"Well........ Once upon a time, a long time ago, I hitch-hiked down from Stirling to London to see U2 play a very early show supporting Talking Heads. The Heads, promoting their classic 'Remain In Light' album had decided it would be a good wheeze to play two London dates, one on 1st December 1980 at Hammersmith Palais and one the next night literally across the road at the Hammersmith Odeon, and to ensure a good time was had by all, had hauled in U2 to bulk up the bill, tactically a massive error on David Byrne's part as the boys from Dublin comprehensively stole the show, with Bono chaired shoulder high around the Palais dancefloor by an adoring sold-out crowd.

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Actually that's bollocks. I did indeed hitch-hike to the gig, and U2 were indeed on the bill but I have absolutely no recollection of them whatsoever. Not a thing. Nada. No, I had gone to London to see a much better proposition. The mighty Boots For Dancing, back in those days an absolute guarantee of a raucous night out, fuelled on off-kilter funk and a number of other things. I've lost count of the number of times I saw them over the years. In Edinburgh, in Glasgow, in Stirling, in Glenrothes and who knows where else. Hesitate. Ooh Bop Sh'Bam. Classics all. A particular highlight was the show at the Nite Club with the Fire Engines and John Peel when they tore the place up, but they were always great and I certainly wasn't going to let not having any money stop me going to this great leap forward.

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So it was that I found myself at the back of the Hammersmith Palais along with Dave and the rest of the band and relishing in the excitement of your mates soon to take to the stage for their biggest gig to date. I didn't have a ticket though, and while this didn't bother me, it did seem to trouble the Straight Music employees who marched up to us and demanded to see our passes and/or tickets. Dave had a pass. Douglas had a pass. Jo had a pass. Mike had a pass. James had a pass. Even Bob had a pass. I didn't have a pass. My girlfriend didn't have a pass. Our cover as roadies did not look secure.

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Cue an impromptu game of pass the, er, pass: rotating five between seven of us, while trying to avoid having to show all of them at once and maintaining steady expressions of perplexed innocence throughout. Round and round they went until the security boys eventually got fed up and went off to hassle The Ege instead. We hid in the dressing room and furiously attempted to look like professional equipment types who had accidentally misplaced their credentials for the moment.

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It worked, and the evening proceeded in the traditional fashion. Which may well be why I don't remember anything about U2. But I do remember shouting "Boots! For Dancing!!" a lot.

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Three days later the first Peel session went out for the first time..."

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Mark Hagen

BBC Radio 2 Producer. April 2015