Monday 30 April 2018

When Van Played Cyprus Avenue

WHEN VAN PLAYED CYPRUS AVENUE (320kbs-m4a/65mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 3rd October 2015


"And I'm caught one more time
Up on Cyprus Avenue..."

Van Morrison made a number of references in his songs to the east Belfast neighbourhood in which he grew up, none more directly than in Cyprus Avenue from his 1968 album Astral Weeks. Romantic images of leaves shaking on a tree, rainbow ribbons in a young girl's hair and a mansion on the hill evoke memories of Cyprus Avenue in the years before Van left Northern Ireland to pursue his career in the States.

Cyprus Avenue - with its intricate arrangement of flute, harpsichord and strings - was recorded in New York, far from the well-heeled, tree-lined avenue along which the young Van would pass on his way home to the working class area of Hyndford Street. This was in the years before the Troubles. East Belfast was steadfastly loyalist and protestant.

When the arts broadcaster Marie-Louise Muir moved into the area, she was already aware of the iconic quality of street's name - not just from Van Morrison's song, but from the fact that the Reverend Ian Paisley lived on Cyprus Avenue. Marie-Louise was a Catholic 'blow-in'. So, when Van announced that he'd be celebrating his 70th birthday by playing a gig literally feet from her front door, she was curious to see how the community would respond.

Produced by Alan Hall.
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio Four.

Sunday 29 April 2018

The Doctor And Douglas

THE DOCTOR AND DOUGLAS (128kbs-m4a/26mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 13th September 2014


As a new generation of fans await the debut of the 11th incarnation of the Doctor, long-time fan Jon Culshaw travels back in time to look at the man who changed Doctor Who forever: Douglas Adams.

After years toiling for success as a writer, in 1978 Douglas' world turned upside down. Just weeks after the radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was commissioned, so was his first script for Doctor Who. The following year - just as Hitchhikers was taking off - he was offered the job as script editor, one of the most demanding jobs in television.

The scripts he wrote for Doctor Who - The Pirate Planet, City of Death and Shada - still stand as a benchmark for the series today. But his time on the series was beset by problems. Technician strikes would seriously affect production, inflation was squeezing the series budget, and Douglas was exhausted by the simultaneous demands of Hitchhikers and Doctor Who.

Nevertheless, Douglas left an indelible mark on Doctor Who, bringing in a sharp wit that hadn't been seen before in what was ostensibly a children's TV series. Today's crop of writers and producers strive to emulate the intelligence, humour and ideas in Adams' scripts from 1979.

Jon Culshaw looks at Douglas' work on a television institution, talking to the writers, directors and actors who worked with him, and looks at the legacy of his work on Doctor Who with new executive producer Steven Moffat.

Produced by Simon Barnard and Kieron Moyles. This is a Wise Buddah production for BBC Radio 4.

Saturday 28 April 2018

The Reunion - Doctor Who

THE REUNION - DOCTOR WHO (128kbs-m4a/40mb/43mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 12th April 2013


Sue MacGregor reunites five people who created and starred in the first series of a television landmark, Doctor Who. Fifty years later, those who crammed nervously into the BBC's Lime Grove Studios in 1963 recount the triumphs and disasters that ushered in the longest running science-fiction series in the world.

When Canadian TV executive Sydney Newman was drafted in to revitalise the BBC Drama department in the early 1960's, his idea for an ageing time-traveller who would illuminate both human history and Alien civilisations struggled to be successfully realised.

After a number of other directors refused to work on the project, a 24 year-old Waris Hussein took the job. The only Indian-born director within the BBC at that time, he felt the stern gaze of the 'old order' upon his work.

The first episode was recorded on the day President Kennedy was assassinated and transmitted the next day, despite concerns that the show might be postponed.

Doctor Who was played by the British actor William Hartnell. His sharp, sometimes grumpy demeanour came out of his increasing difficulty in learning the scripts, but the audience immediately took him to their hearts and the series had nearly six million viewers by Christmas.

Joining Sue MacGregor is Waris Hussein, the director of the episode, Carole Ann Ford who played the Doctor's granddaughter and companion Susan, William Russell who played the Doctor's right hand man Ian Chesterton, actor Jeremy Young who was the first Doctor Who enemy Caveman Kal, and television presenter Peter Purves who travelled with William Hartnell in the mid 60's as companion Steven Taylor.

Produced by Peter Curran
Series Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Friday 27 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 9 - 7. Dave Grohl

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 9 - 7. DAVE GROHL (320kbs-m4a/132mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 4th February 2018


Dave Grohl shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2015.

Dave discusses his earliest musical influence (Edgar Winter's prog rock classic Frankenstein made a big impression), his first punk gig (Naked Raygun in Chicago in 1982), which changed the path of his life and how he became politicised through his first proper band Scream in Washington DC in the '80s.

Dave also discusses the famous Sound City studios where Nirvana created the classic albums Nevermind and In Utero, and working with the famously demanding producer Steve Albini.

Dave also looks back on writing the songs that became the Foo Fighters' debut (he recorded twelve tracks in just six days - "Had I taken it seriously, I would've taken a bit longer"), the staggeringly ambitious Sonic Highway documentary series, and his experiences playing Wembley Stadium.

And he chooses songs by The Beatles, Neil Young, Tom Petty, as you might expect, his beloved Led Zeppelin.

Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench [Roswell/Capitol]
Silver Convention - Fly Robin Fly [Triangle]
KC & The Sunshine Band - That's The Way (I Like It)
The Edgar Winter Group - Frankenstein [Epic]
The Beatles - Hey Bulldog [Parlophone]
Naked Raygun - Rat Patrol [Homestead]
Scream - Gods Look Down [Dischord]
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere [Reprise]
Nirvana - On A Plain [DGC]
Foo Fighters - Everlong [Capitol]
Nirvana - All Apologies [Geffen]
Foo Fighters - This Is A Call [Roswell]
Led Zeppelin - Trampled Under Foot [Atlantic]
Foo Fighters - Congregation [Columbia]

Thursday 26 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 9 - 6. Kevin Rowland

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 9 - 6. KEVIN ROWLAND (320kbs-m4a/130mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 3rd February 2018


Kevin Rowland, frontman of Dexys Midnight Runners, shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2015.

There have been few singers more passionate about their band and art than Kevin Rowland. As the leader and driving force behind Dexys, he led the group to success with classic singles such as Geno and Come On Eileen. He was so single-minded that Dexys imploded in 1986, under the weight of his refusal to compromise.

In a revealing interview, Kevin looks back over his life and his triumphs and failures. This in itself is remarkable, as he frequently refuses to discuss Dexys and his past. He also talks about how a passion for music provided an escape from his difficult upbringing in Wolverhampton, falling for Elvis, Bowie, Dylan, Van Morrison and The Sex Pistols, and his deep, almost spiritual, connection with music.

Proving that sticking to your guns and never backing down can see you right in the end, Kevin also details how he revived the Dexys name in 2012 for an album and series of live shows that were greeted with an almost religious fervour by fans and critics alike.

Dexys Midnight Runners - There, There My Dear [Mercury]
Dexys Midnight Runners - Because Of You
The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem - The Moonshiner
Karl Denver - Wimoweh
Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling In Love [RCA]
Bob Dylan - Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands
Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The U.K. [Virgin]
Van Morrison - Slim Slow Slider [Warner Bros]
Dexys Midnight Runners - Dance Stance [Mercury]
Dexys Midnight Runners - Geno [Mercury]
David Bowie - Young Americans [EMI]
Dexys Midnight Runners - I Love You (Listen To This) [Mercury]
Sinéad O’Connor - Danny Boy (Live)

Wednesday 25 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 9 - 5. Gaz Coombes

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 9 - 5. GAZ COOMBES (320kbs-m4a/128mb/56mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 2nd February 2018


Gaz Coombes shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2015.

Sometimes the perfect band comes along at the perfect time, a group that captures a moment in your life so well that you'll always have a place in your heart for them. If you were going to gigs or buying records during the 90s, Supergrass may be that band.

Following in the tradition of bands such as the Kinks, Buzzcocks or Madness who had a uniquely British take on pop, Supergrass released five great albums and a list of pretty much flawless singles, which have aged better than many of their peers. Their cartoon-ish image belied some great musicianship and songwriting.

Gaz talks about how digging though his uncle's record box led him to discover his early influences (Elvis, Neil Young, Dinosaur Jnr and the Smiths) and his first band, the Jennifers, who would morph into Supergrass, who were only 15 years old when they signed their record deal (Gaz's mum had to sign his contract for him).

He also looks back at Supergrass' breakthrough with singles such as Caught by the Fuzz, and how he feels about Alright (the song that in many ways defined the band's career), along with what caused their break-up in 2010, and if that reunion will ever happen. But there's also his solo career to cover, including the rather brilliant album Matador.

Supergrass - Going Out [Parlophone]
Supergrass - Coffee In The Pot
Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues [Virgin]
Huey Lewis And The News - The Power Of Love [Chrysalis]
The Smiths - This Charming Man [Rhino]
Dinosaur Jr. - Freak Scene [Blast First]
The Jennifers - Just Got Back Today
Supergrass - Caught By The Fuzz [Parlophone]
Gaz Coombes - Buffalo [Hot Fruit Recordings]
Neil Young - Southern Man [Reprise]
Supergrass - Alright (Live 1996)
Elvis Presley - Little Sister [RCA]
Supergrass - Fin [Parlophone]
Goat - Run To Your Mama

Tuesday 24 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 9 - 2. Marilyn Manson

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 9 - 2. MARILYN MANSON (320kbs-m4a/136mb/59mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 31st January 2018


Marilyn Manson shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2015.

He recalls early passions (KISS, the Beatles' White Album and Xanadu by Olivia Newton John), how he rebelled against his strict religious education by stealing, selling then re-stealing his schoolmates' albums, and creating the character Marilyn Manson for a fake article while a teenage music journalist.

He also looks back on his career, from shock punk oddball to the rock superstar, who sold 7 million copies of his second album in 1996. Never shy of confronting his reputation, Manson also details his arrest and his experiences as a hate figure for the US media.

Marilyn Manson - Tainted Love
Olivia Newton-John - Xanadu
The Beatles - Helter Skelter
Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil
Ministry - Stigmata
Marilyn Manson - Lunchbox (Highschool Drop-Outs)
David Bowie - Diamond Dogs
Marilyn Manson - Personal Jesus
Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People
Larry Marks - Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Marilyn Manson - Tourniquet
Gene Vincent - Be-Bop-A-Lula
The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
Iggy Pop - T.V. Eye
Marilyn Manson - Rock Is Dead
Marilyn Manson - Odds Of Even

Monday 23 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 9 - 1. Noel Gallagher

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 9 - 1. NOEL GALLAGHER (320kbs-m4a/131mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 30th January 2018


Noel Gallagher shares the musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2015.

He remembers his first exposure to music (country and western and Irish bands such as Dermot Hegarty and Big Tom & the Mainliners) and the way football terrace anthems inspired him. He chats about the impact of the Sex Pistols, the Dammed, Leo Sayer (honestly) and his passion for the holy trinity of the Smiths, the Stone Roses and the Jam (and he may well mention the Beatles)

He also looks back on the very first Oasis rehearsal ("Mindblowing") and gig ("Great"), the difficult birth of their debut album Definitely Maybe and the all-important issue of what length your guitar strap should be. He also recalls his visit to Paul McCartney's meditation bubble, what it's like becoming so famous that when you get a haircut it ends up on the front pages of the tabloids ("the whole business is one huge joke"), as well as his realisation that Oasis had come to the end of the road and his feelings about stepping up to become a solo artist.

And, as you would expect, he's as charismatic, honest and funny as ever.

Oasis - Cigarettes & Alcohol [Creation]
Oasis - She's Electric [Creation]
Dermot Hegarty - Love Is Teasing [Harp]
Big Tom & The Mainliners - Before I Met You [MCA]
Leo Sayer - The Show Must Go On [Polygram TV]
Adam And The Ants - Stand And Deliver [Columbia]
Sex Pistols - Bodies [Shout! Factory]
The Damned - Neat, Neat, Neat [Big Beat]
The Stone Roses - Sally Cinnamon [Revolver]
Oasis - Live Forever [Big Brother]
Oasis - Columbia [Creation]
The Smiths - What Difference Does It Make? [Rhino]
The Beatles - She Loves You [Apple]
The Smokin' Mojo Filters - Come Together [Go! Discs]
The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset (Radio 1 Top Gear, 1 Jul 1968)
Oasis - Morning Glory [Creation]
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - The Death Of You And Me [Sour Mash]
Real McCoy - I Get So Excited [Sanctuary]

Sunday 22 April 2018

Turntable Tales - Turntablists And Turntable Survival

TURNTABLE TALES - TURNTABLISTS AND TURNTABLE SURVIVAL (320kbs-m4a/64mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 19th March 2016


In the second part of her history of the Record Turntable DJ and broadcaster Colleen Murphy brings the story up to the present. After the war there was a steady improvement in the quality of Turntables and their attendant amps and speakers but the biggest step was the introduction of small, self-contained units that allowed teenagers to find and refine their musical tastes in the relative seclusion of their bedrooms.

Colleen also tracks the recent rise in Turntable sales and visits a surviving and now thriving niche producer, Nottingham Analogue, to see how they go about creating the perfect Deck.

But there's been another revolution in the Turntable story which began on a very particular day in 1975 when DJ Grand Wizzard Theodore, with the help of his mother, developed the 'scratch'. Colleen chats to Grand Wizzard about his scratching discovery and the Turntablism which developed from it. She also hears from JFB, the UK DJ who's a three times British DMC Turntablist champion and the master of a myriad of scratching techniques.

As well as their own DJ world, of which Colleen is a part, the likes of JFB have also inspired classical compositions using Turntables. Gabriel Prokofiev talks to her about his concerto that's now on a list of pieces recommended for Secondary Schools.

It was the DJ's who, back in the nineties helped sustain the production of vinyl. Now it's the audiophiles who lead the charge. Turntable sales have turned a corner and the Turntable Tale is very far from over.

In searching for the magic of what the Turntable is, can be and has been, Colleen hears again from the Antiques Roadshow's Paul Atterbury about a memorable moment during his time on the show involving an old, wind-up Gramophone.

Producer: Tom Alban.

Saturday 21 April 2018

Turntable Tales - Berliner To Gramophone

TURNTABLE TALES - BERLINER TO GRAMOPHONE (320kbs-m4a/64mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 12th March 2016


In the first of two programmes telling the story of the record-playing turntable, Colleen Murphy spins through its early history and the dramatic take-up of this new technology in Edwardian society. It was an enthusiasm as spectacular as the computer's rise at the end of the same century and its impact on the music industry was profound.

Colleen talks to John Liffen of the Science Museum and Christopher Proudfoot of the British Phonograph and Gramophone Society about the earliest machines arriving from the United States by way of the German Emigre inventor Emile Berliner. She finds out why the HMV (His Master's Voice) image wasn't initially created for the Gramophone at all, and most important of all she gets to hear the sound qualities of the machines that developed in the first two decades of the 20th century.

As the Gramophone company took hold the potential for preserving singers, performers, speech makers but above all music was eagerly realised. Colleen discovers that by the outbreak of the First World War some forty percent of households had some sort of Gramophone, however primitive, and not surprisingly, travelling versions went with the troops to the bunkers behind the front lines.

That capacity to bridge the performer with the audience when the two were hundreds of miles apart was the great miracle of the early years and allowed the easy spread of musical styles from Ragtime to Jazz to the first superstars of the Turntable world - the Opera stars. And yet, as ever, it was popular culture that dominated the market and drove sales.

She also touches on the new opportunities for the Blues and Ragime musicians of African-American society to be heard beyond their geographical centres in the Southern States, and the preservation of performances which would go on to inspire British Rhythm and blues half a century later.

And Antiques Roadshow expert Paul Atterbury talks about the Gramophone as a blend of home furnishing and status symbol and why what appear to be exotic survivors of the period are actual part of a massive number of machines that were on sale from bike shops to music emporia.

Producer: Tom Alban.

Photo: Camilo Fuentealba

Friday 20 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 8 - 6. James Murphy

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 8 - 6. JAMES MURPHY (320kbs-m4a/131mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 29th January 2018


James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem shares the musical milestones of his life with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2014.

When acclaimed US band LCD Soundsystem bowed out at Madison Square Garden in 2011, it seemed that the group's founder, singer, songwriter and producer James Murphy had achieved everything he could ever have possibly imagined. Starting off as a child obsessed with sound, doing his time as a drummer in underground New York bands, learning how to engineer sound for live groups, becoming a DJ, remixer and setting up his own label (the acclaimed Death from Above) - all these experiences fed directly into forming LCD in 2001.

James talks about that journey and the music that inspired him to take it, as well as LCD's three-album career and what led him to disband the outfit at the height of their fame and success. He also tackles the myriad of projects that have followed the end of his band, including producing Arcade Fire, remixing David Bowie, launching his own coffee brand and creating a gigantic bespoke 50,000-watt touring sound system called Despacio.

LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum [EMI]
LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends [DFA]
Gang Of Four - Damaged Goods [EMI]
David Bowie - Fame [EMI]
Gilbert O’Sullivan - Alone Again (Naturally) [Castle]
Iggy & The Stooges - Penetration [Essential]
The Rapture - House Of Jealous Lovers [DFA]
LCD Soundsystem - All I Want [Parlophone]
LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge [DFA/EMI]
LCD Soundsystem - Yeah (Crass Version) [DFA]
LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean [DFA]
Arcade Fire - Reflektor [Mercury]
Suicide - Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne [Mute]
The Fall - Bill Is Dead [Mercury]

Thursday 19 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 8 - 5. Grandmaster Flash

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 8 - 5. GRANDMASTER FLASH (320kbs-m4a/128mb/56mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 28th January 2018


Hip hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2014.

There's a strong argument that hip hop started at the block parties in the Bronx in New York in the 70s, where lyrical, musical and technical innovation propelled the sound forward with an impetus that changed the world. Joseph Saddler, soon to known as Grandmaster Flash, was there.

Born in Barbados, but moving to NYC, an absolute obsession with music, vinyl and electronics led Flash to experiment with amplifiers and turntable mechanics and techniques, enabling him to open up a whole new world of scratching, cutting, back-spinning and punch phrasing. His skills as a DJ led to the groundbreaking 1981 track The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel, the first time scratching and mixing had appeared on record.

Flash, recalls his journey from bedroom equipment geek to sonic adventurer, covering the early records that shaped his musical aesthetic and the release of The Message. He also talks about his battles with substance abuse, his difficult relationship with the record industry and his feelings about his status as one of the architects of modern music.

Grandmaster Flash & Furious Five - Superappin'
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
Charles Earlan - More Today Than Yesterday
Igor Stravinsky - Rite Of Spring
Nelson Riddle - Route 66 Theme
Grandmaster Flash - The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel [Snapper]
Bob James - Take Me To The Mardi Gras
Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough [Epic]
Rob Base & DJ E‐Z Rock - It Takes Two [BMG]
Eminem - Lose Yourself [Interscope]
Camp Lo - Luchini AKA (This Is It)
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message
Quincy Jones - Killer Joe

Wednesday 18 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 8 - 4. Roger McGuinn

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 8 - 4. ROGER MCGUINN (320kbs-m4a/127mb/56mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 27th January 2018


Singer, songwriter, guitarist and former frontman of the Byrds, Roger McGuinn shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2014.

The Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season) [CBS]
The Byrds - It's No Use [Columbia]
Judy Garland - The Trolley Song [Music Club]
Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel [RCA/BMG]
Bob Gibson And Hamilton Camp - Well, Well, Well [Vanguard]
Lonnie Donegan - Cumberland Gap [Castle]
Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound Of Silence [CBS]
The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand [Apple]
Bob Dylan - Mr Tambourine Man
The Byrds - Mr Tambourine Man [Columbia]
The Byrds - So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star [Columbia]
The Byrds - Eight Miles High [CBS]
The Byrds - One Hundred Years From Now [Columbia/Legacy]
The Byrds - Hickory Wind [CBS]
Bob Dylan - Turkey Chase [Sony Music]
Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door [CBS]
Roger McGuinn - Old Paint [April First Productions]

Tuesday 17 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 8 - 3. Chrissie Hynde

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 8 - 3. CHRISSIE HYNDE (320kbs-m4a/127mb/55mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 26th January 2018


Chrissie Hynde, leader of the Pretenders, shares her musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2014.

Born in Akron, Ohio in 1951, Chrissie became obsessed with rock n roll and the UK music scene and moved to London in 1973. She was part of the crowd that hung out at Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood's shop Sex in the Kings Road, Chelsea, which was the breeding ground of the UK punk rock movement.

She formed the Pretenders in 1978, and led them though a run of Top 20 albums and classic singles, keeping the band together despite the tragic deaths of guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon.

Chrissie discusses the music that influenced her from her earliest days, through to the worldwide success of the Pretenders, and onto the release of Stockholm, the first album made under own name.

The Pretenders - Kid [Sire]
The Pretenders - Back On The Chain Gang
Frank Sinatra - Love And Marriage [Capitol]
Freddy Cannon - Palisades Park [Rhino]
Jackie Moore - Precious, Precious [Rhino]
The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand [Apple]
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - Break Out [Rhino]
James Brown - Prisoner Of Love
The Clash - White Riot [CBS]
The Pretenders - Talk Of The Town [Rhino]
The Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing [Sire/Real]
The Pretenders - Brass In Pocket [Real]
Chrissie Hynde - Dark Sunglasses (Promo CD) [Caroline International]
Neil Young - The Needle And The Damage Done [Reprise]
Mark Morrison - Return Of The Mack (C&J Radio Edit) [Warner]

Monday 16 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 8 - 1. Courtney Love

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 8 - 1. COURTNEY LOVE (320kbs-m4a/132mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 24th January 2018


Courtney Love shares her musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2014. She discusses her heroes and influences, her success with Hole and memories of her late husband Kurt Cobain.

Born in San Francisco in 1964, after submerging herself in the UK post punk scene of the 80s, Courtney became a member of Babes in Toyland and then the leader of Hole, where she cut a defiant figure, making equally powerful music. A year later, she married Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, and the couple seemed enmired in controversy at every turn. Four days after Cobain's suicide in April 1994, Hole released Live Through This, a deeply personal and brilliant album that would break them worldwide and prove the quality of Love's songwriting.

Hole released two more albums before breaking up in 2002, by which time Courtney had taken up acting. Despite her often turbulent life, Courtney is a survivor, who remained outspoken and unbowed.

Hole - Malibu [DGC]
Hole - Awful [DGC]
Leonard Cohen - Suzanne
Electric Light Orchestra - Evil Woman [Epic]
Patti Smith - Redondo Beach [Arista]
The Pretenders - 2000 Miles [Virgin]
Virgin Prunes - Unknown
The Teardrop Explodes - Reward [Island]
The Smashing Pumpkins - Today [Hut Music]
Hole - Celebrity Skin [Geffen]
Hole - Doll Parts [Geffen]
Nirvana - About A Girl [Geffen]
Hole - Miss World [City Slang]
Courtney Love - You Know My Name [Cherry Forever]
The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony [Hut Music]

Sunday 15 April 2018

The Bard Of Salford

THE BARD OF SALFORD (320kbs-m4a/64mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 3rd March 2018


Paul Morley traces the life and works of Manchester punk poet John Cooper Clarke.

Paul looks back at the punk movement in the mid 1970s, its DIY ethic and popular appeal and how Cooper Clarke, as the poet of the people, fit into the scene.

Through exclusive new interviews with Cooper Clarke, Paul delves into the most significant moments of his life and career, from his first job as a lab technician at Salford University to touring with some of the world's most famous punk bands, his domestic partnership and shared heroin addiction with Nico, the use of one of his songs in The Sopranos, his signing to the same label as Bob Dylan and his appearance in a Sugar Puffs advert.

Cooper Clarke has continued to tour and write new work for 30 years and despite being exasperated by the 1980s' flamboyant reaction to punk's DIY ethic, his influence today should not be underestimated. Jarvis Cocker, Noel Gallagher, Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen and Kate Nash have all cited Clarke as an influence, as his distinctive style continues to pervade popular music.

Contributors include Mark E Smith, Pete Shelley, Kate Nash, Phill Jupitus and Clarke himself.

An All Out production for BBC Radio 4.

Saturday 14 April 2018

Roald Dahl: In His Own Words

ROALD DAHL: IN HIS OWN WORDS (128kbs-m4a/53mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 28th December 2017


With the help of his granddaughter Sophie, Roald Dahl tells his own remarkable story in the style of one of his much-loved books. Illustrated with newly discovered archive recordings and songs and music exclusively recorded by the cast and musicians in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre in London, this Archive on 4 marks the centenary of the writer dubbed 'the best storyteller in the world'.

The programme contains excerpts from interviews with Roald Dahl on NRK, Op Reis with Ivo Niehe, Desert Island Discs with Roy Plomley, Parkinson, Wogan, Saturday Matters With Sue Lawley, Pebble Mill at One, Saturday Superstore, Whicker's World, Start The Week, Bookmark, The World of Books, Meridian, The Friday Serial, The Many Lives of Roald Dahl, A Dose of Dahl's Magic Medicine, Treasure Islands, PM & BBC News.

Producer: Dixi Stewart.
Music recorded by cast and musicians in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Matilda The Musical.


First broadcast July 2016.

Friday 13 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 7 - 6. Giorgio Moroder

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 7 - 6. GIORGIO MORODER (320kbs-m4a/133mb/58mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 23rd January 2018


Giorgio Moroder shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in an programme first broadcast in 2014.

Pioneer of electronic music and regarded by many as the Godfather of Disco, Giorgio Moroder is a charming and effortlessly cool producer and songwriter. He talks us through his career, from his earliest bubblegum electropop recordings in the late 60s to the creation of his own studio, Musicland, where he created a remarkable run of records through the 1970s.

Giorgio talks about partnership Donna Summer - an artistic relationship which resulted in Love to Love You Baby and, probably the greatest dance record of all time, I Feel Love. He also guides us through the recording of his iconic film scores such as Midnight Express and Cat People. He worked with David Bowie on the latter.

With typical humour, Giorgio also explains how his career wavered on the 90s (as he busied himself designing sports cars and creating whiskeys) and explains how he came to work with Daft Punk on their world conquering album Random Access Memories, what it was like starting DJing again at 74 and his plans for the future.

Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby [Casablanca]
Giorgio Moroder - From Here To Eternity [Pickwick Music]
Paul Anka - Diana [Telstar]
Giorgio Moroder - Looky Looky [MCA]
Walter Carlos - March From A Clockwork Orange [Warner]
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Lucky Man [Sanctury]
Giorgio Moroder - Son Of My Father [Sony Music]
London Symphony Orchestra/John Williams - Cantina Band [Sony]
Donna Summer - I Feel Love [Casablanca]
Giorgio Moroder - Chase [Casablanca]
Giorgio Moroder - (Theme From) Midnight Express
Sparks - Beat The Clock [Oasis]
David Bowie - Cat People (Putting Out Fire) [EMI America]
Daft Punk - Giorgio By Moroder [Columbia/Sony Music]
Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball [SME]

Thursday 12 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 7 - 5. Dr. John

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 7 - 5. DR. JOHN (320kbs-m4a/136mb/59mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 22nd January 2018


Dr. John shares the musical milestones of his life with Matt Everitt in an episode of The First Time first broadcast in 2014.

He's been known as Dr. Creaux and the Night Tripper, but the man born as Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr is best known by the stage name Dr. John and is one of the more remarkable musicians to emerge from America.

As a child he sneaked into recording sessions by the likes of Little Richard at the New Orleans studio where his father worked. He became a leading figure in the 50s New Orleans R&B scene, firstly as a guitarist then (after one of his fingers was shot off during a fight) a pianist. He played on classic recordings by Professor Longhair, Frankie Ford and Joe Tex.

Mac also recalls how he developed as a songwriter with his 1968 album Gris Gris, a record steeped in the sound of New Orleans and blended with voodoo imagery and psychedelic sonics, which defined a unique sound and mysterious image that continues to this day. He also discusses his work with Sonny and Cher, Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin and playing on the Rolling Stones' Exile On Main St., as well as featuring the Band's classic film The Last Waltz.

He also recalls his breakthrough 1973 hit In the Right Place, working with Spiritualized and his acclaimed album Locked Down, recorded with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys.

Dr. John - Iko Iko [Rhino]
Dr. John - Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya [WEA]
Big Joe Turner - Piney Brown Blues [Atlantic]
Herb Hardesty & His Band - Why Did We Have To Part [Ace]
Louis Armstrong - Blueberry Hill [Universal Classics & Jazz]
Little Richard - Slippin' And Slidin' [Mercury]
Roy Montrell - Oooh-Wow [Proper]
Mac Rebennack - Storm Warning [Rhino]
Dr. John - Right Place Wrong Time [Atco/Rhino]
Dr. John - I Walk On Guilded Splinters [Atco]
Dr. John - Such A Night [Atco]
Spiritualized - Cop Shoot Cop [BMG]
Dr. John - Locked Down [Nonesuch]
Dr. John - Glowin' [Warner]

Wednesday 11 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 7 - 4. Neneh Cherry

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 7 - 4. NENEH CHERRY (320kbs-m4a/130mb/56mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 21st January 2018

Neneh Cherry shares the musical milestones of her life with Matt Everitt in an episode of The First Time first broadcast in 2014.

Neneh recalls her remarkable musical journey from her birth in Sweden (into a family that included Sierra Leonean drummer Ahmadu Jah and legendary US jazz trumpeter Don Cherry) to a childhood in New York, where she was bounced on the knee Ornette Coleman.

She discusses her move to the UK to catch the tail end of punk rock, Poly Styrene from X-Ray Spex and her first bands including the Slits, the New Age Steppers and Rip Rig & Panic. She also talks about the success of her 1989 debut album Raw Like Sushi, that famous appearance on Top of the Pops while seven months pregnant, her 2014 solo album Blank Project and collaborations with the likes of Youssou N'Dour, experimental jazz group the Thing and Damon Albarn's Gorillaz.

Neneh Cherry - Manchild [Now]
Sly & The Family Stone - Hot Fun In The Summertime
The Jackson 5 - (I Know) I'm Losing You
John Coltrane - You Leave Me Breathless
Donny Osmond - When I Fall In Love
Johnny “Guitar” Watson - I Need It
Rip Rig & Panic - Go, Go, Go! (This Is It)
The The - Slow Train To Dawn
Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance [Now]
Neneh Cherry - Inna City Mamma
Neneh Cherry & The Thing - Cashback
Youssou N’Dour & Neneh Cherry - 7 Seconds
Gorillaz - Kids With Guns
Neneh Cherry Feat. Robyn - Out Of The Black
Ornette Coleman - What Reason Could I Give

Tuesday 10 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 7 - 3. Josh Homme

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 7 - 3. JOSH HOMME (320kbs-m4a/130mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 20th January 2018


In an episode first broadcast in 2014, Matt Everitt speaks to Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age.

Josh Homme is a towering presence in alternative rock - be that as a singer, songwriter, producer, frontman with Queens of the Stone Age or just all round cool guy. Josh talks about his time as a punk-obsessed teenager growing up in the Palm Desert, California and the way 'generator parties' (free gigs in the remote desert powered by generators) and bands such as Black Flag shaped his sound and artistic philosophy.

He also discusses his time with critically acclaimed stoner rock outfit Kyuss, QOTSA's formation in 1996, his relationship with Dave Grohl, the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures (featuring Homme, Grohl and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones) and his work as a producer collaborating with Arctic Monkeys.

Queens Of The Stone Age
- Go With The Flow [Interscope]
Queens Of The Stone Age - 3's & 7's [Interscope]
Jackson Browne - Running On Empty
Chron Gen - Clouded Eyes [Captain Oi!]
Black Flag - Thirsty And Miserable [Unicorn/SST]
Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes [Bear Family]
Discharge - Hear Nothing See Nothing [Clay]
Firehose - Windmilling [SST]
Iggy Pop - Lust For Life [Virgin]
Queens Of The Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu [Interscope]
Can - Mother Sky [Spoon]
Queens Of The Stone Age - Regular John
Queens Of The Stone Age - Feel Good Hit Of The Summer [Polydor]
Queens Of The Stone Age - No One Knows [Interscope]
Them Crooked Vultures - New Fang [White Label]
Santo & Johnny - Sleepwalk [Ace]
Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning (Live At T In The Park 2011) [N/A]
JD McPherson - North Side Gal [Hi-Style]

Monday 9 April 2018

The First Time With... Series 7 - 1. Jimmy Page

THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 7 - 1. JIMMY PAGE (320kbs-m4a/134mb/58mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 19th January 2018


Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin discusses his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2014,

From their formation in 1968 until their spilt in the wake of drummer John Bonham's death in 1980, Led Zeppelin set new parameters for what a rock band could achieve. They remain one of the biggest-selling bands of all time, with generation after generation falling in love with their music. Their tours broke records and created the template for stadium touring that remains to this day,

Jimmy Page was the guiding force behind that band of gifted musicians, and, as well as being recognised as one of the finest guitarists of all time, Jimmy produced the whole of Led Zeppelin's back catalogue, breaking new sonic ground with every one of their nine albums.

From his earliest influences and passion for the bluesmen of the '50s, to his time spent as a busy young session guitarist on the London scene in the early 60s, and onto his masterplan to create the greatest (and heaviest) rock band ever to stalk the earth.

Normally a somewhat reclusive and private figure, Jimmy also discusses Zep's unique musical chemistry, their not entirely undeserved reputation as the most excessive and debauched band ever, their one-off reunion in 2007 and the impact of John Bonham's death on him and his music.

Led Zeppelin - Rock And Roll [Atlantic]
Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line [Old Gold]
Elvis Presley - Baby Let’s Play House
Gene Vincent And The Bluecaps - Cruisin’
The Johnny Burnette Trio - The Train Kept A Rollin [Red]
Muddy Waters - I Can’t Be Satisfied
Muddy Waters - Standing Around Crying
Jet Harris And Tony Meehan - Diamonds
Carter Lewis & The Southerners - Somebody Told My Girl
Little Walter - As Long As I Have You
Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown (BBC Session 3 Mar 1969)
Led Zeppelin - Good Times Bad Times
Led Zeppelin - Black Mountain Side
Led Zeppelin - Going To California
Led Zeppelin - Bonzo's Montreux
Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song
Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

Sunday 8 April 2018

Don't Panic! It's The Douglas Adams Papers

DON'T PANIC! IT'S THE DOUGLAS ADAMS PAPERS (320kbs-m4a/130mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 3rd March 2018


John Lloyd unearths the private papers of his friend and colleague Douglas Adams, and discovers more about the agonies he went through to write The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, forty years ago.

The papers, donated to St John's College, Cambridge University, include note books, ramblings, rants about how hard it is to write, unfinished scenes and passages never included in Douglas Adams' books.

John Lloyd co-wrote the first series of Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, which started on Radio 4 in 1978. He reveals that he and Douglas Adams had been commissioned to write the first novel together, following the success of the radio series, but Douglas decided to "give me the boot" and went on to write the books on his own. The novels have sold something in the region of 14 million copies.

Other contributors to the programmes include the original producer and now novelist Simon Brett; original cast members Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern and Mark Wing-Davey; and Paddy Kingsland of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

John also discusses how unpublished writings by Douglas Adams have just been used in a new series of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, about to be transmitted on Radio 4.

A Bite Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Saturday 7 April 2018

John Peel's Welsh Sessions

JOHN PEEL'S WELSH SESSIONS (320kbs-m4a/129mb/56mins)
BBC Radio Wales broadcast: 1st January 2018


Janice Long presents the story of the Welsh bands and artists that were supported by DJ John Peel through sessions on his Radio 1 programme, in particularly Welsh language bands. Man, Yr Anhrefn, Llwyber Llaethog, Melys, The Pooh Sticks, Mal Pope and Super Furry Animals were all given a career boost by airplay and sessions recorded in the BBC Maida Vale studios and even John Peel's home Peel Acres.

Friday 6 April 2018

Classic Singles: Brown Sugar

CLASSIC SINGLES: BROWN SUGAR (320kbs-m4a/62mb/27mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 2nd March 2018


Respected record producer Tony Visconti continues his series celebrating classic singles with a look back at the Rolling Stones' 1971 hit Brown Sugar. Featuring contributions from Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, Tony explores the social, musical and historical importance of the track. First broadcast in 2007.

The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar [London]
The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil [London]
The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Woman
The Rolling Stones - You Gotta Move
The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses [ABKCO]
The Rolling Stones - Stoned
The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar [London]
The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar (Alternative Version)
The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar [London]

Thursday 5 April 2018

Classic Singles: I Don't Like Mondays

CLASSIC SINGLES: I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS (320kbs-m4a/62mb/27mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 1st March 2018


Respected record producer Tony Visconti continues his series celebrating classic singles with a look at I Don't Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats, which reached number 1 in the summer of 1979. First broadcast in 2007.

The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays [Connoisseur Collection]
The Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap [Premier]
The Boomtown Rats - She's So Modern [Vertigo]
The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays [Connoisseur Collection]
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Oliver's Army [Sony TV/Columbia]
The Boomtown Rats - Joey's On The Street Again
Van Morrison - Wavelength [Polydor]
The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays [Connoisseur Collection]
The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays (Live At Live Aid)
Tori Amos - I Don't Like Mondays
G4 - I Don't Like Mondays
Bon Jovi & Bob Geldof - I Don't Like Mondays (Live At Wembley)
The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays [Connoisseur Collection]

Wednesday 4 April 2018

Classic Singles: Heart Of Glass

CLASSIC SINGLES: HEART OF GLASS (320kbs-m4a/61mb/27mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 28th February 2018


Respected record producer Tony Visconti continues his short series celebrating classic singles. Tonight's choice is Blondie's 1979 number one, Heart of Glass. First broadcast in 2007.

Blondie - Heart Of Glass [Rhino]
Wind In The Willows - My Uncle Used To Love Me But She Died
Blondie - Underground Girl
Blondie - Kung Fu Girls
Blondie - X Offender [EMI]
Blondie - Denis [EMI]
Blondie - Once I Had A Love
Donna Summer - I Feel Love
Blondie - Heart Of Glass [Rhino]
Blondie - Picture This [Chrysalis]
Blondie - Heart Of Glass [Rhino]
Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing [Polydor]
Blondie - I'm Gonna Love You Too
Blondie - Heart Of Glass [Rhino]

Tuesday 3 April 2018

Classic Singles: Wonderwall

CLASSIC SINGLES: WONDERWALL (320kbs-m4a/62mb/27mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 27th February 2018


In a short series celebrating classic singles, respected record producer Tony Visconti considers the 1995 Oasis hit, Wonderwall.

First broadcast in 2007.

Oasis - Wonderwall [Creation]
Oasis - Supersonic [Big Brother]
Oasis - Up In The Sky
Oasis - Cigarettes & Alcohol [Big Brother]
Oasis - Roll With It [Creation]
Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger [Creation]
Oasis - Wonderwall [Creation]
Oasis - Morning Glory [Creation]
Oasis - Wonderwall [Creation]
Oasis - Helter Skelter
Oasis - Wonderwall [Creation]
Blur - Country House [Food]
Oasis - Wonderwall (Live)
The Mike Flowers Pops - Wonderwall [London]
Ryan Adams - Wonderwall [Lost Highway]
Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
Oasis - Wonderwall [Creation]

Monday 2 April 2018

The First Time With... Damon Albarn

THE FIRST TIME WITH... DAMON ALBARN (320kbs-m4a/129mb/56mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 18th January 2018


Damon Albarn shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2014.

Recorded at his west London studio, Damon talks through his musical journey, including some of his greatest successes with Blur and Gorillaz, but also some of the more esoteric and little known aspects of his work, including his film soundtrack work with Michael Nyman. Damon also recalls and the impact Terry Hall and (perhaps more surprisingly) Nik Kershaw had on his life.

He remembers the way that his first trip to Africa in 2000, in the wake of Blur's split, re-invigorated his passion for music, his close friendship with Afrobeat drumming legend Tony Allen and his first solo album. The interview reveals a fascinating journey through the life of one of the most innovative, eclectic and successful songwriters in popular music.

Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots [Parlophone]
Pink Floyd - If
Cat Stephens - I Can't Keep It In
Edith Piaf - Unknown
Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun [Disky]
The Clash - Rock The Casbah [Epic]
Nik Kershaw - The Riddle [Spectrum]
Fun Boy Three & Bananarama - It Ain't What You Do... [Warner]
Blur - Sing [Food]
Damon Albarn - Closet Romantic
The Michael Nyman Orchestra - Boyd's Journey
Electric Wave Bureau - Colours
Gorillaz - Tomorrow Comes Today [Parlophone]
Gorillaz & Lou Reed - Some Kind Of Nature
Damon Albarn Feat. Afel Bocoum & Toumani Diabaté - Niger
Blur - Music Is My Radar
Tony Allen Feat. Damon Albarn & Ty - Every Season
Blur - Black Book

Sunday 1 April 2018

The First Time With... Lars Ulrich

THE FIRST TIME WITH... LARS ULRICH (320kbs-m4a/126mb/55mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 17th January 2018


Lars Ulrich of Metallica shares his musical milestones with Matt Everitt in a programme first broadcast in 2013.

Metallica are without doubt the biggest heavy rock band in the world - with a staggering 100 million albums sold worldwide and a fanbase that extends beyond the metal world and onto stadiums in nearly every territory of the planet

Lars Ulrich is the spokesman for the group he co-founded in 1980 with singer James Hertfield, and his character and jaw-dropping drumming style have propelled the band through nine albums and helped bring metal into the mainstream.

Here in a rare and characteristically articulate interview he discusses his childhood in his native Denmark, how a career in professional tennis was hijacked by a love of British heavy rock, the early days of Metallica in Los Angeles and the band's evolution from bars to clubs and arenas with the ground breaking Black Album.

He also chats about his passion for Ennio Morricone, Metallica's recent move into movie making with the film Through The Never, as well as his friendship with Noel Gallagher (Lars was once enlisted as an Oasis concert lighting man, after theirs fell ill!) and his huge passion for the music of Arctic Monkeys.

Metallica - Enter Sandman
Staus Quo - Down Down
Deep Purple - Fireball
Diamond Head - It's Electric
Metallica - Hit The Lights
Ennio Morricone - The Ecstasy Of Gold
Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
Arctic Monkeys - Brainstorm
Metallica - Some Kind Of Monster
Oasis - Supersonic [Big Brother]
Metallica - My Apocalypse