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Show[]

Name
Station
YYYY-MM-DD
  • 1978-09-25
Comments
  • Plays Teenage Kicks twice on the run. Says it is the first time he's done this for a long time. Claims Pig said Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey sounded like Loudon Wainwright III when JP played the record the previous evening.
  • Start of show: "Well, it looks like being a fairly rugged week, I must say, as the champions of Europe and the lords of mankind face a stiffy sort of a test on Wednesday night. On tonight's programme, though, we have no such considerations: the two sessions from the Skids and from Motörhead. Among the records, Europeans wearing silly wigs and hoping to meet a Beatle: also Penetration, John Cooper Clarke, David Bowie, Sabbath, Wire, the Undertones, Jam, all the usual people, and we start with Radio Stars."
  • The Roadshow is going to Sheffield at the weekend.

Sessions[]

  • Motörhead, one and only session. Recorded 1978-09-18. Available on BBC Live & In-Session (Sanctuary Midline).
  • Skids, #2 (rpt.) Recorded 1978-09-29. Available on The Virgin Years boxset (CD6), Virgin (2015). #1, #2 & #3 released in 2009 as digital download and on streaming services.

Tracklisting[]

File d begins

(JP: 'I haven't heard phasing like that since about 1968. Radio Stars from the LP Holiday Album on Chiswick. No Russians in Russia. Still not quite sure what it is they're driving at but a jolly tune nevertheless. And that bring us to Europeans by Europeans, a band from the Bristol area.')
  • Europeans: 'Europeans (7")' (Heartbeat)
(JP: 'They're everywhere at the moment, too. If you're anywhere in central London. Everywhere you go. Europeans. Europeans. As far as the eye can see. That's the name of the band. It's also the name of the track. And that comes from Heartbeat Records based in Clifton, Bristol. The first from the Skids tonight. It's called Hope and Glory.')
  • Skids: 'Hope And Glory' (Peel Session)
(JP: 'Are you done this time have you, lads? Those are the Skids. The first number from them too. It's called Hope & Glory and the band from Dunfermline of course who won, drew 1-all, one-one. That's an interesting situation. Drew 1-all at Falkirk on Saturday. In case you hadn't noticed that. This is David Bowie from the double LP recorded live and his new version of Ziggy Stardust.') During the song's start: (JP: 'A bit of a scream for David.' (Pause.) 'At least you can do.')
(JP: 'David Bowie doing a spot of crooning on Zigwel Stardust the second and that's from the LP, Stage. Double LP recorded live and we'll be playing you more from that on tomorrow night's programme and Wednesday night's, I suppose. I shouldn't be surprised. This is the first from Motorhead and it's a version of their current single. Their current chart action single as I'm sure Gambaccini would tell you. This is Louie Louie.')
(JP: 'Ah, Motorhead and first n-. Actually amazingly enough the first session that Motorhead have ever done for us. I think that's true. Either they did another one. it's a very long time ago but I think it is the first, actually. That's Louie Louie, of course. Their current chart biggie. Well, chart smallie, let's be realistic. Uh, Brinsley Schwarz.')
(JP: 'Pauline, leave those berks and come to my arms, my angel. That's Penetration preceded by Brinsley Schwarz and from 1973, I Cried My Last Tear which is now on the B-side of the reissue of (What's So Funny' bout) Peace, Love and Understanding), a Nick Lowe composition and of course all you have to do is say the magic words: Nick Lowe and people rush out and buy it. Well, rush out and write about it in the music paper anyway. Here's a Tubeway Army.')
(JP: 'That's an oldie, really. Well, I say that's old. Well, a week old or something like that. A couple of weeks, maybe. A mouth old, perhaps. Two months. Tubeway Army on Beggars Banquet and that's called Bombers. And this is by Roman Stewart & Barrington Spence, No Peace Until and it's on Hungry Town Records.')
  • Roman Stewart & Barrington Spence: 'No Peace Until (7")' (Hungry Town)
(JP: 'And that's Roman Stewart. They always end so quickly. (laughs) It's not me. I bet you're thinking Peel is just dumping it again. It's not true. Roman Stewart & Barrington Spence and that's called No Peace Until. And while that was going on I opened a letter from my regular Reggae correspondent, Bill Wright of Tamworth who lists something like eight records which he says are absolutely essentials, something like thirty five quids worth. What I want to know, Bill is if you're listening to the programme. Why the hell do you get these things?! Because you get them before anybody in London seems to. It's most irritating. You must be a millionaire. This Bill Wright. Now, somebody wrote to ask me whether John Cooper Clarke's LP had come out. I've got a handful of letters here. (tries to find the JCC related letter.) Hold on a second. This is just to let you know I get letters. That's not it. Hold on. What a professional, eh? Last one. If it's not this one. We've had it. It's not that one. We've had it. Anyway the John Cooper Clarke LP is about to be issued and here's a track from it.')

File a begins

(JP: 'That's John Cooper Clarke from the LP - the forthcoming LP Disguise In Love. Valley Of the Last ? Women. Which sounds like one of those titles like um you get in those sort of butch American magazines. I remember one unforgettable one with something like the Yank Adventurer Who Discovered the Valley of Chain Blondies. Which remained with me ever since. Ah, John Cooper Clarke and these are the Skids. The Saints Are Coming.')
  • Skids: 'The Saints Are Coming' (Peel Session)
(JP: 'A band for all seasons. And those are the Skids. The Saints Are Coming. And the other day I was speaking to Richard Branson of Virgin Records and he tells me there's a Skids LP on its way and he of all people ought to know. And of course you don't think that John Walters, that celebrated ninny is going to miss a chance like with a title like The Saints Are Coming, inevitably he's going to follow that with a track by - yes. yes. yes.')
(JP: 'And those are the Saints from their LP, Prehistoric Sounds on Harvest, a LP which I'm coming round to like actually having heard a few times. Every Day's A Holiday, Every Night's A Party and at this very moment Bob Sargent is down at a BBC studio somewhere recording a new session with the Mekons. Well, actually the chances are they're probably finished and they're gone round to the pub and they've only got twelve minutes in there too. And I was very pleased when I went up to hear - see the Mekons the other day in Leeds to hear that they've got a group of people who follow them round everywhere called the Meeks Army. So if any of them are listening you'll be pleased to hear that your lads have been recording another session for us. I mention all of this because Bob Sargent produced the Motorhead session and the band are as Philthy Animal (Drums), Fast Eddie (Guitar/Vocals) and Lemmy (Bass and Vocals.) This is called Keep Us On The Road.')
(JP: 'Ah, the hard nosed trio lives on. And those are Motorhead and that's called Keep Us On The Road. Might have a record of that, actually. And sticking with roads, these are Black Sabbath.')

File a ends
Files b, c begin

(JP: 'Well, the only review I've read of this new Black Sabbath album. Well, sneered slightly at that track. Said it was the worst one on the LP. Well, I rather cared for it and so apparently do the record company because they've issued it as a single. I don't know if it's a abbreviated version or not. Probably is. That's five minutes and fifty seconds anyway of Hard Road. And in fact this very week the John Peel Roadshow is going to be inflating it's two balloons and inserting new and autumnal batteries into its torch and hitting the highway again in order to make lots of money and maybe meet a young woman with poor eyesight and a taste for decaying men. Just kidding of course. It's going to Sheffield, I think this weekend. Anyway. These are Wire from their LP, Chairs Missing. Practice Makes Perfect.')

File e cuts in

(JP: 'Wouldn't be the same if I chopped that little bit off the end. Those are Wire from the album Chairs Missing. Indispensable stuff I should say. And that's called Practice Makes Perfect. And now some Rock 'N' Roll. Bamlalloom.')

Files b & c tape break

(JP: 'Oh, absolutely gear, I should say. And that's Whirlwind from the LP-It's Rock And Roll Vol Two on the BBC's own label which has the unfortunate name of Beeb Records. And that's called Tore Apart and those are Whirlwind. Did I say that already? Now you're probably wondering is this reptilian fat degenerate going to play Teenage Kicks by The Undertones? Indeed he is but not right now. He's going to play Cravats and Gordon.')
(JP: 'Well Pete one of our team of highly efficient engineers sound said that sounded to him as though it had pressed on reconstituted tupperware. Party! Party! And I know what he means, I must admit. But by Jamaican standards that's a pretty nifty pressing. It's Lyn's All Stars - Return Dub which is on the reverse of Norris Reid's Got To Return on the Lucky Star label. This is from the Skids, a Adamson/Jobson composition called Dossier Of Fallibility.')

File e ends

  • Skids: 'Dossier Of Fallibility' (Peel Session)
(JP: 'Dossier Of Fallibility. And those are the Skids. And unfortunately I have no information about the band's current activities because Braun, our secretary has only just today come back from her holiday, two weeks with her gran, who lives a couple of hundred yards away in colourful Bromley in Kent but doubtless tomorrow Braun will start surprising us with information again. She has no information either about Motorhead. This is their Tear Ya Down. (laughs) Tear Ya Down. Hmm.')

Files b & c restart

(JP: 'Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Oh, sorry I got a bit carried away. That's Motorhead. Another group composition. Tear Ya Down. The name of it. I finally got it right. This is the forthcoming single from The Jam and it's Down In The Tube Station At Midnight. That's the full title.')

File d tape break

  • Jam: 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight (7")' (Polydor)
(JP: '... Armed car and driven to my destination. Those are The Jam, the forthcoming single - Down In The Tube Station At Midnight. And I'm happy to say that letters have started coming in about the Undertones excellent EP on Good Vibrations Records, just this very day. I received letters from John Galway, not the flute player that your dad does. William Brown, I don't actually much. John (Defaulb?) And that's it actually. But here's the record. Undertones and Teenage Kicks. What a treat.')

Files b and c tape edit

(JP: 'I tell you what, you know. I've not done this for ages but I think we ought to hear that again. Hold on a second. Just talk among yourselves. The way you listen to it this time. Those of you familiar with the work of Loudon Wainwright. The last time I played it, the Pig said. "That lead singer sounds like Loudon Wainwright at times." That may sound a bit fanciable but listen to it again and see what you think. An excuse for playing it twice.')
(JP: 'That is a mighty, mighty record you know. Come the end of the year, that will be battling with 'Suspect Device' and 'Shot By Both Sides' as me record of the year I think. Those are the Undertones on Good Vibrations Records. 39 and mad.')

File d restarts

(JP: (Showbiz Voice) 'The Layton Buzzards. Winners of this competition on Kid Jensen's programme. Were going to be featured in some kind of a do. Where is it? I forget exactly. But I don't know. Some kind of a big event. (laughs) I always get the information very accurate indeed on this programme. That's on Small Wonder Records and anyway this is Devo. Space Junk.')
(JP: 'Are We Not Men? We Are Devo! And that's Space Junk. And I have a letter from Mike who writes from the Lodore probably ?? Hotel and probably isn't actually. In Borrowdale, Cumbria to say "Dear, John. I thought maybe you would play a record for me and the people here who listen to your show. Monday the 25th would do as its my Birthday. I was thinking the other night. It's about ten years since I've been listening to your show when you used to do it on a Saturday afternoon, if I remember correctly. You once played a session by Captain Beefheart." This is indeed true. "Why not replay it again." Well, unhappily we can't because the tapes have been erased. That's life. I'm afraid. "Or maybe play the Great Name Dropper by the Legion of Super Heroes." Well, if I had it with me, Mike. I certainly would because it's a very wonderful record. Perhaps I'll dig it out and play it sometime next week because I think a lot of our newer listeners would benefit a great deal from hearing that. But for Mike and those people he's talking about on Borrowdale, Cumbria. How about the Damned?')
(JP: 'Oh, what a pity it is that in 1978 such vitality is unfashionable. Those are The Damned and New Rose of course.')
(JP: 'That's another great record. We do come up with some good stuff. Well, I say we do. I mean the records exist. We play them. That's Frankie Miller. The new single which is called Darlin' without a G. And this next one from the Skids is for the people from ISF - Coventry, who've written me one nice letter and one nasty one in the past. Well, reasonably nasty one. I shall do what I can to satisfy you in all these respects, gentlemen if you're listening. And one of the points they make. It says lastly, "Three. Get menace down on tape. Are we not slow?" These are the Skids.')
  • Skids: 'Six Times' (Peel Session)
(JP: 'Ridiculous band. Ridiculous. Those are the Skids and that's Six Times. And as long as I'm here. They'll be back. I promise you that. Dennis Brown Meets Jah Bop.")
  • Dennis Brown Meets Jah Bop: 'Tribulation (12")' (3 In 1) starts at wrong speed
  • After discovering he's played the record at the wrong speed. (JP: ' Oh, alright then. Dennis Brown Meets Jah Bop if you're going to take that sort of attitude.')
(JP: 'Dennis Brown Meets Jah Bop on 3 In 1 Records and that's called Tribulation. And there's are the Rich Kids. Young Girls. Are there any left?')
(JP: 'Rich Kids from their LP, Ghosts Of Princes In Towers. And Young Girls. Whenever Peter Powell's on the air, there's always about 20 or 25 of them lurking around outside Broadcasting House where as whenever I'm on the air there's always about 3 or 4 hideous looking youths hanging around with a tape they want me to hear. But that I suppose it's life in so many ways. But if there are any young girls who are listening to tonight's programme. Well, I'll be your sister.')
  • Motorhead: 'I'll Be Your Sister' (Peel Session)
(JP: 'I'll be your wicked uncle. And those are Motorhead. The last of a resounding session from them. That's called I'll Be Your Sister.')

Files b,c end

(JP: 'Buzzcocks from the LP - Love Bite. Love Bites. And that's called Sixteen Again. (Pause.) Actually I'd hate to be Sixteen Again myself because for one thing Liverpool were battling against relegation at the time. When I was 17 they went down into the Second Division. Seems impossible now, doesn't it? Anyway on tonight's programme you heard the Skids and Motorhead. Tomorrow night it's Racing Cars and more of that David Bowie LP. And, well, who knows what else? I don't. So, we'll find out together tomorrow night. (laughs.) Hmm. Good night.')

File d ends

File[]

Name
  • (a) 1978-09-25 Peel Show T005.aif
  • (b) 25-09-78000.mp3
  • (c) JP19780925.mp3
  • (d) 1978-09-25 John Peel Radio 1 (incomplete) DB016+DB020+DB017
  • (e) John Peel segment 1978.mp3
Length
  • (1) 00:14:55
  • (b) 01:02:14
  • (c) 00:43:10
  • (d) 01:49:05
  • (e) 00:11:23
Other
  • (a) Created from T005 of 400 Box, digitised by Rok
  • (b) 25 September 1978 show includes first track (and second announced) of file created from T100 of 400 Box, then continues from 24.37.
  • (c) Reduced version of file (b), with just the 25 September tracks.
  • (d) File created from DB016 DB020 & DB017 of the Derby Box. Many thanks to Chris and Rob.
  • (e) Many thanks to Tim for acquisition and digitisation.
Available
Footnotes
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