Radio Stockton Heath

Here,  we talk about the year 1971 and how it had an impact on pop music. We get introduced to singer songwriter Lally Stott and his hit single 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep', as well as discussing Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, George Harrison and the Rolling Stones.

Here is the audio narration from a MUSICAL STEPS video of Warrington as seen by Viola Beach.

Here is a recording of a drive from Stockton Heath to Cronton, Widnes. No plans or script. A simple audio snapshot of the journey on March 17th 2022.

I thought I'd atke a quiet walk along Dingleway in Appleton for old time's sake seeing as my Grandad would have been 110 today!

Here, we take a MUSICAL STEPS walk through Lymm village and discuss Ian Brown, the solo artist that was formerly the singer for the Stone Roses.

I thought I'd take a walk around where I grew up and see if it's changed much.

In 1965, Paul Simon temporarily lived in England and played at various small venues; mostly folk clubs. His song 'Homeward Bound' has long been argued was written at Widnes railway station. Here's a discussion  and analysis of the lyrics. For the video, please visit: https://youtu.be/BEnAlPyXiPM  

This is a 'Musical Steps' podcast as I walk along Old Pewterspear Lane in Appleton to the site of the bungalow Beatle George Harrison bought for his parents in 1965. The bungalow allowed his parents some tranquillity away from the hundreds of fans that swamped their existing Woolton home. It is at the Appleton bungalow that George Harrison wrote 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. A corresponding video of this walk can be found at the link below. https://youtu.be/HmZKnIaGVQA

Experimenting with some new software to make recording different people in different locations easier, I chatted with Gareth Heesom about songwriting, the Mersey gateway bridge, gigging and other such inconsequential topics. Here's that test recording. It's a bit muddy. And in mono. So, I won't be buying the £160 software. There is a live 'standing in a beer tent' hand held stereo recording I made of one of Gareth's songs at a recent gig though. So, all is not lost. :)

This is episode 2 of my chat with Junior Dayvis about his single 'Elvis Is King', guitars and about songwriting generally.

I'd organised a phone podcast with Junior Dayvis to talk about his new single 'Elvis Is King', but we got talking about all sorts of things whilst I was setting up the levels etc. As always, Junior entertained me - and, therefore, I thought it worth publishing the pre-chat we had prior to discussing his new single. That podcast will follow! By the way, this episode is sponsored by CHEFY. www.chefy.uk

Taking a break from creating 'DigIllustrations', I went for an evening walk on a most poignant day - VE Day - down the lanes and roads that mean so much to me, for various reasons.I talked to myself. I had nothing planned. I simply wanted to take in - what we all possibly previously took for granted prior to lockdown - our home surroundings.There had been plans built up by the media / government for weeks to turn the evening into a huge celebration. I'm not sure 'celebration' is the right word to use.This podcast is as simple as it can get. No music. No comments. No local information. Just a simple spontaneous narration that can be used for the people that follow us in the coming centuries; if the human race survives. I hope it does.   By the way, you can buy my digital images at the link below. https://digillustrations.bigcartel.com/

It's been a while since the last podcast. So, I thought I'd better do one today seeing as the UK has shut down with the virus. Apart from the really serious implications to life, this has also meant many pubs and clubs - that provide live music - have closed down for the next few months. As a result, many musicians will struggle to pay their bills. I rang my musician mate Gareth Heesom to chat to him about it. Here's the phone call.

In this podcast, I talk about Zeppelin L61. This WW1 German airship brought death and destruction to Cheshire and Lancashire a century ago. During bad weather, L61 flew west over Warrington towards Moore and on to Runcorn and Halton before heading north again over Liverpool and on to Wigan before returning to Germany. Music featured in this podcast was written and performed by myself, with live performances of Junior Davies, Gareth Heesom and Nathan Greenfield that I recorded at a recent songwriter's evening hosted by Junior and played through my QSC digital PA and recorder.  

TICK IT TO RIDE It's been a little while since the last podcast. So, I thought I'd better create a good one. Here, you'll hear me talk about new and old transport around Warrington and Stockton Heath. And how salt was a commercial commodity around Lymm. You'll get to hear some great songs by Matt Jefferson, Dave Cannon, Gareth Heesom and Jonny Daniel too. I do have other recordings of other artists that I didn't get space to fit here. S, I'll use them over the course of the next few podcasts. See you soon.

After reading about Vicky Williams recording a song to help those that suffered at Grenfell, we arranged to have a quick chat over a quick coffee in my studio. I'd not really met her prior to this podcast. We'd only previously encountered each other at an OPen mic she ran a year or so ago. Owing to Vicky being excellent company, the quick chat turned into a three hour conversation, and we drank tea instead of coffee.

I work from home and, therefore, I thought I'd record a quick podcast of me having my usual morning coffee in the garden sitting on our bench under the blossom tree with the kitten. Once she's out in the garden, 'Cat-Face' stays in the garden for most of the day. Can't blame her.  

I wanted to talk to you all about the issues facing Moore Nature Reserve. But the day after our little early morning Bank Holiday walk, I got struck down with the worst man-flu ever and lost my voice. So, just have a listen to our little walk and what we all might be missing in the future.

Not had chance to create and upload any podcasts for half a year now. I'll get back on it in the new year. For now, here's an old recording of one of my daughters teaching me how to cook.  

I have been meaning to visit Grappenhall Heyes Walled Garden for a long time. I finally got chance last weekend. As you'll hear, it wasn't the first time I'd been there! Grappenhall Heyes was an estate of around 150 acres just outside Warrington. Built by Thomas Parr around 1830. The Parr family were wealthy local bankers who had founded Parr & Company in 1788. Though they started in Warrington, the company grew to be a nationally known and important institution. In 1918 they merged with London County and Westminster Bank. The merged company was known as London County Westminster and Parr’s Bank until 1968 when they merged with National Provincial and became National Westminster Bank. The 1877 head office of Parr & Company is still used by Natwest and the family name can still be seen above the door. There are many other buildings around the country which were Parr's & Company branches. They were well known for having buildings of quality design and decoration.  

There's nothing like grabbing your dream and turning it into reality. In this podcast, I chat to Zoe from 'Cycle Retreats' about how she has given up her home in Lymm and downsized to Stockton Heath to fund the luxury cycling holiday company she has set up with her husband Mark. Wow! www.cycleretreats.com

Catching up with my mate Matt is always great. But, especially when I'm not feeling so great. Always entertaining. Here, we went to Cork's Out in Stockton Heath for a quiet glass of wine (something I never normally drink) and we simply talked about whatever came in to our heads. We were then joined by a couple of people never met before - that turned out to be great company and most amusing as we talked about child birth - the obvious conversation to have after talking about wine!

Welcome to 2017. Here's a quick podcast for you to get to know the new Taps Bar in Warrington on the corner of Church Street. Hopefully, there will be a sign up by the time you listen to this podcast. I drove round and round the roundabout and nearly gave up looking for it. I'm glad I didn't give up. It's a great place for Warrington musicians to showcase their talents. Call in on a Tuesday for Jam Night, or Saturday for Showcase night.

NO USE CRYING OVER SPILLED MILK A slight diversion with this podcast as I don't discuss a specific area or local issue. Instead, I talk to John McKenzie - a Cheshire based hypnotherapist - about all sorts of disconnected topics. You are feeling sleepy!

Coffee is the somewhat tenuous thread that binds this podcast together featuring conversations with Tony Horne talking about 'Ghost Writing', the ladies from Warrington's YMCA, and with Rob from 'Dick's Bean Bar' near to Central Station. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to afford a speciality coffee. Sadly, some people in Warrington can't. Thank you to my mate Ray Humphries for using some of his music too. Is It That Time Already? by Ray Humphries https://itun.es/gb/EIAjF

This podcast starts with conversations about the financial impact 'Creamfields' has on local businesses. Under a mid August blood red full moon, I talk to my local handyman mate Tom about the Daresbury dance festival whilst we sit outside Stockton Heath's Red Lion before moving inside to talk to Tony the landlord. I talk to another Tom too. You will know him as the owner of Stockton Heath's upmarket restaurant and music venue 'Tom at 101'.  We don't talk about the restaurant. Instead, we talk about another of Tom's passions - keeping bees and making honey. I also talk to Ash - a really nice guy who has bought the franchise for 'So-Stockton Heath'. He explains the details about his new community based local website focussed on the Stockton Heath area. Have a look - www.so-stocktonheath.co.uk Finally, you'll hear me make a fool of myself on WireFM's 'Tony Horne Radio Show'. Once you've listened, why not call into Tom @ 101 and buy some of Tom's honey. You'll love it.  

After having a beer in Stockton Heath with Johnny Zebra of ZEBRA REMOVALS, I was motivated to get a bit fitter after seeing him lose 4 stones in 4 months. Here's part of our conversation outside Costello's. And my walk (not a jog) down to Walton Reservoir. Or, is it Appleton Reservoir? www.zebraremovals.co.uk  

When I'm feeling down, my beautiful princess sings to me. She learned 'Let It Be' for a school show about two years ago, and hasn't sung it since. I recorded her on my iPhone as she sang it from memory, and without any music. Not sure I could have remembered the melody from a song I sang once two years ago - and without music. So, despite it not (understandably) being perfect, I thought I'd create a short podcast here of her singing it to me last week in the kitchen. Stick one of these mics on your iPhone and you'll be able to get good quality audio. http://www.rode.com/microphones/ixy  

Ostensibly about Ghost Writing, I talk to radio legend and in demand 'Ghost Writer' Tony Horne about many things. As usual for my interview podcasts, there is no script or notes used. Here, Tony showed me exactly how it's done. The man weaves words like nobody I know. He's a genius. We simply sat around his garden, gorged on his BBQ and talked like old friends. Yet, this was our first ever meeting. Tony makes it sound so easy. I was in awe. Owing to us being under a slowly setting sun, you'll hear birds on the breeze and the roar of planes overhead too. I won't say where Tony's 'garden' is - but it's utterly delightful. There is also an appearance from Liverpool band 'The Kulaks'. Hope you like it as much as I enjoyed making it!

For this quick podcast, I thought I'd use my iPhone to record my wander across the fields. The audio quality is not as good as normal but I thought I'd try the inferior quality of the iPhone  just to see how it would turn out. Anyway, that's why!

I had a really interesting talk with children's author Simon Adepetun about his recently published novel 'The Bee Hive'. It is illustrated by his daughter Toni. It's available in good bookshops and on Amazon too. Check it out.

In this podcast, I chat to Craig Smith - the director of a new backing tracks company based in south Warrington. His company produces backing tracks that are played by real musicians for singers and instrumentalists. We had a coffee in my studio and chatted about his brand new company. Check his website - www.realbacking.com

Here is a short podcast about the history of Daresbury Hall.

A purposely confusing podcast here about Lewis Carroll and the delights of Daresbury and visiting 'a less wonderland' London. C'mon - 'A Less Wonderland' is a good pun!

Quite a lot of people have asked me to create further podcasts where I simply walk with my daughters. So, here's one! There is no real focus to it other than we walked down the lane next to our house and across to Walton reservoir whilst talking about their upcoming school trips to Venice and Anglesey. It was a hot late May day and I show off my botany skills!

Is there anything as wonderful as being with your family? As a follow up to the previous podcast focussed on Fiddlers Ferry, I took one of my daughters for a walk around the Ferry Tavern for 20 minutes where we had a look at the pub that got flooded a decade ago. We also chatted about the yachts and locks. and now redundant railway line. It was just a quick walk and chat with my precious princess on a grey, windy day. It was quite exhilarating for that reason.

After suffering with some sort of virus for a week, I just about got my voice back to talk about Fiddlers Ferry and the walk across the fields towards Walton Reservoir that looks across towards the soon to be redundant power station that rises up on the horizon. And I had a couple of beers too.

Warrington has always had a rich, talented abundance of raw talent. For some reason, despite this talent, it has proven somewhat difficult for these bands and solo artists to break into the big time. This was all about to change. Viola Beach were about to break it big. But, an utterly dreadful event happened to one of the UK's brightest and talented bands.  

'Money makes the world go round!' - That's the saying.Here, we consider different parochial sayings whilst wandering the high hill top south Warrington ridgeway that straddles the once open moss lands of Hatton, Stretton and Appleton Thorn.Along the way, listen to local musicians performing original and cover version songs.

My humble recording and mix of my favourite David Bowie song.1972 - Yours and my world changed forever when we saw David Bowie and Alice Cooper perform on Top of the Pops.I haven't recorded a voice-over for this podcast. All I've done is some studio trickery and used Bowie's isolated voice with my piano. I'll try and finish the whole song when I get time.So, for now, cherish those you have with you before they go. I know I want to. 

Here's the final podcast of 2015 - a year of much change.Floods, hats and Latchford-upon-Italy feature !Hope to speak to you soon.

Seeing as it's Christmas, I thought I'd podcast the beginning of the dystopian mystery novel 'Silent Knight'.Based in Manchester, it also features Warrington.Manchester, not long after the second English civil war, has become the new capital of England owing to the relentless floods in the south of the country.Further chapters to follow in later podcasts.Merry Xmas folks.

For a few weeks, I had been planning to podcast about Paris. With awful irony, I have abandoned it. All I can do is offer this.For this - and other reasons - I found it too difficult to talk. Sorry.

Another full length podcast. This time about Warrington being voted the worst place in Britain for culture.If you would like a podcast creating for you, please contact via ENERGY STUDIOS - www.energy-studios.co.uk

Apologies once more for the noisy crowd in Stockton Heath's Costello's - but here's another Mini-Podcast about Warrington's bus service.You wait all day for one etcSpeak to you soon!

Another in our Mini-Podcasts - this one about the historical Stockton Heath forge that existed where the new Marks & Spencer is being built.Sometimes, on my travels form pub to pub, I meet the most fascinating people.Again, apologies for the sound quality not being the best. I felt it was too interesting a chat with Pat not to use. 

Once more - apologies for the background noise - but here's another 'Matt Chat' that also features Stockton Heath's favourite rat pack singer - David Hollington.Once more, you find us sitting outside Costello's and chatting about nonsense - this time, particularly, about smoking!

I was asked by one friend recently (Hi Mike) to make the podcasts much shorter. So, I thought I would produce a sequence of podcasts where I simply have a chat with another mate (Hi Matt) over a couple of beers in Stockton Heath.I've not added any narration to introduce the conversations or provide context - I thought I'd simply let the conversations speak for themselves.So, here's the first in a mini series called 'Matt Chats'.And, at least, you get to see a photograph here of Stockton Heath when it had a roundabout !Hope to talk to you soon.

A recent visit to Warrington Town football club to watch them beat Harrogate 6-3 left me considering the definition of 'Hero'. It has multiple meanings dependent on situation and circumstance. How would you define it?Apart from watching a great game and chatting to friends, we saw a Vulcan bomber fly overhead on its final journey from Manchester Airport.Warrington Peace Centre is discussed as is the tragic event that led to it being built. The tragic events of 20th March are considered. Accidentally, the wrong date is mentioned in this podcast. I subsequently considered editing this date out and amending it to the correct date but, as you'll hear, the accidental mistake reinforces the issue being discussed. I hope no offence is given by leaving the mistake unedited.If you would like a podcast creating for you, please contact via ENERGY STUDIOS - www.energy-studios.co.uk 

After a recent crash of two computers, I was forced to go on holiday whilst they were being fixed. Visiting Rhosneigr on Anglesey, I was sparked with enthusiasm to write another story I'll never finish! 'Harrison Drive', based around Aberffraw initially, progresses to Rhosneigr.Aberffraw is a strange place that hardly anyone knows about today. It has a rich, royal history. If it's good enough for Will & Kate, it's good enough for you!I do my bit for the local beer trade too as I chat to 'locals' outside the pub after a long day's walk across the beach.If you would like a podcast creating for you, please contact via ENERGY STUDIOS - www.energy-studios.co.uk

I've often wondered why our tastes change over time, metaphorically and literally. These sort of thoughts are best served with beer. So, whilst thinking about this, I talked to various musician friends about why some prefer to play cover songs and others choose to write their own songs. Along the way, I visit Warrington locations such as Grappenhall, Walton and Appleton Thorn.If you would like a podcast creating for you, please contact via ENERGY STUDIOS - www.energy-studios.co.uk