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Back from the Fourth Dimension Paddy Kingsland
Back From The Fourth Dimension Paddy Kingsland Posted: April 22, 2014 robinthefog.com/2014/04/22/back-from-the-fourth-dimension-paddy-kingsland/ As promised, following last week’s report for BBC World Service, here is the first of four interviews with the veterans of the Radiophonic Workshop, the ‘Godfathers of British Electronic Music’, now reformed and touring their collection of vintage analogue equipment and classic radiophonic works to rapturous reception. They’ll be featured in the order I interviewed them two weeks ago at the University of Chichester, so we’re starting with synthesiser legend Paddy Kingsland; the man who definitely put the ‘funk’ into radiophonics. Best known for The Fourth Dimension LP (essentially a Kingsland solo album), he has a string of classic BBC themes to his name, as well as providing incidental music for such classics as Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. Who and many more. Paddy has also recorded solo albums, made library music and jingles for KPM and worked alongside composers such as Michael Nyman. His signature sound is melodic synthesiser workouts with a strong rhythmic back-bone and the track ‘Vespucci’ is a highlight of their revived set-list. This interview, slightly truncated here, took place in the artist’s green room at Chichester University; with moderate interruptions from the air conditioning... ! PK: I worked at the Radiophonic Workshop for the BBC between 1970 and 1981, which is quite a long time ago now. Of course I’ve done quite a lot of other things since then, but more recently I was approached by some other friends who worked at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and was asked if I‘d be interested in doing some gigs with them – some live events. -
The Focus Group and Belbury Poly by Mark Fisher
Nostalgia for Modernism: The Focus Group and Belbury Poly ‘Myself and my friend Jim Jupp had been making music, independently and together for a while, and also obsessing over the same things – the cosmic horror of Machen, Lovecraft, the Radiophonic Workshop, weird folk and the occult. We realised that we wanted to put our music out, but also create our own world where we could play with all these reference points. Starting our own label was the only way to do it.’ Julian House is describing how he and his school-friend Jim Jupp came to found the Ghost Box label. Off-kilter bucolic, drenched in an over-exposed post-psyche-delic sun, Ghost Box recordings are uneasy listening to the letter. If nostalgia famously means ‘homesickness’, then Ghost Box sound is about unhomesickness, about the uncanny spectres entering the domestic environment through the cathode ray tube. At one level, the Ghost Box is television itself; or a television that has disappeared, itself become a ghost, a conduit to the Other Side, now only remembered by those of a certain age. No doubt there comes a point when every generation starts pining for the artefacts of its childhood – but was there something special about the TV of the 1970s which Ghost Box releases obsessively reference? ‘I think there definitely was something powerful about the children’s TV from that period,’ House maintains. ‘I think it was just after the 60s, these musicians and animators, film makers had come through the psychedelic thing and acid folk, they had these strange dark obsessions that they put into their TV programmes. -
Discographic Workshop Part 2C – More Solo Albums
http://bbcrecords.co.uk/blog/?p=387 Discographic Workshop Part 2C – More Solo Albums Welcome to the third and final post in Part 2 of Discographic Workshop, which is dedicated to the solo albums of the Radiophonic Workshop. And, for want of a better place to put it, there’s also our first single. Through A Glass Darkly Through A Glass Darkly – REC 307 – 1978 “When you’re working from scratch there’s nothing’s worse than having the whole universe to choose from.” Peter Howell Peter Howell may have some misgivings about the blank canvas* offered by electronic music, but when he needed engage in a spot of self-promotion at the Workshop this was the challenge he took upon himself. In contrast to all the other Radiophonic releases reviewed here so far and to all of the other Radiophonic Workshop material released by BBC Records, this record was the composer’s own idea. *Or, rather, tape. Although that wasn’t always the case and as we’ll see in a later part, re-using tape sometimes brought its own serendipitous opportunities. How Well Do You Know Peter? Peter Howell was born in 1948 grew up around Brighton. As a fan of The Shadows he came to love the guitar and as the sixties started to swing he took that forward into an interest in the folky picking of Bert Jansch and Pentangle. He was supposed to follow his father into a career in law, but as we know that was not his true calling. By the late sixties Howell was playing and recording music with local bands. -
2012 Selected Radiophonic Works on Radio 4 Extra
Selected Radiophonic Works on Radio 4 Extra There was a treat for fans of the Radiophonic Workshop on Radio 4 extra last Saturday evening, with 3 hours of programming based around their output. It was presented by Richard Coles, a former keyboard player and singer with The Communards who made an interesting post-pop career move of taking up the cloth (he is a C of E vicar, the Rev.Richard Coles), and, as far as his ecclesiastical duties allow, is an irregular but always welcome commentator on and presenter of arts programmes. As a sort of prelude, Stuart Maconie played John Baker’s Codename as the opening track on his Radio 6 Friday night programme The Freakier Zone. It’s Baker’s theme for a 1969 BBC spy adventure serial, and can be found on the first of the two excellent volumes of The John Baker Tapes released on Trunk Records a couple of years ago. It’s typical of his style, its springy melody riding effortlessly on infectiously sprightly rhythms, the source sounds (usually of humble, everyday origin) edited together with immaculate precision. Baroque portal - the entrance to the Maida Vale studio, home of the Radiophonic Workshop The Radio 4 extra celebration presented several archive programmes featuring the Workshop’s music and sound design, beginning with a 1971 documentary, Electric Tunesmiths. This was made at a pivotal moment in the Workshop’s history, with fundamental changes in production methods occurring. Principally, this was due to the arrival of synthesisers, and in particular to the installation of the mammoth EMS Synthi 100 in April 1971, nicknamed the Delaware after the road in which the Maida Vale studios, where the Radiophonic Workshop was based, were situated. -
By Paddy Kingsland (1973) / "BBC Radiophonic Music" by Delia Derbyshire, John Baker and David Cain (1971)
R obin Carm ody, 2001 Thanks to Mark Cola, Darren Giddings and Martin Fenton. "The Fourth Dimension" by Paddy Kingsland (1973) / "BBC Radiophonic Music" by Delia Derbyshire, John Baker and David Cain (1971) I recently received copies of the above two LPs (the first albums of Radiophonic music released commercially by the BBC, though there had been single releases in the 60s) and have naturally added them to the expanding universe of Radiophonic history on Elidor (it's almost becoming a kind of microsite ...). Some of the sonics on The Fourth Dimensionare fairly conventionally of-the- time; the standard idea of the prog wonderboy amid a bank of analog synths, and certainly Kingsland's theme to the Radio 1 series "Scene and Heard" is fairly conventional trendiness circa 1970, and not great. "Just Love", written for BBC TV, could almost be Rick Wakeman and therefore is Not A Good Thing. "Vespucci", not a signature piece, sees Kingsland getting a little indulgent when left entirely to his own devices; it goes on at least a minute too long, but of course a track timed at 3'20" is mercifully short by the standards of certain bands very prominent in 1973, and it could pretty much fit into his extraordinary soundtrack for The Changes, and therefore has at least something going for it. But you feel it would be more resonant and moving if written to order; there's something emptily early 70s about it, as though it's waiting for a purpose to make it seem special, and that purpose cannot be found. -
100 Piano Classics
100 Piano Classics: In The The Best Of The Red Army Lounge Choir Samuel Joseph Red Army Choir SILCD1427 | 738572142728 SILKD6034 | 738572603427 CD | Lounge Album | Russian Military Songs Samuel Joseph is 'The Pianists' Pianist'. Born in Hobart, Re-mastered from the original session tapes, the recordings Tasmania he grew up performing at restaurants, events and for this 2CD set were all made in Moscow over a number of competitions around the city before settling in London in years. They present the most complete and definitive 2005. He has brought his unique keyboard artistry to many collection of recordings of military and revolutionary songs celebrated London venues including the Dorchester, the by this most versatile of choirs. Includes Kalinka, My Savoy, Claridges, the Waldorf and Le Caprice. He has Country, Moscow Nights, The Cossacks, Song of the Volga entertained celebrities as diverse as Bono to Dustin Boatmen, Dark Eyes and the USSR National Anthem. Hoffman along with heads of state and royalty. Flair, vibrancy and impeccable presentation underline his keyboard skills. This 100 track collection highlights his astounding repertoire Swinging Mademoiselles - The Adventures Of Robinson Groovy French Sounds From Crusoe - Original TV The 60s Soundtrack Various Artists Robert Mellin & Gian-Piero SILCD1191 | 738572119126 Reverberi CD | French FILMCD705 | 5014929070520 CD | TV Soundtracks Long before England started swinging in the mid-1960s, One of the most evocative children's TV series of the 1960s France was the bastion for cool European pop sounds. is equally matched by Robert Mellin and Gian-Piero Sultry young French maidens, heavy on mascara and a Reverberi's enchanting score familiar to any young viewer of languid innocence cast a sexy spell with what became the period. -
Shadowy Pioneers
Radiophonic Workshop: the shadowy pioneers of electronic sound As pop luminaries queue up to appear on their forthcoming LP, we talk to surviving members of the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop, responsible for the theme music for many classic shows, including Doctor Who The Observer, Saturday 23 November 2013 19.00 GMT ! Delia Derbyshire of the Radiophonic Workshop in a BBC studio in 1965. !Photograph: BBC Photolibrary As musical legends go, they're a funny bunch. Five well-turned-out but unassuming gents, harrumphing and making small talk, they could easily be retired accountants at the golf club – were it not for the fact that they're busy wiring together enough vintage synthesisers and tape machines to make a young hipster techno producer faint with joy, all while the most peculiar boinging noises emerge from various speakers. Oh, and their manager's on the phone to Hot Chip's people, while the drummer from the Prodigy is sitting in the corner tapping his sticks. As per usual, though, the veteran tinkerers are mostly concerned with matters electronic. Worried about their antique equipment going out of tune, Paddy Kingsland, 66, mutters, "don't breathe on the autoharp!" There's a sudden electrical buzz; "ooh, that's playing havoc with my pacemaker," deadpans Roger Limb (who won't reveal his age). "Quick," says 77-year-old Dick Mills, helpfully, "stand in this bucket of water." This is life with the Radiophonic Workshop – the electronic Buena Vista Social Club, a "band that never was", masters of their craft finally coming together late in life. -
Nicola Candlish Phd 2012
Durham E-Theses The Development of Resources for Electronic Music in the UK, with Particular Reference to the bids to establish a National Studio CANDLISH, NICOLA,ANNE How to cite: CANDLISH, NICOLA,ANNE (2012) The Development of Resources for Electronic Music in the UK, with Particular Reference to the bids to establish a National Studio, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3915/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 ‘The Development of Resources for Electronic Music in the UK, with Particular Reference to the bids to establish a National Studio’ Nicola Anne Candlish Doctor of Philosophy Music Department Durham University 2012 Nicola Anne Candlish ‘The Development of Resources for Electronic Music in the UK, with Particular Reference to the Bids to Establish a National Studio’ This thesis traces the history and development of the facilities for electronic music in the UK. -
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01 In the Kingdom of Colours * Previously Unreleased (Through A Glass Darkly – Composed and Realised by Peter Howell, (19.28) A Lyrical Adventure) BBC Radiophonic Workshop (BBC Music) Peter Howell – Piano, Synthesisers, Acoustic Guitar 02 (4.03) Caches of Gold Terence Emery – Timpani Howard Tibble – Drums 03 Magenta Court (4.26) and Brian Hussey 04 Colour Rinse (2.36) Tony Catchpole – Electric Guitar Des McCamley – Bass Guitar 05 Wind in the Wires (2.16 ) Sebastian Bell – Flute (“Moving Form”) Ross Pople – Cello (“Moving Form”) 06 The Astronauts ( 5.18 ) Produced by Peter Howell and Mike Harding This edition Compiled, Produced and Mastered by Mark Ayres Bonus Tracks: THE BODY IN QUESTION 07 Moving Form (Main Theme from The Body in Question) (1.45) 08 Greenwich Chorus (2.20) 09 Mesmer (3.40) 10 The Astronauts (Single Version) (3.21) 11 In the Kingdom of Colours (Through A Glass Darkly) Alternative Mix (19.29) * NOTES BY PETER HOWELL piece; so I am delighted that, for this re-issue, it ‘The Astronauts’ started out as a piece for a has reverted to its original title. programme called ‘Space for Man’. I had just There were twelve swing doors between my completed a somewhat lacklustre session using Radiophonic studio on the ground floor and Not many people realise that ‘Magenta Court’ orchestral players when a rather obvious thought Maida Vale Studio 4 downstairs. I remember this was named after a block of flats. I used to walk occurred to me. Why was I using traditional with such clarity because of the number of times from BBC Maida Vale in Delaware Road to a orchestral sounds, when this was a programme late at night I struggled through them carrying gym and swimming pool in Ladbroke Grove. -
Doctor Who 1 Doctor Who
Doctor Who 1 Doctor Who This article is about the television series. For other uses, see Doctor Who (disambiguation). Doctor Who Genre Science fiction drama Created by • Sydney Newman • C. E. Webber • Donald Wilson Written by Various Directed by Various Starring Various Doctors (as of 2014, Peter Capaldi) Various companions (as of 2014, Jenna Coleman) Theme music composer • Ron Grainer • Delia Derbyshire Opening theme Doctor Who theme music Composer(s) Various composers (as of 2005, Murray Gold) Country of origin United Kingdom No. of seasons 26 (1963–89) plus one TV film (1996) No. of series 7 (2005–present) No. of episodes 800 (97 missing) (List of episodes) Production Executive producer(s) Various (as of 2014, Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin) Camera setup Single/multiple-camera hybrid Running time Regular episodes: • 25 minutes (1963–84, 1986–89) • 45 minutes (1985, 2005–present) Specials: Various: 50–75 minutes Broadcast Original channel BBC One (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present) BBC One HD (2010–present) BBC HD (2007–10) Picture format • 405-line Black-and-white (1963–67) • 625-line Black-and-white (1968–69) • 625-line PAL (1970–89) • 525-line NTSC (1996) • 576i 16:9 DTV (2005–08) • 1080i HDTV (2009–present) Doctor Who 2 Audio format Monaural (1963–87) Stereo (1988–89; 1996; 2005–08) 5.1 Surround Sound (2009–present) Original run Classic series: 23 November 1963 – 6 December 1989 Television film: 12 May 1996 Revived series: 26 March 2005 – present Chronology Related shows • K-9 and Company (1981) • Torchwood (2006–11) • The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007–11) • K-9 (2009–10) • Doctor Who Confidential (2005–11) • Totally Doctor Who (2006–07) External links [1] Doctor Who at the BBC Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC. -
2017 the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
http://www.toppermost.co.uk/bbc-radiophonic-workshop/ The BBC Radiophonic Workshop October 16, 2017 The BBC Radiophonic Workshop (l to r): Desmond Briscoe, Dick Mills, Delia Derbyshire, Keith Salmon, Brian Hodgson Contributor: Duncan Harman “Established in 1958 to provide original sound treatment for Third Programme drama,” intones the dry and unassuming blurb on the back cover of the 1968 LP BBC Radiophonic Music, “we now provide a creative service for radio, television, local, regional and external broadcasting.” Which is one way of describing the BBC Radiophonic Workshop – and were we merely discussing the sound effects unit of a public service broadcaster, we could settle on an underwhelming summary, tidying away references to experimentalism and musique concrète and batshit crazy. The point being that the Workshop was so much more than a bunch of disparate technicians and composers tasked by Auntie Beeb to add a little pizazz to Play Of The Week; through the corridors of the BBC’s Maida Vale complex skulked some of the leading figures of mid-20th century sonic radicalism – Daphne Oram, Delia Derbyshire, Brian Hodgson, Maddalena Fagandini. By definition their musical output was atmospheric – otherwise TV and radio producers wouldn’t have commissioned it – yet it was also weird, textured, nuanced, esoteric, pioneering, and – above all else – fascinating. Sound as bricolage, subverting boundaries between music and noise. And whilst the Workshop was an umbrella beneath which artists functioned primarily on an individual basis, there’s also a commonality in play; a framework through which spliced tape, ring modulators and early synths became states of mind as much as base instrumentation. -
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1 Scene & Heard (2.13) 7 Fourth Dimension (2.20) Bonus Tracks: 2 Just Love (1.42) 8 Colour Radio (2.30) 13 Rugby Special (1.40)* 3 Vespucci (3.17) 9 Take Another Look (2.21) 14 Willie Banks and The Administrative Machine (2.23)* 4 Reg (2.07) 10 Kaleidoscope (1.17) 15 The Ramsbottom File (2.02)* 5 Tamariu (2.45) 11 The Space Between (3.10) 6 One Eighty-One (1.54) 12 Flashback (2.52) * Previously Unreleased Music heard on radio and television (including Test Card Transmissions) Composed and Realised by Paddy Kingsland, BBC Radiophonic Workshop (BBC Music) Original Record Produced by Desmond Briscoe Original Record Co-ordinated by Jack Aistrop Produced and Remastered by Mark Ayres Sleeve Design and Photography by Andrew Prewett All titles published by Paddy Kingsland (PRS) Executive Producers for Silva Screen Records Ltd: Reynold D’Silva and David Stoner Digital Manager James Borrer Layout by Stuart Ford Notes by Desmond Briscoe The synthesisers used on this disc are both television drama, documentaries and children’s British, and both made by E.M.S. of London. programmes, to drama and schools programmes One aspect of the work of the BBC Radiophonic They are the VCS3, an amazingly versatile on radio and to many local radio stations. In all, Workshop is the composition and realisation of miniature synthesiser, and its big brother, the more that 200 different commitments a year are signature tunes and incidental music for BBC Synthi ‘100’, known within the Radiophonic undertaken. Radio and Television programmes. Programme Workshop as ‘The Delaware’, after the address producers come to the Workshop with varying of the Workshop.