Ricky's Radio Blog

What happens when a band splits up then comes back together? It’s a question I’ve asked myself often and on Friday you’ll get a chance to hear the experience of two men have who have done just that. Mark Olson left The Jayhawks and recently has rejoined them and written a new album of songs with his old buddy Gary Louris.

On a very warm afternoon in Glasgow’s ABC I met up both of them in the dressing room and we talked about the past and I heard how much they are enjoying the present. They also talked about the people they love and the music that has influenced them. Interestingly enough, and not wholly surprising the group that loomed large over them was The Band. By a nice coincidence our Bob Backwards series reaches 1974′s Planet Waves which features the great playing of The Band. We’ll play Bob and we’ll play The Band too.

We’re also going to celebrate country-rock with a reminder of some of the great land-mark records from the past. If you don’t have any of the albums we mention you might want to correct that over the weekend.

All very well Rick, I hear you say…but we like new music too. You do –  and for that reason we will play new things from Richmond Fontaine, Ry Cooder and Matraca Berg. It’s going to be a grand old ride across that landscape and it will all start at five past eight on Friday evening on BBC Radio Scotland.

Sunday Morning With Ricky Ross…..

….will be a delight too. Due to a technical foul up way beyond my paygrade the interview I promised with Dave Batstone didn’t happen a couple of weeks ago.

So I’m recapping here…….

I first met Dave way back in 1986.He was then an activist and PhD student.Now he is a professor at San Francisisco University,an author and more active than ever. He is also one of my oldest and best friends. However Dave is visiting us to talk about the organisation he heads up: Not For Sale.

Dave was asked to write a book of the same name a few years back to coincide with the anniversary of the abolition of slavery and the imminent release of Hollywood’s film of the struggle. When he started to research the subject he was amazed to find that far from slavery having been abolished, it was still hugely rife in many parts of the world. He has since set up his own Anti-Slavery movement (Not For Sale) and he will join us to talk about how that organisation is affecting the  business ethics word-wide. To bear witness to that we’ll will also be joined by Stephen Craig who is joint CEO of All Saints clothing company to tell us how he is responding to the challenges Dave’s organisation is posing.

We’ll also chat to Elspeth Atkinson about MacMillan Nursing’s Centenary and how she combines all of that with being the wife of a Bishop.

Later I’m going to chat to Mark Lynas who has written my book of the week:

The God Species is the book for you if you are feeling overwhelmed by climate change, water conservation or how we should generate our electric power. Mark thinks that the Environmental movement has got a lot of these things wrong. He’s not afraid to admit his own mistakes along the way too…which means he’s definitely a thinker and not a politician. I think you’ll find him very interesting.

Anna Magnusson also brings us news of an Icon inspired exhibition from Beauly in Invernessshire. We’ve got music from Ella Fitzgerald, Glen Campbell, Rascall Flatts, Jimmy Cliff and Billie Holiday...so I’m pretty sure we’ll keep some of you and hopefully most of you very happy. All from seven on Sunday morning on BBC Radio Scotland.

I’m in the music business, if anyone understands hyperbole, it’s me. But even I have to say that the two Radio experiences I have for you on Friday are Sunday are going to be well, something else.

Firstly we land on Friday with two very special features. We come to the point in Bob Backwards where we listen to ‘Blood On The Tracks’ and I think you will be pleased to hear how we are going to do this. It will all become clear on Friday evening.

We are also delighted to welcome Highgate’s latest stalker,(see the facebook page to clear this one up!) Mr Mark Nevin. His song, ‘The Girl On The Motorbike’ has been one of my favourites of the year so far. Sentimental, nostalgic and very evocative, it has all the hallmarks of being from the pen of one of the UK’s best songwriters. Mark has much to discuss and we will also have him live in studio one performing tracks from ‘Stand Bedside me In The Sun’ and throwing in a great cover version.

Much new music too… Look out for new releases from Wilco and Cashier No 9…Anyone else going to Dolly Parton this weekend? We won’t forget her.

On Sunday…

Mark Thomas on walking the Israel/Palestine wall…or as near as he could get!

Ann Pettifor on what happened after Jubilee 2000 and  the author of saddest yet most inspiring book I have read in a long time. Dr Izzeldin Abuelaisch is a Human Fertility Expert, Public Health Consultant and Nobel Peace Nominee. His book ‘I Shall Not Hate’ is a remarkable testament to living and suffering in the Gaza Strip.

Did I mention there will be some great music? Everything from Benny Goodman to Johnny Cash via Maxine Brown.

Another Country is on Friday at 8 p.m. and Sundays with Ricky Ross on Sunday 7  - 9 a.m. They are both on BBC Scotland.

I know you believe me when I say, ‘I love radio,’ I imagine you do too, or you’d not be reading this. The question arises at some point… how much?

I’ve run a bit of a radio marathon this week. This Friday we return with Another Country. This show (all be it in smaller chunks and a different name) has run since 2007. You’d think there would be a bit of me that might feel a little jaded. But no. There is a spring in the old step at the though of sitting across from my best radio pal Mr Murdoch and playing (what we consider) to be country. And why? Well more than anything because great new artists and albums keep coming out and we keep finding older things we should be reminding you about.

Six weeks of summer means there is rather a large pile to get through. First thing is to talk about our special guest, Nathaniel Rateliff. Nathaniel is never going to be filed under country, but his story is perfect for the genre. Until 5 years ago he was working on the dock of a trucking warehouse and dreaming of being a musician. He is enjoying it all too….on the morning we met he was visibly hung-over from the night before in Belfast. I’m still not sure if he’d been to bed! Early on it took a while to clarify his thoughts – if you know what I mean. I was reminded of Malcolm Muggeridge’s great story about interviewing Brendan Behan: ‘ …I had to ask the questions and answer them too!’ After a while Nathaniel’s tongue got going and we had a great chat. He also cut three songs for us….the third was a lovely Townes Van Zandt cover. He is a real talent and a truly lovely man. We’ll play all of that…except the earlier quiet bits..on Friday.

New things too from Luke Temple, Sarah Lee and Johnny Iron, Bon Iver, The Jayhawks, Dolly parton and Ron Sexsmith……I know, and you were going to be watching the telly??!

We haven’t forgotten Bob Backwards either. We’re right in the middle of the seventies when Bob Dylan was one of the many to be captivated by Emmylou Harris. We listen to Desire and remind you of the merits. I remember it well…more on Friday.

On Sunday

I’ll be talking to Christopher Brookmyre about humanism as well as his new Glasgow novel ‘Where The Bodies are Buried.’

We’ll try to understand something about  what we are now calling “The English Riots” (though possibly only for fear they could happen here too) by chatting to Nigel Cowgill who is a Methodist Minister in Croydon and Alastair McIntosh (author of Soil and Soul) to see if their experience lets us understand what might have been going on and what happens next.

Ron Ferguson has written a beautiful new memoir about George McKay Brown called ‘The Wound and The Gift’ and he comes in to chat.

The Kenny and Reeta MacDonald talk about their daughter Alison 30 years after her disappearance in Kashmir. They share their belief that she is alive and describe how their faith in God has never wavered.

So…some remarkable people and great music from Elton John, Mose Allison, The Pioneers, Chris Drever and Mahalia Jackson. All from 7 on BBC Radio Scotland, Sunday morning.

p.s. I should also say that I’m sitting in for Bob Harris Saturday night and Sunday morning on Radio 2. Pretty thrilled that my guest is Ian McLaggan.

If you check out the i player you will also find me presenting an amazing story on Radio 4 called, ‘Giving The Critic Back His Voice.’

This Sunday I will be welcoming an old friend to the studio. I first met Dave Batstone in 1986. He was then an activist and PhD student.Now he is a professor at San Francisisco University and an author and activist. He is also one of my oldest and best friends. However Dave is visiting us to talk about the organisation he heads up: Not For Sale.

Dave was asked to write a book of the same name a few years back to coincide with the anniversary of the abolition of slavery and the imminent release of Hollywood’s film of the struggle. When he started to research the subject he was amazed to find that far from slavery having been abolished, it was still hugely rife in many parts of the world. He has since set up his own Anti-Slavery movement (Not For Sale) and he will join us to talk about how that organisation is affecting the  business ethics word-wide. To bear witness to that we’ll will also be joined by Stephen Craig who is joint CEO of All Saints clothing company to tell us how he is responding to the challenges Dave’s organisation is posing.

Also…in the first hour we will speak to Professor John Swinton from Aberdeen University. John will talk about his current research and the ‘theology of disability.’ I’ll also get a chance to learn more about his recent publication ‘Living More Gently in a Viloent World: The Prophetic Witness of Weakness’ which he published with Stanley Hauerwas and Jean Vanier. John was, for sixteen years, a nurse involved in the field of mental-health and latterly with learning disability, so he has plenty of insight to share on current practice.

Later we’ll discover how a flower competition 100 years ago bequeathed a beautiful church in a borders village and we’ll also eavesdrop on Richard Holloway’s visit to an important Art Exhibition by David Mach celebrating the anniversary of the King James Bible. Oh yes….and there will be music: Enio Moricone, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and Agnes Obel…all great. Sunday Morning from Seven on BBC Radio Scotland.