Breakfast in the Ruins
Friends old and new join me in Derry and Toms roof gardens to discuss the work and influence of prolific British fantasist Michael Moorcock, as well as other bits of 60s and 70s genre fiction that came to me via my Grandad in the 80s and informed my world view. Books, music, role-playing games, wrestling in Featherstone Library and many other digressions await.
Listen on:
Episodes
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Tash is back in Derry & Toms as we embark upon an epic quest to the Jennithusian Continent to search for the perfect one-shit book!
Is it Mike Sirota's fourth Dannus opus, The Dark Straits of Reglathium?
TUNE IN AND FIND OUT.
We talk Sword & Planet fiction, how to ruin expensive spirits and reminisce about No Frills Value Cola Flavour Drink.
Rum features.
Saturday Mar 27, 2021
Saturday Mar 27, 2021
We're back in Derry and Toms and returning to Moorcock's influence and presence in RPGs in the company of Ralph Lovegrove, host of the Fictoplasm Podcast and designer of STORMHACK!
We talk Moorcock (obviously), gaming, podcasting and other bits n bobs, as well as Ralph's own take on the Moorcockian role-playing game... STORMHACK!
Find Ralph's gear at these links:
STORMHACK!
Appendix N and Cousins
Runequest's Appendix N
Wednesday Mar 03, 2021
Wednesday Mar 03, 2021
Old pal Robbo joins me in Derry & Toms to discuss the book from Pops that blew my mind into tiny pieces back in the early 80s, Sven Hassel's Wheels of Terror! We look at the man himself, including the shroud of mystery around his history, the first part of the novel and it's horrific, bleak yet darkly humorous depiction of the impact of war, and whether this was really suitable reading for an 11 or 12 year old to move onto from the Doctor Who novelisations by Target Books. We also talk Moorcock (naturally) and the impact growing up in the ruins of a war must have had on him.
We also probably add wargamers, military geeks and the people of Withernsea and Patrington to the list of people we've offended.
Tuesday Feb 23, 2021
Tuesday Feb 23, 2021
We're back with another look at Moorcockian music, this time in the company of Don Falcone, captain of the starship Spirits Burning, long time collaborative portal for progressive and space rock projects involving luminaries from across the rock field, most recently Michael Moorcock himself with their last two albums being musical adaptations of the Dancers at the End of Time trilogy.
We talk Moorcock (obviously) and Don's influences and history as a musician and producer, as well as a few other bits n' bobs as we go.
The Journal of Gerard Arthur Connelly continues with Chapter 10 and an unusual encounter (score and atmos again by @nand_soundtrax).
Wednesday Feb 03, 2021
Wednesday Feb 03, 2021
Loz is back as we conclude our look at the first volume in the psychedelic adventure of Corum, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe.
As usual our conversation veers around a bit, covering beers, rhubarb, hernias and just how much agency Corum has. We also have a good think about what to cover next, roll some dice to decide, and get bowled over by the sheer quality of @nand_soundtrax's journal soundscape!
Sunday Jan 17, 2021
Sunday Jan 17, 2021
We delve into the worlds of Moorcock influenced music with the other-worldly Dungeon Synth of The Artist Called Elric, and the powerful METAL!!! of Corum, two faces of the Eternal Champion.
Gerard Arthur Connelly returns and gets his poor boots wet, with all new atmos and score by @nand_soundtrax
Elric and Corum's Bandcamp pages are:
https://elricstormbringer.bandcamp.com/
and
https://metalcorum.bandcamp.com/
Friday Dec 18, 2020
Friday Dec 18, 2020
It's December 18th 2020, Michael Moorcock and Phil share a birthday AGAIN (weird right?) and, with the help of some friends, we celebrate a great day and take a look at Mike's Sherlock Holmes story, The Adventure of the Dorset Street Lodger.
In addition we consider the broad appeal of Moorcock and how it crosses some boundaries that in this strange day and age are often extraordinarily difficult to bridge, and we get to showcase some great music.
Happy birthday Mike and Phil!
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
Sunday Dec 06, 2020
On our first purely music focused show we talk Hawkwind with biographer and writer Ian Abrahams. We also muse on how notice boards on launderette walls can produce great results.
Also, Loz calls in to Derry & Toms to drink some traditionally stupid beers and reminisce about the days of yore, sleeping dogs and the Giantkind track Breakfast in the Ruins.
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
After getting caught between worlds and never managing to quite hook it up, through a radio link between Earths 2 and 5 we finally get it together to discuss Moorcock with comics luminary and 2000AD Script Droid KEK-W!
We talk Moorcock, The Rituals of Infinity, comics, Dark Judges, music and the disturbingly beautiful art of Dave Kendall.
I continue to learn regarding online recording, with mixed results.
Gerard Arthur Connelly gets his slippers wet.
As discussed on the show Jim’s Kickstarter for Urish’s Horde – The Guide to Elric Collectibles is at:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dcbooks/urishs-horde-the-guide-to-elric-collectibles
Monday Nov 16, 2020
Monday Nov 16, 2020
Loz returns as we head up to the Roof Garden to ruminate over Corum's endless jawing with a slightly dubious sorceror in The Knight of the Swords Book Two.
Multiple varieties of pants are considered along with a couple of actually palatable beers. Progress I say!
Breakfast in the Ruins
It had been a few years since I tried anything new hobby-wise and particularly anything t’interweb related beyond twitter and generally using it for all of the general reasons we use it (gifs, cat pics, buying things I don’t need etc).
However in recent years, whilst doing lengthy commutes, I found that podcasts had moved on somewhat from the type I’d been exposed to previously, with less of the ‘yuck yuck’ interactions between podcast hosts that felt the need to be artificially heightened, and more of a naturalistic and joyous approach to a specific subject matter that drew me in to feel part of the conversation.
Combined with this new found interest I’ve been needing a hobby and outlet for my creative energies, such that they are.
A few years back, for similar reasons, I started a blog (mentallicohullic.com), where I was able to have a good rant, but also link to the online articles I’d written for thequietus.com. I didn’t really keep that up with any regularity though, so it fell by the wayside, although it is still live.
Anyway, it struck me a while later that a sudden upsurge in interest amongst my friends in fantasy fiction, and particularly Michael Moorcock, had generated a number of conversations that I really enjoyed participating in. We were also having particular discussions about how to best model Moorcock in a table top role playing game. One night I started typing up some thoughts regarding my approach to it and, reading it back, it was written in a conversational style and for a split second the idea of a podcast themed around Michael Moorcock’s books and other associated art seemed appealing. A few sherries later I’d ordered a USB audio hub and a condenser microphone and the next day recorded a five minute podcast introduction as a proof of concept. I shared it with some like-minded friends and, following feedback, decided to give it a whirl.
Michael Moorcock as a subject seemed the natural choice, for reasons that may become apparent during the introductory episode. As you'll see as the show progresses, there's a reason why I call it 'Moorcock flavoured'.