Monocle on Culture
367 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 30 ratingsRobert Bound and his guests discuss what has piqued their interest in our one-stop shop for lively reports and in-depth interviews on the newest and finest in art, film, books and the media business.
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Episodes
Jonathan Coe
December 07, 2020 20:00 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBNovelist Jonathan Coe joins Robert Bound to discuss his new book, ‘Mr Wilder and Me’, a fictional depiction of a young woman who finds herself on a Greek island working for American film director Billy Wilder.
The Power of Sound: Chris Watson
December 03, 2020 09:00 - 13 minutes - 18 MBAward-winning sound recordist Chris Watson is one of the leading documenters of the natural world, having recorded wildlife across all continents. Watson is also a musician and was a founding member of experimental group Cabaret Voltaire in the early 1980s. His compositions can be heard across radio and TV, including in the HBO series ‘Chernobyl’ and David Attenborough’s ‘Life’ and ‘Frozen Planet’, and he has been exhibited in the National Gallery and The Louvre. In this episode he talks abou...
‘Mank’
November 30, 2020 20:00 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBRobert Bound is joined by film critics Tim Robey and Karen Krizanovich to review David Fincher’s latest film, ‘Mank’, the story of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz as he battles for credit on the Oscar-winning ‘Citizen Kane’. Set during the golden age of Hollywood, it stars Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried.
‘Cook, Eat, Repeat’ by Nigella Lawson
November 23, 2020 20:00 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBWe discuss the balance of stories, recipes and personality in cookery books through the lens of Nigella Lawson’s new volume, ‘Cook, Eat, Repeat’. Robert Bound is joined by food writers Felicity Cloake and Olivia Potts and we hear from Lawson herself about the sort of recipes she wanted to write about.
2020 vision
November 16, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBIn this 2020 television bonanza, we discuss the streaming services eyeing up linear TV opportunities, whether the news has been the most popular TV show of the year and how well satirists are keeping up with the rolling headlines. Robert Bound is joined by guests Fernando Augusto Pacheco, Inkoo Kang and Scott Bryan.
‘Shirley’
November 09, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBAnna Smith and Lucy Scholes join Robert Bound to review ‘Shirley’, Josephine Decker’s new film starring Elisabeth Moss, based on the life of the US horror writer Shirley Jackson.
Autumn 2020 preview
November 02, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBTo recommend the best music, television programmes and books still to come this year, Robert Bound is joined by Sharmaine Lovegrove, publisher at Dialogue Books; Ammar Kalia, The Guardian’s assistant TV editor; and the writer and editor Liv Siddall.
James O’Brien
October 26, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWriter and broadcaster James O'Brien joins Robert Bound to talk about his new book ‘How Not To Be Wrong’, a more personal follow-up to his last, ‘How To Be Right’. They discuss the difference between winning an argument and being right, how much language gets in the way, and the penny-drop moments for both him and his listeners.
David Byrne’s ‘American Utopia’
October 19, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBAs David Byrne’s hit Broadway show ‘American Utopia’ arrives on screens in a new film by Spike Lee, Robert Bound chats with Tim Robey and Hilary Hughes about Byrne’s history of revolutionising live performance, Lee’s imprint on the show and its relevance in the current political climate.
‘On the Rocks’
October 12, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBAnna Smith and Caspar Salmon join Robert Bound to discuss ‘On the Rocks’, Sofia Coppola’s latest film, which stars Bill Murray and Rashida Jones.
Miranda July
October 05, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBAs her new film, ‘Kajillionaire’, is shown at the London Film Festival, director Miranda July tells Robert Bound about the characters, colours and conversations that brought it to life.
‘Vic Reeves Art Book’
September 28, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBComedian and artist Jim Moir, better known as Vic Reeves, joins Robert Bound to talk about his new book, a collection of his paintings that range from the dark to the absurd.
At the drive-in
September 21, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWe speak to the director and cast of a new drive-in production of ‘La Bohème’ at Alexandra Palace about the future of opera, staging a show during a pandemic and acting out a love story from a distance of two metres.
‘Nothin’ But a Good Time’
September 14, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBJustin Quirk tells Andrew Mueller about how a childhood love for glam metal inspired his new book, ‘Nothin’ But a Good Time’. It tells the story of this maligned music genre, from the extravagant hair, makeup and costumes to the political backdrop of 1980s America.
‘I Hate Suzie’
September 07, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWe discuss ‘I Hate Suzie’ from Lucy Prebble, playwright and a writer for ‘Succession’, and Billie Piper. The TV series is a comedy about an actress whose phone is hacked, leading to compromising photos being leaked on the internet. Lucy Jones and Toby Earle join Robert Bound.
‘Tenet’
August 31, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBAs cinemas reopen, Simran Hans and Tim Robey join Robert Bound to discuss Christopher Nolan’s time-bending new action-adventure, ‘Tenet’.
‘Summer’ by Ali Smith
August 24, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBRobert Bound is joined by the writers Susannah Butter and Alex Preston to review the final book in Ali Smith’s seasonal quartet and discuss the things it made them think of.
Claire Oakley, director of 'Make Up'
August 17, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBClaire Oakley, the director of new British psychosexual thriller ‘Make Up’, speaks to Robert Bound about the holiday parks, music and dreams that inspired her debut feature.
Reality check
August 10, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBIt seems that there has been an uptick in the amount of reality TV being put out into the world by Netflix. On this week’s show, Robert Bound is joined by Fernando Augusto Pacheco and the TV critics Inkoo Kang and Scott Bryan to look at the different formats – from dating shows to real-life soap operas – and ask whether the streaming giant, which was once known first and foremost for glossy drama, is changing tack with its content to cater for an international audience.
The Fight
August 03, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBRobert Bound speaks to film-maker Eli B Despres about ‘The Fight’, a new documentary that he’s co-directed about four different cases taken on by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Back to business
July 27, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBAs Tate reopens its museums, we visit Tate Modern to speak to art critic Louisa Buck and Tate’s director, Maria Balshaw, about the importance of seeing art in the flesh and the new challenges of running a gallery.
A time for change?
July 20, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBRobert Bound is joined by guests from the film, publishing, art and music industries to talk about the future of the arts, how they have been affected by lockdown and whether this is an opportunity for positive change.
‘The Booksellers’
July 13, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWe speak to DW Young and Judith Mizrachy, the director and producer of new documentary ‘The Booksellers’, which offers a glimpse into the fascinating world of New York’s book collectors and traders.
Summer round-up
July 06, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWe dial up some of our cultural experts to find out what we should be watching, listening to and reading this summer. Robert Bound chats to broadcaster and journalist Kate Hutchinson, the writer Alex Preston and film critic Simran Hans.
Brit Bennett
June 29, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBAuthor Brit Bennett tells Robert Bound about her new novel, ‘The Vanishing Half’, which explores the lives of twin sisters in a black community in the US Deep South, who run away and live their lives differently: one as black, the other as white.
Home
June 22, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBThe AppleTV+ documentary series ‘Home’ visits unique properties around the world that have a sustainable or social remit. Robert Bound speaks to the series director, Doug Pray, and one of the featured designers, Christopher Brown, about what ‘home’ means.
Reopening the Guggenheim
June 15, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBThe directors of the Guggenheim’s Bilbao, Venice andNew York museums reflect on what they’ve missed since we went into lockdown, how they have been getting their art fixes and how things are different now as gallery doors reopen.
Róisín Murphy
June 08, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBSolo artist Róisín Murphy, the former lead singer of Moloko, tells us about the wonderfully trippy home music videos that she’s been making during lockdown and how her influences include Italian TV shows, queer music culture and cities with big rivers.
What’s the future for music mags?
May 25, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBAs some publications are suspended while others are in danger of being discontinued, we explore how the music press is holding up during the pandemic – and why it’s important that we keep it going. Robert Bound speaks to Stuart Stubbs, editor of ‘Loud and Quiet’ and Laura Snapes, deputy music editor at ‘The Guardian’.
Richard Russell, XL Recordings
May 18, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWe speak to Richard Russell, head of XL Recordings, about his new book, his career producing records for the likes of Adele and Bobby Womack and his collaboration with Gil Scott-Heron.
Pop in a pandemic
May 11, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBMusic journalists Kate Hutchinson and Will Hodgkinson join Robert Bound to take a look at how the music industry has reacted and adapted to the current pandemic, and what sort of creativity that has sparked.
Onscreen in lockdown
May 04, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBCritics Simran Hans and Scott Bryan divulge a few hidden TV and film gems to get you through the rest of lockdown.
Olivia Laing
April 27, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBNovelist and art writer Olivia Laing tells Robert Bound about ‘Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency’, her new collection of essays, columns and character studies from the past decade.
Spring books and music
April 20, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWill Hodgkinson and Lucy Scholes tell us about the best new music and books to enjoy this month, and the golden oldies they have been revisiting during lockdown.
Melissa Harrison
April 13, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWriter Melissa Harrison tells Robert Bound about her new podcast on nature, ‘The Stubborn Light of Things’. She talks about writing during a period of change, how getting in touch with the outdoors changed her life and why we should believe the hype about nightingales.
Craig Brown
April 06, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBRobert Bound speaks to writer Craig Brown about his new biography of the Beatles, called ‘One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time’. How do you say something fresh about one of the most written-about bands in history?
Broadcasting during a pandemic
March 30, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBWe look at the role of public broadcasters during the pandemic. TV critic Scott Bryan tells us what the BBC has been up to while the CBC/Radio-Canada’s Catherine Tait talks about the practicalities of producing for a multilingual country. Plus: we head to northern California to discuss the value of local radio.
‘The Mirror & the Light’ by Hilary Mantel
March 16, 2020 20:00 - 41.2 MBRobert Bound, John Mitchinson and Ted Hodgkinson review the final – and rather hefty – instalment of Hilary Mantel's Thomas Cromwell trilogy.
The Kingmaker
December 16, 2019 20:00 - 41.2 MBLauren Greenfield interviews Imelda Marcos in this fascinating new documentary, which takes a look at the life of the former first lady of the Philippines and the controversies surrounding her husband’s dictatorship. Ben Rylan, Karen Krizanovich and Jason Solomons review.
The Sessions at Midori House: One True Pairing
September 19, 2019 09:00 - 22.9 MBFormer Wild Beasts bassist Tom Fleming has launched a solo career under the name One True Pairing, taken from a fan-fiction title. He plays some tracks in the studio and tells us about his debut album, which he describes as his “angry, northern Springsteen record”.
‘Succession’
September 09, 2019 20:00 - 41.2 MBRobert Bound is joined by Tim Robey and Scott Bryan to discuss ‘Succession’, the HBO dark comedy about media tycoons the Roy family.
The Sessions at Midori House: Amadou & Mariam and the Blind Boys of Alabama
September 05, 2019 15:27 - 20.1 MBUS gospel choir the Blind Boys of Alabama have joined forces with Malian duo Amadou & Mariam in a project called ‘From Bamako to Birmingham’. They each play a track of their own plus their collaboration in the studio.
The Sessions at Midori House: From the archives – The Charlatans
July 05, 2019 16:30 - 22.2 MBWe relive a performance by The Charlatans from 2017. Robert Bound met the band at the time of the release of their album ‘Different Days’.
The Sessions at Midori House: From the archives – Oscar Jerome
June 27, 2019 16:30 - 22.3 MBTake another listen to a 2018 performance by UK neo-soul singer Oscar Jerome, who brought some chilled, summery vibes to Midori House.
The Sessions at Midori House: Mixtape
June 21, 2019 16:30 - 19.4 MBWe revisit performances by Julia Holter, Sam Evian, Saint Etienne and Margo Price from our musical archives.
The Sessions at Midori House: Lewis OfMan
June 13, 2019 11:30 - 27.9 MBThis week’s guest is French pop musician Lewis OfMan, who might only be in his early twenties but is fast on the rise. He has already soundtracked fashion shows for some of France’s top maisons, composed and produced for Vendredi Sur Mer and Rejjie Snow, and is in the process of finishing his debut solo album.
The Sessions at Midori House: From the archives: Jordan Rakei
June 07, 2019 16:45 - 18.4 MBAhead of the release of his third album, we listen back to a few tracks that New Zealand-born, Brisbane-raised musician Jordan Rakei played for us during performances in 2016 and 2017.
The Sessions at Midori House: Andreya Triana
May 30, 2019 11:00 - 19.8 MBBritish singer Andreya Triana performs some tracks from her new album ‘Life In Colour’.
Thunder Road
May 27, 2019 19:02 - 33 MBRobert Bound meets Jim Cummings, director, writer and star of brand new film ‘Thunder Road’. It’s a tender comedy about a Texan police officer trying to forge a relationship with his young daughter, while also grieving for his recently deceased mother.
The Sessions at Midori House: Lola Kirke
May 23, 2019 14:15 - 28.3 MBYou might recognise actress Lola Kirke from *Gone Girl* and *Mistress America* but she revealed her musical talents last year with debut album *Heart Head West*. She dropped into Midori House to play tracks new and old.