Wright on the Nail

New Thinking

‘Wright on the Nail’ is a podcast hosted by music industry entrepreneur Chris Wright. Each week, he is joined by those in-the-know to discuss politics, media, business and lots more. Our episodes alternate between a ‘deep dive’ which gathers experts on a particular topic, and a ‘news roundtable’ where we chew over the biggest issues of the week with big-name journalists and decision-makers.

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Episodes

Top Middle East Correspondent Explains the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: Richard Spencer, The Times
24-02-2024
Top Middle East Correspondent Explains the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: Richard Spencer, The Times
In this week’s episode, Chris Wright is joined by Richard Spencer, the China correspondent at The Times, formerly the Middle East correspondent from 2016 until August 2023, but brought back to cover the war in Gaza since Hamas’s attack on Israel on the 7th October. He was previously news editor, China correspondent, Middle East correspondent and Middle East editor at The Daily Telegraph.The focus quickly turns to Israel-Palestine where Richard cuts to the chase, outlining the different ways the conflict may end, and what these scenarios would mean for the citizens on the ground. Questions are raised, such as whether the West is hypocritical to criticise Israel’s campaign in Gaza, considering their relatively recent campaigns in Iraq and Syria. Richard later explains the geopolitics of conflict for the UK and the US, and the power dynamic in the Palestinian West Bank.They turn their gaze to Ukraine - what is the status of the war and how the American election will impact it, and therefore, the future of Europe. Chris also asks Richard for his views on the possibility of China invading Taiwan.   We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm.Many thanks,WOTN Team'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Sound Sapiensoundsapien.comThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
US Conspiracy Theories, Polarisation, and the Trump Factor: Can He Win Again?
19-01-2024
US Conspiracy Theories, Polarisation, and the Trump Factor: Can He Win Again?
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by the Founder of the Alliance for Trust in Media, Editor-in-chief of Amplify Publishing Group, and former CEO of Inc. and Fast Company, Eric Schurenberg, the first woman to run a US presidential campaign, the youngest woman to have tenured at the Harvard Law School, and prominent US political commentator, Susan Estrich, and journalist, US and UK political commentator, and regular Wright on the Nail contributor, Edward Hardy.Topics:The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Super Bowl conspiracy theory People still believe the 2020 election was stolen from TrumpRepublicanism and conspiracy theories The macro causes of the frightening polarisation in the US and the worldTrump’s unique ability in communicationThe QAnon conspiracy and ‘Pizzagate’ accusing individuals including Obama, the Clintons and the Pope of running a secret paedophile ring. Elon Musk’s troubling control of the X ‘microphone’Trump’s toxification of the political debateWill the problem go if and when Trump goes?Is the general population tired of Trump’s politics? Can he Win?The October ‘Event’What do people really think of Joe Biden?We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm.'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Sound Sapiensoundsapien.comThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Rwanda Win for Sunak! But Does Anyone Actually Care?
19-01-2024
Rwanda Win for Sunak! But Does Anyone Actually Care?
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by writer, journalist and broadcaster, Christina Patterson, Communications Officer at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Reem Ibrahim, and former Political Editor of the Sunday Mirror, Nigel Nelson.Chris kicks the conversation off with Rishi Sunak’s seemingly desperate electoral ploy to push through the Rwanda scheme, passing the Safety of Rwanda Bill through the House of Commons on Wednesday night. The panel analyse whether the public is as concerned with the issue of immigration as the government have convinced themselves they are, and how Britain should be addressing legal and illegal immigration. Reem argues that immigrants on average are less of a burden and contribute to the economy more than ‘native’ Britons… They then focus on Sunak: does he have a vision for the country behind the veil of party politics? Will the Conservatives lurch even further to the right after his likely election defeat? Chris then asks each panellist what story is catching their interest right now: - Nigel takes on the post-office scandal and the impact of ITV’s drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office- Christina’s is the expansion of the Israel-Gaza conflict in the Middle East to the Red Sea- Reem’s is the government’s historic bill to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 – she thinks the attack on vape products doesn’t make senseWe’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm.Many thanks,WOTN Team  'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Sound Sapiensoundsapien.comThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Our Hopes and Fears for 2024
05-01-2024
Our Hopes and Fears for 2024
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris is joined by Chief Economic Adviser and a board member at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, Vicky Pryce, Labour National Executive Committee member, Jess Barnard and journalist and US and UK political commentator, Edward Hardy.Jess outlines her hopes and fears about the Labour Party – hoping that Labour wins the general election, but fearing that Starmer won’t deliver any meaningful change. Vicky provides the economic forecast - how inflation may continue to improve and how the geopolitics of global conflicts like that in the Middle East, Ukraine, and potentially in Taiwan will affect our domestic economy. What will happen to UK interest rates in 2024? For your information, Jess mentions anti-BDS laws in which BDS stands for boycotts, divestment and sanctions. In this context the BDS movement aims to put diplomatic pressure on Israel to observe international law. Edward Hardy updates us on the stalemate of the Ukraine-Russia war and his analysis of British-US diplomacy surrounding Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. Update: On Tuesday, Gaza’s health ministry said 22,185 Palestinians have now been killed in Gaza since October 7th. 507 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the war began, on top of the approx. 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas on the 7th of October.  This opens up a fascinating discussion about Britain’s diplomatic role to play (or not to play) in this conflict. Chris turns the conversation to the US – who will be the Democratic nominee? Will Biden run despite universal disapproval over his age? Is it possible that Trump will put his ego aside and not run? What would another Trump presidency mean for the US and the world?Finally, Chris asks each panellist their one high-impact prediction of the year – and they all give very different answers!'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Ukraine, Israel-Gaza, and Immigration
16-12-2023
Ukraine, Israel-Gaza, and Immigration
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris is joined by Conservative political commentator Lee Harris, and writer, journalist, and author of Fake History, Otto English.The panel tackle all the big issues that leave us, nearing the end of the year, in a dire state of affairs. They start with Ukraine, reflecting on the wars of the 20th Century, and the lessons that we need to learn in order to respond appropriately to Vladimir Putin. They then turn to the Israel-Gaza conflict where Otto and Lee agree that Hamas is an awful terrorist organisation but clash over whether to allow Israel to press on with their siege to defeat them at all costs. The jostle continues over the issue of immigration in the UK. We hope you enjoy it as much as they did!As referenced by Chris in the introduction, let us know what you think of our producer’s modern rendition of Silent Night, inspired by Simon and Garfunkel’s 1966 song ‘7 O'clock News / Silent Night’ in the outro.We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi! Merry Christmas, WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Stop the Boats – The Far-Right Dream Turned Nightmare
08-12-2023
Stop the Boats – The Far-Right Dream Turned Nightmare
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by former Political Editor of the Sunday Mirror, Nigel Nelson, co-founder of Momentum and former advisor to Jeremy Corbyn, James Schneider, and Professor of European Politics, and Jean Monnet Chair of European Integration at the University of Ireland Maynooth, John O’Brennan.Yesterday, the Minister of State for Immigration Robert Jenrick resigned over the government's Rwanda Plan. Sunak is facing a revolt from the right and centre of his party over this issue, and the panel unpack how the Tories got into this mess. They turn to the recent changes to visa rules where the minimum salary threshold for a work visa is to be raised to £38,700, from the current £26,200, with some exemptions in health and social care. The panel dissect the very foundations of the economic necessity of foreign migrants, and the rhetoric of the government. One panellist argues that ‘stopping the boats’ has been largely manufactured as a political media distraction from the cost-of-living crisis, which has led to this sickly Rwanda farce. They turn to the Covid-inquiry, Boris Johnson’s performance, the nature of the reporting on it, and whether the purpose of learning about what went wrong for a future pandemic is being achieved. Chris then raises the bizarre and somewhat enraging issue for the Labour Party of Starmer’s praising of Thatcher in his recent Telegraph article. Corbyn’s former advisor James Schneider has a lot to say about that! We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Reshuffle Shock, Rwanda Ruling, and Labour Revolt
17-11-2023
Reshuffle Shock, Rwanda Ruling, and Labour Revolt
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris is joined by multi-award-winning i newspaper journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, author, broadcaster and political commentator Christina Patterson, and the presenter of the Times Radio Early Breakfast show Rosie Wright.The conversation kicks off with a discussion on what is in store for Suella Braverman after her sacking on Monday. Is her perception of her popularity over-inflated? The whole country was shocked by the appointment of former prime minister David Cameron. Was this big call the right one?On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled on the Government’s illegal immigration Rwanda policy, finding it unlawful. The panel discuss whether ‘stopping the boats’ is one of the top issues for the electorate, but also what alternative avenues the government could take to improve the situation. Yasmin offers deep insight as an expert on immigration. The other great ongoing issue of the week was that of the war in Gaza and the UK parliament’s vote against a ceasefire. The panel fought over whether this was the right decision and discussed the revolt against Starmer in the Labour Party. They round up with an update and analysis on the Covid Inquiry and the news of Nigel Farage accepting a spot on ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ for a record fee. We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi! WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Vorderman + Braverman: Free Speech and Speaking Freely
11-11-2023
Vorderman + Braverman: Free Speech and Speaking Freely
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by political commentators, Marina Purkiss, Edward Hardy, and political commentator and Communications Officer for the Institute of Economic Affairs Reem Ibrahim.This week’s debate kicks off and remains with the issues surrounding Home Secretary Suella Braverman. She has yet again been called out for the use of toxic language in the public sphere, criticising the Metropolitan Police claiming they have a left-wing bias regarding their treatment of protesters, and calling the pro-Palestinian demonstrations ‘hate marches’. The panel analyses and discusses the significance of language in politics.In a similar vein, the panel discuss and disagree deeply over Carol Vorderman having to step down from the BBC and her radio show. The non-political radio host has been forced out due to her influential online presence as a rather left-wing political voice. The panel get to the bottom of the hypocrisy of this development, similar to that of Gary Lineker’s situation some months ago. The panel reflect on the King’s Speech and the very British constitution that continues this tradition. Is the world laughing at us?-        Suella Braverman, was she trying to get sacked with her rogue police-bashing article.-        The pro-Palestine protest on Remembrance Day and why the language around it is so important. -        Carol Vorderman forced to leave the BBC because of her political activism outside of her radio show. Is there a Conservative bias in the BBC, and is this cancel culture at play? -        Did King Charles enjoy reading out Rishi Sunak’s policies in the State Opening of Parliament? And how the world is laughing at Britain’s anachronistic traditions. We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi! WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom Platts This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Israel-Gaza, Westminster Sleaze, and Hunting for the Next Chancellor
28-10-2023
Israel-Gaza, Westminster Sleaze, and Hunting for the Next Chancellor
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined  in the debate by the wonderful professor of European Politics, and Jean Monnet Chair of European Integration at the National University of Ireland Maynooth, John O’Brennan, Conservative political commentator, Lee Harris and Labour NEC member, Jess Barnard.The conversation kicks off with the latest Conservative Party scandals of Peter Bone and Crispin Blunt. Is this the final nail in the coffin for the government? The conversation opens up a broader discussion on those who are accused and tried and found guilty on social media and on the front page of the papers before they are tried by the court of law. However, there is clearly a deep sickness in Westminster involving the abuse of power. While country-wide, just 5% of rapes that were given an outcome by the police in the year ending December 2021 resulted in a charge.Then they move on to the upcoming Financial Statement, and whether Sunak should sack Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor, or even Suella Braverman as Home Secretary. Is the economy or immigration the most important issue for voters? Who could be the next Chancellor? Well, it’s likely Rachael Reeves will be there in the not-too-distant future. The panel analysed her standing from giving a great speech at the Labour Party Conference a few weeks ago to recently being accused of serious plagiarism in her new book. The second half of the conversation focuses on the elephant in the room. Israel-Gaza. Keir Starmer has come into some very hot water over his comments that endorsed Israel’s “right to defend itself” and Israel’s war crimes on Palestinians. The panellists analyse the conflict, significantly, the domestic and international response to it. Jess Barnard speaks of her visit to Palestine last year giving a firsthand account of the treatment of Palestinians by Israel and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This is a very emotive topic to debate and that was certainly the case here… We hope you enjoy this longer episode which we believe the length is backed up by the depth of discussion.  We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi! Yours faithfully, WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Nailed It! Katy Perry, Michael Bublé, Sade, and Sting: How They Became Successful
19-10-2023
Nailed It! Katy Perry, Michael Bublé, Sade, and Sting: How They Became Successful
This week we are reflecting on some of our best interview episodes with giants of the music industry and, specifically, when they talked about how the megastars they’ve worked with became successful. The special guests in this episode include: -        Emma Banks: The representative for some of the world’s top artists, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Florence And The Machine, Katy Perry, System of a Down, Muse, Kraftwerk and many more. (full episode 17 Aug 2022) -        Carl Leighton-Pope: Starting out in the music industry at a similar time to host Chris Wright of Chrysalis Records, Carl has been a manager, promoter, and agent for some of the biggest names in music over the decades, including Van Morrison, Bryan Adams, Billy Ocean, and Michael Bublé. (full episode 7 Jul 2023) -        Sir Robin Millar: One of the most successful music producers in the world whose career ignited when he produced Sade's debut album "Diamond Life". (full episode 8 Sep 2023) -        Miles Copland: Former manager of the Police and Sting. In 1979, he founded the I.R.S. Records label, producing R.E.M., the Bangles, Berlin, the Cramps, Dead Kennedys, the Alarm, and the Go-Go's, to mention just a few. (full episode 27 Aug 2021)In this segment about Sting, Chris fondly remembers having Jerry Moss, co-founder of A&M Records, over for dinner shortly before the time of recording. Sadly, Moss passed away on the 15th of August this year aged 88. Sting has paid tribute by expressing how big an impact he had on his life and career. (full episode 27 Aug 2021) We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi! Yours faithfully WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Top Executive Lisa Gordon: How To Be Successful in Business (& Fix The UK)
06-10-2023
Top Executive Lisa Gordon: How To Be Successful in Business (& Fix The UK)
This week, Chris Wright interviews Lisa Gordon. Lisa has been a top business executive for over 25 years. As a technology specialist, she has surfed the wave of the technological revolution from the infancy of the internet to this day where she is Chairman of Cavendish, the merger of Cenkos and FinnCap, a non-Exec at Alpha Group Intl - one of the fastest growth of companies listed on the UK Stock Exchange, as well as holding several other major non-Exec and advisory positions. The conversation starts with Chris and Lisa’s work together at Chrysalis where they were at the forefront of technological change in the industry. They shine a light on what personal attributes caused their huge business success, and what led to their occasional failures. The second half turns to the country at large where Lisa provides some fascinating observations from her perspective as a business insider. They tackle the issue of sexism and all kinds of discrimination in the workplace, what can be done to ensure diversity and why it’s so important for business as well as social mobility. The topics are: -           How Chris gave Lisa her biggest career break-           How Lisa and Chris could have been Google, and why it all went wrong-           How technology has impacted the business of music-           The power and limitations of the City of London-           What’s wrong with business today and how to fix it-           The key guidelines for being successful in business-           How to foster gender diversity in the workplace and the importance of childcare-           Politics and Britain’s position on the world stage-           What Sunak should have done with HS2-           Meeting Gordon Brown and how he stays hopeful about politics   We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi! Yours faithfully, WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom Platts This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Who Will Win the Next General Election?
29-09-2023
Who Will Win the Next General Election?
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by the presenter of Times Radio Early Breakfast show, Rosie Wright, UK and US political commentator, Edward Hardy, and former LibDem parliamentary candidate for Cotswolds and founder of Save British Farming, Liz Webster.The starting gun has been fired for the next general election. What can the Tories do to turn around the opinion polls? Is Labour’s strategy of holding back on publishing hard policy working? Could Rishi Sunak call the general election as soon as October this year? The panel discuss how the Tories are just as lost Labour on their political identity. They look globally to where our relations with our European neighbours stand.  Liz tells us the Liberal Democrat’s true position on Brexit. They then discuss the prospect of the Tories scrapping inheritance tax and HS2, whilst Sunak told the North this week that they’ll sort out the potholes first. That’d be something! The panel discuss why Britain is so bad at big infrastructure projects.We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!Yours faithfully, WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Loraine Burgon’s Rock’n’Roll Life: Alvin Lee, Woodstock, George Harrison, and Everything In-between
22-09-2023
Loraine Burgon’s Rock’n’Roll Life: Alvin Lee, Woodstock, George Harrison, and Everything In-between
This week Chris Wright sat down with Loraine Burgon to discuss her life, as described in her recently released book Magical Highs – Alvin Lee & Me. Loraine was the longtime partner of Alvin Lee through his rise to fame as the lead singer and guitarist of Ten Years After, and Chris Wright was the band’s manager in the same period. This is a highly unique conversation between two people from the heart of the Woodstock era of Rock’n’roll, exposing what really went on among the stars. Loraine’s experience brings home what it was like to be a woman in this time and among individuals like Beatle George Harrison -  it wasn’t plain sailing that’s for sure!Grab yourself a copy of Magical Highs – Alvin Lee & Me by Loraine BurgonTopics of the conversation:-        Coming from Nottingham -        Being the longtime partner of Alvin Lee, leader of Ten Years After -        Woodstock 1969 -        Led Zeppelin-        Life on tour-        Sexual misconduct in the music and fashion industries-        George Harrison’s entitlement-        Magical Highs and life unravellingWe’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!Thanks for listening,WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
The Dire State of the UK and the World
15-09-2023
The Dire State of the UK and the World
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by GBNews broadcaster and columnist Emily Carver, former Corbyn advisor and co-founder of Momentum James Schneider, and writer and broadcaster Christina Patterson.The panel kick-off by discussing the record of the current and previous governments on their spending priorities. Whilst public spending is high, it is not going to the right places as we see schools physically crumbling and NHS waiting lists in England at the record high of 7.68 million people. Is Keir Starmer laying out an alternative approach that will make a positive difference to this deterioration?  The conversation progresses to the issue of competence in government whilst ministers are rotated like rolling substitutes in a football team. They discuss the systemic conditions like the toxic media landscape that creates a situation where we have a relatively incompetent bunch of politicians who cannot stay in their jobs long enough to make any meaningful progress in their ministerial departments.  Chris then turns the talk to international politics with the issue of Joe Biden’s age, and then the new developments in Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin’s relationship and what all this means for the world.We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi! Thanks for listening, WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Making Hit Records, Blindness, Sade’s Success, Two-tone, and the Business of Music with Sir Robin Millar
08-09-2023
Making Hit Records, Blindness, Sade’s Success, Two-tone, and the Business of Music with Sir Robin Millar
This week Chris Wright is joined by one of the most successful music producers in the world whose career ignited when he produced Sade's debut album "Diamond Life". Sir Robin Millar is also a highly successful businessman, and he is the Chair of Scope UK, the national charity representing the 16 million disabled people in the UK.The conversation jumps straight into the deep end of things with the problems of cancel culture and the issues caused when people in business, and life, hold grudges against you. They then explore the significance of Robin having a West Indian mother and how this impacted his outlook and life experiences. They then discuss the painful subject of Robin’s blindness and the difference between being born blind and developing blindness like Robin did. Chris then asks about the formative years of his career that led him to the vast success he has enjoyed for several decades, including his breakthrough in getting a job at the Château d'Hérouville recording studio in the Northwest of Paris. Robin tells his story of Sade. Producing on Diamond Life with her was what took Robin from being a successful producer to the stratosphere of being sought after around the globe. This then opens up a fascinating discussion about the two-tone music of the late 70s/early 80s that Chris Wright was instrumental in reviving, having signed record deals with bands like the Specials (famous for the song ‘Ghost Town’ among many others). They return to Sade where Robin explains how she became a hit in America and then what it entails for an artist and their records to become mega-famous. They finally talk in-depth about the business of music including the ins and outs of their business partnership at Chrysalis and a possible new venture together! We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!Thanks for listening, WOTN Team 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Cut the Politics - What’s Really Happening in the UK?
31-08-2023
Cut the Politics - What’s Really Happening in the UK?
In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by award-winning I journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, US and UK political commentator Edward Hardy, and commentator and communications officer for the Institute of Economic Affairs Reem Ibrahim.The conversation starts off with the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s recent expansion of ULEZ as a public health and environmental measure. The panel discuss if it is the right policy in view of its benefits and the short-term impact on individuals. Chris then asks whether Labour are doing the right thing in allowing their political image to seem little different to the Conservatives’. They then discuss the country at large and how the North has once again been neglected. Would Labour truly invest in economic infrastructure outside of London?The conversation then delves into an honest discussion on whether the ethnicity of our current and recent leaders Rishi Sunak, Suella Braverman, and Priti Patel has politically enabled them to take a crueller stance on migrants than white ministers have historically – and Yasmin explains another reason why this might be.They then discuss whether it is right for the UK to welcome Mohammed bin Salman of human rights abusing Saudi Arabia to its shores, as well as, whether Putin killed the late head of the Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin?We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!Thanks for listening,WOTN TeamThis episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Nailed it! Why the Labour Left Bloc Progressives Must Go Solo
25-08-2023
Nailed it! Why the Labour Left Bloc Progressives Must Go Solo
In this ‘Nailed It!’ episode we look back on two episodes in which, it’s fair to say, Chris and his guests touched on more revolutionary political theories than they usually do. In Lockdown Regret, Starmer's Betrayal - is socialism dead? (March 2023) Nima Tavallaey Roodsari explains that the current Labour Party is really a liberal party, calling for the formation of a truly socialist party. He had a particular leader in mind… Panellists Nima, David Osland, and Reem Ibrahim discuss whether Keir Starmer was right to kick Jeremy Corbyn out of the Labour Party. Is a broad church of liberals and socialists in the Labour Party a functional marriage? They discuss the rising age of retirement and dispute the amount of tax workers pay towards pensions compared to the rest of Europe. Is our system socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor? The final excerpt is taken from Chris’s conversation with James Schneider, How the Left Can Win by 2030, and Why They Must. We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!Thanks for listening,WOTN TeamOur Bloc: How We Win by James Schnieder  'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Trump, Global Populism, the Migrant Crisis, and the Media
18-08-2023
Trump, Global Populism, the Migrant Crisis, and the Media
In this episode, Chris Wright is joined by political commentator Marina Purkiss, Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration at the National University of Ireland Maynooth John O’Brennan, and political commentator Lee Harris.The conversation kicks off with Donald Trump's Monday night indictment in which he was charged with conspiring to overturn the 2020 US election result. This opens up a wider discussion on the spread of populism worldwide, including in the UK with the antics of Boris Johnson and the ever-right-leaning Conservative Party.Chris then asks the panel about immigration. Lee Harris defends the government whilst Marina and John offer alternative solutions to this critical global issue. They discuss the causes of immigration to northern Europe and the harsh reality of being a migrant fleeing a country and trying to cross the highly dangerous English Channel.A topic throughout the conversation is the role of the right-wing press that make up the majority of the UK’s most powerful media outlets, and Chris focuses the discussion on the fact that super-rich foreigners like Rupert Murdoch own these outlets and influence their news agendas with almost no regulation. Is this right?We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!Thanks for listening,WOTN Team'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB. This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts
Nailed it! Otto English on Churchill, Brexit, Che Guevara and John Wayne
11-08-2023
Nailed it! Otto English on Churchill, Brexit, Che Guevara and John Wayne
In this ‘Nailed It!’ episode we look back on Chris’s two conversations with author and journalist Otto English, picking out some of the most entertaining, moving, and eye-opening moments from those episodes: ‘‘Fake History’ with Otto English’ and ‘‘Fake Heroes’ an Interview with Author Otto English’. Topics:-        What did Winston Churchill actually say?-        How the propagation of ‘the good old days’ philosophy caused Brexit.-        Would Che Guevara’s image be so iconic if he weren’t so “damned good-looking?”-        Otto’s childhood hero John Wayne and how he let him down. -        Chris's story about the Beatles, Dick James, and Robin Hood.We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you want to say hi!Thanks for listening,WOTN TeamGet your own copy of Otto’s books Wright here:Fake History: Ten Great Lies and How They Shaped the Worldhttps://www.waterstones.com/book/fake-history/otto-english/9781787396425Fake Heroes: Ten False Icons and How they Altered the Course of History https://www.waterstones.com/book/fake-heroes/otto-english/9781802795899'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThe episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts