Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story | Episode 1 - A New Era - Hit That Perfect Beat - The London Records Story

Before the hits, before the headlines, there was chaos, instinct… and a gamble.

Welcome to the birth of London Records: a label that didn’t just ride the wave of 1980s pop, but helped create it. In this opening episode, journalist Siân Pattenden throws us headfirst into a music industry that feels more like the Wild West: fast-moving, rule-breaking, and full of possibility.

With founders Roger Ames and Tracy Bennett at the helm, London Records wasn’t interested in playing it safe. Instead, they built a culture driven by risk, rebellion, and raw creative energy. Through the voices of artists and insiders, we hear how early signings like Blancmange embodied a DIY, art-school ethos, proving that pop could be smart, strange, and fearless.

Then came Bananarama: Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward; three friends squatting in London who would go on to define a generation. Their rise captures the spirit of the time: scrappy, stylish, and completely self-made.

Behind the scenes, a young Pete Tong begins shaping the label’s future, while staffers recall an office buzzing with urgency, noise, and big personalities. Deals are struck fast. Records are rushed out. Hits are chased with instinct as much as strategy.

But this isn’t just about success; it's about attitude. London Records becomes a family of outsiders: loud, ambitious, and unapologetically cool. As journalists like Miranda Sawyer explain, this was the moment pop exploded into everyday British life.

And then, pop turns political. Enter Bronski Beat and the unmistakable voice of Jimmy Somerville. With ‘Smalltown Boy,’ the pop charts become a place of protest, identity, and emotional truth.

From underground beginnings to cultural revolution, Episode 1 tells the story of how a maverick label and its cast of fearless artists helped usher in a brand new era of pop.

Written and presented by Siân Pattenden. Produced by Robin Leeburn. A Podmasters production for London Records.

Guests featured in this episode: Goldie, Richard Coles (The Communards), Siobhan Fahey (Shakespears Sister / Bananarama), Neil Arthur (Blancmange), Sara Dallin (Bananarama), Keren Woodward (Bananarama), Pete Tong, Sean Rowley, Colin Bell, Juliette Sensicle, John Niven, Hillary Shaw, Miranda Sawyer.

Songs featured in this episode:

Goldie - Kemistry (Doc Scott mix)

Bronski Beat - Hit That Perfect Beat

Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling

Bananarama - Ai Ae Mwana

Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy

Communards - Don’t Leave Me This Way

Bananarama - Cruel Summer

Bronski Beat - I Feel Love

Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy

Follow London Records for clips, more content and to send us your questions and thoughts:

Instagram