A new John Peel documentary is to hit TV screens this month. The show details the 142 records he just couldn't live without. From 'Teenage Kicks' to a rather large amount of White Stripes.
His vinyl collection alone exceeded 25,000, but in a wooden box John Peel kept the 142 7-inch singles that meant the most to him. Now his son Tom Ravenscroft has helped put together a documentary about the box's contents. Titled 'John Peel's Record Box' it will air on Channel 4 at 11PM on November 14th, to co-inside with the DJs induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame.
It won't come as a huge surprise that for the most part, this is a collection of records that is made up of artists and tracks that you and I may well have never heard before. There are a few household names featured, 'Teenage Kicks' by The Undertones is there three times and The White Stripes are represented with a vast array of titles including 'Merry Christmas From...', 'It Takes Two, Baby + Fell In Love With A Girl', 'Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground' and 'Hotel Yorba'. The collection ranges from classic soul to reggae and all strands of guitar music as well as a few guilty pleasures.
I won't list the whole 142 records here, but a random selection of interest for many different reasons includes:
Alan Price Set – 'I Put A Spell On You', Bill Oddie – 'Harry Krishna + On Ilkla Moor Baht'at', Cat Power – 'Headlights', Lee Perry – 'Bafflin' Smoke Signal', Mc5 – 'Looking At You + Borderline', Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin', Pavement – 'Demolition Plot', Sheena Easton – '9 To 5', Status Quo – 'Down Down', Beatles – 'Come Together + Octopus's Garden + Something' and Buzzcocks – 'Ever Fallen In Love'.