Six Things Podcast

Six Things, Episode 4 – Isabel RogersThe Six Things podcast is the audio wing of the Six Things newsletter by Lev Parikian. In the third episode, I talk to Isabel Rogers, poet, novelist, cake-baker, occasional cello-practiser, and nearly full-time coal-tit-whisperer.2.50 Coal tits10.10 Victoria Wood17.35 Gardening21.00 Theorbos28.40 Loos In Space33.25 ORGAN2/ASLSP (As SLow aS Possible)Isabel’s website is here. Her Stockwell Park Orchestra books are here. Her poetry is here.The podcast’s music was written and recorded by Oliver Parikian.Read the Six Things Newsletter.Learn all about coal tits here. See photos of Isabel’s tame coal tits here.If for some reason you’re unfamiliar with the work of Victoria Wood, you could do worse than start with her legendary An Audience With Victoria Wood.Learn all about the theorbo here.Find out how many humans are in space. Find out how many toilets are in space.Find out more about John Cage’s As SLow aS Possible here. Get full access to Six Things at levparikian.substack.com/subscribe

Six Things, Episode 3 – Matt BrownThe Six Things podcast is the audio wing of the Six Things newsletter by Lev Parikian. In the third episode, I talk to Matt Brown, London explorer and main contributor to Londonist’s excellent Time Machine newsletter, which provides a weekly look at London’s history from unusual angles.3.50 Tube station smells8.55 Parakeets16.45 Wetherspoons carpets21.50 Wazzbaffles28.20 Diamond Geezer31.10 International Space StationMatt is here, and Londonist: Time Machine is here. Here are some of Matt’s books: The Boroughs of London, Atlas of Imagined Places, and Everything You Know About London Is Wrong.The podcast’s music was written and recorded by Oliver Parikian.Read the Six Things Newsletter.This is the original tube station smells map.Matt is 75% Matt and 25% parakeet. Track the spread of parakeets here.You should visit Handel House if you’re in London.There’s a site devoted to the joys of Wetherspoons carpets. The book is out of print, but there are plenty on eBay.All you need to know about wazzbaffles.Diamond Geezer, the Samuel Pepys of our age, blogs here.Find out when the ISS passes over your head. Get full access to Six Things at levparikian.substack.com/subscribe

Six Things, Episode 2 – Chris CoatesThe Six Things podcast is the audio wing of the Six Things newsletter by Lev Parikian. In the second episode, I talk to (in his words) full time social science writer in higher education, part-time idiot, and regular purveyor of niche drivel, Chris Coates.4.30 Portsmouth Sinfonia11.50 Japan’s Master of Restoration18.30 Julian & Sandy27.00 The Hunt for the Golden Mole33.00 He Dances For His Cormorants40.00 Nancy Banks-SmithChris is on Bluesky, Medium, Instagram and Substack.The podcast’s music was written and recorded by Oliver Parikian.Read the Six Things Newsletter.The Portsmouth Sinfonia’s album is on YouTube. Listen to a Radio 4 documentary about them, and watch a short film.Japan’s Master of Restoration is on iPlayer.There’s an hour-long compilation of Julian and Sandy sketches on YouTube.You can get The Hunt for the Golden Mole from Waterstones. And read a review here.Watch He Dances For His Cormorants.Read the Guardian's 2010 celebration of Nancy Banks-Smith. And here’s her 2001 piece about how she got into the job. Get full access to Six Things at levparikian.substack.com/subscribe

Six Things, Episode 1 – Jo WyldThe Six Things podcast is the audio wing of the Six Things newsletter by Lev Parikian. In the first episode, I talk to writer, musician, composer, librettist and adiminstrator Jo Wyld.4.20 Thing 1 – Carnyx10.35 Thing 2 – Kohlosseum14.15 Thing 3 – Midsomer Murders19.25 Thing 4 – Post Office Tower25.00 Thing 5 – Digesting Duck29.25 Thing 6 – Small Local MuseumsFind Jo on Bluesky or on her websiteThe podcast’s music was written and recorded by Oliver Parikian. Read the Six Things Newsletter.Watch the Digging for Britain episode featuring a carnyx.Read about the carnyx (and other musical instruments) in Asterix. Visit the Kohlosseum.If you don’t know about Midsomer Murders, learn all about it here.Matt Brown’s fact-filled guide to the Post Office Tower at Londonist.The Digesting Duck Automaton.Bach’s Musical Offering.Thame Museum.Petersfield Museum. Get full access to Six Things at levparikian.substack.com/subscribe