Picks of the week
About a Girl
A strangely listenable show from the makers of hit true crime series Disgraceland, About a Girl offers a scripted, partly-fictionalised look at 12 women behind some of music’s biggest names, among them David Bowie’s first wife, Angie Bowie, and Rita Marley, spouse of Bob. Though frequently over earnest (watch out for a dramatisation of Bowie’s time in the Big Brother house – best known as a meme moment, imagined here as a requiem to her late husband), it succeeds in bringing light and shade to music’s ‘muses’. Hannah J Davies
Strippers in the Attic
If you’ve ever wanted to know what goes on in a strip club, Buffy and Heaven (not, surprisingly, their real names) have launched a podcast to debunk the myths. “Everything you think you know about this world has probably been gleaned from music videos, bad TV and incredibly terrible films,” says Buffy, as the riotously entertaining pair get to work talking about their experience of performing in clubs from London to Las Vegas. First up are their audition stories, complete with a rogue bowler hat and some problematic removal of underwear. Hannah Verdier
Producer pick: The Nobody Zone
Chosen by Danielle Stephens
I first wrote about The Nobody Zone when it first came out in February of this year. I was left wanting more at the end of the series, so when I saw that RTÉ in Ireland and Third Ear in Denmark were producing another two episodes based on information they received after they launched the podcast, I was giddy with excitement.
I always find host Tim Hinman’s voice soothing – even if the gruesome stories he’s relaying aren’t quite as gentle on the ears. However, I must admit that as much as I enjoyed episode seven and eight, I really learned very little else about Kieran Patrick Kelly, a homeless Irish man, who in the 1980s confessed to multiple murders he had committed over the previous 30 years.
Some great characters share their stories, and as a listener you get a real sense of the terror that this man caused when he roamed the streets of London. But just a warning – don’t expect answers from these follow-up episodes. I came away with more questions, though I enjoyed listening all the same.
Talking points
Comedian Mark Watson and former Bake Off contestant turned Guardian Bake Off liveblogger have launched a new podcast, Menkind, on the state of modern maledom. What does it mean to be a man today? And how can men do – and be – better? Guests range from Tom Daley to Alastair Campbell and Drag Race UK’s Crystal.
Why not try: Queen Bees with Jane Horrocks and Esther Coles | The Renner Files | Wolf and Owl
