Remembering Janice Long

Alison takes us to childhood homes, town centre hang outs, schools and venues and tells Janice about the start of her musical journey in punk bands through her ground breaking work with Yazoo to huge solo success, performances on the theatrical stage and her life/work balance of music, family and sculpture.

Alison's piano tuning studies came to an abrupt halt when Only You became a worldwide hit for her and school friend Vince Clarke. She describes those early Top of the Pops appearances and her friends in Basildon, who helped her with her performance wardrobe.

Yazoo, like other school mates Depeche Mode and The Cure, went on to reinvent British chart music, merging cool synthesised soundscapes with soul.

Two albums and a Brit Award for Best New Band later, aged just 23, she signed a solo deal and recorded the multi-million selling debut Alf. Released in 1984 the album spawned three UK Top 10 hits and won her a Brit for Best Female Artist.

In 1985 Moyet performed at the legendary first Live Aid concert and her next album, Raindancing gained her a third Brit, later Hoodoo garnered her a Grammy nomination.

Towards the end of 2001 Alison made her stage debut in the West End hit musical 'Chicago' playing the role of Matron 'Mama' Morton. A couple of years later, Alison returned to London's West End in Smaller in which she co-starred with long-time friend Dawn French.

Alison is a Prince's Trust Ambassador and has also received an honorary degree from the University of Essex for Services to British Music.

Janice Long walks through Basildon with Alison Moyet, remembering key people and songs.

Radio 2 remembers Janice Long.

The journey was recorded on a very inclement afternoon recently, around the Greenwich and Blackheath areas of South London, in the shelter of local pubs like The Crown and a car, as it was just too stormy to walk across the heath and on the pavements that Chris recalls playing on, with his toy cars.

Chris remembers nurturing his imagination under his mother's kitchen table and being a member of local gangs and a very reluctant participant in crime. He tried out being a roadie for David Bowie, before he spent 50p placing an advert in a sweet shop window in the early 1970s and created lifelong friendships with his soul mates Glenn Tilbrook and Jools Holland.

Chris talks frankly about his battles and his father's prophecy that a career as a Rock Star would make him 'an alcoholic, drug addict and skint'. He also describes a childhood trip to Lamas Fayre in Northern Ireland, where a palm reader predicted many marriages, lots of children, a career as musician and a struggle, but a good life.

Squeeze's Chris explores his childhood and lyrical history in Greenwich and Blackheath.

Radio 2 remembers Janice Long.

Gary was born Gary Webb in Hammersmith. His Dad drove buses at Heathrow Airport and his Mum bought him his first acoustic guitar at the age of five.

School didn't go so well, but he was always obsessed with music and machines, specifically airplanes and racing cars.

Gary and Janice return to Heathrow to talk about childhood and plane spotting and the site of a record shop in Earls Court where Gary signed a deal for his punk band in 1978. Gary mentions discovering a Moog synthesizer in the studio and arguing, successfully, with his record company to re-interpret all the punk recordings as electronic numbers.

They discuss his visits to the Hammersmith Odeon, the pressure of his number one singles and albums, world tours and retirement on location at Wembley Arena.

The story comes up to date with Gary's move to California and his 22nd studio album.

Janice takes the electronic pioneer, who David Bowie praised, back to some London haunts.

Radio 2 remembers Janice Long.

Holly will take us on his own magical mystery tour from the local church where he sang as a choirboy, through the streets where he delivered papers, over the Mystery Park to Penny Lane while we hear The Beatles, David Bowie, The Human League, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and T-Rex amongst others.

Holly and Janice also pass through the 'posh bit' of Liverpool where he first walked along an avenue humming the song that would become Relax. Holly also visits the Everyman Theatre (where he auditioned as a young man), the Cavern and Erics (where he performed with Big In Japan alongside his contemporaries like Echo & The Bunnymen and Ian Brodie).

Holly has fascinating anecdotes and memories to share about the Fab Four, Joe Meek, the Liverpool Empire, record shops and boutiques, Bob Wooler, Allan Williams, The Silver Blades Ice Rink & Disco, Matthew Street, Pete Burns and Jayne Casey as they affected his life.

First broadcast in 2017.

Janice Long walks through Liverpool with Holly Johnson, remembering key people and songs.

Radio 2 remembers Janice Long.

James talks eloquently and passionately about his working-class roots and the political and social events in the area and beyond - all of which inspired him to be a musician and are still part of new songs like Liverpool Revisited. He also chooses some favourite tracks from the band's catalogue and others like Public Enemy, Public Service Broadcasting and Gwenno.

A memorable journey in Wales with James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers.

Radio 2 remembers Janice Long.

In the first she visits the largest city in Scotland, with a long history of musical, industrial and cultural innovation, Glasgow, to spend some time with her old friend and global rock star Jim Kerr of Simple Minds.

In the programme, recorded before the devastating fire at the Glasgow School of Art and the ABC venue, they walk around the city and discuss Jim's upbringing, close to his school friend and bandmate Charlie Burchill, in the Gorbals. Jim and Janice also remember schooldays and early vinyl purchases of Bowie and The Velvet Underground, stand on the first stage they played on, hear backstage stories about Bono in the dressing rooms of the Barrowlands, discover how an American number one might not have happened without perseverance from Keith Forsey and uncover stage nerves at Live Aid. Janice also finds out what connects Nelson Mandela and Waterfront, as she stands with Jim on the banks of the River Clyde.

Janice takes a fascinating tour of musical and family milestones in Glasgow with Jim Kerr.

Radio 2 remembers Janice Long.

Richard is also much loved on the live circuit and in demand for his session work with Pulp, Hank Marvin, Lisa Marie Presley, Arctic Monkeys, Manic Street Preachers and Paul Weller among many others.

They spend quite a lot of time in the bar and music room of Richard's local The Greystones - which has played host to Richard himself along with Pulp, Martin Simpson and Duane Eddy and then they take Richard's dogs Alf and Fred to the nearby Bingham Park.

Richard talks about growing up with his musical parents and the changing musical, political and social atmosphere in Sheffield from the 1960s to the present day.

Janice meets Richard Hawley in a pub and parkland on one of the seven hills of Sheffield.

Radio 2 remembers Janice Long.

They hear some songs on that release called 'Record', and others, with references to the places they visit, her family history and early gigs as both a performer and music fan attendee.

For four decades Tracey Thorn has been one half of worldwide best sellers Everything But The Girl, an acclaimed writer and journalist, wise woman of social media, solo artist and vocalist, who everyone from Paul Weller to Massive Attack wants on their tracks.

Tracey is an enchanting and fascinating guide as they walk around the streets, churches and music venues of North London and Soho. These include Ronnie Scott's, The Hope and Anchor, The Lyceum on The Strand and St. Martin's Church in Gospel Oak where her parents and grand parents were married - described by the architectural expert and historian Nikolaus Pevsner as 'one of the craziest of London's Victorian Churches'.

Tracey Thorn guides Janice around the fine streets, churches and music venues of her life.

Radio 2 remembers Janice Long.