The Allender Calendar

Episode 19: Julia Jacklin's Crushing with Celya AB

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 02:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar I'm talking to the fantastic stand-up comedian Celya AB about Crushing, the 2019 album by Julia Jacklin. We had a great chat about music in general, and vulnerability in performance, specifically relating to Celya's last show Of All People.

Through the course of our conversation we ask the big questions like: Are people adicted to vulnerability cigarettes? Should we move Christmas? And what's the best brown noise playlist to listen to on a plane?

Celya is taking her new show We Must Stop Meeting Like This on tour around the UK later this year. Dates are on her website:

https://www.celya-ab.com/

'Body' by Julia Jacklin:

https://youtu.be/ktvJ2PiBgtQ?si=oZI51zwoF-c721M8

I play an Allender Band tune at the end of the show which you can stream/download here:

https://robinallender.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-grip-of-light

If you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee!

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 18: Wendy Erskine

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 02:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar I chat to the Northern Irish writer Wendy Erskine about her 2025 novel The Benefactors.

The novel's central incident is the sexual assault of a teenage girl, Misty, at a party. The novel follows Misty, the boys involved in the assault, and their families – and also expands out to include countless other voices, some of whom are linked to the story and some who aren't. This polyphonic approach both deepens our understanding of the central characters and captures how gossip spreads through the community.

The Benefactors is Wendy's first novel. She has previously published two outstanding collections of short stories: Sweet Home (2018) and Dance Move (2022).

Wendy also guested on Your Own Personal Beatles back in 2021:

https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/wendy-erskines-personal-beatles/id1523996711?i=1000542363739

If you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 17: Ben Pester

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar, I'm chatting to the author Ben Pester about his debut novel The Expansion Project. Part corporate satire, part Lynchian dreamscape, The Expansion Project explores loss, parenthood, grief, and the ways in which identity and meaning are being distorted as technology takes over our lives. It's also very funny!

We talked about balancing creativity with a day job, finding joy and humour in office work, and some key influences (including Gormenghast and The Unconsoled).

You can buy The Expansion Project here:

https://granta.com/products/the-expansion-project/

And Ben's fantastic collection of short stories Am I in the Right Place? is available here:

https://www.boilerhouse.press/product-page/am-i-in-the-right-place-by-ben-pester

If you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

Interview in The London Magazine:

https://thelondonmagazine.org/interview-the-expansion-project-an-interview-with-ben-pester/

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Episode 16: Pierre Novellie

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 02:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar I'm joined by the comedian Pierre Novellie to discuss his 2024 book Why Can't I Just Enjoy Things?: A Comedian's Guide to Autism. It's a brilliant, and very funny, book which taught me so much about the condition. We discuss the misunderstandings and misconceptions surrounding autism, as well as Pierre's own experience of his diagnosis (following a heckle at a stand-up gig), and how it helped him to make sense of the way he experiences and interacts with the world.

Find out more about Pierre here:

https://www.pierrenovellie.com/

And you can follow him on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/pierrenovellie

And Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/pierrenovellie.bsky.social

And you can listen to Pierre's interview with John Robins on the How Do You Cope? podcast here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pierre-novellie-i-wasnt-able-to-get-what-i-wanted-out/id1793829037?i=1000711833374

If you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 15: Emily Breeze

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 01:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar, I speak to the fabulous Bristol-based musician Emily Breeze, whose lipstick-smeared and glitter-drenched album Rats in Paradise is one of my favourites of the year. And Emily very kindly gave me permission to include snippets from the album in the episode!

We talk about the songwriting process, Emily's day job teaching at BIMM (the British and Irish Modern Music Institute) in Bristol, and about her literary and musical influences. We also frequently get sidetracked and end up chatting about queuing in pubs and the concept of Alan Partridge narrating Joyce's Ulysses.

Please check out Emily's album here:

https://sugarshackrecords.bandcamp.com/album/rats-in-paradise

And you can follow her on Instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/emilybreeze66/?hl=en

Emily is playing a few shows in December:

6 Dec: The Prince Albert - Stroud

7 Dec: Burdall's Yard - Bath

13 Dec: The Old Pint Pot - Salford

Also, I'm playing at The Prince Albert in Stroud on 5 December if you fancy coming down!

If you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 14: Rose Ruane

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 01:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar I talk to the fabulous writer Rose Ruane. Rose has published two novels, Birding (2024), which was longlisted for the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction, and This is Yesterday (2019). Rose writes brilliantly and insightfully about female relationships, the legacy of the 90s, and the ways in which we process trauma. If that all sounds a bit heavy, don't worry, she's also extremely funny and very engaging company. I particularly enjoyed our chat about the Manic Street Preachers and the ways in which their music has inspired her.

You can find out more about Rose in this interview:

https://leslietate.com/2023/05/29/rose-ruane-a-creative-life-story/

And you can follow her on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/regretteruane/?hl=en

And Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/regretteruane.bsky.social

Also, I briefly mention Rage Against the Machine's radical reading list; you can find that here:

https://radicalreads.com/rage-against-the-machine-favorite-books/

If you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 13: Jordan Brookes

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 01:00:00 GMT

On the month's episode of The Allender Calendar I talk to the fantastic comedian Jordan Brookes.

2019 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner

Bleed:

https://youtu.be/z5O3PI9whAo?si=K9WSnV8YrJftiliy

I've Got Nothing:

https://youtu.be/myOoRrMIyO8?si=YbwPZl5-Ei8348lD

Body of Work:

https://youtu.be/D_yQ9eHQq70?si=tBDyQ_9MRJ2G4Fua

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Episode 12: Rebecca Watson

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 01:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar I talk to the novelist Rebecca Watson about her books little scratch (2021) and I Will Crash (2024). We discuss whether Rebecca is an 'experimental' writer, or if her unique fragmentary style is really just the most effective and immediate way of communicating first person consciousness. We talk about how both novels deal with trauma, and how the way she writes is suited to this subject. Sounds a bit heavy, but we also have a good laugh and chat about the merits of Sally Rooney's Intermezzo among other things.

Rebecca's website is here:

https://www.rebeccawatson.co.uk/

And you can find her on Instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccawhatsun/?hl=en

Great review of little scratch here:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/dec/31/little-scratch-by-rebecca-watson-review-a-daringly-experimental-debut

And I Will Crash here:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/jul/03/i-will-crash-by-rebecca-watson-review-a-unique-take-on-sibling-torment

All music featured in the podcast composed by me. You can listen here:

https://robinallender.bandcamp.com/

And if you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here:

buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 11 (Part 2): Gorky's Zygotic Mynci with Elis James

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 01:30:00 GMT

Part 2 of my chat with comedian Elis James about the brilliant Welsh psychedelic folk band Gorky's Zygotic Mynci.

Check out Rhodri Viney's latest EP here:

https://ratatosk.bandcamp.com/album/1

And here are a few of my favourite Gorky's moments on YouTube:

The Banana film with all the early music videos:

https://youtu.be/nYt4KApiPMw?si=lJHHzfY9g5PsrsD2

Lucy's Hamper:

https://youtu.be/nYt4KApiPMw?si=lJHHzfY9g5PsrsD2

Tears in Disguise:

https://youtu.be/F7iFA71q-gY?si=uIneMkpCszOQWTkW

If you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 11 (Part 1): Gorky's Zygotic Mynci with Elis James

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 01:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar I had the great pleasure of talking to the comedian and broadcaster Elis James about our favourite band Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Because Elis and I chatted for over two hours I've decided to release this episodes in two parts (both out today!). In Part 1, Elis and I talk about the beginnings of the group and how we first got into them. We then discuss how the band evolved to create the perfect blend of folk, psychedelia and rock on the brilliant run of EPs they released on Ankst between 1994 and 1996 (all collected on the highly recommended album 20). We also talk about what it was like for Elis growing up in Carmarthen (and attending the same school as Gorky's), and about Welsh language music in general.

The Gorky's Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/49120195877/

Gorky's Zygotic Archive on Instagram (run by Steve Tamburello):

https://www.instagram.com/gorkyszygoticarchive/

Gorky's and John Cale playing O, Caroline II:

https://youtu.be/jjgrw5oCs38?si=YcLWCOIDBgCS1uR0

If you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 10: Bloomsday Special with David Collard

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 23:29:18 GMT

It's the 16th of June which can mean only one thing: it's Bloomsday, the day on which James Joyce's masterpiece Ulysses is set. To celebrate, I spoke to the amazing writer David Collard about his book Multiple Joyce: 100 Short Essays About James Joyce's Cultural Legacy. And, of course, we also discuss what makes Ulysses such a brilliant, difficult, beautiful, hilarious, humane, and endlessly fascinating novel.

You can buy Multiple Joyce here:

https://www.saggingmeniscus.com/catalog/multiple_joyce/

And you can buy David's new book, A Crumpled Swan: 50 Essays about Abigail Parry's 'In the Dream of the Cold Restaurant', here:

https://www.saggingmeniscus.com/catalog/a_crumpled_swan/

Follow David Collard on Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/davidcollard.bsky.social

And you can support the podcast here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 9: Evie King

Thu, 08 May 2025 03:00:00 GMT

This month on The Allender Calendar I talk to the incredible writer and council worker Evie King. Evie's book Ashes to Admin: Tales from the Caseload of a Council Funeral Officer was published in 2023 and is a profound and moving account of her job. Also, for a book about death, it is very funny. Evie writes brilliantly about the bathos and inadvertent comedy of working on funerals alongside complaints about bins and noisy neighbours.

Content warning: we do obviously talk about death a lot in this episode, so I appreciate you may not want to listen on your morning commute! But I have to say, part of what makes Ashes to Admin so interesting is the way in which Evie is trying to make death less of a taboo; she hopes to make conversations around death easier, and her commitment to this, and to her job, is truly inspiring.

You can find out more about Evie King, including where to buy the book, here:

https://linktr.ee/eviekingwrites

And if you want to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 8: Back to the Future with Pravanya Pillay

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 03:00:00 GMT

On this month's podcast, I chat to the brilliant stand-up comedian Pravanya Pillay about the Back to the Future trilogy, a firm childhood favourite. We talk about time travel paradoxes, how the films stand up today, and why it's such a special and mind-blowing series of films to watch when you're young (apart from the third one maybe). Also Pravanya has a hoverboard!

Follow Pravanya on Instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/pravanyapillay69

And, if you're enjoying the podcast and want to help support it please buy me a coffee here!

https://buymeacoffee.com/robinallender

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Episode 7: Luke Turner

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 02:00:00 GMT

On this month's Allender Calendar I chat to the writer Luke Turner about his book Men at War. Luke's book examines the legacy of the Second World War and shines a light on the real lives of the people who fought in it; their complications, loves, and lusts. We talk about the experiences of gay, bi and transgender soldiers, and discuss contemporary nostalgia and jingoism around the war.

More info about Men at War here:

https://www.weidenfeldandnicolson.co.uk/titles/luke-turner/men-at-war/9781474618861/

And check out Luke's work with The Quietus here:

https://thequietus.com/writer/luke-turner/

Here is Luke's brilliant first book Out of the Woods:

https://www.weidenfeldandnicolson.co.uk/titles/luke-turner/out-of-the-woods/9781474607155/

Luke on The Library of Lazy Thinking podcast talking about Patrick Hamilton:

https://lazythinking.substack.com/p/luke-turner-on-the-slaves-of-solitude

And this month on my regular feature What Have You Been Listening To Recently And What Have You Been Reading Recently Hmm (WHYBLTRAWHYBRRH) I chat about Panda Bear and Lavinia Greenlaw.

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Episode 6: Josie Long

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 04:00:00 GMT

This month I chat to the amazing comedian, writer and activist Josie Long about her book of short stories Because I Don't Know What You Mean and What You Don't. Josie's stories are rich and varied – very funny and powerfully moving. The book covers a range of topics including political apathy, romance, motherhood, and the climate crisis. We talk about Josie's inspirations and the differences between stand-up and fiction. She also gives an insight into her new stand-up show Now is the Time of Monsters.

Towards the end we have a brief chat about the film My Old Ass, because we both enjoyed it so much!

And at the very end of the pod I talk a bit about Neko Case, and play a new tune (by me).

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Episode 5: Our Mutual Friend with Sam Amidon

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 04:00:41 GMT

This month's episode is a bit different! I got together with the American folk musician Sam Amidon to talk about Charles Dickens's last completed novel Our Mutual Friend. Along the way we talk about William Gaddis, Jacques Tati and Kazuo Ishiguro.

We also chat about Sam's new album Salt River which is released on 24 January 2025; you can pre-order it here:

https://www.roughtrade.com/en-gb/product/sam-amidon/salt-river

And Sam is on tour, details below:

https://www.samamidon.com/

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Episode 4: James Blackshaw

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 04:00:54 GMT

On this month's episode I chat to the guitarist James Blackshaw. We talk about James's influences, his guitar playing technique, and why he decided to take a break from music. I go through a few of my favourite songs by him, and we discuss the making of his new album. We also talk about cooking! James and his wife run a pop-up ramen restaurant at Stooge Coffee in Hastings. More info here:

https://www.instagram.com/sumisu_ramen/?hl=en

James's new album Unraveling in Your Hands was released on Bandcamp on 13 November:

https://jamesblackshaw.bandcamp.com/album/unraveling-in-your-hands

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Episode 3: Dan Hancox

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 04:00:50 GMT

This week on The Allender Calendar I talk to the journalist Dan Hancox about his new book Multitudes: How Crowds Made the Modern World.

Dan's Substack:

https://danhancox.substack.com/

Buy the book from Verso here:

https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3176-multitudes?srsltid=AfmBOoqy2ieOOXaF3SOVrqp665ddddqoHLOSBCYkyOumLc4pJJxWtCBO

Townsville by The Necks:

https://thenecks2.bandcamp.com/album/townsville

'Some of My Best Friends Are Lizards' is on the album Get Your Hopes Down by Landslide Purist:

https://landslidepurist.bandcamp.com/album/get-your-hopes-down

Ill Spectre productions:

https://samwisternoff.wixsite.com/illspectreproduction

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Episode 2: Frances Leviston

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 03:00:49 GMT

On this month's episode I interview the author Frances Leviston. Frances has written two books of poetry – Public Dream (2007) and Disinformation (2015), both published by Picador. Her debut collection of short stories, The Voice in My Ear, was published by Jonathan Cape in 2020, and that's the focus of our chat. We talk about the differences between writing poetry and fiction, and the themes that bind the stories together in the The Voice in My Ear.

Frances's website:

https://francesleviston.com/

Here's a good review of The Voice in My Ear:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/14/the-voice-in-my-ear-frances-leviston-review-claire

This episode also features my new regular feature about what I've been listening to and reading.

Here's a great interview with ML Buch:

https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/step-inside-ml-buchs-digitized-art-pop-wilderness/

And I loved reading The Vet's Daughter by Barbara Comyns. Here's a good Backlisted episode about it:

https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/14-barbara-comyns-the-vets-daughter

And here's the Backlisted episode about Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner:

https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/8-sylvia-townsend-warner-lolly-willowes

Azalea City Bandcamp page:

https://azaleacity.bandcamp.com/

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Episode 1: Olivia Chaney

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 03:00:48 GMT

In the first episode of The Allender Calendar, Robin chats to folk musician Olivia Chaney. Olivia's latest album Circus of Desire was released in March 2024:

https://oliviachaney.bandcamp.com/album/circus-of-desire

Olivia recently performed at the Proms as part of an orchestral celebration of Nick Drake. Here's a video of here playing 'River Man' from 2018:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDxUwFjux4c

Ian Lynch from Lankum's podcast is called Fire Draw Near; this is the episode about 'Willie o' Winsbury':

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/bonus-episode-willie-owinsbury/id1532286691?i=1000609272537

If you stick around until the end of the episode you'll hear what Robin has been reading and listening to recently in a brand new feature called 'what have you been listening to recently and what have you been reading recently'. Here's the Talking Scared podcast episode with Kate Summerscale:

https://www.everand.com/podcast/569927604/07-Kate-Summerscale-and-the-Shoplifting-Poltergeist

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