Now then boys and girls, are you sitting comfortably? Then, I’ll begin.
So began one of my earliest sound memories, a radio programme called Listen with Mother. The combination of storytelling and soothing music (Lavender’s Blue, Dilly Dilly…Lavender’s Green) had me entranced as a boy of about 5 or 6.
Bedtime stories of Swallows and Amazons and Jim, the cabin boy were expertly told by our dad. Even at boarding school, a teacher took it upon himself to read stories to our dormitory of boys aged from 12 to 18. I don’t remember any heckling, so it must have been well received.
A recent spell of insomnia has us listening to a rambling yarn by Agatha Christie about the adventures of a married couple called Tommy and Tuppence. I rarely avoid switching on the radio when I’m in the kitchen to listen to arts reviews, cooking tips, Iggy Pop, sports commentary, news, quiz shows…the choice and variety are amazing.
The sound of the human voice is addictive, even if we are passive listeners. Our curiosity is aroused by dramas and debates. A well-crafted broadcast can become a lifelong companion. I admit to being an avid Archers fan, a rural radio drama that has been going for nearly 70 years.
In these stay at home times, we are all finding new ways to occupy ourselves. I have started a MOOC on Podcasting. It’s a short course (2 weeks) but gives participants the chance to submit their podcasts for feedback. I am still at the planning stage but have worked out how to upload stuff onto Sound Cloud. All I have to do now is come up with some interesting content well presented/performed.
Buddy chats are quite popular and light-hearted banter has its appeal. Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy is gripping listening with intrigue made more exciting by its historical accuracy. Humour is difficult and interviews need to be done by a professional. I shall probably put together a podcast about something local…an Englishman abroad?
Obviously, I will be plugging my podcast if I think it’s any good. If you hear nothing further, you may conclude that my podcasting was a brief dip into a new creative pool.
odespinner 