It's My Story TOM ROBINSON - Getting Bi

[salymap]

8pm on R4 on the 19th [Monday]

Well not name dropping but not my fault that I worked alongside some interesting people.
I knew Tom as a work colleague when he was about 20, I about 40 and he had just 'come out' and was wearing a 'Glad to be Gay' top that attracted a bit of attention in those far off days.

This is his story in his own words which I won't and can't attempt to summarize. There seem to be quite a lot of men on these MBs who have changed sexual direction one way or another so thought I would give the prog a little heads up, that's all. Live and let live that's my motto.

He's turned into a pretty useful broadcaster on most of the BBC channels though.

[french frank]

He's turned into a pretty useful broadcaster on most of the BBC channels though.

I wrote a good review of one of his R3 programmes and they pinched it, word for word, for their production website

[salymap]

I wrote a good review of one of his R3 programmes and they pinched it, word for word, for their production website

Oh dear, FF, typical.

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks saly - I'd never have noticed.

We all admired Tom Robinson in the late 70s. "Glad to ber Gay" became a hit, even being sung by macho football supporters in plubs and on the stands, and was treated as though one of the anthems of the Anti-Nazi League, at that time formed to campaign against the racist and homophobic National Front (NF) then standing in elections, and I see still going. I remember one day someone saying, "If the NF ever came to power, we'd be forced to listen to Elgar all day!" - a sentiment I ferociously agreed with at the time until someone kindly pointed out that Elgar had become rather ambivalent about the use made of P & CM No 1 in later years. Badges sporting "Elgarians against the Nazis" were even seen on later ANL demos - dunno what Tom would have made of that - at that particular time!

[Stillhomewardbound]

Thanks for sharing, Salymap. I will listen to that with interest.

SA, I can remember rushing home from my school to write a furious letter to our headmaster (hotheaded 14 year old me!)
protesting against the fact that ANL flyers were being passed out in the playground.

I wasn't against the ANL, on the contrary, but I felt furious that politics of that nature were coming into the school playground.

In retrospect, I'd say that I had a point, however my parent's advise that I slept on the impassioned letter I'd written probably saved me a lot of embarassment, as re-reading it the following morning I realised what a sanctimonious and pompous little prick I was.

Nowadays, I'd probably pay to have such flyers made available to school kids. Anything to try and re-engage the proletariat with politics.

[Anna]

Not about Tom Robinson but on Sunday on R3 7.45pm Richard Coles (ex-Communards now a Vicar) presented the first in a four parter about the global history of gays starting with the Egyptians.

I have a friend who still loves TR's song about a Cortina.

[salymap]

I really hoped at one point that Tom would,at least partly, fill the void left by the death of John Peel. I am not and was never keen on all of John's choices but have cousins who visited him at Peel Acres [??] and he had the sort of broadcasting persona where I could listen to him discussing almost anything. He had a programme on R4 on Saturday mornings that I always listened to. Tom has not been so lucky and, as someone has said, has now been shunted into the middle of the night.

[vinteuil]

Not about Tom Robinson but - on Sunday on R3 7.45pm Richard Coles (ex-Communards now a Vicar) presented the first in a four parter about the global history of gays starting with the Egyptians.

.

Yes - part one was certainly interesting: and good on R3 for giving us a serious four-parter documentary on this - and Fr Coles is a good communicator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Coles

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I really hoped at one point that Tom would,at least partly, fill the void left by the death of John Peel. ... the sort of broadcasting persona where I could listen to him discussing almost anything. He had a programme on R4 on Saturday mornings that I always listened to.

Ah yes; the much-missed "Home Truths" (which I think Tom Robinson used to present occasionally when JP was on holiday). I totally agree Sals; TR shares that quiet passion for all things human that JP had. TR has also presented some excellent programmes for R3, and I fondly remember his late '80s series on R4, The Men's Room which I always thought suffered by the Network's promotion as "a sort of Woman's Hour for men".

And a damn fine Musician, too: the TRB was the band I wanted to be in as a teenager, and War Baby is a superb song: one of the best singles ever.

The very title of his new series bodes well: I shall hunt it out on the i-Player. Thanks for the pointer.

Best Wishes.

[salymap]

FHG 'A quiet passion for all things human'. Yes, spot on, agreed. bws sal

[Barbirollians]

Ah yes; the much-missed "Home Truths"

Not by me ! Dreadful programme - what is much missed was Sport on 4 with Cliff Morgan !

[antongould]

Was there ever a better song for night time motorway driving than 2 4 6 8 Motorway?