Music!

 

The first really enjoyable music I can remember is Little Richard!  My sister, being 11 year older than me, and my brother, being 10 years older, developed the habit of buying 'Rock 'n Roll' records, almost all '78s.'  So we had all the good ones, Elvis, Tommy Steel and the like, and on one occasion, before 1958 when we obtain a 'Ferranti TV' we saw 'Wee Willy Harris' at the Edinburgh Empire Theatre.  Willy was famous for his carrot coloured 'DA' style hair, quite something in the dull mid 1950s.  I mind him on the stage, red hair, emerald green Edwardian 'Teddy Boy' jacket, and guitar.   I loved it!

There was, and I think I may still have, a Little Richard EP.  A fabulous device that played not one but four tracks!  Wow, that was progress.  The arrival of the TV set meant we no longer went to an occasional variety show, though these were killed off by tv anyway, so instead of red haired stars we had 'Wagon Train' and 'Popeye' instead.  The noise of rock and roll was good however, whether primary school kids get the same feeling from Tasmin Swift I doubt.

The Beatles were the next major step in my musical education.

When you get to that age, between leaving primary school and beginning secondary, that is when music becomes important.  Now some always have music, but for most of us at that time music speaks to 'our generation' in a way it will never do again.  

I was lucky.  My generation had the 'BBC Home Service,' from and for England, and also the 'BBC Light Programme' which played music.  Luck regarding music was considerably less than the luck for the many genuinely funny comedy programmes of that time.  Music was of a ballad type, Scots music appeared to be Kenneth McKellar and Moira Anderson alone, which was not good for adolescents discovering the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and seemingly masses of Blues music of one sort or another.

I mind standing at our stair door with a neighbour when one of his mates arrived.  He asked if we had heard 'She Loves You,' by the Beatles, which of course we had, usually via Radio Luxemburg rather than the unwilling BBC.  This record was really the one in my mind that made the Beatles.  Two minor hits had come before this, but here they touched a nerve, something new, exciting and speaking to a generation sick of banal musical offerings on TV and Radio.  This was the beginning of the musical revolution we hungered for. 

 

   

One of the leading lights in the revolution was of course Bob Dylan. 

The Beatles released something that was lying in the ether, and Bob, and much of the US music scene brought it out, whatever it was.  In Vietnam war raged, a war few comprehended, a war that the US appeared to be losing.  Worse, even the middle classes were being asked to send their son there, so opposition grew.  Poor whites, Blacks and Indians could go, but not the middle class Americans who did not volunteer surely!  The US mental outlook, hardened against the 'Commie threat' since 1947 was not appreciated by all the young during the late 60s.  This generation had like us, grown up on winning the war against the Nazis, now the young sought a peaceful life, Vietnam, far away and unknown, especially to Americans, made no sense.   'Stop the War,' 'Get out of Vietnam,' 'Make Love not War,' became the cry in the US, UK and elsewhere.  Protests abounded, but the war continued.  Politicians and the people never do appear to be on the same side.

The music however, was good.  US West Coast music abounded, 'Canned Heat' became a favourite of mine, 'Moody Blues,' 'Chicken Shack,' so many good groups available, though who could afford 6/8d for a single or 36/8d (£1 16 shilling and 8 pence) for an LP?  So much music, so little money!

    

Then one day, when I was 20 or so years of age, a long time ago now, I chanced upon my brothers boxed set of classic records.  You know the type of thing, 'Readers Digest Favourites' or some such.  I played one of these boring old things and discovered 'Peer Gynt 'Morning Mood,'' and I was won over!

This is not the same recording, I do not know who that was, but it gives an idea of what I heard for the first time.  From then on classical music was not the fuddy-duddy boring stuff forced upon us so often, instead it became something to enjoy.  Like so many who thought classic music was for snobs I found it enjoyable, at least the nice bits, just as many were to do later with 'Classic FM.  Now, I am more inclined to Radio 3 than to anything else.  

Especially if cheap...

Now I'm Not One to Complain, but...

Have you noticed how radio programmes have 'dumbed down?'  I mean on Radio 4 and 4 Extra.  Here we see the imposition of 'Bread and Circus's' clearly.
Once there were many good programmes covering a wide range of issues, often well researched, constructively presented and well worth a listen.  Today there has been a marked increase in drama, Political Correctness (almost every programme has to have a woman knowledgeable or not, and a lessening of factual, Historical or religious programmes.  It appears taking your mind of reality is now the main driving force in radio.
There has on Radio 4 always been far too much 'drama,' Books' and 'stories,' almost all aimed at women, but there is a great increase today.  This appears in my mind as part of the slow erosion of the thinking mind and the replacement with programmes that do not challenge and encourage a slow seeping of the questioning mind.  You do not get that from 'Book at Bedtime.'
This is a deliberate policy.
The new 'BBC Sounds' which replaced the 'iplayer' has also encouraged this by lessening the number of aged programmes than can be obtained.  Those that are available will be the ones chosen for us by our superiors, and we can trust them can we not?
We have a 'dumbed down' media, the press, TV and radio offer nothing to inspire, educate and open the mind.  Far too much follows the rule of the powers that be.  Any who oppose and disagree may well soon see their books burnt.  Just saying...

Now you mention it, why are there so many women chatting on Radio 3 these days?  There was a time the presenter presented the music and the music played.  Now it appears either  a woman presents, which means talks needlessly about, the music and some of it plays.  Now there has been women presenting on Radio 3 for some time, very good ones at that, but there is a new generation introduced by Political Correctness to fill the air with sound, the sound of their voice, not music. 
Yesterday the 'Early music Show was more talk than music, late the other night, just after midnight, a trio of women came on to discuss women composers, usually by giggling rather than talking and avoiding playing much music by female composers while they giggled like teenagers. 
Today, Donald MacLeod has a women to discuss Beethoven during 'Composer of the Week.'  Why?  He has never required assistance before!  While the Beeb is cutting back by removing 450 'journalists (no managers appear to be leaving) it is adding needless females to all parts of the BBC for PC reasons, thus increasing costs and wasting cash!  The money saved on journalists, mostly those who opposed Brexit I suspect, will be spent on the women infesting Radio 3 with their talk.  Talk?  Ten words when one would do thus offering less time for music which is what the station is for!
If I go on like this I may have to apply for a job at the 'Daily Mail!'

War, BBC and Sounds.

BBC

Eighty years ago today Neville Chamberlain informed the nation that "This country is now at war with Germany." Listen here.

Many inform us that Chamberlain was quite successful as a chancellor of the exchequer during the 1930's.  While they attack his appeasement policy towards Adolf Hitler they accept that he also introduced money to pay for both a Fighter Defence and a Bomber Command.  Money was also found to strengthen the Royal Navy and yet he failed to provide monies for the army, possibly that was sensible as the British Army in 1939 still appeared willing to fight the last war and had not developed modern strategy or tactics.  

Chamberlain's great failure however was less his appeasement rather than his failure to understand Hitler.  Adolf just wanted to win the last war, his whole policy was to take over the land mass to the east and enslave any who opposed him, Neville never understood this.  Neville also had been successful and this many say led to his belief that he alone could bring the world situation to a peaceful conclusion.  His arrogance would have been worthwhile had he understood his enemy, he did not.

By 1938 Chamberlain was beginning to understand his failure.  The merging of Germany and Austria, the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the threat to Poland brought home his failure.  He did however have the courage to stand up to Adolf in the end and threaten war if the Germans did not leave Poland, a coward would not have done this!  

So early on a Sunday morning, some churches rigging up wireless sets so the congregation could listen, the British state heard Chamberlains words.  Nobody rejoiced, no flags waved, all understood the situation and were aware of the cost.  

In Germany few rejoiced, indeed the Nazi leaders gathered together to listen to this news and afterwards silence reigned.  Goebbels turned to von Ribbentrop and snarled "Now what!"  Teamwork and shared responsibility was not a Nazi virtue.

 

Such a major event in a life, and participating in a war that is won is about as major as is possible, leaves an affect on an individual and a nation.  The UK still carries the success as well as the aftermath of the second world war.  The aftermath saw an improving society, better housing, the NHS, schools, education for all and improved laws in the work place.  The memory of the war was ever with those who fought or came afterwards.  As the empire died the boast of a great past increased!  Today, as a small nation stronger in the EU than alone, many wish to return to that past. However the past has gone and the UK cannot survive alone.  The war has influenced many to vote for leaving the EU as they reach for an imaginary past, most who do so were not born in the war and never saw the suffering caused.  Interestingly those who now lead the Leave campaign care little for the war and never mention it, they care for position, fame and vast fortune as they line their pockets while subjecting the nation to austerity.  

The soon coming election, based on Boris's promises of money for education, NHS and everyone else, all too soon to be false, will fool many who wish to be fooled.  The opposition, is there one? will offer similar lies also unfounded.

Looking at all this maybe it would be good if the EU did go to war with the UK, well England at least, and send their bombers over here once again.  England deserves that!

BBC Sounds

     
So I woke this morning and stumbled through to sit at my desk staring into space until I woke enough to have breakfast.  I looked for Radio 3 to find some noise and discovered that 'the page is missing' and was redirected to BBC Sounds the new, expensive and absurd replacement for the popular and efficient iPlayer.
Why?
What sort of con is this that my link is sabotaged for the sake of the shockingly poor 'Sounds' mistake?  They say £10 million was spent adjusting the iPlayer to create 'Sounds' I wish I had been consulted as I could have saved them several million. If they continue to replace my links to justify this I may be tempted to scribble a note to someone in the BBC, they will ignore it but they will notice it...
After a search I have replaced the links and hope this time it will remain untouched by BBC executives failing at their job.
As I am on I might as well mention 'The Political Butterfly Effect' which was broadcast yesterday.  This featured the phenomenon of noise in the wrong place.  It appears that talk on Radio 4 must always be accompanied by needless noise drowning out the words and hindering hearing what is said and enjoyment of decent programmes.  I realise these producers come from the 'Punk generation' but they do not have to prove it!  Yesterday we were supposed to be in the House of Commons bar so they supplied appropriate sounds thus rendering talk useless.  These drink loving producers spend an enormous time in such places so must realise that nothing can be heard in them unless your ear is up against the speaker!  Radio 3 talks do not require needless noise why so on Radio 4? 

 

Sunny Grumble

Is it just me?
I came across this advert on Twitter reminding people to drink lots of water in the heat.
Now it crossed my mind that such things were never made clear when I was a lad.  Nobody told us to drink cold water when we were hot.  No wireless or TV adverts demanded we drink to avoid suffering from heat.  I wonder why?
Could it be, and I am merely speculating here, could it be that we did not require instruction on how to cool down when hot?  Was it because or mum gave us instructions perhaps?  Could it have been that we were not totally stupid maybe?  I just throw this out as reading this advert I wondered if people had never realised before that when the sun shines it gets hot and we drink water to cool down and feel capable of dealing with it.
Maybe it's just me?
I await warnings to 'Keep out of the sun as it is hot,' and 'the sun burns,' don't be in it too long, just in case people do not realise this.  I realise climate change has increased the power of the sunshine, it burns me more than it used to and I avoid it, but really, do we need such blatant advice?

I managed to wander around in the heat looking for half naked women photographs in the sun.  There were so few as it was just to hot.  Animals hid from the heat, children didn't, most people gathered under trees for the shade and to gather together to pray that Boris will get arrested for some misdemeanour tomorrow.  If only.  

 
I have been struggling to listen to a programme re William Gladstone on Radio 4.  David Cannadine does offer decent programmes but it is becoming impossible to hear what is being said as the producer, as all producers today, insist on inserting needless and irrelevant music thus drowning out the speaker.  There has always been this element on radio, a needless song because the producer cannot listen for five minutes to a voice, now however it is over top of the voice making hearing impossible.
Radio 3 offers the 'Essay.'  Fifteen minute programmes of people speaking intelligently, usually, without music or any other interruption. Why is it Radio 4 cannot manage this?  These children of the 80's have no ability to listen, I suspect they wander about with headsets over their heads, not the women obviously as they fear for their hair, and their heads down onto the mobile rather than looking where they go.  
Speech is good, intelligent speech does not require noise accompaniment.
When will the BBC kids learn this?

Nothing!

Another Sunday comes near its end and my mind is empty.  I wore it out emoting today and there is little left once darkness falls and my plate of badly cooked leftovers rots inside.  It started the usual way, I spent several minutes wondering if I was awake or still dreaming.  The voices in my head turned out to be some plonker of 'Talksport' discussing fishing with a man on a mobile phone. As is normal with such calls he was either talking from inside a cardboard box or speaking Chittagonian, I know not which. Either way this did not interest and I scrambled wearily for the remote on the pillow, it being to far to reach out from under the blankets to the wireless, and changed to the early Radio 4, here the weather forecast threatened me. This ended and offered me uninteresting news so I moved to Radio 5's childish news service and quickly amended that to Radio 3.  At last something that did not prattle or irritate the early morning mind.  

'Choice' is one of those buzzwords politicians use when lying through their teeth, choice in hospitals, choice in schools, choice here there and everywhere, however the choice is limited and often unavailable. Radio and TV offer choice, you can tale what they offer or lump it!

Early morning radio is poor and I spend more time on Radio 3 with the music filling the space between my ears than the wool mill like noise that emanates from the morning news hubs.  One lying MP is up against another misinforming the nation or perhaps a supporter of Black faces a White fan and the debate gets nowhere much to some smug BBC voice's satisfaction (and £2-300,000 a year is satisfying!).  

The mind was awake during the wee talk by the minister in the Kirk at ten, or half past when he got around to speaking.  The week I had was not good, much was going wrong and this bugged me all week. The reminder of what we live for, or indeed who we live for was important.  How we respond to his call, opening ourselves to him personally and living it out all  rang bells in me.  I made a list of things to amend, it's about eight feet long, and have already added to it.  Tsk!  If I believed him whom I believe strangely enough difficulties might increase but I would cope better with them.  Life will always have problems.  He has never failed me yet, so I had better up my game I say. 

I spent some time around noon searching the fifty or so TV channels on offer for something to fill half an hour.  The set works fine, good picture, acceptable sound, colour OK.  The programmes consisted of mind blowing pap and little else!  Soaps, forty year old episodes of 'Columbo,' or comedies unwatched in the 70's. Did you watch 'On the Buses' more than once?  How come this is a favourite of so many?  Why is it repeated I ask?  PC stops some being repeated, usually those that had wit and humour, why is 'pap' allowed?  The shopping channels had more talent than that exposed elsewhere, and I do not mean the films so old their colour was fading.  Now there are millions of decent old documentaries hidden away somewhere in this world, some occasionally coming into view, but far too few for me.  Modern documentaries are too concerned to constantly keep moving, 'Locomotion' was so bad at this that to show speed Dan Snow chose to run frequently, why?  The cartoons were not allowed to be themselves, they were animated so that they too were constantly on the move! What sort of 13 year old mind produces this tripe?  Why not stand still and tell the story?
I was so glad when the football arrived!

However the Edinburgh Derby, when the Heart of Midlothian defeat Hibernian is an exciting gripping affair and this dilutes the feeble English efforts at this type of contest.  Watching Manchester City defeating weakened Manchester United was so boring I fell asleep for ten minutes in the second half.  My snoring woke me up and must have annoyed the rest of the house!  Later it was a much more interesting contest, Villa v Spurs, and while not as enjoyable as Spartans versus Clyde it kept my attention from sleep.  
However these games take away all my emotion.  The mind is worn out with stress and rest is required. You will guess that Bach is playing in the background.  Yes indeed Bach is my favourite Welsh composer. Typically the music ends as I write that, innit a game eh?  We now have Handel to use care on.  (Geddit? handle with care? oh forget it.)  
See, I told you I had nothing to say and nothing has been said.  Tomorrows list of things to do lies awaiting being ignored by my side, rain clouds gather above waiting for my early morn dash to Tesco to unleash their contents while others suffer sunburn and have the audacity to complain about the heat!  I had better go and prepare myself by having some beauty sleep, not that I require that of course....  


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The Wireless, Daffodils and Books!

BBC Radio 3

I am very much enjoying the 15 minute programmes found on the wireless these days.  Both Radio 4 and Radio 3 have a good selection of these all well worth a browse.  Above we have a picture of Andrew Martin the writer (what do we mean 'the writer?  Especially when we have never heard of him until today?).  He offered us five 15 minute programmes on Radio 3s 'The Essay,' and although time is running out to hear the first one I found these very interesting and thought provoking, almost as if I had written them myself, they were that good, what?...oh!

These five programmes come under 'England Ejects' heading, ignoring the fact they cover all the UK rather than just one small portion thereof!   'Boasting,' 'Eating too much,' 'Rules, gentility,' 'Manual work,' and 'Sunday church going,' are the headings, each one very enjoyable little talks. His voice is good for radio, unlike far too many these days, and his honesty is welcome.  You will probably enjoy these, if you are quick!

The advantage of 15 minute programmes is that of they are not too good they soon end, if they are worth a listen there is often the promise of more to follow. Nothing worse than finding Radio 4 is filling all such slots with mediocre or uninteresting rubbish.  I feel robbed when I note this, and it does happen. Finding Radio 3 also doing such offerings was brilliant.  I wonder what else is hiding on radio stations world wide, hidden behind hours of music blasting around the world and found only by looking in dark corners of the wireless?    

The lack of real winter has seen the daffodils rise early this year.  All these bulbs that ought to be welcoming Easter a month or so away are poking through now.  These will bloom in the next few days and while welcome they do indicate how mild the winter has been so far.  I expect the electric and gas directors and most put out by this and attempting to discover ways to increase prices because of the mildness in the air.  The million pound bonus's may not be quite so good at Christmas and a trip to their bank in the British Virgin Islands may be on the cards for these struggling men.  I however am quite happy not to have the heat full blast most days, and look forward to Spring bouncing in as soon as possible!

I should tell you I am almost finished with two more books, and have started another.  This means I may refer to them sometime soon.  Are you waiting for this?......oh!

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The Web!

Surely that is what they mean by 'the web...?'
Quite how the spiders connect via an ISP I know not.  However as several have made their home on the telegraph pole it appears there must be some method available.  Note also we refer to a 'telegraph pole' yet the 'telegraph' as such no longer exists.  What do we call these things now I wonder?

During the last week I have made use of the web, mostly to listen to the 'wireless,' although that today must be called the 'radio.'  There again as many listen to the 'radio' via their mobile phone can we call it 'radio' any more?   I am getting confused now.  When I use the laptop to listen to the radio, via a wireless connection, am I using a 'radio' or a 'wireless?'  I am beginning to blow a valve, bring back the old certainties I say!

The radio I listen to mostly is BBC Radio 4, Radio 4 Extra or Factual, BBC World Service, or even Murdoch's TalkSport (who's link doesn't work for me!). World Service News until recently has been the best in the world. The cutbacks have reduced this somewhat, especially early in the morning when 'Daybreak,' an African 5Live style offering appears instead of the proper news programmes that once held sway.  Still some news programmes run during the day and have proper journalists most of the time.  The usual liberal BBC policy drives the choice of subjects and narrows the spread of news somewhat I find.  I have tried other nations radio stations, in English as my Finnish, Russian and Serbo-Croat is somewhat lacking, but not as much as my command of English of course, some offer a good news service but usually at limited and awkward times.  In days of old I often spent hours listening to the Eastern European stations under Communist control.  The slanted viewpoints, boasting of successful agriculture, factory output (how many tractors we made today) and diplomatic successes, came over as interesting in comparison to the views expressed by western media.  I suspect their radio stations are better these days, at least the newsreaders will not have rumbling stomachs like the Romanians and Bulgarians used to suffer!  Some US local news stations, the type named after leftover 'Scrabble' letters, offer five minutes of screeching adverts followed by one minute of extremely fast 'news,' then it returns to the ads.  I heard several like this, mostly in New York and the like, and wondered what the point was?  If you cannot make out the words because the speech is so fast and the majority of the hour is adverts i have to ask why bother?  Better US stations always begin by asking you for money, something you cannot do in the UK.  It would never work!   

Radio 4 is filled as you know with Middle aged, Middle class females telling us their many problems, which reflects greatly on the women who arrive on here, they always appear so normal so why does the Beeb look for this particular hung up type I ask?  However in amongst this we can find a great many decent programmes, especially if we use the 'Programmes A-Z bit.  I often do this and the documentaries on radio have as you know better pictures than those on the telly.  History is very well covered alongside a wide variety of topics, I particularly like those many short 15 minute programmes that have appeared in recent years.   This week I discovered the story of a female Chinese Emperor, some things about Henry VIII and a tale regarding H.V. Morton the travel writer.  Some are available for a week only, others hang around for a year! Radio 4 Extra and the Factual stations also offer past titles, 'Extra' dealing in Comedy where I find 'Hancock' and 'The Goons,' regularly offered.  All such making a change from the drivel that fills the majority of daytime TV and Radio. So many radio channels offer nothing but music, and usually at a time when I wish to hear something spoken.  It is most irritating that these people do not appear to cater for me specifically which is disappointing, although the web now makes a better choice available through searching.

When lying in bed I usually listen to the wireless.  Radio 4 may offer the 'Shipping Forecast,' which can lull one to sleep after the midnight news or wake you gently just after five in the morning.  Many non sailors are keen to see how 'Forties,' or 'Cromarty,' will do today.  "Easterly 5,  Moderate, Rain, Poor," are just the words required to delight or terrify those who go down to the sea in ships.  Usually we struggle to comprehend what they mean but the chaps in small craft, fishing boats and the light still listen in spite of all their modern equipment so it clearly serves a purpose still.  Alvar Lidell was a famous BBC announcer who spoke the Kings English properly as you should, he I think it was, would end the shipping forecast with "Good fishing gentlemen," or some such phrase, as in those days vast numbers of trawlers worked the seas. Such niceties are less common today, as indeed are the fishing boats. Often I switch this off and turn to 'TalkSport.'  As the laptop cannot offer this it means the radio, or is that a wireless I wonder?  This station offers 'Sport,' usually football with occasional other things thrown in at quiet times.  Owned by that nice Rupert Murdoch I find that whenever I switch it on the adverts are running. The adverts, always loud and bolshie and often with an English working class voice' to sell it to the people, take up so much space because it means the presenters don't have more time to fill I suspect.  After the ads come the ads for the stations programmes themselves in the usual Murdoch loud and empty boastful manner.  The major topic is always the top four football sides, the rest not counting to hacks, and the main story of the day, whether real or imaginary, will be discussed in urgent fashion for hours, long after those involved have forgotten it.  'White van man' is a regular contributor, calling from his mobile phone on an unintelligible line at three in the morning to make his point concerning a player or club.  His knowledge is lacking, he clearly knows nothing, and yet he makes more sense than the presenters, possibly because the line keeps going down!

Cultural folks like you and me will turn to the BBC iPlayer and search BBC 3's site where music abundant is found as well as sensible (?) programmes on the Arts.  My favourite is 'The Essay,' where fifteen minute programmes discuss various subjects.  The Anglo Saxons offered many worthy fifteen minutes which I enjoyed thoroughly, most are still available and well worth a listen.  Since this quality station has so few listeners, it has a certain (deserved) snob approach to classical music and life in general, many despise it, however again a little digging brings success.  One day I hope to hear my clever musical niece playing in an orchestra here.   She is playing a part in Messiaen - Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, making a noise on Tubular bells I believe.  At least I hope that is the same thing that she is involved with, they all sound the same to me I sometimes get confused by the foreign names.  

I would bore you with more but instead I am off to bed to listen to a variety of foreign stations in an attempt to find something I like.  


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Radio 3

Well my new year started in the normal manner. Within three minutes I had received my first spam e-mail! (You signed up for this on Dec 14th - Oh no I didn't!). Two days in and around twenty more have arrived. Once again one entered the fray as I was reading the proper e-mail, s meaning they too know the address is live and more will follow. Anyone for a 'replica watch' out there? The weather is dreich, damp but until this morning it has been mild. Naturally, as I consider walking the streets looking for dropped coins, the temperature has fallen. Even the birdies have put scarves on and are gathering around any branch where the sun alights. Contact with Edinburgh has been limited as some up there have indulged in high frolics on Hogmany and have been paying the price. My sensitive, caring cries of "I told you so!" appear to cause some resentment. Hee hee!

However I have once again discovered the joys of Radio 3, and in particular 'Late Junction.'
This is a programme described as 'A laid-back, eclectic mix of music from across the globe.' It is indeed! Using the 'Listen Again' button I let this run as I misspell my words, thus entertaining my mind if not yours. Fiona Talkington and Verity Sharp present in a suitably laid back manner, and I tell you I am jealous as I would love a job like theirs. Especially as it only runs three days a week! Radio 3 has understandably been given a reputation for musical snobbery! A reputation it thoroughly deserves. Clearly many associated with 3 do think of themselves as above the normal run of the mill music world, and indeed the world in general when it comes to that. This however is not because of the music, but because they themselves are snobs and justify their existence by looking down on others. Poor sad, deluded folks. They kid only themselves. Mind you anyone who looks down on the output of Radio 1 or the BBC in general can be considered a snob if they prefer quality to pap. As I said before, and only the Daily Mail's, female, Tory readership could disagree, when the Conservative party insisted in the 80's that the 'Left Leaning BBC' was made to pay its own way a 'dumbing down' was obvious. I hope they are happy!

Radio three has many good points, the news, which comes rarely, is read without the needless emotion that is seen everywhere else. Just why newsreader need to slant stories like the tabloid press is beyond me, facts are enough as those listening are not stupid. If programmers treated the audience as somewhat intelligent rather than regarding them as Orcs all programmes would surely improve! 3 does not dumb down,well, not in any obvious way,although it caters for its own audience and their self opinion! The presenters in general tend to be laid back and knowledgeable, the talk programmes rare, but often enlightening, and if they decided to cut out all female opera singers the programming would be near perfect. If I want a screeching woman I can soon find one.

If you too have an 'eclectic' ear, if you want something more mind stretching than the mind sapping inconsequential 'pap' that fills the airways these days I suggest giving Radio 3, and 'Late Junction' in particular a try. In truth you do not need to be a snob to listen in, there are many in the residuum alongside me who listen regularly, with their ear pressed up against the gramophone in case the Gestapo discover them. It is a must to wash your hands before listening however, for decorum's sake.