Cheers for coming back to the blog / finding it for the first time. What is it about lists and when did that trainspotting tendency become something for public consumption? Growing up there were two lists I always looked out for – my older brother would always put together a mix tape – yes we used to have to put on a record, hit play+ record+pause on our cassette deck cue up the song and hope your index finger jabbed that pause button at the optimum moment. Too long and the extra second of silence (with a bit of hiss) would ruin the flow of the tape, too late and introduction of the song might be cut off for half a beat. If you were my brother neither happened, he had it down to a science plus the dual sound meters so he could get the recording level just right thus eliminating those annoying highs and lows. Anyway each year he’d tot up his best singles from the year, note the time on each and convert his knowledge into the best 90 minutes of music you could ask for. On a more professional level by the time as about 12-13 I became aware of John Peel’s festive 50. The NME would always publish the final version and you’d measure your own credibility against his 50 tracks. I think I peaked round about 1985 when I probably had 34 or 35 of Peel’s 50 for the year, probably not coincidentally I worked in a record shop at the time so our discount would take about a quid off of the price of a 12″ single.
I’ve continued/bastardised my brother’s habit and managed to list my own top 10 albums just about every year since about 1981 and it makes me laugh when I look back now at those lists. I’d meant to write this evening about a few lists The Clash have just appeared on but I’ll save that for the weekend – the results aren’t satisfying to me so I’m likely to vent and today seems such a nice day otherwise. What has also made me defer is those John Peel lists, I had it in my head that although he introduced me to much that I like I don’t seem to recall him having much time for The Clash. Unlike so many bands they never recorded a session for him – but nor were The Clash mad about radio’s treatment of them from the very beginning. I do wonder whether the band were ever invited to record a peel session? If you know for certain please write in. My memory though isn’t correct which probably means I started be more aware of John Peel round about 1980.
In 1977 The Clash were number 9 on his top 50 with Complete Control – worth noting is the Sex Pistols highest song was number 11. Considering it was the year when punk really broke commercially its interesting to note Peels Top 10 consisted of two tracks by The Motors and some Neil Young. The Clash also made number 27 with White Riot that same year.
In 1978 Peel really did endorse The Clash with Complete Control (again!?) in the top 10 but much higher as the number 2 song of the year in addition White Man in Hammersmith Palais was 7th for the year. At 15 White Riot and at 23 Police and Thieves. Its interesting to note Peel had songs that were by then over 18 months old making his end of year list – I’m fairly certain that wasn’t typical.
In ‘79 the four tracks I’ve already mentioned appeared on the festive 50 occupying slots 3,5,26 and 49. Interestingly nothing from Give ‘em Enough Rope made it and of course London Calling was released at the time he’d have been making the list. Also 1979 saw more first generation punk records than the prior two years – is it possible that John Peel was a bit behind the times (unlikely) or did the list answer more to the wants of the audience?
1980 saw The Clash appear four more times – adding Bankrobber to the chosen tracks, 1981 saw two nods and Combat Rock brought 3 tracks to his list in 1982. My understanding was voting for tracks began further into the 1980’s but based on these lists I’m now not so sure. The same website gives an overall weighted ranking score for Peel’s favourite bands and while its no shock to see The Fall, The Wedding Present and The Smiths take the top 3 slots I was pleased to see The Clash in at number 17. Much as I love and miss John Peel I always thought there was some bias against bands from London and The Southeast – that might be valid as The Clash are the highest band on that weighted list from my part of England, while fully half of the 16 bands above are from Manchester, Sheffield or Leeds (and surrounds). Either way thank you John Peel and my brother David for making me as prone to make lists as the next person.
More over the weekend including some lists I hope, come on Holland!
*** additional insight below from a visitor Steve N *** (really useful)
Good post and I know exactly what you mean about lists.
Re Peel and The Clash, they were asked to record a session for Peel in 1978 I think, but Mick was going through one of his perfectionist stages and the session over ran and they ran out of time. Peel was always a bit pissed off about this and thereafter never had much time for The Clash. I think this is all documented in Johnny Green’s book as he says that Joe always regretted not getting it together to do the session. I remember hearing him play ‘White Man’ in 1979 and then sardonically saying on the lead out ‘The Clash, turning rebellion into money there’, so he obviously didn’t have much time for them then. I remember him playing ‘Pressure Drop’ alot when ‘English Civil War’ single came out as well, saying he thought it was much better than the A side.
The Festive 50 tracks were never chosen by Peel, they were voted by the listeners firstly as their top 3 tracks of all time, then after he got bored of the same tracks reaching the top spots, he changed the criteria to the top 3 tracks of the year (in early 80’s I think). He used to get quite grumpy with the lack of some of his favourite tracks either not making it or being too far down the list as I remember, so he was always scrupously honest.
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