Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I: Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I (BBC Four Friday 23 October 2020)

Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I: Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I airs Friday 23 October 2020 on BBC Four.

What is this episode about

Among British musicians, Joan Armatrading ranks high in terms of her impact. She has become a cultural phenomenon thanks to her unmistakable voice and style in the performing and literary arts. From the early 1970s to the present day, she has released records and toured almost continuously to sold-out stadium audiences around the world.

In this film, Joan discusses her confidence and her ability to write songs that have touched the lives of millions. Joan, who is notoriously private, has finally opened up about her life and music. Joan shares her journey from displaced Caribbean islander to one of the most celebrated musicians of our time.

The movie follows Joan as she grows up in Birmingham and shows how she first starts writing songs. In 1968, while performing in the rock musical Hair, Joan crossed paths with several influential people. She uprooted her life to go out on the road, where she met and began collaborating with songwriter Pam Nestor. Working together landed them a major record deal and an introduction to Elton John’s producer, Gus Dudgeon. Her album, Whatever’s for Us, was well-received by critics and fit in with the new wave of west coast American songwriters. The album was a reflection of the black community’s newfound vitality and independence in 1970s Britain. Joan was catapulted to the heights of the music industry when she signed a ten-year contract with the influential American record label A&M. She defied expectations and established a new subgenre of music, becoming one of the first black singer-songwriters in Britain.

Later, Joan established an unbeatable chemistry with legendary rock producer Glyn Johns, who had previously worked with the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, and the Who on seminal albums. When she penned Love and Affection in 1976, it immediately became one of the decade’s most beloved and recognisable songs. Her age was given as 26. It was a song that turned vulnerable vulnerability into sensuality and raunchiness.

Joan and Glyn worked together for three years, during which time they released three more successful albums that would become anthems for the growing feminist movement of the 1970s. Joan had to fight misogyny in the recording studio and racism in the music industry despite her success (gold records, international status, and worldwide touring).

Bob Dylan invited her to perform at his BlackBushe festival in 1978. Joan was the only female performer, and she shared the stage with rock legends like Eric Clapton. When asked how she felt up there, Joan confidently declared, “The Rock Gods don’t scare me!” This unwavering resolve and strength is indicative of her success.

In the 1980s, Joan rejected the idea that she had to stick to the guitar sound of the 1970s. Instead, she explored new musical territory, using synthesisers and writing songs in her own unique style. When Joan first appeared on MTV, she created groundbreaking music videos that captivated a new generation of American musicians who had never seen a black woman from Britain play and sing like she did.

Three times Joan was nominated for a Grammy, once for the song “How Cruel,” which spoke out against the racism many black Britons faced at the time. In particular, it showed African-Americans that racial tensions existed on both sides of the Atlantic.

The instant success of Joan’s songs like “Me, Myself, I” and “Drop the Pilot” in the 1980s is a testament to her masterful songwriting. After constructing a home recording studio in the late 1980s and collaborating with the likes of Elton John, Pino Palladino, and Mark Knopfler, Joan became one of the first women to write, arrange, and produce all of her albums.

The film features never-before-seen archive and interviews with key collaborators like music producers Glyn Johns and Steve Lillywhite and musician Pino Palladino, as well as unprecedented access to Joan, watching her play a sold-out tour. In addition to interviews with Joan, the film features performances of her songs covered by artists such as Martha Wainwright (who performs “Me, Myself I”), Meshell Negeocello (who performs “How Cruel”), Shingai Shoniwa (of the Noisettes), and others.

When can we see the episode

Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I: Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I airs Friday 23 October 2020 at 10.00pm on BBC Four

Featured Image Credit: BBC Four