Show[]
- Name
- Station
- YYYY-MM-DD
- 1968-12-11
- Comments
- One of the most widely-circulated Night Rides, issued on a bootleg CD before being shared on the internet. This was because John Lennon and Yoko Ono were studio guests - the only time this show had "stars" in the studio. Their Two Virgins LP had just been released and they had spent the day before the show recording the TV programme Rock & Roll Circus[1] with the Rolling Stones and others.
- They also preview an upcoming event at the Royal Albert Hall, which became known as the "Alchemical Wedding" (for details see 18 December 1968).
- Usual Peel segment was extended beyond its regular 1 a.m. close, to allow a few minutes with Lennon and Ono. Also gave an opportunity to play another track of the John Martyn & Harold McNair session.
- Poet Christopher Logue also live in studio. One of his poems, together with some of John and Yoko's contributions, caused a Baptist clergyman to write to the BBC claiming the programme was "obscene". According to Ken Garner's The Peel Sessions (pp.51-52), the Times newspaper ran a story on this complaint, but the BBC never followed it up. Peel was annoyed enough by it to make some sharp comments in his International Times column.
- According to David Hendy's book The BBC: A People's History (Profile Books, 2022)[2], however, complaints about the show came to the attention of Lord Hill, newly appointed Chairman of the BBC Governors, who had been chosen by Harold Wilson to "sort out the BBC"[3]. Hill, whose critics accused him of being a "lower middle-class philistine", requested a tape from Radio 1 Controller Robin Scott and was shocked by Yoko Ono talking about her recent miscarriage - particularly because she was an "unmarried mother" at the time.
- A more complete playlist, with songwriting credits, track timings and comments, appeared on a now defunct John Martyn fan site archived on the Wayback Machine [4]. It seems to be based on File d.
- Show was rebroadcast in 2005 by BBC as part of Lennon Day memorial programming.
- David Cavanagh describes this Night Ride in his book Good Night And Good Riddance (London 2015, pp.58-61).
- File b contains one of the two session tracks not broadcast within Peel's hour. Perhaps the session was completed in Jon Curle's section of the show.
- File c also contains one of the two session tracks not broadcast within Peel's hour. Perhaps the session was completed in Jon Curle's section of the show.
Sessions[]
- John Martyn, #2. Recorded 1968-12-09. No known commercial release. Features Harold McNair on flute.
- John Renbourn & Jacqui McShee, one and only session. Recorded 1968-12-10. No known commercial release.
Tracklisting[]
File a & d begin
(John Peel intro)
- John Martyn & Harold McNair: Different From The Book (Peel session) b2
(Chat With Lennon)
- The Deviants: You've Got To Hold On (single) Stable STA 5601 e
(Chat With Lennon #2)
- Jacqui McShee & John Renbourn: Watch The Stars (Peel session) c
(Chat/Introduces Two Virgins)
- John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Two Virgins (Extract) (LP: Two Virgins) Apple APCOR 2
(Chat With Lennon & Christopher Logue)
- Christopher Logue: He Was Very Good Looking (poem)
- John Martyn & Harold McNair: Jelly Roll Baker Blues [The Easy Blues] (Peel sessioin)
- John Peel, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Christopher Logue: Alchemical Wedding
- Czech Philharmonic Orchestra [Dvorak]: Slavonic Dance nr 1 in C
(Chat With Lennon & Ono #2)
- Yoko Ono: John My Love (demo)
- Jacqui McShee & John Renbourn: Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes (Peel session) c
(John Peel Introduces Azerbaijani Music)
- Azerbaijani Music: Air
(Introduces Papa George Lightfoot)
- Papa George Lightfoot: Wine, Women And Whisky (LP: Saturday Night Function, Rural Blues Vol.2) Liberty LBL 83214E
(Introduces Christopher Logue)
- Christopher Logue: Why? (poem)
- John Martyn & Harold McNair: Dusty (Peel Session) b3
- Lonnie Donegan: Wabash Cannonball (b-side of single Cumberland Gap) Pye 7N 15087 (or from 1968 reissue of LP Lonnie Donegan Showcase) Marble Arch MAL 797
(Chat With Lennon & Ono #3)
- Jacqui McShee & John Renbourn: Every Night When The Sun Goes In (Peel Session) c
(John says that was the last session track for his half of the show, he has about 35s to fill so John Lennon fills by singing It's Now Or Never, with JP humming along)
- John introduces the news, to be followed by Jon Curle. 1am timecheck, at 54:46 of File d, which then cuts to next track
- Traffic: Utterly Simple (from soundtrack of film "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush") United Artists UAS 5175
- John explains that he has gained some time from Jon
(Introduces John Lennon Poem)
- John Lennon: Charles (poem)
- John Martyn & Harold McNair: Hello Train (Peel Session) b4
(Yoko Poem, Film Chat, Wrap)
- Spike Jones & His City Slickers: Sheik Of Araby (78rpm disc) RCA Victor 20-2507B (US release)
- File a ends
- More chat, interesting JP take on future
- Christopher logue introduces:
- Village Band, playing tuaskan indian melodies
- File d ends
- John Martyn & Harold McNair: Flying On Home (Peel Session) b1
- Jacqui McShee & John Renbourn: My Johnny Was A Shoemaker (Peel Session) c
File[]
- Name
- a) 1968-12-11 Nightride BBC Radio 1 (John Peel)
- b1) John Martyn & Harold McNair - 'Night Ride' 11/12/68
- b2) 1968-11-12 John Martyn NR 11.12.68.mp3
- c) John Renbourn & Jacqui McShee - Peel session (Night Ride, 11/12/68)
- d) 1968-12-11 Nightride BBC Radio 1 (John Peel).mp3
- e) 1968-12-11 It's A Long Time Coming But You Gotta Hold On 1969.mp3
- Length
- a) 1:07:14
- b) 13:48 (to 2:35 unique)
- c) 9:52 (from 7:00 unique)
- d) 1:10:00
- e) 3:37
- Other
- Some versions of the show available online are divided into a series of mp3 tracks
- b,c,e) From a set of tapes digitised by Colin Harper. Off-air recordings made by his friend on Reel to Reel. b2 is in centred audio
- d) Thanks to Bill
- Available