Bureau of Lost Culture

Was counterculture possible in the oppressive, repressive circumstances of the Soviet Union? Join us as we meet with broadcaster, author and cultural commentator Artemyi Troistsky - the 'Russian John Peel’ - to find out. We hear some entertaining, comical, tragic, moving and frankly strange stories including tales of the ‘Stilyagi' Soviet Hipsters, the first disco in Moscow, Che Guevara and Lenin as a mushroom. And we hear how rock music evolved in secret before breaking into the light as perestroika transformed Soviet society. For more on Art: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemy_Troitsky For more on the Bureau of Lost Culture www.bureauoflostculture.com

We meet with writer Barry Cain, punk correspondent for Record Mirror during the incendiary years 1977 - 1979. Barry tells of his London journey from a Kings Cross council estate to touring with the Sex Pistols, The Clash and the greatest bands of the punk generation. We hear of early meetings with The Stranglers, Sid Vicious and John Lydon, a fantatsical financial fraud perpetrated on a transatlantic flight with The Damend’s Rat Scabies and evenings recording Malcolm McLaren’s secret memoirs Barry Cain is journalist and author of ’77 Sulphate Strip: An Eyewitness Account of the Year that changed everything’ amongst other books. He co-founded the influential Flexi Pop magazine and has written extensively on pop music. For more on Bureau of Lost Culture www.bureauoflostculture.com  

In this episode, we meet with radical doctor Sam Hutt who ministered to countercultural London in the 1960s and with Hank Wangford, English Country and Western singer par excellence. Sam tells us about growing up in a 1950s communist household in a posh part of London. We hear stories of sixties Soho and psychedelic marmite, about buying heroin from Boots and about prescribing cannabis for some very famous musicians. We learn how Sam frequented underground clubs like The Flamingo, dropped acid, made one of the greatest psychedelic singles of all time, hung out with rock stars and witnessed the tragic decline of Syd Barrett Hank tells how Sam Hutt became Hank Wangford after a broken love affair. We hear how he and Keith Richards were turned onto country music by Gram Parsons and about his days as part of the Red Wedge anti-Thatcher movement in the 1980s - all along with two tunes recorded live at Soho Radio. For more on Hank Wangford www.hankwangford.com For more on Bureau of Lost Culture www.bureauoflostculture.com  

We meet with legendary drummer and songwriter John Alder / Mohammed Abdullah, best known as Twink, who played for the In Crowd, Tomorrow, The Pink Fairies, The Pretty Things, Hawkwind, The Aquarian Age, Pink Wind and Stars - amongst others legendary acts. One of the foremost figures of the late sixties London music scene, he tells us what it was like - from the inside. We hear what Jimi Hendrix said to him when they jammed at The UFO club, about Syd Barrett’s tragic last gig and about a life beating out the rhythm of the counterculture from Colchester to Morocco and back again. You can find out more about Twink’s legacy at www.thinkpink50th.com For more on the Bureau of Lost Culture www.bureauoflostculture.com