Playlists: Group 1- Lesson 1

After the customary technical blip or two- i.e. double booking and a professorial inability to distinguish a CD tray from a DVD/ Video combo- the first participants of the 2010-11 sessions completed their Confessional. As the NME debate over whether Rock is dead looms, these wise souls displayed a refreshing regard for rock music/ guitars.

Musical Mix:
1- Martha and The Vandellas '(Love Is Like A) Heatwave'
2- Martha and The Vandellas 'There He Is (At My Door)'
3- Madonna 'La Isla Bonita'
4- Kings of Leon 'Radioactive' (video)
5- Brandon Flowers 'Playing With Fire'
6- Lou Reed 'Satellite Of Love'
7- The XX 'Basic Space'
8- The XX 'Heart Skipped A Beat'
9- The Libertines 'Last Post On The Bugle'
10- Arcade Fire 'We Used To Wait'
11- Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan 'To Hell And Back Again'

The first mix of the new season began with a nod to the summer gone with a bouncy Motown double and the 80s inspiration for 'Alejandro'. A little hint of the new Kings of Leon material was followed by the new release of the week. Brandon Flowers' solo piece led to a comparison with the legendary Mr Reed. After an introductory double from worthy Mercury Prize winners, the stars of Reading and Leeds were revisited. The pupil choice of the mix was a fantastic track from the epic Arcade Fire album. A teacherly indulgence with Mazzy Star tones closed the mix.

What a Difference Five Years Make!

The original Musical Mystery Tour ran from 1996 to 2005 as a General Studies option, part of a world without the total dependence on downloads, Spotify, iTunes, iPods, the vast archives of You Tube, streaming on My Space/ Last.fm et al... Now part of the Bablake Enrichment programme, it's back.


This time round, in 2010- 11, 5 different groups of students will take the tour over 5 lessons...