Desert Isolation Discs: Ninja Tune champion James Heather

Another great guest on my podcast Desert Isolation Discs this month in James Heather. 

Whether it's tinkling the ivories or tapping the keyboard, James Heather is a master in his endeavours. By day, he promotes some of Britain's most innovative artists as head of communications at record label Ninja Tune. By night he works on his own fantastic compositions. 

It's a pleasure to turn the spotlight around on the man who has spent the last 14 years bigging up the likes of Bonobo, Cinematic Orchestra, Kate Tempest, Wiley and Young Fathers to talk about his own life. We discuss the secret to promotion, the joys of touring, his football fever, being posted on lookout for the threat of Somali pirates and overcoming a life threatening accident. 

We also pontificate over his own music - originally inspired by listening to Beethoven under the bed covers. It can be found on Soundcloud or Bandcamp. 

Desert Isolation Discs: Radio queen Ruth Barnes

I've been busy over on my other blog, Desert Isolation Discs, in which I quiz my guests on their favourite tunes.

My latest interviewee is broadcaster Ruth Barnes. After a career spent largely in music radio – she knows how to pick a tracklist. With an all-female playlist on her Amazing Radio show The Other Woman and through work with everyone from BBC 6Music to Resonance FM, Ruth has adeptly curated choice cuts for years.

She’s achieved an absolute shedload – working as a continuity announcer for BBC One and Two, voicing long reads for the Guardian and Economist and creating documentaries for Radio 4. She’s also worked hard to further the cause of women in the male-dominated radio industry. The Independent described her as a "pop pioneer who knows what women want".

Over a pint of Guinness, she talks women in radio, her most interesting interviewees and what she wants to do next. And all with a special guest – her daughter Roisin! Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Acast or stream it on Mixcloud.

Desert Isolation Discs: Music critic and musician Everett True

Jerry Thackray, or rather his pen name Everett True, is a name synonymous with quality music journalism and rock'n'roll spirit. The Chelmsford-born music journalist's life is a stream of guitar music's biggest names from performing the first single released by Alan McGee's Creation to pushing Kurt Cobain - whom he is rumoured to have introduced to Courtney Love - on stage in a wheelchair before Nirvana's seminal 1992 Reading Festival performance. 

His ability to put himself at the centre of his interviews or reviews - from writings in his fanzine and the NME to Melody Maker and The Guardian - have given his work a unique and ever-engaging style. He's written books on numerous bands including Nirvana, The White Stripes and the Ramones. With Careless Talk Costs Lives and later Plan B magazines he gave over meaty space to cult bands and emerging heroes. He now lives in Australia with his wife and three children, teaches and writes for his excellent website CollapseBoard.com.


Here, he picks the eight tunes he couldn't live without when thrust into the lonesome desert and talks me through his early years, the changing face of music journalism, why he was sacked from NME, his relationship with Nirvana and which bands he has started fights over. Stream the show below or download is as a podcast here and subscribe to the podcast by typing 'shadowplayboys' into iTunes or equivalent.

Desert Isolation Discs: Music critic and musician Everett True by Alex Lawson on Mixcloud

Podcasting: An intriguing medium

As podcasting marks its tenth anniversary, it's a useful time to reflect on the unique spoken word episodic medium. A self-confessed addict as well as a podcaster myself, I've always enjoyed the freedom they can bring to offer specialist radio shows on niche subjects. 

Podcasts like Answer Me This, The Football Ramble and Richard Herring's various offerings have allowed presenters to carve out a distinct voice for a dedicated audience. They also allows fans to build up an archive of shows to enjoy at their leisure. 

However, their long term future - with streaming speeds stepping up and little momentum behind promoting new 'casts from dominant technology giant Apple - is in doubt. I've written more on the subject for The Independent here.

And speaking of podcasts, it's a pleasure to welcome one of my oldest friends and music obsessive Mr James Lambert to my aural adventure, Desert Isolation Discs. You can hear which eight tunes he picked to take with him to survive in a desert by streaming it here or below or downloading the podcast here. 

Desert Isolation Discs: James Lambert by Alex Lawson on Mixcloud

Desert Isolation Discs: Designer and mother Heather Lawson

Over at our sister sister site Desert Isolation Discs we have a very special guest… my mother! She was part of the reason I set up the blog and our mutual love of hearing everyone's favourite eight tunes meant I couldn't not interview here for it.

Head over the blog for full more detail and full songs or listen to the interview below.

Desert Isolation Discs: Heather Lawson by Alex Lawson on Mixcloud

Desert Isolation Discs: Betty in the Sky

Over at our sister site Desert Isolation Discs I've been lucky enough to host renowned podcaster Betty Thesky as she selects her favourite tunes of all time.

Betty has featured in USA Today, The New Yorker and even hosted her own BBC World Service documentary since hitting the air and the airwaves with her unique podcast. She is a flight attendant for a major US airline and recounts tales of her escapades in her addictive podcast Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase.

Head over to Desert Isolation discs to hear her selections.

Desert Isolation Discs: Alex Lawson

Over at our sister site Desert Isolation Discs I've been indulging in the rather enjoyable vanity project of picking my favourite tunes of all time.

Hope you enjoy and have had a fantastic 2013. I'm very keen to interview people for Desert Isolations so get in touch if you fancy it.

Hear the tracks in full here or listen to the interview with me below.

Desert Isolation Discs: Alex Lawson by Alex Lawson on Mixcloud