Arena Gazette Feed

ARENA NEWS WEEK: Pete Seeger, Tube strike and "Pips"

2014-02-07T14:51:44+00:00

OBITUARY: PETE SEEGER

BBC News reports on the death of legendary musician Pete Seeger

The American singer, song-writer and political activist, Pete Seeger, died on the 27th January at the age of 94. He was a leading figure in the revival of folk music in the 1940s and 50s and became a huge influence on a new generation of folk musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Peter Paul and Mary.

Arena interviewed Pete seeger back in 1988 as he paid tribute to one of his greatest icons, Woody Guthrie. The pair formed the New York City based folk music group "Tha Almanac Singers", active between 1940 and 1943, along with Millard Lampell and Lee Hays. The group specialised in protest songs and Seeger and Guthrie were both active communists, singing together for the CIO unions in the 1940s. Here, Seeger talks about Guthrie's legendary anthem for the masses "This Land Is Your Land"

Pete Seeger sings and talks about Woody Guthrie's legendary anthem of the masses.

From Arena: Woody Guthrie (1988) Directed by Paul Lee, Series Editor - Anthony Wall

LONDON TUBE STRIKES

BBC London news reports on the 48 hour tube strike

Millions of people faced delays during the 48 hour strike by London underground workers who were protesting against job cuts and ticket office closures.

Ever wondered what the underground looks like from the drivers seat? Look no further than Arena's 2007 documentary 'Underground', a celebration of the world's oldest underground system. This film begins 150 years ago in a Victorian London of slums and gaslight and takes us on a mysterious adventure through tube history, with contributions from some of the Underground's very own staff.

The 2007 Arena film 'Underground' celebrates the worlds oldest underground system

From Arena: Underground (2007), Directed by Zimena Percival, Produced by Martin Rosenbaum, Series Editor - Anthony Wall

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'PIPS'

Radio 4's Today Programme celebrates the 90th birthday of the 'pips', BBC Time Signal

This week marked 90 years since the Greenwich Time Signal, popularly known as the pips, the hourly markers broadcast across the BBC. Their reliable monotony that precedes the news has come to be a familiar sound for all BBC listeners. The six beeps were designed by John Reith, former head of the BBC, and Frank Watson Dyson, the Astronomer Royal. They were originally controlled by two mechanical clocks at the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

Arena's 'Radio Night' broadcast back in 1993 included a short film dedicated to the Time Signal. Nicknamed 'Mr Recorder' for his skill and revival of the recorder in the 20th century, Dr Carl Dolmetsch caused quite a stir when he discovered that the BBC pips had dropped a semitone from B flat to B natural. Following a media storm over the issue, the engineers were tracked down to explain where it all went wrong.

Short film about the BBC Time Signal for Arena's 1994 'Radio Night'

From Arena: Radio Night (1993), Directed by Fisher Dilke, Series Editor - Anthony Wall

ANT AND DEC MAROONED TOGETHER ON DESERT ISLAND DISCS

2013-11-20T14:29:13+00:00

Ant and Dec on Desert Island.jpg

TV's most famous double, act Ant and Dec, will be the final castaways on this year's Desert Island Discs on 29 December. This is the first time in over 25 years that two guests have appeared together on the show. The last pair to be marooned were Spitting Image creators Roger Law and Peter Fluck. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009mlw9

Otherwise known as 'Luck and Flaw', Roger and Peter are best known for their plasticine caricatures which were the foundation for the satirical programme 'Spitting Image'. In 1980, three years before Spitting Image began, Arena made a film about the pair as they moulded caricatures in their studio that were then photographed for magazines all over the world.

Arena is currently in production on a film to mark the 30th anniversary of 'Spitting Image'. To find out more on the upcoming documentary, visit Arena's 'In Production' page http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006pn88/profiles/spittingimage

Roger Law and Peter Fluck discuss how they create their plasticine caricatures

Arena: Luck and Flaw (1980), Directed by Anthony Wall