James Brown — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Tuning in…

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

James Brown — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Artist

James Brown

10 episodes

Chosen over the decades

10

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

4

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Amanda Levete
Andrew Ramroop
Bill Nighy
Bruce Springsteen
Cornelia Parker
George Foreman
Julia Samuel
Martin Amis
Paul Weller
Yinka Shonibare

Andrew Ramroop
Andrew Ramroop on the boat that never arrived to take him from Trinidad
Castaway · 10 July 2022Lauren Laverne
Amanda Levete
Amanda Levete on stripping off to sunbathe on the roof of the Science Block
Castaway · 19 March 2017Kirsty Young

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen on putting on his father's clothes on stage

Castaway · 18 December 2016Kirsty Young

Yinka Shonibare

09°31′S 091°46′W

Yinka Shonibare

Yinka Shonibare on waking from a two-week coma to discover he was paralyzed

Castaway · 13 March 2016Kirsty Young

17°54′S 022°23′W

Julia Samuel

Julia Samuel on not knowing babies could die until she chaired Birthright

Castaway · 1 March 2015Kirsty Young

07°10′S 004°22′W

Paul Weller

Paul Weller on wishing he was anywhere else before every gig

Castaway · 16 December 2007Kirsty Young

12°34′S 137°48′W

Bill Nighy

How stealing Shakespeare from a library helped Bill Nighy into drama school

Castaway · 14 March 2004Sue Lawley

Cornelia Parker

18°28′S 065°22′W

Cornelia Parker

How a derelict window led Cornelia Parker from painting to sculpture

Castaway · 16 February 2003Sue Lawley

04°02′S 157°02′W

George Foreman

George Foreman on hoping Joe Frazier wouldn't see his knees shaking

Castaway · 5 January 2003Sue Lawley

17°28′S 095°16′W

Martin Amis

Martin Amis on attending more than a dozen schools as a child

Castaway · 29 December 1996Sue Lawley