Where Love Lives

Welcome back to Where Love Lives, with me, Lulu Le Vay.

This month I was able to entice into the studios at Soho Radio in London ‘Boogie Chanteuse’ Amy Douglas, who was over from her home in Brooklyn, New York to launch her new project Hard Feelings with Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard. Since recording the interview the album has received accolades all over the shop – including 6 Music’s album of the week – which is no big surprise. It’s a modern slice of sleazy bathhouse disco. Amy is an amazing singer and performer but she is also a talented songwriter, having collaborated with the likes of Roisin Murphy and disco kings Horse Meat Disco. She has an impressive repertoire, so do check her out. But be warned, her vocals might smash your windows!

If you like this podcast please do review, subscribe, like and share the love with your friends!

Welcome back to Where Love Lives, with me, Lulu Le Vay.

In this month’s podcast I have had the joy in interviewing my new pals, all female sound system Nzinga Soundz, formed in the 1980s, whom I met last year when I was researching a project on women DJs. Every now and then some people come into your life that take you by surprise, and to be honest, it was a bit of love at first meet. Nzinga Soundz are the legends that are DJ Ade (Lynda Rosenior-Patten) and Junie Rankin (June Reid). And they are one of the UK’s longest running all women sound systems. Their musical repertoire spans reggae, soul, calypso, African, Latin and Jazz (and June has admitted to dropping a bit of Rod Stewart), and over four decades they have played at community events through to supporting reggae giants Burning Spear. As well as being hugely knowledgeable practitioners, they are also active in research and academia – they are at the forefront of discussions about women’s contribution to sound system culture. Do check them out, as they are really fabulous and your lives will feel much richer knowing more about them!

If you like this podcast please do review, subscribe, like and share the love with your friends! 

Welcome to the 4th episode of Where Love Lives! We’re 4 episodes in already and I’m really enjoying this first season, I hope you are too!

So far, we have had musical guests, Jazzie B, Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy and most recently Smokin’ Jo, but I really want to make the guests on the podcast as varied as possible, so for this episode I'm delighted to have as my guest author and journalist Sophie Heawood, who popped into the podcast studios at Soho Radio for a chinwag about the things she loves, outside of the traditional romantic narrative.

I wanted to have Sophie on as my guest as I was really interested in her book, The Hungover Games, which is a memoir about how she was jolted into adulthood as a single mother by accidentally falling pregnant in LA after a one night stand, and how she has coped with being situated outside of family norms by "having some of the pages missing." There is so much negative representation of single motherhood, so I wanted to celebrate Sophie and her book, and also make those women listening to this show – and all people – who also feel like they sit outside the dominant narrative to feel heard and seen. 

Where Love Lives is basically a middle finger to societal expectations of femininity and normative notions of how we can find happiness and joy in our lives. So join me and Sophie, middle fingers firmly up, to chat about her loves which include the constantly sunny LA and the strong bonds she has with her teddy bears…

If you like this podcast please do review, subscribe, like and share the love with your friends!

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NB: This episode was recorded in June 2021, so some references  may be out of context due to times/changes in COVID rules.

Lulu Le Vay presents her debut podcast, Where Love Lives! This isn’t a podcast dedicated to romantic love, but instead explores life’s pleasures and meaningful connections through conversation with a wide range of creatives.

This third episode features DJ and yoga wunderkind, Joanne Joseph, otherwise known as Smokin’ Jo. Jo has been DJing since 1990, and now teaches yoga. And she’s very very good, trust me, my bum cheeks know…

Jo has had a truly successful career and over her 29 years behind the decks she has played in pretty much every corner of the globe and in every major nightclub you could care to mention: Space (Ibiza and Miami), Fabric (London) Womb and Aghea (Tokyo), Panorama Bar (Berlin), Warung (Brazil), Cavo Paradiso (Mykonos), Pacha, Crobar and Vinyl (New York), Zouk (Singapore), and Cocoon (Frankfurt,) are just some of the venues she has played in recent years. 

This interview was recorded just when lockdown was lifting, so some of the lockdown references may seem a touch out of context.

I love this interview with Jo, she’s extremely warm, good humoured and open, and I thank her for sharing some very moving insights about her life. This interview is a great example of why nightlife culture and music are so important in forming meaningful, inclusive communities, which we discuss while exploring the things she loves… do make sure you subscribe, like and share this podcast with your friends.

NB: This episode was recorded in June 2021, so some references  may be out of context due to times/changes in COVID rules.

Lulu Le Vay presents her debut podcast, Where Love Lives! This isn’t a podcast dedicated to romantic love, but instead explores life’s pleasures and meaningful connections through conversation with a wide range of creatives, from DJs, singers and musicians through to writers, artists, directors and designers. Some you have heard of, and some that you haven’t.

This second episode welcomes the fabulous Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy.  I interviewed her for the Face magazine when she moved to London in 1999, and we've been pals ever since. Colleen is the real deal. Mentored by the great/late David Mancuso – who founded New York's seminal Loft parties in the 1970s – Colleen is very much her own woman with an authentic musical path. She's a highly respected and experienced musical selector and curator in her own right, founder of the album listening event and content hub Classic Album Sundays and an authority on music, sound and the vinyl renaissance.

NB: This episode was recorded May 2021, so some references to gigs may be out of context due to times/changes in COVID rules.

Lulu Le Vay presents her debut podcast, Where Love Lives! This isn’t a podcast dedicated to romantic love, but instead explores life’s pleasures and meaningful connections through conversation with a wide range of creatives, from DJs, singers and musicians through to writers, artists, directors and designers. Some you have heard of, and some that you haven’t. 

This first episode is with Jazzie B of Soul II Soul fame... a massive personality, and a great laugh too... He's celebrating the launch of his new book A Happy Face, A Thumpin' Bass, For A Loving' Race which is out this September.

For those who don't know (shame on you!) Jazzie was born Beresford Romeo, 26 January 1963, London, England. The larger-than-life svengali Jazzie B. began his musical apprenticeship on the London sound system circuit before fronting the enormous international success of Soul II Soul. As such, Jazzie B. is widely credited with having pioneered a renaissance in British soul and dance music in the late 80s. Jazzie B. continues to occupy himself by running his studio complex in Camden, north London and still maintains a close relationship with his pet tortoise...

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