For anyone interested, I was on Radio Scotland this morning talking about Autism and holidays...as in going on one, not that we should have an official day where you all praise us and buy us stuff obviously.   As an aside I actually got thanked for my expertise and insight.  Check me.   By the way you can listen again (for the next 30 days)  here . 

 It's been a fair few years since my dulcet tones graced your airwaves  but it looks (sounds?) like I may be back on Radio Scotland in the next month - but not alas playing a mix of obscure Eurohorror tracks (tho' that might happen if enough folk ask for it).   The BBC are holding a Caring Matters Week with a variety of programmes and interviews which may, in fact, feature me ranting excitingly - and angrily - about various issues around and affecting carers. Including housing support no doubt.  First up is the recording of  the Caring Matters live roadshow next week - now what to wear for radio? - with (hopefully) a few interviews to follow. Updates to follow.    

  Here for your listening pleasure is the frankly fantastic Blue Azure's rather marvelous monthly music show this time around featuring (around the halfway mark) the spiritual successor to Colour Me Giallo , my tuneful tribute to the cult sounds of American horror cinema soundtracks.  Ladies and gentlemen I present...     And for anyone interested, here's the tracklist: 1. Goblin - L'Alba Dei Morti Viventi (alternate take). 2. Jay Chattaway - Cry for Mother. 3. Fred Myrow – Phantasm (theme). 4. John Carpenter – The Fog (main theme). 5. Ennio Morricone - Regan's Theme/ Seduction and Magic. 6. Donovan – Season Of The Witch. 7. Rick Wakeman – The Burning (theme). 8. Electric Banana - Cause I'm A Man. 9. John Harrison – The Dead Walk. 10. Pino Donaggio – Telescope. 11. David Hess - Wait for the Rain. 12. Don Gere – Werewolves On Wheels (theme). 13. Goblin - La Caccia. 14. Gus Russo – Basket Case (end theme). 15. John Harrison - The World Inside Your Eyes.  

   Another blatant self publicity alert! Just to let you know that I'll be re-teaming with Blue Azure on Totally Wired Radio on Saturday 14th March (8pm till 10pm) where I'll be unveiling the spiritual successor to Colour Me Giallo , this time featuring the cult sounds of American horror cinema soundtracks.  Ladies and gentlemen prepare for...  

  Can't believe that it's 42 years today since Will Byers went missing.....Remember the day with 60 (very) odd minutes of strange sounds from the upside down:  

 Here for your listening pleasure is Blue Azure's rather marvelous monthly music show featuring (around the halfway mark) my  weird and wonderful mix of Euro-centric cinema soundtracks.   Was a pleasure to do and bizarrely the first time we've ever collaborated on something (outside stop-motion movies as kids) in 48 (!) years of friendship. And yes he's correct when he says I probably know the exact date we met.     And for anyone interested, here's the tracklist 1. G. Lolli – Chiaroscuro (Chiaroscuro) 2. Riz Ortolani - Shake The Disco (Cosi Dolce...Cosi Perversa) 3. Sigi Schwab, Manfred Hübler - The Lions And The Cucumber (Vampyros Lesbos) 4. Stelvio Cipriani - La Polizia Sta A Guardare (Theme) 5. Bruno Nicolai - La Coda Dello Scorpione (Seq. 1) 6. Goblin - Profondo Rosso Theme 7. Riz Ortolani - Beat Fuga Shake (Tiffany Memorandum) 8. Giuliano Sorgini - Manchester M2 GLD (The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue) 9. Stelvio Cipriani – Bay of Blood (Theme...

 Blatant self publicity alert! Just to let you know that I'll be joining Blue Azure on Totally Wired Radio this Saturday evening ( 8pm till 10pm) where I'll be unleashing the weirdest and most wonderful mix of Euro-centric cinema soundtracks on an unsuspecting public.  You have been warned!      

  Been listening to Michael Blastland's Autism Curve series on Radio 4 and not sure how I feel, partly cos I don't like being talked about whilst trying to sleep. Full review to follow.  As an aside when it comes to podcasts in an Autism vein, I've noticed that those hosted by Autistic people (for example Robyn Steward and Jamie Knight's brilliant 1800 Seconds on Autism ) are deemed to be of niche interest and only for us whereas those podcasts aimed at 'the general public' or those with Autistic kids/relatives etc. (as The Autism Curve seems to be) are all hosted by neurotypical parents - usually dads - almost as if their 'Autism journey' makes them more suitable - or worthy - to talk about Autism to the 'not we'.    Hopefully someone will prove me wrong. 

  An Autism Acceptance Week repost that might - or might not, it's your choice, I'm not your mum - be of interest to those wanting a wee peek into the fabled 'Autistic Mindset'. Or more likely just interested in my work. Don't forget I'm available to hire. Either way, knock yersel' oot as they cry up here.     A couple of years back top music-type fella - and all round nice bloke - Paul Laird wrote a new book - The Birth and Impact of Britpop. And why the blatant plugging I hear you ask. Well type but you get the picture. It's because I did the illustrations for it and it's kinda interesting as to why I got so excited when Paul approached me. You see when I get approached to do a project the one thing I need to find (in order to actually do it) is a personal 'hook' - no matter what the subject matter or style it has to be something that gets me excited. Simply put if I don't feel I 'get' the subject (even in a small way) th...

I couldn't let the 100th anniversary of the shipping forecasts first radio broadcast pass without giving it a mention here seeing as  how damned important this oh so British slice of culture is to me - and many others. Happy birthday to a national institution! Shipping Forecast t-shirt? Best gift ever. Fact.       And Radio 4 have got a full day of Shipping Forecast fun! 

 Review from Nuala McCann re: the BBC Radio 4 Short Cuts adaptation of Autism Plays Itself. Click here to read. And from The Financial Times:    

Well that's me back home and (mostly) recovered from the UK premiere of AUTISM PLAYS ITSELF at the Edinburgh Film Festival yesterday and what a day it was.     Yes it was great to finally meet my fellow contributors in the flesh (and yes, they were very lovely) and catch up with the director Janet Harbord after what seems like an age but more importantly (and scarily) it was brilliant - and daunting - to watch the film with an actual audience. Obviously I made merch. And I'm happy to say it seemed to go down fantastically, the audience members I spoke to appeared to just 'get it'....much chat, laughs and excited social interaction ensued.   Team Autism Assemble!   To be honest I'm still processing the whole thing here so no doubt I'll come back to it at some point when I've fully recovered but suffice to say it would be an understatement to say that this is one of the pieces of work I'm most proud of. I hope you can all see it at some point.   But whilst...

BOTD 1918 - Spike Milligan  

 ...with Adam Fleming.   Interesting, frustrating and annoying in equal measures....Moheb Costandi is fairly punchable tho.....would go as far as to say he's talking utter bollocks but just found out he met an Autistic person once so he must be the expert, not the Actually Autistic guest Rachel Winder obviously (or me). Worth a listen here  

Another day and another misguided Autism study ( published by JAMA Pediatrics - oh look multicoloured jigsaw pieces!) has hit the headlines - and one I was about to discuss on Radio Scotland with Kaye Adams, check me* - this time focusing on training parents how to respond to babies showing early signs of autism and how it could reduce the number of three-year-olds meeting the criteria for diagnosis. Excellent! Because obviously it's scientifically possible to suck the Autism out of people before it's too late.  Well heads up guys, we're born Autistic and will die Autistic, all you're doing is teaching them to mask earlier whilst re-enforcing the view to parents that somehow having a child with an Autism diagnosis is a bad thing. I mean, it might be me being a wee bit thick but I'm struggling to see how an Autistic child no longer meets the criteria for having a diagnosis (whilst being Autistic) can in any way be seen as being a success? All this means is that no...

Was on Radio Scotland today talking about noise and Autism with Kaye Adams, short but sweet due to topics overrunning but still fairly interesting. Must admit tho' I got a wee bit starstruck being on with Poppy Szkiler, as my nan would always threaten to phone the Noise Abatement Society when I was particularly noisy as a child.  As a (vaguely) amusing aside, being young I didn't realize it was an actual organization - I thought it was someone named Noisy Bateman who turned up at your house like some kind of whispering Batman....   Anyway you can read the article that prompted the discussion here and you can listen to my dulcet tones here . Enjoy!

 Was interviewed (well I say interviewed but basically I just talked loudly over everyone) by Jackie Brambles on the BBC Scotland morning show today which was a fun, if fairly stressful experience seeing as I'm not feeling at my best right now. Feel free to play the violin. Anyway, after It'd finished I bounded into the kitchen to see how I'd done and Ro just nonchalantly said "Well at least you let the woman from Scottish Autism get a word in...."  Which is another reason Why I love her. And why am I telling you this? Well you can listen to it here if you so wish - for the next 29 days at least - it starts at around 1hr 37m. You're welcome.  Jackie Brambles trying to get a word in edgeways earlier today.

Phew! it's been a busy day on the blogging front....from my rant this morning about shit-heeled shoppers buying up everything in stock regardless of whether they need it to finding out that, as from Friday, all the schools will be shut for the foreseeable future. Well this week is doing wonders for our autistic need for calm, routine and a workable schedule. Seriously tho' we've kinda been expecting this for the last week or so and have been dropping heavy hints to the podlings that this might happen plus we've also had an idea of what things related would upset them the most. In our case it's the fact that the girls were preparing for a trip to London (which coincided with their birthday) so to say they're a wee bit unhappy is an understatement, but as I mentioned we'd expected this so have been gently hinting that this might be the case. Cos that's what parents do. Our school it has to be said has been really well organised,...