FT Life of a Song
316 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 6 years ago - ★★★★★ - 14 ratingsEach month FT music critics and contributors discuss the story of a song, from its origins and early recordings through cover versions good and bad. Formerly called FT Arts.
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Episodes
Object lessons: Peter Aspden on memorabilia
February 28, 2014 10:00 - 5 minutes - 7.97 MBA militarist matchbox, a spoof banknote, a Lennon album. . . the FT’s arts writer presents a very personal history of the past half-century in 10 objects Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Showy business: Leo Robson on the ‘McConaissance’
February 21, 2014 13:25 - 43 seconds - 6.99 MBMatthew McConaughey’s career revival provides a neat case study of how an actor can wrest back control of his image. It also tells a broader story about our weakness for a certain kind of Acting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Social network of the damned: Peter Aspden on hell
February 07, 2014 14:05 - 5 minutes - 7.28 MBForget Sartre. The Royal Opera’s new ‘Don Giovanni’ suggests that, in a hyper-connected world, hell is the absence of other people Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Folk/rock: Peter Aspden on Pete Seeger
January 31, 2014 10:00 - 7 minutes - 9.84 MBThe death of the veteran folk singer prompted numerous tributes to his integrity and idealism. But it was his mythical spat with Bob Dylan that really defined his era’s cultural politics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Degree show: Peter Aspden on Derek Jarman
January 24, 2014 16:55 - 5 minutes - 7.48 MBAs King’s College, London, devotes an exhibition to its charismatic alumnus, the FT’s arts writer reflects on the artist and film-maker’s earliest inspirations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wig interpretation: Peter Aspden on ‘American Hustle’
January 17, 2014 10:00 - 5 minutes - 7.53 MBChristian Bale’s hairpiece in the Oscar-nominated movie caper epitomises the preposterousness of the 1970s – but the decade’s unabashed lack of polish looks increasingly appealing in our technology-dependent age See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
A Banksy in the boardroom: Peter Aspden on corporate collections
January 10, 2014 15:25 - 5 minutes - 7.83 MBBusinesses like buying contemporary art to show off their forward-thinking and investment savvy. Fair enough – but it still sits oddly with artists’ desire to provoke and subvert See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Culture versus clutter: Peter Aspden on ‘Stuffocation’
January 03, 2014 13:35 - 4 minutes - 6.72 MBIn a persuasive new book, the trend forecaster James Wallman says that our appetite for material possessions is giving way to a hunger for experiences. How will that shift be reflected in the arts? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Critical voice: Peter Aspden on Ai Weiwei
December 27, 2013 10:00 - 5 minutes - 7.35 MBAs Miami’s sparkling new Perez Art Museum hosts a big retrospective of the Chinese artist’s work, the FT’s arts writer reflects on culture’s role in challenging oppression See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Sporting life: Peter Aspden on Russian Realism
December 20, 2013 18:20 - 5 minutes - 7.04 MBAn exhibition of Soviet-era sporting paintings shows how, even in a repressive political climate, artists still made work with real human insight See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
'Alien invasion in the G.L.A.C.' by Mohsin Hamid
December 20, 2013 17:05 - 1 minute - 17.7 MBAuthor Mohsin Hamid reads his short story 'Alien invasion in the G.L.A.C.', commissioned by the Financial Times for the new year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jay-Z and Pablo P: Peter Aspden on Art Basel Miami Beach
December 13, 2013 10:00 - 6 minutes - 8.76 MBThe FT’s arts writer finds that, for all the acquisitive buzz around art fairs, they still richly cater for people’s inquisitive side too See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Restoration drama: Peter Aspden on Kenwood House
November 29, 2013 11:25 - 5 minutes - 7.15 MBEfforts to restore historic buildings to their original splendour tell us as much about today’s tastes as they do about yesterday’s Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Space adventure: Peter Aspden on Philippe Parreno
November 22, 2013 15:40 - 5 minutes - 7.82 MBThe French conceptualist’s exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo is a sense-scrambling rethink of the relationship between art and the environment in which it appears Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sitcom nation: Peter Aspden on daytime TV
November 15, 2013 11:45 - 5 minutes - 7.61 MBThey seem always to be on, but ‘Rules of Engagement’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and their ilk shouldn’t be taken for granted: these immaculately crafted, relentlessly inoffensive series open a window on American society Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nap music: Peter Aspden on the UK’s first ‘sleeping gig’
November 08, 2013 15:35 - 6 minutes - 9.25 MBA concert sponsored by insurance company Direct Line aims to help time-challenged audiences snatch some shut-eye – but a wakeful FT arts writer finds that the relationship between art and sleep is not a straightforward one Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Soul power: Peter Aspden on icons
October 25, 2013 09:00 - 4 minutes - 6.73 MBThe market for Orthodox icons has been revivified by Russian money in recent years – yet the genre’s spiritual charge and innate conservatism make it a challenging field for collectors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bryte star: Peter Aspden on Nick Drake
October 18, 2013 16:00 - 7 minutes - 9.86 MBNeglected in his lifetime, the singer-songwriter is now revered, as an event devoted to his album ‘Bryter Later’ demonstrates. But it’s doubtful his genius would have flourished any better in today’s impatient world, the FT’s arts writer says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Auteur ego: Peter Aspden on Bertolucci
October 11, 2013 15:25 - 5 minutes - 7.88 MBA new film portrait of the Italian director reveals a man unafraid to confront difficult questions. It’s a kind of artistic responsibility that now feels old-fashioned, the FT’s arts writer says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tomorrow people: Peter Aspden on FutureFest
October 04, 2013 09:00 - 6 minutes - 8.58 MBThe Futurists’ fervent belief in progress heralded disaster; now we worry about what the future will bring. But the FT’s arts writer finds grounds for optimism – and an unexpectedly hippy vibe – at a London ideas festival Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A messy business: Peter Aspden on sex
September 27, 2013 11:35 - 5 minutes - 7.68 MBA forthcoming season on Channel 4 aims to demystify our sexual behaviour – to be ‘open’ and ‘honest’ about a 'normal part of all our lives'. Good luck with that, says the FT’s arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Something old, something new: Peter Aspden on the classic with a twist
September 20, 2013 12:50 - 5 minutes - 7.18 MBSpicing up traditional settings with a dash of contemporary style has become a cultural commonplace. But let’s not pretend it’s anything more than an aesthetic compromise, the FT’s arts writer says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Puccini vs the Twitterverse: Peter Aspden finds shelter in the stalls
September 13, 2013 13:00 - 6 minutes - 8.44 MBCulture is becoming a refuge for the digitally brutalised: an evening at the opera, or cinema, or theatre, is where we go to escape technological overload, the FT’s arts writer argues Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Look, don’t sketch: Peter Aspden on the V&A’s blockbuster dilemma
September 06, 2013 13:40 - 5 minutes - 7.36 MBCiting pressure of visitor numbers, the museum banned sketching at its recent “David Bowie Is” exhibition – a move that shows how hard it is for curators to reconcile accessibility and academic values, the FT’s arts writer says Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Look at me: Suzi Feay on the perils of self-indulgent art
August 30, 2013 09:00 - 5 minutes - 8.03 MB“Those who live to please, must please to live.” But these days it’s often our privilege to watch the performers having a good time Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Party on! Peter Aspden on beach bar music
August 23, 2013 09:00 - 5 minutes - 7.71 MBIt’s loud, insistent, adolescent and playing now at a Mediterranean resort near you. And as the FT’s arts writer finds, there’s no way you’ll ever get the volume turned down Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Art for all: Erica Wagner on the Gramsci Monument
August 16, 2013 14:35 - 6 minutes - 8.69 MBThomas Hirschhorn’s South Bronx installation brilliantly embodies the belief that art should be part of everyday life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Great Remembrance: Jan Dalley on the first world war centenary
August 09, 2013 15:00 - 8 minutes - 11.1 MBThe sheer scale of suffering in the 1914-18 conflict is hard to grasp. As preparations begin for the centenary commemoration, the FT’s arts editor argues that culture has a vital role to play Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Going it alone: Erica Wagner on creative independence
August 02, 2013 13:05 - 7 minutes - 9.67 MBOmnicom/Publicis, Penguin/Random House – the cultural landscape is dominated by ever fewer, ever bigger businesses. Yet artists and audiences alike are finding benefits in shunning their embrace Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Spasticus artisticus: Peter Aspden on Ian Dury
July 26, 2013 14:15 - 5 minutes - 7.83 MBThe late pop singer, whose work has just gone on show at London’s Royal College of Art, was a far more nuanced figure than his punk image would suggest, argues the FT’s arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sound of sci-fi: Peter Aspden on the Dr Who Prom
July 19, 2013 13:30 - 6 minutes - 8.44 MBBraving Daleks and Cybermen at the Royal Albert Hall, the FT’s arts writer reflects on the unlikely synergy between classical music and a children’s sci-fi series Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ordinary megastar: Raphael Abraham on Amy Winehouse
July 12, 2013 14:50 - 4 minutes - 6.7 MBLondon’s Jewish Museum may seem an odd venue for an exhibition about the late pop diva. But the show is not so much a celebrity portrait as a way for a family to reclaim its daughter, says the FT’s assistant arts editor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Howdy, Podner! Peter Aspden on Las Vegas’s heritage impulse
July 05, 2013 09:00 - 5 minutes - 6.97 MBThe Nevada resort, a byword for pleasure-seeking in the here and now, is starting to take its history seriously, says the FT’s arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After the spring: Peter Aspden on the Shubbak Festival
June 28, 2013 16:00 - 5 minutes - 7.84 MBVisa problems and nervousness on the part of potential sponsors have made life hard for London’s festival of contemporary Arab culture. But as the Arab Spring gives way to harsher realities, such forums are needed more than ever, says the FT’s arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Going soft: Peter Aspden on the cultural wealth of nations
June 21, 2013 11:10 - 5 minutes - 6.92 MBCountries are vying to project their worth through art, sport and broadcasting. But ‘soft power’ is not always easy to control, says the FT’s arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
History's second draft: Peter Aspden on theatre and the news
June 14, 2013 15:05 - 5 minutes - 4.95 MBWhere there is a public clamour for explanation, writers and artists should be unafraid to step in, says the FT's arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hobson-Jobson: Julius Purcell on linguistic “barbarisms”
June 07, 2013 14:51 - 5 minutes - 5.35 MBThe thought of French purists fretting over ‘les snackbars’ has long-tickled English-speakers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Age of innocence? Julius Purcell on the cultural legacy of 1913
May 31, 2013 14:10 - 6 minutes - 8.95 MBPre-first world war Vienna has some curious parallels with Spain today Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A different league: Peter Aspden on our soccer psychosis
May 24, 2013 14:50 - 5 minutes - 7.17 MBThe praise lavished on football’s retiring greats has been wildly overblown, says the FT’s arts writer. Other cultural pursuits are far worthier of grown-ups’ attention Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Focus, schmocus: Peter Aspden on distraction
May 17, 2013 12:35 - 4 minutes - 6.71 MBAs Margate’s Turner Contemporary gallery celebrates curiosity, the FT’s arts writer does his best to concentrate on the mind’s ability to wander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The US connection: Peter Aspden on cinema’s exception culturelle
May 10, 2013 15:40 - 5 minutes - 7.38 MBEurope’s film-makers want protection from the might of Hollywood. That’s understandable, argues the FT’s arts writer, but also wrong-headed: the two traditions are deeply intertwined Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Take it easy: Peter Aspden on The Eagles’ mellow magic
May 03, 2013 14:00 - 11 minutes - 8.59 MBAs a new documentary profiles the soft rock megastars, the FT’s arts writer reflects on their dramatic fall from grace – and their enduring appeal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Shock of the nude: Peter Aspden on Qatar’s statue problem
April 26, 2013 10:00 - 5 minutes - 7.72 MBDoha’s aspiration to become a global centre for culture is admirable – its squeamishness over ancient Greek sculptures less so, says the FT’s arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Iron Lady, golden age: Jan Dalley on Thatcher’s legacy
April 19, 2013 11:00 - 6 minutes - 8.51 MBArtists responded vigorously to the confrontational politics of Margaret Thatcher’s premiership – but the vivid creativity of the time had its roots in an earlier era, argues the FT’s arts editor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
You had to be there: Jan Dalley on art and presence
April 12, 2013 11:00 - 6 minutes - 9.05 MBAs performance artist Marina Abramovic showed, the paradox of our digital age is our hunger for personal presence, says the FT's arts editor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Give and take: Jan Dalley on paying for culture
April 05, 2013 10:05 - 6 minutes - 8.31 MBEven at a time of economic hardship, crowd-funding schemes could be a money-spinner for the arts because of the way they play on human psychology, says the FT’s arts editor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Only in France? Peter Aspden on cultural stereotypes
March 29, 2013 12:00 - 5 minutes - 8.2 MBWe love French culture, yet according to a recent study there’s something in it that makes the French miserable. But every nation’s artistic mindset has its drawbacks, argues the FT’s arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Emir-art: Peter Aspden reports from the Sharjah Biennial
March 22, 2013 15:00 - 5 minutes - 7.48 MBThe emirate’s contemporary arts event considers some thorny regional issues in a deceptively laid-back way, says the FT’s arts writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The birth of dramedy: Peter Aspden on Steptoe and Son
March 15, 2013 16:45 - 6 minutes - 8.82 MBAs a stage version of the classic BBC sitcom comes to London, the FT’s arts writer reflects on the series’ pioneering mix of comedy and drama Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Watch out for tomorrow: Leo Robson on robots and writers
March 08, 2013 11:00 - 43 seconds - 9.57 MB‘Robot and Frank’ paints a benign picture of silicon-based life-forms. But the film’s ‘near-future’ setting is one that often wrong-foots screenwriters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.