Rob Watson's Media Stuff
107 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago -This is a podcast in which Rob share’s some media stuff
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Episodes
Distraction Therapy 081 – Driving Around or Living a Meaningful Life
March 03, 2023 18:31 - 1 hour - 59 MBRyan and I got together at the recently extended Phoenix Cinema and Digital Arts Centre in Leicester, for a chat about what makes for a meaningful life. Ryan shared his experience of getting a car and being stuck in endless traffic trying to get to work. This was the first time we’ve met in the [...] The post Distraction Therapy 081 – Driving Around or Living a Meaningful Life first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 080 – 2022 Review
December 30, 2022 19:16 - 1 hour - 58.6 MBIn our final podcast of 2022, Ryan and I met for a coffee and chatted about how we are coping during the festive season, what films and books we’ve been watching and reading, and how to show sincerity when attempting to get the Christmas Feeling when buying tat in an out-of-town shopping centre! The post Distraction Therapy 080 – 2022 Review first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 079 – Literary Leicester
December 16, 2022 19:54 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBIt was really nice to have a coffee this morning with Jonathan Taylor and Paul Whitehead, who are based at the University of Leicester’s Centre for New Writing. We chatted about the way that literature has faced the challenge of the consumer society, and what role literature plays in a progressive and democratic society. As [...] The post Distraction Therapy 079 – Literary Leicester first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 078 – Dafydd Roberts Listen to the Voice of Fire
December 01, 2022 14:23 - 1 hour - 76 MBToday I chatted with Dafydd Roberts, about Listen to the Voice of Fire, Dafydd’s music project that encompasses sound art and experimental music performances. Since relocating to West Wales, to pursue a PhD in the alchemical writings of Thomas Vaughan (fl.1650), Dafydd has been active in DIY underground music networks since the early 90s. His [...] The post Distraction Therapy 078 – Dafydd Roberts Listen to the Voice of Fire first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 077 – Inspiration Beyond the Merch
November 20, 2022 19:54 - 1 hour - 55.7 MBFor the first time in ages, Ryan and I met up to chat and discuss what we’ve been up to for the Distraction Therapy podcast. This was the first time we’d met on a Sunday morning, though the coffee was on hand as ever. We spent some time discussing Ryan’s visit to the Thought Bubble [...] The post Distraction Therapy 077 – Inspiration Beyond the Merch first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 076 – Bikram Yoga and Symbolic Resonance
October 03, 2022 16:15 - 59 minutes - 54.4 MBRyan and I met up on Saturday morning for our regular coffee and chat. Ryan came hot-footed from a bikram yoga session, and was super energised. We chatted about the after-effects of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, and how narrow many of our cultural options have become. It turns out I was a few hours away from [...] The post Distraction Therapy 076 – Bikram Yoga and Symbolic Resonance first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 075 – Emergent Arts and Media
August 20, 2022 16:34 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBRyan and I caught up for a coffee again this morning, to find out what films and books we’ve been reading. We chatted about how forms of media can be thought of as emergent, and considered what a metamodern radio station might feel like. Ryan mentioned Arrow Cult Films, the films of Anton Tarkovsky and [...] The post Distraction Therapy 075 – Emergent Arts and Media first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy Podcast 074 – Surviving the Heatwave
July 24, 2022 19:09 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBWhat was the heatwave like for you? That was our starting topic in this latest episode of Distraction Therapy. Ryan and I chatted about what insight we gained about climate crisis, and what manifestations of anxiety we might see emerging in films, songs and creative media, that compensate for the need for urgent action? We’ll [...] The post Distraction Therapy Podcast 074 – Surviving the Heatwave first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 073 – Distracting Ourselves To Death
July 04, 2022 09:19 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBThe degree to which we need suitable distractions in our lives, is in direct proportion to the level of anxiety that we experience as a result of modern culture, working practices and social expectations. The more media and stuff that we try to cram into our heads, the less we are open to the experience [...] The post Distraction Therapy 073 – Distracting Ourselves To Death first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 072 – Transcendental Coffee
June 16, 2022 07:00 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBRyan Clayton and I met for a coffee, neither of us knowing what we wanted to discuss. It was an experiment in seeing what might emerge! In the end we tried to discuss Kant’s transcendental philosophy, and what it’s implications might be for engaging with metamodern culture? What does a symbolic experience help us to [...] The post Distraction Therapy 072 – Transcendental Coffee first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 071 – Recollections
June 09, 2022 08:52 - 57 minutes - 53 MBHi, in this episode of Distraction Therapy I’ve put some music together, and added some thoughts on what a listening-focussed approach to social deliberation might feel like. Music Played: The Bottom Line (Sunrise Session II) Ólafur Arnalds, Josin & Reykjavík Recording Orchestra Sunrise Session II Leyohmi (Luminescence) – Carolina Eyck & American Contemporary Music Ensemble [...] The post Distraction Therapy 071 – Recollections first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 070 – Caffeinated Conversations
May 29, 2022 18:38 - 58 minutes - 54 MBHow can we use popular media to bridge the gaps in our knowledge of the world? Over a coffee, Ryan Clayton and Rob Watson discuss how we can make sense of popular media, and what a metamodern outlook might encompass as we wander about the cultural wasteland… The post Distraction Therapy 070 – Caffeinated Conversations first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 069 – Ryan and Rob in the Metaverse of Madness
May 14, 2022 21:02 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBIs the new Marvel movie, Dr Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, a metamodern film? What would a metamodern radio station sound like, and what topics would it cover? Ryan and I chatted over a coffee and tried to figure out what to make of these things. The post Distraction Therapy 069 – Ryan and Rob in the Metaverse of Madness first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy – 068 May Thoughts
May 10, 2022 19:51 - 57 minutes - 53 MBNow that spring is here, it was lovely to be able to sit in Castle Gardens and record some observations and thoughts, and to play some music. Also included in this episode is a feature I recorded with Lucy Stevens about here work Colour Coded Birds, which is in collaboration with Leicester Museum service. Music [...] The post Distraction Therapy – 068 May Thoughts first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 067 – Meaning and Archetypes in Popular Culture
May 01, 2022 18:15 - 58 minutes - 53.8 MBIt was a pleasure, as always, to chat with Ryan Clayton about popular culture, metamodernism and archetypal symbols that have currency in our times. This week we chatted about Fantastic Beats: The Secrets of Dumbledore, James Bond, and a load of other stuff that we hand’t prepared beforehand, but were happy to follow our intuition [...] The post Distraction Therapy 067 – Meaning and Archetypes in Popular Culture first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 066 – Learning to Reflect
April 09, 2022 16:29 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBOnce again, coffee propelled our conversation this morning, as Ryan and I turned our thoughts to the process of reflection and getting to grips with the challenges of modern life. Our conclusion was to take and share more pictures of cats and dogs, and to lighten up! It’s easier said than done, but at least [...] The post Distraction Therapy 066 – Learning to Reflect first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 065 – Making Meaning Over Coffee
March 13, 2022 19:40 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThere are worse ways to spend Saturday morning than drinking coffee and chatting with Ryan Clayton about the meaning crisis and metamodernism for a podcast. It gave us the chance to explore some ideas about what we are reading and watching, and how we are integrating the living mythologies into daily life. The post Distraction Therapy 065 – Making Meaning Over Coffee first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 064 – Making Sense of Ukraine
February 27, 2022 12:01 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBWhat was intended to be a general conversation about metamodernist sense-making, turned into discussion of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and how it has unfolded across our media in recent days. Rather than taking a position or a stance, Ryan and I considered the challenge of finding sure ground when faced with the exercise [...] The post Distraction Therapy 064 – Making Sense of Ukraine first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 063 – Metamodern Coffee Chat
February 20, 2022 15:15 - 57 minutes - 53 MBIf postmodernity is about playful signifiers and pastiche, then how is metamoderninity different? Ryan Clayton and I met up for a coffee, and we chatted about how we think the ‘new sincerity’ that metamodern cultural practice works? Is this sensibility to be found in the artwork itself, in the creative practice, or in the relationship [...] The post Distraction Therapy 063 – Metamodern Coffee Chat first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 062 – Travels in Metamodernity
February 16, 2022 22:31 - 57 minutes - 53 MBContinuing a set of vague and unspecific wanderings, where I try to form a sense of what metamodernism is in practice, this week’s episode is a mash-up of collected of extracts taken from videos discussing metamodernism on YouTube. Various people talk about metamodernism, and discuss where the concept has come from as a concept, and [...] The post Distraction Therapy 062 – Travels in Metamodernity first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 061 – Metamodern Amble
February 05, 2022 20:53 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThis week, Ryan Clayton and I had a stroll around Leicester, and mulled over some terms and reference points for what we think metamodernism could be about based on the environment and the culture that we inhabit. The question of what metamodernism is can’t be answered from a seminar room or in discussions between policy [...] The post Distraction Therapy 061 – Metamodern Amble first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 060 – Metamodern Dualism
January 30, 2022 22:30 - 57 minutes - 53 MBMetamodernism is perhaps the most influential and wide-ranging way of thinking about post-postmodernism. The proponents of metamodernism include cultural theorists Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker. The dualism of “ironic sincerity,” “informed naivete” and “pragmatic idealism” have come into view as the metamodern presents us with an oscillation between paradigmatically modern and postmodern attitudes. [...] The post Distraction Therapy 060 – Metamodern Dualism first appeared on R...
Distraction Therapy 059 – Metamodern Musings
January 24, 2022 08:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBWhat is metamodernism? This is the ongoing topic that Ryan Clayton and I are mulling over in our conversations. Is metamodernism simply an extension of postmodernism, or does it offer something new, and point towards an emerging ‘structure of feeling’ that is only now being brought into focus. Raymond Williams uses the “feeling rather than [...] The post Distraction Therapy 059 – Metamodern Musings first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 058 – Lucy Stevens Sound and Visual Artist
January 18, 2022 20:49 - 57 minutes - 53 MBIt was lovely to have an early morning walk in the frost with sound and visual artists Lucy Stevens. We walked through Leicester’s Aylestone Meadows and Lucy told me about how she approaches here work, how she finds inspiration in nature, and her future project working with Leicester Museum to curate an exhibition that depicts [...] The post Distraction Therapy 058 – Lucy Stevens Sound and Visual Artist first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 057 – Rob and Ryan Discuss Metamodernism
January 12, 2022 21:05 - 57 minutes - 53 MBIn this episode I chat with Ryan Clayton about our expectations for the coming year, and how we make sense of our experiences in relation to the creative work that we read, watch, listen to and view in our cultural lives. We are exploring what a metamodern approach to social life means, and how we [...] The post Distraction Therapy 057 – Rob and Ryan Discuss Metamodernism first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 056 – Christmas Mashup
December 16, 2021 14:11 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThis is the Distraction Therapy Christmas Mashup! A selection of songs celebrating the festive season from around the world. Relax, put your slippers on, have a hot chocolate, and sing along… The Christmas Song (feat. DA PUMP & Lead) – w-inds – The Christmas Song 3:56 Christmas Thanks for Nothing – Slow Club – Christmas, [...] The post Distraction Therapy 056 – Christmas Mashup first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 055 – Christmas Markets Around the World
December 15, 2021 10:27 - 57 minutes - 53 MBHere’s the track listing of this festive episode, with sounds from Christmas Markets from around the world. YouTube Edinburgh Christmas Market 2021 || Evening Walkthrough 4K https://youtu.be/EXgzc-4YXMU Edinburgh Christmas Market – Christmas Ambience https://youtu.be/GIxNS4UdxWw Frankfurt Germany City Walk 4K 🌃 4K Christmas Market Walking Tour https://youtu.be/Z3AXpaK0RkM Japan Christmas Market 2021 – Yokohama https://youtu.be/fTKo_0kNuT4 African Christmas [...] The post Distraction Therapy...
Distraction Therapy 054 – Leicester Lo-Fi Ten Year Photography Exhibition
December 05, 2021 12:30 - 57 minutes - 53 MBLeicester Lo-Fi is a community darkroom and photography collective that promotes fine art and traditional photographic processes, by supporting specialist knowledge and facilities, education and exhibitions. Leicester Lo-Fi started in 2011 with no place to call a home, but managed to put on workshops and events at any place that would have them, converting toilets [...] The post Distraction Therapy 054 – Leicester Lo-Fi Ten Year Photography Exhibition first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 053 – Evington Walk with Helen Pettman
December 02, 2021 08:12 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThe Evington Echo has been around for over forty years, and manages to keep readers informed and up to date on what’s happening in the village of Evington in Leicester. Helen Pettman is the editor of the Evington Echo, and we spent time walking and chatting about what makes a good community newspaper, and the [...] The post Distraction Therapy 053 – Evington Walk with Helen Pettman first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 051 – Metamodern Turn
November 17, 2021 13:11 - 57 minutes - 53 MBI want to use the Distraction Therapy podcast to explore what metamodernism means, and how our culture is shifting towards something that goes beyond postmodernity. We’ve established that we live in a world of signs and media, but we’ve not taken full account of how meaning is found in the depths of our shared consciousness. [...] The post Distraction Therapy 051 – Metamodern Turn first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 050 – Coventry and Community Radio
October 26, 2021 08:36 - 57 minutes - 53 MBI went to Coventry for the first time at the weekend, to attend the Community Radio Conference, and to check out the Coventry Capital of Culture. I’d never been to Coventry before, despite living nearby in Leicester. So, I had a wander about the city centre, and explored the old and the new buildings, before [...] The post Distraction Therapy 050 – Coventry and Community Radio first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 049 – Visit to Totnes
October 18, 2021 21:44 - 57 minutes - 53 MBAt the weekend I went to Totnes to undertake some work with Stelaria Media and Soundart Radio, about how community radio and university-based researchers can better support public engagement. I recorded some sounds from my journey, and had a chance to note some thoughts about the benefit of the community media approach to public engagement, [...] The post Distraction Therapy 049 – Visit to Totnes first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 048 – Leicester Heritage Walk With Hayley Rogers
October 11, 2021 21:16 - 57 minutes - 53 MBLast week I went for a stroll with Hayley Rogers, and we talked about her work with the Y-Heritage project, and what she has learnt about the changing nature of Leicester. We also listened to some French Synth pop. The post Distraction Therapy 048 – Leicester Heritage Walk With Hayley Rogers first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 047 – Walking on The Wildside
October 06, 2021 17:42 - 57 minutes - 53 MBI’m obsessed with walking tour videos on YouTube at the moment. I’ve been watching them as a virtual alternative to travelling during the lockdown. I’m also looking at them to learn how they are produced and presented, and the variations in form that they demonstrate. I’m hoping to build-up a picture of how they work, [...] The post Distraction Therapy 047 – Walking on The Wildside first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 046 – Liverpool Visit
September 29, 2021 18:45 - 57 minutes - 53 MBLast weekend I went to Liverpool to visit family for the first time in eighteen months. We stayed in the city centre and met up for a visit to New Brighton, where we enjoyed playing in the arcade, walking along the sea front and eating fish and chips. I captured some sounds and chit-chat along [...] The post Distraction Therapy 046 – Liverpool Visit first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 045 – YouTube Walking Tours Reviews
September 15, 2021 18:24 - 57 minutes - 53 MBI’ve been watching walking tours on YouTube, which are videos posted to show what different towns and cities are like around the world. There’s a continual flow of new videos being posted all the time, some taken from live-stream events, and others shot as a specific tour. I started by visiting places that I have [...] The post Distraction Therapy 045 – YouTube Walking Tours Reviews first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 044 – Knit and Natter and Virtual Sound Walks
September 09, 2021 11:15 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThis week I went to an event celebrating the work of a women’s group who have been meeting over Zoom over the lockdown in Leicester. They learnt how to knit and crochet, as well as using Zoom and YouTube to share skills in fostering a network of friends. It was lovely to be able to [...] The post Distraction Therapy 044 – Knit and Natter and Virtual Sound Walks first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 043 – Leicester the Home of King Lear
August 23, 2021 18:54 - 57 minutes - 53 MBI went for a walk through Leicester to test a new gimble that I’ve bought, and I captured some audio in the process. It’s interesting taking the audio from the video, because its less obvious what’s being referred to. The post Distraction Therapy 043 – Leicester the Home of King Lear first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 042 – Total Systems Change
August 16, 2021 15:48 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThis morning I went for a walk into Leicester City Centre, and recorded some thoughts reflecting on the need for total systems change that has been identified in the IPCC report about climate change. What does this mean for our towns, neighbourhoods and communities? How are we going to facilitate change positively? How can we [...] The post Distraction Therapy 042 – Total Systems Change first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 041 – Leicester Builds Back Better
July 26, 2021 23:07 - 57 minutes - 53 MBAs part of the Leicester Stories project, we went out into Leicester City Centre to ask people what they know of the Build Back Better slogan. Roy and Ryan were able to record some fascinating comments that help to show the wide variety of opinions and experiences that people have of the whole idea of [...] The post Distraction Therapy 041 – Leicester Builds Back Better first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 040 – Beth Piggott and LibertyUK Festival
July 19, 2021 21:08 - 57 minutes - 53 MBBeth Piggott is a producer with ArtReach, who has been working on the Liberty UK festival that is taking place in Leicester. Taking place across July and August, Liberty UK Leicester offers three art trails in the city centre. As a collaboration with members of the local community, the festival tells local residents stories and [...] The post Distraction Therapy 040 – Beth Piggott and LibertyUK Festival first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 039 – Parallel Lives with John Coster
July 12, 2021 14:12 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBHow we connect and build relationships with one another is an essential question for the future sustainability of both our local and our global communities. John Coster, of Leicester’s Documentary Media Centre, discusses and explains why he has established the Parallel Lives project, based here in Leicester, but with the aim of connecting people through [...] The post Distraction Therapy 039 – Parallel Lives with John Coster first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 038 – Moira Furnace Heritage Day
July 05, 2021 21:22 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBThe weather was perfect on Sunday for our visit to the Moira Furnace heritage and craft day. We chatted about the importance of valuing our heritage and making it accessible now that we are opening up from the pandemic. This was an opportunity to develop our media capture skills as part of the Y-Leicester Heritage [...] The post Distraction Therapy 038 – Moira Furnace Heritage Day first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 037 – Evington Community Gardening
June 25, 2021 08:15 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThe work of the volunteers at Evington House, has brought the gardens to life as a place of increasing biodiversity. It was lovely chatting with Helen and Geoff, and hearing about how they plan the garden so that it supports a wider-range of wildlife and looks after itself because they are increasingly recognising that not [...] The post Distraction Therapy 037 – Evington Community Gardening first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 036 – Mens Support Drop-In
June 19, 2021 21:27 - 57 minutes - 53 MBToday I had three conversations at the Hope CIC Men’s Support Drop-In Café, that takes place every other Saturday, 10.30am to 12.30pm at the Bishop Street Chapel Café in Leicester. I chatted with Tina Barton about her experience running support and development groups for women, and how the need for similar support networks for men [...] The post Distraction Therapy 036 – Mens Support Drop-In first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 035 – Hope Mens Drop-In
June 05, 2021 19:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThe need for public support as we come out of the lockdown is readily apparent all around us. Men often don’t come forward to ask for help because they are unfamiliar with expressing their emotions and asking for help. Mahesh Hettiarachchi has set up Hope Against Poverty, as a community interest company in Leicester, with [...] The post Distraction Therapy 035 – Hope Mens Drop-In first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 034 – Braunstone Gate Community Garden
May 22, 2021 20:51 - 57 minutes - 53 MBToday I went to visit the Braunstone Gate Community Garden, which is a volunteer-run pocket garden in the West End of Leicester. I spoke with John and Jeff about the origins of the garden, and about how they have managed during the lockdown. They told me how people can get involved, and what they feel [...] The post Distraction Therapy 034 – Braunstone Gate Community Garden first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 033 – Ways to Wellbeing
May 13, 2021 22:18 - 57 minutes - 53 MBToday I met with Kajal Nisha Patel, who runs Lightseekers, which aims to equipping each of us with tools and knowledge to better manage periods of stress. The aim is to cultivate healthier communities, which are centred around the concept of care. Kajal told me about how she has developed the idea of Lightseekers, and [...] The post Distraction Therapy 033 – Ways to Wellbeing first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 032 – May Meadows Walk
May 09, 2021 20:09 - 57 minutes - 53 MBEarlier I went for a walk to Aylestone Meadows in Leicester and captured the sound of the birds and wind rustling through the trees. I find these walks are a good way to capture my half-developed thoughts. Today I wanted to try to articulate more of my understanding of the importance of Carl Jung, and [...] The post Distraction Therapy 032 – May Meadows Walk first appeared on Rob Watson Media.
Distraction Therapy 031 – Leicester May Day
May 02, 2021 18:14 - 57 minutes - 53 MBWandering around Leicester city centre yesterday, and seeing people return to the cafés and bars left me with mixed emotions. On the one hand I’m dealing with the anxiety of going out to public places after being at home for so long. Then there’s the pleasure that comes with seeing people enjoying one another’s company. [...] The post Distraction Therapy 031 – Leicester May Day first appeared on Rob Watson Media.