VISION ON SOUND: November 2020

Sunday, November 29, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 8

VISION ON SOUND - ADVENTURES IN TWENTIETH CENTURY TELEVISION... AND BEYOND...!

Where the television of the past… …becomes the conversation of the present.

Join us as we take a nostalgic journey through the television vaults, and my guests and I investigate, discover, enjoy, and chat about a whole world of televisual delights, with some occasional nonsense thrown in from time-to-time.

First broadcast on FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL at 19:00 on November 29 2020

In the eighth edition of VISION ON SOUND, because I'd been away on a mini-break, SANDY and I headed into the studio with little prepared and without much clue as to what we were going to talk about.

No change there then.

And yet... Despite this unpromising start, we managed to chat for the entire hour about some of SANDY'S "Desert Island TV" in a conversation that covered THE BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF, PLAY FOR TODAY, THE WORLD AT WAR, DAD'S ARMY, FATHER TED, STOCKPORT COUNTY, and, erm, VACUUMING COMPLETELY NUDE IN PARADISE (!!!)

PLEASE NOTE - For Copyright reasons, musical content has to be removed for the podcast edition. All the spoken word content remains (mostly) as it was in the broadcast version. Hopefully this won't spoil your enjoyment of the show

You can catch up with this edition via:

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound/episodes/VISION-ON-SOUND-EPISODE-EIGHT---TX-NOVEMBER-29-2020-eldpne

"It's mostly the same as the broadcast edition. Mostly..."

As ever, we would recommend that (if you can – I know that you’re all terribly distracted with real-world stuff at that time on a Sunday evening), you listen to the programmes on first transmission (currently SUNDAY EVENING AT 7:00PM in the UK on FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL Channel 1) to get the show as nature intended.

New suggestions for the show (and contact details for possible guests to interview if you know any) are always welcome. You can email the show at vos@fabradiointernational.com or contact me via the Twitter feed @VisionOnSound1 and, hopefully, we can all keep the conversation going.

As ever, thanks to PAUL RIPLEY and everyone at FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL for what they do, and thanks to you all for taking an interest.

"I know that free movement in the fourth dimension of space and time is a scientific dream I don't expect to find solved in a junkyard!"

Take care.

Martin A W Holmes (291120)

Sunday, November 22, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 7

VISION ON SOUND - ADVENTURES IN TWENTIETH CENTURY TELEVISION... AND BEYOND...!

Where the television of the past… …becomes the conversation of the present.

Episode seven crosses a rubicon, in that I actually ended up having a long conversation with somebody who people have actually heard of, and who I didn't know socially, and, instead of running away and generally hiding under a rock hewn out of my own sense of inadequacy, it all turned out to be a rather lovely experience, even if it did lead to a few days of frantic editing.

Once I got over my own fears, episode seven ended up having a plethora of riches as, having decided that it might be appropriate to try creating a DOCTOR WHO themed edition to coincide with the latest anniversary of the show, I chased up a few people who seemed rather eager to allow me to have a natter with them for VISION ON SOUND, and ended up with far more material than our hour-long format required.

So, I ended up with a couple of hours of extra material which - you'll hopefully be happy to hear - is destined to end up on more than one of our future editions.

In the course of this episode, I have a nice chat with our old friend ANDY PRIESTNER (the northern hemisphere half of THE WORLD ENOUGH AND TIME podcast), an extract from a much longer friendly chat with HAYDEN GRIBBLE who is one third of the current team presenting the DIDDLY DUM podcast, and the first part of a very long chat with actor, comedian, and all round DOCTOR WHO polymath TOBY HADOKE (who was rather lovely to give this budding broadcaster so much of his time on one Tuesday morning in October).

And, because I am me, it was a genuine thrill to talk with someone about QUATERMASS at some enthusiastic length - and that will turn up in a future episode you can be sure of that.

All-in-all, I think it's a pretty good episode, and I hope you'll agree.

First broadcast on FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL at 19:00 on November 22 2020

In the seventh edition of VISION ON SOUND, we present the perhaps inevitable DOCTOR WHO "special" because, as soon as I became aware that we would be broadcasting on the evening before the 57th anniversary of the show first being broadcast, it seemed a rather reasonable peg to hang a themed programme on.

And so, having tried to suppress my usual fears, I managed to corral three reasonably high-profile fans of the programme to talk about their experiences as three of the more public faces of DOCTOR WHO enthusiasm.

ANDY PRIESTNER returns to tell us a little about WORLD ENOUGH AND TIME, a podcast he co-hosts with his New Zealand-based sister. HAYDEN GRIBBLE from the DIDDLY DUM podcast features in the first part of a lengthy interview that we will be returning to in future editions. Finally, the actor and comedian TOBY HADOKE features in the first segment of a long conversation that we had remotely in October.

You can catch up with this edition via:

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound/episodes/VISION-ON-SOUND-EPISODE-SEVEN---TX-NOVEMBER-22-2020-elthcd

"It's mostly the same as the broadcast edition. Mostly..."

Meanwhile, back at VoS HQ, in the week leading up to the transmission of VoS07, the productive half of the household was on holiday, which meant that I too was on a kind of holiday and (sort of) took a break from the busy world of podcasting in order to keep her company rather than keeping out of the way like I tend to have to do in the daytime when she is working.

I say "sort of" because Monday morning involved a remote conversation with Sandy for a future edition of VISION ON SOUND that we'd had to postpone for technical reasons from the week before.

Then on Tuesday, I fulfilled a long-standing promise to make guest appearance on A. N. Other podcast which was kind of fun despite a little confusion right at the start, so that filled up another morning, although, as usual, one small facet of the aftermath involved the voices inside my head screaming "Why did you say that? You've made such a fool of yourself again!" for the rest of the day.

Also, a couple of nights of horrific insomnia found me up at the crack of wotsit and so I was, at least, able to edit the conversation from Monday into a big enough bite size chunk to fill that 45-minute gap in Episode 11 that it was intended for.

And with that done, I was able to lock the transmission edit for that edition before taking the radical decision to drop the unedited chat into the podcast version for once and give the listener some "bonus content" for once.

Then I took a couple of days away from the computer in order to get my head together (or, more honestly, sit and ponder darkly upon quite why we're not finding our audience and whether it's all really worth the effort...) before remembering that I hadn't actually written this blog yet, and that brings us all pretty much up to date.

As ever, thanks to PAUL RIPLEY and everyone at FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL for what they do, and thanks to you all for taking an interest.

"I know that free movement in the fourth dimension of space and time is a scientific dream I don't expect to find solved in a junkyard!"

Take care.

Martin A W Holmes (211120)

Sunday, November 15, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 6

VISION ON SOUND - ADVENTURES IN TWENTIETH CENTURY TELEVISION... AND BEYOND...!

Where the television of the past… …becomes the conversation of the present.

Episode six is, of course, something of a smorgasbord, in the sense that alongside a long chat with STEVE HATCHER of the Derbyshire WHOOVERS which includes his part in organising the annual (when possible) BIG FINISH DAY, I also put in a couple of articles that had been hanging around waiting for their moment for a few weeks.

This included my podcasting mentors (and joint Professors of Kid's-TV-ology) LISA and ANDREW from the ROUND THE ARCHIVES podcast offering up a few thoughts on the TV series RAINBOW, in what might become a semi-regular spot we may yet come to know as KID'S KORNER (or not, obviously), and the second half of the interview with MARTIN UNSWORTH that featured in EPISODE TWO in which he talks about his life at STARBURST MAGAZINE.

First broadcast on FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL at 19:00 on November 15 2020

In the sixth edition of VISION ON SOUND, I have a long ZOOM chat with STEVE HATCHER of the Derbyshire WHOOVERS about running a fan group, working with BIG FINISH to produce the annual BIG FINISH DAY, and his several television-related writing projects..

In something of a smorgasbord of an episode, LISA and ANDREW from the ROUND THE ARCHIVES PODCAST share some thoughts on RAINBOW, and listeners will finally, FINALLY, get to hear that long-promised other half of the interview with MARTIN UNSWORTH from STARBURST MAGAZINE, the first part of which featured in EPISODE TWO of VISION ON SOUND.

You can catch up with this edition via:

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound/episodes/VISION-ON-SOUND-EPISODE-SIX---TX-NOVEMBER-15-2020-elas8o

"It's mostly the same as the broadcast edition. Mostly..."

Apologies to all of you who tuned in to listen to show five at 7:00 last Sunday. Urgent enquiries revealed that the New Broadcaster-hating Gremlins at FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL TOWERS had got into the wainscoting again, and ****ed up the playout computer with an update.

It was quite the week for computer glitches, as you'll be aware from my last posting.

I do sometimes wonder if the Broadcasting Gods have really taken offence at our humble efforts, but I suspect they've yet to notice we're even here.

The more persistent of you will have heard the show at 8:00pm as will anybody who tuned in at 8:00 for whatever they hoped to hear.

Anyway, if that did happen to you and you liked what you heard enough to stick around, welcome aboard the good ship VISION ON SOUND.

Setting my petty problems aside, if you have just discovered us, here’s a gentle reminder that previous editions remain available by tapping VISION ON SOUND into many of your podcast providers of choice.

There's lots to do this week, DIY efforts next door permitting, but I can confidently tell you that despite everything, episode ten did get edited last week, and I'm busily working on editing episode nine (yes, I know...), and episodes 11 & 12 are well in hand to see us all through to the end of the tear when we will stand on the brink of 2021 and wonder "What next?"

As ever, thanks to PAUL RIPLEY and everyone at FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL for what they do, and thanks to you all for taking an interest.

“Days like these, I feel like falling to my knees..."

Take care.

Martin A W Holmes (091120)

Sunday, November 8, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 5

VISION ON SOUND - ADVENTURES IN TWENTIETH CENTURY TELEVISION... AND BEYOND...!

Where the television of the past… …becomes the conversation of the present.

Episode five is, of course, just a little bit political, because, well, with the times we are living in, it seemed kind of appropriate, even if, of course, you should NEVER TALK POLITICS in polite company like yourself, dear listener.

It’s just Sandy and me, in the studio, talking about political TV programmes we’ve enjoyed. But, as we are a conversational show, this week we give you nothing more than a simple hour of chat, more or less – actually less, given our timeslot – about THE WEST WING, YES, MINISTER and its follow up YES, PRIME MINISTER, THE THICK OF IT (which we manage to do, I was mortified to realize later, without mentioning the lovely Peter Capaldi by name at all), and VEEP, amongst other things, but I hope you’ll enjoy it.

First broadcast on FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL at 19:00* on November 8 2020

In the fifth edition of VISION ON SOUND, SANDY McGREGOR returns to the studio to talk with me about politics, which, as we all know, is never discussed in polite society, so instead we talk about politically themed television programmes.

It's a long, wide-ranging chat covering programmes such as THE WEST WING, HOUSE OF CARDS, YES, MINISTER, THE THICK OF IT (about which I have to apologise on air for several startling errors which seems highly appropriate given the topic), and VEEP, amongst others, and, as ever, we run out of time to delve into any of them as deeply as we'd like to, but we hope it gives you an enjoyable hour of listening.

*For technical reasons it ended up being 8:00pm

You can catch up with this edition via:

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound/episodes/VISION-ON-SOUND-EPISODE-FIVE---TX-NOVEMBER-8-2020-el3jkr

"It's mostly the same as the broadcast edition. Mostly..."

It’s been a difficult for me on the VISION ON SOUND runaway train, as, after spending days and days editing interviews with my guest stars, my phone decided that it would like an upgrade please, and, because it decided that it also wanted to continue talking to the computer I do all the editing of VISION ON SOUND on, it forced an upgrade to that which promptly KILLED ALL OF MY EDITING SOFTWARE!!!

Not happy, Apple… Really not happy at all.

All that and the fact that I’ve had several other problems technically this week, has made me realize that whatever gods you might have here on earth, few of them like podcasters.

I swear to Whichever, I was THIS CLOSE to giving up entirely.

But nevertheless, we plod on, planning future episodes, and all sorts of other nonsense as we hurl headlong and isolated towards the festive season.

If, of course, I ever get to open those festive files I was building.

Anyway, my problems aside, if you have just discovered us, here’s a gentle reminder that previous editions remain available by tapping VISION ON SOUND into many of your podcast providers of choice.

As ever, thanks to PAUL RIPLEY and everyone at FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL for what they do, and thanks to you all for taking an interest.

“Well, "under consideration" means "we've lost the file"; "under active consideration" means "we're trying to find it".

Take care.

Martin A W Holmes (051120)

Sunday, November 1, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 4

VISION ON SOUND - ADVENTURES IN TWENTIETH CENTURY TELEVISION... AND BEYOND...!

Where the television of the past… …becomes the conversation of the present.

Episode four is, of course, the show I first intended episode three to be, but, in a very non-dystopian way, Sandy and I found we had far too much to say about remakes and reimaginings, and I took an executive decision to put off dystopian living at least for another week.

I really can’t imagine why (ahem!) I was quite so determined from the outset to do an episode with DYSTOPIAN TELEVISION as its theme. Maybe this tells you more about me than I’d like it to, or maybe it’s just how I’m relating to the real world at the moment.

Anyway, as things turn out, I burble on vaguely about QUATERMASS for a little while in a link that would have been far more coherent and informative if the world wasn’t ending.

Afterwards, and quite luckily really, the radio receiver that we have desperately seeking other outposts in this dystopian wilderness we find ourselves occupying picked up a signal from an old friend and benefactor of the show (if something that’s quite so new can be considered to have “old friends” of course), ANDY PRIESTNER for a chat about, well, SURVIVORS.

SURVIVORS also features quite heavily in a conversation I had in the studio with SANDY McGREGOR, which I blatantly snipped out of our chat last week because I thought it fitted in so much better here.

I can do these things you see, as I’m absolute ruler of this strange little world I have – against all the odds – become master of here at VISION ON SOUND.

Mwah-ha-ha-ha-hah!

There’s also the second half of an interview with WARREN CUMMINGS who natters with me via those still less than great – but hardly post-apocalyptic - telephone connections, and he definitely has a unique view of what the elements making up a dystopian society actually are.

Still, I hope that the interview makes some kind of sense – in as much as any of the ones I’m involved with ever do.

First broadcast on FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL at 19:00 on November 1 2020

In the fourth edition of VISION ON SOUND, the topic we are discussing is DYSTOPIAN TV and one or two dark visions of the future.

We briefly revisit the 1979 QUATERMASS serial, before spending some time In conversation with ANDY PRIESTNER, who literally co-wrote the book on SURVIVORS, and there's a previously unheard extract from my remakes and reimaginings chat with SANDY McGREGOR which seemed more appropriate to use in this edition as we discussed the remake of SURVIVORS.

WARREN CUMMINGS also returns to talk about his unique take on what might be considered to be dystopian vision.

You can catch up with this edition via:

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound

https://anchor.fm/visiononsound/episodes/VISION-ON-SOUND-EPISODE-FOUR---TX-NOVEMBER-1-2020-ekvocj

"It's mostly the same as the broadcast edition. Mostly..."

It’s been another peculiar week (aren’t they all?) for me on the VISION ON SOUND runaway train, what with lockdowns and tiers before bedtime, and half-termery, it was decided that we would not venture into the big city for a recording session this week.

Instead I decided try and schedule a whole load of guests to interview for future shows and was both surprised and delighted (and slightly terrified because I’m still a very nervous interviewer) at just how many of them agreed to have a natter with little old me.

So now I’m in a phase of furious edits, in order to ensure that, hopefully there’ll be lots of interesting things to entertain you, dear listener, over the next few weeks, and I’m still hoping to get more guests lined up for our cosy little chats – albeit remotely – so I hope that keeps everybody full of some sort of vague sense of eager anticipation, and brings a little light into our collective darkness.

We’re still not exactly attracting the hugest of audiences of course – it’s VERY early days – but those of you that have joined us do seem to be enjoying what you hear, and that’s always encouraging on those long, dark, dystopian nights we find ourselves in at this time of the year.

Nevertheless, if you have just discovered us, here’s a gentle reminder that previous editions remain available by tapping VISION ON SOUND into many of your podcast providers of choice.

As ever, thanks to PAUL RIPLEY and everyone at FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL for what they do, and thanks to you all for taking an interest.

“I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” (Michael Jordan)

Take care.

Martin A W Holmes (291020)

VISION ON SOUND

Sunday, November 29, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 8

Sunday, November 22, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 7

Sunday, November 15, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 6

Sunday, November 8, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 5

Sunday, November 1, 2020

VISION ON SOUND - EPISODE 4

VISION ON SOUND EPISODE GUIDE 21-40

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