A Sound British Adventure

BBC Radio 4 is to investigate the history of electronic music in Britain, in a new documentary featuring interviews with many past Doctor Who contributers.

A Sound British Adventure is being broadcast next Tuesday, 14 August, at 11.30am. It is presented by comedian Stewart Lee and looks at how, following the end of World War II, a group of electronic pioneers used their army surplus kit to create new sounds and music.

The programme looks at the work of the first commercial electronic music studio in Britain, which was started in 1969 by Tristram Cary, who also wrote incidental music for 48 Doctor Who episodes between 1963 and 1972. It examines the make do and mend approach in the industry which led to Cary's partner, Peter Zinovieff, developing synthesizers from a shed at the bottom of his garden in Putney.

Also interviewed is long time Doctor Who contributor Brian Hodgson, who worked on 321 episodes of the classic series, creating special sounds, most famously the sounds of the TARDIS. In the programme he tells about 1960s experimental and electronic festivals, including The Million Volt Light and Sound Rave (1967) at which The Beatles' electronic piece Carnival Of Light had its only public airing, as well as discussing how the BBC Radiophonic workshop broke new musical ground with Doctor Who.

Experts in the history of electronic music, including author and Doctor Who musician Mark Ayers give the boffins' view and Portishead's Adrian Utley explains why the early forays in electronics are still relevant today.

The programme can be heard on FM in the UK and around the world via the BBC Website.