Sounds of our lives

Kocktail Kev - Margueritas

Margarita Origins, Tequila vs. Mezcal, and a Chilli-Ginger Syrup Twist Kev recounts discovering a chilli and ginger margarita about eight years ago in a Worcester, UK restaurant whose manager later emailed cocktail recipes, and uses it to introduce this week’s drink: the margarita. They trace its roots to Northern Mexico around US Prohibition and explain the “daisy cocktail” template of spirit, citrus, and sweetener, noting margarita means daisy in Spanish. The episode compares tequila (steamed blue agave from regulated Mexican regions) with mezcal (any Mexican agave, often roasted underground for smokiness) and suggests splitting tequila with mezcal for a smoky margarita. They cover limes and Triple Sec, then give a classic ratio (2 tequila : 1 lime : 1 Triple Sec) and instructions to shake on ice and strain. Finally, they show how to make chilli-ginger syrup (sugar, water, ginger, chilli flakes) and suggest a chilli-salt rim, teasing next week’s trip to Italy for a “Negroni” origin story. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 00:28 Margarita Origin Story 01:15 Tequila vs Mezcal 02:02 Lime and Triple Sec 02:58 How to Mix It 03:21 Chilli Ginger Syrup 04:30 Chilli Salt Rim 04:45 Serve and Next Week Kocktail Kev Music is called Velvet shadows full version by Kaazoom on Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472] The Banterists music is called  ‘The best jazz club in New Orleans’ Music by Paolo Argento [https://pixabay.com/users/paoloargento-38603296/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472]

SE01 E8 Kocktail Kev - Whisky Mac

Phill, Lilly and Jo are taking a break this week but Kocktail Kev is with you and introduces a new weekly short segment on Banterists about cocktails, including their stories, how to make them, and tasting along with readily available ingredients and straightforward proportions using a 25 ml/50 ml measure. He defines a cocktail as a combination of two or more drinks with at least one alcoholic, and notes mixed drinks like gin and tonic also qualify though are often distinguished from more complex bar cocktails. He shares two 19th-century origin theories for the word “cocktail,” including New Orleans egg cups and docked horse tails indicating mixed breed. He then presents his first featured drink, the Whisky Mac, named for Colonel Hector McDonald (“Fighting Mac”) in India in 1899, made from Scotch whisky and ginger wine; he prefers a 2:1 whisky-to-ginger-wine ratio over the pub-standard 1:2 and gives a simple mixing method. He previews next episode on margaritas and making syrups. 00:00 Welcome to Cocktails 01:42 What Is a Cocktail 02:04 Cocktail Name Origins 02:40 Meet the Whiskey Mac 03:04 History Behind the Drink 03:17 Ingredients and Ginger Wine 04:06 Finding the Right Ratio 04:46 How to Make One 04:56 Next Episode and Goodbye Our podcast music is called  ‘The best jazz club in New Orleans’ Music by Paolo Argento [https://pixabay.com/users/paoloargento-38603296/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472] Kocktail Kev Music is called Velvet shadows full version by Kaazoom on Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472]

Sounds of our lives

Music Memories, Teen Slang, and Lightsaber Dueling Phil and Jo host The Banterists without Lily, who is directing a play, and introduce an episode focused on music alongside their usual recommendations and a teased new segment. They discuss a Guardian article about Sébastien Bérard and France recognizing lightsaber dueling as an official sport, then share “word of the week” (pandiculation) and teen slang including “tea,” “yassify,” and “delulu.” The main conversation explores formative music memories (first singles, record shops, vinyl, tapes, Walkman/Discman/iPod), the power of distinctive voices, and how music evokes memory, including road-trip playlists. They highlight favorite artists, film soundtracks (The Piano, Garden State, The Mission), live music experiences, and recommend Pink Martini and Postmodern Jukebox, plus BBC iPlayer’s Outrageous about the Mitford sisters and Amanda Land; Jo does not recommend Al Pacino’s autobiography. They announce upcoming midweek bonus episodes featuring “Kocktail Kev,” sharing cocktail history, recipes, and music pairings. 00:00 Welcome and agenda 01:08 Lightsaber dueling fact 03:06 Word of the week pandiculation 03:46 Teen slang roundup 06:00 Music chat begins first buys 07:01 Record shops and vinyl comeback 10:35 Iconic voices and music memories 12:09 Portable music evolution 15:55 80s 90s bands and scenes 19:03 Music TV and live shows 21:01 Eclectic tastes and soundtracks 23:04 Piano Score Praise 23:26 Garden State Gems 24:42 Morricone Masterpieces 26:09 Brat Pack Soundtracks 27:17 Film Music Impact 28:31 Road Trip Playlists 30:02 Rufus And Martha 31:35 Radio 6 Discoveries 32:42 Union Chapel Magic 34:30 Festival Live Highlights 36:42 Jamie Cullum Breakthrough 38:03 Pink Martini Spotlight 39:14 Postmodern Jukebox Night 41:11 Mitford Sisters Series 43:29 More Recs And Avoids 45:12 Cocktail Kev Teaser 46:07 Farewell And Wrap Our podcast music is called  ‘The best jazz club in New Orleans’ Music by Paolo Argento [https://pixabay.com/users/paoloargento-38603296/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472]

Interview with Simon Clark

Phil and Lily host The Banters without Joe and welcome guest Simon Clark, president of the non-profit cultural association Atelier des Art du Noble Val (founded 2022 in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val) promoting music and the arts across the region. Simon describes moving to France after buying a property at 50, drawn by the area’s scenery and a barn he converted into a concert/rehearsal space, plus gîtes that help fund retirement. He shares his musical beginnings in a high-standard church boys’ choir, his career path from university singing to overseas travel operations (including Thomas Cook), then retraining as a language teacher and later running language courses. Simon explains forming the association to avoid local politics, outlines year-round programming, and previews upcoming events: a May 10 sacred Italian music concert in Vieux with 60 singers, organ, soloists, and conductor Mark Opstad; Shakespeare productions (Twelfth Night, then The Winter’s Tale); and a July 24 Albi concert by Gérald Toto with live ikebana. The episode ends with “word of the week” and recommendations. Recommending’s Phill recommended a programme called HOME which can be found on Apple TV+ Lilly recommended the 2019 version of Upstairs Downstairs starring Keeley Hawes which is on Amazon Prime in France Simon recommended a singer/guitarist called Gerald Toto https://www.geraldtoto.net/about-gerald-toto/ [https://www.geraldtoto.net/about-gerald-toto/] Our podcast music is called  ‘The best jazz club in New Orleans’ Music by Paolo Argento [https://pixabay.com/users/paoloargento-38603296/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472]

Favourite Artists, Word of the week & More

Phill, Jo, and Lily are back for another wide-ranging conversation covering listener mail, cringe-worthy memories, the origin of a surprising word, and a deep dive into their favourite artists and artworks. In this episode: 📬 Listener Mail * Ian from France writes in about Episode 1 (favourite films) — correcting the group on Wuthering Heights in French cinemas, Bob Hope's Road Movies co-star (Bing Crosby), and sharing his views on The Singers and French Exit. * Joe from London recommends I Swear (Netflix) — a BAFTA-winning film about a man with Tourette's — and the Channel 4 documentary Dirty Business, a hard-hitting look at how UK water companies are polluting waterways and beaches. 😳 Cringe Moments * Joe: Attempting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on her dead guinea pig, Giles, before wrapping him in tinfoil for burial. * Lily: Using phrases taught by a "friend" at a racecourse abroad… which turned out to be extremely offensive suggestions directed at a stranger's entire family. * Phil: Singing Memory from Cats at a charity fashion show — brilliantly, until "that big note." 🔤 Word of the Episode: Heckle Joe traces the word back to 14th-century Middle Dutch textile workers, through Scottish political agitators, to the comedy clubs of today. Highlights include a sharp comeback from Jo Brand, a misguided Glastonbury request for Oasis to play "Parklife" (a Blur song), and a possibly apocryphal Churchill quip from the lavatory. 🎨 Favourite Artists Lily's picks: * Jan van Eyck – The Virgin with the Chancellor Rolin (c. 14th century): rich iconography, royal colours, and a hidden Paddington Bear. * Vermeer – Lady Reading a Letter at an Open Window (1657–59): evocative, luminous, and possibly aided by a camera obscura. * The Scottish Colourists – Ferguson, Hunter, Peploe, and Cadell: vibrant, impressionistic works with a particular focus on the Isle of Iona. Jo's picks: * Picasso – From deconstructed bull sketches to Child with a Dove; a celebration of cubism, colour, and artistic evolution. * David Hockney – His Polaroid works, animated sunrise at Piccadilly Circus, and intimate still-life scenes. * Vanessa Bell – Sister of Virginia Woolf, co-founder of the Omega Workshops, and painter of the Fifty Famous Women dinner service at Charleston House. * Honourable mention: the Pre-Raphaelites, the Impressionists, and William Morris (appreciated, not loved). Phill’s picks: * Dante Gabriel Rossetti & the Pre-Raphaelites – Introduced through the Athena poster shop; captivated by the lush colours, dramatic hair, and androgynous beauty. * Edward Hopper – Nighthawks and beyond; foreboding urban scenes full of unspoken tension and narrative. * Paul Klee – Cubist, surrealist layering and extraordinary colour depth. * Toulouse-Lautrec – Born nearby in Albi; pioneer of the lithograph, prolific creator despite dying at 36. * Photography as art – A plea for more recognition, including immersive art exhibitions (Monet currently touring). 🎬 Recommendations * Lily: Fool Me Once (Prime Video) – directed by Guy Ritchie, starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan & Tom Hardy. Surprisingly great. * Joe: Seeking listener tips for visits to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Henry Moore Foundation, Elizabeth Frink sites, and Charleston House. Also vowing to finally see Picasso's Guernica in Madrid within six months. * Phil: Fault Lines by Family Stereo – Blake Watt (son of Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn & Ben Watt) has a new single out, with album The Thread due in July. Find him at familystereo.net. Got an unusual word for the group? Send it in! And if you've visited the Yorkshire Sculpture Park or Henry Moore Foundation, Joe would love to hear your tips. Our podcast music is called  ‘The best jazz club in New Orleans’ Music by Paolo Argento [https://pixabay.com/users/paoloargento-38603296/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472] from Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=164472] #TheBanterists #Podcast #Workaway #FilmReview #TravelStories #SoloEpisode #NewEpisode