Nice Things

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Join Cultural Historians Livesley & Carmichael for Nice Things - the antidote to modern living.

Nice Things


    • Dec 15, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 7m AVG DURATION
    • 112 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Nice Things

    Nice Things 125 – Return of the Cack

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 78:36


    We’re back – nominative determinism, House of Cards, the wonderful new Box of Delights and Blake’s 7 sets, Colin Jeavons, Leonard Rossiter and plenty else!

    Nice Things 124 – Football Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024 88:05


    In our final show before we take a break – the 90s, the weather, workman eitquette, The Sweeney, Nearest and Dearest, Carl Jung, Stone Circles and some football…probably.

    Nice Things 123 – Jig Sore

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 70:19


    This week, a very sleepy show feat Shakespeare, buses, the death of broadcasting, organising bookshelves, lots of love for the wonderful @spuddemos @TheRSC @sherlockpod @WhoEvent plus all the usual nonsense!

    Nice Things 122 – Byrne’s Night

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2024 82:19


    Mad hair, violence on telly, Matchbox Models of Yesteryear, Play School, Eastenders, the ‘Johnny Byrne’ factor, the Richard Dreyfuss shitstorm, Drop the Dead Donkey live and why Hamish MacBeth was shit.

    Nice Things 121 – Maybe Rain, Dear?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2024 86:45


    #solarstorms #bernardhill David Brunt’s magnificent #doctorwho book #Babyreindeer #Martha, the surprising George Formby/#elonmusk connection, #clarksonsfarm and the terrifying spectre-cals ghosts get up to when you’re out.

    Nice Things 120 – Morrissey in Megadeth

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2024 79:39


    Beltane, teenage bands, hints from the afterlife, Deliverance, sewing up jeans, Helen Mirren and Nicole Williamson, mixing pop (the drink), John Hurt, Flanagan & Allen, and a difference of opinion over ex-MPs on the telly.

    Nice Things 119 – The Baste Police

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 86:46


    #PaddyMcGuiness for Give Us a Clue? Turkeys & Shakespeare – real? Jon Pertwee, Liz Truss, 90s post-rave japes, censorship, the influence of @ConfessionsPete on Sir M’s pocket and the REAL unknown of the afterlife – what if you die needing a piss?

    Nice Things 118 – The Pallet Sketch

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2024 79:59


    A heated discussion about why national treasure Dame Thora Hird was not only dangerous but also rubbish leads us to a story of a common man and his pallet. Whilst this is going on #FawltyTowers is the subject of debate and there’s some actual breaking news about a much-loved British TV institution…

    Nice Things 117 – The Importance of Being Silly

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2024 76:58


    This week – Get Carter, Alton Towers, Dinsdale Landen, Paddy McGuinness, da footy, Fawlty Towers, Hitchhikers Guide, taking LSD, Countdown, Big Bang Theory, 3 Body Problem, Mark Strickson, and all the usual bollocks.

    Nice Things 116 – Preaster Eggs

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 65:31


    For Good Friday #DoctorWho S15 box set, shelves, image rights, William Squire, Argo records, Tom Baker, porn mags and some very ‘forthright' opinions on the ‘Bolton 3' – Paddy McGuinness and the Kay twins Peter and Vernon.

    Nice Things 115 – Mithering Sunday

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2024 84:27


    The Duke of Edinburgh, drunken performance, Wheeltappers & Shunters, Whicker Man, Tolkien, Blackadder, Shakespeare, The Dogon Tribe, Sir M's theories on ancient construction and worrying revelations of the misappropriation of Bring n Buy Sale funds by Lord Paul.

    Nice Things 114 – ‘Filth’

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2024 82:23


    We’re back – Ken Loach, Wes Anderson, The Family Ness, Zen and the art of Decorating, Leo McKern's tache, Simon Groom, the sheer terror of a poo-bag ripping, plus all the usual bollocks!

    Nice Things 113 – Tom Baker at 90 Special-ish

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2024 76:43


    We battled thru the Guatemalan Death Flu to celebrate the 90th birthday of the majestic Tom Baker, and also discuss the ‘chish' sound of widnes, One Man and His Dog, Freddie Truman, Give Us a Clue (again), The Traitors, Mansun, Stanley Kubrick, Survivors, The Avengers, ill pissing and Caribou cords.

    Nice Things 112 – Twelfth Night?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2024 72:38


    Midst the swirling controv of when exactly Twelfth Night lands we talk Give Us a Clue, Supernatural, the moment Robert Hardy went mad, Ian Hendry, politics and have a lively exchange of views about cinema. Plus all our usual rambling nonsense. Join us!

    Nice Things Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2023 129:27


    Join us behind the curtain for a festive trawl thru the disjecta membra of our minds as we discuss recording vomiting for posterity, St Winifred’s School Choir, Ghost Stories for Christmas, All Creatures Great and Small, Jeremy Brett as Holmes and have a difference of opinion over peeling mushrooms and Only Fools and Horses.

    Doctor Who 60 Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2023 79:10


    Finally we managed to hammer it together. Our celebration of all things Who on this Special Anniversary, and we stick to the point…mostly…

    Nice Things – Hallowe’en Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2023 79:59


    Fashionably late, as always, with a refreshingly ‘Hallowe’en Free’ Hallowe’en Special, in which Lady Paul dares to venture beyond the confines of his ‘Upstairs’ village idyll to board the omnibus for a rain lashed evening of chat and chai latte at Sir Michael’s fireside, deep within the entrails of ‘Downstairs’ Widnes. The convivial and, at … Continue reading "Nice Things – Hallowe’en Special"

    Nice Things 108 – An Unearthly Rile

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2023 89:43


    This week – Tony Stratton-Smith, Denholm Elliott, Kevin Ayers, the Mellotron, the current furore over the first Dr Who story, Henry’s Cat, birdbaths and LSD, Peter Bowles, Bernard Bresslaw, Sydney Tafler, a reappraisal of Supermarionation and a lively debate over 80s CBBC schedules!

    Nice Things 107 – ‘RSB, Benton’

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2023 74:10


    Later than usual, here is the news – Finding lost treasures, Genesis, The Romance of Coal, Michael Gambon, Clarence, Gryphon, piss cellars, The Sopranos plus da curious tale of ‘Alpine Joe and Jonny da Wolf’. Join us!

    Nice Things 106 – Chai Noon

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2023 67:28


    This week – Robertson Hare, paper rounds, tea, Derek Nimmo, glassware, Brookside – early and middle period – The Royle Family, Milligan, Kipling, Lars von Trier, Belbury Poly plus all the usual nonsense!

    Nice Things 105 – Loo-Fix

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2023 76:24


    This week we discuss our recent Viv Stanshall show, curry, John Thaw, Robert Hardy, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, CS Lewis, and the basis upon which a trader is granted toilet privileges.

    cs lewis nice things robert hardy john thaw viv stanshall
    Nice Things 104 – Underneath the Archers

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2023 55:22


    This week – are all door to door salesman ex-prisoners? The Lirpa-Loof, Cheesecake pop, Quorn blood, ATV's Thriller, Rumpole, Patrick McGoohan, BSB, midnight Redbubble buying frenzies, Fraud Squad, the Blue Moon, Mooncat, stretching 4:3 and the HEAT!

    Nice Things 103 – CEX & Thugs & Mocking Proles

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2023 64:18


    This week – Blur, Royal Mail, Paradise Postponed, Hungry Horse Pubs, Pulp, The Feathered Serpent, Ken Loach, Stone Roses, Tug of War, cultural shifts, Timeslip, bats and the bubonic plague

    Nice Things 102 – Music of the Beards

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2023 64:18


    This week – vanishing hedgerows, Jim Davidson, The Goodies, chinoiserie, the Pillars of Creation, ancient architecture, soundwaves, Mosquitoes, Queen Elizabeth I & the Morrocan Ambassador, 1990, Star Cops, Peter Vaughan-Clarke and Paul’s shit internet!

    Nice Thing 101 – The Left Hand Path

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2023 74:03


    International Left Handers day Special – also 1990, Austin Princess, Soviet Cars, The Unexplained, Burtonwood, Spiral Staircases in Castles, Judy Garland, Jaws, Robert Shaw, Romantic Liasons, The Childe of Hale, Lighthouses, Wasps, Private Schulz, The genius of Philip Hinchcliffe and Ken Campbell

    Nice Things 100 – Not Out!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2023 72:54


    We celebrate our 100th edish with Secret Army, Video Nasties, Eddie Murphy, the workings of the Coliseum, navvies and middens, Come Back Lucy, On the Buses, The L Shaped Room, defining the point at which Brian Blessed went mad!

    Nice Things 99b – Clav Divs

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 56:35


    Eating hash, German helmets, I Clavdivs, A Very Peculiar Practice, Herbie Wise, Jack Pulman, George ‘Champagne Charlie’ Leybourne, DVD watch piles plus all the usual nonsense!

    Nice Things 99 – Ginger-Ring

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2023 75:26


    After a break we return with Lord Paul’s ‘Network’ panic, On the Buses, faded newsagent windows, Colditz, Secret Army, Robin Redbreast, The Change, the new Viv Stanshall albums, the need for MORE Ron Pember and tips from Sir M’s Grandad on training dogs!

    Nice Things 98 – Widnes 98

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2023 72:36


    This week – #Glastonbury #TheBeatles #GeorgeHarrison #ArcticMonkeys #Wagner #Russia #Putin #GlendaJackson #Titan #Submarine #Sub #Colditz #DrWho #DoctorWho

    Nice Things 97 – Witchell Fix It

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2023 71:23


    Noel Edmonds, Neville Goddard, waking up full of wee, Sir M’s ‘Who Pays the Ferryman’ theory, Indian food, Shakespeare, the Amazing World of Doctor Who, plus all the usual nonsense!

    Nice Things 96 – Summer Pants and Some are Not

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2023 86:06


    This week, Primal Scream, Neil McCarthy, an epic rant from Paul on The Globe, Who Pays the Ferryman?, This Life, Peter O’Toole, The Oxo Family, terrible ITV sitcoms, Bryan MaGee and general tiredness!

    Nice Things 95 – Two Years Hence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2023 82:13


    On our second anniversary we discuss, spiders, palimpsests, 70s ‘lump’ hairdos, 80s Hip-Hop, growing tomatoes, Eamonn Holmes, ITV’s Night Network, Prisoner Cell Block H and much more good honest rubbish!

    Nice Things 94 – Feng Shoe

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2023 73:19


    Moving things around, The Omega Factor, Sir Michael’s Hand-feet, imaginary friends, Love's Forever Changes, Little and Large, Tina Turner, Philip Schofield, Francoisę Hardy and Lord Paul gives his opinion on Mizzy.

    Nice Things 93 – The Great Vape Ape

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2023 43:04


    More Lotus Eaters, Paul's eulogy for Maurice Roeves, Keith Moon's friendship with Oliver Reed, card machines, Dick Turpin, broken phones, unasked for bar work, terrorising ants as a kid, plus all the usual nonsense!

    Nice Things 92 – In Disc Crete

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2023 36:50


    Look & Learn, The Lotus Eaters, When the Boat Comes In, Ancient Rome, All Creatures Great and Small plus all the usual stuff n nonsense!

    Nice Things 91 – The Jewel Up Your Crown

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 65:19


    This week – Lord Paul’s Birthday haul, the Coronation and the protests, When the Boat Comes In, narrowboat parties in the 90s and why Thatcher and Bliar destroyed the UK.

    Nice Things 90 – Beltin’ Beltane!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 88:35


    This week – The Romans, both King Arthurs, Stonehenge, Julian Cope, Ghosts of Motley Hall, Sandbaggers, Whicker Man, Dr Who, Physical Labour, Barry Humphries plus all the usual nonsense. Happy Beltane!

    Nice Things 89 – Emergency Alert

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2023 64:08


    Don’t switch off your phone! Protect and Survive, Callan, haircuts, Brett’s Sherlock Holmes, Don Henderson, JustStopOil, Peter Bowles’ tache, The A Team plus much more and all the usual nonsense.

    The Nice Things Commentaries 08 – Survivors S01 E01

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2023 72:13


    This week, we ramble over one of the major landmarks in British Television history. The opening episode of the seminal 1975 BBC post-apocalyptic drama ‘Survivors’. Watch along with us: https://youtu.be/zAyjkaFYnzE To find out more about the series, visit the excellent https://bit.ly/3mJ5HXG website. To buy the series https://amzn.to/3KMhEne

    The Nice Things Commentaries 07 – Crossroads #3325

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2023 55:37


    Lord Paul attempts to transfer his Crossroads obsession to Sir Michael with a special Christmas Day episode from 1979, but will it work? Watch along with us https://youtu.be/UFD6I-CxAUc Also available from Network ‘Crossroads: The Noele Gordon Years’ https://networkonair.com/popular-products/3493-crossroads-the-noele-gordon-collection

    Nice Things 88 – Easter Spesh 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2023 76:57


    Happy Easter! Fablon, false teeth, Robert Powell, illness at Easter, Mass, gurning, Paul McCartney, the irreplaceable Paul O'Grady, Freddie Starr, Russ Abbott, the chemistry of Toby Hadoke and John Levene and much more!

    Nice Things 87 – Return of the Malc

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2023 62:52


    This week – MORE Dr Who Season 9, the beauteous Ingrid Pitt, BJ and the Bear(!), the coronation, aliens, Glyn Owen, Celebrity Squares, Sayers v Greggs, an update on Paul's condition PLUS all the usual nonsense!

    Nice Things 86 – Bonzo Dogmatics

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2023 78:38


    This week we discuss our recent show in London to celebrate Vivian Stanshall’s 80th, Paul’s health, the joy of Beryl Reid and Bill Maynard, The Sullivans, a difference of opinion over Queen and an examination of 90s Indie music, in particular Lush.

    Nice Things 85 – Match of the Fey

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2023 66:07


    This week! #BBC #Lineker #Braverman #Conservatives #MatchOfTheDay #MOTD #BillHicks #FrazerHines #VivianStanshall #snow #BBCbias #1930sGermany #AlanSugar #RichardSharp

    Nice Things 84 – Enuresis V

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2023 65:38


    This week! Bedwetting, Highway to Heaven, an incredibly kind Shakespearean gift from listener Connie, the Corgi James Bond DB-5, Dr Who books, buying crap off the internet and The Last of Us.

    Nice Things 83 – Blakey’s 7 (A Hauntology Special)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2023 70:20


    Posh ALDI's, Deryck Guyler, Revels, Psychogeography, consciousness and reality, The Whicker Man, Stone Tape Theory, cheese and gifting previously loved nice things.

    Nice Things 82 – Benny Storm

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2023 67:07


    This week – Benidorm, The Fawlty Towers reboot, Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon, Negus in Vegas, Crossroads, ‘Cock-Brollies' UFOs/UAPs PLUS Lord Paul discovers that Matthew Sweet has stolen his schtick!

    Nice Things 81 – Them Smiths

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2023 70:39


    ‘Urine’ for a treat this week as we return to discuss Sam Smith’s new video, 18th Century prostitutes, crap films, the beauty of Prunella Scales plus a difference of opinion on the construction of Stonehenge plus The Dark Ages. Join us!

    Nice Things 80 – Bottom First

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2023 71:20


    This week – Valerie Singleton, Downton Abbey, arguing on Twitter, David Crosby, Gentle Giant, the fictional 1976 TV drama ‘Climbers', crap films, the Joan Littlewood – sitcom continuum, Dennis Waterman’s Freddie Jaeger impression and Paul tries his hand at DIY.

    Nice Things 79 – Fackeray

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2023 80:05


    This week we discuss Hancock Night, the genius of Kubrick, why the world effectively ended in 1976, differing views on DIY, TV comfort food and catch up on the latest from Strongarm, who this week takes on decolonising Shakespeare and Andrew Tate.

    Nice Things 78 – Twelfth Night Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2023 93:37


    Happy New Year! This week we discuss the epiphany, imagined sitcoms, actory stuff, Phil Cool, Peter Cook, the nature of reality, Malcolms, Amicus, Max Planck, ‘trendy' Christians, Blue Peter and the ‘Young Strongarm' adventures.

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