Absolute Radio's new series Epicentres shines the spotlight on five musical cities
It features Seattle, Memphis, Nashville, Manchester and Liverpool
Absolute Radio is launching a new five-part documentary series called Epicentres on Sunday 25th July that shines the spotlight on five cities that have been pivotal to the global music scene.
Hosted by Sophie K, Epicentres looks at the relationship between music and place. It’s a tribute to the places that are inextricably linked with music, where music is as much a part of the city as anything else, places where music is metaphorically flowing through its veins.
Featuring Seattle, Memphis, Nashville, Manchester and Liverpool, Epicentres asks how did these scenes emerge? What did it feel like to be a part of them? WHY did they happen here in particular? How did the cities influence the artists that came out of them and how can the cities be heard in the music? How has music history remembered these places particularly after they became mainstream?
All these questions will be answered in Epicentres, a look at the places in which musical movements erupted and the shockwaves were felt across the world.
Listen to Epicentres on Absolute Radio
The series starts at 8pm on Sunday 25th July 2021 with a look at the birthplace of the blues, soul and rock n’ roll - Memphis.
Epicentres will then be broadcast at 8pm every Sunday evening until Sunday 22nd August 2021.
Extended versions of each Epicentres episode will also be available to listen to on the Absolute Radio app after the shows are broadcast.
Absolute Radio’s Epicentres episodes:
Memphis – 25th July 2021
There is no better city to start our look at the link between music & place, than the birthplace of the blues, soul and Rock n Roll. This episode of Epicentres will take you around Graceland, into Sun & Stax Studios, and look at the wider importance of Memphis as the place where it all began.
Guests: Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MGs, Blues Brothers, Stax's inhouse guitarist), former Stax owner Al Bell, Angie Marchese from Graceland.
Nashville – 1st August 2021
For episode 2 of Epicentres, we travel 200 miles to Nashville to find out about why country made its home here and why Nashville is Music City USA.
Guests: Thomas Rhett, Ashley McBryde as well as Nashville legends Charlie McCoy, Don Reid and Norbert Putnman.
Liverpool – 8th August 2021
In this episode, we turn our attention to the UK, and the city that gave us the greatest pop group of all time, the Beatles. We look at why Liverpool is more than just the Beatles – it is a UNESCO City of Culture after all.
Guests: Chris Amoo (The Real Thing), Peter Hooton (The Farm), Julia Baird (John Lennon's sister).
Manchester – 15th August 2021
They may be separated by just 30 miles and a fierce rivalry, but Manchester & Liverpool have two very different music histories and sounds. In this episode of Epicentres, we find out what event sparked Manchester's glorious music history that boasts the likes of Joy Division, the Smiths and the Hacienda.
Guests: Tim Booth (James), Rowetta (Happy Mondays), DJ Paulette.
Seattle – 22nd August 2021
In this final episode of Epicentres, we head back to the States, and arguably the last ever pre-internet music 'scene'. Grunge was something that very much emerged from the underground and made waves around the world, but it began in Seattle.
Guests: Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Soundgarden manager Susan Silver, Subpop founder Bruce Pavitt, Subpop photographer Charles Peterson