The Chattering Classes

Alyson Hill joins me yet again for a virtual coffee catch up. I had a series of questions prepared and at the end of the interview Alyson wondered if she answered any of them. It doesn’t matter because we have more cartoon accordion spines to talk about, a healthy dose of poopin and stoopin, and some seasonal priorities. We got lost in some weather and ailment chat too.

(52 mins – Right click / long press here to download – 35.9 mb – 5/04/24)

Nick Maniatis and Wiggo are back and we are chock full of metaphors and imagery. Plasticine man, arms and hands, tetris bodies and hats on top of hats. We go over our friendship again and discuss the specificity of our brain talk, singing and supporting each other. Nick tells us about incredible internal building and sentences are uttered that have never been said before. Why is Nick in the boot of the car?

(67 mins – Right click / long press here to download – 44.9 mb – 29/03/24)

Adam Bode joins me for the first time but not for the last time. Adam has done many amazing things, studying gymnastics in Texas (they are skills not moves or tricks), studied a language, danced the night away, is currently studying biological anthropology, and a fascinating psychological phenomenon we all will be familiar with.

Got more questions for Adam – please send them through to chatteringpod@gmail.com 

(46 mins – Right click / long press here to download – 34.4 mb – 22/03/24)

Wiggo takes over the hosting job and talks to Nick Maniatis and me about the 17 years we’ve known each other. The intensity of discussion, fandom and interests and my issue with skipping between my two friends. Which sports make us lose it and how we think about what the other person is thinking. Vague scary movie descriptions scared Ben too.

(57 mins – Right click / long press here to download – 39.4 mb – 15/03/24)

My lovely wife joins me again to discuss the 10 nominees for best picture at this years’ Academy Awards. I just really liked all of the 10 films and wanted to talk about them. We go over the films that we absolutely loved and the performer Justine would love even if he smelled really bad. Which of the 10 will win?

Who cares, judging art is pretty silly.

(67 mins – Right click / long press here to download – 49.3 mb – 8/03/24)

Stu is back to talk about what we wanted to talk about last time (ep 167). Of course we start off with some real obscurity – the 60s classic ‘Danger Man’ which was not at all classic. We then get to The Beatles – ‘Now and Then’. What was a connection to the Fab Four and how we are more into the academic side of the Beatles and not our other favourites. Features the phrase ‘A totally vomitous bridge.’

(52 mins – Right click / long press here to download – 38.2 mb – 5/01/24)

The host goes alone with the traditional end of year pod. I look over my favourite movies, music and books I’ve got to this year. This isn’t a ‘best of the year’ – just the best stuff I’ve found. See you in 2024 Chatterinos.

(67 mins – Right click / long press here to download – 48.9 mb – 29/12/23)

The friendly train rolls into the station once again as Alyson and Wiggo join me to talk over shared histories. We start with a bit of Vanuti corner, and then go over Alyson’s Moroccan and Spanish adventures.. We look at some of the past 30 odd years of friendship, such as What is the oldest shared joke we have? What were we like at school, with each other, and elsewhere? We had a delicious time. Try some Ethan Hawke Butt Jerky.

(81 mins – Right click / long press here to download – 55.5 mb – 22/12/23)