Spinners of Yarns

Russ Forman is a deejay, producer and writer who currently spends his time flitting between Ibiza and London. He's written two books under the alias of DJ Dribbler with 'Harry's Kebabs' and 'The Take Away.'

Two Brown Owls are Jaqi Loye Brown and Diana Brown. Firstly, they’re not related, not that they know of anyway. They simply share the surname Brown, very common in Jamaica. Jaqi’s parents, were both Jamaican, as was Diana’s father...her mother Italian. They found it strange they hadn’t met before, considering their many similarities. Both live in North Kensington, aka Da Grove/Portobello Rd, home to Notting Hill Carnival and are over 55 (that’s as much as they’ll reveal). Significantly, they were both signed music artists during the early 1990s. They’re into crafting and keen hobbyists, from photography to fashion accessories and also happen to be human parents to small dogs. Given these coincidences, the Browns were inspired to work together after meeting at a writing workshop facilitated in their neighbourhood by theatre director, Yasmeen Arden, who provided the foreword for this book. At the intersection of show business and life, these self-proclaimed wise owls are here to reclaim their space, this time as authors. Songwriters in another life, theirs is a passion remained undiminished. They’ve extinguished their imposter syndromes and agreed to put themselves out there once more with intention. They gave themselves permission to extol their vulnerabilities for the greater good and authenticity of this project. Naturally, they’re nervous about it. However, performance poetry and reading are baked in skillsets neither of them will ever lose. They found the whole process an expression of well-being and healing.

We talked with author Colin Burnett regarding his novels 'A Working Class State of Mind' and 'Who's Aldo?' Both novels are set in Edinburgh and are written in local Embra Scottish dialect. Colin has Asperger's Syndrome and is also dyslexic and dyspraxia so these books are major achievement in pursuing your dreams.

Bob Morris joins us to talk about growing up in East London, modernism, fashion of the 70s & 80s, music and football whilst following West Ham. He's often referred to as Bog Bob and if you've met him you'll know why.

We chatted man about town Tim Wells with regards growing up in London with music, fashion and pie & mash shops. Tim is known as a poet who came through during the early 80s with the ranting poets of the time such as Atilla the Stockbroker, Seething Wells and Porky the Poet. the interview also includes questions from political activist Saffiyah Khan.

Monkey from The Riders of the Night talks about his life from an early child through to present day with many escapades centred around his love of music and football. The Riders of the Night are best known as being the Arsenal band for their boys. Monkey also talks about his time playing with Jock McDonald in the Bollock Brothers.

We chatted to Steve Drewett of the Newtown Neurotics on moving to Harlow with his family, living in Harlow, the explosion of punk, the emergence of the band, politics, the bands history, the 'Kick Out' documentary and other things.

'Penknife' is the debut novel by author Jim Westover, which tells the story of rebel with a cause Jarrod Brook returning to his home town of Brightlingsea, Essex after being expelled from boarding school as a young teenager. The novel follows Jim and his escapades with best friend Colin during an eventful summer before being in the wrong place at the wrong time lands him in a Young Offenders Prison. We chat to Jim about growing up during in the late seventies and eighties in an a small Essex coastal town, the music that the book is based around, the local record shops, gigs and what's next on the horizon.

We chatted with Ryan about growing up in Aberdeen, football, fashion, music and moving to Dubai, which is where the inspiration from his debut novel 'Cola Boy' came from. The book has now been scripted for a stage play production, which is running at this years Edinburgh Festival. Ryan currently resides in London and is working on his second novel.

A man with many skills Chris Low talks about his coming through the ranks as a pre teenage punk in Stirling, Scotland during the late 70s through to his time as a drummer with Oi Polloi, The Apostles, The Parkinsons and many more, Chris also talks about his new 'Cease and Resist: Sonic Subversion and Anarcho punk in 1979-1986.