Beer, Live Music And An Ironic Fantastic Radio Interview In Mumbles

A Giggle and Gossip in the Oystermouth Radio studio

The Bank Holiday weekend has drawn to an end and while Londoners celebrated the vibrant and colourful Notting Hill Carnival I spent the last four days in Swansea, South Wales, where I stayed near the Mumbles with my lovely friend Liz. On Saturday a group of us went beer tasting at the Brangwyn Hall, where as a fan of real ale, I got to sample a selection of some of Wales's finest locally sourced craft ales. This included a local Mumbles gravity beer 'Pilot Wrecker' and Porthmadog's 'Dark Side Of The Moose', which as a Pink Floyd fan I would recommend trying, not just because of it's name but also for the deep malt flavour from roasted barley and a fruity bitterness from Bramling Cross hops.

Working for Brains brewery, Liz of course was the perfect guide at this event. By the time we hit the Uplands music festival later that evening, I was ready to dance along to an eclectic mix of music as we watched the bands entertain the Swansea crowd.

Every girl likes a good gossip and yesterday was no exception. On Monday, I found myself being interviewed for an hour in a recording studio in the Mumbles. My visit to Swansea over the Bank Holiday weekend was of course for pleasure. But I was also there to talk about a short story and two poems that I wrote on Liz's 'Giggle and Gossip' chat show for Oystermouth Radio and play a few of my favourite tunes in between, including one by Kate Bush.

My two poems and short story have been included in the latest Ironic Fantastic anthology, which showcases the work of emerging and established international absurdist, quirky, unusual, whimsical and ironic fiction writers, illustrators and poets. Series three is edited by the writer and Oulipo poet Paulo Brito, who is based in Portugal.

I have known Paulo for several years and his enthusiasm towards promoting new writers, illustrators and poets like myself has always shone through. I know that this new anthology collection, like the previous two anthologies, will touch many people both young and old. I hope my friends will enjoy reading it as much as I will.

The first poem 'Am I Stuck Indoors? ' is dedicated to a Sri Lankan cocker spaniel and my second poem needs no introduction, as it was written for my late father, Edward Douglas Duffin. In this poem I have shared some of his experiences, including living in Egypt during the Suez Crisis and Africa as a young man, where he played rugby with Idi Amin. My short story 'Sun Dancing In Winter' is a nod towards the birth of the Blues and Rhythm scene in Ealing that emerged in the late 60s and was where music legends like The Who and The Rolling Stones first 'cut it'. Ealing is also where I currently reside and have lived since 1997.

My 'Giggle and Gossip' interview will be aired on Oystermouth Radio on Saturday 30th August,  between 5pm and 6pm. It will then be repeated on Sunday 31st August, between 7pm and 8pm. To listen to it log on to tunein.com and search for Oystermouth Radio, or like the Giggle and Gossip Facebook page and sign up to listen to the interview.

The Ironic Fantastic series 3 is free and will be released on 7th September. Watch this space for the link to download the anthology, which I will also publish on my Twitter and Facebook pages in September. You can also like The Ironic Fantastic event page on Facebook, which will keep you posted on the latest writers, poets and artists added to the anthology between now and the launch date.

Kate Mania Is Going Further Than The Bush

Today the Independent published an article about the pop phenomenon that is Kate Bush. It is not news to me that Kate is a huge influence on contemporary musicians today. From her first appearance in 1978, this mysterious and glamorous beauty first tugged at my musical heart strings through a TV screen in my parent's sitting room. As a little girl with a 'Purdy' haircut, I was captivated by her dance moves and facial expressions used to tell the story of 'Wuthering Heights'.

Who was this mysterious and glamorous beauty? I wanted to be Kate but I couldn't be her. My hair  was blonde and too short to crimp but I did dance around my bedroom trying to recreate those irregular dance moves in front of my mirror, failing badly to hit the high notes that Kate is known for.

Kate's retreat away from the public eye a year later only added more mystery to her appeal, fueling media and public interest. Every young girl wanted to recreate the 'Glamorous Witch'  look, every teenage girl aspired to have long black hair and that arty block fringe. Red lipstick and black eyeliner were an essential part of my make up bag as a teenager.

As a teenager,  I dabbled with different looks, from being a new romantic, to a goth in the mid 80's. Listening to Joy Division and the Bauhaus, Kate still featured high in my record collection. At University my fashion style changed as I emerged as a grungy indie chick but I still found time to fit Kate in between The Stone Roses and Nirvana. With metal magazine Kerrang voting Kate Bush the most beautiful woman in the UK for several years in the late 80's and early 90's,  its no wonder Kate  influenced my style during my student days, with Annie Lennox and Blondie not far behind. My student days and music cassettes have long gone but Kate is still firmly embedded in a bookcase, among my extensive 1,000+ CD collection.

At the start of 2014, the rumour became a reality, Kate Bush announced she would be touring in September after 35 years since her last live performance. From the UK, America, through to Australia, my Facebook news feed was over spilling with friends posts about this exciting news. My friend Dom was one of the lucky ones to get through on the phone, getting tickets for himself and his partner on Wednesday 3rd September at Hammersmith Apollo. The good news is, he also got a ticket for me.

Soon I will be digging out my red lipstick and eyeliner, styling my dark red hair and venturing from my small tiny flat in Hanwell, heading past Shepherd's Bush to finally make one of  my dreams come true in Hammersmith. I may not be Kate Bush but in a few weeks time I am finally going to see her.

But now as a fully grown Kate Bush fan, will I still be able to hit those high notes and perform those irregular dance moves without a mirror in front of me? I'll leave that to the imagination and will let you know after the gig I like to believe is going to be my music event highlight of the year. I may not be the next pop phenomenon but Britain certainly has got a talent, in the name of Kate Bush.

We must not forget that Kate Bush has not just been a success overnight but over the last three decades. To see her back delighting fans both old and new at the Hammersmith Apollo next month, will definitely be an experience I will remember in years to come.