Punk Britannia - one two three four..

A three part series, BBC4, John Lydon, Siouxsie, etc.

Would watch

Don Letts will be all this thing.

*over*

You never him.

Wed 30 May 22:00 BBC Four .Evidently... John Cooper Clarke Documentary about 'punk poet', comedian and recording artist John Cooper Clarke.

Fri 1 Jun 21:00 BBC Four .Punk Britannia .. Pre-Punk 1972-1976 (1/3) How London's early 1970s pub rock scene paved the way for the emergence of punk

Fri 1 Jun 23:00 BBC Four .We Who Wait: TV Smith & the Adverts The story of punk band the Adverts and the continuing music career of frontman TV Smith.

Sat 2 Jun 00:00 – 01:05 Sight and Sound in Concert (Dr Feelgood and Ian Dury) at Queen Mary College.
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Sat 2 Jun 01:05 – 01:35 Stiff at the BBC (1/2) With Stiff artists including Elvis Costello, Dr Feelgood and Ian Dury and the Blockheads. (R)

Sat 2 Jun 01:35 – 02:35 Stiff at the BBC (2/2) Performances by Madness, Ian Dury, the Pogues, Lene Lovich and Jona Lewie. (R)

Seems to be considerably more pub rock there than punk rock

I guess next week it'll broaden into new waveyness.

How long is it on for?

There's three episodes of "Punk Britannia", one on this week.

So, I guess, one next week and one the week after.

I made it look like "Punk Britannia" was 2 hours, it isn't there's a "TOTP 1977" on at 22:00 as well.

I'd like to see Wire represented at some point

Me too, but I don't think there's much film available before 'rockpalast', and certainly nowt on the bbc

Some frightening latter-day incarnations are already up -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/showcase#/collections/p00rgt7s

No John Robb?

I'll definitely be tuning in to watch this. I'll be very annoyed if The Stranglers don't feature at some point.

Those clips are unplayable in the U.S., I guess?

You could have a try, but y'know what the Auntie Beeb are like...

there are certain proxies you could try..

I think there may be an interview with Chris & Cosey at old TG haunts on this at some point.

They're in Synth Brittania but I don't think they're in this one

A bit more info here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcmusic/

Improved List:

At A Glance - Punk Programme Highlights in June:

Friday 01/06/12

6 Music Playlist 1/5: John Lydon (6 Music; midnight)

Punk Britannia 1/3: Pre-Punk 1972-1976 (BBC Four; 9pm)

Saturday 02/06/12

Classic Concert: Sex Pistols at Finsbury Park, 1996 (6 Music; 2am)

Anarchy in the UK 1/2 (6 Music; 4am)

Sunday 03/06/12

Anarchy in the UK 2/2 (6 Music; 4am)

6 Music Playlist 2/5: John Lydon pt 2 (6 Music; midday)

Now Playing @ 6 Music Punk Special (6 Music; 6pm)

Monday 04/06/12

The Live Music Hour: Siousxie and the Banshees (1981) (6 Music; 3am)

My Way: The Sid Vicious Story (6 Music; 4am)

Tuesday 05/06/12

Punky Reggae Party 1/3 (6 Music; midnight)

Wednesday 06/06/12

The Jam: Made in Britain 1/2 (6 Music; 4am)

Friday 08/06/12

Punk Britannia 2/3 (BBC Four; 9pm)

Sunday 10/06/12

6 Music Playlist 3/5: Siouxsie (6 Music; midday)

Friday 15/06/12

Punk Britannia 3/3 (BBC Four; 9pm)

Sunday 17/06/12

6 Music Playlist 4/5: Patti Smith (6 Music; midday)

Now Playing @ 6 Music Punk Special (6 Music; 6pm)

A Punk Tale of Two Cities - Vivien Goldman (6 Music; 8pm)

Sunday 24/06/12

6 Music Playlist 5/5: Captain Sensible (6 Music; midday)

MORE PROGRAMMES TO BE CONFIRMED

FYI, per the Graun Guide, the 'TOTP 1977' show on Friday isn't one of the series of repeats we've been "enjoying" weekly but a special around how the show engaged (or not) with punk.

Yes, they are doing a 'normal repeat' on thursday as well (w/ The Jam)

About time somebody something on Crass too, while we're at it

Somebody did something on Crass... or maybe thay have and I missed it?

The Pre-Punk 1972-1976 episode did nothing to persuade me that Pub Rock was anything other than a load of old pony tbh. I'd never seen the OGWT(?) clip before of Richard Williams bursting the Pub Rock bubble and predicting that the next big musical movement wouldn't come from a bunch of geezers in ther late 20s playing R&B in pubs but from 18 and 19 year olds.

In case anybody missed it, there is a very interesting documentary about Crass on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LQ1CvwF7BQ

Tom otm: pub rock seems like bullshit to me -- really how loud/'out of control' could you be in a pub then? This seems like a key question. otoh, kind of good for pub crap to get a run in a history of punk.

Punk, American style:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJoo7Tgjr8U

I recommend the Poly Styrene documentary, filmed at the time.

Should have said:

Punk brit part 2 at 21:00 BBC4 tonight.

Followed by Punk Britannia at the BBC (performances), 1 hr 30min

Then the Poly Styrene documentary, an Arena special, 1978 or so

Agree with Tom upthread, did not convince me that pub rock was any great shakes. I think my problem occurred somewhere around the beginning, where they stated that pub rock was "the first step" on the road to punk. Which would imply that pub rock was ex nihilo, and thus more revolutionary than punk, except that they clearly delineated precursors to pub rock. Wait a minute, there seems to be a problem. DOCUMENTARY MAKERS: there is hyperbole, and there is logical fallacy. Shape up, fuckos.

Having said that, the more the talking heads wittered on about how important punk was, the more I just wanted to reject it. Too much hard sell makes me think even *you* don't believe the shit you're spouting, otherwise why do you have to work so hard?

Best to ignore talking heads, esp. when it comes to punk... which I sincerely think WAS important in lots of areas

(the only sense you got out of Malcolm was when you got it for free, part 255)

In that MMac had the Sex Pistols play out of london, not necessarily being perverse, but the LonScene was mainly Pub Rock, i.e. the sort of thing that was quite 'comfortable' for blokes to listen to while stood (or sat) at the bar with a pint. Cover versions ruled. Originals were tolerated, as long as there weren't too many..

Eggs Over Easy may have laid the foundations for bands to play in pubs, but that doesn't make them the originators of punk..

Dr Feelgood was a step away from that, Ed&Hotrods another one...

Eggs Over Easy may have laid the foundations for bands to play in pubs, but that doesn't make them the originators of punk

think the doco was reasonably careful not to suggest this tbf - for my part, speaking as someone w/ a working knowledge of pub rock and enough interest to, well, watch the programme (nb I hardly watch any TV), I thought it was an interesting light on a band I'd never heard of

Well, I'd head of them, but that's about as far as I'd go.

I was pretty happy there was a programme about pub rock included in this, the last thing I wanted was yet another run around of John Lydon, Siouxsie Sioux and Stuart Maconie, there's nothing for me there. I don't think it was a great musical movement either, most of the comps I've heard from that scene are 80% bland country rock and maybe a few good songs if you're lucky, but I haven't really seen it mentioned much in these kind of programmes, and there was some really great stuff in there.

The Poly Styrene film on tonight was really touching tho

Yes, that was really good...makes you think the BBC shouldn't bother making new documentaries.

What about the Adverts' one tho?

Part 1 was pretty good TV.

Wilko Johnson is a cool guitar player.

Billy Idol: 1
Lydon: 0

Hippies go punk in Japan in 1977:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5SCWu7cMBo

What about the Adverts' one tho?

Hmmmmm, not sure it was necessary tbh. Lovely couple though.

Was asking, as I haven't watched it.

I remembered Poly's as being a good one from back then, but also haven't re-seen it yet.

Best part of the post punk episode was Colin Newman claiming "We're the underground's grumpy grandads" and Graham Lewis shaking his head, arms folded, stating "I'm not having that in" - unintentionally proving Newman's point

yeah, perfect..

actually I think you'll find the best bit of that episode was the ornaments in Garry Bushell's living room