The term lard refers to pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated fat content and its often negative image; however, many contemporary cooks and bakers favor it over other fats for select uses. The culinary qualities of lard vary somewhat depending on the part of the pig the fat was taken from and how the lard was processed. Lard is still commonly used to manufacture soap and to fill daytime Radio 1 with utter banality.
Some lard, yesterday
Anyhows, in 2004 some lard (often referred to by its nickname Moyles) tried to make fun of our JP. Here is that lard talking about a typical Peel blunder:
Just as with everything else he did, John Peel was ahead of the game when it came to sporting the renowned 'mullet' haircut. This can be seen in the videoclip you're about to watch, in which a mid-seventies Peel interviews Alex Harvey between songs.
It's a fairly big file (98mb) so be warned!
This post was inspired mainly by Gary's excellent post on Alex Harvey over at his Aural Stimulation blog.
This Peel show is an absolute gem for many obvious reasons (look at the songs he plays), but for those of us obsessed with the annual festive fifty lists, it provides some invaluable new info regarding the mythical 1977 list. The fabulous Rocklist website (www.rocklist.net), along with John Horne’s page, was instrumental in getting me started on the road to my JP music quest, and was infamously the source of about half of Mick Wall’s banal, insipid Peel biography which, given that it was released in time for Christmas 2004, Wall must have started cobbling together within minutes of JP’s death, the bastard.
Anyway, back to the ’77 festive chart. Very little was known about this chart, apart from rumours that one existed. Peel first did a 50 in 1976, which followed the format that later charts would use, listeners writing in with their favourite tracks, which JP would compile into a chart. Rocklist has full charts for every year bar 1977, for which it currently lists only a top 13. Well, the end-of-year show you’re about to be dazzled by confirms categorically that Peel did indeed broadcast a full festive chart at the end of 1977, although from what he says in this show, he seems merely to have chosen his favourite sixty tracks for that year.
This show isn’t Peel’s festive 60 for the year; it is the show broadcast the night after he’d completed the list. It is, however, an absolute belter, as Peel showcases his favourite session tracks of the year. This was quite an eye-opener: despite Peel’s later admission that he had tended to let punk dominate his shows during this period, there are many other genres represented, although I can’t imagine why that would surprise me to much.
Part One
The Motors – Dancing the night away
JP confirms the existence of a festive chart, a festive 60 which he appears to have chosen himself, and that this track was his number one.
Frankie Miller – Be good to yourself (yes, for the second time in the space of 15 minutes)
My eternal thanks to Chris Bussicott for providing this show, and for putting me in my place over the course of our email correspondence, when I suggested that getting to hear this show was right up there alongside the birth of my second son among the very good things to happen this year. Thanks for the reality check, and, admittedly less important in the greater scheme of things, for the chance to use the phrase ‘gloriously washy medium wave’ for the first time in ages.
I’d appreciate anyone downloading this show leaving a comment below to thank Chris for making this available to all of us; he went to some effort to get it onto CD and then mp3ify. Cheers fella, it’s people like you who will help us keep Peel’s legacy alive.
While we’re at it, get yourself over to so it goes site and start reading up on the history of the festive 50. Sorry I’ve not been over for a while, the day job has been inconveniently getting in the way.
Part one:
Part two:
As ever, comments attempting to correct my glaring errors are welcomed.
A special shout out to John Peel Everyday, glad to have you back in action!
I was pleased to receive notice in my mailbox this morning that Unpredictable Porridge is finally about to get started:
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John Peel's Unpredictable Porridge page has been a long time in the building process. This site will continue the legacy of John Peel, you can upload your new musical creations and check out other emerging talent.
Regardless of what style of music you are into, or whether you like to play music, create music, or just listen to music; this site will be for you. John's son William, and Universal Music are seeking to further John's commitment by providing real opportunities and potential record deals for emerging acts. This new interactive portal will be all about your ideas, your talent and your passion for music.
– Then I kissed her
– Less than zero
– Bad man
– Mary of the fourth form (Bob Gelding?)
– Be good to yourself (yes, for the second time in the space of 15 minutes)