[MEDIA RELEASE] In this new podcast blending music, history and storytelling, Grammy-nominated songwriter & Bastille frontman Dan Smith and academic/podcaster Emma Nagouse (BBC Radio 4’s You’re Dead to Me and BBC Sounds’ Homeschool History) collaborate to uncover fascinating figures of people from history, mythology, and pop culture, and break down Dan’s journey of transforming their lives into songs for Bastille’s new album project, & out October 25th.
When starting the Ampersand album project, Dan reached out to Emma for suggestions of lesser-known figures from the past, and some of those ideas became songs. What began as Dan annoying Emma over Twitter became an exchange of ideas and stories across different mediums and disciplines.
Over twelve episodes, each one about a different track from the record, Dan & Emma dig deeper into the historical figures behind the songs whilst reflecting on the differences & similarities/pros & cons of approaching these stories from different genres of storytelling. They delve further into the lives of remarkable people throughout time, from poets and pirates to political activists, exploring how they’ve been represented in pop culture so far, and discuss how Dan made songs from these stories.
In the first episode of Muses: An Ampersand Podcast, Dan and Emma look at the life of Eve, who inspired Dan’s song “Eve & Paradise Lost” Listen here
Emma and Dan talk about exactly what the Bible (and the Qur’an) say about her; the different interpretations of her story; and the impact her story has had on popular culture, from Desperate Housewives to No Doubt‘s Tragic Kingdom; and Dan talks about the process of turning the story into the song. Dan also recites all of Paradise Lost from memory, and Emma does a deep dive into the lyrics of the song, and that isn’t awkward at all.
As the series progresses, Dan will have a go at writing brand new songs based on historical figures and moments of Emma’s choosing. This podcast will be an ecosystem in which all of that can live – stories feeding into new songs, and songs creating new stories to discuss.
Each episode of Ampersand is an exploration of the nuts & bolts of both historical and artistic storytelling by Dan Smith & Emma Nagouse, along with some special guests including expert academics, musicians, and producers.
Episode list:
- Eve (18th Sept)
- Narcissus (25th Sept)
- Emily Dickinson (2nd Oct)
- Edvard Munch (9th Oct)
With future episodes to include,
Pirate Queen Zheng Yi Sao
Leonard Cohen
Oscar Wilde
Eslande Robeson
Julie d’Aubigny
Bonnie & Clyde
Marie Curie
Pandora
Now you’ve heard the stories, listen to the songs,
Eve & Paradise Lost https://bastille.lnk.to/Eve
Seasons & Narcissus https://bastille.lnk.to/Seasons
Emily & Her Penthouse In The Sky https://bastille.lnk.to/Emily
Blue Sky & The Painter https://bastille.lnk.to/BlueSky
Leonard & Marianne https://bastille.lnk.to/Leonard
Pre-Order & – the new album from Bastille’s Dan Smith here out 25th October.
