Twice Shy

an**@*******se.wtf

The audiobook, “Twice Shy” by Dick Francis was found amongst my grandfathers possessions when he passed. I have been thinking of what to do with grandpa’s audiobooks, how to frame them and then interpret them afresh, bringing them in to my life and in to my timeline.

Sentimental? No. Backhouse takes a family treasure that is worthless except for sentimentality – charity shops would bin this donation. But, it belonged to a deceased relative. Backhouse reinterprets his Grandfathers soundscape, giving it new breath and new life for 2022.

At its base, the sound work “Twice Shy” by Andy Backhouse is the mangling of a cassette audio book as was written by Dick Francis, of the same name. But, if you dig deeper, Backhouse’s interpretation of Dick Francis’ “Twice Shy” is hopefully the start of the end of the grieving process for a man over his beloved grandfather.

Radio art is a form of sound-based storytelling that sits at the intersection of broadcasting, performance and sonic experimentation.

It plays with the unique qualities of radio-its intimacy, immediacy and reach-to create immersive listening experiences.

Unlike traditional radio formats, radio art often blurs the lines between narrative, soundscape and abstraction. It can be live or pre-recorded, structured or improvised, but it always invites the listener to engage in a more active, imaginative way.

Andy Backhouse. A Funny Little Man in Harrogate.

Andrew is a freelance web designer and one of the founders of Harrogate Community Radio. He continues to play an active role at the station and is a self-described wannabe artist who should know better. A funny little man, Andrew remains involved in the Backhouse Marriage Experiment, which launched in 2011.

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