The Tenementals: A History of Glasgow In Song with Professor David Archibald
Can a band tell the history of a city? And if so, what would that look and sound like? That’s what Professor David Archibald and his band, The Tenementals, are setting out to do.
In this episode David, a Professor of Film & TV at the University of Glasgow, discusses with Niall and Fay the innovative project which aims to make and tell history through music rather than traditional academic means. The conversation explores how the band, composed of academics, artists, musicians, and filmmakers, challenges conventional historical narratives.
Despite the challenging landscape of the music industry The Tenementals have resonated with audiences, particularly young people, and have so far received an enthusiastic response - they’ll be releasing their first album later this year.
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Highlights:
- ‘Liberated from books’: How The Tenementals’ history is told and made in song
- Why one song, Peat Bog Soldiers, has already made history
- Hear a little of The Tenementals live in Glasgow
Key Moments:
- 00:00:00 — Can a rock band make history?
- 00:01:15 — The Tenementals, a wild research project
- 00:02:00 — Constructing a transmedia history of a city
- 00:18:37 — Songwriting process
- 00:33:01 — Hope and Revolutionary Histories
Learn more:
- You can follow The Tenementals on Facebook @TheTenementals and on Instagram @Tenementals
- Follow Glasgow City Heritage Trust on social media: @GlasgowHeritage #IfGlasgowsWallsCouldTalk
- Produced by Inner Ear (innerear.co.uk) for Glasgow City Heritage Trust
- Sponsored by Tunnock's (tunnock.co.uk)
Creators and Guests
Host
Fay Young
Writer, blogger, editor. Love wild woodland gardens & city jungles, song & dance (also tweet poetry, food and politics) co-editor @sceptical_scot
Host
Niall Murphy
Niall Murphy, who is the Director of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, is a conservation architect and is heavily involved in heritage, conservation and community issues in Glasgow. Niall is also Chair of Govanhill Baths Building Preservation Trust and was previously chair of Pollokshields Heritage, Planning Convener for Pollokshields Community Council and a member of the Glasgow Urban Design Panel. Between 2016 – 2018 he was a member of the Development Management Working Group for the Scottish Government’s Planning Review. Niall regularly lectures or does walking tours on architecture, heritage and urban design issues. Niall has won the Glasgow Doors Open Day Excellence Award for Outstanding Talk (2023) and for Inspiring City Tour (2017), the Glasgow Doors Open Day Above and Beyond Award (2014), the Sir Robert Lorimer Award for Sketching (1996) and, in addition to nominations for Saltire Awards and GIA Awards was nominated for the Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place Award for Civic Champion in 2015.
Producer
Anny Deery
TV Producer. Retrained Massage Therapist @glasgowholistic. Live in Glasgow. Mother of a 8 yo + three year old.
Guest
Professor David Archibald
Debut album, 'Glasgow: A History (Vol. I of VI), out in autumn 2024. 'A Passion Flower’s Lament’, the first single from the album, out now.