For this episode of Glasgow Sessions, Richard Lee sits down with one of the most recognisable and generous figures in the city’s spoken word community — Ross Wilcock.

A queer, disabled Glaswegian poet, performer and event curator, Ross has become a central presence in Glasgow’s modern poetry scene. If you’ve spent time at an open mic on Byres Road in recent years, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with him — whether on stage performing, hosting, or encouraging someone to read their work for the very first time.

Ross is the driving force behind The Poetry Experiment at The Alchemy Experiment, a monthly open mic that has become a welcoming gateway for emerging poets across the city, and he also hosts nights at The Curlers Rest, helping nurture a vibrant and supportive community of writers and performers. As these nights continue to grow — with The Poetry Experiment celebrating its third birthday this March — Ross’s influence on Glasgow’s grassroots poetry culture is impossible to ignore.

But Ross is far more than an event organiser. He’s a published poet whose pamphlet Once Upon a Time in Glasgow captures the emotional textures of life in the city, exploring disability, queerness, love, heartbreak and resilience through deeply personal storytelling. His spoken word performances have taken him from intimate Glasgow venues like The Hug and Pint to the stages of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Loud Poets, and last year he brought his solo show Gay, Disabled, Vegan to the Free Fringe.

Beyond poetry, Ross spent over five years creating content for BBC The Social, using storytelling and commentary to highlight disability, accessibility and what it means to navigate the world as a queer disabled artist. His writing has appeared in SNACK Magazine, and he’s collaborated with organisations such as the Scottish Queer International Film Festival, all while completing an MLitt in Creative Writing at University of Glasgow.

In this episode, Richard and Ross talk about the journey that led him into poetry, the communities he’s helped build across Glasgow’s open mic scene, and how art can help people connect — especially when it’s rooted in honesty and lived experience. The conversation is warm, reflective and often funny, exploring everything from disability activism and creative identity to the simple magic of watching someone read their first poem on stage.

Along the way, we also hear short audio reflections from poets across Glasgow who share what Ross’s work — and his open mic nights — have meant to them and the city’s growing spoken word community.

If you’re interested in the heart of Glasgow’s poetry scene, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, follow us on Instagram @glasgowsessions, leave a review wherever you’re listening, and if you’d like to support the show, head to patreon.com/GlasgowSessions. Every bit of support helps keep the sessions going. 🎙️📚

For this episode of Glasgow Sessions, Richard Lee sits down with one of the most recognisable and generous figures in the city’s spoken word community — Ross Wilcock.

A queer, disabled Glaswegian poet, performer and event curator, Ross has become a central presence in Glasgow’s modern poetry scene. If you’ve spent time at an open mic on Byres Road in recent years, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with him — whether on stage performing, hosting, or encouraging someone to read their work for the very first time.

Ross is the driving force behind The Poetry Experiment at The Alchemy Experiment, a monthly open mic that has become a welcoming gateway for emerging poets across the city, and he also hosts nights at The Curlers Rest, helping nurture a vibrant and supportive community of writers and performers. As these nights continue to grow — with The Poetry Experiment celebrating its third birthday this March — Ross’s influence on Glasgow’s grassroots poetry culture is impossible to ignore.

But Ross is far more than an event organiser. He’s a published poet whose pamphlet Once Upon a Time in Glasgow captures the emotional textures of life in the city, exploring disability, queerness, love, heartbreak and resilience through deeply personal storytelling. His spoken word performances have taken him from intimate Glasgow venues like The Hug and Pint to the stages of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Loud Poets, and last year he brought his solo show Gay, Disabled, Vegan to the Free Fringe.

Beyond poetry, Ross spent over five years creating content for BBC The Social, using storytelling and commentary to highlight disability, accessibility and what it means to navigate the world as a queer disabled artist. His writing has appeared in SNACK Magazine, and he’s collaborated with organisations such as the Scottish Queer International Film Festival, all while completing an MLitt in Creative Writing at University of Glasgow.

In this episode, Richard and Ross talk about the journey that led him into poetry, the communities he’s helped build across Glasgow’s open mic scene, and how art can help people connect — especially when it’s rooted in honesty and lived experience. The conversation is warm, reflective and often funny, exploring everything from disability activism and creative identity to the simple magic of watching someone read their first poem on stage.

Along the way, we also hear short audio reflections from poets across Glasgow who share what Ross’s work — and his open mic nights — have meant to them and the city’s growing spoken word community.

If you’re interested in the heart of Glasgow’s poetry scene, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, follow us on Instagram @glasgowsessions, leave a review wherever you’re listening, and if you’d like to support the show, head to patreon.com/GlasgowSessions. Every bit of support helps keep the sessions going. 🎙️📚

Glasgow Sessions – Live at Vinyl Bar (East End, Glasgow)

This episode of Glasgow Sessions was recorded live in the East End at Vinyl Bar on London Road, just off Glasgow Cross. A small, characterful pub built for listening, Vinyl Bar opened its doors to live musicians and poets, turning a Sunday afternoon in early December 2025 into a room full of sound, conversation, and shared attention.

Recorded right in the middle of the bar, this episode captures the space exactly as it was: glasses clinking, regulars chatting, performers setting up and stepping forward, and the natural rhythm of a working pub holding live art. There’s no studio separation here — the atmosphere, the interruptions, and the audience are all part of the recording.

The session officially kicks off with poets stepping into the poetry booth, setting the tone for an ongoing spoken word presence at the venue. Featured poets include Dev McMath and Katie Rose, with more poets from across Glasgow scheduled to come in and record their work in future sessions.

Huge thanks to everyone who played, sang, read, listened, and contributed to the room on the day, and to Beth Glen and the team at Vinyl Bar for hosting and supporting live music and poetry in the East End.

This episode of Glasgow Sessions is streaming now on Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify.

Glasgow Sessions documents live performance as it happens — unpolished, communal, and rooted in place.

Glasgow Sessions is on Instagram @glasgowsessions

The Vinyl Bar: @vinylbarg1

Poets:

✍️🔥 Dev McMath – @devmcmath

🌿✨ Katie Rose – @silvercoatedbushytailed

Glasgow Sessions – Live at Vinyl Bar (East End, Glasgow)

This episode of Glasgow Sessions was recorded live in the East End at Vinyl Bar on London Road, just off Glasgow Cross. A small, characterful pub built for listening, Vinyl Bar opened its doors to live musicians and poets, turning a Sunday afternoon in early December 2025 into a room full of sound, conversation, and shared attention.

Recorded right in the middle of the bar, this episode captures the space exactly as it was: glasses clinking, regulars chatting, performers setting up and stepping forward, and the natural rhythm of a working pub holding live art. There’s no studio separation here — the atmosphere, the interruptions, and the audience are all part of the recording.

The session officially kicks off with poets stepping into the poetry booth, setting the tone for an ongoing spoken word presence at the venue. Featured poets include Dev McMath and Katie Rose, with more poets from across Glasgow scheduled to come in and record their work in future sessions.

Huge thanks to everyone who played, sang, read, listened, and contributed to the room on the day, and to Beth Glen and the team at Vinyl Bar for hosting and supporting live music and poetry in the East End.

This episode of Glasgow Sessions is streaming now on Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify.

Glasgow Sessions documents live performance as it happens — unpolished, communal, and rooted in place.

In this episode of Glasgow Sessions, host Richard Lee sits down with Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Rosie Green, also known as Rosie Kate Green.

Rosie talks about her journey through the city’s music scene — from busking with a small amp at Loch Lomond Shores to late-night open mics around Glasgow — and how those early experiences shaped her sound and songwriting voice.

The conversation explores her deeply personal, piano-driven pop and indie folk songs, touching on themes of vulnerability, resilience, and mental health. Rosie also opens up about balancing life as a veterinary nurse alongside growing musical ambitions, and the process behind releases like When I Get There, Brick by Brick, and her EP Time What a Funny Thing.

The episode features live, in-studio performances, offering an intimate look at Rosie’s music in its rawest form.

A thoughtful and honest conversation with an emerging voice in the Scottish music scene.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of Glasgow Sessions, host Richard Lee sits down with Stephen Watt (@stephenwattpoet) — one of Scotland’s most distinctive and prolific poets.

Stephen is the author of six poetry collections, the founder of Seahorse Publications, and is widely known as Scotland’s Crime Poet. But there's so much more to him than that.

In this conversation, we explore Stephen’s full story — his working life before poetry, how he found his voice on the spoken word scene, and the experiences that shaped his writing. We talk about his deep love of football and what it means to be Poet-in-Residence at Dumbarton FC. We dig into his passion for punk and the rebellious energy that runs through his work. And Stephen tells us about the unforgettable time he met the legendary John Cooper Clarke.

From award wins — including Poetry Rivals, the Liverpool Poetry Prize, and the StAnza International Digital Poetry Prize — to performing at the Edinburgh Festival and Bloody Scotland, Stephen has carved out a career that's entirely his own.

This episode is packed with stories, laughs, and real insight into the life of a working poet. One not to be missed.

Follow Stephen:

Instagram: @stephenwattpoet

Facebook: Stephen Watt Poet

Follow Glasgow Sessions:

Instagram: @glasgowsessions

Also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Amazon Music.

In this episode of Glasgow Sessions, we bring you a rich mix of live music and spoken word from some of the city’s most exciting grassroots talent.

You’ll hear music from Blair, Suzanne, and Don, performing as Tuath, recorded live at the Park Bar on Argyll Street. They’re joined by guest singer Iona Nicdhaibhidh, whose voice adds something truly special to the session.

The episode also features conversations and poetry from across Glasgow’s vibrant poetry scene, with contributions from Dean Tsang, Drew Gill, Siluouan H, Nate, Martin Rowe, and award-winning poet Aditya Narayan, all reflecting on the city, creativity, and the power of spoken word.

With recordings captured at Speak Easy, Poets’ Corner Glasgow, and the Park Bar, this episode is a snapshot of Glasgow’s live creative culture — raw, honest, and full of character.

Thanks to everyone who took part in making this episode possible, and a special thank you to Dierdre and the staff at the Park Bar for their continued support.

Hosted by Richard Lee.

Recorded in Glasgow just days before the Scottish Languages Act 2025 passed, this episode of Glasgow Sessions captures Scots language poet Keeks Mc right on the cusp of a historic shift for the language. At the time of our conversation, Scots was still fighting for formal recognition – still too often dismissed in institutions – even as poets like Keeks were proving that it is a living, contemporary literary medium.

We talk about what it means to start writing at 40 and rapidly become one of the most distinctive Scots voices in the country, her award‑winning collections Rede Wi Yer Hert and Contermacious Temerity, and the joy and graft of choosing to write exclusively in her ain leed. The conversation ranges through class and language prejudice, humour as a form of resilience, mental health, and the responsibilities that come with speaking from and for a community.

Together we also dig into the backlash faced by Len Pennie (@misspunnypennie) and the huge, undeniable impact she’s had in bringing Scots into everyday feeds, classrooms, and conversations. We talk solidarity, nuance, and why visible, vocal Scots creators matter so much at this particular moment in time.

This is Keeks’ first ever podcast interview – a genuine world‑first for Glasgow Sessions – and you can feel what’s at stake for both Scots and Scottish poetry running underneath the whole conversation.

If you enjoy the episode, please follow us on Instagtam @glasgowsessions, share, and tell a friend. The goal for Glasgow Sessions is to grow onto platforms like BBC Sounds and reach a wider international audience with the voices, stories, and languages that make this city what it is – and your support is a huge part of making that happen.

Glasgow Sessions is created and hosted by Richard Lee.

Recorded in Glasgow just days before the Scottish Languages Act 2025 passed, this episode of Glasgow Sessions captures Scots language poet Keeks Mc right on the cusp of a historic shift for the language. At the time of our conversation, Scots was still fighting for formal recognition – still too often dismissed in institutions – even as poets like Keeks were proving that it is a living, contemporary literary medium.

We talk about what it means to start writing at 40 and rapidly become one of the most distinctive Scots voices in the country, her award‑winning collections Rede Wi Yer Hert and Contermacious Temerity, and the joy and graft of choosing to write exclusively in her ain leed. The conversation ranges through class and language prejudice, humour as a form of resilience, mental health, and the responsibilities that come with speaking from and for a community.

Together we also dig into the backlash faced by Len Pennie (@misspunnypennie) and the huge, undeniable impact she’s had in bringing Scots into everyday feeds, classrooms, and conversations. We talk solidarity, nuance, and why visible, vocal Scots creators matter so much at this particular moment in time.

This is Keeks’ first ever podcast interview – a genuine world‑first for Glasgow Sessions – and you can feel what’s at stake for both Scots and Scottish poetry running underneath the whole conversation.

If you enjoy the episode, please follow us on Instagtam @glasgowsessions, share, and tell a friend. The goal for Glasgow Sessions is to grow onto platforms like BBC Sounds and reach a wider international audience with the voices, stories, and languages that make this city what it is – and your support is a huge part of making that happen.

Glasgow Sessions is created and hosted by Richard Lee.

Straight from the heart of Partick Studios, this episode of Glasgow Sessions brings together four powerful poetic voices for a deep, honest conversation about writing, identity, health, and the cultural fabric of Glasgow.

Joined by Dean, Greg, Harry, and Annie (Taeside), we move beyond performance and into reflection - exploring what it means to write, why creativity so often grows from vulnerability, and how place, body, and self shape the work we put into the world. These conversations are thoughtful, unguarded, and quietly searching, touching on lived experience as much as language.

This is an episode that takes its time. One that invites you to listen closely, sit with difficult questions, and consider the nature of writing not just as craft, but as practice, process, and survival.

With thanks to today’s poets:

Dean — @tsangman93

Greg — @GRS/.

Harry — @harrywritesabit__

Annie — @she.is.a.knee & @taeside_regent

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Music, and Prime Music.