The Times recently listed 142 singles that were found in a small box under his desk. Ostensibly ‘Peels Favourites’, a TV programme has been made and shown about them and there has been much discussion. But are we sure these were his absolute favourites? Completely sure?

Well, I saw the programme last night and it was great and the emotion was very real for the great man, but absence of some names is startling. Where is Captain Beefheart? The Fall? Bowie? Einsturzende Neubauten? Instead in the box we got Sheena Easton and Harry Nillson. Were you having a laugh with us, John? Were you having a clear out? Did you forget to tell Sheila about that box you’d put together for Oxfam? Can that explain the multiple copies - three copies of the Undertones’ Teenage Kicks and two copies of The Users ‘Sick on You’? He realised he simply just had too many records and had got fed up with the White Stripes and it was time to get rid.

You having a laugh John?

“Coz, yer gotta ‘ave a larf, har har har har” (thanks, Golinski Brothers for the lyrics!)

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