Adam talks with American musician Eleanor Friedberger.

Hi. Adam Buxton here with some notes and links for you about this week’s guest.

Eleanor and her brother Matthew formed the core of The Fiery Furnaces, who put out a series of brilliantly strange records from 2000 - 2011. Matthew and Eleanor now work on solo projects but haven’t officially laid the The Fiery Furnaces to rest.

My conversation with Eleanor was recorded in February 2016 and we talked about some of her favourite albums, her working relationship with her brother, whether or not fans should be interested in the private lives of the artists they admire, and her lyrics. Eleanor also performed a version of one of her songs exclusively for the podcast. 

And in my outro waffle I bollock on about a couple of music documentaries I enjoyed this week. No, really, you’re welcome.

FIERY FURNACES MUSIC MONTAGE in the intro includes clips from:

Benton Harbour Blues (from Bitter Tea, 2006)

Never (from Bitter Tea, 2006)

Evergreen (from EP, 2005)

Two Fat Feet (from Gallowsbird’d Bark, 2003)

Chief Inspector Blancheflower (from Blueberry Boat, 2006)

Tropical Iceland (from Gallowsbird’d Bark, 2003)

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support.

Music and jingles by Adam Buxton

RELATED LINKS

ELEANOR’S FAVOURITE ALBUMS (THE QUIETUS WEBSITE) (2016)

http://thequietus.com/articles/19617-eleanor-friedberger-favourite-albums-interview?page=6

ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER - MAKE ME A SONG (2018)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmjcSz8aV1Y

ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER - HE DIDN’T MENTION HIS MOTHER (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dj0s16RMa0

ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER - MY MISTAKES (2011)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRUOoSKt6Kg

THE FIERY FURNACES - POLICE SWEATER BLOOD VOW (2006)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atFoVNJxr7c

THE FIERY FURNACES - CHIEF INSPECTOR BLANCHEFLOWER (2004)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qTkqFvftcE

THE FIERY FURNACES - WHAT’S IN MY BAG? (ELEANOR & MATTHEW BUY RECORDS AT AMOEBA IN LA) (2011)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJUlMQ5PDL8&t=2s

THE SMITH TAPES - HOWARD SMITH INTERVIEWS GEORGE HARRISON (CD on DISCOGS)

https://www.discogs.com/Eric-Clapton-George-Harrison-Howard-Smith-Clapton-Harrison-The-Smith-Tapes/release/11642294

HIP HOP EVOLUTION TRAILER (2016)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm3J5640jXo

THE DEFIANT ONES TRAILER (2017)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP7b8xaWmG0

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Adam talks with British comedian Bob Mortimer.

Hi. Adam Buxton here with some notes about Bob and this episode.

For nearly 30 years Bob and his comedy partner Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves) have stuck doggedly to what makes them laugh whether mainstream audiences get it or not, with shows like ‘The Smell Of Reeves & Mortimer’, ‘Bang Bang It’s Reeves & Mortimer’, ‘Catterick’, and ‘House Of Fools’ as well as the occasional reboots of the massively popular panel show ‘Shooting Stars’ and the show that introduced them to the world in 1990, ‘Big Night Out’. 

Consistently and inexhaustibly joyful, energetic and absurd, their parade of characters, silly voices, home made props and a sensibility that is often close to avant garde performance art, has made them two of the best loved and most influential comedians the UK has ever produced. 

When not working with Jim, Bob enjoys watching football. He’s an avid supporter of Middlesbrough FC and is currently the co host along with comedy writer Andy Dawson of the vaguely football themed podcast, ‘Athletico Mince’. It’s up with the funniest stuff Bob’s ever done.

My conversation with Bob, took place in the London office of his agent and for a while we had to battle with some quite loud talkers in the corridor outside doing agent business (I was too weedy to ask them to be quiet), but that calmed down after a little while and we rambled about getting older, the TV shows that Bob enjoys, his new fishing show with old friend and fellow comedian Paul Whitehouse, music, petty crime and now and then we looked back over a few Vic & Bob moments from the last 30 years. 

It was a fun conversation that often revealed a softer and more gentle side to Bob than people might expect. It’s a good bet that he would feel quite deeply nauseated by that last sentence and perhaps a few before too.

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and Matt Lamont for additional editing. Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

RELATED LINKS

THE SMELL OF REEVES & MORTIMER (1995) ‘MASTERCHEF’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os82UYqssSc

SHOOTING STARS (2002) GEORGE DAWES (MATT LUCAS) ‘PEANUTS’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=59&v=lMPJZ4YZnqI

CATTERICK (2004) EPISODE 1 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVrcNXm0z3Y

SHOOTING STARS (2010) ‘COLDLAND’ (ICELAND ADVERT SPOOF)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2FJITNSlCQ

VIC & BOB’S BIG NIGHT OUT (2017) ‘FIRST DATES’

https://youtu.be/fjGXqeD6W_w?list=PLdqTDdzCk1-bQaH66D9L4n2lYZpp2MSwe&t=438

ATHLETICO MINCE (2018) ‘THE FUN BUS’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puBNysxaHXI

THE WEEKENDERS (1992)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDAR06SEQf8

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Adam talks with British actor, writer, character comedian and improvisor Cariad Lloyd (Austentatious, Murder In Successville, Drunk History etc.) about birth, middle age, funny accents, growing up in a ‘cult’ and why talking about death on a podcast is more fun than it sounds.

CARIAD NOTES

Hello, Adam Buxton here. My conversation with Cariad was recorded in February 2017. Why the delay putting it out Buckles? Well, long term podcats will know that some of the conversations I record take a long time to emerge because of the slightly ad hoc way me, Séamus and my occasional edit helpers go about getting each episode ready and figuring out where they should sit in the running order. We’re trying to get more organised but from time to time guests do experience significant delays. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

When we recorded our conversation Cariad and I were both at pivotal moments in our lives. Cariad had just had a baby but her happiness at the new arrival was mixed with sadness that her father, who died suddenly when she was just 15, was not around to see his grandchild. We spoke about that and had a fun chat about mortality in general. As for me, I had just attended the NME Awards which made me feel very old for various reasons. Regular listeners will have heard me moaning about this before and Cariad was not spared…

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and Jack Bushell for additional editing.

Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

RELATED LINKS

GRIEFCAST

https://www.acast.com/griefcast

AUSTENTATIOUS 

http://www.austentatiousimpro.com/

THE AMERICANS

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/may/30/secrets-lies-new-cold-war-how-the-americans-became-topical

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT est 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/04/06/the_true_story_of_est_the_pop_psychology_group_that_seduces_philip_in_this.html

SMERSHPOD - TAFFIN SPECIAL

https://www.acast.com/smershpod/smershsidespecial-taffin

RHLSTP - BRIAN BLESSED

https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/richard_herring_lst_podcast/rhlstp_175_brian_blessed/

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Adam talks to British producer and director Fenton Bailey one of the co founders of TV production company World Of Wonder, responsible for Rupaul's Drag Race, Jon Ronson's Secret Rulers Of The World and The Adam & Joe Show)

THIS PODCAST HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR A WEBBY AWARD!

You can vote for me at wbby.co/pod-int

Voting is open until Thursday, April 19th, 2018

Thanks!

DOWNLOAD THE FREE ADAM BUXTON APP

http://adam-buxton.co.uk/app

EP.72 - FENTON BAILEY NOTES

Hello, Adam here. As I write these notes myself I thought I may as well start doing it in the first person rather than pretend I have someone to do it for me. It’s more or less a transcript of my spoken introduction, but here it is for your reference pleasure. 

Podcast number 72 features a conversation with an important figure in my life, British born producer and director Fenton Bailey who, along with his partner Randy Barbato, set up the production company World Of Wonder. 

In the early 90s I would stay up late and watch 'Manhattan Cable'. It was one of a number of World Of Wonder programmes that showcased and celebrated marginal culture, often with a trashy or camp aesthetic although from time to time they also produced shows like 'LA Stories' and Jon Ronson’s series 'The Secret Rulers Of The World' that had a more serious journalistic edge.

In an effort to tap into British homemade video culture Channel 4 commissioned World Of Wonder to make a show called ‘Takeover TV’ in 1995. I sent in some videos I’d made while at art school and ended up presenting several episodes. By that time Joe Cornish was also involved and we went on the make ‘The Adam & Joe Show’ for Channel 4 between 1997 and 2001, with much of it shot and edited in World Of Wonder’s office opposite Brixton tube in South London.

Although the bulk of World of Wonder’s output, which currently includes the phenomenally successful ‘Rupaul’s Drag Race’, is overseen from their offices in Los Angeles, Fenton and Randy met in New York in the early 80s. It was in NY that they formed their electronic dance duo, The Fabulous Pop Tarts, and in the course of gigging around New York’s clubs they met not only drag artist and musician RuPaul but the so called Club Kids, a group of outrageous party scenesters whose number included Michael Alig. Fenton & Randy had already begun filming the antics of the Club Kids when Michael Alig and his roommate Robert Riggs murdered fellow Club Kid Angel Melendez.

The story formed the basis of World of Wonder’s 1998 documentary ‘Party Monster - The Shockumentary’, and was further adapted as a 2003 feature film ‘Party Monster’ starring Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green.

My conversation with Fenton took place in November 2017 at World Of Wonder’s LA offices.

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support.

Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

RELATED LINKS

MANHATTAN CABLE (1991)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF4GjU6W9i0

LA STORIES - THE RIOTS THAT SHOOK THE CITY (1992)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyIZp3XZ6Hs

‘PARTY MONSTER - THE SHOCKUMENTARY’ (1988)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYvDm-9ofSs

MICHAEL ALIG & THE CLUB KIDS ON ‘GERALDO’ (1990)

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

Adam talks with British comedian, actor and writer Jayde Adams. 

JAYDEFAX

As you’ll hear Jayde began her performing career on a sad note following the death of her older sister Jenna in 2011. That encouraged Jayde to leave her native Bristol and start doing comedy, often in London drag clubs like Sink The Pink, Jonny Woo’s Unroyal Variety, The Glory and The Vauxhall Tavern.

Just three years later she won the 2014 Funny Women Award and in 2016 was a nominee at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. She’s in Edinburgh again this year with her third show, an homage to Bette Midler entitled 'The Divine Ms Jayde’ (Pleasance Courtyard, 9.30pm, August).

Adam & Jayde recorded their conversation in February 2018. 

WARNING! Includes frank discussions of a sexual nature and there’s also some dead rat chat.

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support.

Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

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Adam travels to Paris to meet his old friend, British director Garth Jennings. After a brief catch up, Garth introduces Adam to his old friend, and fellow Paris dweller, Wes Anderson of Texas, USA.

The conversation was recorded in early March 2018 shortly before the release of Anderson’s 9th feature, and 2nd foray into stop motion (after Fantastic Mr Fox) Isle Of Dogs. 

Set in a dystopian near-future Japan, Isle Of Dogs follows a young boy who goes in search of his dog after the whole species is banished to an island due to an illness outbreak.

Adam, Garth and Wes enjoy a rambly chat about the production of Isle of Dogs and stop motion in general, David Bowie (of course), Mary Poppins, cantankerous cast members and other important odds and sods. 

WES ANDERSON FILMOGRAPHY

1996 - BOTTLE ROCKET

1998 - RUSHMORE

2001 - THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS

2004 - THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU

2007 - THE DARJEELING LIMITED

2009 - THE FANTASTIC MR FOX

2012 - MOONRISE KINGDOM

2014 - THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

2018 - ISLE OF DOGS

Bowie Trumps are made by Casey Raymond and currently available on line from Etsy.com

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support.

Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

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Adam talks with British actor and comedian Lolly Adefope about working with Steve Buscemi and Daniel Radcliffe, her early forays into comedy at university, music, offensive language and whether she should watch The Crown (she really doesn’t want to but Adam tries to convince her to give it a go).

Also Adam’s dog Rosie spots a deer and runs off into the wood, yipping, giving Adam an opportunity to try out his new pet tracker. Exciting eh?

TECHNICAL NOTE - Apologies for the ‘roomy’ sound quality during my conversation with Lolly. This was due to the host (a terrible man) failing to actually turn the mics on and having to use the emergency dictaphone back up for the edit. 

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and Matt Lamont for conversation editing. 

Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

Adam Buxton’s Old Bits DVD is out now from gofasterstripe.com

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Adam talks with Welsh journalist, screenwriter and film maker Jon Ronson (‘So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed’, ‘The Psychopath Test’, ‘The Men Who Stare At Goats’, co writer of the films ‘Frank’ & ‘Okja’) about, amongst other things, his recent audio series ’The Butterfly Effect’ in which Jon meets people affected in a variety of surprising ways by the spread of free internet pornography.

As Jon himself says of ‘The Butterfly Effect’: “It's sad, funny, moving and totally unlike some other nonfiction stories about porn - because it isn't judgmental or salacious. It's human and sweet and strange and lovely.”

But are there times when being judgmental serves a useful purpose, even if it’s annoying, hurtful or in the context of pornography, hypocritical? That isn’t just a random rhetorical question - it does actually get discussed in the podcast.

Jon also tells Adam about meeting British columnist and provocateur Katie Hopkins, considers the case for declaring Donald Trump mentally ill and shares a few podcast recommendations.

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and Jack Bushell for additional editing. 

Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

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Adam talks with Irish actor, stand-up comedian and writer Aisling Bea about getting soaked in exotic locations, the time things got weird when they both refused to wear free shoes at a comedy gig, the influences that paved the path to Aisling’s career in stand up, weird on-set behaviour, confrontations and the value of difficult conversations.

Aisling also talks about the article she wrote last year for The Guardian in which she described losing her father when she was very young and how she dealt with learning the truth about his death years later. 

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and Jack Bushell for additional editing. 

Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

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Adam talks with American writer Michael Lewis (The Big Short, Money Ball, Liar’s Poker etc.) about his book ‘The Undoing Project’, which tells the story of the friendship and fascinating work of psychologists Amos Tversky and Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman.

Much of the work of Tversky and Kahneman focuses on the human capacity to make errors of judgment based on unhelpful prejudices and rules of thumb that frequently operate beneath the level of our awareness. 

Michael explains a few of these to Adam (who has never engaged in fallacies or systematic errors of any kind) as well as talking about the tensions that shaped Kahneman and Tversky’s friendship.

The conversation was recorded when Michael was visiting London in November 2017.

Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and Matt Lamont for additional editing. 

Music & jingles by Adam Buxton

Thanks to SonicCouture for instrument plug-in fun and Dan Hawkins for on-line bass.

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