Desert Island Discs

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Benjamin Zephaniah Jun 08, 1997

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah. As well as talking about his work as a performance poet often working in prisons or schools, Benjamin recalls a time when he was illiterate. He also remembers Nelson Mandela's request to meet him at seven o'clock in the morning to brief him on Margaret Thatcher.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Take Five by The Dave Brubeck Quartet Book: Poetical Works of Shelley by Percy Shelley Luxury: Law of the land (so he could break it)

Joanna MacGregor Jun 01, 1997

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is concert pianist Joanna MacGregor. As well as talking about her work as a champion of New Music, Joanna remembers her childhood playing piano for gospel choirs and how she had to bribe her way onto the college Steinway with packets of cigarettes. In conversation with Sue Lawley, she talks about her life and work and chooses eight records to take to the mythical island.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: The Unanswered Question by Charles Ives Book: The Sleep Walkers by Arthur Koestler Luxury: Sampler to record the noises of the island

Sian Phillips May 25, 1997

Show notes

This week the castaway on Desert Island Discs is actress Sian Phillips. Sian talks about her award-winning career and her most recent performance as Marlene Dietrich, as well as remembering her 20 years of marriage to Peter O'Toole. In conversation with Sue Lawley, she talks about her life and work and chooses eight records to take to the mythical island.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Cosi fan Tutte soave sia il vento by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The Medical Care of Merchant Seamen by William Louis Wheeler Luxury: Pen and paper

Harry Enfield May 18, 1997

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is comedian Harry Enfield. As well as talking about characters such as Loadsamoney, Kevin the Teenager and Tory Boy, Harry reveals his reasons for not campaigning with Tony Blair at the general election.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Nabucco Overture To Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi Book: Bleak House by Charles Dickens Luxury: Beer and a cigarette machine

David Wynne May 11, 1997

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is sculptor David Wynne. As well as talking about his sculptures Boy with a Dolphin and Guy the Gorilla, David explains how he researches his work by visiting the animals in the wild. This has led to some dangerous adventures. But David Wynne's work has its gentler moments - he also designed the hands on the back of the 50-pence piece.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Clarinet Concerto in A by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer Luxury: Harmonica

Sir Martin Rees May 04, 1997

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees. As well as choosing his eight records, book and luxury, Sir Martin will be discussing his work in cosmic evolution, or, to put it more simply, how the Earth and Solar System were formed. He tells of his belief that it is more difficult to understand a frog than the cosmos.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: In Paradisum by Gabriel Fauré Book: Collective Cartoons by Gary Larson Luxury: A Jefferson reclining chair

Andy Hamilton Apr 27, 1997

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway is comedian and broadcaster Andy Hamilton.

Favourite track: Sloop John B by The Beach Boys Book: The Physics of Immortality by Frank J Tipler Luxury: Football

Saeed Jaffrey Apr 20, 1997

Show notes

This week's castaway on Desert Island Discs is an actor. In Britain, he's best known for his appearances in My Beautiful Laundrette, The Chess Players and The Jewel in the Crown. In India he's a megastar who can't walk the streets without being mobbed.

This morning Saeed Jaffrey traces a career which has taken him from India, to New York, to London and back home to India. Beginning with his childhood as the son of a brilliant mimic, he describes his early struggles to establish himself, and the famous stars he's met along the way.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Hobo Blues by John Lee Hooker Book: Complete Works by Mirza Ghalib Luxury: Case of Black Label and Dom Perignon

Virginia Ironside Mar 30, 1997

Show notes

This week's castaway on Desert Island Discs has all the qualifications she needs for her job. A journalist, she learnt her craft in the 1960s when she interviewed rock star legends like Mick Jagger, Jimmy Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

She's also a single mum, frequently experiences deep bouts of depression and finds that many of her lasting relationships are with alcoholics. The agony aunt Virginia Ironside describes to Sue Lawley how her life and her work are inseparably entwined.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Hot Tomales by Will Grove-White Book: The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale Luxury: Big bag of plaster to make heads of friends

Peter Blake Mar 23, 1997

Show notes

Only this week's castaway on Desert Island Discs could place the singer Madonna in the same picture as the Madonna and Child, or follow a painting of the National Gallery's 10 most beautiful faces with a collection of its nine prettiest bottoms. Today the pop artist Peter Blake explains to Sue Lawley how his work is inspired by his favourite things; like Marilyn Monroe and Max Miller for the Beatles' Sgt Pepper album cover in the 1960s, or his more recent painting of Tarzan and his family at the Roxy Cinema in New York.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: When The World Was Young by Peggy Lee Book: Lempieres' Dictionary by Lawrence Norfolk Luxury: A gym

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