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Midge and Kim explore the American influences that shaped Scottish music, look at the punk and folk backdrop to Irish music and delve into the Welsh merger of folk and punk.

Two 80s icons explore the distinct sounds that came out of different parts of Britain and Ireland in one of pop's golden decades.

Midge Ure, lead singer of Ultravox and one of the men behind Band Aid, and Kim Appleby, who had a string of hits with her sister Mel in the Stock, Aitken and Waterman-produced band Mel and Kim, go on a journey back in time to the 80s to figure out why certain cities produced their own diverse tunes.

It's a fascinating tale. Emerging from the ashes of punk, British and Irish music ripped up the pop rule book in the 80s and topped the charts worldwide. But there was no definitive 'British' pop sound. Innovative chart-toppers were being produced by artists hailing from all over the UK and Ireland.

In this second episode, Midge and Kim explore the sounds that came from Scotland, Ireland and Wales. They start in Glasgow with the American influences that shaped a substantial part of Scottish music, look at the punk and folk backdrop to Irish music and, finally, delve into the Welsh merger of folk and punk.

The show features evocative archive, superb music and interviews with significant figures, like Bob Geldof, Clare Grogan from Altered Images, Pat Kane from Hue and Cry, Moya Brennan of Clannad and Mike Peters from legendary Welsh band The Alarm.

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Sex Pistols

    Anarchy In The UK

  • 厂鈥椭虫辫谤别蝉蝉

    Theme From S'Express

    Remix Artist: Detlef.
  • Sex Pistols

    Anarchy In The UK

  • Gary Numan

    Cars

  • Gary Numan

    Cars

  • 厂鈥椭虫辫谤别蝉蝉

    Theme From S'Express

    Remix Artist: Detlef.
  • Gary Numan

    Cars

  • 厂鈥椭虫辫谤别蝉蝉

    Theme From S-Express

  • The Proclaimers

    I'm on My Way

  • Simple Minds

    Don't You (Forget About Me)

  • Edwyn Collins

    Falling and Laughing

  • The Byrds

    All I Really Want To Do (Album Version)

  • Orange Juice

    Lovesick

  • Altered Images

    Don't Talk to Me About Love

  • Siouxsie and the Banshees

    Hong Kong Garden

  • Altered Images

    Happy Birthday

  • Altered Images

    Happy Birthday

  • Altered Images

    I Could Be Happy

  • Stevie Wonder

    Living For The City

  • Aztec Camera

    Oblivious

  • Orange Juice

    Rip It Up

  • Stevie Wonder

    Living For The City

  • Hue and Cry

    Labour Of Love

  • Deacon Blue

    Dignity

  • Wet Wet Wet

    Wishing I Was Lucky

  • Texas

    I Don't Want A Lover

  • Thin Lizzy

    The Boys Are Back In Town

  • Stiff Little Fingers

    At The Edge

  • The Undertones

    My Perfect Cousin

  • Thin Lizzy

    Dublin

  • U2 (In The Name of Love)

    Pride

  • Clannad

    In A Lifetime (feat. Bono)

  • Clannad

    An Gabhar Ban

  • Clannad

    Newgrange

  • Enya

    Orinoco Flow

  • 10cc

    I'm Not In Love

  • Clannad

    Theme from Harry's Game

  • Enya

    Orinoco Flow

  • The Boomtown Rats

    I Don't Like Mondays

  • The Boomtown Rats

    I Don't Like Mondays

  • Johnny Keating & The Z Men

    Theme From Z Cars

  • Band Aid

    Do They Know It's Christmas?

  • Spandau Ballet

    Gold

  • Ultravox

    Dancing With Tears in My Eyes

  • Frankie Goes to Hollywood

    Two Tribes

  • Spandau Ballet

    Gold

  • Band Aid

    Do They Know It's Christmas?

  • Bonnie Tyler

    Total Eclipse Of The Heart

  • Bonnie Tyler

    Total Eclipse Of The Heart

  • Public Image Ltd

    (This Is Not A) Love Song

  • The Alarm

    68 Guns

  • The Alarm

    Rain In The Summertime

  • Catatonia

    Road Rage

  • Black Box

    Ride On Time

  • Black Box

    Ride On Time

  • Deacon Blue

    Real Gone Kid

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kim Appleby
Presenter Midge Ure
Re-recording mixer James Routh
Production Coordinator Sally Townend
Production Manager Joanne Lees
Sound Bill Bartlett
Camera Operator Paul Riley
Director of photography Mark Stokes
Assistant Producer Jessika Barcynski
Executive Producer Andrew Sheldon
Director Rick Goodwin
Series Producer Paul Murray
Assistant Producer Joel Gellard
Production Company True North Productions

Broadcasts

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