A podcast that is, and isn't, about design.
Hello. It's us again. We continue to creep towards a hundred much like Geoff Boycott in his pomp. This week we talk about, in no particular order: model robots, LEGO Space, Worzel Gummidge, notebooks, touch typing, Mac Pro, sweet wrappers, knots, the evils of social media, and, biensûr, pies.
Roll up, roll up. Listen to a dog drinking beer. From Belgium. The beer, that is. The dog's from England, mate. In other news: Panic's Playdate, BT's new look, Manga at the British something or other, Microsoft browsers, Shanghai bookshops, and, naturellement, pies.
This week's podcast focuses on things we make that have no real worth. Many would say that covers this podcast and they're probably right. We look at recent news items that follow this trend; such as re-edits of 42-year-old children's films, speculative architectural visualisations, and self-digitising notebooks. "Why, why, why, why, why?", asks one of our hosts. But without making things that seemingly have no worth, would we end up with beauties like x6udpngx (https://x6ud.github.io/#/)?
Welcome to the first episode in a new series of North V South: the podcast that is, and isn't, about design. We're talking taking breaks, blue plaques, iMacs, Kellog's, Capcom and Hellboy, among many other bits and bobs of design-related ephemera. Give us a whirl. You never know, you might like it. Also, please leave a review for us in iTunes. We'll love you for ever if you do.
In the final episode of season 3, Jon kicks proceedings off with a potentially career-ending rant. The subsequent conversation with Rob takes an unexpected turn courtesy of Jodorowsky's Dune, a Breville Sandwich Maker, wordless novels, giant spiders, martinis and, of course, pies. News is fleeting.
In this week's podcast that's got more Fanny than Craddock, Jon's been playing with his tentacles, while Rob's been gawping at old chaps. We take a gander at the new ultra-post-rationalised Netflix ident, a risable Walkers crisp packet redesign, a Linea Sketch review, and Phillip Sulke's superb tanker photography. Something's in the freezer and it might be alive. Don't worry, it's just Rob's pie.
In the podcast that no one talks about, we talk moles. Not the unpronounceable notebooks. Not the gloopy green stuff you double dip into (don't deny it). That's right, those little spelunking furry dudes. We also talk Comics / Tabletop Games / Slack Attacks / Elastic Brand Podcast / Dieter Rams / Pies and more…
It's Hallowe'en and the portal has opened between the now and the never never. But enough about Rob's bowel movements… This week in the podcast that is and isn't about human sacrifice, our Agents of Filth are rifling through Uncle Ted's VHS collection. Not that one. Rob and Jon talk about their favourite moments in horror films. News includes the End of the World, Slasher Art, A Sleep Tracker for Vampires and Boris Johnson's Underpants. Quelle Horreur! Pies are fresh from Sweeny Todd's… Wait, is that a fingernail. Yum. Wait a minute what's that? It can't be, it can't be. I-i-i-it's a VEGETABLE. Arrrrghhhhh…
This week's episode brings you forgettable fonts, silly phones, easter eggs, Inktober, and an adieu to Carlos Esquerra.
You know that dusty old shop that's always closed? You know the one, slumped between CoffeeKings and Harvey's Estate Agents on the high street. That's where episode 84 is being recorded right now. We sent you a text on your Punkt phone. Didn't you get it? Following on from Creative Review's recent flurry of articles on the matter, Rob and Jon ask if design can save retail? Can design save anything at all? They do their best to obfuscate the entire debate. News includes Apple (briefly, you'll be relieved to hear), a new map of Antarctica, Fontsmith's new catalogue, kitbashed spaceships, octogenarian fashion models, Incompuito buildings and a new New Adventures Conference. Pies are consumed like the greedy capitalist pigs we are.
This week our very special guest is Dan Berry: host of the wonderful podcast Make It Then Tell Everybody. Dan is also a comic artist, teacher, pen whittler, desk collector, and log cabin dweller.
We're back again, with a hiatus haiku. You are most welcome. The podcast that is, and isn't, but was, on holiday is back. Has the hot summer exposed any hidden secrets in your back garden? We catch up with news and remind ourselves which end of the microphone to hold. Rob looks at orange Lego spaceships, papermakers and Studio Ghibli. Jon takes a look at The Design Museum's events arm(s), a comic in the Booker Prize longlist, and a celebration of the BBC Micro. Switching to Mode 0… Pies are from Aldi and St Margarets. A clear dichotomy of pies, if ever there was one.
We're delighted to have another special guest on the show. This time it's Mark Phoenix, web developer and co-host of the excellent Relative Paths podcast (https://relativepaths.uk). He talks to us from underneath his secret blanket den in Cheltenham about his career in code. Chat meanders across diverse subjects such as grapefruit curses, Baby robins, Extremity comic (https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/extremity), Imaginary Worlds (https://www.imaginaryworldspodcast.org) podcast, Yoda's house (https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Yoda-s-Hut-75208), Mike Sienkiewicz (https://youtu.be/4G1XAti0NX0) , Brian Eno, the resurgent Microsoft (https://daverupert.com/2015/08/dave-is-going-windows/), imposter syndrome, and, of course, pies. Special Guest: Mark Phoenix.
In the podcast that is and isn't about GDPR we discuss anything that doesn't involve mailing lists, sign up forms and panicky marketing teams. Jon is at a crossroads and Rob is generally cross with anything to do with crossing London. What time is love? No one knows, now we're all wearing Nuncs. Also with Roger Dean, Atari and Bill Gold, it's like the Seventies never went away. Now they've gone, it's pie-time! Two of them. Both encased. In case you have forgotten what a pie is.
This week we are joined by special guest and master of the Bézier curve, Ben the Illustrator. News includes an Oliver Postgate exhibition, in-game art in Codemasters' Onrush, Microsoft's adaptive controller for disabled gamers, Monde's bookend models, and the curious case of the European Museum of the year. We talk to Ben about his career in illustration, his creative process, his plans for the future, and why social media should be a two-way conversation. Pies are a Pieminister Kate and Sidney pie (Jon – 7), a Minced Beef pie from Turner's Pies in Chichester (Rob – 8.96), and a John Thorner's Steak and London Pride pie (Ben – 8). Special Guest: Ben the Illustrator.
Our hosts take a listen to a couple of new podcasts and the new sound effect library from the BBC. They ponder the task that faces Flickr's new owners and moot a possible visit to Thought Bubble in Leeds later this year. Rob and Jon discuss tools they use everyday to help them do their work more efficiently. Find out who will survive when the grid shuts down. Jon's pie gets more points than Rob's. The world is in turmoil.
Daniel Benneworth-Gray — book designer, writer, Twitter noise, and all round nice chap — joins us on the podcast that is, and isn't, about design. We talk about his career in design, as well as gravy carbonisation, and telephone chairs. News includes a new freelance rate calculator, Birmingham Design Festival, Record Store Day, and Rob updates us with Martin Sorrell’s latest movements. This week’s pies are from Marks and Spencer, Pieminister and Yorkshire Baker. One of the pies is called Kevin. Special Guest: Daniel Benneworth-Gray.
We're back for series three! Like a run down syphilitic bus. What's happened in our absence? Not a whole lot. Creative Review has gone to the paywall, Charlie Higson got stuck in a twisty maze of passageways, all alike, Fonts got all, like, look at us, we're fonts, we're so academic. And Hellboy is coming to a tabletop near you. This week we talk digital tipping jars: Patreon, Kofi and the like. Rob's considering throwing his flat cap onto the cobbles and asking for donations. Jon works his monocle into his mean little eye and turns his snooty nose skywards. Pies are tested as usual, but no LOTR this week. Old Man Willow stole our books.
In the final episode of a rather intermittent season 2, our emissaries of ephemera discuss whether social media has levelled the playing field for both Davids and Goliaths. News includes Wacom’s artist profile films, how Michael Bierut chooses typefaces, t shirts as design, academicism, The Culture, Dr Who’s rebrand, and Oxford Commas (see what I did there). One pie is disqualified for being a stew with a lid. LOTR Chapter 5: A Conspiracy Unmasked is discussed in the extra bits.
This week our podcasting curators visit the British Museum, taking in snarky mugs, cuneiform receipts, Roman curses, walrus chess pieces, Portuguese custard tarts, and a very noisy pub. NB – This episode was recorded in an insanely busy British Museum by a decidedly amateur sound recordist. You have been warned! Also, the podcast now has chapters so you can skip to the bits you want to hear, rather than listen to us waffle. Oh wait, we waffle all the way through every show. Scratch that.