Routes
The Quiet Coach: Books, Beats and Backstage Dogs with Steven Frayne (Dynamo)
Published: 3 April 2025 at 05:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
This week Clara gets comfy with magician Steven Frayne, better known as Dynamo, for a chat that’s part travel diary, part life philosophy, and all heart. They dive into his love of learning, fuelled by a childhood without a telly and a steady diet of library books and VHS tapes. Dynamo opens up about how reading still grounds him, and how his imagination was sparked by watching films he believed were documentaries. Turns out, not having a telly was the ultimate creative blessing.
From flat Yorkshire puddings to 99p sandwiches, Dynamo keeps it real when it comes to travel snacks and life on the road with Crohn’s. He shares his ultra-minimalist packing skills (hand luggage only, thank you very much), and how his dog is now officially part of the rider — complete with hoodie and all. There’s also a birthday cake made entirely of Yorkshire puddings, because of course there is.
And we couldn’t talk to Dynamo without getting into music. From his lifelong love of Linkin Park and hip-hop to the genius of Doja Cat and Hans Zimmer, his tastes are as eclectic as his tricks. He even made his own beats back in the day for a self-produced magic DVD (called Hip Hop Beats and Magic from Da Streets, no less). Add in a dash of Defiant Ones inspiration, some doggy travel tales, and a gentle reminder to pack light and live even lighter, and you’ve got a real feel-good ride on the Quiet Coach.
