I have previously declared my love of BBC 6 Music‘s "jukebox jury" program, Roundtable, but this week’s should be a real corker. Regular host Steve "Lammo" Lemacq is on holiday this week, and filling in for him is BBC 2’s Stuart Maconie. A very funny man who once created a BBC comedy series called Lloyd Cole Knew My Father, Maconie is often fills the "cranky but funny in a Dorothy Parker sort of way" guest slot on the show. And this week, he’s the host!
In the actual Cranky Guy slot today is Paul Morely, my all-time favorite Roundtable guest. He is a genius, having created the brilliant over-the-top marketing campaign for Frankie Goes to Hollywood back in the day. Remember those "Frankie Say…" t-shirts everybody was wearing for three months in 1984? His idea. There was a lot more to it than some oversize tops with enormous-font slogans on them. They could make a movie out of the story — it would be a New Wave version of The Producers… with more gay sex. Actually, if you’ve never seen the insane packaging that was the gatefold vinyl Welcome to the Pleasuredome, I suggest you go out and pick up a used copy.
Between the two of them, there will be much bitter, hilarious quipping. But wait, there’s more! Also on the show are Roxy Music keyboardist Phil Manzanera and House of Lords (that’s what he calls himself) from snotty upstarts The Young Knives.
Roundtable is on Fridays at 1PM EST on BBC 6, and you can listened to an archived version of the show till the next one airs. This week’s program is a Year In Review sort of thing, and they’ll be listening to important artists/singles from the first half of 2005. Specifically:
Maximo Park – "Apply Some Pressure"
KT Tunstall – "Black Horse & The Cherry Tree"
Be Your Own Pet – "Damn Damn Leash"
Gorillaz – "Feel Good Inc"
Magic Numbers – "Forever Lost"
M.I.A. – "Bucky Done Gone"
Arcade Fire – tracks from the album Funeral