The Word with Miranda Rae

About 30 years ago I was lucky enough to there at the birth and literal explosion of a brand new British born genre, jungle, or Drum & Bass as more commonly known. There werent many females in the scene at the start, let alone DJ's but my guest in this podcast is a true pioneer and trailblazer of jungle and is now one of the world's top DnB DJ's & producers, DJ Dazee. The Ruff Neck Ting Crew were one of the first collectives to put on DnB nights and paved the way before anyone else was doing it! As well as still being uber successful promoters, they are a record label, and @dazeeruffneck is not just one of our top DJ's but also a producer, mentor, teacher and so much more!

In this episode DJ Dazee shares her journey, tips and stories from the last 30 years, a truely immersive experience into the pulsating world of Jungle/D&B music, showcasing its historical journey and enduring impact on British music culture.

Follow Dazee:

Instagram: @dazeeruffneck

Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/T9zzdEDs7PhJj4C36

Website:  https://www.ruffneckting.uk/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/djdazee

 

#jungle #drumandbass #dnb #originaljunglists #drumandbassmovement #djdazee #ruffneckting 

 

With 200,000 festival goers descend on Worthy Farm in a small village in the West country to attend the world's most iconic festival, yup, its that time of year for Glastonbury Festival. The festival has always pledged to support charities from Greepeace to Oxfam but also really small, local charities and we discover an incredible collaboration between the festival's connectivity sponsor @vodafoneuk to address the massive issue of digital exclusion. Did you know that 22% of UK population dont have any access to the internet? That's 8.5 million people!! We find out how this years @glastofest goers can support festival goers by renting or purchasing battery packs? And just because the festival is over doesnt meet you cant still help!  Check out the website to find out how you can help.  Just imagine what it would be like to have no tech, no phone or no internet? Exactly, its like loosing a limb.  Check out the Sparks Somerset website to find out more:
https://www.sparksomerset.org.uk/

Sparks Somerset work in partnership with @donate.i.t & @goodthingsfdn so check out their insta's for more info.

 

OUT NOW!  

Episode 2 of the brand new series of The Word with Miranda.  In this podcast Miranda catches up with Steve Symons, Booker for the West Holts Stage, one of the world's biggest festival stages. Did you know 2/3's of the adult population in the UK watch the Glastonbury Festival on the TV? So as a booker Steve not just curates for the festival goers but for people watching on TV and around the world. 

With over 100 stages at Glastonbury, West Holts has grown into the 3rd biggest and most iconic. In this podcast we find out how the stage has gained this reputation and some of the secrets behind creating an iconic festival stage.

Steve celebrates 40 years of working at Glastonbury Festival this year. 

West Holts is described by Steve as the outernational rhythm hub of Glastonbury, taking you on a journey from spiritual jazz and neo soul through cosmic disco, dance queen divas, breakbeat culture , afrofunk, reggae, hip hop, psychedelia and music that defies any categorisation at all and most definitely not a World Music Stage. Standing on its own merit of a global reputation built up by Steve and his team, the success of this stage is undoubtedly because it defies all categorisation as he works tirelessly searching the world for the very best of music, regardless of genre. From Japanese orchestras to Hip hop legends this stage has seen them all from Nile Rogers to Anderson Paak, Tribe Called Quest, Roy Ayres, The Roots, just to name a few that I had the privilege of seeing myself.

For many years the backstage bar at the West Holts Stage, formerly known as the Jazz/World stage, was a hidden secret for all musicians & crew and hosted jam sessions that would go all night and feature performers from the Pyramid stage & across the site alongside DJ's, including myself and the collaborations was something you could only dream of.  It was known for being the place to hang out "afterhours", mainly because it was the only place. Michael Eavis would often be seen chilling with the team.  My memories of seeing some of my musical heroes jamming and at arms length is something I will be telling my grand kids about....I feel utterly privileged to have had this experience for the few years I did, so I am so excited to hear some of Steve's stories. 

When I asked Steve to delve a bit deeper and try and explain the ethos of the music of West Holts stage he replied:

"Paying respect to the elders and generations gone before us that have led music to where it is today and that pretty much anything that is good in music has come from Africa originally and the Black American tradition over 100 years has given us everything from Jazz to Techno and way beyond".  Wise words Steve.

Steve sets us up for this year's incredible lineup including the amazing back story of singer Asha Puthli,  now in her 70's but was ostracized when she tried to launch her career decades before. Returning to the global stage after 44 years, one of the greatest vocalists of all time.

Some of Steve's highlights over the years include Nile Rogers,  Shibusashirazu Orchestra & Jerry Dammers Spatial Aka Orchestra, but a bit like being asked which is your favourite child, after 40 years I suspect is an impossible question to answer...

It's these kinds of acts that make West Holts stand alone from any other festival stage and why Steve has created such a well deserved reputation, here's to his next 40 years curating the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival. 

 

Just some of the bands Steve is looking forward to seeing this year include:

@jungle4eva

@jessieware

@ashaputhli

@etjusticepourtous

@amplifiedhistory

@archives.nia

@corinnebaileyrae

@blackfootwhitefoot

 

Plus two amazing hosts/comperes:

@jasmine_ketibuah and @angelmelselector

 

Plus DJ's Plus DJ's @benguinbristol and @smeatondave

 

Have a listen to this podcast and find out what Steve looks for when booking a band and why he is so looking forward to this year's acts.

The Word with Miranda is available on multiple platforms including Podbean.

Link in my bio and Linktree or go straight to: 

 

https://mirandarae.podbean.com/

 

#glastonburyfestival #glastonbury #westholtsstage #westholts #festivals #glasto2024 

 

The Word with Miranda is back! Kicking off this brand new series in style with the the multi-award-winning turnable and audio visual wizard, DJ and producer, DJ Yoda! His latest album 'Hometown Heroes' is yet another example of his incredible unique skills in turntable wizardry. Featuring stories of DJ-ing for George Lucas for a Star Wars party to BANKSY inviting him to play at #Dismaland & yet he remains humble & appreciative of each opportunity that comes his way, including the recent tour with his teenage hero Edo.G to guesting for my teenage hero Dr Dre! Headlining festivals and clubs around the world for over 3 decades his journey is one like no other.

Tune in and check it out.

 

WARNING: Please note that out of all the 1000's of interviews I have done over 30 years I proper fan-girled it with Yoda and lost my notes, my thread, my brain and completely lost the plot...but just such a privilege to get to talk to him!

 

#djyoda #hiphop #50yearsofhiphop

 

Say His Name...George Floyd...25th May 2020

 

1 year after the brutal murder of George Floyd, The Word produced and presented a tribute to George Floyd and I was honoured to be able to share the reflections of many inspirational voices from the Bristol Community and ends with the moving poem by Antonette Eulinda Clarke entitled 'George Floyd - The Catalyst for Change' and archive material from the iconic Bristol Activist Sir Paul Stephenson OBE.

 

Thank you to all the contributors including Gary Hines from the Sounds of Blackness, Lynn Mareno, Desmond Brown, Marvin Rees, Angel Mel, Carmen Carrol,  Jendayi Serwah, Corrd the Seeker, and Faada Sojie. Plus amazing speeches from the Protest that took place just 12 days after the murder of George Floyd in Bristol when the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was hauled down and thrown into the river.  We hear from the incredibly talented recording artist Delocx, former poet laureate Mile Chambers and the then 9 year old Tianna.

 

With thanks to Dawn Limbu and Angel Mel for their help collating some of the speeches we hear from the Protest that took place on 7th June 2020.

 

All music is played with the permission of the publisher.

 

Podcast produced and presented by Miranda Rae. 

For more information check out her websites:

 

https://mirandarae.co.uk/

 

 

http://soundwomensw.com/

 

 

 

Jimmy Galvin, the artist who hadn’t read a book at 20.

Jimmy Galvin joins Miranda for an in depth chat about his life, love of reading and growing up in poverty on north Bristol council estate Lawrence Weston, Jimmy didn’t read a book until he was 20. His life changed when his girlfriend took him to the Tate gallery in London.

Jimmy is an artist in the true sense of the word, exploring the realms of possibilities through his art and multi genres.

Website:

http://jimmygalvin.com/

Follow Jimmy and Miranda on Instagram:

@jimmgalvin1

@MirandaTheWord

 

 

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Fem FM, the UK's first womens radio station, the organisation Sound Women South West decided to pay tribute and as part of the is Miranda had the privilege of interviewing the goddess of radio, Annie Nightingale. Annie joined Radio 1 in 1971, she was the first female DJ and was the only female DJ for 12 years!  We hear how Annie had to face horrific sexism and discrimination for many years.  Annie now actively seeks to encourage and empower young women in to Broadcasting. An absolutely living legend who has been broadcasting on Radio 1 now for 50 years!!

Max Cyrus is back with brand new music on the newly formed UK music label MCM!

 ‘Blind Treason’ the first single taken from his forthcoming debut EP ‘The Uprise’. Max Cyrus continues to level up his creativity on each track off the EP Blind Treason features two of UK’s finest lyricists in the shape of K Triggz and legendary soul singer Omar Lyefook MBE. These 3 incredibly talented songwriters are this week’s special guests, we find out why Max’s lyrics are so powerful and mean so much, we hear the crazy story of how they all met and Omar shares some tips for success!

 

Follow us on Instagram:

@_MaxCyrus

@KTriggz

@Omar_LyeFook

@MirandaRae007

 

This Podcast's guest on The Word with Miranda is multidisciplinary genius Cleveland Watkiss MBE. Cleveland was born in Hackney to a Jamaican family, he studied music at the London School of Singing and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was taught by the most respected coaches in the industry.

He’s an original founder member of the Jazz Warriors and now Co-Director of Warriors International. Most recently, for his services to music Cleveland has been appointed an MBE. He has worked Stevie Wonder The Who, Richard Spaven Trio, Louis Moholo, Bobby McFerrin Goldie, Björk Talvin Singh Bob Dylan Keith Richards to name but a few. He has also received multiple prestigious awards and nominations, and we are very proud to welcome him on The Word.

 

Follow us on Instagram here: 

 

@Cleveland_Watkiss

@MirandaRae007

 

The Word is joined by special guest K*Ners the CEO of K*Star. Kner’s is a musical innovator, he is an influencer, he has a clothing line, record label, he has a stable of artists to rival Def Jam, he has worked with Damon Albarn form Blur, Guerrillas, Celestine & many more and yet he dedicates his time to nurturing and helping young artists in Bristol. Kners shares his unique journey in what is without doubt the most cut throat and competitive industry in the world and yet he is still here, 20 years later with a mission to help put Bristol back on the map!

 

Follow us on Instagram:

@K_Ners 

@MirandaRae007