[peel] Re: Prog doc on BBC 4

[Martin Wheatley]

 >If we get away from ELP - who probably defined the term 'prog' - and
 >look more at the stuff  that was lumped in with prog, then you see
 >that the likes of Pink Floyd et al probably aren't classed by Peel as
 >prog at all, probably 'psychedelic'

I'm sure Pink Floyd are classified as prog by Peel but as he does with many
bands (and I do too) he likes some periods of the band's career and not others.

So Peel doesn't like ELP.   Big deal    Every DJ in whatever area has bands
they don't like including ones in their own musical area
ELP are a bad example for you to take because they didn't start like most
bands.  They were what was known in those days as a 'supergroup' - a group
formed by magicians from other major bands.   They didn't do sessions for
Peel but then they didn't do sessions for anyone - they started as a major
stadium band.   All 3 musicians had their records played and done sessions
with their previous bands but ELP was already beyond that and it's no surprise
Peel paid no attention to them
Peel in those days stood in the relationship to prog bands as he does now to
indie bands.  He played their early records, gave them sessions and exposure
and encouragement but when they became successful and hit the mainstream
and daytime radio he moved on to the next new band
In those days there were no indie labels (that came with punk in the late 70s)
but prog rock was the cutting edge of popular music for awhile and it ceased to
be the cutting edge Peel moved to the new thing as he has always done

That is what he sees as his function and it's what the BBC and the record
industry see as his function too.

One of the implications of that is that Peel will not necessarily like the 
things today
he did 3 years ago let alone 30 years ago.  I know I don't

The point about the current wave of heavy metal/prog bands is that they aren't
at the cutting edge of anything - they stale retreads of old message every bit
as much as the worst of Britpop was (which Peel did his best stay clear of too)
I think Peel at the moment plays too many American new blues bands but I
know that I should stay with him because he'll move to something else more
interesting in a few months.  Unfortunately I can't say the same thing for 
Zane Lowe
or even  sadly Steve Lamacq - both of whom I no longer listen to exact to 
grab the
occasional promising session (whose timing I know pretty much exactly now
so I don't have to listen to the rest of the prog!)

Just for the record the Radio 1 had one other DJ during the prog years who 
is still
on Radio 1 and used to play prog but now doesn't!

martinw