Jul 18 - For the Record - Episode 9

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'll post links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

This is the final episode.

Part Nine: Tomorrow 

In a world of streaming and AI, what does the future hold for music? We look at some of the more recent phenomena in the world of music including raves, electronic music, the Broadway musical, crowd funding and musical therapy. 

We speak to astronauts and space legends about why music is so important we sent it into outer space and how the power of live music can never be understated.

Part nine includes exclusive interviews, rare archive and performances from Ann Druyan, Chris Hadfield, Kelley Jakle, Charlotte Church, Robert Smith, Kate Nash, Dean Burnett, Martin James, Suzi Gage and many more!

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 9 is here:

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes. 

Jul 12 - For the Record - Episode 8

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'm posting links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

Part Eight: Sing to Me 

What makes some music more popular and why do we all have different taste in music? We dig into this via a case study of two pop music juggernauts, The Beatles and Taylor Swift before exploring the behind the scenes process of crafting a memorable song. Finally we take a look at music for children.

Part Eight includes exclusive interviews, rare archive and performances from Paul Kelly, Kelley Jakle. Murray Cook, Sophie Galpin, Jim Bob, Philip Ball, Charlotte Church, Dua Lipa, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Sonny Tennet, Natalie Haynes, Dean Burnett and more.

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 8 is here:

 

 Episode 9 - the final episode - is coming up next 

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Jul 11 - For the Record - Episode 7

 I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'll post links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

Part Seven: Standing on the Outside 

We meet with hip hop pioneers to discuss the origins of the genre and all that it gave rise to, particularly its influence on culture. A wider look is taken at music’s role in politics, social change and comedy as well as the darker side of music and how it has been used by some of history’s worst people. 

Part Seven includes exclusive interviews, rare archive and performances from Riki Lindholme, Grandmaster Caz, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Michelle Brasier, Fiorella Montero-Diaz, Jim Bob, Rajinder Dudrah. Ben West, Stephen Sondheim, Anna Kendrick, Tim Minchin, Weird Al Yankovic and more.

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 7 is here:

Episode 8 coming up next - it premieres in a few days' time...

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Jul 6 - For the Record.- Episode 6

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'll post links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

Part Six - Way Down 

The massive global impact of African rhythms is the focus of this episode and how the barbarism of slavery, and the resilience of enslaved people, gave rise to genres such as blues, jazz, country, rock and roll and more. The episode also includes a dive into the rich musical history and tradition of a modern day musical Babylon, New Orleans. Interviewees include: Donald Harrison Jr, The Hot 8 Brass Band and Givonna Joseph

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 6 is here:

Episode 7 coming up next 

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Jul 5 - For the Record - Episode 5

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'll post links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

Part Five: Yesterdays We examine the role of religion in music and the rise of two of the major influences of western music, opera and classical music. We look at how classical music differs from region to region, from Europe to China to Africa and how it’s changed over time. We explore how deaf people enjoy music and it’s influence on film music and Bugs Bunny is also up for discussion… Interviewees include: Shirley J Thompson, Jess Hitchcock and Neil Brand

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 5 is here:

Episode 6 coming up next 

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Jul 4 - For the Record - Episode 4

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'll post links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

Part Four: Build This Love

Using pianos and guitars as a case study we explore the evolution of musical instruments from ancient times to modern electronic devices. We then start to explore how we send music out in the world via the invention of sheet music and eventually recording and distribution systems like records and radios. Finally we make our own gramophone with a pin and a cone.

Part Four includes exclusive interviews, rare archive and performances from Ian Rankin, Mark Miodownik, Sophie Galpin, Robin Ince, Jon Batiste, Steve Pretty, Marina Frolova-Walker, Gabriele Rossi Rognoni, Richard Walley, Beaty Rubens and more.

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 4 is here:

Episode 5 coming up next 

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Jul 3 - For the record - Episode 3

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'll post links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

Part Three includes exclusive interviews, rare archive and performances from Sofia Aziz, Richard Dumbrill, Nitin Sawhney, Koroleko Moussa, Nicole Cassandra Smit, Richard Walley, PIQSIQ and more.This time we head to deep caves in Germany to discover the oldest known musical instrument and explore the music of ancient civilisations from Babylon to Greece to Egypt. We look at how music has been taught across cultures and generations and answer that age old question, did neanderthals hum?

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 3 is here:

Episode 4 coming up next 

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Jul 2: For the Record - Part 2

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'll post links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

In part two we explore the mathematics that underpins musical structure and how that differs from culture to culture. We take a piano lesson and then try to make sense of why we humans like music so much in the first place.  Part Two includes exclusive interviews, rare archive and performances from Charlotte Church, Nitin Sawhney, Donald Harrison Jr, Dean Burnett, Philip Ball, Jess Hitchcock, Grace Petrie, Matt Parker, Jim Bob, Ruarri Joseph, Mick Jagger and more. 

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 2 is here:

Episode 3 coming up next 

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Jul 1: For the Record - Episode 1

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'll post links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

For The Record: An Incomplete History of Music is an epic nine part docuseries presented by Charlotte Ritchie that takes viewers on a journey through the entire history of music. From The Big Bang to AI and everything in between. What is it, how does it work and why does it matter. From the multi award winning director Trent Burton and The Cosmic Shambles Network. Explore more on this and other episodes with bonus features, playlists, reading lists, quizzes and more at https://cosmicshambles.com/fortherecord

Episode 1 is here.

Episode 2 coming up next 

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Jun 2: For the Record

The second trailer for the new series from the Cosmic Shambles Network called 'For the Record: an incomplete history of music' has appeared today. I shared the first one a while back near the start of this blog.This looks like being an essential watch, and the first episodes come out towards the end of the month - on the day that Glastonbury would normally start (but this year is a fallow year with no festival).

It will be appearing on YouTube free of charge.

Check the channel here

An epic new nine part docuseries from the award winning The Cosmic Shambles Network tackled the history of music like no series ever has before. 

Over four years in the making, presenter Charlotte Ritchie (Ghosts, You, Taskmaster) will take you on jam packed journey from the very first sound waves at the beginning of the known Universe to the future of music in a world of steaming and AI. 

On the way we'll look at everything from birdsong to blues, jazz to jungle and pianos to prehistory. Featuring over 100 exclusive interviews with world leading musicians, scientists and historians, For The Record: An Incomplete History of Music and including rare archive interviews, this the ultimate story of the how, when and why of music. 

This nine part series clocks in at over ten hours, all free for you to enjoy, starting over the 2026 Glastonbury Fallow Weekend, 25th June with four episodes, then weekly. 

A bonus tenth episode will be available for Patreons. 

Presented by Charlotte Ritchie 

Produced and Directed by Trent Burton 

Featuring Charlotte Church, Nitin Sawhney, Chris Hadfield, Riki Lindholme, Ann Druyan, Kelley Jakle, Grandmaster Caz, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Shirley Thompson, Paul Kelly, Natalie Haynes and many many more

Jan 10: Coming in June from the Cosmic Shambles Network

There are few cultural universals quite like music. It has the power to invoke the entire gamut of human emotions in a way almost nothing else can. In this groundbreaking docuseries The Cosmic Shambles Network covers the history of music like no series ever has before. 

Over four years in the making, presenter Charlotte Ritchie (Ghosts, You) will take you on a fun filled journey from the very first sound waves after the Big Bang to the future of AI music with almost everything in between. Bone flutes and Blues. Neanderthals and Nightingales. Techno and Tabla.

Featuring over 100 exclusive interviews with world leading musicians, scientists and historians, For The Record: An Incomplete History of Music is the ultimate story of the how, when and why of music. 

An 8-part docuseries, For The Record: An Incomplete History of Music will be launched on YouTube over Glastonbury Fallow Weekend, starting 25th June 2026, with a bonus episode available to Patreon users. 

Presented by Charlotte Ritchie 

Produced and Directed by Trent Burton 

Featuring Charlotte Church, Nitin Sawhney, Chris Hadfield, Robert Smith, Kelley Jakle, Grandmaster Caz, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Shirley Thompson, Paul Kelly, Natalie Haynes and many many more