The Joy of 6

Artist Grayson Perry shares his playlist, The Black Keys talk about their new direction with Lauren Laverne, Paul Weller joins the Breakfast show, Sharon Van Etten is in session with Marc Riley, Captain Sensible joins Liz Kershaw and Dark Dark Dark talk to Tom Robinson about their new album.

Scott Walker is in coversation with Jarvis, De La Soul discuss 3 Feet High and Rising with Steve Lamacq, Martha Wainwright is in with Radcliffe and Maconie, Kendrik Lamar joins Gilles Peterson, Ben Fold Five are in session for Lauren Laverne and Eric Idle joins Shaun.

Bryan Ferry chats to Radcliffe and Maconie, Sam Rockwell is on the Breakfast show with Shaun, Sam Lee is in session with Cerys, Nemone is serenaded by Willy Mason and Rick Wakeman and Squeeze are on with Huey.

Huey chats to Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones, Cerys has a live session from new folk Blues singer Valerie June and OMD frontman Andy Mcclusky joins Steve Lamacq

Billy Bragg delivered the second annual John Peel Lecture at the Radio Festival 2012 at The Lowry in Salford. He explored how the pirates of radio become mainstream and in what ways broadcasters should reflect that. Billy was inspired by punk and his first album 'Life’s A Riot' came out in 1983. Fired by politics, Billy saw his music as a platform by which to offer listeners a different perspective of events and he is often defined by his political songs.

Alison Mosshart shares some of her favourite tracks, Laetitia Sadier is live in session with Cerys, Lenny Henry chats to Tom Ravenscroft, the Manics chat to Steve Lamacq, Julian Cope is on the Freakzone, and Danny Baker is in with Shaun.

Nemone chats to Bat for Lashes and Beach House are in session, Cerys gets a clog dancing lesson from the Unthanks, Craig Charles talks to Bass legend Larry Graham, Tom Robinson has guests Dead Can Dance, Gaz Coombes shares his playlist and Jarvis talks to author Edna O' Brian.

Matt Everitt talks to Pete Townshend for The First Time Series, Nemone catches up with the cast from The Fresh Meat, Django Django play a live session for Marc Riley, Sparks chat to Radcliffe and Maconie and Amanda Palmer joins Tom Robinson.

6 Music celebrates the Velvet Underground with John Cale on the First Time and Lou Reed archive with Jarvis. Cerys has Villagers live in session, Nemone talks to 80s heartthrob Molly Ringwald, Radcliffe and Maconie are joined by the writer Will Self and actress Maxine Peake and Shaun chats to Kevin Rowland.

Featuring Sheffield legends Martin Fry from ABC and Glen Gregory from Heaven 17 Charlotte Hatherley, Tori Amos, Richard Hawley and Cody Chesnutt.

6 Music live celebrations continue from the legendary Maida Vale studios with Bat For Lashes and Primal Scream joining Lauren's show. Matt Everitt talked to Beautiful South and Housemartins frontman Paul Heaton, and it's all aboard with Jarvis as he broadcasts his latest show from a boat on the Thames.

Professor Brian Cox with a beautiful and poignant moment, Marc Riley talking to Field Music at Festival Number 6 in Portmerion. Lauren Laverne brings us more live tunes from Calexico who joined her in session, Steve Lamacq has the fellas from Mumford & Sons in for a chat about their latest release, and Norman Cook in all his various guises reveals his musical first times to Matt Everitt. But to kick it all off, Mark Radcliffe catches up with both The Pet Shop Boys to chat about their new album, Elysium.

BBC 6 Music’s celebration of live music is in full flow and this week you can hear the fantastic Maida Vale session from the most talked about band of at the moment, the XX and you can hear them in conversation with Steve Lamacq. Beth Orton plays from her latest album the Sugaring Season. As well as all that live music we also have founder of Metronomy, Joe Mount, chatting to Mark Radcliffe about his new Jean Michel Jarre cover! Plus Matt Everitt talking to, once Pavement frontman, Stephen Malkmus, about working with Beck on his latest album and about his introduction to music.

Lauren Laverne is joined by 21 piece alternative female choir Gaggle and also Brooklyn based Grizzly Bear play live. Nemone is joined by none other than Nick Cave and director John Hillcoat to talk about their new film ‘Lawless’. Also Newsnight presenter and massive prog rock fan Gavin Esler caught up with Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Maconie. But to kick it all off there’s Tori Amos talking to Matt Everitt about her musical first times

As we bid adieu to August where we celebrated 50 years of Jamaican Independence, you can hear the grand finale in Matt Everitt’s First Time with Jimmy Cliff. Also this week Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie launched what 6 Music will be celebrating throughout the month of September, live music, with their one-date ‘Road Show’ live from Salford’s Mega City piazza where they were joined by The Cribs and James Mercer from the Shins. There is more live music in Mega City, from Grandaddy’s main man Jason Lytle in Marc Riley’s show. You’ll also hear from actress and the amazing voice behind ‘Little Voice’ Jane Horrocks chatting about her new show ‘Trollied’ and onetime 6 Music DJ, Adam Buxton, pops into Shaun Keaveny’s show this week.