10 December 1976 (Transcript)

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10 December 1976

Transcript

(JP: 'Well, I think you'll find this programme's in rather marked contrast to the programmes that preceded it, because tonight we're going to have a look at punk rock. Mind you, no two people seem to be able to agree exactly what punk rock is, as is evidenced by the fact that someone's been phoning us off and on during the day, and trying to convince us that our guests tonight, the Damned, are not a punk rock band, and punk rock fairly clearly means something entirely different to Americans. Anyway, we'll hear a lot of music that may be punk rock, and a lot that certainly is. We start with the Damned. Off you go and play, boys.')

• Damned: 'So Messed Up' (Peel Session)

(JP (referring to Dave's raspberry at the end of the track): 'And you. Those are the Damned and the first number from them on our programme, and it's called 'So Messed Up'. The members of the band: Dave Vanian on vocals, Brian James on guitar, "the wonderful Captain Sensible" (he's written that himself) on bass, and Rat Scabies on drums. And a band that I used to hang around with in California in the 60s, the Seeds, and they seem to be fairly crucial to the punk movement, and they were a fine band then actually, I used to enjoy 'em, and this is their best known record.')

• Seeds: 'Pushin' Too Hard (Compilation LP-Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era)' (Sire)

(JP: 'And those are the Seeds with 'Pushin Too Hard' from about 1966, I would estimate. This is something from 1973, which is a lot more vicious, I think.')

• Iggy & The Stooges: 'Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell (LP-Raw Power)' (Embassy)

(JP: 'If this had been a two-hour programme, I would probably have played you something from the LP 'Metallic K.O.', which is not easy to get hold of, but if you do, you'll find it's one of the most uncompromising LPs that you've ever heard, I think. Iggy Pop & The Stooges, from the 1973 LP 'Raw Power', and that's 'Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell'. Now, people would argue, I think, whether Eddie And The Hot Rods are actually a punk rock band. The fact that they've achieved some sort of success will probably disqualify them in the eyes of several people, but they're on the front of the current issue of 'Sniffing Glue', and that's good enough for me.')

• Eddie And The Hot Rods: 'Horseplay (Weary Of The Schmaltz) (EP-At The Sound Of Speed)' (Island)

JP: 'Eddie & The Hot Rods, 'Horseplay (Weary Of The Schmaltz)', and the Damned again.')

• Damned: 'Neat Neat Neat' (Peel Session)

(JP: 'The Damned and that's called 'Neat Neat Neat', and we'll have a look at some of the New York music now. This is Richard Hell from an EP which is available in a limited edition on the Stiff label, not surprisingly, in Britain, and Richard Hell previously with Television and the Heartbreakers and now with his band Voidoids. This is '(I Belong To The) Blank Generation'.')

• Richard Hell & The Voidoids: '(I Belong To The) Blank Generation (7 inch)' (Stiff)

(JP: 'And that's Richard Hell, who as I said was previously of Television, and this is the only record available at the moment of Television, although they have been signed to one of the big American labels.')

• Television: 'Little Johnny Jewel Part 1 (7 inch)' (Ork)

(JP: 'And that's part one of 'Little Johnny Jewel' by Television, and I've already played you several tracks from the double LP 'Live At CBGB' on previous programmes, CBGBs I mean, and most of it actually frankly a bit dull, but the Tuff Darts aren't too bad at all. This is one of the numbers that they contribute to the LP: it's caled 'Slash'.')

• Tuff Darts: 'Slash (Compilation LP-Live At CBGB's-The Home Of Underground Rock)' (Atlantic)

(JP: 'And those are the Tuff Darts, live at CBGB's, and that's called 'Slash'. And a rival club in New York, Max's Kansas City, also has an LP out which is a lot more interesting.')

• Pere Ubu: 'Final Solution (Compilation LP-Max's Kansas City-New York New Wave)' (Ram)

(JP: 'Well that's Pere Ubu, from the LP 'Max's Kansas City'. It's always good I think when you find papers at both ends of the newspaper spectrum violently opposed to any form of music: they used to do it in the days of the Rolling Stones and the Who, and they used to do it in the days of Elvis Presley and Bill Haley as well. I'm not saying that these sort of bands are the new Whos and Rolling Stones, and Presleys and Bill Haleys, but I'm very glad that they're there, because they bring an injection of energy and crudity into a rock scene that's been painfully smug and complacent during the past few years, I think. And I think this is a great single.')

• Damned: 'New Rose' (Peel Session)

(JP: 'Well there you are, the Damned, and that's 'New Rose', which is their, as you know, their debut and current single. And that's the version that they recorded for us, the session produced by Jeff Griffin, incidentally, who seems to have caught the spirit of it fairly well. And clearly the best-known band in the, I should think, in the country at the moment must be the Sex Pistols, and their television appearance, I think, subsequently was treated with a great deal of quite remarkable hypocrisy and over-reaction, and people don't seem to be playing their single very much, which is a great pity, 'cos it's a good stomper.')

• Sex Pistols: 'Anarchy In The U.K. (7 inch)' (EMI) (Discogs link ridiculously blocked by Wiki spam filter)

(JP: 'And those are the Sex Pistols, and their single, that's 'Anarchy In The U.K.', and going back to Max's Kansas City and the LP, and the best band on it I think are the Fast.')

• Fast: 'Boys Will Be Boys (Compilation LP-Max's Kansas City-New York New Wave)' (Ram)

(JP: 'I think that would make a great single, you know. Those are the Fast, from the LP 'Max's Kansas City', 'Boys Will Be Boys' with strong overtones of the Who. And also I think of the Easybeats' 'Friday On My Mind', actually. And while we're in New York...')

• New York Dolls: 'Personality Crisis (LP-New York Dolls)' (Mercury)

(JP: 'A rare example there of rock whistling, you don't hear that every day. Those are the New York Dolls from 1973 and 'Personality Crisis'. Not one of me own personal favourites, I must concede, but considered highly influential by some authorities. This is Peel's Big 45, and it fits neatly into the programme. From Australia, these are the Saints, and I think one of the best singles of the year, there. It's called '(I'm) Stranded'.')

• Saints: '(I'm) Stranded (7 inch)' (Power Exchange Records & Tapes)

(JP: 'The Saints, and that's 'Stranded', or '(I'm) Stranded', to be exactly accurate. And, I'm told, I've been telling you all week actually, that that record's now in the shops, and I've been advised today that it isn't actually yet, but it will be at the beginning of next week, and it's Peel's Big 45 no matter what. And this is the last from the Damned.')

• Damned: 'Stab Your Back' (Peel Session)

(JP: 'Well that's it. Those are the Damned, and 58 seconds of 'Stab Your Back', and the last number from them on tonight's programme. And I'm not entirely sure actually whether this next record's relevant, but it's a favourite of mine, and it is typical of the kind of garage rock bands that were making records in the mid 60s, which are held by some, once again, to have been in some way influential on the formation of what we now call punk rock. A bit convoluted isn't it, but it's by the Shadows Of Knight, and it's called 'Light Bulb Blues'.')

• Shadows Of Knight: 'Light Bulb Blues (7 inch)' (Dunwich)

(JP: 'And what a great record that is. The Shadows Of Knight, and 'Light Bulb Blues'. And the first time I played a record on the radio by the Ramones, I got a fair number of abusive letters and cards about it. Now people seem to regard them as being pretty tame.')

• Ramones: 'California Sun/I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You (7 inch-B side of I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend)' (Sire)

(JP: 'Well, at the age of 37, and weighing just a little bit over 13 stone, alright, 13 and a half stone then if you insist, I'm not about to dress up as a punk, or change me hairstyle or anything, unlike one or two media people who seem to be trying to affect the lifestyle and the appearance of punkdom, but I'm very grateful to the bands and the people who make the music, or most of them anyway, for the excitement and heated debate and general bewilderment they've brought back to the rock scene. And it's been long missed and sorely missed, I think. Anyway, that's the end of tonight's programme, and our thanks to the Damned for their session. What have we got for you tomorrow? Well, Kid Jensen at 10 o'clock, from 10 till midday. I nearly said from 10 till midnight, which would have been a long programme. Tomorrow he's going to be playing the very best of contemporary music, it says here, and I do know that he'll be playing quite a few tracks from the new triple LP of 'Wings Live Over America'...and then speaking of America, from 12 to 1.30 it's Paul Gambaccini with the best selling pop and soul records from the American charts, plus a rundown of the US Top 30...from 1.30 to 2.30, Linda Ronstadt's Top 12, which is introduced by Brian Matthew as always. 2.30 to 5.30, it's Alan Freeman, and I think this week they may possibly run our trail, I don't know. [?] seems to be a little frightened of them these days. And he is going to be playing side one of the new Genesis album, 'Wind And Wuthering'. 5.30 to 6.30, it's rock'n'roll introduced by Stuart Coleman, and this week's studio guests, the Pirates, and a highly praised session that, well worth listening to, and then, as if this were not enough, 6.30 to 7.30, Alan Black introduces Loudon Wainwright III in concert. Another great Saturday: have a good weekend.')

Footnotes