Brierly Hill 90210 presents... 1983 v3

The episode kicks-off with the music that, at 10pm Monday through Thursday, signaled the start of the John Peel show on Radio 1. Pickin' the Blues by Grinderswitch. I had started listening to Peel's show the year before and absolutely loved the Festive Fifty at Christmas time, when listeners voted for their favorite songs of the year. There was so much good music delivered in a way that I'd never heard before. It was raw, heart-felt and, above all else, really good music. I was an avid listener as 1983 began, 16-years old and still too young-looking to get served in pubs. I'd stayed on at school with the intention of completing some A-levels and heading off to college. But by January of 1983, that plan was already looking a little iffy. I was starting to drift and loose focus... except on what was in this week's NME and what John Peel would be playing tonight.