BBC4 Synth Britannia Trailer

Transmission Date:
BBC FOUR FRIDAY 16th OCTOBER AT 9PM

In the late Seventies small pockets of electronic artists such as The Human League, Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle were inspired by Kraftwerk and J G Ballard to dream of the sound of the future against the backdrop of bleak, high-rise Britain.

Gary Numan's 1979 appearance on Top Of The Pops heralded the invention of synthpop, which would provide the soundtrack as Britain entered a new, ruthless era in the Eighties.

Depeche Mode, four lads from Basildon, came to embody the new sound, while post-punk bands such as Ultravox, Soft Cell, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and Yazoo took the synth from the pages of the NME and onto the front cover of Smash Hits.

By 1983 the Pet Shop Boys and New Order were pointing to where the future of electronic music lay in dance.

Contributors to Synth Britannia include Philip Oakey, Vince Clarke, Martin Gore, Bernard Sumner, Gary Numan and Neil Tennant.

• Category

  Music

[halfacig]

What band is that at 0:29? I love that photo.

[Synthasy2000]

That's The Human League with (Left to Right) Philip Adrian Wright, Phil Oakey, Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware. Probably taken around 1980.

[monroeboy80]

I just love British documentaries-especially on music from the 80's. Decade of decadence.

[dojokonojo]

"The music will appeal to alienated youth everywhere, and Germans." I don't know why I crack up to that every time haha.

[halfacig]

Thanks for the quick reply! Such a cool photo of them.

[aut0ceremony]

@bonzopingu : hi ben, i love what you did here! thanks for doing it. it was really a great docu :)

[KickTheCanBeatJunkie]

these soulectro beats are free on mee: kickthecan.bandcamp.com

[Toni Hearn]

@bonzopingu hey ben, i'm wondering, has this gone to air and if it has, will it or is it available to purchase as a dvd. i'm really interested because i'm doing my 4th year honours on the british electronic music scene in the late 70s to the early 80s, your help would be most appreciated :)

[sas147741]

Fuck google fuck youtube you can download the full doc send me a PM and i will send you the links on mediafire i wanted to post the links here but this fucking monopoly didn't let me.

LONG LIVE TO DEPECHE MODE, KRAFTWERK AND THE SYNTH POP!!

LONG LIVE DEPECHE MODE ,KRAFTWERK AND THE SYNTH POP!

[Dracopol]

"Enola Gay" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.

[Dracopol]

Awesome! When I was a late-70's teen I knew I didn't want music from longhairs with their guitars.  I wanted something DIFFERENT; something that appealed to what I had no name for, but which I now know is my cold, cold silicon heart. I was one of those alienated youth; doubted I was human. But then I saw that pale dude Gary Numan. HE wasn't human, so that made it all right!

[ceels2004]

@bonzopingu Coming from Australia resorces like this are limited...thnank you so much for this!