, and it's something I'm going to address in future interviews, and try to get as much poetry as interview.
That does mean that I have still many hours of interview to get out of the next couple of months!
So why have I gone trawling through my back catalogue for this show? Joe Hakim, originally sent me loads of material late last year and at the time I found I could only squeeze one of his poems on to a show, and rather than split up the rest of his material, I thought I'd hold on to it and save it for a show of it's own. Three short Poems from Joe, but three poems that throw up images of not just Hull, but life across middle England as we have come to know it thorough the pages of the Sun and the Star. Joe fills his poems with characters that are no further away than your garden gate, and they jump in your face forcing you to recognise, not just them, but your own reflection too.
The first poet on the show is Ingrid Andrew, who submitted this piece to me a while ago. Ingrid is a fellow south London poet, and this piece, When Woman, is epic. A long poem broken by a musical number which acts to emphasise the theme of the poem, and even though it may be seen to break the resonance of the poem, only works to hammer home the importance of the whole theme. I can't wait to sit down with Ingrid and record some more poetry.
Thursday 15 May 2008
Episodes 29 and 30
Missed blogging about the last two episodes.
29 sees us going back to doing a bit of poetry, with poems from Graham Buchan, Naomi Woodis, Kaamil Ahmed and Maria Slovvakova. I've been doing so many interviews recently, I'd forgotten just how much poetry is needed to fill half an hour!
Someone mentioned recently when I was asked about the number of listeners I have - There are about 150 subscribers and I estimate another 100-150 people who listen on the web page only. I mentioned that I was a little disappointed with the numbers, as I'd like thousands, but they said imagine if I was running a physical weekly event and was getting 100 people turning up for it... that's like soap opera numbers!!!
Episode 30 - and back to the interviews. Firstly let me apologise for the quality of this episode - my new recorder's first use, and I've not quite got the settings right - I was using 'conference' setting and picking everything in the room up - including Niall O'Sullivan's dancing!
I have to admit I have one more interview like that - with Tim Wells, coming up in an episode shortly, but at least James Byrne is clear.
James is the editor of The Wolf Magazine, which as of issue 17 is now square bound, extra pages, and more of a quality literary magazine than before, if that's possible. James is not only editor of the mag, but runs workshops, classes, and works as a poetry translator for SOAS.
As an editor, I ask James about what it takes to get published in his magazine, and his helpful words of advice are essential listening to all poets.
29 sees us going back to doing a bit of poetry, with poems from Graham Buchan, Naomi Woodis, Kaamil Ahmed and Maria Slovvakova. I've been doing so many interviews recently, I'd forgotten just how much poetry is needed to fill half an hour!
Someone mentioned recently when I was asked about the number of listeners I have - There are about 150 subscribers and I estimate another 100-150 people who listen on the web page only. I mentioned that I was a little disappointed with the numbers, as I'd like thousands, but they said imagine if I was running a physical weekly event and was getting 100 people turning up for it... that's like soap opera numbers!!!
Episode 30 - and back to the interviews. Firstly let me apologise for the quality of this episode - my new recorder's first use, and I've not quite got the settings right - I was using 'conference' setting and picking everything in the room up - including Niall O'Sullivan's dancing!
I have to admit I have one more interview like that - with Tim Wells, coming up in an episode shortly, but at least James Byrne is clear.
James is the editor of The Wolf Magazine, which as of issue 17 is now square bound, extra pages, and more of a quality literary magazine than before, if that's possible. James is not only editor of the mag, but runs workshops, classes, and works as a poetry translator for SOAS.
As an editor, I ask James about what it takes to get published in his magazine, and his helpful words of advice are essential listening to all poets.
Monday 21 April 2008
Episode 27 - Vintage Poison
The first half of an interview with the four members of Vintage Poison, who are Lucy Leagrave, Kevin Reinhardt, Gareth Lewis and Robert Yates.
I'd met Robert at a Wolf Magazine launch gig, and got off to a great start with him, sharing many interests, lest of all Role Playing Games (I mean the Orcs and Wizards kind of course) but what got me interested was his translations of French poets, many of which had already been translated to English, but Robert was keen to point out to me the vagaries of language and how the translator comes across in the artists work.
This point I explore a bit further in a future episode when I interview James Bryne of The Wolf magazine, who also works as a translator, among other things.
Vintage Posion then, Robert invited me along to the launch of their book, a collection of the four artists works, at Borders on Oxford street, at which point I started to pester them for an interview. It took me trailing along to a number of the crews live nights, and the consumption of much beer, to finally get them to sit down together in a church in Covent garden, last January. Other than a few out-takes, this recording is pretty much as it went.In the first half of the interview I leave in a fart from Robert Yates prior to his performance - if I wasn't so kind I'd make some sort of derogatory remark about it being the best part of his performance (Sorry Robert, you know I don't mean it and couldn't avoid the pun!). In the second half of the interview I had to leave the room, and left the recorder on and picked up some choice remarks when the poets guard was down!
This was of course with the groups permission - my first reaction was to edit it all out and make them appear angelic, but you know, they insisted on me showing their true colours!
I'd met Robert at a Wolf Magazine launch gig, and got off to a great start with him, sharing many interests, lest of all Role Playing Games (I mean the Orcs and Wizards kind of course) but what got me interested was his translations of French poets, many of which had already been translated to English, but Robert was keen to point out to me the vagaries of language and how the translator comes across in the artists work.
This point I explore a bit further in a future episode when I interview James Bryne of The Wolf magazine, who also works as a translator, among other things.
Vintage Posion then, Robert invited me along to the launch of their book, a collection of the four artists works, at Borders on Oxford street, at which point I started to pester them for an interview. It took me trailing along to a number of the crews live nights, and the consumption of much beer, to finally get them to sit down together in a church in Covent garden, last January. Other than a few out-takes, this recording is pretty much as it went.In the first half of the interview I leave in a fart from Robert Yates prior to his performance - if I wasn't so kind I'd make some sort of derogatory remark about it being the best part of his performance (Sorry Robert, you know I don't mean it and couldn't avoid the pun!). In the second half of the interview I had to leave the room, and left the recorder on and picked up some choice remarks when the poets guard was down!
This was of course with the groups permission - my first reaction was to edit it all out and make them appear angelic, but you know, they insisted on me showing their true colours!
Wednesday 16 April 2008
New Logo
I've been working on a new logo for flyers and promotions and have come up with this. If you have any thoughts please let me know.
Episode 26 now available to download
This weekly format is working me hard! This weeks show has a performance and interview with a new and rising talent on the performance poetry scene, Anneliese Kellner-Joyce. Anneliese is a young talent, schooled in drama and performance, and brings this to bear in her poetry performances, she's striking in her honesty on stage and can only be applauded. I really enjoyed interviewing and recording this show, as a performer Anneliese was insistent on take after take after take, to get the poem just right, something I've only encountered seldomly before, but by the last take, her voice had warmed up fantastically, and was just right.
This interview and the next two weeks worth of material is the end of my recordings using my iPod and the Micromemo attachment - as good as this was, the pod needed a reboot every time you began a new recording, else it would start to skip in the middle of recording, and I've lost a lot of recordings because of this. I have since been out and bought a new digital recorder, nothing fancy, a Cannon dictaphone, which records in a .WAV format, and plugs in as a USB disc into my mac, and I can drag and drop the file directly into Garageband and away I go.
The first of my interviews with the new recorder will be going out in the next few weeks, out and about on the streets around Brick Lane with Tim Wells, in the Royal Festival Hall with Rhian Edwardes, which also marks a big leap forward for the podcast.
The poetry library have very kindly offered support to the podcast, in allowing me access to the library on days it's closed to the public to record interviews with poets. My first interview there is later this month, with Roddy Lumsden. In exchange for this (and I must say I'm winning out in this exchange) the Poetry Library is going to take copies of the podcast, on disc, for submission to their permanent collection.
So, if you've ever fancied having your poetry immortalised for generations to come, submit to the podcast at ukpoetrypodcast@mac.com and be preserved for all eternity!
Dom
This interview and the next two weeks worth of material is the end of my recordings using my iPod and the Micromemo attachment - as good as this was, the pod needed a reboot every time you began a new recording, else it would start to skip in the middle of recording, and I've lost a lot of recordings because of this. I have since been out and bought a new digital recorder, nothing fancy, a Cannon dictaphone, which records in a .WAV format, and plugs in as a USB disc into my mac, and I can drag and drop the file directly into Garageband and away I go.
The first of my interviews with the new recorder will be going out in the next few weeks, out and about on the streets around Brick Lane with Tim Wells, in the Royal Festival Hall with Rhian Edwardes, which also marks a big leap forward for the podcast.
The poetry library have very kindly offered support to the podcast, in allowing me access to the library on days it's closed to the public to record interviews with poets. My first interview there is later this month, with Roddy Lumsden. In exchange for this (and I must say I'm winning out in this exchange) the Poetry Library is going to take copies of the podcast, on disc, for submission to their permanent collection.
So, if you've ever fancied having your poetry immortalised for generations to come, submit to the podcast at ukpoetrypodcast@mac.com and be preserved for all eternity!
Dom
Sunday 6 April 2008
Episode 25 now available to downlaod
Dear Friends,
This weeks episode of the podcast is a recording made at a Word for Word poetry workshop in Woodgreen, north London. Hosted by Richard Tyrone Jones, it is a weekly workshop which meets in the Woodgreen Library. For anyone who hasn't attended a workshop, as with most, it starts with some writing exercises, then discussion of the work, and rinse and repeat for two hours!
I've had to cut out a lot of stuff to get it down to an acceptable length, but needless to say I've left in a lot of poetry.
The show finishes with some of the writers reading their works from a recent publication of the workshops poetry, Stop Me and Buy One.
For copies of the book contact Word for Word at
word4wordwoodgreen@hotmail.co.uk
If this has piqued our interest in writers workshops, please visit the Poetry Library website, or the Poetry Society website where you can find links to many other workshops that may suit your style.
This weeks episode of the podcast is a recording made at a Word for Word poetry workshop in Woodgreen, north London. Hosted by Richard Tyrone Jones, it is a weekly workshop which meets in the Woodgreen Library. For anyone who hasn't attended a workshop, as with most, it starts with some writing exercises, then discussion of the work, and rinse and repeat for two hours!
I've had to cut out a lot of stuff to get it down to an acceptable length, but needless to say I've left in a lot of poetry.
The show finishes with some of the writers reading their works from a recent publication of the workshops poetry, Stop Me and Buy One.
For copies of the book contact Word for Word at
word4wordwoodgreen@hotmail.co.uk
If this has piqued our interest in writers workshops, please visit the Poetry Library website, or the Poetry Society website where you can find links to many other workshops that may suit your style.
Saturday 29 March 2008
Betsy Trotwood, Tim Wells and Tim Turnbull
Last night I went to a great night of poetry, hosted by Niall O'Sullivan with poetry from Wayne Smith, Tim Wells, Annie Freud and Tim Turnbull. Presented by Donut Press, we were treated to fantastic poetry, from the established, the new, and the forthcoming authors and performers of Donut.
I've been on workshops with Wayne and Annie, and been on the bill with Annie at The Cellar, and I've got an interview with Tim Wells coming up on the show, but this was a great opportunity for me to secure more interviews and performances for future podcasts. I'll not count my chickens before they've hatched, just to say Mr Turnbull agreed to get together the next time he's allowed leave Scotland and get together to record something!
Sunday 23 March 2008
Episode 23 now available
This weeks episode of the podcast has poetry from the Hydropods, Mort and John Citizen.
John also gives us an interview, which is a rare thing for Mr Citizen, we talk about performance poetry and what it means to him to have a poem on the National Curriculum, so any English Teachers out there pay close attention! Of note for English teachers too, in an upcoming show I interview George Ttoouli, of the Poetry Society who gives us his views on the National Curriculum and poetry for young people, and how the Foyles Young Poet competition helps the process. The competition is now open, for more details see the Poetry Society web page.
I kind of hoped that this episode, and the interview with George would somehow be used as a teaching tool, maybe someone could use the interview or the poem for educational purposes.
I know my podcast carries an 'Explicit' tag, but that's really a catch-all for any swearing that occurs, I hope it wouldn't put people off.
John also gives us an interview, which is a rare thing for Mr Citizen, we talk about performance poetry and what it means to him to have a poem on the National Curriculum, so any English Teachers out there pay close attention! Of note for English teachers too, in an upcoming show I interview George Ttoouli, of the Poetry Society who gives us his views on the National Curriculum and poetry for young people, and how the Foyles Young Poet competition helps the process. The competition is now open, for more details see the Poetry Society web page.
I kind of hoped that this episode, and the interview with George would somehow be used as a teaching tool, maybe someone could use the interview or the poem for educational purposes.
I know my podcast carries an 'Explicit' tag, but that's really a catch-all for any swearing that occurs, I hope it wouldn't put people off.
Thursday 20 March 2008
Interviewing George Ttoouli
George is the Education Projects Co-ordinator for the Poetry Society and sat down with me yesterday to conduct an interview. A charming and well spoken young man, George is involved with some very high profile, and very important projects that the Poetry Society runs. Rise, Foyles Young Poet and Poets in Schools, all aimed at increasing appreciation and awareness of poetry to young people. George comes across as quite passionate about this subject and, in my opinion, shows us that it's not enough to sit down and write good poetry for poetry to survive, but hard work behind the scenes, organising, lobbying government and hard work that will keep a thriving appreciation of poetry and poets for the future.
I'm going to do a quick edit of the interview, and get it out early (pushing back some of the other interviews and poets I've got lined up) because I think this is the most worthy piece I've recorded yet.
I'm going to do a quick edit of the interview, and get it out early (pushing back some of the other interviews and poets I've got lined up) because I think this is the most worthy piece I've recorded yet.
Saturday 8 March 2008
The Podcast at the Poetry Library
I've been to visit the Poetry Library at the South Bank, and have been asked to submit copies of the show, for the library to include in their archives!
Feels like the show has come of age, there's me sitting alongside archive tapes from the BBC, the missing John Betjeman recordings, Philip Larkin - and of course, all the poets now appearing in the podcast - so for that taste of immortality, keep the submissions coming!
Feels like the show has come of age, there's me sitting alongside archive tapes from the BBC, the missing John Betjeman recordings, Philip Larkin - and of course, all the poets now appearing in the podcast - so for that taste of immortality, keep the submissions coming!
Wednesday 5 March 2008
Interviewing Tim Wells
Tim Wells, seemingly the East End Godfather of poetry, has agreed to do an interview with me, and I'm off down to Shoreditch to meet him tomorrow night.
As usual, the extent of my research into my subjects goes no further than a quick Google of their name, and if it's a Smith or a White, than I add 'Poetry' to the boolean search terms!
It turns up a lot of info, you know - one quirky bit of connections is Tim once shared a stage with Stewart Homes, who happens to be a cult, once left wing, underground author, and a school friend of my girlfriend - she has nearly every pamphlet and book he's ever brought out.
Stewart Homes, amongst other things, is also part of the London Psychogeographical Institute, East London Section, a subject that fascinates me, I've talked in the christmas edition of the podcast about Will Self's latest book, and the talk recently given by Alan Moore and Iain Sinclair about psychogeography, which ties back to my own area of study, Architecture. Read Sinclairs Hawksmoor book, and then read Alan Moores From Hell - Sir Christoper Wren has a lot to answer to!
Back to Tim. An east end, ex-skinhead, possibly a merchant banker (and not in the rhyming slang sense) poet, who regularly tours America teaching them English, a contemporary of John Cooper Clarke, friend of John Hegley and Roddy Lumsden, whose poetry is both gruff and earthy, yet storytelling and observational in the extreme. This is one of those interviews I've been working towards with this show, and I'm pleased and honoured that he's agreed to do it.
As usual, the extent of my research into my subjects goes no further than a quick Google of their name, and if it's a Smith or a White, than I add 'Poetry' to the boolean search terms!
It turns up a lot of info, you know - one quirky bit of connections is Tim once shared a stage with Stewart Homes, who happens to be a cult, once left wing, underground author, and a school friend of my girlfriend - she has nearly every pamphlet and book he's ever brought out.
Stewart Homes, amongst other things, is also part of the London Psychogeographical Institute, East London Section, a subject that fascinates me, I've talked in the christmas edition of the podcast about Will Self's latest book, and the talk recently given by Alan Moore and Iain Sinclair about psychogeography, which ties back to my own area of study, Architecture. Read Sinclairs Hawksmoor book, and then read Alan Moores From Hell - Sir Christoper Wren has a lot to answer to!
Back to Tim. An east end, ex-skinhead, possibly a merchant banker (and not in the rhyming slang sense) poet, who regularly tours America teaching them English, a contemporary of John Cooper Clarke, friend of John Hegley and Roddy Lumsden, whose poetry is both gruff and earthy, yet storytelling and observational in the extreme. This is one of those interviews I've been working towards with this show, and I'm pleased and honoured that he's agreed to do it.
Saturday 1 March 2008
Episode 22 now available to download
Featuring poetry from Joe Hakim and Kayo Chingonyi.
Joe, from Hull, I've seen a couple of times around on the poetry circuit and has a very strong performance style and poetic content, this single poem from him, I think showcases his work, but I have a few more of his poems and will put out a few together in a future show. Joe tells me he has also been signed to Apples and Snakes as part of their 'Incubate' programme and is playing the Latitude festival in July as well .
Kayo, who also contributes this episodes interview, had me in tears with a poem of his, when I saw him at an event, nearly two years ago. Kayo, a winner of the Rise Poetry Slam in 2003, has been working hard with his poetry and delivers in a sensual style, what can only be described as heartfelt tales. Keep an eye out for this boy.
More info on Joe can be had at www.thisisull.com
www.myspace.com/joehakimrecordings.
and you can find more about Kayo at http://www.myspace.com/requiem87
Joe, from Hull, I've seen a couple of times around on the poetry circuit and has a very strong performance style and poetic content, this single poem from him, I think showcases his work, but I have a few more of his poems and will put out a few together in a future show. Joe tells me he has also been signed to Apples and Snakes as part of their 'Incubate' programme and is playing the Latitude festival in July as well .
Kayo, who also contributes this episodes interview, had me in tears with a poem of his, when I saw him at an event, nearly two years ago. Kayo, a winner of the Rise Poetry Slam in 2003, has been working hard with his poetry and delivers in a sensual style, what can only be described as heartfelt tales. Keep an eye out for this boy.
More info on Joe can be had at www.thisisull.com
www.myspace.com/joehakimrecordings.
and you can find more about Kayo at http://www.myspace.com/requiem87
Saturday 23 February 2008
The Bowery, New York
Just back from my trip to New York, and got a chance to read at a night at the Bowery, which is downtown Manhattan. near Houston and The Bowery - and is a rather cool venue, it's got a large bar and stage at the rear of the shop-front, and hosts two or three events a night there. I was lucky to be able to do a short slot, and will put it out as part of the podcast at some point, possibly the birthday episode. The crowd there were something else - very reactive, very vocal and very friendly - I got invited to a couple of more nights of poetry, but for a lack of time, I would have done more.
I definitely want to go back to the big Apple, with just a plan of doing some poetry gigs and nights, I met some great people, and if I can get them interested in doing something for the podcast, I'd be up for that too.
I definitely want to go back to the big Apple, with just a plan of doing some poetry gigs and nights, I met some great people, and if I can get them interested in doing something for the podcast, I'd be up for that too.
Saturday 9 February 2008
Episode 21 available to download now
www.ukpoetrypodcast.com sees the first episode in a while. I've been busy with moving into my fiancees flat, and over the last few months have not been giving the podcsat the attention it deserves! Well, I'm now all set up, have a computer in every room, can blog and record all at the touch of a button, and no longer have an excuse for missing a show. Except, I'm off to New York next weekend, so might have to miss that one!
New York, hopefully, will offer me a chance to do some recording on foreign soil for the podcast, so if your in Manhattan from the 16th to the 21st, let me know!
This episode has poetry from Jasmine Anne Cooray, a fabulous new poet, winner of slams and a regular performer around London, whose poetry style is breathy and moving. Her presence on stage for her poetry is helped by her background in drama, and her fabulous fashion sense! Get out of the house and go see her!
Next episode we have an interview with Guy J Jackson and I haven't decided on the poet yet!
love, light and peace
Dom
New York, hopefully, will offer me a chance to do some recording on foreign soil for the podcast, so if your in Manhattan from the 16th to the 21st, let me know!
This episode has poetry from Jasmine Anne Cooray, a fabulous new poet, winner of slams and a regular performer around London, whose poetry style is breathy and moving. Her presence on stage for her poetry is helped by her background in drama, and her fabulous fashion sense! Get out of the house and go see her!
Next episode we have an interview with Guy J Jackson and I haven't decided on the poet yet!
love, light and peace
Dom
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