Join my conversation with singer, songwriter Nathan Timothy.  Recorded a few weeks in to the Covid-19 lockdown in the UK, we discuss his new album "Chasing The Positive" which includes tales of meetings with Nile Rogers and Howard Jones, inspiration from Barry Manilow, and making the tourist's rookie error of photographing Paris with no film in the camera.  There are also includes Muppets and Steve Coogan.

This is Nathan's 7th album and as you'll hear, the process was part inspired by the death of his sister, Kate who passed away in July 2012.  In 2013 Nathan set up 'Project K' in memory of her.  Totally funded by the charity, the team delivered the 'Master Peace' songwriting programme in Welsh schools during June and July culminating in a very special concert at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff where videos featuring the children's original songs were played in HD on a huge screen.

Nathan Timothy Foundation - The Songwriting Charity was set up in July 2011. In 2012 the charity was awarded the Official Olympic Inspire Mark by LOCOG for its 'Sports Tracks' songwriting programme.  Since its formation the Songwriting Charity team have worked in hundreds of schools - working face to face with over 90,000 children - inspiring and engaging them to learn about music and feel good about themselves through the songwriting process.

Find and follow Nathan here:

Website

Facebook

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Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online.  A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com

What seems like a long, long time ago - before such things as gathering on a weekend afternoon with a bunch of friends to observe two teams take part in competitive sport became an impossible luxury - I met with the fabulous Minnie Birch to discuss her imminently released new album.

You're Not Singing Anymore is a collection of football songs.  Not the "Ozzie's Dream" type though.  These are the songs and chants that reflect one of the lasting oral traditions of our time where hundreds, or often thousands of people will gather together and sing communally.

For this album, Minnie sought out those terrace songs that derive directly from traditional folks tunes, and added in a fine selection of contemporary tunes from modern artists Billy Bragg, Steve O'Donaghue plus her own original composition "Cash Out".

As the current weekly joining of neighbourhoods to celebrating our care workers has perhaps demonstrated, along with images we saw from Italy and other nations - gatherings of people to share in familiar melodies can create something quite magical.

Our discussion brought out many memories of family and friends, along with discussion of the origins of the songs.  Minnie is always great company, and I hope you enjoy this episode even as it reminds us that it will be a wonderful moment when we are once again able to join together with our friends and sing... even if it is just for the simple joy of encouraging seagull defecation in the general direction of your rivals.

Find and follow Minnie Birch here:

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Extras!!

George Best at Hibernian

My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean - Scottish?

Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online.  A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com

"There's not even a Costa"

This episode finds me in conversation with Mark Holt and Ian Kinsey, collectively known as Metronaut.  Their album To The Moon is the culmination of 2 years work focused on celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the historic first moon landing, and was originally released in 4 EP "phases" the broadly tell the story of the journey - leaving, travelling, landing and returning.

As always there is the odd diversion in to other subjects along the way but mainly it's fascinating to hear how the tracks came together to form a brilliant tribute to a momentous event that seems unlikely to be repeated, at least not in the immediate future.

And also another chance for me to offer my thanks again to the guys for supplying the brilliant theme tune for the show.

Find and follow Metronaut here:

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Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online.  A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com 

"It’s not just a phase mum!"

Welcome to another edition of The BIG Sound Machine podcast -  this episode featuring a conversation with Ravi Amruth about his 10 years in the making debut album Tracks to Lay Down On, but covering much more stuff in the process.

Like what you say? (Did you say?)...

Like how his long song titles and use of parenthesis are inspired by Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco influences.  The discovery that a chorus is a group of people.  That, apart from a couple of bits he played and recorded all the instruments on the album.  That it's tempting to move on when you've finished making something but you also want to honour what you've created.  And why digital streaming can really throw a spanner in the works when you've spent ages working out crossfades between tracks.

All that, and how Ravi really didn't rip off David Bowie.

Unmissable I'd say.

Find and follow Ravi here:

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Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online.  A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com

This episode I was joined at The Cream Room by John Vaites, main writer and performer as The Corvideros, to discuss the album "Nothing You Can't Do Without".

Recorded at The Cream Room (produced by me), the album has been a long held ambition that began to take proper form during 2018.  With bandmates Richard, Ian and Lucia the recording took place over a couple of weeks during spring last year.  John tells about his song writing process,  lyrics and melodic influences and find out why Bob Dylan and Get Carter lead me to a tell story about the chippy sauce unique to my home town!

And yes, Audrey Hepburn did sing Moon River

Find and follow The Corvideros here:

The Corvideros Website

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Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online.  A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com

For this episode I was joined at The Cream Room by Jack and George - two members and 100% of The Cardinal Kings.  The boys started writing together in their mid teens and their journey to date includes multiple live and festival appearances plus singles EPs and videos.  The debut album Telefones was released in summer of 2019.

As always, expect chat about the album writing and production process plus stories of (fixed?) competitions, the expense of video shoots, and the vexing question of the provenance of Avocados.

Find and follow The Cardinal Kings here:

Cardinal Kings Web

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YouTube (Old Habits)

Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online.  A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com

Letchworth based musician Ray Cordell released his second album Bailey Bird in November 2019.  Taking inspiration from a name on a gravestone encountered while attending a conference, the album isn't biographical and isn't quite a concept album but the story of Bailey weaves it's way through the tracks nonetheless.

Find and follow Ray here:

raycordell.com

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YouTube

Also mentioned in this episode...

Andrew Roachford

Budgie

Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online.  A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com

It's Ben Drake doing the talking but, as he'll be quick to tell you, it takes more than one person to make a band - let alone a collective!  A very keen advocate of the album format and with a very sharp eye focused on world events and the human condition, tracks on the new album Afterglow reflect these themes strongly without being over blown;  delivered with passion, grit and the occasional acoustic ballad.

Ben wears his influences well, with songs that immediately call to mind the best of 90's British rock while never feeling like a nostalgic throwback.

Find and Follow The Ben Drake Collective here

Spotify

Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online.  A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com

Inspired by songwriters including Damien Rice, Glen Hansard and Neil Young - Elliot Porter's debut E.P Sleeping Under The Stars as released in November 2012.  It includes the track She Only Goes which held the number one spot on Cambridge 105FM’s unsigned chart for 13 weeks and also led to a nomination for Best Male Solo Artist at The Cambridge NMG Awards.

Debut album Lanes was released in March 2019, with production by by Dave Gerard and featuring some stellar musicians including members of Elliot's Family.  3 singles have been released from the album so far, including the current release Lights of Piccadilly.

You can find  and follow Elliot on Spotify and have a look at the videos for Lights of Piccadilly and What Happened to Our Love on YouTube

https://www.elliotporter.co.uk/

Thanks for listening.

Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks at www.bigsoundmachine.org.  The BIG Sound Machine is a Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden.  Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon.

www.martintheproducer.com