Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m an actor and broadcaster. I’ve worked in TV, comedy, and animation on all the major channels and I also have another hat; where I make radio features for BBC Radio 4. I’m also a total history nerd, especially local history.

The podcast is a gentle storytelling documentary series about East London history. Modern history. It features stories about people’s lives. Stories of love, family, business, arrivals, and departures. Full of historical facts about East London, it’s a love letter to two boroughs, Hackney and Newham.

If you like The Repair Shop and This American Life and you like archive voices and London history you will love this series.

Host Sue Elliott-Nicholls, at home in East London since the 80s (left) Sue enjoying a local car boot in Hackney (right).

Why did you decide to start the podcast in the first place?

During lockdown I was approached by a local theatre company, Immediate Theatre, to see if I wanted to host a weekly radio series on Resonance FM for isolated elders in Hackney. I scoffed:

“Do you have any idea how hard it is producing a radio show?”

Amused, and fancying a change from recording voice overs in my cupboard I said I would host the pilot.

Two seasons, fifty programmes and almost 50,000 listens later, we had a wealth of fantastic stories and memories of Hackney. Voices and stories any programme maker would kill for.

With gentrification changing the area by the day I wanted to make a series recording the lives of the people who went before. Real tales of real people; so much of the East End history focuses on criminals and wrong-uns, jellied eels or chirpy cockneys offering a cuppa and a friendly biscuit. There are so many more interesting tales to tell.

So I trotted back to Immediate Theatre, we got together with the local archives, applied for Heritage Lottery funding, brought in a brilliant documentary producer Tamsin Hughes and started collecting stories for The Hackney and Newham History Social Club podcast.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I loved This American Life. That really opened my eyes (or ears?) to the possibility of making radio outside the confines of the major radio stations.

I love the fascination of the every day. Holding a microscope – or microphone – to the little moments.

Many years ago I hosted a series for BBC Radio 4 called The Things We Do (producer Suki Firth). We looked at five subjects: eavesdropping, flirting, unwanted advice, boys’ banter, and little white lies. It was one of my favourite series.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I love story-telling podcasts.

I’ve always valued working in audio because when you interview someone you get an intimacy that isn’t always possible when there is a camera and a camera operator. I love the nuances in people’s voices, the catches in their voices, the pauses, the smile, the little laugh. I guess that’s why I like voice acting, you can tell so much from subtle changes in a person’s voice.

So, for story-telling, The Moth, This American Life.

For gentle observation and a sense of place my producer Tamsin Hughes put me on to The Stubborn Light Of Things. You can pretty much go anywhere with a microphone.

Mayank and Anju Patel – owners of the infamous Londis N16, “The Most Famous Corner Shop in the Country” (The Face, 2023).

Can you tell us more about what to expect from the new series of The Hackney and Newham History Social Club podcast?

This new season takes a deeper look into the connections between the past and present. We spend a full day with the Patel’s from Londis N16 and hear their family story through four generations from Zambia and India to becoming “The Most Famous Corner Shop In The Country.” (The Face 2023).

We also have tales of secret weddings, enterprise, family, and more. We talk to Judy Frumin who finds a diary in her mum’s suitcase she brought from Czechoslovakia before the Nazis arrived. She traces the story of two women; there’s escape, dancing, weddings and a tragic death. The journey ends in a hunt for a grave in an east London cemetery.

We meet George James who sold shave ice in Ridley Road Market. The Original Caribbean form of Slush Puppy (before Slush Puppies.)

The series is packed with humour from our guests and I try to add in as many historical facts as I can – told you I’m a history nerd! Did you know The name Londis “Lon-Dis” comes from The “London District of the National Grocers Federation”; a 1950s breakaway group of independent shop owners? Going back to when a common in Hackney was brickfields and farms.

Serving the community since the 1980s; you can buy everything in the Patel’s family store from fresh fruit & veg, homemade samosas to a tin of Heinz soup, a scratch card or a hip vegan dip.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I feel like our dream guests are the people we already have. People with fascinating stories to tell. In a later series of The Hackney and Newham History Social Club we tell the story of some photos found in a skip, the story takes us on an incredible journey of history, dignity, family love, ending up in one of the county’s most prestigious art galleries.

I love the fact we can tell working class stories, to me, these are often the most interesting. Stories of adversity, stories with journeys physical and emotional. East London, in particular, has such a rich history of immigration and reinvention.

Having said that, Idris Elba is the patron of Immediate Theatre, it would be amazing to hear about his family. Andi Oliver, Ray Winston, Professor Green, Kano, and Paloma Faith…There’s a lot of talent comes out from our little corner of the East End.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

I feel like all of the series are packed with amazing stories. For me, I would definitely listen to series episodes in order – the stories are expertly weaved through every episode by our very talented producer.

We have an introductory episode “Moving East.” This tells the tale of a shed in a park with a difficult history on the front line of the National Front.

A love affair with nature along an old sewage works.

A young girl arriving from Cyprus in the 60’s and her obsession with fashion.

It takes you on a journey through ancient routes from Hackney Reservoirs to the Woolwich Ferry.

The mix of humour, banter, and real-life moments make it relatable and fun even when discussing deeper topics.

One listener commented “laughed out loud on the train.”

Love and romance in Carmen and Chock’s wedding. (Find out why Chock had to keep hers a secret.)

Do you have a favourite episode of the podcast, or one you are proudest of?

Honestly, every series of The Hackney and Newham History Social Club is full of the most amazing stories, I think it’s difficult to choose one.

As you look back on your podcasting journey, what challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them to keep the show growing?

I’ve been very very lucky to have a brilliant team; Tamsin Hughes, Carina VogIelsberger, and Tiziana Silvestre. The project has been overwhelming at times, the team are making the series, researching and collecting stories for the archives at the same time.

I think, for me personally, because I have come from a broadcast background I hadn’t anticipated the effort that needs to go into growing an audience. The socials, the schmoozing, getting the name out there. Even finding the right person to help with marketing – thankfully we’re very lucky to have found Becky Lamb-Pritchard from Distorted who understands the project, it’s so much more than history, it’s comedy, it’s telling stories.

What advice would you give to someone just starting their own podcast, based on your experiences?

Give it an identity. What makes your podcast different to the others? What can listeners find in your material that they won’t find anywhere else? What can you give that no-one else can?

I remember when podcasts first came out and were discussed in a Women In Media event I went to. “It’s like the Wild West,” they said, “But the good ones can rise to the top.”

Also – it’s hard work so keep it enjoyable.

What are your plans for the podcast moving forward?

We’re busy working on some incredible new stories for next year, we have heritage lottery funding until summer 2025 (thank you to Heritage Lottery.)

After that we can see so many possibilities going forward. Bringing museums to life, spreading out to other boroughs and even around the country. The History Social Club could travel to Lambeth, Waltham Forest, Glasgow even.

Our producer told me about a poem called “Wild Geese”. There is a line in it which says: “announcing your place in the family of things.”

We are led by the stories we find.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

You can find us on Instagram @Thehistorysocialclub.

Or, to find out more about the project and get involved in The Hackney and Newham History Social Club, or if you have a story you think we might like, you can contact us on Instagram or at our website.

For my news and news of other projects, check out @Sweliotknickers on Instagram.

The Hackney and Newham History Social Club can be heard on Spotify and all audio streaming services.

Visit: immediate-theatre.com/work/heritage/hackney-newham-history-social-club or scan the bar code below to listen to the podcast.

Listen to The Hackney & Newham History Social Club

This article was produced in partnership with Immediate Theatre

The post The Hackney & Newham History Social Club podcast returns for a second series! appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m the Radio Coordinator at This is Distorted, and our podcast takes you behind the scenes of the music industry. It’s one of the most dynamic and elusive fields and so we dive into every aspect of the industry, covering everything from music production and live events to marketing and artist management. Essentially, it’s a deep dive to uncover the stories “behind the beat”, including the highs, lows, career beginnings and advice from the pros in the field.

How did the idea for Behind The Beat come about?

I did a Music Business degree at BIMM Manchester, where I gained experience through internships and work placements across various areas of the industry, including events, labels, management, and radio. Even with all that experience, I realised after graduation, that I had only scratched the surface of the job roles and opportunities out there… it wasn’t until I researched it that I discovered my current job role now!

There are plenty of resources available, but it can be tough to navigate on your own – I speak from experience! I found that the best way to learn was by talking to people, asking for their advice, and getting a better grasp of what they do.

Not everyone has the chance to go to university, and the industry can feel pretty elitist at times. That’s why I wanted to create a more accessible resource for people who want to get into this industry and with all the connections we have at Distorted, it just made total sense.

I’m really passionate about new talent coming into the industry and bringing a whole fresh perspective and I hope this podcast will encourage that.

What do you hope listeners will gain from listening to Behind The Beat?

I really want listeners to feel inspired and gain a better understanding of how the music industry works. If they take away just one thing from this podcast, I hope it’s the valuable advice from our guests that can help guide their career choices in some way.

Can you give us any teasers for guests that listeners can expect to hear on the podcast?

Ooh, we do like to keep it a bit of a mystery! We’ve already chatted to DJ and broadcaster Sarah Story and KISS FM’s content director Rebecca Frank and those episodes are live now. In the upcoming episodes, we’ll be featuring some of the management and label teams behind the brands and artists on our roster.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

To be honest starting with Sarah Story was a pinch me moment. I’m a bit of a radio geek, I’d be super excited to have someone like Grimmy on the podcast – he’s one of the reasons why I got into radio, I used to listen to him with my Dad while driving to and from school.

But I’d also love to chat with someone who has a unique and different job, like a foley. That would be so interesting (I’m quite obsessed with Foley TikTok)!

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I can’t recall the very first podcast I listened to, but the one that really made me fall in love with the format was Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster. It might not be super educational or informative, but it’s incredibly entertaining. I loved its creativity, and it showed me that podcasts can cover just about any topic!

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I feel really lucky to work with podcasts every day at Distorted, and each one has its own uniqueness. My love for music means I often find a lot of inspiration in the music-related podcasts. I’ve been really into Defected’s latest podcast, Moments in Music; it’s been great to hear from the legends of House music and club culture!

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you/the podcast?

You can check out the podcast on your favourite podcast platform and if you’re listening and have a question or want to learn more about a specific job, feel free to reach out at hello@thisisdistorted.com!

Listen to Behind The Beat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Behind The Beat: Demystifying music careers appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Pod Bible co-founder Stu Whiffen caught up with Becky Lamb-Pritchard and Rosie Walwyn from Distorted – an audio first content agency which works with music artists, brands and businesses from all over the world on their podcasts, radio shows and social content.

We discuss how Distorted started and what they do to build a better journey for audio and visual content for businesses and podcasters.

To find out more about Distorted, you can visit their website www.thisisdistorted.com or take a look at their accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X. You can also check out our recent interview with Becky Lamb-Pritchard to find out more.

This article was produced as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com

The post Pod Bible meets Distorted! appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Please tell us all about Distorted…

Distorted turned ten this year so we’ve been around a while. We describe ourselves as an audio first content agency, and we work with music artists, brands and businesses from all over the world on their podcasts, radio shows and social content. We’ve always created podcasts for our clients, but in the beginning it was in addition to their radio show and now it has grown so much that we now have a full podcast team and we work with many of our clients solely on podcast projects.

Although we have a wide national and international client base we also have a podcast studio in Leeds where we are based. It’s a mini tv studio with TV quality cameras and lighting, interchangeable branding options and air con, which has been very handy recently! In the studio, we work with a real mix of local and independent content creators and bigger agencies who require a studio in Leeds, it’s also shifted from podcasts only to wider content needs like webinars and videos for socials.

You are openly proud of your northern roots and obviously have the studio, but originally your client base was mainly international or London based, why did you make the decision to be in Leeds?

Most of the team live in Leeds and from the beginning the directors have always stood by the argument that they don’t need to move to make great creative work, it shouldn’t be one or the other. They also never did that thing that some businesses do where they pay for a PO box and a London number and address which they don’t own a desk in! They have always been proud to be making work in Leeds and contributing to the Leeds creative economy. It seems more important now than ever that there are opportunities outside of London. In recent years as the business has grown we do have team members based in London and Manchester as well as Leeds, but that was from the standpoint that we don’t expect those team members to move from where they live either.

The Distorted studio

In the time the business has been operational what significant changes have you seen in the podcast industry?

Many… are you ready for my list? I think the first is the most obvious – it’s boomed! Listening figures are up year on year with audiences growing and diversifying, I’ve noticed the conversation has shifted from “what is a podcast?” to “I need to make a podcast?” and “how do I make my podcast successful?”

I also think the rise of digital and streaming has democratised the media – it’s given creators and brands power over their content and voice. Previously if a brand or person wanted to create broadcast content they would have to be aligned with a media organisation. It’s enabled a lot more voices to be heard.

With the boom there are also other tougher challenges, it’s harder to cut through now so strategy and marketing are playing a key part and the listener has higher expectations.

How important do you feel video content is now for podcasters?

There is no doubt that adding video to your podcast increases discoverability and helps you reach a bigger audience, not only are streaming platforms prioritising video content but by creating video you can really make the most of a variety of platforms. BUT I absolutely think there is still a place for audio only too, audio really shines when it comes to sensitive, emotive topics and really getting someone to open up, it’s a much more natural experience having a conversation without a camera there. I also think audio only can enable easier clearance and access to behind the scenes – we’ve had access to places and people we’d have never got if we had a camera crew and a load of extra people in tow.

I think the term “podcasting” has actually evolved and what I’m hearing from brands and businesses is that when they say “podcast” they can actually mean really great, in-depth content available on a variety of platforms, not necessarily what us original podcast creators mean so it’s back to that why and distinguishing what a person or brand wants to achieve from a podcast to know whether video or audio is the best route forward.

How did you feel the pandemic lockdown affected the podcast industry?

It contributed to its growth and the overall awareness of podcasting but it has also led to a quicker feeling of saturation and taken us to a place where strategy is just as important as production. It’s become more serious and that’s great in terms of industry and scope but that can lead to restrictions and “rules”. The pandemic also led to the cost of living crisis and jobs in the industry are more scarce with payment in general for creatives at an all-time low – that is something we all collectively need to be aware of. Overall the podcast industry is really supportive of one another and that’s the way we need to stay or it will end up a race to the bottom.

What advice would you give a business that was considering creating a podcast?

What is your WHY! What are your objectives? What do you want to achieve?

Think about your strategy and marketing plan at the same time as the creative development…not an afterthought. “We can stick it on socials once it’s made” is not enough of a plan.

And finally, are you patient? Podcasting is a long game for most unless of course you have a marketing budget or a big name to throw into the mix.

What are you most optimistic about for the future of podcasting?

I believe there’s a place for all types of podcast content: always-on podcasts, series, documentaries, interviews, video podcasts, and both short and long audio versions!

Podcasting isn’t brand new and has come a long way. Twenty years ago barely anyone had the tech to listen to one and now it feels like everyone has their favourite or something they’ve been told to listen to, events like the Podcast Show in London feel fresh and exciting, with a real buzz. I think podcasting will continue to grow and evolve and I’m excited to be part of it. It might be that creators become more specialised in the certain types of podcasts they make.

What projects are you most proud of this year?

This year we launched Sonic Youth with Youth Music, a paid internship designed to kickstart the careers of young people based in Yorkshire. I’m really passionate about creating opportunities for young people, a lot of the old school routes that were open when I started out don’t exist anymore. Whilst digital is fantastic, there is a need for mentoring and the stuff you learn by being around people and having face to face time.

The intern team created their own podcast, Serving Kult – A Radio Show and Podcast series dedicated to Queer Rave and Hyperpop. They received training and support on all aspects of podcast production from hosting, to research, recording, and editing and along with this they have had coaching and mentoring to really ensure they are ready for that next opportunity. The podcast has done really well, it received loads of positive press and feedback and made it to Amazon’s pick of the week. I’m incredibly proud of the whole team behind this and our incredible interns.

We are also in the midst of launching a brand new Distorted podcast aimed at helping people start their careers in the music industry. The first episode will see our very own Rosie Walwyn chat with Sarah Story, this one will be out this August so watch this space!

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about Distorted?

At our website www.thisisdistorted.com, or they can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

This article was produced as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com

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