Tracey Thorn - Bedsit Disco Queen

Episode

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20130304

20130305 (R4)

Written and read by Tracey Thorn.

Tracey Thorn's memoir charts a personal and musical journey that takes us back to her teenage diaries and the thrill of punk, juggling school homework with interviews with the NME as part of all-girl group The Marine Girls and the DIY indie music scene of the late 1970s. She has experienced the highs of stardom and been dropped by her record company. She has spent a career struggling with the challenge of combining artistic integrity, personal politics and feminism with the music industry hunger for chart success. This is an insider's insight into the music industry over thirty years, but above all it's a very personal story which has Tracey's relationship with Ben Watt at the heart of it.

Today, how the do-it-yourself ethos of punk first influenced the teenage Tracey to become the guitarist in a band while still at school - and before she could even play her instrument.

Abridged by Alison Joseph

Produced by Allegra McIlroy.

Singer Tracey Thorn's journey from teenage surbuban dreams to international success.

20130305

20130306 (R4)

Written and read by Tracey Thorn.

In October 1981, on her first day at Hull University when she was 18 years old, Tracey Thorn answered a public address announcement calling her to reception. The boy who put the call out for her was Ben Watt, and it marked the start of a personal and professional relationship - as pop duo Everything But The Girl - that has spanned over thirty years. She has experienced the highs of stardom and been dropped by her record company. She has spent a career struggling with the challenge of combining artistic integrity, personal politics and feminism with the music industry hunger for chart success.

Tracey Thorn's memoir takes us back to her musical awakening in the 70s documented in her earliest teenage diaries - the thrill of punk, juggling school homework with interviews with the NME as part of all-girl group The Marine Girls and the DIY indie music scene of the late 1970s.

Abridged by Alison Joseph

Produced by Allegra McIlroy.

Tracey Thorn describes her relationship with fellow Everything But the Girl star Ben Watt.

20130306

20130307 (R4)

Written and read by Tracey Thorn.

This is an insider's insight into the music industry over three decades which has Tracey's relationship with Ben Watt at the heart of it. Today, from a shared bedsit at Hull University to playing the Royal Albert Hall...

Abridged by Alison Joseph

Produced by Allegra McIlroy.

Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn recalls a gig at the Royal Albert Hall.

20130307

20130308 (R4)

Written and read by Tracey Thorn.

In October 1981, on her first day at Hull University when she was 18 years old, Tracey Thorn answered a public address announcement calling her to reception. The boy who put the call out for her was Ben Watt, and it marked the start of a personal and professional relationship - as pop duo Everything But The Girl - that has spanned over thirty years. They have shared the highs of stardom and the lows of being dropped by their record company. Tracey gives us an insider's insight into the music industry, but above all she opens up about Ben Watt and the central relationship of her life.

Today, Tracey confronts Ben's life threatening illness that altered both their lives, and her decision to give up pop stardom for motherhood.

Abridged by Alison Joseph

Produced by Allegra McIlroy.

Singer Tracey Thorn reveals a personal side to life in Everything But the Girl.

05 LAST

20130308

20130309 (R4)

Written and read by Tracey Thorn.

Tracey Thorn's memoir takes us from her very early teenage diaries, through to juggling school homework with interviews with music journalists, the highs of pop stardom and the lows of being dropped by her record company. This is an insider's insight into the music industry, and also a very personal story which has Tracey's relationship with Ben Watt at the heart of it.

Tracey gave up music for motherhood without a second thought, but now finds her experience as a parent has freed her from her teenage anxieties so she can return to singing on her own terms.

Abridged by Alison Joseph

Produced by Allegra McIlroy.

The Everything But the Girl singer explains her decision to return to the world of pop.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	20130304	20130305 (R4)	Written and read by Tracey Thorn. Tracey Thorn's memoir charts a personal and musical journey that takes us back to her teenage diaries and the thrill of punk, juggling school homework with interviews with the NME as part of all-girl group The Marine Girls and the DIY indie music scene of the late 1970s. She has experienced the highs of stardom and been dropped by her record company. She has spent a career struggling with the challenge of combining artistic integrity, personal politics and feminism with the music industry hunger for chart success. This is an insider's insight into the music industry over thirty years, but above all it's a very personal story which has Tracey's relationship with Ben Watt at the heart of it. Today, how the do-it-yourself ethos of punk first influenced the teenage Tracey to become the guitarist in a band while still at school - and before she could even play her instrument. Abridged by Alison Joseph Produced by Allegra McIlroy. Singer Tracey Thorn's journey from teenage surbuban dreams to international success.
02	20130305	20130306 (R4)	Written and read by Tracey Thorn. In October 1981, on her first day at Hull University when she was 18 years old, Tracey Thorn answered a public address announcement calling her to reception. The boy who put the call out for her was Ben Watt, and it marked the start of a personal and professional relationship - as pop duo Everything But The Girl - that has spanned over thirty years. She has experienced the highs of stardom and been dropped by her record company. She has spent a career struggling with the challenge of combining artistic integrity, personal politics and feminism with the music industry hunger for chart success. Tracey Thorn's memoir takes us back to her musical awakening in the 70s documented in her earliest teenage diaries - the thrill of punk, juggling school homework with interviews with the NME as part of all-girl group The Marine Girls and the DIY indie music scene of the late 1970s. Abridged by Alison Joseph Produced by Allegra McIlroy. Tracey Thorn describes her relationship with fellow Everything But the Girl star Ben Watt.
03	20130306	20130307 (R4)	Written and read by Tracey Thorn. In October 1981, on her first day at Hull University when she was 18 years old, Tracey Thorn answered a public address announcement calling her to reception. The boy who put the call out for her was Ben Watt, and it marked the start of a personal and professional relationship - as pop duo Everything But The Girl - that has spanned over thirty years. She has experienced the highs of stardom and been dropped by her record company. This is an insider's insight into the music industry over three decades which has Tracey's relationship with Ben Watt at the heart of it. Today, from a shared bedsit at Hull University to playing the Royal Albert Hall... Abridged by Alison Joseph Produced by Allegra McIlroy. Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn recalls a gig at the Royal Albert Hall.
04	20130307	20130308 (R4)	Written and read by Tracey Thorn. In October 1981, on her first day at Hull University when she was 18 years old, Tracey Thorn answered a public address announcement calling her to reception. The boy who put the call out for her was Ben Watt, and it marked the start of a personal and professional relationship - as pop duo Everything But The Girl - that has spanned over thirty years. They have shared the highs of stardom and the lows of being dropped by their record company. Tracey gives us an insider's insight into the music industry, but above all she opens up about Ben Watt and the central relationship of her life. Today, Tracey confronts Ben's life threatening illness that altered both their lives, and her decision to give up pop stardom for motherhood. Abridged by Alison Joseph Produced by Allegra McIlroy. Singer Tracey Thorn reveals a personal side to life in Everything But the Girl.
05 LAST	20130308	20130309 (R4)	Written and read by Tracey Thorn. Tracey Thorn's memoir takes us from her very early teenage diaries, through to juggling school homework with interviews with music journalists, the highs of pop stardom and the lows of being dropped by her record company. This is an insider's insight into the music industry, and also a very personal story which has Tracey's relationship with Ben Watt at the heart of it. Tracey gave up music for motherhood without a second thought, but now finds her experience as a parent has freed her from her teenage anxieties so she can return to singing on her own terms. Abridged by Alison Joseph Produced by Allegra McIlroy. The Everything But the Girl singer explains her decision to return to the world of pop.