When the Elders of Dark Fiction Magazine cornered us we begged, pleaded desperately, even went to the bar to get the drinks in. They spared our lives but tasked us with running DFM as they wanted to take a step back and leave things in hands deemed capable.

I looked at my hands seriously, and thoughtfully, to emphasise my responsible nature.

Then Jen and I went for beers, ciders and sausage rolls in our local to discuss whether we could feasibly do this thing.

Could we?

We have so many other things to do, we just don't have the time.

So we agreed to do it anyway. We'd find the time.

And we did.

Our first issue at the helm, Issue 11, is now done. It's out there (or in here) and it's a beauty.

Great stories, great narrations, great artwork too. All the things you would expect DFM to deliver and we really hope people like it because The Elders wouldn't take kindly to us mucking it up. We signed in blood, see, and that's like well serious and stuff.

It was a good challenge learning how to put everything together for this, so many fiddly bits to click, arrange and wonder where it's disappeared to... There have been quite a few hours put into this as Jen might agree. Now it's done we're working on the next issue and hoping that in time it all becomes as familiar as an old black cat.

So please, enjoy! Enjoy A LOT. Or... or... something.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Since last I updated this place there have been a few things going on that are very much well worthy of your ears.

In Dark Fiction Magazine - Issues 8 and 9 - There are these two beauties:

Issue 8, Voices from the Past,  I read Paul Cornell's story A Map of Lychford

Issue 9, Heroic Fables, I read James Barclay's story Twain. Issue 9 is a six story edition including 3 regular length short stories as well as 3 flash fiction stories that were the winning entries of the competition we ran.

The Bearcast has made a triumphant return for a further 7 shows this year. As I type we are only a day and a bit away from the finale of Series 3! Danny and I have had a great time doing this again and will shortly be reigniting the heating system that powers the Soldiers of Tangent podcast back for a second run sometime very soon indeed.

There's plenty of other stuff in the pipeline that pipes concentrated awesome around the globe, it's all just a matter of time really!

Apart from all that, how are you? Are you well? Has that thing cleared up that your doctor told us all about when he got drunk?

Also your payment is overdue regarding those negatives I'm due to post to the press and the authorities in the next day or so, just a gentle reminder...

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Do you fancy yourself as a good reader? We are always looking for good voice actors who are willing to perform readings of Dark Fiction stories.

Requirements are simple. All you need is a good voice, a mic, a PC or Mac and an internet connection.

To audition simply record a passage of a story (preferably one that demonostrates your ability) and submit it using this process.

Keep the reading below 2 minutes and save the audio file as either MP3 or Wav. You may need to zip the file if you use WAV.

If in doubt submit! 

http://darkfictionmagazine.submishmash.com/submit/4402/account

What is Dark Fiction Magazine?

Dark Fiction Magazine is a monthly, short fiction podcast magazine, bringing the listener at least four short stories per episode from around the genre fiction world. Each month has a distinct theme with fiction chosen to complement.

The site also features special editions with seasonal stories, topical issues, competitions, flash fiction episodes and novel excerpts.

Dark Fiction Magazine seeks to discover and deliver the very best that horror, fantasy, and science-fiction has to offer.

http://www.darkfictionmagazine.co.uk/

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

It was a brilliant idea, legendary even, and I was just drunk enough. Matt suggested doing a reunion gig of our old band before we all hit 40 and I enthusiastically agreed, got even more drunk and then slept the sleep of the mighty.

When I woke up the next day I was:

a) Hungover
b) Curious as to where I was
c) Regretting agreeing to the reunion gig

It was around 20 years ago we last played together, I hadn't played bass for over 10 years, I had forgotten all of the songs and I had forgotten how to play the bloody bass too.

It was time for a montage. Cue the trials, despairs, successes, a couple of weekends getting together to practice, blisters, more blisters, solitary practices and so on and so forth. I don't know what song would play over the montage but I'm sure it'd be appropriate.

The day arrived with us still slightly unprepared as the last get-together-practice session got cancelled so we winged it in places.

There was a great turn out, a lot more people than I was expecting. Some old faces, friends and even family were there which was great just for seeing them again. Now though I had to proove myself, show them that I can play the bass and do it rather well despite having to pretty much pick things up from scratch.

The first song was an old favourite, one that we could all play without thinking, but whatever nerves had taken hold the result was that by the end of it I was already knackered. Thankfully this faded somewhat and the rest of the gig flew by rather painlessly.

What's more I really enjoyed playing in a band again, really enjoyed it.

It was a brilliant idea, legendary even, and I was just drunk enough. Matt suggested playing in Cambridge next year...

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The BoxRoom Podcast is still on what we lovingly call Indefinite Hiatus.

What do you think we should do? What would you like to see happen to it and what would you like to be in it?
Am toying with the idea of refreshing it, changing the format maybe? Am currently in the phase of Indefinite Procrastination.

Jen and I like recording it, that's always good. What with time constraints, other projects and general other misc life things, this podcast has become a casualty. Shall we move on? Shall we bring it back refreshed?

What shall we do with it?

http://boxroomboy.com/pages/boxroom-podcast

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Issue 7 of Dark Fiction Magazine, Sacred Fire, is all published for your lucky eyes and ears.

This Issue I was lucky enough to read Who Slays The Gyant, Wounds The Beast by Mark Chadbourn.

Awesomely excellent story, enjoyed getting my teeth into this one. Hope you enjoy.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Friday 15th April, two days before my birthday (And Sean Bean's I discovered) Jen and I went to the BAFTA place worrying at our peasant clothing surrounded by such poshness to see the first two episodes of Game of Thrones, based on George R R Martin's frankly bloody excellent Song of Ice and Fire series of books.

If the first 12 minute preview HBO released filled us with shaking excitement recently I reckon you can probably imagine how we felt sitting in front of the big screen with the booming sounds and sights of the finished show itself. Frankly, it's fucking amazing. Better than we could have hoped.

Very hard to view the show objectively though having read the books and knowing the stories contained within the whole epic so it really comes down to whether this was a good adaptation or not for this review. I don't need to go into details about how adaptations can fail to reproduce the books they're based on due to restrictions of time and budget and suchlike so with those restrictions in mind, does Game of Thrones work for the screen? Has it been ruined or changed mightily from the source material? Changed slightly, out of necessity, yes. Ruined? Not in the slightest.

The casting is excellent and the look and feel of it all is outstanding. The full effect of this world, the characters and all the shades of grey their personalities contain is bloody spot on.

Will this be a success? I seriously hope so. I do worry that it will be seen by some as a genre show "swords and mutton" someone called it somewhere (which I quite like actually) and that they won't give it a chance because of it. Such is the way of things. People unaware of the books coming to it fresh I'd be most interested to hear the opinion of because, as I've said, it's hard for me to view it objectively being a (relatively new) fan to the series who shook with excitement at the title sequence alone before being glued to the action in front of me praying for an early DVD release.

Can I recommend it? Yeah, I don't need to say really do I. Yes, by the way. Very yes.

A lot of work has gone into this. It feels real, the world looks lived in, the clothes and buildings look worn, the characters arrive fully rounded, the attention to detail is astonishing and I want a Direwolf for my birthday please.

Our tired selves got back from the screening and recorded a BoxRoom Podcast about it all. The local 24 hour shop didn't stock any mead, alas, so we made do with a good solid red wine to see us through. Have a listen and enjoy our favourable thinkings!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The latest Dark Fiction Magazine - The Waste Land -  is all arrived. Your ears need this.

I am proud to be a part of this issue. Returning to Dark Fiction Magazine is a wondrous honour. Seriously!

In this installment I'm reading Tim Lebbon's story The God of Rain. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Hope I do it justice too.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Thanks to a heads up from Danny Davies and with gratitude to Jason Warden there was a last minute opportunity to narrate this excellent short story from Josh Wagner for ShadowCast SNM Horror Magazine. Wonderful to share narrating space with the awesome Kate Sherrod too. Great to put a voice to one of the internet's lovely people.

Hope you enjoy!

ShadowCast Audio Presents:

Featuring

February’s Story of the month “OverExposed“

by Josh Wagner

Narrated by Marty Perrett

&

March’s Story of the Month “Stitches “

by A. J. Madden

Narrated by Kate Sherrod

Music featured on this episode is courtesy of

Daniel José Older

&

The Contrarian

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 IN AID OF THE RED CROSS JAPAN TSUNAMI APPEAL

 100% of proceeds go to the appeal

 Written by William Elliott Griffis

 Read by Various

 Music by Jon Nicholls, SNK Music, AKM Music

 Produced & Directed by Neil Gardner

 (c) 2011, A Ladbroke Productions Release

The recent devastation in Japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami has shocked the world. We at Spokenworld Audio, alongside our friends and partners at Ladbroke Productions (Radio) Ltd are unashamed Japon-ophiles...we just love the place, the people and the culture. We have some great friends in Japan, and we felt it was important that we do what we could to help out.

JAPANESE FAIRY WORLD, STORIES FROM THE WONDER-LORE OF JAPAN has been produced by Neil Gardner at Ladbroke Productions in just a few days, with the incredible kind help and talents of many of the UK and US's finest Voice Over artists. With beautiful music donated by Jon Nicholls and Seb & Kayvan at SNK Music (and additional music from AKM Music). Within you will find 25 short-stories from the rich heritage of Japanese folk-tales. From demons and gods, to the creation of the Earth and the naming of mountains.  

Over 3.5 hours of fabulous audiobook readings!

100% of the money raised from the sale of this unique audiobook will be donated by Spokenworld Audio and Ladbroke Productions to the RED CROSS JAPAN TSUNAMI/EARTHQUAKE APPEAL. We will even donate the VAT as well!

We encourage you to purchase the complete audiobook, but if you would prefer to, you can also buy each story individually (a slightly more expensive option!). The complete set comes as a zipped folder containing the 25 stories plus an introduction and end credits...all as high quality stereo 192kbps mp3 files...ready for importing into iTunes or on to an mp3 player of your choice!

Here are the incredibly generous readers who gave their time, talent (and studios!) to make this project a reality. If you are a producer/director, please take it from us, these people are fantastic and well worth hiring:

RAMON TIKARAM (yes, Ferdie from This Life...ace!)

NATALIE COOPER (who also helped organise the voices...what an angel)

PETER DICKSON (the voice of X-Factor and so much more, buy his app at www.myruddyvoice.com)

PATRICK LUNT (legendary voice over!)

MARIAN KEMMER

CHRISTOPHER KENT

CLAIRE LACEY

MARTY PERRETT 

HELEN QUIGLEY (click here for website)

MARK TAYLOR

KATY MAW

TAFF (he promises us he has a surname, but it is on a 'need to know' basis apparently!)

RACHEL ASHLEY

GEORGE WASHINGTON III (click here for website)

FRAN McCLELLEN

JUSTIN BARRETT (click here for website)

JULIE BERRY

PHILIP BANKS

NEIL GARDNER

The cover art was created by Tanja Glittenberg.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Dark Fiction Magazine - Issue 5 - The Ides of March

Well, the Ides of March have come. Ay, they have come, but they are not gone…

The moon is full, the god of war, Mars, is celebrated and Brutus delivered his plot against Caesar on this day. Sounds like our sort of thing. So in true Dark Fiction style we have some more stories for you…

Story: The Honour Guard by Paul Finch (read by Marty Perrett)
Story: The Loving of Ghosts by Simon Bestwick (read by the author)
Story: Lest We Forget by Tracie McBride (read by Alasdair Stuart)

More Dark Fiction wonderment for your ears. In this edition I read Paul Finch's story The Honour Guard.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Join Marty and Jen as they banter off about their adventures at the SFX Weekender and the beigeness of BBC's Outsiders. Also under the microscope, among a whole heap of other awesome, are Being Human, Babylon 5, Dragon Age 2, Felicia Day's Dragon Age webseries Redemption and  the Thor and Captain America movies.

If you have any feedback -- or just want to contact the BoxRoom team -- you can contact us at marty@boxroomboy.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Direct Download: The BoxRoom Podcast #55

Subscribe to The BoxRoom Podcast (iTunes)

Subscribe toThe BoxRoom Podcast (Direct RSS)

The BoxRoom Podcast is not only a GeekPlanetOnline Podcast, but also a proud member of The Legion of Tangent. Visit the Legion for a fine range of Podcasts on a variety of subjects, all bound by the power of GEEK! http://www.thelegionoftangent.co.cc

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I should update really, that's why I got myself this place after all!

Things that currently bother me:
In a bout of a general depressive type period, I have had little to no motivation for doing anything at all. I need to practice bass for the gig in August, I need to narrate a story for Dark Fiction Magazine, I need to work on Lost Bearings 2, I need to start a new Marty/Danny blog post like the one we've just done here:
http://www.soldiersoftangent.co.uk/dear-soldiers-what-is-your-fitness-regime

I need to build a shrine to Blane for his excellent picture work and for liking us too! I need to stop whinging and get on with it really.
The time I have for doing anything like the above is evenings and weekends and I find myself curled up on the sofa watching (currently) Babylon 5 (and bloody enjoying it too) and feeling sorry for myself.
This is all not-well and bad stuff but is countered by...

Things that currently make me grin:
Jen's appreciation for her Kindle (was so worried she wouldn't like it, being such a loyal proper book type person).
The work I do with Danny, the rebirth of the BoxRoom Podcast, that I'm wanted for narration, wine, pizza, the way Jeb always looks hungover and my general creative imaginings that will one day be out in the world.
This is all well and good stuff!

Now the days are getting longer I can actually feel myself feeling better so now... now is the time for me to bloody well get stuff done and start enjoying life again please!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Was very happy while at the SFX Weekender, this alchohol saturated weekend just gone, to have won a specially made piece of artwork by Leigh Gallagher! How we got it home in one piece was something of a miracle in that wind blasted area of the country we had found ourselves in. But we did and it is currently safely taking centre stage in our living room.

This comes after I recently read a story from another 2000AD artist and writer, Liam Sharp, for the brilliant Dark Fiction Magazine. Liam has recently returned to Dredd after 20 years:

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The wondrous Dark Fiction Magazine have released Issue 4 with more glorious tales for your glorious ears. One of which has been narrated by my good self!

Emergency Exit by Liam Sharp, an excellent story I hope I did some kind of justice to.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

In this most sixthest installment yet Mr Marty and Mr Danny have another person on the program with them that's not them! No! That would be a bit bloody stupid wouldn't it? I mean really... What do you take this operation for...

No! The person that is neither Marty, nor Danny, and isn't John Craven either (before you start all that nonsense again) is none other than Grindhouse Gentleman and wiki-ninja Mr Matt Dray!

Joing Marty, Danny and Matt as they sift through the erm... mud of current affairs looking for... um... GOLD! Or something.

And along the way, they are joined, in mp3 format, by the most excellent Mr Jim Moon of Hypnogoria and the Hypnobobs podcast!

What do people dig in mud for, by the way? Breadfruit? I really don't know

Anyway. Enjoy.

The Soldiers of Tangent are proud members of The Legion of Tangent - a whole smorgasbord of geektastic podcast types, powered by 100% copper-bottom, weapons grade WIN!!!

Marty's website - http://www.boxroomboy.com

Danny's website - http://www.thedannydavies.co.uk

Matt can normally be heard on the fantastic Gentlemen's Grindhouse horror podcast - http://thegentlemensgrindhouse.com/ - it's not only amazing, but one of the reasons you're listening to this nonsense right now.

Potatoes! That's something you get out of mud. Knew it'd come back to me...

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

In the first of a new monthly run, Marty and Jen (and Oathkeeper) return with epic banterings on (amongst other stuffs) Being Human (Series 3 spoilers in the first half-hour), The Walking Dead, (older) Tron, (the lesser) Wicker Man, Scott Pilgrim, Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age 2, and beyond! Just don't mention Danny Wallace.

Episode Download: The BoxRoom Podcast #54

Subscribe to The BoxRoom Podcast (iTunes)
Subscribe to The BoxRoom Podcast (Direct RSS)

Looking for an alternative Podcatcher to iTunes? GeekPlanet recommends Juice, a freeware cross-platform Podcast receiver available from Sourceforge. 

If you have any feedback -- or just want to contact the BoxRoom team -- you can contact us at boxroom@geekplanetonline.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The BoxRoom Podcast is not only a GeekPlanetOnline Podcast, but also a proud member of The Legion of Tangent. Visit the Legion for a fine range of Podcasts on a variety of subjects, all bound by the power of GEEK!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

That's the title of a fictional pilot episode I used in Lost Bearings starring the sentient ted himself, Jeb. Was pleased to hear on the telly the other day the music I used for the theme tune. Took me right back to when I made that particular episode and how much it made me laugh to record and put it together.

In the scene Jeb's flatmate Terry has found a video cassette with this show on that Jeb has tried to keep secret from the world. I've often wondered what else is on that tape, did Jeb record any other shows featuring sentient teds? Were they variations on popular classics? Were they original concepts?
Only Jeb, and now Terry, know for sure.

It's that kind of pondering that is starting to stuff my head with nuggets of ideas for the more-than-likely-now Lost Bearings 2.

Other projects currently breathing down my neck are the continuing Soldiers of Tangent (new ep out at the weekend) and The Bearcast Series 3, both working alongside that Danny Davies fellow.
So all that stuff, plenty of it, and maybe even a return to The BoxRoom Podcast? Mmm!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Eey! boxroomboy.com is alive!

Really glad to get that sorted and out of the way so I can concentrate on working on proper stuff again.

2011 is going to be a cracker of a year, I bloody hope. There’s plenty up my brain hole to be going on with. There’ll be more narrations, more Bearcast, more Lost Bearings, more Soldiers of Tangent, more BoxRoom Podcast even! And much stuff to come will be in collaboration with that Danny Davies fellow too. We are planning plans as well as doing the Bearcast and Soldiers of Tangent together so it’s all going to be very bloody flipping bloody good.

Jen and I have done a plan of sorts of what we want to achieve this year, traditionally planned in the pub inbetween drinking and drawing silly pictures. Can’t remember what’s on mine now... it’s in the other room. Something about stuff and suchlike. I’m sure it’s all achievable.

Cheers, everyone! I hope you continue to enjoy me. I’ll make it worth your while!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »