BBC Radio 6 Music have announced further details about its new BBC Sounds extension, Indie Forever.
Created by 6 Music and dedicated to the biggest and best indie pop, rock and classics that have soundtracked listeners’ lives and musical memories, Indie Forever will be available on BBC Sounds from Wednesday 22 July.
The 24-hour stream will play indie music from the 1980s to the 2010s and beyond, with UK artists making up 70% of the playlist. Expect to hear The Stone Roses, Oasis, Blur, Pulp, The Verve, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Florence + The Machine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The xx, Wolf Alice, The 1975, Sam Fender, Blossoms and many more.
The stream will launch with programmes including: The Morning Session with Steve Lamacq and Felix White – a homage to the legendary Evening Session (Radio 1), which was synonymous with Britpop and the indie music of the 90s classic episodes of Jarvis Cocker aired on 6 Music; Indie Forever Disco with Beth Ditto; another chance to hear The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Oasis and The Rise and Fall of The Smiths; bespoke City Soundtracks, produced in collaboration with Music Venue Trust and BBC Introducing, celebrating past and present indie scenes across the UK; and a variety of mood-based and themed playlist from 6 Music presenters and guests.
Indie Forever will also bring listeners historic interviews and performances from the BBC’s extensive and unrivalled archive, such as Liam and Noel Gallagher’s infamous 1997 appearance on The Evening Session, their legendary 1996 Knebworth show with Oasis, and iconic sessions from artists including Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes and The Smiths.
Samantha Moy, Head of BBC Radio 6 Music says: “6 Music Indie Forever will tell the stories and play the songs that have soundtracked the UK’s thriving independent music scene through 40 years of song, performance and archive, enriched by the diverse and deep range of artists and catalogue that is synonymous with 6 Music. If you want a version of 6 Music that’s pure, unadulterated indie – then this 24 hour stream is for you.”
Mark Davyd, CEO and founder, Music Venue Trust says: “6 Music has always understood that today’s headliners were playing yesterday’s grassroots gig, and that understanding has made it one of the best friends that grassroots music venues have. Indie Forever is a joyful tribute to four decades of that music, and City Soundtracks brings it full circle, taking 6 Music and BBC Introducing back into the rooms where it all started. We could not ask for a better partner in telling that story, or in helping write the next chapter of it.”
Steve Lamacq says: “Over my career, I’ve been lucky enough to have followed the journeys of many, now famous or influential indie artists and bands. I’m really looking forward to reliving those memories each weekday morning with Felix on Indie Forever’s The Morning Session and telling the stories that shaped British independent music.”
The schedule
Indie Forever will launch with:
The Morning Session with Steve Lamacq and Felix White (weekdays). The legendary presenter Steve, and Felix from the beloved indie band The Maccabees, dive into the moments, movements, artists, scenes, genres and labels that defined UK indie music’s history, blending storytelling and insight with a playlist of nostalgic tracks to accompany each show’s chosen theme.
Indie Forever Disco with Beth Ditto (Fridays and Saturdays). The frontwoman of seminal punk band Gossip brings listeners two hours of the biggest and best indie hits for the dancefloor.
City Soundtracks (Monday – Thursday). Presented by 6 Music and BBC Introducing’s Emily Pilbeam and produced in collaboration with Music Venue Trust and BBC Introducing, programmes will be based in different independent venues across the UK. The programmes will explore the contribution that each city and its surrounding area has made to UK independent music’s history, while showcasing the next generation of artists playing in grassroots venues that are an indelible part of indie’s story.
The Rise and Fall of The Smiths (Saturday 25 July). Presented by Steve Lamacq and Elizabeth Alker, this series tells the story of the band’s remarkable ascent and dramatic collapse in their own words, through four decades of BBC material, including rare and previously unheard recordings. This will be followed by The Smiths Artist Collection, featuring BBC session tracks from the 80s, live tracks from their ‘86 Kilburn National and Hammersmith Apollo shows, highlights from BBC programmes presented by Johnny Marr and Mike Joyce and more.
The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Oasis (Sunday 26 July). Presented by Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley, this series delves into the relationship between the band’s iconic frontmen, Liam and Noel Gallagher and features interviews with bandmates, producers and industry insiders. The Oasis Artist Collection will follow, featuring highlights from Knebworth 1996, their 1997 Evening Session interview and Noel’s reflections on the first 10 years of the band (recorded in 2001).
Listeners will have the chance to hear classic episodes from Jarvis Cocker at 6 Music over the years. His current Someday Service show, which he has been presenting since April, will be repeated on Saturdays and his Sunday Service programme, which broadcast on 6 Music from 2010-2017, will be aired on Sundays. You can hear these programmes on the stream from Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August.
Saturdays and Sundays, from 1 and 2 August will visit the indie section of the BBC’s archives, with Artist Collections. From live performance compilations to historic interviews, BBC programmes the artists have presented, and playlists dedicated to their music, each collection will pay homage to a different indie act. The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wolf Alice, The White Stripes and Biffy Clyro will be all be celebrated in August.
Each Friday the stream will simulcast 6 Music’s own flagship indie music programme, Indie Forever, presented by Nathan Shepherd, which provides solid gold, upbeat bangers, blending classics with a sprinkling of the finest future hits. Plus, seven days a week, listeners will be treated to themed or guest curated Indie Forever Playlists from the 6 Music archive.
In addition, there will be music mixes for listeners to enjoy, whatever their mood: Indie Chill, presented by Huw Stephens will provide a flow of laid-back, acoustic and indie folk tracks to help listeners unwind; Indie Focus, presented by Lauren Laverne, offers an introspective indie soundtrack for listeners needing to zone in; and Indie Cloudbusters, presented by Nick Grimshaw and Nathan Shepherd, puts an indie spin on Cloudbusting, Nick’s much-loved 6 Music Breakfast Show feature, which provides uplifting music to banish the grey skies.
The voice of BAFTA winning actor and comedian, Sophie Willan, best known for her BBC sitcom Alma’s Not Normal and as a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, will introduce listeners to upcoming programmes on Indie Forever, seven days a week.
To mark the launch of Indie Forever on Wednesday 22 July, 6 Music will simulcast with the stream, playing out the first ever edition of The Morning Session with Steve and Felix, followed by an Indie Forever playlist.
6 Music will celebrate the stream across the day with Steve and Felix appearing on the station’s breakfast show, Sophie Willan guesting on Chris Hawkins (sitting in for Craig Charles) and Emily (sitting in for Huw Stephens) giving listeners a taster of City Soundtracks, before playing an hour of back-to-back indie hits with Nathan Shepherd.
Many programmes on Indie Forever will be provided by independent production companies from around the UK, in line with the BBC’s commitment to supporting creative industries across the country. City Soundtracks will be produced by True Thought productions, based in the West Midlands, Indie Chill and Indie Focus will be produced by Audio Always, (Salford), Indie Cloudbusters will be produced by Bengo Media (Cardiff), The Morning Session with Steve Lamacq and Felix White will be produced by Cup and Nuzzle (London), Indie Forever and Indie Forever Playlists will continue to be produced by We Are Grape (Salford), and Indie Forever Disco will be produced by BBC Audio (London).
Indie Forever is a continuation of the BBC’s commitment to evolve BBC Sounds to represent the tastes and experiences of all licence fee payers and reflect how they consume music today, and to give audiences, especially underserved audiences, even more choice and value from the BBC.
SH8
Follow for more
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.bbc.com ’
