September 25 · 32 min
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
- TGSeptember 25 · 31 min
Josie Long & Stewart Lee
Two of our comedy heroes putting the world to rights? Oh, go on then. Stew and Josie talk political activism in comedy, and pessimism of the intellect vs optimism of the will. How does one engage revolutionary optimism, and when did Josie come to realise that her comedy shows have been doing just that? They discuss the desire for physical media and the impermanence of "clip comedy", and how to ride out the storm. They ask "What do artists do with the document of what they do?" and lament the thankless work of blazing a trail.
- TGSeptember 23 · 39 min
How to Kill a Language: Sophia Smith Galer in conversation
Power, resistance, and the race to save our world. By the end of this century half of the world's 7000 languages will be gone. Killed by war, climate breakdown, migration, nationalism, or neglect - and losing with it the vital knowledge that they have sustained for centuries. Sophia Smith Galer - inspired by her Nonna's passing, who spoke an endangered Italian "dialët" - journeyed across the globe to report on this disappearing world. Sophia is joined in conversation with broadcaster Huw Stephens. Recorded at the Talking Shop
- TGSeptember 22 · 28 min
Horsegirl, My New Band Believe, Dermot Henry, Casual Smart, Dolly Trolley & Repair Cafe Wales
Cameron Picton is the former black midi guitarist and bassist and his new project, My New Band Believe, has hit upon a sound that could have taken multiple albums to establish. The debut album released in April is urgent and jangly, almost tripping over itself in its eagerness to be heard. After thrilling the Walled Garden, Cameron heads to backstage Mountain for a natter with Horsegirl, and you’ll have to forgive us for the sound quality on this one, kit failure happens to the best of us. Horsegirl are a band of best friends. They began making songs while still in high school, and paused their early success after their 2022 debut, Versions of Modern Performance, to finish undergraduate degrees at NYU. The Chicago trio returned earlier this year with Phonetics On And On, their minimalist, spacious follow-up album that was produced by Cate Le Bon, and contains the kind of confidence that only comes from taking your time while somehow remaining utterly and brilliantly precocious. Cardiff five-piece Casual Smart returned to Green Man off the back of headline shows at Clwb Ifor Bach and recording sessions at the new Cwrw studios in Carmarthen. They swap stories with alt singer-songwriter Dermot Henry, who’s attended Green Man plenty of times and played his first show on the Rising stage this year, straight from supporting Lewis Capaldi in Liverpool. Completely bonkers, 100mph, and Yorkshire-born, Dolly Trolley is a drag queen and neo-burlesque artist. Known as a rambunctious compère with high energy and ludicrously hilarious performances, she’s a multi-talented act commonly reviewed: “I’m exhausted just from watching”. When not MCing the Wishbone or performing as part of Cabaret Sauvignon, or leading Drag Aerobics, or hosting Blind Date, Dolly chats to Phoebe and Andy from Repair Cafe Wales. Repair Cafe Wales popped up at Green Man for the first time, saving the planet and fixing tents, buggies and dresses for the revellers under the mountain. Andy and Phoebe ran workshops to teach the best practices and community feeling of the repair cafes in Welsh villages. They chat to Dolly about the new ‘secret’ spot and the drag shows across the weekend, plus the fixes needed behind the scenes.
- TGSeptember 20 · 33 min
Bless Me Father: Kevin Rowland (Dexys Midnight Runners) in conversation with Sophie Williams
In his astonishing and subversive memoir, Bless Me Father, Kevin Rowland lays bare his unvarnished life story for the very first time. From the juvenile courts of his troubled teenage years to the early days of the New Romantic scene in the late ’70s and beyond, he recounts his darkest hours, deepest desires and greatest joys. Back with a new album as Dexys Midnight Runners, Kevin Rowland is joined in conversation with journalist and broadcaster Sophie Williams. Recorded at the Talking Shop.
- TGSeptember 20 · 17 min
tall child, Cyn Cwsg, Kiosk
Green Man Rising winner tall child — aka London-based Nigerian-Indian songwriter Zha Gandhi and their band — melds intense, stormy emotion and grungy riffs with sweet melody and happy-go-lucky indie jangle, to irresistible effect. The name “tall child” comes from a Mitski lyric: a marked influence, together with Radiohead, Arlo Parks, and Rachel Chinouriri. tall child released their debut EP Somehow You Grow last year, on which they grow like a tall tree and rise above the challenges of being a queer, disabled, POC indie artist. Cyn Cwsg — “before sleep” — offer a tad more bite than their name might suggest. Their harmony-soaked rock, oddball country, and hallucinatory pop has drawn comparisons to Iwan Llwyd and the Beach Boys: music armed with lush indie guitar sounds, Britpop-adjacent riffs, and a touch of Elliott Smith if he’d been raised in north Wales. The quartet released their debut EP Pydru yn yr Haul last year: songs in Welsh and English that telegraph gritty vulnerability and bite straight to the bone. Leeds-tronica duo Kiosk have variously described their sound as “3am at the club”, “buttons and knobs”, and “better than Monopoly”. Burgeoning out of the West Yorkshire powerhouse’s diverse DIY scene, the pair — Isabella Alcock on vocal and synths and Rory ‘Maz’ Maslen on bass and synths — make dance-punk with all the accoutrements: dreamy, aloof vocals, new-wave tinges, electro-clash fervour, 00s indie synth pop, surrealist spacey soundscapes, industrial noise, and a techno pulse. Kiosk only have three singles out in the wild so far, but a buzzy live reputation on the underground circuit that promises nothing but great things. This year’s Green Man Rising competition winners and runners up reminisce about the process which landed them all playing this year’s festival. Green Man Rising is a unique artist development program that supports artists on their journey to becoming the headliners of tomorrow. It seen as the UK’s most comprehensive support package for grassroots music. It offers a massive leg-up for emerging artists at a time when those opportunities are diminishing. All four finalists get a slot on the Rising Stage, with the winner being the opening band of the iconic Mountain Stage, sharing the bill with top international headliners.
- TGSeptember 18 · 36 min
International Velvet: Neil Collins in conversation | Richard Russell of XL Recordings in conversation
Two tremendous talks to set your mind whirring. “Every day when I wake up, I thank the Lord I’m Welsh…” If the story of Wales in the ‘90s was a movie plot, it would all seem so far-fetched. Thankfully, it was all true. Featuring fresh analysis and new interviews, International Velvet: How Wales Conquered the '90s Charts revisits the unforgettable 'Cool Cymru' era when Manic Street Preachers, Catatonia, Super Furry Animals, Stereophonics, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Feeder, 60ft Dolls and many more won over the masses. Author and journalist Neil Collins is joined in conversation with journalist Teresa Delfino. And, ahead of his performance as Everything is Recorded, Richard Russell treated us to an illuminating conversation about his remarkable life in music. For almost 30 years as label boss, producer, and talent conductor at XL Recordings, Richard has discovered, shaped and nurtured the artists who have rewritten the musical dictionary of the 21st century, including The Prodigy, The White Stripes, Adele, M.I.A, Dizzee Rascal and Giggs. His acclaimed memoir Liberation Through Hearing tells the remarkable story of XL Recordings' three decades on the frontline of innovation in music. Richard is in conversation with journalist Eamonn Forde. Recorded at the Talking Shop.
- TGSeptember 15 · 14 min
The Beta Band & Pictish Trail
They say "never meet your heroes," but here at the Green Man Podcast we can't pass up an opportunity to make dreams come true. So when Johnny Lynch aka Pictish Trail told us he's a HUGE fan of The Beta Band (his words, "probably the most important band of my LIFE") we knew what we had to do. Electrocuted by illuminated stage suits, leaving £4000 worth of velcro costumes on the tube, accidentally playing a show in a remote scout hut, appearing as one of John Cusack’s favourite bands on High Fidelity: The Beta Band have had quite the career. Scotland’s Steve Mason and co recently reunited to celebrate their thirty year anniversary, their idiosyncratic songs and live extravaganzas burn as brightly as ever. “I will now sell five copies of The Three EPs by The Beta Band…”
- TGSeptember 12 · 26 min
Maisie Williams & Lowri Roberts in conversation
Emmy-nominated actor Maisie Williams and collaborator Lowri Roberts talk activism, creativity and criticism in a world that’s Just. So. Online. They talk to journalist Teresa Delfino about environmental action, climate care, the power of ‘having a go’, and getting comfortable with not getting it 100% right every time.
- TGSeptember 11 · 38 min
Sailor Honeymoon, Bathing Suits, thredd & Jennifer Walton
Leeds band Bathing Suits closed Rising on Saturday night with their club-ready noise-rock. Hear them sat under the shade of a Green Man tree, with South Korean riot grrl trio Sailor Honeymoon, who had opened Far Out that same morning. Seoul’s antidote to K-Pop, Sailor Honeymoon are a punk band who’ve been going against the grain since 2022. Formed by photographer Abi Raymaker and techno DJ Zaeuun Shin, the band connected with Bathing Suits over their musical communities in their hometowns of Seoul and Leeds. The episode continues with Jennifer Walton, who played the Walled Garden early on Sunday, chatting to thredd, who lit up Round The Twist on Friday. Last autumn the Sunderland-born, London-based electronic musician and DJ Jennifer Walton released her debut solo album Daughters after a decade and a half of working with others and touring as a session drummer. London trio thredd boast the title for the most inviting debut album name — It’s Lovely, Come On In, also out last year. The group, featuring Immy Williams of Imogen and the Knife, make what Big Jeff once coined “cold pop”: dancey, dark, synth-imbued, influenced by Portishead, Massive Attack, Lana Dey Rey, and Britney Spears — as thredd say, “icy, succinct pop music for those who are up for a party, down for a cry”.
- TGSeptember 11 · 31 min
We Were Here: Stephanie Phillips in conversation with Jessica Kempson
We Were Here is a reclamation of rock’n’roll for the Black artists who tore up and re-wrote its rules, by Big Joanie guitarist Stephanie Phillips. It promises to rip up our received history of rock’n’roll and alternative music and repopulate it with the extraordinary Black artists and influential figures who truly steered its course from the 1930s to the present day, including vital figures like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Little Richard, Poly Styrene and beyond. Stephanie is joined in conversation with musician Jessica Kempson. Recorded live at the Talking Shop.
- TGSeptember 9 · 21 min
Mannequin Pussy & Way Dynamic
Way Dynamic’s Dylan Young drops in after a secret set at Round The Twist. The Melbourne singer-songwriter’s classic style feels like an homage to a golden age of pop, and brought euphoric bliss to a sun-soaked Walled Garden on Sunday. Dylan chats to Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy. The Philadelphia punks brought their synth-laden rock to Far Out on Saturday. Marisa and Dylan talk about life on the road, menopause rock, and finding a new hobby when music becomes your job. In these tough times, “trying to make something beautiful feels like a radical act,” says Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy. The Philadelphia punk rock band released their fourth album I Got Heaven in 2024, a fast-paced synth-laden hardcore romp, all soft and sharp, longing and rage, melody and noise, and as earthly as it is celestial. Way Dynamic’s Dylan Young has been described as a time traveller, thanks to his abilities to conjure classic pop, whether it’s Brian Wilson, Randy Newman, Burt Bacharach, Nick Drake, or Talking Heads. The Melbourne-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has toured with MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchee, and released his third album Massive Shoe last year, a cheerful homage to the golden age of pop.
- TGSeptember 9 · 29 min
Ata Kak & Flo Dill
Flo Dill is a London-based broadcaster and otherworldly music savant. Flo meets Ata Kak, the Ghanaian artist who earned much-deserved acclaim after his 1994 self-released tape Obaa Sima was rediscovered. Ata and Flo talk after his Mountain Stage set, going deep on Ata’s incredible origin story, and bonding over a shared love of old skool. Over a decade ago, Ghanaian artist Ata Kak was living off-grid in his Kumasi hometown, his 1994 self-released album Obaa Sima but a distant memory. That was until Awesome Tapes From Africa founder Brian Shimkovitz tracked him down and re-released Obaa Sima, to belated and deserved acclaim. Now Ata Kak is a cult icon, his DIY blend of Ghanaian highlife, 90s dance beats, hip-hop, and swift Twi rap sending stages worldwide into an irresistible frenzy. Flo is a London born & based DJ and broadcaster who has worked in and around music all her life. Listeners know her for a boundless musical knowledge and an open, enthusiastic approach to sharing music, which is at the heart of everything Flo does on the radio. She brings that approach to a dance floor too: whether she’s playing obscure post punk, driving disco or wonky 80s new wave, a sense of unpretentiousness and fun underpins her selections.
- TGSeptember 3 · 35 min
Josie Long & Pictish Trail
Buckle up for music and mischief aplenty as trailblazing comedian Josie Long and slime-loving folk ogre Johnny Lynch give us a flavour of their eighteen-year-solid friendship.
- TGSeptember 2 · 43 min
Caitlin Moran in conversation with Pete Paphides
These two need no introduction. Beloved authors Caitlin Moran and Pete Paphides treat us to a sneak peek of Caitlin’s new book, How To Be Hopeful. Content warning: litter picking, armageddon anxiety. Recorded live at the Talking Shop.
- TGAugust 28 · 26 min
Haley Heyndrickx & Woom, Tyler Ballgame & Shame
South London vocal harmony group Woom may have a new member. Straight from captivating the crowd at Chai Wallahs, they sat down with indie-folk singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx ahead of her mesmerising Walled Garden set. We await the collab with bated breath! Take me out to the Green Man. Eddie Green from post-punk rockers Shame joins American crooner Tyler Ballgame to swap stories about Rough Trade records, and the strangely joyful feeling found in touring the smaller towns in the USA and Europe apiece.
- TGAugust 28 · 21 min
Charlotte Church & Stewart Lee
Comedy legend and "world's greatest living stand-up" Stewart Lee chats to national treasure and Pop Dungeon ringleader Charlotte Church. They natter about Stewart's involvement in the origin of the dungeon, and it's latest End Times incarnation, which took Far Out by storm on Thursday night.
- TGAugust 27 · 33 min
Westside Cowboy & Madra Salach
We’ve never been more back. For a few days, we came together in the mountains to listen, dance, wander, discover and reconnect. The curiosity and good spirit you brought to Bannau Brycheiniog helped to create our own little world. And it doesn't have to end there - not entirely. Over the next few weeks, eavesdrop on some backstage chats with the artists and performers who replenished your spirits on the field. First up is Westside Cowboy. Fresh off an electric set on the Mountain Stage, on the day they released their debut album, they sit down with Dublin's Madra Salach to talk sober festivals, and sitting down on stage.
- TGAugust 20 · 24 min
Iona Zajac & The Itch (GM26 Preview)
Iona Zajac and Simon from The Itch share some of their most memorable Green Man experiences and discuss what they’re most excited to see at this years’ festival. Scotland’s Iona Zajac plays harp and sings with the Pogues, but she also finds time to make music as an artist in her own right, releasing her debut album, Bang, at the end of last year. She describes her sound as “dark indie folk with grumbles of pop, a dark gravelly tunnel with bright warm light at the end”: sadness cut through with humour, in the vein of Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten, Florence and the Machine, and The Last Dinner Party. Scientists still don’t really know what an itch is, but for alt-pop duo The Itch, aka Simon Tyrie and Georgia Hardy, it’s how they describe making music: a compulsion, something akin to addiction. The pair met as teenagers a decade ago in Luton and have been collaborating musically ever since, but it was only after playing at a Talking Heads tribute night in 2023 that they decided to form The Itch. On their imminent debut album It’s The Hope That Kills You they apply an electroclash sweat and basement throb to the alienation and pessimism of the modern world, and describe themselves as “somewhere between pain and pleasure”.
- TGAugust 18 · 23 min
Jessica Winter & Tony Njoku (GM26 Preview)
Last year Jessica Winter released her solo debut My First Album, a title that raises an eyebrow to the fact she’s been grafting away in the music industry for well over a decade: first in punk bands in her hometown of Portsmouth, and then as Pregoblin with Fat White Family’s Alex Sebley. As a solo artist, though, she wears a coat of many colours — sunrise piano beats, alt-90s rock, 2000s pop — never making the same song twice. Jessica chats to Tony Njoku. London-based composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Tony Njoku makes modern classical and experimental music, yet he didn’t start out at a fancy conservatoire or music school — just hunched over a laptop in his bedroom, or teaching himself piano. Last year the Nigerian-British artist released All Our Knives Are Always Sharp, in part a homage to the musicians and communities who shaped him — including Tricky, Ghostpoet, Young Fathers, and Blood Orange — as well as a continuation of his avant-garde marriage of electronic and classical music with personal storytelling. Tony Njoku goes Round The Twist at 10pm on Friday night. Jessica Winter will be at the Wishbone at 11.10pm Friday, and goes Round The Twist at 21.45pm Saturday.