Afternoons for Tuesday 9 May 2023

1:10 First song with Mel Parsons

Mel Parsons has just released a new single, Tiny Days, which was written as she wrangled three young children at home during lock down.

It's an honest take on the daily struggles of keeping up with the job of parenting and how lonely it, at times, can be.

Mel's in the Auckland studio to play her track live ahead of her NZ Tour, she's playing in Auckland on May 19, Christchurch May 20th and in Wellington on May 28th.

1:15 Fire proof frogs emerge from the Australian bush fires of 2019

A surprisingly 'fire-proof frog' has emerged from 2019's Black Summer fires . But many other species did not survive, or were heavily impacted.

A team has been extensively researching amphibians in in Eastern New South Wales after the extreme event.

Lead researcher, University of Newcastle's Dr Chad Berankek talks to Jesse.

1:25 Celebrating Black Creatives Aotearoa in Afrika month

In celebration fo Afrika month, Black Creatives Aotearoa are releasing New Zealand's first zine featuring all local African contributors, and launching an art installation.

To tell us more about these projects we're joined by Bareeka Vrede [PRON: Fre-ida], the editor of the zine and a volunteer for Black Creatives Aotearoa.

1:35 Comedian who's first language is sign - a unique story

This week is  New Zealand Sign Language Week, and it happens to coincide with the launch of the NZ International Comedy Festival, which Ray Bradshaw is performing at.

He's Scottish comedian who grew up with two hearing impaired parents, making British Sign Language his first language.

He talks to Jesse about using  his experience in a 'Deaf Comedy Fam' his festival show and his unique childhood learning to sign as a first language.

Ray's performing The Classic in Auckland from tonight until the 20th of May.

2:10 Book Critic: Catherine Ross

This week Library Manager at Mt Roskill Grammar School, Catherine Ross, is talking about non-fiction for younger readers. Her list follows: 

For 8 and up: Horrible Histories by Terry Deary and Case Closed?: Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science by Susan Hughes.

For 11 and over: Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children, Edited by Kath Shackelton and A Less Boring History of the World by Dave Rear.

For 14 year olds and over: Pandora's Jar - Women in Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes and Vincent and Theo: The Van Gough Brothers by Deborah Heiligman.

2:20 Music feature: Sting and The Police

For today's Music Feature Marty Jones is back in the studio with Jesse. 

This week he's in to talk Sting and The Police. The Police released their final and most successful studio album Synchronicity 40 years ago. 

It's also been 30 years since Sting's Ten Summoner's album.

He's one of the most well-known figures in modern music, the recipient of a mind blowing 17 Grammy Awards, and was here in March with his My Songs tour.

Marty Jones takes us through the music of The Band and then the solo artist Sting.

3:10 What an ancient shipwreck can tell us about truth and disinformation

More than 280 years ago, 250 men would set sail aboard the HMS Wager on a doomed secret mission to capture Spanish silver and gold off the coast of South America. Shipwrecked on desolate island, eighty-one survivors set out in a makeshift boat and sailed three thousand miles to rescue. 29 survived and found they would once again be fighting for their lives facing court martial in England for what they did to stay alive. Renowned New Yorker writer David Grann sees in their experience the same debates we have today over truth, disinformation and who gets to tell their own stories. His new book is called THE WAGER: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder.

3:30 Conversations with My Immigrant Parents episode 5

Each week to celebrate series three of podcast Conversations with My Immigrant Parents we play an excerpt from the latest episode

This week features Hương, who fell pregnant at 20, but she didn't know it was twins until it was time to push them out. In this bilingual episode, she talks with her daughters Hà and Ly about dependence, marriage, and homecomings.

3:45 The Panel with Nikki Bezzant and Sam Johnson