“The Original Versions"

“The Original Versions" (broadcast 10/18/24)

Ray Stevens: Sunday Morning Coming Down
Kris Kristofferson: Help Me Make It Through The Night
Roger Miller: Me And Bobby McGee
Howard Tate: Get It While You Can
Nat King Cole Trio: (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
Ron Davies: It Ain't Easy
Biff Rose: Fill Your Heart
Betty Hutton: It’s Oh So Quiet
Bessie Banks: Go Now
David Bowie: The Man Who Sold the World
Barrett Strong: Money (That's What I Want)
Gloria Jones: Tainted Love
Darryl Hall & John Oates: Everytime You Go Away
The Four Preps: Love of the Common People
Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart              
Ray Noble: Harlem Nocturne
Sir Mack Rice: Mustang Sally
Jackie DeShannon: Needles And Pins
Bill Monroe: Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Shorty Long: Devil With The Blue Dress
Hoagy Lands: Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand
J.J. Cale: After Midnight
Fleetwood Mac: Black Magic Woman
Fred Neil: Everybody’s Talkin’
Mickey Newbury: An American Trilogy
Kai Winding: Time Is On My Side
Willie Mabon: The Seventh Son
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup: My Baby Left Me
The Leaves: Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go?
The Valentinos: It's All Over Now
John Kongos: He’s Gonna Step On You Again
T-Bone Walker: Stormy Monday
Richard Berry & The Pharaohs: Louie Louie
Shuggie Otis: Strawberry Letter 23
Laura Nyro: Stoned Soul Picnic
Bobby "Blue" Bland: Turn On Your Love Light
Yvonne Fair: I Found You
Chuck Berry: Come On
The Crickets: I Fought The Law                        
Big Star: Thirteen
Evie Sands: I Can't Let Go
Willie Nelson: Crazy (demo)    
Howlin’ Wolf: Spoonful
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates: Shakin’ All Over
Brinsley Schwarz: (What’s So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding
Jimmy Reed: Shame Shame Shame                                       
Wilbert Harrison: Let’s Stick Together (partial)

What is PURE with Howard Thompson?

What is PURE with Howard Thompson?

Apart from the occasional overnighter, fill-in or fundraiser, howard now creates shows for our Podcasts page. You’ll find over 140 archived PUREs there, and new shows will be added - check the PURE and “Strictly” pages - at least once a month.

howard loves all kinds of music and has collected records ever since his uncle gave him Rock Around The Clock as a 6th birthday present.

Disc Jockeys like Brian Matthew (BBC Light Program), Emperor Rosko (Radio Caroline), John Peel (Radio London/BBC Radio 1), Hugh Nolan (Radio Geronimo), Charlie Gillett (BBC Radio London) and Andy Dunkley (the Marquee/Lyceum) made howard’s life worth living and he now just wants to return the favor.

howard worked in the music biz so he could get free records and meet astonishing people.

howard made records with Adam & the Ants, Alan Vega, Angel Corpus Christi, Aswad, Barb Jungr, Billy Bragg, Danny Gatton, Eddie & the Hot Rods, the Georgia Satellites, Hamell On Trial, Herb Alpert, Ian Hunter, John Campbell, Judy Tenuta, ManBreak, Motörhead, Peter C Johnson, the Prissteens, the Psychedelic Furs, Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3, Roky Erickson & the Aliens, Rubén Blades, Sally Oldfield, Sara Hickman, Scatterbrain, the Screaming Blue Messiahs, the Slits, The Star Spangles, The Sugarcubes, Susan Fassbender, Sir Tim Smit, Tulipomania, Victor DeLorenzo, Yellowman and 10,000 Maniacs to name a few. He was the first to release records by MX-80 Sound, the Real Kids and Suicide in Europe, and th’ faith healers, the Gipsy Kings, Happy Mondays, Paul Young and Wham! in the USA

howard joined WPKN in May 2010 and thanks Steve di Costanzo and Peter Bochan for letting him in. Terry Hopper too, for giving up an hour of The Quest to see if it could work.

howard thinks Bob Dylan should be President, and ‘Poison’ Ivy Rorschach should be Vice-President