BBC Radio 4 Music Group

Subject: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: sian, west wales
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 04:38 AM

Purely a fluke, I happened to catch the final programme of the BBC Radio 4 programme, The Music Group , last night. Why didn't I know about this programme? The guests were Nick Clegg (leader UK Lib Dem Party), Kate Adie (journalist/ foreign correspondent) and Robin Denselow ("Newsnight" correspondent). They choose a song that's important to them and the others comment. Who knew Kate Adie was a folkie, and would-be singer in her dim-and-distant? And the other two aren't a million miles from being folkies. AND they were all going on about the importance of social singing, protest music, etc.

I feel like writing to Kate and asking where was her protest persona when they brought in the PELs. (To be fair, she was probably being shot at in Afghanistan or some such.)

Anyway, the programme is available on the site for a while. You might like to give it a listen.

sian

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 05:02 AM

Robin Denselow does loads of folk reviews for the Guardian.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: Schantieman
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 05:19 AM

I heard this too as I have R4 on incessantly. Excellent prog.

Now, stop distracting me from getting ready for Bromyard!

Steve

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 05:20 AM

Robin Denselow has been a music writer since the early 70s (among other things). He and I were often seen ligging around in the evenings while doing day jobs on other papers /programmes. When I was fired from TV-am in the early 80s because they weren't going to do news any more, we passed each other again like ships in the night at BBC Lime Grove. My arrival in the newsroom was greeted with shouts of "here's another ship that's left the sinking rat", referring to Roland Rat running the prog while all the journos ran off to BBC Breakfast.

Kate Adie went to a nearby school and came to ours for German A level. Yes, she could sing (as did Polly Toynbee and Anna Ford) which was about all they let us do at the National Youth Theatre. That and shift scenery.

Don't know that much about Nick Clegg's interests but one of his colleagues in the party had a strong interest in Romanian music . . . so he said at the Folk Awards a couple of years ago.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 05:52 AM

So, what songs did they choose?

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:42 PM

I heard part of the programme - Kate Adie chose Joan Baez singing "There but for fortune", and Robin Denselow chose Lonnie Donegan singing "Rock Island Line". Nick Clegg's choice was Johnny Cash, I think but I didn't hear which song.

Kitty

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 03:59 PM

OK, just followed Sian's link, and it's Folsom prison blues...

Kitty

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: sian, west wales
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 04:01 PM

I thought the most interesting thing was Kate Adie's strong views on the positive repercussions of community singing. Now if she'd just do something constructive and throw her weight behind it ...

sian

Subject: RE: BBC Radio 4 Music Group
From: evansakes
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 04:52 PM

The most surprising thing for me was despite talking about 'There But For Fortune' for a good five minutes none of them thought to mention the name of the bloke who wrote it.

They mentioned Dylan one or twice though...