Spring Cleaning

2017-04-30: Jarvis decides it's high time for a spring clean. He ventures into an attic untouched for 15 years, sifting through records and books of poems to dust off hidden treasures. He also sorts out mislaid bags of records brought home from work and plays the new music he's discovered. Alongside this, we think about: the Gaelic May Day festival of Beltane; Honesty Day; poetry; and the best music to accompany a tidying spree. Birthdays: Alice B Toklas, Serafina Steer, Tony Harrison and Jane Campion (with dialogue from her Keats biopic Bright Star). 

Cosey Fanni Tutti

2017-04-23: Cosey Fanni Tutti drops by. The industrial music pioneer and avant-garde performance artist describes creating experimental music with Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey. She talks about drawing inspiration from her work as a striptease artiste and model, and about the controversy that beset her Prostitution show at the ICA in 1976. She also relates how she came to write her autobiography, Art Sex Music (in that order). And, as the London Marathon took place today, the listeners suggest motivational exercise tunes. Birthdays: Roy Orbison (on realising his voice was memorable), Bryce and Aaron Dessner, Michael Moore (explaining what pushes him to make his films) and Iggy Pop this week.

An Easter Sunday Service

2017-04-16: Happy Easter, everyone! Jarvis sings an Easter hymn he remembers from his schooldays. While this is a deeply spiritual time for some, for others it's all about the eggs — we hear some facts and music savouring of chocolate. From Easter 2010, there's a clip of Peter Blake telling Jarvis about his Sgt Pepper's album cover design. During an angelic track, we hear some poems written by children on the subject of spring. Plus, a reminder of Record Store Day, and a nod to the beautiful music of the film Barry Lyndon. Birthdays: Dusty Springfield (talking about identity), Joan Bakewell (wishing she could sing), Henry Mancini and Herbie Mann.

Playtime with Jarvis, with Steven Johnson

2017-04-09: Inspired by his conversation with Brian Eno, Jarvis invites Steven Johnson to talk about his book Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World. Steven tells Jarvis about how leaps forward in human knowledge have often come through our love of fun, creativity and entertainment. He starts with ancient music, bone flutes and the link between chanting and language. He shows the direct line from music boxes and player pianos to programmable music and computation. He describes how a moment of childish delight led Charles Babbage to conceive of the computer, and considers the wide-reaching influence of Daphne Oram. Looms, typewriters, calculators, bitcoin — Steven explains how technological and cultural innovation is often driven by our urge to make new music. Birthdays: Charles Baudelaire, Tom Lehrer, Hugh Hefner (making excuses), Valerie Singleton (reluctant convent girl), Seve Ballesteros (remembered by caddie Dave Musgrove) and Carl Perkins. Valete: Alessandro Alessandroni.

King Creosote Sits In

King Creosote (AKA Kenny Anderson) sits in, playing some of his favourite songs and reflecting on the recent BBC 6 Music Festival in Glasgow.