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.

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').

Adam Curtis (3)

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).

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.

Film Music, Bees and the Sea Organ

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. 

Speed of Life: Jarvis Cocker Pays Tribute to David Bowie

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...)

Jarvis Celebrates Shakespeare, Giorgio Moroder and More

2015-04-26: Shakespeare was baptised on this day back in 1564, so much of the music in this show has a Shakespearean link. There are insights from a BBC documentary about the playwright, as well as clips from recordings and classic film versions of the works. Plus, there's a special spoken-word piece by Nick Cave, and some audio art pieces from an exhibition at Sheffield's Site Gallery. Birthdays include Giorgio Moroder, Ma Rainey and Duane Eddy.

NICOLAS ROEG

Jarvis chats with influential director Nicolas Roeg about his philosophy, techniques and the wealth of wisdom he has garnered over 50 years of film-making. 

The Sound of Cinema

As part of the BBC's Sound of Cinema season, Jarvis visits Pinewood Shepperton's sound effects studio to meet Foley professionals Peter Burgis and Glen Gathard. They provide him with an insight into how cinematic sound effects are created and mixed, why films require ambient sounds both big and small, and who gave the process the name of Foley. Then they draw on their vast array of props to aurally 'illustrate' a spooky story scribbled by Jarvis. On This Day, Jason Lewis finished pedalling his way around the globe, and the first talkie, The Jazz Singer, opened. This week's recipe is for apple strudel. Birthdays: Le Corbusier, Carole Lombard (a clip from 1942 film To Be or Not to Be), Glenn Branca, William Butler (remembering his first guitar), Britt Ekland (what is the enduring appeal of The Wicker Man?) and Stanley Kramer last week.

The Maudlin Megamix

With a major birthday approaching, Jarvis muses over the autumnal change in the air. He asks listeners about our must-have music for birthdays. The BBC's Sound of Cinema season gets a mention, and On This Day, Lehman Brothers imploded. We wonder whether the unearthly beauty of the glass harmonica ever really sent anyone mad. Then it's time for a 50th birthday Maudlin Megamix, during which Jarvis reads the story Forever Overhead by David Foster Wallace, about an adolescent boy taking his first tentative dive into the unknown. Today in history, Winston Churchill reminds us, was the climax of the Battle of Britain. And we cheer ourselves up with this video. This week's recipe: pizza. Birthdays: Oliver Stone (arguing that we are addicted to greed), Ben Wallers, Cannonball Adderley, Bruno Hoffmann, Sophie Dahl (on why she loves cooking) and Jimmy Carr (with a quick quip).

September 1, 2013

Jarvis returns with tales of his summer adventures! Including surviving the absolutely boiling weather; the Venice Biennale; the Big Melt in Sheffield; the End of the Road Festival; a Beck-inspired concert at the Barbican; the Despacio project in Manchester; the Rory McEwen exhibition at Kew; and at a lakeside cocktail bar, an entertainer making a surprising song choice. Today in history, World War II began — Stephen Fry recites WH Auden's poem about that day — Martha the last Passenger Pigeon died, the Cod Wars started, and Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea was published. Plus, what could replace The A-Z of Peel: perhaps recipes for Sunday lunch? Birthdays: Edgar Rice Burroughs (we learn Tarzan's language), AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (founder of Krishna Consciousness), Johann Pachelbel, Violet Carson (in character as Ena Sharples), Barry Gibb (recalling the Saturday Night Fever premiere), Bruce Foxton (on lyric-writing), Gloria Estefan and Armi Aavikko (video).

Blue Monday Recipe

Resistance is futile: let the Sunday Service flow through your circuits. The Melomics organisation created music for us using the keywords 'relaxing/Sunday/mellow': was it successful, or can the listeners do better? On This Day, the Miners' Strike ended, the second Opium War started, HSBC was founded and the opera Carmen premiered. Jarvis shares nocturnal sounds from his tropical holiday. This week, New Order's Blue Monday is 30 years old. But what were the secret ingredients of this groundbreaking hit? Its creators give us a flavour. We hear about disappointing birthdays from This American Life. Also today in history, the USA adopted The Star-Spangled Banner as its national anthem and 1933 film King Kong was released. The Peel U is for The Ukrainians. Birthdays: Robyn Hitchcock (discussing religion and belief), Tone-Lōc, Arthur Machen, Ira Glass, Jennifer Warnes, Brian Cox (contemplating Saturn), Ronald Searle (with some wise advice) and Alexander Graham Bell.

The Sound of the Underground

Celebrating 150 years of the London Underground, Jarvis takes us on an exuberant ride through the subway systems of London, Paris and beyond. There are Tube facts and a recording of Jarvis's Metro ride today. Emma Clarke explains how she became one of the voices of the Underground network. We travel further: today is the beginning of Chinese New Year, we glimpse Russia, then we reach the deepest realm there is. Back to reality with the rubbish morning commute; it's time to spice up the journey with Poems on the Underground and some naughtiness on the NY Subway. The Peel S is for The Sabres of Paradise. We take a detour into the world of chess, as On This Day Garry Kasparov was beaten by Deep Blue. We alight and our magical Tube train hurtles away. Birthdays: Bertolt Brecht, Boris Pasternak, Roberta Flack, Jerry Goldsmith, Jimmy Durante. Valete: Reg Presley.

Paris Trip

On a crisp winter's day, Jarvis takes us sightseeing around Paris. He walks us from the BBC's Paris studio, up the Champs-Élysées to a record shop. Then he reads about the Gare du Nord and its statues representing European destinations. Today in 2009, Barack Obama was inaugurated, and in 1986 the first Martin Luther King Day was celebrated. There's arcane spoken word from The North Sea Scrolls. The rowdy Peel P is for Panacea. 16 January is when the French do their New Year's thanksgiving: pianist Nils Frahm gives thanks for his unbroken digits. After the Louvre, we warm up with a hot toddy. Birthdays: Clarice Cliff, Hachidai Nakamura, Eric Stewart, David Lynch (who discusses his creative process), Gary Barlow (lamenting his early lyric-writing), DeForest Kelley, Buzz Aldrin (marvelling at the moon landing), Tom Baker (Jarvis does an impression of him), Federico Fellini (considering neorealism), Slim Whitman and Josef Hofmann.

Scott Walker (1)

We begin with facts about the Andes and the Andean condor, as Jarvis has been gigging in South America. Scott Walker pays a visit to chat about his album Bish Bosch. Jarvis asks about his writing process and recalls their time working together on a Pulp album. Scott discusses how he's influenced by visual art and cinema, performing 'in character', and slipping humour into his lyrics. Plus, how Ceaușescu inspired a Christmas song! On This Day, toddler Pu Yi ascended the Chinese throne, Napoleon crowned himself emperor (Stuart Hall explains why Napoleon is his hero) and Ringo Starr had his tonsils out. The Peel L is for Laibach. Birthdays: Maria Callas (advising on performance), Julie Harris (reading a poem about winter) and Britney Spears.

Art and Lux

 

Clips from Lux Interior's 1984 Purple Knif radio show feature throughout the programme. Guest Art Garfunkel unfortunately couldn't make it, but Jarvis still shares related facts and tracks, and reads the poetic sleevenotes from Garfunkel's retrospective new record The Singer. Today is both National Apple Day and International Day of the Nacho: could the two be combined? The Peel G is Gallon Drunk. Sheffield's Site Gallery has an exhibition by Pilvi Takala — there's audio from one of her films, a Finnish professional poker player describing his life in Bangkok. And do you regard Jarvis as a part of the furniture? If so, he hopes you find him comfortable. Birthdays: Lux Interior, Leonard Rossiter (his daughter considers Rigsby), Julian Cope (on his bad eyesight), Georg Solti (on peace), Steve Cropper, Rose McDowall, Peter Mandelson (is politics like showbusiness?) and Matthew Friedberger.

Africa Express II

Tolstoy's thoughts on permanent moral revolution begin the show. Last night, Jarvis introduced a concert by Richard Hawley and the BBC Philharmonic. Listeners suggest tracks to accompany a DIY session. On This Day, an unfortunate moth became the first computer bug; and Elvis made his debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. More news from the Africa Express: The Temper Trap have made a brief audio diary about their experiences. Jarvis mulls over moving house, procrastination, and a sci-fi film about a Nazi space programme. The Peel B is Babes in Toyland. And as Jarvis said before in Wireless Nights, he finds Hugh Grant a reassuring presence on a night flight. Birthdays: Leo Tolstoy, Pamela Des Barres (on Elvis the bad kisser and Captain Beefheart), Sylvia Miles, Otis Redding (described by Jerry Butler), Colonel Sanders, Michael Butler, Adam Sandler and Hugh Grant (recalling his start in showbiz).

I Don't Believe in Jarvis

It's a grey afternoon, so let's get cosy. We hear about the album http://www.itstartshear.com. John Lennon explains his infamous 'bigger than Jesus' remark, made On This Day. Jarvis talks about car boot sale record finds: he shares his best (featuring musical game O'Grady Says) and his worst. He also grumbles about The Iron Lady's Oscar win and plays some film music, including the theme from The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner: he reads some of the original story. Jeremy Deller has an exhibition at The Hayward Gallery and has produced a record by a busker named Chuck. Plus: disco Star Wars, panpipes, weather-themed music, and today in 1861 the Confederate States adopted the stars and bars. Finally, some Monkees-related songs to mark the passing of Davy Jones. Birthdays: Paul Mauriat, Alan Sillitoe, Angus MacLise, Bobby Womack, Sam Taylor-Wood, Patrick Moore (talking to Frank Sidebottom), Kenny Dalglish and Stina Nordenstam.

Oscars Music with JONNY TRUNK

As tonight is the Academy Awards, Jarvis describes the Oscar statuette: more facts about it appear throughout the show.  This Day in history was significant for road signalling, so the Monty Python team drone mournfully about traffic lights.  Jarvis talks to record expert Jonny Trunk about Oscar-winning music, and we hear tracks from Dumbo, The Elephant Man, Doctor Zhivago, The Sterile Cuckoo, The Sting and The Artist.  Marking Johnny Cash's 80th birthday, there's a megamix tribute.  In the inaugural 'settee theatre', Raina Lampkins-Fielder and Jarvis act out the story In Reference to Your Recent Communications by Tessa Brown, about a love affair which has deteriorated rather alarmingly.  Birthdays: Bob Hite, Sandie Shaw (Morrissey praises her), Levi Strauss, Michel Houellebecq, Johnny Cash, Fats Domino and Erykah Badu.

In Memoriam: Dory Previn

Music and dialogue from The Valley of the Dolls open the show.  On This Day, Thomas Edison patented the phonograph, which enabled us to listen to recorded music, and New York exchanged hands.  Songwriter Dory Previn died this week on Valentine's Day.  We hear a megamix of her songs and clips of an interview in which she discusses mental health, Judy Garland, songwriting and how sad songs can be funny.  Jarvis tells the controversial story of Tyneham House in Dorset; and talks about film, including a new documentary about Serge Gainsbourg.  Plus another chance to hear Jarvis reading from The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.  Birthdays: Carson McCullers, Tony Iommi (remembering the day he lost his fingertips), Seal, Lee Marvin (on his screen persona), Nicolaus Copernicus (why he was so groundbreaking) and Beth Ditto.