The first episode of the People’s History of Pop is to be broadcast on BBC Four at 9pm tonight, as part of the year-long My Generation season. Photo courtesy of BBC People’s History of Pop Episode one sees Twiggy unearth pop treasures including a recording of John Lennon’s first-ever recorded performance with his band The Quarrymen, at aContinue reading “Tonight – People’s History of Pop”
Tag Archives: bbc
EMI are taking a trip down memory lane at Hayes Old Vinyl Factory
EMI are inviting former employees at the Old Vinyl Factory in Hayes, to come back and share their memories of the iconic site. The factory was a major employer for the town and produced records by some of the world’s best-known artists, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Cliff Richard. The reunion will takeContinue reading “EMI are taking a trip down memory lane at Hayes Old Vinyl Factory”
Celebrating 50 years of Dr Who and the sound track pioneer Delia Derbyshire
50 years of Dr Who this week! Delia Derbyshire was the lady behind the Dr Who timeless sound track. Read more about her life, her work and her creative flair here.
The Proms 2013
Today marks the start of one of the World’s biggest Classical music festivals. The BBC Proms begins with a concert at the Royal Albert Hall featuring Sally Matthews (soprano,) Roderick Williams (baritone,) Stephen Hough (piano,) BBC Proms Youth Choir, BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo (conductor) in a performances of Julian Anderson –Continue reading “The Proms 2013”
Frank Bates jazz legend commemorated
Last Sunday a plaque was unveiled in Southwark in memory of one of Britain’s earliest black jazz musicians Frank Bates. The Southern Syncopated Orchestra was formed by the American composer Will Marion Cook and comprised 27 musicians and 19 singers. The musicians came from, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Guyana, Barbados, Antigua and Ghana amongContinue reading “Frank Bates jazz legend commemorated”
The New Sound Of Music 1979
The New Sound of Music is a fascinating BBC historical documentary from the year 1979. It charts the development of recorded music from the first barrel organs, pianolas, the phonograph, the magnetic tape recorder and onto the concepts of musique concrete and electronic music development with voltage-controlled oscillators making up the analogue synthesizers of theContinue reading “The New Sound Of Music 1979”
The arrival of wire-less
By Roger Neil I found this interview with Guglielmo Marconi in Leslie Baily’s BBC Scrapbooks. It was conducted in 1896 shortly after Marconi had installed a transmitter on the roof of the GPO and a receiver in a building on the Thames Embankment, 500 yards away. “Was the message quite clearly received?” asked theContinue reading “The arrival of wire-less”
London 2012: The 1948 torch relay on a shoestring
By Claire Heald for BBC News, published 18 May 2011 In 1948 two Olympic Torches were made by E.M.I Ltd, designed by Ralph Lavers and donated to the Organising Committee of the XIV Olympic Games. Not the Duke of Edinburgh or athletics hero Sydney Wooderson, John Mark was the surprise last torchbearer in theContinue reading “London 2012: The 1948 torch relay on a shoestring”
I am the (very first UK) DJ. And I broadcast 87 years ago today.
It’s a far cry from the histrionics of Chris Evans, the authority of Brian Matthew or the intensity of Whispering Bob Harris, but on July 7, 1924, Britain’s first disc-jockey began broadcasting…..in a dinner jacket. As Wikipedia describes… Christopher Stone was educated at Eton College and served in the Royal Fusiliers. He became the LondonContinue reading “I am the (very first UK) DJ. And I broadcast 87 years ago today.”
Memoirs of a Musical Dog – Edison to The Beatles
As part of their Omnibus series, The BBC made a documentary about the history of recording in the late 1980’s which was called Memoirs of a Musical Dog. It aired on Friday May 27, 1988. It’s very good and thanks to the power of youtube, you can see it here: Part One Early years ofContinue reading “Memoirs of a Musical Dog – Edison to The Beatles”
Sound Of The Hound 