Tag Archives: culture
Inside the Mary Whitehouse diaries
Archive on Four Disgusted, Mary Whitehouse is on Radio 4 March 5th 2022 at 8pm It was back in summer 2019 that I first found out that Oxford University’s world famous Bodleian Library had just acquired the Mary Whitehouse diaries. … Continue reading
Two Gentlemen Sharing: Swinging London’s “race” picture
The films of Swinging London have been pored over and cherished ever since the 1960s. Which made Saturday’s rare BFI Southbank screening for Two Gentlemen Sharing with a Q&A with director and the two leading ladies all the more intriguing. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Film, History
Tagged 60s, culture, elitism, film, judy geeson, kitchen sink drama, London, norman rossington, robin phillips, swinging London, ted kotcheff, two gentlemen sharing
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Duran Duran and the glamour v grit music wars of the 80s
Ahead of tonightās BBC4 Duran Duran night.. There is one rather interesting section of my interview with John Taylor and Roger Taylor we couldnāt quite get into the final Front Row edit on Monday night. Ā So hereās the transcript. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 1980s, 80s, culture, Duran Duran, front row, james bond, music, pop videos
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I sense a disturbance. Everything that’s missing from The Last Jedi (some SPOILERS so see it first!!)
The scroll screen could have been written for Ep VII. As if nothing has happened. First rule of sequels: Take the story on. What’s the new line? Please hire me to write proper copy in future. Leia is unconscious for … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Film, Media, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Tagged adam driver, carrie fisher, culture, daisy ridley, Disney, errol flynn, film, Hillary Clinton, Hollywood, john boyega, kylo ren, luke skywalker], princess leia, star wars, the last jedi
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The Prisoner: An Anglo Saxon poetic meditation
Was meditating on the enduring power of The Prisoner TV series for Matthew Sweet who wrote a rather excellent piece about its 50th anniversary. If you’ve read it you know IĀ came up with a thesis that it has more … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 60s, anglo saxon, culture, media, patrick mcgoohan, the avengers, the prisoner, tv
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Filth, fury and the funny way Britain feels about Joe Orton
You never forget your first time. I was 19 years old. I descended into a dark, cramped basement where student actors brought to life a weird, twisted sexual triangle. Going to student drama productions in odd spaces around the University … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Crime and Justice, Culture, Film, Media, Radio, Theatre, TV, Uncategorized
Tagged 60s, crime, culture, dr emma parker, elitism, film, joe orton, john lahr, kenneth halliwell, Kenneth Williams, Leicester, leonie orton, literature, London, prick up your ears, satire, sheila hancock, soft touch arts, tv
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Oh Boy! Why certain Radio 1 DJs are missing believed wiped
If you sat down to watch a night of lost pop music TV shows from the 1950s, 60s and 70s, what would you expect to find?Ā Fun, nostalgia, eye popping colour and experimentation, some great music. What I didn’t expect … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, Media, Music, TV, Uncategorized
Tagged 50s, 60s, 70s, BBC, culture, david hamilton, debbie harry, Hot Gossip, jack good, jimmy savile, media, music, oh boy!, pete murray, top of the pops, totp, tv
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The making of The Stars of Sergeant Pepper
What are Mae West and Diana Dors doing on the cover of Sergeant Pepper’ Lonely Hearts Club band? If you feel you’ve heard too much already about the 50th anniversary of Ā the record, then fear not. Producer Luke Doran (who … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, Media, Music, Religion, Uncategorized
Tagged 60s, beatles, culture, Hollywood, media, music, Sergeant Pepper
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Stop making do. Is Britain up for mending a culture of exploitation?
A few years ago I was in a cathedral with 400 sixth formers. We were debating ethics and green living. Many seemed very concerned. “How many of you buy cheap clothes that you throw away?” I asked. I saw plenty … Continue reading
The making of Do Pass Go: boardgames in the internet age
Do Pass Go my BBC Radio 4 documentary, airing on Friday April 14th 2017, has its origins in a piece I wrote about the Libyan dictator General Gadaffi playing chess on TV in the run up to his toppling, and … Continue reading
Posted in Business/Economics, Children, Culture, Design, Games, Germany, Radio
Tagged boardgames, british museum, climate oasis, culture, dagnis skurbe, essen, friedemanm friese, FTW, Germany, grant dalgliesh, irving finkel, James wallis, jessy bradish, magic the gathering, mombasa, pandemic, royal game of ur, the dice tower, the last spike, tom vasel
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