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12 greatest South Bank Show music moments
Classic TV footage of Blur, Sonic Youth, the Velvets, Dusty et al
Simon Kirrane, Fri 15 May 2009, 3:00 pm BST
The South Bank Show, the UK's leading independent TV arts and culture show, is ending next year with the departure of Melvyn Bragg, the force behind it. The hirsute renaissance man recently listed his favourite moments so we thought we'd share ours.
The following are the best music clips from the show that mashed up highbrow and pop culture. Where possible there's also a Melvyn Bragg hairstyle guide - collect them all!
The Velvet Underground
The now familiar drone of the Velvets on Venus In Furs is sometimes difficult to place in context. Here's some help. Indeed when this film first aired in 1986, thousands of teens in the UK threw out their Jesus And Mary Chain vinyl and switched to the original and the best.
Bragg hair rating: Mop top
Pete Townshend
This starts with a thunderous and instantly recognisable Townshend chord but rapidly turns ponderous. After describing The Who as being capable but failing at creating social change through music the film cuts to Daltry looking like a poodle. Still, he might have had questionable ideals but Townshend does good rock.
Bragg hair rating: Open university parting/mullet
Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Like the Beatles on acid. This 25th anniversary film of the experimental and revolutionary album for 'heads' featured new interviews with the then-surviving Beatles plus a commentary from George Martin. Fascinating stuff about a band at the end of their tether trying to create an album that would tour in their stead.
Bragg hair rating: '80s hair helmet
