John Peel documentaries

Originally recorded as six one-hour documentaries in 1987, Peeling Back The Years is an opportunity to enjoy John Peel in conversation with his great friend and producer John Walters.

Original BBC-post

Tuesday 25 Oct, 2100-2200
Peeling Back the Years parts 1 and 2
Presented by Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson

The Fan and The DJ - John Peel recalls his memories of the music he listened to as a child at school and as a teenager at prep school and in the Army.

He reveals that his yearning to have an audience he could share the music he enjoyed with drove him to seek his first job at WWR Radio in Dallas, Texas. Whilst he would have liked to believe that he broke into broadcasting because of his extensive knowledge of the blues, in retrospect he suspects it was because of the way he spoke:

"In those days I used to talk like a minor member of the royal family. I had a perfectly extraordinary accent ... It was very high-pitched, very nasal and embarrassing to hear now ... I assume they put me on air because they thought people are not going to believe it when they hear this pillock!"

Also includes John's thoughts on his first experiences as a DJ in the US and his return to pirate radio and eventually Radio 1 in the UK.

Listen to Peeling Back the Years - part 1 (in full)
Listen to Peeling Back the Years - part 2 (in full)

Wednesday 26 Oct, 2100-2200
Peeling Back the Years parts 3 and 4
Presented by Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson

Pre-punk and punk - hear all about the late 60s and early 70s including music from Captain Beefheart, The Faces etc. Plus, the truth behind John Peel's relationship with Marc Bolan.

The programme also includes the definitive story of one of the most exciting times in British music - told by the man who, in terms of radio, was the driving force.

The soundtrack to the interviews is provided by some of the bands he championed, including The Ramones, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Captain Beefheart, The Undertones and, of course, The Fall (with whom he had an extended love affair).

Listen to Peeling Back the Years - part 3 (in full)
Listen to Peeling Back the Years - part 4 (in full)

Thursday 27 Oct, 2100-2200
Peeling Back the Years parts 5 and 6
Presented by Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson

Post-punk and past, present, future; how the British music scene changed after the punk era.

Julian Cope and the Bunnymen are among the topics of discussion, and the programme also includes a round-up of some of the big players such as David Bowie, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young, as well as John's thoughts regarding the future of music.

Listen to Peeling Back the Years - part 5 (in full)
Listen to Peeling Back the Years - part 6 (in full)