My Peel Tapes: Part 9

Hello folks,

a bank holiday here in Germany plus a day off, which means to you that I have found the time to work on the 'My Peel Tapes' - series. And if I don't talk too much, there will be more to come on the weekend as well .... let's wait and see. Here we go:

(51) As you might imagine, there were numerous bands that Peel featured, which turned out to be one-hit-wonders without having had a hit in the sense of commercial success. You heard the record, thought to yourself 'oh, this is quite nice stuff' and that was about it. They never came back with another record, at least not knowingly. The Stitched Back-Foot Airmen are a prime example: I know nothing about them or where they might possibly be up to at the moment. Nor did I know back in 1986, when this came out on Very Mouth Records as a 7": 'Wouldn't You Like To Know' (mp3).

[upon request:
Frightwig - 'Big Bang'
Half Man Half Biscuit - 'D'Y'Ken Ted Moult?'
Stump - 'Buffalo'
Soup Dragons - 'Head Gone Astray']

(52) The Slits - 'Love And Romance' (mp3). A total classic, not only because of the fantastic line 'Oh, I forgot the lyrics now'. In the Strange Fruit 'Peel Sessions' 12" - series, released in 1986, the session itself dates from 1977 though. More about The Slits: here.

(53) I know you've been wondering for quite some time why I never posted anything by The Wedding Present so far. Well, the truth of the matter is, I always thought to myself: 'Hmmm ... this one is not good enough, there will come another one which is even better'. But then again: ALL of what they did back then is utterly brilliant, so there is no use to wait any longer. So why not go for their 'My Favourite Dress' (mp3), a 12" on Reception Records from 1987?

[upon request:
Railway Children - 'Brighter'
Siouxsie & The Banshees - 'Mirage'
Primitives - 'Stop Killing Me'
Pastels - 'Up For A Bit']

(54) Quite hard to decide which one to post here and I'm pretty sure some requests will come in for the tracks below. I'll go for 'I Love My Leather Jacket' (mp3) by The Chills, because with this track the whole Kiwipop - thingy really started, I would think. At least it did for me. The Chills made a lot of good songs, the same was true at the time for a lot of bands from New Zealand. And still is, as a matter of fact. I know I used to think very often indeed that the people from down there must be a really lucky and relaxed bunch of lads. You literally could feel this in the music they made, you know ... From a 7" on Normal Records from Germany, released in 1986.

[upon request:
New Order - 'Ceremony'
DCL Locomotive - 'King Midas In Reverse'
Gang Of Four - 'At Home He's A Tourist'
Artery - 'The Death Of Peter X' ('Into The Garden')]

(55) SSgt. Barry Sadler - 'Ballad Of The Green Berets' (mp3). Well, some of you will hate this, others may like it as much as I do. I think it has a certain charme, but then again I'm the sort of guy who sometimes likes to look the odd U.S. - war movie from the 60's late at night when Mrs. Loser is already sleeping. Albeit they are all totally uncritical to the horrors of war and tell us that all American soldiers were nothing less than heroes, I still like to watch them exactly because of the way they patronise ..... and fall asleep in the middle of them. You can compare all of this to the track by the Staff Sergeant: not that I fall asleep when I listen to it, no, but there is something in it which I can't explain really. Originally released as a 7" on RCA Victor in 1966 and you have to judge yourself whether it's any good or not. Please let me know: I'm really interested to learn what you think of it ....

(56) The Band Of Susans - 'Hope Against Hope' (mp3). From a 12" EP on Furthur Records out of the States, released in 1987 and called 'Blessing And Curse'. They had three guitars, which you will able to tell when you listen to the tune. Six members were in the band (here's their homepage), but only 3 of them were called Susan: Susan Stenger: Bass, vocals, Susan Tallman: Guitar, Susan Lyall: Guitar ....

[upon request:
Laibach - 'Geburt Einer Nation'
Laibach - 'Leben Heisst Leben'
Shonen Knife - 'Devil House']

(57) The Fizzbombs' 'Sign On The Line' (mp3). You will not find much on the net about The Fizzbombs apart from the fact that they contained ex-members from The Shop Assistants and Jesse Garon And The Desperadoes. They came from Edinburgh and lasted a little under two years releasing two singles and a track for a flexi compilation. 'Sign On The Line' was the first record, released in 1987 on Narodnik Records. And I saw recently it had gone on ebay for some 38,- Euros .... unbelievable ... !

[upon request:
Wire - 'Ahead'
Flatmates - 'Happy All The Time'
Flesh For Lulu - 'Siamese Twist']

Enough for today, my beauties. I hope you enjoyed today's songs and will have a look at No. 10 as well ... which will be ready rather soon, I think.

Take care,

Dirk