Scots Whay Hae!

The third of our collaborations with the Edinburgh International Book Festival is the Scottish Spoken Word Showcase Podcast - a companion to the live event of the same name. For it we interviewed six spoken word performers who tell us all about who they are, what they do, why they do it, and give us just a taste of their work. As well as those core conversations we also talk to the Director of the...

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is the second of our collaborations with the Edinburgh International Book Festival. It is the Shaping Scotland's Stories: New Voices podcast, a companion to the live event of the same name. There are interviews with eight representatives from a variety of publishers who tell us all about who they are, what they do, the challenges and rewards of working with new l...

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is the first of three collaborations with the Edinburgh International Book Festival for this year's Festival. Ahead of their own event - 'Celebrating Inclusion' (Thu 25 Aug 19:00 - 20:15) - Ali spoke to writers Ever Dundas and Julie Farrell to learn more about the event, and the 'Inklusion Guide', which they have created to help event organisers better understand...

The latest SWH! podcast is all about PITCH - Scotland's Conference of Hip Hop & Underground Culture - and Ali speaks to organisers Richy Muirhead and Alana Hepburn as well as MC Salum who will be performing on the day. Richy and Alana talk about how PITCH came together, who will be appearing, and give details about just what the full programme offers, and Salum looks forward to the day and wha...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to writer D.D. Johnston to talk all about his novel 'Disnaeland', which he describes as "..a really happy story about the end of the world". D.D. talks about the inspirations behind it, how long he's been working on it, the timely nature of its publication, the influences on it, and dystopian fiction more generally. The two also discuss the themes and ideas in...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to musicians Lou Mclean and MIRI about their commissions from, and collaborations with, POWA (Protection Of Women In The Arts) - the singles 'Good Girls' and 'Morality' respectively. The two talk about their lives in music, working with POWA and the support (practical and otherwise) which they offer, the joys of collaboration, the importance of sharing stories...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali headed through to Edinburgh to visit the legendary Pianodrome, and talk to directors Tim Vincent-Smith & Matthew Wright in their new home of the Old Royal High on Calton Hill. It's a stunning venue which is the perfect space and place for Pianodrome, and Tim and Matt tell us of its history and how it works, the practicalities of building it, the ethos behind wha...

For the latest podcast Ali spoke to playwright, fantasy writer, and poet Chris Tait, and playwright, director, and producer Lisa Nicoll, about the audio drama podcast 'A Toon Built Apo Shenanigans', and a whole lot more. The three discuss Chris's life and work as a writer, the central themes of inclusivity and awareness, looking at perceived disability with positivity, the collaborative nature of...

The latest SWH! podcast is all about the forthcoming Village Storytelling Festival (5 – 10 July), with Ali talking to Creative Producer Emma Collins, as well as participants and performers Raymond Wilson, Daiva Ivanuskaite, and Shona Cowie. Returning for the first time since 2017, The Village Storytelling Festival will explore Connection and Transformation – Storytelling in a Precarious World and...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to writer Denzil Meyrick to talk about the publication of 'The Death of Remembrance', the 10th in the DCI Daley series of crime novels, as well as the one-off thriller 'Terms of Restitution', and the very different 'Tales of Kinloch' novellas. Denzil gives us background to DCI Daley and how this series began and has progressed, the importance of the location o...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali caught up with award-winning poet, writer, and singer/songwriter Marcas Mac an Tuairneir to talk about his latest collection of poetry 'Polaris' (Leamington Books). We've been hoping to have Marcas as a guest on the podcast for a long time, so it was great to be able to speak to him about his life and work. Marcas talked not only about the themes and ideas behind 'P...

For the latest SWH! podcast, Ali speaks to writer and journalist Nick Holdstock to talk about his latest novel 'Quarantine' (published by Swift Press), which is set ten years after a deadly pandemic has swept the globe, in a world which is still learning to adapt. The two discuss the style and structure of 'Quarantine', writing distinct narrative voices, the initial response to the novel, the impo...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to writer Angela Jackson about her novel 'The Darlings' (published by Lightning Books). Coming 7 years after Angela's acclaimed debut 'The Emergence of Judy Taylor', 'The Darlings' is a honest and insightful novel about the lasting psychological effects of childhood trauma, and our need for unconditional love. Angela goes into detail about what inspired the bo...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to Scotland's National Chef, and MasterChef: The Professionals winner, Gary Maclean to talk about his fantastic new cookbook 'Scottish Kitchen' (published by Black & White Publishing). The book itself is a hymn to Scottish cookery and produce, and Gary talks about the inspirations behind it, the process involved in writing a cookbook, his determination to...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali was joined by musician and writer Ruarri Joseph to talk about his novel William the Conqueror, as well as his band of the same name. The two talk about the links between the novel and Ruarri's songs, how the band came about after his solo career, how carefully he considers the thoughts of his younger self, the semi-autobiographical nature of the novel, and how it ca...

For the latest SWH! podcast, Ali caught up with writer, academic, and Alasdair Gray biographer (and old pal of Scots Whay Hae!) Rodge Glass to hear all about the 2nd International Alasdair Gray Conference, which will be on 16th – 17th June 2022. Rodge gives details of the conference, including how to register and get involved, and just what will be going on and where. He also talks about the organ...

The latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast is all about Bella Caledonia and the new Anthology of writing from the years 2007 - 2021. To discuss all things Bella, Ali is joined by founder and editor Mike Small as well as contributors, writer Neil Cooper, writer and performer Dougie Strang, and academic Alison Phipps. They talk about the beginnings of Bella Caledonia, the aims and ideas behind it, each pers...

For the latest SWH! Podcast Ali spoke to writer Ryan O'Connor about his debut novel The Voids (out now, published by Scribe Publications). Ryan talks about the autobiographical nature of The Voids, why he set it in Glasgow, but also the reasons it could have been set elsewhere, the influences on his work - both literary and other - the fine judgment required in introducing humour to dark tales, th...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to writer and academic Liam McIlvanney to talk about his latest novel The Heretic, which is a follow up to the award-winning The Quaker. Liam joined us all the way from his home in New Zealand to discuss the challenges in writing a sequel to such a successful book, capturing the attitudes of the mid-seventies and making them relatable to modern readers, the im...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to poet, linguist, translator, and musician Anne Pia to discuss her life and work, and her forthcoming book which she is working on at the moment. The two talk about poetry, memoir, translations, food, music, migration, lockdown, and a whole lot more. They also look at the themes which run through all. her work, which include identity, belonging, family, and l...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to translator, poet, (and, in his own words, "recovering academic") Brian Holton to talk about his latest book, 'Hard Roads an Cauld Hairst Winds: Li Bai an Du Fu in Scots', which is available now with Taproot Press. Brian translates modern and classical Chinese poetry, and fiction, and this collection is his translations of poetry by two of the most renowned...

For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to poet and writer Andrés N. Ordorica about his wonderful debut collection 'At Least This I Know', which is published by 404 Ink. The two discuss the themes the poetry examines - particularly that of belonging - the structure of the book and the story that emerges, the influence of Edwin Morgan, and the importance of colour to Andrés's life and work. Andrés al...

The latest SWH! podcast in collaboration with Scottish Opera is an interview with soprano, and Scottish Opera Emerging Artist, Catriona Hewitson ahead of the latest production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', where she will be Tytania. It opens with three performances at Theatre Royal Glasgow on February 22, before transferring to Festival Theatre Edinburgh for a further three performances, and it...

For the latest podcast Ali spoke to MSP and writer Alasdair Allan about his book 'Tweed Rins Tae the Ocean', which follows Alasdair and friends as they walk along the Scottish Borders from east coast to west. Along the way we not only learn about the places and people they encounter, but also about the rich history, literature, and language of these often debated lands. So much more than just anot...

For the first Scots Whay Hae! podcast of 2022 Ali speaks to journalist, cultural commentator, and music biographer Graeme Thomson to talk all about his latest book, 'Themes For Great Cities: A New History of Simple Minds', which concentrates on the early years and albums of one of Scotland's most successful and lauded bands. The two talk about the unusual working methods of the band, the many chan...