How Soon Is Now? - The Sound of the Post-Industrial North
Stuart Maconie on the history of modern Britain in 50 records. Following the seismic shift of punk, groups of dour young men and women take the DIY ethic to its logical conclusion.
From the bombed-out, broken down cities of the North they came, a stream of pasty-faced, earnest young men and women in trench coats and black clothing with a new music that sowed the seeds of what became commonly known as 'indie': totally changing the nation's musical landscape.
When the Sex Pistols played Manchester's free-trade hall in 1976, many of the crowd went on to form their own bands; The Buzzcocks, Joy Division, Durutti Column, The Fall and The Smiths, all began after that fateful night. And word soon spread like wildfire across the North of England. Out of Sheffield came The Human League, Cabaret Voltaire and Heaven 17. From Leeds there was The Gang Of Four, The Mission and The Cult. Liverpool gave us Echo And The Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes and The Icicle Works. Maybe it was the wetter weather that encouraged kids to stay indoors and play records and pick up instruments. Or maybe it was the lack of job opportunities and the hard, bleak social conditions that persuaded kids to turn their attentions elsewhere. Maybe these teenagers couldn't get a job and, inspired, by the old clichΓ©, found an escape through music.
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Clips
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Music Played
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The Smiths
How Soon Is Now?
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The Clash
Hitsville UK
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The Teardrop Explodes
Reward
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Joy Division
Transmission
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Joy Division
She's Lost Control
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New Order
Blue Monday
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The Smiths
Hand In Glove
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The Smiths
This Charming Man
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The Smiths
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
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The Smiths
William, It Was Really Nothing
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The Smiths
How Soon Is Now?
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The Stone Roses
Fools Gold
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Two Door Cinema Club
Something Good Can Work
Share your comments and stories
Your contributions will play a key part in this episode, take a look at the questions below and :
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Did you grow up in the North during the β70s and β80s?
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Did indie music change your life and, if so, how?Β
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If you dislike indie music, why?
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Do you think indie took the promise of punk but did something different or even more interesting with it?
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Broadcasts
- Wed 31 Jul 2013 22:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
- Wed 26 Oct 2016 23:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
Song Profiles
Read the stories behind featured songs, listen to & watch related clips & cover versions!