RadioandMusic
| 05 Oct 2024
Brian Eno to deliver BBC Music John Peel Lecture at Radio Festival 2015

MUMBAI: BBC Radio 6 Music and the Radio Festival 2015 - organised by the Radio Academy - today announce that this year’s BBC Music John Peel Lecture will be delivered by legendary musician and producer, Brian Eno.

It will take place at the British Library on Sunday 27 September as part of the Radio Festival. Hosted by 6 Music presenter, Mark Radcliffe, it will be broadcast live from 7pm on 6 Music as part of a special Sunday schedule. And it will be filmed for BBC Four to be broadcast in October.

This year’s BBC Music John Peel Lecture will examine the ecology of culture.

Brian Eno will seek to demonstrate how the whole complex of individuals and institutions engaged in culture - artists, broadcasters, gallerists, promoters, DJs, managers, lawyers, fans - are symbiotically connected parts of a single huge organism which we call Culture. He will outline some of his thinking on this very unpredictable ecology and explore the interconnectivity relationships between the elements and components that combine to create our culture, and show how cultural processes confer essential and important benefits on society.

Brian Eno says: "I'm honoured to be invited to do a talk in the name of John Peel, a man who had a profound effect on my musical life and indeed my becoming a musician at all. His career as a non-musician who altered the course of music has been an inspiration to me and forms the basis of this talk."

The annual BBC Music John Peel Lecture invites a notable figure from the music industry to shape a debate and create insight around music and music-related media.

Taking its inspiration from one of the greatest radio broadcasters of all time, and a figure who perpetually challenged the status quo, the John Peel Lecture has been a part of The Radio Academy’s Radio Festival since 2011. Last year Iggy Pop spoke about free music in a capitalist society. A limited number of tickets will be available to members of the public - details about how to apply for these will be announced nearer the time.

BBC Music and Controller of Radio 2, 6 Music and Asian Network, Director, Bob Shennan says: “We are honoured that Brian Eno will be delivering this year’s BBC Music John Peel Lecture. Over many decades, he has inspired, influenced and had a huge impact on music and musicians around the world. The subject he has chosen for the lecture will undoubtedly be thought-provoking, insightful and generate further debate.”

BBC Four, Channel Editor, Cassian Harrison, said, “Brian Eno epitomises the spirit of BBC Four - innovative and risk-taking, but also cognisant of the deep traditions that underpin our culture in all its forms. It is a pleasure and a real privilege to be able to welcome him to the channel to deliver this year’s Peel Lecture.”

Chris Burns, Chair of The Radio Academy, says: “2015 is a very exciting year for Radio Festival and we’re delighted to confirm Brian Eno for the annual John Peel Lecture. Brian has a wealth of insight and knowledge to share and his Lecture will be a thrilling start to a wonderful three days.”

Brian Eno is an English electronic musician, composer, record producer, singer, and visual artist who is also known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music. His pioneering music, loved by the network's presenters and listeners, is regularly played on 6 Music as his creations perfectly embody the alternative spirit of the station.

Previously on 6 Music, he has featured in an in depth interview with presenter Tom Robinson; for the Sunday Service show he took fellow art school student Jarvis Cocker on an hour-long journey through his vast collection of 20th century gospel tracks. He last year performed live with Karl Hyde at a special 6 Music session at the Maida Vale studios; and earlier this year Don Lett's selected Eno's 1978 ambient album, Music For Films, as one of his Crucial Vinyl choices in his weekly show.

His professional career began when he joined glam/art rock band Roxy Music. From 1971-73 he operated the mixing desk, processing the band's sound with a synthesiser and tape recorders, as well as singing backing vocals. Between 1973 and 1977 he embarked on a solo career and created four albums of electronic/rock/pop songs - Here Come The Warm Jets, Taking Tiger Mountain, Another Green World and Before And After Science.

Eno's solo music has explored more experimental musical styles, it has also been influential in pioneering ambient and generative music and innovating production techniques. His is also an influential music and album producer and has worked with Robert Fripp on the LPs No Pussyfooting and Evening Star; David Bowie on his Berlin Trilogy; and helped popularise the American band Devo and the punk-influenced 'No Wave' genre. He produced and performed on three albums by Talking Heads, including Remain In Light (1980), and produced seven albums for U2, including The Joshua Tree (1987). He has also worked on records by James, Laurie Anderson, Coldplay, Paul Simon, Grace Jones, James Blake and Slowdive, among others.

In addition to his music career, Eno gives talks around the world and pursues multimedia ventures, including art installations and is currently creating large scale works and soundscapes for hospitals and other places of healing. He continues to collaborate with other musicians, produce records, release his own music and write.

Brian Eno will be the fifth high-profile speaker to deliver the John Peel Lecture. Past speakers have included The Who’s Pete Townshend, who in 2011 explored the implications of digital music media in an age of free downloads and a disposable attitude to music; Billy Bragg, whose speech in 2012 explored how music and radio need mavericks to keep moving forward; Charlotte Church, who in 2013 gave an insightful speech on the theme of women and their representation in the music industry; and in 2014 Iggy Pop, who spoke about free music in a capitalist society.