running feet

running feet
Running feet. These aren't mine.

Sunday 3 April 2011

B is for Band (Goldie's)

Having taken the decision last night to both a) join the A-Z blogging challenge, and b) not limit to myself to blogging just about running, I was left in something of a hole tonight. What to blog about on a B? Luckily, I just caught some of the most inspirational TV I have ever watched.

Oh.

My.

God.

For those who haven't watched it, Goldie a UK drum'n'bass producer/national treasure has put together a band of 12 young people with various levels of adversity in their backgrounds to play a gig at Buckingham Palace. You may well think that, so far, so reality TV, but the series is absolutely spot on - the kids are not only talented musicians with upsetting life stories, but they are properly real people, making properly real music. Personally I love the X-factor, but the comparison between something like that and this is like The Cheeky Girls to Nina Simone.

Now, I've always loved music (including Goldie's, Timeless is the proverbial bomb), but never had much understanding of where it comes from – I kind of guess I always thought that songs just emerged from a band pretty much as finished articles. The show catches the alchemy of music being made, and watching it is magical. And has left me feeling pretty emotional.

If you have access to BBC/Iplayer watch it. If you don't then here's what you're missing:



Running log
Distance: Kitchen-Sofa - around 5 metres
Pace: Half a bottle of red wine and a Maker's Mark.
Location: My house - you don't need a map.

31 comments:

  1. just saying hi - love your running log at the end! Melissa

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Melissa, glad you liked it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, this programme is just an absolute delight.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This looks amazing, and I hope it runs every year. But how do you become a part of it?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would just like to say thank you for doing this programme Goldie has it's the most inspirational programme that I've watched in a long time, there is a lot of talented people out their that haven't got the opportunities to achieve there dreams and doing this has helped them to do that, " god aren't they brilliant and bring different styles " thank you to all the talented people that have done that.

    ReplyDelete
  6. these young people have given me 'pause for thought' young people all with different and sometimes painful stories, but all with great talent, given a wonderful opportunity...i have loved watching it and tonight was a fabulous mix of their stories, put to music ! it rocked !

    ReplyDelete
  7. Just watched, open mouthed, emotional and awestruck, for the third week in a row, one of the best television programmes I've ever seen. The sheer levels of skill of each of these mostly self-taught artists is amazing. The heart and bravery of all of them has left me a humbler man than I was a few weeks ago. Goldie and his team, and the beeb should also bask in the reflected glory. I hope all of the band have the lives that they desire.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm still wiping away the tears...what a brilliant last espide - absolutely fantastic...the most inspirational programme I've seen in years...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Does anyone know where to download the songs
    Thanks steve

    ReplyDelete
  10. http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/ but not active yet.

    amazing show, the live performances tonight nearly had me in tears at several points, and smiling and laughing at others. brilliant stuff. Inspiration to us all.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What an amazing series!!! Those young people are all truely talented, I hope they all go on to bigger and better things!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lost for words! Amazing, amazing, amazing. Belts a big smack in the face to the ubiquitous 'talent' shows on the box these days.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Real music, real people. Fantastic. Simply from a musical point of view it was excellent to see a programme that took you though the creative process, with fantastic musicians overcoming the differences in genre was really enlightening. On top of that emotionally putting themselves out there brought a real affection and blah blah blah (ran out of words!).
    The beeb should do more like this. It, and the musicians were great.

    ReplyDelete
  14. The next time I see an advert for 'Britain's Got Talent', I'll think 'Yes it does, but you've missed it. It was on a BBC2 show called Goldies Band.'

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fantastic! I'm awestruck! Wonderful, wonderful stories and simply amazing music.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This was amazing, watched the first one just because there wasn't much else on and am so glad I did, all so talented in their own right but out of this world as a band

    ReplyDelete
  17. I agree with all the comments already made. This has to be the best show on of its type on tv ever made. Let’s hope the BBC sees fit to allow Goldie and his great team to do it again soon.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hey, thank you to everyone visiting my blog and leaving all these great comments (particularly the person with the link for downloads) - I've just finished watching the final episode and was blown away. They're all truly amazing people, a great band and I would buy anything they released in a heartbeat.

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is got to have been the best thing i've heard in ages...You all are a true inspiration to the future of British music!!!I need to buy this now!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What inspirational individuals!! I've been on the edge of my seat since first episode, (which I only caught by chance), & I'm not musical!! I've been totally gripped by some of their stories, smiling one minute & then surprising myself by sobbing due to the emotions & beauty of some of their songs. Natalie's voice gives me goose bumps & her singing had me in tears, she seems an absolutely beautiful person- awesome or what!! Lester similarly had me sobbing, what courage & beauty to be so heartfelt. I'm only commenting on two, they were ALL absolutely inspirational. Thank you ALL of you...I'm sure I'm not alone to be so inspired with energy for my own life from watching this. Wonderful programme! More REAL tv like this please!

    ReplyDelete
  21. glad to see just how much real talent we have in Britain still..musicians of that calibre should be the mainstream and nor Mr Cowell`s drone`s ...hope they record and even tour ...could quality music be on the rise ?...god i hope so....

    ReplyDelete
  22. What a great idea for a programme, & what inspired "casting"- musicians & organisers. Big thanks to Goldie for taking it on! Massive thanks to the brave, talented, big-hearted individuals who took part- & last but not least, what brilliant music from all of them. Thank you to all who took part, it really was memorable! (This 56year old learnt something from you all toinght!)It would be lovely if there was a folllow up--& when any of you go on to produce more music I do hope I get to hear about it.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I smiled, I cried, I admired & I was inspired! Thank you for making me feel more hopeful in my own life, with your inspiring stories & beautiful music!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Brilliant loved every minute such talent, Goldie thanks for giving these talented people a chance to show how brill they are.
    Brought a tear to my eye.
    Greatttttttttttttttttt

    ReplyDelete
  25. I can only hope that all of these fantastic musicians will not have been lifted to such great heights only to be abandoned to their individual fates now the series is over.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow - i'm blown away! What an inspiration these young musicians are. Music with feeling - tugging at my heart - I was in tears every episode!!! Put my problems into real perspective!!!! Congratulations to all the gang - thank you Goldie and the team for giving these voices a stage. I can't wait to download the music. I'd go to see this in concert without a doubt!!! BBC take note this is what we really want on our screens - REALITY

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi Tim
    Thanks so much for this link and your comment on the BBC page. I can't tell you how delighted I am that this series - shown in a very competitive scheduling slot - has genuinely touched people. Its an enormous privilege to have been part of it.
    Thanks for watching and listening so generously.

    ReplyDelete
  28. What an excellent programme, first class videoing with first class people and music; will the BBC put the music onto cd - its better than downloads? What about a British tour of the band?

    ReplyDelete
  29. I've watched the concert four times now. Every time someone comes to my house I make them watch it. We're all open-mouthed and frozen, every time. Of course, I wish all the musicians all the luck in the world. Of course, I want to buy their music. Of course, I want their dreams to come true. But I dread the idea of such nice, sincere and dedicated people being sucked into the horrible world of media hype. I suspect they are all far too wise to want that for themselves. The ultimnate triumph would be for Goldie to find a way for the world to have access to their music without any of these brilliant young musicians having to stop being exactly who they are.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Brilliant excellent fantastic music with feeling genuinely touched people a tear to my eye I cried I smiled I admired I was inspired wonderful stories Real music real people B is for Band ! your words are my thoughts

    ReplyDelete
  31. You seгіοusly make it feel so ωith your introductiοn but ӏ fіnd this
    topic tο bе honestly a matter that I feel I'd by no means understand. It seems too complex and extremely exhaustive for me. I am anticipating your future publishings, I will try to get the dangle of it.

    Take a look at my blog post :: 93850

    ReplyDelete