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Andrew Marston with John Illsley of Dire Straits (Bromsgrove)

Unsigned, undiscovered and under-the-radar music from Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

• Chatting to John Illsley, of Dire Straits fame, as he returns back to the Bromsgrove school that confiscated his guitars.

• Meeting the Herefordshire singer who was the first unsigned artist to play London's O2 Arena.

• Music and dementia - we're learning about Suitcase Stories, helping people to remember their past.

• The tale of Robert Plant playing a gig on the back of the lorry in a layby in Malvern, powered by a little generator!

2 hours

Music Played

  • Oysterband

    By Northern Light

    • Cooking Vinyl.
  • Carmen Lees-Green

    Tell Me

  • TOLD

    Decisions

    • Tragic Fashion.
  • Garrington T Jones

    I Believe The Unions Will Rise Again One Day

    • New Tradition.
  • Interviewed

    • John Illsley

      Picking Up The Pieces

  • Under A Banner

    Back To The Sea

  • Joining us in session next weekend

    • Slippery Slope

      Wastebook

  • Lexie Stobie

    Gotta Be With You

  • Artist of the Week

    • Lisbee Stainton

      Wrench

      • Marionet.
  • BiiJ (But Is It Jazz?)

    Bethany

  • Darline

    Until Tomorrow

  • Emily Ewing

    Playhouse

  • Interviewed

    • Deborah Rose

      Unknown

  • Ben Austen

    Don't Let Me Go

  • Roving Crows

    Time

  • Toby Charles

    Smile

  • In the Gig Guide

    • Matt Owens

      Match Day

      • Urby.
  • Amie

    Little Birds

  • Marcel Zidani

    Beethoven In Cuba

Bromsgrove's John Illsley

Dire Straits founder John Illsley is back at his old school in Bromsgrove, this week, after already putting in a sold out appearance just days ago.
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John knows just what it's like to be a rock star:ÌýAs bassist in Dire Straits, he sold well over 100 million albums worldwide, won four Grammies, three Brits and has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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It was during his schooling in Worcestershire he developed his guitar skills but also had his instruments confiscated.
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He's now forgiven his old school for trying to discourage him from a career in music and agreed to two dates at Bromsgrove School, recounting tales of his time there.

Suitcase Stories

A project, which helps people living with dementia in Worcestershire, has been given a funding boost which will allow it to expand its work across the county.
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The pilot Suitcase Stories scheme reached nearly 400 people in Worcestershire last year. It uses objects from the 1940s through to the 1970s to allow people to relive their memories.ÌýA group of musicians then perform songs based on those times.
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A £66,000 grant will see Suitcase Stories 2 run in Wychavon, Wyre Forest, Redditch and Bromsgrove.

Artist of the Week

We're with the Herefordshire artist who's been making music for two decades.
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Lisbee Stainton is now based in London after studying music at Goldsmith's College, has recorded four critically acclaimed albums and was the first unsigned artist to play London's O2 Arena.
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She's since toured with Joan Armatrading, Paul Carrack and Seth Lakeman.
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One of her distinctive traits, when performing live, is her use of an eight string guitar.

Features

Malvern Winter Gardens

Malvern is well known for its classical connections, but many people are unaware of the town's other musical story.
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From the early '60s, for a period of around 30 years, Malvern Winter Gardens rocked to the sounds of bands such The Jam, The Kinks, The Who, Pink Floyd, Motorhead, Hawkwind and many more, some of whom were in their infancy at the time.
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Local charity Rock Around the Hills created an interactive exhibition, thanks to a £60,000 grant, celebrating the story of rock, punk and progressive rock at the Winter Gardens from 1961 to 1990.
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The display features more than 400 posters, tickets, flyers and fanzines, as well as recorded memories from audience members, musicians and promoters who were all part of the scene.
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Having already been at Malvern Library and the Hive in Worcester, the exhibition has now moved to the airwaves - and we're broadcasting some of those memories every Sunday, from 6pm, here on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Hereford & Worcester.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Music Introducing in Bromyard

Our next recording session takes place at the Conquest Theatre in Bromyard on Sunday, 24 November from 7pm.
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If you've only ever driven through the town before, the Conquest is on what we like to call 'Nozstock Street!'.
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The theatre has now been hosting events at its Tenbury Road location for a quarter of a century - but they'd been campaigning for a facility like this since the '50s, according to the records book.
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Originally, events had been held in an 'old tin hut' which had been built in 1919 by the Royal British Legion.ÌýBut eventually they decided an all-singing, all-dancing venue was what the town needed.
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We'd love to see you on the 24th - simply turn up, there's no need to book.
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Broadcast

  • Sun 17 Nov 2019 18:00

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