The JCSS Archive: 2016

Jim Jarmusch

2016-11-27: Director Jim Jarmusch meets Jarvis to discuss his documentary Gimme Danger. He talks about why Iggy decided it was time for the story of The Stooges to be told, how he became involved with the project, and about his treasure hunt for rare archive performance footage. He also chats about his other film and music projects. Plus, Jarvis asks listeners to suggest film soundtrack music. Birthdays: Bruce Lee ('be water, my friend').

2016-11-20: During an art-themed weekend across the station, Jarvis chats to performance artist Marina Abramovic. Her work explores the relationship between performer and audience, the limits of the body and the possibilities of the mind. She has just written her memoir, Walk Through Walls, and talks to Jarvis about her tough childhood; discovering art; the compulsion to create; and the discomfort of her most famous piece, The Artist Is Present (2010). She also explains how Asian meditation techniques inform her work and how she has used them to help others. Plus, we hear a recording of a speech by Leonard Cohen, in which he remembers his first steps in playing guitar and songwriting. Jarvis highlights an interesting exhibition in Paris, The Great Animal Orchestra, a celebration of art, science and the music of the natural world. And listeners suggest a song with an arty connection.

2016-11-13: A special tribute to the late Leonard Cohen. Jarvis admires the depth and range of his songwriting talent, and listeners share how his music touched their lives. There are also excerpts from a live interview Jarvis conducted with Cohen in 2012, and a reading from his novel The Favourite Game. In memory of the events in Paris one year ago, there's another chance to hear Paris I Love You and Jarvis reads from You Will Not Have My Hate, a memoir by Antoine Leiris, whose wife was killed at the Bataclan theatre. Plus: be gentle with each other, as today is World Kindness Day.

2016-11-06: A tour of The Infinite Mix, an exhibition created by the Hayward Gallery and the Vinyl Factory at a former office building in central London. Audio-visual installations by 10 contemporary artists explore the interplay between sound and moving image; curator Ralph Rugoff talks about a selection of them with Jarvis. Most of the artists have composed, commissioned or remixed soundtracks that relate to the visual element of their work in surprising ways, ensuring that what you hear is just as thought-provoking as what you see. Plus, listeners choose a song in honour of America, which makes a big decision next week. Birthdays: Adolphe Sax and Mike Nichols.

2016-10-30: A special Halloween show teeming with spooky tricks and treats. Be thrilled by the eerie sound installation Requiem for 114 Radios! Be chilled by a sickly pumpkin pie recipe! Cower as Jarvis attempts apple-bobbing accompanied by a classic monster mix! Feel a creeping sense of unease at the short story, The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury by Neil Gaiman! And if all that's not enough to make you carry on screaming, tremble at some terrifying film music, and the nastiest record Jarvis has ever heard. It's not all scary stuff though — there's also a lovely personal message for Jarvis from radio legend Desmond Carrington. Phew.

2016-10-23: Autumn is upon us, so Jarvis celebrates a 'sonic harvest festival', gathering together new music from the past six months. We revisit some odd facts about the number 23 from 2011, and Jarvis thanks the stranger who treated him to some eggs. He also pays tribute to Desmond Carrington, now retiring from a long broadcasting career. Carrington's The Music Goes Round on BBC Radio 2 strongly influenced the concept of the Sunday Service — Jarvis salutes him and his cat, Golden Paws Sam. Next there's music composed for cats: creator David Teie explains the theory behind it and later listeners submit their feline feedback. And we hear highlights of an interview with Leonard Cohen. He discusses his last album, the pleasure of collaborating with his children, spirituality, songwriting… and hummingbirds. Birthdays: Anita Roddick (considering how to be a happy person).

2016-10-16: Documentary film-maker Adam Curtis tells Jarvis about his iPlayer film HyperNormalisation. The film explores his theory that our current culture is in a chronic state of uncertainty and confusion — everybody knows that the system is broken, but we carry on anyway because we haven't really got anything to replace it. He talks about capitalism; individual expression versus collective action; the role of artists; why he thinks marches and digital activism never seem to effect lasting change; the limitations of the internet; and how we need to come up with a positive approach to the future. Also in the show: for the BBC's 1970s season, fond memories of the John Peel sessions; Marconi Union's 2011 appearance on the Sunday Service; and an ingenious use for the new plastic fiver. Birthdays: Nico (revealing her only regret).

2016-10-09: Jarvis explores some startling new ideas with author Yuval Noah Harari, who talks about his book Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. Yuval contemplates the projects, dreams and nightmares that will shape the rest of this century, from overcoming death to creating artificial life. Are organisms really just algorithms and is life really just data processing? What's more valuable: intelligence or consciousness? What will happen to society, politics and daily life when non-conscious but highly intelligent algorithms know us better than we know ourselves? There's much to meditate on… Birthdays: John Lennon (reading his poetry), PJ Harvey (on performing live), Sharon Osbourne (on hotel hygiene) and Camille Saint-Saëns.

2016-10-02: Jarvis makes a welcome return to the airwaves following his summer break. He is joined by journalist Paul Morley, who discusses his recent book The Age of Bowie. Paul explores the impact and influence of David Bowie — the diverse routes to discovering his work, from poetry and lyrics to Labyrinth; the many ways he constructed his own mythology, including the David Bowie Is… exhibition; and the legacy he has left to future culture and media. Also, Jarvis shares lots of new music he encountered when he served on the Mercury Prize judging panel. On This Day, the Sunday Service appreciated the poetry of Charles Causley; and the first Peanuts cartoon appeared (creator Charles M Schulz considers the quickfire nature of comics). Birthdays: Wallace Stevens (reciting poetry) and Phil Oakey (on the creativity of hairdressers).

2016-09-11: More eclectic music choices from the multi-talented Harry Shearer, including jazz, reggae and new music from Brazil.

2016-09-04: Harry Shearer, star of The Simpsons and Spinal Tap, takes us on a tour of two great American music capitals: first to LA and its legendary recording studios; then to New Orleans, home of funky Mardi Gras carnival music like dixie, cajun and bounce.

2016-08-21: J Willgoose Esq sits in for the final time. The featured artist is Vulfpeck and once again there's a chance to appreciate a time-honoured track with Fresh Ears.

2016-08-14: J Willgoose Esq from PSB returns to share more music that he loves, including classic calypso and ska from Trinidad and Jamaica. Harry Belafonte is his featured artist for this show. We turn our Fresh Ears towards another popular hit and are treated to a Slow Jam.

2016-08-07: J Willgoose Esq from PSB returns to play us some more great music. His featured artist this time is My Morning Jacket, and there's a perennial favourite for us to consider with Fresh Ears.

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2016-07-31: J Willgoose Esq from Public Service Broadcasting sits in for the next four weeks. He highlights some first-class tracks by featured artist Talking Heads, invites us to hear a well-known record with Fresh Ears and soothes us with a Slow Jam.

2016-07-24: Liela Moss sits in for the last time, spinning psychedelic nuggets as the BBC's My Generation series reaches the 1960s.

2016-07-17: Liela Moss from The Duke Spirit returns to spin some more of her favourite tracks.

2016-07-10: Liela Moss from The Duke Spirit returns to spin some more of her favourite tracks.

2016-07-03: Liela Moss from The Duke Spirit sits in for the month of July, spinning some of her favourite tracks.

2016-06-26: Henry Rollins sits in for Jarvis for one last time, playing more tracks from his extensive record collection.

2016-06-19: Henry Rollins returns to play more tracks from his extensive record collection.

2016-06-12: Henry Rollins returns to play more tracks from his extensive record collection.

2016-06-05: Musician and broadcaster Henry Rollins sits in across the month of June, playing a variety of tracks from his extensive record collection.

2016-05-29: To tie in with the new series of Springwatch on TV, BBC 6 Music celebrates the spring bank holiday with naturalist Chris Packham. Happily roaming the trails of RSPB Minsmere nature reserve, Chris and wildlife sound recordist Gary Moore discuss birdsong, music and all things vernal.

2016-05-22: John Grant sits in for the final time with an eclectic mix of rare and remarkable tracks.

2016-05-15: John Grant returns with another eclectic mix of rare and remarkable tracks.

2016-05-08: John Grant returns with another eclectic mix of rare and remarkable tracks.

2016-05-01: Singer-songwriter John Grant sits in for Jarvis Cocker armed with a handful of Sunday synth goodness.

2016-04-10: An episode devoted to music of the 1950s, as part of BBC Music's My Generation season. Musician Richard Hawley grew up in a home filled with Fifties vinyl: music which would later influence his own songwriting and guitar style. Here he shares his favourite records of the era.

Here's a little message from me, the girl who runs this blog:

Apologies for the radio silence here! In recent months I've been dealing with a sudden bereavement, so haven't been up to updating the archive or replying to comments for a while.

I haven't abandoned JCSS, but have missed a few episodes with guest presenters. I don't have all the John Cooper Clarke ones or those with Bobby Friction. I've got the others though, and will post about them before summer is out, though.

Hope you like the fresh new look, I thought we could do with an update. It's still a work in progress: some pages/comments have just disappeared temporarily, they aren't lost.

Looking forward to Jarvis returning in the autumn. Hope to be back to normal soon. Thanks for your patience - Sophie x

Guest Presenters - Summer 2016:

2016-03-06 ~ Bobby Friction sits in (1/3)
2016-03-13 ~ Bobby Friction sits in (2/3)
2016-03-20 ~ Bobby Friction sits in (3/3)
2016-03-27 ~ John Cooper Clarke sits in (11)
2016-04-03 ~ John Cooper Clarke sits in (12)
2016-04-10 ~ Richard Hawley sits in
2016-04-17 ~ John Cooper Clarke sits in (13)
2016-04-24 ~ John Cooper Clarke sits in (14)
2016-05-01 ~ John Grant sits in (1/4)
2016-05-08 ~ John Grant sits in (2/4)
2016-05-15 ~ John Grant sits in (3/4)
2016-05-22 ~ John Grant sits in (4/4)
2016-05-29 ~ Chris Packham sits in
2016-06-05 ~ Henry Rollins sits in (1/4)
2016-06-12 ~ Henry Rollins sits in (2/4)
2016-06-19 ~ Henry Rollins sits in (3/4)
2016-06-26 ~ Henry Rollins sits in (4/4)
2016-07-03 ~ Liela Moss sits in (1/4)
2016-07-10 ~ Liela Moss sits in (2/4)
2016-07-17 ~ Liela Moss sits in (3/4)
2016-07-24 ~ Liela Moss sits in (4/4)
2016-07-31 ~ J Willgoose Esq sits in (1/4)
2016-08-07 ~ J Willgoose Esq sits in (2/4)
2016-08-14 ~ J Willgoose Esq sits in (3/4)
2016-08-21 ~ J Willgoose Esq sits in (4/4)
2016-09-04 ~ Harry Shearer sits in (1/2)
2016-09-11 ~ Harry Shearer sits in (2/2)
2016-09-18 ~ John Cooper Clarke sits in (15)
2016-09-25 ~ John Cooper Clarke sits in (16)

[Jarvis returned to the Sunday slot on 2016-10-02.]

Richard Hines

2016-02-28: It's the Oscars tonight: we're led onto a 'red carpet of the mind', where we hobnob with stars past and present. Jarvis remarks that his personal Best Film award would go to Kes (dir. Ken Loach, 1969). His guest is Richard Hines, brother of A Kestrel for a Knave author Barry Hines. Richard has written a memoir, No Way But Gentlenesse: A Memoir of How Kes, My Kestrel, Changed My Life. He reveals how his boyhood fascination for falconry inspired the story, shares anecdotes about working as an advisor on the film, and talks eloquently about his love of hawks and his passion for education. On This Day: the final episode of M*A*S*H aired. Birthdays: Harry H Corbett, Brian Jones and Mike Figgis.

News Time: Jarvis will be away from the Sunday Service for a few months and he will return in October.

2016-02-21: Jarvis talks about last week's BBC 6 Music Festival; and tells us that artist Elizabeth Peyton is in the studio painting him at work. The first Polaroid camera was revealed today in 1947. We hear the traits of Pisces. As David Foster Wallace was born on this day, Jarvis reads excerpts from This Is Water, a speech that he made in 2005 about living a compassionate life. There's a section about the humble telephone, in honour of the first phone directory being issued this day in 1878. Today in 1958, the CND peace symbol was designed. And with the Brit Awards approaching, Jarvis recalls the notorious 1996 ceremony and tells us how David Bowie intervened to restore his reputation. Plus, what piece of music scared or unsettled the listeners when we were children? Birthdays: Johnny Echols, Douglas Bader, WH Auden (Lindsay Duncan recites Stop All the Clocks), Matthew Herbert, Léo Delibes, Alan Rickman (reciting Shakespeare's Sonnet 130) and Jean-Jacques Burnel.

2016-02-14: No Sunday Service this week. Instead, Steve Lamacq presents coverage of the 6 Music Festival in Bristol.

States of Mind

2016-02-07: Curator Emily Sargent talks to Jarvis about States of Mind, an exhibition at the Wellcome Collection. It explores issues around consciousness, including identity, perception, synaesthesia, somnambulism and memory disorders. Throughout the show, Jarvis reads from the book which accompanies the exhibition; and the music bed comes from William Basinski's Disintegration Loop series, music archived on magnetic tape which has deteriorated rather beautifully. And listeners suggest music tracks that can alter our own states of mind. On This Day, a film premiered about a puppet who gains consciousness, Disney's Pinocchio. We also hear an extract from Stephen Hawking's recent Reith Lecture. Birthdays: Danny Goffey, Ray Mears (on his fascination with forests), Charles Dickens (Armando Iannucci enthuses about the author), King Curtis, Ashton Kutcher, Emo Philips (on visiting the school psychologist), Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Juliette Gréco and Eddie Izzard. Valete: Maurice White.

2016-01-31: Inspired by some graceful Vivaldi on a Bond soundtrack, Jarvis asks listeners for a piece of music that we discovered thanks to a film. He shows us a strange track composed by film director and meditator David Lynch. He also reads out the traits of Aquarius, and shares a hippy record he picked up in Hamburg. On This Day, Scotch Tape was first marketed. As the weather outside is so dreich, we imagine ourselves on a warm, sunny afternoon, surrounded by the buzzing of bees. (Find out more here about BE/One a 'transcendental drone symphony' created by 40,000 bees and 12 musicians.) We're also lulled by the sound of Croatia's Sea Organ, an architectural instrument which plays music using the waves of the sea. Birthdays: Philip Glass, Phil Manzanera, John Lydon, Alan Lomax, Tallulah Bankhead, Lloyd Cole, Norman Mailer and Derek Jarman.

2016-01-24: Dr John Cooper Clarke sits in for Jarvis again, with a healthy helping of punk, crooners and old-fashioned R&B. He prescribes tracks from featured album 'Looking Stateside: 80 US R&B, Mod, Soul and Garage Nuggets' and even treats us to one of his own records, as it references Ernest Borgnine who was born this day in 1917. The Sabbath Special comes courtesy of Sam Cooke and The Soul Stirrers.

2016-01-17: In a show recorded ad hoc in his spare room in Paris, Jarvis presents his personal celebration of the life and times of David Bowie, who died on 10th January 2016. (Full description under the cut...)

2016-01-10: Six years ago, the BBC broadcast the very first episode of JCSS. There's another chance to hear the short story by Richard Brautigan which featured in that first show. On This Day in 1985, the Sinclair C5 was launched: we hear the unmistakeable drone of a ZX Spectrum game loading. Jarvis salutes heavy metal legend Lemmy Kilmister, who died last month. He recalls working with him at the Meltdown Festival and we also hear quotes by Lemmy himself and music from Motörhead, Hawkwind and Sam Gopal. Jarvis tells us the traits of the sign Capricorn and asks listeners: what music did you get for Christmas? Birthdays: Don Letts, Barbara Hepworth, Jerry Wexler, Ray Bolger and Rod Stewart.

2016-01-03: More highlights from 2015 on the Sunday Service. Featuring birthday boys Sid Vicious and Dennis Bergkamp, Tom Jones and Prince, Rowan Williams and Douglas Gordon. We heard about Bob Dylan's electric experiments. Jarvis visited the Phonogalerie in Paris and also learned about the birth of mp3. Hot Chip, Sparks and Green Gartside sat in when he was away. Barcode melodies gave us new insight into the possibilities of peanut butter. Paul Morley wrote a book with Grace Jones, and Seamus Murphy wrote a book with PJ Harvey. David Eagleman made sense of the mysteries of the mind. And Jarvis made something to show his love for Paris.

2015-12-27: A look back at the year on the Sunday Service. Featuring the interview with artist Christian Marclay, the flight into outer space with Yuri Gagarin and the journey into inner space on Bicycle Day. Steve Davis gave Jarvis a snooker masterclass. Amongst those who sat in when Jarvis was away were Jonny Trunk and John Cale. We voted for Britain's Favourite Bird and we enjoyed Glastonbury. And there was an outstanding turn from special guest Furby.

2015-12-20: Seasonal edition with the murmur of a Christmas party in the background. Jarvis reads out thoughtful letters to Santa from Thom Yorke, Tim Minchin and Victoria Hislop (found here); shares some dreadful cracker jokes; and asks listeners for a song that sums up what we'd like for Christmas. A selection of the JCSS Awards nominations are played and the winners for Mellowest Track and Best Title are announced. Plus: we hear the characteristics of Sagittarius. On This Day, the Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life was released (James Stewart recalls how he heard about the film idea from Frank Capra). Birthdays: Uri Geller and Joe Cornish.

2015-12-13: With only 12 sleeps to go until Christmas, Jarvis meets contemporary classical composer Max Richter to talk about his 'lullaby for a frenetic world', Sleep. The eight-hour piece premiered on BBC Radio 3 live from the Wellcome Collection in London, where the slumbering audience lay in beds and the musicians played in shifts. Max discusses his interest in exploring the relationship between music and the subconscious mind. Jarvis recites a dreamy snippet of Coleridge and the listeners suggest some sedative sounds of our own. Plus: another nod to the Paris climate change talks, and on this day the last ever moonwalk took place — just how would you get to sleep on the moon? Birthdays: Jackie Clune, Jamie Foxx, Tom Verlaine and Lester Bangs.

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