
The British Masters
Season 2
Noisey's favorite music writer John Doran interviews the most influential and colorful figures from British popular music history.
Where to Watch Season 2
9 Episodes
- Noel Gallagher - Part 1E1
Noel Gallagher - Part 1Noel rose to unshakeable prominence with Oasis - one of the biggest rock groups the world has ever produced. With his band The High Flying Birds, he has just released a stellar second album "Chasing Yesterday" - which is well on its way to becoming his ninth consecutive platinum selling LP - Viv AlbertineE3
Viv Albertine Viv Albertine is unique in several ways. As one of the founding members of The Slits, Viv Albertine ruptured rock music's linear progression, effecting a genuine and shocking break with what had come before. The Slits combined dub-reggae, free jazz, early hip-hop, funk and punk into a unique new sound. Viv Albertine has recently delivered a shocking and brilliantly-written autobiography called Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys. - Jimmy PageE4
Jimmy PageThis time round he chats with the founder of Led Zeppelin: a band long regarded as one of the greatest British musical exports of the 1970s, who released a tetralogy of self-titled albums that changed British rock forever. Page has been awarded an OBE, met President Obama and performed at the Olympics and Live Aid. - John CaleE6
John CaleJohn Doran speaks to pioneering musician John Cale, founding member of The Velvet Underground. John discusses Lou Reed, David Bowie, and his latest release M:FANS. In John Doran's own words: "Born in South Wales in 1942, after studying music at Goldsmiths, Cale moved to New York, in 1963. The following year he went on to found one of the greatest rock bands of all time with Lou Reed: The Velvet Underground. After leaving the group, Cale went on to record a large and challenging body of solo work, and now, a few weeks from his 74th birthday he has returned with one of his most radical and most enjoyable albums to date: M:FANS.' - Neil TennantE7
Neil TennantJohn Doran speaks to Neil Tennant from British pop duo the Pet Shop Boys. They discuss the current state of pop music, the prospect of clubbing in the Berghain at the age of 81, and 'West End Girls' being a rap record, ahead of the release of their 13th album ’Super'. In John Doran's own words: “Today I’m meeting one of the all time great conceptualists of popular music: Neil Tennant. As one half of Pet Shop Boys he has been responsible for some of the greatest singles to ever grace the top 40. Now 35 years into their career, they are enjoying a rejuvenation in both energy and sound." - Richard AshcroftE8
Richard AshcroftJohn Doran sits down with former Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft ahead of the release of his fourth solo album 'These People’. Ashcroft discusses fatherhood, what he misses about the North, and Bitter Sweet Symphony. In John’s own words: Today I am speaking to one of the biggest, and arguably most misunderstood pop stars of last quarter of a century: Richard Ashcroft. His band The Verve were one of the most unlikely success stories of the 1990s, predicted by no-one bar him. Nearly twenty years after the phenomenal success of Urban Hymns, Ashcroft has become ambiguous about fame, but as this rare interview proves, he has more to say than ever. - Clint MansellE9
Clint Mansell John Doran chats with the former lead singer of Pop Will Eat Itself, Clint Mansell. Since leaving the poster-boys of "grebo" behind for a solo career, Mansell has scored some of the modern history's most impressive films, from Requiem For a Dream to Black Swan. In John's own words: "Unlike any of the other interviewees on British Masters, Mansell has had two seperate musical careers of note - which, on the surface at least, don't have any connection. His rawkus grebo band Pop Will Eat Itself lurched out of Stourbridge in 1986, and while often reviled in the press they were experimental, highly popular and quite unlike anything that had come before. When they split in 96, Mansell staked everything on a fresh roll of the dice and moved to America to try and become a soundtrack composer. After scoring the Darren Aronofsky's 'Pi' and 'Requiem For a Dream' it became clear this gamble had paid off - and now he is one of Hollywood's most in demand musicians".