The Twangmasters : The Art of the Lead Guitarist

All the attention is usually on the lead singer, but so often a song has been transformed by a great piece of lead guitar playing. Nick Barraclough tells the story of the lead guitarist; from Chuck Berry and BB King's licks to Ritchie Blackmore and Jimi Hendrix's riffs. What's more, he reveals the difference between and riff and a lick.

There's more to it than just twanging those strings, though. He's got to have the right attitude, swagger- and volume.

Three of today's working lead guitarists sit round a kitchen table and strum their way through a few stories, we hear how Deep Purple recorded with the police beating on their door, and the ways in which lead singers treat their lead guitarists.

We hear from Frank Zappa's 'stunt' guitarist and we hear of Ian Gillan's submission, and there is a discussion on whether the colour of a guitar's paint affects its tone and, a question that has been asked by lead guitarists since 1964 is answered: exactly what was that chord George Harrison played at the beginning of A Hard Day's Night?

Producer: Nick Barraclough
A Smooth Operation production for BBC Radio 4.

Last broadcast on Sat, 14 May 2011, 10:30 on BBC Radio 4.


©BBC Radio Productions 2011

Dear Judy

Join Rufus Wainwright to celebrate the 50th anniversary of "the greatest night in show business history" - Judy Garland's legendary concert at Carnegie Hall on 23 April 1961.
An ardent fan, who recreated the Carnegie Hall setlist in his Rufus Does Judy show, Wainwright leads us on a beautifully evocative journey, charting the story of the event and its implications for one of the best-loved performers of all time.
Judy Garland lived a famously complicated life. Performing from the age of two, she was catapulted to international fame by The Wizard of Oz. Life would never be the same again. Every romance, success and stumble - professional and otherwise - was seized upon by the press and it was almost more than Garland could stand. Plagued by self-doubt, she couldn't recognise the talent that was plain for everyone else to see.
Suddenly, in January of 1960, the pressure was off. A severe illness led doctors to tell Judy that she'd come close to death and would never sing again. They were startled when she responded that she was "greatly relieved". For the first time in her life, she was about more than simply performance. For the first time, she had the opportunity to fall back in love with the extraordinary talent that she'd grown to resent.
Join Rufus and friends as they celebrate Judy and the "greatest night in showbusiness".

Last broadcast on Tuesday 26th July, 22:00 on BBC Radio 2.

http://www.fileserve.com/file/WPDNW3y

©BBC Radio Productions 2011.

SOUNDS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY - 1955

Each programme is dedicated to one year from 1951 to 2000 and features nothing that wasn't heard, seen or read at the time. There's no hindsight, no "I-heart-the-80s"-style reminiscences; just the music, the news, the radio, the TV and the movies as they were first experienced.
Jeremy Vine introduces 1955. A year when when a young singer called Elvis Presley starts to get noticed. BBC Television gets its first competitor with the arrival of ITV and shows like Take Your Pick and Dragnet. James Dean is killed before moviegoers have seen him in Rebel without a Cause, Ruth Ellis becomes the last woman in Britain to be hanged and Kim Philby is unmasked as the Third Man.
The music comes from rock 'n' rollers like Little Richard, Chuck Berry and - with his music for the controversial film Blackboard Jungle - Bill Haley.

Last broadcast on Thu, 5 May 2011, 22:00 on BBC Radio 2

http://www.fileserve.com/file/hbb66zX

©BBC Radio Productions 2011

Chris Barber : Leader Of The Band - part 2

Jools Holland presents the second part of a profile of the British jazz great. With contributions from Chris himself, Mark Knopfler, Paul Jones, and Jon Hiseman.
This week's programme looks at the second part of Barber's career - including his collaboration with Paul McCartney - and examines the often unexpected ways in which he has influenced the British music scene.

Last broadcast on Wed, 27 Apr 2011, 22:00 on BBC Radio 2.

http://www.fileserve.com/file/msmebm

©BBC Radio Productions 2011

SOUNDS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY - 1954

Sounds of the 20th Century is an audio journey through five decades of triumph, tragedy and trivia in 50 hour-long episodes.
Each programme is dedicated to one year from 1951 to 2000 and features nothing that wasn't heard, seen or read at the time. There's no hindsight, no "I-heart-the-80s"-style reminiscences; just the music, the news, the radio, the TV and the movies as they were first experienced.
Jeremy Vine introduces part four of the 50 part series: 1954. The year when Roger Bannister breaks the "unbreakable" record - the 4-minute mile; the Prime Minister celebrates his 80th birthday; and a young American preacher launches his London Crusade.
Journey into Space is the big radio hit; and Ted Ray, Tony Hancock and The Goons keep Britain laughing as rationing continues for yet another year. The big dance hit of the year is the mambo. But the Teddy Boys are slipping on their drapes and creepers and starting to shake, rattle and roll!

Last broadcast on Thu, 28 Apr 2011, 22:00 on BBC Radio 2.

http://www.fileserve.com/file/7uwn5bR

©BBC Radio Productions 2011

Chris Barber : Leader Of The Band - part 1

Jools Holland presents the first part of a major profile of this British jazz great, one of the most influential of all time. In addition to his own very successful recording career, Chris was responsible for bringing blues greats like Muddy Waters and Sister Rosetta Tharpe to the UK for the first time; the impact of those performances went a long way to creating the British blues boom of the 1960s. His involvement in the fledgling Marquee Club in London gave the Rolling Stones a valuable early platform and he was also one of the founding fathers of the Reading Festival. The skiffle movement was created by members of the Chris Barber Band, and he broke new ground for jazz both in the US and behind the Iron Curtain, where his fame was once so great that he was able to travel without a passport! He played for President Kennedy and in the black blues clubs of 1950s Chicago and crossed musical boundaries as though they didn't exist.
The programme features extensive recollections from Chris himself, alongside contributions from Mark Knopfler, Paul Jones, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, Van Morrison, Jon Hiseman, Phil Collins, Lonnie Donegan, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and more.

Last broadcast on Wed, 20 Apr 2011, 22:00 on BBC Radio 2.

http://www.fileserve.com/file/JW6tbUj

©BBC Radio Productions 2011

SOUNDS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY - 1953

Sounds of the 20th Century is an audio journey through five decades of triumph, tragedy and trivia in 50 hour-long episodes.
Each programme is dedicated to one year from 1951 to 2000 and features nothing that wasn't heard, seen or read at the time. There's no hindsight, no "I-heart-the-80s"-style reminiscences; just the music, the news, the radio, the TV and the movies as they were first experienced.
Jeremy Vine introduces part three of Sounds of the 20th Century: 1953. A year dominated by the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing are feted as the conquerors of Everest and England win the Ashes.
At Wembley, Stanley Matthews stars in one of the best ever FA Cup Finals, but England are taught a footballing lesson by Hungary. On the radiogram, in the corner of the lounge, American crooners like Dean Martin and Perry Como are joined by a young British rival, Jimmy Young. And big comedy hits are Take It from Here and The Glums.

Last broadcast on Thu, 21 Apr 2011, 22:00 on BBC Radio 2.

http://www.fileserve.com/file/AMHCjvk

©BBC Radio Productions 2011