John Peel plays Billy Bragg for the first time 29th June 1983

Finally, Tim from the Peel Tapes group has located and digitised the legendary first play of Billy Bragg by John Peel in June 1983.
The tape starts just after Peel has messed up by playing the track at 33rpm. He then struggles to re-cue the needle in classic style.
After the track finishes he admits "it was Billy Bragg that bought me a mushroom biryani earlier on this evening, this is corruption, this is savage corruption that needs to be exposed in the world of popular music"
Apocryphal no more!
From the book
Billy Bragg: Still Suitable For Miners (page 102) by Andrew Collins, the debut airplay of Billy Bragg on Peel's show accordingly 'happened through a delicious mixture of chance and ingenuity. Jeff Chegwin played in the Chappell football team, once a week after work in Hyde Park, and Billy occasionally lent them his good right foot. One Wednesday evening, they were all standing around post-match having cans of beer and listening to Radio 1 on somebody's car radio with the doors open when John Peel dropped in during David 'Kid' Jensen's show, saying he'd do anything for a mushroom biryani. Chegwin spotted a gold-plated plugging moment. He and Billy drove over to where Radio 1 broadcast from - Egton House in the shadow of Broadcasting House - and took a mushroom biryani they'd just bought on Oxford Street into reception. Peel was an old hand, well aware of plugger's bullshit, and accustomed to a steady stream of nutters in the lobby, but to his credit, he came down in person and gratefully accepted the vegetable biryani. Billy and Chegwin asked him to listen to their record in return. It's what's known as currying favour. All concerned tuned in later that night, and were rewarded for their quick thinking: Peel thanked Billy for the biryani, said he would've played the record anyway, and proceeded to spin 'The Milkman Of Human Kindness' at the wrong speed (it was cut at 45 rpm for better sound quality, and sounds a bit like a scary monster at 33).'

[@helipeek2736]

The voice of John Peel as warm and welcoming as the Shipping Forecast under the covers on a stormy night

[@StuMcKinlay]

Just saw him last night at The Roundhouse… as relevant as ever. And what a show!!

[@colincouch3416]

I'd never heard of Billy, until I heard A New England by Kirsty McColl, and happened to mention to a friend that it would sound better if it was sung with a Male voice. He soon put me straight. Thank You Zoltan Kasa.

[@slappedhappy9549]

Love it!54yo german here!Grew up with the wednesday night PEEL-SESSIONS!Plus thats my alltime favorite of Billy!🍀Thanx for posting!

[@robertleslie8598]

Then Bill did ‘The Tube’ and ‘Top of the Pops’! The rest is history… all thanks to a veggie curry & the magic ear of the sainted John Peel.

[@kevinaston1707]

billy bragg-------Legend

[@JurassicJungle]

I loved to listen to John and even spoke to him a couple of times when he was on air.

[@fredh1720]

This is so fascinating thank you for uploading it!

[@seattlebeard]

I knew the story of the curry, but it sure is fun to hear Uncle John's comments. I remember seeing a Xeroxed handbill on a telephone pole for an early show. For some reason I went to the record shop and bought the record unheard. It must have been fate. :o)

[@stellajayne]

I got shivers down my spine listening to this.

[@inshreds66]

I was there. Well, i mean I was tuned in when this happened. Heard the call for a curry earlier and then this later.

[@mikeschofield5500]

Great to hear this as a BB fan.

[@somerandomposter1539]

I wasn't listening to the show that night, but some months later Peel played this again (or it might have been another song from "Life's A Riot..." ) and afterwards said "all for the price of a mushroom biryani, quite extraordinary". I thought this was just a comment on the cheap price of the mini-LP (£2.99 from memory) but now, 40 years later, it all makes sense!

[@22Phantasm]

Legend + Legend = Legendary.

[@davidholman2536]

Thank heavens for that mushroom biriani.

[@dischargerecords2331]

That warm analogue sound

[@michaelflint4159]

A review in the NME. I think CharleSharr Murray. Rumours that Billy Bragg had mellowed were put to rest at the hope and anchor last night. His rendition of The milkman of human kindness was to guitar's what joy rider's are to gearboxes. Brilliant

[@davidmasters8206]

At a BB concert last week in Wellington, New Zealand and Billy told the same story Great night.

[@bennyhillschineseblokechar3689]

What I'd like to know is . . . where in God's name have the last 40 years gone?

[@sosimple3585]

@@bennyhillschineseblokechar3689 55 now. And...how did that happen? (I'm still 18 in here. Honestly.)

[@acampbell8614]

@@bennyhillschineseblokechar3689 Dunno. I went out for a laugh with my mates in 1979, I just haven't gone home yet.

[@TheMimifur]

Beautiful

[@davidhodgson3901]

That’s great craic. Thank you.

[@neilwilson5785]

I had that tape recorder

[@kevinaston1707]

john peel, god among men

[@irvb9881]

Never heard this, thanks!

[@terryhurley1]

oh this is amazing

[@terryhurley1]

Almost 40 years !

[@TheSpikehere]

Peel at his (wonderfully) amateurish best.

[@lefthandedluke]

Phill Jupitus and me, stole Billy Bragg's cooker when he was away touring around 1988/1989.......Guilty.......as charged.

[@jamesedwards7844]

Very cutting, raw as it is, I suppose.

[@krisscanlon4051]

Only on Peel's show right? Billy had the career Lennon probably would've have wanted if he wasn't tied in to that big band! Bragg walks it like he talks it.

[@richardwallace6313]

Milkman of Human Kindness, somehow seems odd for a first play from John Peel, but not a bad choice at all.