The iconic BBC Television Centre in London’s White City – the world’s first purpose-built TV studios back in 1960 – makes its final broadcasts today before being taken over by property developers. Home to many thousands of classic programmes – from children’s TV (Play School, Jackanory, Blue Peter, Swap Shop); comedy (Morecambe & Wise, The Two Ronnies, Fawlty Towers, The Good Life, Only Fools & Horses, Black Adder); music (Top Of The Pops, Old Grey Whistle Test); drama, news and so much more, this evening’s nostalgia fest is a sad reminder of over fifty years of great TV history & the ghosts of so many fine performers. Read the rest of this entry »
The film Made In Dagenham is on BBC2 later tonight, with a cracking Sixties soundtrack accompanying the action. We’ve already featured a uke cover of Sandie Shaw’s (There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me, so here’s paxukulele’s smiley version of The Mindbenders’ hit A Groovy Kind of Love:
Raiding various songbooks & YouTubes for the chords to other tracks from the soundtrack:
I’ve been enjoying the BBC Two series Howard Goodall’s Story Of Music – in six parts, covering the origins of music from the Stone Age until the Digital Age. It’s being shown on Saturday nights until 23 Feb (with episodes available on the BBC iPlayer for around a month after broadcast). It’s a good way to put the theory into context with different types of music you hear & play. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy World Ukulele Day! Here’s one of many versions of the uke standard Tonight You Belong To Me, from the New Zealand ukulele group, The Apron Strings:
The 2010 film, Mighty Uke, which travels the world to discover why so many people of different nations, cultures, ages and musical tastes are turning to the ukulele, is being shown at 9pm Tues 29 Jan & 1.30am & 9am Wed 30 Jan on Sky Arts 1 (for those without satellite, the DVD is also available from Amazon & other on-line retailers).
With this year being the fiftieth anniversary of the first James Bond film & having had the world première of the latest offering, Skyfall, earlier this week, here are a few theme tunes from the series. Read the rest of this entry »
PLUC (Pirates of Lewisham’s Ukulele Crew) be strummin’ a few sea-shanties, dancin’ the hornpipe & drinkin’ plenty o’ grog. Any lily-livered land-lubbers who be askin’ us if we play follickin’ George Formby will be made ter walk the plank.
This is what happens when you receive a mysterious email from the 4-Stringed Secret Service asking if you’re interested in taking part in a ukulele flash mob at a secret London location:
As usual, I managed to secrete myself near the back, under the right hand lion. I particularly like the photo of the Heritage Warden in the set of pics from melpressmen on Demotix.
