Despite the cold winds, sewage spills and ouch-y pebbles, British people love the beach. But if the beach was that good, surely we wouldn’t have needed to invent claw machines?

In this episode, Nadia, Keir and Jem compare their emotional connections to the seaside – from Southport sands to the Red Sea – and think about why humans are drawn to the border between water and land.

They also talk about the beach in deep-time, the birth of surf culture and why seaside towns vote Reform, with music from 808 State and The B-52’s. Sous les pavés, la plage!

Follow our Spotify playlist of all the music discussed on ACFM and subscribe to the ACFM mailing list to get weirder and leftier.

Photo by Oliver Mills.

Music: Martha & the Muffins – Echo Beach / Morcheeba – The Sea / Beach Boys – Surfing USA / Beach Boys – God Only Knows / 808 State – Pacific State / Hüsker Dü – Standing by the Sea / The B-52’s – Rock Lobster / Ferera & Franchini – Wild Flower / The Surfaris – Wipe Out / Dick Dale & His Deltones – Misirlou / Hawke – Pacific Coast Highway No.1

Books: Mark and Dianna McMenamin – Hypersea: Life on Land / Elaine Morgan – The Descent of Woman / Ian McEwan – What We Can Know / Graham Greene – Brighton Rock

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