On this very special episode of Be Grand, it’s time to go way back.  Back to a wild, strange and alien time and place that we call the year 2005.  A time of NME, floppy fringes, skinny jeans, retro stylings, eyeliner and something called indie.  Oh, and the small matter of a groundbreaking, life-affirming club night that brought indie music to Dublin in a way that just hadn’t been witnessed before and made the place feel like the centre of a musical universe.  This is the story of Antics. Hitting the much-missed Harcourt Street venue of Crawdaddy in November 2005 like a meteorite that had first crashed through a Top Shop warehouse and a guitar factory, Antics was the brainchild of three friends named Craig Harper, John Goucher and Dave Parle.  Tired of the stale scene surrounding them and with nowhere that played the kind of music they or their mates were into, the DJs took their growing love of the indie rock boom of the early 21st Century and gave it a home in the heart of the city; a home that Andy would soon call his own, like Roger in Sister Sister. Craig joins Andy to talk about Antics’ incredible legacy and the special place it holds in the hearts of anyone who attended.  From the early days of half-empty dance floors to the soaring heights that saw the likes of James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem behind the decks, Craig gives us a firsthand account of what it was like to pour your heart into something and have it succeed.  Also joining Andy to talk style, tunes and VK Ice is his beloved Antics crew of Colm O’Brien, Tony McDermott, Niamh Farrell, Cat Bradley and Meg Dunne.  Plus there’s a brilliant contribution from ace journalist Andrea Cleary, who charts the rise and fall of the indie scene from 2005 to the strange half-life it now inhabits. An epic episode of Be Grand that we loved making, this celebrated a wee Wednesday night in happier times when fashions changed, songs were sung and lifelong friendships were forged. Don’t forget to review and subscribe!  Stay safe and enjoy! https://twitter.com/gottheshift https://twitter.com/BeGrandAndy https://twitter.com/emordino https://twitter.com/TonyMcDermot https://twitter.com/Ham_Sandwich https://twitter.com/AndreaCleary_

Be Grand

16: The Story Of Antics

TW: This episode features discussions of abuse. Joining Andy this week on Be Grand is Dalal Alshohaib, whose story of escaping a forced marriage is both a harrowing and inspiring tale, which took Dalal from Saudi Arabia to the States, before finding a happy ending in Ireland.  After growing up in Saudi Arabia, Dalal’s life changed completely when at the age of eight her family moved to the United States. Here Dalal fell in love with the culture and enjoyed incredibly happy schooldays. However a move back Saudi Arabia saw Dalal struggle with an oppressive culture she was no longer used to. This was followed by an increasingly abusive situation at home and at the age of 18, she was given the news that she would be forced to marry a man she had never met.     Dalal chats to Andy about the dark times that followed, as this marriage obliterated all feelings of hope as she felt she life was no longer her own, and the measures she took in order to survive.     The story does however have a happy ending as Dalal eventually escaped this marriage, and fled the country to start a new life in Ireland with a man she truly loved. Dalal talks to Andy about how even now she will never take for granted the simple joy of sitting on the sofa, watching tv, with someone you truly feel safe with.  Dalal’s story is a truly astonishing one and she hopes it is proof to people in similar situations that there is hope, no matter how dark things can be. 

15: Dalal Alshohaib

Joining Andy this week on Be Grand is Senator Eileen Flynn. Eileen made history recently as the first person from the travelling community to be elected to the Oireachtas.  Eileen talks to Andy about growing up and how the legacies and lessons of her parents would stay with her throughout her life. These include how her father’s love of the news would provide Eileen’s first taste of politics and what she thinks he would have said when she made the airwaves plus how her mother’s kind way of dealing with the racism shown towards her and her sister always made them feel okay.     Plus as suicide rates among the travelling community remain shockingly high Eileen talks about what urgently needs to be done to try and combat this and the struggle with trusting a system that has constantly let you down.  All this plus Eileen’s first sparks with activism which lead to sparks of a… different kind and keeping your twin out of trouble.     A genuine inspiration, Eileen’s story proves that you might just get to where you want in life despite what people think you can do.  @Love1solidarity 

14: Senator Eileen Flynn

We love and admire all of the wonderful guests who’ve visited the Be Grand principal’s office over the last couple of years, but for purely personal reasons this week’s guest occupies a very special place in Andy’s heart.  A game-changer in both the figurative and literal senses, we are overjoyed to welcome the legendary John Romero. As the creative visionary behind the classic titles Wolfenstein 3D, Quake and the immortal Doom series, John’s work had a transformative effect on the computer game industry, popularising the first-person shooter and bringing an ultra-violent, adrenaline-fuelled intensity to gaming that anyone who played the games at an impressionable age has never forgotten.  These were games that you didn’t just play - you lived.  John takes Andy back to where his story began, recounting how playing Pac Man in an arcade as a kid inculcated in him a lifelong love of the medium and drove him to delve into not just how games functioned but what they could be.  He also discusses how it feels when you realise you’ve created something that has never been seen before, the pride he feels in his legacy and in the community that has evolved around his games, which has led to countless friendships and relationships that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. Just in case you didn’t think he was cool to begin with, John also talks about going to school on an army base and what it was like to have a step-dad who may or may not have been a spy.  There’s also discussion on John and Andy’s mutual love of horror cinema, seeing Star Wars for the first time, and what question he’d set should Doom ever make the Leaving Cert syllabus. This episode is the story of a man whose work will live forever and what is possible with hard graft, talent and abundant love for the medium. Remember to subscribe, like and review where possible.  Stay safe! https://twitter.com/romero https://www.instagram.com/begrandpod/ https://twitter.com/HiAndyGaffney https://twitter.com/gottheshift

13: John Romero

Han and Chewie, Morecambe and Wise, drunk texting and guilt - all famous double acts. Today’s guest in the Be Grand playground knows all about this topic as he is half of one of the most popular double acts in Irish radio history - Dermot and Dave. Yes, Be Grand is very lucky to be joined by the wonderful Dave Moore! Dave joins Andy to chat about his truly brilliant and adventurous road to radio, which features so many twist and turns, it feels like the man has lived ten lives. Stories include his childhood love of heavy metal leading him to pursue a career in a band, only to put that on hold to live (and get shot) in Russia, before being called home again by his love for music...and all before he had sent off his first demo to a radio station! Speaking of life turns and taking chances, Dave tells Andy the genuinely lovely story of how a letter to two aliens from the Planet Zog about a certain Velcro Girl would be the start of a romance fit for the big screen. Plus of course, he tells the story of how he met the other love of his life (Dermot) and the days on the radio show that will live with him forever. Andy and Dave also chat about their love of boybands, the importance of bag stains in a chippers, and Be Grand breaks out the dreaded French tape test.  A lovely nice warm episode which features two old mates having a chat, which is made all the easier when your mate is Dave Moore, one of the nicest and most talented men you could meet. @DaveTodayFM   

12: Dave Moore

This week’s Be Grand has been 65 million years in the making as joining us is palaeontologist Dr. Caitlin Colleary for a dino filled chat.     Caitlin is a molecular palaeontologist and curator of vertebrate palaeontology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and she joins Andy this week to discuss why kids (and adults) have always fallen in love with the magic of dinosaurs.    Caitlin answers the dinosaur themed questions that Andy has always wanted to ask, such as what happened to the dinosaurs, could we bring them back and what do the movies get wrong. The answer to that last question may genuinely shock you. She also discusses how the mistakes of the past could help us in the future.     All this and the normal Be Grand fare, including possibly the coolest answer to our opening TV question we’ve ever had. A genuinely fun and interesting episode with Dr Caitlin delightfully putting up with Andy’s excited childlike questions.     Be Grand - the podcast that is so preoccupied with whether it could, it never stops to think about if it should.  https://twitter.com/hypothecait https://www.cmnh.org/  

11: Dr. Caitlin Colleary - Palaeontologist

CW: This episode of Be Grand features descriptions of racist attitudes and their impacts, which may cause distress. Joining Andy in the Be Grand schoolyard this week is Boni Odoemene, co-founder of the Black And Irish Instagram account, which aims to highlight and celebrate the struggles and successes of Ireland’s black community.  At a time when the brutal injustices and cruel prejudices inflicted on black people have rarely been more apparent, Boni explains why the perception of black culture and history in Ireland needs to be fundamentally reassessed, starting with how changing the narrative in the Irish education system can help our society evolve and eradicate anti-black attitudes.  Boni also describes some of the truly vile and disgusting acts of racism he and his siblings have suffered, the trauma of which once led him to contemplate bleaching his own skin. This will understandably be a difficult listen for some and Boni deserves enormous admiration and respect for his openness and willingness to discuss what he’s endured.  But the chat also features some of Boni’s most joyous school experiences, such as the intricacies of schoolboy football and the importance of the perennial schoolyard currency that is Football Sticker collection.  To top it all off there is the usual Be Grand silliness taking in Friday night excursions to Xtra Vision (sadly missed) and an absolute masterclass in how to do a Leaving Cert resit based on those two cornerstones of education - 1920’s cinema and, the sound of this and every other summer, Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”. This was one of the most important episodes we think we’ve produced.  It was an honour to chat to a gent like Boni and maybe with the work and advocacy exhibited by groups like Black And Irish, the world may one day become a better place. Please remember to like, review, subscribe and share.  Stay safe! https://www.instagram.com/black_andirish/ https://www.facebook.com/BlackandIrish https://twitter.com/bonbonod https://www.instagram.com/begrandpod/ https://twitter.com/HiAndyGaffney https://twitter.com/gottheshift

10: Boni Odoemene

Probably best to have the number for Liveline on speed dial for this one as this week’s guest on Be Grand is Doctor Caroline West.  A writer and lecturer who holds a PhD and MA in Sexuality Studies, Caroline is the host of the excellent Glow West podcast as well as a sex columnist for Evoke and she swings by the studio to discuss Ireland’s troubled relationship with sex, its history as a taboo subject in Irish society and the disastrous consequences of this suppression that has left the country playing catch-up in terms of sex positivity. There’s also a discussion on how sex is often portrayed on TV, ranging from the cringe-inducing mistakes that blight the depiction, to the impact of Eurotrash on a younger Caroline’s worldview, and the trouble with Normal People*. And we ain’t talking about Paul Mescal’s shorts, here. Finally, there’s the story of how Caroline and another former guest on Be Grand once got into a heated debate with an Irish TV personality on The Sugarhill Gang.  Look, this is Be Grand - you want sophisticated discussion, you listen to the London Review of Books podcast, okay? Remember to like, review and subscribe or even recommend us to a friend. Stay safe and take care! https://iamcarolinewest.com (https://iamcarolinewest.com/) https://twitter.com/CarolineWest_IE https://twitter.com/glow_west_ https://twitter.com/HiAndyGaffney https://twitter.com/gottheshift https://www.instagram.com/begrandpod/

9: Dr Caroline West

This week, Be Grand becomes Bflat Grand as our guest is the composer Sarah Lynch, who has composed for film, television, and gaming.    One of the most powerful tools a movie has to tell its story is music. From the excitement of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” to the sadness of “Schindler’s List”, a good score can elevate a scene into greatness. Sarah joins Andy to chat about the process of creating a score for film and computer games, and what it feels like to go from playing the fiddle to get into pubs as a teenager, to hearing the John Williams orchestra play your score. She also chats about being mistaken for Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” and playing music for the TV phenomenon “Normal People”, having lived the “Normal People” life in Trinity College herself.  Sarah currently features as part of Women in Harmony whose cover of “Dreams” is raising money for Safe Ireland. This wonderful project also features Be Grand’s good pal Niamh Farrell, plus tonnes of other incredible artists whilst raising money for an incredible worthy cause. You can find more info on Sarah’s Twitter page linked below and you can donate to Safe Ireland by texting SAFE to 50300 to donate 4euro. https://twitter.com/lynchsc

8: Sarah Lynch - Composer

Our guest this week on Be Grand is the screenwriter Kevin LeHane. Kevin’s credits include his booze fuelled alien West of Ireland invasion movie ‘Grabbers’ and writing for Neil Gaiman’s ‘Likely Stories’.  Kevin joins Andy for a very honest chat, lifting the lid on the world of screenwriting as they chat about the highs and lows of trying to get your story told. Kevin chats about the amazing feeling of seeing your vision literally come together in front of your eyes, and how seeing a poster for your movie up in the local cinema might be best feeling ever, plus how sometimes you have to let go of the things you most loved about a project. Kevin also tells Andy the one thing he wish he knew about screenwriting when he first started.     Kevin chats about the difficulty of being the only kid with an English accent in an Irish class and of course this being Be Grand, Kevin and Andy chat about a mutual love of ‘Star Trek’.  This episode only features not one, but two genuinely amazing stories about Xtravision. Other podcasts might just drop one local VHS rental story in but Be Grand thinks you deserve better than that.    So join Kevin and Andy as they chat fighting aliens, arch rivals on results day and try to discover what hard water is.  As always if you like what you hear please rate, review and subscribe.  https://twitter.com/KevinLehane https://twitter.com/HiAndyGaffney https://www.instagram.com/begrandpod/ http://www.theshift.ie 

7: Kevin LeHane

This week’s guest on Be Grand is a presenter, producer and something of an Oracle when it comes to electronic entertainment (or “video gaming” as your parents call it) - the mighty Lucy James of GameSpot who kindly joins Andy to chat about what made her the person she is today. Lucy hails from the industrial city of Newcastle in England’s northeast and she talks about her formative years there as a wannabe psychologist with a passion for criminology and Star Trek* before a chance encounter with a certain Rockstar Games title set in the Wild West shifted her perspective and a new found love of gaming soon took over. Lucy explains what it is about gaming she fell in love with and how, in an increasingly uncertain world where we need to maintain social distancing rules, gaming is something that can forge ties between people and provide a much-needed source of escapism in dark times. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and of the brilliant achievements of the Black Lives Matter protests in just a few weeks, Lucy also addresses how prejudice and unexamined white privilege manifest in the games industry as well as what challenges await if it’s to change for the better. Then there’s a novel theory on how your favourite character in Top Gun can be used as a barometer for your maturity (Andy does note fare well, you’ll no doubt be astonished to learn) before both contributors put their psychology qualifications to the test and try to determine how they can influence a room full of people. An absolute badass who understands both the fun and importance of games, Lucy is a joy of a guest. She’s deserving of special thanks because she somehow found time to chat to Andy in the same week as she was hard at work launching GameSpot’s charity streams throughout June to raise money for both Black Lives Matter and Covid-19 relief efforts. Details for all the streams can be found on Lucy’s Twitter at the link below. Remember to like, subscribe and leave a nice review!  Stay safe and take care. https://twitter.com/lucyjamesgames https://twitter.com/hiandygaffney https://twitter.com/gottheshift   * Look, it’s probably easier if you just assume that every future guest on Be Grand is a Trekkie. It will save us from having to type it all the time.

6: Lucy James

Joining Andy in this edition of Be Grand is singer songwriter Paddy Hanna. Paddy is one of the most exciting talents around, with a skill for writing a catchy ear-worm, a voice that sounds like Scott Walker and a charismatic wit, which makes him the perfect performer.    Born with an eye for the darker underbelly and the outsiders of life, Paddy’s childhood would come to greatly influence him, from his love of horror movies to his enduring predilection for the outlaws in life. Paddy learned it’s always more fun to do the thing that people are not expecting (such as befriending your school principal just because you want to). This attitude has guided him throughout his life, influencing decisions in his career and ultimately teaching him the most fun you can have in life is proving people wrong.  Paddy also chats to Andy about the times in life he thought he had lost it all, his experience of hanging out with a Star Trek captain and how he has learnt that the best things in life are worth waiting for.   Paddy Hanna’s third album ‘The Hill’ will be released on September 25 and is available to pre-order via https://www.strangebrew.ie/. Its lead single ‘Cannibals’ is available now on all digital platforms.  www.paddyhanna.bandcamp.com (http://www.paddyhanna.bandcamp.com/) www.soundcloud.com/paddy-hanna (http://www.soundcloud.com/paddy/hanna) http://www.breakingtunes.com/paddyhanna www.twitter.com/paddyhanna (http://www.twitter.com/paddyhannamusic) http://www.facebook.com/Paddyhannamusic www.strangebrew.ie (http://www.strangebrew.ie/)  

5: Paddy Hanna

This week Andy is joined by journalist, broadcaster and stylist Jo Linehan. As the world hurtles even further beyond the point of no return, thoughts turn to what each of us can do to lead a more environmentally-sustainable way of life and preserve the Earth’s few precious natural resources.  Andy considers one such resource to be “JJ72” so, if nothing else, Jo’s puts him straight on that one Jo’s own show, “The Futurist Podcast”, highlights people and places currently making waves in sustainability.  With a scope that takes in fashion, design and even influencers, Jo has documented these industries’ moves towards a more ecologically sound way of working while also considering the lengths they must go to before they can truly be considered environmentally-friendly.  Ireland’s own attitude towards sustainability also comes under discussion and, with the world reeling from the havoc wrought by Covid-19, Andy asks what will be the unforeseen consequences now that most people have grown accustomed to working from home while wearing their pyjamas all day (Don’t pretend we’re the only ones who do that). Plus, there’s chat about Jo’s role as a stylist and interior designer with the wildly successful Gaff Interiors and her secret history as a drummer, which saw her playing a gig on the same bill as… look, if you don’t know what band it was then frankly you have no business listening to this podcast*.  Let’s just say Jo doesn’t need to worry about picking up any points in the music round. All of this and Andy attempts to recreate the music aural exam from Jo’s Leaving Cert.  You can probably guess how well that goes. Stay safe, remember to subscribe and leave us a review and thanks for listening! https://twitter.com/jo_linehan https://twitter.com/GAFFINTERIORS https://twitter.com/HiAndyGaffney https://twitter.com/gottheshift * For the love of God, please keep listening to this podcast

4: Jo Linehan

In an episode so epic in scope and so dramatic in its execution that it instantly reduces the likes of Avatar, the MCU films and the Skywalker Saga to a pitiful irrelevance*, Andy is joined on a truly blockbuster edition of Be Grand by Empire magazine’s very own James Dyer. As a journalist for one of the biggest movie magazines on the planet as well as a contributor to its spin-off podcast and the host of its sister TV podcast Pilot, James arrives at Be Grand Towers bearing a genuine treasure chest of stories from his many adventures in Hollywoodland.  Stories such as his time spent with Arnold Schwarzenegger, getting to see the James Cameron Museum of, er, James Cameron and everything you wanted to know about what kind of things happen to a film journalist that you were afraid to ask. As someone who spent his some of his childhood running around the sets of Star Wars it’s no surprise that the saga is of massive importance to James so Andy, of course, needs no encouragement to delve deep into their mutual love (adventure, excitement, a podcast host who won’t go off on his own agenda - a Jedi craves not these things).  But it’s not all a walk on the light side however as James discusses the uncertain future of the franchise after a rocky year. James has an olympian knowledge and passion for film, which made this a wonderful episode to produce and should be a treat for movie buffs as the intrepid duo also chat movie scores, what makes a good reviewer and what the future holds for cinema as all the old certainties that underpinned our way of life are up-ended.  All that plus James even turns answering a leaving cert question using Star Trek First Contact as his text into a beautiful meditation on life.  We honestly think this episode is box office gold and hope you will too! https://twitter.com/jamescdyer https://twitter.com/empiremagazine https://twitter.com/PilotTVMag https://twitter.com/gottheshift https://twitter.com/HiAndyGaffney * Not strictly true

3: James Dyer - Empire

it might be the podcasting equivalent of sitting anxiously outside the principal’s office but somehow, quite mystifyingly if we’re honest, Be Grand lurches ominously forward like a battle-scarred T-800.  This week, Andy is joined by his old buddy and Hamsandwich front woman Niamh Farrell.   In this, the second episode recorded during lockdown, Niamh talks about the challenges that any spiring musician can expect to face, like how you shouldn’t necessarily take it as a bad omen if your debut gig took place on 9/11 or how to continue singing when Bon Jovi’s road crew is carrying out some minor construction work directly behind you as you perform. Also how you should keep going even when your band’s morale is at its lowest and how you should ignore the people attempting to drown you in bull excrement (figuratively, of course). Plus there are the fixtures of Be Grand: the “Frank Sinatra” moments and how having your heart broken can be your City on the Edge of Forever (ask your friendly Star Trek fan for that reference).  A badass, a grafter and a great friend, Niamh Farrell is living proof that everything, even during a pandemic, can Be Grand. Remember to like us on iTunes.  Stay safe! https://twitter.com/niamhsandwich https://twitter.com/Ham_Sandwich https://twitter.com/begrandpod https://twitter.com/gottheshift

2: Niamh Farrell

Andy Gaffney is not very clever. And not in a cute “How old were you when you realised…” way – more in a “didn’t know Barcelona was in Spain” way. But maybe he can fix that! BE GRAND: THE LEAVING CERT RESIT is the show where Andy invites very clever talented people onto the show to relive their school days, talk about how they ended doing what they do and along the way, they can earn some completely pointless points by answering Leaving Cert questions from the year they did it. All in the hope that Andy’s sponge-like brain soaks up this new knowledge! That and provide some sweet sweet light entertainment of course…

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Be Grand

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