Mastertapes Podcast
John Wilson talks with musicians about a career-defining album, and a live audience also puts questions. Featuring exclusive live performances
Episodes to download
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Don McLean - American Pie
Christmas Eve 2018
John Wilson talks to Don McLean about his timeless classic album, American Pie
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The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Mon 17 Dec 2018
Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Tony Allen and Simon Tong talk to John Wilson
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Lily Allen - No Shame
Mon 10 Dec 2018
Lily Allen talks to John Wilson about her fourth and most personal album, "No Shame"
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Elvis Costello
Sat 13 Oct 2018
For National Album Day Elvis Costello talks to John Wilson about his career
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Benjamin Clementine - At Least For Now
Mon 18 Dec 2017
Benjamin Clementine talks to John Wilson about his debut album, At Least For Now.
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David Gray - White Ladder
Mon 4 Dec 2017
David Gray sings live and talks to John Wilson about the album White Ladder.
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Emeli Sande - Our Version Of Events
Mon 27 Nov 2017
Emeli Sandé sings live and discusses her debut album Our Version of Events.
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Randy Newman - Sail Away
Mon 28 Aug 2017
Randy Newman talks to John Wilson about his classic album from 45 years ago, 'Sail Away'
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Paul McCartney
Sat 28 May 2016
Paul McCartney joins John Wilson and the audience at BBC Maida Vale to discuss songwriting
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Nigel Kennedy (the B-Side)—Series 5
Tue 26 Jan 2016
Nigel Kennedy responds to audience questions about his 1989 recording of The Four Seasons.
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Nigel Kennedy (the A-Side)—Series 5
Mon 25 Jan 2016
Nigel Kennedy talks to John Wilson about his 1989 recording of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.
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Bellowhead (the B-side)—Series 5
Tue 19 Jan 2016
Bellowhead respond to audience questions about their album Hedonism and their career.
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Bellowhead (the A-Side)—Series 5
Mon 18 Jan 2016
Bellowhead talk to John Wilson about their 2010 album Hedonism.
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Donovan (the B-Side)—Series 5
Tue 12 Jan 2016
Donovan responds to questions about his 1966 breakthrough album Sunshine Superman.
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Donovan (the A-Side)—Series 5
Mon 11 Jan 2016
Donovan talks and plays his way back to 1966 and his third album Sunshine Superman.
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Steel Pulse (the B-Side)—Series 5
Tue 5 Jan 2016
David Hinds and Selwyn Brown respond to audience questions about Handsworth Revolution.
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Steel Pulse (the A-Side)—Series 5
Mon 4 Jan 2016
David Hinds and Selwyn Brown talk to John Wilson about Steel Pulse's Handsworth Revolution
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Squeeze (the B-Side)—Series 5
Tue 29 Dec 2015
Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford answer audience questions about Squeeze's East Side Story
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Squeeze (the A-Side)—Series 5
Mon 28 Dec 2015
Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford talk to John Wilson about Squeeze's East Side Story.
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Georgie Fame (the B-Side)—Series 5
Tue 22 Dec 2015
Georgie Fame answers audience questions about his album Rhythm & Blues at the Flamingo.
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Georgie Fame (the A-Side)—Series 5
Mon 21 Dec 2015
Georgie Fame talks to John Wilson about his 1963 album, Rhythm & Blues at the Flamingo.
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Sinead O'Connor (the B-Side)—Series 4
Tue 16 Dec 2014
Sinead responds to questions from the audience about her most personal album, Theology.
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Noel Gallagher (the B-Side)—Series 4
Tue 9 Dec 2014
Noel Gallagher answers audience questions about Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
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Noel Gallagher (the A-Side)—Series 4
Mon 8 Dec 2014
Noel Gallagher talks to John Wilson about his album Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
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The Boomtown Rats (the B-Side)—Series 4
Tue 2 Dec 2014
John Wilson talks to Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats about A Tonic for the Troops.
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The Boomtown Rats (the A-Side)—Series 4
Mon 1 Dec 2014
Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats talk about their album A Tonic for the Troops.
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Angelique Kidjo (the B-Side)—Series 4
Tue 25 Nov 2014
Angelique Kidjo responds to questions from the audience about her breakthrough album Aye.
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Angelique Kidjo (the A-Side)—Series 4
Mon 24 Nov 2014
Angelique Kidjo, the 'queen of African music', discusses her breakthrough album Aye.
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Manic Street Preachers (the A-Side)—Series 4
Mon 17 Nov 2014
Manic Street Preachers talk to John Wilson about their 1994 album The Holy Bible.
Eight things we learned from Lily Allen’s Mastertapes
We hear about the breakdown of her marriage, substance abuse… and socks
10 things we learned from Randy Newman’s Mastertapes
The legendary songwriter's interview with John Wilson is fascinating and very funny.
Mastertapes special: Paul McCartney
Watch a filmed version of Paul McCartney speaking to John Wilson about his career.
Live performances
Watch and listen to exclusive live performances from the Mastertapes recordings.
Radio 4 on Music
Re-releasing music documentaries from the Radio 4 Archive.
