Erik Satie — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

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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
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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

Erik Satie — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

Erik Satie

24 episodes

Chosen over the decades

24

Total castaways

1970s

Peak decade

6

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Anna Raeburn
Annie Nightingale
Daniel Libeskind
David Hockney
Delia Smith
Gordon Beningfield
Helen Bradley
Herbert Kretzmer
Ian Stewart
John Gray
Lea Salonga
Lucy Irvine
Michael Holroyd
Ned Sherrin
Peggy Lee
Penelope Keith
Philippe Petit
Polly James
Professor George Steiner
Roger Vadim
Sir Alec Guinness
Sir Frederick Ashton
Sir Howard Hodgkin
Sir Terry Frost

Delia Smith
Delia Smith on dining with the Queen after receiving her Companion of Honour
Castaway · 24 December 2023Lauren Laverne
Lea Salonga
Lea Salonga on seeing photographs of Ninoy Aquino's bloodied face aged 12
Castaway · 5 November 2023Lauren Laverne

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

Annie Nightingale

Annie Nightingale on being told disc jockeys were husband substitutes

Castaway · 19 July 2020Lauren Laverne

23°27′S 080°27′W

John Gray

John Gray on hearing Isaiah Berlin's firsthand account of the Russian revolutions

Castaway · 11 March 2018Kirsty Young

12°27′S 095°07′W

Philippe Petit

Philippe Petit on tearing a magazine page in a dentist's waiting room

Castaway · 10 April 2005Sue Lawley

Herbert Kretzmer

07°53′S 067°39′W

Herbert Kretzmer

Herbert Kretzmer on causing Cameron Mackintosh to faint with 'She'

Castaway · 12 October 2003Sue Lawley

Daniel Libeskind

01°52′S 160°42′W

Daniel Libeskind

Daniel Libeskind on the piano his parents hid in a suitcase

Castaway · 29 June 2003Sue Lawley

Michael Holroyd

20°44′S 122°08′W

Michael Holroyd

Michael Holroyd on his father threatening to take him to court over his novel

Castaway · 20 February 2000Sue Lawley

Sir Terry Frost

05°29′S 159°51′W

Sir Terry Frost

Terry Frost on trading caricatures for goods in a POW camp

Castaway · 19 April 1998Sue Lawley

21°23′S 042°13′W

Ian Stewart

How a broken collarbone saved Ian Stewart for mathematics

Castaway · 15 March 1998Sue Lawley

Professor George Steiner

04°14′S 105°54′W

Professor George Steiner

George Steiner on the moment his father called a mob 'history'

Castaway · 18 February 1996Sue Lawley

Sir Howard Hodgkin

10°16′S 083°37′W

Sir Howard Hodgkin

Howard Hodgkin on painting on the back of an RAF mess blackboard

Castaway · 27 November 1994Sue Lawley

11°17′S 109°31′W

Ned Sherrin

Ned Sherrin on his father's pre-milking phone call about Freemasonry

Castaway · 9 July 1989Sue Lawley

01°30′S 069°00′W

Roger Vadim

Roger Vadim on sending the wrong child to the wrong mother

Castaway · 27 July 1986Michael Parkinson

Gordon Beningfield

17°26′S 080°52′W

Gordon Beningfield

Gordon Beningfield on getting down on his hands and knees to see a butterfly's landscape

Castaway · 16 March 1985Roy Plomley

21°33′S 084°05′W

Lucy Irvine

Lucy Irvine on being forced to marry her fellow castaway

Castaway · 14 April 1984Roy Plomley

Sir Frederick Ashton

15°38′S 002°40′W

Sir Frederick Ashton

Frederick Ashton on being riveted by Anna Pavlova's performance aged 13

Castaway · 2 May 1981Roy Plomley

01°56′S 059°18′W

Anna Raeburn

Anna Raeburn on expecting Laurence Olivier to discover her on her 17th birthday

Castaway · 27 May 1978Roy Plomley

Sir Alec Guinness

17°43′S 107°24′W

Sir Alec Guinness

How Nellie Wallace's rude noises inspired Alec Guinness to become an actor

Castaway · 24 December 1977Roy Plomley

23°15′S 117°01′W

Peggy Lee

How Peggy Lee auditioned with one dime to her name

Castaway · 14 May 1977Roy Plomley

09°19′S 169°56′W

Penelope Keith

Penelope Keith on the sewing machine needle that ended her piano playing

Castaway · 21 August 1976Roy Plomley

11°13′S 105°34′W

Helen Bradley

How Helen Bradley painted with a fish slice and a dinner plate

Castaway · 5 July 1975Roy Plomley

20°48′S 123°59′W

Polly James

How Polly James was left on the quayside while filming a boat scene

Castaway · 19 October 1974Roy Plomley

13°07′S 097°57′W

David Hockney

David Hockney on being asked if he had a private income at art school

Castaway · 5 February 1972Roy Plomley