Show Notes
George Harrison was a musician, singer and songwriter who became one of the most famous people in the world as one quarter of the Beatles. That alone would merit a place in the Great Lives pantheon, but his work in the decades after the band broke up indicates a man of diverse and arguably underestimated talents. Erupting onto the pop music scene in the 1960's, the Beatles' success was swift and dizzying; and for the rather private George, sometimes dubbed ‘the quiet Beatle’, this celebrity and adulation seems to have never quite sat comfortably. Nevertheless, he became a musical icon: responsible for a captivating collection of songs, from those he wrote with the Beatles through to his solo work; collaborating with a host of international artists; popularising Indian music and instruments; and even venturing into the movie-making business. At the same time, like many others thrust into the spotlight, George appears to have struggled with balancing success and the celebrity lifestyle with a more meaningful and spiritual existence. This tension and how it drove George Harrison as an artist is part of what attracts crime writer, occasional musician and self-professed Beatles fanatic Mark Billingham to his story, and why he's nominated him today. Also in the studio to offer her insights is Dr Holly Tessler, a senior lecturer in music industries at the University of Liverpool, where she leads their MA programme: 'Beatles, Music Industry and Heritage'. Presented by Matthew Parris and produced for BBC Studios Audio by Lucy Taylor.
More from Great Lives
Caroline Aherne was born in London on Christmas eve, but her family moved north when she was a toddler.
Edward Osborne Wilson was a pioneer across several fields of biology, from entomology to biodiversity. He is best known for his expertise on ants, his work developing the field of Sociobiology and for his 'Half-Earth' goal. Born in Alabama in 1929, a fishing accident at the age of 7 left him blind in one eye and he turned his attention to the little things that could be held between finger and thumb. Ed Wilson recorded several hundred species of ants and was the first to discover how they communicated through pheromones. Nominating him is the Ecologist, and Chair of Natural England, Dr Tony Juniper. The expert is Dr Paula Ehrlich, President and CEO of the EO Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Paula knew Ed well and joins the discussion from North Carolina. Presented by Matthew Parris and produced for BBC Studios by Ellie Richold
Iris Murdoch was born in Ireland in 1919, grew up in London and was educated in Bristol and Oxford. She's famous both as a novelist and a philosopher, and she won the Booker Prize in 1978 for The Sea, The Sea. Her nominator is Russell Kane, who is full of admiration for her work. This compelling discussion of what makes Iris great includes contributions from her friend and biographer, Peter Conradi; and from Miles Leeson, Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre in Chichester. Great Lives is presented by Matthew Parris and produced by Miles Warde. Other guests in this final series of Great Lives include Ruby Tandoh on children's author Brian Jacques; Pauline Black of The Selector on Poly Styrene of X Ray Spex; and Mel Giedroyc on her ancestor, Russia's first female military surgeon, Princess Vera Gedroits.
Brian Jacques was a docker, sailor, boxer, trucker, milkman, poet and a folk singer too. Then he wrote his Redwall series of children's fantasy novels and became an overnight forty year success. His books were immensely successful, particularly in the United States where President Obama was photographed buying them for his daughters. Choosing this rich and extraordinary life is Ruby Tandoh, baker, columnist and author of Crumb! and All-Consuming: Why We Eat The Way We Eat Now. Her interest in Brian stems from a childhood love of reading his books, particularly the descriptions of the feasts. In studio with Ruby is Trevor Hyett, formerly of Granada TV and a regular on the folk scene with Brian Jacques; plus there are revealing archive clips of Brian performing, and you'll hear the voice of Mick Ord who worked with Brian at BBC Radio Merseyside, where he had a regular Sunday show. The presenter is Matthew Parris and the series is produced in Bristol by Miles Warde
Eric Ashby was a quiet pioneer. He lived in the New Forest in the south of England, where he painstakingly filmed the local wildlife, particularly badgers, foxes and deer. His occasional films were introduced by Sir Peter Scott who dubbed him the Silent Watcher. Paying tribute here to Eric Ashby's life and work - in a special programme recorded at Bristol's Natural History Unit - is James Aldred, author of The Man Who Climbed Trees. This is about his adventures filming in the forest canopy. Also contributing to the show is Chris Packham who knew Eric Ashby as a boy. Chris Packham is one of Britain's best known naturalists, presenter of Springwatch and more recently Evolution on the BBC. James Aldred's other publications include A Wagon In The Woods. A revealing, occasionally contentious episode about a shy yet determined man who made headlines with his clashes with the local hunt. Presented by Matthew Parris and produced in Bristol by Miles Warde