Radio 1, nul pointes

[ken garner]

By overwhelming popular request - well, from Steve, anyway - here is the documentary Peel and producer Mike Hawkes made of their trip to the World Popular Song Festival in Japan in late 1986 (Janice Long and Johnny Beerling were on the jaunt too, of course). Only ever broadcast on medium wave (I think), and unlikely to be picked up by 6 Music (if they have any sense), you will find the quality limited in every respect. It's not one of the station or Peel's finest moments. The hour is over-filled with the actual song performances, ad there is comparatively little other material. The songs are, well, exactly what you would expect from an eighties world version of eurovision, without the innocent enthusiasm, national pride, sheer nuttiness, or Sir Terry Wogan; and with Yamaha corporate sponsorship and cross-promotional tie-ups nakedly visible. Most of it is absolutely ghastly - though, like Peel, I liked the Brazilian entry, and Anne Pigalle for France (with a song written by Nick Plytas, of all people, 10 bonus points for the first person here to spot the Peel Session link), is not less than herself. Listening to it for the rip must be only the second time I listened to it all the way through, and I cannot imagine any reason I would listen a third time. Still, for the historical completists, here it is. Something a bit groovier from me next weekend, promise.

k

Peel at The World Popular Song Festival, R1, Japan, 1986-11-02
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2NTK7JE4