British Culture: Albion Never Dies

Don't be shy, send me a message!What makes the 007 films so uniquely British? In this episode, I take a deep (1-hour) dive into 2012's 'Skyfall' starring Daniel Craig. If you haven’t seen the film ‘Skyfall’ since it came out in 2012, don’t worry, there is plenty for you. In fact, if you’ve never seen this film, I hope you’ll still enjoy this podcast, and indeed can still enjoy watching the film afterwards without too many plot or character spoilers beyond the usual shape of a Bond / action film... but I will comment on locations a great deal. I’m looking at what stands out to me in this film as a UK cultural icon, pondering what adds to my enjoyment, and delving into cultural touchpoints along the way. Bond reviews are my most requested topic, but this is something hopefully satisfying for Bond fans and for non-Bond fans alike.Topics include:An Englishman in TurkeyThe Reichenbach FallsObituaries in the TimesNew Digs: Churchill's Bunker The National Gallery China: Shanghai and MacaoBBC News: Hostage KillingsLord Tennyson Is James Bond Scottish?The final 5 minutes is me explaining why I like this film so much. I largely avoid topics covered in other podcasts I listen to, especially film reviews of Skyfall. I even avoid repeating what I previously said on 'The Bond Experience' Youtube channel on this topic (which has full spoilers). So, if 1 hour is not enough, do check out: 'Queen Elizabeth II & James Bond | ON THEIR MAJESTIES’ SECRET SERVICE | King, Queen, Bond' over on Youtube. Thank you to everyone who has kindly encouraged me over the last 6-months especially. I am glad to be able to release my first newly recorded monologue since April 2024. Your messages have made all the difference at a personally very difficult time. Again, thank you. Correction: near the end, I state that Sean Connery was brought up in Glasgow. In fact, his hometown is Edinburgh. If this podcast prompts any thoughts you would like to share, please do message me at the contact details below.Message me anytime on Instagram, @FlemingNeverDies, or e-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.comCheck out my https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my Red Bubble shopSubscribe to my newsletter for update e-mails, random postcards, and stickers: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616 Support the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!Every year, on October 21st, the Royal Navy celebrates Admiral Nelson’s most famous victory, near Trafalgar in 1805 when 27 British Royal Naval ships defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet of 33 warships. But, what if Nelson had lost? And how can we celebrate this night?I draw upon three books:‘The Rise and Fall of the British Empire’ by Lawrence James ‘Empire of the Seas: How the Navy Forged the Modern World’ by Brian Lavery‘HMS Victory’ by Peter GoodwinI also recommend the movie ‘Master and Commander’ (2003), the TV show Hornblower (1998-2003), and the classic clip (on Youtube) of John Noakes cleaning Nelson’s Column for the children’s TV show ‘Blue Peter’. My ‘Recommended Rabbit Hole’: Lord Cochrane.  Just start with Google, see where it takes you, and let me know if you found it as fascinating as I do. This is an annual celebration and commemoration, so this episode is a rerelease from October 21st, last year. You can e-mail me: AlbionNeverDies@Gmail.comYou can find me on Instagram: @FlemingNeverDies***Subscribe to my newsletter: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my online shop: https://www.redbubble.com/people/British-culture/shopSupport the showSupport the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!What is it like to be a Brit in China, before, during, and after the pandemic? Today's special guest, Max James Joy, shed some light on how being a Brit in China has changed over the last few years (since I left). He also talks about the different cultures found *within* China, and even within the same city.Max is a UOI (Unit of Inquiry) teacher, helping students from a range of cultures develop an wholistic view of the world. His school will play a key role in the 'British Day' event in Guangzhou that will be held on the 2nd of November, 2024, at Canton Place. If you're interested, just send me a message.   If this podcast prompts any thoughts you would like to share, please do message me at the contact details below.Message me anytime on Instagram, @FlemingNeverDies, or e-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.comCheck out my https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my Red Bubble shopSubscribe to my newsletter for update e-mails, random postcards, and stickers: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616Support the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!Have you ever wondered what it's like to live overseas? In this episode, I share a selection of clips from my audio diary, recorded on cassette tape in 2006. At that time, I had been living in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for 5 years, the first experience of 'expat living' that I remember. I had lived in West Berlin in the 1980s, but my memories of the West and visiting the East are hazy at best! In the audio diary, I documented my day-to-day life, not intending then to share it with anyone at any point. I doubt I could have imagined using it for a podcast 18 years in the future! I add in my current recollections and reflections to give further information and context. I hope this episode offers some insight into the oddity of growing up in another culture. If this podcast prompts any thoughts you would like to share, please do message me at the contact details below. Message me anytime on Instagram, @FlemingNeverDies, or e-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.comCheck out my https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my Red Bubble shopSubscribe to my newsletter for update e-mails, random postcards, and stickers: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616Support the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!Today, I met the Prime Minister of the UK. I give my very quick impressions of the event, from out in a fieldSupport the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!In this episode, I am delighted to interview Pete Brooker (From Tailors With Love) about his work about the forthcoming memoir of Timothy Everest MBE.Boy Wanted on Savile Row is a revealing memoir that charts the evolution of British tailoring over the past four decades, starting in the 1980s, when Timothy Everest MBE studied under the rebel of Savile Row, Tommy Nutter, and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Steve Strange and Boy George among the New Romantics club scene.Branching out on his own in the ‘90s, Everest initially styled bands and pop stars, such as George Michael, before he became the spearhead of the ‘Cool Britannia’ generation and the face of the New Bespoke Movement. His many bespoke clients included Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Mick Jagger and Jay-Z, to name a few. Eventually he would turn his hand to tailoring for films, such as the James Bond and Mission Impossible franchises, and would create some truly iconic suits.Featuring a wealth of celebrity anecdotes, both hilarious and tragic, Boy Wanted on Savile Row leads the reader through a landscape of bespoke British tailoring that would change the way we view and buy our clothes forever.The book is available for pre-order on Amazon, now.You can find Pete on Instagram and Youtube: @FromTailorsWithLoveMessage me anytime on Instagram, @FlemingNeverDies, or e-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.comCheck out my https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my Red Bubble shopSubscribe to my newsletter for update e-mails, random postcards, and stickers: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616Support the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!Thank you to Instagram's @Izi_Ready_GoesBond for suggesting this topic! In this episode, I cover:H.G. WellsThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeAldous Huxley Arthur C Clarke Gerry Anderson Dr WhoStar WarsThe Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Dirk GentlyThe Quatermass Experiment The Tomorrow People Blake's 7I also read from 'The Fixed Period' by Anthony Trollope, a sci-fi novel I learned about only this week! Host: Thomas Felix Creighton Message me anytime on Instagram, or e-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.comCheck out my https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my Red Bubble shopSubscribe to my newsletter for update e-mails, random postcards, and stickers: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616Support the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!Chris Morales, @thatonebondguy on Instagram and Youtube gives me his unique take on the James Bond continuation novel, ‘On HIS Majesty’s Secret Service’ by Charlie Higson - who previously wrote the ‘Young Bond’ book series which are a prequel to the original Ian Fleming series.We also talk about Chris’ Anglophilia: The Stormbreaker Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, the Kingsman series, coming to James Bond, the books, films, biographies of Ian Fleming, and now the continuation 007 novels. There are some spoilers for the book ahead, natural for a review. Do check out his podcast, ‘That One Bond Cast’!Also, I forgot to mention it, but do check out my short video review of the book which includes my own footage of the coronation of King Charles!Message me anytime on Instagram, or e-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.comCheck out my https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my Red Bubble shopSubscribe to my newsletter for update e-mails, random postcards, and stickers: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616Support the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!Happy Year of the Dragon, which in Mandarin is 'long' so it's going to be a looong year as a Chinese friend pointed out to me this week.In this episode, I (briefly) talk about my grandfather's time in Hong Kong as child, and the First Chinese Man in Britain (longer ago than I thought). I talk about the Opium Wars, drawing on two books I recommended previously and that I have reviewed on my Youtube channel, 'The Rise and Fall of the British Empire' by Lawrence James and 'Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World' by Niall Furgusson. I also recommend the Youtube channel 'Electric Shadows Cinema'. I also, also talk about the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China in 1997, and how those events eventually made it into a 007 film. Talking of James Bond, I also talk about three British-Chinese alumni of the long-running film franchise, plus our first Chinese members of the House of Lords and House of Commons.If you're wondering about the music at the top and tail of the episode, I recorded the street sounds on my way to work in Shenzhen one day.If you have an idea for the Alphabet of Britishness, please do not hesitate to message me. What could 'V', 'W', 'X', 'Y' or 'Z' stand for? Not much time left now, so message me about any of these.Message me anytime on Instagram, or e-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.comCheck out my https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my Red Bubble shopSubscribe to my newsletter for update e-mails, random postcards, and stickers: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616Support the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/

Don't be shy, send me a message!Thank you very much to Kyle Barbeau (Instagram's Easy Smiles and Expensive Watches) and David Nix (via e-mail) for suggesting these three topics! I spend 10 minutes on each one, roughly.1-10: UndergroundLondon has the oldest underground train system in the world, but how does it compare to modern Chinese cities such as Shenzhen? I share my experiences.10-20: UmbrellaWhat is the most famous umbrella in movie history? Not the one I thought of, apparently. In fact, it doesn't even get into most online lists of famous umbrellas!20-30: Upper-ClassLots of nonsense is talked about the British class system, hopefully my own nonsense is at the very least entertaining. If you have an idea for the Alphabet of Britishness, please do not hesitate to message me. What could 'V', 'W', 'X', 'Y' or 'Z' stand for? Not much time left now, so message me about any of these.Message me anytime on Instagram, or e-mail: AlbionNeverDies@gmail.comCheck out my https://www.youtube.com/britishcultureCheck out my Red Bubble shopSubscribe to my newsletter for update e-mails, random postcards, and stickers: https://youtube.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b3afdae99897eebbf8ca022c8&id=5165536616Support the showhttps://www.albionneverdies.com/