Undercurrent Stories Podcast: History, Music, Science & much more. – Details, episodes & analysis

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Undercurrent Stories Podcast: History, Music, Science & much more.

Undercurrent Stories Podcast

Society & Culture

Education

News

Frequency: 1 episode/11d. Total Eps: 204

Discovering the hidden depths of the people and world around us.

Documentary interview show with an eclectic mix of people and subjects including: history, music, philosophy, the outdoors, wildlife, food and drink, sport, personal achievements, spirituality and many more.

IG:https://www.instagram.com/undercurrentstories/ FB:https://www.facebook.com/undercurrentstories/ TW:https://mobile.twitter.com/undercurrentst1

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🇬🇧 Great Britain - documentary
28/07/2026
#96

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https://www.undercurrentstories.com/
106 shares
https://www.thestamfordtownguidedtours.co.uk/
14 shares
https://cheetah.org/
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https://www.instagram.com/undercurrentstories
128 shares
https://www.instagram.com/williamdavidcunningham
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https://www.instagram.com/stevepaintprint
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https://www.buzzsprout.com/856252/fan_mail/new
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https://www.buzzsprout.com/856252/episodes/5102128
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Score global : 52%

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The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (Was Losing My Job): Ben Phillips on Igniting Your Creative Spark

Wednesday, July 22, 2026 • Duration 47:02

Have you ever felt like there is a dormant, creative part of you just waiting to get out? Something you buried years, or even decades ago because life got in the way? Careers, family commitments, the daily grind, all very important but it’s so easy to push our real passions to the back burner while we go about our everyday life.

Sometimes, though, life makes the big decisions for us.

My guest today spent decades in a demanding corporate career that had nothing to do with making music. He carried melodies spinning around in his head for over twenty years, but reality meant those dreams had to wait. Then, in his middle age, redundancy hit.

Instead of seeing it purely as an ending, it ignited something that had been lying dormant inside him. It gave him the permission and the time, to step into his studio, pick up his instruments, and finally give those melodies a voice. Today, he writes, plays every instrument, records, and produces entirely on his own terms.

We’re going to be talking about creativity, reinvention, and what it actually takes to unlock that latent spark inside yourself.

So I want to ask you today: What is that creative thing inside of you that’s waiting to get out?

Bio:

Ben Phillips is a jazz rock studio musician who, following a 20-year career in Customer Experience Management for global companies, made the transition to a full-time career in music following redundancy in 2025. This opened the opportunity to explore his true passion for music recording and production. He has released 1 full album and 1 EP to date, with more releases to follow this year and next. He works and lives in Milton Keynes, England with his wife and 5 sons.

Ben's links:

https://linktr.ee/benphillips.music

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benphillips.music

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/benmjphillipsmusic

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com

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Stuart Ward: The Brit Who Became a Swedish Broadcasting Legend

Wednesday, July 15, 2026 • Duration 51:20

Stuart Ward grew up on a council estate in Exeter, England, obsessed with pirate radio, chart positions, and — oddly — record labels. That obsession, plus a teenage belief that Sweden had cracked the code on a fairer society, eventually carried him across the North Sea, first as a chartered accountant, then as one of Swedish television and radio's most recognisable voices for decades.

Stuart hosted Night Flight Scandinavia and Top Gear Nordic (a name he lifted straight from John Peel's old BBC show, nothing to do with cars), interviewed everyone from Paul McCartney to Barry Humphries to Pelé, ran the Polar Music Prize — often called the Nobel Prize of music — and, in between all of it, tried and failed to build a political career in the UK Labour Party before finding his footing instead in Swedish politics. He also spent over a decade at the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok and lived in Thailand for eighteen years.

In this episode, Stuart and host Bob Wells talk about chasing a dream with zero self-confidence, what changes when you go from radio to television, the etiquette of never looking starstruck, and why curiosity — not talent — might be the real secret behind a rich life.

In This Episode You'll Learn

How a working-class boy from Exeter who could name every record label on the UK charts ended up in the Swedish music business
Why Stuart moved to Sweden as a chartered accountant in 1973 — and why he stayed
The real story behind the name "Top Gear Nordic" (hint: it's a John Peel tribute, not a car show)
What it was like trading a UK parliamentary candidacy for a life with the man he loved, at a time when that wasn't something you talked about openly
The unglamorous technical side of early live TV versus the freewheeling looseness of radio
Why one veteran cameraman told Stuart he had a rare gift for getting people to open up on camera
Stuart's interviews with Paul McCartney (who ended up interviewing him), Barry Humphries/Dame Edna, John Cleese, Pelé, and Björn Borg
The Swedish concept of Jantelagen — a kind of built-in social suspicion of standing out — and how it echoes attitudes Stuart encountered growing up in England

Bull Runs, Wife Sales & Bribed Voters: Welcome to Stamford! Bill Cunningham

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 • Duration 28:30

We’re back in Stamford with historian Bill Cunningham, uncovering the town’s hidden past.

From Burghley House to the famous George Hotel. Expect wild stories of bull runs, political corruption, and unforgettable local characters in one of England’s most beautiful towns.

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com

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Come Fly With Me: Inside British Airways with Steve Snow

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 • Duration 49:41

You've dropped the car off at the airport car park, been processed through security, boarded the plane and you can now relax and look forward to your flight. You observe the cabin crew helping passengers , closing the overhead compartments and preparing for the pre-flight safety demonstration.
Have you ever wondered what it must be like working for an airline?

Here to answer that question I'm joined by Steve Snow. Steve has spent his career in the airline industry with British Airways right through from trainee to senior management.

You'll hear how chance conversations and serendipity led to Steve’s first roles, you will understand what it takes to make cabin crew and through some of Steve’s many stories, sometimes very humorous, you will get a unique behind the scenes look at how things work within a major international airline.

Steve's Links;
Training and Coaching Ltd https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-snow-aa212812/

Undercurrent Stories links:
https://linktr.ee/undercurrentstories

Intro and outro music, 'Time for a Coffee' by Bob Wells

Thanks to ;
Song: Flight Cabin Chime
Link: • Flight Cabin Chime | Notification Rin...
Channel: Rubricks

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com

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Right Said Fred: Richard and Fred Fairbrass

Thursday, April 18, 2024 • Duration 45:37

The inspiring story of how two music loving brothers from the English medieval market town of East Grinstead, defied music industry sceptics and created a worldwide smash hit!

Cast your mind back to 1991, (If you were around!) Do you remember the collapse of the Soviet Union? The start of the first Gulf War? What about the hit film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and the accompanying hit record, 'Everything I do I do for You' by Bryan Adams? It stayed at no. 1 in the UK charts for 4 months!

Nestling right behind the chart topper at no 2 for 6 weeks in the UK chart was the hit, 'I'm too Sexy' by the band Right Said Fred. It went on to be a major hit worldwide and charted at no. 1 all over the world.

Fast forward to 2024 and I'm delighted to be joined by Richard and Fred Fairbrass the duo that is Right Said Fred.

In this insightful and gently humorous conversation you will learn;

The amusing story behind the lyrics to 'I'm too Sexy'
The Jimi Hendrix guitar riff that largely went unnoticed in 'I'm too Sexy'
How it felt being thrust into the limelight with a worldwide smash hit
What it was like working with David Bowie and Bob Dylan, (The human side of celebrity, 'They are just blokes.')
Cancel culture. Being 'cancelled' by book publishers and radio for speaking out
What it is to be truly 'indie'
The joy of the creative process over success
Perseverance in the face of scepticism
Advice for aspiring musicians in today's music industry
Their continued success with new releases, upcoming festival dates and 'Still Too Sexy' their new biography

This conversation is a look at the determination and self-belief that fuel a musician's journey to the top however, above all the interview reveals the strong bond between two brothers bound by their love of music and how this special relationship gave them their grit and relentless spirit needed to break through.

Links:
https://rightsaidfred.com/
https://twitter.com/TheFreds
Book: 'Still Too Sexy' Undercurrent Stories links:Intro and outro music, 'Time for a Coffee' by Bob Wells

Evolution Gone Wrong: Why Our Bodies Work or Don't: Alex Bezzerides

Thursday, April 11, 2024 • Duration 52:03

Most of us suffer at some point from a body condition that causes an issue. You may have to wear glasses or contacts, you may have a bad back or you may have had work done on your teeth to straighten them. Have you ever wondered why?

Here to answer those questions I am joined by Alex Bezzerides. Alex is a professor of biology at Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho and he recently brought out his first book called, (Evolution Gone Wrong The Curious Reasons Why Our Bodies Work or Don’t).

Expect to learn the surprising ways in which our bodies have evolved.

Links:
http://alexbezzerides.com/
https://twitter.com/alexbezzerides

Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evolution-Gone-Wrong-Curious-Reasons/dp/1335690050

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com

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The Truth About the War in Ukraine: Matt Gallagher

Thursday, March 28, 2024 • Duration 47:57

How much do you know about what’s going in Ukraine? Obviously we get daily news bulletins from the mainstream media which give a view on major events but what about the stuff we don't hear about?
What everyday life is like for civilians?
Why people from other countries volunteer either on a humanitarian basis or as a soldier? What are their backgrounds? How are they received?
How do the Ukrainian people see an end to the war?

To help answer these questions and many more, I am joined by Matt Gallagher. Matt is a US Army veteran who volunteered and helped civilians at the start of the war in 2022 and then returned again in 2023 as a journalist. His experiences led him to publish his fourth novel, Daybreak which takes place in present day Ukraine and features a disillusioned American volunteering for the war and to reconnect with a woman from his past.

I found the novel very powerful as it is set in the present with a war still going on. It certainly helped me understand it from a human level.

I hope you enjoy the episode, that it helps further your own understanding and answers some of those unanswered questions.

Links:

http://mattgallagherwriter.com/about/
https://www.instagram.com/mattgallagher0/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Gallagher_(author)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Daybreak/Matt-Gallagher/9781501177859

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com

How to Cook Your Best Curry Ever! with Al's Kitchen

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 • Duration 37:48

Do you enjoy curries particularly those available in Indian restaurants or takeaways? Have you tried making them at home? If like me you have and they are ok, but never quite taste as authentic as the chef made ones in restaurants, then this episode is for you...

Al Constantinou is host of Al's Kitchen which is one of the most popular and successful BIR, (British Indian Restaurant), style cooking channels on YouTube. With over 200 videos to choose from, Al teaches how to make all your favourite curries at home.

Expect to learn the secrets behind base gravies, the importance of using the correct equipment and how the correct use of heat with garlic and spices is so important.
Let Al teach you in his unique and affable style and manner and you will see how he has become so popular.
Then let the results speak for themselves. This is a game changer!

Al's links;
https://www.youtube.com/@AlsKitchen
https://alskitchen.uk/

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com

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365 ways to Live a More Relaxed, Happy and Successful Life: Penny Mallory

Thursday, March 14, 2024 • Duration 45:12

Penny Mallory was the first woman in the world to compete in a Ford Focus World Rally Car and remains the only woman to have achieved this. She is an author, highly sought after Keynote Speaker and recognised as one of the world leading authorities on mental toughness.

Successful people are mentally tough. No one can avoid the minefield of setbacks, crisis, tragedy and challenge that is part of being alive. Life throws obstacles in your path daily, but mentally tough people can manage the stress and pressure. They see challenges as opportunities. They persist no matter what. They pick themselves up and go again. They are confident, humble, in control and 100% committed to what they set out to achieve.T hat may sound as if mentally tough people are special, but they’re not. No one is born with mental toughness.

Expect to learn how to improve your confidence, increase motivation and discover your winning mindset. Listen to Penny’s story from teenage runaway, homelessness in London and how this developed her resilience. Drawing on these extraordinary experiences Penny now shares her techniques and formula to develop mental toughness giving talks and coaching groups including F1, Coca-Cola, Microsoft and TEDX.

Links:
https://pennymallory.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennymallory/

https://www.instagram.com/undercurrentstories/

Question or comment? Send us a text message.

www.undercurrentstories.com

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What Man Abandons, Nature Reclaims: David Poxon, Watercolour Artist

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 • Duration 46:08

When you were a child did you ever have a particular passion or interest? Did it fade away as life and making a living took over? Or is it something that you have put off and you have been meaning to get back to?
If you would like some renewed inspiration this episode is for you!

Welcome to a captivating exploration of the harmonious marriage of art and industry, where the rhythmic hum of machinery provides the soundtrack to the dance of watercolor. In this episode, we journey into the world of David Poxon, a maestro of the brush whose vibrant works are a testament to the unexpected beauty found in the gritty, metallic landscape of industry and agricultural machinery.

From his boyhood fascination with the rawness of his industrial surroundings, David now masterfully blends the austere beauty of machinery with the delicate nuance of watercolor. His work, an artful conduit between the severe precision of industry and the fluidity of pigment and water, invites us to explore the power of art to transform and to connect.

We delve into the story behind his creations, the solace found in the rhythms of his brush strokes, and the strong ties that art can weave between the artist and the observer. With his journey serving as our canvas, you will hear about the sheer joy of creating something. Something that David encourages us all to experience.

The principles that David talks about can be applied to any creative pursuit whether that be art, writing, music, anything in fact!
Hope you enjoy the episode.

Bio - David Poxon is a highly sought after international water colour artist He is an elected member of the The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and a signature member of the National Watercolour society of America. In addition to this David is the organiser of the 2024 International Watercolour Masters show which takes place in Lilleshall Hall in Shropshire, England 15th - 24th May 2024.

Links:

https://internationalwatercolourmasters.com/
https://davidpoxon.co.uk/

Undercurrent Stories Podcast: History, Music, Science & much more. – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Undercurrent Stories Podcast: History, Music, Science & much more. – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other99+

Instagram63

Buzzsprout2

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other99+

Instagram63

Buzzsprout2