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The Birth Of Rock And Roll

Bruce Welch of The Shadows celebrates Rock Around The Clock, covering the song's role in musical revolution and creating a brand new version with an all-star cast.

On April 12th 1954, Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and his Comets was recorded, a song that marked the birth of rock and roll and became an anthem for the rebellious youth of the fifties. To celebrate the anniversary, Bruce Welch of The Shadows looks at the unlikely beginnings of the song and how it became a global phenomenon unlike anything that came before it.

The programme will also see a brand new version of the song created especially for Radio 2, featuring Ricky Wilson of the Kaiser Chiefs, Andy Fairweather Low, Mark King of Level 42, Rick Wakeman, Lee Thompson of Madness and Radio 2's own music news journalist Matt Everitt. Together they'll look at the techniques used to create the original, plus what's changed and stayed the same in music since rock and roll was born.

Contributors to the programme include the Radio 2 broadcasters Johnnie Walker and Tony Blackburn, musicians Chas Hodges, Albert Lee, Imelda May and Darrel Higham, plus producers Hugh Padgham and Mike Batt talking about what makes Rock Around The Clock so special, and why it still sounds so good seventy years on.

First broadcast in 2014.

57 minutes

Last on

Sat 13 Apr 2024 02:00
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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Clip

Music Played

  • The Black Crowes

    Hard To Handle

  • Chas & Dave

    Rabbit

    • All The Best From Chas & Dave.
    • K-Tel.

  • Phil Collins

    In the Air Tonight

    • Phil Collins - Face Value.
    • Virgin.

  • Matthew Everitt, Andy Fairweather‐Low, Mark King, Lee Thompson, Rick Wakeman & Ricky Wilson

    Rock Around The Clock

  • Andy Fairweather‐Low

    Wide Eyed And Legless

    • (Single).
    • A&M.

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    Thirteen Women (And Only One Man In Town)

    • For Dancers Only.
    • Rev-Ola.
    • 21.

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    Rock The Joint

    • Greatest Hits of the 50s CD4.
    • Cheap O Lata.
    • 2.

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    Pat-A-Cake

    • For Dancers Only.
    • Rev-Ola.
    • 12.

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    Crazy Man Crazy

    • For Dancers Only.
    • Prism.
    • 9.

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    Rock Around The Clock

    • That's Rock'n'Roll (Various Artists).
    • EMI.

  • Joe Houston

    All Night Long

    • Cornbread and Cabbage Greens.
    • Ace.
    • 7.

  • Tom Jones

    It's Not Unusual

    • Fifty Number Ones Of The 60's (Variou.
    • Global Television.

  • Kaiser Chiefs

    Coming ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

    • (CD Single).
    • Fiction.
    • 001.

  • Kaiser Chiefs

    Ruby

    • (CD Single).
    • B-Unique.

  • Stan Kenton

    Invention For Guitar and Trumpet

    • New Concepts of Artistry In Rhythm.
    • Capitol.
    • 8.

  • Level 42

    Running In The Family

    • The Complete Polydor Years: Volume 2 (1985-1989).
    • Cherry Red Records.

  • Little Richard

    Tutti Frutti

    • That's Rock'n'Roll (Various Artists).
    • EMI.

  • Madness

    Baggy Trousers

    • More Greatest Hits Of 80's (Various).
    • Disky.

  • Imelda May

    Johnny Got A Boom Boom

    • (CD Single).
    • Universal Classics & Jazz.
    • 1.

  • Menswe@r

    Daydreamer

    • Nuisance.
    • Laurel.
    • 5.

  • The Ravens

    Write Me A Letter

    • The Greatest Group Of Them All: Roots Of Rock And Roll.
    • 4.

  • Cliff Richard & The Drifters

    Move It

  • The Shadows

    Apache

    • The Shadows - First 20 Years At The T.
    • EMI.

  • Sunny Dae & The Knights

    Rock Around The Clock

    • You Heard It Here First!.
    • Castle Music.
    • 26.

  • T. Rex

    Get It On

    • Million Sellers Vol.19 - The Seventie.
    • Disky.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 20 May 2014 22:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
  • Sat 13 Apr 2024 02:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2