My Peel Tapes: Part 6

Dear friends,

first thing today: thank you!!

There have been quite a few comments to the 'My Peel Tapes' - series, which shows me a) that some people are indeed reading this blog and b) that the tracks can't be that bad. Thanks a lot (!!) to everyone who left a comment. Also I want to recommend to you (especially) the latest two episodes of the Contrast Podcast, which are all about our fantastic CD - swap: and what a pleasure it was to participate! Also our friend FiL from Pogo A Go-Go was delighted about the CD he received, as you can tell if you have a look here *smile* .....

Enough of that, more of my Peel Tapes need to be checked out:

(29) Dinosaur - 'Repulsion' (mp3). And yes, you youngsters, I know that you think I forgot the 'Jr.' behind Dinosaur. But they really were called 'Dinosaur' at the time of this release, their debut 7" on Homestead Records from 1985 and only became Dinosaur Jr. a little bit later. I remember Peel reading out a press release for this record from the band, in which Dinosaur reported about some French scientists, who - in the 1960's - apparently wanted to find out up to which volume music could be played to the human body until first damages occur. In order to do so, those scientist built up a huge PA in some desert and were killed whilst doing the test. Whether all of this is true or not, I don't know, but it shows the intention behind Dinosaur's music ... and probably also what a nice chap J. Mascis is ... either way: turn it up good and loud!

[upon request:

Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Architecture, Morality, Ted & Alice'

Quads - 'You've Got To Jive'

Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Albert Hammond Bootleg'

Chin Chin - 'Never Surrender'

Cure - 'Caterpillar'

Half Man Half Biscuit - 'The Trumpton Riots'

Limespiders - 'Out Of Control']

(30) Another 'oldie', I'm afraid. Well, to tell the truth, I'm not afraid at all: I like this stuff up to no degree and I do think it's important to make it available to you. You don't hear these records all that often nowadays and if only one of you tracks it down, listens to it and says 'well, that's pretty neat indeed' ... then I'm more than satisfied! So here's 'To You' by The Smirks (mp3), about whom I can tell you nothing at all. A 7" on Smirksongs from 1979 and it reads on the back of the sleeve: 'Making up for lost time'. What more could I possibly add? The Smirks' website can be found here.

[upon request:

We've Got A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna Use It - 'XX Sex'

Members - 'Solitary Confinement'

We've Got A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna Use It - 'Rules And Regulations'

Pogues - 'The Body Of An American'

Honululu Mountain Daffodils - 'The Electrified Sons Of Randy Alvey']

(31) Although the tape is from 1985, luckily Peel played this one from 1983 again: I'm Spartacus and 'Donna Is Distressed' (mp3). A bit of a collector's item these days and I remember that even back then I had quite some trouble in getting hold of a copy of the 7" on Decade Records from Australia. I'm Spartacus were Nick Cecire on drums, Gino Palmieri on guitar and John Marr (!)on bass and vocals. A shame really it's no longer April 1st, otherwise I would have made up a nice little story about how this John Marr became bass player in a band called The Smiths ....

[upon request:

Primevals - 'Saint Jack'

Half Man Half Biscuit - '1966 And All That'

Hüsker Dü - 'Dead Set On Destruction'

Primevals - 'Spiritual']

(32) The Jasmine Minks' 'Forces Network' (mp3), From the follow-up to their 1984-debut Mini-LP, from their self-titled album from 1985. Which also includes the bloody fantastic 'Cold Heart'. On Creation Records, CRE LP 007 in fact. I think this tune might perhaps find the approval of the mighty JC over at The Vinyl Villain .... let's wait what he thinks!

[upon request:

Half Man Half Biscuit - 'All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit'

Hüsker Dü - 'I Don't Know For Sure]

(33) 'Take The Skinheads Bowling' by Camper Van Beethoven (mp3) (a 12" EP on Pitch A Tent from 1986). I assume you all know this song. If you don't, well: venerate me utterly for having given you the opportunity to brighten your life! Quite cleary there's a Jonathan Richman influence in it, but do you really bother?!

[upon request:

Cocteau Twins - 'Oomingmak'

Cocteau Twins - 'Little Spacey'

Pete Wylie - 'Sinful']

(34) The Soup Dragons - 'Whole Wide World' (mp3). Now, this is the record with which, at least for me, began, what would later be described as 'C86'. Quite a lot of 'those shambling bands' will be featured in the episodes to come, but The Soup Dragons started it all for me, along with The Wedding Present perhaps. Then the NME released the C86 - cassette ... and the rest is history. A 12" on the Subway Organization Label from March 1986.

[upon request:

Cure - 'Boys Don't Cry'

Screaming Blue Messiahs - 'Smash The Market Place'

Screaming Blue Messiahs - 'Holiday Head'

Screaming Blue Messiahs - 'Talking Doll']

Have fun, people: leave comments, leave requests. But most of all: enjoy!

Dirk