#bbc radio

[rhysdarbinizedarby]

6 Sounds from Rhys Darby 👏

He joined Gemma Cairney to chat about his stand up show featuring his favourite material from the past quarter century.

Listen to the full conversation on @bbcsounds

Source: BBC Radio 6

#rhys darby #ofmd #our flag means death #instagram #bbc radio #top sound effects

[dans-striped-sweater]

Logging in just to say imagine how funny it would have been if this had happened back in like 2014 and Dan and Phil had to stop one of their shitty little competitions to announce the queens death on BBC Radio

#Dan and Phil #daniel howell #amazingphil #The queen #bbc radio

[spifflocated]

Exciting news, lads! BBC Radio 4 extra is repeating the fully casted adaptation of Night Watch over the next month, and episode 1 is up on the sounds app/ website now.

I’ve never heard this adaptation before (and I don’t always get on brilliantly with the Discworld radio plays) but so far this one is excellent, and I’m a big fan of the casting/ voice decisions. Everyone has sounded pretty much how they do in my head, and Philip Jackson makes a brilliant Vimes, exactly the flavour of world wearily cynical I like from him.

[Edit: link in the notes, thanks @eruvadhril !]

#discworld #Spifflocated listens to radio #night watch #how do they rise up? #bbc radio

[emergingghost]

#sorry i know i just posted this exact photo but i found a full version!! #the people have to see it! #boygenius #bbc radio

[be-with-me-so-happily]

To Make A Girl Blush

*header created by @hstylesicons

ONE SHOT

Summary: Harry Styles is performing at the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, where y/n works as a studio assistant. She tries to keep her cool while being around her celebrity crush, but he isn't making it easy on her.

A/N: I'm obsessed with his Wet Dreams cover and couldn't get this little story out of my head. Sorry, I'm a major tease...

>> Warnings: 18+ only - Flirting, male self-pleasure

~~~~~

"He's so hot. I don't know how I'm going to keep my cool."

"He's probably used to having that effect on women." You chuckle.

"How are you not freaking out? You're like, the biggest Harry Styles fan I know."

"Oh I'm internally squealing. Trust me. I'm just super aware that he's Harry Styles. Like, the Harry Styles."

"Yeah, Y/N, that's the point. Harry Styles is going to be here!"

Harry is coming to the BBC Radio 1 studio to do a live lounge performance. You and Christine are station assistants, so you get to help him and his band with whatever they may need.

"And I'm just… me. I'm trying really hard not to want to throw myself at him." You laugh.

"I can feel the sweat coming already." Christine jokes. You both fan yourselves.

"Geez, look at us, how old are we?"

"Fourteen." Christine giggles. "I think today we are going back to being fourteen year old fangirls."

"Oh god, please, no."

~~~~~

The morning was full of prep work, which involved lots of running around. You and Christine will basically be at their beck and call, which definitely isn't a downside to your job today.

Your boss instructs you to meet the singer as soon as he arrives to his dressing room, to immediately check if he is in need of anything.

You knock on the door with his name boldly printed on a taped up piece of paper.

"Come in."

"Hi, Mr. Styles. I'm Y/N. I'm an assistant here, so if you or your crew need anything, just let me know."

"Alright." You see him try to subtly look you up and down.

Don't activate your inner fangirl in front of him

"Umm... a bottle of room temperature water would be nice, actually."

You are slightly confused. "Room temperature?"

He nods. "It's actually better for your vocal chords than cold or hot water." He strokes down his gorgeous neck, as if to demonstrate how the water flows down his throat.

"Okay, I'll go grab that now. Anything else before I go, Mr. Styles?"

"Umm… yeah, please just call me Harry." He grins widely, showing off those deep dimples that everyone is obsessed with.

"Sure. I'll be right back with that water... Harry." You nod and notice a small smirk on his face before you turn around and exit the room.

Once out the door, a loud exhale leaves your lips, as if you hadn't taken an actual breath that entire interaction.

Christine shuffles up to you. "Oh man! I'm so jealous! What's he like?"

You roll your eyes. "I don't know. Like every other famous singer that comes in here…"

"Really?" She asks, looking a little disappointed.

"No, are you kidding? He's beautiful! But we didn't really talk much so I don't have much to tell you."

She puts her hands on her hips and frowns.

"Y/N, I don't think you're appreciating this enough. You were in the same room as Harry Styles!" She scolds, still with a smile on her face.

You definitely appreciate the sight of him

"Geez, do you want to take his room temperature water to him?" You offer.

She grins and nods her head. You hand her the water and head off to see if anyone in the band needs something.

You find them all in one of the bigger rooms, sitting around on couches, doing some vocal warmups.

"Hi there! Sounds great." You chuckle. "I'm Y/N, an assistant here. Do any of you need anything? I'm happy to help! And don't be shy about asking."

You bring them some water as well, and chat with them for a few minutes before you head back out to hunt for Christine.

You find her, beaming with joy, as she rushes over to you and grabs your shoulders.

"Thank you for that Y/N! He is so nice, and so sexy. He let me take a selfie with him and everything!" She squeals.

"How old are you again?" You joke.

"I'm fourteen. Apparently today I'm fourteen." She jokes back, skipping off to do whatever is next on her list.

You decide to do the rounds again, and check in on Harry.

"Hi, uh, Harry. Just wanted to check back in with you."

He quickly turns around, apparently caught guard, and that's when you realize he is wearing a pair of flared blue pants... and nothing else.

That's just plain rude

"I'm sorry, I'll come back." You cover your eyes, and then turn around to walk out.

"Y/N!" He laughs. "S'alright. I could use your help. You mind?"

"Oh! Um, no, not at all."

"I just accidentally knocked two of my rings off the table, and I can't see 'em anywhere." He states, searching the ground with his eyes. "I'm going to sound like a diva, but I just put my pants on and I don't want to wrinkle them."

Well, just take them off… oh god, just stop

"Okay. Where should I look?"

He has one hand on his hip, and the other one up to his lip, still looking at the ground. He points under the table. "Maybe there?"

You get down on your hands and knees to look, and quickly find them laying near where he had pointed. As you stand and stretch out your hand to give them back, he slides his body closer to you so you are only about one foot apart from each other. You think you see him start to bite his lower lip before correcting himself, and his hand is lingering on yours a little longer than would be normal as he takes his rings back.

"Thank you so much." He utters, winking when you meet his gaze.

What a flirt, but who could resist those gorgeous eyes? And that toned, tattooed chest…

You clear your throat, as you snap your eyes up from his chest. Your cheeks get red with embarrassment, and you are really hoping he can't see that.

He smirks slightly. You feel yourself getting more flustered, so you finally take a step back.

"So, uh, I'll head out, unless you need anything else?"

He smirks again, and this time you know for sure that he looks you up and down.

"Not unless you want to help me finish getting dressed…" He chuckles.

How many girls would say yes? All of them

You chuckle and walk out the door, commenting before you're out of view. "I'll be somewhere out here if you need me."

He flirts with everyone right? Not a womanizer, but a big flirt… right?

~~~~~

Everyone is set up in the studio and ready to go. You and Christine go around to each band member, checking in one more time with everyone before they start. Christine, of course, checks in with Harry. He smiles politely and shakes his head, assuring her that he doesn't need anything. He looks at you and smiles when you fully meet his gaze. You smile back and look down, trying not to blush again.

Calm down, he's been with super models, he's just being a big flirt, or at least you want him to be

You and Christine get off the set and stand right across from Harry.

The introduction plays and the band starts the opening chords for 'As It Was'. You are watching Harry Styles play his new songs right in front of you and your skin is itching with excitement.

You sing along. The song is so catchy, how could you not? He dances around a little and you find yourself matching his movements.

Thank god his eyes are closed, or you'd be completely embarrassed

The song ends and you subtly make sure everyone has what they need.

'Late Night Talking' is the next song and once again you find yourself unable to hold back from dancing. This time Harry does open his eyes a bit more, especially during the second chorus, and he dances more after looking at you.

He's a performer, has nothing to do with you

The more he sings, the more flustered you feel. The more he looks at you and smirks, the more heated you get.

Might need a cold shower later

Once again, you double check that everyone is comfortable, as Harry talks to the radio dj.

They change it up and start to play 'Boyfriends'. The mood turns emotional. You've definitely had your share of bad breakups, and you realize there's a couple tears trickling down your cheek. Just as you wipe them away he quickly glances in your direction, and you turn your head away.

The song finishes and he motions to you for some water. Luckily, you brought a few bottles with you and place one down by his mic.

"You alright, love?" He whispers.

You look up at him, a little surprised he noticed your reaction to the song, and that he cares.

"It's a really good song." You quickly reply. He smiles as you stand back up to meet his gaze. You're a couple feet away and unintentionally look at his lips, down to his neck, admiring his upper body in his tight T-shirt, and making your way down to view the flared blue pants you saw earlier.

Your eyes shoot back up as you realize that you literally just checked out Harry Styles right in front of him. You feel like you could just die of embarrassment right then and there.

He giggles under his breath and you clear your throat to ask, "need anything else?" He shakes his head, smiling widely and showing off those deep dimples.

You feel sensation between your legs and you quickly head back to the spot you were standing, opening a bottle of water for yourself and gulping about half of it down.

The DJ announces that he will be covering a song by Wet Leg called 'Wet Dream'. You almost squeal, knowing and loving this song too.

Ironic song considering what you're feeling at the moment.

This time, you don't care if Harry sees you dancing around, and he definitely does.

is no one else around you

He opens his eyes to see you and starts moving around, touching his body and putting his hands up.

If only he knew what was going on in your head right now…

You continue to sing the lyrics and dance around. He squints his eyes open again, singing the next line.

baby, do you want to come home with me

You gulp down some more water.

You almost lose it completely when he starts the second verse and seems really into singing the next line of the song.

what makes you think you're good enough to think about me when you're touching yourself…

Well, you don't feel you are good enough, but you are definitely heating up enough to want to.

Absolutely going to take a cold shower later

The heat is just rising in your body as he sings about blushing. He ever so slightly moans with the lyrics and bounces up and down as he sings about it being enough.

You're getting so uneasy at this point that you think you may have to leave the room. Thankfully the song ends shortly after, but not before you see him look straight at you while singing the last two words.

let's begin

As soon as it all ends, Harry thanks everyone and actually excuses himself quickly. You're a little relieved, being able to calm yourself down and breathe now that he's out of the room. You check in with the band to see what they need. You help them tidy up a little and carry some of their stuff to the big room they had been in.

You decide to check on Harry too and make your way to his dressing room. As you get to the door, you grab the handle and you hear him say your name, so you open the door.

"Oh my god! I'm so, so sorry!" You exclaim, covering your eyes from the sight of him sitting in the chair, pants unzipped, pumping his hand up and down his length.

"Shit!" He blurts out, covering himself up with a pillow, then proceeds to laugh. "Thought I locked the door."

"I should've knocked. I'm so embarrassed!" You state.

"You're the embarrassed one? I was saying your name while touching myself, and you just saw it."

"Wait, what??" You ask, jaw dropping in disbelief.

"M'sorry." He smirks as he bites his lower lip. He is squirming under that pillow, probably still aroused and needing some relief. "I just couldn't stop watching you dancing to the Wet Leg song, and, well…" he looks down at the pillow covering himself.

"I… uh…" you stutter.

"Could you shut the door, love?" He begs.

You do, locking it and keeping yourself in the room. He laughs.

"So you want to stay?"

You blink a few times, realizing that he was probably asking you to leave.

"I'm sorry." You frown, feeling so stupid.

"S'alright." He smirks, yet again. "Could… umm… could use some help here…"

"I'm pretty sure there's twenty hot girls around here that you could call on." You blurt out.

"Maybe, but…" He frowns. "I'm in this predicament because of you…"

You lick your lips and then bite your bottom one.

What do you do? What do you do?... Go for it!

Confidence surprisingly kicks in, so you walk over to where he is sitting and kneel down.

"Well, it is my job to get you anything you need." You giggle.

"Yes, please, I definitely need this."

~~~~~

Taglist: @watermelonsugacry @tw1nflamebruis3 @slut4lilyrose @pinktakeaway @hopefulwastelandcreation @tenaciousperfectionunknown @his-only-angel-1989 @queenmadi2 @runway-to-my-aid @theekyliepage @be-yourss

~~~~~

You can send some extra support here if you feel inclined -Bee xx

#harry styles #harry styles x reader #harry styles fanfic #harry styles x y/n #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles imagine #harry styles angst #harry styles fluff #harry styles x you #harry styles smut #harrys house #bbc radio #live lounge

[themandadlorianbod]

he is too cute 🖤 🤍

#pedro pascal #bbc radio #pedro in london #the sassy smirk!!

[mostlyanything19]

do you still have the radio Sherlock Holmes? 🥺

Hello, I am so happy you ask, yes I do! Here they are:

Included are the 60 short stories originally written by Arthur Conan Doyle and adapted for Radio by the BBC, with Clive Merrison as Holmes and Michael Williams as Watson (in 64 episodes, bc the longer stories are split up into parts), and the 16 Further Adventures, this time with Andrew Sachs taking the role of Watson.

I hope you enjoy them, they're really well done and to this day rank among my favorite Holmes adaptations ever. Also, this is the only adaptation in history so far that has managed to do all 60 original ACD cases!

#radio holmes #sherlock holmes #clive merrison #bert coules #bbc radio #i've been lying in wait for years for someone to ask me to upload these sgjhsfks THEY'RE SO GOOD

[dailyshowchica]

Still on a Tom Hiddleston kick and found this: https://www.audible.com/pd/Dracula-Audiobook/B01KU6TIMY

The actors did well enough but good god, I do not care for this adaptation.

What can I say? @re-dracula did it best

#re-dracula #dracula #bbc radio #tom hiddleston #Tom Hiddleston is a wonderful actor #but no actor can overcome the script

[ewandaily]

I just need everyone to hear this story about Ewan running away from home as a child.

#ewan mcgregor #bbc radio #interview #videos

[meluisart]

Lairre: Can I stop you there? I'm a ghost, babes. I drop my wards and I can walk right through the door and open it from the outside. Parker: Huh. And if they see you? Lairre: If some 16th-century half-wits see the ghost of a French nun in the corridor? Messy pants, some screaming, and a lot of running the other way, I should think. Parker: Hmm… could work. Lairre: You think?

#mary lairre #nicola walker #mythos #pleasant green universe #pleasant green mythos #bbc radio #ghost #nun #portrait #meluisart

[rhysdarbinizedarby]

A funny morning last week chatting to @rhysiedarby on @bbc6music with @gemagain

Source: Sarah Jeynes on instagram

#rhys darby #instagram #bbc radio

[pers-books]

Hidden Treasures: BBC Radio celebrates rediscovery of historic dramas, including plays by Pinter and Potter

Over 1,000 radio plays have been returned to the BBC Archives by the Radio Circle

Contents

Complete list of programming

Radio 4

Radio 4 Extra

Radio 3

Latest from the Media Centre

Over 1,000 radio plays have been returned to the BBC Archives by the Radio Circle, a group of radio enthusiasts and collectors, made up of reels and home recordings sent in by members of the public. BBC Radio 4, 4 Extra and Radio 3 will celebrate their return to the Archive with a season of special broadcasts of the recordings, including Macbeth, which when it was first broadcast in 1971 was the first ever stereo production of the play. The season also includes adaptations of works by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Edgar Wallace, Kingsley Amis and JM Barrie. Radio 4 will also celebrate the BBC Archives by broadcasting two plays by giants of twentieth-century literature, Harold Pinter and Dennis Potter, which have not been heard on BBC Radio since their original broadcasts in the early 1980s.

The collection of plays has been gathered by the Radio Circle, who have identified and restored recordings belonging to members of the public. Most recordings in the collection are of programmes which were not already held by the BBC Archives, making this a particularly special discovery.

The BBC Archives have evolved significantly over the course of the BBC’s history. In its early days, there were significant obstacles to keeping permanent recordings – including cost, copyright issues, and a culture that saw radio as a ‘live’ medium – but much progress has been made. The BBC now archives all output from its network stations, and the Archive currently spans multiple collections. The focus is now on bringing these collections together into one unified back catalogue, and the discovery of these additional recordings by the Radio Circle is an excellent addition to this resource.

Alison Hindell, Commissioning Editor for Drama and Fiction, BBC Radio 4, says, ‘I’m delighted to be bringing these rediscovered gems to listeners – there are some very special dramas which I’m sure listeners will love, with great actors such as Denholm Elliott, Bob Hoskins and Roy Kinnear. The BBC has always been at the forefront of audio drama and we’re in a unique position to preserve and celebrate the rich history of this very special art form. Many thanks to the Radio Circle and the BBC Archives team for their work on this.’

Carl Davies, Senior Curator, BBC Archives, says, “The Radio Archive is a vast and diverse series of collections with millions of recordings from the 1930s to the current day from all the BBC radio services. When new discoveries are found it’s a wonderful opportunity to add to the archive. The Hidden Treasure season is a great moment to highlight the hard work we undertake to curate, catalogue and preserve the BBC’s archive holdings, ensuring they are accessible for our audiences via radio output and BBC Sounds in the months and years to come.”

Steve Arnold from the Radio Circle says, 'We at the Radio Circle are so glad to have been able to return these cultural treasures to the BBC Archives and hope that listeners enjoy hearing these slices of audio history. Many thanks to all the members of the public who contributed to this project.’

Complete list of programming

Radio 4

Sunday 24 March

Hidden Treasures: The Dumb Waiter

15:00 - 15:45 (Original TX 31.7.81)

Gus and Ben are on the job, waiting and listening. Into the waiting silence rattles the dumb waiter with extraordinary demands for dishes they cannot supply - and who is operating the dumb waiter in an empty house? In a while their victim will come….

Pinter's writing in The Dumb Waiter combines "the staccato rhythms of music-hall cross-talk and the urban thriller." This production stars Bob Hoskins and Roy Kinnear and is an absolute tour de force.

Followed by a short feature about the Hidden Treasures collection.

Monday 25 March

Hidden Treasures: Traitor

14:15 - 15:00 (original TX 2.12.80)

Western journalists visit Moscow to interview Adrian Harris, a former controller in British Intelligence, who was also a double agent for the Soviets. Harris believes in both Communism and Englishness, believing himself to have betrayed his class, but not his country. The press find these beliefs incompatible and want to find out why he became a ‘traitor’. Harris is plagued by anxieties over both his actions and his childhood history.

Starring Denholm Elliott as Harris and Ian Ogilvy as James. Adapted and directed by Derek Hoddinott.

Radio 4 Extra

Radio 4 Extra will broadcast more Hidden Treasures plays in May, July and September. More info to follow.

Tuesday 26

No Thoroughfare

10:00 – 11:30 (original TX 18/7/64)

Written by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, adapted by Mollie Hardwick. In 1867 Dickens and Collins collaborated to produce a stage play. Two boys from the Foundling Hospital are given the same name, Walter Wilding, with disastrous consequences. After the death of one in adulthood, executors are commissioned to find a missing heir – leading to danger and treachery.

Wednesday 27

On the Spot

10:00 – 11:30 (original TX 27/3/76)

Edgar Wallace’s most famous play. A bleak story of gangland life in Prohibition Chicago. Gang boss Tony Perelli, recruits men for his gang and women for his bed with the same ruthlessness - and arranges for their disposal when they become a nuisance. But Minn Lee, the widow, is a little too much for him…

Thursday 28

The Riverside Villas Murder

10:00 – 11:30 original TX 26/7/76

By Kingsley Amis, dramatised by Frederick Bradnum. A mummy is stolen from a small-town museum along with some Roman coins, and a soaking wet man collapses in fourteen-year-old Peter Furneaux's living room, bleeding from the head. What was a suspected student prank is followed by murder.

Friday 29

What Every Woman Knows

10:00 – 11:30 original TX 29/10/83

By JM Barrie, adapted for radio by Stewart Conn, with Phyllis Logan and David Hayman. A social satire set in England and Scotland during the early 20th century, What Every Woman Knows centres around plain, spinsterish Maggie Wylie and John Shand, an ambitious young student, who promises to marry Maggie after five years if she agrees and if her family pays for his education. Written before suffrage, the play posits that "every woman knows she is the invisible power responsible for the successes of the men in her life”.

Radio 3

Sunday 5 May

Drama on 3: The Tragedy of Macbeth

20:00 – 22:25 (original TX 1971)

When it was originally broadcast in 1971 on BBC Radio 3, this was the first ever stereo production of Shakespeare’s Scottish play. Radio 3’s predecessor the Third Programme had been the pioneer of stereo on BBC Radio in the early 1960s while other BBC stations did not go stereo till two years after this production in 1973.

Macbeth is played by the TV and film actor Joss Ackland, who died less than four months ago at the end of 2023 aged 96. Lady Macbeth is played by the veteran star of British film and TV Googie Withers, and Robert Hardy, subsequently famous for his role in TV’s All Creatures Great and Small, plays MacDuff.

The production has a specially composed score by Stephen Dodgson and was produced by Raymond Raikes.

More information about wiped, missing or lost recordings, and a form to fill in if you think you may have a copy of a lost recording, can be found on the BBC Archives website.

Find out more about the Radio Circle, or discover more information about the history of radio drama.

Tagging @thisbluespirit - thought this might be of particular interest to you!

#BBC Radio #BBC Archives #Radio Drama

[totallyhussein-blog]

Winnie the Pooh is inspiring Manchester’s kids to read

It's great news from Wood Street Mission and the Books Forever Appeal! Over 8,000 children's books have been donated so far and amongst them are the stories of Winnipeg the Bear -aka the real life Winnie The Pooh- and the Canadian veterinarian Harry D. Colebourn.

I'm positive that books like these will inspire Manchester's young people to read and with more WSM Book Roadshows planned in our city's schools, Wood Street Mission are still in need of brand new or good condition pre-loved books for children and young people.

In 2022, WSM distributed over 20,500 books to disadvantaged young people across Manchester and thanks to support from the public, it's brilliant that each child gets to take home 5 books to keep. Through such acts of kindness, you are helping to overcome barriers that children in low-income families face.

But did you know that donating to Wood Street Mission’s 'Books Forever Appeal’ couldn’t be easier? You can drop off a book in person or have it delivered direct to the Wood Street Mission, 26 Wood Street, Manchester, M3 3EF, The UK.

Wood Street Mission is located next to the John Rylands Library on Deansgate. You can also visit woodstreetmission.org.uk for more information or to make a secure online donation.

#wood street mission #childrens books #manchester #uk news #winnie the pooh #lindsay mattick #sophie blackall #books #waterstones #west didsbury #chorlton #bbc news #bbc radio #bbc radio 4 #hussein al-alak #books forever appeal #books forever #ww1 education #education

[nothingbutedits]

#nbt #nothing but thieves #edit #dom craik #joe langridge brown #phil blake #nothing but edits #nothingbutedits #james price #conor mason #bbc radio

[georgefairbrother]

A little more on Ian Lavender, who passed away February 2nd, 2024, aged 77.

Just one of the abiding friendships between the cast of Dad’s Army was between Ian Lavender himself (born 1946) and John Laurie (born 1897).

Private Pike was Ian Lavender’s first ongoing television role, while John Laurie, a Great War veteran, had appeared in British films dating back to 1929, and was a leading Shakespearean actor on stage.

John Laurie was godfather to Ian Lavender’s children, and they were both dab hands at The Times crossword. John Laurie passed away in 1980, at the age of 83.

Ian Lavender always expressed his gratitude for having worked on Dad's Army, but admitted that typecasting had held back his career, particularly in movies, although he did appear in a handful of classic mid-seventies British films, including Carry on Behind, Not Now, Comrade, and Confessions of a Pop Performer.

He reprised his Dad's Army character, Frank Pike, in a BBC radio sequel, It Sticks Out Half a Mile, and he starred alongside Mollie Sugden in one of David Croft's rare catastrophes, the sci-fi sitcom Come Back Mrs Noah. He featured with Jimmy Edwards in The Glums, and had a series of memorable cameos on British television, including in Yes Minister, Goodnight Sweetheart, and Keeping Up Appearances.

According to his obituary in The Guardian:

"...In addition to various live Dad’s Army productions, his stage work included the Peter Hall Company’s The Merchant of Venice, with Dustin Hoffman as Shylock in 1989, touring as the Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show in 2005, Monsignor Howard in the London Palladium production of the musical Sister Act in 2009, The Shawshank Redemption at the Edinburgh fringe in 2013, and his own one-man show of reminiscences, Don’t Tell Him, Pike..."

He appeared in 245 episodes of Eastenders, and was one of only two of the original Dad's Army cast members, along with Frank Williams (the Vicar), to appear in the 2016 feature film.

Here Ian Lavender recalls an unintentionally comical appearance on New Zealand radio some years after the final episode of Dad's Army.

#social history #ian lavender #dads army #british culture #british television #british theatre #british actors #classic television #yes minister #keeping up appearances #david croft #bbc radio #eastenders

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

Hi ! Just out of curiosity, what do you think the reaction of sony/hshq to Louis' career is ? They managed to turn H into the popstar they wanted but do they consider they've won, are they happy with the way things are, do they still wish for Louis to stop pushing and fade away ? He was never supposed to have a number one, tour big venues, headline festivals. The blacklisting is still in place so i guess they didn't gave up yet, but is it anger, frustration, incomprehension ? What fuels them ?

Initially, I think Sony wanted to be sure that the 1D fanbase would convert into the Harry Styles fanbase until “Harry Styles,” the brand, became critically respectable.

They signed Zayn and Louis, underpromoted Zayn (and Zayn not performing live) and delayed Louis’ album for three years.

Remember when BBC Radio used to put Louis’ music on their playlists? Louis was on Today’s Top Hits, which is how Just Hold On and Back To You got such big numbers.

I think Harry is now big and established, and the 1D fandom has shown that they will back Harry no matter what. They bought the marketing, lock stock and barrel. Dynamic pricing, poor merch quality and design, album not shipped for months, vinyls arriving warped, Harry shit talking other 1D members, breaking up families with young children… none of that mattered a bit.

As a major label, Sony has tight control over the industry and especially in the English-speaking countries. That won’t change anytime soon. They have the cooperation of radio, venues, marketers, and all the ancillaries. Harry is likely to become a billionaire in his thirties because he got lucky.

As for Louis, the fact that his career is doing as well as it is, despite all the roadblocks in the way, is actually incredible. Sometimes you see little cracks in the face of the industry network, as for example when Greg James mocks Louis’ tour concerts on BBC Radio 1, or when music critics say he’ll never tour arenas, or when they contemptuously say, “Well, he’s no Harry Styles,” or when they overly criticize his songwriting and praise Harry’s. These people represent the oil in the machine protesting that the machine isn’t killing the competition as it should (we Louies all get those Harrie anons in our inboxes)— because for them, it is frustrating to see power and money fail to control every aspect of the business.

Sometimes, in the face of Louis’ success, you see Harries (and some Larries), or people in the industry act a lot more bitter and cruel toward Louis than usual. Then you know he was never expected to survive.

#sony music #louis tomlinson #bbc radio