This is the first of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.
In this episode I talk to James Woods and Nick Ascroft.
James Woods (Image by Stephen Boxhill) Nick Ascroft
James chose Neon Cross by Drunk with Power, which he wrote and recorded. You can listen to here on Spotify
Nick chose Dunedin Spleen by The Verlaines and you can listen and buy this song on Bandcamp
Exercise:
We talk quite a lot about rhyme in this discussion.
So, the exercise is simply this – turn on your recorder, say the line:
‘I listened to a band called Flipper’
And see how long you can go rhyming words with ‘Flipper’. Don’t forget about half-rhymes and don’t be afraid to change the end sound completely if it feels right. The idea is to try and keep composing for 2 minutes.
Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.
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Or you can listen to it here:

Ep 120: Beyond a Joke 11 – Anna Pendergrast & Kelly Pendergrast talk with Pip Adam about The Laughter Lift from Kermode & Mayo’s Take – Better off Read
- Ep 120: Beyond a Joke 11 – Anna Pendergrast & Kelly Pendergrast talk with Pip Adam about The Laughter Lift from Kermode & Mayo’s Take
- Ep 119: Beyond a Joke 10 – Marolyn Krasner talks with Pip Adam about Hudson Valley Ballers: Lovers
- Ep 118: Beyond a Joke 9 – Rijula Das, author of Small Deaths, talks to Pip Adam about a New Yorker cartoon
- Ep 117: Beyond a Joke 8 – Dominic Hoey tells Pip Adam a funny story and they talk about Poor People With Money
- Ep 116: Beyond a Joke 7 – Sarah Jane Barnett talks with Pip Adam about Michael Schur’s The Good Place
Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa
