Best Palaver Podcasts (2026)

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Special Episode - Interview with Bill and Dave from Know Return, Dec 2025 36:35

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5h ago36:35

36:35

Special Episode – Interview with Dave and Bill of Know Return, December 2025We had the delightful opportunity to catch up with Dave Boardman and Bill Everman of the Kansas tribute band, Know Return. We look ahead with them at the exciting 2026 the band has planned starting from a date in Granbury Texas in January and on through the rest of the year…

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Episode 157: Welcome To Derry Season 1 Finale Palaver 1:48:01

15d ago1:48:01

1:48:01

Hile! We return to Derry and hold palaver for our weekly recap of Welcome to Derry. On this episode we recap Episode 8: Winter's Fire If you are interested in helping our host Jeremy's little brother's search for a living kidney donor you can learn more about living kidney donation or start the testing process on David's behalf, please contact Brea…

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Let Us Palaver #6 – Wizard & Glass Debrief 47:24

17d ago47:24

47:24

In our sixth Let Us Palaver, Nat and I try to clean things up a bit after the dirty deep dive into Wizard & Glass. We get spoilery, so this is for Tower Junkie’s only. It will make no sense to anyone else anyway – as we get deep into the metatextual elementsof what is to come, who WE think put those red shoes in the road, and we begin to question w…

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Round Table #170 (YEAR END BASH) 2:04:01

16d ago2:04:01

2:04:01

📢 Episode Summary: In the latest Round Table Tadd and Peter find themselves at the final episode of the year and you know what that means, YEAR END BASH! They go through and talk about the massive year that was for King as well as look ahead at the year to come. Of course the "phone" lines were open as is tradition! 📋Shownotes: darktowerpalaver.com…

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Episode 163- Yes Part 23, Talk - 30th Anniversary Edition 1:03:24

5h ago1:03:24

1:03:24

Episode 163 – Yes Part 23, Talk – 30th Anniversary EditionThe Progressive Palaver are thrilled to revisit this generally ignored or maligned Yes classic. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Talk, Yes released a remastered and expanded version. Demos, live version, and a smoothed out listening experience make this edition worth checking out. F…

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Local Genealogists Speak: A Conversation with George 12:06

4h ago12:06

12:06

In this episode of the "Local Genealogists Speak" podcast series, George, a local genealogist, shares about ancestral travel, archival research, genealogy books, and more. He also shares about his favorite part of U.S. history in honor of America250, a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of Declaration of Independence. The "Local Ge…

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263 – Kristi DeMeester & The Purity of Anger 1:11:09

4d ago1:11:09

1:11:09

The year may have started with more real-world horrors from old white dudes, but here on Talking Scared they get their comeuppance – in the form of Kristi DeMeester’s Dark Sisters. Kristi returns to the show for the first time since 2022, to talk about her novel of religious hypocrisy, patriarchal control and feminine revenge. It’s a three-timeline…

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262 – The Best Horror Books of 2025 1:48:01

7d ago1:48:01

1:48:01

No need for a big intro this week. You know what this is about. The year is over, and it’s time to offer my thoughts on the best books that made it bearable. Here’s my top-10 favourite horror novels of 2025. I invite comment and debate. The polite kind. Don’t make me set Ted on you. Enjoy. Support Talking Scared on Patreon Check out the Talking Sca…

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Pick of the Week: The Silver Book by Olivia Laing 3:36

11d ago3:36

3:36

This week Hannah recommends Olivia Laing's The Silver Book, a gripping love story and thriller steeped in the vibrant world of 1970s Italian cinema. Check out Olivia Laing's The Silver Book from the Library.

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2025 Holiday Fiction Round-Up 5:19

13d ago5:19

5:19

Readers' Advisor Hannah shares three 2025 titles to enjoy during the holidays. Titles mentioned in this episode: The Gingerbread Bakery (Dream Harbor, #5) by Laurie Gilmore A Case of Life and Limb: The Trials of Gabriel Ward by Sally Smith Good Spirits by B.K. Borison

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The Dark Tower Deep Dive #6 – Wizard & Glass 2:30:33

20d ago2:30:33

2:30:33

After a summer of diversion and detour, we’re back with the main Ka-Tet for Christmas. What better time for a tale of heartbreak, lost love, and cabin-bound masturbation. Yes, we’re covering Wizard & Glass. Some would call this the high point of the Dark Tower series (for me, it’s certainly up there) – and it gives us chance to talk in depth about …

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Off Book #13 – Welcome to Derry, with Andy & Barbara Muschietti 55:55

27d ago55:55

55:55

It: Welcome to Derry has just reached its Season One conclusion and thetheories are flying as to where the show will go next. I have something like an answer for you. Maybe. Perhaps. Cos the creators, Andy and Barbara Muschietti, are on Talking Scared for a conversation about the show, the movies and how they work within King’s story. They talk abo…

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Episode 156: Welcome to Derry Episode 7 Palaver 1:17:36

22d ago1:17:36

1:17:36

Hile! We return to Derry and hold palaver for our weekly recap of Welcome to Derry. On this episode we recap Episode 7: The Black Spot If you are interested in helping our host Jeremy's little brother's search for a living kidney donor you can learn more about living kidney donation or start the testing process on David's behalf, please contact Bre…

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Episode 155: Welcome to Derry Episode 6 Palaver 55:45

27d ago55:45

55:45

Hile! We return to Derry and hold palaver for our weekly recap of Welcome to Derry. On this episode we recap Episode 6: In the Name of the Father If you are interested in helping our host Jeremy's little brother's search for a living kidney donor you can learn more about living kidney donation or start the testing process on David's behalf, please …

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261 — The State of the Horror Nation 2025, with Emily Hughes, Anna Dupre & George Dunn 2:48:48

1M ago2:48:48

2:48:48

Welcome to the now sixth annual State of the Horror Nation. This is the mega-episode, in which I gather a darkly-inclined supergroup of horror fans and commentators—a horror cabinet, if you will—to cast their informed eyes and minds over the year’s best horror. We talk trends, generation gaps, terrifying moments, and pick what they consider to be t…

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Wizard and Glass Book Club #34 (Pt3, Ch10 Sc1-6) 2:07:56

30d ago2:07:56

2:07:56

📖 Section Covered: Part 3, Chapter 10 Subchapters 1-6 📢 Episode Summary: In the latest Book Club for Wizard and Glass Tadd and Peter enter the final chapter of Part 3 and in this we have Coral Thorin now in custody of Susan at Seafront and like everyone else this day she hits Susan for some of the barbs she throws. The Traveller's Rest is packed wi…

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SCS37 - Steven Wilson in Dallas and Philadelphia, Oct 2025 1:08:04

1M ago1:08:04

1:08:04

SCS37 – Steven Wilson in Dallas and Philadelphia, October 2025The Progressive Palaver are extremely happy to welcome Dave Ayers from Bleeding Edge Interviews to this special concert series episode covering Steven Wilson’s Overview Tour. Paul, Ken, and Dave saw Steven Wilson in Philadelphia and Joe saw the tour a week later in Dallas. As luck would …

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[From the Vault] Carmen Maria Machado & Passing Literary Kidney Stones 1:10:36

1M ago1:10:36

1:10:36

It’s all about memory this week. Remember that time literary superstar Carmen Maria Machado came on the show? No? Well here’s your chance to catch up on what you missed. Carmen spoke to me about Her Body and Other Parties and In the Dream House – the former a collection of folktale and fable, spun to hideous effect; the latter a piercing fictionali…

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Episode 154: Welcome to Derry Episode 5 Palaver 1:21:18

1M ago1:21:18

1:21:18

Hile! We return to Derry and hold palaver for our weekly recap of Welcome to Derry. On this episode we recap Episode 5: 29 Neibolt Street If you are interested in helping our host Jeremy's little brother's search for a living kidney donor you can learn more about living kidney donation or start the testing process on David's behalf, please contact …

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Episode 162 - Pink Floyd Part 22, A Momentary Lapse of Reason Remixed and Updated 2019 43:05

1M ago43:05

43:05

Episode 162 – Pink Floyd Part 22, A Momentary Lapse of Reason Remixed and Updated 2019In this episode the group considers the updated version of Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason. This is an album that was originally made to be “of its time.” It seems that Gilmour and company thought that maybe it didn’t quite stand the test of time that way…

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[From the Vault] Jeff VanderMeer and Our First On-Air Murder 1:07:02

2M ago1:07:02

1:07:02

Jeff VanderMeer and I did not fall out!! This is a myth that has arisen since Jeff came on the show back in 2021, to discuss his eco-espionage crisis thriller, Hummingbird Salamander. Well, this trip back to the Vault will hopefully dispel that rumour. Instead what you’ll hear is a conversation with the Emperor of Weird fiction, talking about conse…

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Wizard and Glass Book Club #33 (Pt3, Ch9 Sc4-9) 2:01:02

1M ago2:01:02

2:01:02

📖 Section Covered: Part 3, Chapter 9 Subchapters 18-23 📢 Episode Summary: In the latest Book Club for Wizard and Glass Tadd and Peter are now arriving at the Battle of Reaping Day. Reynolds is hurrying Susan back to Seafront, getting more uneasy as time goes. Cordelia is visited by the nearly depleted Rhea and the two begin to conspire & Rhea is re…

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Episode 153: Welcome to Derry Episode 4 Palaver 1:24:15

2M ago1:24:15

1:24:15

Hile! We return to Derry and hold palaver for our weekly recap of Welcome to Derry. On this episode we recap Episode 4: The Great Swirling Apparatus of Our Planet's Function If you are interested in helping our host Jeremy's little brother's search for a living kidney donor you can learn more about living kidney donation or start the testing proces…

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[From the Vault] Will Dean & The Two Faces of Off-Grid Living 55:44

2M ago55:44

55:44

Revisiting a true highlight this week! Will Dean’s The Last Thing to Burn is one of very few 10/10 books i've ever featured on this podcast. It’s a flawless study of isolation, survival, exploitation and the most toxic of masculinities – all about a Vietnamese immigrant, trapped in the home of her ‘husband,’ the monstrousLeonard. Will is an amazing…

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Episode 161 - Pink Floyd Part 21, Animals 2022 Remix 49:33

2M ago49:33

49:33

Episode 161 – Pink Floyd Part 21, Animals 2022 RemixUpfront apologies for the tense energy at the beginning of this otherwise charming episode considering the 2022 remix of Pink Floyd’s Animals. The backstory of this remix involves some now-standard drama from the band members. Once past that, however, the Palaver group find this remix to be a brea…

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Episode 152: Welcome to Derry: Episode 3 Palaver 58:55

2M ago58:55

58:55

Hile! We return to Derry and hold palaver for our weekly recap of Welcome to Derry. On this episode we recap Episode 3: Now you see IT If you are interested in helping our host Jeremy's little brother's search for a living kidney donor you can learn more about living kidney donation or start the testing process on David's behalf, please contact Bre…

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Pick of the Week: Palaver by Bryan Washington 3:25

2M ago3:25

3:25

This week Hannah recommends Bryan Washington's Palaver, the story of an expat who faces a surprise visit from his estranged mother. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Tokyo during the holiday season, this tender novel explores fractured family ties, found connections, and the quiet longing to be known and loved. Check out Bryan Washington's "Palav…

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Episode 151: Welcome to Derry Episode 2 Palaver 56:03

2M ago56:03

56:03

Hile! On this episode Matt and I head back to Derry for our weekly recap of Episode 2 of Welcome to Derry. If you are interested in helping our host Jeremy's little brother's search for a kidney donor you can learn more about living kidney donation or start the testing process on David's behalf, please contact Breanna Bronson, Living Donor Coordina…

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SCS36 - The Sisters of Mercy in Dallas, Oct 2024 9:10

2M ago9:10

9:10

Special Concert Series 36 – The Sisters of Mercy in Dallas, Oct 2024A blast from the past on a tangent! In October 2024, Joe and Sarah went to see The Sisters of Mercy in Dallas. This is decidedly not prog, but still of interest to the members of the Palaver. Here we share this short conversation about a very interesting and fun concert from a band…

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SCS35 - Marillion Weekend Bonus Chat with Planet Marzipan Guest, Graeme 18:23

2M ago18:23

18:23

Special Concert Series 35 – Marillion Weekend Bonus Chat with Planet Marzipan Guest Graeme Here is a brief, fun look back to the Marillion Weekend in Port Zelande 2025. Joe had the immense pleasure to meet Graeme and his son on the bus from the airport to Port Zelande. An immediate friendship was born that was confirmed as the two kept running into…

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[From the Vault] Courtney Summers & The Master of the Bitch 58:38

2M ago58:38

58:38

This flashback episode takes us to early 2021, when I was joined by Courtney Summers – the boundary-pushing author of dark YA fictions for a corrective lesson. Courtney came on the show to discuss The Project, a novel of sinister elite cults, evil charisma and radicalisation. At the time Trump had just been kicked out of office, so those things see…

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Round Table #169 2:19:13

2M ago2:19:13

2:19:13

📢 Episode Summary: In the latest Round Table Tadd and Peter talk about the Flanagan Carrie wrapping and a social media post calling it "Season 1" and speculate if it was a mistake or a sign of more Carrie to come. Then they talk about Welcome to Derry, Peter's Wife (who is scared of clowns) watching both IT films, and then a bit about what the mode…

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[From the Vault] Tananarive Due & Black Girls Doing Magical Things 1:08:29

2M ago1:08:29

1:08:29

Time for a classic haunted house. I’m on a short break from the show, to recoup, read without pressure and generally try not to implode. So we’re heading into the vault for some older conversations that new listeners may have missed and long-termers may enjoy anew. Where better to start that in a haunted house with a Queen of 21st century horror – …

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Episode 150: Welcome To Derry Episode 1 palaver 1:08:32

2M ago1:08:32

1:08:32

Hile! On this episode Matt and I begin our weekly recap palaver of Welcome to Derry. On this episode we discuss the Pilot. Stay tuned for new episodes each week as we go on this journey through Derry this season. If you are interested in helping our host Jeremy's little brother's search for a kidney donor you can learn more about living kidney dona…

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260 – Joe Hill & The One About the Dragon 1:20:31

3M ago1:20:31

1:20:31

Here be dragons! I’m celebrating Halloween week on Talking Scared with the very cream of the bucket list. Joe Hill is finally on the show! The author of Heart Shaped Box, NOS4A2, “The Black Phone” and Lock & Key is back with his first novel in nearly a decade, and it’s a beast! King Sorrow is an epic of dragons, diabolical deals, decade-spanning fr…

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Wizard and Glass Book Club #32 (Pt3, Ch9 Sc10-17) 2:03:48

2M ago2:03:48

2:03:48

📖 Section Covered: Part 3, Chapter 9 Subchapters 10-17 📢 Episode Summary: In the latest Book Club for Wizard and Glass Tadd and Peter are still in the pre-dawn morning of Reaping Day. Our Tet sees Jonas's party split up. Susan decides to sleep outside and Sheemie goes to pee as Jonas arrives and takes Susan prisoner while Sheemie watches from the d…

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Let Us Palaver #5 – ‘Salem’s Lot Debrief 33:10

3M ago33:10

33:10

In our fifth Let Us Palaver, Nat and I dally a little longer in ‘Salem’s Lot to hunt down a few more vamps and follow up some threads mentioned in the main episode. This is where we get spoilery, so this is just for those who have been to the Tower already. But we talk about Chris’s predictions for Father Callaghan, discuss the moral arc of King’s …

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Connecting with Our Ancestors: A History of Spiritualism for Genealogists 9:33

2M ago9:33

9:33

How might our ancestors have connected with their ancestors? Join Daniel Smith as he explores the possibilities and their connections to genealogy! In the middle of the nineteenth century, a movement known as Spiritualism captured the attention of millions, with large groupings in the Northeast and Midwest. This movement was predominantly led by wo…

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The Dark Tower Deep Dive #5 – ‘Salem’s Lot 2:28:14

3M ago2:28:14

2:28:14

‘Salem’s Lot is FIFTY years old this month. Hellfire, how did that happen? We’re gonna celebrate the bloodsucking and small town shenanigans for all they are worth!! But some of you know that the Lot sits just to one side of the Path of the Beam – so this is also a key zig in our endless zagging towards The Dark Tower. You may just not know why yet…

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259 – Joe Lansdale & Our Desperate Need to Be Less Dumb 1:20:57

3M ago1:20:57

1:20:57

Joe Lansdale is here to give us all a smack upside the head. We are talking about The Essential Horror of Joe R. Lansdale – his brand new career-retrospective, collecting the stories that have defined him for decades as one of the most edgy, provocative writers of the grim and grotesque. We cover some of the classics, like “Bubba Ho Tep,” “Mr Weed …

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Round Table #168 1:54:28

3M ago1:54:28

1:54:28

(Note please excuse some technical difficulties. Tadd has been working on his computer and despite making sure everything was working an hour or so before the stream it of course went ot shit right as the show started) It is mostly fine but there is a bit of roughness in the first few minutes.) In the latest Round Table Tadd and Peter talk about Th…

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Off Book #12 – Ben Leonberg and Good Boy 1:00:00

3M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Mine isn’t the only Good Boy released into the world this week. You may have heard of a little film that shares my books name. I joke – Ben Leonberger’s Good Boy is everywhere, and rightly so. It’s a haunted house movie told from the POV of Ben’s dog Indy (playing himself). It’s a magic trick of filmmaking and puppy eyes. Ben came on the show for a…

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258 – Neil McRobert & My Four-Legged Ode to Bravery & Joy 1:30:51

3M ago1:30:51

1:30:51

Ah the arrogance of writers. Now I am one, officially, I thought I’d better do something fitting. So I set up a whole episode of my podcast to talk about my own book – Good Boy! My debut novella about small English towns, the bonds between men and dogs, and a battle between bravery and monsters. Thankfully, I have friends who will facilitate this t…

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257 – Northern Weird (Part Two), with Matt Wesolowski, Jodie Robins & Stephen Howard 1:09:02

3M ago1:09:02

1:09:02

Another day, another episode about the weird-arse end of nowhere! We remain in the North of England for this second part of a weeklong celebration of the Northern Weird Project – six novellas published by Wild Hunt Books (including one by yours truly!). This time it’s conversation with Matt Wesolowski, about his train-bound folkloric horror, Don’t …

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256 – Northern Weird (Part One), with Gemma Fairclough, Katherine Clements & Ariell Cacciola 1:20:03

3M ago1:20:03

1:20:03

By Neil McRobert

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255 – Michael Wehunt & What If A Horror Film Broke Into Your House? 1:17:37

3M ago1:17:37

1:17:37

What’s even real anymore? Some of the best horror writer’s ask that question. Some, like Michael Wehunt, live in the spaces in between. Michael’s new novel, The October Film Haunt bends reality in fascinating ways, in a story about online legend, digital demons and analog horror – all the stuff that keeps me awake at night. We talk about all of it,…

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Special Episode - Tom B, Joe D, and Dan M from Kansas, Sept 2025 49:32

3M ago49:32

49:32

Special Episode – Tom B, Joe D, and Dan M from Kansas Sept 2025We at the Palaver were very happy to welcome Tom Brislin, Joe Deninzon, and Dan McGowan of Kansas to our show. It’s always a pleasure when we get to touch base with these fine musicians who are doing such a tremendous job of carrying the legacy of Kansas. Our conversation covers the usu…

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Wizard and Glass Book Club #31 (Pt3, Ch9 Sc4-9) 2:09:44

3M ago2:09:44

2:09:44

(Sections Covered: Part 3, Chapter 9 Subchapters 4-9) In the latest Book Club for Wizard and Glass Tadd and Peter find themselves in the pre-dawn hours of Reaping Day. Roland and his Ka-Tet regroup after blowing up Citgo and take stock of their weapons and lay out their plans. Roland and Susan talk about the odds she sees them again. Jonas and Clay…

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254 – Philip Fracassi & The Fresh Young Heart of Old-School Horror 2:07:47

4M ago2:07:47

2:07:47

This week brings a bumper episode, cos Philip Fracassi never stops. Since he and I last spoke, in 2022, he’s published a wealth of amazing, terrifying, heartfelt horror, emerging as a major voice, and one ofmy favourite writers. First we spend a good hour on Philips’ new novel, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre – talking about geriatric s…

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Special Episode - Joe Deninzon from Stratospheerius and Dan McGowan of The Tea Club, Sep 2025 44:11

4M ago44:11

44:11

Special Episode - Joe Deninzon from Stratospheerius and Dan McGowan from The Tea Club Sept 2025In advance of their double-bill show at The Kennett Flash in October 2025, the Palaver were thrilled to welcome Joe Deninzon from Stratospheerius and Dan McGowan from The Tea Club. While Joe and Dan are both current members of Kansas, these projects are n…