13
Nov
“Quite rude, a bit funny and honest” – meet Glasgow PodcART’s architect
Whenever you first realise that you’re in the same room as someone you know, it’s usually because you’ve spotted them.
The first time I was ever aware that I was in the same room as Halina Rifai came about not because I knew what she looked like (I didn’t), but because I instantly recognised her laugh.
This was no ordinary laugh. This was an almighty, shrieking howl which shattered the between-song calm of an Esperi gig at the 13th Note in Glasgow two years ago.
Halina’s presence in the city’s underground music scene is a familiar one as founder of Glasgow PodcART, which she has been running since February 2009, predominantly broadcasting podcasts, but also creating opportunities for musicians, artists and photographers by putting on gig nights and art exhibitions.
The Glasgow PodcART team’s influence cannot be underestimated. Next month they will unleash their 100th podcast, a landmark that has been reached with just as many tears as cheers.
For Halina, it’s fair to say that PodcART is a labour of love, a phrase which will have tripped off the tongue of anyone masochistic enough to run a blog.
Thirty-two years ago, Halina was born in Redhill, Surrey to a Moroccan father and English mother whose own parents were Polish and Irish. When she was eight, she moved to Toward, near Dunoon, where her parents had taken over a residential home for the elderly.
Having been spoon-fed a diet of Jimi Hendrix, Van Morrison, James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, U2 and Motown, Halina confesses she turned into “a bit of a rebel” when she went to school in Kilmacolm.
That manifested itself in a love of New Kids On The Block, who played at the first gig she ever attended, at the SECC. “I lost my voice from screaming, it was so good,” says Halina. “I was obsessed – even my floor had posters.”
However, everything changed when a friend handed her a cassette of Nirvana’s Nevermind album, with her musical education spilling out in the direction of Bjork, Radiohead, DJ Shadow and Mr Scruff, while the youngest of Halina’s three brothers was responsible for introducing her to The Roots, Public Enemy and 2Pac.
Having had piano and flute lessons since early childhood, Halina started playing in orchestras, but chronic stage fright persuaded her to pursue a career in recording, which saw her move back down south to attend Salford University in Greater Manchester.
When she returned home, she walked right into the middle of her parents’ divorce. Halina’s own life began to unravel with breakdowns and binge drinking. Things got so bad her mum chucked her out.
“I came up to Glasgow in 2004 with nothing – no job, no money,” she says. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I stayed with friends and started going for job interviews.”
Halina passed the time by writing for webzines, before discovering a site in Northern Ireland called NI Podcast (now Panic Dots) which she was so taken with that she asked them for permission to set up her own variant in Glasgow. “There didn’t seem to be anything in Scotland on our level in a broadcast sense,” she recalls.
Halina’s version of NI Podcast, which she christened Glasgow PodcART, would provide a network for all facets of the creative spectrum to showcase their skills - from musicians and songwriters to photographers and artists.
“I didn’t want it to just be music,” she says. “I wanted it to cross platforms because it was so important, I saw how rich the talent was here. My thinking was that if a band wanted a photographer then they could find someone through PodcART. It hasn’t gone the way I thought it would, but I really don’t mind. It is more of a music site now but that will be changing – we’re going to try to make it just as art-focused.”
The ever-expanding and occasionally dysfunctional PodcART family also includes Ally Burton, who takes care of live spin-off event Mix_Up_Mayhem, arts co-ordinator Sophie Stubbs, who is organising the second Sketchbook exhibition, and more than 20 other contributors.
Nevertheless, PodcART’s forte remains its podcasts, which are almost as renowned for their championing of emerging talent as they are for the devastatingly sharp-witted contributions of sidekick Kirstin Lynn.
“The content is so important,” says Halina. “I think we’ve always been known for being quite rude, a bit funny and honest. We can sometimes be exceptionally controversial in terms of our language and what we talk about, but because PodcART essentially is mine, I know exactly how far I can go. I would never be completely ferocious or venomous towards someone, but at the same time if I think something is shit I will say so.”
December 18: Glasgow Podcart’s Nightmare Before Christmas featuring PAWS, Lady North, Citizens, As In Bear @ Captain’s Rest, Glasgow
Here are a couple of great tracks that PodcART have championed recently:
23 Responses to ““Quite rude, a bit funny and honest” – meet Glasgow PodcART’s architect”
November 13th, 2011 at 13:26
Halina is a warm and enthusiastic music fan and entirely the model of the modern post-internet broadcaster.
Long live PodcART.
November 13th, 2011 at 14:40
Podcart is terrible. They never say anyone is shit. The music they champion is always lacklustre and pointless Scottish drivel. No one comes to Glasgow with no money and no job. Staying with friends is what people say when mummy and daddy are paying for everything. However, in saying all this I do enjoy using Glasgow Podcart to know what music to avoid like the plague. That is a pretty decent service. Thanks Halina!
November 13th, 2011 at 14:41
P – fuck off. What the fuck is post-Internet? Away and shag a tramp.
November 13th, 2011 at 14:54
Don’t be a cunt Barry. Whoever you are.
November 13th, 2011 at 14:57
@barry hahahahahahahahahaha actually made me laugh out loud. love it
November 13th, 2011 at 15:20
@Barry
I will never understand the argument about any podcast / radio show – ‘they never say anyone is shit’
Why the fuck would the presenters play anything they didn’t like – just to slag it off?!
November 13th, 2011 at 15:25
Barry I know it must have seemed like a great way to get your point across about the music but to attack someone’s personal circumstances when you know nothing about them is really low. Did you expect people to take your post seriously after writing something like that?
And to call bands like ASIWYFA, Citizens, Lady North and PAWS lacklustre? Did you expect people to take your post seriously after writing something like THAT?
And if you can afford to listen to the podcast just to find music you dont like you should really focus on your shite band that Halina obviously didnt like enough to play. It doesnt pay to be bitter Barry.
November 13th, 2011 at 16:23
Bitter, bitter Barry. Why would they play stuff they think is shit? Have you ever done a podcast or blog? You would become completely despondent if you just hated all songs you played or wrote about.
I tell you who they think are shite; your band, who obviously have never been played leading to a massive fucking chip on your shoulder.
Well done on reaching 100! Song, by Toad is doing his 200th today, going to be VERY sweary as he hates lots of things. Maybe one for you, Baz? X
November 13th, 2011 at 18:55
They never say anyone is shit because when they think something is shit they don’t bother promoting them. Who would want to read a site/listen to a podcast which actively promotes shit music?
People don’t seem to understand that the entire point of the blog/podcast culture is everyone can just focus on sharing what THEY like, as opposed to the days of having to rely on a centralised source or music publication which needs to remain objective. The lack of monetary gain and ensuing pressure leaves the freedom to really just do what you want, and therefore you don’t have to worry about playing music your listeners, readers or business partners (in the case of NME) want you to.
I don’t think I share many common musical tastes with Podcart, but that doesn’t stop me massively respecting what they’re doing and the attitude they have.
November 13th, 2011 at 18:56
Also, the great thing about having several people present a podcast means they DO actually discuss the music and often have differing opinions.
November 13th, 2011 at 19:09
I’ve heard Barry’s band. They’re fuckin’ gash!
November 13th, 2011 at 19:15
a big bag of shite!
x
November 13th, 2011 at 23:23
@Barry
The ironic thing is Podcart don’t say anyone is shit because its a waste of time being negative towards a band just for the sake of it. For the record they have said bands or artists are shite. I love Paolo Nutini and if you’ve listened to Podcart properly over the last 2 years you would know they aren’t big fans of him. I could be wrong they also dissed Kassidy once and The View. When it comes to my music choice and the music Podcart plays is also completely different now a days. Personally i only got involved in blogging and podcasting, radio presenting after having a listening to things like podcart, Song by Toad, Jim Gellatly’s new music. So for me i’m entirely grateful for them opening my ears to new music in Scotland and hope one day i can emulate their level of success one day!
Keep up the good work Podcart and Barry life as a wanker!
November 14th, 2011 at 10:30
Barry, stop being a c*nt. Now move on.
November 15th, 2011 at 15:37
I agree with Barry. Most blogs are the same. Pitchfork is good though. I am not in a band. Thanks god. Must be hard to keep it up in the face of such adversity. Anyway, congrats on reaching 100! Well done. I love the Internet. It’s changed all our lives and even Barry with his negative comments should be allowed to speak freely and engage in public debate. I’m glad he does. I’m glad you all do.
November 15th, 2011 at 15:41
Barry – Bold as brass, bold as brass, mate. I’d back you right up.
November 15th, 2011 at 15:42
Fuckk all you clowns. I’m only here for the goss!!!!! PC, please don’t interview anyone who is not a musician or in a band. I don’t want to read this trash. Who gives a fuck about who the blogger is? Just blog and move on. It might as well be a monkey. Everyone is blogging all the time and what is this push about success as a blogger? Success? How exactly is that defined? People read your blog? You get paid to do it? What you say is taken as gospel truth? Fuck you too Barry. Starting this shit on here. Fuck your band as well. Kansas City By Pass or some pish. Frightened Bear Cub. One Armed Pigeon. Furious Badger Brigade.
November 15th, 2011 at 15:53
I think it’s really unfair of Barry to be so unkind about halina and podcart. That’s not what podcart or popcop are for. They’re for creating a nice community of circular love for us all. It’s not halina’s fault that her mum and dad helped her get where she is today, which is very very far. And I agree that she’s the epitome of the post internet broadcaster, playing music that is all, that’s right, Barry, ALL, amazing and beautiful.
November 15th, 2011 at 15:56
Come on Barry/Paul Smythe/Jim/John the Baptist/Fervent loner – if you’re going to act like a twat on the internet at least have the sense not to use the same IP address for each of your pseudonyms.
November 15th, 2011 at 20:32
Maybe Barry’s band being so shit is the reason he started working with Cillit Bang.
November 15th, 2011 at 23:31
Barry’s band are really, really excellent.
November 15th, 2011 at 23:32
Probably not, but still.
November 22nd, 2011 at 00:14
Ha IP address strikes again. Love pop cop and podcart.
Leave a Reply