[00:00:04] Speaker A: I believe we should be live from a quiet, quaint little undisclosed village and the East Lothian area.
And I have a special guest. Becky Wallace is in the house.
Becky, can you hear me?
[00:00:21] Speaker B: Hello. Hi. How you doing? Mark, you're so secretive. You're so elusive with your secret locations.
[00:00:28] Speaker A: Well, I just feel. I just don't want anyone to find me. I don't want anyone to talk to me.
[00:00:34] Speaker B: Festival season. Quiet in it.
[00:00:36] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, I just think that if I told people where I was, somebody that I know would live like in the same village and we go and end up going to the pub or something. So it's like.
[00:00:46] Speaker B: Right, obviously that bit.
[00:00:50] Speaker A: It's. No, they would just be asking if they can get a shot, a festival or something. But yeah, I just wanted. I'm just trying to enjoy some quiet, some.
Some. Some space away. Festival season, as you know, it's quite a lot. It's quite a lot.
And I've just canceled Soul Fest, my first ever gig that I've canceled. But I'm not doing Soulfish this weekend. I can.
[00:01:13] Speaker B: Oh, that's a shame.
[00:01:14] Speaker A: I'm moon bitty to the max. I can idea. It's. It's agony. It's all right.
[00:01:19] Speaker B: It's a lot of walking, man. Even if you get a good parking space, it's still a lot of walking. And then you've got to look all your gear and then there' inevitable many side quests that you're going to need to go on or.
[00:01:32] Speaker A: Or even if. If I can't do the side quest and I'm just going to be sitting like a kid that's been told they can't get any ice cream at the beach or something. You know, I'll be raging because all these bands that I want to see, but they're mails away, so I. It's not. And it's like. I think it's about three hours drive to Cumbria as well. So it's a lot.
So I. I'm not doing it.
[00:01:55] Speaker B: Letter from Cumbria and he's parking fine. No, no, I. Speaking from Cumbria just there.
So I'm in Cumbria's bad books.
[00:02:05] Speaker A: I. Well, just don't pay them. I think I've got friends.
[00:02:09] Speaker B: Get any trouble, you get in luck.
[00:02:11] Speaker A: No. Yeah, well. But no, I've got friends that give really bad advice that just say, yeah, I don't know, you just say that you're sovereign or something and then you don't need to pay it and that's.
[00:02:20] Speaker B: Would that be.
[00:02:22] Speaker A: Oh, God. Good friends. Good friends. But I don't always take legal advice off them in the same way that I've also got beautiful happy friends that I don't take medical advice from with regards to my foot or my back injury that I had before which is just like you know Ricky and I'm like just stay away for the injury. Just stay away to it.
[00:02:49] Speaker B: Man. As one step over for me just one step too far over the cuckoo's nest. But I love all my Reiki friends.
[00:02:56] Speaker A: Hey shouts to the Reiki friends. This is not a dis. It's just like here I'm open minded and skeptical about a lot of things and I have actually what I think I think these things can work. I think for example the smell of sage I was skeptical about that but whether it's placebo or not see before I'm a bit anxious before I go on stage somebody's get stage I go sage me and for whatever reason that thing works. So I'm open minded it's just that when I've got an actual painful injury I just want all my happy friends to stay away from the injury.
[00:03:30] Speaker B: I like just for a wee bit like in a happy quote that was just like sage before stage though like that's true.
[00:03:37] Speaker A: Yes this the sage manager. You need a sage manager. A stage manager. But yeah I'm still. I'm still. I'm still going to Glasgow tomorrow so if anyone if you listen to this on Thursday that's you may be listening to an audio podcast and it's Too late, 22nd Friday 22nd August Tomorrow we are playing Gyro Babies are playing a gig with Jeremy Corbin Tina Sandwich and Calvin Baird is part of the music for the many charity and then the big ones bar is on 31st August for Soapy Fest and I just feel like going to the festival would would probably put the bars gig at risk so jeopardy.
[00:04:14] Speaker B: We don't need that man. That's a big one. That's the one that counts is is.
[00:04:19] Speaker A: So but anyway that's enough about me. That's me getting my plugs out the way you've just finished an album and you've been a busy summer as well. I seen I nearly came Elder park but once again it was just.
I just wanted was just worried about I'd end up having a couple of beers and walking too much or something.
[00:04:35] Speaker B: Yeah man I I've got one of those conditions where I don't say no to people but also I It's been busy summer it's been a busy Summer Elder park was a belter.
So was the hip hop festival down in Queen's park. And then obviously we've had Dune and Wee Bits and Bobs everywhere, you know, so it's.
[00:04:53] Speaker A: You played. You call that radios? We Solar Fest. That was a good set.
[00:04:56] Speaker B: Oh my God, that was so good like. And honestly hats off to you Mark, because that, that, that was one of my favorite gigs of the year. Honestly it was just a great atmosphere. And I felt really sorry for the campus though because the next morning there was a big storm which was such a shame. But hopefully people.
[00:05:15] Speaker A: No, it passed though. It was two people. If you either get caught in the storm or if you, if you just, if you just waited end up in quite. It ended up in a beautiful day on a Sunday.
[00:05:28] Speaker B: But yeah, we Solar Fest was fantastic man.
[00:05:30] Speaker A: It started raining. It started raining. I mean Sunday night, Monday morning was bad, that is true. But yeah, it's, it's just that, that's the thing. At the end of the day we've been quite lucky. Now it's a storm as you go home but it's lovely while you're there. And yeah, we hopefully bought home but when you're doing anything that involves the great outdoors in Scotland, you've just got to take what you can.
[00:05:58] Speaker B: Oh, we've had a good one.
[00:06:00] Speaker A: Yeah. This has been a, a strange.
It's been a strange summer for weather.
My friends in Mexico. It's rained.
I was talking to Helia and Paul, my friends over there. It's rained for three months there.
[00:06:14] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:06:14] Speaker A: This summer.
[00:06:15] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:06:15] Speaker A: I mean this is, this is their winter. It is the rainy season but it's not normal for them to have that much rain. In fact I think they may end up coming back to well Manchester for a, for a bit of sun.
[00:06:28] Speaker B: That's nuts in it. It's like the tropical weather slowly moving over, man. I used to love that though when I was in Thailand. Like on the rainy season it would be like just bucket in monsoon rain and then the second it stopped all this steam would come up through the play playground, no pavement. Cuz it was just so hot. So the second that stopped it was just like a big steam. Steam just came up, man. It was really cool. Like I'd be up for getting three seasons over here if we had a hot season. Do you know what I mean?
[00:06:57] Speaker A: Yeah, let's give us. Wait, let's just do a, a petition like Scandinavia. Who you know, you, you know been Sweden before. That's like cold in the winter but nice in the summer. And I think that's fair because it's a long winter, so it can be quite depressing if it's just going to be say. Oh, but yeah, and also speaking of pavements, what do you call, is it pavement portals. So that's basically what I'm trying to avoid. I never even thought it before. I've got a total new respect for accessibility as well. For anybody who's in wheelchairs or in crutches or whatever the pavements are.
[00:07:34] Speaker B: There's so many trip hazards, man.
[00:07:37] Speaker A: Yeah, it's just, it's like if it's not even. It feels like a knife's going into my foot.
So hence he's not doing it. But anyway, it's not all about me. It's not about my foot. It's. It's about starting a wrestling podcast. That's why we're here today.
[00:07:48] Speaker B: Oh my God, I am desperate to start. I feel like Scotland hasn't got enough wrestling podcasts and that we would be the weird kind of. We'd be the like the random unexpected duo that could pull it off in a big way, man.
[00:08:02] Speaker A: Right, well, just to fill people in, right. Becky wants to start a wrestling podcast. I'm not really up for it since I'm struggling to find time to do my own podcast. But we could maybe do a special on here for occasion.
You know, as you know, I, I love the kind of love. I love the wrestling documentaries. I love. I grew up with it but I don't really like the, the product just now. I'm not a big fan of. It's about pg. It's a bit safe and obviously it's probably a good thing because everybody that I watch died before we're 40 pretty much.
[00:08:34] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:35] Speaker A: Because it was not a safe environment. All the great side. Yeah, it was. There was, there was too much drugs drink. There was too much like jumping high chair hearts. Chair heart cheer shots as well. But yeah, maybe, maybe what we could do is, is we could do a special on like something that actually happened in the olden days. I've been interested in talking about some of the old stories.
[00:09:05] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, me and, me too. But I'm totally as well.
[00:09:10] Speaker A: What's good about the new school? What's, what's, what's good about the new stuff?
[00:09:13] Speaker B: It's more like the long term storylines. So like there's, there's some really can't swear but the rubbish ones like as always. But the PG era is kind of ended now and there's this kind of wee bit more aggression a Wee bit more ECW style stuff coming in. Although it's not like it's still got a few wider audience. So I. It's quite capitalist and commercial. But also the long term storytelling, when it's done right is absolutely brilliant. And there's a lot more creative freedom, I think, for the, the artists, so to speak, especially in WWE now that there's no Vince McMahon.
[00:09:47] Speaker A: What? We'll talk about Vince in a minute. What about aew? They were in Glasgow last night. I got offered a ticket. My mate Scott offered me a ticket last night, a free couple of tickets, but I got the message too late. Also I'm in the wrong part of Scotland and also I've got a moon boot, so I wasn't gonna be able to go anyway. Would you have went to that? I mean, 60 quid a ticket. I wasn't paying that. I mean, although it's cheaper than wwe. I don't know. I don't know. The people will. And if I know that Gradle made a surprise appearance.
[00:10:15] Speaker B: Yeah, that's cool. I mean, obviously it's much more kind of indulgent of the kind of indie roots of wrestling. But then it's like, it's got hunters of like old WCW and WWE folk and then people often go over there. So it's got a weird mix of like indie wrestlers who are coming up and trying to make a name for themselves and there is that kind of taste of like then they'll get to a certain ceiling and go over to wwe. But they've also got the legends there. So you've got like Edge and Christian there.
You've got like, even Ric Flair's got a contract there. Like there's all these kind of people cutting about. So like eye. There's a wee bit of kind of wrestling prestige there, but that's also ran by a massive billionaire who just kind of likes wrestling, but he doesn't have a lot of creative kind of flare or spark. So there's some mad.
Yeah, no, no. Tony can.
[00:11:04] Speaker A: Tony can. Tony.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: All the cans, man. Because they can.
[00:11:10] Speaker A: Because why? Because they can as they can. You're going to be. You're going to be a wrestler. Is that still happening?
[00:11:16] Speaker B: I was training. I. Well, I promised myself I would do a match before I'm 40. It'll be the only match I ever do, obviously.
And I want to like write the song for it, like make the character. Do you know what I mean? Just do the whole thing and then make a music video. It's funny because I think if it it wasn't for lockdown. All this, like, love for the sport or entertainment, whatever it is, when I came back. But during lockdown I got right back into like Wrestling with Shadows and all the dark side of the ring stuff. And then like from there it just pure exploded. So, like, I would definitely be up for. Or I'm going to try to before I'm 40, making a video and then like making the song and doing a match and making that part of it. So I was training at the Iron Girders gym for a bit.
I've actually had to stop right now because I have this PhD that's got to be finished soon.
But the second that's out the way, man, I'll be back in there and hopefully get a match filmed and done before I'm 40. Whether I want like a public thing, I don't know, but I'm definitely going to do it. And I've learned some stuff already. Like, I can take a bump and I know how to like, do certain moves, but not in pure fancy.
[00:12:21] Speaker A: You know, I get. I get booed off stage by 800 wrestling fans. I jumped in the ring, started shouting, get a job, get a job, get a job. It was part of their song. And then they all started booing me and then I. Then I fell over the ring, I fell over the ropes and everyone laughed at me.
[00:12:38] Speaker B: Glorious appearance, like, and then.
[00:12:41] Speaker A: And then, because obviously I hadn't had a chance to. To test it out, but Dallas said, you're allow. You're allowed to go in the ring if you want. So I went for it and then I kind of stumbled over it and everyone went, ah, sort of. And then I just started sort of shouting at the audience.
[00:12:56] Speaker B: And the ropes are a lot bouncier and the rings a lot harder than you think. Like the floor really hard and the ropes are really bouncy and like, I. So yeah, that sounds also the only.
[00:13:07] Speaker A: Time I ever dropped a microphone as well. Shit. Sorry. Once again to the classic grand sound engineer, but I actually dropped the mics. I was just in Ric Flair mode. I felt like the bad guy. I was getting booed. The adrenaline was going through my system. Poor John McCrory. It was his first ever gig. He didn't know what was going on. You know what I mean? He's probably just turned up. But we smoke, thinking a nice be quiet night. And it was. It was chaos. But yeah, I kind of. I kind of like that idea. But let's get Back to the PhD. What's the PhD on?
[00:13:39] Speaker B: Well, it's Basically it's about hip hop and it's about using hip hop and community spaces. And like, the value of using hip hop for me has been like, I was a songwriter, I'm a songwriter, as you know, but in community spaces, like, I'm a creative practitioner and I often get put, probably because I'm where I'm from as well, and some of my associations, shall we say, I often get put in a spaces where I'm working in prisons or working like in like halfway houses or working with people in recovery and stuff like that. And I would find over and over again that like, hip hop was the thing that was most accessible, the thing that people, we could work together on and create music with. So my PhD is about, like using hip hop as a way to raise attainment in schools and like thinking about how we can, like, take people's community music experiences and basically mark them, like, quantify them so that their attainment can be raised. Because, like, there's wee guys cutting about who might not be able to pay attention in English, but they can write a 32 bar banger. Do you know what I mean? And like, so it's just about.
It's kind of about, like finding other ways to quantify education and using hip hop to do that in community spaces and in education as well. So it's nearly done. But it's horrible. I hate it. I love it and hate it, man. It's a horrible feeling. Oh.
[00:14:53] Speaker A: I mean, I've never made it to PhD level.
How many words are we talking about?
[00:14:59] Speaker B: 120,000. I'm sitting at about 75, 80. Now.
I know it's thinking and I'm such a bad writer. Like, I'm honestly an accidental academic. Right? That's the truth.
[00:15:12] Speaker C: I'm mad.
[00:15:12] Speaker B: Like, I can talk, I can make hangs, I can make tunes, I can do art, I can do hundreds of stuff. But see, if you ask me to sit down and write something, my brain is fried. It's obviously like ADHD mind, you know what I mean? But I found a new way to do it right now, which I'm enjoying, which is just to talk. So I've kind of trained my dictator to understand my accent and then like, I can kind of talk it out because right now I'm talking about like speech to text. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: So is that. What do you use? What do you use for that? Because I tried that years ago on holiday. It was my idea because I didn't have a pain in a pad and then.
But they did not know My accent. That would. That was about four years ago or something.
[00:15:55] Speaker B: No, but my. Neither, man. Like, at first when I was doing it, the stuff that I thought I was saying was hilarious. And I realized that Scots must have a very similar, like, twang to Arabic because one of the Arabic words kept coming up and I was like, oh, my God, what's going on?
But now, like, it just knows my voice better if you keep doing it. Do you know what I mean? So, like, it's been a revelation. Obviously you can't. You can use the dictator if you're like sitting doing like academic theory, but if you're like, just want to talk about what's happened or explain something or. Or like express a thought, it's really good for that, man. Like, and I think, like, it's. My whole PhD is about finding new ways for people to learn and for learning to be quantified. So it makes sense that I would do it in a different way as well. Do you know what I mean? That's hip hop.
[00:16:42] Speaker A: So can you. Can you mention that in your PhD?
[00:16:46] Speaker B: Oh, I. I like. There's this.
If there's people listening, I don't want a pure board.
[00:16:52] Speaker A: There's people. We'll just. Just talk to them about wrestling and I'll tell you about. Wrestling's one of the. You're one of the only people that goes, oh, I love. I love the wrestling stuff. Nobody cares. Ne cares about wrestling. F. Well, we got. Hold on. We got a EP music. I haven't a clue as the pantomime of wrestling. But respect for the talent and skills such as choreographed, creative dancing.
[00:17:13] Speaker B: It's just dancing, really. Is it the same thing?
[00:17:17] Speaker A: Dancing with a lot more pain?
Mary saying, great. See what time is a guy get slay? We are working in that. I know it's only tomorrow, but it's a lot of people involved in the gig tomorrow. So we will either go in first, second or third. But the doors open at 7 o'.
[00:17:34] Speaker B: Clock and basically come for the whole gig.
[00:17:38] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. Get there about seven, half seven. And you won't miss anything. And we should have everyone finished by 10 and you'll be back home.
We are bothering your bathies by 11. Well, I think we've got it to 11, so yeah, come along.
We. Hey, we're listening. Hello, Ali Grant is in the house. We're listening. So we might be live in Soul Fest. I think that's what that means. Hello, Soul Fest. I hope you have a brilliant weekend. I'm gutted. I'm not going to Be there kit cats in the house. Hello, kit cats.
Actually, do you want to give us. Do you want to give us a wee? Are we tuned?
[00:18:12] Speaker C: Hi.
[00:18:12] Speaker B: Hi.
[00:18:14] Speaker A: Because obviously we are here to talk about Becky's album. Also, I've got an album yesterday, but Dreams Are Mental is out now. But it's not about me. It's about the new album from Becky Wallace and Stag G. Right. Now.
We normally play something off of YouTube, but we.
[00:18:32] Speaker B: I don't even know if I'm going to play something for the album. I'm just going to play something. How's that sound?
[00:18:36] Speaker A: Okay. That sounds fine. Just play what you like.
[00:18:41] Speaker B: I might play something on the album if I.
Is it just a bit. All the guitar tunes are a bit sad. Do you know what I mean? So, like.
[00:18:48] Speaker A: Well, just go for it. Just do whatever you want.
[00:18:51] Speaker B: Oh, here, actually, I will play one. Then I'll play this song called the Urge to Pray. Right.
So all this song's called the Urge to Pray. It's on me and St. G's album. It's going to sound very different like this.
Hopefully you enjoy it.
[00:19:10] Speaker C: Tell me more about your worries.
How the sun don't shine for you Come to me Apparitional trust grief the last great miracle breeze. Blocks of lucid visions. Oh, you got this. Why so miserable? We kiss like kindred spirits. Go lips seal the bliss of letting go. Speak not your words of sacrifice. Lay bare the facts, Lay bare the lies.
You fall for all my different ways. Loose talk and certain disarray. I call it unpredictable. You say it's something spiritual. We touch, the tremors shake us down. Skin blushed and jealous of the sound. Speak not your words are biblical Laid bare. I guess I. I'm cynical.
How the sun don't shine for you.
I assume because I always assume you believe because you do.
Oh, oh. Tell me more about your worries.
How the sun don't shine for you.
I assume because I always assume you believe because you do.
I choose not to dabble in magic I tried it before, it was tragic. Along with a light and a matchstick. Spark it and watch it catch fabric. Learn how we feel from the outside. Learn how to deal with the torn mind. Find apparitions in plain sight. Fear of the daylight primal the urge to just pray right. Make superstitions of grudges curse it.
[00:21:12] Speaker B: Cause that's not what love is.
[00:21:13] Speaker C: Learn how to feel for the sake of.
[00:21:15] Speaker B: Learn how to deal with the payoff and never know how to break up.
[00:21:18] Speaker C: Guilty for all I consume and for all that I Do guilty in every room and for what I go through Tell me more how the sun don't shine for you I assume because I always assume you believe because you do oh, tell me more about your worries how the sun don't shine for you I assume you will believe because she wants the love that she wants she wants the love that she wants he wants the love that he longs he wants the love that he longs for she wants the love that she wants she wants a love that she wants he wants a love that he longs he wants a love that he longs.
[00:22:27] Speaker B: For.
[00:22:30] Speaker A: Class from the new album.
That is from the new album after the Fog Air.
[00:22:39] Speaker B: After the Fog Air, Yep.
And it doesn't sound like that on the album because it's got all ST's amazing production on it. So we're working it out right now because we're very luckily got some funding to do a tour which will be in 26. But it's like just working out how to like translate all that and like a kind of band setting, you know, which is cool.
Thanks for that, for letting me play that. That was fun. Actually. I've not played it myself in ages.
[00:23:08] Speaker A: So I know it was. Sounds amazing. And obviously the.
So yeah, how do you. So how are you going to do it as a band? Because it's a. It's almost like trip hop sounding stuff from Stes. Would you. Would you agree with that?
[00:23:20] Speaker B: Yeah, I think like I'm going with folk hop as the genre, but.
Yeah, but it's like, I guess like. Or dark folk or something. I don't know. But I. Some of it's much more like boom, boom, boom, like a bit more kind of trip hoppy or it's got a bit of a beat to it and then some of it's much more introspective. So like the story of the album, like the story of our bloody lives and certainly mine over the last few years is like coming out of lockdown and just being like absolutely, like on one, like just being like pure. I was dead lucky through lockdown. I mean we. We spoke a lot through lockdown, Mark, you know, and that's when I started this Ph.D. and you know, like I really got my head screwed on, man. I think like I got any fight or flight mode and I chose fight and like I just like, like done a lot and got a lot ready and set in place. I got song seed started. I got all this. So I came out of Lockdown feeling a bit like a big man. You know what I Mean. And like I said, I had like a lot of self confidence, but also I was a bit arrogant, you know, so like 21, 22, like I was kinda, I guess I was kind of like telling other people how to live, you know, and then like something comes your way and it's massive and it crashes everything you're doing.
And then you have to take a wee minute and go, wait a minute, I don't know what I'm doing. So the story of the album starts really outwards because when I first started writing it, I was thinking of like a really cheesy like we self help book. Like I went to Stig and I was just like, do you want to just do up your cheesy pop album and we'll just like go for the SEA Awards and do all that mad stuff and just do something pure commercial because we can. And like, so we start. I mean lots of songs, as you can imagine, didn't they make the album? But so we started with this idea, like five or ten tips to a better life kind of vibe. No, I mean, and we'll just be like, you like the album's like a bit of you and what you should do and you should deal with it and all that stuff. And then by the end of the album I was like, I need help.
[00:25:08] Speaker A: I can't do anything.
[00:25:10] Speaker B: You know what I mean? Like, so it takes a mad journey where it like. And I think like we do that in life, don't we? We don't. We go through like parts of life where we're like the main character in the movie and then like parts of life where we're like, oh, someone tell me. Sorry, oh, excuse me. Someone tell me how to live. Or someone tell me what to do next. Because you. I so. And I've certainly like in the biggest way since I was probably in the most real way since I had my kids, like had to like face that in the last few years, you know, so it's taken that journey. So lots of it is kind of old school traditional Becky Wallace. And that was fun working with Stag G on that because like we were both confronted. We like let have any work to this new way of working, you know, Like Stag's are very. A technical practitioner and he's very like, bash, bash boss. Get it and get it done. And then we'll like iron out the aesthetic as we go.
And I'm like a pain in the ass artist who's just like, I've got this vision, do you know what I mean? And like, so one of the favorite things about this album for me is that that outcome has come from just.
I feel like me and Stick have become, like, unlikely, like, best buds in this weird collaborative space where we're both so different and the energy is so different, you know, our dead similar as well, obviously, in some ways. Like, we both like a good cup of tea and.
And a good bit of hip hop. So that's like our. That's our connective tissue. No, I mean, but the rest of it, it's like, been. I've been like, having to give up.
Like, a steg will be like, what you try to say. And I'll be like, I'm trying to say I'm sad. And he'd be like, so just bloody say that then. Instead of writing a sonnet. Instead of writing a sonnet about it. Do you know what I mean? So, like, that's been cool. Just like, Stag's being a real voice of, like, just wisdom, obviously, and guidance, but also just like, now's not the time for that. Now's the time for this. And then on the other hand, I've been, like, helping Stick with things like Mads, like, switch up in rhythmic patterns and tempos and timings because hip hop's so four four. Do you know what I mean? So, like, so I. It's been cool, man. We've had a blast, like, making it. And I think the music sounds dead different for both of us, but. But that's what I'm loving about it right now. And I'm loving, like, it's a listening album like you need the first time. It's just a passive kind of vibe. It's. Get a great revive second or third time, you'll feel that story coming out a bit more, you know.
[00:27:32] Speaker A: Well, that's why. That's why I said Spotify killed the album and then released my album. And Spotify. What a hypocrite.
[00:27:41] Speaker B: No, you're not a hypocrite. You're someone that wants this album may be heard. But it's so tough, Mark. I did it too. Under the radar. Not even told anyone about it yet. This is exclusive, but my exclusively.
[00:27:51] Speaker A: So you're out. You're out. So your album's on Spotify, but you have no told anyone.
[00:27:55] Speaker B: I've not told anyone yet.
[00:27:56] Speaker A: Because that's cool. That's cool.
That's underground.
Don't say. I just say, yeah, I put my album on Spotify, but I didn't tell anything.
[00:28:04] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:07] Speaker A: Whatevs.
[00:28:09] Speaker B: Did you put it on Spotify Yeah, so did I. But I'm not saying anything about it.
[00:28:12] Speaker A: I'm not telling anybody about that. I'd be mortified to admit it. That's what I feel.
[00:28:17] Speaker B: It was only last week I put mine on and then you put a hang up scene. You were putting yours on. I was like, I'll just leave this announcement. Just.
[00:28:24] Speaker A: Yeah, well, it was a kind of combination of things because for a while. Well, originally I was inspired by Jinx Lennon, who puts like four. I think he does like 18 track albums. He puts four songs up that you can listen in band camp and I think four on Spotify. But to hear the album, any of his albums, to get any of his albums, you need to buy the album.
[00:28:44] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:44] Speaker A: And he's. No, he does not give any. He's got a really loyal fan base. In fact, we're going on tour, an Irish tour with Jinx Lennon in November. So stay tuned for info on that. But that. So he kind of. I was like, that's a bit extreme. And then obviously with, with the Loki album, I know that you were involved with the, with that as well. I remember talking. So obviously I was talking with Dan quite a lot during that release and. And I thought that there was a lot of things that he did really well with that by just sticking to his guns and not. Is he still not released his album Spotify, and that was December.
[00:29:18] Speaker B: But we. But the thing is with that and like with that and with that in his music, obviously there is the fact that he has, he has Loki. Right. And that has got a lot of, you know, positives, especially in terms of what he can sell. So like, we kind of knew going into his launch in December that we would hold it back and we would keep it held back.
And it was actually, funnily enough, it's. It's funny how the domino effect happens because I took that idea and advice from Carla Easton, who even though she does have a Spotify presence, like, Carla is not focused on that. She's focused on getting out, doing gigs and selling merch. So, like a lot of the stuff that Darren had at his launch, the zine and the T shirt, which obviously took pride in preparing for him, that stuff was a great kind of prototype test to see, well, where do you make the money? And at the end of the day, if MD's listening to us and thinking, why are they talking about money? We spend our whole lives making music. To make something back for it, like to break even is like, yeah, that's the point.
You know what I Mean, it costs.
[00:30:18] Speaker A: A lot of money to make an album and in the amount of time. And the. Also your album, Darren's album, my album, Jinx, Len's album, the. All these albums, the concept album is that it's like every lyric.
[00:30:34] Speaker B: Listen to them.
[00:30:36] Speaker A: Yeah, it's like you got to listen from start to finish. If you. If you skip songs, it doesn't make sense. Yeah, the whole thing is a long look. If you want. Here, I'll make it. Do you know what I should. Dave, I should do for the crack is just make a new project and just knock out an album a month. They bother. They bother. Boxes of lyrics. I've got storage.
[00:30:59] Speaker B: I've got an idea for my next ep, which is going to be just called Love Songs after they were cool, because I've got so many, like, terrible songs that are just, like, not cool, but I just want to put them out. I'm so sick of sitting on songs, you know, like. But I think that's what the LPs for, man. And I think that's what is kind of cool about the resurgence of vinyl. Although it's in a small way, because if you've got 50 people in your life that love your music and come in, you've got more than that, Mark. I mean, I'm talking about myself and obviously Darren, maybe even, you know, with his book and all that got a wider audience still. But if you've got a small bespoke group of people that care about you and your music and they're going to buy your vinyl, then if you invest in 100 vinyl, that's going to pay back your album and. And it's going to also support your tour and you. You're going to be able to nurture that fan base and give them something like. And for me, I mean, you're talking 60, 70 people that will probably buy my music in the span of its release. Release, I'm cool with that, but I want to be able to give them something tangible. So those wee zines that I've made, these ones here just happen to have this.
And it's got like. And I've, like, these are just pictures that me instead got to.
And then like, I've got all the songs in there, there's a digital download and stuff like that, really great for having, because it's cheap, it's free to make and it's cheap. And you can give people that come to your stuff something, you know what I mean, and say thanks or whatever.
[00:32:24] Speaker A: You know, I remember I was in Tam the van's fridge. Recently, I noticed that he's got one of our digital postcards that we were given in 2012.
And it was a digital postcard. And this is before QR codes. Well, QR codes did exist, but they were kind of like a. We're called a fad because the phones couldn't handle the scandal.
[00:32:46] Speaker B: Couldn't they work?
[00:32:47] Speaker A: It was. So it was kind of like a. It was kind of like a fad that never really took off. So we didn't even do that. We just. We would just basically charge a digital postcard while we're on tour. Pay what you like for a digital postcard. And the artwork was amazing. I think I was Martin Yun that did that.
And then it just had the links to our stuff.
[00:33:06] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:33:06] Speaker A: So people think it's like you want to buy a digital postcard. People like, yes, I have a digital postcard. This is 2012 for soon.
[00:33:13] Speaker B: I mean, that is futuristic as hell, man. Do you know what I mean?
[00:33:16] Speaker A: All it was was just a postcard that would give way with some links on it. What you actually had to type in the links.
It was good because some people would pay 50 pence, some people would pay a tenor.
It really was exactly, exactly. People want. People do want something physical, but you've also got to invest in the physical stuff as well.
[00:33:36] Speaker B: You do.
[00:33:36] Speaker A: No. And with regards to the. The Spotify thing, so what. What I think that I did wrong just in case anyone's listening and try to steal our ideas. I know you are, but obviously I stole my ideas for Becky Loki and Jinx Lennon.
And I think what I did right was. I think that that does work. I think having the album launch in March, maybe what I could have did was if tight. Obviously the reason I make my album to the deadline is because by announcing that the album launch is happening, that means that everybody's got to move a bit faster.
[00:34:10] Speaker B: Yeah. Yes, exactly. See this? I'm telling you, Mark, this is. Your brain is. My brain is like this. Make a deadline and it'll get open up and it's getting done. But not for years. The sectors are dead. If you tell me the more of this work I've got to do is due next week, I'll write that 100, 000 words and that's fine.
[00:34:29] Speaker A: You'll see another in it. Just before we went and stage, before we came on air. Sorry, we're talking about perfectionism. That's why I don't think I've got that, because I do. If you look, I'm Compared to a lot of my friends and former bandmates and stuff like that, I feel I do have the ability to go, this is done. Like, I might be getting. I don't know if I get sick of it, but I just go, you know what? I think this is done. I obviously there's always a couple. There's always a. At the back of my head. There's a couple of things that I'd like to change already, but I try. You can't think about that.
[00:34:59] Speaker B: I mean, I think your sound is the gyro baby sound kind of as, you know, owed to that as well. Because there is that kind of rawness to it and like, that's good that you can make those. I'm. I'm not the same as that. I get like. I hold stuff back sometimes. Do you know what I mean? But. But not in a live sense. Like, I'm much more confident live. But like with the recorded stuff, I find that a lot harder to just let go of, man. You know what I mean? I'm never happy where ever. No, well, I think you've got that energy. This is.
[00:35:29] Speaker A: No, I get it. Just done. It's done. It's done. And I feel like that, you know, even me, even when with music videos. You know, I love making videos with Martin Windy bank or whatever.
He is a legend, but he will. He will be spending. That's why I think it works quite that Mimi. Because we get it done quick. Because he'll spend a long time on a shot that you're only seen for two seconds getting the yellows right and whatever.
[00:35:56] Speaker C: I get that, man.
[00:35:56] Speaker A: Like, it's a wee bit too much color grade. He's worried too much about color grading on a split second shot. And I'm just like, right, this has been 20 minutes now. Let's. It's fine, let's move on.
[00:36:06] Speaker B: And I think it's probably good that you're there to support him in that.
[00:36:09] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:36:09] Speaker B: As well, because, like I've just done 28 videos for a charity that I'm working with. Right.
[00:36:18] Speaker A: What kind of videos?
[00:36:20] Speaker B: So there's like six of them are online, like an online songwriting course.
13 or 14 of them are a. A band lab tutorial from start to end, Meet a song, and then the other ones are actually on zine making.
Being a music journalist. So it's for like a specific group of young people.
So I. But it took me so long because I'm getting paid for it. And if I'm getting paid for something, I'm a Perfectionist, but when it's my own stuff, I'm not getting paid for it. So I'm not a perfectionist.
I'm just like, whatever, especially if I'm doing a live gig or whatever, or do you know what I mean? So I. There's a weird. A weird. Like, if I was. If I was mixing your vocals, I would get it done to the deadline quick and in the best way possible. So what I mean, like, I don't know, I'm just off my nut. So there you go.
[00:37:08] Speaker A: No, but, no, it does make sense. It's like when you do.
I don't know. There was a sound engineer that was once. I can't remember who. Can't remember who is it, said that. But the sound engineer was doing a free charity gig and a woman came up to him and says, I don't think it's very professional that you're drinking on the job. And he went, you're not paying me, you know, so that. Therefore I'm not supposed to be a professional.
It did a good job anyway. But just. Yeah.
[00:37:36] Speaker B: Saying that to a minute. Was he like. He's not, like, actively.
[00:37:39] Speaker A: No, no, not at all. Not at all, no. If he was, I wouldn't have mentioned the story.
Ah, he's just like. But yeah, I think especially, I think sometimes, charities can sometimes get a wee bit over the top where they think, you know, that we. We do loses charity stuff as much as we can.
But I've got really good at spotting the good charities or the good. Or the good. The good ones. I'm not dealing with somebody that's on 40 grand a year to tell me to bring the back line, do everything, promote it. You know, there is. And also, I think in general, I don't like the. The big. The big charities. Like, I don't want to, you know, I don't want to. I don't want. I don't want to research cancer because we can only raise a grand or two at the most. Yeah, we're not going to cure cancer, so why don't we do something like. But then someone like the Beatson or Marie Curie, Glasgow, which actually.
You can actually see the difference that stuff like that makes and things like Sunny Govan or just anyone that's.
I feel like anything that's a wee bit more local that I can see, or this may be local, but it's about what would two grand really make a difference to this person? So I'm away from all the. The multinational, big corporate people. I understand they've Got the argument that you've got to pay the good wages to get the best people. But in my experience they're not getting the best people. I don't know who these people.
[00:39:12] Speaker B: Of business folk, man, that take on charity jobs. It's like, I don't want to say too much but it's like the way universities work. Do you know what I mean? Same vibe.
Like someone comes in that's a figurehead that, that doesn't mean that they have. Like there's plenty of people in the charity that, that obviously really care and work really hard. But the figurehead is not always the one. I, I feel you, man. I'm much more open to and absolutely love and support all our local charities, but especially the art space ones like, do you know what I mean? I'm. I'm big on them. And, and actually a lot of community radio stations are nature's community radio stations. They're doing everything. Do you know what I mean? Like, I mean shout outs to Sonny Gavin because they, I mean, I'm glad they do as well. Like the amount of stuff that they are doing in the community is crazy. Camp Glenn CL as well.
[00:39:56] Speaker A: Like we just did a podcast at Glad the, the. The Deep End Studios. That's G Hill Bass. They're doing loads of stuff in GLAD Radio. Yeah, the Deep End. So we've got the audio podcast that came out this week with Carl Easton who you just mentioned Thereissa and Jim and. And it's like it's a. It's mind boggling. Especially just after the Govern Hill Festival there. Like what all the stuff that they're putting together and shouts to Cam Glenn as well. I think Cam Glenn are doing a similar. Obviously I'm a wee bit further removed from Campus Lang and Rutherglen area, but.
[00:40:29] Speaker B: They'Re amazing as well.
[00:40:33] Speaker A: And they're doing. And they've got their festivals and stuff as well. And so it's like these, it's more than radio. It's like they're taking people in and showing them how to, to do everything from songwriting to.
[00:40:45] Speaker B: It's community making. No, I mean like that's the hang, like. And that's why these charities with stuff like withstand. That's not the word. Stand the test of time, you know. Like me and Darren were talking about this the other day when you saw the Elder Park Festival, man. Like obviously Governor is just absolutely soaked in goodwill and fantastic kind of charities and stuff. But like the stuff that that network of charities are doing in that area, man, that is. I'm not single handedly but one of the big catalysts for why that area is so community focused and why it feels like when you're in government there's a feeling even though you know there's the usual stuff going on that comes with being in a scheme like in Govan. There is a feeling man. And that feeling is like community. You can actually feel it on the streets and actually similarly an Easter house, places like that because of the amount goodwill that comes from arts, the arts charities again to circle back to my PhD. That's what this is all about. Like, it's like don't discount the value and impact of the arts on someone's well being in the long term. Do you know what I mean? The idea that it's not valuable or it doesn't merit as much recognition as like someone that's going to train to be a doctor or scientist. And that's all amazing. We need that. But like a, an auditor, like a, a poet, a musician that can impact and support people. That is so important as well man. Like even more so now when people like don't have work to go. Eh. There's not jobs. There's no jobs. There's no jobs. Mark, what we gotta do about the jobs?
[00:42:19] Speaker A: The robots. The robots have taken the job. I could be doing my job. In fact I could be doing my house if anyone's got any either of those geese. A shout for mid September festival season's over and I'll be moving again. And I've moved in a lot of places and I agree completely with it. There's a feeling in govern. I remember that because when I first moved to governor it was about five, 15 years ago or something and I was feeling a wee bit on edge because you know it heard things and of course and but it was, it was, it was a great place to stay and people just chat in the street to each other. Same with G Hill. They're the only two places I think I've lived that I've. That I've lived that I've. That I've actually thought I can feel this community. I've enjoyed living in places like Deniston and stuff but it's not got the community. In fact right now somebody please tell me what is going on between Reedville and Blueville. So it's like two of the housing organizations are, are, are fighting each other and there's all these anonymous participants and the dentist information.
I'm gonna, I'm gonna investigate this and do how you call that radio special on it Because I Lived there for a long time. And I've not got my opinion yet, but I'll have one soon.
[00:43:23] Speaker B: You're gonna blow this story wide open.
[00:43:26] Speaker A: No, I just want to know. It's. I want to know why everybody's fighting. I don't know. It's like. It's the weirdest. It's almost like a corporate gang fight or like a bureaucrat, a bureaucratic gang fight between.
[00:43:38] Speaker B: Well, the third sector can get a wee bit fighty as well, man. Like I know they can get. They can get a bit intense, man. They get a bit intense at times. My theory is just focus on your own stuff and hope for the best. But you certainly blow that way to open for sure as these man. Someone needs to do it. You.
[00:43:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:43:57] Speaker B: Overhead in the. In the East End.
[00:43:59] Speaker A: It will be over in the East End. No, I did. I did do the third sec. I usually. It's freelance. Nobody I'm not usually got a real. I usually get freelance work so I don't really have to. I don't really have to get too involved. But I remember one time I did social media for a. A third sector. I'm not going to say who that is but because they do good work as well. They do good work. They do good work as well.
[00:44:24] Speaker B: But I have no idea you can get that. And I had a terrible experience recently.
[00:44:29] Speaker A: I had no idea. I had no idea it was gonna be that. It's like if I can't. I can't give away what they do because they never know who it is. They will figure out. But they do good stuff and it's a really good thing. So Ash naively assumed that everybody was going to be sound because they were working. But then obviously Joe at the time, she. She was like wouldn't. Of course not. It was quite cut through it and then I did. I get totally stabbed in the back and I wanted a three month contract and I was pretty sure I was going to be made permanent. But the new boss and the other boss, they messed up big time, like really bad.
And they basically did all the things that I advised against them doing. And then they just turned it on me and I'm like, what? I was.
[00:45:13] Speaker B: That does my absolute nothing. Because at the top, right? So like I'll try. Like I'll try and make it short. But at the top there is this thing where you have to look like you're doing a hang good. So they will happily stamp on.
Some people will happily stamp on good practitioners to do that but they'll also take Their work sometimes and use it. And also sometimes it's not about the substance of what's actually been done. It's about the veneer of what it looks like on the top. I found that a lot, I don't mind saying it, when I was working for Glasgow Life as a community officer, like, I did a lot of work for them back in the day, back in 2015 or whatever. And when I was starting out before I was freelance and, like, I mean, so much work would go into this. Like, I made this beautiful songwriting video. Worked with these last season. We made all these songs and we done. And I got told time and time again I couldn't do songwriting. I was just to take this badminton club and, like, after a while, I finally got to do the hang. I was like, this. I promise you this will help.
And, like, finally got to do the hanging, the community center. And it was beautiful. And they made these amazing songs and we made a video and, like, a report and all that. And they just took it off me and, like, presented it away for me at other conferences, like, as if they had done it. And I was like, oh, my God, I'm out. I am out of here.
But that's the corporate charity, which is not as good, I guess.
[00:46:33] Speaker A: And another guy. Another guy just basically sabotaged my workshop for. I didn't know what was going on really, but I just knew that I was getting sabotaged. And then he. Then he. Then he told me. Then he told the other guy that my workshop wasn't up to scratch.
And. And I was just like. And then I found out. I'm not going to say who, but somebody that works with him is also my friend who told. He just told, like, he just said that I was unprepared. Well, I'd actually brought my. I mean, obviously you've. You've seen me, and I'm still at the beginner level. You know, I'm not. I'm not finished article with that kind of stuff. But I had brought my. My laptop with my.
Would you call it your side show that. I think that you actually helped me invent the sideshow because I'd never used that software before, but he didn't let me take that out. And then he said that I was unprepared. And it's like this guy. It's almost like this guy thought I was trying to steal his job. And it's like, I really. I'm not trying to steal your job at. I don't care. I'm just, like, been offered a role Doing something which I do, really I'm passionate about and I would like to do more of it. Do you know what? Just, just doing a, like a one off workshop for people that are wanting to learn how to write songs. And I've wrote a few songs and I thought I could have passed on some wisdom. I think Becky's disappeared just now.
So that's a good time to tell you to go and get becky's
[email protected] and also thanks to the patrons who support the show. We can't do it without you. So you can get. If you go to patreon.com hold on patreon.com and I'll read some of the comments.
So patreon.com forward slash. You call that radio? Support the show.
We need you more than ever. We need you more than ever.
And I've got some good guests lined up.
Blueville says calling.
So yeah, I don't know, she's obviously in the. The Reedville side of the Denison argument, but I don't really know what's going on. Hello, Stuart, how are you doing?
Going back to Becky's song. Mary said that was beautiful. Repeat says love the lane. Guilty for all I can swim. That's deep.
Yeah, it's a great album. Snake G on the production. Go and check it out.
It's 10 to 3 and I think Becky's gone so I'm gonna give her one more chance to log out and back in because I think she's got maybe one more song and then, then I think she's got to go and do the school run. So I think we'll get one more song from Becky Wallace Tomorrow night at Slay is Gyro Babies, Tina Sandwich and Callum Baird. It's the music for the Many charity hosted by Jeremy Corbin.
And it's. It's not a political thing. It's. Well, I suppose it's political in a sense but Music for the Many is about saving independent venues. It's about helping working class musicians, it's about mental health in the music industry and stuff like that. So it's a really good cause and we're glad to be part of it.
So if you can make it to Slay tomorrow, then the doors should open about 7 o' clock. Ish.
The live music will start at half seven, not 100. Sure on the running order but we will announce that later on. And then of course the big one is it the Barrel in Ballroom on the 31st of August. It's Colonel Mustard, the Dijon Five Gyro Babies, Mickey Nines.
It's the Filthy Tongues. The Twist dates hosted by Gavin Mitchell AKA Bobby the Barman.
And on the tunes is Phil. Jupiter's is going to be DJing in between.
So it's going to be a good. That's a Sunday, the 31st of August from 6 o'. Clock. Warren Starry sky kicking things off actually at 6 o'. Clock. And yeah, hopefully you can make it there. It's 25 pound. All proceeds go to Mary Curie and the Beatson. So every single penny now is going to that none of the bands are taking any money at all. We're doing it in honor of a friend, Sophie, who raised lots of money for charity. So. And just to give him a send off at his favorite venue in the world. So I mean a lot of everyone can make it to the bars gig. That's the big one.
That's what. That's what we're looking forward to.
And I'll be in a moon, but so don't expect any dancing. Not that you get much dancing out of me anyway.
And while we're waiting on Becky, I might as well just show my album Dreams are Mental Commute this week on all platforms. So even if you've already downloaded it in Bandcamp already, please just listen to it twice on Spotify.
Put the streams up. That apparently appeases a robotic overlord. So I'll suggest it to more people.
And that's really why I wanted it to go on Spotify is because I don't want that to be a paywall for the music. So it feels like the right way to do it. As if you pay, you get to hear the album before everybody. But then there's no paywall, so everyone can enjoy it for free on any platform they want.
But please don't just pick and choose tracks. It should be listening to it as a continuous piece from start to Finish. It's only 42 minutes long.
Give it a lesson and let me know what you think. Thank you to everybody who has been listening or sharing it as much appreciated. And I don't know if Becky's coming back. Hold on, let me check. But Dreams Are Men all by the Gyro Babies. Oh I. And if you want. If.
If you want to make it to the the.
If we want to get at the charts, we need to buy it on Apple, I believe. I don't think we'll make it in the charts.
It's a bit. But if you are considering buying on Apple, if you're An Apple user. Now is the time to do that.
And let me just see if Becky's coming back. If she's not, I'll just wrap it up. But I think Becky's got a song for us. She sent a voice message.
Hold on.
Laptop crashed it. Okay.
Right, okay. So Becky's laptop crashed.
So that is the end of the show.
That is the end of the show.
Thank you to everyone tuning in.
I'm in a quaint little quiet undisclosed village in East Lodging and it's good to know. Let me know in the comments if you could, if the Internet worked okay, because if that's the case, I've got some big name guests to bring on the show.
I've been waiting to just make sure that the Internet worked. So let me know if it sounded okay, if it looked okay, did it glitch, let me know because if it didn't glitch, then we'll do another show tomorrow and we just do a show every day and just, just keep it going. It's podcast season.
Festival season is nearly over, so it's podcast season. Stream is fine. Thank you, Kit Kats.
Thank you. Always great. Thank you, Stuart. And I'm not worth fame. That's good. I wanna. Hello, Iona. Brilliant. That's amazing. Well, we'll just hopefully do a show tomorrow.
I'll take Saturday off and then do another show Sunday. And I think I'm just going to try and do a show every day since I can't go to Soul Fest, which I'm gutted about by the way. If you're a Patreon and you want to go to Soul Fest, I've got a couple of a weekend passes to Soul Fest to give away. So if you sign up to Patreon, there's a couple of passes there for you. Likewise. I've got a couple of passes to give away to the Soapy Fest gig next Sunday as well. If you're a Patreon and you're a bit skinned, let me know.
Same goes for slay tomorrow. It's music for the many. So I'm sure I can get you on the guest day if you fancy it. Gyro Babies, Jeremy Corbin, Tina Sandwich and Callum Beard. So that's tomorrow. I'll hopefully see you there. And thank you to Becky Wallace. Go and check her album. But you can. It's on Spotify. She hasn't told anyone, but you can actually check out in Spotify right now or buy it in band camp.
Support local music. Unless you live really, really far away, then support really, really far away music. Should call that radio. Bye.