Electronically Yours with Martyn Ware

This episode is a double whammy – it features a fascinating chat with two of the most engaging and talented luminaries of the electronic and trip hop scenes – Will Gregory and Adrian Utley. Will is best known as the lead keyboardist, producer and composer of the electronic music duo Goldfrapp, having started his illustrious career performing and recording with Tears For Fears, Peter Gabriel, The Cure and Portishead.

Adrian Utley is the driving force behind Portishead, a magnificent guitarist and synthesist, he has a wildly diverse range of creative collaborations and productions under his belt including Marilyn Manson, Jeff Beck and Marianne Faithfull. They also regularly work together on Will’s project The Moog Ensemble, with which Martyn has performed.

Two great friends who are amongst the most innovative figures in the UK music in the last 30 years… Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for Will Gregory and Adrian Utley...

Tomorrow’s episode features Sananda Maitreya and is somewhat of a scoop. I produced his first album ‘The Hardline According To…’ in the late 80’s, and his impact was shockingly huge and immediate. He sang like a soul angel, he moved like a combination of James Brown and Otis Redding, and his charisma was off the scale. But most importantly, his supreme songwriting and performance talent was undeniable. He sold 14million albums and conquered the world… and then…

This is my first in depth discussion with him for 30 years  – we hadn’t spoken at all during that time except the occasional letter. Our reconnection and love for each other was immediate and heartwarming. We had so much to talk about that we decided this should be spread over two episodes.

Ladies and gentlemen, buckle up – it’s the magnificent artist now known as Sananda Maitreya…

Jo Callis and Martyn have been friends since 1979 when The Human Leagues supported the Rezillos on their first major London date. Jo is a very talented songwriter and performer, whose influence on the major hits on Dare and other albums is underestimated. His ability to tap into the publics pop sensibility is impressive, and his good humour and intelligence makes him a natural collaborator.

Peter Hook is a very talented friend. We are the same age, and our cultural references are almost identical, both being proud northerners. Peter’s fantastic work as part of Joy Division and then New Order is well known, and he now tours the world as Peter Hook and The Light. His storytelling is legendary, and his spirit of daring and empathetic collaboration is clear in everything he does. He has appeared on my BEF love shows, and he is always memorable (and usually hilarious).

Ladies and gentlemen – the world would be a duller place without him – I give you the force of nature that is Hooky…

My good friend Sarah Jane Morris is a singer with an astonishing vocal range. She is probably best known for her stellar recordings with Jimi Somerville in The Communards, but her 40-year career is so much more diverse than that…

Over the decades she has developed a loyal and loving international audience (particularly in Italy), and her rich contralto voice goes from strength to strength. She has performed with a diverse range of groups, from rock to soul to African blues, with classical orchestras, a one-hundred cello ensemble, with acoustic guitars and jazz big bands. Her voice, her versatility, and her emotional intelligence - the absolute authenticity of feeling which she conveys - make her a world-class, treasured and highly compelling performer.

Her guest appearances on various live and recorded BEF projects have been exceptional, and Martyn produced her 1992 album Heaven. She is a committed socialist and activist, and, like Martyn, was a member of Red Wedge supporting the Labour Party in the mid 80’s

Ladies and Gentlemen – I give you great Sarah Jane Morris…

Chic, Sister Sledge, Madonna, David Bowie, Debbie Harry, Sheila B Devotion, Peter Gabriel, Mick Jagger, Sheena Easton, Diana Ross, B-52’s, Duran Duran, Pharell Williams, Christina Aguilera, George Michael, etc.etc.etc…. the list goes on and on.  He has been an inspiration for generations of songwriters and producers. Tell me someone who doesn’t like Chic – come at me…

Nile Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on albums that have sold more than 500 million units and 75 million singles worldwide. He is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, a three-time Grammy Award-winner, and the chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame., Rolling Stone wrote in 2014 that "the full scope of Nile Rodgers' career is still hard to fathom".

And Nile’s talent matches his personality – outgoing and exceptional. He’s a humanitarian, one of the good guys, and his creativity, bravery and positivity are shining examples for us all to follow. I have no more words – just listen to THE MAN…

Ladies and gentlemen – one of the main inspirations for Heaven 17, and the true definition of a living legend – Nile Rodgers…

Martyn has known Arthur Baker for many years, sometimes competing for similar productions but always remaining good friends. He is an American record producer and DJ best known for his work with hip hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa and Planet Patrol, and his work with New Order. His love of dance music and his creativity merged to form the ‘Arthur Baker’ sound – the origins of which heavily featured Roland drum machines and rhythms influenced by early electronic music pioneers like Kraftwerk. He is a very important figure in the development of hip-hop and mainstream dance music, and he’s a fascinating character.

Ladies and gentlemen – I give you Arthur Baker…

It’s hard to describe how much respect I have for Daniel Miller. As a creator and music producer - from the early days of The Normal (Warm Leatherette, TVOD), Silicon Teens, to Duet Emmo and Sunroof,  to his foundation of Mute Records, and his boundless support for young electronic artists, he is without doubt one of the music industry’s good guys, without whom many artists would never have flourished. For instance, to this day, Mute and Erasure conduct their business on a level of trust unheard of – no written contract, 50/50 split after costs. What a great man… and what an enormous range of talented artists Mute has supported  - Erasure, Depeche Mode, Goldfrapp, Fad Gadget, A Certain Ration, and his love of Techno music. He is also a DJ, a performer and above all a maestro of the synthesiser – ladies and gentlemen… 

the one and only Daniel Miller