I think this selection gives a real flavour of Peel's broadcasting at the time - the only way I (and many others) would ever have heard most of these bands - and why it appealed so much to this wide-eyed teenager.
Also on the tape is a classic interview with Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious - added after the original broadcast but which I asked my parents to record for me because I was out that afternoon - and, bless 'em, they did. In fact John came across so well that my mum wasn't averse to the idea of inviting him over for tea one day. Unfortunately no sound bites from that here but in the meantime I hope you enjoy these little tasters of the time from Tetrack, Blunt Instrument and Wire.
What a fabulous collection. How I miss the days of the mix tape. I used to tape Peel, too, but don't have them any more. Don't have a cassette player, either. Funnily enough, I listened to 'Pink Flag' in its entirety for the first time in years the other day and it's still brilliant. I love all the tracks you've shared here and the first two I've not heard before as far as I can recall.
ReplyDeleteThanks, SB. I'm so glad you enjoyed them - and also Pink Flag. I really love it when you haven't heard something for ages and then when you listen again it sounds just as good and fresh. And listening to Peel every week night with a finger poised on the 'record' button of the cassette deck was a very special thing.
DeleteFunny how we never called 'em Mix Tapes back in the day; and we never said 'back in the day', either. My loft is full of compilation tapes - most on TDK D C90s. We must compare notes one day!
ReplyDeleteIndeed... I think I first heard the term 'Mix Tape' pnly in the very recent past and thought, "I wonder if that means compilation?"!
DeleteMmm, intrigued to know what you still have up there in your loft - bet there are some great obscurities.
You were so flippin' cool....still are best I can tell.
ReplyDeleteI've mentioned before, at least to you, that Peel Sessions were sacred objects for us. The perpetually stoned first drummer of Pavement claimed that he listened to the show in L.A., a claim he made on the show and one that John Peel treats with skepticism.
I never heard it live once but, I certainly knew about it...and those silver and black records were cherished (not to mention being serious currency for trading).
I've got a box of mixed tapes (including a Wire Peel Session) but no cassette deck anymore since the Volvo gave up the ghost.
Don't think I've ever been very cool, e.f. - but many thanks for boosting my ego!
DeleteYou'd have loved the Peel show as it went out on air, never knowing quite what he was going to play next but always feeling privileged to hear it. Ah, happy days.
If you can find a cassette player somewhere you'll have to treat yourself to a nostalgia-tape-fest!
You only have one cassette compilation left? Don't tell Mrs S. I have hundreds of them still to sort through...along with piles of minidisc and CDR equivalents! I see it as an ongoing project and each compilation as an audio diary - she sees it as a pile of boxes getting in the way! I feel a post coming on!
ReplyDeleteGreat tunes by the way - I can't believe I've not stumbled across Tetrack before.
Yes, sadly, only one from my distant and individual past. One thing I regret is not keeping tape comps that other people did for me too. But everything gradually went over subsequent house moves - we've just never had enough room!
DeleteYou're right about an audio diary - and I still love hearing stuff after a long gap and all the subtle feelings and moods it can re-awaken. Recently bought 'John Peel: Right Time Wrong Speed' (from a charity shop!) and it's the nearest I can get to an old tape - so evocative (I'd forgotten early Cocteau Twins for example - yet I'd played them to death at the time!)
Glad you liked the tunes too.
Good luck with those boxes...and I look forward to a post about them!
Fab selection. It made me reflect that although we got rid of our cassette deck at least a year ago, there is still at least one box of mouldering, deeply loved tapes upstairs in the loft. Some of them are absolutely ancient and feature the ten-year old me, pretending to be Marc Bolan. I just like knowing they're there, even though I may never listen to them again.
ReplyDeleteOh you must have another listen to your Marc impersonation again one of these days - sounds brilliant!
DeleteThat's one advantage to still having an old car -the cassette player...
I've still kept some of my favourites, I have to get round to updating them on to digital. Lots of nostalgic value as I remember when and where I made them and how the songs made me feel. There was a definite it art to it!! Will that 12 inch fit on the at the end of side A, never two by the same artist or if you had to, one at the beginning of side A and one at the end of side B. A filler should you only have a couple of mins at the end. There was something romantic about the whole thing, especially making tapes for your girlfriend etc, a prerequisite for courting.
ReplyDeleteSham 69, brilliant! In fact one member of the band used to/still works at Heathrow as a baggage handler. He used to come into our rest room with tales of rock n roll lore. Full of tattoos and a quiff to die for!!
Yes I love what you say about those tapes, fc. Very much an art - and trying not to get the click of the needle on or off the vinyl, too - timing was everything!
DeleteOh, was it the drummer of Sham 69? He's the one I think of when you say quiff!
I can't remember really it was about 7 or 8 years ago, he looked 'battle weary' though!
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