On the Wire
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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On The Wire is a radio programme broadcasting on BBC Radio Lancashire. It is presented by Steve Barker. The show was first broadcast on 16 September 1984. In the 1980s the show was broadcasted on Sunday afternoons 2-5pm. On the Wire's first guest was Adrian Sherwood and Keith le Blanc. Adrian Sherwood and Dub Syndicate provide the show's theme music. The guests on the second week of the show were Depeche Mode.
On the Wire was one of the first shows in the UK to play hip-hop, House music and Techno music. It gave the first radio plays in the UK for Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson and the radio premier of 808 State "Pacific State" and A Guy Called Gerald "Voodoo Ray". Andy ‘Madhatter’ Holmes and Pete Haigh have provided since 1986 the once-a-month Funkology show. Michael "Fenny" Fenton has a weekly slot on the show where he plays music from the local music scene.
At the beginning of the 1990's On the Wire was under threat from the BBC, but at the last minute the show was saved by the BBC board, with the show being described as a ‘unique BBC product’. Brian "Planet" Jackson and John Peel were key figures in saving the programme. When the programme was saved it moved to a new slot on Thursday evenings, and then to its current slot on Saturday evenings.
Guests on the show have included Lee Perry, Mark E Smith, Half Man Half Biscuit, Kelly Joe Phelps, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Jeb Loy Nichols and Blood and Fire. Highlight shows include: An Xmas party at the Ritz in Manchester including Sherwood with Gary Clail, 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, Little Annie and Neneh Cherry; putting on The Fall free at Clitheroe Castle and the three hour dub special shows.
Since 2003 Steve Barker contributes from Beijing with the invaluable help of Christiaan Virant, American exile and co-founder of the China-based nu electronic unit FM3.
Engineers on the show have included Mikey Martin, Jethro known on the net as ‘Culf’, and current engineer Jim Ingham.
The forerunner to On the Wire was called Spin Off and it was broadcast on BBC Radio Blackburn (later BBC Radio Lancashire) on a Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm to 7pm. The programme was presented by Steve Barker and produced by Ian Cook (Education Producer).
Contents |
Playlist - 11th October 2008 - Funkology
- Manzel - Space Funk (Dopebrother 12 inch remix) - Dopebrother
- Ingram - D.J.'s Delight - Funky Town Grooves
- Gladys Knight & The Pips - Claudine Theme -
- Black Science Orchestra - New Jersey Deep - Junior Boy's Own
- Marcos Valle - Nova Bossa Nova - Far Out Rceordings
- Jorge Benjor - Ponta de Lanca Africano - Wrasse Records[1]
- EPMD - Give the People - Def Jam
- Bernard Wright - Haboglabotribin - Arista
- The Undisputed Truth - Help Yourself - Gordy
- Sunburst Band - Moving with the shakers (extended version) - ZR Records
- Trouble Funk - Here we are (the pocket) - Studio Records
- The Last Poets - Jazzoetry - Blue Thumb Records
- Tolbert - I've Got It - Jazzman Records
- Tony!Toni!Tone! - I Don't Know what you have come to do - MCA
- South Side Edits - Feeling about 'cha - Supreme Records
- James Brown - Give Me Some Skin (Re-Edit)
- Bennson - Let the Love - Expansion Records
- 3-D - Believe DAT - City Beat
- Jazzanova feat Paul Randolph - Let Me Show - Venue
- Mr Scruff - Get on Down - Ninja Tuna -
- Marc Evans - The Way you Love Me - Defected
November 2008 show
- Steinski – I'm wild about that thing – Illegal Art
- Steinski – Solid air junk mood mix –Illegal Art
- The Bug with Ricky Ranking – Flying – Ninja Tune
- The Bug with Cha Cha – Poison dart (no f*ck2db) – dubplate
- Dokkebi Q – Hardcore cherry bonbon – 3QREQ
- Virus Syndicate with David Lewis – For the music – Contagious
- Zomby – Test me for a reason – Hyperdub
- Kode9 vs LD – Bad – Hyperdub
- George Coleman – Cool it right – Mississippi
- Ignatz – The Water – K-raa-k
- Chang Loo – Sixteen tons – mp3
- Todd Snider – Ponce of the flaming peace queer – Aimless Records
- Blown Glass Typewriter – Mountains – Apestaartje
- Sixto Silgado, Paito Y Los Gaiteros De Punta Brava - Merengue Faroto - Rough Guide
- Franco - Esengo ya mokili - Sterns Music Africa
- Mikey Dread / Singers + Players - Autobiography - On U Sound
- Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers -Roadrunner 1 - Castle Communications
- Big Youth - Big Youth Special - Virgin
- Orchestre Poly-Rhthmo de Cotonou - Mi Ni Non Kpo - Analog Africa
- Waitless - I surrendaa (eu me entregou) - Poo Productions
- Witchdoktors - Common Prayer (for a working Man) - Tribal Vibes
- Okie Rosette - Sing the Hotel - Montreme Records
- PSI - Clo - crafu Byw
- Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid - Arrival - Domino
September 2008 guest spot
Zoe Baxter - Lucky Cat Mix - http://luckykitty.blogspot.com/2008/09/on-wire-mix-20th-september-2008.html
A guest spot for Steve Barker's On the Wire.
- Lloyd Terrell - Birth Control- PAMA[2]
- Roland Alphonso - El Pussycat - Island
- Prince Buster - Pussycat Bite Me - FAB
- Lee Dorsey - The Kitty Cat Song -Stateside
- The Skatalites - Chinatown - Top deck
- The Chiffons - Oh My Love - Laurie
- Laurel Aitken - Shoo Bee Boo Bee -NU BeatNat King Cole - Cachito - Capitol
- Poon Sow Keng - Why Should I Remember - EMI
- Josephine Siao Fong Fong - Ding Dong Twist - Angel Records
- The Echoes - Ding Dong - Roulette
- Eartha Kitt - Somebody Bad Stole the Wedding Bell - Official
- Hortense Ellis - Melody Life - Third World
- Connie Francis - Jealous of You - EMI
- Miss Yao Lee - Suspicious Heart - PATHE
- Etta James - Fool That I am - PYE Records Ltd
- Lydia Mendoza - Mal Hombre - Folk Lyrics Records
- Lady Ann & Alborosie - Informer - FORWARD
- Dave & Ansel Collins - Karate -Techniques
- Rita & Sakura - Talk of the Town -Columbia
- The Lyrics - Music Like Dirt - Coxsone Records
- Sam Cooke - Farewell My Darling -RCA
- Sizzla - Just One of Those Days - vp
2008 October 18
- World’s End Girlfriend – Unspoiled Monster – Midi Creative / Noble
- Jorge Ben – Quen Foi – Philips
- Eddie – You can call me – Luaka Bop
- Myra Davies – Burrough’s Bunker – Moabit Music
- Dub Gabriel & Karen Gibson Roc – Spirit made flesh – Destroy All Concepts
- Sekou Diabate – Mangue – Marabi
- Group Doueh – Cheyla ya Haiuune – Sublime Frequenciess
- Ezekiel Honig – Broken marching band – Anticipate
- Barbara Morgenstern – Come to Berlin (Telefon Tel Aviv mix) – Monika
- Hanggai – 5 Heroes – World Music Network
- Salah Ragab & the Cairo Jazz band – Egypt strut - Art Yard
- Sir Richard Bishop – Saraswati – Drag City
- Alton Ellis (& The Flames) - Life is Down in Denver - Trojan
- Alton Ellis - Loneliness -Orijahnal Records
- Vampire Weekend - A-Punk - XL
- Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Se We Non Nan - Analog Africa
- Empty Boat - The Church Doors - Poo Productions
- Holy F*** - Super Inuit (Live)- XL
- Rodney Crowell - Funky and the Farm Boy - Yep Roc
- The Hold Steady - Stay Positive - Rough Trade
- David Grubbs - The Not-so-distant - Drag City
See also