Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Blazing a Trail

Episode 1 of 3

Series looking at Scotland's pop music. Here, the biggest names in Scotland's early pop, such as Lulu or The Skids, tell their unique tales in their own words.

Scotland is a renowned pop music nation, and its artists are loved around the world. But it wasn't always that way. Since the global birth of pop in the 1950s, Scots have overcome obstacles and blazed their own trail to make the music they loved - and bring it to their biggest fans.

The first episode of this series sees the biggest names in Scotland's early pop story tell their own unique tales in their own words and share how they went from bedroom dreamers to international superstars.

Celebrated solo performers like Lulu and Donovan are joined by members of pioneering groups, including The Skids, Nazareth, The Incredible String Band, Josef K, The Average White Band, Middle of the Road, The Rezillos, The Beatstalkers and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.

These musical mavericks had to invent Scottish pop from the ground up - and they did. The first act in Scotland's pop story takes in schoolboy skiffle, psychedelic folk revolution, a 'beat riot', gallus rock rebellion and the unique story of Scottish punk.

Along the way, Scots have picked up guitars and formed bands, built a loyal following of fans, pioneered a touring circuit all over the country and broken fresh ground in new musical genres.

This is the untold story of the first wave of Scotland's pop creativity; it takes in everything from the tale of how an Edinburgh schoolboy of the 50s became Scotland's first pop star to the dodgy early days of real rock legends.

It covers a multitude of our favourite genres over three decades of musical invention: punk, 60s beat, hard rock, folk, new wave, funk and R&B, glam and pure, unadulterated pop.

Contributors include: Pete Agnew and Dan McCafferty (Nazareth), Richard Jobson (The Skids), Zal Cleminson (Sensational Alex Harvey Band), Malcolm Ross (Josef K), Hamish Stuart (Average White Band), Mike Heron (Incredible String Band), Davy Henderson (Fire Engines), Sally Carr (Middle of the Road), Fay Fife (The Rezillos), Rab Noakes, Billy Bragg, Alex Kapranos, Alan McGee, Lulu, Donovan.

These musical mavericks invented Scottish pop. And they did it with a song in their hearts, a microphone in hand and a beat-up Transit van parked round the corner.

58 minutes

Last on

Sat 3 Aug 2024 23:00

More episodes

Previous

You are at the first episode

See all episodes from Rip It Up

Music Played

  • Simple Minds

    Theme for Great Cities

  • Skids

    Into The Valley

  • THE SCARS

    All About You

  • Fire Engines

    Big Gold Dream

  • ORANGE JUICE

    Rip It Up

  • The Rezillos

    Top Of The Pops

  • ROBERT WILSON

    I Dream Of Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair

  • The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

    Next

  • Nazareth

    Vigilante Man

  • Lonnie Donegan

    Rock Island Line

  • Lonnie Donegan

    Cumberland Gap

  • Lonnie Donegan

    Don't You Rock Me Daddy O

  • Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group

    It Takes A Worried Man

  • The Poets

    That's The Way It's Got to Be

  • The Beatstalkers

    You Better Get a Hold On

  • The Beatstalkers

    Left Right Left

  • THE MARK FIVE

    Baby What's Wrong With You?

  • The Corries

    The Bold Tenant Farmer

  • The Corries

    Blow Ye Winds

  • Rab Noakes

    East Neuk Misfortune

  • The Incredible String Band

    Half-Remarkable Question

  • Donovan

    Hurdy Gurdy Man

  • Little Richard

    Rip It Up

  • JACKIE DENNIS/HARRY ROBINSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA

    La Dee Dah

  • Jackie Dennis

    Linton Addie

  • Bay City Rollers

    Shang-A-Lang

  • David Bowie

    Warszawa

  • Lulu & The Luvvers

    Shout

  • The Isley Brothers

    Shout

  • Lead Belly

    Rock Island Line

  • Marvin Gaye

    Can I Get a Witness

  • Average White Band

    Pick Up The Pieces

  • Average White Band

    You Got It

  • Average White Band

    Nothing You Can Do

  • Average White Band

    When Will You Be Mine

  • Average White Band

    I Heard It Through The Grapevine

  • Middle of the Road

    Sacramento (A Wonderful Town)

  • Middle of the Road

    Chirpy Cheep Cheep

  • ABBA

    Super Trouper

  • Simple Minds

    League of Nations

  • Nazareth

    If You See My Baby

  • Nazareth

    Broken Down Angel

  • Nazareth

    Hair Of The Dog

  • Nazareth

    Love Hurts

  • Nazareth

    Razamanaz

  • DREAM POLICE

    I'll Be 成人快手 (In A Day or So)

  • Wendy Carlos

    Timesteps

  • The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

    Boston Tea Party

  • The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

    Isobel Goudie

  • Skids

    Masquerade

  • Josef K

    Sorry For Laughing

  • SCARS

    Horror Show

  • Franz Ferdinand

    Take Me Out

  • CHVRCHES

    The Mother We Share

  • Teddy Pendergrass

    Life Is A Song Worth Singing (Jamie Jones Remix)

    Remix Artist: Jamie Jones.
  • The Delgados

    Everybody Come Down

  • Primal Scream

    Rocks

  • The Beatstalkers

    Base Line

Broadcasts

Featured in...

Eleven defining moments from the Scottish pop songbook

These magnificent eleven songs define Scottish pop.