A platform that has helped musicians in England gain exposure and develop their talent; countless numbers have recorded at the BBC. From The Beatles to Led Zeppelin to The Kinks and even Gothic Metal pioneers Paradise Lost, the BBC has been instrumental in artist development for nearly 100 years. Still doing so, as we are fully enthralled by the digital age, in years past, artists had the chance to perform live on BBC radio to gain attention and collaborate with others. Extremely cool and nurturing to music, in the 1980s, some of the bigger radio shows on BBC Radio included the John Peel Show and Mike Read’s. Two very prominent presenters for the BBC, John Peel helped introduce listeners to a wide range of artists, including The Smiths, Buzzcocks, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. At the same time, Mike Read also worked on popular shows such as Top of the Pops and inadvertently helped Frankie Goes To Hollywood reach number one with 1984’s “Relax” after banning it from his show.
Each played key roles in many artists’ careers; the BBC also featured a young, up-and-coming act known as The Beat (or The English Beat in North America). Appearances for The Beat that took place in the spring of 1979, winter of 1980, and again in the early spring of 1982, these performances assisted in launching to grand success, which included their 1980 debut, I Just Can’t Stop It, 1981’s Wha’ppen?, and 1982’s Special Beat Service, which topped the UK Album Charts. Sessions with extremely high sound quality and historic significance for The Beat, now in 2025, are the first-ever The Beat BBC Sessions available for purchase.
Set for exclusive release through Rhino Records as a Record Store Day Black Friday 2025 on November 28, 2025, these rare recordings come together on two clear vinyl records. Also offered either digitally and on CD formats, the collection is carefully laid out, including the first broadcast on the John Peel Show on BBC 1 from November 5, 1979, those from the Mike Read Show on BBC 1 from Feburary 11, 1980, others from the John Peel Show from September 2, 1980, as well as from March 29, 1982, plus a song from The Evening Show with David Jensen (“Night and Day”) from April 22, 1982.
A total of 21 recordings, you get to hear delightful performances of “Mirror in the Bathroom,” “Too Night To Talk To,” “Save It For Later,” and much more. Sounding enthusiastic, Vocalist/Guitarist Dave Wakeling, Vocalist Ranking Roger, Lead Guitarist Andy Cox, Bassist David Steele, Drummer Everett Morton, and Saxophonist Saxa all sound extremely tight as a unit.
Packaged in a lovely gatefold sleeve, the front art is a 1962 street scene photo in Birmingham, taken by Peter Donnelly, that immediately draws your gaze and invites you to examine what is happening here. A great selection to match this release, overall, The Beat at The BBC complements other newly released English Beat records in recent years, including limited-edition color pressings of Special Beat Service (from early 2025) and I Just Can’t Stop It (from 2024). That is why Cryptic Rock urges fans to act quickly to get a copy on vinyl, giving The Beat at The BBC 5 out of 5 stars.
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