Sat 30 May - Graphic Novels and Grandparents - Sarah Lippett & Danny Noble

Danny Noble discusses her own Jewish grandmas as part of her memoir Shame Pudding. Topics from rock 'n' roll, anxiety, picket lines and life growing up in the big city with a genius brother. Sarah Lippett chats about making a graphic novel about the life of her maternal grandparents, Stan and Nan. Plus lockdown music about a delightfully evil grandmother made by the Desperado Housewives with Helen McCookerybook and Kath Tait.

Listen Again - Graphic Novels and Grandparents - Sarah Lippett & Danny Noble

Sat 23 May - Kevin Burke - IRISH FIDDLE

Kevin Burke from The Bothy Band and Patrick Street – considered one of the world's finest living fiddlers – talks about Irish music including jigs, reels, hornpipes and airs, mythologies, and his young life as a keen musician and member of an Irish family settled in New Eltham, learning tunes from his father's record collection and the Irish community in London. Subjects include the banshee, keening, seeing the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and a tribute to his talented and encouraging violin teacher.

Listen Again - Sat 23 May - Kevin Burke - IRISH FIDDLE

Sat 16 May - Mike Barnes - PROG ROCK

Mike Barnes discusses progressive rock music in the UK in his book A New Day, Yesterday. Drawing from oral history collected from those who were present on the scene, Mike's conversation discusses the presence and absence of women in bands and in the scene and beyond, the abrupt end and rejection of many of its values in the advent of punk, and looks at how the longform, multi-sectioned compositions have influenced music beyond its heyday which featured artists such as Hawkwind, Sonja Kristina (Curved Air), Genesis, Pink Floyd. Still controversial to many, this period in new music has spawned a million arguments beyond its lifespan as to what was and wasn't 'prog'.

Listen Again - Sat 16 May - Mike Barnes on Progressive Rock

Sat 9 May - Ana Silvera & Francesca Ter-berg - Yja - LADINO

Ana Silvera and Francesca Ter-berg introduce their project Yja – reimagining the Ladino songs of Ana's ancestors. The debut single, La Serena is one of many songs sung from a female perspective in Judeo-Spanish and which continued to be performed in domestic environments the Sephardic diaspora, particularly in eastern Europe. Archives, oral history, folk tales and the classically influenced early music revival are all part of the picture we have of Ladino music and help us speculate about music in the past. Songs about love, first crushes, revenge, snapshots of the time. Silvera and Ter-berg talk about their approach to the music as professional music-makers and composers.
Listen Again - Ana Silvera & Francesca Ter-berg - Yja - Ladino music

Sat 22 Feb - Ben Morgan - VOLCANOES and MEDEA

Poet and author Ben Morgan on mythology and the underworld. How volcanoes stand as a link to an internal dimension, the red hot core at the centre of us all. Thoughts on traversing the geology, history and ancient religion of the Eastern Mediterranean: islands, monks, journeys, the damned and what we can do to save ourselves through psychic adventure in the footsteps of archetypes. Medea in Corinth (http://poetrysalzburg.com/medea.htm) by Ben Morgan is available from Poetry Salzburg. For more information see thenewsagents.blogspot.co.uk.

Listen Again - volcanoes & Medea - BEN MORGAN - Sat 22 Feb

Sat 2 May - HER INDOORS - Women Composers Collective

HER INDOORS is a compilation put together during lockdown to raise money for charity against domestic violence. With tracks from nearly 50 female artists, women-led projects, composers and players. The compilation is distributed via the Women Composers Collective and includes specially composed material and features previously published tracks from Viv Corringham, Ingrid Plum, Ode to Sleep, Viridian, Hazel Iris, Pelican Assembly, Kate Waterfield, Tigersonic, Helen McCookerybook, Pauline Sewards, Debra Watson, blt63, Isnaj Dui, Bloom de Wilde, Ruby, Flavia Goa, Kath Tait and Eileen Gogan among others. This programme plays some of the material on the album and talks about the project. The compilation is available at https://womencomposerscollective.bandcamp.com

Listen Again - Sat 2 May - Her Indoors - Women Composers Collective 

Sat 25 April - MUSETTE - Amanda Babington

Amanda Babington introduces court bagpipes of the 17th & 18th century France. Wear your silken shepherd robes and have your sheep beside you for this historical journey.  A rare programme on a unique instrument - there are not many musette players in the world today -the French Revolution led to this unusual performance art falling sharply out of favour, but it is an example of fun cultural mash-ups from the past. Amanda Babington is Artistic Director of Baroque In the North and an acclaimed musicologist. For more information see thenewsagents.blogspot.com

Listen Again - The News Agents Sat 25 April 2020 - Musette - Amanda Babington

Sat 18 April - Lucy Sullivan - BARKING

Author, artist and animator Lucy Sullivan (https://lucysullivanuk.com/) launches her debut graphic novel on Unbound this weekend. “Barking” is a book about mental health, grief, madness and the ghosts that haunt us. The third lockdown show of the News Agents, recorded on Zoom, with tracks from Rita Braga, Atsuko Kamura, Esbe and Crumpsall Riddle. A celebration of female artists and women's talent in multiple media. For more information see thenewsagents.blogspot.co.uk.

Listen Again - Sat 18 April 2020 - Lucy Sullivan - Graphic memoir - BARKING