Ten Years of BBC Introducing
This autumn, BBC Introducing celebrates its 10th anniversary and we have birthday plans here in Norfolk to go alongside the big national Introducing party.
When Radio 1 DJ John Peel died in 2004, we lost a national figure who had spent decades pioneering new music. His legacy was Introducing, where every BBC local radio station has a show promoting new music in its own area.
In 2007 the Norfolk scene was buzzing and from our first radio programme onwards, and we have never had any problem finding enough music. In fact, the problem has always been not being able to fit it all in!
It’s been a fantastic journey for us over the last decade, but whilst we love our local music, we don’t actually make it! We are constantly in debt to all the musicians who send their tracks in - the time and effort they put in, their creativity, spending money on equipment and recording. We are also in debt to the venues and promoters – without them we would have nowhere to watch music. And to the blogs and reviewers, photographers and mags like Outline that enthuse about what’s happening. Compared to all of these pushing a few buttons and listening to fabulous music is pretty easy peasy.
The Past
Looking back over the last decade, there have definitely been lots of changes.
When we first started we had a box for people to drop off CDs. Now it’s pretty much all downloads, with the BBC Uploader in particular giving acts a free opportunity to send their music into us. Every day we used to check our Myspace account! Now there’s a whole range of social media.
Ten years ago the local scene was in the grip of post-punk, reinvented 70s and a huge splash of experimental electro, from bands like Bearsuit, The Lost Levels, The Brownies, Aldrin and The Eagle, Transept and Le Tetsuo. It was the birth of The Kabeedies, perfect pop in a punk style. If you missed their Christmas gig at the Arts Centre with flowers and glitter thrown into the audience, joined soon after by lead singer Katie as she slipped gradually off the stage into a sea of excited followers, you missed a good gig!
The Present
Indie is still a big player locally, as is rock, and even classical and jazz are growing, with Mammal Hands in particular flying the flag of success for that around the world right now. Singer songwriters have blossomed, treading a path neatly laid by Ed Sheeran. No-one could have predicted a world superstar coming from here – but watching that all unfold before our eyes has been an amazing experience.
Jess Morgan introduced us to country, a genre that has grown and grown locally, with new acts like Sam Coe and the Long Shadows, Lucy Grubb and Morganway all following on.
There have been so many acts that we have loved and cherished, too many to mention. Some have come and gone – some still at the top of their game like Magoo, Milly Hirst, Rory McVicar, Franko Fraize and Mega Emotion (formed from the ashes of Bearsuit).
Top class recordings can be made in people’s bedrooms, and that has given a massive boost to the local electro scene. We have watched that develop from white noise experimental to acts from here touring internationally – such as Luke Abbott, Nathan Fake and Louis La Roche. Whilst brilliant music is being made in this genre, the next challenge is to get that talent out onto the gig circuit.
BBC Introducing has given Norfolk acts the chance to play on the best stages at the biggest Festivals around the world. Glastonbury, Latitude, Reading and Leeds, Montreal Jazz Festival, T in the Park – and who can forget the massive boost to music in Norwich provided by the visit of the Radio 1 Big Weekend!
The Future
We are so excited about giving you the chance to celebrate 10 years of Introducing, and help us into our next decade.
On 4th October we will be touring the county,asking acts to play live sessions throughout the day on BBC Radio Norfolk. We have a whole series of special reports coming up on our Introducing shows, and another whole week of celebrations on and off air starting week beginning 20th November.
We want you to join us along the way – and as a big thank you to everyone we have a great curtain raiser gig with Mullally at OPEN in Norwich on Tuesday 3rd October – so there’s no reason to feel left out!
BBC Introducing in Norfolk - Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 6pm on BBC Radio Norfolk, 95.1 FM.
facebook.com/bbcintroducinginnorfolk
YouTube.com/introducinginnorfolk
Send your music to us on the BBC Uploader at bbc.co.uk/introducing
