Podcast: Mab Jones

On this edition I am joined by Mab Jones who shares some of her poems and talks about her recent visit to Japan to learn the Japanese art of rakugo – story telling. She would also like to hear your poems on the theme of Japan. They could be about anything related to Japan or poems in a Japanese form about anything at all. Haiku are easy to go for or try one of these. You could even write in Japanese.
Post your poems in the comments or email info@patrickwiddess.co.uk.
You can also hear the poem I wrote in response to Will Ford's prompt on the last podcast.

Here's another of Mab's poems you can buy her book Poor Queen here.

Wonderland

“I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” – Lewis Carroll

Let curiosity be your guide.

Let the dark that dwells inside

Dare here. Let go of fear

As babies do their mother’s hand.

And at your feet: a doorway, now.

A smiling mouth. Step in. Slide down. 

Let yourself be swallowed whole.

Inside, all your life, you’ve yearned:

Eat me. Drink me. Let possibility

Open wide, consume the you

You thought you knew. Sink deeper.
Fall. Let go of all and, like that ancient

Apple, land. Rise up, then. Stand.

Your naked flesh on newborn feet -

Tentative. Teetering. Testing

Soft soles on an old world’s teeth.

Your eyes, unpeeled. Your heart, a seed.
Prepared for an adventure, here,

That’s furiouser and furiouser.

Mab Jones by Headstand on Mixcloud

Show: 9.01.08 with Alex Brooke and Patrick Sheil

In this show I was joined by Alex Brooke a musician, podcaster and teacher based in Japan. It also features Patrick Sheil once again performing his own work and collaborating with Alex with great spontaneity. 
No playlist for the show survives but it's a wild unpredictable set as always. Regular favourites include Tom Adams, Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip, Jerry Gordon and Aidan Smith on his own and accompanying one of my poems read by Graeme Cole.

First broadcast on 209radio, Cambridge.

9.01.08 with Alex Brooke and Patrick Sheil by Headstand on Mixcloud

Show: 17.3.14 with Sarah Howe and Fran Lock

This show features poetry recorded for the show by Sarah Howe and Fran Lock. Look out for an interview coming up. There is also music from local favourites Tom Adams, Nick Mulvey and Alicia Catling and not so local Korean Drama from Canada and Tokyo's Melt-Banana.

Next show will be on April 1st when I will be back on Cambridge 105 from 11-midnight.

17.3.14 by Headstand on Mixcloud

Headsound: Melt-Banana - The Hive

 Set this week's Headsound as your wake up call for an adrenaline shot to start the day. Avoid it whilst driving especially on Brighton's 20mph zones.

Tokyo's Melt-Banana emerged from the Japanese noise scene in the early 90s with energy and technical prowess propelling them onto the global circuit. Twenty years on they've lost none of their energy. Their first new album in 6 years is a highly refined version of their trademark sound distilled to the core components of guitarist Agata's multi-FX wizardry and Yako's shrill jackhammer vocals.

The Hive explodes with a squall of lightning speed guitar riffs whilst Yako comes in like a sped up J-pop idol. The duo bamboozle the listener making them want to turn backflips and kick a hole in the wall.

This is not just music. It's an experience, a violent sonic massage. The Hive is a wrecking ball of a track from a bulldozer of an album.

Fetch is out now on A-zap records.