Chris Bloom was born in Cambridge in 1970 and that's where he grew up and lived until 1990. He then decided to give up the historical splendour of his hometown and his job at Kodak to go and see some of the world. Due to family connections his first port of call was South Africa but as is often the case it became his permanent home. That was an interesting and sometimes very challenging choice for someone who had attended the Artists Against Apartheid concert at Wembley Stadium in 1988 to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday and to continue the campaign for his release from prison.
With disarming honesty Chris talks about the ups and downs of his journey over the past 30 years and that of his adopted nation. His music choices directly reflect some of the challenges he has faced, and his insights and analysis have changed the way I listen to a number of these songs.
This episode becoming available 3 days after South Africa won the Rugby World Cup with a representative multi-racial team and their first black captain, Siya Kolosi, is a remarkable piece of serendipity. It is almost matched by the fact that Siya is a shortening of Siyamthanda which is also the name of Chris's daughter (although she shortens her name to Thanda).
I hope you enjoy Chris's story and his song choices as much as I did and, like me, you take inspiration from them.
The SPOTIFY PLAYLIST
OTHER THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
· OTHER THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Now That’s What I Call Music Compilation Records
- Great site at https://www.nowmusic.com/ which has full details of all 104 albums released so far
Top of the Pops
Iconic BBS show that was the longest weekly music show that ran from 1964 to 2006 . Full details here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_of_the_Pops
The Old Grey Whistle Test
The alternative BBC music show (and so it shown late night on BBC 2) . It ran from 1971 to 1988 and was massively influential. Worth searching on You Tube for clips or even better getting hold of the DVD’s the BBC latterly released . Full details of the show here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Grey_Whistle_Test
Wembley 1998 – Artists Against Apartheid – Nelson Mandela’s 70TH Birthday Tribute
The concert, according to Robin Denselow, music critic and presenter of the BBC broadcast, writing in 1989, was the "biggest and most spectacular pop-political event of all time, a more political version of Live Aid with the aim of raising consciousness rather than just money."
Full details can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela_70th_Birthday_Tribute
Numerous Video are on You Tube and this is my favourite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5N2UA82nCU
My
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