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Gary Davies sits in, with Stephen Merchant and Richard Ashcroft

Stephen Merchant chats to Gary about his new 大象传媒 comedy thriller series, The Outlaws, and Richard Ashcroft has live music from his new album, Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1.

It's another Friends Phone In Friday with Gary Davies.

Stephen Merchant chats to Gary about his new 大象传媒 comedy thriller series, The Outlaws. The Bristol-set show follows seven different strangers from all walks of life who are forced together for a Community Payback sentence, and stars Poldark's Eleanor Tomlinson, Killing Eve's Darren Boyd and Hollywood star Christopher Walken. Alongside Ricky Gervais, Stephen was the co-writer and co-director of The Office, and co-writer, co-director, and co-star of both Extras and Life's Too Short. He has received numerous accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards, three BAFTA Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four British Comedy Awards.

Richard Ashcroft shares live tracks from his new album, Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1, an collection of newly recorded acoustic versions of his solo work and The Verve classics. Richard was the lead singer in The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their original split in 1999. Songs he wrote for the band include Bitter Sweet Symphony, Lucky Man, and the UK number one The Drugs Don't Work. As a solo artist, he has released three UK top three albums.

Along with Adam Porter on news, Richie Anderson on travel and Chris Latchem on sport, Gary and the team have the best start to your morning. With celeb guests, quizzes, headlines, tunes chosen by listeners and more music than you can shake a glitterball at!

There's also a Pause For Thought from Jim Harrison and listeners on the line as Gary entertains the nation with fun for the family!

2 hours, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Phil Collins

    Two Hearts

    • Singles.
    • Rhino.
  • Duran Duran

    Anniversary

    • Future Past.
    • S-Curve Records.
  • Rose Royce

    Is It Love You're After

    • Sampled (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.
  • Amy Winehouse

    Tears Dry On Their Own

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
  • James Taylor

    Your Smiling Face

    • James Taylor - Classic Songs.
    • CBS.
  • Go West

    We Close Our Eyes

    • Now 1985 - The Millennium Series.
    • EMI.
  • Pet Shop Boys

    It's A Sin

    • Pet Shop Boys - Discography.
    • EMI.
  • Lil Nas X

    THATS WHAT I WANT

    • MONTERO.
    • Columbia.
  • Sugababes

    Push The Button

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
  • Swing Out Sister

    Breakout

    • Fantastic 80's Disc 1 (Various Artis.
    • Columbia.
  • Sam Cooke

    Another Saturday Night

    • Sam Cooke - The Man & His Music.
    • RCA.
  • Madison Avenue

    Don't Call Me Baby (Motez Vicious21 Remix)

    Remix Artist: Motez.
    • Holiday Hits: Non Stop Euro Pop (Var).
    • Virgin.
  • The Dandy Warhols

    Bohemian Like You

  • Pras Michel

    Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are) (feat. O.D.B. & 惭媒补)

    • (CD Single).
    • Interscope.
  • Joy Crookes

    When You Were Mine

    • Skin.
    • Speakerbox Recordings.
    • 5.
  • Prince

    The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

    • (CD Single).
    • NPG RECORDS.
  • ABBA

    Just A Notion

    • Voyage.
    • Polar.
  • Mark Ronson

    Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars)

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.
    • 001.
  • Lindsey Buckingham

    On The Wrong Side

    • Lindsey Buckingham.
    • Rhino.
  • Queen

    I Want To Break Free

    • The Works.
    • EMI.
  • Wild Cherry

    Play That Funky Music

    • Walk On - Hits From The Last 2 Decade.
    • Columbia.
  • Richard Ashcroft

    Bittersweet Symphony (Radio 2 Session, 22 Oct 2021)

  • Richard Ashcroft

    This Thing Called Life (Radio 2 Session, 22 Oct 2021)

  • Four Tops

    It's The Same Old Song

  • JLS

    Eternal Love

    • JLS 2.0.
    • BMG Rights Management.
  • Richard Ashcroft

    Lucky Man (Radio 2 Session, 22 Oct 21)

Pause For Thought

Pause For Thought

I have not been sleeping well lately. This is not a problem with actually going to sleep. I am excellent at going to sleep. Along with 鈥榟aving warm hands鈥, going to sleep is one of my superpowers. I can go to sleep anywhere, any time; on a bus, on a train, sitting down, standing up.听听I have been known to fall asleep on the telephone (ask my partner Susie). I once fell asleep onstage in the middle of a play in front of 800 people.

No, the problem with my sleep is in the waking up. Because I am also good at waking up. Too good. I have to get up very early for work, because work is far away, so I have trained myself to turn off the very quiet alarm the second it buzzes, my hand shooting out from under the covers like a chameleon鈥檚 tongue catching a fly.听听I have become adept at creeping silently around the house like a ninja to avoid disturbing those in England still abed. And the result is that my body now thinks that very early is the time to wake.听听So, I have been waking early on Saturdays and Sundays too.听听You probably know the feeling鈥μ齋ometimes I get back to sleep.听听Sometimes, I am just stuck with it.

In the bible, there is a man called Agur and the first thing he says is this. 鈥業 am weary, O God, I am weary, O God, and faint.鈥 Very often, I feel like Agur. I am, I reckon, one of many. Part of the problem, I鈥檓 pretty sure, is that after working from home for at least part of the time these many months, my body now believes that I live at work, and I need to re-learn the difference between the two. While I was writing this, my eldest, Miriam, dropped me a line to say (and I quote), 鈥淔ancy a lunchtime pint on Saturday?鈥 And my heart sang. So, this weekend, I shall learn by doing that. I shall not work. I shall sit around a bit and ride my bike. I shall have a lunchtime pint and do things I like to do.听听And they will not all be laundry. Go thou, then, as Jesus might say, and do likewise.

Broadcast

  • Fri 22 Oct 2021 06:30