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Right Down the Line

Johnnie meets an unsung hero, likely to be found playing on most of your '70s album collections - slide and pedal steel guitar player BJ Cole.

Johnnie Walker spins the hits and digs out the rarities from the decade of big hair, big platforms and big riffs.

This week Johnnie kicks off with a 70 Second 70s that remembers the debut of the compact disc, soon to take over from the vinyl record before shuffling over for the MP3.

Also on the show, Dave Brock of the seminal space rock group Hawkwind picks two of his favourite tracks in My 70s. The only constant member of the band since they formed in 1969, they are best known for their No. 3 hit Silver Machine from 1972, featuring vocals from Lemmy who later formed Motorhead.

And Johnnie meets one the unsung heroes behind our favourite 70's records. BJ Cole is one of the most revered slide and pedal steel guitar players in rock music. In the 1970's he became a hugely in demand session player, lending his skills to classic records by Elton John, Humble Pie, Gerry Refferty, Jimmy Webb, Joan Armatrading and Andy Fairweather Low amongst many others. Johnnie reminisces with BJ about some of these sessions, discusses the art of the slide and pedal steel guitar and asks what it's like to still be playing with the likes of Scott Walker, forty years on.

1 hour, 56 minutes

Last on

Sun 3 Mar 2013 15:00

Music Played

  • Hour 1

    • Jackson Browne

      Running On Empty

      • The Next Voice You Hear - Jackson Bro.
      • Elektra.
  • David Bowie

    Young Americans

    • David Bowie - Best Of Bowie.
    • EMI.
  • 70 Second 70s: The launch of the Compact Disc

    • Ian Dury & the Blockheads

      Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

      • Fantastic 70's (Various Artists).
      • Sony Tv/Columbia.
  • Lene Lovich

    Lucky Number

    • Fantastic 70's (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.
  • Elvis Costello & The Attractions

    Oliver's Army

  • Led Zeppelin

    Stairway To Heaven

    • Led Zeppelin - Early Days.
    • Atlantic.
  • Neil Diamond

    I Am, I Said (Live)

    • MCA.
  • The Byrds

    Cowgirl In The Sand

    • Asylum.
  • My 70s: Dave Brock of Hawkwind

    • Flo & Eddie

      Just Another Town

      • Rhino.
  • Steve Miller Band

    Going To Mexico

    • Capitol.
  • Joe South & The Believers

    Walk A Mile In My Shoes

    • The Best Of.
    • Rhino.
  • Chris Spedding

    Motor Biking

    • Greatest Hits Of The 70's (Various).
    • Disky.
  • The Rolling Stones

    Tumbling Dice

    • The Rolling Stones - Forty Licks.
    • Abkco.
    • 1.
  • Hour 2

    • Eddie & the Hot Rods

      Do Anything You Wanna Do

      • Beautiful Game (Various Artists).
      • Universal.
  • M

    Pop Muzik

    • Million Sellers Vol.16 - The Seventie.
    • Disky.
  • Manfred Mann鈥檚 Earth Band

    Blinded By The Light

    • Drivetime 3 (Various Artists).
    • Dino.
  • T. Rex

    Children of the Revolution

    • Tanx + Zinc Alloy.
    • Edsel.
    • 006.
  • Edison Lighthouse

    Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)

    • 70's Number Ones Vol 3.
    • Old Gold.
  • In conversation with B.J. Cole

    • The Walker Brothers

      No Regrets

      • Best Of Scott Walker & The Walker Bro.
      • Fontana.
  • Elton John

    Tiny Dancer

    • Diamonds.
    • Virgin EMI Records.
  • Andy Fairweather鈥怢ow

    Wide Eyed And Legless

    • (Single).
    • A&M.
  • Dionne Warwick & The Detroit Spinners

    Then Came You

    • A One Of A Kind Love Affair.
    • Atlantic.
    • 11.
  • Buckingham Nicks

    Don't Let Me Down

    • Universal Music Group.
  • Boz Scaggs

    Lowdown

    • Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees.
    • Columbia.
  • The Tourists

    I Only Want To Be With You

    • Fantastic 70's (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.

Broadcast

  • Sun 3 Mar 2013 15:00