'The Seven Ages of Rock' on BBC2/1

[Milky Tears]

Trailers started earlier in the month and it looks like the first episode is next Saturday. This'll be the "major history of rock music series" they were banging on about last year!? From the makers of Dancing in the Street, Lost Highway, Walk on By and Soul Deep.


More info below...

http://www.guitarist.co.uk/page/guit...air_seven_ages

BBC to air Seven Ages Of Rock documentary series

A new seven-part BBC 2 documentary series, airing each Saturday between 19 May and 30 June, will explore different eras of rock music through a "prism of a central wrap-around artist or group".

The titles of Seven Ages Of Rock's hour-long episodes are:

The Birth of Rock tx Sat 19th May
White Light, White Heat: Art Rock - tx Sat 26 May
Blank Generation: Punk Rock - tx Sat 2 June
Never Say Die: Heavy Metal - tx Sat June
We Are The Champions: Stadium Rock tx Sat 16 June
Left Of The Dial: American Alternative Rock tx Sat 23 June
What The World Is Waiting For: British Indie Rock tx Sat 30 June

Featuring a combination of new and archive interviews with contributors such as Roger Waters, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Phil Collins, Debbie Harry, Ozzy Osbourne, Johnny Marr, Dave Grohl, Noel Gallagher, Damon Albarn and Alex Kaprano, we reckon it could even be worth staying in for on a Saturday night ...

Lengthy article about the series in last Saturday's Times:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle1736627.ece






Programme info for first two episodes:

The Seven Ages Of Rock
The Birth Of Rock Ep 1/7
Unplaced
Day and time to be confirmed BBC TWO
www.bbc.co.uk/sevenages

BBC Two takes viewers on a journey through The Seven Ages Of Rock and explores the music that has been the soundtrack to popular culture, defining each generation since the Sixties.

From the producers of the award-winning series Dancing In The Street, Walk On By, Lost Highway and, most recently, Soul Deep, comes another landmark in television history. The Seven Ages Of Rock charts the story of rock music from the suburb to the stadium, from crackly 45s to MP3 downloads. Along the way, rock's greatest performers, singers, writers and producers reveal how rock emerged, grew, strengthened and gave a voice to each new generation.

In tonight's opening episode, The Birth Of Rock, the rock revolution of the Sixties is seen through the life and music of Jimi Hendrix. Viewers see how he became the first ultimately-doomed icon of rock. As a Delta blues man, Dylan-esque poet and a technological prophet, Hendrix was the synthesis of everything that had gone before him and all that was to come. This episode also explores the influence of R&B on a generation of British musicians such as The Rolling Stones, Cream and The Who, and how the song-writing of Bob Dylan and studio developments of The Beatles transformed the possibilities and ambitions of rock.

Next week's episode sees the likes of David Bowie, Velvet Underground, Roxy Music and Pink Floyd exploring how rock became a vehicle for artistic ideas and theatrical performance.

Julian Rhind-Tutt narrates.

The Seven Ages Of Rock
White Light, White Heat Ep 2/7
Saturday 26 May
9.10-10.10pm BBC TWO
www.bbc.co.uk/sevenages

BBC Two continues to take viewers on a journey through The Seven Ages Of Rock and explores the music that has been the soundtrack to popular culture, defining each generation since the Sixties.

Tonight's episode shows how rock became a vehicle for artistic ideas and theatrical performance. From the pop-art multi-media experiments of Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground to the sinister gentility of Peter Gabriel's Genesis, this episode traces the story of how artistic and conceptual expression permeated rock.

Viewers follow Pink Floyd from the fated art school genius of Syd Barrett via the global success of Dark Side Of The Moon to the ultimate rock theatre show The Wall. The programme also includes an extensive haul of previously unseen footage featuring early rare film of Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music and David Bowie.

Next week's episode Blank Generation tackles the legacy of punk and the bands that emerged in what was the biggest and fundamental shift in popular music since Elvis, with contributions from the likes of John Lydon, The Damned, Patti Smith and Buzzcocks.

Each episode covers a predictable era and there are some controversial omissions (see Times article above), but it should be worth watching for the archive footage.







Official site is coming soon...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/sevenages//

[SiHart]

That looks good to me. I'm sure we'll be watching.

Si xx

[Milky Tears]

But there's no sign of Iggy Pop, Led Zeppelin, Joy Division, Sonic Youth, Primal Scream, PJ Harvey, Cure, Pretenders, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Beastie Boys, Depeche Mode, Nick Cave or Prince!

[Wayne]

I'll be having a looksie. :wayne

[Pip Madeley]

I'll certainly be watching on the 26th.

[Jonno]

Gets a repeat on Sunday night BBC1, which is handy. The RT cover story has whetted my appetite.

[Milky Tears]

There's a 1973 Jimi Hendrix documentary on BBC Four straight afterwards. Followed by a repeat of The Old Grey Whistle Test Story at 11:50pm

More archive stuff on BBC Four next week as well (Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Omnibus: Cracked Actor)

[Dave Tudor]

This should be fantastic. These BBC music documentary series which come along every few summers rarely disappoint (Dancing In The Street, Walk On By, Soul Deep etc.) and I have high expectations for this.

Just so long as they don't trot out the lazy old 'prog-was-crap-punk-was-brilliant-and-came-along-and-swept-aside-the-old-guard-and-is-the-best-music-ever-blah-blah-blah' argument....

[Milky Tears]

You can see what's covered in future episodes by checking out the Featured Artists/Timeline thingy on the Seven Ages Of Rock site.

[Pip Madeley]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/sevenages/artists/genesis/

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

Inspired: Marillion - Ant knows it.

[SiHart]

I thought it was rather good.

Si xx

[Wayne]

There's a 1973 Jimi Hendrix documentary on BBC Four straight afterwards.

I managed to record the first one, & also the Hendrix docu, but not had time to watch yet. I've still got room enough on the disc for this week's, which looks interesting.

[Wayne]

I'm still recording these, & i've managed to watch the first one now, but still not seen last week's.
It's 'Punk' tonight though, which i'll probably watch as it goes out.
Yay for 1977!

[Wayne]

It's 'Punk' tonight though, which i'll probably watch as it goes out.
Yay for 1977!

That was great! Oh the nostalgia! But where were 'The Stranglers'?
John Lydon still talks utter bullshit, though.

[Rob McCow]

There's loads of rock bands missing. It seems to be a trawl through one person's record collection!

[Wayne]

I know what you mean. It's probably that dickhead journo/psuedo'expert' that's been on every week.

[Dave Tudor]

Not Charles Shaar Murray? He really irritates me!

Shamefully, although I've been taping these, I've still not watched any of them properly. Even while last week's was on, I had some friends round and we were talking through most of it. There was some wonderful footage of the Floyd, though.

[Wayne]

Not Charles Shaar Murray? He really irritates me!

That's him!

[Jonno]

Half watching this right now, and unless I'm much mistaken they seemed to be comparing the riff of Pretty Vacant with that of Abba's SOS!

[Milky Tears]

That's where Glen Matlock always claimed it came from.

[Dino]

This show is just YE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHARLES SHARR MURRAY.
Dancing in the street was a better show.
and The Rock'N'Roll Years was better than both.
Have to watch it on subtitles, so I can press mute whenever Charles opens his gob.

[Milky Tears]

Episode Four...

The Seven Ages of Rock – Never Say Die Ep 4/7
Saturday 9 June
9.20-10.20pm BBC TWO
www.bbc.co.uk/sevenages

BBC Two continues to take viewers on a journey through The Seven Ages Of Rock and tonight shifts the focus towards heavy metal.

The longest surviving, and certainly the loudest, genre in rock is a worldwide phenomenon. With no intention of going away, metal has been the most controversial and misunderstood of all rock genres. Emerging at the tail end of the hippy dream, from the rust belt of industrial England, heavy metal would go on to conquer the world, securing in the process the most loyal fan base of all. With Black Sabbath as the undisputed godfathers, tonight's programme, narrated by Julian Rhind-Tutt, follows their highs and lows and, along the journey, meets Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Metallica.

Next week's episode, We Are The Champions – Stadium Rock, follows the development of some of the biggest names in rock in the Seventies and Eighties (among them Queen, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, The Police and Dire Straits) and examines how – with events such as Live Aid and the rise of MTV – rock achieved a global influence on culture and politics. The film shows how, in the early Nineties, U2 effectively brought this era to a close, rediscovering what it meant to be a successful rock band and reinventing the big rock show so completely that, 15 years later, most major rock tours are still pale facsimiles of Zoo TV and Popmart.

is followed by some decent archive stuff on BBC Four:

Saturday 9th June

10:10 pm Alice Cooper: Welcome to my Nightmare
Music documentary based on Alice Cooper's 1975 tour, hosted by Vincent Price. Includes behind the scenes footage and hits including Only Women Bleed, No More Mr Nice Guy and School's Out. [1975] [S]

11:10 pm Iron Maiden: Rock in Rio
Part of an eight month international tour promoting their 12th album, Iron Maiden's performance from the Rock in Rio festival 2001. Includes the hits, Run to the Hills and The Number of the Beast. [S]

Episode Five...

The Seven Ages Of Rock – We Are The Champions: Stadium Rock Ep 5/7
Saturday 16 June
9.15-10.15pm BBC TWO
www.bbc.co.uk/sevenages

BBC Two continues to take viewers on a journey through The Seven Ages Of Rock, exploring the music that has been the soundtrack to popular culture, defining each generation since the Sixties.

Tonight's episode, We Are The Champions: Stadium Rock, follows the development of some the biggest names in rock in the Seventies and Eighties – among them Queen, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, The Police and Dire Straits – and examines how, with events such as Live Aid and the rise of MTV, rock achieved a global influence on culture and politics.

The film shows how, in the early Nineties, U2 effectively brought this era to a close, rediscovering what it meant to be a successful rock band, and reinventing the big rock show so completely that, 15 years later, most major rock tours are still pale facsimiles of Zoo TV and Popmart.

Next week's episode, Left Of The Dial: American Alternative Rock, traces the history of the American underground music scene that launched the careers of bands such as REM, Nirvana and The Pixies and explores the influence of unsung pioneers including Black Flag and Husker Du.

is followed by Genesis and The Police on BBC Four:

Genesis: Invisible Touch Live at Wembley
Saturday 16 June
10:55pm - 11:55pm
BBC4

Filmed live at London's Wembley Stadium in 1988 in front of 68,000 people and featuring all of Genesis's greatest hits, including Mama, Turn It On Again, That's All, Tonight, Tonight, Tonight and Land of Confusion.

Rock Goes to College: The Police
Saturday 16 June
11:55pm - 12:35am
BBC4

Classic early live performance from the Police at Hatfield Polytechnic from 1979, including the first performance of Message in a Bottle.

Looks like Rock Goes To College is unedited this time. It was hacked to fit a half hour slot last year!

[Wayne]

I wish they'd show the Tom Robinson Band in concert which was filmed in 1978. I think it was a 'Sight & Sound: In Concert' on tv & Radio 1 at the same time, rather than 'Rock Goes To College', because i recorded it on a cassette on my Dad's Music Centre at the time.
Sadly, i the tape is long gone, but i'd love to see it again. I should write to them, or something!

[Wayne]

It's 'Heavy Metal' tonight. Will Ant & Raston be watching?

I'll be checking out the old Purple & Sabs footage, & turning off when it gets to Iron Railing. (Just kidding)

[Wayne]

It's like a documentary of all the reasons why i went seriously off Heavy Rock in the early 80's.
Judas Priest's biggest contribution was wearing leather & studs.
Motely Crue! Laughable & awful at the same time.
Early Bruce Dickinson/Maiden are class act next to these guys!