The titles of the first 100 albums of late legendary DJ John Peel’s record collection have been released online today.
The names of 2,600 albums of the broadcaster’s cherished record collection are being released as part of a project called ‘The Space’, run by The John Peel Centre in Stowmarket, which aims to recreate Peel’s home studio and library online.
Peel, who died in 2004, had a collection of about 25,000 vinyl albums. Every week, the museum will expand its virtual museum by adding the names of another 100 albums in alphabetical order.
Among the first artists are Abba, ABC, AC/DC and Adam & The Ants. Although copyright prevents the website streaming the albums online, there will be links to listen elsewhere. There will also be detailed information about each record, taken from Peel’s personal notes.
John Peel’s widow Sheila Ravenscroft said: “There’ll be information about the record sleeve, front and back, all the information about the record itself, as well as whether John rated the album or not,” she said. “I think people are going to be very interested as to what’s in the collection. They will be amused and intrigued by it.”
Andrew Stringer, a director of the John Peel Centre, told the BBC that the collection gives a “fantastic” insight into John Peel’s career: “Whether people listened to his shows or not, their social history has been influence by him because nothing was deemed ‘out of the box’ and it encouraged people to expand their horizons.”
He added: “Would punk have been the movement it was without John? I very much doubt it.”