James Booker - BBC STUDIO SESSION 1978

James Booker – BBC Radio 1 Session (1978) Broadcast on “It’s Rock ’n Roll” – BBC Radio 1 Recorded: Maida Vale Studios, London, 1978 00:00 How Do You Feel 02:14 Introduction 03:23 Tipitina 06:33 Let Them Talk 10:08 Rockin’ Pneumonia 14:29 Baby Won’t You Please Come Home 17:57 Baby Face 20:28 Hound Dog 22:21 Make A Better World 26:09 One Helluva Nerve / Come In My House 32:47 Gonzo New Orleans piano genius James Booker recorded this rare solo session for the BBC while touring Europe in 1978. Taped at the legendary Maida Vale studios and aired on the cult radio series It’s Rock ’n Roll, the performance captures Booker in peak form. At the time, It’s Rock ’n Roll was BBC Radio 1’s answer to a growing demand for classic rock & roll and rockabilly. Most guests were revival acts or 1950s icons but Booker was something else entirely. Two tracks—Tipitina and Hound Dog—were later selected for inclusion on the BBC’s limited-run LP It’s Rock ’n Roll Vol. 2 (1978). The rest of this session remains unreleased and seldom heard, circulating only through collector circles. At a time when Booker struggled for recognition back home, this BBC spotlight affirmed how deeply European audiences valued his artistry.