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Smashing Hits! The 80s Pop Map of Britain and Ireland

Series 1

Episode 2

Duration: 59 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC FourLatest broadcast: on BBC Four HD

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. Show less

Contributors

Presenter:
Kim Appleby
Presenter:
Midge Ure
Re-recording mixer:
James Routh
Production Coordinator:
Sally Townend
Production Manager:
Joanne Lees
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

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