John Peel says listen to some music
”To be free you have to speak another language”
-Henry Rollins from Get in the Van
JOHN PEEL DAY!: I did not know there was such a thing as a International John Peel Day so thanks Ted Cogswell. The music geeks will argue if Mr. Peel(RIP 1939-2004) liked the oldies over live music even though he spent his whole career hosting and engineering live bands on his John Peel sessions on Radio1. This video series has never really been seen much before but for some more go check out sheffieldvision.com It’s been up on youtube for years. Anyway, as a tastemaker he forged a lifetime career listening and recording bands from around the world. From The pixies to more obscure stuff. He would champion some pretty uncomercial stuff seemingly to seek out those that took risks and as he says in this videos even groups like The Slits who could not even tune their own instruments. More about the performance and execution than the virtuosity.
Horizontal Hold by This Heat from the record Made Available(1996). For a elite few of you the cover should be familiar as Shellac borrowed the packaging idea for 1000 Hurts(2000). This Heat is considered the missing link between progressive rock and alternative because of their mix of their musical expression with instrumentals, tape loops and general choas captured here in this live jam. Start with this track and then deep dive into a record called Deceit. [Buy]
Flying Saucer by The Wedding Present(Select tracks from later era Peel sessions 1992-1995). On a quick scan it seems David Gedge performed an awful lot on his show. Then again he is from the UK. Very tight band. Friend of mine from Third Hand Films was working on a live tour concert documentary tentatively called drive but it never got any muster out of the gate which shows The Wedding Present as a hard working band. Check out the documentary trailer. Gedger should get it together. [Buy]
French Disko by Stereolab from ABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions. In spirit of finely recorded live music this double LP is awesome. This particular track was recorded on Mark Radcliffe show but the album mixes sessions from both. I just picked this track because I love the spelling of the title. If that is not a node to Kraut rock I don’t know what is…
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