Podwireless - Local Music From Out There

28/07/2025

Ear alert! The August Podwireless, No. 276, will hit the e-waves on Thursday, 31st July, including some rather wonderful tracks from Maria Muldaur, François & The Atlas Mountains feat. Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp, Jason Steel, Jez Lowe, Värttinä, Anne-Mari Kivimäki feat. DagaDana, The Rolling Stones & Steve Riley, Taj Mahal & Keith Frank, Ruth Hazleton, Chloe Matharu, Youssou Ndour, Helsinki-Cotonou Ensemble, Mhairi Hall & David De La Haye, Hartwin, Naragonia Quartet, Sirom, Cerys Hafana, Marianne Faithfull, Shane Parish, Gwenifer Raymond, Poor Creature, Senduki, Betsy Renals, Shirley Collins, Orchestre De La Paillote, Cheikh Ibra Fam, Sekvoya, Groove Factory, The Rowan Amber Mill, Tucker Zimmerman and Sheelanagig.

16/07/2025

Well now, what a lot of good review quotes - and 100% favourable so far. Go on, you know you want one! But please buy direct, not from Am*z*n…

https://ghostsfromthebasement.bandcamp.com/merch/alien-water-by-ian-a-anderson-paperback

16/07/2025

Ah, it looks like I can post again! De-glitched.
Here's what should have gone up at the beginning of the month…
Phew-what-a-scorcher. And the weather's been hot too! The new July 2025 Podwireless is an international two-hour feast of the kind of exhilarating stuff from the world of folk, roots music and associated weirdos that you won't see on the telly from a dusty Somerset field. The best in unpopular music since 2002! Find the Playlink and Playlist at https://www.podwirelesswords.com/2025/06/podwireless-275-july-2025.html

26/06/2025

This is a test post from one of the admins - Ian normally does the admin, but some FB strangeness means that it won’t let him post here, and he’s having no luck getting them to fix the fault. He says “I’ve lost access to posting and in the meantime keep an eye on the old fRoots Magazine page for programme updates”.

31/05/2025

Sometimes the first mix is spot on. The June 2025 Podwireless, turned out to be one of those. Another two-hour feast of good stuff from the world of folk, roots music and associated weirdos. The best in unpopular music since 2002! Find the Playlink and Playlist at https://www.podwirelesswords.com/2025/05/podwireless-274-june-2025.html

25/05/2025

The June Podwireless, 274, going live next Saturday, 31st May will excite your little lugholes with tracks by Suzanne Vega : Wakefire : Martin Carthy : Alfie Jones : Bity Booker : Votia : Louis Michot & Leyla McCalla : Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson : Matthew Young : Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira : Barbora Xu : Päivi Hirvonen : Jason Steel : Milkweed : Ori Shalva : iyatra Quartet : Freya Rae : Eilidh Shaw & Ross Martin : Schmaltz & Pepper : Sarah McQuaid : Josienne Clarke : Christina Alden & Alex Patterson : The Malombo Jazz Makers : BEATrio : Fabrizio Piepoli : Mauro Palmas & Giacomo Vardeu : Julian Gaskell & his Ragged Trousered Philanthropists : Granny's Attic : Siraba : Nubiyan Twist ft. SkillFul Kxng : Spafford Campbell.

04/05/2025

When I'm not doing Podwireless… nnce more into the reminders, dear friends! This year, six decades since my first paid gig, I'm slowly winding things down, and the wonderful Green Note in Camden this Wednesday, 7th May, will be the last one I do in London. Hope you can make it. There'll be books available too at a special price. Go on, there's nothing on the telly…
Details & tickets at https://www.greennote.co.uk/production/ian-a-anderson/

30/04/2025

There are lots of new releases by artists and bands who could be classed as "veterans" in the May Podwireless, just out – alongside brilliant new music by people you may not have heard of as well! Another feast of good stuff from the world of folk, roots music and associated weirdos. Playlink and Playlist at https://www.podwirelesswords.com/2025/04/podwireless-273-may-2025.html

25/04/2025

The May Podwireless should please thems that complain there are never enough people they've heard of, containing a good smattering of new stuff from veterans. Up next Wednesday, 30th April, Podwireless 273 will include Martin Carthy : Dick Gaughan : Youssou NDour : Salif Keita : Dr. Strangely Strange : The Mekons : Granny's Attic : Frankie Archer : Savina Yannatou w. Primavera En Salonico & Lamia Bedioui : Trio Da Kali : The Rowan Amber Mill : Poor Creature : Barbora Xu : Hekate : René Lacaille : Adrian Raso & Fanfare Ciocarlia : Maggie Holland : Keith Christmas : Duck Baker & Bert Jansch : Magnus Wiik : Renitsa : Madalitso Band : Doug Veitch : Paul Armfield : Stemmer i Voks : Päivi Hirvonen : Catriona Price feat. Coyo Licatzin : Martin Green feat. Louis Abbott : Hartwin Dhoore & Ross Grant.

31/03/2025

From English folk to hardanger fiddles, Canada to vintage Zimbabwe, and even a bonus bouquet of that now less-common species, folkblokes-with-guitars. Spring forward with the April 2025 Podwireless now out. Another feast of good stuff from the world of folk, roots music and associated weirdos. Playlink and Playlist at https://www.podwirelesswords.com/2025/03/podwireless-272-april-2025.html

25/03/2025

Fresh earfood to expect in the April 2025 Podwireless, beaming at you from next Monday, 31st March. Listen out for The Burning Hell : Jon Wilks : Zoe Basha : Christina Alden & Alex Patterson : Thomas Mapfumo & The Acid Band : Mawonera Superstars : Rachael McShane & The Cartographers : Gigspanner Big Band : Xanthoula Dakovanou : Kazdoura : Paul Armfield : Odette Michell feat. Callum Gilligan : Nesrine : Simin Tander : OWLS : Trip : Steve Knightley : Sam Carter : Steve Tilston : Ensemble Marani : Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto : Kuunatic : Magnus Wiik : Malmin : Re:vulva : Brìghde Chaimbeul : Brigan : Tuerci-Core : Jack Elliott & Derroll Adams : John Lee Ho**er : Filkin's Drift.

21/03/2025

As if you needed reminding! ALIEN WATER: A treat for your reading chair. Out now…

Ian A Anderson has always been lurking in plain sight at the vanguard of musical change, from folk blues, to British trad, to world music. As musician, producer, editor and now memorist he was there and has a unique insight to share with us. Joe Boyd (noted producer, author, self-made eminence gris)

It’s hard to think of anyone who has done more for English folk music, and other great musical styles from around the planet, than Ian A Anderson. He is probably best-known as the creator of the much-missed fRoots magazine, but also a musician who has played in a batch of great bands, a record company boss, a concert and festival promoter, and broadcaster. Above all, he’s a workaholic music enthusiast with remarkably fine eclectic taste and a generous spirit all too rare in the industry. All of which is reflected in his bravely honest, sometimes pained, entertaining account of a unique career, the story of a fascinating life. Robin Denselow (veteran journalist – the Guardian/ BBC TV Newsnight – and author)

Ian A Anderson was both promotor and protagonist as folk music renewed itself and world music rose to prominence. This is a tale of traditionalists, folk-punks and griots, of the clash between authenticity and commerciality, and one man's crusade to bring great music to a new audience. Billy Bragg (bard, author, punk rocker turned born-again folknik)

ALIEN WATER by Ian A Anderson (paperback) from Ghosts From The Basement