Where It's At

Where It's At was a six-part documentary series recorded by Peel for BBC Radio 3 and broadcast weekly on Fridays, 7-7.30pm, from 23rd April 1976. Ken Garner (The Peel Sessions, p. 216) describes the programmes as about "the present and possible future of music" and gives the following lineup of shows:
# How Did It Get Here? beginnings
# Rock Art and Rock Folly (Dylan, Beatles, ELP, Mike Oldfield)
# The Supreme Sacrifice (Blues & Gospel)
# From Highlife to Dub and Skank
# Is There Rock On The Moon? (Rock spreads around the world)
# It Gives Me Great Pleasure (Tax exiles and the music Peel currently likes)
In an article in the Listener (1976-04-22, reprinted Olivetti Chronicles, hardback, p.70), Peel himself regrets the title of the series and says that "the listener may well expect to learn which are the current trends and in what directions we may find ourselves moving in the future," but admits "I can still, despite many hours of contemplation, see no trends or direction with which I can reasonably satisfy the questor after truth." It could be argued that Peel was not alone in failing to foresee the imminent arrival of the UK punk revolution.
A short fragment was rebroadcast as part of the John Peel Around The World tribute programme (see linked page for track listing details). Two complete programmes in excellent audio quality have since been made available, with many thanks to the original taper. All tracks are short extracts and serve only to illustrate Peel's analysis.
The series was repeated almost exactly one year later from 15 April 1977.
=== Programme 1: How Did It Get Here? ===
Peel looks at the trend of music on how it ended up here
*File cuts in below
*Pink Floyd: One Of These Days (LP - Meddle) Harvest
*Rolling Stones: Street Fighting Man (LP - Beggars Banquet) London
*Slade: The Bangin' Man
*Sweet: Burn On The Flame (LP - Strung Up) RCA
*Faces: Had Me A Real Good Time (Peel mentions The Faces are his all time favourite band)
;Length
*00:20:30
;Available
*Sound & Moving Image Catalogue (Find Format: B380/1)
=== Programme 2: Rock Art And Rock Folly ===
Peel looks at art in rock music, sometimes known as art rock
* Jerry Lee Lewis: Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin'
*Bob Dylan: Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands
*Beatles: A Day In The Life (LP - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band) Parlophone
*Nice: Ronda (LP - The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack) Immediate
*Emerson, Lake & Palmer: The Great Gates Of Kiev (LP - Pictures At An Exhibition) Island (Peel describes the album as true grotesque and Emerson, Lake & Palmer as the unacceptable face of art rock)
*Pink Floyd: Brain Damage (LP - The Dark Side Of The Moon) Harvest 
*Matching Mole: Marchides (LP - Matching Mole's Little Red Record) CBS
*Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells (LP - Tubular Bells) Virgin
*Henry Cow, Slap Happy: Beautiful As The Moon - Terrible As An Army With Banners (LP - In Praise Of Learning) Virgin
*Tangerine Dream: Phaedra (LP - Phaedra) Virgin
*Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: She's Too Much For My Mirror (LP - Trout Mask Replica) Straight
*Michael Mantler: The Insect God (LP - The Hapless Child (And Other Inscrutable Stories)) WATT Works
;Length
*0:28:19
;Available
*Sound & Moving Image Catalogue (Find Format: B380/1)
===Programme 3: The Supreme Sacrifice===
Peel traces the development of black music from the blues of the 1930s to the disco music then current.
*Blind Willie McTell / Allman Brothers Band / Taj Mahal: 'Statesboro Blues'
*Blind Boys Of Alabama: 'Way Down In The Hole'
*Supremes: 'Baby Love'
*Stevie Wonder: 'Boogie On Reggae Woman (LP-Fulfillingness' First Finale)' (Tamla Motown)
*Rolling Stones: 'Melody (LP-Black And Blue)' (Rolling Stones)
*Barry White: 'You're The First, The Last, My Everything'
*David Bowie: 'Fame (LP-Young Americans)' (RCA)
*Millie Jackson: 'Loving Arms'
;Length
* 00:28:42
;Available
* Mooo
===Programme 4: From Highlife To Dub And Skank===
Peel examines the development of reggae and its influence on rock music.
*Rolling Stones: 'Cherry Oh Baby (LP-Black And Blue)' (Rolling Stones)
*Led Zeppelin: 'D'yer Mak'er (LP-Houses Of The Holy)' (Atlantic)
*Eric Donaldson: 'Cherry Oh Baby'
*Bob Marley & The Wailers: 'So Jah Seh (LP-Natty Dread)' (Island)
*Junior Byles: 'Fade Away' (vocal and dub versions)
*I Roy: 'Rootsman'
*King Tubby: 'Dub Magnificent'
*Thin Lizzy: 'Half-Caste (7"-B side of Rocky)' (Mercury)
*Osibisa: 'Densu' (album - Welcome Home) Bronze BRO 2015
;Length
* 00:28:23
;Available
* Mooo
=== Programme 5: Is There Rock On The Moon? ===
Peel looks at development of music throughout the world, the influence of folk music on British and American artists and finally jazz rock
* Locomotiv GT: Gimme Your Love (LP - Locomotiv GT) Epic (Peel mentions liking an Indonesian rock record he heard on the BBC World Service, whilst driving in Chelmsford. He also says he has an album of a Pervuian band with a fine Hendrix influence guitarist and has 2 singles by a group from Morocco who have attempted to infuse rock with their traditional music)
* Sadistic Mika Band: Time To Noodle (Wah-Kah! Chico) (LP - Hot! Menu) Harvest
* Sadistic Mika Band: Style Is Changing (LP - Hot! Menu) Harvest
* Gary Shearston: Witnessing (LP - Dingo) Charisma
* Little Feat: Long Distance Love
* Richard & Linda Thompson: Withered And Died (LP - I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight) Island
* Steeleye Span: False Knight On The Road
* Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds Of Fire (Peel mentions that their last LP, Inner Worlds, is silly and tedious relying on too much technology rather than originality)
* Herbie Hancock: Heartbeat (LP - Man-Child) Columbia
;Length
*0:28:19
;Available
* Sound & Moving Image Catalogue (Find Format: B380/3)
=== Programme 6: It Gives Me Great Pleasure ===
Peel looks at rock musicians who are tax exiles and his current favourite records
* Rolling Stones: Fool To Cry
* Count Bishops: Teenage Letter (7" - Speedball) Chiswick
* Neil Young: Lookin' For A Love (LP - Zuma) Reprise
* Cate Bros.: Standin' On A Mountain Top (LP - Cate Bros.) Asylum
* Glenn Phillips: Lenore (LP - Lost At Sea) Caroline
* Eno: Sky Saw (LP - Another Green World) Island
;Length
*0:28:26
;Available
* Sound & Moving Image Catalogue (Find Format: B380/3)
;Footnotes
Category:1976
Category:Peel shows
Category:Documentaries
Category:Available online
Category:British Library