Saturday Club with Brian Matthew - 1962

The BBC did not do too much in the way of ‘pop music programming’ in the 50s; but some of what it did do was impressive. Particularly when one listens back now to the big names who happened to pop by. 

‘Saturday Club’ began life in June 57 as ‘Saturday Skiffle Club’ with Brian Matthew, dropping the ‘Skiffle’ a year later.

Hear, here, the programme’s fifth anniversary edition. Note the conversation about the benefits of live music, although Brian’s musical guests were likely oblivious of the fact that the appearance of live talented musicians was a copyright necessity. Hear too, the awful telephone quality, where both Cliff and Brian appear to be in a phone box.

All in all, this truly is a slice of both music and radio history, and a well-deserved tribute to Brian Matthew.

The programme ended in January 1969, presented by then by Keith Skues.