The Chorus: Recent Episodes
Stefan Vos & Bruce Dennill
Bruce Dennill and Stefan Vos have found that they 'can't not art'. The Chorus is a weekly collection of fascinating stories and interesting inanities drawn from their broad range of interests, including music, literature and the arts. Interviews with guests involved in the above fields add perspectives, humour and possibly reasons to get lightly sued. Don't bore us... get to The Chorus!
We endure a visit to the darkness, see Elvis there and enjoy the profundity of small tragedies. Slash, Conan and Agatha Christie are also around. And the coffee is great.
Reviewed this week:
THEATRE: The Return Of Elvis Du Pisanie, Deathly Murder - Killed By A Killer
MUSIC: Slash - Orgy Of The Damned
PODCAST: A History Of Rock Music In 500 Songs
BOOKS: Heart Of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Lost Property by Megan Choritz
TV: Conan O'Brien Must Go
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
We confirm that revisiting the past can be both exciting and depressing, but at least you can flip forward in a book. Neil Young enjoys a welcome return to our consciousness, and we delve into the darkness of infant ungulates.
Reviewed this week:
THEATRE: The Brothers, Number One And A Weekend Special
MUSIC: The Lemon Twigs - A Dream Is All We Know, Charley Crockett - $10 Cowboy, Neil Young - Fu##in' Up
BOOKS: Letters That Changed The World by Simon Sebag Montefiore, Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett, The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway, The Illustrated Etymologicon by Mark Forsyth
TV: Baby Reindeer
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
On stage, in song, in print and sort-of on screen, it's pointed out that women and what they go through requires constant consideration - which is hopefully not a revelation. Elsewhere, Manchester is united in music. And yes, that was phrased like that to hack off Liam Gallagher if he ever reads this.
Reviewed this week:
THEATRE: Ile, Your Perfect Life
MUSIC: Liam Gallagher and John Squire, St Lucia, Marcus King, Sincerely Anne
BOOKS: Love And Fury by Margie Orford, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
TV: Poor Things, Stillwater, All Creatures Great And Small Season 4
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
After extensive intranational travel, two theatre productions have inspired discussion. Stefan also says guitar things about a borrowed instrument and Bill Bryson does the first disappointing thing of his brilliant life while Denzel Washington keeps a clean record.
Reviewed this week:
THEATRE: Expelled, Amadeus
GEAR: Gibson SG
MUSIC: Slash - Orgy Of The Damned, Sheryl Crow - Digging In The Dirt
BOOKS: Seeing Further, edited by Bill Bryson
TV: The Equalizer 3, Spaceman, Damsel
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Thanks to a touch of colic in the space-time continuum (or an uploading glitch - your choice), Episode 94 now appears after Episode 95 in the list. Meh. Blame Terry Pratchett. Meanwhile, we look at Los Angeles through Ry Cooder's eyes, Nazis through the filter of the Booker Prize and why it's not a good idea to hitchhike in the Australian Outback.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Hermanos Gutierrez - Sonido Cosmico, Dermot Kennedy - Lucky
BOOKS: Los Angeles Stories by Ry Cooder, 55 by James Delargy
TV: The Whale
PODCAST: The Booker Prize Podcast - Schindler's List vs Schindler's Ark
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
We welcome rock star, actor, dog/cat/bird owner and, most importantly, coffee sponsor Cito into the studio/cramped dining room to chat about his bewildering array of musical projects, including Wonderboom, Blvd Hvnny, El Cantante, Absinthe Led Zeppelin tribute shows and more. Classical literature and other, less busy rock stars are thrown in for good measure.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Pearl Jam - Dark Matter
BOOKS: The Porpoise by Mark Haddon, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
TV: The Greatest Night In Pop
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
In which Stefan reads his favourite book again, John Hamm is funny more than once, modern football is fascinatingly unpacked and Carey Grant scores (he was good at that).
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Christa Wells - Velveteen, John Leventhal - Rumble Strip
BOOKS: Zonal Marking by Michael Cox, Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
TV: Archie, Maggie Moore(s), Fargo Season Five
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
It's a new year, so we focused on all that supports that theme most strongly: 81-year-old Harrison kicking Nazi ass, Ryan Adams making an album called 1985 and Timothy Leary taking drugs in the Sixties. For the sake of science. Get an early start in 2024, people. There is much to read, listen to and watch. IT MUST GET DONE.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Ryan Adams - Sword & Stone/Star Sign/Prisoners (Live)/Heat Wave/1985, Twin Atlantic - Asleep, The Heavy Hours - Don't Walk Away
BOOKS: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Lessons by Ian McEwan, Outside Looking In by TC Boyle
TV: Jon Batiste - American Symphony, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Last episode for the year, a return visit for our first three-time guest, Bronwyn Williams, who has a new book out: Rescuing Our Republic, co-written with Ludwig Raal, in which she asks the heavy, world-shifting questions so we can keep talking about the equally important stuff, like books, music, film and theatre.
Thank you for all your support this year. Keep suggestions for topics and chats coming, along with offers of sponsorship, payable in cash, coffee, whiskey or guitars. You're all lovely. Happy Christmas and a merry New Year.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: No Chocolate Cake - Gin Blossoms, Little Bit Of Sun - Semisonic, Before And After - Neil Young
BOOKS: Rescuing Or Republic by Bronwyn Williams and Ludwig Raal
TV: Avoidance, 2023 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony, Licorice Pizza, Leave The World Behind, The American Buffalo, Foundational
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Recorded on the day Shane MacGowan died, while we happened to be drinking and chatting about whiskey named after his band, there is talk of the horrors of hubris and the war it often results in, as well as the effectiveness of ego when it comes to getting something done. Also, we speculate on what can we do about casualties of creativity, the injuries caused by innovation, and other alliterative AI themes.
Reviewed this week:
FILM: Napoleon
MUSIC: Drakensberg Boys' Choir - Noel Tour, The Chicago Sessions - Rodney Crowell, Spotify Wrapped
BOOKS: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono
TV: The Creator, Band Of Brothers
WHISKEY: The Pogues Irish Whiskey
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
While sipping more excellent whiskey and coffee, we muse on unintended themes like living forever (Peter Pan; The Beatles) and how to best make use of those years (be enduringly brilliant; spend Rupert Murdoch's money in a healthier way; get a robot to do the hard work), before sipping more whiskey and coffee.
Reviewed this week:
THEATRE: Janice Honeyman'sPeter Pan
MUSIC: Now & Then - The Beatles, Robin Auld, For All These Years - Billy Raffoul
BOOKS: I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett, Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan
TV: Justified: City Primeval, The Murdochs: Empire Of Influence (Showmax)
WHISKEY: Peaky Blinder Irish Whiskey
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
After a break due to being involved in arts projects beginning with "A" - Actress (theatre show for which Bruce was writer and composer) and Aardklop (large arts festival at which Stefan was managing events), we reflect on the joy and value in such work. While drinking whiskey and coffee, because those are a few of our favourite things. We also remember that Roger Waters is an old man and that Peter Grant was a scary man. And we visit New York (via music) and, er, Wrexham (via television).
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Modern Girl - Bleachers, Columbus & 89th - Sarah Jarosz, The Lord's Prayer - Matt Maher, The Dark Side Of The Moon Redux - Roger Waters
BOOKS: The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett, Bring It On Home by Mark Blake
TV: Welcome To Wrexham (Disney+), Good Omens (Prime Video)
WHISKEY: Samuel Gelston's Irish Whiskey
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
We chat about the approach of dystopia, and then it begins to sound like it's arrived. But we press on unto Gilead and beyond, where a Stoner makes Stefan emotional, and Bruce is almost certainly not being unreasonable.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Jonathan Wilson - Eat The Worm, Brothers Osborne - Brothers Osborne, Andrew Synowiec - Fun, The National - Laugh Track, BoB Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2zs0ejcsqzupl9TKnNGGts
BOOKS: Klara And The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, Stoner by John Williams, The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
TV: Ed Sheeran - The Sum Of It All (Disney+), Am I Being Unreasonable (Britbox), Spencer (Showmax), One Piece (Netflix), What We Do In The Shadows (Apple TV)
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
This week's discussion includes artists of all stripes who don't mind using a bit of brain power and thoughtfulness in the execution of their craft and the underpinnings of their concepts. Which is a pleasing thing a world where The Bachelor and Jersey Shore exist...
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: The Lighthouse - Caroline Spence ft Sarah Jarosz, More Than A Country Mile - Robin Auld, Femme Sole by Tess Wiley
THEATRE: Saturday Night At The Palace
BOOKS: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi, The Disordered Mind by Eric R Kandel, Brief Interviews With Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace
TV: John Mulaney - Baby J (Netflix), FUBAR (Netflix)
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
There are a number of ways to reflect life in art. We see theatre doing it in ways that hurt and opera doing it in ways that excite. We see chefs doing it under a load of stress. And we see Wes Anderson doing it wonderfully. Plus, we sip whisky that tastes of thorn trees - and it's good!
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: The National - First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, Matt Nathanson - Boston Accent
THEATRE: Isidlamlilo, Tosca
BOOKS: Submission by Michel Houellebecq, The South African Musical by Norman Smuts
TV: The Bear (Showmax), The French Dispatch (Disney+)
WHISKY: Toor Whisky Aperitif
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Our guest is Albert Maritz, director of a new production of Paul Slabolepszy's Saturday Night At The Palace at the Joburg Theatre (28 July to 20 August, Webtickets). There is talk of racism, masculinity and insecurity, and some of that even has to do with the play. Albert also reveals a portion of the richness of Afrikaans theatre and literary culture, largely because rooinekke Stefan and Bruce are woefully underexposed to its delights and need to get off their boude and make a plan...
Reviewed this week:
BOOKS: The Echo Of A Noise by Pieter-Dirk Uys, What Does This Button Do by Bruce Dickinson
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Theatre highlights issues we all face and how we feel about them. Books take on more esoteric issues in poetic ways. Musicians create audible emotion. And directors make actors hit other actors really hard. A lot. We consider these things. And drink coffee.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Grant Lee Buffalo - Mighty Joe Moon, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Weathervanes, Sigur Ros - ATTA
THEATRE: The Undone, The Mzansi Tenors, Exit/Exist
BOOKS: The Library Of Ice by Nancy Campbell, The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
TV: Extraction 2 (Netflix), Ray Donovan - The Movie (Showmax), The Outlaws (Britbox), Luther - The Fallen Sun
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Stefan has read a book that he immediately regards as a classic, which happens once a decade or less. A big band grieves through loud music, a bald man goes native and there is beauty in war - if only in screen craftsmanship terms. We feel affirmed, and celebrate with a lovely bourbon. You should too.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Extreme - Six, John Ellis - Native, Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
BOOKS: To Live by Yu Hua, What Does This Button Do by Bruce Dickinson
TV: War Sailor (Netflix), All Quiet On The Western Front, Bored To Death (Netflix)
WHISKEY: Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Realising that we both have gigs coming up (Bruce on 3 June at Spilt Milk Social Cafe in Melville; Stefan on 10 June at The Radium Beer Hall in Orange Grove), we don't at all in any way then unconsciously compare ourselves to the immense intellect of David Foster Wallace, the astonishing talent of Madison Cunningham or the curious weirdness of Agent Elvis. We also remember Tina Turner with fondness and awe and return to our First Take feature - playing a song we've never played together before and hoping it turns out well. Spoiler: it does.
Reviewed this week:
FIRST TAKE: Come What May - Bruce Dennill
MUSIC: Revealer - Madison Cunningham, The Way I Feel - Gordon Lightfoot
BOOKS: The Pigeon Tunnel by John le Carre, Oblivion by David Foster Wallace
TV: Marianne (Netflix), Sweet Tooth (Netflix), Agent Elvis (Netflix), Billions (Showmax), The Cleaner (Britbox)
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
There's another Hollywood writer's strike. Last time, that made for some terrible shows. This time, it may burst the streaming bubble, which both makes us nervous and suggests a quality-over quantity future. For now, shows going behind the scenes in the worlds of elite sports are still changing the audience profiles in those arenas. Intelligent lives lived well still leave meaningful residues, classic harmonies retain their sweetness and intergalactic silliness is worth paying ticket money for.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Album 1700 - Peter, Paul & Mary, Achtung Baby - U2 (in Vegas)
BOOKS: The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz, Terry Pratchett - A Life With Footnotes by Rob Wilkins
TV: Full Swing (Netflix), F1 - Drive To Survive Season 5
THEATRE: The Echo Of A Noise, Cat & Monkey
FILM: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Powerful stories examine depression; a useful guitar pedal ensures compression; a black man prepares to be a white racist and that nice Stanley Tucci is removed from the babysitting list. We did add milk to our coffee, so at least that wasn't too dark...
Reviewed this week:
GEAR: MXR Custom Comp Compressor pedal
MUSIC: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Wilder Woods, Birds Say by Darlingside
BOOKS: BlacK K Klansman by Ron Stallworth
TV: Inside Man (Netflix), The Banshees Of Inisherin (Disney+)
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Someone sent us a bottle of whisky, so we tasted that. We discovered new signature guitar models, so we were excited. There was almost too much theatre to watch, but we persevered. A beautiful book offers a mental and emotional escape from a fatigued body. The umpteenth movie in an alien franchise is actually, you know, good. And Brad Pitt attempts to not get shot in public transport.
Reviewed this week:
GUITARS: Billy Joe Armstrong Les Paul Jr, Chris Stapleton Epiphone Frontier
WHISKY: Firstwatch Imported Extra Fine
THEATRE: Suenos, We Will Rock You, A Musical, Master Class, Madagascar Jr
BOOKS: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, Heavy Duty by KK Downing
TV: Prey (Apple TV), Bullet Train (Netflix)
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Stefan is in recovery after a rock star weekend gracing festival stages. On those stages, and between the pages of a collection of short stories, we discover the presence of the level of emerging talent that makes us fall in love with music and writing all over again. There are also welcome returns from shared favourites, this time in books and on the small screen, and an album title almost as satisfying as the music in the collection. All of which makes us feel that embracing the good may be better for us than drowning in the bad. Who knew?
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: The Phantasm At Lake Wallenpaupack - Fever Dolls, Mieliepop Festival - Crystal Park, John Barnard, Shameless
BOOKS: Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, The Passenger & Stella Mari by Cormac McCarthy
TV: Brooklyn 99 (Netflix), The Chelsea Detective (Britbox), Elvis (Apple TV)
FIRST TAKE: Come Out And Play by Bruce Dennill
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
We almost wander into talking about Actual Issues but then remember that we prefer to retreat to books and music and the arts in general than pretend we know how to sort out the world's ills. That said, we look fondly at an age of great music journalism; sadly at how fraught with uncertainty travel in much of the Middle East is; and affectionately at an unknown blues singer who recently won a Grammy.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Bonnie Raitt - Just Like That..., Tyler Ramsey - For The Morning, Bob Dylan - Fragments, Eric Claption - Rarities
THEATRE: Home Affairs
BOOKS: Sticky Fingers by Joe Hagan, Arabia by Levison Wood
TV: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Disney+), Great Art Explained (YouTube, Derry Girls (Neflix), Wednesday (Netflix)
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
It was a fecund couple of weeks for live music, both in music venues and on theatre stages, and the readiness of the performers involved to put their hearts and souls on display is as memorable as whatever they where playing. Elsewhere, we chat about bonkers journeys and a huge load of Cunk.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: An Intimate Evening with Jeremy Porter, Sting - My Songs, Jeremy Messersmith back catalogue, First Aid Kit - America, Rodney Crowell - Close Ties
THEATRE: Jonathan Roxmouth - Key Change, DuPreez Strauss - Dreamland
BOOKS: The Odysseum by David Bramwell & Joe Tinsley
TV: Cunk On Earth (Netflix), Stonehouse (Britbox), Kleo (Netflix)
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
The Oscar nominations are out and we're not sure if we're happy that Top Gun might get Best Picture because, like, you know, it's not art. Elsewhere, we appreciate good writing, kitchen politics, optimistic ukuleles and how Charles Dickens was essentially the biggest streaming service of his day.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Radiohead back catalogue, Sigourney Fever - Trampled By Turtles, 11 Obscenely Optimistic Songs For Ukulele: A Micro Folk Record For The 21st Century - Jeremy Messersmith
BOOKS: Dickens by Peter Ackroyd, Bridge Of Clay by Markus Zusak
TV: The White Lotus S2 (Netflix), Tali's Joburg Diary (Showmax), The Bear (Disney+)
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
It's the end of the year (and Spotify tells us we're 87% up in streams, so thank you so much for your support). We welcome back our very first guest, trends analyst and rabid reader Bronwyn Williams, and some of what she says is sad, but she brought whiskey to share, so that's ok. Truth is scarier than fiction on the page and screen, but it's ok because great live music brings joy and maybe we're in a German wormhole so none of it matters. This and other important insights this week. We'll be back in the new year, still drinking Cito 1974 coffee because it's (genuinely) amazing and also our supply for the podcast is sponsored and we will punt your brand here if you jump in with your lovely products or actual cash to pay for our glamorous, kids' school fee-paying lifestyles. Read a book, listen to music, go to the theatre, watch the whole of every streaming service - have a great holiday!
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Starting Over - Chris Stapleton, The Waterboys Live
BOOKS: Present Tense - A Radiohead Compendium, edited by Barney Hoskyns, Rainbow Nation My Zulu Arse by Sihle Khumalo, Property by Lionel Shriver
TV: Nope, 1899, Dahmer, Black Panther
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
A little birdy told us to delve into whether Twitter is quiet as much of a cesspool as we're led to believe. Elsewhere on social media, a man from The Darkness proves to be sweet, sensitive and wise. Plus, some of music's Biggest Names released new (and old) projects, and we finally brought back our First Take feature and played a tune live in studio again - Dreamed You Different. Frankly, it's lovely, and you should listen.
Reviewed this week:
MUSIC: Only The Strong Survive - Bruce Springsteen, Use Your Illusion Deluxe - Guns 'N Roses, Revolver Deluxe - The Beatles
BOOKS: The Survivors by Kate Furnivall, The Woman In The Blue Cloak by Deon Mayer
TV: The Midnight Club, The Dry
YOUTUBE: Justin Hawkins Rides Again
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Our guest is CrashCarBurn frontman Garth Barnes, chatting about the band's new album, Back From The Dead. In almost related news, we also talk about old men, including Mick Jagger and Jeff Bridges. Plus, Stefan's dogs fight a lot in the background.
Reviewed this week:
BOOKS: The Rolling Stones - 1972, Dickens by Peter Ackroyd
TV: The Old Man, Cabinet Of Curiosities
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Our guest is comedian Mark Banks, whose show Alive! runs at the Studio at Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre until 20 November. Book at Computicket.
Reviewed this week:
BOOKS: The End Of The End Of The World by Jonathan Franzen
TV: Derry Girls Season 3, Better Call Saul Season 1
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Our guest is Ben Voss, who plays Abominable Uncle Abanazar in Janice Honeyman's Adventures In Pantoland at the Joburg Theatre from November 6 to December 24.
Reviewed this week:
BOOKS: Book Ends by Michael Chabon; Unmasked by Andrew Lloyd Webber
TV: Yellowstone; Trigger Point
MUSIC: American Heartbreak by Zach Bryan; Memory by Nicole Scherzinger
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Our guest is Dan Chiorboli, festival director for WOMAD South Africa (running from 30 September to 8 October; tickets at Quicket), who unpacks the festival's itinerant delights and name-drops Peter Gabriel just because he can. We also go behind The Godfather - this is the reason movie tickets cost so much - and explore a book which lyrically and beautifully confirms that racism in the Deep South (or anywhere else for that matter) is frightening, inhuman force.
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
There's a tweaked format in this post-sojourn return, as we take a stab at edification alongside entertainment. We dip into the effects of career pressure on musicians, as well as revisiting the magic of Terry Pratchett, unpacking why expensive streaming series don't last the distance, geeking out over a limited edition Beach Boys guitar strap, watching commerce take on concern in a book about a pink elephant, being concerned about Billy Crystal and comparing an American Idol winner to Burt Bacharach.
Stay in touch at https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Discussed this week (in which Bruce celebrated a birthday): The giant Cake Brothers tiramisu birthday that appeared alongside our microphone, and the aroma of the contents of several vials of white powder (ooh) our guest had brought with him. Between mouthfuls of cake, ice cream, delicious coffee and a smidge of whiskey, we chatted about the foolishness of taking on Carrie Mulligan, and let our ears go country because Spotify told us to.
GUEST: Malcolm Burroughs - more at https://www.facebook.com/CakeBrothersSouthAfrica/ and https://www.facebook.com/fabflava/
TV: Promising Young Woman
MUSIC: Richie Furey - In The Country
Please give us your comments, suggestions, reviews of our song and constructive input via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Discussed this week: The seven deadly sins, possibly in conjunction with the experiences of Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee (that should cover most of them). Plus cycling, cruising and choreography.
THEATRE: La Traviata, Elton: The Experience
TV: Pam & Tommy, Hustle, Jungle Cruise
BOOKS: Around The World In 80 Days by Mark Beaumont
MUSIC: Chagall Guevera - Halcyon Days, Frank Sinatra - Watertown 2022
PODCAST: Stephen Fry - Seven Deadly Sins
Please give us your comments, suggestions, reviews of our song and constructive input via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Discussed this week: the return of full-capacity theatre, guilty pleasures. lovely hungry people and a sublime songwriter who needs to be Heard.
THEATRE: If A Tree Falls, Locked Upside Down...And Inside Out!, Kunene And The King
TV: SAS - Rise Of The Black Swan, Fast And Furious 9 - The Fast Saga, Somebody Feed Phil, Stranger Things 4, The Morning Show
MUSIC: Mark Heard
Please give us your comments, suggestions, reviews of our song and constructive input via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Discussed this week:
FIRST TAKE: Spiral Staircase - Bruce Dennill
THEATRE: The Abba Show: A Cinderella Story, Borderline
BOOKS: Carnet de Voyage by Craig Thompson, Fools And Mortals by Bernard Cornwell
TV: Raised By Wolves S2, Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, Death On The Nile
MUSIC: A Light For Attracting Attention - The Smile, Altar - Kehlani, Spinnekop - Posduif, Joyful Noise - Matt Maher
Please give us your comments, suggestions, reviews of our song and constructive input via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Is Ricky Gervais a bully? Does the music industry give a toss about artists? Is whistleblowing worth it? Why don't more people know how good a guitarist Jack Pearson is? Asked and (possibly) answered...
BOOKS: The Secret History Of Twin Peaks by Mark Frost, Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie, Hit Men by Fredric Dannen
TV: SuperNature - Ricky Gervais, Clarkson's Farm
MUSIC: Jack Pearson
THEATRE: The New Abnormal, Country Duty
Please give us your comments, suggestions, reviews of our song and constructive input via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
Discussed this week:
BOOKS: Reuben by Bryan Andrews, The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
TV: Mark Twain - Ken Burns, Peaky Blinders, Ozark, The Undoing, Murderville
MUSIC: Live At Leeds - The Who,
PODCAST: A History Of Rock Music In 500 Songs, Renegades - Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen
Please give us your comments, suggestions, reviews of our song and constructive input via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
In which we reveal a shared fetish for 500-year-old, long-haired gentlemen, indulge an affection for Andy Samberg, wonder at fine musicians, appreciate others who appreciate what we appreciate and welcome back the First Take feature - this time a reflection on shared brokenness.
FIRST TAKE: In Repair - John Mayer
BOOKS: Leonard Da Vinci - The Biography by Walter Isaacson, Shakespeare - The Biography by Peter Ackroyd
TV: Popstar - Never Stop Never Stopping, Palm Springs, A Bit Of Fry And Laurie, The Bubble
MUSIC: Notes With Attachments by Pino Palladino and Blake Mills, Get On Board by Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder
PODCAST: A History Of Rock Music In 500 Songs - God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
Please give us your comments, suggestions, reviews of our song and constructive input via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast. And try out the superb coffee we drink on the show: Cito 1974 (www.cito1974.com).
We try out a new mic (CAN YOU HEAR US AT THE BACK?) and include our new release as The Van Dyke Parks Board. It's called "Song For Doubt" and is available everywhere you stream or download. Stefan, unable to help himself, returns to Brian Wilson - three times - and then goes skateboarding. Bruce laughs at fellow pasty white man Jim Gaffigan, and then goes briefly to Tangier and Paris before enjoying the larger Great Big World. And we enjoy Cito 1974 coffee (again).
BOOKS: Paris Echo by Sebastian Faulks, I Am Brian Wilson by Ben Greenman
TV: Jim Gaffigan - Comedy Monster, Little Birds, Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road, Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off
MUSIC: Is There Anybody Out There - A Great Big World, Song For Doubt - The Van Dyke Parks Board, The Pet Sounds Sessions - The Beach Boys
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Our guest is actor, playwright, broadcaster and sarky Facebook presence Peter Terry, who discusses his new one-man play At All Costs, which deals (brilliantly) with the horrors of the Battle of Delville Wood in World War One. We savour a fine brew from our new sponsor, Cito 1974 Coffee, which makes the day seem brighter. We also question whether comedies actually need to make you laugh to be considered successful, and wonder at Karl Lagerfeld's ability to get concepts from idea to Grand Palais-filling spectacle.
THEATRE: At All Costs
BOOKS: Chanel Catwalk: The Complete Karl Lagerfeld Collections (1983-2019)
TV: Archive 81, Mythic Quest, Our Flag Means Death
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Producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist and Very Nice Man Michael Wright joins us to talk a little bit about his Gloryvale Studio in Edenvale (he's all humble like that) and the new Van Dyke Parks Board single "Song For Doubt", for which he's just finished the final mix. We rediscover how completely thrilling well-crafted live theatre is. And well-crafted books. And well-crafted music. And anything where craft trumps just getting it made.
THEATRE: Firefly, The Last Five Years
DANCE: Maina Gielgud's Giselle
BOOKS: Remembering African Wild Dogs, Lord Of The Rings (yes, again - for crying out loud, Stefan)
MUSIC: Native - John Ellis, Blue Lights On The Runway - Bell X1
TV: Guardians Of Justice
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In which we welcome comedian Nik Rabinowitz, consider the power of storytelling and the value of joy over cynicism; investigate magic mushrooms; visit a dark forest in Latvia and suggest not naming your band after a plague.
COMEDY: Nik Rabinowitz Is Over It!
BOOKS: Fresh Complaint by Jeffrey Eugenides
MUSIC: All At Once - The Airborne Toxic Event
TV: Fantastic Fungi
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In which we confront our naivety through the medium of television, well-known for its truth-telling; have some very big questions almost answered; suggest that music is more important than talking and note that Ewan McGregor never goes out of fashion.
THEATRE: Rocco De Villiers & Lizelle Le Roux - Music From The Movies
BOOKS: The Origin Of Almost Everything - New Scientist, Lord Of The Rings
MUSIC: Marcel Dalmayda, Louise Carver, Ryan Ellis
TV: Norm Macdonald - Hitler's Dog, Gossip & Trickery, Halston, Enlightened, Archive81, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, F1 Drive To Survive
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In which Stefan survives several old-man ailments, we perv over a Gibson Les Paul (respectfully), acknowledge how "Beautiful" Carole King is, do the backstroke in psychedelia and realise that it doesn't take a genius to spot a fraudster.
COMEDY: Mark Banks - Mask About Face
BOOKS: The Genius Test by Giles Sparrow
MUSIC: Black Pumas - Black Pumas, Daniel Lanois - Heavy Sun, Madison Cunningham - Wednesday
TV: Space Force S2, Inventing Anna, The Witcher S2, Echo In The Canyon, The Tinder Swindler, Wild Bill S1
PODCAST: A History Of Rock Music In 500 Songs - Andrew Hickey
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In which we are joined by Mark Banks and several of his personalities as he talks about his new show, Mask About Face; discuss the appeal of getting motherless in the future and do a half-decent job of otherwise keeping it together.
COMEDY: Mark Banks - Mask About Face
BOOKS: Motherland by Paul Theroux, The Future Starts Now edited by Bronwyn Williams & Theo Priestley
MUSIC: Guster - Keep It Together
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In which we veer from rose-coloured perspectives on arms up cows' bums to blood-coloured perspectives on rather less bucolic scenarios, and from diving into the Greatest Story Ever Told into Dave Grohl's stories, which are also pretty great. Also, Stefan plays with Lego and Bruce wishes Michael Moore was president of everything.
BOOKS: What Is The Bible? by Rob Bell, Storyteller by Dave Grohl
TV & FILM: Happy!, The Harder They Fall, Succession, All Creatures Great And Small, Dexter: New Blood, Ozark
GEAR: Lego Fender Stratocaster
PODCASTS: Smartless: Michael Moore
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In which we - on our 50th episode! - welcome Malcolm Burroughs, 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day (go to www.67blankets.co.za for details of the upcoming Rainbow Nation Blanket Of Hope event) ambassador, cake boss and erstwhile guy-in-bandages in Ultravox videos. We chat about the importance of people who combine giving a toss with good systems, as well as Eddie Vedder (who is in no way a tosser).
GUEST: Malcolm Burroughs, 67 Blankets or Nelson Mandela Day ambassador
BOOKS: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Day Of The Caesars by Simon Scarrow
TV & FILM: Manifest, Army Of Thieves
MUSIC: Earthling by Eddie Vedder, Matter Of Time by Eddie Vedder
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In which we welcome cartoonist, satirist and artist Rico to talk about his work and the sordid state of society. We also return to a giant space tortoise and head both west and backwards in time while considering which bad people are less bad than others.
GUEST: Rico - Madam & Eve: Family Meeting
BOOKS: The First Discworld Novels by Terry Pratchett, Istanbul by Bettany Hughes, Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton
TV & FILM: Suicide Squad, Money Heist Season 5, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Please give us your comments, suggestions, constructive input and reviews of the latest song from our band, The Van Dyke Parks Board, via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast
In which we look on the bright side, dispatch doubts about the value of art over fame and trip over tropes before landing in music, often The Only Place that makes sense.
FIRST TAKE: The Only Place
BOOKS: Get Back - The Beatles, African Artists From 1882 To Now,
TV & FILM: The Flight Attendant, Kate, Encanto, The French Dispatch, What We Do In The Shadows
MUSIC: The Lumineers - Brightside, Neil Young - A Band, A Brotherhood, A Barn
Please give us your comments, suggestions, constructive input and reviews of the latest song from our band, The Van Dyke Parks Board, via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast
In which we consider that much is stuffed up, but also that much is not, praise men with lovely voices, focus on the strength of sensitivity and intellect over machismo and are otherwise apparently, like, totes woke.
FIRST TAKE: Purple Heart - released 21 January 2022: stream and download now at https://electromodeza.lnk.to/PurpleHeartAr
BOOKS: Crossroads - Jonathan Franzen, Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life - Eric Idle, 50 People Who Stuffed Up The World - Alexander Parker and Tim Richman
TV & FILM: After Life Season 3, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Power Of The Dog, Ballers, Upstart Crow
MUSIC: Jason Isbell - Georgia Blue, Sad Astronauts - Adult Fears, Big Wreck - 7.1
Please give us your comments, suggestions, constructive input and reviews of the latest song from our band, The Van Dyke Parks Board, via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast
In which we are told not to look up but do anyway because Meryl's not our real mom; take eating a level up; sing a song about remembering to rest; travel through Africa in taxis and take our Muthi after a tough year.
FOOD: Level 4 at 54 On Bath
LIVE MUSIC: Blu Piano Social Club
FIRST TAKE: Come Out And Play
BOOKS: Through A Black Iris, We Are The Weather
TV & FILM: Don't Look Up, Death To 2021
MUSIC: Guy Buttery, Jesse Clegg, Cain, Arno Carstens, Zach Williams, Neil Young, Muthi
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In which, in our final podcast for 2021, we go to Lesotho, Twickenham and Cambridge; deal with Kingsolvers and crime solvers; and watch the Beatles get back and Dave Chapelle move forward.
BOOKS: Wayfarer's Hymns, Animal Vegetable Miracle
TV & FILM: Get Back, Archer, The Closer, The Gentlemen, Professor T
MUSIC: The Beatles, Ron Carter, The Killers
Please give us your comments, suggestions, constructive input and reviews of the new song from our band, The Van Dyke Parks Board, via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast
In which Christmas has arrived on stage, cowboys are bebopping, crows are counting and souls have been collected. Also, Dune is the new Star Wars, movies in general matter, Tenet makes perfect sense and cartoons remind us of the bad times.
THEATRE: Mzansi Ballet's Christmas Show
BOOKS: It Only Comes In Orange Mr Zuma, Family Meeting
TV & FILM: Dune, Cowboy Bebop, Ready Or Not, The Movies That Made Us, Tenet
MUSIC: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Joey Landreth, Guster, Foy Vance, Dan Wilson, Counting Crows
FIRST TAKE: The World I Know - Collective Soul
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In which Stefan falls for Ryan Reynolds - in fairness, who among us has not? - Bruce gets a fresh look at the Good Book, a musical takes centre screen and delays are finally a good thing.
BOOKS: Escaping The Delta, Batman: Master Race, What's In The Bible?
TV & FILM: The Falcon Has Landed, Red Notice, Free Guy, Black Spot, No Time To Die, Tick Tick Boom, Squid Game
MUSIC: Brian Wilson, Muthi Music, Delays
Please give us your comments, suggestions, constructive input and reviews of the new song from our band, The Van Dyke Parks Board, via our Facebook page, please: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast
In which Stefan hunts guitars, Cinderella and Shakespeare share a theatre, a publisher puts Instagram posts in book on purpose, the West gets revised, and serial killing goes Scottish.
BOOKS: It's The Answers For Me
THEATRE: Janice Honeyman's Cinderella, ShakesMod
TV & FILM: Des, The Harder They Fall
GEAR: Guitar Safari
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In which Stefan has finished more than one book, Salman Rushdie uses too many words, Satan has a dual role, the end of the world is hilarious, dancers go to hell, the war on drugs is actually a happy thing and Iceland is still mellow.
BOOKS: The Hobbit, The Master And Margarita, The Golden House
THEATRE: Apocalaughs Now, Inferno
MUSIC: David Ford, Madison Cunningham, The War On Drugs, Jonsi
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In which singer, songwriter, coffee baron and horse straddler Cito arrives with his own beans to make us a cup of Eden (you can taste the apple). There is live grinding, but not in a (very) smutty way. He also introduces his new Blvd Hvnny single, Joaquin, and the wronged bandit it's written about. Beyond that, we consider Clapton's gear, Springsteen's barn and how a lack of happy endings kind of reflects life...
BOOKS: Nuance And Other Stories
LIVE MUSIC: Fokofpolisiekar at Sognage
MUSIC: Blvd Hvnny, Wonderboom, Eric Clapton
TV: The Chestnut Man, Western Stars
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In which live music and lithe dancers return, along with concerns regarding breathing viruses on people; we launch our new Van Dyke Parks Board single, "What We Have Carried"; we discuss guitar men, microphone women; more lithe dancers and dysfunctional folks, both live and on holiday on an island and possibly dead in a church (on an island).
THEATRE: Queen At The Ballet, The Nutcracker
LIVE MUSIC: Bruce Dennill, The Biz, Satellite 79 at Sognage
MUSIC: The Van Dyke Parks Board, Denison Witmer, Adele, Brandi Carlile
TV: The White Lotus, Midnight Mass, Guitar Man
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In which our guest Mark Tatham shares what it's like being inside a hyena, dark humour is played by the numbers, squid prove to be lethal, John Mayer cries a bit and we praise a White Room that Clapton has never been in.
THEATRE: The Lion King
BOOKS: The White Room by Craig Higginson
MUSIC: John Mayer, Neil Young, CAIN, Big Wreck, Blu Piano Social Club, Jacob Swann, Bright Eyes
TV: Can't Get You Out Of My Head, Squid Game, Inside No 9
FILM: Social Disdance
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In which Stefan comes achingly close to finishing a book, people who play guitars are celebrated even more than usual, a diamond is cursed, a blackbird is slaughtered (more or less metaphorically) and both chefs and sidemen are appreciated. Possibly because they all have lovely guitars.
THEATRE: Dance Spectrum: Reflections at The Dome@NSA
BOOKS: The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco (for the last time); Koh-I-Noor by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand
MUSIC: Mike Keneally, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Trip The Witch, Neal Casal, Blackberry Smoke
TV: Chef's Table: Sean Brock
FIRST TAKE: Blackbird - The Beatles
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In which this episode's heading becomes an actualcatchphrase for important reasons that will be lost to our children and their children and their children's children unless you listen to the episode. AND we host the remarkably lovely Kiruna-Lind Devar - actress, singer, dancer and songwriter - who helps up talk about:
TV: Avenue 5; Brand New Cherry Flavor, Schumacher
THEATRE: Simply Broadway at The Dome@NSA, Janice Honeyman's Cinderella at Joburg Theatre
BOOKS: African Sky by Tony Park (Intriguing Accent Audio Version), Munich by Robert Harris
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In which there is coffee, a pair of errant hounds and wrangling of such topics as:
TV: I Can't Get You Out Of My Head - An Emotional History Of The World by Adam Curtis; Brand New Cherry Flavor, Your Honor; Travels With My Father
THEATRE: Simply Broadway
BOOKS: The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien; No Middle Name by Lee Child
MUSIC: Jimmy Bryant; If It's Love - Sting; I Still Have Faith In You - ABBA
FIRST TAKE: Fences (© Bruce Dennill, Passage One Music)
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We grapple with the tension between FOMO and going back to the good stuff, with Stefan being charmed by a third stab at Umberto Eco's The Name Of The Rose, Bruce not yet being vexxed by the in-house back-slapping of Smartless and both of us still loving the man-boy, goofy joy of Brooklyn Nine Nine. Nobody we're currently seeing onscreen is happy, for various reasons. Perry Mason, Bryan Cranston's new gig Your Honor and The Blacklist show that details matter, whether they add to effectiveness, annoy the crap out of you or make you want to adopt James Spader's shaving routine. Speaking of adoption, it is one of the major themes in Steven Curtis Chapman's superb and moving autobiography Between Heaven And The Real World, in which a hugely successful rock star makes the challenges marriage and family the centrepieces of his world. That thinking - that focusing on what is important is both underrated and under-practiced - is also the crux of Matt Haig's Notes On A Nervous Planet, a beautiful reminder to give a toss.
We're joined by singer, songwriter, composer, producer, music publisher, short Lebanese person and bald man Neill Solomon, who tells tales of geographically ignorant record executives, South African bands in the Eighties, world-class Afros and musical mindsets. Musically, The Usual do the unusual by failing to fail and Sturgill Simpson is seriously good and good at being serious. In books, we look at Rapid Fire facts from John Maytham and options for the years best fiction from The National Book Review. On TV, Scarface reminds us of old-fashioned violence, while Brand New Cherry Flavor proves that upgrades can be horrifying. And Bo Burnham proves that by looking Inside, a funny guy can break your heart.
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We encounter both John McEnroe and Ian Thornley twice - it's more cost-effective that way - in the course of talking about the former writing books and narrating the enjoyable Netflix series Never Have I Ever and the latter being painfully self-effacing on the Everyone Loves Guitar podcast while also being at least as talented as the whole of Led Zeppelin. We also double up on good doctors in, er, The Good Doctor (for which Freddy Highmore is now justifiably as famous as for being in the Finding Neverland memes with Johnny Depp) and All Creatures Great And Small, in which a delightful country vet regularly gets shoulder deep in ... work. Olivia Rodrigo succeeds while abusing apostrophes, which doesn't seem fair, and REM finish strong, prompting us to sing Find The River off the cuff. Pretty well, we think.
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We return, cautiously but happily, to the theatre for "Dusk" - a fictional story about how isolation and a lack of support might send you around the bend (at least that doesn't happen in reality, right?). Krugersdorp goes to hell in a handbasket in "Devilsdorp", and Los Angeles comes off worse, if anything, in "The Sons Of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness". And we visit The Museum Of Broken Relationships via the book of the same name. Then it gets happier. Fortunately, as we had no whiskey this week. John Jorgenson saves guitars from a flood and names the compositions he plays on them after them. We can possibly relate, having called our own guitars "Second Wife", "Favourite Child" and more. "Jazz: A Film By Ken Burns" has so much to offer that it is actually a Miniseries By Ken Burns and Christopher Meloni in the show "Happy!" is what other people might call "Crazy!". And in new tunes from "The Single File", Lana Del Rey, Holly Humberstone and Nosihe blow our hair back. Which is impressive, as we have very little between us.
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Paths to - and definitions of - success in matters of creativity differ wildly. Put the best song at the end of an album? Sara Bareilles does just that in our "Closing Time" feature. Re-imagine language because your brain interprets signals differently? Daniel Tammet does so in his book "Every Word Is A Bird We Teach To Sing". The Netflix series "Criminal" uses the same narrow formula in different countries, with different audiences - and triumphs. And the Tedeschi Trucks Band strikes gold by playing a whole album of someone else's music. So is there a formula that works for everyone? We'll tell you when we celebrate our millionth listener...
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Post-lockdown. New features. Live performance. Short sentences. Key messages: corruption is bad, music is great, driving is cool, food is complicated and doing things purely to feel joy is essential. Also, a book is abandoned before it is finished, which makes us feel weird. Plus, in First Take (new feature - we mentioned that, right?) - in which we play a song without rehearsal; first take is what you hear/what we may need to apologise for later - we covered some Counting Crows (birdwatchers: that's not as dirty as it sounds). And in More Gear, No Fear (a safe space for musical gadget addicts), we look at the Breaker Overdrive pedal from Bondi Effects. Comments, suggestions, messages of undying love: https://www.facebook.com/TheChorusPodcast.
WATCH: Line Of Duty / This Is Pop / Formula 1: Drive To Survive / Soul / High On The Hog
READ: Lincoln In The Bardo
FIRST TAKE: Sullivan Street - Counting Crows
MORE GEAR, NO FEAR: Bondi Effects Breaker Overdrive
People who don't laugh make jokes much funnier. It's Brooklyn Nine-Nine science. As is Stephen King ÷ Stanley Kubrick > 1. Wait, that's maths. Movie maths. AC/DC music videos feel flaccid, but Elvis remains royally vital. In predictable news, country music musicians are incredible and competitive cyclists take drugs. More capriciously, Matthew McConaughey fails to convince as an American and a child grows antlers. Plus, there is nudity and someone standing still while strangers cut them with razors. You know, the usual.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH: Brooklyn Nine-Nine / Dr Sleep / Elvis: The Searcher / Sweet Tooth / The Gentlemen / Heartworn Highways / Icarus
READ - Body Of Art by Phaidon editors
LISTEN - AC/DC, Billy Gibbons
In which Bruce and Stefan are less retentive than usual. Feel the freedom of unclenched sphincters and rejoice! We chat about fake Faust and fantasy philosophy, about a Charlie Parker who doesn't play the saxophone, about the value of albums over singles, about our lust for Suhr guitars, and about accommodating a loss of appreciation for art. Like, share, subscribe and let us know what you want to hear about in arty, culturey (that's a word) areas via thechoruspodcast@gmail.com.
THE HOOKS:
READ - A Game Of Ghosts by John Connelly, The Illustrated Eric by Terry Pratchett
LISTEN - Big Wreck, David Bowie, Mott The Hoople, Billy Gibbons
We welcome the lovely Alyssa Harrison - actress, singer, director, and half of theatre marketing hub and events co-ordination platform Plug In Theatre, She adds class and elegance as we rattle on about shadows and monsters, future stage stars and films that killed off actors for no apparent reason. There is also talk of Bruce's new single (a collaboration with Kate Normington), why editors are important and how musical interpretation is no less wonderful than original writing.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Shadow And Bone / Love And Monsters / The Long Riders / Lamplight / Parable
LISTEN - The Black Keys / Sheryl Crow / Bruce Dennill & Kate Normington / Matt Nathanson / Editors / Big Wreck
Bruce attempts to expand, amplify and explicate his vocabulary while forgetting - or wishing he could - film plots and appreciating a boundary-pushing songwriter. Stefan has forgotten how to read, but explores Vegas, superhero psyches and immigrant shopkeeping before making the most of mandolins and returning to roots music. And we play a live, original song: "Arguing", written by Bruce Dennill and John Ellis.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Outside The Wire / The Hunt / Deadly Class / Army Of The Dead / Jupiter's Legacy / Kim's Convenience
READ - The Cabinet Of Linguistic Curiosities
LISTEN - Songcraft: Spotlight On Songwriters - Jackie DeShannon / Julian Lage / Chris Eldridge / Chris Thile / Punch Brothers / Goat Rodeo / Daniel Lanois / Emmylou Harris / The Black Keys
Stefan discusses being scared and literal character assassination, while Bruce is less impressed with Greek kings than he is New York nerds. And both go back to the Nineties, to when music involved both musings on eternity and melodies.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Things Heard And Seen / Deadly Class / How To With John Wilson
READ - The Fry Chronicles / House Of Names
LISTEN - DC Talk / Bill Bryson / Nineties Pop-Rock
Stefan and Bruce wax lyrical about a vocal collective before considering animated AI and the kind of all-encompassing drive(r) needed to become the best and most famous sportsman on the planet. We discover that there is arguably not enough to write about Jimi Hendrix and rather too much to write about Istanbul. And we mash up celebrated wordsmithery, call-and-response gospel and ... ukuleles. It's so much better than you'd think.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - The Mitchells Vs The Machines / African Pulse: Celebrating The Ndlovu Youth Choir / I Care A Lot / Tiger
READ - Two Riders Were Approaching: The Life And Death Of Jimi Hendrix / Istanbul: A Tale Of Three Cities
LISTEN - Kirk Franklin / Born To Uke / Stephen Fry
We welcome a bald, bearded tattooed man into the studio and live to tell the tale. David Batzofin writes about about travel and ... things ... on his excellent blog, um, Travel & Things (www.travelandthings.co.za). A wide-ranging discussion takes in those themes, the scourge of The Influencer, music both country and Western and what matters when it comes to both parks and recreation. There is literature concerning those who have broken South Africa and those who are fixing it; red-headed strangers and people with the word "white" in their name; moms who matter; and an introduction to the word "imbolc". Which is important.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Barely Breathing / Lioness / Parks & Recreation / Workin' Moms
READ - Like Water For Fish by Garth Japhet / 50 People Who F***ed Up South Africa by Alexander Parker and Tim Richman / Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks / Travel & Things by David Batzofin
LISTEN - Willie Nelson / David Kramer / Joe Pisapia / John Paul White
We prove that, in the same way that two random musicians with reading fetishes can create a sublime podcast, sometimes great actors can appear in entirely average films, and that it's easy to forget what happened in a book we loved. We go back in time on TV and have an author do the same, though he adds a number of extra centuries to his tale (et tu, Matt Haig?), just because he can. We ask if tangible passion can make music better, though we know the answer, and are reminded how royally spectacular Prince was on record and on stage. Oh, and Jason Bateman has crab pincers for hands. Yes. Well.
WATCH - 2 Guns / Rome: Season One / Thunder Force
READ - How To Stop Time by Matt Haig / Satin Island by Tom McCarthy / Prince: Purple Reign by Mick Wall
LISTEN - Damien Rice / Glen Hansard / Lifehouse / Zach Williams / Wendy Oldfield / Finding Faith / Anna Wolf / Prince
Bruce sees actual live people perform and lives to tell the story while Stefan admires rolling cheeses and frets about the darkness of Victorian London. Both Saddam Hussein and queer musicians get their moment in the sun (ok, Saddam was kept in a basement, so no sun, but you get the point). America's greatness or lack thereof is filtered through the fascinating filter of Bill Bryson, Bruce Springsteen and Barack (Hussein - another one; double the value) Obama. And Stefan listens to new music from anyone with a Telecaster and old music from performers whose genres are unlikely to ever see their like again.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Ballet & Beyond / Blue Piano Social Club / The Blacklist / We Are The Champions / The Frankenstein Chronicles / Year Of The Rabbit
READ - The Prisoner In His Palace / Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache
LISTEN - Neil Young / Myles Kennedy / Bob Dylan / Buck Owens & His Buckaroos / Billy Gibbons / Renegades: Born In The USA / BB King / Ray Charles / James Brown / The Kentucky Headhunters / Paul Rodgers / Lincoln Brewster / Mercury Rev / Sly & The Family Stone / The Life And Times Of The Thunderbolt Kid
Stefan appears to have forgotten how to read. But he is making up for it by watching and listening to all manner of intriguing material, including a whole musical about and starring guitar pedals and shows that underline the relative values of your spouse and your space and which introduce him to his own country. Bruce investigates the leftovers of sex education and wishes some Americans had stayed on their side of the pond. We also consider the difference Jack Reacher, Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen make by not staying on their side of the pond, whether Marvel moving to the small screen works as well as it does in the cinema and if genuine talent won or not at the Grammy Awards. Oh, and we applaud the greatness of "Toy Matinee" as a band name. This is important stuff.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Coming 2 America / South Africa with Gregg Wallace / Sex Education / Marriage Or Mortgage / The Leftovers / WandaVision / The JHS Shows: Pedals - The Musical
READ - Night School by Lee Childs
LISTEN - Renegades: Born In The USA / Sarah Jarosz / Sadler Vaden / Toy Matinee / Watertown / Silk Sonic
We harp on about music (ooh - art form-specific pun!) at length, glorying in the multifarious skills of a man named after a bird; noting the importance of mystery in the appeal compositions and musicians have; and being glad that enjoying Faraway George does not require a long-distance relationship. Elsewhere, there is much murder - distastefully so in Utah and accompanied by delicious cuisine in Sicily - and we agree that if someone possessed of loose morals and a proclivity for violence must be obliterated for the greater good, we'd like the task to be carried out by an individual with rather more elevated (if complex) ethics and a willingness to maim malefactors should the need arise.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Anna / The Equalizer 2 / Murder Among The Mormons
READ - Auntie Poldie And The Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano
LISTEN - Charlie Peacock / Every One Loves Guitar / Glenn Worf / Deacon Blue / Hothouse Flowers / Faraway George
In which we give a toss what a listener thinks (he's moved by films about necessary violence in ruined ancient cities, for what it's worth), and notice that a television series set in the future has the same name as a band left in the past by the aforementioned listener and that musicians popping up in literature can be as satisfying as movie icons writing books so well that they annoy comedians. We also note that there is as much pleasure in listening to the originators of musical genres as there is to those bands and artists who have learned well and now honour their forebears best. Possibly in Welsh.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Mosul / Pure / Raised By Wolves
READ - Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell / Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks / Rita Hayworth & Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
LISTEN - Gruff Rhys: Pang! / Biffy Clyro: Live At Wembley / Harry Smith's Anthology Of American Folk Music: Vol 4
We consider the merits of being the lesser of two evils, or whether being a good guy makes you invisible or not. We notice, with not a little shame, that changing music models have resulted in us being unaware of the release of new albums by sublime bands like the Hothouse Flowers and Deacon Blue, which is bad. What is good is that those same new models have alerted us to the presence of possible geniuses with odd botanical names (FKA Twigs). And we return to the Seventies and the rise of auteur filmmaking before returning to the present via the cluttered creative spaces of some of the world's top comic artists.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - I Care A Lot / Easy Riders, Raging Bulls / Crimimal UK / The Invisible Man
READ - Masters Of Comics by Joel Meadows
LISTEN - FKA Twigs: Magdalene / Hothouse Flowers: Let's Do This Thing / Deacon Blue: City Of Love / Luka 120 ft Bruce Dennill: Bo Mma
In which we note that Tom Hanks makes delivering news an art form - which we like, as for us, art is the best kind of news. There's also sex and beer and secret histories of different kinds - including that which pertains to The Artist Currently Known As A The Subject Of A Biography. In addition, there is dancing, death, a series of apologies, a singer who names his album after himself and the balancing of cover versions with (live) original music. Did we mention we write and record songs as a duo - The Van Dyke Parks Board - now? Did we? Mention that? And our debut single - "Between The Lines"? Available on all streaming platforms? No? Cool, cool. No matter, then.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - News Of The World / I'm Sorry / Teenage Bounty Hunters
READ - The Secret History by Donna Tartt / The Little Book Of Lager by Melissa Vole / Purple Reign by Mick Wall / Dancing The Death Drill by Fred Khumalo
LISTEN - Pat Barratt by Pat Barratt / Between The Lines by The Van Dyke Parks Board / Spotify cover versions / Phoebe Bridgers / Kacey Musgraves / Hayley Williams
It's probably harsh to refer to our podcast as sub-cultural - like, don't harsh our vibe, man - but we do find ourselves wandering into, and wondering about, the niches (the subcultures) that artists of every stripe and fans of all those artists, and possibly the stripes - hmm, very slimming - find themselves occupying, by choice or otherwise. Along the way, we meander through the Anglo-Saxon epoch; a comedian's living room; Washington DC (perhaps the weirdest of the lot); a guitarist who likes Satan as much as Les Pauls, possibly; and the Appalachian Mountains. It's a wild ride. Join us.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - The Dig / The Deuce / Kevin Hart: Zero F**ks Given
READ - Jimmy Page by Chris Salewicz / Joe Biden: American Dreamer by Evan Osnos / A Brief History Of Everyone Who Ever Lived by Adam Rutherford
LISTEN - Art Of The Song Pocast: Bruce Molsky / George Lynch and Jeff Pilson: Heavy Hitters / The Black Crowes and Jimmy Page: Live At The Greek / Jimmy Page and Robert Plant: Walking Into Clarksdale and No Quarter / Toad The Wet Sprocket
Back in the screen saddle (to maim a metaphor), Bruce hunts a terrorist, explodes songs, discovering what Ailes Rodger and noting that making money as a teacher shouldn't include embezzlement. Meanwhile, Stefan feeds Phil, admires French thieves, fans Fran's fire, spends time in The Office and comments on unfortunate events in Fargo. On the page, we go South in the apocalypse and East on the Silk Road, explore both fragile and wild things and find that we understand the overstory, just like you. And through the speakers, we are assailed by (Charlie) peacocks, Cars and Led Zeppelins, and mystified by Mythos, Lore and Sarah Jarosz.
THE HOOKS:
WATCH - Manhunt: Unabomber / Song Exploder / The Loudest Voice / Bad Education / Somebody Feed Phil / Archer / Pretend It's A City / The Office / A Series Of Unfortunate Events / Lupin / Fargo
READ - Eastern Horizons: Hitchhiking The Silk Road by Levison Wood / South by Frank Owen / The Overstory by Richard Power / Just Like You by Nick Hornby / Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman / Wild Thing by Philip Norman
LISTEN - Mythos by Stephen Fry / Lore Podcast / Sarah Jarosz - World On The Ground / Led Zeppelin / Charlie Peacock - Skin And Wind / Allman Brothers / The Cars / Rick Beato
Joined in studio by our second guest, actual live rock star Andre Kriel, our three-way (ooh!) cornucopia of confabulation includes boiling cats (there is context, fear not); cocaine in Ibiza; Blake being Lively; secret cities; The Crown and being royal pains in the butt; Ridley Scott raising wolves; a singular Lumineer; Sturgill Simpson not giving a toss; Bill Frisell elegantly Telecasting; Colter Wall wearing the devil's fashion and Richard Poplak remembering what was and must not be again.
We delve, literarily, into the complexities of immigration, and just how dark it can get for the displaced. We discover, happily, that everyone does love guitar, and that Richard Bennett, Mike Campbell and Nels Cline give listeners good reason to do so. We join the Indigo Girls in Look(ing) Long, and hitch a ride with mostly white men as they tell jokes and drink coffee. And on TV, we mix up Ray Donovan with elegant chess players and virgins. Which may be a bad idea. Enjoy! Your content ideas to thechoruspodcast@gmail.com or @TheChorus9 upon the Twitter. Please and thank you.
Verily, we spoke of many things this day. Of Billy Gibbons and his fuzzy pedal; of Twin Peaks, 25-year-long cliffhangers and Tubular Bells; and of the Ndlovu Youth Choir and their musical meticulousness. We considered Bill & Ted; the sour taste of cultural appropriation in the kitchen; how guilty pleasures outstrip Hollywood blockbusters; and the passage of a classic tale from book to screen. And we appreciated Bill Bryson's descriptions of bodies (ooh!) and the profundity of a comic strip made into an insight into immigration. Listen, laugh and learn, lovelies.
Whiskies in hand, we go armchair travelling through Paul Theroux's Mexico (and politics), Bill Bryson's England (and humour), and wherever the animals are (and David Attenborough). We consider the combination of social distancing and singing at Joburg Theatre and whether any film has actually ever been scary, or even Sinister. We come out in favour of Favreau (Jon is the money, baby) and his commitment to craft and cooking. And we ask whether The Boss actually needs to be any good to still be admired and try and understand what a direction sounds like. Join us.
We welcome our first in-studio guest in the delightful person of Bronwyn Williams - futurist, trends analyst and catholic reader - who shares her expertise while gamely interrupting as we consider the late Tom Petty's psychological state; senseless brutal acts of kindness; the no-longer-secret lives of peripheral Jane Austen characters; David Lynch peaking viewer interest; the importance of show syndication for actors who've been twiddling their thumbs during lockdown and reminding all in earshot that we still don't have a coffee sponsor. Ahem.
Wide-ranging musings take us from Tiny Desk Concerts, Jason Isbell's concerns about his daughter's fitness for professional yodelling, Dolly Parton being the ideal homework subject and Jeff McErlaine sharing the musical spotlight to strangely coloured literary wildlife, the skankiness of London in Shakespeare's time and Tom Eaton's reasonable and treatises on Things To Be Concerned About Right Now. We also debate just how serious our current social dilemmas are, whether or not Keanu Reeves slapping and slicing people for 130 minutes constitutes art and whether scientists should argue with people who run theme parks. There's also a first play for Bruce's new single "Dreamed You Different", which lyrically considers the trickiness of truly understanding someone you don't see much, and musically leans in the direction of The Jayhawks.
We're back again. Again. We remember how to plug in the talkie-make-louder thing and press the circle button to start the recordering bit. And we can still, it turns out, talk. Quite a lot. And because it's a reunion, we invite friends. Rosie the dog licks things in inappropriate ways throughout, but honestly, she's done that before. Better behaved is shapely newcomer Martin D18 Golden Era, who is discussed in detail by a besotted Stefan. We then work our way through much of our reading and binge-watching completed under lockdown (that's one way to get through the whole of Game Of Thrones...), before welcoming best-selling author David Mitchell - the Cloud Atlas guy, not the English comedian - who proves to be utterly lovely as we chat about his new novel, Utopia Avenue (the epic, rollicking tale of a late Sixties rock band) in an in-depth interview. Enjoy.
It's been a while, and we're sorry for the break in transmission. Global crises and all that. Bit of a palaver, what? Lurking in lockdown, our perspectives turn to the nature of making art, sharing art and selling art in a situation where everyone, their auntie, their dog and the President is doing a version of the same thing online. We consider, too, that intellectuals writing for audiences of people who may not want to sit through a quadruple lecture on something ending in "ology" might do well to pitch their topic in a more friendly manner - before merrily contradicting ourselves and wondering why smart authors state the obvious in a way unworthy of their intelligence. And there is time for a waltz through what is available to watch upon the Interwebs, from live theatre starring Interdict Cabbagepatch to forgettable medieval tosh starring Superman. It's a quietly wild ride.
Substance over supplication. This is a good thing. Give the people what they need, not what they think they want. It isn't a topic we'd written down, but then we talk about Neil Young's guitar sound and remember exactly how much he doesn't care what you think, and we also notice that he is our hero and incredibly successful anyway. Then we talk about theatre that embraces themes and interpretations that aren't mainstream and are, in spite of not hugging cliches tightly, enjoying revival runs - by popular demand. Take that, marketing kids. We also introduce jingly intro and outro bits and contact details: thechoruspodcast@gmail.com and @TheChorus9 on Twitter. Send ideas, feedback and offers of wads of cash. Lovely.
We go to a concert, and we have some A-ha moments. We appreciate the new. We empathise with the old. Stefan coughs, because he is sick. We bring together two of the most talented singer-songwriters currently working, because that's what you can do in your fantasies. We put melted wax on clothes. On purpose. And we talk about a book in which an author kills off a publisher, retrenches an editor and paints a writer as a psycho. What a Christmas party that must have been. And there's music from up-and-comer Lucas J. The end.
In continued informed waffling, Bruce and Stefan delve – dive, even – into books, discussing the fragile genius of Brian Wilson and ploughing (such a fecund word) through all 47 volumes of Game Of Thrones. There’s a touch of terrible Spanish and even an attempt to rhyme “epiphany” with “Epiphone”. Thence – for such is our sophistication – there are ramblings into guitar-based themes; musings on how satisfying it is to be a coffee snob; the deliciousness of Old Fashioned cocktails; and how excellent TV can be when it’s not crap. Plus, the improvised debut of a new song named after an emoji…
Bruce and Stefan made a podcast. The focus is on music, literature and the arts. In this first part of the introduction, we introduce themselves and our hopes for the podcast. There are inevitable digressions into all manner of unrelated but intriguing topics. In the future, look out for guests who attempt to introduce some focus to our magnificent meanderings. Journey with us as we go out of our minds and into your ears!