The BIG Sound Machine Podcast

Join my conversation with singer, songwriter Nathan Timothy. Recorded a few weeks in to the Covid-19 lockdown in the UK, we discuss his new album "Chasing The Positive" which includes tales of meetings with Nile Rogers and Howard Jones, inspiration from Barry Manilow, and making the tourist's rookie error of photographing Paris with no film in the camera. There are also includes Muppets and Steve Coogan. This is Nathan's 7th album and as you'll hear, the process was part inspired by the death of his sister, Kate who passed away in July 2012. In 2013 Nathan set up 'Project K' in memory of her. Totally funded by the charity, the team delivered the 'Master Peace' songwriting programme in Welsh schools during June and July culminating in a very special concert at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff where videos featuring the children's original songs were played in HD on a huge screen. Nathan Timothy Foundation - The Songwriting Charity was set up in July 2011. In 2012 the charity was awarded the Official Olympic Inspire Mark by LOCOG for its 'Sports Tracks' songwriting programme. Since its formation the Songwriting Charity team have worked in hundreds of schools - working face to face with over 90,000 children - inspiring and engaging them to learn about music and feel good about themselves through the songwriting process. Find and follow Nathan here: Website Facebook Spotify YouTube Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online. A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

What seems like a long, long time ago - before such things as gathering on a weekend afternoon with a bunch of friends to observe two teams take part in competitive sport became an impossible luxury - I met with the fabulous Minnie Birch to discuss her imminently released new album. You're Not Singing Anymore is a collection of football songs. Not the "Ozzie's Dream" type though. These are the songs and chants that reflect one of the lasting oral traditions of our time where hundreds, or often thousands of people will gather together and sing communally. For this album, Minnie sought out those terrace songs that derive directly from traditional folks tunes, and added in a fine selection of contemporary tunes from modern artists Billy Bragg, Steve O'Donaghue plus her own original composition "Cash Out". As the current weekly joining of neighbourhoods to celebrating our care workers has perhaps demonstrated, along with images we saw from Italy and other nations - gatherings of people to share in familiar melodies can create something quite magical. Our discussion brought out many memories of family and friends, along with discussion of the origins of the songs. Minnie is always great company, and I hope you enjoy this episode even as it reminds us that it will be a wonderful moment when we are once again able to join together with our friends and sing... even if it is just for the simple joy of encouraging seagull defecation in the general direction of your rivals. Find and follow Minnie Birch here: Website Facebook Spotify Extras!! George Best at Hibernian My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean - Scottish? Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online. A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

"There's not even a Costa" This episode finds me in conversation with Mark Holt and Ian Kinsey, collectively known as Metronaut. Their album To The Moon is the culmination of 2 years work focused on celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the historic first moon landing, and was originally released in 4 EP "phases" the broadly tell the story of the journey - leaving, travelling, landing and returning. As always there is the odd diversion in to other subjects along the way but mainly it's fascinating to hear how the tracks came together to form a brilliant tribute to a momentous event that seems unlikely to be repeated, at least not in the immediate future. And also another chance for me to offer my thanks again to the guys for supplying the brilliant theme tune for the show. Find and follow Metronaut here: Website Facebook Spotify Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online. A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

"It’s not just a phase mum!" Welcome to another edition of The BIG Sound Machine podcast - this episode featuring a conversation with Ravi Amruth about his 10 years in the making debut album Tracks to Lay Down On, but covering much more stuff in the process. Like what you say? (Did you say?)... Like how his long song titles and use of parenthesis are inspired by Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco influences. The discovery that a chorus is a group of people. That, apart from a couple of bits he played and recorded all the instruments on the album. That it's tempting to move on when you've finished making something but you also want to honour what you've created. And why digital streaming can really throw a spanner in the works when you've spent ages working out crossfades between tracks. All that, and how Ravi really didn't rip off David Bowie. Unmissable I'd say. Find and follow Ravi here: Website Facebook Spotify Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online. A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

This episode I was joined at The Cream Room by John Vaites, main writer and performer as The Corvideros, to discuss the album "Nothing You Can't Do Without". Recorded at The Cream Room (produced by me), the album has been a long held ambition that began to take proper form during 2018. With bandmates Richard, Ian and Lucia the recording took place over a couple of weeks during spring last year. John tells about his song writing process, lyrics and melodic influences and find out why Bob Dylan and Get Carter lead me to a tell story about the chippy sauce unique to my home town! And yes, Audrey Hepburn did sing Moon River Find and follow The Corvideros here: The Corvideros Website Facebook Spotify Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online. A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

For this episode I was joined at The Cream Room by Jack and George - two members and 100% of The Cardinal Kings. The boys started writing together in their mid teens and their journey to date includes multiple live and festival appearances plus singles EPs and videos. The debut album Telefones was released in summer of 2019. As always, expect chat about the album writing and production process plus stories of (fixed?) competitions, the expense of video shoots, and the vexing question of the provenance of Avocados. Find and follow The Cardinal Kings here: Cardinal Kings Web Facebook Spotify YouTube (Old Habits) Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online. A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

Letchworth based musician Ray Cordell released his second album Bailey Bird in November 2019. Taking inspiration from a name on a gravestone encountered while attending a conference, the album isn't biographical and isn't quite a concept album but the story of Bailey weaves it's way through the tracks nonetheless. Find and follow Ray here: raycordell.com Spotify YouTube Also mentioned in this episode... Andrew Roachford Budgie Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online. A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

It's Ben Drake doing the talking but, as he'll be quick to tell you, it takes more than one person to make a band - let alone a collective! A very keen advocate of the album format and with a very sharp eye focused on world events and the human condition, tracks on the new album Afterglow reflect these themes strongly without being over blown; delivered with passion, grit and the occasional acoustic ballad. Ben wears his influences well, with songs that immediately call to mind the best of 90's British rock while never feeling like a nostalgic throwback. Find and Follow The Ben Drake Collective here Spotify Facebook Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks for The BIG Sound Machine Radio Show at bigsoundmachine online. A Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

Inspired by songwriters including Damien Rice, Glen Hansard and Neil Young - Elliot Porter's debut E.P Sleeping Under The Stars as released in November 2012. It includes the track She Only Goes which held the number one spot on Cambridge 105FM’s unsigned chart for 13 weeks and also led to a nomination for Best Male Solo Artist at The Cambridge NMG Awards. Regularly securing radio play from BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 2, Elliot has made a host of festival appearances including How The Light Gets In and Homegrown. Debut album Lanes was released in March 2019, with production by by Dave Gerard and featuring some stellar musicians including members of Elliot's Family. 3 singles have been released from the album so far, including the current release Lights of Piccadilly. You can find and follow Elliot on Spotify and have a look at the videos for Lights of Piccadilly and What Happened to Our Love on YouTube https://www.elliotporter.co.uk/ Thanks for listening. Find out more about the podcast and and upload tracks at www.bigsoundmachine.org. The BIG Sound Machine is a Froody Music Production, presented and produced by Martin Lumsden. Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. www.martintheproducer.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

The BIG Sound Machine podcast is back for 2020 with the first of a new run.  In this episode I continue my conversations with artists who have released albums over the last 12 months - this time with Ali and Jonny from Hitchin Rock band Electric Black.   Formed 4 years ago, it's only since 2018 that the band settled in to it's current line up but with assured live performances across 2019 plenty of fans are taking notice.  The band first caught my attention in Spring last year with the release of debut single Thrill of the Chase and over the next few months I had the pleasure to run in to the guys on a few occasions including a live session at The Cream Room that you can find over at mixcloud here.   The Calm Before - the first album from the band, called a "determined and dynamic debut" in a 7/10 review in Classic Rock Magazine.  Join us with a slice of pizza and a beer as we discuss the tracks that make up the album with no punches pulled by the guys over what they think worked out as they intended and where they still might have done things differently if they had the chance. Electric Black are... Alistair Shiach - Lead Vocals/Rhythm guitar Jonny Bryant - Lead guitar/Backing vocals Matt Butler - Drums Ryan Trotman - Bass/Backing vocals Thanks for listening.  Find out more about the podcast and other shows and upload tracks at www.bigsoundmachine.org The BIG Sound Machine is a Froody Music Production.  Presented and Produced by Martin Lumsden. www.martintheproducer.com Theme G-Force by Metronaut from the album To The Moon. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

In this second episode of the BIG Sound Machine podcast, I continue my conversation with to singer-songwriter Alex Bayly and our track by track chat while listening to his recent album release Ley Lines. In this part we cover the tracks that form Side Two of the vinyl release: Sky Love Girl Sure As Lonely Michael Jamie Hunters Pass Bonus - New America (not on the vinyl edition of the album) Alex is an alternative-folk artist from South East London and Ley Lines is his debut full length album. The album release was supported by a completed kickstarter campaign to release a Limited Edition vinyl pressing which can be purchased via his Bandcamp page. Ley Lines Spotify (VIDEO) Wade in the Water/Wandering Song (VIDEO) I'll Never Leave You (VIDEO) Animal (VIDEO) I’ll Never Leave You (Live) (VIDEO) Jamie (Live for Margos Living Room) Find us on the web and upload tracks at www.bigsoundmachine.org The BIG Sound Machine is a Froody Music Production. Presented and Produced by Martin Lumsden. www.martintheproducer.com Theme by Metronaut --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message

In this debut episode of the new BIG Sound Machine podcast, I speak to singer-songwriter Alex Bayly over a cup of coffee and we have an in depth track by track chat listening to his recent album release Ley Lines. In this part 1 of 2 we cover the tracks that form Side One of the vinyl release: Distance Animal Used Car Salesman The Loving Hand You Hide Ley Lines Alex is an alternative-folk artist from South East London and Ley Lines is his debut full length album. The album includes the singles New America, Distance and the recently released Animal which have garnered support and radio play from BBC introducing, Amazing Radio & American College Radio. The single Lonely Michael was selected as my Track of the Week earlier in the year. Alex has also been included in features from DIY Magazine, Earmilk, Clash Magazine, Lost in the Manor as well playlisting on Spotify’s Lost in the Woods, Six Strings, Alexrainbird, Indiefolkcentral and Soundsnewsoundsgood. 2019 has seen Alex busy on the live seen too, with sell out shows at Two Tribes Brewery in March and the Sebright Arms at the end of October (Ley Lines launch party) and he has supported The Last Dinosaur, Amy May Ellis, Jack in Water & Gideon Conn at various venues around the capital including Ronnie Scotts & Servants Jazz Quarters. The album release was supported by a completed kickstarter campaign to release a Limited Edition vinyl pressing which can be purchased via his Bandcamp page. Ley Lines Spotify (VIDEO) Wade in the Water/Wandering Song (VIDEO) I'll Never Leave You (VIDEO) Animal (VIDEO) I’ll Never Leave You (Live) (VIDEO) Jamie (Live for Margos Living Room) The BIG Sound Machine is broadcast LIVE every Tuesday at 7pm on North Herts Radio, with a full replay on the following Saturday morning at 11am. Find us on the web and upload tracks at www.bigsoundmachine.org The BIG Sound Machine is a Froody Music Production. Presented and Produced by Martin Lumsden. www.martintheproducer.com Theme by Metronaut --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/martin-lumsden/message