Words Fail Me Podcast 23 - November 2011

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Another month passes and it's that time again, a new episode of the Words Fail Me podcast! Dave and Neil return to Oxford this month to discuss Novembers page of the dictionary.



This months guest dictionary opener is none other than author and comedian Tony Hawks, the fridgeman himself! Dave chats to Tony about his books being adapted into films, tennis, and the mystery woman...



Neil and Dave then pick up Tony's chosen page and do a few bird impressions, talk about Liverpudlians, and get attacked by Italians on bikes.

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As mentioned in the podcast here is a Little Grebe (with real sound effects!), and thanks to Talk In Colour for the music in this podcast.

Find out more about Round Ireland with a Fridge and Playing the Moldovans at Tennis at www.tony-hawks.com/

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Words Fail Me Podcast 22 - October 2011

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Well that was close, it is just about still October, and the podcast is up just in time!

This month we visited the spiritual home of the Dictionary, Oxford. A coffee shop is our studio, and we discussed hummus, tails, U2 and Tai Chi.

Our guest this month was Richard Adams, author of Watership Down. Dave discusses all things rabbits, and Richard reveals what he thought of the film adaptation of his story.



Download now on itunes or directly at Podbean.

Podcast Episode notes...


Thanks to Adam, at Oxford University Press for letting us know about the Online Oxford English Dictionary, and the range available in the UK.


We can categorically say that Hummus does contain Tahini.


And, as usual, Dave is correct, the DC10 aircraft indeed has an engine on the tail!

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Words Fail Me Podcast 21 - September 2011

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This month our dictionary is opened by Middlesex and West Indies cricketer Corey Collymore (who the podcast is Twenty20 kit sponsor for), in the salubrious surroundings of Lords Cricket Ground!



Dave chats to him about cricket (obviously!), the best grounds, and the creative impulse.

He chooses a page that is mostly about cream and creation, this spins (see I can do cricket references) the conversation into subjects as diverse as when it's ok to eat a cream tea, conspiracy theories, name calling and atheist sandwiches.

We also cross the famous Abbey Road crossing with the Words Fail Me podcast dictionary, and talk a little about the Beatles.



The original Abbey Road photo can be found here. I think we look cooler though. Thanks to the group of tourists that helped take the picture for us, sorry we nearly got you run over!

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Words Fail Me Podcast 20 - August 2011

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We are back with our second podcast of the summer, We spread our recording equipment on a grassy bank of the River Exe and discuss the words on the page of our dictionary chosen by our special guest dictionary opener, Martyn Joseph.

You may know Martyn from his 90's hit Dolphins Make Me Cry, but there is a lot more to him than this, Dave chats to him about being passionate on stage, playing with a band and Tony Blair.

Find out more about Martyn Joseph, and where you can see him on his website - http://www.martynjoseph.net/

In this podcast we also discuss various musical terms, what will become of Coldplay and U2, melodrama and mementos. Biscuits are also eaten.

Download on itunes, or at our podbean feed.

Thanks again to The Shadow Orchestra for the theme music, and don't forget to email your feedback at wordsfailmepodcast@gmail.com

Neil's blog is here.

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Words Fail Me Podcast 19 - July 2011

It's summer, we are in Devon, and we are only slightly late this month!

Recorded in a pub garden by the River Exe in Devon we discuss a page of the Oxford English Dictionary chosen this month by Mike Peters, of The Alarm and Big Country. Dave chats with Mike about the Summer, his battle with cancer, and making the most of life.

Dave and Neil then discuss subjects as diverse as Flying ants, puns, various forms of violence and various summer sporting events. Neil gives Dave a present from the British Grand prix that cost him nothing at all... here is a picture as a clue as to what it may have been...

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Podcast Notes...

You can find out more about Dave Gormans Pun Street at his Absolute Radio page.

The wikipedia page about Punchboards is here!

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Words Fail Me Podcast 18 - June 2011

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Almost up to date again! Our dictionary adventures this month take us into the letter K, with a page chosen by someone who is practically royalty, Lady Elizabeth Anson, a cousin of the queen and party planner extraordinaire. In fact Lady Elizabeth was the very first party planner, long before it was fashionable! She chats to Dave about surprise parties, the most important elements of a gathering and how she got into the business by falling down some stairs.

This particular page of the dictionary sparks discussions about beer, bingo, mango and the Middle East. Dave is convinced that Neil has just lost all the subscribers when he conversationally starts not liking certain things... download here to find out more!

Show Notes...

Pictured above is an example of Kente Cloth from Ghana.

The 4 beloved beers mentioned by Neil were: Otter Ale (Devon), Rebellion Brewery (Marlow), Chiltern Brewery (Near Aylesbury), London Pride (Fullers)
Is a crate on the way?

More about Keno on Wikipedia. Seems like it is bingo with betting.

We sponsor some socks at Wimbledon AFC and a man (Corey Collymore) at Middlesex County Cricket Club.

Michelmores Charity run took place earlier this month, reports can be found here.

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Words Fail Me Podcast 17 - May 2011

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Finally it is here, May's podcast in June! The Words Fail Me team (er, Me and Dave) have a great episode for you this month though, so it is worth waiting for!

(Eliza with the Words Fail Me Dictionary... while doing her hair pre-show!)

Not only do we have one of the best English folk singers around, Eliza Carthy, opening our dictionary this month, but we also have Dave and Neil's attempts at finding the sound effects set in the new year challenge back in January, download to see how they got on!

Also this month we visit a football match, talk about service stations, there is some Barry Manilow love from Dave and we have a 'session' with a cider from Devon.

Download here or at itunes, and don't forget to give your feedback at wordsfailmepodcast@gmail.com

Show Notes...

Words Fail Me are proud Sponsors of Wimbledon AFC, Michelmores Fun Run in Exeter, and now Corey Colleymore of Middlesex County Cricket Club.

Eliza Carthy gave us a few of her favourite choices for singers who deserve more recognition, Rory McLeod and Mary Hampton.

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The darling Pods of May

You may have noticed that May has almost run out and there is still no new Words Fail Me Podcast. Well the good news is that I am off to meet Dave tomorrow to record it in London, the bad news is that it won't be out until the very beginning of June, but technically it will still be Mays podcast... Got that?

So stay tuned to this frequency, don't touch that dial (as local radio DJs used to say before digital radios were invented!)

Showaddywaddy, Lollies and Sweet as a Nut

Everyone loves a fun band, I remember seeing 'Chas and Dave' at a festival in Cheltenham and having a great time, or the Wurzels in Exeter went down a storm. If you like fun in your Rock and Roll then Showaddywaddy may be the band for you!

They are in the middle of a tour of the UK tour at the moment, and Dave has asked me if we can put the remaining dates on the blog, so if you live in Dundee, Wick, Exmouth, Yeovil, St Helens or Blackburn take a look here for more information. If you live elsewhere then still take a look, as there are many more gigs later in the year.

Although Dave is being his usual secretive self I suspect that this is not the last you will hear of Showaddywaddy on Words Fail Me...

As promised on this months Podcast here is the picture of the Lollies that I made, part orange juice, part water, with 2 raspberries in each! Yummy for this beautiful weather we have been having. More recipe ideas in the next podcast (maybe).

If you have not listened to our Royal Wedding special podcast you can download it here, forget the BBC or ITN this is the perfect audio companion to the wedding on Friday!

And finally if you like the music by The Shadow Orchestra that starts each podcast, then watch this nice little video that has been made by EyeSeeSound. As Kat from the band said "Ooh Shiny".

Sweet as a nut from Chris Bangs on Vimeo.

Words Fail Me Podcast 16 - April 2011

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To celebrate the Royal Wedding we decide to visit Westminster Abbey in London to record this months podcast.

Our guest dictionary opener this month is Zandra Rhodes, fashion designer to the famous and all round nice person!

Like two tramps with a microphone we sit steps near the Abbey and talk about ice cream, ice skating and many other cold things! There is some confusion about the version of dictionary we are using, and Dave reveals another bizarre sponsorship deal.

Download the episode now on itunes or at podbean.

Show Links...

Find out more about Zandra Rhodes on her website.

We are official sock sponsors of Wimbledon AFC.

As announced last month we are also sponsors of Michelmores Charity Fun Run in Exeter this June.

Ice lolly pictures and news of a future podcast guests coming in the next week.

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Maybe next year...

As expected the miracle did not materialise and we were not nominated for the Sony Radio Academy Awards.

But all was not lost, as Dave and myself had an excellent time at the nominations ceremony at One Marylebone last night. A fancy venue with fancy high ceilings and fancy small nibbles on trays.

We met some really nice people as well, a guy from Insight Radio who was really interested in our podcast, a big group from BFBS, a FunKids Radio producer, a website designer for the awards itself, and the guys and girls from the Tin Can podcast, who were having as much fun as we were!

Well done to all those who were nominated, the competition was very strong and I think little podcasts like ours were never really going to get a nomination, but it won't stop us trying again next year!

Sony Radio Awards 2011

As you may of heard on the last podcast Words Fail Me has been invited (along with all other entrants) to the Nomination event in London tomorrow night. I am pleased to say that both Dave and myself will be attending the event, and look forward to meeting other podcasters and radio peoples.

The event is coincidently being held in a function suite that used to be the headquarters of the bookshop I worked for, so have been in there maybe a dozen times before - it is certainly a small world!

You can watch the event online, at http://www.radioawards.org/ from 7pm tomorrow night (Wednesday 30th March 2011), keep an eye out for the under dressed out of place looking people, that will be us!

Words Fail Me Podcast 15 - March 2011

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We are back! Dave and Neil are visiting the Victoria & Albert museum in London this month, with special guest dictionary opener Dave Pegg.

The 'Daves' talk about Fairport Convention, making music with computers, needing the toilet at gigs and Bob Dylan.

Neil and Dave then discuss the words on the page of the dictionary that Dave Pegg randomly chose, and what an interesting page it turns out to be! Inappropriate topics for conversation include menstruation, the menopause and other embarrassing topics for two men to talk about in the refined surrounding of a museum courtyard!

Dave also has some news about our application for the Sony Awards, as well as an update on our New Year challenges (which Dave barely remembers setting!)

Download or listen at Podbean, or search for "Words Fail Me Podcast" on itunes.

Show Notes...

The excellent and sadly missed Sandy Denny and the box set discussed bu Dave Pegg.

The Samartians, should you need them...

Words Fail Me Podcast proudly sponsor Michelmores Fun Run in Exeter.

And as promised in the podcast...

Flickering Lantern on... and off!

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Words Fail Me updates & The Sky at Night

Almost a month has passed since our last podcast, and we have had a great response to our last few episodes, especially January's episode featuring Robin Ince, which has had an impressive number of downloads.

You may have seen that the BBC broadcast the 700th edition of Patrick Moore's The Sky at Night recently. A really great show (at time of writing it is available on the iplayer here). The show features various parts of Patrick's house, which is where Dave recorded his interview with him for Words Fail Me last March, you can still download and listen to the episode here. I think I will ask Dave a little more about what it was like being is Sir Patrick's house in the next episode!

Talking about the next episode we will be recording it this weekend at a location in London. Dave has arranged the guest and I get to pick the location! Any ideas email us at wordsfailmepodcast@gmail.com before Sunday!

Words Fail Me Podcast 14 - Feb 2010

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This month Dave and Neil retire to the corner of a Public House to discuss the latest clutch of dictionary words, chosen this episode by our guest dictionary opener, the comedian Stephen K Amos.

Dave chats to Steven about the K in his name, the pleasures of watching Countdown and the importance of words in his chosen career.

Picking a page from the C section of the dictionary we talk about Cornwall, and pasties in particular, Cornflakes and much loved brands, how to view the sun, and what does corny really mean?

Download this episode here at Podbean, or search for Words Fail Me Podcast in itunes.

Thanks again to The Shadow Orchestra for the music, and to Stephen K Amos for being our guest this month, you can find details of his tour dates here.

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Sony Radio Academy Awards 2011

It is official, the Words Fail Me podcast has entered the Sony Radio Academy Awards 2011 in the Best Internet Programme category.

We have entered the July 2010 episode as our sample podcast, as well as having a great high profile guest (Rick Wakeman from Yes) we feel this a very typical of our output. It was certainly a show we enjoyed recording and feel it will give us the best shot at being nominated... not that we need to sell it to you, it's all up to the panel of judges now!

You can help though by spreading the word of the podcast, if you have not listened before then give it a go (the edition we have put forward is a good start, or try our most downloaded episode with film critic Mark Kermode.

Thanks for all your support in the last year, Neil and Dave will be getting together to record February's episode in the next few weeks, and don't forget to give us your feedback at wordsfailmepodcast@gmail.com

Words Fail Me Podcast 13 - Jan 2011

Happy New Year!

To celebrate the new year join Neil and Dave as they crack open the bubbly on New Years Day and discuss another page of the dictionary.

The inaugural podcast of 2011 features special guest dictionary opener Robin Ince. Neil chats to Robin about books, the contents of his bag, science and Razorlight.

An interesting page to start the year prompts conversation about Gaelic football, Gags (of all types), an unusual definition of gangster, going into space, and Dave tries to invent his own theory while we both get a bit tipsy (at 10am in the morning!).

As usual you can find the new podcast here on Podbean, or do a search for Words Fail Me Podcast on itunes.

Thanks to all our listeners in 2010, we had over 1200 downloads, lets double that in 2011!

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Podcast Notes... Link to the life and works of Thomas Gainsborough.