4/7 - I Was A Child Soldier

"You can't even play 'Call Of Duty' until you're 18."

When he was just 14 years old, Wayne Sharrocks realised he wanted to join the Army.  Within a year, he’d begun the process of signing up to serve his country. At 18, he had his regimental cap badge tattooed on to his chest.

In this searingly honest interview with Olly, he describes how the Army broke him down and built him back up again; training him to follow orders without question and desensitising him to violence. In postings to Afghanistan he saw courage, commitment - and life-changing injuries...

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Britain is the only European country to recruit child soldiers, and Wayne now campaigns for the enlistment age to be raised. You can discover more about him, and the documentary film he’s crowdfunding, on his website waynesharrocks.com.  Thanks to Veterans For Peace for hooking us up.

In The Zeitgeist this week, Ollie Peart explains the purpose of a ‘high performance chicken’, undergoes a significant life-change, and reveals the Pervert Capital of Britain. Plus, mentions for meme make-up and Simon Amstell's new film, Carnage.

And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox rejoices at the expansion of sex education in UK schools, and explores the world of the ‘furry fandom’ and ‘yiff’ erotic art. The Foxhole is supported by our friends at mycondom.com. Want to stock up on lube, toys or condoms? Just use the code ‘Foxhole’ at Checkout to get 15% off!

Our song of the week is the new track by Kove & Joseph J Jones - All Or Nothing:

This is the lyrics video for "All Or Nothing" by Kove and Joseph J. Jones. Listen, stream, download here: https://JJJ.lnk.to/AllOrNothing Connect with JJJ https://JJJ.lnk.to/Website https://JJJ.lnk.to/MailingList https://JJJ.lnk.to/Facebook https://JJJ.lnk.to/Twitter https://JJJ.lnk.to/Instagram https://JJJ.lnk.to/Spotify https://JJJ.lnk.to/Apple Follow Kove online: https://www.facebook.com/koveofficial https://twitter.com/koveofficial https://www.youtube.com/KoveVEVO https://instagram.com/koveofficial/ Listen to Kove: Soundcloud - http://po.st/KoveSC Spotify - http://po.st/KoveSP Music video by Kove, Joseph J.

If you enjoy what we do here at The Modern Mann, please please do support us. You can buy us a beer, write us a review on iTunes, or sponsor an episode of the show - it all helps us build our audience and keep the show on the road!

And here's an extra special gift for the truly devoted - a brand new episode of Modern Mann Extra, featuring Ollie Peart jumping into a giant ball-pond. Enjoy:

In this episode of The Modern Mann Extra I popped off to Ballie Ballerson in North London to dive in some balls.

See You Next Tuesday!

4/6 - The Man Who Stole My Year

What’s it like when the person you’re closest to in the world isn't who you think they are?

‘Elizabeth’ spent a year dating a man who provided only sketchy details about his life, but ingratiated himself into her friendship circle, her family and her home.

In this interview with Olly, she reveals how it felt to discover he was living a double-life, and how it’s affected her trust ever since...

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Also this week, Ollie Peart considers whether the return of The Matrix heralds a new type of film franchise, whether Drake’s new ‘playlist’ heralds the end of the album, and whether his new favourite game heralds a return to text adventures.

And, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox enjoys a trip to the theatre and advises a listener who's unhappy that her vibrator might be 'spying' on her… The Foxhole is supported by our friends at mycondom.com. Want to stock up on condoms, lube or toys? Just use the code ‘Foxhole’ at Checkout to get 15% off!

Finally, our Song Of The Week is ‘Cease Fire’, by former Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore, available for free from thurstonmoore.kungfustore.com:

A new song from Thurston Moore Download the song directly from here: http://x.co/6lp2f Stream/purchase here: https://ThurstonMoore.lnk.to/CeaseFireSo Tour Dates: https://www.thurstonmoore.com/ FB: http://bit.ly/TMfb2017

This week’s episode is sponsored by Al Philp - a listener like you. If you’d like to sponsor a future episode, either as an individual or as a commercial company, just fill in the Feedback form. Or, if you can only afford a small amount, do buy us a beer. Thanks!

See You Next Tuesday.

4/5 - The Quiet Ones

"You're silent on the surface - but you're incredibly noisy in your head"

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From Morrissey to Laurence Olivier, public figures through history have channelled shyness and stage-fright into their work. But is shyness a useful tool - or is uninhibited confidence a better way to navigate the modern world?

In this episode, social and cultural historian Joe Moran talks to Olly about the implicit difficulty of silence, the internal monologues that plague him in social situations, and how shy people can weaponise irony, distance and aloofness to their advantage...

The Lego 'hooliganism set' really did exist, in 1998...

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Joe's book, Shrinking Violets: A Field Guide to Shyness, is out now. Thanks to the Southbank Centre - the interview was recorded backstage at their annual ‘Being A Man’ festival.

Meanwhile, over in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart explains how your car can interact with your ‘environmental happenings’, previews a forthcoming political bout, and reveals where you can buy a ‘Breaking Bad’ lego set.

And, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox ponders why she is having some difficulty finding the perfect partner, and offers some advice for a listener whose lover suffers from vaginismus. (Some useful resources Alix mentions in the show: Sarah Berry's blog and forum, 'Hey Vaginismus!', and the vaginismus episode of Alix's podcast for The Guardian, Close Encounters.)

Got a question of sex for next week’s show? Just fill in our Feedback form - you can remain anonymous if you like. The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com - use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ at Checkout to receive an astonishing 15% OFF.

Finally,our song of the week comes from Artificial Pleasure, who you can catch touring in April. It’s called ‘All I Got’, and it’s out now:

All I Got is available now to buy and stream https://hyperurl.co/ALLIGOT Artificial Pleasure: Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/artificialpleasure Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ArtificialPleasure Twitter - https://twitter.com/artpleasure Instagram - https://twitter.com/artpleasure Web - http://www.artificialpleasure.com

Until next week, Mann-fans - do feel free to buy us a beer, write us a review or watch Modern Mann Extra - and we'll See You Next Tuesday!

4/4 - Being Amy Winehouse

“I’m not trying to insult her. We’re just trying to keep her music alive”

Amy Winehouse’s voice may have seemed unique - but you can sing just like her if you understand her influences.

So says Emma Wright, whose musical journey began with an X Factor audition that sounded like Christina Aguilera, morphed into a Stars In Their Eyes contest in which she played Lady Gaga - and culminated in a fully-fledged career impersonating one of the most troubled and celebrated musical icons of recent times.

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You can catch Emma on tour with The Amy Winehouse Experience, AKA Lioness, throughout March and April 2017. Dates and ticket-booking here.

Elsewhere this episode, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart - whose Mum once called him a scrotum - considers biometric face masks, Pinterest parties and the Nintendo Switch; and, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox 'spices up' Superdrug’s social media presence and advises a listener who wonders if they should bring up their chequered sexual history with a new partner.

The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.Com - use the code FOXHOLE at Checkout to receive an incredible 15% Off. 

Music this week comes courtesy of British Sea Power and their new one, Keep On Trying, out soon on Rough Trade Records:

From the new album "Let The Dancers Inherit The Party" out on 31st March.

If you enjoy the show, please do buy us a beer, send us some feedback or leave us a review on iTunes. 

And, if you can't bear to wait a week for more sweeeeeet MM content, do check out Modern Mann Extra, Ollie's new video series. In this week's show, Ollie 'investigates' Craft Beer Rising - including bespoke canned cocktails, mushroom beer... and a sizeable hangover:

This week Olly sent me to Craft Beer Rising, a craft beer festival in London. Could be worse I suppose. Bought to you by the Leesa Mattress.

Ta Ta for now, Mann-fans: we'll See You Next Tuesday!

4/3 - The Impossible Cream

The story behind Baileys, the blockbuster booze brand, is unexpectedly lo-fi. It was invented not in Ireland but in London’s Soho, with ingredients purchased on impulse from a corner shop.

David Gluckman was one of the creative team who, by mixing whiskey and cream, unwittingly spawned a new sub-category of drinks - Irish chocolate cream liqueurs - which went on to sell billions of bottles. In this interview, he tells Olly how a disparaging focus group, some drinking policemen and a Jewish restaurant all played their surprising part in alcohol history.

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David’s book, That Shit Will Never Sell!, includes further stories behind brands he's had a hand in, including Smirnoff Black Label, Tanqueray 10, Sheridans, and Purdeys.

Will Podcast For Beer: Olly and Ollie get Zeitgeisting at London's Craft Beer Rising festival

The booze theme continues in this week’s Zeitgeist, recorded at the Craft Beer Rising festival in London’s East End. Therein, Ollie Peart predicts the hipster trends about to go global: barrel-aged beer, and sour beer. Meanwhile, Olly gets his lips around an Island Records Session IPA and attempts to name a new gin-and-tonic infused craft beer, with mixed success.

In this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox has advice for a listener whose partner wants to put the slap into slap and tickle. Plus, there’s an update from Dry Delilah, and news of an injectable contraceptive for men. The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com - remember to use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ at Checkout to get an astonishing 15% off!

Finally, music this week comes from British punk/grime/metal infusion The One Hundred, and their track Dark Matters:

Official video for 'Dark Matters' by The One Hundred - Available now via Spinefarm Records. Buy / Stream Here: https://SpinefarmRecords.lnk.to/_k7AKID Catch The One Hundred on tour at these dates: Buy Tickets here: http://www.livenation.co.uk/artist/th...

That's almost it - but if you want even.... more!!!, then why not check out our brand new spin-off video series The Modern Mann Extra, hosted by a certain Mr Ollie Peart. This week, Ollie is tasked to find out about the 'home of tomorrow': which involves a trip to Cornflake, and a promise not to break anything:

Bought to you by The Leesa Mattress. This week Olly sent me off to Cornflake, a company that specialise in home automation. If you want blinds that close with the tap of an app or CCTV that tracks potential intruders, then this is the place for you.

If you’ve got any feedback for the show, or a question of sex for Alix, just click here. And, if you’d like to be considered as a Mannbasador, just leave us a review on iTunes. Most of all, if you value our show and believe in supporting independent voices in podcasting, please do go ahead and buy us a beer - you can now do so via PayPal if you prefer.

See You Next Tuesday!