[peel] Re: Ken Garner

[Martin Wheatley]

At 20:02 18/02/2007, you wrote:

>I take all of your points, but feel there are ways and ways of doing
>things. For one thing, I don't imagine the amount of work and number of
>pages required would exceed Martin C Strong's Great Rock Discography.
>In fact, less work would probably be required, as no real research
>would be involved, only the processing of lists which already exist.
Most big discography books are the culmination of someone's
hobby with data put together over many years
Back in the old days when I was a record dealer I used to do this myself
- collect all the catalogues and do my own discographies
Long gone now

Processing the lists assuming they were available which we don't
know would involve someone setting aside many months of their life
as Ken did once for the session book but he is otherwise employed now

>For another thing, one needn't publish everything in one volume. For
>example, a book on Peel's Shows 1976-1980 would be fascinating enough,
>covering the transformation of the show during a particularly
>revolutionary period. Its publication would allow toes to be dipped in
>the water to assess the potential market for future volumes.
>
>As for the expense, I for one would be prepared to fork out plenty for
>what I would regard as a music fan's dream. And I can't imagine that
>the book would cost more than people appear willing to pay for second
>hand copies of In Session Tonight on eBay!
>

This is just individual collectors - not the numbers needed to finance a book

I've just looked at Yahoogroups  and there are 512 members.  But a
considerable number are listed as bounces or look like fairly historic
  memberships.   I really don't think there are that many people left
who are that interested in Peel minutiae.  The session book is very
different to what you propose since it listed many recordings that people
wouldn't otherwise know about and so was supplementary to standard
discographies.  The biography (which I am currently halfway through)
is just an entertaining read but beyond that.........?
I do realise that there are some people especially some on this list
to whom playlists are of vital importance but I really don't think it is
that many.  It's very easy on a list like this to get it out of proportion

I am not trying to dampen your enthusiasm too much but it is going to
take a real enthusiast with lots of time and money to spare to do what
you want.  And of course it always assumes the BBC would give
access to what are after all private papers even if they still have them all
The BBC were after all the publishers of Ken's book - I doubt they
  would be interested in the playlist books

martinw