Jim Lawson

Born back in the mists of time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth…well, the year that Sir Edmund Hilary climbed Mt Everest, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and when Watson and Crick unravelled the structure of DNA, The Ancient One truly lives up to his name. After spending 33 years in teaching, the last 25 as Head of Biology, I successfully applied for early retirement (2008) and moved lock and stock (I didn’t possess any barrels at the time) to the beautiful Isle of Skye, off the west coast of Scotland, to join my partner, The Landlady. (now known as Mrs Ancient One) As a retired person, I looked around the various voluntary openings that existed and one led me to the local radio station, Cuillin FM. I thought I might be able to help out sorting cds or something. Within a couple of weeks I was asked if I wanted to present a program and trained up as soon as I said “Yes”. Launched onto the airwaves was the show “Strangely Strange but Oddly Normal” and I was able to foist some of my shedload of music onto an unsuspecting public. From mainstream rock/folkrock the contents slowly evolved to full blown progressive rock with leanings towards the symphonic melodic areas. The title of the show also changed to “Strangely Strange and The Ancient One”, which initially confused listeners as they expected 2 presenters, and thus the show title was shortened to simply “The Ancient One”. The show has appeared onCuillin FM,North Highland Radio, Pipeline Radio International and. More Music Radio The Ancient One show on Progzilla Radio is a 3hr show going out fortnightly, (every Tuesday night at 21:00 UK) highlighting the best in progressive music, so expect lots of modern progressive music, but with the odd excursion back in time to the classic works of the late 60’s/early 70’s, all showing a more symphonic nature. Every 2nd Saturday at midday UK, there is the chance to hear an Ancient One Archive Show from 7 years ago, and every 5th Sunday between the hours of midnight and 02:00 UK, The Ancient One presents 101 Dimensions a show featuring ambient, electronica, krautrock and more with no mic work.

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Podcast: The Ancient One – Edition 38

September 14, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for edition No 38 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist. 1 Galleon The Wanderer 2 The Minstrel’s Ghost The Road To Avalon (Part 1) 3 Moon Safari Other Half Of The Sky 4 Abel Ganz So Far 5 Kaipa Mind Revolutions 6 Simon Says Brother, Where […]

Podcast: The Ancient One – Edition 37

September 14, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for edition 37 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist 1 Tony Patterson/Brendan Eyre Northbound Suite 2 Unitopia Tesla 3 Traumhaus Ausgielefert 4 The Tangent Follow Your Leaders 5 Porcupine Tree Arriving Somewhere But Not Here 6 Aaron Clift Experiment The Castaway Saga 7 Orchestre Celesti Gentlemen […]

Podcast: The Ancient One – Edition 36

September 14, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for edition 36 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist 1 Erik Norlander The Galaxy Collectors 2 Jon Anderson Moon Ra/Chords/Song Of Search 3 Spleen Arcana A Kind Of Heaven 4 Andy John Bradford’s Oceans 5 The Mingulay Boat Song 5 Anderson/Stolte Knowing 6 Premiata Forneria Marconi […]

Podcast: The Ancient One – Edition 35

July 27, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for Edition 35 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist 1 Samurai of Prog Plight Of The Swan (Lost and Found) 2 Maglev Play The Game (Overwrite The Sin) 3 Willowglass The Maythorne Cross (The Book of Hours) 4 Windchase Horsemen To Symphinity (Symphinity) 5 Rick Wakeman […]

‘Podcast: The Ancient One – Edition 34

July 15, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for edition 34 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist 1 Gandalf Entrance/The Corridor of Seven Doors 2 Aperco Euphoria 3 Freedom To Glide Silent Code 4 Drifting Sun Intruder 5 Tempus Fugit The City and The Crystal 6 Mike Rutherford Smallcreeps Day Suite 7 Freedom To […]

Podcast: The Ancient One – Edition 33

July 14, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for Edition 33 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist Aquaplanage Ode To Grey Mornings Big Big Train London Plane Khan Driving To Amsterdam Hoggwash Soldier of Fortune Abel Ganz Looking For A Platform Airbag Broken The Emerald Dawn In Search Of The Lost Key IQ Sacred […]

Podcast:The Ancient One – Edition 32

June 12, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for Edition 32 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist. 1 Willowglass – A House Of Cards (Pt 1) 2 Morild – Labour Day 3 Lee Abraham – Harbour lights 4 Hidden Lands – The Night Garden 5 Family – Never Like This/Hey Mr Policeman/See Through Windows […]

Podcast:The Ancient One – Edition 31

June 12, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for Edition 31 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist 1 Big Big Train – Folklore 2 Mike Kershaw – In Floods The Light 3 Magenta – The White Witch (Pt 1-5) 4 Airbag – Killer 5 Tiger Moth Tales – Follow You Follow Me 6 Cosmograf […]

Podcast:The Ancient One – Edition 30

June 12, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for Edition 30 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist. 1 Pendragon – Guardian Of My Soul 2 Downriver Dead Men Go – Walking Away 3 Proud Peasant – The Prisoner 4 Logos – In Principio 5 Machines Dream – Heavy Water 6 Morild – All I […]

Podcast:The Ancient One – Edition 29

June 11, 2016

I’m delighted to announce that the podcast for Edition 29 of The Ancient One is now available. Playlist 1 Different Light – In The Grand Scheme Of Things (Pt 1-8) 2 Aperco – The Battle 3 Gandalf’s Fist – The Lamplighter (Pt 1-8) 4 Mike Kershaw – City Of My Dreams 5 Sunchild – Isolations […]