Comedian Stewart Lee is passionate about electronic music and he take us on a remarkable musical journey. We discover how, after the Second World War, a small group of electronic pioneers began tinkering with their army surplus kit to create new sounds and music.
Tristram Cary started the first electronic music studio in Britain but, while France, Germany, Italy and the USA had lavishly funded research centres, British electronic music remained the preserve of boffins on a budget.
As the programme reveals, this make do and mend approach prevailed long after austerity Britain had given way to the swinging 60s, with Peter Zinovieff developing EMS synthesizers from a shed at the bottom of his garden in Putney. (Paul McCartney put on his wellies and took a look). Zinovieff is interviewed about his experiments in sound.
Unsurprisingly, the electronic community in Britain was a small, intimate group and joining Cary and Zinovieff was Daphne Oram, who devoted decades to developing a ‘drawn sound’ electronic composition system that never really quite worked.
Brian Hodgson tells us about 1960s experimental and electronic festivals, including The Million Volt Light and Sound Rave (1967) at which The Beatles’ electronic piece Carnival Of Light had its only public airing. We shall also hear how the radiophonic workshop broke new musical ground with Dr. Who.
Experts in the history of electronic music, including author and musician Mark Ayers and Goldsmiths College lecturer in computer studies Dr. Michael Grierson give the boffins’ view and Portishead’s Adrian Utley explains why the early forays in electronics are still relevant today.
Produced by John Sugar
A Sugar Production for BBC Radio 4.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter