About the show
In a 50-year collaboration, Clive James and Pete Atkin created more than 200 songs whose literate lyrics and melodic craft won publishing deals, major-label recordings and international tours — along with a devoted cult following that continues to this day through Pete’s performances and recordings.
Catching the Light features around 18 of their songs, drawn from both their early 1970s albums and their later, post-internet collaborations.
Tim’s interpretations reveal new colours in the catalogue, infusing the original singer-songwriter, folk-rock stylings with modern cabaret intimacy and jazz-flavoured piano.
Adding further depth to the programme, Tim also explores the life of the lyricist Clive James.
Clive left suburban Australia for England in search of the richer cultural life he felt was missing at home. He met composer Pete Atkin, then went on to find fame with sparkling newspaper columns and a string of hugely popular TV programmes. He managed to straddle both ‘pop’ and ‘serious’ culture, winning literary acclaim for his essays, memoirs and poetry.
Tim Benton Sings 