Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150115 | 20211001 (R4) | Second-hand shops are littered with tatty old 7 inch records that were self-made by bands.
Mark Hodkinson, who was in one of those bands, buys a handful of the singles and tracks down the people involved.
What happened to the dreams and ideals of people who created a lasting plastic monument to their youth?
And how is the experience of making and packaging a 7 inch single different from the modern practice of up-loading a file to a website?
The DIY single took commitment and ingenuity. Hopeful bands would scrape together money to record, press, package and distribute their music in the hope of fame, fortune or at least an appearance on the radio.
Now, the bargain bins of second-hand shops are full of these records and each one marks a significant milestone in someone's career. But a stepping-stone to where?
Mark Hodkinson, now a journalist, learns how people coped with the disappointment of failure and how they continue to try and satisfy their creative desires.
He meets a saxophonist who once supported Adam Ant and now is a designer for a computer gaming company; a bassist who went on to marry a Bond villain; a guitarist who still hopes to make it big; and a singer who did make it big, and is still selling records 30 years later.
Producer: Ian Bent
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015.
What happened to the musicians who poured their hopes and savings into a DIY 7 single?
Second-hand shops are littered with tatty old 7 inch records that were self-made by bands.
Mark Hodkinson, who was in one of those bands, buys a handful of the singles and tracks down the people involved.
What happened to the dreams and ideals of people who created a lasting plastic monument to their youth?
And how is the experience of making and packaging a 7 inch single different from the modern practice of up-loading a file to a website?
The DIY single took commitment and ingenuity. Hopeful bands would scrape together money to record, press, package and distribute their music in the hope of fame, fortune or at least an appearance on the radio.
Now, the bargain bins of second-hand shops are full of these records and each one marks a significant milestone in someone's career. But a stepping-stone to where?
Mark Hodkinson, now a journalist, learns how people coped with the disappointment of failure and how they continue to try and satisfy their creative desires.
He meets a saxophonist who once supported Adam Ant and now is a designer for a computer gaming company; a bassist who went on to marry a Bond villain; a guitarist who still hopes to make it big; and a singer who did make it big, and is still selling records 30 years later.
Producer: Ian Bent
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015.
What happened to the musicians who poured their hopes and savings into a DIY 7 single? | |
| 01 | 20080414 | 20100426 (R4) | Thirty Five percent of the British adult population have never been married and are officially single. Is it a world of freedom and fun, or of crushing loneliness? And how is the issue of security, both emotional and financial, affected by being alone? From the women and men in their 20s and 30s searching in desperation to find a partner, to the divorcees suddenly single and part of the dating game, both trying to comprehend its complicated rules.
In this first episode, Hayley and Catherine discuss what it is like to be single women looking for true love, revealing the difficulties modern life throws up to thwart their search, their fears of a ticking biological clock and the problems with speed dating.
This 5-part series, originally broadcast in 2008, explores the lives of the thousands of ordinary people in the UK today who live the single life, uncovering surprising stories.
Producer: Jo Meek
The stories of two single women looking for true love in the face of difficult modern life Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today
Thirty Five percent of the British adult population have never been married and are officially single. Is it a world of freedom and fun, or of crushing loneliness? And how is the issue of security, both emotional and financial, affected by being alone? From the women and men in their 20s and 30s searching in desperation to find a partner, to the divorcees suddenly single and part of the dating game, both trying to comprehend its complicated rules.
In this first episode, Hayley and Catherine discuss what it is like to be single women looking for true love, revealing the difficulties modern life throws up to thwart their search, their fears of a ticking biological clock and the problems with speed dating.
This 5-part series, originally broadcast in 2008, explores the lives of the thousands of ordinary people in the UK today who live the single life, uncovering surprising stories.
Producer: Jo Meek
The stories of two single women looking for true love in the face of difficult modern life Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today |
| 02 | 20080415 | 20100427 (R4) | In part two of the series looking at singletons, Richard and Mark question whether the stereotypes of the modern gay man are true. Is it harder to settle with one person when society so readily labels the gay community promiscuous? Richard and Mark reflect on past relationships and finding Mr Right.
This programme was originally broadcast in 2008.
Producer: Jo Meek
Two gay men question whether or not the stereotypes of the modern homosexual man are true. Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today
In part two of the series looking at singletons, Richard and Mark question whether the stereotypes of the modern gay man are true. Is it harder to settle with one person when society so readily labels the gay community promiscuous? Richard and Mark reflect on past relationships and finding Mr Right.
This programme was originally broadcast in 2008.
Producer: Jo Meek
Two gay men question whether or not the stereotypes of the modern homosexual man are true. Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today |
| 03 | 20080416 | 20100428 (R4) | A look at the issues faced by divorcee mums in the modern world. Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today A look at the issues faced by divorcee mums in the modern world. Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today |
| 04 | 20080417 | 20100429 (R4) | Thirty-eight percent of all British men have never married. But how does society look upon people who choose not to marry and to enjoy the freedom and other benefits that being single affords? In the fourth part of The Single Life, which was originally recorded and broadcast in 2008, Stephen talks about his life, in which marriage, children and mortgages haven't yet played a part.
Producer: Jo Meek
How does society look upon people who choose not to marry? Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today
Thirty-eight percent of all British men have never married. But how does society look upon people who choose not to marry and to enjoy the freedom and other benefits that being single affords? In the fourth part of The Single Life, which was originally recorded and broadcast in 2008, Stephen talks about his life, in which marriage, children and mortgages haven't yet played a part.
Producer: Jo Meek
How does society look upon people who choose not to marry? Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today |
| 05 | 20080418 | 20100430 (R4) | Nearly four million people in the UK are single again after the death of their husband or wife. In the final episode of the series about being single in the modern world, Terry talks about facing life on his own. Widowed after 31 years of marriage, he reflects on trying to reconcile grief and loss with a new found freedom.
Producer: Jo Meek
A profile of a widower's attempts to reconcile grief and loss with his new-found freedom. Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today
Nearly four million people in the UK are single again after the death of their husband or wife. In the final episode of the series about being single in the modern world, Terry talks about facing life on his own. Widowed after 31 years of marriage, he reflects on trying to reconcile grief and loss with a new found freedom.
Producer: Jo Meek
A profile of a widower's attempts to reconcile grief and loss with his new-found freedom. Series exploring the lives of the thousands of ordinary single people in the UK today |