Movie music is a great way to get kids’ minds into a subject
Broadcaster Edith Bowman talks to MARION MCMULLEN about films, famous guests, Fleetwood Mac and finding the good side of a bad situation
Your podcast, Soundtracking, was one of the first celebrity podcasts when it launched in 2016 and looks at music in films. What does it mean for you?
I STARTED this little podcast purely wanting to celebrate the amazing relationship between music and film. They go hand in hand with each other.
I never imagined it would still be going after all this time.
(Producer) Ben Backhouse works with me on recording the episodes and he sprinkles them with magic.
I’m most happy doing the podcast. I absolutely love it and I am proud at what we are able to achieve. You can forget everything for half an hour to an hour and a half. People recommend good things to you as well and there is lots to download and stream.
What films have you been watching in lockdown?
FIGHT CLUB is a great film to watch and I have also been watching The Godfather II, The Seven Year Itch and Home Alone for about the 40th time.
Sometimes you can be overwhelmed by all the new releases, so it’s nice to remind yourself of all this stuff we have in the world cinema library, or simply things that passed you by the first time.
Have you missed the big movie blockbuster openings?
THERE have been some amazing films coming out on Netflix and Amazon as well, and little indie films are getting notice.
Films like Saint Maud and Summerland have had a little bit of the spotlight simply because they have not been overshadowed by big cinema releases. There is such an amazing library of films for us to watch.
(Laughs) I couldn’t wait to see the new Wonder Woman film on the big screen and the kids (Rudy and Spike) have been watching Guardians Of The Galaxy and listening to the music in the car.
How big a part does music play in your life?
MUSIC is a great part of movies and an amazing soundtrack makes you listen.
On the school run I often play the Fleetwood Mac song Go Your Own Way.
Doing home schooling I’ve found movie music is a great way to just start (kids) talking and to get their minds into a subject.
Movies like Jojo Rabbit and 1917 by Sam Mendes, for example, can help while looking at history.
Soundtracking boasts a record four million downloads and there have been more than 200 episodes. What have been some memorable moments?
I SHALL be eternally grateful to actor and director Jon Favreau for doing the first show.
He was the first interview I did and he was a good calling card. The first episode we put out was Ben Wheatley, who directed High Rise, and there’s been Sofia Coppola, Bradley Cooper,
Ewan Mcgregor... so many great people. I’m thrilled to get them on the podcast.
It’s nice to have big names like Bradley and Ewan on, but it’s also lovely to have some smaller films represented as well. We’ve had everyone from Calm With Horses director Nick Rowland, to Tessa Thompson from Creed. There are no barriers. I’m very fortunate. It’s opened doors for me in terms of film. (Laughs) I’ll be doing this until I get a pension.
What recent episodes have you enjoyed?
I LOVE speaking to composers and I spoke to Spike Lee’s composer Terence Blanchard (Jungle Fever, Mo’ Better Blues and Blackkklansman) for the podcast. He’s normally so busy, but he had been self-isolating during this whole lockdown thing. I’ve done so much from my little office in the new house. It’s crazy, but it’s brilliant. It is amazing what you are able to do. I was doing a quiz for Disney for 17 weeks and I did that from the house.
How would you sum up the last year?
MORE time at home rather than in an office five days a week. It’s about quality of life and it’s allowed us to reflect.
I like to think I’m a glass half full-type of person and I’m like that with the kids as well. I like to see the good side of things out of a bad situation. My husband (Editors frontman Tom Smith) and I moved to the Cotswolds about a year ago and he would normally be away for three or four months on tour. It’s been amazing to be together and to have been both been able to do the school run. I also can’t thank the NHS, key workers and teachers enough. All the work staff did here to make the school safe for the kids was absolutely extraordinary was amazing.
I’ll be eternally grateful to them.
Soundtracking with Edith Bowman is available on all podcast providers.