Brian Eno

Brian Eno

This year’s John Peel Lecture on the BBC provided a venue for musician Brian Eno to talk extensively for Basic Income. The word does not come up until toward the end of the lecture (beginning at minute 40) when he explains that he went on “the dole” when he was young because he knew he wanted to be a musician, and he was afraid that any kind of job would make it impossible for him to get back to the arts. While on the dole he met and joined the band Roxy music beginning a series of events that made him a top composer, keyboard player, and producer in rock music. Eno, who has recently begun speaking more and more about basic income, argues that basic income for all will lead to greater creativity and the kind of creativity needed in the world today.

Each year the John Peel Lecture invites a notable figure from the music industry to shape a debate and create insight around music and music-related media.

Brian Eno, “The John Peel Lecture, 2015BBC Radio 6, 2015