Start of show: “Howdy, partners. On tonight’s programme, two sessions. I always start off by saying that. I’ll have to think of something original to say, but it’s not tonight. A repeat of the session from Wire, which we broadcast recently, and the Damned, their historic first session for us, which was recorded on the 30th of November 1976. Among the records, the Clash, Burning Spear, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, 999, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Prince Far I, Residents, PragVEC, Kleenex, the Undertones – all the usual people really, I suppose. These are XTC.”
Highlights are the change of frequency balloon competition (at 01.09.49), the 1979 Radio One calender advert (18.12), Radio One football match preview (3.52) and the definitive statement on the next Damned/Doomed session (7.14). The 10-minute Residents track may make you sit up.
Peel nearly manages to play the wrong record instead of King Short Shirt.
M single had been picked up by MCA and remixed after original release on Do It. Band would later have a major UK chart hit with "Pop Muzik".
After the Burning Spear track, JP says (at 29.59) he still gets letters from people who say they "don't like all of this reggae music you keep playing" - “I don’t understand this at all, and surely you’ve got to like that!”
Says it’ll probably be last time he plays Teenage Kicks ("because other people are playing it now, happily”)! The single is at #31 in that week's chart. After giving it a spin he relents slightly: “Well, I might play it a couple more times. What a wonderful record it is, to be sure.”
Peel mentions that he is going down to check out the new Venue in Victoria the following evening to see Graham Parker.[1]