Category: BBC
FOUR; Factual
& Arts TV
Date: 18.07.2005
Printable version
In August 1995 Blur and Oasis were engaged in a head-to-head
chart battle which divided music fans and led to a wider argument about
the soul of Britpop.
On Tuesday 16 August, BBC FOUR marks the tenth anniversary
of this infamous chart battle with Britpop Night.
John Harris, journalist and author
of a definitive study of the Britpop era, sets the scene with The
Britpop Story (8.30-9.00pm), a documentary which includes
contributions from Blur's Graham Coxon, Elastica's
Justine Frischmann, and the founder of Creation records,
Alan McGee.
Britpop Now (9.00-9.45pm)
provides an aural snapshot of the era, with a compilation of live performances,
presented by Damon Albarn, which originally broadcast
on BBC TWO exactly ten years ago (on 16 August 1995).
Britpop Now billed "a new generation of British guitar
pop bands", namely Blur, Pulp, Supergrass, Elastica
and Menswear - some of whom have proved more enduring
than others.
Live Forever
(9.45-11.10pm), John Dower's funny and revealing 2003
film, captures both the music and the cultural phenomenon which embraced
music, film, art and fashion.
It tells the story of a new Labour Government who seized
upon "Cool Britannia" and used it to rebrand the country.
Mike Connolly's observational film,
No Sleep Till Sheffield: Pulp Go Public
(11.10-11.45pm), follows Jarvis Cocker's band on their
1995 British tour, which culminates in a triumphant homecoming to Sheffield
City Hall and shows Pulp confronting stardom with a mixture of bewilderment
and style.
Finally, in Later Presents
Stanley Road Revisited (12.15-1.15am) Paul
Weller reflects on the album he considers his "best solo work",
with archive live performances and contributions from Noel Gallagher
and the artist Peter Blake.
