- Not November, 1976, but February, 1977

Model railways were very popular in 1976

The time is November, 1976 and the Uk has well and truly forgotten the manic heat of that summer. America, it seemed, had finally forgotten the years of slavery that had led to its civil war as, on November 2nd, Jimmy Carter defeated incumbent Gerald Ford, becoming the first candidate from the Deep South to win since the Civil War. On November 25th, which may or may not be the date of this broadcast, in San Francisco, The Band held its farewell concert, The Last Waltz.

More ominously, especially for those of you like me who think that, despite Terminator clearly being a work of fiction, the basic premise is almost certain to come true (yes, I am a freak, hopefully), on November 26th, which also may or may not be the date of this broadcast, Microsoft was officially registered with the Office of the Secretary of the State of New Mexico, thus commencing the end of the world as we know it...

Downloaden sie hier

This is how Britain looked in November, 1976:

UPDATE: Further investigation has revealed that this show dates to February, 1977 (9th to be exact) and the track list is as follows:

Wishbone Ash (live, recorded 16th January, 1977)

-Runaway
-King will come
-Lorelei
-Mother of Pearl
-Blowin' free

Johnny Guitar Watson - A real mother for ya.

- 1976: Where it all began

First of all, I can't believe I've never posted this before. I guess when you become obsessed with something you really can't see the wood for the trees. In this instance, I suppose I just assumed that everyone would have this show, as it was the first one I got hold of and started my yearning to collect every Peel show the man ever broadcast. Let's just call it a slight oversight, shall we!

In short, this is Peel's show from December, 1976, when he unleashed punk on an unsuspecting audience of aging hippies, much to their consternation. It's an absolute belter.

File size:91mb

As for me, well, at the moment committing to this blog feels more like an obligation than something I'm enjoying, so I'm going to take a couple of weeks off at least. I'm not calling it quits permanently, but I just don't feel like it at present. There are hundreds of new Peel shows to share with you but they'll just have to wait a while. Thanks to everyone who has visited, especially those who leave comments. They're what sustain me through the dark times.

See you soonish, Adam.

- 1976: The Full List

So, here they are then, the tracks you voted for. I'm glad that many of you voted for what you were actually listening to at the time, rather than what you feel you should have been listening to. I had great fun putting this together and will definitely be tackling another chart next year.

Thanks again and have a great new year everyone.



01 Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
02 Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
03 Damned - New Rose
04 Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves
05 ABBA - Dancing Queen
06 Queen - Somebody to Love
07 Joan Armatrading - Love and Affection
08 Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free
09 Pere Ubu - Final solution
10 Thin Lizzy - The boys are Back in Town
11 Donna Summer - Love to Love you Baby
12 Osibisa - Sunshine Day
13 David Bowie - Golden Years
14 Be Bop Deluxe - Ships in The Night
15 Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
16 Bob Marley & the Wailers - Johnny was
17 Peter Frampton - Show me the Way
18 Saints - Stranded
19 Buzzcocks - Boredom
20 David Bowie - Station to Station
21 Steve Miller Band - Fly Like an Eagle
22 Thin Lizzy - Cowboy Song
23 Bob Dylan - Hurricane
24 Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Blinded by the Light
25 Blue Oyster Cult - (Dont Fear) the Reaper
26 Peter Frampton - Baby, I love your Way
27 Queen - You're my Best Friend
28 Billy Ocean - Love Really Hurts without you
29 Eddie & the Hot Rods - Teenage Depression
30 Rick Springfield - Take a Hand
31 Electric Light Orchestra - Rockaria
32 Walter Murphy & the Big Apple Band - A Fifth of Beethoven
33 War- Low Rider
34 ABBA - Knowing Me, Knowing You
35 Electric Light Orchestra - Evil Woman
36 Sensational Alex Harvey band - Boston Tea Party
37 Richard Hell - Blank Generation
38 Max Romeo & the Upsetters - War in a Babylon
39 Vicki Sue Robinson - Turn the Beat Around
40 Steve Miller Band - Take the Money and Run
41 ABBA - Money, Money, Money
42 Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
43 Tina Charles - I Love to Love
44 Wild Cherry - Play that Funky Music
45 Sailor – Girls, Girls, Girls
46 Kiss - Beth
47 Leroy Smart - Ballistic Affair
48 Rose Royce - Car Wash
49 David Soul - Don't Give up on Us
50 K.C. & the Sunshine Band - (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake your Booty

- Countdown to Festive Season #11: All New 1976 Part Three - 20 to 1

This is what albums looked like in 1976

Just like Steve over yonder at Teenage Kicks, I'm coming to terms with the increasing inappropriacy of the title to these threads, as the countdown is pretty much over. The second part of his Peel Sessions 50 is finally with us and what a belter it is. Not to be outdone, I've cobbled together the third and final part of my 1976 opus, and here it is...

Download and listen at your leisure:



86 mb for an hour and a hlaf of sheer listening bliss. As ever, you can listen now:



This time round there are three video clips for you; numbers 18, 14 and 12. Hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and I wish you all the best for the coming year.

- Countdown to Festive Season #9: All New 1976 Part Two - 35 to 21

This is what people looked like in 1976

In case you're worried, I'm officially declaring this part of the chart a David Soul-free zone. This then is the second part of the chart, running down from that all-important #35 to the very brink of the top 20. My apologies in advance if you find me taking the piss out of any songs that you chose.

Podcast available in download and keep format:



56 mb for just over an hour's entertainment. Alternatively, listen now:

There's just one video clip in this part of the chart, it's #23 and you can download it here. Stay tuned for the top twenty some time between now and the new year.

- Countdown to Festive Season #8: All New 1976 Part One - 50 to 36

Welcome to 1976 from David Soul

So here we go then with part one of the 2008 1976 Festive Fifty. I think you'll find it's somewhat different to the original chart. In this first part, we'll be going from #50 through to # 36.

Here's the link to part one (50 to 36):



54 minutes and 51 mb. Alternatively, listen now:



I couldn't get hold of mp3s for #47 or #45, so you can get hold of them by clicking here (45) and here (47). Thanks to Steve, these are also now available in mp3 format (see comments for details).

- Hols

Well everyone, it's the end of Ramadan and the kind folks I work for have given me all this week off work, which is nice. I'll be back with more K-Tel classics next week.

- Roast Fish on the Menu: Podcast 4

Well, after a mere 3 months of inactivity I've already finished podcast 4.


I'll update this post even more when I have time, but for now you can download the reggae special here (only 31 mb for 45 minutes).

01 - POLICE and THIEVES - JUNIOR MURVIN
02 - ROAST FISH and CORNBREAD - LEE PERRY
03 - WAR INA BABYLON - MAX ROMEO and THE UPSETTERS
04 - NATTY TAKEOVER - JUSTIN HINES
05 - COLUMBIA COLLY - JAH LION
06 - MAN IN THE HILLS - BURNING SPEAR
07 - CROAKING LIZARD - PRINCE JAZZBO and THE UPSETTERS
08 - RASTAMAN - BUNNY WAILER
09 - NO SYMPATHY - PETER TOSH
10 - THREE BABYLON - ASWAD


Alternatively, listen below...



As I said, more details to follow when I get a chance.

- When I were a lad...

Firstly, I'm from Yorkshire so I'm allowed bad subject verb agreement. When I were a lad football was much better than it is now. I think we can all agree on that fact. The fact alone that football managers used to dress like this should seal the argument...

70s man in full effect

For those of you who haven't wasted as much of your lives following this bloody game as I have, Malcolm Allison, pictured above on his way to a fancy dress party as a pimp, was a fairly successful manager of newly-crowned 'world's richest club' Manchester City. City have, for my lifetime at least, been total crap. Americans among you may understand if I draw an analogy with the LA Clippers. They have had what can only be described as an anti-midas touch, everything they touch turns to shit. they haven't won a trophy since 1976, although they have recently been acquired by the Dubai royal family and have the benefit of a 200 billion family fortune behind them. There was a time, however, when they were just another poorly run club, stumbling from one disastrous signing and managerial appointment to the next.

The documentary you're about to download hails from the early 80s, when Malcolm Allison was sacked and the club taken over by John Bond. Obviously it's mostly of interest to City fans, but I recommend it to anyone who has forgotten what English football was like before it was taken over by the world's dodgiest gangsters and ne'erdowells.

A greedy Brazilian, yesterday

File size: 123mb

- The K-Tel Hit Machine (1976)

The Summer of 1976 was considered, by many who lived through it to be the best and longest summer within in recent memory. Throughout Europe a large area of High Pressure dominated the majority of Europe for all of the Summer months. The Pressure system moved into place in late May 1976 and remained until the first traces of rain were recorded on August 27th and continued into the Bank Holiday weekend.

Rainfall throughout the July-August period was down by half the annual average. During this spell of hot weather temperatures exceeded 32 °C at several weather stations within in the UK every day, and Cheltenham had 11, including seven successive days from 1 July - recording 35.9 °C on the 3rd. For that entire period, much of Europe was bathed in continual sunshine with the UK seeing an average of more than 14 hours of bright sunshine. 1976 was dubbed 'the year of the Ladybird' in the UK due to mass numbers of Ladybirds brought on by the long hot period. I myself was three years old and don't remember a bloody thing about it. While all this was going on, K-Tel saw fit to churn out this chart busting compilation.

I'll be honest, boys and girls, voting for the all-new 1976 Festive 50 has been a bit slow so far. I haven't even received enough votes to put together a full fifty yet. So.... in order to entice to get your voting boots on, I've uncovered this truly spectacular compilation contemporary to the new chart.

Back in the days before 'Now that's what I call music' (do they still make those?), you had the likes of this little gem, the K-Tel Hit Machine. If this doesn't get you in the voting mood, just wait until next week when I hit you head on with the K-Tel Music Machine: that's right, it gets even worse.

Side 1

01 - (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty - K.C. & The Sunshine Band (1976)
02 - Right Back Where We Started From - Maxine Nightingale (1975)
03 - Moonlight Feels Right - Starbuck (1975)
04 - Summer - War (1976)
05 - When Will I Be Loved - Linda Ronstadt (1974)
06 - Happy Days - Pratt & McClain (1976)
07 - Our Day Will Come - Frankie Valli (1975)
08 - (You're) Having My Baby - Paul Anka (1974)
09 - Love Really Hurts Without You - Billy Ocean (1976)
10 - Disco Duck (Part 1) - Rick Dees & His Cast Of Idiots (1976)

Side 2

11 - Island Girl - Elton John (1975)
12 - A Fifth Of Beethoven - Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band (1976)
13 - Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers (1975)
14 - Welcome Back - John Sebastian (1976)
15 - Evil Woman - Electric Light Orchestra (1975)
16 - Take A Hand - Rick Springfield (1976)
17 - Rock And Roll All Nite - Kiss (1975)
18 - I'm Not Lisa - Jessi Colter (1975)
19 - Who Loves You - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (1975)
20 - Disco Lady - Johnnie Taylor (1976)

Remember, you're being punished for having not voted, so the quicker you get the votes in, the quicker I can return to decent music. I don't think I need comment on what will happen if any of you choose bloody 'disco duck'.



File size:93mb

-1976: More Delights to Choose from

A lot of you still haven't voted for the all-new 1976 chart. I'll still accept votes until the beginning of December and, while a fairly clear picture is already starting to form, don't for one minute think that your vote won't change anything.

If you're still at a loss for what to vote for, here's a list of songs that I don't expect to graze the top 10, courtesy of Steve W.(of Peel Wiki fame):

'Just in case you've ever wondered what the UK charts were like in the year of punk and the roots reggae explosion of Lee Perry, etc, for a laugh have listed below all the number ones that year, courtesy of these guys. Alas, I have very clear memories of all of them.'

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody 29/11/1975-31/01/1976

Abba - Mamma Mia 07/02/1976- 14/02/1976

Slik - Forever And Ever 21/02/1976

The Four Seasons - December '63 28/02/1976-06/03/1976

Tina Charles - I Love To Love 13/03/1976-27/03/1976

Brotherhood Of Man - Save Your Kisses For Me 03/04/1976-08/05/1976

Abba - Fernando 15/05/1976-05/06/1976

JJ Barrie - No Charge 12/06/1976

The Wurzels - Combine Harvester 19/06/1976-26/06/1976

Real Thing - You To Me Are Everything 03/07/1976-17/07/1976

Demis Roussos - The Roussos Phenomenon 24/07/1976

Elton John and Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breaking My Heart 31/07/1976-04/09/1976

Abba - Dancing Queen 11/09/1976-16/10/1976

Pussycat - Mississippi 23/10/1976-13/11/1976

Chicago - If You Leave Me Now 20/11/1976-04/12/1976

Showaddywaddy - Under The Moon Of Love 11/12/1976-25/12/1976

Johnny Mathis - When A Child Is Born 25/12/1976-08/01/1977

Embarassing confessions removed for the benefit of the author! Come on now, admit it: how many of those were you humming while you read through the list?

- The '76 Fifty: A Helping Hand

'Just too darn bloody long ago' I hear you all rant. Give me a break, I was only three years old and have already decided which three tracks I'm going to choose (none of which appear on 'Frampton Comes Alive', I should add, nor will Joan Armatrading make the cut, I'm afraid to say).

Frampton has waited a long time for Festive Fifty glory. Will you oblige him?

If you need a bit of help making up your mind, check out the Wikipedia music of 1976 page. This should help you narrow it down to 100 or 200 tracks! You've got the Ramones debut, BMW's Rastaman Vibration, Bowie's Station to Station, ABBA's seminal Arrival LP, Genesis churning out prog rock, the Steve Miller Band's Fly Like an Eagle, and would you believe that this was the year that the Cure formed?

You could go ahead and choose one of the years 5 biggest selling singles:

- ABBA - Dancing Queen
- Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
- Chicago - If You Leave Me Now
- ABBA - Fernando
- Elton John & Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Others may choose this, this, this or even this.

- 1976 Revisited

I've always felt that '76 was important enough to warrant a 50 of its own. As we all know, this was Peel's inaugural festive offering and was an all-time best list, featuring the likes of Genesis and many others who were conspicuous by their absence from subsequent years.

I got to thinking what a fifty would have been like just for the year 1976, then thought that we could bloody well go ahead and do it, albeit thirt-odd years too late. After the unmitigated success of Steve's super-duper all-time fifty on Teenage Kicks last year, I'm going to compile all of your votes and do a series of podcasts round about the end of December / beginning of January based on your favourite records of that stupendous year.

Here's what you need to do:

-Choose your favourite 3 tracks from 1976 (they must be from that year).

-Email them to me at the special address: the1976festive50@gmail.com.

-Sit back and relax.

-Go to the pub.

-Check the blog some time towards the end of the year.


I'll only be taking entries sent to that address as I suspect this is going to be quite a task, so please don't leave your entries in the form of comments on any of the blog posts. Am I nuts for doing this. Yes, probably so.