Scots Whay Hae!

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer and musician Colin MacIntyre, better known to most as Mull Historical Society, to talk about his amazing album 'In My Mind There's A Room', which brings together his twin loves of music and literature. Colin describes how this album came together and the processes involved in marrying his music to the words of a number of his f...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Dawn Taylor, the Artistic Director & CEO at MANIPULATE Arts, to learn all about this year's MANIPULATE International Festival of Visual Theatre which runs from 1st - 11th February. Now in its 17th year the festival promises something for everyone, and Dawn gives us an overview of the festival, a bit of the history, the significance in sup...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer and podcaster Tom Brogan to learn all about his book 'Scotland 101: An Introduction to the National Team'. Tom gives an overview of 'Scotland 101', his reasons for writing it, the inspirations, sifting through the research, and the publishing process. Ali then picks a dozen chapters to look at in more detail to give a more...

For the first Scots Whay Hae! podcast of 2024 Ali spoke to actor and writer Forbes Masson to talk about his starring role in a new one-person adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Jekyll and Hyde', which is at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh from 13-27th January before going on tour. Forbes talks about the production itself, collaborating with writer Gary McNair and director Mi...

For the latest SWH! podcast, and the last of our Best of 2023 pods, Ali is joined once more by regulars Chris Ward and Wesley Shearer to talk all things film, or at least to talk about their films of the year. Once again picking five each, they share their enthusiasm for the movies you may have missed first time around, and we’re sure you’ll find something to tickle your fancy. Chris and Wes share...

For our latest roundup of 2023 we look at the year in music, with Ali joined once again by musician and righteous supporter of Scottish music, Gefahrgeist's Fiona Liddell. They each pick 10 tracks to discuss which have left their mark in the last 12 months. Both admit they could easily have picked many, many, more examples from what was another incredible year for Scottish music, and on anothe...

For the last in our Best Books of 2023 podcasts for this year, Ali caught up with poet, writer, singer/songwriter, and previous podcast guest, Marcas Mac an Tuairneir, to learn about his Gaelic books of the year and other aspects of Gaelic writing over the last 12 months. It's a fascinating conversation not only about what the year was like in Gaelic literature, but also further aspects of the...

For the second of our Best Books of 2023 podcasts, Ali was once again joined by Publishing Scotland's Vikki Reilly, and in this podcast the two talk crime fiction, poetry, memoirs and other non-fiction, what we can look forward to in 2024, and more. Always a SWH! highlight of the year, when taken together these podcasts reflect, and celebrate, another exceptional 12 months in Scottish writing....

As is traditional, the first of our Best of 2023 podcasts are all about books, and there were so many books and book-related things to talk about that once again we have split the podcast into two parts. For both parts, Ali is once again joined by Publishing Scotland's Vikki Reilly, and in this podcast the two talk fiction, themes and trends of the year, notable debuts, and a whole lot more, a...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to musician and composer Martin Green about all things brass banding including the audio drama 'Keli', the album 'Split the Air', the Radio 4 documentary 'Banding: Love, Spit and Valve Oil', the forthcoming Celtic Connections gig, and so much more. Martin also explains how his love for brass band music came about and grew, wh...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Kevin Mclean, the creative director of I AM LOUD Productions (previously LOUD POETS) which, as well as continuing to host their legendary poetry nights, is now also a multi-disciplinary production and entertainment company. Kevin talks about the evolvement of I AM LOUD as it approaches the tenth anniversary, the challenges faced and overcome, fin...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to returning guest, the writer Denzil Meyrick. Denzil has a new novel 'Murder at Holly House' out, published on the Bantam Press imprint of Transworld Publishers. It's been described by some as 'cosy crime' (although, as the two discuss, that term is an inadequate description) and is a departure from Denzil's more hard-nosed...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writers David Manderson and Ricky Monahan Brown to talk about the late, great, Carl MacDougall and his wonderful memoir Already, Too Late: A Boyhood Memoir. Both men talk about their relationship, and friendship, with Carl, and how he inspired, supported, and encouraged not just them but many other writers, and many others, before setting out jus...

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is an interview with two choreographers and theatre makers, Elisabeth Schilling & Louise Ahl, about their respective new shows 'Hear Eyes Move: Dances with Ligeti' and 'Skunk without k is Sun'. First of all Elisabeth talks about why she chose to celebrate the music of György Ligeti in 'Hear Eyes Move', what she sees as his legacy, perf...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up with previous guest, novelist and poet Ron Butlin, to talk about his latest book 'So Many Lives and All of Them Are Yours' the surprise sequel (& prequel) to 1987's 'The Sound of My Voice' - a surprise not least to Ron himself. The latter is one of Ali's favourite novels so it was genuinely exciting to be able to disc...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Paul Dalgarno - live from his home in Melbourne - to hear all about his novel 'A Country of Eternal Light' (published with Polygon Books). Paul sets out how he describes the book to others, the unusual nature of the storytelling, the importance of place and the way distance can lend perspective on home, how his journalism feeds int...

For the latest podcast Ali spoke to Nancy Baughen about this year's CrimeCon UK which is on Saturday 16th in Glasgow. Nancy talks about the beginnings of this international true crime event, what people can expect - and what it definitely isn't. She also tells us about the wide variety of speakers, her initial involvement, and her experiences of CrimeCons past. The two also discuss the inc...

For our third and final Bloody Scotland podcast Ali spoke to the shorlisted writers for this year's McIlvanney Prize which is for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year. First of all he caught up with Calum McSorley (Squeaky Clean), Craig Russell (The Devil's Playground), and Robbie Morrison (Cast A Cold Eye) to hear about their nominated novels and what it means to be on the shortlist. They...

For the second of our Bloody Scotland podcasts Ali spoke to writer Alison Belsham to learn about the Pitch Perfect strand of the festival. A previous winner herself who is now involved in the selection process, Alison is perfectly placed to talk about the importance of pitching a novel or idea and just what it can offer, her experience of being a writer, and offers up plenty of practical advice to...

For the first of our Bloody Scotland podcasts - Scotland's International Crime Writing Festival - Ali spoke to four of the five shortlisted authors for this year's Scottish Crime Debut of the Year. They include Heather Critchlow (Unsolved), Kate Foster (The Maiden), Callum McSorley (Squeaky Clean) and Fulton Ross (The Unforgiven Dead) with the fifth, Heather Darwent (The Things We Do To Ou...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to previous guest Anne Pia, this time to talk about her new book 'Magnaccioni: My Food... My Italy' which is part cookbook, part memoir. Anne talks about the reasons for writing it, the importance of food and family throughout her life, embracing her Italian heritage, the importance of pasta, marrying food with wine and music, and a lot more...

For the second of our two Edinburgh Fringe Festival Specials, Ali spoke to another selection of artists who will be performing this year. They include actor / comedian Charlie Vero Martin, performer / devisers David Banks & Sadiq Ali, Fringe legend Mervyn Stutter, & members of the Voloz Collective Sam Rayner & Olivia Zerphy, each of whom tell us about their Edinburgh shows for 2023. Th...

For the first of two Edinburgh Fringe Festival Specials, Ali spoke to a variety of artists who will be performing this year. They include actor and playwright Raymond Wilson, dance artist & choreographer Katie Armstrong, musicians Andrea Baker & Howard Moody, & contemporary dance performer & choreographer Solène Weinachter, each of whom tell us about their Edinburgh shows. They ar...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali catches up with writer Denise Mina to talk about her new historical novel 'Three Fires', which is published by Polygon Books. Following on from the equally compelling 'Rizzio', 'Three Fires' takes a historical figure and uses significant events from the past to comment and question the present day. Denise talks about the central, c...

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Ali talks to director Pauline Lynch and actor Fletcher Mathers about the new Scots language theatre company Braw Clan, and the forthcoming production 'Secret Wrapped In Lead' which will be touring throughout the Clydesdale district in July. The play, which is written by Martin Travers, is based on the true story of Dorothy and William Wordsworth's...