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Midge Ure and Kim Appleby explore how studio technology changed music, with British bands putting their own spin on dance to produce contrasting northern and southern sounds.

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 third and final episode, Midge and Kim visit London and Manchester, the two cities that did battle with each other for musical pre-eminence as 80s music turned towards the new sounds of dance.

Star interviewees include Denise Pearson from Five Star, Soul II Soul's Jazzie B, Mark Moore of S'Express, Shaun Ryder from The Happy Mondays and Peter Hook of New Order.

It's a tale of how studio technology changed music, with British bands putting their own unique spin on dance to produce contrasting northern and southern sounds.

59 minutes

Last on

Sat 1 May 2021 02:55

Clip

Music Played

  • Sex Pistols

    Anarchy In The UK

  • Rick Astley

    Never Gonna Give You Up

  • Rick Astley

    Never Gonna Give You Up

  • The Style Council

    My Ever Changing Moods

  • Yazz & The Plastic Population

    The Only Way Is Up

  • Mel & Kim

    Showing Out

  • The Jam

    A Town Called Malice

  • Paul Young

    Love of The Common People (12" Mix - 2008 Re-Master Version)

  • Eurythmics

    Sweet Dreams

  • The Jam

    A Town Called Malice

  • The Style Council

    Shout To The Top

  • Sade

    Smooth Operator

  • Sade

    Your Love Is King

  • Tears for Fears

    Everybody Wants To Rule The World

  • Matt Bianco

    Get Out of Your Lazy Bed

  • The Jacksons

    Blame It On The Boogie

  • Five Star

    System Addict

  • Five Star

    Can't Wait Another Minute

  • Simply Red

    Money's Too Tight (To Mention)

  • Five Star

    Whenever You're Ready

  • Swing Out Sister

    Blue Mood

  • Swing Out Sister

    Breakout

  • Swing Out Sister

    Fooled By A Smile

  • The Smiths

    Bigmouth Strikes Again

  • Joy Division

    Love Will Tear Us Apart

  • Joy Division

    Love Will Tear Us Apart

  • The Cure

    Let's Go To Bed

  • New Order

    Procession

  • Frankie Knuckles

    Your Love

  • James Brown

    Papa's Got a Brand New Bag

  • New Order

    Age Of Consent

  • Farley Jackmaster Funk

    Love Can't Turn Around (feat. Darryl Pandy)

  • The Hues Corporation

    Rock The Boat

  • James Brown

    Papa's Got a Brand New Bag

  • Evelyn Thomas

    High Energy

  • Hazell Dean

    Searchin'

  • Hazell Dean

    Whatever I Do

  • Mel & Kim

    Respectable

  • Mel & Kim

    Respectable

  • Mel & Kim

    We Aint Ever Gonna Be Respectable

  • Rick Astley

    Never Gonna Give You Up

  • Hazell Dean

    They Say It's Gonna Rain (Indian Summer Mix)

  • Steve 鈥淪ilk鈥 Hurley

    Jack Your Body

  • Taffy

    I Love My Radio

  • Rhythim Is Rhythim

    Strings of Life

  • 厂鈥椭虫辫谤别蝉蝉

    Theme From S'Express

    Remix Artist: Detlef.
  • Rose Royce

    Is It Love You're After

  • Chad Jackson

    Hear The Drummer (Get Wicked)

  • 厂鈥椭虫辫谤别蝉蝉

    Theme From S-Express

  • Chad Jackson

    Hear The Drummer

  • In The Style of Sugar Minott

    Good Thing Going

  • Soul II Soul

    Fairplay

  • Soul II Soul

    Fairplay

  • JBs

    Gimme Some More

  • Soul II Soul

    Keep on Movin' (feat. Caron Wheeler)

  • Happy Mondays

    24 Hour Party People

  • A Guy Called Gerald

    Voodoo Ray

  • A Guy Called Gerald

    Voodoo Ray

  • 808 State

    Pacific State (Original Mix)

  • 808 State

    Pacific State

  • Happy Mondays

    W.F.L. (Think About The Future)

  • Soul II Soul, Caron Wheeler

    Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)

  • Happy Mondays

    24 Hour Party People

  • Happy Mondays

    Moving In With

  • Happy Mondays

    Hallelujah (MacColl Mix)

  • Erasure

    A Little Respect

  • Happy Mondays

    Step On

  • Happy Mondays

    He's Gonna Step On You Again

  • The Stone Roses

    Fools Gold

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
Director of photography Mark Stokes
Assistant Producer Jessika Barcynski
Executive Producer Andrew Sheldon
Director Rick Goodwin
Series Producer Paul Murray
Assistant Producer Joel Gellard
On-line editing Andy Brown
Sound Gerard Abeille
Camera Operator Paul Teverini
Editor Adrian Sinclair
Production Company True North Productions

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