JOHN PEEL'S TOP GEAR - 8 SHOWS FROM 1969 & 1970

This torrent is a re-upload of the 8 classic Top Gear shows that appeared on my Peel blog Kat's Karavan (http://kats-karavan.blogspot.com/) and have now expired onMost of them are full (or nearly full) shows, encoded as 320K MP3s from 7-inch reel-to-reel tapes.

Many thanks to hills1902 for supplying the tapes, to John for ripping and encoding them and to Phil for originally hosting the MP3s on his server.

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John Peel's Top Gear - 27th. April 1969


In Session

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre
The Eclection
The Family


Details

This first show in the bunch features sessions from, as stated above, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, Eclection and (The) Family. There's only a slight glitch in Mr. Apollo, as indicated below, but otherwise this is a full two-hour show in very reasonable nick for its age. Manna for Peeliacs.


Tracklisting

Top Gear Theme
The Byrds - Old Blue
Canned Heat - Time Was
The Eclection - Both Sides Now (session)
Chicken Shack - I'd Rather Go Blind
The Family - A Song For Me (session)
Bonzo Dog Band - Mr. Apollo [skips back to end of the Family track, then continues and jumps a bit further into Mr. Apollo]
News at 7:30
The Eclection - Restitution (session)
Bob Dylan - Country Pie
Principal Edwards Magic Theatre - Lament For The Earth (session)
The Family - Bring It On Home (session)
Pentangle - Once I Had A Sweetheart
Credence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary
Principal Edwards Magic Theatre - Ballad of a Big Girl Now (session)
The Eclection - Charity (session)
Leonard Cohen - Seems So Long Ago Nancy
BB King - Sweet Little Angel
The Family - Love Is A Sleeper (session)
Coliseum (Colosseum) - Those About To Die
Principal Edwards Magic Theatre - Third Sonnet To Sundry Notes Of Music (session)
The Eclection - Earth (session)
The Moody Blues - Send Me No Wine
Gordon Smith - Instrumental No. 2 [Interrupted by a motoring flash]
The Family - I Sung 'Um The Way I Feel (session)
Principal Edwards Magic Theatre - Pinky: A Mystery Cycle (session)
Doctor John - The Lonesome Guitar Strangler
The Eclection - Put On Your Face (session)
Top Gear Theme

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John Peel's Top Gear, 11th. May 1969


In Session

Fleetwood Mac
King Crimson
Tyrannosaurus Rex
The Bonzo Dog Band


Details

Here's another full 2-hour Top Gear show from 1969. And in a packed programme tonight, Ronnie, there's sessions from Fleetwood Mac, King Crimson, Tyrannosaurus Rex and The Bonzo Dog Band.


Tracklisting

Top Gear Theme
The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day
Tim Rose - Roanoke
Fleetwood Mac - Tallahassee Lassie (session)
Bonzo Dog Band - Mr. Apollo (session)
Chicken Shack - I'd Rather Go Blind
Tyrannosaurus Rex - Once Upon the Seas of Abyssinia (session)
King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King (session)
[Edit to cut out news]
Martha Velez - It Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry
Credence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
Bonzo Dog Band - Look At Me I'm Wonderful (session)
Tyrannosaurus Rex - Nijinsky Hind (session)
Fleetwood Mac - Heavenly (session)
Jefferson Airplane - It's No Secret
King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man (session)
Mike Cooper - Poor Little Annie
Tyrannosaurus Rex - The Misty Coast of Albany (session)
Neil Young - The Loner
Pentangle - Once I Had A Sweetheart
Fleetwood Mac - Early Morning Come (session)
The Glass Menagerie - Have You Forgotten Who You Are?
Canned Heat - Low Down
Bonzo Dog Band - Quiet Talks And Summer Walks (session)
Johnny Shines - Baby Don't You Think I Know
Fleetwood Mac - You'll Never Know What You're Missing Till You Try (session)
Tyrannosaurus Rex - Chariots of Silk (session)
King Crimson - Talk To The Wind (session)
Kak - Golgotha
Leviathan - Time
Fleetwood Mac - Blues With A Feeling (session)
Bob Dylan - I Threw It All Away
Colosseum - Walking In The Park
Top Gear Theme

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


In Session

John Dummer's Blues Band
Mandrake Paddle Steamer
Blodwyn Pig
Pentangle


Details

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.


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

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


In Session

Pentangle
Led Zeppelin
The Idle Race
Savoy Brown Blues Band


Details

Fresh from the previous day's Bath Festival, 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.


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

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John Peel's Top Gear - 6th. July 1969

In Session

John Hiseman's Coliseum
Imrat Khan
John Dummer's Blues Band
The Pretty Things


Details

Just like the previous week (above), Peel arrives for Top Gear the day after attending an outdoor show, this time the Stones' famous Hyde Park concert. In session tonight: Jon Hiseman's Colosseum, The Pretty Things, Ustad Imrat Khan and the John Dummer Blues Band.

The John Dummer Blues Band session is a repeat of the one broadcast on the 18th. May show, but this time there's an extra track, A Few Short Lines. And I know next to nothing about Indian classical music, but this Imrat Khan session sounds like an absolute stormer to me. Highly recommended.

What else do I have to tell you? Oh yes, it's clear that the Peel/Walters relationship is developing nicely here, as there's several quips from John P about his new mate. And Peel bemoans the fact that David Bowie's new single is obviously not bound for the charts. Something called Space Oddity, apparently; whatever happened to that?

There appear to be a few speed issues here again; it seems a little slow at times. Also, it sounds like Peelie has trouble cueing up some of the recordings, as they often start too slowly.


Tracklisting

Fairport Convention - Si Tu Dois Partir
Third Ear Band - Druid One
Colosseum - Elegy (session)
The Pretty Things - No More Spring (session)
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Pre-Road Downs
Imrat Khan (tabla: Mahapurush Misra) - Alap N'gat from Rag Kalabati (session)
[News edit]
Colosseum - Grass is Greener (session)
John Dummer Blues Band - A Few Short Lines (session)
The Pretty Things - Alexander (session)
David Bowie - Space Oddity
Steamhammer - Even The Clock
Colosseum - Jon Hiseman's Condensed History of Mankind (session)
Dave Kelly (John Dummer Blues Band) - Hard Times (session)
McKenna Mendelsohn Mainline - Better Watch Out
Imrat Khan - Rag Tori (session)
Mothers of Invention - Mr. Green Genes
The Pretty Things - Marilyn (session)
Blossom Toes - Kiss of Confusion
Colosseum - February's Valentine (session)
Edgar Broughton Band - Love in The Rain
John Dummer Blues Band - Jungle Blues (session)
Johnny Winter - I'm Yours And I'm Hers
The Pretty Things - Send You With Loving (session)
Top Gear Theme (snippet)

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John Peel's Top Gear - 27th. July 1969


In Session

Roy Harper
Ten Years After
The Third Ear Band


Details

We pick up the story 3 weeks after the last show, finding Peel in an unusually showbiz mood, with a handover from Alan 'Fluff' Freeman and a bit of banter with his erstwhile Top Gear co-presenter Pete Drummond. Peel also chats about an upcoming holiday to France with his brother Alan and a recent visit to Birmingham, taking in Handsworth market and The Diskery. Sessions tonight come from Roy Harper, Ten Years After and Third Ear Band.

This one is missing the last 22-25 minutes and once again starts a little slowly. It also gets a little crackly towards the end; maybe it was the end of the reel, hence the truncated recording.


Tracklisting

Ten Years After - Woke Up This Morning (session)
Crosby Stills and Nash - Helplessly Hoping
Fairport Convention - Si Tu Dois Partir
Roy Harper - (It's Tomorrow And) Today Is Yesterday (session)
Chicago Transit Authority - Listen
Third Ear Band - Hyde Park Raga (session)
McKenna Mendelsohn Mainline - Beltmaker
News
Steve Miller Band - My Dark Hour
David Bowie - Space Oddity
Ten Years After - Crossroads (session)
Roy Harper - Hell's Angels (session)
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Pachuco Cadaver
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Pachuco Cadaver (brief reprise)
Johnny Winter - Black Cat Bone
Third Ear Band - Druid (session)
The Glass Menagerie - Watching The World Pass By
Roy Harper - She's The One (session)
Blodwyn Pig - The Change Song
Tim Hardin - Simple Song of Freedom
Ten Years After - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
Roy Harper - Hey Francesca (session)
Bizarre applause - end of tape

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John Peel's Top Gear - 4th. July 1970


In Session

Country Joe McDonald
Fotheringay
Cochise


Details

We fast-forward nearly a year from the previous show to mid-1970, and find music-loving Johnny Plee introducing sessions from Country Joe McDonald, Fotheringay and Cochise. It all gets a bit Pete Frame at this point, because Country Joe had recently stopped working with The Fish (as he told John Walters while recording the session), Fotheringay was Sandy Denny's project after leaving Fairport and Cochise are probably best known for being Mick Grabham's main band before joining Procol Harum. By coincidence, Peel even plays a Procol Harum track right before one of Cochise's session tracks. Hope you're all taking notes; there'll be a test after class.


Tracklisting

Free - Mr. Big
The American Dream - Credamphels
Fotheringay - The Sea (session)
Wilbert Harrison - Blue Monday
Cochise - Woodland Light Irons (session)
The Pretty Things - Scene One/The Good Mr.Square/She Was Tall, She Was High
News
Fotheringay - The Ballad of Ned Kelly (session)
David Bowie - Memory of a Free Festival
Country Joe McDonald - Hold On It's Coming (session)
Country Joe McDonald - Balancing On The Edge Of Time (session)
Country Joe McDonald - It's So Nice To Have Love (session)
Country Joe McDonald - Maria (session)
Country Joe McDonald - Tell Me Where You're Bound (session)
Medicine Head - Coast To Coast (And Shore To Shore)
Fotheringay - Banks of The Nile (session)
Procol Harum - Your Own Choice
Cochise - Past Loves (session)
Wild Man Fisher - The Wild Man Fisher Story ("cadet edition")
Mike Cooper - Watching You Fall
News
Grateful Dead- New Speedway Boogie
American Tourist photo competition
"Disinterred 33 1/3": Soft Machine - We Did It Again
Fotheringay - The Way I Feel (session)
Cochise - Velvet Mountain (session)
Mississippi Fred McDowell - 61 Highway
Malaysian Girls - Hydro Percussion (from "John Peel's Archive Things")
Chickenshack - Never Ever

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John Peel's Top Gear - 11th. July 1970


In Session

Son House
Kevin Ayers
East of Eden


Details

It's John Walters' birthday and Peel says that this Top Gear is "the nicest we've had for as long as I can remember". Sessions this week come from Son House, Kevin Ayers and East of Eden.

JP seems both astonished and delighted to have Son House on the programme. And I remember him saying a few years back that Jack White was pretty well incredulous when he told him Son had recorded a Peel session. But Jack's reaction is not that surprising; after all, how many contemporary British DJs in the 00s would have been able to say that they'd had one of the legendary delta bluesmen on their show? I reckon John P, who was developing a good friendship with Jack, was pretty proud to have been able to tell him that.


Tracklisting

Top Gear Theme
Doug Kershaw - Mama Rita in Hollywood
Kevin Ayers - Derby Day (session)
East of Eden - Nymphenburger (session)
Steeleye Span - The Blackleg Miner
Traffic - Stranger to Himself
Fotheringay - Nothing More
News
Poco - Hurry Up
Son House - My Good Gal (session)
John Simon - Davey's On The Road Again
Kevin Ayers - The Interview (session)
Kevin Ayers - We Did It Again (session)
Jellybread - Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu
East of Eden - Sphynx (session)
Son House - Spoken Word 1 (session)
Son House - Death Letter (session)
Son House - Spoken Word 2 (session)
Son House - Don't You Mind People Grinnin' In Your Face (session)
[News Edit]
East of Eden - Jig-a-Jig (session)
Ronnie Lane - Evolution (Stone)
Fairport Convention - Doctor of Physics
Kevin Ayers - Lunatic's Lament (session)
Matthew's Southern Comfort - Something In The Way She Moves
Top Gear Theme