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Remembering Janice Long

A Long Walk With... Alison Moyet

Duration: 57 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 2Latest broadcast: on BBC Radio 2

Available for years

In the second episode Janice meets a hugely talented Basildon girl born to a French father and English mother - Alison Moyet, one of the Best Selling Female UK Chart Artists in the modern age.

Alison takes us to childhood homes, town centre hang outs, schools and venues and tells Janice about the start of her musical journey in punk bands through her ground breaking work with Yazoo to huge solo success, performances on the theatrical stage and her life/work balance of music, family and sculpture.

Alison's piano tuning studies came to an abrupt halt when Only You became a worldwide hit for her and school friend Vince Clarke. She describes those early Top of the Pops appearances and her friends in Basildon, who helped her with her performance wardrobe.

Yazoo, like other school mates Depeche Mode and The Cure, went on to reinvent British chart music, merging cool synthesised soundscapes with soul.

Two albums and a Brit Award for Best New Band later, aged just 23, she signed a solo deal and recorded the multi-million selling debut Alf. Released in 1984 the album spawned three UK Top 10 hits and won her a Brit for Best Female Artist.

In 1985 Moyet performed at the legendary first Live Aid concert and her next album, Raindancing gained her a third Brit, later Hoodoo garnered her a Grammy nomination.

Towards the end of 2001 Alison made her stage debut in the West End hit musical 'Chicago' playing the role of Matron 'Mama' Morton. A couple of years later, Alison returned to London's West End in Smaller in which she co-starred with long-time friend Dawn French.

Alison is a Prince's Trust Ambassador and has also received an honorary degree from the University of Essex for Services to British Music. Show less

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