Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Episode 1

Old Grey Whistle Test 40Series 1
Episode 1 of 16

Bob Harris presents the first in a series celebrating the 40th anniversary of the classic music TV programme, including interviews with Alice Cooper, Yusuf and Elton John.

Bob Harris presents the first in a series celebrating the 40th anniversary of the classic music TV show. Each programme looks at one complete series of the original Old Grey Whistle Test and includes archive recordings alongside both new interviews and exclusively recorded sessions with guests from the featured series.

Programme One covers series one, which ran from September 1971 to July 1972. Bob interviews the show's producer Mike Appleton about the creation of the show and speaks with Alice Cooper and Elton John about their appearances on The Old Grey Whistle Test. Both artists also feature in archive sessions and there are more classic performances from David Bowie and Curtis Mayfield. Yusuf performs two exclusive acoustic numbers and chats about both his Whistle Test days recording as Cat Stevens and his current projects. There is further live music from Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash.

First broadcast on Radio 2 in 2011.

57 minutes

Last on

Wed 17 Jan 201823:00
BBC Radio 2

More episodes

Previous

You are at the first episode

Next

Episode 2Series 1

See all episodes from Old Grey Whistle Test 40

Music Played

  • Daft Punk

    Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas) (feat. Julian Casablancas)

    • Columbia.

  • Area Code 615

    Stone Fox Chase (Old Grey Whistle Test Theme)

    • Old Grey Whistle Test.
    • RHINO.
    • WMTV-140.

  • Small Faces

    Happiness Stan

    Artist: Stanley Unwin

    • Ogden's Nut Gone Flake.
    • ESSENTIAL.
    • ESM-CD477.

  • Alice Cooper

    UNDER MY WHEELS (BBC Session version)

  • David Bowie

    Five Years (BBC Session, 18 Jan 1972)

  • James Taylor

    Sweet Baby James

    • James Taylor - Classic Songs.
    • CBS.
    • 241089-2.

  • Curtis Mayfield

    Keep On Keeping On (BBC Session version)

  • Yusuf Islam Whistle Test 40

    • Yusuf Islam

      Trouble (BBC Session version)

  • Yusuf Islam

    Roadsinger (BBC Session version)

  • Elton John

    All The Nasties (BBC Session version)

  • Martin Taylor's Wishbone Ash OGWT performance

    • Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash

      THE KING WILL COME (Whistle Test 40 performance)

  • Last Train Home

    Stone Fox Chase (feat. Eric Brace)

Broadcasts

  • Wed 24 Aug 201122:00
    BBC Radio 2
  • Sat 7 Dec 201304:00
    BBC Radio 6 Music
  • Wed 17 Jan 201823:00
    BBC Radio 2