Sunday, November 4, 2012

Absolutely November 4th

If you listened to this morning's show then you'll already know that we're going to end our run on Absolute in a couple of weeks.

I'll explain more - not that there's really much more to explain - further down, but our attitude to the show is that it'll be business as usual for the final two weeks and it's business as usual here as well, so first of all I'll run through the show and the songs-from-home as per usual.

First up, was this track, Never Knew Your Name, from Madness's new album, Oui, Oui, Si, Si, Ja, Ja, Da which came out on Monday.



The fact that Madness have returned, not just to reunion gigs but as a creative force turning out great new material is a source of great joy to me - and I feel very much the same about the return of Dexy's Midnight Runners - or Dexys as they're now known - whose latest incarnation has been a triumph.

We were thrilled to have two of the band - Jim Paterson and the amazing Kevin Rowland in the studio for an interview. Facinating, charming, funny men the pair of them and the new album, One Day I'm Going To Soar is a thing of magnificence.

Incapable Of Love is the latest single from the album... here it is:



And finally... a second tune from the band, Grouplove who were also on the show a few weeks ago. This is Tongue Tied.



Of course the hardest link of this morning's show was the one where we broke the news that the run was going to come to an end in two weeks' time. It's difficult to pitch that kind of thing in the right way because we know that all sorts of different people are listening in all sorts of different ways. If we act as though it's a tragedy of some kind - which it isn't - we come across as self-regarding egotists of the highest order. The very thought makes me shudder. At the same time, it would be weird and kind of impolite to just not mention it.

I don't have a bad word to say about Absolute - it's been an amazing place to work. The last three years have been a blast and I know I'll miss it when it's gone. But it feels right to move on all the same. I don't know what will happen next... but then I've always enjoyed not-knowing what life has in store. I think a bit of uncertainty is good for a comic.

So the story is simply that there is no story... just a bunch of people deciding that it's time to bow out gracefully in order to see what new challenge will come along.

As it happens, Michael won't be available for our last show so next week - November 11th will be his last appearance... and the week after - November 18th - will be the last for me and Danielle. We don't want to get mawkish about things so it'll just be business as normal for our last couple of shows. It'll be more fun if more of you join us. After all, the show was never about us.

My Spotify playlist of (nearly) all the songs I've brought in from home this year can be found here... and the podcasts for the show - which contain all the talky content from the Sunday morning as well as loads of extras - should be here.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

If Michael's not available for the last show, could you maybe have Martin back?

Unknown said...

Such a shame to hear this. Highlight of my week is downloading the Sunday and Someday podcasts. Having Pun Street and other such regular features has been part of my weekly podcast ritual for many a months. Thanks to you all for such a great show.

Blackout said...

Sad to see (hear?) you go, but glad it's on such good terms. Thank you for an excellent three years :)

John Levon said...

Yes, thanks a lot! It's been fun!

Rich said...

Been living overseas for the last 3 years and your podcast been the best thing for fighting homesickness. Thanks to you all for inadvertently being great friends.

Kitschkate said...

Sad, but understandable. I wish you all the luck in the future and look forward to hearing about your next adventure! K x

Anonymous said...

Very sad, sundays just won't be the same!

SadOldBint said...

I can sort of understand now you've explained it, but I still don't want it to stop! I'm a bit behind on my podcasts, so you will still be with me to and from work for a while. I love the show and wish you weren't stopping - selfish, I know!

Can you get Martin back for the final show?

Dan said...

Sorry to hear this, I don't listen live but the podcasts have always been brilliant.

Thank you for all the hard work.

P.S. Glad I managed to get a shop on Pun Street before it ended - go Snowbusiness!

Andy said...

Sad to hear - I've not yet caught up with this week's podcast so I've only just found out via your Twitter feed.

Just wanted to say a big thanks for all the work you, Danielle, Martin and Michael (plus all your special guests over the years) have done. Your podcasts make my Monday morning commute all the more enjoyable (and no doubt have my fellow train passengers worrying about my sanity as I sit there grinning!)

My only real concern is that I will not know what films or TV to watch now I won't have Ward's Weekly Word!

Thanks again, and the best of luck with whatever you all do next.

JW said...

So, my policy of saving up lots of podcasts to listen to was correct all along!

Massive fan of the show. Will miss Pun Street hugely. Can you take it with you? Intellectual property (ooh - a pun)?


Thanks for the good times, aldermen and women.

Nigel Norman said...

I listened to a couple of recent podcasts in the early hours on a holiday in Turkey last week. I think you have chosen the right time. You can hear that a little of the enthusiasm for Pun Street had gone. No one is really arguing with passion for an inclusion anymore. Good to make positive decisions in life. All the best.

Dave Gorman said...

@Anon & @SadOldBint: Re Martin. He's a friend and he was brilliant on the show... but I don't think it will happen. He was a little hasty with his words when he left the show and a little unkind to the station who'd given him such a great opportunity. I don't want to be misconstrued - we're all friends - but I think he made it kind of impossible to come back.

Dave Gorman said...

@Nigel Norman: I respectfully disagree. The tone in Pun St always varies wildly. Sometimes we all just agree with one another. Sometimes things get feisty. If it was just to do with losing enthusiasm for that we'd drop that part of the podcast and carry on. It's not about anyone losing enthusiasm for anything - it's about having an enthusiasm for the unknown and whatever's next.

ched176 said...

Gutted, 1st we only get 1 podcast a week from Frank Skinner now no more from Dave aaahhh my life has gone to hell, how will I spend those dark lonely nights fishing? Thinks I will need to download every podcast to get over the withdrawals. Anyone know the number of the Prior?
Good luck to all in whatever you do next. "Sheds tear and sobs"

Anonymous said...

Very sad the show is ending. The silliness has been a wonderful distraction from an unpleasant year for me. I will miss the happy hours spent worrying about the fate of pun street properties instead of other things going on in my real life. I will have to look else wear for happy times. Good luck to everyone for whatever they choose to do next.

Paul Russell said...

While not a regular listener to the live show, I used to save up the podcasts to listen to while on holiday - I am a bit behind on these, so will have a few to keep me going once the show ends.

Best of luck to you and Danielle with wherever your careers take you next.

Stuart Chapman said...

On the basis that over the past 3 years you have always shyed away from, what in my opinion is well deserved praise, all I will say on this matter is thank you. I am a podcast listener and appreciate the way you include the podcast listener as part of the extras as much as the live listeners. I look forward to keeping up to date on future work you are all up to via twitter. All the best.

irishstu said...

I've really enjoyed the show and will miss it. Thanks so much to yourself, Danielle, Martin, Michael and all your guests, and I look forward to seeing what you do next.

Liz said...

Thanks to you, Martin, Danielle and Michael for a great show and funny podcasts - I'll miss them, but I'll look forward to your future endeavours!

chris said...

Sad to see the show end but all good things do come to an end eventually.

Any idea what'll happen to pun strteet, put up for sale, re-developed, compulsory purhcase for a new bypass to fail lane maybe?

Looks like my submission will never make it there :( It was a good one too. "Tree wise men- tree surgeons"

Saw another the other day on the A11 "carlsburger van" written in the same type face too.

I'll miss found poetry as this IS the internet and arguing on forums but in general i'll miss the show and the team. All the best to you all.

Chris

andy said...

best of luck in the future, fun, wild and wacky adventures im sure you will have. thanks for the good fun the show has provided.

Kaye said...

Gutted from a dedicated podcast listener from New Zealand. Don't even have your touring to look forward to. But all the best for the future - any books in the pipeline? Thanks for some great shows.

Robin, Glasgow said...

Thank you Dave for 3 glorious years of podcasting wonderment. You're show has done the following for me

I can no longer walk down a street without looking for punny shops. Never found a good one...

I no longer able to enjoy culture without Danielle's say so. Dang.

I'm now made 17% less angry by the comments section on any internet page as I just play the Found Poetry music in my head and it makes it just that little bit less terrifying.

I've laughed. Lots.

Thanks, and all the best to youm Danielle, Martin, Michael, Rich Jarman, Producer Chris, and everyone else on the show.

Dr Chris said...

Its going to be much missed. I really enjoyed it as an intelligent and offbeat take on the world, rather than one man's ego.