In the course of taking a stroll down memory lane, I've been reading about John Peel's record box.
If you don't know who John Peel is (or have heard of the Peel sessions), he was probably the best music loving radio DJ of all time. (Read up on him here)
The Pussycat was working for the BBC in Wales at the time of his death and she tells me that the whole institution mourned him.
In his collection of more than 25000 albums, he kept a special box of his current all-time favourites - the box to grab if the house caught on fire.
Obviously everyone's favourites change over time and no doubt this box reflects his favourites at the time of his death - had it been a week or a month earlier or later, the list could be quite different but it's pretty interesting to see who Peel rated.
There's a great article here about the 142 songs that lived in this box - here's a short quote.
The first thing that strikes you about the full list is how little of the grinding dark-core, impenetrable electronica and twisted ultra-noise that he loved to champion — “The unpleasant and disorientating racket”, as he once described it — actually found its way into his heart.
There’s a lot of old-school soul there, such as Eddie & Ernie, OV Wright, Johnnie Taylor and Ann Peebles, and plenty of reggae: Lee Perry, Andy Capp, Blood Fire Posse and Izzy Royal. Indeed, if a theme emerges, it’s that he truly loved music that was simple.
He seems to have had a bit of a thing about two-piece outfits, or raw, basic tracks with straightforward lyrics: Al Casey’s Surfin’ Hootenanny, five Charlie Feathers singles, Don French’s Lonely Saturday Night and an astonishing 12 tracks by the White Stripes.
Rather than hunt through this slightly hard to navigate website, here is the complete list.
1. Al Casey - Surfin' Hootenanny + Easy Pickin (PIE INTERNATIONAL) 1963
2. Al Ferrier - I'm Not Drinking More + Don't Play Blue Eyes' (MASTER TRAK) 1980
3. Alan Price Set - I Put a Spell on You (DECCA)
4. Andy Capp - Popatop + Reco - The Lion Speaks (TREASURE ISLAND) 1969
5. Anemic Boyfriends - Guys Are Not Proud + Bad Girls in Love (RED SWEATER RECORDS) 1980
6. Ann Peebles - I can't stand the rain + i've been there before (LONDON) 1972
7. Anti-Social - Traffic lights + teacher, teacher (DYNAMITE RECORDS) 1977
8. Arthur K Adams - Wildwood flower + It's a wild, wild, wild, wild wildwood flower (JETSTAR)
9. Big Stick - Drag racing + Hell on earth (RECESS RECORDS) 1985
10. Bill Oddie - Harry krishna + on ilkla moor baht'at (DANDELION) 1970
11. Boards of Canada - Aquarius + Chinook (SKAM)
12. Bobby Lee Trammell - If you ever get it once + Don't you know I love you (ALLEY RECORDS)
13. Cat Power - Headlights + Darling said sir (THE MAKING OF AMERICANS)
14. Charlie Feathers - Deep elm blues + Nobody's darling' (HOLIDAY INN RECORDS)
15. Charlie Feathers - Nobody's women + When you decide (KING) 2x copies
17. Charlie Feathers - Today and tomorrow + Wild wild party' (MEMPHIS RECORDINGS)
18. Charlie Feathers - Tongue-tied Jill + Get with it' (METEOR RECORDS)
19. Charlie Feathers - When you come around + Too much alike' (KING)
20. Cheeze - Dancin With The Dead - Dancin queen + Direwolf 1989 (BOB RECORDS) 1989
21. Clague - The stride + I wonder where (DANDELION) 1969
22. Clefs of Lavender Hill - Stop! - Get a ticket + First tell me why (DATE)
23. Cleveland Crochet - Sugar bee + Drunkards dream (GOLDBAND)
24. Don Covay - It's better to have + Leave him (MERCURY) 1973
25. Don French - Lonely saturday night + Goldilocks (QUALITY) (LANCER) 2x copies
27. Dreamland Express - Groovy + u.f.o (EMI)
28. Easy Teeth - Car noise + Her blade (DENTAL RECORDS) 1980
29. Eddie & Ernie - I believe she will + We try harder (CHESS) 1984
30. Eddie & Ernie - I'm gonna always love you + Outcast (EASTERN)
31. Eddie & Ernie - Time waits for no one + That's the way it is (EASTERN)
32. Electro Hippies - Mega-armageddon death (STRANGE FRUIT) Peel session
33. Elmore James - The sky is crying + Standing at the crossroads (FLASHBACK RECORDS)
34. Firemen - Old smokie + Louie's theme (LE CAM)
35. Freshmen - You never heard anything like it + Bombing run (RELEASE RECORDS) 1979
36. G L Crockett - It's a man down there + Every hour, every day (4 BROTHERS)
37. G L Crockett - Look out Mabel + Did you ever love somebody (CHECKER)
38. Geater Davis - For your precious love + Wrapped up in you (HOUSE OF ORANGE)
39. Gene Dozier & The United Front - Give the women what they want + The best girl I ever had (MERCURY) 1974
40. Golinski Brothers - Bloody + Toy (BADGE RECORDS) 1980 2x copies
42. Green Hornes - Stayed up last night (ITALY RECORDS)
43. Hooten 3 Car - Danny + Numena (RUMBLESTRIP RECORDS)
44. Idle Race - Here we go round the lemon tree + My father's son (LIBERTY) 45. Izzy Royal - Coronation St (WEA) 1983
46. Jane Bond and The Undercover Men - Hot rod Lincoln + Come on up (EAR MOVIES RECORDS) 1982
47. Jerry Byro - Memories of Maria + Invitation (MONUMENT) 1961 2x copies - different labels
48. Jody Reynolds - Endless sleep + Western movies (LIBERTY)
49. Johnnie Taylor - I've been born again + At night time (STAX) 1974
50. Johnny Adams - You're a lady + I wish it would rain (ATLANTIC) 1972
51. Johnny Fortune - Dragster + Soul surfer (SONET) 1964
52. Ken Colyers Jazzmen (TEMPO RECORDS) 1953
53. La Peste - Black + Better off dead (BLACK RECORDS) 1978
54. Larry Bright - Mojo workout + I'll change my ways (TIDE)
55. Laurie Anderson - O Superman + Walk the dog (ONE TEN RECORDS) 1981
56. Lee Perry - Bafflin' smoke signal + Black smoke signal (BLACK ARC) 1978
57. Lightnin Hopkins - Mojo hand + Glory be (FLASHBACK RECORDS)
58. Marc Bolan - Marc Bolan talking to Stevie Dixon, 1973. Jennifer Sharp, Steve Harley & John Peel talking to Stevie Dixon 1977. (CUBE/PYE RECORDS)
59. Mary Monday - I gave my punk jacket to Richie + Popgun (MALICIOUS PRODUCTIONS)
60. Max Romeo - Sipple out deh' Lee Perry + Revelation (UPSETTER)
61. MC5 - Looking at you + Borderline (A-SQUARE RECORDS) 2x copies
63. Medicine Head - Coast to coast + All for tomorrow (DANDELION) 1970
64. Medicine Head - His guiding hand + This love of old (DANDELION) 1969 2x copies
66. Mel and Tim - Starting all over again + It hurts to want it so bad (STAX) 1972
67. Meow - Kat nip + One night stand + Anthem + Kill kill kill + Catastrophe + Boy groupies (TWIST LIKE THIS RECORDS)
68. Mickey Lee Lane - Tuitti Fruitti + With your love (MALA)
69. Mike Spencer and the Cannibals - Good guys + Nothing takes the place of you (BIG COCK RECORDS)
70. Nice - The thoughts of Emerlist Davjack (IMMEDIATE)
71. Nilsson - Everybody's talkin' (RCA)
72. Nilsson - Kojak Columbo (RCA)
73. Nilsson - Without you (RCA)
74. O V Wright - That's how strong my love is + There goes my used to be (GOLDWAX)
75. Paul Blake & The Blood Fire Posse - Every posse get flat + Flat out (STUDIO WORK) 1984
76. Paul Revere & The Raiders - Him or me - what's it gonna be? + Legend of Paul Revere (CBS) 1967
77. Pavement - Demolition Plot J-7 (DRAG CITY) 1990
78. Pocket Fishrmen (sic) - Yr story + The leader is burning (NOISEVILLE) 1989
79. Quads - You've gotta jive + There must be thousands (BIG BEAR RECORDS) 1979
80. Ray Martin - Blue tango + Bell of the ball (COLUMBIA) 81. Revelino - Step on high (MUSIDISC)
82. Rod Bernard - This should go on forever
83. Roshell Anderson - The grapevine will lie sometimes + Such a beautiful thing (CONTEMPO) 1974
84. Roy Head - Treat her right + So long, my love (VOCALION) 1965
85. Sam & Dave - I can't stand up for falling down + Soothe me (STAX)
86. Sasha Caro - Grade 3 section 2 + Little maid's song (DECCA) 1967
87. Scrugg - Will the real Geraldine please stand up and be countered + Only George' (PIE) 1969
88. Sheena Easton - 9 to 5 + Moody (EMI) 1980 2x Copies
90. Sipho Bhengu - Tickey dopies + I saluti (INKONKONI) 1971
91. Soledad Brothers - Sugar & spice + Johnny's death letter, with Jack White (ITALY RECORDS)
92. Some Chicken - New religion + Blood on the wall (RAW RECORDS) 1977 2x copies
94. Spit Out - O from I + Tan + Rot'n'roll' (MA FROG RECORDS) 1996
95. Stanley Winston - No more ghettos in America + It's alright (JEWEL)
96. Status Quo - Down down (VERTIGO) 1974
97. Super Sister - No tree will grow + She was naked (DANDELION) 1971
98. The Beatles - Come together + Octopus's garden + Something (foreign pressing, country unknown)
99. The Big Three - You've gotta keep her under hand + If you ever change your mind (DECCA) 1964
100. The Buzzcocks - Ever fallen in love (UNITED ARTISTS) 1978
101. The Factory - Path through the forest + Gone (MGM) 1968
102. The Galactic Symposium - Y.M.C.A + Money (VAGUE RECORDS) 1978
103. The Legion of Super-Heroes - The great name dropper part 1 + The great name dropper part 2 (AMY RECORDS)
104. The Mark Four - Hurt me if you will + I'm leaving (DECCA) 1965
105. The Mighty Avengers - So much in love + Something they say (DECCA) 1964
106. The Misunderstood - I can take you to the sun + Who do you love (FONTANA) 1966
107. The Move - I can hear the grass grow + Wave the flag and stop the train (DERAM) 1967
108. The Negatives - Love is not real + Stakeout (LOOK) 1979
109. The Nightcaps - Wine wine wine + Nightcap rock (MUSICOR)
110. The Ramrods - Zig zag + Riders in the sky (LONDON AMERICAN) 1960
111. The Smoke - My friend Jack + We can take it (COLUMBIA) 1966
112. The Squirrels - Oz on 45 + Alone again (POPLLAMA PROD) 1988
113. The Undertones - Teenage kicks (GOOD VIBRATIONS RECORDS) 1978 3x copies
116. The Upholsterers - Makers of high grade suites (SYMPATHY FOR THE RECORD INDUSTRY)
117. The Upsetters - Bucky skank + Yucky skank (DOWN TOWN)
118. The Upsetters - Key card + Domino game (DL INTERNATIONAL)
119. The Users - Sick on you + I'm in love with today (RAW RECORDS) 1977 2x copies
121. The Versalites - Cutting rasor + Black belt Jones (DL INTERNATIONAL) 122. The White Stripes - Lafayette blues + Sugar never tasted so good (ITALY Records)
123. The White Stripes - Party of special things to do + China pig + Ashtray heart (SUB POP)
124. The White Stripes - Merry Christmas from.... (XL)
125. The White Stripes - It takes two, baby + Fell in love with a girl (SYMPATHY FOR THE RECORD COMPANY)
126. The White Stripes - Dead leaves and the dirty ground (XL) 2001
127. The White Stripes - Hand springs (EXTRA BALL RECORDS)
128. The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba (XL) 2001
129. The White Stripes - Lord, send me an angel (SYMPATHY FOR THE RECORD INDUSTRY) 2x copies
131. The White Stripes - Hello operator + Jolene (SYMPATHY FOR THE RECORD INDUSTRY) 2000
132. The White Stripes - The big three killed my baby (SYMPATHY FOR THE RECORD INDUSTRY) 2x copies
134. The Henchmen featuring Jack White - Some other guy + Psycho daisies (ITALY RECORDS)
135. 2 Star Tabernacle - Ramblin man' (BLOODSHOT RECORDS) 1998 cover photo by Jack White
136. The Wildbunch - Danger - Jack White backing vocals (FLYING BOMB)
137. Surprise Package vol 2 featuring White Stripes, Rocket 455 and the Blowtops (FLYING BOMB)
138. Surprise Package vol 3 featuring The Real Pills, MHz, The Dirtbombs (FLYING BOMB)
139. Travis Wammack - Fire fly + Scratchy (ARA) 140. XL-Capris - My city of Sydney + Dead bugies (AXLE)
141. Yami Bolo - Richer than Cory (JAMAICA INTERNATIONAL)
142. Yardbirds - Happenings ten years time ago + Psycho diaries (COLUMBIA) 1966
I was going to bold the albums that I've heard but there are very few, looks like there is work to be done here.
When Peel appeared on the famous Desert Island Discs programme in 1990, these were his selections.
* Handel's Zadok the Priest as recorded at the coronation of George VI
* Roy Orbison – "It's Over"
* Jimmy Reed – "Too Much"
* Misty in Roots – "Mankind"
* The Undertones – "Teenage Kicks" (choice if only allowed one record)
* Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto
* The Fall – "Eat Y'self Fitter"
* Four Brothers – "Pasi pano pane zviedzo"
* Book: A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell
* Luxury: A football, and a wall to kick it against.
