― autovac (autovac), Friday, 29 October 2004 20:25 (nineteen years ago) link
It's records, man. He'd prob understand.
― Andrew Blood Thames (Andrew Thames), Saturday, 30 October 2004 00:24 (nineteen years ago) link
― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Sunday, 31 October 2004 10:42 (nineteen years ago) link
― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Sunday, 31 October 2004 10:44 (nineteen years ago) link
The broadcaster John Peel held discussions with the British Library about leaving his extraordinary record collection to the nation prior to his death last week.
The Radio 1 DJ, one of the most influential figures in music over the past four decades, amassed an unrivalled array of vinyl, CDs and tapes from around the world. His exhaustive collection, made up of many of the bands he loved such as the Fall, the Undertones and obscure African acts as well as early demos from bands that went on to make it big, ran to hundreds of thousands, all carefully stored in alphabetical order.
It would be the biggest and most important batch of material ever deposited with the national Sound Archive, which is held by the British Library. It is not clear what will happen to Peel's collection because his will has not yet been made public, if indeed he made one.
Peel's widow, Sheila, and other members of the family are still in Peru, where he died of a heart attack on Monday while on a working holiday. They are arranging the return of his body and are expected back in the UK early this week.
The archive's curator for popular music, Andy Linehan, visited the DJ at his home in Suffolk to examine the stack of music which had to be housed in a purpose-built extension owing to its size. "It's a fantastic collection. The nature of the material that was sent to him was the kind of stuff that we couldn't possibly get hold of," he said.
The Sound Archive, largely housed at the library in St Pancras, London, runs to around 2.5 million important recordings. Unlike the library of print publications, there is no legal requirement to deposit material, so it relies on donations and acquisitions.
Peel had been a tireless champion of new music from the days of mid-1960s psychedelia when he first began broadcasting in the UK as a pirate DJ. His enthusiasm helped many of the world's biggest bands find an audience, including Led Zeppelin, Nirvana and the White Stripes, during his 37 years at Radio 1.
His death at 65 left the music world in mourning and prompted glowing eulogies from those who are indebted to his patronage such as Elvis Costello, Feargal Sharkey and Jarvis Cocker. His friend Roger McGough yesterday presented a special edition of Home Truths, the Radio 4 series Peel created looking at the quirks and strains of family life. It featured some of the most memorable moments from the show.
Peel's long-time manager, Clive Selwood, confirmed the discussions with the British Library. "The idea certainly had favour with him, but we'll just have to see what happens. We would have to act in the best interests of the family. It should stay in England, but I've got to try to look after the interests of the family. This was his great asset. He was never a great saver of money." 1 November 2004 14:56
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― herbalizer12 (herbalizer12), Monday, 1 November 2004 06:54 (nineteen years ago) link
― Bimble (bimble), Monday, 1 November 2004 08:53 (nineteen years ago) link
John Peel’s record collection to become an “online interactive museum”
http://www.factmag.com/2012/02/23/john-peels-record-collection-to-become-an-online-museum/
― Feebs K-Tel (NickB), Thursday, 23 February 2012 16:49 (twelve years ago) link
..won't actually be able to play any of the records... but..
― Mark G, Thursday, 23 February 2012 17:07 (twelve years ago) link
I miss this man.
― Turrican, Friday, 24 February 2012 01:47 (twelve years ago) link
HOLY SHIT U GUYS
http://www.thestoolpigeon.co.uk/features/news-john-peel-archive-to-go-online-may-1.html
THE FIRST 100 records from John Peel’s personal record collection will be online as of tomorrow (May 1).The records are being archived as part of an online museum project called The Space, which hopes to digitise the entirety of the late Radio 1 DJ’s whopping vinyl stash — some 25,000 vinyl LPs, 40,000 vinyl singles
The records are being archived as part of an online museum project called The Space, which hopes to digitise the entirety of the late Radio 1 DJ’s whopping vinyl stash — some 25,000 vinyl LPs, 40,000 vinyl singles
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Monday, 30 April 2012 12:08 (eleven years ago) link
Wonder what sort of order they're going to do these in?
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Monday, 30 April 2012 12:10 (eleven years ago) link
Update: According to The Independent [via Twitter], the collection will not – as was previously claimed – be streamable
Anyways...http://thespace.org/
― Mark G, Monday, 30 April 2012 12:49 (eleven years ago) link
awwww :(
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Monday, 30 April 2012 12:59 (eleven years ago) link
So what's the point, then?
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 30 April 2012 15:29 (eleven years ago) link
"This is one of the greatest libraries ever. PS the books are all encased in glass."
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Monday, 30 April 2012 16:31 (eleven years ago) link
This is what FACT said, guess we'll find out tomorrow:
It will, however, showcase Peel’s meticulous cataloging system he had where, for each record, he would “type out a filing card for every album. Starting in 1969, he made a postcard-sized card for each new LP, and inscribed the name of the album; the name of the band and all the tracks.”In the words of Sheila Ravenscroft, John Peel’s widow, “Even just within those first 100 records from each letter, I think people are going to be very interested as to what’s in the collection. I think they will be amused and intrigued by it.“There’ll be information about the record sleeve, front and back, all the information about the record itself, as well as whether John rated the album or not.”“Then out of those first 100, we’ve chosen one artist that we’re honing in on, that we’re going to do a special thing on each week.”
In the words of Sheila Ravenscroft, John Peel’s widow, “Even just within those first 100 records from each letter, I think people are going to be very interested as to what’s in the collection. I think they will be amused and intrigued by it.“There’ll be information about the record sleeve, front and back, all the information about the record itself, as well as whether John rated the album or not.”
“Then out of those first 100, we’ve chosen one artist that we’re honing in on, that we’re going to do a special thing on each week.”
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Monday, 30 April 2012 16:37 (eleven years ago) link
Well, this is all quite neat to look at, but the actual content seems to be a bit like a card file version of discogs.com but with a lot less detail.
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 09:02 (eleven years ago) link
Ha, they have AMT listed as Acid Mothers Today
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 09:08 (eleven years ago) link
Maybe there is some mystical aspect at being able to view this stuff that I'm failing to grasp.
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 09:10 (eleven years ago) link
So, you have to watch the video to find out what, exactly, they are going to do with it.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 09:12 (eleven years ago) link
I do appreciate the spotify link to Mike Absalom who I always meant to check out but kept forgetting about.
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 09:27 (eleven years ago) link
eh -- "this is one of the greatest libraries ever but we haven't digitized all the books so the website is just a catalogue, what were you expecting" -- the curatorial issues don't really work the same way. i wonder what percentage of the 25,000 LPs + 40,000 singles is actually not available in digital form already somewhere.
― thomp, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 09:49 (eleven years ago) link
Among the first artists are Abba, ABC, AC/DC and Adam & The Ants.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-17894985
BBC getting a great handle on his role as champion of the obscure and unsung.
― Touché Gödel (ledge), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 09:51 (eleven years ago) link
huge copyright problems with just digitising these albums and putting them online, am surprised anyone thought that they would. (actually, i'm not, kids today...)
― koogs, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 10:19 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah seriously wtf?
― Homosexual Satan Wasp (Matt DC), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 10:21 (eleven years ago) link
actually, there must be records in there that are out of copyright, most of Pig's Big 78s for instance. and those British Hit Parade 1961 compilations on amazon suggest that anything before 1961 is fair game... (although i think the rules have just changed again, thanks Cliff)
― koogs, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 10:29 (eleven years ago) link
a lot of people are gonna be disappointed to find out it mostly contains grindcore. not me.
― kid steel (cajunsunday), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 11:17 (eleven years ago) link
Does 20,000 albums seem, um, not that many? Or am I massively underestimating how 'many' that is?
― Mark G, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 11:20 (eleven years ago) link
it means of all the albums he heard every year from his fifteenth birthday from his death, he found 400 that he thought were worth keeping
― thomp, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 11:37 (eleven years ago) link
until his death, even
Kept Scoundrel Days, binned Hunting High & Low
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 11:42 (eleven years ago) link
so, ten a week then.
I can only imagine the volume he 'rejected' then, how do you get rid of those sorts of quantities of stuff?
― Mark G, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 11:48 (eleven years ago) link
leave them in a box at maida vale for people to take? i dunno, it doesn't seem that tough
― thomp, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 11:50 (eleven years ago) link
anyway, what this demonstrates is that john peel's average critical nous over a lifetime should be ranked at .4 peak weingartens
I guess, mainly because I'm imagining these all being sent to "Peel Acres" as was.. (xposT)
― Mark G, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 11:51 (eleven years ago) link
i see there are spotify links provided for most records so its not as useless as people are saying - there was no possible way they'd ever have the cash and time to clear every one of those records.
― Jamie_ATP, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 12:13 (eleven years ago) link
so am i missing the part where you can look at front and back covers and info on records? the record spine thing is annoying.
― scott seward, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:11 (eleven years ago) link
16,573 of them are Fall records.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:13 (eleven years ago) link
so am i missing the part where you can look at front and back covers and info on records?
You have to click on them!
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:16 (eleven years ago) link
i did. i'll try a different browser.
― scott seward, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:25 (eleven years ago) link
i guess if yer gonna own just one roy acuff record, that's the one.
― one dis leads to another (ian), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:27 (eleven years ago) link
NERD RAGE - is this in the order he left them in, or is it meant to be alphabetical? Because I've just clicked through Acceleradeck-Abyssinians-Accrington Stanley, and now I'm cross.
― emil.y, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:27 (eleven years ago) link
ah, okay, works with firefox. pictures are too small though. and taking pictures of the inner sleeves is kinda crazy. nice closeups of the labels would have been urgent and key as people like to say.
― scott seward, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:31 (eleven years ago) link
> how do you get rid of those sorts of quantities of stuff?
he used to give them away in competitions, several feet at a time. the play / blog / radio show 'john peel's shed' was written by one of the winners (and is great btw)
― koogs, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:32 (eleven years ago) link
It's a lot less than I would have expected. As for singles, I believe that before he had to sell them all off due to his contretemps with the Inland Revenue, Mike Read's collection went into six figures.
― Here he is with the classic "Poème Électronique." Good track (Marcello Carlin), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:33 (eleven years ago) link
I think the thing with showing the inner sleeves is that he's written on the track playing times on them.
― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:34 (eleven years ago) link
right, i kinda got that, but its a missed opportunity to have nice pictures of record labels that have never been photographed...
― scott seward, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:37 (eleven years ago) link
> ah, okay, works with firefox.
not here. ok in chrome though. odd.
― koogs, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:42 (eleven years ago) link
That website is useless, I keep navigating around it and I never find anything. Suspect it's a browser issue and it bugs me how website developers can't make sure their sites work across browsers.
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:44 (eleven years ago) link
Thing is, nine times out of ten I want to hear something I don't go rifling through my collection but find it online. I guess that's the "future" of record collecting in a nutshell.
― Here he is with the classic "Poème Électronique." Good track (Marcello Carlin), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 13:49 (eleven years ago) link
Everett True tries his hand at what David Stubbs started a couple of weeks ago by doing the 'C's:
http://thequietus.com/articles/08799-john-peel-record-collection-everett-true
― Goodbye 20th Centipede (NickB), Tuesday, 15 May 2012 16:56 (eleven years ago) link
The Ds:http://thespace.org/content/s000004u/albums/recordbox.html?jpID=D060
― Heaven knows I'm thirsty and miserable now (NickB), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 09:50 (eleven years ago) link
this mike absalom album is so lovely!
― Impetuous hybrid (Matt P), Monday, 4 June 2012 17:12 (eleven years ago) link
Don't think anyone's mentioned this, they are scanning a bunch of letters and other ephemera from Peel's collection as well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnpeelarchive/
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, 5 June 2012 12:12 (eleven years ago) link
this is lovely from terry
http://thespace.org/items/e000080q
― Crackle Box, Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:11 (eleven years ago) link
This guy had way more Sammy Hagar records than I ever would have guessed.
― Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 09:02 (eleven years ago) link
only four Half Man Half Biscuit albums?! im surprised
― Michael B Higgins (Michael B), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 09:55 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah, he's got more Hall & Oates than that, must've all been on CD
― Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 10:10 (eleven years ago) link
'X' shelf was a bit sparse after all:
http://thespace.org/content/s000004u/albums/recordbox.html?jpID=X
Wouldn't mind that Xhol record, could take or leave most of the rest of it.
― Superphysical Resurrection (NickB), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 10:26 (eleven years ago) link
This also now leaves a strange and unpleasant taste in the mouth.
― Here he is with the classic "Poème Électronique." Good track (Marcello Carlin), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 13:04 (eleven years ago) link
hmmm yeah, i hear you
― Superphysical Resurrection (NickB), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 13:13 (eleven years ago) link
for anyone still following this, i've been making playlists of the spotifyable stuff.
here's the big a-x one.
http://open.spotify.com/user/grannykart/playlist/7e2UT382pTSwuFcgQSLJAj
here's a "best of" with 130 tracks (there will be more when y and z are posted):
http://open.spotify.com/user/grannykart/playlist/3c6GRo8jtVwikKMfhoYByc
― sriracha bishop (get bent), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 18:25 (eleven years ago) link
awesome work, much appreciated.
― Spectrum, Tuesday, 9 October 2012 19:04 (eleven years ago) link
shocked he didn't have Los Angeles by X!
― rap game klaus nomi (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 19:06 (eleven years ago) link