Pink Floyd Online

In 1970 and 1971 Pink Floyd played at John Peels BBC show. The exacts dates and performance details for these shows have been shrouded in confusion for years, and has been given wrongly in numerous publications (including the BBC – In Session Tonight and earlier versions of this document.).

These shows include some of the best and most popular “live” performances of early Floyd material. Recently some Floyd fans have done a lot of effort resulting in 2 CD-R RoIOs (Mooed music, and Meddled) which contain the best and most complete recordings of these shows

16 July, 1970. BBC’s Paris Theatre, London UK.
Sounds of the Seventies: John Peel Show, BBC 1 Radio.
Recorded on the 16th
Broadcasted on 19july70 at 4:00 PM and
rebroadcasted on 22jul70 at 6:00 PM
“The Embryo” – 10:30
“Fat Old Sun” – 5:00
“Green Is The Colour”/”Careful with that Axe, Eugene” – 11:30
“If” – 4:30
“Atom Heart Mother” – 26:00
Total time: 60:00

This is the only live performance of “If” by Pink Floyd, with Roger on acoustic guitar and Rick on bass and organ simultaneously (Roger did perform it numerous times on his solo tours). “Atom Heart Mother” was performed with the accompaniment of The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.
The Fat Old Sun is missing from the BBC transcription discs, and is only available because Floyd fans recorded the radio show all those years ago. The quality of this track is therefore less on the Mooed music ROIO. Most common RoIOs omit this song altogether.

30 September, 1971. BBC’s Paris Theatre, London UK.
Recording for the John Peel Show, BBC 1 Radio
Recorded on the 12th of October
Broadcast at 10:00 pm
“Embryo” – 10:30
“Blues” – 5:00
“Fat Old Sun” – 15:00
“One of These Days” – 8:00
“Echoes” – 28:00
Total time: 68:00

Note: “The John Peel Show” was only 55 minutes long. “Embryo” and “Blues” were never broadcast in the UK. (see the Note manpage) They were only aired on WNEW-FM, New York City, USA sometime in 1971. This WNEW portion was broadcast only once, unfortunately, and features the station’s call sign (“This is WNEW…”) in the middle of Embryo. As a result of this all versions of Embryo in circulation either have a rough (or very smooth) edit, or contain the call sign. The 1971 and 1970 shows are rebroadcast nearly every year in the USA on the “King Biscuit Flour Hour.” However, it is a combination version of the two shows and is incomplete.
Note

Although rumor has it that a special broadcast was made on the AM (Medium Wave), which featured One Of These Days, Fat Old Sun, The Embryo and Echoes. If this is true, I’d like to receive a tape of this show ;)

With the exception of the aforementioned Mooed and Meddled RoIOs, all RoIOs I’ve come across of these shows are incomplete to varying degrees, some are audibly mastered from vinyl and/or are a combination of both shows.