Desert Island Discs

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Joe Simpson Sep 19, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the mountaineer Joe Simpson. He was born in Kuala Lumpur in 1960 where his father was stationed with the British Army. Over the next few years the family lived in Gibraltar, Ireland and Germany, although Joe returned to England for schooling at Ampleforth and showed an early adventurous spirit and love of sport.

But it was only after reading the classic account of attempted ascents on the Eiger - 'The White Spider' - by Heinrich Harrer that he developed an interest in his future passion. After a brief spell working at a saw mill and then at a quarry he studied English Literature at Edinburgh University. There he began climbing in earnest often attempting dangerous routes beyond his experience before tackling a previously unconquered route up Siula Grande - a peak in the Peruvian Andes. This climb was to make his name. He and his partner Simon Yates made the first successful ascent of the mountain's west face only to run into difficulties after Joe shattered his leg on their descent. After running out of resources and with no prospect of rescue Simon painstakingly lowered Joe towards shelter before being forced to cut the rope on his friend. Joe had inadvertently slid over an overhanging rock and was slowly pulling the two off the mountain. He landed in a crevasse and after being left for dead amazingly managed to crawl miles back to safety. Simon Yates was widely attacked for his actions in the climbing community leading Joe to write a defence of the rescue with his book 'Touching the Void', which has also been made into an award-winning film. Told he'd never climb again following the accident, Joe went on to climb many more mountains over the last two decades. He's worked as a mountaineering guide all over the world and written five more books.

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

Favourite track: I'm Not A Man You Meet Everyday by Cait O'Riordon and the Pogues Book: Blank book and pen Alternative to Bible: The Sutras - the teachings of Gautama Buddha Luxury: A drink-making machine

Hugh Masekela Jul 11, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the world famous musician Hugh Masekela. As a boy growing up in the impoverished townships of South Africa, he was inspired to learn the trumpet after seeing Kirk Douglas play Bix Beiderbecke in Young Man With A Horn. He begged one of his teachers - the anti-apartheid crusader Father Trevor Huddleston - to buy him a horn and in return he promised to stay out of trouble.

Hugh soon made a name for himself in South Africa but as the racial tensions intensified during the 50s he decided he had to leave his homeland to get a better music education in America. There he quickly made a name for himself with his fusion of African jazz music and became a 'flower child' playing with some of the great bands of the decade: Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and the Byrds. He's still probably best known for his number-one track, Grazing in the Grass, which sold four million copies worldwide in 1968. He returned to Africa in 1973, spending the next 17 years working on a range of musical collaborations in Botswana, Liberia, Nigeria, Congo and Guinea. Then, after thirty years in self-imposed exile, he returned to his homeland in 1990.

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

Favourite track: Lilizela Mlilezeli by Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens Book: Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens Luxury: A keyboard

Rt Hon Michael Howard MP Jul 04, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the leader of the Conservative Party, Michael Howard.

He was raised in an orthodox Jewish family in Llanelli, South Wales, where his parents ran ladies' fashion shops. In the Labour-supporting, rugby-playing valleys, the teenage Michael preferred football and his leanings were towards the Conservatives. He propelled himself to Peterhouse College, Cambridge, and was part of the Cambridge mafia that included Kenneth Clarke, Leon Brittan, Norman Lamont and Norman Fowler. But while his contemporaries all entered parliament within a few years of graduating, Michael Howard's journey to Westminster took considerably longer. He first stood as a Conservative candidate in 1966 when he was just 24 years old. He tried again, unsuccessfully, in 1970, but it was not until 1983 - after putting his name forward for dozens of safe seats - that he was chosen as the party's candidate for Folkestone and Hythe and secured a seat in the House of Commons. He says that by the time he was successful, he wondered whether he was too old to make his mark there. But he rose quickly through the ministerial ranks and had secured a place in cabinet before he was 50. He was John Major's Home Secretary for four years - a controversial period that culminated in his former deputy, Ann Widdecombe, saying there was 'something of the night' in his personality.

When he stood to be leader of the party in 1997 he came fifth out of five candidates. But eight months ago he was elected, unopposed, the new leader of the party. He told Sue Lawley: 'I was astonished. It was not something I ever thought would happen and if we'd been sitting here a year ago and you'd told me that I'd be sitting here today as leader of the Conservative Party, I have said that you were prone to fantasies'.

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

Favourite track: (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams Book: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro Luxury: A hot shower and some soap

Tim Rice Jun 27, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the world famous lyricist Sir Tim Rice. Sir Tim is best known for his collaborative work with Andrew Lloyd Webber creating some of the best loved musicals of recent years. The duo first teamed up in the late 1960s first producing Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, which is a staple of school end-of-term shows as well as enjoying numerous runs in the West End. The groundbreaking Jesus Christ Superstar followed, and then Evita, depicting the life of Eva Peron.

As a child growing up in Hertfordshire, he was enchanted by astronomy and cricket and excelled academically. On leaving school, he shunned university and tried his hand with the law. But he had dreams of becoming a pop star or, at the very least, a songwriter, and so he took a job as a management trainee with EMI records. When he met Andrew Lloyd Webber after replying to his request for a 'with it' writer he realised his future lay as a lyricist. Sir Tim was knighted in 1994 and he's the co-author of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and a co-founder of Pavilion Books.

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

Favourite track: Once in Royal David's City by Gauntlett Book: Molesworth by Geoffrey Willans Luxury: A telescope

Diana Athill Jun 20, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the writer and book editor Diana Athill. For nearly 50 years Diana Athill was involved in every aspect of publishing, from editing and even completely rewriting books to drawing adverts, designing covers and nursing authors for the publishing house Andre Deutsch. They published some of the greatest names of the 20th century, including Norman Mailer, Jack Kerouac, VS Naipaul and Jean Rhys.

Her career has been remarkable, but it was one that she fell into after her original plans for marriage and children fell through. Now aged 86, she is still writing and her novel Make Believe is being republished this autumn - and she still visits the Norfolk estate owned by her family where she spent so much time as a girl riding horses.

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

Favourite track: O Glucklich Paar by Franz Joseph Haydn Book: Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray Luxury: Her own bed

Karan Bilimoria Jun 13, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the businessman Karan Bilimoria - who set up production of a beer designed to be drunk with Indian food, imported it to Britain - and is now selling it back to India. As a student at Cambridge, Karan missed Indian food and used to eat at restaurants several times a week. But he disliked the gassy lagers they served – finding he could neither eat nor drink as much as he would have liked. He decided to develop a beer that was smoother and less gassy - especially designed to be drunk with Indian food. He worked with a brewer in Mysore, India, and initially they prepared to market Panther Beer - but a last-minute stint of market research led to them changing the name to Cobra Beer. It has won a string of liquor industry awards, is sold in more than 30 countries and the company is expected to turn over more than £60 million this year.

But when Karan first started on his business career, his family were horrified. He had already qualified as a chartered accountant and had just graduated in law from Cambridge, but instead of a stable profession he started to import polo sticks, then began trading in up-market ladies' clothes. His father urged him to find a more solid career, but Karan persisted, delivering crates of Cobra Beer to Indian restaurants from the back of his battered 2CV. It took more than five years for the brand to establish itself, but it is now a familiar site not just in restaurants, but on supermarket and off-licence shelves.

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

Favourite track: What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Alternative to Bible: The Gathas of Zorathushtra Luxury: Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister videos

Geraldine James May 30, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is one of Britain's best known actresses - Geraldine James. Geraldine James became a household name 20 years ago for her performance as Sarah Layton in the epic, lavish series The Jewel in the Crown. But she is also used to far more earthy roles - one of her first television performances was portraying the real-life story of a deaf/mute prostitute from Bradford for which she won a TV Critics' award. The TV role she took after Jewel in the Crown was as the redoubtable and beefy Lady Maud in Blott on the Landscape and, later, more northern prostitutes in Band of Gold.

She is a well respected stage actress - key roles include Portia in the Merchant of Venice opposite Dustin Hoffman and When I Was a Girl I Used to Scream and Shout. Her most recent screen work was as the prim and disapproving Women's Institute leader in the hugely successful film Calendar Girls. After school she studied drama at the Drama Centre, London, and spent three years in repertory theatre and school theatre before embarking on her television career; most recently as Lady Rowley in Trollope's He Knew He was Right. She was made an OBE in 2003.

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

Favourite track: In Tears of Grief, Dear Lord We Leave Thee by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes Luxury: iPod

Sir Ken Adam May 23, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the man who's designed some of the most famous film sets ever made. Sir Ken Adam was the production designer on seven of the James Bond films - including Dr No, Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever. His bold designs skilfully created the lairs of a string of arch villans, perhaps best typified by the headquarters of Blofeld in You Only Live Twice - which was built inside an extinct volcano with an artificial lake placed on top.

Sir Ken Adam began life as Klaus Adam, born into a middle class family in 1920s Berlin. As Hitler rose to power the Adam family were forced to flee to Britain. Klaus adopted the name Keith during the war when he became a fighter pilot and the only German to fight for the RAF. He became known as Heinie the Tank Buster in recognition of his daring raids across the continent. After the war he changed his name again to Ken and trained as an architect. This led to work in the film industry; first as a draughtsman, and then as an art director and eventually as a production designer. He won two Oscars: the first for Barry Lyndon, which he made with Stanley Kubrick in the 70s, and The Madness of King George.

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

Favourite track: Java Jive by Inkspots Book: Propylaen Kunstgeschichte - The History of Art Luxury: Sketchpad and felt pens to design

Pen Hadow May 16, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the explorer Pen Hadow. Pen Hadow made polar history in 2003 by becoming the first man to walk solo and unsupported the 478 miles from the northern coast of Canada to the North Pole. It was the culmination of a death-bed pledge. He had made a commitment immediately after his father's death that he would prove the family name by succeeding in the challenge - described by Sir Ranulph Fiennes as the "greatest endurance feat left on earth". He made two unsuccessful attempts at the ordeal before succeeding in May last year.

He turned to exploring in his late 20s, but had already shown himself to be a daredevil foolhardy, determined and physically strong. At prep school he learnt the importance of training and practice to develop greater athleticism and, at Harrow, he successfully ran 'The Long Ducker' - a marathon from Harrow, taking in Marble Arch and Little Venice - that hadn't been attempted for 50 years. After university, he spent four years working at the sports agency IMG and ended up by chance on a 70-day trek photographing polar bears, and the thought struck him that, with organisation, training and determination, in the same length of time he could trek to the North Pole.

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

Favourite track: Piano Concerto No 2 in B Flat Major by Johannes Brahms Book: The Oxford Book of English Verse by Chirstopher Ricks Luxury: A six inch nail

U A Fanthorpe May 09, 2004

Show notes

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is one of Britain's best loved poets - U A Fanthorpe. She was the first woman ever to be nominated for the post of Oxford Professor of Poetry and in 2003 was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. But she found her vocation late in life. She trained as a teacher and was head of the English department at Cheltenham Ladies College when she says she felt her life was in crisis and became a 'middle aged drop-out'. Against the advice of her family and to the surprise of many friends, she quit teaching to become a temporary clerical worker. She took a job as a clerk in a hospital for neuro-psychiatric patients and, within days, knew that she had to write about what she saw - to bear witness to what the patients were experiencing. Her first collection of poems, Side Effects, was published in 1978 when U A Fanthorpe was 49.

Since then she has written many more volumes. Her poems use a great deal of humour and a lot of dialogue. In addition to her work about patients and hospitals, much of her writing is concerned with war and its effects on children on the nature of Englishness and the British character.

During the interview, U A Fanthorpe reads extracts from the following poems: 'The List' taken from Selected Poems, and 'Atlas' from Safe As Houses.

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

Favourite track: Come Away With Fellow Sailors by Henry Purcell Book: A book to identify birdlife on the island Luxury: Bath with soap and towels

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