Chris Welch

A documentary series about pop and rock albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music.

An account of the short life of genius musician Jimi Hendrix (1942-70), probably the most talented and influential guitarist of the twentieth century: his humble beginnings in Seattle, his time in New York, his rise to fame in swinging London… Live fast, love hard, die young.

The Beatles Blue Album gathered together some of the most influential, ground-breaking rock music ever recorded and placed it on one irresistible collection. Released at a time when compilation albums were less common, the Blue Album set the standard; it was a perfect record of The Beatles’ unmatched creativity and diversity, a showcase for their songwriting brilliance and peerless musicianship. This unique critical review of a landmark album brings together a host of musicians, industry figures and respected rock journalists to analyse the extraordinary music on the Blue Album, among them Chris Welch, Nick Tauber and Adam Clayson.

A look back at the days when the Beatles courted America through appearances on the Ed Sullivan TV show, as well as their album, “Meet the Beatles.”

This musical biography tells the story of the making of Deep Purple's classic album "Machine Head. Exclusive interviews with Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, John Lord and Ian Paice take us through a track by track making of the album. The performers demonstrate riffs & licks from the songs and explain the genesis of the songwriting. Also included are featured songs, archive footage of Deep Purple in concert, including American footage of "Smoke on the Water" and "Space Truckin'", TV performances and promotional videos, more.

It is now over 25 years since the release of The Wall. Conceived by Roger Waters as an ambitious double album, a spectacular live show and a ground breaking feature film. The Wall has gone on to achieve iconic status in the history of popular music. This program draws on live performance footage of Pink Floyd and highlights from the film. Also includes extracts from archive interviews with Gerald Scarfe and Alan Parker, the director of The Wall, along with the views of a team of leading musicians and musicologists. This is the independent critical review of a milestone in popular culture, which strips away the prejudice to produce the ultimate retrospective on one of the most important and iconoclastic popular works of the twentieth century. Featuring Highlights From: • Another Brick in The Wall Part 2 • Comfortably Numb • One Of My Turns • Plus Many More!

This addition of Disraeli Gears to the acclaimed Classic Albums series features brand new interviews with Clapton, Baker and Bruce, along with lyricist Pete Brown, Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, John Mayall and Manfred Mann. Also included on the DVDare acoustic performances, original studio tracks and archival live footage. Included are additional interviews and analysis of the tracks, Exclusive acoustic performances, exclusive solo piano performance and previously unreleased full live performances. Though they were only together for two brief years (1966-1968), the London-based power trio Cream changed the face of rock with their jazz-schooled psychedelic blues--and never more so than on their 1967 classic DISRAELI GEARS. This program offers a critical review of the landmark album through archival footage, rare live performance clips, and interviews with rock critics, musicologists, and band members.

This is a story of staggering musical progress and development, that took the Beatles from the simplistic but catchy Love Me Do to the groundbreaking triumph of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in fewer than five years. This exclusive DVD brings new, fresh and a different insight into the Beatles phenomenon. It seeks the opinion, memories, recollections and views of a host of people who were close to the band and who saw them making their music.

Featuring rare archive performances by the Beatles performing live in the USA; this is the powerful review of the album which launched the Beatles in America. Meet the Beatles as carefully selected to introduce the band to a whole new continent and remains today a powerful record of the band emerging as world-class songwriters.

The beginning, the farewell, the reunion. Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce tell how it was... and how it is. Cream, the world's first supergroup, stunned the pop world when it burst on the Swinging '60s. Produced with full cooperation from the band, this fascinating documentary tells their full amazing story. Exclusive new interviews with band members and industry insiders, archival footage and live performances.

A critical guide to the music of Marc Bolan and T. Rex from early success through to the very last recordings and Marc's tragic death. The 'talking heads' present criticisms and takes on the band's meteoric rise, fall, and all-too-short comeback period.

Idiosyncratic composer, unique musician and ground-breaking film director…..Frank Zappa packed more into his short lifetime than most men would manage in two. His restless, challenging, creative spirit meant that he never stood still during a career that bought huge critical and commercial success – Zappa sold more than 60 million albums both as a solo artist and with the Mothers of Invention. The life and work of Frank Zappa are examined in this superb new critical review, which features new in-depth interviews with industry insiders, rock journalists and respected critics plus highlights from the songs that re-drew the face of rock music.