Episode details

Radio 6 Music,09 Oct 2025,60 mins
Viv Albertine: The musical ups and downs of my life
Journeys In SoundAvailable for 7 days
Viv Albertine of The Slits shares the pivotal moments that have made her the artist she is today. Talking to Nemone, who combines her roles of DJ and qualified psychotherapist, Viv dives deep to share her story and the songs that have moved her and sound-tracked the ups and downs of her life. She practically shouted her entry into the world, cash poor and seeking culture as a child in Muswell Hill, North London, and subsequent life as guitarist in the Slits in her first fist waving book Clothes Clothes Clothes, Music Music Music, Boys Boys Boys. Alongside Ari up, Tessa Pollit and Palmolive, Viv Albertine navigated her was through the music industry in the 70s and 80s, divorce - her parents and the later her own, motherhood, creative doldrums and finding her mojo again. More of which is detailed in To Be Thrown Unopened - her second book. Here she selects the music which accompanied those formative experiences, the inspirations for some of her own musical process and how she’s learned to take care of herself through it all. With tracks from John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Pentangle, Pattie Smith and Razzy Bailey. In this series Nemone also talks in depth to musicians Brett Anderson, Jehnny Beth and Sofia Kourtesis. If you need support with some of the issues in this programme visit bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Programme WebsiteTracklist
- TrackArtist
- 1.You Can’t Do ThatYou Can’t Do ThatThe Beatles
- 2.Light FlightLight FlightPentangle
- 3.White RoomWhite RoomCream