Radio Times

Review by:

Eddie Mair

If, like me, your only experience of electronic music is the Doctor Who theme and the fine work of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, you should cast your ear across this. Not at all geeky, it’s involving from the start: we hear the everyday sound of a china bowl being struck. Perfectly ordinary. Then the sound is played backwards and suddenly it’s nerve-jangling.

The Britishness of the adventure is important. Electronic music was taken seriously on the continent in the 1950s and 1960s. Here it was “eccentrics, boffins and innovators” working on kitchen tables and in garden sheds, and they dismissed as hopelessly blinkered the notion that music must come out of a musical instrument.

The personalities behind the developing genre are revealed — as are the occasional personal animosities. As the programme goes on, you realise that of course your experience of electronic music extends well beyond Doctor Who, though it’s careful to note the impact of Ron Grainer’s theme, and hears from Brian Hodgson, the man who created the sound of the Tardis.

Listen on headphones if you can... and marvel as I did at the eight-second sting used by Woman’s Hour in the 1960s, created by a cork being pulled, and water being poured from a cider bottle. It’s not explained why it had to be a cider bottle, but perhaps you need to have consumed the contents to be this wildly creative.

About this programme

Comedian Stewart Lee explores British electronic music produced in the 1950s and 60s, and reveals the thrifty and resourceful approach that was often adopted by pioneers of the medium. Peter Zinovieff discusses his development of synthesisers, and sound technician Brian Hodgson talks about experimental festivals and his work on the Doctor Who TV series. Also featuring contributions by Mark Ayers, Dr Michael Griegson and Adrian Utley.

Cast and crew

Cast

Presenter

Stewart Lee

Guest

Peter Zinovieff

Guest

Brian Hodgson

Guest

Mark Ayers

Guest

Michael Griegson

Guest

Adrian Utley

Crew

Producer

John Sugar

Share this episode