Chris Lycett

BBC Radio 1 producer Jan 1966- Dec2000.Sound engineer, producer, editor, Head of Programmes. Executive Producer Live Music. John Peel's producer

Education - Archbishop Tenison's Grammar school. Croydon and Ramsey Grammar school, IoM

veteran BBC radio professional who played a crucial role in the development of live‐music broadcasting and production at BBC.

Early Life & Background

• Chris Lycett was born on 30 December 1946 in Sutton Nursing Home, England. British Entertainment History Project

• His father worked as an engineer for the BBC (before and during WWII) and was involved in outside broadcasts. This meant Chris grew up with a strong BBC connection and exposure to radio and technical production from a young age. British Entertainment History Project

• He attended Archbishop Tenison’s Grammar School in Croydon, and later Ramsey Grammar School on the Isle of Man. British Entertainment History Project

• He achieved A-levels in Maths, Further Maths and Physics, though he later commented he was “up to here with learning” and did not pursue a university path. British Entertainment History Project

Entry into the BBC & Early Career (1966-1970s)

• Lycett began his career at the BBC in January 1966, joining as a trainee studio/telecommunications engineer at Evesham for three months, then moving to the London Control Room at Broadcasting House. British Entertainment History Project

• His early role involved handling incoming and outgoing circuits, checking feeds and continuity, and ensuring the technical infrastructure was in place. British Entertainment History Project

• After about 18 months he moved into studio and production work, becoming a tape operator and engineer – cutting his teeth on recording sessions and learning to edit tape and manage live music productions. British Entertainment History Project

• An early noteworthy moment: The interview recounts how he was working on sessions with bands (prior to multi-track dominance) and had to manage overdubs between two quarter-inch machines. British Entertainment History Project

Rise through Music & Live Broadcasts (1970s-1980s)

• Lycett became more involved in the music production side of the BBC, working in studios, outside broadcasts and live concert recordings. He described being “there at the beginning of live rock concerts” for radio. British Entertainment History Project

• At one point he worked on the programme Top Gear and later on sessions with John Peel, placing him in the midst of evolving youth-culture radio in the UK. British Entertainment History Project

• He initiated and developed “Sound City” (a touring live-music show under BBC Radio) which brought established headline artists and local support acts to various cities (e.g., Newcastle, Belfast, Liverpool) to promote regional music culture beyond London. British Entertainment History Project

Senior Leadership & Executive Production (1990s-2000)

• Lycett reached senior roles: He became Head of Music Production at BBC Radio 1, and later Executive Producer of Live Events for BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2. He retired at the end of 2000. British Entertainment History Project

• In these senior capacities he oversaw large-scale broadcasts, concerts and festivals, managing producers, logistics, technical teams and live outside broadcasts. His leadership spanned a period of major change in broadcasting and music culture.

• He reflected on this era as one where the “ratings” culture (daytime) was different from the “reputation by night” culture (alternative music, youth culture) at the BBC. British Entertainment History Project

Style, Impact & Professional Legacy

• Lycett’s career is notable for bridging technical engineering skills and creative production — he was comfortable in control rooms, studios and live arenas. His father’s legacy in the BBC engineering world gave him a strong foundation.

• He is quite candid in his interview about being “lucky to be there at that time” when the BBC had the resources to pioneer outside broadcasts of rock concerts and live music for radio. British Entertainment History Project

• He emphasises that working in live music broadcasting required not just technical know-how but an understanding of rhythm, timing, culture and the unpredictable nature of live performance.

• His work contributed to the BBC’s legacy of making live music accessible across the UK, especially through radio services tuned to youth culture and evolving musical tastes.

Personal & Later Life

• Lycett noted his childhood was “fairly chequered” moving between Surrey and the Isle of Man, as his father’s work took the family around. British Entertainment History Project

• After retirement in 2000, he gave an in-depth interview (Interview number 723) for the British Entertainment History Project in February 2018, reflecting on his decades of service at the BBC. British Entertainment History Project

• The interview gives rich detail of his working practices, anecdotes from production (e.g., a famous incident where Paul McCartney’s vocal feed was lost during a broadcast). British Entertainment History Project

Why He Matters

• Chris Löcett is an example of the “behind-the-scenes” broadcast professional whose work is critical yet less visible than the on-air talent. Without people like him, radio live music programming and outside broadcasts would not have evolved as they did.

• His career mirrors the growth of music broadcasting in the UK: from technical engineer through to live events executive, covering the shift from studio‐based live music recording to large-scale festival broadcasts and multi-platform radio coverage.

• For historians of British radio, youth culture, and live music, his first-hand insights (via the interview) are a valuable record of how the BBC handled broadcast music during a pivotal era.