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Home of good music BBC Radio 6 continues its Sounds of a City Series this Sunday with a focus on one of the most important musical cities in the world… Liverpool.
The series explores links between classic albums and the cities in which they were created, with the Liverpool episode examining The Teardrop Explodes debut album Kilimanjaro, released in October 1980.
The album became infamous because it gave birth to their biggest hit Reward. It was also placed 95th on Q Magazine’s 100 Greatest British Albums in 2000.
The commentator for the series is the American DJ Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy. Murphy is often seen as a spokesperson for vinyl records due to her vinyl‑only label, Bitches Brew.
It will be exciting to see how her passion for vinyl translates on the show, when she is discussing Liverpool’s Probe records.
The Teardrop Explodes were a neo- psychedelic band and a huge influence on Liverpool’s post-punk scene.
They played in and were inspired by Eric’s bar. Eric’s was only open for a brief period, from October 1976 until March 1980, yet its importance and legacy in the city is undeniable.
The packed venue was the ultimate hotspot for post-punkers as it meant they could be with like minded individuals. Also Eric’s has been noted as a form of escapism from the grim reality of Liverpool’s 1980s economic situation.
On the programme there will be a discussion with The Teardrop Explodes singer and songwriter, Julian Cope.
This has excited the team at Purple Revolver HQ, as it will provide an insight into the punk music scene through his personal narrative.
As well as this other huge names from the music industry will appear on the show, with many of them being famous Scousers.
Some of these include Shack’s Michael Head, Holly Johnson, the singer from Frankie goes to Hollywood.
The show will also contain a section on the well-known rivalry between Teardrop Explodes and Echo & The Bunnymen from the author of Liverpool Explodes, Mark Cooper.
As well the programme aims to highlight the effect of the post-punk scene on younger musician’s as Murphy is meeting with fellow Scouser Emily Lansley from Stealing Sheep. Lansley’s band is encouraging younger generations to embrace psychedelic sounds.
Post-Punk and psychedelic music are interwoven with one another. Liverpool has often been named the ‘great psychedelic capital of Europe’ by the Guardian, mainly due to its ongoing involvement in the psychedelic music scene that began to form out of Eric’s.
The programme will also explore Liverpool’s isolation as a city and how this led to the creation such amazing music during this period. Yeah!
We, as Scousers, loved the chaotic scene of Eric’s and hopefully this broadcast will capture the atmosphere of this exciting time in Liverpool’s music history.
So make sure you catch it on BBC Radio 6, 1pm on Sunday. And if you miss it, it will be available on iPlayer shortly after: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05y0992