John Wilson continues with the fifth series of Mastertapes, the programme in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Programme 5. Steel Pulse's 'Handsworth Revolution' with David Hinds and Selwyn Brown. Originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School in 1975, Steel Pulse were initially refused live dates in Birmingham's Caribbean venues because of their...

John Wilson continues with the fifth series of Mastertapes, the programme in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Programme 4 (B-side): Having discussed the making of 'East Side Story' (in the A-side of the programme, broadcast on Monday 28th December and available online), Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook respond to questions from the audience and...

John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Programme 3. Squeeze's 'East Side Story' with Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford. Originally intended as a four-sided double LP with each side using a different producer (Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello), East Side Story was released in 1981 as a...

John Wilson returns with a new series of Mastertapes, in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Future programmes in the series include Donovan discussing 'Sunshine Superman', Steel Pulse returning to 'Handsworth Revolution' and Squeeze talking about 'East Side Story' Programme 2 (B-side): Having discussed the making of 'Rhythm & Blues at the...

John Wilson returns with a new series of Mastertapes, in which he talks to leading artists about the album that made them or changed them. Future programmes in the series include Donovan discussing 'Sunshine Superman', Steel Pulse returning to 'Handsworth Revolution' and Squeeze talking about 'East Side Story' Series 5, Programme 1, A-side. 'Rhythm & Blues At The Flamingo' with Georgie Fame At the age of 16, former apprentice cotton weaver, Clive Powell, successfully auditioned for pop...

Programme 10: B-side 'Theology' by Sinéad O'Connor John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live...

John Wilson continues with the latest series of Mastertapes, in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 10: A-side 'Theology' by...

John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 10, the B-side. Having discussed the making of...

John Wilson continues with the latest series of Mastertapes, in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 9, A-side. 'Noel Gallagher's...

John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 8, the B-side. Having discussed the making of "A...

John Wilson continues with the series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 7, A-side. 'A Tonic For The Troops' Named after a...

John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Programme 3. Manic Street Preachers' 'THe Holy Bible' with Sean Moore, James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire. Released a mere five months before the disappearance of main lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards, The Holy Bible reflects his fragile mental state. On its...

John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 6, the B-side. Having discussed the making of her...

John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Programme 5. 'Ayé' with Angélique Kidjo John Wilson talks to the Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and activist from Benin about her breakthrough album Ayé released in 1994 and hears her perform exclusive versions of key tracks. With songs including "Agolo," "Adouma" and...

John Wilson continues with his series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 2, the B-side. Having discussed the making of "The...

John Wilson chats to Rufus Wainwright about his life-changing album, 2003's Want One. Rufus tells the stories behind some of those songs, and sings and performs solo piano. As Rufus says himself, he has no filter. The two meet in a stylishly transformed Maida Vale Studio. Rufus also sings a cappella a song he composed after the death of his mother, the singer Kate McGarrigle. The programme features footage from a young Rufus' first ever song recording, as part of a Canadian children's film.

John Wilson returns with a new series of Mastertapes, in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Future programmes in the series include Manic Street Preachers discussing "The Holy Bible", Angelique Kidjo returning to "Aye" and Sinead O'Connor talking about "Theology" Programme 1. "Want One" with singer-songwriter-composer Rufus Wainwright. The son of...

Soul II Soul, the B-side. Having discussed the making of "Club Classics Vol 1", the breakthrough album from Soul II Soul (in the A-side of the programme, broadcast on Monday 25th November and available online), Jazzie B and Caron Wheeler respond to questions from the audience. Jazzie talks more about his own roots as a musician and Soul II Soul perform live versions of tracks from the album.

John Wilson talks to Jazzie B and Caron Wheeler of Soul II Soul about their 1989 album 'Club Classics Vol 1' including the global hit Back to Life. Including exclusive performance by the whole band. Soul II Soul is one of the most successful British black groups of all time. Their ethos of 'a happy face, a thumping bass for a loving race' and the sound of their debut album, released in 1989, defined a time and place in the UK's musical history. Featuring the huge hits 'Back To Life' and...

John Wilson continues with his Radio 4 series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 4 (B-side). Having discussed the making of...

John Wilson talks to musicians about the album that made or changed them. Edwyn Collins discusses and plays from "Gorgeous George", his best known solo album which includes the hit song "A Girl Like You". Complete versions of the songs performed in the programme (and others) can be heard on the 'Mastertapes' pages on the Radio 4 website, where the programmes can also be downloaded and other musical goodies accessed. Edwyn Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning songwriter who has enjoyed...

John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 3 (B-side). Having discussed the making of...

John Wilson returns with a new series of Mastertapes, in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 3, A-side. "Tigerlily" with Natalie...

John Wilson continues with his new series in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 2, the B-side. Having discussed the making of "If...

John Wilson returns with a new series of Mastertapes, in which he talks to leading performers and songwriters about the album that made them or changed them. Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios. Each edition includes two episodes, with John initially quizzing the artist about the album in question, and then, in the B-side, the audience puts the questions. Both editions feature exclusive live performances. Programme 2, A-side. "If I Could Only Remeber...