5. Holger Czukay: The Man in the Machine Room

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Through five fluctuating reputations, Ian Sansom explores very different species of near-fame: the once-fashionable and now forgotten; the critically admired but never widely read; the artists overshadowed by big names or big movements; the careers derailed by circumstance; the work that doesn’t fit what the culture is looking for. He suggests that obscurity tells us what a culture values, and just as importantly, what it overlooks. In exploring the careers of the almost-famous, Sansom charts a map of shifting tastes, attention, fashion, politics and technology. In the last essay in the series, Ian considers Holger Czukay, musician and pioneering recording engineer whose ideas became common property while his name never gained widespread recognition. His influence in the music industry is enormous, but, unlike other almost-famous figures this series, the question is not why did his name and fame fade, but why was it never known in the first place. Presenter: Ian Sansom Producer: Sara Davies Sound Designer: Matt Bainbridge