The Author Archive Podcast

Sir Nicholas Coleridge - Streetsmart

When I recorded this interview with the then editor of Conde Nast publications in Britains he was was plain mister. The knighthood was awarded in 2002 for services to museums, publishing and the creative industries.

Over a glittering career Sir Nicholas has received four Lifetime Achievement Awards from his peers in publishing.

He has been chairman of the V & A and the trading board of the Prince's Trust.

And he written a dozen books.

Seems odd that he found time to talk to me in a suite at the Langham Hotel!

 

 

Ed McBain - Money Money Money

Ed McBain was a hugely successful novelist and screenwriter.

He started life as Salvatore Lombino, found success as Evan Hunter and then reinvented himself as Ed McBain author of the many 87th Precinct novels.

In this conversation he mentions his link to the very first rock'n roll film and how he came to work with Alfred Hitchcock .... plus his tip for leading a happy life.

Stel Pavlou - Decipher and the film 51st State

This is a remarkable conversation with a young man who went from serving in Threshers wine shop in Rochester to having a script excepted by Hollywood.

The film was The 51st State starring Samuel L Jackson and Robert Carlyle.

Around the same time Stel wrote a novel, Decipher with a plot to delight all those fascinated by Atlantis and associated myths. When Stel was writing conspiracy theories weren't such a big thing but this book will be sure get them zinging.

 

 

 

 

Ron Mael - Sparks

This is an interview that I had with Ron Mael before the release of the first Sparks record. Hardly anybody knew who he was - and that included me.

There was a campaign under way by Island Records to get their new signing known - Ron came to me, Russell had his photograph taken for Melody Maker. 

It was long ago. I had been listening to the album in my car on an 8 track cartridge. Real old school analogue.

Ron Mael was very patient !

 

 

Wendy Perriam - writing short stories

Wendy Perriam writes about what she knows - sex and religion.

She used to be very religious. She attended a catholic school from which she was expelled for heresy.

Her writing often seems to be part of her rebellion against the religion that told her she was in satan's power.

Her writing often includes fairly explicit sex ...... but she is also very entertaining, on the page and in real life.

Has she ever had therapy?  

Listen and she will tell you.

 

 

Erin Pizzey : Author and instigator of the first women’s refuge in London

After making her name as the instigator of the first women's refuge in West London Erin became a successful author.

The refuge opened in 1971. A career as a non fiction and fiction author followed. An author can live anywhere and she left London to live in the Cayman Islands. I met her for this interview on her birthday soon after she had moved continents again.

Reading about the refuge I was interested to read that Joanna Lumley was a supporter and she asked The Who to play at a fundraiser .... they did!

There was a new book 'Morningstar' which Erin was very keen to tell me all about.

One of the interesting dimensions in Erins thinking is how her view of men changed.

Fiona Maddocks - Rachmaninoff in Exile : Goodbye Russia

After the Russian revolution in 1917 Rachmaninoff was able to escape to America and build a new life in music.

Fiona Maddocks tells how he got on with Stravinsky, Shoenberg , and the foxtrot!

One of the revealing details is how Sergei Rachmaninoff and Jeremy Clarkson would share a passion and have much to talk about.

Anne Sebba - biographer : talks about her book about Ethel Rosenberg who was executed for supposed espionage in 1953 and Wallis Simpson who brought about the abdication of the king in 1936.

Anne Sebba is a master of the biographers art. In this conversation she talks about two of her books.

Ethel Rosenberg was executed for aiding her husband Julius in his task of spying for the Soviet Union. The Rosenbergs had two young sons who were orphaned on that day - June 19 1953. Anne tells the story.

The other book has become a classic - 'That Woman'.

That woman was Wallis Simpson. Wallis became the person responsible for the abdication crisis in 1936.  So who was that woman and what did she want?

 

 

 

Alyn Shipton : The 1950s Jazz Recordings by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet

This book goes back to a pre rock 'n roll era when jazz was a popular music form.

The early 50s were the time when the big bands were fading a way and the rock'n roll revolution was yet to happen.

A quartet led by a baritone saxophonist caused a revolution. 

 Audiences were entrance by the sound of a jazz group that didn't have a piano in it. This was new - it hadn't been done before.

Julian Baggini - How To Think Like a Philosopher

Dr Julian Baggini has built a successful career as a writer and communicator about philosophy.

In this conversation Julian wonders about the validity of monarchy, whether truth in politics is essential, if wisdom inevitably comes with age, why there is so much angst around trans people ...... and much more!

How does AC/DC fit in to all this, and.... does thinking like a philosopher make you feel better??