My guest mixer this week is James Evans

James is a music blogger from Twickenham, London. He is also a very patient man, as he sent me this some considerable time ago and has waited, uncomplainingly, while I got around to recording it. You can find his blog here: Embrace The Margin

This is one of those where he sent the notes and I did the recording, so it's just my voice this week I'm afraid. I think it's a great mix: I hope you all enjoy it.

My guest mixer this week is Derek Peplau

Derek, who hails from Connecticut but currently lives in Boston, is another one of those people that I've known online for many years, but this was the first time we'd met (albeit via Zoom).  We first got to know each other via the Wedding Present online forum, and have always had a decent Venn diagram intersection, musically.

It was a pleasure to finally meet him, and he certainly didn't let me down with an interestingly varied mix...

My guest mixer this week is Chris Rand

Chris is the man behind the definitive Half Man Half Biscuit website: The Half Man Half Biscuit Lyrics Project. He is also a lover of  ‘event’ stadium rock, Ipswich Town, cinema and travel. He's pictured on the stevesmixtapes.com page with Nigel Blackwell, who he did try to get on the show; alas, to no avail, as you will hear...

My guest mixer this week is Paul Howarth

Paul, along with Tony Harris (who will also produce a mix at some point, hopefully) presents the Twilight Turntable podcast - a show dedicated to the lost art of listening to whole albums. But he's not averse to the odd mix tape too...

My guest mixer this week is Paul Garratt

Paul contacted me last September to say: "I realise that your podcast guests are becoming more well-known by the week but if you ever wanted a chat with someone you’ve never met who’s not a writer or a musician and has nothing to advertise then can I put my hand up?"

And, of course, I was delighted to have him on, especially as he selected a particularly thoughtful mix.

My guest mixer this week is Jen Ferguson

Jen, who lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, is one of those guests that I was meeting for the very first time when I interviewed her. The connection came about because I (and guest #035 Chris McAvoy) shared a house with her husband James back in our university days. 

It was my new year's resolution to get more female guests on the show, and Jen is only the first of several more on the way!

My guest mixer this week is Ian Gelling

Ian is a long-standing member of the Wedding Present forum, with whom I have stood down the front at many a TWP gig over the years.

A native of the Isle of Man, he is also a huge Cardiacs fan, as will soon become apparent when you listen to his selection...

My guest mixer this week is Ethan Miller

Ethan has played in Comets on Fire, Feral Ohms, Heron Oblivion and Howlin’ Rain. Last year, he teamed up with Bill Orcutt and Steve Shelley to record the Orcutt Shelley Miller album - my number 2 album of 2025 (the #1 being this).

And yes, he's yet another that Steve Shelley put me in touch with - so thanks once again to Steve for providing me another great guest!

My guest mixer this week is Susan Pringle

Given that Christmas is a time for family, it seemed fitting that this episode should feature my mum.

She turned 80 this year but you'd never know it. She was a little nervous about doing it - especially as we had to do the interview twice, my laptop having mangled the first attempt! But I think she did a fine job, and it was a great trip down memory lane for me...

My guest mixer this week is William Benton

William is yet another guest that Steve Shelley was kind enough to put me in touch with. He is the historian and tour guide for the infamous Chelsea Hotel, as well being the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with Cat Casual & the Final Word.