Synth Britannia

Synopsis

Documentary following a generation of post-punk musicians who took the synthesiser from the experimental fringes to the centre of the pop stage.

In the late 1970s, small pockets of electronic artists including the Human League, Daniel Miller and Cabaret Volatire were inspired by Kraftwerk and JG Ballard and dreamt of the sound of the future against the backdrop of bleak, high-rise Britain.

The crossover moment came in 1979 when Gary Numan's appearance on Top of the Pops with Tubeway Army's Are Friends Electric heralded the arrival of synthpop. Four lads from Basildon known as Depeche Mode would come to own the new sound whilst post-punk bands like Ultravox, Soft Cell, OMD and Yazoo took the synth out of the pages of the NME and onto the front page of Smash Hits.

By 1983, acts like Pet Shop Boys and New Order were showing that the future of electronic music would lie in dance music.

Contributors include Philip Oakey, Vince Clarke, Martin Gore, Bernard Sumner, Gary Numan and Neil Tennant.

Tracklist

1. Depeche Mode — New Life

2. Wendy Carlos — William Tell

3. Wendy Carlos — Clockwork Orange Main Title

4. Kraftwerk — Autobahn

5. The Clash — White Riot

6. The Normal — Tvod

7. The Normal — Warm Leatherette

8. The Future — 4 Jg

9. The Human League — Being Boiled

10. Donna Summer — I Feel Love

11. Cabaret Voltaire — Seconds Too Late

12. Cabaret Voltaire — Nag Nag Nag

13. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Messages

14. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Enola Gay

15. Joy Division — Atmosphere

16. John Foxx — Underpass

17. Throbbing Gristle — Still Walking

18. Throbbing Gristle — Hot on the Heels of Love

19. Fad Gadget — Back to Nature

20. Silicon Teens — Memphis Tennessee

21. Gary Numan — Are Friends Electric?

22. Gary Numan — Cars

23. Visage — Fade to Grey

24. The Flying Lizards — Money

25. Depeche Mode — New Life

26. Depeche Mode — Just Can't Get Enough

27. The Human League — Don't You Want Me

28. Heaven 17 — Penthouse & Pavement

29. Cabaret Voltaire — Landslide

30. Soft Cell — Tainted Love

31. Yazoo — Only You

32. Yazoo — Don't Go

33. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Maid of Orleans

34. Eurythmics — Sweet Dreams

35. Ultravox — Vienna

36. Kraftwerk — The Model

37. Depeche Mode — Everything Counts

38. Depeche Mode — Master and Servant

39. Pet Shop Boys — West End Girls

40. New Order — Ceremony

41. New Order — Blue Monday

42. Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder — Together in Electric Dreams

Credits

Director

Ben Whalley

Producer

Ben Whalley

Executive Producer

Mark Cooper

Broadcasts

1. Fri 16 Oct 2009
   21:00
   BBC Four
2. Sat 17 Oct 2009
   00:20
   BBC Four
3. Sun 18 Oct 2009
   23:40
   BBC Four
4. Mon 19 Oct 2009
   03:10
   BBC Four