On episode 4 of I Want to Talk About You, Tim Russell is joined by travel writer Matthew Woodward. Matthew left his career in the beer industry (WHY?!) in 2011 and began a life of travelling the world by train, and writing books about his journeys. He’s since written five books about his travels in Asia, Europe, and the US, and is currently planning his sixth.

In the podcast, Matthew talks about how his love of trains began at a very early age and how, following over 20 years marketing various beers, he was finally able to indulge his passion by becoming a full-time travel writer and rail traveller. He has some great stories from his travels including vomiting over his fellow passengers in Vietnam, nearly being decapitated in an engine shed in Bangkok, and doing a bit of DIY on a train window in China.

Big thanks to Matthew for taking part in this episode and to all of you for listening. Please like, share, and rate this episode, and subscribe for future shows.

LINKS

Matthew’s website - https://www.matthew-woodward.com/

Matthew’s books on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Matthew-Woodward/author/B072HWHS8B

In this episode, Tim Russell talks to his fellow Coventrian Martin Bowes of darkwave pioneers Attrition, who have been making dark electronic/industrial music since the early 80s.

Martin talks about the band’s origins in Coventry’s late 70s punk and fanzine scene, and how they were inspired by the likes of Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle and eventually carved out their own unique sound. He also discusses the band’s eclecticism and his refusal to make the same record twice, as well as their enthusiasm for playing gigs in unlikely destinations such as Delhi and Bangkok. Martin also talks about his other projects including new band Klandestine, and his day job remastering albums in his studio The Cage. He also explains why the 2020s are actually a pretty good time to be a musician, and denies being a goth despite once buying Victorian poison bottles on eBay.

Thanks so much Martin for taking part in IWTTAY, and if you’ve enjoyed the episode - or even if you haven’t - please like, share, subscribe and do anything else you can to spread the word about this relatively new podcast. And keep an eye out for episode 4 coming up on 26 February, when I’ll be talking to travel writer and rail enthusiast Matthew Woodward.

LINKS

Attrition on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5yAtVvdaWrTxW4GPC18643?si=LiA4VnQoR0-K_0bLHnoO-Q

Klaendestine’s We Shall Share EP - https://open.spotify.com/album/6xJA1IicsaJhhPw6k2xTpK

In this episode, Tim Russell chats to Paul Page, guitarist with 90s Irish indie legends Whipping Boy, whose 1995 Heartworm has become a cult classic and is regularly voted as one of the best albums ever to come out of Ireland.

Paul talks about the band's often chaotic early days, how they wrote and recorded their masterpiece, and how the album's lack of commercial success ultimately led to their downfall, despite having a very strong third album in the can. He also talks very honestly about his struggles following the band's breakup and how he didn't pick up a guitar for over 20 years after the split. There are also some great anecdotes about touring with Lou Reed, hanging out in Bono's bathroom, and upsetting Irish TV legend Gay Byrne.

Huge thanks to Paul for taking part in the podcast! Please make sure to like, share, rate, subscribe and do anything else you see fit to help IWTTAY get a bigger audience, and watch this space for Ep3 featuring Martin Bowes of UK darkwave pioneers Attrition. Thanks for listening, and check the links below to explore Paul's work.

LINKS

Whipping Boy on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3oadMDBL4Wv7F5lkVwRWy2

Whipping Boy on The Late Late Show - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpqN83jQ4dc

Polaroid Ghost - Belgica 1898 (Paul's new solo album) - https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZYorolG79RC5MSBtVQpPE

The Sentimental Tourists - https://thesentimentaltourists.bandcamp.com/