John Peel's Top Gear - 29th. June 1969

Fresh from the previous day's Bath Festival (right), Peelie introduces us to more fab 'n groovy Top Gear sounds. This one features sessions from Led Zeppelin, Pentangle, early Jeff Lynne band The Idle Race and the Savoy Brown Blues Band. The Pentangle session seems to be a repeat of the one in the previous post, but this time "I Got a Feeling", an extra song you won't have heard last time, is included.

Also features West Bromwich blues, strange things happening in Lewisham, an early 'wrong speed moment' and the Appletree Theatre using the term WWW 22 years before Tim Berners-Lee. Oh, and some nascent Peel/Walters banter, where JP has a go at his new producer for mixing up the Idle Race running order.

This one starts out veeeery sloooow, hence it's a bit longer than normal. Judging by the length of Honky Tonk Women, I'd say it's about 5% too slow at the start, but it settles down after about 15 minutes.

Download (284Mb, 320 Kbps MP3)

Further Browsing

Why No Success For The Idle Race?
Wikipedia - The Misunderstood
Amazon (UK) - Led Zeppelin - The BBC Sessions
Amazon (US) - Led Zeppelin - The BBC Sessions
Led Zep Session Details

Tracklisting

• The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Women
• Led Zeppelin - What Is And What Should Never Be (session)
• The Appletree Theatre - Sorry State of Staying Awake
• Pentangle - Bruton Town (session)
• Free - I'll Be Creeping
• The Idle Race - Someone Knocking (session)
• Savoy Brown Blues Band - Train To Nowhere (session)
• [News edit]
• Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love (session)
• Billy Preston - That's The Way God Planned It
• Pentangle - I Got a Feeling (session)
• The Misunderstood - Never Had a Girl
• The Idle Race - Please, No More Sad Songs (session)
• Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Neon Meate Dream of A Octofish
• Savoy Brown Blues Band - She's Got a Ring In Her Nose And A Ring On Her Hand (session)
• Chicago Transit Authority - South California Purples
• Pentangle - Hunting Song (session)
• Led Zeppelin - Travelling Riverside Blues '69 (session)
  
• Andromeda - Go Your Way
• The Idle Race - Sea of Dreams (session)
• Savoy Brown Blues Band - Life's One Act Play (session)
• Fairport Convention - Genesis Hall
• BB King - Sweet Thing
• The Idle Race - Reminds Me Of You (session)
• Martha Velez - I'm Gonna Leave You
• Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown (session)
• The Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace a Chance

John Peel's Top Gear, 18th. May 1969

Pentangle, Hunting Song, BBC Special, 1970

OK folks, here we go with show three of the eight recently-discovered Top Gears. Tonight there's sessions from Pentangle, Blodwyn Pig, Mandrake Paddle Steamer and the John Dummer Blues Band.

Session Details

There's not much I can really say about this one. Unfortunately, the BBC pages don't have details for a single one of these sessions!

Download (265Mb, 320Kbps MP3)

Tracklisting

• The Mooch - Hot Smoke and Sassafras
• The Idle Race - Days of the Broken Arrows
• Pentangle - Once I Had A Sweetheart (session)
• John Dummer Blues Band - The Big Feeling Blues (session)
• Bob Dylan - One More Night
• Blodwyn Pig - Ain'tcha Comin' Home, Babe? (session)
• Mandrake Paddle Steamer - The Ivory Castle Of Solitaire Huske (session)
• Credence Clearwater Revival - Penthouse Pauper
• [News edit]
• Sons of Champlin - 1982A
• Pentangle - Hunting Song (session)
• Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
• Blodwyn Pig - Change Song (session)
• John Dummer Blues Band - Skin Game (session)
• Mandrake Paddle Steamer - Coogar and Dark (session)
• The Famous Jug Band - The Only Friend I Own
• Pentangle - Bruton Town (session)
• Leonard Cohen - The Butcher
• Blodwyn Pig - It's Only Love (session)
• John Dummer Blues Band - Jungle Blues (session)
• Dave Kelly (John Dummer Blues Band) - Hard Times (session)
• John Fahey - Sail Away Ladies
• Mandrake Paddle Steamer - Senlak Lament (session)
• Spooky Tooth - Waitin' For The Wind
• Blodwyn Pig - The Modern Alchemist (session)
• Pentangle - Sally Go Round The Roses (session)
• The Who - We're Not Gonna Take It
• Vilayat Khan & Shanta Prasad - Concert in the Haunted Palace
• Top Gear Theme