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Two Big Egos in a Small Car
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Two Big Egos in a Small Car

Author: Graham Chalmers and Charles Hutchinson

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A passionately laid back overview of the arts and culture scene in York and Harrogate with observations on journalism. This podcast is hosted by Charles Hutchinson and Graham Chalmers and regular guests.
170 Episodes
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Longer wording: Charles and Graham are moved to discuss just why why Harrogate Theatre’s pantomime is the best in the world.Graham discusses Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman's chemistry and why May December is Todd Haynes's slipperiest film.A sombre conclusion as the great songwriting talent of The Pogues' Shane MacGowan is considered after his flame was snuffed out at 65.
Charles reports back on his return to Berlin after 34 years and how he felt about the changes since his visit there with Graham in November 1989 immediately after the wall "came down".Charles and Graham reflect on meeting Barnsley bard Ian McMillan in Bradford at the St George's Hall premiere of his very Yorkshire version of Rossini's opera, The Barber Of Seville.Graham examines the lingering impact of Robert M Pirsig's bestselling 1974 counter-culture philosophical novel Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Graham unexpectedly introduces a new fashion slot, where he reviews the surprising return of a plethora of fashion styles enjoying a comeback.Charles explores the Yorkshire phrase "Now Then” with a look at Rick Broadbent's new book Now Then: A Biography Of Yorkshire and Richard Hawley's new compilation album Now Then and follows up with questions for Graham on The Beatles' remarkable new single Now And Then.Finally, Graham recounts what happened when he spent a night in Sunderland at the heart of the city's indie scene, watching Field Music's Peter Brewis in concert.
Graham is wondering just what is the role of BBC 6Music in light of the latest official radio listening figures after a scheduling revamp? Plus, why if MOJO magazine is 30 years old does it feel more like 80?Graham contests that The Rolling Stones had an underrated role in inventing punk rock. Charles spots dinosaurs hoving into view.
Charles and Graham speak to Rick Witter of Shed Seven, discussing the story behind the York band's new album, next January's A Matter Of Time, the upcoming autumn tour, early band names for Witter and Paul Banks, and what it takes to be among the great survivors of Britpop.
Graham recounts his adventures in Portugal after a trip to Lisbon: taking the temperature of the music scene in Europe's oldest and hottest city as he celebrates his 20th wedding anniversary.Charles reviews Alan Ayckbourn’s latest play in Scarborough, Constant Companions, his 89th, as he foresees human-android  relationships of the near future, and John Godber’s touring premiere of Do I Love You?, a hymn to Northern Soul and celebration of working-class culture refracted through the experiences of three young drive-thru workers discovering the devotional music's power to uplift.After interviewing Graham Parker of The Rumour, ahead of his Old Woollen gig in Farsley, and Five Star lead singer Denise Pearson, who now lives in Harrogate, Graham contrasts music stars of the 1970s and '80s.
Charles turns all autumnal, reflecting on music just right for the month of September and confesses he enjoyed a brass band recital at Burnby Hall Gardens in Pocklington.Graham delves into poet John Cooper Clarke's 2021 autobiography I Wanna Be Yours and wonders what makes a classic memoir?Charles reports on seeing Dexys in theatrical mode at York Barbican as they tour their new album, The Feminine Divine, and both hosts ponder Kevin Rowland's history as one of the UK's great pop mavericks.Graham explains why he was called upon to speak about David Lean's The Bridge On The River Kwai at the Harrogate Odeon for the Harrogate War Memorial project.
For their 150th episode, Charles and Graham enjoy a rare night out together at the Old Woollen, Farsley, as bassist Martin McAloon switches to guitar and vocals to execute his own versions of Prefab Sprout hits, album gems and B-sides. Did this gig, played by only a single member of the sublime north eastern band, make Two Big Egos 'Swoon' or not?Surviving the middle day of this year's Leeds Festival, Graham reflects on his meeting with James Smith of Leeds band Yard Act.What makes a classic album cover? Charles and Graham put their spin on the latest public poll on the best sleeve designs of all time.
Graham discusses Christopher Nolan's epic movie Oppenheimer and how it sheds light on American politics as much as  the race for the atom bomb - and hopefully leads a revival of film-making rooted in this world's realities, not comic book fantasy.Still with Graham, former snooker world champion Steve Davis stole the Deer Shed Festival at Topcliffe - until The Comet Is Coming hit the stage, that is.Charles headed to Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham, for its debut exhibition: The Vanity of Small Differences tapestries by Grayson Perry. And finally, why Graham was wrong about Blur's new album, The Ballad Of Darren.
Charles and Graham give their verdict on this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival and discuss some of the other events they attended too. Undoubtedly, the star attraction was the tram system!
Ahead of their annual visit to Edinburgh, Charles and Graham wonder if the revived Edinburgh International Film Festival can revive the magic in its 76th year.How big is the real audience for this year's crop of new albums and this year's Mercury Prize nominees? Graham gives his thoughts on what two of the most successful British novels of the last 30 years (Ian McEwan's Amsterdam and Martin Amis's Time's Arrow) say about British writers.
Graham and Charles discuss whether 2023 has  been a bad year for movies so far but conclude that perhaps  hope is on its way from the Cannes festival. Hope for sure with the new films by Martin Scorsese and Ken Loach.  Should we look forward to the world of AI-generated films? Charles takes up the discussion about bad audience behaviour at musical theatre: could Shakespeare be next?Graham pays tribute to the career of literary titan Martin Amis, whose final chapter has closed at the age of 73. 
Graham  and Charles look at the impact of the copyright court case against Ed Sheeran and the trend for confessional albums as Sheeran releases his latest, Subtract. Non-pilgrim Charles reflects on his frustrating encounter with the new film based on Rachel Joyce's novel The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry and Graham ponders what makes British films  work - or not. Graham makes great use of bumping into Bob Stanley (founder of Saint Etienne and acclaimed pop music author) in Harrogate (again) and learns about the possible subjects for his next two books. In York, Charles catches all three cast configurations of Mayflies, Gus Gowland's new musical about online dating and romance in the modern age, premiered at theTheatre Royal.
Graham reports on Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei's new memoir and on an encounter with classical pianist Martin Roscoe in John Ruskin's Lake District abode. Is King Charles III's Coronation Spotify list opening a window to the soul of the monarch? As U2 release new and stripped-back reinterpretations of their back catalogue on Songs Of Surrender, Charles and Graham ponder if we and they are any closer to understanding what makes the Irish band tick. Is it good news at last for the Edinburgh Filmhouse's future?
In a whistle-stop tour of everything cultural, Charles reports on David Hockney's Yorkshire Wolds  exhibition at Salt's Mill; Graham gives an update on where things are at for the Edinburgh International Film Festival and both Graham and Charles give their verdict on the key films at the Oscars ceremony. Graham provides further thoughts on Quentin Tarantino's excellent book on film and the latest release from Field Music's David Brewis.
Graham is mightily impressed by Quentin Tarantino's meditation on film, Cinema Speculation. Charles and Graham look back on the BAFTAs and ahead to the Oscars with their own predictions. Graham reports on two contrasting gigs: Fairport Convention in Harrogate and Luke Haines and REM's Peter Buck in Leeds. The duo discuss their admiration for Leeds company Imitating The Dog's electrifying new version of Macbeth.
Graham eulogises about a brilliant but neglected Mexican-French film from 2020, New Order.Charles reports on the latest Told By An Idiot show, Charlie & Stan, alias Chaplin & Laurel, "the greatest double act that nearly was", at York Theatre Royal.  Graham sees red on the bias of Anthony Beevor's recent  book on the Russian Civil War, then celebrates the life of Barrie Corbett, the Harrogate man who played with The Beatles in 1963 at the Royal Hall.
Charles reports on "the future of theatre" as presented by An-Ting Chang's Kakilang at York Theatre Royal Studio in their multiverse production of Home X.Graham gets spooked by Imitating The Dog's multi-media production of Macbeth, set in Estuary City, on tour at Harrogate Theatre, while recalling Andrew Manley's groundbreaking days there.Why the Brit Awards need to re-think.
In this week's episode, Graham and Charles pay tribute to the unique sound of Television's Tom Verlaine and the American guitarist's contribution to punk and post-punk music. Now that the Oscar nominations are finalised, the duo try to second guess which films will triumph at the March 13ceremony. Finally, Graham compares and contrasts two music books published last year, Jon Stewart's Dylan, Lennon, Marx and God and Jarvis Cocker's Good Pop, Bad Pop.
Charles and Graham pick up their discussion of the new Cate Blanchett film, Tár and explore the furore surrounding its controversial depiction of a female conductor, then turn the spotlight on two contrasting hymns to bygone cinema:  Babylon, directed by Damien Chazelle, who made the Oscar- winning  La La Land, and Sam Mendes' oh-so English Empire Of Light. Late Developers, the surprise tenth album by Belle And Sebastian, proves to be another gorgeous addition to the Glasgow band's consistently classy canon of perky pop and restless romanticism.  
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