Birmingham is What I Think With - ACE226.3

Fisher with the boy from No.74, shows him a piece of sandstone he’s picked up, crumbles it into his hand, and shows him that Birmingham is built on such stone. Fisher VO: "Believe the book of bedrocks, as in the end you must …". Boy and crumbling sandstone. Film from the 1940s of working class urban area with children playing in the streets. Fisher VO "There’s one thing certain: this is the centre of the universe." Film continues. Fisher VO explaining how he realised, at about the age of twelve, that it was possible "to tell stories" about what he saw of Birmingham. Illustrations from Our Birmingham, the children’s book issued by the Cadbury’s Foundation that inspired him. Fisher (interview and VO) says he’d never realised before that the place he lived in "was describable"; the book had photographs of scenes that didn’t usually get into the press; it also had street maps and plans and gave an overview of the whole place. Excerpt from 1940s film on post-war redevelopment. Present-day shots of bridge, railways, canals, etc. Fisher VO "Suspect repeated shifts of centre…". VO continues over shot of him carrying his door through the Bullring shopping centre. Canal and boat. Train. Fisher and his door standing under sign for "Euro Piano", watched by curious small boys. Fisher and others backstage at jazz club. Fisher on canal boat, talks about how redevelopment is usually in the city centre in the expectation that this will somehow radiate out to the other areas. Nineteenth century engraving. Contemporary cityscapes. City views and film of Fisher as he recites "Once invented, the big city believed it had a brain". People watching Fisher as he sits beside his door. He continues to carry it through the Bullring. Fisher playing piano. Fisher recites "There’s no shame in letting the world pivot on your own patch". VO continues of film of him carrying his door. Piano builders at work. Fisher VO "The piano’s a machine, hidden in a heavy piece of furniture". Fisher and group trying out an arrangement. Fisher’s VO on "ways into music": formally, by building sounds, or as if it’s buried in the instruments and has to be discovered like an exploration or adventure.