Main content

Outlook Mixtape: Metal music, a shock confession, and the ascent of a Mountain Queen

The Sherpa woman torn between family and the mountains, a Kenyan metal singer who honoured his great-grandma, and a brother on a search for justice.

Martin Kanja always knew his great-grandmother had fought for Kenyan independence and was the only female field marshal in the Mau Mau. But as a young boy growing up in Kenya, his main interest was music. He fell in love with metal as a teenager and threw himself into Nairobi's flourishing underground scene. Today he's known as Lord Spikeheart and has dedicated his latest solo album The Adept to his great-grandmother and her achievements.

In 1988 the naked body of Steve Johnson’s brother Scott was found at the bottom of cliffs near Sydney Australia. A verdict of suicide was reached. But this just didn’t make sense for Steve. Scott loved life so why would he kill himself ? The question began Steve’s 35-year quest. Through many setbacks and extraordinary leaps forward he not only found the answer, but shone a light on a dark period in recent Australian history, which set the country on the path to reform.

Lhakpa Sherpa was born and raised in Nepal, in a village perched 13,000 feet high. At 15 she cut her hair and dressed as a boy to become a porter, working for the tourists who had come to attempt Mount Everest. But Lhakpa had plans of her own, she too wanted to scale the world’s highest peak.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Harry Graham

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

41 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Fri 12 Jul 202411:06GMT
  • Fri 12 Jul 202417:06GMT
  • Fri 12 Jul 202421:06GMT
  • Sat 13 Jul 202402:06GMT

Watch Lives Less Ordinary on YouTube

Watch Lives Less Ordinary on YouTube

Videos from our extraordinary podcast Lives Less Ordinary.

Contact Outlook

Contact Outlook

Info on how we might use your contribution on air

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected