Getting Better Acquainted

In GBA 121 we get better acquainted with Sue. She talks about friendship, judgement, the NHS, the founding of a community garden, talking to children, working in many positions within the health service, the state of public services and so much more. Sue is a close family friend to all branches of my complicated non-nuclear family. She brings the family season to a close with this warm, open and wise conversation. Sue Plugs: The Waterboys : An Appointment with Mr Yeats: http://www.mikescottwaterboys.com/waterboys-mr-yeats-album.php http://open.spotify.com/album/4EStbTDHbaKdWUMs25Xbfa These other GBA episodes are mentioned: The special episode about the way the family experienced my father's heart condition: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-53-to-the-heart-of-it Conversation with Karl James from the Dialogue Project: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-38-karl-james Conversation with Lucy about her time working in the Library Service: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbett

GBA 120 is a special episode that was mostly recorded whilst travelling on buses a couple of years ago. For half of it you join me on a National Express bus that is going from Bristol from London and for the other half I am returning from this journey. This trip to Bristol wasn't really about travelling between locations. It was a journey about family, memory and coming to terms with various things that have made me and my family who and what we are. This episode documents a life changing, revelatory weekend, where I spent time with 4 generations of my family, held an almost new born baby, interviewed close friends about their lives, had various experiences at St Paul's Carnival, and sat down on a sunny Sunday morning to have three very different conversations with my mother, the third one of which focused on our relationship with each other, the full episode that features that conversation went out last Wednesday. This episode is a kind of commentary on all of the above, a summation of how those things i

In GBA 119 we get even better acquainted with my Mum as she returns for her 3rd full episode. We talk about the tensions and similarities between us, nature verses nurture, rage, depression and mother issues! It was a hard but revelatory conversation to have. And in some ways is as personally revealing as last weeks episode with my dad. Another one I'm nervous to share. We talked about my mothers relationship with my gran too and how that relationship has shaped and influenced her. So I have also included a short story I wrote about my grandparents in the middle of the conversation. That story was written in part as a reaction and extension of this conversation. It was performed in front of a live audience at Stand Up Tragedy. The conversation was a big one for me. You hear me having unexpected feelings live on mic. And it's actually a very unconfrontational conversation. It was the third one in a row that I'd recorded with her. https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-mum-episodes-1 Thes

In GBA 118 we get even better acquainted with my Dad as he returns for his 3rd full episode. We compare losing virginity stories and our first sexual experiences (which were many generations apart), infidelity, sex workers, male sexuality, women, love, romance, attraction and lots more. It's a very personally revealing episode that I'm nervous about sharing with the world. These are the other GBA episodes my dad has appeared in: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-dad-episodes You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at www.stitcher.com or in the app stores. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review?

In this very special GBA extra the guest host is my older(half) sister Rebecca when she was 8 years old, she is interviewing her Nanny Annie Jones who was born in Victorian times about what life was like back then. It was recorded by Sheila who was last Wednesday's guest: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-117-sheila This is Rebecca doing her GBA as an adult: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-28-rebecca You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at www.stitcher.com or in the app stores. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review?

In GBA 117 we get better acquainted with Sheila. She talks World War Two: her experiences being an evacuee, going dancing during the bombings, rationing, war being declared, the war ending, the way the war influenced the role of women in society and the Austerity Olympics. We also talk about taking up teaching late in life, falling in love with Cornwall, age and lots more. Sheila was my dad's first wife and the mother of my two older (half) sisters. This is the first episode in a four week family family season. Sadly Sheila passed away shortly after we recorded this conversation. She was much loved and will be missed by her family. RIP. Sheila plugs: The Royal National Lifeboat Institute: http://rnli.org/Pages/Default.aspx The Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust: http://www.cornwallairambulancetrust.org/ Other things mentioned: The John Betjeman Centre: http://www.yor-tec.co.uk/cornwall/betjemanctr.htm You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favour

In GBA 116 we get better acquainted with Janet Varney (from the JV Club podcast). Janet talked to me via Skype from LA. We talk about The JV Club, teenage years, interior design, recording conversations, divorce, acting, comedy, Joni Mitchell and more. This is an episode in the strand of GBA where I talk to other podcasters. JV's podcast describes itself like this: "Remember what it was like to be an awkward teenager? And remember how some things haven't really changed that much for you since then? Join proud dork Janet Varney as she explores the highs and lows of the bygone years with some of her favorite women as they talk their way through the terrible teens into adult-lescence. Warning: This Podcast Contains Sincerity." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Varney Janet plugs: The JV Club: http://www.nerdist.com/podcast/the-jv-club/ Neil's Puppet Dreams: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl4T6p7km9dbx0o8J35KjWAwaiEo5tV7G Burning Love: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_Love_(web_series) Legend of

Stand Up Tragedy is coming to the Dogstar in Brixton on 4th July 2013 https://www.facebook.com/events/276924519117617 http://www.standuptragedy.co.uk

In GBA 115 we get better acquainted with Alice Bell. She talks Crystal Palace dinosaurs, working in the Science Museum, knitting, academia, blogging, science communication, teenage politics, how children's non fic communicates ideas, Captain Planet, communicating on the internet, and so much more. Alice is a science/media blogger for The Guardian, The New Left Project and also has her own blog on science communication and politics. http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/alice-bell http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/authors/tag/Alice+Bell http://alicerosebell.wordpress.com/ Alice plugs: The Brain Train: https://soundcloud.com/brain-train-podcast https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/brain-train-podcast/id567550209 http://braintrainpodcast.wordpress.com/ Her twitter: https://twitter.com/alicebell I plug: The Stand Up Tragedy IndieGoGo campaign: www.indiegogo.com/projects/stand-u…oes-to-edinburgh We mention: Crystal Palace Park: http://www.crystalpalacepark.org.uk/ GBA Road Trips: https://soundclo

In GBA 114 we get better acquainted with Mark. He talks about studying film in Russia, site specific theatre, self reflection, performing Shakespeare in supermarkets, Father's Groups and more. Mark plugs: Teatro Vivo: http://www.teatrovivo.co.uk/ Frankenstein's Army: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1925435/combined He is directing (and devising with the twitter audience) STORYLINES at The Albany in Deptford (17-21 June 2013) - Follow @ampersandmedia http://www.ampersandmedia.co.uk/ FRANKENSTEIN'S ARMY will be at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on 28 & 29 June - http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/films/2013/frankensteins-army He is playing the white rabbit in ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND at The Oxford Story Museum (3-7 July) http://www.teatrovivo.co.uk/adventures-in-wonderland/ Caliban in AFTER THE TEMPEST in various parks (13th July - 10th August) http://www.teatrovivo.co.uk/after-the-tempest/ And returning to the white rabbit and ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND at The Watermill in Newbury (12-18 August) http://

In GBA 113 we get better acquainted with Donna. She talks about fitting in, sticking out, dressing up, social awkwardness, creating your own reality, dancing, working with children and more. Donna is a very unique person and we met in her very unique office filled with the interesting bric a brac that she uses to entertain children. She discusses the time when she would only wear green clothes and talks about the spending her free time inside her inner world. Donna plugs: "The idea that other things do exist outside of normality... You can just say, 'that don't exist in my world, so I'll just tunnel vision my way to the end. I can see the end, so I'll head for the end and then die.'" I plug: The Stand Up Tragedy IndieGoGo campaign: www.indiegogo.com/projects/stand-u…oes-to-edinburgh We mention: S Club Seven: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S_Club Makaton: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makaton Peter Pan Syndrome: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070501112023.htm Frankie Boyle - work, consume, di

In GBA 112 we get better acquainted with Dan. He talks about being superstitious about songwriting, where songs come from, making music for film, Primary School, the tension between popular music and academic musical theory, growing up as a skater in the suburbs in the 90's, quitting jobs and more. The conversation was recorded a few years ago, in Bristol during the night before St Paul's Carnival, late at night on a roof. Dan plugs: Daniel Weltman: http://www.danielweltman.com/ Snails: http://snails.bandcamp.com/ Hollowbody: http://hollowbody.bandcamp.com/ I plug: The Stand Up Tragedy IndieGoGo campaign: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stand-up-tragedy-goes-to-edinburgh We mention: Good Will Hunting: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119217/ Dead Poets Society: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/ Stockhausen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlheinz_Stockhausen Basic Instinct: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103772/ Eisenstein: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Eisenstein Aphex Twin: http://en.wikipedia.

In GBA 111 we get better acquainted with Jess. She talks social work, running, having a perfect time, travelling, transitions, finding yourself, music, change, friendship and more. The conversation was recorded a few years ago, in Bristol during the St Paul's Carnival, late at night after a long day, drinking gin. Jess plugs: Her family. Her partner Dan. And me(!) Dan's Music: http://www.danielweltman.com/ http://hollowbody.bandcamp.com/ http://snails.bandcamp.com/ My music: https://soundcloud.com/the-dave https://soundcloud.com/thereactionaries http://www.myspace.com/themiddleclassbastards You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at www.stitcher.com or in the app stores. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review?

In GBA 110 we get better acquainted with Bill. He talks God is in the TV Zine, music, media, blogging, Cardiff and more. It was recorded during my first GBA Cardiff pilgrimage: http://www.soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-17-cardiff Bill Plugs: A music night he's running at Dempsey's in Cardiff on the 23rd of May, featuring Glasgow's Three Blind Wolves, North Walians Shy and the Fight, Swansea's The Adelines and Cardiff's Brothers: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/210571 God is in the TV Zine: http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/ And his PR company: http://soundandvisionpr.tumblr.com/ We mention: NME: http://www.nme.com/ Quietus: http://thequietus.com/ Factory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_Records John Peel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Peel Michael Stipe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Stipe Melody Maker: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melody_Maker Lester Bangs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Bangs Paul Morley: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Morley John Harris: http://

In GBA 109 we get better acquainted with Patrick. He talks British documentary film, the process of history, an academic appraisal of my dad, and romance verses analysis. We get into questions of art, inner life, the different effect of the two world wars in UK society, social documents and lots more Patrick Plugs: 2014 anniversary of WW1 - "it had a truly profound effect at the micro and macro levels of our society and this is a good moment to consider it and judge it's effects." And then he went on to discuss WW2's effect as of displacing the effects of both WW2 and guilt over the empire. We mention: Patrick at the BFI: http://www.bfi.org.uk/people/patrick-russell The BFI: http://www.bfi.org.uk/ My dad and Patrick in conversation: http://www.bfi.org.uk/live/video/140 The book Patrick co-edited containing a chapter on my dad: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-Progress-Documentary-Post-War-Britain/dp/1844573222 The DVD collections that feature interviews with my dad plus his films: Portrait of a Mine

In GBA 108 we get better acquainted with Bryony. She puts up with me treating her as an ambassador for people in their early 20's! She talks studying radio production, teenage years, Canada, pets, memory, interviewing, living in the countryside, generations and lot's more! There is also a cameo from the cat that I had at the time. Bryony Plugs: Stand Up Tragedy: http://www.standuptragedy.co.uk/ Next live show is on Friday 17th May at the Hackney Attic: https://www.facebook.com/events/635498473143002/ Our podcast which Bryony produces is available on iTunes, Sticher Smart Radio and here: https://soundcloud.com/standuptragedy She also makes a plea for people to give her a job or hook her up with radio related content that she might be interested in. Drop me an email at GBApodcast@gmail.com and I will pass it on to her. We mention: WTF with Marc Maron: http://www.wtfpod.com/ This American Life: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/ Savage Love: http://www.savagelovecast.com/ Dan Carlin: http://www.dancarl

In this GBA Extra I talk to Steve, Alex and Owain about the band we were in when we were at school. It features clips from some of the bands songs. We talk music, artistic differences, and teenage friendships. It's a rather chaotic conversation that took place in Steve's back garden in Cardiff the day after his wedding. We mention: The Middle Class Bastards: https://soundcloud.com/themiddleclassbastards To the Heart of It: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-53-to-the-heart-of-it Four Days in a Room: https://soundcloud.com/fourdaysinaroom/sets/highlights-from-four-days-in-a - The episode that documents Alex and me falling out over making music: https://soundcloud.com/fourdaysinaroom/4diar-bonus-episode-scenes - The episode where I interview Alex about music: https://soundcloud.com/fourdaysinaroom/4diar-episode-18-promotion?in=fourdaysinaroom/sets/highlights-from-four-days-in-a Joy Division: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_Division REM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.E.M. The Big Bang

In GBA 106 we get better acquainted with Steve. I talk to my school friend Steve in his house in Cardiff surrounded by furniture he made himself the day after his wedding last year. He talks about being someone who constructs things, the birth of his son, what being a builder means these days, running a DJ business in your teens, being a Master Carpenter and Joiner, growing up as "the man of the house", his relationship with his absent father and more. (Mostly I just ask him what it's like to be a man.) Steve doesn't plug anything. He does mention Norm Abram: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_Abram And Bellway Homes: http://www.bellway.co.uk/ This is Owain's GBA: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-16-owain You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at www.stitcher.com or in

In GBA 106 we get better acquainted with Jack and George. Whilst drinking brandy & chain-smoking Jack, George and me trade differing views of the legal system and ask whether you change significantly after childhood: what stays the same and what changes. This episode includes an account of being arrested for destroying a house, an account of being a witness to an assault, an account of a bus kidnapping and the curious case of the police confiscating George's Lou Reed collection. It's an interesting ride: Part surprise therapy session, part series of complimentary and contradictory experiences of the law and part documentation of a friendship. We actually don't sound as drunk as we were! We don't really plug anything. These are the individual GBAs with George and Jack: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-46-jack http://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-6-george And this is the collected GBAs with Apples for Everyone members: http://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/a

In GBA 105 we get better acquainted with Bec Hill. She talks talks loving puns, creating comedy for children and adults, coming from Australia to the UK, going straight from school to stand-up, where her comedy influences came from, giving up the day job and more. Bec plugs: Pun Run: April 18th Pheonix 7.30 £3 / £10 Pun Run Pun Size: May 18th Camden Head https://www.facebook.com/thepunrun https://twitter.com/ThePunRun I suggest: Youtube vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/rolypolygrandma Website: http://bechillcomedian.com/ Bec and Tom - Edinburgh Fringe https://www.facebook.com/BecandTom https://www.facebook.com/events/350150775089928/ Mentioned: Stand Up Tragedy: http://www.standuptragedy.co.uk/ Rachel Parris: http://rachelparris.com/ Bec Hill: Bec Hill is More Afraid Of You Than You Are of Her! http://www.theskinny.co.uk/comedy/reviews/303067-bec_hill_bec_hill_more_afraid_you_than_you_are Edinburgh Special: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-71-edinburgh-festival The Minist