What I've Been Reading
Edenglassie by Melissa Lucashenko
Edenglassie is the latest by Lucashenko and like her previous book, Too Much Lip, there are dueling narratives from times past and times present.
Set in Brisbane, it begins in the present with Granny, in her late 90s, taking a fall in the gardens by the river. Worried, people will think she was drunk or drugged, she is helped up and an ambulance sent for.
I particularly enjoyed Granny's story, she was a funny and quite the character, and wanted more. I felt the characters here could have been fleshed out more. I wanted more Granny!
The older storyline had more detail and was compelling with tension building. You just knew something was going to get in the way of the young lovers the story worked around.
I really liked how most of the characters didn't quite see eye to eye, it was a very realistic addition to the story. The humour was dealt out well, balancing the more dramatic and horrendous plots. And as always, I love her use of indigenous language, and the theme of how the past reflects the future.
Finally, I could see that final scene on the boat in my mind's eye, brilliant!
Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit
This makes the perfect companion piece to Anna Funder's Wifedom, which I am also reading but had not yet finished when I finished this.
Rebecca Solnit is a wonderful essayist and feminist. She originated the Mansplain word. She always loved Orwell's essays, and felt he was the master of them and used them to hone her craft.
This is essentially a book of interconnected essays, coming from Rebecca finding a rose garden planted by Orwell that she had read about. She was surprised to find it was still blossoming and was thrilled to touch something he had touched and planted.
The book is about Orwell and how he come to plant the roses, and some information about his life at the time and also before and after, but this is not really a biography. She also delves into all things roses, in terms of history. it is a fascinating mix that sounds odd but she really makes it work. I guess this is not for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
This has been quite popular, and I usually steer away from popular books. But it came through on spoken word and my curiosity got the better of me.
It is the (fictional) story of Alice, who is placed in the care of her grandmother after a tragic start to life...no spoilers. Her grandmother is a tough old broad, who runs a large flower farm and takes in lost souls. After an incident (again no spoilers) Alice leaves the farm and goes on the road and ends up in the outback.
The book is a family saga that has 4 parts to it. Alice's childhood, her time on her grandmother's farm, then the outback, and the conclusion. The characters are rich and layered and endlessly fascinating. The landscapes are described so beautifully you can visualise it all in your mind's eye. It is dramatic and funny. Wonderful for a debut novel that is loosely autobiographical. It has been made into a mini-series with Sigournay Weaver as the grandmother.
The House That Joy Built by Holly Ringland
I also listened to this on spoken word, this time read by the author herself. It is about working on your creativity and it was a great listen. She intersperses personal stories within how she creates and overcoming some serious life blocks. I got loads of ideas and felt it opened my mind quite a bit. Mind you, I do not have the privilege of time, so I have jotted a lot of notes and ideas down, I will get to them at some point.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
I've been getting into some Orwell after reading Orwell's Roses. I have read and loved his essays, but never his novels. Animal Farm seemed a good place to start. I do know this story, and I've seen it as a play, but never actually read it. It was a wonderful wry story. The themes make a lot of sense when you know more about his life. Whilst the story of leadership gone mad was told in a whimsical way, it still packed a punch. Orwell knew war, and madness and poor leadership, but he also knew farm animals from keeping many himself. I really enjoyed how clever this was.
Every Man For Himself and God Against All: a memoir by Werner Herzog
This was a ripper of a read. I am a huge fan of Werner Herzog, but after reading this I realise I have not even tipped the edge of his amazing output. I knew he was bold and a bit bonkers, and this book validated my thoughts but in the best possible way. He is - as expected - an honest and great writer of his life. He gives you immense detail but in the best possible way.
He tells many stories of his childhood and young adulthood that shows he was a risk taker very early on, and that he understood the complexities of life and could turn these experiences into storytelling. He and his brother spent a lot of time wandering the countryside where they were brought up, including dense woods and alps. They were competitive and pushed each other to the edge of everything they did, psychologically and physically. They injured themselves and each other constantly, both in and out of hospital. You can see with man he would become within this feisty and fearless young boy.
I came for the movie stories - which were utterly wonderful and crazy and funny and scary - but loved the before film stories. It was like seeing a character - because Herzog has become some kind of complex character - being built slowly... or actually, not slowly at all, he was a force of nature from the very beginning.
He told many stories of his family and his wives, all with good grace but honesty. He admits to being difficult, but it goes with the territory of being Werner Herzog. There were loads of amazing tales of finding or writing stories he would film. A he shoot films and documentaries, and sometimes a hybrid of both, there was a lot about his research, some stories are worked on or thought about for many years. He also spoke about his filming, especially some of his more troubling or challenging shoots.
This is one memoir where everything you have heard is true and possibly even more than you have heard. He has tales of working with actors and the actual people some of his films or docos were based on. He goes into great detail about his friendships, especially those with Bruce Chatwin, and Reinhold Messner.
Then there are the tales of physicality, also expected if you know his films even slightly. I cannot remember how many times he has come close to death by placing himself into crazy situations or just pushing his body too far, but there were a lot. This man knows adventure, he lives it, writes about it, and films it. The memoir features all of this and more. One of the best I have read.
Con/Artist: the life and crimes of the world's greatest art forger by Tony Tetro and Giampiero Ambrosi
This was a ripper of a read, the autobiography of an art forger. A talented painter, Tony originally started doing replicas of paintings and signed his own name, these are the cheap prints you can get reasonably priced. People know they are not originals but that is ok. But his style was so good he soon realised he could really forge painters and sign with their name and people bought it. He is most famous behind the collection the then Prince Charles brought and insured for 200 million, only to be found out they were Tony's work.
He starts to make a lot of money, which is puts into drugs and cars. He spends time in Europe studying great art, and goes to Asia to work with great professional re-producers (these people are doing it above board). This helps build his talent to something quite significant. Tony is a cheeky and gregarious narrator, and he gives huge insight into the crazy and deadly that is the art world. I love this kind of thing, it was a great read.
The Fire of Joy: roughly eighty poems to get by heart and say aloud by Clive James
This was pure joy, a selection of beloved poems from Clive James with little essays he wrote about each poem and the poet. Just perfection.
Pat in the City by Patricia Field
This was a fun escapist autobiography by Pat Field. We know Pat best as the costume designer behind Sex and the City. It goes into her early life, how she got into design, her sexuality, and everything else in between. It details all the behind scenes for the show. Loads of fun.
Audrey Hepburn in Paris by Meghan Friedlander
This was a lovely larger coffee table style book set in chapters of her life and linked to Paris. With an introduction by her don, Luca Dotti, there is a lot of information and some lovely photos.
Welcome to Consent/Sex/Boobs/Period by Yumi Stynes and Dr. Melissa Kang
After seeing Yumi and Melissa at Newcastle Writer's Festival, I sought out the books they had written. I have always loved Yumi's honesty and brazenness. And of course read and re-read Dolly Doctor a lot in my younger years. Dr Melissa Kang IS Dolly Doctor. Their styles differ but complement each other in real life, and the books follow this up. They are written for younger females but also males - to read themselves or with their parent. They are well presented, real, and easy to understand, with cute and humourous illustrations. They have been controversial, but I fail to understand why, except some humans on this earth are tragically stupid and just will never get 'it'. Definitely worth a look, especially if you have teenagers.
The Devil's Playground by Christos Tsiolkas.
This was a great little book with Christos writing about his love of film, specifically the Australian classic by Fred Schepisi, The Devil's Playground. His mother loved film and started taking him to see films from a very young age. More often than not with subject matter and rating much old than his age. The book recounts his multiple viewings of the film over the years. It shows that whilst he still loved the film, the viewings at different ages of his life brought him different and changed thoughts. He wrote about films that helped steer his life, thoughts, and his sexuality. It is a deeply personal book and utterly fascinating.
Christos Tsiolkas on Patrick White
This was another little book with Christos writing about Patrick White. It contains a potted history, and musings on his books, read at various times of his life. He draws from White a lot in his own writings, and explains how and why. I have never been interested in reading Patrick White, but after reading this, I am tempted.
The Last of Her Kind by Sigrid Nunez
I have been reading all the Sigrid Nunez I can get my hands on. I love her writing, and with each novel such differing subject matter with a semi-autobiographical undertone. She is in her 70s and still writing, so I am reading them in order to see the evolution of her writing. But it is subtle.
The Last of her Kind is about two young women who meet by sharing a room together at College. It is set in the late 60s, Woodstock is around the corner, activism rising. A time to be young in the US. George is the narrator, coming from an ethnic and poor family, and Ann is her wealthy, white upper class-room mate. George is equal parts annoyed by and drawn to Ann, who wants to align herself with non-white or poorer people and distance herself from the privilege she comes from. They become friends, despite George's discomfort, and this takes them on quite the adventure.
Ann is a force of nature, but not necessarily in a good way, and this gets her into the most bizarre situations. George plods along, trying to keep her family together, and seems to be more a bystander of history. The story is about class, and wealth and poverty, and race. It moves through decades of these characters, and makes you think. Every time you have worked out what is going on and how you feel about the story and characters, something happens to make you question everything you have thought. I really loved this book.
Salvation City by Sigrid Nunez
Next novel by Sigrid Nunez is quite remarkable, it is about a young teen boy making his way through a pandemic. After the death of his parents, Cole is living with the local pastor and his young wife in a place called Salvation City. He reflects back to what led him to this point and what he can remember from his life. The small town is fairly remote and more interested in preparing for the supposed 'rapture' that is coming than the possibility of the pandemic sweeping through. And whilst he was raised without religion, he comes to fit in with the town and his carers. But things happen to uproot this seemingly quiet life.
Given this was published in 2010, it is very eerie in its descriptions similar to what we experienced in 2020 etc. Sigrid narrows down the pain, suffering, and general public reactions note perfect. But it is much more than a pandemic novel, it is a coming-of-age novel, and she writes Cole's story so well. It feels very much as a young male teen would narrate such a time. The character is layered and layered so beautifully and the descriptions of life going on around him quite visual. I am really enjoying her writing and cannot wait to read the next one.
The Soul of Woman by Isabel Allende
This was a lovely little memoir about Allende's life as a feminist. She believes she was a feminist in Kindergarten, and reading this I believe her. Watching her mother bring up her and her siblings after their father left, cemented feminism within. She writes about being a feminist during the second wave of feminism in the 60s, her many marriages and how she feels today. She has a lot of faith in young modern women but realises we all have a long way to go. She writes about activism and feminist role models, famous and not so famous. It is a small book, but a powerful and important one.
The Complete Collected Series of Blackadder
I listened to this in the car over a few weeks. It is essentially the audio of the shows with some interviews about the making of it towards the end. Having watched the show/s as much as I have it was easy to visualise the action behind the audio. And it was so much joy! I think Rowan Atkinson is probably more well-known for Mr Bean, but I believe Blackadder is his masterpieces. Actually, it is everyone's masterpiece, and it holds up beautifully.
What I've Been Watching
Poor Things
I cannot begin to express my love for this film! What a remarkably original take on the Frankenstein's monster trope. Emma Stone is simply astonishing in it. Her supporting cast, especially Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe, are also amazing.
This tale is about the rebirth of a woman in the most pure way, and Emma Stone was utterly fearless in embodying her character, Bella. Everything about her character is unlike anything I have seen on film. It is a very funny film in many ways, slapstick, bawdy, genuinely funny, and dark humour.
The sets were so divine, I declared early on, I wanted to live there. The mad animal creations, the horse carriage, and other similar things, blew my mind. I love films with whole worlds created in them, and this was one.
But I guess this film is not for everyone, this is usually the case for films by Yorgos Lanthimos. I imagine it would be quite confronting for some for many reasons. The medical/surgery aspects, sexuality, language, and so on. But the film wouldn't be as wonderful without those aspects.
This is a dramatic film that makes you laugh...a lot. I am unsure how it will go at The Oscars. I feel it should win production, hair and make-up, costume, script. And Emma Stone should win Best Actress but I think Lily Gladstone will tip her at the post, it will be close. This is easily my favourite film of all the contenders.
The New Boy
Written and directed by Warwick Thornton, The New Boy is an astonishing film and you can see why it has won so many awards. It is about a young orphaned aboriginal boy who lands at an outback monastery late one night. It is the 1940s and most men are at war, the monastery is run by a modern nun, Sister Eileen (played with perfection by Cate Blanchett) and has an aboriginal nun (Deborah Mailman) and aboriginal assistant (Wayne Blair) helping her. The new boy does not initially fit in or get along with the other young boys at the monastery, but after some time he does. But there is something very different, very mystical about him and strange things start to happen. He seems to be able to heal sick people and animals via balls of fire/light he can conjure.
Over time he becomes infatuated with Christianity and whilst initially mesmerised, Sister Eileen becomes quite concerned and unsure how to keep him in check. A lot more happens but that would spoil such a wonderful story. I went in knowing little about this film and was absolutely taken by its brilliance. Beautifully filmed by Thornton, he is a remarkable cinematographer with captivating performances, especially by newcomer, Aswan Reid, as the New Boy himself. I loved this film.
The Zone of Interest
This was the final Oscar film and one I missed out on prior to the event. It is the most remarkable film, I thought it was excellent and yet incredibly disturbing. It is a film that really stays with you. It is based on a true story about a family of a SS Commandant who reside right next to a camp in WWII. The home is a beautiful deco building, with a lovely garden and pool and his family of 5 children. They live an iddylic existance...at the expense of what is happening over their walls. But the 'beauty' of this film is you never see over the walls. Only glimpse of smoke from the 'factories' and the sounds from over the wall.
The sounds...oh my goodness, this brings an already remarkable film into a whole other realm. It won a sound Oscar and you can see/hear why. The eerie sounds have you thinking about what they may represent, and you know it is only pure evil. This was filmed in the most unusual way and presents this story in a disjointed, uncomfortable view. Just watching the family have picnics by the river, playing with their dog and see smoke stacks and hearing those noises, gives you chills.
There is so much more to this movie, but I won't spoil it any more than I already have. This is not an easy watch but it is an important watch. This film stayed with me very closely for weeks after and even now, sends shivers up my spine.
Dune
With Dune II coming up, it was time for a re-watch of Dune. I enjoyed it as much as the first time. It has such a tremendous cast, with each actor really taking on each iconic role perfectly, most especially Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya. This first film is a lot of set up, but has some great action sequences and plot driven events. Stellan Skarsgard and Dave Bautista are almost unrecognisable as the villians. And Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa, and Josh Brolin are wonderful are our heroes. I loved seeing the great Charlotte Rampling in an ambiguous role, she was fierce!
But it is the world of Dune and Denis Villeneuve's vision that make this film remarkable. The effects and the bringing to life some of the more challenging aspects of the book are inspiring. The world is vast and detailed, and nothing has been spared to bring it to the big screen. This is an impressive film, that must be seen on a big screen.
May December
I went into this thinking it was a Lesbian long story between Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. I have no idea why, I just did. Disappointing. It was a take on the Mary Kay Letourneau story, the teacher who got pregnant to her under aged student and they are still together. They mix things up and have the boy be the friend of her own child who works in the pet store her husband owns. Julianne Moore is great as the obviously mentally ill, Gracie. Natalie Portman is chilling as an actress who is about to play Gracie in an indie film and is shadowing her to get into character.
This film was very well written and acted, leaving you feel very unsettled watching it. It is only up for a screenplay. It will not win anything.
The Color Purple
I was dubious about this remake as a musical but it really worked. The soundtrack is fantastic, mostly spiritual music and they were great songs. The musical numbers were very uplifting and well choreographed. The acting was powerful, Fantasia Barrino as Celie, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, and Taraji P. Henson as Shrug were amazing. There is not much else to say, but it was enjoyable despite the subject matter. I haven't seen the original in a long time so I cannot really compare.
Tar
I finally caught up with Tar, and Cate Blanchett was remarkable in this one. I did find the film and her character quite annoying, but that was the whole point of the film I guess. Cate plays Lydia Tar, an unconventional conductor. She is currently the main conductor with an orchestra in Berlin. Lydia has a lot going on, working in New York lecturing at Julliard, and back in Berlin with the orchestra. She is also interviewing for new spots in the orchestra. Whilst juggling all of this her past comes back to haunt her with allegations of bullying and disrespect. Tar's life begins to unravel, along with her stitched-up demeanor. This is an extraordinary performance, with Cate seemingly conducting the orchestra, no mean feat. The music was also wonderful. I don't think this film is for everyone, but I did appreciate it.
The Son
This was a bit of a melodrama starring Hugh Jackson. After leaving his wife and son, Hugh's character is in a new relationship with a young wife and baby. One night his ex-wife (Laura Dern) turns up on his doorstep upset about their son who hasn't attended school for a month. He decides to take the son in for a period to try and straighten him out. The son is deeply troubled and lots of bad things start to happen. Anthony Hopkins also features as Hugh's father. Hugh is very good in this, but I found it a little too melodramatic.
Don't Worry Darling
I watched this out of curiosity and because I love Florence Pugh (and Harry Styles), and without her it would have been very ordinary. It was a sort of retelling of The Stepford Wives and is as flat as the wives themselves. The last 20 mins were great though.
You Hurt My Feelings
This was a little indie film with Julie Louis-Dreyfus as a writer about to finish a book. She has been working on it for a while and testing it by letting her husband read parts and he has been encouraging her. On a day shopping with her sister, they see and overhear her husband talking to a friend and saying how much he hates the latest book. He doesn't realise, she is broken and the film then delves into the semantics of a relationship. This was ok, I expected better.
Official Competition
This was really bonkers, but in the best possible way. An ageing billionaire wants a legacy and decides to bankroll a film, asking the best to pull it together. Penelope Cruz is phenomenal as a reclusive and crazy director who puts her actors through the mill in the most bizarre way. Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martinez play the brothers in the film, and both have very different ways of acting, which irritate the other. When art starts to imitate life, things get really crazy.
The Nowhere Inn
Initially I thought this was a documentary about St Vincent and her music, and directed by Carrie Brownstein. Carrie features throughout as herself, but early on the film turns in a weird (but good) way that made me realise they were both playing fictionalised versions of themselves. It was about Identity and the difference between the stage persona and real life but hyper intensified. Once I realised what was going on I really enjoyed it. I guess not for everyone though.
Curb Your Enthusiasm final season
Oh my, Larry turns it on for the final season of this hilarious and long running show. Initially I felt it had lost its mojo, but after a few episodes it found its feet. As always there are multiple storylines but the main one is Larry handing someone he knows a bottle of water while lining up to vote in Florida, unknowingly breaking a rule that you cannot do that. This is actually a real law!?! He is taken to court by the state, and rather than saying he had no idea and it was a mistake, he says he meant to do it, unintentionally making him a hero throughout the country. This leads to a hilarious storyline of Bruce Springsteen becoming enamoured of Larry, and if you know anything about Curb, nothing good will come of this.
There was a huge amount of guest stars. Sean Hayes plays Larry's lawyer, who is married to Dan Levy. Lori Loughlin (yes!) has a great storyline, that had me in stitches. Steve Buscemi, Conan O'Brien, Matt Berry, Dean Norris, Allison Janney, and Jerry Seinfeld are some of the stars playing themselves or other characters. It is the little things I love about Curb, the long tail to a short but satisfying laugh.
I will miss this show, as it was one of the truly funny shows on tele. The supporting cast are tremendous. Richard Lewis had a few spots prior to his death, you can see how terribly ill he is but funny as ever. Susie Essman is my favourite, she is so very good and steals every scene, with her ferocious performances and her crazy clothing. And Ted Danson is always solid, bringing a bit of gravitas to the hilarity. I will not talk about the ending, cause spoilers, but it was pretty, pretty, pretty good!
Apples Never Fall
Based on a Liane Moriarty novel (I am so not a fan) I was sucked into this mini series because Sam Neill and Annette Benning. And they were great. Husband and wife with 4 adult children, they run a tennis centre but have recently retired and then the wife (Benning) goes missing. Everyone suspects the Dad (Neill) but the kids wonder about this girl who struck up a friendship with their mother months earlier. Each episode is told by someone else's pov. Neill was great and ambiguous and the whole thing kept you guessing. But ultimately the ending was a little ordinary.
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin
Noel Fielding stars as the hero, Dick Turpin, in this historical romp. Hilarious and fun, with loads of great cameos. Dick decides to move from his life as a butcher (his father was a butcher) for the fame of being a highwayman. He pulls a gang together but they are not really great at being highwaymen. Fielding is charismatic as always, and is obviously having the time of his life playing Dick. Total must see, especially if you like laugh out loud comedy!
Only Murders in the Building S3
S3 started a little slow and tedious and we were worried it may have jumped the shark, but it started to pick up and sucked us back in! The trio of stars are indeed stars and have such great chemistry you often feel like you are eavesdropping. Meryl was a great addition, although initially I was not so sure. The Paud Rudd murder (no spoilers, this happens from the get go) was interesting once he really was dead, the back and forth initially was what made it tedious. Matthew Broderick as himself was hilarious! There was so much going on in S3, it will be interesting to see where S4 will go.
Feud: Capote Vs The Swans
This was so much fun...initially, and then it started to drag. It should have had less episodes and been edited better. It was the most fun when multiple 'swans' were on the screen together. The swans being socialites that initially hung out with Truman Capote in the 60s culminating with his infamous black and white ball. But Truman being Truman starts to use their lives in his writing and soon finds out that does not go well with the ladies and fights commence. It also delves into Capote's love life and his addictions. Tom Holland is spectacular as Capote and Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloe Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, and Molly Ringwald as the swans were magnificent!
Our Flag Means Death S2
This season was really disappointing, the clever and laughs that built so beautifully in S1 were not missing, but not there enough. Keeping Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby's characters apart for most of the season was a bad move. Their chemistry was what made the show.
Wham!
This was pure joy, focusing on Michael and Ridgeley, their beautiful friendship, and the short period of time they were Wham! Loads of footage and interviews with people who knew them well. There is a poignant interview with George's father. I didn't realise there was so much animosity against Ridgeley when it looked like George was going to go solo! That was quite upsetting to watch, and the fact he weathered it all with such grace and good humour is a testament to him as a person and as George's friend. Whilst this made me smile from beginning to end, there was a little melancholy there, knowing the outcome of George's life. This is a must see music doco.
20 Feet from Stardom
This is a rewatch as Andrew had never seen it. About all the backing vocalist for bands from 50s through to the 70s, some phenomenal women including the remarkable Darlene Love who sung on most of Phil Spector songs for "The Crystals' and many others. Also Merry Clayton who sang that stunning section on Gimme Shelter for The Stones. It is a great doco and wonderful to see so many wonderful women getting their dues and hearing the musicians they worked with talk them up.
Bottom: exposed
This was a great doco, funny and bittersweet. Obviously, the gaping hole of Rik Mayall was exposed through the entire thing. All the players, from supporting cast, writers and behind the scenes and of course Adrian Edmondson were interviewed. There was load of footage of Rik and Ade doing their thing and going to the very edge with physical gags and stunts. It was a load of fun, but broke my heart that Rik was no longer around. Everyone who was interviewed felt similarly, especially Adrian, who was devastated.
Steve! (Martin): a documentary in 2 Pieces
This is an exceptional doco about Steve Martin. The first showing his early stand up days and the second more into his film, television and music. Steve took his time to make it big, which makes him all the more special. He had his own thing happening as a stand up, and really broke a lot of ground for being different. This was a great doco with so much archival footage and so many other people talking about how great he is. Towards the end we get a little insight into his personal life which was fascinating. I have always been a big Steve Martin fan, and there was so much I had no idea about. This is really worth watching
My Life as a Rolling Stone
This was a great 4 part doco, with each part coming from the perspective of each member of The Rolling Stones. Mick, Keith, Ronnie, and Charlie. All of them - bar Charlie - were interviewed for their section, and there was a lot of old footage used. What was great about this, was it had a lot of interesting bits I had not seen or heard about before. It has great humour and honesty, delves into their relationships with each other and was really really great. I laughed a lot watching this, they are a bunch of fun and funny guys.
MASH: The Comedy that changed TV
This is an older doco about MASH. It had interviews with all the key players and loads of clips. One of my favourite shows, it still holds up and the cast are phenomenal. A nice trip down memory lane
Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?
Geddy Lee is the Bassist from Rush and this short series is a delight. Geddy interviews Les Claypool, Robert Trujillo, Melissa Auf Der Maur, and Krist Noveselic about being Bass Players in bands. Funny, and edgy, and loads of great music. I loved this series so much and hope there is another series.
What I've Been Listening To
The Rest is Entertainment Podcast
This is a great podcast I have recently discovered and it is relatively new. Richard Osman (the producer and author) and Marina Hyde (writer and journalist) have a great relationship and it shows in this podcast. They discuss everything pop culture and entertainment. And between them, there is not much they do not know. Loads of fun!
Talking Pictures with Ben Mankiewicz
Ben Mankiewicz is the grandson of Herman and the great-nephew of Joseph, both big Hollywood players in the classic movie era. In this podcast Ben interviews directors about their films and films they love. It is wonderful, and very insightful! He interviews Mel Brooks, Nancy Meyers, Alexander Payne, Bill Hader, Errol Morris, and many more.
McCartney: A life in lyrics S2
I love this podcast, it is based on the book of lyrics (and the stories behind the songs) he put together with Paul Muldoon. Each episode he explains the making of a song. Usually the less popular ones. It is great. Beatles, Wings, Solo. Muldoon is a great conversationalist, and a gentle soul. Paul tells stories I have not heard before. It is a must listen for all Beatles fans.
Out to lunch with Adrian Edmondson
This was a short podcast, with beloved Adrian Edmonson taking someone to lunch and their conversation over some yummy food (we hear about the food, don't listen while hungry!) is the podcast. He has taken Chrissie Hynde, Tony Visconti (this was my fave!), Nigel Planer, and Ian Rankin to name a few.
CHAT...eau Podcast
This is the Escape to the Chateau podcast. Now the show is over, Dick and Angel share what has been happening at the Chateau, and reminisce about the past decade getting the Chateau up and running. As always it can be a he said/she said, which is adorable and amusing. I love their take on the world, and their relationship. A great listen.
GANGgajang
I picked up their self-titled, debut album on vinyl recently. I have a signed copy on CD, but hadn't listened to it in a long time. It really holds up and every track is wonderful. Sounds of Them is an instant classic. but my faves are the upbeat Ambulance Men and House of Cards.
The Raw and the Cooked by Fine Young Cannibals
Another album I have not listened to in forever, this is one I brough way back in the day, and it also holds up beautifully. What a voice, great songs.
Led Zep II/IV
Been listening to my ole faves, readying for the Led Zep tribute we are going to in June.
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