Peel Acres 

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The Collection explores some of the world's most exciting record collections.

The Collection explores some of the world's most exciting record collections, sharing the infinite stories that spring from the music within them.

The Collection explores some of the world's largest and most exciting record collections, picking out the best of the best tracks, and sharing the infinite stories that spring from those discoveries.

The Collection: Peel Acres: Adam Buxton

Adam Buxton

BBC Radio 6 Music - The Collection, Peel Acres, Adam Buxton

Comedian Adam Buxton joins Tom Ravenscroft to explore his dad's vast record collection.

Comedian and podcaster Adam Buxton joins Tom Ravenscroft to explore the legendary record collection of his dad, BBC DJ John Peel - tens of thousands of albums and singles collected over a lifetime. And among the music memorabilia, Tom has a surprise for Adam, in the form of a handwritten letter from David Bowie.

Presented by Tom Ravenscroft
Produced by Kevin Core and Becca Bryers

Track 1: Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage All Over The City - Yoko Ono (from Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band)
Adam gets off to a flying start with his first pick of the day - the debut album from Japanese artist Yoko Ono. Released in 1970, it was recorded and released at the same time as her husband’s album - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band - which shared very similar cover artwork.  The title and lyrics of this particular track, were derived from her book Grapefruit. 

Track 2: Old Maid (Southern California Brings Me Down) - National Lampoon (from Good-Bye Pop 1952-1976)
Adam’s intrigued by an album from American humour magazine National Lampoon, which reached its peak popularity in the 70s and helped launch the careers of many big comedy names including John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray. Paul Jacobs is the guitarist on this Neil Young spoof, who went on to work with Meat Loaf and to write songs for Sesame Street.

Track 3: Foofer Soofer- Fania All Stars (from Delicate and Jumpy)
Fania All Stars were a showcase of musicians signed to the salsa label Fania Records - and so had a constantly revolving line up of members. This was their second studio album, released in 1976.

Track 4: Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage All Over The City - Yoko Ono (from Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band)
This is the debut album by Japanese artist Yoko Ono - released in 1970, recorded and released at the same time as her husband’s album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band - which share very similar album artwork. At the time of release Yoko was still widely blamed for breaking up The Beatles. The title and lyrics of this song were derived from her 1964 book Grapefruit.

Track 5: Downtown Tonight - Racing Cars (from Downtown Tonight)
Next Adam picks out the debut album from Racing Cars, based on the surprising number of copies in the collection. The Welsh pop rock band recorded five sessions for John Peel’s show.

Track 6: One In Ten - UB40 (from Chart Hits 81: Volume 2)
Breaking the usual podcast format, Adam has brought along his first ever record, to hide among John Peel’s collection. His favourite track from the compilation is from Birmingham reggae pop band, UB40 - a Top 10 hit which refers to the percentage of the West Midlands workforce claiming unemployment benefits at the time.

Track 7: Brick Is Red - Pixies (from Surfer Rosa)
Adam is a huge fan of the Pixies, synonymous with the 1990s alt rock scene in America. This was their first full length album, released in 1988 - and once bought and then promptly returned to the shop by a teenage Adam Buxton.

Track 8: Big Jilm - Ween (from Pure Guava)
Gene and Dean Ween (not their real names) are the core members of American experimental rock band Ween, whose USP is humour and absurdity.

The Collection: Peel Acres

BBC Radio 6 Music

Classic concerts & sessions from the BBC's vast music store. It's your musical heritage.

BBC 6 Music brings together the cutting edge music of today, the iconic and groundbreaking music of the past 40 years and unlimited access

Tom Ravenscroft invites guests to Peel Acres: the home of John Peel's music collection.

Tom Ravenscroft invites a different guest each week to Peel Acres: the home of his dad, former BBC Radio DJ John Peel (who passed away in 2004), and his legendary music collection.

6 Music's Tom Ravenscroft invites a different guest each week to Peel Acres: the home of his dad, former BBC Radio DJ John Peel (who passed away in 2004), and his legendary music collection.

John was an English DJ, broadcaster and journalist. His broadcasting career spanned five decades, and he was known for hosting his regular Peel Sessions on his BBC Radio 1 show. He played an instrumental role in the early careers of many bands, including Pulp, The Smiths, The Undertones and The White Stripes.

Tom's guests will lend a hand (and two ears) in making sense of this vast record archive, which comprises tens of thousands of albums and singles, built over a lifetime and meticulously catalogued.

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