Next week sees me traveling to Reading to guest on the Contemporary Progressive Rock radio show, followed by an appearance at the Oxfam book shop with three other science fiction writers. Later in the year, I'll be back at Reading with Crimson Clocks to perform in the town's first ever steampunk festival, Raising Steam. The man responsible for these events is Reading writer and DJ, Steven C. Davis. Here he explains how he got into radio, how Raising Steam came about, and what it's all in aid of...
I’ve got a busy few days and months coming up ...
On Tuesday 18th June I’ll be joined by LM Cooke on my CPR radio show. A colleague from the Oxfam Bookshop in Reading invited me on her radio show to discuss my debut novel, ‘Cornix Sinistra’, an apocalyptic science fiction novel set in an alternate Reading. A few months after that I started the Contemporary Progressive Rock Show (Tuesdays, 10-midnight, only on www.reading4u.co.uk). My intention was to play the classic sounds of 70s progressive rock, but it soon shifted into a lot more contemporary sounds. You can join the facebook event page here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/462404817170453/
On Wednesday 19th June the Oxfam Bookshop in Reading (RG1 2EA) is holding a science fiction authors event, featuring (strangely enough), LM Cooke and myself, in addition to Thomas Shepherd and Christine Davidson. The four of us will be reading excerpts from our novels (between us we have 7 novels published). In the last 6 years or so the Oxfam Bookshop has built up quite a reputation amongst fans of SF – it now stocks over 1,000 books and has had well known figures in such as Brian Stableford, Dave Langford, Frances Hardinge and Jaine Fenn. You can join the facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/166827240147944/ and the bookshop’s address is here: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/local-shops/oxfam-bookshop-reading
On Tuesday 18th June I’ll be joined by LM Cooke on my CPR radio show. A colleague from the Oxfam Bookshop in Reading invited me on her radio show to discuss my debut novel, ‘Cornix Sinistra’, an apocalyptic science fiction novel set in an alternate Reading. A few months after that I started the Contemporary Progressive Rock Show (Tuesdays, 10-midnight, only on www.reading4u.co.uk). My intention was to play the classic sounds of 70s progressive rock, but it soon shifted into a lot more contemporary sounds. You can join the facebook event page here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/462404817170453/
On Wednesday 19th June the Oxfam Bookshop in Reading (RG1 2EA) is holding a science fiction authors event, featuring (strangely enough), LM Cooke and myself, in addition to Thomas Shepherd and Christine Davidson. The four of us will be reading excerpts from our novels (between us we have 7 novels published). In the last 6 years or so the Oxfam Bookshop has built up quite a reputation amongst fans of SF – it now stocks over 1,000 books and has had well known figures in such as Brian Stableford, Dave Langford, Frances Hardinge and Jaine Fenn. You can join the facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/166827240147944/ and the bookshop’s address is here: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/local-shops/oxfam-bookshop-reading
On September 21st and 22nd, two halls in Reading play host to Raising Steam, a one-off 2 day Steampunk music festival. Raising funds for New Futures Nepal, my hope for Raising Steam is that it will be an opportunity and a showcase for up and coming home grown Steampunk bands. Since Hallowsteam in Birmingham last year I’ve been a fan of Metropolis, Crimson Clocks, Gladstone and Birthrite (and Seas of Mirth and BB Black Dog and ...) and this seemed like an opportunity worth pursuing. Pretty soon Tom Slatter and Miss Von Trapp were on the bill and I quickly realised a new, bigger, hall was needed. After some scouting around, not one but two halls were found ... and The Mysterious Freakshow and Thy Last Drop were added to the bill ... and Oxford’s finest The Mechanisms were secured to headline the Sunday.
Another intention – and one I’ve already seen happening – is for Steampunk bands to discover each other – the, ‘together we’re stronger’, motif in action. Even if it is only ‘liking’ a band’s facebook page, it’s a start.
A possible MC for the event, Jane Setter (of progressive rock band Crimson Sky) was approached – although Reading has a Steampunk group, there are no Steampunk music groups that I’m aware of – so I wanted a local MC. Fortunately, she was delighted to be asked and not only brought along a co-host, Rob Ramsay (of progressive rock band Tinyfish) but also another band, Helicopter Quartet.
So far, so good. 10/12 bands confirmed ... and then I got a Facebook message from Montague Jacques Fromage ... enquiring whether I was promoting Raising Steam ... he really wanted to be a part of it ... and then there were 11/12 bands!
Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/123942861133075/
Buy tickets here: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/5612037756
But just time to pull back a little ... way back in 2000 I met a Nepalese man who was doing all he could to look after orphaned, disabled and abandoned children he found in the mountains of Nepal whilst acting as a trek leader. He set up the home and the charity which became NFN and in the ten years or so of existence, they’ve provided a home, security, comfort and education to over forty children and young adults who, without them, would likely have ended up being sold as child labour or into the sex trade. The eldest children have now left the home and have been able to get paid jobs and find homes which, without NFN, they would not have had the chance to.
You can find out about New Futures Nepal here or on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewFuturesNepal?fref=ts
Contact:
Facebook: Steven.C.Davis10@facebook.com
Twitter: @Steven_C_Davis
Web site: www.tenebroustexts.com
Live and on air: Tuesday evenings, 10 – midnight on www.reading4u.co.uk
Prerecorded shows: http://www.mixcloud.com/stevencdavis10/
Another intention – and one I’ve already seen happening – is for Steampunk bands to discover each other – the, ‘together we’re stronger’, motif in action. Even if it is only ‘liking’ a band’s facebook page, it’s a start.
A possible MC for the event, Jane Setter (of progressive rock band Crimson Sky) was approached – although Reading has a Steampunk group, there are no Steampunk music groups that I’m aware of – so I wanted a local MC. Fortunately, she was delighted to be asked and not only brought along a co-host, Rob Ramsay (of progressive rock band Tinyfish) but also another band, Helicopter Quartet.
So far, so good. 10/12 bands confirmed ... and then I got a Facebook message from Montague Jacques Fromage ... enquiring whether I was promoting Raising Steam ... he really wanted to be a part of it ... and then there were 11/12 bands!
Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/123942861133075/
Buy tickets here: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/5612037756
But just time to pull back a little ... way back in 2000 I met a Nepalese man who was doing all he could to look after orphaned, disabled and abandoned children he found in the mountains of Nepal whilst acting as a trek leader. He set up the home and the charity which became NFN and in the ten years or so of existence, they’ve provided a home, security, comfort and education to over forty children and young adults who, without them, would likely have ended up being sold as child labour or into the sex trade. The eldest children have now left the home and have been able to get paid jobs and find homes which, without NFN, they would not have had the chance to.
You can find out about New Futures Nepal here or on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewFuturesNepal?fref=ts
Contact:
Facebook: Steven.C.Davis10@facebook.com
Twitter: @Steven_C_Davis
Web site: www.tenebroustexts.com
Live and on air: Tuesday evenings, 10 – midnight on www.reading4u.co.uk
Prerecorded shows: http://www.mixcloud.com/stevencdavis10/
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