Radio Luxembourg

Stenhousemuir 2 : Cowdenbeath 2 was a radio programme presented by Peel that was broadcast by Radio Luxembourg on Friday nights from 1971-11-05 to 1972-07-28. Under the headline "John Peel Joins 208 On Friday Nights!", the 208 Times pullout of the NME's 1971-11-06 edition reported the arrival of the new show:

"John Peel, widely recognised as being the leading authority on the progressive music scene, starts a series of Luxy shows this Friday night, November 5, and each Friday at 6.30 p.m. John has been given complete freedom in choosing his own records and hopes from time to time to interview many of his famous friends."

In his Disc & Music Echo column published the same day, Peel commented: "If it's good music you're after--well all I can do is suggest that you try Radio Luxembourg early on Friday evenings when I'll be playing a wholesome disc or two on a programme called 'Stenhousemuir 2 : Cowdenbeath 2'. There is no reason at all why the programme should be thus named but I didn't want it to be called something 'meaningful' and pompous so 'Stenhousemuir 2 : Cowdenbeath 2' it is. Ultimately it is to be hoped that the affair will contain contributions from friends old and new, inside leg measurements of the stars and other diversions but, for the time being, we'll have to stick with good music.'"

In his autobiography All The Moves (But None Of The Licks) (p. 104), Peel's manager Clive Selwood recalled the origins of the show and offered his own take on the name Peel gave it:

"At one point in John's career, when relations with the Corporation were at very low ebb and showing every indication of an early termination, I arranged a series of shows on Radio Luxembourg just to demonstrate to the Beeb his continuing popularity. I shall long remember the look on the face of Radio Lux top man when John, instead of caling his show something snazzy along the lines of JP Rock 'n' Roll Extraveganza, insisted on calling it Stenhousemuir 2, Cowdenbeath 2. Ah, that ceaseless quest for fame and popularity."

In the event, the initial start time of the one-hour show didn't last long, and Peel was soon shunted to the 1.00 am spot, just before Kid Jensen's "Dimensions". With Peel also now presenting a new Friday Night Is Boogie Night show on Radio One, the rare (perhaps unparalleled) case of a DJ with programmes running on both R1 and Radio Luxembourg came to end when Stenhousemuir 2 : Cowdenbeath 2 went off the air after less than nine months.

Possibly due to the relatively poor reception of Radio Luxembourg in the UK, no recordings of Peel's shows for the station are known to survive. If you have such a historic artifact, please contact the Peel Mailing List, where you will be greeted with open arms.