Synth Britannia: Stuff About Stuff
Post categories: TV, classic pop & rock
|14:57 UK time, Thursday, 22 October 2009
We don't just make programmes at the BBC, we make social objects - and social media is enhancing their power to affect people, as is explored by this blog post at Faster Future. It's an interesting idea, that things like Twitter and blogging create conversations around programmes, gigs and the like, increasing their resonance as a social object, so you can be affected by them even if you've never seen them. This particular blogger downloads Tubeway Army's Replicas, not because he's seen Synth Britannia, but because he's inspired by the conversations about the programme on Twitter.
There's a pleasing degree of chat about the programme on Twitter, generally positive, and it's interesting to see how the programme leads to the production of lists and suggestions, including a Spotify playlist which broadens out the original playlist to include tracks by Joe Meek, Bill Nelson and S-Express.
At the BBC we're attempting to explore the content generated by our programmes at Shownar, which has a page for Synth Britannia. The idea behind Shownar is to monitor activity around BBC shows on BBC Online and the wider web (blogs, Twitter and the like), and work out which are currently gaining the most attention. Worth a look, and definitely a way of making some interesting journeys around the web.
Related Posts
Synth Britannia & JG Ballard
Reflections on making Synth Britannia & Krautrock
Comment number 1.
At 10:22 18th Nov 2009, Mahala Marcet wrote:Hey, My name is Mahala and we posted Synth Britannia Doc in our website, [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
Thank you!!
Mahala Marcet
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Comment number 2.
At 07:24 28th Mar 2010, Brian wrote:Synth Britannia was wonderful for me as I was that kid, there, at that time totally identifying and feeling the possibilities. I visited the Rum Runner in Birmingham and various clubs in Leeds, Hull and Manchester so it was truly refreshing to see a depiction of that movement that wasn't based around the Blitz kids et al. Until now, the self-promoting fashionistas (George, Spandau, Rusty Egan) have tried to annex that era of music as their own. The programme was most eloquent by omitting all mention of them.
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Comment number 3.
At 07:33 28th Mar 2010, Brian wrote:As an aside, there were some sad ommissions:
On the 80s electronic front there's also Homosapien by Pete Shelley (great 12" mix, but maybe a bit too pop for you?).
Essential from that era is No GDM by Gina X Performance if you want a sinuous bass, Dietrich-esque vocal and seriously queer lyric.
As is the original 12" of Celebrate and the album mix of I Travel by Simple Minds for harsh, bleak synths. Nothing like their later stadium bombast. Pure genius. (Changeling is good too).
Moving on -
Check out Fini Tribe. De Destimonie is great and Electrolux is fun ("nothing sucks like an electrolux"!).
DAF (Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft) should be noted, especially Der Mussolini.
If you want raucous vocals, an addictive synth-line, heavy guitars and pumping beats, try Killing Joke's Follow The Leaders.
Later disciples? - Nitzer Ebb for sure, especially Murderous and Join In The Chant.
Headhunter by Front 242 has ambiguous lyrics all about laying a trap to "catch the man" and a throbbing synth-bass.
You can find all of these on You Tube to check out.
Synth Britannia? Ace!
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Comment number 4.
At 01:47 23rd May 2010, balloony wrote:But no mention of Tronics or Zarjaz. Incredible as the last shot was of someone wearing a 2000ad t shirt. Not really reliable as a source of information.
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