📸 - credit Chris Leslie For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer Alison Irvine to talk about her fascinating and insightful new book about Glasgow's famous Barrowland Ballroom . To give its full title, the book is called Barrowland: The Inside Story of Glasgow’s Beloved Ballroom and it's published by Luath Press . Alison explains that the book's origins are in a previous publication, and the importance of her regular collaborators Chris Leslie and Mitch M

📸 - credit Veronica Stewart For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to screenwriter, playwright, actor, and now novelist, Linda Duncan McLaughlin to talk about her debut novel Original Sins , which is published by Into Books . There was so much to talk to Linda about, but the conversation begins with her describing Original Sins , a novel not easily categorised, and the two then manage to discuss the novel without giving spoilers (also a tricky task). Linda then ta

📸 - credit Christopher Bowen For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Lesley Davidson, who is the co-director of the Beacon Arts Centre , to talk about the inaugural Beacon Book Festival which runs from Friday 20th - Sunday 22nd February. Lesley tells us why now is the right time for the Beacon Arts Centre to host a book festival, and what the challenges were in programming, before talking about that programme - who is on, and when, and taking us through the vari

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer, and regular guest over the years, Louise Welsh to talk about her latest Rilke novel The Cut Up , which is published with Canongate Books . Louise begins with a brief introduction to the central character of Rilke, before talking about the first novel in which he featured, Louise's celebrated 2002 debut The Cutting Room, a book which has had a notable influence on a new generation of writers. The two then discuss The

📸 credit - Ruari Barber-Fleming For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to composer and sound designer Oğuz Kaplangı to talk about his new album RESIST .   Oğuz talks about the inspirations behind the project, the themes of resistance, solidarity, and human connection, the narrative which runs through the album, and his future plans for RESIST , which are very exciting. The two also discuss the importance of collaboration and how he worked with a number of other ar

Dawn Taylor - pic credit Andrew Perry For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up once again with Dawn Taylor, the Artistic Director & CEO at MANIPULATE Arts , to learn all about this year's MANIPULATE Festival  which runs from 4th - 10th February. Now in its 19th year the festival promises something for everyone, and Dawn gives us an overview of the programme, a bit of history, the significance in supporting non-text based theatre, film and other forms of performanc

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to Professor of History and Theory of Psychology at the University of Edinburgh (and former magician) Peter Lamont to talk about his latest book Radical Thinking: How To See The Bigger Picture , which is published by Swift Press . It's a continuation of a conversation the two had at last year's Aye Write Book Festival when an hour was nowhere hear enough time to discuss this fascinating and thought-provoking book, and the ide

For the first Scots Whay Hae! podcast of 2026, Ali spoke to writer and musician Peter May to talk about his new album Towards The Light , but so much more. Peter admits that despite his fame as a writer of crime fiction (31 novels to date), music was always his first love and he goes on to talk about his early years playing in bands, running away to London to make their fame and fortune, and just what the musical landscape was like at the time. He then talks about the new al

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast, and the last of our Best of 2025 pods, Ali is joined once more by regulars Chris Ward and a returning Wesley Shearer to talk all things film, or at least to talk about their films of the year. Once again picking five each, they share their enthusiasm for the movies you may have missed first time around, and we’re sure you’ll find something to tickle your fancy. There are favourite directors, dazzling debuts, documentaries, legends on sc

For our latest roundup of 2025 we look at the year in music, with Ali joined once again by musician and righteous supporter of Scottish music, Gefahrgeist 's Fiona Liddell . As is now customary, they  each pick 10 tracks to discuss which have left their mark over the last 12 months. As they make clear, they could easily have picked many, many, more examples from what was another incredible year for Scottish music, (and on another day possibly would), but we hope you enjoy the

For this, the inaugural Scots Whay Hae! Best Crime Fiction podcast Ali was joined by writer Callum McSorley to talk about some of the best books published this year, and to take a look at what's coming in 2026. Each picking six of their favourites, the chat turns to great debuts, superb sequels, welcome returns, award winners, new voices, whisky, weekenders, even werewolves, and so much more! Callum is always great to talk to ( check out his appearance on the SWH! podcast fro

As is traditional, the first of our Best of 2025 podcasts is all about books, when once again Ali is joined by Publishing Scotland 's Vikki Reilly (right) to talk about just a few of the standouts of the year, and to give a heads up as to what's coming in 2026. The two talk fantastic fiction, non-fiction, plenty of prose, and even a little poetry. There are debuts to Last Words , complicated families, celebrations of friendships, love, loss, what it means to be alive, examina

📸 - credit Jim Lang For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to theatre director and producer David Hewitson who is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Theatre 118 , a new fringe venue dedicated to grassroots, DIY and emerging theatre makers. David gave some background to Theatre 118, where they are based and why, and what their aims are. The two then talk about the work of the Outer Spaces charity and the work they do, before discussing the importance of place

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to returning guest, writer Tom Brogan to talk all about his latest book Dalglish: The Fifty Matches That Made the Player which is published by Pitch Publishing . This was a real treat for Ali as Kenny Dalglish is his first, and arguably greatest, hero, and the two talked about what the player, and the man, means to them both (and they are remarkably similar stories). Tom then sets out the structure of the book, the inspiratio

📸 - credit Stephen McGuigan For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to writer, broadcaster and campaigner Darren McGarvey (also known as rapper Loki ) to talk about his book and live show, Trauma Industrial Complex , and the album Not Funded By Creative Scotland , which are three central strands of the same multi-media project, and the two discuss how they work together, but also stand alone. Darren talks about the challenges of taking the show to the Fringe, but w

📸 credit - Susan Hay For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to choreographer and dancer Himadri Madan to hear all about The Gaze – you, me, us, and them a new interactive installation with live performances which premieres at The Tramway in Glasgow on November 22nd before it goes to The Studio, Capital Theatre in Edinburgh on 28th February in the new year. Himadri expands on the brief description above, before breaking down the title, talking about the themes an

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast we welcome back writer Peter Ross to talk to Ali about his latest book Upon A White Horse: Journeys in Ancient Britain and Ireland - published by Headline - and which is the last in the 'fox trilogy' (and to find out what that refers to, you'll have to listen in). Peter gives an overview of the book, and how it fits alongside previous publications A Tomb With A View and Steeple Chasing , before discussing the structure, the quotes in

Moving from Spring to Autumn - running from 6th to 16th November - Glasgow’s Book Festival Aye Write offers something for everyone. Lovers of fact, fiction, poetry, prose, autobiography, biography, crime (real and fictional), memoir, music, food, and any other form of writing that takes your fancy, are all well catered for. The festival is mostly split between the Mitchell Library and Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall with plenty of guests from home and abroad, perfectly suiting

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to crime writer Marion Todd to learn all about Dead Man's Shoes (published by Canelo ), the latest in the DI Clare Mackay series of thrillers. Marion talks about the challenges in, and advantages to, writing a long-running series ( Dead Man's Shoes is the ninth entry) before giving a spoiler-free breakdown of the novel, explains what comes first - plot or people - and the difficulties in hitting that balance between cosy an

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up with Donald Smith , the director and founder of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival , to hear all about this year's programme , which features over 120 events and which will take place in Edinburgh and all across Scotland from 22nd October - 1st November. Donald breaks down the title Lights Of The North and how that relates to the international aspect of the festival, before going through the themes and stran