Peel The Layers

Watching late night BBC4 recently offered up Top Of The Pops presented by John Peel and Janice Long.

As good an excuse as any then to collate a selection of John Peel sessions and repost my tribute to Janice Long from December 2021.

Only a couple of crossovers with The Fall and Julian Cope, with the John Peel selection focusing in more on the alternative/indie side of things and keeping under forty-five minutes. 

 

Good times.

 

1) Cut Dead: The Jesus & Mary Chain (29th October 1985) 

2) Ladybird (Green Grass): The Fall (13th March 1993)

3) DoubtBeat: Scritti Politti (13th December 1978)

4) Через Річку, Через (Cherez Richku, Cherez Hai): The Wedding Present (15th May 1989)

5) Turn The Heater On (Cover of Keith Hudson): New Order (1st June 1982)

6) The Sin Of Pride: The Undertones (7th December 1982)

7) The Awful Flute Song (First Part): The Bambi Slam (1st March 1987)

8) Suffer The Children: Tears For Fears (10th October 1982)

9) Suicide High Lie: Big In Japan (12th February 1979)

10) Oh Lucinda (Love Becomes A Habit): The Only Ones (2nd June 1980)

11) After Murder Park: The Auteurs (8th March 1996)

12) Search Party: Julian Cope (11th June 1984)

13) Waves: Blancmange (13th February 1982)

Peel The Layers (44:14) (KF) (Mega)

Not intentionally trying to be contrary, but whilst the recording dates were listed for each of the songs on the Janice Long selection, the dates for the John Peel sessions relate to when the songs were first broadcast...I think!

Loitering With Intent

The joy of the three-minute pop song in 1978*, however else you want to label it. I missed most of these first time around, as they were B-sides or album tracks, but this music refuses to be denied and at various points in my life have gatecrashed my consciousness and my record collection.

A collection of the usual suspects perhaps though when the songs are this great, is it any surprise? A rollercoaster ride that's over in under 36 minutes but packs a lot in to it's wild ride. Strap in!

* Or, in the case of The Stranglers, the six-minute-plus cover version of a stone cold classic pop song.

The selection includes several songs that appeared in JC's excellent 60 Albums @ 60 series, which revealed All Mod Cons by The Jam at #1. So today's post is dedicated to JC with thanks and love.

1) Friends (John Peel Session): Adam & The Ants

2) Radios In Motion: XTC 

3) Reasons: Skids

4) Action Time Vision: Alternative TV

5) Touch And Go (Single Version): Magazine

6) Just Lust: Buzzcocks

7) Billy Hunt: The Jam

8) Suicide A Go Go: Big In Japan

9) I'm Gonna Love You Too: Blondie

10) Drug-Stabbing Time: The Clash

11) Sand In My Joints (Album Version): Wire

12) Walk On By (Cover of Dionne Warwick): The Stranglers

 

1978: Action Time Vision EP / The Image Has Cracked: 4

1978: All Mod Cons: 7 

1978: Chairs Missing: 11

1978: Charles EP: 3

1978: Ever Fallen In Love... (With Someone You Shouldn't've) EP: 6 

1978: From Y To Z And Never Again EP: 8

1978: Give 'Em Enough Rope: 10

1978: Parallel Lines: 9

1978: Touch And Go: 5

1978: Walk On By EP / Black And White (ltd LP+7"): 12

1978: White Music: 2

1990: The Peel Sessions: 1

 

Loitering With Intent (35:51) (Box) (Mega)

What's The Prediction? I'll Betcha It's Friction!

Listening to the Ramones recently got me digging out more tunes from 1976 to 1978, leading to today's selection, spanning 19 songs and a smidge over 1 hour.

There are perhaps some obvious choices: Ready Steady Go by Generation X, Friction by Television, What Do I Get? by Buzzcocks, The Passenger by Iggy Pop. I've thrown in a few other singles, B-sides and live performances by Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Eater, Protex, Magazine and Joy Division (belated happy 65th birthday for yesterday, Stephen Morris!)

 

I've also included a few choice album tracks by Ramones, The Clash, David Johansen, Talking Heads and Wire. Add to that a handful oddities and 'lost' tunes by Big In Japan, The Scenics and Adam & The Ants (covering Perry Como!) and it's enough to stir this sedentary sequencer of songs.

 

1) Ready Steady Go (Album Version): Generation X (1978)

2) What's Your Game (Album Version): Ramones (1977)

3) Tiny Steps: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

4) Thinkin' Of The U.S.A.: Eater (1977)

5) Catch A Falling Star (Unreleased Version) (Cover of Perry Como): Adam & The Ants (1977)

6) Last Gang In Town: The Clash (1978)

7) Confusion: Sparks (1976)

8) Cindy And The Barbi Dolls: Big In Japan (1978)

9) Friction (Album Version): Television (1977)

10) Touch And Go (Live @ Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester): Magazine (1978)

11) At A Later Date (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): Joy Division (1977)

12) In The Sun (Album Version): Blondie (1976)

13) Not That Much: David Johansen (1978)

14) Don't Ring Me Up: Protex (1978)

15) What Do I Get?: Buzzcocks (1978)

16) Stay Hungry (Album Version): Talking Heads (1978)

17) Do The Wait: The Scenics (1977)

18) The Passenger (Album Version): Iggy Pop (1977)

19) Champs: Wire (1977)

1976: Big Beat: 7

1976: Blondie: 12

1977: Leave Home: 2

1977: Lust For Life: 18

1977: Marquee Moon: 9 

1977: Pink Flag: 19

1977: Thinkin' Of The U.S.A. EP: 4

1978: David Johansen: 13 

1978: Don't Ring Me Up EP: 14

1978: From Y To Z And Never Again EP: 8

1978: Generation X: 1

1978: Give 'Em Enough Rope: 6 

1978: More Songs About Buildings And Food: 16

1978: Radio Radio EP: 3

1978: Short Circuit: Live At The Electric Circus: 11 

1978: What Do I Get? EP: 15

2000: Ant Box: 5

2009: Play + (Expanded 2CD Edition): 10

2009: Sunshine World: Studio Recordings 1977-78: 17

What's The Prediction? I'll Betcha It's Friction! (1:01:30)