Private Eye podcast - series two

I've been working with presenter Andrew Hunter Murray (QI, No Such Thing As a Fish) and Private Eye editor Ian Hislop to beef up their podcast, Page 94.

Inspired by the look of the magazine - which is largely black & white print with the occasional colour cartoon - I've kept the sound design simple. Everything is recorded in their offices, including the voiceovers, close mic-ed to avoid echo. No jingles, no sound effects (except where props are in the room); just intelligent, funny people sticking it to the man.

We're now two episodes into the renovations and the reaction's been really positive. And in this latest episode, they've let me indulge my own personal infatuation: their flexidiscs.

Private Eye has a rich sound archive on these wonderful mass-produced records, most of which has never been digitised. Peter Cook, Willie Ruston, Harry Enfield, Pamela Stephenson... some amazing comic performers lent their talents to the Eye.

With that in mind, last week I spent a morning at Maple Street Studios transferring a couple of these flexidiscs to my computer so we could play a few clips on series two, episode two of Page 94.

https://soundcloud.com/privateeyenews/page-94-the-private-eye-podcast-episode-11

The wider programme deals with the return of the Labour left and shoot down some 80s throwback conspiracy theories. Take a trip back to the 60s, via the 80s, as Private Eye (and politics generally) indulges in a bit of nostalgia...