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Influential musicians, composers, directors and actors reveal secrets and insights around their favourite film and television music. Get your weekly dose of great music and great stories now! Hosted by Jodhi May.
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Great Music and Great Stories
Operation Ajax
In the early 1950s, Iran elected a forward-thinking new leader. But where previous regimes had played ball with British and American oil companies in the country, Mohammed Mossadegh refused. In response, Western intelligence services mounted a deadly coup. Sophia Di Martino and historian Ervand Abrahamian unpick the shocking downfall of Iran's last democratic leader.
Escaping ISIS
As ISIS sweeps through the Middle East, the regions' minority groups face brutal oppression. In Northern Iraq, ex-CIA officers Michele Rigby Assad and her husband, Joseph Assad, feel compelled to do what they can to help. Michele joins Sophia Di Martino to recount the steps that led to a dramatic evacuation of Iraqi Christians from Erbil in 2015.
The Wilderness of Mirrors
In the dying days of the Cold War, the West is on the verge of victory but the Soviet Union's feared secret service, the KGB, won't give up without a fight. Sophia Di Martino and former US Army Intelligence officer Aden Magee tell the story of a mind-bending game of cat-and-mouse, played out on the streets of 1980s Munich.
The Swinging Spies
Karel 'Karl' Koecher always knew he was destined for greatness. At the height of the Cold War, he arrived in New York City - a Communist sleeper agent, hell-bent on infiltrating the highest echelons of American society. And with the help of his beautiful young wife, the American dream was well within reach. Sophia Di Martino and author Benjamin Cunningham tell the story of two glamorous Czech spies in swinging NYC - charting their unlikely rise and inevitable fall from grace.
Mr. Wristwatch
Truck driver, entrepreneur, womanizer - spy. Sophia Di Martino joins journalist Sean O'Driscoll to tell the story of one of the most unusual and effective moles in modern American history. When David Rupert met a woman in an Irish bar in Florida, the meeting sparked an unlikely chain of events that would lead him to infiltrate a deadly Irish Republican terrorist group on behalf of the FBI, MI5, and the Irish state - and put several key players behind bars. But the 'Big Yank' would pay a heavy price for his success.
The Old Man and the CIA, Part 2: Dulles’ Downfall
In this two-part True Spies miniseries, journalist and author of The Devil's Chessboard, David Talbot, joins Sophia Di Martino to uncover a hidden history of the United States - a history penned by a man who made an outsized impact on the way we live today: Allen Dulles. In Part 2, the seeds of Dulles's ruin are sown on a beach in Cuba.
The Old Man and the CIA, Part 1 - American Gestapo
Some men make headlines. Others make history. A subtle few mold the future of nations in their image - and you'd never even know it. In this two-part True Spies miniseries, journalist and author of The Devil's Chessboard, David Talbot, joins Sophia Di Martino to uncover a hidden history of the United States. A history penned by a man who made an outsized impact on the way we live today: Allen Dulles. In Part 1, Talbot documents the rise of the CIA's longest-serving director - and the first civilian to hold the post.
Howard Hunt Unleashed, Part 2: Watergate - Project Gemstone
In this True Spies special, Daisy Ridley presents a dramatized encounter with Everette Howard Hunt Jr, based on our own historical research and Hunt's own writings. In Part 2 - the unbelievable story of the political scandal of the century: Watergate.
Howard Hunt Unleashed, Part 1: The CIA & Animal Farm
In this special two-part True Spies miniseries, Daisy Ridley presents a dramatized encounter with Everette Howard Hunt Jr, based on our own historical research and Hunt's own writings. In Part 1, Hunt explains his role in one of the CIA's most unusual PsyOps - the backing of 1954's animated version of George Orwell's Animal Farm.
Beware the Men in Suits Part 2: Justice For Yvonne
In 1984, when Police Constable Yvonne Fletcher was shot outside the Libyan Embassy in London , John Murray swore he would bring her killers to justice. Decades later, he's about to come closer than ever before - but mysterious elements inside the British establishment seem determined to stop him in his tracks. Daisy Ridley joins Murray, and author Matt Johnson, to recount an epic mission for the truth. A mission that will take Murray to the ends of the Earth - and the limits of his endurance.
Beware the Men in Suits, Part : Stray Dogs
April, 1984 - London. Police Constable Yvonne Fletcher has been shot dead by a pro-Gaddafi gunman at the Libyan Embassy. The UK looks on in sorrow and disgust. One man vows to bring her killer to justice - no matter who stands in his way. Daisy Ridley joins Fletcher's colleague, John Murray, and author Matt Johnson, to recount an epic mission for the truth. A mission that will take Murray to the ends of the Earth - and the limits of his endurance.
The Unwanted Spy
In 2015, former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for violating the Espionage Act by leaking details of a top-secret operation to a journalist - a charge he has always denied. Jeffrey believes that during his time at the Agency, he was discriminated against for the color of his skin - and that his complaints made him a target. The US government's position is clear. In this episode of True Spies, Daisy Ridley hears Jeffrey's side of the story.
The Impeccable Spy
For a womanizing Soviet spy, wartime Tokyo is both playground and prison. Surrounded by the enemy, he's got to keep his wits about him - and with an increasingly paranoid leader in the Kremlin, the line between friend and foe is thin indeed. Daisy Ridley joins author Owen Matthews to tell the story of one the USSR's most formidable spies - Richard Sorge. A communist true-believer, he provided crucial intelligence to Moscow before and during World War II. But for Stalin's top spies, loyalty comes with no guarantee of reward.
Terror on the Line
It's 2007, and Iraq is in a state of chaos. Factions of armed insurgents clash with Coalition forces, and the US is looking for an exit strategy. Thirty-two-year-old Egyptian-American CIA officer Joseph Assad is a new face in Baghdad's Green Zone. He's got an idea that could help to end the slaughter - one so crazy, it just might work. Daisy Ridley joins Joseph as he tells his story publicly for the very first time in a True Spies exclusive.
The Alphabet Boys
When an informant leaks the location of an arms deal between a Romanian-American fixer and a Colombian rebel group, the DEA come down hard on both parties. But in a world of double-dealing, secrets ,and lies, is anyone truly who they say they are? Daisy Ridley joins investigative journalist Trevor Aaronson to tell the story of Flaviu Georgescu - who claims that he was working undercover for the CIA when he was arrested by federal law enforcement. Could the US government be creating the criminals they're supposed to catch?
The Gehlen Organization, Part 2: Peter and Paul
In this two-part special, True Spies tells the story of a clandestine German intelligence network that sprang from the ashes of the Third Reich. Led by former Nazi Reinhardt Gehlen, the group was sponsored by the US to fight communism in post-war Europe. In Part 2, the cracks start to appear in the Gehlen Organization as the Cold War freezes over. Daisy Ridley and Professor Norman Goda unpack a tale of incompetence, double dealing and subterfuge.
The Gehlen Organization, Part 1: Dr. Schneider
In this two-part special, True Spies tells the story of a clandestine German intelligence network that sprang from the ashes of the Third Reich. Led by former Nazi Reinhardt Gehlen, the group was sponsored by the US to fight communism in post-war Europe. In Part 1, Daisy Ridley joins historians Norman Goda and Gerald Steinacher to reveal the beginnings of the American government's shocking co-operation with those who it had defeated only months before.
Beneath The Orange Rain
The year is 1971, and deep in the marshy mangrove forests of East Pakistan, a crack team of Bangladeshi commandos move silently through the Ganges Delta.
Backed by the recently-formed Indian secret service, they're on a mission that will strike a crippling blow against their enemies. A mission that could help to decide the future of a nation. Daisy Ridley joins authors and screenwriters Anusha Nandakumar and Sandeep Saket to reveal the details of a daring sabotage operation in the lead-up to the Third Indo-Pakistani War.
The Compassionate Spy
For teenage genius Ted Hall, the opportunity to work alongside the great minds of his time was too great to turn down. But during his time on the Manhattan Project - the WWII nuclear development program headed by J. Robert Oppenheimer - Ted grew uneasy about the world-shattering power he had helped to unleash. In this episode of True Spies, documentarian Steve James joins Daisy Ridley to tell Hall's story - the life of a man who spied, not for personal gain, but out of compassion for the world and its people.
Dancing With Jackals, Part 2: The Vanishing of Bruno Bréguet
It's the 1980s, and Bruno Breguet is one of international super-terrorist Carlos the Jackal's most trusted operatives. But in a paranoid world of violence and subterfuge, what is loyalty really worth? In this two-part True Spies story, intelligence historian Adrian Hänni joins Daisy Ridley to uncover the life of a little-known, but fascinating figure. In Part 2, the strength of Breguet's revolutionary ideals come up against the mercenary reality of the Jackal's world - and is found wanting. Gunplay in Paris, a lavish semi-retirement in Syria and an unlikely new paymaster pave the road to a final, deadly riddle.
Ten Episodes Not To Miss
Ready to unlock the secrets of the spying game? Here's a quick intro to our True Spies series.
Howard Hunt Unleashed, Part 1: The CIA & Animal Farm
In this special two-part True Spies miniseries, Daisy Ridley presents a dramatized encounter with Everette Howard Hunt Jr, based on our own historical research and Hunt's own writings. In Part 1, Hunt explains his role in one of the CIA's most unusual PsyOps - the backing of 1954's animated version of George Orwell's Animal Farm.
HAVANA SYNDROME SPECIAL
Debilitating neurological symptoms have affected US officials worldwide. Former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos has been suffering since 2017 - he joins Russia expert and former CIA Station Chief John Sipher, and Dr. James Giordano to analyze Havana Syndrome.
GRAY SUIT & THE GHOST
Eric O’Neill describes the hunt for the infamous FBI mole Robert Hanssen, who he was tasked with catching. Eric needs to get Hanssen into a hire car so his own car can be searched for evidence of his betrayal... but the hire car isn’t there and Hanssen is getting suspicious. What would you do in O'Neill's position?
THE ILLEGAL
'Jack Barsky' was a New York computer programmer for a well-known insurance firm. In real life, he was Albrecht Dittrich, a highly-trained Soviet sleeper agent dropped behind enemy lines in 1970s America. When the KGB recalled him to Europe, Barsky had a difficult choice to make: Should he leave his wife and 18-month-old baby behind or betray his country?
INSIDE NAMBLA
Bob Hamer had a colorful career as an undercover FBI agent but nothing prepared him for infiltrating Nambla, the North American Man/Boy Love Association. If he was going to put the pedophiles behind bars, Bob would have to hide his hatred and disdain - even if it ripped at the very fabric of his being. (Warning: This episode contains graphic details.)
WHITE TRAITOR
Sue Dobson was a white woman who wanted to spy for the African National Congress - making her a minority within a minority in apartheid-era South Africa. Dobson spent seven months training in the USSR to learn her tradecraft. Now she wasn’t just a traitor, she was a turncoat with the training to kill.
PSYCHIC SPIES
Dr. Edwin May is an unusual scientist, a physicist who researches psychic phenomena. For decades he worked with psychics who believed they could ‘foresee’ events like potential terrorist attacks, which raised an interesting question: If you can see the future, are you condemned to experience it?
THE SOCIOPATHIC SPY
Working as a lawyer is one path to success, but Jim Lawler wanted adventure. He ditched his job in Texas and joined the CIA. On his first tour abroad, Jim had to recruit a spy working for a hostile government knowing she’d be killed if her cover was blown. That’s when Jim realized he was born with the type of sociopathic personality that would ensure success.
ME AND THE MULLAH
Shawnee Delaney was a key part of the US team hunting Osama bin Laden in the wake of 9/11. One of her contacts was a Mullah with close ties to al-Qaeda but how could she win his trust? There was a language barrier and the Mullah refused to accept money for intelligence. This was shaping up to be Shawnee’s most challenging assignment yet.
THE IRISHMAN
Sean Hartnett grew up in Ireland during the 'Troubles'. His family was Republican so they were shocked when Hartnett talked about joining the British Armed Forces. In fact, Hartnett went a step further. He joined the British Army’s most secretive covert counterterrorist unit in Northern Ireland, Joint Communications Unit Northern Ireland aka ‘The Det’.
And, if you're into covert operations and intelligence gathering, check out these episodes:
EPISODE 71
RISE AND KILL FIRST
Ronen Bergman is an investigative journalist specializing in the dark arts of espionage and Mossad. In the early ‘80s, he stumbled on the scoop of a lifetime involving PLO chairman Yasser Arafat.
TEAM ALPHA PART 1: THE TIP OF THE SPEAR
October 17, 2001. The dust of 9/11 has barely settled. America and the world are reeling. In Afghanistan, eight CIA officers - a crack team of linguists, tribal experts, and paramilitaries - are the first Americans to infiltrate Taliban territory after the attacks. Their mission is to ensure that al-Qaeda does not strike again.
EPISODE 87
STALIN'S ROMEO SPY
As a young Soviet journalist, Emil Draitser stumbled on a story that changed his life. He was summoned by Dmitri Bystrolyotov to hear the deep secret that he was a ‘Stasi Romeo’ spying on Germany for Moscow, taking advantage of vulnerable women to steal state secrets. It was a fascinating tale, but it could also land Draitser in prison.
ALDRICH AMES PART 1: THE ULTIMATE DOUBLE AGENT - SELLING SECRETS
The CIA is only as strong as the weakest link. And in the waning years of the Cold War, weak links were in ready supply. A number of trusted Agency officers were caught selling secrets to the Russian regime. And the most notorious traitor? Aldrich Hazen Ames.
EPISODE 43
PUTIN'S PALACE?
Former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny released a film in 2021 that sent shockwaves through the country. Part exposé, part-psychological portrait, his investigation claimed to reveal a culture of corruption within the Kremlin - with President Putin at its heart. The Kremlin and Putin deny everything.
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FOR YOUR EARS ONLY
Influential musicians, composers, directors and actors reveal secrets and insights around their favourite film and television music. Get your weekly dose of great music and great stories now! Hosted by Jodhi May.
EPISODE 17
LORNE BALFE
Lorne Balfe is one of the most prolific film composers working today. His brilliant work on the Mission: Impossible franchise makes him a perfect candidate to talk us through some of the best music from the world of espionage and beyond. The Scottish composer has scored films from the Terminator series, the Assassin's Creed Series, the Call of Duty video games, and the Netflix series The Crown. Here he discusses the music of Jerry Goldsmith, Hans Zimmer, Stuart Copeland, and his experience adapting the classic Lalo Schifrin theme to Mission Impossible for the sixth instalment in the series.
EPISODE 16
JAMES GAY-REES
Senna, Amy, and Maradona are some of the most captivating and commercially successful documentary films ever made. This trilogy, directed by Asif Kapadia, uses archive footage to shed new light on iconic figures. Choosing the music this week is the Oscar winning producer behind all these and more. James Gay-Rees also produced the film Exit Through The Gift Shop which looked at the contemporary art world through the eyes of the artist Banksy. He produced the 2016 film Supersonic charting the rise of British band Oasis in the mid 90s. And most recently he distilled the music and politics of the early 70s into a documentary series for Apple - 1971: The Year That Changed Everything. Here he picks some of his favourite music from his own films and beyond.
EPISODE 14
LESLEY BARBER
94% of the 250 top box office releases of 2018 were scored by men, according to the Centre for the Study of Women in TV and Film. As a member of the Alliance for Women Film Composers, Lesley Barber is working to make sure that stats like that become a thing of the past. The Canadian composer scored the 1999 Jane Austin adaptation Mansfield Park, the 2019 Mindy Kaling comedy Late Night, and the Oscar nominated Manchester by the Sea. Here she talks about her own compositions along with some of her favourites from others working in the field such as Thomas Newman, Angelo Badalamenti, and Oneohtrix Point Never.
EPISODE 13
JAMES LAVELLE
James Lavelle adopted his musical moniker from the 1960s TV spy series The Man From UNCLE. UNKLE have been making music since the early 90s and have featured a rotating cast of musicians over the years - DJ Shadow, Josh Homme, Thom Yorke, Mike D, Michael Kiwanuka and more - but the man at the centre of it all is James Lavelle. Cinema has been a huge influence on James. The branding and merchandise around Star Wars inspired much of the output on his label Mo'Wax, which he founded aged 18, and his love of films such as Blade Runner, ET, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind led to him naming their debut album Psyence Fiction. The 2008 album End Titles… Stories For Film is a collection of work inspired by the medium. Here he guides us through the music of some of his favourite films.
EPISODE 12
HANNAH PEEL
The Game of Thrones documentary The Last Watch began Hannah Peel's career as a soundtrack composer. Despite already being a BBC broadcaster, a producer, and a musician, it's in the world of TV and film that she has always wanted to reside. Hannah Peel creates unique soundscapes by weaving together elements of traditional folk, classical orchestration, electronic music, and found sounds, often inspired by science and nature. Space travel, our own neural networks, and the northern English countryside have all featured as themes for her work. It was the birds of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 horror that helped inspire her eerie soundtrack to the psychological thriller The Deceived. And in 2019 she received an Emmy nomination for her score to The Last Watch, a series shot largely in her native Northern Ireland. Her latest album Fir Wave was recently nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. Here she takes us through some of her favourite soundtracks from the likes of Clint Mansell, Thom Yorke, and Ennio Morricone.
EPISODE 11
KEITH LOCKHART
Film composer John Williams conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra for 15 years before handing over the reins to today's host. Keith Lockhart has been at the helm of this storied American institution for over 25 years, bringing classical music and film scores to the masses via their concerts around the world. Keith has conducted at Super Bowl and NBA finals, at Queen Elizabeth's diamond Jubilee, and at the BBC Proms as chief guest conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra. Here he takes us through a number of his favourite film scores, from the likes James Newton Howard, Alexandre Desplat, and of course John Williams - many of which he has performed over the years.
EPISODE 10
BASEMENT JAXX
Felix Buxton is one half of the British dance music behemoth Basement Jaxx, and has been playing parties, club nights, arenas and festivals for more than 25 years. During that time Basement Jaxx have released number 1 dance singles, multi platinum selling albums, and some truly iconic videos. In 2011 they made their film soundtrack debut, working with composer Stephen Price to score the Joe Cornish sci-fi horror comedy Attack The Block, and in this episode Felix takes us through some of his favourite film music.
EPISODE 9
PHOENIX
Laurent Brancowitz AKA Branco is one quarter of the two-time Grammy Award winning French band Phoenix. He was also at one stage in a band called Darlin' with two friends Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, a band Melody Maker described as "a daft punky thrash". After they disbanded Branco formed Phoenix and no one knows what became of the other two... Phoenix's music has featured in several films over the years, notably Lost In Translation and On The Rocks which were both directed by Sofia Coppola, who happens to be married to the band's frontman Thomas Mars. In this episode, Branco guides us through some of his favorite movie music from the likes of Ennio Morricone, Serge Gainsbourg, John Barry, and Philip Glass.
EPISODE 8
ANNA MEREDITH
Anna Meredith composed the brilliant score to Bo Burnham's award winning 2018 coming of age drama Eighth Grade and in this episode talks through her process, along with some of her favourite tracks from film and TV. Classically trained but working largely within an electronic framework, Anna is one of the UK's most exciting contemporary musicians. She discusses the influence of Trainspotting on her as a Scottish teenager, her affection for action films, and the tv series Fargo.
EPISODE 7
FRASER T SMITH
Adele, Stormzy, Sam Smith, Kano and Dave are just some of the British Pop artists that Fraser T Smith has worked with. So far, he has 8 UK number 1 singles to his name and, as you will shortly hear, is throwing his hat in the ring to produce the next James Bond theme. In this episode, he talks about his favorite Bond songs, working with Adele, and the classic soundtracks he loves.
EPISODE 6
ANNE DUDLEY
Oscar winning composer Anne Dudley has scored The Full Monty, American History X, The Crying Game and several films for Dutch director Paul Verhoeven - Elle, Black Book and Benedetta. All this after a successful career in pop music as both a member of Art of Noise and writing for artists such as Debbie Harry, Tom Jones, Sting, Seal, Rod Stewart and Marc Almond. Here she talks about music from the thrillers that have influenced her own work and the reasons why they stand out.
EPISODE 5
JOHN TAYLOR
Did you know Duran Duran's John Taylor is a James Bond super-fan? Here he provides a comprehensive guide to Bond music past and present, from pop songs to film cues, and talks about the influence of Bond on the band and how they came to write the hit song That Fatal Kiss for the fourteenth film in the series A View To A Kill. He calls it his 'Themes and Martinis James Bond Playlist'.
EPISODE 4
NILE RODGERS
Nile Rodgers has shaped the sound of pop music for the past half century. Chic, Bowie, Madonna, Diana Ross, Daft Punk, Duran Duran, INXS, Lady Gaga, Bryan Ferry, Grace Jones... we could go on. However, alongside his pop successes came work for TV and film. This week, Nile Rodgers talks about Coming to America and a selection of other film music he either made or was inspired by.
EPISODE 3
ANNA CALVI
Peaky Blinders soundtrack composer and multiple Mercury Music Prize nominated artist Anna Calvi is this week's guest, with a special focus on her love for the classic scores of Bernard Herrmann. She talks about the way films have inspired her work as a solo artist, and her desire to do more soundtrack work after the success of Peaky Blinders.
EPISODE 2
LUDWIG GÖRANSSON
Tenet composer Ludwig Göransson talks about working with Christopher Nolan and Travis Scott on one of the biggest films of 2020, and presents a playlist of his favorite music of contemporaries and past masters working in the genre. The Swedish composer has worked on Marvel films such as Black Panther and Venom, has scored Rocky films Creed and Creed II, as well as hit series such as The Mandalorian, New Girl, and Community. He's produced music for Haim, Chance The Rapper, and Childish Gambino, including his Grammy Award winning single This Is America.
EPISODE 1
PAUL EPWORTH
Five-time Grammy winner Paul Epworth - famed for his work with Adele, Florence & The Machine and Rihanna - is our guest this week, taking us on a journey from Hitchcock to Quincy Jones, and from James Bond to the outer reaches of the galaxy.
EPISODE 1
PAUL EPWORTH
RELEASE MAY 14
EPISODE 2
LUDWIG GÖRANSSON
RELEASE MAY 20
EPISODE 3
ANNA CALVI
RELEASE MAY 28
EPISODE 4
NILE RODGERS
RELEASE JUN 4
EPISODE 5
JOHN TAYLOR
RELEASE JUN 11
EPISODE 6
ANNE DUDLEY
RELEASE JUN 18
EPISODE 7
FRASER T SMITH
RELEASE JUN 25
EPISODE 8
ANNA MEREDITH
EPISODE 9
PHOENIX
EPISODE 10
BASEMENT JAXX
RELEASE JULY 16
EPISODE 11
KEITH LOCKHART
RELEASE JULY 19
EPISODE 12
HANNAH PEEL
RELEASE JUL 23
EPISODE 13
JAMES LAVELLE
EPISODE 14
LESLEY BARBER
RELEASE AUG 6
EPISODE 16
JAMES GAY-REES
RELEASE AUG 20
EPISODE 17
LORNE BALFE
RELEASE AUG 27
Teaser
FOR YOUR EARS ONLY
RELEASE 05 MAY
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