Uncool Britannia - The James Last Years

Steve Punt continues his three part history of the Britain that's ubiquitous yet unashamedly uncool. Steve argues the nation's recent past has been hijacked by the fashionistas and that it's time to celebrate the past as it really was - deeply unhip. Forget the Rolling Stones, Mary Quant and the Aston Martin, what Britons really love is a nice melody, a sensible coat and a reliable motor... Steve makes an assault on Punk, claiming it was James Last and his orchestra rather than Sid Vicious and his safety pins who embodied the 70s. Between the mid-60s and the mid-80s, Last racked up 52 hit albums - coming second only to Elvis. Whilst the Punks may have packed out a few obscure venues, James Last was selling out the Royal Albert Hall. Steve attempts to get to the bottom of how this German band-leader won over legions of Brits with his easy-listening tunes and why the maestro of the middle-of-the-road has never received credit for his chart-topping success. Producer: Laurence Grissell (repeat).