[Steve70nearly]

Coming soon will be appreciation of the Peel Sessions, one by one. Dannynomates will be editing the series for me so I can make as many mistakes as I like and they will all be corrected. I'll post the first one at the weekend.

[dannynomates]

Nuts.

I'm far too busy solving huge massive Fallen mysteries and warning people.

Dan

[Amber]

Oh I loved the Peel Sessions so I'm really looking forward to this. I just hope it's as great as Greasy Roads' and routemaster's earlier writings.

[A Worthless Man]

I suppose this will be another boring book?

[Fat Bob]

Don't forget to set up a crowdfunder, Steve70nearly, make the cunts pay twice for your work.

Obviously get dannynomates to delete this entire thread on completion.

[Steve70nearly]

Session One: May 1978



The Fall were talent-scouted for the John Peel show by John Walters on the recommendation of ex-BBC employee (but then NME writer) Danny Baker. The group assembled in Maida Vale studios on penultimate day of May in 1978 and comprised:

MES
Martin Bramah - Guitars, Bass, Backing Vocals
Yvonne Pawlett - Keyboards
Karl Burns - Drums
Steve Davis - Bongos

Steve Davis is not the French prog-rock loving snooker player but a Mancunian married insurance man who was an enthusiast of Thai boxing, something that might have come in handy had he stuck around. The session itself nestled amongst tracks by Bob Seger, Barclay James Harvest, Bob Dylan and Thin Lizzy: it would be a while yet before the old guard disappeared from the John Peel Wingding. They played Futures And Pasts, Mother-Sister, Rebellious Jukebox, and Industrial Estate. This was almost a year before Live At The Witch Trials, which all the tracks later appeared on, was released so this was totally new to anyone except the smallish number who'd seen them live. I wasn't around at the time but this must have sounded pretty radical and have stood out even from the tremendous amount of new music that was around then. Great playing from Martin Bramah who really took centre stage with MES and how good is Karl Burns?

Favourite track: Rebellious Jukebox

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[Amber]

Ooh this looks like being a great series Steve70nearly, I loved the Peel Sessions.

I'd have picked 'Mother-Sister' myself for that scream at the end.

[Joan Con]

Amber, he'll get bored with the project halfway through 'Hexen Definitive', I wouldn't get too excited.

[Steve70nearly]

Ooh this looks like being a great series Steve70nearly, I loved the Peel Sessions.

I'd have picked 'Mother-Sister' myself for that scream at the end.

Thank you Amber, I hope you buy the book.

[Amber]

Ooh this looks like being a great series Steve70nearly, I loved the Peel Sessions.

I'd have picked 'Mother-Sister' myself for that scream at the end.

Thank you Amber, I hope you buy the book.

This time next month I will be buying nappies and formula milk for baby, I shan't be able to afford books.

[Steve70nearly]

Session Two: November 1978



It wasn't long before the group were commissioned to do another session, but even at this early stage line ups were already changing. Enter Marc Riley, former roadie on bass. The 'Keeping It Peel' site suggests Yvonne's surname was Paulette, but I'd bet a ewe's butt this was an error.

MES
Martin Bramah - Guitars, Bass, Backing Vocals
Yvonne Pawlett - Keyboards
Karl Burns - Drums
Marc Riley - Bass

This session came following The Fall's first studio releases, 'Bingo Master's Breakout EP' featuring Una Baines on keyboards (she had left before the release) and 'It's The New Thing' 7". None of the tracks from these featured in a Peel Session. Instead the four tracks here are 'Put Away', 'Mess Of My', 'No Xmas For John Quays' and 'Like To Blow'. And in pure Fall tradition, only the last two featured on the still unreleased debut LP 'Live At The Witch Trials', that was another four months away. 'Put Away' was not released until the second LP 'Dragnet', although this version was quite different featuring Yvonne's keyboard high in the mix - the finished product was devoid of such moderninity. I prefer this more poppy one, but it's interesting hearing the later version with big line up change. 'Mess Of My' never saw the light of day at all in a proper studio release, an idiosyncrasy the the group would taunt fans with several times in the future. A shame because it's probably the best track here.

Favourite track: Mess Of My

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[Amber]

This is sooo good Steve70nearly.

[Steve70nearly]

This is sooo good Steve70nearly.

Thanks again Amber, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

Why not buy the book from me now, in advance, before baby comes along and cripples you financially? Just £19.99 secures you a copy when it's released, and I'll chuck in postage for free.

PM me.

[loadofpony]

20 notes? You're having a fucking laugh!

At the rate you're going, you'll be lucky to get 24 pages out of it. You should be asking for the price of a copy of The Beano.

[Steve70nearly]

Session Three: September 1980



Nearly two years were to pass before the group's next session in the autumn of 1980.

MES
Marc Riley - Guitar
Craig Scanlon - Guitar
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums

How the Peel Show landscape had changed since the last one: gone were the 'dinosaurs' like Bobs Dylan and Seger; the group's session now nestled amogst offerings by Joy Division and The Specials. Uncle John finished the night with Rolf Harris but we all have our faults. The session comprised Container Drivers, Jawbone And The Air-Rifle, New Puritan, and New Face In Hell, two of which were from the forthcoming long player, Grotesque(After The Gramme), one (New Puritan) was from the last LP Totale's Turns, and Jawbone which wouldn't see the light of day until 1982 on Hex Enduction Hour. The group are on top form here, a phrase that will be repeated a lot during this series. The Hanley brothers were like a rock, listen to the drumming.

Favourite track:

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[Amber]

Excellent as ever Steve70nearly, and I've never seen that photo before.

[dannynomates]

Clearly despite my already heavy workload, it seems I will have to edit this nonsense for grammatical failings.

There should be a gap between the word "Grotesque" and the opening bracket of the sub-title. Furthermore, for consistency, "Totale's Turns" should have included the sub-title "(It's Now Or Never)".

Steve70nearly warned for shoddy grammar.

Dan

[Steve70nearly]

Clearly despite my already heavy workload, it seems I will have to edit this nonsense for grammatical failings.

There should be a gap between the word "Grotesque" and the opening bracket of the sub-title. Furthermore, for consistency, "Totale's Turns" should have included the sub-title "(It's Now Or Never)".

Steve70nearly warned for shoddy grammar.

Dan

Thank you dannynomates, I'm so lucky to have someone as clever as you editing my blog.

[dannynomates]

Clearly despite my already heavy workload, it seems I will have to edit this nonsense for grammatical failings.

There should be a gap between the word "Grotesque" and the opening bracket of the sub-title. Furthermore, for consistency, "Totale's Turns" should have included the sub-title "(It's Now Or Never)".

Steve70nearly warned for shoddy grammar.

Dan

Thank you dannynomates, I'm so lucky to have someone as clever as you editing my blog.

Yes, you are.

Dan

[thesnippedpriestess]

I cannot conceive how Steve70nearly failed to point out that Session 3 was the most magnificent of them all. And we shall have to agree to disagree that New Puritan was the best track.

When is the next review please?