Public Service Broadcasting

Public Service Broadcasting is a British rock group from London, active since 2010. It is made up of J. Willgoose, Esq., Wrigglesworth and JFAbraham. The group works in alternative rock, electronic, electronica, indie rock, indietronica and instrumental music, and its sound also draws on krautrock and ambient elements.

Style and line-up

The group uses a pseudonymous approach and combines live instrumentation with sampled archive material. J. Willgoose, Esq. plays guitar, banjo, other stringed instruments, samples and electronic instruments, while Wrigglesworth plays drums, piano and electronic instruments. Their live performances are built around audio-visual transmissions that mix old public information films, archive footage and propaganda with live drums, guitar, banjo and electronics, presented alongside video projection and vintage television imagery.

Early releases

Their debut single, ROYGBIV, appears in 2012 and wins a BBC 6 Music Rebel Playlist vote, one of several such victories that year. The following The War Room EP includes Spitfire and London Can Take It, both of which become regular daytime-playlist tracks and receive repeated radio play on BBC 6 Music, XFM, BBC Radio 2 and Absolute Music. The EP also receives coverage as CD of the Week in the Independent on Sunday and sells more than 40,000 copies.

Albums and recognition

The band’s debut album, Inform - Educate - Entertain, follows in 2013 and establishes the group more firmly. In 2015 they release The Race For Space, which is launched at two special shows at the National Space Centre. The album reaches number 11 in the UK album chart, remains in the Top 40 for a further four weeks and sells over 50,000 copies in its first five months. Singles from the album include Gagarin, Go! and The Other Side.

Projects and touring

J. Willgoose, Esq. and Wrigglesworth also work with Studio Canal Plus on an adaptation of the 1953 documentary The Conquest of Everest. Public Service Broadcasting tour internationally in support of The Race For Space, including shows in Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe, as well as a sold-out UK tour that ends at the Roundhouse in London.