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THE 12 INCH SINGLE (320kbs-m4a/64mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 22nd July 2022
From the mid-1970s the humble 7 inch vinyl single was joined by a much grander relative - the 12 inch single.
It reached its peak in 1983 with Blue Monday by New Order, probably the biggest selling 12 inch single of all time.
Music Journalist and co-founder of ZTT Records, Paul Morley visits the Factory Club in Manchester to talk to Peter Hook of New Order about how Blue Monday was written and to designer Peter Saville about the famous sleeve.
Paul explores the origins of the 12 inch single as a potentially higher quality format than the 7 inch single and visits Abbey Road studios to watch an engineer cutting a 12 inch single. Does it really sound better?
And he meets music producer Trevor Horn at Sarm Studios, home of ZTT records, to discuss the Frankie Goes to Hollywood 12 inch singles. ZTT released so many different versions of Two Tribes on 12 inch that the chart rules were changed - so was the record buyer getting value for money?
And what does the 12 inch single tell us about 1980s excesses?
Producer: Nick Holmes
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2012.
BBC Radio 3 broadcast: 28th July 2016
Looking ahead to the Prom on Friday 29 July that celebrates Bowie's music, Paul Morley, author of The Age of Bowie, traces the Thin White Duke's shape-shifting career with a 30-minute mix of eccentric Bowie moments and striking cover versions for Late Junction.
David Bowie - The Gospel According to Tony Day
David Bowie - Warszawa
The Bad Plus - Life on Mars
David Bowie - Girl Loves Me
David Bowie - Baal’s Hymn
David Bowie - Repetition
David Bowie - Looking for Satellites
David Bowie - See Emily Play
Aphex Twin - Heroes (Remix of David Bowie and Philip Glass)
Intro/Interview (320kbs-m4a/14mb/6mins)
Outro (320kbs-m4a/1.3mb/26secs)