BBCTV Songs of the Border

Subject: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 15 Jul 18 - 07:12 AM

Last year, Reginald D Hunter returned home as the rather unlikely guide to the music of the southern American states. He led a three part series, Songs of the South, which was an equally unlikely success.

Now he has completed the 2,000 mile trip along the US border with Mexico in Songs of the Border. It should have been shown at 9pm on BBC2 last night, but was volleyed out of court by the men's doubles from Wimbledon. Second service was planned for Friday night at 00.15, but look out for re-arranged times.

The BBC says;

Against the backdrop of President Trump's much-trumpeted wall, Reginald D Hunter takes a 2,000-mile road trip along the US-Mexico border to explore how romance and reality play out musically where third-world Mexico meets first-world USA on this broken road to the American dream.

Classic American pop and country portray Mexico as a land of escape and romance, but also of danger - think of Marty Robbins's El Paso, The Drifters' Mexican Divorce or Ry Cooder's Across the Borderline. Against this evocative western soundtrack, Hunter explores the border music as it is today, much of it created by musicians drawn from the 36 million Mexican-Americans who are US citizens.

Robin Hood tales of Mexican cartels, South American dance, Tex-Mex accordion, Mexican-American rap, border fence sound art and country music of both Mexican and American flavours shed fascinating insight into the topical issues of immigration, drug smuggling and Mexican-American identity, and throw the western songwriter's dream of Mexico as a place of romance, fun and escape into sharp relief.

Reg's natural empathy and gentle humanity guides on this cinematic journey, featuring Lyle Lovett, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Frontera Bugalu, Calexico, Carrie Rodriguez, Asleep at the Wheel, Los Texmaniacs, Glenn Weyant, Eva Ybarra and Cecy B.

The Pink 'Un says; *****

Anyone allergic to accordions is urged to avoid Songs of the Border. For everyone else it's a tuneful guide to the unique sounds emanating from the contested land between Mexico and the US. On a 2,000-mile road trip, Hunter speaks to musicians and canvasses opinion about the much-Trumpeted wall.

Texan Lyle Lovett, who sings like a man with a nice voice suffering from constipation, jolts him with his views. "People don't always answer as you would," says Hunter. [He] meets Los Tucanes de Tijuana, "Mexico's Rolling Stones", - if you can imagine Mick et al with moustaches and big black hats. And an accordion. SF

I can't wait!

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: Effsee
Date: 15 Jul 18 - 08:35 AM

Aaah! That's why I'm sitting here saying to myself, "I coulda swore I set that to record last night!"
Please give us a heads-up if you find the re-arranged scheduled time.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: DaveRo
Date: 15 Jul 18 - 10:19 AM

Programme page:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06bjc1v

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 15 Jul 18 - 10:21 AM

"Repeat" apparently not late on Friday night after all. And next Saturday evening, BBC2 is devoted to sport again. This time it's golf; the Open Championship.

I hope Reginald isn't too put out, but we'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, you can find some interesting clips and photos here;

Clips

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: DaveRo
Date: 15 Jul 18 - 10:25 AM

It's scheduled for 20th - i.e. late on Thursday night.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl97/2018/07/19

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 15 Jul 18 - 10:31 AM

And this page - under Now and Next - gives you BBC music programmes - radio and TV - of various genres coming up soon;

BBC music programmes

It's very good for finding Scottish, Welsh, Irish and regional English radio folk shows.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 19 Jul 18 - 02:24 PM

The original broadcast disappeared at short notice, so I'm not surprised that the 'repeat' has too.

So we're waiting for the BBC to announce a new date. They are occupied at the moment by that pioneer of rock and roll, Mr Cliff Richard, and we stand behind him in the shadows.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: G-Force
Date: 20 Jul 18 - 11:58 AM

It looks like it's now scheduled for Saturday 28th July at 9pm on BBC2.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,Ozzie guest
Date: 20 Jul 18 - 05:59 PM

Does anyone know why none of this as far as i can tell is available
down here in Australia?

Even the clips/teasers i click on flash the proverbial triangle with exclamation point
"This content is not available in your location"

Any way around the prohibition ?

I'm dying to watch/hear all of Mr Hunter's travel stories

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: DaveRo
Date: 20 Jul 18 - 06:50 PM

GUEST,Ozzie guest wrote: Does anyone know why none of this as far as i can tell is available
down here in Australia?

Because the BBC is paid for by British TV licence payers and because the BBC often only has rights to broadcast a programme in the UK or will sell rights to broadcast elsewhere.

Any way around the prohibition ?

(1) Use a virtual private network (VPN) which gives you a UK IP address. (2) Declare that you are a UK TV licence payer.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jul 18 - 12:32 PM

Just to refresh, BBC 2 tonight, 9pm

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jul 18 - 03:12 PM

Worth waiting for.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 30 Jul 18 - 11:20 AM

It was an interesting introduction to the variety of music found along the border.

I liked Reginald's open-minded attitude, but his interviews were largely restricted to, "Tell me about your music."

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: David Carter (UK)
Date: 30 Jul 18 - 11:40 AM

Which is what interviewers who far less about the subject than the person they are interviewing should say.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 30 Jul 18 - 05:16 PM

Indeed.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: DaveRo
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 03:50 PM

Interesting programme. Repeated late Thurs 2 Aug at 00.15. (Maybe.)

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 07:01 PM

BBC times can be confusing. Just to be clear - 00.15 is late on Thursday evening.

It's actually after midnight so, strictly speaking, it's Friday morning!

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: Hagman
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 10:18 PM

Guest,henryp wrote:

>Texan Lyle Lovett, who sings like a man with a nice voice suffering from constipation...

I get absolutely no sense of that, on watching his performance in the documentary,listening to his CDs, and having been lucky enough to see him live.

I have no wish to start a new thread on singers who need a good stool softener, but maybe I'm wrong?

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 01 Aug 18 - 04:14 AM

Hagman, those aren't my words! They come from the TV Choice of the Financial Times.

Given the choice, I would take Lyle Lovett to my Desert Island, so I was more worried about what he might have said. But from what we heard in the programme, we discovered very little about his views.

'People don't always answer as you would,' said Reginald. But he was impressed by The Road to Ensenada.

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: Hagman
Date: 01 Aug 18 - 08:56 AM

Ah, "the Pink'Un"... now I see....

No need to worry about what he might have said. Getting a live clip of TRTE was enough for me!

TV critics. What would they know?

Subject: RE: BBCTV Songs of the Border
From: GUEST,Guest -
Date: 02 Aug 18 - 11:15 AM

Someone could cap. these using get_iplayer and then WeTransfer the files to you.