Penfriend's Letterbox

The song that took 15 years to write...sort of. How Radiohead's minidiscs and Barbara Kingsolver galvanised an old song idea into what became the theme tune for this show!

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Get this song plus two more immediately when you order my new album at http://penfriend.rocks/newalbum

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Watch the video at http://penfriend.rocks/cyh

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Thank you for listening! xo

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A peek behind the songwriting curtain at my synthy single "Exotic Monsters".

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Get this song plus two more immediately when you pre-order my new album at http://penfriend.rocks/newalbum

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Watch the video at http://penfriend.rocks/monsters

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Thank you for listening! xo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for listening! Visit http://penfriend.rocks/liela for links to Liela's work and collect two free Penfriend songs while you're there. My album pre-order just launched too at http://penfriend.rocks/newalbum <3

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In this conversation, we discuss learning to give space to other aspects of life as a touring musician, evolving as an artist – letting go of the ego-driven side of being on stage while still being in love with singing and words, the life-changing power of meditation – Liela’s experience of silent Vipassana retreats and how to bring the benefits of meditation into everyday life *and* music making, releasing an album during COVID-19 – the reasons for going ahead and blushing all day long – the day Liela got to sing with Nick Cave.

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All my work is sponsored by The Correspondent's Club, who have been powering the making of new music and podcasts since May 2020. Browse free and paid tiers at http://penfriend.rocks/join

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If you're interested in trying meditation after listening to this episode, my recommendations were:

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Yoga With Adriene - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yoga+with+adriene+meditation

The Mindful Movement - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu_mPlZbomAgNzfAUElRL7w

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Until next week... xoxo

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Thanks for listening! Visit http://penfriend.rocks/mike for links to Mike's work and collect two free Penfriend songs while you're there.

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In this conversation, we discuss how a teenage Cat Stevens inspired a slightly younger teenage Mike Batt to write songs, blagging versus reaching - using projects to teach yourself how to do the thing you've been hired to do, savvy negotiating - how refusing a one-off payment to write for The Wombles while broke led to great things, what it feels like to bet hundreds of thousands of pounds on an artist through buying TV advertising and why someone needs to invent anti-gravitational brandy sauce.

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All my work is sponsored by The Correspondent's Club, who have been powering the making of new music and podcasts since May 2020. Browse free and paid tiers at http://penfriend.rocks/join

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My new single "Exotic Monsters" is available wherever you get music, but the best way to support me directly is to visit http://penfriend.rocks/monsters - and you can watch the brand new video there as well. Hooray!

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Until next week... xoxo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for listening! Visit http://penfriend.rocks/liz for links to Liz's work with The Beths and collect two free Penfriend songs while you're there.

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In this conversation, we discuss the value of establishing creative rules for songwriting and making videos, touring New Zealand during the pandemic, and Beths' bassist Ben's secret breakfast blog, the success - and shelf life - of an indie band, coping mechanisms for happier touring - why The Beths always take a cricket bat on the road and the ever-expanding skillset of the modern musician.

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This episode was sponsored by a kind member of The Correspondent's Club, who have been powering the making of new music and podcasts since May 2020. Browse free and paid tiers at http://penfriend.rocks/join

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My new single "Exotic Monsters" is available wherever you get music, but the best way to support me directly is to visit http://penfriend.rocks/monsters - and you can watch the brand new video there as well. Hooray!

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Until next week... xoxo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for listening! Visit http://penfriend.rocks/rlt for links to Rebecca's work and collect two free Penfriend songs while you're there!

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In this episode, we talked about how becoming a solo artist and making exactly the work she wanted drastically changed Rebecca's mental health, how dancing brought RLT back to her body, bridging the gap between Slow Club and Self Esteem and bringing her joy, becoming a badge entrepreneur - how designing badges and fulfulling her own merch during lockdown has helped Rebecca feel useful (despite having the handwriting of a little naughty boy"!), the pros and cons of relentless touring, and how that changes as you grow older and wiser and leaving no surface unstatemented - how RLT is making up for lost time after years of not being able to say what she meant.

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Thanks to Angie Stallings for sponsoring this episode via my Correspondent's Club, powering the making of new music and podcasts since May 2020. Check out Jekyll's Basement in Florida for all your curio and collectibles!

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Browse free and paid tiers at http://penfriend.rocks/join

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My new single "Exotic Monsters" is available wherever you get music, but the best way to support me directly is to visit http://penfriend.rocks/monsters - and keep your eyes peeled for the video on my YouTube channel.

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Until next week... xoxo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for listening! Visit http://penfriend.rocks/david for links to David's work and collect two free Penfriend songs while you're there!

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In this episode, we talked about how David's brush with the music industry, how he survived a breakdown to create a thriving career as a lone wolf figure, why pumping content into the world isn't beneficial for popular music and song as an art form, and why we shouldn’t judge artists on the quality of their accountancy. I also quizzed David on his brilliant song "State Of The Union", he kindly broke it down for us and I accepted a songwriting challenge.

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Thanks to my Correspondent's Club for powering the making of new music and podcasts since May 2020. Browse free and paid tiers at http://penfriend.rocks/join

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My new single "Exotic Monsters" is available wherever you get music, but the best way to support me directly is to visit http://penfriend.rocks/monsters

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Until next week... xoxo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for listening! Visit http://penfriend.rocks/kat for links to Kat's work and collect two free Penfriend songs while you're there!

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In this episode, we talked about what it's like to do well on the biggest TV talent show going, and how Kat built an independent career afterwards, how failure and setbacks bring a whole new world of possibility, and the mental health impact of losing the validation of a live audience during the pandemic. Also, how some sage advice and support from Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman helped set Kat on her journey towards creating Misfit Cabaret, what to do when famous artist managers say you're not "leading lady pretty" plus the importance of our patrons and why we love and appreciate them so much.

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Thanks to Nick Xylas for sponsoring this episode via my Correspondent's Club, powering the making of new music and podcasts since May 2020. Browse free and paid tiers at http://penfriend.rocks/join

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My new single "Exotic Monsters" is available wherever you get music, but the best way to support me directly is to visit http://penfriend.rocks/monsters

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Until next week... xoxo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Visit penfriend.rocks/robin for links to Robin's work, and get two free Penfriend songs when you sign up to my mailing list.

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All music in this series is by yours truly, and the song at the end of this episode is my collaboration with Rat from Ned's Atomic Dustbin. Get "Let It Snow" as a pay what you want/can download and pre-order the limited edition pink 7" vinyl / CD at http://penfriend.rocks/let-it-snow

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Thanks for listening!

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Visit penfriend.rocks/rat for links to get hold of our new song PLUS tickets for Ned's Atomic Dustbin live in London and Stourbridge in 2021, and get two free Penfriend songs when you sign up to my mailing list.

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Ned’s Atomic Dustbin are an English rock band formed in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in November 1987. Formed at sixth-form college, the band recorded their first album while some of the members were still teenagers. 

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From these humble beginnings, the band went on to sign to Sony Music, and their debut album “Godfodder” shot to number 4 in the UK albums chart in 1991. They released three albums and travelled the world, plus played Top Of The Pops twice before disbanding in 1995. In 2008, Ned’s reformed for a show at The Astoria, and since then have been playing regular reunion shows with The Wonder Stuff and Pop Will Eat Itself.

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In 2019 they released 14-track album “Ned’s Acoustic Dustbin”, and in 2021 they will be performing in London and Stourbridge to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “The Ingredients” EP.

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Thanks for listening! xo

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