-
Join Reading On TourHelp us uncover Reading's hidden cinematic, photographic and literary history!
Find out more → -
1000 Years of HistoryReading's musical history spans almost 1000 years, dating back to 1121 with music from Reading Abbey. (photo from the Reading Museum archives)
Find Out More → -
Festivals, Venues, Studios and MoreReading's music scene covers a vast range of locations, all of which can be discovered here! (photo from the Reading Museum archives)
Visit a Location → -
The Good, The Bad…and the misunderstood! Reading's musical artists range from interantional musical superstars right down to emerging artists, all shaping the town's music scene. (photo from Reading Library's Local Studies Collection)
Find a Famous Face →
Favourite Pages
Below are a few of our favourite pages, but we've got plenty more! Check them out on the Locations & Artists page.
-
Music has been a rebellious rallying point for youth cultures and as such present something of a common denominator between generations
Brendan Carr, Reading Museum -
We’re all in the same band, we just take it in turns to play.
Nicole Johnson and Paul Glover, Retreat Jazz Musicians -
'Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it'
John Lennon -
'Music, in performance, is a type of sculpture. The air in the performance is sculpted into something'
Frank Zappa
What are we doing?
What are we doing?
Readipop and Reading Museum have worked with a group of young people to explore Reading’s rich musical heritage. The project has seeked out musically significant people, places, events and voices to create an audio map of the town and a musical heritage trail linked to an online store of reminiscences, oral histories, stories, music, sounds and images.
Hidden Stories →How are we doing it?
The trail has a physical map to follow, a display at the museum and displays in Reading’s shops and venues. The trail map guides people around a ‘sound walk’ that can be accessed on-line whilst at musical heritage trail locations. The project has also featured a few key public events including guided walks and seminars with important local musicians.
Start Here →When are we doing it?
The project began in early 2012 with the current website and trails being launched in April 2013. Throughout this time over 40 volunteers helped discover the hidden stories we’ve found from over 20 local artists. The 6 launch events all took place in April 2013, followed by a workshop tour at Reading’s primary schools, sharing some of the heritage that has been uncovered.
Discover More →
