Harvey And The Pop Svengalis

World-famous entrepreneur and concert promoter Harvey Goldsmith has begun presenting a series of British radio documentaries about the most famous (and infamous) names to gain reputations for hard bargaining and ruthless management.

In a six-part series that Guardian Media Group’s GMG Radio began airing June 7, the promoter behind such global events as Live Aid and Live 8 will give an insider view of the careers of names such as Brian Epstein, Berry Gordy, Andrew Loog Oldham, Malcolm McLaren, Pete Waterman and Simon Cowell.

The hour-long programmes will investigate what made the music industry regard them as “Svengalis,” and include interviews with Simon Napier Bell, Tom Watkins and Robert Stigwood as well as the artists they signed and worked with.

The programmes were put together by Manchester-based independent radio producer All Out Productions, where senior producer Richard McIlroy said Goldsmith on board was a real coup.

“Harvey isn’t a trained presenter but once he was in front of the microphone he was natural, and he had a wealth of personal stories about many of the great names we feature,” he said.

In 2007 Goldsmith had a short series on Channel 4, presenting a reality TV show called “Get Your Act Together,” in which he advised six entertainment firms on how they could turn their fortunes around.